I open my eyes to see my mother sitting at the edge of my bed. My forehead burns a bit. She smiles at me.

  “Can you hear my thoughts, sunbeam?”

  I croak out a yes. She shakes her head.

  “Now now child, we just put you through a procedure to give you back some of what the curse has taken from you. Try to direct a thought to me.”

  Like this?

  Her smile brightens, “Yes, just like that. Nothing in etiquette says you can't send your thoughts to me, child.”

  My smile matches hers. She then shows me a mirror. My eyes are Elven bright silver now. They match hers. She sees me struggle with my emotions. Trying to keep to my etiquette training. She pulls me into a hug.

  “It's alright Sarcea, let it out.”

  I do, I cry into her. My body warms as more of her mana flows into me.

  -----

  …

  29-10-1706

  …

  I don't remember anything after laying down on the table. Not until this morning when my mother revealed that I could use telepathy without a trinket now. I would be allowed to train with Lincor now. They had corrected my mana aura issue. I'm glad that I can finally talk with my mother again. Or at least think at her. I was told not to try to engage in telepathy with others without them initiating it.

  I broke down crying when she showed me my eyes. I really am an Elf. I am her daughter, and I love her for all she has done for me.

  …

  -----

  I push open the door and step into the classroom again. They all look at me. Rin gasps. The others are confused while Lincor narrows his eyes. He turns his head, looks more annoyed then sighs.

  “So your issues have been fixed then.”

  Yes, Lincor. Our mother has alleviated part of my curse.

  “She alleviated something. Come on down.”

  I walk down to the rest. Rin gets next to me. “Your body… Your eyes…”

  I just smile.

  “Well now that everyone here, it's time to see with mana. Does everyone have a type they wish to open as their first?” He looks around the room. When he focuses on me, I still hadn't come up with what I want. I suppose with only one convert I should go with—

  “Sarcea, you are to open your light mana eye.” Cea thought commands.

  It is as you say. I begin focusing light magic into my eyes. A hole opens on my left eye. You have gained light mana sight. Lincor looks at me shocked.

  “Sarcea…when did you learn light mana convert…”

  “I don't know. I just got a message saying I just got light mana sight.”

  He looks in the direction of our mother again.

  “Seems our mother is having a bit of fun at my expense. She knows my convert for it is rather terrible…”

  My eye winks out. I am breathing hard.

  “Seems it's at both our expense. Looks like your convert is even worse.”

  The others train their various sights while I just watch. Why did I open a master tier magic for my first sight…my stats are so low. I'll be blind…but my sight is fine? I close my right eye just to be sure. I don't understand. Perhaps my new eyes are blessed, that has to be it. Maybe I should try another later.

  -----

  “Is there a reason you had her open Light eyes first?”

  Mother looks annoyed at Lincor. He never seems to respect etiquette. I just work at my salad while he continues to glare at her. I don't recall my mother deciding I should start with my light eyes though.

  “No, I am not going to keep this to telepathy. You're just going to have to reset your doll again.”

  He is not referring to me is he?

  My mother sighs, “What do you want, Lincor?”

  “To know what she is and what you've done to her. And don't act like you birthed her. You haven't been pregnant since Leacea over a hundred and thirty five years ago.”

  What but…

  “She is my daughter, I nursed her, changed her, infused her. She is my true daughter.”

  He rolls his eyes, “You accepted her as a daughter, and she accepted you as a mother. Not sure which is more ridiculous, most people think you don't have a heart, the rest know you don't.”

  I want to say something but etiquette demands I be silent. Even though Lincor is being rude. Our mother glares at him.

  “Fine, but what have you done to her?” He persists.

  “What I needed to do to make her an Elf, this is tiresome Lincor, just ask what you actually need to know.”

  So I wasn't born an Elf but made into one…but all my books said it was impossible to infuse someone into an Elf. The lower race's greed versus the higher race’s disdain. Not to mention the transitional period would trigger mothers' taboos. Is mother not constrained by her own geas?

