Sojourney

Chapter Two Part 1

Gwyn woke with a frightening start. Sweat dripped from her face like a rainstorm long

past. Tears leaked from her red rimmed eyes as she struggled to catch her breath. Another

nightmare, wonderful. When would this ever end? She had lost count of the endless nights of

when sleep escaped her. Now that her mentor wasn’t here to guide her, to help her, she didn’t

know what to do. She had completed her training. What other purpose did she have? She scrunched her face as if something acrid permeated the air. No. She did have a purpose.

To avenge her mother.

Although, she didn’t feel strong enough yet. She hugged her pillow tightly to her chest, her

blankets curled around her feet from the unconscious fighting. Wiping her eyes, Gwyn got out of bed and padded across the floor of her bedroom into her bathroom. Thank the gods for indoor plumbing. It was the new turn of the century thing for all the cities across the land. She turned on the bath and filled the tub with steaming water. Maybe the heat would put her muscles at ease. Steam rose and fogged the room. She breathed in the damp heavy air and found some comfort, the heat wrapping itself around her like a blanket. She stripped off her shirt and shorts, slowly sliding into the water as her skin adjusted to the sudden temperature change. A long, soft sigh escaped her lips as her head rested against the edge. What could she be missing? She had all the knowledge she needed to fight and defend herself. She knew how to survive on her own if necessary. She thought about what Demetri had said about the spirits. What if she had a spirit apart of her? So many questions left unanswered that needed answering.

“Lord Darius…” She whispered into the air. Of course, he just might have the answers.

He was the one who had welcomed her and Damian into his city. Damian had even talked to him about the potential dangers their residency in Raytheon could cause and yet he still welcomed them. It was set then. All her pondering left her sitting in luke warm water, goose bumps covered her arms and beaded her n*****s to hard tips. She left the tub, drained the water and toweled off. She quickly dressed in a loose black long sleeve shirt and blue flowing silk pants that hung around her ankles. She was trained to wear loose clothing to allow better movement for fighting but not so much that would consume her. This was to her own comfort. Gwyn wrapped her mask around

her head and slipped on her sandals. It may have been the middle of the night but she was

determined to get answers. For ten long years, the questions haunted her with the number only

growing. She left her house that was on the outskirts of the city near the Great Wall. She felt

comfortable living near the structure. It made her feel safe.

“But I guess everyone thinks of it that way.” She mused to herself. Looking up, the Great

Wall towered over her at least two hundred feet high and thick ten feet. The wall was made

centuries ago with limestone and rock. Centuries of age allowed the vines to climb over it and the surface to wither and blacken. If looked at carefully, one could see the imprints of sea shells from the Cerulean Sea throughout the wall. Not only did it stretch so high and thick but the wall also surrounded the city in warm arms full of promise of safety and protection. She ran a hand across its surface and sighed.

Gwyn looked to the city, the moonlight shined upon the ancient ruins between the

cloud-covered skies. The vines and over growth of trees made it look like it was in ruins and that

the forest took back its once untouched land. In the center was the palace in which the vines

climbed their way to the top of the pyramid-like structure. The blossoms of the famous flowers

glimmered silver in the moonlight. As Gwyn made her way towards the palace, she stuck to the shadows that the adobe homes had cast. It was easy enough to remain unseen by any who were up at this hour. The streets were silent and the light of the moon made the various homes, shops and limestone roads appear gray in the night. The stars twinkled overhead and an owl’s hoot echoed through the trees.

The wind breezed its way through the streets, rustling the foliage and the branches above. It

made its way toward Gwyn and played with the ends of her hair, tickling the back of her neck.

She smiled. She could almost hear the wind whispering sweet nothings into her ear and giving her promises of her success in her late-night venture.

