Title: aqua vitae

Summary: Daine is a wild-mage, a half-god living in the human realm. Everyone thought she was one of a kind, until Thom of Pirate's Swoop finds a girl one winter, something stranger even than Daine.

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four

Candlelight flickered warmly in the room, chasing away the cold shadows and reflecting brightly off Gydo's needle. From her seat by the chamber door, Gydo surreptitiously watched her mistress who was standing by the window.

Her mistress, tall and beautiful, raised a slender hand to the cold glass of the window, before lowering it and turning to face Gydo. Generous lips curved into a wry smile. "I'm beginning to think it will rain forever," the Queen said.

Gydo neatly tied off a scarlet thread, and selected a green spool from her sewing box. "Forever is a long time, milady. I imagine the clouds would run out of water before then."

The Queen laughed with delight, tugging her dark hair free of its pins. Gydo watched almost enviously as the monarch ran her fingers through the thick tresses. At almost fifty, Queen Thayet was as beautiful as she had ever been. Iron grey streaked the dark locks generously, and there were lines of laughter on her face, but age suited the woman and leant her an elegance Gydo never imagined she'd obtain.

"Still," the Queen murmured, once satisfied her hair was sorted, "it won't take long for the canals and sewers to flood. Jonathan is worried about the stability of the piers and markets if this rain continues; he's concerned the foundations might wash away."

Gydo looked past the queen into the black night sky as the rain thundered against the window. "It has rained before, my Lady," she said. "The rains will not last forever."

Thayet pinned her under a gaze Gydo was certain she would never become used to; it was level and intent and pierced right through her soul. "Did you see the immortal Alanna's young Thom brought with him?"

Gydo did not think Sir Thom would appreciate being referred to as 'Alanna's young Thom' being that the man was nearing thirty and had fought more battles than Gydo cared to consider. "No, my Lady."

The Queen sighed, turning thoughtfully to the window again. "Daine and Numair both find her fascinating of course, and if the palace gossip is to be believed, Thom finds it very tiring to have a young woman almost attached to his hip." The Queen smiled wickedly. "I imagine it's why he's refrained from marrying."

"The servants are afraid of it," Gydo offered. "I've heard them talking, they believe she is a spirit and they have no desire to mix with the unnatural."

The Queen laughed again, clearly amused. "What of you, young Gydo?"

Gydo shrugged. "I find it hard to believe a girl can control the weather, my Lady, even if she is blue."

The Queen was silent for a long time, evidently lost in thought. "I once found it hard to believe a woman could talk to animals, and that the creatures of our legends were real. I believe it is entirely possible."

Gydo was better trained to point out the Queen's husband could make the earth move if he so chose, so of course she would believe someone could control the weather. Instead, she started her stitching again, focusing on the tapestry.

"I will retire for the night," the Queen decided, "don't get up, Gydo, I'm still able to see myself to bed."

Gydo smiled, but paused from her work until her Lady had seen herself into the bed chamber she shared with King Jonathan. Only when the door closed firmly with a click, did Gydo fold up her tapestry and tidy the room before retiring for the night.

---

Sixth Rider Group, under command of Evin Larse, had arrived some time mid-morning. Gydo, warmly wrapped in a thick quilted coat, braved the still falling rain to welcome them home, specifically Loesia. Meech was already there, helping the young Rider to brush a chubby pony with a mischievous glint in its eye.

"Loey!" Gydo called happily, leaning over the stall door.

Loesia, tall and dark and slim, smiled brightly at Gydo. "Gydo!" she said happily, her white teeth glinting against the muddiness of her face. "How are you, pet?"

Gydo rolled her eyes at the nickname, and pulled the stall door open.

"Wet, wet and more wet."

"We noticed the rain," Loesia said dryly. "We were worried the road would wash away before we could get back to the palace."

"The Queen says the King is worried about the stability of the piers," Gydo confided. "But tell me, how was your expedition."

