Learning to Love (Tinder and Saren)

[Tinder]

The sound of Cromdali's laugh reminded Cisa of forest and the hours she spent there hiding from her problems in her home. Without speaking a word, Cisa felt as though she could trust the young wizard with almost anything. Whereas the Dark Wizard, or Sephanir, seemed unable to say more than a few words to her without the conversation feeling strained, Cromdali was so joyful it was impossible to respond otherwise. It was a kind of friendship Cisa had never experienced. Without meaning to, she began to return her smiles

Realizing she'd forgotten Cromdali was new to the castle, Cisa quickly caught up, "Sorry." She led Cromdali out into the hallway, walking towards the room she'd been occupying for the past two weeks. "To tell you the truth," she began, her air of forced politeness dropping away, "I've put much thought into what I wear. My family could only afford one set of clothing for me. It was replaced when I outgrew them or they became worn, but I didn't have a say in how they looked. I only brought up the clothing to the wizard because, well, it gets cold in the castle and I only have these." She indicated the threadbare trousers and shirt she wore. "These are my work clothes which I usually only wear in the forge. They keep me from overheating and aren't nearly as likely to catch fire, but they do little against any sort of chill in the air. I only wear them when working in my father's forge, but the day I came here to find my sister, I hadn't taken the time to change out of them. I also lost the boots I'd been wearing when I, ah, climbed the outer wall after my sister." That sounded far more fool-hardy once she'd said it aloud. "I would appreciate something warmer, but practical if possible. I need to be able to do whatever sort of work…Sephanir has for me to do."

They reached Cisa's rooms before the conversation could come to an awkward halt. Cisa opened the door so that Cromdali could enter, following after and closing it to give them a little privacy. Or the illusion of privacy. The room had not changed during her time there. She kept it clean as best she could, but it was still as sparely decorated as it had been. There was little Cisa could do to remedy that. Remembering Cromdali's other offer, Cisa cleared her throat to continue, "I do have a few questions for you. About wizards, I mean. What do you wizards do exactly?" She realized how rude that sounded and quickly continued, "Not that I believed none of you did anything, I just…I've heard very little about wizards. I know you all have important roles, but they've never been explained to me. My…stepmother usually just said not to get mixed up in matters involving magic and left it at that."

 

[Saren]

Cisa had been through a lot for being the same age as Cromdali. The poor girl didn't even have proper clothes! She'd run in after her sister with no thought for herself. She was brave, but perhaps she put too much into others. Cisa certainly deserved better for all her hard work. The Earth Wizard was silent as Cisa recounted her tale, though she seemed to hesitate on her fellow Wizard's name. Oh, Sephanir, lighten up, dear, she thought, but the idea of the Dark Wizard lightening up brought a smile to her face. He certainly wouldn't think it was funny.

As they entered her room, Cromdali immediately noticed the lack of decorations. Sephanir had never been one for flair, despite his penchant for titles and spooky stories, so the room was sparse. There were hardly any candles, but she knew he embraced the darkness and saw better through the shadows. "Well, we help along the natural balance of things. The moon will rise and fall on its own, but Zaphalore watches over the night and Sephanir pushes and pulls the darkness where it needs to be. As the Earth Wizard, I am connected to all of nature. I ensure that nothing becomes damaged where it isn't necessary. I understand that animals will kill one another, but that's the way things go, but I am often stopping humans from taking too much from their forests. The other elemental Wizards do the same. Perhaps you'll meet all of them one day," she explained, turning to face Cisa with a smile. She bent down, setting little Scout on his feet. "Be a good boy and don't tear into anything," she said to the fox. He glanced between the two women before he scampered off, digging under Cisa's bed and sniffing around.

"Wizards aren't here to harm, if that's what your stepmother had assumed. We don't always make our presence known, but we're always helping," Cromdali continued, eyes on Scout as he ran around the room. "Now, Sephanir told me there was some fabric in one of these attached rooms. With winter coming soon, warmth will be our main concern, but we'll get you some new outfits soon. Sephanir has allowed me to stay a few days if necessary."

 

[Tinder]

"The natural balance…" Cisa repeated quietly, mulling over Cromdali's reply as she took care of the little fox. Cisa had always known the wizards held impressive power, but to think they were powerful enough to influence nature…she could hardly believe it. From the day she'd learned what wizards were she'd heard only about the dangers of magic. Wizards were to be feared like wolves or bears. They were individuals who held great power to use as they saw fit. No one in the village ever spoke of them having such an important role. More like than not, none of them knew. With only the Dark Wizard near, none of the people had ever met with a wizard. Knowing Sephanir as she did now, that may have been for the best. The man was not skilled with people.

At the mention of cloth, Cisa came back from her thoughts briefly, "There is?" He could have mentioned that, she grouched internally, then Cromdali would not have needed to come so far. She glanced down towards the little running fox. Her practical nature still disagreed with the wizard wasting another's time, but she was grateful for the company. She couldn't bring herself to linger on that point for long though. She turned her attention back to Cromdali, "Why don't you all make your presence more known? You could clear up so many misunderstandings about yourselves. People wouldn't need to be afraid if they knew you were all there to help them."

