This is a story I have been writing at home and have decided to publish it, it will turn out to be pretty long but hopefully the content will make up for it. Please review and give advice as I seriously need it, Over and Out. :)
1.
New Year, New Day
Miyuki
A day's journey away from the castle, the City of Unali was yawning at the bright busy day ahead. It was the first day of the Month of New Life, and the New Year was on the edge of starting.
"98, 99, 100," chanted a dark haired girl, getting up after her daily push ups. Flicking her fringe out of her big, brown eyes, she swigged down a glass of water and changed from her heavy night clothes into her Warrior outfit. It consisted of tight, black flexible trousers; a black top with two diagonal sashes of red cloth and plain black pumps. Slipping these onto her feet, she stood up from her low, bed and combed out her wild, tangled curls of her black bob. Satisfied with what she saw in the mirror, she went through her bedroom door into the kitchen.
The kitchen was a warm, cosy room filled with gleaming cooking utensils. Pots, pans, ladles, bowls, trays, rollers, chopping boards and plates all were either burnished copper or glinting silver steel. The sight of her mother always warmed her heart, especially as she was cooking her favourite breakfast, pancakes, winter berries and eggs.
"Oh Miyuki! Thought I'd send you off in style yes?" Hollee said, spotting her daughter over her shoulder. "Sit, sit," she ushered Miyuki into a beautifully carved chair where she plonked onto her plate steaming pancakes, vibrant coloured berries and the oozing yolk of poached eggs. "Enjoy!"
"Thanks Mum," gratefully Miyuki dove into her meal, having delicious food was something she was going to miss.
Sitting beside her daughter, the heavily pregnant Hollee looked at her daughter with an unreadable expression.
"What?" mumbled Miyuki.
"Don't talk with your mouth full. Honestly! What do your fellow pupils have say about your awful eating habits" fussed Hollee.
"Honestly Mum, I don't think they care that much. But what was the look for?"
"Oh, just wondering how my little petal grew up so fast." Hollee sighed, with a glazed look over her green eyes.
"Mum..." Protested Miyuki, but at the same time feeling sorry for her. "I'm still your little petal, always will be. Anyway, you got the baby coming so you won't be able to fuss all over me all the time."
"Yes, I suppose I shall. You be nice to your little brother or sister." A mock anger face came on the Hollee's delicate face but she couldn't hold it for long. "Now go get ready. Have you packed all your things?"
"Yes Mum, but really the only things I need are the things I'm standing up in." Miyuki pushed back her plate, stood up and kissed her mother on the forehead, before entering her room and leaning against the door. It was going to be tough saying goodbye.
Shekil
With a groan, Shekil sat up. Holding his head in his hands, the floor grindingly lurched beneath him. Shekil tried to remember his memories of the night before. Flashes of parties and drunken getaways and a telling off, though by who slipped his mind. He sat on the floor for a few minutes, trying to stop the world from swirling around him.
Once his room had settled, he got up slowly and made his way to the communal eating hall. The mellow cream walls of the corridors helped soothe his mind and when he entered the hall, the vowed meal-time silence stopped the persistent ringing in his ears.
Well, thought Shekil, I suppose the best place to have a hangover is indeed a Cathedral.
Wandering over to his group of fellow comrades, all supporting seething headaches, he dropped down onto the plain wooden bench, causing it to jolt back, making a horrendous squeal. The whole group, including Shekil slammed their hands to their ears and audibly groaned, earning some disapproving stares from fellow eaters. Seeing as they weren't allowed to talk, the six boys had a silent conversation.
Shekil: Sorry
Canon: Yeah? Well I'm sorry I let you convince me to 'chug' down a whole jug of mead
Shekil: I did?
Whisper: Heck you did! But it was still the best night of my life
Kiln: To be honest I don't remember any of it
Aser: Neither do I
Tenko: What the hell did we do last night?
Shekil: My guess, drink, steal and flirt with the ladies. So really not that special considering it was New Year's Eve
(With a thoughtful expression on his face) Canon: I think I said I loved someone
(Looking shocked) Kiln: You know what, I think you said that to me!
The whole group silently sniggered, and in a companionable silence began to eat their meagre breakfast: porridge and stale bread.
After they had all finished their meal, they in unison bowed their heads and murmured a prayer, then walked off to their separate duties.
As Shekil was going back to College that day, his chores were being taken over by some unlucky soul. Ha! No chores for a whole year, celebrated Shekil; Apart from visiting weekends and holidays, butted in his conscience.
"Oh shut up," murmured Shekil to himself.
"What was that Shekil?" A slimy voice hissed from behind and Shekil whipped around. By the voice, he already knew who it was.
"High Priest Fernigan, sir." Bowed Shekil, trying to hide his grimace.
"I assume you are not having the greatest morning" A teasing sneer stretched over the thin lips of Ferny (as the young boys called him behind his back).
"And why would that be sir?" Asked Shekil innocently.
"Why, did you drink so much last night that the events were completely wiped from your puny brain?"
