When Vynera reached her late teens, the young men of the village really started to take notice. She had been a pretty child, and she was fortunate enough to have her looks last, though not without that awkward stage in between. Still, as much as she was an attractive match on multiple fronts, she didn’t seem to share that interest with any of the young men in the village. With earnest kindness, she turned down all their attempts to initiate a courtship. While a few of them grumbled that she had become too proud for everyone, most people ignored this line of thinking. Vynera gave everyone the same explanation; she couldn’t give a potential husband the attention he deserved and do her job, and she was unwilling to give her job up. Different men gave up sooner than others, or tried different tactics, but nothing seemed to make her budge. Eventually Vynera’s mother stepped in, just to assess the situation.

“You’re a young woman now, Vynera. Maybe you should think of finding a nice young man and settling down. A lot of girls your age have already done so.”

“No mother, that would be selfish.” Vynera’s reply was serene.

“How is marriage selfish?”

“If I got married, I would have to decide between my practice and my husband. If I chose my husband, it wouldn’t be fair to the people who put their faith in me. If I chose my practice, that wouldn’t be fair to my husband, or any children we might have.” Vynera’s mother dropped the subject; she couldn’t tell Vynera that it wouldn’t come down to that choice, and she had a feeling Vynera wasn’t likely to have a change of heart any time soon. The subject of marriage was never raised again by her mother.

Slowly, one by one, the young men got the hint and looked for partners elsewhere. Vynera’s parents hadn’t been certain over whether or not they should encourage these suitors. Certainly, those of status would enhance their family’s standing, but, if Vynera had picked someone of poor means or reputation, it would have had the opposite effect. So, they watched quietly, and hoped for the best. The outcome wasn’t particularly desirable, but nothing terrible had happened either. However, she was their only child, and the family line would end if she did nothing. She was still young, and there was still hope, so they held back and encouraged her to keep working.

Satisfied that Vynera knew enough to keep her out of danger, Menym took a journey to look for other apprentices. His farewell was brief, and fairly unemotional on his part, though he did have a certain fondness for all his students. But, as he explained to her, there could be other young people out there in need of guidance, and though she would miss him, Vynera understood. She had her obligations, and he had his. She only hoped, as she told him, that he would return at some point to teach her more, or at least let her know that he was safe and well.

Perhaps it was fate, or perhaps it was poor timing, or perhaps it was by machinations, but less than a year after Menym’s departure, a new face arrived in town. In contrast to Vynera, he was tall and dark, and rather handsome as well. A lot of the young women paid him attention rather quickly, but while he was courteous to all of them, he didn’t seem interested in any of them in particular. However, he came across Vynera one day while she was tending to the injured paw of a dog belonging to one of the local children.

“What noble work you’re doing, my dear. Is this a hobby of yours?” Vynera looked up to see an unknown man gazing back at her. The voice he used to speak to her with was deep and velvety. At a glance Vynera knew he wasn’t from her town. She felt a flutter in her heart that she refused to acknowledge as any sort of attraction to the stranger. Yet, she couldn’t help but flush slightly.

“No, it’s my job.”

“Job? What does an attractive girl like you have a job for? I would expect a line up of eager men willing to court you.” The stranger sat next to Vynera, who had busied herself with finishing her job on the puppy. A few minutes later the task was completed.

“No, nothing like that,” Vynera said, not considering the truth in the past as applying to the present. “I find my work more important than men and marriage. I think more people are benefited that way. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to return this puppy to its owner.” Vynera curtsied politely, scooped the puppy up in her arms, and left the company of the stranger. It didn’t occur to her that his words were belittling in any way; the attitude was echoed by many people in her village, so she thought nothing of it.

The stranger’s first meeting with Vynera seemed completely incidental, but he seemed to leave an impression on her nonetheless. When she was alone, she found herself wondering who he was, though she convinced herself it was simply because outsiders were uncommon in the village. Days later she was surprised to find the stranger standing beneath a tree nearby the place she had first seen him. She smiled a greeting. The stranger leaned against the tree and smiled back. Again Vynera felt a flutter; again she ignored it.

“Hello again. The other day we parted company without properly introducing ourselves. My name’s Gerrest, and you are?” Gerrest held out a hand to Vynera.

“Vynera. Pleased to meet you.” Vynera took the hand and Gerrest shook it.

