Rabbit: A Talent Mark Novel

Chapter 1

She jumped as a large man with a bulbous nose pushed his face close to the bars of her cage. He smelled of onions, soured milk and horse sweat. She tried not to gag, tried not to make any sound at all.

"Watser name?" The man asked. She squinted in thought, trying to discern the words beyond his thick accent. When Mammon had taught her the outlanders tongue she had neglected to mention that there were different ways of speaking it.

'She might not have known, ' she thought. To her knowledge Mammon had never left the village.

"We've been calling her Rabbit, " a voice to her left said. He was much easier to understand. His words tended to be separate entities and not all blended together as many of the others. His clothing was different as well, and he smelled of the forest rather than the sea. His black hair was tied neatly in a tail at the nape of his neck. It swayed as they moved, keeping time with his horse's tail.

"Doncha know er name?" Big-nose asked.

"She hasn't spoken since we picked her up. I do not think she has a voice."

"Silent, huh." Big-nose looked thoughtful as he stared at her. She stared back. "Usure she's got da talent?" He asked ponytail man. Ponytail man nodded.

"She has the talent. See the mark on her wrist?" Big-nose dropped his gaze to her wrist.

"Don see nothin, " he said.

"It is on the other side, " ponytail man said. He stepped closer and Big-nose eased back. "Hold your hand out like this, " he told her. He spoke slowly to make sure she understood his words. He backed the words up with a gesture showing her how she was to hold her arm.

She extended her right hand and turned it palm side up. Ponytail man smiled at her and pointed to her wrist. "There, " he said. Big nose peered closely at the mark on her wrist. It was the mark of the Gahda and she had been born with it. The mark resembled a small bowl with a flame coming out of it. Big-nose nodded, satisfied.

"She understandcha? Summa don."

"She understands if you speak slowly and clearly, " Ponytail man said. Big-nose nodded.

"How much?" The two men began haggling over price and she realized ponytail man was selling her to Big-nose. She swallowed hard, unsure what this change would bring. She scratched her head hating the feel of her hair. She had been with ponytail man since the raiders sold her to him. Mentally, she counted fifteen nights with ponytail man. She was unsure how long she had been with the raiders. She just remembered many times having her jaws pried apart and a foul concoction poured down her throat. It made the world spin and her vision blur. Her thoughts became like rain sliding out of the clouds to the ground and she couldn't hold on to them. By the time she came close to grasping a solid thought, another dose was given to her.

Ponytail man had not given her the evil brew, but he kept her caged. He had let her out of the cage only to urinate three times a day, once upon waking, once when they stopped for lunch and once when they stopped for the night. A marked improvement, but he had not let her bathe and her hair and skin felt itchy and greasy. She shuddered slightly in revulsion.

The men concluded their discussion and money changed hands. Ponytail man came over to her cage and unlocked it. He told her to come out and, as he had each time she was taken from the cage, he bound her hands in front of her with stout rope. The rope was scratchy and chafed her wrists. The rope was not tied tight enough to break the skin but after so many days, bands of red, raw skin circled her wrists. She tried not to wince. He left a long tail hanging from her bound hands. The end of this tail he handed to Big-nose. The numbness that had set in after long days of travel started to break up into a queasy feeling as she stepped into the unknown.

"Please give my regards to your master." Ponytail man said. There was a mocking undertone but no offense was taken. Big-nose simply nodded and tugged on the rope binding her hands.

"Come, " he told her. He turned and began walking away from ponytail man. She had to trot to keep up with his long strides, her legs somewhat unsteady from the confinement. The cage had prevented her from seeing too much and she took the opportunity to look around as best as she could. The caravan Ponytail man belonged with had started to move in the opposite direction. In a few moments they would be around the bend and gone from sight. She dismissed them from her thoughts and cast her gaze to their destination.

The dusty road led to an open gate set into a wall of stone that stretched as far as she could see in either direction. The closer they got to the gate, the more people there seemed to be. Some of them paid no attention to her while others openly stared. She ducked her head and rounded her shoulders as if protecting her inner core from the weight of their eyes. As they approached the gate, men with long poles topped with metal spikes called out greetings to Big-nose. He answered but both sides of the conversation were fast and jumbled and she could make no sense of the words.

Once inside the gates, buildings crowded one another forming a maze of narrow streets. The buildings seemed to lean over the streets turning the world below into a shadow land. They towered over the people passing by and she felt nearly as caged as she had been in the caravan.

Big-nose shortened the length of rope separating them so she would not be pulled from him in the crowds. He increased his pace and took turns purposefully. She had to jog to match his pace and after very few turns knew she would have a hard time finding the gate again. She wondered if this was on purpose.

Gradually the crowds started to thin and they approached the biggest building she had ever seen. She could not help but goggle at the size and the pointy fingers of stone that stretched up to meet the sky. Big-nose chuckled at her reaction.