Cisa was beginning to think all these wizards lacked common sense. First it had been Sephanir with his insistence to use magic for nearly everything. Now all of the wizards were hiding away for no reason. If anything, they were damaging their reputations all being so bloody secretive. If they really were helping keep the world in order, their work was good. The way people spoke of wizards in the village, Cisa had always imagined them all to be gruff old men in oversized robes sacrificing animals to hone their abilities. Yet that couldn't be farther from the truth. Even without needed others' help, wouldn't it be nice for them to have emotional support or any sort of relationship not magic-related?

 

[Saren]

At the suggestion, Cromdali only offered a shrug. "It's dependent on the region. Here, it seems as though magic is not as readily accepted. Telasorin and I help out non-magic humans like yourself every day where we're from. If there are misunderstandings, it's likely up to Sephanir to clear those up. I understand there are some stories about him, is that right? He secretly likes them, but you didn't hear that from me," she explained, but her last words turned into a giggle. She pulled open one of the attached doors to Cisa's room, finding several long strips of fabric resting on a shelf. "Ah, here we are!" Pulling them down, she rested them over her arms, giving them a full inspection. If they were too thin, she put them back. They varied in color, but Cromdali seemed to gravitate toward the muted, earthy colors that she herself wore.

"So, as I said, warmth is our goal, but what sort of style do you like? Obviously not something like you're wearing right now," she said, swiping her free arm along Cisa's form once. "You don't seem like the type to wear dresses, especially if you're moving around a lot... Sephanir might not even look up from that damned book of his to even appreciate it!" It was the first real moment of frustration from her, but she huffed and shook it off. "No matter. We'll get you something proper, I promise, even if the 'Dark Wizard' himself doesn't care." She took on a nasally tone as she mocked Sephanir's title. "Really, his fashion sense is quite terrible, I must say. All those heavy robes, hardly any color at all! He doesn't have to take dark so literally all the time."

As Scout wriggled around under Cisa's bed, he popped out on the other side covered in dust. Sneezing, the little fox shook his head, spraying dirt all over. His shadow suddenly wriggled as if it were alive, and the fox kit yelped, skittering across the floor to hide behind Cromdali's legs. The Earth Wizard looked up, green eyes narrowing at the shifting shadow. "I suppose that's his idea of fun, scaring my little Scout with his shadows." The fox's shade walked on its own accord until it took its place underneath Scout once more.

 

[Tinder]

Cisa watched Cromdali pull out cloth, smirking despite herself. If it really was up to Sephanir to reach out to the people of the village, then they would likely never know anything more about magic than it could be dangerous. Not that it mattered in the long run. While an Earth Wizard like Cromdali could offer practical applications of her magic, the Dark Wizard had few options available to directly help others. Not unless everyone wishes to take a nap during the middle of day. Moving darkness sounded like something that would benefit the world as a whole, but individual people would be less interested. Perhaps that was why Sephanir kept to himself. It would be difficult to help ordinary people to understand a role like his. Cisa wasn't sure she understood it completely. Perhaps she'd be able to ask him if she caught him in the right mood.

Once Cromdali had selected her fabrics, her attention was turned back to Cisa to decide on the shape of the clothes. Her outburst about the Dark Wizard simultaneously brought an uncertain blush to Cisa's cheeks and made her giggle. Though she disliked admitting it, she had never felt confident in skirts, not like her younger sister. Her giggle became an earnest laugh as Cromdali continued on about his fashion sense. "Being noticed by a man has never concerned me, Cromdali," Cisa reassured the young wizard with a grin, "Whatever you come up with will be just fine."

She flinched when the fox came running, looking over to see the moving shadow that had frightened him. It was so ridiculous that she snickered without meaning to, covering it poorly with a cough and a hand over her mouth. Hoping to move on before Cromdali could grow cross with her as well, Cisa shrugged off the event, "I didn't think he had much of a sense of humor. I haven't noticed once since arriving." She glanced down at the little fox's now stationary shadow, "Though perhaps that's for the best if that's his idea of a joke." If she'd seen her shadow move on its own, she didn't know what she would have done. Attempting to smash it with the nearest heavy object came to mind.

 

[Saren]

"It's probably because that grumpy man keeps it to himself all the time," Cromdali sighed, laying out her selected fabrics on the bed. Scout followed dutifully, weaving in between her legs with each step. "I can't blame it all on him though. Pyri knows more than I do, but from what I understand, he was alone for a long time. Perhaps he's just forgotten how to be nice to people. His old master was never nice to anyone, so that's where he got it from." A somber expression crossed her face, forest green eyes slow to blink as her hands ceased folding one of the pale fabrics. The look faded after a brief moment, and she looked back up at Cisa with a new vigor. "Don't think I've forgotten about your bit about a dress! Every human, magical or not, deserves to feel handsome or pretty or whatever you want to call it. If you're going to spend a good amount of your life here, you should look good while doing it." Whether or not Cisa agreed, Cromdali affirmed her words with a strong nod and picked up the few fabrics she'd chosen.

