Chapter Two

Chapter Two;

The rising morning sun didn’t comfort her any more then the woman in the shop had. It just meant another day of doing senseless chores for her father. She would be ordered to do all his dirty word.

Lissie slipped out of the house once the sun gave enough light to see without lighting a candle. Lissie was always up early. It had been that way her whole life. She walked the streets without caution. What happened last night would not affect her today. Each day was like a clean slate, that’s what she thought. She was heading to the town square, to buy food for her father. She would be using the money she stole last night. She was walking against the crowed, dodging bodies and fast paced shoppers who were determined to buy something before someone else could.

“Come witness the power of magic.” Many people gathered around this man, and Lissie groaned. She couldn’t pass them all; she was shoved in with the huge crowed. She got pushed down, where she landed right in front of the man.

“Oh, what’s this?” He said, once Lissie fell right at his feet. “Let me help you up.” Then, without touching her, the man simply folded his fingers back and Lissie shot up to a stand again.

“Don’t play your sinister magic games with me, mage.” Lissie threatened.

“Oh, touchy touchy!” The man smiled, and the crowed laughed with him.

“You’re wasting my time, fools. Let me through.” Lissie began to pry at the crowed.

“Oh, no, don’t let her through!” The man cautioned. “Let us have some fun with her, first.”

“Oh, mage. If you plan to toy with me I will cut your throat open. Do not doubt I won’t do it!” Lissie slid her dagger out from her boot and held it to the man. The mage smiled, and the dagger flew out of her hand and stuck straight from the ground.

“Very well, you have my attention.” Lissie held her hands up with defeat.

“Now then, I will ask a series of questions. With these answered, I will be able to tell you your future. Fair enough?”

“Sure, whatever will make you leave me alone.” Lissie took a seat on a chair instructed by the mage.

“Now, girl, what is your name?”

“Avalin.” Lissie bluffed.

“She starts off with a lie, how generic.” Lissie squinted her eyes.

“Why would I lie about my name, mage?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe you don’t want people to know who you are… Or perhaps you’re afraid of being caught for something you did…?” Lissie pretended not to be affected. “Your name begins with L, does it not?”

“What of it?” Lissie asked.

“What is your true name, so we can continue?”

“Lissie.” She gave in, pretending it was no big deal.

“Okay, very well. And Lissie, how old are you?”

“I’m eighteen.” Lissie didn’t lie this time. Her age didn’t matter to her one bit.

“What is your favorite color?” He asked now.

“Can I interrupt you for a moment?” Lissie asked now, curious.

“What is it you want?”

“You know my real name. I think I should know yours.” Lissie nodded. He noticed it was a fair request.

“If you must know, my name is Quince. I don’t see why it concerns you. May we continue?”

“How do I know you’re not lying?” Lissie asked, avoiding as many questions as possible. The crowed had thinned out now, but a few people still remained.

“I don’t lie. Now! What is your favorite color?”

“Yellow,” said Lissie.

“Very well, what are you doing today?”

“Buying food for my father, I was sent by an order. You know, I won’t be the least bit disappointed if I find he starved to death. Please, take your time.” The mage let out a chuckle, and his whole body shook.

“You’re very strange, Lissie. I like you.” He smiled. Lissie had never been told she was liked. She held back a smile. “Now what bad things has your father done that you would allow him to starve to death?”

“That doesn’t concern you.” Lissie had lost her feeling of happiness just as fast as she’d gained it.

“Okay, I’ll avoid all topics including family.” He nodded at her.

“You may ask about my mother.” Lissie said softly.

“Alright, what of your mother?” Quince squinted his eyes, as if he were truly interested, and not just doing it as some test.

“My mother died when I was born. Its part of the reason my father hates me so. He blames me for her death. He won’t as much as look at me. It’s not like I could change weather my mother died or not! It’s not like I wanted her to die, either!”

“Oh-Kay.” Quince said quietly. “I think that’s enough questions.” Lissie agreed. She had already told him too much.

“I- I’m leaving now.” Lissie stood up, and pulled her dagger from the ground. She didn’t look back at Quince until she knew for sure the crowed would cover him. Lissie let out a low sigh. She had told him far too much. She couldn’t tell her father a word of this. He would hear nothing of how she had exposed her name, and about how she was treated cruelly. She prayed to Salamis, god of secretes, that Quince would tell no one of the facts he learned today.

Lissie gained the bread for her father, and decided to stroll along the lake to clear her mind. What had she been thinking, telling that mage all those things? Had he been playing mind tricks on her? She would never let anyone get that close to her. She trusted no one with any piece of information about her or her past.

