by K Dezendorf
“Good to see you’re awake,” Billy said without turning around. “Go ahead and dig in.”
Rose happily did so, taking a seat and starting on the toast. It was warm and buttery and delicious. It helped her to put aside the terrible nightmare she awoke from.
Halfway through her plate, Billy sat to join her with his own helping of food.
“Have you considered opening a bed and breakfast?” Rose asked, “Cuz I think you’d be a hit.”
Billy chuckled at that. “No, I have more than enough on my plate as it is. But I am glad you enjoy it.” He got halfway through eating when he spoke again. “Afraid to say, child, I have to leave again, so you’ll be by yourself for a little while.”
“Can I please go with you?” she asked, not for the first time.
Billy shook his head. “I’ve told you already, it’s too dangerous. You’ve only just started getting the hang of using mind magic.”
“Then at the very least, could you drop me off at Dimitri’s castle?” Rose didn’t think she could stand spending several more hours alone with her own thoughts to plague her. “Then you can grab me after you’re done with your errands.”
The suggestion caused him to frown, appearing hesitant. “I don't know, child. Not to say the company there is unsavory, but I’d still feel bad just leaving you there by yourself.”
“I was there for over a week before you took me under your wing,” Rose reminded. “At the very least, maybe being around other magic users might help me in practicing and understanding magic.”
His fingers scratched under his chin as he considered this. “Perhaps. And I suppose it’d be good for you to familiarize yourself with the culture. But…” He looked at her with a grave expression. “You are not to go on any missions, or leave the castle anywhere, or with anyone, myself being the exception. If there’s an attack, don’t get in the thick of it. Just run.”
Rose nodded her head. “Deal.”
"Don’t be surprised if people over there start questioning you. Some of them may even be a bit aggressive. Most don’t know what a human is, but those who do… just don’t let them push you around one way or the other.”
"Right... stand my ground." She looked at him. “Did you ever have to worry about this sort of thing?”
“Aye, at first.” Billy’s face went tight. “To other taller folk, I'm just a small person is all."
"I'd say you're a very big person."
He sighed. "Stand up while I tell you that to your kneecaps."
Rose pressed her lips together, wondering if Billy was sensitive about his height. "Well, you definitely have a big heart."
"Eh..." He waved his hand dismissively, turning red at the ears. “Finish up your breakfast. Then we can go.”
************
After dropping her off at the castle, Billy went on his way, leaving Rose free to roam. She noticed the atmosphere was far more relaxed than when she was there last.
Out in the courtyard, people were gathered around a fenced off area where two people were fighting. An arena of sorts. The castle had two; she remembered seeing one inside as well. Only the inside arena was used specifically for physical combat. No weapons or magic allowed. The outside arena, however, was very much fair game because the fence around it was warded for stray magic.
Rather than linger near the arena crowd, Rose went over to the stables. Despite the musky smells, she missed helping with the animals during her stay at the castle. The horses and goats were similar to those she’d seen on earth, yet slight differences made them appear alien to her. The horses looked more slender in build, like elk, and the goats were flat nosed with stubby legs and short horns. As Rose approached, one of the goats came over and began head butting the fence while making a noise that sounded like someone was crying ‘nooooo!’
“Hey there, Brutus,” Rose greeted with a smile. She reached down and gave him a firm rub between his stubby horns. “You been getting enough attention?”
“Nooooo!”
Rose laughed. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
She felt a tap on her shoulder and she jumped, spinning around to see a familiar face. “Oh, hello, Granger,” she murmured in polite greeting.
“Kenyen wasn’t kidding, you really are jumpy,” he commented, looking amused.
She bowed her head. “Yeah, it’s nothing personal.”
Granger observed her for a few more seconds before his red-eyed gaze drifted away from her. “So, are you free? I wanted to show you something.”
“I’m not busy.” Her tone was polite, but she was on guard. So far, everyone there had been pleasant enough, but they were still practically strangers.
