The same play as always

Her eyes drifted over the busy market. Brightwater Keep was a city full of life, especially at days like this. It was winter, but the temperature was quite nice today. It wasn’t that cold for the winter, which caused a lot of people coming out of their houses to enjoy the winter sun. Crescent didn’t need a nice temperature. She was always outside, no matter if it snowed or rained. Every excuse to leave the luxurious villa she lived in, she took. Without saying her mother goodbye she left, as she always did. It left her mother with a frown on her face, wondering what she had done wrong today. Her mother never did anything good in Crescents eyes. Perhaps it was because she loved her father that much, because she looked up to the Lord of Isla the Juagas, because she wanted to be like him, because she saw him as her hero. That, in fact, he was everything but a hero, she never even considered. Her father had promised her to come get her, yet he had been away for a very long time again. Some letters went from Brightwater keep to the island, and reversed. He had been hurt, what delayed him from getting back to her. There was just this thing about it that she didn’t really believed. Something that made her grumpier then normal. It was just not fair. She had to sit here, she had to stay put until he came to get her out of this miserable town. She had seen every rock, every human, every animal here and she wanted to see something new. Without really knowing it, she stopped in front of a stage and watched a play.

A sigh left her mouth when the play ended. The players left the stage and most people turned around to go back to the market. Crescent stayed, for now. It was not like she had anything better to do then just hang around for a bit. Perhaps.. Her eyes gazed over the small crowd of people that were still here, probably hoping to see one of the actors of the play. Crescent had seen this play for more then ten times now, she knew the faces of the actors. Crescent was a rather special appearance. She was small, moved around with a certain suppleness with what some people would compare to a fox. She wore a long cloak that covered her whole body. Under her cloak, she had a belt, on which she had attached the knife her father had given her that one day. Her little snarky eyes went from left to right. After concluding there was nobody keeping watch she slipped through the crowd of people and disappeared behind the stage. Everybody knew there were no normal people allowed there, but she just wanted to take a look and see all the props that they had been using for herself.

The props weren’t really that special, now she saw them lying in front of her. It was a shame the crown didn’t seem to be here. She had always wondered how it would be to wear a headpiece like that. Not that she was the girly type of girl, not at all. She never had been and probably never would. Yet she still wanted to try it someday. Wearing a crown was only something a select group of people would experience. She knew not her. Even though she was the oldest daughter of a lord, she would never wear a crown. Her father had enough riches to pay for the big manor they lived in. But he would never be as rich as certain royal families in Fallen Skies. Some days she wondered if he was going to call upon her to follow him in his line of succession. Not much lords wanted their daughters to take over, woman were considered as weak most of the time. Crescent was not weak. She was everything but weak, her father knew that.. she hoped he did.

A boring expression appeared on her face while she looked at the props, touched some of them – just for the fact so she could tell herself she touched it at least – and was just going explore a little bit more behind the stage when a voice caught her attention. Her eyes shifted from the props to the man in front of her. She recognized him within a few seconds, he was one of the main characters in the play. She hadn’t heard him encountering her, but she wasn’t scared. With her big eyes she looked up, but nothing in her body language showed any type of fear. “No, I’m not.” Her answer was easy and slightly challenging. She was just some child seeking trouble, that was what the man must think. Neither was she impressed by his clothing. Her father was dressed like that sometimes, although she knew he preferred clothing that just nice sitting. “Why are you creeping around? Didn’t hear you coming.” Crescent narrowed her eyes a bit, while she looked up to the blonde mans face.

Crescent wasn’t someone that was lost that easy. She knew every alley, every escape route, every family. After all she had been roaming these streets since she was able to walk. Her mother lost control when she was about eight years old. Now she was eleven and probably more mature then a child of her age should’ve been. Multiple people were to blame for that. Her father, who was at sea most of the time. Her mother, whom gave her the feeling she never really mattered that much. That last thing probably wasn’t true at all, but little did Crescent know. Perhaps she was still a child from that perspective.

“I’m just having a look.” Her answer was a little bit daring, but he didn’t frighten her. Even with the small amount of dirt on her face and with the cloak that was obviously way too big for her, she didn’t look like some homeless kid. Her mother kept her well fed, which gave her an healthy look under all the smudges. The blond man said there must have been something wrong with her ears then, something she didn’t take well. Crescent narrowed her eyes for a bit while she looked up to him. He asked her who she was. “Perhaps there is something wrong with your eyes, man.” She clearly wasn’t afraid to talk to someone who tried to be intimidating to her. A second voice reached her ears, surprisingly she looked at the other actor. “Handle what?” she asked while still looking at the man. There was a certain arrogance in her words. Her mother always told her she got that attitude from her father, which Crescent certainly didn’t agree with. “The question is, who are you? Daring to talk to me like that.” She still looked at the man with her eyes narrowed, waiting for him to give a response.

