Elena, along with her friends take to the skies with Skylar, Luna, and Migs and head to the northern coast where they hope to commission another ship to take them to Malvara. Mateo wakes up in better conditions than he'd expected, but under guard. A meeting with the Chief Magus of the Malvaran Assembly of Mages does not go well for poor Mateo.
Elena, Naomi and Gabe got very little sleep that night, if any. They agreed that they couldn't afford to waste any time as each minute they were in Avalor marked another minute closer to the doom of their friend. The night was spent spiriting around the palace, secretly making the necessary preparations for their journey.
Elena met with Skylar, Luna and Miggs and explained the situation to them. All three of the jaquins were quick to offer their assistance, knowing that the crown princess needed their protection and that the Malvaran threat was a true danger to all of Avalor. Miggs felt so strongly about it that he went directly to the jaquin elder to request that a contingent of their brethren be stationed inconspicuously at the southern border of Malvara, just in case they required further assistance.
Once the kitchen staff had retired for the evening, Elena and Naomi snuck into the pantry to pack the food they would need, while Gabe visited the armory. Knowing that they were bound to meet trouble, he was determined to make sure that they had a fighting chance, and being properly outfitted for a fight was key.
Gabe grinned to himself as he thought about how good a fighter Naomi had become. After the assassination attempt, Naomi had begged him to help her train to fight. She had hated feeling helpless while Elena's life was in danger and wanted to be able to defend herself and her friends if necessary. They had quickly learned that Naomi was completely useless with a sword, she just couldn't quite get the hang of it and was more likely to knock herself out than damage her opponent. She was decent in archery and great with a bo staff, but neither of those weapons were easy to conceal –– she couldn't walk around the palace with a bo staff slung across her back. He had been surprised to discover, however, that her real strength was in stealth and subtlety in a fight –– she was a natural when it came to dual wielding daggers and had picked up on the techniques needed to master the weapons extraordinarily quickly.
He made quick work of securing the equipment they would need and hurried back to Elena's suite. Just as he was passing the kitchen, he froze in the shadows as the door swung open. Elena and Naomi crept out into the hall, each carrying a sack, presumably filled with food rations. Upon noticing the figure standing stock still in the shadows, they both gasped and jumped in surprise.
"Gabe?" Naomi gasped, her hand clutching at her racing heart, "Is that you?"
He released a sigh of relief, seeing it was just the girls. "Yeah, sorry. I wasn't expecting to see anyone at this hour. I guess I forgot that you were raiding the kitchen!"
Elena recovered from her shock and said in a whisper, "It's ok, come on! Just one more stop. We need to go to Mateo's workshop before we leave."
"What do we need from there?" Gabe asked curiously as they crept along the shadowy halls of the palace.
"I thought we'd raid his potion supply. You never know when a healing potion or a restorative draught will come in handy."
"But you can do that stuff with magic," Naomi pointed out.
"True, but Mateo always says that the true strength of a wizard is knowing when to use your magic and when to use your brain. If we are going to meet with the trouble I think we will, I need to save my magic as much as possible. I'm going to need it."
"That makes sense," Naomi agreed. The trio hurried to the main library and tiptoed down the stairs and into the workshop.
Once they had secured everything they needed, they regrouped in Elena's room, making sure that their packs were ready to go. Elena drug out the chest of Malvaran gifts that Alejandro had given her. Rummaging through it, she pulled out the simplest dark robes and cloaks she could find and distributed the Malvaran styled clothing between the three of them.
"Who knew that these gifts would come in handy so soon?" Elena asked no one in particular, a wry smile upon her face.
"These are perfect!" Naomi exclaimed, fingering the fabric of the cloak she was given. "With these, we should be able to easily blend in with the crowds in the city."
"Yeah, these cloaks and a simple, dark colored pants and tunic should do the trick. That's what those bandits were wearing and what they kept in those crates in the caves."
As the Malvaran clothing was stashed along with the other supplies in their backpacks, Elena realized that there were only a few hours until first light, which was when they were planning to leave. She had wanted to get away from the palace before the staff began its morning work and before the risk of running into her family became unavoidable. Once Elena was satisfied that they were ready to leave, she insisted that they all three nap for a few hours before they set out for the great unknown.
