Memories
The formal hall in the manor house of Aaron Lopez, Lord of Calway, was being used for the first time in several months. Aaron was seated at the head of the table. His wife Mei was seated on his left. Their firstborn son Andrew was on her left, and their younger daughter Erin was at his left, near the foot of the table, as protocol demanded.
Normally the family would eat in the kitchen, but the presence of guests merited special treatment, and the kitchen was too small in any case. At Aaron's right sat Theodore Bassi, a Red Wizard with a seat on The Council. His eyes darted around the room with an aloof and imperious gaze.
On Theodore's right sat his student Laurel Weaver, a Green wizard. Her eyes were not moving. They stared off, unfocused, into the distance. Laurel was silent and moved little; she had seemingly withdrawn into her own mind. Moreover, her face was slightly pale, and her left hand shook ever so slightly as she ate her breakfast.
Laurel did not usually act this way. She was normally a strong, active, and cheerful person. A casual observer would have assumed that this was a temporary fatigue, due to the fact that she had recently passed out in the process of magically healing a great wound in Erin's chest.
Andrew Lopez, who was seated across from Laurel, was one such casual observer. He was talking to Laurel cheerfully, encouraging her to eat more of the good food that he had prepared. But his mother Mei could see deeper into the minds of men and women. She saw a deeper worry in Laurel, an anticipation of more troubles to come.
Friar Kantz, the head of the local Calway Chapel, was seated on Laurel's right. He also sensed the unease in Laurel, and he knew that it was more than weakness. Kantz knew Laurel's condition better than anyone; he had been the one who restored the Green Wizard's spirit and guided her back to consciousness after her monumental undertaking.
Kantz was gently holding Laurel's right hand under the table with his left hand. She was squeezing his hand tightly, grateful for the support and comfort. She could feel his compassion and integrity, as he could feel her logic and strength. They each knew that, whatever might happen next, they could trust each other to be kind and honest.
For some time, everyone simply ate in silence. Erin was too busy eating to talk, and everyone else was too busy watching her eat. All of the people at the table seemed disengaged, focused on their own private thoughts. Nobody wanted to be the first to speak, in part because of the uncertain formality of the occasion.
Finally, Laurel could take it no longer. She focused her attention on the daughter of Calway. "What do you remember of the battle and your magic, Erin? Please tell us what happened, from the time that the skirmishers came over the rooftops."
Erin paused in mid-chew. Then, she swallowed the rest of the sausage and washed it down with her tomato juice as she collected her thoughts.
Everyone at the table was watching her intently now. Andrew simply wanted to hear her story, but everyone else also interested in observing how she would react to the memories of the event. It was obvious to them that Erin had, until this point, been focused entirely on what was happening now, not what had happened in the past.
Theodore and Laurel had assumed that this was mainly the result of the hunger of three days of coma combined with blood loss from heart surgery. Such conditions tended, at the very least, to dampen abstract thought. They were surprised that Erin was even able to move around and form coherent sentences at this point.
This analysis was partly true, but it was not the full story. Aaron, Mei, and Kantz knew Erin's character. They knew that she tended to focus on her immediate situation. Retrospective contemplation did not come naturally to her. This could be very useful, as she had demonstrated in the battle, but it had caused many headaches during her upbringing.
Erin started to speak. "I was heading down the street to get Jimmy..." As Erin spoke the child's name, her countenance changed swiftly. With a rush, all of the stress and action of the battle came back to her. "Jimmy!" She turned to look at her father. "Is he okay?"
"Yes", Aaron replied. "You saved him."
"And what about..."
"Patience." Aaron interrupted his daughter. "We will tell you what happened. We will take you around the town. But first, you need to tell us what happened to you. Your memories must form the foundation for news of later events."
Erin nodded, and began to tell her story. She told how she had barely survived an attack from a Bluke huntress by grabbing Linebarger's cane to defend herself. She told how she saw the battle unfold and ran to try to help her father as he fought the Gator-mage. She spoke rapidly, almost impatiently, as if her tongue was having trouble keeping up with the flow of her memories.
"But then I saw a big ugly meaty Bluke with a huge horrible spear and at first I couldn't figure out what he was doing because there was nobody around but then I saw that he was looking down so then I looked where he was looking and I saw Jimmy Shuford laying there between the wood pile and the building and Jimmy was curled up in a ball and crying and the Bluke had this horrible evil grin and he lifted up the spear and aimed it at Jimmy and I saw that he meant to kill an innocent little boy and I thought, I felt..."
At this point, Erin halted. Everyone in the room, even Theodore, leaned forward, waiting for her to say what she was thinking at that crucial point. But Erin did not react to this anticipation. For several still seconds she sat quietly with her eyes downcast, studying her memories to the exclusion of all other distractions.
Finally, Erin took a deep breath and looked up and around the table at the breathless observers. She uttered one word with terrible finality.
"Hate."
Theodore nodded knowingly. Aaron nodded sadly. Everyone else seemed surprised by Erin's declaration.
Erin continued, somewhat more meekly. "I, I just wanted that Bluke to stop existing. More than anything else in the world, I wanted to destroy it. And it happened."
