Private Tales Light At the End of the Tunnel

[Maric]

Maric nodded. "Possibly."

He answered.

"The magic you used to defend yourself was a mechanism, the way your body knew that it could keep you safe." A natural response, fight or flight. Most Sorcerers unlocked their magics in such a way. "I believe, now that you've done it once you can do so again."

For a moment he considered how to explain himself better. Once again he wished that he had his own magic, or even that they were back in Althhaven. Explaining all of this would have been so much easier if he had...well any of his books.

"Think of it like...a door. When you first used your magic you broke open the door. You've unlocked it, even left it ajar." A fact he was sure of, given that her body was naturally absorbing light around her. "Now you just have to open it."

 

[Ciana]

Ciana chewed anxiously on her lip, a 'nasty habit quite unbecoming of a high born Lady' Elspeth's voice echoed in her mind as she caught herself and stopped. Her brow furrowed as she considered what he was saying and she pulled in a breath, sitting herself up straighter.

"I'm not sure how to frighten or panic myself, nor that I'd wish to, but perhaps I can use the memory. It is there whether I wish to recall it or not." she frowned and sat an upturned palm in her lap.

Her eyes closed, her brow creased in concentration, and for a while she simply breathed. Nothing seemed to be happening, but she persevered and dove a little deeper into the memory and how afraid she'd been. Her heart worked a little harder in her chest and her breathing quickened.

'Let go!'

It was her own voice that played in her mind now. It'd been the last thing she'd said, only she'd meant it as a plea, not a warning. She had no idea that what had happened next could happen. Ciana's features contorted into the fearful one she'd worn that night, and she felt a rise in panic as that familiar warmth seemed to course through her body. Unbeknownst to her, the veins under her skin were made entirely visible by a pulsing glow, as though her very blood was on fire.

She reached the very end of the memory, the last thing she'd seen was Dane's face and the rage on it as he forced her to the ground and pinned her there, and then, light...and darkness. At the same moment Ciana drew in a gasp as hot, blinding light suddenly burst from her skin for a brief moment, only long enough for her to slump from the bench unconscious, and then all was dark.

 

[Maric]

Maric's hand quickly pulled up over his eyes as the blinding light burst outward from Ciana.

It was as though a sun had suddenly been born in the middle of the gardens, the light so bright that it threatened to torch his very eyes. Fingers clasped over his face, a grunt escaping his throat as he shielded himself from the reproach of light.

The light burned brighter than he had expected.

It was scorching, bright enough that the sky above seemed to turn to blue for a moment before Ciana finally flickered out.

The Professor turned back, his hand drawing away as the light ceased and Ciana passed out against the bench she'd been sitting on. A slow breath escaped him, his head shaking. "Remarkable."

He breathed softly.

Slowly he stood from his own seat, glancing around the garden before he stepped up towards Ciana. Gently he tugged at her, softly trying to draw her from her state of unconsciousness.

"Ciana." The Professor urged softly.

 

[Ciana]

The light in her veins pulsed slower and dulled away. She woke easily, though with a sudden pounding headache which she flinched at as her eyes blinked open. Her cheeks blushed furiously, assuming that she had simply tried too hard and passed out.

"Sorry.. I can try again." she sighed, pressing her hand to her forehead and feeling the cold, dewy sweat that had gathered on her brow. Righting herself was not as easy as she'd hoped, all strength from her muscles gone and her head spinning the moment she moved.

She laughed under her breath in embarrassment. "This really isn't going to be easy, is it?"

 

[Maric]

Maric smiled. "No, I'm afraid it won't be."

It sometimes took people years to master magics like this.

In Vel Anir, they started students off by constantly forcing and pushing them to use their abilities. It was a cruel, harsh system, but effective. He had, and would never, lower himself to such means. Ciana would need time, they just had to make sure she had it.

"Starting small and building into it." He said with a smile. "That's all you can do."

For now at least. "We just have to make sure your attempts are kept...private."

 

[Ciana]

Ciana raised a hand to her clammy brow and nodded at his advice. "Yes, agreed.." she answered with a frown and cast a look across the grounds and over the darkened windows of the manor.

