October Sky's Story

The world…is your enemy.

She couldn’t believe that. Refused to, even. Was there evil that existed beyond the safety of her mother’s protection? Sure. She was old enough now to understand that life was not just what existed in the field that surrounded her home. Flowers died. Carnivores hunted the other animals she took care of. Even her mother had to kill things so that they could eat. There was evil. There was death. And if that occurred so naturally among the simplest of creatures, then who was to say it couldn’t happen with people? In higher society? Did she believe that the entire world was pitted against her? No. Did her mother want her to believe that way?

She couldn’t answer that question.

Stepping into Gambits bar, the slight brunette tugged on the sleeves of her plain, brown, ankle-length dress, her dark eyes flickering about a tad nervously as she performed a small self-assessment for safety, (or SSAS, as she preferred to call it). Her attention fell immediately on the naga, her pale cheeks flushing with her own surprise. She’d never seen a thing like that in her science books.

But, since she had no knowledge of him, then she had no reason to fear him either. In fact, there wasn’t a single ounce of fear in her spirit. This was the bliss that came with ignorance. But, she was shy upon first meeting as well, so instead of approaching the other patrons of the bar, she looked around for a place to sit, to observe from a safe distance.

From her vantage point, October didn’t have an easy time seeing people walk in and out of the bar. That, in addition to the fact that she didn’t feel the need to constantly be looking over her shoulder, only compounded the extent of her ignorance, leaving her in a state of quiet contemplation, with nothing to bother her save the whirlwind of her own thoughts. Oh how angry Mother would be if she caught her only, precious daughter sitting in a bar amidst ‘the vilest of vagrant inner-city scum’. Funny, she didn’t think that any of these people were vile. Odd, perhaps, but certainly not vile.

The sudden appearance of the cat made the lady jump with a start, but, upon closer observation of the animal, October began to relax. She even lifted her hand from her lap to gently pet the creature’s brow. When the animal started to speak, however, she immediately retracted her fingertips, dark eyes widening with surprise. Animals, under normal circumstances, were not supposed to speak.

“Hello!” she finally forced, her voice rough from lack of use. She hadn’t spoken a word since leaving Mother’s house. “I…” How was she? Not afraid. Perhaps a bit anxious. Tired? Hungry? What sort of things would be of interest to a cat?

“Fine.” She inwardly sighed. What a boring, asinine answer. “I’m fine. Just having a look around really.” It would seem rude not to return the question. That was how proper people carried on conversation, even if it was just with a cat. “How about you?”

[color=green]Old buildings were a curious wonder for October. As she strode through the graveyard of rubble, her fingertips caressing the worn stone in a fond manner, she let her mind wander to magical thoughts, stories about this place weaving its pattern colorfully behind her dark eyes. She imagined people, palaces, princes and lords all gathering in the expanse to seek blessings from the monks who ruled the countryside. Those same monks who had defended the land with sword and word of religious prophecy had watched their precious home get laid to ruin, and she was privileged to walk in the shadows of its history, her heart racing as she wondered idly if their ghosts still roamed these hallowed grounds.

The girl was by no means plain, but certainly her youthful appearance was dulled by the simple black dress she wore, with her dark hair pulled back in a thick braid that fell to just below her shoulder blades. She stooped to observe a carved rock, not unlike an arrowhead, and tentatively picked it up in her nimble fingers. Sharp edges were a worry for her, but this stone was rubbed smooth.

The world…is your enemy.

She couldn’t believe that. Refused to, even. Was there evil that existed beyond the safety of her mother’s protection? Sure. She was old enough now to understand that life was not just what existed in the field that surrounded her home. Flowers died. Carnivores hunted the other animals she took care of. Even her mother had to kill things so that they could eat. There was evil. There was death. And if that occurred so naturally among the simplest of creatures, then who was to say it couldn’t happen with people? In higher society? Did she believe that the entire world was pitted against her? No. Did her mother want her to believe that way?

She couldn’t answer that question.

Up above, a crow sat perched on a pillar of stone, gazing down at the girl with a critical eye. It cawed once at her, but she waved a hand indifferently. She had no time for the

creature right now.

October was not a creature accustomed to being wary. It was very rare that she was allowed to roam about the countryside on her own, so she was unafraid of most things, including those particular things she very well should be afraid of. So the presence of the other man and his imp did not alert her nor alarm her. She was contentedly looking over the stone, then setting back where she found it, and rising to a standing position.

The crow, however, was far more alarmed by the figure. He fluttered his wings nervously, emitting a panicked chirp before jumping from his perch and swooping toward the girl. She didn’t have time to duck, and wasn’t even paying attention up until the point where the crow had his claws snarled in her hair. She cried out, stumbling to the side and reaching up to swat the crow away, her body turned so that she at last faced the other man.

