The Keeper

Senalyn
My back ached from standing stiffly all day - I wasn't used to being a guard. It was more difficult than I thought it would be, but I didn't allow the pain to show on my face - especially not in the presence of the High Priest. I had managed to secure a spot on dining hall duty for the night in order to stay close to Lilivia. The stage was on the opposite side of the room, flooded with light from the torches. I had a good, clear view of everything. Next to me was Kyglic, the guard who kept raving about Lilivia. The only other presence of militia in the room were the two black cloaked guards who were part of the elite group which the High Priest trained and used as bodyguards. They were always in the shadows - which made humans and other creatures with poor eyesight unable to notice them. The only sounds in the dining hall were the loud and obnoxious chatter of the priests sitting around the table and enjoying another feast. The High Priest sat at the table too, in the centre.

After a few moments of talking and laughter, the High Priest stood up to address the others. "Attention everyone!" he said loudly, making a few of the drunker ones roar with laughter. He grinned and joined in on their laughter. It was clear to everyone else that the priest were completely under his spell - the guards often had hushed conversations about this over their meals. The High Priest needed their support in order to stay in power, so in order to win them over he gave them feasts and entertainment every other night. He continued his speech, talking about how they had all achieved so much in the past year, and how they had all earned to celebrate with food, wine and entertainment. I was tempted to roll my eyes. How stupid could they get?

"And now for the entertainment!" the High Priest called out demandingly, clapping his hands expectantly.

"They're beautiful aren't they," said Kyglic as the dancers began to run on stage.

I glanced at him, surprised that he was finally speaking to me. "Yeah," I responded, struggling to think of an answer that would satisfy him. "Which one's the one have you taken an interest to?"

"The new ladybird."

I almost didn't register the unusual language. It was slang that I was used to as well. I tried to sound casual. "You're not from around here, are you?"

Livilia spun in my peripheral vision and it was hard to hear Kyglic over her song. "No, I'm from a place not too far though."

"Where would that be?" I drew a blank as I tried to recall what was around.

"Just a little village of no importance. Why so curious, newbie?"

"It's nothing really, I'm just bored. Could they be dancing any slower?"

"Shut up! It's a sacred dance that I wouldn't expect an outsider to know!" He said in an angry whisper.

This caught my attention. I turned to him, momentarily forgetting that I was on duty. "Are you defending a dancer?" This time, my words won't forced. I was honestly surprised that he would say something like that.

"No, of course not." He said hurriedly.

This was definitely an unexpected turn of events. I resumed my post quietly, and whispered under my breath, knowing that I was treading on dangerous ground. "Are you a shapeshifter?" I asked him.

"Shapeshifter's aren't welcome here."

"You didn't answer the question."

"I'll answer if you answer me, what's her name?" He pointed to the dancing Livilia who's blue eyes never left the High Priest.

"Lilivia," I replied, watching her dance. "Are you a shapeshifter?"

His jaw tightened. "Yes."

A shiver of excitement passed through me. "Why are you so interested in Lilivia?"

"Before I came here with my parents I knew a little bluebird girl called Livilia, I doubt she remembers me though."

"Are you a bluebird, like her?"

"Form is inherited so no, my family are hawks."

"And why would you tell me this? I could easily have you sacrificed, after all. You know how pleased Alucar is when he is given a life with two forms."

"Because I can just as easily tell him about Livilia and I can guess you don't want that to happen. The palace ladybirds don't let their names be known after all."

"Clever," I gave him that much. "So what is a shapeshifter such as yourself doing in a place like this?"

"After my parents came here we were found out and they were killed while I was enslaved. People have long since forgotten but like just about everyone here I am unable to leave."

"I could help you escape, if you wanted," I offered.

"It's far too dangerous."

"I know of a way out - well, Lilivia knows. Well...nevermind. The point is that I will know of a way out of here. I have a plan. You should come."

The veins on his neck stood out as he clenched his teeth. "I'll... Think about it."

"Good," I replied.

