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A/N: Check out this post which has maps relating to Lawgiver’s Blade and also this news post in which I talk about where I’m at.

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There was a long pause and when someone finally spoke it was her father, much to Alidra’s surprise.

“There’s a school there, Mayin,” Denri said. “The Loyalists spent much of the Mage War spiriting away and training Commoner Mages before the Perfectionists found them…” he hesitated and took a breath. “It’s where I really was when I was supposedly working in Kiat Province when I was younger. I only came back to Shael because I lost my magic in the same battle that Lilat did.”

“Huh…” Mayin buried her head in her hands. “This is a bit much to take in. I’m so confused and my head hurts.”

“I’d imagine it does,” Vessin said. “Having your entire worldview collapsed around you is hard, but at least you were open to it. I just wish that I thought mediating Natlin would be so easy.”

Mayin gave a loud snort at that even though she didn’t raise her head. “I’m not sure mediating her will even be possible, Mage Vessin,” she said after a moment. “Even before you showed me the error of my own thought I suspected Natlin that was a dangerous heretic and I now I’m certain. She has some very strange ideas, most of which she is wise enough to keep to herself unless the thinks the person she is talking to believes her. I know that she agreed with those people who thought foreigners should have been forced to convert last year. It caused a breach in our friendship when I told her she was wrong. And… and this sounds really strange I don’t think she believes in the Eight. I mean she believes in Rindalam and Amara but the other six… well I’m not sure quite what she thinks but I swear I heard her refer to them as Amara’s lies, whatever that means, to her husband when she thought I wasn’t in earshot.”

Vessin made a choking sound. “She what? If you heard correctly then you’re right. That is a seriously dangerous heresy and I have no idea what you’d call it. I wonder if it’s what the other people who said such things last year believed. They refuse to speak and won’t submit to a mediation even though they claim to be loyal so we haven’t been able to find out what was behind it.” He looked over at Lilat who was scowling deeply. “I think we should send a message to Kadriya about this before I attempt to deal with Natlin.”

“I agree,” Lilat said. “She needs to know about this because in my experience heresies, or at least ones so nasty, don’t start among the commoners. Someone is spreading this and we need to find out who. Let’s head to the Shrine. I’ll send the message and then you can summon Natlin and Adin. It’s best to handle this formally I think.”

“Yes, we definitely need to summon her son, as well. I doubt he’s done anything except been a good son but hopefully I can break him free of her influence. Her husband too I think since it sounds like he agrees with her.” He looked over at Kilit. “Stay here and catch up with Alidra.”

“Yes, Uncle Vessin!” Kilit nodded enthusiastically.

“Good girl!” He headed out the door with Lilat.

Alidra in the meantime stared at her father curiously. “You’re a mage?” she asked.

“I guess,” he said. “Though it seems strange to take that title when I don’t have my magic any more and was never in a position to wear it openly.”

“And you fought alongside Lilat?”

He shook his head. “Not really. I knew Lilat, of course, but I was Healer like Imalia. We trained together actually. Battles tend to lead to a lot of wounded and we were spread very thin.” He shuddered convulsively. “And the enemy had some magic that stopped us regenerating our reserves as well as we should. I didn’t drain myself as badly as Imalia did last year but combined with that curse it was enough that I couldn’t recover. So I talked it over with Tam and decided to come home and go back to my old life and I’m glad I did.” He ruffled Alidra’s hair. “Shael’s not a bad place to raise a child–” He broke off as yelling came from outside. “Well, that doesn’t sound good.”

It certainly sounded like Natlin’s voice and when they peered out the door they saw that the woman was indeed standing just outside her own door yelling at the young villager who had come to summon her to the shrine. Her house was very near their own so they had an excellent view.

The young woman, Erita, who Lilat had been training as her assistant now the population was growing took her rage with unflappable calm.

“You’ve been summoned, and your son and husband too,” she said when Natlin paused for breath in her tirade. “You can’t refuse and remain in Benar. You’ll be marked as a recusant and exiled.”

Natlin, who had opened her mouth to interrupt, flinched at those words and took a step back before lifting her chin proudly. “I have done nothing wrong and I shall prove it.” She grabbed Adin’s hand and began dragging him towards the shrine. Her husband pulled an apologetic face at Erita before following his wife more sedately. Erita watched them for a minute before heading after them. As she passed Alidra and her family she gave them a half smile and a shrug as if to say ‘what can you do?”

“Well if nothing else Natlin’s little tantrum has ruined what was left of her reputation,” Denri said quietly. “You can’t treat a summons to the shrine like that and not face social repercussions. Hopefully it will stop her corrupting anyone else.” Indeed the several of the other villagers, including some of Natlin’s closest friends, who had witnessed the scene were whispering together and glaring after her.

“I just hope Uncle Vessin can find out where she got these ideas,” Kilit said. “Because Lilat is right, that’s not something she came up with on her own, but I’ve never heard even a whisper of such a heresy in Keralyn.”

“Well, you’re young, trainee Mage Kilit lei Tanin,” Tamasa said. “And a member of a House known for its loyalty to the High Mage. No one would whisper such things near you for fear it would reach Holy Kadriya’s ears.”

“Oh, it would,” Kilit said drily. “It most definitely would. She and her bodyguard Inarin lei Darit are training me.” She grinned as she saw several of the village children making their way across the green towards them. “Oh! I think that the rest of my friends are here.”

Indeed the children did gather around Kilit but instead of excited chatter there were staring nervously at her robes.

“A-are we still allowed to play with you, Mage Kilit?” Nala asked after a moment.

Kilit stared at the other girl with a frown. “Why wouldn’t you be?” she asked. “And please just use my name. Friends don’t need to be so formal.”

“But…” Nala made a vague gesture taking in Kilit’s robes.

“Yeah, I started my training,” Kilit said. “But I’m still me, and I’m still allowed to play, it’s not all work. That wouldn’t be healthy.”

“Uh… That’s not…”

“It’s fine, Nala,” Tamasa said gently. “After all Kilit says it is. If anyone gives you any trouble let her talk to them. They won’t argue with her.”

Nala tilted her head as she considered this and then grinned. “You’re right! They won’t, will they? Let’s go!” She grabbed both Kilit and Alidra’s hands and tugged them towards the lake. “What should we play?”

They were playing a circle dance game when Adin emerged from the shrine with Lilat but without his parents. He looked rather lost and dejected as she led him over to them and waved until they stopped their dance and looked at her.

“Adin has something he would like to say to you all.” She looked at the boy expectantly.

Adin shuffled nervously and looked at his feet. “I’m sorry I’ve been avoiding you all,” he said quietly. “It was mean of me. I listened to my mother but she was wrong.”

They all regarded him for a moment before Nala broke into a grin. “Your mother is scary. I’d have listened to her too if she was my mother. Want to join our game?”

He brightened up a bit at that. “You’ll let me?”

“Of course we will!” Alidra said before Nala could. “Everyone knew it was Natlin making you avoid us.” She wanted to ask what was happening with his parents but suspected he wouldn’t know yet and that Lilat wouldn’t answer. Oh well, they would all find out together soon enough.

“Yes, please!” he said. “I’ve missed you all!” He joined the circle between Nala and Alidra.

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A/N: Check out this post which has maps relating to Lawgiver’s Blade and also this news post in which I talk about where I’m at.

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