TWO: Alize

Meet Alize. (Alize's dreams of Iram and her first encounter with Cade.)

TWO: Alize

    With a creak the bedroom door slid open and Alize watched her mother poke her head into the room. Mirida Hawthorne was a beautiful woman who didn’t look half her age, the only indication of her years was her impeccable pose. Currently, however, her face was lit with anticipation and she glanced around the room nervously, tapping her nails on the doorframe. “They’re here,” she whispered and then her eyes darted hurriedly over Alize, “You look beautiful dear.” Then she caught Alize’s gaze and said pointedly, “Remember, quiet and composed.” Alize nodded and her mother disappeared from view, the door clicking behind her. 
    Alize returned her gaze to the large ornate mirror in front of her. She was holding her breath while Felicity tightened her corset from behind. Her dress was beautiful and it fit her perfectly. Custom made for the occasion, the form highlighted her every curve and feature. The color was the same deep blue of her eyes. The dress had been made specifically for the night’s dinner. Her father, General Hawthorne, was the closest advisor to the city’s Council Member, the Duke of Arangosa. They worked together regarding important political issues, but lately their topic of discussion had been her.
    Duke Rayforth had voiced his interest in choosing Alize as a bride for his son, Iram. She was pure blood Nymph and viewed as one of the most beautiful daughters of the Duke’s Advisor’s. Her father had readily agreed with the proposal and had brought her to Arangosa to meet Iram. She had fallen for him at once. Iram was tall and muscular, beautiful just like every full blood Nymph, with golden hair just a shade darker than her own. He had a gentle face and a beautiful smile that made her feel at once comfortable. He wasn’t extremely talkative, but neither was she. Alize had met with him on one more occasion and her father had arranged for a business matter to be settled at their estate during the Spring Banquet season so the two could be more intimately introduced.
    Alize looked in the mirror at her neckline and the fantastic necklace that lay there. She fingered it for a moment, feeling the cool metal. It was teardrop shaped and made of something lighter and brighter than silver, a small light blue gem sat in the center of it. The gem matched her eyes and she was sure that the dress, though it did highlight her eyes, had been made even more specifically to match the necklace. It had been sent to her on her birthday a few weeks ago from Iram. As a family heirloom, the present was an unspoken agreement to court. She knew if the courting was called off it would return to his family. Alize had not believed Iram’s intentions as relayed by her father until she had received the necklace.
    Felicity finished tying her corset and Alize looked once more at herself in the mirror. Once again, Felicity had done a beautiful job. Alize felt much like a piece of art when Felicity worked on her. Felicity was an older woman, slightly stooped and slow moving. But she was extremely intelligent and caring. As a younger child Alize had pretended Felicity was her grandmother; a dream she had kept to herself. Felicity was the main maid in the household and she took great pleasure in beautifying Alize.
    Alize silently praised Felicity’s artwork. Her hair hung in perfect golden curls around her shoulders, a small piece tied back with a white flower from the estate gardens. The dress was beautifully tailored and hung flawlessly at her side. Alize wondered what would happen when she moved and didn’t have Felicity to design her. With a small smile she turned and hugged the woman behind her gently.
    “Thanks Felicity,” she praised, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. The woman blushed and shrugged.
    “You better get out there Miss, before they be missing you,” Felicity advised.
    Alize hoisted up her long dress and glided out of the room. When she arrived downstairs in the entrance hall she found her father waiting for her. His massively tall and thick body demanded presence even when no one was around.
    “Good evening Alizabeth,” he said stiffly, she bowed her head in recognition, “You’re right on time. Come.”
    He held out his arm to her and she took it. As he swept her into the dining room she absorbed the intensity of the situation. Present were her family, The Duke of Arangosa’s family and the advisor to the Duke of _______,  General Beron Gondales, with whom the business was being conducted. Standing tall Alize focused on smiling and trying to appear composed as they entered the doorway. She avoided looking at Iram by first surveying the rest of their guests.
    Mirida Hawthorne was standing beside her chair, perfectly poised. Her blonde hair was twisted elegantly in a knot on top of her head. The polite smile on her face was identical to Alize’s, Alize could not look more like her mother unless she aged a few decades.    
    Also present at the table was Iram’s family. His mother, Lei Rayforth was an icon for the city, she was thin and reserved but had a regal and elegant air. She generally had a slightly disapproving look on her face, but always refrained from saying much. Iram’s father made up for her cold attitude. Duke Olen Rayforth was tall and thin like his wife, but his face was always the brightest one in the room. He had huge gray-blue eyes and an attitude that put everyone at ease, a trait Alize was sure worked in his favor on the Council. Between his father and mother was Iram’s younger brother. Ten-years old, Karlan was a quiet and reserved boy with bright blue eyes like his fathers that surveyed everything around him carefully; he had Iram’s blonde hair that hung straight to his shoulders.
