#anywhere

Meanwhile, in another part of the farm, Emmit nearly jumps out of his skin to turn, see nothing but horizon, then turn again and find his student there!

Zara sweeps into a bow of greeting. "Mountain."

"I... I would speak to you. I spied something of concern. My proof is thin, for it was revealed by symbol and soothsay..."

"Well, I'm always one for hearing one out, even if i don't always understand. Private matter I'm guessing?" He is leading her further from hustle and bustle of chores and labor in the farm

Zara nods. "It is a matter of Art."

"And we're not talking painting, that I gathered. Normally I'd invite you to tea, but I think we should get to the brass tacks." They have approached a part of the stream, water rushing means anyone else stumbling on to it will still not be close enough to hear her whispers

"I... well, I think you know something of Siv?"

"Sure do" He smiles "She prefers the sea to grain, but has visited afew times. Amazing girl, mystery origin so to speak... bearer of the phantom fate... a trait not everyone wants to say the least but can be useful. Frustrating, but useful. You clearly know the girl yourself." A frown "This about her coma? I've offered to try to wake her up but the folks of RV politely declined"

Zara nods. "Upon hearing of her difficulties, I investigated further. A Leanhuan has been harassing Rivervale, nu?"

A scowl "Poor Frank"

"And so, in my scrying, mine eyes laid upon one of the Leanhaun's vassals for a second time. The first was from before Siv's injuries - she appears innocuous, as boggans are wont, but she did sense my tattletale. I was able to divert her gaze with a red herring..."

"In truth, being able to fuddle a cantrip might be the most useful little trick I know.... more effective than trying to fuddle the caster...." A sigh. "Regardless. So - I spotted this boggan again, in a raucous crowd of Harpists. And... I witnessed her, frustrated, in an attempt to snitch a personal anchor from an unsuspecting mark. Certainly, I understand the value of such connections for casting. It is common practice for soothsayers..."

"Once a part always a part" he grunts "or.. well, I believe there's praise in some of the old hebrew for one with wisdom to burned clipped toenails?"

"Oh, I am quite mindful of my.. trailings, aye. But... here is my concern. Here is what I saw when I cast an omen upon her - I saw the boggan scooping up letters in her hands, peddling them. And then I understood the energy I had sensed before. I.. I believe she is a Namer, one skillful enough to Sain... who collects names from the unwary, steals them to enrich her own power."

"This... this seems wrong..."

A scowl, "it's .. it can be very wrong. There's a trust in volved in what we do. When we sain, we do ceremony of it for a reason. Now, every namer gathers names now and then... but not like you're at a grocery store filling a cart"

Zara nods.

"I am... unsure if she gathers them for herself only, or for her Mistress."

"But... but I believe, either way, she gathers them for her own gain."

"The latter alarms me even more" He scowls "But you know how I feel about nobles. Leanhuan are likable but that's a trap. You can't let them near your dreamers or..." he stops himself, "I'm sorry, Zara. Old leopard has trouble changing spots, but more over you KNOW all this. Yes, you're right to be worried. But..what's this to do with Siv?"

"Siv asked my help before, to scry upon the Leanhuan."

"When Siv was injured, when I heard of the coma, I went searching for more information."

"That is what led me to the Boggan once more. And then.. the vision."

"It may even be how she's sensed someone watching her? Namers as you know have a feel for each other. As your expertise grows, so does it. And while you're no doubt the more powerful seer, she sounds like she might be a more powerful namer.. .how's your ward work coming?"

"Better, I think! I wonder if, perhaps, anxiety was a block..."

He ponders "Possible. We're not will workers, we ARE the magic, so when we feel bottled up, trapped, it can hinder us in other outlets."

Zara nods. "I've been experimenting on 1122. He's been very indulgent. Since I have few.. ah.. active magics, it can be hard to just try and see if a blast bounces off."

"1122 is a brave little sucker. Pretty sure his design was based on a Iowa spider" Said with certainty comprable to Zara declaring the Mets the best "Okay, let's turn this into a lesson. I think you're close"

1122 scuttles up to the top of Zara's head, preening.

A sluaghish sigh, shrug, and smile.

"Good man" Emmit declares to hte spider "now, Zara...Let's work on area wards.. wardss on nothing... it's a fine windy day... so I want you to imagine if the wind were a wall..."

She extends her hand, closing her eyes and feeling the breeze. "A wall too fast and fierce for aught to penetrate...."

A nod "You feel it then, sense it... the qualities you want in it that can lend themselves to a barrier. "

"Difficult, to do such a large area... " She frowns. "I've managed a room or so in scope..."

"You're thinking of it wrong" he says "The sky is too big for you to handle..true. The wind seems everywhere... but it's not, like currents of water, there are currents of air... so ... if wind were walls, that stands to reason...you are in the open, but you are also IN a room... a room sized to your ability. Visualize it"

She frowns, concentrating.

She begins to see the wind as having currents... as having layers.. and some of those layers are right on top of her....others further out

A frown and she shakes her head. "No."

"No, see, I could..." She digs in her bag, finding a small knife. She stalks away from Emmitt and cuts a rune into the dirt. Then paces off in another direction for a second...third... sixth.... two overlapping triangles to make a star...

"All right" he says and lets her do it her way

"There is 'wind', aye... and water and spirit and fire and earth and one more for glamour itself... balanced, nu?" A stubborn whisper. Ah, the power of spite.

"Then, see, they reinforce each other - in threes." She cuts a circle to connect the runes, enclosing an area. "There is a barrier..."

Emmit smiles "If you mote it be I suppose it must be..." He says "But there will come a time when you must find the balnce within a thing by itself, and not just the greater picture, when you must look to the oak alone even though it be in a forest. But make your ward your way..." he taps the barrier she made "For it works. Nicely done"

"But nothing is alone. The oak is the acorn and the rotten log."

"Sometimes you have to appreciate the maiden as the maiden, and not base her worth on the wisdom of the crone or the kindness of the mother" Emmit says "Otherwise, you miss out on so much magic"

"She is both. As we are many multitudes."

"Try it this way... the letter Z is part of the alphabet, but that doesnt' mean it doesn't have power and purpose just in its Z ness" A wink

"Aye... but Zara is not Zenobia."

"And the wind is not the sky, but one should admire it's power anyway, and can use it. " A smile

"I understand... but to have the name of the wind is to have the wind..."