Maesfell Seminary is located on the west coast of Saldissay. Many of the inhabitants of the small settlement of Maesfell work in or for the seminary alongside the more typical work of farming and fishing. Mathea and her daughter are no exception to this; Mathea is a bookbinder, and her teenage daughter Ylva has been working at the seminary as an acolyte for four years. Today she bursts through the door full of happy news, grinning fit to burst. "Mum, guess what?" "What?" Mathea turns to smile at her from the pot hanging over the fire. "Magistra Colle said I should be a sage!" Mathea turns back to the pot. "Did she now? And do you want to be a sage?" She tries not to let her worry show in her voice, but Ylva picks up on it immediately. She scowls and folds her arms. "I might. What's wrong with that?"