by B. C. Morin
She wrapped the bodice around her as Lilian grasped the back and began lacing it up. She ran her hands up and down the front feeling the rich satin beneath her fingertips. There was a silver border around the bodice that resembled the edging of her wings. The skirt had the same edging along the bottom with just a bit of lace peeking out beneath it. She looked in the mirror and was impressed at how Lilian had guessed her measurements so perfectly. The skirt sat just below her waist and remained form-fitting to around her hips and then draped off of her beautifully.
“Lilian, I do not know what to say. It is amazing.”
Lilian beamed. “’Tis nothing ma’am.”
They rushed out the room as soon as she was ready and began down the stairs to the dining room. She saw Brennus off in a corner speaking to two of the Magisters, deep in conversation and he seemed to be disagreeing with something. He looked at her for a moment but turned his attention back to the Magisters just as she managed a smile.
“Mother. Father.” Alannah ran around the table to her parents, throwing herself into her mother’s embrace.
Nalani pulled back for a moment, looking her daughter over carefully for any injuries, and asking about all the new scars.
“Mother I am alright. I was well taken care of. I cannot imagine what would have become of me had Brennus not been there to heal these injuries.” She said pointing at the scars. He truly saved me.
King Cavalon looked his daughter over before pulling her into another hug, “Then we must meet this Brennus so that we may thank him properly.”
“And you will. I have called him hence so that we may all have a proper breakfast and discuss the events that have taken place and those that will take place.” Queen Calla sat down as the servants came in bringing platters of food. “Also joining us will be two of the Magisters so that they can advise you of Evyette’s condition.”
Alannah’s gaze was on Kaleb who was also in the dining room with Tristan. He looked at her and smiled and motioned for her to sit by him. Just as she was going to walk over Alessa came in from the other entrance of the room and bubbly walked over to the empty seat next to him and dropped into it.
Kaleb looked at Alannah and raised his eyebrows. ‘It is alright’ she mouthed as she took the empty seat beside her mother.
Just as they were about to begin serving, Alannah noticed Brennus walking in with the two Magisters, and stop at the empty place beside her. She ached to have him sit next to her. If he would only do that she could believe that she hadn’t messed up too horribly.
But he went out of his way to sit on the other side of the Magisters, away from her.
She had to fight tears welling up in her eyes, the desire to get up and walk out of the dining room.
The talks swirled again around what happened and the condition of Evyette. Nalani was in tears. It wasn’t the type of tears that came with a panic or outburst, she sat surprisingly collected except for the tears that ran down her face as she was told of her adoptive daughter’s circumstances. Silent tears filled with hurt, rage, sadness and the pain of a mother that feels helpless toward her daughter.
The Magisters discussed with her that they had been trying to penetrate her mind in order to access possible repressed memories, a flash of someone’s face or information that could lead to finding her birth family and consequently the people who cursed her.
The process was painful and difficult and could only be done in segments due to her unconscious state. They continued telling everyone that if she was awake she would be able to stand the infiltration, with great pain but no permanent injury. Because she is unconscious she is in another state of mind completely and is well guarded. Aside from that there is the physical condition that has left her weak.
Alannah watched as her father’s hands went from laying on the table to balled up tight fists while hearing of what she went through in the castle and now the news of Evyette. He wanted to hurt those that had hurt his children.
She reached across putting her hand on her father’s hand and squeezed. He broke from his deadly concentration on the Magister and looked at his daughter. His look, softening quickly upon seeing her smile.
“As for Princess Alannah.” The Magister’s words breaking the silent communication between Alannah and her Father. “Due to the intensity that her powers are coming in at, we would recommend that she be sent to train with the Elders at the Kingdom of Anrad first. There are no better teachers among the five nations to teach your daughter control of the powers that are beginning to overwhelm her.” He motioned a hand to Brennus, “Brennus here can take her with him when he leaves in two days time.” He knows what teachers she will need to see. Once they decide that she has trained enough we recommend she be sent back here to master her spell casting.”
Nalani looked hurt at the thought of being away from her daughter for so long.
Perhaps that is why they never pushed me to master my skills. So that they would not have to be away from me for so long. She thought as she watched as her father put a reassuring arm around his wife.
“How long will this training take?” King Cavalon’s voice filled with concern.
The Magister looked directly at Alannah “That depends on her. If she can keep her focus and she can find the desire to truly master who she is, it may not take very long at all. If it proves difficult, well, that would of course cause her to stay longer. That would be for her powers, the spell casting will most likely take less time. We would have to squeeze months and years of training in as little time as possible but it can be done.” The Magister said, pushing his chair away from the table and bowing to Queen Calla and King Vadimas. “Your majesties.” he said also bowing to Queen Nalani and King Cavalon. “I will be returning to check on Evyette. If there are any that wish to join me you would be more than welcome.”
Nalani and Cavalon quickly stood, glancing at Alannah.
“I visited with her last night. You go on. I will visit with you later.” Alannah assured her mother.
Quickly, about half of the room vacated.
Kaleb stood and walked around the table to catch up with Alannah as she walked out as well.
“Alannah.” She stopped to look at Kaleb who was hurrying to catch up to her.
“So it seems that you will be going to Anrad then?”
“Yes, it seems that the choices are being made for me. I cannot say that I argue the decision though, I would like to control this. It was very scary that last time with the lighting bolt.”
“Yes, you really shocked everyone.”
They both looked up as Brennus walked toward them. Her heart beat hard against her chest as he got closer but then slowed as she watched him walk past without so much as a word.
Kaleb looked at Alannah with a look of confusion.
“Do not ask.”
“Alright.”
“So what is going on with you and Alessa? You seemed very happy last night at the square.” She thought of mentioning the kiss and decided against it.
“Oh, well, it’s always nice to catch up with old friends.”
“Old friends?”
Kaleb knew by her tone that it was a question that begged information.
“I suppose I should tell you the whole story then.”
“It couldn’t hurt.” She said as she began walking, Kaleb beside her.
“First of all, it was many years ago. I had just started mastering my spell casting skill. I wasn’t born with the trait as you were. I had to acquire it. I was born more with a gift of learning you can call it. Once I take something on it does not take me long to master it.”
Alannah looked at him and raised an eyebrow. “I think perhaps you have been around Brennus too much.”
“No, I did not mean it arrogantly. Tristan is the same also, I guess you can say it is somewhat like a power. Anyway, we were sent here to train with the Magisters. Being the best of their craft, there were no better teachers. The King and Queen insisted we stay in their castle and thus spent a
lot of time with Alessa. We had many of the same lessons so we would spend time practicing and once that was done spend a lot of time fooling around as well. We became very good friends.”
“hhmm” she raised an eyebrow at him, “still, it does not tell me how the friendship progressed into something more.”
Kaleb swallowed hard. “I do not know when that happened exactly. I suppose it was just all the time we spent together, but eventually we developed deeper feeling for each other and admitted to them.” He kept his eyes on everything but Alannah although he knew that she was looking right at him as they walked.
“Once it was time for me to go back to Talom, we spoke and realized that it would be better to keep a friendly relationship instead of an intimate one.”
“So that is it.”
“That is it.”
“And now?”
“Now what?”
“Do you still feel that way?”
Kaleb stopped. They had stepped into a small courtyard with openings on each wall. “Why would you ask that?”
“Why not? I have seen the way you look at her, how every fae looks at her.”
“Alannah” he walked toward her, but she turned and walked more to the center of the courtyard.
“I saw you Kaleb.” She turned finally facing him.
“You saw me? Saw me what?” His brows furrowed in confusion.
“Kiss her!” She was visibly upset, and her voice grew louder.
“You followed us?” Kaleb was surprised by how bothered he was. He didn’t mind her jealousy but the distrust was irritating.
“Well, not really. I heard you two talking and-“ She dropped off, turning her gaze to the ground in front of her.
“So you eavesdropped and proceed to assume.” He crossed his arms across his chest.
“I’m not assuming. I am well aware of what I saw.”
“What you have seen? Need I mention that you left into the woods with Brennus last night? On top of that, you have also been falling over every word that has come out of his mouth since you met him.”
“It is not really her fault. I am pretty intoxicating.” The voice surprised them both as Brennus rounded the arch at one of the entrances.
“Oh! So am I to assume everyone pries into other’s conversations here?” Kaleb threw his hands in the air, visibly frustrated with them both.
“Alas, I was over there when you two brought your lovers quarrel in here, and I was leaving up until I heard you say my name.”
“Well, feel free to continue walking then.”
“Kaleb!” Alannah turned to face him, anger flooding his features.
“I suppose I should not be surprised that you would jump to his defense.”
“I would defend you as well!”
“Pardon me! Warrior faerie here, no defending needed, thank you though.”
Kaleb rolled his eyes at the remark, “You are thoroughly enjoying this aren’t you?”
“Well, I can not say it is not amusing. But you two can go back to what you were saying before I came in … something about her falling over my every word.” He smiled at them both and walked away, ignoring Alannah’s scowl.
“Where are you going?” Alannah demanded
“Well Alannah, not all of us want to hear about his kiss with Alessa.”
Alannah turned back to Kaleb who had begun to walk out of another entrance.
“Where are you going?”
Kaleb turned to look at her. “I was under the impression that you were not the type to assume. Perhaps if you would have come to me and simply asked me of my feelings I could have told you the truth.” He continued, walking away from her.
“Kaleb.” She sprinted after him, grabbing him by the shoulder just as she caught up. “I ... I am sorry.”
He let out a deep sigh. “As am I.” He yanked his shoulder free and continued walking back inside the castle.
She walked back into the small courtyard and sat on a stone bench.
She thought of what she said and how she approached everything. How could she be this new person and still behave like a spoiled child when it came to love? No, it was time to learn to take control of things just as she needed to take control of her powers.
She stood and walked out of the courtyard.
Alannah ran up the stairs to the direction of the boy’s rooms and found no one. She walked back down and thought maybe now wasn’t the time, maybe she needed to be alone, maybe she shouldn’t find them, maybe it was time she concentrated about more pressing matters. She walked down the large hallway that led to the infirmary. She could hear the voices as she walked through the doors, in the hallway stood the Magisters, the King and Queen, her parents and Brennus.
They turned to look at her as she walked down the hallway to them and kept talking. She saw her mother’s face and new that she had been crying. Her eyes were red and puffy. She had wiped the tears but the evidence still stained her face.
She walked up to her mother and embraced her. “She will be alright.” She whispered.
“I know. I just never thought we would have to go into her past. She was always a part of us and our family. I never thought of her as belonging to someone else.” Her mother released her, visibly trying to keep composure in front of the others.
The Magister excused himself and walked back into the room with Brennus following.
Her father watched Brennus walk away and turned to speak to his daughter when he was sure that Brennus was out of earshot. “We must discuss your training.”
“I know father.”
They all sat down on the benches that lined the walls. Queen Calla and her husband stayed standing beginning to dismiss themselves.
“If you don’t mind, I would like your opinions on the matter as well.” Alannah’s father asked, stopping the King and Queen from leaving.
“Of course Cavalon.” The King nodded to his wife and they both took a seat.
“First, about your sister.” He let out a large sigh.
“We have been offered to stay but we are unsure as to how long we can leave Meira unattended. Of course we have the advisement council but they can only lead for so long without us, so I would rather that you stayed until your sister has at least awoken.”
“Yes father. I agree.” Alannah’s hands were interlaced and she fidgeted with her slightly long nails, so many thoughts running through her mind.
“Now, Vadimas and Calla. What say you of Brennus? I am aware that he has stayed with you a few times during trainings.”
“Cavalon, I would trust Brennus with my daughter’s life. I see no reason for you to worry as long as she is with Brennus.”
“Alannah.” He turned his glance from King Vadimas to his daughter. “What say you?”
“I think I should go. If he will wait for Evyette to wake, then I will go with him. He protected me above his own life in the mountains. I have no doubts that I will be safe with him. I need to meet his teachers. I need to control this.” She stood, facing her mother. “You told me that when your powers came in , they were controllable, very minute. Mine have been severe and highly uncontrollable. I do not want to hurt someone un-intentionally, and I do not want to fear my own powers.” She turned her gaze ahead as Brennus emerged from the hallway and headed out the doors that lead to the Kingdom. She sighed heavily. “I think I need to do this.”
Cavalon looked at his wife with a raised eyebrow. “I am not sure what happened in that castle or those mountains but it seems to me that our daughter has matured.” He stood walking over to Alannah. “Then you will go. Before you go you will need to learn the spell that will help you communicate with us through mirrors so that you may update us on your progress. I do not want you sending hawks as they can get intercepted and we do not need anyone knowing where you are.”
“Yes father.” She said, bowing her head
The others stood. “It is settled then. I will show you to the room you may use while you stay.” Calla motioned toward the hallway leadin
g back to the castle, where the King and Queen would sit waiting for news of their daughter whose very soul was in danger.
~ Chapter 24~
Alannah walked down the cold white corridors leading to her sister.
She walked in seeing Tristan next to Evyette’s bed, holding her hand as he had every minute he was allowed since they arrived in the Magi Kingdom.
He heard her walk in but didn’t take his eyes off of Evyette.
“Brennus said we should enlarge the bed and just let me sleep here with her.” He smiled glancing only momentarily at Alannah.
She laughed slightly. “He would say that.” She walked over to the other side of the bed and held Evyette’s other hand as she looked at Tristan. “Any change?”
Tristan looked up to Alannah. She saw his eyes sunken in. He had dark circles beneath them, overtaken by exhaustion. “Well, there haven’t been any more fevers, and the injury is almost completely closed.” He stood and pulled down the blanket covering her chest, a large fresh pink scar lining the center. “Once it heals completely it will not look that bad. They have been healing it from the inside out.” He put the blanket back as Alannah watched the delicacy with which he did it.
“Why Tristan?”
“What? Oh, I don’t know, some people are just Evil Alannah. I wish-“