In one of the tower rooms, girls--not yet initiated--huddled closely together in their cots. It was just pass the moon's zenith, but none of them could sleep; Evlin said she had seen something about Sa'Eve. Though the Sisters had not given Evlin's request to change roommates, Evlin had not slept in the same room as Sa'Eve ever since that night she was humiliated. That evening, Jasvier would be sleeping on the stone floor for the third time that week. "It's cold, Evlin," the timid girl ventured.

"Oh, hush up and stop being a baby. Would someone light a candle?"

Another one of Evlin's devoted followers scrambled to do her bidding. "Oh, can't we just go to sleep, Evlin?" Kerina said, grumpily sitting up. "What's so important about Sa'Eve, anyway? If she wants to be private, let her. It's not like we really need to know Miss Arrogant's deep dark secrets." Incidentally, Kerina thought the same of Evlin.

"Oh, you might, you might," Evlin said, smiling.

"Why?"

"Don't you value your life?"

Silence. It was Jasvier who not out of courage, but out of fear, asked, "What do you mean?" Her voice was painfully thin.

"I mean... that Sa'Eve may be...a killer."

"Oh, for the sake of the stars-!" another girl said.

"Hear me out before you pass judgement," said Evlin solemnly. She then glared at the girl and hissed, "And keep your voice down. You want to get caught?" The baroness rolled her eyes upwards.

"Get on with it, Evlin."

"I will if you'll let me," she snapped back. No one prompted her again. She took her time in settling back into Jasvier's bed, a smug look on her face. "Earlier today I was taking something out of my room when Sa'Eve just came back from weapons training. That girl had no sense of decency," she sniffed, "and began to take off her training vest." No one bothered to tell Evlin that it was only she who valued `dencency'.

"All she was wearing was this tunic .. with its sleeves cut off. I was looking at it.. who wouldn't? It was an appalling thing to do to a garment. Then I saw it." She shuddered. "It was awful. Simply awful."

"What?" hissed Kerina.

Evlin raised her right arm and traced an imaginary line from her armpit to her elbow. "There's this long scar from here..to here."

"But you said she was just in weapons training.. she could have ..."

"No. This was old. And it was way too deep. Sister Weaponmaster would never do something that deep.. and who has ever heard of a cut there? No, this is one of those cuts you get from dirty fighting," Evlin said, wrinkling her nose.

"Dirty fighting?" Jasvier repeated.

"You know, fighting with rogues, bandits, pirates, that sort of company.." Hanna added.

"Exactly. Dark Realm beasts."

A collective "What" hissed through the room. Evlin hissed them to be quiet. They froze, and together strained to hear the footsteps of a Sister. "What do you mean, `dark realm beasts'?" whispered Taylene.

"That's what she said," Evlin said quietly. It was also a lie. "Sa'Eve saw me looking at the scar and she gave me this wicked sort of smile." She rolled her eyes upwards and then shuddered. "She said that she got it while... killing a man... in the dark realms." The little brunette stared at each girl surrounding the bed, and implored to them, "Sa'Eve Greylander. Is. A. Murderer."

No one spoke. There were some who didn't dare to breathe. The candle light flickered over Evlin's features, painting dire shadows.

The window opened and the wind seemed to reach out as a dark cloud to surround them. The girls screamed, falling over each other. Evlin swatted at her hair. "It's got me!"

"Enough!"

Just before everything silenced again, Kerina saw a tiny shadow with wings fly out the window..

"What is going on here?" demanded the Sister.

"A.. A bat, Sister. It flew in and we all jumped on Jasvier's bed," Kerina stammered.

"A .. bat. Evlin?? What are you doing here?"

"I.."

"Everyone back to their beds. Evlin, please come with me, I'll walk you back to your room."

"NO! Please, please, no!" Evlin sobbed into the pillow. Try as the Sister might, she could not move the adamant girl. Sighing, she allowed Evlin to stay, provided that she slept on the floor instead and Jasvier be placed back in her own bed. "I don't know what's going on here, but it's late. Everyone back to sleep. And we will talk about this in the morning."

The candle was put out and the door was closed. Most of the girls hesitantly closed their eyes, but eventually fell asleep. Evlin, however, stared wide-eyed at the window. Death's hands had reached out and pulled on her hair...

*A murderer?* Sa'Eve chuckled softly. *That's a new one* Opening an eye, she peeked at the other occupied bed in the room. Re'Anne was still asleep. *I was so sure that she'd wake up at the screams, too..*

*I don't know about you, but I'm not sure I can hear physically anymore!*

Sa'Eve sat up in her bed and smiled. *Don't be silly.* Gingerly she stepped onto the floor. *It's amazing how one's words can be so easily twisted..*

*You didn't tell Evlin you killed a man?*

*No, of course not. I simply explained that underarm cut would most likely be achieved while physically deflecting from being stabbed in the chest. And of course, when if the opponent's blade is sliding up your arm, then is the best time to..* Sa'Eve thrusted with an imaginary blade into an invincible man and dug deep into his belly.

*Poor girl; you traumatized her*

*Obviously, she could live with it..it seems the trauma was all your fault*

*Oh, but I didn't mean to scare them!*

Sa'Eve laughed softly, reaching out her arm to the window. A small falcon hopped off the ledge and crooned softly when Sa'Eve scratched that unreachable spot behind its eyes. *Of course, that was never your intention.. But by tomorrow morning, Evlin will somehow find out some way to blame it on me. Not that she would be completely wrong, but...* Sa'Eve's smiled turned a little grim. *You best be off, Everlyn*

*Of course.. scratch just up.. ahhh.. that was nice* The bird hopped back onto the windowsill. Before she took off however, she added, *And Sa'Eve?*

"Hmm?"

*You're welcome*

As the bird disappeared, Sa'Eve smiled amusedly to herself. She went back to sleep, knowing the next time she woke, she'd have to deal with Evlin. A sigh escaped her lips. Tiredly, she closed her eyes and she saw herself thrusting a small dagger into a half-breed's stomach. Blood stained her clothes and the underside of her right arm hurt incredibly. She turned in her bed and sighed again.

Back to the box.

Copyright © 1996 Juliana Ng

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