Intro

Daughter

Of the Stone

 

 

 

Char Marie Adles

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is completely coincidental.

 

Copyright © Char Marie Adles

Cover Design © Wicked Cover Designs

wix.com/wicked_art/wicked-cover-designs

 

Chapter One

 

“Everything happens for a reason in this world, whether it happens for the better or the worst can only be seen after it happens. One can only be what fate has given them by blood.”

Those were the last words spoken to me by my mother before the events that would end my life and change my fate, started.

One day long ago when I was still a small child, I was taught magic by my mother, something didn’t seem quite right within the world. I had gotten a feeling of darkness to come and when I told my mama, she had gone pale white and whispered, “So it has begun…”

She rushed through the home collecting everything that had to do with magic and she hid it in the hollow of an ancient enchanted tree in the forest to be kept safe until we could return. At the time I thought maybe we were going to go visit someone who knew mama, but it wasn’t so. That night as she held me tight in her arms she whispered, “Remember the name Merlin, my little one. He is your father and when you are free you must stay with him. Do as he says and live. If he finds out you are his child then your fate will change. You will die. Remember and heed my words for this will be the last time you see me.” She had started to cry then, the tears streaking down her beautiful exotic face when the shouts began outside. 

As a frighten child I saw the devil’s fire spread out the window of our stone manor. Its glowing red eyes looking for something. Giant men covered in metal and leather destroyed the city piece by piece and me and mother were next to be taken and tossed into the dirt covered stone streets. Mama fought all she could, but it was no use, she was too weak and for some reason she didn’t use her magic. I had screamed for her as she was raped by three men, as I was held back and beaten.

When the world seemed to grow quiet and the screams and sobs of women and children stop and the shouts of men died, I stared at my mama in the dirt her beautiful face beaten and bloody. I screamed for her, but I didn’t hear my own screams. Everything slowed down and in a flash whipped back into swing.

“Mama! Mama why don’t you-” I screamed at her, tears rolling down my cheeks.

   She simply shook her head weakly and stayed lying on the ground. She pressed a finger to her heart and then to her lips in a sign of silence. I hadn’t known what she meant, but I fell silent just the same. The big men could not know of our magic.

The evil men laughed at her as a silent tear fell her eye and traced a clean path over her dirty cheek. When they started to leave one took an interest in me. His metal masked looked as if it were carved by demons.

“We have a pretty little thing here, don’t we,” he asked the others after grabbing my long black hair to pull me up. I cried out in pain. “What do you think we can get for her? I’m sure there are others still alive we can fetch a fair price for.”

            “Take the lot ‘o them. They will sell well for slaves at the King’s Market,” one laughed, his voice full of malice.

Six other little girls and I were taken on a strangely carved giant wooden ship. They had to tie me down to keep me from jumping overboard to go to my mother after I tried a few times already. But I knew she was dead, one of the men had slit her milky white throat.

The journey took three weeks to reach the great land of the kingdom from our small isle. We were tossed into the back of a wagon and taken to the ‘capital city’ as the warrior called it. The place stank of livestock and smoke, straw was strewn over the cobblestones of the roads and in the giant market square people swarmed. People yelled and rushed at each other, people made deals with the dealers and others seemed to be waiting for something bigger to happen.

The wagon was stopped in the center of the square and we were taken into a tent behind a large plat form that was raised from the ground with two sets of steps on either side. Tossed and locked into a crude wooden cage, we got as close to each other as possible.

            My small body had shivered in terror at what was happening and I had another feeling that told me what was going to happen.

“What’s going to happen to us,” Chloe, a small girl of seven, whispered to us in fear.

“They mean to sell us…” I had whispered and she had started to cry.

It wasn’t long until we noticed in other cages were women, boys, and other girls of all ages, even men. And it wasn’t long until they started to take them out of the cages and tent, to the platform. They were sold one by one until we were the last ones left.

