The little guy seems unusually restless.
“He seems anxious.” Breeze says.
“You noticed it, huh?” I ask.
“He probably misses her just as much.” Crile says.
“Looks like it.” I pat his little head. The carriage arrives the next minute and Laira steps outside. Ether lets go of my hand and runs over to her, tackling her legs with a hug.
“Well now. I’m pretty sure he beat you do it.” Crile mocks me.
“Let’s just say I let him win... This time.” I pout. I watch Laira snap out of it. She picks the little guy up into her embrace.
“You didn’t have to meet us at the entrance.” Percival shows himself from around the carriage.
“Don’t spoil a mother’s fun.” Breeze says. Our Cleanser seems thrown off by that and doesn’t say anything else.
“How did it go?” Crile asks taking the kid’s overgrown bag.
“We have good news and bad news. Which ones you want first?” Laira says walking over to me. She gives me a quick peck. That's all I get? I take her bag from her.
“Good news, please.” Breeze says, returning back inside the Palace.
“We scored a deal with Cobalus. Enchanted Herbs for half the price.” Laira says and all of us stop.
“What did you promise them?” Crile asks suspiciously.
“That Araneum will be handling their transportation half way from Crepitus.” Percival answers.
“So, basically you'll be getting the full price, just with the transportation included.” Breeze comments and we begin walking again.
“Pretty much, yes.” Laira nods. “Speaking of which. You PULLED A SHIP UNDERWATER?” Say WHAT! We stop at a halt again.
“Traitor.” Breeze throws a death glare at Percival.
“I didn’t know it was supposed to be a secret!” The kid defends himself.
“I figured there was a reason why Crile wanted to talk to me about you. But with everything that was going on...” Laira cradles Ether. She looks soo... Comfortable with him in her arms...
“It wasn’t a Lector conversation to have...” Crile looks away.
“No kidding.” Laira agrees. “Anyways. Here's the bad news.”
“Oh?” Breeze exhales.
“We won’t be breeding any new Vines. Like ever.” My girl answers.
“I had a feeling that might be the case.” Breeze sighs. We stop by our room.
“Rest up and we'll talk more over dinner, sound good?” Crile suggests.
“Sure.” I agree.
“Sounds good.” Percy nods too. We enter the room. Laira has yet to let Ether go.
“You two seem comfy.” I tell her setting her bag down.
“He surprised me. Guess I haven’t gotten over it yet.” She says, smiling at the boy.
“Are you tired?” I ask. Why do I feel uneasy?
“Not really.” She answers. There's something in her voice...
We gather again in the royal bedroom for dinner. The little guy seems to have gotten used to things while we were gone. He doesn’t hesitate to take whatever he likes. He makes himself comfortable on his usual chair, right between the Miss and Sir Marcus. I help myself too. Soon enough we finish with our small talk and I explain our combo idea for the Vines and the trees.
“There's another thing that I neglected to mention last time.” I begin. “Possessions are not caused by spells. I double checked that quickly at the Archives too. It is the most Primodial Magic in existence. No caster is able to project their own will onto someone else. Beast Druids use the same principle when merging with their Spirits', but that's not the same as having say, me, transfer my consciousness into Sir Marcus or putting him under a spell that will allow me to control his actions and his mind. Spirit Magic is beyond Ancient power. I believe that over time, as the Castle consumed more and more magic it developed a hunger for it. The more magic it consumes the more it wants the next time around. Now, because Magic and Nature tend to evolve every now and again, it makes sense to me why the Castle changes each Rebirth. It processes the magic consumed, giving birth to something new.”
“The name never seemed so fitting before...” Sir Marcus sighs. I nod and continue.
“I can’t be sure that magic power can obtain a consciousness and a will of its own, but I believe that it is possible for someone else's consciousness to be sealed or preserved with it instead.”
“How do you figure?” Sir Crile throws a question.
“Because of Lady Starlight.” I take a moment. Not a single flinch or twitch. I carry on. “It wasn’t merely her body that was resurrected, but her will and feelings too. Twisted to the dark side, but nonetheless, and she had her full body intact. Unlike the rest of the Undead that we encountered. I believe that was due to the direct contact she had with the Magic Core. According to the records she fell. I believe her body fell directly into the Core as the Castle began to crumble. That’s how her consciousness survived and was able to manifest. The Core seals itself shut as soon as its magic power is replenished. I believe everything that comes in contact with it is sealed away too. Except that the further away from the Core, the less of the original item and being remain...” I take a breather. “Also…”
“Yes?” The Sir pushes me.
“A question for Commander.” I try my best to hold my gaze steady.
“I’m listening.” She has a blunt look on her.
“When you were possessed, did you feel a foreign presence? Was there a voice that only you heard?”
Lady Breeze freezes. So do I. I wait. She opens her mouth, but no sound comes out. She swallows and nods.
“Yes. I felt a power that wasn’t mine. I heard a voice inside my head that I did not recognize. It froze my blood when it spoke…” She takes a second. Her expression changes. “Is this the last piece you needed to confirm?”
I nod slightly. “I apologize for causing you discomfort.”
“Explains how the Castle is able to adapt itself. Even though I’ve experienced it, it never really made sense...” The Lady's tone gives a faraway impression... Guess it never gets easier to talk about this...
“And you’ve stated before that because the Castle emerges from the ground upwards, the Core should be beneath the earth.” The Miss pitches in.
“Exactly. Now. Where or how deep, I can’t say for certain. I do believe I would have to do extensive research at the site to verify it. Amongst other things...”
“Like what?” Sir Crile asks me.
“Oh, like the exact radius of the Rebirth. I mean, we know that the crater is its main zone, but we can’t be certain that while the Castle is dormant, the malice does not spread deeper underground. I think we might have to purify the surrounding area just to be on the safe side. Also. We can’t be sure that at the Peak of the Rebirth, the malice does not intensify, spreading further. We won’t know for sure till we examine the site carefully.” I explain.
“Sounds like a lot of work...” The Mage sighs...
“You can say that again...” I mumble...
“Only Magic can beat Magic…” Sir Marcus says vaguely... “I kinda figured we'd need more fire power than ever, but... Can we even generate enough needed to go up against Magic itself?” I wish he hadn’t said that... That has been my main concern since day one...
“We'll need to have faith in the public.” Sir Crile says. “Believe that people will want to take part and die trying... There's always someone dreaming of world peace...” His voice has a hint of grief to it... I wonder, how many dear friends did they watch die...
“True.” Lady Breeze agrees. “Well. I think Tahon is enough of a moron to push this forward. Especially after you managed to save his gold on the Herbs. You'll be able to stock up on a fortune this way. Provided the deal holds till then.” Commander says.
“I'm on it.” Miss Laira answers. “I have Zaltem working as my replacement over there.”
“Clever.” The Sir agrees.
“Thank you. I’ve been filling him in with everything that goes on here. Percy's hand was a hit. He agrees with the idea for a base, but he also agrees that it is a gamble.”
“Oh, WAIT he knows too?” I ask.
“Mhm.” The Miss nods and bursts out laughing. “No, I haven’t told him about your new tattoo. I have been relaying every other idea of yours though. Specifically naming you as the author of them.” She smiles at me. Wait.
“So, if anything goes south, it'll be my head instead of yours?”
“That's new.” The Sir says.
“I'll say.” The Mage seconds and it finally dawns on me. I cover my face.
“I’m sorry...” I mumble. Laughter reaches my ears.
“No no, it's alright, for what it's worth, you have it all wrong. It's better that you'd be the generator of ideas with my name backing you up. You'll gain more recognition this way.” The Miss explains. “We're building your reputation.”
“Is it a good idea though?” I have to wonder...
“Well...” The Miss hesitates.
“Well go on, fess up already.” The Lady urges Miss Laira...
“I’ve been around longer, I already have a reputation. It was your idea for the Research Division amongst other things. If we want to follow Breeze's example and bring change into Araneum, then this is the better approach.” She says.
“And?” The Lady adds.
“And there's also another reason why I was sent out with you to go to Cobalus...” She pauses. “I’m a Diplomat and have a special privilege to be the personal representative of the Priestess.”
“Oh, ok. Wait, say again?” I stare at the Miss.
“Does that mean you can make decision on her behalf?” Sir Marcus asks carefully.
“Yes and no. It's a grey area. Anyways. My status is common knowledge at the Royal City.”
“Not to me it wasn’t!” The Mage raises a hand.
“Sorry, I thought I mentioned it...” The Miss averts her gaze. “As I was saying. Due to my status, I'm not technically supposed to be involved in Araneum’s affairs, but since this is the Rebirth we're talking about...”
“You’re able to use your standing to back me up?” I finish the Miss's sentence.
“More or less, yes. As a matter of fact, when Breeze was out during her challenger series, when Lady Devona was visiting...”
“You mean her suicide mission?” The Sir does not pass up the opportunity to take a jab at the Lady's recklessness...
“Laira, you were saying?” Lady Breeze ignores her husband’s comment.
“We used my status as the cover up. We threw Breeze in, more like a heavily decorated overachiever of Noxanda, that the Priestess wished to speak to for whatever the political reasons, rather than exposing her royal connections.”
“Ok when you say it like that it kinda hurts.” The Lady pouts.
“Deal with it.” The Sir hugs her to him.
“Luckily for us, the Royal Robes didn’t pry too much into the matter. Neither I, nor Lady Devona was seen around the Palace after the second day of her arrival, so it worked out in our favor.” The Miss finishes explaining.
“I forgot about that...” The Lady admits.
“Not surprised.” The Miss rolls her eyes. “Anyways, if it's alright with you, I'd like to set out for Venatus in two days.”
“Why so quickly?” Sir Crile asks.
“You just got back.” Sir Marcus seconds.
“If possible, I'd prefer to move things along quick. We have our curse and poison part figured out. But the disease is tricky.” Miss Laira answers.
“Is it possible your bluff has something to do with this as well?” I ask carefully...
“What bluff?” Lady Breeze's eyes get piercingly cold...
“I may have overdone it with the negotiations...” The Ravo lowers her eyes... The Lady keeps her glare on the girl. The Miss sighs.
“I bluffed that if Cobalus refuses to work with us they'll be the only ones left out and it will damage their reputation. I said that while the two of us are negotiating here, a party in Venatus is doing the same. Basically, I created an impression that Cobalus was in a race for recognition... Or something like that...”
“Laira, I’m disappointed in you. For someone of your standing that was pretty reckless.” The Lady's voice sounds cold and harsh. Almost like burning and freezing at the same time…
“The difference between you and I is that I gamble my own life, for the most part, but you leveraged a political position on an international scale. Regardless of the circumstances that pushed you into making such a decision, there is no excuse you can make to justify your actions. Should this backfire, it may very well cause an international incident. If you lose your Diplomat status, not only Percival's credibility will be in jeopardy, but all of Noxanda too. Not to mention how will this reflect on Araneum as well. Reckless is an understatement. Even with Glen's party being there at the time, none of them pass as having such legal power as you. They would be counted as mere messengers and nothing more. You twisted an arm when you did not have the strength to break it. I imagine that wasn’t the only thing you mentioned to compensate for your lie?” Wow. This is my first time hearing the Lady speak like a true Queen...
“I...” The Miss shuts her mouth as soon as it opens.
“Let me guess, you used your parents’ deaths as an indirect threat. You bare their name. It's well known in Ballista's history. After all, there hasn’t been another Evergreen since then.” The Lady hits the nail on the head. The Miss nods.
“Imbecile! Have you no respect for the dead!” The Lady roars and the cries fill the bedroom. The twins... Lady Breeze and Sir Crile get up instantly and take an infant each. Nobody says a word...
“You leave first thing tomorrow morning.” The Sir says.
“Yes, Milord.” The Miss nods and leaves the room.
“Is it alright with you if Ether and I tag along as well?” Sir Marcus makes a request extra carefully.
“Of course, you're free to go if you wish.” The Lady answers. Her tone normal again.
“Will you go?” The Sir asks me.
“I'd like to?” I hesitate.
“Then you should get ready. Talk to Glen who's going with you.” Sir Crile tells me.
“Marcus.” The Lady speaks to the Mage. “You’re to make sure she doesn’t pull any more stunts like that. This is not a competition. The RRD is asking for assistance only, not issuing orders.”
“Understood.” The Mage nods. “Then we'll be going now too.” He takes Ether into his arms.
“I'll go too, good night then. In case...” I get stuck mid-sentence.
“It's fine Percival, oh, before you go.” The Lady puts her son back into the cradle. “How did you like Cobalus?”
“It was magnificent! I’ve never seen such architecture before! And the markets! So different from Araneum's stalls. I picked up a few books on Shamanic spell casting. I want to learn more spells oh and, I forgot!” I grab a pouch.
“Here.” I give it to Sir Marcus. “These are extra special Herbs. I was told they are more diverse in their uses, I figured they would suit you better. I did take a sample to try out myself and compare to the regular ones. Oh, here.” I take the bag of my shoulder and hand it to the Mage.
"There's a beginner’s manual for Shamanic spell casting and a bunch of other Herbs. Labelled. The principle is the same for all of the casting and Herbs, but yeah, so, if you need help, let me know, even though I’m starting out myself I'll do my best to help out oh and... I’m rambling again, aren’t I?”
Sir Marcus shakes his head. “I appreciate the effort, Percival, you didn’t have to do all of this for me.”
“It's my pleasure.” I disagree.
“Alright, if you say so. Just tell me how much I owe you for all of this.”
“Absolutely nothing. I got the Herbs free of charge and I kept half of them. The book is my gift to you.” I smile.
The Mage laughs. “Thank you. Truly.”
“You’re welcome.” I answer and watch them leave the room.
“You’re a good kid. A hand lands on my shoulder.” Sir Crile. “Get some rest. You need it the most.”
“If there's anything you need, just let us know. Don’t be shy.” The Lady walks over to us too with a more motherly expression now. I nod.
“Will do. Good night then.” I leave.
“Rest well.” The Lady tells me and I close the doors behind me.
“Rest well.” Breeze tells our Cleanser as he closes the doors behind him.
“Don’t you think you were a little harsh back there with Laira?”
“No. I don’t. Neither as her friend, nor as a Queen. If anything, I believe I managed to hold back quite a lot.” Zarri answers me.
“That was you holding back? Really?” I mock her gently.
“You didn’t say anything, so you don’t get to judge me.”
“I wasn’t sure if I should. Maybe she had a good reason for it.” I hug her from behind. “And for the record, I wasn’t judging you.” I whisper into her ear.
“Could’ve fooled me...” My wife pouts. I smile and watch our kids together with her...
“Listen, about the wedding... How about we have one after all?”
“Why this all of a sudden?” She tilts her head to me.
“Why not? Our closest people are here with us... I mean, technically, we are engaged still, you know.”
“Is that how you see it?” Breeze nuzzles me.
“That's how I’ve always seen it...” I nuzzle her back... “Is there a reason you don’t want to make it official?”
“I figured it was official since the moment we stood in front of the crowd together, hand in hand...” Her scent is sooo alluring...
“That was for the public...” I disagree. “What about for us?” I tighten my grip around her...
“This wouldn’t be because you simply wish to see me in that dress again... Would it?” Breeze traces my jaw with her fingertips, barely brushing against the skin...
“And what if it is?” I don’t hide it... She laughs with her body only...
“Fine. How about before they leave for Araneum?”
“Perfect.” I answer, face her to me and kiss her deep...
“Are you bothered about what happened last night?” I ask Laira.
“No.” Her tone tells me otherwise... This is killing me...
“This is the first time in our relationship when you've felt so distant... Did I do something to upset you without realizing it?” I ask carefully, looking out the window.
“There’s just a lot on my mind.”
“Can I help with anything?”
“No.” She tells me quick and sharp.
“Ok, I can understand that this RRD thing isn’t exactly a piece of cake, but there’s no reason for you to treat me like an outsider! I can’t be there for you if you won’t let me!”
“It’s not like that!” She snaps back at me.
“Then what is it!”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know!” She scowls at me.
“I’m not! I have no freaking clue!”
“Now you’re just insulting me!” She throws me a death glare and turns away again.
“No, I’m not! Quit being such a brat and tell me what’s going on with you! I don’t know anything unless YOU tell me!” I snap back.
“Him!” She points to a pile of blankets.
“Ether? What about him? Did he do something?” Now I’m lost.
“No, he didn’t.”
“Then what’s the problem.” I ask as calmly as I manage in one breath…
“He IS the problem. What exactly are we doing here? He’s not a puppy!” She's not making any sense. “It’s not like we can just keep him! He probably has a family that’s worried about him!”
My blood boils and I snap. “THAT'S YOUR ISSUE!! We don’t even know IF his family is dead or alive! It's been over two weeks since we found him and there hasn’t been any development! Not even with Glen and the others helping! At this point I’m leaning towards the idea that we are all he has! Yes, I realize it's too soon to tell, but still! I mean, we found him on the street! Starving!! Covered in lice and fleas! We had to shave his head to get rid of it all! Not to mention the bruises!!! Even his horns were so banged up that magic couldn't fix them!! We had to reshape them with a file!!!
"I KNOW ALL THAT!! I WAS THERE REMEMBER!!!" Laira cuts in.
"AND?" I yell back. Silence. My anger does the talking for me.
"What kind of a family do you think could have let this happen do a child!! In the middle of a town! How long do you think it takes for a body to get into the condition that he was in! DAMN IT, LAIRA! He maybe my one and only chance to have a family with you! You take a good look at him and tell me can you throw him away now! Pretend like nothing ever happened! Can you!”
“OF COURSE NOT! IM NOT A MONSTER!” She yells back.
“I never said you are one!! But the way you’re acting!”
“I’m simply saying that we can’t get too attached to him, it'll only be harder on him later...”
“On him or on you?” I mock her.
“Now you’re just picking a fight me!”
“Of course, I am! Apparently, that's the only way I can get anything out of you!”
“You don’t have to BE WITH ME IN THE FIRST PLACE!” She snaps at me again. “IT'S NOT LIKE IM KEEPING YOU TIED TO A POST!”
“NO! NO, YOU’RE NOT!” I snap back. “YOU’RE NOT WRONG EITHER!! I DONT HAVE TO BE WITH YOU! I WANT TO! I’m the one keeping myself next to you!!”
“Then DONT! A NICE LITTLE PRIMERIAN GIRL WOULD SUIT YOU JUST FINE!!”
“THE HELL WITH THAT!! I DON’T GET IT!! I DON’T recognize the woman I’m in love with!!”
“Maybe you chose wrong! After all! I CAN’T GIVE YOU WHAT YOU WANT!” Laira screams hysterically at me. Somehow that pisses me off.
“AND WHAT IS IT THAT I WANT, HUH?”
“A CHILD!” She glares at me. That’s not my Laira... “YOU THINK I HAVEN’T NOTICED! THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THE TWINS!! YOU WANT ONE! ONE THAT’S YOURS! DON’T LIE TO ME AND TELL ME THAT IT’S NOT THE CASE!!”
“YES! YES! I DO WANT ONE! I’D LOVE TO HAVE ONE WITH YOU! HELL! I’D LOVE A COUPLE! A DOZEN! BUT WE CAN’T! CROSSBREEDING DOESN’T WORK!!” The rage spills out of me…
“I KNOW THAT!! THATS WHY IM TELLING YOU TO LEAVE!!”
“AND GO WHERE! DO WHAT! SPEND THE REST OF MY MISERABLE LIFE LONGING FOR YOU!”
“YOU fell in love once! You'll do it again!”
“WHAT AM I to you, exactly?” I ask strangely calm. “Am I something you can so easily throw away and forget? Does the time we spent together mean nothing to you?” I feel tears dripping down my face... She doesn’t answer...
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
“Is it bothering you? That he's Cornutese? Would it better for you if he was a Noxian?” I ask coldly.
“No.” She mumbles.
“Do you not want to raise a child with me? Is that it?” I keep my eyes to my feet.
“No.” Another rumble.
“Then what is it?”
“I can’t do this...” She whispers…
“Do what?” Silence. “DO WHAT?” I pressure her. Nothing.
“Oh, for the love of ours, Laira, talk to me! I can’t have you shut down on me like this!”
“I just can’t do it!” She screams at me. “I CAN’T WATCH THE BOTH YOU DIE AND LEAVE ME!!” She covers her face and weeps... Aah damn it... Crile, you were right...
“Is that the only problem?” I ask softly.
“DON’T MAKE IT SOUND LIKE IT’S NOTHING!” She screams at me hysterically again. That makes me laugh nervously... I sit there giggling like a maniac... Suddenly, my left hand feels warm and... Wet? I look over and see water dripping down... Wait... Oh shit!
“Messo! Stop the carriage!” I call out. The carriage stops and all of us sway to the sides. Laira uncovers her face and stares at me. I take the wet blankets off Ether. We struggle with the last one. His face is red and eyes full of tears.
“It's ok, Ether. Relax. It's alright. Nobody's mad at you. It's all good...” I pick him up together with the last blanket...
“What happened?” Laira leans in.
“We scared him.”
“Oh, so it's my fault?” She pouts. Now I glare at her.
“Don’t start again. I said we, didn’t I? It's both our fault.” I open the door and step outside. Percival comes over too.
“Did something happen?” He asks.
“We had an accident...” I point inside and carry the boy behind the first tree. He's soaked from the waist down...
“We'll need a change of clothes!” I call out. Laira brings Ether's bag over and puts it down next to me, without showing herself. She sits down on the other side, with her back to us.
“Why didn’t he say anything?” She whispers.
“Would you have said anything?”
“I’m sorry...” She mumbles. “I’m sorry for scaring you, Ether...” The boy continues to cry without a sound. I finish taking the clothes of him and give him a quick wash over with the water from my pouch...
“What do you want to do with these?” Percy asks pointing to the pile of pillows and blankets...
“Toss them. We don’t have enough water to deal with them right now.” Laira answers.
“What a waste...” Percy mumbles. “Such nice craftmanship too...” I smile. Yeah... Messo takes flight. He returns in a flash. A black crow lands next to the carriage. He turns back.
“There's a lake nearby. We can take a break there for a bit, if you wish.”
“Perhaps it's not a bad idea...” Percy agrees. “We've been on the move since this morning. He might be hungry by now too...”
“Then we'll go to the lake.” Laira answers. I finish changing Ether.
“Don't worry about it, ok? It’s fine.” I tell him patting him on the head. He doesn’t look up.
“Sounds like a plan.” I take the dirty clothes and toss them in with the rest of the pile. Laira carries Ether's bag.
“I'll take those.” Messo says.
“Appreciate it”. I nod. “Which way then?”
“Right through there.” He points the other way, across the road. “The carriage should be able to follow me.”
“Very well. Tigglia? Mind taking over the reins?” Laira asks.
“No problem.” The girl agrees.
“Alright then. We're taking a detour.” Laira gets back inside the carriage. Ether and I follow her in. Messo ties up the blankets, shifts, grabs them with his talons and flies off. Percy gets back on his borrowed Celodian and moves out first. We move off the road and head down through the forest. I hold Ether in my lap. Neither one of us says anything. The lingering smell itches my nose just a little... Poor kid... It doesn’t take us long to arrive. We feel the carriage stop and step outside.
“This is nice.” Percival says, getting off his mount.
“It is.” Laira quietly agrees. Messo lands and shifts back. He helps Tigglia get the two Celodians out of the reins.
“Make yourselves comfortable, we'll take care of this.” Tigglia tells us.
“Sorry for the trouble.” I nod.
“It's fine. I grew up with two little brothers, half my age. I've seen this enough times.” She smiles at Ether.
“Thank you.” I say again. I put the boy down and take a few of the clean blankets. Laira helps me set them down on the grass. We take out our lunch and sit down. I watch Messo and Tigglia get to work. The girl uses her Ice to make a small pool around the dirty pile of cloth. Messo takes the one small camping pot we had with us, just in case, and starts filling up the pool with water. The water will be freezing... Maybe I should... I see Percival crouch down next to them. He throws a handful of dust in there and holds his hands over the top. A few moments later the water starts splashing around and over the sides. He's probably doing some Shamanic casting... I should pay attention... Yet my thoughts are completely elsewhere... Ether hasn’t touched any of his food yet. I pat his little head again. He finally takes a look at me. I smile at him. He hesitates and takes a sandwich...
“Good boy.” I tell him gently. Laira continues to pout in her corner.
“You’re attached to him, aren’t you?” I ask quietly. She doesn’t answer. I wait a moment longer and keep going. “You want him to stay with us... That's why you’re scared, aren’t you? That at any moment they will tell us they found something and we'll have to let him go? As much as that would be the right thing to do, we don’t want to give him up...” I wait again... “We both want the same thing... So why are we fighting?”
“I’m scared of losing my loved ones...” She finally answers me... “I can’t do it...”
“Nobody's going anywhere... We have a lifetime ahead of us..." I tell her... She doesn't respond... I sigh... "Hope in my next life I'll be lucky enough to get reborn as a Noxian.” I give her a stupid grin.
“If you do... Will you come find me?” She whispers with a sad smile...
“As many times as you like.” I tell her. She laughs under her breath. So do I.
“I believe the one and only time I ever saw you get mad was when you tried to kill Breeze, back at the cabin...”
“Don’t remind me. Not my best moment there...” She hides her face again behind her knees... I laugh.
“Is it just me or does this fight seems rather familiar?”
“I think they had a similar one a while back...”
“You know, if they manage to make it work, why can’t we?” I look at Laira. Her expression changes for the worst again...
“Is it because of the RRD?” I ask. She nods. Barely, but nods.
“You don’t want to do this? Do you?” I ask again.
“Do I have a choice?” She looks away.
“Of course. We can always walk away from it all.” I tell her.
She shakes her head. “I don’t think I can anymore...” I scootch over closer to her and hug her to me. She doesn’t fight it.
“Like I said. We have a lifetime ahead of us. Even for the RRD. We get the ball rolling and things will die down. We have 50 years to get ready... We can take all the time we need. No rush. Even with the RRD and the Palace life, we can manage to find plenty of time for us too. There's no reason why we can't enjoy ourselves in the process, making precious memories...”
“When did you get all philosophical like that...” She mumbles, mocking me softly.
“Well, you know, a child changes a man... Usually...” I tell her resting my head on her shoulder... I feel her body twitch lightly under my arm. I notice Ether dozing off, the little guy barely manages to sit upright. Laira sees him too. She takes the boy into her arms. I kiss her on the forehead and leave them be. I go over to check on the others.
“How is he?” Percival asks, casting another Shamanic spell. By the looks of things, I think he's using Air to dry the blankets now?
“Asleep. How are you doing here?” I watch Messo and Tigglia take a different wet blanket and hold it out for Percy. The Cleanser mumbles a chant and the dust from his palm float away, right underneath the stretched-out blanket. Slowly, it begins to spiral, picking up speed. The whirlwind lifts the blanket up, forming a dome out of it. the two Noxians, tighten their grips. Percival keeps the chant going for a couple of minutes longer and then gives the spell a final kick. A gust of wind shoots upwards and through the blanket. Messo lets go and Tigglia quickly folds it.
“I’m practicing some spells. It's not as easy as it looks. I’m wearing myself out.” Percy explains to me.
“But without his help, we'd be stuck here till morning.” Messo tells me.
“Anything I can help with?” I ask.
“You seem to have enough on your plate...” Tigglia gives me a look and then it clicks to me...
“You heard... Didn’t you...” I cover my face with my hand.
“Not a thing. Did you?” Tigglia asks Messo with the same look. The man shakes his head.
“Sorry about that...” I apologize and feel my face flush with embarrassment...
“There's nothing for you to apologize for. As long as you two can work through your differences, that's all that matters...” Messo's face has no emotion on it. He just said something as serious as that so casually that the reality doesn’t want to sink in... Without managing to say anything smart in return, I nod and walk away...
“Think they will be able to work it out?” Breeze's voice asks me in the dark.
“Why wouldn’t they. They care about each other plenty. The boy too.” I run my fingers through her skin... “He's not the kind of a man to let a minor inconvenience shatter his resolve.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I’m a man as well. We want what we want.”
“Be serious.” I feel her glare at me. I smile and search for her.
“He's not intimidated by her. That's not something just any man can pull off.” My fingertips find her neck.
“Speaking from experience?” She breathes the words onto my skin.
“Oh, Hell yeah...” I exhale and kiss her...
We arrive at the border in the middle of the night. Laira takes a scroll out and gives it to Messo. Neither one says anything and the guard disappears. A knock on the door wakes me up. I dozed off together with Ether curled up in my lap. Is it day break?
“State your business.” A Cornutese border patrol asks Laira.
“You’re holding it.” She points to the scroll.
“Sightseeing the Stables? Have you received permission?” The man's tone sounds rather annoyed.
“Of course, we wouldn’t be here otherwise.” Laira plays it cool. Well, tries too... Last night’s tension is in the air still.
“I don’t see it here.” The man answers. Are we in trouble?
“I didn’t think we needed an official seal for this?”
“Missy, what century do you think this is? We're not letting anyone in without a valid reason. If you don’t have the right paperwork then go home.” He tosses our scroll back inside the carriage. “Damn Noxians...” He mumbles. Ouch. I’m not a Noxian, but even I feel offended by that.
“Pardon me, but I did not realize that it's been so long since the regulations have changed. We mean no disrespect. However, seeing how we are closer to Venatus, than Astri, would you mind letting us through? We can present you with the documents you request in three days when we go back. I would hate to keep the Headmaster Arcus waiting...” Laira's voice emanates a deadly kind of sweetness...
“Should have thought about that before you left home.” The man does not budge.
“Very well. Give my regards to sir Arcus then. You can be the one to explain to him why his guests never arrived...” Is this Arcus sir, really that good of a friend?
“Three days. I better see some damn seals, missy, otherwise I'll have you arrested for crossing the border without authorization.”
“Three days. That's a promise.” Laira smiles at the man and our carriage finally moves.
“You must be good friends with this Arcus character?” I mumble.
“Not at all. I simply asked Glen to look into this last night. I have no clue who the current Headmaster of the Stables is.”
“So, you bluffed? Again?” Percival beats me to it.
“What will you do once we go back? Without the papers?” I ask staring at her with a blunt look. She doesn’t say anything... You have to be kidding me... I’d rather not get into another fight with her... Maybe later though... I steal glances at her. Her face is unreadable. I’ve never seen her like this. She keeps quiet... Percival doesn’t say anything either. Ether squirms in my arms now and again, but that's about all the movement anyone makes... Is this what it feels like? Doubt? Worry? Fear? Anger? What is this? What is it that I am looking at here, exactly? Is she trying to sabotage herself? If we needed more time then why leave so suddenly? We could have stayed, I'm sure... Am I? Do I really know what's going on? The intricacies of politics? Maybe I’m the one who’s not getting it? The RRD. The Concord. Laira in the middle of it all... Then what about Percival? He's bright sure, but is that enough? Of course not. Otherwise, neither Laira, nor Breeze or Crile would back him up. If he could pull this off on his own, he'd be going everywhere alone... I’m here only because of Laira. But what is my role here, exactly? What would I have done when the guard told us to go home? Would I have knocked him out and charged through? Of course not. That’s a one-way ticket to get hanged. What other options am I left with? Bribe? Possible, but doubtful... As a rule, most Cornutese resent Primerians... Offering gold here might have backfired... Lying? Playing dumb? Pretending like I had the letter, but it flew away? As if... Maybe bluffing was the best option here? Maybe she knows something that I don’t? Wait. When did I get into the habit of doubting Laira in the first place? When did she ever give me any ground to question her methods? Then again... Then again... I’ve never seen her do this kind of work... Every mission we ever dealt with was a fighting one. Always helping out the locals or teaming up with others because of my Reflector ability... We never had to deal with such delicate topics... Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here?
“We're here.” Laira tells us and gets off the carriage as soon as it stops. I look out the window. A giant fence is all I see. I watch Laira walk up to the huge gate. Percival and I take a quick look at each other and get out too. Well, Percy does. It takes me some effort to put the boy down without waking him up. Laira keeps knocking on the gate. Nothing happens. I look around. Nothing. The fence is the only thing here. If this wasn’t there, the entire area would be an open field... A creak reaches my ears. I turn back. A man walks out. A tad older than me? Ish? Maybe older? Forty. Tops.
“Are you lost?” He asks Laira.
“Depends. Are these the famous Chimera Stables?”
“Yes.” The man answers.
“Then we're at the right place. Laira Evergreen. Pleased to make your acquittance, Headmaster Arcus. These are my companions. Sir Marcus Tallen and sir Percival Skyrider. We are the representatives of the Concord and the Royal City of Araneum. The three of us are part of the Rebirth Research Division, we are here today to ask you for your assistance regarding the matter, if you’d be so kind as to find some time to speak with us, we'd greatly appreciate it.” Wow. She doesn’t waste a single moment.
“Oh? You don’t say? And what's in it for us if we agree to help you?” The Headmaster’s skeptical. Why wouldn’t he be... Even I have my suspicions…
“You’d be part of the cause to help the greater good?” Percival steps in.
“Ha! Like I care about that! I'll be long dead before the world gets saved!”
“So, then you don’t care about what happens to your loved ones? Or the generations of them to come? Sure, you'll be dead, but what about them?”
“You’re playing dirty.” The Headmaster glares at Laira.
“I’m only playing by the rules you set, sir.”
“Would it make a difference for you if we told you that the others have already agreed to help?” Percy tries to ease the tension.
“Others? Like who?”
“The rest of the Old Continent.” I step in.
“Cornutora is the only one left... Or would you prefer to be left out?”
“Girl, our nation is based on being left out.” He has a point...
“Of course, I’m well aware of your history, however, just imagine the look on their faces once they find out that you guys were the reason for a breakthrough...” WHO ARE THEY! The Headmaster's face changes...
“Is this an official inquiry from Araneum?”
“Yes. Of course, going through official channels has taken us a bit longer, but since we were in the neighborhood, we figured we could pay you a visit anyways.” Laira's different. Is she trying to copy Breeze?
“Think about it. If all of the Original Nations agree to help, then the King of Araneum over there, won’t be able to brag about how he "singlehandedly" eradicated the menace, that has plagued the New Continent for centuries... It will be a joined effort...” Wow. Ok, I did NOT see that one coming... Who is she? The Headmaster’s face gives him away. The grin is proof. He likes the idea. Yet he hasn’t given us an answer still...
“I’d prefer to wait for the official request to come through.”
“Suit yourself.” Laira shrugs her shoulders. “By the time it comes through, we can just inform the other side that you refused to cooperate... No harm done, of course, as we are simply asking for your help, but if that's how you wish to handle things here... Tell me, how has been the business lately? I figured Venatus has outlived its glory days, right after the Chimera Surge for that one Rebirth that ended in failure...” Oooooh she just went below the belt... The face of the man shifts to contempt in an instant...
“Come back tomorrow. It's cleanup day today. Not the best sight to behold...” He walks away, leaving us standing by the gate.
“We appreciate you making time for us in your busy schedule! We'll be back at noon!” Laira yells to the back of the Headmaster. “Looks like we have the rest of the day off. How about we look around the city then?” She turns around to us with a smile on her face.
“What was that all about?” I ask her.
“I took care of it.”
“I don’t think that’s what Breeze meant when she told you to take care of it...” I stare at her.
“Not that I’m not impressed, Miss, but I do agree with Sir Marcus...” Thank you, Percival.
“I can understand why you’d want to get this over with quickly, but...”
“But nothing.” She starts walking back to the carriage. We follow her.
“The request will be here tomorrow morning. Zaltem is pushing through to get in direct contact with this place. We're trying to gain access at both points. Here and the Capital. If either one goes through, it will be enough. Their response will be irrelevant by the time we finish our tour. The Headmaster’s pride won't allow him to go down so easily. The last thing they need is an internal conflict. Even if the Capital will be against it, the Headmaster holds autonomy over the Stables. It's his decision who he lets in here or not.”
“You’ve done your homework this time?” I keep my gaze locked on Laira's back.
“I’ve always known this.” She glares at me over her shoulder. “The Stables have always been under the supervision of the same family. Since the establishment of Venatus. The one condition has always been for the Stables to be their own judge, jury and executioner. They almost never let anyone in. Because their beasts are their eldest and, well, basically main trading commodity. The power struggle between the Capital and the Stables has always been tense. But this time we are talking about something in the bigger picture. They won’t disclose their internal affairs to the outside world so easily. They don’t have a choice now, but to comply.”
“I never knew that...” Percival thinks it over.
“I’m sorry I doubted you.” I tell Laira.
“It's fine. I didn’t handle the Cobalus situation as well as I should have. Bree... I mean, the Queen was right to be upset with me.”
“That was fast.” Tigglia says jumping down from the roof of the carriage.
“We were told to come back tomorrow.” Laira tells her.
“Apparently it's cleanup day.” Percival adds.
“How is he?” I ask, taking a peek inside.
“Still asleep.” The girl answers. I watch little Ether dream away, curled up on the floor, covered with all of the pillows and blankets. Cute.
“Well? Now what?” I ask someone.
“Wanna look around?” Messo suggests.
“I’d like that!” Percival raises his hand.
“We need to find a place to stay anyways.” Laira says.
“I know one.” Tigglia answers. “It’s in the middle of the city, but its cheap and the food is good too.”
“Sounds great.” I nod. Laira, Percival and I get inside the carriage. Tigglia takes the Celodian and Messo takes the reigns. We set off.
“Aren’t you going to share the bed with me?” I ask.
“I figured Ether will sleep with you...”
“You’ve been away for what? A week? And I all get is a cold peck on the lips? Didn’t you miss me?” I pout. A man has his limits...
“Marcus...”
“Yes?” I stare at her. “I’m not asking you to get it on with me. I can understand that you’re stressed and all, and that Ether's here too, but you’ve been stand-off-ish with me ever since we picked the boy up. All I want is for us to be in the same bed. I'll keep my clothes on if that'll ease your mind!”
“It's not about that... I do miss you...”
“Sure have a funny way of showing it...” I keep pouting... “You won’t let me help and you wont let me near you... I thought that we settled the matter with that fight?” I stare at her with a begging look in my eyes... “Is there more? I admit I did doubt your approach earlier today, but you proved me otherwise... I really am sorry I ever doubted you... I figured maybe you picked up on that?”
“I did and it pissed me off. Even if I understand why you’d think that, it doesn’t make me happy knowing it... I mean.” She pauses... I don’t pressure her... “Even if I didn’t tell you that I have Diplomatic status, that doesn’t give you the right to question my abilities whether or not I can or really am one. I have been around at least a lifetime longer than you, damn it... You should have realized that I have done these things before... It hurts, you know? Having you doubt me... I feel like you don’t trust me...” She clutches her arms around herself...
“If something as minor as this can shake our trust in each other than how are we suppose to raise a child? We don’t have as much time as those two...” She bites her lip with tiny teardrops in the corners of her eyes... An invisible force moves my body for me... I stand up, walk over to her and kiss her. I lock my mouth on hers. I hold her to me with all that I have as I stand on my toes. I'll stand here for an eternity if that's what it takes for her to respond... I kiss her deeper... A twitch. Her arms drop down from her chest. She hugs me back. Kissing me. Finally! I tighten my embrace around her. She responds. We kiss for what seems forever. I missed this feeling... I let her lips go.
“Did you know? You have a habit of overthinking the small stuff...” I tell her softly. I see her take in a gulp of air. I stop her with a kiss. “Let me finish...” She closes her mouth.
“Do you know what a fatal mistake those two made? Not talking to each other... Time means nothing if it's wasted on bitter silence...” I trace her lips with my thumb... “We have the advantage because we don’t have enough time...” I gaze up at her eyes... I brush off a tear of her lashes...
“All we have to do is talk to each other... It's that simple... Don’t jump to conclusions on your own... Don’t make decisions alone... Don’t keep things to yourself... Tell me. Talk to me. Say something... I don’t want to waste what little time I have with you fighting...” I rest my hand on the side of her face... I sweep my thumb across her cheek...
“Words are meaningless if not used at the right time... Because there is such a thing as too late... Don’t hide from me because you’re worried about hurting my feelings. It's a lot more painful to find out how ignorantly happy I have been all by myself while you were quietly suffering by yourself... Can you promise me that much?” I gaze into her as softly as I can...
She nods. “Promise...” One word is all I need... I hug her to me...
We return to the Stables the next day at noon sharp. To my surprise the Headmaster greets us with the gates wide open. Suddenly, my happy mood evaporates like a drop of water. This feels ominous somehow...
“Good day, sir!” Laira greets him stepping out.
“I received your request.”
“How wonderful! It made it in time!” Laira's cheerfulness feels forced...
“Barely.” Sir Arcus answers bluntly. Ok, clearly this won’t be easy. I step out too. I look at Ether again.
“It might be scary for you. If you want to stay here with Tigglia and Messo, you can, ok?” He shakes his little head. I sigh.
“Ok. Let’s go.” I take him into my arms. “But let me know if anything’s wrong, deal?” He nods. Right. I set him down and take his hand.
“What’s this?” The Headmaster notices our boy.
“Problem?” I stop and stare. He doesn’t say anything for a long moment.
“Why is there a Cornutese child with you?” The man asks.
“I adopted him.” I answer. Laira will have to forgive me. I’m not sure how it will look if we announce our relationship here... Araneum is one thing... “This is part of his learning experience. Not sure when we'll get another chance to visit the Land of Race.” I pause again. “Like I said: problem?”
“None.” The Headmaster throws me a nasty look. What’s his problem? I glance over at Ether. He's in his shy mode. No surprise. I'd be too. I quickly take a look at Laira too, while we have the chance. She's unreadable. Great. Here comes another fight... And after last night's exceptional performance of mine too...
“Well? What is it that you want to know?” The Headmaster asks. Leading us inside the Stables.
“Before that. I'd appreciate it if you could put a seal on that request. I need to take it back as proof we didn’t break into this place.” She actually asked for it... The Headmaster hesitates.
“Wait here.” He orders us and leaves us. I look around. A path surrounded by cages from both sides lies in front of us... Talk about intimidating... Ether shows himself to take a look too. I watch him for a moment. He doesn’t seem scared. Good. I guess. Sir Arcus returns with a scroll in hand.
“Is this what you want?” He hands the scroll over to Laira. She checks the paper.
“Perfect. Appreciate the trouble.” She smiles at the man. Such a deadly grin she has on her face... And not in the kind of a fun way...
“We'd like to know more about how you treat disease infected parts?” Percival bravely cuts into the silence.
“We don’t. It’s too much of a hassle. If the body's damaged then it's damaged. It takes too much time and effort to fix it. We simply get rid of them.” Well that's not the answer we're looking for...
“In what way do you dispose of them?” The kid doesn’t flinch.
“Burn 'em. We have Fire Mages working day and night in shifts just for that.”
“Why the Mages?” I ask.
“We need extremely high temperatures for the cremation. If we would use wood for that, we'd have no trees left. These are remains we're talking about.”
“I see. Is there some sort of a different way you detect a disease in the corpse? I mean, how do you determine if the parts are usable?” Good thing we have our Curious-Cleanser with us. He's quick to analyze information.
“Not really. It's the usual routine. Spell scanning and other signs, discoloration, inflammation, the usual. If possible we prefer to have data collected on the living animal. We use that whenever we can.” Sir Arcus explains.
“Doesn’t that make it easier for people to lie?“ Percy asks. Ha! I thought so too.
“Only complete idiots do that.” The Headmaster stops by one of the cages. “We have a few supply spots from around the continent. We don’t take walk in offers anymore.” The beast inside of the cage has wings of an eagle, front paws of a lion, body and a head of a wolf... They really do mash up whatever in here... Taking a living creature or barely alive one and using it as basis to bind other creatures' body parts to it, creating Man-Eating Beasts... Forbidden Magic is scary for a reason... Each cage has a different creature inside of it. I watch Ether. He seems to be managing... Brave little soldier. I smile.
“Do you store any of the parts for later?” Laira asks.
“Some. We try not to waste the good parts, though.”
“What do you mean?” I follow up on that.
“It takes excellent precision to keep the Ice at the right temperature, not to cause frost bite to the parts. If the Ice is too thin, it defrosts too fast. Overdo it and it will cause more damage than good. It won't be just the surface that gets ruined, but the inside as well.”
“Ah, I see. You need the veins and nerves intact as well. Otherwise the parts wouldn’t bind? Is that right?” Percival says.
“Something like that.” Sir Arcus answers. I can’t decide whether he sounds bored or annoyed.
“How long do you usually keep the parts iced like that?” Laira steps in again.
“A week.”
“Would it be possible to observe the procedure in action?” Percival asks carefully. The man does not say anything. He turns around and continues walking. We follow him inside a giant barn. A magic circle covers the floor. I’ve never seem one before, but it's clear. It can’t be anything else... Casters stand at its eight points. Body parts lay in the middle of the circle. Chanting fills the air. I feel the magic power surge through me. I hold my breath... Black and red lightning dance upwards from the circle. The body parts in the middle move on their on, as if dragged by an invisible thread... I feel something grip me. Ether hides himself behind me. I pat his head. The crackling sound gets louder... A flash of dark red light fills the barn, a loud crack and silence follow... Someone walks over to the middle of the circle. A few moments later the creature stands up. Swaying to the sides like a newborn fawn... Wow...
“Fascinating!” The kid whispers. “Without the live creature as the base - this would never work... Now I understand...” Our Cleanser begins his quiet rumbling. Right. This spell. It doesn’t bring back the dead... You need a living sacrifice to make it work... Like I said. Forbidden Magic is scary for a reason...
“Satisfied?” Sir Arcus glares at us once we step back outside.
“Plenty!” The kid does not know how to contain his excitement... “I mean.” He clears his throat. “I am grateful for the once in a lifetime opportunity.” He bows.
“Anything else?” The Headmaster asks us.
“I don’t know.” Laira plays it dumb. I know what I said last night, but IS IT A GOOD IDEA?
“Do you have everything you need, Percival?” She says.
“I believe so.” The kid nods.
“Then get out.” Talk about hospitality.
“The Rebirth Research Division thanks you for your cooperation on behalf of the Royal City of Araneum.” I make the effort to make myself somewhat useful... I bow. To my surprise so do the rest three. Even Ether...
“You have our gratitude for sharing invaluable knowledge. We'll be sure to make good use of it.” Laira adds the finishing touch. The Headmaster almost rolls his eyes at us.
“Don’t get eaten on the way out.” The man walks back inside the Horror Barn. Our party makes its way back to the outside world. Two guards meet us by the gate. They let us pass without a single word. The sound of the closing gates is the only farewell we get. Fine with me... We get back to our carriage.
“Where to next?” Messo asks.
“Home. If possible. Here.” Laira hands the scroll to the guard. “This should make it faster, this time... I hope.” Messo nods.
“Roger that.”
“Would it be a problem for you take the mount to the border?” Percival asks Tigglia.
“Not at all.” She hops on the black and white striped tiger-horse mix. This is the first time I take another look at the creature... We get in and move out. The sight of what happened back there haunts me... My mind wonders between the borders of reality... Questioning it...
“Miss? Your face is rather scary looking.”
“Sorry. I was thinking about something.”
“It wouldn’t be Medical application of the Chimera making we just saw? Would it?” Percy speaks calmly yet I detect a hint of worry. Laira laughs. What I miss?
“How am I not surprised you figured it out.” She says.
“That’s because I was wondering the same... Except that.”
“That using this on actual people would be a lot more gruesome. We have races, ages, genders to consider...”
“And history...” Percy adds.
“Yes, that too...” Laira agrees. “Although, it did give me an idea... It's probably on the same level as restoring Breeze back to life... No. Above that.”
“Oh, do share!” The kid shines with enthusiasm. I smile. I have to wonder what could be more difficult than that? But I keep my mouth shut. This is beyond me. I let the two medical geniuses' brainstorm. I feel Ether climb into my lap. I hug him to me. Soon enough the both of us doze off...