Chapter 5: Meetings and Realisations
The first encounter the pair had with another apprentice went as well as the failed performance that landed Caelis in the hands of the Templars. The older girl had waltzed over to Caelis, intent on scoping out the new girl, only to spy the pointed ears beneath the platinum hair. This discovery had apparently changed the purpose of her advance entirely, the girl's thin lips settled into an even thinner line, the fine lines of her cheekbones appearing dagger-sharp in the flickering candle light illuminating the room.
"Hello knife ear."
The words hung between them, looming in a menacing shadow over the interaction and causing Fen'len to raise his head, large eyes narrowing at the newcomer, a low growl building in his chest. Caelis stood, stretching out a hand towards the other apprentice with as much grace as she could muster.
"Hi there, I'm Caelis, and you are…?"
"Targeri Amell. But that's my Lady to you."
Briefly flipping her flaming hair over her shoulder, Amell sniffed at Caelis' outstretched hand, causing the elf to drop it with a dark look at the human in front of her. Gently repositioning herself back onto the bed, nudging the mabari subtly to quiet him, Caelis attempted to channel the troupe's master when he dealt with particularly difficult trouble causers.
"Good day to you." She announced in what was meant to be a strong, commanding dismissal, turning her head away from the other girl. Shem. Caelis thought to herself as she heard the 'Lady' huff and wander away. The retreating footsteps heralded an echoing quiet that even the few people coming in after their days of lessons didn't dare to break, despite chattering loudly just outside the doors.
Deciding to call the day where it was, Caelis nudged Fen'len until he jumped down from her bed. Once she had settled herself beneath the covers, Caelis held the blanket up in invitation to the hound, allowing him to clamber back up onto the mattress and curl into her side. Once she had been laying down for a while, the whispers started up around her, from all corners of the room.
"That one got in a spat with Targeri Amell."
"On her first day too."
"Stupid knife ear."
Other words drifted about, ignored by both elf and mabari as the general talk carried on, droning into an incoherent murmur as the days of travel finally caught up and the pair drifted into restless sleep.
After her encounter with the flame haired noble, no other apprentice approached Caelis, though many eyed Fen'len with either suspicion or jealousy. The general rule with the Circle was 'no pets' and as most of those who were brought in older than infants were either peasants or apostates, none had the chance to gather animals, especially not war hounds. Those pulled from their families younger than those never had the chance to create the bond, even if they had access to the formidable hounds.
However, the Enchanters took special interest in her unique brand of magic, which was generally accepted to be a mutated form of the Creation school. Each one had asked for a small demonstration either when she saw them in passing or in lessons with other apprentices. While she revelled the chance to show those interested her skill, remembering her performances with the other entertainers, it cemented her as an outcast within the ranks of the other students.
It was on her was to the class of one such teacher, Senior Enchanter Sweeney, that Caelis' thoughts on the subject were halted abruptly as she joined the group waiting outside the classroom.
"Did you hear?...Practicing…Actual spells…"
Dread settled like an iron collar around her neck. The elf knew that any attempt she made to create a standard spell would result in failure, as she recalled her many failed attempts in the practice rooms, trying desperately to conjure even the tiniest flame into existence. No one needed more excuses to separate her from the rest of the apprentices, Caelis found she'd had more than enough of that already, despite her brief time within the walls of the Circle tower.
A whine from Fen'len, trotting diligently by her side, brought her contemplative gaze down to her companion, realising for the first time how he'd grown in the short week or so they'd been together since she'd practically absconded with him from the farmstead. His large head levelled with her knees now, and his chest was becoming more like his barrel-like kin. Quick as a flicker of lightening, the memory of sitting in First Enchanter Irving's office flitted through Caelis' mind, of creating a double of the hound, and realised on key thing.
If they don't touch anything they'll never know it isn't real…
A.N: Hi there, thanks to everyone who reads this story, and to everyone who follows Illusions and Inquisitions, it won't be long now until we get to the actual inquisiting, I promise! haha. Hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, much love, Rana :)