What REALLY happened to Imoen (a novel)

[Kaltia]

lol, sounds like Immy...retreating with dignity
Biggest mall here is Bluewater. That's it.
Boring or what?

[Galadria]

We have all kinds. Dallas is shopper's heaven. Some more:

When she had gone, Attalus turned to his wife, still grinning ."How's she doing, Gal?" he inquired, "Seems a lot better."
"Like the old days," chimed in Odo. "So when are we leaving?" Odo asked this question at least four times a day. He was anxious to get the job done, even if it meant that he had to get on with his duties, which were naturally piling up in his absence. He smiled at Galadria as she transferred her glare to him, pretending to deflect some imaginary attack.
"I told you, Odo," she replied icily, "Ten days."
"Well, Gal, do you mind if I just ride out to the place?" he asked reasonably, "I won't be gone two days. I could take Attalus with me. There's no brigands that would bother us." There weren't any that would bother just him, either, but he was a sociable young man who liked company, and he knew that Cythera was very busy indeed with her magic preparations.
The dark mage shook her head in mild exasperation. She liked to keep her team together, but she knew Attalus and Odo were both restive. They had probably dreamed up this expedition just to get out of the house for a couple of days. Did they come in all sweaty just to get her in the mood to get rid of them? She looked at her husband's handsome face, set in a pleading smile, and knew she had guessed the truth. Attalus never could lie, and the smell was a genuine Odo touch.
"All right, then, if it means so much to you." she responded sternly, "but two days at the most, do you hear?" Attalus and Odo exchanged happy glances and went off at once to change, babbling assurances. They would probably be out of the house in an hour.She shook her head in disbelief. Men.
Galadria worked at her desk for a while longer, until her husband, barely concealing his glee, came in to kiss her goodbye and smelling much better. Odo came in behind him, thanked her again, pecked her cheek and rushed out behind his friend. Then they were gone, leaving only echoes. Minutes later, she heard the clatter of hoofs as their horses bore them off. She smiled to herself. They were probably actively hoping to run into bandits. She arose and went downstairs to the laboratory, where Cythera was toiling so notably.
To her surprise, Noemi and Sefa were both there before her, sprawled on chairs, watching Cythera work on a potion at the great alembic. They both jumped up guiltily when their mistress entered, but Cythera only shot her a tired smile.
The dark mage pretended anger, tapping her foot and glaring at her errant apprentices. "Noemi," she said in a threatening voice," what did I tell you? You're teaching Sefa bad habits. I guess I'm going to have to punish you both." Sefa , having been given a full account of the magic spark, grabbed her tiny rear with apprehension, her mouth an o.
Her sister, knowing her better, only gave her an impudent look, turning around and waggling her rump. Cythera, however, not being in on the joke, took her seriously. "Oh, please, Gal," she pled, half-humorously, "they're actually being helpful. Don't punish them."
Galadria went over to her and kissed her cheek. "Don't worry, Cyth, " she reassured her," I won't do anything to them that they don't deserve." She gave Noemi a mock glare, to be returned a hideous face, tongue out and eyelids pulled down. "Good look for you, Em," she told the redhead, "keep it up." Sefa giggled. Galadria turned back to the blonde woman. "So, Cyth, what's the problem with this spell?"
Cythera made a grimace. "I read about it in an old book I found in the library at Rosetree," her country estate. "It talked about protection from powerful demons not bound in a pentacle or circle." Those were the preferred methods of confining summoned demons, but they would be hunting a demon already in this plane, which could not be expected to step helpfully into a ward. The blonde sorceress went on, "But I'm having trouble with the material part of the spell."
Galadria considered. There were three components to most spells: the material, the gestures , and the invocation. With most spells, the material part was the most difficult, because it would be consumed when the spell was readied, providing the energy to be released by the chant and hand passes. For example, the material portion of the dessicating spell that hat killed the sea monster had been a strand of mermaid hair, which stays dry though constantly in the water. By that principle (there were many, which is why magicians studied so often, and why Noemi and Cythera were not as powerful as their friend.) they should find something that could stay unharmed by a demon's magic, or the noxious atmosphere of the Nine Hells.
"Didn't the grimorie give the ingredient?" she asked, puzzled. Most grimories, or books of spells, gave all three components.
"Well, actually," Cythera made a deprecating face, "it did. It suggested an actual part of a demon. The horn, for example.
The dark mage followed the logic. "That would fill the bill," she agreed, "but where would such a thing be found?" The group had killed many demons in their time, but had not stuck around to collect souveniers. Such things had a way of attracting undesirable visitors at bad times. It would have to be kept in a pentacle or some strong magic protection always, which would be inconvenient, to say the least, unless the need were pressing.
So that was what she had been doing! Galadria thought. Cythera had been trying various materials,whether brought with her, bought from the city's many magical shops, or summoned by various methods. "I hope you haven't been trying to summon a demon on your own," she said ominously, looking at the magic circle set into the corner. It showed no sign of recent use, she noted thankfully.

