Chapter I The mistress and the master
Faun stared up into the night sky, her green eyes shining from the light of a nearly full moon as she gaze whimsically at the gasping stars. A slight breeze filled with winter's cold sent her long, raven hair in a flurry but she ignored it, focused on the task ahead.
"I guess I'll be off then Nancy," she sighed, her eyes never leaving the stars.
Smoothing the blankets on a huge canopy bed behind her was a middle aged woman. Always eager to smile she had been Faun's caretaker since infancy, more like a mother then a nursemaid. Her soft brown eyes were always quick to spot a problem and her hands quicker to fix it.
"Righ' miss," she said. "I 'ave your cloths 'ere, freshly cleaned."
"Thanks Nancy." Faun walked away from the open window, the trail of her blue dress quietly following. "I understand now why men do all of the labour," she said gesturing to herself. "You can't move in one of these."
"Tis true miss, but tink of ze poor labourers we women would make, we would need to stop every few minutes just to catch our breath."
Faun pursed her lips, thoughtful. "We may not be as strong, but surely we are smarter. The other day I defeated my father in chess. Though I guess that's not true for all of us, just look at my mother," she laughed.
A bell rang in the distance, signaling the city gates closing for the night.
"Oops I guess I'm running late," Faun said. "Here Nancy, give me those cloths, Master is going to kill me."
Nancy obediently handed over the lump of cloth in her hands, a small smile drawn on her face. Faun was usually like that, as studious as a schooled man one moment then a normal quibbling teenager the next. She worried what means her personality would force her to come to should a situation arise where both couldn't co-exist.
Faun leaned out her window, fully changed from an evening gown into a pair of leggings and a brown tunic. "See you tomorrow Nancy."
"Try to get some sleep miss, tomorrow will be a busy day," Nancy told her. "And don't yee come ome with a scratch. I expect yee back the way yee left."
Faun gave a mock salute then swung off the window ledge. Her hands and feet automatically reached for familiar perches and she scaled the wall like a lizard. Minutes later her feet raced through the slums of Belatona, careful to keep to the shadows. She had been attacked here once and shuddered at the memory.
After skirting the thug filled mud streets Faun arrived at the entrance gate. A huge mud wall was divided by a wooden gate. A pair of oxen was the only way to drive it open and closed. On the left side of the gate stood a guard tower stood, its stony surface was the only slightly foreboding figure. Everything else was flat, bland, mud thick and tall enough to prevent people from getting out or in. Accept for one week spot.
It was because of the tower Faun was able to sneak out. The main guard had insisted on putting two entrances on the tower, one leading to the inside of the wall and one leading to the outside. He had insisted it was so he and his men could attack the 'enemy' easily. Faun knew it was just so he could sneak women in and out every night.
Sticking low and to the shadows the young woman crossed the distance from the building she was hiding under, to the tower. Kneeling down she examined the bolt lock that sealed the door shut. Its two inch thick metal bar made it impossible to break into by brute force.
"Really," Faun mumbled. She pulled out a set of pins from a small pouch tide at her leg. "Could they make it any easier?"
Seconds later she swung open the reinforced door, its lock successfully pick. Smiling, Faun ran towards the adjacent door, crossing under the steep staircase that led to the top. Halfway across the hallway glow of a lantern penetrated the darkness.
"And I'm tellin ya, ees true," a man said, his voice was thick from drink.
Faun dived under the staircase, praying whoever was too drunk to notice her.
"Thu King's castle," hiccup, "di' not geet broken eento, you haggard drunk." another man cursed, his voice a little clearer. "You callow swallowed wormed brain eejit. And even if eet did, you c'n loose yur 'ead fur speakin' like that. Ell have yur head faster'n you c'n say sorry."
"Ee taint gonna 'ear nothin'''," the man replied yet quieted all the same.
