Chapter Two: Heiresses and Airs

Meet Nia and Sil. They're both quite... out there. In which Nia puts Sil back in his place Warning: Language and Sexual themes

Chapter Two: Heiresses and Airs

            Footsteps tapped against the floor tip tip tip tip -- high heels --  no doubt some expensive brand considering who they belonged to. There was a pause and a pair of chocolate colored arms reached out, swinging two stained glass double doors open with a flourish. Obviously old habits died hard. The girl (no not a girl, she hadn’t been a girl for almost two years now) -- lady -- Nia Sydney stood regally on her balcony. There was an irritated set to her jaw as she looked down. Her sinfully shaped dress billowed slightly at the slit where her right leg could be seen from the thigh below.

            Nia’s heard it all. She really had. It’s something that came with being a heiress. Listening to the whispers and jeers behind her back. The talk of women and girls. The talk of cowards. Nobles who can do nothing but gossip, trying to break her from below. Trying to get even when ultimately she’d just throw them all away. Because she always did.

 She is such a b***h.

 I heard she has like these raging sex parties that last for days.

Ridiculous. They didn’t last days. Not even she had that much stamina. But that didn’t matter, she just smiled prettily at those would be sycophants, those ladies that don’t meet the status quo, and tossed her auburn hair over her shoulder. Jealous was all they were. With all their fancy make-up and nail-polish and annoyingly high, nerve wracking giggling. It was infuriating! All those girls had were their little tiara’s and pretty gowns to fan their whiny little faces --

She reached out a hand and touched the railing. Calm down. Grow up. You are not a little girl anymore. You’re almost twenty, Nia. Act like it. She berated herself and took in a shaky breath. The stone was cold and smooth under her fingers -- just like always -- never changing, and she closed her eyes. The spark of her Tower -- that proud beacon of strength that spoke of just how powerful her will was -- flickered weakly in her heart. It was still there but the connection was  nothing like she was used to it being. It felt murky. Clouded. Polluted. Suppressed.  Her expression twisted from one of almost calm to a distasteful grimace.

Here she goes again.

She could feel Marc’s cold grip in the back of her mind. A lightly tied noose, waiting to pull her in if she went out of line. It was a constant weight, a reminder of just who -- her eye twitched -- was in charge. Nia pursed her lips. God she hated being one of the Suppressed.

She hated anything that wasn’t in her control.

Just another thing to be mad at.

Jealous little c***s. Her mind leaped again onto that train of thought. Jealous of her status, jealous of her looks, jealous of everything she represented. Power. Glory. Intelligence.

Sex.

Well they were right she knew. She was a b***h. She did really like sex and, of course, she always got even. She’s an heiress -- born to be a queen --she couldn’t just let rumors and insults fly around like that, even if they were true.

 So she’d strut down halls and into parties like she owned them, and well -- she did. She knew all the men looked at her and only her. At her exotically toned skin. At the way her outfit hugged her in all the right places. At how she wasn’t afraid to show off her… assets. She smirked and turned her attention outward once more. She took note of just how tall Marc’s tower was.

            Long way to go.

Her auburn hair flew wildly around her and clouds black as tar swirled angrily. Piss poor weather. Someone’s antsy, she thought as she glanced up hundreds of feet past the many spires and balconies. Her green eyes flashed to where she knew Marc resided. At the very top. Under his f*****g dome. Wonder who pissed him off this time. Nia drummed her fingers against the railing. Probably Sil, that boy’s always doing something.

Suddenly something crashed in her room. The sound was muffled slightly by another man’s shout and curse. Nia felt her temple begin to throb with irritation.

“Man, I’m so f****n’ bored.” Sil’s voice echoed from inside her room. Speak of the devil.  It was loud and raunchy, just like everything else about him. Probably the only reason why she hung out with him to be honest. He was entertaining. Why else would she -- especially with her standing -- associate with a Ward 3 mongrel?

Nia turned around and walked back in her room. “What the hell are you doing?” she paused. “Scratch that: Where the hell are you?”

