Laura - 2001-04-23
zari spent the whole week with her father. She even helped him repair other needed items in their home. Azari and her mother took a few days to pick fresh berries so they could bake pies. Everything seemed as if Azari had never left home.
" Father I would like to continue working with you cutting gemstones for a while. I would like to save more money so that I can live on my own here in Torrigan. I was thinking about staying here for a while, atleast until I have found a way to become a knight more safely." Azari's smile faded as she recalled the many things she did not tell her father about her time away.
" Would you and mother help me find a place to live?"
Clefton had always been there for his daughter. He was very glad that she had decided to live in Torrigan. He was more than happy to help. He knew that his wife would spend a few days helping her daughter decorate her new place.
" Of course honey, you know you can always count on us being there for you- you know you don't even have to ask us. We would do anything for you." Clefton embrased his daughter. Azari's mother stood beside the two of them over hearing everything.
" I have a few things that I have saved for this special day to come Azari." She left the room to come back again handing Azari a special swadeling cloth that had been passed down from generation to generation. " This is what we used for you when you were a baby. Here! I want you to take this with you when you settle down to your new place. Promise me that you will never give it away. I have kept it in the family Azari and this cloth has a special purpose. this cloth used by a mother for their baby brings wealth and good fortune for the home it resides in. I know you are not planing to have a baby right now in your life but I just wanted you to take this and put it in your special keep sake box you made." She also handed Azari a ring. This is a ring given to my mother's mother from the Queen personally. It is a royal jewel and worth a long of coinage. It has become a family heirloom. Wear it with Pride when you become a wife. I have saved it for you for many many years and I am getting old and some day shall pass on to the next life. I want you to have it now. "
Azari was speechless. She had felt overwhelmed looking at such beautiful and meaningful things her mother had given to her. The ring was very beautiful indeed. The most beautiful rich deep purple-tinged corundum set embeded in small baggets of leaf shaped diamonds. " Mother! it's so... it's so..beautiful. Do you realize it matches with the necklace father had made for me for my last birthday?"
Clefton and her mother looked at one another giving a smile between them as they made eye contact back upon Azari. Words didn't need to be spoken for Azari knew that both of them had planned things this way.
" I have never seen such remnants of beautiful cloth mother, it looks like fabric has been added."
Azari's mother replied " That's right honey, each piece represents a new mother with a child. All those peices belong to our relatives from other generations past. They call it a quilt, I think. But! YOUR not getting any younger honey and SOME DAY you WILL want to have this."
Amber - 2001-05-13
elene shielded her eyes with one slim hand and stopped to listen. She could hear the call of the birds in the trees, and the distant sound of a stream bubbling. The wind rustled through the trees; a branch snapped behind her. She turned but saw only a deer bounding away. Before her, she could smell the soft tint of broken branches, disturbed earth lending a soft subtleness to the air around her. The path blazed openly before her.
As she'd walked she'd planned. She didn't think it was a good plan, or a fool proof plan, but it was the only thing she could think of to do, and at least it gave her a small chance. The one thing she wasn't sure of was the most vital part of the plan and that was where her fear rested.. In herself. Cornelius had said she'd had potential, but she'd never tried any of her spells on humans before. She'd always used them on dummies and sometimes even the local animals. However, Cornelius had forbidden her to try and use them on the servants. He said that their lives were miserable enough without being used as mice, a saying Selene had never understood, and that it was also just downright rude. Out of respect to her teacher she'd never gone against his wishes.
She called the needed words to mind once more, just to make sure she had them fresh in her mind. There was another fear. The gestures and the concentration was no problem; they were the same as she was used to using. However, it was the chant that went along with it that worried her. She couldn't know if she had changed the words correctly until she tried it out and then she'd have just one chance. If it didn't work she wouldn't have another chance. Her fist tightened slightly on the four objects she held in one hand -- a stone from the stream, a twig, a feather she'd come across, and another stone, this one she'd pulled from the ground. She'd need these later, if the first spell went wrong.
Suddenly, she realized she could hear the sound of fighting -- close fighting. Fear flooded into her, as well as adrenalin, and for a moment, all she wanted was to turn and run, back to her home, the courts where everything was boring but it was safe and familiar. But only for a moment. She swallowed and slowly crept forward, brushing aside as quietly as she could the shrubbery between her and the clearing.
At first, all she could see was a press of backs facing her, joustling and shoving at each other. This confused her, until the thugs nearest to her were thrown back. Trevor! She bit down on the cry of fear that leaped into her throat. He was covered with blood -- his or another's she couldn't tell. Three thugs lay dead at his feet, but the others were pressing in on him and she knew he couldn't hold out farther.
So, then.. it was time. Fear gripped her again, paralyzing her for a moment when she went to move into the clearing. She couldn't do it! She was too afraid!! She drew back, away from the bushes, turning her eyes back to the fight. But then, she saw Trevor again, sweat glistening on his face, a handsome face filled with determination. She had to help him.
She stood up, but no one noticed. She was glad, for it gave her a few more minutes. Clearing her mind, she slipped the objects into her bag to free her hand. There, she was ready. She held her right hand out, focusing her power into her projecting hand, pulling the power from around her.
"Eos aesnh kosa tenas...
Qowasa dana...
Kakaja sa la fitas...
Nesa sa wirsij de lux ulu ziuj!"
It was a short chant, but it left her trembling, pale with effort. She'd gone through the gestures without ever opening her eyes. But when she did so, she nearly cried with relief. In her hand was a small, glowing ball of power. It had worked. So then, onto step two of the plan.. She turned her face to the fight. Two of the thugs had caught sight of her because of the light in her hand. Now they turned from Trevor, to face her. She stared at them imperiously, her head held high, eyes flashing with anger.
"Leave him alone." She said softly. "Back away or I'll unleash this."
The one without the eye turned to his partner and laughed racously as if sharing a secret joke before turning back to her. "Sorry milady, but I think you missed the palace.. It's three miles that way." He pointed in a random direction, in reality the opposite way of which the castle lay in, and then laughed again.
"So be it." She said, and held both her hands out. The ball of light increased in size.
"Urjaezhka ke! Wirsijlus rit! Kelja fitas!"
The ball shot from her hands, disappearing into the air. The men, wary, had drawn their swords on her, but now they let them down, looking at each other. Nothing happened. They began to laugh, slowly starting to return to what they had been doing.
She flung her hand up imperiously. "Zienus kus!" Her voice echoed through the glade.
And then, the thugs stopped. They just stopped moving, their eyes slowly closing as they collapsed to the ground. One began promptly snoring, curling up in a fetal position. Another began to suck on his thumb, another sprawled on his back.
Selene was trembling as she stumbled over to Trevor, kicking one of the thugs out of her way. He rolled over but didn't awaken. "Trevor," she said, her voice shaking slightly, with relief and fatigue. "Hurry, we have to get away. I do not know how long I can keep them as they are." Her face was pale, her limbs trembling. The spell had drained almost all of her energy.. Only out of sheer willpower did she keep herself awake. She knew that if she fainted the spell would be released and they'd have no chance.
Tears were burning brightly in her eyes, because she couldn't ignore the fact that it was her fault that he'd gotten hurt again.. "Trevor are you alright? I was so scared.." She whispered softly, fear and anxiety plain in her eyes. "They didn't hurt you did they? Are you alright? I'm so sorry... I'm so so sorry.. It's all my fault this happened..." Two tears slid down her cheeks and she hung her head in shame, avoiding his eyes.
Copyright (c) 1999-2001 Abigail Laughlin and the members of the Circle of Stone.