–––––
Elena felt a vague sense of deja vu as she rode on Skylar's back, soaring over the jungles and towards the northern coast of Avalor. It hadn't been that long ago when they had been traveling the same route by jaquin. Only, the last time she had been sitting warm and snug –– her heart full of joy –– with her love securely in her arms. This time, the only evidence of that young man's existence was the sash around her waist and the hollow panic thrumming within her heart.
Gabe thought that, in the in the interest of avoiding the royal guards and agents stationed in the area, it would best if they maintained a low profile and avoided the villages while they were on the northern coast, so they decided to camp in the forest. Elena wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty, but she did love her bed and the thought of sleeping on the cold, hard ground along with the bugs and who knows what else did not appeal to her. However, she agreed with him and told herself that she could do anything for Mateo –– even suffer a few nights of sleeping on the ground.
The flight to the northern coast was uneventful. The jaquins landed on a beach that Elena thought must be about ten miles east of Pueblo Luzon. This stretch of beach faced the open ocean and as Elena slid down from Skylar's back, she stood there for a moment, wisps of hair whipping around her face in the salt-scented sea breeze, listening to the gentle roaring of the waves as they crashed among the shallows. Eyes fixed on the northern horizon, she felt that, perhaps, if she stared hard enough, she would be able to see where the other half of her heart was being held captive on the other side of the seemingly endless sea.
Elena and her companions got to work setting up camp. Naomi pointed out that it would be wise for them to camp under the cover of the forest because of the wind and the changing tides, so they found a pleasant copse of trees that acted as a perfect shelter from the wind but was open enough to build a fire. Gabe set himself the task of building the fire, while Elena and Naomi rummaged through their packs for the food stores.
Elena looked over and, seeing that Gabe was having some trouble getting the kindling to catch fire, decided to offer her assistance.
"Hey! Do you mind if I take a shot at that?"
Gabe looked up from where he knelt by the small fire pit he'd carefully constructed, a bemused look in his eye. "Fine, be my guest," he said, handing his flint rocks over to the princess.
Elena grinned mischievously and said, "I don't think I'll be needing those."
"Wait, you're not going to use magic are you?"
"I sure am."
"Have you ever lit a fire before?"
"I've lit a candle. It's the same thing!"
Gabe raised a skeptical eyebrow at Elena as he shook his head in disbelief and shrugged. "Fine. Lets see what you can do."
Elena sat on the log Gabe was perched on and gazed at the woodpile, focusing on the dry kindling and imagining a tiny spark catching within the heart of the fire pit and slowly transforming into a larger, manageable flame that would burn brightly and keep them warm all night long. As she concentrated on the magic and what she wanted it to do, she felt her mind drift slightly to the magic lessons she had been enjoying with Mateo for months. She thought of the very first time she had lit a candle and how excited she'd been. Her lips twitched into a tiny smile and her cheeks flushed the tiniest bit as she remembered hugging him so fiercely and how he had returned the embrace just as eagerly.
Elena scrunched her eyes tight as she shook herself from her musings, returning to the task at hand –– lighting the fire. She thought she had a pretty clear idea of what she needed the magic to do and was ready to will it into being. Just as she had released the magic from within, her heart was overcome with a combination of wistfulness and sorrow from the idea of never practicing magic with Mateo again. Elena and Gabe both stumbled backwards off the log in shock as the magic flared in her distraction and barreled out of Elena, hitting the tiny woodpile, and sending a massive column of flame shooting into the sky above.
Scrambling to her feet, Elena reached towards the flame, and cried out, "Stop, stop, stop, stop! Please stop!" as she focused with all of her might on reducing the pillar of flame to a small campfire.
In the blink of an eye, the pillar of flame vanished, replaced by a cheerful burning flame, dancing merrily in the gentle sea breeze.
"What in the world was that!" Gabe shouted as he got to his feet, Naomi and the jaquins had hurried over to see what the commotion was about.
