Chapter 1

working on it

C H A P T E R

 

1

 

 

    Talic leaned beside one of the front windows to Mrs. Ormaley's dress shop and peered into it at Sister Emera as she talked with the old shop keeper. She flashed him a smile and he waved at her with a grin of his own before turning back around. He tugged self-consciously at the gloves that fit over his hands. He wanted to remove them to check on the bandages wrapped from his hands and on up to his shoulders, but dared not do it with so many people around.

 

    "Such a pain you are," he said looking at the gloves.

 

    Since he had failed the final test things had not been the same for him. The back lash from it had sent him into a coma that had held almost two years. When he had finally come out of it he had needed to go through grueling months of physical therapy as the magic weaved by the Elementals and the Hedge Wizards had failed to heal his body. He wondered if his mind had been healed in the process, because things never felt right for him anymore.

 

    Talic shrugged his shoulders. He had never been the melancholy type before he had failed the testing, so it irked him that he had these bouts now. The Sisters had told him it was natural to go through such after going through what he had gone through, but he couldn't believe it. Hedge Master Noriel had tried to teach him calming techniques to banish it, but he felt foolish having to learn such. It was like he was having to learn everything all over again!

 

    "Excuse me sir, but could you give us directions?"

 

    Talic jerked out of his introspection and turned his head to find the voice of the person who had spoken. He found himself staring into almond-shaped vivid blue eyes of a girl around his age. He wiped all expression from his face and regarded the girl cooly.

 

    "Directions to what?" he asked. He held back a frown as the girl looked him up and down rather boldly. He blinked and looked away from her stare glad that the gloves covered the bandages and the long sleeves and short jacket covered the rest.

 

    "I've only recently arrived here," the girl continued. She paused as if to gather her thoughts and flipped her long black hair away from her eyes. "I'm looking for a place to stay for me and my guardian." She waved backwards vaguely.

 

    Talic followed the direction and looked at a much older woman further up the walk surrounded by luggage. She looked back at him with a bemused look. He turned his eyes back to the girl and returned her bold look with one of his own. He would be dalyoned if he would let her unnerve him.

 

    "If you go up further and turn the corner you can find lodging at the Wondering Holder's Inn," he said. "They have several people who would be happy to help you and your guardian with whatever luggage you have. I take it you arrived by the coach and going by all I see, you both plan on staying here a while."

 

    The girl flashed him a dazzling smile. "Thank you so kindly! My name is Alerial. We've come all the way from Ferimishan. The first thing I'm going to get is a nice long bath!"

 

    Talic couldn't help but grin then he frowned. "Did you Ferimishan?" At the girls nod his grin widened. "You came all the way from there? How is it there? I've heard so much about it and read a number of books about it! Is it true the Winged Knights of Galdrian still march at the Tomb of Cerivus?"

 

    Alerial nodded her head. "They do! You have to go there one day to witness it. Books don't do it justice! What is your name again?"

 

    "Talic," Talic said. What did his name matter? She had come all the way from far off Ferimishan! What he wouldn't give to be able to make a journey like that. It had to be almost two thousand or more miles from here. Why Alerial would leave the wonders of the Obsidian City for dusty old Yligian he couldn't fathom.

 

    "It's very nice," Alerial said. She glanced back at her guardian before drawing closer to Talic. She glanced back again then lowered her voice just for his ear. "I can tell you of the other wonders I've seen on my journey too. Wonders that even come close to rivaling those of Fermishan." She reached and tapped Talic lightly on one arm and winked.

 

    "Don't touch me!" Talic snarled moving away from the girl. His dark eyes flashed in anger as he put more distance between the two of them. He didn't care about the alarmed look upon the girls face. He couldn't stand anyone touching him. The feel of others made his skin crawl and made him ill.

 

    "What's wrong?" Alerial asked. "What did I do?"

 

    "Just stay back," Talic said movin further away. "Don't...don't talk to me. I need to go." He looked into the window again and saw Sister Emera making her way towards him with a compassionate look upon her face. He hated such looks. He hated everything. With a last glare at Alerial he turned and ran. He wanted to escape all that had happened since his failure.

Author's Note

in the midst of recreating this chapter

Reviews

[Darksideofman]

I get to the end and see you are in the midst of retooling so I will just say that you have some spelling errors that you most likely know about and a few punctuation problems but other than that I loved the read and will continue on with the story as I have time. I would really like your input, as a fan of fantasy, On my Pentagalon Quintet vol 1, I have been working on it for some time and would like peoples input. Thank you for sharing and keep writing.