The voyage was slow all things considered. If you were lucky and either wind or water was the magic of the day a ship's mage could have sped up the journey fivefold. Unfortunately on this trip, the only star in the sky was that of earth. After five days had passed and cabin fever began to set in Jenabell had had enough. Her hands began to wander to the leather pouch affixed to her belt and slid the polished brass clasp open. Thoughtlessly, she pulled the first card from her pouch. The card in her hand sparkled with a shining blue, and she wasn't sure if it was the card or the long week at sea, but she was sure she could feel the ocean waves rushing against her skin even though she was in the belly of the ship. 

The Leviathan, Isn't that the star of water? I bet this can speed up this voyage. Jenabell turned in her cabin to face the rear of the ship and with the card in her hand, she pushed the air. The meandering ocean current grew into a squall, as though some far-off storm was stirring the seas. Voices from the deck carried down to Jenabell’s cabin.

“Helmsman, what is going on? There’s no wind, but we're moving like our sails are full!”

“I've never seen anything like this sir. And certainly not without leviathan’s aid. It’s like the sea has a mind of its own.”

“Is my ship in any danger?” 

“I can't say for certain, but I don't think the sea’s mean us harm. The current is pushing us directly to port. If it holds, we’ll be in Hiless by sun up.”

“Then leviathan be blessed for our good fortune. I want us in port before this lets up.”

“Yes sir.”

Jenabell placed the card back into her pouch. Back home, she had never had the chance to witness the cards' power. If she could move an entire ship, it scared her to think what power the cards hold. 

True to the helmsman’s prediction, the accelerated ocean squall had the ship in Hiless port before the sun rose a palm's width over the horizon.

As Hiless grew on the horizon, Jenabell’s relief for the end of the voyage slowly turned into a  sense of unease. Hiless was like nothing that Jenabell had ever experienced, she was only just starting to realize how big the world away from home really was. Her ship pulled into the harbor and Jenabell stepped off the gangway into a whole new world.

The pier bustled with people, more than she had ever seen in one place. There were sailors unloading the cargo from their holds, while fishmongers hawked their wares over the relentless din of the shipwrights pounding nails into newly laid wooden planks. Jenabell took her first steps onto land, and soon she was lost in the crowd. With people hurriedly moving every which way it would have been easy for Jenabell to lose her bearings, were the gate to the city proper not such an imposing structure. 

Jenabell slowly cut through the crowd, making her way toward the gate. Every step she took reminded her of the war that had forced her to leave home. Guards in Hilessian regalia stood on each street corner with their swords on proud display at their hips. Even more concerning was the multitude of signs, each saying something along the lines of “Kujei not Welcome,” or "Report all pointed ears to the guard." Rekaela had been home to all sorts of people Kujei and Hilen alike and Jenabell had never heard of a city made from only one people.

The walls of Hiless were famous worldwide for their stature. It was said that when standing at the top of the wall, one could see the entire breadth of the Hilessian empire. This was of course an exaggeration, but it was true that the walls of Hiless did dwarf most any structure in the surrounding area, Hiless hall included. The only thing which broke up the imposing stone structure was the portcullis which housed the twin wooden doors and wrought iron gate that barred entry to the city.

 Jenabell made her way through the crowd up to the city gate. At this time of day, the gate had been drawn and the doors were thrown wide, providing entry to the city. This is not to say that the city was in want of security. The guard checkpoint within the portcullis was heavily staffed at all times, It was impossible to gain entry to the city without going through it. Jenabell did not know what to expect when she approached the checkpoint. She did not have a cart for the guards to search and her meager possessions only took up a small satchel which hung from her back. As the checkpoint grew closer, she noticed that the guards may have been searching people's belongings, but they were also paying special attention to the ears of everyone that passed through. With each person the guards inspected and waved through the gates, Jenabell moved closer to the checkpoint. As she approached the checkpoint and readied her bag to be searched, the world went black.

...

“can't say I've ever seen ears like that before, what's a girl like yer doin' in an 'ole like this?”

Jenabell snapped awake. She looked around trying to get her bearings. Last she could remember, Jenabell had been at the city gates, this looked more like a jail cell. Forget looked like, this was a jail cell!

“Down ‘ere.”

 From the cobblestone wall on which Jenabell leaned she could see a stone slide to the side, and a young boy waved at her from behind the wall.

“Yeep!” Jenabell whipped around, and at her feet lay a young Hilessian boy.

“A guild mate told me that the guards ‘ad brought in someone pretty interestin’. By the looks of it, I’d say they were right.” 

“I... Where am I?” Jenabell rubbed the back of her head and felt where a lump had formed beneath her hair. "How did I get here? I was just at the gate wasn't I?"

“Not from ‘round ‘ere are ya?”

“What gave it away, the ears or the tail?”

The boy chuckled. “Fair enough, but I mean that no one who lives here doesn’t know that the guards are on the guild take.” 

