Interstitial - 3 (An Order of Amber) (Patreon)

Vivi was a little puzzled by the shape her magical friend had chosen for her home, it wasn't a small house as houses went but also not so grand as to be a manor. Yet it had to have cost a lot, she remembered when her father had set aside a big pile of gold for the building of a new mill to grind grain for their people, and Gwen was having one built intoher house.

A waterwheel rather than a windmill, but still.

It wasn't all done yet, the water... canal for the waterwheel wasn't done yet and it wasn't turning, a big gate built to let the water through on demand but it was backed up onto soil rather than the river since not all the masonry was done. The second floor didn't seem to be done yet either, missing windows and shutters and the frame of a balcony was left without railings. The roof looked intact, at a glance, but Vivi still wouldn't want to live there.

But Lorna had assured her Gwen had moved in already, not wanting to infringe on Lord Darius' hospitality overmuch. Which was silly and strange. But her magical friend was always strange.

In a good way, strange in a good way.

"Hello!" She called, approaching the house. She was alone, having slipped away when Missus Tarny dragged Lorna off to lessons. She got enough of those and home and wasn't having any more! "Gwen?"

"In here!" Gwen called back, from the part of the house closest to the wheel.

Vivi found her packing away something in one of the best lit rooms Vivi had ever seen, not even Lord Crowley's gas lit chandeliers compared. Twinkling magical lights floated everywhere, showing off the benches that were covered in all sorts of things, from materials like cloth and metal, thread and cut timber, to a wide variety of tools like a familiar blacksmith hammer and tiny, tiny, little saws.

"Vivi! Hi." Gwen said, seeing her and smiling brightly. "It's been some time. Sorry that it's a bit of a mess, I wasn't expecting guests."

Shaking her head Vivi flushed slightly. "No, no. I came without saying anything." She tilted her head at the small little rod Vivi was working on. "What's that?"

"Just something I'm trying to get right; my first attempts I didn't have the tools, I've almostgot it but there's still some kinks to work out." Gwen said, managing to explain nothing. Vivi nodded along anyway, moving up and picking up one of the tools in question.

"It's very small." She said, eyeing it. She really hadn't even seen a blade so thin before, could it even cut anything?"

"I had to order them from Gnomeregan, If Darius didn't pay as much as he did..." Gwen shrugged. "They're very useful though, closest thing I found in the capital was a jewellers kit. And that didn't work nearly so well."

Vivi knew what Darius had put as an asking price for Gwen's services, to those lords who were envious and wanted to 'borrow' her. It had been eye wateringly large, especially after she proved she could regrowmissing limbs. Of course they, and Northglade, got her help when she came to visit her mother. Vivi was stillmad at the woman, abandoning Gwen like that, but... she was a good tailor. It made sense to keep going to that store.

Let her keep an eye on things for Gwen.

"You're doing jewellery?" Vivi asked curiously. Gwen would look pretty with earrings.

"No, not quite." Gwen shook her head.  "More technical than that, though some of it requires the same kind of precision. You remember the carding machine I showed your father?"

It took a moment for Vivi to remember, scrunching up her nose as she thought. "Oh, the sheep fleece thing." She said, remembering the weird spinning wheels covered in little metal wires. Father had been vaguely interested, and mother... notdisdainful, but Vivi hadn't paid much attention. She wasn't interested in sowing or knitting or spinning thread, no matter how much her mother wanted her to be. "Yeah, I remember." She nodded.

"Things like that, to make life easier. This," she gestured at the sever inch long rod, with a wooden and a metal tip, "is supposed to be a replacement for Quills. A Pen. But getting it to writeright is proving difficult."

Well, it sounded useful. A metal quill would mean you didn't have to keep sharpening it, it was clever. Kind of boring though.

"Neat." She said, putting the little tool back down. She wouldn't have the patience for this kind of stuff. "I've helped Tod make a sword once or twice, it was fun." There was something more satisfying about holding a sword shehelped make over the ones she used for practice with Howard. Even if the ones she made weren't as good. Maybe one day they'd be worth using.

Blacksmithing was way more fun than tailoring, the feeling of hitting the metal and the force needed made her feel good.

Gwen looked at her oddly for a moment and Vivi crossed her arms, raising her brow and daring her to say it.

But she didn't. "I didn't know you did that, maybe you could help me with some things in the future? I've a forge but... I still need to learn to use it properly. Working metal cold I've learned to do but hot, not so much."

