Five
Journey to the center
After a minute or so a robed young man came out and invited us in with a wave of his arm, hand leading to the door he'd just exited. Inside was a magnificent hall, a desk stationed in front of the stairs and half a dozen seats next to it.
I made for the seats and looked at the man seated behind the desk giving us a serious once over as we approached. The leader was standing in front, holding his cap in hand as he stared at us too.
I sat down, letting the ladies sit first and grabbing the seat next to Rash. I leant and stretched to take one of her hands where it rested in her lap, bringing it up to rest on my legs as I held her fingers tightly in mine.
She turned and gave me a flickering half smile and squeezed on my fingers. I smiled back wondering what ordeal we faced here. The wait wasn't long, some other robed individual came down and invited us to follow him through into a high vaulted library, with book lining the walls half way up, leaving almost no room for the windows.
Here we waited a while longer, interrupted only by a tray of snacks and juice brought to us ten minutes into our sojourn. We sat in a love seat arms entwined as she lent her head on my shoulder.
"Do you think we'll be here much longer?" she asked softly, not daring to break the peace in this serene chamber.
"As long as it takes," I suppose. "You've put him in an awkward situation; he's probably reading up on the rules right now."
"If it takes much longer we'll have to stay the night here."
"I'm sure they'll get it sorted out soon," I said, feeding her comforting words. "If we're staying I'm sharing your cell."
My time was dragging as I wished the minute's bye, confident of the opportunity to share her bed later. Miriamni had surprised me by settling in one of the leathered lounge chairs and looked as if she were sleeping, arms crossed below her chest.
We waited at least ten minutes more, Rash beginning to sigh loudly before an old man in gaily decorated robes made his entrance.
"I welcome you," he greeted us. "I am Jacander, Mayor of this little burg." He looked from me to Rash. "You are claiming asylum here, as Princess Rasyondi, daughter of Harould of Skire."
She nodded.
"Tell me your story," he said quietly as he settled into one of the easy chairs.
Rasyondi told a tale that left me astounded, telling of her resistance to her father's wish of a political marriage, how she wanted to live her own life and settle down in Lhamo Dondrub.
"The guard tell me that your servant is a healer, a lesser one if I can judge. And your companion claims some knowledge of magic as well."
"They speak for themselves; both want to return hence they came."
"Woman, yes you, come forward that I might test you." He called out to Miriamni
Miriamni edged out of her seat, rising and crossing to stand before him. He handed her a disc such as the one used to test me.
"Just hold it steady in your two hands," he instructed her.
It glowed with a feeble light; I looked with my magical sight and saw Jacander outlined by a radiant light, a feeling of old wood and wine barrels permeating it. Miriamni had a feint glow as well, so did the spells enchanting the disc she held.
He reached and took it from her. "Here, you have a try." He said proffering it to me.
I took it and immediately felt it warm in my hands, the light glowing brightly enough to make me blink at its dazzling radiance.
"My word!" he exclaimed, snatching it back from me. "What training have you had."
"None master," I replied. "I barely lit it on my childhood test."
"What magic do you have?" he questioned me further.
"I can see magical auras and the magic of spells," I replied.
"You can see my aura?"
"Yes, it stands out about a hands span and is a brilliant white."
"And you see the spells of others?" he asked looking me in the face.
"Oh yes, like a glowing band of words, plain enough to read." I assured him.
He stood.
"Wait, bear with me a minute," he said and turning walked to one of the walls of books, studying the titles carefully until he pulled a thin volume out and began leafing through the pages. He came slowly back to his seat, nose still buried in the book.
It took him a few minutes to read whatever the portion of the book that help his interest, his face studious as he scanned the pages and then more thoughtful as he closed it and laid it down on the low table before him.
"How do you see the spells?" he questioned me again.
"In all sorts of different ways, there are big solid ones like the protection spells embedded in the walls and fuzzy kind of circular ones like on the amulet." I told him.
He glance at the book on the table, thinking for a moment, then quickly back at me.
He put his hand out, as if reaching for the book, but he help it above it and I saw him casting a spell on it with a subtle movement of his lips as the spell materialised, writing itself with words of sparkling light on the cover of the book.
"Tell me what that one says," he asked, leaning back in his chair.
"Stay still and closed till I want you again." I said, craning to read the glittering words.
As I read them off my right hand tingled and the words faded, my lips parted and my eyes danced over the book trying to understand what had happened, as I'd read the spell back the words dimmed and evaporated like they'd never been.
The shock and surprise showed on my face, Rash gripped my arm.
"Davor, are you alright?" she asked.
My eyes flitted to the wizard seated opposite as he leant forward, he too was shocked and his eyes narrowed as he stared back at me.
"That's never happened before," I said hurriedly.
"No," he said dryly. "I never expected to see it done in my lifetime."
He slumped back into the chair, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose as he took a moment of time to cogitate.
"You'll have to go on to Lhamo Dondrub," he announced, sitting forwards again and looking at Rash. "This is too big for me to rule on, the whole council will have to meet and decide for themselves."
Rash let out a sigh, her face crestfallen as I turned to look at her. I reached and took her hand, giving it a little squeeze.
"You will of course be my guests tonight; I'll have an apartment in the west wing prepared. And, if you please, I hope you'll join me for dinner."
Rash nodded her head glumly.
"Thank you, we'd be honoured to, a meal and a bath would be a delight after the privations of the journey and a soft bed to sleep in would be a welcome to these bones of mine." I replied, my knob already twitching at the thought of bedding with Rash again.