She stood shakily. "Perhaps somewhere a little more discreet..Would you mind?" she smiled and reached a hand, hoping he'd offer his arm.

The gardens were huge. At the other side of a small bridge over the pond of water lilies and koi carp, was the entrance to a hedge maze. Standing, it was about a head taller than Ciana, but she knew the way well enough to guide him easily to the centre of it where a large weeping willow sat alone. Ciana smiled fondly and reached to draw back the curtain of vines, revealing a stone bench underneath, entirely hidden away under the shelter of the tree.

"Might be a little dark, but it's private." she shrugged.

 

[Maric]

Maric nodded slowly. "More private indeed."

It would be enough for now, but he would have been lying if he said he wasn't worried about the future. This city was not kind to those of Ciana's sort.

They had only met a short while ago, but he liked the girl. The Professor did not want to see any harm come to her, specifically if it would reach her from her step-mother. He knew that he would be partially responsible for such a thing and he could hardly bare the thought.

Another solution would have to be found before too long.

"Why don't you try again." Maric offered. "I'll be here."

He said with a smile. "Ready to catch you."

 

[Ciana]

Ciana let out a quiet chuckle and nodded. "Thank you." she smiled. "I'll try my best not to pass out this time."

She did pass out, another three times in fact, and the light she produced was only getting dimmer. She sat on the bench drawing in a few shaky breaths now, and the frustration was getting to her. "It's like my body isn't strong enough to hold it.." she frowned.

"I think I've had enough for tonight.." she sighed, uncertain she'd have strength enough to stand let alone try again. "Sorry, professor.."

 

[Maric]

Maric shook his head. "It will take time."

He assured her softly.

"Some people take years to master their gifts, Ciana." It was something that he wanted her to understand. There was no shame in not making progress, particularly in a single night. Particularly with everything surrounding this. "There is nothing to apologize for."

He smiled. "I will be here as long as it takes."

Maric wanted her to know that she didn't have to worry, that she had at least one person to lean on.

"We'll take it one day at a time." He assured her. "Your powers will grow, and so will your bodies tolerance for it."

 

[Ciana]

Ciana sighed, looking a little dispirited, but she nodded in acceptance of his assurances. He knew better than she did, and she offered a small smile. "Thank you. I'll, try to have patience." she agreed, but she knew she didn't have years.

"The sun will be rising soon. Meet me here, tomorrow evening?" she asked, her brows rising. Tomorrow, she would do better.

 

[Maric]

Maric nodded his head.

"Of course." There was a part of him that couldn't help but feel a flicker of concern. This city, this place, was dangerous. It was only a matter of time before all of this fell apart, before the two of them were discovered.

He knew that, understood it.

Yet he could not bring himself to drag Ciana away from her home. Not yet. Not before she was ready.

"Rest." Maric said with a smile. "We'll continue tomorrow."

He sounded more than happy about it, but in truth he knew that it could last only so long. In a few weeks time they would be pressed for the truth. Ciana's powers being...well...the subject of more than a few questions.

A truth he couldn't help but hate about this city.

 

[Ciana]

Ciana could barely hold herself up, and had to rely on the Professor to help her back into the house, though a night maid took over at the top of the stairs and helped her into bed. Her sleep was instant and deep, exhaustion dragging her into oblivion as she slept through the sunlit hours without so much as moving a muscle.

She woke in the early evening to the sound of ill-contained arguing outside her room door.

"What do you even know of this man, Baylen? You've known him all of five minutes and you think its wise to trust him to help the poor girl? How did he even know about her in the first place?" Elspeth was clearly trying not to raise her voice, but her whispers were loud enough. What surprised Ciana more was that her father was outside her room, and she tried to sit up when she felt a hand press gently down against her shoulder. She hadn't even noticed Meryl sitting by her bedside, or the damp cloth the woman held to her forehead.

"It's alright, Miss.. You've a touch of fever, just rest." the woman said quietly, and Ciana frowned in confusion. Fever? She touched a hand to her scalding cheek.

