A Stronger Circle

by 247Lyricism

After their training at Winding Circle is complete, the four children go their separate ways. However, when they return a few years later, our favorite quartet must grow into adults in the midst of blossoming romances and trouble brewing with the earth.

4. Chapter 3

As they reached the Hub, Niko spotted them, and he rushed out to greet them, beckoning to his friend with his hand. The man - Raeldro Earthkin - followed, a silent, somber shadow clothed in black. Now the four could see his robe's fabric - the black cloth - to be of very fine material, smoother and of better quality than anything made at Winding Circle.

It was probably imported from a different country! Daja thought in awe.

Raeldro stared at them all intensely, boring into them with his bright hazel eyes that settled softly into his young tan face. His longish jet-black hair, hanging loosely in a same-length cut by his ears, framed his face. His lips were soft, pinkish, unmoving. He stood no taller than Niko, but surely about as tall as Briar. His build was not too strong, but not weak and frail. He hid his hands inside his robe, tucking the hand into the sleeves of the opposite arm and folding them gracefully.

"Raeldro, may I introduce the young students?" Niko said, gesticulating with his hands. He began at Briar to the right. "Briar Moss, plant mage."

Briar's cup of tea was not formal introductions. When he met someone, he said a simple greeting, and that was it. What was he supposed to say? Surely there was some line in some unwritten book that he should repeat, but he'd certainly never heard of it.

Briar came up and bowed his head slightly. "Pleased to meet you," he muttered. Close enough.

Niko chuckled. "By all means, Raeldro is his name, and I'm sure he'll just have you speak to him as such," Niko put in. "Isn't that right, Raeldro?" The man simply nodded, not even smiling faintly.

Briar nodded back, looking eye-to-eye, hazel versus green, at Raeldro. Both looks demanded attention and respect. Briar stepped back.

Niko brought forth Daja. "Daja Kisubo, metal mage."

Eagerly the Trader stepped forth. She blinked twice and took a deep breath to calm her excitement. "Nice to meet you, Raeldro. I'm excited to work with you," she said, tipping her head kindly. The fabric of her green shirt stretched over her back as she moved, revealing taunt, strong muscles and bones. Her voice kept a level of calm and pride. Raeldro again made no noise, and bowed his
head in response.

Does he speak at all? thought Daja to the others as she resumed her place.

Perhaps he is mute, Tris pondered.

No chance of that. If he'd been mute, we'd have heard of it, Briar protested. I'm placing my bets on laryngitis myself.

"And Lady Sandreliene fa Toren, thread mage," Niko said in introduction to the young Duchess.

Sandry's heart was fluttering. Raeldro was certainly the most beautiful creature she'd ever laid eyes on to. His eyes were deep, mystical; his face was thoughtful and handsome. His hair seemed softer than his silk sash.

However, she managed her most graceful and beautiful curtsy, despite her busy heart. "The pleasure is mine, Raeldro Earthkin," she said, sweeping out her faded blue dress and falling almost to her knees in a low dip. She glanced up at him through her eyelashes, smiling in a charming manner. It was not every day one met Raeldro Earthkin. She then in a quick movement dropped her skirts and stood up.

Tris rolled her eyes in envy on Sandry's court skills.

Raeldro was unmoved by her performance. He nodded again.

"And Trisana Chandler, weather mage," Niko finished. Perhaps it was too silly of her, but Tris felt a quiet chill go up her back at that. This was really the first time she had been introduced as a mage by profession.

Surely, she had met mages at Growing Circle, but this was different. This was a very skilled, very talented mage that she was being introduced to, and now that she was certainly a skilled and talented mage herself, it was as if she were being introduced into a new world. She felt a twinge of regret for feeling cautious of Raeldro, because for the moment, he felt human to her. The feeling, however, slipped away in a moment, leaving her angry and suspicious again.

Tris stepped forward, managing a semi-decent curtsy, fanning out the woolen skirt she wore. "Pleased to meet you," she said, her voice devoid of either excitement, fear, shyness, or embarrassment. She nearly sounded unaffected. Perhaps this intrigued Raeldro, because he blinked at her. She lowered down her head, staring at the fascinating bug crawling on the ground. She looked up, but not at Raeldro, and stepped back. Niko's eyes met hers, almost asking a question.

A voice broke their eyes and drew their attention. Raeldro, for the first time in the presence of the young mages, spoke. His voice was like leaves rustling, like a cool wind. It was calm and, like Tris's, unemotional. The tone was even, light and yet deep. The sound was steady, melodious, and like music.

"Briar, Daja, Sandry, and Tris. That is what I'm told you are called," Raeldro said in his quiet voice. "I have also been told many other things about you, all of them pleasant. I have been told you are not only very talented, but that you are good-hearted people ready and willing to save our planet. I am honored to be here and work with you."

Briar was shocked. His theory had been wrong! The man did speak, and he spoke with such authority and sureness that it reminded him of a thief he once knew.

Niko cleared his throat. "Well, now, how about we head off to Discipline and have an early lunch, if it's not too much trouble? We will continue our exercises this afternoon instead, since we have much to discuss over the meal."

"Of course," Daja and Sandry volunteered simultaneously. Daja smirked at her friend, but Sandry refrained, her proper court manners shining through. Daja, seeing her friend acting like the noble she was, shrugged.

Raeldro smiled, curling up his beautiful pink lips.

"A fantastic idea, Niklaren," Raeldro said.

Ah, not "Niko"? thought Tris to the others. Raeldro obviously does not know our Niko well enough yet. We might have to urge along that process. It would be good to know each other better before we get in too deep.

Yes, Sandry agreed. I wouldn't want us to be uncomfortable with Raeldro when we must work together.

Quietly, to Daja only, Sandry thought, He has an absolutely beautiful voice.

Who does? Daja asked back.

Raeldro. His voice is beautiful, Sandry said. I like the sound of it. It's quite musical, like he's singing just through talking. He should talk more, since it's so pretty when he does. His voice sounds so husky and soft. And he demands authority when he speaks. He must be the kind of person that makes people silence just by saying one word.

You think? she asked. Her voice was teasing.

Of course! Don't you? Sandry asked, drawn back.

I wasn't really focusing on his voice too much, just on the words he was saying. Isn't that the important part? Daja chuckled.

Sandry was quiet a moment. Perhaps I am the only one who likes his voice.

Well, ask Tris. She might agree with you.

 
Well, Sandry thought, I do trust Tris and all, but I don't think she could understand me this time. She's not a person that really understands these things. Sometimes I doubt how much of human emotion she understands, although that doesn't make me think less of her. So I really don't think she could understand this.

 
Sandry, do find him attractive? Her magical voice was stunned.

Excuse me? thought Sandry. Attractive? Certainly not. I... I just like his voice. Her magical voice was firm.

Daja sounded unconvinced. Whatever you say.

---

Now that they were living at Discipline, chores had to be done.The same schedule that they'd always had applied, and it was time for Sandry and Tris to make lunch. Sandry and Tris set out the meal on the table. One plate carried a steaming loaf of bread, fresh from the fireplace, while the other contained a thick, seasoned broth with fresh vegetables. Bowls, napkins and spoons, along with a milk pitcher and glasses, were distributed, completing the meal.

 
Raeldro and Niko were seated on either end of the table as distinguished guests. Briar sat with Sandry opposite Tris and Daja. All joined hands and began in the prayer thanking the gods for the
meal.

They ended with a chorused, "Thank you." Raeldro's voice seemed to ring out over all the others.

As the soup was distributed with the bread, Niko began a quiet conversation with Raeldro. "Was the land so trashed, Raeldro?" he inquired. "You seem to have had a terrible time getting here."

"I did. The conditions were abominable," he said softly while stirring his soup and gazing into it. Daja wondered what he saw there. "Mountains felt like they might crumble under my feet. The dirt was too porous; the air was too humid. Everything seems to be such a mess." He shook his head. "Before, it did not seem to be as pertinent our daily lives. It seems that now, it gets more and more difficult to survive in such conditions."

"It always was pertinent," objected Tris.

Raeldro gave her a second glance. "Do you think so?" he asked, his voice lacking emotion.

Tris wondered if he was mad at her for challenging a world-famous mage. Or perhaps he was really interested? His eyes seemed lively; perhaps he even cared. "Yes," she said. "At least to me it was very pertinent. When there is something wrong with the weather, something abnormal, it hurts me, too. I feel so tied to it sometimes I wonder where the pain originates, from it or I. But once I realize that the pain is from the weather, all I want as I feel the agony inside it is for freedom for the breezes and tides and storms, not for my good, but for the good of my element. The pain of the weather affects me very much so."

