Chapter 1
"What do you mean we're late?" Lucivar Yaslana asked his son who was standing before him. The young man looked from his father to his uncle Daemon before speaking.
"Lady Kristin is already in your study Uncle," Daemonar replied, "Morton is with her, keeping her company."
Daemon sighed slightly. After his father had gone to work with Geoffrey in the Keep's library, Daemon had become the Warlord Prince of Hallaway. He didn't have trouble meeting and working with the Queens who ruled in the area, but Lady Kristin brought back sad memories. After Sylvia, the Last Queen and a friend to his wife and father, had died Kristin had taken over. Although her successor was doing well, Daemon still missed Sylvia. "Thank you Deamonar. I shall go there immediately." Heading down the hallway, Daemon came to the room that had been his father's study at one time, and was now his. Taking a breath to calm himself, he opened the door and walked in. He noted with pride that his son had thought to hide his Grey Jewel in front of Lady Kristin, who wore the less powerful Green. Upon noticing his father enter the room, Morton stood.
"Although it has been a pleasure speaking with you, Lady Kristin, my Father is here now and you can take care of you business with him." Morton bowed to the Lady and to his father and was preparing to leave when the other man motioned for him to stay.
Daemon walked into the room and outstretched his hands in the proper greeting with a comforting smile. He motioned for her to sit once again and sat behind his desk. "What can I do for you, Lady Kristin?"
Taking a deep breath, she began. "Not long ago I was informed that there was a girl who lived on the edge of town who apparently has some extraordinary healing powers. According to reports I've heard, she is also abnormally good with animals and shows signs of being a natural Black Widow. I'm very concerned about her because she also apparently has no family. I feel that is she is a Healer and a Black Widow, that she should be properly trained in Craft and in those particular ones especially. I know that you, your wife and your son are all Black Widows and I thought that maybe you would know of someone who would be willing to teach her."
Daemon exchanged a look with his son before steepling his fingers and resting the long, black fingernails against his chin. "Does the girl wear Jewels, Lady?"
"Not that I know of, Prince."
Daemon thought for another long moment before continuing, "My wife has been complaining lately of being bored, perhaps a student is just what she needs to occupy her time. I will speak to her and let you know what she says and when to bring the girl here if she agrees."
Lady Kristin appeared a bit flustered. "Bring her here, Prince Sadi?"
"Yes. If the girl is to be taught properly and she has already missed some of that training she should be near her teacher and her teacher's influence. Besides, you said the girl has no family and does well with animals. There are many people here who will care for her and animals to keep her company."
"Thank you, Prince Sadi, I'm glad I came to you for help." Lady Kristin rose from her seat. "I shall return home and await you answer."
Both Daemon and Morton rose and saw her to the door, where Beale was standing. "Beale will see you out, thank you for you visit Lady, and your trust."
She smiled in return, "Thank you also." Beale led her away and when they were out of sight the two men returned to the study.
"What are you going to do, Father?" Morton asked as he watched his father poor himself a large glass of brandy.
"First I'm going to drink this to try to calm myself," Daemon drank the brandy down quickly. "And now I'm going to go tell your mother that she has a new student."
"Tell her?"
"Yes son, tell her."
"Then, may the Darkness protect you Father."
"Thank you Morton, I have a feeling that I'll need it."
"What do you mean we're late?" Lucivar Yaslana asked his son who was standing before him. The young man looked from his father to his uncle Daemon before speaking.
"Lady Kristin is already in your study Uncle," Daemonar replied, "Morton is with her, keeping her company."
Daemon sighed slightly. After his father had gone to work with Geoffrey in the Keep's library, Daemon had become the Warlord Prince of Hallaway. He didn't have trouble meeting and working with the Queens who ruled in the area, but Lady Kristin brought back sad memories. After Sylvia, the Last Queen and a friend to his wife and father, had died Kristin had taken over. Although her successor was doing well, Daemon still missed Sylvia. "Thank you Deamonar. I shall go there immediately." Heading down the hallway, Daemon came to the room that had been his father's study at one time, and was now his. Taking a breath to calm himself, he opened the door and walked in. He noted with pride that his son had thought to hide his Grey Jewel in front of Lady Kristin, who wore the less powerful Green. Upon noticing his father enter the room, Morton stood.
"Although it has been a pleasure speaking with you, Lady Kristin, my Father is here now and you can take care of you business with him." Morton bowed to the Lady and to his father and was preparing to leave when the other man motioned for him to stay.
Daemon walked into the room and outstretched his hands in the proper greeting with a comforting smile. He motioned for her to sit once again and sat behind his desk. "What can I do for you, Lady Kristin?"
Taking a deep breath, she began. "Not long ago I was informed that there was a girl who lived on the edge of town who apparently has some extraordinary healing powers. According to reports I've heard, she is also abnormally good with animals and shows signs of being a natural Black Widow. I'm very concerned about her because she also apparently has no family. I feel that is she is a Healer and a Black Widow, that she should be properly trained in Craft and in those particular ones especially. I know that you, your wife and your son are all Black Widows and I thought that maybe you would know of someone who would be willing to teach her."
Daemon exchanged a look with his son before steepling his fingers and resting the long, black fingernails against his chin. "Does the girl wear Jewels, Lady?"
"Not that I know of, Prince."
Daemon thought for another long moment before continuing, "My wife has been complaining lately of being bored, perhaps a student is just what she needs to occupy her time. I will speak to her and let you know what she says and when to bring the girl here if she agrees."
Lady Kristin appeared a bit flustered. "Bring her here, Prince Sadi?"
"Yes. If the girl is to be taught properly and she has already missed some of that training she should be near her teacher and her teacher's influence. Besides, you said the girl has no family and does well with animals. There are many people here who will care for her and animals to keep her company."
"Thank you, Prince Sadi, I'm glad I came to you for help." Lady Kristin rose from her seat. "I shall return home and await you answer."
Both Daemon and Morton rose and saw her to the door, where Beale was standing. "Beale will see you out, thank you for you visit Lady, and your trust."
She smiled in return, "Thank you also." Beale led her away and when they were out of sight the two men returned to the study.
"What are you going to do, Father?" Morton asked as he watched his father poor himself a large glass of brandy.
"First I'm going to drink this to try to calm myself," Daemon drank the brandy down quickly. "And now I'm going to go tell your mother that she has a new student."
"Tell her?"
"Yes son, tell her."
"Then, may the Darkness protect you Father."
"Thank you Morton, I have a feeling that I'll need it."
