Three forevers ago...
I totally wish I could go back to the summer before eighth grade. Kim and I wanted to be in Harry Potter so much we made up Trixtany Academy, Pyro and Jade, Luke and Jon, and five million other things that were totally ripped off HP. It was the best summer of my life. We got together practically every other day and wrote our story, to the point that one day we didn't and had totally forgotten how to hang out without writing. Pathetic, huh? XD
But anyway, one time Kim wrote this story about this girl, Jessica, who was transported to a magical world and found she was the last of the race of Patrons, who were apparently supposed to save the world from some evil. Jessica herself sucked as a character, I had no idea what was going on, the random addition of teenage boys annoyed me, calling Branaric a horse and a pony (they're two different things, people!) drove me insane - pretty much the whole story needed help, but one thing stuck out. There was this one character called Markel - he was kind of a bastard, but I liked him, so I borrowed him and tried to figure out what made him tick. I wrote a page, then forgot about the whole thing.
A year and a half later, I finished it. Two pages that somehow make more sense than the entire rest of the story. I really don't know why I'm posting this.
(Slightly edited, as I mucked with the story a bit so it made a little more sense, but it's relatively unchanged)
--A figure clothed in dark gray stood, head tilted marginally to one side. “Hawkins, one could hear you breathing from two leagues away. Have you come with the Patron?” Until he had spoken, Jessica mistook him for a girl- he was slender and slightly smaller than her guide, around 16 years of age. She couldn’t see him very well, but something was similar to herself, yet different.
The man now known as Hawkins let out a long breath. “It is hard to escape the keen ears of you, Markel.” He walked out from behind the tree, Jessica following.
“I don’t understand, why couldn’t you tell me your name?” Jessica crossed her arms over her chest.
“It is not for me to tell you, young one. By chance you have learned it, as fate has planned out.”
“This is the Patron? A female?” Markel glared at Jessica for a moment. “Are you sure? Is she true of heart?”--
--Four men stepped into the sparse sunlight, aligning themselves. All had hardened faces, and age worn expressions. “Welcome.” The oldest greeted. They all had the same striking blue eyes as Jessica. And then it hit her. Sky blue eyes- that was what had seemed so strange about Markel. His eyes were blue, but much darker. Before she could contemplate this further, the second in line spoke.--
--“Honestly...” Markel murmured quietly, but it was still audible. Jessica wilted slightly.
“She speaks pure intelligence.” The man last in line yelled.
“I believe, Kindal, that you aren’t supposed to be speaking.” Markel said, somewhat smugly.
“I think, Markel, you are losing your mind after 177 years.” Kindal countered, folding his arms on his chest. Jessica blinked. That guy was 177? He only looked a few years older than herself! “And you need not speak either.”
“True. But I, unlike you, am not bound by Patronage any longer. I have no loyalties to your king.”
“Enough, Markel!” Tressot shot.
Markel fell quiet, though reluctantly. “Watch your tongue.” Hawkins whispered in exasperation.--
--Hawkins’ smile grew wider. “You really don’t have any idea of who you really are, do you? Well, anyway, one thing to know- there are five Patrons at all times. You are the fifth.”
“Oh.” Jessica thought this over for a moment. “So who was before me?”
“Kindal, Lorthen, Davie, Vinder- and, before you were born, Markel.”
Jessica almost stopped running. “Markel was a Patron? But… how come he isn’t anymore? If there’s five at all times, shouldn’t I have not been born as a Patron?”
“You were born a Patron because Markel gave up his Patronage for something he deemed more important.” A bird cawed. The smile quickly left Hawkins’ face. “Come, into the denser trees.”--
(Most of this is old. Sorry for suckage)
Creatures of the night scattered as he made his way through the Arcinian Woods, putting as much distance between him and Kemaser Head- and the new Patron.
Why was she brought here after 14 years? It would be impossible for her to fall into her duties this late in life, Patrons had to prepare when very young or else more trivial things would get in the way of priorities. This, Markel knew for a fact.
Friends outside of the Five Patrons were deemed unnecessary, and family was to be disregarded, especially during times of war. Markel had been the most recent Patron and arguably the best, until someone - to be more precise, several someones - got in his way. And his power waned, displaced into the very air the High King Tressot breathed, and Jessica Torrel was born.
Slowing to a stop next to a small lake, Markel knelt down in front of it. He looked the same as he always did- 177 years of Patronage, and his general appearance was one of a 16 year old boy. Messy light brown hair, bordering on blonde, and Prussian blue eyes. Eyes that separated a Patron from a regular human, but were darker than all the others- even Kindal, the youngest Patron after Markel, knew that the darkened eyes betrayed the presence within.
Jessica Torrel. No matter how much he wanted to, Markel couldn’t bring himself to hate her; he just intensely despised her. She wasn’t even from this world- just looking at the basic way she held herself proved that. And, no matter how hard he tried, Markel didn’t see the same inner power in her the other Patrons showed from birth. That girl may have spoken out against Tressot, but hadn’t Markel done the same thing when the High King had told him he could no longer have contact with his family? That had led up to the young Patron being disowned from the Five, and Jessica Torrel brought to Kemaser Head by Hawkins, who Markel didn’t like either. Then she was told by Lorthen, the wisest of the Five no less, she would be the greatest Patron who ever lived.