Nobody spoke. Erin looked down at the table and continued. "I really don't remember much after that. Everything turned into a weird dream. I was running around in the snow in our yard. Someone had built a lot of ugly little snowmen in the yard, and I was kicking and knocking them over, but then I got cold and collapsed. I remember my father carrying me back inside, and then I woke up in my parents' bedroom with everyone around me."
Theodore was the first to speak. He looked at Erin with a smile that seemed genuinely warm. "Based on those memories and my observations, I can definitely say that the power you manifested was your own, and not the cane's. While Linebarger's walking stick served as a trigger to bring your talent to the surface, you are the ultimate source. I would like to extend to you an official invitation to join the Wizard Council's Arcane University in Noks."
Laurel closed her eyes and took a deep breath. This was it. The conflict that she had sensed was about to begin. At least Theodore had brought up the issue with unusual tact.
Aaron, however, did not respond with equal tact. He declared, "That is not going to happen."
Laurel sensed complete support for this statement from Mei. But both Erin and Andrew were confused by their father's bold and contrary statement. They had responded to Theodore's offer with excitement.
Kantz's emotions were more difficult to decipher. Laurel sensed sympathy and understanding, but also a kind of hopeless resignation. She would have to talk with him, to figure out what he knew about the situation.
But now, Laurel spoke to the whole table. "Of course we will not take Erin away now, so soon after this trauma. But her future training must be considered, so that an incident like this does not happen again."
Friar Kantz glanced at Laurel, and then turned to Aaron and Mei. "I too recommend patience in this matter. We should all think things over carefully before speaking." He looked at Erin's confused face, and then back to her parents. I think that several private conversations could help matters."
Then, Kantz rose from the table. "And now, I must respectfully withdraw my presence. I have wounded people in the church to tend to."
Laurel also stood up, and turned to Theodore. "I wish to accompany him. I have a duty as a healer to help."
Theodore looked at her warily. "You cannot have any power left. You will need a full day and night of rest to recover your energy, and even then you will be weak for several days."
Laurel replied, "I know my limits. It is with knowledge, not raw power, that I will provide aid."
Theodore hesitated for a second. "Very well, you may go." He looked back to the Lopez family. "I, too, will take my leave. I must research Linebarger's dragon cane and its spirit. I will also give you the time to come to the understanding that Erin must be trained by wizards."
Nobody responded to this last comment. Theodore walked out of a room of hostile or confused people.
Perception
As soon as the guests had left, Erin and Andrew started to ask questions at once. As Erin was louder and more insistent, she made herself heard as Andrew lapsed into an attentive silence.
"What is going on here? Why did you turn him down without even asking me what I wanted?"
Aaron considered his energetic daughter. "I will tell you the reason now, if you really want to know. But I do not think that it would be a good thing, not yet. You have been through a lot, and you have many memories and much news to come to terms with. I do not want to burden you with your past and future until you are fully aware of the present."
Erin stopped to think about this, then said, "Ok then, we can deal with this later. What I really want anyway is to see the village and my friends, and talk to them about what happened in the battle."
Mei looked at Erin with some concern. "Are you sure that you want to leave the house? You have just been through a great deal of pain and disruption. It might be best for you to stay inside and rest."
Erin shrugged. "I feel fine. And I feel like I need to be outside."
Mei began to protest, but Aaron spoke up. He had a faraway look in his eyes as he remembered Erin's journey. He resolved the situation with a concise order. "Erin, clean yourself up before you go out."
After hearing this, Erin noticed that she still had her own dried blood under her shirt. Her mother had not been able to clean all of it off before she woke up. She rapidly excused herself from the table and went to the bathroom.
The Lopez manor was equipped with all the proper conveniences. A magic water tank on the roof of their house collected rain and water vapor from the atmosphere, stored it, and delivered it through pipes to where it was needed.
There was a secondary water tank built into the second story of the house, above the large fireplace in the kitchen. The chimney was constructed so that hot gases from the fire went through a flue and around this tank, so that the heat was not wasted. While it was possible to use magic to heat things, it took a massive amount of power and was amazingly expensive.
Because the breakfast cooking fire had been burning longer than usual, Erin's shower was nice and hot. She lingered longer than she should have, letting the water soothe her stiff muscles and joints as she cleaned herself off for the first time in four days.
As she took her shower, she finally realized the extent of her injury. She had to wash off a disturbing quantity of blood that her mother had not been able to mop up, and as she did, she noticed the huge green scar above her heart. The sight of this scar, and an understanding of what must have caused a wound that bad, put Erin in an unusually subdued mood.
Erin came out of the bathroom wearing clean clothes, and then went upstairs to put on her boots, belt, and knife. Her mother and father, who were washing dishes in the kitchen, heard her footsteps.
Mei murmured, "Her heart is heavy. I can feel it in her stride."
Aaron replied softly, "Yes. She has seen her own mortality. I wonder what she will see when she picks up her knife."
Mei nodded knowingly but sadly. "I do not know if I want her to have that gift and that knowledge. I have seen what it does to you."
