Maeve knew that when Maura began to react as she was, rocking in the corner, oblivious to the world around her, she was in immediate danger of losing her sister to some internal world. That world had been Maura's retreat for far too long and Maeve was not about to allow her to return.

Maeve reached out with her powers and wrapped the comforting aura of her mind around Maura. She felt her sister recoil from her touch, but quickly pushed past Maura's mental barriers. Moving into the corner Maeve wrapped her arms around Maura, comforting her physically as well as mentally.

"Mozab!" Maura shivered. "Mozab!" Her entire body was quivering in Maeve's arms.

"Tell me." Maeve's mind voice reached through the cloud in Maura's world.

"Mozab!" Maura's thoughts were incoherant, only the name came through with any clarity, but she was still there, she hadn't completely withdrawn yet.

"Tell me about Mozab." Maeve stroked her sister's hair gently, watching Maura's glazed eyes closely, waiting for the clarity she longed to see with in them.

"Mozab." Maeve was comforted by the lessening hysteria in Maura's mind voice. "Evil."

The girl suddenly stopped shaking entirely, and her eyes turned to meet her twin's gaze.

"Evil."

***************************

Maura turned on her side, haven awoken from the same dream that had plagued her for weeks. At the sound of a soft sigh Maura glanced over to see her sister shift in her sleep. She had told neither Maeve nor Dim-Dim of the night time messages; she could feel the forces behind the disturbances but couldn't discern who or what they were exactly. Tonight, however, the stakes had been raised; her night time visitor had chosen this evening to threaten Maeve.

"Leave the island now or the other one dies."

Maura had awoken with those words ringing in her mind, followed by silent whispered instructions that chilled her to the bone. There was no doubt in her mind that the threat was indeed real. Maeve's life was in serious danger.

Maura glanced down and with a slight thought her night shirt switched into her day clothes. Wrapped in Maeve's arms was a teddy bear, identical to the one that Maura clutched to her chest. Dim-Dim had bought them for the twins not a week after Maura had first arrived on the magical island. The soft furry toy had been Maura's life line over the years, something to cling onto when she didn't want to awaken her sister from her much needed sleep. Even at twenty-one years old Maura found the toy a gentle comfort, but now it came time to part with the comforts of her life. Aside from the clothes on her back and her cloak by the door she could take absolutely nothing to remind her of the past. The presence had been very specific about this point; she was to leave all indications of her life behind and leave at this very moment.

Maura sighed; she had to do as the voice had requested, she couldn't risk Maeve's life under any circumstance. Her only concern in the world was Maeve's happiness and her safety. The first she could do nothing about, but the latter Maura would die to ensure.

Moving to Maeve's bed, Maura tucked the small stuffed animal into Maeve's arms, and bent down to brush her lips across her twin's forehead. "Farewell, my sweet sister. Once again I must leave you against my will, without the chance to say goodbye, but once again I swear we are yet to meet in the future. The day you need me most, I will be there. Until then, be happy, and hold my heart for me."

With a final brush of her lips across her sister's skin, and leaving an aura of sweet love lingering in Maeve's heart and mind, Maura turned and left the room. She was met at the door to the cabin by a small feathered form. She sighed, donned the hawking glove attached to her belt, and extended her arm as a perch for the bird; Dermott nestled in closely to his sister, his psi-voice filling her mind.

"Little Maura, why do you leave the safety of our island?"

Maura sighed. "Dermott, I know you sense it as well or else you wouldn't be here waiting for me to leave. I have to go to ensure her safety."

"But what of your safety? You are far too fragile to survive out there in a world of men and pirates." The bird shivered at the thought of the things his sister would have to endure in the real world... people don't watch when they're walking, would she be able to endure being brushed up against by strangers? Dermott didn't believe so.

She smiled as she gently stroked Dermott's chest feathers. "At least out there I have a chance at freeing you, my brother. Here I haven't any place to begin. I love you, Dermott, you, Dim-Dim and most of all, Maeve. I must leave for all of these reasons. I have no other choice."

"I will miss you, Maura."

The girl nodded and looked into her brother's emerald green eyes. "Will you promise me one thing, Dermott? Swear to me that you will guard her with your life?"

"I swear."

