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Alaira was practicing using her wind wall spell, but she didn't notice her pen left a blotch on the paper and the spell went haywire. Thankfully, Alaira was quick on her feet and dodged a whipping gale that could've seriously hurt her. Unthankfully, in her haste, she stepped wrong over a rock and twisted her ankle.
As if it wasn't a bad day already, her master scolded her all the way down to the Healing Spire. To be fair, Alaira had made a rookie mistake, but hey, it happens to everyone once in a while no? Alaira huffed as she sat on the floating stretcher her master was steering for her. Well, Alaira thought, the good thing was that at least she didn't need to walk or fly all the way here, her foot really hurt.
And yet, any thought of pain immediately exited Alaira’s head when she and her master were greeted by a new face in the Healing Spire. A new, and beautiful face. She looked young, maybe just a couple of years older than Alaira, her hair was tied in two ornate braids, she was a bit short but had a confident and friendly presence. And her eyes were warm and lovely, it made Alaira think of a breezy field. “Welcome in, my name is Sinocia, how can I help you?” The, Alaira felt she needed to reiterate, beautiful girl introduced herself.
Alaira’s master threw a look at her and she realized they were expecting her to talk now, right, that made sense. “Uh, I took a fall and I think I sprained my ankle, it’s still hurting quite a bit-,” Alaira tried to flex her affected ankle and her face scrunched up by a sudden pang of searing pain.
“Oh no! Don’t try to move it!” Sinocia took a step forward, almost making a motion to reach for her, but she dropped her hand and spoke more calmly, “First let’s get you properly admitted, and then I’ll take a look at your ankle, for now don’t try to move it or put pressure on it, alright?”
With that, Alaira was helped down to a sturdy stretcher and her master and Alaira left to sort out the paperwork. After a few minutes, they were back and Alaira’s master announced that she would return to the Hall but promised to return when needed.
Alaira was part of one of the Great Hall’s Academy Ateliers, her master worked alongside two other professors and many assistants to raise a group or around twenty children. Alaira knew her master couldn’t linger, and she was already old enough to not be worried or scared to spend a day or two on the Spire on her own. But… That meant that now she was alone with Sinocia.
It could’ve been an awkward interaction, but it turned out that Sinocia was really easy to talk to. They properly introduced themselves again, Alaira letting herself relax and lean on her own confidence and Sinocia was friendly but still focused on her work, asking pertinent questions about her fall and letting a delighted squeak when Alaira mentioned the wind spell that started it all.
“Woah! I’ve just been assigned to the Great Hall, I’ve never seen so many witches in my life, I really can’t believe all the things you can do! You really have to be careful with how you use your powers, don’t you?” Sinocia spoke with a mix of awe and worry, and it suddenly felt like a drop of cold sweat ran down Alaira’s back. “But in any case,” Sinocia shook her head and the thought away, “You witches can always rely on us to heal you back up! It’s the least we can do!” She finished with a sincere cheer.
Alaira responded with a slightly nervous laugh and polite gratitude. Yeah, Sinocia was pretty, and friendly, and kind, but she was an Outsider. Sinocia kept talking to Alaira, giving her pointers about how to care for her ankle, making a gentle joke, a teasing remark. But Alaira couldn’t return them with the joy she would’ve wanted to. That’s just how it was.
The thing is, though, that Alaira didn’t stop thinking about Sinocia. Through all the following check-ups to see the evolution of her sprain and the following visits, once for a fever, next for a long paper cut that looked worse than it was, but any excuse was good at that point. Through all those times, Alaira didn’t stop thinking about Sinocia.
And the worst thing was that Alaira felt that they could really get somewhere. Yes, Sinocia was friendly and kind with everyone, but she teased Alaira, she gave her those eyes, always focused on her task, but subtly, almost too casually, she would comment how she heard about a cute new cafe on this side of the Hall, how it would be lovely to see the wind magic Alaira always talked about. And Alaira, really, really wanted to let her see. Not even to let her see, but still, a risk was a risk, and that bitter mix of guilt and frustration that every witch knew too well left a worst taste in her mouth than any tranquileaf concoction Sinocia ever brewed for her.
In the end, there wasn’t even a start.
Alaira knew she’d been the first to show interest and she was also the one who started to reject every subtle move Sinocia made. And the girl was smart, quickly enough their talks drew back from that chemistry and prmise that was starting to bloom to a polite and friendly detachment.
Alaira never showed Sinocia her finished wind spell.
---
“Are you sure is ok to do this? Our masters will chew us out, again!” Olruggio “Of The Torch”, a friend Alaira had made a few years ago babbled nervously. He and his friend Qifrey (Alaira had her suspicions), were already famous for being problem children, but Olruggio’s prodigy reputation usually granted him a free-pass. Alaira liked them, and that’s how they found themselves sneaking a bottle of liquor on a hidden corner of the Hall.
“Come on, I’ve heard that you’ve already been drunk before. You can’t play your goody two shoes act with me Mr. Of The Torch,” Alaira laughed while lifting her glass towards his friend.
