It was just an ordinary autumn day in Lineas; considerably windy, a damp
chill to the air, and the first turned leaves of the season brushing the
ground. The wind bit at her exposed neck as she tried to put on her scarf
while walking against the heavy gust. Fallon Harding walked down the wind
strewn street, trying to reach the stall that held the cloth-merchant that
her mother sought. Fallon was supposed to find him, retrieve her mother's
order of a rare red silk, and come straight back home.
She wasn't given any pocket money to spend at the Autumn Fair. It came once a year, but the only chance she ever got to look at the items for sale was when she was sent out on errands, which was considerably often. It was very tempting for a girl her age to see all the dazzling jewelry, finely embroidered clothes, and glass figurines knowing that she could never afford them. Her father had once tried to give her some pocket money for a fair passing through Lineas, but when Fallon had come home with a glass sculpture of a Companion, her mother had shattered the beautiful glasswork and had sent her to her room for a week.
Maybe her mother was threatened by the idea that Fallon had dreams and aspirations of her own. Or maybe it was because her mother didn't want her to run off, Fallon didn't know. She had sheltered Fallon all she could as a child, but she was growing up now. It was hard to protect her from the harsh realities of the world now. Fallon had found ways out of her mother's ever watchful eye, and had learned much of the world that her mother had kept secret from her.
She saw the passing Heralds, sitting high and proud on their pristinely beautiful white spirit-horses. She now knew that her mother did not control everything that went on around her, and could no longer control her. Fallon knew deep in her heart that she would never be Chosen; how could she? She came from a family of law-evading nobles. Her mother had slighted the law any time that would give her the upper hand. Her mother was trying to mold Fallon into herself, trying to suck away her individuality and confidence before she gained any.
But she had been forced out into the cruel world, and she knew better. She had gotten out of the house for a temporary escape, but had only found herself trapped by some thugs in an alley where no one could hear her screams. They had told her that the only thing that she had going for her was her good looks, and she knew they were right. She could never amount to anything.
She was of average height, and had a slight figure. Skinner than usual, but muscled because of all the physical labor that was forced upon her. She had pretty dirty-blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders, and honey-colored eyes. She was developed for her age. She was fifteen now, but she already had men old enough to be her father looking at her as a marriage prospect.
And maybe that was all she was good for. Trained to do household chores and forced into obedience by her mother, all for becoming some noble's bitch. Was that the life she wanted? Of course not. Fallon had no intention of being married off, if she could call it that. It was more like being sold into slavery. She wouldn't be around when it came to that point.
She refused to be married against her will. She didn't care about her reputation or her high blood. She would rather die than marry one of her suitors. And if the contract was made and she hadn't escaped already, she had already taken measures to a more final escape.
Fallon always carried around a vial of argonel, 10 drams to be exact. A lethal dose, one that would surely kill her swiftly. The poison had been hard to procure, as it was hard to find herbalists who carried argonel. And even harder to convince them to sell it to her. Fallon hoped that she would escape before it came to that point.
Finally Fallon reached the merchant that she sought after. His booth at the fair was a small one, but lavishly decorated with threads and cloth of many vibrant colors. She could tell by the hue of the dyes that whatever the merchant sold here, it was expensive.
Fallon rang a bell, and a merchant quickly came to the counter. "How may I help you?"
"I come to acquire Mistress Sadie Harding's parcel, if you please."
"Ah, yes. The red silk. That was paid for in advance, milady, so there will be no delay." The merchant reached under the counter, and handed a package over to Fallon.
"Thank you, sir," Fallon said appreciatively, and he bowed to her. She turned her heel and went back in the direction of her holding. She had already dallied around the stalls looking at the beautiful artwork displayed, and if she didn't get home soon, it would arouse suspicion in her mother.
Behind her, Fallon heard the tell-tale chiming of a Companion's silver hooves. The sound rang through her ears, a pure note that to her, brought to mind snow and white. Fallon didn't turn to see the Herald perusing the booths. She was already depressed enough as it was, she didn't need jealousy of the Herald's freedom to add to her list of afflictions. She kept walking, a little bit faster, to warm her numb limbs, and escape the sound of the Companion's hooves dropping on the asphalt road.
But as she walked faster, so did the sound of the Companion's hooves. She blocked the sound out, ignoring it completely. There was no use in getting her hopes up; she had already suffered enough disappointment today.
Something nudged her at the small of her back, and she nearly fell to the ground. She picked herself up, and angrily turned around to see who had tried to push her over. But instead she found herself drowning in a sea of sapphire blue, a profound love filling her veins all the way down to her soul. She fell into a blue world of light, a world that stretched on into infinity, no beginning and no end.
She was wrapped in a flow of love, and she returned it with all of her heart. Tears of joy streamed down her face. She stared into the Companion's eyes, oblivious to all of the spectators from the fair witnessing the event, for one sweet moment. All that mattered was the love that she shared. She would never be alone again. This bond without words- that her Companion knew the good and the bad, but loved her anyways, for no reason other than the love she shared with Fallon.
