Chapter 5 :)

Chapter five-Dealing with Home

It was strange to think as I was walking home, that the same path I was taking was taken this morning. This morning, walking on this path, I had not gone to

Golem Court

yet. This morning I had not been named a Balance student yet. And I had never met Richard. Although, meeting Richard definitely wasn’t a bad thing.

Strange how you could walk somewhere, and come back to that place realizing how much you didn’t know was coming when you first walked on that place, how much could pass in a single day.

When I reached home, I walked inside with a huge hug making me fall on my butt. My mother was on top of me, kissing my face and hugging the air out of me.

“Mom- I can’t breathe!” I gasped.

My mother let go of me, but she grasped my face in her hands. I saw tears running down her face, and she looked terribly worried. I looked behind her, and saw my sister sitting on the couch, chewing on her nails. Sitting next to her, was the one and only Headmaster Ambrose. Now I knew what my mother was worried about.

“Mom, I’m okay! I’m not hurt at all!” I said to her.

“How could you do that to me?” My mother cried. “How could you forbid the Headmaster’s rules and follow him into such danger?”

“Mom!” I gasped as she hugged me again. I looked at the Headmaster questioningly. Did he tell her about Malistaire?

I broke apart from my mother, and walked toward Ambrose as my mother lay sobbing in a large chair.

“Did you tell her, about him?” I asked.

The Headmaster’s eyes twinkled wisely. “I believe you’re the only one whom can say it to her, Mary.”

“What do you mean?” Sabrina frowned. “Who is this ‘him’?”

“Be quiet, Sabrina.” I snapped at her, and she sat back down on her couch. Amazingly, she looked rather bored.

“Your mother trusts you, Mary, more than anybody. It’s safer this way.” Headmaster Ambrose explained.

I knew the Headmaster was wise, so I chose to believe his words. I walked toward my mother and sat by her side. I gulped and took a large amount of air. I put my hand on hers.

“Mom, I saw Malistaire.”

Her head snapped up, but her face wasn’t frightened. It was shocked. She took my shoulders, and put a stranded gold hair behind my ears. “What did he say to you, Mary?”

I was surprised at my mother’s reaction. She would sob over a fairy attacking me, and yet I seeing the most evil man in the world only merely shocked her.

“What do you mean, what did he say?” I asked. How does she know he said something?

“Did he say anything to you, anything to you at all?” My mother asked. This was the moment of truth.

“He only said three words to me.” I answered quietly. “The first one was to stop the Dragons from killing me. They tried attacking me, and he made them stop by yelling ‘Stop!’”

The Headmaster and my mother were listening intently. The Headmaster looked shocked, completely blown away and extremely interested. My mother just looked surprised, with a sign of suspicion. What was going on here?

“What were the two words, Mary?” My mother asked, breathless.

I fumbled with my shirt’s loose string. “We locked eyes. I felt like he was familiar, like I’ve met him before or something, but that would have been impossible… And then he looked away from me, like he was too ashamed to look at me and then he said ‘You’re Alive’.”

My mother closed her eyes, and rubbed her temple. Headmaster Ambrose sat up from his chair, and paced the living room.

“What I don’t understand.” Headmaster Ambrose said quietly. “Is how Mary is still alive? Mary, did he seem relieved at all when he said ‘You’re Alive?’”

I thought back. “Yeah, I guess he did. He didn’t seem angry or anything. He actually almost sounded thrilled.”

My mother’s eyes sprang fresh new tears. She covered her face, and wiped her tears away. She got up slowly, and went towards the staircase. “I’m tired… I think I might go to bed.”

I was surprised. Leave the Headmaster to go to bed? But I did not object. She climbed upstairs, and I heard her shut her bedroom door.

I looked at Sabrina. She didn’t seem at the least interested, so I ordered her to go to bed. She did willingly, as though it was her mother whom was the only barrier between the living room and her bed. It probably was.

I looked up at the Headmaster. “What is happening, Headmaster? Why does this stuff keep happening to me?”

Headmaster Ambrose just shook his head. “I have no idea, Mary, but I swear I will figure it out.”

“I’ve always been normal. I mean, yeah I have to take care of my mother’s emotions sometimes, and yeah my dad left me-“

“Your father left you?” Headmaster Ambrose asked, somewhat surprised.

“Well, yeah. After my sister, Sabrina was born; he didn’t love my mother anymore. You see, he always wanted a boy…”

“What school was your father?”

“What does that have to do with this?” I asked.

“You’re Balance, right?”

“Yeah, even though I don’t know how.” I replied

“Yes, it is strange that you received the magic of Balance, unless your father was either balance or death ..?”

