A few nights later, far across the forest Gwen was trying on her third dress, wanting to look perfect. She was in the bedroom with Trinity. She was getting a second opinion on the short length crème colored sundress she had tried on.

"I like that one best." Trinity commented with a smile of approval.

"Thank you I'm so excited about tonight." She let out a squeal of excitement.

"When is he stopping by to meet you?"

"In about a half an hour, he should be here."

Trinity really didn't mind the solitude; it would give her a chance to sharpen her magical abilities. Looking forward to her night of inner reflection, she told Gwen goodbye when her date arrived less than a half hour later.

 Once the two were off for the outing, Trinity began the night with an altered state meditation. In a deep trance, she became one with the dream walkers. These ascended beings took her by the hand gentle and trusting, showed her the prophecies. These were the same prophecies that Veronica didn't want her to see. Trinity saw both kinds of a future for this mystical place, good and bad.

Then she saw something that really scared her. She saw a power struggle involving Gwen. She watched as the dark sorceress was in an intense battle with her best friend. Trinity then saw herself step between the two witches; she had to stop them both.

Suddenly without warning the entire scene faded from her, she was now back in the bedroom of the small cottage, as if the whole thing never really happened. Trinity stood there, speechless. When her case of spiritual jet lag wore off, the witch of balance flopped down on the bed. She needed to think about the whole situation. Taking a deep breath, letting the goddess help her with intuition. Though she was loyal to Gwen, even thought of her like a sister, she felt this vision was not meant to be shared. She didn't want to keep secrets from her true kindred spirit, but this would only cause unnecessary fear, worry or panic. She needed to know more about these visions and the dream walkers before she did anything about it.

Trinity had calmed her nerves by the time Gwen returned from her evening with Edwynn. When she walked in the bedroom, Trinity sat up in the bed, glad to see her roommate.

"How did it go? Did you have a good time?"

"I always have a great time when I'm with him." Gwen replied blushing a bright red flush to her cheeks.

Trinity smiled at her, "I'm so glad he makes you happy. I like him he's nice."

"Thank you, that means a lot to me." Gwen told her adding a big hug.

"You are welcome, really I mean it." Trinity commented as soon as Gwen released her from the affectionate embrace.

"So what did you do while I was out with Edwynn?" Asking to be polite, she smiled at her best friend.

"I started working on a few magical exercises." Trinity paused only for a split second, before continuing on. "Then during a deep trance meditation, I must have fallen asleep." She lied to her roommate.

"Perhaps your spirit was exhausted?" Gwen suggested in a manner of sisterly advice.

"I bet you're right that." She answered, nodding and playing with her hair twirling it around her fingertips. "What did you and the boyfriend end up doing?" Trinity asked to be nice.

"We walked to the creek to go fishing, it was more than a few miles but I loved it." Gwen replied with a look of stars in her eyes.

"If you had a great time, that's all that really matters."

"Yes I had wonderful night fishing under the stars with my love." Gwen told her in a dreamy tone of voice.

Trinity loved the life she had made the short time she had been in this magical place. Remembering only bits and pieces of her old life, it was more like dream fragments than memories. She loved it here, and couldn't imagine making a life anywhere else. This place had a hold of not just her heart but her spirit was attached to the land of Galderia.

"I'm glad that you got to spend time with your Edwynn."

"Thank you so am I." Gwen joked, and then started giggling. Trinity joined her.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Trinity asked looking directly at Gwen.

"We have got another lesson day with Maggie after breakfast."

"Good, I just simply adore that woman." Remarked the newest witch.

"I also am very fond of her, like a grandmother."

"That's so sweet of you." Trinity complimented her.

"No, it's just the truth, how I feel about the old woman." Gwen told her flatly, and then softened it with a smile.

The two young witches lay in bed talking and cackling with laughter for another hour before they nodded off, almost at the same time that night.

Trinity sleep in a deep dreamless sleep,  Gwen was a different story. She kept dreaming of a lot of jumbled people and places. She had dreamt of the dark forest, being lost until she met an unfamiliar spirit. This blonde haired angelic girl called her "Witch of light" before fading into the darkness. Gwen suddenly shot up out of bed in a ninety degree angle. 

In a deep sleep she began to dream again, this time of the creepy raven, the dark forest and the crude sorceress that she had bumped into. This time she slowly opened one eye, focusing enough to see the stars were still out. Gwen rolled back over to adjust her sleeping position and wished for just a little uninterrupted sleep, a few hours if nothing else.