“Come with me.” He gestured for her to follow before heading towards the castle.
Curious, Rose followed him, though she was ready to bolt if necessary. He took her inside to the barracks where a few other people were lazing about. Some taking naps, others just idly resting. Granger weaved his way through the bunks until he stopped at one and pulled out a small trunk from under the bottom bed.
While he was rifling through it, Rose noticed there were a few people nearby, chatting. Three men, one human looking with tanned, tattooed skin and short blonde hair. The second was huge, so huge he took up three beds, with dark hair and thick mutton chops. The third was a tusked male she’d also seen occasionally go out with the scouting parties.
“Those followers of Markeos have been stirring up trouble again,” the blonde commented.
“When are they not?” The large one said. He glanced at the third. “You had a nasty bout with them, haven’t you?”
“You could say that.” His voice had a low drawl. He glanced up and Rose quickly looked away and back to Granger.
He waved her over, looking both agitated and eager at once. Rose stepped over to see what it was he wanted to show her, and what she saw caused her to gasp.
It was a hand drawn picture of her. From the look of it, she was sitting on the ground, resting against a wall. Her eyes were closed and she was in the middle of wiping sweat off her brow. The detail was amazing and it looked like a colorless photograph, only with much more personality. The strokes looked so even and controlled. Nothing looked out of place. She couldn’t help feeling jealous at the beauty of it.
“This is incredible.” Her voice was reduced to a whispered breath as she stared at the picture in awe.
“Heh, yeah, I know.” Granger was rubbing the back of his neck looking thoroughly pleased by her reaction. “There’s more. Take a look.”
He handed her several pages and Rose flipped through to see other portraits, just as incredible and detailed. Rose recognized a fair few of them, other residents of the castle.
“You should be grateful. I don’t typically share these,” he told her, sitting down on the mattress. “But, I figured a fellow artist could appreciate them.”
“Compared to your work, I feel like calling me an 'artist' somewhat laughable,” Rose said humbly.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself.” His voice was chiding, like a brother lightly scolding his younger sibling. “It just takes practice. Like becoming a Wayfinder.”
Rose looked at him in surprise. “You know about that?”
“I’ve heard talk.” He smirked knowingly at her. “Very little stays secret around here for very long. You’re lucky Billy was willing to teach you. He happens to be a well respected figure around here.”
“Ah, I didn’t know.”
“I’ll admit, I may have been a little rough on you, tossing you to Kenyen after our first meeting. I wanted to make sure you were truly committed to being here.”
“I didn’t mind,” Rose said, glancing up at him. She honestly just wanted an excuse to look at those eyes. They truly were just so vibrant and beautiful. However, she reminded herself not to stare. “Kenyen was very pleasant. Although, I think my other clothes still smell like troll.”
Granger laughed at that. “I honestly didn’t think you’d stick around but, you
proved me wrong. So, good job.”
Rose smiled and glanced back at the drawings. “Well, you can bet I’ll be sticking around for…”
Her voice trailed off when she flipped to the next picture. It was someone she recognized, and yet she shouldn’t, because technically she had never met them before. Not in real life anyway. Yet, there she was, the horned woman from her dream. The one who was being chased by Jenkto and her brothers. But how?
“Granger, who is this?”
He leaned over to see what she was looking at. The furrows in his brow deepened. “Oh, that’s Bal. She was on a mission for a while but she recently got back.”
Rose looked up at him. “Is she around?” When he hesitated, she added, “Please, it’s urgent.”
“I’m pretty sure I saw her earlier, so I don’t think she’s out on a mission right now,” Granger said, looking puzzled.
“Thank you.” Rose handed him back the drawings and bowed deeply. “And thank you so much for sharing your art with me. I’m truly grateful.” With that, she hurriedly exited the barracks in search of the horned woman.
