Basia's tale

Grim clouds shadowed the pale circle of moon and hard rain fell on the ground. Basia was standing in front of her open window, enjoying the power of the storm. It was electrifying. She looked down on the yard, where the leaves were dancing with the wind.

Newspapers had predicted dark times to come. It seemed a little distant to Basia. Tower was safe, hidden from unwanted guests. It was strange, thinking this place as a home. But it’s all she had ever known. Tower accepted her and its magical powers changed her during her years. She saw young apprentices, almost trying hard not to learn its secrets and mysteries - but she learned, and held it next to her soul until it became a natural part of her. She knows the herbs; whispers the spells that only wind can hear, casts illusions on the dark and lifeless stonewalls of the tower.
Another lightning split the sky in two and woke Basia from her thoughts. She closed the window and returned to her recently borrowed book. She would have to return it to Nikolaus’s desk before the next lesson, for she didn’t actually have permission for reading it. Her eyes searched for the familiar connection with the strange runes, and she forgot the time and place. Those ancient symbols hypnotized her. She didn’t even notice the steps from the staircase below.
Nikolaus grabbed the book out of her reach and waking up from the trance was almost painful to her. She felt emptiness and longing to get back to the world of magic. Nikolaus turned his head, avoiding eye contact with her. He walked to the staircase, gripping the book in his hands so hard his knuckles turned almost white. His face, however, showed nothing about his thoughts.
When she was younger everything seemed so neat. He would raise her to be a proper woman, well-versed in all things close to home. When she would be of age, he would find her a place to work in the city - perhaps as a matron. After living alone for a while she might find a nice husband. Such simple plans, really. However this was not what she wanted. She seemed to bend in his will, took care of laundry, food and cleaning in the tower, but secretly studied the force and probably planned escaping after learning all the Tower could offer.
Miras, the closest big city already had a wizarding academy that accepted women. Perhaps she was planning to go there after she had a chance to get in. He had no idea how much she already knew, but he was worried. The books that had lately been missing from his office weren't randomly picked, nor ones for beginners. Certainly there was a chance some gifted young wizard had borrowed them, but the boys knew that they could ask for advanced books if they had a good reason for it. When it came to Basia, however, he wasn't very pleased of her interest in the force.

Nikolaus’s students were mostly reckless noblemen's sons, whom were sent to the Tower not just to study magic, but to keep out of trouble and have something to do. Tower was highly respected and interested in real talent, but there were forces better not to unleash. Basia's father had actually studied in the Tower, many years ago when Nikolaus was just an assistant there. Regos was seemingly unremarkable young man - not outstanding in any subject, tall and lanky with a mousy brown hair, often bullied by other boys. Nikolaus knew Basia also had problems with the apprentices, and that she kept the rage inside just like her father did. This combined with the force was a dangerous thing.

He suspected Basia's father wasn't originally all that ambitious. The ambition grew from wanting to prove something, to find his place in the world. Regos probably had a soft spot for the Tower - despite his suffering in there the Tower was the place where he was really molded to what he became. When he started his campaign of darkness the Tower was one of the few important places which were spared from his wrath - and also the place where he brought his child after her mother died. Only few knew Basia's origin, unfortunately one of those few being Basia herself. Nikolaus wasn't sure what to think of Regos abandoning his heir. It was all the best for the child, but Regos wasn't known of his kindness. He was probably wishing for a son to inherit his throne. Perhaps later he had one? There hadn't been news of Regos after his defeat in the Borderlands. Now it seemed like someone had taken his place. Riders may have been a loose assembly of thrill seeking noblemen, outcasts and wanted men, but their actions had lately started to make more sense. The locations they attacked were more strategic and even their discipline was said to have improved.

The room had started to warm up and the storm had calmed down. Basia blew the candles and conjured silvery sparks to give subtle glow to the room. Her sheets felt cool against her hands which were still burning from the force.

The book fell on his desk with a loud thud. Nikolaus sighed and rested his head on the back of his chair. At times like this he wondered why he had dedicated his life for the Tower and the little girl who had been abandoned on its doorstep. Maybe things had been easier, more rewarding if he had taken the girl to Cassie and accepted a position as the head of the Miras library. He could have married someone, leave the workplace for evenings and enjoy Basia's company after someone else had done the worrying for her and succeeded in raising her to be a content and normal young woman. Cassie would have been a better guide to the world of women, and still given Basia a chance to channel her energy and strong will.

In the Tower Basia had been allowed to practice archery with the help of Silas, the Tower keeper. It had seemed to be a good way to keep her busy and give her a sense of equality among the apprentices. This was not enough, as was revealed later. After becoming an excellent archer she practiced less and dedicated her time for her secret studies. Chores didn’t keep her busy enough; she probably used magic to finish them when no one was around.

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Please read and review. It's my first fiction.

edit: Gwyllgi, my first reviewer is awesome. This first chapter was the hardest to write and I believe her tips will help me to improve it. Later, though. I've had the idea since I was a teenager and it shows when I'm writing - as in having characters I would have made up back then. Making first drafts of things I have in mind will hopefully make me a better writer.