One More Step

Anna came back to their home. "Kyra, I am back!" But empty yard and silence waited for her. The realization that she actually forgot to send her notice about her return made her laugh. "I'm so foolish."

As she started unpacking her stuff she could hear the door opening. Kyra's voice could be heard as she spoke with someone. "She is back? "

As Anna came out she saw there men entering behind Kyra and chatting with her with smiles. With quick steps, Kyra rushed to Anna and hugged her. "You are back..."

Seeing her strange expression she chuckled. "We passed some sort of test. These are our new teachers. I asked them to wait with classes until you come back."

Anna felt something strange but still held back her thoughts. With respect, she bowed to them and then curiously looked from one person to another. "Can you explain?"

Kyra took her by the hand and explained. "We had Guards sent by our country to protect us. When they thought we needed further education they sent teachers. From now we will learn more."

Her simple explanation made Anna relaxed again. So we will learn together?"

But Kyra shook her head. "We will be learning many things together, but not all. I asked Elder to find you a medicine teacher as you are really good at it and I plan to learn about plants and animals on our continents. We will have classes on our laws and history together."

Anna's eyes shone in excitement. But suddenly she furrowed her eyebrows. "What about the surroundings? You know those curious people might..."

Kyra shook her head. "Soon their prince will arrive here. As an excuse for our teaching, we will use him, but when he arrives I will have to act as his assistant and translator. There is only that way. "

Anna felt sorry as she knew Kyra's deepest wish to be alone. "If you think its too hard for you, I can do it."

Kyra just shook her head. "I understand, but I realized that I can't hide in the forest forever.For me is best to just get over my fears and jump straight in mid of the biggest crowd. No one said I have to be funny and entertaining. I'll just be me."

The Elder nodded. "Actually as prince assistant, you need to be serious and cold. Or they would take us too lightly."

Anna shook from inside. Something told her that there must be something strange about it but couldn't find what is it going on. "Kyra, if you at any moment feel that you need help please let me know. I will do all I can."

Elder just wrinkled his eyebrows and turned his head at her words. Why is Kyra so protective about her?

"You should worry more about yourself. The duty of a healer is not as simple as you think. Knowledge, duty and amazing spiritual strength are needed if you want to become one. Kyra's job seems tiring and hard but ist definitely easier than yours. Do you want to become one of the Guards or one Healers there are many things you need to give up."

Anna shrank her neck. She got used to being pampered by parents, treated fairly by employers and even treated wonderfully by Kyra. The reproach and heavy words were never sent fiercely at her. "Elder, Kyra is like my own family. If she needs help, of course, I will offer it. Ist nothing forbidden."

His face contorted as he snorted. "But ist her duty not to take you to offer as it is her First Task. It is her duty. Your duty will be to heal a certain amount of people. We will test both of you on many things, so be ready."

Kyra was curious. "Do everyone get tested and how often? "

He shrugged. "The older you get lesser tests you have to pass. It's not an easy feat to pass the tests. As you live outside Eluron we will test you two at your basic knowledge. That is why you two will get teachers. The special situation requires special answers. Even if in eyes of outsiders we seem simple and quite lazy nation, actually our people are having so many tasks. But it is not important what kind of. You need first to learn more about yourself."

The girls nodded. Kyra knew that the teaching system might be similar to that of her last world. So some things might apply in this case. But there is so much more to learn about, so she just happily patted Anna's hand and reassuringly smiled at her.

Anna seems to calm down and smiled stiffly back. "Kyra, does that mean we can't live like before, simple?"

Kyra looked at Elder first and then shook her head. "Form now on we need to change. As it seems our playing around from last year can't return. But it's not like we need to learn all day long. Right Elder?"

Her question was positively answered. "Of course. We are not that crazy. Anna, I understood that your late parents were translators. That job is not as simple as it seems. You must know many things but not all. As you two were born here and raised up, the complexity of our own language is something you first must learn. Eluron is huge. We do have one main language that we learned from the Kazis family, but actually we gave our own language as well. "

Annas's eyes grow big. "When my parents taught me this language they never told me about the other languages."

He nodded. "The reason is that children in Eluron get an education in schools. When they are younger they first learn the unified language, Eluron language. But later in schools, they learn the language of their own people. So it doesn't get lost. Some children were born with an affinity for languages and learn as many as they can. Later they are given the chance to learn outside languages as well. The country supports education greatly. So anyone who wants to learn is getting educated, for free. Anything you want to learn."

Kyra looked at him. "So anyone can learn anything they want?"

He nodded. "There are children that learn faster as they have an affinity for that, like you Anna. Your affinity is medicine. But some learn slower. Some people learn the whole lifetime. And Eluron supports it. That is the reason our people look down on others. We never stop learning something new. The tests are there only to make us see how much we learned and didn't forget. "

"Do not tell me I have to learn for the rest of my life?" Anna felt fear so when she saw him shaking his head she relaxed.

"No. Of course not. If you learn until a certain point and feel you can't anymore we will test your knowledge and will appoint you to work." In other words, there is no fear that she will need to learn more that she wants. But his next words almost made her get a headache again.