Lady Sparrow
The Shadowlands is a deep dark desolate place; in the middle of civilization. No
Non-magic human has ever stepped foot on the ground that proceeds it. Overrun by the
Merciless Fire & criminals of the age, it is not your typical neighborhood down the street.
But who I am here to tell about is a woman named Almidia. Hated by most around her, when she moves to The Shadowlands her prospective on life changes. Living around people who are just like her, she seeks revenge on those who say but do not fulfill. (Such as her mother and other various relatives did) No one can stand in front of Lady Sparrow.
Love, Revenge, Envy, Hate, Passion.
This is the Shadowlands…
"Almidia Elendina Sparrow, get youv lavy azz in this room this innnstant!" demanded Jessica Sparrow, Almidia Sparrow's mother; leaning on a chair so she wouldn't fall over. She was drunk as all could be and not happy.
"Yes mother!" a short redheaded, 16 year old, girl came running down the stairs from the attic, which just so happened to be her room.
"Don't youuu yes morther me, I said now!" Almidia ran to her mother.
"Your damn boyfriend came over looking for ya! If I catch that half blood... freak here again you'll have hell to pay!" Almidia knew exactly whom her mother was speaking of, Devon. She had practically grown up with this guy.
"Mother! He was and is not my boyfriend! Though thanks to you he is all I have left!"
Jessica slaps her across the face, leaving a cherry red mark of a hand on her soft pail skin. She glares into Almidia's dark brown eyes.
"How dare you speak to me in such a way, child!" Almidia returns the deathly glare.
"Attic now!" Jessica screamed, "I don't want to see your cracker loving face!"
Almidia stood her ground; a tear ran down her cheek. She turned around, and went back up the stairs.
She had lost many fights to this woman, and was still paying for last nights lashing. She entered the large attic, and flopped herself on the small cot which she slept. Ever since her fathers murder, it had gotten worse. Her mother now drinking more than ever, she would punish Almidia for turning the doorknob to tightly. She had no one to stand up against her mother's abusive ways. Except one, Devon Chasity.
He had been her friend since day one. He was like her brother. She laid back, tears running down her cheeks, when she heard a rasping from her window. Devon she thought. She walked to the window and carefully unlatched it.
"You shouldn't be here!" she said in an attempt to be quiet so her mother wouldn't hear; rubbing tears away from her eyes.
"And when has that ever stopped me?" he said, cocking an eyebrow.
Almidia took a deep breath and let him in. Slightly taller than her, with long dirty blond hair that covered his gorgeous blue eyes, and slender frame. Devon was overall good looking. He came out of the tree he climbed to get there, and though the window; a bucket and a rag in hand.
"Are you still bleeding?" he said with concern.
"No, it's all better na…OW!" Devon had set his things down and rubbed his hand against her back, that he knew still hurt her.
"Lay down." He said gesturing to her cot. Almidia reluctantly laid down on her stomach, silent. Devon lifted her shirt, revealing five or six wounds on her back from when her mother lashed her the night before. He sighed, and took out a long ebony wand. He was very proud of his wand, and took joy in using it, but today was different. He muttered a spell and taped the wand on the side of the bucket. Immediately water filled the bucket. He took the now wet rag out of the bucket and began patting Almidia's wounds.
"Will you ever learn not to mess with that woman?" he said sarcasitly.
"Once I quit breathing," she replied threw her though. The pain was unnerving. "Ever since father died, it's gotten worse. I can't even transform anymore! She won't let me, if I do, well you can only guess…"
"She can't stop you from doing anything." Devon replied.
"She's my mother." She said into her pillow.
"She a hag!" Devon shot back at her.
Almidia was an Etreell. When the moon was full, she could transform into a snowy white wolf. Unlike werewolves, when the moon is full, and they do not know who or where they are, as long as the moon is in view she can transform at will, and know of all her surroundings. Her mother no longer let her do so, mainly because of the mere fact that Almidia enjoyed it, and because she saw her as an outcast by doing so; therefore shunned her from the privilege.
"I've been telling you this for years," Devon began. "You can move in with us any day. All you have to do is say the word, and you'll be out of this dump forever."
"I know. But I can't… I just can't."
He continued caring for her wounds. He hated having to leave her here alone with that lunatic.
Almidia woke up that morning, her back still sore, but not near as much as it was the day before. Sitting up, she got ready to clean up the kitchen, like she did every morning. There would always be liquor bottles and various other things on the floor for her to clean up; when she heard a yell come from downstairs. She walked down from the attic to investigate; another yell could be heard coming from her mother's room.
