#Chapter Four:
Shanara spent the next few weeks, and soon months, in complete happiness. It wasn't long before she and Dethrin derived when was good times for her to come play, and it was becoming rather easy for her to get out of the castle, because shortly after his return from Treen, Tharn had been very withdrawn, and apparently upset about something, though she couldn't even begin to fathom what.
So, while he still continued her with her studies, which she was excelling in, he didn't spend quite so much time on them, and trusted that she would continue what she did not on her own. So, at first, her only real obstacle had been Pat. The cat was far more attentive than his master, and he suspected she was up to something, though he wasn't entirely sure what. For the longest time he kept a sharp eye on her, but, eventually, seeing that she was apparently no more mischievous than normal, he gave up on it. He too had something weighing on his mind, and Shanara was soon very curious as to what was troubling them so much, but that was soon forgotten.
She was delighted to find that Dethrin had a sister, only a little younger than he was, named Amaris. It wasn't long before the three became great friends, exploring as much as they could, with many close calls, and yet managing to laugh heartily at these later. She was amazed at how easily her new found friends got over the general predjudice that all centaurs had for humans. She supposed it was because they were so young, and that their parents ways were not yet fully impressed upon them. For this, she was glad.
After much debate and long hours of thinking, they decided to keep their friendship a secret. The other centaurs would have been angered if they knew of it, and Amaris wisely voiced the opinion that even her and her brothers friends wouldn't take to it well, and they might tell some one. And Shanara had no doubt that her father would scold her most dreadfully if he knew, and not just because she was going were he had told her not to. She got the feeling that he didn't like non-human creatures almost as much as they didn't like humans.
Meanwhile, aside from her new friends and their games, she was becoming even more adept at her art of illusion. Her father was very pleased with her. She excelled in almost all that he taught her, though she still had a little trouble with fire. But, he this just seemed to make him even happier. She once found the courage to ask him why, and was astounded. and yet very proud, when he said it was because she was far more advanced than any other person her age, and for that matter, twice her age, and that he was sure she would fine tune other magical skills with time. She had been so pleased with his answer that she had actually hugged him, something she didn't do very often. Tharn, while shocked, found himself oddly pleased.
Shanara began to find that she was starting to enjoy reading, though she never admitted it to her father, and especially not Pat, who constantly found excuses to follow her in the library and tease her about how she had never liked it before, and that maybe they were finally managing to pound some since into her thick skull.
One day she came across something that truly interested her, something she had never known was possible. Shape shifting. The book she found it in only mentioned it as being one of some jewel or other's magically enhanced properties, but she was sure whatever the jewel could do, could be done, perhaps with a bit more difficulty, with just a persons own magic ability. And she managed to convince her self that it had to be similar to making illusions, so there was no way it could be hard..... how very wrong she was.
She quickly introduced this idea to Tharn, who was very intrigued by his daughter's new interest. He had never been one for shape shifting himself, had never really been able to do it properly. But, as it seemed Shanara was skilled at every thing he wasn't and unskilled in what he was skilled in, he thought that just maybe she'd be able to do it. Only time and hard work would tell. And Shanara seemed more than eager to work for it. She had many, many reasons for wanting to learn this, one simply because it fascinated her, and others had to do mainly with Dethrin and Amaris. If she could somehow turn into, say a centaur, oh how much easier it would be to play with them! Once again, the young are made of dreams. This young one rather strongly.
And so, Tharn began the painstaking process of teaching her how to change. Pat scoffed at the whole idea, he thought his master was completely wasting his time, How could a child so young learn and art so advanced? But, out of respect and affection, he never voiced this opinion out loud, and did all he could possibly do to help, though it wasn't much.
With something new to occupy his mind, whatever dark thoughts had been inhabiting it seemed to disappear, or at least go away for a little while, for soon the gloomy air he had had for weeks now was gone, and seemed very happy. Shanara noticed this, though at the time she didn't much think about it. Her father was prone to wild mood swings, she never knew what triggered them, and really didn't care, it never seemed to have anything to do with her, so why worry? And how could this, whatever it was, be any different? She put it out of her mind, just happy that he was so eager to teach her.
When she had first attempted to change, even though Tharn had told her she was far, far, from being ready, she had been rather disappointed when absolutely nothing had happened. Pat had scowled, saying he told her so, and Tharn had laughed, not that either his familiar or daughter could see what was so funny about it. Pat was quickly becoming worried for Tharn, not because he could actually see that there was anything wrong with him, but because he was so, well, happy. It was very odd, very odd indeed, to see him in such a good mood, he even managed to not scold Shanara when she had spilled ink all over a book he'd been reading, which struck Pat as just down right strange and some how wrong.
Shanara, however, wasn't the least bit worried. What ever unseen thing had changed, him it certainly wasn't doing any harm. Yet. And she didn't like to think to far into the future. When she actually did stop to think about his peculiar behavior, she just shrugged it off. For once in her life, she felt truly loved, not ignored, not over crowded, just loved. And even if it was the result of something bad, she didn't want it to go away, not now, not when she finally felt like her father was, well a father. Not just a father, a dad. how could anything like that be bad?
Authors Note: A bit short mayby, but be happy with it. There about to get a good deal longer.
