Skwyr Court

The next day, Sirshi returned to the Temple of the Rising Sun. She didn’t know when to arrive, so she got there before the sun was up. She was tired and wished she could’ve gotten something to eat before arriving. She walked through the main chamber and into Master Moudren’s chambers.

“Good morning, Apprentice Sirshi.”

Master Moudren, seated at her desk, greeted her with a smile. Master Daktra looked as thrilled to be there as Sirshi was. He stood off to the side, arms folded.

Sirshi stood at attention. It made her nervous to think that they appeared to have been waiting for her.

“We’re glad you arrived early,” Moudren said. Her voice was calm and cheerful, no different than any other time of day. How could she be happy all the time? “I wanted you to tell me what happened two days ago.”

Sirshi frowned at Daktra. Hadn’t he already told Master Moudren?

“I… I got angry, and I broke the statue in the Meditation Room.” She bowed her head. “I’m very sorry. I can understand if you don’t want me to be in the temple anymore.”

“I don’t think we need to go that far,” Master Moudren said. “One mustn’t punish the sun for setting early because it’s cold outside. What made you so upset?”

“My half-sister, Master Ekla.”

“Is she likely to do so again?”

Sirshi wanted to say no, but she knew that was a lie. Being around Ekla, hearing her voice, seeing that condescending look she always had drove her mad.

“It’s hard to be around her without getting angry. And I think I’m friends with her apprentice.”

“You don’t know if he’s her apprentice,” Master Daktra said, “or you don’t know if you’re friends?”

“I’ve… never really had friends before. But Roshil’s a lot like me, and she spends time with Kurgm and Aonva, so… I guess?”

“It would be a problem if this happened again,” Master Moudren said. “But avoiding your sister would be unrealistic.”

I’ve been doing it for almost a year and a half. But things are different now.

Despite everything, the thought of Roshil made her smile. Just someone else that didn’t seem to fit in or had a “bad attitude”.

“I’d like to work with you on managing this,” Master Moudren said. “If you can stay calm enough around your sister, then I believe our problem will be solved. We will still have to discuss the Flower Blooming Ceremony, but I’ll leave the position open.”

Sirshi opened her mouth to correct her to “half-sister”, but closed it, realizing she was being given a second chance. Arguing with Master Moudren would do her no good.

“Thank you, Master Moudren.”

“Think nothing of it. Just because the sun burns hot, doesn’t mean it can’t also burn bright. This will mean I will take over your apprenticeship from Master Daktra. Is that acceptable?”

Sirshi exchanged glances with Master Daktra. They had both known this was likely to happen. Master Daktra wasn’t a priest of Olmgra, which is what Sirshi had always wanted to be. Once her rotation ended, they’d be separated.

Daktra nodded at her.

“That’s fine,” Sirshi said, returning her focus to Master Moudren.

The way Master Moudren smiled at her made her feel that she’d made the right decision. She’d always liked Master Moudren. She was never upset at her or disappointed in her.

“That will be all. Please get something to eat before this morning’s ceremony.”

When Sirshi walked into the main chamber, people were already arriving for the Sun Welcoming Ceremony. That meant she didn’t have a lot of time to get something to eat before starting. She made her way to the castle exit, when someone called her name.

“Good to see you back, Apprentice Sirshi,” a woman Sirshi didn’t know said. Sirshi was sure the woman had been there before. She must’ve been almost as old as Lady Emgard. “Master Moudren said you were sick. Poor dear. Are you feeling better?”

“Much better,” she said, with a slight bow of courtesy to hide her impatience. “Thank you. May Olmgra smile upon you.”

“Thank you so much, dear. You too.”

Sirshi made her way out into the castle, where she found someone else waiting for her.

“Good morning.” Roshil held out a pouch of granola. “Master Grund said you’d be hungry.”

“How… why?”

“I think he knows everything.” Roshil glanced around as though someone were watching. She lowered her voice. “I think he can hear everything in the castle.”

Even if that were true, which Sirshi was sure it wasn’t, why would he spend time looking after Sirshi? Did Master Moudren send word to him to send Roshil? Why them?

“Master Moudren probably told him,” Sirshi said, taking the bag and putting a piece in her mouth. It was dry, and tasted only faintly of fruit, but it was food, and Sirshi couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so hungry.

“Yeah,” Roshil scoffed. “That’s just as exciting.”

Sirshi swallowed the dry food. “Did you bring something to drink?”

Roshil handed her a pouch of water, which she gladly excepted.

“Did they kick you out?” Roshil asked.

“What? No, of course not. I mean… I thought they were going to, but Master Moudren said I have to work on managing my anger with her from now on.”

“That’s nothing. People are always telling me I have to manage my anger. ‘Roshil, it’s not polite to growl at people.’ ‘Roshil, we don’t shove people into furnaces.’ ‘I don’t care what your father said, breaking and entering is against the rules.’”

Sirshi stared at her. The idea that this was how Ekla felt talking to her flickered into her mind for the briefest moment. It was replaced by the memory of talking to Daylarl. Nothing about him had made him seem like the kind of person that would approve of breaking and entering. Maybe that was the point.

“That’s good that you’re still here,” Roshil said, ignoring Sirshi’s stare. “What about your flower thing?”

“The Flower Blooming Ceremony? Master Moudren said she’d have to think about it. Only if she feels that I’m ready for it.” She took another drink of water. “Your father seemed nice.”

“He is!” Roshil jumped as she spoke. “We moved here over five years ago, but he made friends right away. He and Oshal are good at that. Especially since…” She ruffled her hair, and her enthusiasm drained away. “I’m here.”

“I’ve been wondering… why is your hair like that? And… your eyes.” Sirshi glanced at Roshil’s eyes, but had to look away. There was something unnatural about them, something Sirshi couldn’t place. Looking at them felt… wrong. A slow, creeping feeling in the back of her mind that said nothing was ever supposed to look like that.

“I was cursed,” Roshil said. “And… I don’t like talking about it.”

Sirshi still had a lot of questions. Who or what cursed her? When had it happened? Roshil must’ve talked to Lord Grund about it, so there was probably nothing the Court could do about it.

She couldn’t imagine being like that. Cursed forever, with no way to reverse it.

Why would Olmgra allow someone to be cursed like that?

Sirshi knew Olmgra, like most deities, didn’t tend to humanity like a shepherd tended her flock. As Master Daktra had taught her, “If they did everything for us, we’d never learn to do it ourselves.” Deities weren’t a crutch, they were a helping, guiding hand. Still, it was hard to hold onto hope knowing something like what happened to Roshil could happen to anyone.

Make today a bright day.

She smiled at Roshil. She didn’t want to pity her; Sirshi hated it when people pitied her. She only wanted to see Roshil smile back. And that she did.

“Make today a bright day,” Sirshi said.

“Like fireworks,” Roshil replied.

Sirshi laughed, then started coughing as she choked on her water.

“Are you okay? Did you stop breathing? That’s important, you shouldn’t do that.”

“I’m fine,” Sirshi said, her voice hoarse. “Really. Just inhaled some water.”

Sirshi cleared her throat a few times after she stopped coughing. She glanced at the temple entrance, then realized that she probably needed to get her robes on before it got any later.

“I’d better go,” she said. She handed the empty pouches to Roshil. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome!” Roshil said in her too-loud voice. “If you’re still hungry after your ceremony thing, you can eat breakfast with us.”

“I’d like that,” Sirshi said.

Roshil grinned, then turned and left.

Sirshi watched her go, then turned back to the temple. She decided that if Roshil could keep smiling, she would too. She would make today a bright day.

#VolumeOne #ManagingAnger

Oshal stood outside the entrance to the apprentices’ rooms. He tapped his walking stick while he waited for his sister and her friends to arrive. Getting a little impatient, he followed her thread and checked on her.

“She’s awake,” he said to the empty corridor. “That’s a good sign.”

The thought of being in the castle with his sister still filled him with excitement. It helped to distract him from worrying about their father. Was he alright on his own? Was he worried about them? He’d been worried about Roshil for the past seven months. As Oshal’s thirteenth birthday had approached, Oshal felt his father’s worry growing. He’d sensed it many times before, but for almost six years, their mother hadn’t been there to quell it.

