“But you wouldn’t have come.” The small pink lips puckered in a pout. Myles laughed again.

“Bennett, please stop that in front of company.” Once snapped out of his reverie Aurum was slightly sick at the spectacle.

“Honored brother, please do kindly to stay out of my business.” Although saying thus, she had already her self from Myles to stand by Aurum. A brief teasing power struggle was won when Aurum soon opened his arms with a sigh. Hugging him she smiled again. “You have all been so cold lately. Not even thinking to invite me to the fun. Must I be the only royal child left from the company.”

“You had your studies to tend to, little Bennett.” Myles scolded her for her pert statement.

“Still, it would have been nice to be asked. I may love studying but I would take a break to see my beloved Myles and honored elder brother. And of course I would get to meet my hero when I was conscious.” Bennett looked at the two men expectantly. Determined to charm her way into an invitation now, unaware it may be too late to join in joyful gatherings.

“You would even come if your brother Emlen was there?” Aurum teased his small cousin. Her pretty features contorted with the thought.

“You would have to get rid of him. I will not see that sty for another ten years if I can help it. Best to leave pigs to there mud anyway.”

“Little Bennett, what have you fought over this time?” Myles sighed with exasperation. The two siblings were constantly at war with one another, each matter as trifling as the next. The real problem was that they were each so charismatic that by the big blow out, each would have a small army of innocent bystanders wrapped up in their petty cause. Even the elders of the kingdom were drawn into the battle of pet ownership several years ago. Immediately with a change of posture and tone Bennett was on the defense.

“Mind your own business Myles!” Myles shrugged off the demand. Kissing her forehead he smiled and said goodbye and left for the night.

Watching him leave Bennett’s eyes followed Myles lean form until he was out of sight. She sighed to herself and flopped on the stairs.

Pree, Clarry and Att had watched the whole exchange with mild interest. On one hand the beautiful young Bennett was the one who they believe brought Fran to them, but she was also every arrogant indifferent folk who had shunned them since their arrival. When she settled on the stairs Clarry excused herself and went back inside the cabin, Att bowed and left, and lastly Pree nodded in acknowledgment and went inside as well.

Aurum took a seat next to Bennett and waited for his fair cousin’s assessment. “I’m still such a child Aurum.” Wiping a few tears away from her downcast eyes she sighed and leaned onto Aurum.

“Bennett you are only forty-five, give it time. You have many years to be in love.” He smiled down at her and then wrapped his arm around her lovingly.

“I want him to love me now.” She stopped Aurum from interrupting. “And not as a sister, but for who I am.”

“Bennett you were lucky with love. How long you will be together, how wonderful those many centuries will be, your life will be full of love.” Bennett had stopped crying and was smiling slightly at Aurum’s knowing words.

“Aurum you should be in love.” He laughed at her haphazard declaration. “No! I’m serious.” She took his shirt in his hands, pulling herself up to look at him face to face. “I know that you are going to live such a long time but you should be in love. Life will be better.”

“Bennett, why did you really come tonight?” He avoided her glare by looking upwards at the night sky.

“To see my Myles of course. But also because I want to meet her. She saved me, but you three are being selfish, keeping her to yourselves. I needed to see if she was my competition.” Aurum laughed again. Pulling her up from his side he placed her on his lap. “You guys didn’t invite me.” Bennett was sniffling again. “It wasn’t fair. Grandfather Vox and Greatmother Nova have been busy lately. No one would play with me.” Bennett cried for another minute into the shirt of Aurum. The village folk had such high esteem for their royalty that it was boarder line fear.

Aurum scooped up Bennett into his arms. She curled against him. “Brother Aurum I won’t forget to talk to you again. You haven’t escaped.”

“I know.” He smiled warmly.

“Oh. I almost forgot the reason I came so late was because I was asked to relay a message by Grandfather. He said to tell you all that they know about your human guest. And to tell you she has been summoned.”

Aurum warm smile froze, everything was unraveling.

Chapter 6:

Fran was woken by the bustle of her six friends. They had tried not to wake her, but as the morning awoke so did their friend. Sitting on the edge of her bed sat the only still and unfamiliar character. But as soon as the young golden haired angel realized she was awake, she threw herself at Fran and then bustled herself under the covers as well.

“Good morning…” Fran knew that if this girl was a threat her friends wouldn’t have so easily left her by her bedside. However, it was unnerving for a stranger to be so familiar with her, even if it was a child.

“Fran don’t you recognize me?” Fran just stared at her bewildered. “I’m the young girl you saved!” Fran fell off the bed after an unbalanced display of shock.

Aurum looked over when he heard the flump of bed sheets, to see a frazzled Fran laying on her back on the floor. “Bennett! What are you doing?” Tossing the armful of cloth he was holding onto the table he rushed to Fran’s aide. In his agitated state of hurry he swept Fran off the floor into his arms. “Fran are you ok? Please do not mind this demon with the angelic façade.” Before she could respond however he had laid her back onto the bed and run back to his previous tasks.

Fran took another look at the girl before her. “You look so different from the small child, surely you are not the same.”

Bennett giggled behind her hands. “But I am! I was merely sick and this is a growth spurt year for me.” When Fran’s puzzled look only deepened the girl sighed and explained. “Faeries live a long time, but most of the time is spent in middle age. Well between child hood and middle age our bodies have big growth spurt. But if you get sick because your body and power aren’t settled you go back to a more child-like state. I was poisoned so I looked different, yes?” She waited patiently as Fran took a moment to wrap her mind around the wonder of faerie genetics.

“Fran!” Clarry barked. She was at the bedside now, lording over the sleepy bedraggled Fran. “We need to pack. Hurry and rise lazy bones, then get dressed and start helping. Aurum! I need more twine!” Clarry snatched what was extended to her and then flew to the other side of room to wrestle a trunk closed.

Fran rebounded from sleep in an instant, Clarry had said ’we’, and that was all she needed. Opening the dresser drawers she threw on her own clothes, instead of the loaned faerie clothes she’s worn for awhile. Squeezing in the bathroom beside a hiding Att she ran her fingers through her wavy locks.

“Att are you really coming with me? Is everyone?”

Att looked up from her book. “Yes. We are all leaving, it is not safe here anymore. The boys will be escorting us to the Arane Orchard.”

“What’s that?”

“Another faerie kingdom in the north and east. It’s where Pree is from, therefore the only place we can safely stay.” Pree turned a page in her book idely. Fran fell to her knees, the hard stormy night had broken with a dawn so beautiful it brought to her eyes.

“But why are we suddenly leaving now? Everyone seems really stressed out. And what is with the sudden appearance of Bennett?” Att sighed and folded her book upon her lap, studying Fran’s face through her navy blue bangs.

Att decided to tell Fran what she could. “Last night while we were on the porch, it was decided we could no longer stay with you. Fran in order for us to survive, we must feed off you life energy. Supporting two full grown faeries and half of another, not to mention your own life force, is a death sentence. However, when Bennett arrived last night, we were informed that we had all been summoned, including you Fran. To be summoned by the council is the worst thing that could happen. Clarry and I will be banished, Pree will be extradited, the boys will all be punished (mildly because of circumstances but still), and you Fran it is not actually known. The council of the western village of Shadow Glade Court, are known for their power and there discipline. They will curse you or erase your memory if that’s what it takes to be rid of you.” Att took a breath, her long wings were open in agitation fluttered against her smaller wings in the curve of her back.

“Att I don’t understand a lot of what you just said.” Fran’s mind raced with al the facts that had been unloaded onto her. “Why is Pree’s pun-”

“Silence!” Att hissed at Fran and slapped her slim hand over Fran’s mouth. Her long ears came out from behind her curtain of hair and pricked toward the door. Fran listened to, everyone outside had stopped bustling, there was a tinkling of a broken glass. Att whisked Fran upwards into her arms, pulling her close to her in the small quarters. Fran starred at her alien friend, the large pupils that had taken over the eyes, the long ears poking through the blue hair. Everyone had looked very human these last few weeks, but now even Att’s long fingers had become faerie like with their five joints. Fran jostled in her arms as Att tried to fly through the walls then the roof trying to find an escape in the windowless prison. She froze several inches off the ground, her tall frame curved against the ceiling, as someone jostled the doorknob.

The door opened to reveal a loan figure. Smiling at Fran was a beautiful woman. With square cut bangs and long flowing hair of mint green hair atop a face of fair skin with piercing green eyes, Fran trembled beneath her gaze. Long spindly hands reached out on thin arms to take Fran from Att’s grip. Like a child in her arms Fran’s last vision of her friends was obscured by golden earrings dangling from long pointed ears and a moss green cloak. The door slammed in the stricken faces of her companions and then it was just Fran and the woman. The woman looked only straight ahead at the path, Fran felt like a package would being jostled in her grip.

Once outside and many steps away from the building but towards to the other side of town, Fran was set down. Once upon her own two feet, her arms were bound by the woman and her eyes blinded and ears plugged by spells. Isolated from all senses, Fran had no choice but to follow the tug of her bind. Fear never entered into her mind, the solitude was final in Fran’s mind. The tug became faint, and there was a loss of movement, she couldn’t feel her legs nor her arms nor her tears.

Her mind painted a path that she flew upon. To her right were fallen bricks of a castle, small fires interspersed amidst the ruin and rubble. She reached a ghostly hand to take a charred flowers from a stone, smells of cinder and sulfur wafted over her. The charred petals disintegrated into a cloud of blackness blinding her again.

“Miss Baker you are here now.” The darkness was lifted and Fran was alone on a floor a single candle was illuminated beside her. “Take the candle from the table to light your way down the path.” The voice echoed around her into silence.

“Wait?! Where am I going?” Her own voice echoed around her in what she had realized was a sealed cavern. After the only reply was her own heart beat Fran decided she would just have to listen to the voice.

Plucking the candle from the stand, the sight disconcerted her. The candle was not even the length of her smallest finger, the rays of the candle hardly stretched a foot away from her. Lighted time was fleeting and she couldn’t guess how far the path. Hand against the wall she proceeded as fast as she dared down the narrow tunnel. Besides tripping over the occasional stone the journey was long and uninterrupted. The farther into the winding path the colder it became, until the puffs of breath skewed her limited vision. Holding the candle closer to her body she tried to find warmth from the small flame but in her carelessness instead snuffed the candle out.

