Enmity's Lost Prodigy: Chapter 4 - Lineage

Pleasant skies treated fair on Farrah's sore wings well, with a tail wind pushing them only slightly off course. Farrah became increasingly tired, so she mostly glided. A break was made at the top of the hill before continuing to the descent below. She sat there at the top, looking for trouble off the lookout, she noticed a barrage of gloomy clouds ahead being followed by a dark lining. The sight was displeasing as the day would not only turn sour, but harbour the a storm for sure. Heavy clouds at that. She watched it move rather hastily and fall to the ground in the distance. The smell of moist woodland blew by on the passing breeze, glancing a timid chill. As moist fog and rainfall rimmed the valley edge she realized that time was not dire quite yet but instead it elicited the sure consequence of tallying. Flying through that would certainly ruin her day. Surely she could muster enough strength to take the easy road down the hill. Farrah lifted herself up, she shook her senses awake. There was no sign of the warden anywhere and they should be flying along the side border of his search. This was the time to go as their path narrowed with every moment.

Glide she did, rather quickly as she stayed as low to the trees as she could, scanning ahead. She at one point seen tail of the road but it was not paved nor reinforced.  The forest here, as predicted, was very abundant. Many small lakes and ponds were formed in this deep valley, with one river flowing. A river was perfect. In her old abode there was a river that ran near, it was re-routed into the estate and indoor use of it was greatly appreciated in the winter months. Behind her would have been easy to spot any structures.

Talia peeked out the back of Farrah’s hair, scanning behind them. A drop of rain managed to plop onto her nose. Talia became annoyed at cold moist intolerance running down her lips. “Isn't this the place you were saying it should be?” the feline pestered, wiping the drop away.

“Yes, we might be seeing something soon. If there is any houses here, it should be along the creek.”

“Creeks are too noisy, I like ponds.” Talia expressed.

“We are not trying to find you a house here.”

Talia poked her head back in for cover as the sky lightly spat. “Yeah, but you think they might rather build by a lake instead because I saw three of them behind us.”

“Houses!?” Farrah jumped

“Lakes! I saw lakes, three of them, don't panic.”

“I'm not panicking.” Farrah assured. “I'm dreading the thought of backtracking because I'm blind or something.”

“No, no, just keep going, you're good. I'll keep an eye on the back.”

“Just don't fall off.” Requested Farrah. Talia was about to assure her friend of her strong foothold but was cut off. “And don't mark up my back, you left enough claw marks in it as it is.”

“Fine, I'll try not to make any new ones.” She replied sarcastically, poking her heard out again.

Farrah continued down the creek. It was joined by another which the thought of checking this new side path filled Farrah with dread. Her time here was limited with the looming fear of being caught. Around here it seemed to have already rained earlier, the forest rose pale a thin mist, a sign of heavier weather on it’s way and not nearly enough to mask her.

“Say.” Talia mentioned. “What does smoke mean?” Catching Farrah’s attention.

“Smoke?”

“I'm pretty sure that means someone's home right?” Talia explained.

Farrah slowed to a stop midflight and hovered for a bit. She had gotten a little close to the ground now and needed to rise. “Where?”

“To the right” Talia directed. Farrah turned right, “The other right.” Farrah continued to turn right. “My right.”

“I'm turning right.” Farrah retorted.

“Left, your le...”

Farrah quickly shot out “I found it!” It was hard to see where the smoke came from exactly but it’s slender plumage was a certain highlight among the mists.

“Good job” Talia sighed before being jolted back.

Farrah took to the sight of smoke billowing out from a nearby cottage. Farrah felt her nerves spike with safety in sight. She pushed herself, closing in on the house as to finally escape the sky only to re-injured the old wound on her arm. Farrah very rapidly floating down and landed hard on her legs, falling to her knees. She clenched her arm firmly.

“That's what happens when you get to excited.” Talia lectured.

“I know, I should have known better.” Farrah admitted, knowing she would have to take the rest of the distance on foot. She got up easily, still rubbing her wing. Passing through the woodland, Farrah grew closer, wiping by the dew on each leaf, pushing the shrubs aside.

