by J B Drake
“Will you do as I ask?” Netari asked after a brief silence.
Tearing his gaze from the door, Thalas stared at the elven noble and nodded.
“Excellent!” Netari exclaimed as she rose and headed for the door.
“Oh, and,” she said as she stopped just shy of it, turning to face Thalas, “should you betray me, I will kill you, Thalas. I will kill you slowly.”
Looking deep into her eyes, Thalas knew without a doubt that she meant it, every word. Just then, the door was flung open behind the noblewoman, and as it flew open, she grinned at him.
“Yes, Fallon would like that.”
“What is the meaning of this?” Thuridan bellowed.
With great calm, Netari turned to stare at Thuridan. “I wished to speak to Thalas about my sons. I intend to hold a memorial for them and wished to elicit his aid in the preparations.”
“And so you came to his bedroom?”
Standing tall, her eyes aflame, Netari took a menacing step forward.
“Just what are you implying, Thuridan Grovemender?” she snarled.
“Ah, my dear,” Tirelin said before Thuridan could speak. “It would seem we are no longer welcome at the Grovemender residence.”
“What?” Netari frowned.
“Thuridan has made it quite clear he no longer has any need of our friendship.”
Netari looked from her husband to a slightly abashed Thuridan. “You little snake.”
“Come, my dear,” Tirelin continued. “Let us leave this place.”
Snarling, Netari barged past Thuridan, and, together with her husband, made her way to the front door. The pair stood in silence as they were furnished with their belongings. It was a silence that hung about them as they climbed into their carriage, one that refused to leave them even as the carriage pulled away. But when they were well away from the Grovemender residence, the pair stared at each other and grin.
“I was right, wasn’t I?” Netari said. “That preening fool turned on us.”
Tirelin nodded. “Yes, you were, my dear. The boy?”
“Netari smiled. “We have him.”
“And the coin?”
Netari’s smile widened. “He took it, of course. It was so easy, it was pathetic.”
Tirelin grinned. “For once, the greed of that little brat actually proved useful.”
“That it did.”
Sighing, Tirelin sat back in his seat and raised his eyes to the heavens. He stared back at his wife once more before tapping his walking cane on the floor.
“Take us home, and hurry. My wife and I have some…celebrating to do.”
Netari licked her lips as she stared at her husband. “We have to wait till we’re home?”
Grinning, Lord Fairshroud leant towards his wife and, grasping her face in his hands, kissed her deeply.
*****
With his brows furrowed, Tip stared at the metal basin before him.
“That’s it,” Anieszirel whispered. “Just like that, feel the ether flowing through you.”
It was the lattice of flames wreathed about the basin that held his gaze, its many tongues flickering and wavering in the gentle breeze that blew about it.
“Just like that, yes,” Anieszirel continued. “Keep the ether flowing into it.”
Though Tip’s eyes were squarely upon the lattice, he saw much more than the flames, for in his mind’s eye he saw the wisps of ether he was feeding the lattice, he saw the arcane energy he was plying it with to keep it alive.
“You’re doing fine, Tip, you’re doing wonderfully.”
But the flames fought him. Small though they were, they fought him tooth and claw. They hungered, and no matter how much he fed them, they craved more.
“Not too much now. Remember, a slow boil.”
Tip chanced a glance at the water within the basin. A slow boil…yes, yes, he might just do it this time.
“That’s it, easy.”
His concentration was weakening, he could feel his willpower ebbing away, but he clung on. He could do this, just a little more.
“You’re doing splendidly, Tip, Marsha would be so proud of you. Just a little more.”
At the mention of his dear friend’s name, Tip found himself staring once more at the scene from the day before. Except this time Lady Fairshroud’s blade had found it’s mark. This time, Marshalla’s hand was covered with blood, blood that gushed from her throat.
Squeezing his eyes shut, Tip shook his head as he tried to banish the scene from his mind’s eye, but as he opened them, his heart sank as he watched the lattice flicker out of existence.
