~Chapter 2~
~The Mage and the Mission~
I ran from the room to the corridor that lead to the palace's eastern wing. Each door and joining hallway flew past as I counted the torches upon the wall. One...two...three torches-the mages' corridor. I had to find Master Ariol who, along with Numair Samalin was one of the few scholars attired in the black robes of magecraft mastery. Something was not right.
When I passed a third window, "not right" became terribly wrong. The flame that had once thrived on an acre or so had now engulfed the entire western face of the mountain. Lodges and farms began to catch fire, radiating flashes of gold before exploding completely. A thin layer of purple dust seemed to be falling from the sky and feeding each magical fire.
Ariol. The door to his workshop was in sight. Would he be able to explain this? Understand how the flames had spread? He's been my trusted friend since the first minute he arrived in Antequetine on a carriage with a hopelessly broken wheel. He had taught me how to fence and use a bow when my foreboding father had refused me the right to become a page. And though my parents were baffled by his so-called "naive notions", to me he was the only one who ever made true sense. He'd always been there...with and explanation for everything.
The ground gave another violent shudder. It was all I needed to remind me of what was happening. I grasped the doorknob, pushed the heavy wood ahead...and gasped. There, sprawled across the floor at my feet, lay Ariol, buried in robes dripping with blood.
"God's no!" I cried, half diving to the ground. My hand flew to the icy wrist. There was no pulse. "God's no! No! No!" The scream came over and over again, cutting the stillness of the empty passage. There was no question. Ariol de le Dequer was dead.
Suddenly, the wind gave a heaving roar. A shimmering glow filled the room as the hazy form of a man shifted into focus. It was the old mage, dressed from shoulders to foot in a deep jet black. He wore the flowing robes of mastery that he had worked so hard to earn, only now they were free of the blood.
"Marquerite." The voice was lower than I remembered.
"Ariol?"
"Yes. I am here. I'm afraid this is the best I can do. Marquerite, can you see me? Can you see where I am?" I was too stunned to speak. "It's all right, I just need you to listen for a moment." The tears could no longer stay back.
"But, how..."
"Hush." He pressed a finger to my lips. "This is important and I haven't much time." I drew back.
"What is it?"
"Now listen carefully." He began." This fire is not of natural cause. There is a plot, Marquerite, a plot only you can foil. This is your chance. You must leave the capital. Leave Antequtine all together."
"Leave? But-"
"You are our only chance...Antequetine's only chance." There was nothing more I could say.
"Tell me what I must do." I knew he was right. Though I knew not what it was, I did know that it was my chance. My chance to leave and prove myself to the world. My chance to help and to shine and to show all of Antequtine and Tortall what the little noble girl can do. My chance to fulfill my dreams. There was no time or need for further thinking.
"There is someone who will assist you." Ariol spoke once more. "She may be found atop the highest mountain of the realm in a small cave that will be invisible to the untrained eye. She has spells that your quest will be a failure without. Find her, Marquerite. Tell her you come with my blessing. She may deny you welcome at first, but on your fourth attempt of reason she will let down her guard. Do not yield. The gods are planning many things, dearest child, some not as pleasant as others, but no matter where you find yourself standing...I will be with you."
Another rush of wind drove the light back into the air...and he was gone.
**************************************************************************************************
"I will not differ!"
"It is time to take a stand!"
Comments, ideas, and insults flew their was across the senate chambers exactly one week after the dreadful fire. To me, it seemed each senate member thought himself wise enough to manage an entire country. Fortunately, my mother had managed to keep he wits about her.
"Gentlemen! This is no time for such antics! A proper solution must be reached before half of our countryside is laying in ruins!"
"Pardon me," The Baron of Teline came forward, his thick orange eyebrows coming together in wrinkled frustration. "But I believe you women should keep your delicate noses out of the business of men. Such "antics" as you say are only worsened when addressed by those who have no knowledge of which they speak!"
The wits were lost. " Well, pardon me when I point out how well a fief run by a female has done since it's beginning and how many problems have been occurring in a certain barony called Teline!"
And so it continued. On and on, for hours until I found myself threatening to nod off into a wistful sleep. I must leave today. I decided. No more time must be wasted. And with that I found myself more awake than I had been all day, plotting my evening escape.
*********************************************************************************
Later that evening, I dimmed the lights of my bedchamber as I began to pack. I grabbed a small, yet sturdy, cotton bag from the brearu and crammed in breeches, cotton shirts, dresses and shifts. I didn't know how long it would be until I'd see my home again.
I scanned the room once more before pulling the drawstring shut and changing into skirts suitable for travel. It was time. I dropped from the first story window into the thankfully empty courtyard. I ran the distance from the palace to the outer wall and passed through the unguarded entrance. The summer air was warm, the moon, bright, and the open fields, calling to me to follow their winding paths. With one last prayer, I began my quest.
*********************************************************************************
So? What do you think? Sorry about the cliff hangers and all, but I'm functioning on my muse's schedule. Chapter 3 coming soon!