"I'm.. I'm fine, Meryl, I..--" she looked back to the door, her words trailing off as she listened.

"He can help her, Elspeth.I really think he--"

"He's making her worse, he could be killing her for all we know!" Elspeth cut in. "No. I want him out of this house. She shouldn't be outside, look what its doing to her for heavens' sake!"

Ciana threw back her covers and slipped out of bed despite Meryl's protest, and the girl clambered to the door to wrench it open. She hadn't seen her father in weeks, and the guilt he felt was palpable. The two looked at her, startled, before Elspeth's anger shifted to something that resembled concern.

"Oh my dear, you should be resting, you're not well.. Meryl? Please escort Ci--"

"I'm fine. I can hear you both out here, arguing. Do I get any say in this? I'm not a child, and the Professor is trying to help me. I trust him, and I want him to stay and continue his work. He's about the only one around here lately who listens to me at all." she frowned.

"You shouldn't be going out into the cold in your condi--"

"I SAID I'M FINE!!" Ciana snapped, and her veins glowed brightly. Elspeth screamed.

 

[Maric]

Maric was tinkering with another project before Ciana overheard her parents.

There was something about this situation, how he saw Ciana push herself. He wanted to help her, he wanted to make sure that she could actually make progress, that she would see herself become better. Maric felt more motivated than he had in years.

It had not taken him long to come up with another idea, a thought on how to help her. He'd pressed coin into the servant boys hand, sending him away and telling him to wake the shopkeepers away.

Then he had begun to work. It went quickly, and by the time Elspeth's scream echoed out in the gardens a small glove with strange wiring and metal sat on his workpench. The Professor's head shot up almost immediately as he heard the yell.

A frown touched his face, and then his eyes widened.

Immediately he jumped up from where he was sitting, dropping the intricate tools and darting out the door.

There was a loud slam as the Professor rushed towards where the scream had come from, his steps thundering in the hall. He turned a corner, his lips thinning and his shirt half undone as he burst out into the hall and peered upon what was happening.

 

[Ciana]

She was.. unbearably hot. Again she felt her body overheat and weaken, but the look on Elspeth's face was enough to keep her standing. It was pure fear, and Ciana's heart stumbled as she realised why. Her gaze dropped to look at her hands and arms and her lips parted at the sight of the veins of light. They were quick enough to return to normal, and it was then she felt the hands on her shoulders.

Meryl was trying to pull her back inside her room. Her father was standing in front of Elspeth, as though to protect her. From her?

"You see?! You see how dangerous she is! I knew she attacked that poor boy! She was about to do the same to me! I want her locked in that room until we can find somewhere more appropriate for her to go. I will not have that demon in this house!"

Ciana was too unsteady to resist even Meryl's hold, but her gaze was on her father's as she was pulled back. "I wasn't going to hurt her! I'm learning to control it, father. I wouldn't hurt anyone!.." she begged, struggling feebly. The Lord of the house simply stood staring at her, and she didn't know if it was fear, disgust or pain, but whatever it was he'd been rendered speechless by what he'd seen.

"Say something!" she demanded, but Meryl had already wrangled her into her chair and rushed back to the door, pulling it closed and fumbling with the key in the lock. It was an effort, but Ciana got up and stumbled back to the door, rattling at the handle and slapping her hands against the wood.

"No! No no no no please! I have a lesson, I need this. You can't keep me in here! Father please!" she sobbed.

 

[Maric]

Maric turned the corner just as the door slammed shut.

The sound of the door closing seemed to resound like a thunderclap. It resounded within the building far louder than any storm had any right to. His gaze flickered towards the heavy metal, and then drew towards the man who stood at it's closing. "What's going on here?"

His voice was steady, strong.

A part of him already knew.

A part of him already dreaded the answer that he would receive. His gaze flickered towards the hand that rested upon the lock, every muscle in his features tightening.

"W-why?" The Professor demanded, knowing that he had little to no power her.e

In his head he already ran through a dozen different scenarios. Every little factor, every little scenario. All of them flickered through his mind. Not a one of them was good. Not a one of them would end up with his apprentice in a good place.

It was a horror he'd hoped to avoid.