"They all astare first they see ta castle, " he told her in what sounded like a reassuring tone. He appeared to be trying to separate his words for her benefit and had an odd look of concentration as he focused on his own speech. She took his reassuring tone to mean it was all right for her to look.

Like the wall, the castle was made of stone. Unlike the wall, this stone was white, not gray and real glass windows winked in the sunlight like stars. It was even more dazzling after the walk in the shadow maze of streets. He slowed his pace to give her a little more time to take it in. Pride was written across his face and she assumed this was where his Lord lived. There was a wide road leading to a large entrance in the front, but Big-nose skirted around to a smaller side door.

The door was made of heavy banded wood, but opened easily to his touch. He led her inside and closed the door behind them. They were in a narrow corridor composed of the same dark stone as the wall. She shivered as they moved through the cool shadows. Light came from torches set at regular intervals against the wall. Big-nose's boots click- clacked on the bare stone floors as their hard soles made contact. Her soft leather boots made barely a whisper.

The small corridor merged with a larger one. Other people passed them, but were too hurried to pay them much attention. Some of them called a greeting to Big-nose but they didn't stop to chat. All of them ignored her. They took several turns and she tried to count them, but ended up just as confused as she had been on the streets. Finally, they stopped in front of a door. Big-nose took a deep breath and pulled his tunic straight. He straightened his spine as well and held his head high. He knocked on the door.

"Enter, " was called and Big-nose opened the door. He stepped inside, pulling her through and shutting the door behind as he had before.

"Ah, Grayson I had hoped it was you. Were you successful then?" She could not see who spoke as Big-nose, or rather Grayson blocked her view. The words were smooth, not choppy and she had no problems discerning their meaning.

"Yessir, " Grayson said. He walked towards the voice. Grayson's footsteps were quiet and when she looked down she could see thick carpet beneath her boots. She looked back up as Grayson stepped to the side so the speaker could see her. The man who spoke was seated in a plush velvet chair the color of ripe plums.

His boots were the same style as Grayson's, but instead of being worn and muddied they were shiny black and polished. His pants were black as well and tucked into the boots so that the transition between the two looked almost seamless. His shirt was snowy white rather than the brownish homespun Grayson wore. His hair was black but liberally dusted with gray. Lines fanned out from the corners of his eyes. They also bracketed his mouth. They did not look as though they had accumulated from a lifetime of smiles.

A book was open and lay across his knee as though he had only put it down when the knock sounded. "The History of the Baronies of Heldan, " she read silently scanning the title quickly and looking away.

She did not want to let them know she could read any more than she wanted them to know she could speak. Both were parts of Mammon's lessons should the raiders ever take her. She knew from those same lessons that Heldan was what the outlanders called their home, although she did not know what the baronies were. The man seated in the chair leaned forward and smiled at her. She kept her face blank. He leaned back and studied her for a moment.

"She is young, " he said.

"Eighteeen, meebee nineteen sir by ta mark." The seated man looked surprised.

"Really, she doesn't look nearly that."

"Meebee not sir, but ta marks don lie."

"That is true. Well now, what is your name?" The question was aimed at her but she didn't respond.

"She don speak sir. Ranger what brung her called her Rabbit."

"Rabbit? Not a very proper name but somehow it seems to suit. Very well, Rabbit it is. Thank you Grayson, excellent work as always. If you would please take her to Harmony to get her settled then.

"Yessir." Grayson, beaming with pride turned and escorted her back out of the room. Another short jaunt through the hallways led them to another door. This time she had managed to count the turns and was reasonably sure she could find her way back to the well dressed man Grayson seemed to respect. She had no idea of what use that would be, but as she had been told many times, no knowledge was useless. Grayson knocked but this time did not wait for a response before opening the door.

"Gocha nother Harmony, " Grayson said to a woman seated by the fire. She had graying brown hair, neatly tied in a knot at the nape of her neck. Her dress was of a dark blue and edged with snowy white lace. When she moved, the tips of her shoes, blue to match the dress, were barely visible. Her eyes were black and seemed to drink in every detail.

"I see, " Harmony said looking the girl over from top to toes. The words sounded neutral, neither hard nor soft. She had been working with some sort of shuttle attached to string when they arrived and Harmony placed the shuttle on a small table next to the chair.

"Caller Rabbit, " Grayson said. He turned to her and smiled. "Harmony ere'll care furya." He patted her somewhat awkwardly on the shoulder and then left the room, closing the door behind him. Harmony continued to look her over and she was aware of every speck of dirt and grime coating her. She tried not to fidget beneath the weight of the gaze. They stood in silence for a moment.

"You look to be about the same size as Badger was a few years ago, " Harmony said, breaking the silence. "I believe we have some of her clothing from that time that is still serviceable. That way after your bath you can have something clean to wear. Please follow me."

She blinked as Harmony turned towards one of the room's interior doors. They left the sitting room and passed through a room lined with shelves filled floor to ceiling with books. The only furniture was a small writing desk with a chair. A neat stack of blank paper was placed in its center and an inkwell and pen stood ready next to it.

