Hello, I am Peaches and Oranges, and this is my first fan fiction.
I love A Great and Terrible Beauty, but sadly, I do not own the novel or its characters, otherwise Kartik would be alive and well. This chapter serves as more of a short introduction than an action one, reintroducing characters and whatnot. In this story, Gemma has yet to make her debut. Also, Kartik fans like myself, don't worry, we will see him soon enough, I promise!
Please review – constructive criticism is welcome!
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Chapter 1: A Familiar Voice
Through my open blind, I can see the whole outside world: the sun sinking slowly as if in a daze, the birds whistling to one another, small animals searching for food, and a single eagle which rests on a far off tree top, turning its head to look directly at me, its sharp eyes piercing mine eerily.
"It's always the same routine. Prayers and breakfast, needlework and such," Felicity whines, pinning her hair up while Ann sits patiently, making patterns on her needlework. She opens her mouth, but thinks better of whatever she was about to say, and closing it, she looks down nervously at he half finished pillow embroidered with some words I cannot read from my position on my bed. I know what is coming next, but I ignore Felicity's comment, walking over to look at Ann's needlework, which, I must say, is exemplary, but I do not tell her because I know she will not believe me.
Felicity sighs, looking heavenward before putting one last pin in her bun and examining her work. When she is satisfied, she turns to face me with blazing eyes. I have not seen her with so much intensity since Pippa died. Her piercing eyes glare directly at me, almost through me, and I shiver, but pretend not to notice.
"Ann, your needlework is truly lovely," I comment, and am rewarded with a quick smile from shy Ann, who is not used to receiving compliments.
"Do you really think so? Cecily says it is horrible." Ann stammers quietly, her hopeful face darkening. Sometimes, I think Ann was a puppy in a former life: she is always there, willing to accept leftovers, but still loyal, although she will never stick up for herself. Trying to please everyone is quite difficult for Ann, especially pleasing rude girls who live with us at our boarding school. Other times, Ann's resistance to stick up for herself makes me mad because she deserves to be here as much, if not more, than any of the Cecily's or Martha's or Elizabeth's of this world. However, the fact remains that she is a scholarship student, something none of us can ever hope to change.
I bite my lip and answer slowly, as one would to a child, "Yes Ann, I really like your needlework." She does not believe me and I know it, but I do not make any effort to pursue the topic.
"Gemma, let's go to the realms." Fee says loudly, and Ann's eyes open wide as if she knows an argument will ensue, one she will not join. I clunk my teeth together in a most unladylike fashion.
"Felicity, you know we can't after…" I stop and think of everyone we lost. Ms. Mcleethy, Pippa, Kartik… Kartik… I do not allow myself to dwell on the dreaded topic, instead busying myself with my own yet to be started needlework.
"We don't know that. We just have not tried, Gemma. You want to know what has become of the realms, don't you? The creatures? Gorgon? The power?" she asks desperately, and all of a sudden, the cold, harsh reality hits me: Felicity has attempted to go to the realms without me. She needs me.
I glance at Ann, who is stitching quickly, face red, never looking up at Fee or I, and I know that Ann tried to go with Felicity. Sighing, I put down my needlework and walk over to Felicity. I grab a pin and put up a strand of loose hair.
"No Fee, I don't wonder. I cannot wonder. I'm too busy preparing for my debut," I say coldly, and Fee lets a sob rack her chest before straightening and answering smartly.
"Very well. Do not take us. I'm sure we'll find a way like last time," Felicity flashes me a grin, baring her white teeth. I grimace, and look at Ann who sits silently, and through her silence, lets Felicity win, so unlike the many times I have stood up for her. Still smiling from her victory, Felicity whips her head around and murmurs, "I'll tell Simon you say hello," and an unexpected ripple of anger grips me when I hear her use his first name.
I think of Simon, of his blue eyes and his warm smile, and sigh because I find, strangely, I miss him and his happiness. I stand up and look directly at Felicity. "Would you tell Mr. Middleton," I say carefully, "That I look forward to seeing him at Lord and Lady Denby's Christmas party?" Fee gives a noncommittal shrug, and I know she shan't deliver my message.
"I am to bring one friend along. Ann, dear, would you like to accompany me?" she asks, knowing that Ann will readily agree. For it is Lily Trimble Felicity, Simon and their parents are to see perform.
"I'll do your hair, Ann," I offer kindly, to hide my own anger.
"Well, I best get ready!" Felicity smiles and I grin back. Two can play at this game.
"Oh, do wear your green dress! It looks lovely with your eyes!" I exclaim, surprising her. In truth, I hate her green dress, but I will not let her know. "Isn't it lovely, Ann?" I pester because I know Ann won't disagree with me.