    Currently the Duke was indulging in friendly conversation with the man next to him. Alize did not recognize the man but assumed that he must be General Beron Gondales. He was tall and stiff, very martial and his wife was pretty but appeared to be shy. His wife was conversing quietly with a girl next to her, very clearly her daughter, who was nodding slightly to what was being said. The girl was petit and cute with a round face, big golden eyes and rich hazelnut colored hair that hung thickly on her shoulders.
    When Alize appeared with her father the room went quiet and turned to look at her. The adults smiled and nodded at her, Karlan stared at her innocently, Iram glanced up and then quickly glanced back down at his hands, and the Gondales daughter surveyed her inquisitively. Alize breathed deeply as she felt her knees quake slightly in fright. This was an important dinner, and she wasn’t sure she had the skills to capture the hearts of everyone at the table as her mother wanted her to. Her father led her to her seat by her mother while greeting the other men at the table. When they reached their seats he made the motion for everyone to sit down. Alize suppressed the urge to nervously play with the laced edge of the white tablecloth. Instead, she folded her hands in her lap and stared at them. Remembering her mothers words about being socially available for induced conversation she raised her gaze to look at her guests. By mistake she caught Iram’s gaze first. He smiled at her nervously, but the gesture helped her feel more at ease.
    Alize’s mother touched her leg gently and she realized her father was talking to her. “General Gondales I would like to introduce you to my daughter, Alizabeth.” He said formally and she smiled politely at the man across the table from her.
    “Nice to meet you,” she remarked quietly.
    “The pleasure is mine as well,” the General replied, he then gestured to his daughter, “My daughter Saige is the same age as you, I’m sure you will find pleasant company with one another over the next few days.” Saige was still gazing searchingly at Alize, who nodded courteously towards her. Saige did not acknowledge her for a few more seconds but she eventually nodded back.
    “The Gondales’ will be staying with us for the next few weeks as we conduct business and enjoy the festival,” Alize’s father explained to her, “General Gondales is an old friend of Duke Rayforth’s and also an old friend of my brother. It is a great honor for his family to be staying with us.”
    Alize understood the implied order for her to be on her best behavior for the next few weeks. She bowed her head in understanding. With that said the men continued to discuss the most recent news and events and lightly touched on their future business plans. The servants brought in and served their food and came back in and cleaned it away again. Alize spent the dinner mostly staring at her food. She knew that she should be more assertive but she wasn’t supposed to speak unless spoken to and holding gazes for extended periods of time was making her nervous. A few times she looked up to watch Iram eating. He listened to the adults conversations and occasionally added comments to the discussion but mostly ate his food quietly. Sometimes when she looked up she would catch him gazing at her and every time she did her heart would flutter irresponsibly. A few times he smiled at her, making her feel weak.
    Iram was beautiful and perfect and she was looking forward to the coming weeks when she would be able to get to know him better. She knew private conversations would be scarce, but she was holding on to the possibility of them, especially during the festival when there would be many people and many events to distract their company. Iram was like her, quiet and reserved, but she knew that underneath his quiet he was intelligent and probably just like her. They would perfect.
    Dinner ended late and the newly arrived guests were bowed from the dining room. The servants, who had already delivered their luggage and organized it showed the families to their rooms. As he left Iram glanced once more at Alize and she smiled nervously, he grinned back and nodded to her and then disappeared through the door. As she walked back to her room Alize suppressed the urge jump and dance from excitement. When she got into her room she threw herself on her bed and laughed into her pillow. There was a light knock on the door and Felicity entered. The old woman noticed the huge grin on Alize’s face and smiled.
    “How did it go Miss?”
    “Oh Felicity,” Alize crooned, “Not much has happened but it feels so right.”
    The old woman smiled wider and shook her head.
    “What?” Alize asked her.
    “I’m very glad it went well Miss,” was all she said, and then she stood Alize in front of the mirror to remove her corset. “You did look beautiful Miss,” she added.
