Part one?

I laughed as I whirled around, flicking my wrist. I watched in fixed fascination as a flame flickered from my hands and rushed toward the roaring river, Huron's Wade. I watched until it vanished into the waves. The setting sun coloured the water red. Fingering the amulet that hang around my neck, I smiled. Who would have thought my luck? An amulet. And it wasn't protected. Every amulet that I ever saw was protected, meaning you had to know spells and casts to use it. But this one. This one wasn't protected. I shut my eyes and focused on the thoughts of a water wall. When I was completely focused, I flicked my wrist again. The water rose into a great wall. I smiled, proud of my accomplishments.

I had read about amulets and their powers in a book that the charm casters had thrown out because pages were burned. Clearly someone had too much fun with fire. I wished with all my heart that I could go to the charm caster's school, but I was a dirty, poor peasant. The book was the only thing I owned. And the school was for the rich kids. The ones who parents teach them everything. Those bloody perfect people who looked down on us and our 'poor fortune.' I scowled for a moment. I had my burned book and my own amulet. I was as good as any of them. The amulet could use the four elements of the earth: water, fire, air and land. Part of me wondered who would leave this amulet behind. Another part of me, definitely the greater portion of me, didn't care. It was mine now. I focused on the thoughts of great gusts of wind that would blow the stench of my village towards the castle. The castle was where Princess Katisha lived. I'll be honest, she is a terrible person. She is so full of herself and her glory and riches. I let my mind go and smirked as the wind picked up. I started to laugh as I imagined the rainstorm I was going to make. But stopped when I heard muttering.

"Oh no. Ohhhhhh no. Oh no. Bloody, bloody bones. She's gonna kill me. I am so dead." Curious as to who it was, I climbed a tree and hid. I shoved the amulet into a hidden pocket inside my shirt. A girl, about my age, raced through the trees. She was clearly looking for something. I almost laughed as I realized it was the amulet. I looked closely at the girl. My eyes widened. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. And I had seen a lot of girls. She was very small, with brown wavy hair and the biggest, brownest, most innocent eyes I had ever seen.
"I am so dead. Lady Andrews won't let me back in. I have to find it." After watching her look frantically for a bit, I decided that I would have some fun with her. I climbed down and came up behind the girl.
"Hey, you lost?" I asked. The girl let out a terrified shriek and whirled around. She stared at me in absolute horror with her eyes as big as ever.
"Please," she whispered, "Please don't hurt me. I know what boys like you do to girls like me and I beg you not too." I almost burst out laughing at her pleas.
"I don't know what we boys do to you, but I promise I won't," I said. "Just wondering if you needed help." I stopped, then added, "Let me help you and then I promise I won't do anything to you." That clearly gave a dilemma to the girl. She bit her lip and looked at the ground. Then up at me. Back to the ground. I waited patiently.
"Ok," she said. "I lost my amulet and I'll never be allowed back until I find it." She said the last part very fast, as if she didn't want me to hear it. Which was funny because I was there to help.
"Look," I said, "A lot of people come here. Someone probably picked it up and brought it to the village. Let's go look there." She looked shocked. I didn't know if it was because I told her to go down to the village in that nice dress or if my suggestion that someone took it shocked her. She didn't move for a moment. Rolling my eyes, I took her hand and started to lead her. She pulled back. Bloody bones.

"Maybe Lady Andrews will let me back in," she said. I laughed. Probably not, but hey, I'd let her try. She took off and raced toward the school's doors. She pounded on the door. It opened a crack and I saw the girl gesturing wildly. The door shut in her face. I smiled. I was right. The girl stood there, head down, defeated. I waltzed over there and grabbed her hand.
"You need that amulet," I said. "Let me help you find it." I looked at her, waiting for her acknowledgement of me. She stared at the ground, clenching her jaw. She then ripped her hand away from mine.
"Fine. But don't you dare touch me again, you pig." I let the comment roll off. She was just angry I was right.
"Before we go," I said, "I have to know your name." She glared at the ground still.
"It's.... it's Hannah," she said finally. I nodded and waited for her to ask mine. She didn't.
"}I'm Jack." Still no response. Clearly she didn't care. But I had decided that she was going to forget the amulet and have fun. With me. She and I were going to have fun and I was keeping the first good thing that came into my life. I don't know whether the first good thing was Hannah or the amulet.

