Turdas, the twentieth of Last Seed, the year two hundred and two of the fourth era
College of Winterhold
This last week has been nothing less than a dream come true. Faralda, the woman who was standing “guard”, as she put it, gave me a simple spell casting test to see my magical ability. I passed with flying colors, I think. For the first couple days, she was hard to read, but I think she was impressed? I can at least say that I was impressed with myself as I had only practiced that spell once, just days before my arrival.
I fell in love with the grounds almost simultaneously as I was shown around the College. It was far different than what I imagined from hearing in all the stories, but they did manage to capture at least one of it’s elements. The snow. It is truly like a permanent winter up here, and the more time I am here, the colder it seems to get. But at the same time, I don’t seem to be shivering near as much as I was in my first couple days.
Faralda has taken quite an interest in me, as well. From what I have seen, none of the master mages take such an interest in individual apprentices. They just teach and advise the students as best they can. However, Faralda, she’s become more than just a teacher to me. She’s begun to mentor me, and I suppose has taken me under her wing. Not only that, she seems to actually enjoy my company. I can only say the same, I find myself respecting her more and more day after day. I look up to her, and wish that one day I can be as wise and intelligent as she, and more importantly - as skilled. I wouldn’t like to say that I idolize somebody here so soon, but I think in not saying it or at least acknowledging it I would be lying to myself. It’s as if she’s known me for years, watching me grow and learn into the woman I am now. What I’d imagine having an elder sister, or perhaps even a mother would feel like.
I can tell the other apprentices hold some resentment towards me because of our relationship, like they think I am getting special treatment or something. According to Faralda, “none of them have shown the slightest amount of interest or care in learning as you do, darling. If they wanted to learn or be taught as much or as diligently as you, what is stopping them from joining us? I’ve never said that these are our own private expeditions.” So I guess it’s not so much special treatment as it is more diligent teachings. So I pay no mind, if they want to learn and practice as much as me, it’s their responsibility. Nobody else’s.
We talk and have bonded a lot, especially while outside of the college on certain training expeditions and practicing sessions. Trading stories, and experiences and just learning about each other. I haven’t been as close with a person since my father passed. In fact, she is the only person I have ever told or talked to about my father. I think that is the catalyst in bringing us as close as we are now.
She’s giving a lecture this morning on The College of Whispers after Tolfdir gives a brief lesson to the new apprentices who came in yesterday. One of them is somebody everyone is calling the Dragonborn. Which, from my understanding, defeated the World Eater when he returned late last year. I thought it was mere rumor, however all the evidence proves otherwise. And according to Faralda, apparently that isn’t the only title of importance that he holds. The list of his accomplishments seems fairly long, and upon arrival Mirabelle escorted him, his companion and a troll clad in iron out of the college. “You can return when you don’t have such a foul creature, and foul mouthed Orsimer with you,” was all I heard of the confrontation. One of the new apprentices, a nord called Onmund I believe, said something about the Dawnguard and their usage of trolls as the man left. Nothing of importance to me, however. I don’t intend on introducing myself to him this morning, having to talk to the three yesterday was redundant, as soon they too will resent me.
I shouldn’t wait any longer if I wish to speak to Faralda before her lecture.
--
“Good morning dear,” Faralda spoke in warm greeting, “how has the morning been treating you?”
“Fairly well,” Lilium responded cheerfully, “I had time to turn my books back into Urag before I found you. I was thinking I read up on Saarthal again this evening after we practice this afternoon. Tolfdir probably told you he’s taking the apprentices to the dig-site tomorrow. I wanted a refresher on the ruins before I headed down there to help him and Arniel babysit.”
“Yes, he indeed told me,” she responded, holding the door to the Hall of the Elements open for Lilium as she followed, “but don’t worry about reading about that gunk of nordic reclamation again, you are a veritable expert on the subject. As with most other things you have read about this week.”
Lilium nodded in understanding, following back in at the mer’s side and looking to her face. “Any particular reason why? You know how I am.”
“Yes. ‘Preparation is a mage’s first line of defense, even if it isn’t needed’,” she interrupted Lilium’s line of thought, “as much as I love it when you quote me dear, it isn’t necessary as you will be with me tomorrow.”
