Abigail Ch 6 (Patreon)

Lady Luck, Abigail!

Fairfield District, Tullents City

Earthday, Seventh Month, the year of King Bastian 347

QUIET BUT FIRM knocking woke Abigail the next morning. She sat up in bed, calling out, “I’m up!”

“Breakfast is ready downstairs,” York’s muffled reply came through the door.

Abigail was not a morning person. She dragged herself out of bed and needed a second to figure out what she was supposed to do next. 

Clothes. 

Opening her trunk, she threw on the first dress she touched, a cerulean travel dress that cinched at the waist and ended just below the knee. 

Her locket never came off, and she simply tucked it under the collar of her dress.

She popped into the small water closet off her room and got ready as best she could. Abigail brushed out her long brown hair and skillfully redid her twin braids, then she splashed water in her face to try and wake herself up. 

She was still wiping sleep from her eyes when she joined York in the hall.

York, as excitable and lively as he was the day before, nodded without expression. Despite this, she had a feeling like the man was in good spirits.

“I’m r-ready,” she said and followed him downstairs.

There were a lot more people in the dining hall than the night before, with a few familiar faces. Lucy was talking animatedly off in the corner with the blacksmith, and Helena was at the bar taking orders.

“Go sit,” York pointed at a table where a couple of girls a little older than Abigail were eating. “and I’ll bring over the food.” 

Abigail would’ve been more comfortable sitting at the bar with Helena, but she braced herself and walked over to the table.

“M-may I sit here?”

They looked up from their egg and sausage breakfast. The girl on the right had dark olive skin. She was older, with big round glasses over soft brown eyes, and she kept her light brown hair in buns just behind her ears.

The girl on the left was pasty, freckled and very short. She had ridiculously blonde, curly hair that framed her face. It was barely contained by a blue headband almost the colour of her eyes. Surprisingly straight bangs fell across her forehead and touched the top of her eyebrows.

“Sure can!” the blonde said enthusiastically. “You must be Abigail! I’m Jess, and this is Olivia.”

Olivia pushed up her glasses and put her elbows on the table. “Jess is also getting tested today. York’s gonna tell you how it works over breakfast.”

Jess had gone back to eating her eggs. In between bites, she explained, “Olivia’s been an apprentice for two years now. She lives here and reads lots of musty old books.”

“It’s not all bad; I like reading musty old books.” Olivia took a drink of her juice and smiled at the younger girl.

“Not me,” Jess insisted, putting her fork down. “I hope I don’t get stuck downstairs. That library’s so boring. I wanna be put with an exciting mentor. Someone who goes adventuring! And travels!” She rested her head on her hands and sighed dramatically. “What about you, Abigail? What kind of mentor do you want?”

Abigail replied without thinking, “I just hope I have magic. I mean, I haven’t c-cast a spell or done anything magical yet.”

“That’s fine.” Olivia reassured her. “I found out I was a mage after my hands started itching.” 

“Olivia is an enchanter.” Jess added. “She carves spells into things.”

“Just single-use items right now.” 

Growing up in the castle, Abigail was used to enchanted items. Mage’s could activate the spells with their own magic, but regular people needed monster cores. 

So far, Abigail had never been able to activate one - another test the university used to test students. 

Jess offered her own magical backstory. “I didn’t show any signs of magic until two weeks ago when I sneezed and blew over a carriage.”

Abigail and Olivia stared wide eyed at Jess.

“You blew over a carriage?!” Olivia laughed. “You didn’t tell me that!”

“Yes,” York said, walking up behind Abigail, “that’s why she’s here. That’s why you’re both here: magic. And today, the both of you get to take the traditional Mages Guild Test.”

York put down a tray with two plates of breakfast and two mugs of juice and took a seat beside Abigail.

Jess didn’t even wait for him to settle before asking, “How does the test work, York? Does it hurt? When do we get to do it?”

York’s eyebrow twitched, and he almost smiled. “After breakfast, you will pick up our testing orbs. One should call to you - and it will glow when you pick it up.” 

Abigail noticed he didn’t answer if it was going to hurt or not.

“But only if you’re a mage,” Olivia said. “The year I got tested there was a boy they thought had magic, but none of the orbs glowed. Turns out he was under a curse.” 

Abigail choked on her eggs. 

Jess pointed at Olivia with her fork. “I heard about that. Didn’t they find out his neighbour’s daughter was actually the mage? She miscast a spell, so he kept changing into a cat every time she got upset.”

York interrupted the girls with a polite cough. They went back to eating and gave him their best we-are-paying-attention look.

“After you light an orb, you become an apprentice mage,” York continued. “And just like in every guild, you can take the journeyman test after you turn eighteen. If you decide that you don’t want to be a mage, you can take the associate test any time your mentor thinks you have control over your powers. Many rush to pass early so they can get back to their family trade guild, especially if their magic doesn’t help them in their field.”

Jess put up her hand enthusiastically and asked, “But wouldn’t people get training in the trade they want? If I wanted to be a baker, wouldn’t I just apprentice with a mage who is also a baker?”

“What if there aren’t any? You would work with a master to control your magic and learn your trade separately,” York said, “or give up your trade entirely and continue on with your mages studies.”

“That’s what I did,” Olivia told them. “I didn’t want to be a candlestick maker. Master Ulrik’s letting me stay on as the future guild librarian while I study magical theory.”

York looked at their plates. “If you’re finished eating, I’ll announce the test.”

