Nobody Loves Like She Does

PART I: NALAEA

Chapter One: Nalaea Erlynn

July 6th, 2022, 12:45 PM. “Hello everyone! I’m Nalaea Erlynn of the Kennorian Kingdom, but you can call me Nala. I am here today to talk to you about the journey that I took to get where I am today, and how you can do the same. You see, success isn’t measured by how others see it, but by how you see it, and it took me far to long to realize that.”

That’s me. I’m a renowned public speaker of my city, Kennoria, in northern Europe. I was recently taken under the wing of the head speaker of the Kennorian Kingdom, Almon Gilven. Today, I give my speech on the steps I took to get to where I am, and how everyone can achieve such success. As Kennorians, we all strive for the highest success. It is almost everyone’s goal to be a part of the Royal Council, including mine. And here I am! I’m only a couple weeks away from my spot on the Council!

“My tale is not your typical success story. I had some of the lowest lows of my life during the journey, as well as some of the highest highs. At one point, when I was working for the local publishing company, I lost my job due to downsizing. That was one of my lowest points. I was jobless, and I could barely stay on my feet for a week. After I realized I needed a job, I went out and looked for the most suitable jobs I could find for myself. But nobody called me back, and some didn’t even let me have an interview. Then, one day when I was sitting on the benches of Solstice Gardens, the Dean from Aethel University noticed me. With an awkward smile, he walked up to me and said, ‘How would you like to be Aethel’s new Associate Professor?’ I shot up from my seat, sure that he was messing with me. I asked him if he was serious, and why he would ever pick me, just some random girl on a bench! He assured me saying it was true, but I still couldn’t believe it. So, I made him interview me. When I walked into his office early the next morning, he sat me down at his birch desk and looked me in the eye. He then said, ‘I know you, Nalaea. You were the head speaker at your publishing company, you were the main event. And yet, you were laid off. I still can’t figure out why, of all people, you were affected by the downsizing.’ I looked at him. I didn’t have a response. I sat there, dumbfounded. This was all too crazy for me. I mean, it’s not every day you get offered a job while sitting in the park or get told that you were the biggest person at your old job.”

I stopped, looked around at the vast crowd below me, and said something I didn’t expect to come from my mouth.

“I don’t believe in love. I’ve never been able to find it, and the pain of it, well, it makes it not worth it. Ever since I was 14, I knew this. But, all of you,”

I gestured towards the crowd.

“All of you, have so much potential and love in you. So much, you almost reek of success. And you will all find love, be it a relationship or a friendship, or a career or even your child. You will fall in love.”

I began to pace around the stage.

“I remember my first day at Aethel University. I was nervous, more than I ever had been before. I couldn’t predict what was about to happen, I couldn’t control this. That fact froze me down to my bones. I should’ve known something like this would happen, as I’ve been dealing with OCD my whole life. Loss of control makes me lose my mind. Even though all of that was holding me back, I held my head up high and walked with confidence into the lecture room. That was when I saw it. The hundreds of judgmental college students, waiting for something to turn into a rumor or something to make fun of. ”

At that moment I looked down at the crowd below me, realizing how much bigger this crowd was, and how far I’d come. During my brief pause, I heard a scream coming from a woman deep in the crowd, and the elves parting around her. “HELP! HELP!”

The blood-curdling shrieks pierced my ears. The crowd began to pace about, muttering to the person standing next to them, and then there came another scream, close to the last, from a man this time, but just as piercing. I then heard a yell coming from near the screams. “Somebody! Call the hospital! They have knives in their chest!”

Now, the crowd was losing their minds. Who did this? Why? Who’s next? These are questions that raced through my head, and I’m sure, everyone else’s. Soon enough, the healers came to the scene. We all anxiously watched them study the victims, and as fast as they came, the victims were put onto stretchers and rushed off to the hospital.

There was an eerie lingering silence after the ambulance left. No one could believe what had just happened. Eventually, people started to filter out. After realizing people weren’t in the mood for a motivational speech right now, I walked off the stage and began to walk home. I walked by the Magic Academy like I do every day, but today I noticed that there was a group all dressed in black cloaks. Okay, first off, why is there a creepy group out here in the middle of the day? But anyway, I heard whispers and mutters coming from them. I wanted to listen, but I knew in my heart I shouldn’t. As I walked by, deciding not to listen, I heard one of the whispers. “It can’t be… something like this hasn’t happened in a decade. I think they’re back…”

I froze. What are they talking about? Should I be worried?