She climbed her way up the stairs of the palace and snuck into a hallway. Every now and then she’d come upon a wooden oak table with a vase of flowers and a few paintings decorated the gray walls although, the dark was so deep she could not make out details of the artwork. She followed her instinct down the long hallway

and up a set of access stairs. The floor echoed her whispered steps against the smooth stone and a chill seemed to follow her the deeper she went. She rubbed her arms to warm them with the hard friction she created until the light

scraping of sandals neared. A guard? Perhaps it was a servant? Either way, a warm candle light

stretched from down the hallway moving closer to her. Luckily there was yet another table with a

green cloth covering that reached the floor. Quickly, she dove underneath the table and tucked her legs. She could barely keep her toes from peeking out at the edge. The light grew stronger, the footsteps louder. She held her breath trying not to make a sound. The sandaled person walked by without a single hitch in their step. She let out a breath as soon as the footsteps started to fade and the glowing light dimmed. She crawled out from under the table with a smile and turned to continue her mission.

As she turned, she took a step forward and bumped into what seemed like a clothed wall, but it wasn’t. It was a chest, a man’s chest with soft silk clothing of white and blue. She looked up into the man’s eyes, they were brown and framed with long black hair. Wrinkles spread from the corners of his eyes and mouth.

“Now what would you be doing here at this hour?” His voice was deep and echoed off

the walls. His puzzled look went well with his question. The man grabbed her arm before she had the chance to turn and bolt for her safety. Her breathing grew heavy as she looked for an

excuse.

“I-I’m just a-uh-looking-I mean I’m here to make sure the flowers in these vases were

still fresh from this morning.” The man raised a thick brow clearly unconvinced.

“I can tell that you are lying. Don’t mistake me for an old fool.” His tone hardened as did

the pressure on her arm. She sighed, her shoulders slumped forward.

“I was going to see Lord Darius.” She explained. She didn’t want to lie and damage any more trust than she already had. The man raised both brows this time, intrigued by her

admission.

“Now, what could you want with him?” He asked. He led her down the hall keeping his

grip on her arm firm but softer than before.

“I think I should leave that between myself and Lord Darius. He might be able to help me

and I don’t particularly want my business shared with the rest of the world.” Her tone went from

soft and innocent to sarcastic and defensive. She wasn’t going to tell just anyone what she

needed to know, what she might be. He let out a small chuckle from deep within his chest and

looked at her once more, smiling.

“Well you are in the most excellent of hands. I am Lord Darius.” This time Gwyn raised

an unconvincing brow. She never knew what Lord Darius looked like in the first place.

“How do I know you are telling the truth?” That should do the trick. She made sure she would not be bested by an old man. He smiled again as he led her through another hallway to the left. After a few short steps, they came upon an oak door carved with swans and weeping willows. The swans had a golden shimmer in their feathers that complimented their extended

wings and near the top dots of gold blanketed, acting like stars. The old man pushed through the door and behind it was a good size study, the walls littered with shelves filled with books and various objects in between. The stone floor was tucked away by an intricately woven rug

depicted of yet more swans to match to the door. To the back was a large oak desk piled with books and papers, behind it was a grand chair fitting for a lord. Intricate gold inlay twisted within the desk and soft velvet decorated the back and seat of the chair. He released her arm to take his place in that grand chair, gesturing for her to follow suit. He took one of the lamps and blew onto the cold wick quickly igniting it for light. Her mouth gaped in shock.

“How…” but she was cut off by his knowing glance. He held out his hand and on it was a

ring. She leaned forward to see it better and there on his ring was the symbol of Raytheon’s royals. A rich circle cut emerald surrounded by the mouth of a snake. It was the crest of Lord

Darius’ family. He continued to smile as he pulled his hand away.

“Only ask what you need. Otherwise all other knowledge to you would be a waste.” He

told her. She scrunched up her face. That wasn’t true. All knowledge isn’t a waste and Gwen

wanted to know everything. But where to start?

“How did you light that candle with only your breath?” Her eyes flicked to the wick then

back to Lord Darius.

“There are things in this world most people do not know or understand. People such as

yourself would be one of those unknown things. Magic allows me to do things others cannot. I

can light a fire, bring forth darkness, and many other things. I have studied it most of my life and in doing so it allowed me not to only gain power but also knowledge and wisdom that is spread from across the land. But I can sense that you did not come to know about magic.”

Gwen shook her head slightly then crooked it to the side.

“It might have some deal in magic. I want to know about spirits. I want to know what I

am. Why do I have marks on my face? Why have people shunned me?” Her questions flowed out

of her with ease. The more questions that came, the lighter she felt for asking.