Disclaimer : I DO NOT own anything in this story except for Ariel and Chester! All flamers used to heat my igloo in winter.
Mages Council
Chapter 3
The King led them down the corridor, and turned right. He stopped at a large oak door with a huge and important-looking lock on it. Light flashed in Ariel's vision as he inserted the key and twisted it. The door swung open. The King made a grand, sweeping gesture and they filed in.
Ariel looked around as they entered. She was in a large and airy room, paneled with what looked like cherry. There was a large table in the center, surrounded by large, bulky, uncomfortable looking chairs. She sighed, knowing that this would be a very long day. Their party strung out along the table, the King and Queen taking seats at the center, flanked by Numair and Wyldon. Ariel sat opposite them with Neal on one side, and Daine on the other. Chester curled up over her feet. The King started.
"Welcome to Tortall, Ariel Godborn." He smiled.
Ariel smiled back. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
The King nodded graciously. "Now, may we ask how you got here?"
Ariel looked at him. "How I got here? Or my life's story?"
"How you got here would suffice."
Ariel sighed. "To tell you that properly, you need to understand my life." Her face gave a way that it wasn't her favorite subject. The King nodded, so Ariel began.
"My parents died when I was young. Just before I turned ten. We were the last direct descendants of the royal line of Jirajen. Hunted. Everyone wanted us dead. Then the rebels could take over and no one would be able to make a claim for the throne. We moved around a lot. Never entered towns, lived in the forest." She sighed. "It was a difficult life, but it was a good one. My parents were two of the strongest mages in Jirajen. They said that they could see that I would follow in their footsteps. Then, three days before my tenth birthday, we were ambushed on the road. My parents were both killed by the rebels, and I was sold into slavery. Since I was passably pretty, they made my profession - errrr... - sexual pleasures." At this, Neal's face went white. Queen Thayets eyes narrowed in anger and Ariel could feel waves of rage coming from Daine, on her other side. The King, Numair and Wyldon kept their faces in schooled blankness, though Ariel could detect a hint of anger in Numair's eyes.
She continued. "People generally get tired of those types of slaves quickly, so I went through a lot of masters, before I got there." She paused, and noticed the others listening intently. "That place is my last home. My masters bought me for their son, who used and often beat me. His father was powerful at court, as was his mother, who gained power by sleeping with important men, then threatening to tell. I was there for two years."
She took a deep breath. "When I turned twelve, my powers bloomed, and another 'slave' came into the house. Her name was River. We got to talking, and discovered that we were both mages. River was trained, so she began to teach me. Eventually, we were discovered, and locked in different rooms, or chained to walls. So, we learned to speak mind-to-mind." She shifted her position uncomfortably under the eyes of the others. "It was hard, but we managed. Then, we came up with a plan to escape. One of our contacts in the house brought me a drug called 'midnight kiss'. I managed to slip it to our master and steal his keys. We let out every other slave we could find. One of them, a boy mage called Keman, elected to come with us. We all became fast friends, even being pursued across the realm. Much as we wished they were, our masters weren't stupid. They knew the value of three mage slaves. So, they came after us. We must have crossed the realm at least twice. We managed to stay ahead of them for about six months. Then, something happened. We think we were betrayed. They knew where we were going and they got there first. Keman gave himself up, giving us time to get away. Before they killed him, he willed his power to me." Numair winced. Ariel glanced at him. "You have to understand, there had been so many close calls where we had to share magic, we were all bound together, mind and soul.When he died, we felt it. It hurt. A lot. River and I barely managed to get out. But we did it."
She shifted into a more comfortable position, her legs pulled up under her chin, her eyes staring straight ahead, lost in memories of the past. "One of our friends found us and hid us, kept us clean, fed us, everything, until the shock of what had happened wore off. It took about a week. That was when the rage hit. I had been closer to Keman than River, and his death hit me harder than it did her. I was so angry. I came up with a plan. After about a month of practicing with the two different sets of magic, I was ready. I left in the middle of the night. Went to their house. First, I let out all the new slaves and animals. I didn't want innocents to die in this. Then, I ripped the house apart, room by room, until I found them, huddled in a closet, hoping they wouldn't be found. I killed the father first. He burned up in seconds. The mother, I suffocated. The son, I let him watch them die, knowing there was nothing he could do. Him, I turned into a bloody red mist. Then I set what was left of the house on fire, and left it to burn." Maybe it was the disgust radiating from Wyldon, but Ariel seemed to snap out her reverie. She glanced around at them, noting that the King, Queen, Numair and Neal had understanding looks on their faces. Daine was nodding, but Wyldon's face was set, showing his disgust at using mage powers to fight battles, even personal ones. Ariel looked at him.
