It would be an entire moon cycle before Kuria would see Gerson again.
Gerson had some business to attend to which would take him far away from the girl's village. His business would keep him away for an entire moon cycle, but he promised he would meet her the very next night as that new cycle began.
Until then, Kuria continued with life like she had before her meeting with the monster – while hiding all sadness at the thought of his departure by remembering she could find him through the tunnel if he does not appear at the promised time.
.
It is the third day since Gerson's departure and finally the chores and lessons have all been finished early allowing for a relaxing evening.
Kuria's dear Mama was taking the time to relax under the evening sun and its scarlet sky. A bit away from her mother, so as not to disturb her, Kuria was dancing to a silent melody watching her shadow stretch beneath her feet.
"Kuria?" her Mama called, bringing the child's attention to her. "Come here dear one." The girl complied easily, falling into her Mama's arms so that she too laid under the sky as the stars flickered into sight. "Please, you must stop going into the forest." She begged.
This was not the first time her Mama had asked this of her, but this was the first time she ever sounded like this during the conversations. It frightened Kuria. "Mama I—"she started but was cut off before she could promise not to go in the forest. Gerson made a tunnel so that they could meet whenever they wanted, and so there was no longer a reason to visit the Monster in the woods.
"If your Father found out you were going into the forest!" she whispered shuddering at the thought. Father, to Kuria is a faceless figure that she only knows exists because of an idle curiosity in her sixth year that led to questioning her Mama if she had such a person. Now in her eighth year this is the first time "Father" has ever been mentioned since asking of his existence.
Now, without realizing what she had done, Kuria's mother finally gave the faceless figure called Father a description. Feeding off her mother's tone of voice, and her body language Kuria learned "Father" was to be feared.
Kuria was startled at her own fearful shiver cuddling closer to her Mama. The answer (after a quick repeat of the plea) had been a quivering consent and the conversation had ended.
Despite their tight hold on each other no comfort was given.
Kuria suddenly wished for Gerson and his loud laughter in the silence that followed.
.
The conversation between her and her mother happened only seven days ago. And while the pale haired child was unable to completely banish the imagined figure of "Father" from her thoughts the Magic users made for great distractions.
The Young Magicians spend very little time in the village due to the War, but when they are present everyone is busy. Most villagers, like Kuria and her Mother had been doing until recently, would bring offerings such as goods or food to honor the Masters for their protection and goodwill. Others would be allowed to honor the Magic Users on a more personal level, meaning, they are allowed to serve a Mage directly.
Only a select few were allowed near the Mages though, and Kuria and her Mama were a part of those few. Kuria was picked by a Mage that wears a tattered cloak across his shoulders with an unending stream of boasting falling from his lips at every glance upon it.
The older generations, while knowledgeable of how to treat the mages, the younger generation – Kuria's generation – was meeting the mages for the first time that they could remember. So, the first week the children chosen to serve the Mages were taught how to serve instead of just sent to work unprepared. Kuria's Mama had been chosen many times before and had saw to teaching her daughter how to properly serve under a Mage. The training finished for Kuria the same day as the forest conversation with her Mama occurred, only earlier in the day.
The Elder Mages are the ones too old to continue fighting, and so they are instead charged with training the next wave of magic users. The Elder Mages as well as the someday-to-be Mages in training (and the battle worn Magic Users now returned however briefly) all reside within the same building, a temple like residence, in the center of the village making it easy to scout for magic potential. Kuria was told the Mages' arrival is in fact due to the newly trained Mages – or in other words – it is time for the newly trained to aid on the battlefield.
For Kuria, servicing the Mage with the tattered cloak acts as a great distraction, though, there is a certain growing tension in the girl as the work continues. Since she was very young, Kuria has been a quiet child. Shy and soft spoken in a crowd, but content and out spoken with her dear Mama and the recently acquainted Gerson. But in serving the Mage Kuria has been weighted down with silence.
While in the presence of the Mage Kuria cannot speak unless told to, she cannot leave unless dismissed, and she must sit or stand at his elbow until given a task. While this has given Kuria ample time to observe the man she has dubbed Her Mage and the many other adults he has conversed with in the many passing hours, the silence required of her has given the child a need to talk and to be heard. It is only the knowledge that this duty is temporary that stops Kuria from acting out, which would be seen as disgracing the Magic Users.
Even now, the young girl listens with her head bowed, as the Mage recounts once more how he won the cloak he wears to the Elder Mage across from him.
Kuria's Mage is still very young. His limbs are still long and gangly. His walk full of confidence, but still trying to hide that awkward coordination that comes with growing accustomed to long appendages. "The beast towered over me! Weapon clutched in claws sharp enough to cut me open!" her Mage exclaimed throwing his arms out in excitement.
The Elder, grey and wrinkled, allowed the rambling for what might have been the fifth time only minutes before he could stand it no longer. His movements are slow, but precise in every twitch of a muscle as he summons an arrowhead aiming toward his younger fellow. Her Mage yelped as the projectile slides against his cheek in a surprise attack before disappearing. "Quit your bragging." The Elder barks. "We have matters to discuss." He continues. Kuria had been disappointed to learn that Elders never keep an aid. Elders spend all of their time with the younger generation teaching, and as such have no need to keep a young servant when a student could easily fill the position.
Kuria's Mage huffs, "Surely, having pride in my accomplishments is not a trait to squander?" The Elder remains silent as he shakes his head at the youth. Her Mage relents, slumping in resignation, "We will be leaving very soon." He tells after a moment. The Elder motions to continue and so her Mage continues, "Ares believes himself to have found the secret to the Monster defenses." Kuria listens a little more intently at the mention of Monsters, her mind turning to Gerson. "With more powerful SOULS on our side he claims that we could trap the beasts."
"And the children?" the Elder asks.
Her Mage shrugs "Strong SOULS are required, however…" he hesitates at the next part but continues with a new light to his eyes, "Nothing shall change. Prepare the older students for travel." The Elder Mage nods lacing his fingers.
"Strong SOULS." The Elder contemplated, "Very few are of age I fear." After taking a long look at the younger mage the Elder sighed and concluded, "Ares will be furious."
The younger snorted rebelliously as only a young person can before facing the authority they mock. "Ares will have the next wave to eagerly await." The young Mage dismissed. "I need only look at my aid to see how strong the next SOULS will be."
Kuria, the poor child, lost all grip she had on understanding the conversation to this new conundrum.
The Elder covered his face with a sad little sigh, "She is not being trained."
In his surprise at the statement, a strange squeak slipped from his lips cutting off his next words. "I can see that!" he grumbled in recovery, "I hoped you would enlighten me as to why when she clearly shows promise?!"
"Ares does not want her trained." At this her Mage sputtered. Kuria's gaze swung to the Elder, then her Mage, and then back to the Elder.
The wizened Mage turned thoughtful as his gaze turned to Kuria over his younger counter-parts shoulder. The girl hastily averted her eyes. "However, you are correct in saying she has a strong SOUL. At the moment she is in your service, and if you desire it she can begin training. He can rage until death but he will not be able to fight your decision without breaking the Council and reinventing our laws."
This out of everything seemed to leave Kuria's Mage speechless. The Elder seeing the younger's difficulty in forming words called the meeting to a close with a tilt of his head and a short farewell. Her Mage, however, remained sitting in his stupor long enough for Kuria to start fidgeting once more.
Kuria does not like silence. Silence between two people -she has found- to be unbearable. She was just about to start humming to fill the air when her Mage twitched coming back to life. He glanced to her, his eyes fliting over her form before flicking away. Then he motioned the girl forward with a jerk of the wrist. This being the first time to have been given this type of attention, Kuria scrambled to stand before the Mage. He cleared his throat with a cough, and after a moment looked directly into her hazel eyes, "Girl, you were listening to our conversation?" he asked rather needlessly.
"Yes, Lord Mage." She answered, trying to keep in mind her lessons and how to properly speak to a Magician.
"What are your thoughts on the matter?" he questioned and hurriedly tacked on, "Speak freely! Please."
Kuria did not speak immediately. All thoughts of proper etiquette and how to properly interact with a Magic User were forgotten. Little Kuria and her wide hazel eyes took in the Mage with all the innocence of the world. She felt like there was something missing in her knowledge, but he asked for honesty and why would she deny him that?
Kuria thought very hard over what she had learned through her recent lessons and the many meetings she has attended since becoming an aid.
What thoughts did she have? They had been talking of making her a mage –after all the stories and war talk anyway – a being she had known to be real, but something she has never considered becoming.
She did not know this Ares person; but Mages are trained as soon as potential is seen, they do not have names, and once trained they go to where the others are. This Ares, and his interference allowed Kuria to be Kuria. And now, this Mage was asking instead of just assigning.
So the only question to ask herself now is… Did she want to be a Mage?
The power would be loads of fun she thought, but she would not be with her Mama ever. Surely, she would be able to make more friends though and go on adventures like in stories? She would meet Monsters too.
"What do Mages do?" she asked.
The Mage shifted in discomfort unused to explaining Life as a Mage compared to his Role in Life, "Once trained you would be assigned a position on the field. With any luck your generation of Magicians will mark the end of Monsters."
Ending Monsters.
"I do not think I want to be a Mage." She replied promptly.
"If this is about fighting, well with your SOUL you would most likely be nowhere near the front lines." The Mage countered.
Kuria doesn't really know what the front lines is, nor does she know what being nowhere near them would entail, but she does know what fighting is, and he was right about her not wanting to take part in it. Fighting with Mama always upsets the girl. Fighting against Monsters would probably be just as bad, especially with Gerson, her dear friend. "Are you going to make me a Mage?" she asked, because no matter what she wanted he was the one that had the actual decision. As long as she was serving a Mage, the Mage decides everything.