Markel had been told the same, so many years ago.
And so, stunned and more than a little hurt, Markel had vanished into the forest, hoping that Jessica would be gone when he returned- if he returned.
Letting out a near-silent sigh, Markel dropped a pebble into his pale reflection in the water, shattering it and sending ripples in all directions. And then there was the name thing. Jessica may have thought she was proving a point by stating who you were and what people called you by were two different things, but all she did was drive the stake deeper into his heart. They called him a Patron.
“Eventually she shall realize what they do.” he spoke softly, his voice sounding fragile and weak in the darkness, “Jessica Torrel will cease to exist, and she will become Jessica the Patron- what they want her to be, not what she wants to be. Just like they did to me.”
“So then who do you owe your allegiance to?” a second voice, deeper but somehow similar to Markel’s, “The ones who changed your identity- or your family?”
Markel didn’t have an reply to that, not that he ever had. “I don’t know.” He answered truthfully. “Wouldn’t it be so much easier to do both?”
The figure slowly walked around the pond into the moonlight, revealing it to be a man of about 20 with dark hair and blue eyes, and sat down next to Markel. “Possibly. I don’t believe it’s going to happen, though.” A short pause. “She misses you, you know.” He turned to look at his brother, who steadily refused to meet his eyes.
“I can’t go back, Arek. I promised them I’d never go back.”
“You promised them you wouldn’t come back to see us, either.” Arek pointed out. “And yet we’re doing that now.”
“Shut up.” Markel muttered ruefully, flicking a blade of grass into the water and watching it slowly sink beneath the surface, aqua bubbles swallowing it whole. And then there was yet another beside him, kneeling in the dry leaves. She gently rested her delicate hand atop his hair.
“Listen to him, little brother.” Nina admonished softly.
“I can’t.” Markel cut her off, tossing another pebble into the pond, refusing to look up and meet her eyes. “I’m sworn to the King. Just by being here I’m going against everything I live for.”
Arek, who had been watching in silence, stood. “Then maybe you’re living for the wrong thing.” He reached out, hesitated for a moment, then clapped his brother on the shoulder. “You’re going to have to figure that out for yourself.”
After he had vanished back into the trees, Nina finally took her hand off Markel’s head. “I have to go home, I can’t leave Isabella alone long.” She got to her feet as well. “Just remember,” The woman leaned down and whispered into his ear, “You can always come home.”
And she was gone, leaving Markel to his thoughts.
Markel is technically Kim's. Arek, Nina and her daughter Isabella are mine! All mine! :P
(Yes, I just disclaimed an original story. Leave me alone.)
But anyway, one time Kim wrote this story about this girl, Jessica, who was transported to a magical world and found she was the last of the race of Patrons, who were apparently supposed to save the world from some evil. Jessica herself sucked as a character, I had no idea what was going on, the random addition of teenage boys annoyed me, calling Branaric a horse and a pony (they're two different things, people!) drove me insane - pretty much the whole story needed help, but one thing stuck out. There was this one character called Markel - he was kind of a bastard, but I liked him, so I borrowed him and tried to figure out what made him tick. I wrote a page, then forgot about the whole thing.
A year and a half later, I finished it. Two pages that somehow make more sense than the entire rest of the story. I really don't know why I'm posting this.
(Slightly edited, as I mucked with the story a bit so it made a little more sense, but it's relatively unchanged)
--A figure clothed in dark gray stood, head tilted marginally to one side. “Hawkins, one could hear you breathing from two leagues away. Have you come with the Patron?” Until he had spoken, Jessica mistook him for a girl- he was slender and slightly smaller than her guide, around 16 years of age. She couldn’t see him very well, but something was similar to herself, yet different.
The man now known as Hawkins let out a long breath. “It is hard to escape the keen ears of you, Markel.” He walked out from behind the tree, Jessica following.
“I don’t understand, why couldn’t you tell me your name?” Jessica crossed her arms over her chest.
“It is not for me to tell you, young one. By chance you have learned it, as fate has planned out.”
“This is the Patron? A female?” Markel glared at Jessica for a moment. “Are you sure? Is she true of heart?”--
--Four men stepped into the sparse sunlight, aligning themselves. All had hardened faces, and age worn expressions. “Welcome.” The oldest greeted. They all had the same striking blue eyes as Jessica. And then it hit her. Sky blue eyes- that was what had seemed so strange about Markel. His eyes were blue, but much darker. Before she could contemplate this further, the second in line spoke.--
--“Honestly...” Markel murmured quietly, but it was still audible. Jessica wilted slightly.
“She speaks pure intelligence.” The man last in line yelled.
“I believe, Kindal, that you aren’t supposed to be speaking.” Markel said, somewhat smugly.
“I think, Markel, you are losing your mind after 177 years.” Kindal countered, folding his arms on his chest. Jessica blinked. That guy was 177? He only looked a few years older than herself! “And you need not speak either.”
