The Mystics Of Valenthia

18. The Trial

"I think you should wear this white dress. Plain and simple. Jeans and a top won't do. You are gonna meet The Elements, afterall!"

Nova was rummaging through my wardrobe. Half of my clothes was on the bed as if on sale while she sorted out through the other clothes still intact inside.

I sighed as I said, "You said that earlier as you discarded a dozen of dresses. Does it really matter?"

"It is THE ELEMENTS, Renna! Of course it matters!" She shouted.

"Fine, whatever," I said as I grabbed the dress before she changed her mind again. When it comes to dressing up, Nova is too fickle minded.

As soon as I was done dressing up, I walked to the door. I did not want to stay in the suite while my room-mates were acting weirdly. I'm sure they were trying to be normal but it was not working. I don't even want to think about what they would be like after the Trial. A part of me was hoping that whatever was said earlier was false. That it was a joke.

"So...I'll see you guys later?" It came out as a question rather than a statement.

They stared at me for a moment before coming up to me and embraced me.

"Of course you will!" Eva said. She sounded so sure, so confident.

They let go of me and I walked out. I was supposed to meet Ferdinand at half past eight. The meeting was at ten. It still showed eight on my watch as I started roaming around aimlessly.

"Renna!" I heard someone call. I turned to see Daphne standing by an open door.

"Hey," I called out.

"Come in, a minute," she said.

I was surprised to be invited to her room out of the blue. I walked towards the door and she beckoned me to enter. I walked in cautiously.

Her room was comparatively small and the air smelled of roses and lemons. It was a sunny room.

"It is the day of Trial," she said, looking at me up and down.

"Yeah. How did you know?" I asked, surprised.

"I know," she said. That didn't really answer my question but I didn't mention that.

After a while I ask, "Was there a reason why you wanted to see me?"

After a slight moment of hesitation she said,"Come, let me do your hair."

She didn't answer my question again; but instead of saying so, I nodded my head slowly.

She did my hair as she had on the first day. Intricate plaits laced in a ponytail.

I smiled at her reflection on the mirror and she smiled back.

"Wait right here," she said suddenly as she crossed her room and reached her drawer, shuffling through it.

She returned back and pressed something in my hands. I look down and saw the most beautiful necklace ever. It was a heart shaped stone with a Phoenix on its top, its wings spread out. A dragon was running along the shape of the heart. The jewel itself seemed one of a kind, half of it being ruby merged with what looked like sapphire.

"Is this yours?" I asked in awe.

"No. It belonged to Madeleine. Before the battle, she had given it to her sister to be taken care of. It was very precious to her, this piece of jewellery. And looking at it, you can understand why. Madeleine's sister kept it for a long time before handing it over to her daughter. That is how I came into its position."

"Are you...are you Madeleine's niece?" I asked, incredulously.

She smiled a sad smile before replying, "Yes. Melissa was my mother. But I give to its rightful owner. I give it to you."