"We're home too early." Melody complained as Erin applied a a second coat of bright blue polish to her toes. The girls had retreated to their dorm after returning from Waverly Tavern. The weren't the least bit sleepy; too excited for the testing and the graduation dinner that was happening tomorrow, not to mention official graduation the next day.
"It's half after eleven." Erin reminded her, not looking up from the other girl's tan feet. It was weeks after the last day of tanning sunlight, but Melody held the color of sun kissed skin year round. Erin was only slightly jealous, knowing it was her own fault she wasn't as tanned and if it wasn't then she could certainly blame genetics as her father's skin was the approximate color of skin after it's been pack in ice a bit too long.
" I know, I'm just not tired though...You missed the little toe."
"I didn't miss it, I just haven't gotten there yet." She'd missed it.
Melody laughed then fell silent. Erin finished painting. They stared at each other, Erin kneeling on the plush carpet beside Melody's feet, Melody stretched out on the Divan couch that was pushed against wall. Green eyes searched brown. No longer in the dim lighting of the tavern or lamp light of the city streets, Erin could see clearly the dark smudges under Melody's sad eyes. She looked like she had gone days without sleep. Had she?
"Mel," Erin hesitated, putting her hand on the couch next to the Melody's, the tips of their fingers just touching. " You can tell me if...if there's something wrong. Is it more than the tests? Is there something wrong with you and Jason?"
Melody shook her head and pulled her knees up to her chest; partly for comfort but also so Erin could climb up on the couch
"I don't know what's wrong with me, Erin." She took a shuddering breath and let it out slowly. "I- I need to tell you something."
"Anything." Erin told her, her face the portrait of seriousness, though that wasn't unusual, and Melody knew it was true. It always had been, for everyone. Every student in Hendrick knew who gave the best advice, kept the darkest secrets, and never passed judgment. Erin Slates had stoicism instilled in her body like blood. When Marcia Grey was pregnant with Mr. Hindfeld's baby? She had sought out Erin for advice and Erin hadn't even blinked in surprise, just given her the number of her family's cleric. The baby was two now and the couple happily married. When a First Year had sent a baseball through their Chemistry class in the spring, Erin had taken the blame with the excuse of an exploding beaker. No one had said differently and she had given the ball back to the kid just after class. "It was an accident, accidents don't bare punishment." She had told Melody. Melody asked her if she still believed that.
"Of course," Erin said without hesitation. "I've always believed that, it'd be stupid not to." The look in her eyes said she had steeled herself for something bad. Melody took a deep breath.
"You know my uncle John?"
A stupid question,Erin thought. Everyone knew Melody's uncle. He was the librarian's assistant at Hendrick Academy, he was friendly, polite, efficient in his work, he also made a wicked cup of hot chocolate. He was also one of the Collared. Erin nodded to Melody's question, hoping she'd continue.
"Do you know why he's Collared?"
"For testing as a Shadow."
"Do you think that kind of thing is right?" Silence. They took up their stare again. Erin's eyes searching now, probing for an answer to a question that made no sense. Was it right? Of course. Lormandi was preventing citizens from becoming assassins, thieves. It kept them from committing acts of violence they might later regret, it kept people safe. Maybe they couldn't do anything about it in East Lormandi, but here in the West there was no real crime and that was thanks to the Collaring of Shadows and the like, people slept with their windows open in the summer, children didn't go missing, neither did jewelry for that matter.
Erin had heard stories about the crime on the other side of The Dividing River. While there were still human villages close to the river on the other side that were loyal to the King, the elves, dwarves, and Aetherlings that dwelt in the Dire Wood and beyond did not, nor did the escaped Shadows and Aether Eaters that often fled there for safety. Rumors were always circulating about the latter burning down houses and the like.
Erin believed those stories, not the ones she heard involving elves or dwarves, Erin had seen the ones that came into town to trade their wares, they seemed gentle creatures and skilled craftsmen, she bought Melody's Saint's Day present from them every year, she did not believe them capable of violent acts. The Aetherlings, Aether Eaters, and Shadows though, were a different story.