 

[Ciana]

There was nothing that she could say to convince Elspeth. As far as her step mother was concerned, Ciana had been about to incinerate her and was now suitably terrified of her. She could hear her father attempting to calm the frantic woman down instead of answering her, and it only made Ciana more and more frustrated.

"I'll die if you lock me in here!" she slammed her fists against the door so hard that it rattled. "Meryl? Meryl please, let me out of here."

"You dare think about it Meryl and you'll find yourself out of a job and on the streets!" Elspeth screeched.

Ciana's nightdress was drenched in sweat. Her golden tresses stuck to her clammy face as she grew gradually hotter as the seconds passed. She leaned against the door and slid down it and onto her knees when she heard Maric's voice.

"Professor? I didn't hurt anyone! I wouldn't!" Ciana insisted.

"ENOUGH!" Lord Baylen exclaimed, and silence fell for a brief moment before he turned to Maric. "She's.. What is she? How'd she..." he trailed off, looking quite hopeless. He'd been about to speak again when Elspeth cut in.

"You! You claim to be helping her, but its you teaching her these things! I want you out of this house, whatever you are! That girl is dangerous, she almost killed me! AND the Baron's son!"

 

[Maric]

Maric fell silent.

He glanced to Elspeth, the veins in her head practically popping out of skin. His gaze then flickered to Lord Baylen, his expression desperate, almost pleading. The man seemed as lost as...as anyone could be in the situation.

A frown touched the the Professor's face, and then he slowly began to speak. His voice was calm. Easy. "My Lord."

He ignored the ravings of Elspeth, looking at Lord Baylen alone.

"Your daughter is not sick. Your daughter is not dangerous." The latter was not exactly true, but he would never admit as much. "She is gifted. Wonderfully smart. She needs time."

Maric insisted. "Time to understand. To learn. To become the best version of herself."

He glanced to Lady Elspeth for just a second.

"She harmed no one tonight, where a month ago she might have." Maric stared at the man. "Do not condemn your own daughter for something neither of you understand."

 

[Ciana]

"I didn't try to kill anyone!!" Ciana screamed against the door. She felt heat under her palms and saw the light gather, frightening herself and pulling back from the door only to stare at two charred prints of her hands in the wood.

Oh Gods. She was dangerous. She didn't want to be, but her emotions were so chaotic that she had no idea just how unstable she was. If she hurt anyone (other than the Baron's handsy swine of a son) she'd never forgive herself. Whatever this was, it had been building and building in her for so long and now, it had been tapped into and it needed an outlet before she imploded.

Her skin was scalding, so hot that the cold sweat seemed to evaporate as quickly as it bloomed and the dampness in her nightclothes was quickly drying out. She could barely hear the conversation going on outside, and for the time being fell silent, other than the sounds of her sobs as she curled into a tight ball on the floor.

Lord Baylen Van'Santen stared hopelessly at Maric as he tried to explain, clearly torn between loving his daughter and trying to allay his wife's fear of her. He felt like he was drowning, in fear and guilt and heartache. Elspeth was frantic, his daughter was screaming and sobbing and he couldn't hear himself think.

"Gifted?! GIFTED?! The girl is as cursed as her mother w--" Elspeth's words were abruptly halted by the back of Lord Baylen's hand as it collided with the woman's cheek. Her hand rose immediately to cover the stinging welt and she stared in utter shock at her husband who'd never lifted a hand against her until this moment. The pain of what he'd just done had already registered with him, and he spoke her name and reached a hand toward her, but she was already turning to hurry along the hallway and down the stairs.

Baylen ran a hand down his face and looked back to Maric in desperation. "Help her.. Please. She's.. She's not safe here, not anymore. Can you get her out of here? Can you take her somewhere safe? I'll provide a carriage, and all the coin she'll ever need." the man's voice cracked, and he looked to Meryl who was stood in stunned silence against the wall.

"Get her ready, pack her some clothes and whatever else she needs." Either way. She had to leave this house.

 

[Maric]

Maric watched the scene unfold with no small amount of horror. Not because of the man in front of him falling apart, not because of the lady who was struck, but because he knew instantly what it would mean.

