Half-Breed (Taming the Elements Book 1)

by Hickory Mack

  Chiori couldn’t make herself remind them that she liked to be alone. Their happy chatter was lively and fun, but she missed the quiet. It’s what she was accustomed to. A silent, empty house with no one to talk to but Harry the rooster.

  After breakfast everyone went their separate ways, with Mai following behind Chiori, first to change from her warm hoodie into a t-shirt and then to the art room for a sketch pad and pencil. Mai grabbed a set, too, stating she would keep herself busy so Chiori could concentrate. They brought a low table out to set their pads on without the morning dew ruining them.

  “It didn’t rain last night. Is it difficult to keep storms away?” Chiori asked and Mai smiled brightly.

  “Sometimes, if they’re big ones. The shower last night was a small one though. If I hadn’t soaked the grounds the day before I would have allowed that one to run its course, but Ichio asked me not to let it come. The cucumbers and some of the other plants are sensitive to too much water,” Mai explained, opening the coop door for her. Chiori set them on the porch so they could look the chicks over properly. All four were starting to get tiny feathers on their wings and the girls cooed over them for a while, snuggling the little birds until they complained loudly to be left alone.

  “Do you think it’s safe to put them in the grass for a while?” Chiori asked. “I don’t want to lose any.”

  “You watch two and I’ll watch two, we won’t lose them, they’ll probably stick close together anyway, and they’ll probably love it!” Mai said. The chicks strutted and pecked at grass blades and scratched in the dirt. One caught a small beetle, attracting the attention of the others, but she swallowed it down before they could wrest it away. After a bit they huddled in a fluffy pile and the girls put them back into the temperature-controlled coop.

  “Until they get their feathers they can’t regulate their own body temperature,” Mai told her. They went out and Chiori set about drawing lines, which felt completely pointless to her, she’d rather do anything else, but Moscow was the boss. She started with simple, straight lines, like the coop, or the pillars supporting the roof on the house. When she moved on to more complicated shapes his request made more sense. The scrolling lines of the roof itself were more difficult, trying to make the dimensions and proportions work with what she was actually seeing was frustrating.

  Mai settled herself at Chiori’s side and slowly, demonstratively drew the same lines. No words were needed, and it allowed Chiori to see the movements required to get what she was looking for. She made some adjustments, and it was better, but not quite where she wanted it to be. When she got one she actually liked she turned her attention to a nearby tree.

  She made a childish stick figure of a tree, then bent to the task of following the line of the trunk into the bottom of its first branch. Chiori looked at what she’d drawn, looked at the tree and adjusted her straight trunk some to account for a small burl. When her hand started cramping she stood up to stretch and walk around a bit.

  “Moscow is not going to be impressed,” she mused.

  “He may surprise you,” Mai said.

  “You’re probably right. I shouldn’t even try to guess his reaction,” Chiori replied.

  “Moscow is an interesting guy,” Mai said, smiling. “He’s always been moody, and he didn’t exactly give you the best first class he could have, but he can also be sensitive. I guess you can say he’s still having a hard time adjusting to life here."

  “It seems like a lot of the people I’ve met came here from somewhere else,” Chiori said, thinking of all the stories she’d been told the past couple of days.

  “Yes, some of us happened to be in the right place at the right time to get a place here, but Moscow is one of those who came looking for this house. He joined us when he had to leave his mountains, the humans found oil in the ground under his forest, so they burned it down and he lost his home,” Mai said.

  “Don’t be surprised to get an apology tomorrow. He came to me that night to ask forgiveness. And, maybe he won’t be impressed by your current talent level, but maybe he will be impressed by the effort you’ve put in.

  Nobody knows what to expect from you yet, so the expectations are very low. I’ve heard that both Winry and Ichio were pleasantly surprised.”

  “He lost his home, too,” Chiori was quiet for a long while, thinking of what he must be going through. She could certainly sympathize. “What kind of demon is Moscow? Is he a Dragon?” Chiori asked, thinking of the huge winged beast he’d become. Mai snorted back a laugh.