Oshal turned his thoughts to his sister’s friends. As he did, one of the doors to their rooms opened.

It’s a magic door, so you can’t leave your room without the bauble.

Oshal felt the small orb in a pouch on his belt. He’d learned quickly to keep things in the same place so he’d be able to find them again.

“Good morning, Oshal.”

A wave of anxiety and fear hit him as Aonva walked out. Her mind was a constant storm, a torrent of emotion and a gale of anxiety threatening to toss her aside. She seemed calm enough on the outside, so Oshal never mentioned it to her.

“Good morning, Aonva. How did you sleep?”

“Alright. Are you still planning to go to the Flower Blooming Ceremony?”

“I am.” He followed the threads connecting him to Sirshi and Kurgm. “Sirshi and Kurgm are already there.”

“Good.” A brief flicker of sun broke the storm, but it was swallowed soon after.

“Roshil will be down shortly,” he said. “She’s always been a little slow to rise.”

“I’m usually the one waiting for her here. She always makes it, but it’d be nice if she could move a little faster. I keep worrying we’re going to be late for breakfast, but today I keep reminding myself that it is early, and the ceremony will be before breakfast. Well, not exactly before, but there will be time for breakfast later, unless Master Kaernin needs something from me earlier, but I don’t think he would, he knows I’m going to the ceremony, and he never forgets anything, at least he’s never forgotten anything I’ve told him, but he hardly speaks, so how would I know if he did, but I…”

Aonva stopped talking and took a breath. The storm had developed into a hurricane, tossing her about like a rag doll thrown by an angry child.

“Master Kaernin will look out for you,” Oshal said before she could start talking again. “No need to worry.”

“Of course not. You’re right. Thank you.”

The storm quieted down, and Oshal knew he’d said the right thing. Despite what his sister seemed to think, he didn’t always, so it was nice when he did.

“You’re welcome.”

He smiled at her, but it didn’t help her as much as it did Roshil or their father. Oshal checked on Roshil again, just in time to find her leaving her room.

“Good morning, Roshil.”

Roshil’s excitement went off like a volcano, hurtling her toward him. She stopped herself before she knocked him over, but her hugs could still feel like a snake trying to crush him.

“Good morning!” she said before letting him go. “Is this everyone? Are the others already there? Good morning, Aonva!”

“Morning,” Aonva said in a quiet voice. She was still afraid, but the storm had died down completely, leaving only dark clouds in its wake. It was still in contrast to the explosion of bright excitement from his sister.

“We’re the last ones,” Oshal said.

Oshal smiled at how happy his sister was. She’d been like that ever since he’d arrived the previous day, a stark contrast to the attitude to which he’d grown accustomed. Normally his sister was miserable, dark, dreary, and angry. But here in the castle, she was happy, and he was happy she was happy. It was all he’d ever wanted.

The three of them set off toward the Temple of the Rising Sun. Aonva led the way, with Roshil walking slower to stay with Oshal.

“I’m fine, really,” Oshal said. “I can follow you two.”

“Do you start with Our Lady Grand Weaver today?” Aonva asked.

“I do. It’s strange calling her Master Durwey now. She’s nice, I think. It’s hard to tell. She says I’ll learn how to conceal my emotions from other weavers like she does.”

According to Master Durwey, that day’s lesson would be learning to tune out other peoples’ emotions, which was fine with Oshal. She’d told him other weavers had to learn to listen to the threads; he’d always been able to hear them too well, a fact of which he was reminded when they reached the temple.

The moment they stepped through the door, the usual tingling feeling was accompanied by a wave of emotion. Joy, fear, hope, love, even a little anger met him like a swirl of hundreds of paints on fire. He stepped back, recoiling from the sudden onslaught of emotion.

“It’s okay,” Roshil whispered. “We don’t have to stay if you don’t want.”

“I’m fine.” Oshal smiled as he adjusted to the sudden input. “It caught me off guard, that’s all.”

As they walked inside, not only did the noise fade, but the emotion changed. Whispers broke out around them, and any positive emotions were replaced with anger, discomfort, and fear. Oshal frowned as he felt it.

“What’s going on?” he whispered.

“Why’s everyone staring at us?” Aonva asked.

Oshal sensed Kurgm in the crowd, one of the few people not upset in some way. He came over to them, just as confused as they were.

“Glad you three could make it,” he said.

“Where’s Sirshi?” Roshil asked. Her happiness was replaced with anger and frustration. Oshal sensed her in front of him, keeping herself between him and the other people.

“She’s ready for the ceremony,” Kurgm said. Oshal heard his feet move. In a louder voice, he said, “Is something wrong?”

“What’s she doing here?” one person asked, an older woman by the sound of her voice. If Oshal couldn’t sense her hatred, he could’ve heard it in her voice.

Oshal sensed Sirshi enter the main chamber.

“You made it,” she said. Her happiness didn’t last long, giving way to confusion. “What’s going on?”

“Someone allowed that girl in here,” the woman said. Murmurs of agreement came from the crowd.

“I invited her,” Sirshi said. She moved next to Roshil. “She’s my friend.”

A lump formed in the pit of Oshal’s stomach. They were talking about Roshil. Why were they so angry at her? What had she done?

“I should leave,” Roshil said. All the bright happiness she’d felt dried up and faded away, leaving her empty.

“You don’t have to do that,” Sirshi said. In a louder voice, she added, “You’ve spent the past month cleaning and fixing the statues here.”

Pointing that out didn’t make matters any better. People became concerned instead, and no warmer toward Roshil.

“I’ll go,” Roshil said. “Thanks for inviting me, but… I know when I’m not wanted.”

Oshal felt anger boiling up in Sirshi’s mind. For a moment, he wasn’t sure she’d hold her temper, but Roshil acted first.

“I’m not worth getting angry over,” she said. “I’ll see you later.”

Roshil turned and started out of the temple. Oshal and Aonva turned and followed her. A few moments after they walked through the door back to the castle, Kurgm walked in behind them.

“Don’t you want to stay?” Aonva asked.

“Not if they’re going to treat my friends that way,” he said. “Sirshi said she’ll talk to Master Moudren so that never happens again.”

“It will,” Roshil said, her voice devoid of emotion. “That’s what people do.”

Oshal was used to Roshil’s pessimism, and like every other time he’d felt it, he hoped she was wrong.

#VolumeOne #TheOnesWeLove

The four of them walked in silence to breakfast. Their collective gloom cast a shadow around them. Oshal couldn’t feel anything else. He forced himself to stay positive, but he didn’t say anything. Knowing Roshil, talking about it would only upset her.

Their silence persisted through breakfast. The din of emotion from the other apprentices and their masters didn’t do much to drown out the sadness his sister felt. She poked and prodded a few pieces of food, but hardly touched any of it.

What saddened Oshal most was the thought of how happy she’d been when he’d arrived the previous day. Her cheerful demeanor had stuck with her, and he’d thought for a moment that she’d be happy in the castle. But she wasn’t happy anymore. It wasn’t unlike their first few days in the court. People stared at them, often uncomfortable around them. Their father insisted it was because they were new, but Roshil had insisted on staying inside after that. She’d always been treated differently, and had decided it was best to avoid people.

As breakfast ended, Master Durwey fetched Oshal. Like the previous day, he couldn’t feel much from her, but for a brief moment, he felt a flicker of discomfort from her, the same as he’d felt from everyone around them. He ignored it and bid farewell to his friends. Kurgm wished him well on his first day as an apprentice, Aonva softly corrected that to first full day, but his sister said nothing. While Oshal wanted to stay with her, he knew he’d have to go. Hopefully she’d be feeling better at dinner.

Master Durwey led him out of the great hall. As they moved away from it, the emotions of the other people in the castle faded away.

“Most of your time will be spent with me,” she said. “There are classes: history and social structure, both of Skwyr and the other kingdoms; science and mathematics; language studies, including Arcane. As a weaver, it won’t be as important to learn magic, but you’ll need to know a basic message spell, so you will need to learn Arcane. Special accommodations will be made, of course, given your condition.”

