Sold into Marriage

Chapter 6: Magic Training

Chapter 6: Magic Training
Copyright 2021 by John Wells. All Rights Reserved.

Sunday morning, Debbie woke me up and had to keep pushing me to move. I had a good long soak in an extra hot shower. I added that temperature as Wake-Up for my third setting. Then I put on the clothes that I set aside last night and tossed all the dirty clothes into the washer. I asked Debbie if she could teach me how to use the washer and drier, as I had never seen one before. Mom wash ours in the tub and hung them to dry outside, mostly. When the temperature outside was below freezing, we hung them inside. I ran out of my room all the way to the other side of the pool area, walking down the hall to the kitchen.

I was a few minutes late for breakfast, but nobody commented on it. There were a few boxes of cereal on the island. I grabbed one that looked similar to what we had at the farm. Filled the bowl part way with it, added milk, and joined the others.

Jane was done, so she took her dishes away. She came back with two mugs of coffee, giving me the second, saying, “this will help you wake up.”

Shortly, she and I were the only ones left and, while I did not really like the coffee, it helped me. I took a second disposable cup with me back to my room.

The school assessment used the laptop, but I moved to a recliner to use it. It went slowly to find out I was behind in every subject but science. Farm life had taught me things most my age did not learn. I was glad to have the coffee to help keep me awake so I could answer all the questions. Debbie suggested I use magic to help me keep the information and we could get me caught up in a few weeks. Unfortunately, she did not know how it was done, just that it could be. All of my housemates use it, so any of them could tell me.

Lunch felt like days later. We made our own subs with many meats and cheese choices. Jane gave me suggestions to try, as most of the choices were unknown to me.

After lunch, I visit the game room. The idea of controlling a dart to hit my target struck my fancy. I threw them repeatedly, getting nice control using the air to micro-adjust slightly at the beginning. Dan walked into the room projecting an image of a spot to hit. Three glowing circles the width of a dart. I hit them all and refrained from using air to help. ‘Well done. Definitely faster than I learned, though as you saw I was much younger. Both your parents have magic, but they never used it, except for saying a single word like this,’ he thought.

The light went on, so that was how dad knew food was ready. I ask, ‘what are we doing now?’ The response was an image of riding horseback. Not something I have tried. While we had a horse, she only knew how to pull things. Place anything on her back just cause her to kick and buck. Scaring my siblings and me from ever trying to ride on her.

We walk to the pool and out into the backyard. The barn back there with horses in a corral I saw yesterday was our destination. He stops at the gate and lets a stallion out. ‘You can talk to the horses. Go find one the matches your personality.’

I walk into the corral and attempt to connect to the horses. It was not what I expected. Their life is quite simple: food, herd status, or running. I spent some time with each to find one willing to obey me. I knew others were stronger and faster, but they would fight me for control.

Dan smiles, ‘the one I expected. A good first choice.’ A horse comes to his hand, ‘this one is your goal. She will fight a good fight before surrendering to you.’

I laugh, as she had barely acknowledged me while hunting for a ride. She pushed an image of her front hoofs hitting my head, as she had turned away and kicked her back legs toward me. She wanted nothing to do with me. I had backpedaled away in fear, though she would not have touched me. She had moved away enough so there would have been a space between us if I could have forced myself to stay put.