  “You really need his Demonology class, Lady Chiori,” Mai said. “There are no Dragons, there were only two, and they left the planet, taking the elves with them, centuries ago. They’re the stuff of legend, even the Raksha’s have lost the ability to take Dragon form. Moscow is a wyvern, the closest thing we have to Dragons, I guess.”

  “Why did the Dragons leave?” Chiori asked and Mai looked thoughtful.

  “The stories say they suffered a great loss, and a betrayal. There were prophecies about them that frightened the Earth Mother, so she used up most of the magic on Earth to imprison them, and it changed everything. Mokiko’s decision to drain the Earth of magic gave humans the ability to build their ‘civilization’ and that’s when demons and fae went underground. When the Dragons woke the raven’s betrayal happened, and they left the planet, taking the magic with them.”

  “Apparently the magics we have now, as great as we think they are, they’re nothing compared to the age of the Dragons,” Mai said. “Honestly Ichio or Moscow can tell you more than I can. They’re just legends and stories to me; it’s real to them.”

  “Maybe that will be my question, then. Before lunch in Moscow’s class tomorrow. Crap. Moscow Sensei’s class tomorrow,” Chiori screwed up her face. “Do you think Sen Sensei will be able to notice I haven’t been practicing honorifics?”

  “Not so long as you do so from now on, Lady Chiori Sama,” Mai said with a wink. Chiori picked up her sketch pad, leafed through the four pages she’d used and sighed. Each page was marked up with attempted erasures.

  “I guess I’m done with line drawing for the day,” she said and Mai motioned for her to hand the pad over. Chiori did with a grimace. “Be gentle, I’ve never done this kind of thing before.”

  “You never doodled on the page when bored in class?” Mai looked at each page with a critical eye, flipping back and forth between the first and the last, then handed the pad back to her.

  “It’s not as bad as you think, really. There’s a bit of improvement, see, your lines are cleaner here, less wobble, a bit more confidence. Anything like this takes a lot of time and practice to get better at. You’re not going to create a Rembrandt on your first try. Maybe you should try being a little gentler with yourself, Lady Chiori Sama,” Mai said.

  When they put the supplies back Chiori left her sketch pad on one of the easels so Moscow would be able to find her work easily. She let them back through the barrier and led Mai into the sitting room, walking slowly. Sitting still for so long had made her sore muscles stiff and achy. Chiori did a few stretches, feeling the pull and burn in her muscles. She sat in her favorite chair and picked up the book Ichio had assigned.

  “I’m going to go see who’s around, and get some tea, rosemary is perfect for helping you remember new information,” Mai said, slipping out and leaving Chiori to her book. She carefully untied the leather string and opened it, surprised that it was handwritten on old yellowed papers, in faded black ink. The book was so much older and precious than she had imagined.

  There was a date on the top. Ichio had given her a journal.

  February 12th, 1843.

  I can’t help but feeling like today is the last time I will ever see my sister in the same light. Mary has mated to a bloke from Hill Top and their recognition ceremony is tomorrow. He’s nice enough I guess, but I don’t see him the way she does. She looks at him like he is the air she needs to breathe.

  Mother says it will only get worse a
s their bond strengthens, they’ll be too smitten with each other to be allowed in public for a couple of years. I don’t remember it being this bad with her first bond, but I was a lot younger then. Edmund is taking it well, he’s had Mary to himself all this time, I’m sure having a second man around the house will be a help to him, Mary can be such a diva.

  Chiori’s heart thumped heavily. This must be the journal of a witch.

  Mother also says I should expect a bond to form any time from now until I’m an Elder. I kind of hate the uncertainty of that. It could be anyone, anywhere at any time. We don’t exactly get to choose. Not that I’ve ever seen anyone unhappy with their mate… But that doesn’t make me feel any better. They could be a horrible person, and I’ll accept that about them because they’re bonded to me.

  Chiori wondered if Ichio had read this, and if he had thought about how deeply that passage would hit her. She set the book in her lap, her eyes looking into nothing. Lord Makkai was completely unsuitable for her. He’d literally killed millions of people. And she had no idea how old he was. Not to mention having enough power to scare every demon in the house into submission. She’d accepted all of it and loved him anyway. Tears filled her vision and she moved the journal, so they wouldn’t splash its delicate pages as she continued to read.

