It was partially cloudy but still warm that day, almost at the apex of summer. The curtains were drawn, just a bit, to shield against the bright forenoon sun outside the study's window. Nannade was hunched over a piece of paper, concentrating on the glyphs she wrote with the quill and great care in blue-ish ink. She had tried many times already that day, but never managed to copy all the spell's lines well enough for it to have the desired effect and quality. Elissa was hovering over the girl's shoulder, watching her carefully.

Nannade turned her head and gave Elissa an evil glance. "GRRR! I can't do it good when you're looking at it like that!"

Elissa chuckled and backed off to let the girl draw comfortably. Meanwhile, Faan was right next to her, watching her just as intensely, but Nannade didn't mind him. Elissa would normally let the girl use a protractor, but Garrett had insisted she learns it the hard way. "She won't always have the time to use a protractor. If she can give me a halfway decent spell drawn freehand, she can use tools!" As a result, the girl drew much shorter lines to construct the geometries. She moved cartouches close together, abbreviated some things, and preferred intentionally curved designs. That, of course meant her spells were smaller in their effect, but she could also cram more things onto a small piece of paper. In short, the girl was already developing her own style.

Nannade had finished the last line and proclaimed "DONE!" with a joyous expression. Then she handed the paper to Elissa. With an intense look Nannade observed every nuance on Elissa's face as she was checking all the lines. Elissa could not suppress her smirk, knowing what face the girl was making without even looking. The spell looked fairly good though.

"AAAAH, stop it! I tried really hard!" the girl protested, thinking the witch was laughing at her work. "Just try it already. It won't work anyway!"

Elissa stopped teasing the girl and held the paper at arm's length. A last look over to the girl, raising a cheeky eyebrow, then she snapped her fingers and the paper went up in flames.

A ball of light appeared in the air between them. It illuminated the dimness of the room with a perfectly white light, flickering ever so slightly. Nannade's eyes became wide she was amazed by her work. But then the light started to dim, first lightly, then faster, until it disappeared long before its supposed expiration.

Again, disappointment and anger came over the girl. "It didn't work AGAIN!"

"Hey hey," Elissa tried to stop the girl in her upset. "hold on there! Its colour was perfect and it didn't pulse very much. It just died down a little fast."

"But yours are so beautiful and even."

"Yes, and I did this since I was seven years old. You can't compare that. A clear and guided effect is more important than a long or strong one."

The girl was not willing to be cheered up. Faan also tried his best. "I thought it was pretty, kitten. You're doing good."

Nannade tried hiding that she liked his comment and instead pouted even harder.

Elissa checked the strip of light the sun had thrown on the floor. It seemed to be just about time. She nodded to Faan and he left out through the door and into the forest. Elissa encouraged Nannade to try it one more time, but she refused.

"Why don't you do it?" she said in an angry tone, quickly amending "So I can see how it's done." much more hushed and careful.

"Well then." Elissa sat down and copied the spell as it was in the book, being careful to swing the curves properly and make the lines straight, even without a ruler. Nannade watched so intently that her gaze seemed to pierce the paper. Suddenly, Faan called out to Elissa's mind and startled her. The quill made a sudden jump and messed up the line. The girl looked at Elissa with a confused face.

"I think, my hand just cramped." she said nervously. "I shouldn't be sitting so much, let's go for a walk in the forest and talk a bit."

Nannade seemed surprised but alright with the suggestion.

They walked outside and along the path.

"Say Nannade, do you know how long you've been here?"

"Well, When I came here it was summer and now it's summer, so maybe a year?"

"Almost a year. Very close to a year."

"Hmm." The girl didn't seem to pay much attention to that. But for Elissa it had been an interesting year. After initial worries of the girl being broken or damaged, she managed to convince Garrett to try an approach more appropriate for a little girl, although the desired end result stayed the same. Elissa was brewing the growth tonic Garrett had asked of her, but adapted to a girl's physique. Elissa's inexperience caused the girl to shoot up and catch up with the girls from the village in height, as well as steel her muscles and reflexes to be almost, but only almost, on par with the boys; Elissa was making sure she was not turning into a boyish churl. Elissa was cautious, if the girl's development should be problematic, she would have to intervene in Garrett's plans even more.

The only true worry that remained was something hidden, or hiding, deep within her mind. She talked to beings in the forest if unsupervised, but it seemed to be only spirits from the forest itself. She had also shown a strange affixation to the Glade, saying she could "hear her lullaby better" there. Elissa still had the girl wear the ward around her arm, hopefully it worked to shield her from dark whispers. Garrett had seen to it, that no one of her past would come after her. Despite the combined vigilance of Elissa, Garrett and Faan, they hadn't been able to catch even a glimpse of the mysterious spirit since the last time it appeared.