Vivi blinked in surprise. "Sure!" It wasn't the answer she expected but it sounded fun! And an excuse to spend more time with her friend.

"Great! Now, why don't I show you around?" Gwen asked, and they got to doing that.

For a ignoble home Gwen's was very nice, or at least it was as far as Vivi could tell. She knew most didn't have running water, though the system to draw power from the Waterwheel to hoist the water into the tank in the attic wasn't working with the wheel dry.

There wasn't much furniture yet, and her wardrobe was still fairly bare; just three outfits! Three! And one of them was the one Vivi bought her. It still looked good on her, and she filled it out well now, but still! Three!

It was unacceptable and Vivi said as much.

"I'll be making my own, I learned to weave magic into clothes in Dalaran and... well, I'm going to do that." Vivi said, fingering her sleeves. "Once you get used to fabric that basically keeps itselfclean you never want anything different. Especially around the monthlies. So just buying clothes won't work, not unless I'm willing to spell a fortune."

"That makes sense." Vivi grumbled, ignoring how her face turned crimson at mention of... that. It wasn't a proper conversation topic. "Maybe... maybe you can make me some?"

Proper conversation topic or not, blood repellent cloth, or absorbent, or something, sounded very useful.

Leaving that behind they ended up in the garden, the sounds of life singing in chorus. Insects and birds and fish in a little pond, the leaves of the willow dangling to touch the water, and cut off from sight by thick hedges that Vivi was fairly certain hadn't been there last year.

It was all wild, but so pretty and seemingly intentional in its wildness that Vivi was sure her mother's gardener would bow himself into the dirt to learn how she managed it.

Chewing on her lip nervously Vivi looked at a brilliant rose that was climbing up a standing stone. "Hey, would you mind making me a flower to wear? Like you did for Lorna." She asked hopefully.

Over the last couple of years she had started feeling envious she never got one. It neverwilted, ever her mother had said it was a good gift and mentioned wanting one.

Vivi wouldn't get her one. Not in a million years.

"Sure!" Gwen said, holding out a hand for the rose to grow towards her, the stem wrapping around her wrist gently. "Hmm, I've made a lot of flowers for people now but... this one should be special." She nodded, closing her eyes and breathing calmly. "I knowit's possible, I've even done it while experimenting, but it's tricky to get right."

Vivi nodded; though Gwen couldn't see it she didn't want to speak up and interrupt her. Slowly a bud formed on the rose, which then started to unfurl with bright cobalt bluepetals. It was gorgeous, and unique, like nothing Vivi had ever seen before, but still a part of her was disappointed it wasn't a red one like Lorna got.

"It's beautiful." She said, burying that emotion. It wasspecial, even if... never mind.

"I'm glad you like it!" Gwen said, gently plucking it from the stem and doing some magic to it before holding it out. "Keep it safe, those are for my friends only."

Nodding fiercely Vivi took the flower, holding it close and sniffing it. The scent was so very like other roses, and yet... like a cold winter's night, the air crisp and the skies clear. It made her think of that.

"I love it." She said sincerely.

After a moment of hesitation she stepped forward and flung her arms around Gwen, pulling her into a tight hug. She really liked having Gwen as a friend, it made life so much better, more interesting, more fun, more... more.

"Thank you." She said, squeezing her and being squeezed in turn.

She held onto Gwen's hand, a smile on her face, for the rest of the tour of the garden. She wasn't sure what Gwen meant by the Willow being an ongoing project, an attempt to learn, but... it was magic stuff. She wasn't expected to understand it.

Once they finished they sat by the river, their shoes off and their skirts hiked up to let their feet dangle in the cool waters. It was a warm enough early summer's day for it to be nice to just relax by the cool riverside with a friend.

They chatted about all sorts of things, what they were doing, what they were learning – when Vivi said she'd dodged joining Lorna's etiquette lessons Gwen said she neededto join them! She couldn't imagine wantingto do it. Even if it was useful it was such a chore.

From there asking about the future seemed obvious. Gwen had just arrived, but would she stay? She had a home, but Vivi didn't want to lose her friend. Lorna was still her bestfriend, but the other girls her age were such snobs. One word about working in a blacksmith, or saying she practised the sword with her brother, or preferred riding to knitting, saw them turn their noses up at her.

All of them were like her mother. Which was probably when she tried to get Vivi to spend time with them, so she'd become more like them.

Fat chance of that happening.