It didn’t take Rose long to find her, only a couple inquiries before someone pointed her in the right direction. She entered the indoor arena room where she instantly recognized Vikhail as one of the fighters. Rose had never seen Vikhail fight before, and for several moments she forgot what she was there for.
Vikhail was faced off against a woman with copper skin and green hair. Her top half was human looking, but her bottom half was that of a large snake, with gleaming green and yellow scales. In spite of her serpentine grace, Vikhail matched her opponent with incredible speed and agility, parrying blows before delivering quick and decisive strikes. The entire room cheered and applauded as the two fought.
Glancing around, Rose's eyes fell on the horned woman lingering in a corner by herself, a hood drawn up over her head. She definitely had the air of someone who was preferring not to be noticed for the moment. Rose could entirely relate. She had to get closer to confirm, but there was not a doubt in her mind, she saw this woman in her dream.
After checking to ensure her hood was covering her face and hair, Rose casually sidled up to her. “Excuse me.”
The woman glanced at her, and Rose saw the glimmer of silver under the hood. “Yes?” The voice was smooth and sweet like whipped cream.
“Just curious...” Glancing around, it didn't appear as if anyone was taking notice of them or their conversation. “I’ve seen you before.”
“Many around here have,” she answered with a light laugh that sent weird tingles up Rose’s spine.
“You were being chased.”
The woman’s head canted to the side as she looked at Rose curiously.
“By a girl, and two men,” Rose pressed on. “And someone saved you…”
The woman lifted a hand, the fingernails long and dagger like. Rose quieted. The woman’s eyes darted about the room before looking to Rose and inclining her head to the door. “Outside.”
Rose nodded and the two of them exited the room. Bal walked down the hall a ways, before turning to Rose and lowering her hood.
Seeing her in full struck Rose dumb. Maybe Granger’s picture just hadn’t done her justice, but... Bal was incredibly gorgeous, so much so Rose found it impossible not to stare. Flawless skin the color of freshly squeezed berries, thick, gentle waves of onyx hair, and her eyes. Twin silver moons against night black where white should have been. If Rose could define beauty, this woman would be it.
Rose saw her lips moving and realized she was saying something. Heat raced up Rose’s cheeks as she realized her own ogling. “Sorry, what?”
Bal’s lips quirked up into a smile. “I asked, ‘What is it that you want from me’?” Her voice was barely above a whisper but that didn’t make it any less lovely. Bal reached up, brushing some hair back over her shoulder. Her face was soft, her figure voluptuous, Rubenesque. “That was a secret mission. No one else should know about it, least of all a newcomer.”
“I…” Rose began, but faltered when she felt something brush her leg. She’d been so entranced with the other, she didn’t notice the tail wrapped around her ankle. Her world turned over and her back slammed down onto stone, knocking the wind from her lungs.
Bal was on top of her, a glint of a knife in her hand. “Who told you of this? Speak quickly, please.”
“I… I saw it in a dream,” Rose sputtered through trying to get her breath back. She caught a whiff of perfumed spices, pungent and sweet. “No one told me anything. I dreamt it. It was like I was there, but I wasn’t.” This gave the other pause and Rose quickly pressed on. “Who was it that saved you? Who told you to ‘play dead’?”
Bal scrutinized her for a long while. “A dream, you say.” She placed two fingers on her forehead as her eyes bore into Rose’s. She felt that odd sensation of something rooting around her brain, but could do nothing to stop it. “How very interesting.” In a fluid movement, Bal stood up offering Rose a hand.
Rose accepted, her shoulders still throbbing from the fall.
“It was an elf,” Bal answered at last. “An elf with white hair and a foul attitude.” Her smile became playful as she said this, like it was a fond memory.
“Oh…” Rose had her own suspicions but Bal’s testimony had debunked them. As she brushed herself off, she noticed something was missing. “By the way, can I have my money back, please?”