The two of them came around the bend and Elissa could hear the others waiting and snickering. Elissa noticed the girl's ears twitching and turning. Was she picking it up? Most likely. She furrowed her brow. "Someone's over there, I think."

"Oh, who would that be? Garetas is in the forest doing his training!" Elissa had to suppress a wide grin.

Then, the table came into sight. Elissa looked at the table set up in the forest by the fork in the road. On it were several pies and baskets smelling of freshly cooked food. Suddenly, from behind the trees, people sprang forth and yelled "SURPRISE!"

Nannade jumped and screamed, clinging to Elissa's legs. Ten little claws dug into Elissa's leg, but she managed to suppress it. The people that jumped forth were Melanie and Carolus, as well as their children, and Fiona and Katarina, two other girls that Nannade had built somewhat of a friendship with to over the last year. Garrett and Faan were there as well.

"WHAT?" The girl screamed as the people came over to her to hug and congratulate her. She looked to the witch in utter confusion. Elissa just winked and smiled. She picked up the girl and they went over to the table. Pies, a roast and many other morsels were prepared, all initiated and organized by Melanie.

The girl was still confused. Garrett came over to her and put his hand on her head. "Today, exactly one year ago, thirty and a half dozen days, I met you, and took away your fake name, Nannade."

The girl took a moment to process all that. She smiled and wiped her watery eyes, then she leaned forward to hug Garrett. His face spoke of surprise but also of happiness.

Nannade was showered with congratulations and presents. Elissa had gotten her a skipping rope, a pretty one with carved and painted handles of wood. Garrett had gotten her a cast book of her own and some writing implements, so she could start writing down her first spells as soon as possible. Or anything else she felt like writing down. Elissa had just been glad he didn't get her throwing knives or something like that. Melanie had made all the food on the table. Her two boys and one girl gave her braided yarn in many different colours, to tie her hair up with, but since Garrett insisted on keeping her hair short for unnamed reasons, she tied them around her ears and flicked them up and down to everyone's amusement. The two girls had made a brimmed pointed hat from old pieces of felt, like the ones witches used to wear and sometimes still do. Although Faan didn't say anything about it, Elissa knew, that dead squirrel she had found in front of the door this morning was his.

Nannade gladly wore the hat and thanked each and every one for their gifts and together, they started their dinner. The entire day was filled with jubilation. Elissa could again let herself go with her friend Melanie. Elissa remembered her own birthdays and how much she anticipated them as a child. These days it seemed as if the ten months of the year just flew by without her even noticing.

At one point, one of her friends urged Nannade to cast a spell with her book. The girl looked to Elissa and Garrett for approval, and they both nodded. Nannade used an infused wax crayon and drew the light-bubble spell from memory, something Elissa didn't expect. The crayon was a much cruder implement than a proper metal quill, but she managed to draw fine lines with it. The guests looked on in awe as she drew curved glyphs and straight geometries. More than once one of the girls said "So pretty!"

Finally, Nannade was done. She ripped the piece of paper from the ring and looked at it sceptically. Then she held it up to Elissa, but it was Garrett who took it. He held the paper for the entire round to see, then he concentrated and snapped his fingers. The paper went up in flames and a short moment later, a sphere of light hovered in its place, fluctuating slightly in colour and intensity before vanishing with a few sparks.

The guests applauded. "You did that?" one of Nannade's friends asked.

"Yes, she did." answered Garrett with a smile and a wink to Elissa.

Her friends celebrated her for the rest of the day. Elissa got a book from her study and told tales of the past heroes of Sturreland. Powerful witches and druids, with loyal friends and evil villains. As the sun slowly set, the guests headed home and Elissa made the furniture hover back to the hut.

They had supper, but during, Elissa saw Nannade pause several times and just look at the table empty-eyed.

"What is it?" She finally managed to ask the girl.

Nannade contemplated for a while, then said. "I really liked that, but..." a pause for more contemplation. "if we do it again, could we do it the day after? Please?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, today a year ago, I met Teacher Garetas, but also my mother died. But tomorrow a year ago, Garetas was taking care of me and ate breakfast with me for the first time."

Elissa and Garrett understood. They both gave her a hug and Elissa told her "We'll just call it your name day, since you don't remember yours, alright?"

Happily, Nannade nodded, after a moment she asked "Does that mean I'm ten now?"

"Yes, yes it does."

They finished their supper and Nannade spent the rest of the evening drawing and writing on her palm book. It had been a happy day and Elissa was glad to have listened to Melanie's proposal. Garrett had resisted at first, but in the end came around. The girl had adjusted to her new life and had a set goal in mind, not just to be free, but also to do good. With the help of Faan she was working out her traumatised memories and Elissa had convinced Garrett to adjust her training so she could grow a little freer. The path for the girl's future seemed set across green pastures.