you're going to WANT to kill me, but then you'll give a fan-girl SQUEEEE!!!

so, i figure, that's exactly what you're going to do when you read my next selection. i FINALLY!!!! found out how i want to start this once-deadbook. *hint hint*

lol. :D :D :D I want YOU to try and figure out which dead book! (commentos!)


Prologue

Master Al’ead stood contemplatively looking at the fire. He heard a knock at his door and turned around. He was a tall, rather young man – not too old. He had icy blue eyes and deeply tanned skin; a rugged shaped body.
“Who is it?” he said quietly.
“Adela, Master Al’ead,” a small girl sniffled. Master Al’ead smiled down on the child.
“Adela, my dear, whatever is the matter?” Al’ead said, opening the door for her. She ran in and clutched his legs in a child’s bear hug.
“Papa yelled at me because I talked to a servant-boy, a bard,” she wept. “Rafael is – is intelligent and funny and Papa says I can never speak to him again because he is not my equal until he is actually a bard… then he will be my superior. Why can I not talk to him, Al’ead? Why?”
“Shh, Adela, be still,” Al’ead soothed.
“Will you tell me a story? To get my mind off of it?” Adela asked, wiping the tears away from her cheeks. Al’ead had always admired the child’s insightfulness and intelligence – admired the way she spoke as an adult.
He sat on a chair and smiled as Adela climbed up into his lap. In her dreams, she referred to him as her father, not her biological father. He loved the child dearly as much as the child loved him.
“A story, please?” she begged.
“Alright, alright,” he laughed, kissing her forehead and brushing her black her dark hair.
“Once upon a time, before our islands were covered in the Mist, we were a proud united nation. All of the islands: Karnar, Theselon, Theo, Dragon Island, Calips Island – our home, the Realm of the Barbarians, the Desert Islands. Everyone. There was a greedy man,” Al’ead said bitterly. “A greedy man who convinced his mistress and his country to turn on the others; they began a war unlike any other. Thousands of dead, and soil that was drenched in the blood of our forefathers. It was… terrible…”
“How would you know, Master Al’ead?” she asked fighting her slumping eyes.
“My father…” he said by way of explanation. “Anyways, the war lasted so long, people began to forget the real reason for it – but the man continued his campaign for the domination of the islands. Finally, diplomats from the other islands decided that enough was enough. They met the man and his mistress at the Lost City.
“One night, the four couples stood hand in hand at the center of the City. Silver rain crashed down on them and lightning stroked the skies. A dark-skinned man, the one who had begun the war, clenched his teeth at the others, yelling that this land was made for war and war shall be its destiny.
“The man leading the four couple responded ‘I will not let you do this. I will not let you destroy this land with your lust for power.’ The dark man replied, ‘I had no need to destroy this land, it destroyed itself.’ He then commanded his mistress, ‘Do it, do it now.’
“The mistress began a rhythmic dance, a wicked chant escaping her lips. Snakes rose up from the ground and killed the four couples where they stood. The dark man’s mistress was a witch – with dark, vile power. But even the Dark Forces suffer when life is taken from the earth. After all were dead, she ceased her vile dance and collapsed unto the floor as the Darkness tried to recover its life force.
“Try as she might to help the force, her work was to no avail. The guilt of murdering eight people in cold blood came crashing down. The guilt and the force became so much that she died as well…” Al’ead stopped his narration when he saw that Adela was asleep. He laid her on his cot next to the fire and covered her with a wool blanket. He sat on the ground and leaned his back on the cot. He stared into the fire.
“Please, Master Al’ead, continue with your story,” Adela said quietly, patting his dark hair gently.
“I will, I will,” he whispered, taking her hand in his. “The wicked man was… grieved… to see the one person he loved and who had loved him lying dead. He began grieving as no man ever had. He began to repent his evil ways. He began a life that was simple and he did not lust for power as he once had. Deep down inside, the man hated himself, cursed himself, for killing the only people who could have brought peace to the Islands. As much as he tried, the lands would not stop their war. They claimed his brain had gone to mush. He prowled the land and the sea in search of peace and of death. He grew old searching. He grew old…but would not die.
“The Darkness made the man prowl the earth – sometimes in the guise of a young man, but other times as an old one. Even now he prowls the earth…” Master Al’ead stopped. He turned to see the child sleeping peacefully. He brushed the hair from her face and kissed her forehead. “And that man’s name was Al’ead,” he whispered. “That man is me, Adela. Would you forgive me if you knew?”

