Sorry y'all! Who knew that teaching tenagers their algebra could be such hard work? Anyways, summer's almost here so I should be able to write a lot more then. Thanks to those of your who reviewed! I really apprecieate it. )

Chapter 6

Rydan bowed before his king and father, "What is it you required, my lord?" he asked keeping his eyes to the floor. Ambitious he may be, but stupid he was not. To show any sign of ambition or the slightest inkling of rebellion would be the end of him. He knew his father too well to allow himself to slip even the minutest amount.

"Sit." Rydan sat in the chair across from his father. They were in his study so that meant that while this meeting was important, it was not entirely formal.

"I wished to discuss your consort."

Rydan snorted, "What about her did you wish to discuss?"

The king laughed silkily, "From your reaction, I take it you are not pleased? You do know that even as the king of this realm, I am not above the law. She is far and away the strongest mage-girl of age. The strength of the magic she holds has not been seen since the days of…" his voice trailed off leaving the rest of the sentence unspoken but understood.

Rydan pushed himself out of the chair and began to pace the rug leading from his father's desk to the carved mahogany doors through which he had just entered. "How can I possibly stand one moment of marriage to a mere girl. A…a child who has grown up in the wilds! She already stands out among the court. Kyrahm says that he's been educating her in courtly manners, but she shows little improvement. While I will admit that she's attractive enough. She cannot converse with any of the nobility without offending them in some way or another. She shows the barest hint of civility when dining, and least of all is her inability to keep her own servants in line, " Rydan turned back to his father, "She will be nothing but an embarrassment regardless her potential as a mage. Assuming she manages to not seriously insult any of the courtiers and actually lives through the next year."

Before he could get any further in his rant the king stood, "You will remove that thought from your mind before I remove it for you!" he roared.

Rydan sat abruptly again.

"Gods, to imagine you are my heir," Corez threw his hands into the air, "Have you learned no magic at all boy! I know you may not care for the wench, but she is attractive enough, even you admit that, and at best, in a year she will be a partially trained mage. If you can't control a 'child', as you call her, you will never be able to control a kingdom. Dammit boy, all you need her for is an heir. Preferably two, in case, but other than that, what you do with her is your decision. However, you will marry her, and you will father a child upon her."

Rydan nodded absentmindedly. He heard his father, but he was deep in thought. He wanted nothing to do with the girl. Yes, she was attractive, but that did not mean that he wanted to marry her. He had to think of a way to be rid of her.

Corez watched his eldest son. He knew the ideas that were flowing through his mind without even having to try to read it. Corez knew he son well and knew what his son's tastes were. As long as he chose his past-times from the servants or the girls in the town, he would overlook it. Every man deserved a little fun now and again, but Rydan would have to take care with his "wife". Any outward signs of damage would immediately put suspicion on him, and her death, well it would have to be planned carefully. Corez knew that Rydan had no intentions of staying married to the chit, but Corez had every intention of ensuring that his son did go through with the marriage in the first place. With plans half formed, Corez left his study. The business of running a kingdom waited on no one.

Glancing around to make sure he wasn't being watched, Rydan quickly cast a spell, a simple yet effective spell that would mask his movements. Essentially, it caused anyone who looked at him to dismiss him from their memories, and as long as he didn't draw attention to himself purposely, no one would remember him passing. Quickly he ducked through a servant's hallway and found himself in kitchens. Grabbing a simple cloak from a peg near a doorway and began the short trek into the town surrounding the castle.

Darek was a simple, elderly barkeep. He wasn't strong enough to push away any of the rougher clientle, but that's not why he was hired in the first place. No, he was hired because he could sense the thoughts and feelings of others. He may not have been able to knock heads together, but he kept the peace in this tavern. Anyone who wanted to start a fight or proposition the wrong person quickly found himself hauled to his feet and show the door. Right now Darek watched a pair of men who had tucked themselves at a table in the darkest corner of the room. One man was cloaked head to toe in a fabric that just didn't fit in down here. He couldn't place his finger on why, but he just knew it was out of place. The other man, however, was a usual customer, and not a savory one at that. Darek knew the man said that he was a day laborer picking up odd jobs wherever he could, but he'd never believed that. The man carried one too many scars for that line of work.

The men were deep in conversation. Darek could sense the maliciousness in their thoughts, but he couldn't discern who it was directed towards. The cloaked man fairly dripped with hatred, and try as much as he might, Darek just couldn't read him. The men reached an agreement and the cloaked man passed a small bag to the other, and as it was pocketed, Darek heard the familiar chink of coins. They stood, and Darek's customer left while the cloaked man approached him.

"Can I git ye anythin'?" Darek asked.

"No." the man replied and reached out to touch him. A wave of darkness washed over him leaving emptiness in its wake.

The wave passed, and Darek shook his head to clear it. There was something he needed to remember, but couldn't place his finger on it. Well, if it was important he'd remember it. Noticing a pair of empty mugs on a table in the back corner, he grabbed a rag from under the bar and went to retrieve the errant glasses.

