Chapter 2.1

Chapter 2
A Job Well Done
Pandora

Pandora never did like killing. There was no joy in it. She loved the fighting. She lived for the thrill and the rush. She loved the pain—the feeling. She hated the death. She had killed one and seriously maimed another. Neither was her desire, but she had to do something. It was all part of the plan.

Once out of the sight of everyone she began to tremble. Her stomach felt as though it was about to empty its limited contents onto the floors of the palace. The entire situation made her feel sick.

She looked down at the ring on her finger. It was a simple enough gold band. The fact that her cousin could tell what it was astounded Pandora, but then Serene was always good at magic. It was a simple charm that gave her different hair and eyes. Serene swore it even made her nose look a little different. Topaz did not agree.

Pandora took a deep breath and composed herself. She had come too far now to break down and ruin everything. She knew it was hard for Serene to watch her fight such an unfair duel, but there was little either of them could do about it. Serene took it far better than Pandora would have if the situation was reversed.

The thought of what Serene being in danger did to her made her fists clenched. Pandora turned into a murderer when her cousin was in danger. She could feel the residue of it when she came back to her senses. She killed without thought and did so with efficiency. At least she could do very little torturing while in such a state.

“Mistress Amazon,” someone said from the entrance to the room. “Her Majesty's tailor will see you now for your fitting.”

Pandora nodded and followed the man into the other room. The Tailor was a short man who was decidedly pudgy, but he had thin and nimble fingers. He had to tilt his head up to look at Pandora's face.

“Amazon, I presume,” he said said with a snort. “Well, you are a tall one, and a bit scrawny compared to most of them.”

“Scrawny?” Pandora asked, perplexed. She never would describe herself as scrawny. Serene, yes, but herself? Never.

“Yes, you have... this look of hunger to you.” He grabbed her arm and then slid his hand around her wrist. His thumb and forefinger touched each other without straining or pinching. “It is subtle, but it is there.” He tsked. “I wonder how long that will last, but for now I will make you look imposing--scrawny or not.”

Pandora looked at her wrist and frowned. “I am not scrawny.”

“No?” he asked. “Well, look at the others. They're well fed fighting machines, they are. You look like they threw you in the wild and made you fend for yourself.”

Pandora's lips twitched as she bit back a comment. She had been in the wild, fending for herself and others. She reflexively reached up to touch her hair. It was as clean as it could be after a fight.

“All the guards for Her Majesty wear black with silver trim,” he said, “But then you knew that being raised in the culture your whole life. Pity, I bet you would have made an excellent soldier.”

“Women are not allowed in the army,” Pandora said, “And it is my duty to serve the Empress, not the whole empire.”

“But you do serve the whole Empire when you serve her. She is, after all, the most loved jewel in the land.” He chuckled. “She does none of the work that they hate, and gets to pass out alms and organized charity dinners and encourage help for the poor. Though, she has not done any of that in great quantities yet.” He tittered and unrolled some of his tape. “Hold this for me right there.”
Pandora pinched the measuring devise between her thumb and forefinger and pressed it hard against her shoulder. He shook his head and pulled it away so that it was parallel and told her to hold it just so. He made quick work of her measurements and showed no compunction about sticking his hands close to her private areas as he did so. Pandora tried to ignore it, but she wanted to punch him in the face every time he got close.

“Never met one as tense as you either,” he said warily. “What was your name again, girl?”

“Amazon,” she said. “And not all women who go through that ordeal are the same,” she said. “Some are stronger and come out that way. Others come out as abused husks. You have no idea what they do or make us do. So mind your tongue, manners, and business and I'll mind mine.”

“Snippy,” he said. “I was just making conversation.”

“I know what you were insinuating, sir. I am no fool.”

“Certainly. I did not mean to offend.”

“Are we done here?”

He nodded and Pandora turned sharply on her heel and left without even a terse goodbye.
Her heart was pounding and her breath was short. She could feel her nostrils flaring and she tried to calm herself. Guardians were not supposed become angry over something so trivial as what the tailor was saying, even if he was insinuating that she was a liar. What was worse, is that she really was.

Pandora had no idea what was supposed to come of her now. Her training was not complete. She was trained in courtly graces. She knew what was expected of her and what certain things meant, but she had no idea where she was supposed to go between the time that she was accepted into the Empress's service and she had her uniform. Was she supposed to stay away? Was she supposed to act as guardian anyway.

