'Are you alright Professor?' Ophilia asked softly, having appeared in the doorway of the room to find Cyrus collapsed on the floor - slumped amid pools of rapidly melting ice. Therion was hovering behind the Cleric protectively, his hand on her shoulder gently restraining her.
Cyrus looked up at her. 'Sister Ophilia.' He acknowledged. 'I can honestly say that I have been better.' He looked rather chagrined. 'I have also looked an awful lot better.' He added, picking at a large burn hole in his cloak.
Odette was watching the Scholar closely. 'What about you Ophilia? Therion?' she asked pointedly. 'You both took some really heavy lightning damage.'
'Oh my, yes of course.' Cyrus's brow creased into a frown. 'I'm really very sorry - I have no idea how I lost my control quite so thoroughly. I do hope I didn't cause you any damage.'
Ophilia had started moving towards him but Odette motioned her back with a tense shake of her head. Ophilia nodded slightly and complied.
'We're just fine.' She told him gently.
'Yet it would appear that your hands are bleeding.' He observed politely.
'Oh.. just the old damage, I knocked it when I fell. Nothing of note.' Ophilia was searching his face, looking for any sign of recognition of their relationship. She saw none - he just stared back at her slightly bemused and obviously a little embarrassed by her scrutiny.
Odette had made her way over to Therion. 'Where is the girl?' she asked him quietly.
'Prim and the Captain have her outside. She tried to get away.' The Thief grimaced.
'Can you ask them to take her back to the tavern, keep an eye on her. I think we need to keep her separated from Cyrus. He hasn't actually asked where she is or mentioned her at all but on the same note he doesn't seem to recall his attachment to Ophilia either.'
Therion nodded and slipped out of the room as Olberic and Alfyn made their way in.
'How you doing Prof?' Alfyn went and knelt by Cyrus, checking him over.
'Very tired and more than a little confused.' The Scholar sighed.
'Well I don't think sitting in puddles of ice is gonna do you any good.' Alfyn peered closely at his face. 'I think we can wait till we get back to the tavern to sort you out though, can you walk?'
'I'm not sure.' Cyrus took Alfyn's offered hand and got unsteadily to his feet, pressing his fingers against his temple and closing his eyes against a sudden wave of dizziness. 'Odette, we still need to search this house.' He said when he managed to focus again.
'We will get on that tomorrow.' Odette's tone was firm. 'We haven't eaten in forever and you could definitely use some rest.'
'Need a lift Prof?' Olberic offered. 'You're looking a bit unsteady there.'
Cyrus considered then agreed. 'My thanks.' He replied at the same moment that Therion returned and nodded to Odette.
'Okay then, let's get moving.' Odette took a last look around the room. 'What a bloody mess.' She lamented quietly to herself.
~0~
'Let me go!' Therese exclaimed, her voice painfully shrill. 'You have no right to keep me captive. There will be consequences..'
Primrose was scowling heavily, she'd had more than enough of the girl already. Therese had caused a scene when they'd attempted to walk her back to the tavern, digging in her heels and refusing to move whilst protesting.. loudly. Eventually Leon had simply picked her up and thrown her over his shoulder - grinning at her outrage and her attempts to bite, kick and scratch him. He was currently lounged against the door of the empty bedroom they had brought her to - still looking amused by her continued protestations.
'If I were you, I would be wary of raising the Lady Primrose's ire any further.' He advised with a chuckle. 'I very much doubt that in a battle of wills you are going to be the victor.'
'Quite.' Primrose said stiffly. She sat herself down next to Therese on the bed, her jewelled dagger twirling in her fingers. 'So tell me Therese, exactly what did you do to the Professor?'
'I didn't do anything.' The girl retorted. 'It's not my fault if he's in love with me is it?'
'Well, not if it's by his own free will. We all know that's hardly the case though.' Primrose leaned forward menacingly.
'I insist that you take me to him at once.' Therese ordered imperiously. 'He can tell you himself!'
'Oh no my girl. You will not be seeing him any time soon - in fact never again to my mind.' Odette had quietly let herself into the room and stood appraising Therese coldly, her mouth pursed in anger. 'Do you have any idea the problems you've caused?' she asked.
Therese glowered at the Scholar but didn't answer.
