The War of Spells

by George Mazurek

  “That's normal. Don't worry. I will give you a soothing compress. When I touch you, is it better?”

  I placed my right palm on her forehead.

  She closed her eyes and her lips curled into a hint of smile. “Much better.”

  I released a subtle spell while touching her skin, I cleaned the blood from her hair behind her left ear, and then I moved to her cheeks, rubbing it gently with my thumbs.

  She let out a sigh and her body quivered. “Please, don't stop,” she whispered with lips slightly open. “It's so… pleasing.”

  When I got to her jawline, she snuggled to my palm. My heart quickened its pace. I caressed her, relieving her pain, but it was more than that…

  I swallowed.

  And then I noticed tiny traces of blood running down from her left collarbone.

  Another wound?

  I drew her collar slightly aside.

  There was a scratch, a lengthy one. She shook uncomfortably.

  “It seems there is a minor wound on your left shoulder, maybe from a thorn. It requires disinfection.”

  I wavered. The wound was under her blouse. And I was sure she wore nothing underneath...

  But if it was from a thorn, it could be poised. I have to do it.

  I took a deep breath. “May I…” I touched her collar in a gesture of removing it.

  She grew stiff for a second. Then her fingers shifted slowly to red buttons in the middle of her shirt. She unbuttoned the first one near her chin, then the second one, exposing her cleavage, a soft skin dotted with tiny freckles.

  I swallowed and drew aside the white fabric on her left side, removing the blouse from her shoulder, but it was not enough. The scar ran onwards under the blouse.

  She unbuttoned the third one. “Go on…” she spurred me weakly, ready to unbutton another one.

  I touched her fingers. “It's enough…” I spoke softly with a trembling voice.

  I exposed her left side to inspect the scratch. To my relief it was not as deep as I feared.

  “How is it?” she asked, her chest rising and falling regularly.

  “Luckily, it's nothing serious,” I calmed her down. “Just a shallow scratch running from a collarbone to your side. It looks good, no stitching necessary,” I blathered, trying to avoid a look at her half-exposed firm left breast.

  The scar ran diagonally an inch from its middle.

  Pull yourself together!

  “Now I'm going to clean the wound.”

  I started at the collarbone, removing dirt, dried blood, and threads, cleaning it with a blend of clean water and clove, and disinfecting it with spirit. I was working meticulously, though my hands shivered a little as I was approaching her chest.

  She jerked twice.

  “I'm sorry I'm causing you pain.”

  “Pain is good,” she replied. “It keeps us alive.”

  I gave her a smile. “So young and so wise.”

  Her blue eyes were watching me under half-closed eyelashes. “I have to be.” She said, barely moving her lips.

  I continued down the scar. When I reached the upper part of her breast, I minimized the contact with her skin, touching her only with my fingertips. Still, I couldn't avoid touching that round, warm and barren pride of hers completely. And when I did, my heart was sent rushing.

  She gave a moan, her body tensed, and the nipple erected.

  I withdrew quickly. “I'm sorry.”

  She went blushing. “Don't be. You are doing great. It was not from pain...”

  When I grasped her words, I turned red as well, with my heartbeat dashing. Touching her skin was electrifying. It was a privilege. An utmost pleasure.

  Watch your thoughts!

  We kept silent until I was done. I put her left shoulder back under the cloth. She buttoned the two lower buttons, leaving the last one free.

  “Can I have some water?” she asked.

  “Sure. Can you sit up?”

  I helped her straighten up and brought her fresh water.

  “You need to rest for one or two days.” I said. “You are weak, and you may feel nauseous. In a case you feel sick, use this.” I showed her a dirty pail and let it on the floor near her head.

  She furrowed her brow with distaste. “Thanks.” She rubbed her head behind right ear. “I feel like a bull was riding in my head... Syrdan, you know what?” she asked and raised her gaze to me.

  “What?”

