Noddfa

Prologue

The old man stared at the simple chest in the library that had been locked for a century. The only thing adorning it was a small note under the heavy, titanium lid: This shall be unlocked exactly one hundred revolutions of the planet around the Star after it closes. The information enclosed should be dealt with according to the needs and ideals of those present at its unfastening. Gazing at the box in amazement, he wondered what to do. Only minutes before, he had heard a click and turned around to find the ancient container cracked open.

Doing the only action that seemed plausible, the old man opened the dusty chest. Inside was a stack of papers and six instruments. Seeing nothing else to do, he started reading the papers.

The Ninth Day of the Third Month, Year 528 AC (After Catastrophe)

We set out tomorrow. This endeavor should be successful, but the Elder has had us write this in case something happens. It is risky, after all. If you are reading this, he was right to do so. Read this carefully, then consider the best course of action. More letters will be attached if we make it to a safe place.

The world has been abandoned for centuries by mankind, except for Siren, this mountain in the Bornix Mountain Range. Foldrean, the continent on which we sit on the edge of, is too large to settle right now, or so they say. Instead, we leave for the peninsula on the other side of the range, the one we call the Island.

The city of Siren has decided to send six youth, all at the ages of seventeen. We will explore the area, settle in a safer location, and report back at annual intervals. As the settlement grows, it may become more dependent. We will slowly spread back into the world. Diseases should be taken cautiously, as we have been isolated too long from the outside, and we do not know much of the creatures we will deal with. All we know is that it is time.

The only thing we know about the Island is the worst of the predators: large creatures the size of a boulder, with a catlike front and an armor-plated back. We call them Danglens. They attack the city's gates sometimes, though they are not strong enough to break through the titanium. Everything on the Island seems to be covered in forests, so they shouldn't be much of a problem if our theory is correct. Following the coast should be the best course of action, since the creatures would need to approach in a route less hidden from eyesight.

The best course of action we can advise if we have failed is to try again. Follow our advice, take care, and if our families are still there, tell them we love them.

-the Six

The old man stared at the letter, surprise showing on his face. He glanced down at the other letters in the chest. It would be a long night.

A brilliant bird flies by my window, catching my eye. Its bright orange feathers gleam like a sunset, standing out against the darkening sky of twilight. I sigh, glance around quickly to make sure that nobody is watching, then raise myself over the edge of my balcony.

Scrambling down the smooth looking walls in practiced steps, my feet find the well-worn niches I have slowly learned to trust. As my bare feet touch the cold earth, I turn quickly to find the bird in the ever darkening night. Its wings flutter at the edge of my vision, and I race after it.

Narrowly missing a wall, my attention focused solely on the bird, I continue to follow the bird. Imagination takes over as I become the beautiful creature. My wings open and close, dancing in the slight breeze. My chestnut hair turns into a golden crown of feathers and my blue eyes flash, catching every little detail around me, sharp as a hawk's. The sky blurs around me, and I shout for joy, reveling in the silent, cool air of the night.

I suddenly slam into a soft but firm surface and I emerge from my fantasies to find a bulky man staring down at me.

"Albert!" I cry, backing up a bit. My father's most loyal guard gives a slight "Humph!" before putting me over his shoulder. I wilt as he walks into the mansion house, knowing that I will be in trouble once again.

"Viatrix Sterlingdaughter! What in the world were you doing this time?" my father shouts as Albert pulls me into the evening room. I curl into a ball as his wrath descends on me.

"Mr. Sterling, I found her running around outside. She didn't seem to be paying any heed to her surroundings. Who knows what she could have run into."

"I thought I told you to inform the servants to not allow her outside! What of that?"

"None of the servants saw her leave her room, neither did anything seem to entail that she escaped the house when we checked her room."

Both adults turn to me, implying their question. "I just went outside. Nothing bad happened to me! What's wrong with it?"

"The mansion is the safest place for you to be. Our family's heir shouldn't play outside when she could be taken by competition so easily. There's also the detail of your education. You need to learn how to run the company and make business decisions, not run around and make stories. We'd be the laughingstock of the city if our child turned out to be wild."

My heart sinks as I realize what my father is saying. He wants me to stay inside the stifling walls of this prison until I learn to "behave."

I stand silent, my head lowered so that he can't see the tears streaming down. He always said, "Tears are a sign of weakness, and your enemies can use them against you." This was definitely true. Father couldn't see the impact that his words had on me. If he did, he would know that I was far more connected to the outside than he believed. I shuddered at the thought of what he might do to protect me.

"See that Viatrix is placed in the Silent Room until she stops this nonsense."

"Father, no!" I gasp as Albert drags me away. My heart starts thumping wildly as I struggle to break free of the servant's hold. Anything but the Silent Room. As we get closer, I give up on my meager attempt to escape, resigned to my fate. I will never give up on this feeling I have, so the Silent Room shall be my home for years.

A/N I'm rewriting Noddfa because I wasn't sure if I liked what was happening and I felt it needed more background. Please tell me if you like the prologue and if you would be interested reading this with how it is written. Thanks!