Hello all. Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I had a minor case of writer's block, but it cleared up pretty quick.
I want to make one thing clear before I go into this chapter. I do not believe in Circle pairings. I don't think Briar would fall in love with someone who was like a sister to him, nor do I think that any of the girls would fall in love with Briar. Nen will not fall in love with Briar either.
I am a total sucker for sappy romances, but I can't write them without puking, so I don't try.
By the way, if anyone is writing a Circle fic, tell me, cuz I can't find any good ones to read. :(
***
Chapter 5: The Almighty Sunseer
***
*Silence is a wonderful thing,* thought Nen as she strolled along the winding roads of Winding Circle.
She had awoken that morning to the insistent screams of Tris's starling Shriek. The bird's piercing sopranos had set off Little Bear, which in turn had set off Rosethorn. Nen had barely escaped with her life.
Her stomach grumbled and she regretted not thinking to take a piece of bread with her on her walk. She sighed and continued walking.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even know where she was going until she was stopped by the immense wooden bulk of the door leading to the entrance to the Hub. She stepped back, shaking her dazed head and waited for the lights playing across her vision to fade.
She looked thoughtfully at the door for a minute, then marched over to it and pulled it open with a mighty tug before she could change her mind. Once she was inside, she felt the tingle and electricity of a live spell tickle the back of her neck, and she smiled.
She looked up the endless flights of stairs that went up the Hub and sighed. *At least I'm in pretty good phyisical condition,* she thought.
But even with her considerable endurance, by the time she had reached her destination, she was breathing hard and clutching a stich in her side. Once she had regained control of her breathing, she started toward the door to the Seeing room.
A strange rushing filled her ears, like a waterfall thundering over a ledge, and her skin prickled in excitement. Her breathing became faster and her heart pounded somewhere near her throat. She grasped the handle of the door and turned it slowly, cautiously.
The door creaked open, inch by inch. Nen looked through the crack with one eye, and when she saw that no one was in the room, she opened the door all the way and slipped inside, shutting it silently behind her. She wasn't sure why she was sneaking in, but she felt a tinge of embarrassment that she was showing an interest in something so strange. After all, who was she to walk into a room where powerful mages worked and studied and performed great magical workings?
She stood in the middle of the room and looked around her, not sure where to begin. There were so many things to look at and examine. Everything sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the windows and, once again, Nen felt like she belonged.
One thing sparkled brighter than the others. Nen wandered over to it curiously, watching it, as if she expected it to move or do something strange. When she had gotten closer, she saw that it was a shallow silver bowl filled with crystal clear water. She leaned over it, trying to find out why it was so shiny. Light seemed to stream out of it like the water itself was light. Her nose was an inch away from the surface of the water when it started to swirl around like a silver cloud and a scene appeared in it. She squinted, trying to make out what it was.
As the figures sharpened, her eyes widened and she jerked away from the bowl, falling backwards onto the floor. A noise behind her made her whirl around onto her stomach, prepared to spring up and run like anything.
A short, balding man with whispy gray hair was bent over double, laughing so hard Nen thought he might have a heart attack. His round, merry face was red like a cherry, and his eyes were streaming.
"What's so funny?" Nen demanded.
The man straightened a little, wiping his eyes. "*chuckle* I'm sorry, *snort* I've never seen anyone have that reaction...*huge guffaw*"
"What reaction?" Nen asked crossly.
The man looked at her with twinkling eyes, still a little red from laughing. "Well, you see, whenever someone looks into that particular bowl, they don't usually fall over."
Nen still didn't see what was so funny. "You are easily amused," she informed him.
The man sobered up a little. "Maybe so. They tell me I'm crazy." He grinned at her maniacally.
"Are you crazy?"
"Of course."
Nen got up off the floor. "So am I. I'm Nen."
He shook her hand. "I'm Dedicate Sunseer. You like shiny things?" he asked, sweeping his arm around at the many devices.
