TBATE - A New Start

Chapter 5

Eleanor Leywin POV:

My mom had more or less kicked me out of the room with everyone. I had never seen the look she was giving at that time. Casma seemed to have understood what was going on and was going with what they had asked of him. They had decided to let him come with us and see the city we lived in. I was kind of nervous to have someone I had just met come with us, but now they just told him to show me around the castle. I had looked between my parents hoping that they would want to keep me with them. I didn't think they would let me go.

Now though we are walking down the halls to the kitchen. Casma had mentioned a training ground that we could take food to. It caught my attention as Dad would always practice but wouldn't let me watch when he trained the guards at the actual training ground. I only got to watch him in the yard behind the Helstea's house. After hearing about my brother and seeing Dad I couldn't help but also want to join.

The only thing is I didn't form a core early like him. I never understood what they meant and how forming one works. Even when Dad tried to explain how it felt when he takes in mana I could never get the same feeling her told me. So I gave up and stopped trying. Mom had told me I didn't need to compare myself to Arthur and that I was my own person. Sometimes I feel like a side character from one of the fairy tales Mom tells me when I go to bed.

I was still following closely behind Casma when we finally made it to the kitchen. He slowly opened the door and peeked in, "Why are you being sneaky?"

"Because the cooks keep a close eye on all the food. They get mad when I come in and take food." Casma said as he slowly moved in. I followed trying to be as quiet as possible.

"Are we going to get yelled at if they catch us?" I asked. I was tempted to grab the back of his shirt like I do when I'm scared and with Dad, but I was holding back.

"Um, that's a possibility. Since you're here though they might be a little more lenient." I stopped for a second at the last word, I didn't understand what that meant.

"Lenient?" I questioned catching back up to him now at the pantry.

"They won't be mean since you're here. Everyone was told Art's family would be here and they shouldn't cause any problems for y'all." He responded. He started grabbing things out of it from bread, cheese, and a few other different types of food I didn't know, and was putting them in a basket that was next to the pantry. As he put the last one in he grabbed it and motioned to a different door than the one we had come in.

We walked out the door in time to hear the other door open and several voices filled the kitchen. We quickly made our way away from the area. We were going down hall after hall, rights, and lefts, till we opened a door that led outside. Taking in the new surroundings, I could see trees along a tall fence lining the edge. What really caught my attention was a crater left in the ground. I slowly made my way over to it.

"I'm surprised they haven't filled it in yet." Casma walked over beside me admiring it. The sun shined down on us and the crater. His hair was the same silver as the rest of his family but it seemed to glow brighter in the sunlight. His eyes looked like the green gems in the jewelry stores back in Xyrus and the smile he had made my face heat up. I shook my head and turned back to the crater.

"When did it happen?" I asked trying to hide the fact my face was burning.

"This is what happened when my mana core had formed. I guess after that it did become chaotic with Mom and Dad sending a maid to get your family." I simply nodded.

"Anyways, enough about that, we got some food to eat." He held up the basket with a toothy grin.

"Ah, I totally forgot about that once I saw the crater," I said as we made our way to part of the training area that wasn't broken. We sat down with the basket in between us. I ran my hand through the grass surprised at how soft it was.