Fan Fiction ❯ The Emergence Of A Legend ❯ Chapter 1

Nikki Kelly

Disclaimer: All of the characters portrayed in this story are completely

fictional and the sole creations of moi. Any resemblance to any

living person or other fictional character is purely coincidental.

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Chapter One

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"Ugh! Don't buy that perfume! It's absolutely disgusting!" Coress peered at a plump woman admiring the scent from behind a counter. The lady immediately whirled around to face Coress.

"Excuse me, what did you say, child?" the woman asked, glaring at Coress.

"I'm not a child, and you heard what I said. That perfume has a foul stench."

"I don't know that it is your place to say, you rude young girl. If I had wanted your opinion, I would have asked you. And judging from your appearance, I would never ask you anyway," she told Coress, looking at the girl's clothing in disgust. "Now get out of my sight, before I call for the owner!"

"Call for the owner?! Ha! And what would he do to me?" she asked shrilly, but at the same time turning to walk away from the noblewoman. Just as she was almost out of fight, she called back to the woman. "I don't know why you need the perfume anyway. I mean, no man in his right mind would ever court a fat, ugly woman that dresses like a peacock!"

The woman screamed with rage and searched for Coress, sputtering every swear word she knew in the process. After a minute without success, she yelled in disgust and ran out of the shop. All of the customers who had been watching the affair slowly backed out of the shop as well.

A tall, handsome young man behind the counter strummed his fingers angrily. His co-worker, a small, weasel-like man watched him curiously. He seemed to be waiting to see what the exasperated man would do next. He didn't have to wait long.

"You bitch! Show yourself now, or so help the gods, I'll come and find you! And I don't think you'll find that to your liking either!" He was screaming obscenities and tossing over barrels of good in his rage.

"If you keep this up, Olban, you're going to tear our whole shop to the ground," the dark little man in the corner said calmly.

"Barnovo! I really don't need your input on this! She is my sister, and I'll deal with her in whatever way I damn well please! And why aren't you helping?! It's not just my business she's destroying, it's yours too!"

Barnovo simply smiled and pointed to the stairs that led to their living quarters.

How does he do it? Coress though to herself, still hiding in the shadows of the staircase. He always knows where I am, no matter what I do!

The puffing Olban looked to where his partner's finger was pointing. Coress followed the path as well, and her gaze fell to her own foot, peeping out from the darkness. She scowled angrily to herself. Why can't I do anything right? I always get caught. She took a deep breath, and prepared herself for the lecture to come.

By now, Olban had calmed down considerably. Not just because of the smirk on Barnovo's face, but because if he didn't, he would soon faint at the loss of breath. "Okay brat, you can come out now. I see you, and there's no use hiding anymore."

Coress let out a sigh and stepped out of the shadows. The bright morning sun shined down on her raven black hair. She had tied it up earlier, but the cloth had had come undone while she was rushing to her hiding place. The hair now lay limply at her shoulders, and it was obvious by its condition that she hated her long locks, but her brother would never let her cut it all off. She suddenly felt a stare on her, and quickly searched for its provider. Barnovo was gazing at her attire disapprovingly. Coress returned the stare, challenging the little man with her eyes. He simply let out an exasperated sigh and returned to looking at his scroll.

Why does he have to do that? I'm not gonna change just for him. I happen to like my clothes, and if he ain't happy with it, he can just stop looking at me. She looked down at herself: A simple gray tunic, hanging over a pair of farmer's trousers. She also wore her favorite boots, which were plastered with mud. Nice and comfortable. I'm not gonna dress like a lady just for the sake of looking pretty. And I'm definitely not gonna wear those shoes they have. How do they walk in those things?

"So? What do you have to say for yourself?" Olban interrupted Coress's train of thought.

"Oh, yeah. Just one thing. You shouldn't let such nasty-ass people into the shop, it's bad for business, scares off the other customers," Coress said with a broad grin on her face, then quickly dashed up the stairs.

Barnovo laughed out loud, and Olban scowled at him. "You are really not helping with this. Any advice?"

"I'd hurry up and go after her. If you wait too long, she'll be out of the house. Then you'll be chasing her after her all day." Olban gave him a questioning look, and Barnovo explained it for him. "The window, remember? When she and Tystan beat up that boy down the alley? She used the linens to climb out that window." He laughed whole-heartedly. "Ohhh...that was hilarious. You screamed so much! Then..."

But Olban was already out of the room and halfway up the stairs. Coress was, just as Barnovo had predicted, pulling all of the blankets off of her bed. She hadn't heard her brother coming up the stairs, but did as he entered the doorway. She darted to the corner near the window, laying her body flat against the wall. She gave Olban a frightened look, knowing it infuriated him.

