Chapter I
Pilot394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjDPDGB4zsa
A soft mush enveloped my knee cap as it drove itself deeper in the muddy swamp ground of the Perished Lands. Dark shadows covered me, cloaking me in night and giving me perfect cover for the hunt, though I wasn't sure if I should be gracious or annoyed, because along with great cover comes the inability to see anything.
My arms ached in pain from keeping the bow string drawn. I hadn't yet grown accustomed to this bow, and with my short stature and weight, I might've never.
"Steady..." A strong male voice whispered into my ear, as his breath hit my neck softly. Zayne's hand pushed against my stomach fixing the arc in my back and straightening me. "Keep tension here and follow through, you wouldn't want --"
I cut him off as the string left my hand with a snap and cut across my bare fingers leaving them raw. The sound of the arrow whistling through the air followed, but when the creature in front of me gave a human-like shriek I cringed.
I struggled to keep my lunch down and in my stomach as the slather screamed in agony and squirmed around. Though it wasn't long before it gave it's dying howl and halted its jerky movements. A slather was not the kind of prey you would usually be trying to hunt but out here in the small, nearly desolated, town Grimhollow, you take what you can get.
"Nice work Embers." Zayne said with a chuckle afterward. Pulling himself from the mucky ground, he continued on, forcing the words out. "You're really getting the hang of this. Maybe I should take you hunting more often."
He laughed, this time at his own joke -at least that's what I hope it was- and I turned to the slather I had just shot. "You say that as if Inori would allow you."
He shrugged his shoulders and waved a hand through the air dismissively. "Don't worry about her."
That statement alone caught a laugh from me, a real one, which is rather rare. His face instantly twisted into a mock anger and I fought down another bubble of laughter. Instead, I turned on my heel to gather up the slather that I had just shot.
"I am serious, Em." He chuckled and called, remaining in the shadowy cover of the trees and bushes. "You are very good."
"And women hunting is very illegal." I countered.
"You're sixteen years old, hardly a woman, more like a child."
"Even more illegal." I laughed.
Despite my playing along, my insides churned at his comment. Zayne was only two years older than me, so I don't think he has room to talk, but regardless of the light he held me in, I was not a child. I didn't like that he viewed me that way. I was an independent woman who could take care of herself. At least, I thought I was. I tried to hide my temper from his comment, though, I wasn't not sure how much good it did me. One look at my face earned me an apology and a following, strained cough.
I rolled my eyes before turning my attention back to the slather and picked it up with my thumb and forefinger. Zayne looked at the scaley, hideous creature and gave a shudder.
I only shrugged, shoving it into the burlap sack I had trudged along for this exact purpose and looked up to Zayne. He smiled at me for no apparent reason and I felt some heat rising to my cheeks.
"What?" The question came out compulsively and rough which was not my intention, but lucky for me, Zayne knew that and chuckled at the sight of me "Tell me!"
"Nothing embers," He giggled which made me mad and when he reached my vicinity I threw out a punch that was inevitably caught. "Too slow." He coed, but while he was focused on that hand, I took the other and jabbed it into his stomach causing him to drop down with a cough and groan.
"Was I?"
~~~
Zayne chucked the backpack through the second floor window he had left open when we left for the Perished Lands earlier this morning and began to climb up the side of our home. He used a mix of straw and dirt bricks as footing to propel himself up. I wish for a second I had gone first, for it was cold outside and I missed my warm bed, but, when he reached the top, I'm glad I had not gone first.
"I was right!" An angry female's voice shouted and I flinched, allowing my eyes to temporarily widen. Inori... "You went hunting again!"
I heard Zayne force an awkward laugh, and I held back one of my own. Seeing Zayne get in trouble was entertainment in itself, but my amusement halted, when I was mentioned.
"Do not tell me you brought Phoenix along!" She shouted and my heart jumped into the back of my throat, doubling in speed. At this moment, I decided I was not going to stick around for the rest of this conversation. I'd already taken off for the wheat field when I realized I'm sure if Zayne had ratted me out or not. Not that I think he would ever do it.
