fifth.

[eaglet]

[This is written in intentionally disguised handwriting. In other words it's anonymous.]

I have a question regarding a personal matter and would ask for advice. If your [there are a bunch of scribbles here, obfuscating a word] teacher brings you to a place where there are women who are expected to behave in a certain way, is this normal?

Comments

[eaglet]

I would rather not say. [Since he's under the stupid impression he is !!really!! hiding his identity well here...]

Not old enough to be married.

Dictated

[the_effect_she_has]

[Since everyone she knows can't be married until they are eighteen...]

Then no, that is not normal. Nor is it appropriate.

[You can almost see the chill there.] Did your teacher force you to go there? To ... do things?

[eaglet]

No. I did not know where we were going.

[the_effect_she_has]

[She exhaled, slowly and with relief.]

All right.

[So she wouldn't have to pry more information out of this ...child about her teacher.]

You should tell your instructor that he shouldn't bring children to those places.

[eaglet]

I am not a child.

[the_effect_she_has]

Then why did you say you couldn't marry?

[eaglet]

Do people take wives directly after they are no longer children where you are from?

[the_effect_she_has]

Usually. Once you get past the age of eighteen, your only concern is starving to death.

[eaglet]

[Wait...] Your people remain children until they are eighteen?

[the_effect_she_has]

[She nods.] Before then, they're subject to the Games. You have to be an adult to be exempt.

[eaglet]

[.........]

That does not make sense. You are forced to play games until you reach an arbitrary age?

[the_effect_she_has]

You don't know what kind of Games these are.

[She's silent for a moment.]

Fierce battles to the death.

[eaglet]

Your world makes children do this?

[He tries not to be judgmental about others' cultures, but he can't even think of a reason why that would be a thing.]

[the_effect_she_has]

My world is somewhat monstrous, I know.

[Because she knows how horrible it is. She lived it.]

[eaglet]

Children have no place in war. I still do not understand why an arbitrary age makes a person a child or adult in your world.

[the_effect_she_has]

When you're eighteen, you don't participate in the Games. That makes you an adult.

[eaglet]

But why eighteen?

[the_effect_she_has]

I'm not sure, honestly. It was just the age the Capital picked. Maybe it's the age the world stopped looking at people as children.

[eaglet]

Where I am from, you are an adult once you have begun living as one.

[the_effect_she_has]

You mus be from the past.

[eaglet]

Perhaps. I may also be from a different world. Or perhaps the future.

[the_effect_she_has]

Well, you're not from my time, and apparently I'm from the future.

[eaglet]

Time does not end with any one person. I could be from your future. You do not know.

[the_effect_she_has]

...That is a very excellent point.

[eaglet]

This is why I am asking for opinions on this matter. It is not normal in my time and where I am from, but perhaps it is normal elsewhere. I do not wish to harshly judge my teacher if it is normal to him.