Gwyn followed Taenya into one of the offices inside the house, it was a big office that had a large bookshelf off to the side that covered an entire wall. An old dark-skinned sun elf sat at the table on the left with a notebook and various books in front of him. There were cabinets on the opposite side of the room from the bookshelf. To her right was a small fireplace with two chairs in front of it. The most prominent feature in the room, however, was the big desk in the center of the rear of the room.
As they entered, the old man stood up, and Emma moved to the side of the door and stood quietly. Gwyn looked back and smiled at her. I like her.
Gwyn turned back around and her eyes widened as she noticed Taenya had already stopped moving. She narrowly avoided running right into her and grimaced in embarrassment for getting distracted.
With a slight smirk, Taenya moved off to the side before she spoke up, “Professor, allow me to introduce Her Highness, Princess Gwyneth Reinhart.”
She looked up at the elf and he gave her a small bow. “Your Highness, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Professor Quinn Branigan.”
Gwyn tilted her head slightly as she gave a small nod, just like she and Siveril had practiced. “Good afternoon, Professor Quinn.”
“Please, join me. Would you like some tea, Your Highness?”
Gwyn nodded and sat with him at the table. “Please, thank you. I’m Gwyn.”
She saw his eyes crinkle in amusement, almost as if she had said the right things. He gave her a nod. “Of course. Ms. Gwyn. This is appropriate when we’re in a session or place of learning.”
Taenya gave her a small nod and excused herself from the room. Gwyn noticed Emma still standing by the door. “Emma?”
The high elf handmaiden instantly moved forward. “Yes, milady? Do you need something?”
Gwyn looked at the Professor. “Will we be here long?”
He looked and nodded. “We will be here for one hour.”
Gwyn returned a nod and focused back on her handmaiden. “Emma, please sit down so you don’t have to stand the whole time. That’s too long!”
“Milady, it’s quite alright I–”
“Please?” Gwyn interrupted, which caused the woman to jerk slightly.
Defeated, Emma replied, “Yes, milady.”
Gwyn smiled as her handmaiden went and sat in the chair in front of the fireplace. She still crossed her hands in her lap and kept an eye on Gwyn. I can live with that. At least she’s comfy.
She turned back toward the sun elf professor and watched as he poured her tea and opened a small pitcher, using tiny tongs to grab some white cubes. “Sugar?”
Gwyn smiled. “Please, Mr. Branigan. Only one.”
After, setting out the tea for both himself and her, the old elf opened the notebook on the table next to him and folded his hands together.
“Now, Ms. Gwyn, I would like to get to know you so that I may assess how I can best assist your learning. Could you tell me a little about yourself and where you come from?”
“Of course!”
Gwyn proceeded to tell him all about Earth, Italy, and her home with her mom. They also spoke about the subjects she had in school.
As they spoke, she watched as he wrote notes about the things she said. After talking back and forth for a while, he held a hand up and paused for a moment. His eyes darted back and forth over his notebook for several minutes before he looked up and asked her a question. “Ms. Gwyn, you speak another language, correct?”
“Yes. I speak Italian. Why?”
“Can you write it?”
“Si. I mean, yes…”
Mr. Branigan grabbed another notebook he had with the books and placed it in front of her with one of the feather pens everyone she saw liked to write with.
He tapped the page. “Please write a sentence in Italian.”
“Oh, okay.”
Hmm… what should I write…
Oh!
She picked up the feather, looked at the fancy metal tip that was attached to the end, then lightly dipped it into the ink. Gwyn carefully wrote her sentence; Io amo scuola e la mia materia preferita è la scienze!
When she finished, Gwyn placed the pen down and turned the book back to the elf.
“Thank you, Ms. Gwyn.” He told her as he looked down at her sentence. He squinted for a moment at it, then looked between her and the notebook.
“Hm. This is fascinating. I think I have something. Please, now write down a sentence in–what is the name of the language your people use for what we call Common?”
