Asperah Aftermath - Chapter III

The king paced back and forth across the throne room. Its vastness outmatched any other room in the castle save the dungeons deep below the bowels of Thean. “And this is the hand of fate that chose my daughter?” He said in a voice trying in futility to remain calm. Jezriel sat among the masters of the college at one side of the room while the Damion, Vanyel and three other masters of physical arts watched them from the other. The two chosen squires, Shiro and Aren knelt silently in front of the throne.

“This will be one good argument.” Damion whispered to Vanyel. “I’d bet my best venerium hammer if the great wizards will be able to convince the king without anyone getting hurt, if at all.”

Eyes were transfixed on Jezriel, everyone expecting him to justify the worth of this quest to the king, who spent all his life protecting his daughter from the threats of the outside world. He stood up finally, after a sigh that seemed to come from the ends of the earth. “This year, the fates have chosen princess Erin to ascend. Your majesty, you did enlist her at the college as one of the students in the arts of the mind. And it is your law that every apprentice will not ascend to full wizardry until he or she has completed the year’s quest as dictated by your council.”

“Only so she can learn to defend herself from the prying eyes of those who would harm her!” The king snapped back at Jezriel. “I cannot have my daughter running around trying to chase wolves all over Asperah! And is it not my choice also to remove her from that school if I wished?”

“No father, it is my choice.” The voice rang from across the hall. Everyone’s head turned to see the princess in her full garb enter the throne room. Her form a symbol of endless beauty, nature itself would be jealous. “Father, I can take care of myself, besides, I will have the two best squires protecting me if I ever need any help.”

Ahmen’s eyes squinted, eyeing the squires that knelt before him as though he would melt them down with his stare if he could. “These…these… you would entrust my daughter’s life with these…” The royal goblet clattered down the marble steps, spilling blood red wine all over the floor. “You, young lady, are not going anywhere outside the walls of castle Thean!”

Aren flinched a bit, half expecting the royal scepter to hit him anytime soon. Shiro remained motionless as rock, his eyes expressionless as though he was amusing himself at the spectacle. The king was a known warrior before his father founded the kingdom Thean shortly after the years of darkness. His reputation is known all across Asperah as a man of finality and integrity. No one expected the argument to be easy.

“Your majesty – ” A voice interrupted, met by a fierce backhand from the king’s free arm. One of the advisors fell with a thud from behind. Vol and the other, who were sitting silently behind the king rushed forward and dragged him out the back.

“Pay up.” Damion chuckled, nudging Vanyel by his side.

The king paused a bit, breathing heavily as he slumped back to his throne. “The outlands are no place for you, Erin, the most beautiful woman in Thean. I would not lose you like I lost your mother.”

“But father…” Erin’s eyes protested in a way she knew would make even the mightiest of kings in all Asperah give in to her will. “Surely you are not thinking of imprisoning me forever in these grand halls knowing nothing about life around me… not when you have no other heir to the throne.”

The tall lanky figure draped in the black cloak of shadow mastery beside Damion stepped up silently as a graceful cat. “Your majesty, I will vouch for the skills of Shiro myself. I have seen no one with so much potential as to be have the chance to surpass my mastery of the shadow arts.”

“And I would say that Aren is the quickest and most calm in making sound decisions amidst great danger far above anyone I have met before.” Said another master in white.

“Keos, master of war, do you know what it is I am placing in your hands?” Came the almost inaudible grumbling from the king’s mouth, his forehead rooted to the palm of his hand.

The man in the white cloak nodded and spoke as the master strategist that he is. “Princess Erin’s life is nothing to be taken lightly, but she cannot rule wisely in your place if she has no knowledge of her lands. Then, you will have to go and marry her off to some unknown lord who will do who-knows-what to this realm. I believe she is very capable herself, and master Jezriel agrees with me.”

Jezriel’s glance fell upon Erin, who sensed it through their natural link as master and pupil and glanced back as he felt the mage’s mind reaching into hers. “I swear if you never make it back from this quest I will travel through Gaul’s pits and back to find you, drag you all the way back here and punish you severely for not learning your lessons.” He spoke into her mind.

“I will return safely… and as a wizard.” She answered stubbornly back to the worried mind master’s thoughts. There was a strange silence in the throne room, yet no one heard a thing. Finally Erin turned to leave the room. “I will go and get packed for the journey.” She said aloud. Ahmen gave a deep groan, gripping the armrests of his throne with his eyes shut tight.

“If something happens to her, I will have your heads, master and squire alike.” The king said, finally conceding to the decision. Everyone left the room quietly not knowing whether it was a time to rejoice or be worried.

