When she awoke, she had a slight headache, her vision a little blurry. She looked around and she was still in Med's office but the house leaders were nowhere to be found. ''You're finally awake,'' She turned to look at him.
"To answer your earlier question, I read your mind," he waited for a reaction and after a horrified look on Yima's face, he continued, "So, which house do you think I belong to?" He asked.
"I'm not sure." She replied.
"House droppers." He smiled to himself.
''Here.''
He handed her a uniform. After kneeling down and clapping twice as was expected when getting something from someone older, she quickly checked the badge, house Lintos.
''Why?'' She asked because she knew she wasn't able to do what Zelda just did. In fact she would rather be a part of none of the houses.
''Most beginners in house Lintos have no control of their powers and only know what they are capable of when they practice.'' He explained and she understood, when her parents found her she was on fire, but the fire never damaged any skin, it only felt like a whisper, a gentle caress.
She placed the folded uniform on her lap and waited.
''Thank you.'' She whispered and he stared blankly at her in such a way that she was sure he wasn't used to receiving compliments, ''I was just doing my job.'' He pointed out.
He then informed her that Zelda would escort her out, this time it didn't take her long to show up.
Her dark skin looked oily.
Zelda's gray eyes were fixed on Med, at each side of her were similar dressed twins who didn't much as blink, they looked just as deadly as her.
note to self: never provoke the trio.
Med explained that they were her second and third in command, Ophelia being her second and Adelia her third. They didn't seem to notice Yima. Didn't even spare her a glance.
She couldn't tell who was who because they had the same hairstyle, a top bun, and they were of the same height.
''You have a new member, she will stay under your supervision and protection until I say otherwise.'' What was that supposed to mean? She didn't dare ask.
If she was upset, shocked or disappointed Zelda didn't show much of a reaction. Ophelia and Adelia exchanged looks and excused themselves, once outside, Yima could hear them chuckling but she didn't mind because she didn't know what they were laughing at and didn't want to jump to conclusions.
As for Zelda, she had a ghost of a smile on her face and by the way Med looked it was clear that he was as blank as she was.
''Yima meet Zelda, your house leader, she'll show you around," He stood up with a sigh, "You may go I have work to do.''
He looked between them, waiting for one of them to speak or move.
Zelda turned to face Yima, cocking her head sideways.
"Hey." Yima said dreading what Zelda would say or do. It was crazy because earlier Zelda was so kind to her that Yima was sure they would be the best of friends, but now she was facing a different person.
Instead of answering, Zelda frowned, looked back at Med and walked out.
Yima stood there, her eyes never leaving the floor. Her fingers awkwardly playing with her uniform.
Embarrassment. She'd felt it many times before but it still hurt like hell. Maybe being nice wasn't the answer, maybe a little rudeness and an I don't care attitude would keep away this weird feeling from ever coming back to haunt her.
She wasn't sure if she should follow Zelda or stay rooted to her spot, the latter was what she preferred more.
"Go." Med basically yelled.
Yima rushed to the door where Ophelia and Adelia were waiting for her, Zelda was nowhere to be seen.
"I'm Yima." She said, trying to make conversation. She got ignored by both twins whose reaction to her was walking faster, causing their beads to make calming noises.
Great, just what she needed right now.
Now she wasn't going to feel guilty about being a bad person, they started this ignoring game but she was going to win it.
They went through corridors that had worn out walls and creaking floors. The cool morning breeze hit her as they exited the building, their footsteps and the rustling of the semi-dry leaves were the only sounds audible as they followed the path that led to the gate.
The gate had an owl, octopus, a sea serpent, a bear, a fox and a buffalo painted on it, representing each house. Ophelia, her twin sister and Yima each had a buffalo on their badge.
The gate opened with a loud bang causing a shiver to run down Yima's spine, freedom.
She was finally free.
****
The path that led them inside, divided itself like a tree. Each branch leads to a different location. They took the third branch at the left and made numerous turns.
Finally they arrived at the house lintos headquarters. The wall had paintings of a buffalo head and the black gate had the words, House lintos written in bold.
Med's office was the only building that was crumpling with age. This place was too perfect.
Gardens, more paths, more buildings of different sizes, huts, etc. With one huge mansion at the far back, only its red tip is visible.
In Likanu, where she grew up, such mansions belonged only to General Runn's workers who were tasked with destroying their homes and farms so that more mansion's could be built.
Their source of food wasn't as important as a rich person's seventh mansion that they'll only visit during the ceremonies.
"Who lives there?" Yima pointed in the direction of the red tip, completely abandoning her plan to ignore them back.
The twin on her right responded, "Zelda."
And then silence.
Yima hated the twins, she hated the silence that they carried with them. It caused a person to think, remember and get lost in their own head like the two of them.
She thought of the place she once called home, the stab wound that her people had caused on her back tightening causing an ache so deep.
For what they did to her, hell is the place they ought to call home.
"Are you two going to show me around?" One of them turned to look at her and they both said no at the same time.
"Then who, Zelda?" She asked, worried that they'll say no again.
One of them stopped and asked her to shut up or she'll shut her up herself. Let's just say that after that she didn't mind the silence at all.