We walked toward my village, Leiside. Hannah kept her cute, little frown on her face as we marched toward it. Personally, I thought it was hilarious. She really didn't know that I had her precious amulet, and I was proud that I kept the secret. As we neared Leiside, the raw smell of waste and bodies over powered us. The river Malik surrounded our town. The only way to get to it was by a bridge to the north or south. Only those two bridges gave access to Leiside. Hannah gagged and covered her mouth. To me, the smell was home. I lived in Leiside all my life. I watched my mum and brother die there, I had lost my home, and yet I still felt welcome there. It was all I knew. Hannah stopped.
"You live here?" I nodded and she gave me a pained look. "How? I mean, look around. This is awful." Her words annoyed me.
"What. You think I had a choice? You think I wanted to live here? If I could leave, I would have bloody left. But where am I supposed to go? I don't have what you bloody rich people have. I can't leave." Hannah stepped back at my angry words. I was shocked myself. I hadn't realized how much wanted to get away from here.
"I'm sorry." She whispered. I shook my head. "You didn't know," I said. "Now, lets go find your bloody amulet." She gave a small laugh. "You had better watch your language around women." I quirked my brow.
"Wait 'til you get to the village. My mouth is tame compared to some of them."
We finally entered the gate of Leiside. Bustling people filled the dirty streets. Little children stole food and played in the road. Men and women bickered and bartered, swearing at each other and laughing. I looked at Hannah. "This is home." She gave a small nod. "Let's go find my bloody amulet." I smiled. That's the spirit, Hannah. I planned on taking her around town and maybe to bar or two and then to the outskirts of Leiside. I led her through the crowded streets to a little shop. People turned us away or offered us food, but Hannah wanted none of it. All she wanted was her amulet. I tried to make light of the situation, but she walked on, head in the air. Classic rich girl. Annoyed, Hannah marched in one shop and demanded if the store owner had her amulet. The owner shook his head and pushed us out, silently. Hannah stopped, exasperated.

"He didn't say anything!" I gave a knowing smile. "Hannah. You can't demand. Listen, you need to calm down and loosen up."
"Jack. I need the amulet and I need to go back to school." I rolled my eyes. I guess the pub was coming sooner than I expected. "Ok," I said. "Let's go get some food and then we will find it." Hannah set her jaw. "Of course. What's with men and food? My amulet probably gone now. We aren't going to find it. Besides, why are we asking people? If anyone found it, they would sell it. It's long gone now." she looked defeated, but I nodded reassuringly. "We'll find it."
I led her through the streets to a rowdy pub. I opened the door and allowed her to go in first. She walked in, concern written across her entire face. Men yelled choice words at women, some directed at Hannah. I took her hand and led her to a table. "Is this safe, Jack?" Men sat at tables, gambling and drinking. Women flirted with and kissed men. A waitress came, gave me a wink and a flirty smile and threw down two ales. I happily picked mine up and drank. Hannah just stared.

"}Jack. Did you see that girl?" I looked back at the waitress and she gave me another smile and tugged the bodice of her dress lower. Hannah looked at me in utter shock. I gave both of them a smirk. "Jack!" I looked at her, matching her wide innocent eyes. "Hannah!" I mocked. I picked up her untouched ale and drank it too. "Are you jealous, Hannah?" She glared at me. I liked the vicious Hannah. "No. I am not. But flirting with that...that...that... girl is not acceptable." I laughed. "Hannah, are any people here acceptable?" She shook her head.
"}I want to go. Its getting dark." I didn't want to go. I liked Hannah. She got up. "Hannah. It's not safe to go out alone." She gave me a look. "Come then." I shook my head.
"We just got here. Listen. Have an ale and we'll go." Sighing, she sat back down.
"I've never drank before. We don't drink at Caster school. It's not smart. You need to be sober because spell casting is serious." I gave a small laugh. True enough. But the girl needed some fun. She was so bloody serious. "And, I would never be allowed in your presence this long. You never know what could happen." She took a tentative sip of the ale.
"Like you could get away with anything in Caster school," I said sarcastically. She didn't pick up on it.
"You can't. A lot of girls got kicked out for getting drunk or even pregnant." Her eyes were wide with horror. I snorted. She drank more.
"And yet here you are, Lady Hannah. With a boy and an ale and without an amulet. Looks like you're gonna be kicked out too."