Elena looked around at her friends, rubbing the back of her neck –– a sheepish grin on her face as pink flooded her cheeks –– and said, "Sorry guys, I– uh– I lost concentration for a moment. At the absolute worst moment, actually. But look!" she pointed to the campfire, "The fire has been started and no one has been hurt. That sounds like a win to me!" Elena grinned at Gabe who rolled his eyes and shook his head before turning and walking away, muttering under his breath something about "crazy magic users".
Naomi put her hands on her hips and quipped, "Hmmm. I wonder what could possibly have you so distracted?"
Elena gave her a sad smile and replied, "You caught me. It's just, I–"
"We'll get him back. I promise," Naomi said softly, but with conviction.
Later in the evening, once everyone had eaten their fill, Elena, Naomi, Gabe and the three jaquins gathered around the fire to examine a map of Malvara that Elena had found in Mateo's workshop.
"Do you know how far it is across the sea from here to Malvara?" Elena asked Migs.
"Hmmm...not exactly but according to the map, it looks like it will take at least an entire day of flying, maybe two."
"You guys can't carry us that long without rest!"
"It's not impossible, but it will be difficult–– and risky. Don't worry, your highness. We are willing to do whatever it takes to take down this threat to Avalor."
Elena continued to stare at the map, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she considered the options available to them. The crown princess was a bundle of nervous energy, between her anxiety for Mateo's safety and the high stakes risk they were taking by even going to Malvara, she couldn't sit still. She drummed her fingers on her knees as her toes tapped in the dust. Finally, she couldn't take it anymore and leapt to her feet and began pacing the campsite, a finger tapping her chin as she walked.
"What if? No, we need– Maybe? No, that won't work. I– hmm– Wait!" she paused and looked over at Naomi.
"Do you think it's possible that any of the sea captains you worked with the last time we were here have had time to return to Pueblo Luzon?"
Naomi thought a moment and nodded, "Actually, yes. It is quite possible. In fact, I think Captain Ortega will be the most likely to be at the port. She told me that the majority of her voyages were between the Northern Coast and Avalor City, and she should have returned from Malvara by now. It's been long enough."
"That's perfect! I suggest that we visit the Marposa tonight, if she's at port, and see if we can commission the good captain and her ship once again. She will know exactly where to take us and can give us an update on our Malvaran friends' fates."
"What if she's not there?" Gabe asked.
"Then we can either try and commission another vessel, though I'm hesitant to do that due to the sensitive nature of our mission or we can risk the flight. Both are high risk, but I do not want to risk Skylar, Migs, and Luna's health if we can help it."
"I think that is a wise plan, your highness," Migs said. "We are willing to do whatever it takes, but it is definitely smart to consider a safer alternative if one is available."
Nodding in agreement of this plan, Gabe examined the large cluster of islands that was the kingdom of Malvara. "So, which one of these islands are we heading to?"
Elena ran a finger over the map and said, "I think… this one!" she pointed to the largest island. "If Esteban's lessons on Malvaran geography are correct, this is the island where the capital city, Ciudad Oro, and the palace of their assembly is located. I'm guessing Mateo is going to be in that palace, but when we arrive we can scout the city and maybe find a resistance contact who can help us either get into the palace or get us in touch with Alejandro."
Pursing his lips in thought, Gabe didn't look terribly thrilled with this plan. "I don't love this plan. Wandering around the city trying to make contacts will be extremely risky. Malvara has closed borders, remember? Asking questions like an outsider will be a dead giveaway."
"Maybe," Naomi said slowly, "we can go into the city, but lay low and blend in. Just observe? Elena is right, we can't just storm into the palace blindly."
"That might work, but we'd have to be very careful. As it is, we already have to walk in from a distance because they just might notice us arriving by jaquin."
Elena was pacing again, and said, "Hmm...maybe we can get a ship to get us within a few hours flight. That way, there would be no chance of anyone in Malvara noticing a strange ship off their coast. We can fly in under the cover of night and find a place to shelter, the next morning we can… I know!" she exclaimed as her eyes brightened with the spark of an idea, "We can use Mateo's invisibility potion and my magic to sneak into the city unseen!"
Both Naomi and Gabe perked up at that. "Of course!" Naomi exclaimed. "Why didn't we think of that before? It's perfect! We can get the information we need and avoid detection."
