Kamia

[Elisyia]

The blonde hair child tugged at the itchy lace on her dress as she looked around the cold stone halls that towered above her. She always hated that dress and each time she wore it she swore it would be the last, then her mother would look at her and smile as she adjusted the stray golden curls that always lay across her shoulder.

"Don't you look beautiful in that dress. When you grow up you will break the hearts of the most eligible men in the kingdom my sweet one."

Sighing, the child shifted her weight and wiggled her toes in the pinching shoes, again wishing she could burn the offending clothing but quickly squishing the thoughts as she felt the warmth start to burn the bottoms of her feet.

Echoes of footsteps drew the childs attention from her feet to the old man infront of her. His beard and mustache were a pure white and while his wrinkles told of his age the way he held himself upright and the firm grip on her shoulder told her he was anything but frail. A chill went down her spine as the old wizard studied her with cool gray eyes that reminded her of the cold dishwater left over after the bubbles had popped and the heat had gone out of it.

"What is your name girl?"

"Kamia, sir." Her own voice sounded unsure in her ears and cracked as she spoke.

The wizard stroked his beard as he considered the blonde beauty holding Kamia's hand. Kamia's mother looked anxious and eager all at once, her skin flushed pinker than usual and a light sheen of sweat was visible on her upper lip.

"Come back in a ten day. I will have your answer. Should she be deemed unfit she will be returned but we will retain the coin for our troubles. Should we find her worthy she will be housed here and trained until she is fit to enter our ranks. Until that time each year on the same day you will pay for her keep or she will be turned out."

Nodding, the woman handed the old wizard a heavy pouch that jingled with coins then knelt infront of Kamia, her eyes glittering with unshed tears.

"Now you be a good girl, keep your anger in check and do what you are told. Make your daddy proud."

Kamia closed her eyes as trembling lips kissed her forhead. When she opened her eyes again she caught a glimpse of blue skirts dissapearing through the doorway then looked up at the man, hot tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Stop crying girl. You have failed your first test. Follow me and keep up. You are about to prove your worth or prove yourself as a waste of skin. For the sake of your fathers memory and your mothers sanity, hope for the first."

With that, he turned and walked down the hall, the child scrambling after her new guardian as she swallowed the lump of the fear rising her throat.

[Elisyia]

Kamia sat crosslegged on the hard wood floor staring up at the light streaming through the small rectangular window. Parchment lay scattered on the floor around her, some crumpled into balls, some half burned. Dark circles under her tired red eyes stood out on her pale skin. With a heavy sigh she stood and moved to the window, leaning on the sill and staring down into the courtyard, letting her mind wander back through the blur that was the past few weeks.

Her mother had come again. She watched from the window as she spoke to the Wizard. Lucious Temroug was his name, Master Temroug to Kamia. As a small money pouch exchanged hands, proud eyes looked up at the huge keep searching for something. Kamia couldn't help but smile even though her heart ached to rush out the doors and throw herself into her mothers soft embrace.

Master Temroug wasn't overly harsh. Then again, he wasn't overly pleasant either. Every morning she went to his study and he gave her a new chore. Some days she worked in the kitchens doing menial chores like peeling potatoes, washing dishes or scrubbing floors.

Other days he would send her to the great library to catalog books or look some up to bring them back to him. Frequently she would relay messages back and forth between wizards or pick up various items needed for spells from the storage rooms. A few times now he had given her a book and sent her to the gardens to read. These were her favorite times. When she was alone and could loose herself in something other than trying to please him.

The only thing that seemed consistent was her studies. Every evening without fail, Master Temroug would give her new instruction and drill her on the spells she was learning. He was usually pleased with her memory but was less than thrilled with her progress on casting even the simplest of spells and the backs of her hands still stung with welts from the leather crop he used to show his displeasure.

A knock at the door brought Kamia back to her senses and she adjusted the plain gray apprentice robes that scratched almost as much as the lace on her dress, then slide her feet into her shoes and raced out the door, snatching up the basked of breakfast left for her as she raced towards her Masters study.

Only one thought flooded her mind as she stood outside his door.
Light.. today is light.. oh gods please let me cast it withoug catching anything on fire.