It took a moment but she finally spotted a pair of black muddy combat boots sticking up behind a fallen chair. One that now lay on its back. His feet swayed in the air dropping flecks of drying dirt to the floor. Sil poked his head up, a crazy mop of black, dark green and blonde dyed hair coming into view. Beads and bangles jingled with the sudden movement. He always wore interesting hairstyles and the hair on the right side of his head was styled differently than the long straightened lightly gelled locks that covered the center and left sides. The right was braided into tight scalp hugging braids that were interwoven into an intricate design with bits of metal.

“Yo princess,” he nodded in her direction and light reflected off the ring on the middle of his bottom lip. The boy (she refused to call him a man even if they were the same age) was covered in them. Four implanted studs lay permanently in his flesh. Two in the gap between his eyes: one resting on the left side of the dip between nose and forehead and the other on the right. Another two lay above and below the tip of his right eyebrow. The side closest to the right ear.

 

Nia rolled her eyes and made her way over. “Don’t call me that, I’m not a princess, I’m an-- .”

“ -- heiress yeah yeah I know, hun” he cracked his neck and the beginnings of a tattoo could be seen where his jacket pulled away from his skin. She knew if he was standing she’d be seeing more. He never did wear a shirt and he never did zip up. She vaguely remembered Sil telling her the reason behind it, some weird Ward 3 custom she couldn’t be bothered to remember. All she knew was -- well -- his body was nothing to sniff at.

Another reason she kept him around.

Nia crossed her arms. “Don’t call me that.”

Sil rolled his eyes. One was an unusually vibrant green and the other was an almost white blue. “Don’t get your panties in a royal twist your bitchiness.” He began kicking his feet against the bottom of the chair. His baggy cameo drawstring pants crinkling with the action.

“I’d have your tongue cut out for that, if we were in Ward 2.”

“Well good thing we aren’t in Ward 2 huh?” Sil jumped up and Nia got a glimpse of his full glory. Tanned skin that rippled with lean muscle and was covered in a mass of swirling black lines and scars. He walked over to her and lifted her chin.

“So, when are we gonna get to f**k huh?”

Nia batted his hand away and took a deliberate step back so she could look him in the eye without looking up. “Never.”

Sil made a tcching noise and spit on the floor. She couldn’t remember what that meant either. Probably f**k you.

“You’ll come ‘round ‘ventually, I know you’ve managed to f**k just about every boy in this damn tower,” He leaned down to whisper in her ear. “When are ya’ gonna f**k a real man.”

Nia slapped him. “Apparently not for a long while yet,” her regal airs returned to her with full force, “seeing as this Tower doesn’t have any.”

Sil glared and rubbed his cheek but said nothing else.

“Now come on dog, I think it’s about time to meet our newest guest, he should be arriving shortly.”

She flexed her Tower, a small portion of it, just the base. It was an elegant crimson red made of a perfectly smooth stone of her creation. It swirled in a spiral steadily upward materializing above her with a rough crackling noise like static electricity and glass grinding, stopping just below the ceiling a good twenty feet higher. Sil may not respect women but she did know what he did respect. Power. And her Tower even Suppressed was greater and more vibrant than his own.  A door appeared behind her. She turned the knob and opened it. It led to Marc’s Tower’s lobby more than a hundred floors below. She could see the back of Marc’s tall, dignified, regal form about ten feet away. He turned as if sensing the eyes on him. He probably did.  Marc raised an eyebrow and brought a glass of something dark amber to his lips. Whiskey most likely. He moved nothing else but the command was still vibrantly there. Come.

Nia made a face. She hated how much authority Marc had even with such small actions.

God she hated being Suppressed.

“Let’s go.”

 

 

Author's Note

*****NOTE CHAPTER 1 HAS IMPORTANT EDITS THAT MAY EFFECT YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF LATER CHAPTERS!! ******

WOOT got past le road block of this chapter. As some may know Nia was a really difficult character for me to write coming across as many shades that were seemingly contradictory at first so i had to re-start like 3 times. Lol well you know what they say. Third times the charm. Anyway we meet the final 2 main characters for the majority of the book. We still have to introduce the boy/girl from Ward 5 but that won't come til later. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter! Who's thine fav character so far? Calum? Marc? Nia? Sil?
Did I describe Sil well? I'm not sure if his physical description came across clearly or not.
Also was the description for Nia's Tower understandable? Did you get a good visual?
Well actually. Do you UNDERSTAND the concept of the Tower or are you just kinda going huuuuuuurrrr what? Right now?
Anyway the next chapter won't be up until I write the prologue sooo PROLOGUE THAN CHAP 3! (God I'm so backwards huh?)