Aaron replied without hesitation. "I believe that the Paladin's Sight is more of a blessing than a curse. The knowledge that it brings, especially an understanding of consequences of violence, is vital in developing a responsible use of magic."
Mei sidestepped this assertion by saying, "If the Sight does manifest, you should discuss it with her. It is a matter of your knowledge and heritage, not mine."
Aaron nodded. "We shall see."
Aaron and Mei continued scrubbing the pans and dishes, their keen ears following Erin's movements in the room upstairs. There was a slight scuffle, and then silence, as Erin pulled on her boots and laced them. This was followed by the loud sound of booted feet walking on floorboards, and then the soft click of a belt buckle.
Erin's parents held their breath, knowing what came next in their daughter's routine. She would pick up her knife in its scabbard from beside her bed and tie the scabbard to her belt. Normally, Erin cleaned, oiled, and sharpened her knife before she went to bed. But this time, Aaron had done this for her as she lay unconscious. He had recovered the knife after the battle, noting with grim foreboding that it was covered in dried blood. It had taken some time to clean properly, but he made sure that it was spotless, shining, and perfectly sharpened before he put it back in the sheath.
Erin screamed. It started as a short, sharp yell of surprise, but then faded away into a lingering quail of fear and doubt.
Aaron reacted with the speed of a concerned parent and the agility of a trained martial artist. He dropped the frying pan he was scrubbing, letting it fall into the washbasin. He then sidestepped his way through the kitchen door and into the hallway, ran to the stairs, and began to climb them four at a time. He was halfway to the second floor before the frying pan stopped clattering.
Mei closed her eyes and let her head sink. She sobbed once as tears flowed down her cheeks.
As Aaron bounded into Erin's room, he saw that she was holding her unsheathed knife in front of her face, staring at it in numb horror. She spoke softly, to herself, hardly noticing that her father was watching.
"No! Her blood is still on there."
Erin grabbed the polishing cloth from where Aaron had left it, and wiped the cloth over the clean, shiny blade. Nothing seemed to happen. Erin started to scrub the knife harder and more frantically, cutting the cloth in her haste.
Her voice rose in pitch and volume. "Why won't it leave?"
Aaron entered the room and spoke softly. "Calm yourself, my daughter. There is no blood on your knife, just the image of blood. You see with the eyes of a paladin now."
Erin collapsed to the floor and leaned against her bed. She still held her knife in front of her face. "I, I can see her soul in that blood."
Aaron nodded sadly. He reached down with his right hand and gently removed the knife from his daughter's unresisting fingers. Then he snapped the fingers of his left hand, and the scabbard jumped up from the floor where Erin had dropped it. The paladin sheathed the weapon and placed it back on Erin's nightstand.
Erin watched this without any apparent interest, but after the knife was put away she could contain herself no longer. She began to sob bitterly. Aaron sat down on the floor beside her and hugged her close. Tears were escaping his eyes as well. After some time, he said, "Talk. Just talk to me. It will help."
Erin paused and took a deep breath, then bawled, "She, she was a good person! She was so much like me! She was the chieftain's daughter! She was young, strong, energetic, and ..." Erin broke down again, crying with great gasping sobs.
Aaron moved his right hand over her chest and cast a spell to calm her breathing. Erin's body relaxed as she began to inhale and exhale properly. But her mind was as tormented as ever. Aaron could feel the chaos in his daughter's soul, as fear and remorse and doubt chased each other around in a jumbled mess of semi-coherent thought.
Aaron spoke now. "Listen to me, Erin. Listen." She looked over at him. "In war, the rules are different. You did what you had to do to protect yourself and the people you love. You did nothing wrong. Your actions during the battle were correct in every way. If, by some horrible chance, a similar situation comes up in the future, you should act the same way."
Erin nodded, and started to wipe her tears away. She looked intently at her father and asked, "But what will this do to me? What has happened to my soul? I am a killer now. How will that change me?"
Aaron smiled. "Your concern is wise. I am glad to hear that you are troubled by such things." His face grew serious again. "The way to guard your soul is to always be sensitive to the consequences of your actions. Do not forget this moment. Do not forget the horrible results of death and violence. Do not forget what it has done to you, to all of us."
Erin looked down and said, "But I should still fight, even with all that."
Aaron nodded. "Yes. You should always work to prevent violence. But if it does come to you, you have a right and a duty to win, and to win as quickly as possible."
Erin did not reply. Father and daughter sat there, considering their situation. Neither one knew what the future might hold, but they both had faith in each other.
After some time, Aaron said, "I think that you should go outside and talk with the people in the town. They wonder about your fate, as you wonder about theirs. Talking with them will also help ease your mind."
Erin nodded, and then rose to her feet. She turned toward the nightstand where her knife lay and reached for it. But then, she hesitated and withdrew her hand. She stood there, looking at the knife for several seconds. Then, she turned back toward Aaron.
"Does the blood ever go away?"
"Yes, with time. It goes away faster if you wear the weapon, take the weapon outside, or use it for peaceful purposes."
