Caught in the act

The next week repeated almost as the first week. Firlea and Mary meet up in the mornings and spent the days in the sanctum. For once, Mary was feeling like she did something good. Even though she didn’t know everything or didn’t get everything right on the first try. She knew it was the same for everyone.

Even Limia seemed to struggle with things. Of course, she blamed her failures on anything and anyone that was close by. Limia continued talking about how important she and her family were, anyone not belonging to her little click of people was targeted at one time or another.

Mary did her best to ignore them. Firlea had been upset the first couple of times that Limia’s mean comments had been targeting her, but after almost two weeks, she had also started to ignore Limia. There were just too many other things to think about.

Mary had complained a couple of times about Limia at home. Mostly because her behaviour sometimes caused drama in the group. It was hard for Mary to watch other people get hurt.

Kopa had asked her if she wanted him to speak with Limia’s grandfather. But Mary had told him no. She knew that if he did, it would probably solve the problem, but it may look as she was targeting Limia to get rid of her, eliminating the competition.

They had finally agreed that if things got worse or if both Limia and Mary were accepted and the behaviour continued, then Kopa would step in.

It was Thursday lunch and Mary and Firlea had just come out of a written exam about the different regions of Salmisara. They only had one and a half days left before they would get to know who would get to train to become an aari.

As they took their seats in the dining hall Mary saw Kopa come walking in, he was walking with an older aari, and they were talking intently about something. Kopa was his usual stone face, but Mary could tell that he was entertained. The older man in his company was laughing and patting Kopa on his shoulder.

They stopped next to a pillar, not far from where Mary and Firlea were sitting. Kopa made eye contact with Mary and smiled. She smiled back. It was the first time Mary had seen Kopa in the sanctuary since she had started coming here daily. She knew that he was here, but the sanctuary was a large building, and they didn’t run in the same circles.

The elder aari turned around, probably to see what made Kopa smile. Kopa pointed out Mary and Mary saw the aari bow slightly in her direction, it was a greeting. Mary mirrored it, making sure her bow was slightly deeper out of respect.

“Who’s that?” Firlea asked.

“I don’t know, I haven’t been introduced to a lot of the aari that my dad knows” Mary told her.

“What are you two whispering about? Are you trying to look more important by letting everyone think you have secrets?” Limia’s voice came from further down the table. Both Mary and Firlea looked, and Lima was looking back at them.

“No, Firlea, we were just discussing my family” Mary patiently told her.

“Oh, you mean your unimportant, low standing family. Why discuss something so boring? You should just sit there, being grateful that you are allowed in here” Limia continued.

Mary had just enough time to hope that her father hadn’t heard what the young woman had said. Even though he had promised Mary not to tell Limia’s grandfather, he was still overprotective of Mary. But to her surprise, there was an unknown loud voice that boomed in the dining hall.

“Limia Gregic, what did you just say?”

It was not just Mary that looked in the direction of the voice. Everyone in the dining hall looked at the person yelling. To Mary’s surprise, it was the aari that had been talking to her father.

“Grandfather” Limia whispered. She had gone pale, and she couldn’t take her eyes off the man that came stomping towards her. That was her grandfather?

“I have never been so ashamed in my life” the aari started as he reached his granddaughter. “Here I’m having a nice day, believing that my granddaughter is honouring the family name by taking the evaluation with the grace and knowledge that is becoming of our family” he continued, his face becoming alarmingly red.

“When to my utmost mortification I hear some of the vilest words I have heard spoken under this roof, and they are spoken by my granddaughter. If I didn’t need to stop this behaviour at once, I would never have acknowledged you as part of the family” he told Limia. Mary could see how much his word stung her.

“If this is the way your father has been raising you, I need to have words with my son. Do you know who the woman you was slandering is?” he asked.

“Y-yes grandfather, h-her name is Mary” Limia stuttered.

“And what do you know of her family?” he asked. He had stopped shouting, but his voice was like steel and as the dining hall now was dead silent, everyone heard every single word he said.

“S-she comes from a less fortunate family in the countryside I believe grandfather”

“That gives you the right to belittle her? Do you put yourself above her because you come from a wealthy family?” he asked her. Limia looked like she didn’t know how to answer that.

“It does not!” he told her. “I have told you repeatedly that the only thing that can determine the value of a person is their actions and their words. If we were to compare your actions and words today with those of Mary. Who do you think would outshine in that comparison?”

“Mary would” Limia whispered, she had to force the words out of her mouth.

“That is right. She has shown more grace than you have today. The sad part is that you have judged a person without knowing what you are talking about. Do you know who the man by my side is?” her grandfather asked Limia. Limia looked up at Kopa.

“Yes grandfather, that is sir Teeran”

“That is correct, I’m happy you know that much at least,” he said to her. “Kopa, my friend, would you help me out by informing my granddaughter of your relationship with Mary?” her grandfather then said. Every eye in the hall went to Kopa.

“She’s my daughter” Kopa simply said. There was a communal gasp in the dining hall. Mary didn’t think that Lima could become paler, but as Kopa spoke, she turned almost translucent. Everyone’s eyes now turned to Mary.

Mary felt uncomfortable with all the attention. But she didn’t want to cause more trouble, so she just tried to keep her head up and focus on Limia.

“You see now why I have warned you about rash behaviour Limia? You have not only lowered yourself to an unbecoming behaviour. You have also alienated one of the most prominent families of the country” he scolded her.

Mary was beginning to become seriously worried for Limia. She looked pale and beads of sweat had started to form on her forehead. Mary didn’t want to get involved, but this was kind of her fault. She knew that Kopa had somehow gotten Limia’s grandfather to come along to the dining hall so that he would discover her behaviour for himself.

Mary wasn’t upset about it. She understood why Kopa had done it. But that meant that Mary was partially responsible for the situation before her. She knew what she needed to do, on slightly trembling legs she stood up and walked towards Limia and her grandfather.

“Aari Gregic, it’s an honour” Mary addressed the older aari and bowed her head. “I’m grateful for your help. But I think that Limia needs to go and lie down for a bit. She doesn’t look well” she continued.

Aari Gregic and Lima both gave her a surprised look.

“Mary, the honour is all mine” the aari bowed back toward her and then looked at his granddaughter. “I believe you are correct. I may have let my temper run away with me. I will look after her.”

“Thank you” Mary said, moving over towards Kopa as she wasn’t comfortable in the direct spotlight. If nothing else, her father was big enough to hide behind. As she walked towards him, he took a step out from the pillar, making room for her between the pillar and himself, and gave her a smile.

“Limia, you will come with me to my office where you can lay down. Then we will have a long conversation regarding this. I would suggest you take a good look at Mary’s actions today and mould yourself after them.” her grandfather told her.

“It is my opinion that you are not yet ready to train to become an aari. I will let the evaluations staff know you are withdrawing and trying out next year instead” he delivered the final blow before placing his hand on her shoulder and escorting her out of the hall.

“You did good, little one” Kopa told her.

“I wasn’t sure if I should interrupt” Mary said quietly.

“It was the right thing to do. She is young and made mistakes, she shouldn’t be made to suffer or come to physical harm because of it” Kopa told Mary.

“Will you be alright?” he then asked.

“I’ll be fine. Go and do all the important things you do. Firlea and I will continue our lunch” Mary told him.

“You are the most important thing for me, little one” he told her before leaving the hall.

Mary smiled as she went to sit down with Firlea. Mary was happy that the evaluation was almost over. Everyone looked at her in a new way now that they knew who she was. Everyone but Firlea, she had never stopped treating Mary as her friend.