Winding Circle vs. Tortall

It was early morning, and the sun was still asleep. A girl slipped out of a small cottage near the Earth temple. She wore a loose, knee-length skirt of a pale blue, and a cream colored blouse. Her sun-streaked hair was in two braids, keeping it off her face. She walked down the gravel path, heading for the wall that surrounded her home. Winding Circle was quiet; a few people heading home from late-night jobs in the Hub were the only ones who passed the girl. The stars were just fading when Lady Sandriline reached the top of the wall. She found a comfortable stone notch to sit in, and gazed out across the harbor. She was waiting. Today, finally, her foster sister Daja was supposed to be returning. Sandry wondered if she would be bringing Nia and Jory, her students.

The four young mages who lived at Discipline had been apart for too long. Their mind links couldn't reach each other, and they had been alone with their teachers for nearly two years. Sandry and Tris were the two of the four that had returned to Winding Circle, both bringing students, Tris bringing Keth, and Sandry bringing Pasco. Daja would be returning this morning.

Movement in the harbor caused Sandry to jump to her feet. Scanning the boats, she saw what she was looking for. The gleam of the brass cap of her Trader's staff gave Daja's location away. Sandry raced along the wall, down the stairs and across the road to harbor. Weaving through the crowds packing the docks, she found her way to her foster sister's side easily. Daja was talking to someone, someone who wasn't Frostpine. Peering around her foster sister, Sandry saw two girls, twins from the looks of them.

"They must be Daja's students," Sandry thought.

Daja looked up, sensing her sister's magic. She smiled when she saw Sandry.

"I'm home," she said cheerfully stating the obvious.

"We noticed," drawled a voice.

Sandry, Daja, Frostpine and Daja's students turned.

"BRIAR!" the girls cried, hugging him.

"No killing my student," came Rosethorn's sharp voice.

One of Daja's students looked fearful. "Who is she?" she whispered to her sister.

Daja overheard. "I'll introduce everyone when we get to the cottage," she promised, smiling at the girl. "Come on."

Sandry led the way up the path, through the gate, skipping.

"Where's Coppercurls?" Briar asked as they walked the spiral road.

"At the cottage, with Lark and Keth," Sandry told him.

"Keth?" Frostpine questioned.

"Her student," Sandry told him.

"What kind of magic does he work with?" Rosethorn asked.

"He's a glass mage," Sandry told her, opening the gate to the cottage.

Daja's students, and the girl Sandry assumed was Briar's student looked around in awe.

"Come in sillies," called Tris's voice. "I'll make it rain on you if you don't."

"Would she really?" asked Daja's student.

"Could she is a better question," the other twin replied.

"She could, but I doubt she will," Briar told them, opening the door.

"BRIAR! DAJA!" yelled a red-haired girl, hugging both of them.

"Everyone come into the sitting room, and we'll get food and introduce everyone," called Lark.

Soon enough, everyone was seated around the sitting room, perched on window ledges, in chairs, on the floor. Little Bear was curled up by Tris, asleep.

Lark smiled. "Ok, I'll start, for those of you who don't know me, I am Dedicate Lark, one of the people in charge of Discipline. I'm an Earth Dedicate." She turned to Rosethorn.

Rosethorn sighed. "I'm Dedicate Rosethorn," she told them. "I'm the other person in charge of the cottage. Take it from Briar, or Evvy, stay out of my workroom without permission."

Frostpine spoke up. "I'm Dedicate Frostpine of the Fire temple, Daja's teacher, and a smith mage."

"as Niko's not here," Tris began, "I'll introduce myself, and my student. My name is Trisana, and I will get anyone who calls me that. Call me Tris, and only Briar here can call me Coppercurls. I'm a weather mage."

Daja spoke. "My name is Daja. I'm Frostpine's student, and a smith mage." She looked at her foster-sister Sandry.

Sandry smiled. "I'm Sandry. My magic is with thread, and I'm Lark's student."

Briar sighed. "I'm Briar. I'm Rosethorn's student, and a plant mage." He turned to the girl between himself and Rosethorn. "Your turn," he said.

The girl looked half shy, half terrified.

"Go on," Daja urged. "Everyone will have to do it."

The girl looked down. "My – my name is Evvy," she said softly. "I'm a stone mage, and Rosethorn's student."

Rosethorn looked at her. "No, Evvy, you're not my student."

Evvy gazed at her. "But – but if I'm not your student, whose am I?"

Lark answered. "Look at it this way," she said kindly. "Who found you? Who saw your magic?"

Evvy looked at Lark. "Briar found me, and told me about it," she admitted.

"There you go," Lark said. "You just said your real teacher. Rosie's like a second teacher, but your real teacher is Briar."

Evvy nodded. "Alright, I'm Briar's student."

Keth spoke up. "I'm Keth. I'm Tris's student, and a glass mage, with some lightning mixed in."

One of the girls who was Daja's student looked up. "I'm Nia," she said softly. "I'm Daja's student, and a carpentry mage."

"I'm Nia's twin sister Jroy," the other of Daja's students said. "I'm a cook mage."

Lark looked around. "Everyone know's everyone right?" she asked.

Everyone nodded. Lark smiled. "ok, we have ambassadors from Tortall coming to Winding Circle. We'll need to be on our best behavior, and be polite to them. I don't know exactly who all is coming, nor what the entire cause for their coming is. Now I'd advise getting some sleep before to the morrow is upon us."

Everyone departed, heading to rooms they had been given.

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