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The house was a one bedroom with an outhouse behind the garden. It could barely be called a house yet did have a small porch with two wooden chairs on it some might say shack instead of house if not for the porch. The once perfect white paint is now peeliing since it hadn't been painted since Grandpapa died. There is a small vegetable garden in the back growing barely enough to feed both as her Grandmama makes sure every bit is saved for the coming winter.

"Cay.. come help shell the peas then I'll put these to be pickled later!"

A fairly short girl almost the height of a halfing, in her teens with bright red hair arrived obediently to assist her Grandmama. Sighing at the thought of shelling the peas yet happy not to shuck the corn today which sometimes had giant worms, Cay sat in the only other chair of the tiny kitchen and grabbed a handful of peas to place in her patched skirt making sure the shelled went into Grandmama's bowl.

"Tell a story Grams.. please?"

Her Grandmama then obliged with her favorite one.

"Your Mama had beautiful red hair, the color of the red sunset like yours.. and your Papa was *pauses hunting her words* well not quite plain, but just usual. Dirty blonde hair, not very tall but not short either, yet he adored your Mama and would do anything for her! They met at a meeting of the mages, and after that never looked at anyone else.

Cay's nimble fingers made fast work of the peas as her mind was elsewhere smiling at the words that she never got tired of hearing. Grandmama pushed back a strand of grey hair from her forehead as Cay tried to imagine her with red hair like her Mama. Their matching sky blue eyes suddenly in tendem turned to the door, Grandmama curiously and Cay worriedly as a loud authoritarian knock was heard. As usual when Cay was excited, she became clumsy as half the peas in her lap fell to the floor. Her Grandmama's understanding smile and soft voice as she stood "Coming." Before turning to Cay.

"Don't worry Cay, I'll get the door.. get a cup of the shelled peas and take to Beth next door."


Following Grandmama's instructions had Cay half way to the neighbor's house much similar to their own when she heard the unmistakable sound of a portal and someone stepped out right in front of her. With knees shaking as she leans down to gently pick up the shelled peas dropped the demanding voice is loudly heard.

"WHO ARE YOU.. STAND UP AND TALK TO ME GIRL!"


Deathly afraid of mages having been taught that by her Grandmama who warned her they killed her parents, Cay tries her best to stand but is unable to speak except to stutter her name..


"Ccccccy" while the blush forming on her cheeks turns quite red.

Her arm would show a nasty bruise later on her pale skin as she was roughly grabbed and dragged back to the house, subsequently shoved inside the door.

WHO IS THIS BRAT? IS SHE A MAGE?

Cay hides behind her Grandmama's skirt while the mage is calmly answered.

"Sir, she is just a simple child. As you can see she can barely talk. Would you expect her to be a mage?"

Hearing the door slam shut Cay begins to sob until hugged by her Grandmama...

"I just told him a little lie child. Just to keep you safe. You are a very smart mage but must never tell anyone. They will hunt you down and send you permanently to Cherga like your Mama and Papa. When they left I promised them I would keep you always safe. Yes be frightened but know you can be other things, anything you wish but a mage. Now, I have something for you.

Her Grandmama proceeded to hand her a lot of coins, more then Cay ever saw before. She simply kept them in her hand obviously not quite sure what to do with them since her old worn skirt was without pocket. Eventually as her tears dried, Cay tucked the coins down her blouse which was immediately forgotten by Gram's next words...

"You must leave here Cay, it isn't safe. They suspect you were born, they will look for you. There is an island not far from here that no one will ever hunt for you there.

Cay's tears again flow freely down her face as she now mourns her solitude and missing Grams, possibly to be away for a long time.

Sitting on the edge of Gram's old bed, Cay holds her breath as the trunk is opened wide. Grandmama rarely opened this trunk but Cay already knew what would be found. A corner of it held all her Mama and Papa's things. Grams then reached in and pulled out a dress that others would have said was fairly plain yet to Cay was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. The soft fabric was yellow with blue flowers the color of Cay's eyes around the hem's edging. A small lace filigree not too torn then surrounding the flower border. Cay accepted it gratefully barely able to breath as Grams smiled.

"I think it will fit Cay. Try it on."

With no more encouragement, Cay pulled off her patched torn grey blouse and dark (the color had faded so much it was hard to tell if blue, grey or black) skirt then carefully allowed the dress to fall down her thin body. It might have been a little large for her yet the hem was the right length attesting to the fact she and her Mama were the same height.Turning around at Gram's urging Cay allowed a small belt of blue to be added before it was approved.


The walk to the harbor took most of the day and Cay had such mixed feelings, excitement, sorrow, worry but above all curiosity. She stopped at the first nice ship seen and asked the purser where and when they would next set sale, then reaching for her meager coins, heard the man laughing.

"Girl, I can tell by your clothes you can't afford to get a cabin on this ship!"

When Cay heard the price her cheeks blushed quite red as she stumbled clumsily away embarrassed to even be asking. Walking to the forest from the harbor, she changed to her Mama's dress, shoes without holes then standing up straight went to the ugliest, oldest ship far down the end of the harbor past the herd of cows. Cay reached for her coins and gave a winning smile to the purser offering work and coins for passage if they were going to Gobaith.

