A Dangerous Destiny: The Pure One Book I

Part II: Chapter Seven

Eight Years Later

Karina

Karina lay out in the long waves of grass on the hill overlooking Gregorn. She knew she ought to have been home ages ago but it was so lovely in the field that she was in no hurry. She stared up at the clouds finding the hidden shapes within, feeling the warm sun press against her face, bare arms, and legs where she had shed her shoes and stockings. She preferred to run barefoot, though Manna said it was not proper. She closed her eyes and stretched out with a big yawn. 

Karina was startled as a hand came down over her eyes then another over her mouth before she had a chance to scream. She struggled to a seated position and whipped her arm around to push away her attacker, punching him hard in the gut.

Karina looked over to see Aidan's freckled face cringing as he doubled over in pain releasing her immediately.

"Hey!" he cried. "That really hurt!"

"Serves you right," Karina said matter-of-factly, turning away from him and replacing her stockings and shoes on her feet.

"Whatcha doin out here?" He asked as he watched her.

"Manna sent me on important business," she replied. Karina stood and brushed off her skirts before picking up her basket and setting off down the hill.

"Aw, don't be sore with me," Aidan said, following close behind. "What's in the basket anyway?"

"Feverfew. It's an herb Manna uses to lessen people's headaches and fevers."

Aidan eyed her skeptically, clearly unimpressed. "Just looks like a bunch of leaves and flowers to me," he said.

"Well what would you know?" Karina retorted.

Dong...Dong...

The two turned at the sound of the evening bell from the town bellow.

"Darn it!" she exclaimed aloud. "I didn't realize how late it was. I have to get back home." Karina set off down the hill. She felt the wet mud squish as she came closer to the bottom, seeping into the leather of her boots and through her stockings to her toes. She increased her speed trying to jump around the worst of it as she went.

"See you tomorrow!" Karina yelled turning craning her head around to give Aiden a final wave. Karina looked to the path in front of her just in time to see the figures straight ahead. It was too late to slow down. The muddy ground was slippery beneath her feet as she tried in vain to stop herself before the inevitable happened. Karina tumbled headfirst into the woman in front of her and was knocked backwards onto the ground, basket flying from her grasp.

Karina looked at the hand that had broken her fall. It was bleeding slightly but she could see the wound was only a small scrap. The gooey mud beneath her squished in her fingers, and Karina tried to wipe it off before turning to apologize to the woman she had hit. But as her eyes panned up towards the towering figure in front of her Karina's stomach dropped, the words caught in her throat.

Black-brown eyes glared down at her over a sharp nose, staff not one inch from her body. The Nita.

"I...I...I'm sorry," Karina stammered looking up at her from the ground.

"Do not stare," the Nita said, her voice powerful and icy cold. "Get up," She commanded.

"Yes, Ma'am." Karina scrambled to her feet as fast as she could. The Nita looked furious. A pace behind, Mina, the Nita in training, stared at her impassively. Although only two years her senior, Mina looked practically like a grown up. Her straight black hair was perfectly arranged in two neat braids that wrapped around her head. She, like her teacher, wore the colors of the Nita, a lovely shade of blue and gray. Though Mina did not yet carry a staff, she already seemed to radiate power that Karina found almost as frightening as that of as Nita Fiona herself.

"Look at what you've done!" The Nita said pointing down.

Karina looked at the ground in horror. The contents of her basket were mixed with the muddy road, each leaf and flower covered in a thick coat of sludge, as though they had been dipped in chocolate. To make matters worse, it seemed that whatever the Nita had been carrying had also fallen in the encounter. Broken shards of a shattered glass jar lay scattered at odd angles on the ground, glittering in the sunlight like accusatory gemstones. Whatever the contents had been were now indistinguishable from the brown mess beneath her feet. The Nita's face was stony. Her eyes looked as if might bore holes through the back of her skull. Karina's head shrunk back to her shoulders.

"Nita Fiona," Karina started, "I'm sorry. I didn't see you and..."

"What do you think Manna will say when she sees her herbs scattered on the ground?" the Nita said cutting her off sharply. "Not to mention the fact that she will have to go without the jam I had brought as a gift for you both."

Karina looked at the mess again and felt her eyes filling with tears. "But I......Aiden distracted me...I mean..." she struggled for helpful words, but found none in her head." It was an accident," she concluded biting her lip and casting her eyes downward.

"How dare you attempt to blame someone else for your carelessness," the Nita said grabbing her arm tightly. "I would have expected Manna to teach you better manners. Pick up the basket."

Karina bent down to do as she was told, resisting the urge to pull her arm free.

"Come with me," the Nita ordered dragging her along, as Mina followed a pace behind them in silence.

As they passed through the center of town Karina's cheeks burned red with embarrassment. She saw Aidan, and a group of boys he hung around with, laughing and pointing at their little procession. Karina knew what she must look like. She could feel the mud caked on her skin and in her hair. No doubt they would tease her for weeks. As she hurried to keep up with the Nita she could hear the various townswomen whispering their disapproval.

"No way for Manna's charge to act," she could hear them say, their tongues clicking in admonition. Her checks burned with shame. She hadn't meant to get Manna into trouble. Karina knew that her guardian was important. Nita Fiona had chided her so many times to avoid trouble and not to bring shame upon the honored woman who had taken in such a worthless orphan. But no matter how hard she tried she still managed to do the wrong thing. Karina wiped away her tears with an angry muddy fist, smearing brown across her face like war paint.

As the path led out of the town towards Manna's home Karina began to drag her feet just a bit more. The Nita turned to her angrily.

"Keep up," she hissed.

"I'm trying," Karina mumbled under her breath. She immediately felt the Nita's claws digging into both shoulders forcing Karina to face her furious stare.

"You will address me properly and speak clearly." the Nita snapped.

"I'm sorry, Nita Fiona," Karina said, at a level barely above a whisper. She felt the sharp sting of Nita's hand across her face before she even had time to react.

"So I can hear you."

"I'm sorry! " Karina shouted, frustrated tears streaming down her cheeks.

Nita Fiona raised a hand to strike her again and Karina hid her head behind her arms in defense. The woman sighed deeply and let her hand fall.

"You are incorrigible," she said grabbing Karina's arm again and continuing to drag her along the path. This time Karina did not make the mistake of falling behind. She hurried as fast as she could to keep up, both relieved and dreading to be heading back home to Manna.