Thrice Haunted

There is no prey so tempting to the shadows as a light that does not know it is glowing.

I stepped over the doorway and the morning sun found me instantly.

The light was so bright it seemed to soak into my hair. Hidden streaks of copper appeared with a dull red tint.

I looked up and the sky is a relentless blue, devoid of even a single stray cloud. Soft light filtering through the broad leafed trees, painting the dirt path with dancing spots of gold. Well, that's Summerfield for you.

Huh, something weightless and cold settled on my hair. I reached up, pulled it gently and laid my eyes on it. A piece of parchment? It's thin as a dried moth's wing that had drifted down like a winter's first flake of snow.

'Amor Fati'

I recognize the words from the books I have read at home. 'Love your fate' It’s a strange thing to find falling from the sky, but right now I don't have time to wonder about it. I pulled my daily journal from my satchel and tucked the paper between its pages for safekeeping before putting it back inside.

"Mother, I should be on my way now," I called, as the village carriage came into view in the distance, its wheels rattling softly on the road.

"Wait, dear. I'll see you off." She responded from inside the house. There's something different today. Perhaps it's because I'd risen earlier than usual for class?

"Look at you, did the clocks slow down? You’re early for once, on the very last day of school." I glanced at our door and saw my mother stepping out of the house while drying her hands on a towel.

"Mom," I muttered, puffing my cheeks. I couldn't exactly deny it.

"The village carriage is drawing near, dear." She spoke while watching the carriage approach. "Now, I must see to your sisters and get them ready for school. I'll see you later." She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to my cheek.

"Bye, Mother! I love you." I called out, as I stepped up and the scent of wood greeted me. I sat down, into the soft green padding and through the window, the world began to move as the driver gave a light tug on the reins.

"Going to school, young miss?" Mr. Santiago asked. He had driven me to town nearly every morning for years, and today, as always.

"Oh yes, Mister." I answered, watching the endless rice fields blur to a smear of green. The young stalks bowed in unison as the wind swept over them, the expanse stretched toward the horizon. As we pass by, I saw a familiar silhouette hunched low over the soil.

"Bye! I love you!" I shouted. My father slowly straightened, wiping his brows and squinting until his gaze locked onto our way.

He didn't say a word, but I know he heard me because of the broad and slow sweep of his arm in the air.

"You know, yesterday," Mr. Santiago began to speak and his voice dropped to a whisper.

"They struck something in the mines. They said it spoke. The Chancellor Vane went to see for himself, he didn't come out until dawn." Mr. Santiago always had news, but today, it seemed different. Instead of the loud, boisterous stories he usually told to pass the time, he sounded serious.

I looked at the mine's entrance, there's a black maw torn on the cliffside. "What happened?" I wonder what kind of words could keep The Chancellor waiting until dawn.

"They say he found something down there." Mr. Santiago lowered his voice more, I leaned in closer to hear. "Real magic. The kind we only hear about in old stories." I slumped back to my seat.

"I don't understand, Mister." Mr. Santiago lets out a dry, rattling wheeze. "Don't ask me to explain it. I'm just confused as you are."

I was about to ask more, but I saw a grand carriage heading out of town pulling to a stop and it caught my attention.

It doesn't look like the wood and iron carriage of our village. Its the color of midnight. The curtains are pale white blue silk that looks as though they had been carved from a mountain of snow.

As we travelled around it, I saw an old man being dragged out.

"Stop, mister!" Mr. Santiago pulled his horses to a halt and I stepped out of the carriage. They gave the old man a violent shove and his back hit the dirt with a thud.

"Young Miss," Mr. Santiago's voice stopped me, "I have to get these goods to the market. The merchants are expecting delivery by morning. They have no patience for late arrivals."

I smiled while adjusting the strap of my satchel. "It's all right, Mister. The town gates are close enough, I can manage the rest of the way on foot. You go on."

Mr. Santiago paused and tipped his hat. "Bless your kind heart. Truly." Then, the wooden wheels rotated as Mr. Santiago moved ahead.

"Hey, stop!" Reaching down the ground, I scrambled for something to throw. Each of my hands grabbed a rock, and I threw them at the two men, hitting them both on the shoulder.

They didn't say a word, just a slow, stiffening of their spine. I don't think it had much effect on them, they seem to be wearing winter gears.

"How could you!" The words came out of my mouth, louder than I intended. They turned to look at me and I stepped forward.

"Hurting an old man who can't defend himself, have you no shame?" I went between the old man and the two men. My eyes narrowed but my heart is beating, wrong, wrong, wrong.

They brushed a smudge of dust off their sleeve and exhaled a sharp breath.

"Enough. Let it go." My heart hammered against my ribs. A deep man's voice commanded from inside the grand carriage. The two men who had dragged the old man paused and then stood still.

Oh no. If this person is as powerful as the carriage looks... Was the old man worth this? Of course he was. But now who will take care of my family's future if I'm dragged away?

Maybe if I don't move, they won't notice me. I'll help the old man later. But... the rocks are already gone, the evidence was lying in the dirt.

They faced the carriage door and bowed their heads in a synchronized motion.

I stayed back still glaring at them.

A cold wind brushed past me, blowing the thin carriages curtains aside for just a second. In that brief gap, I caught a glimpse of blue crystalline eyes staring back.

I didn't have the chance to see the rest of his face because I was distracted by how beautiful his eyes were. Then, just as quickly as it had come, the breeze died down. The curtains closed.

Who is in there? Whoever they are, they just stopped their men with three words and I'm just a girl who forgot her place. Now the whole world is about to remind me of it.

I waited for more words. But surprisingly, I didn't hear anything after. They entered on the back of carriage and set off.

I turned and saw the old man struggling, his hands at the ground as he tried to find his footing. I reached out and gave him an arm to help him stand.

"Are you all right, Mister?" I asked, brushing the dust from his dirty sleeves.

"Thank you, young lady." He leaned forward, reaching stiffly for what seems to be a walking stick on the ground. It must have been his. I bent down to pick it up and handed it to his palm.

"What happened?" I asked, looking at the carriage disappearing in the distance.

He squinted his wrinkled eyes looking at the cloud of dust kicked up by the vehicle." Well," He let out a sigh. "They decided there was no longer room for the likes of me." That's just mean. Who just leaves someone on the side of the road?

"Where are you going now, Mister?" I asked, I mean, look at the long stretch of the empty road.

"I have no idea, young lady." He looked weary and I felt sympathy. "Well, maybe you can go inside the town." I suggested. "Regain your energy and travel home after you regain your strength." The old man paused.

He stopped to think. "You have a point. You're right." He actually considered it.

"We can walk together." I offered. I glanced at the position of the sun and had a realization. "The school bell will probably ring before we arrive at the gates." I let out a small smile. "But it's okay."

"I am truly sorry for the trouble, young lady." He murmured. "Oh, it's okay, mister. Really." I insisted, waving off his apology.

As we started to walk, my mind went back to the moment earlier. I wonder where that grand carriage came from. It looked like it belonged to a different world entirely.

I couldn't but think about the two men I threw stones at. I feel a little guilty now... Everyone has their own side of the story, after all. But what choice did I really have? Everything happened so fast.

"You do have a kind soul." I blinked. "What was that?" I didn't quite catch his words, but he just shook his head. He went silent, his eyes going back on the road.

Little did she know, the grand carriage slowed. That day, six pairs of eyes watched the girl on the road.