Chương 3: The Teacher from Ymir Academy
When Mai finished dressing herself in the sacrificial clothing, she walked slowly to the tall figure standing before the chief. It was most probably one of those nobles from the Kingdom of Ymir that the voice had spoken about.
Chief Owansu was subserviently talking to the man, his hands nervously clasped before his waist. Dir was a step behind Chief Owansu, his face filled with barely veiled disgust.
"Here is the sacrifice," Chief Owansu quickly pulled the attention of the noble away from himself and swept his arms towards Mai's direction. "The sacrifice has turned 8-years old this spring. She will be sacrificed when she turns 12."
Roaming eyes looked at Mai, and she felt a crawling feeling up and down her arms. Dir had clenched his fists, anger evident from his body language.
"Turn away!" the voice said in anger. However, the voice did not know whether it meant Mai to turn away or for the noble to.
Mai, however, understood the voice's command to be meant for her, so she turned around immediately. Chief Owansu, however, grew furious at her disrespect.
"Stupid sacrifice!" He berated, his hand rising as if he were about to slap her. However, he forcefully lowered his arm, acknowledging the sacrificial rule of unblemished skin. The village could not afford to lose another sacrifice in this generation as well.
However, the noble did not seem disrespected by Mai's act and instead took it as if it were a disobedient kitten that was playing with its master. "It's a cute little thing, isn't it?" The nobleman said, his voice leaving chills in Mai's spine.
Dir's fists were dripping blood- his nails had pierced through his skin from the force that he was applying onto them. His eyes squinted with a look of pure anger. He looked ready to kill the nobleman before him.
Chief Owansu looked at the nobleman in disbelief, glancing back at the sacrifice before turning his glance away, disgust in his features. "She's ugly," Chief Owansu said, gesturing towards the girl, "her skin is too pale, her lips are dark red, her hair is too long and dark- there is nothing on her that is beautiful."
The nobleman from Ymir looked at Chief Owansu in amusement. "Skin as white as snow, lips like the deep color of a red rose, and hair the color of a raven's wings. She looks lovelier than even Snow White," the man chuckled, "You can hardly call the girl ugly, Owansu." The man had enough status in his country to disregard Chief Owansu's, and Chief Owansu did not dare to correct the man.
A rivulet of blood dripped onto the ground a few feet below Dir's hand, and his eyes turned a deeper color. "Don't look at her," he hissed at the nobleman.
Both the nobleman and Chief Owansu grew surprised at the sudden outburst from the young man, neither of them ready to berate the boy for his disrespect. The nobleman had once again acted in a different direction from what was expected as he laughed at Dir's reaction rather than kill him on the spot. "You have an interesting boy, Owansu," the nobleman said, "He is smitten with the sacrifice!"
Chief Owansu's mouth was agape until he heard the last sentence from the nobleman, and his hands swung faster than his mind could think. He hit his grandson with the same amount of strength used to tress a horse, and Dir could feel the world turn in his view as his neck snapped back, and he hit the ground with enough force to knock him unconscious.
Mai stared at the scene in shock, unable to comprehend what had happened. Her body was turned slightly to face Dir, and she had to forcefully prevent herself from walking over to check on his condition.
The Ymir nobleman snorted, trying to cover his laughter with a quick exhale of air through his nose. Mai couldn't help but to shoot the nobleman a look of loathing. At that, the nobleman's eyebrows quirked up. He became quite interested in this bunny rabbit, especially since- the nobleman looked between Dir and Mai- there seems to be drama in wait.
Chief Owansu was started at his own actions and looked at his hands in blame and disbelief. However, he soon realized that he was still in the presence of the nobleman, so he forcefully schooled his features into indifference, hiding the throbbing of his heart.
"Well, this was fun," the nobleman began, clapping his hands. Both Mai and Chief Owansu turned to him, their eyes filled with distrust. "However, I must go now. I hope to see both this young man and the-" the nobleman paused, his smile growing larger, "sacrifice in my territory so that they can enter into the Ymir Academy. The both seem to be promising students."
Chief Owansu could take it no longer. He straighten his back and looked at the nobleman in the eye, "My grandson can go, but the sacrifice cannot. She is required to stay within the village until it is time. You- nor anyone else- can change this rule."
