Authors note: Alright
Authors note: Alright. So my summaries suck, I already know that. Anyway, onto my explanation… I started righting this June 17th of 2007and worked on it for about half a year… stopping around January after winter break when school started to get a little hectic and my family life was going down the drain. I made it all the way up to chapter nine and now I cant remember how I was going to start the next chapter for the life of me, So I'm posting this now simply so people can read it, I can get feed back on my writing, and MAYBE someone can help me get started again- because I'd hate to leave something I devoted so much of my time to unfinished.
Now I'm not looking for corrections in grammar and spelling- I know there are a LOT of mistakes in the beginning because of mistaking words but I simply don't have the time or patience to go through it all- if you want to do it though, by all means, I'll be incredibly grateful- but I'd like feed back on the writing in general- not little mistakes like that.
Now if you still want to read after my annoyingly long authors note, by all means.
Chapter One -Myra
One…two…three…
"How do you like the cake Myra" Mother started, smiling sweetly as she tilted her head to the side, waiting for her young daughter's response.
"its fine thank you…" I replied.
Four…five…six…
"Where are you're sisters? They should be here" She continued with a scornful expression on her face. A question I would have liked to answer, but instead I replied, "So what if they miss cake." I smiled softly in my mother's direction and looked down.
Seven…eight…nine…
My mother had gotten used to my coping strategies, and so decided to play along.
"Then we shan't leave any for them!" She raised a hand triumphantly and laughed. I laughed as well.
Ten…eleven…twelve…
Counting the candles on my cake I stopped short of one and shook my head.
Sighing I glanced in the direction of my two closest friends, one of whom was whipping the cream off her finger carelessly on the kitchen towel, trying to get rid of the evidence. Apart from my mother and me they were the only ones there. The only ones I had taken the time to tell of the celebration.
In all honesty, I didn't want anyone to know. But my mother insisted. I didn't want to believe the year had finally come. The one my sisters would have invited gladly with joyful expressions as they shouted 'Welcome to the best year of your life…' would have.
As long as I disregarded that last candle. As long as I didn't admit it, it wasn't true.
Unfortunately as I looked down at the frosting covered display before me, I couldn't help but whisper.
"Thirteen…"
--
I woke up late the next morning. Judging by the position of the sun in the sky outside my bedroom window it was about noon. Why my family would allow me to sleep that late on a school day was beyond me.
But it became all too clear as I walked out of my room and saw my sisters seated in the kitchen with all but satisfied expressions.
Rosemary was a woman in her early twenties, the oldest one of the four of us. She was tanned, with long straight black hair that ran past her waist. Her eyes were a clear olive color positioned perfectly on her face. She was finely built in every aspect if it were not for the fact she was somewhat…vertically challenged.
She reminded me of the Amazonian queen I had read about when I was younger…
Virginia was a full 5 years younger then Rosemary yet she had already proved to be taller. Elbow length curled black hair framed her delicate pale face. Compared to Rosemary she looked like a clean sheet of paper. She was not as well built as her either. But her amethyst like eyes made up for anything she may have lost in that department.
A few years ago I was told to do a project on the goddess Gerda of ice. When ever I pictured her Virginia appeared instead.
In comparison to my sisters I was nothing. Shoulder length straight red hair and plain brown eyes on a relatively average child. My skin was an ugly pale yellow and I was as flat as that sheet of paper the color of Virginia's skin came from.
The last of us, Genevieve, has lived with our father across the seas nearly a year after she was born. Last I heard of her she had red hair, like me, but everywhere else she took after Virginia.
"Morning- or rather… Afternoon Myra, sleep well?" Rosemary started. Her elbow was propped up on the table supporting her head which lay on her palm. Her eyes were shut and she had yawned to show I was of no concern to her.
"Yes thank you… Rose, was there a reason as to why I was not woken up for class this morning?" I replied. My hair was a mess and my eyes were still covered in sleep. I could just see Virginia twitch.
"Nope! Mother said you weren't feeling well yesterday." Rose laughed indifferently and continued to lean against her arm with her eyes shut.
Virginia had yet to say anything and at the moment I felt her eyes narrowed and directed towards the kitchen window.
