I've always been fascinated by magic.
Mum used to tell me and Emerald a lot of stories when we were young. There were always heroic princes, evil sorcereres, and naïve princesses mixed in. I guess that's how my interest was sparked. Em always used to gush on and on about how someday /she/ would be a brave sorceress. I'd always tell her to shut up. There was really no such thing as magic. The truth is, I wouldn't have minded being a sorceress all that much, either. But I was older than Em. And as the older sibling, it was my job to crush her hopes and dreams like that. It was the way things were.

Back then, we lived in a one-roomed cottage out in the woods. It wasn't far from the town, but not many others lived close by. That was because the trees were too thick and too many to be easily chopped down to make room for houses. We'd have to walk to school along a winding path through the woods no matter what the weather, unless there was too much snow. Sometimes, if there was a blizzard and that path became inpassible, Mum would home-school us. We had a small garden out in the back where we grew most of our food. We even had a few chickens for eggs. But when winter came around, we'd have to go into town every week to get our supplies. Even in a blizzard. "An education is flexible, but if you don't get your daily nutrients, you won't grow." That was Mum's motto whenever me and Em grumbled about hiking into town.

Sure, our little cottage had it's fair share of problems, but we loved it all the same. Every night, we would start a fire and Mum would lull us to sleep with one of her stories. In our minds, you could never replace that. Those nights were the closest thing to magic I knew.

But, just like that, Mum was gone. So was our cottage. Both went down in a forest fire while me and Emerald were away at school. We had no one to care for us anymore. And no one to tell us stories. The magic was gone like it had never existed. So I started a story of my own.

I hate fairs.
There are always /so/ many people. The usually refreshing night air reeks of sweat, and the ground is littered with spilt soda and cotton-candy. I don't know why Emerald brought me here. We have no money to spend on food or games.

I like watching all the other people, she explains to me. Besides, you don't need money to have fun.

I sigh. Just don't run off, ok? If my brain cracks from all the "fun" we're having, I don't want to have to look for you. I want to be able to leave as fast as possible.

Em frowns and hangs her head. You're so boring. Ever since Mum died you've been so... Guarded.

I'm exactly the same. I'm great, actually. I sigh. She knows just how to lure me into her trap. Ok, fine. Go have fun.

Whenever she starts talking about the way things used to be, it makes me feel guilty. Then she gets her way. Em smiles and pushes through the crowd, disappearing. I try to follow her, but my paw lands into something sticky. Soda. Yuck. I grimace and wipe my paw. I really /hate/ fairs. I sigh and look for Emerald. I find her in front of a gypsy's tent, staring in awe at the sign.

What did I /just/ tell you? We have no money.

Em nods. I know. But the sign says "free".

Just because something's free doesn't mean you should do it. Besides, it's a gypsy tent. They're always so cheesy. And fake. You don't want to waste your time on a fake gypsy, do you?

Em pouts. You don't know that. Come on, Veher. It's free...

I sigh. Again. Fine, I'll wait out here.
Emerald's face lights up and she draws back the flap of the gypsy tent. She's gone for a few minutes, then comes out with a mysterious grin on her face.

Your turn.

You can't be serious, I protest. I am /not/ going in there.

Come on, she whines, pouting. She was nice.

I turn, prepared to leave. Let's go, Em. It's getting late. But she tugs on my arm.

I'm not leaving until you go in there.

I look at her. /Really/ look at her, wondering why she could possibly want me to get a reading from a fake gypsy. What're you trying to prove?

/I'm/ not trying to prove anything. She frowns. You say you're exactly the same. I want /you/ to prove it. The old Veher would go in without a second thought, not kill the fun of it.

I groan and make my way to the tent. Jeez, you're so... I'm about to say "pushy", but the flap closes behind me and takes away all evidence of there being a noisy, sweaty world outside the tent.

* * *

I cough as I inhale the smokey air within the tent. It smells like incense, with all of the different scents having been molded together over a long period of time so that it doesn't smell pleasant and relaxing anymore. Instead, it smells kinda bad.

Welcome, a warm voice says from in front of me. I squint in the darkness. It comes from an Aisha, sitting behind a table with her eyes closed. You must be Veher. Your sister has told me so much about you.

So a trick already? She was trying to get me to think she was the real thing, knowing my name. But of course, Em must've told her. Em had the ability to talk a lot and not care who she was talking to. I plop myself down on a cushion in front of the table.

