There is a whole world Azora has yet to discover. That is our world.
The times have changed, humans have changed and somewhere along the way, they forgot about the magical races, forcing them to go into hiding.
Azora comes from one of those hidden r...
"It's better without the vest," she stated when she noticed me looking at her and took the aforementioned piece off. After checking her reflection in the mirror again, she continued, "Are you hungry? I know I am. Shall we go to breakfast together?"
"Okay," I managed to say before Opal continued what seemed to be a monologue rather than a conversation.
"It might be chilly without the vest. I should wear it, just in case." She put it on again. "Let's go," she added.
Soon enough, we were on our way. Opal, with dark and curly hair twined in a messy braid lead the way and I followed. My hair was dark blonde now. That's what it said on the dye box. They said I should dye my hair because it had a nasty habit of turning greenish when it got wet.
While Opal's honey brown eyes observed the world around her with curiosity, her full lips curled into a smile, making her cheeks seem chubbier than they really were. My eyes were gray with hints of blue around the edges of the irises. That morning they refused to look up. There was no smile on my small puffy lips either.
At the end of the hallway, French doors led us into the dining room. Most of the tables were already taken. Silent whispers once again accompanied my arrival, but Opal seemed to be completely indifferent. She stuffed her tray with bagels, jams in tiny containers, vanilla pudding, and a glass of chocolate milk. I followed her example. I didn't really care for those items, we didn't have them where I used to live, but if I was to live among humans, I had to adjust my taste.
We sat at the table next to a window so we could see the flower beds outside. Autumn flowers were in full bloom. Thanks to my new parents, I already knew the names of most of the flowers. They were planted in our garden as well.
I recognized the purple alyssum. It formed a lush carpet that covered the ground, with colorful pansies that were peeking out here and there. In the back of the flower beds, taller plants had been planted. Chrysanthemums and dahlias displayed all of their beauty in so many color variations. And the crown of this color explosion were the rose bushes full of fragrant flowers. I thought they were breathtaking. Opal did not seem impressed.
Just as I took the first bite of my bagel, our roommate walked in. She wore a flowy green dress, her hair was light blonde, straight and shiny. It reminded me of still water just after sunrise when reflections of light made it seem sparkling. Accompanied by three other girls who resembled her a lot, she demanded attention.
What surprised me the most was the fact that no one seemed to take interest in them. I hoped that soon enough, that would be the case with me as well.
"She really is beautiful," Opal chattered while smearing jam on her bagel. "But then, what can you expect from a girl like her? I mean, she definitely has elvish blood in her veins, that one. And her friends as well. But, if you ask me, she's a little stuck up. She barely said a word to me in the morning when I woke up. And I did try to be friendly with her. I mean, what's up with the attitude? She could at least try to be polite. No need for rudeness. Am I right?"
"I guess so," I said, wondering how she could even get the chance to say a full sentence next to a very loquacious Opal.
Elvish blood, I thought. I read about them, but with the exception of my surgeon, I never met another elf. And now I got to share a room with one of them. And with Opal. Yes, they were definitely worlds apart.
Opal ate like she talked, fast.
"Are you really a dwarf?" I asked her while she was still busy chewing, not knowing if such a question was even appropriate.
"Yes, I am. And a proud one, too. I come from a long line of Tophill clan." Her hand slowly moved through the air in front of our faces. "Ironic, I know. No dwarf would willingly depart on a journey to the top of any hill. They would rather dig to the heart of it. Anyway, we've been living among humans since the middle of the nineteenth century. Well, my ancestors did. I don't know how much you know about dwarves, but we don't actually live for centuries.
"I used to live up north with my parents, but my father got a job in a mining company. He thinks they have discovered an unknown gold vein. He thinks there might be gemstones too, but you didn't hear it from me. So, we moved here. He, my mother and I. I have a brother, too. Only he did not come with us. He stayed up north. He has a fiancé there. The wedding will take place next year." She paused for a moment before asking, "What was your question, again?"
"I asked if you were really a dwarf."
"Oh, then, I guess I answered you, didn't I?" she said and took a large bite of her bagel.
"Yes, you answered me," I replied and turned my focus on opening the pudding cup in order to hide my smile.
The headmaster made the right choice when he made us roommates. I felt very comfortable in her company. So comfortable that I said, "If you have any questions about my former home, I'll be happy to answer them."
She gave it some thought before she replied, "No, no questions. I'm not a big fan of the underwater life. It's got nothing to do with you. It's just that dwarves don't like diving. All that water around you..." She shivered. "Besides, in my old school, we had a fish tank with little fish inside. Those things just swam around. All day. Every day. There's no fun in that."
She was wrong. She was so wrong, but I didn't want to start an argument with the only friend I've made, so I gave it a rest. There will be other opportunities to disprove her.
"I like it here," Opal continued. "The school up north wasn't so grand. There are much more stone features here. I like stone. Even if it's not the precious kind."
"Was it a normal school? The one up north?" I asked while my gaze wandered to the other students in the dining room.
"Normal school? Oh, you mean normal as in human school?"
I nodded.
"Then no, it wasn't a normal school. It was for the likes of us. But in that school, the dwarves outnumbered other races. We had elves there, too," she said, lowering her voice. "For some reason, I never befriended them." Adding volume to her voice again, she changed the topic. "How come you were home-schooled before you came here?" she asked.
"Well, just last year I underwent the surgeries that ultimately allowed me to come live on land, so this is the first time I've ever been to any school."
Before Opal could ask anything else, the dining room door opened. Sitting at opposite table, we had an unobstructed view of the woman I saw the day before as she entered.
"Who is she?" I whispered so that only Opal could hear me.
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Thank you for taking the time to read the first two chapters of my story.
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