Of Angels and Salamanders.
Chapter two:
Shadows Are Born
With one last glance at her own reflection she fled from the room. She ran down the corridor outside taking care not to bump into any ornaments or vases as she passed. Soon she stood before a stone stair case, decorated with a red carpet and took a deep breath.
'This is for you mother.' She said before walking down the steps.
With every step she took she grew more and more nervous but she pressed on. That man would pay but if that were to happen she would have to become strong. At the foot of the stairway there was another corridor. With no source of natural light candles lit the way.
The corridor was in fact a disused dungeon that no doubt held many disturbing stories but that was not something she would worry about. At the end of the hall there was a room, once used as a torture chamber but now a training room. To make room more pleasant the walls were coated with royal blue paint and many scrolls hung on the walls.
As she walked into the room she saw fifty or so young girls lined up in rows of five. She took her place at the back and waited for the instructor to arrive. Footsteps echoed through the dungeon. The students readied themselves and prepared to lose their childhood.
Rather than the instructor they had expected, another girl entered the room. She walked past the others and took position beside Beatrix.
'Hey.' Whispered the girl as she tapped Beatrix's shoulder. 'I'm Lani.'
Beatrix turned to the bronzed fingers that rested gently upon the left should. Following the arm from the wrist upwards her eyes journeyed upwards to survey they girl's face. Gentle brown hair was the first thing she noticed as two strands fell over her face. The two loose groupings of hair split her pupils bringing a margin of identical brown over her eyes. A wrinkled nose now caught her sight as a smile and a face full of freckles greeted her.
'Beatrix.' She replied in a hushed tone. 'Nice to meet your acquaintance.'
'Please don't take this as a judge of your character but are you afraid, Beatrix? You look a little nervous.'
'I'm fine if not a little tense. What about you?'
'Honestly? I'm frightened to death.'
'Hey, don't worry. I'll take care of you.' Beatrix said making a wordless promise by patting the girl's back.
'Thank you.'
More footsteps came and grew louder and louder until a woman in her thirties entered the room. The woman wore the attire of an Alexandrian General, an emerald coloured suit which was decorated with many medals. Her black hair was tied back in a tidy pony tail with not a follicle out of place. She stood in front of the recruits looking upon them as if they were worthless.
'Ladies, my name is Amidala Gogo. You shall address me as either Madame or General Gogo; I leave this choice to you. I now as a favour of you all. If you are under sixteen and still a child please raise your hand.
A one armed Mexican wave formed in the room with only two people refusing to raise their hand. Beatrix, with her keen intellect noted the pitch of General Gogo's voice and determined that she had lead them into a trap while Lani simply copied the actions of her new friend.
'No!' She screamed. 'There are no children in this room! There are only soldiers! I gave you a choice regarding my name moments ago. Now I give you a choice regarding your lives. If you wish to stay be sure I will push you beyond the barriers of pain and strength for the next six years. If you wish to leave I pass no judgment upon you, other than that your fate lies somewhere else. I say this once so listen clear, if there is a child amongst you I beg you to leave now.
From various rows three girls stepped out of line and left the room to remain children and find their true calling.
'From this day on I will mould and shape you from girls into warriors. The strength you shall hold will be envied by the men of Alexandria. The power you wield shall be feared by those of darkness. One day the honour you shall have is the proud and privileged honour of being recognized as a Royal Knight of Alexandria.
That day was long an exhausting despite the fact that it contained next to no physical exertion. It was merely an induction during which the recruits had sworn allegiance to the Alexandrian army and to uphold vows. By the end of the day the soldiers where told where they would sleep and who would share a room with them.
The cells in the dungeon had been converted into dorms each with two beds, a washing basin and some cupboard space. When the time had come the girls were all lead to their rooms and Beatrix was paired with her new friend Lani.
Beatrix was allowed to return to her old room to collect her hairbrush. She did in fact return with the brush but she also brought her teddy bear. The one and same teddy bear she carried with her to the castle on that horrible night long ago.
When the twin moons took their place in the sky and the lonely sun had taken its rest Beatrix fell into slumber with her beloved bear held firmly under crossed arms.
During the passing of hours Lani lay wide awake questioning her reasons for joining the army and realized that she was here for her family and not herself.
From the time her family tree was no more than a seed the women had joined the army and now it was her turn. Although she would rather be at home in her own bed she had to prove that she could be a soldier or break the traditions of her family.
When light and dark meet, shadows are born. Shadows themselves are mischievous creatures, they do not live or die but simply exist. They tend to become things other than shadows such as monsters and demons that frighten the living. The creatures had began to frighten poor Lani. The young girl was so afraid and felt so alone that she decided to wake up Beatrix.
After the whispering of her name Beatrix didn't stir, if anything her gentle snores increased in volume. The whispering continued but did nothing to wake her. Lani finally resorted to shaking the sleeping girl which worked a treat although Beatrix was less than sweet when she woke.
'What are you doing?' Beatrix asked.
'I-I'm sorry. I'm just afraid.' Replied Lani.
'Afraid? Afraid of what?'
'Strange things are moving in this place. Do you think it could be those who have died in this place?'
'No, this place was exorcised many years ago.'
Beatrix drew back her covers and ordered Lani to jump in. The girl did indeed get into the bed and held Beatrix tightly.
'We need to wake up before role call okay?' Beatrix asked. 'There will be two new ghosts in this place if they see us showing fear in the dark or see my bear.'
'Okay.' She replied.
With the added warmth of Beatrix's body heat and the safety she promised the two girls fell to sleep and dreamed the dreams that only children can.
