Lesson with Alanna

[balancingminds]

Charles isn't quite certain of what to expect from his lesson with Alan as their last meeting was complicated.

Sallie and Tyler both had good senses of what they knew and what they were hoping to get while Alan seemed more fearful and uncertain along with armed and angry.

The note wasn't too specific about time, so he has a mug of tea and a one of his scientific journals to read.

Comments

[the_lioness]

She nods, a small gesture almost lost as she turns the key and opens the door. Her eyes widen then, because the room is neither small nor dark. Natural light floods in through floor to ceiling windows looking out on a balcony and tall trees. Floor pillows and rugs line one wall, but the middle of the room is empty. The floor is light-colored wood, the walls paneled with alternating panels of what looks like silk.

"Goddess," she breathes out.

[balancingminds]

Charles' eyes widen as he follows her through, most of the rooms he's seen so far look like hotel rooms,

"This is more than I was expecting."

[the_lioness]

"I, as well."

Alanna exhales through her teeth and walks up to a wall, trailing her fingers along a silken panel.

"There's so much magic in this place."

She sounds both awed and faintly worried.

[balancingminds]

"Can you sense magic? I'm still learning about it,"

Magic is something that he doesn't have the tools to understand.

[the_lioness]

Redefine trust, Faithful had said. Alanna draws a deep breath and shakes her head.

"Not the way you mean. This is pretty obviously magic, though. A tavern at the end of the universe I can reach by a door from the castle?" She snorts. "Magic."

Beat.

"I am Gifted, though," quietly, like it's the worst sort of confession.

[balancingminds]

"Yes, I see that. What does Gifted mean to you? Your phrasing makes me think of how I define myself as a mutant,"

It sounds like it's something rather double edged like the word mutant and its implications.

[the_lioness]

Alanna swallows.

This isn't something she readily admits to, not at the palace and not here; at least, she doesn't share how much magic she has.

"The Gift is what we call magic in my world. I... I have a strong healing Gift."

Among other things, she thinks.

[balancingminds]

"And that's not common in Tortall?"

He feels as if he's missing some key context.

[the_lioness]

"It's not uncommon," she admits, "But I..."

What?

Still hate it most of the time

"I have more than most."

There's an odd mixture of pride, shame, fear and stubbornness in her voice and eyes.

[balancingminds]

"Is it helpful to you?"

If it is then there's something worthwhile within it.

[the_lioness]

Considering, Alanna turns and faces the windows, rubbing her hands on her breeches.

"It can be helpful to others."

And that is helpful to her.




If only she hadn't been to scared to use it on Francis.

"Are you open about being a mutant?" Their conversation had revealed that his world might not be so accepting of that.

[balancingminds]

"No, not in my own world. I hope to be able to someday but I don't know when that will be. I am here,"

It's not the answer he'd like to give to her but its the one he has.

[the_lioness]

"Here," Alanna decides, "is different."

Slowly, she starts to relax.

"I... don't know how much you heard, or will hear while we do this, but it means my life at home. There is at least one other person here from Tortall. No one can know."

[balancingminds]

"No one will know from me. I promise. Yes, Milliways is different,"

If she doesn't wish her secret even spoken aloud then he won't.

[the_lioness]

Alanna nods. Then, meeting his eyes, she holds her hand out and takes a deep breath. Soon a small purple ball of light forms over her hand and spins as it grows.

"My Gift."

She wants to give him something in return.

[balancingminds]

He watches the ball before asking,

"May I touch it?"

There are other questions he wants to ask but small steps are needed.

[the_lioness]

She almost smiles.

"You can. Don't pull back quickly, though. Give me a moment."

[balancingminds]

Gently, he extends a hand to see what texture and energy the light has.

He's also trying to see if he can somehow see her gift from the outer edges of the workings of her mind.

[the_lioness]

Concentration furrows her brow. Alanna has to reach deep to use her Gift and the process is not without effort, but it flows forth with remarkable ease; there's so much there to tap. She curls her fingers up slightly, letting the light coat her fingers, and smooths them along his wrist.

It's warm, and then tingly. Pleasant, but strange. She's transferring energy, and soon Charles will feel like he just woke up from a long, rejuvenating nap.

[balancingminds]

He laughs in surprise at her control, the complex feeling and the energy she's sharing with him,

"I wonder if I could show you what my shields look like. I know you're not a telepath but I think if I project to you what I see, that might help."

A variation on what she'd doing but with his talent, his gift.

[the_lioness]

Some of the wariness returns. Alanna nods anyway.

"We could try. What should I do?"

[balancingminds]

"Nothing except keep your mind open," This will be slightly trickier but he's fairly certain he can manage it. He rests one of his hands on his forehead and closes his eyes.

Then he pictures the walls of his mind as a model that Alanna can perceive in her mind.

The general shape, layers of concentric circles resembles a castle but the walls themselves are far more complex than any stone. The outer layers are constantly shifting as he adjusts to what's around him but farther in, they are more solid with a hint of wallness to them.

[the_lioness]

It helps that his base image is something with which she is familiar. Her own mental blacks are walls, to her mind, and it's not difficult to extend that idea to an entire castle, to a maze, to a shifting yet stable combination of both.

She winces a little at the contact. It holds for about thirty seconds before she can't take it any longer and withdraws.

"I think I saw," she rasps out, a sudden headache taking hold.

[balancingminds]

He breaks the contact and opens his eyes before leaning against a column.

That was a little more tiring than he expected, "Is that helpful?"

[the_lioness]

"It will be."

Alanna leans back against the wall.

"Does it make you tired? That, and... keeping it up all the time?"