As usual, Crissa's cooking, while uninspired, was of high quality and large quantity. Old Marrat, as often as not, took his meals in his study, and this evening, he did, as well, leaving the three young folks to the small kitchen table. Crissa sat across from Peris, wedging the unfortunate Wenn between them.
"What is it like being wizards?" asked Peris, looking from one apprentice to the other, her Hazel eyes darting between them.
Crissa coughed slightly into a hastily clutched napkin and Wenn smiled weakly. "We're not both wizards, technically," he explained. "I am studying wizardry, but my dear Crissa is studying mentalism."
Peris' eyes narrowed slightly. "There's a difference?" she asked.
The blond girl giggled. "Very much so," she said. "Wenn's powers are learned by formula, mine are inborn. I don't cast ‘spells' per se."
The noble's daughter thought a moment. "You're a sorceress?" she asked.
Crissa's eyes fell slightly. "Yes, you could call me that."
"I won't though," pronounced Peris. "I know most who bear that name are dark creatures."
A smile came to Crissa's lips. "Thank you," she said.
They ate in silence for long moments. "What sort of natural powers do you have?" asked Peris, finally.
"I hesitate to say freely, Peris," said Crissa. "Many would grow uncomfortable around me if they knew. I will say that I foresee things on the occasion, and that I can sometimes make people act slightly against their nature."
"You can charm?" asked Peris, her entire face becoming animated.
Crissa laughed heartily, even Wenn smiled some. "Far from that," she said. "I can put one little piece of an emotion into a person's head that was not there, or amplify one that is. I cannot even do any emotion, only a few of them."
"Like?" pressed Peris, obviously determined to see how far she could pry into Crissa's mind.
"Well, let's see," said Crissa, "hunger, fear, anger, lust, trust. Maybe a few more, by combining those."
Peris thought for another long moment. "Then you did put those two lads up to buggery in the town square!" she declared, her face suffused with mirth. "They were asses, and probably deserved every dram of derision that befell them."
Crissa blushed deep crimson. "I overstepped my place," she said quietly. "Please do not spread it about."
The expression on Peris' face grew serious in an instant. "I won't, promise."
"Thanks again," said the apprentice sorceress. "It would cause me no end of grief if it were known I could perform such subtle manipulations."
Wenn smiled at the two young women. "I have finally learned a spell with some flair," he announced, hoping to bring the conversation back to happier things.
The young noblewoman's eyes turned to him. "And what is that, young wizard?" she asked.
With a few words, he lifted his hand above the edge of the table, and a glowing orb of light appeared in it. He held it before his face, the light casting odd shadows then blew it toward Peris. It wafted toward her, like a soap bubble, bobbing and weaving with the air currents.
Peris giggled in delight at it came near to her. "May I touch it?" she asked.
"There's a question Wenn loves to hear," observed Crissa, smiling.
Wenn flicked his eyes toward Crissa, winking mischievously at her. "Of course, take it, it isn't so frail as it seems."
Peris reached out, and touched the glowing sphere, it tried to move from the air currents from her hand, but she managed to catch it with her slender fingertips. "It's quite hard," she observed. Crissa and Wenn both broke out in laughter, immediately followed by Peris as she caught her own double-meaning.
Marrat meandered through the kitchen as they finished their laughter and dropped his plate and fork into the washbasin. He raised one bushy eyebrow at the snickering youths and continued on back into the study.
Crissa had been keeping her mind guarded against emotional feedback most of the evening, wishing to give her companions privacy of their thoughts. However, she was still new to the art, and as she giggled, her control slipped for a short time. Again, she felt a powerful wash of desire for her. It came, still, from Peris. This made her very nervous, for she did not think she desired the company of other women. Peris was also desirous of Wenn, and that she decided to work with, rather than let the girl's liking of her bloom into something she could never reciprocate.
The three cleared up their dishes after the tubers and mutton, then headed up to their tower room again. This time, however, Crissa led them further up a folding ladder onto the roof. Atop their room was a flat expanse of wood, with high crenelating about it. It was one of her favorite places. The view upward was uninterrupted by other structures, and the stars glimmered down upon them.
Light still flowed from Peris' hand, where she clutched the little globe. "How long will it last?" she asked Wenn.
"Perhaps three or four days," he said. "I will make you another if you wish it."
She giggled. "It's really neat to hold a ball of light," said Peris, holding it out at arm's length, then dropping it. It slowly descended toward the roof, wafting about in the currents of the outdoor breezes. She deftly snatched it out of the air, holding it beneath her chin, casting inverted shadows upon her pretty face. "I wish to see more of your powers, both of you, if you would."
Crissa jumped at the opportunity, thinking to nip the matter of the girl's attraction to her in the bud. "I can show you mine, but you must be warned that I will not be responsible for your actions."
The young noblewoman smiled. "Okay,' she said, looking at Crissa. Even with her mind somewhat blocked, she felt the waves of desire flowing from Peris.
"Very well, I will use Wenn as my test subject," said Crissa, sitting upon the wooden rooftop and crossing her legs. "You two sit facing one another."