Shanara spent the next few weeks, and soon months, in complete happiness. It wasn't long before she and Dethrin derived when was good times for her to come play, and it was becoming rather easy for her to get out of the castle, because shortly after his return from Treen, Tharn had been very withdrawn, and apparently upset about something, though she couldn't even begin to fathom what.
So, while he still continued her with her studies, which she was excelling in, he didn't spend quite so much time on them, and trusted that she would continue what she did not on her own. So, at first, her only real obstacle had been Pat. The cat was far more attentive than his master, and he suspected she was up to something, though he wasn't entirely sure what. For the longest time he kept a sharp eye on her, but, eventually, seeing that she was apparently no more mischievous than normal, he gave up on it. He too had something weighing on his mind, and Shanara was soon very curious as to what was troubling them so much, but that was soon forgotten.
She was delighted to find that Dethrin had a sister, only a little younger than he was, named Amaris. It wasn't long before the three became great friends, exploring as much as they could, with many close calls, and yet managing to laugh heartily at these later. She was amazed at how easily her new found friends got over the general predjudice that all centaurs had for humans. She supposed it was because they were so young, and that their parents ways were not yet fully impressed upon them. For this, she was glad.
After much debate and long hours of thinking, they decided to keep their friendship a secret. The other centaurs would have been angered if they knew of it, and Amaris wisely voiced the opinion that even her and her brothers friends wouldn't take to it well, and they might tell some one. And Shanara had no doubt that her father would scold her most dreadfully if he knew, and not just because she was going were he had told her not to. She got the feeling that he didn't like non-human creatures almost as much as they didn't like humans.
Meanwhile, aside from her new friends and their games, she was becoming even more adept at her art of illusion. Her father was very pleased with her. She excelled in almost all that he taught her, though she still had a little trouble with fire. But, he this just seemed to make him even happier. She once found the courage to ask him why, and was astounded. and yet very proud, when he said it was because she was far more advanced than any other person her age, and for that matter, twice her age, and that he was sure she would fine tune other magical skills with time. She had been so pleased with his answer that she had actually hugged him, something she didn't do very often. Tharn, while shocked, found himself oddly pleased.
Shanara began to find that she was starting to enjoy reading, though she never admitted it to her father, and especially not Pat, who constantly found excuses to follow her in the library and tease her about how she had never liked it before, and that maybe they were finally managing to pound some since into her thick skull.
One day she came across something that truly interested her, something she had never known was possible. Shape shifting. The book she found it in only mentioned it as being one of some jewel or other's magically enhanced properties, but she was sure whatever the jewel could do, could be done, perhaps with a bit more difficulty, with just a persons own magic ability. And she managed to convince her self that it had to be similar to making illusions, so there was no way it could be hard..... how very wrong she was.
She quickly introduced this idea to Tharn, who was very intrigued by his daughter's new interest. He had never been one for shape shifting himself, had never really been able to do it properly. But, as it seemed Shanara was skilled at every thing he wasn't and unskilled in what he was skilled in, he thought that just maybe she'd be able to do it. Only time and hard work would tell. And Shanara seemed more than eager to work for it. She had many, many reasons for wanting to learn this, one simply because it fascinated her, and others had to do mainly with Dethrin and Amaris. If she could somehow turn into, say a centaur, oh how much easier it would be to play with them! Once again, the young are made of dreams. This young one rather strongly.
And so, Tharn began the painstaking process of teaching her how to change. Pat scoffed at the whole idea, he thought his master was completely wasting his time, How could a child so young learn and art so advanced? But, out of respect and affection, he never voiced this opinion out loud, and did all he could possibly do to help, though it wasn't much.
With something new to occupy his mind, whatever dark thoughts had been inhabiting it seemed to disappear, or at least go away for a little while, for soon the gloomy air he had had for weeks now was gone, and seemed very happy. Shanara noticed this, though at the time she didn't much think about it. Her father was prone to wild mood swings, she never knew what triggered them, and really didn't care, it never seemed to have anything to do with her, so why worry? And how could this, whatever it was, be any different? She put it out of her mind, just happy that he was so eager to teach her.
When she had first attempted to change, even though Tharn had told her she was far, far, from being ready, she had been rather disappointed when absolutely nothing had happened. Pat had scowled, saying he told her so, and Tharn had laughed, not that either his familiar or daughter could see what was so funny about it. Pat was quickly becoming worried for Tharn, not because he could actually see that there was anything wrong with him, but because he was so, well, happy. It was very odd, very odd indeed, to see him in such a good mood, he even managed to not scold Shanara when she had spilled ink all over a book he'd been reading, which struck Pat as just down right strange and some how wrong.
Shanara, however, wasn't the least bit worried. What ever unseen thing had changed, him it certainly wasn't doing any harm. Yet. And she didn't like to think to far into the future. When she actually did stop to think about his peculiar behavior, she just shrugged it off. For once in her life, she felt truly loved, not ignored, not over crowded, just loved. And even if it was the result of something bad, she didn't want it to go away, not now, not when she finally felt like her father was, well a father. Not just a father, a dad. how could anything like that be bad?
Authors Note: A bit short mayby, but be happy with it. There about to get a good deal longer.