"The Collaring keeps us safe Mel, no, I think it's probably not the fairest thing to take a graduate that hasn't done a thing wrong in his whole life and Collar him because he might but...It's better than waiting for him to do something wrong and then he's executed not just Collared. The Collared lead good lives anyway." Melody's face grew dark with emotion and Erin sighed. "What's this about Mel?"
"The Aptitudes can be genetic, you know." Erin had studied genetics this year, she knew.
"I know, but the Condemned traits are recessive, if a peron's father is, let's say, a witch, that person has only about a one in five hundred chance of also being a witch. And we aren't even talking about your father, it's your uncle and-"
"I can bend shadows." Erin stopped breathing. It felt like minutes went by but Melody had only silently counted to fifteen before Erin stood up and said, "Show me."
"What?" She expected screaming, calling for a Templar maybe, not, "Let me see some criminal activity, Melody."
"What do you mean, what? Show me the shadow bending thing." She tapped her socked foot on the carpet and Melody would have laughed at her long nightgown and sleeping cap if it wasn't for the look on her face.It was stern and a little incredulous, like a mother who thinks her child is wasting time before bed by making her check for monsters in the closet.
"Well, I-I, uh-" Melody stuttered. " I can only do it a little." Erin crossed her arms over her chest, waiting. Melody sighed and walked over to the fireplace, standing with her back to the heat, the fire light casting the shadow of her long legs out in from of her. Erin came and stood at the end of the shadow, green eyes glued to it.
"I'll try for the knees-" Melody broke off, concentrating her focus on the shadows knees. Nothing happened. Sweat from the fire's heat beaded on Melody's back, sweat from nerves shone on Erin's smooth forehead, she pushed her some of the black bangs that had strayed out of her nightcap away from it.
The flicker in the shadow was small, but definite, one second her shadow's legs were straight pillars in the firelight; the next her knees jerked out to the sides abruptly then back. She just moved her legs, Erin told herself, but she knew the movement had been unnatural, legs didn't bend to look like stairs, it just didn't happen.
"Shit."Erin breathed. Melody started, sure she'd never heard the other girl swear like that before.
"Are you going to go get a Cleric?" She asked quietly, eyes staring straight at the floor.
Erin laughed, bitterly. "Only if you want me to, and I don't think you do." She sat down on the Divan without grace and pulled off her night cap, throwing it on the floor. "Do you want try and cheat the tests? It's been done before, I think."
Melody shook her head, she stared down at the feet, weary with indecision.
"The only other option is to run away."
" You would be the one to say it, wouldn't you? " Melody sighed. It was midnight. the city gates were locked down hours ago and she wouldn't be able to leave before the tests tomorrow. she certainly wouldn't be able to afterwords.
"I don't have anywhere to go anyway," Melody said. " My parents would turn me in, they're good people and it's not death, just Collaring."
" Of course you can't go to them you idiot! You can't stay in West Lormandi, no way! " Erin jumped up off the couch and begin pacing while Melody sunk further into the couch, as if trying to disappear between the cushions. I'm just spare change, she told herself, easily lost in the couch, never to be found again.
"What are doing?"Erin sharp voice cut her thoughts to ribbons.
"Melting."
"you need to be thinking." Melody realized Erin had donned a pair of trousers on under her night gown at some point. The result was hilarious looking, but the rate at which Erin was pacing kept Melody silent.
Leave West Lormandi? How? She didn't have enough money for ship fare to Demaskus and even if she did, it wouldn't be hard for the Templars to find her at one of the docks on The Dividing River. She had always gone unseen in the crowd if she wanted, but could she with people actually searching for her? No, she thought, I think not. I'm dead. No, worse, I'm Collared.
" Are you still melting? " Erin asked. Melody opened her eyes to see her fully dressed.
" What are you- "She was cut off when a pair of boys' gray trousers and a green, long sleeved tunic hit her in the face.
" Put it on." Erin commanded, running around the room in a frenzy. She pulled her backpack out of the bottom of their closet, the one she had used only once for the Sixth Year camping trip they'd gone on a few months back. Melody shrugged off her nightgown and threw on the tunic. It was Erin's, Melody didn't own any tunics, only dress shirts and sweaters, but Erin favored the fashion trends that had been inspired by the dress of the few elven merchants that could be seen around town so she had a good collection of the things. This one was a forest green, slightly loose across the chest, as all the shirts she borrowed from Erin were, and had a slim fit. The sleeves slightly billowed from elbow down, then gathered at the wrist again.