Reviews

[crystalandra]

I thought this was a great chapter and the descriptions that you used were fantastic as usual. I am still a bit fuzzy about what the Tower is and what it represents but I am certain as you delve further into the story you will explain its concept. It is interesting that I can somehow feel a tenseness around the characters involved which adds an air of intrigue to your story. Great work and as far as which character I like, well it is hard to say right now as you have just introduced them. Nevertheless, you have done a fantastic job.

[Tsukin Archangel]

Thank you! And yes, I realize I haven't really properly delved into the Towers. I need to figure out a place to really get into that, without just saying "yes indeed. Towers are blah blah blah and do such n such" I'M GLAD YOU'RE ENJOYING IT THOUGH!

[crystalandra]

Ooh one thought, you can introduce the concept of the tower as a flashback or perhaps even a dream sequence. But otherwise, can't wait to read the next chapter when you have it up.

[Tsukin Archangel]

Hmmm that might actually work, thanks! And I started chapter 3 last night lol. Got like a page of it so far.

[K.M. Lucero]

I have to say I have a love/hate relationship with Sil. He is a very interesting character. Kinda out there and yet he is very cocky. Still, he is my fav. I think you did a great job with his description. My only question is are the beads and bangles the same as the metal that is woven into his braids? I was a bit confused there.
Nia definitely seems to be a b***h but I like her character. She has attitude and it seems like it is needed to deal with the guys.
I still do not understand the concept of the tower. I feel like it could be their protective magical layer? Not too sure let but it makes me want to learn more. In this chapter Nia's tower leads to Marc's which is below her own so does that mean they can be layered? Give me time I will get it, I promise!

I had fun in this chapter and want more! So I hope you are already working on chapter 3 seeing as the prologue is done! This chapter is meatier than chapter 1 so I can tell you are getting excited about your story. That's what happens to me a lot!

Keep it up and Happy Writing!

[Tsukin Archangel]

Yes I have a love/hate relationship with like BOTH Sil and Nia. I fear some of Nia's bitchiness comes from the fact that I had to restart this chapter 3 times cause SHE WOULDN'T MAKE UP HER MINNNDDDDDDDD! (Persona wise) So I think my frustration kinda bled into her. And yeah Sil. He's fun... he's probably the grungiest of the group. but honestly he was really easy to write.

And yeah. Dem Towers. I really need to figure out a spot where I can just SAY exactly what they are and what they do. The Tower's aren't based in magic. The concept is actually closer ot sci-fi than fantasy. It's based in the mind so they're actually psychic based. A physical manifestation of that person's mental will. And from there its a matter of exerting that will on the physical world around them. They're also unique to the person.

Well yes technically they CAN be layered as that's what the Collective is. A party of 10 that merged their towers into one thus giving them a wider sphere of influence and connecting their minds fully. But that's not what Nia did. She just partially manifested hers to fit in the room seeing as Marc's Tower is where they live. Soooo that gives you an idea of how big it is that his entire population can reside in his Tower. It's why he pretty much always knows everything going on in his Ward.

And I'm definitely excited!!! It's not that I wasn't for chapter 1 it was more so the fact that I was like worried bout it being too long and people going "EWWWW that scroll bar - leaves-" which is why it was the shortest. But considering now I've finished the prologue and thats like 2x as long I can probably add more to chap 1 if I can think of anything. Maybe an extra Calum scene. Probably that LOL.

Chapter 3 is in the works~ So it'll probably be up in a few days!

[K.M. Lucero]

Great it sounds like you have most of it worked out just need to get it into the story and I can't wait!

[Tsukin Archangel]

oh yah. I have like everything like the science and history of the world set lol. Spent like 3 days on that part b4 I even started writing lol