Silent Year

My,my; this chapter is short. Please forgive me for that, the next one is longer...much longer. Well, anyway, question time!

Question #1: Are Quiari and Radu really different types of beings, or is that a figure of speech?
...Huh...I would tell you, but that would be a spoiler! Nyufufufufu! X3

Question #2: What did Quiari do that got her sentenced to a year of silence?
Let's just say that it wasn't Quiari who got sentenced...oh the suspense! Nyufufufufu! X3 The answer will come soon enough!

Question #3: And for that matter, if Quiari can't talk for a year, then why on Earth is she talking to Radu and the dragon?
Because, the silence only pertains to those specified in a very important contract. Explained in depth later.

All right, question are done! Now onto the story! Reviews rock, so please leave one! Enjoy! ^_^.
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Chapter Seven: A Peek in the Past

Fifty books orders, fifty! The poor salamander had been running back and forth all day! Surprisingly, the Potions master didn’t want any books, but Quiari found herself going to different parts of the castle, ones she had never been before. The most books went to one of the four towers, the astrology tower. The classroom was up a long set of stairs and nearly as big as the library. The air here was thick with the scent of incense, and it seemed the astrology room also doubled for Divination. The students here were a different breed from the entire school: quiet, composed, serious. The teacher was the same way. He wore an overly large robe that hung from his body as if he were made of wire, and he had large, luminous eyes that roved the room, taking in everything from behind his desk quietly. The door, though closed, was still covered in beads, and then red cloth. The soft tap of Quiari’s heels could be heard outside the door, and they paused before she tapped lightly on the door with her foot.

“Please come in.” the teacher’s voice was deep and seemed to vibrate the very air in the room with its pitch. The door opened and the beads clicked together before the cloth moved to the side. Quiari held two extremely large books in her arms. The teacher vanished from the desk and reappeared in front of Quiari…well, he tried. She stepped to the side and the teacher appeared where she would have been standing. “Heh…well, that wasn’t exactly where I wanted to end up.” Said the teacher, blushing slightly, and then he took one of the books from Quiari, nearly dropping it. Quiari extended a hand and caught the book easily, holding it along with the other book. “Ah yes, I thought I’d sensed some rather strong chi out of you, youngling.” He said, and Quiari looked at him, a look of slight confusion on her face. “You’ve never heard of chi, youngling?” he asked, and Quiari shook her head. “Then, please, sit. We were just going to speak about it.” Said the teacher, putting his hand to the middle of Quiari’s back and pushing her forward.

“You see, youngling, Chi is life force, spiritual energy, if you will. As I can see a person’s aura, it’s rather easy for me to sense.” Said the teacher, and he motioned for Quiari to put the books down on the table. The boys in this class, they were a different breed entirely. They would look at Quiari, and then instantly shoot their eyes back to their books, blushing. “My family is from a long line of seers, why, my great grandmother once aided in the defeat of a warlock back in 1458!” the teacher certainly had pride in his family. Quiari didn’t get much of a chance to sit down, as the teacher kept bringing out things for her to inspect, each with a very long history attached to it. The students smiled and shook their heads as the teacher went on and on and Quiari listened to every word with a surprising amount of patience.

Three hours, and three classes later, the teacher finally fell silent, satisfied at the information he had bestowed on Quiari. “And that’s not even half of it.” He said proudly, and Quiari merely nodded. The class was about to end. “However, I do believe lunch is next. I shall have to tell you about how my father destroyed that troll’s ghost later on.” Quiari gave a soft smile, barely twitching lips up, and then she bowed slightly and turned to leave. “And, youngling?” asked the teacher, and she stopped instantly. “I thank you for the books.” He said, and Quiari turned, bowed, and then left the room with the click of her heels the only sound.

Exhale, breath clinging to the air in white puffs of smoke. Inhale; draw the breath back, breath with the body and the mind. Breath with the spirit. Exhale; let it all go. Quiari sat quietly in the library, far in a corner, a book spread open in her lap. She held her hands limp in her lap, and her eyes were closed. Inhale. She drew in the air around her, breathing in everything around her: The dust from the books, the smell of old pages, the chill from outside, the warmth from the fire. Her spirit drank these things like the sweetest of wines. Exhale, let it out; let everything go. The eyes moved beneath the lids, and her breathing halted, became ragged. Her eyes snapped open and the dragon peered out of her collar. “Little one…” she whispered, and then closed the book and stood up. She clutched the book close to her, dashing through the bookshelves, and the dragon snuggled behind the book. The dragon could sense her fear, could feel the trembling, feel her heart pounding. There were shouts outside the closed library doors, running footsteps.

~~~~flashback~~~~
She was a child again, standing in a dark space. Standing on the ground, looking up at the bright lights in the trees. Listening, breathing. Inhale, gather the emotion. Exhale, let it go. Inhale, listen with the body. Ignore the children above laughing. Breathe. Exhale, you’re too young to bottle your anger. Inhale, gather everything: the smell of green, the moist ground beneath, the cushion of the tree trunk against your back. Exhale, let it all slip away. Inhale, footsteps are coming, loud voices, they are angry. With me? She shut her eyes tighter. Inhale, it doesn’t matter. Breathe. Exhale, the footsteps getting closer, the voices louder. Inhale. The voice inside; it’s saying something. But what? It’s too quiet to hear. Exhale, let it go. The voice will speak. Voices so close, the ground is vibrating. Her heart is racing, the adrenaline pumping fear through her veins. Exhale…it’s shaky. Head spinning, too much blood. Voices, they cloud the voice inside. Can’t breathe, gasp, struggle for breath. Coming closer. Eyes snap open, the blood is suffocating! Can’t breathe! The voices, so close, can’t hear the inner voice. It’s screaming now! I can’t hear it! I can’t hear it! Suddenly, the heat of flames by her head. The forest was on fire! She was on all fours, short hair hanging in her eyes, panting, desperate for breath. Screaming, more flames, ice, magic, spells! Fear…cold and quiet…and then all was silent except for her pounding heart. Silence to last eternity and then…footsteps. The ground vibrated gently, and the voice, once so desperate to get its message across, screaming to be heard. It was but a whisper now, and the message was as clear as the screams had been. “Run…”

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And there you have chapter seven! I know it's short, so don't kill me! Anyway, Chapter Eight's a LONG one so that should be coming soon. Thank you for reading,a nd please leave a review! Thank you again, see you later! ~Nezumi-kun~