Morning Follows Night

Saga shot straight up, her eyes wide in panic. It was dimly lit, and she couldn’t make out the faces that surrounded her. Hands pressed firmly against her chest, trying to force her back down. She struggled at first, trained instinct making her lash out with a fist. She hit something, and the hands fell away, only to be replaced by several more pairs. She screamed, but the hands finally won, and she felt her back hit the soft blankets beneath her.

Blankets?

She blinked rapidly, trying to make her eyes adjust faster to the dim light. Familiar faces came into view, a rugged older man with a grey beard - Master Dorrin - and a young woman with short red hair - Gem. She forced herself to breathe deeply, trying to slow her racing heartbeat. She was safe. “Master? Gem?” she croaked, her voice rough even to her own ears. Gem helped her sit up, a hand to her back, and pressed the mug in the other hand to Saga’s lips. She drank, feeling the water instantly cool the throat she hadn’t realized felt raw. She wiped her mouth when she was done, then looked from Gem to her Master. “What happened? Why is it so dark? Where’s Dapper?” She felt the top of her head. “Where’s my hat?”

“It’s the middle of the night,” Gem said, putting her index finger to her lips with one hand and handing Saga the hat with the other. “You know, the time people usually sleep.”

“Dapper is fine,” the older man added. “I asked him to keep watch for Shadepaws. Quiet, now.”

Saga winced as she accepted the hat, clutching it tight and lowering her voice. Shadepaws. I remember them from Blake’s Bestiary, she thought. That explains how they appeared so suddenly. “Sorry. What happened?” she repeated.

“You saved a lot of lives, I think,” said Master Dorrin. “Your little fire show revealed a lot of Shadepaws sneaking through the camp, enough to send up the alarm. Combined with the reinforcements who came running because of your spell, we were able to repel the rest of the wolves and kill the Shadepaws who’d made it in. Some teams are still sweeping the camp, but we’re confident the danger has passed.”

“That was good work,” Gem said, nodding in agreement. “Not exactly precise, but you got the job done. You were pretty banged up. Why did you set off an explosion right over your head like that? You’re lucky you survived.” Gem was staring at her, her face concerned, and Saga felt a small tug at her heart.

She frowned, closing her eyes. What had gotten into her? “I was trying to make a beacon, but it sort of…blew up in my face. Literally.”

The old man sighed. “I thought you were getting better, Saga.”

“I am!” she protested, then winced again at her own raised voice. “Sorry. I am, but it still happens sometimes, especially with big spells.”

“What do you mean?” Gem asked, looking back and forth between the two. “Does this happen a lot?” Her eyes settled on Saga. “You’re a golden, aren’t you? Fire magic should be second nature to you.”

“It should.” Saga knew her tone was bitter, but the subject always made her feel this way. “It’s a long story. S uffice it to say I have power to spare, but not as much control over fire as I’d like.” She looked to Master Dorrin. “It hadn’t happened in a while, so I thought I was better. Maybe it’s because the spell was too big?”

He nodded thoughtfully. “Try not to use big spells like that until you can figure this out, then. You won’t always have a healer on hand to mend you when you burn your hair off.”

“My what!? ” Saga shrieked, wincing a third time when a lump across the tent groaned, and several hushing sounds came to her. She patted her hair, but it was intact, braid, charm, and all. “Don’t scare me like that!” she hissed.

A chuckle was her only answer, and Gem’s grin could barely be seen in the low light. “Speaking of which,” she said, “you owe Pell a thank you, and an apology.”

“An apology?”

“My nose is fine, thanks for asking.” A man’s voice came from behind Gemma, where someone was hunched over facing away from the trio. She realized the figure was holding their face, and suddenly she knew what, or who , she’d punched.

“Oh, sorry Pell.” Saga smiled sheepishly. “You’re the one who put me back together?”

The blond man turned to face them, the blood on his lip already dried. “Yeah. Dorrin said you have some decent healing skill yourself, but your injuries were severe and we weren’t sure you could wait until you woke up to heal yourself.” He gingerly rubbed his nose. “Make sure you eat something, then go back to sleep. You’ll be fine in the morning.” He gave her a thumbs up. When she nodded her thanks, he smiled, stood, and walked to another part of the tent, presumably to find his cot.

Gem watched him go, then looked back to Saga, snickering. “You really got him, poor guy. He’s had such a busy night, too.”

Saga didn’t doubt it. For all those who’d died during the attack, there were likely many more who’d been injured, and while most mages knew a healing spell, most of them weren’t skilled enough in it to treat more than basic injuries. Platinums like Pell and his sister were a valuable resource in times like this, and Saga had yet to meet a platinum who would let suffer so long as they had the Will to treat them.

Her stomach growled suddenly, loud enough that she was half afraid it would wake the closest sleepers. “I’ll give him a proper apology in the morning. Is there any food?”

