The Tales of Mara Prosperine: A Short Story

PART THREE

PART THREE: SWEET TEA IN THE SUMMER, CROSS MY HEART WON'T TELL NO OTHER

It's been months since Mara met Azalea and the others, they took her as their own. She was the new member of the band of misfits that was the group. They grew into their routine like clockwork: Colin would pick Mara up from her tree house, Azalea would bring them pastries from her father's shop, they would wait for Keahi whilst he was having his fencing and sparring lessons outside the castle, Alastair would teach them new things he learned from the scholars he's studying with, they would enjoy each other's company for the rest of the day at Colin's stone cottage and finally, He would walk Mara to her tree house and bid her goodnight.

For the first time in forever, she was content. This was the life that Mara has longed for.

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They had taught her many things about themselves and their world, Mara did the same. They would teach her the essence of trade and currency, she would teach them about the great obsidian gates that separated their world from hers. They would teach her how to write letters, she would them how to send fire messages.

"Your method of communication is far too inconvenient. You're telling me that in order to send a message you have to write a letter and fetch an owl to deliver it?" Mara said

"Yes, how else would it be?" Said Azalea

"—Although owls are only used by royalty. The common folks use crows to deliver letters" Said Alastair

"I have a more convenient way of sending a message. It's called a fire message" her eyes sparkled as those words escaped her mouth

"Show us" the group said in sync

Mara took a piece of parchment, a quill, and some ink. She then wrote something down, she crumpled the parchment with her hand and whispered directly to the crumpled parchment "esto es por Colin. Incendio" lo and behold the piece of parchment burst into flames, the fire decimating every particle of it— what's left of the parchment was smoke

Smoke then trailed in front of Colin, sparks slowly forming and out of thin air, a piece of parchment appeared. They were bewildered.

"This is amazing" Colin caught the parchment and unraveled it.

Hi. The parchment read.

He smiled, "Hi" he said directing to Mara

For the rest of the time they were there, they practiced how to conjure and cast their own fire messages. 

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They would spend most of their time at Colin's cottage, and Mara couldn't help but notice Colin's living condition. He was the only person living in the cottage, no mother, no father nor siblings. She was just going to leave it as it is but her curiosity got the best of her and so she asked. And to her luck, he answered.

Colin's father remains a mystery to him— that is what him and Mara have in common. All he knows is that his father was no mortal man, he was a being of light and purity however, mortals and gods cannot be together and that must be why his father remains a mystery to him. His mother was mortal, but she was the mightiest soldier the kingdom had before Colin, she was a fierce warrior and she feared no one. She was given the title of "General" just as she deserve. Unfortunately, she passed when Colin was just fifteen, which was not long ago— after his mother passed, the title of being General was passed on to Colin, he had the same qualifications as his mother. He is a skilled soldier, a master in archery and swordsmanship, he excelled in constructing battle strategies and most of all he is a great leader— just like his mother.