Revealed at last...

[anarchist_queen]

Bordertown Hilton

Her name wasn't Leda yet. But in the remembrance, the present day intruded slightly.

She didn't know what had prompted the trip. To tell the truth she didn't even really understand where they were. All she knew was that her mother had woken her in the middle of the night, and taken her through a part of the palace she'd never seen before. There seemed to be a lot going on there. She'd tried on some clothes with her mother, then they had met her father in the stables.

She had giggled to see her father dressed like one of the stable-men. They were playing dress up! Then they had ridden really far. It made her bottom hurt. The place they'd stayed the next day was nice, but she missed her room back home, and her dolls and toys. The story books her governess read to her. Tales of brave Elves and noble humans fighting dragons and monsters and things.

They'd ridden again that night, and then came to this place. This strange sounding, and strange smelling city. And now here they were. The bed was almost as bouncy as the one at home, but the room was tiny in comparison.

“Where are we Mommy?” she asked, as her mother washed Leda's hair.

Her mother tilted Leda's head back and poured water from the bath into her hair to rinse out the shampoo. Leda wrinkled her nose. Back home she'd always gotten her hair washed with shampoo that smelled like the forest. This one just smelled like...well not like the forest.

“We're in Bordertown, Dearest Treasure.” her mother answered her.

That was what her mother had always called her. Her father just called her Treasure. She could see him through the open door of the bath chamber. He looked worried. And that had her worried. She never saw him look worried or unsure. Of course she could always tell when he was worried because his expression would be unreadable. The rest of the time he smiled warmly and laughed often. She looked at her mother then, and knew, despite the brave front she was putting up for her daughter, she was worried too.

All that almost made her forget the magical word she had just heard. Bordertown. She was filled with curiosity about this place. She had heard it in whispers in the palace. It was mysterious, and somewhat scary.

“Mommy what's wrong?” she asked. Her tiny hand reached up to touch her mother's cheek soothingly. It left a streak of suds. The idea of her own wee daughter trying to comfort her must have been very funny for it made her laugh and kiss the top of Leda's head. But a sudden knock at the door made her turn quickly.

Her father rose, and her mother froze. “Time to get out of the bath.” she said. She tried to sound calm for her daughter's sake, but Leda wasn't fooled.

“Yes?” her father said, not approaching the door.

“Room service.”

Her mother didn't bother with a towel. Leda simply suddenly found herself dry. It was a simple enough spell that worked perfectly, even in the unpredictable environment of Bordertown. She grabbed a t-shirt they had bought at a shop shortly after their arrival. They had bought clothes that Leda thought looked quite strange.

“It will help us blend in.” her father had told her. “So we don't look like tourists.”

“What's a tourist?”

Now Leda found herself wearing a t-shirt that was so big on her that it worked as a nightgown. The word “Florida” was written across the chest in big orange letters.

Leda's father crossed to the door and looked out the peep hole. “We didn't order any-”

Something long, thin, and sharp shot through the peep hole, penetrating her father's eye, stabbing deep into his brain, and killing him instantly. Leda's world seemed to shrink. Everything lost focus but her father's twitching body. Someone was screaming and she never did decide if it was her or her mother.

The door burst open, revealing a figure blacker than the darkest night. Their skin was almost as dark as the coal black suit he was wearing. Without pause, he drew a knife and flung it at her mother. A shield spell met Bordertown and the blade was only deflected from it's course, striking her in the shoulder.

“Run!” Leda's mother shouted, diving at the assassin. He himself had not stopped moving once. The instant the knife left his hand, he dove forward for the pair. A wicked sword, skinnier than a rapier was in his hand.

Her mother's expression was terrifying. Leda had seen her angry before. Usually at her. But never had she seen it this fierce and dangerous. Leda's mother produced a ball of lightning in her hand. The blast knocked their attacker across the room and away from the door, but he rose quickly. He grinned at the expression of shock on her mother's face.

“Supposed to kill me right? Welcome to Bordertown your Majesty.” He leaped with blinding speed, skewering her mother through the stomach and Leda's paralysis broke. She ran blindly into the hall.

Behind her, she heard the bad man scream in pain and anger, then again. But then her mother screamed. And this scream was cut off rather abruptly. Leda risked a glance back, only to see the black figure step out through the door, and grin at her. Blood came from his mouth, and one ruined eye socket. But he was still on his feet.

“Come here darlin'. Your parents had an accident, but don't worry. Uncle Corwyn will take care of you.”

Leda squeaked with terror, and felt something give in her. It would be a long time before anyone would ever hear a coherent word from her again. She turned to run, but didn't know where to go. Then she saw something. Something that looked, almost, like her mother. It was standing at the end of the hall by an open hatch. She knew somehow that this was her way out. She ran as fast as her tiny legs could carry her, but she could hear the assassin catching up with her. She was almost there when she felt him grab her shoulder.

Then the white lady she had glimpsed earlier appeared again. It rushed at the man, shrieking an unearthly wail that froze Leda's blood. The assassin reacted much worse than that. He screamed in sudden terror, recoiling, and crashed backwards through the window.

Leda didn't stop to see what happened next. She leaped through the hatch, tumbling down the chute on the other side. Though she was battered by the sides on the way down, her landing was soft, if foul smelling. Echoing down the chute, she could hear shouting. She didn't know if more people besides the bad man were after her, so she ran, limping, and stumbling over the crumpled body of the assassin as she went. She ran until the sounds of shouting died away. She ran until she could no longer see the hotel where her parents lay dead. Soon she was lost in the maze of alleyways and ruins of Soho. And the legends of the White Lady, and the Lost Heir were born.