Erin nodded, and turned back to the knife. She reached out, hesitated for a second, and then squared her shoulders and quickly grabbed the knife and attached the sheath to her belt.
Wisdom
Erin went downstairs and into the kitchen. She hugged her mother for a few seconds, and then walked wordlessly out the back door. Aaron was close behind her. He saw her turn towards the stables, and then hesitate.
"Do you want to ride?"
Erin shook her head. "Not now. I'd rather walk."
"Who do you want to talk to first?"
"I don't want to talk to anyone yet. I want to go to the cemetery, and I want you to tell me who died and how they died. That way I won't say anything stupid when I talk to everyone."
Aaron nodded. "That is a wise choice, though it will be painful."
They walked down the dirt path to the road, and then turned toward the Chapel. It was late morning, and the sun was shining brightly on deserted streets. The farmers were at work tending or harvesting crops, while the craftspeople worked in the stifling closeness of their shops.
But once Erin and Aaron went through the iron gate in the fence around the churchyard, they felt the heat melt away, to be replaced by a light breeze and a refreshing coolness. This was partly explained by the fact that they were now in the shade of large red oak trees, but the gentle magic of the church also played a part.
Father and daughter turned left and saw the cemetery. Erin looked at the new headstones and gave a short gasp of astonishment and horror. "Twenty-seven! No!" She looked like she was going to sink to her knees, and Aaron was about to steady her when she collected her strength and stood up straight. But her head was still downcast and she said softly, "I never thought that there would be so many."
Aaron replied somberly. "Things were going badly, near the end. These are not the only casualties. When I last talked to Kantz, there were nearly two dozen critically injured people in the church."
Erin felt a sudden rush of self-conscious shame. It was a strange awareness that seemed, somehow, to flow from the walls of the church. She turned to her father and almost yelled, "So why did you spend so much time healing me? You and those wizards could have healed all of the people in there for the effort you spent saving me!"
Aaron did nothing but gaze at his daughter. He did not rebuke her for raising her voice in a cemetery. He did not rebuke her for scolding her father. He did not dispute her allegation. Finally, he said, "You are my daughter. You are more important than my position and my duties."
Erin was not mollified. "Well, that needs to stop now. They have families too, and their families need them as much as you need me. I am going in there to help. I think that you should join me."
With that, she turned her back to her father and strode away toward the church entrance. Aaron almost got angry at this, but he controlled his emotions with the realization that his daughter spoke the truth. He called out, "Please stop."
Erin turned around impatiently. Aaron walked towards her, and then said, "You are right. I do have duties that I must consider. Now that you are safe, I will resume my role as the Lord of this town. But healing is not my most urgent task. I must join Andrew in his patrol of the outlying farms, and show the people that I am protecting them from any future attack. I think that you and Laurel can give Kantz all the help he needs."
Erin was more subdued now. She nodded, and watched her father as he walked toward the main road. When he was almost to the gate, she called out "I'm sorry!"
Aaron stopped and turned around. Erin ran to him and grabbed him in a hug that almost knocked the old warrior over. She repeated, "I'm sorry I was so mean to you."
Thoughts raced through Aaron's mind as he held his daughter close. He remembered himself as a teenager, when he had begun to develop his Paladin powers. He remembered his flashes of anger at the unfairness and folly of the world and the individuals in it. He wanted to tell his daughter that her loud condemnation was a manifestation of both her new powers and her innate sense of morality, and that he was as proud of her as he was ashamed of his own failures.
But he did not know how to say all of that. Instead, he said, "I forgive you." He pushed Erin away gently, looked up at his daughter's face, smiled gently, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "Now go, and heal."
Erin smiled, too, and turned to go into the church. Aaron walked out into the town of Calway.
Mercy
After Kantz and Laurel had excused themselves from breakfast, they walked silently from the Lopez manor to the church. They were side by side, close but not too close. It had still been midmorning then, and the day had not heated up so much. They both found the short walk through Calway very pleasant.
Inside The Chapel, it was cool and comfortable. Laurel easily saw that this had more to do with magic than the stone walls. As Kantz led Laurel through the atrium and into the main sanctuary, the Green Wizard paid close attention to the structure of Calway's only church.
The chapel was surprisingly light and airy. Someone had added modern glass windows to the clever old Selurian architecture to create a very pleasant feeling of space. Some of the glass panes were stained, but most were clear, so that plenty of sunlight illuminated the inside.
The sunlight shone on dozens of statues and icons along each wall. All of them were clean, polished, and well-maintained. None were given any special treatment. The statue of Crystal Angel was no better or more prominent than any others, even though the Lord of the town was a Crystal Angel Paladin.
Laurel recognized the likenesses or holy symbols of all the major gods of the Selurian Orthodox religion, and there were several that she did not know. Some of the unknown idols were fairly crude, and likely to be of local demigods. Others were old, possibly even older than the building itself. Laurel assumed that they were Old Order Selurian or even Nemean, tired old gods from forgotten and displaced pantheons that nobody had bothered to clear out in the past millennium.