"Mother…" she said cautiously, afraid she might be drunk still. She walked slowly into her mother's room. To find her mother dead on the floor, she had stabbed herself. She stood there in shock, and ran out of the room like furry. Out the front door towards Devon's home she went, about six blocks away on the countryside. Almidia lived practically in the middle of nowhere; therefore Devon was her closest neighbor. She finally arrived at Devon's, and banged on the door. Devon's mother answered,
"Almidia dear, how nice it is to see you" Mrs. Chasity looked a little closer at the small girl,
"Is something wrong child?" Almidia took a deep breath, breathing hard from running.
"Please, Mrs. Chasity, may I please speak with Devon? I must see him." She said urgently through breathes.
"Why surely, come in come in. DEVON!" Almidia did as she was told. The Chasity home was much more fancy then the Sparrow's. It was a large 3 story log home. Devon's room was on the second floor. He came down the staircase; and saw Almidia and went straight to her.
"Almidia! What are you doing here so early, surely…"
"She's dead!" Almidia interrupted. "She's dead! The nightmares over" she wrapped her around Devon and burst into tears. Mrs. Chastity's eyes bulged out of her head, and Devon just stood there, speechless. He embraced her, for what seemed like forever.
(make a discussion?)
Five Years later…
Almidia now twenty-one lived in a small apartment in Nibian, a small city near Wales. Still best friends with Devon, she was going to visit him at his home. Dressed in her normal black and red robes, she left her room; and headed out toward the street. This is where she had stayed ever since her mother's death. She was happy here, or at least as happy as she allowed herself to be.
She had a job in a nearby non-magic bank, and made enough money for her keep. Living in the non-magic world didn't get to her much. Ever so often she would take a day to herself, and go back to Wales or Devon's in this case. His parents weren't exactly poor, and when they were murdered by the Merciless Fire, a group of people whom you don't want to deal with, he inherited it all. Including the house he grew up in. He had still lived there, and liked it. He really took care of the place in Almidia's opinion.
Finally, she had arrived to the Chasity home. It was just like she had remembered as a child. If she were to walk about six blocks down the country road, she would arrive at her last home. She had sold it to an old non-magic couple. It was taken care of, but she really didn't worry upon it. She had hated that house and all the memories within it.
She came to the large wooden door, and rasped casually on it. Devon opened it, giving her a large smile.
"Welcome home" Devon exclaimed, giving her a welcoming smile. She smiled in return, and walked inside the large home. She sat down on a comfy couch by the fire.
"I haven't seen you in while. Want a drink? I keep on telling you not to walk all the way here. You have a broom don't you?" Devon asked
Almidia rose and eyebrow and replied, "Yes, but I just prefer to walk, I guess."
"Your choice." He said sarcastically. He brought her a glass of whiskey. "Assuming this is still your favorite, here ya go." Almidia grinned as he handed her a drink "What's up?" Devon continued.
Almidia smiled softly and looked up to him. "Nothing, nothing at all; I just came over to hang out a bit." Devon nodded, and sat down next to her.
"It's been five years since it happened with mother and; all of a sudden I am thinking about it again; the memories, the people, you." She said softly, wondering what he might say.
He took a deep breath. "Oh….I see, you're paranoid because for once you have a life worth living." He replied as if it were nothing.
"No but that's part of it I think." She paused to look into the fire, the ambers reflecting off her brown eyes.
Devon shook his head, "You think too much Ms. Sparrow." Almidia took a drink and leaned back in her seat. "Let me clue you in," he said, full attention on her.
'Here it comes' She thought to herself.
"Jessica Sparrow was a convincing old hag, and apparently she knew this, and killed herself. With all of the bullshit that she put you through all those years, I assumed you knew this. She's dead Almidia; she can't do anymore harm to you. Get over yourself already. Be happy with what ya got and stop living in your past."
She looked to him, "Quite right…" she said simply.
"Soo..." he said in the awkward silence, following another long pause between the two.
"Are you still working at the cracker bank?" he asked sarcastically.
Cracker was slang for the non-magic folks around here. If you were to go to parts of England or France it would be something totally different.
"Yes, still at the cracker bank. Once you get used to it, it's not that bad."
Devon smirked "Whatever you say."
Almidia rolled her eyes, and took one last drink.
"Well, I need to pick up some Witherseed, wanna come?" Devon rose,
"Surely, I have nothing else to attend to." They grabbed their things and left.