"Only you, Gydo, would call riding around on a horse for three weeks in the mud, an expedition," Loesia sighed. "Wet and muddy, but nowhere near as bad as here. The winter rains are early this year all over the realm – there were two mudslides in the North West we got called in to help with. And then we had to dash across to the east because there were reports of pirate raids again near Fief Enman." Loesia shook her head. "We're concerned about all the pirate raids, Gydo, there's too many for this time of year – Commander Evin believes something is being planned."

Gydo nodded. "The King spends a lot of time in the war rooms with his counsel; the Queen has mentioned concerns about the Jindazhen."

Loesia nodded wearily. "With the Yamani being aided by Tortall now, their borders are easier to defend. Our borders are so much longer than those of the Yamani, it means our troops are spread thinner."

"Enough talk. You go clean up, Loey," Meech ordered, "I'll take care of Berry."

The pony, hearing its name, shook its head vigorously, landing several streaks of slobber on Gydo's coat. Gydo sighed and rubbed at it in vain; wrinkling her nose at the slimy green streaks.

"This," she said to Loesia, "is why I stay as far away from the beasties as I can."

Meech, in an apprenticeship as an ostler, rolled his eyes. "They only do it to you because they like how you complain."

Gydo glared at her brother. Loesia grinned and grabbed Gydo's arm, drawing her out of the stall. "I'll not say no to someone volunteering to do my work," she stated. "And I want to try and scrub the mud out from between my toes and everywhere else. We can talk on the way to the bathing hall."

---

Gydo left Loesia scrubbing three weeks worth of mud from her skin and was on her way to the Royal Chambers, when a familiar shape caught her eye. Covered in mud, his white fur almost completely obscured, a stocky dog trotted toward her, leaving muddy tracks in his wake.

"Jump?" Gydo asked, staring at the dog.

The dog yipped happily, his tail wagging from side to side.

"When did you get back, Jump?" Gydo asked, bending her knees so she should carefully scratched the dogs ears, trying to get as little mud on her as possible. Jump yipped again, and let her scratch his ears. "Where's Keladry, Jump? I'm assuming she's here too."

The dog, as though understanding her question, moved away from Gydo's now muddy fingers and trotted eagerly back the way he'd come. Looking at her fingers in distaste, Gydo sighed and rubbed them on her already dirty coat. It took her two seconds to decide to follow Jump in favour of returning to the Royal Chambers – after all, the Queen had given her leave to do what she pleased until the noon meal.

Keladry of Mindelan, along with her temperamental gelding Peachblossom and a small army of sparrows, was in the stables of the King's Own. She smiled in welcome when she saw Gydo, though she didn't stop brushing her gelding.

"How are you, Gydo?" she asked.

"Well enough, my Lady."

Kel rolled her eyes. "Kel, Gydo, it's Kel. Remember?"

Gydo smiled shyly; Keladry of Mindelan was a hero in her eyes, and as a hero she deserved all the recognition and respect she could get.

"I sent Jump to find Daine," Keladry was saying, "but I think he must have gotten confused."

The dog barked once, and an amused voice responded from the next stall over. "I don't think the dog got confused, Kel, I think he knew who he was likely to get a treat from."

Owen of Jesslaw peered around the stall at Gydo. "Am I right?" he asked.

Gydo shook her head apologetically. "I had no treat for him, I'm afraid, Sir Owen."

Owen sighed theatrically.

"Jump did call me," Daine called, "but we were in the middle of something. I'm sorry I was delayed."

"No need for an apology, Daine," Keladry said. "I just wanted you to take a look at Hoshi's right fore- What is that?"

Gydo stared at the being which had earned Kel's astonishment. The immortal which had been the talk of the court for the last three days, was every bit as strange and unusual as the gossip had made it out to be. Silently clutching the hand of a tall man Gydo recognised as Sir Thom of Pirate's Swoop, the immortal showed absolutely no interest or sign that she was even aware of the world around her.

"This is our latest curiosity," Sir Thom said wearily. "You want to have a go with her, Kel? Strange things normally like you."

Keladry raised her eyebrows. "Just what do you mean by that, Thom?"

Thom, not the least concerned about raising Keladry's ire, shrugged carelessly. "I remember a griffin adopted you when you were a squire, there's a strange band of animals that follows you through absolutely anything, and two years ago a Centaur called Greystreak terrorised the countryside looking for you because he remembered you looked like good breeding stock."

