Acelin: Chapter 3 ~ Chastisement

I know its really long, but please just bear (or bare) with me.

Chapter 3: Chastisement

The siren rang out indicating that it was one interval until sunrise. Acelin wrenched open her eyes and looked up at her dark room. She laid in her bed, hoping that the previous events had just been a dream, but after a few minutes her mother yelled at her to hurry up because the soldiers would be there soon, shattered her hopes.

She forced herself to get up out of bed and drag herself out into the main

room of the house. Her mother was in the kitchen area trying to do some last minute cleaning. She already had the whole house illuminated with slender white glowing candle that were are in lanterns on the wall, and table. Acelin made her way to the back of the house where the wash tub was.

Her father was already there drying his face with a small bathroom cloth. When he saw her he smiled and hung the towel over the edge of the water tub. He came over to Acelin who was standing in the door frame. He put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a look that meant ‘everything is going to be okay’. He walked past her down the hall and joined her mother in main room of the house.

Acelin washed her face in the water tub and changed into her long skirt and long sleeved, hooded shirt so that it was covering her injury from the day before. She walked out into the main room where her father was sitting at the head of the table and her mother was looking out the window by the front door. Acelin figured she was watching for the soldiers to come.

Acelin sat in the seat next to her father, and but her head in her hands. She thought about what terrible things might happen to her. What would the shoulders say when they got here. She feared for herself, and feared for her family and what consequences they might face for her actions.

“Why don’t you come sit down, honey? They won’t be here for a little while.” Her father said to her mother who was still standing anxiously at the front window. She sat down at the nearest chair that she could find not taking her eyes off of the window.

Acelin looked around the dimly lithe house, and noticed for the first time that her brother’s room door was open, and no one was inside. “Where did Jagger go?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know!” her mother yelled at her taking her eyes off of the window for the first time. “I told him about your little charade you pulled yesterday, and he disappeared during the night.”

Feeling her temper rise, not knowing what she was saying, Acelin shouted back, “I didn’t make flee. Why is everybody blaming me for these things?”

“Acelin!” her father said in a stern voice.

“Because, Acelin!” her mother was now raising her voice even louder. “You’re always doing these kinds of things! You always get your self into trouble that your father and I have to get you out of! Why can’t you be like the other children Acelin? Our family is looked down upon because of you, with all the strange things you do. You know what I heard in the market the other day? Iris Length was telling Strea Trobe about you and…and about you and the trouble you get into. Do you know who she blamed, Acelin?” she got up from where she was sitting and started to walk toward Acelin. “She blamed me! She said that I didn’t know how to raise a child! That I just let them go around and run eccentric. They said I couldn’t watch out for my child, that they just disappear and then…”

“Rema!” her father shouted shooting up from is chair.

Tears were now running down her mothers eyes, “but it wasn’t my fault Acelin!” She grabbed Acelin’s shoulders and looked at her in the eyes, “They’re wrong!” She then fell into Acelin’s lap, sobbing. “It wasn’t my fault! Please forgive me Acelin!” she could barely understand what her mother was saying because she was crying so hard.

Acelin sat there, with her sobbing mother in her arms. She was shocked by her mother’s reaction, and stared down at her mother in amazement.

“Rema,” her father said in a calming voice. “Come now Rema, pull yourself together.” he pulled her up from Acelin’s lap and stood her up. “Calm down, the soldiers will be here soon.”

At that there was a loud rasping on the door. Acelin’s mother gave a nervous shriek and sank back down into her chair, and her father turned around and looked at Acelin. A cold shiver shot through Acelin’s body, and she met his gaze. Her father quietly whispered, “Ready?” Acelin nodded her head, and her father turned around, took a deep breath and headed toward the door.

The door squeaked open as her father opened the door. She heard him greet whoever was on the outside. Then someone else was talking to her father, so she glanced at her mother. She was sitting, staring at the front door where her father stood biting her nails.

Her father then greeted in whoever was out side and stepped aside to let them in. Acelin was surprised to see the new Assistant to The Master of Tremain, Nasir. He walked into the house with a long stride, and his hands clasped behind his back. Five soldiers followed in behind him, and lined up on the wall behind him He scanned the room with his dark brown eyes, until they fell on Acelin.

