Chapter 8: One of a kind
"The fire we saw in you was familiar," Alanna began, "We all recognised it. When I saw it earlier, I had this feeling that Jonathan had something to do with it, but I couldn't place what. But when you brought it up with Jon here, you sparked off a reaction with something else, the thing we all recognised the magic from"
Alanna nodded to the king, who in turn reached into the pouch hanging from his neck. He drew out a many faceted purple gem.
"The Dominion Jewel!" gasped Fi
****
Alanna didn't ask how Fiona knew the name of the Jewel. It didn't surprise her that the girl knew of it. Fi knew so much about Tortall from these 'stories' she had, it wouldn't surprise her if she knew how Alanna came by it. Smiling wryly at the memory, she carried on, "Your other magic matches that of the Jewel. That magic is very powerful. It will work on anything organic or stone. It doesn't work on metals, but if you master it, you can reduce someone to a pile of bones. I know that to be true, Jon here has got witnesses to it. However it doesn't do healing. His highness tried it on an enemy footsoldier once, but all it did was give him a more painful death. But you needn't worry about that, as you've got a healing Gift large enough to keep someone alive until a proper healer shows up."
Fi was amazed. This magic was more powerful than she'd thought from reading about it. She had known about the bones bit from the last of Daine's books. Once she had control of her awe, she asked Alanna a question, "How will I get trained?"
The king answered her, "I'll train you. I'm the only one who can wield the Jewel who is presently alive. We can have lessons after you finish here. Something like two hours healing followed by two hours of.... well you can choose a name for the magic. Think about it over lunch. Seeing as I've wasted a lot of your time here the lesson can wait 'til after a meal. I'll meet you outside your rooms. Sorry for the interruption Duke Baird." And with that he swept out of the room. Alanna gave Fi one last smile before following Jonathan.
Duke Baird sighed, "Where were we then youngster. Ah yes, we were going to try..."
Fi resigned herself back to the lesson and listened to the chief healer carefully.
***
By the time the bell had gone for lunch, Fi had been taught the most basic healing, how to relax someone or herself by gently pushing some of her Gift into them. She had practised this so much on herself that she was very calm, controlled and above all, drowsy. Fi went straight for the tea as she entered the dining mess for palace residents, hoping to dose up on caffeine. Walking away from the servers with her tray of tea and cold meat. She strode right into someone, spilling hot water and tea leaves everywhere. Looking up from mumbled apologies made whilst hurriedly mopping the floor, Fi saw an amused pair of violet eyes and a pair of concerned hazel ones. Alanna helped her to her feet, "I see you found the curse of being a trainee healer, you train so much on yourself that you feel half-asleep all the time!" The knight looked over her shoulder to a nearby table, "Daine, could we borrow Kitten for one moment please?"
A set of cat-like slit-pupil eyes of an aqua colour looked up at Alanna as the small woman explained to the two-foot dusty blue dragonet. When the knight finished, Skysong gave a whistle of agreement before voicing a loud trill. The watermarks came out of the garments of Fi, Alanna and their companion, who Fi realised, was Kel.
The girl smiled at the small immortal, "Thank you Kitten," she said, "You're a pretty thing aren't you!"
The young dragon whistled her approval and then trotted back to Daine.
*****
Sitting down to eat, after getting another serving of food, saw Fi nearly falling asleep in her new piece of ham. Kel and Alanna, who sat either side of the girl, grabbed a shoulder each and pulled her back up, "Time for a wake up call youngster" said the older and smaller knight. Reaching for her own Healing Gift, Alanna pushed some in to the girl, in the attempt to wake her up. It worked. Fi, no longer sleepy, thanked both knights before hurriedly finishing her meal.
After her rushed meal, Fi ran back to her room, pockets full of sugarlumps for her mare. She brushed her hair in the mirror, knowing inside that her curly locks would be in a mess whatever she did with them. She even managed to have a quick blow through her music, before the expected knock came at the door. She went to it and opened it with a smile.
However, it wasn't the expected person. A young man in his early twenties stood there, his eyes the dark blue of the King's line. At his side was a very small child, attempting to hide behind his father's knee. He had Yamani colouring, with black hair and the same blue eyes. Taking a rough guess at who the mysterious man was, Fi bowed, "Crown Prince Roald, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"And you Lady Fiona. May I present to you my son and heir, Prince Jonathan," he looked down at the young boy, looking at Fi with curiosity, yet shyness, "Jonny, say hello to the nice lady."
Jonny, however, shook hi head defiantly and retreated further behind his parent. Fi crouched down and reached into her pocket for a sugerlump. Holding it flat in her hand, she used it to coax him forward. When he finally came to take it, and put it in his mouth, Fi straightened and ruffled the young prince's mop of straight black hair.