"Now we need something to bind this all together. I have a few things, but Sephanir's gotta be hiding things all around this big castle of his. He never uses all these rooms, so we should find something somewhere, right?" Cisa had been in the house longer than most people were allowed, and Cromdali had complete confidence that this young, non-magic human could lead her around. "Is there anything else you'd like to know about us?" she asked. "I don't know if Sephanir has told you about every Wizard that exists right now or their names, but some of them are bound to show up here. We all help one another for the most part, so he knows all of them. Pyri comes here the most I think... She's the Fire Wizard, and if they hadn't already been friends, he would have stayed far away from her, what with her penchant for lighting things on fire and whatnot."

 

[Tinder]

Cisa glanced away from Cromdali, shifting her weight to her left as she considered her story. So Sephanir had been alone for a long time. That made sense all things considered. No one ever came to him, except wizards. Maybe he'd known solitude for so long he honestly didn't desire companionship anymore. She frowned. That couldn't be completely true. He never would have shown her mercy if was completely set against interacting with people. He had been trying to reach out the past week in his own way. They'd shared a few meals, usually in silence but together. He had left the portal open for her to visit his rooms whenever she chose. Those acts she'd written off as a poor attempt to placate her must have meant more in his eyes. Perhaps the continued distance between them was her own fault. Easier to be silent than risk getting too personal. Distance was something she was good at.

She was not allowed to dwell for long on her thoughts as Cromdali changed the subject back to clothing. She chuckled at the woman's speech on the importance of looking fine, but only nodded to appease her. She couldn't say she was against the idea of looking…decent for once. She'd never had the chance to find clothing that suited her. There hadn't been enough money. Cromdali might be able to come up with something that did. There would be few around to appreciate her effort, but at least Cisa would be able to.

Her last statement brought her musings to a halt, "Lightening things on fire?" She looked back to Cromdali, eyes wider than she would have like, "I thought Wizards were supposed to control their powers. Why would she start things on fire?" The Dark Wizard had no issues controlling his shadows. Not that she'd seen at least. Her mind went back to her supposedly foolish mistrust of the portal. Those fears might have been more grounded than she'd thought.

 

[Saren]

"All of us exercise control... Well, most of us anyway. Both Dark and Light Wizard are masters at what they do. Sephanir would never harm another person with his magic unless he absolutely had to, and the same goes for all the Wizards. Pyri... She gets excited sometimes. She loves fire, and she's taught many folk like you how to build fires and properly use a destructive force to their advantage. It's good to be happy about what you do, but for us Wizards, emotions play on our concentration. The more emotional we feel about something, good or bad, the harder it is for us to control what we balance. Sometimes, Pyri just gets too worked up and her hands spill fire. It doesn't hurt us for the most part, but it'll eat paper right up. Still, Sephanir's allowed her into his tower with all those books, so she must be working on control." Cromdali huffed after her long winded explanation, looking back to Cisa with a smile.

"If you ever meet Pyri, and I'm sure you will, don't worry. She won't hurt you, and Sephanir trusts her enough with all that paper he's got up there. The Wizards who have the least amount of control are the ones who are new to their trade. Among us, Vatanax is the newest one to join. He's the Air Wizard, and he's a nice man... even though he's a little pompous and loves his titles." Cromdali paused as Scout scampered forward, tiny paws making almost no noise at all on the stone floor. "You'll meet them all eventually... Perhaps you'll even be lucky enough to glimpse the Time and Space Wizards! It's very rare that they visit us, but it's always an honor when they do."

 

[Tinder]

"I never knew magic was so complicated," Cisa replied with a breathless chuckle, "It must take an immense amount of dedication to be a Wizard. Thank you for telling me about it all." All this talk of Wizards and their abilities was beginning to make her head spin. She needed some time to process it all. It was growing late. Perhaps now would be the best time to slip away. "I should start preparing dinner, but feel free to use this room however you'd like as long as you're here." She gestured toward the direction they had come from, "I'll be in the kitchen. Let me know if you need me for anything." She turned and made her way back to the kitchen. Cooking would give her time to think about everything she'd learned and Cromdali would have time to begin her work.

Cisa mulled over the information while she prepared a stew. Her hands worked mechanically as her mind wandered. For all their power, the Wizards were more human than she'd realized. Those old stories about monsters in human skin were beginning to ring hollow. She carried the chopped vegetables over to the pot, dropping them into the thickening broth. Before this whole mess with the Dark Wizard, she'd thought the Wizards were a whole different breed of being without any need for humans. That was why they were so distant. She gave the stew a quick stir. The truth was more complicated that she could have imagined. Being tasked with the balance of nature could not have been an easy life. She retrieved some spices from the counter and began to sprinkle them in. She'd stumbled across them the day before and had begun to cautiously experiment with the new flavors. Today she added a dash of the hot pepper that she'd come across along with a few others she could not identify, briefly stopping to taste the concoction. Better, but still a little bland. She stirred it slowly, watching the bubbling liquid. A sigh escaped her. Wizards, fires, the balance of nature…What have I gotten myself into?