“Vynera; what a pretty name.” The compliment, while pleasant, didn’t affect Vynera much. So far she was feeling mostly distant, though with some mild curiosity upon meeting someone new.

“You’re not from around here, are you?” she asked, just to confirm that she hadn’t somehow missed him in all this time.

“Actually, I just moved in a couple weeks ago. My family said it was a mistake, but I disagree.”

“Why is that?” Vynera didn’t think twice about asking the question; there was nothing artful in the way she said it.

“Because I met you here, of course.” Vynera blushed. No one ever spoke to her like this before. She tried to hide her face so Gerrest couldn’t see her blush, but it was too late. Gerrest glimpsed the lovely rose color of Vynera’s flushed face.

“Don’t hide; your face is such a pretty one, especially with that tint you just gave it.”

“Excuse me, I must go. Mother’s expecting me.” Vynera stood up and hurried home. Gerrest grinned as he watched Vynera retreat. Vynera ran home to her mother and explained about the past two meetings with Gerrest. Her mother encouraged Vynera to spend more time with Gerrest and make up her own mind about how she felt. Secretly she was pleased that her daughter was finally showing some interest, but she didn’t want to risk pushing her away by mistake. Vynera stored this advice in the back of her mind and went back to work.

A few weeks later Gerrest showed up at the small building off to the side of Vynera’s house that she used for her work. At this time Vynera was busy restoring the sight to a little girl’s cat. Gerrest stood quietly in the doorway and waited. When the little girl, overjoyed at the recovery of her cat, left, Gerrest quietly entered the room. Again Vynera blushed and felt a curious joy at seeing him again.

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“We meet again, fair Vynera.” Vynera only nodded, not quite knowing what to say. She put out her hand for Gerrest to shake. Instead he took it, brought it gently up to his lips, and kissed it. Vynera flushed even more and slowly took her hand back, unsure of how to respond. Gerrest saved her the trouble. “And how is Vynera today?”

“I’m doing well.” She didn’t trust herself to say anything else.

“It pleases me to hear that. And does Vynera work all day, or does she ever take time off for herself?”

“N-no, I don’t work all day.”

“Then would you care to spend some time with me?”

“I would like that, Gerrest.” Vynera agreed, smiling slightly, before she had a chance to second-guess herself. By the time she realized it was unusual of her to agree, it was already too late.

“Shall we?” With easy grace, he offered his arm to Vynera, and she hooked her arm through his. Together they left the building.

“Where are we going?” Despite her assurances that she didn’t work all day, Vynera didn’t spend a lot of free time wandering about the village.

“That’s for you to decide, my dear.”

“Would you like me to show you around?” Vynera knew there wasn’t a lot to see, but she had lived in the village her whole life. All her memories were there, and she didn’t realize how vast the outside world was.

“Sounds good to me.”

Everyone in Nornstad was surprised to find Vynera in the company of a man. It had already been determined that Vynera cared nothing for men and that she would remain disinterested for the rest of her life. Her heart, which had stood fast against all the local men, had somehow taken notice of this stranger. It was hard to tell how much of it was the time that had passed, the novelty of his arrival, or some other trait, hidden beneath the surface, that truly caught her attention. The local men were dissatisfied with this turn of events, but there was little they could do. They were simple village folk, and it would be unthinkable for them to turn a man out of the village, simply because he won a heart they had failed to stir.

The next day Vynera and Gerrest were spotted having a picnic in the park. As time passed, the two of them spent more and more time together. Vynera found herself captivated by him, and he seemed quite taken with her. But, he was slow to make his move at first, spending time with her, getting to know her, rather than working off the assumption that any young woman would have to marry someone, it was only a question of whom. Instead, he always treated her as if it was her choice completely, and he was simply waiting for the signal to sweep her off her feet. Still, Vynera was not so frail of spirit that she would abandon her convictions, and despite her attraction, her feet remained firmly planted on the ground. At least, at first. However, his patient persistence won her over in the end. Just as Vynera’s parents had worn away Menym’s resolve, so did this man wear away Vynera’s.