Shekil winced.
"Oh yes young Shekil, it was I who found you and your ragtag group of miscreants surrounded by stolen goods and lying in a pool of your own stomach juice."
"Ahh,..." Started Shekil but Ferny was not finished.
"I successfully returned the items and dished out punishments, but considering the conditions you boys were in, I guess that you cannot remember them. The punishments are rather brilliant I might say." The last bit was said with obvious self-pleasure as the High Priest brushed off invisible dust off his deep purple cloak.
Shekil saw a light at the end of the tunnel, "Sorry to point this out sir, but I'm going back to the College today so will be unable to carry out any punishments." With a cheeky grin, Shekil made to escape, but the victorious expression on Ferny's ugly face stopped him. The light at the end of the tunnel looked very dim.
"Yes, I was aware of that fact Shekil, so I talked to his Holiness and he has agreed that you work at Kinte's Emporium as your punishment after school hours. In case it has slipped your mind, Kinte's' Emporium is the shop from where you stole the items I found drenched in your sick. I am still unable to think how you managed to obtain those objects without help from magic, which you know is forbidden," With this, Ferny shot a accusing stare at Shekil's hands, "The shop is only a 10 minute walk from the school and you will be working without pay." Turning on the heel of his purple leather boots, Ferny strode away.
The tunnel was left in darkness. Shekil sighed and went to get his bags. Another year, another punishment.
Ramil
The tree was full of birds, all different species and a rainbow of colours. They created a tremendous noise and filled the air with the squawking of conversations. Playing at the trunk of the tree was a girl, her face covered by a veil of black flowing hair. She was playing a lyre and singing a haunting song in a sweet, lyrical voice. Ramil was enchanted by the girl and her music and he wanted to get to her and stroke that fountain of hair, but for some reason, the music was holding him back, like a wall of sounds blocking his way.
Suddenly, the birds took off in a flurry of feathers, leaving the girl still singing and playing the heart-wrenching song. From behind her, Ramil could see a dark shadow gathering around, ready to strike and he knew without knowing why, it was going to kill her. Ramil shouted a warning but then gasped. The girl had looked up. She has no features apart from two golden circles where her eyes should have been. She screamed his name and Ramil felt the ground opening beneath him and swallowing him whole.
Ramil shot up, which was a mistake considering that up above him was the bed of his younger brother Kevin. Rubbing his throbbing forehead, Ramil thought about his dream. Did it mean something? Or was it just after effects of the alcohol he drank last night?
"Ramil?" whispered Kevin.
"Yeah, what?" Ramil's gruff voice cut the silence of the house.
"You awake?"
"Well obviously nut head otherwise I wouldn't be talking." Sighing, Ramil clambered out of bed and started getting changed.
"Who's Emrose?" Kevin leaned over the top bunk, his long black hair covering his face.
"Who?" Asked Ramil as he pulled on the tight black trousers.
"Emrose. You were shouting the girls name in your dream. Who is she?" Kevin's strong 17 year old body jumped from the bed, creating a loud thump.
"Shush would you! Don't wake up Leal for Gods' sake." Ramil tugged over the black top with two red diagonal sashes across his chest.
"You know as well as I that Leal could sleep through anything." They both peered over at the snoring form of their 15 year old brother, and chuckled, he was not a pretty sleeper, "So who is she?"
"Emrose? No idea, just had a really weird dream." Stuffing his big feet into the black pumps, Ramil ran his hands through his hair, trying to calm the persistent spikes that sprung from his straight black hair.
"Maybe she's the girl you're gonna' marry?" Kevin smiled cheekily while stuffing on his black smith's apron over a simple loose top and trousers.
"You don't need to wear that thing yet, you're not yet even in Caspian's Forge. Anyway, you know there's only one girl for me." He winked at Kevin.
"Oh yeah? And who's that?" Kevin asked, hands folded against his muscular chest.
"It's me!" shouted their little sister as she burst into their room and pounced onto Ramil's back.
"What! Who's there!" shouted their delirious brother Leal.
Everyone laughed and Ramil threw Hayley into a piggy-back.
"I'm the one for you, aren't I?" Asked Hayley, hanging off Ramil' s neck, her black pigtails swishing him in his eyes.
"Of course you are Hayley," chuckled Ramil, giving her a kiss on her nose.
"Well that is a bit strange considering you're his sister." Pointed out Kevin.
"Incest!" shouted Leal, pointing accusingly at the pair.
"What's incest?" asked Hayley.
All the older boys glance at each other. There was an awkward silence.
"Err, Leal's just being silly. Come on let's go and have some breakfast." Still carrying Hayley on his back, they all walked into the main room of the house.
It was a big, high ceilinged space as the upper bedrooms were level with its ceiling. The living room was just a couple of chairs and sofas with little tables where decorative horse statues were carefully placed.
"So what do you fancy, oh young princess?" Kevin strode into the massive kitchen, his arms spread out as if proclaiming that it was his property.
