A/N/: Another chapter! Sorry I left it so long; I couldn't think what to write! But this chapter came out suddenly in a rush, so here it is!
I warned it would get gruesome, and it does slightly at the end. Shouldn't be writing this at night. Damn my brain. Please enjoy.
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Lorlen's servant had taken her up to the Morning Room. When the High Lord got back from his strenuous day, he casually informed him that, "A lady is here to see you, my lord." Lorlen nodded and followed the servant up. The man opened the door and bowed, allowing Lorlen to walk in ahead of him. A chair had been pulled into the middle of the room from the casual arrangements set out, and she sat in it, back to the door. Lorlen stood, shocked, in the doorway, while the servant announced, "The High Lord, Lady Delvon," and retreated from the room.
The lady rose from her seat and turned imperiously to face Lorlen. Regaining his composure, he said, "It is wonderful-"
"No need for pleasantries," the woman snapped. "I am here for one thing and one thing only. Eight weeks ago, you exiled my son from this land. And now, though he has returned, my heart does not feel the joy that it might. Why? Because he is in a comatose state from which he refuses to withdraw. I know the reason for this; that dead slum girl. What I seek to know is only one thing. Why, on the honourable name of Kyralia why, was he allowed to associate with such a woman?"
Lorlen stared at her, gobsmacked. Was it his imagination, or was she really asking him why he (or the Guild) had let Akkarin love Sonea? That was absurd!
But then, Lorlen thought, the poisonous bitch never did care anything for his personal feelings anyway. Her heart filled with joy, oh please. She wouldn't know joy if it ran up and bit her in her perfectly clothed behind.
"Lady Delvon," Lorlen began acidly, "I am quite sure that the rules of the Guild do not extend to controlling the personal feelings of our members. I can assure you that while Sonea may have been from the slums, she was as honourable and lovely a woman as I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, and Akkarin's comatose state has been brought on by the horrific tragedy of her early death."
Lady Delvon stared at him, affronted. "I don't believe you quite understand me, High Lord," she said stiffly.
"I do believe I do," Lorlen said in a clipped tone. "If you wish to discuss the merits of life partners for your son, I would suggest you do it with your son, and do not bother me with it."
Lady Delvon's eyes narrowed. "Are you implying," she asked, her voice ice, "that you approved of their union?"
Lorlen nodded, savouring the look of horror that played across her face. "Akkarin is my best friend," he said quietly. "Whatever makes him happy makes me happy. And Sonea was a lovely woman, and a grievous loss."
Lady Delvon drew herself up. "I believe, then, that that is all that needs be said on the matter. Believe me, High Lord; the family of Delvon are not pleased about this development. That he should have lost his place as High Lord, been exiled, and then reduced to this state…We are not happy, and action will be taken."
"Lady Delvon," Lorlen said softly, taking on a more soothing tone, "we are trying to help Akkarin. Today I discussed his health and our concerns over it with Lady Vinara, and she is adamant that he will recover and move on. With her help, this loss will not scar him in this way forever."
"And yet it was you who let him fall into this state." Lady Delvon shook her head. "We will not have it. My husband is livid. You will feel the consequences of your actions, High Lord. Good day." She swept out of the room without a backward glance. Lorlen sighed heavily and sank into the chair she had occupied. Just another worry to add to my list. Why do they choose now to begin caring about their son? They barely even wanted contact with him before.
A knock on the door woke him from his reverie. His servant stood just inside the door, face apologetic. "Lady Vinara and the Administrator are here to see you, High Lord. Shall I ask them to return at another time?"
"No, no," Lorlen waved a hand, "Send them up, please."
Vinara and Osen moved into the room a minute later. Lorlen indicated that they should take seats, and his servant pulled two more into the centre of the room to form a small circle. The Administrator and Head of Healer's sat down, both looking serious. Osen opened his mouth to speak, but Vinara cut him off with a sharp, "High Lord, do you feel well?"
Lorlen looked at her questioningly. "Quite well, Lady Vinara. Tired, perhaps."
She frowned. "Very, from the look of it. I was always saying you overworked yourself as Administrator, and here I am beating out the same message now you are High Lord. " Her frown deepened.
"I assure you, I am well," he said softly. "Only, my last visitor gave me rather a problem to contend with."
"Oh?" Osen asked, "What kind of a problem?"
"It was Akkarin's mother," Lorlen sighed. "The family has chosen now to become interested in their son's wellbeing; rather a turnaround from the unresponsive and uncaring situation they preferred before. Lady Delvon insinuated that we, the Guild, are to blame for his current state of health, caused, according to her, by our allowance of his relationship with Sonea." Lorlen rubbed his eyes, exhaling loudly. "What a fuss they will make. Why do people always focus on the unimportant details?"
Both Osen and Vinara regarded him sympathetically. "No one will support her apart from her family, Lorlen," Osen said comfortingly. "They don't really have a leg to stand on."
Lorlen smiled. "No. I suppose I shouldn't worry about it. Now, what did you come here for?"
Vinara straightened and took a deep breath. "Our conversation earlier," she began, "gave me reason to think that Akkarin's mental state is more serious a problem then I realised when he came to us after the Invasion. I believe that what we were discussing should be put into action; he should be taken into the care of the Healer's. He probably won't like it, but it is the best thing we can do to put him on the path to recovery." Vinara looked at Lorlen with an expression that said she did not really want to say what she was about to. "Lorlen…" she hesitated.