"This is the library, " Harmony said. "The first room was the parlor." They moved quickly through the library and down a flight of stairs. The air became noticeably damp as they descended and she had the feeling of being underground. There was nothing to soften this passage, just dark gray stone lit by torches set in plain metal brackets that were little more than loops of iron embedded in the stone. Eventually the stairs ended in a plain room. She looked around. This room too was composed of dark stone.

"Long ago when the Baronies were often at war this keep was built. It was much later that the white stone was applied to the exterior and the more attractive elements added to the castle. The Baron who built this keep wanted a safe supply of water for his people in times of siege. And so he built the well room. Our quarters are in the oldest part of the keep. There are some drawbacks and some benefits."

Harmony gestured to the center of the room with a smile. There, rising from the floor as if it had grown, was a well. It was composed of the same stone as the walls and floor. Harmony walked over to a room divider. It was made of green cloth stretched over a wooden frame. It had three panels that folded or unfolded with need. It was a bright spot of color in the gray room. Harmony pushed the divider aside and revealed a gray stone box.

"Not as decorative as Lord Tessian's but we don't have to travel as far to fill it and it is much easier to empty." She reached over and untied the girl's wrists. "Come then." She walked over to the corner and picked up two buckets. Harmony then walked over to the well and attached one to the chain. She turned the well's arm and lowered the bucket, filled it and brought the bucket back up. She then unhooked it and handed it to the waiting girl.

"Empty it into the bath and return, " Harmony said. She took the bucket and walked over to the bath while Harmony attached, lowered and filled the second bucket. She poured the water into the bath and returned with the empty just as Harmony unhooked the second bucket from the line. They traded buckets, Harmony taking the empty to refill while she took the full one to add to the bath. They continued the process until the bathtub was full.

"That looks deep enough, " Harmony proclaimed with a satisfied smile. "You will find soap in the box next to the bath, feel free to use as much as you wish." Harmony pulled the screen open again, hiding the bath. It cut off the view from the stairs and afforded some sense of privacy.

"I'll return with some clean clothing in a moment. I'll also bring a basket for your current clothing so that it can be taken to be laundered. Do not leave the well room until I come to get you." Harmony stared at her until she nodded and then satisfied she would be obeyed, left.

For the first time since the raid, she was alone. She could feel her muscles lose a slight bit of their tension and she took a deep breath. She stepped behind the screen and with more speed than she had ever undressed before, she stripped letting her filthy clothes fall to a pile at her feet. She removed a small leather pouch she had kept hidden under her clothing but left the remainder where it was. The pouch she hid in the shadows in case Harmony came to this side of the screen before she could hide it under her new clothing. She touched the water with her hand and shivered.

The well water was icy cold. She frowned and looked at her wrist. They already knew she had the talent. It was why they had bought her. She shrugged and thrust both of her arms into the water up to her elbows and closed her eyes. The water stung the abraded skin on her wrists but she ignored the pain. Instead, she thought of heat; the heat of a warm loaf of bread or a hot mug of tea on a frosty night. She thought of the warmth of the sun as she helped gather kasha fruit in the orchards. She opened her eyes. Steam was lifting gently off the water and curling in the drafts of air. She pulled her hands away from the water and shivered in the cool air. Quickly she climbed into the tub and began to wash.

Chapter 2

While she bathed, Harmony returned with the promised clean clothing and basket. She also brought a towel. The items were left by the edge of the screen, allowing her to retain her privacy. It was with a profound sense of relief that she toweled off and dressed in the fresh clothes. She made sure her pouch was well concealed beneath her clothing and gathered her dirty clothes to go into the basket. She frowned as she touched them, hating the touch of the grime against her freshly cleaned skin. The only thing she retained were her boots. The clothing was not as fine as she had worn in, but its freshness made it feel superior.

Before leaving the bathing area she reached back into the water. This time instead of thinking about heat, she thought about cold. She thought of the winter winds that swept down from the mountains, carrying snow and whipping the sea into a frenzy of white peaks. She thought of the ice she would have to break on the water basin in the morning just to wash her face. The little remaining heat evaporated from the tub. She removed her hand and smiled a small smile for just herself. She pulled her hand from the water and began braiding her clean, but still wet hair.

She pushed the screen to the side to show that she was dressed. Harmony saw what she was doing and handed her a small length of ribbon to tie off the end of the braid. Harmony showed her how to drain the basin and then had her rinse out the tub before they left the well room and returned to the parlor. As they climbed the stairs the tension once again wound tight around her spine.

In the parlor, Harmony indicated she should take a seat while she resumed the seat she had occupied when Grayson had brought her. A small cart containing a pot of tea, two cups and a tray of assorted savory and sweet snacks had been wheeled in while she bathed and she tried not to eye it hungrily. Harmony poured the tea, handed a cup to her and indicated she was to take what she wished from the tray. She took two of the savories and tried to take delicate bites between sips of tea. Harmony sipped her cup and watched for a moment.

