The Ways of Mages: Starfire (3 page)

“
I’
ve often wondered why people bothered with trying to understand why the world is the way it is.
I’
ve found it much easier to just nod and then forge my own way
.
”
 
Ryan Shadehand             

Arathin- Plarn, Marlhema

Terana lay belly down on her bed. Propped on her pillow was her sketch book. Chin resting in her left palm; her right hand passed over the paper, leaving behind it long arcs. Upon the paper the eagle took form. Drawing him sent shivers down her spine. She could sense his power. There had been something that teased her senses. It felt cool, like a nighttime breeze. It felt like something that she needed. It was an odd feeling and one that would
n’
t leave her alone. She knew that every time she saw the picture and thought of him, she would feel it. She continued drawing anyway. There had been a beauty about that eagl
e’
s silhouette that she wanted to keep

“
That looks interesting. Miss. Terana draws well
.”
Zeeve said as he leaned against her left arm. Terana looked down at him. He had his head cocked as he studied the image. His tiny arms were crossed. Zeeve no longer wore his overlarge fur coat. Instead, he wore leaf green shirt and pants.  More than ever before, he reminded her of a lvessa.

“
Thank you
.
”

“
Wher
e’
d Terana get idea? Zeeve want to know
.”
He asked looking up at her with soft brown eyes.

She shrugged
.“
It is something I saw the other day
.
”

Zeeve eyed the powerful hunter and raised an eyebrow
.“
Why does Zeeve get the idea that thing is huge
?
”

“
It seemed that wa
y
…”

“
Terana
!”
Came a muffled call.
 “
Dinner
!
”

Terana scrambled off her bed
.“
Coming
!”
She called. More quietly she added to Zeeve
.“
Now, remember what I said; you are to stay in
here
. No doing what you did yesterday
.”
Terana shook her head remembering. She had learned then that food attracted Zeeve far better than it did dogs. Yesterday he had somehow found his way to the kitchen. Terana counted her lucky stars that it had been she who had entered the kitchen first.  Zeeve had been sitting on the edge of the pot containing Mothe
r’
s mutton stew; his face and hands covered with broth. If she had
n’
t known who he was she would have screamed. As it was she had almost dropped the dishes she had been carrying in surprise. She had only just stuffed him in an apron pocket when Mira came in. That had been way too close for Teran
a’
s comfort.
 “
Definitely do
n’
t do what you did yesterday
!”
Terana continued
.“
Promise
me yo
u’
ll stay in here! Please!
I’
ll bring you something, okay
?”
             

Zeeve slumped, but nodded.

“
Thank you, yo
u’
re a dear
.”
She said, gently patting his head. Before she left, she glanced once more at drawing. There was something missing stil
l…
she would have to fix it later.

Zeeve watched her go with sad eyes. His stomach grumbled its remorse and begged his mind to reconsider the promise.  Before his mind and stomach could come to a consensus, a whisper caressed his ear. Zeeve looked around before he realized something was off with Teran
a’
s drawing. His little feet drew him toward the drawing, his gaze transfixed. In an hour long second he watched the drawing. A slight pressure touched his nape. The pencil lines shimmered with a silver fire and color bled into the picture like rain. The eyes of the eagle were an intense shade of blue that contrasted greatly with the black shadowed feathers.  Power emanated from the eagle. So much power that it stunned Zeeve. There was another shimmer of silver and a wavy edged dagger flanked by two wings appeared behind the eagle in a ghostly gold. Zeeve blinked and the whole image reverted back to how Terana had left it. Zeeve shook his head. He eyed the picture, but it did nothing more.

Did I see that?
He thought as he turned his head to the doorway, listening to Terana race down the stairs. Feeling watched by the drawing, Zeeve hurried to the edge of the bed.
I’
m getting out of here.
He thought, climbing down the blankets. His stomach grumbled with happiness because it had won in a roundabout way.

Terana raced down the stairs and into the dining room. The entire way her lilac dress flapped. The rest of the family was already seated around the rectangle table. Father sat at the head and Jeremy sat opposite him. Mother sat nearest to Father and Mira sat opposite her. Next to Mira was a place setting for Terana herself.

Terana started for her seat when Father made a throat clearing noise. She blushed. She had forgotten
again
.  Plarn had very uptight traditions. One of which was that when a woman or young girl entered a room already occupied, she was to curtsy. This was especially true when the occupants were adults.  Terana instantly dropped into a deep curtsy. Then she sat in her spot. She avoided both of her paren
t’
s gazes. Both of which were cool. Ever since the night she had come home late she had sat in ill favor with her parents.  She had also received the mother and father of all tongue lashings. If she had thought farmer Trelli
s’
s reprimand could
n’
t be toped in the amount of blood pouring from the ears that it caused, she had been seriously mistaken.

