Four
Lai opened his eyes slowly and looked down, instantly feeling something out of place. However, it was not a bad feeling, there was no danger, but it was odd and rather comforting. His eyes widened slightly then he smiled gently as he realised what it was.
Hartia lay with him in his bed, looking very relaxed and quite content. Lai could not help but feel happy himself seeing Hartia as he was. It looked as though his sleep was no longer troubled by dreams.
Perhaps it is my vanity and hope, Lai thought wryly as he gently ran his fingers down Hartia's side, but I do believe I have made a difference with him. I'm glad.
Hartia stirred slightly at Lai's soft touch and he opened his eyes. "Lai?" he whispered.
Lai smiled at him. "You slept well."
Hartia blushed slightly. "So it seems." He didn't look Lai in the eye as he spoke, unusual feelings coursing through him.
Lai was confused by his evasive behaviour. "You were not bothered by your dreams?"
"No." Hartia smiled. "I guess you really have helped me."
Lai looked away in embarrassment. "Perhaps, but you had much to do with it."
"You're too modest sometimes Lai." Lai looked over to see Hartia looking up at him with a smile. His breath caught at the beautiful sight. "You should take credit where it's due."
"Then I shall."
Hartia's smile widened. "Good." He sat up and moved away from Lai, shivering slightly at the slight chill he felt doing so. "We have class soon, I should prepare for it."
"And for the inquisition about Majic."
Hartia winced. "I'd almost forgotten. They will be rather annoyed with me I think."
"Like the Elders are ever anything but annoyed."
Hartia looked serious. "They will ask you to scry for him."
"I know." Lai sighed. "But by now it will be too late, he will be very much on his way to be with Orphen."
Hartia smiled. "Good. Majic deserves to be back with his master and I'm sure Krylancelo missed him greatly. Who wouldn't? I knew him for only a short time and I already miss him."
Lai sat up and placed a hand on Hartia's shoulder in comfort. Hartia smiled melancholically and placed his hand over Lai's. "You're still thinking of the past." Hartia nodded. "Don't fear, I meant what I promised last night, I will always stay with you."
"Thank you." Hartia smiled at him once again then got up, crossing over to the door. "Perhaps I shall see you tonight."
"Only if you feel you must."
Hartia's face grew pained and he turned away and left the room. Lai stared after him wondering at Hartia's actions and at his own pain.
* * *
"The Elders wish to see you."
Hartia turned slightly to see one of the guards of the Tower standing in the shadows. He looked back at his class who stared around in confusion then looked back. "Can it not wait until my class is finished?"
"No. It was requested that you go now."
Hartia nodded and closed the book he was reading from. "Of course." He looked over at the class. "You are dismissed to the library for personal study. I shall be back to see that you are working." The class whispered among themselves as Hartia packed up his teaching supplies.
Eris did not move as the rest of the class did and stayed until they were gone. Hartia glanced over at her and she moved to his side.
"Master?" she asked. "Is this about Majic?"
"Very probably." He smiled reassuringly at her. "Could you please deliver these to my quarters for me? I doubt I will be able to get much teaching done when I return from my summons." Eris nodded and took the satchel from him and watched anxiously as Hartia was led away into the depths of the Tower.
Hartia looked calm, but inside he was nervous. If the Elders found out about how he and Lai had let Majic go, they would be in dire trouble. His anxiousness grew the further he got into the Tower, but he kept his thoughts in check. He could not give himself away, he had to stay focused.
The guard finally left him at the entrance to the Elders' main chamber. Hartia took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness. He walked the path to stand before the council.
"Hartia." Hartia stopped and bowed his head in reverence, letting the Elders speak. "You appear to be missing a member of your class."
"Yes Elders."
"Young Majic spirited himself away during the night."
"So it seems."
"Lai has told us that from his scrying he has discovered him to be with the traitor."
Hartia hesitated. "That would be the most likely scenario Elders. Krylancelo was Majic's first master." Hartia paused again then decided to continue. "Majic never truly fitted in here with the other students. I do not feel we could have brought out his full potential."
"His potential?" Hartia winced slightly at the angry edge to the Elder's voice. "How much potential did the boy have Hartia?"
"He ... he could have been as powerful, if not more so than Childman."
"I see, and you do not think that we, the Tower of Fang, the most renowned sorcerers in the lands, could have taught him to use that magic potential?"
Hartia bowed his head and prepared himself for the worst. "I do not. As with most students, Majic responded best to his first teacher. He spent most of his time when learning with Krylancelo, it would make the most sense for him to be the best choice to teach the boy."
