Rolled 5, 7, 4 = 16 (3d20)
>>5780350>>5780343>>5780287>>5780214>>5780207>>5780110>>5780075>>5780073>>5780063You took a deep breath, and then look at Izirina Henzler again, staring down at the floor with her hands gripping the seat to either side of her as if to avid falling out of the chair—maybe out of the Tower, the world itself.
“Thank you,” you said again. “You didn’t need to do all this… You know, since this wasn’t me calling in the debt or anything..”
“You told me about the fairy court, though,” she said with a small smile at the memory.
“Yeah, briefly, about a YEAR ago,” you said. “In exchange you spent all your free time after classes with me.”
“Not ALL of it.”
“Enough of it,” you reiterated. “It wasn’t a fair exchange, when you think about it, right?”
She looked up at you, vexed.
“You want… Something else?”
You stared at her, dumfounded.
“No, you—Ugh, what I’m saying is that it’s MY turn to be the lousy teacher, and YOUR turn to be the lousy student, alright? And if for SOME reason Life Magic is just BEYOND you… Well, then at least I know you’re good at learning about other cultures and their magic, don’t I?”
You’d led up your hand and, with a flourish, produced a hovering ball of <Faerie Fire> above your palm. Henzler’s eyes lit up, reflecting the flame.
“Next year, same time, same… Variety of places?”
She nodded, exuberantly, and beamed back at you. You both stood up and, feeling awkward and still too distant for hugs, you’d given her an awkward wave.
“Sensei,” she said, bowing.
“Oh gods, stop it,” you’d groaned. “You’re making me cringe, Henzler.”
In actuality, you smiled to yourself as you watched her go. When she had turned the corner, you pivoted on foot and headed off—to your last day of class and then, as fairy-manners dictated, back to that hill—the hill with the old maple—to visit the court. There was no waiting this time, at least. You marked the season and honoured the date. You brought them their tribute (strange confections of rice, sesame seeds, and sugary bean-paste this time, which Henzler had brought to your study sessions). You danced, and sang, and in the morning you asked them for permission to teach another your ways.
“She’s the one who made the treats,” you’d noted hopefully.
[Rolling Feycraft]
