18
The following morning, Ruva was in the food court with Arra, Harry and Leo. She had trouble concentrating on what everyone was saying, and her mind kept drifting off.
"What's wrong, Ruva? Did you stay up too late?" Arra asked.
Ruva blinked, forcing herself back to the present moment. "Yes, – um…" Ruva tried to think of an excuse for why she was so tired. After um-ing and stuttering for what seemed like hours, Ruva relented and told the truth. "I miss the palace."
Arra gave a sad smile, and Ruva noticed bags under her eyes. "I know what you mean. Everything's so fun and tiring here, but I miss Mum and the café. It'll be great to go home for a bit." Arra suddenly smiled, the expression lightening her whole face. "Why don't you come over to us in the holidays? You could try some food and we could mess around together," –Arra turned to everyone at the table– "You can all come!"
Harry grinned. "That sounds great! I would never turn down free food!"
Leo gave a relaxing smile. 'I'll come too. It'll be nice to spend some more time with you all,' he said, looking more at Ruva than anyone else.
There was silence at the table, until Arra said, "Wow Leo, that was a really clear projection. I could hear you easily."
Leo blushed at Arra's praise, a gesture that flustered Ruva more than she liked. 'Harry's been helping me practice,' he said.
"Not by choice," Harry grumbled, his mouth still full of food. Everyone turned to him as he swallowed his food. "At first I said I would be happy to help, but I didn't realise what 'helping' meant. Leo's been practising for half an hour every day, saying the same three sentences over and over until he gets them clear," Harry groaned at the thought, causing them all to laugh. "At one point he started reading classic poetry," Harry shuddered, "Worst day of my life. And if I hear one more poem by E. Flanders, I swear…" Ruva didn't hear whatever else Harry said, everyone was laughing too hard.
…
It was finally Friday afternoon, and Ruva was ready for her Kaldoras break. She had her bag packed, Bubbler vial ready, all she needed to do was say her goodbyes. The first person she said goodbye to was Harry.
"Goodbye Harry…" Ruva yet again struggled for words. "I… hope you enjoy your holidays." Ruva gave him a quick hug before moving on to the next person.
Ruva turned to Arra. But before Ruva could say anything, Arra gave her a great big bear hug. "I'll miss you, Angel," she whispered in Ruva's ear. Arra then pulled back, "Remember, New Year's Eve at Mum's café."
Ruva gave a big smile. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."
The last person to say goodbye to was Leo. When Ruva walked up to him, she felt awkward about hugging him. But before she could hesitate Leo wrapped his arms around her. Ruva smiled at the comfort Leo's embrace brought her, an embrace that lasted a tad longer than all the other.
When Leo finally let go, he looked up to Ruva's eyes and gave a slight smile. 'It'll be really different without any of you around. I'll be back to my crowded house, with eight siblings who barely notice me.'
Ruva shook her head. "They'll notice you now, Leo. Your gift is strong enough to talk to all eight of them at once."
Leo shook his head, eyes on the ground. 'They still won't notice me, I'm the middle child. Four older siblings and four younger ones.'
Ruva smiled, "I guess there's only one way to find out."
Leo turned around and smashed his Bubbler vial. Ruva saw the insecurity in his eyes. 'Goodbye, Ruva.'
Ruva was unable to speak, overwhelmed by the vulnerability in Leo's eyes. Leo took one final look at her, then stepped through the Bubbledoor. Ruva exhaled, not realising she had been holding her breath. Ruva brought out her own bubbler vial and was about to smash it. But something made her stop. She didn't really want to leave Akarnae, but at the same time indecision was clawing at her. She wanted to be at the palace and she wanted to be at the academy.
Arra squeezed Ruva's hand, causing her to blink. "Don't want to leave?"
Ruva was surprised at how well Arra had read her, so she nodded quickly.
Arra gave a short huff. "I feel the same way. I love seeing Mum, Pip and Tim, but our family isn't exactly full of happy memories. I still find little things that remind me of what our lives used to be like, still get nightmares…"
"It would be so much easier to stay here, where everything and everyone seems so happy," –Arra looked Ruva in the eyes– "But that's not how things work. We make new relationships wherever we go, but the old ones are just as important. It would be selfish for you to stay here, disappointing those who love you and are waiting for you. Embrace what you have, because some day – when you're least expecting it, – it will be gone." Arra embraced Ruva one final time, and whispered for Ruva's ears alone. "I'll be there, Angel. I'll support you in whatever choices you make," –Arra pulled Ruva back and looked her in the eye. – "I promise."