As daylight broke free from the horizon, Trinity woke in a glorious mood, ready to start the day. She stood in the bedroom for a moment to watch Gwen sleep. It looked as if she were dead to the world in a deep translusive sleep. Trinity dressed and headed into the kitchen to see if Sophia was up yet. Once she rounded the corner to the kitchen she saw it empty. To show a little gratitude, she made coffee and muffins for their family. She appreciated all they had done for her. They had helped make her life in this enchanting world possible. Mr. and Mrs. M.C. Heady had given her a home, made her to feel like family. They reminded her of the favorite aunt and uncle she never had.

When the muffins and coffee were ready, the others had gotten up for the day, including Gwen who looked a little groggy. Trinity wasn't the only one who noticed it.

"Gwen honey is you feeling well? You look a little pale." Her mother piped up as usual. Angus just shook his head and slurped down his coffee.

"I didn't sleep well, but I'll be fine mom."

Her mother hugged her for a bit of comfort. Sophia smiled at her daughter, hard to believe she wasn't a child anymore. Her little angel was growing up a little too soon. Sipping her coffee to get mind to function, she was more than ready to start gardening this morning. It would be harvest season before you knew it.

"What are you two doing today? Anything fun?"

"It's our day to go see Maggie." Gwen replied while Trinity was still getting used to drinking coffee with her muffin.

"That will be nice for her, its sweet of you to spend time with the old woman."

"She's a very kind woman, we adore her." Piped up the newest member of their household, before clearing the table for her friend's mother.

Once breakfast and the dishes were taken care of, the two young witches headed out of the small cottage to make their way to the forest, just past the village square. The two of them raced down the hill enjoying the freedom of being young, feeling the element of air teasing their hair in the late summer breeze. The young girls loved running to the village, just to see who might be out this morning. It was a bit of a letdown, there weren't many people in the square this morning. 

Gwen loved to visit with other people she was a social person, friendly to all who met her. Trinity on the other hand was a shy type of person, she didn't mind letting Gwen run things that seemed to be her role in this life, to be a leader and take charge no matter the task. The two of them walked on past the village until they were in the woods walking the path to Maggie's cottage. The two of them watched birds flying high above the enormous trees. The two loved the nature walks almost as much as going to visit the old crone.

They walked the path to Maggie's rather faster than usual; it was always exciting trying to guess what the lesson would be this time. They rarely could guess it correctly but they still liked to try. This time Trinity knocked on the old wood door when they made it to the cottage. She waited, remembering it takes a little bit for the poor dear to answer the door. It took her more than a few minutes to open the front door. When she saw the young ones arrive for their magical lesson, she beamed a sweet old grin.

"Do come in, make yourselves at home, I had made the tea a little early." Maggie greeted them with her overflowing charm.

Both of them did as Maggie had asked, they sat down at the small oak kitchen table as Maggie grabbed her old porcelain tea service. Carefully she walked from the tiny kitchen to the small oak table. Sitting down with the two young witches in training, she smiled, pouring tea for the three of them.

"Thank you very much." Trinity spoke first, and Gwen chimed in as well.

"You both are more than welcome." Maggie replied taking another sip of her herbal tea.

The two younger witches smiled at the sweet elder witch as they finished their tea and waited for today's lesson with great anticipation. Maggie slowly sipped her tea until the cup was emptied.

"Are you two ready to begin?" Maggie asked in a slightly teasing manner.

Gwen and Trinity both shook their heads yes, with excitement in their youthful eyes.

Maggie smiled at her students. Over the years she had several bright witches and warlocks, but these witches were exemplary. She knew that these two were meant for something special. Slowly the old woman walked to the cozy living area and pulled out an ancient looking spell book. She walked back over to the young ones who were staring at their instructor. Several minutes passed by before the crone said anything to them. Opening the book to the middle of the leather bound giant, reading the page over thrice.

"Here we are, Magical Deflection and Self Defense. First you need to think of a solid object such as a tree trunk, wall or door." Maggie paused a moment and waited for them to try.

Once the two did their visualization exercise, the old crone continued on with the rest of the spell.

"Now for the chanting, repeat after me. Through this deflection an enemy cannot break. No matter the power she may possess, this wall shall not budge. As I will it to be, your dark magic doesn't work on me."

Gwen and Trinity repeated the chant word for word, keeping the image of a wall or door fixated in their mind's eye. They had both received a feeling of empowerment and peace as their lesson unfortunately came to an end. They both hugged Maggie, thanking her for sharing her great wisdom. They had to say goodbye, as they left the cottage and headed back though the forest, talking about their lesson the whole way back.

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