It’s well, child, you can think of me as a “she” if you like. I have Chosen nearly all female Bonded in my many lives. And the two men I Chose were both, well… not like other men, let’s say. So, I guess I’ve usually been a female once I’m Bonded. Another giggle.And I guess I will be again soon enough.
I was a little taken aback by this.
The carriage began to move.
“Auwei…?” I wasn’t sure what to say. I thought the Lumani were a bit more… composed and serene and majestic than this.
More giggling.Once you’ve lived as many lifetimes Bonded to humans as I have, you pick up a few quirks. Sorry child, but you’re gonna have to live with them if we’re to be Bonded. I hope I didn’t give you the wrong impression earlier. I do like to be serious when Choosing. I got the sense of a shrug.But this is the real me.
“The real you?”
Yup, the real me. And I got a sense from you, we’d work well together.
“You did?” I suppose I was a bit irreverent and wild.
Yup.
“Is that why you Chose me? Because I’m…” I didn’t quite know how to say it.
Yes and no. That was one factor, the other, as your father pointed out, was your spirit. For a long time during The Choosing, you didn’t stand out, but then… there was just a flash as I passed you, something bright and powerful. And as I spoke to you, I tried to draw that out. You keep it well hidden, but I know it’s there. That’s why I Chose you.
“Oh.” That was a bit of a surprise. Before today I’d not thought of myself as anyone with a special spirit, but now… perhaps…
And that’s what we’ll work on when we get to Silverveil, your spirit. In order to make a True-Bond, we need to connect on that level. Also, we’ll need to find what avatar you’ve Chosen for us.
Yes, that’s something I was truly excited about: finding my avatar, what animal form Auwei — and later myself — would take. The shape that would give me my true name. I hoped it was something as lovely as my sister, Dove, or as powerful as Skyfire — a wyvern — the leader of Wyvern House.
Auwei giggled again.We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we!
Now, there are a few things you’ll need to know before we get to Silverveil,Auwei said, becoming a bit more serious in tone.Or perhaps you already know? What do you know of the process of True-Bonding?
Time to bring out my extended education. I had learned a fair bit from my parents, but it had been my sister, who had gone through this process three years ago — and written to tell us all about it — from whom I’d learned the most about Bonding.
“We’ll be among other newly Chosen, all living together at Silverveil. There is a girls’ dorm and boys’ dorm, and any fraternizing between them is frowned upon. We’re supposed to be spending all our time with our Lumani, not snogging behind the dining hall.”
Auwei snorted and laughed a heavy guffaw at that.That’s an interesting way of putting it, but yes. Go on.
Snorting? She’d actually snorted? This was going to be truly interesting.
“We will work to bring out our avatar, our True Shape. When we do, you’ll assume that shape at first. Once you have, we will begin to also work on Bonding. Unfortunately, no one, human or Lumani truly understands how it works, it just does. We’ll either Bond or we won’t.” But I didn’t want to think of that option. Still, Auwei brought it up.
Yes, that is perhaps the most important part of the time we’ll spend at Silverveil. We must Bond during those three months. If we don’t, it will never happen. She gave a heavy sounding sigh.That has only happened to me once. It was… painful for both of us.She perked up a little then, though it felt like false positivity, putting on a good front while still uncertain.I’m sure that won’t happen with you!
If it did, I’d have to return to Miraline, and I would never be Chosen again, even if I hadn’t been too old. Some people were just not Bondable. If you failed out of the Bonding, even if you were young enough to try again the next year, you were banned from returning. Some people recovered from that and went on to lead productive lives. Others… didn’t. I was certain I wouldn’t recover. I knew if this didn’t work out, I’d… well… it just had to work out.
I drew in a long breath, banishing those thoughts. “Right! I’m sure we’ll be a good match!”
Exactly! What else do you know of Silverveil?
“Silverveil is more of a school than a village, though there is a village nearby, mostly to serve the needs of the school. Also, it’s called Silverveil because it’s so close to The Mistlands, your home.”
The Mistlands may be where I come from, but I do not know if I consider them my home anymore. I have spent nine lifetimes in your world and much prefer it to The Mistlands now. Everything here is more… solid. I have come to like the tactile senses of you humans, they’re so much more visceral and immediate.
“Oh…?” This was a bit of a surprise. To me, The Mistlands were a special, mystical place and I couldn’t imagine not wanting to be a part of them. “Do you think I could see The Mistlands?”
Yes, of course, I’ll take you one day while we’re at Silverveil. All Chosen need to see it to help them understand us.
That would be amazing! Being in the realm of The Spirits.
