Departure || Variable five

The next day, on the third day of Dees, Yew told his parents about his decision to attend the school of Hecate as a magicless student.

Kapok and Nettle were mildly surprised but accepted his choice. They helped him fill out the confirmation letter for the school of Hecate, while they themselves wrote polite annulment letters to other schools.

Kapok mailed Yew's response to the school of Hecate on the same day, and just two days later Yew received a welcome letter from the school, with three documents: an admission statement, an introduction pamphlet, and a list of essential instructions for new students.

Yew was directed to arrive on the fortieth day of Dees, in the afternoon. In case, if he couldn’t make it, he was supposed to contact the school immediately, in order to reschedule the day of his arrival.

Around the same time, Mpingo also completed his school application, and received a welcome letter from the school of Hestia.

In the following five weeks, Yew and Mpingo played together as usual, but they didn’t enjoy it as much as before. Mpingo kept asking Yew why he chose Hecate, but Yew wouldn’t tell him the truth, and Mpingo noticed it.

Even though Hecate wasn't considered an overly excellent school, Mpingo still felt like the ravine between him and Yew was growing bigger and bigger, until it got so big that he couldn't cross it anymore. He didn’t feel like there was anything in common between them, so he quietly distanced himself from his best friend.

The suffering in Mpingo’s heart caused by the rejection from all schools except Hestia, slowly turned into indifference and a sense of defeat. With each passing day, Mpingo’s behavior was getting more and more sullen and reserved. Yet Yew, who was too busy with his own preparation, wasn't able to recognize the negative changes in Mpingo.

Then on the thirty-eighth day of Dees, before the sunrise, Mpingo left for the school of Hestia without a farewell to Yew.

Later he felt guilty about ignoring his best friend like that, but he had found for himself a justifiable explanation. He made himself believe that there was no need to say goodbye, because they were going to see each other again.

Yew himself was so nervous and so excited about his own day of departure, that he didn’t even notice that Mpingo had suddenly left.

Soon it was his turn. For the first time, he would leave the comfort of his home in order to experience the wonders of the outside world, and he couldn’t stop thinking about it since three days prior to the appointed date.

Early in the morning, on the fortieth day of Dees, when everyone else was just waking up, Yew was already awake and dressed up.

There was no major transportation in the small village of Catriddle, which had only one dirt road connecting it to the outside world. Kapok planned to take Yew in his merchant’s carriage, but Hyssop offered a better alternative.

Each year, the top ten students of Athena had the privilege of a private carriage transporting them to and from school, all of which was paid for by the school. Hyssop contacted the driver of her carriage, and requested to return to Athena in the morning on the fortieth day of Dees, with a quick stop in the city of Owlway to drop off her younger brother at the train station.

The carriage had to pass through the city of Owlway anyway, so the driver agreed to her request, and arrived on the appointed day. He walked up to the front door, and knocked.

The family had just finished their breakfast.

"Your carriage is here," Kapok said after he looked out the kitchen window.

Nettle opened the door, and invited the driver to come inside.

He immediately saw Hyssop’s suitcases standing ready in the living room, and asked if he could take them. Hyssop confirmed, and the man took the suitcases to the carriage.

Meanwhile, Hyssop changed her shoes, and put on her favorite strawhat decorated with three yellow crochet bees.

Yew grabbed his backpack, which was packed-ready since ereyester and occupying the armchair in the living room, patiently awaiting the day of departure.

With the backpack in his hands, Yew entered the entry room, where he put the backpack down on the floor, while he changed his shoes. Then he followed his sister on her way out and to the carriage.

Nettle and Kapok went outside together with their children. Nettle followed them down the stairs to the carriage, but Kapok remained on the balcony, leaning forward on the handrail above a flowerpot.

The driver was already holding open the door to the carriage.

Hyssop hugged her mother as usual, and as usual, she heard the same words: "may God bless you, my child. You bring so much honor to our family."