When Vynera finally admitted to herself that she had fallen for Gerrest, she put her whole heart into the matter. And in the beginning of the relationship, it seemed like an ideal match. They were both attractive, Gerrest seemed well off by his clothing and mannerisms, and Vynera was treasured by her village. Certainly a lot of gossip spread about them, mostly harmless speculation, until it was revealed that Gerrest was also a magic user. Vynera’s parents, unable to let go of their visions for their daughter, saw it as just another proof of their beliefs that Vynera was special and meant for great things. They definitely encouraged her to spend time with him, something that Vynera was all to willing to accommodate. And, unlike the young men of Nornstad, Gerrest never told Vynera that she would need to give up her magic practice. Instead, he did the exact opposite.

“Vynera, dear, don’t you ever get tired of your healing magic?” Gerrest asked this question one evening while they were rowing on a lake under the stars. It had been Gerrest’s idea and Vynera loved it. The scenery was so pretty that Vynera was completely enchanted by the illusion it created that they were the only two people in the world.

“No. Why should I?” Vynera idly swirled her hands in the cool water, causing it to ripple across the smooth surface.

“Because there are so many different kinds of magic. With magic there are so many places you can go and things you can do.”

“Why should I need all these things? I am content with my magic. Besides, I have you here with me. What more could I possibly want?” Vynera leaned back and gazed at the stars.

“You’re a bright girl, Vynera. I only thought you’d like to broaden your horizons. I guess I was wrong.” Gerrest sounded a little sad and hurt. Vynera frowned. She felt as though she had insulted Gerrest and hastened to remedy that. Sitting up and leaning forward, she clasped his hands her hers.

“How thoughtful of you! If you think it’s a good idea then I’ll try it. I shouldn’t have been so selfish; I’m sorry. You’ll forgive me, won’t you?”

“Of course dear.” Gerrest smiled and rowed the boat back to shore. He escorted Vynera to her house, received a good-night kiss, and went home. Already he was pondering what sort of magic he would introduce to Vynera. A smile lit up his face as he drifted to sleep.

It started out with simple elemental spells. Just like the healing spells accelerated the body’s natural process, basic elemental spells could adjust and direct the course of air, earth, fire, and water around them. Focusing the natural heat and light of the sun could create fires. Water could be made to move slower or faster, or divert its course. The wind could be stilled or gathered in force. The earth could be parted, or stacked. Each element had a slightly different feel to it, and it took Vynera a while to adjust to the sensation of using each. It was a little harder than her healing magic, which mostly relied on her starting something, while the target’s body did the rest. With elemental magic, she had to maintain her connection with the power for longer as she directed it, bending it to her will. Healing had made her feel useful, while pushing the elements made her feel powerful.

But the practical application of these powers felt less useful to Vynera. She knew that her healing did a lot of good. But setting fires was something a person could easily do with the right equipment. There were tools that could achieve most of what she could do with magic, and she knew that her resources were limited. When she questioned Gerrest about this, he said that the small cost was worth the knowledge and control she gained. They were necessary steps to achieve greater power, and that’s when the use would be greater. An example he showed her was using the power of earth and water to redirect a stream closer to the village, running an irrigation line straight through one of the major farms.

This show of power left the people of Nornstad in awe, especially Vynera’s parents. And they started to think that the old wizard had been rather miserly with his knowledge, withholding such things from their daughter. They easily forgot their earlier feelings of gratitude towards him, first for pointing out Vynera’s latent power, and then in training her to utilize that power. Instead they re-imagined him in a far less benevolent role. And, since he wasn’t there to defend himself, there was little to stop the downward spiral of their perception, for they never spoke of their dissatisfaction to their daughter. They wanted to keep her spirits high, not wanting to risk her falling into any kind of melancholy that would put off her suitor. All her life, Vynera had been slid neatly between who she was, and who her parents wanted her to be, pinning her in place.

Gerrest had taken Vynera neatly by the hand, playing her heart strings and filling her mind with knowledge. He gave much, and asked for little in turn except her attention. There was a fair bit of envy on both sides, for the young women of the village had also taken notice of Gerrest. But he seemed to ignore most of them, politely, but firmly. However, as Vynera’s powers grew, carefully cultivated, she started to feel a certain distance between herself and Gerrest. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but she sensed that something had shifted. She learned whatever he taught her very well, and not only her understanding of magic, and ability to wield it expanded, but her ability to anticipate where the lessons were going. She asked a lot of questions about what she was learning, and was able to put the information to use. And there was always something new to learn. Menym had never explained to her how many types of magic there were, and the many lesser classifications of each.