She’d been patient.
And that patience had been rewarded.

Anaxerete had never had magic as a child. But this child - her power was innate. It had taken her years as an adult to reign in her power. Decades to master it to the point where she was in control of the magic and not the other way around. Magic was dangerous in that regard. It could so easily overpower the weak and weak minded - overpowering the host and relegating the mortal inside to little more than a puppet. 

Anaxarete had fought hard to ensure that didn’t happen. She would make sure that Beyza learned the same lesson. Only Beyza would have help. The shadowmare would ensure she oversaw the girl’s training from now until she was ready...

In a swirl of darkness the shadow-master stepped into the light beside the girl.  ”Hello, Beyza,” she said, softly, her voice nearly a coo.  She looked at the filly with an appraising eye. She could feel the magic stirring beneath the girl’s skin - the sheer untapped potential.  This would be an interesting challenge. She could not simply bend the girl to her will.  The shadowmare didn’t want the girl to resent her or to resist.  So instead she needed to use more...subtle methods. The minds of children were malleable in a way that an adult’s never would be.  It was this biological certainty that Anaxarete so often exploited.  So instead of using brute force and power, she would simply plant the seeds and allow them to twist and grow into something even more powerful.

“So, young one. Are you ready to learn?” she asked, though she already knew the answer to her inquiry. “Tell me, what is it you’ve managed so far?” the shadowmare asked, taking note of the crackle of electricity in the air and the small, conjured wings at her sides.

Ana listens intently to the girl. Some of what Beyza reveals is unsurprising. Emotions wreaked havoc when mixed with magic. Some magicians were never able to separate the two. But it’s what she’d expect from one so young. The mention of an angel is intriguing to the shadowmare - it seemed that the girl’s magic could identify Ryatah as her mother even when both Beyza and Agetta were still unaware of the fact. She filed away this knowledge, knowing that this would come up in the future and would be something that would have to be dealt with gracefully. ”I see,” the shadowmare says, lightly - as comfortingly as she is capable. ”I bet that was a surprise for your mother!” she added, conspiratorially.  But she turns the conversation quickly to Beyza’s bigger questions.

“Similar, yes, but my magic was gifted to me when I was grown,” she said, honestly. Beyza was the first magical child she’d encountered. An oddity, even here in Beqanna - and that was saying something. “You’ll find that emotions will make your magic stronger, but more unpredictable. That’s one thing you’ll need to learn to control. If you can control how you feel, it will be easier for you to control the magic.”  This much was true. Anaxarete knew that she could never control Beyza. But what she could do - could influence - is how she sees both herself and the world around her.

“Magic is powerful. People will try to use you for it - control you so they can control your power.  It is something to be wary of.  But if you remain true to what you believe, no one will be able to control you. You will bend others to your will, not the other way around,”  Anaxarete paused then, knowing the girl was likely much more interested in learning her abilities not self-control. She’d expect no more from a child - children were not famous for their patience and control.

”But let’s start with something simple,” she said, straightening and gesturing to a sickly looking acacia tree near where they stood. ”It seems your magic has an affinity for electricity. So let’s work with your magic. Focus on the electricity - see if you can direct it towards that tree,” the shadomare said, simply, taking a step back from the girl so she could concentrate.