Chapter three: A Change

Chapter Three: A Change

Dear Diary,
I’ve been considering the vision I had; it seemed so real, almost as though it were a memory. I think it’s strange that I don’t have any memories from before I came here; I was nine years old when Matt found me. But what could the fire be? Could it be that my parents died in a fire? Could it be that my parents really are of the nobility of the mages? I mean, the entire royal family died that night at the castle in a huge fire; it’s possible, isn’t it? For the first time, I feel that I’m meant to do so much more, as if I was placed here to be hid until I could grow up so I could reclaim my rightful place in the world . . . but that’s ludicrous, isn’t it? As I’ve said before, I am content with my life, for the most part . . .

I’ve really got to stop lying to myself; it’s not a very good habit.
Jade

* * *

“Jade! Jade! Jade!” Jade heard Max’s anxious voice echo through the house from below where the door was, and she put her journal down.

“What on Gemno is wrong?” That was Renée’s voice.

“A man hath Thona and he’th looking for Jade!” Max exclaimed.

“What? What does he want?”

“Just a few minutes of your time, madam.” This last voice was not one that Jade recognized; it was a deep, cultured, male voice.

“Who are you?” Max asked.

“I am Hantro.”

“Hantro?” Jade whispered, and Renée echoed
me downstairs.

“Yes madam.”

“Oh, come in, Max, run upstairs and get Jade. Sir, please be seated.”

The door to the room Jade shared with Sona burst open a few moments later revealing a very breathless Max.

“Don’t worry about explaining Max, I’ll be right down.” Max nodded, and sat down on the floor leaning against the wall.

Jade picked up her journal and jotted down, Hantro just arrived at my house wanted to see me . . . what does he want I wonder?

It seems as though everyone in this house was reading her mind for as soon as Jade had jotted down that line Max asked, “What doth he want?”

“I don’t know Max. I’m going to find out, why don’t you come with me?”

Max smiled, and stood up, taking Jade’s hand in his. They quickly moved to the living room where Renée, Sona and Hantro were sitting.

Jade was at once struck with how young Hantro looked. She had assumed that Hantro was an old man; after all, he was known to be a very powerful mage. How could someone be as powerful as he was rumored to be and still be only in his thirties? She guessed that he was about thirty-five. He had longish light brown hair that was tied back and light green eyes. He had two neat, parallel scars on his left cheek. His body was lean, he didn’t look overly strong, but Jade wouldn’t want to pick a fight with him, magic aside.

Max and Jade sat down on the couch with Renée and Sona, sitting across from Hantro who was in the rocking chair.

“I’ve been scouring this country and Selenta for a few young people who have the potential to become great mages to hopefully do this world a good turn in time. I came through here, and was surprised to find two such strong auras and decided to request that you become my apprentices along with a few other teenagers your age. It will take a few years to fully train you, and after that you will be able to do anything you want to.”

Sona and Jade looked over at each other, and then back at Hantro. There’s something more to this than what he’s saying, but what?

“I will go with you,” Sona stated. Hantro turned to Jade expectantly.

“As will I,” Jade whispered.

Hantro grinned broadly at them. “You will not need to bring anything with but the clothes on your back, a lunch to eat on the way and something to amuse yourselves on the way over. I will provide everything that you will need. I leave Ith tomorrow morning, I will come here to pick you both up two hours before dawn. I will see you then, thank you for taking time out of your day to meet with me. Don’t worry about assisting me to the door, I know the way out.” Hantro stood up, gave a quick bow, and left their stunned presence.

It was a full five minutes before anyone said anything.

“Max, run and gather everyone, no matter where they are and what they’re doing,” Renée whispered, and Max hastened to obey. As soon as his footsteps were gone, Renée turned to Sona and Jade. “My darlings, are you sure about this? This is a life changing choice, you shouldn’t make it so hastily.”

“Renée, you know that I love and appreciate you and Matt for all that you’ve done for me, but I want more, my soul burns for it,” Sona said.

Renée turned to me. “What about you Jade?”

Jade looked into her eyes. “I feel the same, there’s something more for me out there.”

Renée looked at Jade, tears running down her cheeks. “I should’ve guessed that you would grow up someday and leave me to find your fortunes. I wish you all the luck and good fortune in the world, just don’t forget to write.”

It was as if Renée’s smile had put the key in the lock to Jade’s soul and turned. She felt as free as a bird; she was leaving all the pain and ignominy in this town, but she was also leaving her best friends. It was bittersweet. Sona and Jade exchanged glances; Sona felt the same.

Suddenly the door burst open and in came the rest of the household entered in a mass of confusion and loud voices.

“Pole! I swear I don’t know how you do it!” Matt’s voice was heard above the din.

“But Jade and Thona! You’ve got to hear what happened!” Max protested, tugging on Matt’s shirt.

“Renée, can you believe it?” Matt exclaimed.

“What are you talking about?”

“Pole, you tell her the good news,” Mora said, pushing Pole smiling so wide it looked as though his face was going to split in two.

“The blacksmith, Master Herta, offered me an apprenticeship!”