Bal’s eyes widened and then she laughed, once more sending tingles through Rose’s body. “Well, since you’re so polite.” Her tail whipped out of sight for a moment and produced Rose’s wallet, holding it out for her. Rose took it, and as she did, Bal’s tail brushed lightly against her wrist, causing Rose’s heart to skip a beat and her cheeks to go red.
Bal smiled and winked at her. “A pleasure meeting you, Rose.” Then she glided past and disappeared around the corner.
Rose stood there for several moments trying to calm herself, only to realize she had never given Bal her name. She rubbed at her head, trying to puzzle through everything. It seemed strange that she would dream about Bal. But it wasn’t just her. Before, Rose’s dreams had been fairly consistent, but now they were all over the place. What was causing it? What had changed? Perhaps, maybe…
“Rose.”
Rose startled, hearing her name spoken right behind her. Turning around, she saw Edward looking worn and worse for wear. Physically he appeared fine, but his clothes were in disrepair and his eyes looked heavy and fatigued.
“Long time no see,” he said with a rueful smile.
“We saw each other just yesterday,” she reminded him.
“Ah, I suppose we did,” he readily agreed.
Rose stared at him, and she couldn't help but feel concerned for his well being. “Edward, are you…”
“There’s no time.” His voice was urgent. “I know where your Guardian is.”
Rose’s eyes widened. “You found Kyan?”
“It’d take too long to give you all the details,” he said, his eyes focused and fervent. “But he’s trapped. That’s why he can’t get to you. Someone is trying to break his pact with you.”
Rose shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“I know.” His speech was far more rushed than she had ever heard it. Like he was on some sort of time limit. “The one who’s holding him, you’re gonna need a lot of clout in order to get him away from them. Dimitri knows someone. He should be meeting with them soon.”
“How do you know all this?” Rose pressed, wanting to make sense of this information being sprung onto her.
Edward winced, grabbing his head. By the way his body was hunched and tensed, he was in obvious pain. “I need to leave. Go see Dimitri. He’ll help you.”
“Edward, wait…”
However, before she could finish asking him not to go, he was already gone through one of his blue portals. Rose stood there, feeling shaky. Kyan was alive. Alive! For several moments, she was drunk on relief. However, th
e euphoria was short lived.
Kyan was alive, but captive. He wasn’t fully back with her yet, and from the way Edward made it sound, she was limited on time. Decidedly, Rose began to march up the staircase to the top floor, when she nearly bumped into Vindo.
“G-greetings, M-miss Rose,” he said with a humble bow to her.
“Hello, Vindo,” Rose greeted in return. “I need to speak with Dimitri. Is he busy?”
“H-he’s in a meeting,” Vindo told her. “S-So he isn’t taking visitors right now.”
So Edward had been right on the mark. Which meant she needed to get into that meeting room to see Dimitri. There was no telling how short her window was. “So, what about you? Aren't you usually with him?”
“Y-yes. I-I’m going down to the kitchens to bring food for the guests,” he explained, adjusting his thick, round glasses.
An idea clicked in her head. “I can do that for you. It’s the least I can do after everything you both have done for me.”
“A-Are you sure?” he asked.
“Absolutely,” she assured with a smile.
“V-very well,” he acquiesced. “B-bring the food to the meeting room.”
Rose nodded and hastily bounded down the stairwell, taking two steps at a time. When she got to the kitchens, there was already a large tray prepared. Some of the kitchen staff recognized her and easily accepted her telling them that she would be taking the food up to Dimitri.
It was always nice doing hard work and kind deeds. It was even nicer when that altruism paid off in some way. It probably didn’t hurt being Billy’s official apprentice either.
Tray in hand, Rose made her way up the stairs to the meeting room. Marrik was there, standing guard in front of the doorway.
“I’m here to deliver the food.” She showed him the tray. “Vindo had me get it.”
He gave her a single look over, nodded, then opened the door and stepped aside, allowing her entrance. Rose gave him a grateful nod and stepped past him into the room. She very nearly dropped the tray of food from shock.
