Destructive Dreams

By: Olivia Black

Chapter 3

Talen didn’t know what to make of it, Aewyn had kissed him, and he kissed her back. It was great, but he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable around her. After all she was still his boss and mentor, not to mention a few thousand years older then him. But that didn’t seem to matter to her. Talen tried to avoid her as much as was humanly possible and Aewyn seem to do the same as well. Not for the same reasons, she felt that she had maybe overstepped the boundaries of their relationship and knew that Talen was uncomfortable around her. She figured that by avoiding him he would be able to do his job better and wouldn’t mess anything up because he really couldn’t afford to. She knew that they need to talk but that was going to have to wait until after Council was over.

******

Talen popped his head into Aewyn study,

“Aewyn, the guests are approaching the gate, I think we should head down to the main entrance now.”

She looked up and him, his cheeks reddened a bit.

“I guess you’re right.”

She got up and left her study closing the door behind her. Once in the hallway she turned to Talen,

“The lords and ladies are used to a more formal way of address and would find it strange for you to call me directly by my name. So for the next few weeks we are going to have to be more formal with each other.”

“Yes my Lady.”

He said a bit jokingly with a shy grin on his face and he offered her his arm. Together they walk down to the main entrance. As they got there a herald announced in a booming voice,

“The Lord and Lady Tresline.”

The grand, ornately carved oak doors where opened wide to reveal a solitary woman in her mid thirties dressed completely in black at the head of the party. Everyone in the hall was taken aback. Aewyn rushed forward with Talen at her heels.

“Oh Jasmine! What happened? Where is Rowan?”

She said dropping all formalities, hugging Lady Tresline. The woman began to weep openly in Aewyn’s arms.

“Honey, it’s alright!”

She soothed the weeping woman,

“Oh good Lord! She’s freezing, Talen have some warmed blankets and honey tea sent up to her room. I’ll meet you there.”

Talen rushed off to find the Dame. He was surprised that he was to be involved in this seeing as he was only her page and was not really that important. By the time Aewyn got Lady Tresline to her room, three cups of tea and some biscuits with jam were set out and the blankets sat neatly folded on the bed. Talen stood waiting for them. After getting Lady Tresline settled into her bed, now in her nightgown with some tea. She seemed to have calmed down a fair bit but still had tears in her eyes.

“Jasmine, what happened?”

“We were traveling through the Forest of Dunhaine, nearing Ewyniand when we were attacked by some bandits. I was lucky enough to be in one of the carriages because they spooked our horses, and mine ran off. Rowan was able to regain control of his horse and began attacking, moments later the rest of his knights had also regained control of their horses. The battle was over in about five minutes, but as the bandits retreated one of them loosed an arrow from their bow. It hit Rowan in the arm, before we knew anything was wrong he was already gone. The arrow head had been dipped in some kind of poison.”

She began to sob gently. Aewyn squeezed her hand. Talen just stared into his cup, trying to figure out why this sounded so familiar. Suddenly he asked,

“Did they take anything?”

Aewyn gave him a funny look, not sure what he was getting at.

“They took some of our luggage, food, and horses.”

Talen thought for a moment,

“That can’t be right. That sounds like the gypsies, but it couldn’t have been because they’ve all moved on to the east.”

There was silence for a few moments,

“They weren’t gypsies.” Lady Tresline said confidently, “Rowan and I have made enemies but the gypsies where never among them, plus they didn’t look like gypsies anyways.”

“What did they look like then?” Aewyn asked

“Well, they all wore chain mail, it was very well kept I might add. They were all armed with bastard swords and some either had a long bow or a crossbow. The bore no marks which lead me to believe that they were mercenaries.”

Talen was about to say something when there was an urgent knock at the door. Talen opened it to another page, who side stepped him like he was not even there and turned to Aewyn like she was the only one in the room.

“Lord Dracken requests your presence in the main hall.”

He then turned curtly and left.

“That was very odd,” Talen, said, “I’ve known Markus for a while now and I have never seen him like that, he’s usually very shy and quiet. He didn’t even say hi.”

He felt hurt that his friend didn’t even acknowledge his presence.

“I wouldn’t worry about it, Dracken just put a controller spell on him, to make sure that he did as he was told. I’ll have to talk to him about that, I will also have to give all the servants something to prevent them from being controlled like that. I’m sorry Jasmine but we’ll have to leave you for now, I’ll come back later to check on you.”

******

Outside of Lady Tresline’s chambers Aewyn handed a silver amulet on a chain to Talen.

“Where this, it will protect you from any spell that Dracken or any of the other lord may use to try and control you.”

Talen wordlessly put the amulet on and tucked it into his uniform shirt. He escorted Aewyn to the main hall, as he past Markus he grabbed him by the collar and dragged him off into a corner.

“What the hell was that?”

“What was what?”

“I just say you accept money from Lord Dracken, you know we aren’t supposed to accept money from the other lords.”

“I didn’t! I swear to God.”