The nobleman pouted, "Pity. I guess I'll just have to send a teacher over then. Expect him in a few days." With that, the nobleman left, leaving behind the confused gazes of Chief Owansu and Mai.
Soon after, however, Chief Owansu glanced at Mai and his face grew solemn with a tinge of anger. "You ungrateful thing!" Chief Owansu raised his hand but quickly put it back down again, "How dare you tempt my grandson! You are just the sacrifice- do not get cocky." Wit those words, Chief Owansu left, gingerly picking up his grandson so that he could take him to the village witch doctor. Mai stared at them as they left, a complex expression on her face.
"Was it my fault?" Mai mouthed, the sadness in her features able to convey the sadness that would have thickened her voice had she not said her fifty words.
"No," the voice answered her, its tone unusually softer than other times. "It is the fault of the culture of the village, not yours, Mai."
Mai nodded, though the sadness in her eyes did not lessen in its amount. She stared at the broad shoulders of Chief Owansu as he carried Dir with the carefulness of a mother cat licking her newborns. Mai felt a twinge in her chest- she did not know whether her twinge was in worry over her newly-found friend, or if it was a twinge for herself.
Noticing the gazes filled with apprehension and blame, Mai decisively turned away from them and walked back to God's hut, the last rays of sundown lighting her way. Before she fell asleep that night, Mai prayed to the Gods to make sure that Dir was alright.
......
Mai woke up once the rays of the early morning sun shone down upon her face. She had gotten used to the sun as her companion just like she had gotten used to silence.
Mai was awake even before the female villagers came in to "assist" her. Of course, the only thing they did was watch her to ensure that she placed all of the clothes in the correct order, having stopped making physical contact with Mai since the time that Mai was able to clumsily put clothes upon herself.
Reminiscing about the days when she had to learn how to do everything by herself, Mai stood up from her bed and glanced around God's house. The house was bare except for her bed; an extension which was the bathroom (a hole in the ground); and the robes that Mai was to wear every day until her sacrificial ceremony. Mai walked over to the robes and began to systematically wear them.
"That's odd," the voice had murmured, startling Mai as she laced one of her many belts around her tiny waist.
Mai raised her head and looked at the grassroots ceiling. She lifted a brow, indicating to the voice that she was curious.
"There is another person that is different from the other villagers. Chief Owansu is as subservient to the man as he was yesterday to the nobleman."
Mai frowned, curious as to who them man was. However, both the voice and her had reached the same conclusion the next second.
"It must be the teacher from Ymir Academy!" the voice called out, voicing out their conclusion.
Mai nodded in agreement.
"Isn't that too fast?" the voice wondered.
Mai nodded, once again in agreement.
"Hmm, I wonder what this means."
It was at that point that the door of God's hut was abruptly opened, revealing the two female villagers that usually watched Mai to ensure that she wore her clothes correctly. The women frantically looked at Mai and rushed in. "Quick, sacrifice," one of the women said, gesturing towards Mai, "You have to get out! The teacher from Ymir Academy has arrived!"
Mai frowned, realizing that this was truly too fast. She understood from the voice that the people from Ymir donated clothing and other materials to the villages, and that it was usually a noble in order to improve the standing of Ymir to its people and to the United Kingdoms Alliance. However, they had never sent a teacher to the villages. Their view of the villages was too negative.
"Stop dawdling and hurry up!" The other woman tugged at the hat that would cover Mai's head, the one that she wore only for certain occasions.
Mai understood and carefully grabbed the hat. She placed it securely on her head before the women once again urged Mai to leave and see the teacher.
Finally arriving, Mai stood shocked at the scene before her. The teacher was a young woman and she was berating Chief Owansu in front of the whole village.
Noticing the small, white figure before her, the young woman's eye lit up. She turned abruptly and, when she saw Mai's thin shoulders and translucent skin, her mouth turned down into a frown.
"And another thing!" the woman turned her head and her face returned to its stern look before Mai had entered, "How can you treat a human being like this! Even more so, she is the sacrifice that will save your village-" the girl muttered underneath her breath, "Which I believe is utter bullsh*t, but this village is backwards anyway- like this! I mean look at her, she's all skin and bones!"
Mai could see Dir behind the village chief silently cheering the young teacher on, the left side of his face a mottled purple. Mai's lips quirked up.
