Ash drank every word from the storm eyes professor as they walked to her first proper orientation. It was her first lesson and first advice on campus.
As she followed the professor, the splashing kelpies leaped out and landed on the grass, draped in deepest shades of greys, blues and greens, dry from head to toe. The centaurs increased their speed, ran around the lake and reduced their speed when close, coming to a complete halt, at once. Each of the group stood to one side and the professor moved a little to put her at the centre of attention.
"This year, a new student is joining us. This is Princess Aishwarya, from the Island of Kalai. She will be mostly joining the kelpies for lesson but if I see fit, she will also be attending joint sessions with the centaurs. I expect you to treat her like a human and not like a kelpie or a centaur."
Ash felt the vibration in her voice that spread over the entire expanse of the place. If it had any effect on her, she would be nodding her head like the kelpies and centaurs. None was spared from the affects of the professor's voice. If the class was as carefree as the professor said, they needed someone who could reign over them. The only appropriate candidate would be a siren or a witch. Then again, sometimes, kelpies could be resistant to witches' affects.
"Now, it is time to show some of your skills. Centaurs and kelpies, do you prefer I call your names one by one or are you up with a skill you would like to show your fellow classmates?"
"First clubbing us with the kelpies and now making a display of us, never have the centaurs tolerated such an insult."
"You were displaying plenty while running laps my dear. And the purpose of an orientation is for your fellows to know you better." There was no force in her voice when she did not need it and that gave Ash a lot more respect for the professor, tempering the outspoken class.
And if anyone thought the professor was done, she turned to the group of centaurs and called, "Mondin Rockwish, as the son of the tribe leader, I will address you on behalf of the new centaurs joining us this year until a proper representative has been selected. I won't force you or your group to participate but a display of abilities or talent or any special skills makes the group closer, and also displays one's ambition, abilities and aspiration. Would you be able to think of something amongst this that the centaurs find useful and motivational to participate in class activities?"
Ash had a feeling this wasn't her first time dealing with such backlash and had multiple ways to deal with it, just like this.
Mondin was not the tallest centaur in the herd and by far not the strongest but his straight back and long hair tied in multiple places shone silver. He was somewhat of a royalty with all white hair down to his eyelashes with a silver sporty t-shirt to match. He stepped forward without consulting his tribe which surprised her. His people stepped closer together, as if to show support.
"We centaurs respect our mentors and as a mentor, we are highly grateful for the respect you have shown us. We will participate."
Though convinced by the professor's words, the leader Mondin Rockwish chose the prideful route to compliance. It spoke a lot about centaurs as a race.
She had never met a centaur, they were not much different from kelpies despite their half and half body and didn't surprise her as much but their inability to transform into either of their half was surprising. She thought almost all creatures had their own methods to pass off as humans, and those who didn't relied on witch's magic but centaurs used nothing and carried themselves with pride of a creature who did not want or need to blend in. In their pride, she admired them a little. It was a small part she could relate too.
The siren professor turned to address the whole again, "apart from showcasing your skill or stirring trouble," her strict demeanor softened with a smile, and some kelpies giggled, even some centaurs snickered, "you can also choose to step forward and introduce yourself."
Among the kelpies all looked at one another. Then, they pushed a woman at the head of the group who kept shaking her head and glaring. Yet, as she separated from the group and met the professor's eyes. "You can do it. I am right here. Tell us your name and what do you aspire for your future."
Her encouraging tone and its vibrations, made the hesitant kelpie step forward. "Hey everyone. I am Irla. I am the only child in my family and hope to take over my father's business."
"What business does he run?" The professor encouraged her to talk more. She looked at the professor with big glossy eyes, "he is a well known doctor in the region and my cousin is set to take after his practice. He also runs a diving business on the side. Since I do not have the aptitude for healing or other such arts, I can only hope to further his diving business."
Ash listened intently as she stepped back another shy kelpie stepped forward in her stead, "My name is Orla, I am Dr. Emer's niece, I am studying medicine and potions and hope to take over Dr. Emer's practice, treating all supernatural creatures."
