It took three carriages for them to all get to the tea house. Gregory had been surprised that it wasn’t just the younger magi going, but also the magi instructors, as well as Inda, and Indara. He also wasn’t sure about how they were all going to partake in the ceremony. The room he remembered might have fit six, but it wasn’t big enough for all of them.
Dia had admonished them to be quiet from the time they left the academy until they arrived back at the clan hall. The instructors bowed silently to her, as had Gregory and his wives. The novices, along with Ling and Clover, had verbally said they would, then bowed silently, clearly embarrassed they’d fallen at the first step.
When they entered the garden, another surprise awaited Gregory— there were three women and a man waiting for them. All four wore the same kimono, and they quickly split them into smaller groups before leading their own subsect around the long winding path. Gregory, his wives, Ling, and Clover were the largest of the groups; the novices were with Dia as the second; Bishop, Hemet, Samuel, and William composed the third group; and Leah, Rhea, Inda, and Indara were the last, following the male guide.
Gregory stopped thinking about the others. Instead, he tried to let the peacefulness of the garden help him sink into a waking meditation. It was easier than he thought it would be, as the garden scents and silence helped him find the tranquility he knew would help.
The building at the center of the garden had them removing their shoes before stepping inside. The room was much larger than Gregory remembered, and there were four distinctive settings for a tea ceremony. As he followed the guide to the far side of the room, he dimly noted the sliding walls that divided the larger building into the smaller section he’d seen before.
Taking his seat, he was calm, yet also eager. He knew that he’d be able to speak with Darkness during the ceremony, and hoped his wives would be there with him. A part of his mind wondered what the three novices, Clover, and Ling would see, but it was a distant thought to him at that moment.
When the hostess handed out the pre-tea snacks, Gregory took his with a slow deliberateness. After a few moments, a spot of air began to grow dark, and his smile was internal as his body completely relaxed.
“Happy solstice, my heart,” Darkness purred. “I was surprised when you invoked my name earlier today. It made me happy to have you call me your wife. Oh, how I long for the day when I can touch you safely.”
Gregory accepted the tea from the hostess a minute later, drinking deeply. The world shifted and the opulent bedroom solidified around him, where he was perched on the edge of the bed.
“Hello, my heart,” Gregory said.
A pleased sound came from the midnight-shrouded corner. “Oh, I love to hear that from you. Give me a moment and they will join you.”
Yukiko was next, seated beside Gregory. He kissed her cheek as she blinked in awareness of where she was.
“Dear one, how have you been?” Yukiko asked not Gregory, but the corner.
“I have been as well as I can be, Yuki,” Darkness replied. “Jenn will be with us shortly.”
It felt like only a second later when Jenn appeared on Gregory’s other side. Gregory gave her the same kiss on the cheek that he’d given Yukiko.
“Hello, Darkness,” Jenn smiled. “How have you been?”
“As well as I can be,” Darkness replied. “Now that we are all here, we can talk freely for a little bit. I was very proud of you all earlier today. To openly admit your desires is hard for most. That is where many magi stumble with their resonance— to deny that part of yourself would stymie your resonance, making it much harder for your soul to embrace the world.”
“I was terrified,” Jenn said. “My brain kept trying to tell me that they would be disgusted with me.”
“I felt the same,” Yukiko said. “I thought who would want me when I want to control them, to use them for our heart?”
“Yes. You two are so well-matched in that way,” Darkness sighed happily. “You two are the core of his life and love. Never doubt that.”
“I’m still uncertain about my desires,” Gregory said softly. “I have you three. It feels greedy to even consider more.”
“Which is why you will always be a good man,” Darkness replied gently. “Your worry for us will always keep you going slowly. There is nothing wrong with that. It is better than what most others would do.”
“And we support your desires, dear one,” Yukiko said, covering his hand with hers, “as your lovers will be our lovers, too. I’ve come to see that love grows; it isn’t finite. The more love we give you, the more you have to give to us.”
Jenn nodded, putting her hand over his other hand. “And we’re not going to just drag them into bed with us.”
“That would be bad for everyone,” Darkness agreed with Jenn. “Yuki, the ones you consider, I already approve of. If they walk all three paths, they have my blessing. That way, none of you will need to risk a clumsy attempt to contact me outside of advancement or a tea ceremony.”
Gregory flushed at her comment. “I understand, Darkness.”
“I will continue with my current plan unless you tell me otherwise,” Yukiko said.
“It is a good plan,” Darkness said.
“Will we see you again tonight?” Jenn asked her.
“Oh, yes please,” Darkness whispered.
“We do still need to repay you,” Yukiko said with a touch of desire. “Greg, you wouldn’t mind if we share this space tonight so Darkness can be here with us, do you?”
Knowing what she was asking, Gregory swallowed. “I look forward to it.”
“As do I,” Darkness purred, “but our time is almost over now.”
“What are they seeing?” Gregory asked suddenly, his curiosity about his friends’ futures coming forward.
“What might be if they stay with the clan,” Darkness giggled. “Or are you asking if they are seeing themselves with you specifically?”
Gregory’s face flushed hot and he looked down. Before he could reply, the world trembled and his wives vanished. Head snapping up for a brief fragment of a second, he thought he saw the outline of a woman inside the darkness. The bedroom vanished in the next moment, and he was bowing to the hostess.
The trip out had Gregory as the last one in line. As he walked, he saw the thoughtful, hopeful expressions on his friends’ faces. Each time he caught sight of one of them, he smiled. Even if they never join our family, I hope they find the happiness they deserve.
~*~*~
Back at the academy, Gregory nearly laughed. Clover and Daciana looked to be vibrating in place. Must be hard for them to restrain the questions they have, he thought.