"Why thank you Gemma!" Fee says unsurely, and rushes off to prepare for her date with Simon Middleton. Sighing, I silently help Ann, who makes absolutely no effort to speak with me. Lately, she and Fee have become close, and I cannot help but feel left out at times. When I finish, Ann stammers out a thank you I do not respond to and stares at the mirror for some time.
"Ann, you can't change what you see," I finally whisper, and she wrenches her eyes away from the mirror to look at me. Inhaling deeply, she opens her eyes wide and shakes her head.
"I can, I can. I will become very rich, just you watch, Gemma Doyle!" And with that, Ann runs out of the room to find Felicity so they can leave. When they finally leave in a fine carriage, I retreat to my room and stare through the window, looking out at the landscape. The plants, the trees, the ivy… Shuddering, I close the blinds and make a quick decision, mostly to spite Felicity, who I am angry at for obvious reasons.
Creeping as quietly as possible towards the exit of Spence, I leave my room so I can escape my world for a little while. Can I? As I pass the Headmistress' office, I hear voices and pause for a moment. The snippets I hear cannot tell me much, but nonetheless I have learned, the hard way, that when people are talking in whispers, it is fine to eavesdrop, because they are usually plotting to kill you.
"…not to be trusted," Nightwing's voice whispers.
"…might yet be saved," a low male voice murmurs, and I cannot quite place the voice, though it sounds familiar.
Nightwing snaps, "…gone! None left! … all of it!"
"…be careful…Rakshana," the male warns, and the door opens, leaving me and my foolish self trapped by my own curiosity.
I quickly run through my options in my head. Either I can claim I cannot sleep or make a mad dash for the door. In a split second, I leap towards the door, running as fast as I can. I do not have time to contemplate the meaning of what I heard. I am occupied with running as fast as I can and making sure no one is following me. My ribs hurt, my ribs hurt, my ribs hurt from running so much, I don't think I can go much further before they collapse in on my lungs but it's okay because I see the cave, just ahead, not much longer now… My feet pound a steady rhythm on the ground, and I reach the cave. I stumble inside blindly, and let my mind wander to the conversation I just witnessed.
Suddenly one word registers in my tired brain.
Rakshana.
My knees buckle underneath me without my permission or a warning, and I realize it is not my doing. I hear a quiet laugh behind me and suddenly I'm falling, falling, falling into the cold, hard, damp ground of the gave, losing consciousness to the dark night. I slip into a vision…
"What a bore that opera was!" Fee whines to Ann in the carriage, and I find I am seated right next to them yet they cannot see me. I do not have a good feeling about this.
Dreamily, Ann bursts into song, and when she is done, scolds Felicity. "I loved it! Lily Trimble was excellent!' Her bright eyes show how much fun she had, but Fee yawns.
"Shall we get back to Spence already?" I grit my teeth and try to quell the anger that wells up inside me because Fee does not realize how much this meant to Ann, and perhaps she never will. I relax when I see Ann is still staring dreamily out of the window. Ann's eyes widen and Fee pokes her. "Whatever are you so worried about?" she asks in a nonchalant tone.
The carriage shrieks to a halt.
Fee's mouth forms a small 'o' and Ann is paralyzed. Hesitantly, I walk to the window and pull the blind away. Bandits.
"Perhaps they shall go away," Ann whispers in a small voice, but the driver of their carriage is laughing with the men, clearly drunk. I shudder as Felicity looks around wildly for some way to escape. Finding none, she clutches a small object I cannot identify in her hand, holding it out in front of her like a lethal weapon.
Ann still sits like a small child, whimpering, but Fee will not have this. "Get up, then! If you want to survive, you always have to know how to destroy people," but her hand wavers, and I know she is not as confident as she appears to be. Fee must truly be scared to death, but if she shows any fear Ann will fall apart. As it is, Ann cowers in her seat, tears running down her cheeks. I reach down and take a small dagger from my boot. I place it in Ann's shaking hand, and she stares at it in amazement. Fee is suspicious when she sees it, but does not say anything, only stands at the ready, like a guard dog waiting for a burglar to approach.
The carriage door opens and the light blinds me. I awake, on the floor of the cave, confused, scared, but most of all cold. I am not alone. Eyes are boring into the back of my head, I can feel them, and so I call boldly into the darkness, "Who are you?" and wait for a response.
A familiar male voice pierces through the quiet of the dark night, and I am stunned into silence.
"I am Kor, brother of Amar and Kartik, member of the Rakshana, and I have a message to deliver from my brother."
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Cliffhanger… Dun dun duuun! Well, that is the first chapter!
Just to let you know, Kartik will be in this story, I just didn't want to rush him in at the beginning because that would not make sense, at least to me. I have one question for reviewers…
Since Simon is obviously already in it (Felicity's going to see Lily Trimble with him), should he have a small or big role in my fanfiction?
Thank you so much for reading!
–-- Peaches and Oranges