Registration
Jess and I sat in my room pouring over course descriptions, trying to figure out what we wanted to take. Jess was sitting at my vanity leaned over the booklet with pen in hand circling text every once in a while. Her tongue was hanging to the side of her mouth as she was concentrating hard. Her hair was usually down but I noticed Jess would put her hair up when she had to do something she needed to concentrate on. It was so easy for her to do since it was straight. I was in my window seat with the booklet in my lap and doing the same as Jess (with the tongue thing). As I was reading through, I saw Vanessa’s name as an instructor for a particular class: magical items. I had been curious but I wanted to know if this would marry up with my chosen Vellum profession. I hadn’t fixed my mind on one yet but it was between psychologist, diplomat and royal scribe. I badly wanted to take her class because ever since I found out about magical items, I was curious how they were made. I didn’t want my entire life to be centered around one class I badly wanted to take. I would be willing to be if I had asked her, Vanessa would give me a private lesson or let me observe her work. My mother wouldn’t want me to make a decision about my life based on my curiosity. I looked up to Jess, “Hey, can we minor in something?” She looked up and stuck her pen in her bun, “Yeah but they have to somewhat make sense though or the headmaster will reject your career path. He is in the business of making sure Vellum’s citizens are actually productive.” I had heard about the headmaster a few times over the last few days but I had wondered his name and who he was so I asked, “Hey Jess, do you even know who he is?” She shrugged, “No clue, I had heard he’s very important to Vellum. The King relies heavily on LDMU to bring him citizens who can help Vellum thrive. That’s all I know. People who have attended won’t speak of him either. I guess there’s paperwork here somewhere...” She flipped through the mess of papers that she had splayed out on my vanity and grabbed one, “Ah here, it’s basically an NDA which is to be blood bound, it states: No one outside of Lune de Minuit University is to speak of the identity of the headmaster, lest they should be punished by the King himself. I heard he had Vanessa make this paper especially for this purpose.” I scratched my temple and looked at her, “I wonder why the mystery. I guess if he was so famous that he wanted to shrouded in anonymity. That’s probably why.” Jess pulled her pen out of her bun, “Yeah, my thoughts too. Only thing I had heard was that he’s young but measured. Apparently, that is the only thing people are allowed to say.”
Just then my mother knocked and walked in to the room, “How is it going ladies? Do you need my assistance with choosing professions or classes?” I looked at her and dangled the course book between my index and thumb, “I am having a tough time trying to pick a profession. I have narrowed it to three which I wrote here.” I handed the paper to my mother who scrutinized it for a little while before walking over to sit on my bed. After studying it for a while, she looked up and patted the spot next to her on the bed. I walked over and sat down. She handed me back the paper, “Are you planning on minoring in anything?” I looked at the three options on the paper and then back at her, “I was thinking minor in psychology. I listen well but keeping my sarcasm to myself would likely be too hard to be a good caring doctor to my patients.” My mother nodded, “In that case, you may want to drop diplomat all together. I worry you’ll be an envoy somewhere and say something to offend someone.” I crossed my arms on my chest and pouted, “I’ll have you know that I held my tongue during my party.” My mother made a sarcastic laugh, “Oh really and you honestly think you can do that all hours of the day. Even the morning?” I slammed myself backward on the bed, “Curse you mornings! Without you I would be an excellent diplomat.” I got up again and stared at the paper, “Then royal scribe it is.” My mother pulled her arm around me and rubbed my arm, “Who knows maybe you’ll counsel the King someday.” I looked at her with an astonished face, “Vellum would be screwed.”
