Strength

Aunt Christine

14 and invincable I thought. Nope, not until one snowy December night.

I was in my family's giant library [I'm considered weird that way by always being in their and never coming out except to eat] when my aunt and mother bursting in without warning. I just about died of a heart attack. "Well, I didn't expect to see you to in the same room together not giving each other death glares!" I teased playfully. Then my mother just smiled a little [something she rarely does] and walked out. It would be nice to see my own mother for more than a minute, I thought. My aunt pulled up one of the ancient redwood chairs next to me and gave me a look that just said I have news. I knew I would regret not getting up. "Belle, there is something I would like to talk with you about."

"Yea, whats up Aunt Christine?" This is the point I wish I could myself for. I responded to my aunt about the worse thing a 14 year old could think of. I'm smart but not street smart.

"It looks as though you will win the prodigy test and you will be the new face of the Daaes. I just wished my daughter would study and work like you more often." What she said was true. My cousin Christine, my only competion since neither of us had siblings, was terrible at magic. she never practiced or studied like I did. This leads her to the possibility of being disqualified and my mother pushing me even harder than before. She claims I will look smart beating my cousin at the level I'm at and the level she's at.

"Maybe I will finally get some real sleep for once in how long! I just hope this competion won't tear apart our bond together."

"Of course not dearie! I think our bond will grow with me being the past Prodigy. Oh, think of all the things I will get to show you! First you will have to take big hits as the Prodigy. You are the brick wall that protects us from harm."

"Oh yea, more painful challenges! Look can I get back to my book now, please? I just left off on a good part of Island of the Blue Dolphins and I really wante to finish it." I gave her my biggest puppy dog eyes.

"Fine. But I know you can finish the last, what, 60 pages in an hour. Meet me back here in two hours and there we will discuss what I wanted to talk about now." She got up and turned around saying something under her breath I couldn't understand.

This is the start of the Daae War.