Across the channel that lapped at the mud-caked rocks of Lychfield's shore lay the dismal island where Bargate Prison dwelled. Though the entire island was dreary, there was one tower above all the rest that reeked of death and depression. It wasn't a torture chamber, or a holding area for prisoners: it was the residential tower for the owner of Bargate. Though he wasn't there often, the masked benefactor of the Prison could sometimes be seen glowering down at the guards and prisoners alike from the lone window. Other times Maze would cast a fearful eye out the window, watching and waiting for his horrific master. Yet on other times something rare could be seen: a kind, lovely face. Large golden eyes framed by long eyelashes would sometimes blink down at the victims with a sorrowful gaze as her rose-lips pursed into a thoughtful, pitying smile. Those who saw her called her the Angel of Bargate, but those who knew her just called her Kaze, Kaze Steele.
It was an overcast day when she pulled the thin, wispy curtains aside and glanced down at the courtyard below. A few guards were wandering around, bickering amongst themselves and gossiping about what little happened in the Prison. A delicate sigh escaped her lips, but she quickly sucked the air back in when she heard the familiar howl that announced the Red Magic that Jack used to make his grand entrances. Kaze whirled around, the curtains falling back into their place as if nothing had happened. Her glance darted about the stone, barren room that made up most of the Residential Tower as she wished that her heart would stop beating so frantically. Fear, maybe? Excitement? Maybe it was a combination of the two, she wasn't sure herself anymore. There weren't many places to hide in the room: there was a large bed that was hardly used (Kaze said that it always smelled of blood, no matter how much it was washed), a large carpet of the style that the people of Knothole Glade usually slept on, a few scattered chairs, and many books of all sizes and subjects. The usual resident had a passion for studying and reading, zealously trying to find information on his one, consuming goal. It was he that Kaze was looking for now, and it was he who decided to give her a fright by leaning in close to her ear and hissing a single word: "Scared?"
"Ahh!" the girl flung herself away with a startled shriek and fell onto the woven carpet, her eyes wide and her shoulder-length, brunette hair frazzled in the panic. After regaining her composure, she brushed her hair back over her shoulder and shook her head to express a negative. This action caused Jack to laugh arrogantly as he looked out the window. After a moment's pause he muttered, "Has Maze come yet?" She shook her head again, but when she saw that he wasn't facing her she said, "No, he hasn't. Is it about Oakvale?"
"No, it's about him. He hasn't brought me any reports about finding the boy. I'm starting to wonder . . ." Kaze stiffened at Jack's words, especially when she saw one of his hands curl into a fist. But then he laughed once more and shook his head, "That fool! He thinks he can escape me by hiding the boy in that stupid little Guild of his? This could prove quite entertaining. I'm so tired of unworthy rivals . . . " He sank into one of the larger armchairs and closed his strange eyes, letting his mind wander. For some reason, his thoughts fell on the girl that he had blinded. The screams that she let out as her hands clutched at the streams of blood that flowed down her face made a smile curl over his masked face, and images of her being ripped apart by Hobbes or the Undead made him let out another low laugh before he fell into his own demented dream-world.
"Aye, we're finally here!" laughed Elliot as he sat Theresa down on the ground.
"Marvelous," Cliff rolled his eyes, "Now where's that old hag?" Cliff rubbed his sore hands together and looked around the Bandit Camp, his tired eyes drooping every now and then.
"'Ey now, you shouldn't talk about your sister that way," Elliot scolded Cliff, his large lips forming into a scowl. As the two men bickered, Theresa silently stood, looking calmly around the area-- an old habit that hadn't died, even though she couldn't see. She sighed sadly, the strings of her oily hair falling in front of her face. The sigh caused Elliot to go silent, and he crouched down beside Theresa and wiped some dirt off of her nose before saying, "You aren't missing much, kid. 'Cept maybe Cliff's ugly mug!"