Arra's words echoed through Ruva's mind as she stepped through the Bubbledoor, hurtling at a million miles an hour through to the palace.
…
Ruva lay on her bed, feeling more comfortable than she'd ever been. Corbin and Sela had been so excited to see her, and Ruva even noticed tears in Corbin's eyes. Ruva was just as excited to see them, beaming from ear to ear and cartwheeling down the palace corridors. Ruva made it to their rooms much faster than Sela and Corbin, and she didn't have the patience to wait for their key. Ruva climbed in through the window, running around their rooms while marvelling it was exactly the way she remembered it – exactly the way she liked it. – By the time Corbin and Sela made it to Ruva's room, Ruva was flopped on the bed, exhausted from all her running about. Sela had just kissed her on the head, saying she had to tend to a few patients.
Ruva had immediately sat up, asking if she could come, just like she used to. Sela agreed, and Ruva had spent the rest of the afternoon with her adoptive mother.
That night, Ruva lay in bed with a full belly – and her favourite pyjamas – thinking about everything she had. Just like Arra said, she embraced everything she had. Ruva was eternally grateful for everything Sela and Corbin had given her, being parents as perfect as her real ones had been.
…
Ruva's days fell into a pattern. Each morning after breakfast, she would go with Corbin to the stables and ride with whoever was there. Ruva was disappointed to learn that Princess Delucia – or D.C. – was staying at the academy for the holidays. Ruva had come to enjoy the princess's company in ES, it was a shame they couldn't ride together here.
Ruva's afternoons were spent with Sela, treating her patients and helping administering medicines. Sela was delighted by some of Ruva's newfound knowledge, she had learnt some things in Professor Luranda's Medical Science class. Ruva liked treating patients, and she especially liked doing first aid. Ruva could help people, heal them, even prevent death. And if she could prevent death, she could stop families – families like Ruva's – from being torn apart, then everything would be worth it.
Tonight it was Kaldoras Eve, and Ruva enjoyed the tradition of placing flowers around the house. Every surface had at least one vase of flowers, and a pleasant scent drifted around their rooms. Ruva inhaled the smell, and it reminded Ruva of the perfume her mum used to wear. Wild and sweet, with a hint of roses. Ruva took in a deep breath, and tried to picture her mum, then she gasped. No matter how hard she tried, Ruva couldn't see her mum – couldn't remember her own mother.
Ruva ran into her room and curled up on her bed. She gripped her fingers tight around her Myrox necklace, tight enough to hurt. Ruva tried to remember everything she could about her mum.
"Mum's name is Jacinta Springden," she whispered. Ruva listed everything she remembered about her mum. "Her gift was summoning wind. Mum loved to paint. She went to Akarnae with dad. Mum taught me to make flower crowns. Mum loved to dance. We would dance together. We had a dog called…" Ruva struggled to remember her dog's name. "Bruno, Ben, Bailey… Basil. We had a dog called Basil."
Ruva whispered more and more, not just about her mum, but about her dad, about Basil, about what her life had been. Tears fell down her face, first slowly, then faster and faster. By the time she heard Sela getting home, there was a large wet patch on her pillow. But Ruva ignored Sela, she just grabbed the vase nearest to her and sniffed at the flowers. She couldn't smell any of them, - her nose was blocked after crying – but the gesture was enough.
When Sela finally found her, she hadn't asked any questions, just held Ruva and soothed her. When she was calm, Sela asked her why she was upset. With her voice no louder than a whisper, she told Sela everything. Every little detail she remembered about her family, she shared it all. And, just as she'd felt with Arra, telling Sela about her parents made them feel more real.
It was late at night by the time she was finished, and Sela kissed her goodnight.
"Just remember," she whispered in Ruva's ear, "Nothing is ever truly lost, you just need to look harder."
Sela's words echoed in Ruva's mind long after she fell asleep.
