The festival time was one day away and my parents seemed to keep getting nervous about it. Our whole family decided it best if we all stay under the same roof until the festival started. Somehow our house was decided upon. So we had a house full of noise and constant chaos. I'm in my room with Ash at my feet studying for my upcoming test in math ten days after the festival. My parents are insistent that I have some kind of associate's degree under my belt before joining the working class. I still haven't decided what I want to be when I grow up so I'm just taking the majority of the required classes before choosing my major.
"Lexi, are you alright," came a knock at my door from my sweet granny. Ash barked as she opened the door and ran to be petted. My granny bent down giving Ash tummy rubs.
"I'm just studying," I answered her. I smiled real big as I heard her whisper something in my head.
"I couldn't make that out, what did you say, granny?" I asked with my mind while she continued to look at Ash and pet her.
"Do you have your memory back my child?" She asked me in my mind.
"Mostly. I try to do as you instructed and drink the potion every day. It has made everything transparent to me, except some things are still a little foggy, but I know why you tried to protect me when I was an infant now. Where is Vladimir?" I asked trying not to make a big deal about it. My granny looked up at me with a huge smile on her face.
"Well, he is at his home. He invited his aunts and uncles and various family to his home before the festival starts. You know the tradition every family decides on doing every year," granny said dryly. She loathed this time of the year.
"Traditions for no reason that no one can explain why we do them. I simply do not want to go. Every day that it gets closer the more this tattoo starts to burn. Why?" I projected pulling my sleeve up to reveal how red the skin around it was getting. My granny shut my bedroom door quickly grabbing my wrist.
"It will stop once you enter the castle. It's a warning for when you get there. No questions to be asked. They will have their eyes on you. Try not to stand out if you can help it," granny replied dropping my wrist and leaving my room.
She is still upset I got the mark and blames herself for not teaching me better when I was younger. It wasn't her fault. How could she have known that the seal on my magic wouldn't be strong enough to stop my curiosity? She couldn't. She was busy caring for a boy who was orphaned and abandoned by his family for a long time until she made a bridge for them to try and cross over on. They are about halfway over that bridge now, but it still worries me if it's gonna be enough. Vladimir has been my best friend since I was a baby. He's older than me by a couple of years, but that's not an issue. He has helped me through so much and I wasn't even aware until I got my memories back.
She never adopted him, but his Aunt had done so to keep him in the family. She wasn't ready to take care of a young child so she asked my granny for help. Our families have always been close so it didn't come as a surprise. We aren't that close anymore, however. After the death of his parents they all withdrew from us and changed drastically. His Aunt is the only one who stays in contact with my Granny.
Ash started whining wanting attention which pulled me from my thoughts. I started playing tug of war with her to make her happy and bring a smile to my face. My mom opened the door and laughed when she saw us playing.
"That puppy has been the best purchase we ever made," she spoke with a laugh. Ash was my Christmas present when I was seven years old.
"I love her so much. When I get to rent my own house I hope they allow me to have her," I mumbled. My mom went to my bed and laid down a beautiful black dress with moon-shaped white buttons going down the back of it it was still inside the plastic gown bag it came in the chest in. She also placed a shoebox next to it and another box above it.
"How would you like your hair for tomorrow? I was thinking you should leave it down and curl the front slightly so it frames your face well and put some of the body glitters you have in it. What do you think?" my mama questioned searching my face for answers.
"That would be a nice mama. I would enjoy that. I can't wait to see everyone in costume especially you." I teased my mom making her blush. She still looked young for her age and she knew it. My friends at school would think she was my sister. My college study group still thinks I'm lying when I tell them she's my mom.
"Alright honey, now you try everything on and figure out what you wanna do. I'll be able to help if you need it, but we all gotta be ready by three tomorrow. Make sure you get some good rest tonight it's gonna be a long night tomorrow," she kissed me on my forehead and left out my room. I heard her walking down the steps where everyone else was. I went back to studying until I heard a tap on my window making me look over to the night sky and a raven waiting patiently for me to open the window.
