Recusant

Prologue

The morning was already cold, a clear sign to Polymare's parents that winter was approaching fast. They'd both worked hard and willingly to finally buy her and her oldest brother long coats and now as the two children raced through the muddy walk path of the village's market area, they were grateful.

It was always during this weather, when the two moons merged, that the faerie woman who sold charred burping toads on a stick to the local children made an appearance. The two of them would be lucky if they made it in time to at least share one.

"Do we really have to keep coming here, Pol?" Yaldar, her only brother and eldest by a minute, began to slow down, an unsure look crossing his chubby face. "You know it's illegal for her to even show. Why don't we just go-"

"Don't be such a stickler." They were both ten, but seeing he was the eldest Polymare was mostly forced to listen to him. Oh how she'd like to have been born first.

She turned to her brother, who was on the verge of stopping and gripped his arm, pulling him deeper through the set ups of desperate salesmen and women. "We'll get the toad and leave, ok? I promise."

"If you say so-"

Yaldar suddenly stopped, tugging his sister down towards the ground besides a set up for carved wood. "Yaldar what-"

He covered her mouth, and shushed her quickly as both their eyes widened, grey orbs bright. He motioned with his head over the table, and Polymare peeking over, immediately understood what was happening.

How could she have not noticed everyone had gone quiet?

The faerie woman's stand had been smashed to pieces, sticks and dead toads scattered all over the muddy floor, and the faerie, a beautiful cloaked figure with pink hair sat bowed on the ground. Bowed in front of the watchmen who most definitely came to take her for being a damned.

Their plate armor was shiny and clean, swords strapped securely at their waists. Everyone feared them. They were brutal when it came to the damned. Merciless.

"Yaldar they'll hurt-"

"We can't do anything about it, Pol. Let's go home."

All the stands watched, quiet, as the watchmen surrounded the faerie. She didn't look like she'd fight back, and so it struck Polymare's heart when head watchman, Irving, kicked the defenseless woman to her side. "A pest," he spat.

"She's not fighting back. We can't just watch."

"Stop," her brother shook her shoulder firmly, before moving to pull her from the scene. "You're not one of them Polymare! We're defenseless too..."

Polymare being the stubborn child she was, shook from her brother's hold, and before he could reach to grab her once more, had already begun stomping angrily towards the nasty watchmen. "Hey!" She bellowed, "Have you no shame preying on such a defenseless woman?"

The watchmen turned lazily towards her, their eyes seeming to burn into the young girl's soul as she neared, though, she didn't stop.

"You can not just hate someone because they're different!" A hand, rough and painful, gripped her arm and gave a forceful tug. Yaldar whispered hoarsely to her, "Polymare that's enough, let's g-"

The hilt of a sword smashing against Polymare's mouth was enough to knock her off her feet, almost sending her brother down with along with her. She sat up in a daze, Yaldar kneeling besides her to keep her steady and Irving moved towards them sheathing his sword.

The blood dripping from her mouth was enough warning.

"You are nothing but a child. Children stay in their place." He signaled with his hand over his shoulder and two watchmen immediately moved forward to grip the faerie's arms before retreating towards their horses. Irving began to follow, Polymare watching him intently until he turned back towards the young siblings, his blue eyes full of rage.

"Go. Home."