“It’s the same teachers I’ve had, isn’t it?” Oshal asked.

“Yes, of course. They’ll be familiar with you by now.”

Oshal couldn’t sense how Master Durwey felt, but he was familiar enough with how people reacted when they first met him. They were always flustered and uncertain around him. Most people were curious about him, since the bandages around what used to be his eyes were a giveaway that something had happened to him.

As they walked, Master Durwey would point out places, only to remember that Oshal couldn’t see. Despite her apologies, Oshal wasn’t bothered by it. He missed being able to see sometimes, but more often than that he wished people would stop treating him differently.

“You will have someone to escort you around the castle,” she said after the fourth time she apologized for pointing to something he couldn’t see.

“I can find my classes from the teachers, but my sister would be happy to walk with me if she needed to.”

“Your sister is not responsible for you here.” While he didn’t sense it from her, he heard anger in her voice. “I am. Unless you have class, I will be walking with you wherever we need to go.”

“But—”

“That’s the end of it.”

Oshal had intended to say that he didn’t need anyone to walk with him. He didn’t know when Roshil would need to walk with him at all. But Master Durwey continued on.

“It’s clear by your abilities that you don’t need to learn to sense others’ emotions, but instead that you need to learn to control it.”

“Crowds are difficult.”

“They can be at first. After we teach you control, you’ll need to learn to mask yourself from other weavers. You can already follow threads to other people, so we’ll also work on sending emotions along the threads.”

Oshal had learned about many of the abilities of a weaver after his parents had found out how easily he could sense emotions. After his mother had explained it to him, his first question had been about Roshil. She’d always been so lonely, he wanted to know if he could make her feel happy.

“You have to be responsible,” his mother had said. “Don’t assume that you know better than anyone else what’s best for them.”

They walked through the castle until they came to a stop. Oshal didn’t sense anyone around them, so they weren’t at another room. He waited for Master Durwey to tell him where they were, rather than waste time asking.

“Today we’ll start by isolating you from people,” Master Durwey said. “We’re going to go out into the forest and sit alone for a time. This should give you a break from the noise.”

Oshal nodded. He used to think that one day he would grow used to the constant noise, but he never did. The feelings of others always swirled around him. He always knew how his father and sister were feeling. At least, he had, until Roshil had gone to the castle. It’d been a long seven months without her, but he was with her now, so she’d be okay. They both would.

He followed Master Durwey. A tingle spread through his body, causing him to jump.

“It’s alright. All the doors do that. You’ll have to get used to it. It’s why you never want to lose that bauble I gave you.”

Oshal knew the bauble was in one of the pouches on his belt. Everything was always where it was supposed to be, so he could find it later. He wondered if Roshil had lost hers. She wasn’t always organized, getting too caught up in her latest project to notice when something was wrong. He knew why she was like that; it helped her shut out everything else. He liked her that way, rather than being sad all the time.

The ground underneath his feet turned from stone to dirt. The echoes of voices were replaced by the ruffling of leaves. He didn’t sense anyone else outside with them. The noise of emotion faded away as they walked farther from the castle.

“How’s your head?” Master Durwey asked.

“Much better, thank you.”

“Good. We’ll be walking back and forth a few times. When you’re inside the castle, find this feeling again. It will keep you grounded in yourself. It’s also a good first step toward masking your own emotions from other weavers.”

Oshal nodded while studying how he felt. Calm, peaceful. Nothing else in the world was a problem. He could still sense a few threads, but he knew whose they were. One of them was Roshil’s, another was their father’s. There were a few with which he was becoming more familiar, those of his new friends.

Then there was his thread. The thread Oshal didn’t dare touch. The one he hoped he never had to follow. Despite reassurances that its owner couldn’t track it back to him, it still scared him.

“Are you alright?” Master Durwey asked.

Oshal focused on the other threads, on the calm noises of the outdoors. It was peaceful here, and he loved it.

“Good. I’m glad you’re learning. It won’t be perfect, and it’s always possible to lose control when you feel strong emotions.”

Oshal wondered if that’s what happened whenever Master Durwey was around Roshil. Why did everyone seem to think there was something wrong with his sister?

The wind rustled the trees as they walked into the forest. He heard sounds of animals flitting from tree to tree. There were no threads, and not much in the way of emotions. His mother had told him that animals feel emotions differently than humans do, which is why weaving didn’t work on animals.

Then he sensed something else. Something human. Something human in the trees.

“That’s probably one of the druids,” Master Durwey said. Oshal heard her whisper something. After a pause, she took his arm.

“We’re going back to the castle now,” she said in a low voice. “Don’t make any sudden moves.”

He sensed confusion and fear from the other human, but it quickly changed to anger. It grew into a chorus of screeching and shouting animals, threatened by something new.

Or angry people, threatened by someone different.

He remembered the feeling of so much negativity concentrated toward his sister. He didn’t want anyone to feel like that, nor to feel how his sister had felt.

Oshal gathered his thoughts before the rage could overwhelm him. Everything else dropped away, leaving only he and that thread.

“Don’t be afraid. We’re friendly.”

The anger faded away, leaving curiosity in its wake, like when a dog sniffed his hand.

He smiled.

“My name’s Oshal. What’s yours?”

“Apprentice Oshal, stop. Return to the castle at once.”

Oshal had learned early on that only select pieces of information could be gleamed from the threads. Emotions, a sense of location, but also basic facts about a person, like their name and gender. That’s why he knew the other human was a boy.

And a word came into his head: Nourd.

Nourd stayed in the trees, motionless. Lady Durwey grabbed Oshal’s arm.

“Now.”

Nourd was confused, curious, but more afraid than anything. The moment Lady Durwey began leading Oshal back to the castle, he fled.

As Oshal walked back to the castle, his thoughts stayed on Nourd. He could still sense the thread that led back to him, but he wanted to know more. Had Oshal’s kindness helped? It didn’t always help, but it was nice when it did.

“You are not to go into the forest without a master accompanying you,” Lady Durwey said. “There’s a reason for that. We don’t know who or what that was, apart from human and not from the court.”

“His name is Nourd.”

“I’m glad you’re capable of picking that out of the thread, but you shouldn’t introduce yourself to every passerby. There are dangerous creatures out there.”

“I know.”

Master Durwey stopped walking.

“Of course, you do. That was foolish of me to say.”

As they walked back through the forest, it wasn’t the dragon that came to Oshal’s mind, but the people from the temple. He liked Nourd already, at least enough to want to know more about him. Nourd had listened to Oshal; he’d been curious about him. But the people at the temple had already made up their minds about him and his sister. Why couldn’t people listen?

#VolumeOne #TheOnesWeLove

“How was your first day?” Aonva asked at dinner. With Kurgm and Sirshi still with their respective masters, it was only Oshal, Aonva, and Roshil at dinner. Roshil was feeling better, at least enough that she wasn’t miserable anymore.

Oshal concentrated on the forest. The peace and quiet. The birds chirping as they returned for the warm season. The rustling of the leaves. As he did, the white noise of emotion slowly faded away. He could focus on his sister and Aonva.

“I think I made a new friend.”

Oshal explained what had happened in the forest. After he was finished, he sensed his sister’s skepticism, which he still preferred over misery.

“I’m no expert,” she said, “but I don’t think that’s how friends work.”

“Was everything alright?” Aonva asked. Her worry came through clearly, in both her voice and over her thread.

“We were fine,” Oshal said. “I don’t think he meant us any harm. He was confused about why we were there. I think he was more scared of us.”

“What did Lady Durwey say?” Aonva asked.

“That we’d go back later after she talked with Grand Master Gorkle.”

That calmed Aonva a little. Oshal was starting to think she was always worried about something. In particular, she seemed worried about Roshil. Before that morning, Oshal had thought there was nothing about which either of them needed to worry, that Roshil was a lot happier in the castle than she’d ever been in the city. Now he wasn’t sure.

“So long as they take good care of you,” Roshil said.

“They are.” Oshal smiled to reassure them both. Everything was fine. “What about you two? How were your days?”

“Quiet,” Aonva said. “Master Kaernin doesn’t say much. It’s important not to waste words, he says, since words hold power, and we should be responsible with it. I’m not very good at it, though. I keep getting nervous and talking too much.”

