He sat in his office, a large glass plate propped up in front of him. The
edges of the glass were laced in blood-red magic. He muttered, "Queen
Lissa." Images appeared in the glass of the Council Chamber, of an
apprehensive Queen Lissa, her anxious consort Andrew, and some worried
Council members.
Both parties had a spelled glass plate that allowed them to hold conferences long distance magically. Lissa noticed the connection, and turned to her glass. She nodded her head in acknowledgement, and he did the same.
"Lissa. I am sure that you know of the current situation," Aidan said, avoiding formality. Lissa would never rule him. She was not his Queen. Someday he would sit upon her pretty throne.
"The lady Avery is missing, taken from her room in the middle of the night. Who are you?"
"Master Adept Aidan. She is safe in my holding, for now. And don't even try to put us under siege. Tonnar has an army larger than the Royal Army."
"You do realize that this is a crime punishable by life imprisonment. What do you ask in return for Avery?"
"Death is not enough to confine me. In return for Avery, I ask for the rights to Emelis, and everything in it," he said matter-of-factly.
"That is unheard of! You can't possibly expect the Crown to give you the whole Emelis estate," Lissa said, her voice edging on hysteria.
"I can, and do. I am going to have it with or without your 'permission'. I just think it would be easier for you to give it up now, before people get hurt," Aidan said, and glared at Lissa. "I'll give you some time to consider it," Aidan said, and severed the connection. The last thing he saw of the Council Chamber was a gaping Lissa, an angry Andrew, and exasperated Council members expressing their outrage.
Yes, the ransom is high. The girl for all the rights to Emelis. and everything in it. But it should have been ours to begin with. We just took the law into our own hands. All my people want is justice, and I am giving it to them. I am giving them more than they could ever have wished for. An army bigger than the Royal Army itself, and power.
Even if she doesn't give me Emelis, I am going to have it. The troupes from Daria are larger and more powerful than even I had expected. The combined force will be enough to overthrow the Queen herself.
Will I even give Avery up? She makes a good toy. Aidan thought, and pushed his chair back to stand up. I'll go check on her now.
Alder searched the room for any possible escape, but there was none. She considered spelling Avery to become feather-light, and then making both of them invisible. She could carry Avery out, but it would be so hard to avoid all the people in the hallways, without bringing attention to the sounds that her feet made.
She began to think that the situation was hopeless. She had tried to break the shield in Avery's mind without causing any damage to Avery, but found that the shield was too strong to break without shattering her mind.
She had tried desperately to call Avery back to her, but it hadn't worked. Avery hadn't shown any sign of progress. Alder had tried sending emotions through their Lifebond, but she never received the waves back.
The door unexpectedly opened behind her, but it was too fast for her to banish her ice-blue Mage-Light. She left the Mage-Light out. The damage had already been done, and she at least would be able to see who was there. She abruptly turned to face the door, and her jaw dropped.
Of all people, Aidan stood in the doorway, Tyrel behind him. Alder's body was numb in shock, and her jaw dropped.
"Why, hello, Commander Cabot. I was not aware that you were a mage. But wait! You are not Commander Cabot, are you? Clever, yes. very clever. I wouldn't have immediately seen right through your illusion, since it is linked into the Void. and it wouldn't be likely for me to just look into the Void for illusions. Very clever. So let's see who you are!" he said affably.
She felt her link into the Void being snapped, and the magic in her illusion lashed back at her as it fluctuated. She was whipped to the floor by the rogue magic, and she sat there, gasping. She looked down at herself, and saw her own skin, her own clothes. She looked up, and saw Tyrel gasping.
"Master Aidan, it's her! The girl that I Saw making the future unsure. Alder of Callista," Tyrel squeaked.
"Alder of Callista. what brings you into Tonnar on this lovely day?" Aidan asked. Alder just glared at him. She wouldn't have him playing games with her.
Alder's mind was racing with ways that she could escape Aidan. She was terrified of rape. she wanted so much to vomit with fear at the thought.
Get a hold of yourself. I have to get OUT of here. but it's too far to get back to Emelis. not enough time. If there was a way to cross so much distance in such a short time.