“You should probably wait before taking off again. I don't want to be responsible for you working too hard.” Talia empathized.

“I would love to rest but I'm not sure how they would feel about having two magpies hiding in their attics.”

“Doing who knows what?” Talia remarked. “...Assuming they are here.”

“Why do you bring that up?”

“I don't know, you still never really told me what you guys did to get exiled.”

“Well, if we find someone in there, maybe they might be a little less sore about it than I am.”

“You're really moody all of the sudden.” Talia pointed out.

“It's stressful alright!” Farrah squawked “It's not a nice past we have.”

Talia turned away “Very well, I can wait for the answer, but I still don't get what the dig deal is, and it's starting to irk me.” Talia understated “You're not the only one in this.” She pouted.

Farrah frowned. Talia was in this because of her. Though she wasn't in much danger, she was still stringed along; besides Talia already took a lot of weight just for the sake of her friend which was more than any of them asked for.

Before them was a house, a small one story cottage made from wooden logs with a hay roof and cobblestone foundation. Despite its poor appearance it somehow made a lasting impression of a homely refuge. Coming out of the woods they also noticed a sizable plot that ran downhill. It was tilled and bore many assorted vegetables that managed to grow in the woodland. This land was seemingly unnoticeable from their low altitude prior, if they flew higher they may have spotted it earlier but Farrah's wings were a greater concern than straining. Even to a bird, the land was so uneven that without a billow of smoke it would offer a great challenge to find this land otherwise.

“That was a good call Talia.” Farrah gratified as she walked to the front door steps.

“Let's see if it turns out before congratulating me. Not to say I don't enjoy it already.” She blushed, smug as ever.

Farrah knew very well the price of this gamble, and it was worth it's weight but she couldn't shake the uncomfortable awkwardness of visiting a complete stranger. She knocked twice, just enough to be heard. Talia sighed, “A little louder than that.” she whispered loudly. Farrah instantly complied knocking louder, shy at her friends commanding order. “That's more like it.” Talia commended. A voice inside spoke to another, though they couldn't hear it too well, they heard the floors creek towards them and the door unlatch. For a moment, Farrah feared the owner’s response, what if she was yelled at again and the warden sicked onto her. The thought passed her mind to run. As the door pulled open, an older fellow with a big welcoming face shone only to be drowned in a dark void; a dark void with white tipped face and blue sheen kind of void, Farrah.

Farrah was avoiding eye contact, looking just below his face. She asked mumbling a most inaudible bush beating question about their occupancy until Talia shot out and asked in her place “What my shy friend wants to say is...” Turning around Farrah’s shoulder she quickly noted the man's wallowing expression. “What's with you, you look like you had a bad day?”

“Honey.” The middle aged squirrel called to his wife. “We have some company that would like something of us.”

Talia tilted her head. She smiled fake and toned herself more welcomely. “Don't tell me you are shy because her people were exiled.” prodding at the point once again.

“Shush!” Farrah commanded. Finally looking into the man's eyes.

“No...” The man replied.

“Another?” His wife asked taking a look out the door from behind him.

The man now assured that the jig was up. “Yes hon, another.”

“You mean this is the place?” Talia jumped out practically falling forward with a loose grip.

“What do you know?” He asked with a concerned droop cast over his face as his eyes widened.

“If this is the right place, you have some trouble coming your way. It's a good thing we got here first to warn you.”

“Warn us? What about.” The husband asked perturbed

His wife stumbled out the door, “Come in, come in.” She requested firmly.

Farrah was slow and uncertain, staring at the man, she wanted his permission as well. “Come.” He requested. The wife almost dragged the two young girls inside as her husband swiftly closed the door trying not to slam it. Inside was lit by window mostly, and one fireplace running with a cooking pot. The clouds had already started to pull over, and to their knowledge, they weren't followed. Regardless, a storm was going to roll over, whether in the form of cloud or by sheer force. They were taken to the first chair in sight, one by the dining table and close to the fireplace. The wife asked her what was up, though her friend Talia would be more up to saying; especially since Talia also was the one who witnessed the plot.

“You not gonna tell her Farrah?” Talia asked.

“You are the one who saw it.” Farrah replied.