"I think that will work! We just have to be careful with the potion so it doesn't wear off when we least suspect it," Gabe added.
"Mateo said the potion was pretty potent, so you should be good. For that reason, I can use my magic to cloak myself."
It was still fairly early in the evening, the sun had only set an hour earlier, so Elena and her friends finished discussing the details of their plan, put out the fire –– since they wouldn't need it if they were going to spend the night on a ship –– and climbed back onto the jaquins who took them back along the coast to Pueblo Luzon's harbor. They could see dozens of ships docked at the tiny port town. Elena hoped beyond hope that the Marposa was docked among them that evening.
The jaquins let them off at the entrance to the dock area and took flight to keep watch from the air. Naomi led the way as they walked along the quiet dock, examining the ships for signs of the one they were looking for. They lost hope with each ship that flew colors other than those they were searching for until– Elena's heart skipped a beat when she saw the very last ship, it was her! The Marposa!
The three of them approached the guards who were watching over the gangway to the ship. Elena once again felt that vague sense of deja vu as the guards growled at them to move along and Naomi informed them that they wished to parley with Captain Ortega. It took a little wheedling, but Naomi convinced them that the Captain would want to see them and would be upset if she knew they had been turned away. Begrudgingly, one of the guards went to fetch the captain.
Elena, Naomi and Gabe waited at the end of that gangway with bated breath, hoping that their luck would hold and that Captain Ortega was willing and able to help them once again. They didn't have to wait long as the sounds of boots clunked towards them. The guard had returned, Captain Ortega accompanying him with a bemused expression on her face.
She squinted towards the three shadowy figures standing in the dark at the entrance to her ship and said, her voice dripping with derision, "I've been told that I would regret not agreeing to parley with you. So, this had better be good." She crossed her arms and waited expectantly.
Elena stepped forward and said, "Captain Ortega, it is good to see you again."
Whoever the captain was expecting, it certainly wasn't the crown princess of Avalor. She startled and said, "Oh, I am so sorry! Had I know it was you, I would have given you a warmer welcome!"
"It's not a problem. You had no way of knowing. It is good to see you again too, however, we must speak with you about an urgent matter in private. Please?"
"Yes, of course. Please, right this way!" Captain Ortega gestured for Elena and her companions to follow her onto the ship and led them to her quarters below deck. Once the door had shut behind them, Captain Ortega bowed and said, "Your highness! Please allow me to apologize again for my poor manners…"
Elena interrupted, "Captain Ortega, please. It's quite ok. You had no way of knowing who we were since we didn't announce ourselves. Really, it's fine! If I had my way, I wouldn't let anyone treat me any differently." Elena grinned at the captain, who straightened and smiled in return.
"Very well, princess. Please," she gestured to a table that held a large map of the western continent along with various other navigator's tools, and pulled out a few chairs for her guests, "sit and tell me what it is that I can do for you."
Elena sat and got straight to business. "Captain Ortega, you have done me a great service once already and I hesitate to ask again, but this is truly an emergency. Would you be willing and able to take us and three of our jaquin friends to Malvara? I would, of course, compensate you well for the time and risk."
Captain Ortega looked at the princess, her eyes wide with surprise. "You want me to take you –– the crown princess of Avalor –– to Malvara? A kingdom with closed borders that is apparently on the verge of civil war?"
"Yes, actually, that is exactly what I need. Trust me, it's not going to be a vacation. We three are actually on a critical mission that will determine the fate of Avalor." And, deciding that the captain deserved to know exactly what she was risking and what was at stake, Elena told her everything from the dark ritual that was in the works to the kidnapping of their royal wizard and the theft of the priceless royal scepter. When she had finished her story, Captain Ortega was speechless.
"I know it's a lot to take in, but this has been building for months now and finally came to its peak when they captured my– er– Mateo yesterday."
"But, according to your story, if they capture you, they'll have everything they need for the dark ritual that will wipe out Avalor. Why are you, of all people going on this mission?"
"Because I'm the only one who can."
"And why is that?"
