The Thief and the Harlequin

Chapter 3 - Nightwing

Chapter 3 - Nightwing

The next day, when Faren had returned, Kaya and Bernard explained to him why Sana was leaving for Bryndale while Sana packed up what few belongings she owned. Since Faren was neither religious, nor superstitious, they left out the part about the Harlequin, but he still agreed that it would be wise for Sana to get out of town – a “paid vacation”, as he called it, though Sana knew the pay she would receive upon return would be minimal at best. Still, he hadn’t forbidden her from leaving, and gave her a fair share of money for her work the night before, so she carried her bag to the stable behind the tavern, the Harlequin’s card tucked safely away inside her tunic. Audrey was already there, hooking up the carriage and feeding carrots to his horse.

“So you’ll be leaving us then, miss?” Audrey turned as she entered, tipping his hat to her. “That’s a shame, that is, but I suppose it can’t be helped. I threw some crate blankets in the back of the carriage in case you get cold, but they’re also there for you to hide in. When we get within reach of the city, I want you to cover yourself and make not a sound, you hear? Security’s been tight around Bryndale recently, and only one of us has a clearance pass, I’m afraid.” When Sana stared at him in alarm, he chuckled. “Don’t you worry miss, the people hate the new laws, so no one’s gonna rat out a newcomer. Just keep your head down, you’re good at that, no?”

The ride to Bryndale was fairly uneventful for the most part, but beautiful and scenic all the same. Having never really gone much further than the outskirts of town, Sana had never appreciated the natural beauty that existed just beyond the town’s gates. The land between Bryndale and Marefort was mostly rolling green hills, with long grass that drifted like waves in the wind, and spotted with fields of farmland. Occasionally huge, ancient trees dotted the land, casting wide shadows over the grass and providing ample shade for large red flowers to bloom underneath. Mountains loomed in the distance, rising up into the clear blue sky, their peaks obscured by clouds. Everything outside the town was so calm and peaceful; it was hard to imagine that her whole life, Sana had been caught up in the bustle and drabness of the town. The carriage bumped along a winding, worn-down road, occasionally slowing down to avoid disturbing the wild sheep that aimlessly plodded across.

As the sun sank below the mountains, Sana saw the spires and towers of Bryndale’s royal castle in the distance and had the feeling they would be there before morning. With the sky fading from light blue to navy, Sana could clearly see the constellations and hazy red auras that filled the night. It was a sight she was not impressed by, however, having seen them clearly from her thieving expeditions, so she closed her eyes and tried to drift off to sleep. The gentle rocking of the carriage and the dim light of the sky pushed her into a dreamy haze.

She nestled into the blankets, ready to rest until dawn, but a strange breeze at her shoulder made her turn over. Suddenly she bolted upright, ready to scream, instead glancing at Audrey, up in the front and with his back turned to her, to make sure he hadn’t noticed anything. By her side was the Harlequin, sitting there as if he had been there the whole time, the smile glazed upon his mask. Once again, he raised his finger to his mouth as if to say, “Shh.”

“What the hell are you doing here?” Sana whispered. She did not want to alert Audrey; she knew that the Harlequin’s appearance was for her and her alone. It was a small pride to her, being graced with the appearance of a God who hadn’t revealed himself to humans in nearly a century, even if she did find it slightly frustrating.

The Harlequin remained silent; the slits that were eyes were shining with an odd blue light.

“Fine, you’re not a talker, I get that.” Sana slid her hand into her tunic and pulled out the card. “Can you at least give me some kind of sign, or something? What does this mean? Are you going to kill me?”