While Naini left to go start breakfast, Tua helped me change back at her room. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlI6EiI2P89
I quickly ripped off the muddy clothing behind the wooden screen and slid into a white fitted, high-necked, short-sleeved coat that hit just above the knees and fanned out at the waist, straight-cut trousers, and my favorite black leather boots that stopped right below my knee caps. Tua donned a bright yellow long dress filled with lots of folds, pleating, and a cinched waist, worn over a long sleeved top. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYfoEHCDu5
To multitask in an attempt to get to some food faster, I braided my dark wavy mess to the side while Tua helped me with my sash, the final piece of my ensemble. I could tell she was still upset since she yanked and tightened the dark green fabric around my waist until I coughed.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyti8CFVSI
As much as I should hate her, I can't. I don't know much about Tua’s past other than the fact that her family was involved in an incident that resulted in them being banished from the village and leaving Tua behind. I wouldn't dare ask her about it. I can tell the situation still bothers her even though it happened a while ago. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXAgZ2tkgRO
She used be be so sweet. I would watch her prance around the village, running errands for elders and entertaining the children from time to time. Now, she's a cold soul who keeps to herself. I try my best to cheer her up but it'll take time for her wounds to heal. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngIwfdTr8h
“Want me to braid your hair, T?” I strained. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDaQ9Q9Wrr
I'll have to loosen my sash once I leave. She stopped walking around the room for a second. I could have sworn she sniffed but when she turned to face me, she looked like her usual self. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyAGNphLYgW
“No thanks. I'll just tie it back for now.” 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0AwkG8V9k1
Tua grabbed a red string from atop her great wardrobe and wrapped it around the bottom half of her hair. I was glad she didn't completely leave her locks untouched.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68k7YpD1DA
Tua had gorgeous hair so pale that it was almost white, sleek, smooth as silk, and hit just above her waist. Her frosty locks suited her striking blue eyes and toasty skin perfectly. Her delicate features stood out even more when her hair was tied back. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPabL1WEMEh
Tua sat down on the edge of her cot and slowly slid on a pair of the most beautiful woven flats I'd ever seen. They were a deep wine color with a plethora of golden flowers decorating the toes. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHkpst5Wz86
When she rose up, miniature streams were stained on her face and the whites of her eyes had changed to a light shade of pink. She brushed nonexistent wrinkles out of her dress and shuffled past me, out the door, and towards the main part of the house. Boisterous clicks filled the awkward silence then gradually faded out, leaving another less-than-desirable silence. I let out a long sigh and walked off in the same direction, struggling to fix my own clothes as I went.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFVY9Iaizs
I could smell the delicious food almost halfway across the compound. My stomach rumbled with excitement and I broke out into a light jog in order to appease my growing appetite. Finally reaching the kitchen, I snuck a strawberry while simultaneously giving Naini a tiny peck. Tua was already sitting at the table blankly staring off into the stars. She'd paled out and a look of pure absence took up the space usually reserved for disgusted looks at me. At least her tears were gone. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQtnoIqv159
I sat beside her and gave a playful nudge at her side. My eyes asked if she was okay. Tua responded with a sad smile and a nod so small it almost went unnoticed. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWvaRTC6e7O
“Are you both ready for the big day?” asked Naini. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwrfuiPMl4
Big day? Shoot. I almost forgot. Today marked the start of the graduation exams at Coven. Coven was the huge training center where all young Yanzenians attended to learn the necessary skills needed to keep everyday life going. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrZUnyKc5ga
From warriors, to healers, to breeders, magic majors and so on, every role was important and special; or so they said. There were painfully obvious lines of demarcation between the jobs no matter how much the capital tried to market equality. Some were more respected than others and had a higher earning. This was understandable, but in a place pushing for equality between everyone in the community, they had a horrible way of dealing with it. Discrimination wasn’t that uncommon either. Those who were well off were mostly treated better and had more opportunities than those born with the short end of the stick. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAW4YsCACXy
