5 (Two men in the streets.. and it isn't even dark outside yet!)
One of the Guards at the Palace's gates was able to give the directions to Willow Street, where the redheaded healer-apprentice was supposed to go to. It was about a mile to go, and the walker passed by lanes full of corners, old cobble stoned paths with small cracks full of light-green grass.
So, grinning contentedly, Alanna made her way to the herbs' dealer Maude had recommended to her. If anyone from the Convent had seen her now, he would've said something along the lines: "She's up to no good! Make sure, all the Ladies' embroideries are safe and sound in some fire-proof room!"
But the infamous innocent smile -Alanna's trade mark- was not aimed at any mischief today. No, right now, she just felt like there were no problems on Earth at all. She was going to see her brother, she was having a free day and she could finally stretch her stiffened up legs in a fast walk. Alanna was near euphoria, which might be the reason, why she didn't notice the two arguing men until she had practically run into them.
"Watch where you're goin'!" one of them told her off and shoved her away with his left hand.
Alanna wanted to say something, but that left hand of the man had distracted her. There were two fingers missing at it, and by the scars on it, it looked like he had repeatedly grabbed into a fire. She would've felt pity for the man, had he not looked just as unfriendly as his voice had sounded. His short, sandy hair was brushed out of his face, and by the look of it, it had not been washed since last midwinter. The shape of his hostile face made Alanna estimate him at thirty to thirty-five years of age, and his clothes proved him to be a Commoner.
With another hostile remark, the man interrupted her observations: "You! Still there, are you? Get lost now, girl, or I'll make you!" he shouted and let his handicapped hand shoot to a small dagger at his belt.
The other man, who seemed to be about ten years younger, quickly laid his own hand on the first one's and blinked at Alanna with hazel eyes. "Sorry for his behaviour, lass." he started apologizing. "Just ignore him; he's a bit moody today because he knows he's done some things wrong lately. Still, he got some pretty ears, now, hasn't he? Eh, Harry, haven't you?"
Alanna gave a confused smile at the sudden change of subject, but decided that she rather liked this man's light tone and the way he smiled at her. With his facial expression he rather reminded her of Stephen, but while the latter talked without hesitation, this man seemed to think over everything before saying anything. She wanted to say something to him, just to find out his reaction and to hear him talk once more, but didn't get the chance to do so.
While the younger man had reached up to touch some of those 'pretty ears', the man called Harry had taken some steps backwards and raised his hands in defence.
"Oh no, George!" he screamed frantically. "You won't get my ears. I did nothing wrong. Really. I just tried and made money the way I always made it. And, you know."
"I know, that I told you to stop with it, for the duration of the sickness, Harry. You know, why." George interrupted him calmly and pointed at him with his index finger. "You know the rules, and we'll just have to act according to them."
"You won't have my ears!" Harry screamed once more. "You won't! Sure as hell's on FIRE!" Crying out the last word, he raised his left hand in an imitation of the other man. Only he didn't have a forefinger to point with.
Alanna had quietly followed the conversation, though not understanding a word of it. Now she felt magic build up and sensed a danger in it.
"Stop!" she cried, while automatically a purple ray shot from her fingers and formed a bubble around the man called George. Roughly half a second later, pure hot fire shot from Harry's crippled hand only to bounce off the bubble.
The fire, however, did not go out, but instead moved back towards its creator, and partly towards Alanna who did not get the chance to react before it had already reached her.
The dreadful smell of burned flesh filled the air, while the purple lights of Alanna's magic and the flashing flames of the destructive fire flickered and finally died. ---
A lone man could be seen standing between two lying bodies that twitched slightly. Any spectators might have wondered why the man did not even look at the crippled male on the ground, but moved over to the girl who obviously did not have as deep injuries as the man. He cradled her in his arms and made his way down the road, while shaking his head and muttering to himself about his mother who would surely tell him of for endangering an uninvolved girl.
