Private Weavers of Two Disciplines

When he said something about peeling back her layers, it caused her to sit up with an appalled look. She was much relieved when he mentioned how difficult and dangerous it would be.

She muttered, "ah, thank you. I have been - violated enough already."

At the mention of a doll, she chuckled, wondering just which kind of doll he was talking about. Probably a straw doll since it was made from strands.

She kept on listening without writing any of this down since most of this was the first-year dream theory.

When he was, she smiled because she understood the difficulty of communicating certain ideas with a language that did not have the means to.

"I believe we call that charm. Of all the languages to talk about such, English is the worst. I have the same problem explaining just the basics of dreams and dream theory. If I understood yours or you understood mine, this conversation would be a whole lot easier. For example, in our language, twelve words could be translated into 'magic' and over five hundred for 'dream' and variations."

She pondered some and smiled, "You might be one of the few that would understand dreams and the Subliminal," that smile took on a slightly devious look, "but, other than telling you, let me show you."

She took out her phone and dialed Flutterpip's number.

Flutterpip: "Hello, mom. how is the meeting?"

"Pretty interesting. I would like you to get my Nightstone and bring it here."

Flutterpip: "Null Horizons?"

"Yes, dear. Just tell the lady you are with me."

Flutterpip: "Ok," and she hung up with Naisis doing the same.

She sat back and waited with a smile. This will be very - enlightening - to be sure.

Naisis chuckled, "well, we can try. Even with the Nightstone, there will be things that must be experienced to be understood."

So he wanted a name for her. Actually, she had three, the one her parents gave her and its English translation, finally the one she gave herself when she came of age. That one only three knew: her, Flutterpip, and Avax Set.

"You can call me Naisiskhrae or Naisis or Nightstar, which is the anglicized version of my name. If you want to call me, use the first one. It gives me an inkling someone wants me and who."

She pondered a moment, "no, that will not work. Saying an anglicized version of my name does not have the same effect as saying the original."

She paused and wondered if she really wanted him to have that much power over her? Actually, it was not that much. All it would do was give her a funny sensation that someone used it, and he has been forthright so far.

She showed him the two writings on the spine of her notebook, one above the other, "That is my name in Qualiane. The top means night, the bottom means star - more or less. Qualiane can be written from top-down or right to left. Well, so much for your first class in Qualiane."

She put the notebook back into her lap, relaxed, and smiled, "Anything else you want to know?"

————

Flutterpip reached the shop and had to wait until someone opened the door (one of the problems with her and doors). Once inside, she headed straight towards the receptionist, "my mom asked me to bring her Nightstone."

She paused, but the look on the receptionist's face told her she had no idea who she was talking about, "the one talking to Kiron Hel'Sarie ?"

There were times she wished she could read minds, and times she was glad she could not. She could see he was in thought and wondered what it was. He soon voiced his concern by asking for a name.

"Well, most call me Naisis as my given is a mouthful. But you do not have to worry. That is just my given name, not my true name. I keep that well hidden."

Soon there was a knock on the door and the arrival of Flutterpip and the Nightstone. Flutterpip huffed some and dropped it into her mother's lap before plopping down in one of the chairs, "Thank you."

Naisi picked up the Nightstone and lanced herself with her pen, writing the Qualiane word for dream magic on it 'Qui'. To make sure this worked, she used fresh blood.

Looking through Nightstone, it was as expected. The area had thin wispy clouds flowing around what looked like chunks of ice shaped like the room's inanimate objects. While living things had a cloud radiating from the ice shell that was them. The core was a transparent stream flowing from spring in the head to a drain in the belly, with several pools along the way. The largest pool was in the heart area. The color of that stream reflected the nature of the magic of that person.

Looking at Mr. Hel'Sarie, she was a bit surprised. He should have a Life-stream. After some looking, she realized he did, but it was invisible. Well, that was new.

Handing the Nightstone to Hel'Sarie, she stated, "Now it is your turn to see how we see magic. What you are seeing is dream magic or Qui."

He would see in Flutterpip a blue stream with a touch of white and in Naisis an aquamarine stream except in the heart area where it was tainted by azure.

When Kiron was describing how the stone's magic might work, she smiled, "I do not know. I just know it works as to how; you would have to ask Ziadia Kyes or Avax Set."

Listening to Kiron, her smile turned into a grin, "your people and Ziadai Kyes need to get together. Ah, he is the Head Master of the College of Nighthome and the Minister of Education in the Subliminal. But be warned, he can be quite stingy and an asshole."

When asked if its magic was unique, she commented, "Most likely. If I understand correctly, it is a crystallized drop of Avax Set's blood."

She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, "well - I have not been completely truthful. Although I do better at night and under eclipses, I can work in the daytime if isolated from the Sun. There is magic in sunlight that dries up mine. Fortunately, metals and stone can block it. So if you have any place that is without sunlight, I can show you what I can do."

Flutterpip was all a flutter in anticipation of seeing her mom do her magic. It wasn't often she could, but it was the highlight of her night when she could. So when Kiron got up and headed out, Naisis and Flutterpip followed. Then he used that big word - venue. Flutterpip looked up to Naisis, puzzled.

Naisis whispered, "a safe place to do magic."

Flutterpip made a big oh, then covered her mouth as she giggled.

Naisis smiled at Kiron, "I do not think you have to worry. My magic does not extend much further than ten feet from me."

When Flutterpip was given the necklace, she remembered she had homework. Homework - the bain of all school children! But, if she wanted to improve her grades, she had to do it.

Putting down the necklace, she sighed, "I have homework to do."

Naisis, surprised and proud of Flutterpip, picked up the necklace and put it on her, "I think this time we can postpone the homework. It is not often I get to strut my stuff in front of my little one."

Putting on hers, Naisis commented, "I am not sure what this can do since we are extradimensional beings - sort of, and I have already been in three dimensions."