Ok…next chapter. You have the snow to thank for this. I'm trying to make up for the disgustingly long amount of time I didn't update. This is a sweet chapter, but it is also important. Jade meets someone that will be an important part of her life for a long time. Enjoy
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The Uncontrollable
The Blacksmith's Daughter
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She loved the feel of soft grass blades under her bare feet. She loved the gentle slide of the surprisingly cool grass on a hot day. She loved the feel of it even more when it was on her neck. She would spend countless minutes running her arms back and forth while sprawled out on the grass just to feel the hundreds of glossy blades. If there was one thing Jade loved doing more then climbing trees, it was rolling around on fresh green grass. For all of her five years could provide, she couldn't remember enjoying anything quite so much as that.
So it wasn't rare to find the small five-year-old out in the gardens, lying in the grass, her hair fanned out around her, arms outstretched, and feet constantly wiggling through the blades of grass. She would close her eyes and just inhale the scent of flowers and pollen, sometimes rolling onto her stomach just to feel the cold softness of green on her face.
Moments like these made her different. Different in that she didn't think anyone else got such calming satisfaction from lying on grass as she did. She needed that calm. Every so often, she had to come here and just breathe. Most of the time, she felt as if electricity ran rampant through her veins, gaining speed by the hour, making her hyperactive or nervous. Even at the tender age of five, she knew when to much was too much. That's when she would sneak out. To the gardens if she had to, like at night. But if she could manage, she would go into the royal forest and just bury herself in freshly fallen leaves. She'd been doing that for as long as she could remember too. Sneaking out into the gardens; often times being caught. She was different. It was obvious even to her young mind.
She watched clouds float by as she took deep breaths, feeling her blood slow its ragging speed. Well, to be honest, she didn't know if it was her blood or just her mind running so wild. She just assumed it was her blood because she would feel it in her fingers and toes as well as her head, the pressure. Finally, she sat up and stretched her short arms and legs. As if the spell of calm snapped, she bounced to her feet and began to skip back towards the garden walls, feeling the rush in her body begin immediately. Maybe she could ask Mama to take her into the city and she could have fun looking at all the wonderful things set out in the marketplace. She turned a corner and tumbled into something hard.
A girl about the age of 8 looked down at Jade. "Who are you?" she sneered.
She smiled brightly. "My name is Jade! What's yours?"
The older girl snickered. "My name is Milona Borinae. It means beautiful," she said with an upturned nose. "You…That's the silliest name I've ever heard. Where'd you get it from?"
Jade looked confused. "My parents…"
She laughed. "Well, that's obvious, stupid. Where did they get it from?"
Jade frowned. "My papa named me that; because I have green eyes."
"Humph. Well it's a stupid name. Does that stupid name have anymore to it, or is that it?"
"Salmalin…" Jade said, unsure of the taller girl. "Jade Salmalin"
The older girl's eyes went wide. "Your Master Salmalin's daughter…figures. He's so stupid he has to spend all day in the library looking things up." She laughed at her own joke.
Jade narrowed her eyes. "My Papa is not stupid. He's a great mage. And so is my Mama."
"Your Mama? Well, my mother told me that your mother is a bastard," the girl said with disgust. "Her name was Sarrasri before she got married. Only children who don't know who their fathers are are named after their mothers." She laughed harder.
Jade felt the heat rise to her cheeks anger. "Take that back!"
The older girl looked down at her. "No. In fact, I'm so sure your mother is a bastard, I bet you are too. I bed Master Numair isn't your real father either," she sniggered.
It didn't make much sense to her. Being all of five, Jade didn't really understand the implications of what the older girl had just said. But she wasn't stupid. The tone of voice gave it away. "Take it back now!"
Suddenly, Milona's hands were on Jades shoulders, pushing her back violently. Jade tumbled backwards, falling on her bottom. After the initial shock, Jade felt the anger churn furiously into silent rage. She felt her little body shake with the pounding of her blood. She looked up at the girl in livid fury.
Milona flinched as she noticed the little girl's brilliant green eyes harden to hard pure dark green of anger. She looked down at the girl. "Don't run into me again."
Jade, for all the anger growing inside of her, didn't answer. She looked down at the ground, blinking away tears of fury. Trying to hide her face in her hair, she concentrated hard on her hand that gripped the grass hard, ignoring the girl. That's when she noticed it. Her green eyes widened slightly and she caught her breath at her hand. The grass surrounding her hand glowed a deep rich green. It wasn't her hand. The grass that surrounded it.
"Did you hear me?!" demanded Milona.
Jade snapped her head back up, blinking in surprise. "Huh?"
"I said if you run into me one more time, I won't be nearly as nice as I've been so watch ou…"
"Milona…go away!" came a feminine voice.
Both Milona and Jade snapped their heads to the side. A girl of maybe seven or eight walked over. She had long braided blonde hair reaching to the middle of her back. Sky blue eyes set in pale skin snapped in anger.
"I beg your pardon?" asked Milona indignantly.
"I said…go away. Or are you deaf?"
Milona narrowed her eyes at the girl and then turned to Jade. Sneering she turned and walked off, hands on hips.
Jade breathed in deep breaths, desperately trying to get a hold of the pressure inside her body. It didn't seem to be working; she could feel her shoulders shaking. "You alright?" She didn't look up. Didn't want t have to listen to anyone else saying such horrible things about her parents, even if she didn't know what they meant. The girl bent down in front of her and with a steady hand pushed some black curls away from her hidden face. Jade jerked. "Hey. You alright?" Jade nodded jerkily; maybe she would go away. She felt cool fingers brush away tears she hadn't known were falling down her face. "Don't worry about Milona. She's mean to everyone." Jade nodded again; this time not as stiffly. "What's your name?" Well, that question had gotten her shoved to the ground the last time asked. She wasn't going to make that mistake again. "Hmm, well…If you don't want to tell me your name, that's alright. I don't mind. My name is Amena…Amena Cassidy. My Papa's the palace blacksmith. And my Mama's a midwife. I've seen you around, though I've never been able to ask your name. You seem nice and so I think we could be really good friends…" Jade hadn't noticed her face lift and the amazed stare she was giving the talkative girl. Before she knew it…
"Jade," she whispered.
The girl stopped mid rant. "Huh?"
"My name. It's Jade…Jade Salmalin."
Amena smiled. For the first time, Jade noticed how pretty the girl was. Not beautiful…but pretty. Sweet. It was strange. Jade felt a strange pull inside her towards the older girl. A good pull. The girl took Jade's hand and hefted her up to her feet. "I saw a cat in the stables earlier getting ready to have kittens. You want to go see?" Jade nodded enthusiastically, noticing the hold Amena still had on her tiny hand. She felt a smile spread across her face as she looked up from the hand up to Amena's face. And quick as that, they were off, hand in hand, to go see the new kittens; leaving behind a patch of nearly scorched grass in the gardens, completely forgotten.
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Hope you enjoyed that chapter. Tell me what you think. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! Eeeeehehehhee…I'm REVIEW mad. SMILE
Karigan