"Hartia, are you saying you knowingly let a potential student leave the Tower?" Hartia's breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened, but the Elders did not let him speak. "We are beginning to question your loyalty to the Tower Hartia. With all of your associations, we are wondering if you are the best choice to teach the remaining students."
Hartia looked up at the Elders. "Elders, please, Majic was an anomaly. I will not make the same mistakes with the others, I swear to you."
"You had best not, Hartia, we do not take kindly to failures as you well know."
Hartia nodded. "Yes Elders."
"You may go. Do not disappoint us again Hartia."
Hartia bowed and turned, leaving the dark chambers of the leaders of the Tower. Once the heavy door closed behind him, Hartia let out a sigh of relief.
"That went better than expected."
"My exact thoughts."
Hartia turned and smiled seeing Lai standing beside him. "So you saw him."
"I did." Lai stared walking with Hartia to the library. "He was well, as was Orphen and the girl."
"Cleao?" Hartia grimaced. "I pity him, being stuck with her."
Lai chuckled under his breath. "I noticed that you did not seem that fond of her. However, Majic and Orphen seemed to be happy to see her ... within reason I suppose."
Hartia laughed at this. They reached the library just as his class was finishing. Hartia sighed and shrugged. How was he to prepare his students properly if such interruptions continued? The exiting students bowed to him and looked at the two of them curiously before leaving completely. Hartia and Lai continued into the library.
"Master?"
Hartia turned with a smile. "Eris, I apologise for not being back in time."
She blushed slightly. "It is not my place to question your actions Master, I was just wondering if you could help me with a problem?"
"Of course." Hartia smiled gently and sat down at one of the empty writing tables. Lai stood nearby. "What did you wish to know?"
"Well, I was wondering if dreams could tell you something."
"Dreams?" Lai came closer and sat down, glancing at Hartia worriedly. "What sort of dreams do you mean?"
"It was stranger," Eris commented, a distant frown creasing her face, "but I thought I saw Majic laughing with a man dressed in strange dark clothes and there was a girl with them and a wolf pup."
Lai let out a sigh of relief and Hartia smiled. "It seems you have a slight touch of psychic ability in you, wouldn't you say Lai?"
Lai nodded then got up and walked around to stand behind Eris. She looked at him nervously, but he just placed his hands to either side of her head. He closed his eyes and concentrated. "A slight touch, just occasional flashes of insight. Perhaps not as powerful as some, but combined with your magical abilities, it's quite amazing."
"I saw the future?" She asked in amazement.
"Closer to the present," Lai said. "The man was Orphen and the girl …" He looked over at Hartia.
"Cleao," he supplied. "Majic's traveling party."
Eris' smile brightened. "So he's all right? This is amazing, I didn't even know I could do that. Thank you." She smiled at the two masters. "I should go to my next class."
"You should," Hartia agreed, standing.
"Thanks you again Masters." She got up and bowed to them.
"Should you have such strange dreams again, come and see me," Lai told her. "Your abilities may not be as strong, but that does not mean they cannot be useful to you." She nodded and gathered her things, then Eris left them to go to her next class.
"I see many great things for her," Hartia said once she left, watching the doorway.
"I thought I was the psychic," Lai commented dryly.
Hartia laughed. "That does not mean that I cannot predict such things as well. He is a good student and she is not afraid to question and show the more forthright side of herself. She will do well."
"Indeed." Lai turned away and caught Hartia's gaze for a moment before turning and walking towards a different room. Hartia stared after him quizzically before following him to one of the lesser used sections of the library. Lai didn't seem to be looking for anything in particular, he was just wandering. Hartia was just about to ask him what he was doing when Lai spoke.
"Shall I expect you tonight as well?"
Hartia looked confused. "Perhaps. Why? Do you no longer enjoy my company?"
"Quite the opposite in fact." Hartia could not be sure but he thought that Lai had not meant to say that. The slightly embarrassed expression told him that much. "I find myself enjoying company more than my solitude these days. Quite a strange occurrence, don't you think?"
"It is, especially for you." Hartia grinned at him and Lai managed a smile. "Should you not have any objections then I shall join you at your work tonight."
"Very well then." Lai nodded to him. "I should see my students now."
"Of course." Hartia watched him leave with a strange feeling in his heart. He did not know what exactly he was feeling right now, but it was nice. There was just something he couldn't quite see yet that could explain everything.
Patience, he thought, everything is revealed eventually. I can wait. He smiled to himself and walked out of the library.
