Fires in Ice
By Catherine Lehr (aka Duchess Kate)
It was supposed to be a blustery day, but this was ridiculous. Elene bundled her cloak tightly around her body and pressed forward into the wind. The cold blizzard winds from the north chilled her to the bone, and nothing could possibly warm her up, not even the fire inside her that came with being of the Garnet line and one of the Four Fires of Cattia.
She fought her way up the steps to the house of her guardian, Sandemere. It was Sandemere who had spoken with her parents, as well as the parents of her fellow Fires, Samhin, Niniane, and Sapphire. Lord Dudrinach and Lady Alinada fana Caladren had agreed wholeheartedly that the place for Elene was not at the Fifth Garnet manor, but in Cool Cat City’s prestigious Cattia District, with Sandy and the other Fires. Without so much as a goodbye, Elene had been shipped off to Animalia.
Her full name gave a lot away about her family and her status in the Jewel Kingdom. Elene fan Dudrinach wen Garnet gem Elemé au Cattia was the lengthy appellation she had to deal with. The mess meant "Elene, daughter of Dudrinach, of the Garnet line, possessing Elemental magic, and a Fire of Cattia," but nobody used that full name. To Sandy and the others she was simply Elene, and to the world she was Elene fan Dudrinach. But for now, stumbling blindly into the great hall of the spacious apartment, she was home.
Samhin was concentrating on his latest lesson, seeing with a crystal, when he heard Elene come into the house. He sighed, losing concentration. She could be awfully noisy at times! He blinked his violet-blue eyes twice and shook his head of black hair. He got up, stretched, and floated into the hall. Sandemere’s lessons in magic weren’t just lessons on their specific powers. She also taught them fun things that anyone with an inkling of magic could do, like flying. He only dared fly a foot above the ground in the house, though, in case he lost control. At this height, all he could hit was the ground, instead of Sandy’s antiques. "Hi, Elene," Samhin trilled. "Nice weather?"
"Ha, ha, very funny," she grumbled, shaking out her hat, which was caked with driven snow and ice. "Where’s Sandemere?"
"Just getting ready to leave," replied Samhin. "Eliza and Sam Berkshire’s baby came yesterday and they want to know if it has magic."
"You can see things like that," Elene pointed out. "Can you see the baby’s powers?"
"It doesn’t have anything," chuckled Samhin. "May as well be a rock, for its lack of magic! Come on, Elene; let’s go watch TV. They’re covering the approaching blizzard!" Elene levitated to one foot above the ground and followed Samhin into the family room. Niniane Laghren, Sapphire Gemmine, and Sandemere deRose were already there, watching the news report as the drama outside unfolded.
"Hi, Elene," said Sandemere, looking up. "What kept you in school, more play rehearsals?"
"Aye, more rehearsals," Elene replied. "I do wonder how they ever picked me for Eliza Doolittle; I know loads of other girls who’d be better for the part!" Elene flopped down on the ottoman next to Nin’s chair. "Did you tape today’s Crazy TV for me?"
"Yes, ‘Lena, I did. And just to make sure the tape worked, I watched the contents after I taped them. Not only did it work, but ‘Let’s do Lunch’ was the funniest it’s been in ages!" Sandy laughed. "Here, you can have my chair!" She got up and reached for her purse and hovercraft keys. "I should get going now," said Sandemere. "Stay out of trouble!" She was gone in a moment.
"Well, this stuff is certainly interesting," muttered Nin, reaching for the remote. All three of her fellow Fires reached out to stop her.
"We need the Weather Channel to stay on!" said Sapphire. "It’s a blizzard out there, not a flurry!" Sapphire beckoned to Samhin. "Samhin, come here, and bring the mirror you use to see things sometimes," she ordered in her imperial manner. When one got an order from her, one obeyed, and no wonder, because she had a bit of royal blood in her, way back from the original Gem Princess, Sapphire I.
Samhin held out the mirror, which by now was filled with images of the snow just outside. "See, Nin? This is what the great outdoors looks like." As the four Fires marveled over the blizzard, the storm raged outside.