Judging by her rising anxiety, Oshal figured that was happening again. It was like a storm kept forming inside her head. Dark clouds rolled in over a once peaceful sea. Aonva herself was on a boat trying to reach the shore, but the waves tossed her boat away before she could ever reach it.

“That’s okay,” Oshal said, hoping to calm the storm. “I like it when you talk.”

“See?” Roshil said. “It’s not just me.”

The storm in Aonva’s head died down, although the sun didn’t come out yet. It was still there, waiting for her to drop her guard. In an instant, the storm could reform, and she hadn’t reached the shore yet.

“What about you?” Oshal asked his sister, hoping to avoid talking about that morning at all.

“I’m learning how to knit socks. I don’t know why now, rather than during the cold season when we could’ve used them.”

“Nights get cold sometimes, so I think we’ll still want them.”

“He’s right,” Aonva said. “Actually, it won’t be until the hot season when it’s warm at night, and heat typically leaves the body through the feet, so until then, it might be nice to have something like that.”

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take. Master Grund just says ‘It’ll take as long as it takes.’”

Oshal laughed at her impression of Lord Grund. The more time he spent with her here, the more convinced he was that she was happier here. He only wished she could’ve been this happy at home.

He turned his thoughts to the people around them, following their threads. Sure enough, there was still a sense of discomfort like there’d been when they’d arrived at the temple. In fact, it was like that almost everywhere Roshil went. Aonva didn’t feel that way, and he was sure Kurgm and Sirshi were fine. But people around them were uncomfortable with Roshil. Why did everyone act that way? Did Roshil know about it?

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He realized he’d been frowning and quickly smiled. “Nothing.”

An overwhelming sense of hatred passed by them, and he heard Roshil growl at it.

“Monster,” the hatred said as she passed.

Oshal felt his efforts at cheering up his sister falling apart. The sunny meadow of happiness was blocked out by dark clouds swirling around a volcano.

“Who was that?”

Roshil’s own anger died down, but it didn’t disappear altogether. “Master Udra. She likes to walk by and call me a monster sometimes.”

“Why?”

“Because I look different.”

“So?”

“Not everyone’s as nice as you.” Roshil’s anger rose again. “Some people don’t care who you are, they only care what you look like. Everyone hates me here. The only people that don’t are usually sitting with us.” Something else entered her mind. It felt like an echo booming through the mountains. Pride, respect, even a little awe swirled together in Roshil’s head. “Some people don’t, but they’re the exception.”

The storm grew inside Aonva. Her fear and anxiety mixed with guilt and love. Her boat was still tossed by the sea, but she wasn’t alone on it. Oshal recognized the feeling from his father, usually before he tried connecting with Roshil.

Roshil wanted to push them all away. Oshal was familiar with that particular feeling from her. It’d always followed her father’s attempts at connecting with her, and preceded her running to her room.

“Please don’t go,” he said.

“We’re not allowed to leave the great hall before dinner’s finished unless a master is with us,” Roshil said.

“Why does everyone treat you like that?” Oshal asked.

He heard her lean in closer from across the table.

“They treat me like that because that’s what that dragon did to me. It made me a monster.”

A shadow of fear came over her. It fell over her mind, blocking out the smallest light of happiness. He sensed that thread, always calling to him to follow it into the darkness.

Oshal reached through his own fear and offered his hand to his sister.

“You’re not a monster. You’re my sister. They’ll see what I see in you one day.”

“No they won’t. It’s a curse. They can’t.”

Before Oshal could respond, the end of dinner was called. Everyone stood up and waited. He reached out and felt the threads of the officers getting farther away. Once they’d left, everyone else filed out of the great hall.

Roshil was cursed. That’s why everyone treated her that way. His sister would never be happy, and he couldn’t change that. He couldn’t change the way anyone felt about her. No matter what he did.

#VolumeOne #TheOnesWeLove

Oshal didn’t sleep much that night. He spent most of it thinking about what he could do. The answer “Nothing”, always in his sister’s voice, wouldn’t leave him alone. He’d tried talking to her about it after dinner, but, as he’d feared, she’d gone straight to her room. She wouldn’t talk to either he nor Aonva about it. He wished there were someone else. Master Durwey was nice, but she didn’t like Roshil. He didn’t know where to find Master Ekla, Lord Velal was probably too busy, and their father was back at home.

Every time he thought about giving up, he remembered how happy he’d found his sister. And he remembered Nourd. Oshal had changed his mind for a moment, causing him to stop and hesitate before running. It made him more determined to find a way to help his sister.

He remembered how Roshil had felt when saying everyone hated her. There was someone else that didn’t, someone that loomed over her. Was that Lord Grund? He was always in the forge. Oshal could probably find him. But without someone guiding him, he didn’t know where to find the forge. He didn’t have a connection with Lord Grund, apart from him being Roshil’s master. Oshal was sure one day he’d be able to follow a thread through someone else, but he wasn’t good enough for that yet.

What else could he do? If Lord Grund knew how to help Roshil, then Oshal decided he’d have to figure it out. Perhaps Kurgm or Sirshi could help. He didn’t think he could separate Roshil and Aonva for long enough, so it’d have to be one of them.

His bauble made a soft ringing sound. It was waking him up earlier than it had the day before, he thought. He knew it wouldn’t stop until he got out of bed, so that’s what he did. Sure enough, once his feet touched the ground, it stopped making noise. He slowly moved about his room, feeling his way around. He washed, then got dressed. He picked up the bauble, then followed the threads for his friends. They were all awake, moving around their rooms, except for Sirshi and Kurgm. They were waiting in the corridor outside their rooms.

Oshal walked out of his room. Three distinct emotions hit him at once: nervousness, anger, and frustration. Once he walked out, the frustration turned to happiness.

“Good morning, Oshal,” Master Ekla said. “Apologies, Apprentice Oshal.”

“Good morning, Master Ekla. How have you been?”

“Fine.”

When she didn’t say anything else, Oshal greeted Kurgm and Sirshi, the sources of the nervousness and anger, respectively.

“Morning,” Kurgm said.

Sirshi stayed silent, although contained anger emanated from her. Oshal remembered how she’d felt when he’d first met her and the topic of her sister had come up and decided he shouldn’t try to get either of them to talk.

Aonva was the next one to come out of her room, and panic immediately took hold of her.

“What’s going on? Is everyone alright? Where’s Roshil? Did something happen to her? My bauble went off early, so something’s happening, right? It only does that when Master Kaernin needs me to start early, but I don’t see him here. Is he coming later?”

“Breathe,” Kurgm said, his nervousness changing to focused confidence, with sparks of happiness fluttering around it.

“Everything’s fine,” Master Ekla said. “I was sent to fetch the five of you.”

“Why? Did something—”

“Nothing’s happened. You’ll find out the rest when we get there, but no one’s in trouble.”

They waited in silence, although it felt like anything but to Oshal. Anger from Sirshi, panic from Aonva, concern from Kurgm, and impatience from Master Ekla all filled his own head. He concentrated on the forest, following Nourd’s thread. Nourd was moving through the forest, and although Oshal couldn’t sense anything through the thread, it helped him to calm down.

He sensed something from his sister’s thread and found that she was leaving her room.

“She’s here,” he said as the door opened. He knew he didn’t need to say anything, but it had always made Roshil smile when he knew someone was coming to their house before they could knock on the door.

His sister was half on guard, half excited, although excitement usually followed her seeing Oshal, Aonva, or Sirshi.

“What’s going on?” she asked.

“Follow me,” Master Ekla said. “All of you.”

“Obviously,” Sirshi muttered.

Both of them took deep breaths, then the six of them started off down the corridor. Ekla led the way, with Kurgm and Aonva not far behind her, followed by Oshal, Roshil, and Sirshi, who stayed as far away from her half-sister as she could.

“Are…” Kurgm said after a few minutes. He stopped talking, but Sirshi finished his thought a moment later.

“We’re going to the temple,” Sirshi said. “Why are you bringing us to the temple?”

