Vamade, South Province
The chilly bite of winter filled the air and tickled Alea's nose. She sneezed and sighed, two things she seemed to do a lot of while traveling with her "teacher." She still had trouble believing she was an apprentice to an Elemental user. She was a thief, dangit, and no self-respecting thief would be caught dead with an Elemental user. Yet, here she was--obediently trudging after Mistress Telena like a well-taught pet. If the other thieves heard about this, she'd lose all respect on the streets. No one would touch her for jobs. A thief without money was a starving thief.
"Sighing will get you nowhere. And if sneezing is your problem, try wearing the cloak I gave you."
"No. I don't need nothin' from you."
Mistress Telena chuckled and shook her head. "You'll be wanting it later, Apprentice, I assure you."
Stubbornly, Alea shook her head no and glared when Mistress Telena laughed. Her gut was telling her that she should've passed on the offer this strange woman had given her while in jail. She was going to regret this. Yes, she was. The silence between them wasn't tense, and that helped ease some of Alea's agitation. She was not a talker by nature, because a talkative thief was a dead thief. She didn't know how to handle fancy people like Mistress Telena. People like her were like the sun and stars in the sky--untouchable and hard to escape from.
She felt the change in the air and hunched down so her hair fell forward to hide her face. Dimly, the noise from the town could be heard. A town meant money and food in one's belly. Mistress Telena's sudden halt startled Alea, and she sidestepped, her head coming up as she glanced over at her "teacher."
"What?" she growled, not liking the once-over Mistress Telena gave her.
"We'll stay inside tonight, and you are to keep your hands to yourself."
"What you sayin'? I ain't plannin' to do anythin'." She gave Mistress Telena her most innocent expression, making sure to widen her eyes and tilt her head just so.
"Nice try, my Apprentice, but alas, those hazel eyes and girly demeanor will not work on me. I've seen you in action and watched you work a con. I'm not fooled." She sharply rapped Alea on the head.
"Ow! Lay off, Woman!"
That comment earned her a cuff to the head. She jumped back, out of striking distance, and glowered. How dare Mistress Telena hit her? She hadn't done anything wrong yet.
"That's Mistress Telena to you, not 'Woman." You watch that mouth, Girl, and toe the line or I'll give you a repeat performance of what occurred when I caught you."
Alea flushed and barely managed not to say something sarcastic. Mistress Telena's expression was serious. Deciding the better part of valor was to give in, she dropped her head and scuffed her boot in the hard dirt. She heard Mistress Telena grunt and the swish of her cloak as she turned back toward the town.
"Let's go, Apprentice."
Muttering under her breath, Alea followed after Mistress Telena. She would have to stay alert. A prepared thief was one who lived longer. She hurried after her teacher and stayed behind her, keeping a wary eye on anyone who came near them. Several times, Alea had to hold herself back when unsuspecting fools walked by with their money purses dangling at their sides, begging to be taken and relieved of their burden. Her fingers twitched so badly she clenched them.
Just one purse, what could it hurt? Alea took two steps toward a giggling woman when her collar tightened and she choked, struggled, and froze. Had she been found out? She let out a frustrated huff. She hadn't even snagged her goal. With a hard shake that succeeded in choking her some more and breaking up her running thoughts, she tilted her head. She glared at Telena's stern expression.
"What? I ain't done nothin'! Sheesh!"
"You were about to."
"Was not."
"Was."
"You're imagin' stuff, Lady."
"Oh, really? Then why are your hands balled into a fist?"
Alea's gaze slid downward, and she cursed herself for forgetting to relax her hands. She was about to get into trouble if she didn't think fast.
"Well, Apprentice? Nothing to say?"
"My hands hurt from the cold, and I balled them into a fist to try to help them not be frozen."
"You have a glib tongue, Apprentice, I'll give you that. I think it's time we go to our lodging so that you can stay out of trouble."
Telena dragged Alea past several streets and decent looking inns. Her stomach growled, and she wondered when they would get some food. Her teacher was rather tightfisted, and food choices were limited. Not that Alea cared because she was used to going for days without eating. Luck wasn't always so kind to the unfortunate.
The afternoon sun didn't even make a dent in the chill in the air, and Alea was starting to feel the cold. She was regretting not taking the cloak from Mistress Telena. Finally, they stopped at a faded yellow and tan building. Loud screams, banging, and other noises filled the air around the place.
She cast a shrewd look in her teacher's direction. So this was how Mistress Telena was going to be. That was fine. She would prove to Mistress Telena that she was tough enough to handle anything. Reluctantly, she followed the older woman inside.