“Well why don’t you come sit down, sir?” her father gestured toward a chair.

“No, I won’t be long.” he said in his low raspy voice. Acelin watched as he pulled a scroll out from underneath his cloak and started to unroll it. Acelin looked at his strong, young facial features and short russet colored hair. Most of the girls in Tremain said that he was a very attractive man, but Acelin never seen what was so special about him. She always felt a feeling of disgust when he came around, and always thought of him as someone that might be a hassle in the future.

“Let’s see,” he said looking at the unrolled scroll, “Acelin daughter of Gream, you are charged with two faults…”

“Two!?” her mother bawled.

“Honey.” her father said softly. He stood behind her mother, holding tight to her hand.

“First fault,” Nasir’s voice rang out strong and clear, “Tray, owner of The Pub of Tremain, has issued a complaint of eavesdropping.”

Acelin’s mother turned and gave her an angry look as if to say ‘why didn’t you tell me?’.

“And the next fault,” Nasir continued without looking up from the scroll,” was issued by Mrs. and Mr. Aamina guardians of Mazur, for attempted murder.” Her mother put her head in her hands and sobbed a little. “Your hearing will be held tomorrow, here in Tremain, with the Master of Tremain, to determine your chastisement.” At this he rolled the scroll back up and put it back underneath his cloak. “Acelin,” he said dropping his gaze to where she was sitting, “ if you would now please come with me.” He gestured toward the door.

Acelin rose from her chair, when one of the soldiers grabbed her wrist. She jerked her wrist from the soldiers grip. “I can walk by myself!” she snapped. She walked past Nasir and out the door, grabbing her bag off the ground first.

Acelin stepped outside into the fresh morning air where the sun was coming up over the eastern horizon. On the street waiting for them was a carriage. The soldier who was guarding it opened the door as he saw her coming out of the front door. “In!” barked the soldier gesturing into the carriage.

Acelin climbed in, followed by Nasir. She plopped herself down on the hard wooden seat, and Nasir sat across from her. The soldier shut the door and the carriage started to move. Acelin looked out the window trying her best to avoid meeting Nasir eyes.

She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. When she seen he was still staring at her she turned and glared at him. “What!?” she snapped.

“I was just wondering how an appealing young lady like you could cause so much trouble.”

“I don’t cause a lot of trouble, people just tick me off.”

“Me too, but you don’t see me going around trying to kill them.”

“I didn’t try to kill him. I don’t know what happened it just did.”

“Well, we’ll see what the Master says.”

Acelin turned her attention back to the window.

“Congratulations on your brother getting a dragon’s egg.”

“Why are you congratulating me?”

“Well, aren’t you proud of your brother?”

“No,” she said bluntly.

Nasir paused for a moment then replied, “You and your brother aren’t very close are you?”

“Really? How do you figure that?”

“You know my sister and I weren’t very close either but…”

“Why are you talking to me about this?” Acelin interrupted as she looked back at him.

“Well, when I was your age I liked to talk to people about these kinds of things. It made me feel better.”

“You know what you and I are nothing alike.”

“You better watch your mouth, or else I will fault you with condemnation of an official.”

Not wanting to get into anymore trouble Acelin gave him one last burning stare and turned back to the window. She noticed that they were now moving through the northern section of Tremain making their way toward the Northern Gate. She watched as the cliff tower above them as the passed through the city walls.

After a few uncomfortable moments the carriage came to a stop just in front of the rock face. “We’ll have to walk from here” Nasir said getting up out of his seat as the door to the carriage opened.

“I know the routine” Acelin replied following him out. Outside of the carriage she stood before an immense wooden gate that led into the interior of the giant formation. Acelin stood behind Nasir as he waited for the gait to rise and then followed him in.

He led her down a long tunnel, which was so lengthy that she couldn’t even see where it ended. It was lit by oil lanterns that hung from the stone ceiling and if Acelin reached up the tips of her fingers brushed it. She also noticed that there were so many intersecting tunnels that if anyone where try and escape that they surely would get lost.