Once again Oshal sensed anger from both Sirshi and Ekla. The two of them weren’t that different, but he got the feeling that pointing that out would cause problems.

Ekla didn’t answer her question.

“I had half a mind to storm out of the Flower Blooming Ceremony yesterday,” Sirshi said to Roshil, keeping her voice down. “But I couldn’t do that to Master Moudren. Those people…” Her anger boiled up again, but she quelled it.

“You remind me of our mother,” Oshal said. “She would get upset when other people would treat Roshil differently too.”

“Thanks, I think.”

“You’re welcome.”

Ekla seemed like she was going to say something, but decided against it. Both of them were good at containing their feelings for one another. Oshal was proud of them both.

Focusing on them helped distract him from the growing sadness his sister felt. As they drew closer to the temple, it grew until it was hard to ignore.

They walked into the temple and were greeted immediately by Master Moudren, causing Sirshi’s anger to fall away.

“Good morning, Apprentices Sirshi, Kurgm, Aonva, Roshil, and Oshal.”

The five of them stood at attention. Master Moudren emanated kindness and optimism, a constant source of hope.

“Master Ekla, you’re welcome to join us.”

Discomfort came from Ekla, who had not walked through the temple door. It was strange to think she felt anything other than confidence or, occasionally, anger.

“No, thank you.”

“Afraid you’ll burst into flames?” Kurgm asked.

Sirshi stifled a laugh, then cleared her throat, feeling a little embarrassed.

“Something like that,” Master Ekla said. “I’ll be seeing you.”

As she left, the last traces of anger Sirshi had felt disappeared. It was one of the first times Oshal had been around her when she didn’t feel angry. It was nice to feel her that way. He hoped she did more often.

“I want to apologize on behalf of the Temple of the Rising Sun, for the way you were treated yesterday. After Apprentice Sirshi told me what happened, I spoke with everyone before they left. Apprentice Roshil, I hope you can forgive me and this temple. The work you have done for us is remarkable.”

“Um… yeah.” Roshil’s sadness had been replaced by confusion and a little embarrassment. “Of course. I… When Sirshi asks, I’m happy to help.”

“I’m pleased. At the end of the ceremony, everyone in attendance plants a flower in our garden, whispering their hopes for the new season, so Olmgra may hear them and help them come to be. I’ve set aside spots in the garden for you four.”

“Isn’t it a little dark out?” Kurgm asked.

“I asked Master Ekla to fetch you early because I wanted to have the chance to invite you all to this morning’s Sun Welcoming Ceremony. It won’t take long, and it will give you time to eat breakfast afterward.”

“Unless your master intercepts you on the way out,” Kurgm said.

“Of course.”

Roshil’s sadness returned like a wave to the shore.

“No one wants me here.”

“I want you here,” Sirshi said. “And if that’s not good enough for everyone, then that’s their problem. You’re my friend, you’ve done more for this temple than some of the priests, and you’re nice enough if people would take a minute to get to know you.”

“That’s what I keep saying,” Oshal said, sensing his sister’s mind changing.

“They’re right,” Aonva said, her voice hardly audible.

“Apprentice Roshil, even if you don’t accept my invitation, I will still ask that you do us the honor of planting a flower.”

“If it means that much, I guess.”

“The flowers don’t only represent the planter’s hopes,” Aonva said, “but the act of planting them shows faith in Olmgra. A blooming garden in one of her temples is a sign of prosperity of the temple itself. I’ve been reading up on the temple, and it’s really quite fascinating. This is one of the oldest temples in the court. Whenever a diplomat visits the temple during the warm season, they’re asked to plant a flower for the same reason Master Moudren’s asking us to. Maybe not the same reason, it’s not like we’re that important or anything, or at least I’m not, but…”

Aonva seemed to shrink as embarrassment took over. She took a step back.

“I’m glad you’ve taken such an interest in the temple, Apprentice Aonva,” Master Moudren said. “Master Kaernin must be proud if you put so much effort into your studies.”

Aonva made sounds that sounded like “Thank you,” or possibly an imitation of a mouse, it was hard to tell.

They all followed Master Moudren through the temple.

“Now I know who to ask when I have questions,” Kurgm whispered to Aonva.

“I feel awful, it sounds like I must think this is purely symbolic, but I don’t really think that, but I… I… I don’t really know, but—”

“Your intentions were good,” Master Moudren said from ahead of them, causing Aonva’s embarrassment to rise. “That’s enough.”

“So don’t worry about it,” Kurgm added.

A mixture of emotions flooded Aonva, and all of them felt pink. Oshal didn’t know why, but that specific mixture of happiness and embarrassment always felt pink. Flowers bloomed in her head, and the sun broke through the clouds. It didn’t last long, but it was nice while it did.

They stepped through a door and into the open air. It was still cold, and Oshal couldn’t feel the sun. If there was one thing he missed seeing, apart from his family, it was the sunrise.

“I’ve got some chores to attend to before the Sun Welcoming Ceremony,” Master Moudren said. “If you’ll please excuse me. Apprentice Sirshi, would you please perform the flower planting in my stead?”

A sudden burst of panic erupted from Sirshi.

“I… Of course, Master Moudren.”

Master Moudren left, and Sirshi handed them each a bit of dirt, held together by something that felt like netting. The other three helped Oshal over to a spot in the garden. They all placed their newborn flowers in empty spaces in the ground.

Oshal bent down, cupped his hands over his mouth, and whispered into the ground.

“I hope my sister can find happiness.”

With help, he stood back up. He felt panic from Aonva, and uncertainty from Roshil, but Kurgm was happy. Oshal focused on that as Sirshi spoke up.

“Walk into the new day with the light of Olmgra at your back.” Sirshi paused. “That works a lot better when there’s light. This is supposed to be done in place of the Sun Welcoming Ceremony, but…”

“It’s fine,” Kurgm said. “That was perfect.”

“This part’s pretty easy,” Sirshi said. “I’d… I’d like it if you could all stay for the Sun Welcoming Ceremony.”

Oshal turned toward Roshil. It was up to her; this was all for her.

“I’d like to,” she said quietly.

“Great,” Sirshi said. “There are some spare mats in storage. It’s not long, like Master Moudren said.” Her voice took on an edge. “And if anyone has a problem with it, then that’s their problem.”

Unlike the previous day, Sirshi was determined not to let anyone stop them. At that moment, Oshal was too. He had friends, and he would ensure his sister was happy. Maybe there would always be people who didn’t like her, but he could change their minds. He was sure of it. And even if he couldn’t, they’d always have their friends.

#VolumeOne #TheOnesWeLove

Nourd awoke under Mother’s protective branches. The sun was just peaking out over the horizon, filtered through the budding leaves of the trees. Day returning to the forest.

He’d dreamed about the human he’d seen. Oshal, the boy with no eyes. He’d smelled different from other humans. He hadn’t smelled of fear or greed, but of curiosity and kindness. Nourd had thought that only animals could smell kind.

With Mother’s help, he found breakfast, roots and nuts. Fruits weren’t growing yet in the forest. He hated hunting, since he knew all the creatures he’d be hunting.

Nourd sat in the rising sun, absorbing its rays to nourish his body. Warmth spread from his head to his fingertips. He bent down to one of the streams in the forest and drank from it. After splashing water on his face, he stood up and listened to the forest.

He heard every living thing around him. The trees, the insects, the birds, the creatures, big and small, they were his family. They told him when they needed help, and he helped them. Mother had told him it was his purpose.

Mother called out to him, and he returned to her. He climbed into the treetops and swung between the branches. He moved like the apes, but he wasn’t one of them. What made him different?

He’d once asked Mother why he was different, but she’d told him he was no different from the deer than they were from the birds. Being human didn’t mean he wasn’t one of the forest’s creatures, one of Mother’s children.

When he reached Mother’s branches, he heard a voice. A human voice.

“Who is this boy you’ve been hiding?”

Mother told the human that she hadn’t been hiding anyone, merely protecting him. She told him that humans had been in the forest without a druid — that’s what Mother called the forest-smelling humans — present. That the creatures could’ve been confused.

“I know. After Lady Durwey’s last apprentice, I’m afraid she’s a little flustered, and this one’s quite different. Even so, she stayed within the neutral zone. Why did the boy approach?”