[Kaltia]

Keep it up [img]smile.gif[/img]
I like this novel a lot...have been copying and pasting onto text documents for re-read value when IW crashes for me again [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Galadria]

LOL, thanks, Kaltia. Feel free to print it out.

Cythera shook her somewhat sweaty locks vigorously."Not even an imp," she reassured her,"Do you really think I would, in your house, without your permission?"
"Well," replied her friend, "since you put it that way, no."
"Anyway," the blonde wizard went on,"You know I'd want your help. But I'm getting to the end of my rope. Do you think we could ask Toth?" This was the minor demon they had questioned about Sefa's knife.
Galadria nodded in agreement. "I really can't think of anything, offhand. Perhaps we should consult him. He is, after all, an expert." Toth lived in the Second Hell.
A pleased look came over the little blonde woman's face. She had wanted to find the material component by herself, since a feat like that would have given her increased magical prowness, but she had to consider herself stumped. "Very well, then, "she said gratefully," if you'll let me just rest and freshen up a bit, can we do it after dinner?"
The dark mage again nodded. "That'll be just fine," she answered," since we're going to be husbandless, tonight."
Noemi caught this. "Attalus and Odo are gone?" she asked, alertly.
"It's just us girls," said her sister in reply.
"All right," the redhead murmured. Galadria ignored her.