After walking for what Acelin thought was ages he finally stopped where two tunnels intersected. “This is where I leave you.” Nasir told her, and without another word or utterance of what time they would come to retrieve her for her hearing her turned and continued down the tunnel.

A soldier that had been following behind them grabbed her are and dragged her down the left corridor. He came to a halt at a wooden door at the end of the tunnel. He pushed open the door to reveal a vast room. The room was empty except for the tall ash colored stone walls, and a bench on the far side of the room that she was to sleep on.

“In,” snapped the soldier. He threw her into the room and slammed the door. Acelin glared at the door as if it had been it that pushed her instead of the soldier. She set her bag by the door then turned and made her way across the room to the little wooden bench. The room as just how Acelin remembered it, cold, and dark. The only light that came in was a small amount that came form the crack at the bottom of the door.

Acelin laid herself down on the bench. She thought about every thing that had happened to her. Her mother had done something that morning that had alarmed her. She had seen her cry before, and she usually got that angry, but it was what she had said that worried her. She had said something about her children disappearing and then had started to apologize to her for no certain reason. And then whatever it was her father didn’t want her knowing about.

Acelin shut her eyes and then she turned her attention toward what Nasir had said while they were carriage. She had wondered why he had been so kind to her. He had been discussing things with her as if trying to comfort her. All of the other Assistants who had come to get here harsh, and demanding to her. Nasir was different, and had acted as if she were his friend.

Acelin soon felt herself falling into a sleep. She heard someone moving outside of her door but she didn’t care. She had a long day ahead of her tomorrow and wanted to get as much rest as she possibly could.

*******

Nasir made his way back to his quarters a little way down the tunnel. He had a rough day and just wanted to go and lay down. He opened the door into his small dark room. He shut the door behind him and lit a candle. The light illuminated the room and revealed a man that was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room.

When Nasir seen him, it startled him and jumped as he turned around. “So,” said the man in a smooth voice.

“Yes, sir.” Nasir said in a shaky voice.

“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about, you fool!” the man stood up from the chair. “What did the girl tell you?”

"I don't think it her."

"What do you mean you don't think its her? We figured it out year ago that it would be her! All the signs point to it! Why wouldn't it be her? What did she say?"

“Well…” Nasir said looking down at the floor trying to avoid the mans eyes.

“Look at me.” the stranger said. Nasir hesitated still looking down. “Look at me!” he shouted.

Nasir looked up and stared into the strangers dark cold eyes. He felt a rush of wind go by him, and a flash of bright light. Nasir knew what the stranger was doing and shut his eyes in attempt to devastate the powers.

Congratulations on your brother getting a dragon’s egg. His heard his voice in his head of what he had said. He opened his eyes to find himself standing inside the carriage he had been in just this morning.

Why are you congratulating me? Acelin’s voice rang through his mind. He looked at her sitting across from where he had been. Her dark hair brushed the tops of her shoulders, and her hard eyes glared at him without fear, something that he liked about her.

Well, aren’t you proud of your brother?

No.

You and your brother aren’t very close are you?

Really? How do you figure that?

You know my sister and I weren’t very close either but…

Why are you talking to me about this?

Well, when I was your age I liked to talk to people about these kinds of things. It made me feel better…

His voice trailed off, and the image started to fade. “What’s this?” that stranger stern voice came ripping through his memory. “I told you to get information, not counsel her!”

The image in his memory was still fading away, and Nasir felt a shiver of fear has the features of his room started to reappear. “How dare you disobey me?”

Shot of pair went through Nasir’s body and he fell to the ground. “I’ve raised you like a son! All that I’ve done for you Nasir, and this is how you thank me?” Another shot of pain went through his body and he whimpered in pain. “One simple favor from the man that raised you like his own son and this is his how you repay me?” This time the pain was too much and Nasir let out a shriek. “Next time I want answers, Nasir!” I’ll be back soon and I want them.” With another flash of light the stranger disappeared from the room, leaving Nasir on the floor sobbing in pain.