“Very well.” Talia sat on the table with very little manners to placing her tush on a dinner place, then proceeded to prepare her spiel. “Last night a warden fellow camped just out of here saying that he had word on a magpie, class 2 whatever that means, and that they are on scout right now to find... Uh... Wherever he is. We just narrowly escaping the warden yesterday, I thought best to do a little spying on him while his back was turned. So... Here we are.”

“How did you find us then?” The husband asked, concerned.

“Farrah had a good sense of where another magpie would hide, or at least one who would stay around long enough. She cut them off at the chase, and if I may say, she has some decent map reading skills am I right?”

Farrah ignored it. Her mind was on the fact that soon she would be face to face with a stranger. It may be her kind, but that means nothing. To be rabbit or dog means nothing of character, and over the years, sadly, Farrah started to believe her race was doomed with impurity. A discrimination does more to a person than they realize, and in time, they start to hate themselves. Farrah needed this help.

“I'm glad you came when you did.” The wife declared.

“So, if you don't mind me asking.” Talia nudged “Where can we meet this friend of Farrahs?”

“She knows him? He never really spoke to me of who he was.”

Talia shrugged, “I don't know anything about them, but...”

“It doesn't mean he's my friend Talia.” Farrah butted in. “It means I'm not the only one left.”

The husband became empathetic. “Come now.” He said. “We'll take you to him, and if he is in trouble, you are too. You are nice people, so is he. We trust him greatly.”

“Oh Unice.” His wife consoled “You look concerned.”

Unice nodded. He took the two of them to the other room. Under the table by the couch was a rug, a rather ratty rug, but a well made one and even better trap warmer. He lifted it to reveal the floor. The squirrel had some emotions to patch through. He felt touched by Farrah's young determinacy, and her pain of feeling alone in the world his friend blow them had to leave behind as well. Many of Unice’s nights were spent with this magpie, learning the struggles of their people. A believer that there is was good in their kind. He knocked. “Cedric.” Waiting a moment for the bird to hear him. “Could you undo the latch?”

Soon a tussle was heard and the flicking of a metal piece. The floor opened upward.

“My husband,” said the wife “Made that silly hiding place in case of war or being raided in the night. I laughed and let him work as it kept him busy... I'm glad he did.” She told.

“Alycia. You just didn't want me getting into trouble. I know you.” Unice replied. She laughed. “Cedric, You will be surprised who I found.”

“Now is not the time for visitors,” He yawned “And anyone looking for me is trouble.” Grumbling a earnest tire.

Farrah slowly crept up to the hole. The name was very familiar, in fact, being this close made her nervous. She was curious, but weary. His eyes shot wide as his focus came to him. Another magpie. “What is this?” Cedric asked. “How?”

“They came looking for you, apparently we have some undesirable attention on it's way as well. They came ahead of the storm to meet you.” Unice informed

“Did they attract it here? I hope not.” Cedric flustered

“It was already on it's way. As you feared, you were sighted by the wrong people. Best I can figure at least.”

“Apparently a scout no less.” Talia added.

“What is that?” Cedric asked.

“You ask as lot of questions.” Talia added, uncomfortable by the dark figure in the pit. He wasn't very well lit, quite mysterious. Her cat instincts told her to keep an eye on him.

“Sorry, come, come, it's best to hide before they get her, lest they be peeping in any windows. If they know I'm here I doubt they'll be polite about it.”

Farrah was nervous about the pit, in many ways it reminded her of her cell. Eight long years tied by a steel chain really tempered her. She was inside a house, with other people only to meet a figure, inside a pit. The definition of anti-social could be applied, but a better description would be a conglomeration of phobias that were well knit into a scarf and tied too tightly around the neck. She was frozen, but Alycia helped Farrah down and assured her that it was alright. Why the hole, why so many people around here, why was no one panicking? She was shaky at first, and turned rather ghostly by the time she made it in.

Talia thought one more thing to be important. “Unice.” She mentioned, clinging to the edge of the trap door “They are not going to be nice when they get to the door, if they say that they 'know' we are here, they are full of it. Last they saw us, they left us for dead in a spider's cave.”

