“I fell into the time stream.” It was the risk she’d taken when she’d chosen to switch to the body of an oracle some two millennia ago. “If I were to stay in it for too long then my consciousness would be lost to the future.”
“How long is too long?”
“Anything over a quarter of an hour.” She replied. “I was exhausted, I apologise for slipping away like that.”
“Is this in danger of happening again?”
“No.” She replied. “On a condition.” A very dark and rather barbaric condition. “May I take some of your blood?”
“What?”
“I need something to hold me here; blood is a powerful way of doing so. May I take some of yours?”
“What would be the effects of it for me?”
“Nothing much, I may see some of whatever you think of in that moment, but nothing more so please don’t think of anything sickeningly boring. Also you may get lightheaded, but that’s unlikely.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes.” She replied, honestly.
“Very well then.” He withdrew a letter opener from his desk and made a small cut at his wrist and held his arm out to her.
She walked over slowly and took the offered arm, before lowering her mouth to the wound.
It was weird doing this after so long. She had never wanted to use the foresight, being unable to direct it where she wished. The oracle had had a blood slave, whom he drank from every day after being paid for using his gift by a desert don, so she’d taken his masters money as well as his life. Of course, he’d been all but insane from his visions by then anyway, another reason she rarely used the ‘gift’.
She’d never drunk from anyone before, usually it was animals she chose but now she was too weak to hunt, and she needed the taste of life.
Another boundary crossed, she thought as she released the source of warm liquid pouring into her mouth, and wiped away the dribble from her face.
“You should put something on that.” She informed the prince.
“What did you see?” He asked.
“Nothing.” She replied “I only took a small amount.”
“I have never heard of an elf having the gift of foresight.” He commented as he ripped some fabric from the bottom of his shirt.
“Who says I was born with it?” She replied.
“You stole someone’s powers?”
“I stole his life to do so.” She replied. “Ask Endis how he stays alive, I can guarantee you that the royal family does kill for its right to stay alive.”
“But they’re ageless. The very first elves ever to live and so were gifted with true immortality.”
“If you truly believe that then you’re a fool who’s been given too much propaganda.” She replied. “They kill, they survive and they gain wealth.”
“Endis is my best friend.” He replied, and it was a broken whisper.
“He can still be, but just don’t expect truth all the time.” She replied, turning to the window. “Thank-you for you blood. It’s barbaric I know, but I didn’t think that when I was young.” She leapt up to crouch on the windowsill. “Stay near to Katelyn. I’ll send the girl your way.”
“Seeing you might scare her further.”
“No.” She replied “It won’t.”
She leapt from the windowsill at that moment, running directly to where she’d stashed Romana’s clothes, and changed, before sitting against a tree and letting herself drift away again.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
CREDIBLE
Romana woke against the bark of an old hollow tree with only one thought in her head: she needed to find Katelyn.
She ran without sound until she was directly below the window of her room, and leapt up onto the windowsill. Yes it was dangerous to take Katelyn to the colony, but what choice did she have.
She stepped down. Her eyes on the sleeping girl with the angel hair, so focused that she didn’t notice Prince Marten standing behind her until her had his arms pinning hers to her sides, and guards were carrying Katelyn swiftly from the room. As if she’d ever hurt Katelyn! She leaped for the little girl, only to have steely arms hold her back.
Naturally she struggled. But he was using elvenstrength against her. She fought with every breath she could, but he was pure strength against her. Hauling her against him with an uncompromising tug he had her immobilised in seconds.
“Romana, calm down.” He ordered. “I’m not going to hurt you. It wasn’t you who did the magic, we caught the man.”
The comment was so surprising that she stopped at once.
“It wasn’t me.” She repeated.
“No.” He promised. “It was a shop owner who’d they’d just looted. He wanted payback.”
“But I didn’t see him.”
“He was sorcerer. He has his ways, maybe he turned invisible, I don’t know!” The last was an exasperated growl. “But we do know that any man of any race born with magic is doomed to become insane on the power. It’s a credible story.”
She stood in silence for a moment, absorbing the information, processing it through the logical side of her brain. She knew he was lying of course, but the intent was clear: he meant to keep her here using any means necessary.
He couldn’t admit to having a sorceress as his grand duchess, but he didn’t want her to leave. His solution was simple, and so commonly used in politics that it was infallible: frame someone else who was patriotic enough to take the blame for the prince – and there were plenty of people who fit that bill.
He relaxed his hold on her, but that was his mistake. She launched immediately for Katelyn, rushing down the hall towards the scent she knew as well as her own name. Breaking the door took three milliseconds, knocking out the guard took even less time, although she wasted precious seconds making sure she was gentle with the sleeping Katelyn. How had she slept through all of this? She wondered, and then paused to sniff at the girls pulse.
“You drugged her.” She accused Marten in elvish. “I told you the lengths I would go to if you even put a pin prick on her back at the Slave Shop.”
