Mika stood at the entrance to the kitchen and stared at her teacher. He looked a lot better than the last time she had seen him, but his expression was grave. Alexis sat across the table from him, and her expression was angry. A large box sat on the table between them. She thought she had seen it in Reka’s room at the church, but she couldn’t be sure.

“Time for what?” She asked.

“It is time we began your magical training,” he said with a smile. The smile seemed forced.

Mika was confused. “I thought you said I had more important things to learn.”

“And so you do,” Reka said. “Events, however, are progressing at an accelerated pace, and we dare not wait any longer.”

She wished that, just once, he would talk like a normal person. She understood what he meant most of the time, but it was hard trying to understand all those big words. This time, though, it didn’t matter. The only thing she needed to understand was that she was finally going to learn magic.

“When do we start?” She asked.

“First thing tomorrow,” he said. “Alexis tells me that you are doing very well with your weapons training. We will do our best to keep up with that, but your time with me will take precedent.”

Again with the big words, she thought. “Does Papa know?”

“He will,” Reka said with a slight sigh. “Now, you run along and work on your words. Alexis and I have some important things to discuss while she prepares dinner.”

As she left the room, she heard Alexis huff. Whatever they were talking about, Alexis didn’t seem to like it. She sat with Martin by the fire, trying to do her words, but she couldn’t concentrate. Martin was scribbling away with his chalk, and she stopped to watch him. Like almost everything he tried, he was learning quickly. He was already as good as her, and he had only been doing it for a short time. It upset her how easily things came to him when she had to struggle so much. Maybe magic would be more natural. After all, she had already done it twice.

Papa came in a short time later, smiling broadly. He stood by the fire, rubbed his hands together, and gave her a quick hug and turned to the kitchen. When he saw Reka, the smile vanished.

“He’s back,” he said.

“Yes, Papa,” she answered. “And tomorrow, I get to start learning magic.”

He peered at Reka through the entryway. With a grunt, he walked into the kitchen. He was there only a moment before his shouts filled the house.

“You told me that she needed to learn how to fight! You told me it was important and sent these people to spy on me! And now you want me to stop?”

Reka’s reply was muffled, and she could not make it out. It didn’t calm Papa, though.

“It doesn’t work like that!” He shouted. “They need daily practice, not a little bit here and there.”

This time Reka’s words were more than audible. “I have told you before not to speak to me in that tone! Should I be forced to do so again, I will not restrain myself as before. The child’s training will occur on my schedule, and at my direction, as agreed!”

“Calm down, both of you!” Alexis yelled. “At least pretend to be adults for the gods’ sake.”

Her words seemed to have deflated the argument. Papa threw up his hands and stormed out. He went outside, and Mika guessed he was off to find his liquor. She didn’t mind his drinking now. Unlike before, he never took it too far. Besides, all men drank. It was the way of things. Reka stayed seated, and when Alexis looked at him, he threw up his hands too.

“No. My mind is made up, Alexis. It is the only way so it must be done.”

She had no idea what he was talking about, but when dinner was ready, the only adult in the room that wasn’t brooding was Ulf. He was passing the time by tossing bits of bread high into the air and catching them in his mouth. He missed often, and it drew loud laughter from Martin. She couldn’t resist a few giggles herself.

With Reka back in the house, she was once again driven from her comfortable bed. Ulf and Alexis still slept wagon, but Martin lay on the floor in the sitting room across from her. He had set a candle next to him and was still working on the words Alexis had given them.

“You don’t have to do those now, you know.” She said in a whisper.

He looked up from his work. “I know, but Alexis told me that if I got an education, I wouldn’t have to muck stables all my life.”

“But, you don’t muck stables now.” She said incredulously.

“Yeah,” he whispered back, “but for how long? Sooner or later I’m gonna have to take care of myself. And I ain't going back horse shit.”

Mika flinched at the curse word. “Don’t let Papa hear you talk like that, he doesn’t like foul language.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t like shoveling shit.” He emphasized the word. “So I’m gonna learn how to read and write, and anything else that old bag can teach me.”