    Alize smiled, “All thanks to you.” The woman blushed and bowed her head but said nothing. Felicity worked silently and diligently to remove the beautiful garment and put Alize in her nightgown. Alize watched the woman work, staring at her own beaming face. Once finished the woman bowed, said goodnight, and left. Alize, left alone in her room bounded to the window seat and sat watching the moon rise beyond the trees. It was a beautiful night, the air was crisp but not too cool. After a few minutes she got in bed and tried to sleep, but all she could think about was Iram and his perfect eyes and smile. She was so elated.
    After tossing and turning for a while and only seeing Iram’s face no matter how she lay Alize decided that she couldn’t sleep; her mind was racing far too fast. It had been a while since the rest of the families had gone to bed, she suspected they would be asleep. Getting out of bed she took her cloak off the wall. She put it on and buttoned it and then crept towards the door. Ever since childhood she had made a habit of sneaking out when she couldn’t sleep and walking along the shore for a while before returning. The only time she had been caught had been by Felicity who had given her a sharp chastising, but had agreed not to tell anyone. She crept past the room Karlan was staying in and down the stairs without a problem. At the end of the stairs she tiptoed to the servants side of the mansion and into the kitchen, where she slipped out of the house through the delivery door.
    The Hawthorne Estate bordered the ocean on two sides and Alize followed the stone path through the woods at a light jog. The estate was large and it took her a while, and a few miles of jogging, to reach the shore. When she emerged from the forest and onto the beach she felt an immediate wave of relief. The ocean had a wonderful way of relaxing her. The sound of the waves and the taste of the salt made her skin tingle. A wolf howled in the distance, celebrating the clear, full moon. Thousands of stars glimmered against the dark sky. A perfect mirror of the scene was reflected across the sea, moving with the waves. Alize meandered through the tide, watching the water lap her toes, smiling to herself.
    Everything was so perfect, the gentle breeze through her hair and skirts, the continuous beat of the waves as they hit the rocks, the soothing light of the moon above her. So perfect and so forbidden. She knew that if she was ever caught out here on her own, let alone at night, she’d be punished beyond what she could comprehend. But she had been doing it for years and her continued success did little to persuade her to stop. She lifted her gaze to the bay, it was so different at night, quiet and empty. Being the only one for miles was comforting.
    As the wind picked up speed a shiver racked her body. Pulling her cloak tightly around her, Alize turned inland, towards the high rocks that lined the shore. Finding a flat rock on the beach she gathered her nightgown and took a seat. A bird flew across the water, a dark silhouette. She watched it for a second, making perfect loops around the bay, free to soar. She lifted a hand to brush through her windblown hair and her fingers rested on the necklace again. At its touch her heart skipped a beat. Alize wondered if Iram had any idea what he was getting into. She might be pretty but she was no honor. She was far from elegant and far from classy, she talked and thought too much, and involved herself in things she didn’t belong in. One of her advantages was that she was a pure blood Nymph. There were very few left in these parts, or anywhere for that matter. The pure blood Nymphs had been mixing with humans for centuries. In their parents’ eyes this was a good enough reason for them to marry.
    Restless again, she stood. She was nearing where the shore made a sharp turn, the cliffs were blocking the view around the corner. As she approached the turn, Alize began humming softly to herself. She had barely uttered a few notes when she froze. Ice seemed to flood her veins. Something wasn’t right. The unease was coming from around the corner.
    Easing herself over she peered around the rock and down the beach. The massive cliffs continued into the distance, gradually decreasing in height until disappearing into the forest. At first she saw nothing. After less than a minute, however, a figure emerged from the shadows of the forest lining the beach. The moon glinted off metal at their ankles. She watched them curiously; the persons pace was hastened and they seemed anxious. Wary, Alize tried to move but she was frozen to the spot, intrigued.
    A small irritable warning began stirring in the back of her senses. She ignored it at first, but as the person drew nearer the feeling of uneasiness grew. Alize studied the person and confirmed it was a man. Suddenly her heart began to race inexplicably; then she noticed the shadow, hovering in the crevasses at the edge of the cliff. Alize felt it turn her way and all of her senses screamed, it was all she could do to keep from shrieking audibly. Whomever, whatever it was, it wasn’t a nymph or common folk. Their aura burned with natural magic, at an intensity she had never before experienced; it made her blood boil.
    The man was oblivious to the shadow, but he was now running. He was running straight towards the danger. As the man ran by the shadow it stepped out of the darkness. She recognized a boy of some kind, probably near her age. He emerged from his hiding place to pursue the man. The boy had long shaggy hair and simple clothing. Alize observed wide-eyed as the boy stealthily followed the man, dodging in and out of shadows and crevasses to remain hidden.
