Era of the Lights........Chapter 4

   As time when by, Era found herself working harder each day in to achieve her goal. She put her entire heart into her training and it wasn’t long before Master Finn was teaching her how to use the weapons of a knight. She learned sword fighting, staff fighting and Finn even let her barrow a bow and a quiver of arrows for her to practice with. Era was soon practicing with the group Reese was in. Although she could never able to beat Reese and always ended up with major bruises, she gave him a good fight. In her magic training she found her largest affinity was in Physical Magic, and later, when Jiro taught it to them, Natural elemental magic. Natural elemental magic was magic that controlled fire, water, air or earth. Era found her highest affinity with water and fire, but she made sure to practice with the other two elements the most, so she could obtain fluency with all of them. Her weakest skill was in Mental external and remedial magic, and so she extensively practiced in that as well. She turned fourteen, then fifteen and she gained her green cloak, this also moved her to the same room as Uula who had obtained her green cloak a year earlier than Era.
   Uula had gotten her revenge on Era long ago by making sure that anyone who was remotely interested rumors and thought that Mytronans were all bad, wanted nothing to do with Era, she toughed it out, falling deeper into her studies of magic, fighting and academics. Even though Uula had caused most of the mages in the castle to think that Era was a scum bag, no one ever said it to her face, because anytime someone did, they always ended up paying for it, either with  bruises and scrapes or a ruined reputation. Era found herself hanging out with the guards, mostly the male ones and could be found sparing with them in her free time. After Era had finished her manner lessons with Mrs. Veena at the end of her fourteenth year, she begged Master Finn, who also looked after the trainee guards; to let her train with them until he finally let her.
   Era grew into a tall young woman, but she tried to ignore her body, claiming that that dating people was a waste of time, unlike Nora who was always trying to find new types of creams and makeup to put on her face. Nora and Era had become best friends since that first day of mediation and were at times, nearly inseparable, except at meal times when Era sat with the guards and Nora at next to the empty chair. Era found out it was the seat that Nora’s deceased older brother used to sit in. He had been born two years before Nora and she had few memories of him, for he had died before he was eight years old from an illness.
   “I sort of remember him pinching me when I was in my cradle,” Nora said on one occasion when Era had finally worked up the courage to ask about the empty chair. “And something about him stealing my favorite toy pony and when mother asked it for it back, he got all upset and threw it on the ground. The pony was made of glass and shattered into a thousand pieces. Jiro put it back together for me.” Nora and Era had been sitting on top of the inner castle wall and at that moment Ms. Veena had spotted the two girls and yelled at them to get off before they hurt themselves. Era had figured out by this point that Veena had not a scrap of magical power in her and so when Era and Nora slipped off the wall only to float gracefully to the ground, Veena nearly had a heart attack. Era had been given the punishment of scrubbing out the horse stalls for a week. Nora would come by and watch, a big too bad that I’m a princess grin on her face. Nora had also grown since that first meeting on their birthday. She was no longer a head shorter than Era, although she was still shorter. Her curves had come in as elegant and her breasts became prominent to her great glee. With her body and beautiful face, Nora had turned into a down right beauty. Era, who had first been mesmerized by her reflection when she had first discovered Nora’s mirror, now avoided them at all costs. Next to Nora, Era felt that her body was large and cumbersome. The gash that her father had given her the day before the Harvest Festival years ago had turned into a thin, pale vertical scar in front of Era right ear. Era had gained a few more on her arms and legs from multiple scuffles. Era knew she was not elegant in any way besides the curve of her eyes, but they were more piecing than beautiful on her opinion.  The color of piss. She thinks every time Nora pushed her in front of the mirror. Era also discovered that there was no sort of face powder she could use on her face, for all the makeup was too pale for her. Nora would try to urge her to put on the think line of blackness which Nora always applied on herself with a paintbrush, but Era didn’t like putting things that close to her eyes. Once in a while the younger girl would get Era to put on red cream on her lips, but that was only once in a while, and it didn’t look that good anyways.
   The next Harvest Festival came and went and Era turned sixteen and Nora turned fifteen. It was the week following the Harvest Festival and many of the merchants that always came for Harvest Festival were still setting up their stands at the market. It was Wednesday and Era had obtained a money sack from Arryn. She had no idea what she was going to buy. The room that she was in with the other green cloaks was larger than the grey cloaks had, and the beds were actual mattresses, but there were six beds in a room and every person only got one small cabinet. Era kept few things in hers bedsides two extra pairs of clothes and her other cloak that was used in colder weather. All the same, she always kept a lock spell on it that only she knew the password to. Besides keeping Uula from doing anything nasty to her few belongings, Era also used it as a way to practice keeping a hold on a Mental External magic from a long ways off.
