The Flower that Bloomed in Winter

Panic

Their cries echoed throughout the hall like an anguished banshee's banter. It bounced off of the walls, creating a cacophony of sound that made Cassia's ears ring. Their terror was palpable. Cassia looked up at her Mother, whose complexion had turned sickly. "Mother," Cassia tugged on her hand, but her Mother did not look down at her. She was afraid, Cassia realized. 

The child looked slowly around the room, the panic and frustration building. They would all die tonight if they stayed here. Cassia lifted a single hand to her throat, recalling the feeling of a sword plunging through her neck. 

"No," she whispered, releasing her Mother's hand. Cassia slipped into the crowd of panicked magicians, trying to avoid being trampled on. There was only one way they could all avoid dying, but would they listen to her solution? 

Cassia shoved her way past a harried sorcerer who was yelling at the air, his eyes puffy and red from crying. The child stepped onto the makeshift stage, where the Elder sat, watching them panic with sadness in her eyes. "There is only one thing we can do!" Cassia turned to yell into the crowd, but her voice was lost among them.

She looked around the front row, spotting what she needed.  

Trudging over to the a fallen chair, Cassia lifted it upright and stood atop it. "Please, listen!" The child begged, the room slow to fall silent. At first, she had thought it was from her own power, but slowly, she realized that was not the case. Behind her, the Elder had risen, holding onto the back of the chair to steady herself. She nodded slowly, encouraging the child to go on. 

"Ever since I could remember, I have had these-these visions!" From the back of the room, Acacia's head snapped up in panic. She watched with doe-like eyes, frozen in panic. When had her daughter slipped from her grasp?

"Visions?" Marigold, her neighbor asked. She stood out with her vibrant yellow hair, watching the child with skepticism in her gaze. "Yes, I thought they were just nightmares, but when I dozed off in the meadow, I saw in my dreams, the soldiers coming to kill us. I can still remember the feeling of my fingers being cut off." Cassia looked down at her hands, but all ten digits were still attached. 

She balled her little fingers into fists, looking back up with newfound determination. "Wait a minute," a sorcerer raised a hand from the front row. "You have been having visions and never told anyone?"

"Yes," Cassia would take the blame, she would not allow them to point fingers at her selfless Mother, who had only ever tried to protect her. "I thought they were nightmares, until today." Somehow, the lie came out easier than she would have thought and that scared her. 

"Liar!" 

With a singular call, the entire room burst into panic and anger once again. This time, however, their anger was directed at Cassia. The child stumbled back, the Elder's hand still on the chair to make certain she could not fall. "I think we should listen to the girl, hear what she has to say." With the Elder's calm words, the room swept into silence. Her spell was powerful. 

"Thank you," Cassia whispered, the Elder giving her a wink. Cassia looked back up into their faces, swallowing hard. "There is only one thing we can do if we are to survive the night." Her Mother was watching her, her eyes filled with worry. "We will burn the books," Cassia swallowed hard. "We will dump out the potions. We will disappear."

"Are you suggesting we assimilate into their society?" A sorceress with dark hair asked. "Yes," Cassia replied slowly, unsure what assimilate meant, but knowing they had probably understood her. 

"I agree," the Elder's voice carried firmly throughout the meeting hall. "We will erase any presence of our existence and when the time is ripe, we shall resurface, stronger than before. We only have a few more hours until the King's men arrive, we will need to get to work. Make arrangements, dismantle the village." 

Cassia jumped off of the chair, running back to her Mother, who knelt down to reach for her. She wrapped both arms around her child, her grip tight, but her sigh one of relief. "Please, never do that again." She whispered, murmuring into her daughter's hair. 

A nervous silence had fallen over their village. They walked home together, her Mother anxious, Cassia staring up at the sky, as though trying to imagine what it would look like outside of the only home she had ever known. "Where will we go?" Cassia asked as they reached their hut. The house suddenly seemed lonely. "We will go to my sister's," Acacia stepped inside, holding out her wand to ignite the fire. She began to grab books, stacking them by the armful and bringing them towards the flame. Children's rhymes, magic lectures, books on ancient sorcery, and herb charts. 

It all went up in flames. 

"You have a sister?" Cassia edged closer, watching the fire dance in the hearth. "Yes, she and I... do not speak much, but I am certain that if I contact her, she will help us."

"Is she also a sorceress?" Cassia looked around to help, finding a bag to put their meager belongings in. "No, she is not, but she does not detest sorcerers either." Acacia dumped the potions onto the ground, emptying the bottles. The house began to smell like a warm spring day. "What is her name?" Cassia packed her favorite dress and her only doll, placing them both in the bag. "Ludis," Cassia wrinkled her nose, her Mother laughed. "Do not make that face. In the Empire, Ludis is a very normal, respectable name."

"What about Cassia? Will that fit in there?" Cassia asked worried. Her Mother stepped forward, cupping her daughter's cheeks in her hands. She stroked Cassia's skin with her thumbs. "Cassia is a beautiful name." 

A knock made Acacia release her and Cassia's cheeks were suddenly cold. The door sprung open on its own, the Elder stepping inside. "Acacia, you have a very keen daughter." She complimented, Cassia quick to hide behind her Mother. "Yes, she is often too smart for her own good." Her Mother pet her head, cautious. 

"Why did you hide the visions from us?" The Elder asked, stepping inside. The door closed behind her, the old woman taking a seat beside the fire. "I did what I had to, to protect my daughter. I am sorry for deceiving everyone." Acacia stepped in front of Cassia, her child was the only thing she had left, if she lost her too, Acacia would not know how to live. 

"Do not apologize," the Elder waved a hand. "Child, come here." She beckoned, but Cassia looked to her Mother for guidance. Acacia nodded her head, her daughter stepping out from behind her. Hesitantly, she walked forward, the Elder pressing something long and thin into her hand. "Take this," she urged.

Cassia looked down, staring at the wand the Elder had given her. It was old, carved out of an ancient knoll tree. The tip of it was golden and it buzzed in her fingertips, teaming with life and magical power. 

"Why are you giving this to me?" Cassia did not understand, they were supposed to remove any trace of magic. 

 "You are not the only one with visions child. In the future, you will need that more than I will." Cassia looked down at the wand again, then back up at the Elder. "Cassia, when the time is right, you will lead a new generation of sorcerers. You will revive our people, our destiny is in your hands."