“English.”
“Perfect, Now please write the same sentence in English.”
Gwyn took the notebook back and scribbled out, I love school and my favorite subject is science!
She watched as he seemed to compare the two. “Fascinating. Not only do you know two languages, but you know two entirely different alphabets. The one for Common and the one for Italian.”
Gwyn tilted her head in confusion. Aren’t they the same? “What do you mean?”
The elf paused. He glanced back down at the notebook and then at Gwyn. “Do these two look the same for you? The letters?”
Gwyn looked down. “Uhm. Yes?”
His eyes went wide, and Gwyn started to get worried. Is there something wrong with me? She looked back down at the notebook, her eyes darting over it until she was interrupted by him turning it back in front of her.
“Write one more thing for me. Please write the English alphabet as you know it. Take your time and think about it.”
She slowly picked up the pen and started writing the alphabet. A-B-C-D-E-F…
Gwyn said each one in her head as she wrote. When she finished, she looked back up.
“Done.”
The sun elf looked over her work, his poofy brows scrunched up while he thought. He started tapping his finger against the table, and Gwyn got worried again.
“Is everything okay?” she hesitantly asked him.
He looked up and pointed at what she wrote. “This is the English alphabet?”
“Yes… It’s also the Italian one. They’re the same, just pronounced differently. Oh, and in a different order.”
“Does this look the same as the sentence you wrote in English?”
She looked back and forth, then thought of something. She pulled on her magic and tried to have it help her. I need to focus! Come on, magic!
Slowly, she felt her magic swirl around in her head. It made her thoughts really clear, and Gwyn Focused on the letters. She gasped as suddenly, the words looked completely wrong to her. “Th–That’s not English. Why did I write that?”
Gwyn still knew what they meant, but she could definitely tell they were completely different letters. That is so weird. Her head started to get a bit stuffier, so she let go of her magic and allowed it to settle back inside her. Almost instantly, the letters looked correct again. What?
“They look fine again!”
The sun elf sat back and started rubbing his chin.
“This is fascinating. I have one more thing I would like to try. I am going to write a sentence in the language of my people. It is called Stel’Loreni.” Mr. Branigan explained.
She watched as he wrote a sentence in pretty flowing letters that looked nothing like she had seen back home. His handwriting was perfect, and she thought it looked almost as if he had used a computer and printed it.
When he was done, he rotated the notebook toward her and showed her the sentence.
“Wow, that’s beautiful, Mr. Branigan! What does it say?” She asked.
The old elf snorted. “I guess that explains whether or not you can read another language other than Common. So, I supposed the phenomenon that brought you here only allowed for the translation of the predominant bridge language–which, I presume, is the role English filled within your world?”
She shrugged. I have no idea what that means.
He smirked, then took on that same look of concentration again.
Gwyn saw him look at the door, then pause. He slowly started nodding before he glanced over at Emma and then focused back on Gwyn.
He leaned a bit toward her and quietly asked, “I was told that you have certain… abilities. Could you explain them to me?”
Do I tell him? Taenya told me–actually.
Gwyn looked at Emma, who noticed the attention and stood up. “Yes, Your Highness?”
“Uhm. Could you please go get Taenya? Actually, maybe Sabina. Whoever isn’t busy. I don’t think Sabina is doing anything right now. Taenya said she had some stuff to do.”
Emma nodded. “Of course, milady. I will go retrieve one for you.”
Gwyn watched as she left the room to go grab one of the two knights.
Either of them will be able to cover for me if this goes bad.
She turned her head and locked eyes with the old elf. His orange eyes were filled with the knowing look she saw in her mother and the people she worked with. I think mom called it… cursed with knowledge. Whatever that means.
Getting an idea, Gwyn smirked, then called to her magic and channeled the fires to her eyes.
The sun elf’s eyes shot wide, but he quickly gained control over himself and leaned forward. “Your eyes. How?”
