Journeys: Chapter Four- Airen

Chapter Four: Airen

In Cheul there are there are three types of schools: schola prima, schola secundaria and schola grandis. Schola prima was the earliest form of schooling where you learn your basic educational skills. Schola secundaria was the next level of schooling where you continued to learn certain educational skills; however you would also gain other skills such as geography and currency conversion. Finally there’s schola grandis, which I attend. It is the last form of schooling before schola academia. Sadly, Cheul does not have a schola academia, so many either go to Calperga for naval school or go to the Kingdom of Minerva to attend schola academia there. I have only heard of a few people that have left for schola academia, but most people, like my brother, go to Calperga to join the navy or become naval nurses.

Schola grandis was basically just for applying the skills you’ve learned in the previous years. I honestly think it’s a waste of time because there are several different ways that one can apply a certain skill set. You shouldn’t have to go to school to convert three gold chebans into Kralphinian gems. You can easily go to the bank in the marketplace, and there’s someone that’s an expert at currency conversion just waiting for you. I am rather thankful that I am sixteen now because I’m basically done with my school. Next week is the last week of school, so I just have to take my last exam and it’s goodbye school. Though I’ll be done with my basic schooling, I still want to attend schola academia to get a degree in cartography. Someday I’ll get there, someday.

Today in school everyone was quiet. Even Palvia didn’t talk to me, and we’ve known each other for a very long time. Palvia has been my closest friend since we could walk, and it scares me when she acts oddly. I knew something was definitely was wrong with her. Her flaxen hair was not in order and was in a messy ponytail, her blue eyes were dark and low and her face had no makeup. It was as if she was losing her mind, or better yet maybe she already has. I approached her with caution, making sure I did not rub her the wrong way.

“Palvia, what’s wrong? You seem… off.” I said softly. Her eyes lowered and she sighed heavily.

“Mar, I’m getting...” she began to choke up. “….married. I’m getting married to… to Tavin!” She cried. I looked at her with confused eyes.

“Well it’s not as bad as you think. At least Tavin’s attractive and friendly.” Palvia glowered at me.

“It’s not as bad as I think? It’s not as bad as I think?! Are you crazy?! Yes Tavin is handsome and friendly, but he’s also poor, immature and is going to take over his family’s farm. You know my only concern is living in the lap of luxury, going on long boat rides, shopping for the finest dresses and jewelry and going on day trips while the governess takes care of my children. I do not want to be chasing seven children, chickens and milking cows. I already have to share an outhouse with another family. Why the hell would I even want to be poorer than I already am?!” Palvia at this point was beyond the point of reason. She was enraged, she was hurt, and she was quite deranged at the moment. One thing I can say about her is that even though she has a good heart and she’s a good friend, she is also very vain and is too materialistic. I gave her a small smile and sat beside her.

“Listen, Palvia, it’s not as bad as it seems. You’re getting married to someone who will love you and help you grow as a person. You’re being paired up with someone who is very kind and very handsome.” She calmed down a bit but then went into another crying fit.

“Just wait until you find out about who you’re going to marry! You’ll see how I feel! Oh no! I’m going to be fat and hideous and have so many children! Why me, Maris? Why me?! I’m too beautiful, young and thin to have children. Oh my goodness I’m….” she rambled on. Suddenly I disregarded her rants and thought about what she actually said. What if she’s right? What if I don’t like the person I am destined to marry? What if I end up, ugly, fat and miserable and have too many kids to remember their names? Oh that’s a scary thought to have.

“Uh-hem, Maris? Snap out of it!” She snarled. I came back to reality and tried to pick up the conversation from where we last left off.

“You’ll be fine! We can still live life like we do now! We can still be friends and go places together!” Her eyes widened.

“Oh I forgot! What if I won’t have time to maintain our friendship what if…” I stopped her. I didn’t want her to worry and stress herself out more than she actually was.

“Don’t worry about it. Let’s just worry about now.” She smiled and hugged me tightly.

“I know I could always count on you, Maris.” I hugged back tightly. I looked away sadly and with uncertainty.

“Yes, Palvia, I’ll be there. Whatever the future holds I’ll be there.”

***

When I got home the aura of the house was different. It seemed warmer, brighter and quite cozy and homey. The house smelled like Yichmar soup, freshly baked bread and Lowelberry cake. Lowelberry cake was very seldom made in our home, and this could only mean one thing: Airen was coming home. Airen, my older brother of twenty-two, was away for six years to go to naval school in Calperga. Over the past few weeks my mother was such a basket case about making sure that the house was worthy enough for his return. She’s been all over the place just to make his favourite foods and make sure that everything he wanted was in the house prior to his arrival.

