Stars Of Memory

Chapter 36

Her mother greets her at the steps. "Did you have fun?"

Jīvitaya grins. "Of course!"

"What did you do?"

"Iyokú showed me how to shape and control soil, and how to grow things. I showed her the balance healing as well."

Her mother nods. "You need to show that to me at some point, but for now, we are going to do something else. Do you want to work on water, spirit, or air?"

Jīvitaya thinks for a moment. "Water."

She smiles. "Very well. Come. To start, it's probably better for you to be near a source of water."

Jīvitaya follows her mother up the steps and to a courtyard, where she is momentarily surprised to see that it isn't the same one she is used to. In the center is a large fountain, with quite a large number of chairs around it.

"Where are we?"

"One of the training courtyards. We have one for each of the powers, with the exception of nature, because that is more easily done in the forest. This one is the water courtyard."

"Oh. That's awesome!"

Her mother smiles. "I did say that many people worked here in the palace. I've requested an instructor for you, as they can teach you better than your father or myself can, but I'll be teaching you until they arrive."

Jīvitaya nods. "Okay. What do I have to do first?"

"Sit down. Either in one of the chairs or on the edge of the fountain, if you like."

Jīvitaya perches on the fountain and looks at her mother expectantly.

"So what's next?"

Her mother laughs. "Close your eyes."

Jīvitaya makes a remark. "I'm always closing my eyes for this stuff." Then she closes them.

"That's because it makes it easier to concentrate. You aren't distracted by your surroundings when your eyes are closed. Now I want you to think of how the water feels, as if you had your hand in the water and you were moving slightly. Feel the currents and eddies, feel the ripples that reverberate out from every movement."

Jīvitaya grins and feels like she is swimming, imagining her hair floating around her. She hears her mother laugh, but it sounds muffled. She opens her eyes to see water all around her. Her eyes widen, startled, and the water surrounding her falls to the ground. Her hair drops from the column to hang wet and limp down her back, and she shivers. Her mother looks at her and laughs harder.

"Well, I wasn't expecting that! You were meant to form a ball of water in your hand, Jīvitaya, not stick yourself in a ball of water. What did you even do to make that happen?"

Jīvitaya grins sheepishly. "I started out just thinking of water, but then I thought of swimming."

Her mother smiles before breaking out into laughter once more. "Well, that's one way to do it! I think you're going to be a fast learner. Now, can you specifically picture a ball of water in your hand?"

Jīvitaya doesn't close her eyes this time, but thinks of the water soaking her body coalescing into an orb, floating over her outstretched hand. As she thinks of it, the droplets rise up and pull themselves together into little streams, which then gather together into one large ball. She looks up at her mother and grins to match her expression.

"Well done. What are you going to do with it next?"

"Hmmm."

Jīvitaya's grim turns mischievous, and her eyes sparkle. The water in the fountain behind her rises up to form into a collection of orbs.

"Jīvitaya, don't!"

Jīvitaya sends one of the orbs shooting past her at her mother, who shrieks and dodges it.

"Okay, fine."

Something hits Jīvitaya in the side, and she glances down at it to see a spreading splotch of water on the cloth of her outfit.

"Hey!"

Her mother laughs brightly. "You started it!"

Jīvitaya sends her army of water balls pelting after her mother, who tries to dodge, but to no avail. By the time she can collect more, her mother is already sending them back at her.

"Ahem."

They both turn to look at the person standing in the entrance of the courtyard. He has dark brown hair spotted with a few strands of white, hazel eyes, and dark tan skin. As Jīvitaya looks at him, she gets the impression that he is kind but also serious, and can be a little impatient. He bows.

"Liala Nitheina. Laia . . ."

Her mother smiles. "This is Lilaria Jīvitaya."

He frowns momentarily in confusion, before smoothing the expression from his face. "Greetings, Lilaria."

He turns back to address Jīvitaya's mother, who has sloughed all the water out of her hair and clothes. Jīvitaya looks down at herself to see that her mother has done the same to her.

"Liala, I am the instructor you sent for. Who am I to teach?"

"Your student is the Lilaria."

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What do you think the instructor will be like? Tell me if you have any questions, and happy reading!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.