Gwyn gave him a look that was as serious as she could make it. “Magic.”
“What else can it do?” He leaned forward, as he asked her.
She thought about how to answer. With a slow nod, she replied, “It’s everywhere around us. It sings to me. The magic shows me how to do the things that I want. Like the letters.” She said while pointing at the notebook. “I wanted to know what you meant, so magic helped me focus. It also helps me protect people. With this.”
She lifted her fist and opened it; the fire coalescing into a ball. A sun.
* * *
Professor Quinn Branigan was mesmerized by the small sun hovering over the girl’s hand. The princess had conjured the object of his people’s namesake with but a mere thought. For the first time in many years, Quinn was at a loss for words.
He peered into the burning irises of what had to be Alos’s Chosen and saw an intensity that hadn’t been there before.
Quinn nearly regained his wits and the ability to speak, but then the young terran did something that shattered his previous thoughts.
He watched as her eyes turned an icy blue and almost looked as if they were filled with mist. The glorious sun over her hand had ice slowly consuming it until the fire went out and a small sphere of ice fell into the girl’s hand.
With a smirk, Princess Gwyn held it out to him.
Flabbergasted, he reached out and let her place it into his hand, and instantly dropped it because of how cold it was.
“H-How?” he asked.
“I told you. Magic sings to me, and I listen.” She stated with finality.
Quinn considered everything he had seen, thinking about how it all related.
The door jostled him from his thoughts as it opened. Ser Taenya entered with the servant, Emma, close behind. The servant moved next to the door and took her place, ready to assist her mistress. Taenya walked up to the table and instantly frowned at the sphere that lay on the floor.
Ser Taenya looked at her Princess with the look of a disappointed mother, not a retainer. Quinn quirked an eyebrow as she sighed and placed her hand on her hip. “Gwyn. What did we talk about?”
Quinn watched the Princess’ reaction and was pleasantly surprised at her looking suitably chastened. “To not show off my magic to others that we just meet. I’m sorry, Taenya. I thought it would be okay, and I wanted to ask you first. That’s why I asked Emma to get you or Sabina. I just… uhm… got excited.”
Taenya’s face softened, and she placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “It’s okay this time, Gwyn. We informed Professor Branigan of the circumstances and the need to maintain secrecy.” Quinn’s eyes narrowed slightly as the knight gave him a pointed look. I can take a hint, young lady.
He looked between the two. “Of course, my ladies. I will not tell a soul. However, I have had a bit of time to think. Ser Taenya, with you here, maybe your insight will be beneficial. Could you please sit with us for a moment?”
“Certainly.”
After she sat, he collected his thoughts and asked a question.
“Ser Taenya, how long after the Flash did you meet Ms. Gwyn?”
The telv looked up for a moment as she considered. “Not more than fifteen minutes.”
He nodded. “Now, for both of you. Was there any misunderstanding in your talking to each other?”
The girl shook her head slightly. “I don’t remember, I was really upset. My mom was not there.”
Taenya on the other hand was nodding. “I recall not being able to understand Gwyn immediately. I have always just thought it was because she was upset and after learning she could speak another language, considering that just maybe she was mixing the two.”
Quinn nodded along and wrote some notes into his notebook. Tapping in the top corner of the page as he usually did while thinking, he tilted his head and lifted the quill. The ink had expanded and created a circular blotch.
He thought back to something the princess had said. The magic is all around them.
“Gwyn, you said the magic is everywhere. It helps you. It also is clearly helping you read and even write in Common.” He looked at Taenya and directed the next part to her. “Do you think the magic is helping her spoken language as well? Also, you have been near her since the Flash. Have you felt any different?”
Taenya seemed to fidget. “I… have. But I didn’t know what it was. I will reflect more on this, and maybe we can discuss it another time.”
She paused, then redirected. “You said the magic is helping her with our language?”