~The Mage and the Mission~
I ran from the room to the corridor that lead to the palace's eastern wing. Each door and joining hallway flew past as I counted the torches upon the wall. One...two...three torches-the mages' corridor. I had to find Master Ariol who, along with Numair Samalin was one of the few scholars attired in the black robes of magecraft mastery. Something was not right.
When I passed a third window, "not right" became terribly wrong. The flame that had once thrived on an acre or so had now engulfed the entire western face of the mountain. Lodges and farms began to catch fire, radiating flashes of gold before exploding completely. A thin layer of purple dust seemed to be falling from the sky and feeding each magical fire.
Ariol. The door to his workshop was in sight. Would he be able to explain this? Understand how the flames had spread? He's been my trusted friend since the first minute he arrived in Antequetine on a carriage with a hopelessly broken wheel. He had taught me how to fence and use a bow when my foreboding father had refused me the right to become a page. And though my parents were baffled by his so-called "naive notions", to me he was the only one who ever made true sense. He'd always been there...with and explanation for everything.
The ground gave another violent shudder. It was all I needed to remind me of what was happening. I grasped the doorknob, pushed the heavy wood ahead...and gasped. There, sprawled across the floor at my feet, lay Ariol, buried in robes dripping with blood.
"God's no!" I cried, half diving to the ground. My hand flew to the icy wrist. There was no pulse. "God's no! No! No!" The scream came over and over again, cutting the stillness of the empty passage. There was no question. Ariol de le Dequer was dead.
Suddenly, the wind gave a heaving roar. A shimmering glow filled the room as the hazy form of a man shifted into focus. It was the old mage, dressed from shoulders to foot in a deep jet black. He wore the flowing robes of mastery that he had worked so hard to earn, only now they were free of the blood.
"Marquerite." The voice was lower than I remembered.
"Ariol?"
"Yes. I am here. I'm afraid this is the best I can do. Marquerite, can you see me? Can you see where I am?" I was too stunned to speak. "It's all right, I just need you to listen for a moment." The tears could no longer stay back.
"But, how..."
"Hush." He pressed a finger to my lips. "This is important and I haven't much time." I drew back.
"What is it?"
"Now listen carefully." He began." This fire is not of natural cause. There is a plot, Marquerite, a plot only you can foil. This is your chance. You must leave the capital. Leave Antequtine all together."
"Leave? But-"
"You are our only chance...Antequetine's only chance." There was nothing more I could say.
"Tell me what I must do." I knew he was right. Though I knew not what it was, I did know that it was my chance. My chance to leave and prove myself to the world. My chance to help and to shine and to show all of Antequtine and Tortall what the little noble girl can do. My chance to fulfill my dreams. There was no time or need for further thinking.
"There is someone who will assist you." Ariol spoke once more. "She may be found atop the highest mountain of the realm in a small cave that will be invisible to the untrained eye. She has spells that your quest will be a failure without. Find her, Marquerite. Tell her you come with my blessing. She may deny you welcome at first, but on your fourth attempt of reason she will let down her guard. Do not yield. The gods are planning many things, dearest child, some not as pleasant as others, but no matter where you find yourself standing...I will be with you."
Another rush of wind drove the light back into the air...and he was gone.
**************************************************************************************************
"I will not differ!"
"It is time to take a stand!"
Comments, ideas, and insults flew their was across the senate chambers exactly one week after the dreadful fire. To me, it seemed each senate member thought himself wise enough to manage an entire country. Fortunately, my mother had managed to keep he wits about her.
"Gentlemen! This is no time for such antics! A proper solution must be reached before half of our countryside is laying in ruins!"
"Pardon me," The Baron of Teline came forward, his thick orange eyebrows coming together in wrinkled frustration. "But I believe you women should keep your delicate noses out of the business of men. Such "antics" as you say are only worsened when addressed by those who have no knowledge of which they speak!"
The wits were lost. " Well, pardon me when I point out how well a fief run by a female has done since it's beginning and how many problems have been occurring in a certain barony called Teline!"
And so it continued. On and on, for hours until I found myself threatening to nod off into a wistful sleep. I must leave today. I decided. No more time must be wasted. And with that I found myself more awake than I had been all day, plotting my evening escape.
*********************************************************************************
Later that evening, I dimmed the lights of my bedchamber as I began to pack. I grabbed a small, yet sturdy, cotton bag from the brearu and crammed in breeches, cotton shirts, dresses and shifts. I didn't know how long it would be until I'd see my home again.
I scanned the room once more before pulling the drawstring shut and changing into skirts suitable for travel. It was time. I dropped from the first story window into the thankfully empty courtyard. I ran the distance from the palace to the outer wall and passed through the unguarded entrance. The summer air was warm, the moon, bright, and the open fields, calling to me to follow their winding paths. With one last prayer, I began my quest.
*********************************************************************************
So? What do you think? Sorry about the cliff hangers and all, but I'm functioning on my muse's schedule. Chapter 3 coming soon!