And yet, there were odd stirrings of energy in these ancient statues. Somehow, they seemed strangely alive, as if there were still people in this remote corner of the Duchy that held on to ancient memories and traditions.
Laurel's musings were cut short by the arrival of an old woman who greeted her politely and then began to give Kantz a very detailed report on the state of the various patients. Laurel paid very close attention to this, noting names, conditions, and symptoms.
After the woman had finished her report, Kantz said, "Thank you so much for your vigilance, Mrs. Gladden. We all owe you a great debt for your faithful care."
Mrs. Gladden smiled warmly and replied with, "May Iresos guide us all as we heal the injured."
Laurel could not help but smile. She watched the old woman leave, turned to Kantz with a sly grin on her face, and asked "Iresos?"
Kantz was obviously embarrassed by this. He briefly glanced up to the ivory statue of a beautiful nude woman that was nestled in a high alcove. He then looked directly in Laurel's face and said, "I know what you are thinking, but I don't do fertility rites."
Laurel kept smiling. She was about to take advantage of the priest by saying something cruel, but then she stopped herself. She thought, "Why am I teasing him like this? I don't do this to people."
So instead she forced her face into a neutral expression and said, "I meant no disrespect. I just found it unusual that a kind, careful old woman would worship the Goddess of Love."
Kantz looked at her sternly. "There are many differences between the city and the country. Here, Iresos is known as the Goddess of Fertility, giver of life and health, and her worship is tied to the cycles of the earth.
But then Kantz relaxed and smiled, making the tension melt away. "Still, the worship of Iresos is fairly rare here. Mrs. Gladden is her only truly devout follower. Most people put more faith in Red Oak Spirit."
Kantz paused, deciding if he should say something. Then, he admitted, "However, it is an undeniable fact that Mrs. Gladden has twenty-seven grandchildren, most of them healthy."
Laurel looked up at Iresos's statue as she considered this silently. But then, she looked away. She thought of her lonely monastic lifestyle, and had the uncomfortable feeling that the goddess was mocking her, just as she had mocked the goddess.
Kantz sensed her unease, took her arm gently, and spoke to her softly. "Come on, we have work to do. We should look at Mr. Burgess first. He has worsened over the night and I would like a second opinion on his condition."
Kantz and Laurel soon learned that they made a very good team. The skills of the two trained healers complemented each other perfectly. But more than that, they found that they enjoyed each other's company very much.
After they had been working for about an hour and a half, they saw Erin come into the church. Those patients who were aware of their surroundings also noticed, and there were responses ranging from murmurs to hearty cheers.
Kantz guessed what Erin was here for, but he asked anyway. "Hello again, Erin. What brings you to this house of healing?"
Erin looked around at the townspeople with an unreadable expression, then turned to Kantz and replied, "I want to help."
Kantz nodded. "Do you remember what I taught you this winter?"
"Of course I do," Erin replied confidently.
"Well then, go and scrub up. The gloves, gown, and hairnet that fit you are still in the autoclave. Mrs. Gladden used them last night, but the sterilization cycle should be complete by now."
Laurel watched her go to the back of the church, then said to Kantz, "Erin truly is remarkable. She has her own pain and weakness to deal with, yet she still concerns herself with helping others."
Erin's presence turned out to be a big help, even if she did not have the knowledge and skills of the two doctors. She concerned herself with the people who were conscious and on the mend, talking to them and cheering them up in a way that the reserved Laurel and Kantz did not.
Erin also got the people to talk and share their stories. She learned about everything from the most horrible parts of the battle to the most trivial village gossip. By the end of the day, Erin had learned all about what happened while she was unconscious, and knew as much about the state of the village as anybody.
Over the course of the day, the efforts of Laurel, Erin, and Kantz resulted in eight of the nineteen patients walking out unaided. These townsfolk thanked both their old friends and the mysterious stranger.
Around nine in the evening, Erin stood up and announced, "I am getting tired. I am not fit to be working here now. I am going to go visit friends in the village."
As Erin went back to return her gear to the sterilization oven, Laurel smiled at this surprising candor. The girl truly had the character and potential to be a first-class wizard. But why was her family so against the idea?
Not long after Erin left, Mrs. Gladden arrived again to tend the remaining patients during the night. When she did, Kantz and Laurel realized that they, too, were very tired. After giving the old woman her instructions, Kantz invited Laurel outside to the church gardens.
The two healers walked silently through the winding paths for some time, enjoying the cool, quiet night air. They still enjoyed each other's company, but in the absence of constant work there was an undercurrent of hesitant expectancy. Finally, Kantz said, "Something troubles your heart."
Laurel nodded. "Erin."
"I thought so. You and Theodore mean to take her, while Aaron and Mei mean to keep her. You have seen this conflict since before Erin awoke, and it disturbs you."
"Yes." Laurel replied sadly. "Why must they resist the law of the land and their daughter's education? It seems to me that both of them have bettered their lives through adventure, and that it is folly to deny their daughter that same chance."
Kantz paused, and then spoke carefully. "It may seem that their motives are selfish, but this is not the case. Know that it is not mere jealousy that drives their actions. They are good people, and they have made a careful decision, and they truly wish the best for Erin."
