This chapter could have been a lot longer, detailing the entirety of Katarina's journey back home, but I decided to cut it short. I think it comes to a natural stopping point.

Thanks to Raiseth (on SV) and Volossya (on AO3) for beta-reading this chapter for me. Much obliged!


The Light Mage

When Katarina awoke, it was morning. She was in an unfamiliar bed in an unfamiliar room. Rubbing her eyes, she sat up and tried to remember how she'd got there. Yesterday's aches and pains seemed like a distant dream. Had she really traveled all the way to the Vale in a single day? It was unbelievable; but, when she got up and peered through the curtains, she realized that she must have managed it somehow. Looking out of the window, she saw a ring of mountains framed by bright sunlight. Verdant trees, meadows and farmland covered the lower slopes. There were twittering birds and frolicking rabbits. It was as picturesque a scene as any she'd seen in the paintings hanging up on the walls of her home.

Racking her brains, she thought back to the last thing she remembered: late at night, on the verge of collapsing with exhaustion, she had followed the shining path the Old Gods had laid out for her. It had led her to a little village and then a house on top of a hill. That was where the light mage lived. The light mage, who had turned out to be a young girl of about her own age, had healed her and…

She frowned, rather perturbed by the thought that someone she didn't know had carried her upstairs, undressed her down to her smallclothes and put her to bed. While she had been unconscious, she would have been completely at their mercy. They could have done whatever they wanted to her. Fortunately, it didn't appear that they had done anything other than taken care of her and given her a place to sleep, but… still, she should be more careful, she realized.

Yesterday's clothes were neatly folded and stacked at the foot of the bed, except for the fur coat she had bought in Hartshorne, which was draped over a nearby chair. She had put it on to keep herself warm on her long journey, on a gray and dismal day, across the plains and through the mountains. It had performed its duties admirably, so much so that it had become like a second skin and she'd forgotten that she was wearing it. Though it was coarse and lustreless, something she would never normally wear, she was nevertheless grateful for its service.

Then, she recalled why she had been so desperate to find a light mage. Tears sprang to her eyes. It took all of the self-control she possessed to keep herself from bawling like a baby. Oh, Sienna! She could only hope her best friend was still alive; she had no way to check, not while she was so far away. Please be alright!

All of a sudden, there came a knock at the door. "Wait!" cried Katarina, leaping for the pile of yesterday's clothes and hastily throwing them on. It was a task that, without the aid of a maid, she found surprisingly difficult. Oh, Anne… I hope you escaped. And if not, I hope you haven't been mistreated. I'm sorry I left you like that!

"Are you alright in there?" asked a bemused female voice.

"I'm fine!" cried Katarina. "Never better! I'm just getting dressed!"

There was a pause, a sigh, and then whoever was waiting outside said, "Let me know when you're ready."

A few minutes later, after Katarina had fastened the last of the buttons that held together her sweat-stained riding leathers – she had decided not to don her fur coat or hooded cloak yet – she marched over to the door and opened it wide. "I've finished!" she yelled.

"So I see," said the girl who was standing there. Katarina recognized the light mage she had met last night. In the clear light of day, she was astonishingly pretty, with an upturned nose, prominent cheekbones, pale skin, bright blue eyes and shoulder-length blonde hair. If not for the simple brown dress she was wearing – and the flowers twined in her hair, which gave her a charmingly bucolic look – Katarina would have assumed that she was a nobleman's daughter and not a peasant villager. Certainly, she didn't look like she'd ever had to scrabble for a living by working out in the fields.

"Why, you're beautiful!" she blurted out.

"Um. Thank you?" said the light mage, inflecting it as if it were a question.

"What's your name?" asked Katarina, taking a step forward so she could examine the girl more closely.

"I… I'm Maria," said the light mage, shyly averting her gaze. "Maria Campbell."

"Pleased to meet you! I'm Katarina Claes. I hope we will be great friends!"

At that, Maria flinched as if she had been struck.

"What's the matter?" asked Katarina, in consternation. "I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way."

"Um. It's fine," said Maria. "Don't worry about it." She took a deep breath. "I was wondering… Would you like to wash yourself before breakfast?"

