"He has power, a lot of it, but he has not been trained at any university I know, when it comes to magic I never forget It." whispered Numair as he and Raoul walked to his rooms. "He didn't make my skin tingle; I don't think he is dangerous." Raoul replied, his immediate impression of the young boy was anything but dangerous, but hearing Numair, he was beginning to doubt his first impression.
Numair opened the door to his rooms, only to find two women glaring at the door, then standing immediately, both talking at the same time
"What took you so long?" Raoul and Numair both glanced warily at each other then back to the women.
"We were not gone that long, where is George and Alanna?" Numair asked taking a seat in one of his comfortable armchairs. Daine moved towards him, standing over him, hands on hips. Buri was looking just as impatient, sitting across from Raoul on the Sofa
"They're not here yet! So what is he like?" Daine added, Numair smiling cheekily up at her, grabbed her hands and pulled her onto his lap.
"He was well a boy really, can we wait for the others to arrive, and you know how I hate to repeat myself, Magelet." Numair said stroking her back like a kitten. "Oh-alright." Numairs smile widened sometime it was too easy to get his own way. Raoul was not having the same luck with Buri, who was refusing to get with-in reach of him. She was well aware of his ways of 'taming' her, and she wasn't giving him the opportunity.
"Is Thayet safe, or is he a threat? "She asked stubbornly Thayet was like a sister to her and she didn't like strangers popping up from the past, demanding to see the queen without explanation.
"My instincts tell me she is in no danger." Raoul said, reaching over to distract Buri of her worry.
The men had reason to be affectionate; only yesterday they had returned from port Legann. George seeking information from one. Of his Scanran spies. Raoul and Numair were sent to question a prisoner and escort him back to Corus. After only being back for a short time before this new 'threat' had arrived, they had, had little time for greetings. And they had all missed their Ladies.
The women had missed them too; however, they saw the matter of Jordan more pressing than tender hellos.
A knock came at the door; Numair waved his hands to open it.
George and Alanna entered, Looking a lot more ruffled then the last Time, they had seen them; they made their way to the Vacant Chair, Alanna sitting on Georges lap.
"OK so what do we know?" Alanna asked once she settled herself.
"We know that I have very meddlesome friends." Thayet had entered the room King Jonathan walking in behind her. She had heard word from the servants of the 'meetings' her friends had had with their visitor. She wasn't mad at them, touched to know they cared so much for her, but she wished they had of told her first. The couple came to join the gathering, seating themselves on the sofa, which force Buri into Raoul reach. He grabbed her quickly and drew her into a tight embrace before she could get away.
"I would think you all had something else to occupy your time with." Thayet said with a knowing smile.
"Yes well this was not the home coming we had expected either, but your lady friends here wouldn't stop worrying so we really had no choice you see." All the women except Thayet turned towards Numair, glaring at him for blaming it all on them. Thayet just laughed at the sight.
"So I believe we where discussing what we know of Jordan, before we rudely interrupted your secret meeting that is." Jonathan looking just as amused as his wife was also curious to hear news of the stranger.
"Honestly we don't know much, none of feel he is a danger, he seems benevolent enough, he has power, one I do not recognize, but that hardly makes him the enemy."
"And when I went to his rooms and he didn't answer, I found him sleeping in the bath no less, struggling not only because the water was over his head, he was having a night terror." George added.
"He hasn't really given us an answer as to why he is here; George thinks he really doesn't know himself. I know what that feels like, to be drawn to a place without reason. It's like a pounding in your head that won't stop till it's satisfied." Alanna put in.
"I could shift into a mouse and spy on him if you like, maybe he talks in his sleep." Thayet laughed at Daine's offer, but Jonathan thought it had merit, not liking the secrecy behind this stranger, who was asking after is wife.
Jordan's sleep was fitful as usual. As soon as his eyes had closed the images that seemed burned in his lids came back to haunt him.
There was light in the trees now, still dimmed but more than before, as if Jordan had uncovered some of the image the dream god was giving him, 'stupid gods' he thought, can't interfere with mortals but have no problem with cryptic messages.
