Midnight that night found them all still awake, sitting by the fire. Keren
was up and pacing; Kat was taking the kettle off the fire. Avery herself
lay in Damon's arms, shaking. Alder sat on the rim of the couch, massaging
Avery's back. The confrontation had left her deeply shaken. Even her uncle
Alasdair had accompanied them back to the suite.
A knock on the door broke the silence. Lissa opened the door and entered with Andrew. "None of the guard could find Tyrel. I put a Royal Order to find him. None of the mages could find him. He's gone. His room has been checked, everything of importance there is gone. We were too late. Obviously he isn't an Ambassador anymore. He, as an ambassador, openly made a hostile move against a citizen at Court that could result in major political repercussions. Humans are not infallible, but people of his rank aren't allowed suck 'slips'," Lissa growled.
"Avery, are you all right?" King Andrew asked.
"I- just a bit shaken, that's all. What is going to happen?" Avery asked.
"Best case scenario: we get another better suited Ambassador. Worst case scenario isn't pretty. He may try to get back at you, and he might increase the attacks on Emelis. He has a lot of power, and Tonnar is already anticipating our downfall," Alasdair said.
"We send letters to Emelis immediately. They must be warned. As for Tonnar. we can send them an ultimatum. They have been on the wrong side of the law long enough. We have to stop turning our heads from it. They had better stop the attacks and deliver a formal apology to Avery, or else we are going to send troops to defend Emelis," Andrew said.
"And meanwhile, you all had better keep a low profile. Tyrel might send assassins. Tonnar and allies of Tonnar's citizens may try to take personal revenge," Kat said gravely. "I am going to postpone all riding lessons, and instead give you self defense lessons."
"It's time that we practiced offensive magic," Keren added. "How long do we give Tyrel to send another ambassador?"
"The message will be there in the morning, thanks to the Fetching mages. We give him six days." A day after my birthday. Alder thought.
"If only we hadn't gone." Avery groaned.
"It was bound to happen sooner or later, and I'm glad we got the rat out. He broke the Mages' pact to not play around with the invisibility magic, and also not to use it in front of everyone," Keren said.
"Invisibility magic?" Damon asked, puzzled.
"I found a way to disappear," Alder said shortly.
"Lissa, Andrew, now we need to figure out how to cover our presence. Just us, I don't want any more people in on this. It's too important," Keren said.
"Keren, this won't all get fixed and figured out tonight, but we need the head start. Let's go to the Practice Room," Andrew suggested.
"Fine. Alder, Avery, take your sleeping medicine. I have a feeling it will help tonight," Keren said, and left with Lissa and Andrew.
Once Alasdair and Kat made sure they were all right and that all doors and windows were locked, they too made their departure.
"Avery, will you be okay?" Alder asked worriedly, as Damon headed off to his room.
"I won't pretend I'm not scared. Those from Tonnar don't stop until they have gotten what they want," Avery said darkly.
"I'm afraid too," Alder said, and got out two glasses of the deep amber sleeping potion. "Drink up, tomorrow is going to be a long day."
The creaking of Alder's door awoke her. Who would be here? It can't be dawn yet. TYREL. ASSASSINS. She thought, and panicked. Immediately she threw up a shield of magic and checked for cracks. So I can do that in my sleep. the thought crossed the back of her mind as she reinforced her shield.
"Alder, it's okay. It's Avery. I couldn't sleep," Avery whispered.
"Avery, come in. Are you okay?" Alder asked, lighting a nearby candle with her Fire-Starting. Avery's cheek was discolored and puffing.
"I'm. disturbed. I keep replaying the scene over and over again in my mind. I couldn't sleep, even after taking more sleeping potion."
"Come here," Alder commanded, and Avery came over to her. Alder reached out and gently touched Avery's swelling bruise, and began Healing it. Gary's lessons had come in handy many times already, as Alder often bruised herself riding. Slowly, the green tinge under Avery's eye left, and the swelling disappeared. Avery let out a sigh of relief. Alder pulled her down in moved over in the bed.
"Thank you so much. I feel much better now. Sorry to have woken you up. It's just- every rustle of a tree is someone coming at me. Every shadow is an assassin. I am so nervous," Avery said, and Alder could feel her racing pulse through Avery's cheek and she finished the Healing. She could feel her own heartbeat racing in the tips of her fingertips.
"It's fine. Damon put major shields around our suite, and Kat said that she was going to assign us extra mage-guards. We're safe here," Alder said, putting her gift of Empathy to a test. She projected reassuring waves of warmth at Avery, and saw her relax visibly.
"I'm more worried about Emelis. Tonnar is going to attack all of Emelis because of me," Avery said in a voice full of melancholy.
"They were attacking already. And Tyrel is just what you told him: a bitter and jealous old man who is deeply prejudiced."
"I wish that people weren't so prejudiced. My life is hard enough as it is!" Avery said, and began shaking. Alder pulled Avery tight against her body, as they lay in bed, projecting sympathy and understanding. Alder held her until Avery had ceased her silent crying. By the time she was done, she was so mentally and physically exhausted that she drooped into the pillow.
"Stay here. I think you'll be able to sleep now. And I could use the company. the shadows don't seem friendly tonight."