The smoke from many pipes filled the air, and she stifled a cough. She half closed her eyes to keep them from burning. Places like this, she hated the most, because stealing never worked here. Too many were wise to the way of a thief. Maybe that was why Mistress Telena chose it. Despite herself, Alea smiled. Her respect for her rough teacher rose.
They made it to the counter, and Telena waved over the bartender. She leaned over, whispered something in his ear that made his eyes go wide, and then, with a wink, she passed him some coin. His eyes gleamed with greed, and he dropped a key into her palm. She turned to Alea and jerked her head toward the staircase on the far side of the room.
Alea nodded and, with ease, slipped into the crowd. She was not going to fail this test. She kept herself from bumping into any of the partying adults and made it safely to the other side. Mistress Telena smirked, and they headed upstairs. It was quiet, and the sudden change instantly put Alea on her guard. It was almost too quiet. She stopped and refused to take another step.
Mistress Telena halted and glanced back at her. "Is there a problem?"
"I think I'm gonna go sleep outside."
"Oh, really? Care to tell me why?"
"I ain't got to tell you nothin', Lady. But, if you value your life, you'll do the same."
Mistress Telena's expression changed, and Alea felt her heart beat faster. The woman's menacing expression made her want to flee in a hurry. But she couldn't seem to make her body obey her. She stared in scared fascination as Mistress Telena stalked toward her.
Mistress Telena stopped before her and slid her hand under Alea's jaw, tilting it up, forcing Alea to stare her in the eyes.
"You are mouthy and a pain, but I trust your instincts. We'll sleep somewhere else."
"We can't let you do that, Ma'am."
Behind Mistress Telena, Alea could make out four men blocking the stairs. Mistress Telena's expression shifted into one of politeness as she straightened and released Alea's jaw.
Alea's heart beat even harder. She knew the taste of this emotion. It was terror. She wanted, no, needed to run, but her body refused to move.
"Gentlemen, if you wish to keep your lives, I suggest you move."
Mistress Telena still had her back to the men, and Alea thought her teacher was either really brave or really stupid.
The men laughed a harsh, braying sound that grated on Alea's ears.
ChildofWater,Iamwithyou.
Alea almost let out a scream of shock before catching herself and pressing her lips together hard. It was the voice she trusted above all else.
"Helpme.Iwanttolive."
Doyousweartogiveyourselftome,ChildofWater?
She balked. Last time she swore something, she'd ended up with Mistress Telena. She wavered. She wanted to be free, but being bound to yet another person made her feel uncomfortable. A thief with something to protect was a dead thief. Attachments were death. A thief had to be willing to leave everything behind at a moment's notice. Bonds with others and things equaled death.
Youarenotreadythen.Doyourbest.Iwillcontinuetowaitforyouranswer..
"No,wait!Iwantpower.MistressTelenaisafoolishadultthatain'tgotnostreetsmarts.Besides,Isworeanoathtotravelwithher.IfIlethergetkilledbytheseidiots,I'llbeanoathbreaker.Imightbeathiefanddirttomost,butIhavemypride.Igivemyselftoyou,sopleasehelpme.Idon'tlikebeggin'."
The roar of water in her ears and head made her feel lightheaded, and then a sharp, biting sensation snaked up her arms and legs. She doubled over, sinking to the floor with a gasp. It was enough to distract the thugs, who jumped and strained to see what the noise was.
In the blink of an eye, Mistress Telena vanished from her spot before Alea and appeared behind the men.
She raised her hand, and again the water's roar filled Alea's ears. The men all stiffened as one, their eyes bulging before they hit the floor. Dazed, Alea stared as water ran from their ears, noses, and mouths. The roar of the water was gradually fading away. She scrambled to her feet. She knew without getting near the men that they were all dead.
Again, terror rode her, and she clung to it. Her frightened gaze went to Mistress Telena.
"Do you understand, Apprentice? Water can give life and can take it. Water can be cruel, or it can be gentle. It can do other things as well and is as powerful as air, earth, and fire."
Numbly, Alea nodded. She was too afraid to do anything else. She didn't completely understand everything, but she did know one thing. Mistress Telena had killed without hesitation. This was no lady before her but someone else. She would tread carefully from now on.
"Now, Apprentice, we'll go to our room."
"What? We're still stayin' here?"
Mistress Telena arched one eyebrow and gave her a bored look. "Do you still feel danger?"
That gave Alea pause. She calmed herself and realized that the urge to flee was indeed gone.
"No," she mumbled.
"That's because there isn't any more, at least for tonight. Let's go."
Admitting defeat, she followed Mistress Telena to the room. She would have to think about things later. Her body felt heavy and, instead of the roar of water, she heard the gentle gurgle of a stream. It was soothing and, despite her intention to stay awake, she fell into an exhausted sleep.