Ash felt like the sisters were in a unique situation as neither of them talked about Orla's parents. Another kelpie leaned into the sister and whispered something. The two of them smiled and relaxed a little. A much younger looking kelpie, her full cheeks the most prominent part of her, stepped out and said, "I want to showcase a whirlpool with my sisters."
She raised a hand, snapped her fingers and multiple kelpies jumped into water, transforming instantly in a variant of blacks and greys. Without a name, she too, jumped into the lake. Together they started swimming in one direction and formed a whirlpool. It came as quickly and stopped just as quickly.
A skill was a skill and the crowd applauded, even the centaurs gave them a look of approval. Though those looks soon vanished and the kelpies jumped out of the lake and landed in the open space, in human form one by one, and each giving a small snicker in the direction of the centaur. The last kelpie to land flicked her hair and smiled challengingly.
"We are the sons and daughters of Asher and Amber."
A whisper rose within two groups. She could see the surprise on everyone's face, even the pride wounded centaurs held some emotions towards this group.
Mondin Rockwish stepped forward and a line of centaurs fell in line with him, "we would like to present the archery expertise of the Rockwish tribe. Would anyone of the kelpies be brave enough to man our targets?"
Some of the kelpies stepped forward, their jaw carved sharply, and their tongue even more so. "Bait us and see if any of your arrows will find their targets." An anonymous voice rose from among them. It was kelpie who was the part of the whirlpool presentation.
The professor stepped in, "We will mark a tree as the target and as invitation goes, we will pick a few kelpies to mark a difficult target for you. What do you say Irla and Orla?"
The sisters nodded, stepped forward and walked in opposite direction. One shifted and launched in the air while the other dived into the lake. As the each landed, a circular mark had appeared high up in the nearest tree while she wondered what happened in the lake. Not to look unaware or confused, she watched the reaction of each group. The kelpies raised their chin with spite and pride while the centaurs snickered.
Some of them knocked their arrows and aimed for the tree while others for the lake. The arrows flew, the two groups switched positions, knocked the next arrows and took aim at their second target.
All of them looked at the tree and saw every arrow within the circle. She turned to the lake and the professor spoke beside her, "I wasn't looking forward to step into water today but looks like this calls for the fair judgement."
Ash stood alone as the siren stepped into the pool as of she had walked in and swan in swiftly. The silence was as thick as the density of the two groups, relenting pride to the other. The siren surfaced and her voice carried, "congratulations to the centaur for every allow is within the circle and appreciation for the clever foresight of the kelpies for making a circle with their whirlpool earlier than the centaurs even announced.
Each side broke into cheers. Ash realized that the kelpies had led the centaurs into their trap by the nose even since Irla and Orla stepped out to introduce themselves and the centaurs had pierced an arrow through each of their traps. Both were equally proud and appreciative of the other group's skill.
The centaurs hoofed and pawed and turned the atmosphere tribal, running in a circle that got bigger and bigger until they began running a lap. Some of them passed a little too close to Ash. She was forced to step closer to the lake once they were gone but the kelpies had all jumped into the lake once the centaurs were out of sight. The whirlpool was already underway and water splashed at her wetting the lower half of her clothes. However, the hoard of centaurs came running right back. She did not move- between hooves and a wet puddle, she had nowhere to go. Startled and stiff, she knew better than to move.
As soon as a couple centaurs passed her, a leg knocked into the side of her knee and another into her ankle. She twisted her feet and stepped into the puddle. In the blink of an eye, pain and splatter of mud shot up. Embarrassment and unease shook her heart. She had managed an entire kingdom, dealt with natural calamities and yet, never faced a situation like this. Was it intentional or unintentional? She had heard enough prejudice and insults since her coming to wonder if it was a carefree and wild attitude of the group or an intended move.
Unable to comprehend and unwilling to linger, yet uncomfortable in her chest, she stepped furthest away from the entire orientation- once the centaurs were gone with the winds.
