Rune

"Jyndrail, 19th of the Month of Dryaster, Morning

Today I turn eighteen, a new milestone in my life, another bend in the road, dad said that I could start thinking about marriage only after I reached this age. Well, I have reached this age, so I am now old enough to be courted right?"

Amrunela looked up from her journal. She was feeling so excited about today, butterflies were in her stomach. Of course, every year she was always excited about her birthday, perhaps because all her family and friends made a big deal of it.

At that moment her seventeen-year-old brother came in, "Amrune! Come on, already!" Caldron snipped.

She grinned at him as he entered, closing her journal. She knew that her brother cared about her, even if he did not always show it properly. He had the same bloodline as their father did and had not learned his way around emotions nearly as well yet. "Alright, coming."

She stood up from her window seat and brushed down her half-tunic. It was red, like her hair, with some silver threaded into it at the bottom in the pattern of vines and leaves. It was one of her favorite outfits, and she loved pairing it with a pair of blue pants and brown boots.

She happily walked beside her brother. When they arrived where the family and their closest friends were gathered, she was caught up in a hug from her mother, "Ah, my little girl is all grown up."

"I would not say she is all grown up, love." Her father smiled at her mother, "She still has room to mature."

"Papa," Amrunela laughed, "I could be seventy and you would still see me as a little child."

"Well, elves-"

"We are human, dear," Her mother shook her head, and then gave a bright smile at him.

"Still, one can always grow."

Amrunela found herself smiling. She would always be her father's little girl. It was the same with every one of her siblings, her father doted on all of them exceedingly. If it was not for her mother, he would have spoiled them rotten.

She glanced around looking for her best friend. Prince Jaekel was sitting with his head in his hands clutching his thick black hair. She frowned and went to check on him. Were his issues acting up again?

"Jaek, you alright?"

"Hmm, yeah, I am good," He looked up at her, his face pale. She looked straight into his colorless pupils, trying to figure out if he was being honest with her. He blinked his innocent looking blue eyes and smiled, "Really I am fine, just my insomnia acting up. Happy Birthday, Rune."

She nodded, Jaekel had always suffered from insomnia – and nightmares. It was due to the circumstances that had happened while he was still in his mother's womb. The scary thing was the nightmares were not real nightmares, but rather visions. Her best friend was a born oracle, and a rather good one. All his dreams always came true – or had already happened.

"No dreams?��

"If I can't sleep than how am I going to have any dreams? Don't worry, Rune, I just need to drink some tea or something to negate the headache." He laughed, making his whole face light up.

Honestly, she could not help but admire him. Despite the fact that he dreamed about terrible things, he never complained, just quietly accepted his lot in life. He had used it to help prevent calamities from being worse by predicting it, even being able to give a general time of it happening – something unusual even for oracles. Despite the gloom that haunted his dreams he was almost always cheerful. Amrunela could not remember him ever snapping at anyone, especially not her.

"Well, then drink some." She patted his cheek in a sisterly fashion.

He nodded, as he stood up to do just that, "Rune…" He looked at her, "You've grown up to be a wonderful, talented person. I can't wait to see what you will manage to accomplish."

She nodded, deciding not to try to figure out if there was anything cryptic about that statement. She really did not have all that many aspirations for grand accomplishments. She really just wanted to fall in love, get married and have children, like her parents. She had always admired the sweet relationship her parents had with each other and longed to someday have such a thing for herself. Well, she would like to have some adventure first but still.

"Aww, little Amrune is already eighteen. How time does fly, seems like only yesterday you were just a teeny mite of a thing."

"Uncle Jayesh!" She turned to look at the king, father of her best friend. She had been calling him uncle long before she understood what the word 'king' meant and just because she now knew did not mean she had to stop. Nor would either he or her Aunt Fayre wish her too.

Her uncle patted her on the head, laughing. "Betcha really don't feel all that different huh?"

"Not really," Admitted the girl, "But I already knew that that would be the case, Jaek told me."

"Ah, yes, he would say something to that effect," There was pride in the king's voice as he spoke of his only son. Jaekel was their only child and as such was their pride and joy.