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “Fine, exactly how many of the converts does she already know?”

  “All of them.” He chokes at her statement, “She is simply unable to do mental, void, fire, life and arcane magic.”

  I can make all the mana types?

  “Arcane magic requires a second major intelligence boon, why would you bring it up?” He squints at mother.

  “To not waste your time, something I wish you would learn. Additionally she is incapable of casting spells.”

  “Perhaps a martial position would be better then?”

  But my physical stats are abysmal. I start picking at my food. Not like I know what my mental stats are.

  “I told you what you need to know. You're the one who thought her a prodigy.”

  He did…but I'm cursed.

  “Hmmmm no spells but you said she can use trinkets. If I could expand her mana reserves.” He looks up from his musings, “Why hasn't she leveled?”

  -----

  …

  30-10-1706

  …

  Another blank, right after my mother said prodigy. The gap in memory is smaller this time. Perhaps I am improving. Systems, I really wish to be free of this curse. I need to wait another day for my meager amount of mana to fill. What should my next sight be? I think I will skip the magics I can't use. Dirt sounds boring, maybe water. Oh, lightning would be cool.

  …

  -----

  I'm dying…I strain for breath. Arccor is above me. He looks in a certain direction.

  “Sarcea, finish the lap.” Cea commands.

  I struggle but get moving again. When I cross the imaginary line, I collapse. Breathing is even more strained. “[Second Wind] level has increased. Your constitution is raised to 11.” It happened. A new stat increase. I tear up. Another skill up for the mystery skill. I smile, it doesn't matter what it is. I got another point. A foot nudges me onto my back.

  “Seems you're rather spent for sparring.” Arccor gives me a wry grin.

  “How come you never use telepathy with me.” I ask between breaths. Really it's just a ploy to spend more time on the ground.

  “Talking to you with telepathy is inefficient.” Was all he said.

  What's that supposed to mean? Before I can ponder the imponderables he produces a trinket. The smile he has is rather wicked. He places it at my feet.

  “Elves are quite proud of our superior hearing. So much so that in their jealousy the other races have sought to injure us through our superiority. It's time to start your training to ensure that it is not a weakness for you.”

  Oh no…he wouldn't. He taps the trinket and an ear piercing shrill is all I hear. When I stop hearing anything he comes over and places a necklace over me. My hearing comes back only to be greeted by the trinket that is still sounding. [Resist Sound] has been gained. My mother's voice is as bored as ever in my head. It is the only thing I hear other than the massive shrill.

  This goes for an hour before everything is silent again. Mother spoke to me five more times. I am so thirsty. Arccor is above me again. He removes the necklace he placed on me. Shakes his head at it and returns it into his pocket. He picked up the trinket, returned it to his other pocket, then walked over to me. I've been sitting and holding my hands over my ears the entire time. Not that it helped any. He pries a hand off my ear and forcibly tilts my head. Something wet enters my ears. I shiver as my ear pops. I can hear again. I tilt my head the other way and more potion is dribbled in. My mana feels full again…why?

  “How many levels.”

  “Six, Arccor.”

  He nods, “We will need to wait till the necklace recharges, an acceptable amount of gain.” He walks off while I just sit there in a daze.

  -----

  …

  1-11-1706

  …

  Learning [Resist Sound] was horrible. But it is so I am not vulnerable to an obvious weakness. It still sucks to train though. That necklace keeps showing up. They seem rather concerned by it. I never feel the urge to ask why though. Doesn't matter, I finally got a new stat level. Constitution. Every little bit helps.

  Every time I wake up, half my magic burns away as my forehead heats up.

  …

  -----

  Rin nudges me, “How did you change your body and eyes.”

  I hadn't really noticed but my body proportions have been shifting. My shoulders and hips became narrower as my bust shrank. My cheek bones have become angular. Like mothers.