Laurel considered the village priest. "You know more than you can say about this matter."
"Yes, I have given my promise that I will reveal nothing of their secrets. As much as I trust you, I do not have the right to put their lives in your hands. Only they can make that choice."
Laurel nodded. "I understand. I will bother you no more with this. Let us enjoy the rest of the night." She turned and looked to the ground as something caught her eye. "Is that an Elit moon lily?"
Kantz smiled, grateful for the change in subject "Indeed. It took me some time to learn how to cultivate them properly. The secret is to take the roots of the new shoots and..."
Agility
Early the next morning, as Aaron was meditating, he became aware of the distinctive sounds of archery practice in the back field of the Lopez manor.
Creaaak...FooshThunk. Creaak....SwishThud. Creak..SwooshThunk.
It had to be Erin. Andrew had never taken up archery, and Mei's bow sounded different than a normal hand-pulled bow. The rhythmic sounds of arrow shots hitting the target served as a nice meditative focus for Aaron as he allowed his mind to become one with his environment.
Creaaaaak....FwooshCrack!
Aaron opened his eyes at that sound. He got up from his place in the courtyard and surveyed the back pasture. There was the archery target, attached to the back wall. It had over a dozen arrows in it, all clustered tightly around the bulls-eye. One of these arrows, the one at the very center of the target, had been split in half by another arrow.
Erin was walking toward the target with her quiver. Aaron could see from where she had dropped her bow that she had been shooting from over a hundred yards away from the target. So, the Paladin's Eye was manifesting itself in more ways than one. Aaron smiled at the thought of his daughter becoming a weapons master.
He continued to the target, where Erin was pulling out the arrows. They had been driven deeply into the wood, indicating that Erin was developing strength as well as accuracy. It would seem that, aside from her initial burst of energy in the battle, Erin was developing Paladin powers rather than wizardly ones.
Erin smiled at her father as he approached, and paused in the gathering of arrows to greet him. "Good morning!"
"And a good morning to you, my daughter." Aaron glanced at the target. "I see that your skills have improved greatly."
Erin look somewhat worried. "This is magic, isn't it?"
"Yes. You are doing well to practice like this. It will help you to understand your powers, to channel and control them."
"It feels different than before, a lot different."
"Yes. It is a different kind of magic."
Erin considered this. "I understand this kind of magic. It is just like what you have been teaching Andrew and me all of our lives. It is what you do when you fight. But this is not the kind of magic that the wizards care about. This is not the kind of magic that I used in the battle."
Erin Lopez looked into her father's eyes and said, "I would like to know everything now."
Aaron nodded. "You are ready. Come, sit down, and hear the full story of your mother and how we met."
Secrets
Later that morning, Laurel also decided to approach the issue directly. She left the Chapel, went to the Lopez manor, and found Mei sitting on a wooden bench in the courtyard. She asked for, and was given, permission to sit down.
"You have managed this situation well. I know of no other woman in your position who could have handled herself with such grace and calmness. Neither the battle nor your daughter's condition have disrupted your inner peace."
Mei replied with a simple, polite "Thank you."
Laurel continued, knowing that she faced the difficult task of winning Mei's trust. "There is nothing to worry about now. Erin is recovering quickly. In a few days, her strength will return fully."
Mei said nothing, but simply stared at Laurel with her calm serene face. Laurel had no choice but to continue talking. "May I ask you about your past? It is important to understand Erin's heritage if we are to understand her future."
Mei paused, thinking of how to reply. But before she could, Erin hopped out from behind a masonry planter and said, "Are you talking about me?"
Laurel gasped in surprise, jumped up, and turned around to face Erin. "How did you do that?"
Erin shrugged. "Do what? I just walked over here."
"I could not sense your presence at all."
"Well, I was behind you. You were looking the other way."
Laurel could tell that that Erin was just playing dumb, and this caused her to become somewhat exasperated. "You should know by now that the awareness of a wizard transcends normal senses. I can always detect the presence and condition of living beings in my vicinity. But until you spoke, there was no hint of your presence."
Erin's only response was "Good."
Mei had been watching this with a bemused smile. Now, she said, "Yes, Erin, we were about to talk about you. And yes, you are welcome to join us. However, your father has already told you what Laurel is trying to extract from me."
Laurel did not react to this. Erin, sensing that she had the initiative, analyzed the situation by looking at Laurel and then back to her mother. Then, she said, "I would like to hear it again, from your point of view. I would also like to see how she reacts to the knowledge." With that comment, Erin leaned back against the planter, waiting and listening.
Mei nodded, and turned to Laurel. She said, "I do not know how much detail about my husband's Paladin powers you already know." She paused again, and then asked in a disapproving tone, "Have you read his military records?"
"Yes, I have," Laurel admitted. Erin leaned in with interest. Laurel glanced at her, then quickly looked back at Mei and added, "It was required of me; I had no desire to snoop."
"What did they say?" asked Mei in a simple serious voice.