Despite my confusion, I dropped down next to a berry bush to my right and recklessly began to pick oddly shaped blackberries, throwing them into the leather sack I had brought for the south gate. At this point, I was taking big clumps of berries and shoving them in so it would appear I had been doing it for a while, or long enough not to have been with Zayne at least. When I heard the slam of my front door my heart rate spiked and my hands froze.
I looked at my unmoving and unresponsive limbs and realized that they were scratched and tattered from the thorns in the bushes and the rawness from the bow was now covered in small smears of blood.
"And where have you been?" The voice caused me to jump a little as I shoved my hands back in the bush.
I slowly turned around to face a woman about three years above me, but you could never tell, because other than our height, we were near identical. Anyone not knowing better, would assume we were twins. Her dark brown hair was braided down her back behind her. The only difference was that her hair was much longer and almost to her knees, whereas mine only reached to my hips. Her medium height gave her a few inches on me, but a few inches was all you needed sometimes to be intimidating.
Her brownish grey eyes flicked to meet my own, but her's were laced with a fiery passion that Zayne claims to have seen in my own eyes granting me the nickname Embers.
I gestured to the bag of berries, in response to her question, with my left hand and hid the rawness of my right in the bush. "And you expect me to believe you were here the entire time?" She pressed and I replied with a simple nod, wishing her not to press the matter any further. But of course, she didn't stop there.
"I see you have been rushing to pick the berries?" she questioned. I raised an eyebrow as she walked to my side and crouched to look. I tried to act like I have no idea what she was talking about, but somehow I knew that would get me nowhere.
I shook my head. Zayne was the only one I ever really spoke to and he's told me that he is okay with this and doesn't mind. My sister, however, doesn't like the fact I'd hold a long, meaningful conversation with her fiance rather than herself. In fact, I think it drives her a little crazy.
"I am not blind."
She gripped my right wrist with her hand and pulled it from the leaves of the bush, revealing the tattered mess of blood, leaves, and thorns. I looked up to face my sister and she sighed.
"Go inside. I'll gather your things, but you must get the wounds cleaned. Wait for me in the common area. Grandpa is rather upset." I froze at the last words. Grandpa is the last person I wanted to deal with right now, but I knew avoiding him at this point was impossible, so I got up and headed in, leaving the bag and mess for Inori to pick up in my stead. I grabbed the door handle and stepped into the house, and just as Inori had said, Grandpa was sitting upon the bench, waiting for me, and very possibly, Zayne as well.
I could tell we were in deep waters with Grandpa and I would say they were on the verge of boiling at that. If he was to become any more enraged, I thought he might turn red. I looked down, refusing to meet Grandpa's eyes.
He stood from the couch and angrily clenched his fist. "Where have you been all day!?"
I stayed silent. I wanted to say something, but I just couldn't. They'd never understand. For some reason, Zayne is the only person in the world I can actually talk to. Anytime I try to say something around Inori or Grandpa, it just comes out silent, like I don't even have the ability to speak.
Grandpa slowly made his way to me, limping on his bad leg. "You good for nothing child tell me! Where have you been!?"
Inori walked in with my leather satchel and tossed it on the small table to the right of them. "She was out hunting with Zayne!" She shouted in a fit of rage.
A pang of guilt hit me in the chest and I flicked my eyes up then back down. I hadn't seen grandpa this mad in quite a while, and it didn't look like Zayne was coming down to save me any time soon.
"You insufferable girl," He raised his fist like he was going to hit something, possibly me. "Women should never touch weapons! You know this!"
Practically shoving me out of the way and into the hall, Inori shouted. "Exactly, now go to your room and think about what you've done. We'll discuss your punishment at dinner."
Though she was my sister I still couldn't stand her.
I sighed to myself as I walked to the staircase. I debated grabbing the first aid kit on the way up, but I figured I won't really need it. A few cuts and scrapes is all I manage to inflict upon myself.