'Whatever you did..' Odette continued, '..You completely failed to take into consideration Cyrus's extensive elemental mastery and the sheer will and focus that it takes to manage such an ability. By messing with his head you have dangerously undermined his control.'
'I didn't..' Therese tried to protest but Primrose grabbed her arm tight and the girl shut up.
'The result..' Odette looked her direct in the eye. '..Well you saw the result first hand.. Honestly, child it was lucky you left when you did. Once you were out of sight he managed to get a grip, but he was damned close to over-extending and bringing the entire house down on top of himself and us.
Therese's eyes had grown big. 'I didn't do anything.' She whispered again.
'Hmm.' Odette mused. 'Actually, I believe you - there is no magic about you whatsoever. So I'm guessing it was Lucia who constructed the love spell for you?'
Therese finally looked scared. 'How did you..?'
'Well, it's pretty obvious darling. I can't see a man like Cyrus being interested in a sop like you without magical interference.' Primrose's grip tightened. 'You were the student he mentioned to us before weren't you. The one who got him fired by starting the rumours about him and the Princess?'
'I..I.. don't know what you're talking about.' Therese's voice was shaky.
'You might as well tell us everything.' Primrose said calmly.
'If you refuse..' Odette added. '..You will simply force me to cast a truth spell and we will get our information that way. Of course that's very tiring for me -but with your weak will I can have you singing like a bird in no time!'
There was silence for a few minutes.
'I didn't mean to get Professor Albright fired from the University.' Therese finally admitted sullenly.
'What in the hell did you think would happen?' Primrose looked incredulous. 'Even the hint of a scandal involving the Royal Family can be disastrous.'
'I thought he would just be warned to be a bit more distant with Mary.' Therese sniffed unhappily.
'Not very bright are you?' Primrose observed then scowled up at Leon who was chuckling at her words.
'Professor Albright knew it was me.' Therese admitted sadly. 'On the day he left Atlasdam with you he apologised to me, said he was sorry he hadn't realised I was jealous of the time he spent on Mary's study and that he wished he had encouraged me more. He still didn't get it. He thought my interest was academic.'
'If you actually knew him at all,' Odette interjected harshly 'You would have realised that his own personal integrity would never have allowed him to fraternise with a student, or even consider the possibility. He was completely clueless of your true intentions you foolish child.'
Therese shrugged. 'I wouldn't have been a student forever.'
'You would always have been vapid and uninteresting though.' Primrose muttered.
'Ouch!' Leon beamed at Primrose in admiration, causing yet another annoyed looked from the Dancer.
Odette was frowning at the both of them. 'So what did Lucia want in return for the spell?' she turned her attention back to the girl.
'Blood.' Therese looked unhappy. 'Lucia came to me not long after I'd spoken to the Headmaster about .. well, when I started the rumours.. She was kind to me, sympathised with my position and told me that there was a way I could have him love me and only me forever.'
'Royal blood.' Odette was thoughtful. 'Yvon said something about that before he exploded. Do you know why she wanted it?'
'It's not like she was particularly friendly once we actually got on the road.' Therese said sourly.
'You must know something.' Primrose gave her an incredulous look. 'Are you actually as dense as I think you are?'
'No!' Therese shot back. 'Look, all I know is that there was something Lucia and the Headmaster had been working on forever but it was only recently that they realised that they had been missing the right kind of blood to make it work properly. I provided it for them. Repeatedly. Then they hit another snag - their experiment in Quarrycrest was attacked so production was halted. Lucia and I travelled there and she ransacked a house for some stuff that had been taken from their lab, then she burned the house and all the remaining evidence.'
'Indeed.' Odette's voice was even. 'That was my house in fact.'
Therese's look of sheer panic was almost funny. 'I didn't have anything to do with that!' she qualified quickly.
Odette waved her hand. 'Carry on.' She instructed.
'Yes, right.' Therese suddenly seemed eager to help. 'We were planning on attending the Kindling, but when we arrived in Saintsbridge there was a load of trouble what with the assassination and Lucia got hold of information that the Professor was going on to Wellspring next so she decided to get down there first and wait.'
'Why?' Odette looked puzzled.
'She needed some items to create the spell for me. Personal items belonging to the Professor. She wanted to gather them before he got to Stonegard to ensure that the binding spell would be ready to go immediately - just requiring his blood to finish it off.'
