First chapter of my story
by , 11-17-2007 at 11:58 AM (1225 Views)
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Lamplights dotted the streets of Port Canon, keeping the creeping darkness at bay. Waves gently washed against the beach; a lone seagull flew over the nearby houses. An ominous silence had settled.
During the midst of that fateful night, a small canoe was making its way through the lapping waves. In the stern sat a tall, proud-looking young woman; a white scar adorned the left side of her forehead, her long raven-black hair hung in wet locks, her ocean-blue eyes danced mischievously, and her mouth was curved in an mischievous smile. Her clothes had most definitely seen better days; her violet headband was nearly in shreds, her once white chemise was almost thread-bare, and her breeches were pitiful and soaking.
She finally reached the dock, and tied up her boat. Her deep eyes appeared to be examining every inch of the village, yet inside, her mind worked steadily.
Little did the residents of Port Canon know, but their lives were just about to get a little bit wilder.
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Rori Dalor, heiress of the house of Cemblewood, restlessly laid on her bedroll. Her raven hair hung in thick curls at her shoulders, while her hazel eyes studied the patterns in the mahogany ceiling.
It was sweltering hot!!!! Rori threw the covers of her sweat-soaked body, and got to her feet. She needed a breath of fresh air, and outside was were she would find it.
As she stepped through the numerous rooms and hallways, Rori glanced wearily at the walls. Stern faces glanced back. Da had insisted on putting the paintings of every one of their ancestors on this particular wall. Every duke and duchess, count and countess, and lord and lady. Every one of them had been rich and respected, the two things she had been taught repeatedly to seek after.
Finally, the cool open air. A much sought after breeze flew by, ruffling her lacy nightdress. Rori smiled –
Then stiffened. Call her paranoid, but wasn’t that a gun sticking in her left shoulder?
“Hello, love.”
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Rori stiffened; the gun moved in closer. “Foolish time to be out alone, isn’t it, dearie?”
She scowled fiercely, “Seeing as this place will be swarming with guards in but a few moments, it would be highly advisable to let me go.”
The thief-woman pretended to ponder her words for a moment. “Let me think about it…” She stroked her chin. “No.”
Then, “Come on. No point in being here when the place is” she raised a hand expressively, and stressed “swarming with guards.”
Rori pretended to tremble, but she was forming a plan. She turned around and came face to face with her. The thief’s twinkling eyes looked oh-so-annoyingly amused. Rori frowned, and then stomped down on her left foot with all her might.
“Confounded girl!” she yelped after her, clutching her ill-treated foot. But Rori didn’t hear her because she was hurrying out of the yard, with all the speed her legs would give her.
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A few days later . . .
How did she get in this mess? Wasn’t it just yesterday she was sailing the sea, free as a bird? Now she was in jail, soon to be hanged, and all thanks belong to a certain red-headed chit!
But that was no matter. She would escape this filthy prison. Luke wouldn’t let her down.
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Rori dejectedly sat at the docks, feet dangling of the edge and in serious danger of dipping into the deliciously cold water. Life was drab. She needed something to excite her, something to shake up this old, boring town. What she needed, Rori decided, was an adventure. But that was a foolish thought, because nothing out of the ordinary happened in Port Canon. People here considered adventures some sort of abomination. They disliked them so, preferring to stay at home, in their little town. Adventures were unquestionably frowned upon.
“Rori! That you?”
She turned around and spied a short, slightly plump figure hurrying toward her.
Rori squinted, then grinned, “Hello, Charlotte!”
Charlotte was the daughter of the village grocer, and had lived her whole life in Port Canon. She was only four years older then Rori’s twenty one, but, though no one knew it, she secretly fancied herself an old maternal woman. Growing up together, Rori and Charlotte had shared quite a number of escapades, and had become close friends. Little did they know, they were just about to embark on another adventure.
Breathless from all the running, Charlotte scowled, panted, and looked excited all at once. “Did you hear about that escaped convict they caught a few nights ago?” Without stopping for an answer, she continued. “They say that there is a warrant for her arrest from every town from here to London!” And get this, some even say she is the Queen of Thieves!!!” Rori choose not to mention what happened a few nights ago. “There is to be a hanging later today, and Maude says she feels a bit sorry for her and doesn’t want to go, but I do!!! That villain deserves everything she is going to get. Please say you’ll go with me, Rori. Please!”
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She tapped her feet impatiently against the cold floor of her cell. Where was Luke? Confound that boy! He knew she hated to be kept waiting, and yet, over and over again, he would wait till the last moment.
Minutes later, she heard the jingling of keys. Two guards warily made their way to her cell, and one of them carried shackles. She folded her hands and offered them her best smile, “Lads, I’d quite hoped we had gotten past this.” No answer.
She half-heartedly thrust her wrists toward them, and pouted sullenly, “They’re all alike. Guards never have a sense of humor.”
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When they reached the executioner’s block, the silence from the nearby assembled crowd was deafening. Both young and old desired a peek at the famed thief.
Someone began to drone on about her past crimes. The heat was almost unbearable. A fly buzzed around her nose, and she tried, unsuccessfully, to shoo it away.
A voice roused her from drowsiness, “Thayet of Dunland, do you have any last words?”
She sighed, “It’s pronounced Thayet, dearie. With a stress on ‘y’.” A titter escaped from the audience.
The executioner’s face loomed close. “God have mercy on your soul.” He threw the rope over her head.
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Does it sound too much like "Pirates of the Caribbean?" What do you think?



