Chapter 1: The Plan

Written: 10.04.04 Edited: 1.27.04 by Me

Note: I’m surprised that you all like Sarah. She had been visualized as one of the many villains in the story. Lol. Her character came out completely different, but she’s still pretty ruthless as you’ll find out later in the story. I have it planned out to a point.

This story is a part of my Eneles universe. (same universe as Dark Skies which is currently being rewritten. The Lord Michael mentioned in this story is from the Dark Skies story.)

Some Explanations:

God: A single deity ruling over the world. God is referred to in texts with male pronouns thus resulting in a feeling of superiority in males. It is believed that Lord Michael talked God into opening a gateway which leads to the birth of the world in the past of which they now reside. Erk, did that make sense?

Lord Michael: A historical figure responsible for the continental split that ultimately saved Azalea from destruction during a raging war between Lord Michael and rebellious nobles. He is also allegedly responsible for the creation of the world. Azalea reveres him, and he has been integrated into their religion. The people of Azalea worship him even above God.

--

Brendan sighed as he collapsed on his bed. He was finally finished with all that paperwork and he damned the person who had invented so many laws and legal processes to go through. If he had known, he would have listened to his father’s advice about filling out all the paperwork once he inherited everything. Of course, he hadn’t anticipated on inheriting everything at such an early age. Closing his eyes, Brendan thought back to that night the summer manor had burned down, and willed down the heartache. Everything in the manor had burned into bleak grey ashes, including his parents. So, at the tender age of nine, Brendan had inherited the Golding estate, properties and possessions.

Slapping himself lightly, he quickly decided to go for a walk around the manor to clear his head. The back gardens seemed to be a nice place to go. The greenery and fresh scent of the plants and flowers always managed to calm and refresh him. It had become a place of retreat for him and he would sorely miss it.

He left his room quietly and began walking down the long hall before he was quickly grabbed aside by someone. He let out a muffled yelp as he was dragged into a room and flailed about wildly until he heard a familiar voice say in a reprimanding tone, “Oh hush Brendan. You don’t want us to get caught now do you?”

Brendan looked at his sister in surprise as she closed the door with a soft click. He said in a bewildered tone, “Sarah, what are you doing?”

Sarah rolled her eyes and said, “Plotting obviously. It’s what I do best.”

Brendan groaned and said with more than a hint of exasperation, “Haven’t I gotten into enough trouble with your devious mind? I’m not going to sit here and listen to this. I’m going to the gardens.” He made to move past her to the door but she blocked the door with a stubbornness that made him wary.

Sarah said, “You aren’t going anywhere. You are going to stay here and listen to me. I’ve thought of a way to insure a longer life for you and it’ll fit in perfectly with my nefarious plot to become ruler of this kingdom.”

Brendan said incredulously, “What?” Oh dear Lord Michael, what had he done to deserve this?

Sarah ignored him and said, “You and I are going to switch places the night before our departure to the capital city. When you meet with the Crown Prince, you will reveal your identity and force him to persuade his father to pardon you or we will both die. You see, law dictates that should a woman masquerade as a man, she will be sentenced death. The prince loves me dearly and will let no harm befall me. The king is old and weary. He will listen to his only son and heir even if it takes a while to persuade him. The council we will deal with later. No one else should know of this incident so it will be as if nothing ever happened. It will work out fine if all goes according to plan.”

Brendan was about to cry out shrilly about the absurdity of the plan but Sarah held a hand firmly over his mouth before he could get any words out.

She said, “If you’re going to speak, speak calmly and softly. We don’t want to be overheard.” Brendan nodded slowly and she withdrew her hand.

He said in a quiet but rushed tone full of emotion, “It’s not going to work! I’m a man and you’re a woman! It worked when we were younger because we really did look alike, but we’ve both grown up! You’ve got curves and I’ve broader shoulders and an adam’s apple. My voice and your voice aren’t the same either. They’ll notice right away and we’ll both be dead!”

Sarah said, “You can wear a veil until you meet the prince as tradition requires it. As a precautionary measure, you’ll wear a scarf around your neck or some form of jewelry. Pardon me for saying so brother, but you aren’t exactly a very masculine man. You are very slender and your voice isn’t deep. With a bit of work we can make it work. I also don’t think we shall be departing quite as soon as you think. It would be a bit odd if we left in a rush. Preparations need to be made and they are just beginning to leak out to the public the knowledge that you become afflicted with some unknown disease. We can use the time to work out the details. We have about two weeks at the most. The hot season is almost ending as the days are getting cooler and shorter. And I am going to teach you to how lie and become a ruthless person, or at least front it.”

Brendan’s eyes widened and he said angrily, “No. I won’t do it, Sarah.”