“Who are you, and what is this guild you keep talking about?”

“Come along, I’ll tell ya once were outside.” He reached out and pressed on a rock at the base of the wall, and at his touch, it popped out of the wall revealing a passage behind. The boy waved to Jenabell, beckoning her to follow into the unlit passageway.  

…

A twist and a turn later, Jenabell and the Hilessian boy emerged from the passage on the interior of the Hiless wall. Jenabell looked up at the sky, her eyes watered in the intense sun, but still, it was a relief to see the sky again, even if she hadn't been in that cell for very long.

The boy reached out his hand, “The name’s Kieran, what’s yours?”

“I’m Jenabell. Thanks for getting me out of there, but you still haven’t told me about this guild of yours.” Jenabell said, making no attempt to reach back for Kieran .

“I’m in the thieves guild. Still at the bottom, but after rescuin’ you I’m bound ta get promoted.”

Jenabell gasped. “A thieves guild? What kind of people live by stealing”

“Not everyone in this city gets to live in an ivory tower. For us on the streets, the thieves guild is the only way to survive. And seeing as you’ve already made an enemy of the guards, I’d say ya got nowhere else to go. Come on, I’ll show you the way.”

Kieran grabbed Jenabell’s hand and ran, giving Jenabell no choice but to go along for the ride. The pair made their way across Hiless, taking care on the bustling main roads and the guards that came with them. As the pair ran, the guardhouse drew farther away but Kieran showed no sign of slowing down. Soon the well-paved streets of the harbour district yielded to cracked stone roads and dirt paths just as the market stalls became beggars and the homes gave way to slums.

After what felt like an eternity of running, Jenabell and Kieran arrived in a dead-end alley. At the end of the alley sat a wood slab door with a small shutter about at eye level. A small sign with wood burnt lettering was set above the door. The sign was a bit weathered, but Jenabell could just about make out the name, “Atelier.” 

Jenabell looked at Kieran quizzically. “We’ve been running all day and you brought me to a dead-end? What was even the point of breaking me out? We’re gonna get caught for sure!” 

Kieran chuckled, “I didn’t bring you this far just to get caught. Just watch an’ see.” Kieran walked up to the door and knocked. A second went by before the shutter opened. “I’d like to commission a portrait.”

The man behind the door replied “A portrait huh? What of?”

Kieran tapped his temple, “I was thinking a goat pissin' on the council head.”

“Come in and we’ll work out the details.”

The shudder slid closed, and the man behind the door slid the heavy brass bolt that held the door closed out of place. Kieran gave the old door a hard push, and with a creak, the door flew wide. Unable to contain his excitement, Kieran took Jenabell by the wrist and she let out a yelp at his touch. He pulled her into the blackness beyond the door and turned to Jenabell.

“Well? What do you think?” Kieran exclaimed excitedly.

It took Jenabells eyes a moment to adjust to the dimness of the room that sprawled out in front of her. She didn't know what she had been expecting from Kieran s' so-called thieves guild, but honestly, this was not it. The first thing that struck her was the noise that assailed her ears; the city streets had been practically silent compared to this place. In the middle of the room, long tables stretched from end to end, each filled with people eating, drinking, and shouting just to be heard by the people sitting across from them. Against the far wall of the room, something like a bar appeared to be attracting the most people. A crowd clamoured around the counter while two young women ran from bar to barrel trying to keep up with demand. Conspicuously, however, Jenabell could not see any money exchanging hands. Above the bar, a balcony overlooked the room, though no one stood there now, it looked like the kind of place where a king might address his subjects.

“I don't know what to think, Is this really your thieves guild? Looks more like a tavern from here.”

“Yup! This is the thieves guild alright. You'll find lowlives, pickpockets, and scum of every kind gathered right here in Hiless’s home for the downtrodden, destitute, or those who are just a bit different,” Kieran finally paused to take a breath,” You’re that last one by the way. ‘Place has been booming ever since the war started. Now come on, I'll introduce you to management.”

Kieran grabbed Jenabell by the wrist yet again and pulled her towards a set of stairs leading up to the balcony. Jenabell only had a moment on the balcony to look over the room before being led to a door at the end of the hall. She couldn't see much in the short time she was on the balcony, but she had enough time to get a feeling of how expansive the place really was.

Kieran pounded his whole arm against the door, “Heya chief, it's me! Kieran ! I brought someone you'll want to meet.”

A high-pitched female voice returned Kieran 's call. “Boy, what did I tell you about bothering me. I don’t need you roping my guild into another one of your hair-brained schemes.”

Jenabell leaned in to whisper to Kieran . “Didn’t you say that the guild asked you to rescue me?”

Kieran tried to lean back to whisper to Jenabell, but he had nowhere near the height to reach the ears on top of her head, so he took to shouting instead.”Nah, I just said that we had heard you were someone interesting. I decided to get ya out on me own! Wasn’t a hassle or nuthin’.”

