Tria and Hera, I find, are good companions. Like all Earths are, they are very mellow and accepting. We talk about our different divisions and families. Tria is an only child who grew up in Earth City. Hera is her cousin who lives in the forests near Water. She is also a sibling to three younger sisters, Lia, Tier, and Venn. Venn is the youngest at 2 and looks just like Hera when she was a baby. I wanted to meet them one day.
"What about your family, Maia?" Hera asks. "What are they like?"
"My mother and father are both very supportive. They've taken good care of me. My younger sister, Bee, will be coming to the Center for Training in four years. I miss them all very much."
"My parents basically left me all alone all day," Tria says. "They are nobles in the Earth Court. Lesser nobles, though."
"That is so cool!" I exclaim. "I always wanted to meet a noble's daughter."
Tria waves her hand. "It's not a huge deal. They barely do anything, but they are always busy. I wish my parents were like yours, Maia, and little Bee sounds so cute!"
"She does," Hera confirms. "She and Tier would get along well. Teir will be coming to Training in three years, but Lia will be here next year."
"That's exciting," I say.
Hera only nods in reply.
"Who is the friend you were looking for yesterday, Maia?" Tria asks.
"That would be Clarisse. I've been friends with her for as long as I can remember. She lives in the seventh barrack and I'm supposed to meet her at noon today."
"Can we come with you?" Tria asks excitedly. "I would love to meet her!"
Hera hums in agreement.
I smile at the two. "That would be great! I'm sure she would love to meet you."
"I'm sure she would love to meet me too."
My blood runs ice cold. I feel it leave my face too. My fingers freeze in the middle of reaching for the last of my fish. Tria and Hera both look at me in shock as they realize who is behind me. I don't turn around. I don't even breathe. I ignore him and hope that he will leave. My luck, however, didn't seem to accompany me this morning. Instead of leaving, the Fire boy sits down in the seat next to me, a wide smile on his face. It does not reach his eyes. His eyes are full of malice and distaste. He doesn't pay attention to the disapproving looks Tria and Hera are sending him. I wish they would do something more. I wish they would glare at him, but Earths are rarely so forward with anger. They will outgrow it in time, but right now, their Earth tendencies are not helping me.
"I don't believe I caught your name," the Fire boy teases. "What was it?"
I stay silent. He does not need to know my name. It will only give him further reason to harrass me. I do not need that. I look behind me to see he has two friends with them, both looking as malicious as the Fire boy. I can only assume they are his friends from his division. I turn back around and stare at my uneaten fish. Hera and Tria don't leave me and for that I am grateful. I was barely able to handle one Fire on my own, but three? I wouldn't have survived.
"Come now, princess," he mock soothes. "You don't need to be scared of me. I just want to say hello and get your name."
"She doesn't want anything to do with you," Hera says.
"We don't want anything to do with you," Tria corrects.
"Oh, that's harsh," the Fire boy says. "I thought Earths are supposed to be mellow."
