Chapter One

I leaned over the side of the ship and felt the sea wind blow through my hair, like the breeze would blow through a field of wild grasses. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and looked out across the gleaming ocean at the sun starting to rise. It's golden light cast rays bouncing off of the water and back to warm my skin. I smiled in it's warmth and breathed in the salty air gladly. I ran my hand through my neatly brushed hair, and sighed.

I was told yesterday that the ship, Divinity's Justice, would port in Escya soon after sunrise today. I felt my heart beat faster as the shore became more and more evident to me. The closer we got, the more I could see the red brick walls that surrounded the town, and the red roofed houses, which chimneys smoke floated up gently into the clear blue sky becoming lighter with each passing minute.

Closer, and closer still, the ship crept up to the port, the ship hands jumping over onto the dock, tying the ship securely. The men started all at once to unload the ships cargo, and I, taking the chance to leave unnoticed, picked up my simple brown bag, filled with the only possessions I had brought with me from my home in Erycana.

I didn't have much, just a few changes of clothing, a picture of my mother, father, and little sister Korin; another picture of my two best friends, Lewis Caine, and Raina Steiphe, and a small beige pouch that held 600 Riyal Pieces.

I climbed over the railing and onto the dock unseen, and stepped lively across, and up onto dry land. I tried to rid myself of the excited smile that stained my face, but then realized I had no reason not to smile. I took a deep, reassuring breath and made my way past the men on the dock and, after a minute of looking around, found my way up into the market square.

I gasped. I had always heard how large and busy it was, but I had never before seen it.

I felt someone brush past me, and I was snapped out of my thoughts. I walked carefully passed the vendors selling beautiful clothing, expensive looking pottery, and paintings. I glanced at women selling jewelry and shoes, men selling fresh fruits and vegetables. Some were selling fish, and some were selling livestock.

Finally after a few minutes, I made it to the other side of the Market. It wasn't as busy over here, as it was where the market reached the ports, but it was as lively. I started to turn when all of a sudden I heard someone yelling.

"There! That's the one who stole some of the fruit!" A young man's voice cracked as he screamed. Suddenly I felt strong hands grab a hold of my arms and I was spun around to face a brute looking man. He loomed over me and I leaned away, terrified. I felt like a fly caught in a spiders web.

"Return the fruit, or I'll turn you over to the authorities for thievery." The man growled. I looked up into his stone cold eyes, the color of cyan. His wispy grey hair falling into his eyes as he leaned over me. His mouth was set in a deep scowl, much like my father would have expressed.

"I didn't steal anything." I said confidently, after I had found my voice. The man let go of my arms and grabbed for my bag. I quickly moved it out of his grasp and pulled it to my chest. He narrowed his eyes at me and lunged for it again, but I stepped to the side and he fell to the ground with a hard thud.

He didn't stir.

After a moment I become worried, so I kneeled beside him and tried to get him up. After a moment he moved a bit, and then sat up. When he looked up, I saw his gruff expression was exchanged for a tired look. He frowned at me and shook his head.

"Just keep the fruit." He said as he stood slowly. I sighed softly, and felt a deep pity for this man.

"I didn't take any fruit, sir." I said, opening my bag to show him I had nothing. He looked from down in my bag and up to me in a flash. His face shone with embarrassment.

"I am so sorry, young lady." He said with an apologetic frown. I nodded and gave him a warm smile. He looked down at his hands shamefully, then back up at me.

"Please let me do something to show my sincerity," He said, looking at me. The coldness in his eyes was replaced by a gentle warmth. I smiled kindly and shook my head.

"It's alright, there was no harm done." I said lightly, "You don't have to do anything." He shook his head at me and took my hand, leading me back to his fruit stall.

"Please," The man said, "If not for yourself, at least let me do so to clear my own conscience." He looked at me with such a look of regret, I couldn't reject his offer.

