“Del Morlekai!” Verona hissed, beside herself.
The Delver's glare made even Verona blanch and look away.
Morlekai took a deep breath, as if to collect himself. "I... apologize for my rash tongue. Let me state my case another way. First off, your daughter is a Friend of the Guild. To say nothing of the fact her gift runs as deep as mine. She is an adventurer as true as any I have ever met. Rest assured, were machinations to form and flow around her, she would have more than one blade ready to come to her defense, and her enemies would face threats from quarters they could not hope to ward against."
Morlekai smiled coldly at Verona. “You may tell your master, dear Verona, that the Guild is well aware of his own maneuverings. And so long as none of the little pawns that he is so careless with are Guild associates, we really don't give a fig what he does. However, should he ever cross that line and imprison one of our own in his little dungeon, he will soon find himself playing a game with stakes far higher than he imagined.”
Lady Verona was rendered speechless, her eyes locked by the man's hypnotic gaze. Twilight's eyes slitted in bemusement, well able to imagine the thoughts running through the poor woman's head. That Morlekai dared to say so much. In front of this entire clan. Without a care in the world as to consequence. Verona was caught completely off guard.
“Del Morlekai...” Verona repeated, having to say something, save some face at least. And to make matters worse, the mad Delver just laughed.
“Fear not, my sweet little agent. We truly care nothing for his games, nor his amusing pretext of loyal devotion to the Crown serving as a cover for his own dark hungers. Our only concern is the welfare of our own. And what we would remind him of is that we most definitely consider Jessica de Calenbry, and the Calenbry clan as a whole, our own.” Morlekai sighed. “Truly, I do almost regret that none of Trolos's armsmen wished to cross blades with me. I think, dear Verona, that it might have been most... educational, for those among your faction that would disparage the rightful place of our Guild.”
The room entire was left speechless. The raw audacity and bravado the Delver demonstrated was completely at odds with the discretion and maneuvering so common to Erovering politics. To show one's hand so bluntly was either the mark of a fool, or one whose position was so strong that games and pretext meant absolutely nothing to them. Of course, it could also be the hallmark of a most exquisite bluff, until one's enemies found the courage to call it.
"By the gods, you really are just like Jess," Appolonia said wonderingly. "You have no sense of tact or nuance. You blatantly show your hand, and dare anyone to call you on it. It's like you're playing the game of politics by your own rules, and you don't give a rat's ass if anyone knows it. I wonder, Del Morlekai, is your Guild really so powerful, or is this but the cleverest of bluffs?"
Morlekai favored the young lady with the weight of his fierce gaze but had a care to keep his manner gentle. "You say your sister was herself quite bold, Lady Appolonia. Let me ask you this: Has any foe ever called her bluff? And to wit, has she ever lost a confrontation to those who did?"
Appolonia shivered, no doubt recalling all too well her sister butchering four fully armed and armored men before her, armed originally with nothing more than a mailed glove and a belt knife. "No," the girl said softly. "Whenever someone challenged her... she won. She never bothered with subtlety." Appolonia sighed. "She rarely lost at chess, or other games of strategy. But if it was cards, or verbal games of alliance and intimidation, she'd play only for so long as it interested her, and if her lack of artifice lost her the game, which was almost always, she didn't really care. In terms of fighting, though, no. She does not lose. Now she fears even to spar with those who would challenge her."
Morlekai smiled. “Well, there you have it then.”
“Are you saying the Guild... that everyone there is just like my sister? By the gods! How have you all kept from going to war with everyone?”
This earned Appolonia a hearty chuckle. “Fear not, Appolonia de Calenbry. There are far more diplomatic members of the Guild than I. Further, we have a salve available to few others infected by our fierce passions. A salve that soothes the madness howling through so many of our souls. And that is the sweet taste of adventure. The exhilaration of rolling the dice of Fate yet again, not knowing if one's next trip to the Shadowlands will be one's last, or if one will come back with powers and artifacts forged directly from the yearnings of a million desperate souls, so potent as to rival the might of any man who has ever before walked the face of Dawn. That rush, that joy, that heady freedom to be the utter master of one's own fate is a sweet privilege beyond anything that any noble trapped in duties and expectations, ties to land and liege lord, could ever hope to experience. A freedom no one but a Delver could ever savor. A freedom we crave for as desperately as a dying man craves water, as a drowning man craves sweet spring air.”
Alexo himself paused in his note taking, favoring Apple with a gentle smile. "The exhilaration of such adventure is a headier calling for Delvers than the most luxurious of opium dens, more seductive than chilled apple cider on a hot summer day. There is no rush quite like fighting for inhuman power and life itself in the Dreamrealms, dear Appolonia, even as one is captivated by vistas beyond comprehension. Wondrous dreams of gods or men, given flesh and form. There is no experience its equal in all the worldly kingdoms. Nothing else could even begin to compare."
Apple shivered with a sudden painful understanding. “Jess has that same craving too. Doesn't she, Del Morlekai? And here we are, trapping her in dresses and duties, strangling her with expectations and demands so contrary to her nature, so like that of the wild son our family never had.”
The exquisitely dressed adventurer seated before them smiled in approval even as Geoffrey blushed. Twilight himself grinned, well aware of what a sedate and even-tempered young man he was, save perhaps in affairs of the heart. Truly, the Calenbrys could not have asked for a more perfect son, as dull as Twilight found him to be. But Jess adored him with all her heart. And really, that was all that mattered.
“Indeed,” the Delver nodded. “I think you begin to understand, Lady Appolonia. Though perhaps the mad craving doesn't burn as hot and fierce in her. But rest assured, she will Delve again. We all do. It is only a matter of time.”
Lady Agda took a deep. centering breath. “In that case, dear Del Morlekai, you can see why we would...hesitate to throw our support behind you and our daughter sparring. It will be struggle enough, to encourage her to take the gentler path life has opened up for her, grateful as we are for the chance to stay within the Crown's good graces."
Morlekai quirked an eyebrow. "Fear not, Lady Agda. Sparring with me will not pull her heart into sudden yearning to leave the mortal realm behind and Delve once more into the wondrous madness of living dream. No, my lady. Sparring with me will, however, give her a chance to hone her skills, to test her strength, to relieve her of some of the ire and frustration any creature would feel when it is held captive against its most primal nature. It would, if you will, be good for her. Consider. Every moment of her life must now be about control. Control regarding how she dresses, how she presents herself, how she walks, moves, perhaps even eats."
He gazed carefully at a suddenly discomfited Agda. “All that stricture must be stifling for her. Tell me, dare she even spar with your son or husband, or must every blow be carefully controlled, lest she harm them unintentionally? So even that exercise simply becomes yet another chore of control?”
He nodded then. "As I thought. Yet with me, she need not worry. She may unleash all her talent, all of her fighting fury and skill. She may strike with full force against my person and need not worry about a blow unintentionally killing me."
“Are you truly so strong, then?” Geoffrey whispered, gazing at the Delver before him with poorly concealed awe and a bit of wary caution.
Morlekai only smiled. “I will reiterate. The boon I ask of you is permission to court Jessica in the realms of
martial contest and, I can only hope, friendship as well. I will initiate no intimacy with her that she does not herself seek. I desire most strongly to spar with her, but only on her terms, as she wills it. Should she have no interest in sparring with me? I shall decline my request.”
He took a solemn breath himself then, for the first time seeming strangely vulnerable. "Should she wish to break off our acquaintanceship? I shall... accept that, and would trouble her no further. Though I should hope that finding a suitable sparring partner would be a much-desired objective for her."
At that Arthur and Agda shared a look, as if a tome's worth of meaning could, after years of marriage, be conveyed with but a single glance. As one they turned to the half-wild adventurer before them, Arthur sighing, conveying his acceptance with a dip of his head, even as his wife gently squeezed his hand.
"Very well then, Del Morlekai," Arthur said, "It shall be as you wish. You are most certainly welcome to visit our House and train in the practice yard with our daughter, should she find such an arrangement acceptable. Refreshments will be prepared for you both in the gazebo as desired throughout the day, and quarters shall be prepared for you in the guest house for your comfort, should you choose to stay over."
Del Morlekai gave a solemn nod of his head. “For your boon, I thank you, Baron de Calenbry.”
Arthur gave an acknowledging nod, even as Agda turned her gentle gaze to Verona. “And it is our hope as well that you and your son will pay call to us soon, Lady Verona.” The baroness smiled. “I have no doubt Jessica will enjoy regaling him with various stories of life at Highrock, even as you and I discuss other matters.”
Verona bowed her head in gratitude. “Baroness, it would be my sincere pleasure to do so, thank you.” Her words resonated with humble sincerity, and Agda instinctively gave her a reassuring smile. As if she were the agent and Verona the supplicant, instead of the other way around.
“And what if various speculations regarding my daughter's other suspected talents should prove... true?” Agda asked softly, even as she held her youngest child close.
Verona gently squeezed Agda's hand. “The Royal Family itself will be taking a personal interest in her, should such powers truly have manifested. As good Morlekai knows all too well, those ancient arts once served as a mighty bulwark against foul incursions of Shadow. But you must understand, my baroness, at such a point, nothing, absolutely nothing is more vital than the assurance of loyalty and devotion equal to the honor being received.”
“In other words, Jessica will have to be very, very well behaved, and not use her power to grant land-rights to anyone the Crown doesn't like, if we don't all want our heads chopped off,” Geoffrey said.
“Geoff!” Agda scolded, though not contradicting her son in the least.
Verona gave a reassuring smile. “The Crown has no doubt of young Jessica's loyalty. She is merely in need of polishing. I am certain that extensive use shall be found for her many talents, with honors and accolades feted to the Calenbry Clan, when she has completed her training in the womanly arts, and is ready to take her rightful position at Court, in service to the Crown."
The baron's nod was one of great relief, mirrored by his wife who even found it within herself to give a hopeful smile. “Perhaps there is a happy end to this tale, after all.”
Apple, however, was grinning wickedly. "Poor Jessica. She is never getting out of finishing school now!"
Twilight made his way once more along paths few others could follow back to Jessica's side, pleased that the morrow would be a brighter day for his queen. The vile Kipu was banished to a sanitarium, never to prey upon innocent victims again. His mistress was finally vindicated, her family forced to acknowledge that the girl they had been so quick to disparage and condemn had done nothing less than save their youngest child from a horrific death.
Now there was only the issue of waking her up.
For Twilight could just glimpse the many possible paths destiny had laid out for his mistress, and not one of them involved her becoming a tree.
Thank You
Thank you very much for reading Paladin’s Oath. If you wouldn’t mind, please consider leaving a review, even just a quick sentence or two. They have a huge impact on a book’s discoverability, and are the lifeblood of new authors.
Jess and Twilight have many more adventures to share. Books 5 - 7 will all be released later this year.
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