The chapel, the largest room in the Saint Ambrosius Monastery was usually employed as the place for worship.

However, something was different that day.

Dozens of orphans were sitting on the rows of wooden benches filling the chapel. Maven and Declan purposely opted the rearmost, as Declan always said, “Normal parents will never pick us, the weird kids. Who wants kids who smell like sunburnt sweat, train with sticks every morning, work every noon and only study at night? Besides, there are ‘father’ and ‘siblings’ here, so we don’t need another parent, right?”

Even to this point Maven always agreed with his ‘brother’. Fatherly education and brotherly protection were indeed hers to keep. However, one thing was missing, that was a mother's love.

Maven's eyes were fixated at the chapel stage. The holy symbol of Vadis Religion, the ankh decorated the background. It has the shape of a simple mix of circle and a cross, like a man spreading his hands.

The ankh symbolized Vadis, the God of Light's person that always brought good and welcomed everyone who came to him in love and truth, every race of humans, elves, dwarves, even orcs and goblins alike.

Several people stood in front of the podium. The priests, monks and nuns stood solemnly along with the female bishop. A bishop was a high-ranking religious leader who held an important position in an institution, and this one was the headmistress and head nun of Saint Ambrosius Monastery.

Standing in front of them all was a blue haired woman. She wore frilly purple gown stretching all the way to her ankle and looked very lavish.

“Great, another noble or rich lady. It seems we’ll be back to training sooner,” Declan whispered.

Maven only replied with an uneasy smile. She only paid attention when the bishop, an old, frail woman with wrinkled face spoke to the lady, “Well, Lady Theana LaSalle, all children are here. You may now choose one of them to adopt.”

“Very well, madame bishop,” answered Theana as she flashed a smile on her admittedly beautiful face and brushed her short blue hair with its bangs covering her forehead. ”But would it be okay if I test them a little?”

“As long as it’s neither dangerous nor violating the limits of decency, then you may.”

The noble lady just answered with a quick nod and began to observe the entire hall.

Maven lowered her head on purpose to avoid being seen. However, she could still see Theana’s sharp eyes gazing as if searching for prey. She had a hunch that the lady, rich or noble as she may be, was no ordinary woman.

“You! Yes, you, just stand up.” Theana pointed at a boy.

The boy of fairly robust build rose from his seat on the second row from the front. Theana inspected him for a while, then waved her hand towards another. “You, the third from the end of the third row, the first from the right of the fifth row and the fifth from the left of the fourth row. You three, come here.”

Two boys and a girl came forward. Strangely, the lady didn’t immediately tested their intellect. Instead, she rubbed their arms, shoulders and legs and then nodded.

Theana then said, “All of you, try running from the stage here towards the door. This is still appropriate, right?" She gazed at the bishop by purpose.

The wrinkled old nun was dumbfounded for a second. Then she sighed and calmly replied, “Of course.”

Theana shouted, “On my mark, go!”

The three kids ran altogether. Every time one of them reached the door, Theana only shook her head and sighed.

“Well, who among them will you choose?” the bishop hopefully asked.

“I’m sorry, but none of them qualifies.”

“But surely one of these children might be to your liking. We of the Saint Ambrosius Monastery and Orphanage have educated them with utmost discipline. Their manners and ways are far from improper..."

Theana interrupted, “Sister, please don’t question my criteria. I have examined them all one-by-one and none has attracted me. Forgive me, perhaps I should look elsewhere. Thank you for your time, I’m sorry to have troubled you. If you would excuse my leave.”

The bishop nun was befuddled. However, she could do nothing to prevent Theana from walking towards the door.

Declan whispered to Maven, “What a cocky woman! She refused everyone. Look at how she walk, like she’s a peacock or something!”

Suddenly the passing Theana turned to Declan. “What did you just say?” she snapped. For a second, a creepy feeling of murderous intent emanated from her expression.

Declan turned pale. However, he stared back at the blue haired woman and replied boldly, “Pardon me, I don’t think I need to repeat what is already obvious. Don’t worry, I have no intention whatsoever to be your son!"

“How dare you!” Theana stretched her hand to slap the boy, but immediately blocked by Maven’s little hand.

“Please ma'am, forgive my brother,” Maven pleaded. “We are just kids, don’t take our words to heart.”

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Theana’s attention landed on the little girl’s pair of ears. “You.. you’re an elf?” she asked.

Declan quickly interrupted, “Yes ma'am, she’s an elf and she's not suitable for….”

Once again Theana glared at Declan. “I am talking to this girl, not you.” Then she put on a smile and turned back at Maven. “What’s your name, sweet girl?”

“M-Maven," the girl answered, trembling.

“Now Maven, why don’t you try running from the stage all the way to the door, like the kids I called before you? Come on, don’t be scared.”

Still shaking, Maven walked towards the stage. She bowed her head down nervously. It crossed her mind whether she should fake running slowly.

As Theana grew impatient, the bishop approached Maven while telling her, “Be yourself, Mave. Try your best and Vadis will show you the rest."

Nodded, Maven then took a deep breath, stretched her foot muscles and took a step forward. She then touched the front door handle in a blink of an eye.

Maven turned and gasped as the whole audience in the chapel hall stared at her with widened eyes. Even Declan's gaped mouth showed that he never saw Maven this fast before, in practice or play.

The next moment, Maven felt Theana's hands touching her shoulders and the lady bowed, face-to-face with her. Theana said, "My hunch's right, your talent really exceeds my wildest expectations. It will be a great joy... and blessing to have you as my adopted daughter."

“Eh? You choose me? B-but I….”

