Chapter 9

I sometimes leave notes for myself on the side of chapters, the only one on this chapter was, “the gay approaches rapidly”

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The royal castle sat on the edge of Ilamont its occupants the most prestigious of Andura’s populous. To be invited to the castle you needed to do something notable or be someone of noble birth. Well, that’s what we were told by everyone we asked about the castle so how did we end up here.

After we got back to the camp the queen’s guards showed up to retrieve her and her guard. Before she left, she gave us an invitation to the castle I hadn’t thought much of it but the more people I asked about it the more freaked out I got. Why did she want us there and what did she have planned?

When the leaders had found out they called a meeting to talk to us and that’s where we were now. Lauren joined us in the large tent where we sat cross-legged before the leaders of the caravan. The Elders were the most important people on the caravan and usually the most experienced. Despite their names they weren’t the oldest people here just the ones who had been here the longest.

A chess board sat between us while we talked, “So you kids have been invited to the castle,” A man named Orbon asked moving the first piece of the game. He moved his right bishop’s pawn forward two, “What do you plan to do?”

“I have no idea we don’t even know why she wants us there she didn’t say.” I replied moving our kings pawn forward two.

He was quick to take the pawn of the board replacing it with his, “Did you do anything to warrant punishment under the crown?”

“Not that I’m aware we just tried to save Emilie and protected the queen in the process.” I moved my queen’s pawn forward one for him to take. Kat squeezed my other hand tight while she and Raine silently watched the game.

He took my pawn as I had expected, one of the other elders whispered in his ear and he smiled. “I think it would be a good idea to go to the castle then since it doesn’t seem like you’re being arrested.” The second elder said smiling I didn’t know her name even though I should.

“Do you have any idea what she might want from us?” I asked now moving my left bishop two in front of my queen.

“It could be a formality you did offer them not only help but shelter and we’re not people of this land.” The man replied and moved his right knight two in front of his bishop.

Kat squeezed my hand tighter her knuckles going white. Raine was tense but he kept it together his eyes trained on the board. I moved my left knight’s pawn forward two, “And what happens if we never go.”

“We would protect you, but we would rather not get to that point.” He sighed moving furthermost right pawn forward one. A big mistake.

I knew the risks of turning down the invite we weren’t from this land they could very easily target us, “May we have a day to weigh our options and decide on a plan?” I asked moving my active bishop between his pawn and knight, “oh also I win.”

He laughed loudly with a smile, “I guess you did, alright you’ve got a day have Lauren tell us your decision.”

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After leaving the meeting, Kat, Raine and I went to grab food from the market. There was a small bakers stall near the front gates with ready-made sandwiches and pastries. The small stall creaked with each breath of wind the drizzle of rain soaking into the old wood. A slender man stood inside wearing a long leather apron over his coat. He passed a woman a loaf of bread before waving her off with a smile.

Raine approached the stall slamming his hand on the counter to get the man’s attention. The man unsurprisingly didn’t look too impressed and shooed him away. However, Raine didn’t listen he instead pulled out a small pouch from his inner pocket showing it to the man.  They spoke quietly for a while before Raine handed over the pouch getting a basket of a dozen pastries in return.

We left when Raine walked back over to us the basket of pastries at his side. There was a broad oak tree nearby that we decided to sit under. The caravan was visible from there, so we watched people while we ate.

The market was mostly empty due to the rain those that were there taking shelter under awnings and stall roofs. People from the caravan sat in roofed carts and in tents wrapped in cloaks and jackets. A few people sat on blankets surrounded by various items in case anyone came by to buy something.

A young dark-haired man and a cloaked woman eventually strolled through the market heading straight for the caravan. They stopped in front of an older woman the man speaking to her. After talking for a while the woman pointed to us sending them over. What did they want with us?

When they eventually made their way up to us, I noticed two things. The first was the large scars that covered the man’s arms and neck. Pinkish skin spanned across the inch thick gashes. They disappeared below the edges of his clothing spanning from his hands to his neck. Whatever had caused them undoubtedly meant to kill him.

The second thing I noticed was the golden-brown hair draping down from the cloaked figure’s hood.  They walked in deep strides towards us their head tilted slightly down to watch for rocks. A small gold clasp with two lions carved into it held the cloak together on their chest

As soon as they had got to us the man stepped away standing in the shade of the tree. His companion however walked over to me pulling a small bundle of flowers held together by twine and cloth. I looked up to Alexis a smile gracing her face, “May we speak in private?”  

“Yeah sure,” I stood up waving to Kat and Raine before I left. Alexis led the way taking me through winding streets. The man followed behind us his hands in his pockets, ”Who is he?”

“A friend of my parents,” she replied making her way to a small café going around the side. The small wood door creaked open revealing a set of steep steps lit with the same crystals that were at the waterfall.

