The Seer

by Kirsten Jones

  Phantasm regarded her vacantly smiling expression for a moment then began to tap his foot impatiently, ‘I can see that you are having another one of those disengaged moments, which is no doubt due to the fact that Mage De Winter looks rather happy today, so I shall just tell you what you are going to do now –’

  ‘No, I’m drinking water, but thanks anyway brother.’

  Phantasm rolled his eyes and grabbed her firmly by the arms to propel her across the room, muttering furiously in her ear, ‘You are going to get my godson and take him outside to meet his grandparents, right this moment!’

  Mistral was snapped out of her pleasant dream to find herself being forced across the room and ordered to prise her son out of Serenity’s clinging hold, who only reluctantly let him go when Mistral promised to return him shortly. Nestling him into her arms, Mistral smiled down at her beautiful son and instantly forgot what she was meant to be doing. When Fabian’s arms wrapped around them both she looked up to see the same exalted look still lighting his face, catapulting her straight back into her daydream. A hundred emotions tumbled through her mind, each defying the last with its depth and complexity. Completely incapable of expressing a single one of them, Mistral simply gazed at Fabian and managed to mumble. ‘Are you coming to see Imperato and Alyssa?’

  ‘Yes.’ Fabian smiled, seeing the words she had meant to say in her eyes.

  Leaving the heady atmosphere of the tavern with Prospero following at their heels, chewing contentedly on the bow that had been around his neck, Fabian and Mistral stepped out into the sun-warmed square. Moving her son into the crook of one arm, she held Fabian’s hand while they walked towards the imposing group of centaurs. Dravite and Faris were stood behind Imperato, the more slightly built figure of Alyssa pressed nervously by his side while he conversed with Leo and Mage Grapple, for once without his usual entourage of warlocks. Alyssa’s anxious face broke into a tender smile at the sight of her daughter and grandson. Watching the swirling aura above her head erupt into a sunburst of bright yellow then fade to pale green Mistral finally began to fully comprehend the sacrifice she and Imperato had made all those years ago. Walking slowly towards them Mistral tried to imagine doing the same; could she be selfless enough to give her son away to be raised by strangers because it was right for him? She looked down at the baby in her arms to see him smiling back at her and knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would never have the courage to do what they did.

  Alyssa did not speak when she and Fabian halted before them, but her eyes filled with tears of happiness when Mistral silently offered her son to be held. Taking him in her arms, Alyssa smiled and gently stroked his cheek with her finger, brushing away the tear that had fallen onto him.

  ‘Congratulations my daughter, he is a strong and healthy baby. What have you named him?’

  Mistral tore her gaze away from her son to look at Imperato. He was smiling proudly at her, waiting for her response. She bit her lip and glanced at Fabian who gave her a gentle smile and opened his mouth to reply.

  ‘We’re keeping it for the ceremony.’ Mistral said quickly and shot Fabian an apologetic look for cutting him off.

  Imperato nodded wisely, ‘Name-giving should not be taken lightly. They should complement the nature of bearer and must be chosen carefully.’

  Mistral suddenly thought of a question she had never even considered before, ‘Did you name me ... erm, before –’ she faltered, not sure of how to complete that particular sentence.

  Imperato smiled, ‘Of course. We chose a name that reflects your strength and passion, a natural force that cannot be denied. You are the very essence of your name.’

  ‘Oh? Er, what –’

  ‘We called you Mistral.’ Alyssa said, seeing her confused look.

  ‘Then … it was by complete coincidence that Brothertoft called me that too?’ Mistral frowned.

  ‘There are no coincidences in this life my daughter, only –’

  ‘I know. Destiny.’ Mistral finished wearily. ‘I think I’m finally beginning to get that one now.’ While Imperato and Alyssa admired their grandson, Mistral slipped her hand into Fabian’s again and whispered urgently in his ear. ‘Sorry about interrupting you, but I really need to talk to you about his name!’

  He nodded but they were prevented from speaking any further by Mage Grapple stepping forwards with a roll of parchment grasped in his hands.

  ‘Lady De Winter, De Winter, may I offer my congratulations on the birth of your first child.’

