Chapter 16 - Glimmer of hope

Light and Sharaina had been sitting in silence for half an hour. Light placed his hand on Sharaina's knee and she looked sternly at him. Light smiled at her and this annoyed her even more. She pushed Light's hand away and continued to sulk.

"Why can't you people understand that I want to be alone?" she vehemently asked him.

"Your family is extremely worried about you." he softly replied. "Even I am worried." he said and heard her scoff.

"Why would you worry about me? We haven't known each other long." she icily replied.

"That shouldn't guarantee that I mustn't care about you." Light replied softly again.

"Just leave me alone Light. I want to be alone." Sharaina burst into tears.

Light started to cry too. He covered his face as he cried loudly. Sharaina stopped crying and felt awkward. She looked around her room confused then looked back at Light. She literally didn't know what to do.

Light cracked up laughing and that was when Sharaina realized that he was faking it. She angrily wiped her tears and slapped him. Light held his cheek and pouted. He looked into Sharaina's angry eyes and he giggled.

"That really hurt Sharaina. Maybe I should start crying for real now." he complained to her with a grin.

"How dare you make fun of me?" she snappily replied.

"I am not making fun of you. I just did it so that you would stop crying. This trick always works with my sisters so I thought I'd try it on you." Light laughed.

"Come on," he waved his eyebrows up and down. "It worked on you too. See, you have stopped crying." he nudged on her and she chuckled. "Now that's what I am talking about. This is the Sharaina I know."

"You are such a clown." she giggled.

"I can't even argue with that truth." Light giggled back.

Sharaina frowned again. "I still can't believe that I have to leave home soon. I knew this time was going to come but I thought that I had plenty of time left. I guess things don't always happen the way we want them to." she sighed.

"I understand how you feel. When I turned 95, the time had come for me to leave home. I too, had mixed emotions about leaving." he said. "It's been five years since that time and I am okay. You don't have to be afraid. You must do as King Raglan has ordered. It's for your own good too."

"I don't want to go Light." she aggressively said.

"Why don't you want to go?" he asked her, his voice was gentle.

Sharaina dropped her gaze in thought. "I am afraid of being alone out there." she sadly whispered and wiped her fresh tears.

Light scooted closer to her and put his arm over her shoulder. "You are crying again Sharaina. Do you want me to start crying too?" he asked and she shook her head quickly. "That's more like it." he chuckled.

"Sharaina, you don't have to be afraid. The Warrior Academy is a nice place. You will get to meet new people and make new friends. As for your family, you will be given opportunities to see them." he softly explained.

"But even still, I will feel alone there." she insisted.

"You will not be alone. I will be with you. Remember the Gamarax Manipulator Academy is in the same campus as the Warrior Academy." Light explained to Sharaina and her eyes beamed.

The new glow in Sharaina's eyes soon disappeared as dullness returned to them.

"But why do I have to go?" she frowned.

"You need to go. There are many important things you need to know about your powers. There's also the issue of feeding. This place can no longer sustain your needs." he calmly made her understand.

"This must have been the reason why father agreed to this. I was so angry with him and mother for accepting to send me away. I'm feeling terrible for how I treated them. They must be angry with me." Sharaina lamented and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"They aren't mad at you. They are just worried sick. Why don't we leave your room so that they don't have to worry anymore?" Light suggested and Sharaina nodded her head.

When Sharumez and Akirexer heard Sharaina's door opening, they ran to the bottom of the staircase and looked up. They saw Light coming out first and Sharaina nervously following him behind. Akirexer wanted nothing more than to run upstairs and hug Sharaina but Sharumez held her back. She unwillingly waited for them to go down the stairs.

"Mama and Papa." Sharaina softly said. "I am sorry for overreacting the way I did. Please forgive me."

Akirexer hugged her and Sharumez hugged them both. Light stepped back in order to give them space for their sweet moment.

"We were not mad at you." Sharumez said. "It wasn't your fault." he assured Sharaina.

"Come and sit down at the table. You haven't eaten since morning." Akirexer was next to speak.

She took Sharaina by the hand and made her sit at the table. Akirexer quickly brought her lunch and started to feed Sharaina despite her resistance to be fed. Akirexer refused to hear it and kept on stuffing food into Sharaina's mouth. Sharumez and Light laughed at that.