Faralda stopped walking when she met the center circle of the hall, turning to make eye contact with her, before smiling and sitting down on it’s ledge.
“Yes, I am aware Tolfdir requested your aid specifically to ‘babysit’, as you so eloquently put it,” she spoke with a chuckle, gesturing Lilium to take a seat next to her, “but Savos and I agree that you can be put to better use, as this ‘Dragonborn’ character will be more than enough to keep them all safe.”
Lilium sat down next to Faralda, not breaking her gaze as they conversed. “Well what is that we will be doing tomorrow?”
“I’ve arranged a carriage to take us to Solitude after my lecture,” she stated shortly, absent-mindedly taking off her bag, and removing her books and notes out in preparation of her speaking, “Savos has asked me and Sergius to take some enchanted items to the Blue Palace. Elisif had some things enchanted here, and they need an escort. She’s also requested we stay for a meal to update her on the College.”
“Let me guess,” Lilium interjected with a role of her eyes, “Sergius has ‘too many orders to complete’, and ‘can’t possibly leave when his skills are in such high demand’.”
Faralda smirked with a slight chuckle and nod, “as usual, Savos avoided the argument by tasking me with selecting another one of the master mages to come with me.”
Lilum’s eyes widened, and her heart began to beat with anticipation. She had a sense as to what Faralda was asking of her, and her mind fluttered in excitement at the thought. Had she already proven she was capable of more senior tasks?
“I convinced Savos to allow me to invite you in joining me,” Faralda nodded at her to confirm her thoughts, “I believe you are more than capable enough to begin more adept level training, as you’ve already surpassed the even senior apprentices in the mere eight days you’ve been here. Savos agreed, and gave me the blessing. So, my dear Lily, are you up for a little adventure?”
The tone of her mentor’s voice was playful and seductive, it sent a shiver of excitement up Lily’s spine. She stared into the Altmers eyes, feeling her own glowing with admiration. She couldn’t believe that she had made such strides this early on. Strides early enough that her Archmage acknowledged them, and more importantly, her mentor. Lilium could only muster a small nod of excitement, as her eyes began to water. Am I making you proud too, father?
“Oh,” Faralda spoke in gentle surprise, embracing the young mer in a hug, “darling, it’s alright! Don’t cry, by the divines!”
“I’m sorry, I’m just,” Lilium sat back, looking at Faralda once more, she smiled sincerely, “I think my father would be- I think he’d proud, don’t you think?”
Faralda did nothing but nod, and hug her once more. “Of course he would, Lily. Now let’s stop the tears, I don’t want you to make me misty while I’m speaking!”
Before long, the hall began to fill with student mages. Lilium, like Faralda, leveled her emotions out and prepared for the lecture. She sat in the very same spot, next to where Faralda had been sitting. In her stead, was a pile of her mentors books and notes. Lilium watched as the master mage paced back and forth, looking from her feet to the tall ceiling of the hall while thinking. As she was prepping for her words for the small group of apprentices, Lilium picked up one of the books in her pile, and began to flip through it. It had no formal title, and it’s pages were poorly scribbled and filled in. What an obscure little tome, she thought, shortly getting bits and pieces of it’s writings. Some vague little nonsense capturing the Synod, nothing more than what Faralda was surely going to be discussing.
“If everyone is here, let’s begin,” Faralda raised her voice, hushing the the quiet conversation filling the hall. Lilium scanned the room, it seemed all the apprentices had come to listen. Only the new faces caught her attention though, though she knew they would only eventually join the rest of the faces in the college’s every day functioning.
They had all gathered on the stair steps that surrounded the center ring Lilium sat on, and quickly her eyes found the four newcomers. Onmund, the nord, was an awkwardly charming looking young man. As he fumbled over himself sitting down next to the dunmer woman, Lilium could see his clumsiness flow into his whispered words as he introduced himself to her quietly. The young mer simply grinned a friendly grin, and nodded at the clumsy man before turning a blind eye. Lilium respected her response to Onmund, she too quickly ignored the man’s attempt to speak too much in her direction; talking to a man nervously fumbling over his words while clearly staring at her body rather than her eyes, was not within the realm of enjoyment for her. The new Khajiit sat on the other side of the young dunmer, and as her eyes fell on him he finished speaking to the man next to him; the nord they called “Dragonborn”. He was a brutish looking man, clad in ugly, dented armor. She looked at him briefly, before finally letting her eyes fall back onto her mentor just before she began.
