The Lost Voices (OLD VERSION - New Version to Come)

CHAPTER 2... MAGIC (PART 1)

Journal Entry 58: Wishes

8-17-1620 A.R.

Location: Brickshaw, Terrarin

"Are you positive that this is entirely necessary, Ytrieda?" asked Xiajem Castelli as she massaged her mentor's somewhat bony back with shimmering crimson fingers. The two companions were in Ytrieda's cottage living room, a handful of miles from the nearest town. It was surrounded by a network of wooded paths and basic animals, accommodated by enormous pine trees and sharp declines that lead into rugged creaks and crowded stones. Ytrieda had the house built around five years back but, despite the special kind of charm she brought to everything, it still felt rather large for one person.

The kitchen and dining rooms, which were directly parallel to the lounge, held an equal amount of floor space due to how much Ytrieda claimed to love cooking. An image of Xiajem's mentor in a stained apron and oven mitt almost made her take a deep breath to keep from laughing. Granted, between the coffee-tone skin, her curly, black hair, and purple eyes like spidery flowers, she was not really the image of a teacher either. Not to mention, her right wrist was always wrapped in a myriad of bracelets and multi-colored ties that somehow refrained from being obnoxious. Ytrieda held the look of a portrait that was intentionally unfinished, as though the painter left something to be desired.

In the room, a slightly discolored, brown leather couch rested next to them on the burgundy carpet and a second loveseat of gray leather–with its unfixed rip in the left arm–occupied the opposite corner. An inactive, gated fireplace was at the head of the room, but as summer came rolling to a stop it would soon become lively again. An array of stuffed animal heads ungracefully adorned the space above the inglenook, which was so far from the rest of Ytrieda's tastes that it was almost painful. 

In the corner, beside the fireplace, was an oak desk that was built right into the wall with two overhanging shelves. Strewn across the table were clusters of scrappy pages, pens, unsent envelopes, and far too many paper-weights that ended up adding more to the unintentional decorations than to their original purpose. Excluding a single painting, which was set parallel to the staircase, the walls were barren of adornment. All of this could be seen from the front door, which was set on the south side of the home, adjacent to another room stuffed with random parcels and accessories. The front door and lovingly termed "storage room" were only a couple feet from the stairs to the second floor. On the next level was two wide bedrooms and a quaint bathroom. A suspicious amount of room for one person.  

"Oh, definitely." A pop vibrated through Ytrieda and she sighed, "Totally and completely. I must receive as many of these as possible before Terrarin finally commits to forbidding it." She nonchalantly waved a hand, "You understand, right?"

"Well, the states aren't forbidding back rubs, only magic. But, I mean, if that's the case, you can give me one when I'm done here."

"See, I imagine, something will probably, inconveniently come up and I'll have to tragically set that aside for another day." Xiajem gave Ytrieda an icy injection to the tender back of her arm. "Ow! You little sh-," she stopped herself, "sh-sugar. You little sugar."

Mockingly, "Oh, I'm so sorry. It must've just slipped out of my hands. But, well done, by the way. We've made great strides with that mouth of yours. Some might even wonder who the 'adult' around here is–"

"Alright," she jokingly pointed at Xiajem, "don't push it sister. I still purchase everything and give you a comfortable place to practice magic."

Xiajem raised an eyebrow, "That's only half-right."

Perplexed, but smiling, "Excuse me?"