Next Post »
+ Show First Post
Total: 346
Posts Per Page:
Permalink

"You wouldn't need to pay tuition," she says. "Do you want to see my mage credentials?"

Permalink

"It would help. I'd still need to talk to Charlie - and the distance! She's only ten."

Permalink
Mathilde produces and displays a medallion of the kind issued by Lightsbridge Academy, proclaiming the wearer a fully accredited mage.

"As the discovering mage, it's my responsibility to find her a teacher," she says. "And as far as I know, there aren't any other weather mages in Emelan to take her on. Winding Circle is the closest place she could get a better education than I could give her by myself. The next best option is that I stay long enough to teach her the very basics, and then leave you both alone - but that's not a real magical education, just a stopgap to make sure she doesn't misplace her mind on the winds."
Permalink

"Misplace her - what?"

Permalink

"One of the commonest dangers to an untrained ambient mage is that they'll start exploring their magic and not know how to stop. People have died or become very sick that way, when their attention is drawn out of their body and into the magic for too long."

Permalink

Ranae puts her hand on Stormy's shoulder and pulls her in for a worried hug.

Permalink

Stormy shifts from foot to foot but allows this.

Permalink

"Which is why it's important to teach young mages," she adds.

Permalink

"Does it have to be Winding Circle? Isn't there anywhere closer? She's only ten."

Permalink

"I was eight when I went to Lightsbridge," says Mathilde, putting her medallion away. "She'll be fine. Winding Circle is her best chance."

Permalink

"How often will we be able to visit? Do you need to take her soon - I should write to her father, he's upcountry -"

Permalink

"You have time to write to her father. I can communicate magically with Winding Circle if you want to talk to someone there. As for visits, that depends on how often you can travel."

Permalink

"I teach school - I can travel on school breaks. Charlie usually takes her when he has vacation... Oh, Bella."

Permalink

"I almost followed a cloud too far," Bella says solemnly. "I should learn how to do it safely."

Permalink

"Yes, you should," Mathilde agrees.

Permalink

"What's Winding Circle like?" Stormy asks while Ranae is processing this upheaval.

Permalink

"Well, I happen to know the woman who runs the girls' dormitories, so you won't have anything to complain about there," she says. "The whole temple is laid out like a spiral, with one winding road that circles in from the main gate, hence the name. Most of the adults there are temple dedicates, so you'll see them in blue or red or green or yellow robes, and the novices in white. But you don't need to dedicate yourself to the temple, or even plan to, in order to learn there. Some very famous mages have gotten their educations at Winding Circle and gone on to have their careers elsewhere."

Permalink

"Do you know any famous mages?"

Permalink

"...I have some written down. I can't remember without going and looking."

Permalink

"If you go and look, I'll tell you if they were educated at Winding Circle," she says.

Permalink

Bella goes up the stairs, carefully taking each step, and comes back down with a notebook after a minute. "We did a unit on magic in history," she tells Mathilde. "I wrote down all the great mages the teacher talked about." She hands over the notebook, opened to the correct page; in neat but childlike handwriting it lists a large number of great mages, ranging from "Crane" to "Sandrilene fa Toren".

Permalink
Mathilde dutifully goes over the list and names all the Winding Circle mages she knows about.

It's about a third of them, including the first and last.
Permalink

"Cool," says Bella. She takes the notebook back, closes it, and goes to put it away again.

Permalink

"So - I hate to harp about finances - but no tuition, what about living expenses?"

Total: 346
Posts Per Page: