Unforeseen
Written by; Ashley Anderson
Chapter 1 - Preorder
-Scillea-
I pound hard on the glowing hot metal that hisses back at me as my cold hammer clashes with it. When the metal finally begins to bend to my will; I bang harder, my slim arms tightening, the muscles twitching from the force. The unmade blade finally curves, making a perfect scythe.
I grab my tongs and lift it high into the air. Inspecting the fiery metal for bumps and impurities, I wipe my brow with my forearm and slide the blade into the large wooden water barrel to my left. "Nicely done Scillea." my father's familiar voice from behind. It is calm; not deep at all, filled with serenity. I turn toward him, taking in the big man. About six foot tall and muscular with an oval face covered in grim and shaggy gray beard. His hair is fading slowly from his once glorious brown. Though he is strongly built, he wears heavy leather clothing and thick brown gloves to protect him from the furnace's heat.
He smiles at me, his old face showing the same warmth I'd known for years. The scars the almost mar his face crinkle up, even from here anyone can see the horrible wounds and left over scars from the war he was in long ago. I rush into his arms, accepting his comforting hug. "You make me a proud father everyday Scillea. You are done for today, go spend the rest of your time to your pleasures while I prepare this shipment for Lordaeron. Please remember to come home early tonight though; we have dinner with another guest."
"FATHER!" I call; my voice, like light air; a small peaceful lone bell in the silence, rings out through the shop.
This same sound had caused rooms to go silent and everyone turn toward me. I remember the astounded looks ranging from that of loathing to that of pure lust. I had inherited that from my mother, but I never knew the woman who gave birth to me. She'd died when I was born.
Malic glares down at me. "Scillea, you are twenty one now. I'm not getting any younger; you must marry soon and not left alone in this old damn forge for the rest of your life. Scillea you are a WOMAN, you must accept this and marry at least a man who can support you after I am dead." His tries to plead with me.
"Can't I choose my own to marry?" I snap.
"I gave you ten years to find someone. Now I have no choice." He replies back, with a heavy sigh.
"I know papa, but can't we wait just a little longer? I'm not ready for marriage." I say.
"And when will you?" he demands.
"I don't know Dad, I don't know." I murmur. Fed up with me, he sends me away with a disgruntled wave of his hand.
Sluggishly I head out into the bright sunlit day.
I live in the world called Azeroth, on the continent: Eastern Kingdoms. The year is six hundred nineteen of the Dread Era, that is excluding the making of this world and whatever has befallen it before. My village is located just north of Light's Hope Chapel which is the farthest north east you can go in the eastern kingdoms excluding the land above which belongs to the High elves. I live in the nation of Lordaeron, which is lead till this day by the Menethil family. Though I know not who is head of, or belonging to the family. I know I must respect their orders.
This continent; a strangely shaped, misshapen, detached thumb with the top being pulled to a point that looks like where the land should have been is just a curved part. The middle is squished tight together where the two bays are and a small island not too far from the coast at the top. That's Baradin Bay, which sits to the left side looking over yonder at Kalimdor, the other continent which is separated from us by the Great Sea. Inside it sits Kul Tiras an island owned by the great family, Proudmoore. The right side is open to nothing but coast line and the Forbidding Sea.
Quel'Thalas is a land of mysterious, powerful elves. Their land runs from the top island, which they call Quel'Danas, down to the tip of the thumb. That's where the human lands began, going all the way down to the end of the thumb. Speaking of land, Lordaeron's is defined by those who sit by it. For one, Gilneas, which sits jutting out into the ocean by Baradin Bay, boarders below Lordaeron. While Kul Tiras just to its right on an island below it even it. The dwarves, rest in the middle of the continent while another human land, Stormwind, lies with the rest of the free space. Now Lordaeron is the most powerful of all the lands as of yet. It has been us that have united everyone in what my father tells me, "Dark Time's".
My village, being the smallest and least important of all, seems to get the most attention. The kingdom of Lordaeron provides to us quicker than any other village. And most recently, a order for new weapons arrived at our doorstep bearing the symbol of the King. My father took up the orders without hesitation. Though it changed him into another man, aggravation and a short temper took over his natural kindness and patience.