They don't know what they're talking about. It's not like anyone saw us. Who in their right mind would ever visit the south gate?
Crashing through the door to my room, I heaved a heavy sigh. Zayne came in a few short seconds later. In his hand he held the first aid kit that I had passed on bringing with me.
"I don't need it." I said sitting myself on the small cott on the ground.
Zayne nodded and rolled his eyes. "Sure you don't." He paused. "Sorry for getting you in trouble."
"I should be telling you that." I replied.
He kneeled down in front of me and set the first aid kit on the ground. "If you don't do something about this it will only get infected. None of us want that."
"They don't care about that."394Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFtTofebumK
Chuckling, Zayne opened the first aid kit. "Think about it this way. If it gets infected," He grabbed my wrist tightly and began cleaning the cut. "You can't hunt."
The stinging sensation hit me like a ton of bricks and I yelped and hissed in pain. "Zayne! That hurts!"
"Stop being a baby Embers." He finished cleaning the cut and carefully bandaged it, making sure not to hurt me in the process.
I mumbled to myself a string of curses and lightly tapped my foot against his leg. "Whatever loser." Standing, I offered a hand to my best friend. He may have been useless sometimes, but he had never let me down. He smiled and pulled himself up, nearly pulling me down in his place.
"Sticking your hands in that bush was reckless you know."
I rolled my eyes. Like I don't know that; I just didn't want to be in trouble.
Before I can toss back a reply, Inori's voice carried from downstairs. "Zayne! Fetch Phoenix and come down for dinner please!"
Zane looked at me and smiled. "I convinced her to cook up that slather you shot."
I laugh in response. "How did you manage that?"
He only offered out a hand before shooting a wink in my direction. Of course, I took his hand and we meandered down the stairs for dinner. When we descended the stairs, however, something felt off. Maybe it is my cousin, Carmen, who was sitting at the dinner table, or quite possibly the dark, forlorn look she wore.
Inori was in the middle of setting the table when me and Zayne entered the room. He didn't hesitate to let go of my hand and run off to his beautiful fiance, taking her by the waist and pulling her close. "Hello my love."
I rolled my eyes in annoyance. They always act this way so I was almost used to it by now. Almost. No matter what, it's always disgusting.
Walking over to the table I imagine a life where I never introduced Inori to Zayne. Maybe things would have been different between us. Maybe we wouldn't have grown so distant. I let the thoughts trail through my mind.
Despite the two love-birds, grandpa is still furious. "You've got some nerve taking Phoenix out to the south gate like that."
As always my sister takes up for Zayne, pinning the blame on me. Zayne can do no wrong in her eyes and for some reason, I am always to blame. "Grandpa, I'm sure it wasn't Zayne's fault. We all know how convincing Phoenix can be. I'm sure she probably threatened or blackmailed him."
Zayne, however, wasn't having any of her lies. "No, it was all my idea."
"Honey you don't-"
"No," He cut Inori off. Zayne is quite obviously getting a little pissed off at this point. "I'm serious. I offered and I obviously shouldn't have." He turns to grandpa humbly. "I'm sorry."
I keep my focus on the plate in front of me on the table.
Inori huffs in response to Zayne's confession and sits at the table in the open chair next to me. The only open seat left for Zayne is across from me, next to Carmen.
If there is one thing me and Carmen have in common it is that we never speak at the dinner table, or at all for that matter.
Once everyone is seated, the room falls into a tense silence. I look at Carmen who is seated across from me at the table. We begin to eat in a cold tense atmosphere and she sighs.
"Well I guess this is as good a time as any." Grandpa begins. I'm not exactly interested in anything he has to say right now, but I turn my head to face him, as a formality, though I'm not really listening.
Zayne asks the question I would have.
"For what?"
Inori sighs and sets her handkerchief on the table and her hands in her lap. "Well... Me and Grandpa have been talking." Her tone is serious and draws in a bit of my attention.