“And now for our rare treat. I give you girls from the Avalon Isle of myth thought to be lost. A high price is needed for them. Those were said to be magical and have fey blood,” the auctioneer said in a quite voice to draw in the crowd.

            A big ugly man came to the cage and pulled Chloe out first. We grabbed her hands, but we were knocked back into the cage.

“Save me! Save me,” she begged, but all we could do was cry helplessly and watched.

Chloe was sold for six silver pieces, Amber for one gold piece, Braine for four silver pieces, Elizabeth for seven silver pieces, Little Katie and Emma were sold together for one gold piece, and finally I was the last one. Unlike when the other girls were dragged out and the men started to war over them with prices, when I walked out everything was silent.

I stared into the stunned, dirty faces of the men who were crowded around platform. There had to be at least a hundred of them.

            Mama please helps me, I begged silently. But there was no reply like before, just an emptiness that felt hollow.

            The auctioneer suddenly turned to the crowd a bellowed out, “We’ll start her off at ten silvers! Anyone take a bid?” 

I stood there stone faced as I listened to the price go higher and higher. Even at six years old I knew that I couldn’t do anything to save myself, so I looked over every face and looked beyond into the square and there I had seen him for the first time. An old man with long frost white hair and a long white beard, both smooth and long like the finest silk and with him walked two young boys side by side. Both around my age, but completely different. One was fair colored with bright blonde hair and green eyes and the other with long black hair and blue eyes like stars. The blonde boy had a cheerful smile on his face, but it was the black haired boy with the withdrawn look that kept my eyes.

He had turned, his eyes pinpointed me as if he knew I was the one who stared at him. The moment his gaze found mine, something inside of me clicked. I was stunned by the shocking feeling and as I watched he quickly got to the old man and he too looked my way. I was ripped backwards by the man holding me.

“Sold for ten gold!” the auctioneer shouted.

I looked out of the waves of the crowd to see the old man staring at me with drawn brows, then a scratchy bag was place over my head and I was given to my new owner and master.

For nine long years I was his slave and did his bidding. The man had bought me to become an assassin. He trained me hard and along the way I lost what little of my mind I had left. Everything turned meaningless and worthless, but on the one day I failed my master’s orders, I was beaten until I lay almost dead then I was taken back to the slave market with his words, “She is useless now and after so much work. A pity because she is pretty, but we won’t have a problem with her. She is insane, mindless like a doll and cannot talk as a mute. Let her go be someone’s whore.”

I hadn’t cared. It was no longer my life and I had no reason to live, but for the secret of my magic. As long as I protected that, nothing else mattered.

 Until I saw him again.

The old man was in the square with two grown men looking at herbs at the far end of the market. The men were in fine robes of the finest silk and cotton dressed similar to the old man, but I knew who they were. The blonde one still wore that easy smile and had grown handsome, while the blacked hair man had a look of reserve like when he was a boy. His hair was longer now and tied back to stay out of his face reaching just above his hips and he had grown beautiful. There was no other word for him. And like years before he turned and his gaze met mine as if he sensed me.

I was fourth in line to be put on the platform and sold and he stopped dead at my look. For the first time since I was sold I felt a desperate need to be free.

He walked away from the old man and the other man who was talking to him starting over towards the platform. I lost him in the crowd.

When I was placed on the stage the men went crazy.

“Two silver!”

            “Six silver!”

            “No, eight silver!”

“No,” rumbled a deep voice from the back, “Twenty gold.”

The crowd parted in silence as the men gasped and the bidder walked forward. It was the black haired man.

“Going once! Going twice! Sold to the young man here!” the auctioneer shouted with glee over making so much money.

            I wiggled in the ropes that bound my wrist.

What is happening? Why did he buy me just now? My mind screamed at me wanting the answers.

He handed the auctioneer the small bag of gold and came to stand in front of me below the platform. His expression was dangerous and distant, and then turned into one of gentleness. His hand traced down my arm, I hissed in pain and warning, but he didn’t notice. He pulled on my arm to try and bring it around, but he saw they were tied. He just stared at the rope that had cut into the skin of my wrists that was coated in dark crusted blood. His expression changed back into its normal reserved, but dangerous glower.

