Our Magic Binds Us

4. Talia's Story

By the time the autumn came the youngling was strong enough to get up and even go out into the garden for short periods of time. She was ready and strong enough to join in the conversation that had been going on every night in the weeks of her recovery. That night she joined the five friends at the table for dinner instead of taking it in bed. The Centaurs were pleased to see her and greeted her fondly as she appeared shakily in the doorway. Hylonome quickly got up to help her to a seat and they were all so pleased that for a short while the conversation was light and even rose a few smiles, but it soon came back around to the same thing... why was Talia attacked by the stream? Where did her magic come from? How was it possible? Talia wasn't one hundred percent sure of any of these things but thought the best place to start was as far back as she could remember, she was still only young but she felt so much had happened in her short life there must be something of use within it, even if she didn't know what.

"My father was a witch. He was killed by the Ogres after the war of the realms broke out. My mother was devastated and found comfort with the man I now call father. She was pregnant with me at the time of my real father's death; she just didn't know it yet. Because the magical races are hunted my mother and father kept my true father's identity a secret and carried on as if I was both of theirs. They taught me not to show my magic, but it cannot be kept in forever and as I got older it grew stronger, so I would go down to the water's edge each night to release it. Just basic stuff like leaf enchantments but it was enough to keep it at bay during daylight hours so we could keep our secret and stay safe. That night, I felt someone watching me; I don't think I was followed so perhaps they just stumbled across me? By the time I realized what was going on it was too late and the next thing I remember I woke up here." Everyone was listening so intently, it took them all a while to realize Talia had finished talking.

"They're dead aren't they? My parents." Talia tried to sound strong but her voice broke on the last word.

"Yes." Sabine replied. "The Ogres must have recognized you and gone straight from the stream to your house. Once we got you safely back here Chiron and Pholus went to check. They too recognized you from the community. You did a good job concealing your powers. No one suspected a thing. Although now we have heard from you about your father it does explain some things at least."

"I knew that must have been what happened when my parents didn't come to visit during my recovery. That's why I didn't ask about them, I was trying to put off hearing it out loud."

"You speak beyond your years Talia. You truly continue to amaze." said Cyllarus. Sabine smiled and continued.

"We believe that the Ogres think you dead and so does the rest of the community, Chiron, Cyllarus, Pholus and Hylonome have not corrected this. We felt it would be safer for you. The Ogres now think that the Centaurs all have magic and have been concealing it from everyone. Centaurus believes that this is just the Ogres' new strategy to begin a hunt for another race within the realm."

"I would love to tell him I told you so." Pholus put in.

"Yes. Wouldn't we all?" said Chiron through gritted teeth. He caught Sabine's eye and held it for a few seconds before looking away.

"It would be lovely, to tell the old fool he was wrong" said Sabine "but while he believes that the Ogres are playing games he continues to be preoccupied, therefore allowing you all to come and go from here undetected. Giving us chance to try and work out what next to do."

"My parents told me that a centaur with magic was rare but it can't be that rare can it? I mean how many magical centaurs have you all come across?" Talia asked with a slightly more hopeful look on her face than she realized. She looked round the room at the centaurs and the witch; they all looked from one to the other but avoided Talia's eye completely. Talia's face fell; "You are not seriously telling me that you have never met anyone like me before? ... Are you?"

"Well, the thing is..." began Chiron

"No. No Talia we haven't." cut in Cyllarus. "In fact, we have never even heard about someone like you. It is quite the mystery to be honest."

"Yes, almost like me being the next Dins Amours Bugic. That was a mystery too wasn't it, well for me at least." said Sabine.

"Say that again Sabine." Hylonome blurted.

"Say what again, it was a mystery to me?"

"Yes. That's it, I am sure of it, when we researched your ancestors Sabine, there was something in the ancient scrolls about this, I knew I'd seen something somewhere I just didn't know what or where, but that's it I'm sure of it now." Hylonome stared round at all of their blank faces, and with a look of exasperation ploughed on; "Look, we all know that throughout time the paths of the ancient warlocks and the centaurs crossed over and over again, connected almost, that is what we are all taught as children is it not?" she looked around at everyone but did not give them chance to answer. "Once a certain age is reached the different races branch off into teaching their own history... young witches are taught the ways of the ancient warlocks and younglings the ways of the centaurs, however in the scrolls it is not separated, all of history within all the races intertwines. And I am sure that when looking up Sabine's ancestors I noticed something about centaurs with magic, I didn't take too much notice because that seemed totally unlikely and it was not the information I searched for at the time."

"Well, it's looking a lot more likely now is it not?" Pholus put in.

"Always one to state the obvious Pholus. However in this case I suppose it is deserved." Hylonome paced backwards and forwards. "I will need to go back to the archives." Hylonome continued to pace, and everyone else sat in stunned silence at the revelation that a centaur who has magic is not a total mystery. The silence was only broken when Talia said a little more loudly than she had wanted to that she needed to go outside for some air and to transform, at that point all of the centaurs noticed how twitchy they all felt, and agreed. One by one they ducked out of the little stone cottage into the cool clear night air, and looking up at the stars breathed in through their noses closed theireyes and slowly right before Sabine's eyes they transformed into magnificent creatures. Sabine had seen them all do it so many times before but it never ceased to amaze her even now. As they closed their eyes and took the deep breath in through their noses they seemed to lift slightly and as they lifted their bodies extended from the tops of their legs making it look impossible for them to remain standing and just when it looked like they would fall two more legs extended from the front area below the belly and by the time they were on all fours they had completely transformed. It was all done in one fluid movement with a majesty about it that left Sabine in ore. Within seconds there were now five centaurs standing around her, all with the same faces as the friends that just sat round her little table but all completely changed.