Chapter 1
Celena was walking to a nearby river. All the chores for the day had been done at the small house that was home to her and her brother. It was now late evening and she had opted for a peaceful walk in the surrounding woods. The river was a small distance from the house itself but calming and she went there often to sit and think. Today was a great day for just that, the sun's rays gleamed on the water although it wouldn't be long before it sank below the horizon. A light breeze stirred the leaves of the trees that lined the path on either side of her, causing speckles of amber sunlight to appear and vanish in an instant on the path.
She could hear the mellifluous tread of water over the smooth stones ahead, mixed with the rustling leaves and the chirping of the late waking birds it made a symphony of nature. She smiled at the simplicity and picked up her skirts a little so she could skip a little, a little unladylike but such scenarios for dreaming enthroned the imagination within her. She giggled and spun, skipping for the river that now seemed to burble along with her dancing steps.
The water sparked like an expensive silver chain in the shadows. Shading trees extended their leaf covered arms over the running water, but fading shafts of sunlight caught the curves and refracted back like a flawless mirror in a thousand pieces. She had regained her ladylike countenance by now and was delicately stepping over each root of a reaching tree when her eye caught on a color out of place. A very light beige, the color of extraordinarily pale skin. Curiously, she edged her way towards the bank, the small triangle of color slowly growing in her vision. It was the slightest piece of an anklebone, which was attached to a leg as well.
Her breath wavered slightly, there was nothing around their house for miles, nothing and no one. Supposedly. Her brother wasn't far, if anything went wrong she could always cry out for help and it would be quick in coming. Perhaps she had better just tell her brother instead, let him deal with whatever was sitting on the opposite side of the tree.
She turned and started back down the trail, watching behind her just incase she was heard. But with her eyes focused behind her and not before her she soon tripped over one of the many tree roots that had extended onto the path. She landed hard, just barely managing to catch herself with her hands before she landed. She quickly turned back in the direction of the path, the fading shafts of light lit the path unhindered all the way to the river, just visible around the corner of the path. She sighed with relief and started to climb to her feet, finding out the hard way she had managed to twist her ankle slightly. She tried to push herself up but the injured joint refused to hold and to prevent further injury she sat back down on the ground.
"Gosh are you alright?"
She twisted jerking about in search of the voice. It had asked from right next to her ear, yet there was nothing there. She pulled herself into the shadow of a nearby tree and peered through the lengthening shadows for the source of the voice.
"That looks rather painful, do you think you can walk?"
It was right next to her ear, she turned slowly both hands clenching the ground in fear. A long haired brunette girl around her age was bending over her shoulder staring at her ankle with a concerned look on her face. She held her simple satin dress up so the edge hung down around bare ankles and bare feet that for some reason weren't picking up dirt. She circled around until she was kneeling by her injured foot and grimaced at it after she obligingly turned it sideways for inspection.
"No, you shouldn't walk now. Even if you could, you've managed to twist it just enough that the bone's aren't in alignment."
So it was twisted, but not unfixable. She could still call for her brother but she didn't want to rely on him so much, he usually had much on his mind even though he always made time for her. "How do I fix it."
Calculating brown eyes studied her for a moment, before positioning her hands in the air and making an explanatory twist. Celena reached down and gripped her ankle she could feel the throbbing under her fingers. She took a deep breath clenched her teeth and twisted. The bone popped back into place with a small pop, not at all deserving of the wave of pain that came with it. She leaned back against the tree and gasped for breath. The dark brown haired girl kneeled beside her smiling softly.
The light was fading, making the trail more and more difficult to see. For some odd reason the girl kneeling next to her seemed to sharpen slightly, her features becoming more lively. Her deep blue dress was a simple arrangement with a hem that pooled on the ground and long sleeves that draped over the backs of her hands. The dress was obviously too big for her in length, but the simple collar fit loosely around her neck and her shoulders lined up with the sewn ones. The long brown hair was dark, more of a dark chestnut than a soft chocolate, it was free too, flowing down her back and hanging around her knees as she knelt. She had a elegant, pretty face and would easily fit into the noble crowd, her eyes though held a keen intelligence.
"Who are you?"
An eyebrow arced as a sly grin spread itself across her features. "I'm Talayne. Come on, get up it's getting dark." She waited while the other girl stood and dusted herself off. What's your name?"
"Celena, pleased to meet you Talayne. My home is this way." She indicated down the darkening trail frowning slightly. Soon she wouldn't be able to see the path, and then the only guides would be the house lights if they were close enough to see them. Still she wouldn't hasten the other girl who seemed to have no problem finding her way down the dusty lane.
"The pleasure's mine, how's your ankle?" Talayne asked.
"Better, it doesn't hurt anymore." She answered, rolling her step to test for pain. None came surprisingly but she didn't try it again she didn't want to provoke pain out of it. The path was all but dark and she squinted to make out the roots and other obstructions in her way. Talayne was difficult to see as well, but much easier than the surrounding forest. She also seemed to know where she was going, so trusting in her companion she matched her steps and walked where Talayne was taking them. Unavoidably though she failed to see another root, as she fell she reached out for Talayne to balance herself. To her surprise her hand passed clear through the girl's shoulder. She landed on the ground in shock, staring up at the brunette.