Unice nodded but quickly was distracted by Cedric’s comment “She's barely clothed!” Cedric flabbergasted.

Unice smirked to the comment.“Cedric.” Unice replied “...You... Are barely clothed.” He remarked.

“Ah, yes, my apologizes for being indecent.” Cedric apologized, patting himself down to be somewhat more presentable.

“Don't sweat it.” Talia mentioned. “I've never so much as wore a grass necklace. And Farrah here... I'm not sure I've ever seen her in anything.”

“I see... Farrah? Wait, Farrah. Is that your name?” Cedric astounded.

“Talia.” Talia corrected.

“No, her.” Cedric pointed.

“Oh. That's what I said.”

“Farrah as in Shaeleen?” He continued

Farrah jumped back. He could be, he very well possibly was. He knew her name as she remembered such a name herself. Her cousin.

“You know her?” Talia asked happy for Farrah.

“Of course I know her, he father is second to the royal throne. And... My second cousin.”

Second cousin

“Shes... WHAT!?” Talia exclaimed so loudly she made Unice drop the hatch by accident as he closed up the hideaway. A moment later. “SHE'S ROYALTY!?”

Cedric laughed. Farrah only dug deeper into the wall. She knew him, she knew him indeed. Not well, he came once travelling with his father to visit. A bookworm with glasses so big she could eat off of them. He was kept to himself and his books, a miracle he could see without them now. “It's been eight years now hasn't it?” He reminisced. “No wonder I couldn't recognize you. You've grown into a beautiful young woman.”

“Wait, wait, wait... She's royalty? As in fancy bloodline, fine teas and golden jewelries royalty?” Talia marveled. She heard of them, mostly jokes and ridicules but she knew their stature.

“Yes, and no. I would say that is stereotyping the royalty, but of recent years before the fall, that would be a fitting description. Her family however was not.”

All the while Unice and Alycia stood above and scratched their heads. They weren't sure what to say after Talia's outburst and their conversation about supposed royalty. They covered the rug over the boards and stood silent. Eventually moving into the other room to discuss. “I got a big question.” Talia asked. “Farrah is a little bit sore over all this, so could you tell me what you guys did to get yourselves exiled?”

Cedric sat back against his side of the cellar and began to recall “It was as I said, ‘the fall’ took us all by surprise. Well, all but Farrah's family. They knew what would happen and they would have been the first to flee if not for having been the first to be targeted.”

“So, what did they do?”

“Nothing... Long ago after the cataclysm, the royal throne was taken by the magpie race. It was once a race as any other, but soon brought to greed through power. In time they started to become a tyranny, one of pure blood and lineage. They lived lavishly beyond their means, I... Myself included as a more direct bloodline. Though, only through my mother's marriage. The coupe happened overnight after a threat that was declined and rebels stormed the castle already in position for the word. We, in the castle had nowhere to run. The treat however was the head of king's younger brother as ransom.” He said pointing to Farrah. “Daven Shalene, her Father.”

“Why would the king abandon his brother like that? I know my family can get a little tough, but that's hard to swallow.”

“The king hated his brother. As of such, he approved the mansion in the middle of nowhere in a heartbeat just to get rid of him. You see they had opposing ideas. Farrah's father, foil to his brother the king, believed that all the people were being treated unfairly; and being unable to sway the crown any, he decided to abandon his royalty in fear of the retaliation that occurred a decade later. Farrah's mansion, hidden in the mountains however was not guarded or protected by the crown and was taken by storm as a tactical advantage. The mother taken away, the father captured, and everyone else including the servants were taken prisoner. They never saw it coming. I assume Daven Shaleen waited to hear of the crown being attacked before they knew to hide, being the first to go... I can only imagine the shock that caused you...”

Farrah was in tears beside herself. The memories flooded in and the sudden separation was too hard to bare.

“He was a good man.” Cedric continued. “I looked up to him. In the end, hatred won. Every last magpie was branded a villain. Most of which living in the upper class, unaware of the suffering below. During my time, many believed the over throwers to be evil and unjust, selfish and greedy. In turn, they looked no different complaining. I chose to stay out of it. What happened, happened. I moved on, and I'm living fine out here.”