“True. But I, unlike you, am not bound by Patronage any longer. I have no loyalties to your king.”
“Enough, Markel!” Tressot shot.
Markel fell quiet, though reluctantly. “Watch your tongue.” Hawkins whispered in exasperation.--
--Hawkins’ smile grew wider. “You really don’t have any idea of who you really are, do you? Well, anyway, one thing to know- there are five Patrons at all times. You are the fifth.”
“Oh.” Jessica thought this over for a moment. “So who was before me?”
“Kindal, Lorthen, Davie, Vinder- and, before you were born, Markel.”
Jessica almost stopped running. “Markel was a Patron? But… how come he isn’t anymore? If there’s five at all times, shouldn’t I have not been born as a Patron?”
“You were born a Patron because Markel gave up his Patronage for something he deemed more important.” A bird cawed. The smile quickly left Hawkins’ face. “Come, into the denser trees.”--
(Most of this is old. Sorry for suckage)
Creatures of the night scattered as he made his way through the Arcinian Woods, putting as much distance between him and Kemaser Head- and the new Patron.
Why was she brought here after 14 years? It would be impossible for her to fall into her duties this late in life, Patrons had to prepare when very young or else more trivial things would get in the way of priorities. This, Markel knew for a fact.
Friends outside of the Five Patrons were deemed unnecessary, and family was to be disregarded, especially during times of war. Markel had been the most recent Patron and arguably the best, until someone - to be more precise, several someones - got in his way. And his power waned, displaced into the very air the High King Tressot breathed, and Jessica Torrel was born.
Slowing to a stop next to a small lake, Markel knelt down in front of it. He looked the same as he always did- 177 years of Patronage, and his general appearance was one of a 16 year old boy. Messy light brown hair, bordering on blonde, and Prussian blue eyes. Eyes that separated a Patron from a regular human, but were darker than all the others- even Kindal, the youngest Patron after Markel, knew that the darkened eyes betrayed the presence within.
Jessica Torrel. No matter how much he wanted to, Markel couldn’t bring himself to hate her; he just intensely despised her. She wasn’t even from this world- just looking at the basic way she held herself proved that. And, no matter how hard he tried, Markel didn’t see the same inner power in her the other Patrons showed from birth. That girl may have spoken out against Tressot, but hadn’t Markel done the same thing when the High King had told him he could no longer have contact with his family? That had led up to the young Patron being disowned from the Five, and Jessica Torrel brought to Kemaser Head by Hawkins, who Markel didn’t like either. Then she was told by Lorthen, the wisest of the Five no less, she would be the greatest Patron who ever lived.
Markel had been told the same, so many years ago.
And so, stunned and more than a little hurt, Markel had vanished into the forest, hoping that Jessica would be gone when he returned- if he returned.
Letting out a near-silent sigh, Markel dropped a pebble into his pale reflection in the water, shattering it and sending ripples in all directions. And then there was the name thing. Jessica may have thought she was proving a point by stating who you were and what people called you by were two different things, but all she did was drive the stake deeper into his heart. They called him a Patron.
“Eventually she shall realize what they do.” he spoke softly, his voice sounding fragile and weak in the darkness, “Jessica Torrel will cease to exist, and she will become Jessica the Patron- what they want her to be, not what she wants to be. Just like they did to me.”
“So then who do you owe your allegiance to?” a second voice, deeper but somehow similar to Markel’s, “The ones who changed your identity- or your family?”
Markel didn’t have an reply to that, not that he ever had. “I don’t know.” He answered truthfully. “Wouldn’t it be so much easier to do both?”
The figure slowly walked around the pond into the moonlight, revealing it to be a man of about 20 with dark hair and blue eyes, and sat down next to Markel. “Possibly. I don’t believe it’s going to happen, though.” A short pause. “She misses you, you know.” He turned to look at his brother, who steadily refused to meet his eyes.
“I can’t go back, Arek. I promised them I’d never go back.”
“You promised them you wouldn’t come back to see us, either.” Arek pointed out. “And yet we’re doing that now.”
“Shut up.” Markel muttered ruefully, flicking a blade of grass into the water and watching it slowly sink beneath the surface, aqua bubbles swallowing it whole. And then there was yet another beside him, kneeling in the dry leaves. She gently rested her delicate hand atop his hair.
“Listen to him, little brother.” Nina admonished softly.
“I can’t.” Markel cut her off, tossing another pebble into the pond, refusing to look up and meet her eyes. “I’m sworn to the King. Just by being here I’m going against everything I live for.”
Arek, who had been watching in silence, stood. “Then maybe you’re living for the wrong thing.” He reached out, hesitated for a moment, then clapped his brother on the shoulder. “You’re going to have to figure that out for yourself.”
After he had vanished back into the trees, Nina finally took her hand off Markel’s head. “I have to go home, I can’t leave Isabella alone long.” She got to her feet as well. “Just remember,” The woman leaned down and whispered into his ear, “You can always come home.”
And she was gone, leaving Markel to his thoughts.
Markel is technically Kim's. Arek, Nina and her daughter Isabella are mine! All mine! :P
(Yes, I just disclaimed an original story. Leave me alone.)