Taking Back

The Healing Hands of the Bondless Nurse

Lucinda rested Eddie on the beds in the infirmary. As she began the healing process, knowing he was the prince of Chermono, she couldn't help but remember her childhood back when she was one of its people. It was a few days before Lucinda came to Elestelia. She grew up as a commoner in the village surrounding the castle. The servants and the common folk often saw the royal family since many kids came of age to earn their foxes. Many of her childhood friends grew in awe of the royal family's beauty and only fantasized about growing up with the princes. The boys often pretended to be the knights and the Princes. The girls also played as princesses swooning over the boy's bravery and chivalry.

Lucinda saw her friends disappear from their time playing until she watched them on their new training fields. She felt left behind by her friends. It took one accident on the training grounds to make her go and question everything. She saw her friend grow frustrated and explode with flames. Lucinda watched as the fires grew in the woods. She watched as some of the soldiers with water foxes took out the fire while some other fire soldiers tried to calm down her friend.

Lucinda's body shook as she took off deep into the woods. She ran to a stream and hid under a rock, crying. She waited for an hour. Lucinda's thoughts got filled with the destruction caused by her friend. She felt her hands tremble at the mere thought of the same damage. Lucinda vowed that she'd reject the bond. Her parents found her moments later, relieved.

Lucinda hung out in the woods. She started hanging out with the wildlife. She spent her quality and quiet time watching the critters live, and she helped mend a few of them.

Lucinda enjoyed the company of the creatures living in the forest. Unfortunately, the day would come when she expected to bond with her winged fox. She tried to forget about it, despite how inevitable it seemed.

The day arrived for her to bond with her fox/animal partner. The ceremonies were held at the palace for everyone. In Chermono, it is a special occasion to discover the universal talent that flows within one's blood. The Chermonoans were one of the few kingdoms to uncover the Ele-Gems, which helped unlock the innate magical talents within those capable of it. These gems then glowed brightly, calling forth the animal of the same element to it as a beacon.

None were sure how this system worked, but after discovering the powerful bond this system created between humans and animals, they realized just how helpful and progressive it could make their society. Thus the Chermonoan Bonding Ritual was formed.

The children would gather around their own set of Ele-Gems, from which one that glowed the brightest would symbolize their inherent power. The Ele-gem and the child will go to a large magical circle and a small menagerie of animals from the forests surrounding the kingdom. Whichever animal felt compelled to answer the gem's call would walk, crawl, or fly into the magic circle with the child. A blinding light would fuse their Elemental spirits as a lifeline. Everyone would celebrate in glee after the ritual got completed.

However, not all Rituals ended this way. There were certain events where the Ritual didn't work. For example, an animal doesn't respond to the gem's call, or the Ele-Gem fails to connect to the child's inner power. A single Ele-Gem called forth almost every animal in the palace, causing utter dismay. Or, worse, a child got forcefully bonded to an animal they did not choose or got demanded by their parent or other to bond to, which caused severe magical trauma to both participants.

The past events and her friends' incidents were the main reason Lucinda was terrified of the bonding ritual. It was why her decision was risky. If she went through her pact, she would bond with an animal. Depending on what power Lucinda acquired, she could end up just like her friends. If she refused the bond, she could risk being forced against her will to partake in the event by order of the Chermonoan King, Rudrick Von Charlamange IV.