  ‘Thank you for coming today Eximius.’ Fabian responded politely while Mistral retrieved her son from Alyssa.

  Turning to Mage Grapple she smiled and hesitantly offered her son to him, ‘Would you like to meet him?’

  ‘I would be honoured,’ he said sincerely and passed the roll of parchment to Fabian before gently taking hold of their son.

  Mistral held her breath while she watched her son gazing up at the heavily scarred face of the head of the Isle. Would he be frightened? Samson’s features were nearly as ravaged, and her son only seemed to find them amusing … she hoped he wouldn’t laugh at Mage Grapple, that might not be the best start to his career as the most gifted being on the Isle.

  Demonstrating an understanding of the occasion’s gravity far beyond his brief experience of life, the son and heir to the De Winter name reached up to grasp one of Mage Grapple’s fingers and proceeded to hold a conversation with him that only they and Mistral could hear. She smiled and took hold of Fabian’s hand again, interlacing her fingers tightly with his to let him know that their son had handled his first meeting with the formidable Mage Grapple perfectly.

  Mage Grapple finally released a deep sigh and lifted his head to look at Mistral with a wondering expression.

  ‘I know.’ Mistral said softly and took her son from him. ‘It’s a bit overwhelming.’

  ‘Your son is exceptionally gifted,’ he murmured quietly. ‘So much that I may have to rethink my rash promise to your next born in case the same is true there.’

  ‘I don’t think so!’ Mistral whispered back sharply. ‘You might be the only one scary enough to keep her in check!’

  The sound of Mage Grapple’s rarely heard laughter rang out across the village square. Still smiling broadly he turned to Fabian and pointed at the scroll of parchment held in his hands. ‘At your request, the property held by the De Winter estate in the south of the Isle has been sold. The sum is payable to you, and I have taken the liberty of adding an amount as a gift to your son.’

  Fabian murmured his thanks but made no move to break the seal on the scroll to read the contents.

  Having kept a respectful distance from the group whilst Mistral greeted her parents, Leo now stepped into their group, waving Floris forward with a tray of drinks in his hands.

  ‘Mage Grapple, may I offer you some refreshment after your journey?’

  ‘Yes, however, I was looking forward to enjoying the surroundings of The Cloak and Dagger once again.’ Mage Grapple replied. Nodding politely to Imperato and Fabian, he began to stride towards the noisy tavern.

  ‘Not what Leo expected!’ Mistral muttered to Fabian, watching Leo look taken aback for the briefest of moments then walk quickly after him.

  ‘No.’ Fabian smiled and gave a half-shrug. ‘But then Eximius has never been predictable.’

  ‘Can we talk now?’ Mistral whispered while the centaurs accepted goblets of wine from Floris.

  Fabian gave her a quizzical smile, ‘I don’t think it is me that you need to talk to.’

  Mistral frowned, ‘No, it definitely is.’

  Still smiling, Fabian took his son from her and passed him back to Alyssa.

  ‘I will wait for you here,’ he promised softly.

  While you talk with Imperato …

  Mistral’s lips formed a silent ‘oh’ of understanding. Turning to meet the profound gaze of her father, she realised that once again, Fabian had seen far more than her, and she was the one with Sight.

  ‘Ca
n I talk with you?’ she asked quietly.

  ‘Of course my daughter.’ Imperato responded calmly.

  With Prospero trotting at her heels, she began to walk beside Imperato along the path leading to the North Gate, instinctively heading towards the open spaces of the meadows. Imperato did not speak but walked silently by her side, waiting patiently for her to begin. They reached the meadows and paused on the brow of the rise, looking out over the sweep of sunlit grassland. Mistral sighed and stroked Prospero’s head absently, unsure of how to begin the conversation. After a few moments she eventually glanced at Imperato out of the corner of her eye to see him regarding her with his fathomless gaze.

  ‘Seek your answers my daughter. I will not hide anything from you.’

  ‘Oh, well, actually, I think that it’s a bit more complicated than that –’

  ‘Complications are in the eye of the beholder. Ask.’