Katarina considered the question carefully. If she answered truthfully, she would have to admit that she would very much like to sink into a warm and pleasant bath, wash away the accumulated dust and grime of her long journey, and then lie back and relax for at least an hour. On the other hand, that would take too much time that she couldn't afford to waste. And, unless she could get someone to wash and dry her dirty clothes, which would take even longer, she would have to put them back on again after she'd washed, rendering the entire exercise pointless.

"No, I'll be fine," she said. "I bathed just a couple of days ago. And I'm sure you've seen worse!"

Maria looked unconvinced, but nodded slowly. "Breakfast, then?"

"By all means," said Katarina. "I'm famished."

The light mage led her downstairs to the kitchen, where there was a table upon which plates, cutlery, a jug of water and a few foodstuffs had been laid out. A forlorn-looking woman was sitting to one side, idly picking at a shriveled apple and staring at the wall. Katarina assumed she must be Maria's mother; she had her daughter's good looks, despite the glum and hopeless expression on her face.

"Would you like some porridge?" asked Maria, hurrying over to the stove. "I can make you some. It's no trouble."

"That would be very nice. Thank you," said Katarina, sitting down to eat. There was a loaf of crusty bread, some butter and a bowl of withered fruit. It was plain and simple fare, which she might normally have sneered at if she hadn't been ravenously hungry. As it was, she ate as if she was on the verge of starvation, washed it down with a glass of cool water and gave hearty thanks to Maria when her bowl of porridge was brought to the table.

"Um. You mentioned your friend is in need of healing," said Maria, as she sat down to enjoy her own meal, which she ate steadily and daintily. "What's wrong with her?"

"She fell ill after falling in a pond a few days ago," Katarina explained, conveniently forgetting to mention that she had been the one to push Sienna into the pond. "That night, she was feverish, tossing and turning in bed, and she hasn't awakened since. I'm terrified she's going to die of dehydration if we can't wake her soon."

"And where is she?" asked Maria, frowning. "You must have traveled a long way."

Katarina was sure Maria must be remembering the state she'd been in when she arrived last night, before she'd been healed. "She's in my father's manor, in the Crownlands," she said. "I came from there."

"How long did that take you?" asked Maria, in the tone of someone who had bad news to impart. "How many days?"

"Just one," said Katarina, refilling her glass of water from the jug.

"But that's more than a hundred miles!"

"With your help, I'm hoping the return journey will be much quicker and easier."

Maria stared at her for a moment, shook her head in wonderment, and said, "I see."

"So… will you help me? Please?"

There was a pause. A cynical smile stole over Maria's face. It was as if she had suddenly become an entirely different person, not at all like the timid, innocent-looking girl she had been just a few moments before. "If I do, how will you repay me?" she asked.

"I'm sure my father will give you whatever you want!" Katarina declared. "As much money as you could wish for! Or do you want land? A noble title?"

Maria shook her head. "That's not what I asked. How will you repay me?"

Taken aback, Katarina hesitated, shifted uncomfortably and said, "I… If you save my darling Sienna, I will give you anything you want, I swear it."

"Don't promise what you can't deliver," said Maria, shooting a glance at her mother. Her smile faded.

"Well… what do you want?" asked Katarina, in helpless desperation. "Tell me what I need to do!"

"I want my family back," said Maria. "I want the friends I had before. I want to live in joyful ignorance, never knowing how easily I could lose everything. Can you give me that, Lady Katarina?"

"No, I can't. But… if you want friendship, I can give you that," said Katarina, offering a hand. "I hope I've shown how good and loyal a friend I can be."

Maria sighed heavily. "That will have to do," she said, taking her hand.

An awkward silence followed until, by mutual nonverbal agreement, they let go of each other.

"Do you normally demand such a heavy price from people who need your help?" asked Katarina, an edge of hurt in her voice.

"What's normal?" Maria gave a theatrical shrug. "Normally, I don't get paid. Most of the people around here can't afford to pay, or so they say."

"You don't get paid?!"

