Gratia was a town with a cobblestone path the led right from the forest to a huge fountain of sparkling blue water. The town stunk, and it was easy to see why. There was food rotting on the pavement, and there were many people injured or sick. There was the faint smell of bakery food that broke through the putrid smell of the town.
"Isn't that smell delicious?" Zeno asked with a large goofy smile. "Laeo makes the best bread around." I grimaced at his words, carefully eyeing the curious strangers who kept looking at me.
"All I can smell is the rotting food," I told him quietly. I spotted a young girl tugging at the skirts of a light haired young woman, pointing at me with wide blue eyes. The young woman looked at me and sent me a small wave. I smiled and inclined my head, before turning back to Zeno. "Everyone is staring at me."
"You're new," Zeno explained with a nonchalant but strained shrug. "It's rare to have newcomers in this town. Very few people travel through Uldrid anymore."
"What do you mean?" I asked curiously. Why wouldn't people who were free roam the world? I would if I could. Niyx would be gone in a second. If he thought it was safe, Nero would do it as well. Or he'd accompany Niyx or me to keep us safe. But secretly, I knew he'd love to see the great expanses of the world.
"It's become too dangerous," Zeno said grimly. "Unless you're trained in magic or weaponry, or you're part of the High King's army... People would be assuming you were either a messenger from the High King himself, or bloody powerful at the moment." I cracked a smile at that. How could anyone think that someone as tiny or inconsequential as me could be powerful?
"Zeno!" a severe voice snapped. "What are you doing?" We both turned around to see a shorter, blue eyed girl glaring up at Zeno with a look befitting his worst enemy. But Zeno rolled his eyes as if what she was saying mattered little.
"I'm showing this traveller through the town," he replied equally as severe. They stared each other down for a moment before Zeno remembered I was there. "Celaena, meet my betrothed, Sage. Sage, meet Celaena the traveller."
"Pleasure to meet you," I smiled. It was anything but a pleasure, to be honest. She was glaring daggers at me as if I had stolen her favourite toy and broken right in front of her. And Zeno was completely on edge, which inadvertently put me on edge.
"Where are you from?" was the only response I was given. I watched her carefully as she turned to Zeno. "She better not be one of those Rebels you cover for! I swear I'll send a letter to the High King myself!"
"For something as small as some random traveller being seen with your betrothed?" I asked, instantly stepping to Zeno's defence. "That won't cause either of us to get into trouble. The High King would see it as an inconvenience and likely order a punishment to you." The colour dropped from Sage's face and she glared once more before storming off.
"Well, now that that's over," Zeno said with an embarrassed laugh, "let's go find my mother." I followed after him, trying to hide a smile at his embarrassment. We had only just met and we seemed to be becoming fast friends. He reminded me of Nero a little, with a bit of Niyx's warm personality.
"She was... interesting," I toned in, grinning when he sighed. "I've never met anyone quite like her."
"And I hope you never do again," he replied with a scowl. "She's not the sort of person you like being around." His scowl was suddenly replaced with a smile, and before I had the chance to ask him what he had meant, or to question why he was still betrothed to the girl he so obviously disliked, he called out to a woman with black hair streaked with grey.
"Zeno!" she exclaimed. Her brown eyes were playfully stern as she fought back a smile. "I told you to be back before midday. What do you call this?" Zeno rolled his eyes with a giant smile and inclined his head towards me.
"I was helping this traveller," he told her, accentuating the word traveller as if with extra meaning, "because I came across her, lost, in the forest." The woman instantly wiped her hands on the puffy pants she was wearing and donned a serious expression.
"Come in, dear," the woman said reluctantly, opening the slightly broken door to her home. Zeno instantly moved to walk inside and I followed. The inside of the small house was dim, plain and smelled faintly of rotting wood. "Now, would you like a cup of tea? I'm afraid we have no cream or sugar, but we have tea leaves." Somehow her words felt forced, as if she was trying to force herself to be hospitable.
"No, thank you," I instantly replied. I didn't like tea that much. I had always preferred the sweet taste of hot cocoa. But if this family could only afford the leaves for tea, there was no way they'd have any cocoa. Was this how the rest of the world lived outside the walls of my family home? In a town that smelled of rotting foods, with only enough money for bread and tea leaves, in run down houses that seemed to be falling apart?
"Right, then I'd like to know what's really going on," she said, narrowing her gaze at Zeno. He put his hands up in a submissive gesture and smiled an innocent smile.
"I can't tell you much apart from I found this girl in the forest," he said quickly. "And that she has the Silver Eyes." The room suddenly became still and quiet as the woman stared across the room at me. I couldn't help but drop my head and look away from her. Her surveying eyes made a feeling of discomfort settle in me, the same as which I sometimes felt when father had over other noble families and the elegant ladies and young girls would survey my dress and hair and skin. It made me feel like there was going to be something wrong with me, something they wouldn't like. Needless to say, if Niyx was here, she would flaunt her beauty without a second thought and have all the women admiring her easy grace. I didn't share that same skill.
"You're not the girl they're looking for," she told me tightly. "You should go back to wherever you came from before you attract the attention of the Tutamen. We don't need anymore trouble in these parts."
"Mother!" Zeno exclaimed instantly. "She's not able to go home. You know as well as I that we have to help her to the Rebel Keep! She's Silver Eyed!" Zeno's mother gave another stern look at me and shook her head.
