Theme 48: Childhood
Theme 48: Childhood
“You built all of this yourself?”
Jaden shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I mean, not just me. I hired help. I’m not some sort of genius workhorse or anything.”
“But you designed it?”
“Oh, of course. It’s no fun having a custom-built home if you can’t decide what it’s going to look like.”
“Hmm, I suppose.”
Kalli stood near the back wall of the dining area. One wall was constructed entirely of glass, granting her an unobstructed view of the backyard.
He watched her in silence for a few moments, admiring how the sunlight illuminated her curls. He wanted to approach her, but he heeded Zane’s warning to take things slowly, cautiously. He cleared his throat, and she turned quickly to him, her cheeks tinting as she blushed. “Sorry, I just-“
“That’s fine. It’s all too easy to be distracted by nature’s beauty.”
She nodded, and he watched as she stepped timidly toward him, her finger tracing some invisible pattern on the surface of the granite countertop.
“So,” he began.
“So?”
“About lunch.”
“Oh, well, I mean, I don’t want to intrude. I’m fine, really. You don’t have to…”
“Kalli.”
“Yes?”
“I invited you over. I want to cook for you. Okay? I could make whatever I please, but I’d much rather have some idea of what you like.”
She blushed bright red, and Jaden had to fight to keep his face impassive.
“I um….I uh….I don’t think I’m too picky, so whatever you want….”
“At least tell me a couple likes and dislikes. I want to serve something palatable.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay. I don’t like shellfish…or most seafood for that matter. Fish with fins are generally okay though.”
“Fish with fins?”
“You know…white fish, tuna, salmon, things like that.”
“Oh, that’s a clever way of putting it. What else?”
“I don’t like raw onions. I prefer white meat to red. I like fruits and vegetables.”
“See? That wasn’t so hard.” He gestured to a barstool on the other side of the counter. “Have a seat, I’ll get you a snack while I’m working.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to help?”
“Yes. But thanks for the offer.” He flashed a grin at her, and she looked away shyly. Jaden set a little plate of pita strips and hummus in front of her, and poured her a glass of water. As an afterthought, he dropped a couple raspberries and a few mint leaves in as well. Kalli thanked him, and set about nibbling at her food while Jaden started pulling things out of the fridge.
“So, what are you making?”
Jaden looked up from the lettuce he was chopping and winked at her. “It’s a surprise.”
“Oh.”
Kalli watching him as he moved about the kitchen, working with a kind of casual grace. “Jaden?”
“Hmm?”
“Where did you learn to cook? Did you go to school for it?”
Jaden laughed. “I’ve taken a few classes, sure, but school-it’s not exactly my cup of tea. No, most of this I learned from my mother.”
“So you two are close?”
“Of course. My father used to be a Historian for Aegis, you know. My mother did most of the child-rearing herself, since he was away pretty often.”
“You didn’t live there together?”
Jaden shook his head. “No. There was too much tension. My father was pretty young when he met my mother. He was working directly under the Master Historian, and was expected to take his place in the future. My mother, well, she was in a different class entirely.”
“Class?”
“My mom was like me. Little or no power. A dud. They don’t have much use for people like us there at Aegis. She worked in the kitchens as a cook.”
Kalli smiled. “Ah, so she taught you quite a bit.”
“Exactly.”
“So if they were in different social circles, how did they meet?”
“My father was working pretty late transcribing some of the records that were old and damaged. He was so engrossed in his work that he forgot to eat or sleep. Around three or four in the morning, he realized he was starving and headed toward the kitchen to see if he would grab a snack.
“He was expecting it to be empty, since it was so early. And you can probably guess who was there.”
“Your mother?”
“Of course. Master Idris had asked for some ridiculously elaborate dish for the next evening, and she was practicing. She knew about his temper as well as anyone, so she had been up all night, trying and failing to get everything just right.
“My father saw her there, slumped over in a chair, completely asleep. She and the kitchen were a complete mess. He didn’t want to wake her, but he was starving and didn’t want to leave empty-handed. He crept toward the shelf where yesterday’s baked goods were stored, and grabbed a loaf of bread.
“It was pretty cold in the kitchen with the stove and the ovens off. She had opened a window earlier to keep the air flowing. My father closed the window and, after hesitating for several moments, took off his coat and draped it over the sleeping girl.”
“Did she wake up?”
Jaden shook his head. “No. Not until a few hours later when another cook arrived and started to make breakfast. She was very confused by the jacket, but was touched that someone had left it with her. To this day, she keeps it in a box under her bed.”
“That’s so sweet!”
“Well, it was her first gift from him, so it’s important to her.”
“So how did they meet again, if she didn’t wake up?”