"Is there a problem, My Lord?" She asked mildly.
Wyldon's face twisted. "Magic should not be used to fight battles!"
The King cleared his throat. Numair, Daine, and Ariel glared openly.
"Revenge is revenge, no matter what the weapon you use is!" Ariel's voice was sharp.
Wyldon snorted. Ariel's eyes began to flicker between colors again. The Queen cleared her throat, and laid a restraining hand on Ariel's arm. Ariel looked at her. The Queen smiled.
"Continue please, we are eager to hear the end of this tale." Though soft, her voice had an air of steel to it, telling them that she would accept nothing but what she requested.
Ariel turned her face away and began again. "I returned to River, and we disappeared. We laid low for a few months. Then, the news came. A descendant of the Royal Line had come forward, and taken the throne. We went to the capital to see what it was about. We managed to get into the capital easily enough. Two mages, one with more than one set of magic, can go almost anywhere that they want." Wyldon snorted. "We got in, and we met with this new ruler. We discovered that one of my mother's sisters had managed to escape when the rebels attacked, and died later, bearing a child. My cousin, Alairna, who has taken the throne of Jirajen. She threw out all the treacherous old men that had been the mages council of Jirajen. She offered me the post of heading it, but I declined, and let River take the position."
The King nodded. "We have heard of her highness Lady Alairna."
Ariel nodded, and continued. "After a little searching in the royal library, we found an old diary of an ancient wizard, who had lived centuries past. It took her a year, but River managed to learn the writing. She discovered that the diary held centuries old spells, many of which would be of great use to us. Then she made the real discovery. A spell that can transport you across continents, through mage barriers, anywhere you want to go. She had promised me that if she figured it out, and could prove that it worked, then she would send me to wherever I wanted to go. She figured it out." Ariel smiled, thinking of her friends face when she had barged into her home. Had it only been that morning?
The King cleared his throat. Ariel realised that she had been lost in thought. Looking around, she noticed that everyone was waiting for her to continue.
"This morning, she came into my home and told me that she had done it. Figured it out. Made everything possible. She had done tests, brought stuff back. The only drawback was that, depending on the size of the thing you sent, you had to leave it for a certain time. But, it wouldn't be a problem. I took her word for it, so she asked me where I wanted to go. I had heard about a girl training to be a night in Tortall, so she sent me here. To the capital." She shrugged. "That's all there is to the story."
The King sat back, looking thoughtful. Glancing around her, Ariel realised that they all wore that thoughtful expression.
Time wore on.
Finally, Numair sat forward. "So, how long are you going to be stuck here?" He inquired.
"I don't know." Ariel answered truthfully. "I forgot to ask her before she sent me. But I can contact her if you wish."
Numair nodded.
Ariel sat back. "This may take a while." She warned.
The others nodded.
She settled herself, and sank into one of her deep trances. Her breathing slowed, and her mind slid from her body. She directed her conscience out over the ocean, in the direction of Jirajen. She met River halfway, as her friend sent her mind out to meet Ariel's approaching presence.
After the first preliminary greetings and questions, Ariel got straight to the point.
"River, how long am I going to be here?"
There was a long silence from her friend.
"River?"
Finally, her friend answered. "I'm sorry Ariel, but with all the stuff you sent with you, and Chester, I can't bring you home for at least..."
She trailed off.
"River? At least what?"
Her friend sighed. "I'm sorry, but at least a year. Maybe more."
"WHAT?" Ariel shrieked.
"I'm sorry. I should have thought about it before I sent you."
"No, no, it's alright. I should have taken what you said into consideration."
