Chapter 2: Five

Chapter 2: Five

After walking through the wealthy part of the city, I got to my dump-of-a-home. I lived in a barracks with my five orphaned children. The four youngest's parents had gone to battle, survived, caught an infectious disease, and ended their lives after they had gotten back home. No one wanted to take them in.

I had asked the orphanage to foster my eldest daughter when I was just a kid. The matron laughed at my face. I still remember the way her finger was flying everywhere and the way she spoke to me, "little elf, how could you raise a five-year-old as a child yourself?"

I remember just standing there, locking my knees, letting her have her say. They were like me. "I want to help them to have a family. I'll be their family. You will do nothing for them, like how you did for me." I liked to think she acknowledged my determination in my eyes and let me have one as my "child" until she became an adult or wanted to go back to the matron. But in all honesty, the matron had too many children in her orphanage to the point that she called us by numbers instead of names. To her, if I take one child, she wouldn't be at any disadvantages. Sharol and I left. My uncle was gone a lot for missions, so we crashed at his home a lot. A few years later he helped me get my first home and when I exhibited my gifts, he recommended me to the academy.

It's been a long eleven years and I grew the family with a demoness and elven triplets. Sharol had barely grown taller than me, but she loves to show that she's taller than me. She didn't want to attend the academy because she already knew what her calling was. Her gift was feeling the emotions of plants. I peeked into her section of the room, wanting her to watch the other children so I could try to prove myself. Only to find myself searching for her, not in her room. I went back downstairs which was divided into two sections by a half wall. That wall separated the kitchen and the living area.

I asked my second eldest daughter Kallie, a twelve-year-old demoness with the deepest blood stain eyes, "Have you seen Sharol?"

She responded quickly, "she was on her matt and told me not to disturb her because she was working."

I kissed my daughter on the nose and said, "Honey, can you put everyone to sleep? I will tuck you guys in soon enough."

She nodded and told everyone to head to bed. I walked out of the house, still hearing my youngest complaining and whining. Before I could even lock the door, I heard a strange shatter coming from inside. I ran back in, seeing my two boys' eyes terrified with fear and the youngest triplet seeing her eyes filled with fascination. I was between the triplets and Kallie. I turned around and noticed her directing her siblings toward the upstairs. Kallie's eyes showed panic, but her lips were flat with irritation.

I took one step towards her every few seconds, "Kallie, honey, it's time to calm your body." I glanced behind me and waved my hands toward the upstairs, "guys, please go to your beds. I will check on you in a bit. Let's keep this a secret for right now."

They listened. It was just me and Kallie now.

Crying out, "Sapphire, what is this? I am a freak, oh my god, I am!" She looked at me in so much pain, like I had kept a massive secret from her, her entire life.

"Honey, there is nothing wrong with having a gift. I have one. Sharol even has one." I tried to give as much reassurance as I could.

"But I don't want it! We all had a plan of what we are going to do to get out of this hellhole. And mine did not include being forced to attend the academy." She had her hands covering her face.

I glared at her, "you are not going to be forced to attend. The academy is there for you to be able to control your…"

She cut me off, "freak of nature superpower. I'm scary with red eyes. I almost killed my siblings; instead, I burned the glasses to the point it shattered." She started to get angry, and you could tell that her power was based on her emotion. The curtain started burning and the window darken. Her face froze in fear, "I can't control this. I'm scared."

We both heard the door open.

Kallie thought it was the guardians, which led to the stove's fire turning on and I heard the window crack. I didn't know how to calm her down quickly.

Sharol walked in and frankly said, "lucky you."

I sighed and gave her a quick glare. "Sharol, can you please grab a cup of tea for your sister."

Kallie took it and sat down.

"Kallie, nothing is wrong. This is completely normal."

She nodded.

"This is completely normal. You're such a bright girl. I know you love your family. I know you wouldn't do anything to harm them. And I'm sure you know that too. From what I can see, your gift is linked to your emotion. That means freaking out would lead to this complication." I paused and thought about how to bring up the next conversation. "The academy is there to help transition you to the city and help the Myriads. You are right. Typically, people in our status are forced to attend, have terrible professors, and never graduate because of the endless cycle. But did you forget, your mom graduated today. I had beaten that cycle." There was just so much I wanted to say, especially now right before I plan to leave. "I know this was not part of the plan. I do. I know joining an Order was not a part of the plan either. The Order is definitely easier and helpful for the transition. And when I come back -."