Laurel smiled at the unexpected subtlety and wit of Mei. She belatedly remembered that military records were classified, and that neither Mei nor Erin would have access to them. Now, Laurel would have to pass on this information or risk losing their trust.
Laurel took a deep breath and said, "They say that he was a decent paladin with no extraordinary power." She turned to look at Erin. "Given that nobody else in his family was known to have any power, the chances of bearing offspring with any Talent were listed as slim. When Andrew joined the army, his physical included a test for powers. None were found."
Erin nodded knowingly while Mei's face remained expressionless. Mei asked, "What does it say about me, and how I met Aaron?"
Laurel began to summarize what she read. "Aaron was part of a party of paladins and clergy sent on a diplomatic mission to the court of Calif. The mission failed, and they were returning through the Great Western Desert when they were ambushed by a gang of bandits. After the bandits were defeated, Aaron found you in their camp and the two of you eventually fell in love."
Laurel stopped, and then asked, "Is this correct?"
Mai replied flatly, "It is completely truthful." Erin's face also betrayed nothing.
Laurel considered this, then said knowingly, "But it omits certain details, like how you came to be a captive of the bandits. Who were you before you were captured by them?"
Mei sat, unmoving, for several seconds that stretched awkwardly. Finally, she looked at Laurel with a cold, serious gaze. "If the full details of my heritage become widely known, I and both of my children could die." She looked at Erin, and Laurel did likewise. Mei's daughter was stoic but defiant, the face of one who knew of a danger but was prepared to face it. This worried Mei but encouraged Laurel.
Finally, Mei looked back at Laurel and said, "I will not tell you anything unless I can trust you completely."
Laurel could tell that Mei was telling the truth, that she was completely serious and somewhat afraid. Her tone of voice was just as serious as she replied, "I solemnly promise that I will not tell anyone about you or your past. I will only relay my conclusions about Erin's potential power."
Mei considered this. "Not even Theodore must know."
Laurel's face was grim now. "You ask me to keep secrets from my master."
Mei nodded. "Yes. I know that you can."
Laurel's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "How can you possibly know that?"
"I have observed him, and I have observed you. Now, give me your oath."
Laurel took a deep breath, and then said, "By the Cycle of Life, I will not reveal what you share with me."
Mei considered this oath, then said slowly, "As you have suspected, most of Erin's powers come from me. Although I manifest no power, I carry the blood and knowledge of sorcerers."
Laurel nodded. Sensing Mei's hesitation, she worked to steer the conversation into more comfortable territory. "There is nothing unusual about the heredity; powers often skip a generation. It is your knowledge that intrigues me the most. That courtyard is a clever and subtle thing. At first, I thought that you had magical powers and an intuitive talent."
Mei smiled. "The people who sense the courtyard's power always assume that. It helps that the local Elit have similar arts." Then, lines of worry crossed her face. "Does Theodore suspect otherwise?"
Laurel shook her head. "No, he gave the matter no more thought after he blocked out its energies. But I let the energy flow into me, and so I felt its effect. When I did, I began to suspect and question. The arrangement was too ordered to be the result of wild talent or Elit whimsy. It had the feel of deep and well-practiced knowledge."
The Green Wizard paused. She could feel Erin's attention drilling into her, absorbing every word. She risked a glance in her direction. Erin was once again leaning casually against the planter. Her body language suggested that she was but a carefree teenager idly listening to harmless gossip. Her attitude invited good cheer and openness, even as her mind was as focused as a tiger stalking its prey. Laurel could tell that Erin had learned much from her mother.
Laurel turned back to Mei and continued telling of her perceptions. "Later, I looked at you closely and realized that you had no more innate magical vision or channeling skill than the average person. I realized that you could not have built this spontaneously, and I started to wonder what you knew and how you knew it."
Mei realized that it was her turn to say something. "Your realization makes you one of the few people in the world to know that I had magical training. Friar Kantz came to the same conclusion that you did, though it took him years. We took him into our confidence and told him some of the truth, although he does not know the worst."
"My husband, of course, knows everything that I do. He and I are the only ones who know the full depth of my knowledge, and the full potential of the heritage. The dangers of my past were one reason that Aaron moved out here, to the middle of nowhere."
She looked over at her daughter. "And, my husband told Erin this morning. Now she, too, knows why her heritage keeps us where we are." Erin nodded, but it seemed to Laurel that there was some hesitation in Erin's affirmation of Mei's belief.
Laurel asked soberly, "What kind of past could cast such a shadow over your lives?"
Mei responded with an equally sober question. "What do you know of the Purple Rose Sorceresses?"
Laurel shrugged. "I know that they exist. The ways of Western lands are hidden well, even from the Council."
Mei studied Laurel carefully as she said this. After satisfying herself that Laurel was telling the truth, she said, "The Purple Roses are a powerful, secretive, and brutal conclave of female wizards. They are patient, and make plans spanning centuries."
"They tolerate no dissention, and no competition. They are the only magic users in the land of my birth, and so can easily manipulate the imperial dynasties from the shadows. It was undoubtedly their influence that caused Aaron's diplomatic mission to be rebuffed so violently; they would never tolerate trade and contact with magical outsiders."
