Lynn stood on the steps of the Mage school and tried to not act like the pouting child that she felt like. She did not understand why she was being forced to leave the school and not allowed to return for at least two cycles. They called it the Long Walk and she was now being called a Walking Mage.

She had not wanted to start her Long Walk yet but the teachers had explained that if she refused she would be stripped of her prime magics. Now that she was in touch with the prime magics within herself, Lynn could never again be cut off from the way the magic made her feel.

She was angry because she just could not understand why she had to leave the place that taught magic, so she could go out and learn how to use magic. The concept was lost on the young Mages mind.

The other Long Walkers had left and only Lynn still lingered. Four went toward the west and it was plain that they intended to stay together for as long as they could.

The others went east toward the numerous farms and villages where a Long Walking Mage could find work. It was barely explained that they would have to find their own work and food. The only good was that most people had no issue with helping a Walking Mage because it was always good to have a powerful friend.

She knew that it would be easy to find a large farm and become their weather predictor and mid wife, but she had lived on a farm most of her life and she wanted more from life now. What she truly wanted was to stay in the a city and feel the energy of the busy city life.

Feeling a tug at her long dress Lynn looked down to find a small girl. The child was dirty and unwashed but her eyes were bright and clear. Around ten or eleven cycles old she was old enough to move about freely but not employed somewhere.

"I'm sorry to have touched you Mage. Papa always said to never touch mages, but I called you and you did not hear me." The girl spoke in a hushed voice.

Feeling pity Lynn said, "It's alright little one. What is your need?"

A Walking Mage was required to help any that ask. Lynn still did not know which way to go and this child could offer her the time she needed to decide.

"Can you come with me and help us?" The poor girl pleaded. Lynn nodded and followed the child.

She led Lynn to a large Apartments near the river, that ran the edge of the city. The Apartments were used by workers for living and for day to day things like cooking and washing of clothes. Each Commoners Apartments and Homes was owned by the kingdom and was paid for in work that commoners did. One member of each family in the Apartments must do community service work in the city. From lamp lighting to street cleaning; it was hard work but needed, to keep the kingdom going.

"My momma is laid up in bed and not able to work at Duke Plito's mill. If she does not go back to work soon I will have to be sold to the work houses, papa said so." They talked as they walked to the dingy poor district of the Commoners Apartments. The work houses were places that no women belonged, let alone a child. If Lynn was in charge such places would be outlawed or under stronger restrictions.

"I can't promise anything but I will try, child." Lynn talked but looked around the whole time to make sure it was not a trap.

Lynn smiled at the girl, but her heart was heavy. She wanted to help but was not confident enough in her own magic. If the women has a disease then Lynn might not be able to do anything at all.

"Please hurry, momma is coughing so badly now it keeps us up all night."
That made up Lynn's mind. Coughing was actually a good sign, at least she hoped.

It took the young Mage longer to get to girls third floor home then it did to heal the girls mother. The infection was in the lungs only so Lynn's magic was able to clear all of it quickly. The mother would have to stay dry and warm for the next two seven nights but she should feel up to working the next morn.

"I can never pay for what you have done, kind Mage." The child said watching her mother sleep peacefully for the first time in a long time.

"I do not want pay, but promise me that you'll run rather than ever go to the work houses." Lynn took her by the arm and looked at her sternly.
The girl lowered her head so Lynn could not see the tears welling up in her eyes. Even at her young age she new about what women and girls became in the houses.

"I will only promise that I will find some way, other than being used, to help provide for my family, kind Mage."

Lynn nodded. It was all she could ask. Life for the poor was not easy but the overcrowding in the city was making things even harder.

Staying through the night Lynn slept on the girls bed pallet. The father came home early in the morn for he was a firemen at a local House. A fireman kept fires built up and ensured that nothing got out of control in the mantle.

He thanked Lynn so much that she began to get annoyed and left quickly after making sure the mother was good.

Nearby an open stand sold meat and potatoes pies, called a Wrap back in Lynn's home, but called Pinches here. The meat was tender but had a pepper bite Lynn still had not gotten used to. Buying one she ate it quickly before it cooled off to much. To her the meat did not taste right when it was too cold.

Now Lynn would have to pick a direction to go now. She really wanted to stay right here in the city. Beginning to walk, with no aim or direction, she turned down a narrow way and walked toward sunlight.

As she walked further down the way; she was greeted by two rough looking men, who seemed to be waiting on her. Quickly gathering a spell of protection she waited for the men to make their move.

To her great surprise they both fell to their knees and one said in a hoarse voice, "Please Lady Mage can you come to the Boar's Tusk? Our master is in grave pain and the healer is refusing to come for some reason."

Lynn had heard of the place and it was the largest seller of ale but one of the smaller Houses in Farth. It employed around thirty men and women and if the Master did die a new Master could come in and change things.

"I'll go with you, but if this is a trick I promise you that you will rue the day you were born." Lynn told them in a cold voice.