Gating. Keren had explained the theory millions of times. She would need a doorway or something to create the Portal in. She would intertwine all of her power stores into a web of power laced into the doorway. She would think only of the place that she wanted to come out, and create the magical web around that image. And when it was complete, she would see through to the place she was coming through. She would cross the Portal, and then dissipate all the magic slowly. She would be left extremely drained, but at this point she had no other choice.
"Did you really think that you would be able to rescue her? That's so cute. But you are too late. getting Avery's mind back is past your expertise," he said, advancing on her until she could feel his breath on her neck. "You can try, but it will probably only result in hurting her mind. Now, what will I do with you? For trespassing, trying to steal my property." he mused, and Alder stepped back.
"She is no more your property than mine. You do not own her. You will not do whatever you please with her. She is human, and deserves to be TREATED as such. You have done things to her that no human should ever have to suffer through," she said so coldly that she felt a chill run up her spine.
"How dare you speak to me like that?" Aidan asked, his red eyes blazing with anger. He scratched his sharp nails down her arm slowly, drawing blood.
"How DARE you hurt her like that?" Alder said, ignoring the pain. She jerked her arm back from Aidan's grip, and slapped him.
"You little bitch. Enjoy rotting in hell," he said, his red mage-fire burning fiercely in his palms.
"See you there," Alder said, and Aidan blasted her body into the wall with his Mage-Gift. She could feel her arm snap under the pressure. She was gasping for breath as Aidan advanced upon her. And then she did something that Aidan most certainly didn't expect. She could see him shielding in case she initiated a magical attack, but he had nothing protecting him physically.
He wouldn't expect a girl, not to mention half his size, with a broken arm to protest. She got her feet under her subtly, without him noticing. She jumped up, and charged him, and kicked him with all her force backwards. He stumbled backwards, and fell through the door, on top of Tyrel.
She put a shield in front of the door on their side to keep Aidan and Tyrel out. She linked the barrier into the Void. That would buy her more time. It took a while to find the link in the vast Void, and longer to destroy it. She could see them through the ice-blue barrier as they tried to untangle themselves from each other, and then got to work.
Should I link the Gate to the Palace or to Emelis? Her family will want to be with her, but Emelis isn't safe right now.
She laced the doorway with her magic, and intertwined a web of power into the Portal. She thought only of the Northern Gate coming into Brighton. She couldn't be assured that any of the doors she was familiar with would be open, and there could be problems if the door she made the Portal in was closed.
The arched Northern gate coming into Brighton was small, and very rarely used, because it was the rear entrance into Brighton. The Southern gate was much larger, and very busy.
Alder tried her best to concentrate on the Gate and finishing the intricate mesh of magic, but the pain in her broken arm sent lances of fire through her body. A wisp of power disentangled itself from the web and shot out from her, and that brought her out of her stupor. She wove the thread of power back into the network, and concentrated on the image of the Northern Gate.
She could hear Aidan's muffled screams of outrage as he saw what she was doing. Finally she completed the web of power. It had taken all of her energy stores, and she knew that she wouldn't stay conscious much longer. She had performed a magical feat that most people with twice her training could not accomplish.
Just as the rear of the Palace swarmed into view where the barrier had been, she suddenly felt the link in the Void holding the barrier in place snapping. She tried her best to resist the backlash, but she yet again it lashed her and she fell to the floor. She concentrated through the pain on the Gate, keeping it intact.
She ran over to Avery's unconscious form, and levered her into a more manageable position with her unbroken arm. She managed to get her knee underneath Avery's back, and it was useless. She was running out of energy. The Gate was sucking her Life-Force out of her. She needed to banish the Gate, and soon.
With one last thought of resolution, she grabbed Avery in both arms, tears involuntarily streaming down her face at the agony she felt in her arm. She screeched through the pain, but ran towards the Gate.
As she passed through it, she felt the odd sensation that Keren had described to her of passing through a Gate. The feeling was definitely disorienting. She felt her stomach drop from underneath her. She had enough restraint in her to lower Avery to the ground gently before she retched as she fell to the ground. In her last seconds of consciousness, she dissipated the magic from the Gate, and passed out.
