I gently stir awake to find my maid, May, waking me up like a normal day as a duke's daughter. She says, "Miss Ariela, it is time to get ready. We have a very busy day today." Since I am only 8 years old, I am not allowed to dress myself, so my maid is getting my clothes for me. She is pulling out yet another dress and a corset. They always make me wear dresses, and it is hard to breathe because of the corsets. I do not even need one. They really hurt and I don't like them! They say they are supposed to make me prettier, but I think I am plenty pretty now. Who even came up with this thing anyways? Though, I don't mind wearing such things today of all days. I have been looking forward to this day ever since I learned of it. Today's the day I get my magic evaluated at the temple using their classification stone so I am being made up almost as if I were going to a ball minus all of the nice things like hot baths and massages. May also styled my hair and put on my makeup for me and makes me even prettier. May knows I like my hair up because I really don't like how it feels when hair touches my ears. It feels so weird and I don't like it. At first I thought she didn't remember that I don't like hair touching my ears, but it turns out she just wanted some of the coins my parents gave me. They give me so much and I don't mind sharing if it means that May will be nice. She is really good at doing the really pretty styles that adults wear to balls and she always makes me look really pretty.
I finish getting ready and go out to eat breakfast with my parents, "Good morning Father and Mother." Mother replied, "Good morning Ariela. Did you sleep ok?" I nod while wearing an excited smile, "I slept alright, Mother." I am very excited to learn what kind of magic I will use. I could hardly sleep last night so I am actually very tired right now. Though my makeup makes me look pretty even though I am tired. I sit down and place a napkin on my lap and start eating and I get a little too excited eating my jam covered toast that I get some on my face and my father yells at me, "Eat with more elegance, Ariela! You will never find a worthy husband eating like that! You will embarrass our house if you eat like that outside of these walls!" I start to cry and May dabs my tears carefully so as to not ruin my makeup and also cleans the jam off of my face. My father is so scary sometimes. I have to stop crying so father won't be mad. After I really try hard, I stop crying and my father then asks after I started eating with elegance like he told me to, "What kind of magic would you like if you could choose?" That is easy! I thought about it a long time and there is one magic where I can make friends and I want friends, "Healing magic. I personally think healing magic is the best."
My father laughs while wiping his mouth, "I would not say the best. There are much better forms of magic out there like my fire magic with attacking potential. Perfect for combat and really it is strong." He says as he snaps his fingers and a ball of flame appears and disappears. I replied sad because he is being mean, "You didn't even ask why I think so, father…" He laughs a short laugh, "Ha! Ok Ariela, why do you think it is the best?" I say, scared he is going to laugh at me again, "Healing magic brings people together. People who might not talk otherwise. Bridging gaps and creating friends." I have never had friends and I would really like some someday.
My mother chimes in with a smile on her face, "That was so wonderful, my child." My father then says after clicking his teeth in disappointment at my response, "People can disappoint you. Don't trust anyone. EVER." He sighs and continues, "I digress. After today, we need to find a suitable match for you to be engaged to." I dropped my fork, surprised by my father's words. I am scared. I don't want to marry a boy! I ask my father in hopes he will listen to me, "Do I have to get married, Father? I really do not want to marry a boy, please!" Boys are gross, and I don't want to marry one! He replies with a scary face, "It is your duty as a duke's daughter." I only think girls are pretty. I only want to kiss girls, not boys. I don't really know how to say these things, especially to my father. I think father would get even scarier if I said I think girls are pretty. I am really scared. I don't say anything in response to father's words, and a single tear rolls down my cheek. I ask, feeling like I can't breathe, "May I be excused, mother?" My mother nods, "Sure honey, we are almost done. Why don't you go wait in the carriage? I had the servants prepare it while we were eating. We will be out shortly, Ariela."
When I step outside in the fresh air, it feels like I can finally breathe again. I approach the carriage and wave to the servant, Hector, who prepared everything, "Thank you, Hector!" He blushes and bows, "I am just doing my job, Lady Ariela." Actually, he is more than just a servant. He is soooo cool! He does everything a butler does and more! I have even seen him kill a bunch of bandits before when I was 5 like he was a really cool mercenary from the songs they sing! I wonder if there is a song about Hector? He is so nice. He also smells so nice, too! He smells so much like flowers. He is still blushing and now he goes to the driver's seat of the carriage. He is like my uncle. I love him so much. I get in the carriage and wait, looking out the window at some squirrels foraging for nuts. They are so cute! I wish I could just pet them. I wish I could talk to them! Well, animals in general. To be able to tell them how cute they are and to make friends. That would be so cool! I wonder what they are saying. I then spend the rest of my time imagining a funny and stupid conversation a few squirrels could have to pass the time quickly to entertain myself.
We arrive at the temple and it is pretty quiet save the priests and such all lined up to greet us. My father must have reserved it for us so other people wouldn't get in the way. I think he gave them coins to make sure commoners don't come while we are here. I think that is wrong. Father shouldn't keep others from the temple. Isn't the goddess in the temple? Commoners talk to her, too. We walk inside and the high priest says, "Lady Ariela, whenever you are ready place your hand on the stone here." I place my hand on the stone and it shines green.
