At the same time, Dale Lowry shared a submission call for a wizard academy.
Wrapped up in preparations for my vacation, plus trying to get everything done, I never finished the submission, alas. I did come up with a tentative fragment of a story, thanks to Paula and Dale. Here it is...
The picture is one of the churches I visited in Trastevere, Rome during the beginning of September. This one I took myself. :)
“I’m going to find you!” Such a sweet, childish voice. I’d almost believe it belonged to an actual child, if I didn’t know better. “You can’t hide from me, Hyacinth!”
We’d see about that.
I untied the ribbon from my neck, feeling the energy release as the silky material unknotted. It pulsed across the land, humming to every magical creature trapped in a jar, a cage, or a prison at the Accademia de Valentine.
How often had I tried to pull free the strands resting against my bare flesh, only to find my fingers fumbling, unable to work.
On school grounds, everything bowed to the will of the maestro.
“Don’t ever try to untie it.” Tenderly, he’d fastened it around my neck himself. A sign of great favor among students. “This marks you as one of my own.”
He played with one end, raising it to his lips, before tucking it under my shirt.
“I doubt you’ll want to.” His green eyes glinted with dark, creeping things which crawled in the hidden parts of the forest, where no one dared to stretch his hand. “If your heart should waver, the others here will sense it.”
He pressed his finger against my skin, stroking it, digging his nail into my neck.
Blood welled up under his digit. He withdrew his hand, raising it to his lips to taste the red droplet.
“I’d rather not share you with anyone else.” Silent laughter gleamed in his eyes, gliding and keeping pace with everything else captured in his gaze.
No one had dared to try. Not on school grounds.
I dropped the ribbon into one pocket.
Something growled and snuffled in the hedge.
I’d become visible. All the creatures who prowled the edges of the school had caught my scent.
Willing my hands not to shake, I lifted the jar from my pocket.
Sigils surrounded the rim. They flared up for one moment, before dying.
“Containment seals simply don’t last outside the accademia.” He’d lifted it to observe the pixie, fluttering around inside. “She reminds me a little of you, Hyacinthe.”
I stared at the tiny creature, beating her wings and tiny fists against the glass walls of her prison.
Yes, her pinched face looked a bit like mine. What seemed the most alike was our desperation.
Only she’d had a stronger will than I had. She’d kicked against the jar, making it rattle again and again. Never giving up.
“Why not let her go?” The misery crumpling her tiny mouth, transmitted from her fluttering wings was unbearable. “If she desires her freedom this much, why not simply give it to her? You have lots of captive magical beasts.”
“Ah, but I can’t allow one to wander free at the Accademia.” The maestro let his mouth slacken with almost innocent shock.
He appeared so young, younger than any of the students. Drinking in their experiences, their enthusiasm, imparting a little wisdom here, a little knowledge there, he drained everyone’s youth, leaving them haggard and lined, while his skin remained smooth, his eyes bright with childish cruelty.
Not that he didn’t let his pupils depart, spreading his wisdom through the world. They withered everyone a little with the knowledge they spread, regaining a bit of their own spark in the process.
Such is how things are at the Accademia.
“Letting her go for set a bad example for all the students.” He allowed his green eyes to flicker over me, playful and malicious as a cat’s. “Especially you.”
“Forgive me,” I whispered to the spirit of the deceased pixie. I could breathe it in, clinging to the glass. Just one of the things I’d learned to taste at the Accademia. “One of us has to escape here.”
I unscrewed the jar, bracing myself for the backlash from the wards.
Nothing. Perhaps some of the litte creature’s rebellious will lingered along with her spirit, protecting me.
Why she’d decided to help a runaway student of the Accademia who’d caught her, I didn’t know. Perhaps she simply agreed with me.
One of us had to escape.
Wow. Nicely done.
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks! It's always lovely to have you stop by and enjoy the Forbidden Cauldron. (bows)
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