Nen blushed. "I was just looking. I didn't touch anything." She looked at him warily, wondering when he was going to start yelling.
"What's the fun in that? These things are absolutely begging to be touched!"
Nen widened her eyes in surprise. "I'm beginning to believe you are crazy." She gave him an assessing look. "How old are you? You're not like any adults I know."
"Well, you're not like any young girls I know. How do you like that?"
Nen shrugged and scuffed a foot on the wood floor. She didn't know what to make of this Dedicate Sunseer. He defied all sense of what Nen thought adults should be. He was sporadic and easy-going. Even Lark wasn't quite like him.
Finally, Nen thought of something to say to him. "Why's that bowl all lit up?"
Dedicate Sunseer beamed at her. "Ah, at last, someone who is interested in the Seer's Light. Or, someone who can at least identify it for what it is. Judging from your reaction, you Saw something." He looked curious. "Mind telling me?"
"Yeah, I mind."
"Touchy, touchy. I'll loosen you up sooner or later."
"Nope. No one ever does. I don't see why you have any chance."
"A challenge! I do enjoy a good challenge!"
"Whatever you say. So, what does the Seer's Light do?"
Dedicate Sunseer went into lecture mode. "The Seer's Light was created almost a hundred years ago by a very famous Seer named Eevan Lightbringer. He managed to find a way to liquify the light of the full moon. Light has always produced the clearest pictures for Seers. That's why so many young academic mages can make pictures in fire. Moonlight is the purest light there is, and Eevan thought that if he used the purest light, he would get the purest vision. And he did. No one has since found out how to replicate the Seer's Light, but it's here to study." He looked at her closely. "Not many people can See things in it."
"Yeah, well, I See things whether I like it or not."
Comprehension dawned on the dedicate's face. "You're that girl Moonstream was all excited about."
"Was she? I don't see why." Nen was starting to get annoyed. She hated people talking about her.
Nen's stomach grumbled audibly. Sunseer chuckled. "Why don't you come back here tomorrow? I can answer more of your questions then. Why don't you go see Dedicate Gorse? He'll be happy to give you something."
Nen nodded. *I should probably be getting back anyway. Lark will want to know I'm alright.*
"Okay, I'll come back tomorrow. What time?"
"Ummmm, let's say, four hours after dawn. Is that alright?"
Nen nodded. She should be finished with chores by then.
Sunseer grinned energetically. "Great! See you then!"
"Yeah, see you." Nen waved weakly. "Wish I was that optimistic about life," she added under her breath.
***
When Nen got back to the cottage, Lark was there waiting for her. The dedicate smiled and asked, "Have a nice walk? I know this morning was hectic. I don't blame you for getting out."
Nen smiled shyly back at her. "Yeah. I met Dedicate Sunseer." She hesitated. "Is he always like that?"
Lark chuckled. "Yes, always. He exasperates the other Seers."
"He's a Seer?"
Lark nodded. "Mmhmm. One of the best. He went to school with Niko."
"Oh. He wanted me to come back tomorrow. Is that okay?"
"Of course. What time did he say?"
"Four hours after dawn. I thought I would be able to finish my chores by then."
Lark looked thoughtful. "Yes, I think so. Would you like anything to eat? I noticed you left without breakfast."
"No, thank you. I visited Dedicate Gorse." She yawned. "I think I'll go up to my room. All that walking's made me tired."
"Go right ahead."
Nen trudged up the stairs to her room and collapsed on the bed. *I wonder if all Seers are crazy. Maybe I'm a Seer." Nen sat up. That thought had never occurred to her before. *No, I couldn't be. Only important people have magic.*
But, try as she might, she couldn't help but hope.
***
You all have probably guessed that Sunseer will be Nen's teacher. I'm not sure if I should keep his name or change it. If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me.
I have to go to bed now. *enormous yawn* My mom's waking me up early tomorrow. Please review, as always.