"You are aware that Lord Tessian purchased you from the Traders?" Harmony asked. She swallowed and nodded. "In the past our Lord has purchased other girls with the talent. Several of them reside here with me. I am what you might call your guardian, for lack of a better term." Harmony paused and sipped from her cup.

"When the others were brought here they too did not speak. In time they chose to break their silence. I do not know if they were silent because they chose to be or because of an unfamiliarity with our language. They have not felt the need to explain their silence, nor do I feel it necessary to ask. Whether you remain mute or not is your own concern." Harmony paused, allowing time for processing.

"Now Grayson referred to you as Rabbit. Does this name suit you or is there another one I should call you?" She thought about it for a moment and nodded.

"Rabbit then?" She nodded again. "Very well then from now on you will be known as Rabbit." The words had a formality to them.

'Like a naming ceremony, ' she thought. 'Harmony does not seem surprised. Of course I am wearing Badger's outgrown clothing. Perhaps the other girls chose to keep the names given them on their journey here. So here I will be called Rabbit not Norah.' She gave herself a mental shake. 'Norah does not exist here. Here is only Rabbit. I am Rabbit.'

"So Rabbit, you were purchased because of your talent. Each of the girls here has a different talent and set of skills. They work to use those skills for the benefit of Lord Tessian. You will be expected to do so as well. Do you understand?" The newly named Rabbit nodded somewhat hesitantly. She mentally ran through the list of skills she had been trained to use. If she used even half of them it would mark her family. People might know who she was. She would have to be careful to limit what skills were shown.

"May I see your talent mark?" The question was phrased politely and Rabbit wondered if she would be allowed to refuse. Slowly, she held out her wrist, turning her mark upward. Harmony leaned over the mark and stared at it for a moment. Slowly she eased herself back and Rabbit returned her hand to her lap. A frown creased between her eyes.

"That is not a talent mark I am familiar with, " Harmony said. She smiled. "That should make tomorrow interesting. Tonight, I want you to rest and become acquainted with the others. In the morning, after the morning meal, we will take you to the work areas and see where your skills lie." Harmony smiled again and Rabbit realized the older woman was trying to win her trust. She had seen her father use a similar tone on a skittish horse. As they finished their tea, Rabbit wondered why the woman bothered. Overall, she was too tired to really think much about anything.

Once the tea had been finished, Harmony gave Rabbit a tour of the place she would be expected to call home for the foreseeable future. In addition to the parlor, library and well room, the suite featured a secondary less formal parlor, which Harmony called a sitting room, a small kitchen, a stillroom, a storeroom and two bedrooms.

One bedroom was occupied by Harmony. The other had a row of six beds. While no one was in the room at the moment it was clear that the room was well used. Little touches here and there personalized each area of the room. Here a cloth doll leaned against a pillow. There was an embroidery piece still only half finished. Five of the beds had been personalized. One had not. Harmony led her to this bed. It was closest to the door and Rabbit could see a few scratches in the floor stones where each of the beds had been shifted to make room for the new addition.

"This is your bed, " Harmony confirmed. "The box at the foot of the bed is yours as well so that you have a place to store your belongings." Rabbit looked at the empty box at the foot of her bed. Aside from the clothing Harmony took to be cleaned, she didn't actually have any possessions.

'And once they have been cleaned and returned I will be wearing them so that Badger can have her things back. I suppose I can put my boots there when I go to sleep.'

"Don't worry, " Harmony assured her. "Soon enough you will find you need the space." Rabbit nodded as she was unsure how else to respond. "Now why don't I leave you here to rest until the other girls return?" Harmony patted Rabbit's shoulder gently and left her alone. Rabbit thought about looking at the other beds to determine what sort of companions the others would be, but decided against it on the grounds that she would not care for other people going through her things.

She decided that resting sounded like a good idea. She slipped off her boots and climbed into bed. Rabbit sighed softly to herself as she stretched out fully; making the first audible sound she had allowed herself since her capture. The cage ponytail man had kept her in had not allowed for stretching out, merely crouching or curling up. From the smell and the jokes the others made she had gathered the cage was more accustomed to holding rabbits than people.

'Probably why they named me Rabbit to begin with, ' she thought. She yawned hugely and felt her jaw pop in response. She shut her eyes and felt sleep suck her down into its dark depths instantly.

She drifted in the dark, dreamlessly until she heard the voices. They were light girl's voices, softly chatting. Memory slipped into the dark and she began to dream. She was sitting in one of the upper fields with her younger cousins, Vanessa and Rebecca. The sun was warm on their skin but not hot. Summer's heat had broken, but fall had yet to fully claim dominance. While the mountains had started shifting their colors, this field still held on to its late blooms. The three of them sat in the field, only Norah's head rising above the tall prairie grass.

The little girls, five and seven respectively were sitting to either side of her and peering into her hands. Norah held a small piece of red glass, no bigger than her thumb nail. As the little girls watched she brought forth heat to her hands and the glass began to liquefy into a small pool, bright as blood. She deftly maneuvered the molten glass, stretching and shaping it with quick movements and sure intent. The glass took on the form of a red flower, a kecah, that grew in the highest reaches of the mountains and then only at the hottest part of the summer.

