The Lady of Shadows

              The void around me was warm, I could sense the flow around me. I focused on the one sound that drowned out anything else... a pulsing. A steady rhythm of a beating heart. Once I was focused on the sound I realized that I was nothing... A small soon to be being that had not yet entered the world.... I focused on the heartbeat and followed it to see through my mother’s eyes. She was sitting alone in a dark room, hugging her round belly. Tears fell from her eyes, but I could feel a smile on her face.         "My little Shadow... My baby..." She whispered. With that I had sunk back into the dark... and all I knew was that I would protect this woman.... ***4 years later***                 I sat on the floor playing with the blocks mother had brought me. She was busy in the kitchen, so I tried not to bother her. I listened while I played as she spoke with the man over the communication spell circle.              "I'm not sure what to make of her, she is so quiet and well behaved, unlike any child I have seen before. She has wisdom in her eyes, and I think she understands the world around her far better than even I do at times." My mother said. They were discussing me again. I knew that I drew attention and I knew that I was different from the others my age, but was it that odd? The children did not like me, so I stayed alone normally. I showered my mother with affection, but when she was busy I entertained myself...         "Perhaps she is simply bored. School will change that, just one more year. Till then why not get started on teaching her to read and write? She may need a challenge to distract her, after all she is my child." The man's voice said.                  "Yes, My Lord, I will begin at once." Mother answered and the tingling feeling of magic faded from the air. I looked up as she entered the room. Mother smiled at me, "My little Shadow, would you like to learn something new?" She asked. I knew better than to think it was a question. If the man mother called Lord ordered it, it would happen no matter what I wanted. So, I stood and took her hand.                  "Sure mommy." I said. She led me to her study and sat me at her desk. She began showing me the books, explaining that they held all kinds of knowledge. First she handed me a picture book.            "Can you tell me what these are sweetie?" Mother asked pointing to a picture of a deer.                     "Deer. And this one is an elk. Bunny... Cat... Dog..." I went through the picture book quickly. Then I showed mother that I could write the things I saw in the book, as she explained how the letters worked and sounded. This became my daily task while mother cooked and cleaned. Before too long I was reading the advanced books on our people’s history and writing essays to prove I did the reading. Over a few months I learned everything I could from the books mother had, so I went to the market with the allowance I was given and go more books almost daily. I picked up books for many subjects, including behavior studies, martial arts, weapon wielding, weapon crafting, magic casting, and others.         As the year past I took the training from the books and began practicing them. Mother watched me after her task for the day were done and she always had a sad smile on her face. One day just as the season was switching from summer to fall, Mother was called on the circle. She rushed to answer it. I listened from the other room as I usual did while focusing on the task before me. The magic filled the air.                  "My Lord, I apologize for the delay, I was not expecting the summons and was preparing the child's bath..." Mother said.                   "No worries, I realized after casting the call that you may be busy, and I apologize for the interruption. I simply wanted to check on Shadow's progress and see if she was ready for school tomorrow." The man asked.                "My Lord, yes she mastered reading and writing early in the year, and even took it on herself to broaden her skills. She has shown up with martial arts books, magic casting books, hunting books, any skill that she can think of a use for she finds a book and begins studying at once. She is such a smart child..." Mother answered.              "Interesting. I look forward to what the class scholar has to say on her. Such a promising child... And she is a beauty, like her mother." The man said. I could hear my mother sigh.                "You are to kind My Lord." She said. I looked up to the mirror. I looked a lot like my mother, pointed ears, pale skin, small build, green eyes, long silk hair. Though my eyes nearly glowed and my hair was black as a starless sky at night while mother had shiny blond hair.... She was also small in build with a flawless hourglass figure, but she worked hard to ensure the cleaning and cooking where always done, so her hands had grown rough over the years. She was without a doubt beautiful, even among the other elves.             "I look forward to our next meeting. My Lily-Petal." The man said and the magic faded from the air again. I did not like the Lord. He always spoke so gentle to mother, yet he was never around... I was unsure why, but I knew that he was not someone I wanted to be near.           