Sandstorm [ACOTOR series side story]

Four

"You trying to give him a shave girl? Go for the kill or let them finally cut you down" Master snaps at me.

I nod my head as my only sign of confirmation before I put all my attention to defeating the rest of my foes. I give out sharp kicks and clipped blows, knocking down or unconscious my remaining foes. I'm hardly panting when all that lays around me are the off-duty guards, groaning and moaning in pain.

"Couldn't you have taken it easier on us?" one of them complains.

I level a flat stare at him and he quickly shuts up. The Master walks up to me and surveys my white cloaked body, looking for any spots of color. The guards' wooden swords were all dipped at the ends with powder so even if I sustained a tiny scratch it would show. But I would think otherwise.

"No stains for the third night in a row" he mutters.

The guards groan collectively at their loss, but it was expected. With only two years of training I am second to only the Master. Of course, all my studying of fighting styles and endless practice couldn't have done so much, no, I was born to do this.

"Ha, at this rate you'll be able to fight me soon enough" the Master remarks. This was great news to me.

"Good night" is all I say as I retire for the night.

I sneak into my room on the third terrace by climbing the stones from the outside. Once in my room, I refresh myself and sit on my straw filled mattress. Even if I am nearing an age appropriate for marriage, I'm still treated like dirt under my family's feet. But their treatment suits me fine because I can get away with most of what I wish in this house. So that's why I've gotten into the habit of studying late into the nights after training with the Master. Wilda might know about it but she doesn't know what I'm particularly studying. Anything and everything but foreign courts mostly, their laws and costumes mainly, also their histories and economics as well as geography. My escape depends on it.

"How long do you think the humans will think freedom is possible, they've been making a fuss for a few centuries and it's getting pretty heated" a female maidservant says.

"It's all for nothing. Humans are meant to serve like pigs are meant to be eaten" my vain sister Jahi, who is approaching a few decades, says.

"But it is worrisome how it seems to be heading to war. What will happen to us if that were to ever happen?" my air headed sister Anum, who is four decades, comments.

"Oh nothing, they'll just be killed soon enough without any help" Jahi says. "Now let us discuss the Lord coming in a few weeks' time, I hear he's unmarried and-".

I leave the window of their second story ladies' room silently, not disturbing a single stone on my way down. This morning, I had listened into their conversation on a whim and because I could, but I had gained more information than I thought I would. My sisters were only here and not at their husbands houses because an important Lord is arriving soon, and war is coming. I've had inklings that a human faerie war is fast approaching but if my vapid sisters are even concerned by it, then it is happening. I know they've only been told what the men in their lives have wanted them to, but they could take more interest of the world around them. I'm hardly a couple decades old and I know more than an average male citizen on the streets I'm traveling on.

My trips to my father's library have become few since that incident years ago. I always keep my guard up and take even more caution to avoid being seen or discovered. I read the books I choose at high up dark perches because no one looks up and I frequent different stacks every trip. But no matter how high the risk, I still love opening an ancient text and learning more than before. If only the library didn't have a spell in place to set off an alarm when any of the texts leave the premises without permission.

Magic ability identification was a hard concept to determine a few millennia ago for the High Fae not included in any royal blooded families. With determining the next High Lord, his presence was a key factor in deciding and still is, but the common folk do not possess such a strong force of power for it to be relevant. After many unsuccessful attempts an accurate method of determination was made. Not all high Fae with magic possess the skill and power needed to winnow from different locations. That is, to imagine using the folds of the world to create a path to a desired destination across the same plane. Those who do bear enough strength to winnow even a short distance are of a greater range of power than one who cannot. When trials were done for this hypothesis, many distinct results were achieved except for one trial subject. The individual had made their attempt to winnow but did not reappear in the vicinity. It was assumed that they had traveled even further than expected until they returned saying they were in the same place they started but somehow in a different plane. He described it as a mirror realm that holds everything that our realm would but, in a place, where the strings of the world could be seen. It is still unknown whether this attempt had strained the individuals mind or an undiscovered ability has emerged but-

Hmm, I wonder if I can winnow?

At midday, I stood outside in the garden which is empty because of the time of day and hidden from view of any of the house's windows with the tall palm tree canopy.

Okay, the text said to focus on one spot in the distance and to imagine the world folding over.

I tug on whatever small feeling of power I possess and pull to be where I wish myself to be. I reach out with my eyes closed to see if I really reached the palm tree some feet from me and grin when I feel its bark. But when I open my eyes I find my hand at the base of the palm tree when I'm still where I started. But even then, it's strange, the world seems different, like a veil was put over the world showing all its threads one by one to me. 

He described it as a mirror realm that holds everything that our realm would but, in a place, where the strings of the world could be seen. 

My eyes widen at my accidental discovery. That male did not just imagine that mirror realm so long ago because that's where I am right now.