The Clues You Left

Chapter Two - Elowen

It's early morning, light filters through the windows into Elowens room, her alarm rooster wakes her up from its loud crowing outside. The smell of the port wafted through the house, the smell was permanent even when a little bit outside the city. Elowen groans, rolling over with her pillow covering her ears to try and mask the sound of the cawing rooster determined to wake her up. Eventually she gets up and the rooster, hearing her feet hit the floor, shuts up. The room is partially lit through by the sun peaking through the curtains, her candle had long since burnt out from the night before. Her mother comes rushing in through the door, waving the mail given this morning. Elowen opens her mouth to chastise her mother for always barging in on her, unaware if she's proper or not. But the seal letter she had waving in her hand stops her dead in her tracks.

"Is that?" Elowen asks, not bothering to finish the sentence. Her mother nods vigorously, handing Elowen the letter before stepping back. Her mother was an energetic woman, she had to be doing something, anything to keep herself sane. Crocheting had been the most recent hobby her mother had taken up along with cross stitch. Her brown hair was always in a pony-tail, swaying back and forth as she stepped. Elowen grabbed the letter opener from her nightstand drawer and cut it open. Pulling the letter from the fancy envelope, she opened it up.

"Dear Miss Elowen Everglass,

We are happy to tell you that your test scores have awarded you a full ride scholarship to our school, Dorian Academy. Due to your high scores in language, magical knowledge, diplomacy and debate, you have been selected to attend the course 'Diplomat'. The term starts in four months on August 4th, please bring proper clothing and use the vouchers in the envelope to buy your uniform and books. We look forward to teaching you.

Wishing you well,

The Dorian Academy teachers."

Elowen finished reading it aloud and looked up at her mother, "I got in." She whispered, not truly believing it at first before she spoke louder, "I got in!" She shouted with pride. Her father came rushing to the room, his blonde hair still a mess and his blue eyes hazing from sleep.

"She got in, William!" Her mother cried out, hugging her husband tight. "That's two for two." She beamed. Her father sent her his signature reserved smile before walking over to her and ruffling her hair.

"Good job kiddo." He said. Unlike his wife, William was a reserved man, never raising his voice in anger or excitement and preferred the slow, hard, tedious work it took to maintain the family farm. Secretly, while her parents celebrated Elowen thought of her sister, Nuri. Five years ago they had received their finally letter from Nuri in her signature messy handwriting stating she was going to serve a noble family in the court, that she would contact them she got a chance. Apparently, she's gotten a chance for five years, when Elowen questioned it, all the adults pushed her off. It was common for lower class people to no longer seek contact with their family when they entered higher classes. But Elowen never believed that Nuri of all people would stop talking to her family.

Nuri was nothing if not a family person, Elowen still had the letters Nuri sent her during her time in the Academy, the first month had at ten and she got at least one a week until the day Nuri graduated. Graduation was for noble families to attend only, a clear line drawn in the sand of Dorian Academy, a message. 'Your child might be able to graduate from here, but you aren't allowed here.'. Elowen knew Nuri's test scores, her mother had kept the letter and the test score confirmation, had shown it off to all her friends at one point or another. Nuri was strong, quick witted and clever. Her language skills were average as well as her debate and diplomacy skills, but her physcial test scores were off the charts, something her father was immensely proud of.

"Can't believe our family of all people have the last name Everglass." Her father would joke, his entire side of the family were hard laborers. Miners, farmers, wood workers, the works. The family got their name from being originally glass blowers, a notoriously hot job.