Due to these circumstances, you could study whatever you wanted, including the more respected careers, but that didn't guarantee you a job, unfortunately. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKHu1yHyP5
“Nervous?” asked Tua in that usual condescending tone of her's.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBAd1srSqNS
And she's back. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlC3gNjw6hs
With an intense glare, I shot back. “No way.” Raising a brow, I could feel the oncoming jab like how the world feels a bit duller before a disaster and said, “I'll still never understand why you decided to be an Illinad. You know, just because it has a pretty name, doesn't mean it's all gold and precious jewels."708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZuOvR8ZmDZ
Illinads were an elite group of secret guards who often went on missions outside of Yanzen to protect the people from underlying threats. “An absolute snob such as yourself would never get her hands dirty on purpose. You can barely do chores around the house without whining.”708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CJkvJi31I
“Hey! I’m serious about being an Illinad. They're just so fascinating. Plus, I get an insight into state affairs. Wouldn't you like to know about-” 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG4RMC1cBGP
“Enough!” Naini's voice was stern. I froze. That was unlike her. “You can talk about that on your way to Coven. Look! The food’s already getting cold and it's almost time for you two to leave. Hurry up and eat something.” She cleared her throat then switched back to her yellow personality. I wonder what that was about.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo568ycf4D1
Breakfast consisted of steamed eggs and rice porridge with fresh tomatoes on the side. Sadly, I didn't get to finish but, then again, neither did Tua. Naini walked us over to the front door, handing us our passes and cloaks thick enough to withstand the bone-chilling air of a Yanzenian winter. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknMD0IbV54
“Best of luck to you both.” Naini gave us a smile warm enough to melt Tua’s icy heart and patted the tops of our heads while pushing us off to our likely doom. The graduation exams at Coven were no joke. “Off you go! Focus and do well! I didn't raise failures!” Naini called out just as we passed the gate of our compound. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gGKm6qiHs
I turned around to offer a last wave, but I was shown another different side of Naini. She looked worried and a bit flustered. Once she noticed that I was looking back at her, her trademark happy demeanor returned and she mouthed something I couldn't make out. I twisted on my heels, nearly smacking into Tua, and continued walking with her down the path leading out of Haqir, accompanied by some of the other aspiring graduates of the year.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjwL6aQh0g4
“Someone's as clumsy as ever,” muttered my favorite icicle.708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTGYWqKOFW7
"Indeed, I am. You, on the other hand, are surprisingly a little less venomous than you are on a regular basis, especially after I made you cry this morning. Sorry about that.” Something shifted in her again just like earlier, but instead of putting on a facade, she let her emotions flow just as freely as her river of tears. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3nrq7fWp48
“Oh, that was nothing. Some old memories of my family just flashed in my mind. There's no need to be sorry." 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoh6ntqFzFd
I felt awful. Now that I think about it, Tua did tell me stories in the past about her mother braiding her hair when she was young and how it was her most beloved time of day. How could I have been so stupid? I have family issues myself, so as to how I could be so inconsiderate with my words, I don't know. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNxaW6NP6ih
She must have noticed the regret painted on my face because she stopped in the middle of the road, ignored the irritated whispers around her, grabbed both of my hands and slowly enunciated her next words. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIekjIPOqyE
“I. Am. Fine. I already told you that I'm fine. If you really want to make up for it, then wipe that gloomy look off of your face. It was an honest mistake. Their banishment happened so long ago. I should be over it by now.” 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIeHkvFr6sZ
I understood what she was saying and granted her wish by giving an obnoxiously wide smile flashing all of my teeth, to which she rolled her eyes at. We continued our stroll down the path in silence and I used that time to think over Tua’s last statement. 708Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOQbR02Ix6w
She didn't have to be over her family’s banishment. I definitely wasn't over what happened to my parents, whatever happened to them. I still think about my mother’s singing and lessons from time to time. I still tell myself the rooster tale every morning when I am awoken from my deep sleep by those wonderful, pesky devils. I think about them so that I don't forget more than what I already have. Abruptly, I was broken out of my second dream-like state of the day by a familiar deep voice.
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