Fire and Diamonds

Chapter 1

     I woke to the sound of someone calling my name, indicating that I had slept in again. Sunlight streamed through the slightly opened window as instructor Eagus searched for his prized pupil. I yawned and stretched. Nothing ever changed. Every day was the same routine of classes and lessons. I had long lost my interest in living at the knight school, but there was no where else for me to go, so I remained. In fact, the main reason that I stayed was so that I would be allowed to carry my small dagger. Despite the peaceful atmosphere, I could not help but be suspicious of everyone I saw. It was just in my nature.

     "Eilowyn!" Eagus was clearly frustrated. Despite his lectures, his student became more lethargic by the day. Even though I had tremendous skill with swords, knives, and arrows, there was no adventure left in me. I couldn't bear the peace of skyloft.

     I rose to my feet and ran my fingers through my golden-red hair. Unlike Groose, another student, my hair took on a more majestic quality in the way it gleamed and reflected light. Although, beauty was not uncommon among my kind. The humans did not know. They did not see. My kind could hide in their mists without their knowledge. I sighed, disappointed in myself. If I was with my people, I would be happy. I wouldn't just lay around all the time and sit behind a desk all day like a creature waiting to rot. But, it was importent for me to keep my true identity a secret. After years of tolerating humans and their weaknesses, my kind had been slaughtered like animals. Not respected. Not considered. Not trusted. They asked who could blame them. Half hylian, half animal, who would trust a shapeshifter? True, some of us turned hostile, but they started it! Not all of us were bad, and they should have given us all a chance.

     I never knew my mother or father, both of them died when I was young. I wish I could say that I missed them, but I didn't. I'm sure that I would have loved them, though, but I didn't get a chance. A chance stolen by humans no doubt. In classes at the knight academy, I heart about some kind of war, around the same time the shapeshifters were killed. My heart burned, not out of longing for my parents, but I of loss for belonging somewhere. With my family, I could celebrate who I was, but what would the people of skyloft do if they knew who I was? Nothing good, that was for sure, so I kept hiding. 

     Eagus shouted my name again, so I finished getting ready for my combat class and strolled out of the door. Maybe, if I was late enough, I would have to spar with him and not one of the other students. I always enjoyed a challenge.

     It was only a few minutes until I sprinted into the sparring hall. It was empty and I wondered why Eagus was shouting at me when I clearly wasn't the one who was late for class. I walked to the back room and selected a fine bow and a quiver of arrows. I was still going to practice, even though it was technically against the rules to do so alone. I only got four shots before the doors were flung open and a red-faced instructor Eagus marched over to me. 

     "Eilowyn!" It didn't take much to guess he was angry, but I couldn't think of why.

"What? I'm not late."

"Don't you know what day it is?!"

     "Wednesday?" I suggested. Eagus groaned and facepalmed.

"Today is the Wing Ceremony, Eilowyn."

"Oh, I forgot."

"Clearly."

     I looked down at my feet as my hands fell to my sides. There wasn't usually much about that the instructors said that bothered me, but the tone in Eagus' voices told me he was severely disappointed. I hated it when people were disappointed in me.

     "I suppose you are not competing this year." He stated rather than asked.

"No."

     He sighed, rubbing his forehead with one hand before making eye contact with me.

"You could win, you know."

"Of course I do, but I'm not interested in playing."

"And would you like to tell me why you are not interested in becoming a knight?"

"No."

     "Ah, I see you are as approachable as ever." He said that more to himself than to me. "Can you at least watch to show support?"

"Do I have to?"

     "Yes, Eilowyn, you do. It is high time you got to know your peers. You see them in class, but you never talk to them. What are you going to do when you need the help of a friend?"

     "I'll never need help, especially from them." I retorted crossing my arms.

     "Eilowyn" Eagus snapped, "That's enough. You should get to know them more. In fact, I'll have headmaster Gaepora set up some of your off hours to spend some quality time with Link and Zelda, they are both very polite and will make great friends"

     I was about to talk back to him, make some cutting remark that would have him shaken for days, but I decided against it. I didn't want to get any 'quality time' with someone like Groose or Pippit. I didn't really like Pippit that much. He was so incredibly vehement about everything, always playing the good guy, always being the studios one, never messing up. His self-righteous attitude was like nails on a chalkboard.

     I huffed and stalked out of the hall, setting down my bow before leaving. 'Quality time' with Zelda and Link later? This was not turning out to be a great day.