But the game had grown old to the young man, and he just gave her an exasperated sigh. "Why the hell do you do that? You can as if I hurt you or something. Come here." Olban said softly, his outstretched arms beckoning to her.

Coress was not about to give up that easily, however, and she shrank down to the ground, cowering before him. She had never gone this low before, and she wondered what her sibling would do in response.

Olban still wasn't going to fall for it, and before she knew what was happening, he had scooped her up roughly in his arms and flung her on her bed. Coress scrambled up on the bed, confused and angry with her brother, and trying at least gain some composure over herself. He stood with his arms folded across his chest, laughing hard at her bafflement. At this sight, Coress's violet eyes flared. They were pure ice, daring her brother to do more.

Olban knew better. He instantly stopped laughing and sat down next to her on the bed. Coress tried to shove him away, but he caught her in an embrace before she had the chance. At first, she tried to fight, but knowing it was useless, she soon gave up. The black-haired beauty returned the hug, and he finally let go.

"Why do you do that?" he asked once again.

"Oh, I don't know," Coress confessed. "I know it makes you mad, and it's pretty funny. Well, usually it is." She remembered that awful state of confusion she had been in just moments before.

"It doesn't actually make me mad, it just really upsets me." Olban gazed into her seemingly endless eyes and brushed back on of the stray locks of hair that had fallen over her face. "You're all I've got, you know that? You're the only one I truly care about...well...not counting ol' Barn down there," he smiled, nodding at the door, before turning to her again. "If you ever stopped loving me, I don't know what I'd do."

Not noticing the pain and seriousness lurking in his eyes, Coress replied slyly, "When did I start?"

As the words left her lips, Coress knew she had been wrong to say them. Her brother's face contorted with pain, and his eyes gleamed with tears. He quickly paced to the wall opposite her bed, his back facing her. For one of the first times in her life, Coress was speechless. She didn't know how to take back her words.

They both remained still for what seemed like eternity. With every silent second that passed Coress winced in pain. Finally, Olban broke the utter quiet. "Coress, that was cruel. For once, I express my true feelings to you, and..." he stopped, unable to speak the words he wanted to say, his back still turned to her. "And I expect you to show yours to me, but what do you do? You..." he broke off again, his whole body trembling. "You use that precious moment to crack some stupid joke!" He spun around so suddenly that Coress jumped back in fear. His face now glowed with a fiery anger, but tears streamed heavily down his cheeks. "You know what? I'm starting to think that those little comments you keep making aren't just jokes. I'm starting to think maybe they're the truth!"

"No, I..." she tried to explain, but Olban immediately cut her off.

"If you're so sick of this town, sick of this house, sick of this life, sick of me, then leave," he roared. "The window's right there! Just climb out it like you were going to before! Go! Never come back! I hope I never see you again!" His shouts echoed through the entire house. Still needing to release more anger, he punched the wooden wall with his clenched fist, effectively making a large whole.

Coress had now fallen to the floor, on her knees before her brother. She was crying hysterically, grabbing for Olban's legs frantically. She tried to form words of some sort, wanting to tell her brother all of her inner thoughts, but her emotions were too many in number, and she could not tell one from another. Sentences came from mouth that had no meaning. Desperate for any sort of stability, she looked up from her fit, searching for the familiar face of her brother.

Coress had expected him to still be that sickening red color, but instead, he had returned to his normal hue. His eyes were closed and he was clutching the ring he wore on a chain around his neck. Olban seemed to be muttering under his breath, but otherwise, a total serenity had come over him. Then, as if he had just ended some sort of trance, he stopped moving his lips and his blue eyes opened wide. He stared down at Coress as if she were a new person. She was bewildered by this sudden change of state, but she could only return the gaze, still trying to contain her sobs.

Olban's stare changed from an amazed one to a sorrowful one, Coress knew that it was pure, but could still do nothing to calm herself. He sighed, and went to her. Picking her up in his arms tenderly, he carried his sister to his room across the hall, and placed her down on his not as messed up bed. She lay there, looking up at him, her sobs becoming softer now.

Olban reached down a hand and began stroking the beautiful mass of hair behind her head. She tried to speak, "Olban...I'm...so...sorry...I..."

Olban put a finger to her lips, hushing her instantly. Coress expected him to say something, but instead, he took up her hand in his. He carefully folded it around the ring about his neck. It seemed that it that one moment, Coress could see all of the history of the universe. But what intrigued her even more was the simple, calming voice that whispered to her. "Be still, Chosen One."

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End of Chapter One

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~~Ahhhhhhh....thank god I finally finished this section .... my fingers are killing me!!!!! This wasn't actually where the original chapter one ended, but that was eight pages off... and I really don't feel like typing anymore right now.... besides, it ends ok here right??? Oh well..... please leave you're feedback!!! I like to know what I'm doing right and what I'm doing wrong!!! Thanx!