The professor never returned, instead choosing the edge of the lake to turn everyone's attention to her. Ash appreciated the gesture but standing at the back of the crowd for the next couple hours was far too much. As much as it turned everyone's attention away from her, it also blocked her view. Every once in a while she heard a name but never saw a face to go with it. Eventually, those at the back reached the front and those in the front were right before her. She saw the back of the silver head of Mondin Rockwish, one hand slung over his centaur brother while the other hand held out to Irla, the diving business heir who snuggly slipped her hand into his, talking to Orla in hushed whispers.
She stepped away from the crowd of tall bodies and felt her shoes squelch inside. If she walked through the door behind her, they would squelch harder on the solid floor. Since the chancellor's mansion was a building over, she took a turn and walked away through the grass to the building over. For the siren and goblin building, the back door was broken, one door frame off the hinges, rusted and abandoned. Past the building, the chancellor's mansion came into view, she paused at the corner. Should she go straight through a new side door or use the side door she used before? Well, her bags were in a room to the back and there was no back door, she she opted to go through the front of the house.
As she entered, the chancellor met her in his office, right by the door. As soon as her shoe squelched on his floor, the man smiled and waved her in. "If you will accept, I will have a few spells casted for you to keep dry but until then you might want to carry a bag of clothes around. Anything related to nixies, kelpies or witches means you need a pair of change for each one. Sometimes even golems and dwarfs and gnomes as well but you don't have any interaction with them for the first six months, so you are safe there."
Curious about the difference between the goblin she saw upstairs, the dwarfs and gnomes, talked about by the chancellor, she began packing. She opened her bag, pulled out a college worthy tote, and folded, a pair of pants, a skirt, two dresses and two shirts. She had been observant around campus and everyone dressed in simple modern clothes. Some people went for flowy dresses while only a few changed their clothing with their transformation.
Her bag was half full. So she put in the papers, only keeping the map and schedule in hand. Sealing the waterproof top, she headed out and the chancellor stood at the door, waiting for her. She wanted to ask, yet did not want to make a fool of herself. Hesitating on the door, she asked, "What do dwarfs study here?"
"Dwarfs here, are both craftsmen and worker. They are currently working on expanding our underground facility, dorms and more while in return they learn various crafts."
"Thank for for the answer," she said and slipped out. The goblin she had seen through the door wasn't working on crafts- it was closer to a science experiment. She had a fair idea of what her golem friend had enrolled in, so perhaps a dwarf's work was closer to that compared to a goblin. Unable to find un understanding, she went around the house and opened her map. But something small and fluttery shot out from the back corner. She went to the back of the back of the building and found no one. Instead of going through the paved path, she took a straight route, walking through the curved part of the forest.
Sure enough she came across the same hole in the ground but this time a couple of short people were sitting around with their tools. The chancellor had said that they were working on underground expansion, so they must be dwarfs.
As she got closer, the dwarfs turned to look at her. She smiled and bowed slightly. All of them had large eyes, wrinkly skin, clean faces, and big hands and feet.
"A human?"
She had the urge to shout back, 'a dwarf?'
Instead she paused a little further from their resting place and said, "I was passing by to my orientation. Apologies if I disturbed your rest with my presence."
"A human apologizing to a dwarf?" one said and another piped, "that's a first."
Though there was sarcasm in their tone, and surprise on their faces, a third quickly added, "I like such humans."
A fourth said, "if only half of your royalty was as courteous as you are."
"But we are toilers of earth and the humans are people who labour differently." a fifth added. Before more could go on, she broke their rhythm.
"Thank you for looking kindly upon this human and thank you for your hard work. The university relies on your hard work to accommodate more…" People? Creatures? Students! "Students."
"Gratitude is always accepted," the first said, and another added, "and sometimes hides ulterior motives," but the third cut in, "yet we will always thank you for any word of appreciation."
She knew to cut in quicker this time and moved along, "you are very welcome."
She had barely taken four steps when a dwarf said in a whisper, "bet you she cannot tell the difference between us and those gnomes or goblins," this one did not even finish speaking, and kicked as wave of embarrassment in her face, when another took over, "and couldn't wait to get out of here," but the most positive of the group added, "but kindness is kindness no matter how small."
Much to her surprise, silence fell over the group and her steps did not falter, pushed by the truth of the embarrassment, they saw too plainly in her lack of addressing them properly.