The next morning, Vanyel, accompanied by the two squires met with Jezriel and the princess near the outer courts. They were all out of uniform and wore regular street clothing, with Jezriel still sporting the large hat he always wore. “Sorry we are a bit late.” The mage apologized. “I had to make the princess dress down a bit to avoid getting noticed. And even then, we had a hard time trying to find clothes that she would like.”

“She is going to get us all killed.” Aren whispered, to which, Shiro gave a knowing chuckle. “Why can’t we have a regular apprentice mage like all the others before us?” He sighed, scarcely noticing Erin’s glare. A numbing force of thought ripped through Aren’s head, slamming him flat on the ground. Everyone’s eyes were locked onto the princess, each with a different expression of surprise. Jezriel’s face, however, was an unrecognizable scowl.

“He started it.” Erin said in defense, her lips pouting as she turned away from the small group.

“Any more of that from you and you will never gain the college’s recognition, young lady.” Jezriel’s mindvoice struck sharply at the princess. She is his apprentice and he is answerable for all her actions. The old mage helped Aren up to his feet, casting off the spell’s effect. “It should pass in a minute or two. Try not to move around too much.” Aren held his head, eyes trying to focus on Erin, yet failing miserably.

“Looks like she can be of value.” Shiro remarked. “If she doesn’t end up killing us herself.”

Erin frowned, not used to being picked on by commoners. “I said I didn’t start it!” She half-shouted. Jezriel sensed another mind bolt erupt from her and he cancelled it with his own, letting their two minds meld together. Shiro stared without moving, his eyes challenging Erin’s like a falcon eyeing its prey.

“That’s enough. This is clearly not working.” Vanyel interrupted. “Master Jezriel?” His gaze moved to the wizard questioningly.

“Aren is supposed to handle the decisions from this point onwards.” Jezriel pointed, seeing the young man start to clear his vision and thoughts. “What say you, Aren of Eldraim?”

“All right.” Aren groaned, his posture changing from a young boy to one who would command a small army. “We need to get moving or we’ll be at this until sundown. We’ll settle our differences on the road. Right now, we need to head into town and get some supplies. Horses, food and weapons.”

“For weapons, do not bother.” Vanyel interrupted, drawing a pack from his side and unstringing it, revealing the armaments created from Leander’s sword, melded into black stone and forged by Thean’s master smith, Damion himself. “Each of you pick one.”

“I can use any.” Shiro said flatly. “You two choose.”

“I’ll take the sword.” Aren said, reaching for the blade and brandishing it in his hand, wondering of its beauty and grace. “Amazing… one would think such quality would only exist in legends and dreams.”

Erin instinctively reached for the daggers and started to tuck them in her boots when Shiro spoke. “Maybe you will have a better chance with the staff, princess. It is useful when walking long roads, and will not hurt you by accident.”

Erin glared again, a sense of insecurity feeling her capabilities being challenged until Shiro bowed a bit and spoke. “No offense intended. I was merely concerned. I will take the staff if you wish.”

“No, I changed my mind.” The princess replied, putting the daggers back in Vanyel’s arms and taking the white and black staff that seemed to shimmer with power as she held it. “What can it do?” She asked Jezriel.

“No one knows yet.” The mage answered. “If you must know, the weapons come from a holy metal originally belonging to the sword of Lady Anshae, given to mortals during the time of great struggle. It was changed however, somehow, when the Lady loosed her bindings from it, and it melded into something that is not of its origin. The effects of which, we still have to find out. Consider it part of this quest.”

Shiro didn’t speak a word, only a knowing glint in his eyes when he strapped the daggers hidden somewhere in his loose clothing. His slim, lanky figure makes it easy to hide small weapons and he takes advantage of it often. “Shall we?” He asked finally.

The small group broke up, Vanyel and Jezriel giving them their blessing. The worried look could be seen in both masters’ faces as though they were making a big mistake that everyone in the kingdom was about to regret. Sighing, Jezriel consoled himself. “The fates are never wrong Vanyel. If any worth is to come out of this little sojourn, we had better be ready.”

“Should I send master Seric after them? He won’t be noticed at all.” Vanyel proposed.

“I don’t think our shadow master will appreciate that much trouble.” Jezriel allowed himself to laugh. “I am presently more fearful about the lives of those whose paths they will cross.”

Vanyel’s brows crossed. “Leave it to the wise men of the realm to jest at a time like this.” He sighed, then bid Jezriel farewell as he returned to the barracks and resume his duties as armsmaster to the remaining squires.

“It won’t really be necessary, Vanyel.” Jezriel murmured inaudibly to himself looking towards the towns under the kingdom of Thean. “Not necessary at all.”