[][][][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][]
Chapter two:
Shadows Are Born
With one last glance at her own reflection she fled from the room. She ran down the corridor outside taking care not to bump into any ornaments or vases as she passed. Soon she stood before a stone stair case, decorated with a red carpet and took a deep breath.
'This is for you mother.' She said before walking down the steps.
With every step she took she grew more and more nervous but she pressed on. That man would pay but if that were to happen she would have to become strong. At the foot of the stairway there was another corridor. With no source of natural light candles lit the way.
The corridor was in fact a disused dungeon that no doubt held many disturbing stories but that was not something she would worry about. At the end of the hall there was a room, once used as a torture chamber but now a training room. To make room more pleasant the walls were coated with royal blue paint and many scrolls hung on the walls.
As she walked into the room she saw fifty or so young girls lined up in rows of five. She took her place at the back and waited for the instructor to arrive. Footsteps echoed through the dungeon. The students readied themselves and prepared to lose their childhood.
Rather than the instructor they had expected, another girl entered the room. She walked past the others and took position beside Beatrix.
'Hey.' Whispered the girl as she tapped Beatrix's shoulder. 'I'm Lani.'
Beatrix turned to the bronzed fingers that rested gently upon the left should. Following the arm from the wrist upwards her eyes journeyed upwards to survey they girl's face. Gentle brown hair was the first thing she noticed as two strands fell over her face. The two loose groupings of hair split her pupils bringing a margin of identical brown over her eyes. A wrinkled nose now caught her sight as a smile and a face full of freckles greeted her.
'Beatrix.' She replied in a hushed tone. 'Nice to meet your acquaintance.'
'Please don't take this as a judge of your character but are you afraid, Beatrix? You look a little nervous.'
'I'm fine if not a little tense. What about you?'
'Honestly? I'm frightened to death.'
'Hey, don't worry. I'll take care of you.' Beatrix said making a wordless promise by patting the girl's back.
'Thank you.'
More footsteps came and grew louder and louder until a woman in her thirties entered the room. The woman wore the attire of an Alexandrian General, an emerald coloured suit which was decorated with many medals. Her black hair was tied back in a tidy pony tail with not a follicle out of place. She stood in front of the recruits looking upon them as if they were worthless.
'Ladies, my name is Amidala Gogo. You shall address me as either Madame or General Gogo; I leave this choice to you. I now as a favour of you all. If you are under sixteen and still a child please raise your hand.
A one armed Mexican wave formed in the room with only two people refusing to raise their hand. Beatrix, with her keen intellect noted the pitch of General Gogo's voice and determined that she had lead them into a trap while Lani simply copied the actions of her new friend.
'No!' She screamed. 'There are no children in this room! There are only soldiers! I gave you a choice regarding my name moments ago. Now I give you a choice regarding your lives. If you wish to stay be sure I will push you beyond the barriers of pain and strength for the next six years. If you wish to leave I pass no judgment upon you, other than that your fate lies somewhere else. I say this once so listen clear, if there is a child amongst you I beg you to leave now.
From various rows three girls stepped out of line and left the room to remain children and find their true calling.
'From this day on I will mould and shape you from girls into warriors. The strength you shall hold will be envied by the men of Alexandria. The power you wield shall be feared by those of darkness. One day the honour you shall have is the proud and privileged honour of being recognized as a Royal Knight of Alexandria.
That day was long an exhausting despite the fact that it contained next to no physical exertion. It was merely an induction during which the recruits had sworn allegiance to the Alexandrian army and to uphold vows. By the end of the day the soldiers where told where they would sleep and who would share a room with them.
The cells in the dungeon had been converted into dorms each with two beds, a washing basin and some cupboard space. When the time had come the girls were all lead to their rooms and Beatrix was paired with her new friend Lani.
Beatrix was allowed to return to her old room to collect her hairbrush. She did in fact return with the brush but she also brought her teddy bear. The one and same teddy bear she carried with her to the castle on that horrible night long ago.
When the twin moons took their place in the sky and the lonely sun had taken its rest Beatrix fell into slumber with her beloved bear held firmly under crossed arms.
During the passing of hours Lani lay wide awake questioning her reasons for joining the army and realized that she was here for her family and not herself.
From the time her family tree was no more than a seed the women had joined the army and now it was her turn. Although she would rather be at home in her own bed she had to prove that she could be a soldier or break the traditions of her family.
When light and dark meet, shadows are born. Shadows themselves are mischievous creatures, they do not live or die but simply exist. They tend to become things other than shadows such as monsters and demons that frighten the living. The creatures had began to frighten poor Lani. The young girl was so afraid and felt so alone that she decided to wake up Beatrix.
After the whispering of her name Beatrix didn't stir, if anything her gentle snores increased in volume. The whispering continued but did nothing to wake her. Lani finally resorted to shaking the sleeping girl which worked a treat although Beatrix was less than sweet when she woke.
'What are you doing?' Beatrix asked.
'I-I'm sorry. I'm just afraid.' Replied Lani.
'Afraid? Afraid of what?'
'Strange things are moving in this place. Do you think it could be those who have died in this place?'
'No, this place was exorcised many years ago.'
Beatrix drew back her covers and ordered Lani to jump in. The girl did indeed get into the bed and held Beatrix tightly.
'We need to wake up before role call okay?' Beatrix asked. 'There will be two new ghosts in this place if they see us showing fear in the dark or see my bear.'
'Okay.' She replied.
With the added warmth of Beatrix's body heat and the safety she promised the two girls fell to sleep and dreamed the dreams that only children can.
[][][][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][][][[][]