Chapter 3
Elsa. The name suits the lady, simple but also formal. Jana wonders idly if there’s supposed to be a title in front of her name. Probably so.
Yes.
Most definitely.
Answers come from her familiars. Raj, no surprise, offers more worthwhile advice Don’t think on that. She asked you to teach her control so teach her control.
Good advice, but the first thing she faced when being taught control was… A bit of mischief entering her smile is all the warning Elsa gets before a trickle of fire passes through her palm. She shrieked and jerked her hand away, ice forming instantly over the burn. “Why did you-“
Jana full out laughs, standing up from the staircase to twirl around and announce “Lesson number one:” She stops and faces Elsa, still sitting on her stairs, writing a fiery ‘1’ in the air. “Magic is instinctive. It will act in your self defense,” She gestures to Elsa’s hand. “And indulge in your deepest desires.” Then waves at their surroundings. “So rule number one is stronger emotions leads to stronger magic. To control its best to-“
“Conceal, Don’t feel.” At the interjection Jana looks at the other lady carefully. The words are practiced, matter of fact, seemingly another repeat of countless repetitions. Who taught her? Viara asks. Doesn’t matter Jana will fix it.
“No, it’s best to first be aware of your emotions.” Jana watches closely “You’re alive, you should feel, you’re allowed to feel. There’s no need to control your emotions. Just your reaction to it.”
Elsa’s expression is closed off, but she doesn’t seem to be having an emotional breakdown yet “How?” She finally asks.
“That is rule number two: Magic follows intent.” Jana holds out a hand “Come on. This is the practical part of the lesson.” Can we come watch? No. Stay inside. Elsa takes it and Jana pulls her outside to stand over the cliff in the middle of the staircase.
“When fully letting go,” She’s still holding Elsa’s hand “Your subconscious mind overrides your conscious mind to control your magic and it believes” She steps closer “ Nothing is impossible.” With a burst of heat they’re free-falling through the air.
Elsa screams, her eyes screwed shut. “Shh. Don’t panic. Deep breaths. Nothing’s impossible, remember. You can do anything.” Jana soothes as she maneuvers them, Elsa facing up herself facing her. The next breath they’re crashing into a series of floating snow drifts, finally landing on a large pile of snow atop a floating ice platform. Jana lifts herself from where she was lying atop Elsa so she’s kneeling “See, you did it!” Ice blue eyes slowly blink open first fixing on Jana then on the sky then on the distinct cliff walls…then they’re falling again as the platform stops floating. Jana quickly stops that, leaning forward to hold Elsa around the waist and letting her magic work.
Elsa’s eyes open again and lock with Jana’s a few inches away. “We’re flying. You can fly?!”
“Of course. Can’t you?” Impish laughter in delight. “This isn’t flying anyways, just floating.” Jana’s eyes shut as she focuses and vibrant red wings emerge from her back, sparkling in the sun and giving the impression of burning flames. They flap strongly “This is flying. Up, up and away.” She holds Elsa tight to her as they rise up back to the castle enjoying the wonder inn her eyes.
When they land back on solid ground Jana repeats “Magic follows intent. This intent helps you control. That works normally but with overpowering intent or emotions it has a negative effect.” She takes both Elsa’s hands in hers. “What I do is direct part of my magic elsewhere at the same time as carrying out my intent. This needs practice so…” she pulls Elsa’s hands out then taps the left “The alphabet. In snow.” then the right “Numbers zero to nine. In ice. I’ll do it with you. And once you get the hang of multitasking you’ll have to hold a conversation with me. You ask, I’ll answer. Then I’ll ask and you answer. Alright?”
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It takes Elsa a whole day before she’s able to simultaneously create the next letter and number in ice and snow. During that time Jana either helps or hinders her, apparently based on her mood, but whether she’s quietly conjuring her own symbols in the air or setting off mini explosions with her butterflies Jana is always a distraction Elsa can’t help watching.
Her quiet celebration is interrupted by a gleeful exclamation “Well done!” Jana appears from above her “That’s enough for now. No more magic, we’ll pick up later.” She sits down next to Elsa, legs extended and head against the wall “Rest now.”
But Elsa’s not tired, any fatigue was washed away at her achievement. She says as much. “Then ask your questions lady.”
She considers “You dropped me off a cliff today.” There were many, many shocking things today but something about that particular adventure stuck in Elsa’s mind.
“I dropped us off a cliff today. And we survived. We’re amazing. But I’m not hearing a question.”
Elsa hides a small smile “Why?”
Jana shrugs “It’s tradition. Also about realizing that you can trust your magic, that it’s a part of you even when you aren’t actively deciding to use it and so. But mainly its tradition.”
“What tradition involves throwing people off cliffs?”
“Magic tradition.”
“Is that your answer for everything?”
“Most unknown things can be answered with magic. But this is tradition. I got tossed off a cliff once, found my wings fairly quickly after that. A friend of mine, Avaya the elf mage who taught me some methods for control, also learnt levitation after falling from a cliff. It’s a tried and true method, when the teacher has faith in the student’s skills of course.”
Another shock “You have faith in me? In my control?” There were times Elsa felt even her parents didn’t have faith in her, were scared of her.
“Why shouldn’t I?” Jana answers. “For all it can do magic is just another tool, same as a dagger. It can create great beauty and cause huge pain, all that matters is the heart of the wielder. And…I trust that you have a good heart, so your magic will always cause more good than harm.”
The words…”Thank you.” Elsa forces out past the emotions swelling in her throat.
“No need for thanks...just believe those words…eventually, when you’re able to. Oh, I should teach you light-whip dancing!”
“Um…Why?” How does dancing come in?
“Avaya used that as a metaphor when she was teaching me. ‘The beauty of the dance is the result of multiple injuries to both yourself and others. The more experience and control you have the less likely those injuries but no creation can be done completely free of pain.’ I didn’t understand all of that but the result was me learning this dance. It actually helped with my control, just violent and freeing enough to let go but having the structure of the rhythm to keep control.” Jana’s passionate speech stopped when she looked at Elsa’s expression. “You don’t know what I’m talking about do you?”
Elsa shook her head mutely. “Never mind. I’ll show you some other time. For now do you have a guest bedroom in this castle?”