Her eyes widened.

"You lost?" she called, her voice lilting with an accent not unlike Clarke's. It was softer, however. She proceeded to smooth the snarl in her braid.

October was not a creature accustomed to being wary. It was very rare that she was allowed to roam about the countryside on her own, so she was unafraid of most things, including those particular things she very well should be afraid of. So the presence of the other man and his imp did not alert her nor alarm her. She was contentedly looking over the stone, then setting back where she found it, and rising to a standing position.

The crow, however, was far more alarmed by the figure. He fluttered his wings nervously, emitting a panicked chirp before jumping from his perch and swooping toward the girl. She didn’t have time to duck, and wasn’t even paying attention up until the point where the crow had his claws snarled in her hair. She cried out, stumbling to the side and reaching up to swat the crow away, her body turned so that she at last faced the other man.

Her eyes widened.

"You lost?" she called, her voice lilting with an accent not unlike Clarke's. It was softer, however. She proceeded to smooth the snarl in her braid.

No, traveling never hurt anyone. In fact, it was one of October’s favorite pastimes. She approached the pair without hesitation as Clarke jogged up to her, the hem of her skirt brushing the grass in a light pattern of swishes. The crow was perched up top again, sending down warning caws that the girl adamantly ignored. When at last they came within reaching distance, the girl offered a mild curtsey before extending her hand for him to shake.

“I’m not lost.” She explained, tilting her head to one side. “I live near here. I just came outside because I hadn’t been in a few days or so. It gets quite dull staying cooped up in my room. I’m October, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

She didn’t smile. She never was a smiler, but her eyes were kind.

“Wing City is about five miles that way,” October replied, turning to point in the appropriate direction. She had a grace about her that suggested she was older than Clarke and his imp thought she might be, though it was all inborn for her. She didn’t try to appear more or less than what she was. October was October, and that was all she cared to be.

The gremlin Tepi drew her curious gaze, eyes wide and bright as her lips parted in a small ‘o’. “What an odd thing,” she noted, flinching only minutely as Clarke delivered a rather vicious kick to silence the creature. She watched him sail away, one brow quirked, before turning back to Clarke. “Would you like me to take you there? It’s sort of a confusing path if you don’t know your way around this place.”

Meaning, the trees walked and made it difficult for a man to make it out alive.

"I suppose so." the woman shrugged mildly, glancing to the dog before turning and beginning to walk through the ruins. She appeared comfortable, quite relaxed in fact, with her surroundings, almost as if there was nothing that could bother her. The crow up top swooped down at her head, but with a deft smack, she back-handed it right out of the air.

The bird screeched, its tail feathers smoking as it hopped about angrily, glaring up at October in a surprisingly human fashion. The woman, in much the same way as Clarke, ignored him. "That's Levi." she explained. "He was sent to keep an eye on me."

Glancing back to Clarke, she gazed at him with that deep, yet calmly guarded look. "Are you coming?"

"Oh don't you worry," the woman replied a bit sourly. "She'll figure out a way to get down. You won't have to wait long, and officially the job will start tomorrow, but if you wish to go and meet your new ward, you are more than welcome."

She gestured in the direction of the tower, then turned and disappeared into the woods once again.

October lifted a brow, glancing behind her a moment before reaching out for one of the thicker vines that clung to the wall of the tower. It grew, extending toward her, forming a ladder of sorts that lead all the way to the base of the tower.

She began her descent, smiling to herself a little as the branches continued to grow and encapsulate the ancient stone. This was but one of her tricks. She had many others, and the reality of that showed on her face when she finally stepped onto the ground, turning to smile at the young man and hold out her hand.

"I'm October. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm afraid I'm not one in need of watching."

"I thought your job didn't start until tomorrow." October pointed out. "Is this practice?"

She looked a bit irritated. Not only was this man supposed to be keeping her in line, but he was behaving very much like her mother did, preventing her from going in the woods, from simply existing as a normal person might. If he wasn't careful, she was going to rebel, and rebel very very hard.

"I could use a little freedom, to be perfectly honest, but I'm not so sure I'm going to get what I want." She stepped around him, eyeing him skeptically. "If you want to get to know me you're going to have to follow me."

October was trailing her hands along the trunks of the trees, her eyes gazing up at the sky between the branches. Behind her, the trees began to bud, sprouting new limbs, practically shifting when she touched them. "I'm an elemental mage." she told him simply. "I suppose if you consider that important, then I should tell you."

