CHAPTER II: THE BURIED HOUR

Kind Lady preserve you.

'Prophet Aelinor.'

Gentle Mother guide you.

'Prophet Aelinor.'

Lady of Mirrors give you sight.

'Prophet. Aelinor.'

Balance give you justice.

'Prophet Aelinor!'

I jolted out of the trance I had fallen into, forgetting the prayers and blessings spilling forth from my lips. Turning towards the direction of the voice, I froze at who stood before me.

It was King Adanion.

He was wearing only his nightclothes but the way he held himself made it seem like he was at court speaking to his courtesans. His hair resembling the colour of silver ragwort had been braided back though I noticed some locks escaping the tight braid. He was looking at me expectantly and it was only then that I realised how I had not been paying him any mind. Much less respect.

Dropping my gaze to the floor, I bowed at the waist as my hands came up to rest upon my breast. 'Forgive me, Your Majesty.' I breathed out, trying to contain the anxiety that rushed through my veins.

'I doubt you would need my forgiveness, Prophet Aelinor.' His Majesty told me with a low chuckle as he rested his large hand upon my shoulder. I flinched at the contact but the moment I did, he withdrew his hand from me. 'Though I must ask you why you were ignoring my inquiries.' He added.

I froze. 'Inquiries, my King?' I asked hesitantly.

The King hummed an affirmative. 'I had been asking after the injured fellow you had brought into the Healing Halls in the dead of night, I had also asked why you were absent for supper, why you did not go with Vaegon and why you had run without your slippers.'

Looking up tentatively, I met King Adanion's brilliant green eyes. It was like the green of springtime. But that was not what I sought when I committed that disrespectful act. I searched for any scolding or rebuking within those eyes and I found only warmth while he waited for my response. Steadying my breath, I straightened my posture once more and looked at the unconscious male that now lay upon a cot. His hair had been washed and the beads that contained his braids had been put into my care for I was the one that found him.

'Prophet Aelinor, surely you do not wish to ignore my concerns an enth time.' His Majesty told me, his brows rising.

I felt my cheeks warm and I nodded. 'Apologies, Your Majesty.' I mumbled. 'To answer your questions, Sire, the golden-haired fellow is stable and will wake sometime tomorrow. As for the reason for my absence as well as the absence of my slippers, I'm afraid they have the same answer.'

His Majesty nodded for me to continue.

'I fell asleep.'

He only laughed and nodded. It was not because he was laughing at me but it was something else. His skin round his eyes crinkled in amusement before he gestured for me to seat myself. Never one to disobey the orders of the King, I did as he instructed. Folding my hands upon my lap, I looked at the prone figure that had been bleeding out moments before. The healers had told me he had been poisoned by arrows made from rusted metal. They also told me that it was fortunate that I had found him when I did.

I did not tell the healers of my vision.

'And your reason for declining Vaegon's offer to flee Visal?' His Majesty asked.

Looking down, I thought of my reasons but at the end of it all, I found myself unable to form words that would best explain my feelings about why I cannot leave. Shrugging, I let out a quiet breath.

'Is it a fool's answer to say I cannot explain why I wish to stay?' I asked him.

The King hummed in thought. 'Perhaps. Though I would wish for all of you to escape while I could still keep the borders open, I cannot force you to flee. At the end of all this, it falls upon your decision.' Patting my shoulder, he lapsed into silence.

After a few moments spent in my company, His Majesty excused himself from my presence and told me that I too must sleep once more. After bowing to him, I sat myself on the chair beside the golden-haired fellow. Bringing up my feet upon the chair as well, I looked at the sleeping male for a moment before sighing.

'May our Lords and Ladies guard you and keep you.' I murmured softly to him as I allowed my hand to hover near him before withdrawing my hand back into my sleeves.

