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I came up with the basic idea for this story about a year ago, I think, but I didn't have the characters or the setting to write it. Once I figured out who the story was about and where it took place, I wrote it. It's set in the Avalon Chain, on one of the smaller islands. I've done some basic editing on it, but not very much.
Happy Reading!

            Home.
            Miryam strained forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the guild house . She was one of the few Mages to be born in a guild - both her parents were Mages as well - and she had spent her entire life at the main guild on Lapsi.
            A sharp pain on the back of her head made her whimper.
            “You remember my instructions?” her master twisted his hand in her hair painfully as she nodded. “If you are seen, you will be punished. Severely.”
            “Yes, Master.” when he let go, she staggered away, gently rubbing her head. She took a seat and avoided looking at the crew members manning the transport.
            It was another fifteen minutes until they arrived at the guild house. Tenley stared down at her before he swept off. The crew members disembarked noisily, eager to visit friends and get a drink before the trip back to the capital. Miri couldn’t move though. Three years was a long time to be gone.
            After maybe ten minutes, she finally stood and made her way off the transport. They were just inside the guild property, on a large field. The path led up to the main building and she followed it as far as the garden. She couldn’t bring herself to go inside the guild house, not when she was supposed to be hidden from everyone. Miri had trained as an Ambassador but she always loved the gardens. She worked in the herb garden, weeding it and such. The Healers always appreciated the help. That was her destination now. 
            Her master would be occupied for at least an hour; he was giving his report on the most recent goblin attack and then the Council would likely ask about her progress. If she were lucky, maybe he’d say she was ready for her trials. And once she passed her trials, she could come home again and find Aidan and make sure that Tenley never took another apprentice.
            She knelt down in the herb garden and sighed softly. It was so peaceful here. She could hear everyone who walked by and it was good to remember voices. The path to the main garden led right past the herb garden and she found a seat where no one could see her, but she could see everyone as they walked by.
            “I don’t see how I’ll make it, Master.”
            “Aidan, trust me, you’ll do fine.” there was a slight chuckle and Miri pulled back slightly. The movement caught Aidan’s eye and he froze.
            “Aidan? What-”
            Barely in time, Miri pulled the elements together in the intricate form for the disguise spell her master taught her. The air shimmered slightly as Aidan stepped into the herb garden.
            “Aidan, what’s going on?” Steven, Aidan’s master, was right after him, frowning.
            “I thought . . . Miri . . .” Aidan covered his face with his hands. “I thought I saw her. Really saw her.”
            Steven’s gaze swept the garden, his eyes hardening. “Aidan, if she really loved you, she’d have contacted you.”
            Miryam nearly spoke up at that but she couldn’t risk her master’s wrath so she kept herself quiet. If he only knew . . .
            “No. There’s something wrong.” Aidan glared at the ground and kicked at a rock. “She did try to contact me and she was terrified of something. I’m going to find her as soon as I pass my tests.”
            Steven glanced around the garden again, his eyes narrowed slightly but he followed his apprentice out without a word.
            Once they were gone, Miri sank to the ground and fought back tears. When she was fifteen, her master had died and she’d returned to the guild house. Not a  week after that, Tenley came to her room and told her to pack her things. They left before noon and she’d never been allowed back. He didn’t even let her contact her family. The one time she’d tried, he’d punished her. She still had a scar on her arm from that beating. And now she only had a year, at the most, until she was free. If she could just wait it out and then explain to Aidan . . . He was a Pixie though, and Pixies were very loyal so she had a pretty good chance at winning him back.
            “I hope you have a good reason for breaking Aidan’s heart.”
            Miri jerked up and found herself staring into Steven’s cold gray eyes. He was standing in the entrance to the garden, arms crossed over his chest. She shrank away from his gaze for a minute before tossing her head. He had no idea what she was living through.
            “Trust me, Master Steven, it is most certainly not my choice.” She stared back at him evenly. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to go.” She tried to push past him but Steven grabbed her arm.
            “Oh no you don’t.” He pushed her back. “You will tell me what’s going on.”
            He couldn’t know how tempting that was. To tell someone - someone with authority, someone who could change the situation - that was the perfect solution. No one would let Tenley continue with his treatment of her and she could come home again.
            Too bad it was impossible.
            “I can’t.” she looked down, plucking at her tunic. Those were the only words she could squeeze past the block on her throat. “I - I . . . can’t.”
            There was a long pause and Miri looked up nervously. Steven still had his arms folded across his chest but his eyes were speculative now, not angry. “You can’t tell me. Miryam, can you tell the Grand Master?”