After dinner, they all gathered under the dome. Candles were lit, incense burned, and the three women seated themselves on the trio of black benches that surrounded the altar of Tres, with Sefa in anxious attendance. She was very conscious of the dagger at her side. The preliminary chants were done, and Galadria summoned the demon. As before, he appeared as a yellowish figure, seemingly running very fast.
"Toth," the dark sorceress began,"there is something we would know."
"Ask, mistress," the demon agreed. He was wheezing less, Sefa thought, maybe this time it won't be so hard on him.
"Toth," the Lady commanded,"tell us if there be ought of your world nearby." The figure seemed to both sniff and peer about.
"Yes, mistress," he wailed, "there is somewhat, both below and behind you." Galadria thought. That would be her study, she realized with a start.
"Toth," she inquired," what can you tell me of it? For I know not of what you speak."
The creature appeared to be squinting through the glowing atmosphere around it, and said finally, "It is irregular, smaller on one end than the other, flat on one side curved on the other. It is hollow."
The dark mage pondered. She knew she had only time enough for one more question, for the demon had begun to scream. Then inspiration struck her. Smaractus' flask! It was sitting on the big table next to the scrying bowl.
"Toth," she asked eagerly, "did this thing once hold a being from your world?" She had no idea where the genie had come from, but the evil mage would not have used something as precious as planar material to hold anything else.
"Yes, mistress," wailed Toth, to her delight, "release me."
"Go, Toth," she said, kindlily, with a gesture of dismissal. The creature disappeared.
She turned to her fellow mages, whose faces were alight with expectation, singled out Cythera. "Cyth," she said , savoring each word."I think we've got your component."
After some excited discussion and plans for further experiments for the morrow, and sitting around the fire in conversation, they retired to their rest. As she halfway expected, about thirty minutes later Galadria sensed a familiar prescence beside her solitary bed. "Noemi?" she asked sharply.
A quick magic fire showed her sister kneeling by the bedside in her nightclothes. She looked at her imploringly. "Please, Gal," she asked urgently, "I can't get to sleep. Can I just sleep with you? Attalus isn't here. No one would know. I'd like it so much. Please, Gal, just to sleep. I didn't close my eyes last night. Please?"
"Oh, all right," the dark mage said crossly, pulling down the covers. "But just sleep, mind you."
"That's all right," said Noemi happily, jumping in besides her and quickly cuddling up. "Ooh," she purred, "thank you so much." She wriggled her head into the crook of her sister's elbow, laying it on her shoulder. She sighed in complete content. Galadria stroked her hair. It was an old gesture with them.
"Better?" she asked.
"You just can't know," the redhead responded blissfully.
A thought occured to her sister, "Em," she asked suspiciously, "You were awfully fresh and bouncy today. Did you really not get any sleep last night? You looked awfully fresh, today." A giggle from the figure clinging to her gave her the answer.
Galadria grimaced in the dark. "Noemi," she said,"I don't think you love me sexually. I think you just want a mother to snuggle with."
The redhead giggled again. "Okay, Mommy. However you want to think of it."
"I'm serious, Em." she said intently. "You say you have all these fantasies about me, but once you get here, all you really want to do is cuddle. Tell me truly. Have you ever had sex with another woman? Did Anya do anything to you?" Anya was Smaractus' vampire sister.
"I don't know what question to answer first," Noemi complained sleepily. "No, Anya never even touched me, that I remember. She was a vampire, she was just interested in my life force. No, I've never had sex with another woman. What does it matter? I love you. The only woman I would be interested in would be you."
"What matters, you silly goose," her sister said tartly," is that you're really not in love with me. You just love me, like I love you. You're just not interested in having a relationship with a man at this time, and that my physical presence comforts you. That's all."
"Gal," Noemi replied after a time. "You've been asking me all these questions about my feelings. Can I ask you a couple?"
"Shoot," laughed her sister.
"I know you're in love with Attalus, but tell me, what do you feel, deep inside, as you lie here with me?"
She was serious, so Galadria considered it. "Well, let's see..." she began.
"Besides disapproval," Noemi interjected.
Her sister smiled in the dark. "Besides that," she agreed. "Let's see. I guess foremost would be that I'm glad that you're alive and with me, not a prisoner, I mean. I guess I'm glad that you're so happy, just by snuggling with me, and that I can give you that happiness."