-littlehorse :)
I want to make one thing clear before I go into this chapter. I do not believe in Circle pairings. I don't think Briar would fall in love with someone who was like a sister to him, nor do I think that any of the girls would fall in love with Briar. Nen will not fall in love with Briar either.
I am a total sucker for sappy romances, but I can't write them without puking, so I don't try.
By the way, if anyone is writing a Circle fic, tell me, cuz I can't find any good ones to read. :(
***
Chapter 5: The Almighty Sunseer
***
*Silence is a wonderful thing,* thought Nen as she strolled along the winding roads of Winding Circle.
She had awoken that morning to the insistent screams of Tris's starling Shriek. The bird's piercing sopranos had set off Little Bear, which in turn had set off Rosethorn. Nen had barely escaped with her life.
Her stomach grumbled and she regretted not thinking to take a piece of bread with her on her walk. She sighed and continued walking.
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't even know where she was going until she was stopped by the immense wooden bulk of the door leading to the entrance to the Hub. She stepped back, shaking her dazed head and waited for the lights playing across her vision to fade.
She looked thoughtfully at the door for a minute, then marched over to it and pulled it open with a mighty tug before she could change her mind. Once she was inside, she felt the tingle and electricity of a live spell tickle the back of her neck, and she smiled.
She looked up the endless flights of stairs that went up the Hub and sighed. *At least I'm in pretty good phyisical condition,* she thought.
But even with her considerable endurance, by the time she had reached her destination, she was breathing hard and clutching a stich in her side. Once she had regained control of her breathing, she started toward the door to the Seeing room.
A strange rushing filled her ears, like a waterfall thundering over a ledge, and her skin prickled in excitement. Her breathing became faster and her heart pounded somewhere near her throat. She grasped the handle of the door and turned it slowly, cautiously.
The door creaked open, inch by inch. Nen looked through the crack with one eye, and when she saw that no one was in the room, she opened the door all the way and slipped inside, shutting it silently behind her. She wasn't sure why she was sneaking in, but she felt a tinge of embarrassment that she was showing an interest in something so strange. After all, who was she to walk into a room where powerful mages worked and studied and performed great magical workings?
She stood in the middle of the room and looked around her, not sure where to begin. There were so many things to look at and examine. Everything sparkled in the sunlight streaming through the windows and, once again, Nen felt like she belonged.
One thing sparkled brighter than the others. Nen wandered over to it curiously, watching it, as if she expected it to move or do something strange. When she had gotten closer, she saw that it was a shallow silver bowl filled with crystal clear water. She leaned over it, trying to find out why it was so shiny. Light seemed to stream out of it like the water itself was light. Her nose was an inch away from the surface of the water when it started to swirl around like a silver cloud and a scene appeared in it. She squinted, trying to make out what it was.
As the figures sharpened, her eyes widened and she jerked away from the bowl, falling backwards onto the floor. A noise behind her made her whirl around onto her stomach, prepared to spring up and run like anything.
A short, balding man with whispy gray hair was bent over double, laughing so hard Nen thought he might have a heart attack. His round, merry face was red like a cherry, and his eyes were streaming.
"What's so funny?" Nen demanded.
The man straightened a little, wiping his eyes. "*chuckle* I'm sorry, *snort* I've never seen anyone have that reaction...*huge guffaw*"
"What reaction?" Nen asked crossly.
The man looked at her with twinkling eyes, still a little red from laughing. "Well, you see, whenever someone looks into that particular bowl, they don't usually fall over."
Nen still didn't see what was so funny. "You are easily amused," she informed him.
The man sobered up a little. "Maybe so. They tell me I'm crazy." He grinned at her maniacally.
"Are you crazy?"
"Of course."
Nen got up off the floor. "So am I. I'm Nen."
He shook her hand. "I'm Dedicate Sunseer. You like shiny things?" he asked, sweeping his arm around at the many devices.
