~ Chapter Twelve ~

The College of Winterhold

Lilianthe strode confidently into the Hall of Elements, her face the picture of apathy, her black Thalmor robes once again impeccable after the fiasco of yesterday.

The Khajit who had burned them had avoided major retribution by running to the Archmage, of course, but Lilianthe wasn't one to hold a grudge.

Ancarno turned from Tolfdir to acknowledge her, then turned back to the elderly man. "We will discuss this… misguided lecture later, Tolfdir."

"We will not," Tolfdir huffed. "If you don't care for my lectures, do not attend them. Take it up with the Archmage."

But Ancarno had moved to Lilianthe's side, and departed, ignoring Tolfdir's blustering.

"My lady, what a fine day this is turning out to be."

"What do you want, Ancarno?" Lilianthe asked, both of them heading up to the ring-wall of the college.

"You got my letter."

"Obviously."

Ancarno paused, a bit off balance. "Ah, well… so you know about the old fool's expedition to the barbarian ruin in the next few days?"

"I did not read it, Ancarno." Lilianthe stopped at the pinnacle of the ring, looking down at the causeway that led to Winterhold. "I burned it, as I did to all the notes young men slid under my door in the middle of the night when I attended here." She gathered some green magic between her fingers and with a snap, closed them to the outside world.

"This wasn't some petulant suitor's bill," Ancarno sputtered, his yellow-gold skin turning to a rose-gold in embarrassment. "This was-"

"Your schemes, while often well thought out, are also written down." Lilianthe turned to him, her body still impassive, but her eyes as sharp as daggers. "What if Aven or Ervine found it? Or Collette - that busybody."

"I hardly - "

"You planned to animate a - and I quote - 'horde of draugr' to get the old man killed." Lilianthe resisted the urge to poke Ancarno in the chest. Her Silence spell masked their voices, not their actions. Mirabelle Ervine had a tendancy to spy on them. "Do you honestly think it is worth the effort, and the risk?"

"What risk?"

"To the students."

Ancarno sneered. "I don't see the problem."

Lilianthe sighed. "Of course, you wouldn't. Did you forget why the council sent us here? These young minds are most malleable now. They need to be shown the weakness inherent in mannish blood, the supremacy of the Dominion, and how they can support a new age of magic and knowledge."

She patted him on the cheek. "We cannot show corpses the error of their ways, Ancarno."

He grunted and muttered something.

"If you have something to say," Lilianthe said. "Say it."

"You care too much about these weak mages." Ancarno gestured to the four figures making their way toward the bridge. "Four mages to retrieve one book from a feral necromancer."

"Three," Lilianthe murmured.

"What?"

"Savos only sent three to Whiterun."

Lilianthe dismissed her spell and stepped up on the crenellations of the ring-wall. "Be about your day, Ancarno. Go bother Mirabelle. I'm sure she'd love to try and figure out our little conversation." And with that, she stepped off the edge of the wall, floating down to the causeway.

"I'm just saying," Augustus said. "That the inn was right around the corner."

"Right around the corner was almost a half-hour of walking," Willow said. "We've been over this Gus. And you fell asleep instantly. You ever try to wake you up? It's not easy."

"You ever try just dragging him out into the snow?" Luz asked, grinning.

"It would be a refreshing start to the day," Augustus said, folding his arms. "Besides, I'm a growing boy. I need my rest."

"Not the way you snore," Willow stage-whispered to Luz, who had to bite the inside of her mouth to stop herself from snickering.

"Good afternoon, Faralda," Amity called, ignoring the three of them and hailing a woman standing at the entrance to the bridge. "Where is the Archmage? He wanted this book immediately upon its return."

Faralda - a tall and stately-looking Altmer - gave Amity the most perfunctory of smiles. "His chambers. Where else?" She looked over Amity towards Luz, and snapped her book shut. "I don't recognize one of you."

Amity scoffed. "An 'asperant' from Whiterun. Or Cropsford. Something. I need to give this to the Archmage. Willow. Augustus." And she strode off.

"Hello Faralda," Augustus said, waving and scooting past her, just fast enough to avoid her hand.

