The Truth Over The Wall

Chapter 11

Amara had just begun to grin when a thought struck her and wiped it clean.

"ASH!" Amara said slapping both hands over her mouth, "I have to tell Ash!"

She grabbed a handful of skirts in each fist and took off. Leaving Dominic no choice but to follow.

"Don't you think," Dominic asked her as he ran after her, "That maybe Miss Monroe will object to your departure? Perhaps you need time to talk her through this. Help her accept the transition-"

Amara could not help but throw her head back in a laugh.

"Sit down and have a conversation with Ash?" she said sarcastically, "Sounds lovely. Be sure to tell me how that works out, will you?"

"Miss Eberhardt," Dominic came to a hard stop before the front door of Amara's house and faced her, "If you think that you will face trouble in obtaining permission from Miss Monroe then...would you like me to talk to her?"

Amara raised a single, sharp black eye brow as her mouth pulled up in an amused smile.

"Because she likes you so much," Amara teased him, "And she'll have no choice but to accede to your request?

"Need I remind you, this is the same woman who knocked you out cold a few hours before on your first meeting?"

Dominic shook his head at the ground as his fore head wrinkled worriedly.

"It's not like we have a choice," Dominic said, "You have to tell her where you're going and why. And with whom. She's your guardian and in any event answerable to your parents. Which means her ascent is mandatory. "

Amara pressed her face into her hands as she tried to keep patient, "I know," she told him. "I know, I know, I know!

"Ash isn't just my guardian," Amara shrugged, "She's my best friend in the whole world. I can't imagine hurting her like that and of course I'd never go if she told me not to. What I am telling you is this: Ash is a tough old bird set in her ways. There is a very specific system to go about things such as requests and new ideas.

"And there is an even longer waiting period," Amara explained, "That you need to respect while she mulls it over, dating anywhere between two to three weeks. Don't even get me started on approval ratings for when an idea has passed into the debate stage to work out all the worse case scenarios."

"Two to three weeks?" Dominic's mouth dropped open, "For approving an idea?"

"Like I said," Amara nodded wearily, "Set in her ways...likes things the way they are...fortunately I thought ahead and got the wheels spinning months before. I've already packed for the occasion! Just give me two minutes."

Amara disappeared through the doorway just as Ash appeared. She stood leaning heavily against the door frame with a shrewd look on her face as she crossed her arms and continued to study Dominic.

Dominic looked about awkwardly; sensing she needed to say something. Incidentally, she had.

"I've known ma girl," Ash informed Dominic, "Since she was born. Beautiful dark haired baby with wide, mischievous eyes..."

Ash chuckled to herself, "Even then.

"I've known her mam even longer," Ash continued, "John - ma husband - got caught up in a storm once. Caught the cold in his innards, the healer said, deep down inside. Somethin' unnatural 'bout that cold, magic trifling, people said.

"There is no cure for magic once it's caught ya," Ash shook her head at him sadly, "Or so I thaut. Here comes Amara's mother outa nowhere ( outa magic) and she says she was willing ter help. The healers, they'd already given up on ma John. Saying there was things people weren't bred to fight. So, I let her help. And there he was, strong as before.