Bloodstone
~ Prologue ~
'I can do this,' Keladry of Mindelan thought to herself. 'I will do this.' Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she looked straight ahead at the blue sea stretched before her.
Her gaze was level, her face devoid of any emotion. She had light brown hair, and her skin was tanned by the sun. She was dressed simply in an old, worn out shirt and breeches while a well-used sword hung at her side in a plain, tattered scabbard.
"Kel, you need to change; we'll be arriving at the docks in about twenty minutes," Fabian, a tall, skinny boy with unruly fair hair and thick glasses said, tugging on her arm. "Besides, Florence is crying for you, and James is looking for you."
"Alright, alright," Kel said, sighing to herself. "I'm going, I'm going," she said as she made her way below the ship's deck to change into a dress. She preferred breeches to dresses any day, and while most of the time, she avoided them, the thought of Grandmother getting angry at her for not wearing a dress made Kel shudder in fear.
Locking the door to the room she was given, Kel slipped into a long-sleeved, pale blue dress that flowed gently to her knees from the waist. She slid her feet into her slightly worn, brown leather boots, picked up her sword and scabbard and hung them at her side. Dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror.
Kel wasn't beautiful, and she knew it. She was not a court beauty, but she could pass as average and blend into the background, something she frequently did.
She remained where she was, right in front of the mirror, staring at her reflection. Seconds, minutes passed before she heard familiar light footsteps approaching.
Looking to the doorway, she was not at all surprised to see James leaning against it, smirking smugly.
"Well," he started, breaking the silence between them, "are you ready?" Kel chuckled lowly before lapsing into silence once more. James sighed and stood behind the young girl as she tried to find the right words to say.
"I'm as ready as I'll ever be."
~ FIN ~