Broken Princess

It was midsummer in the Island of Ilsanora, the village was alive with the many figures dressed poorly dressed smartly, you name it. The black markets were bustling with traders trying to sell their purchases, fine silks, tropical fruit imported from countries unheard of and many other things.



Through the blistering heat a lone figure of a young girl could be seen making her way through the sunshine, her feet clad in soft shoes worn away almost, for they were the only pair she had.



She was dressed in a short black dress, which her grandmother had bought her when she was alive and when Aryl had lived with her. Although it was at least forty three degrees in Ilsanora, Aryl had a black cloak draped around her shoulders, the hood up and hiding her black hair.



Where she was going she did not know, why she had chosen to turn her back on her village, the island, she knew only one thing, she did not belong.



Ilsanora was the town of heroes; every person there had excelled in fighting, swordsman or swordswoman ship or hand to hand fighting, as well as gun slinging and many others. Aryl stuck out like a sore thumb, she had discovered her skills, but her skills were out of place among so many. She could heal, it was the gift that had been bestowed upon her on her sixteenth birthday, only now a year later could she reach for it, and because of it her village did not want her. 



Aryl should have left that year when she first found her powers, the day a dying child had reached for her hand, the tears in his dark eyes a result of the agony. She had touched his face, had healed him and she was not thanked, only from that young child. His parents cursed her and called her a witch. She had left them and had walked away into the wideness and beauty of her village that could not be hers anymore. However she still stayed, until just a month ago when she had reached for those powers of hers and healed a crippled old woman.

The woman was shocked and her husband slapped Aryl across her face.

Aryl had fled in fear.



Ever since that day she had shielded her face from the glaring crowd as she walked.



Now she passed the Lake of Tranquillity apparently a place of strong magic, her Grandmother used to say. She sat down on the bank out of the view of the other villagers nearby, and removed her soft shoes, her pale feet were cut and bleeding she tried to heal herself, but her powers were useless on herself, her duty was to heal others, to give them back their lives and in return all she got was the name Witch and Sorceress.



She placed her feet into the cool waters and closed her indigo eyes and sighed at the relief the waters gave her.

She needed to think; where could she go what place in this world would accept her? She had heard stories of land beyond the waters where a huge country with no name resided. Would she be accepted, there was only one way that she could find out, she would get a boat and sail across the expanse of water where tales of treacherous waves and killer creatures lived.



If she was turned away, what then? Well Aryl knew this; she would cross that bridge when she came to it.



She rose from the lake and pulled the cloak of her hood up, once again hiding her beautiful face and she ran through the village on bare feet shoes in hand in search of a boat that would bring her to that other land.

                                             

*  *  *

Aryl was becoming quite tired as she reached the city of Haste;  It was dark now and there was some festival on, the festival of Toku the Goddess of Light and Good Fortune or something.



All around her children ran from place to place yelling for things they wanted, Health and Family, the typical askings of the Goddess.



Although Aryl was not that familiar with the festival, it did not stop her asking for peace and a place to be accepted into.



As she reached the edge of Haste, many brilliant colours filled up the night sky as thousands of fireworks were let off as an offering to Toku.



She knew that there was a port nearby the only problem was if there was a boat to bring her to that place.



It began to drizzle as she entered the port and all around the expanse of decking were fishermen, pulling in the days hauls.



Aryl stepped around them, bowing politely as she searched for the boat port. There!



She hurried towards it and stopped in front of a white haired bearded man.



“Excuse me Sir?” She said softly, “Sorry to trouble you but I was looking for a boat.”



“A boat?” The elderly man replied in a voice cracked with sea air.



“Yes Sir, there is, some place that I must be, but it’s across the waters.” She finished a little nervously.



The man sighed.

“You know, a treacherous sail across unknown waters is not suitable for a young girl like yourself.”



Aryl bit her lip. Nothing was supposed to get in her way. She needed to get to that land, no matter what.



As she opened her mouth to reply the old man smiled softly. “So allow me to bring across, I can assure that you will get to where you want in one piece.”



Aryl blinked in surprise. She had grown up in a world where kindness toward her was not something she was used too. She sighed and said in her soft voice.

“I appreciate it but-”



“Great, then let’s go. Follow me dear, oh first what is your name.” He asked his blue eyes curious.



“My name is Aryl Tagore; I’m not from around here.” She whispered, pulling self consciously at the hood of her cloak.



“I thought as much. My name is Fox, Fox Devins.”



“Pleased to meet you.” She said, bowing politely.



Fox gestured for her to follow him and she did.



He talked away to her, but he might have been speaking a different language altogether.



“’Ere we are” Fox said cheerily.



In front of them was a simple boat big enough for two people.



“Allow me to give ye a hand missy.”



Fox said taking her hand and helping her into the boat. Once she was seated comfortably Fox tossed her a rough woolen blanket.



“Put that round ye, its cold out ‘ere on the waves and accordin’ to my weather charts it’s supposed to snow.” Fox said smiling.



“Oh, I see” Aryl said quietly, she pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.



“So why are ye goin’ on this strange unknown journey eh, missy?” Fox enquired curiously as he carefully steered the rudder through the slight choppy waves.



"I - I just want freedom and acceptance" She whispered sleepily



"Acceptance eh?"





However Fox got no reply, Aryl's gaze rested on all the beautiful things around her and the seas peaceful song and the wind in her hair eventually lulled her to sleep.