She opens her eyes, two narrow slits. I know what you are thinking, and you are right. Emerald /did/ tell me your name. She grins. But I knew it before then.

I narrow my eyes. Can we get this over with? I'm not here because I want to be, I just need to-

Prove something? Of course, as you wish, she frowns. She sets a white candle on the table and lights it, then withdraws a pile of tarot cards. She divides the cards into five piles and sets them on the table, facedown, in front of me. Pick a card, any card. One of each.

I shuffle through the cards and select five. She takes them from me and smiles. The Ace of Cups, Four of Pentacles, Six of Swords, Ace of Wands, and finally, The Star.

So, aren't you going to tell me what they mean?

Well, she clears her throat. The Ace of Cups signifies the initial flow of emotion that could become a mighty river if it is given time and attention. I snort at the words "mighty river", causing her to glare at me. The Four of Pentacles signifies change, something that it is your nature to be apprehensive of. The Six of Swords shows honesty and mental clarity. It signifies that sometimes, to acheive these things, one must experience change. The Ace of Wands is the burst of creativity and energy that inspires people to greatness. She smiles. And The Star will light your way when it appears that all is lost.

How does any of that apply to me? I didn't lose anything.

She frowns, but this time more at me then at what I've said. I can see through your lies, Veher. I know that you have lost something. Something dear to you?

Oh great, so now Emerald had told her about Mum? That was private business.

She may not be with you in body, but she will always be with you in spirit. You see, that was some of the magic that she left behind. Not all of it disappeared when she did. You were just too clouded by sorrow to see it-

Wait, was this her was of telling me I had a problem? Was this EMERALD'S way of telling me I had a problem? I'm not depresssed, if that's what you're getting at!

My tone made her move back. I never said you were.

Well that's what you're /implying/. I stood up. I shouldn't have gone in here in the first place.

The Aisha remained seated, calling after me as I made to leave. The magic's not gone, it's all around you. You just have to open your eyes to it.

I leave the tent. If there had been a door instead of a flap, I would have slammed it. Emerald's eyes are wide, seeing me angry like this. What's wrong?

Not a word from you, I glare down at her. We're going home. I've had enough of your "magic" for one night.

I stayed mad at Em for a good week. She still doesn't understand why. Her loss, if she wants to go about spouting my life story to just any random stranger. I won't stop her. My story's not that interesting anyway.

But today, Em is really getting on my nerves. This morning, I catch her reading a book titled "Your Fate in Stars: Seeing the Past, Present, and Future."

What's /that/? I ask her.

Nothing, she says quickly, hiding the book under her cot.

Em, where'd you get a book? I think for a second, then my eyes narrow. Did that gypsy give it to you? I put stress on the word "gypsy," showing that I don't care for her at all.

So what if she did, Veher? I told you she was nice.

I reach under her cot and grab the book by its spine. I don't want you reading junk like this.

Awh, come, on Veher! It's not junk. Besides, if I can't read it, what am I supposed to do with it? I can't just give it back to her, she's long gone by now, moved on with the fair.

I toss the book back to her. Fine, have it your way. But you better not get any ideas from that pile of rags. I leave her room. It's true, Emerald doesn't have very many books, and she deserves any chance at reading that she gets, be it dictionary or almanac. We live in a small boarding house now and share a room to ourselves. One day I'll get enough money so that we can move out and live on our own. But that's not happening any time soon. I'm so caught up in my ponderings that I don't notice the violinist playing in front of me as I make my way through the courtyard. I bump into him from behind, hard, causing the instrument to fall from his paws. He gasps, seeing his violin lying in pieces on the ground, then turns to face me.

Watch where you're going!

There's anger in his eyes. Real anger. I look down, back to the violin. I'm sorry... How much did it cost? I could pay you back, I stutter out, knowing that a violin is expensive and there's no way I could ever scrap together enough money to buy him a knew one.

The cost isn't the problem. It had sentimental value. He bends down, picking up the wrecked instrument and clutching the pieces.

Well, I could pay to fix it...

He shakes his head. You've done enough already. He turns and starts walking away from me. I call out one last "sorry" before he turns a corner. At that moment, Emerald appears at my side, smiling up at me innocently.

Are you heading to the store? I need a few things.

I frown and nod reluctantly. I'm sure whatever she needs has to do with her new book.