The high priest then gasps and says, "Lady Ariela, you have been blessed with healing magic. Only a handful of people have healing magic in the empire." I am so excited! I say unable to contain my excitement any longer, "I am so happy! This is exactly what I wanted!" I squeal in excitement doing a little happy dance. The high priest giggles, "I am really glad to hear that. I actually am one of the few with healing magic also and I can help you learn how to use yours." I look to my father, hoping he doesn't make his scary face, "Can I stay here a while to learn my magic, Father?" He nods, "Yes, that is fine. We have much to discuss when you return home." Mother comes up to me and kisses me on the cheek, "I love you baby girl. Come back to us soon. I will send you May so she can help you while you are here. She should be here before you go to bed tonight with some changes of clothes. I am really glad you got the magic you were hoping for, Ariela." She smiles as she pats my head and they leave. She hardly ever pats my head, that was really nice. I like it when mother pats my head. The high priest immediately says, "Would you like to get started?" I jump with uncontrollable excitement and say, "Yes, please!"
The high priest talks as he walks, "The first thing we have to do is show you how mana feels flowing within you." I replied curiously, "I hear people talking about mana but nobody has told me what it is." The high priest replies, "Mana is the energy within us that allows us to use magic. Depending on the type of mana in the body, depends on the type of magic they can use. Since you have healing mana, you can use healing magic. You won't be able to use other forms of magic though like fire, water, earth, wind, light, or dark. Just your healing magic. The same with others they can only use the type of magic that aligns with their mana."
A white snake slithers out of his robes and sticks its head out of his robe's collar. He continues talking, pointing to the snake, "This is my familiar. He goes by Shiki. He also has healing powers like us and heals with his fangs. More specifically, he can only control mana from his fangs. Once you learn how to tap into your mana, we will be able to see the limits of your mana potential. I don't have much mana so I can only have one familiar. Depending on how much mana you have, you could have potentially dozens of familiars. Something else, if you ever get separated, you can always feel what direction they are in, and they can feel the same." He pauses and looks to his familiar and then says, "Ok, I will ask. Shiki is asking if he can say hello." I reach out to him with my tiny arms and say, "Hello, Shiki, it is nice to meet you." Beaming with a bright smile that is missing a few baby teeth. Shiki is so pretty.
Shiki to my surprise jumps at me and then wraps around me. I start to laugh, "That tickles, Shiki!" The high priest says, "He really likes you. He normally does not want to use other people for warmth except for me." I asked, "So, when I get a familiar I can talk to them too?" He responds, "Yes. You can communicate very clearly between your familiars. Sorry I just realized just now as I was talking that I never fully introduced myself. My name is Xavier. While you are training you can call me Father Xavier. Aaaaand, here we are." He says as he comes to a stop. He continues, "This is our sauna. We will be using this after we use the snow room." I gasp, "Does it have actual snow?" Father Xavier chuckles, "I can see why you would think that but it is just a cold room. It is a really good tool to learn how to feel mana. You can change into the robe there for modesty and I will join you. This room is for women's changing and the one over here is for the men." I ask, "Father Xavier, I think I will need help with my corset. Can you help me?" Father Xavier says, "Sure, Miss Ariela. I will try my best. I am not the best with women's clothing so please be patient with me." He then stumbles around the back of my dress and I feel the corset loosen a lot more and I take a deep breath while holding my dress up in the front. I then say, "Thank you, Father Xavier." With that I go to the women's changing side.
Inside the snow room it feels really weird, but in a good way. I have bumps on my skin from the cold tingly feeling I have right now. Father Xavier comes in wearing his robe and sits next to me but not too close and he asks, "Can I borrow your hand for a second, Miss Ariela?" I nod and give him my hand. He then says, "Now focus on the feeling in your hand and then try to see if you can feel that same energy within you." He then uses a heal spell on me and it feels really warm. I do as he says and I focus on that feeling and follow the warmth. I then say, "I feel it. It is really warm. Is this warmth my mana?" Father Xavier replies, "Yes. Everyone feels warmth when they use their mana. That 'warmth' you feel is your mana circuits in your body. Now that you know what mana feels like we can start to teach you how to tap into it."
What made my training so difficult was understanding the feeling from inside me. I spent a long time going back and forth in between the snow room and the sauna room. I almost caught a cold a few times from staying in the snow room too long. Father Xavier was really nice and made sure I didn't stay in them too long. I almost got too cold one time and he came to my rescue like in a song.
After a month of difficult training I was able to use my healing magic. Finally able to manipulate that warm feeling inside to do what I wanted. After casting my first heal spell Father Xavier excitedly went to retrieve the mana measuring stone. He came back with a little sweat running down his face and then placed the stone on the table in the room, "Miss Ariela, touch this stone while putting mana into it." I nod and approach the stone.
It shines very brightly and Father Xavier says, "I am a little jealous. You are much more gifted than I. You are blessed with enormous amounts of mana. You should be able to have the ability to have many familiars as well. Speaking of that, now that you know how to use mana I can show you how to do the familiar contract with our magic." I perk up to his words completely locked in as he continues, "You have to concentrate your magic to your forehead and touch your head to the others head. If they consent to become your familiar then the magic will activate and you will be bonded. Do you have any questions?" I shake my head completely understanding, "No, Father Xavier. You helped me a lot! Thank you so much!" I say excitedly with a beaming smile.
Father Xavier then says patting my head like mother sometimes does, "I am afraid there is not much more I can teach you at this point. " I like him and want to hug him so I ask, "Is it ok if I hug you, Father Xavier?" He chuckles, "Of course, Miss Ariela." I go in and hug him. He continues patting my head while he hugs me and it is really nice. I wish he was my father instead. He says with a voice that is comforting, "The goddess loves you very much. Do not forget that. Make sure you talk to her frequently. I am sure she would love that a lot. Most importantly know that you are always welcome in this sanctuary. Please come back if you ever need help in the future and I will do my best to help you." I reply back, perking up with a youthful energy, smiling, "Don't worry Father Xavier! I will be sure to visit!" May, who was also in there with us, leaves us where I am assuming she is going to send word to our estate to pick us up in a carriage.