"I must agree with her," put in Daja. "The weakness of the metals is passed to me as well. I feel their hurts. It is like a burning heat that I cannot feel from touching the metal. It is on my soul, not my skin."

"My plants feel pain when they've been drained of energy. They feel weak, and so do I," Briar put in. "It makes me sad to see them like that. All I want is to help them. I'm sure that's what you want, too."

Sandry nodded. "We trust you can heal our plants, metals, storms, and even threads. They are all parts of us, and part of all the people of this world. They affect all us in many ways, directly or indirectly. Surely you realize this. Our world is in agony. Soon, no one will know the pain of the earth, because it will be non-existent, am I correct?"

"Yes," he said musically.

There was a slight pause after Raeldro said this. "Interesting," murmured Raeldro. "Your connections are very intriguing."

Tris shook her head. His reaction made him seem inhuman, at least in her eyes. Any man who seemed more concerned with things scientifically rather than emotionally was no man at all. Raeldro seemed very, very unattached.

 
"They must be useful to you," he remarked with that same emotionless voice. "Perhaps you'd like to share?"

Sandry jumped to the chance. "Oh, yes," she said, her eyes shining. "They are useful to us, as in we can do many things with our powers. But yet, it is beneficial to our element, because we use it in a positive manner."

"True," said Briar. "When we're working with it, Niko says we're helping the earth to grow and help the earth to balance itself out. We work to help the earth achieve its goal of harmony."

Niko gave Raeldro a sideways glance as the latter's head popped up. "Achieve its goal?"

"Well, yes," Niko said, intervening. "After all, the earth's real desire is to simply live and house us. All it wants is peace. And it allows these young mages to use its power so that these children can work to achieve peace on earth. That's what really makes them important, particularly in this crisis."

Raeldro nodded to this. "Niklaren, you are a wise man, and your students are lucky to have you as their master. You are so knowledgeable that you must have made them what they are today."

"They are no longer my students," Niko said with a hint of sadness in his eyes. "They have not been my students for three years now. I have no more to teach them, in truth. They have surpassed me in knowledge, I think, even."

"Oh, that's not true, Niko," Daja said. "You always have something to teach us."

"Some things you have taught us are not magical. You have taught us a great deal about our own potential. We continue to learn that, because you have us a chance," said Tris.

"We know the meaning of family now," Briar added.

"And all sorts of other great things we can't begin to name," Sandry put in, a wide grin upon her face.

For the first time in years, a blush creeped up on Niko's cheeks. "Could you please pass me a piece of bread, Sandry?" he murmured as his face burned. Sandry did as she was commanded; the topic was dropped quickly, as to not add to the embarrassment of Niklaren Goldeye.

The meal was uneventful and involved more chewing than conversing. Raeldro complimented Sandry on the soup, which made the noble go pink with delight. Briar brought down his shakkan near the end of the feast, and Raeldro examined it and gave Briar some plant feed that would give it enough energy to live. Briar could hardly control his gratitude. All Niko could think about were plans, plans, plans. According to him, the rest of the month was planned out, moment by moment. It made Daja want to scream. Was there no such thing as free time anymore?

Raeldro insisted he see the levels of power in the mages. He took turns coming up to them each, laying a hand on his or her head, and measuring up their power.

Tris was uneasy, but she went first to get it over with. His magic was tingly, but surely, it didn't seem evil and her head didn't burst open, so she assumed that the man couldn't be that bad, could he? Raeldro's report was that her power was "astounding." He even smiled at her.

Sandry was behind Tris in line. Willingly, she went straight up to Raeldro and closed her eyes and allowed herself to be probed by Raeldro's mind. Was that his magic that felt like sparks, or was it just his touch? His evaluation was also excellent.

Daja's evaluation was the same, equally satisfaction. She noted Sandry's eagerness with a worried sort of interest.

Briar agreed to the examination lastly. It was strange to him to see this man - a man, just like him, not even much older - with so much power. He helped me with my plant, and that's what really matters, Briar thought.

Daja was in charge of clean-up, and she dragged Sandry along to help, since Sandry seemed to only be busy with staring at Raeldro's face. As they made their way to the well for water to wash the dishes with, Daja shook her head.

"Now, what is the matter, Daja?" Sandry said with a sigh. "You've been tsk-ing at me all afternoon."

"And you've been staring at Raeldro all afternoon!" Daja huffed. "I thought you just liked his voice, or at least that was what you said this morning. What do you have to say about that?"

Sandry stuck her nose in the air. "Nothing! So there!"

"Sandry, if you want to get anything done while he's here, you'd better not be staring at Raeldro the entire time. Don't you understand?"

Sandry abruptly turned to Daja. "Was it that obvious?" she asked, her voice desperate.

"Yes, it was. Perhaps even Niko noticed." They had reached their destination, so Daja bent over to crank a bucket down deep into the cavernous hole in the well.

"Niko? Oh, how dreadfully embarrassing. I must watch that sort of thing from now on, mustn't I?" Sandry said, setting down her buckets.

"There won't be a next time. And don't fret so much. I'm exaggerating. I don't think Niko noticed. The point is that you can't goggle over Raeldro. He came to work with us, not be stared at," Daja reminded her friend. The bucket below splashed into the water.

"Oh, goodness, spoil all the fun, won't you?" Sandry said laughingly. She made to sit down gracefully in the grass, but a streak of green appeared on the fabric nonetheless.

"Oh, cat dirt!" muttered Sandry as Daja chuckled.

"You're acting really... unlike yourself, I suppose, saati," Daja commented. Her face looked almost put off.

"Oh, Daja!" came the indignant protest. "I am most certainly not. What reason would you have to think that? Hmph!"

"You some much more silly. Have you lost your common sense?" Daja chided, reeling in the heavy bucket. "Shall I blame your attraction to Raeldro?"

"I told you ... I just like his voice."

"And the heavy sighing?" Daja said with a grunt as she cranked the wheel.

"Is it a crime to sigh?" Sandry responded, unable to come up with an answer.

"And I saw you flutter your eyelashes at him twice. Who knows how many times you did it when I wasn't looking!" Daja argued. "I'm not a proper lady. But I do know that fluttering your eyelashes at someone is something you do to flirt. I figured out that you find him attractive, Sandry, but I never thought you would try to flirt with him!" She grasped the bucket and yanked it up to sit on the edge of the well's stone wall.

"I most certainly am not flirting!" Sandry gasped, clearly shocked. "And I am not attracted to him. It must just be a subconscious thing."

"Well, that's good, because he surely wants no love affair while he's here. He came strictly to work, I'm sure, and I bet he won't let anything diverge him from the task ahead," Daja said reasonably. She poured the large bucket's contents into her two smaller buckets.

"You think?" Sandry said. Daja noted the hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Sandry! You are attracted to Raeldro," Daja said. "And we both know that if you argue, I'm just going to throw more evidence in your face, and I'm betting you don't want that. Anyway, it's your turn with the well, Sandry."

At last getting up from the ground where she had fallen, Sandry rose and headed over to the well, letting down the bucket slowly. "What does it matter if I'm attracted to him, anyway?"

"I don't know, but – you hardly know the man, Sandry. And he hardly knows you. To him, you're a girl who is 5 or 6 years younger than him, someone whom he's just met, and someone who is, let's face it, inferior to him in power, as we all are. I don't know if you're his... his type."

"Type? Age? Since when did you become the love expert?" Sandry chuckled.

"I'm just guessing," Daja said with a smile. "But I have some brains to back it up."

"It takes more than brains to give me love advice, Daja. Since when do you know something about love?" Sandry asked as the bucket hit the water deep inside the earth. "What gives you such intuition?" she laughed.

"Well, let's just say I learned more than how to make doors in Hajra," Daja said. Her voice was very steady.

Sandry entirely dropped the crank, letting the bucket she'd been pulling up drop with a plopping sound back into the water. She whirled on her friend, her eyes wide but a small smile gracing her face. "Daja! Why didn't you...who and what... tell me...what happened?" she stuttered.

Daja smiled and her face flushed.

"What sort of romance happened in Hajra, Daja?" asked Sandry, her bright eyes widening as she stepped closer to Daja. Daja's face flushed more. Sandry was about to throttle Daja until the truth came out, but them Daja spoke.

"Kirel and I ..."

"Kirel?" Sandry cried with a gasp.

"Would you let me finish?" Daja interrupted before Sandry could finish her dramatics. Sandry hushed.