The sudden complete darkness capsized her in panic. Her hands couldn’t find the walls again no matter what direction she walked the dropping temperature was the only change. Tripping over another stone she lay upon the earth and was surprised to hear the playing of a flute coming from the ground itself. She recognized the tune and without realizing it was humming along. Flickers in front her eyes seemed to illuminate, as she hummed stones upon the walls the floor and the ceiling illuminated in blue lights of astonishing number, as if someone had tried to emulate the night sky in the bowels of the earth. Seeing the dropped candle from whence she came she was filled with new energy to find the end of the path. Alternating between humming the lights bright and running as they slowly dimmed, she made her way further down the path.

At the final turn all the lights illuminated at once and on their own to reveal a substantial cavern thrice the size of her childhood prison the Inn. The walls were painted in wooded scenery mimicking perfectly the forest above, the stary stones shimmering high above. Most of the room was taken up by stone pillars carved with foreign symbols and pictographs, surrounding the circular shape of the room. The half circle in front of her was host to a single row of seats where there sat five people, only one was familiar. Each of beautiful and fair of face, even the two elder members faces where so full of elegance they commanded beauty.

The familiar face was the woman to the farthest right, she was still smiling icily at Fran, dangling gems winking against the lights. The figure next her was a man that looked to be of middle-aged scholarly man, with small silver framed glasses perched on his pointed nose. He was the second to realize she had entered the room, but made no inclination to favor her with his welcome, other than to just brush lightly, with his long fingers, his long tied hair of damp earth out of his eyes to better view her. The farthest female of the left was busy talking to the man on her side. Each was elderly in face, with soft features and gentle smiles as they conversed quietly to each other. The elderly woman was the most alien of them all, her hair was not a single color but instead the faded silver sheen color of fallen leaves of autumn and it was long and full cascading around her in waves out of sight. Her faerie ears were prominent and longer than the were a fourth as wide, and unlike Fran’s escort she had only a single gold clasp on the upper rim of a single ear. Fran did see that she had a beautiful necklace of colored glass, the design though, Fran could not see from so far away. The gentlemen that so engrossed her attention looked as old as she, but his hair was that of light stone grey, nothing was striking about him other than his air of wisdom. His ears were almost human except for the point at the top, they were very similar to Aurum’s that way. The final member of what Fran had to guess was the council was the most beautiful woman of all. Fran’s escort had had youth to play upon her lovely features, but when the center figure turned her gaze upon Fran, she was so terrified by the beauty she was almost to the point of tears.

The woman had short navy hair with long side bangs that hung past her shoulders, she wore the same colored cloak that they all wore. But her emerald mantle had gold eyes on her front that shimmered in contrast to her own dark orbs. Her slanted eyes were not as large as the others’ sets, but it suited her equally thin pointed ears better. Her thin lips were bloody red against the porcelain white skin, flawless except for a tattoo of a butterfly upon her right cheek. When she turned her gaze to Fran the other’s seemed to instinctively be silent and then they too all watched Fran.

The pull on her hands was back, it led her forward to stand in a dark spot in the center of their view.

“Juno I believe it best to let the others in now, of I fear they will worry themselves sick.” It was the center woman who’s velvety voice spoke out, commanding Fran’s escort, thus named Juno. Juno brushed back her long minty hair and rose from her chair to open a door, which Fran hadn’t seen, painted of the woods above.

In came the familiar faces by features not of expression. First entered Pree, in a long cloak of shimmering black, she inclined her head once toward the group and once to the single before going to the seats behind Fran, which she had not noticed before either. Next came Aurum, his golden eyes would not meet Fran’s misty ones, but instead his whole countenance was locked on the woman in the center. He had on human business clothes, and nothing of the fine fabric was wrinkled he was so stiff.

“Aurum, come here.” She commanded. He broke off midst ride to come stand before her. Even though the table with the council was raised slightly, Fran had the idea with Aurum standing there that the center piece would be far taller than anyone in the room.

“Lady Alva.” He bowed respectively. She leaned forward and whispered something Fran couldn’t here, but she did see the visible effect on him. Aurum’s body relaxed and when he turned back towards her Fran’s heart stuttered with his warm reassuring smile. Maybe it would be alright after all, she thought hopefully.

The rest of the procession entered together, each dressed in their finery, but there faces were frozen and blank. Out of this group Bennett and Emlen broke for a moment to go to the elderly man to pay respects. He smiled at them fondly, then they proceeded to take their seats beside the others.

“Myles, close the door before you are seated.” Juno was the one to speak this time, her voice was just as soft as Lady Alva’s but not as kind to the ears with it’s high pitch.

Lady Alva’s eyes had never left Fran, even when she commanded Aurum, and now that the procession had seated the other four sets were upon her as well. At first Fran had been grateful that she stood in the least illuminated point in the room, but now the darkness may well have been a spotlight for the way it singled her out. Fran started as the butterfly tattoo on Lady Alva’s cheek fluttered. The ground rumbled and vines twined up her legs around her body, not tightly, but not with any means to escape. Their was a familiar humming of agitated movement of wings form behind her, however the vines had their hold upon her neck now, and she could not look away from the council even with all her might.

“Miss Francine how are you today?” It was not Lady Alva but instead the old man whom Emlen and Bennett had spoken to.

“I’ve been better sir.” Fran would have kicked herself for her pertitence had she not been bound.

“What sharpness.” Fran felt relief when he chuckled.

“If not entirely understandable dear Vox. The tunnel can be a very taxing experience for humans.” The older woman was smiling warmly at Fran, the look did little to comfort her however since it was laced with pity.

“Lovely Nova I was merely curious. I hear humans sometimes take great excitement in adventures.” He looked to Fran for confirmation.

“I’m sorry sir, ma’m, but I am not the adventurous type. I find the whole idea to taxing, I want nothing more to be content in home with my family.” Fran had to check herself on showing proper respect which would only hurt her should it be absent.

“I hear humans are also fond of lying.” It was hard to hear the sneer as from such a pretty face as Juno’s.

“Human woman, we should tell you it is best not to lie to us.” The scholar’s voice was deep but not cold. Fran took heart that his piercing cold looks were not a testament to his character so much as they were just the byproduct of his familial traits.

“Wise Cato, do not be so condescending to our guest. Surely even a human knows how improper it is to lie to their hosts. Because do not be mistaken Miss Francine, we have known about you taking residence in our world before you trespassed upon our land.” Fran shook a little under Lady Alva’s words, but she was still smiling which was well and good. “I think it would be alright for you to assume that we know all there is to know. If you should reveal something we will of course ask questions.”

“I would love to hear about the trail of the tunnel our young guest has taken.” Offered Nova.

“I would enjoy the tale between the inn burning down and how she stumbled upon our dear Bennett.” Supplied Vox.

“I want to know why she’s still here.” Fran was not surprised the request came from the snide Juno.

“I would like to be enlightened upon plans for future endeavors.” This time it was Cato.

Of them all Lady Alva was the only one not to offer an opinion, she stayed silently smiling at Fran. Wary feelings of mistrust were eating at Fran, the smile had the effect of a still lake, instead of calm it had a chaotic affect upon her heart, the still waters held something captive. When the silence had run several breaths Fran decided to answer in the order the questions were said. Except Juno’s question, Fran thought vindictively.

“I was told to take a lit candle from a table and proceed down the tunnel until I came to this place. After some time I was cold and when I brought my arms in towards me I accidentally snuffed out the candle. It was dark and I became lost, I wasn’t able to relocate the walls I were trailing. I felt upon the earth and when I had given up,” Fran trailed off nervously, every eye was sharp upon her.

“The tunnel was dark? With no walls?” Alva’s smile was finally gone, her face would never betray such emotions of curiosity or wonder, however the feelings still rung behind her eyes.

“Yes ma’m.”

“Were you afraid? What did the ground beneath you feel like? Did you hear voices?” Cato pushed his spectacles further upon his nose while waiting for the answers.

“I was a little afraid at first but when I couldn’t find the walls I became more so. Well I tripped over a rock so the ground was rough I suppose-”

“-No.” Cato interjected. “I meant while you were upon the ground. Did you feel the stone over which you stumbled?”

Fran pulled at the strings of her memory trying to draw up something. She remembered walking and feeling the gravel beneath her feet. Falling to the ground though, reasoning fought with her memories, when she fell she didn’t scrape her hands. Like finally reaching the bottom after a long dive she found the moment she needed in her memories.

“When I lay upon the ground it was smooth and soft. I was very cold from
the air in the tunnel but the ground had no chill, even though it was slick it seemed to absorb what warmth I had and store it almost like a blanket.”

Cato and Lady Alva looked sideways at each other. “It seems…” Lady Alva started to say. She coughed a little and then left Cato’s stare to once again smile upon Fran. “Miss Francine please continue.”

“Well I lay upon the ground and I was thinking of giving up when I suddenly heard music coming from the floor. I started humming along and the cavern illuminated itself as I sang until I came here.” The music in the earth was what puzzled Fran the most of her whole endeavor but the council didn’t even blink at the insanity.

“And now if you please, how was it you found our kingdom so easily?” Elder Vox smiled serenely.

“Well after I was thrown from the hourse I wandered around to get a barring of where I was, by making markers in the ground of directions and looking for landmarks. But in the night I had visitors and when I awoke I was troubled by some young foxes-”

“-What?!” Lady Alva’s voice was still light but her eyes flashed wildly. They sure chose the most normal parts of my story to wonder about, Fran noticed. “Aurum.” A stern command brought him back into Fran’s sight, at least his back anyway. “What was the reason for this? You better than anyone should understand what foolishness she is talking about. I demand to see them now.” Fran watched the scene bewildered. Aurum unhooked the two beads from his ear and held them out upon his open palm. Fran thought she heard him mumble something but it slipped her mind as see saw the beads glowing vibrant shades of electric blue before morphing into the mischievous foxes she’d met. Fran rolled over this development in her mind before filing it away for later recall.

