The Ones We Love, Part I
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.