Mother told the human that, as it’d said, it was the neutral zone. Nourd had been allowed to be there. Then she called to him again, asking him to approach.

He climbed down from the treetops, and found the human with her. Nourd sniffed the air, but couldn’t tell if it was a male or female human. It smelled of the forest. It had peach-colored skin, lighter than Nourd’s, but still darker than the humans that usually lived in the nest.

“You must be Nourd,” it said. “My name is Grand Master Gorkle, but you can call me Gorkle.”

It stood up straight like a tree, then bent down for a moment. Nourd believed this was what the humans called “bowing”.

Nourd frowned at the human. He kept Mother’s roots between them. He didn’t like this strange-smelling human.

Mother told it that Nourd didn’t like to speak to humans.

“I see. I’m told you saw Lady Durwey and Apprentice Oshal yesterday.”

Oshal. He’d mentioned Oshal. Was he there? Nourd looked around, but couldn’t see anyone else.

“They aren’t here,” Gorkle said. “I’ve been sent by the court to assess the situation. You frightened them yesterday.”

Nourd shook his head. Oshal hadn’t been frightened. The other human, Lady Durwey, had been frightened, but not Oshal. Oshal had smelled of kindness and love. It was so strange to smell a human like that, a human not full of greed or fear.

“Oshal… smells different,” Nourd said. Mother had taught him long ago that as a child of the forest, he could communicate with all living things, and that included humans.

Gorkle smiled. “Yes, he does.”

Then Mother brought up the dragon human. As the elders had told Nourd, she was Oshal’s sister.

“That is correct. Apprentice Roshil is Apprentice Oshal’s sister. Before you say anything, I know she’s caused problems here. She isn’t well liked in the court either, but you know we accept everyone, and the court believes she can be trusted, even if she must be watched.”

Mother told Gorkle to keep her out of the forest.

“We have. I insisted to Lord Grund that she not be brought into the forest, and so far, he has taken my advice. But this isn’t about her, this is about the neutral zone. And Nourd. I want to return to the court with assurances that he won’t harm anyone.”

Mother told it that Nourd would only harm trespassers in the forest, just like every other creature of the forest.

“Good.”

As it turned to go, Mother asked it to wait. She had a request to make of Gorkle.

“You know I’m happy to serve the forest, Mother. What is it you would ask?”

Mother explained that Nourd was of the age of change in humans. That he would be seeking out a mate before long, and that he wouldn’t find one in the forest.

“By the looks of it, he won’t be of ‘mating age’ for another few years, at least in our society. How old is he?”

Mother told it that Nourd had seen the seasons change 13 times.

“And you want the court to take him?”

Nourd drew a sharp breath. Mother wanted him to live with the humans? Why? So he could find a mate? He didn’t want to leave the forest for so insignificant a reason.

Yet he thought of Oshal, and felt a longing to be closer to him. To smell that strange kindness again. Was that what it’d be like to be around the humans?

“We will take him. I can assume the role of his guardian and master if need be.”

Mother would accept no others.

“I didn’t think so. I will bring this offer to the court. He must be ready to leave tomorrow morning. Like me, he would serve the court and the forest.”

While Mother understood, Nourd did not. There was so much he didn’t understand, but Mother thought that this was for the best. If she believed it, then it must’ve been so.

“I’ll return then. Farewell to both of you.”

With that, Gorkle turned and left, leaving Nourd to wrestle with his offer.

#VolumeOne #LeavingTheForest

Nourd walked through the forest alone, thinking about his conversation with Gorkle. Invited to the human nest, this “court”, to stay? Away from Mother? Away from the forest? The forest was the only home he’d ever known. He didn’t know how he could possibly live among the humans.

You belong among humans. If you stay here, you cannot truly belong.

Mother had said that after Gorkle had left. How could Mother think he couldn’t belong in the forest? It was the only place he belonged. If he left, if he tried living with the humans, then he would never belong. They were humans.

He looked down at his hands. He was already different from them. His skin was lighter than theirs. It looked like Oshal’s skin.

Oshal. He would be there. Were there others like him? The birds said the humans were all different colors. Maybe he would fit in with them.

He didn’t understand what he was. He’d always been a creature of the forest, but he didn’t look like any of them. But if he was a human, why didn’t he look like any of the humans? Their ways were strange. The birds had told him about the human caves, built up from the ground instead of into a mountainside. And their strange smells, and their tools. Some of the creatures used tools, but not like the humans did. They wielded pieces of metal to kill creatures of the forest.

What about their magic? It wasn’t like the Power of Nature that Mother had taught him to wield. It moved and made things, changing them, disrupting the balance of nature. Would he have to use it too? Would he have to disrupt the balance of nature, simply because he was a human?

Nourd decided he didn’t like being human. But every time he thought he was ready to stay in the forest, he thought of Oshal and wanted to be near him.

The shifting of leaves behind him made him whirl around. He smelled the air, searching for the scent of a human, but it wasn’t a human he smelled.

Elder Deer leaped through the woods, then came to a stop next to him.

“Elder Deer.” Nourd spoke with the tongue of the forest, something all of Mother’s creatures could understand.

“Nourd. Chatter has begun to travel about you leaving.”

“Nothing’s decided yet. I was invited to the human nest.”

Elder Deer always held his head high, towering over Nourd. Creatures of the forest were never arrogant, but if any of them ever changed, it would be Elder Deer. He strutted around Nourd, who kept his own head high. He wouldn’t let his indecision show.

“Why don’t you go there?” Elder Deer asked. “Go to the humans, live with them. That’s where you belong, isn’t it?”

“This is my home.”

“You are the son of poachers. That’s all you’ll ever be. Like the other humans, you will hunt my people for sport, to sell our antlers and skins. You have never belonged here, human.”

Nourd took a step back. He’d grown up with Elder Deer’s fawns. He’d looked after them, warned them when danger was near. He knew the deer tribe didn’t trust humans, but he’d always thought they’d trusted him.

“You smell of betrayal,” Elder Deer said. “Did you think you were one of us? That you could ever be one of us? You belong with them, not with us.”

“Not every human hunts you. The forest-smelling humans don’t. They live among us peacefully. I would be one of them.”

Elder Deer tossed his head back and let out a barking laugh.

“No, you wouldn’t. Poaching is in your blood, human. You can’t escape it.”

Years ago, Nourd had noticed many of the older creatures shying away from him, keeping their young away from him. He’d asked Mother why, and she’d told him about his parents. How they’d been hunting animals in the forest. She’d used a word, a word he’d never heard then, “poaching”. She said that humans hunted them for food, but carefully, just like creatures hunted each other. In return, humans that didn’t hunt carefully — that’s what “poaching” was — were in turn hunted by the creatures of the forest. This had happened to his parents, but they’d left him behind.

“I’m more than that,” he said, as he’d said then. Mother had told him many creatures believed that he’d become another poacher, just like his parents. He wasn’t, and he didn’t intend to become one. He loved Mother, her forest, and all of her creatures. He didn’t understand why any of the creatures would think otherwise.

Elder Deer glared down at him.

“So you say. What will you say when you return here? Will you say the same? Or will you be too busy killing us? Will you make friends with the dragon human?”

“Never,” Nourd growled. “That thing isn’t human. It’s not like me!”

“So you say, but—”

“No creature of the forest would ever be friends with that thing.”

Despite spending his entire life in the forest, Nourd was never able to be as quiet as Elder Wolf. She stalked through the forest, leaving no trace, making no sound. When they needed strength, they sought out the bears or the boars; when they needed stealth, there were no better creatures in the forest than the wolves.

“Elder Deer, I thought we’d talked about this,” Elder Wolf said. She lied on the ground, her head picked up, her eyes trained on them. While she spoke, her ears swiveled, picking up every sound of the forest. “Nourd is no more a poacher than I am a human’s pet. Just because we share blood doesn’t make us the same.”

Elder Deer looked down his snout at them. He glared at Elder Wolf, knowing what would happen if he tried arguing with her.

“You will regret defending him, Elder Wolf.”