    Alize kept her gaze on the man because watching the boy was hurting her head. It then dawned on her that the two were headed straight in her direction. Instantly terrified, she pulled back behind the rocks. Staying hidden, she peeked out to watch the pair round the bend. In the corner of her vision a piece of metal glinted in the moonlight; horrified, she realized the boy was holding a small dagger. Her eyes grew wider as she gasped. She started to shake, frantically thinking about what to do. They were right around the corner, every instinct told her to run, but she couldn’t let the boy kill this man.
    The boy was advancing fast. Alize sat, as much a part of the cliff as the rock next to her. She was perspiring now, utterly unable to move. Suddenly the boy jumped, and she screamed. The noise was quick but loud and at it’s warning the man turned just in time to move out of the way. He rolled onto the ground, and while getting back to his feet grabbed one of the knives from his boots. The man brought the curved knife swiftly upwards but missed, elbowing the boy in the stomach instead. The boy rolled twice on the ground, bringing his dagger up in time to meet the knife as it angled towards his throat. During this time the man reached down to remove the second knife from his other boot. In this moment of diverted focus the boy grabbed the wrist holding the first knife with his free hand. The boy squeezed, pressing his thumb on a pressure point. The knife dropped out of the man’s hand. At the same time the boy twisted out of the way of the man’s second knife. The man, striking air where the boy should have been fell onto his stomach, suddenly off balance. The boy jumped on the man’s back with incredible speed and ease, pinning him down with his knees. The boy then took both of the man’s knives and threw them an astounding distance. The boy twisted the man’s arms behind his back and positioned his dagger at the man’s throat.
    Alize, suddenly aware of what was about to happen, got up and sprinted towards them. The boy whispered something in the man’s ear, and instead of slitting the man’s throat, lifted the knife, preparing to stab him. Through all of this they hadn’t noticed Alize hurtling towards them, and at the moment the boy was about to carry out his mission she jumped, knocking into the boy’s side and sending him sprawling onto his back.
    At the impact, every muscle in her body screamed danger. When she came in contact she thought her head would explode. The determination radiating from his aura reverberated through all of her senses. In the few seconds that she managed to keep the boy pinned, primarily from shock, the man jumped up and ran. The boy threw her body aside and hurried to follow. Alize slammed into a nearby rock and her head thrashed dangerously against it. As her vision swarmed there was suddenly a blinding light. She heard the boy let out a scream of anguish further down the beach, and felt her blood turn cold.
    At that moment the boy whirled around. His glowing green eyes looked straight at her. Every part of her shrieked to run but she sat, paralyzed with fear, dizziness and anger. When he broke eye contact Alize found she could breath again. Then, suddenly, he began running towards her.  She shrieked and tried to move, but as soon as she stood she was blinded by the pain from her head. Tears streaming down her face, Alize tried to clear her swarming vision. She barely noticed when the boy knocked her onto her back. Kneeling over her he screamed.
    “You have no idea what you have done,” The anger radiating from him was unbearable. Alize was sure her head would split. She was unaware of how hard she was shaking. As her vision cleared she found herself looking up into his stunning green eyes with her terror-filled blue ones. “You-” the boy suddenly broke off. There was a look of astonishment and confusion on his face. He backed away, muttering. They stared at each other as he retreated slowly. Suddenly Alize gasped as realization flooded her and her whole body tensed. She scrambled backwards, eyes wide, as a wave of terror washed over her.
    “You’re... you’re a Druyd,” Alize managed to breath. The boy looked up slowly, raising his vision from the ground to look at her. Then he glanced back down the shore in the direction the man had disappeared. The look on his face was filled with anguish.
    “I can’t take you with me. I can’t.” He explained, his voice void of emotion. Alize felt her heart pounding viciously in her throat. “Leave.” Though she had no idea was he was talking about, Alize didn’t hesitate. She turned and fled.

Author's Note

Longer than the first, but more happens. I'd really appreciate criticism.
(Picture credit to: http://vuelo.deviantart.com/)

Reviews

[Rain]

whoa, nice chapter, you had me hooked
once again, nice detail and description, but be careful not to use too much, as Sky said. I'm curious about the Druyd and the man who escaped. Liked how you ended it there, makes the reader want more, and in my case, I did.
Good job

[Mary Evans]

A rather impressive piece of work. You have nothing but minor first draft mistakes. First be careful with the descriptions, sometimes you use more adjectives than necessary, its nothing grave yet but if you overuse adjectives it might get a bit hard to read. Also be careful with the sentence structure, at some places you need a bit paraphrasing.
Good development, its turning into a very engaging story. Also nice cliffhanger in the end.