The voice behind the door shouted back. “Someone Interesting? Kieran I swear if you’ve brought trouble to my door again I’ll put you right back on the streets where I found you.”

Kieran nudged Jenabell, “Um… I don’t mean to be any trouble ma’am. I had just arrived in the city when I guess the guard threw me in a cell. Kieran saved me.”

The door creaked open. “Fine, Fine you may come in.”Kieran started towards the door, “Not You! Just her.” 

Kieran reluctantly inched back as Jenabell approached the door. “I’ll just wait out ‘ere for ya. Tell me what she says will ya?”

Jenabell approached the door and as she passed through, the door slammed shut behind her

***

Jenabell timidly entered the room. Barely inside, Jenabell heard a voice shouting from across the room. “Sorry about Kieran , he’s a bit impatient. Welcome to the guild miss…?”

“Oh… uh Jenabell, My name’s Jenabell.” 

“Jenabell huh, interesting name. Come on over and take a seat on the couch.”

Jenabell made her way across the room towards the ratty sofa in the centre of the room where a seemingly young girl was seated. She looked around the room and noticed the general shabbiness of the room. The wood plank floor splintered under a threadbare rug, a shelf of knick-knacks sat slanted behind a stack of books being used as a desk and the dimness of the room was only broken by candles spread haphazardly around the tables in the room. 

The girl beckoned Jenabell over. “Come on, what are you waiting for? I don’t bite… well, often.”

Jenabell took her place across from the girl.

“The name’s Vara. I’m the leader of our little outfit. But uh… more importantly,” Vara said, looking up at Jenabell’s ears, “What are you?” 

“What do you mean what am I? And not to be rude, but you look a little young to be a guild leader.”

“I’ll have you know that I got this job when my father, the last guild leader, bit it. Don’t assume I’m bad at this because I'm only 13. I was born to the guild, I know it better than most anyone. And don’t change the question, no one I’ve ever seen has ears like that.”

“Honestly I don’t quite know. My father once said that I’m a Kisaelen, the only one he’s ever seen, and I’ve never seen another like me either.”

“Never? Where did you come from?”   

“My father found me on the streets when I was little. He raised me as his own and I’ve lived with him ever since. We had all sorts of people visit our shop, but I never saw anyone with ears like these.” Jenabell said, gently caressing the fur on the back of her ears. Her tail whipped around in front of her. “Or a tail for that matter.”

Vara’s eyes grew wide at the sight of Jenabell’s fluffy tail. Unable to contain her excitement, she leapt out of her seat and grabbed Jenabell’s tail. Jenabell couldn’t help but let out a small yelp.

Vara caressed her cheek with Jenabell’s tail. “It’s. So. Fluffy!” 

Jenabell sat awkwardly for a moment while Vara fondled her tail. Unable to take anymore, Jenabell finally spoke up. “Uh… Miss? Aren’t you going to tell me why I’m here?”

Vara’s eyes lit up. “Oh yes sorry. That was rather unbecoming of me.” She said, still not dropping Jenabell’s tail. “So ya just tried to walk through the checkpoint did ya?”

“Was I not supposed to?”

“Maybe if you were Hilen you could have. Ever since the bombing, that checkpoint has been keeping any Kujei out of the city. We heard that the guard had found someone a bit unusual, and anyone who opposes the council is certainly a friend to us.

“But I don’t oppose anyone, why would they arrest me?”

“Because you’re different. This city doesn’t much care for differences. Nowadays, different scares people. All they know is if you’re not us, you must be them. Well, at least it’s what they all think. Bet you would have liked this city before the bombing.” Vara sighed. “I know I did.”

“Bombing?”

“Did you live under a rock or something? Who doesn't know about the Bombing?”

“I’m not really from around here.”

Vara shook her head, “Well no duh. The Kujei bombing started this blasted war. A few months back a group of purists bombed a carriage of royals that was in town for a meeting with the guild council. No one in the carriage survived, and the bodies of the twin heirs were never found. Kujeilen declared war shortly after, and Hiless shut its gates in response.”

Jenabell teared up, “That’s terrible! Why would anyone do such a thing?.”

“Damned purists. They believe that the world is meant for Hilen and Hilen alone. They’d do anything to rid the world of Kujei, even if it means Hilen gets caught in the middle.

Jenabell looked worried, visibly shaking. “I’m starting to get the feeling I shouldn’t be here.”

“It’s not like it’s any better anywhere else. Besides, you're with the guild now. You’ll be safe with us.”

“The guard’s already know what I look like, won't they be coming after me?”

“What kind of a thieves guild would we be if we let the guard cause us problems. You don't have to worry about them. Though maybe try not to linger in one place for too long.”

“On that note...”

“yeah?”

“Are you ever going to let go of my tail?”

“No. Too fluffy.”

***