Dad said I'll know when the smuggler gets here, so I guess I just have to be ready.
It got pretty late, but I had a case all ready, and made sure I had a big dinner.
I nodded off on my chair in my room.
"My darling.." I hear a woman speak softly.
"You need to hurt them." she spoke again, maintaining a pleasant tone..
"Make them suffer.
Make them beg for their deaths.." She gradually became more sinister.
"Burn them.
BURN THEM ALL."
I awoke suddenly, but to a distinctive smell.
Smoke.
I shot up from the seat, and the whole upper half of my room was covered in thick, black smoke.
I crouched down, looking around the room to find the source.
I grabbed my bag and then ran to the doorway.
Oh no.
"DAD?!" I shouted.
The fire engulfed the whole of the downstairs space.
"DAD!!" I screamed, now getting desperate.
I coughed from the smoke, and then ran down the stairs to see if he was hiding anywhere.
No...
Dad.
I could see him, sat on his rocking chair.
He was on fire.
He was gone.
An oil lamp burst close to me from the heat and flames roared towards me.
I screamed as burning oil sprayed in my face, and I sprinted towards the front door. As I opened it, there was a huge explosion, projecting me outwards onto the grass in front.
I turned to look at my home, and it was just a massive fire ball.
He had no chance.
I collapsed my head on the grass and cried.
Everything is gone.
I closed my eyes while my tears fell down my cheeks.
.
My eyes flicked open.
Someone's here.
I move to sit up and I suddenly feel a hand cover my mouth, and a sack tightened over my head.
I tried to fight them off, but then I felt a hand tighten the head sack.
"Stop fighting. I'm sorry about your father." A female voice spoke, and I instantly stopped moving.
"Are.. you the smuggler?" I asked openly, and she didn't respond, but I assumed my guess was correct.
I was carried onto a cart, and then heard a horse move off.
"Is the sack really necessary?" I spoke, breaking the silence.
No response.
"Where am I going?" I ask again.
Nothing.
"Who burned my house down?" I whispered, suddenly feeling overcome with emotion.
"My dad is dead. I never got to say goodbye to him." I then break down, and the smuggler places a hand on my back.
"I knew your dad for many years. He was a great man. Always spoke about you, but I never wanted to see the day.." She adds..
"Wh..what do you mean?" I sniffle. What is that supposed to mean?
"There's an agreement. If you smuggle a life, you take a life. He only had his to give." She then sighs.
"What are you saying?" I straighten my back, feeling the confusion morph into rage.
"Did you kill my father?"
"Your father knew what it meant, but took it upon himself to fulfil his side of the deal." She explained, and my heart sank.
"What kind of fucked up deal is that?!" I argued, then before I could speak again, we were brought to a sudden halt.
"Shh! Get down, and don't say anything!" She urged me, pushing me down and laying something over me.
Without much thought, I rolled my eyes back into my head, and as I opened my eyes again..
I.. was a crow?
I watched what was unfolding. Two patrol men on horses had stopped her.
The smuggler.. She's young? I thought she said she had known my dad for a while? She looks barely 16.
"..Just on my way home from working." She then speaks to the patrol men.
"..Are you alone?" One of them asks.
"Pretty dangerous for a young lady to be out on her own at night. You don't know what could happen to you.. And neither would anyone else."
Ugh, is this what I've missed?
I flew down and pecked one of the heads of the men, making him freak out.
I regained consciousness again, and heard a gun cock and shoot the bird.
Let's try that again..
I opened my eyes, and I was one of the horses.
I kicked my legs and bucked my head back as if I was spooked.. Then came back to myself.
This is fun.
"I think you should let me be on my way now." The smuggler spoke, and then with no response, the men took off, allowing us to continue.
"Did you have fun back there?" She chuckled at me, and I couldn't help but giggle.
"I never did that before." I admitted, and she just hummed.
"A natural then. Some things will just come to you unexpectedly. Just be careful.
There's some people with similar abilities that you can learn from. That's probably the best way to learn to control them. You don't want to go into anything too blindly. Some actions have consequences." She explained, and I let out a sigh in acknowledgement.
"Can I have this sack off my head, please?" I asked her, and she pulled the blanket off me and the sack without hesitation.
"Woah, you look just like your mother." She smiled at me, and then looked forward again.
"How old are you?" I frowned at her.
"Uh.. I've lost count to be honest." She laughs, and I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief.
What is this world I have been living in?
We pulled up to a large house and the gates opened wide.
It looked derelict.
"This place looks haunted.." I uttered.
"Oh, it is. That's why it's the perfect house for some of the last remaining Wardens of the East."
"The what now?" I questioned her.
"The Wardens? What, you don't know the name of your own kind?" She snorts at me, and I look ahead in confusion.
"I'm a Warden? I only read about those in books.. How can I be a Warden?"
"Well, Y/N.. You're not just a Warden. You are one of the only known children of a Warden as well. Wardens are infertile. Or so we all thought." She added casually, and I just dropped my jaw in shock.
There's no way.
The smuggler leads me into the front door, and a gust of freezing air hits me.
"Why is it so cold?" I shiver, and she just mocks me.
"You've really had it good, haven't you?" She teased.
We walked into the entrance hall, and the sound of my heels knocking on the wooden floorboards echoed throughout the empty house.
She opened a door, and then a warm light emitted from the room.
As we entered, there was warmth. More than I expected.
A cat ran past me and into the room, and we followed through until the space opened up.
It was like a whole house hidden inside the derelict one.
"He's been busy.." I giggle, pointing at the cat that was rolling around in black bird feathers.
"Let me show you to your room, then I will introduce you.. and prepare you for who your house mates are. It's a bit of a dysfunctional house.. I'm not gonna lie." She let out awkwardly, then walked up some stairs.
"Don't enter any rooms up here other than yours and the bathroom.
You'll be the only lady in the house, but don't expect any special treatment. Some see women a lot, some don't at all, so just be careful with what you do and say.. and wear around them."
Great, not really sure what to expect with that.
She opened a door and we entered a large room.
It had a bed, an armchair, a fireplace and a dining set. It needed some homely things, but it was better than I expected.
"There's some more house rules, so please pay attention and follow me."
I dumped my case on the bed and then followed her out the room.
"There is a procedure for everything here.
Let the cat in if you see it at the door.
Don't wear red lipstick anywhere in the house.. Don't ask why.
If you make tea, make sure you make enough for all eight of you.
If you see these feathers around, just help clean up. They get absolutely everywhere and pile up otherwise.
Some of the residents like their alone time. Just leave them alone if they ask.
If you give in to temptation, just expect some repercussions.
Anything you are asked to do, will more than likely not be a question for choice. There are some residents that are master manipulators.
Assert your position. Put them in their place if they cross a line. You are just as, if not more special than them. Don't let them forget it.
Don't touch any of the potions in that cupboard, and don't possess any of the animals or pets on the grounds. They are protected.
I think that covers everything.. Any questions?"
I stare back at the smuggler, trying to recount everything she just said.
"Uh.. I don't think so." I grimace at her, and she lets out a satisfied smile.
"They all wont be back until the morning, so If you want, you can get comfy, have a bath, and meet me down here at 7am. I'll be able to give you the run down of the residents and introduce you to them. You've got about 3 hours, so might not be any point having a sleep.. but it's up to you." She smiles.
"Ohh, and my name is Rita."
"Nice to meet you, Rita. Thank you." I smile back at her, then took myself back to my room.
I opened my case and hung up the few clothes that I brought with me.
Did she say the 'last' Wardens of the East?
What's happened to them all?