"Sometimes they give me… whatever they can spare: old clothes, some fruit, a joint of ham if they've just slaughtered a pig. That sort of thing."

For a moment, Katarina was shocked into silence.

"I heal people – and animals too – because I'm a good girl," said Maria, shaking with bitter laughter. "They all say they love me so long as I'm useful to them."

Katarina reached a decision. Taking both of Maria's hands in hers, she assured her, "Come with me and I'll ensure you are rewarded as you deserve. You'll live like a queen!"

"Or a princess?" Maria suggested. A wry smile played about her lips.

"I suppose," said Katarina. Her brow furrowed. She couldn't tell what Maria was hinting at.

Prying herself loose, Maria stood up and went to where her mother sat. Waving a hand in front of her, she said, "I'm going now. There's someone else who needs my help. I shall be gone for a few days at least."

Mrs. Campbell – at least, Katarina presumed her name was 'Mrs. Campbell' – blinked a few times, shook herself as if she had just been startled out of a trance, and glanced up at her daughter. "Yes… yes, that's fine," she said, taking a deep breath. "No doubt one of my 'suitors' will be here soon enough." Her lip curled. "Whether I like it or not, they'll take care of me."

Katarina's brow furrowed even further, until the furrow became a trench. "Suitors?"

"It's a long story," said Maria. "I'll tell you on the way."

"Very well," said Katarina, getting up and heading for the door. "I need my coat. And my cloak."

"I'll pack a lunch for us both," said Maria.

"Good idea! Thank you very much!" cried Katarina, as she ran up the stairs two at a time.

When she reached the upstairs landing, she suddenly remembered her manners and rushed back down again. Bursting into the kitchen, she approached Mrs. Campbell. "I'm sorry, it was rude of me not to introduce myself," she said, with a curtsey. "I am Lady Katarina Claes. Thank you for letting me stay here last night. I am grateful for your hospitality."

"That's quite all right, dear," said Mrs. Campbell, the faintest glimmer of a smile dawning on her lips. "I wish you good luck on your journey today."

"Thank you," Katarina said again, not knowing what else to say. "Good day to you as well!"

She dithered, for a moment, before scurrying away upstairs again.

The Campbells lived in a large house, much larger than Katarina had expected any peasant family to have; Maria's absent father had evidently been a wealthy man. It even had its own stables, into which Maria had placed Katarina's borrowed horse to rest for the night, alongside her own gray mare.

"I thought I'd need to buy or borrow a horse for you, so I'm pleased you have your own," said Katarina, standing by and feeling useless while Maria expertly tacked the horses and made them ready for the long journey ahead of them. "That will save us some time."

"Often it is necessary for me to ride out to save someone – or their prize cow, or sheep, or pig – in a hurry," said Maria. "So, of course I have my own horse. They made sure of it."

Katarina was tempted to ask 'Who are they ?' but thought better of it. From context, she guessed Maria was referring to the local people who had been taking advantage of her good nature.

Tongue-tied and self-conscious, she waited in awkward silence while Maria continued to work. She couldn't help but admire the light mage's all-around competence. Not just a pretty girl with a rare magical talent: she's much more than that!

Another thought occurred to her, which caused her to cry out anxiously: "My horse was exhausted last night. Is he fit to travel?"

"He's fine," Maria assured her. "I've healed and rejuvenated him."

"How often can you do that?" asked Katarina, excited by the possibility of galloping all the way home. If it could be done, it would mean they'd only have to ride for a few hours instead of the entire day and into the night. Why, they might get back before lunchtime!

Maria's reply brought her back down to earth: "My powers are not inexhaustible. And I'm not sure how continual rejuvenation spells would affect the horses. After a while, I suspect their hearts would give out."

"Oh." Katarina sighed disappointedly.

"Besides, I doubt you'd want to keep stopping every few minutes to allow me to use my magic," said Maria. "Instead…" She looked pensive. "Perhaps we could take a short break every hour or so. Then, you can rest and take stock while I rejuvenate the horses."

"Good idea," said Katarina, adjusting her expectations accordingly. It wouldn't be possible for the horses to move as quickly as she'd hoped, but they would keep being refreshed and wouldn't need to be replaced, which would save some time. "We'll need to ride at a fairly steady pace, I suppose."