As they were talking the men had slowly made their way to the foot of the stairs. Faun scrutinized them with distaste. Each was large with fat rather than muscle, and carried bottles not weapons. Sluggishly and with exaggerated steps they made their way over to the door and outside without noticing they didn't need to use their key.
Faun breathed a sigh of relief. For a minute she thought she would be caught and then there would be hell to pay. Trotting over to the opposing door she picked it clean in a few minutes and was out of Belatona the next. North was her direction and Faun casted her mind out for any life forms. This was something that had been drilled into her mind, to always be aware. But she was shocked when, out of distance from the tower, she didn't feel anything, not even a common rodent.
So master became impatient and left, Faun thought sadly. It wasn't unusual, she couldn't expect him to wait around all night.
Suddenly a shadow fell over Faun's head. With a startled cry Faun rolled to the side, barely avoiding the bone crushing force of a staff slamming into the ground.
Jumping to her feet she grasped the intruder's weapon as he raised it for another strike. Sliding her other hand up its glossy surface she grabbed his wrist, twisting it until he dropped the staff. Then she twisted it up and beneath the attacker's back, grabbed the opposite shoulder, kicked his legs out from underneath him, and pinned him into the dirt.
All of this took only a few seconds.
"Gew onsh hausnf," the attacker mumbled through the ground.
"What?" Faun asked, breathing heavily.
The man waved his free arm back and forth frantically, turning dust up from the parched ground.
"Oh, sorry," Faun apologized, getting off of the man.
With her help he dragged himself to his feet and began to nurse his right shoulder.
"You almost dislocated my shoulder," he growled, glowering at Faun.
"Sorry master Devon," Faun apologized handing him his staff. "But you should know better than to attack me from behind."
Her warning was not arrogant, but honest. She had broken someone's nose once when they startled her with a tap on the shoulder.
Devon grunted but accepted his staff, giving a nod of thanks. Tall and lean he looked no older than twenty-four. While the rest of him was young his sharp blue eyes held the sorrow of an old soul who had seen many sorrows. His black clothing made his pale skin stand out and gave him an heir of power, while his kind expression quickly nullified any harsh pretenses.
"I know Faun," he said. "But I am extremely impressed at you speed, you could be any match for a young elf. And you know I hate being called master."
Faun smiled at the compliment. Her master had often told tales of elves, the fierce and proud race that lived in secret, away from the king's reign.
"I don't believe so," she laughed lightly. And she believed it. An elf against a human was going no contest.
"No." Her master shook his head. "You have instincts I've never seen."
Faun rolled her eyes, still smiling. "Come on, we have a night to learn." Her smile fell lightly. It may be one of the last, she thought misserably.
"Faun?"
Her head snapped up. "Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
Faun took a deep breath. "Well, no actually, my grandfather died last night."
"I'm so sorry Faun," Devon whispered.
Faun absentmindedly waved her hand in the air. "That's not the problem, besides I never met the man. The problem was my father was now the nobleman of Belatona."
Devon cocked his head in confusion. "I could understand why that would be a problem for you Faun, you would never be able to see him. But I don't understand why that would bother you so much, it's not like you."
"Belatona is an important city," Faun explained, rubbing her forehead. "We are the king's army station should Surda become a threat. We're important enough that the king himself was coming for my father's initiation."
Devon paled and his eyes grew wide in fear. The veins on his neck protruded as if under a great strain.
Faun watched at him worried. For a reason unknown to her Devon had always withheld a terrible fear of the king, his name alone sent him into a terrified state.
"How long?" he croaked.
"Two weeks top," Faun answered sadly. "And there's more."
"More?" Devon asked, almost hysterical. "What more news could you impose on me Faun? What could be worse than the inevitable arrival of Galbatorix!?"
Faun took a deep breath and reached into the pouch where she had earlier revealed her pins. She pulled out a band of gold; its halo dimensions perfectly fit the third finger of her left hand. As her master stared at it she said, "I turned sixteen today."