'What I don't get is the attempt on Ophilia's life in Wellspring.' Primrose said quietly. 'What was Lucia trying to gain by that?'
Suddenly Therese looked angry. 'They were sharing a room!' she spat. 'When we took the items from the Professor's bags, the Cleric's pack was there too. I could hardly believe what I was seeing! I was so angry.' The girls fists had clenched reflexively. 'It was me that bought the bottle of spirit and took some random herbs from Lucia's backpack then delivered it, nothing more than she deserved for actually daring to...'
'You do realise that your actions killed two men?' Primrose said deceptively lightly.
Therese stared at the dancer in horror. 'No!' she breathed. 'I assumed it would just make her a bit ill.. Lucia was really angry though, said we had to leave straight away. I never knew it actually killed...Oh God's.' She moaned.
'So what happened when you got to Stonegard?' Odette motioned impatiently for the girl to carry on talking.
Therese gulped as tears began to spill down her face.
'It was really strange.' She managed between her sobs. 'At the University Lucia was the Headmaster's assistant, but when we arrived at his house it honestly seemed like she was the one in charge - she was really rude to him, calling him an idiot and worse - he seemed a bit scared of her.'
'He was always threatened by strong women.' Odette grouched.
'Lucia gave the Headmaster something she had promised him and that made him extremely happy but then she told him that their association was over.' Therese's voice became angry again. 'She set up some spell in that room in which we were trapped and told me I was the bait. She was to take the Professor's blood while he was unconscious, finish the binding then wake just me and him so that we could leave together. That was the plan. She didn't though. She left us there.'
Odette started to chuckle darkly to herself. 'Clever..' she finally admitted.
'What do you mean?' Primrose looked puzzled.
'I'm quite sure Lucia would have known the effect a mind spell would have on Cyrus. What better way to eliminate her loose ends? Him, Yvon and Therese wiped out when he lost his control and rained destruction down on them all. Very devious indeed.'
'Where will we find this woman?' Primrose was scowling deeply.
Therese shrugged helplessly. 'She has a place she keeps as her workshop and personal library - she mentioned it loads of time, called it 'The ruins of Eld' but I have no idea where it is.'
'I need to think about all this.' Odette was tapping her cheek.
'W..w..what are you going to do with me?' Therese asked in a small voice.
Odette looked between Leon and Primrose, then she sighed. 'For now you will be staying to this room.' Odette decided. 'If you start calling out or creating a scene I will have you bound and gagged. If you try to escape, I will be sending Z'aanta straight after you.. remember him and his very large dire wolf? Hagen will hunt you down and deal with you in his own manner and that will be our problem solved.. Remember that before you make any rash decisions.'
Therese gulped and nodded quickly.
~0~
When the companions finally made it back to the tavern, Ophilia and H'aanit went straight upstairs to gather the Cleric's belongings from the room that she had been sharing with Cyrus. They moved quickly, relocating Ophilia to H'aanit's room which had been a larger one due to Linde and at the Huntress' insistence stating that Ophilia still required help due to her injured hands.
Ophilia was grateful for the kindness of the gesture and the quiet support from her friend, but she wished she could have been left alone. The very sudden change in circumstance was killing her even though she was desperately trying not to show it. The past week had been hard enough with everyone treating her like she was made of glass. It was simple kindness and care from her friends but it gnawed at her and now even in the short time it had taken to return to the tavern, the sympathetic looks and compassion were already overwhelming.
'Can I come in?' Alfyn's head peered round the door just as H'aanit had finished settling Ophilia's belongings into their room.
'Have you seen to everyone else already?' Ophilia asked mildly.
'Yes Ma'am.' Alfyn grinned as he came in. 'I know better than to try and prioritise you Li.'
'I wilst give thee some space for thy work.' H'aanit grasped Ophilia on the shoulder. 'If thou needen me I wilst be downstairs. I wilst arrange for food for thou both.' She added before calling to Linde and leaving the two healers alone.
'So...' Alfyn said with a hint of disapproval in his tone as soon as the door was closed.
'Spare me Alf.' Ophilia grimaced at her friend. 'You guys were gone all night, we were all frantic by morning - we didn't actually know where you were, so I needed to locate you.' She tapped her head.
'Hmm..' his mouth was still set in a rigid line.
'I let Erry carry me and everything!' Ophilia grumbled.
