Getting Along, Part I
One morning, Oshal found himself walking through the corridors of Skwyr Castle with Kurgm and Zifor, on their way to breakfast after the Sun Welcoming Ceremony. He liked that Zifor was going back to the Temple of the Rising Sun, and, based on the warm fuzzy feelings he got from Zifor’s parents, so did they. Even if Zifor was only going because he wanted to talk to Sirshi, although Oshal wasn’t supposed to know that. After a year of learning under Lady Durwey, Oshal still had trouble tuning out the emotions of everyone around him. He didn’t want to eavesdrop on people, but sometimes they were feeling something so strongly that he couldn’t help it.
As they approached the great hall, they came across Roshil and Aonva. They were almost always together, which made Oshal happy. He and his father had both been worried about Roshil making friends, but she was happy with Aonva, and Oshal was happy for her.
“Hello, Roshil,” Oshal said.
The happiness his sister had been feeling vanished like water from a desert. Her world turned gray, and the ground started to shake.
“Hi.”
Oshal’s initial instinct was the assumption that those emotions were directed at him, but he couldn’t imagine that he’d done something. Was she angry about him weaving emotions into her head almost a year ago?
The panic and fear of that day returned to him. Oshal hadn’t dared tried to weave emotion into anyone, even during practice. How could he when it could all go so wrong?
“How are you?” Oshal asked, expanding his reach to everyone else.
The usually nice and slightly passive Zifor was displaying uncharacteristic hostility. As much as Oshal didn’t want to believe it was toward his sister, he knew it was. Everyone was like that around Roshil. He’d hoped Zifor would be better, but the evidence was clear.
While Aonva was terrified, as usual, something different was coming from Kurgm. Something foul, something unpleasant, something that felt an awful lot like guilt. What had he done? Did it involve the reason that Kurgm didn’t talk to Aonva anymore?
“Fine,” Roshil said. “How are you?”
“I’m alright.” Oshal motioned to his friends. “Have you met Apprentice Zifor?”
“No.”
“I see the others,” Zifor said, leaving before he had to say anything else.
“I don’t need to meet him,” Roshil said. “He’s just like everyone else.”
“That’s not fair,” Kurgm said. “Zifor’s—”
“I don’t remember asking your opinion,” Roshil snapped.
The anger inside her burst forth. People ran for shelter. Volcanoes erupted. It all made one thing clear: Roshil was mad at Kurgm.
“Why would you?” Kurgm snapped back. “You don’t care what anyone else thinks. You break the rules regardless, right?”
Oshal found it hard to argue against that. His sister’s relationship with the rules wasn’t a good one. She mostly saw rules as obstacles to overcome, making a problem more challenging to solve. She didn’t just go around breaking rules, though.
“At least I look out for my friends!” Roshil shot back.
“Is that what you call that bracelet you made for Aonva? Looking out for her?”
“You don’t get to talk about her like that!”
“What did I do?”
Aonva felt like a mouse against a lion. Even though Oshal couldn’t see it, he could sense her looking for the exits. She wanted to run and hide as fast as possible, getting out of the line of fire. If his friends cared so much about her, they needed to stop yelling and upsetting her.
“That’s quite enough.” A presence that radiated authority stepped in to stop the shouting match. Master Ekla kept herself between Kurgm and Roshil, acting as a barrier to the war of words. “Whatever this is doesn’t have to be done here. Or at all, for that matter. Both of you, move along.”
Without another word, Roshil entered the great hall, with Aonva behind her. Roshil still radiated anger, which clashed with the fear that came from Aonva. Oshal was confident that together they’d be okay. He didn’t know what was wrong, but Aonva would calm Roshil down.
“Apprentice Kurgm, I expect better of you,” Master Ekla said. “Public disputes don’t need raised voices. Calm heads will always prevail. Learn that lesson now. It will serve you countless times in the future.”
“Yes, Master Ekla.” Kurgm’s voice held a cocktail of emotions. A dash of resentment, a splash of anger, and still what Oshal was sure was guilt. What had happened between him and Aonva? It had upset Roshil to the point of anger. And what was the bracelet Roshil had made for Aonva? Oshal knew there was a lot more to this argument.
“Apprentice Oshal, how are you?” Warmth spread out from Master Ekla, making the flowers grow and the sun shine. It reminded him of his mother.
“Confused, but alright. How are you?”
“Fine.” The sigh that accompanied it told Oshal that the word “fine” didn’t begin to summarize how Master Ekla was feeling. The weather in her mind changed several times before settling back down. Once again, she reminded Oshal a lot of his mother.
“You two, go get some food. After breakfast, Apprentice Kurgm, we’ll continue this conversation.”
“Yes, Master Ekla.”
Kurgm led Oshal to the table with their friends. They were just in time for the officers to enter the great hall and begin breakfast.
“What was that about?” Demndun asked.
“Apprentice Roshil,” Kurgm said.
“She’s so creepy,” Zifor said. “I can’t stand those eyes.”
“Please don’t talk about my sister like that.”
After that, the conversation ended. With Cremwa away on her fifth-year assignment, there was far less gossip at the table. Oshal was still curious about what had happened. Why was his sister so angry at Kurgm? Judging by his guilt, Oshal guessed that it had something to do with Aonva. But what was bothering them both so much? Whatever it was, it was upsetting them, so Oshal made up his mind that he was going to help.