“Do you want me to bag her, milord?” asked the giant man behind me, holding up a brown corn sack.

“No,” the man growled and he lifted me from the platform onto the ground beside him. He knelt taking a knife from his robes and cut the rope at my ankles and then my wrists. He had to peel the rope from my wrists slowly. He looked up at me with startling clear eyes.

He looked around at all the people staring and cursed under his breath. He gazed down at me as he rose. I realized just how much bigger this man was then me. “Follow me and stay close,” he murmured to me.

I did just that as the other young man and older one came to meet him by a wall away from the crowds of people. Out of habit I stayed in the shadows close by, watching with wary eyes, listening to them.

“What did you just do, Balthazar?” asked the old man with a question in his eyes for his pupil.

“He just brought himself a woman, Master, of course. He must be getting cold at night being all alone and you know how he won’t marry,” the blonde one said with a grin to the old man.

The old man gave him a glare and turned back to the black haired man. Balthazar.

The name fit him. Dangerous like him, a warning.

“Master, I bought her for a reason. Take a closer look at her…around her,” he said in a low voice.

The old man stepped around Balthazar and stopped in front over me, looking me over.

He gaze grew confused again as he looked me over and then he turned pale. “So I see,” he said to the black haired man, “So I see. You were right in freeing her. She must be trained.”

The blonde man stopped grinning and looked at the old man, “She is one of us?”

The old man nodded and looked at me. “Yes. She is a mage. We will train her.”

The black hair man never took his eye off me as he said, “Yes, Master Merlin.”

The burning in his eyes that I was studying came to a halt at that name. Merlin. Merlin.

My father…

 

Chapter Two

I followed the two strange men and my father on a long stone path from the city square. It led to the dark forest and beyond over the tops of the trees one could see the towers of a tall stone structure. I knew this path well for I had traveled it less then two nights before.

No…they are taking me to the King’s castle, Home of the Knights. If I go there then I will die, or worse they will find out about my magic. They had called me a mage already, they knew too much!

I couldn’t stay here even if the man was my father. He could not know about me mother had said-

What had mother said?

I closed my eyes trying to remember. It had been so long ago…

Rain started to fall from the sky as I closed my eyes and I loved the feel as it traced down my cheeks. It was the one thing in the world that had always given me hope. It was amazing what something so small could do. It could bring life and take it away, but to me it wiped the world clean of all the cruelness that had gathered.

I could feel it already washing away my sins. Once again making me clean like that child I still was inside. In the ten years that passed since that day, I still remember. The rain not only washed away my past, but also renewed it within my mind, for it had rained the day my mother was killed as well.

I shivered as the wind picked up and turned the warm rain cold as it fell upon my body. I was only wearing a simple, rough tunic that had been given to me before I had been sold and it didn’t amount to much. It was naught more then a thin, rough sheet of cloth. By now it was plastered to my body, but I had worn worse and sometimes naught at all.

Then it finally came to me. The hazy, blurred memory dragged itself through my mind to where I could watch it play out once more.

She held me tight in her arms. She whispered, “Remember the name Merlin, my little one. He is your father and when you are free you must stay with him. Do as he says and live. If he finds out you are his child then your fate will change. You shall die. Remember and heed my words for this will be the last time you see me.” She had started to cry then, the tears streaking down her beautiful face when the shouts began outside. 

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I opened my eyes and realized I had been crying. I touched the tears now mixed with rain in wonder, I hadn’t cried since I was sold the first time.

That hand moved from my shoulder up to my chin. It tilted my head up so that I stared into those hard blue eyes of Balthazar. They searched deeply into mine, but I had nothing to tell, so he got nothing in return and let go of my chin when I yanked myself back.

“You blocked it,” he muttered as if he had discovered something rare, something that warranted farther study.