  “You are a goddamn miserable liar, who deserves to be thrown into a well and sunk to the bottom. But you are also a really skillful healer. Thanks for saving my life up there, and also during our ride.”

  I gave her a smirk. “You are welcome, Sweet-weed.”

  She screwed her face, hardly suppressing a smile. “Don't you dare call me that again! Or I swear I am going to kill you!”

  “Sure.” I replied, managing a serious face. “I'm done here. Rest well. I will see you tomorrow.”

  I turned quickly away, so she couldn't see my grin.

  ~

  She was better in three days.

  I barely saw her after that, as we both were extremely busy with caring for soldiers seriously wounded in the last attack. The luckier ones suffered extensive burns, the more unfortunate had extensive burns plus fractures or inner wounds that were hard to cure, even with my magic. Moreover, the fortress' garrison was hit by a diarrhea plague, something that seemed rather inevitable, considering the hot weather and the number of men sharing the common dormitory. I was not trained to set human bodies right, but I tried to do my best. Nevertheless, during the upcoming two weeks I lost two patients out of fifteen, while Deadweed lost three out of nineteen. Fortunately, Auger was among those who recovered quickly. I was not keen on picturing Darnis or someone of his kind in Auger's place.

  Deadweed and I were meeting in the corridors here and there, exchanging shy smiles and a few words of support. I was too tired for talk, but I was happy to see her returning to her fitness.

  After some time, I noticed a change in my status. Men who were laughing at me just two weeks ago were coming to my table in the mess hall with thanks and invitations to drinks. Younger soldiers were saluting me when passing by, with stares full of respect. Two other healers, women whose names I forgot immediately, asked me for advice now and then.

  I was relieved I proved to be useful.

  I learned some interesting lessons as well. Auger's men were protecting the fortress for two years now, and many of them, especially those with families, were not particularly happy about it. But there were no other landlords willing to dispatch their men at the fortress, much to Auger's disappointment. Also, I came to know the dragons' attacks were similar to the latest one, short in time, but brutally intense and terrifying. The main aim of the assaults was to weaken the defenders, inseminate their minds with fear, and disrupt their morals. In my opinion, dragons were pretty successful in their strategy.

  The dragon slayed by Deadweed was an exception. The carcass was moved out by a dozen beasts of burden from the courtyard to the center of the future city for sanitary reasons. The dragon flesh was too tough and bitter to eat, but it didn't apply to various scavengers, flies, or rats that threatened to infest the fortress. I was shocked to see the white dragon ribs resting in the place where the Arena would lay one day in the future.

  Inadvertently, I became a witness of the history of Averot'h!

  Every piece of a puzzle fits into its place...

  I spent most of the days, and whole nights, at the infirmary, as there was no other chamber free, and I refused to sleep at the soldiers' quarters because the barracks were a noisy, overcrowded place.

  When both infirmaries emptied at last, I found a piece of paper on my bed. When I unfolded it, there was a simple sentence written with neat handwriting.

  Let's meet today, after sunset

  My heartbeat accelerated.

  I knew the writer's identity though I had never read a single letter from her.

  She didn't have to writ
e where we were going to meet.

  It was obvious.

  ~

  She was already standing at the foot of the donjon above the drawbridge. She was dressed as usual, in tight leather trousers and a light blouse, her hair falling freely to her shoulders and flying in the wind. I could see the night patrols striding with resin torches in the distance, but here, we were alone.

  She smiled at me before turning back to the west, where the top of the red sun disappeared behind the horizon.

  We relished the sunset in silence.

  “I want to thank you,” she said softly at last. “That was a crazy period... I was so busy I didn't have time to tell you how much I appreciate that you saved my life. I completely lost my head during the last battle. If you were not to push me aside, I would have been killed for sure.”

  I smiled. “You are welcome.”