"Where is your assignment, Augustus?"

"In my room. I'm going to finish it now."

"It was due before you left-" She let out an exasperated growl. "Men."

"What's being a man got to do with it?" Luz asked, drawing Faralda's stern gaze.

"A Man. Mannish." Faralda narrowed her eyes at Luz. "You are a 'Man' persae. The short-lived races. Always in a rush."

"Oh." Luz pulled out the letter Farengar had written for her. "I guess we just have to do more with less time, right?"

"Humph," Faralda said, taking the letter. "And this is?"

"Luz wants to join the College," Willow said, fiddling with her bowstring's braid. "Luz, this is Faralda. She lectures on Destruction magics."

Faralda flipped the letter back and forth a few times before handing it back, unopened. "This is addressed to the Archmage. I won't open it, but I recognize Farengar's seal. Pompous little man, always stuck in his books. But I've never known him to express an interest in recommending a student. What magic do you know?"

"Oh, ah," Luz stuttered, but Willow smiled and nodded at her.

"Go on. Show her."

Faralda raised an eyebrow.

"Okay," Luz said, taking her staff from her pack's side loops.

"Any fool can be taught to use a staff," Faralda began but stopped as Luz started to etch the light rune into the snow nearby.

With a tap and a whisper, a few motes floated up to catch in the pinnacles of the gatehouse.

Faralda let her eyes fall back to Luz. "Hm. Anything else?"

"That's… the only one I've got." Luz was starting to feel nauseous. Was she not going to be allowed in? Did she come all this way for nothing?

"Faralda, sister. What seems to be the trouble?"

The voice made Luz start, and the three of them turned to find a tall Altmer woman, skin like white-gold and hair as black as night, walking toward them.

Luz cocked her head.

There was something familiar about her.

"Lilianthe," Faralda said, not able to keep a hint of disdain from her voice. "Just testing a potential new student."

"Yes," Lilianthe said, smiling at Luz. Though it seemed genuine, it didn't quite meet the eyes. "Our star pupil mentioned that her expedition received some assistance. Unfortunately, she also mentioned that you cannot actually perform any magic. This is an institution-"

"But she can," Willow said.

Lilianthe fixed her with a stare that could freeze fire. "Don't interrupt, my little Bosmeri flower. Run along. I'm sure there are other things you could be doing."

Willow's eyes fell to her feet. "Yes, ma'am."

"In fairness," Faralda said. "She can. It's not something I'm too familiar with, but that-" she pointed to the staff. "- cannot cast that." She pointed to the lights above.

She gestured to Luz. "Do it again."

Luz obliged, her hands shaking.

As the motes of light rose, scattering harsh shadows over Lilianthe's face, Luz held her breath.

"Interesting."

Luz squirmed under her golden-eyed gaze. She could feel her heart start to pound in her ears.

"She has a letter for the Archmage as well," Faralda said. "Farengar has vouched for her. That's enough for me."

"Is it?" Lilianthe fixed her stare on Faralda and Luz could feel the crackling of energy between them. "Seems that the college's standards were higher in my day."

"That's for the Archmage to decide," Faralda said.

There was a moment where Luz thought sparks would actually start flying before Lilianthe smiled and turned away. "Very well, Faralda. I am merely an advisor. I can only advise. Proceed."

"How very kind of you," Faralda muttered before turning back to Luz. "Hold still."

She pressed a finger to Luz's forehead and Luz felt a prickling over her skin.

Faralda frowned. "Strange."

She did it again and Luz winced as her finger pressed firmly into her forehead.

"When were you born, child?"

"Last of Frostfall," Luz said. "Or, well, first of Sun's Dusk? Kind of depends on the year."

"Hmm." Faralda frowned. "You're protected by the Atronach then."

"Someone… mentioned that." Luz shrugged. "I… still don't really know what that means."

"It means you can innately absorb magicka from spells," Faralda said. "Come on. I cannot get the passwall spell to stick to you. I'll need to bring you to the Archmage myself."

The Archmage's chambers were unlike anything Luz had ever imagined.

