On the Wrong Side

Chapter 1

He could feel the eyes of a child staring at him even through his cloak's 'protection.' He sighed inwardly and turned. And stared. The child took one look at his gray slit pupils, red irises, pointed ears, and large shoulder blades, and ran. 'Probably going to go tell her mother she saw a faerie tale monster,' he thought bitterly.

He was in Loholt's land now. The kingdom of Draecheal. The death and doom of the Egesa. Myerdden had been taught by Jonayhan that Loholt's was the downfall of the Egesa and a sworn enemy to all.

Myerdden had been waiting for this assignment since he was thirteen: kill the killer of the Egesa. It had taken ten years of trust and hard work but he had finally been trusted to go outside of the kingdom. He had as much time as he wanted for this mission provided he reported back to Qyrelt. It was his reward in a way. Two years in service to the king as an assassin, and he could kill one person of his choosing as long as the king approved. As it was the end of his second year, and they were due for a 'reward,' he chose the killer of the Egesa: King Loholt.

He headed towards the kingdom. The killer of the Egesa would die within the month.

+=+=+=+=+

Emalin walked down the halls of Loholt's kingdom, saying hello to the servants she had befriended over the years of her stay. She was heading back to Caradan's chambers. He was the physician and practically Emalin's father. He had raised her, with Loholt's permission, when her parents had died, despite her faerie descent. She was half-faerie. Half faerie meaning black hair with streaks of white; clear, blue-gray eyes with the wisdom of her Elders shining through her child-like innocence; pale, porcelain skin, and blood red lips. It was quite unnatural for Draechealans, who had darker shades of hair and browner eyes, most of the time.

Anyhow, she was going to Caradan's chambers to see if she could gather any herbs for him which would give her an excuse to leave the castle. She loved the castle — with its white, marble walls and smooth, cobblestone streets — but one could only stay inside studying books and practicing magic for so long.

Caradan had practically raised Emalin. He was the girl's only parent figure as hers had abandoned her on the road before their death, as an infant. Caradan, while having the energy of a child not yet ten summers old, was growing older and his dark hair was streaked with white like the twinkling stars that often whizzed in the skies above Draecheal.

She got the list and headed out to the palace gardens before making her way to the gates. She reached the gates and walked along the path until she had collected the much-needed herbs. It was when she was walking on the white, cobbled streets of Draecheal that she bumped into someone.

The herbs spilled out of the basked and into the streets. She could still collect them to bring to Caradan. He washed them before he used them anyways. A hooded figure bent over and reached to pick up the herbs.

"It's alright. I can get them," Emalin answered at the stranger's attempt to help, "I'm sorry for bumping into you." Emalin hadn't yet gathered all the herbs or looked at the stranger.

"Thank you for helping," she said when the herbs were gathered, "and I truly am sorry for bumping into you." She still hadn't heard a response so she looked up and was shocked to see a boy about her age. He had black, shoulder length hair; red eyes with gray, slurred pupils, and pointed ears with the cowl of his cloak dropped down on his shoulders. 'An Egesa,' she thought.

"Won't you talk?" She asked. He shook his head.

"Are you mute?" A slow nod this time.

"What's your name? You can write your answer on the back of this." She pulled out the list and a stick of charcoal.

"You don't want to talk?" A nod.

"Is it because I'm of faerie descent?" Faerie and Egesa were mortal enemies.

A look of surprise grew on his face before he quickly recovered and shook his head.

"I'll see you around?" she asked. She was eager to learn about this strange boy and the Egesa. But as she looked up from counting her herbs, the stranger had turned and began to walk away. The cowl of his covering his raven hair while his large shoulder blades formed miniature wings out the back of his worn cloak.

'Definitely an Egesa,' she thought. 'Those wing-like shoulder blades practically scream dragon while the pointed ears and red eyes speak of his elf and demon heritage.'

A/N: Hello. Couldn't resist putting up another chapter. Hope I haven't scared you all away with the prologue... Tell me what you think.