Here's my new chapter, hope you will enjoy it. Once again, I have to thank my Beta. I feel like I'm learning much more than during my studies...

There is one thing I have forgotten to do for the precedent chapters. So I'm doing it now:

Disclaimer! No one of the characters are mine, they all belongs to Trudi Canavan. I do decide (more or less) what they do in this particular fanfic, but that's all. Their names, stories, etc. are owned by their creator, and it's not me!

5- How to marry one's novice

The Administrator was putting the library in his office in order with the help of Lord Osen. An awkward silence had fallen on the two men after over two hours of business-related talk. Eventually, his assistant broke it, asking the question they both knew needed to be asked.

"Have you heard about the High Lord's behavior from yesterday, Administrator?

"I don't think I could possibly have avoided hearing about it, even if I was deaf. It seems to be the whole Guild's only subject of conversation."

"Do you know how…" Lord Osen stopped, not sure of how he should phrase the question without being rude. Lorlen decided to help him.

"How the High Lord of the Guild could have come to act like a young mischievous brat?" He smiled, and Lord Osen gulped.

"Something like that, yes."

Lorlen sighed. "No. Not exactly. I went to his residence last night, but I was told the High Lord was resting. Takan explained that his master asked him for a relaxing drink… which has revealed itself far more efficient than expected. "

Lord Osen made a brief, incredulous laugh. "Remind me to stop nagging you as much!"

Lorlen smiled at that.

"And I am sure to be over careful on what is on my drink from now on –"

"Lorlen, you wouldn't know how a guardian can marry his novice, by any chance?" The voice rushed into his head. Lorlen dropped the entire book stack he was holding.

"Administrator? Do you feel well?"Osen's voice was full of concerns.

"Yes, yes, I am…fine, I think…"

"You have become very pale just now… Has something happened?" he insisted.

"It's okay, I just thought I'd heard… but it could have been my imagination." "Or at least, I hope it is." He added for himself.

"Err, Sorry, old friend. Maybe you could come to my residence? We'll discuss it."

"Maybe I should be the one asking for a relaxing drink." He told Osen with a forced smile.

"Just be careful that you don't go running all around the guild dragging a novice behind you…"

But the smile that Lorlen gave him in reply wasn't very assured. He was beginning to wonder whether Akkarin could have done much worse than just 'dragging a novice behind him'… he decided himself.

"Speaking of which, I'd bet the High Lord has recovered from yesterday, by now. I think I could go see him now. I hope he's okay." "And I certainly hope all of this is a joke!"

/ooooo/

"Akkarin, what was THAT? Have you turned definitely crazy?" Lorlen blustered as soon as he put a foot in the High Lord's residence.

But the only reply he got from his probably-crazy friend was "I'm sorry for shocking you, Lorlen. I should have asked you more… gently, I guess. Would you come into my office? It's a good place to discuss important matters. "

Once sitting with a glass of Anuren Dark in the hand, Lorlen attacked.

"So are you utterly crazy? Or is it only a joke to make me scared to death – as if I needed that! Please tell me you just wanted to laugh on my reaction!" He begged.

"I'm serious. It's not a joke. As for the craziness part… you're probably right about it." He said with a small smile.

Realization slowly came to Lorlen's mind.

"So what you tried not-so-subtly to say is… you want to marry your novice – to marry Sonea?"

Akkarin wasn't exactly pleased with the tone Lorlen used.

"I wonder, are you bothered by the fact that she is my novice or by the fact that she's Sonea?"

Lorlen recognized the dangerous edge in the High Lord's voice, but he had to say what needed to be said.

"Both, of course! You can't decently expect me to say nothing against it. First of all, I shall remind you that it is absolutely forbidden for you to marry your novice."

"I don't think there is a law for the case of marriage."

"There is one for an intimate relationship, and I don't clearly see how a relationship could be more intimate than those between a husband and his wife. It would be seen as the most immoral, and you are the High Lord. Neither you or Sonea need to be involved in a scandal of that size. And then, I shall add, in case you have forgotten, that you kidnapped the girl and blackmailed her into being your novice. Now, you say you want to marry her?" Lorlen's gaze became suspicious. "Besides, how can I be sure that it is not another way to ensure her silence? And by the way, did you ask Sonea what she thinks about your… intentions?"

"Do you really distrust me so much that you would think me able to g that far? Anyway, of course I asked Sonea, I wouldn't have come to you until she accepted my proposal. Unlike what you may think, I am no monster. Black magician, yes, there is no point of denying it. But no monster. And I would like you to believe it." He seemed really pained by Lorlen's assumption, and the latter were beginning to regret his words, when he realized what his friend had been saying.

"Wait – you asked Sonea? You truly proposed her? When?"

"Where have you been these last days? I asked yesterday. What did you think I took drugs for?"

"Not for that." "And she agreed?" Lorlen still found it hard to believe.

Akkarin had now a wide smile on his face. "Yes. She said 'Yes'. Do you see, my old friend, you should be congratulating me, not accusing me of such horrible things."

