THE ELEMENTAL CHRONICLE

Thirteen |

Thirteen |

            Another day of trying to grow flowers from my hand and another day of failing. I just simply did not understand. I could not envision it nor understand it. Energy this and energy that—it was all lost on me. Not to mention Orris practically drowning me in his own pile of flowers did not help. I spat out a petal before glaring at him.

"How is this supposed to help me?" I demanded.

He shrugged, "It's not. I'm bored."

"Then be bored elsewhere! I have my objective, you don't need to be here."

The man paused for a moment, "I can't just leave you. No matter how useless you are. Honestly, it's an embarrassment to call yourself a royal. How do you expect to control gem altercation when you cannot even grow plants on command?"

"Maybe I'm not at fault but my teacher is."

"I have trained hundreds of men," he chuckled as if I told a joke, "I assure you, the problem does not lay within me. You are simply useless."

"Stop calling me that!" I snapped, my eyes burning, "It's hurtful."

"Your brother murdered a King, I could call you a lot worse."

"Well don't. I'm not my brother!"

"No, your brother could create ice out of energy. That's beyond your abilities."

This was not helping me and I was only becoming more and more bitter. I did not wish to be like Fionn, and I certainly did not wish to be like Orris. I was trying to learn but it simply wasn't happening for me. Defeat weighed on my shoulders and it shattered my heart. How could I learn something that seemed not destined for me? I couldn't grow flowers, how was I to help the fae?

Perhaps I was silly to think I could be the cause of great change.

Peace maker of lands, I could laugh at myself.

"I'll return to my room," I muttered softly, standing up.

His brow rose, "That's it then? You're giving up?"

"What else is there to do? I can't do it."

"Pathetic," he hissed.

I spun to face him, anger warming my body, "Yes, yes. I know! The pathetic girl from the pathetic village who can't do anything right! I know just what you think of me Orris Thistle! I am well aware but you are wrong. I do not need to burn myself out to learn a new skill. I do not need to punish myself nor harm myself for the sake of betterment. That is not learning, that is self sabotage. Think of me as spoiled, that is fine but I know who I am and I know what I am and that is good enough for me. I cannot grow flowers from my hand today but eventually I will. It is a skill I will understand eventually, but I have already proven that following order does not work for me. I shall learn at my own pace."

His eyes narrowed, "Then what will you learn instead?"

"I don't know," I sighed, "Perhaps gem altercation. At the moment my powers come from emotions. I cannot change that. I am an emotional person."

For a long moment he was quiet. I simply dropped my gaze down to the floor and watched as a gentle breeze blow through his pile of flowers. Then he sighed deeply as he stared at me long and hard. My brow arched. I did not trust his gaze one bit.

"Come," he then said before leaving the room.

I followed after him, "Where are we going?"

"A new location for your training."