They lapsed into silence. After a moment, River spoke. "I know you have a lot to consider right now, but there are some things I need to fill you in on. About an hour after everyone discovered that you had left, there was some trouble with the counselors. You know that Alairna had had trouble with them before we arrived, and, well, now that you're gone, they're starting to act up again. You also know that they didn't resist all the laws that Alairna is putting through because you were here, and now that you're not, they're voting against the slavery laws that are being put into place." Rivers voice became strained. "And they're having their mages try to block me from speaking to you. I think that there's gonna be some serious
trouble soon." Ariel could barely hear her now. There was a presence coming between them. Ariel began to push on it with her power. She could feel the mages attached to it, trying to separate their contact. This annoyed her. She gathered some of her power around her, and shoved. The presence shattered, leaving the mages tied to it with serious backlash and enormous headaches.
–—
Across the ocean, in Jirajen, Baron Raen, main cause of Alairna's court problems, watched as his head mage collapsed with a scream. He watched impassively as the man writhed on the floor for a moment, before passing out. There was nothing kind about the man at the moment, though his face was handsome. In his home, protected by age old walls built with protections against scrying, he let his mask slip, showing the natural cruelty that he had inherited from his father, one of Ariel's original captors, who had given the young girl to his son for amusement. "So, her power remains intact." He mused out loud. "It changes nothing. But it does add a complication. This girl is annoying." His face darkened, and the scantily clad slave girl at his side flinched. Smiling, and in the feeling to create pain, he grabbed her by the throat and dragged her to his rooms. As one of Alairna's spies looked on, one of his hands slipped into her loincloth as the door closed.
–—
Ariel came to herself with a jolt. Keeping her eyes closed, she considered her options. It's either tell them or make something up. But wouldn't one of them be able to tell? Better go with the truth. I think it'll be hard for them to trust me anyway. But will I do for a year? Sit home and knit? Not happening. Maybe they can find me a job in the palace somewhere...
"Ariel?" A soft voice inquired. "We saw your eyelids flutter. What's the verdict? How long will you be here?" Ariel opened her eyes to see Neal leaning over her. The others sat back in their chairs, with the exception of Lord Wyldon, who was gone. She sat forward.
"Maybe, if we're lucky, I'll be here for a little more than a year." There were a few gasps, mostly from the females in the room. Ariel lifted her head and looked the King in the eyes. "I won't live off charity, my lord. I'll find ajob somewhere in the castle."
The King laughed. "I'm sure we can find you something to do here in the palace." The Queen answered. "You're a mage, whom are always in great demand, and, if I judge your life correctly, you are also battle trained?" Ariel nodded. "From childhood, your majesty.I can use a sword, a bow, and even a yamani glaive with ease. My mother believed in taking all the options, should I ever need to defend myself."
The Queen nodded. "The K'Miri are the same way. All our females know how to wield a weapon with ease. Also, there is another in the palace who knows the use of a glaive. Perhaps you have seen her already, Keladry of Mindelan? For you to have met Neal, you must have met her."
"They've seen each other, though they haven't been introduced, Your Majesty." Neal cut in. "If I may make a suggestion? Perhaps Ariel could be evaluated and put in with the older pages? That way, she would have the rooms in the palace without a fuss, regular arms practice and a class in magic with Master Numair every day." The Queen nodded. "That may work. My lord?" She inquired the King. He also nodded. Ariel raised a hand. "No offense meant to your majesties and your hospitality, but I need no lessons of magic. My gifts have been trained to the fullest, from healing everything from scratched to broken bones and concussions, to battle magic, and the ability to hold up a building while also holding off another mage." Everyone stared at her. "It's happened before." She explained. There were a few looks, but it took most of the stress off of her. The king nodded. "Let it be done, then. You are now a royal page of the palace. I will have one of the others, most likely Nealan here, introduce you to your duties. Your schedule will be worked out. You may practice with Keladry of Mindelan every morning, and be treated to the specifications we have made for her. Nealan, perhaps you should accompany Ariel to one of the free rooms in the pages wing? My lady and I shall deliberate."
—
Neal showed her into her room. Ariel examined it. Turning, she noticed that Neal had not left. "I wanted to tell you a few things before I leave you for the night. My room is directly across the hall, let me know if you need anything. I'll meet you in the morning, and show you around, ok?"
Ariel nodded. Stepping closer, she leaned up and pressed a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks." She whispered, and closed the door. Neal stood in the hall, stunned, for a moment. He touched his cheek, and smiled before crossing the hall and entering his room.