Celena was walking to a nearby river. All the chores for the day had been done at the small house that was home to her and her brother. It was now late evening and she had opted for a peaceful walk in the surrounding woods. The river was a small distance from the house itself but calming and she went there often to sit and think. Today was a great day for just that, the sun's rays gleamed on the water although it wouldn't be long before it sank below the horizon. A light breeze stirred the leaves of the trees that lined the path on either side of her, causing speckles of amber sunlight to appear and vanish in an instant on the path.
She could hear the mellifluous tread of water over the smooth stones ahead, mixed with the rustling leaves and the chirping of the late waking birds it made a symphony of nature. She smiled at the simplicity and picked up her skirts a little so she could skip a little, a little unladylike but such scenarios for dreaming enthroned the imagination within her. She giggled and spun, skipping for the river that now seemed to burble along with her dancing steps.
The water sparked like an expensive silver chain in the shadows. Shading trees extended their leaf covered arms over the running water, but fading shafts of sunlight caught the curves and refracted back like a flawless mirror in a thousand pieces. She had regained her ladylike countenance by now and was delicately stepping over each root of a reaching tree when her eye caught on a color out of place. A very light beige, the color of extraordinarily pale skin. Curiously, she edged her way towards the bank, the small triangle of color slowly growing in her vision. It was the slightest piece of an anklebone, which was attached to a leg as well.
Her breath wavered slightly, there was nothing around their house for miles, nothing and no one. Supposedly. Her brother wasn't far, if anything went wrong she could always cry out for help and it would be quick in coming. Perhaps she had better just tell her brother instead, let him deal with whatever was sitting on the opposite side of the tree.
She turned and started back down the trail, watching behind her just incase she was heard. But with her eyes focused behind her and not before her she soon tripped over one of the many tree roots that had extended onto the path. She landed hard, just barely managing to catch herself with her hands before she landed. She quickly turned back in the direction of the path, the fading shafts of light lit the path unhindered all the way to the river, just visible around the corner of the path. She sighed with relief and started to climb to her feet, finding out the hard way she had managed to twist her ankle slightly. She tried to push herself up but the injured joint refused to hold and to prevent further injury she sat back down on the ground.
"Gosh are you alright?"
She twisted jerking about in search of the voice. It had asked from right next to her ear, yet there was nothing there. She pulled herself into the shadow of a nearby tree and peered through the lengthening shadows for the source of the voice.
"That looks rather painful, do you think you can walk?"
It was right next to her ear, she turned slowly both hands clenching the ground in fear. A long haired brunette girl around her age was bending over her shoulder staring at her ankle with a concerned look on her face. She held her simple satin dress up so the edge hung down around bare ankles and bare feet that for some reason weren't picking up dirt. She circled around until she was kneeling by her injured foot and grimaced at it after she obligingly turned it sideways for inspection.
"No, you shouldn't walk now. Even if you could, you've managed to twist it just enough that the bone's aren't in alignment."
So it was twisted, but not unfixable. She could still call for her brother but she didn't want to rely on him so much, he usually had much on his mind even though he always made time for her. "How do I fix it."
Calculating brown eyes studied her for a moment, before positioning her hands in the air and making an explanatory twist. Celena reached down and gripped her ankle she could feel the throbbing under her fingers. She took a deep breath clenched her teeth and twisted. The bone popped back into place with a small pop, not at all deserving of the wave of pain that came with it. She leaned back against the tree and gasped for breath. The dark brown haired girl kneeled beside her smiling softly.
The light was fading, making the trail more and more difficult to see. For some odd reason the girl kneeling next to her seemed to sharpen slightly, her features becoming more lively. Her deep blue dress was a simple arrangement with a hem that pooled on the ground and long sleeves that draped over the backs of her hands. The dress was obviously too big for her in length, but the simple collar fit loosely around her neck and her shoulders lined up with the sewn ones. The long brown hair was dark, more of a dark chestnut than a soft chocolate, it was free too, flowing down her back and hanging around her knees as she knelt. She had a elegant, pretty face and would easily fit into the noble crowd, her eyes though held a keen intelligence.
"Who are you?"
An eyebrow arced as a sly grin spread itself across her features. "I'm Talayne. Come on, get up it's getting dark." She waited while the other girl stood and dusted herself off. What's your name?"
"Celena, pleased to meet you Talayne. My home is this way." She indicated down the darkening trail frowning slightly. Soon she wouldn't be able to see the path, and then the only guides would be the house lights if they were close enough to see them. Still she wouldn't hasten the other girl who seemed to have no problem finding her way down the dusty lane.
"The pleasure's mine, how's your ankle?" Talayne asked.
"Better, it doesn't hurt anymore." She answered, rolling her step to test for pain. None came surprisingly but she didn't try it again she didn't want to provoke pain out of it. The path was all but dark and she squinted to make out the roots and other obstructions in her way. Talayne was difficult to see as well, but much easier than the surrounding forest. She also seemed to know where she was going, so trusting in her companion she matched her steps and walked where Talayne was taking them. Unavoidably though she failed to see another root, as she fell she reached out for Talayne to balance herself. To her surprise her hand passed clear through the girl's shoulder. She landed on the ground in shock, staring up at the brunette.