The Mirror Queen: Chapter 1

Clack. Clack. My staff took another blow from Alger's sword meant for my torso. Clack. Clack. I shoved my upper body forward, using my left leg as stability and the right to push me forward as I swung my staff upward, stopping inches from his face, thinking I had the upper advantage.

Nope. He swoops his leg behind mine, his heel hitting the back of my knee as I head towards the ground. Sweat pouring down my face and my hands splayed into the dirt, I let my staff rest on the ground.

"Alright, alright. I'm down. You got me." I wiped my face on my shirt and take a deep steading breath. My heart was pounding in my ears and the only thing I could hear above that was my huffing and Alger's laughter.

"You would think after all the sparring we do, you would get better and learn my tricks, eh?" he chuckles, sliding his sword back in its sheath at his side. He holds his hand out offering to help me up. I sigh and accept the offer, as I pull myself to my feet.

"I think you are the only person who would be able to get their tricks by me, though." I laugh slightly, bending over and picking up my staff. The rays of morning sun were coming in through the windows and hit it just right, showing the amethyst spiderweb inbetween the wood. I loved my staff. One day, after returning from a days work, I found it on my bed with no note or anything. I expect a drunk left it there after stumbling into the wrong room from the pub downstairs but it wasn't for me to go search for its owner. I claimed it afterwards and its served me well.

Alger's face swapped from happy to serious quickly. "That kind of cockiness will not get you anywhere in this village, Aspen." he scowled. He was usally seirous when it came to training but something was definitely bothering him. Being someone who didn't have a way to protect herself, being friends with Alger was beneficial so I could learn and survive. "You need to focus more when we spar and actually learn something. I am not always around to save you if you find yourself in trouble, which you usually do 90 percent of the time." he narrowed his eyes at me.

"What is up with you Al? You seem more frustrated today." I noticed the tension when he spoke about not being there to save me. I don't exactly rely on the guy. He just always ends up in the same place I need help in. "You know I don't ask for help. You just show up at the same time I am causing trouble." I smile and shrug my shoulders.

"There is talk among the guards that more guards are going to be in the villages soon. There is an unrest within the Royals. I don't know any more than that. I just want you safe and I can't do that if you keep trying to kick someone's ass if they even look at you wrong." Trying was the key word here.

Most of my "issues" were large men who just wanted a piece of ass. Unfortunately for them, I was not that piece of ass they were looking for so I always end up in a fight. Whether I am about to get a dagger to my sternom or drown in a horse trough, I still try and get my way out of it as creative as possible. Mostly, that is Alger showing up at the best moment and saving me from being gutted and raped. I owe the guy many times over.

"What do you think it is?" I ask hesitantly. Royals were never uneasy. They held the most power. With the strongest abilities of all, they were able to control everyone because if not, they could kill whoever stood in their way, many different ways. "They only get antsy when there is war. I haven't heard whispers of a war or rebellion."

"I really don't know. The guards that I talk to don't know any more than what I already know. My sources haven't gotten back with me yet though so maybe we can get ahead of this when I hear from them. In the meantime, please stay out of trouble. Walk away when you can and keep your head down. You've been good at that up until you moved into that god forsaken place above the pub."

I shrugged my shoulders again. I could walk away more from the creeps if he really wants me to. Usually he doesn't make a fuss but something about new guards coming to the village is really sitting heavy on him. As for the pub, it was the cheapest and best option for me and it works, so there is no going around that. Plus during the day it was usually quiet when the drunks were still sleeping off the liquor they drowned themselves in the night before.

"I will do my best, Al. I promise. The only reason I get into trouble is because there will literally not be another option. You have my word." I look at him tentively, hoping this eases his tension by just a degree. I see his shoulders lax slightly and I let out a small sigh, realizing it did help some. Alger turns towards me and takes a few steps, placing his large hand on my shoulder and squeezing it softly.

"Thanks Aspen. Really I appreciate you actually trying this time." His honey colored eyes stare down at me for just a moment before he looks down and lets go of my shoulder. "Well, I must be going. I am sure they will be needing me at one of the towers soon. I'll see you around. Come find me in the morning if you want another sparring session. I think I can kick your ass a couple more times this week if you need me to." He winks and chuckles.

I roll my eyes and laugh along with him. "Yeah, Yeah. And I'll grab some of that bread that the pub owner gets and make sure you get a nice heaping before we sparr. You won't last a whole session then." I retort. I watch him walk out of the abandoned building we use as a training center. It sits neatly right on the edge of the forest before you enter town so we don't get bothered.

His guards probably think he brings me out here for a good lay but he is actually teaching me to take one of them down if they give me problems. I blush a little at the thought of me and Alger together. We never really talked about being anything more than friends. It just worked out and with how complicated the world has gotten, its a little easier this way too.

Here lately though, he seems to be more protective of what I do and now with all this fuss with the new guards, I feel like I will be hearing more of it. It really isn't that new though. We first met when we were just children playing in the streets. I was at the orphanage living down by the center market and he was being raised by his grandmother. His parents died in a war between territories. Something the king is supposed to be able to handle but this slipped through his nasty grasp.

We basically were inseperable then and always had each other's back. When they didn't have the money to eat, we would go to the market by the orphanage and pick people's pockets. He would tell his grandmother that we helped people who paid us. Fortunately the lie worked and his grandmother never went hungry. We were and are a great team.