Talia looked over to Farrah, her tears making light in the darkness. “You poor thing...” Talia consoled. Flying over, she gave Farrah a hug. “I never knew you had that much behind you... I can't imagine. It's okay now.”

“Here.” Cedric cheered up. “Let me bring some light into here.” He took two small rocks and a candle he had for special occasions. In a few tries he managed to light it. “Ha, I’m usually never that quick to get it lit. Very lucky.”

Farrah looked up. A small dim candle burned and made the room lighter. He placed it in the centre of the room. The room was very small, big enough for two, but barely room for another. It could sleep someone, if small, two someone's who were comfortable with one another. In the corner he had some books that he kept there to read as always. In the other, a pillow made out of a wrap of heavy cloth.

“This doesn't seem like much of a home Cedric.” Talia mentioned.

“No, but it's merely a bed for the day time. I work during the night so that Unice doesn't mind my stay. Sometimes he helps me. I've become somewhat of a night owl I guess you could say. No offence to one.”

“What did you hear...” Farrah asked taking a moment to finish between sobs. “About my family? No one I knew, knew anything about it.”

“I've only word on your father. It's sad really.”

Farrah broke hearing those words.

“Y-you mean h...”

Cedric took a moment to let Farrah finish but ultimately took the reins. “No one knows what became of him. Only that he was locked away in a separate prison. The dark prison Oblavaeya.” This name was not familiar to anyone, so he explained. “Oblavaeya is a prison for the worst criminals. It is given heavy security, and it's far enough away should someone escape that they could never return to the capital before being caught. Even still, it's track record is spotless with not a single successful escape. If there is any chance of seeing him again, that is where he would be.”

“You had to say that huh?” Talia rolled her eyes

“Wh... What?” Cedric asked “It's suicide, Farrah should know that.”

“Doesn't matter. She's crazy enough to. You just put her father on the line.”

Cedric looked at Farrah, her eyes burning a single tear that rolled down her cheek as the dams had finally closed off their valves. The reflection of the candle flickered in her eyes, but it wasn't the only flame.

“The only hope is that if you still had your wings, and even then...” He fretted, explaining how stupid it was. Farrah lifted her arms revealing the wings attached, still very well intact. Cedric choked. “You still have them?... How?”

“You ask a lot of questions” Talia reinforced.

“I was the only one allowed to keep my wings,” Farrah informed in a mellow voice sounding like poison. “The warden thought I was too cute to hurt. He couldn't bare the thought.”

Outside a noise echoed, a knocking. A visitor, most likely the warden who finally caught up. Soon they heard a man's voice, deep, assertive.

“There is the slitherous pervert now...” Farrah announced.

Over top some of the soldiers paced around looking for places a magpie might hide. Cedric blew out the candle, and moved towards Farrah. She wasn't sure why he came up to her. Reaching out, he flicked the ceiling above her. She went to open her mouth but Cedric shushed and slowly retracted. Curious she looked up to see what he did, still uncomfortable and not fully trusting others quite yet. The latch that Unice talked about, it was smaller than expected. Just a nail hook that went into a ring, simple, yet sturdy. It was a nail after all, no weaker than anything the other floor boards were held down by. Still, it was nerving that, that was the only wall between them and the captors. Just a small latch. Farrah sunk down and balled up. The memories of her cell came back, and the world became much more frightening than it should have been. Just a nail holding a trap door shut, and a man above smart enough to figure it out.

They could still hear the warden talking with Unice, still hard to make out the words. Talia gritted her teeth, once again she had to prepare for the event of having to save her friend once more. It was about this time that the warden came into the room having finished speaking with Unice and not satisfied. He looked left and right while walking in a straight line above. They could see his figure from below the floorboards as the gaps between became more and more unsettling. He peered into the third room, that being of the couples stay, under the bed, and other places that he thought fitting. Below, all they could hear was the silence and their own hearts beat sometimes mistaking them for footsteps.

