Part 11
"Waning Day"
Waning Day dawned crisp and frigid, every bit the “frosty” part of Greyfrost that gave credibility to the name.
[...]
Beyond the recurring memory of playing near the scaffolding around The Wall as it was being built, just after I'd started Level 2 at the Academy, I didn't even give that whole disturbing conversation with my parents a second thought. Mother had been in a better mood these last couple days, too. Part of me wondered if she was still thinking about the "evil influences" of the outside world, but mostly I found that I didn't care about the things that had once frightened me so much. Was this what growing up felt like?
At the Academy, the feeling of imminent change set in from the moment I walked in the doors. Students bustled about in groups, no longer separated into Levels and filing in orderly lines down corridors. Instead, each one of us received a paper with four classrooms listed on it. We were told to report to those rooms to retrieve all of our uncollected projects from the past terms. This sort of activity was usually reserved for End-of-Term. There had always been one or two assignments that the Scholars had to keep for some reason--but not anymore. I stared at the stack of old History assignments going back to Level 4, wondering what on earth anybody expected me to do with it, but soon I took cues from my peers and followed their lead, picking and choosing a few papers to keep in an austere leather portfolio, and just putting the rest into the pulping basket.
[...]
I entered the Calligraphy classroom with Matthias' pen gripped firmly in my hand. I had given a lot of thought to it over the last two days, and I felt certain that I shouldn't be keeping it, generosity aside. If I traveled to Gramble City, they would no doubt provide us with basic materials like pencils and quills. If I ended up staying in Mirrorvale, I wouldn't want to get too emotionally wrapped up in something as insignificant as a pen!
Terra left the bakery walking arm in arm with me. I noticed a slight spring in her step as she munched the flaky blueberry scone.
I pulled myself out of bed and peered through the window. Everything looked stiff, and when I felt the pane of glass, the cold stung my fingers.
"Navy corduroy it is, then," I sighed to myself as I pulled the dress out of the wardrobe.
The style was outdated, since I'd bought it for my graduation into Level 8, and the basic silhouette was intended for a much older woman. I liked it because it retained warmth, which I would certainly need on a day like today!
"Navy corduroy it is, then," I sighed to myself as I pulled the dress out of the wardrobe.
The style was outdated, since I'd bought it for my graduation into Level 8, and the basic silhouette was intended for a much older woman. I liked it because it retained warmth, which I would certainly need on a day like today!
[...]
Beyond the recurring memory of playing near the scaffolding around The Wall as it was being built, just after I'd started Level 2 at the Academy, I didn't even give that whole disturbing conversation with my parents a second thought. Mother had been in a better mood these last couple days, too. Part of me wondered if she was still thinking about the "evil influences" of the outside world, but mostly I found that I didn't care about the things that had once frightened me so much. Was this what growing up felt like?
At the Academy, the feeling of imminent change set in from the moment I walked in the doors. Students bustled about in groups, no longer separated into Levels and filing in orderly lines down corridors. Instead, each one of us received a paper with four classrooms listed on it. We were told to report to those rooms to retrieve all of our uncollected projects from the past terms. This sort of activity was usually reserved for End-of-Term. There had always been one or two assignments that the Scholars had to keep for some reason--but not anymore. I stared at the stack of old History assignments going back to Level 4, wondering what on earth anybody expected me to do with it, but soon I took cues from my peers and followed their lead, picking and choosing a few papers to keep in an austere leather portfolio, and just putting the rest into the pulping basket.
[...]
I entered the Calligraphy classroom with Matthias' pen gripped firmly in my hand. I had given a lot of thought to it over the last two days, and I felt certain that I shouldn't be keeping it, generosity aside. If I traveled to Gramble City, they would no doubt provide us with basic materials like pencils and quills. If I ended up staying in Mirrorvale, I wouldn't want to get too emotionally wrapped up in something as insignificant as a pen!
A gasp rippled through the front of the group, and when I could finally see into the room I realized why.
