Anna
Seven Months Later...
I hummed to myself as I turned a page in my book, fingers drumming on the table. Mom should be back, soon. I finished my duties a half hour ago and she shouldn't be so far behind. Well, maybe her leg is bothering her and slowing things down. The cold air really does make the injury act up. Perhaps I can help her with her work, but I know she'll refuse. Oh, well. We'll see.
Like normal, we took shelter working in a tavern for the winter. I was a bit more adamant about having us stay put this cold season due to Mom's leg injury. Nothing was wrong with it, I just didn't like the idea of us moving so often, not to mention the fact that it bothered her more than usual. I begged and pleaded for her to find a place to stay in early November.
The months passed, the New Year came, and the biting frosts of late January were more than unforgiving. However, we were spared from the brunt of the storms in the warm atmosphere of the tavern. Here, I was able to focus more energy on different things like studying, tactics, fundamentals of magic, and even music (the tavern owned a piano).
The door to our room opened, Mom stepping inside. "Gods, I swear, the days get colder and colder," she sighed, shucking off her coat and sitting down on the bed. Strangely enough, she hasn't been wearing her tactician's robe as of late. She never wore it when she worked, but she would always put it on once we were in the privacy of our rooms.
I closed my book, turning to her. "It'll get better, soon. I promise." I smiled. "How's your leg?"
As if on cue, she crossed her injured leg across her lap and began to rub her sore muscles. "It's as fine as it can be. Once this chill settles, it won't bother me as much."
"I'm glad to hear that," I said, fidgeting in my seat. "So...what about work? How did that go today?"
Mom spied the setup chess board on the table and smirked. "Why don't I tell you over a game of chess?"
My heart leaped with excitement. Sure, we played chess all the time, but my eagerness to play never ceased. In fact, it only grew as soon as I started beating her some rounds. "Ok!"
I moved the table so the both of us could sit, adjusting the board so the black pieces were on my side. I'll let her go first. I need her to so I can deploy this new strategy I thought up! She'll never see it coming!
As the game went on, Mom started talking. "I can't believe you're almost eighteen..."
I moved a pawn, listening to her but focusing all my attention on the game. "In eight months, yeah."
"I can barely believe it! I was your age when so many events in my life happened! They still feel like they were yesterday!" she exclaimed, moving her knight to claim a piece.
Dammit. Should've calculated that better. Well, no matter. I can still use my strategy no problem. "What do you mean by that?"
"Well...the loss of my parents and my brother joining the army," she said. "Although, I think I was exactly eighteen when that happened. I can't really remember accurately. Gods, the days and years really get to ya..."
We played in silence for a little bit. Damn! This is a lot harder than I thought! I have to reformulate my strategy! I can't lose any more pieces! Each one is important to this plan!
"Anna, what do you want to make of your life?"
I looked up from the board, raising an eyebrow. "Huh?"
"What purpose do you want to serve? What do you want to be remembered for?" Mom too directed her attention away from the game and onto me.
I swallowed, suddenly feeling uneasy. "Well... I don't really know. I hadn't thought of it that much, to be honest," I replied. "In all honesty, I think I should just live my life the way I want and see what happens. I don't really think I believe in the whole concept of fate; I don't think I have a set in stone path of existence. I mean, I was meant to help resurrect the Fell Dragon, and that obviously was prevented."
"...Wise answer, Little Bird."
About a half hour later, Mom's king had fallen. I smiled. "Checkmate."
"Checkmate indeed." She began to clean up the board. "That was a very impressive strategy you played there, kept it up from the very start, too."
I scratched the back of my head nervously. "Er, actually, not really. I had to change it up about halfway through the game."
Mom gave me a knowing look. "And that's what makes you such an amazing tactician?"
"Wait, what? But my first strategy was a bust! How does that make me a good tactician?"