Quinn nodded, figuring that the telv knight would seek him out when she was ready. “Yes. I watched as she wrote two different sentences and couldn’t tell the difference until I had her physically write out each letter used within the alphabet of her people’s English and Italian.”
Gwyn seemed completely lost in thought. Or she is just spacing out because this conversation isn’t as interesting. She is young.
Taenya, on the other hand, tilted her head and crossed her arms then asked a question that he also had. “But why would it not help Friedrich? Or not translate Italian?”
He considered the various reasons and settled on one that seemed plausible. At least to me. “The trade language of Ikios is called Common for a reason. It’s a tongue that is meant to be widespread and used by everyone. Perhaps, English performs the same function amongst her people? There have been instances of terrans appearing all over the region. Even Friedrich knows the language some. Perhaps… it was simply the most common language amongst those that were brought to Eona.”
“Poor Friedrich.” Gwyn’s lips were pursed, and she seemed a bit sad.
Taenya looked at her. “Why’s that?”
“He was brought here, and the magic didn’t even help him talk to us. He must be so scared and confused right now. He doesn’t have any family. I, at least, know my mom is out there somewhere.”
Quinn smiled, feeling more and more like he had the correct choice in joining this young girl. He gave Taenya a look, not wanting to bring up anything about the girl’s mother. That is a hope that cannot die. He’d seen it before in many. It would crush her and she wouldn’t be the same person after.
He looked at her and patted her small hand. “At least he has someone as caring and protective as you to help him.”
Taenya nodded and pulled Gwyn in for a hug. “Professor Branigan is right. You are great. Your mother is going to be so proud of you.”
Gwyn smiled, but didn’t look completely convinced. “Thanks. I really do need to help him more. Mr. Branigan? Can you help him learn too? Now that you’ve explained it, you may be right. I think the magic is helping him learn… Common.”
“I will help him. I think this is going to be the start of a wonderful opportunity.” Quinn replied, trying to reassure the young princess.
He took a deep breath.
Maya, I may need your help more than I first thought.
His wife was never going to let him live it down.
Gwyn followed Taenya into one of the offices inside the house, it was a big office that had a large bookshelf off to the side that covered an entire wall. An old dark-skinned sun elf sat at the table on the left with a notebook and various books in front of him. There were cabinets on the opposite side of the room from the bookshelf. To her right was a small fireplace with two chairs in front of it. The most prominent feature in the room, however, was the big desk in the center of the rear of the room.
As they entered, the old man stood up, and Emma moved to the side of the door and stood quietly. Gwyn looked back and smiled at her. I like her.
Gwyn turned back around and her eyes widened as she noticed Taenya had already stopped moving. She narrowly avoided running right into her and grimaced in embarrassment for getting distracted.
With a slight smirk, Taenya moved off to the side before she spoke up, “Professor, allow me to introduce Her Highness, Princess Gwyneth Reinhart.”
She looked up at the elf and he gave her a small bow. “Your Highness, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Professor Quinn Branigan.”
Gwyn tilted her head slightly as she gave a small nod, just like she and Siveril had practiced. “Good afternoon, Professor Quinn.”
“Please, join me. Would you like some tea, Your Highness?”
Gwyn nodded and sat with him at the table. “Please, thank you. I’m Gwyn.”
She saw his eyes crinkle in amusement, almost as if she had said the right things. He gave her a nod. “Of course. Ms. Gwyn. This is appropriate when we’re in a session or place of learning.”
Taenya gave her a small nod and excused herself from the room. Gwyn noticed Emma still standing by the door. “Emma?”
The high elf handmaiden instantly moved forward. “Yes, milady? Do you need something?”
Gwyn looked at the Professor. “Will we be here long?”
He looked and nodded. “We will be here for one hour.”
Gwyn returned a nod and focused back on her handmaiden. “Emma, please sit down so you don’t have to stand the whole time. That’s too long!”
“Milady, it’s quite alright I–”
“Please?” Gwyn interrupted, which caused the woman to jerk slightly.