The foxes looked around at her surroundings then closing their eyes they morphed again, this time their noses were even longer they’re tails bushier. One of the foxes rose onto it’s two hind legs, leaning against a staff Fran didn’t know the origin of, the fur of this fox turned rustic red and white growing out until it looked like a beard it‘s beady eyes were closed as if he was smiling. The second fox had taken to wearing a cloak that had seemingly come from nowhere, it sat as a fox should except for the fact that it occasionally brought it’s paw up in a very human gesture to adjust the small spectacles upon it’s nose. When the foxes spoke Fran found it hard to be any more surprised.

“Young Sire.” They bowed low to Aurum before turning forward. “Ladies and Misters.” They recited in unison bowing slightly to the council.

“Dear Forrest Fox Spirits we are in need of answers. If you would be so kind as to inform us as to why you led this human to our kingdom.” Lady Alva had turned her smile upon them. Startled they turned around again and seemed to notice Fran for the first time. For certainly she was raised a good five times over their heads and they had to stretch their necks back to even get a good look.

“Lady Madam we are old and it seems that this young lady did not seem a human or a threat, so why not? It was as our lord asked us.” Only the old man fox spoke, the old woman fox merely nodded along in agreement.

“Does she not look like a human?” Juno inquired frustratingly.

“I suppose,” he answered rather wistfully. “But many of the faerie kind look human to us.”

“Does she not smell like a human?”

“Aye,” he continued. “But only now is it as strong. Bathing in the water’s of our people had scented her favorably before, it seems.” The old fox seemed amused by the interrogation while Juno proceeded to become more and more cross.

“Well does she not have the life force of a human then?!” Juno’s voice had risen in annoyance. “Come fox folk, this human has no magic. Surely even in your old age you sensed that.”

“Young faerie it would wise for you to learn to hold your tongue before you upset those who mean no harm but could just as easily inflict it.” The old woman foxes words were sharp and they shamed Juno to the point of looking away from her. “This young lady has something magic about her, but that is not important.” The old fox woman broke off indignant. Her fur burned white hot as she morphed back into a bead and flew back into Aurum’s ear.

“Impatient old broad isn’t she?” The old man fox chuckled while sidestepping a sting of lightening that shot from his counterparts compact form. “But young folk listen to what she means to say.” The old fox man hobbled over to the vines that held Fran captive, tapping them with his cane he said a few words. The vines around Fran’s face and neck slithered down, the ones over her body slackened until they let her down gently upon the ground beside him.

Rubbing her sore joints where the roosts had cut she turned to over helper and bowed. “Thank you kind spirit.”

He smiled back with his fox grin. “Certainly child.” He turned to face Alva but addressed them all. “You need to realize elf that your age is leaving and the time for man is coming. You cannot fight it forever without seeming the fool. Look at my people, the age of spirits was longer and more prosperous than anything you folk achieved, but, here I am having to explain my actions to those who demand but do not command my respect. It will be a great day when you realize your folly.” He bowed once more to Aurum before he too returned to adorning his friends ear.

“That senile old fox has told us nothing.” Juno rebuffed. “Aurum you must explain for him, they are your servants after all.”

Now that Fran was beside Aurum she could study his face as he answered Juno’s hostility. “High council I apologize for my friend’s telling words, I know that the mirror of time has a harsh reflection. As to why I sent my friends and how Miss Francine came upon us I’m afraid even then I am in the dark.” Fran felt a pinch when he pronounced her full name, it was too impersonal. “I told my friends to investigate the strong surge of power that resonated over the wood and when my fox kin returned the girl had come with.” It was colder not even using her name, as if it could have been any girl. Never before had the separation of the races been so heavy on Fran’s mind.

“If I’m such a bother, then I’ll just leave.” Fran shocked herself by mumbling aloud. She would have just taken her things and bolted right then, but Alva’s eyes fixed upon her and she froze.

“Yes I think it is time for you to leave.” Alva stayed where she was but the other elders huddled in and they spoke in such soft whispers, that Fran only knew they were speaking at all because their lips were moving.

Warmth surged through her, Aurum’s hand had enclosed her own, it was comforting to have a friend again. The feeling of displacement however was camped in her heart, if the council decided to banish her then she wouldn’t even be able to visit her friends. Fran was scared to look over her shoulder, if the faces that looked back at her held any coldness, then this magic world would become her personal hell. But she did look, and looking back at her, from the three member’s of her hearts family, were all eyes of love.

The council took their positions again, Juno was smiling wickedly which unnerved Fran’s building confidence.

“Miss Francine it is a wonderful day today, filled with opportunities of adventure.” Fran had a feeling that Alva’s smile was also wicked. “We have decided to bestow upon you a great honor.” Fran definitely felt more nauseous then hopeful at this statement. “The old fox man has indeed told the truth of the changing ages, but we have a problem relinquishing our time.” The nausea had become the strong urge to throw up in the back of her throat. “Pride is a vicious foe to be sure, but the truth is much more problematic. For it is not in the single heart of this council, but in the collective hearts of the entire continent of BeLuna.” Uncomfortable, Fran fought the awkward compulsion to scratch and rub all over. “The head king of the kingdom of men is the one man we will not turn our kingdom over to.” Still uncomfortable Fran shifted foot to foot, this conversation was taking a weird turn for her. “Many years ago on the eve of the Battle of the Red Sun, demons snuck into the camps of men and ate their hearts in frenzied hunger. Once the human had died some of the demons and evil spirits then took the bodies for their own home.” Fran vaguely wondered if Alva just liked to hear herself talk, because this conversation had nothing to do with her. “One evil spirit more crafty and powerful than the others slay the king and then killed his brother and took his body. That man is now the king of the human realm.” Fran hadn’t been to school in years, but she knew a boring lecture when she heard one. “He has a nephew, the old kings son, to be his successor. And from what information we have gathered, he is not possessed and therefore infinitely better than the demon.

“Fran we the council have decided that you will go on a great quest to make the nephew king of the human realm.”

“No.” Jolted out of her reverie, Fran responded without thinking. But once shock had deserted her the cogs started turning at a faster and faster pace.

“No?” For once Alva’s calm exterior looked a little confused. “Miss Fran, are you declining the offer to be the savior of, essentially, our world?”

“Of course. This has nothing to do with me.” Fran released Aurum’s hand and with feet firmly planted put her hands on her hips, a pose of angry protest. “As it has been made clear we do not share the same world.” Fran stared pointedly at Juno.

Alva coughed into her hand, Fran was sure that no had ever gone against her will before. “Well regardless of what you say, it has been decided. You cannot go against the council. Dining upon our food and living amongst us, you are citizen enough to be under our law.”

Fran opened her mouth to protest but it had seemed that Alva had become bored with her. Her deep eyes no longer pierced through her, she instead gazed off at some point in the ceiling for a minute and then swept her large cloak around her and left with very little ceremony.

Fran was flabbergasted and annoyed; did she not have a choice then? But how could they possibly make her do anything?

The other council members too started there exits. Not before Juno gave her one last sneer. Alone in the chamber with her friends, the air was tense. Aurum was staring at her with his head tilted and a look of questioning sanity. When the last thread of cloak from Vox had gone through another hidden doorway the room’s magic faded. The painted murals dimmed, aged and chipped, and when the wall lanterns lit up, she was standing in a dirty brown cavern.

“You said no?” Aurum was still looking incredulous. Fran shifted from foot to foot. The others had come and circled around her, each look was filled with different emotions. Her three friends looked at her with pity, while Emlen with amusement. Bennett and Myles each wore identical looks of dread.

“I don’t want to risk my life, is that so wrong?” Fran was a little defensive; she had thought someone would have taken her side.

“But it’s the council, and no one can say no to them. And even if we could, we don’t” Bennett’s voice had a ring of wonderment to it.

Fran looked down, she felt an unexplainable shame. Wiping away a single tear quickly, she realized her feelings were quickly rising to anger again. What right did they have to judge her? Any of them? In the last day, everything had been decided for her, no one had cared about her. And when she finally took a firm stand no one understood. Bitter, Fran made a vow to herself that she would never listen to the council, and that no matter what they did she’d destroy the world before she would save it.

*Update Novemeber 3rd*- so i'm finally posted the last part of chapter six of Kingdom in Peril- if anyone would like to keep reading Fran's adventures then you will have to check out my fictionpress account (the link will be provided below). I am participating in NaNoWriMo so that kinda messed up my schedule of writing, but that sotry will start being posted with in the next few days- and since it is for NaNoWriMo it will be fast and kinda sloppy lol Sorry the end of KiP took so long- hope you keep coming around for my other stories ^_^
Oh- my new story is called The Fifth step. Another fantasy, but not the same universe. Summary will be soon i hope ><

I am blind to the world they tell me. I see lights and wings everywhere, in my painted world of black and white they shimmer in silvers and golds, but they tell me I am blind.

Stepping out onto the pavement I walk between the people flowing in many directions. I stand still in the chaos catching my breath; breathing in the energy of lives around me. At times like these I look to the sky, what little night I can see between the concrete glass giants. I pull the moon’s light to me, and with my eyes closed I pray to the God I love. An empty worded prayer full only with what feelings I can summon.

It is a holiday soon, a time when families come together to love and hate each other, but more just to be together. I have people who are called my family, but when I am with them I am the same as when I am in the chaos of strangers.

Knocked to the ground my reverie is broken. A man looks down on me, then keeps walking. My legs will not move from their crumpled state. I cannot see myself, I can barely feel myself, so I stay still now, fighting down the slight ebbs of nausea and pain.

A woman stumbles over me, her eyes do not reach me. Soon another man has come to collect me from my statuesque fall.

The wings around me ruffle under the currents of air. It is cold and they cannot be covered. Some peoples wings are large and expanded, glowing, so vivid that I can taste their essence. But more people keep their wings close to themselves. It is for this reason that I wonder if they lie to me. If no one else can see these wings than why would they guard them so diligently.