“W-Who told you that?” The boy pouted but happily drank his fill and let out a happy sigh as the burn of the liquor hit him. In just a few years his eyes had started looking a bit tired, but Alaira’s sleep schedule wasn’t any better, their last Pentagram exams were everyday a bit closer and the pressure was felt in every apprentice of their generation.
“Guess who?” Alaira replied with a deadpan that also managed to sound playfully mocking.
“Whatever,” Olruggio pouted, failing to conceal a blush. “In any case, why did you want to drink with me today?” he added with a look of honest curiosity.
“What, can’t I just want to hang out and get in trouble with a good friend?” Alaira feigned a laugh, but her friend was perceptive, his eyes sharp as a dragon’s claw. He didn’t need to open his mouth before Alaira gave up. She sighed, “Have you ever liked an Outsider?” she whispered her secret.
As expected, Olruggio startled, unexpectedly, he looked more surprised than horrified. She’d just indirectly admitted something that could very well be a crime against The Pact, but her friend had more grief than accusation on his gaze. He looked down at his fidgeting fingers resting on the table and mumbled “No, I haven’t. But I know that liking someone is not always happy or easy.” He chuckled with a bittersweet expression and looked at Alaira, “Or legal.”
Alaira huffed a laugh, and she felt Olruggio’s hand giving her a pat in her back before she could even register the tear that was sliding down her cheek. That hand began rubbing comforting circles as she crumpled over herself, covering her eyes with a hand. “It’s just- It’s not fair…”
Her friend’s voice sounded like he was talking about her predicament, but about something bigger too, when he said “No, it isn’t.”
---
Years later, Alaira was entering the Healing Spire. Next to her was a young apprentice, a boy that couldn’t be older than eleven, his hair covered his eyes and even now he was fidgeting with his fingers or his bangs.
Alaira’d been acting as a proctor for the second Pentagram test, it turned out, it was the first time the boy was taking the test but as soon as Alaira assigned a myrphon for the boy, his master flew away with little much than a goodbye. And so, what starts wrong keeps going wrong. As the boy was about to step in the cave, he doubled down and fainted. Alaira was immediately alarmed, but thankfully they came to in a flash.
Nevertheless, a visit to the Spire was needed, and so, here they were. As they made their way in, a doctor with a blond bowl cut and friendly disposition approached them, “Oh, what do we have here?” He leaned down a bit to look at the boy next to Alaira, who shied even more into himself.
Alaira was watching as the kind doctor guided the little apprentice to a stretcher to rest, when she caught four braids dancing in the corner of her eye.
Sinocia was walking swiftly down the hallway, carrying a basket of freshly washed white sheets with both hands, in her haste she almost tripped, but was caught without hesitation by someone walking behind her. She looked like a fellow doctor, she looked impressively tall, her pale blonde hair was cropped short and even as she was carrying a similar basket in her hand, she managed to catch Sinocia in the other easily.
As she tripped, Sinocia let a yelp, but as soon as she realized her fall had been prevented, she turned around and looked at the one who saved her. Alaira didn’t need to hear anything, just the way they looked at each other and the warm smiles they shared, spoke more than any story could tell.
“Miss Witch?” The doctor who was caring for the little apprentice called her. He explained the treatment, and she focused on the little boy that was now resting. It was easier than expected to fall back into her task, right now she was a full fledged witch with the responsibility of a little boy’s well being on her shoulders. She found herself welcoming that weight gladly.
---
“So, why did you want to have a drink with me tonight?” Olruggio, Alaira’s old friend asked her.
“It’s nothing. I just felt a bit nostalgic, is all,” she smiled as she lifted her glass, saluting her friend.
“Don’t talk like that, you make us look old,” her friend joked.
“But we are!” Alaira laughed, “Who would have thought that you’d end up with two apprentices!”
“They’re not my apprentices, they’re Qifrey’s,” Olruggio huffed an annoyance so fake, that no one with eyes would ever buy it. Time had thinned his once chubby face, and dark eye bags dragged his gaze down, but the fondness that illuminated Olruggio’s face every time he mentioned the girls or his companion was enough to light a starless sky. Alaira was glad that her friends had found their happiness together.
“You know, I’ve been thinking, about taking an apprentice myself.” Alaira hummed and she saw in the corner of her eye Olruggio turning to look at her fully, grating her his full attention. “I don’t think I’m ready yet, I’m not even sure I actually want to,” Alaira was tangling herself in her thoughts and two faces crossed her mind, first Sinocia, then the little dark haired apprentice she helped out, “I’m not sure I would be a good teacher, but maybe one day I could try. No?” Alaira turned to smile brightly at her friend.
Because every witch has to give up something at some point, they are granted power and knowledge, it’s only fair that they have to lose something too. Alaira found and lost her first love but it was alright, she was glad to see that bright girl with the dancing braids finding her happiness too, just like her troublesome childhood friends did as well. Alaira knew, that one day she’ll find her place too.
At her words, her friend patted her back and returned her smile. As they shared a laugh together Alaira thought, who knew what happiness, what sadness, what journey, would await them in the future?