"Thank you, my brother. May peace and love be your companions through out your life." Maura kissed the soft feathers cresting Dermott's head and moved the bird to his window perch. She strode seemingly confidently through the door and dissapeared into the night.

"Travel safely, my dear sister. Until we meet again." The bird's soft mind voice echoed through the psi-plane but Maura had already distanced herself from her beloved family. Until she was prepared to re-enter their lives, she had shut out the part of her that was in constant contact with her other half. For now, she was dead to them.

***********************

Both Maura and Maeve glanced up at the knock on the inn room door. Maeve looked at her sister in hesitation, but her double nodded with a forced smile.

Maeve shrugged but quickly crossed the room and opened the door just far enough to see Sinbad standing in the hall with a worried expression upon his face. She hissed in her breath, in all the confusion she had forgotten she had slammed the door in his face, had he been standing out here the whole time waiting for her? With a glance back at Maura still huddled in the corner, she slipped out of the room, closing the door once more.

"Hi," she whispered leading back against the door.

"How is she?" Sinbad laid his hand on Maeve's weary shoulder, his thumb resting gently against her throat. The gesture was one of an intimacy that made them both nervous, but tonight they laid their fears aside. Tonight Maeve had Maura to worry about, not herself.

Thinking of Maura caused Maeve to look up sharply. "Sinbad, she's not good so I can't stay here long. She has some things that she needs to free herself of, things beyond the realm of my knowledge. We need to talk this out; in the end I am the only one who can help her help herself."

Sinbad nodded. "Do you want to postpone our trip to Omar? I can send a messenger requesting his patience, or for him to meet us here..."

Maeve shook her head. "We'll be ready to leave in the morning; for now I just need some time alone with my sister."

Sinbad removed his hand from her shoulder and took a step backwards. "Let me know if you need me, all right?"

She smiled and slipped back into her room; Maura was carefully bringing herself out of her corner, and resting back on the bed. The time had come for her story to continue.

*************************

For months she had wandered around aimlessly, performing demeaning magical tricks for inn and tavern owners to win her dinner and a bed for the night. She made a few coins here and there at festivals, or merely performing on the street, but Maura had to have the means for survival. Her fear of tactile contact was ever present, and as more and more people had the audacity to brush up against her, it grew. She knew that one day some hand would reach out for her and she wouldn't be able to escape; she couldn't cope with the idea of being helpless ever again, so she concentrated on learning the art of defence.

She trained herself to be a warrior, not only in the way of sorcery, but also physically; she knew herself to be a match for any man that should approach her, knowing hand to hand tactics, plus how to work with daggers and swords. Nothing had evaded her, she would be safe.

Almost six months after she had left the safety of her island, she was approached in a tavern by a beautiful woman. The woman had shocking white blonde hair that hung low to her waist, and her ice blue eyes seemed to peirce through any barrier in front of them. She stood at a height almost even with Maura, and her gaze dared the young sorceress to try anything. She had come for Maura and would not take no for an answer.

"I am Bronaugh. I have a proposition for you."

Maura raised her eyebrows; she didn't exactly trust this woman, but she knew that she couldn't continue her life as it was. Being a performer wasn't getting Dermott any closer to being released, nor was it helping in solving her own problems. She nodded. "Show me."

Bronaugh lead her through the city, past all the homes of the villagers, past the center square, past all the market stalls, until they came to solid wall behind an old building. Bronaugh closed her eyes and muttered a few foreign words; Maura knew many old languages, but didn't recognize the tongue in which Bronaugh was speaking; then it didn't matter. The physical illusion of the wall faded away at Bronaugh's incantation, and Maura was introduced into a world of gardens, sparkling waterfalls, and sweet serenity. She gasped with pleasure.

Bronaugh smiled and gestured for the young sorceress to enter through the gateway. Turning as she did so, Maura watched the illusion fall back into place. This was truly a place of great wonders.

It was then that Bronaugh began to speak, slowly at first, but then with ever growing excitement. "This is a place where we bring the most gifted of those in our profession. The life aura of each sorcerer and sorceress here allows for this great beauty to exist; this is the manifestation of the love we hold for our lives, each other, and our work. If you do indeed choose to remain here among us, you will be free to come and go as you please, all your meals and a beautiful suite will be given to you, and you will have the opportunity to learn new abilities from the many magicians that live among us. Here there are no secrets; we all share what we know and we all prosper from what we have shared."