“Oh Tip…and you were so close too.”
Pouting, he turned to stare at Mardaley.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
A sad smile parted Mardaley’s lips as he sighed. “Perhaps we should rest a spell.”
Nodding, Tip dropped his gaze to his feet.
“How about an apple?”
“Yes please,” Tip replied as he stared at the elderly storekeeper.
Smiling, Mardaley picked up the largest from the basket beside him, then tossed it at Tip.
“Go on,” he said. “Go play outside. I’ll call you when it’s time to continue.”
Holding his apple in both hands, Tip smiled and nodded before heading out of the store room. As he returned to the store, Maline turned to stare at him, but once her eyes fell upon the apple in his hands, she smiled.
“Apple again?”
Tip smiled in response.
“So you done for today?”
Tip shook his head. “Taking a break.”
“Oh. Well, how’s it—”
Before she could finish, the front door swung open as a customer entered. Grateful for the distraction, Tip raced down the short stairs before hurrying out of the store.
“Tip, you must tell me what ails you,” Anieszirel said as he stood outside Mardaley’s Glorious Emporium, his hand upon the front door still.
“Nothing,” he thought in response, a frown twisting his lips. “Told you already.”
“You are shutting me out, Tip, and it’s not fair. I can’t help you if I don’t know what ails you.”
“Nothing!” he repeated as he scanned his surrounds.
“Is it what happened yesterday?”
Tip froze.
“We’ve spoken about this, and Mardaley too. At length. No matter how hard they try, they cannot hurt you. Or Marsha. That woman, she was just posturing, nothing more. If she dares hurt either of you, her world will come crumbling down around her, and she knows it.”
Tip shook his head as he made for the little bench across the street.
“Not that,” he thought.
“Then, what is it?”
Tip held his peace till he sat.
“You’ll laugh at me.”
“I’ve never laughed at you, and never shall. What is it?”
Taking a deep breath, Tip let it out slowly as he looked down at the apple in his hands.
“When that woman…when she tried to hurt Marsha…supposed to be learning to protect Marsha, Ani, but just stood there and did nothing. Just stood there and stared like a idiot. What’s the point of learning all this when just going to stand there and do nothing when Marsha’s in trouble?”
“Oh, Tip,” Anieszirel replied, her voice heavy. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. You froze, that is all. I know, it feels wrong, it feels like you betrayed Marsha, but you mustn’t berate yourself for it. You’re not a battle mage just yet, and I know it seems—”
“You didn’t freeze. You was shouting at me to move.”
Anieszirel moved to speak, but she had no words.
“What’s the point, Ani?” Tip continued. “What’s the point me training if just going to freeze when it matters? People want to kill Marsha because of me, and…Marsha’s right, just wasting everyone’s time. Should’ve left here. Should’ve gone with Marsha like she said.”
“And go where, my darling?”
Tip shrugged. “Anywhere
.”
“They’ll follow you, Tip. If you leave here, they’ll follow you.”
“They won’t find us.”
“Yes, they will.”
Tip shook his head. “No they won’t, we’ll be careful, Marsha and me.”
“We were careful when we went to free Marsha that night, and Thalas and his friends still found us.”
Tip gritted his teeth as Anieszirel’s words bored into him.
“So you think we should stay?” he thought after a brief spell.
“I…” Anieszirel began, but her voice faded to nothing.
“Ani?” Tip said after a brief spell.
“Yes. Yes, Tip, I think you should stay.”
Rolling his eyes, Tip sighed before dropping his gaze to the apple in his hands.
“A home, Tip,” Anieszirel continued. “You have a home here, and people who love you. Yes, some hate you, but believe me when I say, as time goes by, those people will hate you less. They blame you for what I did, but if you give them time to see you for what you are, some of them, not all, mind, but some will begin to question their hatred, and who knows, some may even choose to be your friend.”
Tip was unconvinced. “They tried to kill Marsha.”