  Mistral suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and suddenly regretted agreeing to another stroll into the mystical with her father, ‘Right,’ she said adopting a brisk tone, determined not to let Imperato get all other-worldly on her. ‘Yarthkins are blood-bound to protect us; centaurs that is … aren’t they?’

  ‘Centaurs, yes.’ Imperato confirmed in his deep voice.

  ‘Well, is that just for a lifetime or,’ Mistral paused and drew in a deep breath before taking the plunge, ‘does it extend beyond that?’

  ‘We are not served by the dead my daughter.’ Imperato replied, frowning slightly. ‘Only the living carry our food and guard our young.’

  ‘I know that.’ Mistral sighed. ‘I was talking about me and … Saul.’

  ‘The one of yarthkin descent who died at the Festival of the Arcane?’

  ‘Yes … him.’

  ‘You have Seen him again?’

  Mistral nodded, not really wanting to go into the whole story of her mistaking labour pains for a couple of hard kicks and wandering off into the forests in the middle of the night to nearly give birth alone.

  Imperato gazed meditatively at the sky, ‘I think that he was bound by something stronger than blood, and there is only one bond capable of transcending death.’

  Gritting her teeth and resisting the urge to demand that Imperato spoke plainly for once in his considerable life, Mistral drew in a breath and forced herself to speak in a controlled voice, ‘Please explain it to me Imperato, because I heard him and I saw him, but in only my mind … was it Sight? Or, or is he really here, somewhere –’

  ‘He is dead my daughter, no-one can return from that final state. What you saw was the echo of his soul. It lives within you because you drew it into yourself through your gift when he died.’

  ‘I did ... what?’

  Imperato nodded solemnly, ‘Love is receptive of love. He gave his life for yours. It is the ultimate sacrifice, and your heart could not deny that. Perhaps he knew that by dying it was the only way he could ever remain close to you. Certainly Mage De Winter could not be expected to tolerate his continued affections for you, and they could never be realised … but now he will always be a part of your life.’

  ‘Always? So, will … can I see him again?’ Mistral asked, wiping away the tears that suddenly fell.

  ‘That depends on whether you want to or not.’ Imperato replied, gazing at her sadly.

  ‘Am I making him stay then? Should he be somewhere else? Am I being selfish by wanting to see him?’ Mistral sobbed, giving up on trying to stem her tears and letting them flow freely down her cheeks.

  ‘You already know the answers to those questions my daughter.’

  Mistral nodded and let out a long breath, ‘I suppose I do.’

  ‘Then you must let him go.’

  ‘But … how?’

  ‘Forgive him.’

  Mistral frowned, ‘I don’t understand! Forgive him for what? It wasn’t his fault he thought he loved me! He was a yarthkin and I’ve got centaur blood!’

  ‘For dying in your place.’ Imperato said quietly. ‘It was his choice, yet you have blamed yourself for his actions.’

  ‘Because he didn’t have a choice! He was blood-bound –’

  ‘Listen to me my daughter.’ Imperato cut across her in a hard voice. ‘You are not a centaur, you are a Seer. The yarthkin –’

  ‘Saul! His name was Saul!’

  ‘Saul.’ Imperato continued in a softer voice. ‘He was not blood-bound to protect you; he was bound to you by something far, far stronger.’

  ‘What?’ Mistral demanded angrily.

  ‘Love.’

  ‘Oh, damn it!’ Mistral cried and sunk her head into her hands. ‘Now I feel even worse!’

  Imperato reached out and rested a hand lightly on the arm, ‘Love him back for what he gave you, and let him go.’

  ‘You mean my life don’t you?’ Mistral said, lifting her tear-filled gaze to meet his.

  Imperato nodded slowly, ‘And the life of your son. Without you, he would not be here.’

  Wiping away the last of her tears Mistral lifted her head and gazed at the meadows stretching away to meet the forests, a sunlit haze of russets and browns. She had wanted to see Saul happy, and she was determined that she would, every single day of her life.

  ‘I know what to do now.’

  Imperato smiled, ‘You always did.’

  ‘Yes, probably.’ Mistral admitted. ‘But for some reason I seem to like to make it a real struggle for myself.’

  Imperato laughed gently, ‘You are stubborn, like your mother.’