Upon every desk stood a fresh pen exactly like the one I held, along with a full inkwell. Master Colton smiled benevolently from the front of the room as we all stopped at our desks to confirm that yes, there was one for each of us.
Upon every desk stood a fresh pen exactly like the one I held, along with a full inkwell. Master Colton smiled benevolently from the front of the room as we all stopped at our desks to confirm that yes, there was one for each of us.
"As my most advanced class," he said as the reality set in and the astonished murmurs started, "I firmly believe any one of you has the potential of being announced at the Gathering tonight, and I didn't want you to go forth unprepared."
A chorus of whoops and a burst of applause rippled around the room as everyone wanted to pull out a fresh parchment and try out their new pens. I looked at the inkwell and two pens in my hand. I glanced over to Matthias' desk, but he wasn't even here. There was no pen and inkwell there, either.
[...]
[...]
I made it all the way to the main atrium of the Academy before I saw the cloud of springy red hair that was Terra. I hadn't seen her except in the company of giddy, nosy friends since the conversation with my parents--but today, she walked slowly, with her head bowed, and quite alone.
A line of porters stood near the entrance of the Academy, waiting to receive the full portfolios and boxes in order to deliver them to students' homes. I left my heavy portfolio with one of them, and hurried to catch up to Terra.
"Terra, wait for me!" I called.
She turned and smiled as I approached, but it seemed to require more effort than usual.
"How was your morning?" I asked, searching her face for the bubbly, enthusiastic girl I knew.
"Fine."
A line of porters stood near the entrance of the Academy, waiting to receive the full portfolios and boxes in order to deliver them to students' homes. I left my heavy portfolio with one of them, and hurried to catch up to Terra.
"Terra, wait for me!" I called.
She turned and smiled as I approached, but it seemed to require more effort than usual.
"How was your morning?" I asked, searching her face for the bubbly, enthusiastic girl I knew.
"Fine."
Who is this and what have they done with Terra? I thought. "Come on, why the long face?" I wasn't usually the one trying to pull her out of a dull mood. "I know it feels kind of strange to be packing up all our assignments already--but it is Waning Day, and I would think you of all people would be the most thrilled about such a dramatic change happening in a town where nothing exciting ever happens!"
Terra heaved a sigh. Already, her shoulders had picked up, and the cloud over her mood was slowly lifting. "Well, this will change things, all right--for some people," she added after a pause. "I think my Marks have never been high enough to even consider a Finishing School."
I gasped at a sudden gust of wind that hit us right outside the door, and pulled my cloak a little closer. "I don't know," I said. "You are plenty smart enough--I should think the level of advancement would carry a lot more significance than Behavior Marks."
Terra scoffed bitterly. "Psh, behavior... If I am as smart as you say, then how could someone accuse my family of purchasing and concealing contraband?"
Her words stung like the wind on my cheeks. On the one hand, she had a point; on the other-- "That had nothing to do with you, though!"
She finally looked at me with a grateful smile, a sign of her old demeanor slowly returning. "I'm glad you think so... but people will talk," she ended with a shrug.
[...]
She finally looked at me with a grateful smile, a sign of her old demeanor slowly returning. "I'm glad you think so... but people will talk," she ended with a shrug.
[...]
Terra left the bakery walking arm in arm with me. I noticed a slight spring in her step as she munched the flaky blueberry scone.
"Feeling better?" I prodded.
My friend nodded, licking the dark juice from her fingers. "I suppose all I needed was a bit of affirmation from the one person who accepts me for who I am." She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. "Thank you, Callista. That's what I like most about you. I don't feel like I have to hide my real feelings or keep silent about what I'm thinking when I'm around you. I think you're a good influence on me."
I smiled back at her. "I'm glad I could help." The word influence reminded me of listening to my mother talk about all the bad influences in the big, terrible world. Evil can be subtle... feel good... My memories whispered in my ear. I shook them away as I went on, "For what it's worth, I feel the same way about you, the way you've accepted me in spite of my strange memories and the dreaming thing that sometimes happens." I gave a chuckle as we ascended the steps back to the Academy. "You're literally the only person who talks about them with me instead of freaking out over them."
