The Queen's Garden Mage

“Can I change my mind?” Emery asked as we stood in the center of the training field with at least thirty other suitors while the Queen gave a grand speech of what to expect in the coming Tournament. The first three days would test our skills in combat, the first day would be archery, the second a hunt requiring team work, the third sparring for points. The next three days was all politics, the three days all the noble dandies had come for, the opportunity for new alliances and trade. The final stage of the Tournament was a mystery depending on how many made it through the first two stages. It could last but one more day or extend to four. I hoped it was but one.

“It’s too late for that now.” Libeth countered bouncing with excitement as the crowd roared around us.

Eden nudged me slightly, “Rosen out did herself this time,” he murmured his appreciation dipping his head towards the stands.

I smiled softly listening to the trees sing, “That she did Eden, that she did.”

“It is with great honor that I introduce to you my Head Gardener, responsible for where you all are seated now, Rosen Len.” Rosen took the stand, made from a young ash tree she’d grown just that morning and smiled brightly at the masses.

“I am thankful to be alive in this moment, the Princess has passed her Trials and we stand on the brink of another Queen’s Tournament…” Rosen paused while the crowd roared anew. “This is a time of peace, a time for allies to be made, and trade to be conducted, for songs to be written and love to be found. Good fortune to each and every one of you,” Rosen caught my eye bowing her head slightly. I tipped my head in acknowledgement that her fortune was meant for her Gardeners but propriety demanded that she acknowledge the entirety of us.

Princess Mariel went on to explain that the archery portion of the Tournament would start just after midmorning meal, it would be conducted in three phases, short range, long range and movement at varying ranges. There would be five groups of six suitors each since there were thirty suitors in all. Of course, that number would dwindle with time after all not every noble could fire a bow.

“I almost wished the first task weren’t so easy,” Emery mumbled just low enough for us to hear. “Then I’d be done with the Tournament…”

“Our job is to aid her Highness,” Libeth shot back hitting him in the shoulder. “The Queen’s Tournament is a cover, so you’re stuck with us until…until we can no longer pass the events.”

“I’m looking forward to the sparring,” Eden said with a maniacal grin, that was completely contradictory to his usual gentle nature.

I gazed around spotting Prince Eris chatting it up with a group of noblemen, I traced my fingers lightly along the blade hidden by the fall of my tunic. “I completely understand the sentiment.”

“Now is not the time for violence.” Libeth gave each of us a look in turn, “Now is the time for finding two other people we can bear to deal with to go in our group of six.”

“Yes, Goddess forbid we end up with a bigoted foreigner who doesn’t believe women should rule.” Emery inserted, gazing around looking for a likely candidate.

“Damn, there goes the Sol-Lea stolen from us by a group of dandies.” Eden chuckled at Emery’s frustration.

“Let us just take who remains Em, no point in searching, we aren’t like them and they see that. Regardless of the outcome we know what we’re here for.” Emery nodded at Eden’s sage words before relaxing into himself.

We watched men and women alike drift towards one group or another while our recruits set up the archery range wheeling out a rack of bows made in every shape and size. Libeth was shaking her head. “An archery contest for a group of garden mages…I never thought it would be this easy.”

Eden laughed tousling her hair, “Don’t get over confident.”

Libeth shook her head again as a small woman, literally half my height drifted towards us. “Me over confident…” she scoffed. “Never.”

Emery nudged her into silence as the woman drew closer…she hesitated upon seeing Eden’s massive frame and my overly tall stature but Libeth’s smile and Emery’s girlish features set her at ease giving her the courage to step forward. “Hello…”

I tipped my head in greeting supplementing it with a spoken word and a smile. “Hey.”

“My name is Dahni, I come from Raleli,” Libeth tipped her head more noticeably in greeting, it looked right awkward. About how it looked when Sir Zeron had done so to me, as if she didn’t know exactly how it was done. Angileri’s social niceties were built on subtleties. And every movement, from the tilt of the head to bowing before a monarch spoke of respect, it was a dance begun at your parent’s knee and refined through schooling and social interaction. Until at one point you would know simply how one greeted you that they hated you completely or respected you more than you imagined. It was a secret language that many outside nations found hard to understand or interpret. Every Gardener save Rosen who’d been born here, had studied hard to understand it all, we’d used each other because we’d come late to this country and we were far behind the learning curve. It was frustrating in the beginning but now it was second nature.