“No, Tip, she tried to kill Marsha, that woman, just her. But consider this. Baern said she used to be Captain of the Queen’s Guard, a position of great honour and prestige. And, she still enjoys the queen’s favour. But for all her prestige and honour, when it came to it, she couldn’t hurt Marsha.”
Tip shrugged. “She missed.”
“She was Captain of the Queen’s Guard, Tip. You don’t become Captain of the Queen’s Guard if you miss your quarry at such a distance, trust me. She didn’t harm Marsha because she knew she daren’t. And why? Because you are of the Tower now.”
“Suppose,” Tip muttered, shrugging.
“The Tower protects, you, Tip,” Anieszirel pleaded. “Don’t throw that away.”
“Thought you was protecting me,” Tip mumbled.
“I am, with all that I have. But what’s the harm in living under the Tower’s protection as well?”
Tip remained unswayed. “They hate me, Ani. They all hate me.”
“Tip, when we first joined the Tower, you couldn’t walk down a corridor without people glaring at you or acting like you had a pox. How is it now?”
With a start, Tip snapped his gaze forward as if stung.
“Precisely. Give it time. Learn, grow, become the mage you’re destined to be. But stay. This is your home now, Tip, stay.”
Tip looked down at the apple in his hands once more, then smiled. Raising the fruit to his lips, he took the biggest bite he possibly could before leaping off the bench and racing back to Mardaley’s.
“Ready, Mardaley!” he yelled as he charged through the door before barrelling up the stairs and disappearing into the store room, a cheery Anieszirel giggling throughout.
*****
Closing his eyes, Thalas sighed as the cold nectar slid down his throat. It was everything he’d imagined and more. Opening his eyes, he stared at the attendant beside him.
“Leave it,” he said, nodding to the decanter in the attendant’s hands. The attendant smirked at the young elf as he looked down his nose at Thalas.
“I’m afraid this is worth more than—”
“I did not ask your opinion,” Thalas interjected in a tone that was far removed from his calm demeanour. “I said leave it.”
The attendant’s smirk dimmed, before returning in force.
“As you wish,” he replied as he placed the decanter upon the table, a table groaning from the weight of the wondrous delicacies upon it. “I shall return later for payment.”
“You shall return when I give you leave to return. Now, go.”
With his smirk turning into a sneer, the attendant bowed stiffly before spinning on his heels and leaving Thalas to his feast. But Thalas paid the man nary a mind, for his gaze was upon the banquet before him. Staring at it with an air of bewilderment, he basked in the sumptuous aromas of the different dishes upon the table.
“Thalas?”
Looking up, Thalas grinned as he stared at Neremi. As always, she was the first to arrive.
“What are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you, too,” he quipped, the alarm in her voice doing little to dull his mood.
“Nevermind all that,” she continued, her eyes scanning the spread, “who’s paying for all of this?”
“I am, of course,” he replied, words that turned Neremi’s face ashen.
“Are you out of your mind?” she hissed as she slid into the chair beside him. “You can’t afford all this.”
“Oh, yes I can.”
“Oh, no you can’t! We’re saving for—”
“Grinning still, Thalas placed a finger upon his beloved’s lips.
“Trust me, Neremi,” he replied. “I can. And so can you.”
“How?” Neremi asked once Thalas freed her lips.
“I’ll tell you when the others come,” Thalas said. “For now, eat, join me.”
Biting her lip, Neremi looked about them. As she did, so too did Thalas. People were staring, a great many of them. That they stared should’ve given him pause, it should’ve filled him with worry and dread, but instead it filled him with pleasure.
“People are watching us,” Neremi whispered.
Thalas grinned as he turned to stare at his beloved. “I know.”
But his words did little to calm Neremi. “My parents are going to hear about this. Your father, too.”
Thalas shook his head. “No need to worry, I have the perfect answer. Just tell your parents I asked you to join me, you tried to get me to tell you where the money came from, but I refused to answer.”
