Unwilling 5
folder
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
1
Views:
613
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Fantasy & Science Fiction › General
Rating:
Adult ++
Chapters:
1
Views:
613
Reviews:
0
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance of characters to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. The Author holds exclusive rights to this work. Unauthorized duplication is prohibited.
Prologue
Prologue
Dirt slid between gnarled fingers, a gravelly whisper of sound. The troupe of armored men shifted uneasily, feeling the full effects of an unforgiving sun in a treeless, cloudless landscape. Janine drew circles in the dirt and cackled happily at their discomfort.
“Well old woman, do you have the answer or not?”
Janine snorted and drew stars over the circles. The men undoubtedly thought that she was doing something mystical with the dirt, but in reality she was drawing designs in an effort to relieve her boredom. It didn’t work. She’d known these men were coming for months, had known their answer even longer. Their presence was a mild irritation in what would have otherwise been a good day to devote to laundry. She sighed, started to draw squares over the stars, and gave them their answer. “He’s dead.”
The leader was a medium-height human with brown eyes and hair that was held smoothly by a band at his nape. She had seen quite a bit of his future, and cackled once again at the irony of it; fortunes such as his led her to believe that the Fates had a sense of humor (and perhaps a weakness for indulging in chemical stimulants on occasion).
The leader shifted his weight from one hip to the other. “How and where?”
“Why Captain,” she drawled, “You should know that. It was an earthquake near the River Bron-Lewis.”
His expression darkened. “That’s not the answer I was looking for. General Manila made his stance on this meeting quite clear.” The Captain lifted his hand and waved it towards his soldiers. Swords were drawn and Janine soon found herself surrounded by numerous metal points.
She tilted her head back and cackled maniacally. “I am not going to die today captain. My death isn’t so near as that.”
“There is no way for you to be sure of that. Seers cannot see their own future.”
“Bah! Most people are blind to what they do not wish to see, seer’s included. This is why you have come to me instead of the withered man who flips cards in Rowen, or the pretty young thing in Gilley that channels through a glass ball. They could not see what you need because it would show them things in that they do not want to see.” She indulged in a raspy laugh before continuing. “Now Captain, I am going to do you a favor and answer the question that you should have asked.”
Janine drew curved lines over the stars and hummed a bit before wiping the dirt with her palm, leaving it even and smooth. “Of course, nothing else will remove you from my presence, but valuable information shouldn’t come without a bit of a price. I suppose that peace and quiet will have to do this time.”
“You already refused payment in gold when we arrived.”
“Most people bring food. When you’re blind cooking can be a pain in the ass.” Dull eyes stared at him in mockery before continuing. “Now Captain, in three days, just after the midday meal, a small troupe of bounty hunters is going to involve themselves in a battle with two fighters - one of whom is wanted by your General - if you wish to see what’s left of the deceased Manila faerie, I suggest you head towards the woods near Durenscamp in the Marrow district.”
The Captain immediately turned around and headed for his horse. Swords were instantly sheathed as his men followed suit. The clanking of metal filled the air as armor-clad warriors remounted their horses and directed the beasts to start heading in the direction from which they’d come. Ah, in a few minutes she would have peace. With a great bit of effort Janine managed to stand, silently cursing her protesting bones and muscles. She turned back towards her laundry when it occurred to her: the Captain had bothered her; he ought to be bothered in return.
“Oh Captain,” she called over her shoulder. She heard a horse stop his trot and saw, in the memories of her visions, his slightly annoyed expression. Oh yes, she would fix that. “Tell your General that all his glory and power is for nothing. A troupe of five will bring him down before the years end.”
Ah, that had his attention. His eyes widened imperceptibly. He knew as well as she did that her predictions were always correct. The mutilation of power in the Grey bloodlines had seen to that.
“Old women should not play games!” he yelled at her. His horse started to turn in the other direction and just for kicks she called him again.
“You should also treasure little Theresa, Captain Junas. Enjoy your time with her while you have it!”
Her words were met with a gallop of hooves. It almost managed to drown out her voice; almost, but not quite. She could see the thoughts turning in his head as if they were her own. He knew that she was right just as surely as he knew that not once had he told her his name.
Janine smiled and happily resumed scrubbing her laundry.
______________________________________
The NC-17 rating will become relevant in the next chapter. This is going to be a long and fairly complicated story. Unwilling 5 is my baby, the most important story on my priority list, and I can assure you that I am going to finish it even if my hands are cut off and I have to type with my tongue. That said, I've never been a fast writer and I attend college, so for the time being I anticipate writing about one chapter a month. In the future, once I have to outline fully written down, I assure you updates will come much faster.
