|
The First With the Last Ch. 1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The First With the Last
A Tale of Karinda Drathone
Chapter I
Summons
The chill of the autumn night kissed Karinda’s skin, the crisp smell of browning leaves, earth, mildew, and fresh scent of an earlier drizzle lingering in the air. She had her hands clasped over her stomach, the dampness of the grass beneath her back soaking into her thick, red and black dress. The seventeen-year-old girl’s insanely vibrant blue eyes gazed at the billions of specks of light in the sea of black sky looking back at her.
With a smile, Karinda closed her eyes and let the sounds of the night fill her ears, some noises she had come to know only a short while past after her initiation into the Clan—her Clan—of elves.
Crickets sung in the forest surrounding her clearing, their chorus joined by the rustling of animals and the gentle creaking voices of the trees as they spoke to one another in a language of their own.
Her head tilted to the side as the nearly indiscernible sound of footsteps emerged into the clearing, the grass rustling gently beneath the light steps of another.
A smile spread across Karinda’s face as the quiet footfalls grew slightly louder as they neared. The steps fell still near her head. The elf's familiar scent, reminiscent of the sickly-sweet scent of many herbs mixed together, sent a tingle of excitement down her spine.
With a swift movement, Karinda reached over her head, grabbed the legs of her watcher, and pulled.
A masculine shout filled the clearing as the boy behind her fell onto his back.
With a mischievous smile, Karinda sprang up with more speed than she had once thought possible, and placed her hands on the ground to either side of the boy’s head, her hair falling over her shoulders.
The boy beneath her laughed and placed his arms on her thin waist. “Could you tell just by me steps that it was I who approached?” the boy questioned, beaming at her.
“Nay. ‘Twas your smell that gave you away.” Karinda returned his smile. Moving aside and sitting on her haunches, watched as he sat up.
The light of the full moon gave the boy's medium-length green hair a silver sheen, and his purple eyes seemed to glow.
“You kept me waiting, Zarn,” Karinda scolded, her brows rising.
“Aye, love,” Zarn moved his right hand and tenderly fingered the swirling silver marks adorning the left side of Karinda’s face--evidence of her acceptance. The girl moved one of her hands to his. “But ‘twas for a reason you shall appreciate.”
“And what reason,” she began with a playful pout, “could possibly make your delay worthwhile?”
“Erador stopped me on my way to meet you.” Zarn eyed Karinda as the girl inhaled, and moved his hand through her long, brown hair. A small smile rose the corner of his mouth. “He guessed my destination and requested I pass along a summons from the Council. You are to be given your first Task.”
“Forsooth?” Karinda exclaimed giddily, grinning from ear to ear.
“Aye, my human elf.” Zarn mimicked Karinda’s smile. “They are expecting you tonight when the moon rises to its peak.”
Karinda leaned forward and embraced Zarn, the sleeves of her dress draping downward. Zarn eagerly returned the gesture.
“I must tell Elessar!” Karinda pulled away, her eyes lingering on his for a moment longer than necessary before they shifted to the moon. It hung low on the horizon, giving her nearly half an hour before she had to meet the Council.
Zarn took hold of Karinda’s hand and pulled her up. Drawing her body close to his, his familiar woodsy scent filled her nostrils, making her heart beat slightly faster.
“May I escort you, Madam Drathone?” Zarn whispered, the warm breath of his words brushing over her lips.
Karinda smiled at the use of the name of her elven family. “T’would be an honor, Sir Faladel, to be accompanied by one filled with such skill and bravery as yourself.”
“Then let us depart.” Zarn took hold of both Karinda’s hands. Releasing one, he suddenly turned and darted toward the forest.
Karinda shouted in surprise as he half-dragged her behind him until her feet finally caught pace with his.
“I suspect,” Karinda began, “I could easily outrun you now.”
“Is that so?” Zarn chuckled and glanced at her, humor visible in his eyes amid the shadows of the forest, their darkness lightened in the elves’ enhanced perception. “I doubt that statement, though only one means exists to test your words,” he finished, his challenge heavy in his voice.
“The last to arrive at the city’s bounds receives stable duty upon the morrow’s dawn!” Pulling her fingers from his, Karinda ran ahead.
“A deed most fowl!” Zarn called after her gleefully, his pace quickening to a run.
Karinda laughed at him and glanced behind her, but Zarn was nowhere to be found. Returning her attention ahead, she jumped over a bush.
Karinda skidded to a halt as Zarn’s form materialized out of a shadow in front of her, the two nearly colliding.
“Fie on you, you wayword milk-livered scut!” Karinda scolded through a laugh as Zarn ran on ahead, his own laughter echoing hers as she rushed to catch up.
“You possess power over wind! Use it to grant you an advantage!” Zarn turned toward Karinda, his pace slowing as he hurried backwards.
“I hath little control over it as of yet!” she whined, taking advantage of Zarn’s slowed pace.
With her a couple feet from him, Zarn stopped suddenly, ready for the impact of Karinda as she ran into him.
“Then advance in it by preventing me from arriving home first.” Without waiting for Karinda to answer, he darted back through the shadowy forest.
Karinda glared after him, his pace mockingly sluggish. With a deep breath, she focused on the chilled air around her, willing the strange, new sensation of power to flow through her veins as she hurried after Zarn to keep him in her sight.
Releasing her breath, she pushed her arm forward. A rush of wind extended from her, fulgurating toward Zarn’s legs.
The boy shouted as the condensed air slammed into the back of his knees, forcing him tumbling forward.
“Zounds!” Karinda exclaimed in surprised joy. Stopping beside Zarn with a slight bounce, she offered him a hand up.
“Aye, ‘zounds’ indeed!” Zarn accepted the helping hand, refusing to let go as the two strode through the forest, their fingers interlinked as they made their way to the well-hidden elven city they called home.
END CHAPTER
 Siaya Dragalorn · Sat Jul 20, 2013 @ 08:26pm · 1 Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
