24,278 time jump help.

She started to her bed only for a knock on the door to make her jump, for she hadn’t heard anyone on the steps, which was odd. Opening the door she found her Mother was there. Alice said. “Dear you need not stay in just because the others are here, If you just stay to the north you will be fine. We know you prefer that area so showed the other that are here the caves closer to the house and asked them to stay to the east so they won’t bother you any. It has to be troubling you some to have all the strangers here. I should have told you sooner. Just why did you stay? I thought you knew you could leave when Natalie did. You didn’t need to stay, and you need not stay in. You were looking a bit stressed.”

Idrias said. “I have been going out as I need to, truly I am not going to fight. I go and run when I need to, but thank you for telling me. I thought there might be some shifters and it is a relief to know what caves they were shown to. There is an old gate near the one I use, and I wouldn’t want them stumbling upon it. I don’t know if they have been to an elder sight and received the lessons that we have. The Old magic is disregarded inlands and so it could be a danger to them. Something I just didn’t think of before tonight, then didn’t know how to bring up.”

Alice nodded. “I know the gate is there, but didn’t think if they would know how o act with the old spells. So used to there being some around that it easy to forget not all are. Likely that is another reason Iron asked they all stay to the lower forest. Yu are sure you are all right?” She had been a bit upset, for all none of the others had noticed. “You have been doing just fine dear. I know it can’t be easy on you, there is no reason to hide what you need.”

Idrias fought the urge to roll her eyes, her mother just never did hear her. She was always convinced that I spend every night out in the forest, that not doing so will make me lose control. It is irritating but nothing I say will change it. “I am fine really, just tired. I was glad to get out of the gown, for the moon makes my skin sensitive and it was making me itch. I don’t know what that fabric is but it is not one I should wear this close to a full moon. That is all that I am feeling. There is no pull to shift, just my skin feels a bit raw. I was going to leave but the way Lady Glenda was watching me made it feel better to stay. She is going to complain of me no matter what, but no reason to add to it by leaving early. She was just waiting for it so she could make some commit about how unfortunate it was that I had to leave. I don’t know just what she is trying, but she is looking for me to do something. I have been doing my best to stay away from her, but the few times I have been near her she keeps asking if I don’t need a break.”

Alice frowned. “You didn’t say the dress was irritating you. Has the itching stopped? You should have said it bothered you. There was no need for you to wear it if you are allergic to it, that would have been perfectly explainable. Where is the gown, I will see to it, you don’t need to be handling it. I don’t know what that Lady is up to, but we need to get ahead of it. Stop trying to hide, be open. Let your eyes change and go ahead and answer those questions about shifters you have been side stepping. If she is trying to make it an issue we will show it isn’t. If there is something else she is trying to say that might just get it said.”

Idrias said. “I fear I just wanted it away from me, and it landed on the chair there. Before tonight it just felt slimy, but the full moon makes my skin touchy. So the latter it got the more it bothered me. It let up once I was out of it, but I didn’t feel up to touching it again. I don’t usually treat my clothes so.” Alice nodded and moved over to the chair to get the dress. “I don’t want to make things harder on Landen and Sara, that is why I have been avoiding it when I could, but I have never deigned being a shifter, just not going out of my way to say I am one.”

Alice said. “I know dear and thank you for it, but I think that needs to change. If she wants a scandal we need to see that it isn’t one before it gets started or it will be a bigger mess. Dear I know you take care of your clothes, and if I was to go into Sara’s room I would find hers in more of a mess. Now you have a good night, and don’t feel pressed to stay in so much. You have been staying to close. I don’t think you have even been to the library this week, that isn’t doing yourself any favors.” With that she took the dress and slip.

Idrias looked after her for a bit then started laughing. It was just too much. Fist Landedn telling her that she needed to watch it or she would be labeled to smart now her mother telling her to that she was staying in to much. She shook her head wondering if they would ever be on the same page, but at least she wouldn’t need to worry about dancing around the conversations so much. It was so hard to try and stay away from the questions about shifters as so many of Sara’s friends were studying genetics and that was one of the main topics in that field again. Yet she had been worried about saying anything, not wanting to remind them, for she didn’t think her family wanted it talked about. Now though it was looking like that had been a mistake. At least it wasn’t yet a big deal so hopefully it can be prevent from becoming one. I truly don’t get it. This society stuff is just too complicated. How does anyone ever know what to do to avoid a scandal when the things that can be one change all the time?