I glared at him.

Merlin glanced back to us with a stern look. “Move along. We do not need to be here at a time like this. It’s important that we get back before the king’s meeting.” He paused and looked around, then stared at each one of our faces. “There has been a recent murder attempt on the king and I have reason to believe that the assassin is still near the castle.”

Something flashed in his eyes as he started at the blonde man, then he turned his piercing gaze on me. I had the urge to flinch at the power rolling off him, but instead I glared back. I had nothing to fear from any man.

“What is your name?” he asked slowly, as if I might not understand.

I said nothing, in truth I did not know if I could talk. Ten years ago I spoke my last words to the world. I had no desire to speak, saw no reason when I would be leaving soon anyway, it wasn’t in my plans to be a slave again. I didn’t know what had sparked this new life within me, but I was grateful now it had.

His glower darkened as I said nothing and just glared back.

I owe him something; he is my father after all. A father who never knew about me and could not help me.

I slowly lifted a hand and placed it at the hollow of my throat and tapped it lightly. His eyes darkened for a moment before he nodded and so he moved on.

Another hand was placed on my other shoulder and I stared at the blonde man.

“He is always like that. You do not have to fear him. You are no longer a slave,” he said gently and Balthazar scoffed. The blonde man looked at him. “She is free now, is she not?”

Balthazar glared at him from the corner of his eye as he brushed past him. “That is not up to me. She is the king’s for she was bought with his money.”

The blonde man gasped. “No, you didn’t! You could not have!”

Balthazar smirked. “At least the king is a good man, do you not think? She will be shown to him the moment we get to the castle.” He moved on ahead to walk next to Merlin and left me by the other man.

The blonde man cursed Balthazar under his breath and turned to me with a look of apology. “I am sorry to say he is right. You cannot be trained until the king releases you, for you are his slave now. But do not fear for the king is a good man. You will like it here in Camelot, I promise you. Your powers will grow and you will be free.” He suddenly smiled. “That means we can be friends. I am Lancelot, a knight of King Arthur and the Round Table. I am sorry that you cannot speak, but I am sure that we will overcome that with time. Now let us go before we come across that assassin. We are not safe outside the walls of the castle.”

I hid my smile inwardly. Little did he know that was me he feared. If he knew it was me then he would cry for mercy like all the others did. But he is a nice kid and pretty too, it would be a waste to kill him and to have a friend for even a short while would help. Friend, what a foreign thought.

He took the heavy woolen cloak from his shoulders and wrapped it around me, clicking the broach to hold it in place. “I cannot have you die from chill before my king has met you,” he muttered and then started off, pulling me along.

Lancelot, my mind whispered.

 

Chapter Three

 

 

 

In the middle of starting my plan, we came to the courtyard in front of the king’s castle. We had passed through the outer walls, the inner walls leaving us to wonder into the inner bailey. A quick glance in any direction told me what I needed to know and already did. Guards and knights were everywhere, crawling around, looking, and waiting alertly.

They never make things easy, do they? I asked myself. My lips curled in a silent snarl.

Lancelot’s hands found their way to my shoulders and gave them a squeeze. I tensed, holding back the urge to toss him over those shoulders that he held.

“Calm down. You are not going to be in trouble. No one here will hurt you,” he said with an easy smile.

I wanted to smile, but I couldn’t find it in me to give him one. I had never smiled at anyone before, so I stepped forward, out from under his hands and shadowed Merlin.

“We will go to the meeting for the king, but first she needs to have a change of clothes first,” Merlin said with a glance in my direction. Though his face showed no emotion, his eyes held a twinkle of humor, but as quickly it appeared it disappeared.

Upon entering the great hall of the castle I was eyed by all we passed. I didn’t like being in the eyes of others, I liked being in the shadows. I found their gazes strange until I heard someone whisper, “It’s the mages.”

