Tai, wearing her favorite northern-style gown, waited nervously for the
delegates to arrive. She didn't look forward to seeing them. Six
years…should she act like she didn't know them? Yes, perhaps that would be
best. They still might know her…but no. She had changed so much, she
wasn't recognizable.
Why? Why did they desert me? Why?
The stomping of horses and the arrival of a chariot brought her back to her senses. She stood tall, and waited for them to step out.
First came a woman with sunstreaked brown hair and blue eyes. Sandry…Gods, it's been so long…Next was a Trader, obviously, with black skin, blacker hair, and even darker eyes. Daja…Two older women, one with brown hair and the other with black. Tai felt tears welling up in her eyes. Rosethorn…Lark…Gods, this is too horrible! A lull—two people, both younger, that she didn't know. A boy and a girl—one looked like a Summersea native, the other from Yanjing. Then another older man, tall and willowy—the tears returned. Crane. Then a big, burly black man—Frostpine. Tai knew exactly who was left, and she was not looking forward to it. Please, no, not…The last person came out. Though he had changed a lot, she still knew him. Almond-shaped, jade green eyes, dark hair, and strong muscles. Must've been that weeding, Briar… Tai thought numbly.
"Hello, I am Lady Sandriline fa Toren, Heiress of Emelan. These are—"
"I believe I know who they are—except the youngest there." Tai pointed at the two unfamiliar ones. Sandry smiled.
"Pasco and Evvy—they're our students. Pasco's mine, he has dance magic. Evvy's Briar's, and she has stone magic." Sandry replied. Tai nodded.
"I was sent here to be your guide. I am Taime Théa, teacher of Her Royal Highness, Queen Aricia Lalia Sanua of Tharios. Let me show you to your rooms." Tai turned quickly, and walked away. The stamping of feet told her that there were people following her. Good. That was good. They didn't recognize her. Even better.
Evvy ran to catch up with Tai.
"Are you a mage?" She asked. Tai nodded.
"What kind?"
"Ambient."
"Really? What kind?"
"Weather mage." Tai mumbled this time, on purpose. Redheaded, gray-eyed, twenty-year-old weather mage…the coincidence just might be noticeable. As long as Briar hadn't told Evvy…Gods, don't let them know—they'll think I'm a fool! At least they can't still read my thoughts, since I pulled my magic out of the Circle long ago… But Tai couldn't be sure she did. She was used to no one being there when she searched for magic other than her own in her. She had grown unaccustomed to having alien (or, perhaps, not- so-alien, just other than her own) magic in her.
Evvy blinked.
"Weather mage? You're a gray-eyed, redheaded, twenty-year-old weather mage?" Evvy stated. Crane overheard.
"You're twenty years old? And a weather mage?" Tai looked at Crane, a feigned curious expression on her face.
"Yes—why?" Innocence…this look is innocent, right? Right…yep, of course…
"Well, one of the people we're looking for, Trisana Chandler, is a redheaded, gray-eyed, twenty-year-old weather mage." Crane looked Tai in the eye. "Have you ever met Trisana Chandler?" That was an easy one.
"No…was she nice?" She hadn't met herself—technically, it's impossible. Crane sighed.
"Yes. She was the best scribe—or student—I have ever had." Tai had to keep herself from staring. Did…did I just hear that?
"Yes, we all miss Tris. Let's get on with it. Where are we staying? Are we far from you?" That was Rosethorn.
"You're pavilion is right next to mine. Does that answer them both?" Tai replied. Rosethorn nodded. Then, with a small smile…
"Is there a well anywhere? And rope? Empty threats don't inspire work." Tai hid a smile. Nodding, she replied,
"Yes, there is. There should be one right in the middle of your pavilion." Uh-oh. Rosethorn smiling evilly.
"Good."
Not good.
Very, very not good.
Why? Why did they desert me? Why?
The stomping of horses and the arrival of a chariot brought her back to her senses. She stood tall, and waited for them to step out.
First came a woman with sunstreaked brown hair and blue eyes. Sandry…Gods, it's been so long…Next was a Trader, obviously, with black skin, blacker hair, and even darker eyes. Daja…Two older women, one with brown hair and the other with black. Tai felt tears welling up in her eyes. Rosethorn…Lark…Gods, this is too horrible! A lull—two people, both younger, that she didn't know. A boy and a girl—one looked like a Summersea native, the other from Yanjing. Then another older man, tall and willowy—the tears returned. Crane. Then a big, burly black man—Frostpine. Tai knew exactly who was left, and she was not looking forward to it. Please, no, not…The last person came out. Though he had changed a lot, she still knew him. Almond-shaped, jade green eyes, dark hair, and strong muscles. Must've been that weeding, Briar… Tai thought numbly.
"Hello, I am Lady Sandriline fa Toren, Heiress of Emelan. These are—"
"I believe I know who they are—except the youngest there." Tai pointed at the two unfamiliar ones. Sandry smiled.
"Pasco and Evvy—they're our students. Pasco's mine, he has dance magic. Evvy's Briar's, and she has stone magic." Sandry replied. Tai nodded.
"I was sent here to be your guide. I am Taime Théa, teacher of Her Royal Highness, Queen Aricia Lalia Sanua of Tharios. Let me show you to your rooms." Tai turned quickly, and walked away. The stamping of feet told her that there were people following her. Good. That was good. They didn't recognize her. Even better.
Evvy ran to catch up with Tai.
"Are you a mage?" She asked. Tai nodded.
"What kind?"
"Ambient."
"Really? What kind?"
"Weather mage." Tai mumbled this time, on purpose. Redheaded, gray-eyed, twenty-year-old weather mage…the coincidence just might be noticeable. As long as Briar hadn't told Evvy…Gods, don't let them know—they'll think I'm a fool! At least they can't still read my thoughts, since I pulled my magic out of the Circle long ago… But Tai couldn't be sure she did. She was used to no one being there when she searched for magic other than her own in her. She had grown unaccustomed to having alien (or, perhaps, not- so-alien, just other than her own) magic in her.
Evvy blinked.
"Weather mage? You're a gray-eyed, redheaded, twenty-year-old weather mage?" Evvy stated. Crane overheard.
"You're twenty years old? And a weather mage?" Tai looked at Crane, a feigned curious expression on her face.
"Yes—why?" Innocence…this look is innocent, right? Right…yep, of course…
"Well, one of the people we're looking for, Trisana Chandler, is a redheaded, gray-eyed, twenty-year-old weather mage." Crane looked Tai in the eye. "Have you ever met Trisana Chandler?" That was an easy one.
"No…was she nice?" She hadn't met herself—technically, it's impossible. Crane sighed.
"Yes. She was the best scribe—or student—I have ever had." Tai had to keep herself from staring. Did…did I just hear that?
"Yes, we all miss Tris. Let's get on with it. Where are we staying? Are we far from you?" That was Rosethorn.
"You're pavilion is right next to mine. Does that answer them both?" Tai replied. Rosethorn nodded. Then, with a small smile…
"Is there a well anywhere? And rope? Empty threats don't inspire work." Tai hid a smile. Nodding, she replied,
"Yes, there is. There should be one right in the middle of your pavilion." Uh-oh. Rosethorn smiling evilly.
"Good."
Not good.
Very, very not good.