Sarah looked at him levelly and said, “You have no choice in the matter Brendan.”

Brendan glared at her and said, “Just like I had no choice in the matter of you impersonating me and getting me into trouble with your foolish conspiracy? Sarah stop! Once I die, I want you to stop thinking of such folly things. You’re already engaged to the prince! You are going to be the future queen of this kingdom. Does that not satisfy you? Leave me be Sarah! Consider this your punishment from God for stepping beyond your boundaries. It will be a small price to pay compared to what will happen if you actually succeed. You’ll bring down the wrath of God and Lord Michael will return to bring peace to the land.”

Sarah looked at him with a deadly calm that made him nervous. She said quietly with slow deliberate precision, “Stepping beyond my boundaries? Punishment from God? I believe in no such things. These so called boundaries that bind me were made by man, just as God was made by man. You are my brother Brendan, and I love you so I forgive you the angry thoughtless words you just spewed. I know you are better than those men who believe themselves to better than women. You are just angry at your situation. Because you are my brother, I will not let you die. You will be with me every step of the way. I will make sure of that.”

Brendan closed his eyes as he slid to the floor. He said in anguish, “Why won’t you let me die in peace? Why must you make my life more complicated Sarah?”

Sarah said sternly, “Because I love you. I don’t mean to do it, but that’s what family is for, complicating your bloody life.”

Brendan let out a bitter laugh and said, “Fine, do what you will. I don’t care anymore.” He sulked silently in the corner waiting for her to tell him the exact details of her ludicrous plan.

Sarah smiled blithely and said, “Oh good. I expected you to put up more of a struggle. I think I’ve worn you down over the years, brother dear.”

Brendan said dryly, “Yes you have Sarah. Even someone with infinite amounts of patience would be worn down by you, you damned unconventional woman.”

Sarah beamed, “It’s quite nice to know you’ve recovered quickly enough to be your usual snarky and reluctant troublemaking self again. Now on to the details of the plan; your favorite old woman should be here soon.”

Brendan scowled and said, “You dragged Madame Cara into this? How could you! She’s old and frail. Leave her out of this!” He glared venomously at his twin sister and was shocked when she suddenly slapped him hard enough to leave a mark.

Sarah said in a trembling voice of rage, “I am not as selfish and ruthless as you think Brendan. Have you stopped to think what would happen to her if you died Brendan? She thinks of you as her own child and she has no other family that we know of. Have you thought of what would happen to me, your twin? Our connection is closer than that of regular brothers and sisters. We need you in our lives Brendan. You are our light and we won’t let you be taken away so easily.”

Brendan gaped at her as he held his face. He couldn’t reply so he didn’t. They stood in awkward silence for a while before there was a soft knock on the door. Sarah opened it and allowed Madame Cara entrance.

Only then did Sarah actually begin to inform Brendan to the specific details of her plan.

--

True to Sarah’s word, they were to depart in approximately two weeks. The next two weeks the twins were inseparable and no one thought it to be odd. Sarah gave Brendan lessons on how to lie, seem ruthless, and worst of all, how to be a woman. He found out that being a woman entailed a great deal of work that he’d rather not put up with. She also told him stories of her times with the prince and instructed him on how to act. He found out that his sister’s demeanor completely changed when it came to the prince, and he found this faked persona rather scary. He knew his sister wasn’t a kind or gentle woman though she did care deeply for the few people who were lucky enough to incur her favor. Unfortunately for the smitten prince, he wasn’t on that list.

The day before their departure Sarah and Madame Cara visited Brendan. Brendan bit his lower lip in worry as he watched Madam Cara cut off Sarah’s long beautiful hair.

They had both already changed into their respective outfits. Sarah was dressed in a crisp white shirt with a dark forest green tunic over it, dark brown leather breeches, and black boots. She had bound her chest before leaving her room. Brendan was dressed in a long pale blue flowing gown that reached the floor. The sleeves were long but loose and a scarf lay on the bed.

He looked at the face paints and powders that lay before him and scowled before reluctantly picking up the paper with the pale pink lip paint and placing it between his lips and pressed his lips together. Next he picked up the big brush and put a bit of light pink orange powder on his upper cheeks before evening it out with some skin colored power. He scowled at the amused expressions on his sister and granny’s face. He said, “This isn’t funny.”

Sarah smiled bemusedly and said, “We didn’t say anything. Don’t scowl; it’ll ruin all your hard work.”

Brendan glared at her balefully before picking up a metal contraption that was meant to curl his lashes. He had successfully mastered it rather quickly fear of becoming blind, and no longer poked himself in the eye. He curled the lashes on both his eyes before picking up a smaller brush and dabbing some more powder on it. He closed his eyes and gently applied the powder to his eyelids. He opened his eyes and looked in the mirror, scowling. He looked very feminine.