About thirty minutes later, they arrived in Xtrilia, a wizarding community not to far off from Nibian.
"I might as well stock up while I'm here" Almidia said, looking around.
"Meet you at Tanzy's in an hour or so, deal?" Devon replied, looking to her.
"Deal, see you then." With that, Devon walked away.
Almidia started off to the Apothecary not far from where she was at. It was also one of the few stores that accepted Cracker money. She slowly walked inside the building, picking up the scent of the ingredients within. She walked to a shelf with all different kinds of ingredients and objects on it.
"Witherseed, Witherseed," she muttered to herself, looking at the various labels. Finally deciding that she couldn't find it, she walked up to the man at the front desk. "Excuse me, but do you have any idea where I could…" she paused. The man had long brown hair that fell into his eyes, muscles you could spot 50 miles away, and a barb wire tattoo around his upper arm. He's...gorgeous… she thought to herself, she could no longer speak; she managed to finish her sentence, "…find Witherseed…" she said in awe, looking into his perfect grey eyes. You could get lost in those eyes.
"Uh… were out." He said slowly. He also had a take on the woman. There was a short pause between them, both daydreaming of one another. I now believe in love at first sight, that's for sure he thought to himself, he blinked his eyes, and managed to spit out his name,
"Dove Greason."
"Almidia Sparrow." She replied, not taking her eyes off of him. She took a breath, and came back to reality, "Nice name…" she said slowly.
"Yeah…I can run to the stock shop and pick up some Witherseed if you need some." He said hopefully.
"Its okay, I can do without." She said slowly.
"No, I can go and get some; I have nothing to really do around here. You can even come with if you want…"
"O.k." she said quickly, with a soft grin on her face.
"Yes…" he said under his breath. "I'm out Dad!" he yelled at a door with a 'Busy' sign on it. He grabbed his jacket off a coat rack, slipped it on, and opened the door for Almidia. She slips her hands in her coat pockets, and walked out, a smug smile on her face.
"It's a ways down the road, hope you like walking."
"I walked here from Wales; I think I can take a walk." She said with a small laugh.
He smirked. "So… you live in Wales eh?"
"I used to. I live in Nibian; I was at a friend's house. I'm actually supposed to meet him in about an hour, but he can wait." She said with a small smile.
"Really, I do as well."
Almidia cocked an eyebrow, "nice."
"So where is your boyfriend, don't ya think he wouldn't agree with you hanging out with another guy you hardly know?" he said smartly.
"He's not my boyfriend, and I don't have one.' She said calmly. Now allowing herself to speak in a normal tone of voice. He nodded. They walked in an awkward silence for a while, till they arrived to a fork in the road, Dove turned, Almidia at his tail. There was a small building at the end of the road.
"Here we are." He walked to the door, and opened it, holding it open for her to enter. She walked inside. There were millions of shelves, full of things. They never seemed to ever end. But none the less Dove seemed to know where he was going.
"Witherseed right?" he asked, walking to a row of shelves, and stopping. Almidia nodded her head in agreement. He looked up, and grabbed a bottle labeled "Madam Lindoo's Witherseed"
"Thanks." She said simply. Now what Almidia! She thought to herself. She looked to her feet then up again, "Well, I'll be going then…" she said half heartedly.
"Uhh, yeah…ok." He replied. She started towards the door. About halfway back, Dove called out, "Do you know the small diner in Nibian? The Vine I believe it's called…"
She stopped, facing the door, "Yes..."
"Meet me there, 1:30, tomorrow."
Almidia smiled and shook her head. She turned around, and looked to him, "done" and she left for Tanzy's.
Dove took a deep breath, and sat on a nearby box, he watched her go out the door, and turn the corner.
"Who was that?" a voice whispered into his ear. It was his friend Marcus.
"A girl, a really nice girl."
Marcus laughed, looking at the dazed look on Doves face.
"So…Dove has found a girlfriend…" Marcus chanted over and over.
Dove smiled, "I've known her about an hour, how could she possibly be my girlfriend?"
Marcus sat on the box next to him. "You could pick up any girl you want, and you rarely do; which is beyond me by the way; you like that chick and you know it, The Vine? Come on Dovey Wovey, you go there all the time, do something different for once in your lonely existence." Dove swung an arm back at him, but Marcus dodged it.
"So what if I might, what's it to you?"
"Don't be fresh pretty boy." Marcus said, blocking another swing, and smiling.
