Treasures of Grovengar

Prologue

At least given all the races in the world, the raccoons do not judge me. Einar thought while she messed around in a trash pile outside of the inn. Gathering rags and partially eaten food, she filled her arms and walked away from the smelly pile of sludge quickly.

"Hold on now Miss." Einar sighed as she heard the clinking of armor come to a halt and she did as well. She turned, her arms still full, to face two guards that were on patrol, their bronze armor glinting in the setting sun that their backs were facing. The previously relaxed-looking soldiers tensed and placed their hands on their swords, ready to draw them.

"Where are your tags?" The taller one on the right asked. Einar slowly moved her hand and shook her wrist. The soldiers drew their swords and a brown number 3 fell out of her sleeve. Einar held her breath, waiting for one of them to skewer her.
" You're pushing your curfew." Einar finally released her breath.

"I know. I just needed to find some food and then I would hurry back to my abode." Einar had rehearsed this. It was common for the guards of Spitfire to stop non-humanoids because they were "fishy". She made sure to not make eye contact with the guards and to only look at their feet. She knew not to provoke feral animals and the lesson seemed to fit here as well.

"Run along lizard. Don't let me catch you out this late again." The main guard grunted and Einar sighed in relief. She struggled to keep the cloth and food in her arms as she ran away, her tail keeping her balance. Einar scampered between the blacksmiths' forge and the armory into a little hole in the wall.

"You shall continue the reading about the alchemical properties of whiteroot, then write me a three-page essay as to why it is essential to the Battle Mages. You're dismissed." Lady Elenor Greymane was the best Vanatur teacher in the continent of Gronvengar but she still couldn't hold the Greycastle girl's attention. Tessiana had fallen asleep in class, drooling over her tome yet again. Lady Greymane had taught three generations of Greycastle Battle Mages but this one was proving most difficult.

"Tessiana," She said, as she glided towards the sleeping child. "Tessiana." She said a little louder. With no response or movement from the child, Lady Greymane took off her glove to reveal a scarred hand. She pointed her first two fingers at the young adult "Fulgur."

Lightning sparks danced out of her fingertips and onto Tessiana's ear, with just enough power to cause a strange, pinprick feeling in her ear. Tessiana lifted her hand and swatted at her ear, transferring the lightning to her hand. Her eyes slowly opened and she shook her hand as if trying to get off a bug or stray hair.

"You have slept long enough young Greycastle." Lady Greymane told her sternly. Tessiana wiped the sleep from her eyes.

"I didn't sleep well last night El," Tessiana said in a sleep-filled voice. For half a second, Elenor Greymane felt pity for the child, until she caught herself and retrained her gaze to be stern.

"You should have gone to bed sooner," Elenor stated as she pulled her glove back on. Tessiana smiled, remembering why she was up so late the night before. Mitra had shown her a beautiful lake that sat behind a waterfall in the eastern woods. Elenor grew more stern.

"You are dismissed but do not go see that huntress. She isn't good for you and you must start looking at suitors that are...well suitable for a woman of your blood and social standing." Tessiana's eyes grew fierce and she screwed her face up in anger.

Tessiana pushed herself out of her chair and stormed out of the library. Elenor looked on with disappointment as Tessiana ran see Mitra. She made her way to the stables, where she leaned against the doorframe and watched one of her favorite sights.