It was a relatively clear day out, the incessant winds shoving the scant clouds to and fro throughout the morning. The sun shone down harshly, as to be expected of Gale, the height of summer.
The siblings were out on a stroll this morning, on their way to the market as they had planned.
The roads they traveled on were paved with sun-warmed stone that, because of the weather conditions, looked more like sandstone than their original material. Although they looked rough, they were smooth enough due to the harsh winds of late.
The siblings veered to the side of these paths as carriages, merchants, and individuals in a particular rush would normally use the middle portion. At this very moment, a merchant was ushering his group of employees down the middle lane, handing out papers inscribed with advertisements and related events to the passers-by on both sides of the road.
In their wake, the papers covered the ground like autumn leaves.
These roads were flanked by buildings on each side, most made out of wood. Occasionally, one would come across a building with stone pillars and the like, which were almost certainly government-institutionalized. People of higher stature had better options of where to do business.
After crossing a few intersections, Gabe turned to his sister and asked, “Do you want to visit the institute? We can see if they have any spots open.” He looked at his sister with expectation, “The year’s coming to an end, you might just be able to get a spot for next year.”
Maline was taken aback. Her brother knew their circumstances better than her. There was no way that they could afford something like that.
While they walked, her gaze shifted from the pavement to her brother, saying in confidence “No, that’s fine.”
Seeing Gabe show a bit of dispirit in his expression, she jested, “Did you come across a fortune? We could buy ourselves a manor if that were the case.”
She continued, “Besides, all of the attendees there are wealthy. I certainly wouldn’t fit in. I figure it’s too late for that anyway. I’m almost seventeen.”
As they were almost at their destination, Gabe accepted her reasoning, but insisted, “If you were forty, I’d still ask you to go. There are spots open for the gifted, and I have confidence that you would fare well.”
Maline chuckled at his comment, her voice carrying a hint of playful sarcasm. "Ha! You think I’m a scholar? I’d be going up against twelve-year-olds who know more than me. It would be an utter embarrassment!" She playfully nudged her brother's shoulder as they strolled, their destination now just four buildings away.
Maline sighed, “I never understood why you never took classes yourself. I would consider you the gifted one out of us two.”
Gabe was silent for the remainder of their walk. They came to a stop near a building that could not be distinguished from others at first glance. It was made of wood of a familiar shade and had a dulled sign hanging from a nail embedded above its entrance, “Aunt Polly’s Bakery.”
The two siblings took in the aroma wafting from the building in glee.
“I could recognize this smell from anywhere,” Maline said, taking in a waft of air.
This was their standard bakery that they purchased their bread from. They usually abstained from the more luxury products, partly due to their cost and that they were only made at certain points during the month.
Filled with anticipation, Maline strode toward the door before her brother could open it for her, saying, “They must be baking their caramel danishes!”
Opening the door, they were greeted by a busy room. Chairs were set up near the entrance for anyone waiting for their orders, which was rare as most visitors had already made appointments.
Separating the frontmost room into two was a counter with two or three levels of compartments depending on how one looked at it, showcasing different kinds of pastries and baked goods.
Due to the sheer amount of daily orders including those of today, some of the foods being showcased were absent, only represented by their labels. Maybe some customers decided to order straight from the counter. Hanging on the walls were unlit lanterns, only lit for employees who stayed in late.
There were currently five customers being served of different gender, ethnicity and stature. Behind the counter was one lady who the siblings knew as Aunt Polly.
She was a middle-aged woman with a plump figure. Her hair was a deep brown, matched by her similarly brown eyes. She had a freckled face and quite the wide smile which she served her customers graciously with.
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Donning a green apron with a simple white garb underneath, her hair was tied in a bun under a simple hair net. Rarely did she ask for names and the like, as most of these customers were regulars. When walking in, Aunt Polly caught sight of the pair, discreetly signaling something to an employee in the back room.
Although this was not the first time the brother and sister pair had been here, they still marveled at the experience.
Taking a discreet look into the baking room just behind the counter, Maline quietly exclaimed, “I knew it! They’re making danishes! I can smell a bit of cinnamon…”
Gabe gave a slight smile, failing to hide his anticipation. After waiting for a while, it was time for the siblings to pick up their order.
“Wait, did you place an order already?” Maline questioned, to which Gabe replied in incredulity, as if her question was unwarranted,
“Of course. It was one of the things I had to do after I woke you up.”
“Ah, if it isn’t my favorite duo!” Aunt Polly chirped meaningfully.
Maline chuckled, “As if we didn’t just hear you say that to a couple a few moments ago!”
Gabe’s smirk grew into a smile as he observed the two. “We’re here for our order. I believe I made it around two days ago.”
Feigning forgetfulness, Aunt Polly joked, “How could I forget? You ordered two loaves of potato bread, yes? They’re all ready for you.”
As Polly recounted his order, Gabe looked sideward at his sister, sensing no disappointment. Relieved, he thanked the kind lady and waited for her to retrieve his order.
