Disclaimer: I own nothing but Devon, the Tortallian Shang and my PINK PJ'S!
Ahem, before I begin I have a request. If any of my reviewers are fans of Gundum Wing will you please read either of the two stories being written by cocowinterdeathangel. She is a friend of mine and NEEDS reviews. If you would do this I would eternally be in your debt.
Devon opened one eye tiredly to be faced with a set of dark brown eyes set under arched silvery blonde brows.
"Beth?" Devon murmured tiredly "What time is it?"
"Dawn," she said with a grin. "I've come to help you prepare for your first day of training. Get up."
Devon groaned as she slowly got out of bed. She entered the small washroom and splashed cold water on her face and combed her hair. When she exited the washroom to change she was startled to see Beth was still there. She held up a pair of dark green breeches, a loose cream-colored shirt and a dark brown shepherd's vest.
"These are for you. I have more but I want to make sure these fit before I tailor the rest for you." Beth handed her the cloths.
Still startled Devon slipped into the washroom again and changed. The cloths fit perfectly. Not tight but not hanging off her small frame. As she exited the washroom a second time she found a pair of comfy brown boots and some stockings. Just as she finished putting them on someone knocked on her door. She opened it to find Beth.
"Ready to go?"
With a nod Devon followed Beth outside
Beth led Devon through the woods in back of the house. It opened into a wide field surrounded by trees on all sides with a stream running through one side. Ulf waited under a rather lone tree with two boys. The first was about 15. He was thin, tall and lean. His brownish black hair was cropped close of the sides and longer on top, his eyes where a pale amber. It took Devon several moments to realize it was Noah. In the bad lighting of the stable, she had thought his features much plainer last time she had seen him.
Ulf looked up at them and smiled "Girls! I was beginning to wonder where you where," He stopped and looked at Devon. "Short hair is most becoming on you Devon."
Devon blinked. The comment was much like Maude's and yet it was different. He was commenting something she had chosen. And she liked the way it felt.
"Thank you Ulf," She said softly
He nodded, and then turned to Beth and Noah. "You two get to work. I need to talk to Dev, do you mind if I call you that?"
"No" She said quickly
Beth a Noah ran off toward the woods.
Ulf turned back to Devon. "I want to know exactly what your magic enables you to do."
Devon blinked, then frowned. "It.. I.. It's .odd." She sighed. "My s. brother, Alan, he can heal. He's very powerful. My other brother Thom doesn't heal but her reads people. For some reason I can't cast spells like normal gifted folks. Maude, the lady who cared for us, she said my gift was in my voice."
Devon left out that Maude had also said she could 'see souls'. Devon had never thought of it that way but it was true in a manor. She could sense people if she chose. She could find if people had magic in their very core. She could find if someone was good or evil. She had just never thought of it as seeing souls until Maude mentioned it.
Ulf watched the girl carefully. She was lying, or at least leaving something out. Before he could call her on it she continued"
"I can compel people with my voice, make them want to do something. But most with even the tiniest amount of gift can tell. I can. force someone to do as I say but. A lot. It also makes me feel awful. And.I can create shields that protect people. All I have to do is speak with the idea of protection in my mind." She frowned "I don't use spells normally and I can't use many." She smiled softly "I can't read thoughts like Thom, I can't shape shift, or make myself physically more powerful or more durable. I've never wanted to. My brother calls my s.. Alan and I silly but both of us think that using magic to often is.. cheating." She blushed. "I often wish I could heal like La.Alan, I hate seeing innocent people in pain, but I can't. Although, a lot of the time, when soldiers would come home from battle, they would have nightmares. Maude would bring me to their homes and I'd sing. Most never had those nightmares again."
Ulf stared at her then nodded. "The Shang may like to deal with their pain without magic we often have the aid of healers. I respect healers. I also respect readers of minds, and future seers. I believe they deal with an inner battle that is very great. I do not respect those who use magic for whims and wishes. For things they could do themselves." He smiled. "I have the feeling you like to try and do things on your own."
At her nod he laughed. "Did you see which direction Noah and Beth went?"
"Yes"
"Good do after them. They'll show you what to do. Tell them I'm sorry I won't be there today, I have work to do."
Beth nodded and ran off into the woods. Ulf remained silent staring at the spot she had disappeared into for a long time. When he finally spoke he didn't turn around.
"She isn't anything like Jen." He murmured
"Your right." Ramona replied calmly from her spot behind the trees, where she had heard every word. After a moment she spoke again.
