To be decided

Chapter 1 Part 1: Good Morning

Arya, Arya

Mom, Dad is that you?

Arya, you didn't look for me

I-I tried, But they wouldn't let me. I miss you both so much!

You're a failure, you could have found your mother, could have saved me, but you didn't.

I tried! I swear I tried!

You are worthless Arya, worthless!

"Arya, Arya, ARYA!"

"Huh!" I woke up with a start to find none other than Melanie Lancastor hovering over my head, inspecting my face with her worried light blue eyes.

"Hey, it's just me. Was it another nightmare?" Melanie asked with worry laced into her voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine though," I say, sitting up in my bed and forcing her to stand upright next to me. "Wait where's-"

"Hey Arya! Hey Mel!"

Ah, there he is.

"Don't call me that Eli" Melanie says, even though we all know how much she loves that nickname. I smile immediately, quickly forgetting the oh-so-lovely nightmare I had just had.

Melanie and Eli are my best friends, and they always come over to my house in the mornings. And nights. And basically any other time I could ever be committing the crime of being without them for more than five minutes. I'm almost never alone and for that I'm grateful. I'd go crazy without them.

"So, what's for breakfast?" I ask to no one in particular, stretching to try and shake off my tiredness while then pulling my bed covers off.

"I have no idea, it's Eli's turn. Let's hope he doesn't burn it."

"That was one time!" Eli yelled, while Melanie rolled her eyes and started walking towards my open bedroom door. She must have been coming to tell me they were here when she saw me. She knows I don't like to leave doors open. I hope I didn't say anything in my sleep. She already worries enough about everything.

"Now go get changed, we have a big day today," Melanie says softly, waking me from my thoughts.

"Don't we always" I replied, pulling myself from the warmth and comfort of my bed.

And nightmares.

Good point.

I get up from my bed to show Melanie I'm not going to fall asleep as soon as she's gone and to try and put the nightmare out of my head.

Melanie walks to my bedroom door with a smile and shuts it.

I go to the only drawer in my room and grab my clothes. My room is pretty decently sized, considering the fact that I own almost nothing clothing wise. And everything else wise. What can I say, it does not take much to entertain me. Aside from my bed and drawer I have a nightstand, closet and mirror, the mirror is on top of the drawer though so I don't know if that qualifies as one object or two. Whatever. I quickly change into my usual attire, a red tank top, black pants, and a brown jacket with a hood. I grab my black combat boots from the side of my closet and put my hair up in a ponytail. A few of my dark red hairs refuse to stay in the ponytail and shine on my tan skin, but I was used to it by now. My mother used to tell me my hair was as wild as I was.

My mother. I miss her.

Right before leaving my room for breakfast, I notice my locket is on top of my shirt. My parents gave it to me, so that I'd always have a part of them with me. I've never told anyone about it, not even Mel and Eli. It's not exactly something I want to share. Not yet anyways.

What is it about today that is making me so damn sentimental? Stupid dreams.

Can't have that showing, I think to myself, tucking my locket under my shirt. Stopping before I get too sentimental, I leave my room shutting the door quietly behind me.

"Hmm smells good" I say,walking into the kitchen and brushing off any bad feelings I have before someone notices.

"Good morning sleepy head, I'm glad someone appreciates my
cooking skills" Eli says pointedly from my kitchen stove.

"It was a joke Eli, a joke," Melanie sighs. She's sitting on one of three stools all in a line right in front of the stove Eli is cooking at. I sit down on the stool next to Melanie, the one in the middle. Eli gives me my usual plate of scrambled eggs and Melanie a plate of sunny side up eggs. Before I start eating I ask Melanie about our schedule for the day.

"We start with breakfast" she says putting a forkful of eggs in her mouth and reaching into her bag for the schedule. This was received by a massive eye roll from me and a sarcastic "Ha" from Eli.

"Obviously Mel" I smirked. "Do you need a check up?"

For all her mother-like behaviors and seemingly impossible bravery, Melanie Lancastor is, and always has been, terrified of doctors. Ironic given our situation. She can tend to herself just fine, and even lets Eli and I help, but if it's a doctor she runs like a child. Even with a broken foot.

"Don't call me Mel" she says, narrowing her eyes at me and knowing full well what was meant by my comment.

"Now do you wanna hear the schedule or not" she asks us, knowing that she's the only one who ever bothers to look at our carefully planned out schedules.

"Fine, fine, keep going" Eli replies, sitting down next to me with a wink and his own plate of eggs.

Mel continued, "After breakfast we have five minutes to "get ready" and go to the Training

Center. We're already dressed so that shouldn't be an issue." She makes a show of looking Eli and I up and down to make sure we're wearing our regulation clothing. Or close to it anyway.

"We're teaching the thirteen to eighteen year olds today." Mel winces slightly looking up from her paper to me for my response.

"Joy" I say, full of the same sarcasm I have almost everyday now.

"It's not that bad" Eli says, trying to lighten the mood.

"Speak for yourself, you don't have to try and gain the respect of people two years older than you with three times the ego and half the power, daily."

We all knew I was right.

"Okay, okay, you win." Eli mumbles, making a show to raise his hands up in surrender. I smile. He knows my moods all too well.

Melanie continued, "We are teaching them all day, just in stages. From morning to lunch we are teaching basic fighting and defensive techniques. After lunch we are teaching them basic magic forms till around three o'clock. Last but not least we're teaching them how to combine magic and fighting techniques effectively in a battle and for self defense. That's it. The rest is useless notes and some rules" Melanie concluded her daily read aloud of our schedule. Eli and I clapped as she bowed, secretly grateful that we didn't need to get schedules.

"Is it a new batch?" I ask Mel, taking bites of food to avoid looking at her face.

"Yeah, it is, sorry Arya, you're gonna have to teach them to respect you" She replies with a small smile.

"Well then, I look forward to kicking their asses" I say, finishing up my eggs and smiling. No matter how much I try to hide they both know that I love the practice, even if I never lose.

We all started giggling. This is how it usually went when we had a new "batch" of people. I am sixteen years old and very powerful for my age. I'd have to be in order to claim the title of youngest instructor ever documented in our camps. As a result of my age and seemingly weak form, people don't automatically respect me. Sometimes people decide that it's a good idea to challenge my authority by fighting me, and every time I win. Plain and simple. You'd think they'd learn, but somehow they never do. No matter how much I try to hide it though, Mel and Eli know I love the practice. I always have fun, I can't help it.

End of Chapter 1 Part 1