Dinner proceeded as well as could be expected. It was livelier than their past meals with Cromdali present. Watching the pair interact was an experience Cisa could not put to words. It was like watching a pair of siblings who had little in common outside of their upbringing. Odd, but a nice change of pace. After everything had been cleaned and put away, she returned to her room with Cromdali to begin constructing the clothing. They chatted while Cromdali worked. The conversation was lighter, staying away from topics of wizards and their magic and focusing on Cisa' own experiences in Sephanir's home. They talked late into the night, stopping when neither could keep their eyes open.

The next morning came and went. Cisa cooked a little more to accommodate Cromdali, receiving an abundance of help cleaning the dishes from the little fox kit Scout. The morning she spent with Cromdali, leaving once or twice to help her find thread and other items that she needed. Cisa had decided to continue cleaning after the other girl was gone. There was no way of knowing when she would see anyone other than Sephanir once his fellow wizard was gone. She would enjoy Cromdali's company while she could.

By the afternoon, Cromdali had finished several garments. Cisa was called to try them on so that the final adjustments could be made. She complied, taking one set into the bathing room to change. After some debating, Cromdali had crafted a unique skirt and shirt for her. She slipped on the skirt, but found it was a cleverly disguised pair of trousers made from smooth, dark brown cloth. The trousers were layered and loose fitting, creating the illusion of a skirt while allowing her maneuverability of pants. They fit snugly around her hips where a series of strings allowed her to keep the trousers secure without the use of a belt. She pulled the dark tan shirt on after, noting the soft, thin fabric. The neckline was modesty with long, loose fitting sleeves that stopped below her shoulder, held up by thin, rope-like straps. She inspected herself briefly. It looked good; better than anything she'd owned before.

She stepped back into her bedroom, quite content with the finished product. "These are beautiful. Cromdali. I didn't think it was possible to make anything like these," she said with a smile, shifting her arms to examine the workmanship again. It was odd to have clothing that actually suited her. "I've never seen this style of clothing though. Where did you get the idea from?"

 

[Saren]

While Cromdali and Cisa toiled away at crafting new clothes, Sephanir remained locked in his tower. It had taken him hours to perfectly recreate Malkore's old notes on the sword, but he'd completed it, drawing and all. His fingers were sore, but seeing his finished work was worth it. He was only pulled away for dinner, which was strangely refreshing. He hadn't spoken to Cromdali in depth before, but she was open about her home. She did most of the talking, describing what was similar about his forest and her own home. He was content to listen and eat, noting that Cisa's cooking was slowly getting better. He didn't have it in him to comment how her first meals had been a little bland; he hadn't had home cooking in a long time. Despite the initial awkwardness, eventually they settled into quiet conversation, and Sephanir found it in him to even smile a little bit. Before Vatanax, Cromdali had been their newest Wizard, but she was growing into the role nicely, something the other Wizards would be happy to know.

While Sephanir toiled away at his book, Cromdali was hard at work balancing conversation and creating clothes. Cisa was one interesting girl to say the least. She'd been through much, and to sacrifice her own life for her sister was impressive. She'd endured Sephanir's tough attitude and had even been allowed to sit in his room and eat. She'd cleaned his house and lived to tell the tale, even through all that dust. It only spurred Cromdali to give her just the right clothing with the perfect colors, folds... Everything. Cisa deserved nothing less for all her work.

By the second afternoon, Cromdali had finally finished one outfit. She'd used her own clothes as a model, but she'd seen all kinds of people that wandered the world, all with different styles. Cisa had a look about her that Cromdali couldn't quite place, but the free flowing clothes and carefree colors were reminiscent of the traveling dancers, gypsies and other entertainers of the land. Cisa looked like the kind of person who needed that fun in her life. Even if the clothes didn't help her get there, at least they looked wonderful on her.

As Cisa exited the bathing room, Cromdali clapped her hands together. "Oh, you look so lovely, Cisa!" she exclaimed. Scout yapped in agreement, and Cromdali picked up the little fox and twirled him around. "Well, as we agreed, you didn't want a dress, so I sort of made a dress. I tried to put some hidden pockets around the flowing parts, so you'll never be without some. As for the style, you look like some of the traveling gypsies I've met that wander near my home. They're remarkable people, always so friendly, and their love of nature is wonderful. I thought you would look wonderful in their colors, so I did the best I could."

Cisa's smile made her smile, and when the girl was done inspecting herself, the Earth Wizard took her by the hand and opened the door. "Now, let's go show Sephanir so he doesn't think we're fooling around in here. He ought to be finished with whatever he's been doing, so now's the perfect time!" Scout trailed after them, bouncing along the stones. "I know you said you didn't want the attention of any men, but Sephanir ought to appreciate something other than that massive book of his!"

 

[Tinder]

Cisa felt around for the pockets, locating a pair at her waist as well as pair farther down by her knees. All were hidden within the folds as Cromdali promised. Cisa wasn't sure what she'd use them for, but it was always good to be prepared. She'd heard stories of the gypsies Cromdali spoke of. They were called the Ercedi if she recalled correctly. Some of the older villagers had seen them in the village, but it had been years since the last group passed through. The village was too far from the main trade routes and not populated enough to provide enough coin to coax them near. It was rather disappointing. She'd heard stories of their acrobatic skills. They would have been a sight to see.