When she returned, she had two loaves of bread wrapped in thin layers of brown paper. She carried these with one hand, as her other was behind her back. Her expression was laden with concealed glee.
As she approached, the siblings sensed that something was amiss. Lo and behold, after she placed their loaves down, she revealed her other hand in haste. It held items that the siblings recognized as two caramel swirl danishes! There even seemed to be some cinnamon sprinkled on top.
She put them down next to the loaves of bread, leaned over and poked at the pair, jesting, “Hmph! Who said that you two weren’t my favorite? I practically melted the caramel myself!”
Maline was struck with immediate surprise, as was her brother. It had to be known that this gesture wasn’t a small one. Ingredients such as sugar, honey, cinnamon, etc were all very expensive.
Just as Maline had saved up for years to buy honey, the cost of these materials had skyrocketed the pastries’ cost. Their earlier anticipation was one of yearning, not expectation. They could not fit items like these into their budget.
Although thankful, the siblings immediately refused with stern expressions. “There’s no way we could accept these, Pol’, we know how expensive those are.”
Gabe tried to pick them up and give them back to her, but she shielded the whole order with her arms. “If you’re not taking them, then you can pick your order up some other day…” Aunt Polly said, smirking with squinted eyes.
Unsure of what to do, Gabe could only relinquish his resistance, giving his thanks.
“The more you eat, the longer life gets.” The lady responded in contentment.
On their way out, the siblings heard Aunt Polly shout, “Now that you’ve robbed me of my precious pastries, I need more customers! You’d better bring a girlfriend next time, mister!”
Maline immediately burst into laughter, her brother widening his strides, embarrassment evident in his expression. Once they exited, Gabe sighed while shaking his head, “She can be quite a handful sometimes.”
“A handful that I’m glad we have. A treasure trove, at that.” Maline countered.
The pair continued walking, making their way home. “We can go home now, or I can show you those spots that the institute has open…” Gabe insisted once again.
Maline was going to refuse this time, too, until she saw the look of what could only be described as utter supplication on her brother’s face. She couldn’t help but reluctantly agree with a nod.
Perusing the goods of a nearby store through the window in order to hide his smug expression, Gabe assured, “Good choice! It’s not far.”
After a short trip, they reached the gate of a considerably lofty building made almost completely out of smooth stone and marble. This place stood out among its surroundings and was one of the aforementioned government-commissioned buildings.
As the siblings made their way toward the gate, they were stopped by two of the four personnel standing guard. There were two on each side of the gate and of similar stature, wearing standard dull-blue uniforms.
Looking up at the heavy wooden gates, Gabe chuckled, whispering to his sister, "You know, sis, they say enrolling here is tough, but I didn't know they'd start with the entrance."
“What business do you have here?” A man on the right asked as he approached, he had light brown hair that was cut on the sides at a length that the scalp was almost visible, and the top was shorter still, but slicked back.
He wore an expression that signaled boredom and looked the duo up and down for a moment as if the situation was unusual. The other guards shared many of the man’s general features, but had clear differences.
Looking at his sister for a moment out of the corner of his eyes, Gabe straightened his posture and answered, “Hello, we were wondering if any spots for the institution are still open?” He was succinct with his words for fear of wasting the guards’ time.
The guard responded in quick succession, “Which stage of education would you be applying for?” He then recounted the available programs, one of which being primary education, which was presumably what Gabe was interested in.
In uncertainty, Gabe questioned, “What does primary education entail?”
The guard looked at Gabe for a moment with hazel eyes before recounting in a routine manner, “Primary education would involve, well, primary education. This would include the fundamentals of Linguistics and Mathematics, with any auxiliary subjects being available through selection. This could include the Fine Arts, Sewing, Dancing, lectures in Economics, etc.”
Continuing after a moment to make sure that they had digested the information, he said, “Many of the auxiliary classes are normally only available at higher levels of education, so certain tests are required in order to partake.
Referring to the required courses, Linguistics covers grammar, reading comprehension, writing, and fundamental language rules. Coverage of other languages is only available in higher-level courses. Mathematics goes over basic principles such as arithmetic, geometry, and algebra.” As the guard finished his explanation, he politely waited for the pair to digest it completely.
Turning to his sister, Gabe asked, “Are you interested in this?” His question held no hint of coercion, but genuine caring.
Unsure if she should interrupt the flow of the conversation, Maline elevated her height by slightly standing on her toes and whispered something into Gabe’s ear.
Hunching over to listen, an unconscious smile grew on his face as he gave the guard a glance.
“The sewing courses shouldn’t require any tests, yes?”
Caught off-kilter, the guard responded slightly late, “Indeed, they do not. Only some of the extra classes do. For example, courses like economics would require subsequent knowledge of mathematics.”
In response, the siblings nodded their heads, Maline finally saying, “I’m interested in primary education. How many spots are open?”
The guard nodded his head, his eyes wandering upwards in recollection.
“As far as I know, no spots have been taken. They are all open.”