The men only bowed deeper and made many promises that they would let nothing happen to her.

"Please Lady Mage, we heard from a wash women, and a fireman that you've come here to heal and that you're on a Walk. Please hurry and heal the Master!"

Lynn gestured for them to led the way.

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It was not far to the Boar's Tusk and the men were walking fast so they got there quickly.

They took her to the back store rooms and she was greeted to a large group of people milling about looking nervous and afraid.

Up by a wall that was lined with barrels of every shape and size she found a tight group attending to a huge barrel that was askew on the ground. Coming closer Lynn could see that the Master lay next to the barrel.

She now knew what had happened. The barrel had fallen onto the Master, this was not going to be easy.

"How long since you took the barrel off of him?" Lynn asked quickly. They all looked shocked that she had pieced together what had happened.

A gray haired man spoke when the others looked at him, "Just a little while ago. We took care to not make it worse by hurrying, Lady Mage."

Nodding Lynn went to the Master and started to gently run her hands all over the mans body. Along with a delving spell touching would both find any major signs of damage and calm the master.

His right leg was completely crushed and the hip as well. Several ribs were broken but only one had punctured a lung, thankfully not deeply. There was internal injuries in his stomach which would take time to heal but over all he was not too bad Lynn thought to herself.

Looking to the gray haired leader Lynn ordered him, "I need blankets and clean water, now! Keep fresh water coming and do not interrupt!"

In no time they had the Master comfortable and Lynn had made the broken bones whole again. It would be the internal injuries that would take all her time and energy.

She would have to be careful. If she expanded to much it could kill her or leave her weak and open. She was in a House after all and a women was a women.

The leader must have seen Lynn's struggle because he sat next to her and leaned in close. "I promise that I will stay right here and not let any harm come to you while you heal him. I'm Head man here and my word is law. Besides, if he dies the new Master will not be as kind as this one."

Lynn felt he was sincere so she went to work. It would be the hardest magical fight of her young life. The damage was so sever that whole sections of the man's insides were already dying. On top of that he had bleeding ulcers, probably from a life of stress and worry. In a way she found herself respecting the Master of the Tusk.

Being so deep into the mans body also touched his inner being. In a sense Lynn was able to see the Masters true self. It was a side affect of such a healing and a reason why many healers and mages refused to heal major injuries.

Lost in the healing, time and space slipped away and Lynn nearly forgot to take a drink from time to time. The gray haired Head made sure that clean and fresh water was at her side at all times.

When Lynn wordlessly directed him he would wet the masters mouth. No sense in healing him to have him die from lack of water.

When she was satisfied that the healing was enough to keep the Master alive she began to pull away slowly. Again, no good healing him and then killing him by ripping her presence out to quickly.

This was another side effect of a strong healing. It left a piece of the healer in the person being healed.
Most did not remember or understand it but some did.

Standing slowly Lynn began to stretch her aching legs. The Head man lay asleep nearby. The big barrel was gone and candles flickered on the walls.

Lynn wondered how long the healing had taken. She was starved and extremely tired. Her magic was weak and would take days to recover fully, but she had saved the man's life.

"Is he good now, Lady Mage?" The Head was asking from his pallet on the floor.

"Healthier than he was before. Is there somewhere I can eat and sleep?" Lynn said trying to not faint.

In a rush the leader was up and next to Lynn. A small serving women rushed to Lynn as well. They led her to a room that was fit for a royal.

Almost asleep Lynn was woken to two women coming into her room. Too tired to do much Lynn touched a gold pendant on her belt. The pendant was in the shape of a puma and was a stored spell that would protect her.

Lynn could touch it and release a living puma that would protect her until released, even if all her magic was gone.

If she would have looked at the two serving women she would have seen that they were terrified of her. Most commoners thought that mages were all powerful and inhuman.

"M'lady Mage , we brought you a verity of fruits and cheese. Hot food is being made, if you want it?"

"Just set it near the bed and save the hot food for the master. He is awake and probably yelling for food. I will eat something hot when I wake up."

"He told us to attend to you first, lady Mage." The servant said shyly.

"Very good, just keep the really fatty meat away from him. He will not be able to handle it, no matter how good he feels." Lynn spoke between shoving food into her mouth.

They looked at each other amazed that Lynn knew that the Master was awake and calling for food.

"What is the hour?" Lynn mumbled tiredly.

"It is nearly time for the moon watch to come."

Middle of the night so she had been healing the master all day. She felt like it had been two full days by her hunger.

"I healed him in one day, not bad." Lynn said it under her breath but the servant heard.

"No, lady Mage, it had been three changing of the moon watches since the accident. Head man Jan said to leave you alone for however long it took, that you would be done when you're done. Thank you for saving Master Awl, he really isn't such a bad master to have."

Lynn just smiled and waved them away. Three days healing, and he lives to demand food. She felt pride at herself. Now she needed more sleep.

Hi, new author. Don't kill me. (Says the editor)
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