This brought Elena to the one detail she hadn't explained yet. Taking a deep breath and holding out a hand, she said with conviction, "Because, you need light to fight the darkness," and conjured an orb of light in the palm of her hand.
Gasping, the captain said, "You– you have magic! I had heard the rumor in Avalor City but didn't believe it."
"Yes, it's a little something I picked up from being trapped inside a magical amulet for forty-one years. I have been learning to control it over the past few month, and, now, I plan to use it to protect and defend Avalor from our enemy."
Captain Ortega gave the princess an appraising look and nodded. "Well, you've saved Avalor from a wicked sorceress once before. If anyone can save Avalor from an entire kingdom of sorcerers, it's you." Taking a deep breath, as if steeling herself for something, she continued, "and I will do my part to help make sure you do just that. My ship is yours, your highness. We'll leave with the tide."
Elena's eyes glazed with tears of emotion and brought her hands to her mouth. "Oh, Captain–"
"Please, call me, Mira."
"Ok, Mira, but only if you call me Elena," the crown princess said with a tremulous smile as she continued, "but, truly, thank you for being willing to put yourself, your ship and your crew on the line to help defend Avalor. You have no idea how much it means to me."
Mira bowed her head and said, "it is my honor to serve the kingdom, your highness. Now," she said brightly as she stood up, "I only have one guest's quarters, you and the grand councilor can bunk in there, and if your guard is willing, he can bunk with the crew. There are plenty of hammocks."
They all agreed to those arrangements, though Gabe seemed reluctant to leave Elena unguarded. After a bit of coaxing and encouragement from Elena, he agreed that she didn't really need guarding on the ship and let the issue go. Elena sent Naomi and Gabe topside to find Skylar, Luna and Migs, and help them get settled.
Once alone, Elena stood in the center of her room, feeling a mixture of emotions coursing through her, ranging from heartbreak to determination to relief. Heartbreak, knowing that her Mateo was still in enemy hands facing who knew what trauma because of her. Determination to get him back and save Avalor from a terrible fate, no matter the cost. Relief, that she wasn't alone in this journey. She had friends and loyal, selfless subjects willing to risk it all.
Peering at the endless expanse of ocean through the porthole near her bed, Elena fingered the fabric of the sash around her waist and readied herself for what was to come.
Hang on, mi querido, we're coming for you –– I am coming for you.
–––––
Mateo awoke in a dark room, his head pounding and an overwhelming sense of confusion as he tried to remember how he had gotten there –– wherever "there" was. As he attempted to sit up, the room tipped sharply to one side and he collapsed back onto the bed where he had been unceremoniously dumped upon his arrival by–
Malvara.
The word burst into his mind with the force of a cannon, bringing with it a flurry of memory. He remembered the ambush and how the ambassador led them to believe that it was Isabelle he was after, but –– really –– it had been him. He remembered being overwhelmed by the enemy and how his heart had felt like it was going to be wrenched from his chest as he watched Elena struggling to overcome the quaking earth to reach him. To save him. The devastation in her eyes –– that look would haunt him for quite some time.
Elena.
His heart hammered in his chest as he thought about the crown princess of Avalor, the love of his life. Malvara had captured him to use as bait because–– because of her love for him. And that terrified him. He knew her well enough to know that no matter what he or anybody else told her, she would be on her way to Malvara–– if she wasn't already there. He had no idea how much time had passed since he had been knocked out. Judging by the feeling in his head, he was fairly confident that they had drugged him. He was sore and knew that he had sustained several minor injuries from the fight and on the journey–– his captors had not been kind. He felt dirty, like it had been quite awhile since he'd had a bath, and his stomach felt as if it was gnawing on itself from hunger.
The last thing Mateo remembered was being bound and gagged in the mountains outside the city and then being magically transported to the city square where the ambassador used him to taunt Elena, as if capturing him the first time wasn't enough–– they had to dangle him under her nose like bait and snatched him away just when she had gotten so close that Mateo could smell her sunshine and vanilla scent. And then they were gone, he was on a ship off the coast with the ambassador and his men. The next thing he knew, they had removed his gag and shoved a flask of water in his face, forced him to drink, which was shortly followed by his passing out. He could remember a few times when he'd regained consciousness just long enough for his captors to shove a few bead crusts at him followed by that cursed water flask that would send him back into the arms of darkness.
