A well timed visit

Unending BE - episode 135927

Aileron took Aniko to his personal study immediately after she had met everyone, ranging from Tad, the stable boy to Drussa, the dominating Mistress of the Kitchens. As Aniko had come to expect, everyone fussed over her blonde hair, but even more, they all seemed to adore her almost immediately. This scared her a bit, or at least the part of her Jim donated to the mix. She was fairly sure Robin would have expected to be worshipped the moment she walked into the room, but Jim... Jim was surprised if he entered a room and no one tried to kill him.

Stepping out of the kitchens and into a hallway, Aniko was contendly munching on some cookies and sharing them with Emma, giggling along with her as though they were old friends. However, as they neared the main staricase, Aileron looked meaningfully at Emma, who needed, gave Aniko a huge, chest crushing hug, and scampered down the hallway. "Don't worry, Annie!" she called back, "I'm sure you'll pass with flying colors! I can't wait until we get some time to play together!" She lowered to all fours once more and shot off like a rocket to who knows where.

Aileron smiled comfortingly, "Well, I suppose the surprise is ruined now," he quipped. Aniko merely blinked in confusion and wondered if she should put her cookie away, or just finish eating it. Aileron's smile broadened. "Go ahead and finish it," he leaned in close to Aniko's ear to continue in a whisper, "And don't tell Emma, but I've already given you the test. You passed with flying colors." Aniko grinned proudly, yet confused even more than before and stepped after her master as he walked up the stairs.

Near the top was a small, shabby door that contrasted with everything else in the tower. The senior mage stopped in front of it, and pursed his lips for a moment. He turned to Aniko and smiled congenially, "This is my private study. I am going to let you in, but... there is something I must do, and I would rather that you don't watch. It is nothing emberassing, and I will teach it to you in time, however it is not something for an apprentice to know. Since I don't know how quickly youlearn yet, I must ask you to cover your eyes and turn away, please. It is for your own safety, really. I will explain more soon, I promise."

Aniko sighed ruefully. She was getting more than a little tired of all this waiting, and explenations that would come at some unspecified point in the future. "I suppose... I mean, yes master..." she sighed, inable to effectively disguise her feelings, "That is, I trust you and all but... How many things will be explained later?"

Aileron took Aniko's shoulder gently in his hand, "Do not be ashamed, apprentice. Perhaps your tactic could use some polishing, but it is... refreshing to work with so open a student. Sadly, your question has no comfortable answers. the best I can say is that you must trust me, and that when the time is right, all will be made clear." He gently snugged his grip for a moment before Aniko nodded sadly with a half pout on her face and turned around with her hands over her eyes, "Please let me know when you are finished... I am not sure how long I can hold back my curiousity...

Aileron chuckled warmly and traced a quick series of patterns on the air in front of the door. Where his finger passed, glowing lines appeared, and soon a magical insignia was drawnthere. He placed his palm in the center and the whole thing glowed brighter, then faded out all together.

Aniko stood with her whole face covered by her hands. She was torn between an intense desire to watch Aileron work and the sense of duty she felt keeping her hands over her eyes. It felt like ages before Aileron finally put a hand on her shoulder. She waited impatiently for him to say something, but it was nearly three minutes before he finally did, "You may look now. In fact, I had finished..." Without thinking Aniko chimed in, "About three minutes before you touched my shoulder."

The blood drained from Aileron's face as it contorted to a hurt, angry expression. "I thought I told you NOT to peek? I thought I could trust you, but no... You... hurt me, Aniko. I am not..."

"But I didn't look! I swear!" she replied as tears found their way to her eyes, "You finished with the first spell, then cast another and touched my shoulder. I don't know how I know, but I do... I wouldn't lie to you, I swear. I wanted to look, but I didn't, because you told me not to..." She sniffled miserably, surprised at how emotional she felt when this man she barely knew had accused her. She was almost ready to start fully sobbing when he surrounded her in a warm hug and made soothing, cooing noises.