She hesitated, stopping in her tracks and looking at him. "Wait a moment...I saw your face...not an hour ago. You were watching me while I was walking in the ruins!"

There was never a moment in the young lady's life where she'd ever considered herself 'pretty'. Well-versed, perhaps, quick witted, naive, those were all the things her mother had said she should purpose herself to be. But...never pretty. Mother had also made a point to establish the male counterparts of the human race as a disgusted, mistrustful accident that had occurred on Creation's fateful day.

"We should produce asexually. We're already superior by far, why not remove the necessity for the man to further our population?" she'd said at one point. This statement, as well as many others, had gone way over October's head.

This attitude that her mother had attempted to instill in her young daughter hadn't come out the way she'd wanted. Rather, October simply was horrendously oblivious to flirtatious attitudes, and the concept of 'love' was something entirely foreign to her. Sure, she'd read about it in storybooks, but she didn't know what it felt like, if it had a smell, if there would be signs pointing to the man she was intended to be 'in love with', or even if she were intended to have a man at all.

She was content to simply be herself.

Damon's eyes drew her attention though, she met his gaze with a curious one of her own. Clasping her hands in front of her, she walked to him and stood by his table. "Is there a reason you're staring at me?" she asked with a lifted brow.

There he went with that compliment. She stared at him, dumbfounded for a moment before Mel's untimely appearance jarred her thoughts. She stood, staring at him with an annoyed expression, and she crossed her arms over her chest, tilting her head to one side as she gazed up at him.

"I'm not going back, so you can sit here quietly or leave me alone." Her smile was sweet, but her eyes were hard. "You haven't the faintest idea how long I've wanted to simply walk around, and Mother will never find out regardless. So long as I'm not dead you'll get the money you want."

She gave Damon a rather disparaging look, something that said 'Do you see what I have to put up with?'

Like Damon, October was able to recognize when something unnatural was occurring. Being a wielder of some kinds of magic herself, she could feel that feather-lightness carressing her skin, the warmth that encroached on her mind, softening her stubborn will and making her open to more...options.

Although, while she recognized it, there wasn't much she could do to avoid its influence.

Damon's sharp words jarred her though, and she stared at him in surprise. The language was harsh, biting, and she actually took a step back from him. The tone was something she was all-too-familiar with. It reminded her uncannily of the tone of voice her mother would use when she was really angry.

But Damon wasn't her mother, and his anger was not directed at her. He was mad at Mel, just as she was.

"I don't care enough to hate you." she replied to Mel. "And I don't want to get to know a man who accepts money for keeping girls locked in their bedrooms." Right, that made it sound pretty damn awful. "So you're going to have to forcibly remove me from this place if you have any mind of being successful."

"What are you doing?!" October shouted at Mel. "He's got nothing to do with this, you leave him alone!" If there was one thing that October hated, it was people who used magic to bully other people around. Of course, she wasn't suggesting that Damon was weak, but just the idea of magic used as a weapon....it scared her and made her burn with anger.

"I mean, I'll go. Okay? It's fine." She looked back to Damon. "It's fine."

Clearly it wasn't, but she wasn't about to stand by and continue to be stubborn if it meant that Mel was going to be doing this. She walked up, putting a hand on Mel's chest and pushing him back, putting herself between the pair. "Let's go..."

Glancing over her shoulder to Damon, she frowned an apology. "Sorry about this, about him. We'll leave you alone now."

She walked ahead of him, her arms crossed over her chest and her face angled towards the ground. She'd remained obstinately silent throughout the course of the trip, burning with anger and apprehension at her guard. She didn't know he had magic, and it was apparent that he had a lot of it. Not only that, but he was willing to use it as a weapon too.

This, more than anything else, scared her.

She glanced back at him, albeit a bit hesitantly, before turning forward and moving her eyes to the ground.

When he ran out ahead of her, she stopped, staring at him with a skeptical look on her face. Her brow furrowed, peering at him out of slightly narrowed eyes as he spoke, showing her his hand....causing the flower to appear.

She loved lilies.

The hard look on her face softened a little as she gazed at the delicate petals. Reaching a hand out to stroke the smooth surface, she removed the bloom from his hand, gently smelling the delicate thing before whispering a few words under her breath. Before his eyes, one bloom turned to two, then four, then eight.

"I never thought you were bad." she replied honestly. "I'm mad at you, but I don't think you're bad."

She was not one who was easily flattered. Gazing at him over the petals of the tiger lilies, she lowered the blossoms and shrugged at him. "It isn't as if I have a choice." Her lips pursed slightly as she looked at the ground. "If it's easier for you then we can just sit in my room."

She started to walk, but she wasn't as purposeful in her movements.