   Nora grabbed Era’s arm when she caught her staring hungrily at a market stand of sausages on a stick.
   “Do you ever stop, thinking about food?” She teased pulling Era through the throng. Nora was dressed in a simple mage wear of grey clothes and a green cloak in order to hide her identity, not that anyone would attack her. Everyone loved King Ward and his family, for since he had been in power, Castarcle had prospered, no wars were in progress and poverty was a thing of the past. The central city Veltropolis, which Nora and Era made their way through, was a place of diversity and great works of art. Every shop seemed to be thronging with people from every corner of the country. Era heard many different languages she could not recognize.
   “Where are we going,” Era laughed as they wove through the crowed like snakes.
   “To the Delta Bridge!” Nora yelled back. “A little bird told me that all the young people are gathering there for something!” Era groaned and Nora gave an extra tug. “Common, don’t be such a sourpuss, it will be fun I promise.”
   The Delta Bridge was the largest bridge in Castarcle and it was a mixture of engineering genius and strong magic that had been held even one hundred years after its wielders had died. Era had been to it many times just to marvel at its sized and to feel the strong magic under her feet. She hadn’t been to it recently for she found that its height reminded her of the time she nearly fell to her death on her thirteenth birthday and it made her feel queasy. It was close to being sunset and a large crowd had gathered in the middle of the bridge and on closer inspection it became obvious that it consisted of young adults of all types. Mages, guards and city folk were clustered together around a boy who was standing on what looked to be a barrel. He was yelling something that Era didn’t really understand, but the way was swaying back and forth, she had a feeling he was drunk. He yelled one last thing out and everyone cheered, Era had understood that last part enough to understand that he had dared everyone to jump off the bridge into the water below. Era stood stunned for a moment and the entire crowed began to disperse to different places on the bridge. People began to strip to just their underclothing, throwing their clothes nowhere in particular. The screams and whoops started as people plummeted to the depths below. Laughter and splashed filled the air and Era looked around for Nora who was stared back at her with a look of excitement.
   “What are you waiting for,” the princess challenged, “Are you going to jump in?” A crooked grin went over Nora’s face.
   “Like hell I am!” Era said blushing. The two girl removed their clothes like everyone else, but Era used an Mental external magic technique to sew her money bag into her pant leg and another to lock her pile of clothing to the ground, so no one would be tempted to steel them. She did the same thing to Nora’s clothes when she wasn’t looking. “Better safe than sorry,” she muttered to herself, shivering in the brisk air that sang the coming of fall.  She walked over to Nora, who was on one of the bridge railings. Era looked down and her chest started to knot up. Nora saw her friend become pale and nudged her jokingly.
   “Don’t worry stupid!” She teased. “Just make sure you land right!” Without further ado, Nora jumped in with a loud whoop. Era looked in after her, leaning too far over to railing. Someone, who couldn’t help be tempted by the sight of a Mytronan putting herself in a vulnerable position decided to help her into the water with a push. Era was tumbling down, head first and it only took her a second to absorb what was happening, she righted herself, using a bit of Natural elemental wind magic and curled into a tight ball. She hit the churning water hard and sent up a large splash. She was only underwater for a moment before she surfaced and spat out a mouthful of water. She spotted Nora to her right and swam over with strong strokes. Nora was laughing and splashed Era in the face. A water fight ensued and even though Era hadn’t wanted to enjoy herself before, she was now and was one of the first to climb to shore in order to jump from the bridge again.
   It was an hour or two before someone called the city guards and made everyone get out of the water and put their clothes back on. Era used her magic to dry off and Nora did the same. Both girls were smiling ear to ear and they both put their clothes back on, which were still tacked to where Era had placed them. They were now a bit wet from people stepping on them. Another mage girl, who Era recognized to be part of Uula’s entourage, came over to Nora said that there was going to be a bonfire at the edge of the forest. Nora was gone before Era had time to lace her boots and Era was left behind on the bridge. It was night now and Era was thankful for her sixth sense of being able to feel her way through the dark. Era followed after the crowd of people, trying to spot Nora’s blonde head, but to no avail. Era found herself walking behind the guard, feeling isolated from the laughing teenagers around her. No one even tried to talk to her, until they got to the place where the bonfire was to take place. An enormous pile of wood had been gathered that towered above everyone’s head.
