Hearts in High Places

Piper

Ameli and I snuck out before the sun began its ascent, carefully picking our way through the woods. The birds began their morning chorus as we arrived at the ancient structure, its silhouette stark against the azure morning. The entryway was destroyed by a battle I didn't dare remember, so we went around the back and descended down a long set of stairs. The smell of damp brick and mildew pervaded the space, our candle's shallow light barely piercing the darkness. The stairs ended in a wide landing with two doorways, one leading down further into depths, the other into a large room. We went right into the large room, formerly some kind of cellar, now serving as a safe haven for us. Ameli walked around and lit candles from memory, her time spent here more than mine. As the fire light filled the room, I could see hundreds of pieces of crude parchment tacked to the walls. Some bore stanzas and others bore elegant drawings of nature. A squat table and chair sat near the back, parchment and charcoal sticks strewn across its surface.

Ameli pulled two stools forward and motioned for me to sit. We were both groggy from the early start but she jittered excitedly. We hadn't dared breath a word until this point, but as we sat she eagerly grabbed my hands and said,

"Happy Birthday Piper! You are an adult now, you can leave if you want!" Her words brought me more sadness than joy, but I smiled anyway. What good would I serve out in the world, besides I could never leave her.

"Thank you Ameli," the words rasping from my unused voice. Her birthday was in a couple weeks, she will be eleven. That was the day I wanted to celebrate, not today, not the day where I still couldn't live up to my grandmother's expectations. I stared at my hands and tried again to summon magic the way I had practiced for years. Again, nothing happened. A familiar pang of disappointment washed away any happy thoughts I held. My father had magic, Ameli had magic, Mother technically had magic, why didn't I? Ameli was born in a bed of blooming flowers, her tiny cries sending vines looping around the room. Her magic wasn't very strong but it was something she was able to use since birth. I caught myself staring at my hands with frustration. I shook my head, remembering that none of that was her fault. I harbored no ill will for my sweet sister. Her evergreen eyes snapped me from my reverie, their movement prodding me for recognition.

"What...Sorry?" her expression fell.

"What's wrong? Aren't you excited to go on a trip with me?" That playful smile made my heart skip a beat, so innocent, so unbothered by the life we lead. I was happy. I had to be.

"I am very excited to bring you to Boadrorn and pick out a birthday gift for you," I raised my eyebrows at her. Her face twisted into an unflattering expression as she glared at me. She gestured her arms wildly at the many parchments and the furniture.

"I have plenty! Let's get you something Piper! You never get anything you want from mother or grandmother, maybe we can afford something you want with my drawings," her eyes practically glowed at the idea. The kind offer only stoked the sorrow and worry in my mind. Grandmother never saw the need to share good fortune with a magicless failure. The icicles spread like splinters chewing up the warmth of the morning. My heart yearned for the affection she would give if only I could get a single flower to bloom, a snowflake to form, a fire to light, anything.

Our father had strong magic, though I was never told what kind he possessed and I never saw him use it. Maybe he could have taught me had he not perished while my mother was pregnant with Ameli. It still amazes me to see how radiant she was even without our father's influence. Arkyn Amadeus was a legionary from the city to the south, Cithril. He fell in love with my mother during one of my grandmother's visits and they got married that year, she bore me the next and my sister seven years later. My father was someone who always had a smile playing on his lips, a strong frame, and more wisdom than the four dragons. He taught me how to hunt, how to string a bow and how to shoot one. The memory of his lessons still plays in my ears every time I hold a bow, even now.