Daughter of Caerrorie

Several years ago I had started a project involving Camber's children
called
'The Children of Caerrorie.' It was to depict Evaine, Joram, etc.
during
their childhood at Caerrorie. I have already written stories on Joram
and
Cathan. They will soon be available on The Bard's Quill. However to
satiate
your appetite for fan fiction until the site is readily available for
more,
here is a very short story about Evaine. My news server is having
issues so I am posting from google groups. Please ignore any formatting
isues. Enjoy.


Daughter of Caerrorie



Evaine MacRorie watched her older brothers disappear down the hallway
of
their home. She had no desire to traipse after them when they were
attempting to imitate knights. Besides, she thought, they do a terrible
job
any way. She could hear them off in the distance pretending their
play-fighting. Mother would take care of them being so loud in the
castle.

She paused at her the door that led to her sleeping quarters. Looking
both
ways down the hallway furtively, Evaine stepped into her room quickly.
She
had other goals to accomplish this day. Although she was only twelve,
her
Deryni powers were coming into their own. Father had told her so. Now
was
the time to practice some of those spells she had longed to try.

She was a rapid learner. Most of the spells her father had taught her
had
been rather easily recalled. Jumping onto her bed, she sat cross-legged

facing away from the door. She inhaled slowly, and then let her breath
slip
through pursed lips calming her mind and nerves. Her father wanted her
to
practice, but he preferred that she practice in his presence. But more
times
than not, he was away on king's business. So she had to take every
advantage
to gain mastery of the spells she had learned form him.

Stretching forth her hand, silvery light exploded onto the palm of her
hand.
Pleased with her efforts, Evaine cast the handfire upwards away from
her
hand. The handfire floated smoothly until it was about a foot from her
hand.
The light cast the bed in silver hues. Shadows stole quietly to the
edge of
the room. She exhaled letting the light spill over her putting her into
a
tranquil state of mind. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on
maintaining
the handfire at its present level.

After a moment of meditation, she opened her eyes only to see the
handfire
had risen even higher. She smiled knowing she had done a good job; her
father would be proud. Letting the handfire dissipate, she longed to do
more
than making handfire rise. The thing she longed for the most was to get
into
the library to inspect her father's Deryni scrolls. Those intrigued
her. She
longed for the day when she could sit at her father's desk poring over
the
ancient words of Deryni mages.

In fact, she could steal into the library without anyone knowing. Her
brothers were off playing. Mother might be searching for her now, but
more
than likely she was dealing with those two rascals. The servants
wouldn't
say anything if she were to be seen going into the library. She had
gone in
the room many times with her father, and even without him. Nothing
would be
amiss to anyone if she were to be seen in the library.

The scrolls however were secreted away in her father's desk. That would
be
her undoing if she were caught. She had to come up with a story to make
it
plausible that she should be there. Moving to the edge of the bed, she
let
her legs hang over. She smoothed her dress as she stood.

"All I would have to say that father wanted me to study in his
absence," she
said out loud her voice surprising her. "Off to the library then."

Opening the door, she looked both ways to see no one before heading
toward
the library. She encountered only Umphred in passing. He said nothing
except
with a nod of his head. She smiled in return. Evaine knew she should be

ready to expect anything.

The library door stood open as she approached. Somehow she had to get
the
doors closed without drawing suspicion to those who passed. A fire
blazed in
the hearth. She looked around expecting to see someone, but no one was
in
sight. Odd that a fire was burning, she thought. Usually the only time
that
took place was when her father was home. She peered down the hallway,
but
nothing.

She closed the doors feeling guilty that she had contrived her
escapade.
There was nothing for it now, she was committed. Moving quickly to her
father's desk, she fingered the manuscripts gently feeling the Deryni
powers
within. That was probably her imagination running rampant with
excitement.
There were so many to choose from. Finally settling on a parchment, she

unrolled it to see that it needed translating to read it.

"Of course," she whispered. "The first one I pick needs translating."
Shaking her head in disbelief, she continued on. Her father had taught
her
the necessary skills to translate, but only with his help. Determined
to
succeed, she read on.

"Um," she said out loud. Her finger traced over the words.
"L-l-e-a-s-s-i,"
she spelled. Not recognizing the word, she went on. "J-o-h-a-n-a-n,
that is
a name." Her fingers moved to the next word. "That word is quest.
Johanan's
Quest. That sounds like it would light up Cathan and Joram's
imagination."
Realizing she was talking out loud, she turned to see if anyone had
come in.
It was going to take a lot of work to continue on. She hated doing so,
but
she rolled the manuscript to its original shape and placed it back
where she
had found it. Sitting back in exasperation, Evaine knew her father
would
have to help her if she wanted to know more. "Maybe someday soon."

She walked away from the desk. Opening the doors to the library, Evaine

stepped out into the hallway hoping her desire of learning more from
the
ancient scrolls would be satiated soon.