The blonde haired girl wrung her hands as she waited for the meeting between Magic Users to end. The other villagers turned servants were preparing the meal and the area in which the Magic Users would eat. Kuria had volunteered to lead the Magicians toward the dining area for the soul purpose of speaking in private with Her Mage. After this meeting, the Magic Users will eat their final feast together before everything returned to normal. The returning Magicians would once again leave to fulfill their duties taking freshly trained Magic Users along with them. The Elder Mages would begin training a new generation in the absence of the old. The villagers -young and old- chosen by the returned Magic Users will return to the way life was before they were chosen.
This might be the last time she would be able to see Her Magician friend. But, before he can leave, Kuria has a request of her Mage.
She had thought long and hard the night before on how to go about making friends with the other children, and she had decided to test how true her new friend is before attempting to make more. Gerson is a real friend – unexpected and old but true and entirely special because of it – but he might have been an accident, a once in a life time kind of special accident, and so the question must be asked how real is the Mage in terms of friendship? And so the request. If he allowed it. It would mean he really is her friend, and if not than there really was no hope in trying to make connections.
She hoped he would agree. It really is a simple request.
The door opened.
The Magicians flowed out one by one. Kuria stuttered into motion so that she could present herself before the growing crowd.
Once the door shuts behind the final Mage the girl bowed her pale head and turned on her heel toward the dining area. The sound of quiet conversation and shuffling feet behind her does not strike fear into her heart, but knowing Her Mage is among them does. The request she plans to ask is simple and easy to permit, but permitting it might create uncertainty in his leadership in the eyes of the Magic users. It would be a show of favoritism. Not only that but it would be a break of tradition, a small one but still. Kuria worries her skirt as she stops before the large Dining Room doors.
Carefully, she raps her knuckles against the wood in two sharp knocks and scurries to the far wall out of the way. The doors creak open quickly enough, and while normally Kuria would keep her head bowed, the girl only slightly tilted her head forward as she scanned the crowd. Hazel eyes glanced over every face they could but did not catch sight of the Mage, but then, there he was at the very back of the line looking haggard. His eyes meet hers, he seems to notice her want to speak with him, as instead of walking through the entrance he waves the doors closed claiming that he wants to freshen up before eating.
The doors shut almost silently as the Mage turned to Kuria.
"What can I do for you little lady Kuria?" he rasped as he reached over and carded his fingers through her blonde locks. He relaxed, while Kuria tensed just slightly. That day, when Kuria turned down becoming a Mage, her Magician had become a bit touchy. He started ruffling her hair and patting her back at every chance. Kuria knows in a distant way that this attention is a show of affection, after all, Gerson has done the same once before, even her Mama does these things, but for some reason Kuria found her Magicians touch to be rather alarming in how much she does not want it. The girl brushes the discomforted feelings away though.
emoving his hand from her hair and using it to tug the Mage back down the hall Kuria mulled over what she wanted to say. He followed but dragged his feet, smiling teasingly when the girl pouted at his trouble making before spotting a corner that would allow some privacy.
Tucked into the corner, and away from anyone who might listen in, Kuria anxiously looked up at her Mage. He leaned lazily against the wall, waiting for her. She had to be confidant! Kuria internally cheered herself on as outwardly she took a deep breath and began. "Allow me to leave service early! Please?" there was an instant change. He no longer leaned but stood straight. Now he frowns instead of smiles practically glaring down at her. Kuria refused to move her gaze from his, no matter how distraught she was becoming.
"Why?" Kuria swallowed uneasily. It was not a no at least, that was good?
Kuria thought over the answer. The same answer that she had come to after a night of thinking. She wanted to make friends, but she didn't know if she could make friends. She needed to test her Mage to see if she had actually succeeded in making him a friend, she had decided. But how could she do that? And if she succeeds in that endeavor how would she interact with other children in order to make more friends?
That night Kuria came to the startling conclusion that her Wonderful Mama might be a part of the problem.
Kuria and her Mama spend their days working and trading like all the other villagers. When they are not busy Mama takes her to the little hill that overlooks their field of crops. It was those quiet moments that she had missed when the village got busy. Those relaxing times are all the girl has, otherwise, Kuria is never given a free moment where she could attempt talking to other children. Kuria is never alone in the village either.