"Thank you," Mai said to the teacher.
All of the villagers were startled. Mai had used two of her precious fifty words as thanks to the young teacher. It was the first time that they had seen Mai voluntarily talk to an individual without that individual initiating the conversation first.
The young teacher paused in pleasant surprise, turning her head towards the younger girl. "You're welcome. It is a pleasure to stick-up for a lady like yourself."
"Watch it," the voice warned the young teacher, forgetting that the teacher would not be able to hear his warning. Unfortunately, Mai took the voice's words as a warning to herself.
Mai schooled her features into one of polite calm. She nodded her head and gestured to the teacher, implying that she should explain the reason why she was here and extremely early.
"Oh!" the teacher thankfully understood Mai's meaning, a stark contrast from the long time it took for Dir to understand her.
Clearing her throat, the woman returned to the task at hand, turning her body to formally face Chief Owansu.
"I am Teacher Claire from Ymir Academy. I have come on orders from Duke Richard to teach the grandson of the chief and the-," she paused, "sacrifice."
Chief Owansu's face turned ugly when he realized that not only would the relationship not dissolve between his grandson and the sacrifice, but it would instead be strengthened by this new development. He stared at the imposing young lady and sighed, the strength of Duke Richard alone could pulverize their village. He had no way to refuse.
"Very well," Chief Owansu said, his face unwilling, "both the sacrifice and my grandson have arrived. You may teach them as you will, Teacher Claire."
"I would have done so even without your permission, Chief Owansu," Teacher Claire said, her voice implying that Owansu was not worthy of his title.
A vein throbbed in Chief Owansu's forehead, yet he bore with it, certain that the Teacher Claire was more formidable than him. He then turned his body and signaled to the villagers that the meeting had been adjourned. The villagers left, and Chief Owansu did so as well, leaving one last meaningful look at his grandson and the sacrifice.
"Good thing that old fogey's gone, eh?" Teacher Claire said, her formidable atmosphere disappearing in a blink. She turned to look at the children left before her- a boy and a girl around the same age. The boy had a bruise the same size as Chief Owansu's hand, while the girl was obviously malnourished. Teacher Claire tsked. "We have a lot of work to do, but first," she paused and then clapped her hands, "let's start with a small test!"
Dir and Mai glanced at each other in confusion. Test? Their eyes seemed to convey. What test?
The teacher looked at their obvious confusion and laughed before she explained to them what a test was. Their faces of disgust and unwillingness sent Teacher Claire into a laughing fit once again. "It seems that regardless of the individual, testing seems to get on their nerves," she wiped away her tears of laughter, "Let's begin."
Mai and Dir straightened up.
"What is two plus two?" the teacher asked, her face stern.
'4', Mai knew the answer immediately, and she turned her head to view Dir. He was holding his fingers up in obvious confusion, counting them to reach his final answer.
"5," Dir said, triumphantly.
Mai cringed inwardly, yet her expression leaked nothing.
"Incorrect," Teacher Claire told him. She then turned her head to Mai, indicating that Mai should speak.
Instead of speaking, however, Mai held up four fingers.
"Correct," the teacher said, surprised. She was sure that the village chief had told her that Dir was the one with the education from Ymir and not the young girl before her.
"What is 5 plus 10?"
'15'.
Once again Mai looked over at Dir, and she could see the obvious discomfort in his face. She couldn't help but to discretely assist him, showing him all ten of her fingers before showing him five.
"It's 5!" Dir said, smiling towards Mai's face.
"Incorrect! Mai?"
Mai showed her exactly how she showed Dir, '15'.
"Correct."
Dir looked at Mai's fingers in confusion, realizing that there was no difference in what she had showed him. "I don't get it," Dir confessed, turning his gaze towards Teacher Claire. "What's the answer?"
Teacher Claire looked at Dir and sighed, "It's fifteen. Ten plus five equals fifteen."
Dir made a silent 'oh' and quietly waited for Teacher Claire to continue.
"2 times 6."
The teacher continued to test the students and a reoccurring pattern appeared- Mai could immediately answer each question while Dir could only look on in embarrassment, math being his worst subject. After a while Teacher Claire stopped and looked at the two children before her.
"Let's try a different test," she said, a glint in her eye. "Let's go to the forest."
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