Yvette raised a slender eyebrow at the girl's surprise, an amused twinkle in her eyes. "Well, well, well, it seems for being one born in magic, the little princess knows little about it," her smooth voice said as her smile widened, further deepening the wrinkles about the corners of her mouth and eyes.
"There were few magic users in Everim Castle, and they were either too busy with assignments, or kept to themselves. Teaching me the intricacies of magic were the least of their priorities," Alaura explained, almost offended by the woman's words. Yvette's smile turned to a frown, revealing a different set of wrinkles.
"Even though you were destined to magic by a Fea. Well, I guess it's only logical. It's not often someone is born with the manifested power of a king of old. There would be no one alive to help teach you of your magic. That is why the Master brought you here. So you can experiment in peace and seclusion," Yvette said with a nod of assurance. Alaura couldn't help but let out a small snicker at the irony, causing a confused look from the older woman. "What is so amusing?"
"Well, it's just that ever since coming here, it has been anything but peaceful. From my illness taking hold, to being locked in the dungeon, and a near death experience, and finally that storm. Today was the first in a long time that I've been able to paint again," Alaura explained, causing even more confusion on Yvette's face.
"It looks like I have missed much on my time away. Xi!" she called, and appearing sitting on the table at her elbow appeared the crimson feline, licking a paw. Alaura jumped at his appearance, but quickly regain her composure.
"I figured you'd be nearby," Yvette said as she stood up. "I want you to make sure the little miss finishes her food and gets to bed. I shall go check on the master."
With that the woman left, and Xi's violet eyes turned to Alaura expectantly, causing the girl to look down at her bowl and continue eating. After awhile of silence, Alaura voiced her question.
"She never explained about the marks on her face. What are they from?"
"Ah, mistress Yvette is a shaman. A somewhat common form of magic, though she has pushed her limits passed any other before, causing the markings to remain. Shamans are masters of blood runes and that form of magic. The conduit of their magic are the markings in ink or scarring upon the skin of others and themselves. The price is the scarring and markings which remain as long as the spell lasts. I've heard that they constantly hurt like running briars on that section of skin, and the pain doesn't leave till the mark fades," Xi explained.
"And how long do they last?" Alaura asked, finishing her stew.
"Depends on the nature of the spell and the ability of the shaman. Yvette's markings will never leave her till she dies," Xi replied.
"So she's in constant pain and always will be? That's terrible," Alaura gasped, causing a shrug from Xi.
"It's the price she must pay for her power. We all must pay a price," Xi said. "You will eventually understand what your price is, the more you use your magic. Now, come on, you heard the lady. Off to bed."
The demon cat stood and leapt from the table with ease, pausing to make sure Alaura was following before trotting away, back towards Alaura's designated room. Arriving, and seeing her bed, the princess realized how tired she was. With a sigh, she waited till Xi left before she changed out of her dress and slid under the covers. Her head just hit the pillow when she was falling fast asleep.
~~~~~
The next day came, overcast and gloomy. Xi brought her breakfast and upon Alaura's inquiry reported that the black druid had yet to wake from his slumber. How long he would be asleep was unknown, for not only did he had to recuperate his power, but recover from the strike he had taken atop the tower.
After eating and dressing, Alaura decided there was not much more to do than paint. Remember the shaman magic that Yvette used, an idea had come to the princess that perhaps might work.
Wandering around, she looked for the woman, finding her, veil over face, heading towards the kitchen with an empty bowl.
"Yvette!" Alaura called after her, causing the woman to stop and turn.
"Yes, little miss?"
"I'm wondering, what language are the runes you use? And perhaps is there one for the word mirror?" Alaura inquired.
"What a curious question," Yvette's voice was full of amusement. "Why, some runes are in different languages, but most are in Draconic. As for which one would be for mirror, well, do you mean the object or the verb? For they are two different things. One could cause one to become a glass mirror, while the other cause someone to directly copy the movements of another."
Alaura nodded, and thought for a moment. "Both?"