“He was fire.”

“Fire? Do you have any other ancestors or people in your family whom is Balance?” The Headmaster asked.

“No, not that I could think of.” I replied.

“It’s strange, strange indeed.” Headmaster Ambrose stroked his beard.

“What is strange? It was probably a coincidence.”

“No such thing! Coincidences only come from people whom minds are too improbable to face the truth! My dear student, there are beings out here that make these choices…” Headmaster Ambrose exclaimed.

“Beings?” I asked.

“Yes, beings; as in, spirits or things that control the Spiral. I have yet to figure this out, but it should be none of your business for a new scholar like you.”

“Why not?” I asked, irritably.

“You are so new, and you have plenty of other information to hold within your mind these crazy days. And mind you, there may be some publicity in your hands.” Headmaster Ambrose guessed warily.

“Publicity? How? I’m not famous for anything…” However, I knew what he was talking about. I could see it on the newspaper now: Mary Ravengem saves Headmaster from Malistaire Drake!

Drake.

“Well, I think you know the answer to that question, Mary. What happened at

Golem Court

earlier this day was very odd indeed, and it won’t go unnoticed. “

“Headmaster, Malistaire’s last name is Drake, right?” I asked.

“Yes…” Headmaster Ambrose replied suspiciously.

“Headmaster- isn’t the Myth professor’s last name Drake?”

Headmaster Ambrose sighed, and shifted his position. He looked rather sad.

“Is- is Professor Drake related to Malistaire?” I asked.

Headmaster Ambrose cleared his throat. “Cyrus Drake, the Myth professor, is Malistaire’s brother. Of course, he isn’t evil, although he will never be the same again from failing to save his younger brother.”

“He tried to save him?” I asked.

“Yes, it is indeed so. A tragic story, I believe. Nobody knows what drove Malistaire into becoming evil; he has no record of having a terrible life… He loved his job dearly, and yet all a sudden he became what he was.”

I stared at my hands. My school year was going to be horrible. Publicity was going to take over, I knew it. I wished to be normal- just for once! Oh, why did I have to follow the Headmaster? I’m like a cat, curiosity kills me. The worst part is, now Malistaire knows what I look like and knows I’m against him, obviously, I tried to save Ambrose.

“What if Malistaire comes after me?” I blurted out.

Headmaster Ambrose looked at me with kind eyes. “He will not be able to, with so much protection around the city.”

“Protection?”

“Why Mary, I thought you would know if you lived here all your life! Do you ever wonder who keeps monsters away from the city? Who keeps everything bad at bay?”

Well, I never thought of it before. Yes, there were bad people out there who liked to create horrible monsters to attack people. Most of the people do it for jokes, and then retire into doing something else. However, I never really thought of whom or what kept the bad monsters from spreading danger…

Headmaster Ambrose chuckled. “Well, I suppose you should know. Those people who keep good going and deter everything bad are called Questures!”

“Questures?”

“Indeed! Questures fight and protect Wizard City by doing quests from other people, running around carrying messages. In later life, they can become true warriors or great scholars if they have the will.” Headmaster Ambrose explained.

“That’s cool, I guess.” I suggested, quietly. I wouldn’t mind doing stuff for other people, but fighting was just too barbaric for me. I was a healer, even though I was put in Balance.

Headmaster Ambrose sat up from his chair. “It’s about time for me to go. The sun is fading fast, and I must study in my peaceful home. I will see you tomorrow, Mary.”

I wished to know more, but he was the Headmaster. I couldn’t make him stay if he didn’t want to.

“Wait! Headmaster!” I shouted before he stepped out the door. “Do you think friends will like me for who I am, and not what I did?”

          The Headmaster’s eyes sparkled in the entering moonlight. “Yes, and to prove it, you already have one.”

I realized that he was talking about Richard. I suppose he was right.

          I closed and locked the door. I walked over to the window, and peeked out the curtains. Headmaster Ambrose was completely gone. No trace of him, no footprints in the frost.

          I walked upstairs, and ate a small amount of cold soup by myself. The dining room was tiny, with a small window overlooking

Unicorn Way

park. I washed my bowl and spoon with an old sponge in the sink, and placed them back into the cupboards to dry.

          I walked downstairs, and dressed myself in my most comfortable white night gown. It was a very pretty nightgown, with its bows on my sleeves and neckline. I brushed my thick, blonde hair until it was completely straight, and I tucked myself in bed. I placed my hands upon my chest like a princess.

Tonight, I wanted to look and sleep like a princess, because a princess’s life was better than mine.