Alfyn had taken up one of the Cleric's gloved hands, turning it over with his usual gentleness. 'Gonna have to soak these for a while, make sure there ain't no dried blood before we try and cut the gloves off.' He mused. 'Don't wanna do even more damage.'
Ophilia suddenly smiled, 'Why Alfyn, does that mean you are going to finally exact your revenge and bath me?' she started to giggle.
Alfyn's eyebrows raised and he snickered. 'Pleasant as that sounds Li, I think a bucket of water should suffice in this instance. I will get my revenge of course, but not when you ask for it.'
Tressa knocked at the door with a cheery holler and brought in the bucket of water that Alfyn had already planned.
'Look at me, all Apothecary assistanty and useful..' Tressa grinned.
'I was a bit desperate for some back-up.' Alfyn deadpanned then laughed and ruffled the Merchant's hair when she took a swing at him. 'You're doing great!' he told her.
'Your brother is being a complete pain.' Tressa groaned to Ophilia as she set the bucket down and helped the Cleric to settle on the floor by the fire to plunge her hands in. 'He keeps insisting he's coming to see you but the man can barely walk after the lightning blast he took. Also.. I told him in no uncertain terms the last thing you need right now is Captain Tragic bringing you down. I mean - he's nice and all that - but he is a champion at brooding...'
'I admit her bedside manner does need a little work...' Alfyn added with a chuckle as Tressa swatted at him again.
'You know what I mean.' She laughed. 'We have been completely outnumbered by old people recently. I reckon Ophilia needs a bit of fun tonight, rather than spend the evening lamenting her woes.'
'Then surely we are missing the chief jester?' Ophilia raised an eyebrow at her friends.
'I heard that your Holiness!' Therion grouched banging through the door with a tray resplendent with food and drink.
'Ahh, here he is.' She grinned up at him.
'I'm not the one sat on the floor with my hands stuck in a bucket.' he observed with a smirk.
Ophilia opened her mouth to retort but Therion put up a warning finger. 'If I were you..' he advised with a smile, '..I'd remember that in a second someone is gonna have to help you eat. Now Alfyn would usually be the first choice, but he's pretty mad at you for hurting yourself yet again plus he will definitely make you eat more than you want to.'
'Hey!' Alfyn protested when Ophilia nodded her agreement.
'So,' Therion continued. 'That leaves you with me or Tressa. Not a great option either way...'
'Yeah,' Tressa said thoughtfully. 'I'll step up if you want me to Phili, but I ain't sure I will have much patience.'
Ophilia appraised Therion. 'I've lost my appetite completely.' She told him straight faced.
'Not an option.' His smile had become unusually tender as he brought a plate over from the tray and sat down next to her. 'So do you want your daily dose of energy before or after?' he enquired.
'Who'd have ever thought Therion would win the prize for biggest sap in the room?' Tressa grinned at the Thief.
They were halfway through their meal when there was a polite tap at the door.
'May I come in?' Cyrus called.
Tressa jumped up and opened the door to him. 'What's up Prof?' she asked with just the faintest hint of hostility.
'I'm terribly sorry if I'm interrupting.' Cyrus managed to slip his way into the small gap the merchant had opened the door and scrutinized the scene before him. 'It's just I found this in my room..' he held up a hairbrush, 'Judging by the colour and length of the hair on it - I have surmised that it belongs to you Sister Ophilia, although I am frankly bemused as to how it came to find its way under my bed.' He added with a small frown.
'Oh..um, thank you Professor.' Ophilia blushed hard. 'Ah.. I guess, um .. I must have dropped it there when you..um.. offered to help me with my hair the other morning?' she half lifted her hands from the water bucket as if to illustrate her explanation.
'Ah.' Cyrus's face became frustrated and his hand pressed to his temple.. 'I do apologise Sister, I am finding that since my unfortunate episode of unconsciousness there are elements of my memory that seem particularly vague or missing completely.'
Tressa held out her hand and took the brush from him.
'However,' the Professor went on in a more cheerful tone. 'It is most certainly true that I find an enjoyment in hair management. It pleased my Mother greatly to have me attend to hers when I was a child. Please - if you find you need assistance again, do not hesitate to seek me out.' He smiled handsomely at the Cleric.
'Thank you.' She murmured, her eyes cast firmly down at her hands.
