Meetings

A few hours before Alerian and Eliza returned the shovel Jarvis sat down in his office with Lucy across from his desk.

"Lucy recently something happened that might change how you're taught."

Lucy tilted her head in confusion, "What do you mean mister Jarvis? What happened?"

Jarvis leaned forward, "An old friend of mine recently came to me to talk about you Lucy, and he wants you to go to his school, in exchange that you stay there for a while and he researches your…aura like appendages"

"So, do you want me to go or not…?"

"I'm asking you if you want to go to it or not. His school is one of the most esteemed schools in the kingdoms, but what I worry about is you being a young woman in a field where men use their ignitions for power, I'm just scared he can't help you."

"Mister Jarvis you can trust me. I can handle myself! You're still training me and when I do have to go you would have taught me a lot already about swords and other weapons."

"I just want you safe and protected. I can't be there for you when you're at the school and we'll be miles apart."

"I don't want to leave then. I'll stay"

"I'm not forcing you to stay."

"I know you're going to be lonely when I leave mister Jarvis…and you and mister Silverman are good teachers! I can keep learning from you and him. I don't want to go If you'll be sad."

Jarvis chuckled to himself.

"Who raised you liked this…certainly not me…well… let's go get some treats then huh?"

"Alright! I want cookies!"

They stood up and Lucy followed Jarvis closely.

"Alright, I guess sugar cookies today?"

"Mhm!"

Jarvis patted her head and walked out with her to the local bakery.

After Alerian and Eliza dropped off the shovel, Eliza was forced to go home due to how late it was. As they said their goodbyes Alerian started walking home through the streets, brightly lit with oil lamps. Alerian wished he could walk the streets with Eliza at night, but they lived too far apart. Alerian wished he wasn't living with his family. He knew he wasn't really a part of that family. They looked different and the old man always kept pushing him to do all types of fancy classes. He ditched them of course, but he worries about when the old man will crack down on him.

He walked the streets, the buildings being illuminated with lamps, people leaving the main road to head home for the night. The middle district was always alive even during the night. Wagons were left on the side of the road, carriages were parked, and people closed shops.

Alerian felt a chill as he walked into the higher up district of the capital. It was beautiful, yes, but he felt something sinister about it. As he walked to his family's estate, he noticed a new carriage in front of his fathers. It had a snowflake on it.

He went towards the extravagant home, bigger than most of the homes down the district before, with more than necessary riches in the home.

As we walked into the house, the brightly lit home seemed welcoming at first, but then a slight chill ran down his spine. He knew his father was up to something. Something he wouldn't want, nor care for. He heard chatting, voices he didn't recognize, a deep booming one, and an elegant feminine voice. Not his caretakers. He walked towards them, wanting to get it out of the way.

A family with white hair, well dressed, and class, was sitting down in the living room talking with Alerian's father and mother, while the children there were sitting there bored, but still paying attention. Each of them had white hair and blue eyes. Alerian tapped gently on the wall.

"And here he is now my son Alerian. Come in my boy we were just talking about you!"

Alerian regrettably walked towards the group of people and his parents and finally getting a good look at the family that was in his living room. The man with the booming voice looked well-groomed, never having a tough day in his life, and always on the top, his mustache curved upwards. He assumed he was the father of the children and the woman next to him was their mother. She was wearing a small dress with a long skirt just above the floor. She was chin level with her giant of a husband, but she didn't look gentle. She looked hungry but for what, Alerian did not know. The three daughters sat there, looking right through him, and just wanting to leave. Each of them had white hair. Alerian also just looked through them, as he just wanted to sleep. Alerian's father put his hand on his shoulder.

"This is my son Alerian."

'Not your son…'

"He's the pride of the family"

'I'm not even a part of your bloodline'

The tall man spoke first from the family in that booming voice Alerian found uncomfortable, "This is the boy? He has silver eyes just like the hero of Maynir. How peculiar."

"We believe it to be a sign of good fortune"

"Indeed! Alright then good sir then we have a deal", the man extended his arm out for a handshake.

Alerians father took it with a smile, "Then we'll see it come into reality"

"Indeed. Olivia say goodbye to your future husband"

'…. what did he just say?'

***

Olivia whitewater was the second daughter of the prestigious whitewater family, each family member having done something to influence the world and earn never seen riches. Now however the family has been going through hard times, with some members making terrible business deals losing the family millions, and now her parents dragged her and her sisters to a strange mansion in the capitol. She didn't recognize nor did she care. Not until the conversation switched to the topic of marriage. Then each of them paid attention to what would happen to one of their futures. The youngest, was Lillian, wasn't a candidate as it would take too long for the ceremony to be held. The family didn't want to lose their brightest child to Alerians family, so it was settled on Olivia.

Olivia couldn't believe what she heard. Her future was just robbed from her, right in front of her. May it be for political power, or to get rich quicker, she would not marry someone she never wanted to know or care about. Just as she was about to talk and disagree with her family, something she has never done, there was a tap at the wall.

The boy she would be married to in years' time was there. And he smelled like a commoner.

Her father said something about silver eyes. Like the hero? She thought. The hero was a legend told throughout Maynir, but…

'I refuse to believe someone like him is a hero!'