"It makes you a good tactician because you were able to see that a certain strategy wasn't working early on as to not lose even more pieces," she replied. "A good tactician can realize her mistakes and fix them as quick as possible. You can adapt and change to whatever situation and turn it in your favor. You have an outstanding talent to do that. No doubt."
My heart buzzed with her praise. "Really?"
"Really," she giggled. "Your tactical abilities have truly astounded me over and over, and not just that! Your magic capabilities are evolving swimmingly, your poise in sword-combat has a lot of room to improve but there is nothing wrong with that - Naga knows I'm not the best teacher in that field so I'm really the one at fault. You can hunt and track with ease and your environmental knowledge and cues are phenomenal. I can go on and on about all of your skills, but we would be here for far too long. Just know that I am incredibly proud of you."
I grinned widely, brushing away a tear with my wrist. "Heh, thanks, Mom."
She made to stand up and retrieve a box from the closet. "And...and that's why I'm ready to give you this." She placed the box in my lap. "I wanted to wait until your birthday to give it to you, but I just have this gnawing feeling in my stomach that I should present it to you now."
I swallowed, lifting the top of the box. I covered my mouth as a gasp escaped, more tears threatening to spill from my eyes. "Mom, no. I-I can't-"
"You can and you will." She smiled. "My mother wanted me to pass down this robe to my child so it is rightfully yours."
I pulled the dusty black robe from the box, letting it unfurl in front of me. A light purple line ran across both arms and even decorated the sides and back, the inside of it being the same color. On each arm, three eyes sat in the middle of the lines near the gold cuffed sleeve. That same gold color outlined the whole robe, more prominent on the bottom. On the inside were many cleverly placed pockets to store things. Most were empty, but I noted that a few of them had some objects in them.
I could barely believe it was in my hands. For years, I dreamed of even wearing the thing for just a day. "S-still. This is too much!"
"Anna, please, listen to me." Mom took my face into her hands, making me look up. "You deserve this robe more than anything, trust me. I know you will do amazing things in your life. This robe will serve you better than it will me."
I looked back down at the article of clothing. "B-but what about you?! What are you going to do without a robe?!"
She giggled. "I can easily find another tactician's robe somewhere, my dear. These things aren't a huge rarity." She encouraged me to stand. "Now, put it on. I want to see how well it fits you."
I nodded slowly, hesitantly drawing the robe around me. I already knew how to tie it together and adjust from watching Mom do it many times over, but it still felt foreign to me. Once the robe was on, I turned to look at myself in the mirror, gasping at my reflection.
How everything seemed to fit together just felt...right. The stark contrast of the black robe against my white shirt and pants, the way it appeared to be the same color as my combat skirt, how well it adjusted around my excessive number of belts, my yellow collar folder easily over the dropped hood, and how much power it radiated in combination with my boots.
Mom covered her mouth, tears glittering in her eyes. "Oh, gods... H-how do you feel?"
I was speechless. I gazed at myself in every angle I could, still unresponsive. The new weight was welcoming like it was a second skin. "I-I..."
I clenched my fists, resolve burning within me. Standing straighter and smiling, I said, "I feel like a true tactician, now."
*****
She got the coat now. So some important updates! I have finished writing this story (this isn't the last chapter don't worry) but...Before Awakening will be over next month. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. I'm so freaking shook. So I've done this multiple times in the past but it hasn't really worked, but I want to do a Q&A at the end of this story. All you have to do is comment a question on any chapter (on this one, next week, etc). I will be taking questions until March 12th. I also request that you ask your questions just in this book so I can navigate easier. You can also ask two questions and I'll try to answer and get to them the best I can (although, I won't be absolutely averse to having a big chapter dedicated to answering your questions). Yee. Another thing! This Thursday (February 14th) I will be posting a special Valentine's Day one-shot in My Random Thoughts! If you read The Best is Yet to Come, you'll really want to read this. ;) Anyway! Thank you so much for reading and look forward to reading more!
Also I made a thing
(Not hating on Wattpad. I just made this for giggles. Also I'm salty about the new design. No tea no shade)