The bishop nun spoke, “Remember the Way of Vadis. Remember that everywhere you go, Vadis will always be with you. Besides, you will be very fortunate to be part of the noble Madame LaSalle's family.” Then she turned towards Theana and said, “Can we take care of the papers now, madame?”

“Yes, certainly.” Theana then followed the old woman dressed in white out of the chapel hall.

Maven looked at Declan's gritted teeth, unaccepting this turn of events. At that moment, something urged her to chase after the noble lady and the bishop and yell her refusal to leave this her 'father', her 'brother' and this monastery.

Yet before she could do it, she was cut short by a cleric.

It was Nigel himself. “Come, Maven. Let me help you pack. We don’t want to make your new mother wait, do we?”

Maven was truly confused. Father Nigel is letting me go so easily like this. How can he? I don’t understand it.

I don't understand it at all.

==oOo==

An hour later, Maven had already bathed and packed. She wore a simple white dress, a pair of travelling shoes and shouldering a bundle cloth containing all her possessions.

Before leaving with her new mother, Maven didn’t forget to bid farewell to Declan and Nigel, her closest relatives in the chapel. Their faces looked intense. She got impressions that Declan still couldn’t accept her leaving him and Nigel seemed that he had something important to tell her.

“I’m sorry, Maven.” Declan broke the awkwardness of a farewell with an apology.

Maven gave her brother a glance. “Why is that?”

“I shouldn’t have said anything near that lady. It was my mistake that had you….” The word ‘chosen’ was stuck in his throat, which he replaced with, “….leaving us.”

Maven bowed down. “Yeah. I feel… bad, for leaving you and father. Both of you are like my own family. Brother…. I really…. don’t want to go….” Her eyes started to tear. The girl tried to hide it by covering her eyes, not wanting to be called a crybaby anymore.

The blonde boy hugged his foster sister tightly, hiding his own swollen eyes from her. “Don’t worry, Mave. You’ll still live in Redne, right? You can always visit us in this monastery anytime you want.”

“Declan's right,” Father Nigel added as he hugged both children. “This is not a farewell forever.”

Nigel fell silent in this whole melancholic situation. A moment later, he moved back and talked to the boy, “Declan, can you leave us for a while?”

Declan took a last look at Maven and said, "Yes, father." He then walked towards the chapel door.

After making sure no one else was there to hear them, Nigel looked straight at Maven and said, “I’m sure you have questions about what I said to you back then, don't you?"

Maven only nodded. She wasn’t used to chit-chat.

Nigel continued, “Truth to be told, I really don’t want you to go, my daughter. Not before you have come of age and completed all your trainings in this monastery. But this turn of event has forced me to let you go this very moment.”

“What do you mean?”

Father Nigel again looked straight at Maven's eyes and explained, “Remember this, Maven. From the way she ‘tested’ you, I think there’s something really odd with this ‘noble’ Lady LaSalle. So, you may go with her, but do be careful and never slack at watching your own back. I have a feeling that the place you’re about to go to won’t be as pretty as you think."

“Oh, but isn’t Madame Theana a noble?”

“Yeah, it does seem so. Even her proof of nobility seems legitimate and authentic. But even I can’t quite figure what’s behind her pompous appearance."

Hearing that, Little Maven made a sudden attitude change. She sulked and pleaded, admittedly making her more adorable. “Then I don’t want to go, father! Let me stay here, under Bishop Mother Wilhelmina's leadership, under your teachings and care!"

“No, Mave!” Nigel yelled abruptly. “If you refuse, Madame LaSalle will be furious and will probably bring trouble and difficulties to our monastery. Just remember what I’m going to tell you like you cherish your life. Four years from now, on your birthday, come to the address written in this letter.” Nigel shoved a piece of parchment to Maven. “At that time and that time only, I will tell you everything.”

Maven shook her head. “No! I don’t want to wait that long! Why must it be like this? Tell me the whole truth now, father! Or else, I won’t obey you!”

It was Nigel’s turn to be shocked. Could a little girl carry such a heavy burden? It was the secret he had purposefully kept from Maven until she reach of age, mature and strong-willed enough to one day withstand the pressure.

Now was too soon.

Nigel had no choice but to be hard on her. “Stop crying, Maven! You’re not a baby anymore! Trust me and do what I told you! Let me carve a plan for your own good! Be patient! Use this chance to train! Four years from now, I shall test you. If you’re ready, only then I will reveal the whole truth and my plans to you!”

“But father, I don’t wan-“

“You must! If you don’t want to go, I shall kick you out from here myself!”

Nigel's loud yell silenced Maven instantly. Between Nigel's and Theana's threat, neither choice was easy for a little girl nine years of age, whom all this time lived under the caring wings of Saint Ambrosius Monastery. Like a sparrow who can barely fly, what would she do?

==oOo==

Only half an hour later, Maven found herself in front of the main gate of the monastery. She was accompanied by Declan and the old bishop-nun, Mother Wilhelmina.

Lifting up her previously bent head, Maven looked at Theana LaSalle, the 'noble woman' who was waiting for her inside her fancy horse-pulled carriage parked in front of the main gate. She was smiling, as if truly happy that she had acquired a child to call her own.

The carriage door was opened for Maven. Politely, the elf girl bid farewell to the bishop nun, Declan, the monks and nuns and the fellow orphans escorting her. Then she boarded in the vehicle that will carry her to the future.

Inside the cart, Maven looked back at the monastery. She vaguely saw Nigel standing near the entrance. It was unclear what kind of face he was making. Again, Nigel's words and instructions resonated in Maven's mind. For a moment, she truly wished her teacher was wrong.

And the wheels began to roll.