Our Actions Define Us...

The Shadow

Why do they stare at me in such a way? I am no different than the others....

Tessa thought as she walked through the markets. Tessa may have saw no importance or flaw in her looks but there was. She was much different then the other elves, in many ways.

She did not believe in their teachings and habits. The food they ate she thought was vile and made her stomach lurch upon sight. Their religion, the belief that there were gods for Harvest and for the Sun, she thought were unimportant and had no standing for what she did in life. That, made them shun her and despise her entire existence.

What have I ever done to deserve this? Was it the mother and father who I've never known? Did they cause this misfortune?

Tessa strolled past the stands selling the wild fruits that the others ate, and scoffed. The man selling the fruits heard Tessa and gave her a menacing look, until he noticed who it was. After this occured,  he shook his head and went back to the impatient customer beside him, urging him to sell a piece of an odd-looking melon for a smaller price.

Besides Tessa's views on certain subjects, her appearance was considered a curse by the others.
Her face was that of an angel's, but her bright, shifty eyes frightened others, her hair was a deep, firey red; she couldn't careless about her appearance though, she had always said she was one of a kind. So did Lahren, and thats what she admired about him.

Lahren was one of the few people who looked at her like she was the same as everyone else. He saw past the ignorance of the others and wasn't afraid of what others thought of his views, he was more outspoken then Tessa was though. Tessa loved him and he loved her back, tenfold.

Tessa walked past more and more shops, closing their windows as she passed by, and sighed. She looked upward at the darkening sky and wondered if there was someone just like her staring at it too. With a energy boosting thought, she pressed onward.

If I keep moving at this rate, I can make it to Wild Vine Inn in no time at all.

Stomping past the villagers as she made her way back to the Inn, there was a large crowd gathering out front of the bar known as "The Barrel."Villagers were in bunches talking about something, it was too noisy that Tessa couldn't make out what they were saying. Hidden beneath her dark cloak, hidden like the shadow she was forced to live as, she moved deeper in the crowd.

"So there's someone who doesn't believe in our teachings in this town?" A tall, vile-looking elf with elderly grey tresses said as he jumped up on a beer barrel. He recieved many shouts and nods from the people around her."This blade I hold has punished many others who do not believe,"he said as he pulled out a large, obsidian colored blade with a hilt encrusted in gold out a leather pouch, "We shall punish them as we did the others!" he said shouting above the crowd.

 Many jovial shouts were heard and Tessa began to back away, and tripped over a villager's foot sticking that looked as if it out of the ground, revealing her face to the others.

Hell, she thought pulling herself up, when the others began shouting,"That is her! She does not believe in our teachings! There is the betrayer!" Many fingers were shoved in her face, when she was grabbed by the shoulders and held upwards.

The man on the beer barrel spoke bolder then before,"Bring her with me. We will decide her fate!" He said jumping of the barrel, landing gracefully on the ground. The men who grabbed her did what the grey elf had commanded, and dragged her throughout the dirt streets and cobblestone roads.

As she was pulled throughout the roads rotten fruits were thrown at her, the juices splattering her and she lay defenseless. All of her hope was now lost, and she thought that nothing could save it or her. She gave another attempt to break free, but her arms were now weak and the laughing. The laughing drove her to the edge of insanity. The laughing then grew, now unmercifully enshrouded her ears, ringing like a noise she had never heard before.

She writhed in pain as the large arms pulled her over the cobblestone. Trying to free herself Tessa dug her feet into the ground, catching them on loose rocks and stones. She felt like and knew, that the townspeople would kill her, and with this she began to cry.

"Damn it!" shouted the man who seemed to be in charge,"Control her!"

The men who had hold of her arms tightened their grip and pulled her off the ground, making her more enraged. With all the strength she had still in her body she released her elbow from on of the men's grips and elbowed him in the face. Blood began to spill out of his nose as he fell backwards and toppled out onto the floor.

"Rakun!" shouted a woman, elf villager who had been following the mosh pit that had been following Tessa. Time seemed to freeze as she ran forward to what seemed to be her lover.Pushing past the grey man and his followers moved back and let her to her  now not so manly lover who had just fallen to an elbow to the face.

"My darling are you okay?" she cried as she clenched and pawed at his face. He lay there for a moment, letting her rub his face until he sat up and looked around. Tessa wasn't the only one being stared at. He pulled himself up and pushed her hand away.

"Stop it Anyanka!" he said sternly to her as his face gained a reddish hue. Tessa laughed so quietly it was almost silent. He was embarassed and his reputation would most likely be deteroiating through each waking moment.

Tessa looked around at the crowd. They were silent and staring.

Most likely are too enveloped in Rakun and Anyanka's business then to be paying attention to her own.

She looked over her shoulder, and noticed that no one was looking towards her, but at the spetacle brought about by the clumsiness of Rakun and the affection of Anyanka. Tessa's feet inched backwards, but not far enough for anyone but herself to notice. She looked back again.

On the count of three I'll run...

One...

Two...

Three!

With a quick burst of her energy she shot off into the woods she had been led into, but in a different direction of course. Trees seemed to rush by her as she ran, her ears caught the sound of yelling, most likely that of the mob who was now hundreds of yards away.

 She didn't stop running though, because she had been taught that cockiness could kill, and in this case if she let it get the best of her, she'd be dead. Her legs grew weary and she was almost out of ideas on where to hide when she remembered her parent's old cottage was deep in the forest.

Now she was almost out of breath, Tessa changed her route and slowed to a dead stop. She would be at the cottage in no time, and after that, she didn't know what she would do. She couldn't return to her village, she would be killed on site. With Tears now building in her eyes, she trudged on to the cottage, where her fondest memories had once inhabited and where her life would change.

Im not done yet! Send me an email if you think I should continue. :)