   “Someone light it! Someone light it!” People yell as they made a circle around the tepee of dead trees. When no one seemed to know how to start the fire Era sighed and stepped forward. She took a strong bow and arrow stance and punched forward, sending a shower of flame into the center of the wood. People cheered as the flame devoured the wood. No own seemed to notice Era, or perhaps they just ignored the Mytronan instead. Era looked around for Nora and spotted her under the arm of a mage laughing and cuddling. Era turned her head away; feeling disgusted as Nora wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the lips. She sat down by herself and saw smoking pipes beginning to be passed around and the teenagers took long breaths of the smoke. She wasn’t having fun anymore, and she passed the pipe along without taking a whiff. The first time she had tried one, a year in a half ago, she had found she had no stomach for smoking and had vomited. Era felt a form sit next to her after a while and she looked around to see a tall guard boy next to her. She had seen him here and there, but had never sparred or talked to him. He did his guard training same time as Reese did and had never had the chance for interaction. He leaned casually on one knee and smiled down at her. Era blushed and gave a half smile back, staring resolutely at the fire. Her stomach filled with butterflies and she clenched her teeth, not knowing how to deal with the wave of unknown emotion. He was handsome and was one the only men that rivaled her in height.  
   “Hi,” He said, and Era looked at him, wondering who he was talking to. He looked back at her, waiting for an answer.
   “Hello,” she said back, awkward as can be.
   “I saw what you did with the fire. That was pretty sweet.” He shifted position and Era couldn’t help notice that he got closer.
   “It was nothing that great,” She muttered, looking back into the flame, “Just some magic that Jiro taught me.”
   “Whoa, are you talkin’ about Master Jiro? He’s high up the line right? Isn’t he the dude that teaches the princess?” Era looked up again at Nora, who was laughing at some joke that her diversion had told. He kissed her again.
   “Yeah, that guy.” Era said her lips curled back into a slight snarl. The guard followed Era’s gaze and snorted. “She’s lovin’ up the night life ain’t she.” He said, leaning back on his arm, getting even closer to Era so their shoulders nearly touched. “It is the waning moon now after the Harvest festival. You know what else they call this time?” Era wasn’t sure if you wanted to know, he leaned close and breathed into her ear. “The Week of Lovers.” Era suddenly stood, feeling like her chest was going to explode with tension.
   “I gotta go,” Era said, “Um, I gotta um,” She tried to think of some plausible reason to leave, but her mind made her feel like she was spiraling downwards in fog, “Um, to the town to um, meet up with uh, someone.” The guard stood too in one fluid motion.
   “I’ll keep you company,” he said in a voice of silk, “there are all sorts of people out on a night like this. I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.” Era was dismayed, and stood looking up at him, trying not to gape. “Name’s Ilax.” He held out his hand and Era had no choice, but to shake it. His hand seemed to send an electric jolt up her arm and if she had been thinking straight, she would have sensed the magic in the guard’s grip. She didn’t however, and Era’s mind clouded even more in a way that made her feel tired. Ilax wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her in the direction of the bridge, to go back to the down.
   They didn’t say much and Era felt a voice nagging in the back of her head that something was not right. They walked over the bridge, and there were a few adult guards on it, just in case any other teenager tried to jump off. They glared at the couple, knowing exactly what Ilax body movement meant as he held the dazed girl at his side. They entered town and the smells of food brought Era back to her senses. Ilax felt her straighten in his grip and he turned her way from the main streets to a darker area of the city that Era hadn’t ventured into a lot. It was an older part of the city and many elderly people lived their last days in the surrounding buildings. The houses were all dark, most of its residence either vacant or too ill or tired to go to the market.
   “Where are we going?” Era asked, putting a hand to her head, it had started to pound.
   “Just to a secret place I like to hang out sometimes. I think you’ll like it a lot.” Ilax suddenly pushed Era into an alley and pinned her against the wall. Era had no time to react before he was pressing himself against her. Sudden fear rushed through her body as Ilax pressed his lips onto hers. His hands held hers in a death grip and for a moment she felt like she couldn’t move. Era stepped down on his foot with all her might and he pulled away from the pain, but was soon back at her, but now her hands were free.
   “What the hell are you doing!?” She screamed, pushing at his chest.
