Chapter 7: Healer's Gift
Disclaimer: Does it REALLY need saying? Oh well.....all except Fi and things that came from my brain, came from Tamora Pierces Brain. Thanks! Also, Thanks section at end
A tall man, with greying red-brown hair welcomed Neal, Alanna and Fi. The green eyes were enough to tell Fi that this was Duke Baird of Queenscove. He was wearing grey overalls, which obviously showed that healing could be a messy business.
Fi had been glad that she had a healing Gift. She had wanted to become a doctor in her old world, and now she could become a Tortall equivalent. Also, healers were always needed, so once fully trained she could always turn to it as a career instead of just a pastime. She had been starting to worry that she would have to join the Riders to get paid!
Neal smiled at his father, then pushed Fi forward gently, "Father, this is your new student. She has a moderate healing Gift and a little bit for Seeing."
Duke Baird looked Fi over before smiling himself, "Do you know any control over your Gift? Any training at all?"
"No sir."
"Then we must get you to exercise some power over your magic. Control is very important!" The Duke got Fi to meditate, which she already knew how to do, and then look inside herself for her Gift. Fi found herself falling into a white fire. Thinking this was her Gift, she grabbed at it and brought it up. No sooner than she had, plants from all over the room started to stretch towards her and leaves from the tree outside strained towards the window. Alanna realised what was happening, having been at the meeting, and immediately flew to the girl's side and shielded her own Gift, stopping Fi's strange magic from going past her barrier, When Fi opened her eyes to a blanket of violet, she let go of the white fire in shock. Alanna in turn dropped the shield and smiled at the girl
"Wrong magic," she informed the wide-eyed trainee healer, "Go deeper. Your Gift is the same colour as your eyes, remember?"
Fi nodded and looked at the duke, "Sorry your Grace."
Neal's father smiled, "Don't worry youngster. Try again like Alanna said. Remember to place the feeling of it in your mind once you find it so that you can call on your Gift quicker in future."
Nodding again, Fi sank into meditation. Falling through the spring of white fire, she eventually found a pool of blue-grey. She placed the feeling exactly before plucking a piece with invisible hands. Opening her eyes, she saw a ball of her Gift in her palm.
Duke Baird sat opposite her now, instead of kneeling, "Well done. Now let it fall back inside." Fi let go of the fire as he said and watched it sink inside her skin. The chief healer waited for it all to disappear before speaking again, "The most basic part of all Gifts is fire-lighting," he beckoned to a candle in front of him, "Do you think you could light this if I told you how?"
Fi nodded, "I'll try."
"Good girl. Do the same as you just did now. Reach inside and take some fire. Imagine the candle burning and will it to burn. You should be able to find your Gift quicker if you used the mapping method I suggested."
Fi found her Gift easily. Following her instructions, she willed her candle image to burn. She willed it with all her might until she heard crackling of a flame. Opening her eyes again, she saw the candle flame turn from blue-grey to yellow. Alanna clapped her on the back as she got up and walked towards the door, "Well done Fi. Keep up the good work. I ought to leave you alone with your teacher."
Taking the knight's hint, Neal also said his goodbyes and left.
"Now that we have peace, try lighting the candle without closing your eyes. Instead of willing an image, will the candle itself to burn. Try it."
Fi tried to use her Gift to light the candle. She found the feeling and used the magic attached to it to light the wick. This time, she only took about 5 seconds to light the candle.
"OK, lets try one last thing before..." Duke Baird was cut short by a knock at the door. When he shouted to the person to come in, King Jonathan opened the door, with Alanna beside him.
The king smiled at teacher and pupil, "Good Morning Duke Baird, Good morning Fiona. Your Grace, would you allow me to borrow your student for a few minutes?"
Duke Baird nodded
"Good. Now Fiona, Alanna tells me you brought up your other magic today. She said she recognised it too. If you could bring it up again we could see what this magic is, assuming I may know it."
Fi nodded in agreement, " I'll try your highness." She sank deep into meditation. She found her purple lit, white fire that blazed outside of her Gift. Plucking a thread, she opened her eyes. Her hand blazed with this fire. A pouch around the King's neck also blazed with the same kind of magic. Eyes wide, she noticed plants around the room almost pulling up their roots to her or the pouch, some pulling both ways in indecision.
Jon felt dazed. As soon as Fi had brought out this magic, the jewel in his pouch had started to hum, throwing out bits of it's fires, which were exactly the same as the girl's. Could it be possible? Well the prophecy had said a new human magic, not a completely new type.
Alanna looked between Jon and Fi. She saw the connection of the two magics and put two and two together immediately. Fi's magic was familiar to her because it was the same type as the one in the Dominion jewel. She decided to stoop the plant chaos in the room, "Fi, let go. I think we know the answer." She said.
Fi waited for someone to tell her 'the answer' that Alanna had just talked of. Looking at King Jonathan, she saw he wore a puzzled frown. Alanna whispered something in his ear and he nodded, " I think the same. Send a message to Numair, and ask him." He told his knight.
Alanna bowed to her king, "As you wish," she said before opening a ball of violet fire in her palm. She started whispering hurriedly into it. When she stopped, the fire started to grow black parts as well. Fi knew that to be Numair's Gift. A whisper came back to the knight, who nodded in turn at her king when the other voice stopped. She closed the spell
"So he agrees?" asked Jonathan. Alanna nodded to him again.
"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on?" inquired Fi, who was starting to lose her patience.
"Sorry Fiona, we just had to be sure." Said the King. He looked to Alanna, obviously expecting her to explain. The woman rolled violet eyes before she spoke.
Thanks section: Thanks extend to ALL who have reviewed me, and especially to Smiles-a-lot, who has done so TWICE!