"And thank the Gods for it."
Ahem, before I begin I have a request. If any of my reviewers are fans of Gundum Wing will you please read either of the two stories being written by cocowinterdeathangel. She is a friend of mine and NEEDS reviews. If you would do this I would eternally be in your debt.
Devon opened one eye tiredly to be faced with a set of dark brown eyes set under arched silvery blonde brows.
"Beth?" Devon murmured tiredly "What time is it?"
"Dawn," she said with a grin. "I've come to help you prepare for your first day of training. Get up."
Devon groaned as she slowly got out of bed. She entered the small washroom and splashed cold water on her face and combed her hair. When she exited the washroom to change she was startled to see Beth was still there. She held up a pair of dark green breeches, a loose cream-colored shirt and a dark brown shepherd's vest.
"These are for you. I have more but I want to make sure these fit before I tailor the rest for you." Beth handed her the cloths.
Still startled Devon slipped into the washroom again and changed. The cloths fit perfectly. Not tight but not hanging off her small frame. As she exited the washroom a second time she found a pair of comfy brown boots and some stockings. Just as she finished putting them on someone knocked on her door. She opened it to find Beth.
"Ready to go?"
With a nod Devon followed Beth outside
Beth led Devon through the woods in back of the house. It opened into a wide field surrounded by trees on all sides with a stream running through one side. Ulf waited under a rather lone tree with two boys. The first was about 15. He was thin, tall and lean. His brownish black hair was cropped close of the sides and longer on top, his eyes where a pale amber. It took Devon several moments to realize it was Noah. In the bad lighting of the stable, she had thought his features much plainer last time she had seen him.
Ulf looked up at them and smiled "Girls! I was beginning to wonder where you where," He stopped and looked at Devon. "Short hair is most becoming on you Devon."
Devon blinked. The comment was much like Maude's and yet it was different. He was commenting something she had chosen. And she liked the way it felt.
"Thank you Ulf," She said softly
He nodded, and then turned to Beth and Noah. "You two get to work. I need to talk to Dev, do you mind if I call you that?"
"No" She said quickly
Beth a Noah ran off toward the woods.
Ulf turned back to Devon. "I want to know exactly what your magic enables you to do."
Devon blinked, then frowned. "It.. I.. It's .odd." She sighed. "My s. brother, Alan, he can heal. He's very powerful. My other brother Thom doesn't heal but her reads people. For some reason I can't cast spells like normal gifted folks. Maude, the lady who cared for us, she said my gift was in my voice."
Devon left out that Maude had also said she could 'see souls'. Devon had never thought of it that way but it was true in a manor. She could sense people if she chose. She could find if people had magic in their very core. She could find if someone was good or evil. She had just never thought of it as seeing souls until Maude mentioned it.
Ulf watched the girl carefully. She was lying, or at least leaving something out. Before he could call her on it she continued"
"I can compel people with my voice, make them want to do something. But most with even the tiniest amount of gift can tell. I can. force someone to do as I say but. A lot. It also makes me feel awful. And.I can create shields that protect people. All I have to do is speak with the idea of protection in my mind." She frowned "I don't use spells normally and I can't use many." She smiled softly "I can't read thoughts like Thom, I can't shape shift, or make myself physically more powerful or more durable. I've never wanted to. My brother calls my s.. Alan and I silly but both of us think that using magic to often is.. cheating." She blushed. "I often wish I could heal like La.Alan, I hate seeing innocent people in pain, but I can't. Although, a lot of the time, when soldiers would come home from battle, they would have nightmares. Maude would bring me to their homes and I'd sing. Most never had those nightmares again."
Ulf stared at her then nodded. "The Shang may like to deal with their pain without magic we often have the aid of healers. I respect healers. I also respect readers of minds, and future seers. I believe they deal with an inner battle that is very great. I do not respect those who use magic for whims and wishes. For things they could do themselves." He smiled. "I have the feeling you like to try and do things on your own."
At her nod he laughed. "Did you see which direction Noah and Beth went?"
"Yes"
"Good do after them. They'll show you what to do. Tell them I'm sorry I won't be there today, I have work to do."
Beth nodded and ran off into the woods. Ulf remained silent staring at the spot she had disappeared into for a long time. When he finally spoke he didn't turn around.
"She isn't anything like Jen." He murmured
"Your right." Ramona replied calmly from her spot behind the trees, where she had heard every word. After a moment she spoke again.
"And thank the Gods for it."