All those precious, stolen moments with Gerson were just that. Stolen. In order to meet Gerson in the forest Kuria had to sneak away, leave chores unfinished, and even hide from her Mama before she could meet her friend - and that's before her Mother found out that she was still running off into the woods, her efforts to keep Kuria in sight only doubled once she found out.
If she wants to make a friend with someone in the village –and she does she really does– then her Mama cannot be involved, or even know about her plans.
It was a terribly sad realization.
"I would—" she faltered steadying herself for the truth, "I would like to be in the village without Mama." Her Mage looked upon her briefly with confusion, but she continued in a rush hoping to finish quickly. "I would like the chance to speak with- or well…" trailing off not wanting to sound silly, but with no idea how to phrase what she wants so desperately. Finally breaking away to look at the ground, red crept across her cheeks in embarrassment at admitting her loneliness, tears gathering against her will. "I would like to make some friends." She finished sadly. She had never spoken this wish. Not to Gerson, who no matter how kind has a tendency to laugh at most anything, because how could she bare such shame to her only friend? Her Mother might know of her daughter's loneliness, but she never let on if she knew just how deep that loneliness was and she never made any efforts to help.
Kuria did not look back up, too afraid of what she might see. She did not get to watch as the Mage softened his expression in pity, or see how he took a few moments to comb his hair and straighten his robes which had been ruffled due to frustrated primping in the earlier meeting. Her head did shoot up at the words "Well, be back before I leave at least." Hazel eyes searched for the joke in his face, some sign that would tell the girl she heard wrong. Kuria found only sincerity in his expression.
She beamed. "I will!" she promised. 'My friend! He is my friend!' She cheered inwardly. "Thank you, my friend!" she exclaimed giddily tapping the Magic User in a barely there touch to his hand before turning on her heel and running for the exit.
Left behind in the dust, the Mage was looking at his hand in surprise.
He had not been very happy about letting the girl go, but there really was nothing except tradition keeping her, and not to forget the anger of his fellows that will soon be directed toward him now that he has broken tradition. The Mage was not looking forward to that and was heavily considering breaking the Last Meal tradition just to avoid being seen without his attendant. Of course, then he would be forced to leave early on "Urgent Business" in order to escape the wrath of the old laws that breaking not one, but two traditions would bring on his head. Being punished for such a small infraction was disheartening, well, until the little lady had touched his hand.
Now he stares after the girl, despite her being long gone, and ponders why he has been so affectionate – and more importantly, why he now felt confident enough to face the dreaded punishment.
Meanwhile, Kuria was rushing to find a gaggle of children to be-friend in her short range of freedom.
She spots them just as they spot her. While Kuria's face immediately brightens the other children turn to face a different direction. The slight goes unnoticed by the pale haired girl as she continues forward at full speed. Stopping a foot away from the others – their backs still to her – to catch her breath eager to make friends.
With a last deep breathe in to hopefully settle her breathing and calm her racing heart, "H-hullo!" she greets waiting eagerly for the reply that would open the door to a world of friendship.
No reply came.
The three shifted nervously on their feet searching for each other's gaze in some unspoken communication. Kuria had been so excited to finally make friends, a little nervous sure, but the positive won out over all, however, watching as her prospective friends fidget in silence brings back that stifled anxiety. "I- I am K-Kuria…?" she tries again, her nerves causing a stutter.
One boy visibly comes to a conclusion, nodding his head as if agreeing to his own plan, meeting the gaze of the other boy and the lone girl almost sternly. As one they turn to Kuria, and she brightens immediately at the attention smiling hopefully, as the three children walk by her.
Kuria stood frozen, still smiling at the now empty space before her. Stunned, the thought of following after them never even formed. Kuria has never known rejection, yet even so, she knows that is what she has just experienced.
She was rejected without being given a chance.
Her sheltered little heart broke.
Smile fading fast and tears distorting her vision. The girl broke into a run, but only a few feet before stopping abruptly.
"Be happy." Her Mage friend said.
Wiping her tears away the girl's determination grew. Taking a deep breath and turning on her heel, Kuria ran for the retreating children. Kuria, not caring in the slightest how attention grabbing she was being, ran as fast as her little legs could take her.
Hearing the squawks of startled villagers behind them, the three children turned to find Kuria with single-minded focus heading straight for them. The shy little brunet girl squeaked in fright. The self-assigned leader sputtered in shock. The last boy shouted in alarm before taking off down the path, and with him his two friends followed and the chase began.