  I’m only fourteen! I’m not ready for a love so strong it takes away my interest in anything else for Goddess only knows how long. I know I shouldn’t complain, it happens to everyone eventually, and maybe I’ll get many years before I meet my first mate. I can’t help but wish there were another way. Why can’t we choose who we love?

  If it has to be anyone I wanted it to be Gale. I love him, I think. At least it feels like love, but it doesn’t matter how much time we spend together, or how much we wish it, the bond won’t form. And when one forms with someone else, even if it’s a stranger, it will be like Gale was never important to me, he’ll simply be forgotten. Sometimes I wish I could be selfish and invite Gale to go live with me amongst the unbonded, but I don’t think he’d abandon the coven. He’s the kind that will wait for his bonded, whomever she may be.

  That was the end of the first entry.

  When Yuuki walked in with the tea Chiori was curled up in her chair sobbing into her knees. Yuuki set the tea down and rushed to her side, putting her hand on Chiori’s shoulder. The girl flinched, but Yuuki didn’t pull away.

  “Lady Chiori, are you hurt?” she asked, her words rushed and worried. Chiori shook her head and handed Yuuki the book. Yuuki read the passage and sat on the edge of the chair. “Do you regret bonding with him?” Chiori’s sobbing paused and she shook her head.

  “That makes me a terrible person, doesn’t it? He’s killed so many people, and even though I know it’s wrong, I don’t care,” Chiori cried. “Everything about this place is strange to me, Yuuki. Even though I probably should, I don’t really miss my home at all, not even my dad. But I miss him all the time. I’ve had a crush on a boy before, but it didn’t hurt like this. It’s only been two days and I feel anxious, like I’m going to fall apart at any moment. I’m scared, and overwhelmed, and even when all of you are with me, I’m so lonely!” she yelled the last word.

  Yuuki sighed and slipped into the chair, wrapping Chiori in a tight hug.

  “It isn’t fair to you that all of this is happening when you’re still so young. Unfortunately sometimes life doesn’t care what’s fair, and whether we like it or not, life will never stop to ask us what we want. You don’t have to pretend to be strong about these things. It’s okay to have doubts and fears, the girl that wrote this journal was raised in a way that this was normal, and she still had some of those same worries,” Yuuki said, stroking Chiori’s hair.

  “I think it would be more concerning you if you weren’t thinking about these things. I don’t know if I’ll ever bond with anyone, it’s very rare among my people, but, even though I can see how hard it is on you, I envy you. Your bond is so fresh and new and fragile, but it’s stronger than anything I’ve ever seen before. Focus on getting through every day. When a whole day is too hard, get through the next minute. Then the next. Maybe eventually, you will learn how to cope with this a little easier,” Yuuki soothed.

  Chiori shook her head again and pulled back so she could see Yuuki’s face.

  “He said it will only get harder as our bond gets stronger,” she said. Yuuki frowned.

  “I guess I don’t know about these things, other than the bond working to pull you together. His Lordship is right to keep things this way, for now. You’re too young for what the bond means for you,” she said and Chiori blushed bright red. Yuuki did not comment on it. “I don’t know these things, but, the girl that wrote this journal does. Do you think reading more will be too difficult right now?” Chiori nodded.

  “Tea, then. Let’s have some tea. Mai had suggested rosemary, but, I don’t think you’ll have any trouble remembering,” Yuuki paused. “Does this have anything to do with why you cannot sleep?”

  “No, it’s nothing to do with it. I- I’d rather not talk about it.” Chiori said, wiping her eyes. Yuuki frowned but poured the tea.

  “Would you like to have Airi examine you? I heard Asuka made you sleep, when you first arrived here. You slept for days on end,” Yuuki offered but Chiori looked horrified.

  “No, I don’t want Asuka’s magic for this. She made me sleep but it didn’t stop the dreams. It was a nightmare that lasted for days, and I couldn’t wake up. Please don’t tell her, I don’t want her to feel bad,” Chiori said. Yuuki looked troubled, but she sighed her agreement.