"Send her Ellesmere," his mother hissed, sending her son a disapproving glare. "She belongs there, under the care of the High King. A noble child like her won't survive our world. She won't help us." Her severe words, though against me, filled me with warmth. I knew exactly why she wanted me gone, why she would never risk helping someone she doesn't trust.
"You love your family very much," I said quietly. Both Zeno and his mother looked at me with surprise. "You protect them with everything you have as my siblings used to protect me. I'm not going to ask you to help me, because I don't even know where I'm supposed to go. All I ask is that you allow me to write two letters to send to my family." Zeno looked to his mother, his brown eyes pleading.
"At least let her do that," he pleaded. Zeno's mother sighed and moved to a small set of drawers, pulling from it parchment, a pot of ink and a quill. She passed them to me hesitantly, as if not willing to let them go, and then levelled a glare at me.
"Once you're done, I want you gone," she told me. "I will get you a horse, but after that you're on your own. I have enough to deal with with this one, I can't have another brat to look after." I nodded understandingly, though I really didn't. She was acting as if being caught with me in her house could result in her death, or the death of her family. But I was sure the High King would reward them for their kindness. Father had told me of the gentleness of the King.
"You have my word," I replied. And with one stout nod, she left the room. I immediately got to work, sitting in the only chair and desk that was in the room and went about scratching the words into the paper. The first I wrote to Nero, carefully writing in neat scripture.
Dearest brother,
I have found my way to Gratia. It smells of rotting food and death, but that is not why I write to you. I write to let you know I am safe for the moment. No one knows what Celaena Phoenix looks like, and I have been aided by a young man by the name of Zeno. Do not send for me yet. For the moment I am content and safe where I am, and I am planning to make my way back to you.
Also, Zeno has told me of a rumour from the Rebels. They are seeking someone with silver eyes like mother and me. Apparently they are the one who will win their battle. Make sure mother is protected until I get home. I won't be gone for long.
Love,
Your youngest sister.
I put the parchment aside to dry while grabbing the other and began again.
Dearest sister,
I am currently in the town of Gratia. To your keen eyes it would probably make you disgusted. The smell does for me. I hope you have had a chance to explore some of the world before making your way to the Wrens. I've seen plenty of beautiful things that you would love during my run.
Stay safe, Sparky. I know what Nero says, but try to make adventures. I will be back soon enough.
Love,
Your sister.
I put that aside to dry and began pulling on the loose threads of my cloak, pulling two completely free. I rolled Nero's letter and tied it with the night black thread, doing the same for Niyx's.
"We have crows," Zeno spoke up from close beside me, making me jump. I had thought he had left with his mother, but instead he was sitting beside me with interest in his eyes. "You have pretty handwriting. I never learned to write or read. We couldn't afford it." I frowned up at him. Hadn't he lectured me before on not being taught necessities? Reading and writing were important!
"If I wasn't leaving I'd offer to teach you," I told him, getting up carefully to avoid bumping him. "But I have places to go, places to be."
"Take me with you," he instantly said. I went to argue but he interrupted me instantly. "Honestly! I don't belong here. I've always wanted to travel, to see the ocean. Marrying Sage, settling in Gratia... this isn't the life I'm destined for. Let me help you on your way."
"Your mother," I said gently. "I'd accept your offer in a moment if I didn't think you'd be missed."
"Well, I'm not letting a defenceless girl wander Uldrid without an Eques," he replied with a confident smile. I glared at him. How dare he call me defenceless! How dare he tell me I needed a personal knight! I could take care of myself! And I told him so.
"I can look after myself," I told him angrily. "Give me a sword and I could take you down in a moment!" Zeno rolled his eyes and knocked me playfully, as if trying to lighten the tension.
"I'm only making up excuses," he told me calmingly. "Now come on, let's get those letters on their way." I followed him through his house, though he wasn't completely forgiven yet. I was still angry that he had assumed I was defenceless. Even if I had just fled from an ambush... in fear... without fighting back... Ok, so I was angry because he was right. I wouldn't survive on my own. Damn Nero for telling me to run.
The crows were sitting on the ledge of a window, and their ruby eyes watched me curiously as I walked up to them. I remembered Nero showing me how to send letters with the crows. "To always stay in contact no matter what," he had told me when we were little.
I held my hand out to the first crow and let it hop onto my hand. It's feathers were preened impeccably, and shining with blue. It's ruby eyes stared into mine as if seeing my soul and I passed the first letter to Zeno, never breaking eye contact with the bird. Zeno dutifully tied it to the bird's leg without being asked.
"Take this to my brother, Nero," I told the crow, imagining Nero; what he looked like, what he meant to be. And with a screeching caw, the crow took off out the window with the letter.
I copied the action with the new crow, instead thinking of Niyx with her red hair and green eyes and adventurous spirit. As that crow flew off I smiled sadly.
"You'd like my sister," I told Zeno quietly. "She had a passion for travel as well." And we watched the crows disappear into the horizon, taking the only words my siblings would receive from me until I found more parchment and ink. I'll see you soon, I thought, when it's time to come back to you, I will be there.
A/N: Hi guys! If you have any feedback or any questions, hit me with them. I'm going to try and keep my updates weekly. Enjoy.