Attached to its right leg was a small glass bottle that I knew held a letter inside it. I quickly opened the window and retrieved the letter from the bird.
Dearest Alexis,
My family is hectic and demanding it's so energy draining. I can't wait to dance with you tomorrow. I hope you recognize me in my suit and mask. If not I will be extremely miserable the whole time. How's granny and your arm?
With love and hugs, Vladimir
He sends these letters every night so we keep in touch. I remember meeting him for the first time at my granny's home. She invited us all over for dinner because it was getting close to festival time and I was only four years old at the time. We got there and Vladimir was covered in flour from head to toe trying to help granny bake cookies. He was only seven years old at the time and his parents had died not long ago. My mom was upset that granny took the boy in instead of forcing his aunt to change her lifestyle and take care of him. I remember hearing them arguing back and forth in the living room while Dad helped set the table for dinner in the dining room. Covered in flour I thought this boy was astonishing to look at and felt electricity between us when he touched my hand showing me how to mold cookies. Ever since that day, we have been extra close to each other.
I quickly wrote on the bottom of the paper in response:
Dear Bats,
Granny is good. She is enjoying family time but hates tomorrow like always. My arm feels like I have someone stabbing it repeatedly with a torch, but I'm alright. I've gotten used to so it's not bothering me anymore. Ash wants to play with the Raven, but she doesn't know how so I'm watching her follow him all around my room. I will recognize you tomorrow, I'm sure of it. Dancing with you will be the highlight of my entire night. Dream of me?
With Hugs and middle fingers, Lexi
I laughed at myself as I put the letter back into the bottle and watched the Raven fly off to Vladimir. I've called him Bats since we were little when I learned he could turn into bats when he choose to. Hide and seek was never fun until I learned how to find the various bats in different trees. That's around the same time my magic started to seep out of the seal granny put on me. I was able to use speed and agility that wasn't necessarily in the human category. All of my senses have always been heightened since I was born even with the various seals my granny kept placing on me. I wasn't allowed to do sports like the other kids in my classes because I would stand out much too great.
Vladimir would always look out for me in school regardless of what was going on. It was nice always having someone there for me until he graduated from high school and started college. Those three years by myself in school were precisely hell for me.
Ash pull me from my thoughts when she went to my bedroom door and ring the bell I placed next to it for when she needed to go out of my room. I opened the door and left it cracked because I knew she would be back to snuggle later. I picked the dress up off of my bed and hung it on the back of my door. I put the two boxes on my desk and proceeded to put clothes together for a shower in the morning. I went looking for my fluffy pajama pants and my black tank top that usually wear to bed. I changed into them and turned off all my lights. It was still early, but I was tired from studying all day.
The Raven flew back into my room and landed next to me on my bed. I rubbed him on his back as I took the letter from his leg. Vladimir has had various Raven's as pets over the years. This one he had raised since it was a baby, unlike the others who were already grown when he got them. He had named his one Rave because it has always stayed with Vladimir even when he released it out into the world. Rave has also taken a strong likening to me as well. Rave laid down on my pillow as I read what was written on this letter from Bats.
Sweet Alexis,
I smiled when I saw you remembered the old nickname Bats. I hope that means you have your memory back? I wish I could take that pain from you. I'm glad our bond has never broken even after so long. Rave tells me he wants to play with Ash too but is scared. I talked him into trying, I think, so look after him when he finally does. I will dream of you my dearest. Dream of me? I am off to slumber for this next week will be exhausting.
Hugs and snuggles, Bats
His letter made me smile. Then I realized he could talk to Rave. Does that mean I can too? I stared at Rave for a long time before deciding to try later. Ash came back into my room and pushed my door back shut before jumping on my bed. She laid down next to me and I saw Rave go lay down next to her. I wrote quickly a response so Rave and Bats could go to bed. I shut my window and snuggled with Ash.
I fell asleep quickly for I was transported to my forgotten memories that were coming back in waves. I wanted all of them to know everything that was hidden from me. I still haven't truly gotten over the fact that my memories were sealed from me. That's something I truly find disrespectful to another and I would never wish that on anyone else.