They obviously knew the inner workings of the village showing off that knowledge by ducking and weaving expertly trying to throw Kuria off their trail, but despite the disadvantage Kuria was determined and kept up as best she could.
"I! Am! Kuria!" She huffed after following her prey under a fence, "I would be!" she gasped for air as she stumbled but did not fall, "A good friend!" she called.
The children gradually fell prey to exhaustion and soon the three were close enough for Kuria to touch. Ecstatic, having her goal within reach Kuria reached out with both hands to capture her prey. She fumbled getting a grip on the lagging boy's arm scratching him accidentally before getting a firm hold on his wrist. She shouted in glee at the accomplishment, and as luck would have it, tripping over air as she attempted to stop too quickly and falls bringing the boy down with her.
The hazel eyed girl and the captured boy lay stunned. Then Kuria giggled delightedly waking the boy from his shocked state. Still in that fight or flight mentality, the boy struggled from his pinned position. Kuria, still celebrating her victory made to get up, she never saw the boy panic or how his eyes flashed with what could only be desperation before he lashed out. The resulting smack was loud, managing to actually push Kuria far enough to the side that the boy could crawl away.
Crying as he dragged himself up, his friends watched Kuria as if seeing some terrible being about to smite them, but Kuria was unable to observe this as her own shock gave way to tears. Hands tentatively raising to the abused cheek Kuria allowed herself to gawk at the boy. Her cheek still warm from the hit had two neat little lines of raised skin, and after a quick look at her fingers, the scratches were bleeding just a little.
"HONORED DAUGHTER!" the children flinched.
Turning to see the owner of the voice that seemed to only add to the building tension rather than cut through it, Kuria met the gaze of Juno- one of her Mama's most reliable traders. She was usually very polite and kind to Kuria. Always greeting her and asking after how her Mama treats her. Distant, but kind she had thought.
She did not look kind any longer.
With her grey hair lashing wildly through the air, her sharp eyes burning like fire, and her march forward one of barely concealed anger. Like this, Juno appeared like what the children imagined a monster about to rampage might look like – or a mad witch, at least for Kuria.
"Honored Daughter!" the woman repeated, "What are you doing out here?!" she asked coming to a halt with a stomp.
The girl could hardly keep up, her hazel eyes widened uncomprehending of the posed question, she was still trying to understand that not only had her peers spurned her but attacked her as well. Once again raising a hand to her hurt cheek she watched as Juno followed the movement with her eyes.
uno gasped stumbling back a single step. She turned to the three cowering children, something she saw must have unnerved her as she moved to be between them and the still sitting Kuria as if they needed protection. "Leave." The woman whispered, barely moving her lips from the white line they formed to speak the word.
The pale haired child drifted from staring at the stern Juno to the terrified children behind her. She was so terribly lost. Her gaze still locked on the children, Kuria stood hesitantly taking a step toward them watching as the group flinched, tears lazily falling from her eyes she practically begged for someone to explain "Please, I – "
"LEAVE!" The girl cried out at the sharp demand. One look into the old woman's eyes though and what she saw there made the girl feel something she never had before.
Shame.
In the eyes of the once politely kind old Juno, was now the same terror Gerson had when he first locked eyes with Kuria, and she was so ashamed knowing she had caused it. The old turtle may never admit it, but Kuria had seen the raw flash of emotion in the moments before she had offered him flowers. She saw his fear and while she had been confused on how a giant turtle could be scared of a little girl, Kuria had still given him the choice of what would happen next. Now, this woman she had perhaps known in some way all her life was starring her down in terror. The children she had tried to be-friend equally terrified still trembled even with Juno between them. The pale haired child might not understand why, but she could see their fear and she had still pushed. They were afraid and by standing there she was still pushing.
Her hazel eyes closed as her arms rose in a hug, an effort to comfort herself she soon found to be a fruitless venture, turned and walked away.
A strangely mature action to take for a child so young.
Her walk turned into a run and this time she did not stop. She ran until she stood in the valley between the village and the home she shares with her Mother. There the girl stopped. Crouched. And began to cry.
Pale blonde hair sticking to her tear-streaked face as her eyes turned red and puffy. Kuria found herself giving in to her sorrow hiding her face against raised knees. Racked with sobs she took no notice of the passing time, only crying out for her broken heart.