  I look up at her from my book. I smile, “Mother has started to infuse me again.”

  “So this Lark didn't start as an Elf then?”

  I shake my head, “All my memories are being an Elf but mother apparently infused me when I was very young.”

  “Thats absurd, you can't infuse another race to be an Elf.” Tona chides. Reminding me of my earlier thoughts.

  “Why is that?” Rin asks Tona.

  “Her Majesty geas would cause the infuser to kill the child before they finish becoming an Elf.” He says with a rather I know more then you do voice.

  “What if the Elf didn't have the geas.” I ask.

  “Absurd, all Elves do.” Was his reply.

  It just makes me more convinced that my mother does not. Done with displaying his knowledge he turns to me.

  “Fancy another go at the grove?”

  “In two days perhaps? I have purification tonight and etiquette tomorrow.”

  He nods at that, “I do fancy another cup of water.”

  My body shudders as I smile. He likely just fancies annoying the matron. It gets me another strange look from Rin.

  “I feel like you want to laugh but never do.” She murmurs.

  I shrug, I can't ever remember laughing. My body shudders again. This just grows Rin's concern.

  -----

  My forehead burns as I sit up from my bed. My mother is there again. She is evaluating me again. My body. I look down and see my chest is larger than before…larger than I have ever seen it in fact. But my mother infused me. I am an Elf. Why does my body reject my truth? Mother places a necklace over my head while producing a familiar trinket.

  My eyes widen as my ear drums burst again. I try to cover my ears when mother grabs my wrist.

  “Sorry sunlight, better to just try to gain as many skill levels as you can.”

  I stop trying to raise my hands. Her voice chimes in four times. The fourth time I swear the shrill sound hurt less, at least until I couldn't hear it at all. She looks at the necklace and removes it. Another bit of potion and I could hear again. I'm thirsty again. I look at my medicine, it's the only thing that relieves this thirst. She nods to me, I go to give myself another drop. The thirst wanes.

  I look at her. What's wrong? She seems surprised I noticed her shift in mood. She gives me a small smile.

  “The necklace is burning out of magic sooner everytime.”

  Is the trinket wearing down? She shakes her head.

  “You're requiring more mana to heal less injury. I worry that this will cease to be an avenue for healing you.”

  I start to feel panic set in. She smiles at me.

  “Come, we will have you evaluated. This curse will not succeed, daughter.” She says outloud.

  I hug her, breaking etiquette but I don't care. My body takes in her mana as she returns the hug. My body creaks as my body shapes into a more lithe Elven form. I whimper but bear it. It's what she wants for me. She just strokes my head as I conform.

  -----

  A familiar scribe tilts my head and looks behind my right ear. Mother looks at him and he turns his head. More conversations in telepathy. He shakes his head. The conversation seems to have annoyed my mother. I look closer at the scribe. Why do I feel like I know his name? I'm startled when my mother suddenly shouts.

  “What do you mean the spike is still where it needs to be and functioning as expected. She clearly was laughing in the purification room.”

  I was? I never remember. The scribe looks at me and then mother. She rolls her eyes.

  “Doesn't matter, just say it.”

  “I don't think her laughter response is following a normal body response to memory. At least not during purification.”

  Mother thinks on that, while I grow more anxious. What spike are they talking about? Mother looks at me, I must have thought it at her.

  -----

  I find myself standing in front of a rather annoyed matron. I don't remember coming here…or this morning. She simply puts a cup on my head that is filled to the brim. I begin my vigilance of the floor as she goes off to wherever shrill hags go. I extend my mana aura over the cup. The water stabilizes.

  It's been awhile but Tona is in front of me again. He reaches for the cup then stops. Not because of the shrill admonishment from the matron.

  “It seems you have this well in hand.”

  I give him the slightest of smiles and the slightest of nods. Which first puzzles then makes the matron face a very angry red. There will be scolding after Tona leaves. It was worth it. Even if I can't laugh.