Dawn

This fits under so many categories i didn't know where to put it. Here is the first chapter, it is a rough draft so, don't judge me.

Chapter

1

Korah lay in the pile of hay in the dilapidated stable that held her pet: a coal black stallion the size of an ox. Her horse, Ebony, looked at her with big sad eyes, reflecting the late summer afternoon. Ebony lifted his head to look out into the field that was conjoined to the stable. Korah wriggled in the hay, trying to get comfortable. Smiling she reached up to stroke Ebony’s soft muzzle. He lowered his head, enjoying the stroke.

Half-way through this touch, Ebony looked up, suddenly alert. His ears pointed forward, and his nostrils flared. Oh crap, company, Korah thought. She jumped up with a smile spread upon her face, prepared to greet whomever had set off her pet. As her eyes took in the scene in front of her, her mouth lowered into a snarl. Korah’s older sister, Marissa, walked along the path leading to the stable; she was nineteen years of age, medium height, about 5’5”, with vivid, crimson hair that flew out from her head like Medusa’s serpents. She had pale skin; her nose was covered with a mountain range of bright orange freckles, despite which most boys found her very beautiful. She wore a midnight blue dress that nearly covered her feet. Bright green eyes looking like a meadow on a spring morning, gazed longingly at the man who stood next to her—Aaron

He looked about eighteen years old, with dark hair, almost black; the length made it look slightly disheveled and tousled, falling over his temples and half way down his forehead. His eyes were a piercing green, a dark jade, framed with dark lashes. His nose was strait and angular. His full lips were slightly open, exposing white teeth. His square jaw, perfectly pronounced, was hard and determined. His tan skin showed his hours of working in the fields. His broad shoulders and impressive height, along with an impressive array of sculpted muscles made him look slightly intimidating. He wore a dark grey tunic with a black shirt, tight enough to accent tight fluid muscles under tan, smooth skin; black pants were interrupted in their traverse down his leg by black riding boots. He walked with confidence in his stature, and his long, purposeful strides ate up the ground as if he was anticipating something, forcing Marissa to a near run.

Loathe filled Korah’s throat at the sight of him. Her entire being was disgusted at the mere thought of him, and here he was walking toward her. Worse yet, he was looking at her with a puppy dog grin splayed across his features, causing the sun to glisten off white teeth.

Marissa, on the other hand, was convinced that he was the one. She simply adored him. Aaron often was with Marissa. He always put up with her flirting and taunting, but that’s all he did. He never led her on in any other way. It made Marissa furious that he hadn’t tried anything with her. Almost every other guy in the village had been ogling at her since she was twelve. His stare sent chills down her spine.

Spidery chills rippling down her spine, Korah cursed and slunk back into the stable, hoping that they hadn’t seen her.

“Oh, Korah?” Marissa called, her voice cheery.

Another string of curses flew through her mind as she stood up slowly, returning to their view a scowl on her face. Marissa had her arm around Aaron’s waist; his hands were at his side. She was laughing, but Korah knew that the lines were not set right. Marissa was irritated at something which made Korah laughed internally. Aaron must be giving her trouble again. Aaron was one of the only boys in the village who was impervious to Marissa’s flirting. It was one of the only things that Marissa couldn’t stand about him.

Aaron sent an almost mocking grin at Korah. Korah and Marissa simultaneously glowered at Aaron. The only other thing Marissa couldn’t stand was that, unlike any other boy in the village, he would not completely shun Korah. Instead he seemed to mock her with false amiability which Korah couldn’t stand. Aaron was completely oblivious to her hostility towards him. Whenever Aaron’s name was uttered and Korah’s acute hearing picked it up, her entire being convulsed in malevolence, and he didn’t care.

Marissa and Aaron slowly made their way toward the stable. Korah went outside of Ebony’s stall, her steps’ echoes mixing with Marissa’s strained laughter.

“Saddle up Prissy,” Marissa ordered in her high-pitched, airy voice. “We are going for a ride by the river.”

Korah turned from Aaron and Marissa, happy to escape Aaron’s unsettling stare. She quickly saddled Marissa’s short white mare, Prissy, during which her sensitive hearing picked up Marissa and Aaron’s conversation.

“We should let her come,” Aaron said. You could hear the smile spread across his face, as if he knew the strain it put on Marissa and the hatred that filled Korah. His low, rumbling voice made her shudder. He was talking about her.

“No!” Marissa almost growled.

Please no!!!! Korah thought.

“Little sisters do not like to be left out, plus didn’t your mom just say that you were supposed to let her come?” He knew that he would win this battle. Korah and Marissa simultaneously cursed internally.

They must have gone to the house before they came here. Korah thought, preparing herself to be told that she had to come. Her sister hated getting in trouble with her mother; getting grounded would mean losing time to spend with Aaron.