"But what if you were to want privacy?"

Bronaugh gave Maura a patient smile. "Privacy is not an issue. You are not forced to reveal anything that you do not desire to have known. You may choose not to reveal your powers if you so wish, but trust me, once you meet the others and our great leader, Mozab, you will have no wish to do so. Here we are a great family, we each are brothers and sisters though none are blood related. Mozab is our father, and he takes care of us. Ešel would not exist if Mozab's love for his children did not exist."

"Ešel?"

"Ešel is here, our home, the place where our bodies and our spiritual powers live as one. The place where each of us would die to defend from attack. Ešel, your home too if you so choose."

Maura followed Bronaugh through the gardens, and allowed the older sorceress to show her to her suite. The celt found herself greatly enjoying the company of Bronaugh, the woman was kind and seemingly very selfless. This warmed the girl's heart greatly, for Maura needed a friend.

*************************

Maeve glanced over at her sister. "You stayed?"

Maura nodded. "For three years."

"But why?"

Maura glanced out the window of the room, gazing into the lightening sky. She sighed. "I fell in love."

"Mozab?"

"Mozab."

**************************

Bronaugh and Maura had become very close friends over the next year. The other sorcerers welcomed the celtic sorceress, but Maura was not able to return their warmth; she still very much needed her space. It was Mozab that captured Maura's attention, however, his strength in leadership, his will to pefect Ešel, his control over the sorcerers, and his great physical beauty.

He was an intimidating man, standing far higher than Maura, out weighing her in pure muscle by an incalculable amount. His eyes were as black as the night, as was his hair and his clothing. Father Mozab wore nothing but black clothing. His skin was sun darkened, making his smile a shock of white against all the darkness. He was extremely intriguing, but Maura had not the courage to approach him. He made the first move.

Her powers had increased greatly, learning easily the spells that had others tied up for hours, sometimes even days just attempting the basic concepts. Aside from Mozab, she was the most powerful magician in Ešel, and her powers continued to increase on a daily basis. After only a year in her new home she was called into Mozab's chambers; her powers and her beauty had captured his attention, he had to find out just exactly was behind this celtic wonder.

"Sit, my child."

Shaking from the close proximity this strange, dark man was standing by her, Maura had no choice but to follow his directions. Crossing her legs she slid gracefully to the floor.

"You have great powers."

"Thank you, Father Mozab."

The sorcerer shook his head and flashed his brilliant smile. "No, my dear, Father is the title the others have offered me, to you I am only Mozab, only a man."

"Thank you, Mozab."

"I would like a demonstration of your powers, Maura. Please choose something that will show me the extent of your ability."

Maura shrugged, unable to deny this man his wish, and began to concentrate on a difficult incantation, one she felt that Mozab would enjoy. Without delay the light began to fade from the room, leaving Maura and her leader in an inky darkness penetrated by no light. Within moments however, a light appeared in Maura's hand, a small ball glowing pure white, cutting through the black, illuminating her smile.

Mozab nodded his head. "My my, you are powerful aren't you?" As Maura returned the room to its normal brilliance, she could tell that some thought had struck Mozab. He raised his eyebrow. "Are you an only child, Maura?" The girl shook her head. "A sister?" She nodded. "A twin?" Again, she nodded. A light brightened Mozab's black eyes, and he waved her away so that he could open one of his books; without hesitation he turned to the section on known prophecies. He nodded and sighed. "There will come a day in years unborn that in this world powers will adorn two girls, born of the same mother at the same time. They each will weild the powers of light, seperated they are harmless, but together they shall send the dark one back into the night. One will walk near darkness, one will hold her in the light, yet both their hearts will bleed. Together they are pure sorcery, their powers untamed; only apart may they meet defeat."

Mozab turned his attention back to the girl. "Maura, I wish you to be my apprentice. I wish to share with you my knowledge in the hopes of increasing your powers to their full potential."

Maura smiled at him, her eyes shining. "You choose me to gain such knowledge?"

"I do."

************************

Continued in Sorcerer's Blood: Part Three, Section Two

Sorcerer's Blood: Part Three, Section Two

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