Carena and the Other

Grandmother took off her amulet of power and placed it over Carena's neck. The council looked askance. Carena's sisters and mother looked jealous. Grandmother looked smug. Then she turned into a pile of dust.Carena picked up the pile of dust, then blew each bit of dust out into the air. She let the fire ripple down her arms. And one by one, she ignited each speck of dust, so that it shone like a star just for an instant. Somehow she knew, this was what Grandmother would have wanted.The council would have none of this. It just would not do to have someone so young -she was 20 - yielding so much power. Their stern looks and pointing fingers told Carena that she had no choice but to leave the village forever. Carena was now an outcast. How would she live? Would she grow comfortable in her magic?