Sorry for republishing six times. Just the editing's been hectic.

For the next several days Lynn would walk the halls of the Tusk meeting all the people that called it home.

The only actual permanent  residents of the Boar's Tusk are its Ladies and a stable master.  Master Awl does have an apartment here, but his true home is in the Merchants district.  Though he stayed mostly in the apartment now, since getting hurt.

The Head man was also to get an apartment but instead he shared with the stable master, something to do with the size of the Tusk.  Lynn was able to glean from maid rumors that the wives of the two men were sisters so they liked the arrangement of sharing from time to time.

Apartments and suites within the House were rentable, but went for high coin, so mostly traveling merchants or nobles rented them for short times until leaving the city.

Everyone else lived elsewhere within the city of Farth.  From family Homes, to the male and female commoners apartment, the servants and workers of the Tusk  lived as all the people of the city lived- in the district of their rank.

Homes were still apartment style but for bigger families to live together.  Eight units per four story home, where the Apartments have fourteen units for the four story and twenty in the five story high ones.

The Apartments held House men and women or guardsmen.  Providing a safe and fun place for men, women, and families to live when they were not working the long hours such life required these housings were important to city function.

Wash centers were nearby and free to all citizens.  Never closing, stores held supplies for those who want to cook.  Most just ate at food stalls or in sit-down cafes that offer simple fair.

Dances and social gatherings were hosted from time to time in common gathering halls.  One gathering hall centered near every ten Apartments or Homes and also were used for social announcements from Farth city officials, even weddings were housted here if the couple could not afford a House. These centered around binding relationships and for people to meet.

The city was open all day so such events could last for longer periods of time, or could even be held in the middle of the night for those who work in the middle of the day

Lynn was not sure how she felt about it all, but being from a smaller village she knew that city life had to be different due to the amount of people and the several different classes and ranks.

In a village a marriage was arranged nearly at birth. Only strong fights or magic could break these long held traditions.

Lynn fit in both such cases. Her father had gotten in a drunken brawl with her future husband's family over a trade of animals and then the Day Finding came a month later and Lynn was wisked off to the Mage College for the life she now had.

In a short week she went from a dreary future of birthing children and acting like a good wife, to being a mage and in control of powers undreamed of.

At the Tusk most were friendly and would gladly stop and talk for a few moments to the new House Mage.  Lynn could tell that politics and social fears kept many from being fully open or honest.

The only man that would outright avoid her was the Night Banner man, the second in command of the few night guard at the Tusk.  His job was the safety of the House and served as a link between the Captian and the ten night guard that patroled the House.

Unsure why she was being avoided, Lynn had the Captain trick the man into a room so that she could interview him one day.  Master Awl was busy attending to a important guest and Lynn told the Head man to come later. 

She sat in a chair against the wall and waited for the Banner man Karl.  From what she had heard from his men, this Karl was very serious about his duties, but was also a self fashioned ladies man who thought all women belonged in a House for men's pleasure

Something about the way he avoided her and the remarks his own men said about him made Lynn  untrusting of him so she had several barriers and protections up when Banner man Karl  came in.

Walking into the office Karl froze when his eyes fell on Lynn. He turned to leave but the Captain ordered him to stay.

"Is there a problem you have with me, Banner man Karl?" Lynn asked leaning forward. She had to admit to herself that she kind of enjoyed the power of fear.  "You avoiding me makes me think you don't want to talk and that leads me to believe that you know something."

The experienced captain saw the look Karl gave before Lynn but was too far away to do more then give a yell.
Karl suddenly lunged at Lynn with rage and hate taking over his face.

Before reaching her he said something that would wake Lynn for months to come.

"You whore of a Mage! I was supposed to kill you in your sleep, but you're never alone! Now I'll have to die with you to keep her happy!"  He screamed in a near inhuman voice.

Within a short span away from her Karl began to swell like water skin being over filled. It was the way she remembered it and the only way her brain could understand the turn of events.

A half span away the night Banner man exploded in a ball of purple flames aimed right at her.  If Lynn had not already put up wards she would have been engulfed in magic fire that was meant to kill or seriously harm her.

Unfortunately the captain had moved to close trying to stop Karl. His cloths ignited but only half of it burned. Weakened Lynn cast a quick water spell over the whole area.  

All around her the magic flames burned the wall and floor and even the chair she was sitting on. It was the little things inexperienced mages did that killed them, Master Solen would say over and over.  The indoor shower put out most of the Captian but not all of the room. 

Not warding the chair and area around her was foolish. It would have taken some more magic but now Lynn would have to keep her ward up longer to keep from catching fire.
Standing and walking out of the still burning area took effort that she hardly had.

To the Guard that had brought in Karl, Lynn said "Go and get a water brigade, and help Captain Winters. This fire will not put its self out anytime soon. Have some of them fill buckets with wet sand for a magic fire is hard to put out with water only."

Then she left the room.  Promising herself to never again be caught off guard.

