32, Extended family

Tariana kept her word. Ayya and Mikhalie were put on missions together, at first smaller ones, but as Mikhalie got used to her new role and the two of them felt comfortable working together, the assignments became more difficult. Ayya enjoyed working with Mikhalie, and the two soon became friends. She had feared that the fact they both wanted to the same position, that Mikhalie would be hard to work with. But Ayya soon found that the other aari was just as much dedicated to help people as Ayya was. Without her realising it, Ayya had almost been an aari for a year. It was time for the assessment of the new group of people that wanted to become aari. This time, both Ayya and Mikhalie were to be a part of the group of aari that made the assessments. Ayya was standing in the big hall and listened to Furlow speak to the group of hopeful people that were to take their first steps towards being aari. It was almost the same speech he held every year. Ayya had heard it twice, once when she was taking the assessment and once during her second year when she had volunteered as a trainee. She watched the faces of the ones that were to take the tests and found that there were some she recognised from previous years. As the trainees that were working handed out paper, ink and quills, Ayya walked to her assigned spot for the day. The aari that was attending today had two tasks: watch for potential in the participants and make sure no cheating or other unfair means were used. Mildy was asking her questions, and Ayya looked on as the room of people frantically tried their best to answer them. The work to watch over the process was easy and, at some points, a little boring. Ayya was happy when the day was over and she headed to her parents’ house for dinner. 

“Did you find it exciting?” her mother asked.

“A little at first. It’s exciting to know there is unused potential in the room. But the work is a kind of boring,” Ayya confessed. Her father chuckled. 

“That how I feel when I assess the new recruits. I usually feel better when I get to put them through trainings. It’s a lot more fun to watch them squirm,” he told her. 

“Honestly,” her mother said, rolling her eyes, but Ayya would see how hard it was for her not to laugh. 

“Do you think you will survive two weeks?” her father asked.

“Sure I will. At least it’s just once a year. Two weeks isn’t that long. It could be worse,” Ayya said. 

“Anyone you recognise from previous years?” Bettina asked.

“A couple.”

“I heard Limia is doing the assessment again this year,” her father said. He had probably heard it from Limia’s grandfather.

“Yes, I saw her. She seemed to have changed. For the better,” Ayya confirmed.

“I’m happy to hear that. Her grandfather is such a nice aari. Always telling me how much he likes my cooking,” her mother said. 

“Everyone loves your cooking, love,” Kopa told his wife and kissed her on the cheek. Ayya smiled at the blush on her mother’s cheeks. 

“I got a letter from Torbren,” her mother said. Torbren was her brother. Ayya had never met him as he lived with his family down south. They had been set to come when Ayya became an aari, but their youngest daughter had fallen sick and he chose to stay at home, helping his wife. But they had sent a lovely 

“How is he?” Kopa asked.

“Fine, he needs to come to Salmis because of a client and asked if he could visit,” she said.

“Of course, no need for him to stay at an inn when he has family in the city,” Kopa said. Bettina nodded happily. 

“When will he be here?” Ayya asked. She was curious about her uncle and hoped she wouldn’t be on a mission when he came to stay.

“In three weeks’ time,” Bettina told her.

“Good, that’s in the middle of the test for the third years, I will definitively be here then,” Ayya said. During the final test, most aari were at the sanctum. The introduction of new aari into the order was one of the few times all aari came together. The only missions that were dispatched during that time were emergency ones.

“I thought you would,” her mother said with a smile. Ayya knew that her mother had been wanting to introduce Ayya to her brother for a long time. 

The weeks passed by quickly and soon Ayya was working in the kitchen with her mother, preparing a lunch for her brother. Ayya had rarely seen her mother this excited, and her giddiness was contagious. It was the Saturday before the final testing of the third year trainees. Ayya’s father was down at the docks, meeting up with Torbren to walk him back to their place. Bettina was setting the table as Ayya watched the food and put the final touches on a tart with apples. Ayya heard the front door open and her father’s voice alongside an unfamiliar male one. 

“Torbren!” her mother happily exclaimed and hurried towards the door with a huge smile on her face. Ayya had to smile as well at how happy her mother was. 