The grey trousers were hers too. They fit well, except they were just a bit too short, something easily covered up by the knee- high riding boots Erin had bought from and elf for her for Saints' Day last year. They were finely crafted, and chocolate colored, flat but thick soled, and expensive. Melody had never worn them, but when she slipped them on to her feet they fit her like she had been breaking them in the whole year she'd owned them.
When she was done dressing Erin had already finished packing the backpack.
" What exactly are we doing? " Melody asked hesitantly.
" You're robbing me and running away."
" Oh, right. " Melody rolled her big brown eyes while tying her brassy hair into a low ponytail. " Where exactly am I going?"
" East Lormandi." Melody practically fainted, but Erin continued on. She had learned awhile back that if you have something shocking to say you should get it all out at once. "I put clothes in it, including a cloak,a book or two, a map, soap (of course), and fifteen crowns in a little purse at the bottom, and some apples and bread from the food cupboard." She grimaced. "It's all I have on me at the moment besides notes, but they don't take those across the River. So when you get settled you'll have to write me so I can send more."
" Fifteen crowns is plenty! And.. You aren't going too? " Melody asked. Her lip trembled and she bit down on it to keep it still. Erin sighed, and held the backpack out to Melody. She had even affixed a bed roll to it.
" Mel, if I went my father would have us found in hours. you know that."
" I don't even know a way out!" Melody sobbed. "I'll just stay, maybe I can cheat the test."
" Right," Erin said," And maybe I'll grow again someday; however, this isn't the occasion for "maybes". Now, I know a way out, so let's go."
***
The trek through the dorm building was perhaps the most mind racking thing Erin had ever been through. The girls crept quite as cats through the corridors of the large old building, feeling along the walls to keep from stumbling over their own feet in the darkness, as they made their way to the main door. Melody never made a sound, but once Erin snagged her foot on a wrinkle in a rug. She hissed in frustration and they remained perfectly stiff and silent for a full minute. Nothing happened so they continued on, Erin being even more careful than before.
The problem with a front door in a dormitory is that they are often watched. the girls' dormitory at Hendrick Academy was no different, except maybe the fact that, at night, it was watched by a troll of a woman named Beatrice Bagshaw.Erin had never even been fully convinced Ms. Bagshaw was a woman, and any conviction she might have had was quickly fleeing her mind as she watched the woman sleep, slumped over the front desk. Her snoring alone was enough to explain why she wasn't married, She was also a full foot taller than Erin, and not elegantly so.
" There's no way," Melody fretted, shaking her head from side to side. " We have to be right next to her to get the door key!"It was true enough, the key to the door sat right out in the open on the desk, but it was also only about a foot from Ms.Bagshaw's unfortunate- looking nose.
" You'll have to get it."
" Me?! Why me?!" Erin graced her with a look that terrified her just a little more than the prospect of being caught. "Oh, right. the whole Shadow thing." Erin took the pack from her and Melody took a few quiet steps forward, stopping when startled by a particularly loud snore. Erin prodding her forward again just a few seconds later. She started to move again, slow but determined. Erin made her way to the door and stood there; she looked clam, but Melody could feel the anxiety rolling off of her in waves, it made her feel nauseous.
The key was fairly large, and lying in the midst of some paperwork that Melody was afraid to disturb. She bit her lip and summoned up all her courage ( or maybe it was madness?)and seized the key with deft fingers. Bagshaw's head shot up off the desk and Erin flattened herself against the wall; but Melody just froze right in front of her, the front door's key clutched tightly in her hand.
The room was mostly dark, with only one candle burning in the fireplace mantle, perhaps ten paces from the front desk. Erin, dark clad and small; shouldn't have been visible against the dark wall, but the troll woman's gaze went there immediately.
