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Chapter 13 - Maybe

I will start off by saying that Vox and Dorian's words were partially a lie. We would run the drill over and over again until all of us could break the boards. Then, and only then, would we move onto the next phase of our training.

A few weeks passed, and I was still the only one who'd managed to actually break my board. Every day I came to class, I'd found the board I'd broken the previous day replaced with a brand new one. The first couple of times I found it, I scowled at it, wondering why on earth I had to do it again. But I went ahead and played Vox's little game.

Eventually one board became two and two became three. The druids were expecting me to outperform my classmates by then. And I was. The other children watched me in awe. Dain studied my movements closely enough that he was able to use what he'd learned from me and broke his own board after a week and a half. Then the other kids started doing the same as I'd graduated to board number four.

The day of my seventh birthday came and on that day, as I walked up to class, Master Ako immediately excused me. The other kids, especially Khi and Ancelle, watched questioningly. The masters didn't usually let children skip class due to it just being one's birthday. I once asked the druids about it and Zuvuli had told me that if they implemented a rule like that, a kid would be gone from class on a weekly basis.

I wandered around Ettrail, not entirely sure what to do. I'd never ever been excused from class this much. Why was I suddenly so special?

I went to find my parents in the fields but was swarmed by Zahra, Suhzo and the others, all talking over each other. They all said something different yet along the same lines. They were congratulating me and excited for me and I didn't really understand why.

I pushed my way out of the swarm of adults, leaving them sputtering over each other's sentences until they realized I was long gone. I wandered around some more until I found Allkin sitting on a rock, taking a break from working. He leaned up against a shepherd's staff that he mostly just used to keep himself upright. Mum told me he had bad legs, knees, and just generally bad everything below the waist. I think that list even included a bad back. I imagine bending over to sow seeds every day of your life wasn't exactly good for your posture.

I mentioned earlier that Allkin had a skin tone close to Khi's. He was also blond, his curly hair always making me think of a banana cream-filled pastry puff, and had starry silver eyes. A part of me sometimes wondered if he was actually a distant relative of Khi's. It wouldn't have been impossible. 

"Allkin," I said his name and his eyes met mine. "Where are my mum and dad"

Allkin thought for a moment then pointed his staff uphill at the Golden Temple. "Bishop took them aside, saying Vox was calling a druids' meeting."

"I take it that the meeting concerns me?" I pointed at my own chin.

Allkin shrugged, "Wouldn't know, Emerald."

"Oh...okay." I started wandering away from Allkin, trying not to seem suspicious. "Thanks for the info."

Allkin craned his neck slightly towards me. By then, I was working my way back up the hill. He called out to me, "Don't you think about going to see what the meeting's all about, boy. You know the druids don't like anyone stickin' their noses in their business."

I didn't care what Allkin said. I was going to find out what was going on. I marched up the hill as if I were a soldier who'd gone a week without a proper meal. I wanted to find out. I was going to find out.

I didn't think it was entirely fair for them to be keeping things from me. Every conversation my parents had with the druids hadn't taken into account my opinion. It was high time they started listening to me.