“Announce?” Jess quirked her head to the side.

York stood up and gathered his dishes. “We summoned the masters of the guild; you’ll be apprenticed to one of them after your test.”

Jess was cranking her head to look around the room at all of the people. Abigail stood up to join York and noticed a large suitcase tucked in beside her new friend. “W-would you like me to carry your d-dishes for you?”

The young girl beamed at Abigail, “Yes, please!”

Abigail stacked Jess’ dishes on top of her own, and they all walked over to the dish bin at the bar. When they were ready, York addressed the dining hall. “Alright, everyone, it’s time!”

There was a flurry of movement behind them as York led the girls down the spiral staircase to the basement and into a large room. There was a long table at the front, and some chairs set up facing forward. 

Master Ulrik stood waiting for them.

On the table sat an ornate, velvet-lined tray with a collection of orbs and two bottles of glowing water. The orbs gave off mist in a rich, greyish purple.

The guild master grinned at them. “Good, good. Now, if everyone can take a seat, we’ll get started. Abigail, Jess, come stand by me, please.”

Abigail waited as Olivia took Jess’s suitcase so they could walk together. 

When everyone was seated, Master Ulrik continued. “Jess, let’s have you go first. See if any of the orbs call to you. If you feel nothing, then just touch them one at a time.”

“Lady Luck, Jess,” Abigail whispered the nickname of the demi-goddess of fortune’s nickname in a small prayer for the girl.

Jess put on her brightest smile and replied, “Luck? I’ve got this!”

She walked along the edge of the table, staring hard at each orb. Her eyebrows came together, and Abigail could see sweat running down her forehead. Jess touched the first orb and then the second, which immediately erupted into bright, transparent, rust-yellow fire. It flickered almost as high as the girl’s chin.

“I did it!” Jess let go of the orb and clapped her hands excitedly.

Master Ulrik gave her a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. “The second orb means you are second tier, Jessica. And, if I’m not mistaken, you will make an excellent weather mage someday.” The guild master offered her the bottle of purple, glowing water. “This is your contract with the Tullents Mages Guild. Do you swear to follow the guild as an apprentice mage, to allow us to guide you in the law of magic, to keep you until you become a journeyman, and to accept a member of the guild as your master?”

“I so swear.” Jess drank deeply from the bottle, but Master Ulrik stopped her from finishing it completely.

He stood behind Jess and put both hands on her shoulders. “Now, who wants to train Miss Jessica Vanderly?”

Lucy was sitting front and centre; she turned to the man beside her and said, “Looks like a good fit for Laurance or Master Ulrik.”

At the same time, a red-headed, curly haired woman Abigail hadn’t met yet put her hands on her hips and turned to the balding man beside her. She raised one eyebrow. “How about it, Laurance?”

Master Laurance, arms crossed in front of him, didn’t even glance at the redhead. “Just because I know one rain spell does not mean I’m fit to train a weather witch. I know very little about atmospheric spellcraft. Also, let me remind you that I already have three apprentices. Maybe she could stay with Olivia in the library? They seemed to get on well.”

Jess blanched.

Suddenly, York cleared his throat. “I would be happy to train her.” 

There was an awkward pause as everyone turned to stare at York. Jess’ eyes lit up with hope.

“Are you sure, York?” Ulrik broke the silence.

“Yes.” York, deadpan as ever, walked over, and the guild master handed him the bottle.

“Will you drink from the Guild Glass, accepting Jessica as your student, and swear to uphold  the rules and responsibilities that follow?”

“I so swear.” York picked up the bottle and drank the rest. A purple glow enclosed the new master and student, sinking into them.

“Thanks, York.” Jess beamed up at her new master. As the two rejoined the crowd, she asked, “So, why did everyone get so wigged out when you said you’d take me as a student?”

York offered her a seat beside him. He said simply, “Because I don’t take apprentices.”

“Your turn, Abigail.” Master Ulrik waved her over. Abigail smiled tightly and came forward. She touched her locket to calm her nerves.

“Lady Luck, Abigail!” Jess called from the audience.

Master Ulrik leaned over and told her, “No matter what happens, touch every orb.”

Abigail nodded. She reached for the first orb and hesitated. Over the years, she’d failed countless tests… what was one more? Trembling hands touched the first orb.

Nothing happened.

Abigail tried to keep a straight face. She looked at the second orb and tried to concentrate on it. Her whole heart and soul poured into this moment... and she felt nothing. When she finally touched the orb, it too didn’t respond.

Abigail’s heart hurt, and doubts formed in her mind.

She reached for the third orb. As with the others, it didn’t light up. Someone sighed, and murmuring rose from the crowd. She looked up into Jess and Olivia’s sympathetic eyes and reached for the fourth orb.

When she touched the last orb, a powerful silver light burst forth, rising up high enough to block the audience from view. Something pulled the air all around Abigail, forcing power through her and into the orb. She wasn’t used to handling magic, and the feeling almost overwhelmed her, but she held on despite the sensation.

The light was proof, and it didn’t matter how uncomfortable or draining the orb felt. She was a mage, and she wasn’t going to let go of it.

Master Ulrik put his hand on her back to support her. She had the sudden urge to scream, “I’m not crazy! I’m not mad!” but there were a dozen people watching her, and that wasn’t proper behaviour for a lady.

So, she waited.

A new voice drawled, “You were right, Hans, she has a god’s gift.”