At the side of the chaos the man has left me. I am standing between two stores, unsure of which I am supposed to go to I can only walk away from both.

Package edges jab at me, bodies pushing and pulling me right and left. I stumble again but I am too caught up in the jumble to be tramples as before.

Can my raised mother’s light reach me here when I do not seek it?

I hear my name called but when I turn only strangers’ faces stare back, they were calling another it seems. My name again reaches my ears this time from the heavens, but I do not look above me. Will they next call me deaf for my inability to hear not but the echoes inside my heart?

The train I came to has stopped. End of the line.

A/N: wasn't sure if anyone would like this on Mene- but if you want to read the last half- it's on my FP ^_^ very similar feel to another oneshot there, Flying.

A well clad youth of twenty years or so, stood by a bonfire in the middle of a town, enshrouded in mist. Nervously shifting from foot to foot it was all he could do to keep from being sick. He had just arrived to the misty village of Yesenia by a guided portal. Today he would be starting the fifth level in becoming a full mage.

He could see it now: The council calling him in with a warm welcome. They’d fight over the privilege of teaching him, before finally the best mage in camp would step foreword and take him under his wing. Then life would be set of the next four months, until he left Yosenia even better than his master. And he would be hailed in the next station for his genius.

“Hey Kid!” A tall beefy an with a white goatee and short cropped hair had stuck his head out the largest tent’s flap.

“Y-yes Sir.” The youth stuttered snapping into a stiff position, he hastily saluted the man. The youth felt the heat rise in his face at the incredulous look he was met with. Looking down at his feat he walked through the tent flap which the man had held open for him.

“This is a waste of time! Put him on standby for another teach-” Looking up again, the youth was pierced by the fiery glare of a child-like mage. In ivory silk and red trim lace, he knew her to be of higher order, but her small petite frame, round face and long braided hair were that of a mere child. Fully inside the tent he saw that he saw that in her surroundings she could be no older than ten or eleven years of age, a full decade younger than himself it would seem. Her childish tantrum was even more comical than her appearance because of who she was arguing with, another equally large man of chocolate skin and dark hair and eyes who stood at least two feet above her and who’s arm alone was bigger than any where on her frame.

Her burning glare was in a full hateful blaze, sending the hairs on the back of his neck to stand on in. Not even here for half a day and someone already hated him, this was not the fantasy he had been dreaming of.

“Impetuous brat!” She spat at him, then shoved him aside and huffed her way out of the tent.

There was a light sigh. Walking to where she had once stood, he realized that she had been arguing not with one of the behemoths but with yet another man. Hidden behind, what could be assumed, his bodyguards, was an elderly man of shriveled stature and large billowing robes of amber. He was pale and sickly looking, his white hair long and wispy, but his eyes stood out like tree in a meadow. Dark orbs of black, they were glassy and sharp, very deceptive in contrast to the aged body they were with. It was hard to imagine the bright eyes which screamed vigor belonged to the same shrunken hand that with a simple wave foreword, nearly broke.

“Welcome Tal, child of his honor Prattcha. Please be seated and let us converse in a more casual manner.” Once again the youth was struck with another contrast. The same small lips with just a moment ago had breathed such a soft tired sigh now rang out a deep strong voice brimming with confidence.

Observing the correct response for the welcome the youth cleared his throat and said, “Thank you, sir.” Tal walked forward and sat in a chair the first large man had brought for him.

“Was the journey fair?” The elder inquired.

“Yes sir.” The conversation was non the more casual than it would have been between a general and a pawn.

“You were fortunate it would seem,” The old man replied. “to have come when a portal could be attached. That is unfortunately not always the case. The more inconvenient but common route is to ride by horse or some other animal. And I hear the journey to our dear village is much longer and harder. It does interest me as to why you would choose our town, when there are others more easily reached. But I will save that conversation for another day.”

“Yes sir.”

“We have assigned you a teacher. I feel no need to hide the fact that there was some opposition to the placement.” Tal made a small prayer to himself that the small hell-fire from earlier, wasn’t his teacher. “She has been with us an abnormal amount of time, but it is of her on volition. She is held in high esteem and I would go so far as to say the strongest mage in the village.” He paused thoughtfully before continuing. “Yes, even above myself. Shame really…” A younger lad than himself leaned in the tent and handed the white haired man a letter. After skimming it over he leaned over and whispered in the older man’s ear. Snapping out of his thoughts his eyes focused again on Tal. “You will be in good hands. I must excuse myself now, work to be done. And it would seem that your teacher has not yet returned from her shift, therefore Dominus will escort you to your lodgings and Hal will be with you upon her return.” As Tal turned and left the tent, old age again crept into the man’s voice. “Best of luck son of the honored Prattcha.”

The white haired man, Dominus, led Tal out of the tent and down one road of tents. Until, after a few minutes they came to decent sized tent of moss green, with a large white stitched “4” on the flap. Next to it were no other tents with numbers, but instead tents of the same color with other markings: the word “Courage” stitched in one, a sparrow stitched on another, and the letter “Q” stitched on the last. Tal wondered what the significance of each title meant. Dominus, as a man of few words, felt no obligation to stay around for a quick chat, but instead left Tal standing outside tent “4” with his bags looking bewildered.

Nervous again, Tal swallowed down the rising bile, but before his outstretched hand could even touch the flap two boisterous youths burst out. The similarities between them was almost as striking as there differences. Each were clad in the same gray long coat with matching hats, and waving there hands around in the same manner. But physically they couldn’t have been more different. The shorter of the two had tanned skin and long raven hair braided behind him. His long eyelashes and large green eyes gave his heart shaped face a very effeminate look. In contrast the tall gangly one, with his short blond hair and long nose could never be mistaken for a girl. Even if his eyes were a light sparkling blue, they twinkled with feisty mischief.

“What I’m saying Is that we swallow the antidote in a timed release capsule. So that even if we lose consciousness there will be no need to worry.”

“Brillant! But best of all, if she tires checking our pockets for anything suspicious there will be nothing for evidence!- Oh, hello!”

They stopped when they saw him in their way. Curiously checking him up and down for a minute, they seemed pleased.

“Thank god! You must be the new bunkmate they mentioned to us last week. Welcome to Yosenia. I’m Marcus and this lad here is Louis.” The taller of the two gestured first to himself then to his small counterpart. “So great that your finally here now the gremlins can be under your watch. Well we’d love to stay and chat, but we’ve gotta get going. Don’t want to be late with The Fire Whip.” Tal shook hands with each briefly.

“Sounds painful,” he commented.

The two looked at each other. “Oh, you have no idea.” They laughed at some inside joke, Tal could only assume, then started off. There conversation of various poisons followed them around a corner.

Reaching out once more, to open the flap he was interrupted once again. This time a young child of no more than ten barreled into him. Catching him so that neither would topple over, he felt a little winded. The lad squealed, his mop top flew around him as he took off. A second lad came running out the tent a second later screaming enthusiastically while giving chase. He would not be surprised if these were the two gremlins Marcus had mentioned.

Third times a charm, Tal thought to himself as finally was able to reach out open the flap to enter his new home. The stress and the energetic people were a little much for him. Surveying the room he found that his stuff had already been placed on one the bottom bunks. There were three bunks one upon each wall of the tent. Normally very protective of his things, Tal just collapsed gratefully on his bed. Also grateful that his was the only clean bunk. One bunk was completely draped with layers of cloths, dirty by the smell reaching Tal’s nose. Unless the smell was coming from the bags of indiscernible specimens also hanging all over the bunk. The second bunk didn’t smell as bad, but the clutter of toys and junk was even more formidable.

His partner bunk had only a single floating trunk on the end, which Tal guessed held everything of his bunkmate.

Looking at the beds he realized that he’d met most everyone. The mischievous lads were probably to the smelly bunk and the children to the toys. Which meant he only had one person left to meet, this settled his nerves a little. At the last station his room had held fifty people magically, it had been a nightmare. Tal felt relief that he had chosen this town for his next station.

Burying his face in the pillow his thoughts drifted over the day, which soon drifted to thoughts about everything about his path.

To be a recognized mage meant going through the ten stations of the kingdoms academy. Choosing to be a mage at a young age was risky, because once you reached a certain point in training it would become harder and harder to get any other profession. Many adults become mages after learning other primary professions, then their mage training would revolve around their first trade. This bunk was actually the first time he’d seen so many young mages in such a small area.

The children running around was not impressive, however, that meant they were probably orphans and were sold by slave hoarders until they were taken in by the state. If they showed promise they could be sent to be mages, but the other children were sent to homes and lost track of over time.

The kingdom’s government wasn’t perfect, Tal knew that first hand. He wasn’t an orphan, like the children probably were, he sat on the other end of the spectrum, as an aristocrat’s son. An aristocrat’s son was bad enough but to be aristocrat’s son who was on the council was the worst.

Tal said a small prayer for his elder brother’s health. He wouldn’t have the freedom to even attempt to be a mage if he had been the eldest. He wish he could just renounce his family, his family name did more harm than good.

Rolling over onto his side his thoughts flowed back to the present. He wondered vaguely what his teacher would be like, but he didn’t wonder long before he fell asleep.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“I think we should poke him with the stick again.” Tal yowled at the sharp jab in his rear. Sitting up he smacked his head into the top of the bunk, then fell unceremoniously into a heap onto the floor.

Dazed, his eyes rose to focus on several fuzzy shapes.

“Oy, I think you broke him.”

“Nah, he’s blinking, but I’ll poke him again for good measure.”

Just when his vision had almost cleared there was a sudden pain and stars dancing in front of his eyes.

“Poke him, don’t beat him to death.” Tal lay unconscious on the floor, eye lids open his glazed eyes stared at the ceiling. Marcus took this chance to try poking him once more, but just like the first time there was no reaction. When Tal stayed unconscious for another thirty seconds, his bunkmates grew bored with him again and wandered back to their own beds.

“So did ya hear who his teacher is Marcus?” Louis pulled himself onto the top bunk. Shoving the clothes aside he made a small whole where he could curl up for a nap.

