Forget Me Not

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The rest of my stay with Semira was… interesting. Her mother interrogated me quite strongly, which was strange to me, but acceptable I suppose. She had been scared, you know? It was her liberty to question my conversation and intentions.

After I had invited Semira to my birthday ball Catrina lightened up a bit, but not entirely. She watched me very carefully until my body was scurrying out the door and off to Aifric’s home.

On my way to his home I thought very carefully about what Ivor had told me. Was fate really choosing me? Was I really going to be the successor that Anam talked about all the time? I mean, me? Seriously?

I think Anam is getting a little fuzzy due to the fact that he’s been in my head so long.

‘Get over yourself, Aislinn. Just because you don’t see your potential doesn’t mean I can’t.’ He huffed, sounding quite agitated towards me. ‘Didn’t you listen to what Ivor told you? You must pay close attention because a lot is depending on you! Get your head in the game already.’ With that Anam fluttered out of my thoughts, leaving his disappointment very heavy upon my heart.

“Geez… thanks a lot.” I said softly as I approached Aifric’s door in a bad mood. I hated coming around here with a bad attitude because Aifric got enough of that from his mother. Sure, she grew to care for him more every day, despite his gender, but she definitely didn’t love him as much as most mothers should. Even Kieran cared more for me than Aifric’s mother cared for him. He was only a little boy as well, but acted much much older. Honestly, he acted more mature than some ladies my age nowadays.

“Aifric!” I called past the wooden door, too wrapped up in myself to bring my arm up to knock. I wanted this to be much quicker than Semira’s visit despite my love for young Aifric.

“Coming!” He responded, his voice so small it made me want to giggle. He could always cheer me up, even with the small flitter of his voice. Quickly, the front door swung open, exposing a dirty and grinning Aifric.

“Oh, geez.” I chuckled, finally pulling a hand over my mouth to hide the joyful sound. “What did you do to yourself?”

“Mother was taking a putrid mud bath, acting like it was fun to soak in damp dirt, so I took the liberty to show her what mud is really for.” Aifric said, using his extensive knowledge to out-do me in my ‘teenager talk’.

“Oh, really? What did you do to show your mother what mud is really for?” I questioned lightly, not taking my eyes off the genius boy that I would sadly have to tell goodbye very soon.

“We had a mud pie contest and then we played mud tag.” His grin returned quickly, his small body bobbing up on ten little toes. “She’s taking a shower now while Robonna (#598),” He paused to make a corky face and say the specified Robonna number and name with a robotic tone. “purges the house of mud.”

“That sounds very interesting.” I countered, smiling to myself as I watched his inner child shine through. I preferred his foolish side honestly, it was more comforting than his smarts. “I wanted to come and give you this elaborately decorated invitation to my 18th birthday ball.” I said proudly, raising my right eyebrow to inquire a response from the young boy as I held out the paid piece of paper. My Robonna isn’t one for crafts.

“Good enough, you need to expand your vocabulary though. Not enough big words.” He giggled happily, giddily taking the invitation into his dirty digits. “I shall tell Robonna to clear my schedule for that day. Thank you for inviting me!” He tried his best to sound older, which made me laugh once more and roll my eyes.

“You’re welcome. See you then.” I smiled down at Aifric and he smiled up at me, closing the door gently as he always does. He isn’t the strongest, but what he lacks in useless brawns he makes up in brains and personality. That’s probably why I had befriended him three years before.

I remember it very clearly, just as I remember everything in my life. He had been skipping along the market with his mother at his side. I had been in proximity to the two, exploring the world with Kieran really because it was one of the first times she had let me loose in public. As I passed the young boy, who was only a puny two year old at the time, and he stopped me immediately. His hand had clutched to my pant leg quickly, making me freeze and turn back around in confusion.

“May I help you?” I had asked softly, bending down to my knees to evaluate him. He hadn’t been but maybe two feet tall then.

“Ma’am, you’re going to be very special someday.” He had said to me, his eyes sparkling with a strange kind of knowledge that I knew I would never understand. After he had said such a mouthful his mother pulled him away, apologizing greatly to me. It was one of the only times I had seen Aifric’s mother and the only reason why I had found him a year later. The woman had come crawling to Kieran’s aid, saying that her Robonna was trying to kill her little boy. By chance, I had been with Kieran at the time and immediately recognized the woman.

It had only taken me a small moment in time to convince Kieran to take me along and from that day I visited Aifric as much as possible.