Sharumez put his palm on Light's shoulder. "Thank you son. Once again you have done something I couldn't do."

Light scratched the back of his head with a wide smile. "Please don't thank me. I was just doing what a friend could do for another friend."

****

It was night by the time Emelinia returned to Gemhules. She had walked the whole way back. She felt so frustrated, depressed and exhausted. Emelinia went to a closed shop and sat on its verandah. She started to cry deeply as she recalled her painful day. She felt heart broken and hopeless. She didn't know what to do or where to go.

Light and Sharaina were strolling the market. Sharaina had insisted on going out for some air and Light offered to accompany her much to the delight of her parents. They were chatting when Sharaina saw Emelinia crying all alone. She was astonished to see her there because she thought that Sharumez left her safe in Vanimaq.

"What is she doing there all alone and why is she crying?" Sharaina asked Light who was equally surprised.

Light and Sharaina slowly went Emelinia so as not to alarm her. They stood away from her not knowing what to do. They were trying to figure out the best way to approach her without upsetting her any more than she already was. Sharaina gestured to Light to stay back and she alone went to Emelinia.

Emelinia saw Sharaina's shadow and faced up. The moment she recognized her, she hastily wiped her tears and faced back down. Sharaina's heart ached with pity. She slowly sat beside Emelinia and held her shoulder.

"Light and I were passing by when we saw you here all alone. Emelinia what is wrong? Shouldn't you be in Vanimaq?"

Emelinia broke down again at the mention of Vanimaq.

"I don't know what to do. I feel so hopeless." she sobbed.

Sharaina was about to ask her about what happened when she noticed that Emelinia was shivering in the cold. All she had on was her maid uniform and the clothe she stole from a trader in Cherilisia. Sharaina took off her coat and covered Emelinia in it. Emelinia looked at her baffled.

"Don't worry about me, my sweater will be enough for now." Sharaina assured her. "Come back home with me. It's freezing out here."

Emelinia shook her head with a sniffle. "No it's okay. I will be fine."

Sharaina wasn't convinced. "I insist that you do. Please." her eyes looked sincere.

Having no other choice, Emelinia agreed to go with Sharaina. Light was delighted to see that Sharaina had managed to convince Emelinia to go with them. He took notice that Sharaina gave up her coat to Emelinia. Light took off his jacket and gave it to Sharaina.

"Thank you." she blushed a little.

The three arrived at Sharaina's home in a few minutes. Akirexer was cooking dinner while Sharumez chatted with Naian in the living room. Sharumez and Naian were shocked to see Emelinia back at the house. When Sharumez saw that she was sad, he became worried and offered her a seat. Akirexer brought her hot tea and a blanket.

"Emelinia, what happened to you?" Sharumez asked, concerned and Akirexer nodded her head.

Emelinia decided to tell them everything from the beginning so that they could understand her situation. They listened in silence as she narrated her story with great difficulty. They were shocked about her ordeal with Queen Lavila.

"This is so sad. So the rumors about the wickedness of Queen Lavila are true?" Akirexer sighed.

"Prince Meelzib is equally evil." Emelinia said. "The two of them make life so miserable for the people."

"Why doesn't King Raglan do anything about this?" Naian asked her.

"He doesn't know that they are evil. He knows that Prince Meelzib is short tempered and capable of many things but he knows nothing about Queen Lavila's wickness. She acts so sweet when he is around but shows her true colors in his absence."

Sharumez sighed. "King Raglan is such a good man. I feel awful that he is living with evil.

Sharumez gave Naian a concerned look. "Son, this is why I tell you that the type of woman you marry is very important. King Raglan is kind and wise but his people are still living in misery because of his wife. A bad woman is more than capable of destroying you beyond redemption."

Light became tensed when he heard that. He didn't know the type of woman he was going to marry. Nami only spoke of her beauty and wealth. He hardly knew anything else about her and with Sharumez's words, he couldn't help but worry.

"What happens in the case of an arranged marriage? What is a man supposed to do in such a situation?" Light asked Sharumez.

"He can only hope that his parents have chosen a good partner for him." Sharumez answered him.

"What is your opinion of arranged marriages?" Light asked again.

"They are not all bad but personally I would prefer my children choose their own partners the way I chose mine. Their happiness is important to me." Sharumez said and Akirexer smiled proudly at his response.