“No. I just hope for our sakes he gets taken by the fire whip too. She’ll lay off for awhile if she gets a new toy.” Marcus unzipped his long coat and flung it on the floor beside his bed. Pulling off all his clothes from his bed, he resituated everything to the floor.

“No such luck. He’s being assigned to Hal.”

“Who’s Hal?” Marcus and Louis jumped. They’d both been settling in for the night and hadn’t realized that Tal had come to his senses.

“She’s the strongest sorceress around. She’s real cool though, she trains a lot of us for the first few days. But, I think this is the first time in awhile that she’ll be taking on a full-time student. You’re pretty lucky.” Louis explained.

“Even luckier in just the fact that you didn’t get Fire Whip.” Marcus added a little bitterly.

“Just who is this Fire Whip you keep talking about?” Tal had managed to get back up off the floor and flop onto his bed.

“The Fire Whip is the most sadistic man hating person you will ever meet.” Louis answered. “She’s been our teacher for a month now. Thankfully she might be leaving soon, then we can get reassigned to someone easier.”

“Where’s she going?” Tal had so many questions. The fifth level of training was the most secretive to the outside world. You never really understood it until you were swimming in it and he’d just gotten wet.

“No idea. But the teachers are just like the students, the rotate in and out every once in awhile.” Marcus replied.

“Oh then, will Hal be leaving soon?” Tal couldn’t hide the disappointment that his impressive teacher was only temporary.

“Oh definitely not.” Louis had sat back up in bed to look at him. His eyes shown with intrigue. “Hal’s been here longer than anyway ever. None of the students know why, in fact I think only the head of the village and the Fire Whip know all the facts. In fact she’s not even a teacher, she’s technically student.”

Tal felt his stomach flop with disappoint and skepticism. “Well how great can she be, if she’s just a student?”

Marcus sighed dramatically. “Great. Now’ll you’ll get him going all night.”

“Whatever man.” Louis retorted. Directing his attention back to Tal, his eyes light up again. “Well first off, we’ve had countless powerful mages come to our town specially for council with her. Including the king’s royal mage. They’ve even tried bribing her away from her station but she refuses. Even with in the village, our head professor of the village has tried promoting her. But she won’t be bought or swayed by power, her integrity and morals are sound. She refuses to cheat the system.”

“How do you even know this? It sounds like things that mere students shouldn’t know.” Tal couldn’t help second guessing Louis. He looked like a love sick puppy more than a credible source of information.

“Of course it’s a secret. But that just means everyone in the village knows.” Marcus added in laughing. “There are no secrets that have been kept in our secret town.” Tal laughed an eyebrow questioningly at Marcus’ obvious delight. “Oh,” he added. “Just remind us to tell you about all the scandals and affairs. You’ll never guess who the Fire Whip dated, that’s a great story.”

“Anyway,” Louis interrupted. “Hal’s secrets are well known. But also because the head has tried bribing her in front of people, for the pressure I guess. We’ve seen it first hand at dinner a couple times. He tries at dinner about once a month.”

The trio stopped talking to listen. There was a rustling outside the flap of the tent. The tent flapped open, moonlight streaming in, but it was only the two children. Tal got a good look at their faces now that they moving much slower.

“Hey Brats!” Marcus called. “Introduce yourself to the newbie.”

Each child looked over at Tal curiously. Each was dressed in the same style rob as Marcus and Louis had been in earlier, Tal guessed it was the uniform of the students, which some stations required. Both children gave him exhausted smiles of welcome, before both getting in the bottom bunk and going to sleep.

“Ah. Sorry about that. Braidy and Kent normally have a lot more energy, but lately they’ve been doing endurance training after their normal duties.” Louis explained.

“Endurance training?” Tal couldn’t help feeling a little sick at the idea. His last teacher had been really into endurance training, so much to the fact that Tal got a slight shiver of trauma with the memory.

“Don’t worry,” Marcus laughed. “Endurance training is mostly just for the kids. Well and ….”

“For punishment.” Louis finished laughing also.

Tal looked at his watch, the time blinked at 2050. “I was supposed to meet Hal when she got off her shift, but its already night.” The two boys gave him a weird look.


“You’re kidding right?” Marcus said incredulously. “Have you looked outside?”

Louis jumped off his bunk and bounced over to Tal. “Come on, the night is young and you need to understand a bit more about our town.” Marcus dragged himself out of bed behind them, muttering about stupid friends who have never-ending energy.

The biggest surprise came as soon as they left the tent. Tal had felt the passing of time but when he came out of the tent, the light was still the same as when he had arrived hours earlier, a foggy light.

“B-but?” he stuttered. Marcus and Louis each got a good laugh at his flabbergasted look.

“You’re in a magic school and you’re honestly this surprised?” Louis asked between chuckles.

“It’s just unexpected is all. It would a momentous amount of magic to keep the town forever in a half daylight and I didn’t expect to see that kind of power at this level.” Tal double checked his watch band again, it was blinking 2055.

“You’ll see a lot of powerful mages here, even if it is just level five.” Marcus added. “But don’t worry about it too much. It’s actually more our village than other level five stations, and you’ll get used to it soon enough.”

“This place really is amazing.” Tal said under his breath. They’d come back to the center of the town, where he’d stood by one of the fires. There were actually five fires in a hexagon pattern around a centered tent, which seemed to be the largest tent in the whole town and the gaudiest. “Hey,” Tal called for Marcus’ or Louis’ attention. “I’ve been meaning to ask, why is this whole place called a town but its nothing but tents.”

“It’s part of the magic on the town. This used to be a normal town of wood and stone buildings but it was swallowed by magic fog. The mages of our school managed to find the town again, but by then it was in trouble. The magic fog had latched onto everything but it was also trying to move, as is what fog does. Well it couldn’t move the buildings because of their foundations, so the town was slowly being destroyed by the force. So some powerful mages transformed the buildings into tents, with the properties of their previous buildings. The fog was then free to move the tents without destroying the town. The town is constantly moving within the magic fog which is why its very hard to make direct links to our village and many people have to travel to the original place of the town to find us.” Louis explained.

Tal took in the information rather well, it made a lot of sense. It would explain the tents and the head of the village’s comments on his method of arriving, not to mention the mystery of the whole place. Walking around the gaudy tent he wondered what was inside, but he was feeling tired again. His guides had taken him through the entire town, pointing out stores, housing, magic study tents and civilian human tents. Louis had explain that humans in fact made up most of the town, inhabitants from when the town was first dislodged, they considered a blessing to be under mage protection.

By the blinking of Tal’s watch it was 2330 by the time they were making it back to their own tent, which Tal learned was in the magic folk only part of town. They turned the corner to their street and Louis and Marcus stopped suddenly.

A thin figure was standing in front of their tent, their back was turned to them, yet Louis and Marcus caught on fast who it was. Tal still looked between the figure and their faces.

“What?” He asked.

“Sorry. It’s just that…” Marcus paused.

“It was hard to believe she would actually be your teacher. But there she is.” Louis finished in a low voice of awe.

“How can you tell its her?” Tal couldn’t even tell it was a female they were looking at, how could they tell it was his infamous teacher.


“She altered her uniform. All the other women wear the long-sleeved half cardigan with a hood, while men where the long coats and hats. She took the men’s long coat and keep the style of sleeves for females, along with the hood. Her’s is the only uniform like that.” Louis added again.

Tal wondered briefly at the stalker like information, Louis seemed to have stored about her in his mind, but then she turned around. Large blue cat eyes met his own, his blood ran cold under her brief gaze. She turned away a second later and picked something up off the ground, a large staff with a lantern on the curved end.

Now that they had been noticed the boys walked to the entrance. Marcus and Louis bowed slightly saying in unison, “good evening.”

Tal was struck again, her eyes were normal, what was it that he saw? Her eyes were slanted and large but they were half the size he had seen before, and more gray than the vibrant blue that they had been. Her hair was a pale brown and cut to her shoulders, except for a few feathery bangs that fell over her forehead. Her skin looked white almost translucent, which Tal guessed was from living in the misty town for so many years. Her charcoal cloak was shimmering and thick, long like the Marcus’ and Louis’ cloaks it hung down almost to her knees. She had black stockings and healed boots, giving her otherwise, boyish appearance a breath of femininity.

“Excuse me.” Tal jumped. He had been staring at her rather blatantly, but her voice had snapped him out. Her voice was low but clear; it had an almost bell like resonance to it.

“S-sorry.” He stuttered. Marcus and Louis had passed by her to enter the tent, but they had turned around and were giving him looks of smirks. Then they slipped into the tent and Tal was alone with his new teacher. She was staring at him with what he thought was an expectant expression. “Sorry. Again. Uh- I mean… Good evening ma’m. My name is Tal and I suppose I’m your new student. I’m sorry if you’ve been waiting long, they, uh Marcus and Louis I mean, were showing me the town and explaining everything. I’m new, well obviously, I mean you’re my teacher so I’m sure you knew that, why else would I need a teacher, right?” He laughed awkwardly in embarrassment for his rambling. She just stared expectantly at him.

----------------------

Hal stared at the boy before her, his long dark hair and small nose were very girly on him. Then he had embarrassed himself and he was flushed all red, and looked about to cry. She looked at him, waiting for the tears, unsure of what to say. He was obviously very emotional and she was not accustomed to feeling strong emotions too often herself.

While he continued to stare at her for some reason her mind wandered back, to think if there was something appropriate to say to relieve his stress. She’d been out on watch all day, doing her duty had been the same as it always was. Then she’d gotten back and had been met by Arisa, who’d been in a normal fiery rage. She’d listen to Arisa’s comments on her own assignment before coming to the boy’s tents. She’d set down her staff then tried dispelling her eye magic, but it had been set so she had a hard time. Then she was distracted by voices behind her, the three boys. She knew two of the boys and new that this was there tent, so she’d gathered her staff from off the ground. The magic had dispelled at last and then they were in front of her, the two she knew said good evening. Then the one she didn’t know had started rambling. She’d picked up that he was to be her student, but she wasn’t quite sure what to say to his red face.