Her smile faltered when the young wizard began to guide her from the room, "Wait, Cromdali. This isn't necessary." Cromdali's grip was gentle but firm. She seemed intent on this. "The wizard's probably still working. He usually takes a break around meal times. Why not wait till then?" They continued along, heading towards the kitchens. She tried another approach, "The wizard, ah, Sephanir, will see the clothes eventually." Her words were falling on deaf ears. A hint of annoyance began to creep into her voice as she continued to try to coax the young wizard. "I'm going to be here for eleven years. He'd have to be blind not to notice the clothing once."

She considered pulling away and refusing to continue along. She was sure she could; Cromdali might have powerful magic but that did not translate to physical strength. She frowned. It didn't seem right to refuse the girl. This was Cromdali's handy work that she wore. She was proud of it. Cisa couldn't begrudge her a little praise from one of her peers. But this was ridiculous. She tried one more plea for sanity, the edge of annoyance becoming clearer, "There's no need to make such a fuss over this. I'll admit, they're beautiful, but they're only clothes." This was almost worse than Joanne's prattling when she received a new dress. It was stitched together fabric made to cover and keep you warm. Nothing in this world could make Cisa understand other women's obsession with showing their new clothing off to whoever was unfortunate enough to be close by.

 

[Saren]

"Waiting is for fools!" Cromdali answered, which wasn't much of a good excuse. Cisa hadn't tried to stop, and the Earth Wizard took that as an opportunity to keep up their brisk walk. "Besides, the poor man's never had a surprise in his life. He needs something else other than that book he's been obsessing over for all his years. If he doesn't look up now, he might as well stick his eyes to the pages!" Scout barked in agreement, running around in circles near their feet, feeding off Cromdali's excitement. They were nearing Sephanir's door now, and as the two young women approached, Cromdali finally released Cisa. However, it was only to push the door open and shove Cisa inside. At the last second, Cromdali picked out a small yellow daisy from one of her pockets, pressing it behind Cisa's ear before the door clicked shut.

And then there were two.

Sephanir was, as always, behind his podium, quill in hand. He'd heard and sensed their approach, but only one had entered the room. "Cisa," he greeted, as he'd fallen into the habit of doing. Cromdali had slipped his name to his servant, but he hadn't minded the way Cisa didn't use his title as much as she had. Cromdali had been wrong about one thing: Sephanir had no love for titles, but he wasn't in the habit of telling others his real name.

The fact that Cromdali hadn't entered was what initially caused Sephanir to look up from his book. The two young women had been conversing ever since Cromdali had arrived, filling his castle with something other than the dark silence he was so used to. Lifting his head, Sephanir paused in his writing, running a hand through his hair. It had grown too long, so he'd started to wear it in a low ponytail, though the ends still fluttered in his face at times. Setting the quill aside, he finally looked at Cisa, though things were very much different. Cromdali had crafted a full outfit for Cisa, one that fit her far better than the blacksmith's clothing. The outfit was cut to her form, but it wasn't so tight that it was immodest. The colors were earthy, just like Cromdali's own clothing, but they matched Cisa, as if she were meant to be wearing those colors rather than any other.

"Irrui ruuc laisa," he said to her. It might have sounded strange, but the language was melodic as it flowed through the air like leaves on a gentle breeze. It was the language of magic, infused with the soul and being of every thing that had ever lived and would live.

Realizing his slip up, he shook his head once, gave the hints of a smile, and apologized, "I am used to writing in the wizard's language, and I speak it sometimes. What I said was that you look nice. Cromdali did a wonderful job. I'm assuming this was her touch as well." He tapped the side of his head that mirrored her own where the flower was. "She's probably made some comments about my own clothes too. It's not something I would put past her."

 

[Tinder]

Before another excuse could come to her, Cromdali pushed Cisa into the wizard's room and shut the door behind her. Cisa glared back over her shoulder at the door, hoping the Earth Wizard could feel the heat through the wood. Cromdali could have at least had the courtesy to come in the room with her. This was her creation after all. She turned her attention to the other side of the room. The wizard was at work with his book as she predicted. She thought about slipping out, but his greeting prevented her from escaping.

"Wizard," she replied, uncertainty present in her voice. It was the first time they had been alone together for a while, a fact which she was suddenly keenly aware of. The thought tied her stomach in knots. It wasn't fear. Her time with Cromdali had been stealing away her fear of wizards, including her fear of Dark Wizard. It felt more like anticipation, but for what? I've spent far too much time with Cromdali, she thought attempting to stand evenly on her feet. This was foolishness. She was getting worked up over a simple conversation. Then Sephanir looked up. She met his gaze, his yellow eyes more human to her than they had been before. There was little she could read in his expression but for once she didn't look away.

He said something, but the words were foreign to her. It sounded old, bringing forth images of decaying castles and dusty old books like the stories of ancient times and the melody that always seemed to play in the back of her mind. Unsure what else to say, she simply said, "What?"

