From the Edges of the Mirror

Chapter 1, The Reunion

I rushed along the rough country road, the wind playing with my hair as I ran. The cool breeze slowly felt more and more moist, as I got closer to the cottage on the coast. We had always had it set aside for our secret meetings, as people do. My brothers had always been strict with me, that nobody should follow me to the location. I, of course, ha never had any friends who'd follow me anyways.

Regardless, I had always put up charms against prying eyes, and nothing had happened so far. Amme keeps telling me that there would be people who try to steal the mirror while i was out, but nothing's happened. I think she's simply paranoid, because of things that happen on her side.

My brothers, Stephen and Edgar, have vastly different lives from me. They, for one, live inside the castle Near the woods. We're triplets, with really different jobs. I'm a seer, a fortune teller, if you would. That's why i'm always seen as a witch. I'm the middle child. Edgar, the youngest of the three of us, is the captain of a platoon under the direct service to the prince. It just so happens, however, that the prince in question, is Stephen, the eldest of us siblings.

Before you ask, readers, I'll put the reason for our different living styles before you. Our parents, the great King Christian and the kind Queen Elleta, wanted their children to know of each of the social standings within their kingdom. Thus, from an early age, the makings for each of our lives was incorparated into how we were raised by our caretakers. I was brought to the royal advisor, Louis' home, and trained to use the little holy power I had in me.

Edgar was under the wing of general Price, and taught all about defensive and offensive fighting. From what I heard, it was a good life for him. He had been taught how to use daggers, swords, bows, and polearms alike, though now, he mainly uses spears.

Stephen was really lucky, he got to see mother and father the most, as they taught him everything they knew about running a country. He also had Mr.Louis as his teacher on sundays, when we were 10, which let me go and watch Edgar's practices. They were so talented, They got to see our parents at least every other day, and they were always nice and warm. Though being a port city, Adriannel was up in the north-eastern part of the continent, so if you didn't have a fireplace in every room, you'd be pretty cold during the winters. In Mr.Louis' home, my room was one of many that didn't have a fireplace. I had spent most of my time there in the library, which had a small fireplace set in stone.

Unlike my brothers, after I turned 17, I was sent to a small cottage in the outer edge of the city, to continue my studies alone. Every now and then, someone comes by for some sort of exorcism or spiritual connection or another. As far as I know, it was then, that my mother gave me the mirror that Amme and I communicate with. Somehow, it's been three years, and I still don't know how she decided it was for me, as she said it was meant to be mine.

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Just as the sun started to sink below the line of trees, I arrived at the 'meeting cottage', as we so termed it. There were already two horses tied to the hitching posts, so I instantly knew that my brothers had been here for a while. Recovering my breath, I tapped twice on the door and walked inside. As I did, I was enveloped into a strong embrace, characteristic to Edgar's greetings.

Edgar was a well muscled man, with sun-touched skin and a light dappling of freckles. His hair, like the rest of us, was an entrancing mahogany brown, and had a bit of stubble around his chin. His eyes were as green as the grass that waved in the wind, outside the cottage. He was one of the gentler castle guards, but with one of the wisest gazes one would ever see, in a man so young.

Once he let go, however, I could see that my brothers were crying. It was so rare that they cried, that I was panicking into a flurry of questions, which would likely not be answered for several more minutes, "What's going on? Why are you crying? How was the trip? What just happened? Didn't mother and father say they were coming this trip, as well?" At this point, they had just begun to stop their tears. Stephen stepped in front of me, standing tall, but appearing frailer and weaker than ever.

Stephen had always been nice and tall, but his secret sword training with Edgar had made him seem much bigger than he is, what with all the muscles that were built up with that. Unlike Edgar, his hair was trimmed short and wavy, and he was always clean-shaven. His eyes were a sparkling gray-green mix, like the leaves of the sage plant, his own gaze was always full of an energized fire, contrasting Edgar's calmness.

"Emma... Mother and Father... They've been killed. We have no idea how, but during our walk along a creek, they just dropped down into the water. We managed to get them out, but they were dead by the time we did." Here, he broke down on another fit of sobbing and tears.

"Wha-what do you mean, 'dead'? They can't... They are... I-I'm not sure what I..." I collapsed into a puddle, my eyes welling up with tears. How could they be dead? They're supposed to be the strong adults... They were supposed to protect us and the other citizens from harm... I suppose that my brothers ended up explaining things further, as to what we were going to have to do for our kingdom, but everything was a blur, until we somehow got up to the castle gates. When I noticed where we were, I turned to go down to my cottage, but a hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder.

"Where do you think you're going?" Prodded Stephen, as he gently released me when I regained balance.

"'Where?' I think I'm heading home..." I replied with an unintentionally sharp tone, then, realizing this, clapped my hand to my mouth. "Uh, sorry about that...?"

Edgar shook his head, smiling slightly. "Really, sister, we've already agree that you'd move into the castle tonight. You even nodded your head, in assent!"

I flushed an embarrassed pink, and muttered, "Oh, oh, I did? Well... I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings anyways... But I do think it would be a good idea..." Staring up at the nighttime sky, the cosmos was shining bright as ever in the clear skies, unhindered by the terrible news that had been given down here, on the earth. "I just need to grab something from my cottage. In a way, it's the only thing I will ever need with me. You'll let me go fetch it, right, brothers?" I inquired with a subtle pleading tone, in attempts to appeal to them to send me off.

"You really need that mirror, huh? What's the big deal with it, Emma?" Called Stephen, from just inside the gates. I rushed towards him, surprisingly agile, and dragged him off the horse he was sitting on. "'What's the big deal?' Are you kidding me? MOTHER gave the mirror to me! It was the only thing our parents had given me directly, and it has... Special qualities to it. Nobody aside from me should use it." I growled at my elder brother, to accentuate my reason. Edgar then hopped off his horse and jogged over to separate us.

"Now, now, then, you two. Let's not fight much longer, it's nearly midnight. Emma, just go and get it. take a horse and a cart with you, it's a big thing, and you shouldn't carry it all this way by yourself." He said, gently. I nodded, but replied quickly with, "I'll got collect it, and my clothes, but there's no need for a cart. I've carried it places alone, pretty easily. I can handle it." I gave my siblings quick hugs, and rocketed away, down the road, into the city outskirts.

As soon as I got to my home, I grabbed my clothes and stuffed them into a satchel, then took the shroud off the mirror, and noticed something. Amme wasn't there. She was always reflected, no matter what, if she was the owner of the mirror.