Red Reflections
Alis Mardol closed her eyes as her body shattered the cathedral window, and she began the sixty-foot plummet to the earth below.
What a sad ending this all had- the rebellion, the city, her life.
The Ace of Spades- the girl who founded, fueled and lead the rebellion against the Idells. The girl who stood up to said Idell family when she was a five year old maid. The girl who knew she was worth something, even when the power structure, they system in place, the money she made said otherwise.
Thrown out the window by Veyl Idell, the magic using daughter of the main bloodline.
Her father was a smart man- Beithor Idell had been Alis' enemy for years, and until two hours ago, she hadn't even known he had a child.
Alis hid inside the cathedral on the Idell castle grounds, waiting for Veyl to arrive for her daily meditation.
If Alis couldn't use her as leverage against her father, maybe she could turn her to their side.
Why had she come alone? Why hadn't she brought backup?
Alis braided back her mouse brown hair, hazel eyes scanning the room for any signs of the youngest Idell's arrival.
Too late to call in now.
Alis caught glimpses of herself in the falling shards- blood streaming from a cut on her forehead, little scratches littering her body, a gash on her thigh.
She'd had worse before.
But sixty feet is a long way to fall, especially when you fall headfirst.
Beithor stood next to Veyl, in all his blonde, blue eyed, Ken doll glory, with the cruelest smile she'd ever seen him wear (and that was saying something). Veyl had gotten his golden hair- one of the many trademarks of the Idell bloodline.
"This is your chance to prove yourself, Veyl. Prove you are an Idell."
Veyl was as old as Alis- sixteen, and she looked…
Terrified. Of her father, of Alis, of what she was about to do. Veyl's violet eyes were locked on Alis' hazel ones.
"Get rid of her."
Ten seconds passed, and through every one of them, Veyl kept eye contact.
The Idell heir mouthed the words 'I'm sorry', as her face twisted into an expression of grief (though it couldn't be- no Idell grieved the death of Alis, Ace of Spades).
The next thing Alis registered was hitting the mirror.
She'd never grow up. Never get old. Never fall in love, or get married.
Alis was raised to believe she was nothing, and the Idells were everything, she'd grown up being slapped for the smallest mistake and owning nothing but her name.
Alis Mardol was five when she figured out that the Idells didn't care- not really. She'd tripped while walking to her room- she hadn't even been holding anything, and one of the security guards picked her up like a rag doll and slapped her hard enough to leave a bruise. The next day, the older maid who'd helped her was called into Beithor's office.
The day after that, Alis found her body.
Alis, Ace of Spades, was eleven when the revolution she founded finally became a widespread movement. The Idells were losing allies.
Alis Mardol, Ace of Spades, was never going to see her seventeenth birthday.
The ground got closer.
She'd never come of legal age.
The ground got closer.
She'd never really get to own anything in her life, except her name.
Alis Mardol closed her eyes, and could swear she never hit the ground.
When Alis Mardol opened her eyes, she knew she never would.
Of course, the next thing she noticed was the child of her mortal enemy sitting next to her, looking woefully apologetic and a lot sorrier than she should.
"You threw me out a window."
Not great first words, but they worked.
Veyl's head snapped up, and she looked enough like a deer in headlights that Alis' heart actually twinged.
"I'm sorry," Veyl said. "I- father's being held by some of my guards. I don't- I don't want to hurt you."
"And what a lovely job you've done so far."
Veyl's eyes narrowed, and Alis found that for once, she was glad to be on the recieving end of an Idell glare.
It meant that she still knew what to do.
"I know we're supposed to be enemies, but I don't want to hut you. I'm serious. Father- he's evil. I can't let him rule the world any longer."
Alis raised an eyebrow, glancing around the ward.
"You're saying you want to join the rebellion that's trying to destroy your family?"
"Yes. I am."
"Why?"
"Take it from someone who grew up with them- they're not worth keeping around."
Veyl was stone faced, and Alis had had to get good at reading people when she'd started her rebellion.
The brunette felt a grin begin to spread across her face.
"In that case- welcome to the rebellion."