AUTHORS NOTE:

Archer1eye: Like a level 20 rogue hmmmmm? I've started on character sheets, but I think I'd place Aloise only at level 8. A little bit out of practice. Thank you so much! I hope it kept you sufficiently distracted from the realities of work :)

Slyksylva: Whatever would give you that idea?

Chapter 54

10th Day of Middle Spring 768 n.c

"Mother told me that it was a family curse, that it happens to the oldest daughter. She said that it happened to her and it happened to her mother and so on," I explained, "Mother said the priests looked at her when it happened to her, but that they couldn't do anything about it. It's only going to last a tenday, so it's nothing much to worry about."

"It definitely sounds like you're not worried about it," Malkarov said and then hummed loudly, "it's something that we can work around. I'll just change my plans for this tenday and make next tenday entirely practical."

Not for the first time that day, I wished that I could see his face. The myriad of clues that would show me that he believed me or not. I could only rely upon the sound of his voice, and at that moment my abilities in that regard were severely lacking.

We spent a short while in discussion to catch up on the day missed. Malkarov asked after my family and I asked Malkarov if he had caught up with the Mithrasian Priests as I had discovered he often did on a nineday. He had and they had a pleasant afternoon, discussing me… apparently.

"Father Mattias had an interesting theory actually," he said and I felt my heart leap into my throat, "and when I refused, begging that your secrets remain your secrets he relented," he added and I almost let out a sigh of relief until he added, "but after his second bottle he seemed to have forgotten my reluctance."

I sat still, listening to Malkarov's story and felt my body tense up.

"Of course, if he found out about your current condition then he would consider his theory proven," he added.

'Stupid body!' I admonished myself. I felt the intense desire to get up and run away, but as it all stood I would just likely run straight into a wall and knock myself out. No, I had to stay there and listen, I had to try to defend.

"Despite the wonderful lie your Mother created, and it was a very good lie, enough to fool even Father Mattias if it were told by her mouth only," he paused for a moment and chuckled, "but from you my dear apprentice; no, not quite so believable."

I opened my mouth to defend the lie, but could think of nothing to say. I shut my mouth when Malkarov laughed out loud at my awkwardness.

"Would you like a hand?" I heard whispered behind me and felt Shard's comforting presence.

I jumped a little and spun around in the chair, pointlessly because I couldn't see her at all.

I flushed when Malkarov worriedly asked, "what is it?"

Shard laughed musically, "he can't see me, but you just gave me away anyway. Shall I make an appearance?"

"Please," I begged, trying to hide my face in my hands.

"Please what?" Malkarov asked, the sound of his chair scraping along the floor indicating that he may have stood up.

There was a gasp then and a cushioned thump, "who are you?" I heard Malkarov demand.

"You can call me Shard," she introduced herself as I felt her sit on the arm of my chair. I glided my hand up her back, leaving it resting there with my elbow resting on the arm rest.

"What are you?" Malkarov asked then.

"I'm a portion of a power, a power that Sharein has dedicated herself to. The blindness is part of the sacrifice she has made and will disappear in time," Shard explained.

"You dedicated yourself Sharein?" Malkarov asked and I nodded in response.

"Being an apprentice wizard wasn't challenging enough?" he asked.

"No," I said then corrected, "yes. It's… different. I didn't really think about my learning magic, it didn't really play a part in the decision."

"Will it interfere in your learning?" he asked.

"Not after this tenday," Shard answered for me, "I don't foresee any conflict."

"So, Father Mattias' theory was correct?" he asked.

"It would depend on what Father Mattias theorised, but if it involves She Who Hides All then the answer might be yes," Shard replied.

"She Who Hides All?" Malkarov asked, sounding confused, but quickly worked his way through, "Darkness… Tenebrae. Sharein dedicated herself to Tenebrae? You are a portion of Tenebrae's power?"

Shar answered, "yes and yes."

"You don't do things by halves, do you Sharein?" Malkarov said.

"No?" I said, smiling towards him, relieved that he didn't sound afraid or angry.

"Did you consider the ramifications, the consequences of this?" Malkarov asked.

I hid behind Shard and was reminded by Mother's comments first thing that morning, "No, not exactly."

He abruptly laughed and I recoiled a little in surprise.

"You're…" he managed to wheeze between laughter, "you're... in sooooooooo much trouble when Alladrial finds out!"

"What?" I almost screamed, suddenly afraid at the elf's potential reaction, "why?"

"Because he's always yelling at me for not thinking things through before I do them!" Malkarov laughed, "I can't even begin to think of what he's going to say about this!"

I felt movement and Shard's voice whispered in my ear, "I think you're safe now. Will you be all right on your own for a bit?"

I nodded cautiously, now that Shard had revealed herself I had hoped that she would not ever leave my side again. It was a momentary fancy that raised itself once she had shown herself to Malkarov. I felt a little disappointed that she had to go.

"Duty calls," she said louder, "and I must go. I hope you shall permit my return, Wizard Malkarov, with the promise that I shall endeavour not to distract Sharein during her lessons."