"Do you have any plans?" Vivi asked, she herself didn't know what she was going to do. Being a dutiful daughter was... not something she wanted. Marrying someone and popping out babies seemed so miserable. She wanted to fight. Her brother could rule, would rule, and she could protect their home in his stead? "When I was younger I heard about Orcish Blademasters, running like the wind, dancing through soldiers and fighting off dozens of people at once. I wanted to be one, even telling mother about it."

She'd been very young back then. It might have even been when she first got interested in swords.

Vivi grimaced. "It didn't go well." She muttered, for all her mother hated her penchant for sword fighting it had been the dirty orcpart that had riled her up. "I'd still like to, but it's not really possible, is it?"

"I suppose not. They areimpressive, though."

"I know!" Vivi said. It wasn't like she had ever seen one in person, but just the stories! The closest thing the Alliance had was Paladins, but she liked to move. Wearing heavy armour, the one time she wore a suit of chain, felt constricting. "What about you? You settled in recently, but you... you know what you're doing."

Lorna only had her little gryphon because of how busy Gwen was making herself, running around the villages and healing people. Working on projects like her pen and carding thing, or whatever she had planned with the water wheel. She'd given it upso she could spend more time on other things; and in doing so was making a name for herself. Everyone in Northglade knew her, and the villages that looked to Northglade. Turin's Clearing was rebuilt and had named the grove at its centre after her.

Gwen hummed for a long moment. "I'd like to see the world at peace." She said eventually, almost wistfully.

"But we areat peace." Vivi was rather confused by that, there hadn't been a war since the Sons of Lothar closed the Dark Portal for good.

"It won't last." Gwen sighed, slumping slightly. Vivi almost wanted to ask why she thought that but thought better of it, settling for moving closer and bumping shoulders. "I suppose in second place... I'd like to meet a dragon? There are a couple in particular, but really, any dragon."

"Why a dragon?"

"They're dragons."

Vivi didn't really have a counter to that. Dragons were dragons, and... yeah. Dragons. "True."

They both burst into giggles, meeting a dragon really would be amazing! And terrifying, but she could see why Gwen would want to.

Though maybe not a Black or a Red one. They were evil.

After a while of mutual giggling and leaning into one another happily Gwen spoke up again.

"You know, there is an alternative to the Blademasters. Still hard to find a teacher but it's actually possible." She said, staring off into the distance thoughtfully. "Actually, let me show you something." She shifted, kneeling over Vivi's lap and pressed their foreheads together.

Vivi was confused, her cheeks flushing as she looked into Gwen's bright amber eyes, but didn't move a muscle or protest. She could feel Gwen's breath on her lips and–

There was a sudden surge of energy, of warmth, that ran through her. The chill of the water losing its edge, the summer heat dimming a touch, and yet the world became sharper. The extremes were... lessbut she could still feel them. It wasn't colder, or hotter, just more tolerable. Taking a breath she could taste the air, the breeze, and the smell;the garden had been lovely before before but now it was divine.

"I'm not sure if it's a realMark of the Wild, but I've tested it and it's safe." Gwen said. "How does it feel?"

"Like I could run a mile. Or ten." Vivi said, relishing the feeling.

"It's a... blessing, of Nature and Spirits. Invigoration and empowerment. I'm still practising with it butmy point with it is that there's a group, called Monks that..." She trailed off a moment, furrowing her brow as she tried to remember something. "They use the same kind of energy, their Spirit, or Chi, to empower themselves, deflect blows, or even heal others. I think it's connected to my kind of magic but I'm not sure. They, um, learnfrom the land where I connect and wield its power. Still Spirit, still Life, I think anyway."

Some of the terms Gwen used got very magical, the Cosmic Forces weren't a concept Vivi really understood. But as Gwen spoke more and more on what a Monk was, and answered Vivi's questions, she became more and more curious.

The adventures of Chen Stormstout, the Brew Festival of Ironforge, and the Wandering Isle all sounded fantasticaland maybe not even real. But Vivi believed her; Gwen didn't have a reason to lie.

When Gwen finally ran out of steam the sun was setting, burnt oranges reflecting off the waters of the river.

"You've got to teach me." Vivi declared.

"But, I don't–"

Vivi shook her head. "Spirit. Internal spirit, I need to know how to use that. And that's what you do, all the time, connecting to the spirits of plants and stuff, like the wind that follows you around all the time." Right on queue the leaves rustled, and Gwen glanced up at them.

"You know about that?" She asked.

"Yep." Vivi said, popping the P and grinning. "I'm not blind, and having the wind punctuate your sentences? It's not subtle."

