Ascension of Blood

CHAPTER THIRTEEN - Talk of Past and Plans

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Talk of Past and Plans

Ara was the only one sat in the dining room with his feet kicked up onto the table when Mijora entered. His big black robes swallowed him whole making him look so skinny and small underneath it. A few Other students were sat on the tables for the other classes with their heads in books or quietly chatting but Mijora tried not to pay them any attention.

"You hungry too?" He asked as she arrived.

"Not really, watching people vomit buckets of poisonous mushrooms, really doesn't do it for me." Said Mijora honestly as she dropped onto the bench. Really, her Luck had whispered her into coming early for dinner, telling her that it was important. "I just didn't see the point of going anywhere else since dinner will be soon."

"Smart, smart." Nodded Ara, his arms crossed behind his head and grinning wildly. "Get the best seats of the lot."

Mijora rose an eyebrow. "They're all just seats."

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Of course you'd think that, a Lady and all."

She nearly bit her tongue off trying not to make a sarcastic comment about how ladylike she was. "I'm very new the the rank of Lady, I'll have you know." She said instead.

"Yeah, whatever." Said Ara shaking his head and tutting. "The perfect seat can make all the difference when it comes to food. I once stole a loaf of bread and found a really nice alleyway to hide and eat before the Reevewatch found me, a good dry one with no piss or shit or anything, and it was the best loaf of bread I've ever had. Stole the same loaf a few days later and had to squat in the rain under a broken fabric shelter and eat the bloody soggy bread. Was awful."

"Was that because the bread was wet?" Asked Mijora

"All I know is the first alley was a lot better than the second. Your seat matters Lady Mijora." He said, adding a flourish of his hand in a mock recognition of her fake title.

"You grew up on the streets in Heartmore?" Asked Mijora, already knowing the answer.

"Who's asking?"

Mijora glanced the to rest of the empty table, "it really is a mystery."

He tipped his chin high regardless. "Yeah I did. Orphanage didn't want a Vessel like me among them. Didn't keep to their pretty little image."

Ara wasn't like the rest of the Vessels here at the Academy, Ara was rough and dirty. He was no Lord or merchant son, no blacksmith of the sort.

"I know what you mean."

"You?" he scoffed again, dragging his feet to slam on the bench and moving to sit with a leg either side, looking at her side on. "You don't know anything about it. Your folks died, and your uncle was there to step in. I wasn't wanted by anyone, not even the place where unwanted kids like me live."

Mijora cocked her head at him. He was suddenly so serious, straight backed and hands fisted, he seemed like a completely different person to the relaxed Vessel a few moments ago. "You're right, I have no idea what its like to live off the streets."

Ara opened his mouth to say something back, but before he could another voice interrupted them both. "Parents arent everything." Minka said, joing them. She dropped beside Mijora, elbows on the table and face in her hands. "In fact, I often wished mine were dead."

Ara flinched as if struck. "You're an fool."

Minka shrugged. "My parents have seven other children, not all of them want them dead."