Just as they were passing through the arch made by the hedge around the clan hall, Gregory spoke when he saw Clover open her mouth, “Wait.” The word was soft, but held a weight he didn’t know he could project.
Dia glanced back and, seeing both Daciana and Clover closing their mouths, looked at Gregory and bowed her head. She led the younger magi into the garden, motioning them to sit before she stood in the middle of the benches.
“Now, one at a time,” Dia said, “ask your questions.”
“Is it the future?” Both Daciana and Clover asked in near unison.
Dia gave them both a look before she laughed lightly. “I know it must have been hard for you both to wait. The answer is that the future is too fluid for what you saw to be certain. However, it is a possible future. Some say it’s even the most likely future.”
“Can we make certain it is the future?” Nessa asked after a moment of silence.
“Do what you think best, but do not push to do more, nor less. The future you saw will come to pass unless something shifts. You yourself can make it not happen by being too forceful,” Dia replied.
Victoria bowed her head. “My vision saw me in the clan kimono years from now. I know the clan was almost back to its previous glory, but that was eclipsed in my vision, as I’d found my own dream being realized. I won’t push, Dia, but that future is what I will work toward.”
“That is the best way,” Dia smiled at her.
“I…” Ling paused, “hesitated in my vision. In doing so, I lost the chance I wished for. I can change that, right?”
Dia’s smile grew. “Yes. Your vision showed you a pivotal point in your life. That’s what most see. It’s very likely that point will come up in the future, and now, you know how to change it if you wish.”
Ling bowed her head. “I will make it real. Thank you, Aether, for giving me this warning.”
When no one else spoke, Dia nodded. “Very well. Now that your questions have been answered, we can move onto the next part of the solstice. This is the part that most young magi look forward to.” Clapping her hands, she looked toward the entrance of the atrium as the staff came out with trays, setting them on stands beside Dia.
Those who hadn’t been with the clan before the solstice last year looked curious, while Gregory and his wives smiled, knowing what was coming.
Dia thanked the staff as they set the trays out for her, then bowed and departed. “On the winter solstice, the clans give gifts. Each clan hands out their gifts differently, from those who have brought the most profit in for the Han clan, to who can win the tournament they hold for the Iron Hand. For us, we give gifts equally.”
The novices stirred, their eyes locked on the covered trays.
“We prefer helping our young magi grow their aether,” Dia said as she removed the lids. The heavy scent of herbs filled the immediate area. “Now, for this to have the greatest effect, you need to grow your aether while partaking. Since you all work on the Peaceful Fist, I suggest that.”
All of them rose, spreading out so they had room, and took the first stance. In unison, they began to move through the first kata.
~*~*~
Gregory ached when they finished— he was breathing hard and covered in sweat. His whole body felt stretched and overinflated, close to bursting. His wives and friends looked like they were in similar conditions. Victoria, Nessa, and Daciana were trembling where they stood, looking faint.
“Yukiko, Jenn, help me guide the novices to the bath, please,” Dia said. “We’ll go slowly. You all did very well. Tomorrow, you will see what you just accomplished. Gregory, lead the way, please.”
Bowing formally, he started walking. His legs felt a little unsteady, but he knew the others were in worse shape. When he finally reached the bathing rooms, he gave them all a smile as they passed him on the way to the women’s bath. They each gave him smiles in return, some a little shakier than the others.
As they entered the far room, he stepped into the men’s dressing room and saw that a majority of the baskets were already full of clothing. Gregory stripped off his sweat-soaked kimono and put it into a basket. Seeing the set of clean apprentice’s robes already waiting for him, he smiled and was about to place his gloves, boots, and jewelry into the basket, but then stopped. With a thoughtful expression, he had his storage ring absorb his loose items. It left him wearing his storage ring, but he was fine with wearing that into the bath.
“How did it go, Greg?” Zenim asked as he opened the door to the inner bathing room, coming out.
“I think it was more potent this year,” Gregory replied.
“Which means you will be higher ranked tomorrow,” Quilet said softly. “We need to go help with dinner. Enjoy the bath.”
“Thank you,” Gregory replied as the staff came out to dress. Stepping past them, he gave the others in the room a bow of his head. “Magi, Gin.”
“Gregory,” Gin smiled, “did any of them faint?”
“No, though the novices looked like they were about to.”
“They were higher ranked than I expected them to be when I was brought in to teach,” Samuel said. “I wonder how much they will grow tonight?”
“They might attain two ranks,” William said, “though few ever do.”
“True,” Hemet nodded, “but our young magi are special. I heard our longest-tenured apprentices all achieved two ranks each last year.”
When everyone turned to him, Gregory nodded. “We did.”
“Hmm,” William said, “the Peaceful Fist does combine two paths. I wonder if that helps with their growth during the solstice?”
“But the novices didn’t study that path before joining the clan, did they?” Samuel asked.
“I think they did,” Hemet smiled. “They flow smoothly while following the path. Ling and Clover are rougher, but are quickly smoothing out.”
“Inda and Indara both say they feel the Peaceful Fist is helping them, as well,” Gin added. “The clan is going to explode with numbers in the near future.”
“As those who seek power hope it will work for them,” Hemet nodded. “But the solstice weeds out those who are unfit to stay.”
“The tea house?” Samuel asked. “Yes, I can see where, if they weren’t committed, it might shake them.”
Silence fell as Gregory began to wash, the others in the room lost in their thoughts.
When Gregory came over to the tub, William spoke up, “I wanted to ask before, but didn’t wish to pry too far, Gregory. How did you acquire those scars?”
Looking down at his arm, Gregory exhaled as he thought back to his age day. “A bane wolf.” Sinking into the water, he continued, “It was just after I became an adult…”