Vaulted ceiling, with gleams of magelight floating through the air, and a garden growing in the middle of the circular room. It seemed like it should be very cold, everything bathed in a dim blue light, but it was actually very warm for a place with no obvious fireplace.

Luz guessed it was magic.

"Archmage," Faralda said. "Mirabelle was too busy to perform her duties, and I have a student with a letter for you."

Student. Luz's chest swelled with that, suddenly filling a hole she hadn't really known was there. She held herself a little taller, even as she maintained a death grip on Eda's staff.

Archmage Savos Aren turned, his red Dunmeri eyes glinting in the light, making them shift from red to purple given the fall of his hood.

"Ah, an aspirant of the college." Savos approached and Luz found that he wasn't much taller than her, with a grey-brown beard and sad eyes and smile. "I am Savos Aren."

"Lucaeda Nochtim," Luz said, reaching out her hand to shake his, changed her mind halfway, and tried to bow instead. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Sir?" He chuckled. "How quaint."

Faralda handed him the letter, which he absently opened with a flick of his fingers and read slowly.

After a minute or two of silence, Faralda cleared her throat rather pointedly. "I've already given her permission, Archmage, but the passwall spell won't work on her."

"Hmm. Born under the Atronach." Savos nodded. "Problematic for a mage, but very useful for one who would hunt them."

"Archmage?"

"Hm? Oh, yes. Difficult. Farengar mentions here that you have a rather esoteric format for spellwork that you've developed. Far be it from me to tell someone they can't learn the Craft because of something like stunted magicka. One of the best teachers I ever had was born under similar signs. It's a rare problem, made rarer by how many mages with these signs ever pursue the path."

He folded the letter and placed it within his robes. "Could I see how you would cast spells here?"

Luz nodded and looked around the room. "Ah… I don't want to damage your floor."

"She scribes a simplified sigilic cluster," Faralda said. "Similar to how a scroll would work, though it uses none of the caster's power, merely her staff's."

Luz nodded. "Yeah. What she said."

Savos gestured to his garden. "I have dirt."

Luz set down her pack and used the staff to once more etch her rune into the dirt. When she tapped the rune, she felt the shudder of magic in the staff wane, and worried for a second how she was going to recharge it.

But the lights that rose from the rune were as bright as always, if fewer in number, and winked out as they reached toward the ceiling.

"Well," Savos said. "I'll figure something out. Maybe an enchanted ring or amulet? What do you think, Faralda?"

"I think you need to ask Sergius," Faralda said, pointedly but politely. "I'm no enchanter."

"Ah. Right." Savos started to wander back to his desk. "Welcome to the College, Lucaeda. I am quite content to see nearly any aspect of magic explored and investigated here. But I do not and will not approve of any research and experiments that cause purposeful harm to your fellow members or the College. Are we clear?"

"Crystal," Luz said, barely able to stop herself from jumping for joy.

"Hm? Oh, yes. I suppose some crystals are."

Luz gave Faralda a quizzical look, but Faralda was already moving toward the stairs. Luz bowed once more to the Archmage - who didn't see, bending over his desk and rereading the letter - and grabbed her things before hurrying after Faralda.

"Master Wizard Ervine will get you settled," Faralda said, making her way down the stairs. "Gods, I hope she's done with that half-baked horker by now."

"Who?"

"Ancarno." Faralda paused as she exited onto the library floor, glancing about. "A word of wisdom, young student. The Thalmor advisors - Ancarno and Lilianthe - are not to be trusted. Keep it to yourself, though."

"Oh," Luz said, taken aback by Faralda's stern whisper. "Oh, yeah. Okay."

"Good. Come on."

Heading down another flight of stairs, Luz followed Faralda back outside and into the courtyard of the College. She still marveled at the high ring-wall, and the magical font in the center, with an impossible statue of some long-ago mage lording over it.

In front of the doors they emerged from was the pair Faralda had avoided the first time through. This time, she waited, gesturing for Luz to wait also, while she opened her book again.

The pair were an Altmer man with golden-blonde hair and the kind of hooked nose that made it impossible for him to not look down on you. This made Luz wonder who the Breton woman was, who was quietly but sternly berating him.

