Shadowsworn

Chapter Three - Her

Present Day in Exol

The sounds of crickets, chirping their delight at the beginnings of the hot season. The blossoming flowers, stretching forth to bask in the new sun's rays. Then the sun-kissed breeze, whipping its way through the fields and trees. Among those woodlands, a crystal clear glen; lukewarm to the skin and brimming with life.

It was almost paradise. The young girl dipped her bare pale feet back into the water. Enjoying a rare moment of peace, delighting in her natural surroundings. She could feel every drop of life burrowing through the rich soil beneath her hands, thrumming with potential, allowing the waves of power in her fingertips to connect to the earth. Allowing the nature to become her, pulling her soul into the surroundings, leaving her in utter content. Small buds rose slowly around her palms, lying flat on the ground. Twisting skywards, gravitating towards her, answering the elemental strength she released.

Lazing back on the vibrant, plush grass, her long black locks had fallen free of their binds again. She silently cursed her grandmother for making her keep it. If she had her own way, it would be shorter than even her brother's curly brown hair.

Muddy brown. As the family called it. A common trait amongst all Narilians. And with her own, darker than the deepest, moonless night, it only called more unwanted attention to her.

A rare gem, a gift from the goddess, her grandmother would constantly remind her.

Wish the goddess took returns She often thought. Especially when outsiders stared with little or no shame. In the village of Kaen those things never mattered, in most of the Exol region in general. But as for the other four regions, the eyes seared her, young children always asking whether she was a demoness.

Though the Capitus region was a place she would never venture.

All the snobs. She sighed deeply, settling back down, attempting to regain the calm shattered by her intrusive mind. Only by connecting to the earth could she ever feel true calm and serenity. As she closed her eyes, she felt a familiar sharp pain shoot through her temples. Her hands grasped the blades of grass beneath her, in a vain attempt to anchor herself from the oncoming onslaught.

A flash of black hair, a glint of emeralds and blush crystals. Tears on alabaster skin and murmured words in forgotten languages.

Her emerald eyes flew open, as breath finally came rushing back into her lungs. She felt the empty ache deep within her chest. The searing sparks of pain behind her eyes, extending through every nerve in her head, setting her teeth on edge. These random images becoming more frequent and bothersome. But to ask her grandmother about this would be even more bothersome she thought grimly.

She knew she was in trouble before the voice even reached her. The anger being funnelled towards her could only belong to one person.

"Aria? Aria!"

Hopping to her feet, she quickly headed back through the trees as she pondered which punishment to expect this time.

Aria had never been a bad child, but neither was she well behaved. Too forthright, too stubborn, too wilful, too wild. She snorted at the comments. Never had she been wild in her life, just bored.

She kept her head down and worked hard. In the fields usually. Her father deemed her too brash and clumsy to work on the actual produce. Sorting and shipping food. Producing jarred goods. And more importantly the herbal remedies her family were infamous for in Exol. 'No finesse'  he often reminded her.

But strength enough to gather and toil. And she took the daily grind in her stride, alongside her brother Tam and father, with a smile. With the occasional withering look shared between her and Tam in humour. To her, it was time spent better, outside in nature. The only place she truly felt she belonged.

Rather that, than cooped up in the barn under the eagle eye of Nona, her grandmother. Whose diligent hearing and strict demeanour was one to be feared. That and the cane she was willing to wield like a weapon, rapping over the knuckles with rapid succession. And worse so, beside her perfect sister Tula.

It was Nona's voice who cut a path through the trees, full of promise; thick with irritation and fury. They were only her afternoon studies she'd attempted to skip. And her gifts had never been anything to praise. The minor elemental power given to her, sufficient for the local harvesting.

Tam was the same, a base elemental. The one that marked them both as lowborn, akin to their father.

As lowborn of Exol, the element they possessed was that of Earth. A great gift to those who grew and harvested the majority of Narilian produce. To move the soil, to dig deep into the springs and cleanse the impurities within the dirt.

Unlike Tula. Perfect Tula she huffed bitterly. With the power of Earth and Water, she was classed as a citizen. And her power hungry and haughty sister was delighted to never let anyone forget the superiority she had, no matter how minor it seemed. Tula would be a true beauty, if not for the way her face scrunched with derision to everything around her. She dutifully worked at the apothecary, due only to the infamy and success that came with their family's reputation for great and true remedies. A handy skillset, one Aria knew too well, but one she found tiresome. She lacked the patience required, rarely able to concentrate stuffed in the confines of the old barn walls.

Breaking herself from her darkening thoughts, she pressed on through the luscious green shrubbery.

Aria broke into the clearing of her family's farm estate, laying eyes on the small but imposing figure of Nona. Her slight stature and calm exterior never to be under-estimated. Wearing her usual layer upon layer of cloth and robes, swathing herself in extra bulk.

"And where exactly have you been Aria Lex?" She spoke with such poise and politeness. Enough to set Aria's entire posture immediately tense.

"Sorry grandmother. I dozed off." She lowered her eyes, scuffing the dirt with one foot. Does it look contrite enough? She desperately hoped.

The sharp exhaled breath was Nona's release, like a kettle on a hob, letting Aria know the false contrition was entirely unsuccessful.

"Don't even try it young lady! I know exactly what you are up to. What in the name of the goddess do you think you are doing? I'm old enough to know these excuses. And I'm not too old to consider putting you across my knee!"

Nona took a breath and looked at her wayward granddaughter, a pain burning within her.

"I know you think you are above these lessons Aria. But these are important things you need to know for the future. This knowledge will see you through."

Aria couldn't help but scoff at the words, "I know how to use my element. There is no need for me to learn the use of the others!"

Nona scowled, "Do no use that tone with me. You must learn this."

"Why? What could be so important?"

"Oh stop arguing for once. Just get inside Aria."

Aria gave her a dithering look, then stormed inside to join Tam and Tula. Her grandmother watched her go with guilt hanging heavy, she sighed deeply.

"Because when the time comes my darling, you will thank me", she whispered. 

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