Yvette laughed, and handed Alaura the bowl so she could pull up her sleeve. Her arm was covered in the runes, and as Yvette pulled off her glove, it revealed to be the same. "This," she said, pointing to a rune on her pinky, "is the mark for the verb, though it is in Gaeln runes instead of Draconic. This particular one is more potent in Gaeln. While this one," she pointed to one under her forearm, "is Dragonic, and for the object. Do you need me to draw them out for you?"
Alaura stared at the marks for a long moment, before handing the bowl back. "No, I've got it. Thank you," she said, before running off towards her supply room. She went through the canvases to find two about the size of her torso. She placed them on the chest with the easle, paints and brushes, and gave it an expirimental shove. To her surprise it started sliding across the floor with ease. It was then that she noticed the small wheels under it, which she had mistaken for legs before. With a grin, she began pushing the cart out the room and down the hall to the entrance hall. She glanced around at the darkness, realizing it had not the same effect on her as it had upon first entering.
"Have I grown so accustomed to the darkness?" she pondered out loud, before shaking her head and getting to work setting everything up. The easel and canvas, then set all the necessary colors on the palatte. She took in the sight of the entrance hall, memorizing it, before taking her brush and running a few quick strokes upon it. The rune for the noun mirror was painted there. Alaura touched the canvas and felt that familiar warmth in her gut, as the paint pulled itself from the palette to mix on the canvas.
When the paint settled, Alaura found herself looking at a reflection of herself. She blinked, the reflection blinked. It had become like a glass mirror, only made of paint, so it was a bit more sluggish compared to her movements. Alaura found herself staring into those blue eyes, seeing tired circles under them, and a missing sparkle. She looked older she should, she thought. Like she had aged over the past weeks.
Perhaps that is my price. My youth. She couldn't help but thinking the words, but shook her head and moved the canvas away. No, that was not it. She was just tired, and had seen much. That was all. Surely.
Setting up the next canvas, she portioned out more paint. As before she studied the room, and kept it in mind as she painted the other room, the verb. This time, when she felt the warmth, and watched the paint pull to the canvas, it mirrored the sight she saw before her. Of the stairwell and faded carpet, and chandelier above. She prickled with excitement before getting more paint and working off of this painting.
Like the one from the courtyard, she brightened the colors, and added more light, making it clean. When she finished, and put the palette and brush down, she expectantly placed a hand on the picture. The same happened as before, desintegrating and changing the room. Filling it with vivid color and light. All the way around, even where she had not painted. The torches lit, as did the chandelier, which cleared of cobwebs and glistened.
"I see, using Yvette's runes to quicken the process, very smart," Alaura jumped as Xi appeared beside her.
"Well, those runes hold magic, so I assumed, why shouldn't it work?" the princess replied, looking around, pleased with what she had done.
"Keep it up, and this whole place will be bright and cheery," Xi responded with a disappointed sigh.
"Do you not like it?" Alaura inquired.
"I'm a demon, I prefer the dark. I work in the dark, so I might be the only light to my prey," was his response. "But I have no say in what you do, and the master said you are to do what you can to test your abilities. So if it means changing the decoration, I must endure."
Alaura found herself blushing, almost ashamed. She was changing the decor. No longer did the courtyard and entrance hall match the rest of the manor or even the master. But she preferred it this way, and if the master didn't like it, she would just claim that she was doing as she was told. "Is he awake yet?" she asked.
"No, not yet. It may be a few days," Xi told her, before starting to walk off. Alaura watched after him, only to see him stop and turn to her.
"Oh, and you have a bit of something right around here," Xi motioned with his paw around his cheek. Alaura reached up to feel the dried paint, and went to work wiping it away, only to look down and find herself rather splattered with it. With a resigned sigh, she started putting her things away, only to start talking to herself.
"I wonder, how strong is this power? Surely there's nothing I can't do. I've brought a kitten to life, changed reality, shielded the black druid even when he couldn't protect himself..." Alaura mumbled. Xi must have heard her, because he called from the darkness.
"There are limits. You cannot create life, not fully. The kitten neither ate, or drank. It didn't need to sleep, either. That, and the moment it stepped in the rain, it melted into a puddle of paint and washed away," the demon cat's voice called from the shadows, it's laughter filling the hall before growing silent from distance.
"The kitten melted?" Alaura gasped, and felt a pang of sadness.