Light looked at Naian and Sharaina with envy. "Your children are fortunate." he said. "Emelinia, you haven't told us why you couldn't stay in Vanimaq." he changed the subject.

Emelinia explained everything that happened starting from her birth to why her mother sent her away to Cherilisia. Everyone was saddened by her story.

"That's why I couldn't stay In Vanimaq." she said with a sniffle.

"But surely being born out of wedlock shouldn't be a reason why your step father threw you out of your home." Akirexer voiced her thoughts.

"He didn't kick me out because of that." Emelinia said.

Emelinia slowly unfolded her headband. When it was loose, she sadly took it off and everyone gazed upon her star birthmark of the seers.

"I am a female seer." she said in almost a whisper.

At that point, Emelinia expected everyone to look at her with disgust. She started preparing herself mentally to be kicked out and cast aside like an animal. After all, it wasn't going to be the first time nor was it going to be the last. Despite that she still felt tensed as she absorbed their stares. The silence made her sick to her stomach.

"I wonder when people will stop being so shallow. What's wrong with female seers? " Sharaina broke the silence and Emelinia looked at her with wide eyes.

"Sadly, the reality is that many of us are ignorant fools." Sharumez added and Emelinia looked at him in disbelief.

"The stigma is worse in other areas." Light spoke up. "I witnessed a couple reject their daughter after she was born. The

baby had to be taken to the Seers Sanctuary. They are taking good care of her there. I think she will spend the rest of her life there."

"Sharumez, I think Emelinia should stay here for as long as she wants." Akirexer said and Emelinia gasped.

Sharumez nodded his head. "Yes, I agree with you."

"I don't understand. Why are you so kind to me especially now that you know the truth about me? You are respectable people so why would you risk your reputation by keeping me here?" Emelinia softly asked everyone with a frown.

"Child, it doesn't matter what class you are. We believe in helping others in their times of need." Akirexer sweetly said to Emelinia. "You are welcome to stay here for as long as you want."

****

Dinner went well in the Sharumez household. Light said goodbye to everyone and headed home. Due to the heavy dinner, he just wanted to go straight to his room and sleep. He got into the mansion and he was met with a glare from Nami and stares from his sisters. Light ignored them and made his way to the stairs.

"Going to bed without having dinner with us?" Nami asked him and he paused.

Light turned to her and forced his lips into a faint smile. "Yes mama. Mr Sharumez and his wife asked me to stay for dinner."

"Interesting." Nami stood up. "Did you stay because of dinner or was it because of that girl?"

"Mama please, not this again." Light wiped his face with his hand. He was getting sick of Nami bringing up that topic.

"Answer me Light." she ordered him, her voice was rude and mean.

"I have already told you why I had to stay there for dinner. What more do you want me to say?" he impatiently asked her.

"I don't understand why you insist on seeing that girl. Next thing we will all know is that you will start having an affair with her." she sternly scolded Light.

Light took a deep breath because he started to feel angry. "What will happen if I do huh? Are you worried that I will get her pregnant and your precious engagement will be called off?" he asked her and his sisters gasped.

Nami got furious and slapped Light across his face.

"Don't you ever talk to me like that again!" she yelled. "I don't want you to see that girl again, do you hear me? Stay away from her!"

Light endured the stinging pain of her slap as he felt his anger building up. He breathed out and looked at Nami with an emotionless face. She glared back at him and the girls stood up tensed. Light dropped his gaze, tucked his lips and turned away from Nami.

He made his way back upstairs. Nami hurled at him ordering him not to walk away from her but he kept going. The next thing everyone heard was the sound of his bedroom door closing.

Nami remained hyperventilating in anger. Stariss ran to her and held her.

"Mama, calm down please." she begged. "Don't be angry with Light. You know that he didn't mean what he said."

"My son has always been obedient and polite to me and now because of that girl, he said such harsh words to me!" she gritted her teeth. "She is a bad influence. I will never accept their friendship. I want her out of his life!"

Stariss helped Nami sit back down. "Mama, remember papa said that Light cannot disappoint us. He will marry Yolin as you wish. His friendship with Sharaina won't stop that from happening." she said.

Nami lovingly held Stariss's cheek. "Perhaps you are right. I raised him therefore I should know better." she softly said. "I am still angry with him. I will speak about what he has done with your father. This insolence can't be allowed to continue!"