The Choosing

Chapter One: A Pleasant Surprise (Part Two)

"So what'd you make of that exam?" Alcestis Chaconas, more commonly known as Alcie, joined Lyra as she made her way down the staircase.

"It was alright."

"For you maybe."

Lyra gave her best friend a look. "It wasn't that bad."

Alcie stuck out her tongue in response. "That personality section though. Do you really think they'd avoid selecting someone just because their personality isn't the right match?"

Lyra shrugged. "Apprentices and their masters have to get along on some level. It wouldn't be a good relationship if they clashed all the time."

Alcie glanced at her tentatively. "Are you talking to your sister today? I heard a rumor that she's actually coming in person. Special permission and the whole deal."

Lyra nodded. "Paige said-".

"Lyra!"

Lyra and Alcie exchanged quick glances, both suppressing inner groans as they turned to face the speaker.

Felicity Castellanos stood before them, a shiny smile pinned to her face.

"Hi Felicity," Lyra said politely.

The blonde brightened. "Are you excited for The Choosing?"

"More nervous than excited."

"Oh don't be. I can't wait to be an apprentice with you. You'll get Libra, of course, and I just know Virgo will choose me. Who else could she possibly want as an apprentice?"

Alcie snickered.

Felicity ignored her. "My family's been chosen by Virgo plenty of times in the past. I'll be the seventh in the line."

Lyra gave her what she hoped seemed like a genuine smile. "Seven's a lucky number they say."

Felicity beamed. Then suddenly her expression changed. "Did you hear about James Hitchcock?"

Alcie perked up. If there was one thing she was interested in, it was gossip. And Felicity, the school's gossip queen, knew all the latest gossip.

Lyra shook her head. "No. Did something happen to him?"

"Apparently, his family forced him to fake his answers to the personality section. I heard he's aiming for Leo. Can you imagine? A simpleton like him as an apprentice? Quite laughable, isn't it?"

Lyra shrugged. "Anything's possible."

Felicity gave her a pitying smile. "Oh Lyra, you needn't be so kind. Some people don't deserve such kindness. Especially not those like James. Faking their way through life, trying to pass off as better than they could ever be. They'll never amount to anything."

"Like you," Alcie muttered.

Felicity zeroed in on her. "Did you say something, Alcestis?"

Alcie gave her a simpering smile. "Just making note of the time. Lyra has to speak with her sister soon. Her sister's very busy, as an apprentice of Libra and all, but Libra's given her special permission to speak with Lyra today."

Felicity's smile returned. "I see. I won't delay you any longer then, Lyra."

"It was nice speaking with you."

"Oh no, the pleasure's all mine." Felicity gave one final sparkling smile before sauntering off.

Alcie dropped her act at once. "Thank the horoscopes she's gone."

"She's not that bad."

Alcie looked at her in disbelief. "How can you stand her? I almost wish she would be selected. Then we'd never have to see her again."

"I'm sure her family would be pleased."

Alcie looked disgusted. "We'd never hear the end of it. Forget I said that."

Lyra shrugged. "You did say almost."

Alcie adjusted the strap on her bag. "Let's not talk about anything related to the Choosing. We have two weeks of absolutely no school - let's enjoy it while we can. You'll be off to be Libra's apprentice in two weeks, and goodness knows how boring that's going to be. We could go down to Ilya's Spring and go swimming ... "

Lyra looked down, all of a sudden hating herself thinking that the test was easy. She had completely forgotten about Alcie, who, despite her wonderful personality, just wasn't cut out to be an apprentice of the Honorable Constells. Not that Alcie seemed to care. "Sure. I'll meet you there - have to drop off all this stuff-" she gestured at her bulging bag, full of all of her notebooks from the school year "- and talk to my sister about ... something."

Alcie cracked a smile. "That's right, I almost forgot: Lyra's famous sister is coming today. Say hi to her for me, will you? I'll be waiting at the Spring."

"Sure." The two of them approached their school's main entrance where hundreds of students were filing out, talking loudly and throwing papers everywhere.

Lyra stepped around the papers on the floor carefully. "They really shouldn't be throwing away all this stuff. You never know when you might need it again."

Alcie rolled her eyes. "Yeah - because everyone saves their notes from school over the summer. You really do try too - "

"Lyra!"

Standing just outside the school doors was Paige Arocuge, Lyra's older sister and apprentice to Libra.

"That's my cue," Alcie said. "Have fun."

Lyra was barely listening to Alcie as she walked towards her sister. She knew that her sister had received permission to speak with her, but she hadn't imagined that Paige would show up at school.

Lyra and Paige had always been close, but it had been seven years since they'd actually seen each other. You could only convey so much in a letter.

Paige held out her arms. "Oh, Lyra," she said. Lyra hugged Paige back, breathing in her sister's familiar scent of lilies and freshly baked bread. "I have so much to tell you."

Lyra looked down and noticed that her sister was wearing a satchel. She pulled away from the hug. "You never wear satchels."

Paige smiled and reached down, opening the satchel and pulling out a bulky object wrapped in brown paper. "I know. They're horribly uncomfortable, but I couldn't carry this in my hand. It's a present for you - straight from Libra herself."

Lyra looked at Paige incredulously. "For me."

"For you."

"Does this mean she's going to pick me?" Lyra's heart was soaring. She could already see herself standing next to Libra, holding the symbolic scales of justice.

"I wouldn't see why not. Fair warning, though - this isn't a guarantee of anything.Think of it as insurance."

Lyra was no longer paying attention to Paige at this point. "Can I open it here?"

Paige did a quick scan of the surroundings before replying. "Sure. There's no one here."

Lyra slipped her finger underneath the brown paper. Reverently, she took off the wrapping. Letting the paper fall to the ground, she stared at the emblem, carved in ivory - the scales of justice. Her family had one right above their front door, except this one - this one was for her. Only her.

It's me. It has to be me.

How could it not?

. . .

Author's note: What do you think? Will Lyra be chosen by Libra? 

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