Once again he was startled, gaping at the question before pulling himself together, "No! No… if you do not want to be a Mage then I will honor that decision." He said with feeling.
"Thank you." Replied Kuria gratefully, but something about this caught the girl's curiosity, and like any child, the girl tilted her head and asked with a wondering frown aimed at the Mage, "Did you want to be a Magician, Lord Mage?"
Her Mage, caught off guard, looked away. Several heartbeats passed before he hesitantly looked back, and even more reluctantly spoke. "What I wanted" he started, "was not what I had." He offered at last.
The girl's frown deepened and her brow creased in confusion, "What does that mean?" she asked.
The Mage choked out a laugh that was a little sad and a little bitter. When he quieted he leaned in for a hushed conversation with a too wide grin and bright, blue eyes. "I wanted to be a Warrior!" he whispered passionately, "Wanted my name to be remembered above all others!" He laughed his sad laugh again his eyes dimming from their feverish light. "I have one of those things, I suppose. I was doomed from the start anyway, this village only births farmers and Magicians." He barked. He blinked coming back to himself and seemed to realize he had confessed far more than he had ever intended to say.
The Mage looked startled at his own outburst, then absolutely dumbfounded when Kuria reached out to pat his hand comfortingly. "I will remember you." She promised, smiling shyly ignoring all of the lessons she had been taught and her own discomfort at touching someone other than her Mama by keeping her hand on top of his.
Kuria lives in a world where her Mama is all that she has ever had, and the two hug and hold hands and say I love you, but having only her Mother and a relationship that may as well have started on the day of her birth left Kuria feeling rather awkward in normal social interaction. The girl has never even accidentally brushed against someone in a crowd! Merely touching Her Mage on the hand leads her to feeling greatly uncomfortable, but he seems to need comforting and so her little hand remains lightly on top of his. "You are My Magician after all." She finished musing outwardly. He belongs to her and who better to comfort him than her?
Her Mage shifted as if woken up by her claim. Then blinked several times in shock, as if realizing for perhaps the first time that she is, in fact, speaking to him. "Yours, am I?" he snorted, surprised and amused. "And who are you?" he asked.
Kuria brightened immediately, smiling her biggest smile "Kuria!" she chirped.
Her Mage was always grinning, but now Kuria got to watch a soft smile grace his face. "Kuria. Did you know your name means lady?"
Kuria gasped happily shaking her head no and patting his hand several times rapidly in her excitement. Her Mage laughed in a way that was more air than sound, it was much different than his earlier laugh. Compared to before, he seems happy. Kuria inwardly pats herself on the back at successfully comforting Her Mage.
"Little lady Kuria," he called testing the phrase and liking it "do Your Mage a favor and do not get lost in a life where you are unhappy." The girl could only nod.
Silently, she included another friend on her short list of friends even as she returned to her position of servant.
.
Her Mage, unlike Gerson, never said he liked her, but when Kuria and her Mother were finished making the beds and lighting the candles and began for home he leaned out from his window calling, "Until tomorrow, little lady Kuria!" And like with Gerson, Kuria considered the friendship mutual and skipped home happily alongside her quietly, stressed Mama.
She liked this version of him more she decided, he was softer.
.
Unknowingly, or perhaps intentionally, Kuria's Mage set off a storm of questions.
Kuria and her mother live a little distant from the other villagers. Their home remains within walking distance and both the village and Kuria's home can be seen easily from either locations by anyone that chose to look, but there is a distance that sets the two locations apart.
Kuria is lonely.
She had no friends until Gerson, and while she may have two now, they are not the kind of friends that she can play games with, or even the kind that will always be present. The Mage will soon be leaving and Gerson can only be met in secret.
She has lived eight years, and while many of the other children are training to use magic, there are still children like Kuria that works the land alongside family, how has she gone friendless? Is she lonely due to the distance of people and her home? Perhaps the distance discourages others from seeking her out, but Kuria and her Mama often walk through the village for what they cannot make themselves, so can that really be a factor? She wonders, if she is lonely because she lives separate from the village than why would her Mama choose to live there? If not for Kuria surely she too would feel lonely?
Kuria was once consoled with promises of friendships finding her and yet, so far, Kuria has been the one to extend that all important hand of friendship first.
She wants friends. If Kuria is lonely why then can she not make friends? She wants friends to play with! And laugh with! And grow up with! She wants that.
The words of Her Mage ring unavoidable and demanding. He had used an abundance of words when he spoke, but he only asked that Kuria "Be happy," and as the hazel eyed girl watched the other children play as she and her mother pass by, a resolve settles within her.
She would speak to her peers she decided. She would make friends!
.
Unnoticed by all that might have been witness- a SOUL, strong though terribly dim brightened.