“…and well, I mean, I hope that I can live up to your expectations.” he continued.

“I have no expectations of you.” Hal said. She thought that it would ease his mind, but instead he looked crushed. She almost smiled, he was very childish the way his emotions ran across his face.

“Oh, I see, yeah, no one ever does. But even if you don’t, well, I will still try hard, you won’t be disappointed. I want to prove that even though I probably got you for a teacher because of my father’s influence, I’m still a hard worker.” Hal noted that his eyes were shining. She wanted to think that it was for his obvious determination, but it still could be the tears in his distraught eyes.

He had stopped talking again, so Hal thought about the right way to phrase her point. She certainly didn’t want him to cry, and he was certainly close. Choosing her words carefully she replied. “ I didn’t mean it discouragingly. I was not told how your father is, and beside that, it is the head professor Dennishisn who decides placement and no other. I’ve been assigned to be your teacher, to make your better, so we will go at your pace not mine to make sure that you learn to be your best. I won‘t burden you with trying to hold you to anything before I get to know you.”

He smiled and Hal felt the knot inside her chest tighten. She had no idea why she was suddenly assigned a full teaching assignment, but it was Dennishisn’s request so she would obey. In fact she shouldn’t even be teaching anyone, being a student herself, but since she had come back to the fifth station everyone treated her differently than the first time she had passed through.

“Ma’m…” Her eyes drifted back into focus, he was staring at her again. “I was just wondering when we were going to get started. Tomorrow or the next day, see I haven’t gotten any information yet. I don’t know if I need to get my uniform or staff.” He reached out, probably to gesture to her staff but his fingers brushed the wood lightly and all at once the candle in the lantern in the end seemed to explode with energy.

Hal moved the staff away from him almost as quickly as he fleetingly touched it. “Don’t touch another’s staff without asking.” She said it colder than she meant to, but it was a rude act that appalled her. After several years of living in the foggy village she had forgotten that outsiders may have not known certain social etiquette. This was the only station where the lantern staff was required, but when she had left the first time she had taken her staff. And then she had been through a lot, and now that she was back, the chance to use her staff so much again was like coming back to the embrace of an old friend. She didn’t know if it had always been this way, but not her staff had become a piece of her soul. From the carved designs in the wood, to the deep earthy color, to the rusted lantern and fogged glass, it was hers.

“I’m so sorry, ma’m.” Her thoughts had distracted her, but only a second had passed. The light from the candle had only been her irritation, the boy had done nothing , well not nothing, but it was forgivable.

“Don’t call me “ma’m.” I doubt I’m any older than you.” He reddened again, it was very obvious that he was looking her up and down. Unabashed she stared back.

Hey there. I merged your posts since there didn't really seem to be a reason for each of the posts to be separated. Break in posts is okay when there's a break in chapters and similar things (like having one drabble in one post, and then the same day, having a different drabble in a different post). Otherwise, the breaks in posts are just seen as ways to earn gold (not that everyone is like that, but often, that's what it looks like).

Hope you understand ^^

“What should I call you then, ma-teacher?” Hal could tell he was still really nervous, and she was still unsure what to say to make him less so. She felt the pocket watch in her pocket vibrate against her side, it was midnight. She felt a little faded from the long day, even more so because of this emotional person.

“Just call me Hal, like everyone else does. Technically I’m just a student like you, I just happen to know more than you is all.” She took out her silver pocket watch and flicked it open, showing him the time. “It’s late. I’m afraid that I must retire to my lodgings now, we will continue our introductions tomorrow night. You will accompany me on my shift tomorrow, but before that, after lunch, we will get you the necessary supplies.” Flipping the watch closed she tucked it back into her pocket.

He finally looked relieved, saying goodnight to her he ducked back into his tent. She didn’t wait around, adjusting her staff into a careful position she walked back down the road, around the corner, away from the magic user housing.

On the other side of town, she found her own tent tucked in a corner. It was a comfortable three bedroom, two bath, living room, dining room, den and kitchen. Magically locking the door, she kicked off her shoes and walked to her bedroom. She snapped a spark and lit a fire in the fireplace in her bedroom, the blaze held strong. The gentle heat comforted her, and without removing her uniform or releasing her hold on her staff she lay upon her bed and fell asleep.

-------------

“So?” Louis had jumped to Tal as soon as he had entered the tent again. “How is she? We haven’t seen her in awhile, she looked really tired. Did she sound tired?” Louis’ energy seemed to awaken Tal from his embarrassed stupor.

“How would I know if she sounded tired? I just met her.” Although, he admitted to himself, everything about her had seem tired, was there a difference?

“Well she looked tired to me.” Louis decided to himself. “I still can’t believe how lucky you are! But since you live here, and she’s your teacher, that means I’ll get to see her even more.” Louis jumped around in excitement, until Marcus heaved a pillow at him.

“Shuddap wouldya?” Tal thought he was the one who sounded tired. “Look it’s great seeing Hal again, but god man, you act like a school girl with a crush. Cool it. It’s midnight and incase you forgot we have to get up early to meet The Fire Whip.” One of his arms snaked out, and with a flip of the wrist he extinguished most of the candles in the room. Then he rolled over, wrapping himself in a blanket and did his best to ignore Louis, who just wouldn’t be brought down of his high.

Tal noticed that there was a long lump in the bunk above him, but he couldn’t see anything about the figure. He guessed he would just have to study the last roommate in the morning.

Undressing and putting on shorts to sleep in, he flopped on his bed. The other guys, and even the kids, had huge comforters, all of different designs and fabric. His own bed was just covered in a few plain blankets, he’d have to buy a really warm comforter later. Shuffling back through a bag he’d placed by the head of his bed, he pulled out an old charm. After tying it to a blanket the warming spell took over and he was comfortable again.

He felt a little embarrassed at how flustered he’d acted in front of Hal. He was more annoyed that he didn’t know why he did it. Was it her power? Or everything that Louis had told him about? It could even have been her beauty, because in her own breathless kind of way she was very attractive. Except he had been around more powerful people, more renowned and defiantly more attractive people before and never had he been so tongue-tied.

That night he dreamed of her. He dreamed of her flawless, her pale skin exposed with wings of white she was standing before him with a hand outstretched. Ready to take him to the heavens, she had the same blank look as earlier that night. The entire dream seemed to stretch on for eternity, but it was just a single moment. Her with her hand outstretched, him slowly reaching out and taking her hand. When he took her hand her eyes light up and her features transformed. She was smiling, her posture softened, and came over to him.

Waking up startled, he rolled right out of bed, onto the cold floor.

“You do that a lot.” Marcus’ voice pushed out the feeling of the dream.

“What time is it?” Tal mumbled.

“A little past six man. Jeez just go back to bed. At least one of us should be getting a decent amount of sleep.” Marcus heaved his pillow at Tal’s head. Tal didn’t move, but he heard Louis and Marcus leave the tent yawning.

“Oh great.” he mumbled again into his pillow. As if things weren’t going to be awkward enough after his embarrassing display last night,, now how was he going to face her? Tal didn’t need a mirror to know that his face was red, he could feel the heat radiating to his ears. He would never be able to look her in the eyes, it was ungentlemanly of him. Although he had not really liked what little childhood he had had, he thought he had gained a little more class than would otherwise be had.

Finally crawling up off the floor, he curled back up and dreamt a dreamless sleep.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Neck cracking, Hal sat up from the slumped sitting position she had been sleeping in. Somehow she had slid off her bed, onto the floor, curled against her bedside and dresser.

She vaguely remembered a dream, but she didn’t trouble herself trying to remember.

Instead, she stretched herself out on the floor trying to relax her tense muscles. The magic fire was still burning with a warm blaze. She stared into the dancing flames until her lips were chapped and her eyes dry. She’d been staring into the colors so transfixed that any one would have thought her to be spelled, dead or sleeping with her eyes open. Somewhere in another room she heard one of her clocks chime eight steady bells. Rolling from side to side she proceeded to undress herself without leaving the fire or having to get up off the floor.

Their was a knock at her door. Sighing she rose up off the floor and in only her underwear, answered the door.

“Good Morning Arisa.” Hal opened the door wider to let her friend in.

“Cripes Hal! Are you just waking up?” Unaffected by her friend’s lack of clothes, she just brushed past her and went to the kitchen. Although she had the appearance of a ten year old, the Fire Whip was in fact well into her sixties. If it hadn’t been for an unfortunate curse she would have retired by now to relax in some tropical resort with no worries. But now she was obsessed with changing her young body back instead of living out her life again, constantly angry, she well deserved her nickname, for she was quick to lash out at anyone who crossed her.

“Its only eight.” Hal murmured following Arisa into the kitchen .

“At night!” Arisa freely opened the freezer box and cabinets taking liberties to check everywhere for what she wanted. “You know that brat assigned to you waited by the shops until I sent the unfortunate home. Too stupid to realize he was stood up. Some women is going to walk all over him when he gets older.” Finally finding everything she cracked her knuckles and used magic to cook the food. Her maternal instincts hadn’t faded in the slightest with age, in either direction thereof.

“Oh.” Hal would have felt a little guilty except that by that point she had gone to her hallway cupboard to get a robe and wasn‘t quite listening. Wrapping it around her she spelled it to keep her warm and walked back to the kitchen.

Arisa paused in what she was doing and eyed Hal down. “You could feel a little more guilty. You should be more careful of your responsibilities.” Whether or not Hal was listening she wasn’t sure. The girl had her head in her arms at the table, probably sleeping. Sighing heavily she separated the food from the frying pans onto plates and carried them to the table. Floating mugs from down from one of the higher shelves, she then poured herself some warm milk and added a bit of rum, for herself of course, the kid she just gave some water.

“Hey!” Kicking Hal gently, just enough to rouse her, Arisa pointed to the food. “Eat something. I bet that’s why you are so tired, you have no fuel for energy in your little body. I bet you just came home last night and crashed.” Hal picked up her fork and picked absentmindedly at the food. “Hey kid. Listen, that’s not healthy, you worked a thirty hour shift and you need to take better care of yourself.” She looked up from her own meal to see Hal’s ever-so-slightly annoyed look.

