Naren - The Teacher’s Assistant
Deydesli Amberwind wrote the word on the board for the younger children to see. Two of the youngest were learning how to read, and today's focus was the letter ’B’. She had finished her own school work early as usual, and, as she had been doing since the beginning of this school year, had gone to the front of the class to help Mrs. Softpetal. She was only twelve, but as she had nothing else to do, Mrs. Softpetal had agreed to let her assist.
“Thank you, Deydesli. Children, who can tell me which letter is at the start of the word.” All four hands went up. She looked at the two youngest. “Iandor?”
“It’s a B.” the boy answered while wiggling in his seat.
“That's right! Now, who can read the word?” she looked at the oldest two, Leria and Tavion who were eight and nine respectively, as they both put their hands up. “Tavion?”
“That's right. It starts with the letter B and the word is ball. B-b-ball,” she said emphasizing the ‘B’. “Deydesli, give them the next word, please.”
Deydesli wrote the word ‘Bird’ and turned around to around to look at the children. She nearly gasped upon seeing Iandor covered with blood, but when she blinked, it was gone. She glanced at Mrs. Softpetal, but she carried on with the lesson as if everything was normal.
She looked back to Iandor. Another image came to mind. Wolves. She recalled that over the past few months she would get bursts of clarity, or that was her best way to describe it. It was almost as if she knew the answers on the tests before she knew the answers, and it was the same with her reading and math homework. It didn’t make sense, but she thought maybe she would walk Iandor home. He’d be safe that way, right?
She looked down at her arm and gasped at the sight of blood, but then she blinked and it was gone.
“Deydesli? Are you okay?”
She had really gasped that time. “I’m fine. I’m sorry. Is it time for the next word?”
Deydesli wrote the next word, ‘Baby’, trying to forget what she had seen. Maybe it had just been her overactive imagination, but had it ever been wrong before? She thought she was going to get her first bra for her twelfth name day, and she did. Just yesterday, she had the idea that her mother was making a fresh loaf of bread that day and it hadn’t cooked right. That had been right as well.
She looked up to see Iandor covered in blood again. The wolves had surrounded them. She couldn’t protect him.
She looked at Mrs. Softpetal. She was still giving the lesson as if everything was normal.
“Mrs. Softpetal,” she interrupted. She was starting to panic and didn’t know what else to do. She continued, “Iandor can’t go home at the normal time or the usual way today.”
The teacher raised a brow in surprise. Deydesli hoped she wasn’t getting in trouble. She quickly added, “Something is going to happen. I know it is.”
“Deydesli, calm down. What’s going to happen?”
She frowned with worry. How was Mrs. Softpetal going to believe her? “I just know it’s something bad, and it might involve wolves. I don’t know how I know. Please, he can’t go home along his usual path.”
“It’s the only path to his home.” Mrs. Softpetal went to hold Iandor’s hand. The young boy looked scared now, and Deydesli felt a pang of guilt for causing his fear.
“Can we please get someone with some sort of weapon to go with him? I’ll go too if there’s someone strong with us.”
“Lessons are almost done for the day. Can you watch the younger ones while I’m gone? I’ll get someone. It’ll only be a few minutes. Finish the rest of the lesson with them.”
Deydesli nodded and did as asked while Mrs. Softpetal put on a shawl and hurried out the side door. She returned a few minutes later with a man who neither had a weapon nor was very strong. She glanced at her teacher doubtfully.
“Deydesli, you remember Solrys. He just graduated a few years ago.”
She nodded. She remembered him. He had graduated just as she had moved into the older group so she didn’t know him very well, despite sharing a classroom with him for a few years. She did know there were stronger options. He wasn’t even carrying anything to defend himself with.
“I remember you as well,” Solrys said. “Come, step outside with me. We need to discuss something.”
Did he have a weapon outside? She glanced at Mrs. Softpetal, who merely nodded. Deydesli tried not to show her irritation. Were they even taking her seriously? She followed Solrys outside.
“So what is it? I asked for help getting Iandor home because I know something is going to happen, and I’m sorry but you don’t look like you’ll be an awful lot of help.”
Solrys smiled slightly. “Looks aren’t everything, especially where magic is involved.”
She stared at him, frightened of what he’d say next. Was that it? She had magic and they were going to cart her off to Thril Gandir? She’d never even been out of the town. She was close to panicking when he spoke again.
“I meant me, but I think, based on what Mrs. Softpetal said, you might have it too. I have some books that may help in my home. You can borrow them if you want, but you’ll need to be careful. It’s hard to get books on magic outside of Thril Gandir without raising suspicion.”
“You have magic?”
“Shh, not so loud.” He voice lowered to a whisper. “I can help you get the boy home safely, and I can help you figure out what your abilities are and how to use them. I think. I’ve read a lot of books anyway. You might not like hearing that I think your ability is very rare. However, before I do any of that, I need to have your word that you won’t tell anyone. There are only a few people who know about me. If the wrong person knows and lets it slip, Thril Gandir will show up very quickly to take us both to stay in the mage city. This needs to be a secret.”
She nodded, though she still didn’t look sure. “You really think I have magic?” She kept her voice down this time.
“Yes, and a very special ability. I’ll explain everything I know about it later. You promise to keep it a secret?”
“Yes. You can really get Iandor home safely?”
“I’m sure of it. Let’s go get him, shall we?”
She nodded again and followed him back inside.