Both parties had a spelled glass plate that allowed them to hold conferences long distance magically. Lissa noticed the connection, and turned to her glass. She nodded her head in acknowledgement, and he did the same.
"Lissa. I am sure that you know of the current situation," Aidan said, avoiding formality. Lissa would never rule him. She was not his Queen. Someday he would sit upon her pretty throne.
"The lady Avery is missing, taken from her room in the middle of the night. Who are you?"
"Master Adept Aidan. She is safe in my holding, for now. And don't even try to put us under siege. Tonnar has an army larger than the Royal Army."
"You do realize that this is a crime punishable by life imprisonment. What do you ask in return for Avery?"
"Death is not enough to confine me. In return for Avery, I ask for the rights to Emelis, and everything in it," he said matter-of-factly.
"That is unheard of! You can't possibly expect the Crown to give you the whole Emelis estate," Lissa said, her voice edging on hysteria.
"I can, and do. I am going to have it with or without your 'permission'. I just think it would be easier for you to give it up now, before people get hurt," Aidan said, and glared at Lissa. "I'll give you some time to consider it," Aidan said, and severed the connection. The last thing he saw of the Council Chamber was a gaping Lissa, an angry Andrew, and exasperated Council members expressing their outrage.
Yes, the ransom is high. The girl for all the rights to Emelis. and everything in it. But it should have been ours to begin with. We just took the law into our own hands. All my people want is justice, and I am giving it to them. I am giving them more than they could ever have wished for. An army bigger than the Royal Army itself, and power.
Even if she doesn't give me Emelis, I am going to have it. The troupes from Daria are larger and more powerful than even I had expected. The combined force will be enough to overthrow the Queen herself.
Will I even give Avery up? She makes a good toy. Aidan thought, and pushed his chair back to stand up. I'll go check on her now.
Alder searched the room for any possible escape, but there was none. She considered spelling Avery to become feather-light, and then making both of them invisible. She could carry Avery out, but it would be so hard to avoid all the people in the hallways, without bringing attention to the sounds that her feet made.
She began to think that the situation was hopeless. She had tried to break the shield in Avery's mind without causing any damage to Avery, but found that the shield was too strong to break without shattering her mind.
She had tried desperately to call Avery back to her, but it hadn't worked. Avery hadn't shown any sign of progress. Alder had tried sending emotions through their Lifebond, but she never received the waves back.
The door unexpectedly opened behind her, but it was too fast for her to banish her ice-blue Mage-Light. She left the Mage-Light out. The damage had already been done, and she at least would be able to see who was there. She abruptly turned to face the door, and her jaw dropped.
Of all people, Aidan stood in the doorway, Tyrel behind him. Alder's body was numb in shock, and her jaw dropped.
"Why, hello, Commander Cabot. I was not aware that you were a mage. But wait! You are not Commander Cabot, are you? Clever, yes. very clever. I wouldn't have immediately seen right through your illusion, since it is linked into the Void. and it wouldn't be likely for me to just look into the Void for illusions. Very clever. So let's see who you are!" he said affably.
She felt her link into the Void being snapped, and the magic in her illusion lashed back at her as it fluctuated. She was whipped to the floor by the rogue magic, and she sat there, gasping. She looked down at herself, and saw her own skin, her own clothes. She looked up, and saw Tyrel gasping.
"Master Aidan, it's her! The girl that I Saw making the future unsure. Alder of Callista," Tyrel squeaked.
"Alder of Callista. what brings you into Tonnar on this lovely day?" Aidan asked. Alder just glared at him. She wouldn't have him playing games with her.
Alder's mind was racing with ways that she could escape Aidan. She was terrified of rape. she wanted so much to vomit with fear at the thought.
Get a hold of yourself. I have to get OUT of here. but it's too far to get back to Emelis. not enough time. If there was a way to cross so much distance in such a short time.