"What do you mean? Are you leaving?" They both asked simultaneously.

"I know that this is very difficult and inconvenient, but I plan on joining the draft tomorrow morning. Kallie, I would like you to go to the academy."

She fought back, "Sharol didn't have to go."

Sharol sat down and smirk. I rolled my eyes at her.

Kallie continued her anger, "I don't deserve this. I'm a scary demon and the only time you see demons in this city in our districts, the few traveling high demons in the Orders, or in the forces. Mom, I will only be one of the few at the academy."

I sighed and sat her next to her older sister, given her more tea to calm her, at least it will help for a second. I can hear the tingling in the kitchen.

"Kallie. Out of all of you guys, you must know why I understand what you mean. Sharol didn't have to go to the academy because she didn't have an active gift. Yours need to be self-controlled. You're a very impulsive girl. You wear your heart on your sleeve. That is beautiful, it's commendable. It's one of the many great things about you. Even with your gift, it's still not a problem. But I believe the academy will help you regulate your feelings."

She sipped on her drink and started I started talking to them both.

"I know that this is different. I know it's going to be hard too. Sharol, I need you to watch over your siblings and I would also like you to be home more. There is enough money for the academy for all of you if you chose to apply, house repairs, and things that might be fun. There's more than enough."

Sharol stopped me, "we don't have money. We are barely getting by."

I went into a jar that looked like it contained worms for my potions I made for merchandise, but after I dropped the jar onto the floor, a mass amount of currency was laying around. "I've been saving this for a while. A quarter of my earnings from my side jobs, Sharol's floral shop, my academy duties, and now my commencement earnings. Sharol, I need you to watch over the triplets. I don't know if they will get gifts, let alone while I'm gone, but please protect our family."

Kallie kept her head done and sipped her drink, "why are you going?"

"I want to help as much as I can."

Her eyes fell to the ground, "but it's too soon."

"I'm sorry. Everything will be just fine, I promise. Now go get some rest Kallie," I sweetly spoke.

She kissed me four times, the last one for good luck. It was something I used to do to them when they were smaller. Sharol stood up and gave her a tight hug. She walked away, holding her hands tightly against her chest and murmured, "control it. Mother says I will be okay." Sharol and I yelled goodnight.

As soon as Kallie was out of my sight, I threw my arm at my first daughter. Sharol flew onto the couch, "really I had thought we were done with using powers inside the house."

I looked at her in disbelief and put my face in my palms, "where were you Sharol? Why were you not in the house? Normally at this time, you're with all of them. I know that this was unexpected." I sat down with her, "I'm sorry. You're right. No powers inside the house. I'm lashing out on you. That's not what I want to do."

She responded, "I know. It didn't hurt anyways."

Cleaning up the table in front of us, I spoke again, "if you don't want to watch them, I can ask either our neighbor or the matron to watch all of you.

She threw her hands up in a defense, "okay mom," with the pronunciation on mom, "Sapphire, I get it. It's a deal. I will watch them. But you need to make sure that you will be safe. Oh, and to answer your question I was at the shop. A couple bought some herbs, and they could not pick it up till sunset."

I nodded, "Okay, I need to clean and pack."

"Why are you really going?" Sharol grabbed my arm before I walked away.

Rubbing my temples, I had to take deeper breathes, "I feel that I need to. Maybe it was from seeing Queen Usha. Maybe seeing her in person gave me inspiration. Uncle Theo believes that I should stay home and watch the kids."

I looked at the window and made a mental note to put a new curtain up before I go.

"Don't get me wrong. I love every single one of you. You are my children. But, I think I amount to more than just being in homecare. My gifts can be used to help. I'm not trying to make a huge contribution. Our wing needs everyone we can join, and that includes me, regardless if I'm a female."

She lifted her fist in the air and yelled lightly, "rebel for social injustice."

We both chuckled and she finished her sister's drink, "I understand what you mean though Sapp. Before you leave make sure to say goodbye to the triplets. We all need the goodbyes."

She started walking away, waved behind her, "goodnight Sapp. I'll put the others to sleep"

Sharol was not one to call me mother, unless she wanted to display any form of attitude. Our age gap isn't too big, and we both thought it was kind of weird. The problem was I raised her as my child, but as we grew older, she became similar to a best friend. Kallie and the triplets, on the other hand, called me mom with ease. I think it had something to do with the lack of familial memories.