"Do you have the metal?" Norah asked. Nessa pulled a bit of scrap silver from a pocket and passed it over, her eyes wide with admiration. Norah rolled the silver between her fingers, infusing it with heat and stretching it into a long thin pin. While both the pin and flower were still warm, she pressed the metal into the back of the flower. When the two were attached Norah eased the heat out of both pieces, now one. She reached over and pinned the glass flower to Nessa's blouse.

"Earth to earth, " Norah said. Nessa rubbed the still forming mark on her wrist.

While the basic lines of the Gahda were present at birth, it was with time and training that they deepened. Both Nessa and Becca were in that stage where the fine white lines were starting to turn pink. As they grew, the pink would darken to red and the red would darken to the same color brown as the freckles that danced across their cheeks. Nessa's marks were in the shape of a small bowl with a mound shape like a loaf of bread rising from the top. When she was grown she would be able to work with the earth in much the same way as Norah worked with fire. Norah turned to Becca.

"And what about you little fish, " Norah asked. "Did you bring anything?" Becca, always the shyer of the two reached into her pocket and pulled a small silver stone and a scrap of metal.

"Benji said it was hematite, will that work?" She held out her hand, the pinking marks on her wrist showing a small bowl shape with three squiggly lines inside indicating water. Had she been born to air then the three lines would be vertical and risen from the bowl.

"I think we can work with that, " she told her with a smile. The girls leaned in again as Norah began to work. The stone did not pool up the way the glass had, as stone resisted the heat more. Instead, it softened like clay and Norah shaped it into a small silvery fish, using her thumbnail to inscribe scale marks and an indentation for the eye.

As she had with Nessa, she shaped the metal into a pin, attached it to the back and when the piece was cool, pinned it on the younger girl's blouse. Norah started to speak, to suggest that they could perhaps go and see if they could find any pretty stones or such by one of the nearby streams when a shout caught her attention.

The man's yell caused Norah's head to snap up, her words dying as she realized the man was a raider, signaling to his companions. Norah realized she had been spotted but the little girls had not. She knew they were not too far from one of the retreats. If the girls could get there before the raiders, they would be safe. She told them to stay low and make as little movement as possible in the tall grass, but to head quickly to the retreat. The girls were wide eyed with fear but did as they were told.

As they moved off, Norah stood. She glanced at the trio of advancing raiders and began to run. She angled her course away from the retreat she had sent the girls towards, but in the direction of a second retreat. It was further, but she just might make it. Her feet flew over the ground, her skirts whipping against the long grasses and all three of the raiders followed her. She stopped looking behind as it slowed her down and speed was what she needed.

She was fast, but they were faster. The retreat was still more than twenty feet away when one of the raiders tackled her, bringing her to the ground hard. In a blink her hands were trussed behind her back, a gag was placed in her mouth and a bag pulled over her head. The raiders didn't know what her abilities were and they would take no chances of her using what she could against them. She bumped her head on a rock when she was tackled so she was somewhat dazed as they began to lead her away. Her only thought was relief that they were moving away from the retreat were her cousins hid. Panic started to bubble through her after that though and she mentally recited Mammon's lessons to keep the fear at bay.

The sounds of the girls' voices increased slightly.

"I think she is having a nightmare, " a voice said softly. The words were those of the outlanders, but the accent was that of the Desa, one of the hill clans.

"Might as well wake her then, " a second voice replied, this one containing the broad flat vowels found near the marshes. "It will be time for the morning meal soon and as she slept through dinner she's bound to be hungry."

"And Harmony will want her tested, " the first voice responded. Norah blinked awake starting a little at the strange faces.

'I am Rabbit, ' she thought. 'There is no Norah here.' The faces swam into focus and she sat up. The other girls smiled shyly at her as she rubbed her eyes.

"You must have been tired, " said the one with the Desa voice. "You slept through evening meal." Rabbit's stomach rumbled and there was a round of polite giggles. Rabbit blushed. "It will be time to eat soon." She was promised. "I'm Badger, " the girl introduced herself. She had sleek brown hair tied back with a simple bow and allowed to fall nearly to her waist. Rabbit estimated Badger was a few years older than she was. Looking around the circle of faces, Rabbit got the impression that she was actually the youngest of the lot and wondered how long some of these girls had been here.

'Long enough that they are more women than girls, ' she thought. Rabbit nodded at Badger showing she understood. Badger did not seem put off by the non verbal answer.

"This is Mouse, " Badger continued the introductions. Mouse appeared the same age as Badger and had brown hair as well but where Badger's was smooth and sleek, hers was a riotous mass of curls. Again Rabbit nodded, Mouse ducked her head and smiled shyly. "This is Wren."

"Welcome, " said the girl from the marshes. Rabbit smiled.