Gwen's expression morphed slowly from surprise to happiness, a pretty smile forming on her face. "Okay. I'll... I'll teach you to meditate, or try to. I don't know any katas or anything, but I can try."

Her mother certainlywouldn't approve, but Vivi was happy with the new path she had in front of her. She had a new goal in life; finding a Pandaren. Looking for a walking, talking, bearthat was more cuddly than menacing was an odd one but...

It would certainly be an adventure.

-oOoOo-

The sky was still pouring with rain when Rod, along with several dozen others, marched up to the River Ember. It had been a longnight, the floodwaters had been swift and sudden and only a warning from the Lady Arevin had seen the townsfolk warned. His own nephew had gone as a rider to try and warn other villages on the banks, and he didn't know if the boy'd made it.

"Gonna be hell to fix." Chris said, looking out on the damage.

"Yep." Rod answered. The water hadn't just gotten everywhere, the bridge over the river was straight up gone. The old stone piers that had been sunk into the river were still there, under the surface, but they couldn't even seethe remains of the bridge proper. "There's a lot of work ahead of us."

It'd keep him in business for a long while repairing damage; he doubted Miss Arevin's new home had gotten out unscathed. He'd told her when she'd said she wanted it on the side of the river, with a sodding waterwheel, that there'd come problems. But she'd insisted. They only got it finished and furnished a last winter too, hopefully the damage there weren't too great.

He'd still fix it for free, either way, but there was a point where doing so became difficult. He did need to eat.

"Make way! Make way!"

Rod had to dodge out of the way of half a dozen mud covered horses, Lord Crowley himself riding at the front with a severe look on his face. Rod bowed his head before his Lordship, though he glanced at the others present.

Lady Crowley, Arevin, and another noble girl. Red haired like fire and just growing up.

"I had hoped the runner was wrong." Lord Crowley said. "This is going to make life quite cumbersome."

A understatement and a half. Even if there was still a ferry intact at this end of the river it was no good replacement for a proper bridge, and a lot of Rod's friends lived on the other side. Hells, the main route the stone was being brought to the still growing Greymane Wall from the Ember Hills had been across that bridge.

Lady Gwyneth slid off her horse, her feet splashing into the mud. "I believe I've a solution; though I imagine you'll want a more permanent replacement in time. With your permission, Lord Crowley?"

The Lord remained silent for a time, staring with his one eye at the ruined piers grimly. Eventually he nodded. "Do it."

Giving the lord a curtsy the Lady Arevin turned and walked up to the shore, pulling an acorn out of her bag and placing it at her feet. Everyone held their breath as they watched, most folk had seen her work magic here or there. Whether with the lessons for the kids with a spark of talent, the healing she still did with Sister Roper, or the Crowley orchards that produced bumper crop after bumper crop.

But it was usually out of sight and out of mind.

All of a sudden the acorn erupted in a veritable torrent of wood, everyone save the horses and Lord Crowley startling. Rod himself fell backwards onto his bum, coating himself thoroughly in mud.

The oak tree twisted as it grew, turning sideways and out across the river, it's trunk turning strangely flat. He got to see it reach down to the old piers, winding roots gripping on to the stonework and digging in, around and down into the murky water. The River Ember was a good twenty yards across where the bridge had been, and the tree kept growing, all the way across until it settled on the other side.

A great canopy of branches and leaves stood over it. Bare minutesto grow an entire sodding bridge! What had she even needed them for with building her house?!

Lady Arevin let out a long breath, her hands dropping. She turned back to his Lordship. "I do believe this will suffice." She said.

Everyone stared in utter silence at the tree, the bridge, that she had just grown into being. It was one thing thing to know she was a healer, a Witch, someone who made flowers bloom and mended wounds. This... this was well beyond the stories.

Eventually Lord Crowley broke the silence. "That it will." He said, his voice too calm for the situation. "Come, let's see how the other villages have fared."

The noble party quickly regathered behind him and made their way across, the men and women far more nervous than their mounts. A few brave souls – Rod not one of them – trailed after them cautiously, examining the Witch's work.

"And you were planning to try and lynchher." Rod said to Chris.

"Fuck you." Chris replied back eloquently. "That was years ago, you can stop rubbing it in."

The idiots had come around after a thorough haranguing by Sister Roper, and most of the town coming to like the girl. Hard to form a lynch mob to get rid of someone people liked. Rod was proud to have worked on her home.

-oOoOo-

As Trix trotted down the path out of her village, across the great Tree Bridge, and followed the river west an idea bloomed in her head. Just before her destination, she darted off to the side, into the bushes. Mum would probably have a fit if she knew Trix was still coming out here, but dad didn't mind.

Mostly. He wasokay with it before until mother forbid her. But they'd never find out! Trix knew how to be sneaky.

Which was why she carefully pushed through the bushes, feeling each step out and making only the faintest of rustling. Right where she expected her to be was her teacher, sat amongst a ring of stones that were laid out before an old willow that hung over the river. Her eyes closed and hands in her lap.

Seeing her chance she wriggled her way out of the bushes and crept on tip-toe over to Lady Gwyneth.

"Good morning, Patricia." She said, not even bothering to open her eyes.

"Ugh! How?!" Trix cried, stomping her foot in the grass. "I knowyou weren't looking. I'll sneak up on you eventually! I will!"

Cracking a single eye open Gwyneth grinned. "If you say so, Twix."

"Trix!" She corrected, pouting at her teacher. "It's Trix! Not Twix!" She still didn't know what a Twix was! All Gwyneth would tell her was that it was sweet, like she was.

Stupid teacher, being silly. Wasn't even that much older than her, only four and a half years.

"If you say so, Twix." Gwyneth repeated jovially.

"Ergh!" Trix stomped her foot again, crossing her arms and pointedly looking away. "Hi Heather." She said, spotting the older girl. Also one of Gwyneth's students, despite being older.

"Good morning, Trixie." Heather said back. The others were alwayslate, but Trix was fairly sure Heather stayed with Gwyneth when she was here; wasn't always since she lived days away.

She had to walk hoursto get to Brentford the first time since it had been hosted in the chapel there. Her da had been happy since it was looked over by Sister Roper, and it'd molified mum enough to let her go. This place wasn't muchcloser but it was a bit better. And so very, very worth it. The first time she'd gotten to see twinkling stars, shining lights, an illusion of the whole town as if they were looking down on it like a bird.

Sister Roper had even given everyone a honeyed apple. Each. The chapel was keeping bees now, a lot of people were; there were these new fancy houses for bees that showed up and made it easy. Well, easier. Trix didn't want to try it, she got stung once and it hurt. But honey was delicious so other people getting stung to give her honey was good in her book!

"Can we start lessons early?" Trix asked, her prior frustration with her teacher forgotten.

"Did you finish your assignment?" Gwyneth asked with a raised brow.

Quickly rummaging through her bag Trix pulled out the sheet of paper.

"Here!" She said, handing it over. She'd done her best to keep it from getting crumpled, paper was expensive. Gwyneth was richto be able to hand it out for scribbling on, and the ink too Not to mention the penshe'd been given. She kept it hidden, not even letting her dad see it, no one else in the village had anything like it! "Your numbers are hard." She said, careful to not sound too whiny. So long as it was the price for learning realmagic she'd keep doing them and wouldn't even complain. "Don't get why I need them." Much, wouldn't complain much.

It's not like she used numberswhen doing magic. It was all feelings and tingles and breathing. Slow and boring at times but also so amazing.

She grew a daisy last time. Grew it from a little sprout until it flowered; it was still tucked away beside her bed at home, Gwyneth had made it so it'd never wither for her.

One day she'dbe able to do that too. And grow more, like the trees and the roots and smacking things.

"Numbers can be surprisingly useful." Heather said, ruffling Trix's hair. "In brewing potions, or just counting coin."

"Yeah, but why do I have to do so many?" Trix whined.

"Repetition is learning. At least in this case." Gwyneth said, looking over the sheet. "Everything's right as far as I can see. You're getting much better, and your penmanship's improving too."

"The pen you gave me helps." Trix mumbled, struggling not to preen under the praise; she distracted herself by swatting away Heather's hand, only for the older girl to giggleat her!

"Cute little Twix." Heather teased, and reached out to pulled her into a hug.

"Trix!" She protested, struggling against Heather's grip.

"Okay, we can start." Gwyneth said and Trix snapped back around, all her attention on her teacher. "Can you go get Desmond?"

"Will do." Heather said, letting go and heading off towards the house.

"You've gotten good enough control to cast how you wantto cast since you started, so we're going to work on one of the more practical skills." Gwyneth said, getting up and brushing herself off. "Congratulations, Trixie. You're going to learn to heal."

