The Beginnings of an Alchemist and Her Regrets
Rhianna: 3 Warren: 5 Thomas: 6 Connor: 8
An early-summer day harbored the sweet laughter of children through a field of tall grass and flowers.
Three little boys ran and threw themselves into the grass as their little sister spun in circles with her hands over her eyes.
"-Nine... TEN! Ready or not, here I come!" The little girl laughed as she spun, pure joy written all over her face.
Racing through the grass that nearly swallowed the little girl whole, she screeched suddenly as she tripped over one of her brothers.
The two laughed, and Rhianna yelled "OLLY OLLY OXEN FREE! I CAUGHT THOMAS!" The other two popped out of the grass and tackled their brother, laughing and ruffling his hair.
They were all strong boys, different, yet all the same. Their sister was different as well.
The boys all had different shades of blonde hair; Thomas having almost white-blonde hair, Connor darker and more golden, and Warren just plain straw-colored. This they had inherited from their mother. Rhianna's hair was different from her entire family's, being a rich chestnut brown.
The boys all had bright brown eyes like their father. Rhianna had captivating blue eyes, the color of the sea during a fierce storm. They said nothing but immortal innocence and happiness, which suited her small, delicate stature. These qualities she had inherited from her great-grandmother, or so her Aunt Josephine said.
But their differences were set aside, as they always were, as Thomas stood up and began the ritual spinning and counting to ten.
Rhianna: 5 Warren: 7 Thomas: 8 Connor: 10
On a sunny hill in late autumn, an older Rhianna sat reading a large, square book. Gold lettering glittered on its bindings, but the rest was a plain navy blue. Her strange eyes were concentrated as they ran over the words, drinking in the knowledge that began at opening the cover.
She gasped and slammed the book shut as she heard footsteps behind her. It was Warren.
"What are you doing that you're not supposed to do, Rhianna?" He said, sitting down next to her, soon followed by Connor and Thomas.
"Nothing." she said pathetically, but her brothers won her over. Thomas grabbed the book and examined the gold lettering. His eyes widened.
"Sister, where did you get this book?" He asked then addressed his brothers. "It's a book of alchemy."
The brothers exchanged looks.
Rhianna looked at each of them, confused. "I found it when I was looking in your room for my jump rope. Why are you acting so strangely about it, Brothers?"
Connor rolled his eyes. "Ah, come off it, Thomas. She's just a kid; she wouldn't be able to comprehend what alchemy is."
Rhianna whirled around and glared at her older brother. "I can so. Alchemy is the pursue of proving theories scientifically through the study of past experiments and those of the natural elements."
Warren shook his head. "That's just a sentence, pet. Do you know what it really is?"
"I know what Thomas does, don't I?"
Thomas nodded. "You do. But have you ever tried alchemy?"
"Yes."
All three of her brothers were taken aback. "Wha-what did you... do?" Connor asked shakily.
"I made that statue of a kitty cat for Aunt Josephine." Rhianna said proudly.
All three of them blinked. Warren was rather shocked. "Out of what?"
Her answer wasn't the expected alibi of a piece of wood that looked like a cat landing in the center of her chalk drawings.
"Out of salt, sugar, and ash from the fireplace in the kitchen. It was the simplest transmutation circle in the book." She said, eyeing the book with eager eyes.
Thomas took this in and nodded again. "Did you respect the laws?"
Rhianna cocked her head. "The Laws of Metaphysics or the Laws of Alchemy?"
Connor shook his head. "Guess that answers that question."
Warren looked at Rhianna and smiled. "Did you like how it felt?"
Rhianna smiled back. "Yes, very much. It made me feel special, knowing that I can do alchemy like Thomas."
Connor and Warren looked at Thomas. Then Connor spoke. "We'll ask Aunt Josephine if you may pursue this hobby. I'm sure she'll say yes."
Rhianna's face lit up and she leapt up to hug each of her brother's and ran off.
"So, you've rubbed off on the girl, haven't you, Thomas?" Warren said, and then followed her.
Rhianna: 9 Warren: 11 Thomas: 12 Connor: 14
The train harboring Thomas and Rhianna Mowett snaked through the deep valleys of the mountains towards their home. Rhianna was staring peacefully out of the window, while Thomas was looking at her.
"Rhianna?"
She turned to face him. "Yes, brother?"
Thomas sighed. "I'm scared for you, Rhianna. Do you think you're big enough to be able to use alchemy if you're in trouble?"
Rhianna frowned. "I'm nine. And I'm good at alchemy; Teacher said I was more skilled than you."
Thomas shook his head. "I don't mean your age. I mean your size. A good wind would throw you into space and back. You need to be able to defend yourself when Warren, Connor, and I aren't around."
Rhianna glanced out the window, then back at Thomas. "Teacher said that one could summon weapons without a transmutation circle. I'll learn to do that and you, Warren, and Connor can teach me how to fight. Is that to your liking?"
Thomas shook his head. "It will take a lot of work to summon a weapon, you realize?"
Rhianna nodded.
Thomas looked at her earnestly. "And your brothers will always be there to protect you, right?"
Rhianna smiled. "Right!"
Thomas returned her smile and sat back. "Good; we'll start when we reach home."
They reached home two days later.
Running up the dirt path to their small house, Rhianna was welcomed back into her brother's open arms. Warren, on seeing her, had raced down to her and swooped her into a big hug.
