A sea breeze brushes through Jessicas strawberry blonde hair, the blazing sun causing strands to almost look silver pink as it dances through the wind and her pointed ears peak through. She looks to the ocean and quickly setting sun, to where gulls are diving and squawking in the distance.

Her Elvish eyesight picking up the glittering red and pink hues that jump across the water, blurring out to turquoise and deep blue waves like a kaleidoscope. Palm trees sway and tower over her as she tastes the salt air on her tongue, and coconuts fall to the ground. Sand crunches between her toes as she slowly approaches the water, and she reaches out her hand, as if to grab the setting sun.

Jessica slowly opens her eyes and groans at the familiar grey stone bricks, blinking away the lingering dream of distant oceans. Sunlight trickles in through the wine gossamer sheets covering the arched window and she wonders how late she slept in today.

Pushing off the blankets she gets up and looks out beyond her tower window to the vast green forest and blue skies of the Kingdom of Chantia. The position of the sun suggests its mid-morning and she heads to the bathroom to freshen up.

"Jessica, come down. I need to leave." her aunt Agatha calls from the living area a floor below.

"Coming." Jessica rushes out after dressing in a rich emerald tunic with blue embroidery and black leggings. She takes the spiral stairs two at a time and all but skids into the living area, nearly crashing into the plush red and black themed furnishings.

"Tch, really child. I didn't raise you to act like an animal" her Aunt states coldly. Her black eyes peering down at Jessica and she shrinks a bit from the gaze.

She grimaces. "Sorry. Where are you going today?"

Agatha wore a plain red dress that grazed her black leather boots, and her silky waist length black hair was tied back into a simple braid. She looks Jessica up and down, noting the pretty tunic and strawberry and silver hair bunched into a high bun. Jessicas dark green and silver flecked eyes looking up to meet hers in hope.

"I'm only going to the nearby village and forest to gather herbs; you know the rules. I'll be back by nightfall." She sweeps past Jessica with unnatural grace, leaving the room and descends the spiral stairs without saying another word.

Alone, Jessica slumps into the velvet sofa and looks towards the brick wall. Jessica has lived with her Aunt for the past twenty years within the tall tower that they call home after her parents died from an unknown illness when she was two. She has no idea where they lived, or what they looked like, or much about them at all other than they were simple farmers. Her Aunt refuses to go into detail about them, stating that it's too painful for her to think of her younger sister, and that Jessica should be thankful she has her to look after her.

Jessica shares no features with her aunt whatso ever. Agatha is tall and thin, standing at around 5"8 compared to Jessicas short and curvy figure of 5"3. Some might think she carries a little too much weight, but her breasts are full and her hips sway to give her a womanly allure as she walks. What's most surprising is that Agatha's skin is pale, ethereal white. While Jessicas skin has a golden kiss to it, with warm pink cheeks.

It's surprising because Agatha travels most of the month and often feels the sun against her skin, compared to Jessica who never leaves the tower. Hasn't ever left the tower.

Which is the reason she now lounges along the sofa, glaring at the cracks in the stone wishing for the day she can feel grass beneath her feet. Longing to be able to run through the forest, or to visit the village and have a conversation with someone.

Agatha doesn't make small talk, or talk in general. She lives for efficiency and doesn't care for emotional displays, and Jessica has learnt the hard way that if she pushes for too much information about the outside world, or asks about her parents then her Aunt will peer down at her with her icy gaze and she will shrink down and feel small, insignificant.

From what she can tell, the tower is tall, really tall. There are six perfectly circular floors all with high ceilings and arched windows. Her bedroom being on the top.

She's not allowed below the third floor, as they consist of Agatha's alchemy and potion rooms as well as storage and living courters. They contain dangerous poisons and concoctions, and one wrong knock or spillage could kill her or even erode stone bricks surrounding her. So, it's best if she just stays away.

Jessica isn't sure exactly why she's not allowed outside. Her Aunt says it's to protect her, because there are many dangerous monsters and wicked people out that will wish her harm if given the chance. She doesn't challenge that, as she's spent her life reading about anything and everything. Cherishing every leather-bound page and inky black word that allows her to experience some form of adventure or teach her about the wonders of the realm she was born into.

At first Jessica learnt not to push her Aunt into allowing her outside because she was scared of her, which was the truth for a while. But the more Jessica read, and the more she learnt, she started to understand the tales Agatha used to weave.

You see, in this world people are dangerous, and monsters most definitely do exist. Because in the world of Annale, and every continent that dwells on its surface, magic courses through the air and hums in the blood of all who sleep under its starry sky.

A map of Annale