"But… wait. Why do you want to marry her if not preserve you secret?" He was still flabbergasted, trying to understand what was happening in the High Lord's brain. Akkarin put on a serious face.

"Lorlen. Don't you see how powerful she is?"

"No one can deny it, but if you want her only for her power –"

"Don't you see how clever she is?"

"She is indeed very smart and has good marks –"

"She is brilliant." He cut. "Don't you see how beautiful she is?"

"Err… well –"

"Oh, of course, she's not one of the Houses. She isn't painting herself and hiding her pretty face under make-up or jewels of all kind. No, her beauty is natural. Don't you see it, Lorlen? That is why she is so beautiful. She doesn't need to lie or…"

Lorlen was staring at his friend, whose eyes were bright and whose expression was one of total fondness.

"The point you are trying to make is… you love Sonea?" he asked hesitantly.

"Of course, that's the point I'm making! Isn't that obvious? Earlier, you asked why I would marry her. Well, the answer is quite simple as you can see." He paused, looked Lorlen straight in the eyes, smiled some more and said: "I love her. More than you could possibly imagine."

"And she loves you."

"I want to believe it, since she agreed on being my wife."

"And… wasn't she more or less… involved with Rothen's son?"

"Dorrien? Well I supposed she loves me more him." He said with a fierce, smug smile. Seeing what, Lorlen burst into laughter.

"Jeez, Akkarin, look at you! You sound so… boyish!" he laughed. "I don't remember ever seeing you so excited for something else than fighting!"

"I don't remember ever loving someone so much." He replied softly, and Lorlen grew serious again.

"Yes. I can see that. You love her."

"So, it's okay of we marry, right?"

"What? Oh no, wait a sec, that is a different matter! And if you only wanted a blessing, you should have asked Rothen's, not mine. He is, after all, what comes the closest to a father for Sonea." Akkarin, who had begun pacing while Lorlen was speaking, stopped.

"You're right. I should probably ask her hand properly and formally." He suppressed a grimace. "I'm not in a hurry to have Rothen in front of me and me telling him I'm Sonea's fiancé… especially since she was with Dorrien."

"If you want me to be there, to support you… just in case…" The High Lord glanced at him with a bad look.

"You just want to be here for the fun, don't you?"

"No! No, of course not… Though it is certainly a part of it." He added, smiling widely. And then, "But in fact, that is not the problem. The problem is, you can't marry your novice."

"And yet, some novices weds younger than 21."

"But not with their own guardian! And most of the time, not a magician. Listen Akkarin, as Sonea's guardian AND High Lord of the Guild, you are supposed to protect her, help and guide her with her studies and life… like a father, or an uncle, not a lover!"

"Is there really no way?"

"Can't you just wait for her to finishes her studies and become a full magician?"

"That won't happen until at least three years! Bluntly speaking, I'm not sure whether I can wait so long…restrain myself so long. Couldn't I drop her guardianship? The problem is that I am her guardian, right? So if I'm not anymore, there is no problem!"

"No, no problem. Sonea would simply first be seen as in disgrace, and then, once you're married, people would begin saying that you probably bedded her when she was still your novice. The talks about Sonea's origins would come back, and you would be judged as immoral and so, unable to guide the Guild as you should. Nothing good would come out of this. People wouldn't understand how you could have lived together (a bit of red colored Akkarin's cheeks at the thought), loved each other enough to marry and yet, not have bedded." His voice suddenly held an anxious edge. "You didn't, right?"

"Bed her, you mean? When I needed drugs to speak my feelings to her? No, Lorlen. Moreover, I admit being rather anxious at the thought of Rothen learning it, and what he could do to me."

"The great Akkarin, scared of the magician Rothen?" mocks Lorlen.

"Believe it or not, but when he comes to Sonea, I sometimes think that he would sacrifice everything, including the whole Guild, to save her."

"That wouldn't surprise me either. You really should ask him before marrying her."

"If I can marry her…" He sounded truly desperate. "Lorlen, you're a lot more aware of the Guild's rule than me, can't you think of a way?

"And here, that's so much of my time with no rest. Osen will definitely be furious at me." Lorlen sighed.

"So will you help me?"

"Seems that way to me… But I will need to talk to Sonea too."

"Of course you can. But do you still not trust me?" he asked, while pouring them two more glasses of Anuren Dark.

"Actually, I do trust you on this matter. Here, I drink to you, to Sonea, and to the hours I'll spend looking for a way to make you happy."He drank, and Akkarin followed the move. He stayed silent for a moment, tasting the wine. Then,

"Thank you, Lorlen."

"Oh, you know, as long as you don't plan on killing the whole Guild as a wedding gift, I would rather see you happy than moping."

And as he was going back to his rooms, he realized that it was true. During this conversation, he felt as close to Akkarin as he had been when they still were students… perhaps even closer, as his friend had never told him about his deep feelings before – but that could be because he hadn't any at the time. They had even laughed together! Lorlen tried to think back last time it happened… and failed. If Akkarin and Sonea's wedding was what it took to bring his friend back to him, at least to a lesser extent, then he was definitely going to make this wedding happen.