Yearning for the Moon

Chapter One

Andreas finds me after the competition and is outraged by what he viewed as a huge insult towards me. "This is unbelievable! I know for a fact that the prize was supposed to be the city of Gakara, a small city on the border sure, but a much better prize than a residence at the Valenian Outpost and a currently unspecified ruined city in the tainted lands she gave you. I can't believe our Queen made such a mistake, I know you are not a Valenian but still, you won the competition, I can't believe she changed the prize.

But at least I know what to give you now, because though I hadn't managed to find you a present before the competition, I know what to give you now. Even if you decide you don't want to waste your time in the tainted lands, winning this competition gives you a permanent visitor pass into the Valenian Empire, but if you do decide you want to investigate your newly acquired property, you'll need this." He lifts a small necklace chain from around his neck, revealing a black rock pendant, I stare at him with a raised eyebrow, not knowing what is so special about this piece of rock.

"Thanks, though I am not sure what this is?" He looks down at the necklace he placed in my hand and sighs, looking annoyed, not at me, but at himself for not realizing I wouldn't know what this is.

"It's a Lodestone, it forms a natural barrier around your body, that protects you from the curse on the tainted lands." I look at the pendant skeptically, it has a square chunk of stone in the claws of a metal setting, it looks pretty, but I am not sure a rock can do something like he is describing, but I put it on anyways.

"There is no if, I fully intend to go see my new property, besides I've heard of the resource rich tainted lands of Ulnaga, if the Queen thinks she is giving me a worthless piece of land that I don't have the resources to turn into my favor, she is sorely mistaken." I tilt my head as I think my name is being yelled and when I turn to look in the direction, I think it is being shouted, I see Julian making his way over to me.

I stare at him in confusion, unsure as to why he was coming over to speak to me when we only knew each other by name because we were each other's strongest competition. "Hello, Julian, how can I help you?" He gives me a small smile, looking pleased to see I wasn't going to just tell him to go away.

"I just wanted to say it was my honor to compete with you, I feel no shame in losing to a herbalist who can successfully refine a pill." I'm not too sure what to do or say as he dips his head to me in respect, but as I glance down at him bowing at me, I notice the pendant on my waist glowing, a sign I know better than to ignore.

"You were excellent, and were quite close to refining a pill yourself, though I do need to say that I wouldn't fool around with pill refining on your own, there are quite a few deadly mistakes that can easily be done." He lifts his head in confusion, likely wondering how if this was my first-time pill refining, did I know about these deadly mistakes. "Let's just say this wasn't my first time dabbling in pill refinement, if you want to learn more, since you have three years to wait before you can join the competition, you know where to find me, the Queen just announced to everyone what my prize is." With those parting words I grab Andreas by the arm and lead him away, from Julian who can only stand there and stare at me in confusion.

In our pursuit to get out of the crowd we come across Carina who was trying to push her way through the crowd towards us, this is the first time I have seen her since coming to the competition, Andreas frowns a little when he sees her, though that could just be him puzzling over the words I said to Julian.

"I can't believe you won the competition, Elianna! And you successfully refined a pill at that! Do you know how many job offers you'll get, how much people will pay for your services! This is insane, though I am sorry the Queen gave out such a horrible prize this year, but that's alright, with your skills I am sure you'll flourish anywhere you go." I blush a little at her compliment, when anyone but my two friends said it, I viewed it as false flattery, but when they said it, I knew they were just being honest.