The warden came out and kicked the rug. It covered the door but not the entire crawlspace. Everyone jumped when he did this and tried their best to hold their mouths shut. He stared at it then began to step on it and put some weight on it. The door seemed just as hollow as the rest of the floors of the slightly suspended house. Below all the boards, one could see it if they veered over the tops of the crawlspace walls a small half a foot gap and the odd support. Each time he tapped on the door, it echoed all throughout the house. The warden reached down and found a small gap in which he peered into. The dark pit was too hard to see. Lastly he fit his fingers into a small opening just big enough where a knot once laid ruin to the otherwise perfect bored. With a tug he tried to lift it. He gave some force into it but still it would not budge. Though the board was part of the door, it was still firmly latched by the nail. Unice planned for war, no latch was too tight to keep him and his family safe. The warden ceased.

For a while longer, the warden continued to pace, not uttering a word, thinking of his next ploy. Farrah was certain that the warden knew and was almost ready to break in there at any moment. He confined privately with his men which was inaudible from everyone else, merely a whisper. Each moment of mystery drew the captive rogues farther and farther into stress. As a final attempt at his best hunch, the warden calmly walked over to the trap door so quietly that only Talia could hear it. Cunning as she was, she knew something was up. She climbed Farrah in a heartbeat and whispered in her ear. “Hold your mouth closed.” The second Farrah did so a loud slam bashed on the ceiling above them. Farrah's eyes shot wide, she held back and had almost screamed at the top of her lounges.

“Calm yourself!” Unice enforced. “I know you’re stressed, don't take it out on my house. You swore you would search peacefully. You're frightening my wife.”

The warden firmly retorted. “I also informed you if I found so much as a hint of deceit in you story I would tear this place board to board.”

“Have I? I let you in full willingly to see for yourself, tell me have I deceived you? Now let's continue without slamming the floor shall we?”

“You do not give the orders peasant.” The warden roared with great assertion.

“Have it your way, but I have very little to hide.”

The warden carried out his business for a while before he gave it a rest. “Come on men, there are other households.” His followers followed the warden out of the house. In thinking, this must not have been the first place homestead he had gone to, but trapped, it felt all the more real. Farrah, in tears, replayed the moment in her mind over and over again. If Talia hadn't caught on to the wardens tricks, she was certain to shriek loud enough to be heard all throughout the valley. Terror, the thought of falling prey to his head games.

They spoke little after, and the married stayed away from the hatch for eyes spying on their response. These people were very smart in how to deal with the intrusion. Cedric finally rose to console Farrah but Talia already on the ball. In all this time knowing the magpie, never once did Talia think that Farrah's troubles would be so serious. Sighing to relieve the stress inside, and trying to open the conversation, Talia confessed. “It's a lot to take in. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to delve deeper into this mess.’ Talia admitted solemnly “Maybe we should have just taken our leave and...” Farrah pushed Talia aside and shook her head.

She had a hard time swallowing but Farrah informed her friend quite certainly. “It's not over. I need to do something.”

“No you don't, we just need to accept out hits and walk away.”

“I need to find my father!” Farrah exclaimed.

The pit became silent. Both Talia and Cedric knew they should say something, but they also knew Farrah's pain. “You know we can't... It's hopeless.” Talia replied sadly.

“I don't care.” Farrah returned

“I care!” Talia shot back “And, it's suicide. That's what Cedric said anyway, right?” Cedric didn't respond, he sat there and pondered on it. “You can't really be seriously reconsidering?” She asked him

“No.” Cedric finally answered. “It is... I want to help you Farrah, I really wish I could say that it's fine, but. And... I wish I could help you, it's… Just... It's over our heads. Talia is right. You, like I have already done, should take your injuries and accept them. We are still alive, and we are free, that is more than most of our kind will ever know from now on. For all we know, we may very well become the last of our kind. Extirpated in the least.”

“Please tell me you are not going to be stubborn about this Farrah.” Talia pleaded. “I know you would do it, and that scares me.”

Farrah dropped her head. Now fully sitting up, still holding her pain inside, and starting to shake. She questioned herself how free she really was in this cell. “Okay...” She replied “I'll think about it, but I don't think I can let this go. If I tried my whole life I might still never forgive this. But in the least, I'll think about it.”

Talia's ears dropped somehow lower than they were before. She knew her friend was bound determined.