Maria nodded. "That would be best. I'm not sure what I'd do if one of the horses threw a shoe or got a stone lodged in its hoof. I suppose we'd need to visit a farrier, which would take time we can't afford to lose."

"If it was just a stone, couldn't you dig it out with a knife?" Katarina suggested. "And then heal over the injury, if there was one?"

"Maybe," said Maria, sounding unconvinced. "I'm not an expert."

Their conversation petered out after that. Katarina was eager to begin the day's ride, so she stood aside and let Maria finish her preparations.

Soon, they mounted their horses and were on their way, through the village and back along the road Katarina had traveled the day before. It looked very different in the daylight: there were pastures, hedges and golden fields of barley; rugged hills, patches of woodland, and a veil of clouds shrouding the uppermost peaks of the mountains from view. All around, insects were busily humming. High above, the sun was brightly shining, promising warmth and good weather for the day ahead.

They rode at a relatively sedate pace, side by side, in companionable silence. However, before long, Katarina grew bored and began to fidget. Yesterday, she had been single-mindedly focused on finding a light mage to save Sienna, to the extent that she had scarcely been able to think of anything else, which had made it impossible for her to be bored. Now that she had succeeded in her mission, the initial surge of relief and triumph had worn off. She was overexcited and eager to get back home.

Maria regarded her with amusement. "How on earth did you manage to travel more than a hundred miles in a day if you can't sit still for longer than a few minutes?"

"I'm sorry," said Katarina, shamefaced. Then, she remembered something: "Earlier, you told me you'd explain why your mother has so many suitors…"

"Oh, you want a story, do you?" said Maria in a mockingly sweet voice. "Very well." She took a deep breath. "Once upon a time – as all good folktales should start – there was a handsome prince. Of course, at the time, he wasn't a prince, but merely a close relative of the royal family. As a young man, he had a fondness for drink, fine food and pretty women. Over time, he fathered more than a few illegitimate children. And then he returned home, hundreds of miles away, to be a duke in a magnificent castle. After that, there was a war, he was sent into exile and… well, it's not important."

There was a moment's hesitation. Then, nervously moistening her lips, Maria continued, "One of his bastard daughters grew up to be blonde and beautiful. Although she had no dowry or family name, she caught the eye of a wealthy farmer who asked her to marry him. She agreed and became 'Mrs. Campbell'. Before long, they had a little baby girl of their own. For a few years, they lived happily together, until their daughter was five years old. She was playing with her friends when one of them fell and injured his foot. Somehow, she had the power to heal him: she was a light mage! Of course, because she could only have inherited that power from a member of the nobility – someone closely related to the Targaryens – there were plenty of rumors that Aron Campbell's wife had cuckolded him by taking one of the local lordlings into her bed, never mind how often she protested that she was herself the illegitimate daughter of a high nobleman. My father heeded those rumors, took to drinking much more than he should have, and eventually vanished into the night, never to be seen again."

Katarina wasn't sure if Maria was aware that she had stopped telling her story from the third person perspective, as if the events she described had happened to someone else, and instead slipped into the first-person perspective. From the passion and indignation in her voice, it was clear that she was talking about her own experiences.

"I hate him!" Maria wailed. "I hope he's dead!"

"But why?" asked Katarina. "Why do you hate him so much?"

Holding onto her horse's reins with one hand, Maria scraped her other hand over her eyes, wiping away tears before they could fall.

"He hit my mother. He hit me too. And then he abandoned us," she whispered. "He left us to face the scorn and humiliation that he could not."

"And… what do you suppose happened to him?" asked Katarina, unable to restrain her curiosity.

"I'm sure he's dead," said Maria, a little more calmly. "If he were still alive, why would he leave us with his house, his lands and all his wealth? If he truly believed my mother had been unfaithful, he could have thrown us out, forced us to live like beggars while he took a new wife. He knew my mother had never cheated on him, but still he hurt her!" She paused, took a deep, steadying breath, and continued, "I suppose it's just about possible that he went to the nearest port, drank himself stupid and was press-ganged onto a ship, but I hardly think it's likely." She shook her head. "No, I'm sure he's dead. He wandered out into the night and… ah, maybe he died of exposure. Dead in a ditch somewhere. Torn limb from limb by wolves. A feast for crows. Good riddance."