For the majority of the night, Lilivia and the others danced relentlessly to please the Priests. By the time the last Priest dozed off, the sun was beginning to rise, and I felt like I was about to fall over. I could barely imagine how Lilivia felt. The High Priest finally called the festivities to an end, freeing Kyglic and I from our duties. I knew I needed to speak to Lilivia, but right now we both needed rest. I would find her later on in the day, when we had both gained our strength back.

I sank into my bed, for once not caring about the stench or the snoring around me. It was a peaceful sleep.

It was almost noon by the time I managed to get out of bed. Some slices of bread and butter were sitting at the foot of my bed. I ate quickly, starving. As I began to pull my uniform on, I looked around the room for Kyglic. Some guards were still sleeping, others sitting quietly and talking, but most of the beds were empty. I spotted Kyglic near the door, sitting on his bed, holding a feather. I made my way over to him.

"Hello Kyglic," I said quietly.

"Hello Leio," he replied.

"Come outside, I need to talk." He put the feather inside his tunic and followed. I led him into a passageway which no-one would be walking down for a while. "What can you tell me about the sacrifices?"

"Why do you want to know?"

I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I've heard things -rumours - about the sacrifices, and I believe that if we knew the facts about the sacrifice, it would make our escape a hundred times easier."

He gave me a hard look but sighed. "The high priest sacrifices people who disagree with him to Alucar; mostly runaways and ladybirds."

I nodded. "But how, and when?"

"Mostly at night and by slow and painful means."

"Could you explain how?"

"Hung, drawn and quartered. Partial beheading. The list goes on."

"And does he do it alone?"

"Yes."

Suddenly, an idea struck me. I grinned and began to turn around - I needed to find Lilivia. "Thanks, Kyglic. That's all I need." I broke off into a run, running into Lilivia just as I turned the corner closest to her quarters. "Lilivia! Can we talk somewhere private?"

The head dancer looked me up and down with a disapproving eye. "How do you know her name?" she asked as she put an arm in front of Lilivia.

"Our paths crossed once when we were outside of Liotin. Long story," I smiled at her calmly.

Livilia smiled as she gently moves the woman's arm. "It's alright, he's a friend." We walked out of the room.

"I've been speaking with one of the guards - Kyglic," I began. "He's a shapeshifter, like you. Apparently he knew you as a child."

"The name does seem familiar, he's friends with the repulsive one."

"He's more than that. He might just have given us the perfect opportunity to kill the High Priest. I asked him about the sacrifices - apparently the High Priest sacrifices the ladybirds and law-breakers at night, alone. If we were to get close to him while he was performing the sacrifice, we could take him by surprise."

"There'd be too many guards." Suddenly, she stopped speaking. The silence grew. I was about to ask her what was wrong, when she began to laugh almost hysterically. "There's only one way to do this." She looked me straight in the eye. "I get sacrificed."

It was unthinkable. "Are you crazy? He'd kill you!"

"You underestimate me."

I folded my arms. "Then explain to me how you will escape him once he has tied you down and begun digging knives in your sides."

"He won't be expecting me to fight back."

"Oh really? So whether you live or die depends on whether the other people he's tortured and killed fight back. Well it's a good thing that fighting for your life didn't occur to the other five hundred people he's sacrificed."

"They weren't the Keeper of the Object of Power."

"Now I know you're crazy. Do you even know how to use any of your power? Has Sira told you any of that?"

"What choice do I have?"

"There is always another way. I can get Kyglic to take us to the place where the sacrifices take place. We can wait down there until the High Priest comes. We'll take him by surprise. Once he's dead, I'll get the horses in the stable to cause a distraction, leaving us an open door."

"You put a lot of trust in Kyglic, he would have come here because he worships Alucar. So why would he want to deny him a sacrifice?"

"I trust Kyglic because he has trusted me with his secret. His family was captured, his parents sacrificed. I expect that when they deem him old enough, he too will be sacrificed to Alucar. He is no friend of the High Priest."

"Either way I need to get back to the girls. I'll think it over, though."

I accepted that this was the closest answer to the one I wanted, and offered to take her back to the others. When we arrived at her quarters, all the girls were crying. "What's wrong?" Lilivia asked rushing over to them.

The head dancer looked up with red eyes. "Ida is to be sacrificed!"

Livilia took off without a word.