Even the stars fall sometimes

More, more and even more

Waking up I felt a sort of contentment I don't remember ever knowing. That is until I realize I'm almost an hour late. Jumping out of bed I hurry to get dressed and grab a piece of toast on my way out. I also grab my water bottle and start to chug as I'm sprinting across campus grounds. Hopefully Emmie is so immersed in a book again that she doesn't even notice! By the time I get to the nursery I'm soaked from sweat. Its almost as much as if I had actually gone out to stretch like I was instructed to. “It should be fine...” I just keep muttering to myself. Making my way back I let out a sigh of relief as I see Emmie curled up with bub and a book. I take a moment to take a breath before stepping forward. “You're late.” is all Emmie says as she closes her book and gets up. “Follow me.” You can hear a bit of bemusement mixed in with her annoyance in her voice. I don't argue and just follow. Heading outside I cant help but think this is quite unusual. I've never actually seen Emmie outside of the nursery so it's even stranger when she takes me out to the rye fields. You can tell its been recently harvested and all that is left is a massive empty field. Standing in the middle of the field is Mr. Watterson; smiling I wave at him only to be given a cold glare. Don't tell me... “Emmie did you let him know you knew I was late?” with a chuckle she replied “No silly. I wasn't the one that was late. It's not my responsibility nor is it my fault.” I head over to apologize to him and find myself on the ground. He used a staff to knock me feet out from under me! Scrambling to get up “What was that for?!” I yell angry “I taught you better than to show up late to a lesson! You know the rules. Take the stance!” Frowning. I didn't think these rules applied on a Saturday. Hell I didn't even know he was going to be here! Normally Emmie doesn't care if ism on time or not because she's always got some sort of book in her hands. Just what in the world is going on today?! What did they eat to make themselves act weird like this. The air is completely different than any other interaction I've ever had with either of them. Normally its light and loving. Today its grim and heavy. With out delaying anymore I take the stance. “I didn't know the lesson would be with you today. I only ever have Emmie on Saturdays!” Trying to buy myself some sort of time because I know what's coming. The punishment for being late make it so that you wont be late again. If not from the lesson then from the fact that you wont be able to move from the spot you land in so you'll be there when the lesson ends and you'll still be there the next time it starts. I swallow hard taking the offensive. I already know that when he's like this a defense will not help me. The only choice is to strike first. They say offense is the best defense. Running strait towards him I close the gap quickly. He swings his staff at me and I doge it my sliding between is legs . Doing so I grab his foot as I go causing him to land on the ground with a thud. I head to the opposite side away from him. If I know anything about my teacher... it's that this will only make him angry. That is both good and bad for me. It's bad because Mr. Watterson angry is like a demon in the form of a man. It's good because Mr. Watterson angry is a distracted Mr. Watterson. Back and forth we go. Both of us battered and bleeding. Getting a good hit on him I can feel something in his jaw shatter. His eyes are like black flames now. Its a look that is so unsettling that I stumble back. This is no longer a game between student and teacher. This is now a battle to survive. He lunges towards me; blocking him with arms crossed I see there is now a dagger in his hands. He really has lost it this time. “what are you doing?!” I stutter out. “All is fair in love and war remember?” He says this with a deadly grin on his face. Stumbling backwards he lunging towards me dagger in hand. In an instant everything froze. Unable to move I look up and just inches above me Mr.Watterson is frozen in place just floating unable to move.

“That's enough you two!” I can hear Emmie say unable to turn and look at her I can't help but wonder how this is happening. Slowly Mr.Watterson floats up and away from me. Next thing I know I'm slowly rising and standing next to him facing Emmie. It seems Emmie has done this. As we move the only thing you can see move with Emmie is her eyes. “If you keep going at this rate you wont have any energy left for this lesson and I'll have wasted precious reading time out here for nothing.” Emmie sounds more amused than angry. Almost as it the energy surrounding me vanished I was able to move on my own again. I look at him to apologize when he grabs me in a hug. “I'm sorry Rora! I never wanted you to see me like that.” A little confused why he's apologizing when I should be. Looking at him I can see that his eyes are returning to their normal crystal blue color from the black they had been earlier. “I should be the one to apologize not you.” I reach up and touch his jaw. When he flinches I tell him to hold still so I can heal it for him. Emmie stops me. “Both of you sit down and I'll do the healing you will BOTH need some sort of energy for our lesson today” wordlessly we both sit on the ground. Emmie steps back holding both her hands together closing her eyes. I can hear her humming. It's a song I've heard the finches sing in the nursery. Almost as it was a warm spring day a breeze dances around us. I can feel my bones mending, cuts healing and I feel energy returning to my body as if I just woke up and drank a few hundred pots of coffee. Mr. Watterson just looks relaxed. Definitely no hint of the unease I'm feeling.

“How did you do that?!” I asked as soon as she stopped humming “How did you make the wind do that?!” completely amazed I had only known about the basic healing abilities that I had already mastered. Never had I heard of a song that could make the wind completely rejuvenate! Better yet... “Emmie... How did you stop the fight? It was as if time froze..”

She chuckled at me. “My dear Rora you would have learned to do this hours ago if you had been on time. What did you think our lesson would be? More herbal training?”

“Well... Kinda...” I say meekly realizing just how naïve I've been.

“No. Today will start your practical training of royal magic. Only to be taught by and learned by someone of royal blood. You however my dear are a special case. Since I had vowed to teach you all I know that includes the use of this and thus is allowed by the court.”

“Even thought I am going to try to teach you to use this; it does not guarantee that you will be able to learn it. Since it is reserved for the royal blood you may not be able to learn this at all. So with out further delay lets start shall we?”