One syllable was enough to ruin the moment. Sephanir explained himself, almost smiling as he did so. He motioned to his head as well. She blinked, following his motions to her ear where a flower had appeared. When did she put that there? She removed the flower and cleared her throat, "Ah, yes. I didn't realize that was there." The wizard seemed pleased at least, even entertained by the display. She was less amused but did manage a smirk when he mentioned his own clothing. "There were a few choice words," she admitted with a short laugh, "But nothing you've not heard before I imagine. Cromdali is quite talented for being as young as she is. I wouldn't have thought it was possible to make any sort of garment in just a day, but she proved me wrong and then some." She glanced down at the flower in her hands, twirling it to distract herself from her earlier feelings of discomfort.

 

[Saren]

Outside the door, Cromdali had pressed her ear to the wood, intently listening to the broken conversation passing between the two. Scout buried his nose in the gap between the door and floor, searching for his new friend. She nearly clapped her hands together as Sephanir spoke, but she kept herself quiet. She couldn't ruin their words now, not when they were just getting started. She picked Scout up so his sniffling nose wouldn't interrupt them. Sephanir had spoken in the wizard's language, something that was rare for any of them if they weren't casting spells. It was strange to hear from his mouth, but Cromdali didn't care. It meant he was trying to be open with it. At least, that's what she figured, and she didn't like to be wrong.

"I don't care about what others say about me. Cromdali's status as a Wizard does not change that. She can say what she likes about me." Sephanir waved his hand at the door. Her shadows had betrayed her poor attempt at eavesdropping, and he wasn't sure if she knew that or not. "She is quite capable for as young as she is. Many of the younger Wizards are." He came around from behind the podium, brushing past Cisa near the door.

"But for all her talents, it would seem that she cannot," he hefted the door open with one hand, watching Cromdali fumble for footing, "spy very well." The Earth Wizard popped up straight with a smile, leaning to look around Sephanir at Cisa. Scout yipped and wagged his tail in her arms.

"Hello, Sephanir!" she said, fully aware that she'd been caught. She wasn't going to outright say it, because that would be admitting defeat.

"Cromdali."

"I still need Cisa for some more clothes, so...." She trailed off, grabbing Cisa's wrist with one hand and gripping Scout with the other. "We'll leave you to your stuff!" Sephanir lifted an eyebrow, not believing her story in the slightest. He nodded anyway, allowing Cromdali to tug Cisa from his room. Once the door was closed, she padded a few feet away before she burst into laughter. "He spoke to you in the language of magic! That makes you special!"

 

[Tinder]

Of course you don't care, Cisa gently shook her head, but smiled all the same. Sephanir was firmly convinced that no one else's opinion mattered. Even if he knew his refusal to listen to their talk kept him helping them, she doubted it would do much to change his mind. Still she could appreciate the man's confidence. He gestured toward the door, walking towards it slowly as he spoke. She watched him move, curious about his sudden need to move to the door to open it. Every time she'd come to his rooms, he'd opened the door from across the room with his magic. I suppose this proves he is still capable of not using magic.

When he pulled it open, Cromdali nearly fell into the room. Cisa almost laughed, stopping herself by biting her cheek. Her smirk was impossible to hide though. The young wizard gave an excuse for her intrusion before grabbing Cisa's wrist and pulling her out of the room. Surprised by the sudden movement, Cisa dropped the flower Cromdali had put in her hair, trying to keep up with the young woman. Cromdali pulled her along for a while before stopping to giggle about the wizard's response.

Cisa just sighed, "If you say so." She could not understand Cromdali. She insisted on showing Sephanir her handy work then dashed away only to hide behind a door. She frowned and pulled her hand away from Cromdali. "If you were so set on seeing the wizard's reaction why did you wait in the hall? That was bloody awkward," she grumbled, crossing her arms to protest the foolishness.

 

[Saren]

"I do say so!" Cromdali reaffirmed with full assurance. "Most Wizards don't use the magic language to talk to regular humans or even other Wizards! Sephanir writes in it with that book of his all day, but he's smart enough to know when to not use it. He didn't 'slip up,'" she mocked with one hand. Scout wriggled from her other arm, dropping to the ground to run around in circles at Cisa's feet. He'd taken quite a liking to the young girl and Cromdali was sure that he wouldn't mind if she left him here, even if Sephanir did.

"Most of us Wizards hardly even get near humans, even Sephanir. I know you broke his gem, but he let you live. That means you are a little special," the Earth Wizard said with a smile. She didn't care that Cisa's unexpected encounter with Sephanir had been awkward. In her book, it was enlightening.

Before she could continue, the wall blackened beside them, and one of Sephanir's portals opened up. He himself didn't come through, but his hand did. He held the fallen flower in between his fingers, and it was all he offered. Cromdali plucked it from him, and the portal whispered shut and the shadows faded. The Earth Wizard promptly pushed it back behind Cisa's ear with no hesitation. "See, he wants you to have it back!" she said, clapping her hands together. She linked their arms together, moving with a purposeful march back down to Cisa's room.

"I didn't want to ruin your words! Sephanir wouldn't have talked like that if I was there," she explained, giving a reason to her sneaking. "Eavesdropping is a little fun anyway."