“It was a few months later. They were short-staffed, so all the kitchen-hands were asked to cover anything that needed to be done. The Master Historian and my father were finishing up some sort of project, and the Master had requested that lunch be brought directly to his suite. My mom was the one that brought the food in, and my father recognized her immediately.”
“Did he say anything?”
“He waited until she’d left the room, excused himself, and caught up to her in the hallway. He asked if she’d been sleeping better and she just looked at him blankly and said ‘Better than what?’ He explained about finding her in the kitchen and leaving the jacket. Of course, she got all flustered and offered to fetch it right away and give it back, but he refused, saying it was a gift. He introduced himself, learned her name, thanked her for bringing the meal, then excused himself and went back into his Master’s suite.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah. Their courtship was quite drawn out. The thought that he was interested never crossed her mind. You know how important the Master Historian is. They’re basically second to the Royal Family. My father was next in line, so she was a nobody compared to him.”
“So how did he do it?”
“It took a lot of time and a lot of persuasion, but he was quite taken by her. Eventually they began meeting in secret, and after some time, decided that they wanted to marry.
“This was highly frowned upon, because my mother was, in all likeness, a servant. They saw it as a mockery, as a waste of his potential, of his power.”
“His power?”
“I’m nothing compared to my father. What I can do, sensing other people’s wants and needs, was just a fraction of what he could do. If he wanted, with a touch of his hand he could know everything about you.”
“So how would he be wasting that gift?”
“A lot of the folks in Aegis-I don’t know how to put it delicately. They pick and choose who to have children with, just for the sake of carrying on certain types of power, or at least the strength of it. It’s controlled breeding, really. They were upset that he was limiting himself to this woman who had no chance of providing acceptable children.”
“But they were married?”
“Of course, but things got so ugly that they had to leave. My father made an agreement with the Master Historian that he would continue in his training, so long as he would live apart from Aegis with his wife. He agreed, and that system worked just fine for a number of years.”
“When I was nine, all three of us went to Aegis. We were to stay there for two weeks, since the Master Historian would be away at some sort of Council gathering. It was fine for the first couple of days, until word spread of who and what we were.
“My father had warned me that people might say mean things, but it got out of hand. The other kids bullied me mercilessly. My poor mother had things spilled and dropped on her, was shoved or tripped in the hallway. There were threats and cruel notes left among our belongings. My father tried to put a stop to it, but there is no way to erase a prejudice once it has been set.
“Once the Master Historian returned, my father quit. The Master was absolutely furious. He had been training my father as a successor for almost twenty years. He couldn’t understand how a ‘disabled’ woman and child could be worth enough to throw away the rest of his life, as well as the future of Aegis.
“We never went back, after that day. I returned alone, once I turned sixteen. I was tested and as expected, they didn’t have a Calling for me. I have to go check in once a year, but that’s the only association that I have with Aegis.”
“So once you left, there was no more danger?”
Jaden shook his head. “Nothing like in the past. Financially, it was difficult for awhile. Once I was old enough to fend for myself at home, my mother found a job in a bakery. The owner eventually let her take over the business when he retired, and she’s made enough money doing specialty cakes to support us. My dad worked too, but he’s never seemed satisfied with any one career, so he doesn’t stick with anything for too long.”
Kalli frowned. “But I thought that…”
“That I’m wealthy?”
She flushed. “Yeah.”
Jaden shrugged. “My dad made some good investments, befriended a few prominent people. Most of our money is through acquaintance and inheritance. Luckily, we all know how to invest and save, so it was never wasted.”
“Do you have any siblings?”
“Nope. Only child. My mom had a few complications when she was delivering me. She wasn’t able to have any more children after that.”
Kalli wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She lapsed into silence, trying to absorb all the information that Jaden had given her. An idea clicked into her mind. “Wait, our power is inherited?”
“Yeah, it’s linked to genetics. It’s impossible to know for sure what traits your children will have, but it’s usually some combination or at least related to those of the parents.”
“Oh.” It made sense, now that she thought about it.
“I’m surprised that you didn’t know that already. What were your parents’ Callings?”
“My parents…” Kalli hesitated and tapped her fingers on the countertop. “My father must have been a Scout of some sort. My mother, I don’t think she was associated with Aegis at all. I think she was like your mom.”
Jaden smiled. “Well, cheers to our fathers for marrying for love rather than out of duty, the renegades.”
Kalli bit her lip and stood abruptly. “Sorry I just…need the restroom. Excuse me.” She turned and walked out of the room quickly and Jaden watched her go.
Lunch was ready to be served by the time Kalli returned, and Jaden aimed the conversation at cheerier topics, concealing his observation of her red-rimmed eyes.
“You built all of this yourself?”