Dahni tipped her head brow furrowed in confusion, a look more of curiosity than greeting, I smiled at its adorableness. Her skin was brown like mine, though a different kind of brown, a refined bronze to my russet tan. Her hair strangely was not black as you’d imagine it but red, a dark red that fell in light waves just past her shoulder blades, a red that made her jade eyes shine brighter in the frame of her face. Libeth asked her questions about the desert, about how they survived in such a harsh environment without aid from bordering Lands?

Dahni’s smile was a crooked one, one sharp tooth peeking free every time she graced you with a closed mouth grin. “I have read that in Raleli that you do not have kings or queens but simply a council of five men and women from each major city, and they reside at times in the capitol Rahshi? I believe it is.” I said after a moment of Libeth’s good natured banter.

“Rahshi,” Dahni bobbed her head nervously, “Yes that is the capitol, and it is true that we do not have a King or a Queen, though history states that long ago when Raleli was young and the land more unforgiving that we had a King and a Queen both. Now we have a High Council and many decisions are based on voting, as well we have a Council Head who breaks the vote if it falls evenly five instead of four. They visit their homes and rule there I suppose for a few full moons and then for the rest they reside in the Capitol and support the people. We have chosen good Councilors, I think. We vote for them every five sun cycles or so. Though they can be voted out or choose to step down before their five- sun cycle term is up and that would allow for an early voting.

“In my life time, we have only voted for one new Councilor. The people have done good for themselves and the Councilors themselves are friendly people. I have met the Council Head, she sanctioned my coming here. I do not think we could pick another to replace her in the history of my life. She will probably retain a seat on Council until her death.” I blinked while she babbled on nervously finally stopping when death suddenly entered the conversation.

Libeth rubbed her back soothingly, while I gazed at Eden confused at what I’d done. Eden shook his head unknowing, while Emery laughed behind the cover of his hand. “Gardener Denarii can be a bit intimidating at times as tall as she is.”

“She resembles a Goddess tempting me into the desert with her beauty,” Dahni murmured softly though we caught her words on the breeze. Emery turned away, laughing harder, not wishing to embarrass our new friend. Eden mimed tracing his hands along a curvy figure before blowing a kiss at me.

I raised my brow gazing down at my small chest and narrow hips before looking back at him and now he was also fighting to contain his laughter. I rolled my eyes at them both crossing my arms and awaiting the true start of the Tournament.

“I will be back; I wish to speak with my family before we start to reassure them I have found a good group.” We all simultaneously raised our hands in fair well without actually speaking. Dahni shook her head at the anomaly before walking off to find her family in the stands.

“You two,” Libeth pointed at Eden and Emery once Dahni was out of ear shot. “Are ridiculous.” There was no true bite to her words, indeed she was laughing while she said it.

“And you,” She turned to me shaking her head, “Stop…” Libeth waved her hand encompassing my entire form. “Stop being so…so Goddess like.” That started Eden and Emery laughing again while Libeth sat there grinning like the evil wench she was.

“I asked but one question out of curiosity I did not for a moment expect that to happen…or to be compared to a Goddess.” I furrowed my brow slightly.

Emery stroked his fingers along my cheek soothingly, “Our garden flower who fails to see her own worth, someone will be quite lucky to claim you some day.” I blinked at the sincerity of his words.

“What he said,” Eden offered with a grin of approval, Libeth simply hugged me close resting her head against my arm unable to reach my shoulder.

“You are all entirely too silly, to belong to someone so regal and well respected as I.” We all turned to find Rosen standing behind us smiling good naturedly.

“Rosen,” Libeth moved from me to her latching on like a leech.

Rosen laughed hugging her back. “I have a title you know.”

“Not with us old woman,” Emery deadpanned making her laugh again.

“I should bend you over my knee for such blatant disrespect.” Her eyes continued to sparkle with mirth despite the seriousness of her tone.

Emery winked suggestively, “Mmmm, I’d love to see you try.”

Rosen blushed to the gray tipped roots of her hair before turning away to compose herself. We all smiled but no one dared laugh regardless of the amusement we found. There were many forms of respect after all and though Rosen spoke to us as equals she was of a level with the Queen and you did not laugh in the face of the Queen’s embarrassment. “I wanted to wish you all good fortune personally,” she said once she’d found her composure.

“We appreciate it Head Gardener, truly we do.” Libeth said pulling away from her after one final squeeze.