Hal rose from the table, leaving a near full plate of food behind. She didn’t feel like being lectured, but ever sine she’d known her, that’s all Arisa seemed to do. It was a little easier to take it back before Arisa had been cursed, but after she was cursed, her young body had so much more energy to go at it.

“Don’t ignore me young lady!” Hal pretended not to hear. She gathered up her clothes and deposited them in a laundry hamper, making it back to her room she got under the sheets this time and tried going back to sleep. It took only a minute however for her to be interrupted.

“Hal! Enough! Get out of bed.” Arisa pulled the covers off and forcibly removed Hal by pulling her by her feet off the mattress onto the floor.

Hal resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn’t be getting any more sleep. The large clock on her wall read at 845 at this point. Getting up off the bed she made her way to her closet. Walking all the way in she shut the door behind her. Her closest was about the size of a small room, but she only used seven of her outfits, one for each day of the week. Fully clothed in Searcher uniform, she emerged from the room to see Arisa making the bed.

“Could you not do that.” Although her face was a little annoyed, her voice had no malice at all.

“Somebody has to do it, because you never will.” Arisa muttered under her breath as she fluffed up the last pillow. Looking up, she looked over her empty friend. Hal’s back was turned, but even still, Arisa could see how tired she was. It had been almost three years to the day since the big catastrophe had occurred, and ever since she had the feeling Hal was fading. Hal had taken a seat to lace up her boots. Crawling across the bed Arisa came up behind her and hugged her.

When they had first met, Hal had been so lively and energetic. Full of promise and top of her class, all the professors, Arisa the most, had taken to the friendly orphan. Then everything exploded and the Hal that everyone had fallen for, was dead, all that was left was a shadow.

“Are you heading out?” Arisa still held Hal in her arms.

“Yeah.” She turned back to look at Arisa. “I guess I’ll go apologize to him.” A hint of the old Hal, the one who loved to please seemed to flash back at Arisa.

“Sounds like a good idea.” Arisa said smiling. She let Hal go, staying sitting on the bed she watched as Hal grabbed her coat and left. Cleaning up everything, she put a spell on the food so it would keep, she let herself out and locked the door, then headed back toward the magic dorms to her own home.

Sitting on the edge of his bunk, Tal studied his new cloak. It was heavy and tightly woven, and according to the sales clerk: fireproof, water proof, minor spell proof, tear proof, stain resistant and dry clean only. But this cloak was a stepping stone, it was true that not everyone kept their staffs, but these cloaks were kept for the rest of a mage’s life. It may be altered with spells and measurements but since only mages could own the cloaks and coats of this fabric it was a treasure.

He was still staring at it when Louis and Marcus came in laughing, until they saw him, then they fell silent.

“Hey man, sorry about today, we kinda heard.” Louis said pulling up a chair.

“Actually,” Marcus said as he too brought over a chair. “I guess we should warn you that, well, everyone knows. Although, that’s kind of your fault-”

“-Marcus.” Louis interjected. “He just means that you were in an area where a lot of people could watch you. Not that her standing you up was your fault or anything-” Louis rambling quieted at the look on Tal’s face.

“Wow.” Was all he managed to say though. Louis and Marcus looked at each other and then back at him.

“Wow, what?” Marcus asked.

“I’m sorry guys, I just didn’t realize till you said it. But she stood me up. Does that mean anything? Will I not be her student? Did she change her mind? Will I get another teacher?” He had been so enraptured but getting his uniform and cloak that the rest of the day’s events hadn’t set in.

“No way.” Louis said.

“Yeah, it was probably just a miss-scheduling.” Marcus added.

“Miss-scheduling?” Louis questioned. “What is that? Like Hal didn’t pencil him in?”

“No smart ass. Like maybe she forgot about a prior meeting or a shift.” He said smartly. “Oh! Or maybe she got distracted by the Fire Whip.”

“I don’t think that was it, she was the one who told me to go home, but thanks guys. Do you think I should go talk to Hal?” Tal said, trying to brighten up for their sake. But his worries still plagued him.

“I don’t think you have to go to her.” Marcus said quietly. Tal looked up and followed his gaze to the figure in the doorway.

There stood Hal, Tal had to remember to breathe, she was even more beautiful than the other day. Her coat wasn’t zipped so he finally saw her in the female uniform. His own was a dress shirt and pants, but her dress shirt looked silky and her skirt came down from under her bust to mid thigh, then with her tights on her long legs and a pair of high heels, he had no idea what to say.

Luckily he had time as Marcus and Louis excused themselves and left the room. Years of having manners pounded into him kicked in as he fetched a nice chair for her and pulled a side table over.

“Would you like something to drink? Or eat? Wait, well I actually don’t have anything to eat, or much to drink either. But I could go get something? I do have water though, I could heat it up if you want tea.” She rose a hand to silence him.

“No thank you. I just came to apologize.”

“Apologize? That’s not necessary, I mean I’m sure you were busy.” Tal said this aloud more for his own reassurance.

“No, not busy. I fell asleep and just forgot about it altogether.” She said it without any malice but Tal still felt a sinking in his stomach. She had just forgotten about him, no big deal he tried telling himself.

“It’s not big deal, Arisa informed me that you collected your uniform and staff on your own.” Tal noticed that she had ungloved her hands and folded them in her lap, much like a child would.

“Uh, actually I wasn’t able to get my staff. They said you needed to be there.” Tal felt awkward, he didn’t want to show any of the disappointment he had felt earlier that day. The more he looked at her the more he realized he needn’t worry, she didn’t seem to notice anything or maybe she just didn’t care.

“Alright then, I apologize again.” He tried to say something but she silenced him again. “Tomorrow we will meet promptly at noon in front of the proper store and we will collect your staff. You will then follow me on my shift tomorrow and training will begin.”

“I can’t follow you tonight?”

“Tonight?”

“I thought I was going to follow you on a shift tonight?”

“I have a shift tonight?” She raised her eyebrows slightly in thought. Tal had an inkling that learning under her may be a bit taxing on his nerves if she was this forgetful. He decided not to take her earlier forgetfulness personal.

“That’s what you said.” He replied.

“Well, whatever.” She waved a hand as if waving away the worry. “We will just pick up tomorrow. I’m going home now, goodnight.

“Wait! Can I walk you home?” She stopped half way out of her chair and looked at him weirdly. Tal wasn’t sure where that had come from himself, but now that it was out there he couldn’t take it back.

“Thank you for the thought, but it’s not necessary.” She put her gloves back on and made to leave but as he opened the door for her, he rallied to try again.

“It wouldn’t be any trouble, and a woman shouldn’t walk home late alone. It’s dangerous out there.” Tal was again given a weird look, but he was even more weirded out by her answer.

“It isn’t so dangerous here, but if you insist, you may accompany me.” It seemed a true enough statement, but the way she had emphasized ’here’ made him wonder about her circumstances. And what exactly had happened to bring her back to this station. Grabbing his cloak he followed her outside.

Hal hugged her cloak to her, the night’s chill seemed to be in her bones though. She had allowed her student to accompany her, but once outside she regretted it slightly. She never knew what to say to him, he was very emotional in comparison to other men of his age.

When the flap opened, he was zipping up his new coat, he looked up at her and something odd seemed to happen. His eyes got wide, his face turned a purplish shade, and then his eyes seemed to fly anywhere in the surrounding area except her. She wondered why he bothered to come at all if he was going to act so bizzarely.

“So where are you from?” She didn’t answer, she didn’t want to be rude but she didn’t want to answer that question. “It’s ok if you don’t want to tell me. I don’t mean to pry or anything.” She just kept walking, hoping that they would reach her home soon. How could he not feel the awkwardness, was it really just her?

Maybe it was her, was she flawed somehow. It had been awhile since someone had come who didn’t know her. It had been even longer since someone had inquired into her life. There was a faint pang in her heart and churning in her stomach. He was still rambling, something about being a aristocrat’s son, but occasionally he was still asking questions and she still wasn’t answering.

Not soon enough they reached her door. She couldn’t undo the spells fast enough. There was something suffocating around him, she just wanted to get inside to her haven. She didn’t want to turn to look at him so she just thanked him softly as she entered; there was a soft noise of surprise. Turning around she saw that he was looking at her for the first time since they had left.

“It was no problem.” It had been problematic though, she had never been more uncomfortable.

Piercing through the silent town was the shrill call of wild bird, whose yellow eyes had shifted through the mist as easily as the cutting wings to find its target.

Tal noticed Hal seemed to involuntarily shudder before hurrying into her home. She slammed the door in his face and crumpled to the floor in agony. Crying into her hands, the small droplets shone against the dark carpet before soaking in slowly. The design of the rug darkened in a large puddle around her. Face upon the ground she cried until exhaustion stole over her mind and blackness settled the mad mind in calm chaos.
------------------------------

Outside the door Tal was dumbfounded. She was a mystery to him. Everything she did, everything she said, how she reacted, when she didn’t. Her personality seemed to come out in flashes but even what he did see it was only the bad parts. He wondered if he’d every see her, in any way, happy. But just imagining her giggly and excited unnerved him. Maybe if she just smiled, yeah, that would be enough. No creepy squealing needed.

Somewhere in the distance there was another cry of a hawk. It sent a tingling up his spine like a shiver.

Then there was another noise, it was hard to discern however. It might have been a sigh, or a cry or even just the wind. He couldn’t tell where it came from so took his leave from Hal’s doorstep before someone thought he was a creeper.

Making his way back across the town slowly, his boots became were caked in layers of mud when he returned. He really wished he hadn’t gone, he must have left the worse impression. If she even had a good one to start with. It was going to be alright except that’s when he remembered his dream and then he couldn’t look at her without feeling shame for his dirty thoughts. Then he just couldn’t shut up to hide his embarrassment, although he had the distinct feeling that she hadn’t even been listening. She had a far off look on her face, or maybe he really was that boring.

Opening the flap to his home he went to take a step in, looked around, and then closed the tent. He didn’t move, he must have surely walked into the wrong tent. Looking left and right he counted the number of homes, then he checked the street marker. Everything was right, then why had he seen a half dressed woman in there?