As summer burned itself out, Rhyanna fell into pace with the world around her. She still did not understand her world, but she at least knew how to avoid many of its traps. Her days were mostly a blur of lessons. When she awoke, Ella would dress her for the day and she would bring her breakfast. From there it was mage lessons until Ella brought lunch. At least Kyrahm would only quiz her about various intricacies of magic during the meal rather than asking her to perform them. After that he would drill her in "courtly" manners until she had regained her energy and then it was back to mage practice until she became so weak that she could hardly keep her shields up.

She had to give him credit for being beyond patient and an excellent judge of her skills. He would push her to the point of collapse but not one iota further. In fact he'd been completely distant and formal with her since she had learned that she was to marry his brother. Not that she could blame him. What kind of man would steal his brother's future wife. Somehow Rhyanna found herself wishing he would, but if he did would he still be the kind of man he was? She shook her head. She was only chasing her own tail in these thoughts, and they were doing nothing but distracting her from the task at hand. Her escape.

:At it again are you: a voice purred in her mind.

:What is it to you: she replied

The voice laughed. This wasn't the first time he'd peeked into her thoughts while she was trying to get out of this place. She didn't fit and as much as she enjoyed the lessons, she knew their ultimate goal was to train her into a proper wife for a man who had brutally raped her only friend.

:You know that you can not leave this place. He tracks your every movement and will know the moment you leave your room.:

Rhyanna had actually tried to run away once before. In fact, it was that same night that she'd learned the purpose of her being here. Not knowing where she was going she'd wandered from hall to hall looking for any door that led outside. Unfortunatly she had not thought beyond getting outside and no soon had she found a door to her freedom then a guard had snatched her from behind. She kicked and screamed to be let go, but she was no match for a trained fighter. He had hauled her, screaming the whole way, back to her room where Kyrahm was awaiting her. He was angry beyond reason and lectured her as if she were a simpleton who had just killed his favorite pet. Since then he'd placed a magical tracking charm on her. Now if she moved a single step out of her permitted areas, Kyrahm would be alerted and he had promised that he would not be so gentle on her a second time. The fury in his voice had stopped her from acting, but they couldn't stop her from planning.

:So are you going to tell me who you are now: Rhyanna asked, changing the subject.

He laughed again:Do you ever ask new questions:

:Not until I get the answers to the old one.: she teased.

Oddly enough Rhyanna had developed an easy friendship with the owner of the voice in her head. Somehow, she knew she could trust him and he would never lead her astray. She felt he slip from her mind once more, and now thoroughly distracted from her plans of escape, Rhyanna sighed and snuggled herself further under the covers of her bed. For all that this life was comfortable, it all paled to the simplicity of freedom.

:RHYANNA!:

Rhyanna's eyes flew open at the mental shout. Pain blossomed in her chest. Dumbly, she looked down to see the moonlight from her window gleaming off of the hilt of a small dagger protruding from her chest, just below her left collarbone. Darkness clouded her vision as pain overwhelmed her consciousness drowning her in a deep abyss.

Someone was flinging himself against his shielding frantically. Kyrahm looked up from his book, as if he were searching for an intruder, but this intruder was a magical one not physical. Kyrahm reinforced his shielding reflexively, but the intruder doubled his efforts taking out his shields as if they were naught but the thinnest of veils. After another few moments of struggle, the intruder broke through. Kyrahm readied himself for battle, adrenaline fueling his magic.

:Rhyanna needs you, NOW!: the intruder shouted into his mind and then he was gone. Kyrahm had no idea who this could have been. No one could have torn through his shields like that, but now was not the time to debate events that has already happened. Kyrahm leapt from his chair and threw himself down the familiar halls to Rhyanna's suite.

Her door was locked. Forcing himself to calm down, Kyrahm knocked. After all, who's to say that his mysterious visitor had been telling the truth. No answer. He knocked louder, still nothing. Now he was sure something was wrong. Calling on his fears, Kyrahm magically cut through the locks on the door. Shoving the door open he saw Rhyanna slumped in her bed as if she were asleep. It was only the spreading crimson stain and the hilt protruding from her chest that told him otherwise. Rushing to her Kyrahm felt her neck for a heartbeat. After a long moment he found it. Very weak, but there. She was still alive, but not for much longer. There was no way he'd get to a healer fast enough. Nearly in tears, Kyrahm felt the intruder in his mind once more.

:Boy, you have the strength to heal her and I have the skills. Let me fully into your mind and we can heal her together.:

:How do I know you're not the one who did this to her?:

:I would never do anything to harm a Anhline heir, but you will just have to trust me. If you do not, she will die.:

Without healing she would surely die, that much was true, but was he willing to risk losing his own life in trusting that this stranger would heal her? Yes, his mind answer for him.

Kyrahm dropped all of his shields, and felt the intruder take over his mind. His own consciousness withdrew to a corner of his mind and allowed the intruder to take control of him. He watched as he placed his hands over the hilt sticking out of Rhyanna's chest. A soft golden glow covered his hands and leeched over Rhyanna's chest. He could sense a great age from the intruder, he, whatever he was, was ancient.

Join us again next time...same bat time, same bat channel. Oh wait...sorry, wrong story. Hehe! Hope you enjoyed this chappie.