Mateo couldn't understand why they were so insistent on keeping him unconscious. They were on a sea voyage, it's not like the location of Malvara was a secret and he couldn't run away. And then a slightly amused thought occurred to him.
They're not afraid of my magic, are they?
They had taken his tamborita from him back in the clearing and while he could cast magic with his bare hands, his magic was most effective with the tamborita. He needed that magical focus to really be a danger to his captors. And then he remembered the amulet Elena had given him –– she had picked it out specifically for its magical properties. Clutching at his shirt, he breathed a sigh of relief as the edges of the amulet Elena had given him as a symbol of her love, met his fingertips. He could cast magic just as well with this as he could with his tamborita, but he knew he couldn't hope to face an entire keep of sorcerers with his magic alone. He would have to lie low and play innocent until the opportune moment. And then, he would make his move to escape and try to find Elena before she could put herself in any more danger on his behalf. Besides, at that moment, he was in no shape to sit up, let alone escape his captors.
Mateo tried to look around the room from where he lay, but it was far too dark. Muttering under his breath, he stretched out a hand and conjured a dimly glowing orb –– he didn't want to alert anyone outside the room that he was capable of using magic. He was in a simple bedroom of sorts, maybe a forgotten guest room? Though the room was comfortable, it was sparsely furnished –– just the bed and a simple wardrobe. Three square windows lined the wall opposite the bed, and he could see that it was dark outside. There was a doorway on the other end of the room that Mateo thought must lead to the washroom. That was a relief. At least he'd be able to wash up once he'd recovered from being drugged.
Dismissing the orb of light, Mateo decided to rest. It was really all that he could do until he recovered. He dozed fitfully throughout the night, drifting in and out of consciousness. In spite of his years of training in focusing his mind and dismissing unwelcome thoughts, he couldn't shake the anxiety for Elena's safety that coursed through his very core. He was acutely aware of her absence from his life, so much so that it was almost painful.
Finally, dawn had arrived and a hint of light and color began seeping through the windows and into the room. Mateo gingerly sat up, thankful that his head had stopped spinning, and put his feet on the floor. Looking at the wall directly across from the bed, he noticed the shut door. He assumed that was the door leading to the rest of– wherever he was. Wondering if there was a guard outside the door, he decided to check.
Smiling ruefully to himself, he thought, In the words of Elena, what could possibly go wrong?
Grasping the doorknob, he pulled and was surprised when the door swung open. He was not surprised, however, to see an armed guard standing –– arms crossed, an amused expression on his face –– in the doorway and looking over his shoulder at him.
"Yes? Can I help you?"
"Oh, sorry! Er– can you tell me where I am? Aside from 'Malvara'."
"You are in a guest room at the Assembly Palace in Malvara."
"Guest room? Not dungeon?"
"Does this look like a dungeon to you?"
"Well, no, but why am I in a guest room and not a prison?"
"Are you a criminal?"
Mateo snorted. "Certainly not, but I'm a little confused by the treatment I received on the way here. You know, having been tied, gagged, beaten, and forcefully drugged. I just assumed that meant that I would be tossed in a dungeon when we got here, not a bedroom."
"Hmmm, I really can't speak for that, but you're a guest for now. Well, sort of. You can't leave this room without express permission."
"So, if I'm a guest, can I have something to eat? Preferably something without a sleeping draught, please."
The guard rolled his eyes, and said, "Yes, your breakfast should arrive soon. It is still pretty early, you know. But you will be taken care of. While you wait, perhaps you'd like to–" he sniffed the air, " –er, clean up a bit. There are clean clothes in the wardrobe."
Mateo raised an incredulous eyebrow and said, "Fine, thank you for your help," and shut the door. That was odd. That guard was nothing like his captors. He was very nearly pleasant and genuinely helpful. He shook his head and went to clean up, looking forward to a bath and a hot meal.