Roald smiled at her, "Thank you. He's really too shy, but with help like that he's sure to be cured. My father sent me to fetch you for lessons. I will be joining you after returning my son. I need to be able to wield the Jewel should my father die. If you go to where you had lunch, you should find his majesty there," the man retrieved the hand of the two year old, who was happily munching on his sugar lump, "Come Jonny, lets take you back to Mama."
***
Entering the mess hall, Fi saw the tables had been cleared and put to one side with the benches. Three meditation mats sat on the floor, one navy blue, one light blue and another blue-grey. These mats were set out in a triangle, and the king was already sitting at the shape's peak on the darkest of the blue mats.
Opening his eyes, he beckoned for her to sit. When she did so, he spoke, "So Fiona, have you decided on a name for this magic?"
"Earthfire your highness."
"Earthfire......I like it. Very suitable, young Earthmage."
"Thank you, Majesty."
The king frowned, "Please Fi, call me Jon. I have enough people calling me 'Highness' and 'Majesty' as it is. If I am to teach you, I will go mad if you speak to me formally each time. Just relax."
Fi thought back to her old world. She tried to imagine the Queen sitting cross-legged on a navy mat telling someone who was only a vague acquaintance to call her by her first name. Smiling at the idea, she decided to place her white fire. She put the feeling she found with the one for her Gift, Happy with that, she resurfaced.
Upon opening her eyes, she saw Roald had joined them. Both of the male royals were looking at her, Roald puzzled, Jonathan knowledgeable. "How long have I been under?" she asked them.
"About half an hour. What were you doing?" asked Roald back.
"Placing my Earthfire."
"Why?"
Fi got a little frustrated, and had to speak through gritted teeth, as she always did when asked stupid questions, "Because otherwise I'd have to do that everytime I wanted to use that magic. But know I just have to remember the feeling and, ta-da!" she finished, bringing up a piece of new magic. She was about to let it go when Jonathan stopped her
"Listen Fi. Use the magic you have there to bring up a blade of grass, or a plant of some kind. This place is on the ground floor, so just reach into a crack between the stones, and try to pull something up from the packed earth there."
Fi nodded and used a finger to draw her magic on a break in the stone floor. Reaching into the hard packed soil, she tugged at an old root she found. Pulling it up with her power, she brought it up through the crack. It was a small flower. She used the last bit of Earthfire in her palm on the flower itself. She just pushed her magic into the bud, and speeded up the ageing process, stopping at the plants peak age. She discovered from the shape and colour of the plant that it was a common larkspur. She then realised that she, Fiona, had done it! She had gone from refugee to the owner of a brand new magic. Turning back to Jon she saw the king had a smile on his face, "Well done Fi," he said, before turning to his son, "Roald, you try it with the Jewel."
The prince took the Jewel that his father offered and used the palm sized, violet coloured gem to bring out the Earthfire within it. Fi noticed that with this fire was the odd spark of blue fire. Roald had obviously taken up a little of his Gift by accident. He took about a minute longer than Fi and brought up a small grapevine. He ripened it and then let go of the magic. Jonathan reached out and took a grape and pooped it in his mouth. His face contorted with disgust. Swallowing quickly he looked at his heir, "I forgot that food ripened by the Jewel never really tastes that good." He looked back at the girl, "Fi, you try ripening one. Your magic might not have the same effect of food."
Fi did as she was told. After consulting Roald's vine, she looked for one below her with her Earthfire. She pulled up the first one she found, through solid stone this time, not that it mattered as her magic covered rocks as well. She too ripened a set of grapes. Handing one to the prince and another to the king, she tried one herself.
"Nice." She decided
"Tasty" said Roald
"I see your magic produces much better food. If you were to travel the country during famine, we'd all be feasting once you'd finished!" said the King in a little excitement.
Fi's heart sank a little, "But aren't there any better uses for my magic?"
"Don't worry Fi, we haven't had a full-scale famine since my father's reign. Once you've finished plant work, and controlling soil and stone, we'll work on more lethal uses of your magic."
"Like stripping people to the bones!" said Fi happily
"Don't forget stripping away the skin. Much more painful and much easier!" added Roald
"But we won't get to that stage until you've mastered the rest!" exclaimed Jonathan in disbelief of their gore, "Now that will do for today. We'll meet here daily, except for Sundays, unless I call off the lesson or I change the place. Now both of you go and relax for the rest of the day. I'll see you tomorrow Fi."
"I look forward to it Jonathan." Fi replied, bowing before leaving the mess.
*****
Over the next month, Fi trained with the chief healer and the King. Every other evening, Kel taught her self-defence and showed her basic dagger manoeuvres. She also promised to teach her archery and the glaive. Once they passed from August to September, an important occasion came around.
Continued in Chapter 9..........coming soon to a website near you!