"Hey!" Cliff growled as he put his hands on his hips, causing Elliot to erupt into laughter. The laughing continued, as his friend eventually joined in, clapping a hand on his back. Theresa finally cracked a smile, but stiffened with surprise when a warm, aged hand was placed on her shoulder.
"Well now," a withered, yet kind voice cooed, "Who's this little angel?" Theresa looked up at the direction of the voice, and had she not been blind she would've seen a tall, thin matron with wiry grey hair and motherly brown eyes. Her skin was bronze and reflected years of tireless work, shattering the illusion that she was weak.
"I'm Theresa," whispered the blind girl, "Your brother and his friend were kind enough to bring me here after Oakvale . . ." She trailed off and looked at the ground, suddenly thinking of her own brother. She prayed that he was all right, though her memory of him was getting hazy. She wondered why, but her thoughts were interrupted when the woman spoke:
"My name is Glennis, child. I may not look it, but I'm the best healer this Camp has to offer." Glennis knelt down beside Theresa, her brown gown pooling around her thin legs as she lifted the mane of Theresa's hair above her eyes. She clucked her tongue when she saw the caked blood and the slash mark that Jack's sword left.
"I can't heal blindness," Glennis admitted, "But I can make this less painful for you. If Twinblade is willing, I can teach you a great many things about magic, both healing and harmful." Theresa nodded to Glennis' words, and the healer smiled.
"Let's get you cleaned up in my tent," said Glennis as she rose and took Theresa by the hand, leading her through the murky darkness that was now her world.
Glennis sat Theresa down on the bed and sat a bowl of clear liquid on a bedside table.
"First let's take care of those eyes . . ." mused Glennis as she took a clean cloth that was soft from use and dipped it into the bowl. She wrung it out before moving the swab over one eye, and then the other. Theresa sucked in her breath as a strong scent of lavender filled her nostrils. The cool sensation of the magic ointment seeped through the disgusting scab and wet her blind eyes, causing a thrilling sensation to sweep through her sinuses. Finally, the scabs dropped off and fell into her lap like two burnt embers. Her clear, blind eyes were seen, and though she could see nothing, Theresa smiled as her eyeballs were released from their prison. Glennis smiled, showing that a few of her teeth were missing, before wiping her face down with the ointment. The angry scar seemed to lessen, though the imprint of Red Magic would always be on her face.
"Let's give you a bath now, okay?" Glennis explained as she peeled away the disgusting cloth that was once Theresa's birthday gown. Elliot had already drawn some water from a nearby lake and had boiled it (of course). Now that it was cool enough for a little girl to bathe in, he left the room for modesty's sake. Glennis rolled her eyes, Theresa was still a child but Elliot would probably blush at the sight of a naked baby. Theresa didn't see any of this, she just expectantly held onto Glennis' hand as she led her to the wooden tub of water. Theresa fumbled about for a bit, and Glennis just smiled as she quickly lifted the child over the edge of the tub and inside the water. As Theresa started to scrub her muddied hair, Glennis continued to apply the ointment to gashes that had appeared on her arms and back. Soon Theresa looked like a beautiful child once again, and Glennis couldn't help but burst with pride as she slipped Theresa into a dress that had once belonged to her own daughter, who had died from a disease that she could not cure. In all honesty, Theresa reminded her of that tiny girl. It was her, after all, who had inspired her to become a healer. Maybe, this girl could be her redemption . . .
After she tied a red band around Theresa's upper face, hiding her blind eyes from infection and irritation, Glennis took Theresa outside. Cliff stood nearby and actually smiled at he sight of Theresa. Glennis had tied her hair into the familiar pigtails that she used to always wear, and instead of being barefoot she wore a pair of Glennis' old sandals. The dress that she was wearing was a dark pink, with a few dark stitches in it to give it a bit of flair.
"Now, she's ready to meet Twinblade!" exclaimed Elliot as he clasped his hands, happy to see his little friend look so pretty. Theresa smiled herself, she didn't know what Twinblade was like, but if he was like these kind bandits . . . she didn't know why people hated their kind so much.