The day was hot, and humid. The surrounding air was damp and lingered with a foggy mist. The village below was beginning to fill with crowds of people and their accompanying animals. The lords and ladies of the town were starting to awake. The squires and pages were doing their morning chores, but soon they would be off, heading to their lessons.
This year there had been a wolf winter. A winter where the wolves had started to eat humans and a drought swept in during the summer. Now the king's son had fallen ill and all the healers in the land could not cure him.
In amongst the crowds of people below a young lady wandered the street in a hooded cloak. The cloak was as black as the night and had an intricate fire pattern woven into it with a silk thread. Some people believed that a cloak meant wealth, to others though it meant power, and some thought it meant wealth, power, beauty, and love. They were all right, but no one knew how to acquire a cloak like this. It was usually given to a person by a lady unlike any other, the most beautiful in the world or by a man. This man mostly gave to women, but there was an odd chance he'd give it to a male. If this male gave the cloak to a female, he'd follow her where ever she would go; trying to trick her, kiss her, and love this girl. For this young lady that was her case, but he was never able to lure her in like the other females. She always found a way out.
As she walked though the crowds, men of all ages whistled their approval. She wore a dress that flowed down to the ground with no seams or creases. The dress like the cloak had a fire pattern, but was silver with a hint of violet. Her white-blonde hair curled and waved around her arms and shoulders with every step she took It was almost like water, so smooth and full of lustre. She was so new, so different to people of this land. She could have been a queen if she wasn't so young.
She should have been a prime target, so beautiful and powerful. There was not a flaw in her perfect mirage. Yet, no one was willing to touch her or get close enough to. The crowd was parting for her. She never stopped to look at a booth or buy from the street merchants. It was like she didn't see them, like she didn't see anyone. She just walked straight up the castle gates.
"Excuse me, Miss. Where do you think you're going, eh?" the guard said eyeing her, like he owned her. He watched her as if having his wife and children wasn't good enough for he.
"I have been called by Lord Allen. He said he had important business for me. If you are so unsure to let me in why don't you call him down here to speak for me?" her voice flowed has if she was singing, so pure. The illusion was almost complete; now she only had to hope that her sister would play along.
"Well, you heard the girl. Go get him," he ordered the guard next to him to go fetch the lord.
"May we please permit to give him a name?" answered the other guard. The first guard merely grunted.
Within a couple of minutes the guard came back with Lord Kyprioth following. A completely confused Allen, but it was still Allen. "Shurran is that really you? How have you been? It's been ages since I've seen you. You look so good."
"Why thank you. I've been doing well. May I come in now?" her smile glowing like the moon.
"Oh, why yes. Please follow me." Allen replied, his grin becoming even bigger, looking more and more like a hyena's grin.
"Well, well look what the cat dragged in?"
"Be nice. I'm doing you a big favor by doing what I'm doing. Soon the Queen will become ill because of the death of her son and will take a silver knife to her heart. With no heir to the throne, Tortall will be under war in a matter of months," she said as she whispered into her sister's ear. Her control on her power was already slipping. She wanted to talk to her like they use to. She wanted to call her by her own name, not their dead father's.
"So what's in this for you? Do you really think I'd help you? I won't help you to become queen." She said, bending down to untie her boots.
"Do you think that's what I want, to become a mere Queen? No. I ..."