Noemi wriggled with joy.
"And, of course," she finished, "I'm furious with that creature for daring to do this to you. He not only hurt your body, he seems to have stolen your innocence and, I hope temporarily, damaged your ability to trust anybody but me with your feelings. I killed him once for that, and I'll keep doing it until his essence is wiped out of the universe. That's all, I think."
They were silent for a while. Finally, Noemi said "See, Gal, that's why I love you so. You always think of me. That's why Attalus, and the rest, too, are so attached to you. Even little Sefa is feeling it. We know we can trust you. You've never let us down. We know that if we're in trouble, you'll be there, by our side."
Galadria snorted. "I'm no such saint. You're my sister. I need you as much as you need me. I trust you, too, you know. I need Attalus because he fills a place for me that even you, dear heart, don't. I need my friends because it's a dangerous world, and besides, I enjoy their company, and where would I get new ones? It's too much trouble."
Noemi laughed. "Talk, talk, talk. Say what you like. I, and we, know. But, Gal, you're right, I don't trust anybody but you, and that's why I can't love anybody but you. I can foresee having sex with somebody in the future, but never trusting them. That's why I said I loved you that way, because I thought that, that way, I wouldn't have to worry about loving or trusting anyone but you. Oh, I'm confused," she sighed. "But if I'm not in love with you, I don't know what else to call it. I think about you all the time. I'm so happy when I'm with you, and especially like this. I do have dreams about us...that you wouldn't like. But you're right. I'm here, with you, like I wanted so to be back when he had me. "
Galadria's eyes stung with sudden tears. She felt a sudden rush of pity and love for this little creature huddling against her. But Noemi was going on "...and I don't feel any desire to ...like start touching you, trying to seduce you. I think, if I was with someone I was lusting after, in bed, I'd start tickling, and touching... you know. But with you, all I want to do is lie here, still, and to not do anything that would make you want me to leave."
"Silly," her sister replied, "you don't have to be afraid of that. I wouldn't make you leave even if you did those things. I'd just tell you to stop. I know you, you would. I love you, and since you're so happy, I'd have no desire to send you back into the cold night."
"I guess I really knew that," the redhead responded, "but I still wouldn't take the chance. You might get mad at me, like you did today."
Galadria grabbed her ear between thumb and forefinger lightly and tweaked it. "Em, she said sternly, "I was annoyed with you today because you were whining and being lazy. That's not like you. I just gave you a push to get you going. I haven't been really angry at you since I can't remember when. I think that you were pestering me because I was busy, and you were trying to get attention. Wasn't that it?"
In answer, Noemi giggled again. "Maybe," she confessed."you were so engrossed in your lists and stuff, and I wanted you to talk to me. I felt lonesome. And if I wanted your attention, "she added ruefully, "I got it.I hope you're satisfied. My buttock has a blister on it."
Galadria smiled. "And if you act like that tomorrow, I'll decorate the other in the same way. Probably scar you for life." He mind went in another direction."So, you say I'm the only one you trust?"
"Uh, huh," Noemi was getting sleepy again. "Completely. Absolutely. After you rescued me when the only hope I had was you, I wasn't so much surprised as happy that something good I knew was coming had finally happened. I never despaired, even when my mind, or maybe someone else's, was telling me that there was no way out, that I might as well kill myself."
The dark mage suddenly understood something. "So that was why you were so mad at me sending Morgul north with Lilyblack. You thought he would cheat on you while he was gone, and you thought I had betrayed your trust."
Noemi nodded, brushing her hand through her sister's black hair. "I guess so, but I didn't think of it like that, then. I thought I was just mad at you for sending him off, but you're right, I did think that you had betrayed me. I wasn't reasoning too well, then."
Another pause ensued, and Galadria had begun to think that she had gone to sleep, but after a while her voice came back. "Gal," she said wonderingly,"how can you figure out things like that? I mean, you and I are the same age, and you've only been with one man, right?"
The dark sorceress agreed. "Attalus," she said firmly.
"Right," replied Noemi,"so how can you figure out hard stuff like that?"
Galadria laughed to herself. "I don't know, Em, sometimes things just seem very clear to me."
Somewhere in the celestial realms, her goddess Tres smiled.