"I'm Tortoise, " said a girl with hair the color of wheat and eyes that were a watery green. "But everyone just calls me Tor. And that is Robin, " Tor pointed to the last girl whose hair was a strawberry blond. Rabbit was beginning to think raiders and traders were not very imaginative in naming their captives.

'Of course they might not want to give people considered property the same names as the people they know.' The row of girls eased back as Rabbit sat up and swung her feet over the side of the bed. She reached for and pulled on her boots. Some of her hair had pulled from the braid as she slept and the other girls watched her silently as she un-braided her hair, ran her fingers through it and re-braided it. With her hair as fixed as it was going to be, Rabbit looked around.

"Over there, " Badger said pointing to the wash basin, correctly guessing what Rabbit was looking for. Rabbit slid off the bed and the girls cleared a path for her. The basin was empty and it had a small plug in the bottom, the same way the bath had the day before. There was a pitcher in the stand next to the basin. Rabbit poured a little water into the basin and used it to wash her face. It was cold but she resisted the urge to warm it.

As she blinked water out of her eyes, Tor handed her a slightly damp towel. From the looks of the other girls they had completed their morning abolitions earlier. Rabbit nodded her thanks to Tor and stretched the towel out to dry on one of the nearby racks. She pulled the plug from the basin and let the water drain.

"We each take turns filling the pitcher before bed so that we can all wash in the morning, " Tor told her.

"Once you know your way around a bit, we will add you to the rotation, " Badger added. Rabbit nodded her understanding and had the feeling Badger was the leader of this little group. She mentally shrugged. At the moment her full bladder was of more concern. As she started looking around again Badger guided her in the appropriate direction to a near by closet containing the appropriate equipment. That task complete she returned to the room where the girls were softly chatting to themselves.

'They seem happy enough, ' Rabbit thought, still wondering what the day would bring. A bell chimed and everyone began walking towards the door. Badger gestured to her.

"That's morning bell. We need to go now, " she said. Rabbit followed the line of girls into the sitting room. In the center of the room a round table laden with food had been placed. Rabbit's stomach rumbled again, much to her embarrassment. Harmony was already seated at the table and smiled as the girls arrived. Each girl took a seat. Rabbit hung back a little not wanting to take anyone's accustomed place. The empty seat was between Tor and Mouse and Tor indicated she should take it. Rabbit smiled at her and took a seat.

"I see you have all met Rabbit, " Harmony said as she began to pass bowls and platters around. The morning meal seemed to consist of a porridge like substance and some kind of yellow cakes. There was both honey and cream to add to the porridge and she was encouraged to use as much of both as she liked. She took a taste of the porridge and found the taste odd but pleasant.

"They use corn here instead of wheat, " Mouse said in a voice barely above a whisper. Rabbit smiled at her and Mouse blushed.

'Southern reaches, ' Rabbit thought placing the accent. 'And painfully shy to boot. Quite a collection.' She found herself wondering where Robin was from since hers was the only voice not heard. There was talk at the table but it was subdued and Harmony's voice was the lead as she encouraged the others to make Rabbit feel at home. Rabbit got the feeling that Harmony trusted the other girls to teach her the rules as well since no one spoke of what was allowed and what forbidden.

Chapter 3

As she ate, Rabbit watched the group. The girls were polite to Harmony and seemed to like her, but there was still a layer of distance between them. The others didn't fear her, which seemed like a good sign to Rabbit, but she was not a close friend. Guardian was the term Harmony used with her the night before, but she had the feeling Keeper was closer to the truth. The comments the girls made were all answers to direct questions and not the idle conversation she would have expected.

'Which makes sense, ' she thought. 'All of the others would have been bought the same as I was. Aeries have a Falconer, hounds have a Houndsman, even bees have a bee keeper. I suppose Harmony fills that role in relation to us.' Rabbit wasn't sure how she felt about the situation, but decided analyzing her feelings could wait. At the moment information collection was more important than taking offense at being regarded as a new type of hound.

The meal wound to a close and the dishes were taken to the small kitchen Rabbit had seen the night before. Mouse and Robin washed, dried and stacked the dishes in a basket to be brought back down to the main kitchen. They then emptied the used water into a drain drilled into the corner of the small kitchen. Rabbit got the impression the meals in their quarters were less of a treat and more to keep them from mixing with others although she couldn't quite say why she felt that way.

'Perhaps it is that nothing we ate actually came from this kitchen, ' she thought. Even though the scents of their breakfast still lingered in the air, the scent of cooking did not. And the girls washing did not have any cook pots to clean.

"There is a system for washing, " Harmony told her. "You will sort your place out with the others. Although having an even number should make things a little easier." Harmony looked around, making sure everything was in its place.

"Excellent, " she said in a satisfied tone. "We shall retire to the work rooms and find out just what it is Rabbit can do." The other girls looked a little surprised by the comment and Rabbit swallowed hard. Her heart increased its pace. She thought of all the skills she had been taught and blanched at the thought of using them here. She thought of her dream.