"Oh no! Not Kevin's cooking, save me Sir Leal!" squealed Hayley, shielding herself behind Ramil.
"Very well. Sir, I ask you to please move from the kitchen as you are scaring m'lady." Sir Leal asked with mock formality.
"As the lady wishes," and with a fake look of hurt on his face Kevin bowed and jumped onto a sofa.
"So m'lady, your stomach requests what this fine morning?" Leal bowed very low towards Hayley who was being set onto the ground by Ramil.
Stretching her back into the straightest position, and turning up her nose at the sight of Leal, Hayley ordered pompously, "I would like a 9 course banquet. One course for each of the years I've lived." Hayley nodded and joined Kevin on the sofa.
"I fear I may have to disappoint the Lady, but never mind, I will try my hardest." Leal bowed to Ramil and started bustling round the kitchen. As Hayley was the youngest of seven siblings, all of her elder brothers spoiled her.
Ramil smiled as the rest of his family came yawning out of their bedrooms.
There was Maxi and Tomasu (twenty-five, twenty-three) both sharing a room. It really smelled and, as Mum described it, 'looked like a bomb had gone off'. Then in came Mum and Dad from their cupboard of a room, holding hands and talking about the day ahead. And finally Aron came out of the room he and Hayley shared. Rubbing his eyes, the twelve year old yawned a welcome and started on a puzzle that he hadn't managed to finish last night.
Ramil was going to miss it.
Ilaya
"Miss... Miss Ilaya. I'm sorry Miss but you have to wake up."
Slowly, Ilaya Rose clambered out of bed and settled her delicate, petite feet onto the soft, sheep rug, stretching out her arms as she blinked herself awake. Looking around, Ilaya soaked in the warm glow of sunlight from her stained glass window; the gentle colours of the glass swallow bathed her skin. Sighing, Ilaya bid her servant good morning.
"Your father is waiting for you at the breakfast table Miss." Replied Silvia.
"Thank you, and please, call me Ilaya." Ilaya asked for the tenth time.
"I would Miss, but it is not my place." Bowing, Silvia set to making Ilaya's four-poster bed, ruffling the light blue drapes into shape.
Wrapping a light, gossamer robe around her body, Ilaya made her way to the open dining hall.
As she walked to the hall, Ilaya's thoughts wondered to her dream she had had that night. Brief memories of the bizarre tree full of birds, a boy, running towards her with eyes full of fear. Shaking her head to rid herself of such thoughts, she pushed open the plain door of the breakfast hall.
Waiting at a banquet table, her father sat right at the end, the table adorned with a white cloth on which steamed freshly cooked bread rolls; bright yellow vibrant eggs and a whole bowl full of ripe winter fruit.
"Ah, my rose, good morning!" Greg Rose welcomed his daughter in open arms and pulled out a high-backed chair on his left. "What's it to be, Martha has cooked a wonderful breakfast to send off my star." Mentioning her departure brought on a wave of sadness but Ilaya pushed it down so it wouldn't ruin her Father's farewell.
Helping herself to rolls and eggs, Ilaya peeked out under her eyelashes at her Father. Greg Rose's hair, over the past few years, had started to retreat and thin out from deep black to possessing a dusting of grey and his tummy had expanded into what some people call a 'rum belly', though her Father would never drink that vile stuff.
"So my dear, are you looking forward to a new year at College?" queried Greg as he bit into a wrinkled apple.
"Well, I am full of apprehension," Ilaya admitted uncertainly, "but I'm definitely looking forward to it, though I will miss you."
"I will miss you to my darling." Laying his weathered hands over Ilaya's smooth, petite hands, Greg sighed. "But it is the law for those with magic or elemental powers to go to the College to train and, well, you are one of those lucky few."
"But am I lucky Father? I mean, I have to go to College, I have to train, I have to join the army and protect Unali and I am constantly bowed to in the street. I can't stand it anymore!" unable to control the torrent of emotions, Ilaya carried on. "Thanks to this lucky gift, Mother and Frank died, because of this gift, I can't trust myself to feel anymore and because of this gift I am singled out from my friends and fellow pupils. Trust me Father; this gift is in no way at all lucky!" And as Ilaya buried her head in her hands with sobs racking her body, rain pelted the windows and dark clouds smothered the light in the room.
Glancing at the weather outside, Greg knelt by his daughter and put his arm around her shaking shoulders. "Ilaya, I'm so sorry. I never realised how you felt about your powers, I never gave a thought. I should have been more observant to notice that you weren't happy. I am sorry." On the last word, Greg nuzzled Ilaya's shoulder with his forehead.
Wiping her tears with the back of her hand, Ilaya held her Father's head in her hands. "Do not apologise, for it wasn't your fault. You were caught up in your business and weren't to blame. You are a brilliant Father, the best I could ask for. Anyway, once I am there I do really enjoy college, promise." Smiling down on her father's green eyes' Ilaya kissed his forehead, holding back tears that threatened to flow.