[Kaltia]

Awww...little sister-sister talk there [img]smile.gif[/img]
I really have no idea why some people find Imoen whiny. Whereas you might talk them eloquantly out of that misguided phase, i tend to shriek at them until thyew relent.
Effective, too [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Attalus]

LOL, Kaltia, she's quite capable of reaching through the computer screen and yanking Imoen-haters through. Not a pretty sight.

[Galadria]

Originally posted by Attalus: LOL, Kaltia, she's quite capable of reaching through the computer screen and yanking Imoen-haters through. Not a pretty sight.

LOL, don't you know it. Today's installment:

XXI
Daybreak woke Noemi first. She rose on her elbow to conemplate her sister's face, and ran a finger over her cheek. She remembered what she could of last night's conversation, and smiled happily to herself. She didn't care what Galadria said, if she could have spent the rest of her life sleeping with her, she thought she would die content. A sudden chill went through her. She shook the dark woman awake."Gal," she whispered fiercely,"wake up."
One dark eye opened and regarded her without favor. "Em," she said crossly,"why are you waking me at the crack of dawn after keeping me up half the night?"
"Sorry, Gal," she said contritely,"but I've gotta know something."
Galadria sat up in bed, and regarded her blearily."What is it, Em?" She saw that her sister was really shaken about something. so she added, more kindly,"What's upset you?"
"Gal," she asked in a low voice,"what if you die before me? What would I do?"
Her sister sighed in an exasperated way."I suppose, bury me, and sit by my tomb for the rest of your life like the little dog in the story. Noemi, why are you asking this?
"Well," the redhead was unsure,"all that talk about you and me last night, and I just wondered..." she trailed off.
The dark mage put her hand on Noemi's shoulder."Em," she said," I'll try to live forever but you know that I can't know the answer to that. That's why I want you to develop your own power, among other reasons. You can't let anybody else be so necessary to your life that you can't live without them. Even your sister. Even a lover."
"I know," muttered the redhead rebelliously."But I don't want to."
Galadria put her arms around her and hugged her."Gods alone know I don't know what I'd do without you, or Attalus, but we don't know this, Em. But we've got today, so let's enjoy it. Try not to obsess about it." She released her and regarded her sternly."Now, that's the last time I'm going to hug you today. It's getting to be a habit."
"Good habit," said Noemi in reply, happy again."Let's go get breakfast."
They washed and dressed and went downstairs. They found Lania in the kitchen, making a light breakfast, as Galadria liked when the men were't about demanding huge amounts of meat. Cythera came down later and was surprised to find them both there so early. The dark mage often arose at dawn,, but Noemi was a notorious slugabed.
"Good morning to you both," she said sunnily. She looked at the redhead whimsically, expecting some cutting remark.
"And a good morning to you, Cyth," replied Noemi with a smile.
The blonde enchanter gave her a shocked look, and shook her head in disbelief.. "Gal," she turned to her other friend,"what are you doing with Em's simacrulum? I haven't seen the real Noemi so much as smile before noon in years."
"Pish, tush," replied the redhead loftily, waving a piece of toasted bread to dismiss the accusation,"I'm the soul of civility in the morning, just ask anyone."
"I have," Cythera retorted, "Odo says it's worth a man's life to so much as speak to you before lunch."
"Odo," Noemi answered defensively,"probably caught me in an atypical bad mood in the early hours, and said something to upset me."
"He says, " murmured Cythera,"that he asked how you felt. The insensitive brute."
Sefa tripped in, and wondered why everyone was laughing. Galadria turned to her with a smile."Well here's our little Sefa. What are you to do, today?" The girl stopped what she was doing, which was reaching for a roll, and immediately gave her Mistress her full attention.
"Good Morning, Lady," she said carefully, as Noemi had taught her."Today, your Lady Sister is going to teach more on how to use the bow."
Galadria wondered at how fast the street veneer had come off of her. She already spoke with an accent that was much more refined than the urchins she had been associated with. They never had a chance to inquire into Sefa's parentage, she remembered with a twinge of guilt. The girl had fitted so effortlessly into life at the House of the Dome that it was slightly difficult to remember what it was like without her.. That argued natural agreeability and a ready intelligence, but it implied something more: a similar outlook on life. Most street children, she would think, would have been up to more mischief, perhaps stolen something, but everyone seemed to take it for granted that she would not. Even the usually suspicious Noemi had taken to her,after some initial misgivings. She looked over to where her redheaded sister was ruffling Sefa's curly hair as she teased her about her lack of progress in archery.. The dark mage considered. She didn't really have much to do between now and the date of departure.
"Em," she spoke aloud. All eyes went to her. "Today, after your archery lesson and when Sefa's cleaning has been done, I want you to take her back to that place and get that girl, Naba, was it?" she directed at Sefa, who was listening, round-eyed. She nodded mutely.
The dark mage went back to her sister. "Get the girl and bring her back here." Noting the gleam in Noemi's eye, she added, "No kidnapping. Persuade her. I know you can."

[Fiend]

Great work Galadria!!!

[Kaltia]

Lol, like the way Gal had to add "No kidnapping"
Alrighty, then< I DARE Immy haters to deal with us

[Galadria]

LOL, yeah. Gal has to watch out for Emmy's thief instincts. More: (This has one of my favorite parts.)

