Taking Back The Crown – Part Eight

“Seta, do you ever still talk with your old mentor?” Sonya asked, casually. They were finishing up a training session early. It was Sonya’s 14^th birthday today.

 “Not really. He went back to his home town. We sent letters at first, but then we lost contact.” Seta began. “We were never really that close.”

 “Really? Despite all the time you spent together?”

 “He was very formal. You know, the others criticize me sometimes for being too casual with you. They were worried…” Seta stopped and paused.

 “Worried about what?” They walked towards the doorway.

 “It doesn’t matter.” Seta was blushing. It was the first time Sonya had seen him embarrassed. She blushed too when she realized what they were worried about.

 They went their separate ways to bathe before dinner. When Sonya reached her room, she was still red-cheeked. Seta was over ten years older than her. The entire idea of him… and her. It was ridiculous. That was why he had been embarrassed. Her eyes were watering and a dull ache weighed down her chest. What was most ridiculous of all was that she had much bigger things to worry about than the absurd crush she had on her mentor.

 It had been four years since she’d come here. It was time she showed some initiative and found out what had happened to her country, the one that she had been born to protect. She had planned to go when everyone was sleeping, but if she stayed here then she’d only be miserable. She looked in the mirror and summoned a black cloak, darkened her brown hair and made small changes to her face that made her look older.

 Sonya looked at her watch. She had an hour before it was time for dinner. That meant she had just less than five hours on Earth.

Advertisement

Taking Back The Crown: Part Six

Sonya landed on her back, in the main room of the training ground, panting. Seta must have already been inside the room. Within seconds he was standing over her, looking at her injury. He yelled to someone outside the room to get the medic.

“Seta?” Sonya’s voice was weak.

“Yes? What happened to you?” Seta was trying to sit her up so he could look at the laceration on her back.

“I don’t think my mother’s coming back.”

“Do you have any other family? A home to go back to?” He was now attempting to stem the blood pouring from her wound. Sonya shook her head.

“It’s not safe.”

When the medic had used his magic to treat Sonya’s wound, she was taken upstairs to a small room with a slightly thicker futon than the one she’d been sleeping on.

“Whose room is this?” Sonya asked.

“It’s yours now.” Seta explained. “You can stay in this training ground and learn our ways. I’ve seen you meditating and doing your exercises, you’re capable of graduating from this school.” He paused. “I… I thought the elders would resist. They don’t like strangers. But… they trust me. And they have a feeling about you, they said.”

Sonya sat, silent, for a few moments before responding. “Thank you. For everything. But why?”

Seta frowned. “You’re just a child. You shouldn’t be on your own.” He told her to get some rest, and then left.

Sonya buried her head in her pillow. Just a child! If he knew who she was, he wouldn’t say that! She was a Litian heir. She possessed magical power that other magicians could only dream of. No injury could kill her. She felt like a fraud, pretending to be defenceless when in reality she was just a coward who didn’t know where else to go. Ashamed, she cried until she finally fell asleep.