Each step creaked loudly as we descended the stairs the dark purple carpet not doing much to help. On the way down the stairs, I reached to touch one of the crystals. My hand got a few centimetres from it before it was engulfed in a searing hot pain. Alexis stopped to look at me but didn’t say anything just shaking her head before continuing down the stairs.

The bottom of the staircase opened into a study-like room filled with books and antiques. To the left of the room there was a small desk covered in paperwork and books. On the right two sofas sat facing a small oak table a small vase of flowers sitting in the centre. Nearby there was a grand fireplace the ashes long since burnt out with more logs in front of it. The rest of the walls were covered in shelves holding various books and antiques or where there wasn’t there were paintings.

I followed Alexis to one of the sofas sitting down while she went to light the fire. It didn’t take her long to join me on the sofa where we sat in silence for a moment. In the few moments of silence, my mind began to race through all the possibilities. What could this be about? Did I do something wrong?

But as quickly as those thoughts came, they were abandoned by Alexis gently grasping my hand. She smiled at me the orange glow of the fire reflecting brightly off her cheeks. Her voice was soft as she soothed me until my worries disappeared.

“So, what did you want to discuss?” I asked both of my hands in hers.

She looked surprised for a moment before allowing herself to go back to her neutral demeanour, “I wanted to give you a gift.”

A gift? Her presence was enough for me, “You didn’t have to.”

“But I wanted to,” She sighed rubbing small circles into the palms of my hands, “However I’m not entirely sure what you like so I thought it would be best to let you choose what you would like.”

If I told her all I wanted was her company, would she grant me that wish? I tensed at the thought, why would I think about that. My hesitation must have been obvious as she squeezed my hands firmly, “Penny for your thoughts?” She asked not once letting go of me.

I turned away from her looking down to the ground. Why was I having these thoughts? I barely know her and yet somehow being around her makes me feel whole. One of my hands left hers to wipe tears from my eyes. I don’t deserve this; I don’t deserve her.

When I didn’t respond she dragged me up from the sofa and pulled me toward the desk. She leant down to grab a box placing it on the top of the desk with a quiet thud. Metal shifted inside of the box and a warm orange glow emanated from the small gaps in the wood.

Alexis pried the box open with a small folding knife she pulled from the desk. Inside there were around a dozen items, knives, slingshots and small wooden animals that glowed. I could tell from looking at the animals that they were enchanted however their use was a mystery.

She spent the next hour explaining all the weapons and items in the box to me. Her gaze never left me while she spoke with a smile making me feel like a young child again. The crackling of the fire reminding me of the days spent being tutored by Lauren and the doctor. They had taught me everything I know from reading to how to fight each lesson usually done near the open campfire.

After explaining what everything in the box was Alexis handed me an enchanted serrated dagger. The blade itself looked like your standard dagger however the handle was littered with ancient runes. Alexis explained that it was enchanted to burn wounds back together after cutting into someone. I found it cool when she was explaining it, I had never heard of a weapon doing that before.

Once she had found the knife to give me, she let me sit back down while she grabbed something to drink. Every part of me yelled at me to help her or to do it myself but I didn’t move from where she sat me. Instead, I grabbed a book off the small table and began to read about the structural design of the houses in the area. Most of which Kat had already done a great deal of explaining about.

It didn’t take long for her to return carrying a tray with a teapot and cups for us. She placed them on the table pouring us both a drink before sitting. The mahogany-coloured liquid swirled in the cups steam rising from the top of them in small clouds. Alexis used a spoon she had brought to scoop some sugar into one of the cups.

“What is this place?” I eventually decided to ask the cup of tea still too hot to drink.

Alexis put her cup down folding her hands in her lap, “It’s a space my parents organised for me to study.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing her parents owned all of this. The magical weapons, the books, the artifacts, it was all her parents. How rich were they, “I’m sorry if this is rude but how do they afford all this?”

“They are very powerful people,” She replied before picking her tea back up. Something told me she didn’t want to talk about it, and I didn’t want to push my luck. So, I sat back with my tea, and we talked about anything else.

After a while we ended up both laid on one of the sofas taking turns reading a book I had found on the shelf. It was a story of a travelling knight saving towns and falling in love with his apprentice. I wasn’t entirely sure what was happening in the parts Alexis read; my mind racing at the thought of being laid against her my back to her front. One wrong move and I would never be able to look her in the eye again.

I held the book in front of me reading aloud to her my body held firmly against hers. She sighed softly behind me her arm wrapping around my chest tightly. Her breath softly caressed the back of my neck distracting me. As I stumbled through the words on the page, I felt her rubbing small circles on my stomach. “Calm down my love,” she groaned tiredly in my ear her grip loosening.

“What did you just call me?” I whispered back her hand having completely stopped. She didn’t respond her breath softening as she laid there unmoving. I turned my head to look at her seeing her completely passed out. After placing the book back down on the table I got comfortable and closed my eyes. It wouldn’t hurt to take a nap while she was out it’s not like I could move anyway.  

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