So, that afternoon, when lunch was over, Sefa and her archery teacher were headed on foot for the slums. Noemi was back in the black leather outfit that she had worn in the North: close tunic, short skirt, black medium boots, Questioner on a sheath attached to her belt. Sefa was wearing the very similar suit that she had first received when she landed in the House of the Dome, and carried Strike.. She marveled as she peered from the corner of her eye at her companion, who had just that day cut her hair short. Noemi, who missed little, caught the look.
"What's the matter, Sefa?" she asked humorously, "Don't you recognize me? This is how I looked when your Lady and I were on the road."
"Your hair's so short," blurted the girl. Her mental picture of her teacher included the luxuriant growth of curling red hair.
Noemi chuckled. "I let it grow when all we had to worry about was a few orcs, but this one is a serious expedition. No sense having long hair to catch on things, or for an enemy to grab."
Sefa shook her head in disbelief. "I wouldn't have known you from one of the thieves up at the Guildhouse." Baldur's Gate was home to an active chapter of the Shadow Thieves.
This time, Noemi laughed aloud. "Why not?" she asked mockingly, "that's what I was trained to do." Sefa stared at her.
"That's right," replied the redhead to her unasked question. "I always thought I would be a great thief when I grew up. When we were girls, Gal was the one that our foster father thought would be a magician. I tried to learn, and I could keep up with Gal, but he always discouraged me. I got rebellious, so, after I read a bunch of books about heroic thieves, I taught myself the criminal arts. I learned to pickpocket from an old cloak I hung from a doorknob. I got a man to teach me to pick locks, for a price."
This had been the reason for her evasive response to her sister's direct question. She hated the fact that she had lost her virginity to a greasy old thief in payment for his instructions, and had never told Galadria. After her sexual initiation, still under the spell of her romantic notion of becoming a great thief, she had begun to hang around the tavern, bragging about several imaginary exploits. She soon gained the attention of the young scholars and guards hanging around, and several desultory affairs had followed, curiously unsatisfying for her. Then, one evening a dark young guard with a handsome face had attracted her attention, and she talked the night away with him. After too much wine, bought by him, he had taken her out into a field and suggested tying her up to spice up their lovemaking. She had not wit enough to wonder why hehad brought along cord and allowed him to bind her hands.He proceeded , after gagging her and spanking her hard, to perform several perverted acts on her defenceless body.
When he had been satisfied, he had, good-naturedly enough, untied and ungagged her. She had spat abuse and attacked him with her fists, which he had easily fended off. When she saw how useless violence was, she had threatened him with her guardian, a mage of great might. He had laughed scornfully.
"Your guardian is no threat, slut." he had said, "He is disgusted with you. You were seen to leave with me, who'd believe you were not a willing participant? Didn't you let me tie you up? Don't you know you're the talk of the garrison? The town whore? You were pointed out to me the first day I arrived. Buy her wine, they said, she'll pose no challenge."
She had spun around and run back to the chambers she shared with Galadria, hearing his hateful laugh dwindle in the darkness.When she reached the room, she had awkwardly cleaned herself up in the deserted kitchen, her bottom still stinging. Galadria lay, sleeping peacefully, on her bunk. Noemi had gone through a predictible period when she despised her studious, inexperienced sister, as knowing nothing of the marvels of sex; but now, still hurting from the disgusting episode, she saw with searing clarity that it had been Galadria, not she, who had been on the right road. The soldier's taunts rang in her ears: "the town whore.","slut." With all the hopelessness of the teenager she was, she sat on her bedside and wept, helplessly, at how she had ruined her life.
Then, all at once, she felt someone sit beside her, and raised her teary face to see her dark sister sitting there. She had awakened to the sound of her weeping and come to comfort her.
"Em, dear, what's wrong?" Galadria had said as she put her arm across her quivering shoulders.
"Oh, nothing, Gal," she had partially lied, "someone said something mean to me, that's all."
Galadria had hugged her and kissed her cheek, murmuring comforting things, and that's when Noemi first felt the love that she bore her sister come flooding in. Even her hurts felt better. Her whole body seemed to glow.
"Thanks, Gal," she had said, inadequately, "you make it better."
The dark mage had smiled at that. "Good. Sweetie, why don't you just lay down here next to me? Maybe you can get to sleep. Don't worry about people that say mean things," Galadria had gone on in all innocence, "they don't count. I know you and what a beautiful, wonderful girl you are, so just forget them. We've got each other, who cares about what they think. I love you."
So, for the first time since they were mere girls on a camping trip, Noemi had spent the night with her sister. When she had awakened the next morning, she had gone straight to her guardian, afire to turn her life around and learn magic. He had been less than encouraging.
"What, Noemi," he had said, "after all the insolence I've had from you the last few years? Do you expect me to drop everything, including your sister's education, to teach you Magic? To say nothing about all my other business?" He had waved his hand across his paper-crowded desk. "I don't even know if you have the Talent, and I've no time to find out."