Zayne sets his fork down softly, as if he were no longer hungry and watches his wife intently.
"Phoenix is sixteen now and we feel it is time you meet a young man. Someone you can rely on, someone who will care for you. Y'know, settle down." She says it as if it were a natural thing.
Inori didn't outright say it, but everyone in the room got the message. 'Someone to tame your wild-child act. Someone to control you.' Zayne, being my best friend, continues to ask the questions I wish I could.
"What are you implying?"
Inori grows a bit impatient and annoyed. It's evident that she doesn't like the fact that he is speaking in my stead. "We want her to meet a man from a wealthy farm in Carten Ba-"
Zayne's eyes widen as he cuts her off. "A marriage meeting!?"
Grandpa chimes in next "Exactly." He sets his fork down and dabs his napkin gracefully to his mouth.
A feeling of panic washes over me and I can't contain my anger and shock. I shoot up out of my chair and try to scream my disapproval, but can't manage any words. Zayne however is just as in shock as and slams his hand on the table, rising from his seat as well.
"Absolutely not! She's too young to get married!"
Inori sighs and tucks a piece of stray hair behind her ear. "You proposed to me at her age, Zayne."
"I also know you, Inori! You're talking about shipping her off to someone she has never met before! A strange man that none of us truly know! How are we even sure he will treat her right!?"
Grandpa tosses his napkin onto the table and stands as well, "We all know that feral girl could stand to take a beating. Maybe then she would finally listen. The meeting is tomorrow at five."
I'm overcome with rage at grandpa. HE speaks so calmly as if this weren't my future and my well being on the line.
"You've already set a date!?" Zayne chips in leaning over his food.
My eyes widen in terror and my hands involuntarily cover my mouth. I had no say in the matter, even if I wanted to say something about it I wouldn't even be able too. Oh how I pray to speak again. If I could just manage a few words. Just a simple 'No, I object.', but I can't.
"Zayne!" Inori begins, "Calm down!"
Zayne bites down on his lip so hard I feel he might draw blood. "And why should I! You're marrying her off for money and bride price!"
I looked at Inori in shock. Honestly I hadn't even considered that they had another motive than to get rid of me, but when I think about what it truly means for me to be married off, I can't help but take into consideration the fact that they'll be paid to give me away. Like some slave that they can simply rid themselves of.
Grandpa stares at Zayne for a second. "Zayne, mind your wife. You're acting like a jealous boy!"
More aggressive than earlier, Zayne cries out. "No! I'm just protecting Phoenix's rights! You two are always tag-teaming her! She's just a child!
I turn to face Zayne who is still fuming with anger and crying out in my defence. "I can't believe you two would do this to her! Look at her! She's traumatized! She turns red in anger!"
Zayne isn't wrong either. At this point, I'm fuming with anger and I could feel the heat on my cheeks and ears. I was a steaming kettle on a hot stove.
"I see nothing wrong with her! She looks as she always does!" Inori shouts out into the mass of arguments.
"Then you are blind because she seethes!"
Carmen continues to pick at her meal calmly as the fight rages on. She only mutters a few words, but I know she was trying to calm the amassing storm in the room. "Can someone please pass me the crushed onion."
I can't take any more of the words that are being tossed into the circulation of nonsense that grows in the room, so I pull myself from where I stand at the table and drag myself towards the doorway.
"Stop right there child!" Grandpa shouts at me as I round the side of the table.
Zayne catches me by the arm and whispers in my ear a time to meet in the morning. It's earlier than I had expected. Quite earlier than we had ever gone before, but I guess in order to escape my family, it is a must. He also mentions he would leave the window open.
I turn to face the door and try not to release a sob. My own family would sell me off to some man for bride price where I myself have little dowry. I look down to my hands and brush them off on my dress before I walk out of the dining room and into the hallway.
The rest of the night, I spend in anguish because of my family, but my dreams keep me company with the thought of stowing away in the night, just before first light.
ns 15.158.61.5da2