"As I was saying," Daja continued, "the day before we left to come back here, we were loading up all of our stuff into a wagon. Frostpine ran off to fetch something he'd ordered to be made in the city - a new tool. Kirel and I were alone. We were talking ... and he kissed me."

Sandry squealed.

"Shush, now," Daja scolded. "Like I was saying, we started going over all sorts of memories together. He told me he'd always admired me...and he kissed me. Just once." Daja quickly reached out to cup a hand over Sandry's mouth, muffling the light giggle.

"So why didn't I hear about this?" Sandry said before Daja's hand was partway off her mouth.

Daja said with a shrug, "Nothing ever came of it. He never kissed me again – it would be like having affections for Briar, for someone like a brother. I wasn't going to tell anyone about such a little thing. But – well, you're Sandry. You can know, as long as you don't tell a single soul. Not even Briar and Tris can know, though I hate to hide secrets from them. Briar would tease me terribly."

"Oh!" giggled Sandry, making a zipping motion over her lips. "No talking from me!" She paused. "But how does that give you intuition to advise me?"

"My attraction to Kirel was so much due to our similarities, things we shared. But what could you and Raeldro talk about?"

"Lots of things," said Sandry, flopping on the grass and hugging her knees to her chest. The well was entirely forgotten. "Like magic."

"That's one thing, Sandry," reasoned Daja, sitting down beside her, her legs crossed.

"Well, I can't think of more right now."

"You have to have something to be able to relate to him by!" Daja said.

"Daja, are you trying to tell me something?" Sandry asked, her eyes turned to the sky. "Do you mean that I can't love him because we're too different? Because doesn't it only matter if you love him how he is and he loves you how you are? I don't have to be a great mage like Raeldro to love him!"

"No, you don't, Sandry. But let me tell you this - you have to love a person for being himself, but you have to know him to start off. I know Kirel. I lived a life with Kirel for three years – sharing meals, and working together constantly. I know him well. You don't know a thing about Raeldro, except that he has a beautiful voice. How could you love him, a stranger? How could you be there for him?"

"But I could be there for Raeldro," said Sandry.

"I don't know about that," said Daja. "After Raeldro's finished with us, he'll be traveling all around the world doing whatever he does. Are you willing to follow him across the globe?"

"Maybe," Sandry said with half a sigh.

"Sandry!" Daja cried, gripping her shoulders. "You met this man a few hours ago! Certainly you wouldn't chase him around the world for all your life."

"No," Sandry said, sitting up as Daja backed off. "I wouldn't, of course not. He's only one man of many in the world, and I couldn't give up Winding Circle for a man. This is just a silly fling after all, like the others I've had!" Sandry laughed unexpectedly.

"Good to hear it. But just remember, you have to know a man's life in order to make something out of a relationship," Daja said.

 
Sandry fell forward onto her stomach, resting her chin in one hand. "Was it nice to kiss Kirel?" she asked, looking at the Hub glistening in the sky.

"I liked it," Daja said. "But that was my moment. I can't tell you any more, because I want to keep as much of it between Kirel and I." She picked at a blade of grass.

"Why?" Sandry asked, giving her a glance sideways.

"Do I look like a gossip to you? No. I keep my privacy a bit. I wouldn't want my affairs all over the place, especially if they're affairs that are done and over with," Daja said and laid next to her in the same manner.

"You certainly have become so sensitive!" chuckled Sandry as she rolled over. "Have to be so romantic!" she squealed. Her hair fanned out around her as she gazed into the sun, her eyes not even stinging. It seemed to dance in her eyes.

"I guess it made me see things a bit differently," Daja snorted. "Goodness, I hear crickets. Is it so late already?" she asked rhetorically, stretching her arms over her head.

"I suppose so," Sandry mumbled. She gave a glance to the well and the buckets, then up to the sky again. Her eyes diverted quickly again to the buckets.

"Oh!" Sandry cried as she shot up from her place. "Dishes! We have to go wash dishes at Discipline!" she yelled, grabbing Daja's arm and pulling her up.

"Oh, gods, we're late!" Daja gasped, stumbling to her feet as she remembered their task.

Sandry laughed nervously. She began to crank up the bucket that had been floating in the waters of the well. The clicks of the wheel fired in quick succession.

Sandry tugged up the heavy bucket and poured it clumsily into her own buckets while Daja scrambled for her own. Lifting them up, she motioned with a tilted head to Sandry to hurry up. Sandry ran after Daja, spilling her water from the buckets in her hands, as they scampered towards Discipline.

They made quite a pair heading back to Discipline. There was Sandry, dressed in a nice blue grass-stained dress which fanned out as she walked. She tilted back and forth as she walked with her buckets, her body trying to balance out the weight. Daja's stride was long and more forceful, and she carried her buckets with greater ease as she towered over her friend. They were quite opposites; but Daja had been right - they had shared a life together and knew each other, and that allowed such different people to love one another.

---

It was a few days later. Niko and Raeldro, as well as Lark and Rosethorn occasionally, had been joining the young mages in their daily power-building exercises. However, the day before, Niko had given a day's break to them so that he and Raeldro could make plans about tracking the culprit of the attacks on the earth.

Now, the four were making breakfast, preparing to go to the Hub for their usual daily meeting, when there came an interruption bursting into the cottage.

"Chore day!" Lark squealed as she opened the front door to Discipline.

"What?" muttered a sleepy Tris.

"Niko gave you guys the day off again," Rosethorn offered. "He and Raeldro had some business to discuss of some sort, so you get a day to fix up Discipline."

"Why do we need to fix it up?" Sandry asked. "It's fine to me. We have all we need."

Lark sighed. "Sandry, you told me yourself 'the place desperately needs to be dusted and swept for a good while to get it really clean.' Not to mention the daily chores!"

"Plus," offered Rosethorn, "you all will have to re-thatch the roof sometime soon. You'll be staying a little while, probably through the rainy season, and I don't think any of you want the rain to leak in."

"The shutters need painting," Lark said.

"There isn't a steady amount of supplies here. You all have to run to the Hub every day to get stuff!" Rosie growled. "It's a waste of your time. Get it all at once, or you might as well not get it at all!"

"She's right," Lark commented. "Plus some of the hinges on the cabinets are slightly rusty, Daja..."

"Alright!" Briar snapped. "We get the picture! Lay off, would you?"

Rosie was about to retort when Lark stopped her. "We're all a little edgy under pressure, now."

Rosie rolled her eyes and walked past Tris, who was setting rolls onto the breakfast table. The dedicate snatched one and fed it to a hungry Little Bear at their feet.

Tris grumbled. She set down the meal and let everyone take their fill. After all, it would be a long day ahead.

---

Briar had never done so much cleaning in his life. He had previously not had any idea how much grime a house could have. His dirty rags betrayed the secret. He was weary from so much dusting and mopping before midday, and he still had to make space in the attic for new supplies. That would be an interesting task; he'd never really explored up there, but he was wondering if he'd have the chance to before the sun set and it got dark. He felt disgustingly tired as he crawled to the table as the Hub struck twelve.

Sandry, on the other hand, had never even thought that the house used so many sheets. There were quilts and there were sheets; there were towels and there were dishrags and there were mopping rags. And she had to wash all of them, even the ones that had been stored in the attic. She couldn't believe that they were going to be needing all of them. They made an overwhelming pile that wasn't halfway done by mealtime. She staggered, smelling of soap, to the kitchen.

Tris wasn't much of a painter, but Rosethorn had insisted that she take up the duty of painter for the day. The shutters really did need a good paint job, though Tris really considered that despite all her efforts, they didn't look more than average. But at least the house would look somewhat lived in on the outside. It wouldn't qualify as decent, however, until that horrible roof was re-thatched. It was falling to pieces. Though not half as tired as the Bag and the thief, she was feeling drowsy as she headed to eat.

Daja had gotten the oh-so-pleasant job of washing the morning dishes and a few rusty pots. She cleaned them up and made them look nice before doing a thorough job of fixing up the privy. Daja made extra checks to be sure the structure was sturdy and as comfortable as a latrine could be. Then, she washed up and made a nice thick broth soup for the meal and tried to be cheery as her friends dragged themselves lazily through the doorway. She grumbled, knowing her work that afternoon wouldn't be as light as the morning, and that her friends would probably have the chance for a break instead.

After everyone hurriedly devoured the scrumptious meal, they all set off for more chores. Rosie came back from doing some work at the Hub and instructed Briar to not snoop unnecessarily in the attic. Briar grunted his agreement and headed with a thud up the stairs. He was 18 years old, and he was still getting himself bossed by Rosethorn!

