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2, What's in a name?

The next morning, Mary woke up later than usual. She lay in bed for a while, thinking about everything that had happened yesterday. A part of her thought it was a dream, but as she got up the white dress was hanging from her wardrobe. She got ready and put it on, along with her knife and the bone rose necklace.

Her badge glistened in the morning sun, and she took a deep breath as she looked around the room. This was the last time she would be here. She walked down to the docks and had to smile. Against one of the pillars that held the dock in place, Tenac was leaning and as she walked out of the sanctum, he smiled back at her.

“Congratulations, you look good in white,” he said as Mary walked up to him.

“Thank you,” she smiled.

“What are you doing here?” she then asked.

He jumped down into the boat and held out his hand.

“I rowed you back on your first day. I only think it’s fitting I row you back now. And I wanted to say congratulations,” he told her.

“That’s sweet, thank you,” she said, and accepted his help.

“Did you get a placement?” he asked as he started rowing.

“I did, the diplomatic area,” she nodded.

“And I got a title,” she told him in almost a whisper.

“Is it a secret?” he asked.

“No, it just feels strange,” she confessed.

“So you got a new name? Are you going to use it?” he asked.

“Yes, Ayyanapia, I don’t know yet,” she said.

“A colourful soul. It suits you. You can always just go by Ayya, for short,” Tenac nodded.

“Ayya, yeah, I kind of like that,” Mary said.

They were getting close to the river field, and Mary could see her parents standing on the docks. She waved at them and her mother waved back.

As soon as Tenac put the boat next to the dock, her father more or less lifted her from the boat and put her down on the docks, where she was swept into a hug from her mother.

“I’m so proud of you,” her mother sobbed.

“Thank you, mom,” Mary said and hugged her mother back.

“I’ll see you tonight, Ayya,” Tenac smiled and started walking away.

“Make sure to invite anyone that wants a home cooked meal, Tenac,” Mary’s mother called after him.

“I will, Mrs Teeran,” he promised.

“Mom, you have already invited the entire city,” Mary reminded her.

“That’s true,” her mother nodded and wiped away the tears.

As Mary finally was released from her mother’s tight hug, she turned around to look at her father. He looked at her with so much pride in his eyes that Mary couldn’t help the tear that rolled down her face as she hurried over to him and gave him a hug.

Kopa engulfed her in one of his rare hugs. Mary felt like a miniature in his arms.

“You are my pride and joy, Mary. I can’t even put into words how proud your mother and I are of you,” he told her.

“Thanks dad. I couldn’t have done it without you, or mom,” she sobbed.

“Oh, my little girl,” Mary heard her mother say, and soon she had been pulled into Kopa’s hug as well.

The three of them stood like that for a moment to let them all collect themselves. They let go of each other and they all needed to wipe some tears away.

“Wait,” her father suddenly said.

“What?” Mary asked.

“What did Tenac call you?” her father asked.

“Oh, yeah. I got a title. He was just joking around with the name I was given,” Mary explained.

As the three of them walked home, Mary told them everything that had happened the night before. Everything but the preparation of and the test itself. That was a secret that all the aari kept. Mary now understood why. The actual cliff she thought she had been standing on may not have been real. But in her mind, it was real when she took that step.

That had changed something inside of her. The entire experience had. And Mary suspected it was the same for all aari and because they wanted the coming aari to have it as well, they all kept quiet about the test.

“So, are you going to be using your new name?” her mother asked her as they walked inside.

“I don’t know. I thought it was a little too complicated. But then Tenac suggested using Ayya, and I kind of like that,” Mary said.

“I like your new name,” her father said.

“But it’s up to you what you are comfortable with,” her mother added.

“Of course,” her father nodded.

Mary had to smile. She loved her parents. They just seemed to fit together. She knew how lucky she had been when they accepted her into their home. None of this would have been possible if they hadn’t.

“Are you okay, little one? It looked like you zoned out there,” her father asked.

“I’m fine, dad. I just feel really lucky today,” she told him.

“Luck has nothing to do with it, sweetheart. It’s your hard work, determination and genius that has paid off,” her mother said and gave her a kiss on the cheek before disappearing into the kitchen.

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Mary asked as she walked after her.

“No, you are just going to take it easy, have some food, take a nap and a long bath and then relax and be dressed and ready when the guest arrives in about five hours,” her mother smiled.

“I don’t have a dress,” Mary realised.

“Please. Do you think I would let you celebrate this day without a proper dress? Cheara has had your dress ready for weeks. It’s in your closet, along with some everyday ones,” her mother said.

“Thank you. You are the best mom ever,” Mary said and gave her mother a hug.