…
Ruva woke up on Kaldoras with a smile on her face. Today was one of the most exciting days at the palace, with visitors coming from all over for the Kaldoras Ball tonight. Around lunch time everyone would go to the lake for ice skating, and Corbin was tasked with getting all the guests to and from the lake. It was half an hour's ride from the palace, and much more accessible by bubbledoor, but all the guests enjoyed the novelty of it. Last year Ruva got to help, Dancer was strapped up to a carriage to carry the guests and Ruva got to ride her.
Ruva opened her eyes and gasped at her room. She already knew what was going to happen in the morning, the tradition of flowers being replaced with gifts. Usually each vase of flowers would be replaced with sweets or toys, but that wasn't what Ruva saw. All the flowers and vases had disappeared, but they were replaced with photos. Paper photos, not holographic ones like she had grown used to.
At first, Ruva didn't know who was in the photos, not until she looked closer. When she did realise, she started to cry.
Every photo showed her mum and dad.
Ruva cried, not the hard gut-wrenching sobs from last night, but silent tears that didn't end. Ruva climbed out of her bed, and grabbed the photo closest to her, on her bedside table. It was a photo from when Jacinta and Edward were at Akarnae. A smile touched Ruva's lips as she saw her father had braces, but it was replaced with tears when she realised how similar she looked to her mother.
Ruva got out of her bed and walked around the room, looking at every photo before holding them close to her heart. She saw glimpses of her parent's life, all that they'd done and everywhere they'd been. She saw her parents on mountains, in cities, on boats and in deserts. Ruva became prouder and prouder of her parents, and she saw how alike she was to them. Her parents loved exploring too. Her mum loved to dance, her dad loved animals and went foraging for food, too.
She picked up every photo she found, not daring to put any down. Her arms grew fuller and fuller, each photo showing little pieces of their lives.
When Ruva got to her bedroom door, she saw one final photo. Edward and Jacinta holding a blond haired baby. Holding Ruva.
With no tears left to shed, Ruva gave a wobbly smile and opened the door. When she saw what awaited in the lounge room, Ruva gasped. The table in the centre of the room was covered in gifts, and her parents sat on either couch. Ruva beamed, today was going to be the best Kaldoras yet.
…
That evening, Ruva, Corbin and Sela arrived back in their rooms. Ruva's cheeks were flushed from the freezing weather, and she regretted not wearing a beanie. The three of them had spent the second half of the day at the frozen lake. Ruva had shipped the king's guests over to the lake with Corbin, while Sela was on standby in case anyone got injured. The important guests had marvelled at Ruva's hair and ability to ride bareback. A few guests were even shocked at how little Ruva was wearing. She only wore three layers, a shirt, a jumper and a jacket, which seemed outrageous to them. Ruva didn't try to explain that she didn't feel cold, or that Dancer was keeping her warm. The city people wouldn't understand it, anyway.
Ruva was exhausted, and was about to go to sleep when Corbin and Sela urged her into their room.
"We've got one more present for you, Ruva," said Corbin, his excitement clear.
"Close your eyes," said Sela, her own eyes lighting up.
Ruva closed her eyes and listened to what her adoptive parents were doing. She heard crinkling as something was pulled out of a bag, and a thump as something heavy was put on the bed in front of her.
"Are you ready, Ruva? Open your eyes!"
Ruva opened her eyes and stared at her final gift. It was a heavy leather-bound book, its orientation reminding her of a picture book. Ruva scrunched her nose, wondering why Corbin and Sela got her a book when they knew she didn't like reading.
When Corbin saw Ruva's face, he laughed.
Sela quickly shushed him. "Don't you know what it is?" asked Sela. When Ruva shook her head a dazzling sparkle appeared in Sela's eye. "Why don't you take a look?"
When Ruva opened the book she smiled. It was a photo album, full of pictures of her parents. Ruva flicked through the photos, and stopped on a page with the photo of her parents holding her. The rest of the page was blank, and Ruva looked up to Sela and Corbin. "Where did you find all these photos?" she asked, her voice strained.
It was Sela who answered her. "I went to the Archives and looked up your parents, this is every photo of them on the database. I found a place to print them out, and Corbin put them in an album for you. Do you like it?"
Ruva smiled. "I… It's – um –" When her words failed her Ruva leaned forward and hugged them both, letting her actions speak for themselves. Corbin and Sela hugged her back, and Ruva couldn't agree more with what she had thought that morning.
Today was the best Kaldoras ever, and nothing in the world could change that.