My mother patted my arm and said, “I suppose I should be glad that you haven’t the desire to join the Citadel.” I looked at her confused, “What is that?” She pulled her arm from me and placed her hand in her lap. She looked down with a sad expression, “It is essentially the military of Vellum. My brother was of the Citadel, it was his lifelong dream.” I could see a small tear roll down her cheek. I wrapped her in a hug, “I don’t want to drag up old memories mother, please don’t force yourself to say anything if you don’t want to.” She looked at me and touched her forehead to mine, “No, I need to tell you about Talon. He was my twin brother. He was everything I wasn’t: tactful, strong, able to control his anger and sweet. His path was set for him all his life. Pretre Jean said he would become one of the Citadel’s finest and he really was.” She dabbed her eyes with a tissue Jess had pulled from the box on the vanity. Jess spoke, “I had heard about Talon from my father. He was a fine General, Mrs. Batiste. He had a great reputation.” She patted her hands then squeezed them to try and show her the empathy that I had seen from Jess before. My mother continued, “One night Tarn was under siege by a dragon. This was about 10 years ago. It was odd though since normally dragons don’t bother with other creatures. It was suspected that someone angered it on purpose but they never could prove who it was. In an effort to protect the King, my brother rushed up to the tower where the king was sleeping. He had managed to pull the King out of the tower before the dragon attack but unfortunately they never made it all the way down the tower.” She paused and wiped her eyes again then clenched the tissue in her hand and turned away from me. She looked down to finish the story, “It killed both my brother and the king. The current King had to ascend the throne when he was 13 and I had to bury my brother when he was so young. At the time, he had been engaged to Vanessa. The only way I got over it was with her by my side.” I thought about what she had said, “Oh, now I know why you were gone for several months back when I was eight.” She nodded, “I left to Vellum for the funeral and stayed in Blackwood Deep there with Vanessa. I felt bad for leaving you so long but your father kept writing that you were fine and not to worry that Darren helped you sleep every night. It was comfort to know my wonderful baby girl was so well cared for while I was a downright mess. I hope you can forgive me.” I patted her hands, “Nothing to forgive mom, I don’t what it’s like to lose a loved but I can imagine it is very painful. He was your twin to boot, I had read somewhere that twins have an unshakeable bond and when one dies you feel like you lost a part of yourself. You needed time and like daddy said, I was fine.”
Just then my father walked in the room and saw his wife crying. He looked at me and cocked an eyebrow, “Okay Xan, I know you like to mess with your mother but this a new level for you.” I threw my pillow at him, “I did not make her cry...well not exactly. We were discussing career paths and we started talking about the Citadel.” He threw the pillow back, “Oh my darling, you told her about Talon?” She nodded, wiping her nose with the tissue. She had smudged her red lipstick which caused a red streak on her upper lip. I stifled a giggle and mother turned to my the fire back in her eyes, “Alexandra Rose, what is so funny?” I reached up and fixed the smudge, “You had a massive red lipstick mustache going on there. Sorry mother.” Just then everyone in the room started laughing and mother picked up the pillow and smacked my head with it. I faked that she hit me too hard and plopped back on the bed, “I think I have a concussion.” She laughed harder, “Oh my little clown, thank you for the laugh. I know that is your therapy for others sometimes. I needed it.” She then straightened herself up and stood up putting everything back in place. She crossed the room to the trash can to throw away the tissue and patted Jess’ shoulder on the way out. She kissed my father on the cheek, wiped the lipstick off and turned to all of us at the door. She smiled, “Well then, if you’ll excuse me. I have to make sure dinner is started. Enjoy the rest of your day you two.”
Just as mother had left the room my father hurried to the door to close it. He had a mischievous grin on his face, “I have an idea to throw your mother a surprise party for her birthday in two weeks. What do you think?” I tapped my chin a few times, “I’m not sure she’s a surprise party type of person for one and two how are you ever going to get her out of the house to set it up.” He tapped his temple to indicate he thought ahead, “She actually loves surprises for one and two, you girls will have to pick up your books in two weeks. I can send Talia with you. Those who are left behind can set it up and I have already contacted Vanessa and she’s in. I just need your sign off Xan to take your mother with you.” I perked up, “Sure, I think I will want her there anyhow so she can keep me in line so I can concentrate on how to get there and back. No offense Jess, you just don’t have that Xan wrangling umph that I need.” Jess laughed, “No, not yet anyhow. I’ve been secretly taking lessons from Mrs. Batiste though.” I don’t think she was kidding really; my mother would choose someone over there to keep me in line. I was excited at the fact of taking mother with me but only because I would finally go to Vellum for the second time in my life and since the first time ended horribly, I was hoping the second time I would be okay. Not to mention picking up my books and looking at Blackwood Deep on the other end was exciting too. I live for the small things, I guess. My father smiled and looked down at me and held out his hand, “Do we have a deal little rose?” I left him in suspense and then extended my hand to meet his and shook, “We have a deal Duke Batiste.”
