Chapter 9
Jade woke up with a headache. She had only been here for six days and each day her headache seemed to get worse. She laid back down and tried to think what might be causing it. Her head pounded so badly she had a hard time thinking. Jade thought at what events were supposed to be today, which ones she had to go to and which ones she could skip.
She could have breakfast in her room but then Richard had planned to go riding and she had to go to that. It was strange, it was almost as if just thinking about Richard cleared her thoughts. She had been spending so much time with him that she hadn't been back to the library since the first day she had been here. She needed to find some time, she had promised Nathan she would. Her head started to pound again. Jade laid back down in the bed, thinking that later when her headache went away she would go to the library.
Later that day, despite her claims of headaches found herself on her horse, riding with Richard, Tavis, Ellen, and Brenda. Jade rode quietly on her horse listening to Tavis, Ellen, and Brenda's conversation. Richard kept looking at her, as if he was curious about something."Is there something wrong?" She asked him.
"No, you just seem quieter than usual." He replied.
"That's because I have a headache. I told you I didn't want to come." She said matter-of-factly.
"I was missing your presence. I needed to you to come." He wheedled.
Jade smiled and chuckled, "You would fade away if I didn't come?"
"That's right."
"I find that hard to believe." She scoffed.
"But I would. I don't know what I would do without you, Jade." He said pleading.
Jade smiled at him touched. She didn't notice their other companions looking at her confused, she also didn't notice that during the rest of the ride they kept sending her confused looks.
By the time they had returned from their ride, Jade's headache was gone but as soon as she went to go change out her riding outfit it returned stronger than ever.
She sat for a moment in a chair before Jade decided that she needed to go to the library and try and help Nathan. When she walked into the library her mind was so fuzzy she wasn't quite sure why she came into the library. Jade sat down at the table buried her head in her hands trying to think through the fog that surrounded her thoughts at the moment.
"Jade?" a concerned voice interrupted her efforts.
She lifted her head wearily and looked at the man in front of her. Blinking rapidly trying to get his face to focus, she finally recognized him. "Mage Williams, what are you doing here?"
"Looking for you. Ellen had voiced some concerns for you to me. And I wanted to see them for myself what was wrong. You are not doing well are you?" he asked.
"I have a headache that won't go away. I needed to find something in your library, but I can't remember what it was." Jade said distracted.
"I think I know what it was. Here take this book." He pressed a book into her hands and continued, "Go back to your room, and please stay there. I suggest trying some reading." He said vaguely. "Come on, I will escort you to your room."
Mage William quietly led her to her room and left her. Jade stood by her bed with the book Mage William had given her in her hand. She peered at the book but the title was fuzzy and she couldn't read it. She threw it down on her desk, discouraged. It collided with another book and knocked it off the table. Annoyed she went to pick the book up and saw it was her father's journal. She felt a twang of guilt because she hadn't read it since that first night at the inn. She picked up and opened it up randomly. Jade was surprised that she could focus on the words. She was even more surprised when she saw that the page she opened up to was addressed to her.
My dearest daughter,
I know when you read this, it will not be the best time to tell you this but there is not much I can do about that.
I know that you are going through a tough time. Your mind is confused…fuzzy. It is hard to think. But you need to find the reason for this. THINK! This is not a natural occurrence. This is happening for a reason. You need to find it. Use that sharp cunning of yours. Once you found the reason for your confusion the release is within the pages of this book.
You can do this.
With all my love.
Your father
Jade read through the letter several times, wondering what he was talking about. It was true that she was having trouble focusing but that was because of the headaches….. But the headaches were strange, the way she would have them and then they would disappear whenever Richard was near her. But what would cause that?... A spell?
What kind of spell? Jade searched her memory for anything like this.
For a while she kept coming up blank. But she kept pushing, kept searching until finally one spell appeared, a love spell.
A love spell- meant to focus everything on the person who cast it. Why would anybody cast a love spell on her? What she have to offer? She allowed her thoughts to stray as she leaned back into the couch. I wonder what Richard is doing? Jade sat up straight and said out-loud. "Now why did I bring up Richard? Could he be the one?..." She thought back on how the headaches started after she had come to this castle and after she had met Richard. But what did he have to gain from it? Jade wondered. Her thoughts were disrupted by a sudden throb of her head.
"Could my headache be designed to distract me from reaching the truth?" She mumbled.
She picked up her father's journal again and started to leaf through the pages. What did he put in here? She thought.
What could help me in here? She flipped through the pages, scanning each page briefly. She was about halfway through the book when she stopped and re-read through the page.
