The bug crawling across the wooden floor was more interesting than her mother's lecture. It scurried to the left before pausing and then moving back to the right again. What an odd little indecisive creature. As it moved out of her view she twisted in her chair maneuvering to her knees as she held onto the back and watched it intently. It stopped, turned to face her, and for a moment she wondered if it knew that she'd been watching.

That's when it collapsed and shortly after began to convulse. Small hands gripping the chair, she leaned forward with a wide eyed morbid curiosity. The legs torn apart from it's body by an invisible force, it's innards poured out of it's mouth. Gasping the girl fell down in her seat turning to face the hardened stare of her mother.

“And what have you learned?” she demanded harshly.

“You killed it,” the girl complained. Crossing her arms she pouted with a discontented huff. “Maybe we are evil.”

Frowning at the child, the woman gave a defeated sigh. Resting her elbows on the table, she massaged her temples. “No,” she curtly responded, lips pursed taught together in annoyance. “Magic does not make us evil. The King is not called evil though the blood of his tyrannical forefathers flows through his veins.” A sneer of loathing and disgust making it's way on the woman's face at mention of the man, the little girl lowered her head and remained silent. It was better not to interrupt lest she end up on the receiving end of her mother's wrath. This was a lesson she had learned the hard way. “One cannot control whether or not they have the ability to possess magic, but one can control how they use it. We have been blessed by the Aru-”

“Cursed you mean,” the girl spoke. The woman stared at her daughter, hazel eyes glistening in confusion which prompted her to further explain. Straightening her posture as if she were sitting with the other children in the schoolhouse, she began to proudly recite the lessons they had been taught. “The Malignant, also known as the magi, are beings created by the union of the Aru and Orlana's creations. Children of sin-” While she had much more to say that her instructor had told them, her mother cut her off before she'd gotten a chance to properly begin, completely outraged.

“These are the lies they teach our youth?” she shrieked. The ground shook with her rage.

“Ma,” the girl whimpered, glancing fearfully towards the door. Magic was something to be feared. It was godly power that no mere mortal should have possessed and therefore anyone who did was a danger. All magi were to be eliminated. It was for the good of mankind. To save themselves from inevitable corruption as much as to save others from their predisposed ways. While it wasn't magic the little girl feared, it was the possibility of the royal army finding them and prosecuting them as Malignant. There weren't many things the child was afraid of, but the threat of death and loneliness was among them.

Realizing her mistake, everything became still. The woman stood, wrapping the child within her arms as they both listened for the clomping sound of footsteps they were both so certain would soon follow. When it didn't the woman relaxed, letting her arms fall. While her body may have been at ease, the girl could see the anxiety in her mother's facade, hidden behind her eyes.

“Off to bed with you, Sybil,” her mother ordered. “Your lessons are done for the evening.”

Hopping down from the chair, the girl glanced over her shoulder at her mother before she shuffled off to bed.

Had she known that would have been the last time she'd ever seen her, she would have said good night.