“Fine,” Marissa said, her submission rung with annoyance that Aaron had found her weakness.

No! I don’t want to go! Korah thought, of course she would never say it out loud, getting grounded would mean losing time to spend with Ebony. Marissa was already mad at her because Aaron had wanted her to come. Marissa understood, though, that is was not Korah’s fault.

Korah turned, done with saddling up Ryder, and started walking toward their small cottage, hoping they would let her go.

“Korah?” Marissa said a bit of annoyance in her voice.

“What?” Korah said already defeated, there was no way she could give up time with Ebony, she had such few hours with him anyway.

“Will you come with us?” Marissa said trying to smile.

Ebony’s shrill neigh rang through the air. Korah looked back at her beautiful pet. If Ebony wants to go then…he hasn’t gone in so long…Korah thought, her face still in her emotionless mask. She turned and walked back into the stable to get Ebony, her shoulders sagged in defeat. She refused to look at Aaron’s face of triumph, or Marissa’s fake smile.

She put on Ebony’s bridle; she never rode with a saddle, and led her out of the stall and onto the grass where Marissa and Aaron stood with Prissy and Ryder. Aaron’s cocky smile made her fists clench. Aaron just grinned wider.

They went out by the river at a slow trot. Aaron and Marissa talked; it was a failing one sided attempted. Marissa did most of the talking. Marissa turned to Korah and asked her if she could give them a little time together. Korah was more than happy to oblige.

Ushering Ebony into a brisk trot, she shot ahead of the two. She cold almost feel peace envelope her, not unlike a physical weight being lifted from her shoulders.

Korah sighed when she was a sufficient length away from Aaron and Marissa. She slowed Ebony down to a walk to let her catch her breath.

Korah watched the setting sunlight glint off of her coal hair. Korah looked nothing like her sister. Her midnight hair that was so dark it looked blue; the longest tresses reached about five inches above her knee. She had stormy eyes that currently were a light blue green; her eyes seem to change with her mood. Her skin was even paler than her sister’s; it looked like moonlight reflecting off a still lake. Her full, crimson, lips turned into a smile as she took in the peace of the evening. She was three inches shorter than her sister, a total of five feet and two inches. She wore a dress almost the color of Aaron’s eyes, a dark jade. A black cloak covered her shoulders. You could just barley see her pale bare feet underneath her dress.

She smiled again as she felt entirely free. It wasn’t really a big deal being with Marissa, they were sisters and loved each other, but Aaron made things constantly strained. He was the only problem. He had never actually talked to Korah but his very presence brought tribulation between Korah and Marissa. He always spoke through Marissa, using his inexplicable charm to convince her to let Korah accompany them wherever they went. This caused extreme discomfort to both of the girls. It was a little bit better on Marissa knowing than Korah hated Aaron.

Her thoughts were interrupted by hoof beats getting louder, their quick rapid movement gradually getting near her. This person was riding hard, galloping; pushing their horse to the highest speed it could muster.

“Korah!” a voice behind her yelled. She could tell that it was Aaron. His voice was deep and rang with surprise and disbelief.

Had something happened to Marissa? Korah thought.

Korah turned around a scowl on her face, hiding the panic that she was beginning to feel rising up her throat. Aaron was on his horse Ryder, a beautiful bay gelding, very gentle. He was 100 feet away from her and riding fast.

“What?” Korah snapped. Before he could answer Korah saw the tall beam of black smoke billowing from her village a mile off. She could see the small orange flames as they engulfed her village.

She immediately kicked Ebony into a brisk gallop.

“What did you do?” Korah yelled above Ebony’s hoof beets immediately assuming that Aaron was guilty.

“I didn’t do anything,” Aaron’s innocent face was captured for a brief second before Korah raced passed him. He turned Ryder around and struggling to catch up to Korah.

“Where is Marissa?” Korah said throwing the words at him like knives.

“She went to find your mom,” Aaron said breathing hard, “She told me to come get you.”

Korah pushed Ebony faster. Ebony was the fastest horse in the village; Korah always won all of the races. It was mostly because of Ebony’s size, he was at least five inches taller than any other horse in the village. She struggled to push Ebony even faster.

The village was less than fifty feet away. The flames reached higher than any of the cottages. Only about four were still standing. Ebony reared against the flames. Her shrill neigh pierced the air. People ran in all directions. Shouts to get water rang and echoed.

Aaron, just catching up, nearly yelled above the crackling flames, “Where are you going?” as Korah kicked Ebony into a haste canter and disappeared into the flames.

Korah, who refused to acknowledge Aaron’s existence more than was forced, didn’t answer.