 Just that tone they used grated on my nerves. They made magic sound as if it were a disease, a curse. Without realizing what I was doing I whispered a spell under my breath. Too late had Merlin launched himself at me and covered my mouth with his hand.

“You must not do that here,” he warned me in a whisper.

The touch of his skin to mine was as cold as ice and I shook my head to shake his hand loose. When he didn’t move his hand I bit him, the blunt gesture of aggression seemed to have my point. Never do that again.

Eyes widening with disbelief he held his injured hand to his chest. Bite marks were visible against his pale white skin. Slowly his eyes narrowed and I felt a push against my mind. I shoved back and growled low in my throat. The touch against my mind faded away quickly and Merlin seemed to smile under his thick beard.

My little spell in those few seconds they had forgotten about it had taken affect. I watched as people ran away screaming as a large white snake slithered across the rushes beneath their feet. Even the distant Balthazar seemed to enjoy the little show. He leaned against the far wall close by with the corners of his mouth upturned.

I bent down as the snake slithered over to me and I lent out my arm. It twisted its way up my arm and rested around my upper arm, shrinking. It looked at me for a moment with its black eyes before, with a hissing laugh, turned into a silver arm band.

“Magnificent,” Lancelot breathed from behind me over my shoulder. He reached out a finger to touch the armband and it turned its head to hiss at him. He flinched back and gave a nervous laugh. Just then there was a rushing sound of boot soles ringing on the stone floor and that was accompanied by a shout.

“Lancelot, there you are! Do you have any idea of how many people are looking for you? I should have known you’d be with Merlin,” shouted a tall young warrior of amazing height and muscle. His long brown hair fell into his eyes as he came to a halting stop next to him.

“King Arthur wants to speak with…” he drifted off on his words as his eyes found me and stared at me face.

“About what?” Lancelot asked bringing the man’s attention back to him.

The man’s eyes snapped back to Lancelot’s face and he grinned, pointing at me. “Her.”

A frown crossed Lancelot face. “How could he know?”

The warrior shrugged. “He was going to put you in charge of obtaining this person. I had no idea it was a girl, but at least you have her. Best hurry her before him before the meeting starts.” With that he turned on heel and ran off again.

“This may not go as planned,” Merlin said cryptically. “Let us go.”

I followed close by in the shadows as we walked down the dimly lit passageway. I had a feeling something was about to change drastically. I had no idea just how it would change.

 

 

…

 

 

Upon my entrance into the throne room behind Merlin and the others, a knight took it upon himself to pounce on me like a madman.

He had yelled, “I’ve finally caught you, you murder!”

It quickly turned into a fight between us. The man was thrice my size, but he was clumsy on his big feet. I almost had him in a hold that would have made him sleep, when someone bellowed, “What is going on here!”

I paused long enough for the knight to get a hold on me and I felt the bite of his fist against my chin. Blood flowed and I became angry. Seeing stars I growled, took his fist pressing it inwards and used my weight to flip him over my head. I took a knife from his belt and threw it at him. It landed quietly nicely between his legs in the wood floor. Before I got another hold on the man, someone even bigger grabbed me from behind, pulling me against a chest covered in heavy muscle and chainmail.

“I asked ‘what is going on here’,” the voice rumbled behind me, against my back. The man gave me a shake as I was about to turn in his arms and claw his face. That shake didn’t stop me however from slamming the heel of my foot into his knee. With a gasp he loosened his hold and I turned on him, claws extended.

I was furious at being man-handled and they would pay for having held me down. But now there were scores of people gathering in the room, but only a few tried to help, to try and pull me off the man. Finally they pulled me off the man and I growled at him on the ground.

His face sported tiny bleeding scratches and nicks everywhere and he looked shocked as he looked at me.

The people pulling me back dislodged the cloak and it fell away revealing my body in the tunic beneath, my chest heaving. It wasn’t the man’s darkly handsome face that stopped me, but the golden-green eyes. The eyes of a lion. The eyes of a king.

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 09.04.2011

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