“We had no idea how you’d react.” He replied, in human, standing at the doorway with his guards filing in to line the walls.
“I know you’re lying about the sorcerer. I can tell so don’t bother denying it. What was your plan? Keep me happy and hope I don’t one day go boom?” She continued in elvish, not wanting to let the guards know anything they shouldn’t.
“That was the plan, yes.” He replied dryly. “I so hadn’t planned to think it out further once I knew you were safe, and I was definitely going to risk that sort of ending.” The words were full of so much sarcasm it cut.
“I won’t live a lie Marten.” She replied in elvish, refusing to use his title.
“I wouldn’t want you to.” He replied, finally reverting to the same language as her, even as the guards looked on in complete confusion, weapons still half raised. “We’ll research this; I’ll devote a portion of my librarians to looking into elvish magic, and in the mean time you and Katelyn can move into your estate on the boarders of town and get settled into your position as ambassador. Start meeting influential people, and tell me the minute you find anything wrong.”
“No-one touches Katelyn.” She confirmed. “She stays safe.”
“Of course.” He replied, at the same time giving the guards some hand signals that caused them to file silently from the room, taking their fallen comrade with them
“Was that really fair on your guards?” She asked “You’ve just put them off me for life.”
“Get used to it. I’m assigning a portion of my specially trained units to guard your mansion.”
“No personal guards. No airheads. Not too many servants.” She replied “Those are my conditions and they still stand. And as for Katelyn’s education, could she continue to learn here at the palace?”
“Of course, providing she learns to ride to and from the mansion we’ve built you.”
“When do I get to see?” She teased. “You keep going on about it but I’ve never even seen the builders go through town.”
“We began making it the day we decided to make you an ambassador.” Marten informed her. “The project was to be as quietly executed as possible so you wouldn’t see it before it was done, which it now is. Do you fancy a run?”
“Anytime.” She replied. “My things?”
“Everything has already been moved there. Your personal maids are waiting for you.”
“Personal maids?” She asked, even as he led her out of the room at elvenspeed, Katelyn still in her arms.
Chapter Thirty
NEW SURROUNDINGS
He didn’t answer, even as he led her quickly through the forests, and tried to help her over the wall even when she brushed him off. Roughly five leagues from the wall he stopped her and pulled a blindfold from his pocket.
“You’re kidding.” She said, even as he moved to wrap it around her eyes. “Now I can’t see anything.”
“That’s the point.” He replied, taking her hand and leading her to what she presumed was the edge of the trees, as she felt smooth cobbled stones under her soft ankle boots. Light shone through the black cotton of the blindfold, confusing her. Although only when the blindfold was saturated with the brightness did Marten remove it.
In front of her was a mansion so huge that it seemed imposing. But in spite of its size it was so elegant as to look regal, with curling wrought iron window boxes each blooming with colourful flowers. The windows which glinted in the light of the pale moon reflected everything, not allowing anyone to see inside unless they were up close, in which case stained wooden shutters could be closed.
The light she’d originally seen was that of torches on either side of the polished front door. The residence was made of a pale grey stone, which morphed into elegant square black slate tiles on the roof. From the ground she could see seven floors, but that was not including any other outbuildings round the back.
The prince turned the wrought iron door handle, and pushed it forwards revealing a foyer fit for the palace. Warm olive tones greeted her along with a large crystal chandelier obviously meant to be the centrepiece of the room. The large staircase directly in front of her was lined with staff in conservative navy blue and white clothing. Every one of them bowed or curtseyed in sync as she entered, a move so practiced it didn’t need to be voiced how nervous they were.
“Lady Romana, I’d like you to meet your house staff.” Prince Marten introduced her.
“Nice to meet you all.” She replied kindly.
“They’ve been pre-warned about you.” Marten informed her. “And about visiting thieves.”
She smiled slightly. “I am a rather unconventional Grand Duchess.” She informed the staff “I do hope you won’t mind me.”
“No ma’am.” The reply came instantly.
“Dismissed.” The prince said, and immediately the serving staff vanished into different rooms off the foyer. “They know that you like to cook for yourself and Katelyn, so the cooks will only serve food for the staff, and Katelyn when you’re away. You have your own private kitchen, would you like to see it?”
“Yes.” She breathed, smiling as she noticed the carvings of wild horses on the banister.
“Do you like it so far?” He asked.
“Like it?” She asked, “No. I adore it.” She replied.
“At least we got something right then,” He commented, leading her through a door to the right and along a corridor there to a modern kitchen with a large table to one side. She ran her hand lightly over the surfaces.
“Are those granite worktops?” She asked
“And copper pans and a copper kettle, it’s all the best.” He added.
She opened cupboards and made a mental inventory. Everything was there. It was the perfect kitchen.
“Where to next?” She asked her tour guide.
“Katelyn’s room.”