   “What are you talkin’ about? Ain’t it obvious?” He said back in a savage tone. “I love you.” Even to Era’s frightened ears his declaration of love sounded fake. Fear was replaced with anger as he grabbed her hands again. Era rammed her forehead into his and a blow landed on her cheek, knocking her to the ground. She heard him call her something and felt his presence start to lower over her, but he soon drew back as her body was covered in flames. Era stood, her eyes glowing with a violent wrath that filled the alleyway with a dark purple fog and Ilax started to find it hard to breath. He realized that he was terrified beyond what he had ever been before and it was his turn to scream.
 
   Era sat, arms crossed outside the castle Healing Wing when Nora arrived, her face pale. Era wouldn’t look at the princess, and Nora noticed that all her clothes were scorched in multiple placed. She kneeled in front of her friend.
   “What did you do?” Nora asked Era, in a choked voice. When Nora had realized Era was gone from the fire, she had sighed and left the boy she was sparking with one final kiss, thinking Era probably went back to the castle. Nora knew that Era would be upset at her for leaving her behind. Instead, Jiro had met her at the bridge and told her to come with him to the castle. He’d explained that there was a guard in the infirmary the Era had seemingly attacked.
  Era finally looked at Nora, with the embers of furry still simmering in her eyes. Nora looked into her friend’s piercing orange irises; she had never seen Era so angry. Half of Era’s face was a swollen and was a deep purple color.
  “I did nothing that he didn’t deserve.” Era snarled back. That was all Jiro and Nora could get out of her until Mistress Arryn arrived. Nora moved away from Era and Arryn slapped Era on her bruised cheek. Era stood and glowered down at the old woman. Arryn glowered back, the hall had gone silent.
  “Do you know what you have done?!” Arryn started. “Are you happy now that you have nearly murdered one of your fellows?”
  “He is not my fellow anything!” Era yelled back. “He is the scum you wipe off your boot at the end of a day!” Arryn crossed her arms.
  “Is that really how you feel?” She growled at the teenager. “You really feel that this boy-” She was interrupted when Era laughed a raucous dispassionate laugh that sounded more like a beast’s angry roar.
   “Boy!? You call him a boy?” Era pointed to the double doors of the Healing Wing. “That is no boy. That is a monster that is not worth saving!” Arryn didn’t say anything for a moment.
   “How about you take a good look at yourself before you say that he is the monster.” She said in a quiet dangerous tone. Era closed her eyes and Nora noticed the tear streaks on Era’s cheeks. Nora walked over to the Healing Wing doors and pushed one open a little. She felt like vomiting when she saw the form of a boy I a bed, the doors magical seal on noise was broken and his screaming filled the hallway. Nora saw the healer pull his ash black clothing off his charred legs and closed the door quickly.
   “Don’t you even want to know what happened?” Era said quietly.
  “As I am a truth spinner, someone who can draw the truth out of people the same way someone spins thread, then yes.”
   By the time Era was finished speaking under the spell of Arryn’s truth spinning, no one had anything to say. The punishment for attempted or successful rape was death and Nora felt even sicker than before and sank to the floor. Era had fresh tears on her face, but her eyes were drained of emotion. Arryn was standing over her with her lips shaking and her hands clenched. The small crowd that had gathered began to disperse. Jiro put his hand down to the princess and she took it gratefully.
   “Go to bed Princess Nora,” he said quietly, “Do you need an escort?” Nora shook her head and walked to her room in a daze.
   Ilax didn’t make it through the night, and his body was sent to his parents on the other side of the county with his form repaired by the Healing Mages. Era was given a place in Arryn’s room to keep for the present time to keep her from the other mages and so Arryn could work on her devastated mind. The entire community of guards and mages had the reason they weren’t going to see anymore Ilax explained to them by Jiro and Arryn before any rumors could be spread. Both Jiro and Arryn lied about the way that Ilax had died, saying that he had been put to death immediately for his crime. Era was also left out of the story and all the people who had been present had to swear secrecy on a spell. The incident was wrapped up and put away and Era was able to sleep back in her bed two weeks later. It took many months before Era was truly back to herself and laugh again. She hung out with guards more than ever and she got permission from Jiro and Arryn to officially train to be a guard as well as a mage. Era never let herself be dragged to teenage social events again, and Nora stopped going to them as well, partly because of her overwhelming guilt about what had happened and partly because she was beginning to get suitors for the marriage she was destined to have on her eighteenth birthday.