'Art, ' she thought. 'I could stick to artistic designs. Trinkets like I made for Becca and Nessa. Especially if they don't know what my mark means.' Harmony led the way out of their quarters. The group moved silently down the same hallways Grayson had brought Rabbit the day before. She realized they were nearing the rooms where the well dressed man, Lord Tessian, dwelled. Instead of going to his quarters, the group turned and followed the hallway to the left. This was not the direction she entered the castle but an entirely new one.

Rabbit counted four turns, a small set of stairs and three more turns before Harmony pushed open a set of double doors. The group entered the workroom and Rabbit looked around as two of the others closed the doors behind them. The room was large and fairly open. Stationed around the wall were various work areas, some occupied, some not. The air smelled comfortably of herbs and leather. There was a slight scent of animal in the air but it was faint; more like animals routinely passed through, but did not dwell in this room.

"I believe Rabbit will feel more at home here if she can see some of what you do. Shall we show her?" Harmony's question sent the others into motion as they each walked to a different work station. Rabbit stood where she was, unsure what to do. Harmony smiled at her.

"Come, I believe we will start with Mouse." Harmony led Rabbit to Mouse's work station. Her station seemed to be where the smell of green growing things came from. She had a small greenhouse filled with plants as well as a rack containing drying herbs. There were also a wide assortment of bottles and boxes, some full, some empty. Several mortar and pestles in various sizes were arranged on a shelf. As she watched, Mouse poured and mixed contents.

When she reached for the plants, the hair on the back of Rabbit's neck stood on end. She felt the magic of earth being used. Mouse held the plants in her hands and Rabbit could feel the plants changing. It wasn't as physical a change like when she melted glass but there was a change. Mouse then added the plants to her mixture, grinding the lot into a thick paste and scooping it into a jar.

"Mouse has a talent for working with plants, " Harmony explained. "She has used her abilities to magnify the plant's natural use so that it is more effective. What is this cream for?" she asked Mouse.

"Treating burns, ma'am." Came the soft reply.

"Ah yes, one of the cook's favorites. Burn ointment usually merely soothes the burn. When Mouse has done her job, the ointment will actually help the burn to heal more quickly." Rabbit's eyes dropped to Mouse's wrist. Seeing this, Mouse turned her wrist over and sure enough Rabbit could see the sign of earth on her skin. Harmony moved to Badger's work area. Here, maps dominated the table top while boxes of what looked like dirt were lined up in neat rows. As Harmony and Rabbit watched, Badger reached into a box and dug her fingers into the dirt. She rolled around the dirt clumps in her fingers and closed her eyes. To Rabbit she appeared to be listening and Rabbit felt the magic tingle.

When she opened her eyes, Badger pulled her hands from the dirt and wiped them on a waiting towel. When they were clean she reached for a set of grease pencils, each in a different color. She chose one red and one white from the bunch and made a small x in each color on the lid of the box. She put the pencils back down on the table and fitted the lid on the box. When she was done, she turned to Harmony who waited expectantly.

"The boxes contain earth taken from various locations, " Harmony began. "The maps show the location. Badger is looking through the earth to find out what useful things can be found there. And what did you find?"

"Lead and Iron, Ma'am, " Badger replied. Like Mouse, Badger turned her wrist and Rabbit saw the same earth symbol on her wrist. Rabbit kept her face neutral, neither frowning nor smiling. She tried to keep her thoughts blank, unsure exactly where things stood.

'Focus on the now, ' she mentally reminded herself. 'Get information, sort later.' Harmony led her to Wren's work station. Her desk was also littered with maps. Instead of boxes, an assortment of feathers was lined up on her table. As they watched Wren picked up a duck feather and ran her fingers along its length.

Rabbit's eyes widened as the air fairly crackled. She swallowed hard as Wren turned towards a window that held no glass. Wind rippled her hair and she smiled, leaning into the breeze, her eyes closed. After a moment or two she leaned back, opened her eyes and turned back to the map. With a stick of charcoal she marked a line of x's on the map.

"Wren is tracking migrations so that our hunters know where best to find game, " Harmony said as Wren set the charcoal and the feather down. "And what did you see?"

"Ducks, ma'am, the first of the winter migration has begun."

"A fact that our huntsman will no doubt be pleased to hear." Wren turned her wrist up and Rabbit was unsurprised to see the symbol for air. Harmony moved on and Rabbit was surprised to see Robin and Tortoise sharing a work space. They stopped in front of the space and Tor placed a large bowl on a small stand. Robin filled it with water and the two each took a place on either side of the bowl.

They each held their hands up in front of them. They pressed their palms together and laced fingers, Tor's right hand to Robin's left, and Robin's right hand to Tor's left. Slowly they lowered their hands into the water until they were submerged to the wrists. This time Rabbit tasted the magic on the back of her tongue, like standing too close to a lightning strike.

Both girls bowed their heads and instead of closing their eyes they stared deep into the water as if seeing something no one else could. After a time they looked up, both of them moving in unison. They raised their dripping hands and slowly pulled apart. Each reached for her own towel and dried her hands.