Sadly, all I could do was sit by and watch.
Pulling off my leather strap and hair net, my long golden hair falls to my ankles and embraces the cold air. Winding my fingers through my thick locks of hair, I admire its unnatural color. Rivers of bright golden sun are filled with long cords of molten orange rolling together in perfect harmony. As I pass a glass mirror and take a look at myself, inspecting for any coal smudges, which of course there are.
My face is slim with an angled jaw, similar to the high elves that live directly north to us. With high cheek bones and eyes slightly slanted at just such an angle that nearly makes me look like a glass doll. Their colors are of emerald green that seems glow with a sense of magic, though I have no powers at all. My small thin lips are pursed in thought as I ruffle up my hair slightly.
Hurrying through town, I eagerly forget my father. A small group of young children turn away from their game and wave at me and said, "Hello Ms. Rightworn."
"Hello Lassie, Lio-lo. Rigbe don't eat that or you'll get sick." I chide at the pudgy boy who has a piece of rotting food in his hand. "Lily tell your mom a fresh shipment of food has arrived today." I reply as I pass by. They nod dumbly and watch as I disappear down the poorly pathed road.
The trees gleam yellow at me, tilting upward and down bowing as their queen of gold passes by. I twirl weightlessly the colors of the autumn trees and the nearby river mix together. I laugh joyously and fall into the tall grass. Staring through a small path opening through the tree branches, toward the blue sky with no cloud in sight, I exhale in delight. Getting up, I peer around, and in the distance I hear a neighing. The ground trembles for a violent moment. Sneaking through the grasses, like a panther I move with grace. The meadow of songs, which my mother had named, is alive with the stampede of horses. Wild horses, free and graceful as they roll through. I stare mesmerized by their colors; brown, white, and deep black all blurring together.
Then, as soon as they came, they're gone. Gone faster than I could have guessed, like spirits coming and going as they pleased. I come out from beneath my hiding spot, staring at the newly flattened path. I trod through the tracks, following the horses toward the lake. Autumn is coming fast, the animals are gathering food and water before they migrate south for the winter. Stopping as the dense tree's finally let go and I can hear the noisy drinking from here, their lips smacking as they drink greedily.
Laying my back against a nearby tree, I peer around out at them. My heartbeat pounding, palms becoming clammy and sweat on my brow, I pull out a wooden flute. I play my lullaby, a sweet tune that is soft at first, rising up to higher notes and flowing down. I play till I feel a hot breath down my neck; I turn to be greeted with a warm lick from a pink tongue.
I laugh as the tall black Stallion attacks me with affection. "Unshakable! No!" I laugh, falling on the ground to only be attacked twice as hard. Unshakable nipps at my long hair, tickling me till I'm covered in spit and pieces of leaves. He finally pulls back, neighing furiously for me to get up. Laughing joyously, I climb up and onto his bare back, he charges forward. Merging into his herd, the other horses give a shrill cry and begin to charge behind us. I wrap my fists into his mane and stand up slightly, leaning forward to become more aerodynamic. The sun shines brightly as we break down into the valley with Light's Hope chapel on top of a hill watching me as I travel across the open plains.
My feet throb as I finally stumble home. Night has fallen, the stars already visible, but the lights are on in the house. Opening up the door, I find my father standing in the wooden doorway, glaring angrily at me. "Scillea." He snarls his lips barely moving. I look down quickly trying to hide beneath my hair. "You deliberately disobey me! Damn it Scillea, this is for the better for you! I swear on the name of the LIGHT if you do this again, I will force you into an arranged marriage!"
I gasp and quickly grab his sleeve. "No! Father! Please!" I beg tears breaking out onto my face. He shoves me away, turning inside and closing the door on me. My knees give out, arranged marriage? How...How can he say that to me? I wipe my face and get up. I head toward the ladder that leads up into the attic, once up; I curl under my hay stack and begin to let out muffled cries.
