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Faia to the gate, and a large, well-kept stone barn.
Faia dismounted quickly, legs shaking. She seriously considered kissing the
earth under her feet.
Lady of the Beasts my thanks for safe arrival! Never, beloved Goddess, never
give me reason to do that again!
she prayed.
The two city-women handed off the three wingmounts to a young stablegirl, who
clucked her tongue at them and led them away to be cooled down and watered.
Medwind stretched, catlike, and grinned. "When the breeding program gives us
one that can land without nearly crashing, then I'll believe wingmounts may
become something more than a curiosity or the Mottemage's personal fetish."
Jann laughed. "I'm sure every time I come in will be my last."
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Medwind turned to Faia, and rubbed her hands together briskly. "So. Welcome to
Ariss, known by those of us who aren't from here as 'The City of Fogs and
Bogs.' You'll find out why all too soon." She chuckled. "We made it back in
time to let you get cleaned up and still pick up midday meal from the
Greathall if you hurry. Then we'll show you around campus, and get you lined
up for testing tomorrow, and find you a roommate and a room. And we'll need to
get your supplies together, too. I'll take a look at what you brought, so we
can fill out the papers, and requisition the rest of what you need. I want you
started in classes as soon as possible. After all, the sooner you get that
power under control, the sooner the rest of us will be able to sleep again at
night. But I'm ravenous so let's stop by the bath house first, then eat."
Faia jammed her hands into the pockets of her breeches because she did not
know what else to do with them. She wished that she had her staff with her.
She could not have carried it on the wingmount what would have happened to her
had she fouled her mount's wings with it? but she felt awkward now, standing
without it. She shifted the weight of her pack, trying to get comfortable.
Then she waited for the two women to lead her where they wanted her to go.
Medwind stood watching her. "Well is that satisfactory?"
Faia bit her lip. "I did not realize we were pretending that I had a choice in
any of this. But since you ask, yes, that is satisfactory."
Medwind looked startled, and an angry gleam lit Jann's eyes.
"The education you'll get here is worth a fortune, you ungrateful peon. Our
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own people work for years to pay for the training we have offered you for
free. You ought to be thankful that we came and pulled you out of that little
mud-hole country hamlet," Jann snarled. "That we went to the trouble to bring
an ignorant peasant like you from the back country all the way to Ariss to
teach you and train you "
Medwind's face was a study in horror. Jann's fanatical loyalty to Daane
University and all things related was legend, but Medwind wouldn't have
credited her colleague with insanity. Not before this outburst, anyway.
"Jann " she whispered as she not-too-surreptitiously stepped on Jann's foot.
"Think about this a minute."
Faia ignored Medwind, and stepped directly in front of Jann, so that she
towered over the dainty red-haired beauty. Calmly, she crossed her arms in
front of her chest. "Look, you shriveled, dry-dugged milk-cow, I did not ask
to be here. I do not want to be here. You came and got me and made me come.
I will be happy to return to a little 'mud-hole country village' any time you
decide you do not want me here but as long as I am here, let us not pretend
that it is because you are doing me some great favor."
Jann backed up, her face dark and flushed. She glared at Medwind. "Did you
hear what she said?!" she shrieked.
Medwind looked at her fellow instructor with an expression that suggested the
woman had abruptly sprouted several extra heads. Finally, she shrugged her
shoulders, and nodded. "Mmm-hmm."
Jann's voice became even shriller. "Aren't you going to do something about
it?!"
Medwind always found Jann funny when she lost her temper. She arched one
eyebrow and bit back a smile. "No," she said, after giving the matter
considerable thought. "I don't think I will. Why don't you go ahead and get
midden now, Jann; I'll take Faia over to the bath house, and meet you at the
Greathall when we're done."
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Jann's face was an ugly shade of red when she stomped away. Medwind watched
her leave, wearing a thoughtful expression.
When she was out of earshot, Medwind sighed. "There are people I would rather
have as enemies, Faia.
Still, I can't say that I blame you for choosing to make her one. I just hope
that you find you can live with your decision."
Faia looked startled. "I did not choose to make her an enemy!"
"Was what you said to her an accident?"
The young hill woman cocked her head and stared at the Daane instructor. "No.
Of course not."
"And what effect did you think your words would have?"
"Well I was fighting back "
Medwind crossed her arms and leaned against a fence. "Actions have
consequences, Faia. First rule of magic, first rule of life. And the second
rule is this you are the only one responsible for your own actions. Jann chose
to be obnoxious. You chose to be obnoxious. The two sets of behavior are in no
way related to each other."
"That is nonsense! She started the whole thing I just treated her the way she
deserved to be treated."
"Oh, no. That isn't the way responsibility works. Jann will have to take the
blame for treating you badly but you will have to take your own blame for
treating her the same way. If you don't accept responsibility for your own
actions, then you are forever chained to a position of defense." Medwind's
head lowered, and she moved away from the fence and began to pace back and
forth through the tall grass. Her shoulders were hunched and tense, and Faia
thought she looked worried.
Finally the instructor stopped her pacing and glanced back up.
"Offense is a better position for a mage," she continued. "It gives power, but
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in order to take the offensive, you have to admit your own ability to effect
change and consequently, to make mistakes."
The look in Medwind's eyes became fierce. "You are far too powerful to blame
somebody else for the things you do. Any action you take could have
potentially overwhelming repercussions, not just for yourself, but for all of
us. So you must learn to face the fact, always, that you choose to do what you
do, and that everything you do affects not only you but others."
Faia snorted. "I did not choose to come here."
"Didn't you? You got on the wingmount of your own free will. We insisted that
you come, but really, I
don't think we could have forced you. Had you chosen, you could have
resisted leveled us the way you did Bright. You chose to take the path of
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