Bebinn twirled around, smiling happily as Preston watched her, smiling as he sipped, looking up at the gentle falling snow, and then a shiver went down his spine as he realized that both he and Bebinn is under a spot of mistletoe.
"Preston?", Bebinn asked in concern, looking at Preston as she paused in her twirling, having taken another sip of her hot chocolate when she noticed his faraway glance, "Are you all right?", and Preston exhaled, "I am, but I have to say that we are stuck.", and at Bebinn's confusion, he clarified, "We are standing under mistletoe.".
Bebinn glanced up to see it. "Ah...", she said. "You know that stuff is actually quite poisonous to eat. Always found it a little funny the whole idea of kissing underneath it.".
Preston nodded, "Ah, right, because of your past...", and Bebinn smiled lightly, her heart thundering against her chest as this would be actually her first kiss, yet she's terrified, repeating in her mind of the fact that Preston would never hurt her like that man...She had a whole intense bath or two, as that man touched her not just with his filthy hands, but those filthy lips on her body as she was gagged, improperly inclined for a lip kiss.
Preston noticed the fear in her eyes, and realized that they are in public, and replied softly, "I won't push you to do this, Bebinn, and I understand if you refuse to do it, as it's traditionally expected for a couple to kiss under the mistletoe...Tell me if you just want to go back to the Sanctum...and never speak of this again...We're friends stuck under the mistletoe, that's all, and...", before his eyes widened as she hesitantly came closer, whispering quietly, "Just one kiss?".
"I-If you want...", Preston whispered back. "Don't feel like I'm pressuring you or anything to do this.", he told her as she shook her head. "No... no, it's...", Bebinn took a deep breath before she leaned forward and closed her eyes.
Preston, glad that Bebinn is not petite, but rather averagely tall, perhaps an inch or two shorter than him, leaned in, gently and carefully kissing her, the taste of hot chocolate still subtle, caressing her chin for a moment before pulling back, eyes fluttering open.
Bebinn was astounded by the tender way of the kiss, never imagining that a man would be also gentle than brash as he spoke softly, "Did I do badly?".
"N-no...I must admit that you are my first kiss...Ridiculous of me, huh?", Bebinn spoke quietly, her heart slightly calming down as she realized that a kiss on the lips wasn't actually painful or even rough like she imagined. And to actually get kissed after centuries and a busy puberty as she was focused on the Mystic Arts and all...
"Not at all...", Preston told her. "Understandable especially after all you've told me.". Bebinn was relieved to hear that from her; it put her more at ease.
Bebinn smiled genuinely, and stepped back a bit, smiling at the gently falling snow around them, sipping her nearly forgotten hot chocolate, still feeling the tingling sensation of Preston's lips, "Shall we finish our jaunty stroll around the zoo?".
Preston nodded, "Of course, Bebinn.", offering his arm gently, and she took it distantly, not too close, and they strolled, finishing their time at the zoo.
They got back to the Sanctum to resume training and their ritual of teatime, yet their minds couldn't keep off the moment of their kiss under the mistletoe, but Preston knew that he didn't want to break his wonderful friendship and meaningful mentorship, especially when she's the teacher upon the chance of something else coming from that mistletoe kiss, and the fact that it was literally Bebinn's first kiss which he had delighted in as it has been ages since he intentionally had one, and no, the bet kiss with Thaddeus didn't count, as he clearly belongs to Abraham.
{I suppose we had danced and avoided around that, yet my feelings slowly started to change for her, yet little did I know, so was she. Anyway, I had another week of training and advanced steadily into higher levels of being a novice, edging the apprentice level...She decided then to show me Kamar-Taj, on the day before Christmas Eve, as that was when the graduated disciples would spar with novices, and with graduated novices, they would then spar with apprentices and Masters, before having their version of a Christmas Feast with every kind of international food that anyone brought to Kamar-Taj, before leaving for their families and spouses. Of course, I couldn't have expected the immense respect that everybody had for her as I knew she leaves for Kamar-Taj in the mornings while I mediated and practiced astral projection.}
{Honestly; I thought I had seen everything before with Atlantis but... Kamar-Taj; it was something else entirely. I was almost as dumbstruck by it as I was with Atlantis.}
"Really, you think I'm ready, Bebinn?!", Preston asked in shock and excitement, looking at Bebinn, and she chuckled softly, "Calm yourself, Preston, and yes, I do think you're ready to come to Kamar-Taj. Now, do you remember what I've told you?", with a sharp eyebrow.
Preston nodded, "Yes, ma'am. Never say your birth name freely around Kamar-Taj, as it only belongs between us here in the Sanctum and out there.", and Bebinn gave an approving nod, "Good. If you must be asking me for pointers or permission, call me by one of my titles, or Sorceress if you feel the need to. You are not the only senior in the trainees, but I must warn you, it's few compared to the youngsters and such. And one last thing, do your best in the spars if you are asked. There are people who may be jealous that I am personally teaching you instead of a youngster or such, do you understand?".
