"Jack, go wake your sister up. It's almost time, we leave. She shouldn't be late on such a big day."
"Okay…."
"Big sister!!... Big sister, it's time you wake up."
*creak*
"Huh, the door is open? Big sister, it's ti…."
The door slowly opened and Jack entered the room at a slow pace.
However, "Huh? Mom! MOm!!!"
"What?! Is she refusing to wake up?"
"No! She is not here anymore."
"What do you mean, she is not here?"
"Mom! Sister, she has left!!!"
"What?"
# # #
At another place in the city,
*whoosh* *creak*
"What was that?" hearing the pesky sound people look up at the sky only to catch a glimpse of a back.
Terla in her gold-patterned black coat and white trousers leapt through the sky and hopped over the rooftops light-footed enjoying the sound of the breeze as she passed.
'Master, where are you going?' Eleni curiously asked.
"To the tea party, of course."
'Then why don't you go in a carriage like them down there.'
Terla looked down where a line of carriages filled the road.
"As you can see, the road is too busy. I'm sure it will be a boring ride."
'Then what about those carriages above you?'
Terla looked up where the carriages flew through the sky leaving a track of magic dust in the air above.
"Mmmm….that's…."
'You won't say, the sky is busy right?'
Terla felt a little bit out of words as she faked a smile.
"Eleni, you know how much magic dust is consumed to fuel those and neither my family nor I can afford it."
"But master…"
"Eleneee….! I think you've become more talkative after I woke up. You're even questioning your master's action now."
"You are the one who is strange, master. Look at what you are doing now, unfitting for an elegant noble lady as you seem. "
Terla shrugged as she jumped down from the rooftop to the front of a gate.
*whoosh* *ahook…ahook*
The place stormed with dust as Terla's feet gracefully touched the ground.
"Terla!?" a familiar voice called out to her.
Terla looked back where she saw a graceful lady in an elegant dress fanning away the dust storm with her jewelled fan.
"VV?"
"Yes!" Violet answered in an unpleased voice.
She looked around to see displeased faces of ladies and gentlemen coming out of their fully decorated carriages.
"Ha…ha, guess I destroyed your good mood." Terla laughed awkwardly.
"Terla, have you lost your mind since you tasted death for once?" Violet finally reached her and whispered through the fan.
"Arr…have I?"
"Yes, and look at you. Where is your gown?"
"Mmm… I think I don't need it since I came for a different purpose." Terla answered as she smiled cheekily at her cousin.
"So, goodbye my lady." Terla grabbed and kissed Violet's hand as she walked into the gate.
"What! What do you mean!?"
"It means, I didn't come to find a husband like you guys."
Violet was left speechless as Terla disappeared into the crowds.
# # #
Graduation Tea party is not a typical tea party you would find in the city. After the graduation ceremony, most ladies will normally turn 18 (which I'm not) at which age they have to attend the coming-of-age ball with their intended (partner). So, this tea party is literally held for the singles to find their partner meaning a blind date party in disguise. Every young lady and gentleman in the city, single or engaged(to date), will attend this party going all-out with their appearances.
It is usually hosted by the family of the most outstanding graduate in the city every year, that is the Hodgkins, this year.
Terla came out of the crowd and in front of her awaits a magnificent mansion.
"A mayor's manor indeed." Terla sighed as she couldn't help but admire the life of the rich.
In front of the mansion was a beautifully maintained garden where girls and boys were standing or walking around in pairs or in groups of friends. Along the aligned cherry trees, tea tables were randomly but attractively arranged.
Terla walked to a vacant table and snatched a strawberry scone from a tiered tray.
She attempted to taste it but suddenly, she felt gazes toward her.
When she looked up, she saw many ladies looking her way and gossiping about something.
"?"
'Is this considered rude?' Terla smiled and slowly put the scone down.
She turned around to leave but bumped straight into a man's chest.
'Oops…I'm dead.' Terla blushed and quickly ran away without even checking who he was.
On the other hand, "What? Hey, wait Terla!"
*huff* *huff*
'Master, why are you running again?'
"You don't know Eleni. Men are dangerous, especially those with broad chests."
'Huh?'
"So, I'm dangerous?"
Terla turned around to see Lucas looking all cool.
"Lucas?"
"Yes, why do you run so fast?"
Then she saw the coat he was wearing, "It was you?"
"Yeah, who did you think I was? Hang on, were you expecting someone?"
"Ha…ha..ha, of course not." Terla gave a clumsy laugh as she awkwardly hit Lucas's shoulder.
"Ummm…why were you standing at my back, then. I was scared to death."
"You signed your own death warrant and now you are scared?"
"Come on. I'm here alive and well, ain't I?"
"That's a miracle you are alive but some poor guy has been completely bedridden because of some girl's stupid death wish."
"Ahh!? His condition is that bad?" Terla's cheerful face changed to worry,
"You can still ask?"
"So he would not be here…", and then to sadness.
"Aww…aww… can't remember who said she is not expecting…"
"I'm not!!" Terla immediately cut him off.
The two got back to walk as they saw a group of girls coming their way.
As soon as they saw Terla, they hid under their fans and started to gossip.
"Hey, isn't that the girl who beat down Nicholas at the graduation ceremony?", a girl started as she inspected Terla carefully.
"Yeah, I think so, but isn't she dead?" another girl acted similarly as she "whispered" behind her fan.
