A Happy Day (2)

Kayla laid back on the bed, watching Kate continue to rip her entire wardrobe apart trying to find what she termed 'the perfect outfit'. She wished that she could be this excited and enthusiastic about the ceremony just like everyone else was, but she couldn't.

For every other witch in the city, the quarterly ceremony of the witches and werewolves held at the end of every quarter of the year, was the most exciting part of every year.

Every witch girl looked forward to the meeting with joy and high hopes. It was the time of the year when they could get the opportunity to be together in the same room as all the 'hot looking werewolves' within and around town. They looked forward to it with anticipation and preparation, like fairytale maidens preparing for a Royal ball.

Kate in particular was extremely obsessed with this time of the year, and every year she did her best to make sure she looked better than the previous year. She was obsessed with the young werewolves and was determined to have a fling with at least one, or that was what she believed and told herself. Because over the years, she had been approached by several male wolves wanting something even more than a fling with her. But Kate had turned them all down. She had her eyes out for only one wolf in particular. A seemingly unattainable one for the matter. It was the younger brother of the Alpha of the wolf pack, Carlos.

Kate had always had her eyes on Carlos from the very moment she set her eyes on him, and over time, this had slowly developed into a crush and then a full blown obsession. But the young wolf never seemed to notice her at all. Yet, every year, Kate dressed her best to the ceremony. Believing, hopeful that one day Carlos would see her. If that day ever came, she wanted to be looking her best. And even though it never happened, she never allowed Carlos's lack of interest in her to stop her from enjoying the ceremony just like every other witch girl. Nor did it stop her from reveling in the attention she received from the other young wolves at the ceremony, even if she had no plans of ever accepting it.

As for Kayla, the feeling was different. The quarterly ceremony of the witches and werewolves was the worst time of the year for her in every year. She did not look forward to it in anticipation like every other girl did. In fact, if she had her way, she would stop attending the ceremony all together. But then, it was obligatory for every witch within the city to attend, whether or not they possessed any gifts or powers. As long as you were born a member of the witch tribe, under the command of the high priestess and once you came of age, you had to be in attendance.

When she was younger, Kayla had been eager and desperate like every other girl who could not wait to come of age so that they could start attending the meeting. She was curious, especially with the way her elder sister always talked about the ceremony and everything Kate had told her was possible at the ceremony ground.

Kayla didn't care about all of Kate's endless yapping about hot werewolves. What she cared about was the communion of the witches. Kate had also told her about how the witches displayed their crafts without restraint throughout the night, and this was the part that Kayla had looked forward to the most, as a little girl.

Living among the humans, the tribe had to hide their real identity, their magic and their crafts, so that the ordinary people would never know who they were. Thus, the witches did not get to wield their powers freely, even though some of them did make a living out of their crafts. Like Kate. Kate ran a small shop in the city, where she sold charmed bracelets, amulets, scented candles and other spells. A lot of other witches around the city ran these kind of business too, in the guise of healing centers and so on. Their wares and services were highly potent, and a lot of people patronized them. But even their most loyal customers had no idea who they truly were. They often thought of them as was just another modern day healers or craftsmen, who learned the art through books and study. Not knowing that they had an ancient tribe of witches, living among. A tribe which had been on the land long before the modern city emerged.

But it was the tribe code to remain unseen and unknown among the people. Thus, the witches were not allowed to display their powers freely.

It was for this reason that Kayla looked forward to attending the quarterly ceremony, so that she could watch her people display their full abilities, and she too could do the same.

But Kayla's nightmare came when she turned twelve, and still could not wield any spells.

"Do not worry." Her mother had comforted her. "Sometimes, it may take a little while to reach your potentials."

And Kayla had been hopeful. But as time went by, and nothing improved, Kayla got a little restless and desperate. When she turned sixteen, she went over to Mama Karla for intensive trainings. But no matter what she did, there was no improvement. Even when she turned to the modern ways of learning the craft, Kayla could not succeed in brewing a potent spell. A mere mortal would brew one with proper guidance and appropriate ingredients. But there she was, born a witch, from the line of some of the greatest witches in the tribe, and she could not brew a single spell.

Kayla felt defeated, discouraged and forsaken. It was as if their ancestors had turned their backs on her. And worse of all, she was the first witch in her tribe who didn't poses any powers.

So when Kayla finally came of age to attend the ceremony, she didn't want to anymore. The ceremony was more of torment than celebration to her.

Kayla would sit through the night, watching other witches show their crafts. Older and even younger witches, all of them. It was pure torment. But she could not avoid the ceremony, every witch was obligated to be in attendance. Not that she was feeling much of a witch though.

Tonight was going to be like every other night since she started attending the ceremony. Another night of torment. Sitting through the night, watching every other witch be a witch, while she would sit there looking like an ordinary person who mistakenly found their way into the arena.

Kayla was still lost in her deep, dark thoughts when she heard Kate call her name.

"Kayla!"

She looked up. Kate was standing over her. Her clear blue eyes fixed on Kayla as if she was trying to read into her soul.

"Where did your mind wander off to?" Kate asked.

"Nowhere. I was just thinking." Kayla shrugged.

"Thinking? About what?" Kate asked.

"Nothing." Kayla shrugged again, but her older sister was not having it. "I'm serious, it's nothing." Kayla assured her.

"It can not be about the ceremony. You have never been particularly excited about it, so I don't think you would be thinking about it so deeply." Kate said, still looking at her sister thoughtfully.

"I'm telling you the truth. It's nothing serious." Kayla reassured her.

"Fine." Kate said. She still didn't believe Kayla, but she wasn't ready to keep pressing her for an answer she clearly didn't want to give. "So, I was asking. What do you think about this outfit?" Kate asked, turning around so Kayla could assess the dress she had put on.

Kayla watched absent mindedly at first, as Kate turned around and the skirt of the gown swirled in the turn. Then suddenly, Kayla realized. She looked up at the mirror, the clothes that had been hanging there were gone. It was one of the new clothes Kate had bought a few days back. The same clothes Kayla had suggested that she choose from, but she had turned it down, saying that she had tried them all on already and that she didn't like any. Kate was now wearing one of them. A long flowing ivory gown, with gold pleats around the hems, waist and sleek arms.

Kate was spinning around happily, like a little child who had just discovered her favorite new toy at the foot of a Christmas tree.

Kayla turned her nose up at Kate, but she wasn't in the mood to get into an altercation with her, so she ignored the voice in her head that urged her to point out to Kate that she was wearing the same gown which she had suggested earlier.

"It is perfect." Kayla answered simply.

Kate giggled happily.

"I know right?" She said. "It is perfect." She repeated as she glided towards the mirror.