They rode on in silence for a few minutes before Katarina plucked up the courage to ask, "What happened next?"

Maria's brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"You still haven't explained why your mother has so many suitors," Katarina reminded her.

"Oh, that." There was an exasperated sigh. "I did promise, didn't I? Very well." Maria paused to gather her thoughts. "After my father's disappearance, the local people came to realize how lucky they were to have a light mage who could soothe their aches and pains, turn life-threatening injuries into minor inconveniences, and ensure that their wives gave birth to healthy children. My old friends came back to me, one by one, wearing innocent smiles and swearing they hadn't wanted to make me miserable. Of course, their parents had told them to stay away from me – and to befriend me again when they realized how useful I could be – so I could never trust them again." She gave a dismissive snort. "Anyway, people began to wonder if my mother was telling the truth: was she really the bastard daughter of a high nobleman? Had he passed on his magic to her, which had remained dormant within her until she'd passed it on to her own daughter? They suspected it might be possible."

While Maria fell into gloomy silence, Katarina had time to think about what she'd said. Finally, she surmised, "And that's why some of them decided to court her."

"Yes… well, she was still a beautiful woman in her mid-twenties. Her husband was missing, presumed dead. She'd already given birth to a child with light magic, the rarest of all Valyrian magical powers. What if she married again and had another magically gifted child – or several? It wasn't certain to happen, but… if it happened, her new husband would gain great renown. He might even be invited to join the ranks of the nobility. And that made my mother a desirable prize indeed." Maria gave a small, defeated shrug. "Many men have made riskier bets. Fools, all of them."

"Would she be allowed to remarry?" asked Katarina. "If her husband was only presumed dead…?"

"That's what my mother said. When the first of her new suitors came to court her, she told him her first husband might still be alive, which meant she wasn't free to marry again. However, soon after that, she was approached by other suitors who weren't so easily dissuaded: bluff, no-nonsense farmers much like my father; crafty merchants who were used to exploiting loopholes; and even a few minor nobles who were eager to inject some magical blood into their family lines. They accepted her excuses at first, but they persisted nevertheless. In the end, they bribed or persuaded a septon to decree that she'd be free to marry again after her husband had been missing for a full seven years."

Katarina didn't think it would have been necessary to bribe a septon to make that ruling; it sounded fair and reasonable to her. But she didn't interrupt. She understood that Maria wasn't an impartial witness and was bitterly resentful of how she and her mother had been treated. So, she made a wordless noise of sympathy and continued to allow her new friend to unburden herself.

"I'm twelve years old. My father disappeared when I was seven. In another two years, my mother will be free to marry again. And so, her suitors continue to pay court to her, each of them convinced that eventually she will fall in love with them and consent to marry them."

"All of them?!" Katarina exclaimed. "She won't be allowed to marry more than one of them, will she? That seems… unfair." In the privacy of her own mind, she thought to herself, dreamily, 'Even if it would solve a lot of problems.'

Maria shot an irritated glance at her. "I meant that each man thinks she will fall in love with him and agree to marry him and only him. Not that she will be able to marry all of them, even if she wanted to."

Flushed with embarrassment, Katarina looked away. "Oh."

"Anyway, that's the end of my story. Up until now, I mean," said Maria. "The rest has yet to be written."

"Thank you for telling me. I know that can't have been easy for you," said Katarina.

Maria glared at her as if she thought she was being mocked, but after a moment her expression softened. "Thank you for listening."

Quickening their pace, they rode on at a canter, too fast to carry on their awkward conversation, until they came across a man traveling in the opposite direction. From a distance, he waved a hand in the air and hailed them.

Katarina decided she might as well slow down and find out what he wanted. Maria did likewise. The horses could only canter for so long before they exhausted themselves, after all.