“There’s the little bug.” Ayya heard the man say as she made her way towards the sound of laughter. When she got into the living room, the scene that greeted her made her chuckle. A big man had her mother in a bear hug, twirling her around like she weighed nothing. Her mother clung to her brother and laughed. The man looked to be a couple of years older than Kopa. He had the same nut brown hair as Bettina, but his shortcut hair was starting to grey at the temples. He finally put Bettina down and pretended to be out of breath.

“You have got heavy, little bug. Maybe it’s time to start calling you a big bug,” he said, merriment shining from his eyes.

“Oh, shut that mouth of yours, you old fool,” Ayya’s mother said and laughed. Kopa came to stand beside Ayya and they watched the sibling reunion together. After some time, Bettina turned to Ayya and held out her hand towards her. “Come Ayya,” she said. Ayya smiled and walked up to her. Betina put her hand on Ayya’s Back. “Torbren, this is my daughter, Ayya. Ayya, this is my brother Torbren,” she introduced them.

“Just call me uncle. It’s nice to finally meet you, Ayya,” Torbren said, firing off a smile that was a copy of the ones her mother had. It made Ayya instantly like him.

“Nice to meet you as well. I have heard a lot about you,” Ayya told him.

“Please don’t listen to what she has told you about me. She has always had an inferior complex,” he chuckled. Torbren and Bettina continued to bicker and laugh throughout the afternoon. Ayya liked her uncle more and more as she spent time with him. He made sure to ask about her life and she asked about his family. When they had eaten dinner and talked for a bit, Ayya got up to leave.

“You’re not leaving because of me, I hope,” Torbren asked, sounding worried.

“No. I would have loved to stay. But tomorrow, the final tests for the new aari begin, so all aari will stay in the sanctum,” Ayya explained.

“Is it that time of year already? I had hoped that one of my little ones would have tried out to become an aari. But Nanisha, my oldest, is the only one that I think would stand a chance, and she chose to settle down and get married instead. But now we can boast with one aari in the family, at least,” he said with a smile. “Any plans on settling down?”

“Find a man and marry? No, not right now, at least. Too many things to do,” Ayya told him.

“You take after your mother,” he said cheerfully. 

“Ayya has far too important things to do to be thinking about things like that,” Kopa added.

“He doesn’t like the idea of men around his little girl,” Ayya’s mother told her brother, rolling her eyes.

“I get that. When Nanisha brought home her husband for the first time when they started dating, I wanted to run him off. But, he’s a good man. He loves my daughter and takes care of her. I have to be happy about that,” Torbren admitted. Kopa grunted a little. 

“I’ll walk you to the docks,” Kopa said as Ayya got ready. “It will give the two of them some time alone,” he added. Ayya had to smile at how sweet he was. Before they left, Ayya got a warm hug from her uncle. She realised that her mother’s amazing hugs were a family trait. Her father walked her to the river field.

“Will you be able to come home during the week?” he asked. 

“Sure, we are only requested to stay in the sanctum on the night before each test, and then to attend the tests. The days between are free, so we can attend the parties. I’m planning to visit you at least once or twice. I like my uncle and would like to get to know him better. How long will he stay?” she asked.

“At least until next weekend. His client is going up to the court here in Salmis. Some businessmen that are suing his supplier,” her father said.

“Then I will have time,” she told him. It was a little odd to have an extended family. Even when she was a child, it had only been her and her parents. Ayya wanted to make the most out of it. 

The next evening, she was standing in the chamber where the final test took place. She was surrounded by other aari. Firlea and Hinat were standing beside her, all of them focused on the door on top of the platform where the Lady would be leading the trainee in. The room was dead silent. The door opened and Ayya saw Tariana guide a man inside. She stood in the middle of her fellow aari and listened to her telling him the same words she had been telling Ayya a year ago. Ayya remembered the feeling of standing up there, the decision that was laid out in front of you. She relived her own test as she watched the man step up to the ledge. The  little part of the face she could see beneath the blindfold looked nervous. Ayya could feel that the other aari had the same reaction as she had to watching the final test. This was something profound that they all shared. It bound them together. As the trainee hesitated and he took the step out into the air, they were ready. He was caught by gentle hands and placed on the floor, unharmed and confused. The happiness was genuine as they all welcomed him into the order.