Requiem for the Dark Ones

Sunshine and Scorn

Celeste Evergrew awoke to the pale light of autumn streaming onto her gentle face. She yawned deeply and rubbed her golden eyes, turning to look out the window. Her sight locked onto a single chickadee that rested on a branch just outside of her attic-turned-bedroom. It peeped once at her before flitting off. Celeste smiled sweetly. It was going to be a good day.

She slipped out of her bed, out from beneath the gently worn and much loved quilt that once belonged to her cherished grandmother, and landed on the creaky wooden floor. She stretched out her body, still heavy with sleep,  and listened to the world around her. There was the distinctive clatter and clanking of dishes and the irregular splash and thump of one of her siblings taking a shower. She figured that she was the last one in the household to wake up. That was fine. She still had plenty of time to get ready for school.

Celeste took the time, as she did every morning, to attend to her plants. They were her pride and joy. Each one had a name, its own care routine. What made Celeste's herbal selection so special, however, was that no one plant was without its own unique healing properties. She loved each plant dearly, and made certain that each had all that it needed to thrive. Oh, how often did she wish that she had been born a plant mage.

She went on with her morning. Celeste dressed herself and prepared for school, double checking that all of her assignments were in the proper folders and tucked safely into her school bag. With the bounce and cheer of a Spring bunny, she bounded down the staircase and landed blissfully in the kitchen. It smelled like bacon and strawberry jam. She quickly took her seat at the far corner of the table, dropping her bag to the side and scooping up a few slices of toast.

Her mother, Andrea Evergrew, was already at the sink, cleaning up after the mess of breakfast. She looked over her shoulder and back at Celeste.

"Good morning, dear." Celeste beamed at her.

"Good morning!"

Celeste smeared the thick strawberry paste onto the bread and shoved in into her mouth with gusto. It was terribly sweet, just the way she liked it. Her legs swung beneath the chair, her toes occasionally slipping against the hardwood floor. She accidentally bumped her father once, and he gave her a stern look over his newspaper. She smiled apologetically, and stopped.

It was about when she started to reach for her third helping of bacon to cover in syrup that her mother informed the room that they had ten minutes before they were to depart. Celeste pouted for a second, grabbed one more piece of bacon, and then ran to the front room to put on her shoes. As she left the kitchen, her mother caught her by the arm and put the other hand beneath her chin, holding her face as though to get a closer look. Andrea squinted, as though looking for something. Her eyes widened momentarily before she frowned.

"You forgot your contacts again. Go put them in. Now." Celeste's shoulders curled inward a bit, as thought to shut herself off from her mother's scornful gaze, but she ultimately turned to go back upstairs. "And fix your posture, young lady."

The ride to school was uneventful. Andrea dropped her older children off at Cauldrick's Senior Academy of Thaumaturgy, the next level of magical schooling meant for the older kids. Celeste stayed in the car. It would be a few more years yet til she was ready for the Senior Academy. She stayed seated, fidgeting with the hem of her dress and flinching slightly when the doors slammed closed. The car proceeded forward.

Andrea dropped Celeste off in front of the Academy, near its wide steps and grand arches. Celeste quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and went to jump out of the parked vehicle, but her mother's voice made her pause.

"Celeste?"

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"You have a test today, correct?"

"I do."

"Don't disappoint me, Celeste." She paused.

"... Yes, Ma'am."

"Good girl. Now go on, you shouldn't be late."

She slid out of the slick looking SUV and firmly closed the door behind her. She bounded off to class, eager to be away from her mother's appraising eyes. Celeste didn't look back, didn't want Andrea to see the sour face that she wore. There would be a harsh scolding if she did. Her eyes began to burn, a reminder to calm down. No small thing was worth losing her temper. Sighing, she forced her shoulders to ease and her pulse to slow. It was going to be okay.

As she walked into her classroom, her eyes immediately locked onto Selene Thorenvire, and her morning brightened greatly. Selene was a large source of awe and inspiration for her. The intelligent girl, the motivated girl, the girl who knew what she wanted and didn't let doubters and nay-sayers slow her down. Selene held her head high, even in a system that was built to keep her down. Even if every time she greeted Selene it was met with a sharp response, she couldn't stop herself from trying. She walked up to her desk and sat down, then turned to face her.

"Good morning, Selene! You look a bit tired. Is everything alright?" Her inquiry was met with a signature Selene scowl.

"I'm quite alright, and I'll thank you to mind your own beeswax." She didn't quite know what she was expecting, but her eyebrow quirked at the response. Maybe if she approached from a different angle...

"Speaking of beeswax, did you remember to do your potions homework? I know it's not your strong point, so I can help you if you want." Selene visible recoiled as though she was wounded. Her sour look was replaced by an angry and bitter one.

"Of course I finished it! I don't need help from a silly little girl playing doctor, now leave me be!"

Celeste glared. Selene was under no obligation to play nice and tolerate small talk, of course, but to be so rude! All she was trying to do was to help! She was trying to make friends! Celeste was so tired of people treating her with anger, especially when she hadn't done anything to deserv- the room began to darken. Her eyes grew weirdly hot, like she was on the brink of combustion. She felt pins and needles start in her finger tips and work their way up her arms. Calm down, she pleaded with herself. Not here, not now.

She quickly composed herself. The room went back to normal. The tingling stopped. Andrea would be livid if she knew that Celeste had let her temper slip that far. She smiled at Selene, but behind her lips there was a bitter taste.

"Whatever you say, Selene." She turned away, trying to retain a grasp on the optimism she had started the day with.

It was going to be okay.