 

[Tinder]

Of course you don't care, Cisa gently shook her head, but smiled all the same. Sephanir was firmly convinced that no one else's opinion mattered. Even if he knew his refusal to listen to their talk kept him helping them, she doubted it would do much to change his mind. Still she could appreciate the man's confidence. He gestured toward the door, walking towards it slowly as he spoke. She watched him move, curious about his sudden need to move to the door to open it. Every time she'd come to his rooms, he'd opened the door from across the room with his magic. I suppose this proves he is still capable of not using magic.

When he pulled it open, Cromdali nearly fell into the room. Cisa almost laughed, stopping herself by biting her cheek. Her smirk was impossible to hide though. The young wizard gave an excuse for her intrusion before grabbing Cisa's wrist and pulling her out of the room. Surprised by the sudden movement, Cisa dropped the flower Cromdali had put in her hair, trying to keep up with the young woman. Cromdali pulled her along for a while before stopping to giggle about the wizard's response.

Cisa just sighed, "If you say so." She could not understand Cromdali. She insisted on showing Sephanir her handy work then dashed away only to hide behind a door. She frowned and pulled her hand away from Cromdali. "If you were so set on seeing the wizard's reaction why did you wait in the hall? That was bloody awkward," she grumbled, crossing her arms to protest the foolishness.
More like a very unfortunate nuisance, she retorted silently. Sephanir had given her no reason to believe he saw her as special in any sort of way. He'd been impressed by her forging skills, but even that was far less impressive once she'd explained herself by showing the plans she'd found. If anything, she was a tool that had unexpectedly fallen into his lap which he was beginning to realize was useful. Being useful was enough for her. Whatever that slip up with his magical language was, it was no evidence to the contrary.

Suddenly a portal appeared next to them. Cisa jumped back a step, muttering a curse under her breath. A hand came through and returned the flower Cisa had dropped before disappearing. Cisa watched the encounter with a thoroughly confused look on her face. What the hell was that? Sephanir couldn't be bothered to walk the two feet outside of his room to give Cromdali her flower? Either was the wizard was relapsing or she'd given him too much credit earlier. Cromdali replaced the flower before starting off. Cisa left the flower if only to please Cromdali. The girl liked nature and would probably not appreciate her flower being tossed aside.

She followed behind, turning to go through the portal to the kitchen. She went through, thoughts of the wizard losing control briefly flittering through her mind. She caught up to Cromdali in the hall, "I doubt he would have acted differently, but whatever makes you feel better."

The rest of their time together went by quickly. Cisa began to clean the room as Cromdali continued to work. This second set of clothing almost identical save for a bit of embroidery on the pants in addition to a bright orange shawl also embodied with brown thread. By the next afternoon, Cromdali had finished her work. Before she left, she gave Cisa a pair of dark brown leather shoes she'd found in a town. They were simple in design with a pair of crisscrossing strips laid across the top to secure the shoe. Cromdali also gave her a brush to keep, insisting on brushing out the tangles in Cisa's hair before leaving. By the time she was done, Cisa' hair shined in a way she'd never been able to accomplish on her own. With her work done and her goodbyes said, Cromdali left them late in the afternoon, wandering back into the woods just as she had come. The castle returned it unbroken quietness as life returned to its normal rhythm.

Cisa spent the evening preparing a stew for dinner, unsure what to do with herself now that Cromdali was gone. Returning to cleaning came to mind. Perhaps she would do some work this evening. She would miss Cromdali, but life had to go on. It had been nice to have her around for the few days. The other girl's presence had brightened the dark castle. She'd promised to return, but it would not be for some time. Perhaps the other wizards would begin to appear as Cromdali had predicted. She thought back to their talk about the Fire Wizard. Maybe the quiet wasn't so bad.

Cisa checked the stew, drawing out a small bit of meat to taste. It was done and she would almost say it was her best attempt yet. Spending the extra hour on preparation had done wonders. She removed the pot from the fire with a towel to protect her hands then made her way toward the portal. It would be their first meal alone in some time. Back to silence, it would seem, Cisa thought as she slipped through the shadows. It was getting easier to take the portal. She still refused to trust it fully, but at least it worked. She reached the wizard's door and, shifting the pot handle to one hand knocked, "Wizard? Dinner is ready."

 

[Saren]

Just as Sephanir had said, Cromdali did love to help people. While it was true that her help was a little forceful sometimes, she just had everyone else's interests in mind. Sephanir might not have wanted company, but it was clear he hadn't minded it when Cromdali had forced Cisa to show off. She was determined to get them some interactions up until she left. For now, she was content to craft Cisa more clothing. She looked so good in what Cromdali had already made that she was inspired to make more. Cisa seemed to enjoy being rid of the blacksmith's clothing anyway, and her happiness was infectious.

They spent the remaining day together, and Cromdali managed to finish the shawl she was making. Cisa had also needed new shoes, and while Cromdali herself despised the things, Cisa did a lot of walking around Sephanir's castle that required shoes. They were simple things, but they seemed to be more than Cisa had ever had. The poor girl had been without anything for so long and her story had tugged at the Earth Wizard's heartstrings. Making clothes was the least she could do for Cisa.