~~oOoOoOoOo~~

Chasianna was the one to fetch me from the Healing Halls. I had dozed off for at least an hour or two before I had decided that I had slept enough. For the rest of the morning, I had kept vigil over the injured male and continued to pray for his health and survival. I had forgotten to have my meal once more but I found myself unbothered as I kept an eye on him, making sure he was still breathing. When the healers came to change his bandages, I volunteered to help. Though they were wary of touching me, they gave me gloves to separate my flesh from anything that might have gathered any memories or essences of other beings. It felt comforting to be able to do something that was not as challenging as unravelling paths that had yet to pass. All too soon, Chasianna came into the Healing Halls and dismissed the healers the moment they finished with their duties.

Bowing to my mentor, I was about to apologise for declining Vaegon's offer to escape when I was suddenly pulled into her tight embrace.

'Why did you not go with Vaegon, little mouse?' She whispered to me. 'You know full well that war is to break within these very walls.'

'Forgive me.' Was all the words I could bring myself to say as I clung tightly to Chasianna. After all, what reason would suffice for her to allow me to remain within the palace walls?

Pulling away from the embrace, Chasianna sighed and shook her head before looking at the prone form of the male I had found. I was no closer to discovering who he was much less what he was. I heard a healer speculate that he was a dwarf or a gnome but I had met some of those people once and they did not look this battle-worn and wearied by life.

'And what of your rescue?' Chasianna asked me, her tone careful. 'You already know his life shall be at risk should he remain within these very walls.'

'I do not know.' I answered her truthfully. Never had I lied to my mentor and I had no desire to begin now. 'Perhaps when he wakens I can find him safe passage if His Majesty would permit it.' I mused, wrapping my arms around myself.

Chasianna and I fell into silence before she opted to pull me close for a final embrace.

'Would you be able to spare an hour or two?' My mentor asked me. 'You had not eaten two meals now and I would very much like to ensure you are not neglecting yourself.'

Though I wanted to protest due to my desire to keep an eye on him, I also had no desire to upset Chasianna. Plastering on a smile, I nodded and made to follow her to the dining hall only for her to hold up her hand in a motion to stop me. Confused, I was about to ask why when she held out my slippers.

'I had originally come here to give you your slippers but our conversation had me distracted.' She told me with a small smile. 'I shall see you at the dining halls.' She told me, tugging on my hair affectionately.

Slipping my footwear on, I proceeded to follow my mentor, throwing a last glance at my rescue as I did so.

Our walk to the dining halls was meant to be silent like it normally was. At least, I was accustomed to the silence Chasianna provided me with every moment I felt like I was not wholly myself. She had always been kind enough to grant me silence when my mind was a myriad of thoughts that were fighting to be heard or acknowledged. In fact, for a fraction of a time, that was the silence and peace that I was taking comfort from until Chasianna stopped in her walk and gently held me back as well.

'Have you considered seclusion yet?' Chasianna asked me.

The question was almost abrupt if it had not crossed my mind enough times that I had come to expect it to be asked of me already. I looked at my mentor carefully before I looked down, my hands immediately going to hide within my sleeves. Seclusion had crossed my mind but to think of myself locked in one room that would be heavily guarded for the sake of my safety was not something I liked the sound of.

'I may consider seclusion.' I said slowly, grimacing at the admission. 'Though I would wish to be given the freedom to roam the halls for a bit more still.'

'Aelinor, why are you so hesitant to be safe?' Chasianna asked me, her brows meeting in a pained frown. 'I worry for you, little mouse.'

Looking to my mentor, I felt guilt rise within me. She only meant well and wished for my safety and yet I kept contradicting her, finding a way to avoid the safety measures she had been finding for me. It was not that I was an ingrate, nor was it because of a desire to be killed in the war. There was just a part of me that wanted to see things unfold ere I have the chance to see it. Granted, it was a selfish thing to desire but I still wanted to keep it best I could. Just for a while longer.

'Aelinor?' Chasianna pressed.