“And you are the best dad,” she then said, turning to her father, that was standing and watching them with a smile. Mary gave him a kiss on the cheek and then made herself a combination of breakfast and lunch.

After she had eaten, she made her way upstairs to her room. She was too curious not to have a peek at the dresses in the wardrobe. Cheara had done wonders, as usual. The everyday dresses were practical, with three quarter sleeves that were tightly singed, but had a little poof at the top. Otherwise the dress was plain with a rounded neckline and a belt at the waist. All in white.

The dress she would wear that evening was anything but plain. As an aari, you were expected to wear white. Some decorations of light grey or silver were allowed as long as the overall impression was white.

Mary’s dress for the evening had a light grey, almost white slip dress with short sleeves. Over it there where a pure white dress that was held together over the bust with lacing, letting the slip dress be visible. The dress had long, flowing sleeves. Mary was worried that she would trip on them or get them tangled in something. But she couldn’t deny the dress was gorgeous.

After Mary had inspected her dresses, she followed her mother’s advise and take a quick nap. She spent the afternoon bathing, reading and finally getting dressed. She decided she would just braid her hair, as that is what she always did. There was a knock on her bedroom door. When she opened it, her parents stood outside.

“Do you have a moment?” her mother asked.

“Of course,” Mary smiled and let them inside.

“Your father and I are very proud of you, Mary,” Bettina said.

“I know, mom, you have told me that. Repeatedly,” Mary told her.

“I know, but you deserve to hear it. It has been over three years since your father barged in and looked like the world was ending and asked me if you could come and live with us. I have never, not even for a second, regretting saying yes,” her mother continued. Mary could hear her choking up, and Mary was moved by her mother’s words.

“You have done so much in such a short amount of time, Mary. When I think about that scared girl that came here and then look at the brave, confident woman that you are now. I don’t have words for how happy I am to have been part of that journey,” Bettina said, and let out a little sob.

“Oh, mom. I couldn’t have done it without you,” Mary said and hugged her mother.

“Little one, you have done most of the work. Your mother and I have just fed you and give a little nudge in the right direction,” Kopa told her.

“But dad, if you hadn’t been willing to take me back with you, I would still have been in the kitchen in Domne,” Mary said.

“The gods had other plans for you,” he smiled.

“And with that said. Your mother and I have gotten you a little gift to celebrate all your accomplishments,” he said, holding out a little wooden box.

“Mom, dad, you shouldn’t have. The party is enough of a gift,” Mary objected.

“Oh, that is just you and your father indulging my need to brag about you. Open your present,” her mother smiled.

Mary took the small box and opened it. Inside, on a dark blue patch of fabric, there was a custom badge. It was shaped like a five petal rose. The petals were made of mother-of-pearl and in the centre was a diamond. On the backside of it there was an engraving, ‘Protector of the white rose of Treenia’.

“You knew?” Mary asked her father. He laughed.

“Tariana may like to keep things from me when it comes to you to let you tell me in your own time. But something as big as a title is not something she could hide from me,” he chuckled.

“Thank you, it’s amazing. It is so beautiful that I don’t know if I can use it,” Mary told her parents as she tried to blink away tears.

“Nonsense. It’s made to be used. We were discussing what to give you, and your father mentioned you had given him his cloak buckle. This seemed appropriate,” her mother smiled.

Mary just hugged both her parents tight.

“I love it,” she said.

“Good,” her father said, and Mary saw him wipe a tear away.

“I will help you put it on, and then I will help you with your hair,” her mother said.

“Is there something wrong with my hair?” Mary asked.

“No, but let’s put it up for a change,” her mother smiled.

“I feel like I won’t be of any further help. I’ll go downstairs and find something to do,” her father said.

“Don’t even think about eating any of the food,” her mother said.

As Kopa left the room with a mischievous smile, that made both Mary and her mother laugh, her mother started helping Mary to get her hair up. Mary avoided putting her hair all the way up. It reminded her of her old life when she struggled to get her wavy hair into a neat little bun at the neck.

But her mother braided her hair in a circle around her head. Mary smiled when she saw herself in the mirror. It almost looked like a crown of fiery red locks.

“Thanks, mom,” Mary said and gave her mother a hug.

“I’m happy to help,” her mother smiled.

They walked downstairs and was just in time to see her father stuff a filled mushroom in his mouth and then tried to look innocent.

“Honestly,” her mother tutted. Mary just laughed.

“Oh, you know you love me,” Kopa told Bettina.

“I do, I just don’t know why,” she sighed. That made Mary laugh even harder.

She loved her life, she loved her parents and her friends. Mary even loved the person she had become. That thought hadn’t even been possible for the girl that came to Salmis to dream about. She really had become a new person.

“Mom, dad, I think I want to use my new name,” Mary said.

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