Chapter 7: Journal
After the dance she had seen no more of him alone. Her one year mark was approaching and to celebrate Kat had bought her a gift. It was a leather bound journal. "I thought you might like to have one. I've kept one since I was a little girl. I find it nice to be able to look back after so many years and be able to roll your eyes at the silly things that made you emotional back then."
"Thanks. I'm sorry I didn't know gift giving was a thing the end of the year." Cephera felt bad. She hadn't bought her anything.
"It's not. I just really wanted to get you something."
"Thanks." Kat reached over and gave her bear hug.
"Tomorrow we find out if we pass onto the harder level beginners. Are you nervous." Cephera shrugged. She wasn't exactly eager to move onto harder spells. The 'easy' ones were hard enough for her over the passed year.
"Not really." she told her blond friend.
"Well you better have passed. Who else will I be able to practice my spells with." she stood and began to leave but stopped on the balcony. "Oh yeah. You might want to use code for names in that journal. If anyone finds it you don't want everyone knowing your deepest, darkest fantasies." she winked and was gone.
When she was gone Cephera looked at the book. She grabbed a quill and opened it up in her lap. As soon as the quill touched paper she felt nervous almost. And silly. Who writes their secrets down in a book. But she bit her lip. It couldn't hurt to write something.
Journal attempt one
I feel stupid doing this. I can't see me writing anything in here of any real importance much less my fantasies.
I just sighed loudly, do I need to write everything down? How does this even work anyway?
Ok let's try again,
Journal attempt 2
Graduating my first year of classes here tomorrow. Nervous? No. Why? Because I am here for my family not me. I don't think I'll ever aspire to be a high ranking sorceress and couldn't care if I did.
Kat, my bestfriend here, wants me to succeed, which is very kind of her.
Cephera stopped and thought. Once she got going it wasn't that hard after all. She still felt silly. She snapped the book shut with a slight thud and placed it in the drawer of her vanity.
***
Sitting in the courtyard the next day was surprisingly exciting. She was not surprised when Kat was rewarded for her ability to excel in the class. When it was her turn to receive her own assessment she found her stomach churning. Maybe deep down she really did want to pass.
"Cephera, out of sheer determination I have passed you on to the next class. The spells will be a little more advanced. I pray Valhalla's angels see you safely through it." the instructor said and Cephera felt relief. Kat grabbed her from behind around the neck in her usual hug.
She didn't get back to her room till late night. They had a small private party among the students down in the yard which was still going on but she needed sleep. Upon entering the room she once more saw a note on her bed.
She walked over and picked up the small round bracelet of pure silver with green flecks along the edges. She unfolded the note. "Good girl." was all it said.
She wanted to roll her eyes but instead she examined the bracelet. It was rather pretty but she didn't often wear such things. She put it down on her vanity and pulled out her journal.
She hesitated before writing down his name. What could she call him.
Journal,
Today the wolf has given me another gift. I'm not sure what to make of these gifts. He seems to have an interest in me but yet he never actually makes an attempt to spend any time alone with me. Our few brief meetings have been convenient and maybe even coincidence as far as I can tell.
How do I feel about all this? Shamefully excited. Our meetings have left me somewhat eager to see him again. But I refuse to act upon these impulses. I won't seek out meetings with him. Tomorrow I head back home for three months and then back to Asgard for my second year of classes. I wonder if he will miss me gone, or if he even thinks of me at all.
Maybe he gives gifts to more then just me. Maybe he has been playing this game with more then one girl. Is it wrong that that bothers me? I'll need to get Seraphina's opinion on this once I'm home.
Once more she put away the journal but after a moment decided that her vanity draw was not a good enough place. Instead she shoved in between the beds headboard and mattress. She didn't plan on bringing it home for three months when she had Seraphina to be her ears.