He wasn't disappointed. The young wizard felt a million times better once he'd washed up and found a clean dark tunic and pants. They were a little large for his slight frame, but he managed to use his own sash to pull it all together. The breakfast tray had been left on a tiny table near the bed and was piled with delicious looking, hot food. Hungry as he was, Mateo managed to take his time and check the food for signs of magic or added potions. Once he was fairly confident that the food and water was clean, he ate his fill. The food wasn't bad –– not as comforting as Avaloran fare, but still filling and satisfying.
Setting his breakfast tray aside, Mateo decided to settle down and attempt to continue his daily meditation and concentration exercises–– it wasn't as if he had anything better to do and he needed something to get his mind off of Elena. But, of course, the moment he had found his focus, He was distracted from his meditation as the doorknob rattled and his door swung open. His guard stood in the doorway, a mocking grin upon his face and said, "Your presence is required by the Chief Magus. I am to escort you to the Assembly Chamber, let's go," he eyed Mateo, who was sitting criss-cross legged in the middle of the bed, curiously and drawled, "We really shouldn't keep him waiting –– it tends to make him grumpy and we certainly don't want that."
Shrugging, Mateo slid off the bed and followed the guard down the hall, his mind racing with the possibilities–– what would the Chief Magus want with him? Whatever it was, it couldn't be good. He also made a mental note of the hallways they followed and the turns they made so that he would have a chance of being able to find his way out when the time came to make his escape.
"So," the guard started, "what were you doing sitting on the bed like that?"
"Hmm?" Mateo asked distractedly, as he was jarred from his thoughts, "Oh, that. I was meditating."
"Why in the name of the pillar would you want to do that?"
"Don't sorcerers in Malvara meditate?"
"Not to my knowledge, no. Why? Are you a sorcerer?" he asked, eyebrows furrowing suspiciously.
Mateo snorted, "Hardly, I am a wizard actually and meditating is an important daily ritual that ensures that I can work with magic safely and efficiently."
"A wizard, huh? Interesting."
"Didn't they tell you anything about the prisoner you were to be guarding? That seems like it would be information pertinent to your job."
"I am told what I need to know. I needed to know that I had a prisoner to guard, that's you. I don't see how your being a wizard affects my ability to guard you."
Mateo looked at the young man, eyes wide with disbelief and said, "Really? You're not concerned that I might use magic against you?"
"No. Why should I be? Don't wizards need magic wands or something in order to cast magic? You are clearly wandless."
Since he wasn't willing to reveal the truth of the matter to his Malvaran guard, Mateo had no response to that. He did not, in fact need a wand and could cause quite a bit of trouble for this young man, if he wished, but chose not to. Mateo did not believe that he would be able to get very far in broad daylight if the entire palace was on alert for the runaway Avaloran wizard.
Mateo noticed the architecture was quite different in Malvara than in Avalor. While brightly colored stucco was the trend in Avalor, grey stone masonry seemed to be the notable look in Malvara. And columns –– so many columns. The windows were much smaller and noticeably more…square. Though it was well into the morning and it was a sunny day, the hallway he was walking down was quite dim. Between the lack of light and the severe corners and edges of the architecture, the palace had a somber and joyless feeling about it.
Much too soon, Mateo found himself being led through a set of enormous double doors and into a long, cavernous room. Each side of the room was lined with tiered seating, presumably for the members of the assembly to sit when in session while the head of the room was dominated by a large throne upon a raised dais, which happened to be occupied by a man who Mateo assumed must be the Chief Magus. This man had the longest braided beard that Mateo had yet seen and long graying hair. A severe, steely look glinted in his eye as he appraised the young Avaloran wizard. Next to the throne sat a smaller, yet still elegantly constructed seat, and in it sat a younger version of the Chief Magus, but with a slightly less severe look in his eye–– Alejandro's older brother? The heir? A sinking sensation gnawed at the pit of Mateo's stomach as he could tell from looking at the two men eyeing him the way a predator eyes its prey that this was not going to be a pleasant conversation.
Mateo mentally prepared himself, realizing that they would most likely be wanting information about Elena and about Avalor. He wouldn't breathe a word to these monsters, choosing to protect Elena and his people with his dying breath if that's what it took. He was thankful that the ambassador had given him a reason to practice warding his mind against the effects of dark magic, so taking the information by force would be a near impossibility for them.