Avery sniffed, and whispered, "You wouldn't mind if I stayed?"
"Not at all," Alder breathed contentedly.
"Thank you, Alder," Avery whispered, and within seconds both girls were sound asleep.
A knock on the door broke the silence. Lissa opened the door and entered with Andrew. "None of the guard could find Tyrel. I put a Royal Order to find him. None of the mages could find him. He's gone. His room has been checked, everything of importance there is gone. We were too late. Obviously he isn't an Ambassador anymore. He, as an ambassador, openly made a hostile move against a citizen at Court that could result in major political repercussions. Humans are not infallible, but people of his rank aren't allowed suck 'slips'," Lissa growled.
"Avery, are you all right?" King Andrew asked.
"I- just a bit shaken, that's all. What is going to happen?" Avery asked.
"Best case scenario: we get another better suited Ambassador. Worst case scenario isn't pretty. He may try to get back at you, and he might increase the attacks on Emelis. He has a lot of power, and Tonnar is already anticipating our downfall," Alasdair said.
"We send letters to Emelis immediately. They must be warned. As for Tonnar. we can send them an ultimatum. They have been on the wrong side of the law long enough. We have to stop turning our heads from it. They had better stop the attacks and deliver a formal apology to Avery, or else we are going to send troops to defend Emelis," Andrew said.
"And meanwhile, you all had better keep a low profile. Tyrel might send assassins. Tonnar and allies of Tonnar's citizens may try to take personal revenge," Kat said gravely. "I am going to postpone all riding lessons, and instead give you self defense lessons."
"It's time that we practiced offensive magic," Keren added. "How long do we give Tyrel to send another ambassador?"
"The message will be there in the morning, thanks to the Fetching mages. We give him six days." A day after my birthday. Alder thought.
"If only we hadn't gone." Avery groaned.
"It was bound to happen sooner or later, and I'm glad we got the rat out. He broke the Mages' pact to not play around with the invisibility magic, and also not to use it in front of everyone," Keren said.
"Invisibility magic?" Damon asked, puzzled.
"I found a way to disappear," Alder said shortly.
"Lissa, Andrew, now we need to figure out how to cover our presence. Just us, I don't want any more people in on this. It's too important," Keren said.
"Keren, this won't all get fixed and figured out tonight, but we need the head start. Let's go to the Practice Room," Andrew suggested.
"Fine. Alder, Avery, take your sleeping medicine. I have a feeling it will help tonight," Keren said, and left with Lissa and Andrew.
Once Alasdair and Kat made sure they were all right and that all doors and windows were locked, they too made their departure.
"Avery, will you be okay?" Alder asked worriedly, as Damon headed off to his room.
"I won't pretend I'm not scared. Those from Tonnar don't stop until they have gotten what they want," Avery said darkly.
"I'm afraid too," Alder said, and got out two glasses of the deep amber sleeping potion. "Drink up, tomorrow is going to be a long day."
The creaking of Alder's door awoke her. Who would be here? It can't be dawn yet. TYREL. ASSASSINS. She thought, and panicked. Immediately she threw up a shield of magic and checked for cracks. So I can do that in my sleep. the thought crossed the back of her mind as she reinforced her shield.
"Alder, it's okay. It's Avery. I couldn't sleep," Avery whispered.
"Avery, come in. Are you okay?" Alder asked, lighting a nearby candle with her Fire-Starting. Avery's cheek was discolored and puffing.
"I'm. disturbed. I keep replaying the scene over and over again in my mind. I couldn't sleep, even after taking more sleeping potion."
"Come here," Alder commanded, and Avery came over to her. Alder reached out and gently touched Avery's swelling bruise, and began Healing it. Gary's lessons had come in handy many times already, as Alder often bruised herself riding. Slowly, the green tinge under Avery's eye left, and the swelling disappeared. Avery let out a sigh of relief. Alder pulled her down in moved over in the bed.
"Thank you so much. I feel much better now. Sorry to have woken you up. It's just- every rustle of a tree is someone coming at me. Every shadow is an assassin. I am so nervous," Avery said, and Alder could feel her racing pulse through Avery's cheek and she finished the Healing. She could feel her own heartbeat racing in the tips of her fingertips.
"It's fine. Damon put major shields around our suite, and Kat said that she was going to assign us extra mage-guards. We're safe here," Alder said, putting her gift of Empathy to a test. She projected reassuring waves of warmth at Avery, and saw her relax visibly.
"I'm more worried about Emelis. Tonnar is going to attack all of Emelis because of me," Avery said in a voice full of melancholy.
"They were attacking already. And Tyrel is just what you told him: a bitter and jealous old man who is deeply prejudiced."
"I wish that people weren't so prejudiced. My life is hard enough as it is!" Avery said, and began shaking. Alder pulled Avery tight against her body, as they lay in bed, projecting sympathy and understanding. Alder held her until Avery had ceased her silent crying. By the time she was done, she was so mentally and physically exhausted that she drooped into the pillow.
"Stay here. I think you'll be able to sleep now. And I could use the company. the shadows don't seem friendly tonight."
Avery sniffed, and whispered, "You wouldn't mind if I stayed?"
"Not at all," Alder breathed contentedly.
"Thank you, Alder," Avery whispered, and within seconds both girls were sound asleep.