I tried to get it off my mind as I continued back home and made myself a quick snack of strawberries and bananas. God, do speeches make you hungry. I also said hello to my cat, Astrophel. I just call him Astro. He’s a black Bombay cat, and if I can remember correctly he’s about three years old. (I adopted him when he was about 2 months old)

I walked over to my bookshelf in the living room and pulled out my favorite book- “The Elves of Yesterday”… or so it seemed! That book is the lever to my secret room, where I make pottery, create maps, brew potions, and research magic. The reason it’s a secret is that in Kennoria, having more than one profession or job is looked down upon So, I hide all of these things. I do sell my pottery, but I bring it far away from my area of the city, hide my face, and make my voice deeper. Nobody has recognized me yet.

I wandered over to my cartography table and gazed upon the maps I had been making. Their lines swept the page, making cities and carving valleys. The ink from the fine-pointed pen created the jagged edges of pointing mountains and the smooth bumps of the rolling hills, with the black ink seeping into the parchment. This is why I love cartography. You can create these vast pieces of art, but not the kind of art for a museum. The kind of art that everyone uses, that gets the edges torn and tattered. Cartography and these rustic style maps may not be popular with the more modern option of GPS, or global positioning system. Even with that, there are still enough people who want to buy my maps. Just enough.

I turned to face my full-length mirror, hung from the door. I looked at myself up and down. My green-gray hair was wavy today. I wondered why, but it soon escaped my mind. I studied my outfit. My flowing green skirt reminded me of the tall grasslands and my crocheted V-neck top framed my chest. The top was brown, like the earth, but richer. It matched my skin, a red-brown color, like autumn leaves. I remembered my necklaces. I had on a choker; it was made with blue pearls that had the shine of an ocean on a cloudless day. The second necklace was a crystal. My mother gave this one to me when I was 14. It’s a double-terminated aquamarine crystal. I remember the morning I got it like yesterday.

April 17th, 2012, 6:34 AM. I woke up to pouring rain pattering on my window. Good thing I had closed them the previous night. I leaned over to my bedside table, but before I could grab my watch to see the time, I saw the necklace. Tied to its chain with string was a small note, written by my mother. Confused, I flicked on my lamp and untied the note from the chain.

Hello, mi amore.

I want to apologize. I love you more than anything, and I wish I didn’t have to ruin it. But your father is getting worse. I can’t handle these fights anymore. Last night, your father almost hit me, and at that moment I knew I couldn’t stay here. As quickly as I can, I’m going to gather my things and leave. I’ll be living with Nana. When you read this, I’ll already be gone. I want to take you with me, I really do, but I can’t. I can’t take you away from your home.

Take the necklace, it’s made of aquamarine, just like your birthstone. I was going to give it to you on your fifteenth birthday, but I don’t know If I’ll be able to do that.

I love you my dear, and please stay safe. If your father ever even threatens to hit you, come find me. And again, I’m sorry. But this needed to be done.

Te Amo, sweetie. Te Amo.

I put the note back on my bedside table and clipped the necklace around me. I couldn’t believe it. My mother was gone. I could feel the tears swelling up inside of me like a dam about to break. I was angry, upset, so confused and I didn’t know what to feel. My anger was winning. I could feel it filling up my chest and shooting into my fist. I punched my pillow with all the force and anger inside of me as hot, salty tears streamed down my face. I couldn’t do it anymore. My fist was red and my face was stained with tears. I went limp. Laying on my pillow I stared up at my ceiling. It was the morning. I needed to go to school, but the hurt and sadness in my body was like a magnet, holding me in place.

My Father.

I heard his feet thumping up the stairs. Thump. Thump. I was scared. What if he’s still mad? Or even madder? I know he almost hit my mom last night. What if he does the same to me… or worse?

I wanted to run. So bad. I couldn’t move. Move. Move. Get up. Nala, you idiot, you can’t even move your leg an inch. The tears were there again. Before I could even think about crying again, my father burst into the room. He wasn’t mad, just… sad. He looked up at me. “Nala, sweetie, your mom is gone.”

“I know dad. We’re gonna be okay, right?”

I wanted to believe that. So bad.