34 Caroline

The next several days passed much the same as her first day practicing with Aniyoh. They had settled into a comfortable routine quickly at Castle Mont. Each day after breakfast, Caroline and Aniyoh would practice in the garden, stopping only for lunch, which Mara would kindly bring out to them each day so the girls could continue working.

Aniyoh explained that spells were not as complicated as Caroline had thought to believe. She learned that focusing her intention was really the most crucial part, as well as her connection with the element needed.

On their second day of training, Aniyoh demonstrated this idea while the pair shared lunch in their spot under the oak tree.

"One of my principal elements is water, so when I focus my intention on the water in your glass, I can bend it to my will. The amount of onya you can draw in determines how much of the element you can manipulate, some water witches can even alter rivers or other large bodies of water." Aniyoh had told her.

Caroline had watched in amazement as the liquid formed itself into a sphere within the crystal goblet and levitated into the air. The water-ball rotated around her head a few times before Aniyoh directed the sphere to a nearby flower and dispersed on top of the plant's leaves.

Caroline found it difficult at first, with her thoughts drifting so much, to keep her mind focused firmly in one place long enough to complete some of the tasks Aniyoh had set before her. She was becoming frustrated by the end of the second day.

The younger witch's blonde waves hung loosely around her face, freed from the braid she usually wore, after running her hands through it so many times in defeat. The tasked before her, moving a small pile of rocks across the garden path, had been woefully unsuccessful. So far, she only managed to scatter a few of the pebbles a few inches in the grass.

"I can't do it! Why is this so hard?!" Caroline moaned after another failed attempt.

"You are not keeping your intention focused for long enough," Aniyoh told her sternly.

Caroline slumped down into the grass, feeling defeated. Her light green dress rumpled around her as Aniyoh approached with a fierce look in her almond-shaped eyes.

"I will not tolerate you feeling sorry for yourself. You are one of the most powerful witches in a century, and you can move a pile of rocks. Now get up, and try again." Aniyoh said with arms crossed. She was also clad in a green dress, but the older witch's gown was a deeper shade that left her tan shoulders exposed to the afternoon sun. A part of Caroline envied the woman's shapely figure and golden skin, she was beginning to feel wholly inadequate in every way.

"I can feel you feeling sorry for yourself, Cari, enough is enough." Aniyoh chided. Dragging the girl up to her feet and scooting her back to the small pile of stones.

Caroline knew Aniyoh was right and brushed herself off before closing her eyes and starting the spell over.

"Good," Aniyoh spoke from beside her, "now focus you intent to move the stones. Each spell you make is unique to you, other witches can recreate it, but every time you perform a new spell, it is like creating a path in the woods. At first, the way is difficult, but after much use, the path becomes easier to travel."

Caroline focused on the woman's word and imagined the path of which Aniyoh spoke, letting all other thought drift away from the confines of her mind. She could feel the stones before her without looking at them, and suddenly, the way seemed clear. She imagined in her mind's eye, the rocks traveling together, the distance Aniyoh had laid out, and when Caroline opened her eye and relief poured over her seeing the neat pile of stones moved successfully.

Aniyoh clapped a hand on her shoulder and nodded at the younger woman. Caroline couldn't help but beam brightly at her accomplishment. "That is good work, Cari," she said returning Caroline's smile with a tight grin of her own. "Now, let's have you move that boulder."

"Boulder?" Caroline asked, her eyes widening.

Aniyoh let out her barking laugh, and the girls continued practicing throughout the evening. Inbetween spellwork Aniyoh took the time to explain the more delicate intricacies of magic, particularly in Ibudal. Caroline had been astounded at the possibilities open to her through magic now. Aniyoh told her about how most witches cannot practice to the fullness of their abilities, not that any she had ever met were even close to Caroline's power. Still, most were bound by the limits of their contracts.

The pair talked throughout the day, getting to know one another and often laughing despite Aniyoh's direct nature. The younger witch seemed to be full of questions that she would ask whenever they popped into her head. When Caroline had wondered aloud if men could be witches, Aniyoh had shaken her head.

"Do you think contracts would even exist if they could?" she asked Caroline only stared at her blankly. Aniyoh sighed, "No, they can't, thank the gods too. Men don't need any more power in this world," she said, not bothering to keep the disdain from her voice. "The ability to possess and wield onya is inherited from the mother's. While some men may be born to witches, they can never hold any onya within them. I have heard such men can possess a sensitivity to magic, and those who use it, though."

Their days passed much like this for the better part of a week. Caroline had a hard time explaining her feelings but felt...content. She could easily continue training with Aniyoh and living at the castle, with all its comforts, and maybe even be happy there, after a time.

She was not oblivious to the movement that had started within the walls of the keep, though. Soldiers had been passing through the castle at all hours of the day to report to Ender. Caroline also noticed Jerel emerging from the library more often to meet with Lucian in his study. Caroline could tell something was brewing, and she surmised it was the departure Ender had spoke to her of that morning she had overhead the vampires talking.

Each night, Ender would meet them in the great hall as the sun would begin to set and relieve Aniyoh of her duties. He would carry her up the stairs as he had that first night, Caroline being completely drained of all energy after her exertions throughout the day. Even though her skills were growing after she had mastered moving the stone pile, she was still practicing to the very limit of her ability. She could tell Aniyoh sensed their departure was imminent as well and wanted her as well-trained as possible.

The vampire had stayed in her room until she fell asleep each night. She presumed he left after she fell asleep, at least. After she had asked him the first time, he had begun routinely taking a seat in the chair by the fire, often staring into the flames while her eyes drooped from exhaustion.

They hadn't spoken again since the first night he stayed, Caroline was content to merely take comfort in his presence, so after a week had passed in comfortable silence she was startled when his low voice with its lilting accent drew her from the edges of sleep,

"We are leaving tomorrow, brundah," he said calmly from the overstuffed armchair. The vampire had begun to look a bit more relaxed sitting down but still slightly uncomfortable.

"Where are we going?" she asked groggily.

"Ravin-Sha, the capital. The King has requested our...your presence," he told her softly.

"Oh..." Caroline did not know how to respond. What in the world could the King want with her? Was she in trouble? she thought. "Can Aniyoh come with us?"

She heard a chuckle from Ender's direction, "The King asks for you to come to court, and you want to know if your friend can come with you." he said almost to himself. "The journey may be dangerous, Caroline, are you so willing to put your friend in harm's way?" he asked her.

"I didn't think of it like that," she said, feeling a stab of shame at the vampire's words. He was right and knew that she did not want anyone else to suffer on her behalf.

"It's okay brundah, Ibudal is just a very different place than your home. I just don't want you to forget that moving forward. But Aniyoh is more than capable of defending herself. Lucian is making arrangements with her now to join us. We will see if her contract can be transferred to him as well."

Caroline snorted, "I'm sure she will love that. They get along so swimmingly." she replied sarcastically. Lucian and Aniyoh had been butting heads since the witch walked through the door, they could not agree on anything and were constantly egging each other on.

Ender nodded, "It is better than the agreement she has with the wealthy merchant in town, even with the risks involved. Lucian had to pay him a handsome sum to relinquish his favorite bed-maid."

"You mean she...?" Caroline asked, her heart aching at the thought of her teacher at the mercy of some man's urges.

Ender only nodded, a deep sorrow creased the small lines along his forehead. She could feel anger rising within her, white-hot, and justified in its origins. Caroline could not fathom how such terrible things could happen under the Mont's watch. Ender must have sensed the air change because he held up a hand attempting to calm her,

"Easy brundah, I agree, it is terrible. But the merchant is within his rights under the law in Ibudal. Lucian only learned of her situation recently and is working on getting her out of there." Ender told her.

Her tempered dampened somewhat, but the undercurrent of rage at the injustice was too challenging to dismiss altogether. Caroline knew she must do something, anything, to correct the plight on witches in Ibudal.

"I am sorry to have upset you." She heard Ender say quietly. The room had darkened entirely now. Only the firelight illuminated the handsome vampire's features.

"It's not your fault Ender, there are just terrible people in this world," she said from the bed. Caroline tried to fight the yawn coming, but fatigue from her lessons today was beginning to overtake her completely.

They sat in silence for a long moment as wood logs crackled in the small hearth. She could tell the vampire was wrestling with something internally.

"What if I am one of them?" Ender whispered, almost too quiet for Caroline to hear.

"Even if you were, you do not have to be now," she replied quietly before sleep overtook her.