“I doubt that, Elder Deer. Why don’t you run along?” She stood up. “I would hate to see something bad happen to the deer tribe.”

Elder Deer looked from Elder Wolf to Nourd, then turned and leaped away through the trees.

Elder Wolf walked over to him.

“Come with me, Nourd. We have much to discuss.”

#VolumeOne #LeavingTheForest

Nourd ran alongside Elder Wolf. She went nimbly through the forest; nothing could slow her down. He’d been raised with her cubs, but watching her, he knew how much he still had to learn. He often found himself jealous of the wolves for having four legs. The apes had always told him they were the lucky ones; wolves couldn’t pick up food or climb trees, and what was better than climbing trees?

Nourd followed Elder Wolf back to her den. It was hidden away in the forest, far away from where any humans went. The cave looked like a small outcropping of rock to the untrained eye. Unlike the deer, the wolves only went out when they had to. All the creatures of the forest knew how to absorb the sun’s energy for nourishment, which meant they didn’t have to hunt as much. Even then, the wolves did, because that’s what they wanted to do. Elder Wolf had always told him “A wolf is the hunt. A wolf is her pack.”

Her pups were waiting for them, and ran out to meet them. They jumped onto Nourd, tails wagging. They nipped at him, and he nipped back, laughing.

“Are you staying for dinner?” one asked.

“It’s not dinnertime, yet,” Elder Wolf said. “You’ve only just woken up.”

“So?” another said. “He can stay until then, can’t he?”

“We’ll see,” Elder Wolf said. “Where is your father?”

“Sleeping,” came the tired reply. “At least, I was.”

Janam walked out of the den, nodding to Nourd. His fur was dark gray, in contrast to the lighter gray, almost white of Elder Wolf. He was bigger than her, but she held an air about her that made everyone listen when she spoke.

“The birds are chattering away about something,” he said. “Woke me up earlier with their calls. I’d just fallen back asleep.”

“I’ve been invited to stay with the humans,” Nourd said.

All three pups stopped rolling around and stared at him.

“No!” one cried. She whined and ran to him, nearly knocking him over again. Despite being pups, they were as big as he was. “You can’t leave!”

“Mama, talk to Mother!” another said. “She can’t make Nourd leave! He’s one of us!”

Warmth filled him, and he smiled. One of us. He’d felt like one of the wolves his whole life. While the deer and boars didn’t trust humans, the wolves, the bears, and the apes had always welcomed him. He was a part of each of their tribes, and they’d always made him feel like one.

“If you were alone with the humans,” Elder Wolf said to her pup, “wouldn’t you long to live with the wolves?”

“But I am a wolf!”

“And Nourd is a human,” Janam said, glancing at Nourd. His nose twitched. “Even if he doesn’t smell like one.”

“I am,” Nourd said. The sadness Elder Deer had left with him returned. “Maybe I should go to them.”

“It wouldn’t be forever,” Elder Wolf said. “Like the forest-smelling humans, he would come here and see us. He would help protect us like they do.”

Nourd had never seen a wolf smile, but the way Elder Wolf looked at him, he felt that she was smiling at him. It was as though, like Mother, Elder Wolf was proud of him.

“You’ll come visit?” one of the pups asked, wagging his tail.

“Of course,” he said. “This is my home.”

He looked at Elder Wolf and Janam. Until that day, he’d been certain that the forest had been his home, but now he was filled with doubt. What if Elder Deer was right?

“And it always will be,” Janam said.

“I’m sorry we woke you,” Elder Wolf said to her mate. “Unfortunately, we only needed to stop by for a moment.” As her pups began whining, she added, “But we’ll be back later, if that’s what Nourd wants.”

Nourd nodded. Living with the humans scared him, but knowing he’d always have a home with Elder Wolf made him feel more at ease. He could always return, couldn’t he?

“Nourd, please, follow me.”

Nourd and Elder Wolf left the den. They ran through the forest together, taking a path Nourd didn’t recognize as leading to anywhere. Elder Wolf always had her reasons. Of the tribe elders, she was one of the oldest and wisest. She understood the balance, and she’d met many of the humans. She knew that humans weren’t all the same.

Nourd kept telling himself this as they ran. Not all humans were the same. He wouldn’t be a poacher like the humans that had given birth to him. He’d never known them, and he didn’t want to know them. He was more than that.

Elder Wolf slowed her pace. Nourd didn’t see the significance of the where they were.

“No matter what happens at the human nest, I want you to remember us. Pay no mind to what the boars or deer say. They fear humans, and fear that you will become like the humans that bore you. But those humans are not your family. We are your family. You were raised here, in the forest, by us, by the creatures of the forest, and by Mother. She knew it was wrong to kill you even though others feared that you might turn out like those people. It is clear to me that you haven’t, and I know you won’t.”

Tears ran down Nourd’s cheeks. He ran over to Elder Wolf and buried his face in her side.

“I’m afraid, Montala. I’m afraid that I’ll become like them. I don’t want to be a human. I don’t want to leave here. This is where I belong.”

“Come now, my pup. Not all humans are the same. The forest creatures should know that by now. And you won’t leave the forest. The human nest is inside the forest, and we see them every day.”

“I’ll come visit you. I promise.”

“You must follow the forest-smelling humans and their teachings. The one in the forest earlier, Gorkle, is a good human. You can trust him. He will teach you well, as we have done.”

Elder Wolf’s words comforted him. He didn’t want to leave her, but knowing she’d be there when he returned made it easier to say goodbye.

#VolumeOne #LeavingTheForest

Nourd spent the night with the wolves. In the morning, he ran through the forest to talk to the bears. Elder Bear’s cubs were just as happy to see him, and just as upset to see him go. Elder Bear told him that he’d have a place with them. Just like Elder Wolf had, Elder Bear reminded him that he was one of her cubs too, and if anyone at the human nest upset him, she’d tear them to pieces.

He spoke with the apes after that. They too were sad, but they all understood the desire to be with his own kind. As much as he looked like them, they knew he wasn’t like them. After all, he only had a funny-looking tuft of fur on the top of his head, and he couldn’t grab things with his feet (how did humans live not being able to do that?)

When he was ready, he sought out Mother. He rested in the shelter of her branches for a time. This was his home, and he would never forget it.

Mother woke him and told him that Gorkle had arrived in the forest. When Nourd reached the base of her trunk, he found Elder Wolf and Elder Bear waiting for him. The three of them walked together to the entrance to the human nest, where Gorkle was waiting for them.

“Elder Bear, Elder Wolf,” it said, bowing. “It is an honor to see you.”

“Nourd is one of my cubs,” Elder Bear said. She stood on her hind legs. “You will treat him with the love he deserves, or I’ll devour you.”

“You’d better hope she does,” Elder Wolf said. “You don’t want me to get to you first.”

“Gentle beasts, there’s no need for threats,” Gorkle said. Nourd caught a slight scent of fear. “The court will treat Nourd with the same love we treat all our people. I will oversee him personally. You have my word that no harm will come to him.”

When Nourd smelled the air again, he caught another scent. A second human, a familiar one. Happiness burst forth from inside him.

“Where’s the other human?” Elder Wolf asked. She lowered her head and eyed Gorkle carefully.

“Someone else wanted to see Nourd,” Gorkle said. It turned back and motioned someone forward.

The scent was two scents. The two humans that had been in the forest a few days ago.

“Oshal!” Nourd said.

“Hello again,” Oshal said.

With him was the other human, the one Gorkle had called “Lady Durwey”. Oshal walked with a stick, tapping out the path in front of him before he walked. He came to a stop and held the stick on the ground.

“Who are these humans?” Elder Bear asked. She fell onto all fours then stepped forward, eyeing them and smelling the air.

“This is Lady Durwey and Apprentice Oshal. They were in the forest a few days ago, and Apprentice Oshal wanted to meet Nourd.”

Elder Wolf glanced at Nourd. She leaned in closer to him.

“This is the boy?” she asked quietly.

Nourd nodded, keeping his eyes on Oshal.

Elder Wolf walked up to Oshal then lied down. She sniffed him again. When she did, he slowly held out his hand.

“Hello,” he said. “Who are you?”