A thought came to mind and I yawned to show I wasn't worried before stating, "Where…is mother anyway?" At that Rose let her arm drop and opened her eyes. Virginia scoffed but didn't look at me and Rose stood up.
"Out." Came her stern reply. I knew I probably looked worried and so her face took on a softer look.
"…Don't worry about it Myra. Just enjoy your day off." She whispered something to Virginia who swallowed hard and then walked over to me to pat me lightly on the head.
"I'm going to take a nap. So behave for Vigi alright?"
I nodded timidly as Rosemary continued to her room down the hall.
Virginia still didn't look at me. Her eyes were still fixed on the window.
So I sighed and decided to wash up and take a walk.
After my shower I dressed in my usual green plaid skirt, with little black buckles on the side just for show, and my white class like shirt. Rosemary had complained as to why I chose to wear things that looked like school uniforms.
I sighed lightly and slipped into my black leather heeled shoes. I used them for school, so it only helped in Rosemary's accusation.
I tapped the ground twice and then walked back into the kitchen where Virginia was, unsurprisingly, still seated. Still glaring at the window…
I said nothing and silently walked over to the front door. As I placed my hand on the lock her voice broke across the room. Something about when she spoke sent shivers down my spine.
"Where are you going… Myra." She asked. I turned around and shut my eyes.
She was looking at me. Those narrow violet eyes were pointed at me…My knees were getting weak and I thought I was going to fall.
"I- I'm going for a walk V-Virginia…" I stuttered.
She got up from the kitchen counter and ran her hand through her hair.
"You won't be out long now will you? If mother comes home and sees you aren't here…I won't be making up excuses."
she took several steps towards me and stopped to lean against the cut way kitchen wall.
I felt my stomach lurch and my throat was starting to close up.
"N-no…Of course not…" I replied.
She was dressed in a long light blue gown that had white ribbons tying around her neck and shoulders. She was standing in the shadowed corner of the room and her eyes seemed to glow.
And as that stupid satisfied grin spread on her face…I shook my head. She knew I was scared of her. I knew it wasn't natural. Neither of us complained.
"Alright…I'll see you in a little while then…have fun."
"bye" I said. Quickly I unlocked the door and ran outside.
During past walks I had found a nice little secluded area where I could sit and read in peace.
I didn't do well with people especially not after…
I sighed and dug around the bushes for the book I had left there a few days earlier.
I had bought it at a school fair and left it in a metal case; I had gotten earlier, to protect it from weather and things of the sort.
I wore the key to said metal case around my neck at the moment.
After finding the case behind a rose bush, which added another cut to my hands, I took the silver chain off my neck and unlocked it to reveal the red leather bound book.
The cover had gold cursive writing that read 'the history of Enzidor'
I guess I should explain a little more, shouldn't I?
Enzidor would be the land we call home. Where magic is not a figment of someone's imagination and where things are not bound by physical limitations. In fact, though I refuse to think of myself or my sisters as hood wearing green skinned long nosed crones hovering over a cauldron of some purple unknown substance, we are witches. Preferably sorceresses to escape the image you humans had laid out for us.
The history book that was now in my hands was merely our mythology. They were interesting stories. That some people believe revolved around my family at some point in time.
I had yet to find the specific story as to why my family became involved but I knew if I was to find out anything it had to be within the bindings of this book.
I opened it to page two hundred and ninety seven, and started reading.
The battle of Lesonia- As told by Ingrid Meonette:
It was said that many years ago two witches separated the land of Enzidor into an all out war against the other.
"Like the English monarch battle between Princess Elizabeth and Queen Mary" Ingrid stated. Though no one was sure whether or not the two witches were actually related or not.
There were several documents that used the descriptions 'red as blood' and 'white as snow' but no one knows as to what said words are describing.
"As far as we are concerned they could have been talking about something completely irrelevant." Ingrid continued.
One of our sources said that the two had been close friends when status finally became an issue as one was of supposed royal blood and the other a simpleton from the village.
That regret became too much to bear and they instead chose to become bitter enemies.