“Oh, there you are,” a woman said behind her with disdain. “Stop dawdling at the window and come with me.”

Pandora turned to the woman and fixed her with a cool stare. The woman looked back. She had a distinguished not on her shoulder. She was the guardian lead, and Pandora knew that she had it out for Amazon.

They stared one another down, but Pandora broke the contact when it seemed appropriate. There was no point in upsetting the power balance just yet. The guardian gave a satisfied nod and then turned away from Pandora. She followed after obediently.

“You will not speak to Her Majesty unless spoken to. You will watch over her while she sleeps until I say otherwise. Until you have my permission you will stay in your quarters when you are not at breakfast, lunch, or dinner or watching Her Majesty. If you are caught sleeping while on watch you will be flogged and dismissed. Am I clear?”

“Yes,” Pandora said tonelessly.

“Good.” She led her down a series of stairs and into a darkened hallway. She stopped at the third down to the left and opened it. “You will stay here until further notice,” she said and pushed it open. It was little more than a broom closet, but there was a bed. Her pack of belongings were on it strewn about haphazardly.

“You are a vain little thing, aren't you?” she asked. “This is the first time I've seen a mirror in one of my girl's packs.”

Pandora took a step inside of the room and the guardian slammed the door shut, leaving Pandora in utter darkness. She took two steps toward the bed and then groped for her light crystal. Her hand hit the mirror and then crashed into the small crystal. She picked it up and rubbed it between her hands. It started to dimly glow and then the light began to pour into the room from between her fingers. She set it on the post of the bed and sighed.

There was a small dresser and a tiny night stand. Pandora sighed heavily and moved the light from the top of the post onto the night stand. It seemed more appropriate to put a light there than to have it teetering on a pole of wood. She set the mirror beside it and folded her clothing and put it away.

There was a small necklace made of braided plant stems hidden in one of the pockets. She pulled it out and fingered it gently. Three river stones were trapped into the braids. They were green, smooth things of simplicity. Emerald, her dear sweet child, made it for herself, originally, but gave it to Pandora to remember her by. It made her feel lonely and fulfilled all at the same time. She wanted to be home with her children, but she made a promise.

Pandora tried to always keep her promises. There are times she failed, but she had promised to avenge her uncle's murder and betrayal. Her cousin's emotional investment was too great to ignore.

The guardians acted against Pandora since they had seen her. The blond hair was probably a bit much. She touched it thoughtfully. It set her apart from them, and apparently they were disgusted or threatened by it. Perhaps they were wary of her because of it. There were no laws or edicts against guardians having any color other than brown, but it always seemed that those who looked more memorable were always frowned upon.

The silence settled around Pandora and rang in her ears. Silence was a strange and unfamiliar thing for a girl who grew up in the busy bustling of a city or the clanking of a training yard. The valley she lived in was never silent either. Between the children and the beasts there was always some noise. Now she could not even hear the servants.

Before the sensation of total isolation could consume her she heard the mirror's subtle music. It was brief and quiet, but after so long with no noise it was startling. She felt her heart leap up and the muscles of her body attempt to leave her bones behind. She snatched at the mirror and shot up into a seated position.

“Serene?”

“Who else?” she asked with a nervous laugh and then her image glanced around uneasily. “I don't know how much time I have,” she said. “Are you all right?”

“Well, the guardians have it out for me,” Pandora said.

Serene began to chew on her lower lip, but the paint on it was apparently unpleasant. She made a face of disgust and then sighed. “That could be a good thing or a bad thing,” she mulled over aloud. “You can work it to your advantage if the Empress likes you.”

“Maybe,” Pandora said. “I have a bad feeling about all of this.”

“Well, you just have to watch her and make sure she is safe,” Serene said. “She is not a part of this, and I don't want her caught up in it.”

“So you like her?”

“I think she's too innocent,” Serene said. “I don't even remember what it was like to be innocent.”

“Well, you were raised by a thief,” Pandora reminded her gently.

Serene smiled faintly and then nodded. It was a moment before she could speak. “You are right. Anyway, I'm sorry, Pandora, but... I have to be going very soon. Why weren't you at dinner?”

“What do you mean?” Pandora asked. “Someone is supposed to come get me.”