I heard my mother singing to herself and washing dishes. I walked into the kitchen to greet her.

“Hi mother.” I chimed while sitting at the table. She hummed.

“Hi Maris, how was school?” she responded quietly. I looked out of the window.

“It was alright I guess. Are you getting ready for Airen’s arrival?” She beamed.

“Yes I am! Tonight is going to be very exciting for all of us! There’s a special guest joining us for dinner tonight.” I looked away in surprise. A special guest, we never have visitors over when relatives come to visit.

“May I ask who this special visitor is,” I asked with inquisitiveness. She walked over to the cooling cabinet and grabbed milk.

“You will see, but now I would like for you to go take a bath, and then get your sister to help you find something nice to wear.” She motioned for me to go upstairs, and I obeyed, still curious about this “special visitor”.

As I was putting on my undergarments I looked down and noticed something different about me. I noticed how…. womanly, to say the least, I’ve gotten. It’s like I’ve now stored fat in certain places that used to be flat, uncurved and immature. I mean I’m a relatively thin girl, but it just amazes me to realize that I can hardly see my feet anymore when I look down.

While I was putting on my under-gown I suddenly heard a knock on the door.

“It’s Katel. Are you decent?” She yelled.

“Yes. Come in.” Katel excitedly stormed in with several dresses. I cringed. I hate dresses. Everything about them from how they poof out to the bows and frills on them just nauseates me. Katel tapped her foot and rolled her eyes. “Well are you going to pick one or not?” My eyes scanned over the atrocious articles of clothing. What am I to tell her? I just can’t say, “Oh I’ll where knickers instead.” I picked up a blue dress and slipped it over my head. I looked into the mirror and felt disgusting. I turned around, all the while scowling. Katel took note of this.

“You’re such a tomboy. You need to wear dresses at some point in your life. What do you think you’re going to get married in, a blouse and knickers?” She fixed the dress on me and went out of the room to grab some other things. Two minutes later she returned with a pair of stockings and heels. I put these on, and then she began to twist my brown hair into a bun. She tied it with a blue ribbon and left the room. I hesitantly stood up and slowly approached the mirror. As I scanned over my body I began to grimace. However, as I began to delve deeper into the image I began to take pride in it. I loved the way the blue fabric mapped out my curves, and I loved how the stockings and shoes made my legs look. Katel’s right. After all, you have to be womanly once in a while.

The table was set with the finest dinner plates, bowls, glasses and silverware. The table cloth had no wrinkles in sight, and the whole table was illuminated by warm, bright candlelight. I looked around to see where everyone was, but no one was around. Katel was probably in the kitchen finishing up the meal, father was probably in the parlor listening to the news and music on the radiotelegraph, and mother was probably sweeping the front porch off. I sauntered off into the parlor to listen to see if there would be any news about the ship arriving.

Our parlor was probably the most ornate and most opulent-looking room in the entire house. The room was a beautiful shade of light blue, and the furniture had a balanced amount of different shades of blue. On the walls there were paintings of flowers, ships and the ocean itself. Adjacent to these paintings were old photographs of relatives, baby pictures of the three of us, and my parents’ wedding pictures. Yes, this room was teeming with nostalgia, and it seems as if every time we add more personal trinkets to it, the more nostalgic it feels.

In the parlor father was sitting across from the radiotelegraph concentrating on the evening news. He was scooted halfway off the seat, and his grey eyes were squinting through his spectacles. Yes, his full attention was on the message.

“The weather this evening will be clear, starry skies and low winds. The Calpergan Estoia is currently docking and will be setting sails again on Turnis. That concludes the Cheul News for the evening. Good night.” Father rushed up from his seat and scampered out onto the porch to tell mother the news, all the while rushing past me. I quickly followed him to see what was going to happen, and I saw my mother throwing her arms around him and crying happily.

“I am elated, Wiam, our boy is home now,” Mother cried. He patted her softly on the head.

“Yes, I know. Let’s wait for him here.” Minutes passed as we watched several people walk off from the dock in the distance. Mother began to get jaunty and full of excitement as she saw a few men come up our street. As a few others dispersed to their homes one man still marched up towards our home. Mother couldn’t contain herself as she realized who this man was and ran towards him with full force. Surprisingly, her short legs took her very fast. When she came in contact with the man, they both were caught in an embrace of warmth, compassion and love. She gave him a few kisses on the cheek and walked back to the house with him, hand-in-hand.