Chapter 10: Thornblood

Content Warning: This chapter contains bullying, prejudice, and violence against a child.

Shani munched happily on her tower of meat, a faint warmth coloring her cheeks with each bite. She had never had food like this at the palace, but somehow, it tasted better than most of the meals she had eaten there.

Shani sat on the lip of the fountain’s basin along with many other children and parents. Some splashed their hands in the basin water, while others threw Dias in and clasped their hands. There was so much movement and energy in the square that Shani had a hard time concentrating on her skewers. But… she still managed to eat it all.

Shani froze as she looked down at her fingers in horror. Dirty. They were dirty. Her fingers were covered in grease and spices. She glanced around anxiously, but the vendor hadn’t given them a napkin. Her stomach dropped. She couldn’t use the fountain… that would be too rude. She could wipe them on her hem… no. She couldn’t do that.

A small laugh caught her attention. Shani looked over to find her mother watching her with an amused expression. Shani frowned. Jamila quickly stifled her laughter.

“Sorry… You want Mama to teach you a magic trick?” she asked, an amused glimmer still in her eyes. Shani was still upset that she laughed at her, but if the choice was a magic trick or walking around with dirty fingers, she would choose the former.

Shani nodded.

Jamila smiled, and one by one, she stuck her fingers in her mouth, licking them clean. Shani’s eyes widened. That was impolite! She looked around anxiously but noticed no one seemed to care. She turned her attention to her fingers and hesitated for a moment before following suit. Her eyes danced nervously around the square, but no one seemed to show any interest in her. Relief washed over her.

Once she was finished, she dipped her fingers into the fountain’s water as her mother had and wiped her wet fingers on her hem. Shani looked at her fingers with bright eyes, admiring her work. A warm hand found its way to her head.

“Good job,” Jamila said, a soft smile pulling at her lips. Shani blushed. She didn’t smile, but her legs kicked the air despite her. Shani leaned back and stared at the sky. Cheers echoed as the beat of drums filled the square. Shani looked up to see a man holding a small drum under his arm as a woman danced around the square.

A basket was left in front of the dancers and people chucked crystals into it. The dancer had a copper tint to her skin, and her straight hair was a deep black that shifted blue under the sky. Jewels covered her body, but more than that, Shani noticed the sparkle in her eyes when she looked towards the drummer. The same sparkle her mother had at times.

Shani’s mouth formed a thin line. “Mama…” she mumbled. Jamila turned her gaze away from the crowd and back towards her daughter.

“Why… Why don’t they have to wear a bracelet?” she asked, her eyes slightly sad as she looked up at Jamila. Jamila froze. Her mouth opened and shut.

She took a big breath. “Because… they are a spectacle from far away. Sullivians… are a little too close to home,” Jamila explained. Her tone was curt, and her eyes hardened as she watched the gawking crowd.

Shani tilted her head. She didn’t understand… but her mother looked uncomfortable. She wanted Jamila to enjoy the day with her. So she swallowed the questions and looked toward the dancer. She was pretty… and she had round ears.

Perhaps… if Shani had round ears she could also be a spectacle.

Jamila and Shani watched the dancer and her partner in silence as Shani finished her other meat stick. The dancer looked so happy, and Shani couldn’t help but feel jealous. But for what, she didn’t know. Once the dancer had finished four songs, she offered a courteous bow.

“You have all been lovely! If you are ever in Sol, look us up!” she said. Shani was surprised to hear a bit of an accent.

“Sol, huh…” Jamila mumbled, running a finger over her lower lip. Shani looked up at her confused. Jamila smiled, but didn’t say anything else. She supposed it wasn’t for her to hear.

The dancer grabbed her partner’s hand, and the pair disappeared into the crowd. Shani watched them leave. She wished she had given the pretty lady something. That was what everyone else was doing, after all.

Chatter filled the square, and Shani noticed her mother’s gaze wandering over the crowd. Jamila stood and brushed off her dress. “Stay here for me, lovely. Mama has a job to do.”

Jamila’s smile was bright. She pulled her hood further down her head. Shani’s stomach dropped. She reached out and grabbed Jamila’s sleeve.

Shani looked up at her. “You want me to stay alone? Can’t I come with you?”

Jamila shook her head.

