Clarissa by Suncat
 
Prologue- The Beginning 500 years ago when the humans came to this place of peace and brought war and fighting, they slowly made the land theirs. The creatures of simple life and peace were introduced to evil and crime. The Great War was remembered and taught about from multiple views and the people and creatures met Hate and learned to live, not just with it, but by it. This is the story of how Hate was sent away and Peace was welcomed. CHAPTER 1 – CLARISSA
   Clarissa lifted the phoenix out of the tree. It was just a young one. Must be fresh from the ashes, she thought. Yes there’s a pile over there. 
   “Is it hurt?” cried Allysa, her younger sister. She was about 60 (six in human years).Clarissa herself was 140(14), Silla, their youngest sister, was 30(3), and her great-aunt Jasamina was 700(70). Jasamina was an old, cruel-hearted lady who had come when her mother died. Her poor dear mother had been only 360. She had had dark hair and dark eyes, a true elfin beauty.    “No, it’s not hurt.” Unlike mother, she recalled bitterly.
  “Can we keep it?” Silla asked.
  “Okay, but don’t tell Jasamina.” Clarissa warned.
  “You KNOW we won’t.” Allysa breathed.
 Clarissa led her sisters inside and got some blankets and milk.
  “Do phoenixes eat milk?” Allysa asked.
  “No,but they might drink it . ” Clarissa replied.
 They walked outside. Allsya proudly carried her new pet; she had named it Petri.  “Lookie!” Silla cried. Clarissa looked up and there it was, a hovercraft. It circled like a bird of prey and landed nearby. They’re coming here, she thought in panic.
    Jasamina was shouting. “You have no right to be here!” the old woman screamed. Two officers wearing masks stepped out and one said, “Ma’am, we are sorry to inform you, your nephew Salidon of Fenwood has been arrested for high treason.  The trial will be held Tuesday at the high court.”
    Clarissa’s heat sank past her feet, the lump in her throat could not be ignored.  Salidon of Fenwood was her father.
    The second officer continued,   “If you and your family would come with us we would be very much obliged.” Humans with their manners, even in this situation.
    “Girls! Get your things.  We’re going.”
    “Oooh.  A trip!”  Silla sang in a sing-song voice.
    “No, not a trip, silly a vacation!”  Allysa cried.


     CHAPTER 2 - The Ride 
    Talking on his radio, the one called Lionel, said, “We need more crafts. Two more and the nurses.”   His companion, Arriman declared, “The older one will ride with us.Jerisalm will take the old one, and the softie Venwick will take the small ones. The older one refused to part with the phoenix.” That was Allysa.
    “Can’t we take the young ones?  The old ones are more rebellious.”  Lional whined.
    “Venwick couldn’t handle them,” Arriman scoffed.
  Clarissa felt pity for this man who was an obvious subject of teasing.
    “Get in, girl.  We’ve not got all day,” Arriman exclaimed.  He had the slight accent of the lowlands. She realized with a jolt, Arriman was not human.  This thought haunted her. Why is he working with the humans?   Who is he?
What is he?
     Lional did not seem to notice or he noticed and did not care, but surely the other humans did not know.
    She sat there pondering this as Lionel called from above. “The City is in sight.”
    The City was the largest of all human civilizations.  Most settlements were towns, outposts or only small kinships that littered the outer shores.   By the time they had landed Clarissa had come to a conclusion about Arriman.  He was a... a jolt stopped her train of thought and the words escaped her.  She could not remember … anything.

     CHAPTER 3 - The City
    “Where am I?”  Clarissa groaned. Her head hurt terribly.
    “You idiot!”  Arriamn cried.  “She was not to get hurt! Our orders were clear!”  Arriman raged.
    “Ah.  Ah.  Ah. If any of this gets out, so does your little secret.” So, Lional did know and was holding it against Arriman.
    Suddenly, Clarissa remembered everything, and what Arriman was… a Rogan- the near-humans that lived in primitive huts along the Teleret River in the lowlands, with barbaric rituals such as sacrifice and death as punishment for the most petty of crimes.  She should have recognized the sharp, quick temper, the main characteristic of a Rogan.  Nevertheless, what was he doing here?  She had seen one only once in the Elfin township of Raz.  He had been selling fake-looking jewelry outside a pub.
    Arriman sounded much younger, about 20 or 30 (in human years).  Lionel was youthful, 18 or 19, perhaps even younger.
    Arriman flinched, but simply said, “Let’s go. She’ll be fine. Catch,” he ordered and tossed her an ice pack. For the first time on the journey, she talked directly to her travel companions.
    “Where is my family?  Where are Allysa and Silla and my father?  Why am I here?  My father is an honest man.  He would never do anything wrong!”  She was about to burst into tears but she held them back as she did not want her captors to think of her as a weak, helpless child who was clueless and useless. No, definitely not.  She heard a voice.  She could not tell who it was in the dark hold of the craft.
    “Your family is being taken care of.  As for your father, the high council would disagree.” someone said, in a voice mixed with sarcasm and pity. Arriman she realized was speaking, and he was not happy to be living here with humans.
    “Out,” commanded Lional into the bright sunlit street. They had finally taken their masks off.
    Arriman and Lional were exactly as she had pictured. Complete opposites. Lional had flaxen colored hair and pale blue eyes, his pupils were bottomless pits.
    Arriman had black hair and dark brown eyes that shone with hatred and dislike.  They walked a while till they got to a small building that was rundown and old and smelled of the stench of years.   
 Lionel lead them down the hall to a small cell. “I have to leave and see our parents,” mumbled Lional to Arriman.
    Our?  she thought.
    “You stay here and guard her,” Lional said unnecessarily. Arriman sat and watched her.  Lional, she observed, had the pimples of youth and Arriman had a threatening mustache and beard. Lional left and Clarissa dared to speak.
    “Why are you here?”
    “Ah, you have guessed my little secret.  I knew you were clever.  Listen and I will tell you, but you better keep your mouth shut,” he replied.