Turning my attention to my mentor, I thought over my words carefully before I proceeded. 'I just...want to see a bit more before I go in.' I answered her slowly, 'Ensure my rescue wakes, see him off, watch a final sunset, have a final meal.'

'You speak as if you will be dying instead of beginning Seclusion.' Chasianna remarked to me.

'I doubt we will die this instant.' I replied to my mentor, my lips curling up in a poor imitation of a smile. 'But I doubt that I would be seeing the outside for a long time once my seclusion begins.'

'And that frightens you?' Chasianna asked me.

I thought it over as carefully as one could. Was I frightened? The thought of being isolated was daunting to me, yes. And to have the possibility of being burned to death by the salamanders and whatever allies they had gathered did not sound pleasant. But frightened? I felt anxious. I felt worried. These were my natural states. But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like I might not be as frightened as I had thought I would be.

'I think I will just miss the company.' I confessed at last, surprising even myself.

Chasianna looked at me for a moment before she smiled and pulled me into another embrace, her hold on me as tight as my mother's embrace was. All that was left was to tickle me but Chasianna was not the sort to do that. Instead, she let me go and proceeded to continue the walk to the dining halls.

'I find it to be both a blessed day and a day of grief to hear you finally say that.' My mentor told me with a rueful smile. 'To hear that you did not hate the others, that you would miss our company. It is more progress that I have seen from you now than when I had begun teaching you.' She told me softly.

Her words were warm and kind. As kind as one who had just admitted that they had thought you to hate them only to be told they were wrong. But kind all the same. I never did like telling others of how I felt, not if I did not trust them yet. Chasianna was someone I trusted but a prophet can only be with their oracle mentor for so long before they had to tend to their own duties. Hence why I learned to stay my tongue from spilling forth any of my turmoils. With the end of Visal possibly at the horizon, I no longer saw a point in keeping my heart hidden. I think with the coming war, my mind and heart had grown weary of keeping my emotions in check and were permitting myself to spill forth what I wished to tell.

Only, it felt quite tragic to realise that these thoughts are being told when it is almost the end.

~~oOoOoOoOo~~

I had originally planned to return to my rescue the moment I had finished with luncheon. But as I made to head back to the Healing Halls, Chasianna pulled me back by the bicep and directed me back to the chambers for the prophets, seers and oracles. I made to protest when my mentor brought up her hand to stop my complaints.

'Oracle Chasianna, I really must return-'

'Not if you have not yet bathed and changed.' My mentor argued with me, her voice becoming the stern voice I had come to expect from any mother.

I huffed and scratched my head in frustration, mussing up my pale hair. 'But the male I found-' I tried to continue only for Chasianna to continue shepherding me off to the chambers.

'Bathe and change, Aelinor.' She told me, her tone almost commanding. 'I'll not have you neglecting yourself simply because there is someone you had considered to be more deserving of help than you.'

Though I wished for nothing more than to argue my point, my mentor had still managed to have me follow her bidding. I rushed through bathing and though I would have decided to rush through my dressing as well, I knew better than to do so. Our robes as those gifted with sight were something special, sacred even. With quiet reverence, I carefully slipped on the bangles, securely clasped my anklets and put on my own strings of jewels that were meant to be worn in my hair. Sapphires and opals were the colours chosen for me by Chasianna, she never explained why she saw it fitting for me to wear and I never chose to ask. As I was about to search for my veil and my ring, I paused when I recalled where both articles of clothing had gone. My veil had been confiscated by the healers to be handed to the guards for investigation while my ring...was with my rescue.

Reassuring myself that I shall have my items back, I straightened my posture and smoothed down any wrinkles in my robes before I left the now empty chambers I had once shared with my fellow prophets. Chasianna was waiting for me outside of the chambers and I paused when I caught sight of the veil held in her hands.

'I noticed you did not have your veil.' She told me as she gently placed it over my head, securing it with the circlet that normally came with our veils. 'I made sure this was a fresh one so you needn't worry about any visions.'

