The Academy: you must let go of your fear

“Then you are very kind to your enemies.” Some may think that Hypatia has little humor, and that a smile looks ill upon her face. She isn’t quite the last time she laughed was –well, when she wasn’t laughing at Kail in her mind- and she had almost forgotten what a true smile felt like upon her lips. It’s not that she was callous or somber all the time. She certainly did not frown. She simply was. Just as the Element simply is.

Isn’t it that the blind are actually the ones to See?

The Naphtha watches him, with her liquid fire steps and fiery eyes. She is glad that he cannot see her flames, for then he could not be frightened of them. She feels so innocent, so vulnerable in his embrace. It is selfishly, perhaps, that they cling to him. She wants to stay there and feel the cool of his skin and hear the whispers of his voice telling her a story. He reminds her of her father. Her long forgotten father. She settles in, eager to know.

Xoltl speaks of Hawthorne, and Hypatia remembers. She did not witness it herself, nor did she really know the sister of her Queen. For that was during a time in Hyptia’s life when her Fire had more control over her than she it. When darkness threatened to take over her soul and her powers seemed inescapable. He speaks of Kings and Queens and fairytales. Of course, they’re not fairytales, but the way he sings them to her, even she cannot see. It is a roughly painted picture, one that maybe only the blind can truly See. “Adranus.” The name comes to her lips before she can stop it. She does not know what it means or who it is. But she knows he is bad.

“But he’s gone, isn’t he? Will he come back and hurt the Jaegers?”

Never before has she thought her them, her people, like this. They are under her care, as long as she is breathing and her Fire is warm, then she will think of them as such. Her body cools after his story, but when she thinks of him hurting her people, whoever this stallion is, her Fire springs back to life. Luckily, she controls it enough not to let her mane catch fire. She wonders who this Queen is. For she will find her and Hypatia will watch over her. She will see what it is like to be selfless and forgiving and the perfect leader. For they are deciding now who shall lead them. Does she ask? Can she?

She must.

“Who is this Queen? That you would fight for and give yourself so freely to?” Maybe she wants to know how such loyalty exists in the world. For the Birds seem to have little of it. “Will she be glorious?” Hypatia turns her head, and there is fire in her eyes as she envisions someone with a blazing smile on her face, the earth pounding underneath her, and the Birds flying free above her head. “Thank you, Xolotl. For your story. For your word.”

It was a really good story. He should tell more. Kail had trotted off to the distance, and stood with his back to her, calmly watching the ruins of the Academy.
Her body keeps him warm in his fear. When he should fall, her flames will lift him up. She will be his eyes. “Why did you go with the Wolves if your Queen is with the Jaegers? Will you not find her?”

She wonders if what she has in mind for him will be too difficult a challenge.
“You must decide truly and utterly, where you belong, and you must feel confident that the people love you and respect you. For whom you are.”

Every task is not so easy.