I sigh and leave the abandoned home heading from the edge of the forest into the village. The gates were always open and there was a guard tower at its left making sure the village was "safe" from harm. Unfortunately for us, it didn't save us from being taken advantage of by most of those pigs. I head down the dirt street and shortly end up in the center market. I take a few coins from my pants pocket and hand it to a local merchant taking a few apples and oranges.

The center market is quaint but usually always busy. The booths are usually worse for wear but they try to sell quality items in this area. The other, smaller markets around the edge of the village usually sell lesser quality which means less business for them. I take a left at the corner of the market and head down a few blocks before I see the pub.

Ahh, my wonderful home. If you could imagine shipping containers covered in stone, is basically what all the businesses and houses look like. When you get to the wealthier side of the village or even a wealthier city, the homes are more sophisticated made of smooth intricate brick.

I loved my home though. It was my first bout of independence. I had turned 18 a few months ago and as soon as I did, I had to leave the orphanage. Good thing for me, I was able to get a job at the pub and talked the owner into letting me have a room above it. The bad thing was there were other rooms where "esteemed" guests were able to stay if they paid enough for it. Thankfully, I have a few locks that will keep the more awful ones out when I am home. I learned when the last drunk left behind the staff, that it would be wise to invest in locks when I had enough money.

Striding into the pub, I wave at the bartender Serena and head up the steps. She was always quiet but was loud and mean when it needed to be. The owner felt that women would get more money into his pub. He was right, we were packed every night. Sometimes we would run out of food and have to shove liquor down everyone's throats till they forgot they were hungry.

Unlocking my door and shutting it behind me, I take a moment to just breath. Alger wore me out this morning and now worrying about dealing with more guards and with his change in sincerity, I seem to keep thinking about Alger as a handsome man, not just my friend. Well, I am going to push all those thoughts from my head and get a little sleep. I take a quick bath and chang into a comfy green shirt and fresh underwear. Baths are easier because water pressure in this town is next to none, so it may take longer but it ends up being more fufilling.

Crashing into my bumpy and kind of uncomfortable bed, I pull what blankets I do have over me and curl up. After a moment of my brain diving into this morning events and pumping a little anxiety into my chest, I finally drift off to sleep.

A few hours later, I get woken up by banging on my door. Mother of all that is holy, who in their right minds would be banging on my door, i doubt its even noon yet. Sleepily, I throw the blankets off me and walk over to the door, throwing it open. "What could you possibly want?" I say with my teeth clenched.

Serena stood there, looking slightly pale at my aggressivness. "Uhh, Alger is downstairs. He asked if I would come get you. Sorry." She turned quickly and headed down the hall and back down the stairs. I grunt and pull some pants on and slide some shoes before I follow Serena. Why couldn't Alger come get me himself?

"Alright Al, whats the deal. You send poor Serena into the lions den when shes sleeping." I say coming to the end of the stairs. I see Alger perched on the side of a table, waiting for me. The pub is completely empty besides Serene behind the bar getting everything in order for the evening to come.

"Don't be so happy to see me, Aspen." He jokes. He walks over to me and leads me to the nearest table. "Hey Serena, can we get some water over here? I appreciate it." He gave her a wink and she obliged quickly.

"You know I don't appreciate you flirting with the bartender. She is cute, i'll give you that though." I roll my eyes as Serena comes over and hands us the waters Al asked for. "Okay now again, whats the deal. Why must you wake me the hell up before I actually need or want to be up."

"I heard from my source. He said they are cracking down harder on smaller villages. He says they have heard through the grapevine that there are villagers coming together and starting an organization to overthrow the King."

I gasp quietly. Rumors of overthrowing the King can cause lots of trouble for those who have nothing to do with it. "Is it normies doing this? Or the ones with some abilities?" I ask.

The basic hierarchy is mostly made up of those with abilities. You are either born with abilities or not. If you aren't you are considered a "normie". Those with normie parents have absolutely no chance in being born with an ability. Those with a parent that has abilities and one who is a normie still have basically zero percent chance as well. According to those who studied the blood between the two, normies have certain genes that suppress the gene that may be involved with a person having abilities. So normie genes are dominate and because of this, and the fact we are ruled by those with abilities, the law states a normie and someone with an ability aren't allowed to procreate. If they did, it would end bloodlines and keep those with abilities unable to have successors.

Whatever, I stay out of what everyone else chooses to do. My sole priority is staying alive and keeping those close to me alive. "My source was uable to confirm who exactly. It seems they are keeping most details pretty quiet which is why the King has to send out guards to villages and make sure the pressure is on."

I shake my head. "Well looks like our sparring days are over. You can't risk hanging around me." Thankfully, Alger did have an ability. A small one and only useful in close combat. In close combat, he could get small glimpses of his opponets next moves. Only if they already had their mind made up. A person can change their mind quickly and if they did it fast enough, he would not be able to detect that change. It helps he is a good fighter and can hold his own. "With the newbies headed to town, if they wiff you hanging out with me, they may make a stink about it."

He drummed his fingers on the table, taking a sip of his water. "If we can't, I'll come here and help you with your moves. At least with you working here, I can always keep an eye on you." He looks at me, waiting for my response.

"I don't know, it seems too risky. Most guards hang here anyway. Let me think about it. In the meantime, you should get going. I need more rest before the pub opens and you have a village to look after." I take another drink of my water and stand, giving him a quick pat on the shoulder. "We will be fine, no matter what." I nod at him, leaving him behind as I head up the stairs. If I look back, ill continue to worry. I'll worry more when I get some more rest.

I crawl into bed, getting comfy one last time and finally drifting off to sleep.