  “Airi's magic is different, and stronger than Asuka's. Something to keep in mind. Is there anything that helps you?”

  “Only the one thing I’m not allowed to have,” Chiori said wistfully, accepting her tea.

  “That makes it difficult,” Yuuki said, pouring her own cup. She tilted her head slightly and looked at Chiori’s potential bond with Kai. It was every bit as charred as it had been the day before. She wondered how it wasn’t hurting the girl, then she almost choked on her tea with another thought. Maybe she wasn’t capable of separating her new pain from her longing for Lord Makkai. Chiori looked at her in alarm, but Yuuki put her hand up. “I’m fine, I swallowed my drink wrong.”

  Chiori studied the contents of her cup before taking another sip.

  “Can I ask, Lady Chiori, are you happy here? Do you feel like this place is your home?” Yuuki asked.

  “This is his home, and I am only here because he wants me to be but I’d rather be wherever he is. I feel like without him, I wouldn’t be welcome. I haven’t been here long, so I also feel like in time, it can be my home, too. Eventually, I will be happy,” Chiori said. “I like you girls very much, you help keep me sane. I already think of you as friends.”

  “That’s a reasonable answer. We are friends. All of us want what’s best for you. Hina and Saya, too, their relationship lines with you have the potential to be strong.” Yuuki tilted her head, listening. “You might want to run over and wash your face. Nakia is bringing Milly.”

  Chiori bolted to her feet, moaned about her muscles and ran through the hall to the bathroom. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy in the mirror. She splashed cold water on her face a few times and rubbed her eyes. They didn’t look any better, but the tear streaks were gone and she felt a little calmer. Nakia and Milly were entering the room when she got back. Chiori flashed Yuuki a grateful smile.

  “Lady Chiori,” Nakia said, dipping her head. Milly did the same.

  “Welcome, I’m so glad you could come. I hope I’m not disrupting your day too much?” Chiori asked anxiously.

  “No my Lady, I will never be too busy for you,” Milly said kindly, looking at her expectantly. Yuuki and Nakia wore equally curious expressions. Chiori cleared her throat.

  “Please, sit down,” she said, taking her favorite chair for herself and waiting to speak until Milly sat across from her. “I have a request, and it may be an odd one but, I hope you’
ll hear me out?”

  “Of course I will, Lady Chiori. Feel free to come to me with any request, any time,” Milly said reassuringly.

  “Lord Makkai and I spent a week out in the forest and while we were out there I realized, I can’t cook. Not even rice,” Chiori said, noticing that Yuuki glanced at Nakia and smiled. “Before, all I had to do was open a can and heat it, there was no actual cooking required. It’s something I want to be able to do. So, I was wondering if you would be willing to give me some lessons? I only really have one free day a week, but, I would rather spend that time doing something productive.”

  Milly’s face broke into a smile that grew wider the longer Chiori spoke.

  “I would be happy to! You can spend as much time in the kitchen as you like, it’s a skill every young person should have,” Milly said warmly. Relief shone on Chiori’s face. “We can start whenever you like.”

  Chiori looked at the journal, sitting on the table next to her and wondered if right that moment would be too soon. Then she realized it would be unkind of her to join the kitchen staff without warning. She had to remember that her association with Lord Makkai made some of them think she was important.

  “I will have every Wednesday free from classes, if that fits into your schedule?” she asked and received a quick agreement from Milly. They agreed on a time and Nakia promised to have Chiori delivered to the kitchens in appropriate attire.

  After Milly left Hina joined them and they taught her a game with tiles. She lost hopelessly twice, but she felt like she was starting to grasp what was going on by the end, and she appreciated that they didn’t let her win. She’d have to work for it. Saya came with sandwiches and peppermint-blackberry lemonade for lunch, the sweet and tart drink a welcome change from the constant tea.

  They enjoyed their sandwiches together, talking for a while, then Chiori brought Saya and Nakia out into the gardens while she read from her plant anatomy book. Nakia quirked an eyebrow at Chiori’s reading choice but said nothing. She read for a while then laid out in the sun, soaking up the warmth and actually managed to take a short nap, getting twenty minutes in before the nightmares started.