Master Dorrin, eyes twinkling in amusement, offered her a bowl of fruit. “We figured. Here. Eat what you can, then go to sleep. We’re leaving in the morning.”

Saga nodded, setting her hat on her pack and accepting the bowl. He stood as she took it and turned towards the door. “Where are you going?”

He smiled back at her. She still hadn’t gotten used to that. “I’m just going to check in with Amos. He’s with one of the groups patrolling the camp for Shadepaws.”

“But he’s not a mage, is he? How can he find them?”

His smile became a grin. “Lanterns. Magic isn’t the only way to solve your problems, Saga.” With that, he disappeared out into the night.

Saga watched him go before turning her attention back to the fruit bowl, selecting a green apple, her favorite, and taking a bite. She munched quietly for a moment, savoring the taste, before remembering she wasn’t alone. She looked up to see Gem watching her, hazel eyes and copper horns glinting in the dim light but face otherwise unreadable. Their eyes met, and the moment seemed to stretch on forever. Saga could feel her cheeks begin to grow warm, though she was unsure why. What has gotten in to me?

Desperate to break the sudden tension, she reached into the basket, grabbed something, then presented it to the other woman. “Uh…apple?”

Gem smiled and accepted the offered fruit. “Thanks.” She bit into it and closed her eyes as she chewed.

Oh, she was just hungry, Saga thought, slightly disappointed. Wait, why was she disappointed? She shook her head to clear it, then continued eating.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Gem stood and stretched. “I’m going to join Amos, I’m not tired yet. Get some rest, Saga.”

Saga opened her mouth to protest, closed it, then finally spoke. “Alright. I’ll see you in the morning, before we leave.”

“Of course,” Gem replied, making her way to the tent flap. She paused there, looked around the tent, then grinned back at Saga, whispering. “Oh, by the way…”

“Hm?”

“You’ve got some gorgeous eyes, yourself.” With a wink, she vanished into the night.

Saga blinked once, twice, then buried her red face in her hands, mortified.

Did I say that out loud!?

———

The following morning brought a flurry of activity. Despite her injuries and subsequent healing, Saga woke at dawn feeling much better. The tent was empty; she supposed everyone else was already up and about. Dapper greeted her from her hat, and she smiled at seeing him safe. “There you are. Are you ready to go talk to some bandits?”

He tapped out his affirmative and hopped on her shoulder as she carried her pack to the privacy screen to change into fresh traveling clothes. Her coat was still clean from the previous day, so she continued to wear it.

The two stepped out into the bustling camp, where, despite the relatively early hour, people were already running back and forth going about their daily tasks. There were tents to repair, wounds to mend, and inventories to take. She wasn’t sure where to find Dorrin, but she was happy to see Amos sitting in front of the band’s cook fire, stirring something in the pot.

The old man nodded pleasantly to her as she emerged. “Morning, Saga. There’s still some breakfast for you, if you’ve a hunger.”

She’d finished the fruit bowl before going to sleep, but already she could feel hunger gnawing at her stomach again. “Yes, please.” She smiled, then sat next to him. “Sorry for sleeping in, I suppose. I didn’t think I’d be the last one to wake. Surely Nell and Pell needed to rest, too, at the very least.”

He hesitated, then waved dismissively with one hand while he grabbed a bowl for her. “Nah, they’re fine. They’re tougher than they look, especially the girl.”

“But, the healing…”

“Don’t you worry about that, Saga,” he said, cutting her off as he handed her the now filled bowl. “They got enough rest, and now they’re back to work. There aren’t a lot of healers in the camp, you know, so the few we have get plenty of practice. They couldn’t get everyone back on their feet last night, there were too many injured. They stabilized everyone who was in bad shape, and now today they’ll be working on finishing up patching up those who need it.”

She accepted the bowl and suppressed a grimace at its contents. Porridge. She told herself she shouldn’t snub a free meal, a sentiment her stomach audibly approved, and began to eat quickly. “Where are Master Dorrin and Gem?” she asked between mouthfuls.

“They’re in the courtyard, having a discussion of some kind,” Amos replied, hooking a thumb to the area behind the tents. “You can join them when you’ve finished eating.”

Saga nodded, focusing on doing just that. Dapper tapped at her leg, telling her he was going to go hunt. “Alright, come find me in an hour. I’m sure he wants to leave early.” Even now the grey light was beginning to grow brighter, and soon enough the sunrise would be upon them. She had the feeling her master would want to be on the road by then. Dapper saluted, then vanished with a leap.

When she was done, Saga passed the bowl back to Amos then stood and stretched. “Thank you, Amos. That was…”

“Nasty?” The old man chuckled.

“I was going to say ‘nutritious’.” Saga said innocently, giving him her best smile.

He grinned back at her. “I’m not the best cook, and I know it, but I can keep you fed. I was the only one with nothing in particular to do this morning, so I got stuck with the pot.”