There is a High-Level forbidden spell used to give, the person who is the object of the spell, the appearance of being in love with person who cast the spell on him. Effects of this spell are terrible headaches, fuzzy memories, and can even cause memory loss of people close to them. The solution to dissolve the spell is fairly simple. A bracelet tied with a shipline knot, with purified threat to be worn at all times. If the spell is stronger than this simple charm can dispel than the next counter-spell goes as follows.
Jade looked up from the book and wondered if the bracelet would really break such a high-level spell. She set the book down and winced as her headache sprang up again. She walked over to her luggage and pulled out her mage kit. Routing around in it she pulled out spool of thread, she rubbed her forehead as she stumbled back to the desk with the thread.
Jade picked up the book again and set it in her lap because it seemed to have an effect on her headaches. She started tying the specific knot into the thread, it didn't take long before Jade had it finished. She looked at the simple bracelet with wonder. Shrugging Jade put on the bracelet and set the book down. She didn't know what to expect, she felt the same with the bracelet on as when she held her father's book. Jade paced the room wondering what she should do next. She didn't know why Richard was performing this spell on her. Should she just go home and just leave the situation? Or should she stay and try and figure out his reasons.
While she was debuting, Jade was interrupted by a knock on the door. Confused she went to the door and opened it up. Richard was there smiling at her. She faked a smile and asked him why he was there.
"I came up to get you for dinner." He replied.
"I am afraid I am not very hungry. I believe I am just going stay here and get some rest."
A calculating look flashed across his face as he pleaded with her. "Please, come down to dinner for me."
Jade felt a flash a pain as she said that. She made a quick decision to go with him and see if she could figure out his motives.
"Alright, for you I will go." She bluffed.
Jade let herself be escorted down for dinner by Richard. She tried to act as if there was nothing wrong… that nothing had changed. But Richard kept sending her searching looks throughout dinner.
By the time dinner had finished Jade was beginning to feel a little bit fuzzy again. She tried to make her excuses to Richard to get away but for some reason she kept letting him talk her into staying.
"How are your headaches doing?" Richard asked her as he led her out into the gardens.
"They are doing much better than this morning." Jade replied, "Thank you for asking."
"I am concerned for you, you are so beautiful." Richard said.
Jade found herself blushing, "Thank you, you are too kind."
"I am just speaking the truth." Richard said calmly.
"I am glad I came here. I almost didn't." Jade found herself saying. She wondered why she had said that.
"I am glad you came here too." Richard started, "It is almost like it was fate." He stopped walking and turned towards her, staring at her with piercing eyes. "I am glad I was able to meet you. Can you tell me about your home?"
"I don't know what you would like to know. It is a simple castle with a village next to it. The villagers are very nice, I have many friends among them." Jade supplied.
"A simple castle?" Richard scoffed. "How can it be a simple castle when it lies on two lay lines? Not many castles can boast about that."
An alarm bell went up it Jade's head but it faded almost instantly. She shook her head as if to clear it and looked up to see Richard giving her another one of his assessing looks.
"Tell me about the new High Mage." He commanded.
"Nathan?" Jade paused, hesitating for some reason. "Not much to tell, he is very bright and is falling into his duties as High Mage well." Jade finally said.
"I hear he hides his face, Can you tell me why that is?" Richard pressed.
"He has some bad burns on his face, so he hides his face. " Jade told the customary lie.
"Really? Is that really true?" Richard asked.
Jade looked at him confused, she wanted to snap at him for calling her a liar but found herself confessing, "I have never seen the scars."
"Hmmm." Richard muttered.
"Why are we talking about Nathan right now?" Jade asked a little panicked about his reaction. "Let's talk about something else."
"Then let's talk about you, Jade. How long are you going to stay with me?"
When he said that Jade could only feel a mild sense of alarm but she managed to get out, "I was only planning on staying a few more days."
"That will not do," Richard said with a smile on his face and narrowed eyes. "I need you to stay with me for much longer than that."
Jade shook her head trying to think of the reason why she needed to leave. But she couldn't think of a good reason for it. Why did she need to go home? She could stay here longer.
Sensing her indecision, Richard stepped in and said, "Please, stay here with me. Let's enjoy each other's company for longer." He pulled her into an embrace.
Jade shook her head again and tried to push away from him, but he just drew her closer. The closer she was the more she wondered why she was fighting. She relaxed and let him pull her into a prolonged kiss.
Author's note- Thanks for reading! Thanks for the review Feel4! Please tell me what you think of the this chapter and of Richard.
