Magi: Jaeyria Lightwood

Prequel #1

Jaeyria sighed as she ran towards Eiridan. That boy was forever getting into trouble. Never mind that he was seventeen, quite old enough to avoid causing these kinds of problems. Granted, she got into a fair share of her own messes at nineteen, but that didn't excuse his. Hers started due to her pugnacious nature, or, well, whatever attitude of the day she chose to assume. It was rare that the other Magi liked any of her masks. Apparently, no matter which she chose, she was annoying. That was fine with her.

But Eiridan? He had no excuse. Well, she supposed his kind-heartedness was kind of an excuse, but it wasn't really. He needed to stop ignoring the constant taunts, bullying, and cruelty. If he knocked a few of his tormentors around a bit, he wouldn't be picked on.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" She plowed into the first boy in the ring of laughing people.

He tumbled to the ground, and she landed on top of him. Straddling him, she slammed a fist into his nose. The rest of the Magi in the circle went quiet and turned to look at her when the boy beneath her yelled. Sure, I yell and they ignore me. He yells, and everyone turns to see what's wrong.

Getting off the moaning, bloody nosed boy, she smiled at the gawking crowd. "Eiridan, how many times do I have to tell you to hit back?" She marched into the pliant group of boys and girls, grabbed Eiridan's arm and towed him off. "Seriously, quit letting them throw things at you, yell, and beat you up."

"I don't want to hurt them. That never accomplishes anything," Eiridan protested, his voice deep and lilting.

Jaeyria sighed. "Did hitting that boy accomplish my purpose?" she asked.

He shrugged. "I guess, but now I have to go fix..."

She cut him off. "Absolutely not!"

"Why are you being so bossy today?" Eiridan questioned, pulling his arm out of her grip.

She crossed her arms and stopped walking, eyeing him with a soft smile. Her anger dissipated as he gave her his signature, boyish grin. "I'm always bossy, Eiridan. People just don't know that because I don't let them unless I feel like it."

"You should stop wearing so many masks," Eiridan sighed, grabbing her hand.

She looked down at their intertwined fingers, laughing. "I don't wear them around you. The others don't need to know who I really am. It'll just get me and everyone involved hurt."

"You're not protecting them or yourself, Jaeyria. You're just doing more harm. The real you is actually likeable. The masks..." He shrugged. "Not so much."

"You know, those masks are a big part of who I am," she said, pulling her hand out of his and jabbing her pointer finger at his chest. "Are you implying you don't like me?" She knew he'd say that he wasn't, but she hoped he wasn't really implying it. She needed Eiridan. He was perhaps the only person or thing she did need.

"That's not what I'm implying, Jae. You know that." Eiridan grabbed her wrist and tugged her toward her hut, which was on the outskirts of the hidden encampment. "You need to loosen up a bit. How about a game of cards?"

She sighed. "Fine. But I'm asking you - asking nicely, mind you - to please quit allowing them to bully you. All it takes is just one time that you stand up for yourself and crush on of them. They won't bother you after that."

"No!" Eiridan was vehement. "No. I won't hurt another human being if they aren't going to kill me."

"Sometimes I wonder if that's their intent," Jaeyria muttered.

"You shouldn't talk like that. They don't want us dead." He pushed the driftwood door open and let her go in.

Jaeyria plopped down in a chair and stared blankly at the table-top. "Sometimes I wonder. The both of us are practically pariahs, even if it is for different reasons. Why do they hate you so much, anyway? It isn't like you've ever done anything besides show them kindness. More of it than you should, I might add."

"Someone has to be nice to them. Haven't you noticed that most of the other Magi are kind of distant? I mean, they're close to various people and don't like others, but they don't show any real kindness to people who aren't inside their circle of family or close friends."

"No," she drawled, putting her feet up on the worn out table she'd built the first year they were here. "I hadn't noticed that at all... I tend to draw their fire no matter what, in case you hadn't noticed, Eiri."

He shrugged and sat in the chair across from her. Biting his lip, he watched her in silence for a long moment. Then he said, "They don't like me because... Because..."

She raised a brow, smirking. "Because?" Leaning forward, she rested her chin in her hands. "Eiri there's really nothing to dislike about you. You're kind to a fault, care about everyone, and have never, ever done a thing to them. They're just jerks."

"Not everyone's mean to me, Jae. Just some of them. Others just don't know what to do, so they watch."

"That's still wrong." Jaeyria glared at him. "Don't justify their misconduct. I hate it when you do that."

He hung his head, staring at his lap. "Sorry..."

She sighed. He always made her feel horrible for saying that kind of thing. "No, I'm sorry... I'm just feeling..." she hesitated, uncertain if she really wanted to share. While she did trust Eiridan completely, she still felt unsure when sharing her feelings. They'd never been a strong suite for her, even when she trusted the person. It was habitual to bottle it up and keep it to herself. "Never mind... I'm fine."

Eiridan narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "No, you aren't. What's up?"

"The sky," Jaeyria snapped.

"See, there you go again. Snapping at me. I know you're irritable sometimes, but usually, you aren't like this with me. So what's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm taking a walk. See you at dinner." Jaeyria suddenly felt trapped. She shoved away from the table and pushed out the door, letting it swing shut with a bang behind her. She wasn't really sure why she was upset or what was wrong.

It was one of those days. One of the days when she was just depressed, and being depressed made her irritable. She'd also woken up from a nightmare that morning, and it had stuck with her all day. Memories of the deaths of her family members and fleeing the College. The pain of losing so many people wouldn't be shaken off today.

Sighing, she found a tree and scaled it, settling into the upper branches a few minutes later. The leaves rustled softly in the breeze, and she let herself close her eyes and cry, something that she never did when others were around.

The loneliness spread like a throbbing ache through her body, and she instantly wished she hadn't left Eiridan and her cozy cabin. At least if she broke down there, Eiridan would comfort her. But she didn't want him to see past the mask she wore for him. The mask that said she was brave, collected, and loving despite her flaws. She knew he caught glimpses of the real her beneath that mask she reserved for him specifically. Despite that, she didn't want to completely shatter the illusion.

So Jaeyria ran from the one person who understood her best.

V