The guard led Mateo to the front of the room and left him standing before the throne as he took up a post near the tiered seating so he could keep an eye on his charge.
The chief looked Mateo up and down and drawled in a surprisingly slow, deep voice, "You will bow before your superiors, boy."
So it's going to be like this, is it? Mateo thought ruefully as he crossed his arms and raised a sardonic eyebrow, letting his body language do all the talking.
The man chuckled darkly, "You have spirit, I'll give you that. But," and he jabbed a finger in Mateo's direction, "you WILL bow!"
Nothing happened.
Mateo sighed inwardly with relief that his practice had paid off, but maintained his stony outward expression.
The chief looked puzzled for a moment and then chuckled again –– it was not a friendly sound. "Oh? Perhaps Avaloran wizards are good for more than bedding unruly princesses–– as my son led me to believe. Interesting." Mateo clenched his fists in anger at the implied insult about Elena's character as the chief magus tented his fingers thoughtfully together in front of him.
"This doesn't have to be hard, you know. You have information that we desire. All you have to do is tell us what we wish to know and you can go back to your comfortable room and wait until your princess comes for you. Or, you can make things difficult by not speaking and find out what happens when I don't get what I want. I promise, it will not be pretty." The chief magus eyed Mateo, every inch of his body posture projecting a malevolent aura.
Mateo swallowed, but maintained his stony silence as he glanced quickly towards the young guard standing watch near by. The young man watched the proceedings with a bored, aloof expression that reminded him forcefully of Alejandro's "in public" default expression. Perhaps wearing a mask was somewhat of a fashion in Malvara. Looking back at the chief, Mateo met his stare and did not break it. He was ready.
"My sources over the years have informed me that the crown princess, nor any of her family, had ever displayed any sign of magical ability until after the traitor, Shuriki, was defeated. Tell me, young wizard, how did the princess come by her powers? Did she steal them from the sorceress she defeated? Was she born with them? What about the extent of her magical prowess? How powerful is she? What is she capable of?"
Mateo took a deep breath and readied himself for whatever was to come. He would not tell them a thing about her powers. The less they knew, the more of an edge she would have when she arrived to confront them, and the more of an edge that she had, the more likely she would be to triumph over them. Steeling himself a bit more, he raised his chin in defiance and remained silent.
The chief narrowed his eyes and stood. "You choose to defy me, boy? You should know that I always get what I want. I've killed men for lesser offenses." Looking to the younger man on his right, he nodded. The man stood, a sneer curling his lip as he looked over the young Avaloran wizard before him. He stretched a hand towards the boy and narrowed his eyes in concentration.
The magic was quick. Mateo, gasped in pain as he collapsed to the floor, curled in upon himself and writhing in agony. He felt as if his very bones were on fire, electricity shooting from nerve ending to nerve ending. He couldn't think of anything outside the pain shooting through his body from limb to limb–– his head pounding as if it were in a vice grip–– he just wanted it to stop.
As quickly as it had come, the pain was gone. Mateo lay limply on the floor, panting from the mere memory of the pain.
The chief had begun slowly pacing his dais, hands clasped behind his back as he watched Mateo as if the young man were an interesting specimen to be studied–– it was disturbing how much interest and– was that amusement in his eyes? And his son! His son possessed a maniacal gleam, as if he was not only used to wielding his powers in such a way, but he actually enjoyed it. Mateo glared balefully at both of them from where he lay on the floor.
"You don't want me to do that again, do you?" the chief purred menacingly. "It won't happen again–– you have my word! All you have to do is engage in a pleasant, civil conversation with us and this will all be over."
Mateo continued to glare silently from where he lay on the floor and, knowing what was coming next, mentally prepared himself to endure the agony–– thinking of the pleasant feeling of holding Elena's warm, soft body in his arms and the peace and quiet joy he kept stored in his heart knowing that he loved her and that she not only accepted his love but loved him in return. He only prayed that he would survive what was to come and one day be reunited with his beloved princess.
Wow! That was a tough chapter to write! Especially the end! Excuse me, I'll just be in this corner over here crying my eyes out. Thanks for reading!
