Zarija's Emberquell

"Before the boys return the flocks to the pens for the evening." The young maid replied to to the goodwife as she set out with her baskets.   "And I want to see all the pigs ear plucked before they choke out the carrots when I return you two!" the plump matron called to her daughters, waving a laden arm toward the long garden patch, as they looked on curiously at the Spellmonger's apprentice.   Noting the girls attention as she made preparations for the weave, the apprentice began to explain "We need to renew the ward against fire for the cottage. First I'll need to measure the circumstances of the area and flows of natural energy. Then mark the boundary for the weave with sigils. Be careful not to disturb them before the ritual is complete, or the magic won't take." As the spellmonger's apprentice walked around the yard quietly, occasionally reciting minor cantrips and gesturing, the girls lost interest in her studious examination of the cottage and began their weeding chore.   As mid day approached a crone followed by a large tom cat approached the cottage, and the younger of the sisters rose from her unfinished row to greet the old woman. Her apprentice spoke first "The area is ready, with two primary exclusions" and at a glance to the girls listening in "We wouldn't want you to lose any toes this winter because you can't light the fire place in your bedroom." The old woman chuckled as the girls eyes grew wide.   As the spellmonger inspected the sigils placed around the cottage, her apprentice sat in the shady grass beneath an apple tree to have a meal. The girls joined her and shared a small pail of sheep milk, chatting with the young woman about how she came to be a spellmonger's apprentice. "I was just a lass, perhaps a year older than you" she said looking to the elder sister "When lord Hjalmar's spellwarden tested us for the talent. Three of us were Sparks, and the lord picked a boy from the village to go to Kregsexar Arsenal Academy to learn war magicks, and either Elin or I were to go to Runeskriver in Stromsby. When mistress Signe asked to take one of us on as apprentice instead of sending us away, I cried in relief and asked for it to be me. I love the valley, and didn't want to go away to the city alone." The younger girl nodded in agreement, while her sister looked down the valley with a thoughtful expression.   Tidying up after their meal the apprentice told the girls with a grin "You have time to gather your friends. They can help you finish the weeding before the interesting part happens" and after a glance at each other, the girls ran off down a path to the village.   "We should have a quiet start to the weaving." The young woman reported to her master, as they gathered reagents for the ritual from various pouches and vials.   "That was well considered for a sensitive weave like Zarija's Emberquell, and good for reminding the others to schedule their ward's renewal as well" the crone softly praised. "Some of them will need to set a few stags aside before the harvest. You will lead this time, to leave your audience with the right impression." The women began their chanting, and counter movement around the cottage.   Shortly after the girls had returned with companions to help with their chore the ritual casting had settled in to a quiet meditation. When the rows of carrots were clear of pigs ear and creeping charlie, and the girls began to whisper about the return of the boys with the flocks, the showy conclusion to Zarija's Emberquell fire ward began to appear around the cottage. The spellmongers rose and resumed their chanting as faint ripples of icy blue flames began to engulf the cottage. The girls clutched each other and gasped as the ghostly images briefly wreathed the building.   After the images faded away, and the spellmongers completed their renewal of the ward, the old crone and the tom cat returned down the cart track to the village. As the soft bleats of the flock neared, the apprentice packed away the last of the instruments and reported to the goodwife when she returned from the market "It took very well, and there was no interference" with a smile she glanced at the girls as they gossiped with their friends "you should have no problems with candles, lanterns, or tapers, but no larger flame will persist outside the two hearths."