Then Nettle moved to tightly hug Yew for much longer than she hugged her daughter. Her son had never before been that far away from home, and yet he was going far, alone and for months.

She knew that it was inevitable. Sooner or later, all children had to grow independent from their parents. But what mother could ever watch the process without panic or anxiety?

Four years ago, when Hyssop had been starting her first year in Athena, both Nettle and Kapok had experienced the difficult ordeal of letting a child fly out of the nest, while not knowing what would happen to her in the unknown wilderness of the world.

On that day, Nettle had left Yew in care of Mpingo’s parents, while Kapok had driven his wife and daughter to the city of Owlway to see her off at the train station. All day long, Nettle had been drowning in emotions. She had cried the whole way, while her daughter had kept reassuring her with sincere words of a child, who didn’t understand the gravity of the situation.

They had waited together for the train, hugging each other and saying the same blessings over and over. After Hyssop had boarded the train, Kapok had to hold his wife in a strong embrace in order to keep her from following. It was her maternal instinct, which had fought against the separation. Even if she had understood in her mind, her heart had refused to concede until the train was out of sight.

Afterward, she had turned around and cried on Kapok's shoulder, while he had been gently stroking her hair. He himself had felt a strong desire to guard his daughter anywhere at any time, but he had also understood that no child can grow up, unless parents let go of the reins. After all, a grownup, who had never learned independence, was no different from a disabled. And Kapok would rather burn in hell than cripple his own children.

Nothing had happened to Hyssop for four years, and as a result, with each passing year, farewells became less nerve-racking for Nettle, even if her maternal instincts had continued to lament inside her heart.

While stroking Yew’s head, she softly murmured into his ear, "may God protect you, my child. May He protect and bless you. You don’t have to bring honor to us, but please be careful and return safe."

After the hug, she put her hands on Yew’s shoulders and added, "this will be your first year, so if anything bad happens let us know immediately. As your mother, I know how easily you get into troubles. May God protect you all the time, or else I won’t be able to sleep."

"Mama, I’ll be fine," Yew quickly responded. He was feeling uncomfortable by such an outburst of anxiety from his mother.

"Notify me immediately, if anything happens," she said sternly.

"I will," Yew conceded.

Hyssop and Yew waved at their father, who was watching from the balcony. Kapok waved back with a sad smile.

After Yew turned toward the carriage, he heard his father’s voice.

"Hey, Yew," Kapok shouted. "I know you don’t care about it, but while you’re in Hecate, at least earn a little bit of honor! Don’t make us the disgrace of the whole village!"

Yew knew that his father was joking, but nonetheless he didn’t like getting accused of something, which he would never do. "I’m not that stupid!" he shouted back.

Yew entered the carriage first, and Hyssop followed, but before she sat down, she reminded the driver, "sir, please make a stop in the city of Owlway, near the train station."

"Of course, missy," the driver responded respectfully and bowed down. He closed the door, returned to his seat, and ordered the horses to go.

Slowly but surely the carriage moved forward on the dirt road down the hill. And when the carriage finally left the forest at the foot of the mountain, the passengers could see the city of Owlway appear on the horizon behind the wide farming fields.

Owlway was built in a valley between the mountains. Yet the valley itself wasn't an even plain. As a consequence, the cityscape was garnished with intertwining hills and dales. The streets went either up or down, while buildings stood on either higher or lower grounds.

The roads leading into the city were wide enough for a two-way traffic, and they ran parallel to the city walls, which supported the structural integrity of the buildings and prevented landslides.

Anyone leaving the village of Catriddle had to pass the city of Owlway no matter where they headed. Moreover, it was common for the villagers to visit the city, when in need of goods, which couldn’t be bought in their tiny village. Thus both Hyssop and Yew were already acquainted with the city.

By foot, it took about a day to get from Catriddle to Owlway, but with a carriage it was much faster, and in less than two hours the siblings were inside the city.