Lunaria: Genesis

7- Academy

I have scrubbed the attic until it was spotless, the room looks much fresher and nicer now. By now, the light of the setting sun was throwing colors across the room in bands of orange and gold, the angle of the window let in enough light to make the sunset look very beautiful and showed all of the vineyards too. My first day ends and Lady Vino dismisses me to bed, satisfied with the work I have done and leaving me a tray of fruits for dinner. As the moon slowly rises above the horizon I sit up in bed, looking out the window. At night, everything becomes more clear for me. I can see the world as if it has turned into focus, I feel more energy inside of me and I don't feel as lifeless as in the daytime. Taking the tray of food I slowly open the window and climb out, silently walking down the hill to the training building. There I pick up the dropped bow and arrows and set the tray out for whatever animal happens to want it. I absentmindedly shot at targets all night, only returning to the room with the empty tray before dawn.

That morning, Lady Vino calls me from downstairs and I stop what I am doing to go to her. She is standing in front of the dining room, servants clearing the table from her breakfast.

"Today you are going to the Academy. The academic year for the seniors of the Academy is coming to a close, all the other students have already learned what they need to. You are new, but I was told to place you in the senior class anyways. For students who go though the whole Academy process, the first step is schooling where they learn the basics in classrooms and gyms, and to graduate into real world training they must undergo the exam trials. You will not be given any special treatment because you are new, so don't expect any favors when you go to do the exam trials. Go get your food from the kitchen so we can go. And take off that ratty dress of yours, it looks like a garbage bag. You will represent this family with dignity and class, there are uniforms to wear in the attic closet. Throw away whatever that is you have on and wear one of those." She says.

"Yes, Lady Vino." I say, bowing and then turning to go to the kitchen. I peek inside the room, and servants are cleaning up the plates and utensils they used to prepare the meal. The leftovers were plainly there on the counter, but I didn't bother to get any. The servants never said anything to me, they don't even look my way. I have a suspicion they have been ordered to ignore me by Lady Vino.

Back in my room I open the small closet door to find one rack of a few uniforms hanging in a neat row. Each of them thane a black and wine red color pallet, and I choose one randomly to wear. My hand picks up a two piece black uniform of a black skirt and shirt with wine red belts and a wine red bow. On the back is a large Vino family crest and everything about the outfit is prim and pressed. I appreciate it, although I don't like it as much as the dress given by Dr. Lightwood. Sadly, I take off the dress and fold it neatly, placing it in the deep corner of the closet. I put on the uniform and look at myself in the mirror. The clothing is slightly constricting on me, the skirt comes a little short and the shirt presses across my chest tightly, showing my waist. I don't like it, it's much too exposing for me, I feel like I will attract too much attention. But I cannot say anything against this as I walk back downstairs and join Lady Vino. She says nothing to me, and just leads me out of the house and to the village. Our whole trip was silent, Vino never tells me anything and I don't ask her anything.

Soon we come across a large building. I can see it rising from the horizon as we approach, a school. The front is wide and about five stories tall, with the name Village of Green Academy on the front. There are rows and rows of windows filled with silhouettes of kids walking back and forth. I don't really want to go, I can sense too many people inside for my liking. But Lady Vino dose not like my hesitation. She turns to glare at me, looking down with disgust.

"If you think you are too scared to go, I'll give you something to be scared for." She threatens. I don't want to feel the sting of her lashings again, and I flinch from the memory of the last punishment, and all of my previous punishments before. I continue onward with her inside the building. The front is a quaint plain office, with a secretary behind a desk. She has a short plain bob style with glasses, and  looks uninterested and bored, not making eye contact with Lady Vino until she told her why she was here. Her head quickly snapped up and gaped at me, taking off her glasses.

"Oh, it's you..." She says in shock, fumbling around in a clutter of papers. "Yes, of course..... Here is your official paperwork, Lady Vino. The senior class is on the top floor, room A-1." Lady Vino pays her no mind as she fills out the paperwork. After a while she looks down at me incredulously. She wears the same smile as she did in front of Prae when we first met.

"What are you still doing here, darling? Go on up to your new class, I'll be here to pick you up when classes are over." She says sweetly, with a cheery air about her. I don't object, and obediently leave further into the school to find my class. After some time finding where to go, I finally stand in front of classroom A-1. On the other side I can hear kids talking excitedly, probably about exam trials. I don't want to go in, I feel frozen in front of the door. I don't want to go in and meet these people, I'll be a target, a scapegoat, a victim of them. I stand in front of the door, unwilling to move and suddenly the door opens in before me. A man with tan skin and green eyes stands in front of me. He has dark brown hair that is grey at the temples, and he wears a thick vest over a black mesh shirt and black pants. He is first surprised and then he smiles warmly down at me.

"I thought I saw someone out here. You must be the new student. My name is Mr. Miyagi, come on in!" He says brightly, ushering me inside the classroom. The front was low with a wide chalkboard and the rows of students are set theater style around the center. The classroom was small, filled with twelve students all staring at me. The lights inside were bright, glaring down on me, making me have to squint as my eyes poorly adjust.

"Alright class, we have a new student before exam trials here." Mr. Miyagi says. "Don't be shy, tell us about yourself." He tells me. I wish I could, but I am frozen in place. My body feels rigid with the pressure of twelve eyes glued to me, expecting something from me when I am nothing to give. My mouth tries to form words but seems to tremble and stutter.

"Ah.... My name is Lunaria...." I manage to say. Mr. Miyagi smiles and pats my back.

"Yes, this is Lunaria. According to the file I received, she was recently released from the hospital and is new to the village, so I would like you all to give her a warm welcome." He says. "Lunaria, you can sit up there in the back if you don't want to be in the front." He says, pointing to a seat on the back row beside a boy with blonde hair and blue eyes. I recognize him as the boy who ran into Prae Sul on the bridges. He looks at me with an expression of surprise and smugness. I slowly move from the eyesight of the class to the back seat beside him.  

"Hey, you are that girl who was with Leader Prae right? I'm Kurren Galeman." He whispers to me. "What were you doing with her anyways, she never has time for children?" I didn't know how to respond, his eyes bore into mines, giving me his full attention. Luckily, the teacher called to the class so I didn't need to reply.

"Alright class, as you all know that during the exam, all the academies from every village come here for the exam trials. Our classroom has been chosen to be ambassadors, so we will escort the villages to the trials. The trials, of course, are the written exam, the sparring exam, and the ability exam. Let's try not to start any trouble with the outside students, ok? Points will be deducted if you cause a brawl between students outside of the exams." Mr. Miyagi said. The other students talk and chatter excitedly, but I remain quiet and watch them. I can hear the whole room and every conversation going on. Some are talking about the exams. Most of them are talking about me. I feel myself wanting to slide further back against the wall, shrinking out of sight until I am invisible. I never wanted to be here, I wish I could have stayed at the hospital with Dr. Lightwood. At least there I was content in silence. I never would have been punished and I never would have to be placed under pressure like this if I could have just stayed asleep in the hospital with Dr. Lightwood taking care of me.