"I understand. And I can't truly blame them, I still sometimes feel that maybe you're just sort of wasting your time with me at moments, considering my age.", Preston admitted.
"Nonsense. I can see the potential in you, but I won't force you to find yourself. It's only up to you to find yourself if you truly want to, Preston.", Bebinn firmly told him with a sharp nod, and Preston exhaled, nodding.
Bebinn then replied, "Let's not keep dawdling then.", before moving her hands, glowing with the Sling Ring golden energy, flawlessly and effortlessly forming a portal to her meditation room and office, "Come, and we will wait a bit for you to get used to the richer air even if you've said that your crystal protects you from having trouble with the elevations, and I know you haven't had trouble underwater as you've said, but I'd rather not rush you before I guide you out to the balcony and all, understand?".
"Yes, ma'am.", Preston replied, following her, and indeed, as soon as the portal closes behind them, standing in the rooms, he felt his lungs acclimating slowly to the richer and somehow fresher air, faintly hearing the sounds of people shouting orders and responses of grunts and such.
"You alright?", Bebinn asked him. "It takes a bit to get used to the rapid change of atmosphere.", with an understanding nod.
"Feels like I just went almost six feet above the sea level in an instant...", Preston choked a bit as he was trying to get readjusted.
His crystal shimmered under his monk robes, and he breathed a bit easier as he steadily got readjusted, taking up several minutes as Bebinn waited patiently, "Better?".
"Much better...Crystal helped a bit. How do you handle the change every morning like that?", Preston asked in awe, and Bebinn chuckled, "Spells and tea. You ready?".
Preston nodded, "Yeah, through does being nervous count in this situation too?", and Bebinn smiled, "You will not be nervous when you see the beauty.", with a gesture as she led the way to the closed balcony, using a flick of her glowing hand as they came to the folding doors, they moved back, letting her and Preston through, and they stopped at the balcony edge, "Novice Whitmore, I give you the home of the Mystic Arts, the legacy of the Masters and all who learns it, Kamar-Taj.", with a proud and beaming smile.
"Wow...", Preston whispered as he took in the sight of the place; a practically sprawling Far-East bastion surrounded by mighty mountains. Honestly, it was almost on par in wonderment with Atlantis. Bebinn smiled, seeing the awe on his face, hearing the one word, and replied, "Never imagined seeing you speechless...".
Preston gave a breathless laugh, "It's astounding...I must dare to admit that it's a very close second to Atlantis...The beauty of it all is different, yes, but it's...no wonder why you love this place...Serene and inspiring...And I'm in Tibet, in a magical, ancient bastien...Kamar-Taj...the name suits the place perfectly, even if I don't know the meaning behind the name.", with a shake of his head in amazement.
"My mentor and father figure once told me that Taj meant 'Crown', and I believe that Kamar was the name of an ancient village that existed near here.", Bebinn explained as she closed her eyes, soaking into the fresh air and warm sun.
Preston glanced at her, and his heart pounded as she suddenly looked more beautiful than ever in her home environment, and replied, "The Crown of Kamar...That's fitting as we are at the base of those majestic mountains. I thought it'd be freezing cold...", as he then saw so many people in monks and such, the disciples in their gray robes practicing, with novices training in spars in their white robes, and apprentices in their crimson robes shouting orders at either disciples or novices, while masters stood to the sides on the ground floor or in the various balconies, in their light orange robes, supervising. Only Bebinn is wearing yellow robes, being the Sorcerer Supreme and the Ancient One.
"We have spells of anti-weather no matter what kind of bad weather it is, and we are protected from the freezing cold at this time of year...It's even more beautiful in the summer.", Bebinn chuckled as she opened her eyes, smiling, "Come, my novice student. Let's join them.", with a gesture, and she swept her robes slightly as she turned, and led Preston to the stairs in the bastien, heading down to the ground floor.
As Preston got closer, he can feel so much magic, different kinds of magic, yet as Bebinn becomes someone he recognized from his training, he can feel her magic beaming off her like a mini sun, but not burning or anything, he follows her, and as soon as they enter the training grounds, the people seemed to freeze, stopping at once, standing up in where they stood, bowing in respect, murmuring in revered, respectful tones, "Sorcerer Supreme." and "Ancient One.", as Bebinn and he began to pass...
It's staggering familiar to that scene he saw in the colored picture called Bambi where he attended in a theater with the Rogers family one day back in the summertime, with Brookyln on his lap, that scene where the Great Prince came into the meadow.
"You alright still?", Bebinn asked him as he shook his head, "Sorry, my head was somewhere else for a minute there... this place reminded me of something similar I saw some time ago earlier during the war.".
