Chapter 1-Mara

A Chapter by Octi

Chapter 1- from Mara Starag's view

Post-Capital Street was bustling with peasants, farmers, shopkeepers, sellers, and the wealthy of all different races this semi-cloudy afternoon. Some were doing their best to weave in and out of the crowd, trying to get to their destination. Others were taking their time, stopping to talk to friends or anyone else they believed required their interest.

Dodging in and out of the crowd on Post-Capital Street was Mara, getting stares from the locals. She was rather out of place: wearing pants and a tunic when women wore dresses and having her hair in a braid when women in this town wore it down. Most humanoids only glanced with scorn at her outfit, few getting past that to judge her hairstyle. Some looked her in the eye and seemed to recognize her, quickly turning on their heels and rushing away even though she didn't remember meeting them.

Ducking into a dark alleyway, she quickly cast an illusion on herself: her clothes appearing as a light brown dress, her waist-length dirty blonde hair flowing down her back, her eyes color changing from brown to green, and even adding some freckles to her tan face. Walking back out into the crowd carefully, she fitted in much better.

Someone had already alerted the guards she was here. They were looking around avidly, checking out everyone who had the slightest resemblance to her. Every time after every move, it only took a couple weeks for news to spread she was there. Shaking her head, she ducked into another alley and changed her hair to brown.

About to reemerge, something small dropped in the alley behind her. No one was there and nothing was disturbed. Putting her right hand into her front pocket, going right through the illusion, she felt a gentle nibble on her finger. Wrapping her hand around the scaly body, she pulled out Rikur.

A yellow lizard stood on her hand, surveying the alley with intelligent black eyes, flicking out his tongue, looking and listening for any movement. After several seconds, Rikur turned to look at Mara.

"I do not know what that was," he said, opening his mouth to create a sound of clicks. "I see and hear nothing."

"Are you sure?" Mara replied in a series of clicks from her mouth.

"You are welcome to look into it," Rikur said. "But I was sleeping and I would like to get back to that."

"Of course." Mara pocketed Rikur, going into the illusion once more. With a final glance at the alley, she turned around and walked back into the crowd.

The guards were now actively looking for her, stopping everyone in front of them. Mara did her best to weave in and out of the crowd, dodging every guard.

There was only one problem: the crowd was thinning. By the time she had realized this, the crowd was only at half the mass it was before. Heading towards a near shop, someone clamped her arm and spun her.

She was now looking up at an elvish guard in black armor.

"Identify yourself."

"Ika Norhe."

The guard raised an eyebrow. "That's a dwarvish name."

"And I was raised around dwarves. I left and came here."

"There you are!" Looking past the guard at the sudden interruption, Mara saw a blonde half-elf in dark gray clothes carrying a brown cloak jogging towards her.

The guard turned around and saw him. Turning back around to Mara, he asked, "You keep company with him?"

Mara shrugged. "I have to have a place to sleep somehow."

By then, the half-elf had reached them. "I thought I told you not to wander off."

"There was a crowd. We got separated. I couldn't find you and next thing I know I'm talking to him." Mara pointed a finger at the guard.

The half-elf turned towards the guard. He was a couple inches taller than the guard. His blonde hair went down to his shoulders, cut at a slightly-crooked angle. A thin streak of gray was on his hair, starting at the top and faded back to blonde by the bottom of his left ear. His grey eyes were flecked with brown, appearing to Mara that he could see inside of her. On either side of his hips were daggers, their handles cold, bare iron.

"I'm sorry you had to disturb her," the half-elf said. "She isn't who you are looking for, so good day."

The half-elf wrenched the guard's hand off of Mara and dragged her away from the guard rather rapidly. After several steps, Mara was walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him, and he released her. After a few more steps, they were out of earshot of the guard.

"Who are you?"

The half-elf shook his head. "Here is not a good place for introductions. At least, not for you or me. Come, into this alley."

He sidestepped into an alley, quickly turning his back to Mara and continuing on. She stood at the mouth of the alley, unsure if she should follow him.

Noticing he wasn't being followed, he turned back around. "Come on. We just need to go someplace where we won't be overheard."

Turning back around, he threw his cloak over his shoulders. "And take the dress illusion off. It looks stupid and it won't be needed."

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© 2019 Octi

Author's Note

Any grammar mistakes? Spelling mistakes? Let me know if you want a background story. Please contact me at [email protected] if you have any questions.