“Sorry, love, but I can’t watch you and review the city… I promise I won’t be gone long.” Jamila stroked her daughter’s cheek. Shani leaned in but didn’t budge. Her heart thundered. Jamila sighed with a sad smile and motioned toward one of the knights nearby. “Valen will keep you safe, and I’ll be back before you know it.”

Shani glanced between the hidden knight and her mom. She bit her lip but let go of her sleeve. “Come back quickly…”

Jamila smiled and pulled her daughter closer until their foreheads touched. Then she offered a small wave before disappearing into the crowd. Shani sighed. She would be back soon.

Shani sat at the fountain humming a song while she waited for her mother to return. It was still quite busy, but the noise had died down a lot. They were having some kind of block party. People pulled out fresh vegetables and prepared them together while the men assembled a bonfire.

Laughter filled the square, and Shani yawned. She wondered how much longer her mother was going to be gone. She was beginning to feel tired. She leaned back and stared up at the sky, watching the clouds fly by. They looked grayer than usual. Perhaps a storm was coming.

Shani sighed. Fall was coming to a close, and the first snow would come soon. And in a couple months… her birthday. She thought about what she would want this year. Caelis would probably give her another book. Hopefully this one would be interesting.

“Hey…” Shani froze. She pulled her gaze from the sky and looked in front of her. A trio of girls who seemed to be a couple of years older than Shani stood before her. One had short blonde hair and was lean, like Shani, but she was only a few inches taller.

She wore much nicer clothes than the other two. Her chin was lifted as she looked down at Shani. A circlet rested around her head, with jewels covering her wrists. They weren’t as nice as the things her uncle brought Shani, but they were still pretty.

Then there was a burly-looking one with long silver hair. She was thicker, but Shani thought she had a pretty face. She and the last girl wore clothes similar to Shani’s. And the last one looked super twitchy. She was covered in freckles. The short blonde stood in the center with an annoyed look on her face.

“I said hey… are you broken?” she asked as she cocked her head. Shani’s eyes widened.

“I’m not broken…” she mumbled. The girl held up her hands.

“Oh, you do speak… anyway… where did you get that?” she asked as she pointed at Shani’s crystal bangle. Shani looked between the girl and her wrist. She pulled her hand closer.

“My dad gave it to me… I don’t know where he got it,” she muttered. The girls looked at each other for a moment.

“Can I try it on?” the blonde one asked. Shani shook her head.

“Come on, I’ll give it right back!” she pleaded.

“I said no.” Shani glared at the girls, her shoulders rising. The blonde girl’s face flushed red.

“No? Do you have any idea who my dad is?” she snapped as she pointed an accusatory finger at Shani. This time it was Shani’s turn to cock her head.

“Should I care?” she asked. She didn’t know who this girl was, but she knew one thing. Mama and her uncle were bigger than any other adult in Gildan. Shani turned her attention away, and the girl began to tremble.

“Why you…”

“L… Let’s just go… she said no,” the freckled one said, pulling on the blonde’s sleeve. The blonde scoffed but turned and began to walk away. Shani relaxed, her shoulders falling as her hand loosened in her lap. A smile spread across the blonde one’s lips.

Confusion crossed Shani’s face. Then a large shadow enveloped her. Shani let out a scream as the silver-haired girl wrapped her arms around Shani’s shoulders and hoisted her until her feet no longer touched the ground. She kicked and flailed, but the girl was strong. And Shani couldn’t get any leverage. She glanced around anxiously. People noticed, but no one was doing anything. She could hear whispers.

Oh, it’s lady Bonnie…

Poor girl…

Best not to get involved with that family.

Frustration surged through Shani. She looked for Valen and spotted him, but he didn’t look worried at all. A giggle caught Shani’s attention, and she looked back toward the blonde, who was prancing toward her with a pleased smile.

Shani struggled more, but it was useless.

“Well, well… looks like you changed your mind,” the older girl said with a snicker. Shani bit her lip. The blonde grabbed Shani’s wrist and began to pull off the bracelet.

“I will take this,” she said with a sickening smile. Shani felt the blood drain from her face. If she took it… would she get in trouble? It was a gift… and it was still day. She wasn’t allowed to take it off yet. She wouldn’t let this brat take what was hers.

“I said… no!” Shani screamed, kicking the girl as hard as she could. The girl’s eyes widened as the sound of cracking bones filled Shani’s ears. Then… the blonde flew a couple of feet away from Shani. Silence filled the square, broken only by the sound of the blonde girl throwing up. Shani was sure she saw something red coming from the girl’s mouth.