Master Al’ead stroked Adela’s cheek where her tears made little dried streaks. Al’ead gathered her up in his arms. He carried her back into her room and, as he closed the door, silent tears fell down his cheeks.

The morning afterwards, Master Al’ead took his leave of ??? Castle. He was never seen again in the country.

________________________________________________________________________________

Part 1 – the Beginning Years

Eight years later…

“Must you go, Eliza?” Adela asked inquisitively. “Where are you going anyway?” Eliza pulled a gown over top her undergarment and tightened the laces.
“I go to my husband, Adela, love,” she answered quietly. Adela had always been a wild soul; Eliza being the quiet, more obedient of Sir Belroth’s daughters. “I dare say you shall be married in less than two years. When you are eighteen, dear.”
“I won’t ever get married,” Adela said passionately.
“You will,” Eliza chuckled. “Just you wait.” Just then, a maid came in telling them that their father wished to see both of his daughters. They exchanged glances and walked to his study.

“You may be at a loss as to why I have summoned you,” Sire Belroth said darkly. He was not a kind man, and never had been – often taking delight in frightening his children.
“Papa, we will know soon enough,” Eliza said, pursing her lips.
“Yes, yes,” Belroth said. “Adela will become your companion and charge when you marry. You are both being packed for. I don’t want Adela in this house for very much longer. She is too wild and we will never make an assassin of her. I chose not to do so with you, Eliza, because it would not suit you… but I am sure Adela’s evil ways will…”
“Papa, please stop,” Eliza said seriously. “You’re hurting her.” Adela was fighting back tears.
“No, no,” Adela said in a fight to be a good child. “I will go. If you hate me that much, then I will go. I am sure Eliza loves me more that you ever did and she will raise me better than you ever could!” Those words stung Sir Belroth. He had always prided himself on his ability to raise good children. He stood and snarled at his own child.
“You ungrateful child, I gave you birth,” he yelled. “You will go as any meek child would, and nothing more. You will not insult your father!”
“You are not father to me, Sir,” Adela replied, her green eyes flashing angrily. “You never were and you never will be! I take my leave of you.” Adela turned around and left the room, but not before Sir Belroth slapped her cheek. That child always made him so angry. Could she not control her mouth a moment?

Adela rushed from her room, tears pouring down her cheeks. She ran to her room and flung herself down on her bed, crying into her pillow.
“You are no father to me,” she whispered repeatedly.

Hours later, Eliza and Adela boarded the ship. They were silent and Eliza very soon became sick. Adela took to the task of caring for her. Eliza knew that Adela was a good child and that she would make a good Assassin. She had made plans of her own – against her father’s wishes. But she, after all, was not her father’s property now, she was her husband’s. She was not at her father’s mercy any longer.
“Here, Eliza,” Adela whispered, “Here is some broth.” Eliza took a sip and swallowed. Adela kept a bucket within arms reach, but Eliza nodded that she could keep it down.
“Adela?” Eliza asked when Adela lay next to her. “Would you like to continue your lessons… as an Assassin?”
“I would,” Adela said eagerly, but she downcast her eyes. “But father has forbidden it, Eliza. I cannot.”
“You can and you will,” Eliza smiled. “Papa has no control over you now, he is nothing to you because he gave you to me. I am your mother and your charge. You will go to school. I will see to it.”
“You are not my mother, Eliza, you are my sister,” Adela smiled. “But I thank you!” Adela hugged Eliza’s slender waist tightly.
“I fear we will have to continue etiquette lessons,” she laughed. Adela smiled.
“So be it.”


SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..... how do you like it???

Live long and prosper,

Asiat