Arc two; A petition
I have a story. A story of a man trapped in a fable and he must act as the setting requires. Not by design, I assure you, but to survive as tampering with destiny could be a tenuous thing indeed. Like a thread dancing atop a flame; let's burn this world together.
For scorn, I love this;
but for love I am just a storyteller.
From the ode of the dwarves
1
Family
I grew up in the worst way possible in this world. A boy not raised by his father, instead, perching from his mother's side. I grew up a 'gray'. But I am still a noble so I don't have much to complain about beside grating gossips overheard from castle maids and nobles. I might be a gray or whatever, but I was raised to rule. From the next day after I set my foot in the Coldfire castle I started enduring harsh trainings; from arithmetics to world sense, from strategy to physical training. I learned to fight bare handed and use most every weapons. That at twelve, they was scarcely anyone that could beat me in Fen castle city.
Yet one thing eluded me, the control of my power. Before I did whatever it's I did to Kyle I hadn't noticed, but now every time I get angry my power rages to burst out and grabbed at the offender's mind with its cold tentacles and rip it apart. Sometimes I start clawing at people's minds in my sleep, and the first time it happened Viktora suppressed my powers before anyone could wake me. I had thought that that was the end of the road for me; that she'd kill me or send me and mother packing, but the scary woman just frowned down at me and started asking mother questions about my ability which mother answered as much as she could. Viktora ruffled my hair after that and said, "you are strong," then she left.
That incident wasn't the end though. I found myself at the receiving end of some mockery by a park of noble ladies at a banquet two months later, who slyly insulted my mother and me thinking as a child I wouldn't understand or couldn't do shit about it. But I was an old bastard that understood everything they meant and got angry. After I was done with my fit one could hardly talk and the other two bled to death. Viktora had suppressed the outcry that should have followed, because, apparently she had strong evidence that all those women have been involved in fraud and treason and I overheard her telling one of her vassals so I struck in the name of the high priest.
That incident brought me hatred, fame, and most of all fear. The priest had awarded me a silver badge of honor for my 'good deed' and forgot about me, at least I reverently wish he forgot since he's old and senile and all. But that did not change the fact that just at six I was able to kill two nobles and cripple one. Nobles that are known for their strong magic powers! I became famous after that as the creepy yet powerful Highvoid cast away by his father. That incident also helped me, I guess, as no one tried to openly offend me anymore. Still it was a lonely life with a wedge between me and everyone. Only three people are really free with me; my mother, Viktora, and Celestine.
Mother because love is blind I guess, I fear to hear what will ever make her hate me; Viktora because my power didn't pose a threat to her, at least the part she knows about; but Celestine was the real talking point here. We grew up together as tight friends but that's no reason for the little princess to be okay with my creepy powers. She even asks me to touch her mind and make her feel things but I declines. She didn't grow up stupid mind you. Just like in the novel she grew up to be an intelligent person. Was it because she has a crush on me that she becomes so reckless? Crush on me? What are you thinking?! I am old enough to be your grandfather. You don't know that do you?
Cvela is a different case. The slave girl actually fear me but doesn't despise me. I know she strongly suspects why she can't stand hours without seeing me was because of some manipulation on my part but she was just a slave and could say nothing. Besides that, she's the one that brought me more problems. A few days after I started living in the Coldfire castle boss lady Viktora approached me when I was alone and said she saw what I did to the poor girl. That she doesn't know if I am too young to understand, but however she loves my mother she'd kill us if I ever touched her daughter's mind. Then she ruffled my hair kindly and left. That was after the night she said I was strong. So to avoid pissing myself in terror, I just chalked it up as my aunt showing me recognition and went on with my life. I can't suffer myself right?
I turned to the side from my seating place leaning against a tree as I heard footsteps approaching. This is the small woods behind the castle that I usual come to hide from the world. They're only two people that I know of that knows of this place. It was one of them; Cvela stepped out from the cover of some trees as she walked over. She was wearing a blue and white medieval dress with fitting blouse and wide skirt. Her blond hair was done up in an up do with her long elfin ears free for anyone to see.
She made a beeline to me as she noticed me. "Master," she said apathetically. "Lady Resfiya calls for you,"
"What happened?" I asked looking up at her.
"A messenger of some sort arrived from the capital."
"What did he say?"
"I'm a slave, how would I know?"
"Fair enough," I said rising. "Let's go and see what brings so much fan fair; I'd rather I am bothered for nothing though." Trouble is, I have been living in relative peace for this past years and I'd been waiting for the other shoe to drop; no way would things go easy for me. Thinking otherwise was just plain stupid.
So me and Cvela went to the castle to see what that was about.