She felt cold.

And then she noticed… she didn’t feel numb.

Shani looked at her wrist and froze. Her skin… it was warm brown. She began to tremble as she glanced over. Lying beside the sick girl was her bracelet. The freckled girl’s scream broke the silence as the burly one dropped Shani. She flinched as her knees clashed against the cobblestone. Something warm trickled over them. When she rose shakily, she noticed blood spotting her knees.

It hurts… No… Don’t cry.

“It’s a Thornblood!” someone screamed. Shani caught her reflection in the water and felt tears prick her eyes. She ran over to the passed-out blonde and retrieved her bracelet. She put it back on as quickly as she could. She trembled as she looked around. All eyes were on her. Some showed fear, others rage and hatred.

But why? She was hurt too.

A rock flew from the crowd and struck Shani in the shoulder. She flinched.

“Get out of our town beast!” a man yelled. That was all it took. Kids and adults began throwing stones at Shani, screaming profanities she didn’t understand. One struck Shani in the head. Warm blood ran down her temple, catching in her hair. Shani squatted down, covering her head with her arms and curling in on herself. Pebbles struck her arms and back as she curled tighter.

“Begone, Prick-ear!”

“Just die!”

“Go back to where you belong!”

A few voices protested. She was only a child. They should just throw her out. But those voices were quickly drowned out.

Tears fell down Shani’s cheeks. She looked at Valen, her eyes pleading, begging for help but he was… smirking? Why? Wasn’t he supposed to protect her? Wasn’t that his job? Her lips trembled. Her whole body shook.

It hurts… Do I really have to not cry?

“Mama!” Shani wailed. The sound echoed off the buildings. The blows stopped. Shani opened her eyes. Her mother stood in front of her, hood fallen back and arms spread wide. A cut marked her cheek. Jamila scanned the crowd, her eyes narrower than Shani had ever seen.

“Mama…” Shani whimpered. Jamila looked back, her eyes widening as she took in her daughter. Jamila removed her cloak and draped it over the shivering child. She motioned and then a woman who Shani was sure she had seen at the palace approached her mother.

“Find out who threw the first stone…” she ordered. Her tone was colder than Shani had ever heard. The woman bowed. Only then did Valen finally step forward. Shani noticed he looked sweatier than he had been moments before.

“Your majesty! I—”

A slap rang through the square. A welt bloomed across the knight’s cheek. Her mother’s hand trembled at her side, already turning red. Valen gritted his teeth and dropped his head.

“We will discuss this further at the palace,” Jamila hissed. Shani swallowed hard. She reached up and gripped Jamila’s skirt. Tears filled her mother’s eyes, but none fell.

“Mama… can we please go home now?” Shani asked through tears. Jamila nodded. She reached down to grab her daughter but paused. She looked at her hand. It looked a lot puffier than it had a minute ago. Jamila sighed and motioned toward another man in the crowd. He stepped forward. Shani knew from his posture it was another knight.

“Pick up the princess… please,” Jamila said with a weak smile. The knight saluted and easily lifted Shani into his arms. Jamila turned back toward the crowd.

“A knight will stay behind to take each of your statements. After reviewing those statements… I will decide what punishment you all shall receive.” Jamila’s voice carried over the space.

“You will all be punished, but depending on who drew royal blood, some of you will get off easier than others.”

Pleas echoed through the square. Jamila ignored them and walked straight ahead. A knight moved ahead of her, pushing the crowd apart. The knight holding Shani followed closely behind. Jamila offered her ribbon to the aide, and their carriage arrived shortly after.

Jamila walked in first and the knight placed Shani in the seat beside her. Jamila knocked on the ceiling and the carriage took off. As soon as they were moving, tears fell down her cheeks. Shani reached out and wiped one away.

“I’m okay, Mama…” Shani said with a small, tired smile. Jamila shattered. She pulled her daughter close and began to bawl. Shani clung to her mother’s back, but her tears were all dried up.

“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Shani,” she cried, stroking her daughter’s hair. Blood matted several strands together. It hurt, but being in her mother’s arms helped the pain some.

Shani glanced out the window as they left. Only one thought came to her.

She never wanted to leave the palace again.