Chapter 3: Sonea
Sonea stopped in front of the door and for the last time she glanced skeptically at Akkarin. She had never profited from appearing with him at the Night Room. However, exchanging a few words with Rothen might be worth suffering one more time. She will endure stinging comments and curious stares.
'We should show together from time to time' he said quietly to only her hear him.
He put his hand at the base of her back and pushed gently, encouraging her to step over the doorstep.
As she supposed the meeting room was filled with magicians to the brim. The sound of overlapping conversations carried under the ceiling, giving the impression of turmoil inside. She directed steps toward the place, which Akkarin took a liking to. Going ahead of him, she could hear as he responds to some greetings from magicians. Two of the chairs that stood in a semicircle were already occupied by Lorlen and a woman in green robes. Sonea grimaced, recognizing Lady Vinara.
'I see that you seem better now' she said to Sonea.
'Yes, thank you' Sonea responded politely, although in her spirit she had an regret to the healer that today she insisted on examining her again.
With a courteous gesture Akkarin showed Sonea the place at Administrator side. This was the same chair, which he put for her, when he brought her here for the first time after their wedding ceremony. He took the place beside her himself and after the usual exchange of pleasantries there began an very non-binding conversation. Sonea sat silently, listening to the discussion without interest and looking at the hall in search of Rothen.
Slowly the circle of people around them was getting more compact, and finally she was forced to focus on interlocutors.
'High Lord, we all wonder why didn't you punish Warrior for causing a scandal' Lord Sarrin said cautiously.
This is the case, which pulled Akkarin out of their bedroom yesterday's night, Sonea remembered, the scandal of which the whole Guild gossiped today. Even in her hospital and then in the Healers House she had to recall some of healers to proper behavior. After all, even she looked in once on the poor, frightened girl.
'This matter is closed' Balkan growled.
'I think it's worth clarifying' Akkarin noticed.
Superior of the Warriors fell silent, nodding his head slightly, and the other magicians started listening intently.
Sonea was still impressed by the respect magicians had showed to Akkarin. Of course she knew about this before, but only now she was able to look more closely at his interaction with people. On his side surprised her the polite distance with which he treated even the Higher Magicians. On this other side, there was often reserve and sometimes concealed fear under shown respect.
'They are very young and did not hurt anyone but themselves. They had the bad luck that something more came out of this. If it not for the child, we probably have not found out about this politically incorrect relationship for a long time' said Akkarin. 'And as for the penalty, it seems to me that the whole Guild punished them cruelly enough today.'
Sonea smiled to herself. Akkarin gave just moderate explanation and didn't miss the opportunity to scold magicians for unfriendly behavior to the novice and young warrior.
'It seems that even the magicians can screw up in this matter' laughed one of the younger alchemists.
'Nevertheless, allowing them to be bound, when a girl have not yet completed the novitiate, I consider to be inappropriate' said Sarrin.
'Such situations are not so uncommon in the Guild, as all you think. You should remember that from the days of your youth, Lord Sarrin' Akkarin replied.
Sarrin blushed and fell silent. And the rest of the magicians began to peer on each other. Sonea felt curiosity what exactly Alchemist had had on his conscience and recorded in the memory to ask Akkarin about it later.
'Moreover, they could get involved before Lord Destino graduated from the University' Lorlen interjected. 'As far as I can remember, only a year has passed since the young man won the title of the magician.'
'Yes, I took into account such explanation' Akkarin reacted. 'If Lord Destino had been older, I would have been forced to draw out the consequences.'
Sonea had the impression that everyone stare at her now. They all wondered whether their High Lord hadn't consummated his marriage before its conclusion and they would be very surprised if they knew that their High Lord had not consummated it at all.
'At least involves them the feeling' said one of the younger healers. 'Because not everyone is lucky enough to get married out of love.'
With the corner of her eye Sonea noticed that typical half-smile flashed through Akkarin's face. Unfortunately, in my case this is one-sided love, she thought.
'Well, love together with youth has its own rules' added Lord Balkan.
'Indeed' Sonea heard Akkarin's voice.
He was looking at her. Everyone else probably were also looking at her. If she had previously managed to stop blushing, now certainly her cheeks glowed red. Bastard, she thought, and by this one, single moment she regretted that she hadn't carried bloody ring with her, because she really wanted him to hear what she thought of his traitorous behavior. The hell with good manners, she decided.