Happily Caynwyn would share a cabin with one of the 4 beds and proceeded to work immediately along with three other girls. Scrubbing floors, washing dishes, helping to prepare meals and delivering them didn't phase Cay at all, being used to similar at home.

After only a few days, she was greeted by most of the sailors and passengers noticing her smiling features. Cay never knew much about the ship nor how things worked yet the trip was without incident and the sea was quiet. When they finally arrived as she was debarking, the Captain called her over as if noticing her for the first time.

"Young lady, You have been a pleasure to have as a hand on the ship. Are you sure you don't wish to stay? I could provide you with your own cabin even!"

As she shook her head knowing she would stay on the island, he pulled a plain but well stitched grey dress from his bag.

"I noticed you just had one dress. One of the passengers last year left this. Take it and see if you can wear it."

Turning away, the Captain proceeded to give orders to his crew as Cay watched him retreat with mouth open in amazement finally thinking to place the dress carefully in her worn bag. She managed to get down the ramp without stumbling and proceeded to walk to the sign at the harbor road's end grateful Grams had gone against the policy of most girls and started to teach her how to read and write. Cay used her knowledge to find the one needed and read out loud.

"Tro..."

Hoping that was the town and the walk wasn't very long.

Making her straw bed outside the large and expensive city of Trolls Bane managing to build a small hovel that no one of average size could possibly squeeze inside, Cay settles in for the night after a hard day of work selling honey and other gathered things. Her tired eyes were beginning to close when she jumped and hit her head on the roof staring at a man with armor looking inside.

"Well, I was wondering what this was, actually thought it was a rabbit burrow."

He had a loud infectious laugh that calmed Cay immediately.

"Uh, I couldn't afford in the city so.."

Cay begins to climb out as the man moves back.

"Not a rabbit burrow Sir."

She stood almost half his height and gave him a smile with a slight shrug then realized as his eyes look down at her that she was wearing her old gown, so reached in and grabbed a piece of cloth used as a blanket to throw over herself.


Grinning the man glanced away giving her time and room before sitting facing away from her hut. Cay sat a distance away from the man offering him a selection of fruits. He was the first one she had talked to in ages for anything other then trade. He took some fruit and offered her a meat dish which she refused.. then a fish dish which she gladly consumed her belly growling in hunger. They then talked of nothing much.. the man seemed to have lots of time said he was a carpenter and didn't come to town that often while gathering the wood needed. He also mentioned reading to keep occupied at night and that is when Cay.. quite bold for her, mentioned wishing to learn how. Before he left, he offered to return the next day near sundown and to begin lessons for her, Felix gave her a slight bow as one would do for a lady, eliciting a blush on her cheeks as embarrassment reigned.

The next evening, Cay made sure she was wearing her nice dress and was a little surprised when he arrived yet he had a book, and the lessons began in earnest. It became a ritual at the end of the workday, sharing food and lessons. He was patient and didn't seem to mind her occasional confusion on a word. He even brought parchment and pen working with her on the letters, her writing becoming less blocked like a child's and more like a learned person.

One day he didn't come, she waiting a very long time into the night then crawled in her hovel. For days he didn't arrive and Cay managed to now read the board understanding every word. Her eyes kept circling back to one ad, something she couldn't seem to forget so the next day, she combed her hair with her hand, put on her best dress and followed the signs to the hospital. Sitting in the grass outside beside others of interest she got her first view of the druid. He seemed very learned, nice, and knowledgeable as he gave a medic lesson teaching how to treat a broken bone. Cay's eyes widened with excitement at every word. At the end of the lesson, Azuros invited those interested to come back for the next lesson. All the people stood and eventually left, Cay simply sat. Eventually she was the only one left when he looked over at her and gave her a warm smile.

"May I help you?"

Clearing her throat, finally standing Cay's voice was very soft when she spoke..

"Sir"

"Call me Azuros"

Finally Cay blurts out

"I want to be a druid Sir, not just a medico"

The man then sat down with her and talked of exactly what a druid was telling her of the sacrifices she may be required to take. Cay's eyes got bigger and excitedly told him she did all that anyway.

Azuros gave her an assignment. to hunt some herbs and told her to come back for lessons in a dwarfen week.

Felix finally returned that night and didn't quite frown yet appeared to accept her decision realizing her excitement was genuine.. His reading lessons were resumed and it took Cay a very long time to learn more about him yet it was mainly her neglect having begun the druid training in earnest.

Years passed and the story of her graduation as a druid, along with Cay's relationship with Felix is written in her diary and one of the only things saved as the island sank in the ocean. The saddest part and one the pages tended to be blurred with her tears was when her Grandmama went to Cherga for good. Cay didn't think her heart would ever heal after that but it did finally though a small pang every now and then seeing something reminding her of home brought silent tears to her eyes.


Cay assumed she was the only druid left, spending her time gathering herbs and sadly dreaming of times past, still occasionally tripping over rocks not seen in her clumsiness. Deciding to begin her adventure anew the druid stores the journal of her history so far then takes a deep cleansing breath and speaking to herself as blue eyes look toward the horizon....

"There is at least one druid here, I'll help."