And she so DID tell him off!
- - - - - - -
One of the Guards at the Palace's gates was able to give the directions to Willow Street, where the redheaded healer-apprentice was supposed to go to. It was about a mile to go, and the walker passed by lanes full of corners, old cobble stoned paths with small cracks full of light-green grass.
So, grinning contentedly, Alanna made her way to the herbs' dealer Maude had recommended to her. If anyone from the Convent had seen her now, he would've said something along the lines: "She's up to no good! Make sure, all the Ladies' embroideries are safe and sound in some fire-proof room!"
But the infamous innocent smile -Alanna's trade mark- was not aimed at any mischief today. No, right now, she just felt like there were no problems on Earth at all. She was going to see her brother, she was having a free day and she could finally stretch her stiffened up legs in a fast walk. Alanna was near euphoria, which might be the reason, why she didn't notice the two arguing men until she had practically run into them.
"Watch where you're goin'!" one of them told her off and shoved her away with his left hand.
Alanna wanted to say something, but that left hand of the man had distracted her. There were two fingers missing at it, and by the scars on it, it looked like he had repeatedly grabbed into a fire. She would've felt pity for the man, had he not looked just as unfriendly as his voice had sounded. His short, sandy hair was brushed out of his face, and by the look of it, it had not been washed since last midwinter. The shape of his hostile face made Alanna estimate him at thirty to thirty-five years of age, and his clothes proved him to be a Commoner.
With another hostile remark, the man interrupted her observations: "You! Still there, are you? Get lost now, girl, or I'll make you!" he shouted and let his handicapped hand shoot to a small dagger at his belt.
The other man, who seemed to be about ten years younger, quickly laid his own hand on the first one's and blinked at Alanna with hazel eyes. "Sorry for his behaviour, lass." he started apologizing. "Just ignore him; he's a bit moody today because he knows he's done some things wrong lately. Still, he got some pretty ears, now, hasn't he? Eh, Harry, haven't you?"
Alanna gave a confused smile at the sudden change of subject, but decided that she rather liked this man's light tone and the way he smiled at her. With his facial expression he rather reminded her of Stephen, but while the latter talked without hesitation, this man seemed to think over everything before saying anything. She wanted to say something to him, just to find out his reaction and to hear him talk once more, but didn't get the chance to do so.
While the younger man had reached up to touch some of those 'pretty ears', the man called Harry had taken some steps backwards and raised his hands in defence.
"Oh no, George!" he screamed frantically. "You won't get my ears. I did nothing wrong. Really. I just tried and made money the way I always made it. And, you know."
"I know, that I told you to stop with it, for the duration of the sickness, Harry. You know, why." George interrupted him calmly and pointed at him with his index finger. "You know the rules, and we'll just have to act according to them."
"You won't have my ears!" Harry screamed once more. "You won't! Sure as hell's on FIRE!" Crying out the last word, he raised his left hand in an imitation of the other man. Only he didn't have a forefinger to point with.
Alanna had quietly followed the conversation, though not understanding a word of it. Now she felt magic build up and sensed a danger in it.
"Stop!" she cried, while automatically a purple ray shot from her fingers and formed a bubble around the man called George. Roughly half a second later, pure hot fire shot from Harry's crippled hand only to bounce off the bubble.
The fire, however, did not go out, but instead moved back towards its creator, and partly towards Alanna who did not get the chance to react before it had already reached her.
The dreadful smell of burned flesh filled the air, while the purple lights of Alanna's magic and the flashing flames of the destructive fire flickered and finally died. ---
A lone man could be seen standing between two lying bodies that twitched slightly. Any spectators might have wondered why the man did not even look at the crippled male on the ground, but moved over to the girl who obviously did not have as deep injuries as the man. He cradled her in his arms and made his way down the road, while shaking his head and muttering to himself about his mother who would surely tell him of for endangering an uninvolved girl.
And she so DID tell him off!
- - - - - - -