Gating. Keren had explained the theory millions of times. She would need a doorway or something to create the Portal in. She would intertwine all of her power stores into a web of power laced into the doorway. She would think only of the place that she wanted to come out, and create the magical web around that image. And when it was complete, she would see through to the place she was coming through. She would cross the Portal, and then dissipate all the magic slowly. She would be left extremely drained, but at this point she had no other choice.
"Did you really think that you would be able to rescue her? That's so cute. But you are too late. getting Avery's mind back is past your expertise," he said, advancing on her until she could feel his breath on her neck. "You can try, but it will probably only result in hurting her mind. Now, what will I do with you? For trespassing, trying to steal my property." he mused, and Alder stepped back.
"She is no more your property than mine. You do not own her. You will not do whatever you please with her. She is human, and deserves to be TREATED as such. You have done things to her that no human should ever have to suffer through," she said so coldly that she felt a chill run up her spine.
"How dare you speak to me like that?" Aidan asked, his red eyes blazing with anger. He scratched his sharp nails down her arm slowly, drawing blood.
"How DARE you hurt her like that?" Alder said, ignoring the pain. She jerked her arm back from Aidan's grip, and slapped him.
"You little bitch. Enjoy rotting in hell," he said, his red mage-fire burning fiercely in his palms.
"See you there," Alder said, and Aidan blasted her body into the wall with his Mage-Gift. She could feel her arm snap under the pressure. She was gasping for breath as Aidan advanced upon her. And then she did something that Aidan most certainly didn't expect. She could see him shielding in case she initiated a magical attack, but he had nothing protecting him physically.
He wouldn't expect a girl, not to mention half his size, with a broken arm to protest. She got her feet under her subtly, without him noticing. She jumped up, and charged him, and kicked him with all her force backwards. He stumbled backwards, and fell through the door, on top of Tyrel.
She put a shield in front of the door on their side to keep Aidan and Tyrel out. She linked the barrier into the Void. That would buy her more time. It took a while to find the link in the vast Void, and longer to destroy it. She could see them through the ice-blue barrier as they tried to untangle themselves from each other, and then got to work.
Should I link the Gate to the Palace or to Emelis? Her family will want to be with her, but Emelis isn't safe right now.
She laced the doorway with her magic, and intertwined a web of power into the Portal. She thought only of the Northern Gate coming into Brighton. She couldn't be assured that any of the doors she was familiar with would be open, and there could be problems if the door she made the Portal in was closed.
The arched Northern gate coming into Brighton was small, and very rarely used, because it was the rear entrance into Brighton. The Southern gate was much larger, and very busy.
Alder tried her best to concentrate on the Gate and finishing the intricate mesh of magic, but the pain in her broken arm sent lances of fire through her body. A wisp of power disentangled itself from the web and shot out from her, and that brought her out of her stupor. She wove the thread of power back into the network, and concentrated on the image of the Northern Gate.
She could hear Aidan's muffled screams of outrage as he saw what she was doing. Finally she completed the web of power. It had taken all of her energy stores, and she knew that she wouldn't stay conscious much longer. She had performed a magical feat that most people with twice her training could not accomplish.
Just as the rear of the Palace swarmed into view where the barrier had been, she suddenly felt the link in the Void holding the barrier in place snapping. She tried her best to resist the backlash, but she yet again it lashed her and she fell to the floor. She concentrated through the pain on the Gate, keeping it intact.
She ran over to Avery's unconscious form, and levered her into a more manageable position with her unbroken arm. She managed to get her knee underneath Avery's back, and it was useless. She was running out of energy. The Gate was sucking her Life-Force out of her. She needed to banish the Gate, and soon.
With one last thought of resolution, she grabbed Avery in both arms, tears involuntarily streaming down her face at the agony she felt in her arm. She screeched through the pain, but ran towards the Gate.
As she passed through it, she felt the odd sensation that Keren had described to her of passing through a Gate. The feeling was definitely disorienting. She felt her stomach drop from underneath her. She had enough restraint in her to lower Avery to the ground gently before she retched as she fell to the ground. In her last seconds of consciousness, she dissipated the magic from the Gate, and passed out.