Rosen left us then, hurrying towards the stands, she held a seat beside the Queen. I wondered how many Councilors were jealous of her power. “Do you all have room for one more?” I shifted my gaze settling on a man more beautiful than handsome, almost prettier than Emery I could tell just by looking that he wasn’t here for the Princess. A lover of men through and through.

Libeth smiled, “Indeed we do, what pray tell is your name?”

“Tailaan,” He pronounced it Tay-lon, “I hail from Erangi, my parents wished me to settle down with a beautiful man and get married, find a third and have children. They shoved me on a ship to Angileri and it just so happens that the Queen’s Tournament was scheduled to start perhaps a seven day after my arrival. Imagine my surprise at the opportunity.”

Emery offered his hand in greeting, “Gardener Randel, I was born in Erangi, are the men still beautiful?”

Tailaan clasped Emery’s hand in his smiling brightly, “Are the buildings still master pieces?” He countered not unkindly.

Emery laughed, truly happy in finding someone so far from home as he was, “Of course they are.” They finished together. Tailaan dropped his hand.

“You are looking for a partner and a third?” Libeth asked curiously, Emery had explained both terms to us. A partner being whomever you wished to marry regardless of gender and a third being a person, if both partners were of the same sex, who would aid them in conception. A trio being what you were once you came together, the third was usually a really close friend who helped raised the child but was not truly in the relationship. Not to say that it couldn’t happen, just to say it usually didn’t.

“Yes, though I have a third in mind back home, I’ve known her since birth and she is backward in her love affairs as I am but wishes to have children. We agreed to raise them together regardless if she weds first or I do.” Tailaan turned to Emery. “You wouldn’t happen to be…”

Emery laughed blushing slightly, “I’m flattered to be asked, but I enjoy the love of a woman more often than not.”

Tailaan sighed good naturedly brushing his hair from his face with delicately scarred hands. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

“You dodged an arrow with this one,” Libeth said teasingly.

Emery scoffed, “I am a true catch.”

“If you say it often enough,” Eden inserted. “It might become true.”

We all laughed before settling down. We watched as Princess Mariel once more took the stand. I’m sure not a one person standing on the Training Fields had actually thought to eat during the break. Everyone grew still as she began explaining the rules. “There are twelve placements on the firing line, two groups will fire simultaneously, you have four arrows, one of which to practice with, you may fire at your own pace. A royal guard will raise a flag once everyone has finished firing, everyone will be scored based on which rings your arrows land in, there are four rings, the dot in the center is worth ten points, two inner circles are eight and sixth respectively and the two outer ringers are four and two. Your arrows are marked, the one fletched in white feathers is for practice, the others hold rings of green, one for the first arrow, two for the second and three for the third. Since there are five groups of six the last group will simply fill half of the firing line. Once this portion ends we will move on to long range firing and then firing at moving targets where the same rules will apply adding an arrow for each new phase of the competition and so you will have two practice arrows for long range firing and three practice arrows for firing on moving targets, if you are confident you may exchange practice arrows for green ringed arrows in an attempt to gain more points.” A murmuring started with that added incentive, though it quickly died so that Her Highness could finishing speaking.

“Those that fail to have any arrows land within the rings on the targets will be removed from the Queen’s Tournament, if you use magic that can be seen or detected by the naked eye, you will be removed from the Tournament. If you fail to reach a certain number of points by the end of this phase, you will be removed from the Tournament… Are there any questions?” There were no questions.

“Until your group is called, there is a place for you just inside the fence nearer to the stables, go there now and take your seats.” Dahni found us as we took a seat on the green grass feeling more like children than adults as we waited watching those that preceded us.

“How good are you at the bow?” I asked both Dahni and Tailaan simultaneously, gazing back and forth between them.

Tailaan answered first, “I can for sure make it through the first round, I might perhaps hit a few of the long range targets. I will spectacularly fail the final round of moving targets a hunter I am not.” He finished with a forlorn sigh.

“I grew up in a small wood on the border of Rahshi, I know a thing or two about hunting, standing targets should not be much of a problem if I have the right bow. Which is hard to find when you’re as small as I am.” I nodded watching the competition those of which more often than not failed at actually hitting the target.