'You're a bastard' she whispered in his ear, though it was rude in the company.
She rose, but Akkarin grabbed her wrist. His eyes glittered with amusement. After the manner his mouth clenched, she realized that he refrain from laughter.
~ I don't want to be drawn into such talks again – she sent.
~ You should know that it works in our favor.
~ But only you are still laughing at it.
Gently, so as not to make scenes, she slipped a hand from his grasp.
'I'm going to find Rothen' she said aloud.
Akkarin nodded.
Her newly recovered possibility of communicating with Rothen was her only joy when she came into the hall of magicians' meetings. When she asked Akkarin about this, he sighed and said only to remain cautious.
The former mentor sat at the diminutive table in the other corner of the room. He was alone, his gaze focused on the joined hands. He lifted his head and beamed at the sight of her as she joined him.
'What are you doing?' she asked.
He shrugged his shoulders.
'I'm listening' he said quietly. 'Sometimes you can learn very interesting things. Try the same.'
She laughed, but pricked her ears up. At first she had not caught anything interesting, but later she began to notice things that applied to her to a greater extent. To her and Akkarin.
'High Lord has recently became soft as a doughnut.'
'This is what a young wife in the bed does of a man.'
'Do you think he slept with her when she was still his novice?'
'He had every conditions to.'
The men laughed at a joke.
'I think, yes. Although you can never read anything from his demeanor, then if you had watched Sonea closely today, you might have noticed that she blushed when someone insinuated something like that.'
'I know, At first I actually thought that they were getting married because of the kid, but this one is still not seen nor heard.'
Sonea listened for a few next minutes, until she finally acknowledged that she had definitely enough.
'Sometimes I'd rather not listen to your advice' she spoke to Rothen.
'Yes, well… Sometimes people have funny remarks' he responded with a sigh.
'Funny? It depends for whom' she muttered annoyed. She neared to the older magician and lowered her voice. 'They even wonder if Akkarin slept with me when I was a novice.'
Rothen stared at her, knocked by her honesty.
'I do not know how you endure it' he said with compassion.
'I got used to it.' She shrugged.
'On the other hand I do not blame them at all. Fortunately, I don't have to wonder about it.'
'Rothen!' she hissed, because it seemed to her that the magician barely refrain from laughing.
He shook his head.
'Sorry, it's just, ah…' he sighed. 'It seems to me that this one time Akkarin was mistaken in the assessment of his brilliant idea. He hasn't foreseen some things.'
'What kind of things?' she asked with slight concern.
'Some people wonder about your offspring, or rather its lack.'
'Oh...' She smiled, reassured. 'I know and already talked about this with Akkarin.'
'Did you?' He was surprised.
'Yes. He intends to start a rumor that we do not want to have children' she said almost inaudibly.
Rothen nodded.
'That's good. For a moment I feared something far worse. Something against which I would have to protest.'
She blushed and he glanced at her worriedly.
'I hope he didn't force you to do anything.'
He always asked about it, so Sonea's embarrassment immediately turned into amusement.
'Of course not.'
Rothen shook his head and lowered his voice to a barely audible whisper.
'Sonea, something must be done there. I cannot watch how he wastes your life. You should have a real husband and children.'
She felt sorry that she couldn't tell the truth. About this I should also talk to Akkarin, she acknowledged. She couldn't live her whole life in a lie.
'Don't worry, Rothen. It's well enough as it is, for now. I have everything I dreamed about. The hospital in slums and people to help. Everything will eventually solve itself. And Akkarin is not so bad. He is actually kind to me.'
Rothen's eyes narrowed suspiciously.
'I also observed that. He is a great actor or he is up to something. The others still prattle about his intense love for you, unaware of terrifying truth.'
'Really?' she asked, perhaps sounding too overjoyed. 'Yes, he is a great actor' she added with a heavy heart.
'And I have to wonder every night if he didn't murder you in bed yet.'
'Rothen!' she hissed warningly through her teeth.
Sonea followed his gaze and saw that he is looking askance at Akkarin, who had already left his usual place. That meant he already tends to go out and actually when he had finished a conversation with Lady Vinara, he walked towards the door. Sonea wanted to follow him, but decided to spend a little bit more time with Rothen. Maybe she will be able to bring him on more pleasant subjects.
'How are things with Dorrien?' she asked.