"Anybody there?" She called out, her voice was sharp and grating. Erin closed her eyes. Beatrice looked on for ten more seconds, Melody knew because she counted, and then lay her head back down on the desk. Melody didn't resume breathing until she heard a faint snore trickle from her open mouth.
She crept back over to Erin, who still had her eyes closed, not tightly, but relaxed, like she was sleeping. Melody poked her arm and her eyes shot open. The petite girl sighed quietly in relief. Then gestured for Melody to unlock the door. She did,and they slipped out into the night.
"She didn't see me." Melody said,after they had traveled down the cobblestone walk for a good ways. Erin was walking them toward the gardens for some reason; Melody was in too much shock to ask why at that moment.
"Of course she couldn't. You disappeared when you picked up the key." Erin said, completely unsurprised.
"I what?!" Melody half whispered, half squeals.
"You didn't do it on purpose? I thought you had. That's interesting." Erin got the look on her face that Melody referred to as "dead frog face". A look that had first surfaced when they were First Years and dissecting bullfrogs in a Fine Sciences class. Erin had also commented on how interesting it was that her bullfrog's intestines were almost five feet long.Something she didn't actually need to know for the test they were going to be given over the specimen.
"I'm glad you are finding it so..." Melody searched her mind for something else to say,but she kept pulling up blanks, "Ugh! I don't even know what I was going to say! We can't really be doing this, can we? And where the hell are we going?"
"The gardens. You can climb over the Wall there."
Melody blanched. The gardens of Hendrick Academy were situated behind all the buildings and the rose garden was actually placed against the circular wall that lined the city. The gardeners had trained the roses some years ago into climbing over trellises that reached all the way up the twenty feet tall structure.Now the vines were thick and plentiful; it was a brilliant idea. In theory.
"I'll have scratched all the skin off my hands by the time I get to the top! Plus, I'll never make it with the pack!"
Erin smiled and knelt down next to the backpack, pulling out a length of rope and some leather gloves.
"The gloves could be thicker," she said with some remorse. " But they should keep your hands safe anyway." Melody put them on. They were thicker than they looked and fit well but..." Where'd you get the rope?"
"From the camping trip, we went rock climbing, remember?" She nodded.
"So you'll carry this to the top with you," Erin instructed, looping the ring of rope around Melody's neck. It was silk-rope so it didn't itch her skin, but it was still quite heavy. "When you get to the top, you throw part of it down and I'll tie the pack to it. Then Ill hold it down, and you can use the rope to help you get down the other side faster." She mimed how Melody could slide down it slowly by kicking off the wall and letting the rope move through her hands slowly. " When you're down, just tug the rope twice, and I'll get off the pack so you can pull it over."
"You thought of all that just pacing around the room?"
"Some of it. I actually thought of most of it when we planned on running away to join Townsey's Traveling Circus back in Second Year." Melody laughed, tears slipping from the corners of her eyes. She had forgotten all about that, and now, it was just the right thing to make her crack under the pressure.
She slumped forward, burying her face in Erin's neck, and sobbed. " What am I going to do?"She wailed. "Am I ever going to see you again?"
"Don't be stupid!" Erin chided, her voice a bit too harsh. It didn't bother Melody, it was something Erin did instead of crying, she acted angry. And then she would cry. "Of course we are going to see each other! I just need some time to figure out how." She chewed at a finger nail for a minute, then said. " Write me when you need more money, use the name...?"
"Bill."
"Bill?"
"I would have been William if I had been a boy."
"Fine, Bill. Stay in one of the villages please, don't wander into Dire Wood."
"I won't. " Melody promised, hugging Erin tightly.
"Stay safe." Erin hugged her back, crushing her ribs, then pushed her away. " You have to get started, I want you across the River by dawn, and you should go across the bridge, you should be able to walk that distance in an hour or two."
"Melody nodded and Erin slipped a pocket watch into her hands. " So you know how long until dawn."
"I can't take this!" Melody cried, thrusting it back at Erin. "It's-"
Erin silenced her with a look. " I'm not giving it to you. You're just looking after it. Until we see each other again."
Melody wanted to protest again, but didn't. The watch had been Erin's mother's but now it was also a promise between friends, between sisters, that they would meet again.
Melody faced the Wall, and began climbing.
****
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