I'm still no better than a kid, still, even after these years, he thought to himself ironically.

Rosethorn and Lark had been working elsewhere for the morning, but they spent the afternoon laboring at Discipline. Lark spent time folding the laundry that Sandry had done that morning, now that they were dry on the clothesline. She also organized her small workroom.

Rosie went digging through the garden, tending to the sad seeds that Briar had previously planted. She labored in the garden, giving the small seeds fertilizer in the hopes that they might grow.

Sandry continued washing that afternoon, gloomy and wet from spilled waters. But she was able to get all the wash done before the sun went down, so she went up the stairs heavily and dried herself off. She changed to a light green dress that was immaculately clean and climbed to the roof, where she sat and watched the sun fall over the horizon, dreaming about the way the trees and winds moved within the city.

Daja went around for the rest of the day looking at all the doors and cabinets and windows, checking for loose hinges or latches or such. Unluckily, she found some, and she fixed them manually, magic-less. This was probably less draining that wasting all her energy on such a tiny, simple task, but she felt like lead being dragged against the floor. Daja glared at the doors with contempt and headed to change into something less hot after all her chores were complete.

Tris's tasks were not complete either after the meal. She had three more shutters to paint before she had to run to the Hub to fetch supplies to be stored in Briar's hopefully cleared attic. She carried her first bundle up the stairs, wondering why they had to be up on the top floor. Briar was nosing in boxes when she arrived up to her destination, but he had cleared a small space for her goods.

"I have lots more, so you'd better hurry up and make some more room," she ordered him. With that, she exited the room and rushed in a flurry down the steps.

Briar groaned with frustration. Why did she have to interrupt me? This is very interesting! he thought. There were all sorts of oils and vials wrapped with cloth stored in there. He recognized some of them as medical stores. Of course, Rosie had tossed some of the supplies for the plague in the attic. That way, if she'd ever wanted to make any medicines at home after her work hours, she had been able to. However, that had been years ago!

And she never cleaned them out. Left me to do it, too! he thought huffily, stacking up more boxes.

Tris ran errands to the Hub and other shops, bringing all the supplies that Lark and Rosie had suggested, plus other things she and her friends thought to be needed. Daja had made her fetch some more nails and screws in case she needed them anytime. Her stash was used up, but the rest of the supplies that Daja owned were all packed away with Frostpine's goods. He was neglecting to unpack them, still uncertain how long the stay would be. Tris had personally requested new slates, since the old ones were so marked up that the words written on them were barely legible.

Briar wanted seeds for Rosie's dead garden, as well as more of the plant food that Raeldro had requested. His shakkan was very pleased with the nutrition, and Briar was glad to see it happy. He wanted to get more of the miracle-food before anyone else did.

Sandry needed thread. It was always what she needed.

Briar was picking at bit of expensive looking stones in a mirror when Tris came back with the last few crates. Tris watched him skip back and set it down as she hurried through the room, bearing two large crates. Tris shook her head. Now the young man was trying to rob stones off of a mirror that might have belonged to Rosethorn for all they knew. He was sly, and he knew it, too.

"There are five more outside the front door. Help me," she said without looking at him. Tris merely set them down and was gone out the stairway in a blink.

Briar followed grudgingly and exited the room, following Tris down the stairs and out of the house. He looked up enviously at the roof, where Sandry and now Daja sat lazily as the sun vanished behind the skyline. He grunted and hefted up the packages that Tris had left for him. He dumped them in the attic once he got there and shut the door behind him after he clambered up to the roof. Tris was already there, her eyes closed as she felt the wind all over.

Briar retreated to the chimney, leaning against it. He examined a chip of a stone that he had managed to pick off. It was like a ruby, but more purple. It gleamed in the light that reflected off the clouds, which made it look quite pretty. He smiled and tucked it into a small pocket.

Daja and Sandry were conversing quietly. It was obviously girl-talk, and Briar had no desire to join them.

"You're obsessed. We talked about this, remember, saati?" Daja reminded her.

Sandry gazed at the sky with glazed eyes and sighed.

"No obsessions. I won't let you get caught up like that," Daja continued.

Sandry nodded to her and picked at a piece of straw. "I'll keep calm and I won't mention it again, Daja. I'm sorry. I'm just going through a little fancy once again. You've been very good by keeping me on my toes, and for putting up with my antics for this while," she said, giving her friend a smile.

Daja laughed. "Well, I'll tell you one thing, Sandry," she added. "You don't set your sights low, do you? You have to go for the most revered mage in the land, right?"

"Only me!" giggled Sandry. Her eyes flitted over to Briar. "Hey, kid. I have a question for you."

Briar opened a sleepy eye. He had been snoozing. "Keep me out of your girl-talk, Bag. Can't you see I'm aiming to get myself some well-earned shut-eye?" he mumbled.

"This is important!" she squealed, crawling over to him and tugging at her friend's pant leg.

He rubbed his eyes. "Fine. I'll answer your question if you stop touching me!" he growled.

Sandry grinned, proud of her persuasion efforts. "You're a boy. You should be able to answer a question for me, hmmm?" she asked. "I need to see this from a boy's point of view."

"I knew you gits were blabbing some girl-talk. Fine, spill it, Sandry."

She paused. "What do you think about love?"

"I don't think about it," he said at her with narrowed eyes.

Sandry shrugged and tugged her hair. "Well, then, answer me this at least. Say you have a little girl who's about five years younger than you. She might be slightly silly, but she's generally a nice girl. But she isn't a very good mage like you, and she's not quite so educated or the like. But she's in love with you. What would you do?"

He rolled his eyes. "Where do you make up these unrealistic situations?" Briar groaned. "I thought you said this was important!"

"It is!" Sandry squealed. "Just answer!"

"And it might be more realistic than you think," Daja said to herself. She wasn't sure if Briar heard her, but he did raise an eyebrow at her, so that gave her good reason to think he might have.

Briar sighed. "I suppose I'd give the girl a chance to at least make her point. I wouldn't blow her off right away, but that doesn't mean I could really make something from her. But just 'cause I'm a good kid." He winked at her, obviously being sarcastic. Sandry laughed.

"So, who're you chasing, Bag-girl?" he asked her. Her face straightened.

"I won't tell you, Briar!"

"Sure is. You were asking me those questions for a reason, and you know it." He grinned smugly at Sandry, leaning back and crossing his arms. He was going to be a persistent brat, and Sandry knew it.

"I... I wasn't! I just was curious, it's all!" Sandry cried.

"Shut up," Tris snapped at them. She was twisted around to face them, her stormy eyes glaring angrily into theirs. "I am trying to sleep.  What about that do you people not understand?" She huffed and laid down again.

Briar and Sandry both quieted while Daja snickered. Sandry glared at him and whispered, "Don't mention this again!" Briar shrugged, hardly caring, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Now, if you'll give me some peace, ladies, I'm going to take a nap, so keep it quiet!" he said firmly, closing his eyes promptly and relaxing against the chimney.

Daja sighed and turned from him, facing Sandry. "You know," she said quietly as to not disturb her resting friends, "if you wanted to try and see things from Raeldro's point of view, Briar might not be the best boy to ask."

"Why?" Sandry asked, pulling her hair behind her ear. "He's a boy. He should know."

"But whether he should know and if he actually knows are two very different things. This is Briar, who is about as romantically inclined as a vulture," Daja reminded Sandry with a giggle.

"Well, we never know for sure," Sandry put in. "For all we know, Briar might have had some romantic relations back at his little facility in the Stepping Stone Islands. Perhaps he just never mentioned it. You never mentioned Kirel to me until just recently, after all."

"Briar? Romantic relations? You've got to be joking. This is Briar!" Daja laughed.

"It is strange, isn't it?" Sandry murmured. "To be thinking of each other having relations outside of our little circle is so strange. But I guess we can't be attached at the hip all of the time. We need to have contact with people outside of us four if we want to survive in the world."

"Of course," Daja said. She paused. "Sandry, why did you ask Briar that, anyways?"

"I wanted to see it from a boy's point of view."

Daja rolled her eyes. "Obviously! But why do you even care?"

"I was curious!" said Sandry, slightly defensive. "I know that you don't think it's a good idea to go chasing after him, because it wouldn't be anything permanent and I probably wouldn't get anything back in return. But, well, I just wanted a second opinion. Seems Briar thinks it's not at all hopeless, though."

"If you had told him the guy was Raeldro, he might have said differently!" Daja warned.