She raced in between cottages looking desperately for Marissa. Korah reached her cottage. It was engulfed in crimson flames. Korah jumped off of Ebony and analyzed the best way to enter. The door was flaming, but the window looked okay. Korah jumped on a log and pulled herself through the tiny window. A piece of glass caught her palm, cutting it deeply in a long cut. It started bleeding profusely. Korah cursed, her mother would flip.

Once she was in the cottage she wrapped her cloak around herself trying to keep the flames off of her. Korah could feel the heat of the flames on her face as they filled the room. Korah walked around to one side of the big room they used as a family room. She saw Marissa lying in the middle of the floor. Korah ran to her and rolled her on her back. She checked for a pulse, her heart in her throat. Underneath her fingers throbbed her sister’s heart beat. Korah breathed a sigh of relief.

How am I going to get her out of here?

Aaron, actually useful for once, jumped through the window, barely fitting with his 6’1” mass.

“Carry her out of here,” Korah ordered.

Aaron knelt down and picked Marissa up as if she weighed no more then a small child.

Korah stood up and walked through a partly collapsed hallway and into her room. She opened her wardrobe and got a long package covered in brown wax paper. She walked back into the big room. Aaron and Marissa were already gone. She threw her package back out the window, and quickly followed it.

She went to the town square, the official meeting place for emergencies like this. Everybody was running around wondering if you had seen so-and-so. Korah felt a wrenching in her heart for everybody there.

Ebony! Korah remembered. She whistled a high pitched squeal and Ebony’s hoof beats could be heard above the hum of noise. Within a few seconds Ebony was by her side. Korah hugged her package close to her body, mounted Ebony, and looked for Marissa and Aaron.

They were on the outskirts of the town square. Marissa was awake and Aaron was helping her to stand.

“Where is Prissy and Ryder?” Korah asked talking quickly concern in her voice.

“Umm, I left Ryder by your cottage,” Aaron answered for once not sarcastic, ashamed that he had not taken better care of his horse.

“Prissy was by our cottage too,” Marissa said woozily.

“Alright I will be right back,” Korah said, dismounting Ebony and putting her package on the ground, “Don’t touch that,” she pointed to her package, for a minute she wondered if they would go against her wishes and take something from it, dismissing the thought she mounted Ebony and left.

Korah road further into the village and whistled. Korah leaned forward as she saw Prissy and Ryder trotting toward her. She quickly grabbed their lead ropes and led them back to Marissa and Aaron.

“Are you okay?” Korah asked Marissa when she got back to them.

“Yeah, I think I am okay,” Marissa replied.

“She has a small burn on her hand,” Aaron said, always thorough.

“Alright I think we need to get out of here,” Korah said looking around at the receding flames, “Where is mom?”

Marissa looked down, her lip quivering, “She didn’t make it,”

Korah surprisingly didn’t feel any sadness. No tightening in her gut, to heart wrenching sense of reality that her mother was gone, “All right, it’s not your fault, let’s go,”

She grabbed her package, mounted Ebony, grabbing her bridle and turning him away from the town square. She waited for Marissa to get a somewhat stable sitting on her stout mare, Prissy, before nudging Ebony into a slow walk. She didn’t want to risk going faster for fear that Marissa would fall. They walked away from the wreckage. The few cottages surrounding the town square were destroyed so they quickly made it from the town square into the surrounding forest. The trees were mostly pine; they were tall so underneath created shelter from the oncoming rain.

“Follow me,” Korah said, as the sprinkle turned into a down pour.

She quickened her pace, wanting to get there before it really started coming down. The three horses’ hoof beets echoed through the sanctuary of trees. They finally reached their destination: a huge cave that Korah had found in her previous explorations through the forest. It reached twenty feet in height and at least fifty in depth. All of the horses could fit along with their owners. Korah dismounted Ebony and turned to Marissa and Aaron. Marissa was cradling her hand; she never had a high pain tolerance. All of the horses walked further into the cave to sleep. Marissa’s dress was soaking and her hair was strangely deflated. Aaron looked defeated and tired.

“I will go find some fire wood,” Aaron said softly wanting something to do.

“Make sure it is dry,” Korah assumed he would do something wrong.

Korah took her cloak off and draped it around Marissa’s shoulders. Aaron returned with firewood and set about making a fire. Soon they were all huddled around the fire. Caught up in the moment, Korah’s apparent hatred for Aaron was forgotten.

“Do you know how it started?” Korah asked, talking to Marissa.

“No, we just saw it and I ran back to get mom but she was already gone,” Marissa said as a silent tear ran down her cheek. Korah, the strong one, put her arm around her shoulders. Now that her mom was gone Marissa was the only family that she had. If…her dad was still alive. Marissa’s dad was dead. He had died when Marissa was five. Korah’s dad was still alive.

“What are we going to do?” Marissa asked, anguish saturated her voice.

“Well I know what I am going to do,” Korah said quietly.