Jordan knew he was dreaming, he had seen this scene too many times before, but that never stopped it from feeling very real. The man stood before him, trapped in a cage of sky-blue magic, Jordan's magic. There was something different now though, the man was still laughing, the feeling of fear was still engulfing Jordan, but the people behind him. Three of them where no longer faceless, the mage Numair, Knight Raoul and The man George all stood there among the other still faceless figures.
The laughing man breaks free of his cage, that part is still the same. Before Jordan had time to react to the escape the man throws an acid green energy ball, it's coming straight for him. Someone is shouting, but the direction of the voice is undistinguishable.
Jordan's eyes snap open, confusion and panic take over, 'where am I,' forcing his breathing to calm, he sits up, taking in his surroundings as memory floods back. Thayet, I'm at the palace. His clothes where soaked through with sweat, and the bedding was in no better state. His heart was pounding, and his throat dry and sore. 'I was shouting!' he realizes. Getting out of the bed he goes to the window, desperate for fresh air, he heaves it open. Shooing a white mouse of the ledge as he breathes deeply the cool evening breeze.
"He was definitely not having a pleasant dream. He was tossing and turning, then out of no where he started shouting, and woke him self up." Daine reported to her friends, who where still gathered in Numairs sitting room.
"What did he shout?" Alanna asked Thayet was looking concerned; everyone else seemed to be just curious.
"Nothing, he was just well shouting. It kinda sounded like 'no' but I can't be sure."
"I am going to see him," Thayet said getting to her feet. Everyone started to protest, she put up a hand to hush them, "you can all stand guard at the door if you like, but I'm going. He is being tortured in his sleep; if I can help stop it then you can not stop me." She said flatly. The look in her eyes told them all it would be pointless to try to talk her out of it, she had made up her mind.
"We will stand at the door then." Jonathan said finally. They all got up and headed out the door towards Jordan's room, Thayet taking the lead stopped a maid on her way, asking her to inform the young man she was on her way to see him. The maid promptly rushed off ahead in an effort to get there before the group.
Jordan had his head out of the window, letting the cool air blow on his face when a knock came at the door. 'Another friend I guess' he thought with a grimace.
"The queen wished me to inform you she is on her way here to meet with you." The squat woman at the door said, her breathing was rapid as if she had run all the way (which she had.)
"Thank you," he said, finally.
Another knock came to the door not minutes before he had closed it, re opening it he saw about eight faces looking at him, the woman in the front walked into the room without being asked.
"Close the door Jordan." Thayet said with a scowl at her friends. "They're not coming in." Jordan looked at the group, shrugged his shoulders and shut the door, feeling a little rude at closing it in their faces.
"I am Thayet; I believe you wished to speak with me."
"Yes, my lady." Jordan said with a bow.
"What is it I can do for you?"
"I did not come here to ask anything of you, to begin with I wanted to thank you, you saved my life, and there is no way to repay that debt." Thayet looked at Jordan puzzled, she had saved him but there was no debt to pay.
"You owe me nothing, Jordan. Why did you travel here, not simply to thank me I'm sure?"
"Honestly, I don't know really, I was sent here by my dreams. I believe the gods want the balance restored." That comment made Thayer even more puzzled, and Jordan looked confused also, the thought had simply come to him, as if he had known it all along, but had forgotten.
"I don't understand what balance has been disturbed?" Thayet asked. Answers seemed to come to Jordan the more they spoke, cryptic answers, but it was more than what he usually had.
"I was meant to die as a baby, you saved me. Thus, I was not sent to the black god. I don't fully understand it myself. I don't have all the details just hints and a feeling."
"And what is it you feel?" the conversation was leading into uncomfortable territory for Thayer, she had a feeling about his purpose too, and she didn't like it.
"A time will come when you are asked to come to the black god, I will go instead of you." How odd thought Jordan, he had never thought the idea of the dream would mean such a thing, but it made sense.
