“You’re unique and on top of that to say you’re pleasing to the eye would be an understatement. Nudity is not a big issue for the elves; we are a very open people I assure you. But that doesn’t mean that the males around you will not lust for you anyway.” Nina laughed a little at Rose as she rolled her eyes again. She found Merik as they rounded the corner. “I guess that soft coat of yours protects you from the cold? I’m freezing.”
“I’ve been told my people are adept at desert survival.” She said simply with an off-handed shrug, taking the offered bundle from him. “Thank you.”
Rose pulled the breeches and tunic on over her fine coat and stretched her arms and legs out, admiring the material. It was thin and light and it fit her perfectly, which considering the fact that her body was shaped differently elves, was strange. The grey, black and white fabric was very comfortable. “This fits perfectly: where did you find my size?”
“I didn’t, this cloth is made of the finest elven spider silk. Hand-crafted for the members of the royal family.” Merik replied as he offered her a belt with two bone daggers strapped to it. “You’ll need a weapon as well. If you are not the hunter you are the prey.”
“Thank you but I wouldn’t know the first thing about using these.” She belted on the offering and pulled the daggers from their sheaths to test them. They were, of course, of the finest make and they felt quite comfortable in her hands. Inspecting a few of the pouches on the belt she found miscellaneous items she made a note to inquire about later.
“Well then,” Merik smiled at Rose and indicated the daggers at her belt as she put them back where they were. “I would be honored to give you a private lesson.”
“I would like that.” She could hear the implications of that in the undertones of his statement; he was flirting with her, playfully, but flirting no doubt. “Very much.”
“Enough, you two are making me ill.” Nina snorted in a very unladylike manner and donned her own clothing and a small suit of armor over the tunic that looked to be made of highly polished obsidian plates. On her belt she wore a short sword and a dagger within one boot. Her brow sported a circlet of obsidian with a red gem embedded in the forehead. The transformation was impressive. “You look the part of a princess in that outfit, it suits you well.”
“I find myself preferring the slave garb instead.” Nina giggled at herself and motioned to Merik who obediently led them out of the side room and into an adjoining chamber. “I must not keep my mother waiting long or she’ll be cross.”
Merik took the lead and guided both Rose and Nina around several turns and twists in the passageways of the ruined building, which seemed to be huge. Rose marveled at the chipped and sand-worn stonework and faint traces of what used to be color as far as she could tell. The stones beneath their feet were similarly pitted and cracked and covered with sand. Once they reached their destination Rose knew it immediately from the four guards standing outside the chamber at the far end of the long open hall. She could see inside of what was the only room with a roof still on it and found a dim light like that of a candle flickering beyond. Two of the guards moved into their path and readied their halberd. “Merik of the Two Blades and Princess Ninanthia Sunmane you may pass but the naarabi woman must remain in our custody.”
“What is the meaning of this?” Rose said defensively as she began backing slowly down the corridor. “Am I to be your slave now too?”
“Mother!” Nina cried out with building anger, clenching her fists to her sides. “Explain yourself.”
“Explain myself to you? You are my daughter and you follow my orders until you yourself take the throne.” Queen Miralastra Sunmane said in a haughty tone, drawing herself up on the makeshift throne the elves had erected for her. From that cloth-and-bone seat she motioned to the guards at the door. She looked like an older version of Nina, yellow hair, blue on blue eyes but with an imperious air around her. “Take the naarabi into custody and hold her under guard until I say otherwise.”
“Queen Miralastra, I do not understand this course of action. As your chief security officer I should be informed of all threats to my charges.” Merik’s face was calm but those present could see the fire behind his eyes as he regarded his liege.
“You shall be briefed shortly Merik.” She replied off-handedly as she motioned for both he and Nina to approach. “Do not worry yourself with this.”
“My queen I made a promise to you earlier that I meant. By the blood of my ancestors I shall hold true to that unless you convince me otherwise.” No one knew the danger behind that statement but the two of them. His oath to her meant he was to follow her orders and protect her without fail but he was a fair man. His second promise to her was to follow the tenants of his people and let no ruler lead them astray.
“Merik, Nina, I shall go quietly. However I wish an explanation.” Rose said as she eyed the two guards menacing her.
“I do not answer to you, you will submit or you will be dealt with accordingly.” The elf queen stated flatly in her best commanding tone. She locked eyes with Rose, one of the few people apparently who dared to keep her steely gaze for any period of time. “Take her.”
Nina watched the two guards go and scowled at the woman before her as if she were the worst person on the face of the planet. In many ways Nina did indeed think her mother was that bad because of how she had treated someone who had been nothing but helpful to their cause. “Mother you had better explain yourself, daughter or not, Rose has been nothing but accommodating to us and still you treat her like common rabble!”
“Ware daughter, do not raise your voice to me. Take solace.” The last two words had high emphasis and she inclined her head toward the door indicating the two guards that were standing outside.
Merik, taking the cue walked over to the doorway and dismissed the two guards telling them he would take over their duty while the queen spoke of private matters with her daughter. After that he let loose the cloth they had fashioned as a cover to the portal. “My queen?”
“Tonight an attack will come.” She whispered in return as both Nina and Merik gathered close to her. Her use of one of their private key phrases had hinted to them that there was something sinister at work. “They have three goals. The first is the book that even now you carry on you Nina, with you being the second target. The third is Rose.”
“Rose? But why?” Nina said without masking her surprise. “And how would someone know she is here?”
“It is complicated my dear but I cannot share as of yet. Rose is a decoy and here is the plan.” She leaned forward to them and smiled broadly, feeling a slight tingle of adrenaline as they planned their ambush.
~~~~
“I’ll not see the book in the hands of a madwoman!” Nina yelled loudly as she tore the flap of cloth off the wall while exiting. “I’m not stupid enough to have it on my person while you’re in charge you banshee. I’d like to see you find it!”
Merik smiled internally as he followed the young girl and motioned for four of the nearby armed guards to follow them. He had to applaud the elf-child for her performance considering her age. She would make a fine queen someday. Outwardly he was scowling at her back as if she had actually committed the treason that had just transpired. This ruse gave him a reason to have more guards follow the princess and post another few with Rose as well. He usually took matters of the queen’s security into his own hands. Once they reached their destination, Nina’s room, he ordered the guards to let her have no visitors and left to see to their false prisoner. He did not like using Rose as bait but she was the only one that could possibly have the book if Nina did not.
The makeshift cell they had thrown together as a precaution probably couldn’t hold much more than someone like Rose. The craftsmanship was sub-par because of the conditions in the desert, and as such the only thing keeping her in was a series of bricks and an old wooden door they had unearthed in another part of the seldom-used ruins. Once he stopped outside of the cell he opened the door and
stepped inside to find Rose sitting on the floor against the back wall. “You are to remain our prisoner until further notice Rose, I am sorry but the orders of my queen come before all else.”
“I understand the call of duty but why?” Rose said in a slightly wavering voice, she had gone from being a privileged slave to a mistreated prisoner in a matter of mere minutes. The light tunic and breeches Merik had given her seemed to be resistant to the rigors of the desert sand to Rose’s amazement as she regarded her clean knees with distain. She looked up at the handsome elf and sighed, attempting to keep her tears back.
“Fear not lovely little Rose.” Merik whispered as he crouched down before her and ran a hand across the fine fur of her cheek. She was beautiful, of that there was no doubt. His heart went out to her; he could not just leave her unaware. With a wink he continued in a whisper just near her ear. “Nina wanted me to tell you that not all is as it seems.”
Rose looked up at him for a moment then nodded her head, not fully understanding what was going on. She felt as if she had been sucked into events far beyond her control and comprehension. Her eyes watched as he left the room and spoke a few commands in the elf language to the guards. “I’ll have to learn that someday.”
She had no books nor anyone willing to converse with her so Rose decided to try her hand at gathering her energy for ether an invisible escape or whatever else she could form in her mind. She crossed her legs and let her back rest against the wall. She took one last look at the stars above her and closed her eyes. Rose tried to slip into the same meditative trance that Nina had shown her, this time trying to limit the power she drew in. Her first lesson had been painful as she had not been able to stem the flow of energy she had been absorbing from the earth, people and objects around her.
At first Rose felt nothing but a keen sense of disappointment but gradually a soft tingling enveloped her and she felt the telltale signs of her body storing magical energy. Her mind began to wander, she felt herself drifting as if she were floating through the air with no bonds to hold her. Her longing to be free and out of the cell was so keen she unconsciously began to manifest a spell. It was frightening at first but she opened her eyes to find herself looking down at the ruins around her from a bird’s eye view. Experiencing some minor disorientation she closed her eyes again for a moment in an attempt to get the world to stop moving.
“Okay, this isn’t too bad.” She whispered to herself. “Now how do I go down?”
The sudden introduction of magic into her life made her feel very strange and she knew not why. Down below her she could see the small blobs that were elves milling around and going about their business. The few areas that had a ceiling were blocked off to her view but she imagined the ruins were teeming with elves. Being so high up in the air was becoming disorienting for her; all she wanted to do was descend so she could feel a little more grounded. A rush suddenly hit her as she began falling at a rapid pace, for a moment she thought she was going to fall straight into the wall of her cell but she suddenly halted and hovered over the stone cage that had been encapsulating her. “Okay I get it. If I think about it I move.”
Once she was back near the ground Rose was startled to find that she was staring at herself from up above. She tried to lift her hand and look at it but found that she didn’t have limbs to move in her current state. All at once she fought the growing sense of dread and calmed herself down; it wouldn’t do her any good to panic. Once again centering herself she drifted up above the ruins just a bit and floated along watching everyone make preparations of some sort. She wasn’t experienced with much outside of the palace walls but it seemed as if some of the elves were preparing for battle and others were just going about their duties.
Her curiosity had always been one of her most prominent features so she drifted closer to one of the groups of elves to listen. She wasn’t sure if any of them could see her or not so she merely peered over the side of the wall. Below her were three elves that seemed to be of the younger persuasion: each of them had the bounce of youth in their step but usually Rose couldn’t tell because most elves looked young. Sitting near them, however, was an elf that looked as if he had seen one too many suns pass. The strange man was obviously ancient from the lines that creased his skin.
“Why are we the only ones aware of the queen’s plan, revered father?” One of the young elves said to the older elf while peering out of the cloth they had draped over the open doorway. It was obvious that he was anxious and overzealous from the fact that he couldn’t stand still.
Rose found his fidgeting amusing and listened to the old elf speak. “Because the queen has found trust within those present in this room, you should be honored.”
“Oh I do revered father, I just dislike withholding information from my brothers in arms.” He replied as he finally leaned against the wall right below Rose. “It feels wrong.”
“As it should but from time to time subterfuge is something that will be required of you, not everyone is concerned with honor and a fair fight young Markel.” The old elf known as ‘revered father’ said with his aged voice.
The old elf suddenly looked up at her, staring directly into her eyes. Rose froze immediately, knowing she had been found out. She smiled awkwardly but didn’t know if the gesture would go through in her current state. The old elf stared for a moment; his eyes were black, blacker than the darkest polished obsidian and lightless as if they could not absorb any amount of illumination. He returned her smile and winked once then chuckled when the younger elves looked up to see what he was looking at.
“What were you looking at?” The chatty young elf said as he looked directly at Rose and then around the top of the room.
“Nothing, focus on your duty young sunblade!” The old man snapped quickly causing each of them to stand at attention and ready their weapons. “It’s distractions such as this that the enemy will use!”
“My apologies sir!” The sunblade replied quickly.
Rose drifted back over the wall with a smile on her lips and climbed a bit higher to look over at the next room. Movement to her left caught her eye and she turned in that direction, peering over the wall. To her surprise a man dressed in fabrics the same color of the desert sand crept along the face of the stones quietly. Knowing that this wasn’t something in the norm she observed for a moment. Her delay caused her to spy at least ten more men all creeping slowly along the stones and sand. “Oh no, I have to warn someone!”
It was obvious that most of the people below her could not see her in her current state so she drifted back to the room with the older elf and came low to the ground near his ear. “I know you can see me but if you can hear me there are men outside the walls of the ruins all wearing concealing clothing. At least ten of them.”
She watched the elf’s eyebrow arch upward but he didn’t move a muscle the entire time she was next to him. He whispered something under his breath and made a slight, almost imperceptible motion with his hand. She knew not if he had heard her but she had to return to her body and attempt to warn someone.
A sudden voice in her head, definitely the old man’s, startled her so bad that she cried out audibly. “Ease yourself young naarabi. I am speaking to you with my mind. We are aware of the impending attack but thank you for the early warning.”
“I am not entirely familiar with the ways of magic, you startled me is all.” She looked over at the old man sitting next to her in wonder for a moment before she realized she was staring. “I’m sorry I don’t mean to stare, I’ve not been in the outside world for more than a few hours.”
“A late bloomer then young Rose?” She watched his lips smile just a bit and she wondered idly how he knew her name. “My daughter Mira told me about you, she failed to mention you were a mentalist though.”
“Mentalist?” She echoed, not familiar with the term. “Nina taught me how to use magic one night in the harem.”
“Magic?” He replied with just as much curiosity as she had mere moments ago. “
You can work magic as well?”
“Is this not magic?” She asked and looked down expecting to see a body but finding nothing. “What else would it be?”
“Amazing, you are performing complex spells merely by chance then?” He looked over at her suddenly and his face screwed up in alarm, he dropped the mental communication and startled not only her but the elves around her all at once. “Are you the one building your focus? Rose you must stop now! You’re drawing far too much energy for one mortal to handle! Return to your body immediately and cease!”
“I don’t know how!” She cried in alarm as a wave of terror washed through her being. She did not know how to return let alone how to turn off the flow of magic without Nina around. She had thought she was maintaining control over it. Her eyes went wide as he put his palm out toward her and barked a few words that sounded guttural and fluid, the power in them caused her ears to ring. Seconds after he spoke the last syllable she felt a red hot pain searing through her and a tugging sensation pulled her through the walls and back into her cell.
Rose was startled back into consciousness and a great burning was racing through her veins. Unable to contain it she reeled and emptied the contents of her stomach, crying out in pain. The world around her began to burn as the power she had been gathering threatened to consume her. The scream of hurt and fright that escaped her lips was primal and unintelligible and it echoed into the still night.
~~~~
The guards standing by Rose’s cell had not the voice to call out in alarm, nor could they ready their weapons. The last thing in their vision was a point of white-hot light burning itself permanently into their eyes before they crumpled to the ground in a smoldering heap.
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