She made her way to the bed and reached for her fun book. She needed to relax and the silly story was good for that, for all her father had shook his head when he saw what she had. He didn’t like fantasies but she found them interesting and this writer had such a vivid world. It was so fun to think of a place where magic was a myth and wares were monsters used to scare children, not just a victim of a virus. Granted they did have labs that created poison, and this one even had explosives. However without a mage to set them they had to use timers that could be disrupted and to neutralizing them the techs had to find a wire instead of just the counter spell. It was so strange to think of all the things they had a machine for. Just how did the righter even come up with that flying thing? It was a fit replacement for a gate, but still. And the character collected glass dragons because they were quite and her parents found them horrible. Said they supported the worship of some dark deity.  Whoever heard of an evil dragon? They were nuances but hardly evil, unlike the orcs that the northerners raised for battle. It was fun to think of such a land, it was far to strange to every be possible. Just where do such wild ideas come from? She read a chapter before it was to hard to keep her eyes open, in spite of the fact that the big battle was about to happen. She gave up and closed the book, then shut the light off with a bit of power, glad that she didn’t have to actually find a switch.

The next day after breakfast she head to the library,  there was a open lecture on campus that she wanted to attend and she was tired of the fancy foods, so was going to take the day off. After all her mother had told her that she had been stay to close. One meal missed shouldn’t hurt. She was planning on be back before supper and staying visible after it, just to further confuse them. It should be fun to see the reactions giving the full moon. A lot seemed to think that all shifters were tied to the moons, no matter what the research said. Smiling as she thought of it, wondering how much she would, she reached the study then paused for there was a group of men around the map display. Well her father hadn’t said they were having a meeting and the door was open. Besides this way some would have seen her leave. Might just help if any asked about her. So she went on in and started past them.

Iron saw her and hoped that would give them a way out. It was getting hard to stand there looking at a map that was upside down. Not that it would be much easier to read right side up, but it did help. The scale was still way off. I just don’t see how the Creatin maps work. “Here to work on your project? Don’t let us stop you, we can move, if needed.”

Idrias looked at him a bit puzzled. It was odd for him to offer to leave. “I am just heading to Milton, they should have the new books proceed and I asked them to place three on hold for me, unless a student needed them. Then there is an open lecture I want to attend.”

One of the men said. “You mind going to the bookstore and picking me up a copy of Cftion antho? I was sure I had it in my bags but it is gone and I of course I need it.”

Idrias nodded, but before she could say anything a second man said. “I need one and they should have the new Ohilps, and see in the new one by James is in, if you would. That will help, I was going to try and get over there before it closed, but it is hard to find time.”

Idrias went to her table and picked up a couple of books then walked back over. “I won’t be back much before supper, but should be able to get them In the mean time, if it will help, I have a copy of Clifden here, just know I have made notes in it. And here is a summary of Ohilps.” Both books were taken from her, almost before she said what they were. “The book store was out of the full books as a class was requiring it, hopefully they are back in stock.  They had James work on the Noth dragons species in, but not his work on Olster. Which is it or both, Sir? Do you know that map is upside down?” Her father coughed.

Causing the man in front of the map to look at him then turn the map. “Why didn’t one of you tell me it was upside down? You clearly knew it was. I told you I couldn’t read the thing at all.” Idrias flushed, only then recognizing him. His Majesty said. “Don’t look so, child. I truly don’t mind being corrected when I am clearly wrong. I just wish more would, especially when I have admitted I don’t know what I am doing. So can you read this?”

Idrias shook her head. “Not with any degree of accuracy, your Majesty, I just know that the v’s are representing the Cap rang so the points should be up. The blue line there looks to be Ovlten river, so the others are like streams, making the gray lines roads, but I don’t know how to tell which are mains. The books I found on Creatain mapping were all to advanced for me. They just pointed out the holes I have yet to fill.”

He nodded. “That helps some at least it gives an idea of the area, which is more than I had.  A professor that can read them will be coming after the finales, with some of his students. I was just hoping to get some idea why this was marked as important. Thank you child, and for the books. They will help. I didn’t know the one on Olster was coming out yet, I need that one as well. Just get five of all of them if they will let you.” He made to go for a wallet.

Idrias had been studying the map. “I’m not too sure, but the red trimmed map there might be in the same area, at least the river is in the same place. However I don’t think it had the streams, still it might help a bit, sirs.  It being the end of the semester they won’t have any limits save for the amount on hand. It is easiest for me to just put them on the house account. You all have a good day. I had best be going, or Ray might think I’m not coming.” She made a hasty bow, just hoping that would do and left. Still upset with herself for not realizing sooner who was there. You don’t correct the king, not like that. Even if he said he was fine with it, it was way out of right.