Applause

 The ring of candlelight surrounding the room became suddenly brighter. The shadows shrank, sending even the strongest of them deep into the recesses beyond view.

Noble shielded her eyes. Her heart swelled with both fear and excitement.

What had she done?! Had she somehow harnessed the power of fire?

No. The room had not gotten any warmer.

So what exactly was happening?

As the flames returned to their normal reddish hue, Noble's eyes were able to focus. Kosi was inexplicably by her side, the hair on the back of his neck up and his teeth bared, ready to attack. She patted him gently.

"Sorry, my friend," Noble cooed.

For his part, Counsel's mouth hung open as he tried to understand what just occurred. "How did you do that?"

"I just repeated the word you told me," she answered sheepishly. "I did not know it would do…that!" Noble pointed around the room. "What even was that?"

"You invoked the True Name for Light." Counsel scratched at the stubble on his chin. "Though I am stumped at how you did it so easily. Are you sure you haven't practiced this before?"

He looked at her warily. Lady Brenna was a fast learner, but surely no one was that fast!

"I have not tried sorcery before today," Noble answered simply. "The word just felt familiar."

In truth, it sounded identical to a word she had worked very hard to master. In her father's family, it was a right of passage to finally be able to pronounce one word in their made-up Gibberish.

All the kids worked diligently to get their mouths to move in strange ways to achieve the desired result.

That word was one they all needed to communicate with the ones they loved. The word meant friendship, fun, and family all rolled up into one. The word meant: cousin.

Noble felt herself tear up slightly before she blinked away the water in her eyes. This was far too exciting to be sad just now!

She was a sorceress!

'Well, sort of...not really...'

Oblivious to her thoughts, Counsel still seemed to be reeling. "I am very impressed, Lady Brenna. Very impressed." His face hardened. "Now, do it again."

Noble's eyes opened wide. "What?"

"You heard me. Do that again. You asked to be taught. The first lesson is repetition." Counsel stepped back and stood a little straighter.

Had Noble wounded his pride?

She nodded. "Understood."

"Watch out Kosi, I'm trying again," Noble warned the Symncus.

He got down on his stomach and covered his eyes with his paws. Grunting, he told the lady that he was ready.

Noble braced herself. Did volume matter? She wasn't sure, but the idea was worth exploring.

Taking a deep breath, Noble raised her arms and spoke the word loudly into the arena.

Nothing happened.

She tried again. The small flames remained flickering at eye level.

Something wasn't right.

Remaining silent, Counsel held out one hand. He wanted her to continue.

Rubbing her hands together, Noble tried to clear her head. Widening her stance and changing her position, she stood and whispered the Name identically to how she had the first time.

The chamber remained unchanged.

"What am I doing wrong?" she asked at last.

"You aren't saying it the same way," Counsel noted as he crossed his arms. "You cannot just speak a True Name, you must mean it."

"What kind of nonsense riddle is that? How can I say it and not mean it?" Noble snipped. Her face softened. "That was rude. I asked a question and you answered. Can you explain?"

"I don't know how to describe it. When you do it right, you just...know. Keep trying. I am sure you will find it again." 

Counsel's initial shock and slight jealousy at her success faded. He seemed to genuinely want to help her make progress. 

An hour later, Noble was no better off than before. She had tried to pronounce the Name in every tone and intonation she could think of. None of them bore any fruit. 

By the time they stopped for lunch, Noble's throat was dry and scratchy. The fresh air of the palace courtyard felt good on her skin but did little to improve her sullen mood. 

After taking a long cool drink of water, Noble sighed.

'It was so easy the first time. What if I can never get it to work again?' 

She looked up. From the walled-in part of the palace, she could see the stained glass proudly adorning the highest point of the front of the castle. The light danced against the pink and yellow flowers like it was laughing at her. 

Noble turned away. Her mood was sour.

After their meal, the group was supposed to go and study at the library. Yet after a short stint of staring at the book, Noble realized the endeavor was hopeless.

If only she had never been successful! Then she could give up the thought of sorcery altogether.

Now it called to her like a siren. The fear and elation she had felt. Noble needed to recreate that moment.

She closed the book with a loud thud.

"I have to try again. Now."

Counsel simply nodded. He must have already noticed her unfocused state.

With Kosi, the pair walked down to the arena. He opened up the flow of oil by lighting the small runnel of oil that never seemed to lessen. The room immediately brightened. 

"Couldn't we have tried somewhere else?" Noble asked. 

"It will be much harder to see if you have any success in a brighter place. Plus your victory was here. I have been thinking about it and I want you to try something." Counsel led her to the center of the floor. "Kosi?"

The Symncus curled up in a corner, shot the man a baleful glance, and then tucked his head below one arm.

"I think that means he is ready." Counsel turned his back on the golden creature.

"What did you want to try?" Noble looked at the man with expectation.

"I told you that you needed not just to speak it, but to mean it. I want to recreate the moment that it worked." Tapping his chin, Counsel waited for Noble to position herself how she was before.

She obliged, sighing heavily at his method. "I already tried standing and mimicking my voice and actions." 

The protector raised one eyebrow. "But did you try having the same thought? What was on your mind when you spoke that word?" 

'BB.' Noble had not been thinking about just any cousin when she spoke the word, but her dearest one. He was the reason she was still alive. 

Yet, as soon as she had pushed away the thought of him, the magic had gone with it.

"I was thinking about family," Noble answered. 

"Then think that thought again. I will speak, and you will try to react identically to how you did before." Stepping back, Counsel took a deep breath and spoke the Name he had never been able to master.

Noble closed her eyes, allowing the rush of emotion to fill her. For sorcery, the Name might have meant light, but to her it meant cousin. It represented all that was right with the word. 

'Family is the kind of light that brings you home. This is for you, BB.' 

Noble smiled as she spoke the Name. 

She could feel the world around her shift as her body reacted to it. The light around the perimeter brightened as the shadows ceased their wandering. Even the reflection off of Counsel's sword became blinding. 

Controlling her fear and exhilaration, Noble managed to lower the light slowly back to its original state. 

"You...you did it!" Counsel squeezed Noble's arm lightly. 

Blushing, she nodded. "I couldn't have done it without you. Thank you." 

From the shadows, a new sound joined their congratulatory cheers. 

Applause.