"I believe you Mira." She hears her mother's soothing voice as she climbs on top of the rock to join her. Her mother had taught her everything she knew about potion brewing and had always supported her. "But they don't." she mumbles "I know, few people believe you. That's why you must flee-" "What?" Mira startles. "You must leave, you remember your friend from the Sky Province, Emrys." "Yes, but you wouldn't send me all the way to-" "I know you don't think this is best, but trust me. If you don't leave they'll kill you." her mother says sternly. "I'm sorry, you know I love you and I don't want you to leave, but it's the only way. You will hide in the forest at the edge of the lagoon, I will bring you a bag of food and clothes. I'll bring the rest of the family too, to say goodbye." A look of sadness enters her eyes. "I love you mom." Mira holds in her tears as she hugs her mother.
She runs to the edge of the lagoon thinking about a way to stay, but she can't think of anything. Tears well in her eyes but she holds them back, her throat hurts from keeping the tears in. She finds a log of driftwood washed up at the edge of the lagoon. She sits on it watching the sun finish setting below the horizon. As it gets later she struggles to stay awake, as the rhythmic waves lull her to sleep. She's so exhausted from crying she almost gives in, but she knows she has to stay awake. She gets up and walks around, sore from the position she had been sitting in on the log for an hour. She begins worrying that something happened and that the villagers killed her family instead, even though she knows they wouldn't as she has such a peaceful tribe. Her eyebrows furrow as she notices something glowing dimly in the water. She gasps realizing it's some bioluminescent algae. Her mind reels thinking about the potions she could make with this new plant. In her excitement she almost forgets about her grief.
She sees the vague silhouette of a boat. Four people are in it, 2 of them rowing steadily. "Finally" She says out loud although she's not exactly excited to leave. As the boat reaches shore she hears her mother speaking quietly to her father. Lily jumps out of the boat and the shallow water reaches her knees. "Mira!" Lily shouts in her sweet sing-song voice. "Lily!" Mira manages a small smile as her little sister places her small hand in hers. "Where are you going?" She asks innocently. "Well I'm going to stay with a friend for some time." It's half truth. "You can do this Mira. Just do what you've always done." Hali smiles sadly. "And what is that exactly?" Mira raises her eyebrows. "Charm them." He grins. Her dad hugs her tightly as the rough cotton of his shirt rubs against her cheek. "We'll all miss you, Mira. Now take the boat and row from our island to Water Province mainland. From the coast, travel to the capitol, I've sent a message to one of my friends he'll meet you at The Steaming Teapot on the southern edge of the capitol, he'll take you to the edge of the Sky Province, you'll have to travel by foot to Emrys' village. I know you'll make it." He cups her cheek. Her mother hands her a large bag. "I packed food and clothes as promised but I also packed your brewing supplies." Mira gasps "Really?" she peers into the bag "Thanks, I love you all and I promise to come back." Her father helps her place her stuff into the boat. They wave her goodbye as she rows away.
The ocean is calm and swaying gently. A soft breeze plays with her hair and tickles her skin. She sighs thinking about what a beautiful night it is as she stares up at the twinkling stars. She keeps rowing but her arms are already sore and tired. She keeps rowing until she's just less than halfway there and she drops the oars. Groaning, she messages her arms and lets the tide take her further towards the mainland. A large wave jostles the boat. She yelps, almost losing her balance. "Where did that come from?" She thinks aloud. Another one hits her "That is not a wave." She realizes. She looks over the edge of the boat and squinting in the darkness. She vaguely sees a dark shadow circling her. The shadow comes up again and plows into her. She makes out the beady black eyes of a bull shark. A shriek bubbles up in her throat. She might love the ocean but she does not love its predators. She starts rowing frantically with one of the paddles. The shark bites the paddle so now it's just a stick. She gasps and pokes the shark with the now sharp stick. It backs off only to come back charging faster than before. She yelps and uses some magic to make a large wave that launches her away from the shark and closer to the mainland.
She tries to not use large stores of her magic frequently because if she runs low she'll begin feeling light headed. Light headedness is the furthest Mira has ever gotten but she had seen a kid faint once. She was nearly to shore so she began paddling again, although it was more difficult now since she had only one oar. By the time she reaches shore she's exhausted and the sorest she's ever been. Using the last of her energy, Mira drags the boat onto the beach and she lies down right there in the sand, falling asleep instantly. She wakes up to someone shaking her awake. She opens her eyes and can't see anything at first, as the sun blinds her. Eyes adjusting she sees a boy her age leaning over her shaking her arm.
She jolts up and crawls backwards, startled. "Ah good you're not dead." The boy chuckles. "Good morning." She smiles, stretching her arms. "So why exactly were you sleeping on the beach?" The boy tilts his head. "Because I had a long night and was exhausted from rowing." She leaves out some major details. "Oh, did you come from that island over there?" He points to the island she had just come from in the distance. "Yes." "Cool, I've never been there." "I've never been here." "I can show you around if you want." "Sure, sorry but I don't think I know your name." "I'm Arien." "Mira." She helps him off the ground. "Wait, I actually don't think I have time to tour the town." She grabs her bag of possessions "I have to keep traveling." " Where are you going? Wait, you aren't running from home." He widens his eyes. "No, I'm not running away. I'm going to the capitol." "I've been to the capitol it was- wait you aren't going there on foot, right?" He realizes in shock. When she says nothing the scolds "Do you have any clue how far away that is? It takes days to get there and that's traveling by horse." "It doesn't matter, I still have to walk there, complaining won't help." She shrugs and walks around Arien. He grabs her wrist dragging her towards the town.
"Hey!" She wretches her arm from his hand. "I'll lend you a horse." He leads her towards some stables. "Sorry, but I don't need your help, and you wouldn't be lending because I don't know how I'd give the horse back." She turns and starts walking away again. "No." He drags her back again. Her body prickles with annoyance "No? No you will not order me around like some pet. I have told, I don't have or need a horse and most importantly I don't need your help." He let's go "I'll come with you then, I was planning on going to the capitol anyways." "You don't even know me, I could be a murderer and you wouldn't even know." She realizes that she is a murderer now. "Well a murderer wouldn't be so stubborn. Unless you are a stubborn murderer you are no murderer." She looks down "You're not a murderer right?" He teases. "No, let's just go." "Finally, to think you tried to walk there." He chuckles to himself.
"Oh, just let me pack quickly and tell my Mama." "Ok then." She waits patiently while he goes into his large house nothing like her own. He comes out holding 3 large trunks. "Why don't we just take a whole carriage?" She asks sarcastically. "Oh, that's a wonderful idea." He snaps his fingers and a servant comes running over. "Prepare a carriage for us, quickly." He commands. "Wait no, I didn't actually mean-" "Don't worry, don't worry I didn't want to ride a horse anyway. They're far too uncomfortable." He smiles and brushes some of his blonde hair out of his face. Mira's and Arein's luggage are packed into the carriage and they get in, beginning their journey.