"Oooof…" I groaned, slowly rolling over and pushing myself into a seated position. My entire body was sore and cold. The fire had gone out during the night, and the "cushion" of leaves I'd made was a very poor substitute for a bed. I rubbed my eyes and ran a hand through my hair with a frown. My curls were mercilessly tangled and appeared to have picked up a number of the sticky little leaves while I'd slept. After a few minutes I managed to pluck most of them out, and had wrestled my unruly hair back into a single braid. I wanted to rekindle the fire and warm myself up before continuing my journey, but decided against it, not wanting to waste any time. It was strange. I had nowhere to be, yet staying still felt wrong.
/Maybe once I've figured out what I'm going to do with my life,/ I thought, /I will be able to relax./
I knew settling down in any one place was not an option, at least, not if it was anywhere populated. I hadn't necessarily had a choice in staying in Vrysdale as long as I had. My father barely paid attention to me, claiming it was too painful to see me when my birth had stolen away his wife. There had been moments in my childhood years that clearly indicated what I was, but his lack of observation and my lack of understanding came together in such a way that I went undetected. By the time I was aware that I was a Praecant, it was too late to expect any mercy from the villagers. So I did my best to hide my abilities from everyone. I wasn't able to contain them completely--the occasional incident would still occur, but never any that couldn't be passed off as a strange yet plausible event. I eventually realized that knowing even a few words of incantations was enough to help me channel and control the energy, and the incidents stopped. Father died when I was 17, and I never was quite sure if he'd put the pieces together or not. I'd wondered if magic ran in bloodlines. If my mother had been like me.
I'd asked Erik about it once, shortly after he'd started giving me reading lessons. We'd been sitting in his village office, surrounded by books and books of records, when the thought had struck me. If anyone would know the history of what life was like before King Alaric's rule, it would surely be a record keeper. Mustering up every ounce of courage I had, I'd asked, as nonchalantly as possible.
"Erik?"
"Hmm?"
"Was it always bad to be a Praecant?"
He'd looked at me for a moment, slightly taken aback by the question.
"No. No, it wasn't. Up until Alaric's father, King Edmund, took power some 43 years ago, being a Praecant was a gift. They were a respected subsect of humanity. Well--the ones who chose the honorable path and stayed out of the shadows, were. Most were good. Those who tried to use their powers for evil were usually defeated in quick order by the others. Until Edmund, that is," he'd finished sadly.
"King Alaric is a Praecant. I didn't know King Edmund was as well," I had lied, reaching my true line of questioning. "Does it run in families?"
Erik had shaken his head. "No, I don't believe it does. From what I remember, it is a gift--curse, now--that blossoms at random." He'd eyed me carefully. "Why do you ask, Lynarra?"
"No reason, just curious," I'd hastily responded before changing the subject back to the books in front of me. "What does this word here mean…"
I'd become lost in my memories as I packed up my sorry excuse for a camp, but now as Starlight and I exited the valley, the harsh winds pulled me back to my current situation. The air was mild in temperature, but fierce in its blowing. I was in another open plain, larger than the one Vrysdale was situated in. The always-distant mountains appeared slightly larger than they had yesterday, though still extremely small on the horizon. I put my head down against the wind, and Starlight pushed forward to a destination unknown.
That night I could not find a sheltered area to rest in. Starlight and I ventured off the path of the main road and toward a creek where we could both quench our thirst. Two days of riding had left me dusty and windswept. I took the opportunity to clean myself in the creek once I was sure it was dark out and there were no nearby travelers to see me. The water was quite cold, and I desperately wished for a fire. Unfortunately, here on the plain there was even less kindling than in the strange forest I'd spent last night in. I spent the evening shivering, keeping as low to the ground as I could to escape the wind.
The next day was much the same. I was beginning to wonder if I'd ever find refuge from the wind again when finally I spied a grove of trees. I sent Starlight galloping toward it, not caring that it was only early afternoon. We would rest here. Looking around, I was relieved to see ample firewood. After starting a warming blaze, I wolfed down some food hungrily. Once my basic needs had been met, I laid back on my blanket, looking up at the treetops. It was gorgeous here. The leaves had begun to change color, speckling the canopy of green with bits of orange, red, and yellow. My mind began to wander when suddenly, I recalled the book.
/Owning such a book is dangerous. I can't imagine who would have had it in their possession all this time. Or who would have cared to give it to me./
I stood up and walked over to the saddlebags. I'd rested them on the ground along with the saddle, giving Starlight a break from her burdens. Opening the leather flap of the bag, I reached in and grabbed the book.
/The cover is so worn, the book must be many years old. Definitely from before the rule of Edmund.../
I gingerly opened the cover, and began to read through the thin, crackling pages. They were filled with incantation after incantation, and for all sorts of magic. A spell to slow moving objects; one to repair broken items; another to provide light. I eyed the pages with wonder.
/Imagine what I could do, with these incantations! I could practice them, and--no!/
I cut off my own excited thoughts, tossing the book into the grass beside me.
/No magic. All it does is get you into messes./
I began to lean over to rest in the grass, but stopped. Peeking out of a page toward the middle of the book was a piece of parchment. It must have been knocked loose when I tossed the book. I reluctantly picked the book back up and opened to the page containing the slip of paper. At the top it read, "Incantations for Storing Power." There were a handful of words and illustrations showing ways to harness current power for later use, from elixirs to jewelry and everything in between.
/That would certainly be useful, for one who could use their magic freely…/
The parchment was folded into a square, and I took it now. It was not old like the book, and the lines where it had been folded were still crisp. I unfolded it. It read:
Lynarra--
Your departure saddens me more than you may know. This book has been passed down through my family for generations. You once asked me if magic runs in families, and I told you it does not. This was only partially true. It is not certain that one Praecant will birth another, but looking through family lineages it does seem to appear every so often within a family tree. My great grandmother was a Praecant, and this book was passed down in the hopes that another in our family may finally have use for it. Your mother was a beloved cousin of mine. I kept an eye on you all these years, and I knew what you were long before you did. Please treasure this book, and swear to the Gods you will not just have it, but utilize it. You have a gift, not a curse. It is your duty to use that gift wisely, and to help the people of the kingdom.
- E.