"She's not only the most beautiful creature I have ever seen, she doesn't hoe up on me like the girls at the shop do. But I'll know for sure if I'm right tomorrow."
"I swear man; you are the only guy I know who would give a damn with a dame like that. I'd be up for a one night stand if I were you."
Dove cocked an eyebrow, "There's something different about this girl, I don't know what yet, but there's something."
"And that's what makes you, you Dovey Wovey." He stood up and messed up Doves hair "Well if your going to sit there and day dream you might as well be useful. Unpack some of those boxes your fat ass is sittin' on." Marcus started to walk away, "and you're paying for that Witherseed." He said as he left. Dove rolled his eyes, and opened a box. Thinking of the redhead 'dame' he had just met.
Meanwhile, Almidia arrived at her friend Tanzy's house and sure enough Devon and Tanzy were there.
"I didn't know it took two hours to buy one bottle of Witherseed." Devon said from the chair he was sitting at in Tanzy's kitchen.
"I was talking to someone. Who are you, my mother?" she said with a smug grin on her face.
"What are you so up uppity about?" Tanzy said, seating herself next to Devon.
"Nothing." She lied. She flopped herself on the couch and laid back, closing her eyes and smiling.
"Let's just say the Apothecary is my new hangout."
Tanzy rolled her eyes,
"Who'd ya meet?" Devon asked.
"Dove Greason, tall, dark, and handsome." she replied, eyes still shut tight.
"I just don't see how you do it." Tanzy said wonderingly.
"Do what?" said Almidia, daydreaming.
"All you have to do is look at a guy, and you have them under your arm. Are there any guys out there who give a damn about personality anymore?"
"You know that's not true Tanzy," Almidia responded,
"Devon, if you didn't know Almidia one bit, and she did some random thing like drop a book or something, and look at you, wouldn't you be all over her?" Tanzy interrupted, not paying much attention, Devon was surprised at the sudden question,
"Would I what?" he replied surprised.
"Would you or would you not have a thing for Almidia the first time you saw her?" Tanzy repeated as if it were nothing. Almidia kept her eyes closed tightly, grinning.
"I, I dano!" he studiers.
Along with being Almidia and Devon's best friend, Tanzy was also Devon's girlfriend. They had an odd relationship, but none the less loved each other.
"See Almidia he would!" Tanzy said in triumph.
"He said he didn't know, there is a difference." Almidia snapped back.
"Oh get a grip, he would and you know it."
"Hey can I have a say in this?" Devon chimed in.
"No!" both girls said harmoniously. Devon gave up, and sat back in his chair.
"Who said I even asked Dove out anyways? We don't date or anything."
"Nobody yet….did you?"
"No!" she paused "He asked me…"
Tanzy started to laugh. Almidia just stayed where she was, that stupid grin on her face. Dove she thought to herself. Beginning to once again, start to daydream…
Almidia woke up that morning at her apartment. Apparently Tanzy had managed to get some alcohol down her throat because she felt horrible. She groggily got up and out of bed, and got ready. After taking a thirty minute shower, she got dressed and looked at the clock on her beside table, it was 1:45! She was late. She grabbed her purse and left in a hurry.
"The Vine, The Vine, ah ha!" she came to a small building with a small sign above it with the restaurants title upon it. She hurriedly walked inside. A small elderly witch was standing at the entrance
"How many?" she said not bothering to look up from the paper she was reading.
"Ummm, I'm supposed to meet someone here, Greason, Dove Greason." Almidia replied, breathing hard from running.
"There is no Groosy with reservations miss." The witch replied
"Greason, not Goosy, Greason." She replied flatly
"Leeson? Sorry their not here ether."
Getting agitated Almidia replied at the top of her lungs,
"GREASON! DOVE GREASON! I'M ALREADY LATE YOUR JUST ADDING ON TO IT! NOW WILL YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF THERE IS A GRESON WITH A RESERVATION HERE TODAY!"
"Greason! I see, that would be table 1240, follow me miss." The witch replied, as if she were not even yelled at in the first place
Almidia obeyed, rolling her eyes, and fixing her hair as she did so.
"Your name miss?" the witch asked.
"Almidia, Almidia Sparrow." they walked to a table at the far end of the restaurant, right next to a large window.
"Lady Almidia Spaz sir"
"Sparrow…" she said through her teeth. Dove was sitting in a chair beside the window, looking out of it.
"Thank you." he said calmly.
She glared at the witch as she left,
"I'm so sorry." She said sympathetically, she sat down.
"It's quite alright, you came."
"I did." She said giving him a small smile.
