Yaaaay! I got reviews! Two! Thanks for them guys; I'll reply to them at the end of the chapter, since I'm too lazy now. Thanks!
…Also, I forgot to write all the stuff about the disclaimer. So…I made everything up (the story's only here in this section because I got this idea from wonderful Tamora Pierce.). Also, I was asked if I was planning any other stories, and yes. I'm doing two actually. But since I'm the mean person I am, you gotta wait!
Of course, now this chapter is a bit boring although a major event happens throughout the story…but it's another short chapter and probably has some typos in it 'cause of me listening to music. You guys'll deal though, right? Now, on to the chapter!!
Chapter Two – The First Vision
Kylie didn't know where she was. She could've sworn she went to bed, but found herself mistaken, or so she thought. "Hello…?" she called as she walked down a dark hallway, much similar to the one she was in earlier that evening. Shaking her head, she pinched herself. "Ouc—" Kylie started, but then put a hand over her mouth. She heard a bang in the room where the Queen's jewels had been.
"Shut up! Don't ever mislead me into this again! You know they were swiped earlier today, you were too late! They beat us to it!" snarled a harsh male voice. There was another crash.
"I—I dint mean to!" stammered another male, an obviously younger one. "Y—ya know I ain't lyin'…Please! Have mercy!"
Kylie peaked her head in but found that she went straight through the door. "Stop that!" she ordered. The two men didn't even look up. "Hello?!" she cried, reaching out to them but falling through. She cursed.
The taller man, who had unruly black hair and dark brown eyes, picked up a chair nearby and smashed it on the smaller one's head. His eyes rolled back and he fell, either unconscious or dead. "Serves you right," the man growled, turning to walk out of the room—
--Kylie sat straight up in bed, her head hurting furiously. 'A dream…' she thought, putting her hand to her head and kicking back her covers. She looked out the window and saw that it was just getting light out, which meant for Kylie another day of worshiping the nobles in the palace and going off to do whatever normal noble ladies did when they were at court. Fortunately for her, she wasn't normal. She stepped out of her bed and looked around the room provided for her by the palace. Kylie sighed and opened up her closet, revealing at least 10 dresses. She scowled and cursed under her breath, picking a blue one, with button-up sleeves and a wide dark blue sash.
After changing, Kylie went out of her room and locked the door then backed up. "Ouch! You wench, watch where you're going!" cried a high-pitched voice. Kylie cursed, again, and turned around.
"Watch where you're standing," she growled, facing one of the other girls in her year at the convent, Rachelle yin Katryi. She hated that girl. Not just because of her perfect china-doll face and figure, but the way she treated every other girl that wasn't one of her friends in the convent. Just like scum. But it wasn't like Kylie wanted anyone at that prissy school as her friend anyway. Rachelle's cold brown eyes squinted with hidden laughter. "Oh, it's you. I mistook you for a servant," she mused, a smirk on her face as she twirled her light blonde-white hair around her finger.
"Go drown yourself," murmured Kylie, turning and walking away. She noted with satisfaction that she didn't give Rachelle the ability to tease and mock her, a favorite pastime of hers.
"Running away again, Kylie?" she called after her. Kylie winced; those words stung. She turned, her eyes flashing in anger, and glared at the taller girl.
"What…did you just say?"
"And it's just like you to run away. Just like when you ran when your father died."
Kylie clenched her fists. 'I can't hurt her…can't hurt her…' she repeated in her mind, over and over. "You shouldn't talk," she stated quietly. "You never had a real father. He forgot you."
Rachelle's mouth dropped open. "Don't you ever insult my father like that again! He was gone only because he had to fight for the country!"
Kylie's mouth quivered in the tiniest of smiles. "And with never a visit. I give you my deepest sympathy." She turned and walked before she could say another word.
***
Out one of the side doors of the palace, Kylie found a small green house, surrounded by trees and flowers of all sorts of colors. After remembering that one day in the convent when everything took a turn, she needed something to calm herself. She sat herself under a tree and hit her head back against the trunk, closing her eyes.
"Do you want me to leave, M'lady?" asked a smooth, deep voice from behind her. Kylie groaned and looked up, seeing the face of a handsome young man looking down at her. He had dark brown eyes and hair, with tanned skin and the tunic and basic clothing that showed he was an older squire. He looked no more than a few years older than her. Kylie coughed and stood up.
"Sorry my lord, I was just sitting here to think. You were here first."
He smiled; her knees wobbled and her stomach filled with butterflies. She moaned sat back down. 'What's wrong with me...? I felt fine a minute ago.' He dropped with her. "You alright?" he asked. Kylie had to smile. He had the exact same worried look as Aiden whenever she felt sick.
"Fine, thank you. I apologize, but it's quite hard to curtsy at the moment. I'm not feeling at my best," she remarked politely, remembering that being rude would make her go back to the convent.
"I understand. So, what's your name Lady? I don't believe I've seen you around."