The man rode up to them. He was small and wiry, with thinning brown hair and sharp features. Katarina was surprised to realize that she recognised him.

He opened his mouth to speak. "Is this the road to–?"

"Tom of Sevenstreams?!" Katarina cried out in astonishment.

"Ah, my reputation precedes me," he replied, smiling broadly. "I beg your pardon, but…" His voice trailed off as he peered more closely at the two of them. After a moment, he gasped. "Lady Katarina Claes?!"

"Yes, it's me," she said, seeing no point in dissembling.

"But… but… what are you doing here?" he asked, looking baffled. "Why are you dressed up like a scarecrow?"

"Sienna is very ill, so… I came here looking for a light mage. This is her," said Katarina, indicating Maria. She ignored his comment about her appearance; her fur coat wasn't that bad, was it?

"Yes, I've heard rumors of a light mage living in these parts," said Tom. "But how did you know that? How did you get here? And why have you come alone?"

"I had a dream. It led me to her."

Tom raised an eyebrow, looking skeptical. "A dream?"

"I know it sounds silly, but it was the only hope I had left," Katarina said defensively. "I believe the dream was sent to me by the Old Gods."

"Right. I suppose this is where I back away slowly and pretend you didn't say that," said Tom, with a nervous chuckle. "Do your parents know where you are, young lady?"

"I was with Anne and two guards, but we were attacked by bandits. I escaped, but my guards were killed. And Anne…" Katarina closed her eyes and tried not to think about what might have happened to her dear, faithful maid. "I don't know what happened to her. I hope she's safe."

"I don't believe your parents would have allowed you to come this far with only two guards. Did you tell them anything about what you were planning to do?"

"Well… no."

Tom shook his head. "Never mind that. It's my duty to escort you home. There, no doubt, you'll get the scolding of a lifetime. But at least you'll be safe and alive."

"And Sienna will be saved," said Katarina, who couldn't bring herself to care about her possible future punishment while her best friend was so close to death.

"I hope so. Now, where were you planning to go from here?"

"Through the mountains," said Katarina. "Along the high road and through the Bloody Gate."

"Very dangerous," said Tom with a grimace. "I went that way once before and was robbed by mountain clansmen. They took everything I had other than my smallclothes and my old, battered harp." He made a show of looking Katarina and Maria up and down, smirking unpleasantly. "They would do much worse to the two of you. Beware."

"I've traveled through the mountains once before," said Katarina. "Only yesterday, in fact. When the mountain clansmen tried to bother me, I brought an avalanche down on their heads."

Maria looked aghast at that. "Really?"

"Yes," said Katarina. "That's precisely what happened."

"You were lucky. That doesn't mean you'll be lucky next time," said Tom.

Katarina nodded, conceding the point. "Well… what would you suggest? Do you know an alternative route?"

"Ah…" Tom hesitated. "How long did it take you to get here?"

"I set off from my family home yesterday. I got here last night."

"Hmm. If we had more time, I'd suggest going east to Old Anchor or Gulltown. From there, we could buy passage aboard a ship that would take us to Duskendale. After that, we could ride the rest of the way in a few hours."

"How long would that take? Two or three days?" asked Katarina, with ice and steel in her voice. "Or more than that, if there's bad weather or we can't get a ship to take us where we need to go?"

"I'm not sure how long it would take," Tom admitted.

"Sienna will die soon. She may be dead already. I don't want to waste any more time," said Katarina. "I'd prefer to travel back the way I came. At least I know it'll take me less than a day."

"Assuming your luck holds out."

"It has so far," said Katarina. "Now, will you help me or not?"

Tom turned to Maria and asked, "What do you think? Are you willing to risk the perils of this journey?"

"I… um, I want to help Lady Katarina," said Maria, who was quivering like a leaf barely clinging to its branch. "That's why I agreed to… all of this."

"Some would say she's deceived you, tricked you into thinking you'd be safe, only to lead you into dreadful danger," said Tom. "What do you say to that?"

"S-she didn't trick me. I've always known the mountains are dangerous, but still I agreed to come this way." Maria made a visible effort to pull herself together. "I would be a poor friend if I abandoned her now."