Sandry dropped her head with a defeated sigh. "I know!"

Tris turned behind her. "Can you talk any louder?" she hissed sarcastically. "I can hear every word you're saying."

Sandry's eyes widened. "You can?"

"Yes. But I'm not concerned in your love life, Sandry," Tris muttered. "Raeldro?" she added quietly. Her left eyebrow was raised.

Sandry went a few shades redder in her face. "I have reason. He's very nice, and he's talented."

"He's old, and he's creepy," Tris corrected her. "Get over him." She turned back to her place and settled down to sleep.

"'Old and creepy'?" shrieked Sandry, her facial color changing again.

"Well, you wanted a second opinion. And you've even got a third now!" Daja said with mock enthusiasm.

Sandry placed her head in her hands. "My life is over," she said sullenly. "No one approves of my love interest, my friends are poking fun at me, and my planet is on the verge of destroying itself. Could anything be worse?"

Briar opened an eye. "You could still have more chores to do, too."

"You're listening, too?" she moaned. "Great, now everyone knows." She flopped back.

"What's so bad about that?" Tris asked. She wasn't looking at anyone, only the sky, but she was involved enough in the conversation to put in a few words. "It's not like we ought to keep secrets anyways."

"It isn't a secret," Sandry protested. "I'd rather call it a ... a fact that I'm simply self-conscious about and don't want to share it with the world!"

Daja shrugged. "Well, we know now. And we won't tell anyone, honest. Right?" She glared at Briar and the back of Tris's head. Briar nodded. Tris made a sort of grunting noise in agreement. Sandry leaned over to Daja and thought-spoke to her, Well, perhaps you ought to tell them about your love experience, Daja!

Do you really think so? I don't. It's a thing of the past. And, besides that, I doubt either of them care! Daja replied to Sandry.

"If you have something to say, say it to everyone," Briar scolded. Daja and Sandry rocked back, silent.

"If that had something to do with you and Kirel, Daja, I already know. Your voice traveled on a breeze right to me room yesterday evening when you were talking about him with Sandry," said Tris blatantly.

"You sneak!" gasped Daja.

"Look, I didn't ask to hear it," said Tris, her voice nonchalant. "It just happened."

"Kirel? What happened with Kirel?" Briar asked. He was confused, as he hadn't heard what Tris had.

"Nothing!" stammered Daja. She was abashed, for once in her life, and Sandry was snickering beside her. Briar glanced at them both and nudged Daja with his foot. "Tell me. No secrets."

Daja sighed, won over. "He and I… well, we sort of developed affections for each other in Sotat," she told him.

Sandry nodded, humming in agreement. "Let's not be modest, Daja. 'Sort of' doesn't cut it."

"From what I heard, they were very, very attracted to each other in Sotat," Tris added. "So much to..."

Daja interrupted her mid-sentence. "No more!" Daja protested, but Tris had already said it.

"...Share a few kisses while Frostpine was out one day. Isn't that right?" Tris said evilly.

"Yes, yes, but – it was only one kiss, Tris," admitted Daja. "Now drop it. It isn't anything, really, okay?" She leaned back and gazed at the sky. "We're growing up," she said bluntly. "We experiment with romance. And then it ends. That's all. We're just growing up."

"Sure are," Sandry added. "We had jobs over these last few years. We took on a lot of responsibility. And we're taking on a lot of responsibility now, working with Raeldro Earthkin and such. We've grown stronger, and smarter."

"We made new friends on our adventures. But we also made stronger bonds with those we already had," Tris put in.

"We all got closer to our teachers. Rosethorn was supportive of Briar working at his facility. Frostpine and Daja were always together. Sandry was able to write to Lark all the time, just like I was always writing with Niko."

"And now you two girls are falling in love." Daja glared at the back of his head, but he went on, regardless.

"If that isn't a sign of growing up, what is?" Briar suggested. He gave a small chuckle and added, "Next thing you know, we'll all be married off with kids of our own!"

"And what happens then?" Daja asked quietly. "If that does happen ever, what's going to happen to us? It just wouldn't be the same."

"Things would be very different," Sandry murmured. "We probably wouldn't have as much of a chance to see each other any more. We'd have to get big money-making jobs to try and earn a living for our children. We might drift apart, even, and lose each other in the midst of our spouses."

"No. It won't ever happen," said Tris, shaking her head. "After all we've been through, do you really think we ever could drift apart? Of course not. And, besides, I don't know about any of you, but I'm certainly not planning on getting married and having children any time soon!"

"Neither am I. We're just barely kids ourselves. How can we have our own kids?" Briar snorted.

Sandry nodded. "Briar's right. We're not ready to have kids!" She went pale. "Do you know how strange it sounds to eve say that?"

Tris chuckled. "Sandry, I bet you'll be the first one to have kids, just because of that."

Sandry blushed. "I hope you're wrong. Actually, I hope we're all wrong. Sometimes, I wish ... I wish we could stay just like this, just how we are right now, when it's just the four of us."

There was a quiet silence as everyone glanced around. It really was peaceful. The four were relaxed, carefree as the breezes that ruffled their hair. The sun was shining down on the temple city, and everything really did look perfect, with the shops in a bustle and the Hub clock's hands moving steadily. For a moment suspended in time, heaven descended to the earth for the four young mages.

Daja smiled. "I wish the same thing."

"I don't need anything more." The speaker was Tris. "Just the sky dotted with clouds, the cool breeze, the nice temperature..."

"Are you four going to make your own dinner, or do we have to do it for you?" Rosethorn screamed from downstairs. "You're either going to make your meal on your own or make me force you into it! I thought you four had gotten more responsible than this!"

"...And Rosethorn yelling at us from the bottom of the stairwell," Briar added. "C'mon. I don't want to find myself hanging from my ears over the well."

Daja and Sandry sat up and groaned. "Briar, it's your turn to make dinner tonight," Sandry said. "Gods bless us."

Briar was about to say something nasty, but Daja saved her friend from the thief-curses. "Oh, I'm helping him. It won't be bad," stated Daja defensively. "Tris? Aren't you coming?"

"Yes. I'll be down in a moment."

"Alright," said Daja. "But don't blame us if Rosie tans your hide because you're late." With that, the other three descended down the stairs.

Tris stared up at the sky. They're right, she thought to herself. We are all growing up. Why does that even sound so strange to hear? Of course we knew we'd grow up all along. But now, this isn't just kids becoming teenagers. This is teenagers becoming adults, and I don't think I'm ready. I don't know if any of us are ready. I'm not fit for responsibility, for a job, for a family, for a house and a place to call my own, not yet! I'm only fit to be me, Trisana Chandler, just how I am right now. If I only could remain this age for the rest of my life, I wouldn't have to go out and become an adult, a woman!

Tris couldn't even think of herself as a "woman." She was a girl. She thought of herself as the same girl who'd come to Winding Circle years and years ago.

"Come down here, Tris! It's your turn to set the table!" commanded a firm voice from the stairs.

"Yes, Rosie," muttered Tris. She rolled up from her place and headed for the stairs, clunking down the stairs in her shoes.

---

Tris' eyes opened, but she closed them again, for the light in them was unpleasant. She knew she had to get up, but she really didn't feel strong enough to stand. She was fully exhausted. However, she forced herself to roll out of bed and walk to her dresser. Tris picked up a hankerchief and tied back her hair with it. She snatched up her spectacles and set them on her nose. Then, she opened her door and made her way down the stairs.

In the kitchen, Sandry was rushing around from counter to table, laying out porridge and honey and cream. Rosethorn assisted her. Lark laid out bowls and utensils on the table. Daja came stumbling down the stairs after Tris, her eyes still mostly closed.

"Where's Briar?" Daja asked sleepily.

"Well, good morning to you!" Sandry said, getting the milk from the cold box. "He's sleeping still. Someone should wake him so he doesn't miss breakfast."

"Or we could let his miss it," a grinning Rosethorn offered. "It might encourage him to wake himself up tomorrow if he missed breakfast today."

"Well, I don't want the poor boy to starve," Lark laughed. "I'm not that cruel. Tris, could you go wake him up? I feel Daja is a wee bit unsuited for the job." She motioned to Daja, who was wearily leaning on the table and dozing.

"Fine," Tris said. "He better not be grouchy about getting woken up, though."

Rosethorn snickered, "You're one to talk." Tris scowled and headed to Briar's room while Lark shushed Rosethorn.