Defeated, Emma replied, “Yes, milady.”
Gwyn smiled as her handmaiden went and sat in the chair in front of the fireplace. She still crossed her hands in her lap and kept an eye on Gwyn. I can live with that. At least she’s comfy.
She turned back toward the sun elf professor and watched as he poured her tea and opened a small pitcher, using tiny tongs to grab some white cubes. “Sugar?”
Gwyn smiled. “Please, Mr. Branigan. Only one.”
After, setting out the tea for both himself and her, the old elf opened the notebook on the table next to him and folded his hands together.
“Now, Ms. Gwyn, I would like to get to know you so that I may assess how I can best assist your learning. Could you tell me a little about yourself and where you come from?”
“Of course!”
Gwyn proceeded to tell him all about Earth, Italy, and her home with her mom. They also spoke about the subjects she had in school.
As they spoke, she watched as he wrote notes about the things she said. After talking back and forth for a while, he held a hand up and paused for a moment. His eyes darted back and forth over his notebook for several minutes before he looked up and asked her a question. “Ms. Gwyn, you speak another language, correct?”
“Yes. I speak Italian. Why?”
“Can you write it?”
“Si. I mean, yes…”
Mr. Branigan grabbed another notebook he had with the books and placed it in front of her with one of the feather pens everyone she saw liked to write with.
He tapped the page. “Please write a sentence in Italian.”
“Oh, okay.”
Hmm… what should I write…
Oh!
She picked up the feather, looked at the fancy metal tip that was attached to the end, then lightly dipped it into the ink. Gwyn carefully wrote her sentence; Io amo scuola e la mia materia preferita è la scienze!
When she finished, Gwyn placed the pen down and turned the book back to the elf.
“Thank you, Ms. Gwyn.” He told her as he looked down at her sentence. He squinted for a moment at it, then looked between her and the notebook.
“Hm. This is fascinating. I think I have something. Please, now write down a sentence in–what is the name of the language your people use for what we call Common?”
“English.”
“Perfect, Now please write the same sentence in English.”
Gwyn took the notebook back and scribbled out, I love school and my favorite subject is science!
She watched as he seemed to compare the two. “Fascinating. Not only do you know two languages, but you know two entirely different alphabets. The one for Common and the one for Italian.”
Gwyn tilted her head in confusion. Aren’t they the same? “What do you mean?”
The elf paused. He glanced back down at the notebook and then at Gwyn. “Do these two look the same for you? The letters?”
Gwyn looked down. “Uhm. Yes?”
His eyes went wide, and Gwyn started to get worried. Is there something wrong with me? She looked back down at the notebook, her eyes darting over it until she was interrupted by him turning it back in front of her.
“Write one more thing for me. Please write the English alphabet as you know it. Take your time and think about it.”
She slowly picked up the pen and started writing the alphabet. A-B-C-D-E-F…
Gwyn said each one in her head as she wrote. When she finished, she looked back up.
“Done.”
The sun elf looked over her work, his poofy brows scrunched up while he thought. He started tapping his finger against the table, and Gwyn got worried again.
“Is everything okay?” she hesitantly asked him.
He looked up and pointed at what she wrote. “This is the English alphabet?”
“Yes… It’s also the Italian one. They’re the same, just pronounced differently. Oh, and in a different order.”
“Does this look the same as the sentence you wrote in English?”
She looked back and forth, then thought of something. She pulled on her magic and tried to have it help her. I need to focus! Come on, magic!
Slowly, she felt her magic swirl around in her head. It made her thoughts really clear, and Gwyn Focused on the letters. She gasped as suddenly, the words looked completely wrong to her. “Th–That’s not English. Why did I write that?”
Gwyn still knew what they meant, but she could definitely tell they were completely different letters. That is so weird. Her head started to get a bit stuffier, so she let go of her magic and allowed it to settle back inside her. Almost instantly, the letters looked correct again. What?
“They look fine again!”