Tor moved the bowl, with its stand, out of the way and Robin unrolled a map. They both leaned over the map, Robin had the charcoal in hand and she passed it to Tor, Each marked on the map. It was as if one was finishing the other's sentences only written and not verbally. The charcoal was set aside and they turned their attention to Harmony, the strange unity dissipating as they each sunk back into themselves.

"Robin and Tortoise join their strength to seek out storms so our ships can get safe to harbor without losing lives or cargo." Harmony said when she was sure the girls were once again themselves. "What did you see?" Unsurprisingly, it was Tor who answered.

"It will be ten days before the first of the winter storms begin to the south, Ma'am, " she responded. Both girls' wrists, when shown, bore the symbols of water. Harmony turned to Rabbit, a smile lighting her face.

"Now as you can see each serves Lord Tessian with they skills they possess to the benefit of the people, " Harmony began. "Do you understand this?" Rabbit nodded, still carefully keeping her face blank. "Good. Then why don't you show us what you can do?" Rabbit recognized that this was not a question, but a command and looked around the room. All eyes were on her as they waited. Harmony smiled again.

"As your workstation has not yet been created you may borrow from the others if there is something that you need to use." Rabbit nodded and began to walk between the other girls, looking. They smiled encouragement as she searched. It was in Mouse's space that she found something she could use.

Pushed to the side was a broken jar. It had been of thick green glass with many bubbles of air trapped beneath its surface. It looked as though one of the bubbles had been too close to the surface and caused it to break. Next to the broken glass was a cracked box that looked as though it belonged to a lady's dressing table set.

The box, probably designed for a powder of some sort, had been decorated with various pieces of colored glass. The crack had caused many of these pieces to come loose. She picked up both of the pieces and turned to Mouse. She held the two pieces out and raised her eyebrow in question. Mouse nodded and Rabbit smiled her thanks. Rabbit looked around for a place to work and Harmony indicated one of the empty work tables.

Rabbit took her two pieces to the workstation. She placed them on the table. A chair was placed behind the table and Rabbit seated herself. The others walked over and stood in a semicircle around the front of the desk, watching to see what she would do. Rabbit took a deep breath and separated the glass pieces. She decided simple was better and picked up one of the pieces of green glass. The piece she chose had been part of the bottom of the jar and was nearly as thick as her smallest finger.

'Shoddy workmanship, ' she thought to herself. It was about as big around as the center of her palm. She cupped her hands around it and allowed her fire to turn the glass molten. Slowly she pulled the glass upwards, stretching and shaping as she moved. She stretched the glass thin so the green was translucent. She smoothed the bubbles in the glass out as she went.

Gently she placed the base on the table and continued to work stretching the glass into a graceful vase nearly two feet tall. Rabbit curved the neck of the vase so that it arched like the neck of a goose. At the top, she split the glass into fourths, like the petals of a flower.

With her right hand she picked up a bit of yellow glass that had been tinted to look like gold. She placed it between her thumb and forefinger as if she were getting ready to write with it. She warmed the glass so that it was nearly ready to drip. Into each of the four pieces at the top she allowed the golden glass to streak the center of the green glass. She placed the remaining gold glass down, allowing it to cool.

Rabbit turned her attention back to the vase and the glass petals she had created. One at a time she pulled each of the petals down and away from the top, opening the flower. She then curled the glass around her finger like a decorative ribbon for a package. She curled it around the vase in a slanted pattern and attached the end to the base. She did the same for each petal turning them into ribbons. The yellow was alternately visible and hidden, flashing brightly against the green.

When she was finished, she cooled the glass and pulled her hands away. She looked over her piece, turning it around and looking for flaws. It wasn't the most elaborate thing she had done but she thought it might be impressive enough that Harmony would be pleased and not delve for any more skills.

Rabbit let out her breath, leaned back and looked at Harmony. As the other girls had, she turned her wrist up. Five sets of eyes dropped to her wrist while Harmony continued to stare at the vase. She saw surprise on most of the faces. Mentally, she shrugged. Of the four talents, Fire was the rarest.

"Well, " Harmony said, sounding a little breathless. "I think we know where all of our broken glass will be going. May I?" she asked, reaching for the vase. Rabbit nodded.

Harmony touched the surface lightly as if afraid it would still be too hot to grasp. Finding it cool, she picked it up, turning it around and around in her hands. She was careful to be very gentle with it and Rabbit realized that while she hadn't seen an extensive amount of glass in the castle most of it was a similar quality to the broken jar she had used to shape her vase, making her work seem very fine and delicate. "Can you use things other than glass?" Harmony asked. Rabbit nodded slowly.

"Metal?" Again she nodded. "Stone?" Another nod, this one more hesitant as Rabbit hoped she would not ask about non artistic uses. Harmony's smile widened. "Well that is a nice trick. I am sure Lord Tessian will be pleased when I show this to him.