"That's… fine?" Malkarov said, not sounding entirely sure.

"Goodbye for now, my love," she said and I felt lips on mine.

A searing kiss, entirely inappropriate for the situation when her tongue sneaked through my lips, ever so briefly. My hands had found them wrapped about her neck as her hands had done likewise to me. When the kiss broke, she let go of me and I, very reluctantly, let go of her. I heard a quick step and then her presence was gone.

I waited for Malkarov to say something, but he didn't, at all. I waited for an exceedingly long time, but the silence that stretched between us just kept going on and on. Uncomfortably so. On a few occasions I considered breaking it myself, but then through 'what would I say', and so closed my mouth again. I wondered if Malkarov was doing likewise. After what seemed an eternity, I finally gathered enough presence of mind to form words.

"So," I said, extremely articulately considering the circumstances, "that's Shard. We're engaged. I don't exactly know how we're going to find a priest to marry us, but maybe I'll be able to do it myself now?"

He didn't say anything. I started to worry.

"Malkarov?" I asked... and waited.

I started to consider that perhaps he had fainted and weighed up whether or not I should work my way towards him.

"Eh… huh?" I heard a groggy sounding reply.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"Perfectly, fine," he replied, but didn't at all sound fine.

"Did you hear what I said?" I asked, wondering about his worrying silence. Malkarov often spoke like he loved hearing the sound of his own voice and yet now he was silent. It did make me worry.

"Could you," he said, "perhaps give me a few moments?"

"Of course," I replied.

I stood up carefully and made my way very slowly towards the steps, reaching out with my hands in front of me to ensure that I didn't bump into anything. I successfully made it to the bottom of the stairs when my foot kicked something. Thankfully I didn't trip over it. Feeling down at my feet, I recognised my backpack. I put it over my shoulders (once I figured out the straps) and made my way up the stairs. I was thankful for it. Unpacking my backpack would give something to do other than use the in house, which I was beginning to need.

I made it up the steps surprisingly easily and into my room. I found the bed easily enough and left my backpack on it. Finding the inhouse was a little more difficult, but manageable. I had just finished my business there when there came an almighty shout from down below that carried up the stairs.

"You can't marry a God Sharein! What are you thinking!"

I was happy that Malkarov had apparently rediscovered his awareness, not so much the topic he had focussed on. Ignoring my backpack for the moment, I made my way back to the door and slowly back downstairs. I stopped once I reached the floor and 'looked around'. Nothing. I cleared my throat.

"Oh," Malkarov started, "I'm sorry, I'm here."

I nodded, it would be embarrassing to talk to an empty room. The direction that his voice came from also indicated that he was still near his chair, so that was the direction I faced.

"I was thinking," I began, quite sternly, "that I love her. And she loves me. We love each other and getting married is what you do when you love each other. And…. Who says I can't marry a God?" A little less sternly I continued, correcting, "besides, she's not really, technically, actually a god. Just a part of one."

Malkarov scoffed, "technically? Gods are infinite beings! If you break a part off one, you don't have an infinite being and a part, you have two infinite beings!"

"Who said they are infinite beings?" I asked.

"Father Mattias used to keep going on about it, it says so in The Book," Malkarov responded.

"The Book?" I scoffed, then argued "the one that we already know has errors? It couldn't be that some High Priest just wanted to make Mithras or Celestine sound grander than they are? What is an infinite being anyway?"

Malkarov didn't say anything, so I just continued, "how about I ask Shard when she returns? Surely she'd know if she was an infinite being?"

Malkarov only groaned.

"Would you like some more moments?" I asked sweetly and was rewarded with an affirmative grunt.

I made my way back up to my room to sort out my pack, trying to memorise where I had placed each item in relations to the others. I was quite happy with the results and hoped that I would be able to remember come morning.

The rest of the conversations with Malkarov were spent completely ignoring anything about Shard. I even tried mentioning her name and he just ignored me and kept talking about something else. He seemed very thankful when our meals arrived as an excuse not to converse. After lunch, he must have realised that I wouldn't really have anything to do. Normally on a tenday, I'd spend most of the day reading. He took pity on me and directed me to my chair. Right through to dinner, he read to me. It was different but rather pleasant.

After dinner, he helped me to my room before returning upstairs to finish washing up.

I felt like a bath before bed, the grime of even one day without almost felt unsettling on me. I could squeeze in a bath before bed.

'Shard?' I thought mentally and immediately felt the comforting feeling of her presence next to me.

"My love," she said quietly as she hugged me from behind.

"My love," I returned, taking one of her hands that was around my waist in my own, "have you ever had a bath?"

We managed quite successfully to pour the bath and having Shard help me to get undressed sent tingles right down my spine. She slipped into the water first, then directed me to get in and lean back against her. She wrapped her arms around me, caressing me. I leaned back to kiss her as I felt her hand roaming over me in the warmth.

We didn't even realise when the water started to get cold.