Another demanded they be pronounced siblings as only a bond as strong as blood could be disposed of in such a manner that nearly brought about the end of Enzidor.
As to how this war ended, a third magical entity was said to have arrived onto the last battle scene. Those who have lived long enough after said all they remembered was a bright light. When questioned as to who they thought the two had been they replied that they were in pain and left.
"What is this! It's like a newspaper article!" I shouted. Having read about half of the book by now I thought I would have gotten used to the poor quality of this book.
The council never let anything truly interesting out of their sights so they gave the school 'what ifs' and 'could haves.'
No wonder I hadn't found anything relating as to why I was being accused of being some mythological being. This book had about all the real content as the story books about the Amazonian Queen!
I sighed and shut the book. Feeling disappointed and tired I shut my eyes and leaned against a tree.
I sat and studied my surroundings for a moment. Why had I bothered with a book? Staring at the scenery was much more enlightening.
There were trees all around me that curved over to look like wedding arches. The roots of some of the larger trees had turned up and swirled to the point where they looked like vine covered benches. And the grass was clean and soft, where I didn't feel disgusting sitting down with my knees to my chest in a skirt.
And in front of me was a clear unpolluted river.
I began to wonder how it would look at night…
when a sudden weight was slammed onto my back.
I screamed but was answered with giggling.
Rolling my eyes I mumbled 'of course' and attempted to stand up.
"Get off Kasandra." I sighed. The girl clinging to my back giggled some more and jumped off.
"I knew I'd find you here. Why weren't you in class today?" my simple minded childhood friend asked.
Kasandra was fourteen with wavy dirty blond hair up to her elbows and olive green eyes on par with Rosemary's. She was tall and softly tanned with a full face. She was what some people called 'Naturally beautiful.'
A few feet behind her I saw Tiffany:
My naturally dark skinned friend with curly elbow length black hair. Her eyes were a golden brown and she was a relatively short girl, better built then Kasandra or myself. I'm sure she would have been dubbed 'Naturally beautiful' too if she just let her hair down once in a while. But it was always up in a tight high bun that made her look somewhat like a cone.
"The question is, why aren't you guys in class now. It's about time for history…" As I said it I began to understand.
"Miss Fonte said with out you it wasn't history and said we could have a free period." Tiffany replied with a huff as she pulled herself into one of the shorter trees.
I sighed and shook my head.
"What was she going to teach us today anyway? The history of Enzidor isn't exactly something anyone outside the council would know, or for that matter, is supposed to know." I mumbled.
"The battle of Lesonia I think… We've heard that one a million times before so I don't see why she couldn't have just said it…" Tiffany yawned from her position in the tree.
"Don't forget every time we've heard that story it was different variation. Maybe she was going to give us the real one today." Kasandra ran her fingers through her hair and looked at me.
"You never know. Maybe they actually let the history teachers know something about 'history' before teaching?" I laughed at Kasandra's antics as she puffed out her cheeks at me.
"Is it really that hard to believe?!"
"Yes Kasy!" Tiffany and I replied in unison.
a few years ago when the words 'by the people and for the people' faded off out of existence we became over ruled by 'the council' which consisted of 7 members, all male, who knew all the important aspect of Enzidor's creation. They destroyed any and all traces of the past.
But apparently there was the one, revolving around my family, that got out to the people and now they pointed the finger at us.
When I returned home that day Virginia was outside on the patio bench while Rosemary was making dinner.
"Mom isn't back yet, if that's what your wondering."
"It wasn't." I replied as Rosemary cut up some of the vegetables that were to be part of my mother's salad.
Mother didn't eat much lately, just lettuce and water basically… I was starting to wonder if she was sick.
Rosemary looked at me and rolled her eyes.
"Go wash up. Dinner is almost ready." She grinned and turned back to the stove.
As I walked towards the bathroom I heard her shout profanities and then she cursed the stove. Though I'm not sure what good that could have done….
After scrubbing my hands thoroughly with lavender scented soap I came back into the kitchen and noticed Virginia was still out side.
"Shouldn't someone tell her food's ready…?"
Rosemary laughed and poured the meat out into a plate for the rest of us to pick at.
