her life.
After Fera sprits her with her favorite scent, she decides it is best to leave Tia alone to enjoy her own reflection.
For the first time, Tia feels as beautiful as the woman in her dreams. Maybe the woman really is my mother, she thinks. From what little Osborn mentioned of her mother, he noted that Tia resembled her side much more than she did his. It was easy to tell, since Tia’s nose is slender, compared to her father’s, and her eyes are not deep set like his.
“You look radiant,” calls a voice from behind her.
She discovers her father standing in the doorway with a trace of sadness in his eyes. Tia knows this day must be just as difficult for him, as it is for her. Or perhaps it is that I look so much like her.
“I have something else for you,” he mentions in a calm, soothing voice. Tia always loved how comforted she felt when he spoke.
Osborn checks behind him, closing the door. “This has to stay between us, okay?”
Tia nods her head and watches him pull out a necklace. The golden chain glimmers in the light poking through the window. Her eyes follow the reflection of the chain, down to the pendent. Tia is frozen, her eyes fixed on the four swirls that meet in the middle to form a diamond shape hole.
Chapter 2
“It was your mother’s," Osborn whispers. Tia grazes the pendent with her index finger, searching for words. It appears to be exactly as she remembers from her dreams. Tia wonders where her father kept it hidden, all this time. With a small house, there are not a vast amount of hiding spaces. A million questions race through her mind. One query that nagged at her the most for the past eighteen years, comes out.
“What does the symbol mean?"
Osborn is quiet. His face appears grim, as though he is remembering something painful. Finally, his voice cracks, “I'm not sure. She never told me, but I wanted you to have it. I’ve waited a long time to give this to you, Tia. It just never felt right, until now.” Osborn's speech is rough, and he is fighting back tears.
Before he starts to cry, Tia turns around to hug him. His arms are strong, as always. It’s that safe haven, Osborn provides, Tia is going to miss most. They hold each other for a long time, with both of their eyes glowing.
Another thing that separates Regnumians, from humans, is the fact that under extreme emotional distress, their eyes illuminate red hues. Tia’s a soft pink and her father’s a bright red. They release from their embrace and look at each other.
"I see we are both a mess, today,” Tia mumbles, trying to calm herself. The last thing she needs is for the leaders to see her eyes glowing. That is a factor that can highly impact her points.
“I am beyond proud to say you are my daughter. I know your mother would be as well. She was the bravest woman I ever met.”
Tia stares at her father, amazed at his mention of her mother in such a nostalgic manner.
“Did you love her?” she interrogates, as she fidgets with the necklace.
“She is loved,” is all he utters, before he leaves Tia alone in the bathroom, still clasping onto the pendant from her dreams.
All Regnumian candidates need to arrive at the platform, by two, on the first day of the Electus, to be considered for selection. Those candidates that do not arrive on time, are eliminated and sentenced to work at Letum, the land in which all prisoners are retained. Each year the leaders choose a new capitol to hold the Electus. This year they selected Urbi.
Tia’s father and uncle drop her off at the arena by one-thirty. She says her fair wells with hugs and kisses on the cheek. Fera left early to assist in the set up of the stage in the arena, so she already said goodbye before they left. Tia wonders if this is the last time she will see her family. Still holding on to hope, she pushes the thought out of her mind.
“We’ll be watching you this whole week from home,” her father remarks with a half smile.
“Remember to trip
After Fera sprits her with her favorite scent, she decides it is best to leave Tia alone to enjoy her own reflection.
For the first time, Tia feels as beautiful as the woman in her dreams. Maybe the woman really is my mother, she thinks. From what little Osborn mentioned of her mother, he noted that Tia resembled her side much more than she did his. It was easy to tell, since Tia’s nose is slender, compared to her father’s, and her eyes are not deep set like his.
“You look radiant,” calls a voice from behind her.
She discovers her father standing in the doorway with a trace of sadness in his eyes. Tia knows this day must be just as difficult for him, as it is for her. Or perhaps it is that I look so much like her.
“I have something else for you,” he mentions in a calm, soothing voice. Tia always loved how comforted she felt when he spoke.
Osborn checks behind him, closing the door. “This has to stay between us, okay?”
Tia nods her head and watches him pull out a necklace. The golden chain glimmers in the light poking through the window. Her eyes follow the reflection of the chain, down to the pendent. Tia is frozen, her eyes fixed on the four swirls that meet in the middle to form a diamond shape hole.
Chapter 2
“It was your mother’s," Osborn whispers. Tia grazes the pendent with her index finger, searching for words. It appears to be exactly as she remembers from her dreams. Tia wonders where her father kept it hidden, all this time. With a small house, there are not a vast amount of hiding spaces. A million questions race through her mind. One query that nagged at her the most for the past eighteen years, comes out.
“What does the symbol mean?"
Osborn is quiet. His face appears grim, as though he is remembering something painful. Finally, his voice cracks, “I'm not sure. She never told me, but I wanted you to have it. I’ve waited a long time to give this to you, Tia. It just never felt right, until now.” Osborn's speech is rough, and he is fighting back tears.
Before he starts to cry, Tia turns around to hug him. His arms are strong, as always. It’s that safe haven, Osborn provides, Tia is going to miss most. They hold each other for a long time, with both of their eyes glowing.
Another thing that separates Regnumians, from humans, is the fact that under extreme emotional distress, their eyes illuminate red hues. Tia’s a soft pink and her father’s a bright red. They release from their embrace and look at each other.
"I see we are both a mess, today,” Tia mumbles, trying to calm herself. The last thing she needs is for the leaders to see her eyes glowing. That is a factor that can highly impact her points.
“I am beyond proud to say you are my daughter. I know your mother would be as well. She was the bravest woman I ever met.”
Tia stares at her father, amazed at his mention of her mother in such a nostalgic manner.
“Did you love her?” she interrogates, as she fidgets with the necklace.
“She is loved,” is all he utters, before he leaves Tia alone in the bathroom, still clasping onto the pendant from her dreams.
All Regnumian candidates need to arrive at the platform, by two, on the first day of the Electus, to be considered for selection. Those candidates that do not arrive on time, are eliminated and sentenced to work at Letum, the land in which all prisoners are retained. Each year the leaders choose a new capitol to hold the Electus. This year they selected Urbi.
Tia’s father and uncle drop her off at the arena by one-thirty. She says her fair wells with hugs and kisses on the cheek. Fera left early to assist in the set up of the stage in the arena, so she already said goodbye before they left. Tia wonders if this is the last time she will see her family. Still holding on to hope, she pushes the thought out of her mind.
“We’ll be watching you this whole week from home,” her father remarks with a half smile.
“Remember to trip
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