"And if I say no? I don't want or need you to save me. I am in no danger, and if I was I am Queen of Tortall, my safety is not placed in the hands of incompetence." Thayet felt a strange sense of anger, not at Jordan, at the gods for expecting this boy to sacrifice himself for her, if that truly was his destiny.
"You don't have a choice, if it is meant to happen it will, you will not be able to stop it."
"I don't believe it was meant to happen, so I will stop it, if the power is in me, I will stop it." Never before had she heard anything like this, it was well known the gods did not interfere with mortals, they poked and prodded, but to ask one to die for another, that was new.
"You can try lady, if this is what you wish. Nevertheless, it is my destiny to die; my presence was not meant for the mortal realms. When I was born, the healer who helped my mother in labor declared me still born, my father held my body and prayed to some god to spare me, I don't know who or why but they did. Then not long after that, my parents where killed and I was alone in the middle of blood shed, I surely would have died, one way or another, but you took me with you and I survived. When I was five, I was stricken with a severe case of the sweating sickness, again my death was imminent, but by some miracle, I was healed. The women of the convent could not explain it except to say that some god favored me. Therefore, you see, my luck has run out. Next time I am faced with death I believe it will take me." Jordan finished his story, hoping Thayet would realize the hopelessness of defying what was going to happen, she had tears in her eyes he couldn't understand, was it pity for him.
"if you have defied it before than you will defy it again, my friends can help you, they will discover this mystery of your life, maybe we will find the answers, if not you will die for me as you say. There is nothing to lose in trying." Thayet's face was set in grim determination; no person's blood will be spilt for her, if she had the ability to stop it. Thayet got up and opened the door, allowing the group outside to enter the room.
"Jordan, I believe you have met, George of Pirates Swoop, lady Alanna here is his wife, Numair here is Tortall's own mage and Daine his partner Is what we call the wild mage, and Sir Raoul and Buri, Buri is one of the Queens Riders and Raoul commander of the kings own.
And this here is Jonathan, my husband and King of Tortall."
Jordan greeted each person in turn, the men he had met, except the King. The women where new, the one Alanna had the amethyst magic, the same as from his dream. Buri was not magic, but she was imposing nonetheless, an obvious warrior. Daine had caught his attention the most, the copper fire with in her was more than he had ever seen in any mortal. He knew the copper, the magic of nature. However, mixed with the copper, flecks of silver, which he had only seen in one other, himself. It intrigued him, he did not know what it meant, and maybe this girl did. He wasn't about to ask her though, he was not ready to reveal this particular talent.
The mage Numair moved closer to Daine, putting his arms around her waist protectively, and glaring at the young man. He had let his eyes rest on her too long for Numairs comfort. Jordan gave a small smile to the man, trying to show he meant no harm, but the mage was obviously not convinced.
"You have the gift Jordan, I do not recall you being taught in any of the universities, are you trained?" Thayet looked over at Jordan; he had failed to mention this fact about himself.
"Yes I have the gift; I was taught by two old mages that where hired by the lady who fostered me, I have been trained in healing and battle magic, as well as some other aspects."
"I have never heard of a person who could wield both healing and battle." Numair said dismissively.
"I assure you I am not untruthful; you can test me if it is your wish,"
George and Alanna both smirked at this, if they knew Numair, this young man would be his new study.
After they where all acquainted, Thayet told them Jordan's story. None could believe the gods would meddle so much in a person's life, and they all agreed to use their own unique abilities to help with the mystery.
George was to set his people out looking for any possible threats to Thayet, Diane offered to ask her parents about it when midwinter would allow them to visit, Numair was already thinking of tests for the boy as well as some other experiments that may be helpful.
Alanna, Buri and Raoul where feeling a little helpless, they really couldn't help with anything, unless Thayet's life was put in danger, then would be their time for act. For now, they where given a month leave, and ordered back to concentrate on the growing Scanran threat. Jonathan, as much as he was concerned for his wife, could do nothing but run the country as he always had.
