Hello. I will not say that I am new at this due to certain reviews, and by the third chapter, I guess I no longer am. Thank you to all of you who reviewed: (read the note at the end)

      Haloooooo: Hey Liney, I'm so glad that you enjoyed my story.  I'm sorry to hear about the coke. 

      Wilmage101: Hi, I don't believe that the other reviewers are half as crazy as you, J.K.

      Fifi: I used to have a vocabulary but my science teacher took it away… long story, don't ask.

      Goddessofthesky: yes I know there's not much dialogue that was a sore point when it was written.  Some will come later…

      Enyalover: Oh so sad, I'm Irish. Here is chapter 3…so be happy,

      LaLaLoVer666: I have a friend that wants blue hair, would you recommend it?? Sorry you can't get an account.

         Sorry if I've forgotten anyone. Read the note at the end for more info.  Now…without further ado, the chapter…

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                                 A New Home and 'Comtacts'

         Amanda and Numair rode for about a day, until they reached a small tower, on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the shining sea. On the way, they had stopped at several market places to buy suitable clothes for Amanda; as they both agreed that her current out fit did not exactly fit in. She now wore breeches and a loose shirt of cotton. Numair had also stopped at the university library, to pick up several ancient books on weather magic for their lessons.

         Once they had reached the tower, Numair gathered up their things, and went to explore their new home. Amanda went to the edge of the coast, letting the cool, briny sea air flow through her hair. She then followed Numair inside to find out what their home was to be like. The tower consisted of three levels; on the first floor were a small library, and the kitchen. The second had a fireplace, a dresser, and a bed, this room, they decided, would be Numair's. The third room was at the top of the tower, and was to be Amanda's room since any storm that came through would practically be in her bedroom. The privy was outside, near the vast forest bordering their home. Once they had finished unpacking their things, they met on the beach for Amanda's first lesson.

         First Numair taught Amanda how to meditate, which she managed fairly easily. Then he turned to her, looking serious.

         " Amanda, since your magic is linked to the weather, I believe you can sense when a storm is approaching, call the winds, or change the tides. Imagine the possibilities," he breathed. "To call rain to a parched land, or change the tide of a war. However, if you cannot learn to control your power, the results could be disastrous. So you must meditate every day, and until I say so, you must not use your magic alone. Do you understand me?"

         "Of course," added Amanda hastily; knowing she would not like to be in the way of his temper. He smiled one-sidedly, and proceeded to teach her to call a cloud from far away, then gave her a book to read up on the tides. She adored these lessons, which continued for several weeks. Occasionally, she caught Numair eying her closely, an almost boyish grin spread across his face, but quickly turned when he saw her looking at him, and she thought no more of it.

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         It was about a week after Amanda had come to Tortall, and she and Numair were sitting on the beach, practicing meditation, it was morning, and he was teaching her to feel the rhythm of the tides.

         "Now," came his voice from beyond her closed eyes "Feel the waves coming in, don't hear them, feel them come in, and breathe with the waves. Become part of them…" his voice drifted away as Amanda's attention became immersed in the water. She had never before realized how amazing the waves were, how they were dragged in and out, endlessly, since the beginning of time. She could almost hear their whispers…

         Without even realizing it, for she had been so intent on the waves, on becoming like the water, Amanda had stopped breathing, and her skin was as cool to the touch as the sand. Numair had not realized this, for he too, was meditating, watching his students power surround the water, but when he opened one eye to look at Amanda, he knew what was wrong at once.

         "Amanda! " he shouted, trying to snap her out of her reverie, but she did not move, and he began to shake her, desperate to wake her up, "Amanda! Wake up!" he remembered something, and fumbled in his robes, drawing out a vial of Wakeflower. He held it to her nose, and she choked, and began to cough. Numair breathed a sigh of relief, and put it quickly away, trying not to show his student how worried he had been.

         Amanda noticed that Numair was as white as a sheet as he looked at her. A thought struck her; did he care about her, more then his duty as a teacher? In all of her dreams about Numair, she had never imagined him liking her back. She brushed this thought aside as he said in a rather choked voice,

         "Are you all right?" when she nodded, he said, "Don't do that again, you weren't breathing. If you get too deeply into meditation, you loose yourself in the spell, and become like whatever you are trying to explore." but Amanda was not really listening, she had cursed, and was holding one hand to her left eye, while using the other to frantically feel through the sand. "Um… what are you doing?" he asked, as though concerned for her sanity.

         "I've lost a contact," she said distractedly, "when I jumped like that, one fell out."

         "What is a…comtact?" he asked with interest.

         "Oh, you don't have them here," Amanda realized, removing her hand, and looking at him through blurred vision. " I have them because I can't see without them. They're like glasses, only they fit inside your eye. The thing is though, you're supposed to wash them every night, and I don't have the stuff I need here, so my eyes have already been irritated, and now I've lost one!"

         "You have trouble seeing?" Numair asked, after she was done, looking at her closely.

         "Yes, " she said apprehensively  " Why?"

         "I can fix that."  he suddenly, now grinning, "Here, close your eyes," she obeyed,

still a bit uneasy as to what he was about to do, and he placed his fingertips on her closed eyelids. She felt very self-conscious for some reason, sitting in front of him with her eyes closed.  He muttered something, and her eyes stung for a moment, then felt perfectly normal again.

         "Ouch!"

         "Sorry," he said, sounding embarrassed "it sometimes is harder to do."

         She opened her eyes, and found to her surprise that her vision was no longer blurry, and when she removed her contact, she could see as if she still had them in her eyes. She turned to Numair with wonder, who was looking rather pleased with himself, and asked breathlessly, "What did you do?"

         "Oh, it's a simple enough spell, if you have enough power to work it. You should not need glasses again."  

         Amanda did not know what to say, the problem that had plagued her for her entire life, was gone, thanks to him. She was so happy, that without thinking, she flung her arms around him.

         "Oh, thank you so much, I never even imagined…" her voice trailed off as she realized what she was doing, and quickly released her teacher. "Sorry," she muttered, embarrassed, Numair was looking at her oddly, and when their gaze met, Amanda's stomach did a flip-flop, as a spark of electricity passed between them, then he looked away.

         "Well… we'd better go and make lunch… the sun has risen already…" he said awkwardly, getting to his feet, and stretching stiff muscles.

         "Yes." she replied, automatically, "you go ahead, I'll meet you there."

         He nodded, gave her one last look of confusion mixed with… was it excitement? Then began to climb back up to the tower. Watching his retreating back, Amanda smiled

to herself, closing her renovated eyes with a sigh.

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Yes…I know that was kinda strange…but it had comedy…you have to admit. You can probably tell that we're getting closer to  the romance (icky…but Amanda likes it so…) in fact it will be the chapter after next… for those of you who like it… hope you liked that chapter and I'll update either Friday or Saturday, depending on how many reviews I get…

-Queen of Connaught