The Gypsy Goddess

[FreyjiaHawkfeather]

*A young woman walks into the cluttered office looking around. She stepped over piles of paperwork making her way to the desk. With a glance around the empty room she placed her scroll on the only clean spot of the desk and carefully lowered herself into a lonely leather chair to wait for the owner of the office as the note on the door said to do.*

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ship stood majestically against the horizon catching Freyjia's attention as she sat quietly in her window seat watching the boats sail in and out of the harbor. She knew her father was out there on the docks somewhere, it was after all his job as harbor master to be out there. The town, and everyone in it knew better than to cross Master Silver. Better than anyone Freyjia could tell you what happened when you did. She glanced down at the faint lines crossing the back of her left hand, they would forever be a reminder of what her father could and would do when he was in a rage. The sound of a light knock on her door brought her attention away from the large boat on the horizon and back to the semi-safety of her room. "Raven?" she called softly afraid it might be her father rather than her older brother.

 

The husky voice that floated through the door had her relaxing instantly, "Shouldn't you be downstairs getting ready for your lessons?" he asked as the door swung open.

 

"I was waiting to catch sight of father on the docks before coming down. I really don't want to have to deal with him this morning." she explained glancing back out the window.

 

"Well I can tell you he has left for the morning. He stormed past me about twenty minutes ago saying something about council meetings this afternoon." he watched as the tension seemed to simply flow out of his younger sister. With a sigh he knew his plan was the right thing to do even if she was going to get very angry with him over it.

"Raven, why does it sound like you are up to no good?" she asked.

 

He blushed scarlet, "I'm not up to anything. Let's just say that you really need to make it to your lessons." he smiled stepping away from the doorway.

 

Freyjia stood up and shook her head, "Still sounds like you have something set up."

 

He laughed, "Will you just trust me and get downstairs before the housekeeper gets in. There are things in this world that run on good timing, and when its all said and done you will thank me for everything."

 

Freyjia wasn't sure about the feeling she had, but while he had led her into trouble many times, it was never more than she could handle. "Okay, I'm going, but if I have to face father..."

 

Raven cut her off before she could finish what she was about to say. "Oh you will be dealing with father, but you won't mind." the light in his eyes gave her only a moments worry as she slipped past him and reopened her bedroom door. She smiled more to herself than him. "Is my teacher here?" her voice called as she started down the hall toward the stairs.

 

"No, so I would hurry and have myself practicing when he did get here." he called after her as he headed to his own quarters to make sure things were in place for the coming events.

 

Freyjia didn't see his smile as she reached the top of the stairs, however there was one on her own face as she glanced around and carefully slipped a leg over the banister railing. She needed to get downstairs fast, and well the ride was always fun. Her fun came to an abrupt stop at the bottom landing on her backside as her attention was caught by the man standing in the doorway. His laugh made a crimson blush blood her cheeks, "Nice landing Green Eyes."

She carefully stood up and dusted herself off. "That is was, I was late and trying to get to the gym before you got here." she admitted with a grin. The man might have told her father that he would be teaching her fighting and self defense, but she knew he never told a soul about the street fighting he was also teaching her. She was damn sure her father would never have let Alengus Hawkfeather step one foot on his estate if he had.

 

He smiled, "Watching for your father were you?" he asked in a calm tone that went against the anger in his eyes.

"Yes." she answered simply turning and leading the way to the large open room that had once been her mother's ballroom, but had been turned into a gym and fighting studio when she died just before Freyjia's second birthday. "You know I don't want to face him before lessons," she shuttered and ran the tips of her fingers over the scars on her hand. "or after for that matter." her words faded as she stepped into the room.

 

"I know more than you think I do." his words were more cryptic than normal and made her turn back to look at him.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked suddenly feeling like she was missing something important.

 

He looked from her to the pile of equipment stacked against the far wall. "There is a lot that needs said at this point, and I don't have the time to explain any of it. You are going to have to trust me. Can you?" he asked carefully starting toward the pile.

 

There was not even a moment of hesitation in her heart. "I have from the moment you walked through that door the first time and went against my father's wishes to teach me to fight like a man not a lowly female."

 

His steps faltered slightly. "Good. You need to do just what I say today without question. I have to know you can do that no matter what is said." he bent down and started pulling pieces of equipment out of the big pile and stacking it next to himself on the floor.

 

She stepped closer noticing most of what he was separating were the items she used when she practiced the street fighting. "Is something wrong? We don't usually do the street fighting until last." she asked watching him.

 

He didn't bother to look up, "Nothing is wrong, we are just going to do things a bit differently today. I want you in full street gear before we start." his words we clipped and he kept glancing over his shoulder toward the door.

She didn't hesitate, but began putting on the small sets of throwing knives she was becoming deadly with. "Who are you expecting?" she asked as she tied her dagger to her thigh over the leather pants she was wearing.

 

He stopped moving for a single heartbeat having heard something from the hall. "Damn he moved faster than we thought he would." was all he said before standing up to face the door as it swung open. He braced himself for the fight he knew was coming and prayed he and Raven had planned everything right.

 

Freyjia felt her eyes widen as her father stormed into the room anger radiating from him. "What in the hell do you think you are doing in my house Hawkfeather?" he demanded confusing her even more.

 

Alengus stood his ground making sure he was standing so that if he needed to he could get between Freyjia and her father. "I am here at your request sir." he tried being polite and respectful even as he knew it wasn't going to do a bit of good.

"I never asked nor wanted a creature such as you in my home." the old man barked.

Alengus sighed, "I didn't want to do it this way. I went you to know that from the start. I was going to give you the honor and respect a Harbor Master earns." he paused hoping everything was in place and he wasn't about to set both himself and Freyjia up for disaster. "However there has been talk, and proof has been found that shows your true colors." Alengus tried to gain control of the situation without bringing too much information to light.

