A/N- I forgot to put a disclaimer on my first chapter. I own nothing. You can't sue me now, hahah! I hope I didn't ruin your only chance of happiness with that. But then again, if you find happiness in sueing people, you have some problems. Producers of light are not edible.

Thanks for reviewing, Arabella Silverbell, The Elven Archer of Rivendell and mermaid2bseeker. 

Arabella Silverbell- Thanks! I was trying to come up with something that hadn't been used yet... and this is what I came up with! Lol

The Elven Archer of Rivendell- Yeah, the thing with Keth was really awesome! lol I loved Shatterglass.

mermaid2bseeker- You need to read some Tamora Pierce books! This fanfic is based on "The Circle Opens" series, more specifically, the 4th book, "Shatterglass" and partly off "Cold Fire".

Tris nearly refused to wake up the next morning. When she opened her eyes, she immediately remembered all the events of the previous day, and felt the weight of her responsibility settle on her shoulders.

But after this thought had wriggled into her mind, she discovered that she had no choice when she saw Tailynn's face peering at her from the doorway.

Furious, she burrowed under the covers and screamed,

"Get out!!!"

She absolutely hated for people to see her when she had barely woken up in the morning.

A half hour later, Tris was miserably sitting at the table, not even touching her breakfast. Niko graced her with an amused smile, which did nothing to elevate her mood. Tailynn, too, did not eat, but instead stared at them all with her probing black eyes.

When Niko had finished, he announced lightly,

"I'm going to be in town all day on private business. Feel free to as you please."

Tris nodded slightly, barely acknowledging that she had heard him. Despite her efforts to contain them, there were lightening bolts dancing on the ends of her braids, a product of her high level of apprehension.

Tailynn continued to gaze at her with childlike innocence.

"How old are you?" Tris asked her idly.

The girl looked thoughtful for a moment, then held up nine fingers.

"Nine," she said aloud, tapping her fingers on the tabletop. She definitely didn't act her age.

Tailynn started humming very softly. A purple glow resonated from her body.

"It applies to singing, too? Mithros, I don't know how to teach you!" she cried despondently, resting her head in her hands. "And on top of that, you don't speak."

There are other ways to communicate.

Tris looked up in surprise. The girl was tapping her fingers on the table in a monotonous rhythm, and didn't exhibit any signs that she had spoken.

"Did you-"

The music magic doesn't let me speak.

Tris shook her head, resisting the urge to bang it on the table. Was she going insane?

I'm talking to you through music in my head, Tris. I'm surprised you can hear me, no one else can.

It doesn't sound like music, it sounds like a voice, thought Tris.

To you, it does. Most people just notice that they get a song stuck in their head when they approach me.  Even other mages don't hear my voice.

This is-

Impossible? No, not really. There are lots of things that mages don't know because they don't want to open their mind to them. They want to think that what they've learned at academies is all there is to know. But you... you listen. You want to learn.

You don't act your age.

  Magic matures people, as you well know, I'm sure. That kind of gift must be a handful.

Tris smiled, and her spirits started to lift. Since there was a way to communicate with this girl, maybe teaching her would be a little easier...

But I still have no idea where to start!

Where did you start last time you worked with a student?

KETH! It hit her like a thunderbolt. He had an unusual gift too. And she had started with meditation, just like with anyone else.

Meditation. First let me make a circle around us, so that none of the magic gets out.

Tailynn waited patiently. When Tris had finished, she sat down and closed her eyes, under her teacher's instruction.

Now, pretend that you're fitting your magic into a small object.

Like my flute?

That's a flute?

I don't know what else it could be.

True. That's good, try that.

Tailynn concentrated, knitting her brow into delicate creases.  The purple glow emanating around her flickered.

That doesn't look good.

Without warning the glow exploded, sending out bolts of magic in all directions.  Amethyst light flooded the room as it broke the magical circle and flooded out the windows and doors.

A bolt of it hit Tris squarely, and she screamed in pain. Tailynn stared helplessly, frozen in place with fear.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

The fury-filled inquiry came from a middle-aged Namornese woman, standing in the doorway. The muscles in her hefty arms were tensed.

Tris picked herself up off the floor, still slightly dazed.

"I- uh-"

"YOU- STUPID- GIRL! CAN YOU NOT CONTROL YOUR OWN STUDENT?"

Tris returned the glare with a cool look of her own.

"If you think you can do a better job, then you may affront my teaching methods. But since you obviously cannot, I suggest you leave, now."

Unappeased, the woman shot back,

"You nearly killed someone! A blast of that- whatever it was, knocked over a tree that nearly killed my child! I suggest that you don't let a mishap of that nature occur again!"

Tris nodded curtly and shut the door in the woman's face.

Well, I've learned something.

What would that be?

The average teaching methods aren't going to work on you.