Arcadia whisked her away as soon as they got to town. Clarissa barely caught a glimpse of the guys headed in different directions as she was swept into a tailor shop. Arcadia took a look around the room.
“Since you will be on the road,” She didn’t finish the sentence as she ran her fingers over the different cloth.
A female shopkeeper came up to them. Clarissa knew her as Mrs. Thompson. She was a kind older lady who did most of the stitches on the clothes in her shop. Yet, the shop remained in her husband’s name, which didn’t bother her.
She worked to provide for her family. She was short and skinny, with brown curly hair tied in a bun behind her face.
Her eyes skimmed over Clarissa momentarily. But she had served Arcadia before and had been p
Arcadia Arcadia groaned as Clarissa ran out of the tent. “Why are you stressing, mija.” The low soft sound of her wolf, Ragnavard, growled in the back of her mind. Ragnavard was patrolling the perimeter on the outskirts of town. He was her secret weapon. They had bonded when she was a child. But it wasn’t the same thing as the Onyx Sage bonds. The purpose of those animals’ birth was to be the sage’s spirit animal. Her wolf was born before they created their attachment. Through the mind link, she comforted her wolf companion. “Clarissa may be more of a princess than we realized.” She mused.
Clarissa “Behold.” The purple sage’s voice demanded. The male face was gone, and she was looking at herself in its place. But she did not recognize where she was. Maybe it was a vision of the future? Clarissa saw herself running through the woods with a bundle hugged to her chest. Her hair was especially messy, and she breathed heavily. She looked terrified as she met someone by a river and handed the bundle over. “Don’t let anything happen to her. She is the future of this planet.” Clarissa’s future self whispered, looking down at the package with such deep love and admiration. Clarissa felt an overwhelming sense of disorientation and urgency. She could not
C Clarissa The man that Clarissa had been watching handed his precious bundle reluctantly to the mysterious couple, whose appearances were covered with poor woolen robes. “Keep my daughter safe.” He whispered urgently, confirming Clarissa’s hope that he was her future child’s father. She giggled, thinking that she could not wait to meet him. When the couple began to pull back their robes, Clarissa leaned in, eager to see who would be given her child. But the vision quickly grew black as the world she observed melted away. Clarissa sat in her chair, blinking off into space. She was back in the tavern. The day had set. A candle provided light between her and the p
Clarissa Evander picked up the pace once they were outside and directed her to a short building on one side of town. It was big in girth, but a tall man would bump their head on the ceiling if they were not careful. In the backyard was a large field with various types of targets. And there was an area sectioned off for the fencing class held twice a week. Evander smiled at her. “The day may have gotten off on the wrong foot. But I am glad that you are alright.” She smiled at him warmly. Nothing that had happened today could be blamed on him.
Stefan Stefan enjoyed his conversation with the purple sage despite his past when she sat up and reached down to the floor. Returning with a small soft gray foxen in her arms, the old lady pet it with one hand. “This is Chrome.” He smiled a little wider and nodded his acknowledgment of the creature. Foxens had many similarities to both cats and foxes. They were usually small and wiry, like both species. But they had an undercoat of soft cotton-like fur like a kitten would have, while the outer coat was sleek as a fox’s. The foxen turned its head lazily to look at Stefan. “She wanted to meet you.” The purple sage explained and waved her free hand at him.
Stefan Stefan stormed through the streets. Not only did the old witch force that vision on him, but it also made little sense. Afterward, he was filled with a sense of foreboding. His only thought was that he needed to check on Clarissa. He left the old witch busying herself around her home, gathering supplies to record and interpret the visions seen. She said it was rare that the pearl spoke, especially to others. Yet, it had spoken to him, shocking for her because he was not even a villager. He wondered if the lack of connection to this village was why the vision was so confusing and filled him with apprehension. But he wouldn’t rest until he ensured the safety of his bride. Then, he would escort Clarissa back to talk to the purple sage.
Clarissa Somehow, Clarissa could move towards the rustling leaves without a sound. Suddenly, she was grateful that she was still in the leather armor and not her dress. It did not matter at this moment that it was unseemly for a lady to dress in pants. Mimi riled up in her head. “If that is someone else trying to hurt you, I will crush them!” He threatened violently. Clarissa just lifted a finger towards her lips. Mimi may not be able to see her move, but he understood her intent. He lay silent in her mind, and she could sense his readiness to attack whatever threatened her. It was odd that it made her feel safe. She stepped into the forest lithely. She was not sure who or what was lurking. Nor did she know what she would do if it were someone wh
Clarissa “I am glad that you came to see me before you left, my child. I can help equip you for your future journeys. You would not have had the chance had you chosen to wait to see me.” The purple sage spoke slowly. “Yes, ma’am,” Clarissa said, fighting the urge to get up from her seat and sit at the old lady’s feet. She remembered doing so as a child during the festivals when it was storytime. “But didn’t you know I was going to come tonight?” “Do you remember when the village went through that drought? I had already gathered the necessary supplies to overcome the storm. I had seen the drought bring fires and lost crops in my dreams. I saw our village destroyed and our clan struggling in the wilderness for food. Instead, we were ready.”