Quiet Courage

13

"Again!" shouted Aunt Tessaria, slamming her cane into the dirt for good measure. Cerenae sighed and stood back up. She was trying to move a rock across the small clearing she had designated as her magical training field. It had probably been about a week since the ball. Honestly Cerenae had stopped paying attention to the days of the week, she was too focused on getting her fledgling powers under control. The meditation had brought about the end of her nightmares, and her premonitions had been few and infrequent.

But her telekinesis was another story. Cerenae took another deep breath and felt her body and mind ground and center. She focused on the large rock in front of her and tried to use her mind to lift it. Sweat beaded her brow and a soft white light lit up her hands and the rock. It rumbled, and slid along the ground a bit, then slowly began to lift off the ground.

"That's it, that's it." Aunt Tessaria encouraged. If Cerenae had had any extra mental capacity to look at her great-aunt she would have noticed a very keen look on the old woman's face. Like she was seeing a glimpse of a glorious future no one else was privy too. Cerenae concentrated, biting her lower lip as she tried to force the rock to rise more.

With a sudden scream her concentration broke and the rock fell back to the ground with a soft thump. It hadn't even gotten above Cerenae's knees. That was less than last time!

"What am I doing wrong?" Cerenae asked herself under her breath, staring down at her hands. They looked the same as always, well manicured and delicate. Papa had always said she'd had the hands of a pianist, but she'd never liked the idea of the piano. It had too many keys and pedals and things for her to worry about. Besides she had her painting. But today they were supposed to be lifting this stupid rock off the stupid ground without touching it.

And they were failing. She was failing. Cerenae did not fail it wasn't her style. With a growl she snapped back into position and glared at the disrespecting rock in question. The white fire sparked around her hands and it once more, but this time her telekinesis wasn't even half as strong as the last time. The rock only succeeded in knocking itself over.

With a roar of frustration Cerenae kicked the blasted thing and smiled smugly as it rolled into the woods and down the hill.

"I don't understand," Aunt Tessaria mused as she too watched the rock roll away. "I am sure that this is the way to broaden your telekinetic skills and begin to control them. You should be easily able to lift a rock of that size after you collapsed a shop." Cerenae crossed her arms at the comment and glowered into the wood after the rock.

"I'm done for the day. I'm going to go take a bath." She said. Aunt Tessaria surprised her by placing a comforting arm on Cerenae's shoulder.

"It will all balance out Cerenae. Whatever happens you should know that you have made incredible progress in these last few days. You should be proud of yourself. I am." Cerenae turned to see her wizened old great-aunt cracking a smile at her. She couldn't really remember the last time she'd gotten a smile of approval from Aunt Tessaria. Maybe when she was 2 and a half and had learned to use the chamber pot. She mustered up a weak smile for her great-aunt then shrugged off her comforting hand and headed off away from the house.

Instead of having the servants draw a bath for her in her rooms she decided it would be easier and more relaxing to take a bath in the bathhouse. Built by her great-great-grandfather it was a mostly glass building with a small selection of sunk in heated pools, separated into men's and women's areas by thin paper curtains. Mama always said that the legend was he saw the great hot springs of Isaleo and wanted some of his own, so he made them. They were really only there for when her family had great parties where guests stayed for days. At night the building would be loud and raucous as noble adults relaxed in the warm water with liquors and little clothes on. But a few of the pools were always kept lit and warm for the occasional family member who wanted a few hours of relaxation in a different place.