Nen blushed. "I was just looking. I didn't touch anything." She looked at him warily, wondering when he was going to start yelling.
"What's the fun in that? These things are absolutely begging to be touched!"
Nen widened her eyes in surprise. "I'm beginning to believe you are crazy." She gave him an assessing look. "How old are you? You're not like any adults I know."
"Well, you're not like any young girls I know. How do you like that?"
Nen shrugged and scuffed a foot on the wood floor. She didn't know what to make of this Dedicate Sunseer. He defied all sense of what Nen thought adults should be. He was sporadic and easy-going. Even Lark wasn't quite like him.
Finally, Nen thought of something to say to him. "Why's that bowl all lit up?"
Dedicate Sunseer beamed at her. "Ah, at last, someone who is interested in the Seer's Light. Or, someone who can at least identify it for what it is. Judging from your reaction, you Saw something." He looked curious. "Mind telling me?"
"Yeah, I mind."
"Touchy, touchy. I'll loosen you up sooner or later."
"Nope. No one ever does. I don't see why you have any chance."
"A challenge! I do enjoy a good challenge!"
"Whatever you say. So, what does the Seer's Light do?"
Dedicate Sunseer went into lecture mode. "The Seer's Light was created almost a hundred years ago by a very famous Seer named Eevan Lightbringer. He managed to find a way to liquify the light of the full moon. Light has always produced the clearest pictures for Seers. That's why so many young academic mages can make pictures in fire. Moonlight is the purest light there is, and Eevan thought that if he used the purest light, he would get the purest vision. And he did. No one has since found out how to replicate the Seer's Light, but it's here to study." He looked at her closely. "Not many people can See things in it."
"Yeah, well, I See things whether I like it or not."
Comprehension dawned on the dedicate's face. "You're that girl Moonstream was all excited about."
"Was she? I don't see why." Nen was starting to get annoyed. She hated people talking about her.
Nen's stomach grumbled audibly. Sunseer chuckled. "Why don't you come back here tomorrow? I can answer more of your questions then. Why don't you go see Dedicate Gorse? He'll be happy to give you something."
Nen nodded. *I should probably be getting back anyway. Lark will want to know I'm alright.*
"Okay, I'll come back tomorrow. What time?"
"Ummmm, let's say, four hours after dawn. Is that alright?"
Nen nodded. She should be finished with chores by then.
Sunseer grinned energetically. "Great! See you then!"
"Yeah, see you." Nen waved weakly. "Wish I was that optimistic about life," she added under her breath.
***
When Nen got back to the cottage, Lark was there waiting for her. The dedicate smiled and asked, "Have a nice walk? I know this morning was hectic. I don't blame you for getting out."
Nen smiled shyly back at her. "Yeah. I met Dedicate Sunseer." She hesitated. "Is he always like that?"
Lark chuckled. "Yes, always. He exasperates the other Seers."
"He's a Seer?"
Lark nodded. "Mmhmm. One of the best. He went to school with Niko."
"Oh. He wanted me to come back tomorrow. Is that okay?"
"Of course. What time did he say?"
"Four hours after dawn. I thought I would be able to finish my chores by then."
Lark looked thoughtful. "Yes, I think so. Would you like anything to eat? I noticed you left without breakfast."
"No, thank you. I visited Dedicate Gorse." She yawned. "I think I'll go up to my room. All that walking's made me tired."
"Go right ahead."
Nen trudged up the stairs to her room and collapsed on the bed. *I wonder if all Seers are crazy. Maybe I'm a Seer." Nen sat up. That thought had never occurred to her before. *No, I couldn't be. Only important people have magic.*
But, try as she might, she couldn't help but hope.
***
You all have probably guessed that Sunseer will be Nen's teacher. I'm not sure if I should keep his name or change it. If anyone has any suggestions, please tell me.
I have to go to bed now. *enormous yawn* My mom's waking me up early tomorrow. Please review, as always.
-littlehorse :)