  I felt a strange burden in my chest. I could say thousands of words, but not a single one seemed appropriate. I had never experienced such a feeling in my life. With Elisa, our relationship evolved so quickly that there was no time to feel embarrassed or unconfident. The Princess was so close that I was tempted to place my hands around her shoulders, but simultaneously I was not certain how she would react.

  “I don't know what to say...” I said.

  She gave a short laugh. “It's the same with me,” she acknowledged, and all the tension was gone.

  “We are running out of our medical supplies,” she continued, eyes glowing. “We need arnica, marigold, chamomile, sage, and many other herbs. Would you like to go with me for a ride tomorrow morning? I know a place, only three miles away, where we can pick them out.”

  I nodded with a broad smile. “Sure! But I don't have a horse.”

  “Livy, my mare, can take both of us. It's a short ride, anyway.”

  “Deal,” I closed the topic.

  We stayed there for another hour, side by side, without a word. And though I wasn't brave enough to touch her, I felt happy inside.

  ~

  I enjoyed the trip. I could hold her around her waist again, and when we reached the meadows at the foot of the hills, she showed me what herbs to look for and where to find them. She patiently explained where only leaves, roots, or fruits were of use, and what they should look like. Accompanied by the buzz of bumblebees and scents of weeds, we were strolling in grass reaching up to our calves, with heads tipped down, before we moved under the oaks and birches.

  Unintentionally, I came nearer to her. She straightened, her eyebrows furrowed. “Is this space so small you have to follow me that closely?”

  I frowned and moved away from her, reflecting on her rude note.

  Maybe she just dislikes being distracted.

  We didn't talk afterwards, but my mood improved when we got on Livy for the return ride.

  At least, in the saddle we were close.

  ~

  In the main infirmary, I helped her sort and clean the herbs we had picked, and deposit them into the jars and pots on the shelves.

  “Thank you for your help,” she said with a kind tone, not looking at me.

  “Not at all, I enjoyed it,” I replied. Actually, I was of little use as I barely filled one little pouch.

  She didn't reply, absorbed in some inner thoughts. She seemed distant, so I changed the topic of our conversation.

  “May I ask you something?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why do you wear that coat and the hood outside?”

  “Because of my hair. It can be seen from far away and dragons are hunting me.”

  “Why you?”

  She didn't bother with an answer.

  “Who is Rotah?” I continued asking. “Everybody talks about him.”

  She raised her eyebrows while leaning on her tiptoes to reach the highest shelf. I took the pouch from her and deposited it myself.

  “Thaaannnks...” she murmured, blushing a little. “You have never heard of him?”

  “No.”

  “Well, they say he is the mightiest wizard of our time. He built the walls and the fortress to protect us and the southern lands from dragons.”

  “But dragons can fly over it effortlessly,” I objected.

  “The walls do not stop dragons, but their magic. They can fly southward, but without their magic powers they cannot generate their terrifying fire. Their impenetrable skin becomes vulnerable. Without magic they are just creatures made of flesh and blood. And they can be hunted and killed.”

  “I see.”

  “Also, the walls are meant to withstand any magic assault from outside,” she continued.

  I turned back to her swiftly, so she couldn't see my pale face. Images of the ruined city flashed through my memory.

  Averot'h cannot be destroyed from the outside. But it can be brought to rubble from the inside...

  “I was present at his discussion with Auger, when he visited us three or four weeks ago,” Deadweed went on without looking at me, preoccupied with grinding of dry leaves. “He said the dragons' attack is imminent.”

  I regained my inner composure again.

  “Then, why didn't he stay to help you?” I asked.

  She shrugged her shoulders. “He had some other business, I guess. Nevertheless, he made a prophecy that another wizard, maybe even mightier than him, would come soon.” She scrutinized me closely.

  I didn't even wink.

  “Did he foretell something else?”

  “Yes, he did.” Her face turned sorrowful all of a sudden. She swallowed a few times in order to gather the courage. Then she fixated on me with her deep eyes. “He foretold that we are going to win the battle. Dragons will be defeated, forever. But only one of us will survive it.”