“Pole that’s wonderful!” Renée jumped up and gave him a hug. “And of all the odd coincidences!”

“Odd coincidences?” Mora asked sharply, her eyes darting to Sona and Jade.

“Taro Hantro akthed Thona and Jade to be hith apprentitheth,” Max got out finally.

“What?” Several voices said at once.

“Taro Hantro paid us a visit a few moments
ago, he wants Jade and Sona to go with him and be two of his students,” Renée told them calmly.

There was a stunned silence for a moment, and then everybody began pouring out their congratulations at once.

In the midst of the confusion, Jade felt a pair of strong arms fly around her, wrapping her in a tight hug. She recognized Pole’s shape and gave him a hug back.

“Congratulations,” he whispered.

“And you,” Jade returned.

“I’m going to miss you Jade.”

Jade opened her mouth to return the
remark, but everything just overwhelmed her at once, and she burst into tears. Pole held her tightly, crying a bit himself; suddenly she felt another pair of arms around her from behind. It was Sona, she was also crying, Jade could feel the tears drenching her back. Then Jade felt Max slide in between her and Pole, hugging her waist, muffling his wails into her stomach. Renée, Matt and Mora joined the hugging group, tears also streaming down their cheeks. It was going to be a new change for all of them, life as they knew it was coming to an end, and they’d be ungrateful if they didn’t pause at this time and lament it’s passing.

* * *

Jade sat on her bed nervously waiting for Hantro to arrive, about two and a half hours before dawn; a single candle that had almost reached the end of the stick lighted the room. Sona was coolly finishing her packing.

“What are you taking?” Sona whispered.

“Just my diary and my few books,” Jade
responded. “Along with the lunch that Renée is packing for us downstairs. You?”

“I’m only taking my most prized possessions, my lock-pick, my father’s coin purse and my mother’s handkerchief.”

Jade smiled at her as she put each item carefully into a small brown leather bag, and then sat on her bed. Their beds were really just several blankets piled on top of one another with a big bunch at the top for their heads. There was a knock on the door, and Pole and Max slipped in. Max ran to Jade, and threw himself in her lap.

“I’m going to mith you tho much!” he cried.

Jade wrapped her arms around her little brother and kissed his head.

“It’s a web like a spider’s web
Made of silver, light and shadow
Spun by the moon in my room at night.”
The other three joined Jade on the second verse.
“It’s a web made to catch a dream,
Hold it fast till I awaken,
As if to tell me, my dream is of you.”

On the last line Mora—who had come quietly into the room—joined in.

“I’ve made a decision,” Mora announced, her golden eyes looking directly into Jade’s. Everyone all turned to her attentively. “I’m going to Selenta to find my mother’s family.”

“What?” several voices exclaimed at once.

“My mother came from Selenta, she told me when I was a little girl. I’ve been saving money for a little while so that I would have the opportunity to go there and find her brothers and sisters. I’ve been waiting for the right time to go, and now seems a good a time as any.”

There was a shocked silence, but slowly they all gathered our wits—very slowly because it was way too early to be awake and thinking.

“Good luck Mora,” Pole said at last.

“Have you talked to Renée and Matt about this?” Jade asked.

“Not yet, but I don’t think that they’ll object. I was planning to go soon anyway.”

Jade stood up and gave Mora a hug. “Good luck.” Pole, Sona and Max all stood up and joined them. They stood in a huddle silently, just soaking in each other’s company. There was a soft knock on the door, and Matt came in.

“Jade, Sona, it’s time to leave, Hantro is waiting outside with a carriage. The rest of you wait up here please.”

Sona and Jade got tight hugs from everyone, and Max was the last to let go of Jade. “I’ll write to you Max, don’t worry.” Jade kissed the top of his head for the last time for a long while. Sona and Jade each picked up their packs in one hand, and grasped each other’s hands in the other. They followed Matt to the main floor where Renée and Hantro were whispering.

“You’ve done your part, now it’s up to us to make sure she has the rest of her training,” Jade heard Hantro whisper before they saw the two girls.

Renée hugged Jade and Sona both, practically squeezing the life out of them. “Write often, please my darlings. I am not your mother, but you are my daughters.” They returned the embrace and gave Matt one equal to Renée’s.

“Have a safe trip,” Matt wished them as they stepped out the door.

Hantro smiled as he held the carriage door open.

“Thank you,” the girls said simultaneously as they climbed in. The carriage was similar to Kita’s, but finer. The seats were more comfortable, the temperature was just right and when the carriage started moving, the ride was smooth. Sona and Jade glanced at each other in question.

“I guess that Hantro must have put a spell on it or something,” Sona finally said.

“Well Sona, we are leaving our old life forever, from now on, everything will be different.”

“Yes indeed, it shall.” Sona yawned. “By the Hilt of Mage, I’m tired.”

Jade smiled. “We might as well sleep a little bit, we’ve got a rather long way to go.”

“Good idea, you were always the smart one.”

They stretched out on individual seats, and Sona was asleep in moments. Jade however stayed awake for a little while longer, puzzling on what Hantro had said to Renée right before they left.

“You’ve done your part, now it’s up to us to make sure she has the rest of her training.”