    CHAPTER 4   - ARRIMAN’S STORY

    “I was a young boy growing up in the Rogan village of Caath.  I hated it there.  The sight of blood made me sick. I was constantly teased.  I was called ‘yellow liver’ and ‘blood ‘n’ guts.  I hated my brother and his older friends for they were usually the teasers.”  The young man’s eyes flashed malevolently.
    As Arriman continued Clarissa lost track of time. A few hours went by, at least she thought so. Arriman explained that when he was 13 humans captured Caath and a kind officer took him home with him.  He had a son who was a little younger than he was, Lional, and he raised him even though he had no wife for she had died.  He became the father Arriman had never known. His real father had been ashamed of him.
    “I learned the language quickly.  I did not present myself to the public till I spoke with an accent only an elf could notice.”
    Lional was a younger brother, a whining one, but still better than a blood-thirsty older one.  He had held Arriman’s secret over him ever since his father had generously persuaded the Council to give him a job. Lional was extremely jealous, as Arriman had instantly proved a better officer.
    Dinner was a pot of soup.  It smelled of liver.
    “What is it?” Clarissa asked.
    “Liver broth,” the guard replied.
    “I think I lost my appetite, thanks.”
    Later Clarissa’s stomach growled, but she was not going to complain.  Tomorrow was Tuesday, August 23, 2610 (human calendar).  The day of the trial. 
CHAPTER 5 – THE TRIAL 
  “Wake up girl,” Arriman called “What is your name anyway?”
  “Clarissa.” she replied. They walked in silence for some time.
  “I have always wondered what it is like beyond the mountains, there were swamps around the village, we could not travel.” Arriman interrupted the long silence.
   “It is beautiful near Phoone.” Clarissa had no idea why she was telling this to her captor, but she suddenly had some respect for this young Rogan who was living his nightmare. Then they reached the courthouse. The courtroom had a certain vastness even though it was scarcely bigger than her own home. The judge was a hardened man who had seen many a sad story and had learned simply not to care. The sound of a family crying as they watched a loved one die did not make it past his ears. Clarissa took her seat and the judge began.
   “Bring out the accused!” the judge boomed. Guards brought in her father who had more gray in his hair then she remembered and whobright blue eyes had lost their sparkle but now flashed with a glimmer of hope. Clarissa wished for just a moment in which she could comfort him and make him laugh she thought. Her father had a wonderful laugh.
   “Do you, Salidon of Fenwood, know why you are here? ”the judge asked.
    “Yes, for a crime I did not commit,” her father boldly said. Gasps ran through the crowd, the judge chose to ignore them.
 “For conspiracy against the high council!” the judge raged. Her father calmly listened as the judge ranted and raved. “Bring out the first witness!” the judge finally said. The first witness was a nervous young man.
      “I heard this man talking with his elfin friends Marco of Glenn and Ezekial of Trupp.”
        “They have been found guilty and hanged,” the judge said looking at her father who had a pained expression on his face. NO! Clarissa wanted to shout. Marco and Ezekial were her uncles and good men. Clarissa’s eyes watered. She burned with hate toward the judge. The man clearly had no heart.
        “Please sir what evidence do you have against the accused?” Arriman asked.
          “A young man by the name of Lional DiAngelo overheard them speaking.”
           “Lional?!” Arriman exclaimed.
            “Yes me, brother. I lied about the elves to get their land, Lional said coldly. The crowed gasped. “Turns out they have valuable silver mines on their property,” Lional sneered. “Judge, do something!” Clarissa called on the verge of tears mixed with sadness and rage. The judge shifted uneasily in his seat. “Have not you guessed? The judge is on my side! All of this is a lie! Ezekial and Marco are asleep in their beds!” Lional said hysterically. Then Clarissa did burst into tears. There were too many emotions going on in her head. “And the best part is that there is nothing you can do about it unprotected Rogan! Father died last night!” Lional said to Arriman. “NO!” Arriman cried. “Yes, you worm there is nothing you can do. The elf will die, and there’s nothing you can do!” “But I can!” a voice boomed, the Grand Councilman had arrived. “You and Judge Dolver are under arrest!” Guards dragged away a sobbing judge and a screaming Lional. The last thing she heard of him was “Do you KNOW who my father was?!?” Later, after Lional was taken care of, the Grand Councilman ushered them into his office. “Salidon please accept my humble apologies. Judge Dolver and Lional come from such good families, such a waste.” He shook his head. “I accept your apology.” Her father was so forgiving. “You are free to go.” Clarissa had never heard words sound so pleasant. “As for you, Arriman. I understand you want to travel, I am correct?” “Yes! I want to become a cartographer,” Arriman said excitedly. “That can be arranged,” the Grand Councilman replied. Eplilogue-One year later One year had passed since the telling of this story. Arriman had come back and set up a shop in Raz, where, it was said the finest maps in the realm were sold, with such fine detail that many asked if Arriman had actually been there. At this Arriman just smiled. Clarissa had been united with her family except Jasamina who, in her old age, had chosen to stay in the City because it provided her more comfort and warmth, she also lost her grumpy touch and became a nicer person. Lional however worked off his sentence in his precious silver mines. And the council had voted, after much debate, to tear down the walls. Clarissa was there to witness this glorious event, and after 500 years of prejudice, the native creatures and we humans trusted each other enough to have peace: a word that had long been forgotten.
Thursday, March 8, 2007