Connor and their aunt Josephine followed him down the hill. Warren ran to Thomas and hugged him as Rhianna received another warm welcome, then the oldest two swooped down upon him.
Aunt Josephine led them back up to the house. Her smile didn't reach her eyes, but she seemed happy to see her niece and nephew.
Their Aunt Josephine was a kind woman with freckles and dark blonde hair.
Her brother, who had been the children's father, had been having trouble with debt before he and his wife had died in the car crash that had orphaned their children. She lived in fear of those he was indebted to would find them and punish her for his debts. Luckily, the children were blissfully ignorant to this.
That night, after a splendid feast, Rhianna followed Thomas to the field they'd played in as children. The grass that had once towered above Rhianna now came to her waist.
"What did Teacher say about alchemy being a balance?" Thomas asked, standing a few feet away from his sister.
Rhianna frowned, trying to find the answer inside her young, yet amazing memory.
Her face lit up with the answer. "Alchemy must be a balance of both intellectual prowess and physical strength. One is not an alchemist if they do not keep the balance, I believe is how she said it, brother."
"Correct down to the adverbs, little sister. Now, since you have excelled in the intellectual part of this balance, your physical strength must be built."
Thomas was in front of her in an instant. His fist was less than a centimeter away from Rhianna's forehead.
She jumped and Thomas continued.
"You must learn to control every muscle and reflex. Without control, there is no use for such a balance." He said, backing off now.
She nodded, slightly un-nerved by her brother's sudden movement.
Thomas smiled. "Now, the fun part. Punch me." Rhianna took a step back, aghast. Thomas nodded. "Come on, munchkin! I dare you to punch me!" He laughed as she bristled.
Her small fist slammed him in the stomach, pushing him to his knees. She had knocked the air out of him.
Rhianna cocked an eyebrow. "I hate that nickname, Brother."
Wincing, he stood. "Nice hit, kid. Now, let's see you do a somersault."
Rhianna blinked, then shrugged. She rolled over in the grass.
Thomas crossed his arms. "This is serious. If you're going to get smug about it, do it in the air."
Rhianna frowned. "I apologize for my arrogance. Now, teach me brother!"
Days of training turned into months; Rhianna was quickly learning how to summon a weapon and she was able to be an even match with Thomas.
The seasons changed and her work paid off in the best way. All of her brothers fell at her feet, and then stood, smiling at her progress.
Rhianna: 10
After a year and a half of studying and training, Rhianna was free. She felt herself accomplished, which in turn brightened her family's mood.
Of course, as sometimes happens, the very balance of life must even itself out.
On the first really cold day of autumn, after the leaves had changed into beautiful vermilions and ruby-reds, Rhianna was on the field where she had spent her time as a child, reading a book.
It was a relatively calm day. The leaves were beginning to fall in abundance, and no birds serenaded the young girl as she read, but she seemed content.
Suddenly, a huge wind struck Rhianna's back, nearly toppling her. She righted herself and brushed the hair out of her eyes.
She stopped as she heard the echo of gunshots on the wind. She frowned.
"Stupid poachers. They're on our land again." She closed her book and began to walk towards her home.
Time seemed to slow, but returned to normal, if not too fast as soon as she reached the door of her house.
She stopped, her breath caught in her throat.
The door was open, hanging on a hinge. At least four men were running through their house, guns at the ready, everyone screaming.
In a blur, Thomas grabbed her and dragged her into the small ceiling attic of their house, slamming the thin door into place under her.
"THOMAS!" she yelled as she saw an approaching figure.
Forever, this image would be etched into the child's already amazing memory. A man with a shaven head dressed in black walked towards her brother. A dragon tattoo snaked around the left side of his face; his eyes were terrifying even when they weren't facing her.
She heard more screaming and yelling as she heard Thomas being dragged away, as well as several gunshots.
Minutes seemed to be days, but after what seemed like a forever had passed all was silent. Rhianna heaved the attic door open with stiff limbs and jumped down with a hard thud.
She stood shakily, looked around and screamed.
Blood was spattered over the walls and floor, making a scarlet trail that lead out the back door.
Following it, Rhianna first saw her aunt. She had been shot several times in the stomach. She was stone cold, having bled to death tied to a tree.
"Aunt Josephine?" Rhianna whimpered, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.
Time slowed into a horrible nightmare of her family's blood.
She turned to see two bodies at the base of the house's wall, their blood bright and fresh against the white of the paneling. She ran to them, collapsing by their feet.
"Warren... Connor... you're not... don't leave me." She lay down between them, waiting to follow them into their forever slumber.
She opened her eyes in an instant as the sound of Thomas' voice. She had heard it...he was being tortured, she guessed. But her mind was blurred, imprinting every moment of this in images that she would happen upon in deep sleep that she'd never have again.
"Come what may...from a bend in the road. Our future bright...I'll be here when the sun rises. Don't try to fool me... I see your eyes closing. Sleep until the sun smiles down... dream of memories good and happy. Around the bend, dear... come what may. Take the turn off the beaten path... there I'll wait. I'll wait for you. come what may."
She dissolved into tears, singing their mother's lullaby as she clung helplessly to her brother's bodies. Rain began to fall, but the quivering girl was numb to the ice-cold droplets on her skin.