20,347 It was hard to get into the writing today.

Sally stopped and just looked around. “Cool room, I love it! that vaulted ceiling could get a bit creep, but just tosses a mage light up there when storming and it will be fine. Bet that is what you do.” Idrias was looking at her odd. “What is your magic not to be talked of? I can tell you are a mage, one of gifts makes it easy for me to know. Usually I can tell what shifters forms are, but yours I can’t quite tell. You are blind better than most.”

Idrias coughed and said. “My Father is under the impression that my mage abilities went dormant, making me safe. He doesn’t know that I received lessons and learned how use them. You are the only one that has ever said they knew I had them. I am not to sure that those that taught me knew I am a shifter. A lot here believe that it is unsafe for a shifter to have an active mage gift. I thought that was normal, to find it a concern, but I take it that it isn’t the case inland?” Her Mother would be furious should any of this get back to her, but that truly did sound like she knew and didn’t care about either one. That was just so strange.

Sally said. “I forgot you all keep those old beliefs out here. That has to be so madding to you. There is far less division in land and even less at Elxta as it is in Landed, and the rulers are shifters so they could hardly hold the beliefs that you can’t think for yourself. And I see you had no idea. They truly have kept you far to isolated, even with you having access to Milton and the camps. You do leave the library I hope.” Poor child, she is scared of herself as much as she is of me. Just what has it been like for her? No wonder Luke was worried when he learned his folks were the hosts. Well I will see that she meets some people and do what I can to get her to take the test. Even if it is just the local it will help her some. Inters would do her far better, she needs to see more, but clearly that isn’t likely. They will worry it would stain her to much, given the way they push the damaged beliefs. “Don’t worry I don’t tell what I see, I just didn’t know what had you hiding so. Now through I do. I am sorry that your parents can not see that the changes do not impair you. Mental damage is actually lower among shifters than non-shifters. Sorry, I am studying genetics, specifically looking into the differences that we have. I tend to run on at times.”

Idrias said. “I know very little about Landed. We hear a good deal of the west and south but not much of the east. My Farther said they were wild over there but I never thought to look at them, but then some of that could be that I have been stopped on Olster and Hansen in my survey. There was so little about the lands that I got caught up in the mystery. I do go out on campus some, and have attended a few of the open classes. Then to that is where I took learned to use my mage gifts.  However most there do not know who I am, so that makes it safe. What I do there is not likely to get back and worry my parents more. I have read some studies that said that maturity was not affected, but I was not sure. I am not able to judge the research they used. Then the books completely lost me as they went too in depth in describing the changes they did find.” She shook her head a bit, wondering just why she had said that. It wasn’t like her to run on so. “I much rather prefer to spend time on geography and leave the science to others. The clothes are in here.” She opened the closet, then flushed a bit seeing again what was there. There was way to many, this time. “I think he sent enough that I could wear six outfits every day and not get them all worn in a year. I don’t see why he thinks I need so many.”

Sally looked and shook her head. “I have double that at school, and my sister grumbles that I am slumming. Truly you don’t have as many here as would be expected if your house was inland. Now let’s see what we have here.” She moved on in and nodded, pleased to see that he had separated the sides, truly there wasn’t that much here.  Good, these all looked a lot better than what they had her in now. It had to be one of Sara’s. It was so completely wrong for her. “Which one. Ah I see there’s the tags.” She looked at them the pulled it out and nodded. “It is perfect! He has good taste. This is indeed what you need for tonight. Now then shall we see what else is here?” They looked through the clothes and Sally was delighted, ageing with all Joe had tagged and pick out a few for the events he hadn’t thought of. She said. “I had best go or I won’t be dressed in time. Now I will meet you at the stairs, you just stay with me and I will get you past the formal nonsense, after this you don’t need worry about it. You are just a younger daughter and so no one will care if you forget titles, most that aren’t in court deliberately do so.”

She left Idrias looking at door as it closed after her. Idrias turned to the dress and shook her head, hoping that Sara wouldn’t be upset. It was nothing like the one she had picked before Joe ran off with it. She was just sure that it wasn’t one her sister would have approved of, not for this, but her mother had told her that Sally would know. So with a sigh she moved and started changing her clothes. Once the dress was on she moved to the mirror and had to agree the dress did look nice, and fit her well. However it was also to clearly made to accommodate shifting. At least to her, but then she was looking for it, knowing that it would be made so she could change with it on. Joe insisted that all her clothes needed to be, never mind that she hadn’t changed when dressed since she was seven and learned how to control it enough to get out sight and out of my clothes. Before then, yes she needed it because she had no control. Now though it seems a bit silly, even if it makes the clothes feel better. Still he had gone a bit too far on most of these, but what choice is there? Still just why does it feel like he is trying to make it imposable to hide that which should be hidden? She took a last look to make sure her hair was pulled back, then made her way down the stairs, to find Sally waiting as she had said she would be.

Sally nodded. “Perfect! That dress is even better than I thought, and you did your hair just fine. So relax, it will all be over in a bit. None of them need to be feared, you will do just fine.” Sally walked her over to where her family was, glad to see that hers were next to them, for she was just sure Sara would be insisting on full formal greeting, but that would not do. Not at all. I want Idrias to be comfortable around us, not trying to remember what title goes with us.  With a bit of luck I can get uncle to remind Governor Westmarch of the tax break for sending a child to take the full exams. A bit of arm twisting and trash talk will get him to send Idrias, if only to try and show why she should go. Luke was right, she needs to get out of here before she can’t. These few days have been more than long enough to let me see that.

Sara looked at them and said. “Well that isn’t as bad as I feared it would be. I do wish that Joe wasn’t so conservative with your clothes. I know that you aren’t worried about the guys yet, but it wouldn’t hurt you any to get noticed. If you were seen talking with some of the others it might just help with that issue. Then again it is hard to say if anything would stop it. I do wonder just how she ever got started.”

Sally said. “Oh she will get notice, just with the younger set, those looking for fun. Which I think is far more fitting given it is her first year.”

Idrias said, softly. “I fear that it would just bolster her belief if I seemed to be trying to attract notice. I truly don’t want to encourage that idea. I don’t need any more making those offers, and yes I have had some. I am not ready yet to commit to anything long term, and I truly don’t understand why they think I would be. I know this is what you had in mind, but Sally looked and agreed it was the best of the ones there.”