by Mr. David R. Dorrycott

Chapter Seventeen

My Mistake

“Stay away from anything she didn’t know” Amanda growled as she applied another cool compress to her sleeping friends puffy face. “Did you even bother to tell her WHAT poison oak looks like?”

“To be honest my student. I believed she did know. I’ve never met anyone who had no knowledge of their own back yard.” Amanda’s lack of difference to him would normally be unacceptable in such a teacher/student relationship. For truth be told Marcus was her teacher, her accepted superior. Yet in some things he already knew better than to push their relationship. Anything involving her family, or this friend of hers Sara were the major ones.

Amanda gave the miniature dragon a dirty look before washing out yet another rag. “Sara’s a city girl. Ask her anything about the ghetto or city life, she’ll give you the information you need. Marcus... As far as I know, the closest Sara’s been to nature is either her uncles boat or the city park. Since the city makes certain that dangerous plant-life isn’t there she’s never had any reason to know those things.” She paused, dribbling her milky mixture on a rather nasty looking wound. “She won’t scar will she?”

Marcus leaned forward, studying the unconscious woman laying on Amanda’s bed. “No” he decided. “She didn’t get that deeply into it, nor did she wait too long to call for help. She will heal quite nicely, fully in a day or two at most with this potion and a little help.”

Amanda treated another inflamed area on Sara’s arm as Marcus talked. It was important that she washed the caustic material out of Sara’s fur as well as off her skin. “I’m sorry Marcus. It’s just that I’m more the country girl. I know most of these things. You just have to treat Sara like a child when it comes to the country. At least until she learns things. She was just exploring. “ She leaned back against the chairs sturdy support. “How long did you say it would take until your mixture works enough that you can wake her up?”

“Half a day at least, maybe a bit more for the wounds to close completely. She should not move much until then. Its all I can do as I have so little knowledge yet of your species biology. A mistake on my part could be deadly. Even keeping her asleep this long is dangerous, though not overly so” the dragon admitted. “It is my fault. She did ask. I just didn’t take her seriously. You may be assured that I won’t make that mistake again.”

Amanda closed her eyes, relaxing her body while she waited for the mixture to soak the poisons from Sara’s fur and skin. “You better get some sleep then Marcus. You looked like hell when I got back. Everyone makes mistakes. You’ve been in my world what. Little more than a year? In all that time you’ve had contact with me, Hanson and a handful of other mages. No ones mad at you. God know’s you probably saved Sara’s life, certainly you saved her looks. For that I owe you deeply and I pay my debts. I’ll check out a medical reference from the university library, if that will help.”

Marcus snorted. “My mistake, my debt. She’s safe now but Amanda, I was so scared when I found her. Uncared for she would have lived yes, it wasn’t nearly that much poison, but she’d have been scarred badly.“ He yawned, showing an impressive series of needle like teeth for a vegetarian. “We’ll put aside your schooling for tomorrow. Your friend is more important than a few hours teaching. She will miss Monday class but not Tuesday. I will arrange a suitable explanation for her that will appease anyone who reads it. Magic has more uses than healing or traveling between places you understand. For now though I’ll just take a nap. When I return we’ll see if she’s healed enough to allow to wake. And yes, please do bring home that book. Along with one on Botany, Biology and your worlds history. I’ve been dancing around the edges and look what its gotten me. An Apprentice’s mistake.“

“Okay Master Marcus” Amanda agreed, slipping back into her role as student. “You know she’s going to be pissed at herself for this. Not at you or me. She’s smart enough to know what she doesn’t know. I’ll clean out that poison oak this weekend though. Say, I wonder if it makes good paper. That reed stuff is hard to write on and its pulp molds too fast..”

“No it doesn’t I’m afraid” Marcus answered. “Too caustic. You can never get the sap completely out of them, among other problems.” He heaved himself up on his feet, swaying a bit. “Rushed magic always takes a lot out of the user. You’ll cook more of that meatless spaghetti tonight?”

Amanda nodded yes. “At least she didn’t blow the front door off trying to light a candle. If this is the worst she can do. I think I can handle things from here.”

“Hah” Marcus laughed. “I blew down two walls and set a cornfield on fire. Your door display was nothing.” He started for his end of the cabin, then paused. “Hanson is coming by again Sunday. He wants to introduce you to his Watchers. Since they might be working for you when he retires we’ve decided its best to find out which ones will, and will not accept you.”

“What if I don’t like them Marcus? I mean, I know I have to have information gathers. He uses roaches doesn’t he.”

“Mainly insects yes. Is that a problem?”

Amanda shrugged. “Probably. I hate roaches. Actually I’m scared of them, and spiders. Birds would be better. That’s not my choice though is it.”

“Actually, it is” Marcus reminded her. “Hanson is retiring. He’s switching to Order, then withdrawing to the mountains. A hermit’s life. Before he can go you have to reach Master. That’s not going to be easy, even with your intelligence and hard work. Thirty years, forty at most which is unusually fast but your one of the most intelligent students I’ve ever had. He’ll help as best he can, but in the end everything devolves on you. Its not going to be easy. For one thing, until you reach Journeyman level Chaos is going to do their best to run you off while Order will try to seduce you to their point of view. A nation without a Neutral is something Chaos always wants. It can’t be allowed to happen here. I’ve been shown the results on a less advanced world where it did. But that doesn’t stop them from trying. Here in these acres your safe. Out there, at your university? Your wide open to anything non-magical and non-fatal they might want to try. You already know about Billy, and that he and his Master will not interfere. But there are others, a lot of others now hunting you. You would be surprised at the damage your body can endure and live. Or, in your case, perhaps not so surprised. I’ll let Hanson know about the insects though. At least your not going to be the new Balance. He’s already been chosen.”

“What about Sara?” Amanda asked, suddenly worried. “She’s not in danger from Chaos or Order, and my family?”

“They’re all non-magical, so safe from magical wars just for that reason.” Marcus yawned again. “There are unbreakable rules. Still I’ll ask Hanson if he will protect Sara, and keep an eye on your family. Chaos is just that, your never certain what some Apprentice idiot will try just to impress his or her Master. Chaos inadvertently created that killer mold because Billy has a habit of sub-vocalizing spells while he is working. Without such early discover your world would have been lifeless in three hundred years. Nothing but plants. Not even Hanson’s insects. Both problems are now dealt with. Your danger is only a problem until you reach Journeyman. Once you do that your no longer an easy target. It would be easier on her if Sara was your life companion, better if your were magically married. But she’s just your friend...” His wings fluttered as he shrugged. “Even if she is in love with you. Now I really have to get some sleep. You might read Abraham’s Basic Knowledge again while you wait for her to heal.”

“I’ve got Chemistry homework” Amanda admitted. “Along with Advanced Calculus. It’ll be enough to keep my tail busy a few hours. I’ll see you when you wake up. Supper will be ready on time, I promise.”

She watched the exhausted dragon wander out, shuffling towards his own sleeping quarters. Once she heard his door close Amanda stood, walking over to collect her book-bag. Though Calculus was truly fun and came easily for her, Chemistry was an archaic subject she had trouble grasping most of the time. Setting her books on the desk Marcus had located for her she took one last look at the sleeping woman on her bed, then cracked her books. Failing wasn’t an option, not if she wanted the advanced studies needed for the profession she loved. Not if she wanted Marcus’s approval.

Not if she wanted Sara’s approval