Mika stood up. “Don’t talk about Alexis like that,” she shouted. As soon as the words were out, she covered her mouth and looked nervously around. Papa may not like foul language, but he hated being woke up.

Martin stood too. “I guess you’re gonna stop me?”

She took a step forward, and all the candles in the room came to life.

“For two children that just spent a day hard at work, you have an awful lot of energy.”

They both turned and saw Reka standing in the hall. The glow of the candles lit his face, and, in the flickering light, he looked terrifying. She jumped back to her blankets and was relieved when she saw Martin do the same. The candles went out, and Reka left without saying anything else. She eventually fell asleep to the sound of Martin scratching away with his chalk.

She woke the next morning to the sound of stomping boots. Ulf must be moving around the house, she thought. The man simply didn’t know to be quiet. She opened her eyes and saw that it was, indeed, Ulf. He was carrying a large armful of wood, probably for the stove. He may not cook or do the dishes, she thought, but he did everything else. That was probably why Papa started liking him. She threw the blankets off and went to the kitchen. Alexis was singing softly as she prepared breakfast. Reka was sitting at the table looking at the wooden box she had seen the night before.

“What’s that?” She asked.

“A mystery,” Reka replied.

“Oh, you mean like Papa?” She said.

“No, child, not like your father,” he replied. “This mystery is proving much more difficult to solve.”

Alexis stopped singing and dropped a plate rudely in front of Reka. Mika couldn’t understand why she was so angry with him.

“Are you upset, Alexis,” she asked.

“Not with you, Mika,” she said, glaring at Reka. “But other people might do well to steer clear of me for a while.”

“Alexis,” Reka said sternly, “we have gone over this. I do not like it any better than you, but it IS necessary.”

“Is this about what you were arguing about last night,” Mika asked.

Reka spoke before Alexis could answer. “Never you mind that,” he said. “Today, you learn how to do magic.”

Alexis set a plate for her and left the kitchen. “I will wake the others,” she said on her way out.

Mika was confused. There was something she wasn’t being told, and she did not like it. Adults were always doing that, she thought. She guessed they felt they were protecting her by holding the truth back, but it didn’t make it any easier to deal with. She decided to leave it alone for now. She was going to learn magic, and that was all that mattered now.

“So, when do we start?” She asked.

Reka looked up from his plate. “How does right now sound?”

She was so excited all she could do was nod. Reka got up and put an empty cup on the edge of the table.

“We are going to begin by having you slide that cup across the table,” he said.

He started to speak again, but she interrupted him. “Don’t I need a stone?”

“Not just yet,” he said. “We need you to get used to how magic feels and how to control it first. The stones will come later.”

“But haven’t I already—”

“Yes, you have,” Reka said, cutting her off. “I was helping you then, however. This time you will do it all on your own.”

He waited for her to nod, then continued.

“I want you to close your eyes. Now, think about living things. Plants, animals, people…all living things.”

His words were soft and soothing, and she did as he asked. The image of the swooping hawk invaded her thoughts. She remembered how beautiful it was and how powerful it seemed to her.

“Now imagine all that life is a vast ocean. Imagine yourself immersing yourself in it, swimming all around. There is nothing but you and the ocean.”

She tried, but the image of the hawk stayed with her. Why swim when you could soar?

“Now,” he said, “drink in the ocean, let it fill you. Let it be you. You and the ocean are the same.”

The hawk remained firmly in her mind. She wanted to do as she was told, but the majestic flight of the bird permeated her being. She opened her eyes, upset with herself.

“What is the matter,” Reka asked.

“I can’t do it,” she said. “I tried, but I can’t.”

“Why not?” Reka’s tone was patient.

“You told me to think about living things, and all I could imagine was a hawk. I saw it when Papa and I were on a picnic, and it was all I could think about.” She said a little defensively.

“Was this image powerful? Reka asked.

She wasn’t sure what he meant, but she thought it was. “I think so.” She said.

“Did you imagine yourself as the hawk? Could you feel the wind rushing past as you soared high into the sky?”