"So…how are you?" he said slowly
"Fine, a little dizzy but fine."
"Dizzy?" he asked curiously
"My friend Tanzy, I guess thought it would be funny to get Almidia drunk."
"I see." He said smartly
"She's my best friend, but not the smartest."
He smirked at the comment. "Ah," a waiter came to their table,
"What shall it be?"
"Just a water, with a lemon on the side, please." Almidia replied, looking to Dove.
Dove looked to the man "I'll have a steak with some barley on the side." The waiter nodded and walked away. "How's the Witherseed?" He asked randomly. He wasn't the one for small talk.
"I haven't had the chance to use it yet. But I'm sure it's superb. How long have you worked at the Apothecary?"
"Since I was 12. It's been in my family since 1706. Dorno Greason is my father."
"Impressive. Your father is sweet. I've been a costumer of yours for about a year now."
"Yeah, I don't know what I'd do without the old cooter." He said with a smirk "I'm sure your father is just as nice."
"He was, he died when I was young."
"My apologies"
"No need. It's alright." There was a short silence when the waiter came back to give them their orders. The silence then continued between the two when Dove spoke.
He placed Doves food in front of him and the drink in front of Almidia.
"Would you like a topping to your barley sir?" asked the waiter to Dove
"Yes, Mercico please."
The waiter snapped his fingers and a bottle of oily green dressing was placed in front of him.
"Thank you."
The waiter bowed his head to them and walked away. Almidia took the lemon off of the side of her glass and squeezed a little of the juice in her water, and the rest in her mouth. Not really noticing that she had. Dove stopped what he was doing to watch her eat the lemon to shreds.
"How do you do that?" he asked
She looked to him, finally realizing what she was doing; and set the lemon back on her dish. All that was left was the skin.
"Oh, umm, bad habit. I've always liked them. I probley am the only one who does though. "
Dove nodded his head. "I see."
"I used to eat them in front of my friend Devon just to mess with his head. I quite enjoyed it."
Dove laughed, "It doesn't grouse me out or anything, its just I don't see how you do it. I myself can't stand the taste."
"It's an acquired taste I guess." Almidia replied. "How can you stand barley?"
"I grew up eating the stuff. So I guess that is part of the reason why I like it."
"I see." She replied, taking a sip of her drink.
Dove looked at her hands around the glass; her long curvy nails painted a dark auburn. "You're an Etreel. ", he said looking from her hands.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" she asked, puzzled.
"Your nails. They have a curve at the tip. Of they were thicker you'd be a werewolf." He said simply.
"Smart." She replied.
"You have beautiful eyes as well. Do you know that?"
"Thank you, I've been told, yes." she looked to her drink then back up to him. "Mighty fine place The Vine is, eh?" she said after a short pause between them.
"Yeah, I come here pretty often, but rarely with someone else."
"I should feel special then." She said with a small smile. He oddly smiled back, in return.
"You were just, different in a way."
"How do you figure that one?"
"I've been with plenty of women who hung around me just for my cash. I just had some odd feeling in the pit of my stomach that you weren't like that. Yeah, I like the fact that you are…beautiful, but I just see that as a plus."
Almidia looked at him for a while, in attempt to figure him out. "You are not like any other guy I've met either." She looked at him, hard, "No guy would go that deep, like you actually care." She said, awestruck.
"I don't think I have, till now. Is that a bad thing?" He replied.
"It's not a bad thing, it's just surprising."
"Got a few lines in your day huh?" he said with a grin. She nodded.
He leaned back in his chair, "You can second that thought." He said looking into her eyes, as if he couldn't leave them. "Up for another walk?"
"Sure." She said politely. He got up and threw some cash on the table and reached his hand out to help Almidia up. She took it and got up and they left.
Once again they were walking down the road, talking; just about random things that came to mind. About her being and Etreel, and him living with his father and Marcus. It was your typical love story. Like the ones you would find in a soap opera, but with a twist. Nothing went wrong. It was perfect. No angry ex-girlfriend pops out of nowhere and ruins it. They talked as if they had known each other all their lives. As they reached Almidia's building, they went up the stairs and she stopped at her door.
"Well this is it." Almidia said. "Do you want to, sit down, have a drink, something?" she said hopefully.
"No, I must be going, it's late." He said looking to his feet.
"Ok." She replied, currently at a loss for words.
"Well….I'll be going….." he said looking back to her, catching her eye. They looked at each other, and he lifts her chin……
Almidia woke up that morning in her apartment.