Jaden shrugged and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, I mean, not just me. I hired help. I’m not some sort of genius workhorse or anything.”
“But you designed it?”
“Oh, of course. It’s no fun having a custom-built home if you can’t decide what it’s going to look like.”
“Hmm, I suppose.”
Kalli stood near the back wall of the dining area. One wall was constructed entirely of glass, granting her an unobstructed view of the backyard.
He watched her in silence for a few moments, admiring how the sunlight illuminated her curls. He wanted to approach her, but he heeded Zane’s warning to take things slowly, cautiously. He cleared his throat, and she turned quickly to him, her cheeks tinting as she blushed. “Sorry, I just-“
“That’s fine. It’s all too easy to be distracted by nature’s beauty.”
She nodded, and he watched as she stepped timidly toward him, her finger tracing some invisible pattern on the surface of the granite countertop.
“So,” he began.
“So?”
“About lunch.”
“Oh, well, I mean, I don’t want to intrude. I’m fine, really. You don’t have to…”
“Kalli.”
“Yes?”
“I invited you over. I want to cook for you. Okay? I could make whatever I please, but I’d much rather have some idea of what you like.”
She blushed bright red, and Jaden had to fight to keep his face impassive.
“I um….I uh….I don’t think I’m too picky, so whatever you want….”
“At least tell me a couple likes and dislikes. I want to serve something palatable.”
She took a deep breath. “Okay. I don’t like shellfish…or most seafood for that matter. Fish with fins are generally okay though.”
“Fish with fins?”
“You know…white fish, tuna, salmon, things like that.”
“Oh, that’s a clever way of putting it. What else?”
“I don’t like raw onions. I prefer white meat to red. I like fruits and vegetables.”
“See? That wasn’t so hard.” He gestured to a barstool on the other side of the counter. “Have a seat, I’ll get you a snack while I’m working.”
“Are you sure you don’t want me to help?”
“Yes. But thanks for the offer.” He flashed a grin at her, and she looked away shyly. Jaden set a little plate of pita strips and hummus in front of her, and poured her a glass of water. As an afterthought, he dropped a couple raspberries and a few mint leaves in as well. Kalli thanked him, and set about nibbling at her food while Jaden started pulling things out of the fridge.
“So, what are you making?”
Jaden looked up from the lettuce he was chopping and winked at her. “It’s a surprise.”
“Oh.”
Kalli watching him as he moved about the kitchen, working with a kind of casual grace. “Jaden?”
“Hmm?”
“Where did you learn to cook? Did you go to school for it?”
Jaden laughed. “I’ve taken a few classes, sure, but school-it’s not exactly my cup of tea. No, most of this I learned from my mother.”
“So you two are close?”
“Of course. My father used to be a Historian for Aegis, you know. My mother did most of the child-rearing herself, since he was away pretty often.”
“You didn’t live there together?”
Jaden shook his head. “No. There was too much tension. My father was pretty young when he met my mother. He was working directly under the Master Historian, and was expected to take his place in the future. My mother, well, she was in a different class entirely.”
“Class?”
“My mom was like me. Little or no power. A dud. They don’t have much use for people like us there at Aegis. She worked in the kitchens as a cook.”
Kalli smiled. “Ah, so she taught you quite a bit.”
“Exactly.”
“So if they were in different social circles, how did they meet?”
“My father was working pretty late transcribing some of the records that were old and damaged. He was so engrossed in his work that he forgot to eat or sleep. Around three or four in the morning, he realized he was starving and headed toward the kitchen to see if he would grab a snack.
“He was expecting it to be empty, since it was so early. And you can probably guess who was there.”
“Your mother?”
“Of course. Master Idris had asked for some ridiculously elaborate dish for the next evening, and she was practicing. She knew about his temper as well as anyone, so she had been up all night, trying and failing to get everything just right.
“My father saw her there, slumped over in a chair, completely asleep. She and the kitchen were a complete mess. He didn’t want to wake her, but he was starving and didn’t want to leave empty-handed. He crept toward the shelf where yesterday’s baked goods were stored, and grabbed a loaf of bread.
“It was pretty cold in the kitchen with the stove and the ovens off. She had opened a window earlier to keep the air flowing. My father closed the window and, after hesitating for several moments, took off his coat and draped it over the sleeping girl.”
“Did she wake up?”
Jaden shook his head. “No. Not until a few hours later when another cook arrived and started to make breakfast. She was very confused by the jacket, but was touched that someone had left it with her. To this day, she keeps it in a box under her bed.”
“That’s so sweet!”
“Well, it was her first gift from him, so it’s important to her.”
“So how did they meet again, if she didn’t wake up?”