"Purple Rose magic is as diverse as it is powerful; they have the ability to manipulate every known type of God's Blood, in a variety of subtle ways. They are especially good at manipulating the bodies and minds of people and other living things. Students are expected to excel in everything. They would consider your specialization as weakness and folly."
The Green Wizard felt the need to lighten the conversation. She smiled and asked, "Do you think that of me?"
Mei answered with blunt honesty. "Weakness, yes. Folly, no. We both know that you could do more, if you pushed yourself harder. But you do what you like. You enjoy your magic as you enjoy life. A Purple Rose does not understand that concept."
Laurel sat quietly, digesting that candid appraisal of her life. Erin also sat quietly, like a sphinx, but her focus was outward rather than inward. She missed no opportunity to learn more about her mother, her guest, or the world outside Calway.
After some time, Mei continued. "Male children of Purple Roses never have power. I suspect that this is a result of deliberate breeding, but I cannot be sure. It is not surprising that Andrew should have no powers while Erin does."
"Some males born to Purple Roses are trained as spies and assassins to carry out the will of the sorceresses in secret. Others with lesser potential do menial labor in their secret ateliers and conclaves."
"All female children, on the other hand, are trained in the arts of sorcery from early childhood. They learn basic theory, and are taught how to use the magic in the world around them, even though they do not yet have magic of their own. The Purple Roses are so devoted to their craft that they do not want to waste any of the time or energy of a growing child."
"If a child develops power, then she becomes a full sorceress. If not, then she is kept locked inside somewhere, to assist in research and the construction of magic items. She is treated with pity at best and contempt at worst, as she toils away and watches her former friends rise to terrible heights of power.
"This was to be my fate. I was the only one in my class who did not develop the ability to see and channel magic."
Laurel spoke now. "But you changed your fate."
"Yes", answered Mei. "The details are not important, but I faked my death and vanished. You know what happened next. Nobody knows to look for me, but any agent of the Purple Roses would become suspicious if they saw me."
Laurel understood the significance of this last comment. "And presumably, they would also recognize the powers of your daughter."
"Exactly. Now you see why Aaron and I cannot let Erin go to such a crowded and cosmopolitan place as the court of Noks. The Purple Roses are probably keeping track of Noks, as they monitor all sources of power in the world. They could even have an agent posing as a pupil in your University. We will not risk the life of our daughter."
Laurel considered this for nearly a minute. "That is a very good reason to stay where you are. But it is not the only reason, is it? You are also worried about wizards closer to home."
"Yes." Mei admitted. "My knowledge is valuable. I am concerned about what would happen to me if these wizards knew what I could reveal."
Laurel finished the thought. "And if we did start to use Purple Rose secrets in our magic, they could probably sense it, even from the other end of the world. There would be no hope of any concealment, then."
The green wizard paused. "This is a horrible irony. Theodore believes that you are not capable of teaching your daughter proper magic, but you are better able to teach her than he is. However, if you do teach her your knowledge, then her use of that knowledge would destroy you all more surely than an education in Noks."
Mei looked over at her daughter again and said, "And yet, Erin, you must be trained somehow, or your powers will destroy you before the Purple Roses ever suspect your existence." Tears started to escape her eyes as she said, "It is a horrible trap we find ourselves in."
Erin jumped up with a gentle agility and embraced her mother. She tried to be strong and comforting, but she too began to cry as she absorbed her mother's hopeless sadness.
Laurel did not know how she could possibly to comfort Mei and Erin, so she sat back and stayed out of their way. She used some of her magic to radiate a subtle sensation of calmness and friendship. This worked, even though both Mei and Erin could recognize the spell for what it was. Even if they were too strong-willed to be swayed by the magic, they appreciated the gesture.
After some time, both Mei and Erin collected themselves and turned to Laurel, silently inviting her to say something. Laurel spoke to Erin. "If you were not endangered by her own powers, I would gladly leave you here with your family. But that simply is not possible. If your mother were to teach you Purple Rose magic, then your use of it would bring attention to Calway. But your father, Kantz, and Yoder do not have the ability teach you well enough to properly control your powers.
"Considering all of this, I believe that going to the University is your best option. Now that I know the risks, I can prepare for them. I can disguise and protect you. We will teach you Council magic, which will allow you to control your abilities and appear as a normal western wizard.
Laurel turned to Mei. "If you can tell us everything you know of Purple Rose operatives, we can try to track them down. This can be done carefully. From what I have seen of Theodore's doings, the Council is no stranger to intrigue."
Mei sat and considered this. Finally, she said, "I believe what you say. I believe that you mean the best for Erin, and that you will protect her to the best of your ability. But can you promise me that you will always be able to guard her? It seems that you must go wherever Theodore goes, and that he does not always remain in the university."
"You are correct." Laurel admitted. "But you and Aaron do not watch Erin constantly, even though Blukes and worse things roam these woods. Remember that nobody is hunting Erin; we simply need to disguise her heritage and make her appear as a normal student."
Mei turned to look at Erin. "What do you think?"
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