            “No. I can’t tell anyone what -” she choked to a stop and squeezed her eyes shut. “I can’t tell anyone.”
            She saw a hand coming toward her and instinctively knocked it away, scrambling back a few steps before she looked up. Steven was staring at her again.
            “Miryam, you have to tell me what’s going on. I can’t help you if you won’t tell me. Unless . . .” he stopped, his eyes widening. “Don’t move. I won’t hurt you.” He gently tipped her head to the side; there was no way he could miss the black eye. She covered it up pretty well but it was still apparent to someone who knew what to look for. “Did he do that?” He didn’t wait for an answer. Closing his eyes, he focused on the elements and Miri could feel the familiar tingling warmth of Spirit rushing through her. “Stars above . . .” Steven jerked back, looking angry again but Miri knew he wasn’t angry at her. “Stay here.” he ordered before running from the garden.
            She sat on the ground again, anxiously braiding a strand of hair. He couldn’t have missed the Compulsion either. Any apprentice would have seen it, had he done the probing. She squelched the seed of hope that was forming because Tenley could most likely worm his way out of this but maybe . . . Just maybe she’d be allowed home again.
            When Steven returned, the Grand Master accompanied. He was an older man, with gray hair and faded blue eyes. He had a gentle face and a tall, lean body and at the moment, he was frowning. “Steven, what is going on?”
            “Please, Master, just do the probe. I need you to verify my suspicions.” Steven had calmed down by now and his gray eyes were intense. The Grand Master shook his head and turned to Miri.
            “If I may, child.” he put a hand on her head and closed her eyes. Once again, she felt the Spirit probe and shivered. “Is that a Compulsion?” The tired blue eyes widened in shock. “On an Apprentice?”
            She couldn’t even nod and that proved it. The Grand Master narrowed his eyes and put his hand on her head again, this time to remove the Compulsion. “Tell me what he’s been doing to you.”
            “He’s been . . . He hit me, Grand Master. My eye . . .and . . .” she pushed her sleeve up, revealing the ugly bruise on her arm. She couldn’t show them her back, that would be improper, but Tenley had used a whip on her once and it left nasty scars. “He wouldn’t let me contact anyone, not even my parents. And he put the Compulsion on me so I couldn’t tell anyone about his methods.” She gasped in relief. It was wonderful to tell someone. “Please don’t make me go back.”
            “Of course not, child.” the Grand Master gently squeezed her unhurt arm and turned to Steven. “We must detain Tenley until the child can give an official record and we can confront him.”
            “Oh, allow me.” Steven smiled grimly. “No one should treat an apprentice like that. I’ll be more than happy to spar him and teach him a lesson.”
            The men walked back toward the guild house and Miri trailed after them, hardly able to breathe. She could see her parents . . . Aidan . . .
            “What did I tell you?” Tenley’s furious voice cut into her thoughts and something yanked her backwards by her wrist. She tried to pull free but Tenley tightened his grip and knocked her to the ground. “You will regret this when we return.”
            “I’m sorry! I’m sorry, please . . . Let me go . . . You’re hurting me . . .” she whimpered, struggling back to her knees. Tenley backhanded her, knocking her down again.
            “Release the child. Now.” the Grand Master walked up. His eyes were blazing and instead of the kindly man he’d seemed in the garden, he was a stern master. “You have no right to treat her that way.”
            “She is my apprentice, Master. I treat her as I see fit.” Tenley tightened the thread of air on her wrist and there was a sharp, nauseating pain in her arm. Her wrist was broken. She froze, cradling her arm against her chest.
            She missed the next part, hearing only a loud thud and looked up to see Steven on top of Tenley, pummeling his face. The Grand Master coughed softly and Steven reluctantly stood.
            “Take him to the guardhouse, Steven. Do not harm him any further.” the Grand Master eyed Steven sternly. The two men disappeared and Miri tried to stand only to sink back to the ground.
            “I can’t . . . ugh . . .” she closed her eyes. She was going to throw up her breakfast in front of the Grand Master.
            “Here, child, I -”
            “Let me.” A gentle hand took Miri’s arm and she opened her eyes. Aidan was crouched beside her. He helped her stand and wrapped an arm around her. “I’ll take care of her, Grand Master.”
            She thought the Grand Master laughed, but she wasn’t sure. “Aidan . . . I’m sorry. He didn’t let me . . . I couldn’t . . .”
            “Shh. It doesn’t matter.” Aidan kissed her forehead. “I’m taking you to the Healer’s Wing and we’ll get you fixed right up. We can talk after that.” he smiled at her. “Welcome home.”