She followed him back into the foyer and up the large staircase. Along their way up she noticed that parts of the staircase slowly branched off to other floors. Like some great flat tree, decreasing in width as each branch left the main stairwell until they reached the top floor, where only two doors led away from the square landing.
“The door on the left is your room and the door on the right…” Marten began moving towards the right-hand side door as he spoke. “…is Katelyn’s room.”
Romana moved forwards, and into a bedroom fit for a princess.
The colour scheme was orange and white, which had been Katelyn’s favourite colours since she arrived at the Slave Shop. White walls with shells arranged in pretty patterns made the room look like something from a tropical island. Spotting an orange bed on the left hand side Romana shifted over to it, and laid Katelyn gently among the covers, just as her elvensense picked up one of the servants walking into the room.
Marten saw her ears twitch and immediately introduced her.
“This is Bethany-Ann, she worked in the nursery and has volunteered to work here as Katelyn’s personal maid. She’ll be sleeping in the small room off this one.”
“It’s an honour ma’am.” Bethany-Ann replied. “She was a joy in the palace and I’m sure she’ll be a joy here as well.”
“Lady Romana decided to continue Katelyn’s lessons at the palace, and so you will be able to ride there each day with Katelyn and continue your teaching post.” Marten informed the maid.
Romana finally turned around to find a girl no older than herself, with brown eyes and hair standing formally in the doorway.
“She can’t be spoiled.” Romana replied. “You are to teach her humility as best as you can. And look after her, she’s the most precious thing on this earth to me.”
“I would expect nothing less ma’am.” The maid replied with a curtsy. “I’ll teach her the manners and humility of a true lady.”
“Let her have as much of her childhood as you can though.” Romana insisted.
The maid nodded, and Romana followed the prince out after tucking a final lock of angel hair behind Katelyn’s tiny ear.
“Your room.” Marten began. “I had someone map out the rest of the house for you, and there’s a copy on the table there.”
“You’re not coming to show me?” She asked.
“No.” He replied “I have business up at the castle which will not wait unfortunately.”
“What is it?” She asked, curiously.
“Well I have a mysterious elven woman who may just have come up in a search of the palace library which I authorised.”
“Silver?” She guessed.
“The librarians have found the equivalent of three books on her scattered around the library. I want to check it out.”
“Give me a summary later?” She asked.
“You’re welcome to join me when you’ve finished exploring.”
“Won’t you have finished by then?”
“Three four inch thick books of information.” He amended.
“I’ll help whenever I’m able.”
“Thanks.” He replied “I was thinking of getting someone to shorten it for me, but you never know what you’re missing if you do.”
“I understand.” She replied, even as he ran down the stairwell at elvenspeed.
She didn’t stare after him, instead choosing to go immediately into her bedroom.
She looked at the door and stopped.
Katelyn’s door had been a normal, single door with some fine but sparse engravings on. Hers most definitely was not. The edges of the double doors were embellished with silver plated swirls that looped and spiralled copiously in pretty flower patterns more of which were concentrated in the centre of each door to create an ‘R’ shape.
She grimaced at the amount of finery that was spent on her door alone, before reaching for the solid silver filigree door handles to open them.
Her first sight of her room made her gasp in a breath. The entire room was made up in shades of si
lver and white, making it look regal in the extreme. Her second glance made her wonder if there was any money left in the royal vaults.
Her room turned out to be a several rooms each with a different purpose. The first room, a sitting area, consisted of shining cherry wood floorboards, with white rugs in several places. Three large and generously stuffed white armchairs sat facing a huge fireplace of marble, while opposite wicker chairs with silver cushions were arranged around a glass table on a balcony.
Three doors led from this room, one to a dressing room, with large floor to ceiling mirrors across every surface that wasn’t covered in dressing tables or empty wardrobes and chests of draws. The emptiness of the room surprised her, considering the rest of the house she’d expected to see clothes hanging from every rail and jewellery in large enough quantities to fill a small swimming pool. As it was the only objects present were hair and make up equipment, the likes of which she only recognised because of the quantities that had been used on her at the conference.
There was a door here that led through to a large bathroom, which in turn led through to her bedroom, which she found also had a door through to the main room.
The colour scheme, unlike Katelyn’s orange and white was a demure gold on white theme. Shining oak floorboards were immaculately polished to perfection, and she seemed to skim along their surface and onto the fluffy white rug. The furniture was the same pale shade as the floor, and empty. There were small tables, whose sole purpose was to hold antique vases full of flowers; her bed was huge and made up to a floorless standard with silken sheets spread without a trace of a crease in sight.
She heard the doors to her room open and close, and two people shuffle inside and position themselves in the main room.
They could wait, she decided as she moved into the one door she hadn’t explored to find an elegant study, nothing exciting there, she thought, moving through to the main room to meet whoever was waiting there.
She did not expect to find two young girls of approximately her own age waiting there in maid’s uniforms.
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