Kinloch Hold, Dragon 9:18, Kingsway 30
Mara closed her eyes as the brush passed through her hair. It felt very soothing. She had trouble sleeping (again) so she slipped into Jenna's bed. Jenna had a bottom bunk, so she pinned sheets around the bed transforming it into a tent. The makeshift tent had the added benefit of keeping Jenna's light wisp from disturbing the other apprentices sleeping nearby. Mara had gotten into the habit of slipping into Jenna's bed whenever she had trouble sleeping. Jenna always told the best stories.
"... But then one day the wicked witch discovered that Rapunzel was with child. She was absolutely furious. She had thought she took every care to keep Rapunzel from the outside world but somehow it was not enough. Furious, the witch chopped off Rapunzel's glorious hair and took the girl far away, abandoning her in a strange unfamiliar land," Jenna said, her voice gently rising and falling dramatically.
Jenna stopped brushing Mara's hair and spun her around to look into her eyes, making her best angry face. "The witch said to Rapunzel, 'You have disappointed me for the last time, girl. I have given you everything you could desire and this is how you repay me?'"
"Although she was so very scared, Rapunzel bravely met the witch's gaze. 'You have given me everything but freedom.'" Mara said, adopting the role of Rapunzel.
"'Well, it is freedom you want, it is freedom you shall have,' the witch cackled. And then in a puff of dark smoke she was gone, leaving Rapunzel alone and lost." Mara's eyes widened. She opened her mouth to ask a question when a deep voice penetrated their world.
"Apprentice Jenna, it is time for your Harrowing," the voice stated without inflection. Jenna frowned then smiled nervously, seeing Mara's worried expression.
Jenna took a deep breath and hugged Mara. "Relax, Duckling. It will be a piece of cake. Be good. I'll be back before you know it."
"You promise?"
"Of course. You can even stay here and wait for me," Jenna said kissing her on the forehead. "Besides, we have a story to finish. Now go to sleep, duckling."
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The following morning when Mara awoke, Jenna has still not come back yet. She hurried to the washroom to get ready for breakfast and classes. Throughout the day, whenever Mara had a few moments to herself, she came back to check if Jenna was back yet. After wolfing down her lunch, Mara came back to discover a couple of Tranquil mages putting Jenna's things in a box.
"Hey! Don't touch that! What are you doing? Where's Jenna?" Mara demanded snatching a barrette from the Tranquil's hand.
"Apprentice Jenna did not pass her Harrowing," the Tranquil replied in a calm voice. The woman's empty voice and relaxed smile infuriated Mara.
"So? Can't she redo it? I redid my herbalism test!" Mara squawked shrilly. One of the Tranquil regarded Mara for a few moments, while the other finished gathering the things into the box.
"The Harrowing is final," she said simply.
"So they just send her away without saying goodbye or anything?" Mara crossed her arms angrily. The box was packed and the thin mattress was rolled neatly to await the next apprentice to be assigned to that particular bed. Their task completed, the Tranquil turned to leave.
"We cannot answer questions about the Harrowing," the Tranquil said walking away. Mara started to follow but Anya cut her off. Anya smiled cruelly.
"She's dead," Anya said simply. "We're not supposed to know that, of course. But it's true."
"Liar!"
"Why would I lie when the truth would hurt you much more? Fox saw them carrying the body." Mara punched her in the stomach and ran off.
Mara's stomach growled. She pulled her knees up to her chest. When the Enchanters found out she had been fighting again, they sent her to bed without dinner. She frowned, wiping her eyes with a sleeve. Now, she could not sleep again and there would be no stories to make everything okay. She still clutched the wooden barrette tight in her hand. She looked up as she felt a tugging on her robe. Another girl, just a little younger stood by her bed. She could not have been much older than seven.
"Hi," the girl said shyly. "I couldn't sleep. I was wondering if you knew the rest of the story about the girl with the hair." She mumbled her word and stared down at her hands fidgeting. Mara stared at her for a few moments. She wiped her eyes again.
"You were listening?"
The girl nodded. "A few of us were..."
Mara paused. "Well. I suppose I could." She gestured for the girl to sit on the bed with her. Mara sifted so she was sitting cross-legged. She affected Jenna's demeanor. "So, where did we leave off, Duckling?"
"Why call me 'Duckling'? My name is Carla."
Mara smiled, giving her the same answer Jenna always gave when Mara asked the same question. "Because I like lost things."
"That doesn't make sense."
"It's not supposed to."
"Hey! Don't touch that! What are you doing? Where's Jenna?" Mara demanded snatching a barrette from the Tranquil's hand.
"Apprentice Jenna did not pass her Harrowing," the Tranquil replied in a calm voice. The woman's empty voice and relaxed smile infuriated Mara.
"So? Can't she redo it? I redid my herbalism test!" Mara squawked shrilly. One of the Tranquil regarded Mara for a few moments, while the other finished gathering the things into the box.
"The Harrowing is final," she said simply.
"So they just send her away without saying goodbye or anything?" Mara crossed her arms angrily. The box was packed and the thin mattress was rolled neatly to await the next apprentice to be assigned to that particular bed. Their task completed, the Tranquil turned to leave.
"We cannot answer questions about the Harrowing," the Tranquil said walking away. Mara started to follow but Anya cut her off. Anya smiled cruelly.
"She's dead," Anya said simply. "We're not supposed to know that, of course. But it's true."
"Liar!"
"Why would I lie when the truth would hurt you much more? Fox saw them carrying the body." Mara punched her in the stomach and ran off.
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Mara's stomach growled. She pulled her knees up to her chest. When the Enchanters found out she had been fighting again, they sent her to bed without dinner. She frowned, wiping her eyes with a sleeve. Now, she could not sleep again and there would be no stories to make everything okay. She still clutched the wooden barrette tight in her hand. She looked up as she felt a tugging on her robe. Another girl, just a little younger stood by her bed. She could not have been much older than seven.
"Hi," the girl said shyly. "I couldn't sleep. I was wondering if you knew the rest of the story about the girl with the hair." She mumbled her word and stared down at her hands fidgeting. Mara stared at her for a few moments. She wiped her eyes again.
"You were listening?"
The girl nodded. "A few of us were..."
Mara paused. "Well. I suppose I could." She gestured for the girl to sit on the bed with her. Mara sifted so she was sitting cross-legged. She affected Jenna's demeanor. "So, where did we leave off, Duckling?"
"Why call me 'Duckling'? My name is Carla."
Mara smiled, giving her the same answer Jenna always gave when Mara asked the same question. "Because I like lost things."
"That doesn't make sense."
"It's not supposed to."
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