Elspeth was a vile woman, the sort who would have no problem ridding herself of Ciana. The authorities would doubtlessly be called, if not now, then perhaps in a few days, or when there was another slip. Maric knew that she couldn't stay here.

Not if she were to live.

When Lord Baylen spoke, when the desperation in his voice broke through the Professor didn't hesitate. "Yes."

There was no question.

"I can take her somewhere safe." A thousand places raptured through his mind, but he knew that reaching half of them would be all but impossible. They would have to be careful with her magic, and even with a carriage travel would be difficult. Still, he would do it. "I can make sure she's safe."

He assured the man.

 

[Ciana]

Baylen stared at Maric, forced to make the quick decision of trusting this man with his own daughter's safety. His eyes glistened but he set his jaw and nodded stiffly. "Thank you.." he said, swallowing the ache in his throat. "Thank you." he said and glanced at the door as Meryl made to unlock it. "I'll make the necessary arrangements.." he said and turned to leave before he could set eyes on Ciana.

As the door clicked open, Ciana looked up and Meryl brought her hand to her mouth to see the girl curled on the floor. "Oh Ciana.." she said quietly and rushed to help her up only to recoil in shock at how hot her skin was. Ciana watched her uncertainly, but the woman ignored it and proceeded to help her up and into her chair.

"Your father says I am to get you ready to travel.." Meryl frowned, the doubt in her eyes more than clear. Ciana didn't look fit to be out of bed let alone travelling anywhere. The maid rushed about the room, gathering practical clothes and folding them into a large carpet bag.

"Where is he sending me?" Ciana asked asked with a hint of bitterness in her tone.

"Wherever the Professor thinks you'll be safe." the woman answered as she went through Ciana's drawers and cupboards, throwing whatever she deemed a necessity into the bag. Ciana's brows rose at the unexpected answer and she sat a little straighter. She'd have assumed Maric would have been thrown out of the house by now.

"He's sending me with the Professor?.." Meryl didn't answer. She was holding a small doll in her hands and she sighed as she put it into the bag and closed it. "Is..Elspeth, alright?" she asked and Meryl's lips pressed into a thin line.

"I think we should hurry, Dear."

 

[Maric]

Maric rushed back to his room almost instantly. He practically ran.

Time was short, shorter than he would have liked, so he rushed quickly back to what he had been working on. Quickly he shoved the device into his bag, followed shortly by clothes and everything else that he had brought to this city.

As he packed he thought of a dozen different things.

What they would need to travel, where they would go, and most importantly a route they could take in case they were pursued.

Maric had no idea how this city would react. If they would chase after Ciana or if Elspeth would coerce her Husband to try to take back his daughter. Such places were foreign to him, strange, but they were close enough to cities that would gladly see Ciana dead that he had to consider it.

Within fifteen minutes the Professor was packed, throwing open the door to his room and rushing down the hall towards Ciana's door.

His hand pounded upon the heavy steel. "Ciana."

Maric called out.

"It's me." The Professor declared, not wanting to barge in.

 

[Ciana]

The door opened and the stout little maid peeked around it before allowing Maric into the room. Ciana was sitting on the edge of her bed, tears filling her eyes and her fingers curled into her blankets. She really was leaving, and her Father had not come to tell her so himself.

Meryl had packed everything she thought necessary into the large carpet bag, and Ciana was dressed in warm leggings and a tunic as well as her best dove-grey coat with fur lining. Meryl returned to her to finish lacing her boots over her knees before standing back and taking her hands to aid her to her feet.

"I am.. Sorry about this, Professor. I really didn't try to harm anyone I just.. lost my temper." she explained as Meryl supported her to walk. "I really don't wish to be a burden...Not to anyone." she sighed, since she was apparently a burden to everyone who knew her.

Another knock on her door, and Carter announced himself and was told to enter. He carried another, smaller bag. "His Lordship asked me to bring this to you, and inform you that your carriage is ready." he said solemnly as he set the bag down at Maric's feet. He looked then to Ciana with a shake of his head as he strode to her, pulling her into a firm hug. A few tears were shaken loose as she hugged him back.