Unsure of what to do, he just kind of fidgeted outside. He could leave, but he wanted to sleep. He couldn’t go in, what if she had been undressing, she’d be naked. He couldn’t go back, Hal would never open the door for a freak like him. Most of all he didn’t want to sleep on the ground, it was muddy and cold.

“Hey squirt, the coast is clear.” The woman had poked her head out of the tent. Tal looked side to side. “Yeah you. I know this is your tent, now get inside. I’m letting all the cold air in.” He went in quickly. The sooner to escape the piercing stare of her coal black eyes. When he got inside he found that the room had indeed been heated, about twenty degrees hotter, according to the thermostat. He had to remove his jacket and sweater before he even walked the few steps to his bunk, or else he’d have passed out.

It only took a brief glance to see that all the bunks were full, everyone was fast asleep. Gee guys, he thought, thanks for the warning.

“Hey kid. Don’t blame them for not telling you. Blame your own ignorance.” She’s not very nice, he thought. He went to sit down on his bed and realized that someone was also in his bunk too. “Sorry about that.” She didn’t sound sorry though. “Abigail was really tired and I needed to put her down early, you know how kids are. Dontcha?” The toned woman gave him a sardonic grin. He really didn’t like her.

Once again at a loss, he just stood there. She had set up a cot in the corner of the room, so he really didn’t have anything left but the chairs, which being just wood, were not that comfortable.

Going to his trunk he took out an old blanket, his newer one was on his bed and he had the distinct feeling that the strange woman would bite him if he went near her child again.

“What were you doing out so late?” Even with such a casual question her voice was still sharp. He got the feeling that she was just naturally pointy, like a porcupine or a knife. “What’s wrong kid? Cat got your tongue? Or did your mommy tell you never to talk to strangers?” She was laughing at him now, which made his face already flushed face even redder.

“I was out.” He was being childish but he knew it, so that made it even more embarrassing. Before she could make fun of his answer though, he kept going. “I was walking Hal back to her home.” The tall woman shot up from her cot. She crossed the room in four mighty strides took him by the shoulders and eyed him down. Seeing as she was a good four inches shorter than him, it was quite a feat. He cowered down until he was practically kneeling before her.

“What?” She snarled in a low hiss. “Who did you say you were walking home?”

“Hal.” He voice quivered under the sudden eruption of her energy. Her grip on him was starting to burn, sting and numb him all at the same time.

“What is your relationship with her?” Her voice had lost some of it's bite but it was still being spat at him with contempt.

“She’s my teacher. I’m her new student.” Relenting her iron grip she laughed. Tal had a feeling it was still at his expense and that he should be offended, but he decided it might be better to stay quite. This strange women was clearly unbalanced.

“Well that should have been obvious. Sorry about that. I guess I just jumped the gun.” She walked smoothly back across the room as if just a second ago she hadn’t almost pounced and bore him with a death glare. “She’d never go for a squirt like you.” Tal felt a little peevish at the nickname she seemed to be calling him, then again she seemed like the condescending type.

Back on her cot, she stayed sitting. Tal had a feeling that he wouldn’t be getting any sleep soon.

“So how long have you been here?” Her tone had changed completely to being light and friendly.

“Only about two days.” Tal tone did not change, he was still wary of her.

“Well that explains your totally lack of sense.” She smiled that smug holier-than-thou smile again. “Oh stop sulking. Going to be a mage and make a difference in the world. Good for you.” For just a second Tal thought he heard sincerity ring in her voice. “If you ever make it that is.” Never mind.

“I will make it.” He defended haughtily. “I will have you know, I am considered a prodigy.”

Her dark penciled eyebrow rose in question. “Really?”

“Yes. I started late because of my family but I’ve been through the first four stages faster and better than most. I have-” He stopped, he cheeks inflammed again. “I don not have to explain myself to you. You have not even introduced yourself, and that is very rude, from where I come from.”

“Do tell me your life story. Fischer Nown is interested, oh so much.”

“Shut up." He snapped. "What is Fischer Nown? Is that what your disease of rudeness is called?”

“No. Smart ass, that’s my name. Or at least the closest central continent language can pronounce my name. My name is pronounced similiarily to Fisher and Noun, but with other letters and accents.”

“That is the weirdest name I think I have ever heard.” He had taken to finding a comfortable place on the floor where he might be able to sleep with the least accumulation of aches in the morning.

“Yeah its not like you have a stupid name like ’Tal’.” She bite back.

“You do not even say it right. Its not Taal, with a short ’a’, it is like the ’owe’ sound in towel but as an a ’a’. Almost like tall.”

“Well I think your name is worse. My name," she brought a hand to her heart proudly, "has history and family to it, yours is practically a grunt.”

And another A/N: I am currently in the works of creating the dialects of the land so I will be chaning up there speech patterns- kinda confusing at first but alas. Hopefully soon it will seem like that's how it had always been.

The both sat in a frustrated silence. Fischer fantasized about strangling him, while thoughts of kicking her out danced in Tal’s mind.

Tal’s consciousness started to fade and his happy dreams of sleeping in his own bed started to play out when there was a snort of laughter from across the room. I guess my earlier prediction of not getting to bed early was right, he thought bitterly.

“What?” he snarled.

“Oh its nothing.” She said rather wistfully.

“Then shut up.” He shifted uncomfortably on the floor, trying to curl up in the blanket, more for comfort than warmth. It was still like a desert in their tent.

“You lecture me but you’re the rude one, ya little snot.” He kept his back to her but he could hear her shifting.

“Are we really going to get into this again you barbarian?” He snarled until suddenly her face sprang into his field of vision, startling him.

Another pause of stubborn silence followed.

“Can you move?” If he tried moving she just got in his way again. She ignored his request so he tried again. “What?”

“I’m just wondering what’s so great about you.” Sighing he sat up and she sat cross-leggeded across from him. “Why did you get a permenent assignment with Hal. What kind of person are you, to deserve her?”

“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” He said this softly more to himself. Fischer had said the question quietly herself. Not willing to say it outloud for fear of being killed by one person or another, but he just couldn’t see what the great hype surrounding Hal could be. And the even better question is, how did she seem to know all these people who were so unlike her?

“Arisa said you’d never heard of Hal before, is that true?”

“Yeah. Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Well, I’m sure you are not so sheltered as to never had heard about the incident surrounding her fall.” Tal watched incredulously as she paused to wrap a blanket around herself, catching his stare. She said, “What? I’m from the desert, we only come here about once or twice a year.” Settled again she asked “You have heard of the Day of Fissure, right?”

“Yes!” He said a little too loudly, Marcus moaned and turned on his bunk. Trying to be quieter he said, “I was there! My father is an aristocrat and we were in one of the areas where the black wholes appeared.”

“Hal was in the heart of the battle. She went in and fought an evil powerful socercess, before assistnace could aid her the portals were closed. At the main black hole we could only watch her battle. Then everything went dark and the power field shifted. The portal closed and only she was left.”

“I never realized that was Hal. My father related all the events to me, I just never heard her name. I-I never knew.” He stuttered into stunned silence.

In his mind he played the event over in his mind. The Day of Fissure was the most historically significant moment that had happened in the last few centuries. To think that Hal had been the cause of the victory was incredible. He finally had a reason that he could admire her for, because he had seen the power behind the fight first hand.

“My father never told me, what happened to the enemy sorceress?”

“We never found the body. We think Hal did something, but her damage was critical and rehabiliation and recooperation were too long. She won’t speak of that day, so I guess no one will know. Even in her weakened state she managed to fight off the diggers.”

“Diggers?”

“Slang for the mages who ‘dig’ into people’s minds to extract information, nasty and nosy bunch. A worthless and disgraceful job for a magic user to take. Avoid them, should you meet them.”

“You sound like you have had your mind dug into.”

“That’s the consequence for being a part of everything as well.”

Tal sat still, trying to compse his thoughts. Questions were bubbling up like boiled water in his heated thoughts. “Wait. You were a part of it? Does that mean the Fire Whip, I mean, Arisa, was too?”

“Your father didn’t tell you much did he?” Her dark eyes were narrowed, in an almost suspious thoughts. “Yes Arisa the Fire Whip, I like that, was apart of our party. There were three others as well. You would know two of them, Connor Devon-”

“-What?! The second prince was apart of your party? But…he is…him.” He finished lamely.

Fischer let out a soft laugh. “Yeah that’s how we all reacted when we found out too.” Tal’s mouth hung open. “Do you want a glass of water?”

“No. I’m fine thank you.” His mouth closed but his eyes stayed wide. It was so hard to imagine that one of his idols, the epitome of class and power was thrown into this jumble of acquaintances.

“Geez kid. Can’t see you anymore surprised but the second member was Lawrence Bradley Primeston the Sixth.”

“Of the white order?!” Tal flopped backwards. It was all too much. Some how learning that two of the most powerful and reveried sorcerers were somehow connected to this ragtag group of misfits was just too much. “Did not you say there were three others? Who was the other person?”

It was Fischer’s time to flop backwards. She sighed into her blanket. Positive that Tal couldn’t see her face, she hurridly blinked away the moisture. “Just forget about him. And what ever you do,” She sat up to stare him down effectively. “Do NOT tell Hal I told you anything. And if you want to live until your next birthday don’t mention that I mentioned Pinner.”

“Wait- who? Is that the other person? Why? Who’s going to kill me? You or Hal?”

“Let me put it this way squirt. If she doesn’t, even though she most certainly would, then yes, I will incenerate you.” She smiled wickedly at him, with playful sparkling in her eyes. “You know what squirt? It’s been a long journey, so get to sleep. I can’t get any shut eye with you yapping so much.”

“Yeah.” He snorted . “Me talking, that was the problem here.” She let out a soft laugh, chucked a pillow at him, then went to his bunk to sleep beside her child.

Tal tried to get comfortable on the floor, but the ground was hard. He tossed and turned with his muddled thoughts all through the night. When dawn breached he finally managed to close his eyes, and slip into a dreamless sleep.