A/N: This is my first story on so plz be nice- no flames but constructive criticism is welcome.
Disclaimer: Credit for Totall, Port Caynn, Corus and the Yamani Islands, along with everything else, including the Shang warriors, but my characters goes to Tamora Pierce.
Claimer: I own Mel, her mother, Phillus and his wife so don't steal. They are mine!
Enjoy and please remember to R&R, tell me what you do and don't like and what I can do to improve my writing.
Bye.
Prologue
Birth
What a woman of such exotic beauty was doing in the centre of Tortall, no one knows. What business such a woman had in the most dangerous area of Corus whilst so heavy with child is, too considered a mystery but it is in the cellars of an old innkeeper that our story begins.
Phillus, the elderly innkeeper had seen the woman enter and his heart instantly went out to her. She was large with child and could barely walk straight with exhaustion. Even whilst in the middle of labour, as he saw her now, he could tell she was of rare beauty. She had an element to her that seemed to glow, even while covered in sweat and screaming and cursing at the world.
"A'righ', lass, one more push 'nd ye'll 'ave yer' babe." Phillus told her as she gripped the sides of the cot she occupied, supported by his wife in a half-sitting, half-lying position. Phillius had had some training in the arts of a Healer many years ago and could already see the child almost out was healthy and live.
A storm raged outside, shuddering the building and shaking dust from the ceiling of the old cellar. It was one of the worst he had ever seen and he had lived his entire life in Corus. He pitied any out in the open, as well as those at sea who would receive the full brunt of the storm.
Thunder sounded in time with the woman's desperate scream as her child emerged, lying silently in Phillus' arms. He felt her breath move in and out of her tiny body as she lay in his arms, though she didn't open her eyes nor make a sound. An odd thing for a newly born babe, he thought. Lightning slashed across the night sky, blooming through the window of the cellar and shedding light momentarily on the newborn. She was a soft pink with a dark head of abundant hair, just as beautiful as her mother.
"Here ye' are, lass, yer' babe and a fine lass she be." Phillus told the woman proudly, settling the newborn on her chest, as his wife remained to support her.
Tears ran freely down the woman's face as she gazed upon her babe. She brushed a hand gently over her daughters' thick hair, her cheeks, her arms and still, more tears came.
Lightning and thunder crashed in symphony, making both Phillus and his wife jump before looking back at the proud mother. She smiled down at her babe and with a sigh, breathed her daughters name,
"Melanie…" The air was charged with sudden electricity, stilling all movement within the cellar, even the wind and storm halting a moment as the three adults and, even the child felt a presence join them. Violent lightning split the sky and thunder howled and the spell was broken, and with it, the beautiful woman closed her eyes and let out her last breath with a contented smile, her body going lax in the arms of the innkeepers wife.
It was as the babe felt her mothers' spirit leave her body that she let out a wail, her tiny hands clenching and unclenching. Phillus and his wife stood there, unable to speak of the undoubtable interference of the gods they had just witnessed and felt. Phillus took the babe from her mother's lifeless body while his wife laid the beautiful woman gently on the cot and recited prayers for her spirit as the babe wailed all the while.
The innkeeper and his wife were once again speechless once the babe opened her eyes at last. They were an undeniable gold with the black irises thin and longer than a normal human, much like a cat, yet so unlike.
Phillus rocked the babe- Melanie, as her, other had named her, until she was silent, smiling up at the old man and his wife, who came to stand beside him.
"We canno' keep 'er, Phillyus." His wife told him softly, though her hand strayed into the babes grip, smiling softly as she squeezed it, gurgling happily. She sighed, "Not with eyes like tha'. They's demon eyes, Phillyus. Dontcha know wha' people'll say? Specially 'ere in Corus, in these parts."
"I know, love, bu' watcha 'spectin' me ta do? I can' jus' abandon the babe, now can I." Phillus told his wife. The storm outside appeared to slow and only light rain could be heard falling. "I've go' it. She won' ever be accepted 'here, no' now a' leas', bu', jus' maybe, she will in the Yamani Islands. Watcha think? If we send 'er there she can live there an' learn ta figh' too, ta protec' 'erself when she needs ta. Eh?"
"She's adorable, Phillyus an' if we could, I'd keep 'er as me own, ye' now tha', righ'? Bu' this seems like good thinkin' from you 'usband. I can watch the inn fer a day or so an' ye' can take 'er ta the Yamani's."
"A'righ', I'll go in the morn, love. Les' git the babe ta bed." he said, passing the babe to his wife as she nodded. Phillus' wife never mentioned where he had taken the woman's body, she simply fed the babe, putting it to bed as she was told. In the morn as Phillus left, the only trace that the woman had been there at all was the leather thong around the babes neck holding a simple silver ring with three small diamonds set in it and a dragon engraved in the underside, it's head, breathing fire and tail each joined with the three diamonds, just touching the outer two. The couple had noticed it on the woman's finger the night before, betraying that she was once of a wealthy, though unknown heritage.
Phillus kissed his wife and, with a sad smile but determined step, carried the babe towards Port Caynn, beginning his journey to the Yamani Islands.