"You want me to tell him." Lorlen guessed. They both nodded. "Yes, I think it is for the best." He rose from his chair. "I suppose I had better get it done, then. Would you like to move him in tonight?"
"The earlier the better," Vinara replied.
They went downstairs and out of the Residence, heading towards the Magician's Quarters. When they reached Akkarin's room, Vinara caught Lorlen's arm. "You go in and tell him," she said quietly. "I'll go and gather some Healers to move him." Lorlen nodded, and knocked. Osen and Vinara disappeared down the corridor, Osen giving him a strange, lingering look before he vanished around the corner.
Takan opened the door. "Greetings, High Lord," he said quietly, bowing. He gestured for him to come inside. Lorlen entered and looked around. Things were tidy and ordered, but there was no sense of Akkarin's personal presence; so different from the room he had occupied as a Novice. Takan pulled out one of the low chairs for him, and Lorlen sat. The servant disappeared into the bedroom, leaving Lorlen nervous outside. He pulled his fingers, a silly mannerism that he adopted when feeling nervous and uncomfortable. What on earth was he going to say?
Takan appeared again, followed by Akkarin. Lorlen dropped his gaze to the floor, still pulling nervously at his fingers. He heard Akkarin sit down opposite from him. A silence filled the room. "Would you like anything, my lord?" Takan asked quietly. Lorlen shook his head, too nervous to speak. When he had come he had felt able to do this; but how could he tell his friend that he was consigning him to a fate that he would despise?
Lorlen peeked up at Akkarin from under his lashes. His friend was staring at him blankly. Taking a deep breath, Lorlen lifted his head and looked at him properly. No point in wasting time. "Akkarin," Lorlen began purposefully, "you know I- we- are worried about you. Your withdrawn and reclusive state has upset even your family; your mother visited me this afternoon to tell me of your family's distress over your condition." Akkarin looked away, his face adopting a slight sneer. "Yes, I didn't give much credence to her claims either. However, she may be justified in the content of her argument, at least." Akkarin turned to face him again with a small frown. Lorlen took another deep breath. "Vinara has brought it to my attention that your condition may be worse than she first diagnosed. She wants-" Lorlen cleared his throat, "she wants you to…to surrender yourself into the Healer's care," he said in a rush. "She believes it is what's best for you. That it will help you recover." Lorlen had looked away, and now looked back to find Akkarin glaring at him with the question, 'And what do you think?' written all over his face. Lorlen's breath choked in his throat. "I think it will be good for you, Akkarin," he said, almost inaudibly. "I know you think you don't need help, but…maybe you do, and-" Lorlen tried not to choke up again, "and I don't know if letting you stay in the way you think you want will help you to recover from this," Lorlen finished, his voice a scratchy whisper.
Akkarin was staring at him disbelievingly. "Just try it Akkarin," Lorlen said, leaning towards him, "it might help you. You might start to feel better." Akkarin looked away, his face betraying nothing. He rose silently and held out an arm, almost as if waiting to be shackled. "Akkarin…" Akkarin glared at him, fiercely, daring him to speak another word. I'll agree, his face said, because I don't care.
Lorlen sighed. "Lady Vinara will be here soon," he said, and walked to the door. Akkarin followed him, and when he opened it, he found Vinara and a crowd of Healers outside. Lorlen stepped aside and allowed Vinara and the Healers to draw Akkarin away with them down the corridor. As they went, Akkarin turned his head back and stared pointedly at him. Lorlen mouthed, 'Please try'. Akkarin frowned and turned away, and they disappeared from view as they turned into the next corridor.
"Was it hard?" a soft voice asked at his shoulder. Lorlen turned to find Osen staring at him, concern in every feature of his face.
"More than I care to think," Lorlen replied quietly. "But it's done now. I doubt I could have done it better had I prepared myself. I'm sorry Osen; I'm so tired. I am afraid I must go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow."
Osen gave him that strange look again; Lorlen couldn't put a finger on what emotions were expressed in his cloud grey eyes. "Yes, tomorrow. Good night."
Lorlen turned and departed, glancing covertly back to find Osen watching him go, that strange look still etched on his face.
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Lorlen woke up in his bed. It was still night. What woke me? he thought. He looked at his window; the screens were open, when he was certain they had been shut…
"Lorlen." The voice spoke from the other side of the room. Lorlen jumped and turned towards it. There was a dark shadow in the corner.
"Who's there?" he asked, voice shaking.
The shadow advanced, slowly. "We blame you," it said. "You know you could have saved us. And yet you did not. And now…"
The shadow emerged into the moonlight, and Lorlen shrank back in terror. It was a human body, rotted beyond recognition, with worms boring through the eyeholes and maggots squirming under the flesh. Over the scream rising from Lorlen's throat, it said, "We know how to find you."
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Lorlen woke, sweating and panting, in his own bed. He looked around wildly, expecting the monster to be upon him again. But all was still, and his screens were shut tight over his window.
He collapsed back against his pillow. All this worry, he thought. It's seeping into my subconscious.
Rolling over, Lorlen knew that sleep would be hard to come by again tonight.