Terra lifted her head, her customary grin plastered all over her face. "Oh, and speaking of dreams..." She latched onto my arm almost before she finished speaking, and dragged me down the hallway and across the courtyard.
"I was in Sewing class this morning... "
[...]
Terra bustled right for the corner of the room, where several baskets heaped with clothes stood in neat little groupings. Only one of them held a crumpled heap of cloth instead of a neatly-folded stack. Terra plunged her hands into the basket and withdrew an item, holding it up proudly. "See? Mistress Needle gave us all back our old projects, and I'd completely forgotten that I'd used this old thing for stitching practice!"
I gasped and stared in awe as I received the thing with trembling hands. The yellow dress! I held it up by the shoulders, remembering afresh exactly how it had looked in my memory, swishing and twirling around Terra's running legs. I blinked as a small, unintelligible voice started whispering in my ear, and instead of memories of games with my friend, I began thinking of something else entirely--a prince desires to woo a lady, and must endure different trials to win her hand... I shook my head and inspected the skirt very closely. If there had been a tear, then there most certainly should have been a seam--not the crazy, jagged stitching of Terra's haphazard attempts, but some kind of weaving or patching...
I dropped the dress into my lap with a frown. "It's not there!" I mused.
Terra tilted her head, a bemused smile on her face. "Hmm? What's not there?" Her hands still played about her collar, and a faint blush played about her cheeks.
"The tear I remembered," I tried to bring up the full details of the memory, but I couldn't stop thinking about the prince and his courtship--how bizarre! I raised an eyebrow and squinted at my friend. "You did tear it, didn't you?"
Terra sighed, her unsteady hands reaching up to twist a lock of hair around her finger. "Well, maybe..."
Yellow dress... I thought to myself, as if the chanting would summon the memory that I couldn't seem to retain anymore. Yellow dress... yellow dress... Ah! There it was! I blinked my eyes and I could picture the yellow dress clearly--only this time, it wasn't a young Terra wearing it, but a tall, graceful maiden, as she received the attentions of the ardent prince!
Yellow dress... I thought to myself, as if the chanting would summon the memory that I couldn't seem to retain anymore. Yellow dress... yellow dress... Ah! There it was! I blinked my eyes and I could picture the yellow dress clearly--only this time, it wasn't a young Terra wearing it, but a tall, graceful maiden, as she received the attentions of the ardent prince!
"Callista?" Terra's voice broke my concentration. "Are you recalling that memory or having another vision?"
I clapped my hands to either side of my head in frustration. "I'm trying to recall the memory I had... but I keep being interrupted by another vision that makes absolutely no sense!" I lifted my head to look at her and blurted, "Did you ever hear tell of a prince courting a young woman in a yellow dress?"
Terra was never very good at hiding emotions. I saw the fleeting astonishment in her eyes. All the willpower in the world couldn't hide the creeping blush blossoming over her ears and cheeks.
"I... I might have heard something like... But those kinds of stories are reserved for young children... It wasn't... I didn't--"
"I... I might have heard something like... But those kinds of stories are reserved for young children... It wasn't... I didn't--"
"And what might you two be doing in here?" Mistress Needle's sharp, nasally voice cut through the emptiness behind us.
I flinched and nearly dropped the bundle of yellow fabric in my hand. "Terra wanted to show me something!" I gasped, as if that was any excuse.
The seamstress wagged her head. "Callista Rubinsyn, is it? I was expecting you tomorrow, during your assigned class period--and you, Miss Jonsyn..." She narrowed her eyes at Terra, who pulled at her collar and reached for my arm. "I said students had permission to be in here at any point during the day if accompanied by a Tutor." She cast her eyes around the room and raised her hands. "I see no Tutor--you ladies must disperse to your appropriate classrooms!"
Disperse we did, with a healthy amount of alacrity!
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