“What? No...” She closed her eyes and looked away, but Pandora could hear numbers echoing in her mind. “I can't do anything about this. Damn it.”

“It's all right. Someone will have to come for me if I'm going to watch the Empress tonight.” Pandora offered what she hoped to be a reassuring smile. “I just hope that Greg and the children are all right.”

“Greg will keep them in line. He's at least good at that,” she said. “They'll figure something out.”
Pandora nodded. Serene was right. Greg was good at keeping the children under control, at least when Topaz was not around. Star was absolutely in love with him and Rubio worshiped him. Emerald would do whatever she was told so long as it would not endanger her life or anyone else's. He also had a knack for helping them explore their powers.

“I miss them,” Pandora admitted.

“It is odd being away from them. For the last five years they've been our whole lives,” Serene said, but it was not all together true. Serene spent most of her time away from the valley. She originally left to find things that they could not get in the valley or from Grizzle, but she was usually gone more than she was home. After she found out that her father had been murdered as a display of power against them, she stole back her father's more valuable possessions. He had books and magical items that were worth more than his home and all the decorations in it.
For the most part they managed to get them back, but now it was time for vengeance.

“I love you, Pandora. I'll find time to talk to you later. When?”

“Oh, um... I'm going to be watching her during the night. I'm confined here for the most part.”
“I see,” Serene said and pressed her lips into a tight line. “I have to go,” she said with sudden anxiety and her image vanished. Pandora laid the mirror down and sighed.

She missed her family.

Pandora's stomach was grumbling by the time there was a knock on her door. She opened it to find a lower ranking guardian at the door. Her darkened face, by all noticeable features, impassive, but Pandora could feel disgust radiating from her. What gave her this insight, she could only guess, but it was there. It nagged at the center of her chest.

“You are not ready.”

“Ready?”

“To watch Her Majesty. Your hair is a mess and you are not dressed properly.”

“How am I supposed to dress?” Pandora asked.

“Like me.”

Pandora schooled herself with difficulty. Five years ago she could have easily slipped into a submissive roll, but it was challenging after so many years of leading a family to their survival. “I do not have a uniform yet.”

“That is hardly an excuse,” she said. “Come with me and I will lone you one of mind.”

It turned out that the tailor had been correct in his observations of Pandora's scrawniness. The uniform that was loaned to her was loose, faded, and tattered. The silver trim was frayed along the hems and there was a stain on the chest.

The nameless guardian tugged at the uniform and tried to bunch it together. “Did they not feed you at your school?” she asked.

“I was always satisfied,” Pandora replied.

The woman snorted. “Comb your hair quickly and we must be off. Matiline has it out for you.”
“Matiline?”

“You must be as stupid as you are despised,” she said flatly. “Matiline is the one in charge of us.”

“I see,” Pandora said. “It slipped my mind.”

“Well, you need to be sharper,” the woman said sharply. It took Pandora aback. “She did not want you to be a Guardian. She will get rid of you before you can get farther into the Empress's heart.” Her hand paused the the door latch. “I think she is jealous of you.”

Pandora stared at her impassively. “I am not worried.”

“I heard about what you did,” she said. “We were not trained to do that.”

Pandora's lips twitched as if to smile. “I have always been gifted in hand to hand,” she said. “I do not want to keep the Empress waiting.”

“Or course.” They walked the entire way without speaking. Everyone ignored them, but Pandora was still self conscious about the state of her borrowed uniform. She wanted to ask the guardian her name, but knew that there was no polite way to rise the question.

The door to the Empress's personal suite was extravagant, but the design of flowers and sunbursts were nothing compared to the portraits Topaz would carve into stone. She felt herself drifting into home sickness. Her heart ached suddenly to see the young dragon. Would he be in the kennel? She hoped not. A dragon should never be kept in the kennel no matter the circumstances.

The rich green carpet that decorated the floor provided an unfamiliar cushioning for Pandora's feet. It was thick and shifted under her steps. She took extra time to saver the experience and to gather a better understanding of the sensation. Her Uncle never had such extravagance. She decided that the decor was far more tasteful than her Uncle's had been too.

Warmth from a fire reached for her when the door was opened to permit her inside. When she entered she heard the jangling of metal and the scratching of claws. She looked to see Topaz scrambling to get up from the stone expanse around the fireplace. Before he bound toward her she rose her hand up to signal for him stay. The look in his eyes broke her heart.