Libeth nudged me in the side, “This might be easier than I first thought,” just as she spoke I heard a whisper of assistance from the wood of an arrow and then the clearly struck note of a plant serving its purpose. Libeth sat up straighter, “Perhaps I spoke too soon.” I heard the whispering and then the clarity of that note three more times, slowly but surely Emery and then Eden fell silent having each heard it in their own way. There was a plant mage on the line and they weren’t playing fair.

“They must really be horrible at archery,” Emery murmured as the next group of twelve were called. It seemed our group would be last.

“Sadly it wasn’t detectable by the naked eye,” I heaved out trying to find the mage among the group of men and woman standing off to the side, some saddened at their performance some excited and overly confident.

“Perhaps they’re half blind,” Libeth supplied brow furrowed. “I have never met a plant mage who couldn’t hit a target from when first they picked up a bow.”

Dahni and Tailaan looked right confused at the seemingly random conversation. “Many apologies,” I said drawing their attention. “Her Highness said no discernable magic, meaning if you cannot see it you can still use it. Giving those with a gift an unfair advantage in my opinion not that anyone would know unless you shared that gift of course,” I splayed my hand encompassing my fellow Gardeners and I. “We are the Queen’s Gardeners, and be it plant mages to the masses, or garden mages to those who understand a little more, each of our gifts are powerful in their own right. We know the life of the green, and we can feel, hear or see in some cases, magic in use. Someone out there,” I tipped my head towards the firing line. “Just used magic to aid them and we’re discussing that now.”

“How did they use it?” Dahni asked brow furrowed. “I am a water mage and I kind of cox the water from the land, she burbles and giggles and really just does what she wants half the time but sometimes when I need her, she listens to me.” Before anyone could think to ask Dahni explained the female pronouns, “I say she because water to me is just one voice found in many places.”

“I cannot explain the how of another mage but for me it’s like…” Libeth sat for a moment, “It’s like touching the stars, bright lights at the heart of each flower, a glow to every blade of grass and every leaf and I just see the pattern to reach my desired goal. That’s where I place my magic, seeing other mages magic at work is a light show to me, whoever fired those arrows, their magic blazed, a forest fire in the center of a field, completely obvious. They either have little training, little power or…” Her expression turned thoughtful. “They wanted us to see it.”

Eden interjected, “It felt too rushed to be planned, I’m more akin to believe they simply are a horrible archer despite their gift.”

“Perhaps…” Everyone turned to me then, “Perhaps they are but average, after all every plant mage can fire an arrow and hit a target on their first try but not every plant mage is a great archer. Not every plant mage can hit the center of the target every single time or near to it to make them seem more skillful.” They all thought on my words. “This is a competition of points, the goal being to get as many as you can so that you may advance passed the first day. It wouldn’t do to fail here if you planned on making alliances yes.”

Tailaan nodded his understanding, face twisted by a grimace of disdain, “I do hate politics.”

Dahni laughed, “Yes, Angileri is so different then Raleli, but not bad different. There are many very accepting people, though not as many hereabout as tan as you or I.” She said motioning towards me. “Many backwards in their love lives, it is refreshing actually to see such an open people. Though I feel a bit misplaced, seemingly everyone has a title.” She blushed finding herself lacking.

“A title is but a word, some are more respectful than others, if you feel uncomfortable we may drop them in your company.” I offered with a smile, causing Dahni to blush, Libeth stared at me, while Eden and Emery gazed on mouth agape at the high regard I’d just bestowed upon them.

“Tis alright, I find it fitting Gardener Denarii, the title suits you perfectly, donned in green as you are, with skin akin to the earth and hair as black as a raven’s wing. You are of the land Gardener and you carry it everywhere you go.” I tipped my head acknowledging her compliment.

“Stop making people fall in love with you,” Libeth murmured just soft enough for me to hear as we stood proceeding to the firing line.

I shook my head as we approached the rack lined with bows. “You may choose a different bow for every round of arrows.” A recruit explained as Tailaan hesitated over one bow or another. I traced my fingers over one a little smaller than I, the wood sang softly I blinked gazing on the ancient spirit it had once been a part of, she still lived towering and eternal somewhere in the heart of the forest. I grabbed the bow before following Emery down the line leaving him at his target. I walked a little further before gazing down the field at mine.

A recruit approached me with my arrows, “Would you like to exchange your practice arrow for one ringed with green?” He asked after a moment of silence where I stood gazing at the target the spirit of an ancient ash tree standing beside me.