"I believe I made myself rather clear, Ancarno," she said, folding her arms.

"Yes, of course. I'm simply trying to understand the reasoning behind the decision, Master Wizard," Ancarno said, his voice condescending, though Luz wasn't sure if he could speak any other way.

"You may be used to the Empire bowing to your every whim, but you will find the Thalmor have no such sway here. You remain at the pleasure of the Archmage, alone."

"Yes, of course. The Archmage has my thanks."

"Very good. Then we're done here."

"Yes," Ancarno said, clasping his hands and bowing shortly, his fixed smile vanishing as soon as she turned around.

"My apologies, Faralda," the woman said, rubbing her temples, uncaring that Ancarno had only just started to move away. "Yet another complaint…"

"Do not worry yourself, Mirabelle." Faralda gestured to Luz. "I have a new student for you."

"Another one?" Mirabelle looked Luz up and down, which made Luz realize just how much mud, blood, and wear there was on her clothes, and that it had been a while since she had changed, let alone bathed.

"Well, let me get you settled. Thank you Faralda."

Faralda inclined her head politely to Mirabelle and Luz, then made her way back towards the front entrance.

"I don't have much space left in the Hall of Attainment," Mirabelle said, walking off, forcing Luz to jog to catch up. "But Miss Greenholm might be willing to host you until I can get some of the others shuffled around."

"So," Luz began. "What are the expectations of me here?"

"Very few," Mirabelle said. "The College is a place to study and practice magic freely. Any discoveries made in your pursuits will be shared with the members of the College first, and grow our collective knowledge of magic. In return, our resident mage adepts and scholars - like Faralda - teach and lecture about their topics in the Hall of Elements. You can also train with them on an individual basis.

"Faralda teaches Destruction magic; Tolfdir, Alteration; and so on."

"And what's a 'passwall' spell?"

Mirabelle stopped short and cocked her head. "It's the spell that marks you as a mage of the College. Allows you passage through the gates at any time. Why?"

"Well," Luz said, shrugging. "Faralda couldn't cast it on me because of when I was born, and the Archmage said something about making me a ring of it. I'm… I'm kind of new to all this. Sorry."

Mirabelle groaned and pressed through the door of the Hall of Attainment. "Don't apologize, girl. Just another thing to add to my day - track down Sergius to make a ring of passwall. Born under the Atronach, were you? That's why it won't take?"

"Yes."

"Well," Mirabelle sighed. "At least you won't likely get maimed from magic here. Though, healing other than potions will be difficult."

She closed the door behind them and gestured to an open alcove-room to the right. "Remember to be quiet while you're here. Many students practice spellcraft and study here. Focus is essential. For practical experimentation, please take it to the roof of the ring-wall."

She peered into the room, knocking on the stone. "Willow?"

Willow looked up from her place on her bed, crouched over a book. "Yes, Master Wizard? Oh, hello, Luz."

"Good, you know each other." Mirabelle motioned for Luz to enter. "I'm going to have Luz stay with you for a day or two. Maybe I could move Onmund or Brelyna to the Hall of Countenance? One of them must be ready… J'zargo though…" she shuddered as she walked away.

"I don't want to intrude," Luz said, scuffing her boot. "I can sleep outside or-"

"I don't mind at all," Willow said, grinning widely. "It will give me an excuse to peer are you from the edge of the bed at night, watching you sleep in a creepy, yet innocent manner."

Luz laughed nervously.

"Too soon?" Willow rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry. I don't actually do that."

It didn't take the two of them too long to unpack Luz's stuff and roll out her mat on the floor. All the while, Willow fielded Luz's growing list of questions - her name was actually Willamina after a grandmother, she loved plants, especially the dangerous ones, and she had arrived at the college less than a few months ago, and quickly made friends with Augustus.

"So," Luz said. "Forgive me for asking, but… what's the Green Pact?"

Willow shook her head. "You're fine. I assume you haven't met many wood elves before."

"That obvious, huh?"