"You want to be the one to do it? She's in one of her moods now."
Given the fact I was scared of her when she was happy; I declined and sat down to dinner.
An hour after Rose had disappeared to her room and I had stayed in the kitchen for no reason other then the fact I was bored, Virginia walked back into the house.
"Oh…you're back…" she whispered. I jumped and got up from my seat.
"y-ya… there is food by the way… Rosemary cooked."
"Then I'll pass." Virginia replied. As she turned to go to her room she looked back at me with those blasted violet eyes and sighed.
"That cat of yours is outside by the way. I suppose you feed her or she'll find another owner."
My cat…? I thought for a moment before I remembered the stray tabby-tortoiseshell mix I had found on one of my earlier walks.
As Virginia's door shut, and I heard the lock click I ran outside with a bowl for cat food.
"Kieren…!" As I had called it, was seated comfortable in front of the small pond in my back yard swiping her paw at the tadpoles inside.
"Hey girl…" I smiled at her and her tail began to swish back and forth.
I had come to learn that is what cats did when they were annoyed.
But I always thought Kieren's antics were more like a dogs. She wasn't the brightest thing either. I had once brought her into the house and she leaned back on the edge of my bed falling over and landing on her head. She defied the rule 'Cat's always land on their feet' several times in my company. She was also extremely loyal, as it seemed.
So her tail basically meant: "It's that human again. I hope she's going to feed me. And pet me. And let me eat those strange fish things!!"
I laughed to myself as I imagined her voice.
I put the bowl down and she nearly spilled it over as she pounced on it.
She was a gray cat with an extremely fluffy tail that was as long as her body and she had an adorable patch of fur that was darker then the rest in a diamond mark on her forehead. I couldn't get her to sit still long enough to see her eyes but I expected them to be a type of copper.
While she ate I stroked her back and tail that seemed as long as her entire body.
I always had a knack for attracting strange creatures…another laugh escaped my lips as Kieren purred quite loudly while eating.
When she had her fill she played with my hand for several minutes and attempted to climb up my back several times. I'm sure there is a bright red stain on my shirt by now but I won't bother checking. Kieren was amused and had yet to leave. I was willing to bear with it.
But not too long after it appeared Kieren had other plans and jumped off into the bushes behind the pond. I believe she crawled under the fence and ran off somewhere but I couldn't reach back far enough to check.
I picked up the discarded bowl and walked back into my house.
The lights had surprisingly all been turned off and Rosemary was sitting on the couch staring out the main window.
"What is it Rose?" I asked softly.
Rose glanced at me and then back at the window.
"Its nothing…go to your room ok?"
Nothing. Of course it was nothing. But anything could be nothing. That was how I was forced to think now. The world could be coming to an end and it would be 'nothing'
I was so sick of being left out of things. Even my sisters had found out about the legend we were supposedly in. That is why we stopped being 'sisters.' Something about that legend upset them.
Rose has been able to cover it up using coy smiles and acting indifferent.
But Virginia has begun working on more ways to make me feel as uncomfortable as ever.
I wasn't always scared of her…
I felt tears sting my eyes as I thought about how things used to be with my family…
In fact it wasn't until mothers meeting with the council little after my hair turned from brown to red that everyone started acting like this.
"Myra. Did you hear me? I said go to you're room. There isn't anything to worry about."
"Now I know there is." I mumbled.
Rose looked at me, her olive green eyes looking somewhat shocked as she tried to think of a reply.
But my reply didn't come from her.
It came from my mother as she slammed the door open and shut.
"Virginia! Where are you?" My mother screamed. Rosemary closed the window curtains and got off the couch.
Virginia walked out and yawned.
"I thought they'd be a little more courteous. One day…pfft" She scoffed and walked over to me.
She pet me on the head lightly and leaned over me.
I would have fallen in shock at her sudden gestures but Mother's expression was the main thing on my mind.
"What's wrong…?" I whispered.
"You've been requested…" My mother mumbled in a bitter tone.
Requested? What did…?
"The council is so impatient." Virginia laughed in my ear.
That was all I needed to know now.
They had asked to see me.