They chattered as they worked, but eventually, it was time for Cromdali to leave. She had her own earthen realm to take care of, but she promised she would visit again. Scout gave one parting lick to Cisa's cheek before the Earth Wizard and her pet left.

And the castle was quiet again.

Sephanir liked the quiet. It gave him time to think and sort his thoughts. Cromdali and Cisa had kept their distance while he was busy, since they were off doing what women often did. He knew enough about them to know he didn't care to partake in their activities. He was content to sit in his tower and record the magical happenstances that occurred around him. Loneliness crossed his mind, but he never dwelt on it. The feeling was something he was used to.

Cisa's knock had him looking up from the book. In the few days Cromdali had been there, he'd covered five whole pages in text and pictures, including an accurate portrayal of his shadow clone. It was that same power now that opened the door, though the shadow dissipated before Cisa could see it. She'd been unnerved by its presence last time, and it didn't seem right to scare her again with his magic when she was slowly acclimating to it. He felt it every time she used the portals, and her transitions through the magic doorways had been smoother. She wasn't nearly as frightened as she'd once been.

"Thank you," he said, his foot nudging a chair in her direction so she could set the pot down. He'd allowed her to keep some dishes in his room, provided she didn't spill on any of his work. Papers were still scattered, and some new ones hung on the wall. There were depictions of offensive weapons crafted from shadow as well as black barriers that could protect people from the elements. Several pages had been mashed together to form a large, detailed map of the world he was familiar with, right down to the names of every place. For someone who hardly left his home, Sephanir was intimately aware of many parts of the world.

 

[Tinder]

Cisa walked in, shifting her grip to get a steadier hold on the pot. When the wizard pushed the chair toward her, she set the food down on it, retrieving the bowls that she'd left in the room earlier. Before Cromdali had appeared, she'd served the wizard in his study. It was easier than dragging him down to the kitchens away from his work. Besides she enjoyed looking at the papers he kept scattered around his rooms. The words were illegible as ever, but the script looked beautiful and the pictures he drew with them intriguing.

She picked up a bowl and began to fill it for Sephanir. The silence was…not as heavy as it had been. Knowing the wizard's name and having spent time with Cromdali, Cisa no longer felt the same reservations toward him that had been there during her few weeks in the castle. It was at once comfortable and unsettling. Cisa no longer knew how to define their relationship. The cold comfort of professionalism had worn away thanks to Cromdali's meddling, but it was not open enough to be called a friendship. She laid the serving spoon in the pot. It was unlikely either of them knew. She glanced at Sephanir when she'd finished filling the first bowl. Perhaps this was her chance to change things for the better. "Here," she said to get the wizard's attention, offering it to him with a smile, "I think it turned out a little better today."

Her attention shifted from Sephanir when she noticed the big drawing on the wall behind him. Taking a few steps closer, Cisa examined the papers with a bit of wonder in her eyes. "Wow," she said softly, beneath her breath, hand drifting close to the paper, but pulling back at the last moment when she remembered herself. She knew it was a map was and had even seen a few crude ones that the hunters kept with them to track their quarry with, but nothing like this. There was script written all over it, no doubt marking various locations. "It's so big." She wasn't sure if she'd meant the map itself or the world. Perhaps both. Practically she knew the world was a big place, but to see it all laid out was something else.

 

[Saren]

Sephanir had already set his quill aside, but the book remained open. He took the bowl from Cisa with a nod, noting that it smelled much more savory than her previous attempts. The supply caravan was only about a week way, if his timekeeping was correct. When it came, he could ask for more spices and things to spruce up whatever Cisa made in the kitchen. He blew on the surface of the soup to cool it down, setting it aside to dip his quill in the ink and finish off a sentence in the book. He'd been researching the dangers of misusing the language of magic, but to get any results, he had to test his theories himself. There hadn't been too many issues, but one of these days, he knew he would set his entire workshop on fire if he wasn't careful.

Finally taking a sip of the soup, he admitted that it tasted far better than anything she'd made thus far. He hadn't had a home cooked meal in years before Cisa's arrival, and he found he'd missed it. Malkore had never made any attempts to care for him like a parent would, but Sephanir saw him as a father figure anyway.

He looked up from his food as Cisa marveled at his map. "The world is a vast place," he said, taking a few steps to her side and following her gaze. "I've seen much of it, but I don't need to leave this room." Reaching up, he pointed to an area that looked to be covered in trees, if the map's legend was correct. "This is the forest where Cromdali lives," he slid his finger down the map to another forest, "and this is my home." It didn't seem that far of a distance on the map, but in reality, it was a four day travel, if Cromdali didn't use any transportation other than her feet.

There was a simple drawing of a house near his finger that he moved to. "This is your village," he said, pulling back from the map. Perhaps she wouldn't want to be reminded of how close, yet far her home was. He took another sip of the soup to hide his pause. "All the other Wizards live farther away. Only Pyri travels consistently... She's the only one without a permanent home." Traveling seemed to fit the Fire Wizard, as she was likely to spread her knowledge as quickly as a wildfire spread on a dry day.