Chapter 1

Sin…sin…. “Alliyson, hey Alliyson.”

“Wha…oh Sala. What do you want.”

“What do I want! How the hell were you doing that? You were levitating, not much but still. Have you been getting secret training from someone? You have to teach me!”

Alliyson was stilling coming back to her senses “I don’t know what you are talking about. I just dozed off for a second.”

“Come on girl, don’t hold out on me you have to teach? I'll take some of your duties for a week…no wait a year. No, a month…two months?”

“You are so cute Sala.” Alliyson looks for the sun in the sky. “It's later than I realized, I have to report to the southern gate soon. We can finish this conversation tonight.” Alliyson gave Sala a wink then took off.

“Fine three and a half months!” Sala yells out.

Alliyson arrives at the southern gate. The crowd is massive. Merchants, soldiers, librarians, and refugees all intermingle in the busy thoroughfares leading from the city to the gate. She shows her pass to the gate guards, who allow her to pass through the gate into the growing refugee camp outside. Once noticed, she is immediately swarmed by a group a children.

“Alli, Alli, ya back.”, a girl with curly hair says with a smile. Two boys tug her shirt from behind. One speaks out, “Did you bring us any treats?”

“Its ‘you’ made it back not, ‘ya’, and of course I did,” Alliyson opens her bag and begins to pass out bread and custards, “I got a great deal from some of the new merchants too, so there should be a lot of leftover.” She motions towards a blue-eyed girl in the back, “Diana right?” The girl nods, Alliyson hands her another bag, “I noticed you are always sharing you're treats with others.” The girl blushes as she grabs the bag. Pretending her hand is a sword, Alliyson “pulls” it out of its sheath and taps the girl on both shoulders then her head, “With the powers invested in me as a scribe of the Function, I hereby assign you the duty of giving these treats to those who you feel need them most. Oscar, Issac you are both brave,” the two boys pose and flex their nonexistent muscles, “I assign you both the duty of protecting Diana.”

“Yes ma’am!” They both yell out in unison.

The three take off with half the group running behind them. “Alliyson, how much long til we get to live in the city too?” One of the remaining kids asks.

Alliyson’s heart skipped a beat and a wave of sadness washes over her. Yet she puts on a happy face and kneels down to eye level, “Soon little one, very soon. There are a lot of people waiting to get in. The laureates just want to make sure we don’t let in any mean people who would want to ruin all the fun you will have.”

Another child interjects, “But everyone here is super nice, you know that, why can’t you just tell them all?” A tear wells up in the boys eye’s.

Alliyson gives him a comforting hug, “I will I promise.” Wiping away a tear herself, Alliyson bids the kids farewell and continues further into the camp.

When she reaches her destination she pauses at the door for a few moments.

“Eh, I know you are out there good for nothing. You gonna come in or run away in shame like you should?”

Another voice can be heard, “What are you talking about grandma, no one is out—“

“Hey nana, sis, little Nico and big Nikki .” Alliyson calls out as she opens the door.

“When are you gonna stop calling me that? Im like a foot taller than you, not to mention this beautiful gut.” The heavy set man has a gushing smile on his face as he rushes over to give his big sister a hug, “You still getting treated well up there?”, he says pointing at her petite stomach, “They definitely don’t feed you well enough. I’ll go get started on our famous stew.”

The older woman speaks up, “You have some damn nerve coming back here.”

“Granny, not this again.” The third woman tries to defuse the situation.

The elder spits at her feet, “Always the stick up for her eh? Even after she killed your Father.”

Nico stops what he was doing, “Look at that, we need more veggies, come help me find some kiddo.” He motions to his son and the pair leave the tension filled tent.

“You know she didn’t—“

“Didn’t swing the sword sure,” the Patriarch pauses to cough, “but turning him knowing what the penalty was…” She pauses again to linger on a bittersweet memory before it fades away. “You killed my baby boy. Everything he did…the things he was **** to do… all for his family. Yet you toss him away for what? The approval of a people you just met. The only thing my son every did wrong was fall for that whore you call a mother.” She spits again, although it lands at Alliyson’s feet, she was sure her grandmother was aiming for her face. “I grow tired, I must rest. Whatever you need to discuss do it outside.” With that she laid down and closed her eyes.

Simultaneously furious, saddened, and embarrassed Alliyson again puts a smile on her face, “Sorry to bother you nana, I just wanted to say hi and drop off some money and gifts.” She places a bag on the floor. “Ill have to stop by again when you are more rested. I love you.” She waits for what feels like eternity, but eventually she gives up hope for a response and heads back outside. Her sister catches up with her.

“Sorry about that she has been a shitty mood all week probably because—“

Alliyson cuts her off with a strong embrace, “Thanks sis but it's fine. I planned on staying longer its just that…”

Her sister places a hand on Alliyson’s cheeks, “You don’t have to explain. This is probably harder for you than it is for us. At least out here there are less rules, we get to—“ she stops when she feels tears falling on her hands.

Before her sister can say anything Alliyson knocks her hand away, “Back when it happened, I thought I was doing the right thing. We had been through hell. Seen the worst in people. What the Function offers, I want for everyone!” She takes a moment to regain her composure. “It has to be right…I need to make it right.”

“Slow down girl. You sacrificed too much to be in the position you are in. Don’t waste it doing something stupid. You can’t let that old hag get to ya. Complaining about stuff is the only thing she is useful for now so its all she does. But she misses you as much as the rest of us. Well, almost as much.” The two sister’s laugh and smile at each other, both briefly transported back to simpler times. Shortly after they say their goodbyes and Alliyson heads back across the gate.