For a moment Trix stared, blinking slowly. Then her mouth widened into a manic grin and her eyes shone with glee. "Yes!" She cheered, jumping into the air.

Even mum found it hard to argue that Lady Gwyneth's healing everyone was a bad thing. When Dennis had sliced open his thumb and let it get sickbecause he didn't tell anyone she fixed it, let him keep it when everyone said it'd have to get cut off.

He used it to pick snotand eat it, disgusting boy, but he still had it.

She was vibrating with excitement while she listened to Lady Gwyneth's explanations, how the magic should feeland what it needed to do. How many variations there were. It was hard, there was much too much and how could someone remember it all?

But she tried, she really, really tried.

Eventually Heather came back with a man in tow.

"You can still back out if you like." Gwyneth said after they exchanged greetings.

Desmond shook his head. "It's for a good cause, ma'am. You did right by my nuncle so I'll help out as I can. You'll see me fixed if they can't, right?"

"Of course." She nodded.

Trix kept quiet as they settled in, Desmond sitting back against one of the stones while Gwyneth rolled up one of his sleeves. Heather stood off to the side; she was already a healer, she didn't need these lessons. There was another woman too, but Trix didn't recognise her nor care; her focus was on the lesson.

Gwyneth ran a glowing hand, the silvery blue of starlight, over Desmond's arm. "Do tell me if you feel anything; I'm still working on this."

"It's gone all tingling, like I slept on it wrong." He said.

"Good, that's a sign it's working. You might want to look away now." It was an eerie sight, watching Gwyneth take out a small knife and gently run it across Desmond's skin. It wasn't a bigcut, it was barely even bleeding! But... it was like the badstories, of Witches who would feed people to their plants to give them souls and animate them. Mum liked telling those a bit too much.

"Can't feel a thing." Desmond said. "Maybe a little cold now, that's it."

Gwyneth was one of the goodWitches. What kind of bad witch would make someone not feel pain before cutting them? Or use it to teach healing?

"Trix." She said, calling her over.

Scrambling Trix dropped to her knees beside Desmond and went through what she could remember from the lesson, all the lessons before. It wasn't a bigcut, and it was still clean; he'd washed recently. That was good.

Placing her hands over the wound she breathed in deep, smelling the grasses and the flowers and the breeze. Feeling her magic, her manawas still hard, but she'd done it before.

"Heal," She mumbled, envisioning the skin growing over like a scar, blending together and forming a blemish less covering. The faint tear gone as if it had never even been there. It didn't feel like anything was happening.

"Focus, Trix." Gwyneth said softly. "You have to reach out, remember?"

Feeling stupid she pushedagainst her skin, in time with the beating of her own heart, in time with her breaths. Slowly she felthim, she could feel his hurt, not pain, but that there was something wrong. The blood seeping out slowly, how it was already trying to heal. Which of course it would be! It was a tiny cut, and would probably be gone in a day or two. She just had to make it faster.

Opening her eyes she got to watchas the red line that was seeping blood closed from one end to another, leaving not even a blemish.

"Well done." Gwyneth said.

Blinking Trix looked around her, all the others had showed up too. Richie and Triss, Harold and Trent. They all started clapping along with Heather and the other lady. Trix blinked again.

The lady was standing next to a bird with lion legs. A big, fluffy, bird with a lion rear end. A gryphon.

"Lady Crowley!" She exclaimed, recognising the woman. She fumbled, mimicking the time her father had greeted a noble and tried to bow – wait, she was in skirts! Halfway into her bow she swtitched to trying to curtsy, tripping over herself and tumbling into the grass.

Richie, the git, stopped clapping to point and laugh.

Flushing with embarrassment Trix was slow to push herself back to her feet.

"It's good to meet you, Patricia." Lorna Crowley said, wearing an mused smirk while her eyes sparkled. "My name is Lorna Crowley. Do you think you'll follow in your teacher's footsteps to help your fellows?"

With all the dignity she could muster Trix nodded. She didn't trust her voice.

"Wonderful." She smiled, giving Trix a small nod and turning her attention back to Gwyneth. "Father will be happy to hear your efforts are bearing fruit."

"Not as happy as I am. Healing is worthwhile, but it never ends!" Gwyneth whined. "Just when I think I've caught up with everyone's old ailments, people from farther away show up." She turned an unnerving towards Trix, grinning strangely. "Soon I'll be able to delegate."

For some reason the word sounded terrifyingto Trix. She was just ten! She didn't want to be Delegated! She didn't even know what delegated meant!