Thomas nodded along, carefully adding a view affirmations, a casual 'yes' and 'mmmh' as she spoke, signaling she had his attentions. He wondered the chances of meeting another marked here, so far away from Mura. Avalis, he'd always known, was careful with her marks outside of the Konti race, so he was always surprised when he ran into another outside the White Island. Auspicious, indeed. He wondered if this was Her was of showing him that perhaps teaching magic wasn't as ridiculous as he thought.
"Unfortuantely, Estrellir, magic is dangerous, but like anything, can become a safe and well meaning ally when practiced with an education," Thomas offered her another smile, "It is hard to move past one's own raising, and distrust of magic is something many people, regardless of culture, seem to share. I applaud your choice to seek out an education instead of playing sheep to the world around us," he said, remembering full well his first steps into magic. His family, his father especially, had been against it, eventually forcing Thomas to out of the house to seek acceptance. Eventually landing him in Sahova, he blamed his father for this more than anyone. He promised to make sure Estrellir would find nothing beside tolerance and a willing teacher inside his classroom. No need to push another Seer into the cold darkness that was the Citadel.
"While meditation will help you, I still expect the initiation to last a week or two, although I have been surprised before," he shrugged, opening on of the top drawers, revealing a small pebble. "This will be your companion until your magic wakes, and even after. I'm sure you will come to hate it, but you will come to know this pebble better than yourself by the end of the season," he said, offering her the simple grey stone. "Initiation into this magic is tedious, but rewarding. Auristics, you'll find, will show you the world around you as it really is. If you become well practiced, hardly anyone will be able to fool you, and nothing you want to know will escape your power," Thomas smiled, offering her a seat beside him. They would talk as equals, as they should, both loved by the same goddess.
"Initiation will go as thus: you will mediated on this pebble until you can touch it, understand every part of makes this pebble this particular pebble, without actively touching. Which, I know, sounds confusing, but you'll understand in no time, I promise you," he offered her this happily, certain that she would grasp his teaching easily and quickly. Kontis, he'd found, were a especially intelligent race. Those marked by Avalis, even more so. "I would like to discuss some theory before we begin the initiation, but we can, if you'd like, to start the initiation process immediately? Whichever you prefer."