Not being of the forest, Oshal couldn’t understand anything they had been saying. Even so, he smiled. He smelled of happiness and trust. He wasn’t afraid, even when he knew there was something large in front of him. Elder Wolf could’ve swallowed him whole, but he wasn’t afraid.

Lady Durwey stepped closer, but Gorkle held out his hand to her and she stopped.

“This is Elder Wolf, of the wolf tribe.” In their language, he added, “Elder Wolf, this is Apprentice Oshal.”

“He smells different,” she said. “But there’s a hint of something I don’t like.”

Nourd knew what that was. It was the smell of the dragon human. He didn’t know what that thing smelled like, but he knew that it was supposedly Oshal’s sister. That still didn’t make sense to him. How could a dragon human have a family?

“I promise I’ll take care of Nourd,” Oshal said. “We all will. They’re all very nice at the court.”

“That’s enough,” Lady Durwey said. She smelled a little nervous. “Grand Master Gorkle, we must be going.”

Sadness built up inside Nourd. It was the moment he’d been dreading all morning. He turned to Elder Bear and hugged her, as well as one could hug a large furry tree.

“Come home soon, my little cub,” she said.

He hugged Elder Wolf next. He buried his face in her fur, and smelled the warm smell of family and love.

“Remember, you’re part of the pack,” she whispered.

He never wanted to leave her side. She and Mother had looked after him his whole life. But he knew it was time to go to the human nest, to live among them instead of the creatures of the forest.

“I love you,” he whispered to her.

“I love you too, my pup.”

He backed away from them, toward the human nest. The court. That’s what they called it. He’d have to learn to call it that too. He’d have to learn to live with this new sadness. Was it worth all this to be among humans?

Mother whispered to him, telling him not to be afraid, that he would always have a home with her. They were never far away.

Nourd wiped the tears from his eyes and turned to Gorkle, Durwey, and Oshal. Durwey still smelled of fear, but something else too, something that smelled like sadness. Gorkle was full of smells, many of them from the forest. Nourd liked the thought that he’d never stop smelling like the forest.

Oshal smiled at him, a smile and air full of kindness.

“It was hard for me when I said goodbye to my father,” he said. “But everything will be alright.”

Nourd nodded and walked with him inside the court. It was a new place, a new world, but he was sure that Oshal was right. Everything would be alright.

#VolumeOne #LeavingTheForest

Grund sat in his chambers, enjoying the quiet, staring into the fireplace. It was so rare that he found time to relax anymore. If he wasn’t fulfilling orders from the other officers, he was overseeing Roshil and hoping she hadn’t gotten herself into trouble. At that particular moment, she was in her room. He’d checked her thread only a few minutes ago to ensure she hadn’t tried sneaking out. As nice as her father appeared to be, Grund knew Daylarl hadn’t been a perfect influence on her.

He got an impulse from his identification orb that someone wanted to get into his chambers. He pulled out the orb and checked who it was.

What’s he doing here?

Grund wheeled over to the door and opened it.

Lord Velal stood on the other side, looking the epitome of a model citizen. His black hair was neat, he never had any facial hair, his back was straight, and his tunic and pants were all in order.

“Lord Grund, may I please come in?”

“I don’t see why not.” Grund moved aside to allow his friend to come in. “Close the door behind you.”

“Thank you.” Velal walked inside, quietly closing the door.

“Do you want something to drink?”

“Depends. Do you still have that bottle of Bzyora ale?”

Grund wheeled over to a box and pulled out said bottle. “Always keep some around for when you drop by.” He picked up a pair of glasses and poured some into each. “What brings you around tonight?”

Velal sat down in a chair near the fireplace, and Grund handed him his drink. “Thank you. Neither of us was busy, so I thought I’d stop by while I could.”

Grund settled back in and took a sip of his drink. “I’ll take your word for it.”

“I’m not checking in on your apprentice. There are better times to do that.”

“Like every week at the council meetings,” Grund said with a hint of exasperation. “Every. Single. Week.”

“I’m not the one that brings it up,” Velal said, his voice never losing its calm tone.

“No, Gorkle is. Like zie doesn’t trust that I’m watching over her. I know she’s different, just like that boy that hir just brought into the court. But I didn’t object.”

“You did warn hir there would be tension between Apprentice Roshil and Apprentice Nourd, but in fairness, there’s tension between Apprentice Roshil and most people.”

“It’s not her fault.”

“We are all aware.” He took another sip of his drink. “Apart from that, how are you?”

“The court’s my life now. You remember how it is when you have an apprentice. All the duties of a master and an officer. But unlike your last one, mine’s not determined to finish her apprenticeship two years early.”

“That was never my idea.”

Grund chuckled, then took another sip of his drink. It wasn’t a strong drink, but then, Lord Velal had never been much of a drinker.

“What about you?” Grund asked. “What happened to that friend of yours? What was her name?”

“Yindar,” Velal said. “She’s headlining at the Quondin, that theater in Torpn, next week. I was fortunate enough to get posted there. And she appreciated the violin you made for her.”

“It was my pleasure. Every good musician deserves a good instrument. And the Quondin’s a great place. Pwurmn and I used to attend concerts when we could. Torpn’s a day’s trip, so we couldn’t do it often.” He took another drink. “She met Apprentice Kurgm yet?”

“A few years ago, before he was Apprentice Kurgm. I may be his guardian, but Master Ekla spends more time with him now than I do.”

“It’s like having a kid. Their problems are suddenly your problems, and you’re always hearing about them.”

“You can grumble and groan all you like, Grund, but I know you too well. You’ve taken a shine to Apprentice Roshil.”

“Maybe. She’s a good worker, loves crafting. Probably wants to be here more than most other apprentices.”

“And has a bad habit of bending the rules,” Velal said with a knowing look. “Such as an incident several months ago with the west tower.”

“She’s been fine since then,” Grund snapped. “There are no signs that it’s getting worse.”

“Of course not. I didn’t mean to imply anything.”

“Gorkle’s bad enough, accusing her of being a spy. She’s done nothing wrong, nothing to warrant hir accusing my apprentice of anything!”

Velal said nothing. His face became neutral, his body motionless apart from the blinking of his eyes.

“I’m finished,” Grund said, taking another drink. “What’s life like outside the castle?”

“The forge is outside the castle.”

“Don’t patronize me.”

“It’s quiet, apart from the attack just before the cold season.”

“I remember.” Grund finished his drink. “And we’re sure it was him?”

“In all my years of recovering dragon attack sites, I’ve never seen another dragon be more thorough in his destruction. The farmlands inside the walls are safe, but I believe he’s testing our response.”

“Word cannot reach Apprentice Roshil about him.”

“I know. I remember the incident in the cool season. Master Dordir was rather unnerved by it.”

“He did the right thing.” Grund glanced at the clock. “Don’t you need your beauty sleep?”

“I believe I do.” Velal finished his drink and stood up from his chair. He walked over to the door, with Grund behind him. When he reached it, he stopped. “Grund, the other officers wanted me to tell you something.”

“Bad news, then.”

“They feel you’ve gotten too close to the girl.”

“Her name’s Roshil. You pulled her out of that thing’s clutches, you know that. And last I checked, a master’s supposed to be close to his apprentice. Something about giving them a trustworthy guiding hand to follow.”

“That may be, but… we don’t know the extent of the curse.”

“If she tries to kill me in my sleep, I’ll let you know. Until then, I’ll keep half an eye on her. If I stand over her — metaphorically — she’ll never trust me, and that’d be bad for everyone. So next time we all meet, I’ll be sure to tell Gorkle that to hir face.”

Velal began to respond, but Grund cut him off.

“I know this is coming from hir, so don’t try to tell me otherwise. I’ll keep half an eye on my apprentice, and Gorkle can do the same with hir new apprentice. That way, we’ve got everyone covered. At least my apprentice was raised by humans!”

Velal stood at the door without speaking, waiting for Grund to calm down, just as he’d done earlier. All the officers knew when Grund got annoyed, it was best to wait it out.

“It was good to talk again, even if you were only here a few minutes,” Grund said after the anger had left him. “Take care of yourself, my friend.”

“You as well, my friend.”

#VolumeOne