When Tris opened the door, she noted Briar's room to be much cooler than the kitchen. The cause was the fact that his window was open, letting cool breeze in. Her eyes traveled around the room. His dresser had incorrectly folded clothes on it, along with herb-lore books. The wood floors were as clean as hers. The shakkan sat on the windowsill, obviously enjoying the breeze. His sleeping mat laid nestled in the corner, and it contained a pillow, sheets, and a sleeping Briar Moss.

Tris laughed softly. Briar was snoring. Not very loudly, but he was snoring nonetheless.

She approached his sleeping mat, which was more like a mattress laid on the floor. Briar stirred a little at her movement, but he only rolled over, facing her, and then he stilled and snored again. Now Tris laughed outright.

She fell to her knees in front of his mat, about to shake his shoulder and disturb his slumber. She reached out a hand, but she paused midway before touching him. He looked so peaceful that she really didn't want to disturb him. His hair was slightly mussed, the small curls falling to brush his forehead. His eyes were closed, the lashes brushing the skin beneath them. His cheeks were slightly colored, as he'd spent the last few days mainly in the sun. His lips were slightly parted, just barely, and he breathed through them; his chest rose and fell under the sheets. Tris smiled. Briar looked good, even in the earliest morning.

Tris knew she did have to wake him, unfortunately. If she didn't, an irritated Lark or Rosethorn would come in, and that would make an interesting situation!

"Briar," said Tris, patting his shoulder. "Briar, you have to wake up."

Briar grumbled something, but, try as she might, Tris couldn't figure out what he had said. Instead, she tried again, and the same response resulted: he mumbled a few words but didn't wake up.

"Briar!" Tris cried, now shaking him. "Get up!"

With that, Briar awoke with a start, his green eyes snapping open to stare into Tris' grayish ones. He blinked twice, then asked, "Am I in Winding Circle?" He was staring up at Tris, who was leaning over him. She looked quite intimidating from that angle.

Tris rolled her eyes. "No! You're the middle of the forest!" she said sarcastically. Then, in case he took her seriously in his drowsy state, she added, "Of course you're in Winding Circle." She shook her head. "C'mon, get up, Briar. It's taken long enough to rouse you. I've been in here so long trying to wake you that breakfast is probably cold by now."

"How long have you been in here?" Briar asked Tris. He pulled himself up to sit, his blankets still around him.

She replied, "Maybe ten minutes." She paused. "Why?" she continued. "Is something the matter with that?" Her voice sounded tight, as if she were slightly vexed.

"No, it's nothing." What he didn't want to tell her was that he'd been having an awfully strange dream - and she'd been in it!

"Well, you'd best come out now to get a bite to eat, before it all gets taken by someone else," Tris advised. "C'mon."

Briar literally rolled off his mat and out of his bedspreads. He snagged a pair of worn sandals from the floor and slipped them onto his feet. I wonder if I was talking in my sleep, Briar thought.

Briar pulled himself to his feet while Tris watched him. Watching him, she felt a little out-of-place - or was it that she felt at home? She couldn't really tell.  Yes, he'd really been a friend to her, hadn't he?

"We can go," he said, standing before her. Tris nodded, and they headed off to breakfast, the most important meal of the day. As they entered the kitchen, Daja had woken up a little, and the rest of the people had taken their seats at the table. Briar and Tris hurriedly scooted into a bench next to each other. Prayer was led by Sandry and Lark, and the eating commenced.

"You were in there a while," Lark commented as she spooned honey onto her oatmeal. "Was Briar a pain to get up?"

"I bet you could hit him with a brick and he wouldn't wake!" Tris exclaimed. She took the honey from Lark and passed it to Briar, who eagerly poured it all over his breakfast.

"Don't you dare hit me with a brick while I'm sleeping," Briar reprimanded, drizzling on the honey. Rosie snatched it away and scolded him to not hog it all. Briar shrugged and took the cream from Daja.

"I don't blame him. We had a long day yesterday!" Daja said, stirring her oatmeal with half-open eyes.

"Wake up, sleepyhead," Sandry joked, whacking her companion on the hand with a spoon. "I'm giving you the honey. Open your eyes and take it, lest you want my hand to fall off." Daja's single left eye opened to see Sandry armed with the honey in one hand and the lethal spoon in the other.  Daja relieved her friend of the object.

Rosethorn groaned. "Must today be a chore day, too?"

"It is for us, but why should it be for you and Lark?" Sandry asked, setting down her milk after a sip. "You don't live here. You shouldn't have to work here."

"Call it a mother's instinct to help you," Lark chuckled, swirling her honey into the oatmeal with her spoon. "I'd feel bad if I didn't."

"But, Lark," protested Daja, "though we really appreciate the help, we don't want to keep you from your other duties!"

"Nonsense," Rosie said. "You're helping us. I would rather be with any of you any day than - gods help me - at one of those meetings we always have!"

"What do you guys talk about at those meetings you hate anyways?" Daja asked, spooning up some oatmeal.

"I can't tell you much. It's secret," said Rosethorn. "But it's basically just everyone acting nervous about the current situation and seemingly trying to make the rest of the world nervous, too."

"Sounds like fun," said Tris sarcastically.

"Oh, very," grumbled Rosethorn.

"Well, don't think of us doing this to just get out of our meeting. We also like to help you, too," said Lark with a smile. She picked up her glass of milk. "A toast to the return to Discipline!" she cheered.

"To the good old days," laughed Sandry.

"To having our old rooms back," Tris said with a faint smile.

"To being with Lark and Rosie and Niko," Briar said, grinning.

"To being home," said Daja, half-awake. But her words were the simplest and most efficient way of saying it than all the others. They drank their fill of the cool milk, sealing the toast.

It was good to be back.

---

"Power," Raeldro said huskily. "It is what makes the world go 'round. It is also the source of pain and destruction. Horrible pain and destruction is being caused to our wonderful planet these days because of someone's quest for power. Our goal is to fix that."

It was that night, and the sun had sunk down upon the horizon, leaving a blanket of night sprinkled with stars and clouds. Niko had tried to reserve the Hub for meditation that day. However, due to the increased hustle and bustle,  he had been unable to save the room for them. Instead, Niko had vouched for a night mediation at Discipline. This way, there would be total solitude, no disturbances. He had elected Raeldro to lead the meditation. That day, there would be no power-building exercises. This was a chance to Raeldro to get to observe growth changes in the young adults since he had last tested their power a week earlier.

"Because of the desperate nature of the situation, I need all of you to concentrate, and concentrate hard," Raeldro went on. Sandry was swooning over his kind, gentle voice again. "Agreed?"

The four nodded. "Close your eyes, everyone. Begin breathing. Breathe in with my counting. One, two, three ..."

The group did as they were told. The great mage continued, "Wind yourselves into something small, something you can become and move as. Something that you are familiar with works best."

Sandry did her usual: a piece of thread. Briar became a vine, with roots deep into healthy soil. Tris became a rope of wind, while Daja became a metal wire, drawn out and glowing warmly.

"Move your object. Become it, and do what it does. Become your object!" commanded Raeldro. His eyes were open, and they darted delicately from face to face.

Sandry began to weave her thread into a loom, whisking back and forth between the fibers. Briar let his roots shoot into the soil, and pushed his leaves out to bask in the warm sun. Tris traveled along a cloud, dancing among the other breezes, winding as she soared down and up among the celestial heavens. Daja stretched herself out and then coiled herself up, repeating the action.

"What do you feel now? You feel power, your own power. You feel it moving as you become your object. You feel it, enabling you to do what your object does. Your power flows through your object. Keep going, now, with your object; keep the action. I want you to continue while I look into you, and observe your power."

Sandry kept going. She darted between a small space in the loom, pulling herself tightly again the strings. She was partway done making her fabric, and it stood like a giant wall to her right. She jumped through the loom-strings again. She gasped. Were those eyes watching her on the fabric? She swore she hadn't woven a pattern with eyes there. Perhaps she had put them there by accident, just as she had made those four lumps in her first thread by accident. But, that couldn't be. She didn't make silly mistakes like that any more.

She continued her weaving, despite this, trying to not look into the eyes. But they were certainly not stationary. They moved, followed her actions. She was about ready to open her real eyes when she came to figure out that the eyes were the working of Raeldro. Of course! she thought to herself. He said he was going to observe us, and that's just what he's doing. She could have smacked herself for not realizing the hazel color of the eyes; they were his indeed.

Well done, Sandry; you may stop. The voice was Raeldro's, and he was thought-speaking to her. She did as she commanded, knotting off her weaving. Look at your weaving. It is beautiful, is it not? The weave is spectacular. It shows you have a strength about you; it shows dedication. Very good.