"Oh, you're friends, are you?" Tom raised a skeptical eyebrow. "What a deep and abiding friendship you must have forged since you met each other yesterday!"

Maria looked away, embarrassed. "Nevertheless, I've made my choice," she said, in a voice so soft it could scarcely be heard.

"And you've left me with none." Tom heaved a sigh of disgust. "Of course I must go with you. I don't know how much help I'll be, but it would be irresponsible of me to let you go off by yourselves. I hoped I'd never have to go through the Bloody Gate ever again, but… I suppose none of us get what we want."

"Thank you, Tom," said Katarina, smiling warmly at him.

"Let's just get going," he replied.

Maria took a moment to rejuvenate their horses before they set off again. While she was doing that, it occurred to Katarina to ask, "Tom, why are you here? You can't have come looking for me, so…"

"Your father sent me to find a light mage, for Sienna's sake. I've been searching for years, but you managed to find one almost as soon as you started looking." He chuckled wryly at that. "No doubt the gods are laughing at us right now."

"Perhaps," Katarina murmured.

Thinking through the implications of what Tom had just said, she realized that if she'd been cautious – if she hadn't followed the path the Old Gods had shown her in her dreams – Tom would have arrived in Maria's home village later that day. Of course, he would have been hard-pressed to convince her to go with him; he was a roguish, disreputable-looking fellow who would have found it difficult to prove he wasn't a smooth-talking swindler with malevolent intentions. But even if he'd managed it, he wouldn't have seen any reason to hurry back to the Claes Manor. He would have gone east, to Old Anchor or Gulltown, and bought passage aboard a ship that would carry him and Maria to Duskendale. From there, they would have gone the rest of the way by road. All in all, it would have taken several days. And Sienna would have been long dead before they reached their destination.

"Oh, how cruel!" she cried, tears pricking at her eyes. "How ironic!"

"What are you talking about?" asked Tom.

She tried to explain, but his frown only deepened.

Finally, shaking his head, he said, "If that had happened, it would've been an unfortunate coincidence, but it wouldn't have been ironic. Irony is the opposite of what you might expect. I'm sure you'd be devastated if your luckless friend died before a light mage could heal her, but it wouldn't be a surprise. On the other hand, since you've gone to so much effort and traveled so many miles to find a cure for what ails her, it would be ironic if you returned home to find her brimming with health and running around as if nothing had happened."

"Oh," said Katarina, blinking in bewilderment.

"That's all very well," said Maria. "But we really need to get going."

"Mind you, there are different types of irony," said Tom, warming to his subject, even as they urged their horses onwards. As they rode past the fields, over the foothills and towards the high road, he started to tell them all about situational irony, dramatic irony and verbal irony, but they soon sped up to a pace that made further conversation impossible.


Author's Notes:
I'm sure you've noticed that the Maria Campbell who appears in this fic is quite different from the HameFura canon character. There are a number of reasons for this.

Firstly, I wanted to show how, in a darker setting, she might have been traumatized by the tragic events in her backstory. Whereas canon Maria is a sweet, innocent young girl, this AU version of Maria is bitter and distrustful, unable to forgive the people of her home village for how they've treated her and her mother.

Secondly, I've always thought it was odd that the other villagers treated Maria and her mother so badly. Didn't they realize how useful Maria could be to them? I mean, farming is a dangerous job. And I'm sure people living in a pre-industrial society without the benefits of modern medicine would be glad of someone who could heal them, their children, and their animals of any illnesses they might be suffering from. So, in this fic, although they started off treating Maria and her mother the same as in HameFura canon, they soon realized that this was a mistake and started sucking up to them instead. Which, of course, made Maria distrust them even more.

Thirdly, I was inspired by a conversation I had with [b]mariagonerlj[/b] (on AO3), a few years ago, while I was still writing The First Love of a Lowborn Light Mage. She mentioned that Maria and Jeord look very much alike, almost like they could be brother and sister, and playfully suggested that as the basis for a fanfic. Well, that's not exactly what I've done in this fic, but… eh, close enough.

Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for reading.