He had then looked at her more gently and sighed. "I'll be frank, Noemi, you've been a great disappointment to me. Half of your sister's blood, but nothing alike. I've long since put aside whatever hopes I had of you, to concentrate on Galadria. What a Talent she has! She's already learning the higher magic, that which can alter the affairs of other beings. She's long learned the smaller spells that just affect herself." He shook his head, again. "It's too late, Noemi. Your sister's time grows near. A series of events I've long feared is commencing. She and I may need to leave here, go into hiding. You can stay here, or go wherever you like. I'll give you a small amount of gold to start you off."
The redhead, astounded, had taken a moment to digest this. "But sir," she had pled,"let me go with you and Galadria. I can help out, and I can learn magic then." She would have gone on but her guardian stopped her with an upraised palm.
"No, Noemi, I have decided," He had said then, "you would endanger her, and me, with some escapade. You are too erratic, and it is important for the world that she survive. That's all I will say. Speak nothing to your sister of this, for I would have her finish as much of her studies here as she can, mind at peace." He had then turned back to his papers, dismissing her.
She had then fled back to her room, sobbing, her world crumbling around her. Galadria had found her ther, in tears again. She sat down on her bed, running her hands through her hair, massaging her neck and back. "Noemi, what's wrong this time?" she had asked again, more concerned."Are you still upset at that remark? Tell me who said it and what they said. I'll fix them!"
Noemi had smiled through her tears. Maybe she should have threatened that soldier with her sister. She shook her head in answer, forbidden to tell her the real reasons. She instead replied,, truly enough, "Our guardian won't teach me Magic, and I want to, so's I can be like you."
Galadria had smiled in response. "Be like me, a mere magician?" she had teased, "I thought you were going to be a big, bad thief. Steal all the great jewels of the world."
The redhead had shaken her head vehemently. "No, Gal, you were right, I was wrong. I'm not cut out to be a thief. You have to want other people's stuff real bad, and enjoy wrongdoing. I thought I did, but I've found out I was wrong. What you're doing is what's important, and now, I want to do it, too." She had srated to cry again, but her sister had raised her face by picking up her chin.
"But, sweetheart," she had said, "how simple! I can start your training. I've always felt that you had the talent, but preferred to waste it with this thieving of yours. You can read well, I know. Now," she had taken an old, worn book from her shelf,"start with this."
Noemi had picked up the little tome. "An Elementary Grimoire," the cover read. She had looked at her sister with dawning hope. Perhaps there was a way out! She would learn magic, straighten up, and show her guardian that she deserved to go along with them. After all, they might have a long time.
But they didn't. Three weeks later, Noemi had looked into their guardian's office to boast about the rapid progress that she was making under her sister's tutelage and found him gone. Naturally curious, she had looked across the papers on his desk, and found what she had dreaded: a cryptic note to him, advising him to flee with Galadria at once.
Burning with anxiety that they had already left without her, she hurriedly scoured the area. She found Galadria talking earnestly with their guardian on the steps of the great library. Hiding quickly in the bushes, she heard only Galadria's final words: "If you say it is so important, Sir, I am ready to leave right away."
Quickly, she ran to their rooms and snatched what supplies she could: her bow, a few arrows, some food and a water bottle, her carefully hoarded gold. About to leave, she had seen Galadria's beloved magic wand, apparently overlooked in the rush, and grabbed it. Stuffing these few items in her old knapsack, she had rushed to the gate, just in time to see the pair disappearing in the gathering dark. Following stealthily along, for she was of no mind to be turned back, she was surprised to watch the two meet another group coming in the opposite direction. She watched from a safe distance. After a brief discussion, a fight broke out. She watched in horror to see her guardian fall, with Galadria fleeing into the night, pursued at first, but quickly losing herself in the forest. She saw the armored man, the only survivor of the attacking party, clank along in pursuit of the fleet girl, then give up and walk away.A few minutes later, she had heard hoofbeats fading into the distance.
She searched all that night for her sister and found her only when dawn was breaking, wandering in a seeming daze. She joyously approached her, calling, "Gal, wait!"
Seeing her turn to her fearfully, she clarified,"It's me, Em!" The two came together in a embrace.
"Em, it's you," the dark girl had said incredulously. "What are you doing here? Am I glad to see you. What can be happening? He's dead, you know." Galadria had begun to cry.
For a change, it was the redhead who had to soothe the shocked mage. "Come over here and sit down, Gal," she suggested helpfully."Don't bother to tell me anything, I saw the whole thing. Where have you been all night? I've been looking for you." They had sat down at the foot of a huge tree.
"I don't really know," her sister had finally replied. "Just moving, hiding all the time, afraid that man, whoever he was would track me down."
"Let's just rest for a while," Noemi had replied and so they did, side by side, at the foot of the tree, out of sight of the road. The redheaded wouldbe mage knew that, rationally, she should be terrified. She was alone with a frightened fledgling wizard, with nothing but her bow and Galadria's untried magic all that stood between them and a wolf's belly. A mysterious murderer was looking for them. They only had food for a few days. But, somehow her heart had been light. They were together again, and that was all that had mattered. She would never be the slut of the garrison again.