Hi y'all. Thanks to the response from the Prologue, here is Chapter 1!! By the way, this is set in the same time as Page (which I haven't read). Please don't review it and say, dah dah dah, this doesn't happen in Page, blah blah blah, cos I'm not gonna get in in Australia for AGES!!
People, I want to make this a really long running series, so when you review, please make any suggestions for further chapters.
Note: Mari is pronounced Mah-ree, not Mary.
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"Good evening, lady Melery, what is wrong?" Tarania, the old village healer asked.
"Have you not heard?"
"All I have head down here in the village is some nonsense of you marrying Marlos."
I shook my head slowly. "It's not nonsense. When the sun sets in three days time I will be Marlos' bride," I smiled, "but I have a plan."
Quickly I told Tarania my idea. She nodded slowly. "A good idea. But if you were caught, you would be punished severely. And Corus is no place for a young woman by herself."
I exploded, "Why do people always say that females are always weak and being murdered and mugged? What difference does it make. Besides, I have my magic. Anyone who tries to hurt me will be scorched by fire, or have a large buckett of horse manure dumped on their head. And I can use a sword."
"True. If you are accepted into the Court of the Rogue, they will teach you unarmed combat, and knife fighting. But to think that I have spent all these years helping you to become a lady, when you take off to be a street ruffian. I should have realised that the streak of adventure in you would grow larger as you aged."
Smiling, I said, "I would have thought you, of all people, would realise that i would not do anythign the formal way, even if it means doing it the hard way."
"Alas, sometimes the formal way is easiest, but few people are pleased with the consequences. Hurry off home now, and tell your father you will spend the night in my cottage. Come back in a few hours, and I will be waiting."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Father," I said while we were eating a roast chicken, the second course.
"Yes, my rose."
I grimaced inwardly. I hate roses, they are cold and snobby. Whenever I talk to the, they ignore me, but I know they can hear, the talk to each other in loud, posh voices. "Seeing as it is one of my last nights as an unmarried woman, may I spend the night with the village healer?"
He smiled. "Of course. It is good that you are coming to terms with your marriage, and I realised, long ago, that there would be .....questions that I would not be able to answer."
Oh gods, I thought, he thinks I'm talking about canoodling. A blush started to appear on my cheeks.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Stop fidgeting, girl, you can look in the mirror after I take off this last lock."
I sat still as Tarania cut the last strand of my long hair and turned around. She had cut it short, above my chin, with a ragged edge which suggested that it had not been cut properly. She had dyed it, and it now was raven black, showing no signs of the pale green it used to be. On my eyes she had put clear lenses, which fitted perfectly. They had been spelled to make my eyes appear brown. I looked fabulous, and nothing like Melery of Darayn.
Melery of Darayn. I could not go by Melery, it was too long, too elegant. I needed a short, common name. Mel. Or Melly. Mery. Mari! Perfect.
"Melery, dear, it is almost one in the morning. You should leave now."
"Ok, Tarania. Thankyou, ever so much. Come to Corus to visit me one time. Thankyou for helping me with everything."
With those final words, I walked out of her cottage. Skulking in the shadows, I came to the village wall. I climbed up, feeling in the dark for feet and finger holes. When I cmae to the top, I dropped my pack as gently as I could, and dropped myself. I landed with a thump, and picked up my pack. I was free!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was daybreak, and I had just entered through the main gate. I had jogged most of the way, stopping and walking occasionally, but never stopping. My brown breeches had dust all over them, and my yellow shirt was ripped on the sleeves, from my struggles with thorns growing alongside the road.
I wandered tiredly through the streets, being bumped and pushed by market-goers, pick-pockets, nobles on horse back, scribes, traders late for opening their stall. It was the most crowded place I had ever been.
Finally, I stopped, sick of people pushing me. I ducked into the shade between two tent and opened my pack.
In the main pocket I had packed a change of clothes, a long- lseeved shirt, a cloak and a rug. In the left pocket was some food and money, and in the right pocket were various magic items. In the front pocket I had packed a map. The thing I fear most is being lost, with no way to tell where to go.
I plucked a slice of bread, and cheese out of the left pocket, and had a quick breakfast. "What do ye think yer doin'?"
A shadow fell over me and I looked up. There stood a large man with a black moustache. "Me? Well I-"
"I know what ye were doin'. GET AWAY FROM ME STALL!"
He pushed me with his broom until I was shoved into a new street. Unlike the bustling place I had just come from, this street was quiet, and only a few people scurried around. Shrugging, I picked up my pack and slung it over my shoulder.
I walked up and down the street, until I found a large, dark building. Above the door hung a piece of wood with a picture of a dove on it. I pushed open the door and stepped into the large main room.
Few people were around, only two cleaning girls and the inn keeper. I went up to the bar and rapped on the wood near his sleeping head. "Sorry, miss, wha'd'ya want?"
"How much would a room cost for today?"
"A room? I've two. One excellent one, with a view of th' castle, and 'nother one, with a view of th' street."
"I'll take the one overlooking the street."
"Good choice. It be three silver pieces a night."
I dug into the pack and got out three silver coins. "Here you are."
"Thanks. Razielle will show ye yer room. Oh, miss?"
I had started to the stairs and turned around. "Yes?"
"I would suggest speakin' in Common as much as ye can. Folk are suspicious of people who speak fancy-like." He smiled, his kind eyes twinkling.
I smiled back. "Thanks, mister."
"Me name's Dom. Yours be?"