  After a second of hesitation, I approached her and embraced her subtly. She didn't pull away.

  I forced myself to calm, though my heart was beating fast. Her hair smelled of grass and trees and tickled my cheeks.

  “I'm certain Rotah was wrong,” I whispered. “No one can see the future. I'm pretty sure of this.”

  She shook her head a little, broke the embrace, and gave me a weak smile.

  “I hope so.”

  A young man, a lower officer according to his shoulder ranks, appeared in a doorway. He glanced at me. “Sir, Lord Auger wants to speak with you.”

  ~

  Auger was sitting in a comfortable chair behind a massive black desk filled with papers. He was writing a letter.

  “Sir...” I said softly to grab his attention.

  He lifted his head at last. “You...” he whispered and got up.

  “You have called me, Sir.”

  He rounded the table and stopped in front of me. “Yes, I did.” He rubbed his beard, staring at me with his grayish eyes. “So you are the wizard promised to us by Rotah?”

  It took me two seconds to weigh options.

  “It seems so, Sir.”

  He gave me a piercing look, and then he turned away. “You should know that I'm not a particular friend of your race. I do not think humans and wizards can live together in peace. Nowadays, we have a common enemy: dragons. But when dragons are gone, what then?”

  I frowned. “I guess we should do our best to avoid hostility, Sir. I consider myself a supporter of the human race. I treat humans exactly the same way I treat wizards.”

  Auger nodded his head. “I have no doubts about your words, boy. You proved to be a great healer, and many of us are grateful to you, not excepting me. But wizards are deceitful creatures, no, don't try to deny it! I have lived long enough to know it is true. You know, the problem with dragons might have been solved for decades now. Ninety years ago, my grandfather was a part of an anti-dragon coalition consisting of humans, wizards and Tree Ones. Then, dragons were more common than today; they were spread over the continent, destroying settlements and crop fields. Frays between the coalition and dragons led to the great Battle of E'dorn. In the battle, we suffered immense losses. The King Ílas of the Tree Ones was killed. As for hum
ans, only my grandfather and a handful of his men survived. But we won. Almost all dragons from the continent were killed, but two or three of them managed to escape to the north. My grandfather wanted to pursue them. He knew that dragons could be wiped out once and for all. But the wizards refused to join him, though they were bound by the agreement. That's why dragons lasted until to our time. And that's the reason we are here.”

  Auger stopped his monologue for a while, before continuing. “It seems people have no idea how serious the situation is. We are weaker than ever. And dragons are growing stronger with every new moon. Their Queen has laid twelve eggs recently, twice the usual number. In ten months, there are going to be another twelve beasts ready to burn us and our homes for good. Since my childhood days, the dragons' population has almost tripled. They are in desperate need of new territories, new hunting grounds. Rotah told me this wall would protect us as long as we protect the wall. Once we are gone, dragons will cause the wall to fall, flooding the South eventually. And this will be our end.”

  He was walking slowly in the middle of the chamber, lost in his thoughts.

  I could name hundreds of examples proving he was wrong, but I didn't. I sensed his mind was set already, and he would not listen to me.

  “But you do trust Rotah.” I said. “And the Princess.”

  Auger barely lifted his worried gaze to me. “One must trust someone who happens to possess a power that could turn the world into ashes. Besides, Rotah has never taken part in race wars.” He paused for a while, thinking. “At least we have the Princess by our side. She knows dragons better than anyone else, and she hates them deeper than you might think. I wish there were more of her kind. She's killed more beasts than all my men altogether.”

  I raised my eyebrow.

  So she is not only a healer, but also a dragon slayer...

  “So, why am I here, Sir?”

  He blinked. “Yes... I want to know what can you do with your magic? Can you kill a dragon? Just like that?” he snapped his fingers in the air.

  I curled my lips in a faint smile. He apparently had no idea what magic was, or how it was initiated.