Thank you, Raeldro, Sandry thought to him. I won't disappoint you.

You don't disappoint me at all, Sandry. As a matter of fact, you do quite the opposite. With that, the eyes disappeared, and Raeldro was gone.  Just keep breathing until I'm done, said an echo of his voice. Sandry's magical body did a double-take. Had the eyes winked at her?

A moment later, Briar was stretching out his vine-branches, letting them strain towards a sun looming in the clear sky. His roots dug deep into the soil, moist and full of nutrients. He reached for the sun again.

Eyes! There are eyes in the sun! I didn't put them there, thought Briar worriedly to himself, seeing hazel eyes with a backdrop of golden sun. But don't stop! You have to keep going!

Briar dug in his roots more deeply, swallowing up the richness of the earth as they extended. His tendrils flew upwards towards the sun, though inwardly, Briar cringed fearfully. Those creepy hazel eyes...

Very well done, Briar Moss. Your power is incredible, said a voice.

Raeldro? thought Briar back to the speaker.

I was observing you. My apologies for frightening you. I am very pleased. Briar listened, and felt himself sigh with relief. No demon had invaded his mind to plant eyes on his sun.

You may stop, Briar.

Briar did so, and then followed the remainder of Raeldro's instructions. Look at yourself. Do you see the firmness of your stalk, the deepness of those strong roots? You dig deep inside yourself to work for your just cause, just as you dig deep into the earth for life. You stretch your magical leaves out to assist others, just as these leaves reach for the sun. Rest easy, Briar, and just continue breathing until I am done with all of your good friends. The eyes vanished in a flash.

Daja was the next to be subject of Raeldro's observation. As she pulled herself out and made her wire longer, she saw eyes looking up at her from the metal piece from which she drew the wire. She, however, knew exactly who it was. Whether it was information she had subconsciously picked up from Briar or Sandry, or whether she had been waiting for it, she recognized his eyes immediately and drew more of herself out of the hole, pulling herself out into a sturdy cord.

She tensed up as she soared for the most upwards point she could see. She recoiled slightly to gather herself up again, but the Daja tugged more upwards, keeping herself the same uniform size all around.

Wonderful, Daja. Please take a break. You have done well, and I am most certainly pleased. Daja was also able to tell that the voice was Raeldro's, and she did as he commanded her, letting her wire end. She snapped up tightly and the wire popped out of its hold. She settled down beside the eyes.

Your wire is strong. It will not break, and neither will your persistence during the task ahead. You are very worthy of being a part of this project.

 
Thank you, Raeldro, answered Daja. The eyes vanished from her sight. Just breathe now like you usually do during meditation while I finish with your friends, said the voice, fading away.

Tris, meanwhile was sweeping along a cloud's curves. The wind-cord that was Tris whipped down along a curve and then dodged around a few other frisking winds. She gathered them up, and they became a part of her.  She broke through another breeze, taking it along with her. She was now a considerably large-sized gale. She billowed along a wave of air and consumed it. Then, Tris flew past a cloud. It dragged behind her somewhat.

She bent herself, conforming around another cloud's edge as she glanced at the cloud she had just passed. She could have died of panic. Two eyes glanced at her from the cloud, two very hazel eyes. She thought for a moment that maybe some evil was tampering with her. She charged at the puff as winds often do, smashing into it and breaking it into many smaller clouds. Turning to see what had become of the eyes, they floated before her on a tiny fluff of the once large cloud. Bursting past it, Tris ran away, zooming along other winds and past large clouds.

The eyes followed her, gaining over her, the speed equal to her own. Since when do clouds follow winds like this? Tris thought to herself fearfully.

Excellent job, Tris, said a voice, causing Tris to almost scream in fright. Her wind circled a cloud slowly, creeping along at a quiet pace. But the voice's owner hit her immediately – Raeldro was the speaker. Now that she thought about it, the eyes had been remarkably similar to his, too.

Oh, it's only you. I'm sorry, apologized Tris. A part of her was angry. He deserved having his cloud burst apart, if he was going to be such a sneak about observing her! He should have at least warned them!

No worries, Tris. I was just commenting on the beautiful wind you've made yourself into. Look at yourself! You have gathered so many smaller winds to make yourself strong. I take this as a sign that you will gather together all of your own power to help us in this crisis.

Thank you, she thought back to Raeldro. He meant nothing to her.

Simply continue breathing while I check on Niko. A job well done again, my dear. The eyes vanished, as did the voice.

I am not your "dear," thought Tris bitterly.

It was another ten minutes before the exercise was finished. Raeldro instructed the group to open their eyes as they broke away from the meditation. The look in his eyes was very pleased.

He said he thought I was strong, Daja thought to her friends as they headed back to their rooms. They entered the doorway, closing the door behind them.

I think he said the same to all of us, Tris thought-spoke, her voice uneasy. Was it just me, or was that weird? She made her way to the stairwell.

Just you. Go to bed, weather-witch, Briar thought to them, entering his room. Goodnight!

Tris and Daja made their way up the stairs while Sandry retreated in silence to her own room. Tris and Daja had both changed and gotten into bed quickly, slipping into bed without hesitation and drifting into slumber immediately. Sandry, however, was not so quick to fall asleep.

Daja, she thought to her dark-skinner friend. Daja, he winked at me. Help me!

What? Who winked at you? Huh? thought a sleepy Daja.

Sandry quickly recounted her experience during the meditation. There was a quiet silence, and finally, Daja replied, Maybe it was your imagination, saati. Maybe you're wishing too hard for something, and so you've been seeing things. That's all. Sleep now, and worry in the morning.

With that, Daja fell quiet.

Sandry sighed and rolled over. Daja was right. It was time to sleep. Her eyelids were heavy, and her mind was simply drained. Her eyes fluttered closed and she fell rapidly into a deep snooze.

She soon began to dream.

Sandry was in the forest, weaving. She sat under a willow tree and drew many materials from a basket. She drew threads, the simplest and plainest flax, from her basket. Ropes of wind and deep green vines also were in her basket as well as wires of metal. She started to weave each individual element onto her loom, darting back and forth with her fingers.

A husky voice called to her. "Sandry," whispered the voice. It sounded as if the trees were speaking to her. "Sandry, Sandry. Let me be a part of you."

A figure clad in a black robe with a hood over his head approached her. Sandry was unable to see his face, since the hood cast dark shadows over his features. She didn't know where he came from, but his voice was alluring and thick with temptation. The sound dripped of desire, like poison from sweet nectar's lips.

"Sandry, let me become a part of you!" said the figure. He knelt beside her and pulled a ray of white, shimmering light from his pocket. It was unlike a thread, as in it was not solid, but it felt to be pure and real all the same. He wove the light into her pattern, making it glow with a brilliance.

"I am the strong addition. I am the peacemaker, the one who enlightens, the savior. I can be your savior. I can be a part of you, Sandry. I can be a part of your circle, if only you let me!"

"No!" Sandry said, trying to tug the light from the weave. "The circle will always be us four, and nothing can change that, not even you, even if you are a great person! There are no openings in our circle. It is too tightly knit!" But the light would not come from the weave.

"I mean not to intrude, nor to impose. Forgive me, noble lady, for my rash actions. The choice is yours! But I have my reasons; my desire to be a part of you is based on something real and true."

His hand touched under her chin, making her look up. "Forgive me. Say you can forgive me." Sandry only nodded her agreement.

"I love you. I want to be with you. I want to be a part of you. I want to see your soul!" He placed his rough hands on her cheeks and pulled her close, kissing her mouth. She did not resist him, for his lips were rich with that same tempting passion.

He broke their kiss. "The choice is yours," he rasped, panting.

"The choice is yours. Do you want me?" With that, he vanished into the air.

Sandry awoke in a fit. Strangled by her sheets, she pulled up from her bed with a start, her face hot with embarrassment and delight.

That dream! she gasped. What can it mean? Who was that mysterious man, and why does he love me? She touched her fingers to her tender lips. That felt so real, so human. He felt so present, as if I could have touched him.

She recoiled under the sheets. She was unable to identify the voice, as she had forgotten the distinct sound upon awakening. But she did have one strong desire for it to be a certain dark-haired mage named Raeldro Earthkin.

---

"The heat this week has been disgusting!" muttered Sandry, wiping her hair away from her sweaty brow and then returning to cutting the bread. She groaned with discomfort. Two weeks had passed since the midnight meditation, and the earth was not getting better. The temperature had reached record-high levels all week, but it was foreseen to plummet the next week. Niko himself had seen it in a vision.