“Then what is this?”

Talen yanked a pouch off Markus’ belt and spilled out the gold coins into his hand. Markus’ expression changed from surprised to angry. He grabbed the coins and roughly shoved them back into the pouch.

“Well you have it easy! You were just a common thief but now you’re Aewyn’s page! There is no way you’ll ever be dismissed from service now. I on the other hand have been here since I was five and if I screw up now I am out of here. So I will take whatever money I can get!”

“I thought we were friends!”

Talen roughly pulled the chain of his neck.

“Lady Aewyn wants you to wear this!”

He chucked the amulet at Markus’ feet and quickly walked off before Markus could say anything.

******

“Lady Aewyn, it is customary that the hostess great her guest when they arrive.”

A tall dark man stood wearing chain mail his black sur coat was emblazed with a silver eagle.

“I must apologize Lord Dracken, I was occupied. Lord Rowan of Tresline is dead. I was comforting the Lady Tresline, she was quite distraught.”

“What a pity, he was a good man.”

Talen watched him from where he stood beside and slightly behind Aewyn as customary for someone of his status. He noted that Dracken’s expression did not change when she told him about Rowan’s death, almost as if he already knew.

“You! Boy!”

Dracken was talking directly to Talen now, for only an instant he felt compelled to do what ever he was told but snapped out of it. Both Aewyn and Dracken looked at him a bit strangely.

“Yes my lord?”

“Uh… never mind.” He said hesitantly.

“I want to talk to you about that Dracken, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from enchanting my servants. They will be protected against it anyways.” She told him pointedly

“Markus here will escort you to your rooms.”

She gestured to Markus who stood in the corner, he quickly tucked the amulet under his shirt and came over.
“Follow me my lord.”

******

“That was very odd, what happened to that amulet I gave you?”

The stopped walking, Aewyn was now looking straight at him.

“I gave it to Markus… he seemed to need it more then I do, why do you ask?”

“Do you realize how strong that spell that Dracken tried to place on you was?”

“I didn’t feel anything.”
Aewyn’s eyes grew large,

“Of course you didn’t feel anything, you deflected the spell before it had a chance to get any kind of hold on you.”

“But I didn’t do anything, I felt energy build up momentarily and then dissipate.”

“It was strange, Dracken had barely finished his spell when you started to react. You used the right exact amount of force as if you somehow knew what he was doing. I’ve never seen anything like this before.”

“But I didn’t feel myself doing anything!”

“The only reason you wouldn’t feel yourself performing an act of magic is if the force you use is very minimal. Which suggests that you are a lot more powerful then anyone would have guessed.”

******

Talen sat on the floor leaning against the side of his bed later that night, writing in the medium sized leather bound book he bought at the market in town. It was his journal, one of the few things he had actually earned, that wasn’t stolen or given to him. Every night he would write down the events of the day, today he had an especially large amount to write down. There was a knock from one of the wall panels on the other side of the room; Markus poked his head in.

“Talen? Can I come in?”

“Sure.”

He raised his hand to indicate where he was. Markus stepped into the room, he looked especially small and pathetic standing there in his cotton nightclothes, holding a small candle. He set the candle down on the table.

“You aren’t mad a me are you?”

“Of course not! I realized that you weren’t exactly yourself.”

Markus sighed in relief and flopped down on Talen’s bed.

“Here’s your amulet back.”
“Keep it, you need it more then I do. Besides you’d be getting one just like it anyways.”

They lapsed into silence, Markus lay staring up at the ceiling. The only sound heard was the scratching of Talen’s pen.

“Lady Aewyn came to see me after I escorted Lord Dracken to his chambers. She said it was all right that I keep the money he gave me and she said that if he offers me any more money I am allowed to take it but I am not to take from other lords.”

“That’s good… I didn’t think she would be mad; it’s the Dame who would have your head. Besides now I think Aewyn has plans for you.”

“Why do you do that?

“Do what?”

“You always speak of her as a friend and not the person that you serve.”

“That’s the way she wishes me to address her. You know… I don’t really think it’s fair that I get all this special attention from her, I mean after all, for most of my life I’ve been just a common thief and now I have special quarters close to the most powerful woman around. And she treats me as a friend rather then a servant.”

Markus looked at his friend who had resumed writing and realized that he wasn’t as sure of himself as he seemed.

“I didn’t want to say anything but rumor has it that one of the maids saw you kissing Lady Aewyn. Is it true?”

Talen’s cheeks turned a brilliant shade of pink as he said,

“I’m sure you’ve been helping the rumor along. But no I didn’t kiss her.”

He hated having to lie to his friend but no good could come from the truth in this mater.

“You love her don’t you? You’ve fallen in love with Lady Aewyn!”

“Have not!”
Talen said angrily throwing a pillow at Markus, making him fall off the bed. Talen handed him his candle and held open the wall panel.

“I’ll come get you when its almost dawn, there is something I’d like to show you.”

******