Decisions and Talents

Tessa had made up her mind, the only thing to do was to talk to Thom, no matter what. She wanted to get up and go directly to him so she wouldn't lose her nerve, but Kylee reminded her that she had to go riding with Elise and Jana this morning. Tessa put off telling Thom until after lunch.

At lunch Kylee told her that her face paint and hair would have to be done earlier than scheduled. Tessa reluctantly agreed. By the time those chores were done Tessa was due at the evenings ball. She simply had to tell him tonight, but Thom wasn't in his regular seat for dinner. Tessa fretted over where he might have been.

"Elise?" she murmured after their plates had been collected. "Have you seen Thom today?"

"Why, no," she said, "I don't believe I have." Elise studied Tessa's anxious face and added. "I can ask Alan, if you'd like?"

"Would you, Elise?" Tessa asked, gratefully.

"Of course," Elise said. "We can go after their Majesties first dance." Tessa was tense the whole first dance and tapped her leg restlessly. Enough that Annabelle made a rude comment about jumpy foreigners. Tessa actively tried to calm herself, but when Elise rose gracefully, Tessa popped up faster than a spring flower.

Elise made her way to a corner where you could barely hear the music playing. A group of intellectuals stood, speaking and laughing. Squire Alan was staying close to Lord Raoul and a short, tough looking woman at his side, but at the sight of Elise he strayed, bowing at the courtiers.

"Can I be of some assistance?" Alan asked with a joking grin.

"We hadn't seen, Thom," Elise said slowly. Alan's grin broadened slightly with a glance at Tessa.

"He's probably stuck in a book with Numair," Alan offered. "I can go fetch him, I think."

"Thanks." And with that Alan strode over to his knight master. A few words were exchanged, the short woman even spoke and Lord Raoul laughed. Alan returned to Elise's side.

"Okay," Alan began. "Buri says that Daine is with Ouna and that Daine told her that Numair is with Thom in one of the workrooms. He probably won't be out tonight. Lord Raoul let me off for the night though. Pa's about."

Elise smiled and thanked Alan for his fine spy work. Alan laughed. Tessa frowned and excused herself from the couple, thanking them both as she left.

Tessa desperately wanted to talk to Thom. She needed to, and she would. Tessa snuck out of the ballroom and made her way the the mage's workrooms.

Tessa realized the folly of her plan quickly. Which workroom? Where were they exactly and if Thom hadn't come to the ball his work would have to have been exceedingly important. Tessa sighed. Over a month at this palace and she was still completely off her mark? She pushed on. Thom cared for her, he would have to deal with her as she was.

When she found the workrooms she hit her next problem. Which workroom was his? Tessa walked cautiously through the long hall, looking and listening for any sign of Thom. There, she heard voices, was that Thom? She walked up to the door and listened for him.

"Fine work, Thom," said a soft voice. "Ali'll be one happy, lass."

"Happy t' help, Pa."

"Ye have," said the voice. Tessa paused at the door, not wanting to disturb them, and thinking it rather silly to have come all this way for something that could wait for tomorrow when the door opened to a startled Tessa.

The man on the other side of the door looked baffled and a bit fierce. Short brown hair shaded the same hazel eyes that Thom boasted. His nose was large and beaky, and his skin was tan. A hand, Thom's hand, reached for the strangers shoulder, Tessa recognised the practiced crouch of a fighter. At Thom's touch the man straightened, almost too quick for notice.

"Oh," Tessa gasped, "sorry, I was just-"

"Tessa!" Thom glowed happily.

"Apologies, lass," the stranger said, "weren't meanin' no harm te ya. Ye took me for a turn is all. I mus' be losing my edge."

Tessa noticed that the strangers smile was wonderful on his face and made him quote handsome. She was aware of muttering something, but wasn't sure what she had said.

"Lady Tessa of Angincorr, I'm pleased to introduce my father, Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop."

Before she could think to curtsey the man offered her a hand, which she shook automatically, "A pleasure to meet ya, lass."

"A pleasure to meet you as well."

George was staring into her eyes carefully, and smiled, as if liking what he saw. "You haven't lost your edge, Pa. Tessa is just good at not being seen when she wants to be." Tessa and George both gave Thom odd looks. George's was curious while Tessa was more confused.

"Well, then, I best be off," George said, "Alan's in the hall with Raoul, I oughta say as much ta him. Yer Ma'll be passin' in, I expect, I'm to meet her on the road. Again a pleasure to meet ye, lass." And with a pat of Thom's shoulder he was off.

Tessa watch him move with the grace of a cat away from them. "Does he always do that?"

"Hmm?" Thom asked.

"Leave with your breath."

"My Da's fair important," Thom said, "he doesn't like to be off all the time. But at the same time he has a wanderin' heart."

"Thom?"

"Hmm?"

"What did you mean about me not wanting to be seen?"

"Oh. Nothing."

"I have something to tell you, Thom."

"I know."

"What?"

"I said, I know. You have magic."

"No, I don't."

"Of course you do."

"No. I don't," Tessa argued, "don't you think that after seventeen some years of life I would have noticed if I had the Gift?"

"It's not quite the same as the Gift."

"What?"

"You truly don't know?"

"Know what, Thom?"

"Have you ever heard of the Sight?"

"No."

"It's like the Gift in that it's magic, but it doesn't quite work like the Gift. And it varies. I've only seen people with the Sight detect lies, secrets and magic, but you have the Sight too. Or perhaps something like it. You have an ability that makes your core self invisible. Apparently it's unconscious."

"I don't become invisible, Thom," Tessa said, "have you been sneaking something from your brandy bottle?"

"I have never been more sober than I am now," Thom said with a grin. "You are right you don't make yourself invisible. But you make yourself invisible to those who look for you magically. No one could scry you or search you for magic if you activate that power."

"How do I activate it?"

"We could find out." And so, instead of telling Thom her secrets, Tessa learned to make her core self invisible. She got the hang of it with a few tries, it seemed almost natural to her, like breathing. Her training had sculpted her to be invisible, and Thom said in time that she might be able to actually become completely invisible. When she attempted that she only managed to get a fierce headache.