“It was a few months later. They were short-staffed, so all the kitchen-hands were asked to cover anything that needed to be done. The Master Historian and my father were finishing up some sort of project, and the Master had requested that lunch be brought directly to his suite. My mom was the one that brought the food in, and my father recognized her immediately.”
“Did he say anything?”
“He waited until she’d left the room, excused himself, and caught up to her in the hallway. He asked if she’d been sleeping better and she just looked at him blankly and said ‘Better than what?’ He explained about finding her in the kitchen and leaving the jacket. Of course, she got all flustered and offered to fetch it right away and give it back, but he refused, saying it was a gift. He introduced himself, learned her name, thanked her for bringing the meal, then excused himself and went back into his Master’s suite.”
“That’s it?”
“Yeah. Their courtship was quite drawn out. The thought that he was interested never crossed her mind. You know how important the Master Historian is. They’re basically second to the Royal Family. My father was next in line, so she was a nobody compared to him.”
“So how did he do it?”
“It took a lot of time and a lot of persuasion, but he was quite taken by her. Eventually they began meeting in secret, and after some time, decided that they wanted to marry.
“This was highly frowned upon, because my mother was, in all likeness, a servant. They saw it as a mockery, as a waste of his potential, of his power.”
“His power?”
“I’m nothing compared to my father. What I can do, sensing other people’s wants and needs, was just a fraction of what he could do. If he wanted, with a touch of his hand he could know everything about you.”
“So how would he be wasting that gift?”
“A lot of the folks in Aegis-I don’t know how to put it delicately. They pick and choose who to have children with, just for the sake of carrying on certain types of power, or at least the strength of it. It’s controlled breeding, really. They were upset that he was limiting himself to this woman who had no chance of providing acceptable children.”
“But they were married?”
“Of course, but things got so ugly that they had to leave. My father made an agreement with the Master Historian that he would continue in his training, so long as he would live apart from Aegis with his wife. He agreed, and that system worked just fine for a number of years.”
“When I was nine, all three of us went to Aegis. We were to stay there for two weeks, since the Master Historian would be away at some sort of Council gathering. It was fine for the first couple of days, until word spread of who and what we were.
“My father had warned me that people might say mean things, but it got out of hand. The other kids bullied me mercilessly. My poor mother had things spilled and dropped on her, was shoved or tripped in the hallway. There were threats and cruel notes left among our belongings. My father tried to put a stop to it, but there is no way to erase a prejudice once it has been set.
“Once the Master Historian returned, my father quit. The Master was absolutely furious. He had been training my father as a successor for almost twenty years. He couldn’t understand how a ‘disabled’ woman and child could be worth enough to throw away the rest of his life, as well as the future of Aegis.
“We never went back, after that day. I returned alone, once I turned sixteen. I was tested and as expected, they didn’t have a Calling for me. I have to go check in once a year, but that’s the only association that I have with Aegis.”
“So once you left, there was no more danger?”
Jaden shook his head. “Nothing like in the past. Financially, it was difficult for awhile. Once I was old enough to fend for myself at home, my mother found a job in a bakery. The owner eventually let her take over the business when he retired, and she’s made enough money doing specialty cakes to support us. My dad worked too, but he’s never seemed satisfied with any one career, so he doesn’t stick with anything for too long.”
Kalli frowned. “But I thought that…”
“That I’m wealthy?”
She flushed. “Yeah.”
Jaden shrugged. “My dad made some good investments, befriended a few prominent people. Most of our money is through acquaintance and inheritance. Luckily, we all know how to invest and save, so it was never wasted.”
“Do you have any siblings?”
“Nope. Only child. My mom had a few complications when she was delivering me. She wasn’t able to have any more children after that.”
Kalli wasn’t sure how to respond to that. She lapsed into silence, trying to absorb all the information that Jaden had given her. An idea clicked into her mind. “Wait, our power is inherited?”
“Yeah, it’s linked to genetics. It’s impossible to know for sure what traits your children will have, but it’s usually some combination or at least related to those of the parents.”
“Oh.” It made sense, now that she thought about it.
“I’m surprised that you didn’t know that already. What were your parents’ Callings?”
“My parents…” Kalli hesitated and tapped her fingers on the countertop. “My father must have been a Scout of some sort. My mother, I don’t think she was associated with Aegis at all. I think she was like your mom.”
Jaden smiled. “Well, cheers to our fathers for marrying for love rather than out of duty, the renegades.”
Kalli bit her lip and stood abruptly. “Sorry I just…need the restroom. Excuse me.” She turned and walked out of the room quickly and Jaden watched her go.
Lunch was ready to be served by the time Kalli returned, and Jaden aimed the conversation at cheerier topics, concealing his observation of her red-rimmed eyes.