“Hey.”

Mai jumped as a plate fell in front of her.

“What’s wrong with you?” Em asked, pulling her seat up closer to the dinner table.

“Sorry. You caught me off guard.”

Em peered at her with an arched eyebrow and began shoveling eggs into her mouth.

“You’re so lucky that you have free time this afternoon. What boring thing are you getting into today?”

“Practicing meditation.”

“Yawn.” Em looked at Mai’s plate. “You haven’t even touched your food.”

“I guess I’m not that hungry.”

Mai’s stomach had been in knots the entire morning, replaying the morning she spent with that strange boy, Aundray, and that she was meeting him again in a few scant hours. She forced herself to eat a spoonful of lukewarm porridge and regretted it at once.

“What have you found out, Arber?” Olympe asked as she took the seat next to Mai.

“Not much. Except we have noticed the lack of beast carcasses,” her uncle reported.

Olympe looked puzzled at this tidbit of information and Arber clarified with more information.

“The last time beasts came up missing, we found massive graveyards.”

“If you could call them that,” another man said. “They were just piles of dead beasts. Piles upon piles.”

Mai shuddered almost simultaneously alongside her mother.

“But of course, that just means that they could have dumped the beasts somewhere else. Or found other ways to dispose of them,” Arber said. "I have some of my men in the forest and it's not safe for anyone to venture into it."

Even though her uncle didn't look at her, Mai knew that last statement was directed at her.

“You won’t be able to get anything done on an empty stomach,” Em said, looking at Mai's breakfast.

“Maman meditates before she eats.”

“Well, she’s a legend and you’re you.”

“Thanks so much for that.”

“Just telling you facts.”

Mai rose from the table.

“Where are you going?” Em asked.

“Leaving. Not that this talk of ours has been inspiring and everything.”

“Oh Mai. Don’t be that way. I was joking.”

“I have class soon. See ya.”

“Bye.” Em said, looking after her.

After her classes ended that afternoon, she headed up to her room to get ready. Mai stood in front of her wardrobe for what seemed like an eternity.

"All right, Mai," she said out loud to herself. "You're just meeting a new friend in the forest. Who happens to have a very nice smile and face. Don't overthink."

She settled on a simple cotton dress that was the same color as a daffodil and trimmed with white lace.

“You look nice. Why?” Emmaline said, entering her older sister’s room and leaning on Maiolaine’s vanity.

“I look the same. What do you mean?”

“You have on blush and a bit of lip color. So, who is he?” Emmaline asked as she collapsed on her sister’s bed, thumbing through a book on her side table.

“Uh. What? No one. There isn’t anyone,” Maiolaine stumbled on her words.

“Yeah. Okay,” Emmaline said as she tossed the book back on the table.

“And If there was a boy, it’s none of your business.”

“Sure it is. I’m your sister,” Emmaline told her.

Emmaline was looking through Maiolaine’s opened jewelry box. Maiolaine walked over to her sister and closed the box, nearly catching her fingers in it.

“Could you please go away? Don’t you have studies or weapons training to do?”

“No. Not for another hour,” she said, poking at the different hair clips and barrettes on the vanity top. “Are you going back to the forest again?”

Mai nodded in the mirror. “You know I am.”

“You shouldn’t go until they find out what that ‘unfavorable activity’ is."

Unless you’ve seen something and you’re not telling me?” Emmaline gave Maiolaine a quizzical glance.

“What are you trying to say?”

“Well, you’ve been there near to every day. You have had to see something. Don’t deny it.”

“I’ve been too busy meditating to pay attention to much else.”

Emmaline raised an eyebrow at her sister. She wasn’t sure if she should trust her or not.

“Nothing at all?”

“Nothing. Trust me.”

Maiolaine felt guilty for lying to Emmaline, but she wouldn’t understand. Aundray was only a boy. Mai had a knack for reading others and she didn’t sense something connected him to any suspicious dealings. She thought keeping the truth from her was the best choice. Emmaline started looking through Maiolaine’s clothes, making a mess of them.

“Can’t you should go off with your friends and go do something?” Maiolaine asked as she walked over and closed the wardrobe doors.

“Dear sister, it’s bold of you to assume that I have friends. Why are you so rude lately? Is it ‘cuz of this boy you’re seeing?”

“Go away. Now, please,” Maiolaine pointed to the door.

Emmaline left Maiolaine’s bedroom and Maiolaine sat at her vanity once more. She brushed her hair and studied herself to determine if she was presentable. For a moment, she didn’t understand why she made a fuss in looking nice for Aundray. She just met this boy and now he is the only thing on her mind.

She got up to do a once over to see how she looked before leaving her bedroom. As she closed the door, she got a fright. Her Uncle Arber was standing behind the door.

“I don’t know what you think you’re doing, Maiolaine. But rest assured, I’ll be watching you.”