Neremi was unmoved. Shaking his head, Thalas lifted the decanter and filled the goblet near his beloved. As he put the decanter down, Neremi raised the goblet and drank deep, her gaze unwavering.
“Eat, Neremi.”
Sighing, she stared at the spread once more. Then, she smiled, a slow smile at first, but one that grew as her eyes took in all that lay before her. At last, she turned to Thalas.
“Eat,” he urged.
Shaking her head, Neremi sighed once more. “You are impossible sometimes, Thalas Grovemender.”
With a grin, Thalas raised his glass to his lips just as Neremi began piling her plate, and, before long, both were gorging from full plates as they laughed and dined.
“What in the world are you two doing?”
Turning as one, Thalas and Neremi stared at Thane and Eldred as the pair stared at the lovers from the edge of the table.
“I thought you said you had little money of your own, Neremi,” Eldred said.
“Or are you paying for this, Thalas?” Thane added.
Thalas grinned as Neremi rolled her eyes at them. It was Neremi who spoke.
“No, we’re not mad, yes, our parents are going to be hearing about this, and yes, we know they are going to demand answers from us. Now, sit and join us.”
“Oh no,” Eldred replied as he turned to leave. “Whatever madness has claimed you two is not going to claim me. I cannot afford for my parents to think I’m out wasting their money. Literally.”
“Then I suppose the five hundred gold I brought for you had best be shared with everyone else, then,” Thalas said as he reached for his goblet.
“What?” Thane and Neremi exclaimed in unison.
“How much?” Eldred cried as he stared hard at Thalas.
“Hrm?” Thalas replied as he looked over at his friends. “Oh, please, louder. I don’t believe all the gossip-mongers heard you.”
Exchanging quick glances, Thane and Eldred grabbed the last two empty seats at the table before leaning towards Thalas.
“You said five hundred gold?” Thane asked.
“Where did you get that kind of money?” asked Eldred.
“Thalas, what are you up to?” Neremi added.
There was fear in their voices, loud and raw. Thalas stared at his friends in turn before placing his goblet upon the table.
“Lord and Lady Fairshroud came to our home two days ago.”
Frowning, the three exchanged glances.
“Wait,” Neremi mused, “is that why you were so late yesterday?”
Thalas nodded.
“And why you’ve been avoiding us?” Thane added.
Thalas shook his head. “I have not been avoiding you, Thane.”
“Well, you were pretty scarce yesterday,” Eldred replied. “Even Neremi didn’t know where you were.”
With a guilty smile, Thalas gave his beloved’s hand a quick squeeze before turning to Eldred.
“I was at home, as a matter of fact, counting the coin they gave us.”
“You need a whole day to count to five hundred?” Thane asked, puzzled.
“And why would they give you coin?” Neremi added.
“Yes, why would they give it to you and not your father?” Eldred asked before Thalas could even draw breath.
“How about you let me finish before interrogating me?” he asked in clear exasperation.
The three friends exchanged glances once more before shrugging in unison.
“Go on, then,” Neremi said.
“Why, thank you,” Thalas said before shaking his head. Taking a deep breath, he began his tale anew.
“We left the Gladespell residence early, and for reasons I will share with you later, but suffice it to say we had a rather woeful time at their residence.”
“Oh?” Neremi asked.
“What happened?” added Thane.
“He said later, didn’t he?” Eldred interjected.
Thalas shook his head at his friends as he waited for silence. When it came, he continued.
“They were waiting for us when we arrived. Lord Fairshroud took my father into the study, while Lady Fairshroud waited for me in my room.”
“In your room?” Neremi asked.
At her words, Thalas’s lips clammed shut as the other two stared from Thalas to Neremi with quite some mirth.
“In your room?” Neremi repeated.
If Thalas had missed the tone in her words earlier, there was no missing it now. But rather than answering, he squeezed his beloved’s hand once more, and smiled at her.
“What was she doing in your room, Thalas?” Neremi asked as she pulled her hand free.