'Not at all.' Cyrus nodded at the others. 'I will let you get on with your meal.' He made his way back out of the door.
'Awkward!' Tressa exclaimed after she had watched the Scholar safely retreat back down the corridor and she had slammed the door shut.
'He is frighteningly astute.' Ophilia looked up from her contemplation of her hands. 'I don't doubt he will find evidence of me all over our.. his room that I never even considered when I packed up.'
'He doesn't seem to remember your time together at all.' Tressa was frowning. 'That's some scary bad mojo. No wonder he's looking so.. weird.'
'Ain't just in relation to Li either I reckon.' Alfyn said thoughtfully. 'When I was tending to him he was unlike I've ever known him - even when we first met. He's always been kind, interested and engaged in what you're saying to him. Guess that's what made him a great teacher. Today he was just polite and a bit distant like his personality had been sucked out and the rest of him was just going through the motions. Didn't like it one bit.'
'I thought we were supposed to be having fun.' Therion pointed out sourly, his arm sliding around Ophilia's waist. 'Do I have to do something outstandingly stupid already?'
'You're breathing.. it's only a matter of time anyway..' Tressa said smugly.
'Is that honestly the best you've got small-fry? Have I taught you nothing?' Therion laughed when she poked her tongue out at him.
'Let's get done eating, then I can sort out Li's hands, then we can plan fun stuff.' Alfyn picked up his fork again determinedly.
'Gods, when Oafyn is the mature adult in the group, I reckon we are all doomed'. Therion smirked.
~0~
It was well after midnight that Odette made her way upstairs to finally go to bed. She had spent her evening in her cup's both with companions and with her own thoughts as she struggled to make sense of what was happening and in planning a way forward. In all honestly she hated feeling out of control and she needed to get some clarity in place and soon.
Odette was not overly surprised to note a light still burning from Cyrus's room as she went past. At first she considered going and telling him to get some bloody sleep, but she shrugged to herself and carried on along the corridor towards her own door instead.
'Odette.' Cyrus's voice drifted to her just before she reached her destination. When she turned he beckoned to her. With an annoyed 'Tsk' she made her way back and ito the room he had retreated into, sure in the fact she would follow.
The first thing that struck her was the sheer mess, not only of the normally immaculate Cyrus, but also the room itself. It looked like he had searched the space in its entirety paying no attention to leaving things thrown wherever they landed. His desk was covered in scattered papers, all uniform in his own elegant handwriting but the paper now rather crumpled and random.
'What the hell happened here Albright?' Odette asked tetchily. 'Did you lose control again?'
'Odette.' Cyrus had been standing by the roaring fire, looking intently into the flame but now he stared at her with a crease in his brow. 'You are the person who singlehandedly gave me the opportunity to learn, to become a Scholar. Everything I have ever achieved comes back to that.'
Odette's eyes narrowed at his scrutiny and she opened her mouth to retort.
'Of all the people in the world..' Cyrus began again before she could speak. '..You are the one that I should..I must.. feel something for. Why don't I?'
'Ain't like we have ever been into that touchy-feely crap boy.' Odette said defensively.
'Odette,' Cyrus's voice had become softer. 'When it looked like I was going to completely lose my control back at Yvon's, you got everyone out and then stayed by my side. I have respect and .. admiration but I can catch no depth of emotion.'
'Well..' Odette was actually blushing.
'Point is, that got me thinking. I can find no actual emotion for anybody. Not my mother, you, my work colleagues or my companions on this adventure.' Cyrus was pacing now, his hand rubbing at his chin. 'This seemed unnatural so I started looking for clues.'
'Oh?' Odette swept another look across the devastated room. 'And did you find any?' she asked.
'Oh yes.' Cyrus stopped and looked at her again. 'Firstly I examined the only emotions that I can actually remember feeling. Ever. They both occurred today. Firstly there was an overpowering love for Therese, my student of all people.' He frowned. 'The second, and by far the more powerful of the two, was the overwhelming anger I experienced when Sister Ophilia accused Therese of trying to kill her. Both of these emotions make no sense to me at all.'
'Right.' Odette mumbled.