'I can hear you though.' Terla balled her eyes inside.
*shush*
"What if she hears us!"
"So what? It's not like she can beat us," a girl beside them cut in
"And what's with your wording? How could she possibly beat down Nicholas, the whole land's top 2? She was just lucky and if not for that f**king solar eclipse."
"Yeah, Nicholas was clearly being so kind… and that out-of-nowhere…!"
"How did you guys know about it? I couldn't see anything though."
'Yeah, why are you so sure when you couldn't even see it? And that eclipse, I made it.'
"And that giant scar on the stage, I heard it was more than a hundred metres deep."
Terla made an annoyed smile as she tried to walk by them.
"Hold on. Did you see that?"
"What?"
"That man beside her."
"I know, he is so handsome, right?"
"Who cares. Only has good look, we would have recognised at once if he was capable."
"No! Didn't you see that family crest on his coat?"
"Hmm?"
"It's the crest of Lucretia!"
'Lucretia?'
"What? That merchant family from Theo that rules over the merchantry of our land?"
Terla's steps halted as she heard their conversation.
"That Lucretia? Are you sure you saw it right?"
"I clearly saw it. Golden deer and ruby tulips."
Terla swiftly moved in front of Lucas and found the crest, "You are…"
"Terla, let me explain…."
"Bro! You are a member of Lucretia? Why have I never heard of it?"
"That…you never asked?" Lucas answered hesitantly.
"Are you mad?.... that I never told you."
"No way! I am now reassured to do business with you!"
'Wow, I knew he came from a rich family but never thought….Lucretia, with such a backing…. It wouldn't be surprising anymore that he gets into an academy in Caro easily.'
"Mmmmm….about that business."
"Yeh?"
"Sorry, Terla. The group has disbanded."
"Huh, why?"
"Now, you know what kind of background I came from. My aunt, she is the Chief of Lucretia and….sigh…. She registered me for a magic tower in Caro."
"Hmmm…you don't want to?"
"No, it's not like that. You know, if I really got into the magic tower, sooner or later I would become an imperial magician….and you know what's an imperial magician? They have access to the millions of herbs on this continent."
"Isn't it good news, then?"
"You really think it's good news?"
"Yeah. Didn't you say you wanna be the…greatest potionist in the world? So it is very good news!"
*sigh*
"Terla, you don't understand." Lucas sighed in a disheartened tone.
"Mmm…hmmm…I am sure I do. You are just worried that Caro's beauties will not compare to us." Terla patted his shoulders thinking she knows everything.
"Let's say you are right."
"Then, if not for the business, where are you taking me to?"
"Oh, remember what I told you that day? There is someone you know in the group."
"I guess so."
"She wanna meet you."
"O.kay…"
"Let's keep moving, she's waiting for you."
"So, when are you leaving?"
"Next week."
"That soon?"
"Yeah…"
"Then what about Hunting Contest, are you not taking part?"
"I didn't register in the first place, Terla."
"O."
The two continued talking as they walked to the back of the manor but inside Terla's mind was growing a plan.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Only after walking for a long time, they arrived at the desired place.
'Who would she be to be this secretive?' was the first thought that came to her mind as they halted.
However, when she saw the girl under the tree, she didn't have a second thought anymore.
"Mara Esmeralda"
A slim body which resembles that of a kid in a yellowy green gown fluttering together with her grass-green hair made her merge into the scene of falling leaves.
"Then, I will leave you two."
"I'll come with you." Terla also turned around without any hesitation and planned to leave.
Hearing their sounds, the girl turned around.
"Terla, long time no see." the girl greeted softly with a gentle smile.
'Gosh.' Terla halted and sent a glare to Lucas beside, who said "Bye-bye." and ran away.
Terla restored her elegant composure and made up a smile as she faced the girl again.
"You too, Mara."
Just as Terla was making up an excuse to escape away from there, the girl walked to her and locked their arms, "Let's walk as we talk."
As they walked along the trees, the girl asked "Why do you keep avoiding me, Terla?"
"Do I?"
Actually, Terla herself didn't know the answer. Why did she avoid this girl?
It might be because she was all her insecurities. If she were asked who she envied the most in this world, it was neither Dorothy nor Hazel but her, who she depended on and loved the most among her friends.
She(M) came from a more humble background than herself(T). She(M) possessed only three crystals. She(M) is even half a year younger than her(T) but compared to herself(T), she(M) was more mature, well-behaved and talented. She(T) was born with a miracle of 9 crystals but couldn't compete with her(M) mastery of three crystals. When she(T) had a talent in creation magic that everyone praised but couldn't continue, Mara's creations overwhelmed her. She(T) felt so inferior when Mara said, "Don't comment on my works as talent, you are devaluing them." Nick said she(T) was messing around when he treated her(M) like a little sister. He could chat with her and play games with her for hours but their(T) chat never passed 15 minutes.
She(M) got along with every boy she(M) met that she(M) was often misunderstood as seducing others' boyfriends although they (I mean the boyfriend owners) all loved her in the end.
However, none of these reasons was what pushed her away but a comment she(M) made that followed the whole life of hers(T) "Hey, don't act childish and play innocent, that doesn't make you cute at all!"
Maybe that day she didn't really mean it at all and she might have even forgotten, but from that day on, every time she felt a gaze, a comment followed, 'What is she doing….she's so childish.'
Thus, running away became her daily routine.