=====                                                =====

Lynn went straight to her room and just wanted to be alone, but in the hall leading to her room was a big guard and a very pretty girl. 

The young women was called Lady Dragonfly and she was one of the top Ladies of the House because she could play four instruments.

Unable to talk, do to a rumored childhood accident, Lynn had not spoken to the girl much.  The Mage did not know much about the young Green Mountains Lady except that she was popular but still humble.

Dragonfly kept a slate and chalk that she used to communicate as needed. The aged and scared guard was her own personal one that she had hired. He acted a tad like a doting uncle, so Lynn had been told.

A second guard was coming up fast behind Lynn. Still tired from warding herself against the human blast earlier she grasped the silver objects at her waist and prepared for the worst.  Again promising her fool self to never be this exposed and tired in the near future.

Before fear could take her Lynn turned back to Dragonfly and warned in a sterne voice, "I'm not sure how much you know about Mages but I have weapons at the ready at all times."

The personal guard spoke and raised his hands to warn the overzealous younger Guard back, "The Lady Dragonfly has requested an audiance
with the Lady Mage. We never meant to cause alarm.  Are you available now, pray tell?"

Holding her wards was beginning to drain Lynn but she did not want to be caught off guard if this was an attack.  Nodding she gestured them to back away and let her get to the door.  A moment later the three entered Lynn's suite.

The Lady Dragonfly sat across from Lynn, with her guard standing by the door. Lynn could sense that a pair of guards stood outside the door, so a second man had been near.

Taking a piece of slate out of her purse the Lady Dragonfly laid it on the small table. On her wrist was a silk string that she pulled on and attached to it was a blue stone, in the shape of a piece of chalk.

Lynn waited in silence through it all. Dragonfly moved with a daft and efficient way that did remind the Mage of a dragonfly flitting about.
Then she touched the stone to the slate. Magic bloomed from the stone and Lynn could hear a voice in her head.

"I'm not strong in magic so this will need to be quick, I'm sorry." The very feminine voice spoke, "You're in great danger Walking Mage!  There is more going on here and not all the players have revealed their cards."

Knowing it and hearing it were two different things. When you know it you can convince yourself that it's not really that bad.  Hearing it from this insistent girl made it that much more unnerving for Lynn.

"Why do you say this?" Lynn asked.

Touching the blue stone down the voice continued, "Someone asked me to warn you, I am not sure of the details. I'm sorry but I cannot reveal who asked me to warn you."

It amazed Lynn that the voice could convey so much emotion and desire to be heard. She knew that it was not forcing or tricking her but Dragonfly truly cared for Lynn's well being.

"Tell who you're answering to that I too answer to someone, and if I don't at least try to stop what's about to happen than I'm not worth the robes I wear. Ok?"

Bowing slightly at the waist in acquiescence. Lady Dragonfly pulled a box out of her purse and put it on the table before Lynn.

The box was simple and plain with magic runes and glyphs all over it.  On top of it was a depression but there was no way, that Lynn could see, to open it.

"What is this?" Lynn finally asked.

Tapping the depression and saying," I was told nothing except to tap the top of it.  Whatever is in is stonger than I  can hold for long.  I was also told that your shadow will continue to stay near your door."  Then she stood and gave a deep bow before turning and leaving the  Mage alone to her thoughts.

Staring at the box for half a candle burn Lynn had to admit defeat.  She was no closer to figuring out the warning or why she had a box with no key.  She also felt a fool for not feeling or sensing that she had a guard at her door every night.

Staring at the box Lynn became so still that she could hear her own heart beat.  The sound of silence filled her mind soon after and she thought on everything she had learned and seen.  The box pulsed with a magic Lynn had seen very rarely.

A gentile rapping on the door woke her from her healing meditation.  It was the speacial knock of her personal handmaid, Starla. 

Hired and assigned only to Lynn, the young handmaid could be annoying but the Mage liked her frank honesty and quirky mind.  Not stupid but not overly intelligent, Starla was just right to serve as a Mages handmaiden.

Flying in the door with a tray of foods and drinks the once farm girl told Lynn excitedly, "There's a fire being put out in the Captains office!  Just thought you should know, Mage Lady Lynn."

"Well thank you, Starla."  Lynn was tired and not in the mood for the overly talkative girl but as a gift from Master Awl, Lynn felt that she could not refuse.  She wanted a girl from the House that was known to dislike Flower, but the Master thought a new girl would be better and unaware of the inner politics going on in the House.

Starla is fine Lynn thought to herself, besides the girl had moved to the city when she was young, so she understands my hesitation of big city life in Farth.

Smiling Lynn said to Starla, "Is that the rose tea I like?"

I hope your all still with me!  I edited this one so took a while.   Watch for ch6 and see the plot thicken and the additional trouble for Lynn.   As always ask questions and give some positive reviews please.  Need all the help and support and I can get!!

Yup, missus editor is back. He made quite a few grammatical mistakes and I hope I caught them all. Let us know if I didn't! Thanks!