“It is no secret that both the Synod and the College of Whispers have recently made inquiries as to the status of our College here in Winterhold. At this time, there is no indication that either group is aware of the other's correspondence. The College of Winterhold has thus far declined requests for direct meetings. This has been at the specific request of Arch-Mage Aren,” she started in more stern a voice than Lilium had expected, “Aren believed that although the initial communications were innocent enough, they were sent with a particular motive in mind. The Synod's harsh rules and draconian structure are maintained only by suppressing any opposition to their Council's policies. It is entirely possible that they look to our College here in Winterhold in order to find supporters for their organization. Likewise, the College of Whispers has long been driven by its desire to directly oppose the Synod. They focus on research banned by the Synod, such as Conjuration and Necromancy. The College of Whispers hopes to learn that our College also supports these avenues of research. Thus they may claim that the Synod is indeed a political minority in the Empire and should be treated as such.”
A slight shuffling tore Lilium’s attention away from her mentor, and she scanned the seated apprentices. The Dragonborn had not so quietly stood up, dragging J’zargo up with him and trampled their way out of the hall without any attempt to be quiet. Some hero, she thought, shaking her head in quiet disdain. Looking back at Faralda, she could see her gaze follow the hero as well, with a glare of offense before she looked in Lilium’s direction for agreement of their disapproval. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who felt slight annoyance for his lack of common decency or respect for learning.
“Our actual position and policies are irrelevant. No matter the facts of the response, it will certainly be twisted to suit the whims of either group. Indeed, it has been jokingly suggested that we send the exact same response to both, which each will warp into support for their side. At present, these two groups do little beyond attempting to gain the attention and favor of the Emperor. They appear to have little interest in real study and research for the sake of gaining knowledge,” Faralda continued after a deep sigh, “Arch-Mage Aren believes that their conflict poses a significant threat to the autonomy of our College, and I concur. Falling in with either would threaten to draw much unwanted attention to our College. If either group goes through less official channels and attempt to contact you directly, please refer them to the College's Master Wizard. Say as little as possible so as to avoid compromising our neutral position.”
The look on Faralda’s face as she found her conclusion, was a mixture of happiness and relief, was she excited to leave as well? “Thank you all for sitting in on this rather brief lesson, and welcome to all the new faces we have here with us. If you all would like to head up to the Arcaneum, Urag is going to be giving a brief lecture before helping you all with finding the right books for your studies, if not, have a nice day. And work hard!”
The master mage quickly stepped back towards Lilium with a content little grin, and patted her on the shoulder before sitting down next to her. As she started to shove her tomes back within her bag, Lilium draped a grateful arm around her shoulders and began to hum a random little tune. The excitement that was emanating off of her master radiated out of her like waves of warmth, comforting Lilium as she hummed. Before long, Faralda rested her head on Liliums shoulders joining her hum briefly before the two broke out into a short giggle.
“Come with me while I drop these off in my quarters?” Faralda invited. Lilium nodded happily, and stood up with a skip following after her mentor.
When they got to her chambers, Lilium sat in one of the chairs around the perimeter of the room and watched her mentor put her traveling gear on over her robes. Lilium quivered suddenly, as the thought of traveling popped up in her head. She had no clothes outside of her robes now. The clothes that were virtually rags by the time she had arrived had been thrown out as soon as she was able to change into her current attire, but all she could remember was how cold it was outside, and how warm those rags had kept her. At least they had a thick wool cloak, Lilium thought in slight panic. Mid thought, a black fur cloak landed in her lap shaking her focus back to reality.
“You threw away the only one you had,” Faralda said kindly, as Lilium looked up at her gratefully, “this one is better and you can have it, I already have one. See?”
Lilium stared at her as she twirled around, the fur now draped around her frame caught the air as she spun. “Thank you so much. I will take good care of it, I promise.”