Chapter Eight; Troubled past
Well, here I am, finally updating this story!
Daine looked at the City of the Gods as they approached. Numair rode Spots on one side, and Alanna and Darkmoon were on the other. They both chuckled at the girl's look of astonishment.
"I've never seen so many temples in my life before." She said wonderingly, "let alone all in one place."
"That's one reason why it's called City of the Gods, Magelet." Numair said, his amusement clearly showing in his voice.
Although the City itself was very plain, all stone buildings without much colour or shape, the temples stood out starkly. They had decorated roofs and some had a statue before them. Alanna kept up a running commentary of what they passed after they came through the gates.
"That's the Temple of the Great Mother Goddess to your right. Mithras' temple is opposite." She inclined her head to each and Daine's gaze followed the motion, although Corus had its fair share of temples, she had never seen anything like these temples before. "Up that road is the Convent." The Lioness pretended to shiver, "Every time I see that place I thank the Gods I escaped from it. And here is what we came for, the University."
Alanna fell silent and bowed slightly as they approached the great doors. Slightly confused, Daine sent a quizzical look towards her teacher, who spoke in her ear softly.
"Alanna's brother, Lord Thom studied here for many years before he died."
She nodded in understanding, recalling the conversation she and Alanna had had by the banks of the river a few nights past.
"Do you think they will know what is happening to me?" She asked as they dismounted and gave their horses to the care of a young initiate.
"We hope so." Alanna answered, before giving their names and their business to a steward. "They are the most learned mages in Tortall."
"And their healer is renowned for his studies of rare magical diseases." Numair added.
The steward returned, and bowed.
"Master Hareth will see you. He is teaching currently, but the class ends very soon. I am to show you to his study, and you can await him there."
Without waiting for a reply he turned and led the way into the depths of the building. Alanna and Numair followed at once, Daine following behind more cautiously. She had been into the academic buildings in Corus, but never before had she been in one so grand. The wall hangings showed scenes from the history of Tortall, the earlier ones she noticed had immortals upon them.
"Daine!" Numair called, she looked away from the tapestries and saw that they were entering a room. Quickly she hurried down the hall way.
"Sorry, I was just…"
The mage simply nodded and pushed her into the room.
Master Hareth's study was almost bare, with the exception of a desk and some chairs. The window was wide open and Daine relaxed a little as she heard several birds land on the roof. A couple of bolder birds; starlings, landed on the window sill and the mage waved his hand that them absentmindedly, not noticing that as soon as he turned back around that they perched again.
Master Hareth was in his late forties, older than both the Champion and Numair. He sat down lightly and indicated that they should do the same. When Daine was seated he leaned forward over his desk and peered at her closely, making her shift uncomfortably away from their piercing gaze.
"Verilidaine Sarrasri?" He asked suddenly
"Yes, sir." She replied, uneasily.
"And what is wrong with you young lady?" His eyes never moved from hers and she felt an ache beginning at the front of her mind. She lifted a hand and rubbed her forehead, while answering,
"I don't know Sir, Numair and Alanna tell me I'm having dreams and sleepwalking, but I can't remember many of those dreams."
"And the ones you do remember, what are they?" He prodded,
"Of my past mostly."
The ache had turned into a stabbing needle into her brain and she jumped out of her chair, looking around at her teacher and the King's Champion for aid, before collapsing on a heap in the floor.
Numair and Alanna both jumped out of their seats to catch her, as Master Hareth stood more slowly.
They looked up at him, Numair cradling the girl close to his chest, Alanna's violet eyes glaring at him.
"Don't look at me that way." He rebuked her, "You know as well as I did what had to be done. I had to search her mind, to see how much she knows. It was possible that she could be suppressing these dreams if the memories are too painful for her, I have seen it happen before." He moved around the desk and indicated that Numair should pick up the prone girl and follow him.
"And?" Alanna asked him "Is she?"
"No. She knows nothing of what is happening to her, and the only dreams she can recall are, as far as I could make out, twisted memories."
He had lead the way to a larger room, on the upper floor of the monastery. As they had passed by other rooms, orange robed Mithran students had peered out at the strange procession.
"Lay her down on that bed." The mage said.
Numair did as he was bid,
"How long will she be unconscious?" He asked anxiously.
"An hour at the most." The older man held up a hand to still his exclamation. "The rest will do her a world of good anyway. The poor child is quite exhausted."
The adults both looked guilty.
"Now, you did the right thing to bring her here to me, but before I can even begin to imagine what has happened to her, for this is no mortal illness, it was put upon her by another being, I must know more of this Wild Magic you tell me she has."
The mage sat down by her bedside, waiting. Haltingly Numair explained the kinship his student had with animals, pointing to the worried starlings who had followed them to the infirmary, to emphasise his point.
"Extraordinary." Hareth said. "No wonder she is so weary, and she has a troubled past indeed. Now, I must ask you to leave. Healer or no, you must also leave Lady Alanna, I need to be able to concentrate to help your young friend. You can both wait in the hall."
Alanna and Numair were out in the hall and the door had shut in their faces before they could object. Numair sank onto a chair to wait, looking at the door, with a worried expression on his face, while Alanna leaned against the wall. Both waiting uneasily for news of Daine.