Bonds

Decision

Yinya was doing the dishes after the early morning breakfast. Runa has fallen asleep again after being active the last hour since it was a Sunday meaning no school and utterly cold meaning blanket on. Her door bell rang. It was too early for a visitor. It was not yet time for the fog to lift and she had a feeling it was Acya.

She answered the door and Acya came in with a thick jerkin, folding her hands and hiding her fisted palms trying to keep them warm. "Good morning, we have a lot to discuss. I'm sorry if I'm disturbing," she said following Yinya into the kitchen.

"Nah, just sit and we'll talk while I put these things away." Acya sat on the chair in the kitchen.

"Well, when will you talk to my parents about this?" Yinya have an amused look when she heard that, "So, you have already decided?"

"Yeah, I don't know just yet. What's gonna happen with my school?"

"You will be educated there, don't worry about it. Later on, equivalence of education certificates are provided."
"And how useful are they?"

Yinnya turned to her and asked her to wait where she was for a while as she went to fetch some papers from her bedroom.

"Take a look at these," she handed over some certificates to the girl.

"Ah.. everything about this place looks so grand, royal.."

"You'll get used to it."

"Who is Gaya?"

"He is my husband," Yinya said without any hesitations anymore. Runa was still asleep.

"I never saw him around, I guess?"

"He has died. It will be four years by the end of November." November was two months away from then.

Acya apologized after a wait. Yinya didn't reply. As much as she tried to be happy with her child, she still had things affect her.

Gaya loved them dearly. He loved Runa more, but he only got a few months with his son. It was a sudden accident. She was trying hard to be happy. Runa on the other hand knew of his father when he questioned Yinya once.

After another speck of silence as she read through the certificates, she noticed they were much older by date but they looked so new. That's how one should treasure things, she thought.

"So what exactly does this certificate say?"

"It says how good you study like any other school report card, but more importantly, it says the grades there are equal to what grades in the other places. You will have to provide the school or college where you want to study after coming back. Then, within a week this will be in your mailbox with your aggregate percentage in accordance with the place."

Acya had a stern face, "So all in all, study as usual?"

"Yeah, did I say something about studying? But, it will be harder there."

Listening that she groaned. "God, why? Do you know how hard I try to keep that second rank and get the first?"

Yinya chuckled. "I heard so from him. But you'll be fine. As long as you don't relax too much."

"Fine. Just why is this place so complicated?"

"You can comeback every two months and stay for a week," she said ignoring the complaints from Acya.

"I'm going there myself?"

"Yes, if that's not already obvious."

She groaned and asked, "And who the hell is giving me permission? You will talk toy parents, right?"