"At least he's a pretty boy," she said shyly with a smile. The alcohol must be kicking in, I thought. A sober Hannah wouldn't have said that. Hannah waved to the waitress for another ale. She downed that one quickly. I just made the girl a drunk, I thought. I am a wicked person. I found myself wondering what it would be like to kiss her. I had kissed a lot of girls, but Hannah seemed different. I quickly erased the thought. She was just like any other girl. Maybe just prettier than the rest. I stood up and told her we should be going. She nodded and stood up, wobbly. Light weight. I took her arm and she held on to my waist tight. We walked past the waitress who gave me another suggestive look. Hannah glared and pulled down her bodice as well. I almost laughed. Hannah was definitely jealous. She led me outside.
"Jack. Let's look for it tomorrow. I'm tired." I couldn't have been happier. More time with her. I nodded and led her towards an inn. She stumbled along. Suddenly, she turned to me.
"Am I drunk?" she giggled. I looked into her eyes. I wanted to kiss her so badly. My eyes wandered to her lips. I swallowed. She smiled. "Am I?" Why did I want to kiss a drunk girl I just met? Girls usually didn't scare me, but Hannah did a little. My heart was racing.
"Lady Hannah, I believe you are." She giggled again.
"Don't call me that. I'm just Hannah. But is it true that you don't remember the things you do when you're drunk?" I nodded.
"Usually you don't ." She stared at me.
"So I won't remember this?" She reached up and pulled me close. She kissed me hard. Her lips were soft and her kiss was beautiful.
"Do you want to forget this?" I asked. She shook her head. She then pushed me into an alley and held me against the wall. She kissed me over and over again. She finally pulled back and I kissed her. Her kisses left me breathless. My heart raced and I found it hard to concentrate. I wished we were in the inn room. She put her hands up my shirt and pressed me against the wall. I tried to stop my hands and mind, but they wandered uncontrollably. I felt her hands clench something in my shirt. In my hidden pocket. My heart stuttered. The amulet. She slowly pulled back and took her hands out of my shirt, the amulet in them. She looked at me.

"You took it?" I sighed and leaned my head against the stone wall.
"Hannah." She gave me a confused look.
"Why? You humiliated me in front of every one. I needed this."
"Hannah. I wanted to spend time with you ok?"
"You don't know me Jack! What, you wanted to take my amulet, get me drunk so you could get a few kisses and maybe a night?" "Hannah..."
"No. Jack. No. Take me home. I have to finish school. I can't be with you. I'm a caster. You're not. I have a life ahead of me and I can't put that in jeopardy. I can't believe you. We met this afternoon. You can't know me. Take me home." Either the alcohol wore off fast, or she never was drunk. Her wanting to kiss me was a small comfort. She began to walk toward the bridge, back to her school. I stood frozen. How could that have changed so quickly. I blinked and realized she was way ahead of me. I raced to catch up.
"I was going to give it back tonight, Hannah. I just haven't had so much fun in a while and I wanted the night to last. But I was going to give it to you." Hannah looked at me. I thought I may have seen a trace of regret in her eyes.

"Jack. I know. I'm sorry for yelling, but caster school is all I have. My parents want me to take it. I'm going to be Princess Katisha's caster." She smiled sadly. We walked in silence until we reached the school. Hannah turned to me.
"Thank-you for giving my amulet back." I nodded numbly. I felt empty. Losing Hannah was one thing, but the amulet left me feeling hollow. I was losing the two best things right now. But maybe I'd get Hannah back.
"Perhaps it's best if we don't see each other anymore. I need to focus on school." Or not.
"Don't look so sad. It's for the best ok?" She swallowed and gave me a quick hug. She then turned, as I silently watched, knocked on the door, hold up the amulet and walk in. She didn't look back. I stood there. How could we have kissed like that and then she could have left? I turned and silently walked back to Leiside.

I stood in the entrance of Leiside and looked over the city. I wondered where I was gong to sleep tonight. I wished that Hannah had stayed. My heart pounded as I thought about where we could have been if she stayed. I quickly banished the thought. She was gone and I couldn't think about it. I walked into town and through an alley. I found a slightly hidden spot and sat there. I rested my head against the stone wall. Again, Hannah crept into my mind. I tried to get the thought out, but her smile, laugh, eyes, and kisses kept me up. I finally, after hours, I fell asleep, thinking about her and her amulet.