  They walked back down the path from the North Gate quietly discussing Imperato’s acceptance of the position in the Magnate. Mistral listened to him justify his acceptance, explaining how he would balance tribal life with two days a week spent in the Valley, knowing that he was only talking about such mundane matters to distract her and allow all trace of her tears to vanish before they finally reached the village square.

  The arrival of Mage Grapple and the Divinus had re-installed a degree of propriety to the occasion, or at least forced her brothers to tone down their behaviour a bit. People were streaming out from The Cloak and Dagger to form a large circle around the canopy that had been erected in the middle of the square. Unlike their wedding where they had stood at the front, this time the ceremony would be conducted in the centre of the guests to signify the circle of life becoming complete.

  Taking her son from Alyssa once more, Mistral left the centaurs and began to walk quickly towards Fabian, waiting for her at the edge of the guests. He lifted an eyebrow as she approached, the smallest smile lifting one corner of his mouth.

  ‘Fabian, we really must talk now.’ Mistral whispered urgently.

  Fabian’s smile deepened, ‘We have days, months, years … a lifetime to talk, but now we must name our son.’

  ‘But that’s what I want to talk to you about!’ Mistral persisted, a slight edge of panic creeping into her voice.

  ‘I said that we would name him as you saw fit. When have I ever gone back on my word?’

  ‘Well, never … but –’

  Fabian suddenly kissed her, stopping her from speaking and earning them a smattering of light-hearted applause from the nearby guests, ‘It is time to name our son now Mistral.’ Smiling at her slightly dazed expression, Fabian took her by the hand and led her towards the circle of guests. The crowd instantly parted to allow them to walk to the centre where Leo was waiting for them beneath the shade of the canopy.

  The day was completely still, not a breath of air rippled the white silken awning or disturbed the jasmine and honeysuckle Marietta and Liliana had carefully wound around each of the canopy’s supports. Mistral stood beside Fabian, breathing in the sweet scent of the flowers and holding her unnamed son in her arms, wishing they could have spoken about what they were about to do. He hadn’t let her finish her sentence, or he might not have been so keen to hurry her into the service ...

  “I’ve changed my mind”

  … words capable of instilling fear into the stoutest male
heart.

  Sighing quietly as Leo began to speak, Mistral reflected that if Fabian wasn’t happy with her choice it was too late now. She listened with half an ear to Leo’s words while she gazed at her son; catching the odd phrase but concentrating on the thoughts of the life in her arms. Did he suit the name she had chosen? Only if Fabian completed it –

  ‘A new life has come into our midst reminding us all of a future worth living for –’

  Leo’s voice cut through her thoughts again. She glanced at Fabian; he was smiling at her, his expression full of calm assurance. Would he like the name she had chosen? She listened to his thoughts, smiling at the profound happiness she heard there until she was satisfied that he probably wouldn’t mind if she named their son after Prospero. Mistral glanced affectionately down at her dog then tried to focus her attention on the words Leo was speaking again.

  ‘… truth of heart and purity of spirit –’

  It was no good, she drifted off to be lost again in the thoughts of her Mage and the more simplistic thoughts of her son, telling her that he was getting hungry when she realised that Leo had asked them a question and Fabian was looking to her for a response.

  ‘What name shall your son be known by?’ Leo repeated, looking at her intently.

  Mistral looked at Fabian while all around them the guests fell completely still, waiting to hear the name she had chosen; the only secret she had ever managed to keep.

  A heartbeat of silence that drew out into the longest moment of her life passed before Mistral said her son’s name in a voice barely above a whisper.

  ‘Cassius.’

  A sigh of approval rippled through the gathered guests.

  ‘Ah yes.’ Phantasm smiled. ‘Mage De Winter’s middle name, a traditional choice. Well done Mistral.’

  ‘I swore she was going to name him after me.’ Phantom grumbled.

  ‘Cassius?’ Brutus whispered with a frown. ‘The empty one? What is she thinking?’

  ‘Damn it!’ Xerxes muttered, scowling down at the tatty piece of parchment in his hand. ‘Did anyone get Cassius?’

  ‘And a second name?’ Leo looked expectantly at Mistral while she held Fabian’s gaze.