Tearha: Deck of Clover

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Birthright, Part One

"Where are they?" Trini Alquin whined and shouted, body shivering from the cold winter night. The dewy tang of dry winter frost sat on the tip of her tongue.

Beside her, Seks wrapped his wing around her in a desperate attempt to stave off the cold. "I'm sure they're on their way. Pempe and Kingston went to find them, after all."

"That's just it! What if Shjacky and Ishumi gets back but the two boys gets lost? Do we send another search party out? And what if it happens again? Do we keep going around in circles until we're dead? Or worst. Hungry?"

"Love, I think you're overreacting."

She bounced in frustration. "I'm freezing! I want to go back to my room!"

Behind them and out the lights of the tunnel they were in, cheers and commotions echoed into the enclosed space. Outside, almost every single citizen of Rubicum along with tourists and travellers who had come from across the world to witness the annual event had gathered. The class, along with a minority of the rest of their year's students were gathered within one of the many tunnels that lead out into the park, awaiting their cue to make the opening ceremony entrance. Along the walls were cryst lamps that flickered with residue of fire magic, bringing both a gentle ember glow to the room as well as a petite provider of heat.

Trini fleeted between the warmth of lamps and company, unable to stand the waiting tension.

Quinton and Joachim approached the couple, the former saying, "Even if they get here, we're not moving out until we get the signal. So you're going to freeze for a while yet, regardless."

"But Shjacky's been our resident fire mage since Pip left," Trini whined. "She could make it warmer here, right? Lua's so stingy, she's not going to use her magic for something like this!"

"Well," Quinton scratched his hair, stumped. "You're not wrong there."

As they spoke, approaching crunches of steps turned their heads deeper down the lamp-lit tunnel. Shjacky, Ishumi, Pempe, and Kingston all approached them casually. Joachim rushed up to Ishumi and the pair quickly signed out their silent conversation.

Quinton asked, "What happened? Where were you two?"

"Sorry," Shjacky apologised with a playfully stuck out tongue. "I was meeting my mother and sort of lost track of the time."

Quinton's tone lowered, and Trini could swear she heard maybe a pinch of gravity. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Shjacky replied with a smile. "We hashed things out. Still, never thought of you as one to worry about me! Oh! I'm practically melting inside!" The girl proceeded to melt into the ground with legs of jelly.

Quinton scoffed. "I'll get back to the front." He turned and walked away, mumbling something along the line of disbelief at his own worry.

Shjacky chuckled. "He's cute when he worries."

Trini ran up and hugged her friend. "Shjacky! It's freezing!"

The former laughed. "There, there. Mistress Loyard has it all figured out."

From under her white coat, Shjacky pulled out her umbrella, opening the canopy over them. With a gentle twirl of a her dextrous fingers and a push of seither, heat emitted from the umbrella top, showering them with the warmth of fire magic.

"Ahhh..." Trini let out in comfort. "That's so much better. I miss Pip."

"Well, Pip's not here, so you'll have to make do with me, sadly."

A cheering roar erupted from outside and the whole class turned towards the blinding exit light, though all they could see was the empty field they were about to step out to.