The next morning Mother woke me early and began getting me ready. She fussed over me more than normal as she made sure not even a single hair was out of place. She put me in the nicest dress I had ever owned and made sure I was clean and smelled of Roses and Sage. She was quick to make sure nothing was out of place and that I had a good breakfast.              "Now, Shadow. You know what today is. You go to school. You make sure to let me know if anything happens, okay?" Mother fussed. I nodded. So, I headed to school with mother lecturing me about how to behave and be nice to the other students, and not to speak when the teacher spoke. The list went on. I only half listened as we made our way to the massive building that was the academy. I looked on with mild interest as I considered the things I could learn here, "Alright Shadow... I love you." Mother said hugging me. I rubbed her hand on my cheek putting a protection circle on her without her knowing.              "I love you too, mommy. I'm going to be late if you don't let me go now." I said. She let me go and patted my head. I waved goodbye and headed into the school grounds.             "Shadow..." The teacher called.              "Here." I answered raising my hand.              "Lucky us.... okay with roll call out of the way, we're going to start with basics. Who can read?" The teacher asked. I raised my hand along with five other kids, "Alright I want each of you to read a line from this page..." The teacher flicked his hand and a large image of a book page came into view. The other kids went first, and I was the last. The teacher pointed to a line for me. I read it out loud and kept reading till he told me to stop like the other children... only he did not tell me to stop.... I got to the bottom of the page and I could tell he was mad. I sat down and waited.              "She shouldn't be able to read her mother is a lowly maid." One of the children laughed. "Enough. Who can write?" The teacher demanded. I raised my hand along with the same five children. The teacher summoned us to the board and had us write sentences he read of for us. I again was last, and he gave me a long compound sentence with words that he even had trouble pronouncing. I sighed and wrote it out flawlessly before returning to my seat. This class was going to be annoying.              "She's going to die before the end of the year." Someone whispered. I tilted my head. I could hear them all giggling. This was really going to be annoying.             "You six, have you learned any magic yet?" The teacher asked. We all answered yes, "Fighting?" We all answered yes, "Weapon training?" This time I was the only one to answer yes. Everyone stared at me. I tilted my head again as the whispers echoed around me. That I was a liar or crook. The tingle of magic building filled the air and I locked onto the teacher.              "May I ask why you are building so much magic?" I asked.          "You are a vile stain on the legacy of our people. I will kill you now. No royal children have learned weapon wielding yet so the thought of a lowly brat like you even touching a weapon.... You insult our royalty by even existing. An insult punishable by death." The teacher said. I tilted my head again and sighed. Maybe this class won’t be so annoying after all... I focused my own magic calling on it as if it was as easy as breathing. When the teacher let lose his attach I returned it to him with no effort. He flew through the wall and ended up seven classrooms over.              "I am valid, and it is not my fault these royal children have no skill." I said, "If my existence is an insult to them, it's only because they will never be my equal." Magic filled the air again and this time someone appeared at the front of the class. A man with blood red eyes and hair as black as the pit of hell. He was tall and had a strong jaw and a creepy smile plastered on his face. He was wearing a silk shirt and some fitted pants that made him look polished. His eyes locked onto me before turning to see the teacher struggling to get up. The other children bowed at once, the Royals claiming 'father' as they did.              "My, my... Little Shadow.... did you need to throw him so hard? He still has the class to teach." The man said.              "He attacked me. I only returned his magic back to him." I said coldly. His smile turned to me as his eyes latched on my face.             "You have a bit of an attitude there... do you realize who I am?" He asked.             "The Lord of our kingdom. Yes. That does not mean I owe you respect. I don't like you." I said.              "Mighty words for a child of five years." He laughed. The sound sent a chill down my spine. He creeped me out. The teacher finally made it back to the room with some major injuries, and almost didn't realize who had joined our class. He came spitting curses at me preparing for another attack.             "You vile child... I will see to it that you do not leave here alive!" He yelled.             "Oh, I dare say, I'd love to see you try that." The man laughed.              "My Lord, forgive me I did not see that you had joined us." The teacher bowed at once forgetting me completely.              "Pathetic." I sighed. I turned my gaze to the windows. I behaved for mother, but these people would never get the sweet side of me.              "Again, I say, I would love to see you try to kill her." The man said, "And she in turn has full right to defend herself." "My Lord?" The teacher asked.               "Did I not make it clear?" The Lord asked with a gleam in his eyes. The teacher began to sweat but turned to me. I felt his magic building as well as his unease. I turned and locked eyes with him. I let my magic build until I could feel the pressure on the stones around me. I sighed and a gust of wind knocked the teacher into the wall. I let it build more and the walls began to crumble around the room. The children began to fall to the floor as well as I let my anger surge forward at the cruel things they whispered. They cried in pain, but I had no care for them. The tall man only stared at me with no signs of being affected, but the teacher was the threat now. I shifted focus and moved all the pressure to the one person. He felt the weight and crashed down to the floor instantly, unable to move. I tilted my head and barred down on him as the ground around him began to splinter and he fell through the floor. I let the magic fade once he was out of sight. The children all ran to the man and hid behind him.              "I didn't kill him.... just made sure he can't attack me again." I said. The creepy smile never faded from the Lords face.              "You will begin a new training, tomorrow. You will come to the palace and there you will grow."              "I won't leave my mother. Either train me at my home or don't bother at all." I spat as I stood up. I felt a buzzing at the back of my head. I looked up alarmed. The man never took his eyes off me, and that smile never budged but he was using magic.                "You have done enough acts of defiance today. I have let it go more than enough. I suggest you do not insult me anymore today." The man said. I walked past him and forced my own energy into him. The buzzing stopped as a ring shattered on his finger.                  "I haven't even started. I behave for my mother because she is kind and has more than enough struggles with the jerks making her work harder than needed by trashing her clean halls and dumping her food... You on the other hand, have done nothing for me or her aside for lay your seed." I turned and walked away. I didn't know if I was strong enough to beat him. But considering he was covering the children I knew he would not go atomic just to get me. I left the school and returned home. Mother was cleaning the door when I walked up. I saw the writing before she could stand and hide it. I gritted my teeth.             "You're home early, Shadow."                    "The teacher attacked me because I can read and write. Also, because I know magic and fighting and weapon wielding." I said, "I returned his attack and the Lord showed up and told me to train at the palace. I refused and said that either he could send the trainers here where I can be with you or he could forget it all together." Mother covered her mouth.              "I told you to behave...."She whispered.             "I did. Until they attacked me." I answered waving my hand and removing the vile from the door for her.              "You are only five.... you can't defy our Lord..." Mother started to cry as the circle summoned her.... She walked to it and took a shaky breath, "My Lord..." She began.        "Lily-Petal.... Did the little one makes it home?" The man asked.           "Yes Lord... She is here." Mother looked at me.        "Lovely. She is explosive... I would like for you both to join me here in the palace tomorrow. She made it clear she would not leave you, but I cannot send trainers there, so this is my counteroffer."             "My Lord... you are far to gracious..." Mother said with tears running down her face, "I feared that you would call for her death after what she told me happened...." She fell to the floor and I stepped over to steady her before she fell any farther. Her sobs echoed through the house.             "My children wish that I would, but it would be a waste of such power. I could not simply kill her without seeing how strong she will become." The man said. Mother cried her thanks.             "Mother... Please... Don't cry. I'm fine, and even if they did want to kill me..." I tried to comfort her. "Shadow. Do not think this means you will get off without punishment. You and your mother will be welcome here in the palace, as my consort and child, but you will be punished for your actions today. For starters, you will begin training before dawn and not finish till long after dusk. You will only break for dinner. This will be the first month of your training. Also, until you complete this month, you will sleep in the tower." He said coldly.           "Starving and poor living conditions while being worked to death? Easy. Especially if it means mother doesn't have to work." I said in response. The crackling laugh that come thorough made me cringe.            "You are a very unique child for sure. I look forward to seeing you both, tomorrow." He said and the circle faded as well as the magic in the air. I sighed and helped mother up. I helped run a hot both for us both and we cleaned up. After that I went and packed up the few things I owned. I was going to progress as much as possible.... even as a half breed... A Vampiric Elf... I would make sure no one could hurt my mother....