New Characters (or Something Clever like That)

This is the new entrance for Adria in Way Back When.

The Plan that Went Wrong

           

“What do you mean, you haven’t seen her? I need to find her!”

            “I told you already, missy. I’m not in charge of the Dark Flower. I dunno where she is.”

            “But…I have something very important for her!”

            “Then you’ll have to wait!”

            “At least let me see Gladius!”

            The guard balked at this. “No sir, nuh-uh, no can do. He don’t let nobody in to see him.”

            Arden stomped her foot in frustration. “Are you insane? Don’t you understand who…I mean, what I have?”

            The officer raised his eyebrows in interest. He glanced around the torch-lit corridor and old, stone walls. Gleefully he muttered, “Have someone important, have we? A valuable prisoner?” Arden drew herself up.

            “My own captive,” she said proudly. The guard grinned.

            “But it could be my captive…”

            “Step aside,” spoke a commanding voice, and both the officer and Arden jumped backward. Arden half-smiled: she had found whom she was looking for, but was hardly glad to see her.

            “Adria,” she said, doing her best to keep her voice strong. “I brought a prisoner -”

            “The prisoner? I’d be very disappointed, Arden, if you had the wrong elf.” Adria came into clear view. Icy blue eyes surveyed the pair of Gladians with a cold indifference. Her long, sleek brown hair fell down her back, except for one strand which strayed into her eyes. One might have believed she was an elf, what with her poise and height, except for the clearly visible unpointed left ear. Dressed in a dark green tunic, the human wore a light elven breastplate and two deadly sharp knives strapped onto her belt. Arden knew that various other weapons were hidden in her clothes as well.

            “Well, Shiradae,” Adria said mockingly, sarcastically using the word for a respected servant of Gladius. “Show me the prisoner.”

            “Ah…what about the…” Arden gestured to the guard.

            “Surely you don’t care about any reward, Arden?” Adria said in fake surprise, raising her eyebrows. “All for the glory of Gladius, surely?” She rolled her eyes. “If you insist…” Arden winced as the guard suddenly fell limply to the ground.

            “Oh, settle down, Arden,” Adria sighed. “You’ve seen magic enough times.”

            Arden glanced down at the officer as Adria opened the door and entered. Arden knew as well as Adria did that she had not used a single word of magic to fell the fully grown man.

            The fairy followed quickly behind Adria, falling in step beside her purposeful stride. “I did get her,” Arden said quietly.

            “Astra? We’ll see, Shiradae. Oh, we’ll see.”

            Arden felt a sudden burst of anger. Under her breath, she muttered, “I know why they call you the plan that went wrong…”

            She was on the floor before she knew what had happened. Arden quickly tried to sprout wings, but she couldn’t move. Something was choking her, she was suffocating…

            “Adria!” she choked. “What will Gladius say?”

            Slowly, the pressure subsided.

            “Nothing,” Adria whispered, her blue eyes ablaze. “Nothing at all. He’d never miss a fairy he’s met twice in his entire life. So if you know what’s good for you, you’ll never mention that name again.”

            Arden was back on her feet in an instant. She coughed a couple of times, then ran back after the human, who was already up and walking swiftly away. Arden shook her head. She prefers Dark Flower to the Plan that Went Wrong, I suppose…  

            However, the fairy bounced back quickly. “Why do they call you the Dark Flower?” Adria sighed. One of them was not enjoying their continual partnership. She knew Arden well enough not to answer.

            “What about the Plan that Went Wrong?”

            Adria rounded on the fairy. “I told you never to mention that name again!”

            “Oh, I would never call you that, but other people do. Why?” Arden probed. Adria did not respond.
There you have it. Criticize, please!
-President Fantasy