She decided, after nearly a half an hour after pondering her own mistakes, it’d be best to return home. Her father wouldn’t be happy with how late she was; it had to be nearly lunch time by now. On her way home, Quince met her gaze again, in the middle of performing some kind of cleansing aura. Lissie glared at him. Mages couldn’t be trusted no matter what. They can say they will help you, but truth is, their magic will just avert your mind to think they are.

Lissie crept into her father’s house quietly. He was there though, waiting for her.

“Finally, you return!” Lissie lowered her head.

“Yes,” she said, timidly.

“Don’t be skittish; give me what you got now, girl!” Lissie handed over the bread to him, and hustled to the other side of the room.

“F-father?” Lissie dared to ask, his head shot to her.

“What?”

“What do you know of the mage Quince?”

“Quince? Why do you ask of him? Did you talk to him? Girl, you best not have.”

“No no! I did of no such thing. I just saw him in the town today and"“

“Don’t as much as talk to that boy. He’s evil itself.” Lissie knew her dad would know a thing or two about him, he knew about everyone.

“Why what has he done?” Lissie turned towards her father now, curious.

“He reads minds like books, that evil b*****d.”

“B*****d? Is he truly a b*****d?”

“How should I know?” Her father raised his hands. Lissie could tell he was hiding something from her, but she let it go for the time being. So it was so; that mage Quince knew all about her. He knew her secrets. Lissie panicked, and left for her room. Before writing down what had happened that day in a small journal of her mothers she had found in a chest in the basement, Lissie prayed that Quince would tell no one of her secrets.

The night soon drew near, after Lissie had finished eating her dinner. She took a cold bath, and used her dirty shirt to dry her hair. She lay on the roof, wide eyed and optimistic. She couldn’t stop thinking about how much she risked now that it was a fact that Quince knew she was a thief. She prayed again, that he would tell no one.

From the window below her, she heard a light knocking on her door. She grabbed the edge of the gutter, and swung back into her room. She walked quickly to her door, and opened it. She was thoroughly shocked when she saw her dad there.

“Y-yes?” Lissie asked, confused.

“I need to talk to you about something you mentioned.”

“Quince?” Lissie asked, because that is one of the only times she had mentioned anything to him.

“Uh, yes.” He nodded. Lissie noted that he seemed less of a threat right now. He seemed like any other old man.

“Oh, come in I guess.” Lissie held the door open to him. He swaggered in the room, and sat on her bed. Lissie stayed standing.

“Quince is a b*****d.” He said, seemingly random, too.

“Oh? To whom?” Lissie pushed.

“To me and a village girl who died long ago.”

“What?” Lissie blanked. “He- you, I have a brother?”

“Half brother.” He corrected. “When you were born, your mother found out about Quince. I had messed up; the woman I really loved was your mother. I was out late one night drinking, and-“

“Get on with it.” Lissie pushed.

“I met the mage woman outside of the bar. She was charming all the men there with her words and tricks; she tricked me into sleeping with her. It wasn’t really of my doings.” Lissie didn’t respond. She paused and waited for him to continue. “He was born only days apart from you; I had to leave you and your mother many times to check up on him. Your mother was smart, she knew something was wrong. When she asked about it I couldn’t lie. I had to bring the babe to our home, the mage woman left him on the street one day, I couldn’t just leave him… I despised his powers, but your mother was most charmed with the boy. She grew to love him more then me or you. She left with him one day without saying a word to you or I. I haven’t seen her since.”

“So mother still lives?” Lissie’s hands were shaking.

“Yes, yes. When you were young I didn’t want you knowing your mother had deceived us.”

“So you blamed me for her death? What great parenting.”

“I never blamed you! I may have been upset that she left us, but I certainly never blamed you!”

“But you always seemed so cold… I could swear you hate me.”

“I don’t love you, but I don’t rightly hate you, either.” Lissie felt dizzy. Her father, whom has socially abandoned her her whole life, was now saying he didn’t hate her. “But I still am a thief, and I still will order you around.”

“That’s more like it.” Her father said nothing more, and left for the door.

“And if I find out you go searching for her, I’ll force upon you hell.” Lissie shuddered at the thought. “Don’t you dare speak a word to Quince about this, either.” He left her to sleep then, and Lissie could barely keep her balance. He had given her five minutes to absorb information such as her mother wasn’t dead, and she had a brother. She went to bed insecure this night, insecure about her whole life. 

 

Author's Note

Chapter two

Reviews

[M.E.Lyle]

Both chapter one and two are captivating pieces of work. They keep you guessing...what's going on here. We seem to share a common trait, the over use of commas. I always find myself wondering where to put them. Sometimes my work ends up in a terrible mess leaving me to clean it up time and time again. Other than that, I love your story thus far.