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* Tyl glances at her sister and then at her escorts with a bit of a frown. "Sorry to bother you with her. I was just on my way to pick her up, but I got distracted with the new maid." She notices the kitten. "What is that?" <Cwalindia> It's a kitten. <Tyl> I can see it's a kitten. What is it for? <Cwalindia> I found it outside the Meade Hall. I was wondering if I could keep it? <Tyl> Why should you keep it? You're going home soon. I've been making arragements to get you back. <Zoya> Tyl, we need to talk. Cwalindia isn't going back to Evermeet. <Tyl> What? Are you kidding? Of course she is. I don't have any future among my own kind. I don't want to same to happen to her. <Zoya> It's too late for you to save her. reaches for Cwal and puts a hand on her shoulder, for comfort and support Go on, Cwalindia. Tell her. <Cwalindia> I can't go home for the same reason you can't go home. <Tyl> What?? ::to Zoya:: Would you please tell me, in plain words, exactly what is going on here? <Kitten> Mew. <Zoya> She's a psi, Tyl. At least, she says she is, and whatever she's capable of, it isn't magic. And if the story she's telling about what's going on back home has even a shred of truth to it, she can't go back. * Tyl's knees buckle under her and she ends up sitting on the floor in a rather undignified posture. * Yah-Dah chitters in complaint <Tyl> What? ::breathless voice:: You can't be serious? <Cwalindia> Really, it is. I didn't mean to... I've been hiding it for decades. I knew, after what happened, that I shouldn't tell anyone. But I didn't know what else to do... she was... Leanndra, my Companion, she... a large animal attacked her, while we were making camp, on the way back from the funeral. It was killing her. I didn't know what else to do, so I used the ability, used it to force the creature away from her. But everyone saw, everyone knew what I'd done. Even Leanndra turned from me once she knew - she'd rather have died then been saved by one such as me. I couldn't bear the thought of going back to Evermeet, of facing the trial and all... so I thought maybe I could come stay with you. <Tyl> Why didn't you tell me? <Cwal> I tried, but you were so angry. You didn't want to listen to me, just wanted to send me home. I thought... to give you a few days to not be so angry... looks at Zoya for support * Zoya's hand on Cwa's shoulder tightens comfortingly It's out, now. I don't know what you've been wrapped up in lately, Tyl, but it's time to put it aside. Your sister needs your help, and she needs what only you can teach her, and most of all - she needs your understanding. Zoya exchanges a glance with Jelarthna and leaves Cwa with Jel's support. She crouches on the floor near Tyl Look at her, Tyl. Do you see how young she is? Do you remember being that young? She's afraid. She thinks the power is evil - a curse, or maybe worse, a punishment. She's afraid of the power, and she's afraid of herself. She's got to learn that the power is only power, and she's got to learn how to control it fast, before she hurts someone accidently and thinks it's proof of how evil she is. ::catching Tyl's eye with a surprisingly intense stare:: You understand, don't you? She can't see you this weak again. The surprise and shock will excuse you this time, but until she masters herself, it is imperative that she never see her teacher's doubt. If you don't think you can handle it, tell me now, and Jelarthna and I will take her back to the Tower until we can find another teacher for her. * Tyl stares at Zoya for a moment, places a hand on her arm, then closes her eyes... all sound seems to die out, and suddenly, the whole world stops moving. Only Tyl and Zoya are moving. Jelarthna and Cwal stand motionless, even the kitten is still. <Tyl> Here, I "took a second" to talk this out. She doesn't need to see me weak, as you said, and this is a good way to talk without admitting that I am weak. As long as I touch you, you are in this second with me, as soon as you stop, time will flow back to normal for you. <Tyl> So, start at the beginning, and try not to leave anything important out. What's happened, and what did she tell you? * Zoya looks around for a second or two, then turns back to Tyl <Zoya> Well, she's very young, and confused, so I'm not sure precisely what happened to her. What she told us was that... sigh She said she couldn't go home because she's a psi. She told us that after what happened with... you and your brother, it's been outlawed. I can't imagine the rulers of Evermeet doing something so absurdly rash over what was after all only an accident, so maybe it's just your family that's having this reaction, but she didn't say. She *did* say that between twenty and thirty young psi's have been discovered and executed. And apparently she was forced to use her powers on the journey back, and she ran away rather than face execution herself. * Zoya closes her eyes briefly against the unnatural stillness of the world around her "Poor child." <Tyl> I wish she hadn't told you about that. I was hoping to forget about that. Karinthaim... he was so young. blinks back a few tears but you are right. She needs training, and help and support. So she won't use her talents wrongly, like I did. <Tyl> My family is in a position of power in Evermeet... they always have been. They have used their influence to harm many for the deeds of one. <Tyl> I wonder, that leaving didn't make things worse. Perhaps my death would have been enough to hold their revenge. My grandfather, the one who left me the house, he didn't agree with them, so he left. I didn't know that, until recently. I was reading his journals, and I found what they had done. That's why I've been so angry recently. I knew I was not welcome in Evermeet, but I did not know what they did to others with the talents. <Tyl> And when she came here, I thought she was playing some stupid game, some childish fancy. I know she was taken with BlueStar, my old mentor, and thought perhaps she had fancied herself in love or something. I did not know she was interested in him because she needed a teacher. * Tyl looks at Zoya What could I do? I didn't want her hurt, or ruined because of a silly fancy. Perhaps I was unreasonable, in not letting her explain it to me. But all I could think of was that she was 'one of them'. I've hated my people for scores of years now, and here was one of them, putting me at risk for something I believed was foolish. Do you know what my parents would do, if they knew she were here? They'd send someone to kill me and bring her back. But of course, now that they know what she is, they may very well send someone to kill us both. <Tyl> Funny how parents would do that, don't you think? <Zoya> Parents will do fantastic and strange things if they think they are protecting their children. Even if they're just protecting one child from another. closes her eyes The country I grew up in had outlawed wild magic. There were good reasons for it, at the time. Whole villages had burned to the ground because of untrained wild mages. This, in a country famous for its mages - untrained children broke wards like dry sticks, and laid waste to counties with no more thought than... Well. <Zoya> So, at the age of five, all children were tested. Those with mage talent were sent to special schools. Those who were cursed with wild magic... sighs The death was painless, at least. My parents sold me to my master when I was four, because they knew that it was my only chance to live. But if he hadn't passed through our village when he did... I believe my mother would have killed me herself - engineered an accident - rather that cast suspicion on our family, which had produced some of the greatest mages in our history. * Zoya looks back at Tyl <Zoya> Your family may be powerful, but they are not The Family - not the royal family - or you would not be alive to tell your story at all. I will not believe until I've seen it with my own eyes that the royal family could be party to something this ugly. Exile, perhaps, but not execution. And I don't know that I'd believe exile, either. Properly trained, mind-powered elves could only be a benefit to the Isle. The royal family should be warned of this. I'll send Jelarthna, if I have to, or go myself if I can arrange it. But right now, the problem is much smaller and much more immediate. Can you handle Cwalindia, or should we undertake to find her a different teacher? <Tyl> No, Zoya, my friend, I think I can handle it. If not, Bluestar was talking about coming up for a vacation, visit with me for a while... he can teach me anything I need to know about training her. And I'll train her. And then, we will go back to Evermeet, and something will be done about this. * Tyl takes a long look at Zoya I was never expecting this, but I think I'll be fine. * Tyl waves her hand and time returns to normal "Goodnight, Zoya." |
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