“I appreciate it, Amos.” She said, giving him a small bow. “I’m sure it’ll keep me going on the road.” She waved her goodbye to him, then headed to the courtyard to find her friend and mentor.

“-not ready!”

Gem’s voice was a low hiss, and Saga almost didn’t recognize it. She paused where she stood and waited, deciding not to interrupt whatever was going on.

“She’s got power in spades, and her control will only improve.” Master Dorrin’s voice was equally low, but he seemed more calm than Gem. “She’s one of the best dancers I’ve trained. You’re a wizard with a knife, Gem, but she could probably even take you.”

Are they talking about me?

Gem snorted. “I doubt it. She doesn’t have a fighter’s instincts. If I’d wanted to kill her last night she’d be dead, and she wouldn’t have been able to stop me. She’s not ready, Dorrin!”

Well that’s just rude.

“She has to be. Something’s happening out east. ” The way he stressed the last words made them seem significant, and Gem seemed to catch whatever meaning he intended because she didn’t speak for a moment.

When she finally spoke again, her voice was…pleading? “I like her, Dorrin. She’s got plenty of charm, charm for days, and that spell definitely packed a punch. She’ll be a great adventurer one day, I agree with you on that, but she’s not ready for this. ”

What are they talking about? Ready for what? Ready to be a bard?

“Were you ready when you started? She’ll learn, Gem. I suspect our chat with those bandits won’t go as peacefully as we hope, and then she’ll have her real trial by fire. If she doesn’t hold her own when the time comes…” He sighed. “Then I’ll take your advice and withdraw my support for her initiation.”

Initiation?

Gem’s voice was softer. “That’s all I ask. I don’t want either of you getting hurt because you think she’s ready for the wolf’s den.”

Saga couldn’t take it anymore. She stepped loudly in place a few times, making it sound like she was just now approaching, then stepped out into the courtyard with a bright smile. They turned to her as she approached, and she waved. “Good morning, you two.” She looked back and forth between them, taking in their expressions. Master Dorrin was unreadable as always, but Gem at least had the awareness to look embarassed. “Is everything okay? I heard people talking and it sounded serious.”

“What all did you hear?” Master Dorrin asked, his brow furrowed.

“Nothing much. Something about expecting a fight?” Saga shrugged. “I take it you don’t think the bandits will be pleasant company.”

He shook his head. “It’s not likely, no. You’ll need to be ready for a real fight, Saga. This will be your first time fighting a human opponent who genuinely wants to kill you. Are you prepared for that eventuality?”

The two looked at her expectantly, but she waved it off. “I can handle myself in a fight, Master. They won’t stand a chance.” She slammed her fist into her palm with a grin. “Besides, I’ll have the best backup around.”

Master Dorrin nodded, though it seemed reluctant, and Gem gave him a pointed look. “I’m just worried about you, kid,” she said, turning back to Saga. “We may not fight for a living, but in today’s world it’s bound to happen eventually. Your first time can be…rough.”

Oh, we’re back to kid now? Saga frowned, suddenly feeling petty. “I’ll be fine. The fireball and the pointy stick go in the bad guys, and I avoid theirs. Even I can figure that out.”

Gem winced. “I didn’t mean-“

“I’ll be fine, Gemma.” Saga said pointedly. “Are you ready to go, Master? Dapper’s off hunting but he can find me when he’s done. I just need to grab my pack from the tent.”

Master Dorrin looked from her to Gem, then back again. “I am, but Saga, Gem’s trying to help. She’s been through a lot for someone her age. She’s speaking to you from experience.”

Saga looked at Gem. The woman’s eyes - angels above, those eyes - were fixed on her, and she met her gaze for a short time before sighing. “I appreciate it, Gem. But really, I’ll be okay. Master Dorrin taught me how to fight, and it’s been a while since I lost a duel to anyone but him.”

Gem hesitated, then nodded. “I know. He told me you’re a good student. Just…be careful. Anything can happen.”

“I will. Thanks, Gem.” Saga said. Without giving herself time to consider it, she stepped forward and gave her a tight hug. “I’ll see you on the way back?”

Gem returned the hug, and Saga felt her nod. “You’d better.”

They parted, and, unsure of how else to proceed, Saga gave Gem a small wave before heading back to the tent to grab her pack. She heard Master Dorrin mutter something to Gem as she departed, though she didn’t catch it this time, and when she emerged from the tent he was waiting for her, along with Gem and Amos.

The latter two remained at the cookfire as Saga and her mentor departed, both parties calling out their farewells until they were out of sight. Saga looked at Master Dorrin as they reached the edge of the camp and headed for the distant forest. “Do you really expect trouble ahead? From what we’ve heard these bandits are on the reasonable side, such as they can be.”

He grunted, keeping his eyes forward. “Saga, I’ve learned to always expect trouble. That way I’m either ready, or pleasantly surprised.”