The sun elf sat back and started rubbing his chin.
“This is fascinating. I have one more thing I would like to try. I am going to write a sentence in the language of my people. It is called Stel’Loreni.” Mr. Branigan explained.
She watched as he wrote a sentence in pretty flowing letters that looked nothing like she had seen back home. His handwriting was perfect, and she thought it looked almost as if he had used a computer and printed it.
When he was done, he rotated the notebook toward her and showed her the sentence.
“Wow, that’s beautiful, Mr. Branigan! What does it say?” She asked.
The old elf snorted. “I guess that explains whether or not you can read another language other than Common. So, I supposed the phenomenon that brought you here only allowed for the translation of the predominant bridge language–which, I presume, is the role English filled within your world?”
She shrugged. I have no idea what that means.
He smirked, then took on that same look of concentration again.
Gwyn saw him look at the door, then pause. He slowly started nodding before he glanced over at Emma and then focused back on Gwyn.
He leaned a bit toward her and quietly asked, “I was told that you have certain… abilities. Could you explain them to me?”
Do I tell him? Taenya told me–actually.
Gwyn looked at Emma, who noticed the attention and stood up. “Yes, Your Highness?”
“Uhm. Could you please go get Taenya? Actually, maybe Sabina. Whoever isn’t busy. I don’t think Sabina is doing anything right now. Taenya said she had some stuff to do.”
Emma nodded. “Of course, milady. I will go retrieve one for you.”
Gwyn watched as she left the room to go grab one of the two knights.
Either of them will be able to cover for me if this goes bad.
She turned her head and locked eyes with the old elf. His orange eyes were filled with the knowing look she saw in her mother and the people she worked with. I think mom called it… cursed with knowledge. Whatever that means.
Getting an idea, Gwyn smirked, then called to her magic and channeled the fires to her eyes.
The sun elf’s eyes shot wide, but he quickly gained control over himself and leaned forward. “Your eyes. How?”
Gwyn gave him a look that was as serious as she could make it. “Magic.”
“What else can it do?” He leaned forward, as he asked her.
She thought about how to answer. With a slow nod, she replied, “It’s everywhere around us. It sings to me. The magic shows me how to do the things that I want. Like the letters.” She said while pointing at the notebook. “I wanted to know what you meant, so magic helped me focus. It also helps me protect people. With this.”
She lifted her fist and opened it; the fire coalescing into a ball. A sun.
* * *
Professor Quinn Branigan was mesmerized by the small sun hovering over the girl’s hand. The princess had conjured the object of his people’s namesake with but a mere thought. For the first time in many years, Quinn was at a loss for words.
He peered into the burning irises of what had to be Alos’s Chosen and saw an intensity that hadn’t been there before.
Quinn nearly regained his wits and the ability to speak, but then the young terran did something that shattered his previous thoughts.
He watched as her eyes turned an icy blue and almost looked as if they were filled with mist. The glorious sun over her hand had ice slowly consuming it until the fire went out and a small sphere of ice fell into the girl’s hand.
With a smirk, Princess Gwyn held it out to him.
Flabbergasted, he reached out and let her place it into his hand, and instantly dropped it because of how cold it was.
“H-How?” he asked.
“I told you. Magic sings to me, and I listen.” She stated with finality.
Quinn considered everything he had seen, thinking about how it all related.
The door jostled him from his thoughts as it opened. Ser Taenya entered with the servant, Emma, close behind. The servant moved next to the door and took her place, ready to assist her mistress. Taenya walked up to the table and instantly frowned at the sphere that lay on the floor.
Ser Taenya looked at her Princess with the look of a disappointed mother, not a retainer. Quinn quirked an eyebrow as she sighed and placed her hand on her hip. “Gwyn. What did we talk about?”
Quinn watched the Princess’ reaction and was pleasantly surprised at her looking suitably chastened. “To not show off my magic to others that we just meet. I’m sorry, Taenya. I thought it would be okay, and I wanted to ask you first. That’s why I asked Emma to get you or Sabina. I just… uhm… got excited.”