I was about to thank her when Chasianna brought up a hand to silence my words. 'Aelinor, I do this out of love. There is no reason for you to thank me for this gesture.' She told me before leading me back out. 'As for your rescue, the healers had informed me that he shall be waking soon.' She added. 'Would you still like to see him?'

'That is the reason I tried to do all my tasks as quickly as possible.' I replied with a sheepish smile when Chasianna looked at me with her brows raised upon finding out how I had rushed.

'We will talk about that later.' She told me as we made our way back to the Healing Halls.

Our walk was mostly silent minus the occasional greeting Chasianna and I would give to any palace staff or courtesan that would be milling about. Ever since the announcement of the mass evacuations being encouraged by His Majesty, I had noticed that even the halls that would have been swarming with different members of nobility around this time had been scarce to be found. Only a few numbers were seen and though I had no complaints, I did realise the gravity of the situation. Especially when I caught sight of some of the centauroi sentries coming in with soot and blood staining their clothes, their bodies smelling like smoke. When we finally arrived at the Healing Halls, Chasianna escorted me inside and to the bed where my rescue was still unconscious. As I settled into the chair I had occupied earlier, I was about to prepare my vigil once more when Chasianna laid her hand upon my shoulder.

'Aelinor,' She started, her tone careful. 'I know your desire to stay out here awhile longer but Visal grows more in danger by the day and I would rather you be safe with guards inside your room.' Squeezing my shoulder slightly, Chasianna blew out a slow breath. 'Will you rethink your decision about going into seclusion for me? Please?'

I was about to stand my ground and insist that I would be spending a bit more time outside but looking into her eyes, I did not wish to inflict any more worries for my mentor. Vaegon was correct. She only wished for me to be safe. Who was I to fight her on this? I bowed my head and nodded. If thinking over the possibility of going into seclusion would ease Chasianna's fears then I see no harm in doing this for her sake.

When she finally left me be, I began my wait for my rescue to waken.

I had already planned to spend time praying to the Lords and Ladies of Creation so he would wake sooner but the moment Chasianna had left, all I could think of was the war. I had known that it would be inevitable to think of any plans regarding this. Evacuations, escapes, seeking refuge, finding new homes, starting anew.

'I wish it were easy.' I muttered to myself. 'Pack my things, leave Visal, pray for the best.' I paused at how I worded it and sighed, burying my face in my hands. 'But that's never how easy things are.' I muttered.

How would anyone be able to escape this war? Visal is a kingdom where trade routes is entangled with so many different kingdoms. Villages, towns, cities, provinces, there were too much that would be put into danger. But with the salamanders coming, they would be torching everyone that had had ties with anyone from Visal, anyone that would stand up against them would be branded an enemy, anyone that would support King Adanion would be seen as a threat.

And the prophets?

'Seclusion is our only safety.' I said to myself, recalling how Teroth had explained it to me during my first year in the palace. 'Marble walls that were enchanted by mages of old to withstand fire, sentries at the door and a passage known only to you.' I recalled each word he had told me as he toured me through the different chambers. I had thought it to be a confining, suffocating thing but I also understood why he spoke about it as if it was something special.

'It is the only safety a prophet could have in times of war.' I whispered.

Perhaps Teroth, Chasianna and Vaegon were correct.

'Running will only put more people at risk, seclusion may be the only option I have.' It made a part of me feel ill to have to say it but I had to concede to the point made by those who had shown more experience in being gifted with the Sight than me.

'Not to offend, child, but this seclusion sounds to be a lonely experience to undertake.' A hushed voice came to my hearing and I paused, looking in the direction of the voice.

There, lying on his cot, the golden-haired stranger was looking at me with his tired blue-green eyes. He smiled slightly and moved his hand to hold something out to me. 'I believe you gave me something not to be given.' He told me quietly.