"Alright, if you feel you must." I said with a warm smile. He smiled back and turned to the young man who had yelled earlier. The young man eyed me suspiciously, and then turned away, pretending to look at something on his shirt. I shook my head and looked down at what the older man was doing. He picked up what I knew to be an Atreal, a round fist sized fruit. It was red on the outside and a crisp juicy white on the inside. They were my favorite. He picked up a few of the larger ones and wrapped them in some paper. He looked up at me and stood, handing the package to me.

"Here you go," He said with a satisfied smile, "Four of my freshest Atreals just for you…eh. What did you say your name was?" I took the package and smiled.

"My name is Erin Levine, and yourself?" I said over the hum of the Market.

"It's nice to meet you Miss Levine, my name is Mr. Cymore." He said with a nod of his head. After a moment we said our goodbyes, and I again thanked him for the fruit. He told me if I ever wanted the best, fresh Atreals, to find him, and he would give me a discount for being so understanding.

As I walked away I could here Mr. Cymore reprimanding the young man for his foolishness. As I again made my way out of the market, this time making it all the way down the street, to where the hum of the market died down a bit. I looked around and saw a building built of red bricks and light colored timber. The sign on the outside said 'The Mercy Hand Inn'. I sighed relief at being able to find a place to stay. I quickly crossed the street and entered into the Inn. I was surprised that the sound of the market was completely gone once inside.

"Welcome to the Mercy Hand Inn." I heard a feminine voice say softly. I looked forward to see a petite looking young girl standing behind the counter. She smiled softly at me and beckoned me over. "Hello, my name is Remi, would you like a room for the night?" I smiled at her and she returned it warmly.

"Actually, I was wondering how much it would cost to stay here for maybe a month or two." I said casually. Remi looked at me shocked and lifted up her thin pale hands and counted silently on her fingers. I looked at her carefully. She had a fair complexion, and she was very small. She had thin blonde hair, that was almost white, and soft grey eyes. She seemed almost sickly, being so fragile and delicate looking. After a moment she looked up at me with a small smile.

"It would be 400 Riyal Pieces to stay here for 2 months with room and board." She said, her voice soft. I pulled out my beige pouch, and took out the money and handed it to her. She looked at the accumulation shocked for a moment. She took the money slowly and looked up at me. "Um…I'll show you to your room Miss…?"

"You can just call me Erin." I said with a warm smile. She smiled back, her face glowing with such a look of happiness it almost disguised her frailness.

"Okay, then just follow me Erin, and I'll show you to your room." She put the money in her apron pocket and pulled out a key from under the counter and walked carefully around it and up the stairs, where I followed her. She lead me prudently down a hallway and up to the door on the very end. She turned to face me and handed me the key.

"My mother makes lunch at noon, and dinner at six. There is a schedule inside the room. If there is anything you need, I'll be downstairs." After Remi said that to me she glided off like a whisper and I turned to my door, key in hand. I took a breath and unlocked the door, opening it in a smooth motion. I stepped inside and smiled at the quaintness of it. The floor was of polished oak, and along with that so was the dresser, bed frame, desk and chair. The bed was made up with simple white sheets, and the large window was accommodated with white curtains. The dresser had a mirror, and little booklet on it. On the desk there was a lamp and a slip of paper I presumed to be the schedule Remi had mentioned.

Though the sun was rising steadily into the sky, I flipped the light switch to bring a bit more light into the room. I shut the door behind me and locked it securely. I walked over to the bed and dropped the package of Atreals and my bag onto the bed, and I turned to see another door. I walked over and opened it to reveal the bathroom.

The floor was a polished white, and the bathtub, toilet, and sink all gleamed. I walked in and shut the door behind me, locking it. I then proceeded to run myself a bath, using the soap provided. I stripped out of my dirty clothes and dropped them to the floor before climbing into the warm haven of the bathtub.

After an hour long soak and a good scrubbing, I stepped out of the bathroom, wrapped in a white fluffy towel, all clean, and pink from the steamy bath. I stepped carefully over to the bed, so I wouldn't slip and dried myself off. I dropped the towel and pulled out some clean clothes from my bag. I pulled on my undergarments and then pulled on a pretty beige dress that I had gotten to match the pouch in which I carried my Riyal Pieces.