I greatly appreciate any comments or suggestions you may have.
Dirt slid between gnarled fingers, a gravelly whisper of sound. The troupe of armored men shifted uneasily, feeling the full effects of an unforgiving sun in a treeless, cloudless landscape. Janine drew circles in the dirt and cackled happily at their discomfort.
“Well old woman, do you have the answer or not?”
Janine snorted and drew stars over the circles. The men undoubtedly thought that she was doing something mystical with the dirt, but in reality she was drawing designs in an effort to relieve her boredom. It didn’t work. She’d known these men were coming for months, had known their answer even longer. Their presence was a mild irritation in what would have otherwise been a good day to devote to laundry. She sighed, started to draw squares over the stars, and gave them their answer. “He’s dead.”
The leader was a medium-height human with brown eyes and hair that was held smoothly by a band at his nape. She had seen quite a bit of his future, and cackled once again at the irony of it; fortunes such as his led her to believe that the Fates had a sense of humor (and perhaps a weakness for indulging in chemical stimulants on occasion).
The leader shifted his weight from one hip to the other. “How and where?”
“Why Captain,” she drawled, “You should know that. It was an earthquake near the River Bron-Lewis.”
His expression darkened. “That’s not the answer I was looking for. General Manila made his stance on this meeting quite clear.” The Captain lifted his hand and waved it towards his soldiers. Swords were drawn and Janine soon found herself surrounded by numerous metal points.
She tilted her head back and cackled maniacally. “I am not going to die today captain. My death isn’t so near as that.”
“There is no way for you to be sure of that. Seers cannot see their own future.”
“Bah! Most people are blind to what they do not wish to see, seer’s included. This is why you have come to me instead of the withered man who flips cards in Rowen, or the pretty young thing in Gilley that channels through a glass ball. They could not see what you need because it would show them things in that they do not want to see.” She indulged in a raspy laugh before continuing. “Now Captain, I am going to do you a favor and answer the question that you should have asked.”
Janine drew curved lines over the stars and hummed a bit before wiping the dirt with her palm, leaving it even and smooth. “Of course, nothing else will remove you from my presence, but valuable information shouldn’t come without a bit of a price. I suppose that peace and quiet will have to do this time.”
“You already refused payment in gold when we arrived.”
“Most people bring food. When you’re blind cooking can be a pain in the ass.” Dull eyes stared at him in mockery before continuing. “Now Captain, in three days, just after the midday meal, a small troupe of bounty hunters is going to involve themselves in a battle with two fighters - one of whom is wanted by your General - if you wish to see what’s left of the deceased Manila faerie, I suggest you head towards the woods near Durenscamp in the Marrow district.”
The Captain immediately turned around and headed for his horse. Swords were instantly sheathed as his men followed suit. The clanking of metal filled the air as armor-clad warriors remounted their horses and directed the beasts to start heading in the direction from which they’d come. Ah, in a few minutes she would have peace. With a great bit of effort Janine managed to stand, silently cursing her protesting bones and muscles. She turned back towards her laundry when it occurred to her: the Captain had bothered her; he ought to be bothered in return.
“Oh Captain,” she called over her shoulder. She heard a horse stop his trot and saw, in the memories of her visions, his slightly annoyed expression. Oh yes, she would fix that. “Tell your General that all his glory and power is for nothing. A troupe of five will bring him down before the years end.”
Ah, that had his attention. His eyes widened imperceptibly. He knew as well as she did that her predictions were always correct. The mutilation of power in the Grey bloodlines had seen to that.
“Old women should not play games!” he yelled at her. His horse started to turn in the other direction and just for kicks she called him again.
“You should also treasure little Theresa, Captain Junas. Enjoy your time with her while you have it!”
Her words were met with a gallop of hooves. It almost managed to drown out her voice; almost, but not quite. She could see the thoughts turning in his head as if they were her own. He knew that she was right just as surely as he knew that not once had he told her his name.
Janine smiled and happily resumed scrubbing her laundry.
______________________________________
The NC-17 rating will become relevant in the next chapter. This is going to be a long and fairly complicated story. Unwilling 5 is my baby, the most important story on my priority list, and I can assure you that I am going to finish it even if my hands are cut off and I have to type with my tongue. That said, I've never been a fast writer and I attend college, so for the time being I anticipate writing about one chapter a month. In the future, once I have to outline fully written down, I assure you updates will come much faster.
I greatly appreciate any comments or suggestions you may have.