“I’m merely meditating. Why can’t people leave me alone?”

“Arber, leave her be,” Olympe said, walking up the stairs.

Arber regarded Maiolaine and left with a growl.

Maiolaine glanced over at her mother and said, “I can’t believe that is my father’s brother.”

“He means well.”

“I bet he does.”

Olympe took Maiolaine’s hands and held up her arms. “You look nice. Who’s the boy?”

“Oh, my God! You too?”

Olympe giggled, “I suppose Emmaline has been grilling you, too?”

“Yes. It’s frustrating. Why can’t I look nice for myself?”

“You can. I was only teasing,” Olympe said, smoothing a curl around Maiolaine’s face. “Be careful out there today.”

“I will, Maman.”

She kissed her mother’s cheek and went on her way to the forest.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled five times to calm herself before a try at meditating could begin. She took so many breaths that she nearly fainted.

Before she seated, she searched her surroundings, hoping for a glimpse of the mystery boy. She closed her eyes when her search was not fruitful. She struggled to ignore the twigs breaking and insects flying to her face. The harder she worked to ignore the surroundings, the harder it was to focus. Her ability to block everything out lasted for nearly forty-five seconds and she became distracted again as twigs snapped non stop. The sun was setting, and she had to head back to the fortress.

Mai got up and dusted off her pants when she noticed a presence behind her. She drew her dagger and spun on her heels.

“Aundray!” Mai gasped, clutching her chest with her free hand. “What the- what were you thinking sneaking up on me like that?”

“Clearly, not thinking well enough,” he answered as he pushed Mai’s dagger away from his jugular.

“Oh, sorry.”

Mai put away her dagger.

“You came back,” Aundray said, smiling.

“You offered private lessons for free.”

“Sorry I turned up late. I hit a snag on my schedule today. I rushed to get here.”

“You didn’t have to rush. I understand that you have a life outside of meeting random girls in dark forests.”

“Believe it or not, you're the first random girl I've met and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

Mai blushed. “What? You’re being silly.”

“Do you still have time for a private lesson?”

“Perhaps a small one.”

Mai sat in her original spot. Aundray sat close beside her.

“OK,” he said with a mischievous smile. “First, you’re trying too hard. You just have to be.”

“Be what?”

He laughed. “Just be.”

He closed his eyes, tilted his shoulders back, and took deep breaths.

“Don’t demand the focus to come to you,” he said, his eyes still closed. “You have to wait. Acknowledge the living matter in the forest. Meld that into one and let go.”

Maiolaine closed her eyes, tuning into the surrounding forest. She listened to the bubbling brook, to the buzzing insects and to the breeze. She felt the same tingle radiate up to her elbows, and it was the same as before. The energy stopped in the same place.

“How do you do this?” she huffed in frustration.

Aundray grabbed hold of her hands and her heartbeat pounded in her ears. She could hardly breathe.

“Just be,” he said softly. "Close your eyes."

Mai did as the boy instucted. She didn’t hear the bubbling brook or the buzzing insects. Aundray's hands kept her ground and the only thing that was “Just be” was what she heard over and over in her head.

He pulled away and said, “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.” He stroked her cheek with a gentle touch. “I just- I find it hard to control myself around you. I find you fascinating.”

Her eyes got wide at this statement, and she leaned into his hand. “The only thing you found out about me is that I’m trying to meditate and I do it poorly. How is that fascinating?”

“I suppose I see more stories in your eyes.”

Mai’s blush deepened.

“Ha! I bet you say that to all the ladies.”

Aundray smiled. “Only the ones I like.”

“Well, I’m sorry, but you’re too late for stories tonight. My sister will most likely start a search party soon if I don’t show up to dinner and I don’t want the entire nation of Aeris to notice I’m here.”

“No one knows you’re here?”

“Not really. My sister and, well, you.”

Aundray got up from off the ground and offered his hand. Mai accepted, and he kissed her on the cheek.

“I will keep this secret to my grave, milady,” he said as he bowed low and came up with a sly smile.

Mai giggled, “Thank you, kind sir.” Mai gave a curtsy and turned to leave.

“When will I get the time to hear your stories?” He kissed her hand.

“If you show up earlier, I might indulge you.”

She walked out of the forest with the strangest sensation. Someone was interested in her. How could this be? How could Mediocre Mai ever spark someone’s interest? This was an odd and foreign thing to her. Mai’s interests always bored Em. Her uncle does not hesitate to make sure she does not forget that she is not special. Mai smiled at the memory of Aundray saying she had stories in her eyes. She did not want to let go of this feeling.

She was on cloud nine, which made it hard for her to control her conjuring. Before she made it to the fortress steps, she cooled herself. If she went there glowing blue, Emmaline was sure to have questions.