“Yes.” He offered me an arrow before standing back allowing me to fire unhindered. I notched the arrow allowing the world to fade away. I did not use my magic instead I allowed the ancient to guide me, I hefted the bow up, lighter than I thought it’d be for its size. The arrow sang softly long before I raised it to the bow, ready. The wind blew around me trying and failing to tug my hair free of the thong I’d tied it with. Gazing down a path of green all I could see was that small dot at the heart of the target. It’s all I allowed myself to see. I took a deep breath notching the arrow and pulling it back to my shoulder. The faint song it sang grew louder, different but no less beautiful than the song of the bow. I released the arrow their joined melody climbing towards a crescendo. I notched another arrow allowing the ancient to guide me once more, until the song of the bow serving its purpose twinned once more with the arrow’s, a continuous song as I fired my remaining bolts.

I lowered my bow once the song died, the spirit of the ash tree fading away as the canopy of the crowd grew louder. I looked up to see everyone on the firing line gazing at the target I’d struck. I glanced down range and stared, every arrow I’d fired had struck the same spot, shattering the one before it.

Libeth ran towards me laughing softly eyes sparkling with joyous excitement, “Amazing Rhyme, that was amazing to see. There was…there was this light behind you, a being of pure light, it was just there and somehow you felt it without actually using your magic and it was just so beautiful with each arrow you fired that light grew brighter until I could almost see someone standing there. A woman with hair made of leaves and skin a pale brown of a tree beneath the bark and flowers blooming all over like a gown and her eyes two orange orbs like the heart of some rare gem. It was…” Libeth sighed softly holding me tightly in her excitement. “It was memorable.”

I chuckled pulling myself from Libeth’s grasp arms aching slightly from her excitement. “Come, they’re setting up the long range targets and it is no longer our turn.”

I ushered Libeth over to our waiting group. “Can I marry you and bring you back to the desert with me?” Dahni asked once we were in ear shout.

“I hardly know you,” I countered not unkindly laughing softly as she bounced on her heels just as excited as Libeth at my performance.

“I did not know you were so good at the bow,” Emery said chuckling, “Though you’re second only to Rosen among us so I should have guessed.”

“Sometimes I wonder if you are the Head Gardener’s equal,” Eden murmured thoughtfully as the long range portion of the competition began. It was far worse than the first round.

“Goodness, I’d hate to be in an army with half these suitors surely they’d kill us all long before we reached battle.” Tailaan grumbled wincing slightly as a tall man nearly shot himself in the foot.

“That, or we’d kill them to avoid our own death,” I interjected as another suitor was carried from the field shot in the leg by the person beside him and I was hard pressed to call that an accident.

We all stilled as one when the whispering began and then that perfectly struck note rang true twice, wavered slightly on the third shot and then rang true again. “Weak indeed.” Emery murmured once the second group moved to fire.

“The light fluttered as if they were struggling…” Libeth’s brow furrowed, “Struggling to control their magic or the green, can’t they see the pattern.”

“Perhaps it’s a feeling like with me, a feeling of rightness inside, maybe they just aren’t feeling it.” Emery offered up.

“Or it’s a knowing, what to do when. Maybe they fail to know…” Eden supplied.

“I think they’re trying to force it.” I finished. “And we all know that bending nature is always harder than simply allowing it to be.”

Dahni nodded her agreement. “Has anyone been able to figure out exactly who it is?” We all looked at each other but no one had a clear answer.

“I know that it’s a woman, Rosen told me that the King of Dangilere brought a plant mage with him, and that she was his daughter. Now all we have to do is figure out what she looks like.” Once more we stood to take the line going to pick our bows.

“Yes, sadly nearly half the suitors are women,” Emery dead panned picking the bow I’d picked last time.

“We’ll manage,” I countered as I picked a smaller bow, one carved from the heart of an oak long gone now though the spirit lingered in the wood finding a purpose there. I traced my fingers along the thicker twine that would be more difficult to draw. The spirit of the oak soothed me, it knew its purpose, it trusted my strength. I took a deep breath as I gazed down range the target no larger than my palm so far was it from where I stood.

“Would you like to exchange your arrows Gardener?” the same recruit asked more sure of himself this time.