"Thank you, Carter. You've been a wonderful friend. I hope I'll see you again someday." she whispered against his shoulder and the man cleared his throat and kissed her head.

"Stay safe, little lady." he smirked, his eyes glistening as he turned from her to look at Maric. "Keep her safe?" he asked, and stepped out of the room. Ciana wiped at her cheek and looked down at the bag, certain it was brimming with what her father could gather of her inheritance. She dropped her gaze and nodded with a sigh.

"I'm ready."

 

[Maric]

"She'll be safe." He would have to see to that, at the very least.

The goal was Althhaven, where no one could touch her. The school was hundreds of miles away, and the journey there not without it's perils...but at least once she was there not even the gods would be able to take her away.

So it had always been said. "Okay."

The Professor said with a nod, reaching down and plucking the bag from the floor. His own luggage was scant, just the pack and the odd pouch in which he'd thrown his latest implement.

"We're going to train you more on the way." Maric said as he began to lead Ciana out of her home and towards the carriage that had been prepared. "Mostly we'll try to travel at night and sleep during the day."

There would be too much of a chance of going wrong if they did the reverse. "It'll be hard, but..."

As they reached the front door Maric looked at her. "We'll make it. I promise you that."

 

[Ciana]

Ciana's body thrummed with adrenaline, her heart racing as she tried to wrap her head around everything that'd just happened, and what was about to. She looked up at Maric with a weak smile and squeezed at his arm in tacit thanks before she turned to look at Meryl, and then around at the home she'd known forever. She wondered if she'd ever see it again, and a knot formed in her chest as she whispered a quiet goodbye to Meryl as the woman hugged her.

"Be safe, Miss. And be sure to write me, let me know that you're alright." the woman said as she squeezed at her a little more before letting go and turning to rush away in tears. Ciana's little brothers appeared at the top of the stairs, peeking through the balcony at her, their faces far too expressionless for boys of such a young age. She'd never really had a chance to know them, to play with them or teach them anything. They seemed afraid of her, and Ciana was sure that Elspeth had always made sure of that. Still, Ciana smiled and gave a small wave, and they both waved back silently.

It was when she reached the end of the path that she heard her name being called, the voice causing her heart to lurch in her chest and she turned to see her father following after her. The man grabbed her into a tight embrace, and cried.

"I'm sorry, My Girl.. I should have--"

"It's alright." Ciana said back before he had time to recall all of the mistakes he believed he'd made. He had made some, but he'd tried to help her, and he'd allowed Maric to stay and now, was allowing her to go for her own good. She wasn't about to enhance his guilt by being angry. "I'll be alright.. Thank you." she sighed deeply, and glanced up at the manor to see Elspeth standing staring down at her with a dangerous scowl on her face..

"I'll write to you soon.." she promised and her father kissed her on the forehead before stepping back.

"If there's anything else you need. You know where I am. Please, keep her safe, whatever the cost." he said to Maric, and moved to open the door of the carriage. He too seemed to catch his wife's glare, and beckoned to the two.

"Quickly now.. You must be on your way." he said with a tone of urgency.

 

[Maric]

Maric nodded as he climbed into the carriage after Ciana. He looked down at the Lord for a moment, his lips thinned. There was no small amount of pity in his eye, even a hint of regret. Then he slowly spoke. "We'll be headed towards Alliria, the College there, you can write her."

It was a lie.

A part of him, a small part, regretted having to tell that lie.

He knew well that Ciana's father loved her. That he wanted nothing more than to keep his daughter safe, and yet...yet he had seemed weak. He had put his daughter's life endanger, loved a woman who would see Ciana dead.

Maric would not take the risk.

So he lied. So he told the man to his face that his daughter would be in an entirely different world. The Professor didn't know if that was the right thing to do, but he knew that it would keep Ciana safe.

"Go!" Maric shouted to the carriage driver. "To the west road!"

It was the way to Alliria, the path he would set them upon. "I'll tell you where to go from there."

He said, pulling the carriage door closed behind him.