*******

Acelin stepped into the wet stone covered hallway. She looked around but she didn’t see anybody. The only thing that was there was a big door, made of some kind of light colored wood. Acelin touched the door and noticed how smooth it was, and thought that it must have been a high-quality door.

As she ran her hand over the wood, the door opened a tiny crack. She could see that the room on the other side of the door was dark but that was all. She hesitated and thought about whether she should go in or not, but finally opened the door a little bit more and glanced inside.

The room one the other side wasn’t completely dark. A small amount of light came from a small window at the very top of the back wall. As she stepped into the room she noticed a dragons egg sitting on a podium in the middle of the room. Acelin noticed that it looked exactly like her brothers dragon egg. She walked up to the egg and examined it. She walked around it and noticed that it had a large scratch going down that went across the egg.

Acelin reached out and touched the cold, smooth surface of the golden egg. She watched in astonishment as the egg started to glow. A string of golden light grew out of the smooth surface. The twine rose over her head and then started back down toward her, and twisted around her outstretched arm. A shot of pain raced up her arm following the path of the light. Acelin dropped to her knees in pain, but didn’t take her eyes off her arm. When the strand of light reach just above her elbow it started to fad as the egg started to glow brighter. I grew so bright that she could no longer look at it, and lifted her are to shield her eyes.

The blazing light gradually disappeared and Acelin opened her eyes. She now saw a tall man, dark man being forcibly being pulled down a hallway and pushed out a door that exited a vast castle. She heard the man curse, and watched as he turned and headed into the forest.

Acelin turned around a found that the castle wasn’t there anymore, and when she turned the other way neither was the forest. She was now back in the stone room with the egg, but now there were two men there. One of the men was old, with long white hair and beard, and the other was younger, she guessed about the age of seventeen. They were both looking into the egg which was softly glowing. They both seemed to be enchanted by this. Acelin walked over and tried to get a peak and what they were so interested in.

Before Acelin reached the podium the image started to fade. She tried to keep a hold of the moment but it slipped away. The next thing she knew she was standing in the same hallway she had been in that morning.

She looked up, then down, then back up the hallway, but it was deserted. She thought she heard something move behind her and spun around but didn’t see anything. She stepped forward when a feeling of sheer pain erupted into the back of her right shoulder. She fell onto the nearby wall as it disappeared into darkness.

Everything started to fade including herself. The only thing that she saw a faded image of a small room with two men standing in it. One of them was clearly superior over the other, because of the way he talked down to the other. Acelin couldn’t see what the man looked like, but from the tone in his voice, and the harsh words that he spoke, she could tell he was angry.

Even though Acelin couldn’t see her body, she still felt the sharp pain in her shoulder worsen as the man got angrier. She closed her eyes as the stranger’s angry voice started to fade.

Acelin awoke to a scream that erupted through the hollow hallways of the underground cave. She sat up and grabbed her shoulder as the pain grew. She looked back at her shoulder and saw to her surprised to see that her scar was glowing. As the screaming ceased so did the pain, and the glowing of the scar slowly faded away. Acelin dropped back down onto her bed, and laid there as her shoulder and left arm throbbed in pain. Acelin knew that she should be worried about what had just happened, but was too exhausted to think about it, and within minutes was in a deep sleep.

*******

Acelin woke early the next morning. She hadn’t had a very pleasant sleep partly because she was so anxious about the upcoming trial, but also because of the strange dream she had. A lot of things about it worried her. She had seen many things in her dream, but what worried her most was the screaming man she had heard when she woke in the night and the pain in her shoulder. But she had no time to thing about it now. They would be coming to retrieve her for her trial soon.

She forced herself the get up and off of the bed to get prepare for that mornings trial. She sat on the bed and put her feet on the cold stone ground. Her shoulder was still sore with pain, along with her left arm which she figured was from her wound she had gotten two days earlier.

She buried her face in her hands, then looked up and around the room. She noticed that a tray of food had been placed at the door. Acelin walked over to take a look at it.

There was a small bowl of a yellowish brown mixture, Acelin didn’t know what it was, followed by a piece of bread, and a small glass of water. When Acelin picked up the strange mixture she noticed that it was cold. She figured that they brought it to her last night. Acelin new that they probably wouldn’t bring anything to her until after the Chastisement, so she decided that she should eat something. Acelin thought twice about eating the mixture and ate the bread and drank the water instead.