"Mari. Mari.... Oak."
"A pleasure mettin' ye, Mari Oak."
I nodded and climbed the stairs wearily.
People, I want to make this a really long running series, so when you review, please make any suggestions for further chapters.
Note: Mari is pronounced Mah-ree, not Mary.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Good evening, lady Melery, what is wrong?" Tarania, the old village healer asked.
"Have you not heard?"
"All I have head down here in the village is some nonsense of you marrying Marlos."
I shook my head slowly. "It's not nonsense. When the sun sets in three days time I will be Marlos' bride," I smiled, "but I have a plan."
Quickly I told Tarania my idea. She nodded slowly. "A good idea. But if you were caught, you would be punished severely. And Corus is no place for a young woman by herself."
I exploded, "Why do people always say that females are always weak and being murdered and mugged? What difference does it make. Besides, I have my magic. Anyone who tries to hurt me will be scorched by fire, or have a large buckett of horse manure dumped on their head. And I can use a sword."
"True. If you are accepted into the Court of the Rogue, they will teach you unarmed combat, and knife fighting. But to think that I have spent all these years helping you to become a lady, when you take off to be a street ruffian. I should have realised that the streak of adventure in you would grow larger as you aged."
Smiling, I said, "I would have thought you, of all people, would realise that i would not do anythign the formal way, even if it means doing it the hard way."
"Alas, sometimes the formal way is easiest, but few people are pleased with the consequences. Hurry off home now, and tell your father you will spend the night in my cottage. Come back in a few hours, and I will be waiting."
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Father," I said while we were eating a roast chicken, the second course.
"Yes, my rose."
I grimaced inwardly. I hate roses, they are cold and snobby. Whenever I talk to the, they ignore me, but I know they can hear, the talk to each other in loud, posh voices. "Seeing as it is one of my last nights as an unmarried woman, may I spend the night with the village healer?"
He smiled. "Of course. It is good that you are coming to terms with your marriage, and I realised, long ago, that there would be .....questions that I would not be able to answer."
Oh gods, I thought, he thinks I'm talking about canoodling. A blush started to appear on my cheeks.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
"Stop fidgeting, girl, you can look in the mirror after I take off this last lock."
I sat still as Tarania cut the last strand of my long hair and turned around. She had cut it short, above my chin, with a ragged edge which suggested that it had not been cut properly. She had dyed it, and it now was raven black, showing no signs of the pale green it used to be. On my eyes she had put clear lenses, which fitted perfectly. They had been spelled to make my eyes appear brown. I looked fabulous, and nothing like Melery of Darayn.
Melery of Darayn. I could not go by Melery, it was too long, too elegant. I needed a short, common name. Mel. Or Melly. Mery. Mari! Perfect.
"Melery, dear, it is almost one in the morning. You should leave now."
"Ok, Tarania. Thankyou, ever so much. Come to Corus to visit me one time. Thankyou for helping me with everything."
With those final words, I walked out of her cottage. Skulking in the shadows, I came to the village wall. I climbed up, feeling in the dark for feet and finger holes. When I cmae to the top, I dropped my pack as gently as I could, and dropped myself. I landed with a thump, and picked up my pack. I was free!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
It was daybreak, and I had just entered through the main gate. I had jogged most of the way, stopping and walking occasionally, but never stopping. My brown breeches had dust all over them, and my yellow shirt was ripped on the sleeves, from my struggles with thorns growing alongside the road.
I wandered tiredly through the streets, being bumped and pushed by market-goers, pick-pockets, nobles on horse back, scribes, traders late for opening their stall. It was the most crowded place I had ever been.
Finally, I stopped, sick of people pushing me. I ducked into the shade between two tent and opened my pack.
In the main pocket I had packed a change of clothes, a long- lseeved shirt, a cloak and a rug. In the left pocket was some food and money, and in the right pocket were various magic items. In the front pocket I had packed a map. The thing I fear most is being lost, with no way to tell where to go.
I plucked a slice of bread, and cheese out of the left pocket, and had a quick breakfast. "What do ye think yer doin'?"
A shadow fell over me and I looked up. There stood a large man with a black moustache. "Me? Well I-"
"I know what ye were doin'. GET AWAY FROM ME STALL!"
He pushed me with his broom until I was shoved into a new street. Unlike the bustling place I had just come from, this street was quiet, and only a few people scurried around. Shrugging, I picked up my pack and slung it over my shoulder.
I walked up and down the street, until I found a large, dark building. Above the door hung a piece of wood with a picture of a dove on it. I pushed open the door and stepped into the large main room.
Few people were around, only two cleaning girls and the inn keeper. I went up to the bar and rapped on the wood near his sleeping head. "Sorry, miss, wha'd'ya want?"
"How much would a room cost for today?"
"A room? I've two. One excellent one, with a view of th' castle, and 'nother one, with a view of th' street."
"I'll take the one overlooking the street."
"Good choice. It be three silver pieces a night."
I dug into the pack and got out three silver coins. "Here you are."
"Thanks. Razielle will show ye yer room. Oh, miss?"
I had started to the stairs and turned around. "Yes?"
"I would suggest speakin' in Common as much as ye can. Folk are suspicious of people who speak fancy-like." He smiled, his kind eyes twinkling.
I smiled back. "Thanks, mister."
"Me name's Dom. Yours be?"
"Mari. Mari.... Oak."
"A pleasure mettin' ye, Mari Oak."
I nodded and climbed the stairs wearily.