When she asked him what he was planning on handling, he only smiled at her. Some people would’ve gotten the chills from it, but not her. Stupid, little girl that she was. Thinking she could cope with every form of evil in this world. It was naïve to think like that, even though her father was a Lord. He wasn’t here to protect her now, he was almost never there. A painful reality. Crescent looked up at the man, almost challenging. “I’m not just a child.” Her voice was sharp and her eyes still narrowed for a little. It was foolish to act like this in the company of someone you didn’t knew. She was well aware of that, yet she was still here, doing it. Perhaps a thing she had from her father, whom also loved to do things you knew were not right for you – not that she knew that about him, but still.

“Perhaps you are the one to watch your tongue, sir.” After all he also didn’t know with whom he was dealing. Not that she was such a threat, really. She was a child, but not just a child. Crescent got this feeling in her fingers while she looked up at the man, not taking her eyes off him. Turning your back on the enemy was the biggest mistake you could ever make. Little did she know that he also possessed a form of magic. While he spoke she felt something change, but she didn’t really notice it. She was a little surprised when he suddenly grabbed her shoulder and pushed her along with him. Normally she would’ve struggled, not like other people telling her what to do. But something made her go along with it. After all, she had no idea he was using his psychic linking on her. Before he had done so, she had already used her magic. A raven that passed by had turned around and was making his way down, diving right into the back of the blond man's head.

Before she even knew it he grabbed her shoulder and pushed her forward. She had no idea where they were going, and her mom always taught her to not go with strangers. Yet, in a weird way, she didn’t feel anything that was telling her to not go. Little did she know the stranger had compelled her with his pshychic linking. He asked her why she was thinking he was the one to watch his tongue. Crescent didn’t like the way he spoke, with sharp words and an agressive tone. She was about to answer, when the raven was coming right for his target. The poor animal was not quick enough to hit the man, as she had commanded just before he had compelled her to come with him. The raven was dodged and turned around, trying to hit his target one more time. The man was faster than the raven, which ended on the ground, screeching in pain. A little frown appeared on her face as she looked how the man picked the raven from the ground and snatched his neck. The only thing she could do at this very moment was stare at the man, not believing what he had just done to the innocent raven that just had followed her impulsive orders. She didn’t want to kill the thing, but now it lied on the ground without moving. Dead because of her stupidity.

The man lowered himself to her level and she looked him in the eyes, a little angry. He grabbed her shoulders and told her to not make a sound. She remained quiet when he lifted her up and laid her over his shoulder. At every other moment she would’ve complained, she would’ve send a thousend more ravens at the man and would try to fight her way out. Everything seemed to be much more peaceful and silent now. There was no urge to flee, no urge to escape from the stranger that was about to take her somewhere. A part of her wanted to ask where they were going, but there seemed to be no words available at this very moment.

A little frown appeared on her face when the man laid her in front of his saddle. The fur of the mare felt soft under her tiny hands. She felt the animal move under her while the man climbed on the horse as well and forced it to move forwards. They galloped through the streets of Brightwater Keep and she wondered why all of this was happening. Her parents always told her to not go with strangers, and right now she didn’t even feel bad about doing so. Little did she knew the man had a certain power over her, something that was beyond her knowledge.

The sun started to go down and she wondered what her mother was going to do if she wasn’t there before dinner. Crescent made sure, most of the time, she was home before dark. Some days she forgot about the time or snuck out of the house, but she didn’t really bother to listen to her mom when it came to that. Her mother would know. “Crescent Morrigan.” She didn’t hesitate to tell him her complete name, and yet again she didn’t know why. Something about all of this felt wrong. The horse stopped moving after quite a while and her gaze drifted towards the old building in the middle of the jungle. She never left the city this far. Before she knew it the man jumped off and she was lifted, getting back on the ground with both feet. Her big eyes went from the manor to the man, and then back to the horse when he ordered her to wait here. She saw the two of them disappear to the stables and just stood there. Quietly she moved towards the man when he asked her if they should go in. It was scary, but it also managed to make her a bit curious. She slowly walked inside, looking around in the big manor, and then back over her shoulder to the man, not knowing what to do now.