I awoke the next morning with a pounding headache. It was early; Grethel hadn't come in yet. I rolled over and groaned, wondering if anyone in this castle had a painkiller. The necklace caught my eye. I had placed it carefully on my nightstand. A slight smile crossed my lips, and I reached out to touch it. The second my finger connected, a tingling feeling shot up my arm. It reminded me of the first time I had heard Marea, only this was heavier and seemed to penetrate my bones. My headache had disappeared. I pulled my hand away; the tingling left and the headache returned. I touched the necklace, pulled away, touched it, and pulled away again. Each time, the sensations came and went. I frowned.
After Grethel had come and gone and I had drunk a cup of a pungent tea that she said would help my head, I wrapped the necklace carefully in a handkerchief and stuck it in my sash. My first class was with Nereida. She had begun to teach me elementary magic, as I didn't have a proper magic teacher yet, and I thought she might be able to help.
"I'm to your left," she called as soon as I entered the greenhouse. "Behind the oliviary trees."
I followed her voice under the trees --- native to Merlan, short with broad leaves coated in a natural oil full of swirling colors, like the surface of a bubble --- and found Nereida crouched next to a pond, plucking leaves from some plant that grew around its edge. "Help me pick these," she said. "And then I've got a couple droughts I want you to start brewing."
"All right," I said. I knelt on the ground and began picking the glossy leaves. "What is this?"
"Poppir," she said. "It's a good garnish in small doses. Eat too much and you'll find yourself feeling a bit intoxicated. I use it mostly for potions."
When we were done, we went to our table, where she had already spread out an array of herbs, bowls, and decanters.
"Right," she said. "These are ---"
"Wait."
"Yes?"
"I've got a question really quick before we start," I said. I reached into my sash and pulled out handkerchief. The cloth fell away from the necklace as I placed in on the table. "What can you tell me about this?"
Nereida gave me a calculating look, and then leaned over the necklace. "Opal," she said. "It will obviously conduct magic well. And gold. The style seems quite modern, with perhaps a hint of Baroque Europe. I couldn't really say; I don't know much about jewelry."
"Touch it," I said. She gave me another look, and then did so. A strange expression crossed her face and she quickly pulled away.
"Where did you get this?" she demanded. I scanned her face, trying to come up with a lie, and then shook my head.
"I can't say."
"You can't or won't?"
"Won't."
She eyed me, then pursed her lips.
"Fine. You're a reasonably intelligent individual. Don't disappoint me."
"Deal," I said, then added, "Thank you. So what can you tell me about it?"
"Well, it's clearly got magic on it. Heavy magic at that." Carefully, she picked it up and held it in her hands. "There are at least three spells here; one dulls the senses, one induces euphoria, and I can't place the third. There's just a funny feeling to it, a sort of buzzing. Like a love spell, only there's something off."
"Like what?"
"I'm not certain. It's corrupted."
She wrapped it back up. "I'd advise you not to wear this, or touch it too much if you can help it," she said, handing the package back to me. I nodded.
"I'd figured as much."
"Are you sure you don't want to tell me what this all is about?"
"Yeah. If anything else comes up I'll let you know, though. Thanks."
"That would be advisable." She pursed her lips. "Right. We'll be trying a sedation draft today…"
I saw Mensonge at lunch. A flicker of concern crossed his face when he glanced at my neck.
"Where's your necklace?" he asked, assuming a sort of doting concern. "Did you not like it?
"Of course I did," I said. "But I was just in the greenhouses and didn't want it falling into a pot of soil. It's far too lovely."
I kissed him; he looked satisfied. Lunch was exhausting; the mere process of keeping up the charade drained my mind of all other thought. I watched my plate and tried to act engaged whenever anyone tried to talk to me, but my mind was wrapped around my situation and wouldn't let go.
Piano lessons later in the day did not help matters. That instrument and I were not friends, and would never be friends if I had anything to say with it. Not that I didn't try… the thing just hated me.
"You must pay attention," Mistress Sonea said. "You don't practice the way I tell you to."
"I do, I just ---"
"You do not. I have been teaching this instrument for years and when a student practices like I say to, I know. You are to go measure by measure. Build each note upon the one before. If you'll just practice as I say this will all be much easier."
I frowned. She might have a point, but her way of practicing was boring. I sighed and put my hands back on the keys. She stopped me.
"You're not getting this."
"I'm sorry."
"No, don't apologize." She clucked her tongue. "Come, let's try something else."
She left the room, leaving me to stare idly at the keys. Around the same time I was getting bored and starting to look around the room for something interesting, she returned, carrying a long wooden case. She sat down next to me and opened it; inside was the flute Pearl had showed me.
"You've seen this before?"
I nodded. "Pearl said it was from her father."
"As such, I expect you'll have an easier time with it. Music runs in your blood, but I think we need to release it." She handed me the flute. It felt light and smooth in my hands.
The next hour was spent practicing the notes. It was easier this way, as though some kind of intuition were guiding me. Sonea looked pleased, if not surprised. By the end of the hour I had managed to squeak out a simple tune, some Merlan nursery rhyme.
"Keep practicing," she said as I left. "Take it to the sea, perhaps she'll guide you."
A/N: WOW. So that was a massive case of writer's block which I still am not totally over... I apologize VERY sincerily for the long delay. I'm still feeling kind of stuck, so if anyone wants to throw prompts at me, or better yet, questions you want answered or scenes you'd like to see... go for it! Also, I don't know if anyone's ever tried to private message me, but I formerly had a defunct e-mail address as my login so messsages wouldn't have gotten to me. Now it's updated and functional (I'm assuming...) so, should anyone want to PM me for whatever reason, it'll work now. :) Oh, and also, I apologize for any typos/horrible sentences/etc. I figured I could either wait until I had time to edit or I could just get the chapter up already... seemed that updating was the priority, lol. Anyway... yeah. :)
InChrist-Bilios: I agree, Mensonge has issues. His motivation... well, it'll become clear. I'll work it in somewhere, lol.
Piratess of Summer: Glad you're enjoying!
Bingo7: Lol... those characters really should start listening to you. Spongeman indeed. I had a hard time not referring to him as that after I read your review... :p
slipshod: Hahahahahahaha! Have patience... :)
Audra Laudargue: You're quite right about the necklace, as you see... the joys of magic...
teenchic2004: Thanks! That's exactly the reaction I was hoping for. :D
Allyp: Yes, Rochelle and Manly Sponge are cousins. Double the ick. Jars of honey indeed... lol... You know, I hadn't even thought of frog living rooms... Hm... Maybe there's a darker side to Eran than I thought... SMA will show up eventually, lol... And yes, you're catching my little clues... all hail! And I want more underwater stories. :D