Bebinn nodded, and turned around to face the training grounds, "As you all know, I have received a recent trainee from the outside world, and I've been training him for almost two months, and now he has advanced to come here for his first day at Kamar-Taj. This is my latest student, Novice Whitmore.", as Preston can see a few faces slightly widen at the name, realizing that people truly can come from everywhere, including high society, though he doesn't recognize them. Must be from another city who heard of him.
"As you all know, all the first-name identities of all of us are barred to be revealed here in Kamar-Taj who doesn't belong to one, but all of us, for it offers us sanctuary. Potential do not mean power, but respect of that power and you must realize your potential and know yourself through that. Today is a day we realize our gifts, and we revel in using them to protect the world from supernatural dangers that most people don't know of, and we take pride and loyalty in that, for we are the unsaid heroes to those said most people, but not our families and loved ones.", Bebinn stoically announced as Preston was listening with rapt attention to her speech, seeing that the others are reacting the same, though he can see a few faces looking rather disillusioned in the far distance.
Bebinn then spoke, "The feast is to commence in a couple of hours, but until then, the promotions of each level will begin, starting with the disciples and novices. The requesting of spars is not mandatory, but rather by consent as you all know, and the Masters will see over each spar and give the point to the winner of the spar, and three points means a promotion. Do not despair if you lose, for you will have done your best, and you can always win another day, and be promoted. Remember, humility and respect, not selfishness or arrogancy. For Kamar-Taj!".
Everyone echoed, "For Kamar-Taj!", and Preston happily joined in, and then a gong sound crashed out, and everyone began to mingle, talking and clapping the backs of the disciples and the novices as they went for the sparring circles which is four at once, lining up at each corner of the circles, to wait for their turns when names are announced.
"Excuse me?", asked a disciple, "May you consent to spar with me, Novice Whitmore?", surprising Preston as he was going to compliment not Bebinn now, but the Sorcerer Supreme for her captivating speech.
"S-spar? Forgive me for saying this, but don't you think that maybe you should try that with someone more of your age... I think we both can agree that I wouldn't stand too much of a chance.", Preston gave a small chuckle. The sheer fact that this disciple wished to spar with him was actually surprising.
The disciple replied, "Aren't you curious if you can spar against more people, since you've been training with one person, especially when it's the Sorcerer Supreme?", with a little awed smile.
Preston looked surprised, and looked at his mentor who inclined her head, "It's your choice to consent to your first spar with a disciple, considering that he would see how he compares to you. After all, like I have told you, Novice Whitmore, promotions meant advancement to the next level. You are only the second level, being a novice while he's the first level, being a disciple, and he is eager to become a novice with three points which means winning three spars.".
"Right...", Preston nodded as he remembered, and it's true that he had been training with only her, and perhaps a change of pace or a change of skill will show him pointers if he takes spars with more people, and looked at the disciple, "Okay, I consent to spar with you, disciple...?".
He smiled widely and brilliantly, "Helmsley. Disciple Helmsley. Come on, I'll take you to the lineups.", and Preston glanced at his mentor who nodded stoically with a glint of warmth in her eyes, "Do your best, do not hold back. Have humility and respect in your heart if you win or lose.".
He bowed his head in respect, realizing that it's her mask, "Yes, Supreme Sorcerer.", and went to follow Disciple Helmsley. Before he knew it, he was making small talk with the novice behind him as he waited for his turn to spar with Disciple Helmsley, watching the current novice sparring against the current disciple in the sparring circle, with the same thing in three other sparring circles, with a Master each to supervise and stop the spar if it gets too far, like intentional injuries. The spar is only able to be over by the end of two minutes when someone is down or if one steps out of the circle like thrown back or forced back with a spell, forfeiting the spar and giving the point to the remaining sparrer.
It was crazy to see how two minutes can go fast yet so precise, like a furious yet honorable dance, and before he knew it once again, the Master shouted, "Time! Point to Disciple Daniels!", nodding at the disciple whose friends cheered outside of the circle, and he bowed to the losing recipient who bowed back in respect, and left the circle.
"Calling Disciple Helmsley and Novice Whitmore!", the Master then ordered. Preston immediately entered the circle, walking up to the middle of the circle with Disciple Helmsley. "Now, the rules are no intentional injuries, no cheating, no dirty talk, and most of all, no killing. Two minutes is the limit, and if I see anything out of place, I stop the spar, and it's then forfeited, no winning or losing. Only the spar can be stopped when one is down by the end of two minutes or forced out of the circle by a spell or such. Is that clear?".
Disciple Helmsley nodded, "Yes, Master.", as Preston nodded, "Yes, Master.", as the Master replied, "Good, now shake hands, and then stand on the purple markers, and when I say go, you begin. And at the end of the spar, you bow in respect, both winner and loser.".