As the dress fell down around me, once I pulled it on, I turned and walked over to the dresser to look into the mirror. My hair was wet, and hung in limp curls, and my face was pink from the warmth in the bathroom. I ran my fingers through my hair, to tame the wildness, and took a breath, looking at my reflection.

I had worn this dress only once before, on an outing with Lewis and Raina. We had gone to 'Destiny's Library'. It was a beautiful store back in Erycana.

I closed my eyes and remembered my home, like a child remembers there first Harvest Festival. I could see the beautifully crafted homes and businesses, made up of the walnut trees and of the light colored rocks that littered the beach. I remembered working in my family's store, which sold natural medicines, and remedies.

I could almost taste the honeysuckle tea my mother would make after a hard day to help everyone wind down. She would always tell me, 'Erin, there are many people here, and even more out in the world, so we must always do our best to strive to take care of them.'. My mother was always the type to point out obvious things though, as Erycana was a town which based their economy on medicine and healing. The people who came to us in need of enlivening always said before they left, 'A lovely town with a lovely personality .'.

I hadn't ever really weighed their words until I took a small vacation to the Hot Springs with Raina, and brought up the subject. She had told me that Erycana was a town of the most beautiful people in the entire world. When I had asked how she could be so sure of something so vain, she shrugged and said that because we took such good care of ourselves, being healers and all, we brought out all of our natural beauty and then some.

I opened my eyes and looked into their deep obsidian color reflected in the mirror. My hair was a bit more dry, and it started to fall in waves, like a waterfall made of coffee. I looked like my mother, but I had my fathers strong chin. The only thing that was my own, was my nose. It was 'elegant' as my mother would put it. It was unlike their small button like noses. I had always seen myself as different from my people though, the people of Erycana that is.

The town was based off of medicinal work and healing, but it was always done more or less scientifically. There was no spirituality to it, to them. That was what put me aside with them. I could see the life, the light, in working with the herbs and plants to make medicine. I could feel the unexplainable surge of energy as I healed the sick and wounded. Though because of that feeling I would get, I was always lectured for 'daydreaming' when I was supposed to be working. Yet I could never help but let my mind wander, to think of things in more detail. I came to the conclusion about my hometown, Erycana. Yes, they were the most beautiful people, but they were shallow, almost. Never seeing the deeper beauty in things, something that I myself saw.

I shook my head and smiled at myself. There I went again, letting myself lose my original train of thought. I looked into the mirror one final time before turning away and floating over to the window. In a burst of excitement, I threw open the window and leaned out and let the breeze from the ocean again fly through my hair. I can't remember how long I stood there, looking out across my new home. I decided then and there to stop referring to Erycana as my home, because I felt it implied I would be returning. And I was never returning. How could I?

I stood there until my feet fell asleep and I slipped up onto the window sill, to sit and watch the town below.

I hadn't realized it, but the Inn I was staying at was built atop a bit of a slope, with the rest of the town built below. I could see the roofs, and chimneys that had entranced me earlier this morning when I had arrived, along with the bustling market and the port where I had first stepped after a month at sea. I scanned the ships and didn't see Divinity's Justice, so I had no choice but to stay here for now.

I sat peacefully, entertained by my thoughts, as the sun rose steadily, and steadily still to the middle of the sky.

"Excuse me, Erin." I heard the gentle voice I recognized as Remi's say, lulling me out of my thoughts, "My mother is beginning lunch now, if you would like to come down to eat." I smiled at her kindness.

"Thank you Remi, I will be down in a moment." I called back to her. I could feel the happiness in her voice as she said 'okay', and left.

After a moment I slid of the sill and closed the window. I walked past the mirror one more time, running my fingers through my now dry hair, that fell in delicious waves, before walking to the door, unlocking it and opening it. I stepped out into the hallway and the smells of lunch made my stomach growl. I turned and shut the door behind me, locking it with the key I was given, before proceeding down the hallway and down the stairs to eat lunch.