Both parents had been worried that she had left or was seriously hurt. Who knew if bandits had come and stolen her away?  Sometimes parents worried far too much. Worried and somewhat vexed parents had sword sharp tongues. This fact Terana learned relatively quickly as her ears not only bled, but were loped off.  Since that day she had been restricted to the house. Which meant no wild romps about the forest in me
n’
s clothing. It was one of those punishments you could live with. It just made life really dull.

As dinner began, Terana watched her family eat through her lashes. Her gaze slid from one to the other and she could not shake the feeling that somehow she did not belong. Her family all had chestnut to dark brown hair. Her own was copper; the only copper hair in town. Hazel and brown described their eyes. She had blue.

When she was depressed she would wonder if she was too different from them to really be part of the family. The whole town seemed to think that she did
n’
t belong, but her family assured her that she did. Now, after seeing that eagle, she was
n’
t quite sure if they were right. She had never felt so out of place. Or so confused.

Jeremy, who was two years her elder at twenty one, acted as a young man should; hard worker and fathe
r’
s inheritor. Mira, who was four years younger than Terana, was what everyone else called
a‘
proper young lad
y’
. Around most people, Mira acted with courtesy. Around Terana, she stuck her nose up in distain. Mira joined the town
s’
people in snubbing Terana.

Terana herself was the odd ball and the tow
n’
s folk told her parents how sorry they where that they were stuck with her.  They made it seem as if her parents had a choice. How did a parent have a choice? Terana guessed that a parent could decide to rid themselves of a child, but why would they? Was she somehow not Chris and Sharon Carpente
r’
s daughter?  Terana shook her head, barring the thought from her mind. Of course she was the Carpente
r’
s first daughter.

Dinner continued as it normally did; the usual family get together with quiet conversation between the rest of the family. Terana kept to herself, thinking. That was, of course, until something happened. Something having to do with an object going plop into the gravy. Something that looked an awful lot like Zeeve.

The silence was deafening.

Terana glance around nervously and swallowed.
What was he thinking!
Her thoughts panicked.
If they did
n’
t see him just now
I’
m a dragon!

“
What was that?
!”
Mira cried out.

When I get my hands on hi
m
…
Terana thought as she stood
.“
It must have been a spider
.”
She said quickly as she picked up the pitcher.

“
That was one very big spider
.”
Remarked her father.

“
Well, father there are big spiders in the mountains. Especially in the caves
.”
Terana said trying to sound respectful, yet matter of fact.

“
I could have sworn it looked like a man
.”
Jeremy thought out loud. Helpful as ever. Could
n’
t he just keep quite?

“
Whatever it was, it yelped
.”
Mira added. 

“
Sister dear, there ar
e‘
yelpin
g’
spiders
.”
Terana told her in a tone of one speaking to a slow student. Jeremy frowned in a way that warned her that he knew she was making it up
.“I’
ll take care of it
.”
She rushed into the kitchen before Jeremy could say anything else. And there she dumped the gravy out into the sink.

“
Wee
!”
Zeeve cried as he slid out.

“
Shush Zeeve
!”
Terana whispered urgently
.“
You could have been caught! And I thought I had your promise that you would stay in my room
!”
Terana fumed. A spark of resigned curiosity made her ask how he ended up in the gravy.

“
Zeeve fell
.”
He answered blandly.

“
Obviously, but from
where
?
”

“
Rafters
.”
Came another bland answer.

“
What, if you do
n’
t mind my asking, were you doing there of all places
?
”

“
Watching steak
.”
He said licking his lips.

“
Why
?”
She asked in a high voice.

“
Because  it smelled so good
.”
Zeeve replied
.“
It teased Zeeve with its heavenly aroma
.”
He said dreamily.

“
Yo
u’
re hopeless
.”
Terana said despairingly.

“
No, Zeeve just hungry
.
”

“
Yo
u’
ll have to wait
.”
Terana informed him as she turned on the sink to give him a quick soak. As she scrubbed him dry she continued
.“
Maybe I should
n’
t even give you any food
.
”

“
What!? Why not
?
”

“
Why should I? You broke your promise
.
”

Zeev
e’
s eyes got big
.“
Zeeve swear Zeeve wo
n’
t ever break promise again! Just feed Zeeve
!
”

“
Hmm. Get back to my room and stay there
!
”

“
But Zeeve will die of tummy gurgles
!”
Zeeve protested.

“
Your fault. Now go there and
I’
ll
think
about feeding you
.”
She carried Zeeve in an apron pocket and only when she was seated again did she let him out.  She watched him scurry out through the corner of her eye
.“
Sorry about that
.”
She said shaking out her napkin.