Nasia

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

THE TRAIN'S HONKS wake them up, loudly and abruptly. They groan, displeased at the interruption. "We have arrived at Nancledra. All passengers for Nancledra, please depart from the train." They check their belongings and boards off of the train. It was Nasia's first time to be away from home. She has never visited any other place in Ikrovar, but her hometown, Braedon.

"Let's walk from here. I'm sure we'll find something to take us to Yeliara," Xena says. Nasia nods and sticks close to her. She fears getting lost in the sea of people. Strangers! These people are strangers and the danger they might bring sends chills up her spine. She blames her mother for not letting her wander the world. Not even the world, maybe just Ikrovar. If only she's given the chance to see other places and mingle with actual people maybe, just maybe, she'll learn to blend in and approach strangers.

It wasn't hard to find a vehicle to take them to Yeliara. Carriages are situated right outside the train station, waiting for passengers to be taken to places. Xena negotiates with the driver while she listens and roams her eyes around the city. Braedon is a small town and this is a huge city. the contrasting appearance between her home and the city overwhelms her. She misses the safety of her home. Here in the city, it's too crowded, too noisy, too busy, too exhausting.

Xena ushers her inside the carriage and they finally drive towards Yeliara. She peeks outside the tiny window of the carriage and finds men with newspapers covering their faces, women walking their pets on the sidewalk. She notices how very different their clothing looks in the city. Her shabby appearance must have outraged someone from the city. Everyone looks pretty in their dresses and high heels while she's only in her tee shirt, jeans and pair of rubber shoes. "Don't be fooled by all the fancy stuff in the city, Nasia. Most of them are nobilities or upper class families. You will rarely find middle to lower class people dressing like that."

Xena's words sink in her mind and she realizes it's her first time to see or hear things like that. In Braedon, everyone's the same. There are no upper class, middle or lower class in their town. But this city, it's so complex and divided. Nasia takes her gaze away from outside and closes her eyes, tired from all the sightseeing. "We're almost at the Shroud, young miss," the driver says.

They straighten up in their seats and feel the wheels of the carriage stop turning. They open the carriage doors and xena hands over their pay to the driver. "Thank you," she says. "It's a bit of a walk from here. Yeliara has their own carriage to take us into the school campus. You ready?" Nasia breathes out and nods with a little bit of a crooked smile. Xena laughs at the pained expression on Nasia's face and pulls her forward. A few more steps and they'll finally reach their dream school.

***

They find the carriage stop, provided by Yeliara for the students and they are taken into the school campus. And as the gate opens, they find a few students gathered on the school grounds, determination written across their faces. "I don't think I'm ready," Xena says. She squeezes Xena's hands and they walk inside together. Unfamiliar faces turn to look at them. The jitters in her bones intensify as these faces look at her questioningly. Then, murmurs erupted in the vicinity about a witch coming to Yeliara without any magic powers at all. Everyone quiets down when someone claps their hands, gaining everyone's attention.

They turn their gazes up to the threshold of the building and see a woman standing in the center with a line of three people on each of her sides. She offers a warm smile to the students which was not reciprocated, so she proceeds to introduce herself. "Goodmorning, everyone, I am Headmistress Mildred and I welcome you to Yeliara's entrance exam. The exam contains three tests to be accomplished. Only then will we consider your eligibility to enter our school."