"Hush, my sweet Aniko. Everything is fine, and I have all the proof I need that you didn't look," He sighed, holding a deep breath for a few seconds while Aniko wiped the tears from her face, "I am sorry I had to decieve you like that.. I really am, and... I will admit, I am surprised as well. I have had five apprentices before you. One peeked at the casting, one peeked after the casting and caught the second spell, the other five didn't have a clue that anything had been done. However, you sensed the spells and knew theere were two... Only one other has come close to that... She... She sensed the casting, but not both castings. The second spell... It... was a truth spell. It compelled absolute truth from you, regardless of what you would have said, and I would have known if you had attempted to lie... I am sorry. I did not mean to hurt you, and would take it back if it were within my powers."

Aniko sniffled softly as she tried in vain to regain her former composure. Eventually she had calmed down enough that Aileron got her into his private study and set down in a large, overstuffed chair with a cup of sweetened tea. "Aniko, your training in Magic begins now. Already you have proven to me that you are too powerful to remain untrained for very long. Magic... Is a dangerous thing, much like tapping one of your world's nuklear bombs with a hammer to see if it will explode, then using the energy by siphoning it through a bendy straw. The bendy straw analogy, while silly, is also very apt. A straight straw will not bend and will be destroyed, while a hose has no form and will spill the energy in all directions haphazar. Right now, you are like a hose, Aniko. Do you understand what I am telling you?"

Aniko nodded slowly, her tea shaking terribly in her hand, "Yes... I... I understand, master Aileron." He sighed in an unreadable expression, then let a smile touch the corners of his mouth, "Very well, then let your training begin now... I want you to realize, however, that the moment you have enough control to not be a danger to yourself and those around you, you will be treated as any other apprentice. That being said, clear your mind and..."

Near the end of the week, Aniko was physically and mentally exhausted. Magic training had taken a lot out of her, and cleaning master Aileron's personal chamber as well as doing all his laundry and running any errands he had was just plain time consuming. On the upside, however, Emma was very much like a younger sister to her now, trotting alongside any time she ran an errand, sneaking cookies and cakes from the kitchen for her, and sharing gossip about everything Aniko had no time to attend to herself.

And then there were the people of the castle in general. While she ended up to her elbows in washwater and Aileron's underthings, none of the servants would so much as let her lift a finger to do anything herself. It had taken some major convincing on her part to allow herself to brush her hair every night, and for that small activity she had to sacrifice being able to wash herself in the bath. There were maids for every activity, from helping her onto her horse should she choose to ride, to fanning off her tea if it was too hot. And through it all.... through it all she noticed a strange, aching emotiness she couldn't explain.

It was the emptiness that had her out on the balcony of her personal apartments with only three maids ready to serve whatever whim she had. It was the emptiness that caused her to sigh and gaze forlornly at the hills on the far side of the tower. It was the emptiness that had her thinking of the far side of the tower as looking away from his palace. She idly traced one of the magical sigils Aileron had been teaching her on the wood of the balcony.

Much like everything magic, she had memorized it on her first attempt and could repeat it flawlessly. In moments, the wood of the balcony shone clean and polished as though a whole team of servants had just spent roughly three lunar cycles assaulting it with waxes and polish. She wasn't fully aware that she had cast a spell, let alone cast it with such strength. This wasn't the first occurance with her, but it was the first one while she was awake. One of the maids let someon in her chamber, she hadn't even noticed the knock.

"Good afternoon, my lady Aniko. It is lovely to see you again." Aniko nearly toppled over the railing at the surprise of hearing that voice, "P..Prince I mean, your majesty, I was not expecting a visit." She blushed completely and affected a tolerable bow before she realized she was wearing little more than her casual clothes. She gulped and practically swore at her mental process... Worried about wearing casual clothes... Still, the man had an absolutely infuriating way of making her want to wear dresses and giggle childishly.

Prince Zaki studiously watched his feet as soon as he saw the red of Aniko's face. To his experience a woman with a face that shade generally wanted to flay you alive and use your hide for a new pair of shoes. He couldn't understand why that particular expression coming from the exotic beauty before him made him feel particularly... redressed, but it did. The maids goggled in open awe at the prince's reaction, traditionally it was not the prince who averted their eyes, but his subject. Glancing at aniko they noted that she, too, had averted her eyes with a similar expression on her face. It was all the maids could do to stifle their laughter and leave the two alone on the balcony, but within earshot in case anything was needed. that was whaen the gossip began.

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Clam Digger

Mon Dec 22 07:17:23 2003

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