Over a week passes by, and Mara grows accustomed to her new life. On the first of the next month, Tora, she joins her recently reunited family in the garden for the ‘New Year’s Feast,’ a luncheon on the first of the new year – the dead of summer, oddly enough. The wooden lattice-style awning, archways, and walls create an exquisite maze out of the private garden in the rear field of the mansion. Its various ‘sections’ offer a perfect opportunity for one to get lost in the beauty of the tamed plants. Vines coat the awnings and thread their way through the lattice. The fragrant blue, purple, yellow, and red flowers splash the garden with color.

A long table made out of dark wood that can sit twelve is nestled within the heart of the garden. A lavish array of fruits, vegetables, meats, and cheeses decorate the surface in swirling patterns and designs. The chairs have plush cushions on them and the backrests curve slightly to provide a more comfortable seated position.

Mara sits down with the others, glancing around the table. She still finds it funny that her brother wants to be a guard, and she can’t see Kimala being a medic with her bedside manners.

“Where’s Star?” Mara asks, curious. She knows he isn’t actually family, but he had been around these past few days answering any questions she had about the books she has been reading; he seemed to have everything memorized to the letter. She wanted to ask him a bit more about Cerlail Academy and what is taught there.

Ezra chuckles at Mara’s innocent-sounding question as the Brunet family stare at her. “He had to run some errands. He will be back soon, don’t worry.”

“Good,” Mara grumbles as everyone dishes out what they want from the wide array in front of them. She follows suit.

“When is your birthday?” Surana asks, smiling kindly as she starts the small talk.

“It’s – ” Mara pauses, her mind blanking. Ah, shoot. Codi helped me convert it earlier. What is this month called again? She can already see Kimala smiling in satisfaction.

“The twenty-seventh of Tora,” Ezra chimes in, smiling reassuringly at Mara. “She will be turning sixteen, so it will be a big year.”

Mara pales. She hopes her mother does not want her to wear a dress this year.

Silverware clatters onto the table as Surana, Jonan, and Kimala gape at Mara. “No way,” Kimala breathes, appalled. “I share a birthday with her?”

Mara glances at her, surprised at the weird coincidence.

“But you were pregnant several weeks after me,” Surana says quietly, her eyes wide.

“Oh, what shall we do…” Jonan murmurs, already trying to work out some problem. “Two in the same night…”

Codi focuses on his food, trying to remain inconspicuous.

“Don’t worry about me,” Mara quickly cuts in, finally regaining her composure after her mother’s statement. “I don’t like big events, so Kimala can have her extravagant party while I do my thing.”

“No, Mara,” Ezra states firmly. “You are celebrating this year. On Blazhreia, sixteen is considered an adult and is cause for celebration.”

Mara recognizes that tone in her mother’s voice. She stares at her plate and sinks in her chair. “Yes, ma’am,” she mumbles reluctantly. “Just… no gifts.”

Ezra chuckles and Codi smiles as the other three merely continue staring at Mara as if she had just sprouted horns. “No gifts?” Kimala mutters. “Who wouldn’t want gifts?”

Mara ignores her. I guess it’s like having my eighteenth birthday come two years earlier. She frowns, an unpleasant thought coming to mind. “What’s the legal drinking age here?”

Kimala, Surana, and Jonan give her matching quizzical looks, not recognizing the term. Ezra chuckles. “When you turn sixteen, you are allowed your first alcoholic beverage, so long as it is light like ale.”

Mara wrinkles her nose in an almost cute look of disgust. “So there will be alcohol.”

“You do not have to drink if you don’t want to,” Ezra reassures her.

Kimala’s eyes widen. “Why wouldn’t you? It is tradition to have a drink on your sixteenth birthday.” She smiles encouragingly at Mara.

So you want to play that way? Mara thinks, returning the smile. You will lose.

Ezra opens her mouth to speak, but then notices Mara’s small smile. She narrows her eyes, wondering what her daughter is up to.

“I do not believe in intoxication; it sets one up to be taken advantage of.” Mara stares straight at Kimala, her eyes glinting. “I also do not appreciate someone trying to convince me otherwise just because it is traditional.”

Kimala shrugs. Mara can tell she is rattled, but she doesn’t show it as she says almost flippantly, “Do whatever you want.” She sits back, daintily plucking a piece of cheese off her plate with a little stick and popping it into her mouth.

She’s like Wendy, Mara realizes, thinking back to her last semester at high school before summer had started. The pompous cheerleader had made straight A’s and thought she was the smartest, most important person in the world. Mara has to fight her smirk, remembering what her constant rebuttals had done to the poor popular girl. Kimala will be fun to tease.

Ezra restrains her chuckle, knowing what the situation between the two girls is now. She smiles at Surana, bragging, “Mara has always acted older than her age. She was a year ahead in school and studied Academy-level textbooks in her spare time. As a hobby, she stayed up to date on everything in the scientific field on Earth. I am sure she won’t have much trouble adjusting to Blazhreia’s and Alkina’s way of thinking.”

Surana’s usual kind smile twitches. Surprisingly, she responds, “They might get along, then. Kimala is a prodigy in the medical field; once she attends Cerlail Academy, she will be testing to go straight into interning with a field medic. She has been studying her whole life, preparing herself for complete success in the medical field.” Kimala straightens, and Mara can see the girl mentally preening her ego-feathers.

Jonan sighs and glances at Codi. “Would you like to join me in the office, Codi? I would like to speak with you a bit about the upcoming trip.”

Codi quickly nods, eager to get out of the tension-filled garden.

~ • ~

Mara takes a deep breath, centering her mind and body as the early morning rays kiss her skin. Her sleeveless black top frees her arms for easy movements while the black slacks end right below her knee, allowing for quick kicks and low crouches. Her toes sink into the soft ankle-high grass. Her ponytail sways with each smooth glide and turn.

I wonder if Sta – Aeserast can teach me how to control these weird sparks since he seems to know a lot about it, she wonders, allowing her thoughts to drift to what had happened that morning. She has been having a lot of nasty dreams lately, and just that morning, she had woken up in a cold sweat with the little lightning bolts flickering around her. All the Source globes had shattered again for the fifth time since she had arrived in Veera almost three weeks ago.

She exhales slowly as her arm moves around and her leg shifts positions. She clears her mind, performing the t’ai chi ch’uan martial art movements in a slow, therapeutic rhythm.

She flows from one pattern to the next, gliding through the grass like an exotic dancer. Her breathing parallels her movements, her mind synchronizing with the stable, calming pattern. She closes her eyes as she touches the sun’s rays and twists in the warm breeze’s arms.

She hears the soft rustle of the grass as two people approach her. Opening her eyes, she turns around. Aeserast’s expression is filled with awe and amazement, his light hair pulled back with hairpins. His plain clothes compliment his fair features.

Slinking behind him, a young man looking the same age as Aeserast appraises her from head-to-toe, smirking suggestively. His gold eyes have vertical pupils like a cat, and two oddly shaped ears poke out from his red-streaked spiky black hair, reminding her of a lynx. She has the insane urge to touch one of his ears to see if it is real but squashes it instantly. Freckles sprinkle across his face, somehow reminding Mara even more of a feline. He is dressed in a button-up shirt where half is red and the other half is black, the first three buttons undone and exposing a key hanging by a black string around his neck. His black pants look snug yet comfy, allowing for quick movements.

Mara fights not to stare. I want to duel him, she catches herself thinking, and immediately has to redirect her thoughts before her cheeks turn red. Why does she always think that when she sees a cute guy?!

“Good morning, Mara,” Aeserast greets her, smiling as he leans in and gives her a quick hug.

The hug surprises her, but she complies. She had always hugged him in the past, after all. “Good morning, Aeserast.”

Aeserast’s eyes glint. “So you do know my name,” he says, smiling.

“Of course I do.” She examines the young man, taking note of his fluid movements. She holds out her hand. “I’m – ”

He gives her a wicked grin and bows over her hand, kissing the back lightly. “Tein’stra Mara Danarko,” he purrs, a hint of respect and playful teasing in his voice as he straightens, still holding her hand. “A pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Mara’s cheeks turn a soft pink as she yanks back her hand. She still doesn’t quite know what to do with the information that she is nobility. Wondering if it is normal for him to do that, she glances at Aeserast. She doesn’t want to flip his friend in case it is actually the norm; he did, after all, use the honorific title on her. 

“I told you not to do that, Shaniel.” Aeserast shakes his head, sighing heavily and rubbing his temple. “Mara, do not be afraid to take action against this man if he makes you uncomfortable.”

“Whaaat?” Shaniel grins, exposing sharp canines. He winks at Mara. “She’s a noble, so I have to greet her properly.”

Mara steadies her breathing. “Please do not do it again,” she requests, glancing at Aeserast. “Were you looking for me?”

He nods. “Ezra said you are wanting to learn how to control your Source. Do you have any questions?”

A fiery light sparks in Shaniel’s eyes. He claps his hands together, leaning forward excitedly. “Ooh, how much do you know?”

Mara frowns at him. She doesn’t quite understand why he is so excited. “I’ve only read about it so far. I haven’t put any theories into practice.”

“Aww, so cute!” he exclaims.

He vanishes.

Mara glances around, startled. An arm drapes over her shoulders just as a husky voice murmurs next to her ear, “Can I teach her, Aeserast?”