“Oh yes,” she said confidently.

“Very good,” Reka said, smiling. “Magic is very personal. If a hawk is what you see when you close your eyes, then a hawk it is. I want you to try again. This time concentrate on the hawk, be the hawk.”

She closed her eyes and thought hard. She could feel the wind as it brushed each feather on her mighty wings. She saw the ground as though it were a thousand miles away. She looked up, saw the clouds high above, and streaked to meet them. The cold air swept past her in her flight, and she delighted in it. Then, she felt warmth. It wasn’t coming from the air; it was inside her. She tugged at it like she would a blanket on a cold night. Soon, she was uncomfortably warm, then hot. She opened her eyes again, and the warmth faded. Reka was still sitting at the table and smiling.

“Outstanding, Mika.” He said. “That did not take long at all.”

“What didn’t take long,” she asked. She was very tired all of a sudden.

“You have touched magic consciously for the first time,” he said.

“I did,” she asked.

“Without a doubt,” Reka replied. “Tell me, what did you feel?”

She thought a moment. “I felt warm, then hot. Before I got hot, though, I felt like I was pulling on something. I don’t know if that makes sense, I just felt a tugging, I guess.” She finished weakly.

“It makes perfect sense,” he said. “Remember, magic comes from every living thing. You found the magic inside of you and tried to pull it out. I imagine you feel tired right now.”

“I do,” she said.

“Remember, also, that there is a limit to how much energy you have. You have pushed yourself against that limit, and your body is recovering from it.” Reka said.

“But I didn’t do anything," she said, disappointed.

“Mika,” Reka said, “you did do something. You accomplished in a few moments what it takes most new mages days to do. You touched magic. What’s more, you drew on it. You may not be able to handle much now, but your limit will increase with time and practice. That was really very well done.”

The praise felt good. After struggling so much with her words, and the sword, it felt nice to be good at something. Her tiredness started to fade, and she looked eagerly at Reka.

“Can we try again?” She asked.

“Do you feel you are up to it?” Reka asked with concern.

“Oh yes,” she said.

“Very well, close your eyes.”

The image of the hawk came to mind quickly, and she poured herself into it. For a long time, she flew, weaving in and out of the clouds, swooping low to the ground and letting the grass brush her belly. It was fantastic, but she did not feel the warmth. When she opened her eyes, at last, she was spent. Reka was still sitting and smiling.

“It will take time before you can do it every time you try,” he said.”

She yawned heavily. “Why am I so tired, I didn’t feel any magic?”

“It may not feel like it, but you have done a tremendous amount of work in no time at all.”

He picked up the cup and filled it with water. He sat back down and set it in front of her. She yawned again.

“I thought you wanted me to move it?” She said.

“The cup was there to give you a reason to focus on the magic. I did not expect you to move it. Now have some water and go back to bed. We will try again later.”

Her nap lasted well into the evening, and when she was done eating dinner, she went back to bed. Reka went so far as to allow her to sleep in her own bed again.

The next few days followed the same routine. She would imagine the hawk and could now feel her magic most of the time. The cup was always on the table, but she hadn’t managed to move it yet. The effort was draining, and she had not managed any practice with Papa. He spent his time teaching Martin the sword, but she could tell he wasn’t pleased with Reka. Alexis stayed in the wagon except for mealtimes. Ulf, though, spent the time sticking his nose into everything. He seemed to like getting in the way. It was fun, though. He always seemed to show up when things were going poorly. When he went away, he left everyone smiling or laughing. Even the stern Reka could not resist him. The first time she managed to move the cup, it flew across the table and struck Reka in the face.

“I’m sorry!” She blurted. Reka’s smile never wavered.

“I would make a joke about magic being about desire,” he said, “but the pain in my check suggests I should not.”

She picked up the cup tentatively and set it back on the table. Her legs wobbled beneath her as she did. The motion did not escape Reka’s watchful eyes.

“That is enough for today. It is always best to end on a success.” He rubbed his cheek. “And perhaps before the instructor is knocked unconscious.”