Willow laughed. "To be honest? Me neither. I don't really know. See, I wasn't raised in Valenwood. One of my dads is from Hammerfell, and the other's from Highrock, but they met in Skingrad. I was only a child, barely one or two. One of a dozen or more refugees who had made it out of Valenwood during one of the Purges."

She smiled sadly. "I was raised on a healthy diet of leafy greens and rosy-red apples. Hammerfell-Dad taught me how to use a bow and how to hunt - he was a forager for the Legion I think? He never talked about it.

"And Breton-Dad taught me magic, specifically Mysticism. Technically, it's not a 'school' anymore, but he figured out that was the closest thing to my gift with plants.

"When my horns started to show, I wasn't just some merish kid anymore. I was a chubby little Bosmer baby, and that meant I ate meat and only meat and specifically the meat of my enemies.

"I don't though. Not that I don't eat meat, just not only… meat. Feel like I've said meat too much."

"So, it's a choice to follow it?" Luz frowned. "So why did Amity mention it if you don't practice it?"

"I don't know." Willow sighed and leaned back on her bed. "She's a bit - " she waggled her hand. "Weird. Gets along well with Lilianthe and is always doing odd jobs for the Archmage. But then she'll just appear at your elbow and tell you your casting your spells wrong and you just want to strangle her with your bow string…"

"Not that you've ever thought about it or anything," Luz snarked.

Willow pantomimed a strangulation on her pillow before tossing it at Luz. "What about you?"

"Oh, you know plenty about me."

"I know you got in good with Farengar," Willow said, ticking off on her fingers. "Which tells me you have the patience of a Divine or are scatterbrained enough to follow him around.
"You have a teacher, but you're here now. You can't cast magic because you were born under the Atronach, but you can use runes?"

"If I have an enchanted item to draw it with."

"Right. So, there's plenty of questions there, but none tell me where you're from or why you're here."

"I'm from a little village called Cropsford." Luz absently fiddled with her amulet. "Town folklore says it was founded with help from the Champion of Cyrodiil, so I've been obsessed with his books for years now. But… I never really fit into the quiet country life. Mami wanted me to follow her into healing, and arranged for me to go to the Temple of Mara in Riften."

Luz trailed off, thoughts drifting to a warm smile, a full hug, warm evenings, sitting on the bar listening to a bard, humming along with Mami to a favored tune.

"Why so far away to train as a healer?"

"Huh?" Luz snapped out of her reverie. "What do you mean?"

"Well, any good Chaple has at least a decent healer," Willow said. "If not more than one. If you're from heartland Cyrodiil, there are at least three or four decent places to learn before you cross the Jerrals."

"I… didn't think about that." Luz ran her fingers through her hair. "You're right…"

Willow quickly recovered. "Well, I mean, maybe she knows someone there? Or she trained there herself?"

"Yeah." Luz laughed nervously. "No, that has to be it. She said that she had an old friend who would meet me at the temple. He'd have a letter from her and I was safe with him." She paused. "Seems weird now… I didn't think about it, at the time. I was just so happy to get out, see the world."

The pair lapsed into silence for a bit before Willow broke it. "I don't know if you'd want to, but Tolfdir is doing a talk on Wards tomorrow. I'm not sure how you'd… well, do a ward with a rune, but you should come anyway. Meet everyone properly."

"I'd love to," Luz said, excitement overriding her vague, nagging concerns. "But, you're right. How would I do that?"

"I'm not one to ask," Willow said. "Dad always said that the best ward was made of oak and bound in steel. Of course, Dad didn't always agree with… other Dad, so I know how to cast wards and that's about it. I suppose you could use Alteration to morph your skin or clothes into something harder, but I'm not sure how that would hold up against a magical attack."

"Or," Luz said, grabbing her notebook. "Or, I could cause the ward to become persistent. Like that dome spell, or… or a… like a cloak of shielding magic." She started to thumb through her journal until she got to her Daedric sigils.

Muttering to herself, Luz barely noticed Willow grinning and tucking herself in, wishing Luz a good night.

The candle burned out after midnight, leaving Luz asleep in her bedroll, a soft light shimmering on her skin before winking out.