"I know," sighed Lark as she set the table with spoons and bowls. She brushed back a curl. She, as well as Rosethorn, had moved back to Discipline for the time being. Honored Moonstream, aware of the dedicates' love for the young mages, allowed them to dwell at Discipline with their former charges, not to control them but to help if needed and to give moral support during the crisis.

"Rosie's plants aren't going to grow this way. They aren't made for such weather."

"You know Niko's prediction, though. Be sure to break out your shawls," grumbled Tris, tying back her hair with a kerchief as she stirred the pot of soup. "Someone needs to call Rosie and Briar in from the garden. I hope Daja gets back soon with the well-water."

"I'll get them," volunteered Lark.

"What are they doing?" Sandry asked, setting the bread on the table. "I thought you said the garden was failing."

"It is. They're trying to save it," said Lark. Regret showed in her face. "They've been giving it loads of that plant-feed that Raeldro recommended, and then some. I hope it works! They've been laboring so long."

Sandry nodded agreement and fetched glasses for Daja's water as the black-skinned mage entered the room, setting the heavy bucket on the floor.

Lark weaseled out of the door, squeezing around a gasping Daja and her bucket. In the garden, sweating under the weight of the hot sun, Rosie and Briar sat transplanting plant-feed into each and every seed area. Each gave a small amount of their magic to each plant also, a process that was sure to exhaust the two before the sun set. Rosethorn had rolled up her sleeves and her skirts to allow air to get over her hot flesh. Briar had tossed off his shirt and rolled up his slacks. Both were barefoot, tired, and pouring sweat.

"Time for the midday meal. You might want to wash up," Lark told her companions. Her eyes twinkled as Briar and Rosethorn glanced at themselves and each other. They both were covered with a hot layer of dust and dirt on their knees and feet and especially on their hands. Lark returned to the house and informed the rest of the group that the plant-mages would return after a quick wash at the well.

Daja scooped up water from the bucket into each glass and set the glasses on the table while Tris set the steaming soup onto the table.

Final preparations were made as the girls heard Rosethorn and Briar arguing outside in the garden.

"It's hot today," protested Briar.

"I don't care if it's hot or not," snapped Rosethorn. "It's still indecent to sit at a meal without your shirt on. I won't allow it."

"But..."

"No 'buts,' boy! I don't care if you're hot. We're all hot, even us girls, but you don't see us running around half- naked around you!" Rosethorn cried. "Now get your shirt."

Briar blushed and retrieved his shirt, slipping it over his head as he went in the door. He hadn't thought of it that way.

Still getting bossed by Rosethorn, a part of him said.  And she's still always right.

When he walked in, the room was oddly quiet. The girls each in turn gave him a sideways glance. Daja was trying to keep from laughing, but Tris was red. Sandry was doing both. She was unable to contain her giggles as she sat down at the table. Briar shot an angry, embarrassed glare at her as he seated himself at the table next to her. Rosethorn and Lark led the prayer and the meal commenced. Rosethorn and Briar had both emptied their water glasses within moments and Daja refilled them. Soup was eaten slowly. It was hot enough outside without the steaming food, but it was nutritious and would supply the group with good nutrients.

It was Briar's and Daja's job to clean up the table and the dishes. Meanwhile, Tris and Sandry retreated to the roof for a few minutes for a rest. The air up there was cooler, and the breezes blew harder. Being on the roof was refreshing to the girls, who laid down and closed their eyes, resting.

"Gods, this feels wonderful," sighed Sandry. "It's so much nicer up here."

"The sun's still strong, though. We'll all be darkly tanned if we stay out here too long," Tris warned. "And I don't need any more freckles, thanks." She made a face.

"There isn't anything wrong with your freckles," Sandry assured her curly-haired friend. "They're nice."

"Nice? I've always thought they were ugly," Tris growled. "If you're buttering me up for something, just say it!"

"I'm not!" retorted Sandry indignantly. "I just say that they aren't ugly, even though I know you think they are."

"Thank you," said Tris quietly, glancing over at her noble companion. She's very noble in many ways, she said to herself.

"You're welcome," giggled Sandry. She yawned and squinted in the sunlight. "What time did Niko want us to meet him?" she asked Tris.

"Two o'clock," answered Tris. "So we have about another hour." She grinned. "I think I'll spend it sleeping up here."

"Same," chorused Sandry and Daja, who was coming up from the house. She sat down between Sandry and Tris.

"I'm due for some winks," added Briar, following Daja up the stairs. He retreated to the shade cast by the chimney, leaning against it and closing his eyes.

---

"Today, we begin our experiment," Niko informed the group an hour later. After their naps, Niko had met them at the Hub. They were taking a leisurely stroll with him around the winding road that gave Winding Circle its name.

"The experiment? You mean, giving the earth our power?" Sandry asked, smoothing out her pale yellow dress.

"Precisely," said Niko.

"How are we supposed to do that?" asked Daja. "No one ever did tell us."

Niko explained, "It's similar to how the earth gives you power. You will be doing the same to it. The earth offers you power, and you take it. Today, we will offer our power to the earth, and the earth will take it, if all goes well."

"I still don't understand," Sandry asked. "We just... offer it?"

"It's not as simple as it sounds. It never is," Tris grumbled. "It's a spell, isn't it?"

"It is a spell, a very powerful one," Niko said. "We will call upon ourselves and travel in our magical bodies to the center of the earth, to the core, to the heart of the earth. In the earth's heart, there, we will donate our power to the earth. Only some, not a lot. You will know when you have exceeded your limit. The earth's core will absorb the power and rejuvenate itself, hopefully."

"It sounds risky," murmured Briar. "What if the earth doesn't take the magic, and someone else does?"

"No one else should take it. Because we are down in the earth's core, the first body to take the power will be the earth. If we performed the spell anywhere else, the power would become nameless magic, and it would float around for anyone to take."

"I can see why this spell is so powerful. It deals with our very power, our magics, our life-forces. If we mess up, we could end up giving all our power away and kill ourselves. Isn't that right?" Sandry asked.

"Yes," Niko said. "But you will be able to tell when you've reached your limit. You know your power. Your life-force will tell you when you have fed too much of your magic back to the earth, where it came from."

Tris gulped. "If this is such a powerful spell... are we going to have to seal it in blood?" she said, turning pale. I know you're supposed to seal powerful spells in blood."

"Yes," Niko admitted.

Tris groaned and put her hands on her face. She hated blood. The others sighed, not caring nearly as much as Tris.

"Every time?" Daja asked. "Surely if we do, we'll end up losing a lot of blood." Tris groaned again mournfully.

"You'll only use a little," Niko said. "Since we will be doing this for a few weeks, I'm not going to let you do a real blood-letting, since I don't want you to get sick from lack of blood." Tris sounded like she might start sobbing.

"Oh, cheer up, Coppercurls," Briar laughed. "You'll heal."

"It's only a little blood," Sandry said.

"A little blood?" Tris wailed. "It makes me sick."

Come, now," said Niko, shooing them in front of him. "I was able to reserve this place only for an hour!" They entered a small, deserted cottage and seated themselves on the stone floor. Niko coolly warded the house, went to the kitchen, and pulled out five dusty bowls and knives. Tris went even paler and closed her eyes, feeling herself lurch with sickness.

"Breathe," he told her simply. After a few moments of deep breathing, Tris had settled herself down, and her face had returned to its normal color.

"Five bowls?" murmured Briar. "You'll do it, too?"

"Of course," said Niko. "There are many, many mages taking part in this activity, including myself."

"That doesn't sound good," said Daja. "What if some mage was seemingly taking part in this activity but was really working evil and stealing the earth's magic?" She sounded worried.

"Here at Winding Circle and at most other Living Circle Temples, very strong mages have tested all the dedicates and mages there for conspiring against the earth. The best soothsayers have been present at all of these meetings to be sure no lies were told. Now, we know that it is no Living Circle dedicate is involved."

"What if they shielded themselves against the soothsayer?" Sandry asked.

Niko continued, "These soothsayers were very powerful, Sandry. It would be difficult to hide anything from them. We also have another precaution. Raeldro has been busy supervising many, many people at the earth's core, as he can supervise large numbers of mages at a time. I'm your supervision today, and I will continue to supervise you.  You will never, ever do this activity without supervision, or you risk penalty of a prison term from the Mage Council. You no longer just have me to punish you. You are real mages now." There was an odd silence.

"Now, shall we begin?" said Niko. He smiled grimly and told his former students, "Close your eyes. The time has come."