:I love you Fallon, I Choose you. I am Kyocera, and I will never leave you.:
She wasn't given any pocket money to spend at the Autumn Fair. It came once a year, but the only chance she ever got to look at the items for sale was when she was sent out on errands, which was considerably often. It was very tempting for a girl her age to see all the dazzling jewelry, finely embroidered clothes, and glass figurines knowing that she could never afford them. Her father had once tried to give her some pocket money for a fair passing through Lineas, but when Fallon had come home with a glass sculpture of a Companion, her mother had shattered the beautiful glasswork and had sent her to her room for a week.
Maybe her mother was threatened by the idea that Fallon had dreams and aspirations of her own. Or maybe it was because her mother didn't want her to run off, Fallon didn't know. She had sheltered Fallon all she could as a child, but she was growing up now. It was hard to protect her from the harsh realities of the world now. Fallon had found ways out of her mother's ever watchful eye, and had learned much of the world that her mother had kept secret from her.
She saw the passing Heralds, sitting high and proud on their pristinely beautiful white spirit-horses. She now knew that her mother did not control everything that went on around her, and could no longer control her. Fallon knew deep in her heart that she would never be Chosen; how could she? She came from a family of law-evading nobles. Her mother had slighted the law any time that would give her the upper hand. Her mother was trying to mold Fallon into herself, trying to suck away her individuality and confidence before she gained any.
But she had been forced out into the cruel world, and she knew better. She had gotten out of the house for a temporary escape, but had only found herself trapped by some thugs in an alley where no one could hear her screams. They had told her that the only thing that she had going for her was her good looks, and she knew they were right. She could never amount to anything.
She was of average height, and had a slight figure. Skinner than usual, but muscled because of all the physical labor that was forced upon her. She had pretty dirty-blonde hair that fell just past her shoulders, and honey-colored eyes. She was developed for her age. She was fifteen now, but she already had men old enough to be her father looking at her as a marriage prospect.
And maybe that was all she was good for. Trained to do household chores and forced into obedience by her mother, all for becoming some noble's bitch. Was that the life she wanted? Of course not. Fallon had no intention of being married off, if she could call it that. It was more like being sold into slavery. She wouldn't be around when it came to that point.
She refused to be married against her will. She didn't care about her reputation or her high blood. She would rather die than marry one of her suitors. And if the contract was made and she hadn't escaped already, she had already taken measures to a more final escape.
Fallon always carried around a vial of argonel, 10 drams to be exact. A lethal dose, one that would surely kill her swiftly. The poison had been hard to procure, as it was hard to find herbalists who carried argonel. And even harder to convince them to sell it to her. Fallon hoped that she would escape before it came to that point.
Finally Fallon reached the merchant that she sought after. His booth at the fair was a small one, but lavishly decorated with threads and cloth of many vibrant colors. She could tell by the hue of the dyes that whatever the merchant sold here, it was expensive.
Fallon rang a bell, and a merchant quickly came to the counter. "How may I help you?"
"I come to acquire Mistress Sadie Harding's parcel, if you please."
"Ah, yes. The red silk. That was paid for in advance, milady, so there will be no delay." The merchant reached under the counter, and handed a package over to Fallon.
"Thank you, sir," Fallon said appreciatively, and he bowed to her. She turned her heel and went back in the direction of her holding. She had already dallied around the stalls looking at the beautiful artwork displayed, and if she didn't get home soon, it would arouse suspicion in her mother.
Behind her, Fallon heard the tell-tale chiming of a Companion's silver hooves. The sound rang through her ears, a pure note that to her, brought to mind snow and white. Fallon didn't turn to see the Herald perusing the booths. She was already depressed enough as it was, she didn't need jealousy of the Herald's freedom to add to her list of afflictions. She kept walking, a little bit faster, to warm her numb limbs, and escape the sound of the Companion's hooves dropping on the asphalt road.
But as she walked faster, so did the sound of the Companion's hooves. She blocked the sound out, ignoring it completely. There was no use in getting her hopes up; she had already suffered enough disappointment today.
Something nudged her at the small of her back, and she nearly fell to the ground. She picked herself up, and angrily turned around to see who had tried to push her over. But instead she found herself drowning in a sea of sapphire blue, a profound love filling her veins all the way down to her soul. She fell into a blue world of light, a world that stretched on into infinity, no beginning and no end.
She was wrapped in a flow of love, and she returned it with all of her heart. Tears of joy streamed down her face. She stared into the Companion's eyes, oblivious to all of the spectators from the fair witnessing the event, for one sweet moment. All that mattered was the love that she shared. She would never be alone again. This bond without words- that her Companion knew the good and the bad, but loved her anyways, for no reason other than the love she shared with Fallon.
:I love you Fallon, I Choose you. I am Kyocera, and I will never leave you.: