Disclaimer: The Black Magician Trilogy and its characters belong to Trudi Canavan.
Bored. Akkarin sipped his wine mindlessly. His quest to research on ancient magic has been less than satisfying. To his dismay, the trip to the Splendid Temple in Lonmar has proven fruitless and led him to nowhere. Fortunately, the references he found in some of the old books from the Great Library were somewhat more useful, to the credit of his young assistant, Tayend of Tremmelin. Nonetheless, he was still disappointed. He left the Guild seeking for more excitement but what he seen so far had hardly satisfy his thirst for a prodigious adventure, although, he had to admit that his journey to Lonmar and his stay here in Capia had been enlightening.
He scanned the circular room and marvelled at its grandeur. Magnificent crystal chandeliers hung from the domed ceiling. Dazzled by the glittering lights and the mixed scents of flowers, fruit and spices were almost overpowering. People he hardly knew dressed in an array of coloured costumes. A few magicians stood among them. Children, dressed in miniature version of adult fashion, ran about or crowded together on bench seats. Servants were everywhere, each dressed in yellow and carrying platters of food or wine.
He was invited to this birthday party, by Bel Arralade, a widow of middle years. She was the head of one of the richest families in Elyne. Her four children, two daughters and two sons had married into powerful families. Though the Bel herself had never remarried, rumours told of many amorous encounters between Arralade and other members of the Elyne court.
Chuckling to himself, he recalled the way Bel Arralade battered her lashes at him earlier. Several attempts were made to have him entertain her with stories about his quest and his life as a Guild magician. He politely answered her questions and offered nothing more than was asked; she finally gave up in disappointment and went back to her other more interesting guests and left him to his brooding.
Although he had heard much about the frivolity of the Elyne court, the boldness displayed by the women here was shocking at first. The count of ladies who suggested pursuing a more intimate yet inconsequential relationship with him far exceeded the marriage proposals he had received since he arrive at Capia. Obviously he rejected most of them, except a few, and he somehow earned a reputation of being less than interested in women. The rumours were mainly fabricated by a few discontented admirers, but those who heard enough about him knew his reputation among the ladies back in Kyralia. They knew he was always discreet in his choice of female companions. For some others, they simply considered his cold demeanour typical of an arrogant Kyralian Guild magician.
His thoughts were interrupted when a fluttering of colours caught the corner of his eye. A group of children, consisting of a pair of boys and girls skipped merrily towards him. Recalling the stories about tyrannical Elyne children, he grabbed his wine glass hastily and wove through the crowd. The last thing he wanted to do was to waste his time, testing his patience by performing magical tricks and illusions for spoiled Elyne brats.
"He's gone, I can't see him..."
The whining of the disappointed brats faded into the distance as he made his way through a set of heavy doors leading to an elaborated balcony overseeing the Arralade enormous estate. He heaved a huge sigh of relief as he stepped out into the night. The air was chilly, but he didn't mind, he needed to clear his head from the strong Elyne wine. The balcony was huge with railings exquisitely carved out of marble that felt cool beneath his touch. A few couples were taking advantage of the dark, body against body, and Akkarin could hear occasional smooching as he strolled along the curved veranda. Ignoring the stares of the interrupted pairs, he found a quiet corner and let his mind wander.
He wondered what his friend Lorlen is doing right now. He smiled. No doubt he is poking his nose into some old, crumbled books explaining the healing properties of some rare plants and herbs. If he missed anything about the boring Guild, it is probably the company of his friend. They have known each other since they were novices. Lorlen was a reserved individual who kept to himself most of the time. Akkarin was the same. He liked his privacy. But coming from one of the most influential Houses in Kyralia, he was constantly pestered by snobbish brats who tried to get acquainted with him and senseless girls who do all sorts of ridiculous things to gain his attention left him infuriated most of the time.
When he was paired with Lorlen during one of the Warrior Skills lessons, he learnt that his quiet partner not only excels in his academic work, his magical powers and skills were almost comparable to his own extraordinary strength. Exhilarated, he finally found a worthy opponent. When he issued a challenge to Lorlen one day, the look on his face was priceless. His jaws were dropped wide as he stared at Akkarin with plain shock, then he hastily packed his books and rushed out of the library with disbelief. Akkarin followed him back to the Novices' Quarters and cornered him until he agreed to the challenge. It wasn't the type of formal challenge, but a friendly bout, to test out each other's strength. Akkarin got permission from the Head of Warriors to use the Dome, and dragged Lorlen out of his room for their little match. To Lorlen's surprise, the bout sparked his interest in sharpening his Warrior Skills. Shortly they became regular sparring partners, exchanging combat strategies and their friendship grew. However, his friend gradually showed more interest in Healing as their education in the Guild progressed, and he eventually pursued the restorative discipline whole-heartedly. Despite that, they still remained the best of friends.
"Lady Mo'nique, would you grace me with your company at the next dance please?"
Startled, Akkarin turn around to see a fair woman clad in a white fur cloak leaning against the railings with her hands entwined beneath her chin. She whirled sideways, facing the man, dressed in tight, colourful clothing favoured by the Elyne courtiers, who bowed to her slightly.
"Dem Heran, please accept my apologies. I am...what do you say...feeling under the weather these days. I would rather not exhaust myself before the vaudeville." She replied smoothly.
A polite rejection. Though her accent is strange, her choice of words hinted arrogance. Akkarin mused.
"I see. I do hope you get better soon." His voice was restrained. Dem Heran straightened himself and strode away stiffly, lips tightened with displeasure.
Akkarin arched his brows at the awkward refusal. Folding his lips, he fought back his laughter and cleared his throat to mask his amusement. The woman tilted her head and met his eyes. Straightening himself, he nodded politely in return.
She took note of his magician robes and eyed him with curiosity. "You find that amusing?"
Her voice was unexpectedly silky. Akkarin shrugged. "A little perhaps, but I did not mean to eavesdrop."
She waved her hand dismissively and rolled her eyes, "I find that amusing all the time." Then she gave a careless smile and swept her way out of the heavy doors.
Akkarin watched her trailing cloak disappeared through the doors.Interesting person, he thought. Sipping his wine appreciatively, he wondered where her strange accent came from. Perhaps she is an entertainer of sort, since she mentioned something about a performance. But the Dem called her Lady Mo'nique. In Kyralia, no one would address an entertainer as lady. This could be some Elyne formality he did not understand and Akkarin made a mental note to enquire about this.
Looking at his empty glass, he decidedly that his head has cleared well enough for more of the intoxicating drink. Pushing himself through the set of heavy doors, he exchanged his empty glass with a filled one when a yellow-clad servant paraded across the room.
"Lord Akkarin" He turned his head and smiled at the approaching figure. "Tayend of Tremmelin, glad to see you." His young assistant returned his smile. Akkarin wondered how old he was; he looked barely over seventeen years.
"Enjoying yourself or are you already bored to death?" Tayend asked mockingly.
Chuckling, "A bit of both, but this is better than staring at the walls of my room in the Guild House." Akkarin replied.
Their conversation was interrupted when the sound of rhythmic music drifted into Akkarin's ears. He looked around to locate the source of the music and noticed that a small crowd had gathered around the entrance of the room adjacent to this. He felt a nudge on his elbow. "Come, you have to see this." Tayend strode pass him and made his way towards the crowd. Looking over his shoulder, he beckoned Akkarin to follow. The music became louder as they neared the room and they squeezed their way through the crowd before they found two empty seats at the corner. The room was slightly smaller but, lavishly furnished with ornate paintings hanging on both side of the walls and rows of comfortable arm chairs lined in front of an elevated platform at the front of the room. A band of musicians were holding various kinds of instruments entertaining the crowd with a rhythmic tune. People who were standing at the back of the room started dancing along with the music. When the performance ended, the audience applauded and cheered noisily.
"Here she is," Tayend nodded towards the elevated platform and a buzz of murmurs echoed around the room. "This is one performance you should see at least once in your life time." Akkarin followed his gaze to see the fur clad woman standing in the centre of the elevated platform. "Lady Mo'nique" Tayend breathed.
The fair woman tugged the strings around her neck and her cloak slide off her shoulders dramatically, revealing a curtain of long wavy brown hair. Unlike the bright, extravagant costumes favoured by the Elyne ladies, she was wearing a simple dress in dark midnight blue, made of pure silk, accentuating the soft curves of her body. The front of her dress was cut inches below her collarbone, revealing the swells of her chest in a subtle, yet sensual manner.
Akkarin was amused by his assistant expression. Although young, he heard rumours about him being a lad, and was surprised that he is displaying so much interest in a woman. Leaning on his armchair lazily, he rested a hand below his chin, "Who is she?" Akkarin asked.
"Lady Mo'nique is one of the most respected songstresses in Elyne. She travels around the world and sing for the courts in exotic countries beyond the Allied Lands. You would not have the chance to see her perform unless you are invited to parties thrown by the royalties. She is here today, because Bel Arralade is a very good friend of hers and an influential supporter behind her success."
"She doesn't look and speak like Elynes." Akkarin pointed.
"Because she is not..." He added quickly, "Shhh...she is starting." Tayend hushed as he straightened himself on his chair.
A clear voice lifted in song. Lady Mo'nique sang of a pair of lovers separated by life and death at the hands of a tyranny king, for the maiden lost her beau to a fatal mission while she was exiled from her homeland. Her long graceful fingers strum over the strings of a tiny instrument, plucking the silvery notes. Akkarin was drawn to the music as she sang the words of the sad song. His heart stirred under the enchantment of her silky voice and found himself holding his breath in awe. Next, she sang to the beauty of the Tarali River wounding against the stunning colours of the Kyralian evening sky. Drawn to her voice, Akkarin felt the longing for his homeland as he recalled his days swimming by the beautiful lake near his home every summer.
"You are gaping." Akkarin jumped. He turned to see Tayend grinning at him. "I've never seen you like this before." He snapped his mouth shut. "She is good." He mumbled embarrassingly.
"I told you so." Tayend gave him a smug look.
As the last notes were strung, the room went completely silent. A few middle-aged women dabbed their tears away with tiny embroidered cloths and nodded their heads at each other approvingly. One by one, the crowd stood from their seat and applauded to her astounding performance. Lady Mo'nique descended from the platform and swept across the room gracefully. She held her head up high and nodded politely to the compliments shouted across the room while the men ogled at her beauty shamelessly. Ignoring their lecherous stare she glided towards the door and caught Akkarin's eyes. He saw her tilting her head in acknowledgement before his view was blocked by a stocky middle-aged man.
"It's you again." She narrowed her eyes in annoyance.
Dem Heran spoke a little too forcefully as he spread his arms wide, blocking her path. "Lady Mo'nique, now that your appearance is over, I believed you are free for the next dance?"
She hardened her gaze on the man and drew in a deep breath. All ready to hurl an insult, she was interrupted by a deep voice.
"I believed Lady Mo'nique already agreed to have her next dance with me." She swirled to her side and was surprised to see a familiar red-robed magician glaring at the man with dark arrogant eyes.
The stocky man snapped his gaze from hers and returned his stare levelly. Circling her hands around Akkarin's elbow, she cast the man an icy stare. "Indeed, Dem Heran. This young gentleman had already claimed my next dance." She replied dismissively.
Turning his heels, Akkarin swept Lady Mo'nique out of the door, leaving her rejected suitor glaring at their backs. He spotted Tayend in the crowd and saw the young man smothered his astonished expression they approached. Judging the look on his assistant's face, he knew that Tayend will spend the whole of next day questioning him about this.
"Ah, I see you have found yourself some company." Tayend gave Akkarin a questioning smile. Turning toward his companion, "Lady Mo'nique, pleased to meet you. That was an amazing appearance."
She smiled politely in return. "You flatter me, Tayend of Tremmelin."
Tayend bowed gracefully. "Well, if you would excuse me, I am going to say hello to a friend" and winked at Akkarin before he left.
Lady Mo'nique slid her gaze to Akkarin, "Are you serious about the dance?" she asked with a slight frown.
"I'm afraid not." Akkarin winced. "I would rather die than caught dancing in these robes."
Her brows rose. "Red is not my favourite colour." He added dryly.
Looking slightly amused, "Forget about the dance. I hate dancing anyway. In fact, I would like to get out of this boring party right away." She pouted her lips thoughtfully before suggesting, "Care to take a stroll around the gardens instead, Lord...?"
"Lord Akkarin" He tilted his head elegantly. "A stroll will be nice."
She smiled, "Please to meet you Lord Akkarin," and then straightened her back as she glided out of the ballroom.
When they approached at the grand archway, a strike of lightning flashed across the dark sky and the sound of distant thunder muffled the echoes of their footsteps. Raising his head to inspect the cloudy night sky, Akkarin murmured, "Looks like it's going to rain."
Another flash of lightning illuminated the dim archway.
"It's a bad idea to take a stroll at this time." Lady Mo'nique replied but the rest of her words were drowned by the roar of the looming thunder. "Instead...have some good wine...my stay house...for important guests...I should thank you for the little rescue earlier. What say you, Lord Akkarin?" The archway was finally silent again.
Raising an eyebrow, he figured that she just invited him to her stay house for more wine. "I am afraid your suitors will claw my eyes out," he mocked. She rolled her eyes dramatically. "You are a magician, Lord Akkarin, and a red-robed one!"
He smiled in return. "I don't suppose you have some Anuren Dark?" Akkarin asked shamelessly.
"You are a hard one to please!" She snorted disapprovingly then turned her heels and moved towards the driveway. She stopped before her carriage then twirled her head over her shoulder. Smiling widely, she called to him. "Anuren Dark it is. Come along," she beckoned, "Take my carriage and have your driver follow mine."
Feeling smug, Akkarin smiled to himself and climbed into the red wooden carriage after instructing his driver. She tapped on the roof and the carriage jerked into motion, drawing them away from the vast estate.
