Dissident

Morning routines

Kali woke and opened her eyes. The soft green glow from the console at the foot of the bed was enough light to tell her the day before hadn't been an awful nightmare. Or perhaps it was and she was still dreaming.

She peered over her shoulder and saw the hammock. No. She was definitely awake, however the possibility this was all a nightmare was yet to be determined. Rolling to her back she willed herself to rise. Adhering to her morning routine was essential to her magi gift, and would give her a sense of normalcy and stability in the chaotic situation she had willingly stumbled into.

She sat up and crossed her legs, tucking her feet under her knees, and began to meditate. She was nearly an hour into her technique when Jaxon woke.

"I certainly hope you didn't sleep like that all night."

Kali mentally tied off her meditation, inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly. She rolled her shoulders, her eyes remained closed. There were visual exercises one could practice whilst conversing. If yesterday was any indication, she was certain this prince would push her practice beyond anything she'd yet encountered.

"I was meditating."

"Oh, sorry." He carefully rolled out of the hammock and quickly decided which hook to store the hammock on. He needed space to move. "You do that every morning?" What floorspace there was looked about big enough for a small workout. He could shower after.

"Yes."

He began to warm up. "You do it for the magic that hasn't manifested yet?"

"Yes."

"What good does it do if the magic hasn't manifested yet?"

Her brow twitched. "Training and meditation focus my mind so I can wield the magic."

"The magic you don't yet have." Time to begin the workout.

"Even if the magic never manifests, training and meditation are beneficial in other ways." She opened her eyes a crack, "Do you exercise your body every day?" He was still in just his undershirt and pants. She closed her eyes once more and continued the mental exercises.

"Yes, but I don't have some weird supernatural essence telling me whether I can lift my body weight."

"Your brain tells your bones and muscles to respond to space and objects around you as you live your life. If you perform an action often enough, it becomes a habit you don't think about, such as walking. In a way, your training to wield a weapon is not much different from the intent of the meditation and training I practice."

"Are you saying you think you'll suddenly have magic one of these days and you want to be prepared? How will you know? Will things suddenly combust around you?" He switched to a floor exercise.

"I don't know if I'll manifest, or how. I've just been told that I will by those who presumably have more experience than I with the ability. The later the manifestation, the stronger in ability."

"What's the latest manifestation on record?"

Didn't everyone know this, or was this knowledge common only among those with the ability? It crossed her mind he was attempting some sort of goading, but she chose to humor him.

"The latest manifestations are recorded among the first to manifest. Twenty one. Subsequent manifestations were earlier in childhood and it was soon noted that age correlated to potential strength in ability."

"If it doesn't happen in three years, they were wrong." He stood up and began high knee taps.

"I should manifest within the next year, give or take a few months. No one has manifested so late since the third generation, but a few manifested just before the age of twenty."

"How many generations back is it in your family?"

"The ability skipped my father, but not his generation. Father's sister, my aunt, is a magi of mild ability, as is one of her children, my cousin."

"How often is someone born with more than one ability?"

Again, wasn't this common knowledge? Was he trying to annoy her?

"Very rare. The order meticulously tracks those with the potential, and directs the unions and relations of the families it presents in, and they discourage intermingling of abilities from other worlds."

"Then how did your father marry your mother?"

"My mother wasn't from a noble family, they were healers. Her family had been our family's healers for a few generations. She and my father fell in love and married in secret, and had my sister. It wasn't legalized, but she stayed as his concubine and endured my father being wed to his second wife."

"Ah, defiance is in your blood." He finished his first set.

"Perhaps. Do you think they'll come get us for breakfast?" She was beginning to wonder if he was always so chatty while he exercised.

"Oh, probably. You know, it's possible you'll starve by the time we reach our destination. You really should consider trying meat." He settled into position to begin the second set.

"No thank you." She wrinkled her nose.A whisper of a memory tickled, sidetracking her concentration.

"You truly have that deep an aversion to it?" He was truly concerned. There was only so much produce that would be shared by all, and that protein mush that was a meal staple could keep a person alive, but dismally, in his opinion.

"I've not attempted meat since I was very young. My brother often had some form of cooked animal on his plate and I wanted to know what it was. He offered me a bite when our nannies had their backs turned."

"What happened?"

Kali's voice reduced to a strangled whisper as she regaled the incident, "Holding the fork in my hand, I could sense the bit of cooked animal my fork was stabbing had been terrified and in great pain and suffering just before death.It was the most frightening thing I'd ever experienced, and I couldn't bring myself to take the bite. I cried."

She could see and smell the memory so vividly it took her breath away. Gasping, her eyes snapped wide open, and she found herself leaning over her legs and gripping the mattress, her knuckles white. Frantic for anything to overwhelm the memory and her reaction to it, her eyes locked on Jaxon in front of her. He was balancing the weight of his body on his toes and hands, against the floor.

He spared a glance in her direction. The green glow enhanced the terror etched across her delicate features. "That's a pretty strong aversion. I'll stop egging you about it."

"I appreciate that." She slowly sat back up.

The buzzer sounded. Jaxon bounced to his feet and opened the door. Corin was there to bring them to the mess.

Kali scrambled to get her boots on and join the crew person by the door to wait for Jaxon to reclothe himself. At the moment the massive, scruffy looking brute of a man she'd just met was less intimidating than the average sized well-groomed, attractive man she barely knew.

"Good morning, Corin."

"Good mornin', miss. We waitin' on him?"

"Yes."

Corin leaned toward Kali and whispered, "Do he snore?"

Kali's brow furrowed and she peered up at massive man, "Um, no."

"Hm." Corin side-eyed Jaxon coming through the door. "He a fine looker, ain't he?"

Kali felt her cheeks warm, "I-I guess so?"

"You thinkin' o' layin' a claim? Cause I'll no pursue 'im iffin y'ar."

Kali opened her mouth, but was at a loss for words so closed it and looked away.

Jaxon was still buttoning his shirt as they walked to the mess hall together. He side-eyed Kali, wondering why she appeared flustered.