Stars Of Glory

Ch. 1, Part 2

Mara was not looking for a secret passageway when she wandered into the library one morning. No, she just wanted to escape from the clamor upstairs. Everyone in the house above was fussing about her older brother, Parker, who was going to check his father's labourers in Jyr. This was the first time Parker had been entrusted with something so important, so the eighteen year old boy was understandably nervous. Mara had wanted an escape from the craziness that was the rest of the house, and so had wandered downstairs to her haven.

She had not been to this part of the library yet, where arcane tomes were shelved next to recipe books. It was old and quite frightening, if Mara was being honest with herself. She knew no one was down here, but she felt a set of eyes on her, as if she was being watched. These feelings had started arriving on her sixteenth birthday, which had happened only three months past. She had been getting these strange feelings, odd sensations that turned into hunches -- that were always right.
Somehow, on one of Mara's late-night expeditions to Uhu's, a small bookstore that had books from all over, that tug in her gut had led her around three separate brawls -- which she didn't know existed until the next morning, when she had grabbed the morning paper from her friend, and maid, Marissa Reyes.

This hunch was telling her the watcher did not mean her harm, but was not benevolent, either. It was simply curious. Still, Mara was uncomfortable. She did not like the sensation of eyes on her, even if they were impartial. She glanced around the room, scanning for where the watching was coming from, but gaining no
insight. Deciding she had been wrong, Mara wandered the ancient library, pulling out books here and there that interested her. Deep within the labyrinth that was the library, she stumbled upon a thin purple tome that interested her. Tugging it out from the bookshelf, Mara found it was stuck. She pulled harder, until it popped out of the shelf, exposing the carved wood back of the shelf.

Curiously, Mara ran her fingers over the intricately carved wood, tracing the spirals and brushing over the whorls. Her fingers danced, pushing and prodding the intricate designs. Finding a spiral, Mara traced it to the center, where she found a rosewood flower. She pushed it, and the panel swung forward, disappearing. The books next to it and the shelves beneath melted into the ground, clear shells of magic keeping every book in its place even as the shelves melted into the floor.

Entranced, Mara stepped forward, pulled in by the hidden room's charm. She ran her hands over the room, drinking in the oddities of the little workshop. She saw silver chalices and risk knives of all kinds, from rough hewn stone to finely cut gemstone. Stored neatly in phials, multicoloured liquids danced and shimmered, pulsing and reaching out when Mara got near.
"Wow. This place is magical." Mara gasped, her first words since she had entered the library. She reached out to grab a book, for the shelving was across from the potion making supplies. But when her hand reached out, the shelves slid backwards and seven books floated out onto a table that was not there before. The first one opened to Rapiers for Beginners, a comprehensive guide to keep you safe, which had a slim and functional rapier with it. Number two opened to Concealment: Everything There Is. Three was where to find arcane and mundane plants, while four discussed herbal healing. Five became slightly more mystical, with titles like Potions: A Basic Outline, Everyday MAgicks, and Magickal Enhancement. Mara, overwhelmed, did the only thing she could.

She picked up a book and started reading.

After she had read Rapiers, and practiced with one of the ornately carved staves with precious gemstones embedded in them, she decided she would not cut off her head if she practiced with an actual blade and unsheathed the rapier provided with the book. She started slashing around the room, practising all types of blocks and strikes. After finishing up a drill, she decided to go for a long and low strike, pivoting on a heel. As she struck forward, her hair whipped in front of her face, and instead of dealing a deadly blow to the air around her, she instead dealt it to her hair.

"Crêpes," Mara cursed. She sheathed her rapier and picked up a mirror lying on a workbench to see if the damage to her hair was salvageable. Thankfully, the shortest part of her hair was at her jawline, so all Mara needed to do was to chop the rest of her long, down-to-the-small-of-her-back-length-hair-that-she-had-cultivated-for-six-years-that-she-absolutely-loves so she did not look like she just cut off her own hair accidentally. Mara did not want to cut off her hair, but she would rather have short hair than disgusting hair that had a jagged cut. However, Mara was clumsy at the best of times, which were certainly not now, and so decided to use some of the magick from one of the books she had accidentally summoned. After reading through a chapter on summoning and enchanting mundane objects, Mara proceeded to summon a pair of hair shears to enchant. After reading (and rereading, and rereading the rereading), Mara (finally) decided to enchant the shears.

Even so, when the shears started floating and talking, she was quite surprised.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Mara screamed.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the shears replied.

"Wait. Am I supposed to talk?" asked the shears.

"I don't know. Like, this is my first time with this magick stuff."

"Wait, what? It takes most witches years to even begin to animate objects!"

"Witches? I'm no witch. I'm just a girl."

"Sure. What did you want me to do?"

"Now this seems rude, seeing as you can talk and think and who knows what else, but I was going to get you to cut my hair."

"Ah. Yes, I was going to comment, but it seemed rude."

"Um, Shears?"

"Yes, witchling?"

"Do you have a name? And do you have magick powers?? Because in stories talking objects can always do cool things."

"Yes. You may call me Yarrow, or whatever you wish, as you are my master. And I can turn into anything but human."

"I'm your master?"

"Yes. You summoned me, didn't you? Silly witchling."

Can you be a sword?"

"Specify."

"A rapier?"

"Yes."

"Yarrow, would you please turn into a rapier, belt yourself at my waist, and not talk in front of people, or only talk so that I can hear?"

"What about your hair?"

"Hm?"

"You wanted me to cut it?"

"Oh, yeah."

Yarrow proceeded to cut her hair. Happy, Mara buckled him on and skipped upstairs to see her brother off, the bookcase shutting behind her.

***

When Mara finally made it to the foyer, something was amiss. The room was empty a cold draft blowing, and her eldest brother and her father's overcoats were missing, along with Nathan's favourite umbrella and her father's golden pocket watch. As she explored the room for clues, she found a small note on the small table by the door.

Sweetheart? You know Parker is going, but Nathan and I are also going away. We've hired a woman to take care of you. We love you. We didn't tell you earlier because I knew you would want to come along, but it simply isn't safe, sweetie.

-Papa

A cough sounded, and Mara startled, seeing an imposing woman with an eye of green and an eye of yellow.

"So you're the mercher's brat I'm to nanny? There are worse than you."

All done! This one was different. So hard to write without turning it dark.
Thoughts on Mara?
Don't forget to comment/vote your opinions/if you liked or else I'll send Yarrow after you.

Word Count: 1 340