I yelp out as someone grabs my shoulder and yanks me upright. Father shoves me downstairs, quickly tossing me a pile of clothes with a hair brush. "Go clean yourself, now. Adam will be here shortly, please him today." I whimper slightly and duck out of the house, quickly slipping into the homemade shower in the backyard. The dress fit tightly, and was a faded green color which complements my eyes. Inside though, I feel like a mud pit ready to boil.
The sound of horse's hooves against the ground with a call from my father tells me my time is up. I push open the back door to the house and come in. Adam stands next to my father, who gave me a stern look. Adam is my height, with short black hair, his body is slim and instantly I know he is not a hard working man. His eyes look me over and my gut twists as he smiles approvingly.
"Adam, this is my daughter Scillea. Scillea this is Adam. Now be back tonight, we are having a guest arrive from Lordaeron in the morning." A look of contemplation rests over him before he disappears out of the room. Adam comes up to me, holding out his hand.
"It is so nice to finally meet you Ms. Rightworn. I hope you enjoy today with me." His voice is stainless, seeming to be to perfect for a normal man. I try not to glare angrily at the him, but everything about him causes me to inch away.
I force my hand into his and he pulls me outside with him. His horse, tied up against a nearby tree, is a pale color of gray with its head down. Helping me up, his hand slides along my legs as his gaze lingers at my chest. Biting my lip I try to ignore it, but as he climbs aboard I know instantly tonight will end badly.
Adam proudly trotted trough the town with me on his horse, nearly everyone stared at us, shocked that someone had finally tamed me. We went to the local market and bought some local food; cheese, milk, along with a batch of apples and pears.
All the time Adam would laugh and smile at me, I kept a straight face but I knew it was easily seen through to my heart which was crying out.
A group of his friends pass by, they wave and holler at him and then they see me. A round of thumbs up goes around, a tall man says to Adam, "Nice job." I cradle my sides trying to force the feeling of being this man's lapdog to go away.
"So I told the man." He continues on with his joke, "To go buy his own food and bother someone who actually cared about the poor." Adam laughs so hard I can feel the vibrations go through me.
"That's not funny." I say flatly, he turns on me sharply.
I flinch but he simply frowns and says, "No I guess not…" More awkward silence and finally he coughs, "Well, why don't we head over to Lillock hill?" I look up at the sky, it is midday, but I know Lillock hill will take a good four hours to ride out to.
"Are you sure we have enough daylight to get there and back again?" I ponder.
"Don't worry, my horse Rose is the fastest horse around, we'll get there and back before you even know it." I peer up at him from under my hair; he gives a reassuring smile and pulls me close.
I can smell his breath as he whispered, "Come on, it's just a little trip. We're going to have a lot of fun." I try to get out of his hold, but he won't let go.
Finally I spit out, "Fine." Adam clucked and his horse picks up speed.
"You'll have a lot of fun I promise." He grins wildly.
The ride is long and painful. I can feel my legs having a horrible saddle rash and my hair feels ripped as the trees grab it and pull. "How much longer?" I ask again. Adam growls something but quickly says, "Look there it is!" I look over his shoulder to see the hill rising in the distance. I narrow my eyes as I also see the sun setting, "Shouldn't we turn back?" I shout.
Adam laughs. "We're already here, why would you chicken out now?"
I pull on the reigns of the horse and jump off as it comes to a halt. "I refuse to be dragged somewhere I don't want to go and at this time of day. Sir Adam, you're usefulness is no longer needed, please go home and tell my father I will not be married to any man my father lays eyes on." I snap, finally fed up with this charade.
Adam comes trotting back over, dismounting before me. "Scillea, come now we were having so much fun." He grabs my arm and tries to pull me into a hug.
I pull back and hiss at him, "Only you were having so much fun parading me around, showing me off like I was some sort of animal you just bought!"
Adam glares now and as I turn away he grabs my arm and yanks me back, "I said let go!" I yell when I look up into his face and see lust burning in his eyes.
Yelling out loud I barely hear him say, "Not a living soul around to hear you." As he pulls me down. The air mixes with my screams and the loud screeches from Rose.