Kylie frowned. Why the sudden interest? "Kylie."
He smiled. "That's a pretty name." Kylie grinned. 'Noble men get weirder and sappier every time I talk to them.'
"Thank you. So why are you out here? Wouldn't you be inside the castle, for classes or something?" 'In other words, please leave.'
"Now that you mention it, I should be on my way. Will I see you at the ball tonight?"
'Unfortunately,' she thought, plastering a smile on her lips. "Of course. I wouldn't miss it for the world." He helped her to her feet.
"Then save me a dance. See you then!" He grinned and headed back to the castle. Kylie groaned and leaned against the tree.
'That was strange…I didn't like that,' she confirmed to herself. 'It felt too strange.'
Suddenly, Kylie let out a cry as she dropped back to the ground. Pain struck her head as an image pasted itself in her mind. A room with two people talking. Another flash of pain as another image came about. One of the two men stood up, facing Kylie. She gasped. The young man she just met! Kylie felt large, warm hands grasp her. She struggled, but didn't have the strength to move as images kept flashing through her mind. A darkened room—it was late at night—with that man standing up—he fell to the floor, red magic surrounding him—the other man stood up—back turned towards Kylie—started laughing. She closed her eyes tight. "Stop it!" she screamed. "Leave me alone!" Blackness surrounded her as she fell into whatever was holding her up.
***
"Kylie," murmured the same voice as the man that she talked to before. "Com'mon, wake up."
Kylie opened her eyes, but then closed them again since the room seemed to spin around her. She cursed, not caring who heard.
"Kylie?" 'Stop calling my name!' she thought, getting angrier by the moment. She opened her eyes, seeing the brown haired man staring back at her.
"Where…? What the…"
"You're in my knight-master's room," he informed her, his strong voice seeming concerned. "Are you alright?"
Kylie shook her head no. "What happened?"
"You started hallucinating, and I heard you screaming so I came back and brought you here." She sat up, suddenly remembering those visions.
"Y—you…" she stammered, putting a hand to her sweat-soaked forehead. "No, I wasn't hallucinating. I saw something! You were in this room with another person, and you fell, and--"
He put a finger to her lips which quieted her immediately, something which had never been done before. "You need to sleep," he commented, his voice soothing her and calming her down. "I'll explain later."
Kylie nodded, but then realized what he had done and began to open her mouth to talk again. "Shh. Just sleep."
Kylie's eyelids began to drop, and she sank back into her pillow.
***
"Where is she?!" Aiden practically shouted, pacing back and forth outside a small bar/café which the inhabitants called "The Dome." The reason behind that name was that it was protected by listening spells and noble mage magic. The sole place in the country where spies, thieves and others could converse without being listened to. "The ball ended practically an hour ago! Do you think she's hurt?"
"Aiden, you've taught her everything you know. She's not vulnerable to anything, and you know that as well as I do," replied a woman who looked as though she was in her early twenties. She sighed and pushed her short black hair behind her ears. She was quite pretty, with her hair and eyes that seemed black as well. Her skin was a nice tan shade of olive, and she stood tall compared to Kylie's short height.
"Clara, do you think that maybe she decided not to come?"
"Aiden," Clara warned. "Do you really think so?"
"No," he admitted, running his fingers through his messed up hair. "I'm just worried." Clara got up from the table in which she was sitting at and laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Stop worrying. You know she'll be fine." She kissed him on the cheek. "It really is getting late, so I gotta be going. We'll have to find those traitors tomorrow, and I'm sure Ky will be here.
"Alright," he agreed. "See you tomorrow."
***
Kylie slept without dreaming. She woke up, the man from the gardens asleep in a chair by her side. She checked the time by a watch on the room's walls. It chimed to midnight.
"The ball's over!" she cried out, throwing off her covers. "Aiden's gonna kill me!"
The man woke up with a start and grabbed her arm as she passed to go out the door. "Are you alright now?"
She stopped. 'He stood by me all night. I don't even know his name!' She nodded. "Yes. But why did you stay here? You could have left and gone to the ball."
He smiled. "I couldn't just leave a pretty lady when she needed me."
'Needed him?! I didn't need him! I could have done without him!' she thought, starting to anger. She stopped. He did stay. It was at least worth her thanks. "Thank you."
He nodded. "You're welcome."
She started to leave, but then turned around to face him. "M'lord, if I may ask, what's your name?"
"Karnen." She nodded.
"Thank you." She turned and walked out the door.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Thanks you guys for the reviews!
PunkPixie87 – Thank you!! ^_^ Yaaay, I feel so special! And thanks for all the praise, especially about the Kylie/Aiden interaction. I love writing with them in a scene together, it's so fun! (And hurry up on your story; I can't wait to read more!!)
Mystikat - *dances* Fun song! I love it! Thanks, I actually will continue this story which is unusual 'cause I usually go from idea to idea. ^^;