A/N: Thank you muchly for the reviews. I appreciate it. Celtic-Dragon-89, Fever and Mirrors, Pie of Dommeh (huh?) and Xewioso- all big kisses and a cookie- thanks again.
Disclaimer: All credit for Tortall, Port Caynn, Buri, Raoul, Shang Warriors and the Yamani Islands goes to Tamora Pierce.
Claimer: I own Mel- of course- Phillus and Lady Erica- No stealing!
Just in relation to a review or two, this is set after all of Tamora Pierces novels so far. After Alanna, Aly, Kel etc. Also, in reference to her characters well- you'll just have to read, won't you!!
Remember to R&R so I continue writing.
Bye.
Chapter 1
Life
15 years later
As Phillus had said, he had taken the babe to the Yamani Islands, leaving her to the charge, specifically, of the legendary Shang warriors there. There she trained with them, from the time she could walk. Although she was housed and fed, most were afraid, if not wary of the girl with the strange eyes and she was taunted and shunned because of it. From children to adults, they ignored her, curse her or simply avoided her the entire time she lived within the islands. Melanie possessed the Gift, fire magic, to be exact and her temper, though slow to stir, was known to be explosive and dangerous. The Shang training she and received however helped her in controlling it. Still, the torment of others and the constant despise she felt became too much for her and she requested to be sent to Port Caynn at the age of fourteen.
Once there she came under the employment of Lady Erica of Port Caynn. As her maid she encountered both the young ladies sides; the poised, calm, beautiful, considerately polite side shown in public, yet, also, her hideous, snarling, temperamental, childish side within the walls of her richly furnished and elaborately decorated home. Lady Erica was a true noble Lady and she knew how to play the court and other people well. However, on those few occasions she didn't get what she wanted she would become violent towards the strange-eyed maid who said little in protest and did less in defence of herself.
It was in this service that Mel first met with her future, though, at that point in time, it was probably the last thing on her mind. She was carefully manoeuvring through the crowded inn, dodging tables and roaming hands with her mistresses' refreshments, which had been specifically requested and pedantically particular when the door slammed open forcefully by the unusually strong wind, bringing a storm with it, no doubt, she figured, as it came from the direction of the Emerald Sea. The sudden slam caused a large, burly man to jump in his seat and ram hard into Melanie, causing the drinks balancing on her tray to topple to the ground, spilling everywhere, followed with Melanie. She was unfortunate in she was barely two steps from her mistresses table, which she was sharing with a crooked-looking man. The spill barely reached her high-cost leather boots yet she still squealed shrilly as she lifted her skirts to avoid the liquid, kicking the spilt drink in Melanie's face as she went,
"You stupid, incompetent brat." Lady Erica shrieked, stomping to her feet. Obviously she did not consider anyone of high importance within this inn or she would have kept a hold on her temper. She stepped delicately over the puddle as Mel tried to stand, eyes downcast as always. Lady Erica's boot in the ribs stopped her half way, sending her to the ground again, "Clumsy freak. Clean this up this instant." She hissed.
"Begging your pardon, my Lady, but I apologise, it was my fault. Ran into your young maid through no fault of her own." The large man told Lady Erica, standing from his seat and towering over her, eyes worriedly glancing at Melanie scrambling to stand and clean the mess at the same time. The man was built broadly with tan and ruddy cheeks, thick black hair and a moustache with equally dark eyes. Lady Erica gasped quietly as she recognised him, blushing and curtseying to him.
"Apologies, my Lord, I did not recognise you in such an… outfit." Lady Erica stammered as she glanced at his desert-lander dress with a mauve burnoose flung carelessly over his shoulders.
"Very graceful of you, but I do believe it is not to I whom you owe an apology, Lady…?" he asked, bowing slightly which, from the corner of Mel's eye while still kneeling on the wet floor, looked strangely bizarre. She saw a tall, giant of a man in Bazhir dress with a matching tan bowing and speaking politely as a courtly gentleman.
"Lady Erica of Port Caynn, my Lord." She told him proudly then scowled at Melanie, "She is merely a servant girl and an oddity at that. She's barely worth the time of day for those like us, let alone an apology." She spat, still scowling at Mel as a bar mistress handed her a cloth and helped her clear up the mess, smiling awkwardly at her while avoiding her eyes.
Throughout her life, Mel had realised, her eyes had a significant affect on women all over. The majority of people who saw her were affected by unease because of her eyes, hence her tendency to keep her gaze downwards but it was specifically the women who showed such despite towards her. She had realised that it was her eyes having some kind of effect on them as she was well liked until she looked them in the eye. They then became hesitant, mistrusting and nasty creatures of jealousy for no apparent reason. There were few men who were affected in such away but she had discovered that there were indeed those men. Usually once a man discovered her eyes, they would accept her rather quickly, after the initial shock and, at the very worst, ignore her the rest of the time they were around each other. Obviously this man hadn't caught sight of her eyes yet.
Whoever this man was, he was undeterred by Lady Erica's reasoning and continued in his attempt to persuade her to apologise.
"Truly, my Lord, she does not mind. She knows no better and I am kinder to her than most." The Lady told him sweetly, batting her eyelashes at him slyly. "Is this not true… Miranda?" Mel curtseyed in return, once she stood, still with her gaze glued to the scarred floor of the inn.
"Of course, milady. Of course." She answered obediently though it was evident this was not so.
"Of course, kindness, these days must mean a boot to the ribs, does it?" the large man's companion spoke up, stepping around the table. She was shorter than Mel and much shorter than the large man with caramel coloured skin, obviously tanned by the desert sun as she too wore a burnoose, dark blue in colour that highlighted her hard, dark eyes. The woman was stocky and sturdily built but had a dancers grace about her, told by the very way she held herself. To Mel, she instantly looked like a warrior, though she was tempted to ignore such a suggestion because female warriors were still very rare in Tortall, despite the Lady Knights that could be found.
"I beg your pardon, my Lady but I do no believe I know of you." Lady Erica snarled and the woman's dark eyes glinted. For such a small woman, made to seem even smaller by the size of the man beside her, she appeared fearless as the other woman's words bounced harmlessly off her where Melanie flinched.
"Oh, my Lady, of course you would not. I doubt you would pay attention to anything beyond the end of your nose if it did not occupy a set of breeches and claim to be a man." The woman told Lady Erica coolly. The big man, obviously, was trying to bite back a smile. Mel had decided, despite herself that she liked this woman.
"Buri." He warned with a glance at the noble woman's face that had quickly lost all colour then promptly filled with indignant red.
"Buri!" Lady Erica laughed, "Of course, Lord Raouls' trollop. I should have known, who else could you possibly be. I mean, who else would run around in men's clothing besides you and those Lady Knights!" she laughed again. Both man and woman stayed silent, their faces settled in an icy mask. Melanie felt the woman's words sting her own heart for the people who had, for once, stood up for her.
Whoever these people were they had kind hearts and there was no reason for Lady Erica's spiteful ways. She had thought it was only she who received such treatment from the lady but, if it were a Knight of the realm she was speaking to, and in such a way, perhaps it was not her fault, as she had always thought.
Harsh words spilled from Lady Erica's mouth and still the couple said nothing, the inn patrons falling silent as the noble woman continued to rant. Mel's heart restricted as she was brought into the lady's ramblings and every word cut to the bone. As she finished her rambling she was breathing hard. Lady Erica scowled at the couple, at Mel and at the stunned crowd. Even the man with whom she was previously speaking edged away from her so as not to be caught in the fury of the silent, still couple. She stomped towards the door, looking back at Melanie who's head remained bowed,
"Come on you freak. I am leaving… open the door." She ordered, crossing her arms stubbornly and hissing at Mel who swallowed and went to follow. A gentle touch on her arm stayed her for a moment.
"You do not have to go with her." The short woman said quietly, eyes sympathetic to the younger girl, "We can find you work, in a kind home with pay and food. You do not even have to work. We can give you somewhere to live. Somewhere safe." Mel felt a connection with this woman. She felt that she knew, somehow, what it was like to be despised and treated like dirt.
"Come on you whore, I don't have all day." Lady Erica spat from the doorway and Melanie flinched, "No wonder your mother left you. Maybe she was as slow as you and just forgot you one day."
Melanie's head snapped up sharply and, to Lady Erica, her eyes flashed a brilliant gold before she was flung backwards through the closed door to land heavily on the other side of the street.
Buri had jumped back at the explosion of Lady Erica flying through the door and now, she stared at the timid maid who was glaring at the woman on the outside of the doorway. She had literally felt the power swell inside the younger girl as the noble woman made mention of her mother and the hairs on her arms stood on end. Raoul watched the girl carefully, unsure of what to do, despite living around those with the Gift for years.
Mel turned to face the couple, who were staring at her warily, though not with any level of hostility. Yet. The woman, Buri put a hand to her mouth once she sought and found Melanie's eyes and the large man, whom she guessed was 'Lord Raoul' that Lady Erica spoke of, snapped his mouth shut with a click. The patrons of the inn murmured softly, a buzz filling the air.
"Please, if you don't mind, I would like to come with you." Mel told them quietly, clearly but dropping her eyes again after a moment. Silence for a heartbeat, then,
"Of course. Of course you are welcome." It was the man who spoke and Mel sighed. Clearly she had scared away yet another female companion she might have had. Damn her eyes. I am stone, she thought, implementing her Yamani training from years ago.
"Thank you, Lord Raoul." She said softly and curtseyed deeply, "And you also, ma'am." She curtseyed towards the woman as well, unprepared to use her name in case of undesirable repercussions. Again, a heartbeats silence.
"I am no ma'am, girl. My name is Buriram Tourakom, Buri, if you'd like." Mel glanced up to find the woman smiling wryly at her, "You are welcome to come with us. Do you think my offer was false, girl?" she asked jokingly and Lord Raoul grinned, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Of course not, Buriram Tourakom and I thank you for it. I am Melanie, former maid to Lady Erica, I suppose." Mel replied, smiling slightly.
"Now that's all settled let's be going, shall we? I do believe, dear heart, we have caused enough trouble here today." Lord Raoul announced, surveying the silent inn, still staring warily at the threesome.
"Where are we going?" Mel asked as they strolled towards the inn stables.
"Ah, Mel, you see, we've been ordered home. King Jonathan wishes us to play lap-dog and attend all his pretty balls so we're on our way to Corus." Lord Raoul scowled.
"Raoul." Buri berated, "It would do you some good to socialise once in a while. I'm beginning to think I became involved with a hermit." She laughed, leading the way and waving a hand at the bigger man. He simply grinned and winked at Mel.
To Corus then. She thought silently, smiling at the odd couples antics.