Taenya’s face softened, and she placed a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “It’s okay this time, Gwyn. We informed Professor Branigan of the circumstances and the need to maintain secrecy.” Quinn’s eyes narrowed slightly as the knight gave him a pointed look. I can take a hint, young lady.
He looked between the two. “Of course, my ladies. I will not tell a soul. However, I have had a bit of time to think. Ser Taenya, with you here, maybe your insight will be beneficial. Could you please sit with us for a moment?”
“Certainly.”
After she sat, he collected his thoughts and asked a question.
“Ser Taenya, how long after the Flash did you meet Ms. Gwyn?”
The telv looked up for a moment as she considered. “Not more than fifteen minutes.”
He nodded. “Now, for both of you. Was there any misunderstanding in your talking to each other?”
The girl shook her head slightly. “I don’t remember, I was really upset. My mom was not there.”
Taenya on the other hand was nodding. “I recall not being able to understand Gwyn immediately. I have always just thought it was because she was upset and after learning she could speak another language, considering that just maybe she was mixing the two.”
Quinn nodded along and wrote some notes into his notebook. Tapping in the top corner of the page as he usually did while thinking, he tilted his head and lifted the quill. The ink had expanded and created a circular blotch.
He thought back to something the princess had said. The magic is all around them.
“Gwyn, you said the magic is everywhere. It helps you. It also is clearly helping you read and even write in Common.” He looked at Taenya and directed the next part to her. “Do you think the magic is helping her spoken language as well? Also, you have been near her since the Flash. Have you felt any different?”
Taenya seemed to fidget. “I… have. But I didn’t know what it was. I will reflect more on this, and maybe we can discuss it another time.”
She paused, then redirected. “You said the magic is helping her with our language?”
Quinn nodded, figuring that the telv knight would seek him out when she was ready. “Yes. I watched as she wrote two different sentences and couldn’t tell the difference until I had her physically write out each letter used within the alphabet of her people’s English and Italian.”
Gwyn seemed completely lost in thought. Or she is just spacing out because this conversation isn’t as interesting. She is young.
Taenya, on the other hand, tilted her head and crossed her arms then asked a question that he also had. “But why would it not help Friedrich? Or not translate Italian?”
He considered the various reasons and settled on one that seemed plausible. At least to me. “The trade language of Ikios is called Common for a reason. It’s a tongue that is meant to be widespread and used by everyone. Perhaps, English performs the same function amongst her people? There have been instances of terrans appearing all over the region. Even Friedrich knows the language some. Perhaps… it was simply the most common language amongst those that were brought to Eona.”
“Poor Friedrich.” Gwyn’s lips were pursed, and she seemed a bit sad.
Taenya looked at her. “Why’s that?”
“He was brought here, and the magic didn’t even help him talk to us. He must be so scared and confused right now. He doesn’t have any family. I, at least, know my mom is out there somewhere.”
Quinn smiled, feeling more and more like he had the correct choice in joining this young girl. He gave Taenya a look, not wanting to bring up anything about the girl’s mother. That is a hope that cannot die. He’d seen it before in many. It would crush her and she wouldn’t be the same person after.
He looked at her and patted her small hand. “At least he has someone as caring and protective as you to help him.”
Taenya nodded and pulled Gwyn in for a hug. “Professor Branigan is right. You are great. Your mother is going to be so proud of you.”
Gwyn smiled, but didn’t look completely convinced. “Thanks. I really do need to help him more. Mr. Branigan? Can you help him learn too? Now that you’ve explained it, you may be right. I think the magic is helping him learn… Common.”
“I will help him. I think this is going to be the start of a wonderful opportunity.” Quinn replied, trying to reassure the young princess.
He took a deep breath.
Maya, I may need your help more than I first thought.
His wife was never going to let him live it down.