'When I came back here I could literally smell Ophilia as soon as I entered the room. Once Alfyn was finished with me I started searching and I found not only her hairbrush rolled under the bed but her hair in my bedding and on my pillows - her scent unmistakeable everywhere. And the overwhelming essence of her from this.' He held up the finger on which her little gold ring was sat.
'And what have you concluded?' Odette asked curiously.
'I really didn't have to conclude anything.' Cyrus finally sank into a seat at the desk and closed his eyes, rubbing at the pain in his temple. 'I wrote pretty much all of it down here in my notes. They are supposed to be my preparation for the telling of the Flamebearer journey, but honestly - they read more like one of my romance novels.' He looked up at Odette with pure misery on his face. 'I guess from this, I was very much in love with her and..' his eyes closed again and he shook his head sadly '..she felt much the same way.'
There was a long silence. After a while, Cyrus started to gather up his papers and stack them in a pile. 'I went to see her.' He finally said without looking up from his job. 'I took her brush to return to her. I guess I wanted to see if actually seeing her and knowing.. what I had learned would bring the feelings back.'
'I'm guessing it didn't.' Odette said flatly.
'No.' Cyrus's voice was so soft it was hard to hear. 'She was sat with her hands in a bucket, thanks to the damage that I caused her, looking as vulnerable as a day old kitten and the only response I could muster was to feel a bit sorry for her pain.'
'Do you know anything about the magic that was cast on you?' Odette asked suddenly. 'Therese called it a 'binding'. I've not come across anything personally but we think it was probably some kind of love spell.'
'A binding?' Cyrus looked up, his frown a lot deeper. 'That was completely banished from practise hundreds of years ago because of the dangers it..' he broke off thinking hard.
'What do you know?' Odette pushed him.
'There is a story that illustrates the dangers of binding a will.' Cyrus said thoughtfully. 'A nobleman fell in love with a widow, inherent of a fortune from her husband. The Widow had many courters based not only on her money but also on her striking beauty and her wit, but she quite scandalously decided that she needed not take a new husband and instead enjoy her life with as many lovers as she could manage. Our nobleman was angered by this - wanting the woman for himself so he organised a binding spell so that he could have her. The spell meant that not only would her love be 'bound' to him through magical means, she would be incapable of feeling such emotion for any other, thus ensuring her fidelity.'
'Well that sure sounds familiar.' Odette murmured.
'Everything went as planned with the binding and the two married, the woman's devotion set solely on him and he was happy, right up until the day she produced his son and heir.'
'Oh..Oh dear..' Odette said thoughtfully.
'Quite.'' Cyrus nodded at her understanding. 'She was unable to find any feeling for the child and in fact her jealousy that the man she was bound to loved their child was overwhelming. In the end she killed both the child and herself unable to reconcile her emotions.'
'Tragic.'
'Binding any mind is magic of the darkest kind.' Cyrus agreed. 'It is also a rare and powerful magic. I simply cannot believe that Therese was capable of such.. oh..' he looked at Odette suddenly with a half smile. 'I don't say that through any residual feeling for the girl. I seemed to shed that compulsion rather quickly as soon as she was out of my sight.'
'It wasn't Therese that cast it.' Odette explained. 'It was Lucia, she was working with Yvon.' She quickly filled Cyrus in on what they had gleaned from his former student. 'Can you fight this spell Cyrus?' she asked finally. 'Without killing yourself preferably.' She added with a smirk.
'Fact is, I can actually feel the compulsion in my head. A pain in my temple that is trying to distract my mind.' He sighed. 'Of course I can fight it - I'm aware of it which is half the battle won. How to beat it safely is the question. I simply can't lose my control in the way I did today.'
'You have to fight it though Cyrus.' Odette said quietly. 'Your care for others gives your moral compass it's direction. It's always been clear and strong but even more so with the gentle influence of Ophilia. I would be loath to see the very real damage someone with your ability could do if they were not restrained by positive feeling for their fellow man. You could quite easily become a monster.'
'I find myself wondering if that was Lucia's intent all along.' Cyrus mused. 'The 'love' aspect of the spell was very weak - cast aside ridiculously easily. Could she have hedged her bets in case I did survive? Morally bereft I could make a strong ally and she must realise that I am going to go looking for her.'
'An interesting point.' Odette agreed, 'And one that we could use to our advantage when we find her. Once you have actually got your emotions back of course.' She added.
'Quite so.' Cyrus agreed with a smile.