Madam Cara said softly with a smile, “You look very lovely Bren.”

Brendan said with a pout of a spoiled child, “I don’t want to look lovely. I want to look handsome.”

Sarah coughed as she was applying powder to her face and said, “You’ll always look lovely brother. I don’t think you’ll ever really be handsome.”

Brendan glared at her and said, “Why are you putting powder on? You’re pretending to be a man.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and said, “I’m pretending to be an extremely effeminate boy. But if you must know, I’m trying to look a little more masculine. Face paint and powder isn’t always used to make one look pretty. It’s useful for disguises too, but I doubt the dainty little dolls at court have even thought of that.”

Brendan sighed as his sister finished up and she did look a little less feminine, although not by much. But then it was true. He really did have an effeminate look to him.

Sarah turned towards Brendan and began scrutinizing him. She said, “You’re missing something.”

He said nervously as he pointed at the scarf, “Uh, that?”

Sarah shook her head and said, “No, that’s not it.”

Brendan fidgeted and said, “That really expensive wig?” He had cringed when his sister told him the amount the wig had cost.

Sarah scowled and said, “Not that either.”

Madame Cara shook her head as she smiled and pulled out a box. She opened it to reveal long white gold earrings, bangles of bracelets and a thick white gold necklace. Sarah’s eyes lit up and said, “That’s it! Jewelry! I completely forgot. The necklace will cover up most of your neck so you don’t even really need the scarf.”

Brendan struggled to stay still as Madam Cara snapped the necklace into place. The cool metal was flexible but felt unfamiliar. The earrings were a little better to deal with as even male nobility wore them as a sign of wealth, power and rank. The bangles of bracelets were light and if he imagined them to be weights such as those he had used during training, he felt a little better.

He put the wig on, adjusting it slightly with some help before wrapping the veil around his head. He looked almost exactly as Sarah had when she entered save for the addition of jewelry.

Sarah nodded her approval and said, “Great you look just like me! Now practice speaking.”

Brendan twitched before speaking in a soft demure voice, “I am Lady Sarah Golding. I am a seemingly gentle, modest, and kind bitch who’s planning to take over the world.”

Sarah chucked him upside the head, smiling, and said in a mock serious tone, “Azalea is hardly ‘the world’ brother dearest, although our xenophobic royalty have led us to believe so after thousands of years of being cut off from the other continents.”

Brendan said, “Yes, yes, the royalty are a bunch of nitwits who are filled with paranoia and haven’t a clue as to how to rule a country. I’ve heard this speech many a time sister dearest.”

Sarah hit him lightly on the arm before turning to Madam Cara and said, “Well?”

Madame Cara smiled her approval and nodded.

--

Sarah handed the man a bag filled with gold coins under watchful public and royalty employed eyes. A hooded cloak shadowed her face to everyone but the man she faced.She said quietly and coldly, “I expect you to get the job done. Make sure your men strike them halfway on the journey home. Make it look like they’ve been attacked by bandits. Leave no man, woman, or child alive. Make the deaths quick and dispose of any evidence. Do I make myself clear?”

The man bowed in a hobbled slow manner, and said, “Yes, my lord, thank you. I’ll able to feed my wife and children until I find a new lord. I am truly grateful.”

Sarah then said in a light kind tone, “Wish your wife and children well for me, good sir.”

The man bowed and said, “Thank you my lord. We are in your debt.”

Sarah said, “Think nothing of it.” She climbed into the carriage, feeling the heavy weight of herdark hooded cloak,and sat next to Brendan, who was already falling asleep. She smiled fondly at him. She gave the old woman a glance, and saw her smiling in the same affectionate way. They acknowledged each other briefly before ignoring each other. Each looked out the window with wary eyes toward the future. Brendan slept soundly as the carriage began to move. The crowd began to yell departing cries to their precious lord who, in their eyes, was going to the capital to be treated.

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End chapter 1

Noodle: First review for the story. P Thanks, I’m glad you feel the language flows nicely. It’s a nice compliment.

Darkdreams69: Heh, Sarah is just like that. Brendan is there to stop her from going extremely overboard … but as you can see, he’s failed horribly. x

Staris: lol. Yes poor Brendan. I’m sure we’ll all be thinking that again and again as the story progresses. XD

ManIACjAcKaL: I’ve continued so there’s no need for threats. Lol. I’ve hoped you’ve stopped choking by now. XD;

Rikki Hyperion: beams I liked how you phrased your review lol. Yesh, Sarah is uber like that and Brendan is adorable.

ankhbearer3: here’s more.

Thanks for reading!