“Yes,” he offered me the first arrow once more standing back. I notched the arrow raising it to a level with my eyes watching pale fingers trace my shirt sleeve, I knew that she existed to my eyes alone. That I could not truly feel her touch, perhaps it was my magic responding to the green but the path she traced along my arm left a trail of warmth. Those long fingers trailed down my arm, along my fingers to the bow and then the arrow beyond. Eyes burning dark green gazed at me, a sense that she was ready…that we were ready growing inside me. Together, or so it seemed, we drew back the arrow, softly at first the arrow began to sing, I released it slicing my fingers in the process, ignoring the slight pain in favor of listening to a different but no less beautiful song. I took the next arrow firing one after the other listening to the song as it rose and fell depending on where I struck the target. Once done I handed the recruit my bow and moved to join my group blood dripping from my fingertips.

“Not the same spot but still the center me thinks,” Libeth said as I plopped down beside them, pulling gauze from the pouch at my hip. “Why are you bleeding?!” She exclaimed taking hold of my hand.

“The bow string was quite taunt; I wasn’t sure I could even draw it. It cut me on each release.” I grimaced as she wrapped my hand shaking her head.

“You’re insane,” Emery muttered having caught sight of the gashes lining the meaty part of my fingers.

“Why didn’t you pick a different bow?” Eden asked once Libeth had finished Dahni and Tailaan looking on not knowing what to say.

I smiled softly tracing my finger along the blood that now stained my sleeve, “It was all she had,” the only song that she would ever sing and she sang it so rarely, trapped inside a bow that no one was willing to use. “It was beautiful and completely worth it.” I clenched my hand into a fist blood already showing through the white fabric of my bandage.

“Insane,” Emery muttered at my barely adequate explanation.

Eden covered my hand with his, “Will you be able to finish the final round of archery?”

I smiled touched by his concern, “Yes, it aches some but I can fire six more arrows.”

“You’re going to the healers right after,” Libeth said in a no nonsense tone.

I chuckled softly as Eden released my hand, “I will be sure to go to the infirmary afterwards if it makes you feel better, even though I myself am a healer.”

“Just…shut up.” Libeth said after a moment unable to find something more suitable, breaking the tension that had settled between us. “Don’t be so reckless yeah? Not even for a beautiful song as you say…” She stroked my cheek waiting for me to respond, concern darkening her eyes.

“Many apologize…I’ll be more careful promise.” Emery breathed a sigh of relief leaning back on his hands.

“Good, I would hate to lose the only person who hates events such as these nearly as much if not more than I do.” I chuckled softly as Libeth shoved him over.

“Way to show your concern Em, why not just shove her off a cliff,” she grumbled while he righted himself and Dahni and Tailaan tried to hide their amusement at our strange dynamic.

Eden shushed them both as the whispering started not as strong as before, the note that rang out muddled every single time, fading quickly towards the end. “I have no idea how to explain what they’re doing wrong.” Eden said with a shake of his head. “If you’re using your gift to aid you in archery, it shouldn’t require so much energy, it’s as if they used it all for this one event.”

I nodded in agreement, but chose not to comment, after all this portion of the competition was over for them and we were none the wiser as to who it actually was. I could tell just by watching that we’d lost at least five suitors simply because they couldn’t keep their arrows out of the ground.

“I do not feel so bad about my skills with the bow watching others fail so much worse than I ever dreamed I could,” Tailaan spoke softly as we stood for the final time heading towards the rack of bows. This time I chose a bow that once belonged to an elm tree, strong wood that wouldn’t falter the bow was made for my hand. The spirit that remained but a whisper in my ear having found a home in the earth somewhere else once more starting it’s cycle anew.

I smiled softly, walking to my spot on the range watching the targets weave back and forth. There were three of them in a line disappearing as they crossed each other’s path before appearing again. “Would you…”

“Yes,” I answered before he could finish the question allowing him to place an arrow in my hand, I fired without listening for the song, grabbed another arrow without looking and fired again. I paused briefly watching the targets dance before firing two more. I paused one final time head cocked slightly listening, before firing my last two arrows smiling softly as a song so light as to not even exist was carried on the breeze for probably the last time. If I used my magic of course the spirit would answer but otherwise all I held was a lifeless piece of wood in my hands. I sighed heart heavy and yet light at the same time as I handed the recruit my bow hand on fire as I walked passed my group.

“I’m going to the infirmary,” I said by way of explanation without ever hearing my score, I didn’t need to, I knew when it was called that it would be perfect. The fading song of the elm had told me so…