“What?” Marissa said.

“I am going to find my father,” Korah said, not looking at Marissa.

“What?” Marissa said, anger seeping through her alto voice, “How do you know where he is? He left before you were born,” Marissa said an edge to her voice.

Korah looked down, “I found this…and I took it,” Korah said as she reached for her package.

“You stole from mom?” Marissa said, shock thick in her voice.

“Not really stole from her…more like took what was mine,” Korah said her voice raising a little, knowing she had done no wrong, it is mine, I had every right to take it,”

“It is not yours, it was moms.” Marissa said, anger rising in her voice.

“No, it is mine,” Korah said, getting irritated with her sister.

“Prove it,” Marissa said, certain that Korah could not comply.

“Fine, I will,” Korah said calmly, satisfied at the look on her sister’s face.

She took her package to the back of the cave, so the others would not see the contents. She pulled the was paper back revealing what was inside, the wax paper crinkled as she moved it with her hands She pulled out a piece of paper yellowed with age. She left the package and walked over to the fire. She showed the piece of paper to Marissa:

My Dearest Korah,

I hope that this will help you stay safe throughout your life. I am so sorry that I cannot stay to watch you grow. I hope you turn into a beautiful woman with a lot of fire. I leave you two things before I go, one I leave with your mother, the other I hope you find for yourself. I have to be vague in case this letter is found. Have a nice life.

I love you.

Your Father

That was all it said: six sentences. Korah had never met her father but those six little sentences were all that she knew of him, and she was sure that she was going to find him.

“How could you do this to me?” Marissa yelled, standing up pushing Korah’s cloak off of her shoulders, hysteria creeping into her unsteady alto voice.

“Do what?” Korah falsely inquired, she already knew the answer.

“How could you leave me?” Marissa hollered, tears coming to her eyes. Korah wondered about the authenticity of them. Marissa had always been a good faker.

“You are welcome to come,” Korah said, her voice calm and collected. They were both standing now. The tension was almost tangible.

“Oh! That’s rich! Like I a going to trek across the country to be dumped when we get there,” Marissa’s voice echoed throughout the cave.

“I will not leave you,” Korah’s voice hovered on a growl. She didn’t like the fact that her sister would question her loyalty.

“Your dad is dead. He died! He is never going to be there for you! You will never see his face! He left you all alone as a child! He doesn’t care about you!” Marissa rambled on and on. Trying to distract Korah; trying to get her to stay, “I can’t believe that you would steal from mom! How could you?”

“I didn’t steal from her. It was mine,” Korah’s voice started to raise, to lose that calm; almost business like quality it had previously.

“Mom is dead,” Marissa’s face lifted, as if she had finally found something, she looked greedily at the package, “what was hers is now mine!” Marissa’s triumphant note was impossible to miss.

Korah didn’t understand why she was so cocky all of a sudden.

“That is mine!” Marissa pointed in the corner passed the horses, watching intently, at the package wrapped in brown paper.

“No!” Korah’s temper flared her voice no longer quiet.

“It is rightfully mine!”

“I am not going to let you take it!” Korah said angrily.

“Why not?” Marissa said genially angry.

“Because I am not going to let you take over my life like you always do!” buried feelings of resentment were rising, “mom always liked you best! I had to all but raise myself! I am going the way I want to and there is nothing you can do about it! You always had your boys” Korah jabbed a finger at Aaron, “you had mom’s love, you had everything that you wanted, you even had me. Well, I am done,” Korah breathed heavily.

“I am your sister!” Marissa’s voice was quiet but still burned with anger.

“You are my half sister,” Korah’s whisper was in the same tone. She knew that she had just chosen her father over her sister. Marissa’s face was a mask of pain and anger. Marissa shook with anger, staring at Korah. Pure hate twisted her features. .

“Fine then!” Marissa hollered trembling in anger.

Marissa ran out of the cave into the pouring rain. Korah watched after her, her face a mask of defiance and a sort of pleasure. She had finally stood up for herself.

Aaron looked at her as he never had before, kind of awe, almost respect, Korah glared back. She turned her back on him facing the back of the cave. Bending down she picked up her cast aside cloak. She walked over to Ebony, putting on her cloak and wrapping it around her shoulders she lie down and let her breathing become even and her muscles to relax.

Aaron, finally sure that she was asleep, walked to the back of the cave where her package was, curiosity gnawing at him. The wax paper was hastily thrown over whatever was inside, so easy to move. He knelt down very slowly. He put one hand on the paper prepared to take it off. He hesitated, as if deciding something. Finally he released the package and walked back to Korah. “I will not betray her like this,” Aaron said to himself. He lay down to go to sleep as well.

Korah who had practiced pretending to be asleep for years had heard everything. She knew that she still hated him, but at least she could trust him.