Kel's face, to Gydo's amusement, flushed brightly at Thom's last statement, and the Lady Knight didn't look particularly pleased to be reminded of those facts.

"Well," Kel said smartly, "then it's time you had something strange attach itself to you, isn't it?"

"She has attached herself to me," Thom said plaintively. He held out the hand gripped by the immortal, and shook it slightly. "See? She won't let go!"

Gydo couldn't fight the smile that threatened to escape, so she ducked her head and stared at her muddy boots.

"I don't need another immortal to lug around, Thom, this is your problem. What is she, anyway?" Kel said.

"Daine, Numair and Tkaa all think she's a half elemental. They think she might have some influence over the weather by water."

"Well, that's certainly a problem. Why don't you just make her let go?"

Thom sighed with irritation. "She fights me, and then sulks around until I emerge from my chamber or where ever and reattaches herself to me. Damn it, Kel, I don't have time to walk around nursing an immortal!"

"Well, I don't either, and she's not my concern, Thom."

"I doubt she'd go to Keladry anyway, Thom," Daine said from Hoshi's stall.

Thom threw his head back in frustration. "The worst of it all is my so-called-squire is no help at all." He looked accusingly at Owen of Jesslaw. "Your brother is exactly like you," he informed him.

Owen grinned broadly, as though it was a compliment. "I guess you don't appreciate his jokes."

Thom scowled darkly and looked around the stables. Gydo felt her cheeks warm up when his gaze landed on her, dressed in her dirty coat and muddy boots with grime streaked across her fingers.

"It's Gydo, isn't it?" he asked her politely.

"Yes, sir," she agreed.

"You, Lady Gydo, are the only person in this entire stable worth anything," he said haughtily. "Everyone else has apparently forgotten the Code of Chivalry and no one is willing to help a fellow knight in a difficult situation. What is even worse," he declared dramatically, "is they deign to make a jest of my trial!"

Gydo's cheeks were burning; doubtlessly they were cherry red.

"Stop it, Thom, you're making the poor girl blush," Keladry said firmly. "And your histrionics are upsetting Peachblossom."

Thom eyed the gelding. "It doesn't take much at all to upset Peachblossm, Kel. In fact, I think I might have the better deal," he added, after glancing first at the horse and then at the immortal.

"Judging by those scratches on your hands, I doubt it," Kel said dryly. "If you wait a while, I have some salve that worked wonders on my hands when I had the griffin."

Gydo, looking properly at Thom's hands for the first time, realised Keladry was right – the poor man's hands were in a dreadful state.

"I can help," she offered shyly.

"With the immortal?" Thom asked with a smile, "I appreciate the offer but I doubt there's much you can do."

"I meant with your scratches, Sir Thom."

"Any friend of Kel's is a friend of mine, Lady Gydo, please call me Thom."

"I can heal," Gydo explained, feeling her cheeks warm with a healthy blush again.

"That's right," Kel murmured, "I remember Neal teaching you at New Hope."

"I would be in your debt, Lady Gydo," Thom said gallantly, holding out his hand still clutched by the immortal. "They taught me how to explode things and hide things at the City of the Gods, but they couldn't teach me how to heal, unfortunately. Alan got all the healing share of the gift, and poor Aly got none."

His hands, Gydo realised as she took them in her own, were large boned but graceful. The palms were hard with calluses, and fine scars from previous injuries decorated his knuckles. If court gossip was right, Sir Thom had inherited his mother's temper and had been involved in many, many scraps when he was a page.

Her Gift, pale pink, glittered prettily as she worked at his wounds.

"Thank you, Lady Gydo," Thom murmured.

She smiled at him, struck by the greenness of his eyes. "It's just Gydo, Thom."

He smiled at her, and Gydo felt a strange warmth in her belly.

"Good," he said, as the world narrowed down to his smile, "I'm glad we're friends then."

Me too, she thought, very glad.

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Thanks for all the comments so far – they're very encouraging! I should have the next part ready soon, and I hope you keep reading.

As always, comments and constructive criticism are very happily received.