Her mother taught her? Amaranie had difficulty imagining the sort of world Haxia must have come from, to have so much time to do nothing except play games. She wondered what the other girl's parents did for work that allowed their daughter that much free time. Her own parents had raised both their children to know the importance of hard work, and even as a young girl, Amaranie had understood that it took the work of all four of them just to be able to afford simple items such as food and clothing. Not having to work was something that Amaranie had never considered before. She did not ask Haxia about that, however, sure her curiosity would be impolite at best.
Instead, Amaranie focused on the instructions Haxia was giving her. Though she'd observed people playing cards before, she had rarely seen the game up close, and knew nothing of the rules. It sounded simple enough, and she flipped over the five cards that Haxia had passed to her. She let the other girl see them, as Haxia had suggested, though she suspected that the cards she held were not very good. She couldn't quite be sure without playing, but Amaranie thought the higher numbers were more sought after, and the majority of hers were on the lower side.
She laid them in front of her, displaying them for Haxia, when the other girl surprised her by asking where she was from and stating the name of her own country. Amaranie had been asked this before, and knew by now that Haxia most likely intended no harm by asking. Still, she was reluctant to answer. Few girls here came from Amadicia, and she'd learned that giving other girls even that much information about herself led to questions about how she'd come to the Grey Tower, or why she was here, that had answers Amaranie could not bear to remember. She squirmed and looked away from both Haxia and the cards, not sure whether it would be best to just give the other novice the information she wanted and hope she'd be satisfied, or pretend she hadn't heard the question. It was difficult, but Amaranie decided it would be better to answer, to do her best to get along with her new roommate, which would not happen if she gave into the temptation to ignore her. "I'm from Amadicia," she whispered without looking up, so quietly that she wasn't actually sure Haxia could hear her.
Instead, Amaranie focused on the instructions Haxia was giving her. Though she'd observed people playing cards before, she had rarely seen the game up close, and knew nothing of the rules. It sounded simple enough, and she flipped over the five cards that Haxia had passed to her. She let the other girl see them, as Haxia had suggested, though she suspected that the cards she held were not very good. She couldn't quite be sure without playing, but Amaranie thought the higher numbers were more sought after, and the majority of hers were on the lower side.
She laid them in front of her, displaying them for Haxia, when the other girl surprised her by asking where she was from and stating the name of her own country. Amaranie had been asked this before, and knew by now that Haxia most likely intended no harm by asking. Still, she was reluctant to answer. Few girls here came from Amadicia, and she'd learned that giving other girls even that much information about herself led to questions about how she'd come to the Grey Tower, or why she was here, that had answers Amaranie could not bear to remember. She squirmed and looked away from both Haxia and the cards, not sure whether it would be best to just give the other novice the information she wanted and hope she'd be satisfied, or pretend she hadn't heard the question. It was difficult, but Amaranie decided it would be better to answer, to do her best to get along with her new roommate, which would not happen if she gave into the temptation to ignore her. "I'm from Amadicia," she whispered without looking up, so quietly that she wasn't actually sure Haxia could hear her.