Just as she finished the last drop water, the door into her chamber opened. Acelin looked over to see a tall soldier in usual uniform standing in the doorway. “Come,” he said in a demanding voice.

Acelin stood from where she was sitting, and walked to the door way without an argument. She didn’t want to get herself into anymore trouble then she already was in. She followed the soldier out into the main hallway, where they met two other soldiers. "Follow me," the soldier who had gotten her said, turning down the way she had come just the night before. She followed the soldier, and the other two walked behind her.

She was lead a short way down the tunnel to another intersecting tunnel, where the soldier the soldier turned. Right as Acelin turned the corner the ceiling of the tunnel rose up and she faced a giant wooden door. The soldier stopped out side the door and fumbled with the door handle. Acelin nervously looked down at her feet as the soldier cursed under his breath stumbling to open the locked door.

Finally soldier unlatched the door and pushed it open. Before Acelin could step forward the soldier push her into the room. "Hurry your late!," he scolded. Before she could ask what she was supposed to do next the soldier had already shut the door, and left. She stood and stared at the door wondering what she should do. All of the other times she had been brought here for Chastisement she had never left her room. But this time was different. This time she knew her Chastisement would be worse the any of the other ones.

"We've been expecting you, Acelin." Acelin turned around startled, the find a group of people, about eight, all sitting side by side at the end of a giant. The room was completely dark, except for a bright light that came from behind the group, so she couldn't see their faces only the outline of their bodies from where they sat. "Sit down," someone said. Acelin knew it was the man sitting in the middle who had spoken because he gestured toward a chair at the opposite end from where the group sat. Acelin did as she was told, then waited, looking around the room trying to avoid looking at the strangers across the table. "I see that we've been having some trouble with you again." the same man said. She figured that he was the Master because he was the only one who talked.

"Yes sir, but..."

"You will not speak unless told to." the Master said. Acelin pressed her lips together and looked down at her hand folded in her lap. "Two faults this time. One for eavesdropping, and another for attempted murder. I guess well start with the eavesdropping." the Master paused. "Do you know what’s wrong with what you have done?" Acelin nodded her head afraid to speak. She didn't like the way that the Master was speaking to her as if she were a young child who had just gotten in trouble for not sharing. She wished he would just tell her what Chastisement she was to be sentenced to. "Why did you do it?" Acelin shrugged her shoulders. " Answer me when I ask you a question, girl!" the Master shouted.

"I don't know," she said shyly looking up. "I guess I was just curious about...about what they were talking about."

"Curious, huh?" the Master leaned back in his chair. "Well your Chastisement for this fault will be another night in the chamber, and some doing choir for the pub owner, but I can't say I'll be as lenient with your next fault. Attempted murder, not something I usually have to deal with, especially with a young lady. Please tell us the story behind this. Let’s start out with how do you know Mr. Mazur?"

"He is my brother’s friend."

"Ah," the Master nodded,” and what did you do that made you try and kill him?"

"I didn't try and kill him..." Acelin could now feel her temper rising.

"That wasn't my question," the Master interrupted her. "I will not having you arguing with me! Answer the question!"

Acelin calmed herself down before speaking again. She didn't want to get herself into anymore trouble then she already was. "They just made me angry. I get mad very easily."

"As I see. Now tell me what this boy did to make you so angry?"

"He was annoying me."

"How?"

"By poking his nose into other peoples business." Acelin said getting agitated by all the questioning.

"Oh, like you did?" the Master said sitting straight up in his chair. At this Acelin was silent. " Yes, well as for your Chastisement. It happens that the boy will live, but has major injuries. I sentence another nights stay in the chamber, " the Master paused and thought,” and a whipping. Twenty lashes."

Shock spread through Acelin’s body. She sat staring at the Master in amazement. It was unheard of for a child to have a whipping, at least to her. "That will be all." the Master said clapping his hands. The doors behind her squeaked open, and Acelin barley noticed as the soldiers pulled her up out of the chair, and back to her chamber.