Freyjia's father wasn't going to allow it. "No bloody pirate is welcome here," he turned to look at his daughter, "get that fool equipment off and go to your rooms." he snarled at her.

 

For the first time in her life Freyjia defied her father, she could only hope she had read the situation right through the one flash she had gotten from Alengus' eyes as her father opened his mouth that first time. Taking a quick deep breath to steady herself, she squared her shoulders. "No. You paid for Captain Hawkfeather to teach me to defend myself after telling people that someone attacked me in the park. Now you are going to stand here and show both him and I disrespect by calling him a pirate." she glanced at Alengus and saw the smile lighting his perfect blue eyes. "I can not say if there is truth or not to his being a pirate, but with the scars his lessons are paid to hide he is a true gentlemen." she couldn't take it farther alone, but felt strong for the first time in her life.

Alengus watched with no surprise as her father started to take a step toward her his eyes screaming with rage. "You little bitch, I'll have you skinned for defending this creature." he was starting to close in on her and Alengus could see the fear filling her. Suddenly he knew the plan he had worked up with Raven had to happen. He wasn't going to let this monster hurt his own child again.

 

"Freyjia, move now." he calmly ordered her just as he had everyday for the last two months.

 

He knew how she would react, and he wasn't disappointed as she pumped up on the balls of her feet instantly ready to defend herself. "Not this time father." her words were sharp and for a moment stopped him in his tracks. "You have no power over me anymore." she didn't let herself look at Alengus, only prayed that he wouldn't say anything. "I am leaving here with Captain Hawkfeather."

 

Her father snarled, but didn't step any closer. "If you leave here with him I have no daughter."

Freyjia relaxed slightly, "That is of no matter to me. I have not had a father since the first time you ever laid a hand on me." her anger was almost a living thing in the room.

 

"It was my right to do as I wished, you are just a child." he was still snarling, but it seemed that he wasn't willing to come closer.

Freyjia took a deep breath and turned to glance at her teacher, "When are we sailing?"

Alengus never took his eyes off Freyjia's father, "We sail with the sun." his answer was simple.

She stepped toward Alengus and for the first time felt the power of standing up to the monster that was her father. "Understood. I shall step upstairs and get my bags."

 

"Don't worry about your bags that has been handled. Just head to the docks." he told her with a hint of a smile.

Freyjia nodded, before walking away and heading for the docks. Her heart felt light for the first time since her aunt moved out after her mothers death. She could hear Alengus talking with her father, but didn't try to catch what was being said. Her footsteps took her quickly to the docks. As she reached the end of the docks, her eyes searched for someone familiar. "Freyjia." she heard her name from the other end of the docks.

"Raven?" she called, confused.

 

He stepped closer. "Yeah it's me. Come on, I'll get you on the boat." he reached his hand out toward her.

"You mean you can get me on Captain Hawkfeather's ship?" she asked giving him a strange look.

[Degorram]

Degorram hurried into the room, causing papers to fly up around her and the girl sitting in the chair. "Hope you haven't been waiting long, I was caught up in my studies...." She trailed off as she noticed that the girl had fallen asleep and sat slumped in her chair, chin lying against her chest. Degorram smiled wryly. "Well...I guess you have been waiting too long....."

 

She sat down at her desk and sighed, snapping a book shut and picking up the submission before her. At the loud noise of the book, the girl started awake and gaped around at her surroundings, one hand at a subtle curve on her belt, the other gripping the chair. "W-what....?"

 

"Calm down, you're exactly where you fell asleep," Degorram said, putting on a pair of teal rimmed glasses (that absolutely served no point, really, because she didn't need glasses). "It just doesn't look like it -- I've charmed the room to change every few hours."

 

Freyjis looked around more carefully, her breathing slowing now, and relaxed the grip on her hidden knife. It was true. The room had changed from a simple, boxy office to one that now looked like it was the peak of an attic, with a sloped ceiling and two cramped windows. The pictures and diagrams on the walls, all of animals or the anatomy of animals she did not recognize, had changed as well. The lights, the color scheme, the decorations, all had changed. And yet, it was the same room, for there were the carefully potted venus fly traps, lazily opening and closing their mouths in the sunlight that trickled in through the window. There the two framed photographs, one in which Degorram and a girl who looked exactly like her had draped themselves around a dragon-like man-creature, the other which contained the same two girls, and a man with a lute. Hanging behind Degorram's desk was that same poster that read "I <3 Wyvern Club" and hanging from the ceiling, spinning very slowly in the drafty rafters, was the strange skeleton of some flying creature.

 

Freyjis at last turned her gaze upon the owner of the office -- a tall, lanky woman with hair that was currently weaving between black and purple, almost like a cuttlefish, with black fox ears and a black, lizard tail curling around the edge of the desk. She was reading the manuscript Freyjis had placed on the desk, tapping the paper now and then, wrinkling her nose, raising her eyebrows, and basically making it impossibly to tell what she thought.

 

"Well, this is a very nice start, Ms. Hawkfeather," Degorram said, taking off her useless glasses and picking up a stamp from the desk. "I heartily approve," and with a slam and a smile, she placed a huge, green "ACCEPTED" mark on the front page. Handing it back to the girl, Degorram smirked slightly and said, "Sorry for the delay."

 

OOC: Welcome Freyjis, to the Mighty Pen! A fine start, as I said, to what seem would make a very good full length story. You should post this piece as well as others in the Assembly Room, and don't even hesitate to ask for help should you need it! You'll note also that your rank has been changed from Honored Guest to Initiate. Enjoy the new privileges that this affords you.