Hello my dearest readers! Here is my second attempt with an AU (alternative universe). I hope you enjoy!
"Blaire! Where are you?" A woman called out, searching for the young woman she called to. "Where is that little wench? She will pay dearly for skipping out on her chores!"
Out on the roof top of the house, Blaire smirked as she lay back against the shingles. 'That woman never gives up.' She looked at the sky, fiddling with the amulet she had been given by her older brother before he died, leaving her without any family left.
"Psst!"
Blaire looked to her side, seeing her friend Alice climbing silently up to the rooftops.
"Blaire, Miss Johanna is really mad this time that you skipped out on your chores!" she whispered loudly. "You should just get them done really quickly and then she won't punish you as badly."
Blaire scoffed. "I'm not afraid of that hag."
"Shh! Don't let her hear you!" Alice said, looking around fearfully. "I need to get back."
Blaire watched as the young woman slid back down off the roof and scurried off. She and Alice had been friends for years, both nearing their eighteenth year in the winter, but while she was the wild card, the rebel, the believer, the leader, Alice was the timid mouse, the follower, the submissive, the wary and cautious. As she looked at her amulet, thinking of her brother, she wondered if life had been different had he not been killed for being a Kitanro- a male user of Kitan, the mystic energy of their world. She herself was a Kitanra- the term for female users of Kitan- but had kept it secret, hiding it from Johanna knowing that it would cause too many issues. Kitanri- the collection of Kitan users- were seen as nothing more than demon worshippers, curse bringers, and hex singers by the the vast majority of society, but Blaire's parents were the pinnacle of the Kitanri who strove to prove the world wrong and do good for the world. They had been killed because of their nature as Kitanri, just as Eddard had years later. Sighing to herself, Blaire tucked the amulet beneath her blouse and moved to make her way down to the ground once more. As she stood and took a silent step forward, the sound of Alice's screaming came from within the house and Blaire knew that Johanna was punishing her.
"You ungrateful wretches!" Johanna shouted, taking her switch to Alice's body, hitting her wherever she could. "You come to my doorstep, begging to be taken in and this is the thanks I get?! All I ask is that you do your measly chores around the house and now you're both slacking off!" Again she took her switch to her, seeming to revel in the cowering young woman's pain and crying.
"Johanna, that's enough!"
Johanna stopped and glared at Blaire as she walked into the room. "There you are, you little wench. I've been looking for you."
"And here I am, so you can stop punishing Alice because I skipped out my chores." Blaire came to stand in front of Alice, protecting her. "Give me the rest of her chores for the month and I'll do them and my own; just stop hurting her."
Johanna cackled. "Oh, you'll both be getting double the work after I'm through with you!" She raised her switch and swung it down, then stood shocked when she found that it had been wrapped around Blaire's wrist as the young woman caught it. "Why you defiant little whore, I swear I'll-"
Blaire began to crackle with mystic energy as she decided that enough was enough. "For ten years, we have put up with your cruelty. For ten years, we have done everything for you, everything for this house, and with even a single slip up you beat us until we cannot walk any longer." Blaire glared at her, her teal eyes ice cold as they bore into the older woman. "I have had enough. You will not touch Alice or any other again, not whilst I still breathe."
Johanna stumbled back, letting go of the switch. "Y-You... You're..."
Blaire threw the switch to the side and helped Alice up. She stood proudly and squared her shoulders as she looked at the cowering woman. "I am Blaire Whitehall, daughter of Malikai and Teresea Whitehall, sister to Eddard Whitehall, and I am a Kitanra and I am through with hiding." She turned away from the woman and guided Alice out of the house.
"Blaire, you..."
"Hush, Alice. It'll be alright, I promise." Blaire said offering her a smile. "You're my best friend, my little sister of sorts, and I will do anything and everything to protect you."
Alice smiled, but then suddenly a loud explosion sounded in the field in front of them. "Blaire, what is that?"
Blaire looked at the sudden glowing green portal ahead of them. "I don't know... It's not Kitan, but it is at the same time..."
"I don't like it..."
"I don't either..."
The portal began to pulse and a sudden vacuum effect began to pull them towards the portal.
Alice screamed and clutched to Blaire's blouse. "I'm scared!"
Blaire wrapped her arms around her, using her Kitan to form a barrier around them. "I'll protect you, I promise!" She called over the whirlwind raging around them as they were pulled closer and closer to the portal. "Alice, close your eyes and don't let go!"
Alice shut her her eyes as tight as they would go and wrapped her arms around Blaire's waist.
The power of the portal was too much and it pulled the two young woman into the maelstrom, barrier and all. As the portal began to collapse upon itself, Johanna ran out of the house and stared at the portal as it lashed out one last time before vanishing into thin air.
"By the gods, what happened?"