Circle Remade
Summary: Less than one year since "Magic Steps", Discipline cottage gets a few more residents. Three new young mages come to Winding Circle in unorthodox ways, adding to the young weaver mage who moved in after Sandry left. Though they come from different lives, they will have to remake a circle formed long ago with their predecessors if they want to save their new home…
Disclaimer: Don't own. Don't sue.
Chapter Ten: The Duke
Sage consulted the map and oriented herself with the moon. The Duke's Keep was rather far away on foot, and they had to constantly stop to make sure they were unseen and on the right path. Eldred leaned over her shoulder and raised a small candle-drawing.
He had come up with this idea after seeing Sage seal the wall. All of the friends were lost in their own thoughts of how they could use their powers in new and different ways. Eldred had brought a pencil and a small sketch-notebook. He had sketched a candle and pushed a bit of power into it, making the candle light and give off a small glow. It was handy for when they were in an area where the thin light of the moon did not reach them. Then it could be folded up and put away until they needed it again.
"One mile more in that direction," Sage said, pointing over the map to the plains in front of them. "Then three miles south-southwest. We're almost there." She said, with audible relief.
The journey had worn down everyone's nerves, mostly Comas', but also Sage. Eldred knew a little of what was to come and what they would have to do, but Sage was the one who knew a suicide mission when she saw it. No amount of training was enough to prepare one when they saw death coming with no visible way to stop it. Sage had a few, fleeting thoughts of leaving the others and running for it, but she had dismissed them as quickly as they had come. I won't leave again. She thought, gritting her teeth. Not like Damian. Never again.
Two hours later the four were crouched at the base of the Citadel, trying to figure out how they could have over-looked one small, important detail…
"I think we made a calculatory error." Eldred said calmly.
"I think you mean…'How the blazes do we get in!'" Sage said.
"Maybe we could ask the guard to let us in." Comas said tentatively.
"Yeah, I'm sure any guard on duty will let four strange-looking ragged teenagers into a deeply guarded castle, especially with a, gee I don't know, A FREAKING ARMY ON THEIR DOORSTEP!" Sage said.
"Look, there's a way in." Alida said, pointing to a window about fifty feet up.
"Oh yes, lets all just, flap our arms and fly up there on a passing breeze." Sage pantomimed it. She knew she was being rude, but it was the only way to relieve her nerves. Most people became quiet or talked really fast when nervous, she cut other people down.
"Couldn't you do that thing you did for the wall and raise us up on a platform or something." Alida asked.
"Oh, and how do you propose I do that? I could barely walk after that last time, and I can't even run now, two hours later. So, unless you would like to lend me some power, I'm not going to be doing any heavy magic for a while." Sage said.
Alida made a frustrated sound. "If only we could have figured out a way to tie our magics together!"
"I said I was sorry." Comas said.
"No one's blaming you." Alida said hurriedly. "I'm just letting off steam."
"Well point it to someone else, because tonight is humid enough without you adding any hot air." Sage said. She leaned against the wall, letting the coolness in and calm her spirit. Sage opened her eyes and saw Alida's hurt look.
She sighed. "I'm sorry. I've just got a bad case of the nerves."
"What're you doing Eldred?' Comas asked.
Sage and Alida turned to look at the fourth member of their party. He hadn't said anything since Sage's comment about flying and had taken on a pensive look. Suddenly, he turned toward the shore and look out over the ocean. He quickly took in the tall, dark clouds on the horizon.
Two great ideas in one night, I'm on a roll. He thought.
Sage, Alida, and Comas watched as Eldred raised his right arm, his left held bent at the elbow and close to his waist. His raised his first two fingers on both hands held together and pointed with his right hand at the clouds. Closing one eye, he moved his hand until it was directly on the cloud. Then, imagining the world as his canvas, he took a small edge of the cloud and smeared it on the horizon, like paint. He dropped his hands and studied the effect with a grin. His experiment had worked, one edge of the cloud was now spread out over the sky to the right.
Now to try what he was planning. "Guys, stand directly beneath the window and brace yourselves. Once you get up, find something to use as rope and lower it down. If I'm unconscious, lower Sage down to tie me to it and raise me through the window."
"What?" Alida said.
"Just do it!"
"Nobles." Sage grumbled, doing as Eldred had said. Comas was looking at the storm clouds expectantly.
Eldred took a slow, deep breath, then brought up his hands again. This time, he was going to have to control it better, and not have such a big impact. He tilted his fingers so they were still pointed at the clouds, but the sides were facing the sky.
He took a small, little edge of the cloud and pulled it toward him. Without giving himself time to think, he thrust it under his friends and aimed them through the window. He didn't know after that.
"Comas, love you lots, but, uh…YOU'RE CRUSHING MY SPLEEN!!" Sage groaned. It was a miracle all three of them had made it through the window without smacking into the wall around it. Granted, they were all pile on top of one another, and Comas' pointy elbow was stabbing her in the side, but the important this was that they were in.
Comas rolled off of Sage and fell face down onto the floor. Puffs of dust exploded from the carpet, making Alida sneeze. She stood up shakily.
"Never again." Alida said, looking quite ill.
"You have no idea how many times I've told myself that, but it always seems to happen again." Sage said, struggling to her feet.
Comas stood up and looked around. They were in a room that obviously hadn't been used for years. Tapestries faded from the sun and time covered the walls, and furniture was leaned against the walls haphazardly.
Sage stretched her back, hearing the audible creak as she stretched out a kink. "How's Red doing?"
Comas was closest to the window. He looked down and winced. "Out cold." He announced.
"I guess we'd better save him then." Sage said with fake regret.
Alida shuffled through one of the wardrobes and pulled out sheets. "Comas, help me tie them together."
A few knots later, a rope that looked to be about long enough was wrapped around the corner of a four-poster bed.
Sage had tied a knot around her stomach and was looking out the window apprehensively.
"Something about jumping out a window seems like a bad idea." She said.
"Just go." Alida said.
Sage was about to jump when the door cracked open. Before anyone could react, every cloth in the room leaped out at them, wrapping and tieing them so tightly they could barely breath.
Comas looked up and squinted at the figure in the doorway.
"Comas?" The figure said uncertainly.
"Lady Sandilene?"
Note: Oh, left you with a cliffhanger! Bet you didn't see that one coming! Sorry for the A)Shortness and B)Long time between updates. I just started High School as a Freshman on Monday (8/27) and have been weighed down with homework. I managed to squeeze this in between Geometry and Biology homework, hence it's shortness. I can promise a long chapter on Friday or Saturday, and will try to update when I can on weekdays. But I will update on weekends. Or try to. I /WILL/ finish this, even if I have to flunk Geometry! (at which time I will probably be banned from the computer. Go figure) Anyway, it's time for my annual thank you to reviewers and the such-like.
Lady knight keladry and Jellicle-in-the-box, for their continuing support. LackofColorHere, Abbs of the faeries, C.T, Eleczo and Mithrilsword Magechild for reviews. Thanks C.T. Eleczo for adding Circle Remade Story Alert and creepygirl13 for adding Circle Remade to her Favorite Story list. You all rock…OUT LOUD!