Chapter Seven: The War Maiden:

-Cephalla-

There is a nickname for me on this island. They call me the “War Maiden.” The children labeled me as such. They all even made up songs and wrote poems about me. Why? This stupid war began on my tenth birthday. My class was having a party when the news broke. A teacher from the upper floor raised down the stairs to my classroom.

“They have finally done it!” she shouted. “Turn on the TV!” My teacher, Ms. Petros, turned on the television. The news announced that the Greek Islands declared war. All of the kids looked at me. One boy pointed at me and said, “It’s the War Maiden!” I gave him a blank stare, not knowing where this would lead. From that day onwards, that nickname stuck.

That boy would run up to me and say, “War maiden!” I tried to ignore him, but it didn’t take long for it to grate on my nerves. So, I decided to fix him in my own special way. I snuck some herbs from grandma’s garden and ground them up in that little creep’s tea. He spent most of the day throwing up in the bathroom. My grandmother, however, didn’t enjoy my little stunt.

“You should not use herbs to make people sick,” she scolded me in the kitchen after school. I lowered my head, looking down at the table.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured. She shut the cabinet, frowning.

“That is not good enough,” Grandma told me with her hands on her hips. “This family prides itself on helping people. We do not use our gifts to harm others for any reason.”

“I’m sorry, Grandma,” I said again.

“You keep saying that, but do you get it?” she asked.

“Yes.”

“Look up at me and say it.”

I lifted my head. “Yes!”

“Then you must promise that you will never do that again.”

“Good,” my grandmother said. That still didn’t solve my nickname problem, however. I turned to Michael in his bed.

“Even the adults look at me funny now,” I complained. I buried my face in my arm. “I can’t really enjoy my birthday anymore because everyone associates it with this stupid war.”

“It can’t be that bad,” he said. I turned around to him with my eyes narrowed.

“You can’t be serious,” I said.

“I am.” He pushed himself to sit up in his bed. “I think that nickname is kind of cute, actually.”

“Okay, now you’re pushing it.”

“I’m not!”

I frowned at him. I’m going to have to keep an eye on this one.

“Okay, Cephalla, that’s enough,” Gaia said as she walked into the room. “You have bothered Mr. Wilmore enough today. Let him rest.” Michael gave her a huge grin, shaking his head.

“Oh leave her be, Gaia!” he said aloud. “The girl is pretty entertaining.” I raised an eyebrow at him. What does he mean by entertaining?

“With all due respect,” Gaia spoke up. “She has school too, you know?” He leaned back in his bed.

“Fair enough,” he said. “The youth need school, after all.” I smacked him on the leg behind my back.

“Hey!” he shouted. “What was that for?”

“Don’t baby me, pal,” I muttered under my breath. I slid off the bed and walked over to Gaia. She gave me a funny look as I eyed her.

“I’m done here myself,” I said. I headed out the door before she had a chance to open her mouth.

“Wait up!” she shouted. As I walked down the hall, my mind went back to Michael. He seemed rather cocky to me. He looked like the type who would never take anything seriously in his life. His jokes are so lame that I roll my eyes as he opens his mouth. The way he smiled made me want to smack him in the face at times. He wouldn’t be the last guy that I would ever want to give my time to. I drew my feet to a complete stop. However, his eyes were such a beautiful blue color. Michael’s annoying charm also had my attention and I couldn’t let go. I decided that I would have to keep a further eye on him.

“Hey!” I heard someone shout behind me. I turned around to see Gaia rushing to catch up to me.

“Why did you walk away like that?” she asked. I moved my arms behind my head.

“I’m so sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to get ahead of you there.”

“You ready to go?”

“Why yes.” I followed her out of the clinic to her motorcycle. The walk reminded me of an old nagging thought as noticed two old ladies staring at me with discomfort in their eyes. I already could guess what they were thinking just by the look in their eyes.

“Ms. Gaia,” I spoke up.

“Yes?” she asked.

I shoved my hands into my shorts’ pockets. “Do you see me as the ‘war maiden’?”

Gaia looked down at me with a funny expression on her face. “What made you ask that?”

“It’s just… everyone keeps calling me that.”

“Who?”

“Everyone in my class.”

“Hm, they aren’t really bright, are they?”

I shook my head. “I guess…”

“It’s not your fault that the war started on your birthday.”

I dropped my shoulders. “I know, but I just wish that they would stop calling me that.”

Gaia put her arm around my shoulders. “Just ignore them, sweetheart.”

“I tried that and it doesn’t work.” I looked up at her. “Do you have any suggestions?”

“I might have a few,” she said. “Come back to my house for dinner and then we’ll talk.” I tilted my head at her.

“What about grandma?” I asked.

“You can call her on the way there,” she said. I shrugged my shoulders.

“Good enough,” I said. We climbed onto her motorcycle and rode out of the clinic parking lot.