Josie looked momentarily taken aback by Jess's curt hiss to Malek, but a gentle cough from her far too knowing lover caused her to blink it all away, focusing instead on her de facto patient. She gave a puzzled tilt of her head, looked a bit concerned, and immediately brought her hands to Jess's shoulders, caressing them gently, her eyes closed. She grimaced. "I can't help you, Jess, if you keep shoving my magic away. Okay, that's better… hmm… yes, I sense your left shoulder is slightly bruised, but nothing a few nights of rest and stretching won't cure. But let me help you along with that, as long as we are here."
Within a few moments Jess felt a warm tingle, relaxing into the soothing magic embracing her shoulders, and within seconds the slight stiffness she had felt was completely gone.
“Thank you, sister!” Jess said happily, giving her friend a hug. “Now I feel one hundred percent! Strange, though. Not even master healer Jevons can make a dent upon my stubborn aura, yet here I am, feeling better already with your touch.”
“It’s okay Jess, but don’t hug so tightly!”
“Oh, sorry,” Jess muttered in apology to her friend's bemused grin, slow to release her grip completely.
“There now Jess, let my poor Josie go if you would be so kind! I’m sure we can fix you up with someone almost as beautiful as my angel, if you but give me the word,” Raphael declared jokingly and the room chuckled even as Jess cracked an apologetic smile.
Alex flashed a grin. “It’s probably because you have a crush on Josie. Your body is receptive to her magics, whereas Sir Jevons, noble soul that he is, doesn’t appeal to you at all, so your psyche won’t let his magics penetrate your natural wards.”
Jess shrugged. “Perhaps.” She then grinned evilly at Josie. “Perhaps I shall have to steal you away as my personal healer.”
“I’m afraid I’ve already made a claim upon our dear Josie in that regard,” Raphael teased. “But you are more than welcome to visit my chateau whenever it suits you, my dear Jess. My offer stands, by the way. When all is said and done, your gifts as a greenmage could well make a fortune in coin for your family and mine in the rare herbs trade. Between your green thumb and my family’s distribution channels, every prince and lord on the continent will be demanding access to Calenbry herbs for his healer’s concoctions.”
Josie's eyes lightened at her lover's words. “It’s really not a half bad idea, Jess. And it would be wonderful if we all had reason to be near each other, not separated on opposite sides of the kingdom once we all graduate.” Josie concurred, plopping herself upon a grinning Raphael’s lap even as Jera gently took Jessica’s hand, guiding her to her favorite seat, and presenting Jessica with sandwich and ice cold milk even as she did so.
Jera gave her friend a sympathetic kiss on the cheek. “So what took you so long, Jess? Alex knocked on your door, but you didn’t answer. How tired were you?”
Jess grinned. “Oh, I was up. I just had an acorn to plant.”
Alex blinked. “You were up at midnight to plant… acorns? Was it part of some druidic ritual?”
Jess laughed. “No! It was a favor to my door.”
Raphael gazed at Jess quizzically, and Jess couldn’t help noticing how pretty he looked, sunken so elegantly into his favorite couch, the beautiful Josie snuggled next to him. “Gods, Raphael. I could just eat the both of you up, the two of you look so adorable!”
“And you two want Jess to move into your chateau with you? Things really are risqué in the capital these days, I suppose.” Jacob chuckled, the mustard snafu clearly forgiven, snugly encased within his lover’s protective arms. Malek winked at Jess even as he gave Jacob a tender kiss.
Josie blushed again and Raphael broke out in laughter. "Boy or girl, we have got to get you a paramour, my dear Jess. You are just oozing libido this evening!"
Jess felt herself turning beet red. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me tonight. Usually I’m better at keeping my internal dialogue to myself.”
Raphael quirked an eyebrow. “I see! So your barely restrained passions for my girl and I are something you have been dealing with for some time then?”
Jacob burst out in laughter. “He’s got you there, Jessie!”
Jess felt herself blushing hotter and buried her face in her milk jug.
Alex grinned. “So, pining for love and performing favors for our doors. You are indeed having an eventful night, dear Jess.”
Jess shrugged. “Well, yeah,” She acknowledged with a sheepish smile before sighing. “So, I saw Serie at the bout and, um, I guess she didn’t like it too much, huh?”
Josie sighed, gazing at Jess sympathetically. “I’m sorry, Jess. She will always be grateful for you being the noble hero she needed to save her from peril, like roles in a play, but she has decided that, well, now that she is grounded in the real world once more, what she feels is deepest friendship for the girl who saved her from peril. Friendship, and the sincere hope that you will forgive her inability to forge half remembered dreams into any sort of present day reality."
Jess closed her eyes, bitterly suppressing the sharp ache piercing her, imagining it drifting away under a gentle summer breeze. "I understand," she said at last. "She won't be the first girl to savor sweetest bliss with me, only to decide that maybe we aren't meant to be, the morning after.
She forced herself to chuckle, Malek squeezing her close. "Pay the silly chit no mind," he said. "No doubt her family is putting massive pressure on her to find some eligible lord and marry well. She can hardly do that pursuing the fairer sex, and right now she has the perfect out, declaring to the world that she was a victim of circumstance, caught up in the wiles of living dream."
Raphael smiled. "Malek has the right of it. Focus on what matters. How damn skilled you are with your blade! Practically a virtuoso. I, for one, thought you and Malek were brilliant! We all did.” Jess was reassured by the room’s concurrent nods.
“Oh yes,” Jacob concurred. “Mighty swordsmen you both are. Though I’m afraid my favor will have to rest solely with one of you.” With that Jacob wrapped his arms about Malek, sensuously bringing him close for a deep, passionate kiss.
Alex grinned. “Right, then! Business first, hot and tawdry romance second.” Jera flushed, hitting her lover on his shoulder as he turned his attention to Jess. “Jess, is Twilight back?”
Jess nodded, deadpan. "Yes, he is. And no, he's not sensing anyone listening in, and he hastens to add that if Dean Echobart, who knows far more than he lets on really minded, we all would have been broken up long ago. So we should worry less about devious proctors, and more about stocking our meeting rooms with salted fish snacks."
This got a chuckle even as Alex cleared his throat and continued. “As you all know, Jess and Malek are now officially adventurers, though they don’t as of yet have any affiliation with the Guild.”
“Ah yes, the Guild.” Raphael sighed. “A pity enlisting with them is all but compulsory; they’ve truly cornered the market on arcane artifacts.”
This, of course, brought to mind Jess’s primary concern. “Is it true they will try to force us to sign on with them, or that they make us give up our artifacts to them?”
Raphael shrugged. "Forced would be too strong a word for it. My family has dealt with the Guild regarding certain peripheral matters of trade we found mutually beneficial, and so we've picked up something of an understanding in regards to Guild politics. Rather, from what I gather, they offer a prime rate for anything interesting uncovered, at least as good as anything your average peasant or townsman will be able to get selling such an item, even in a city, without a sophisticated network of contacts."
Raphael paused, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Come to think of it, it's almost strange how decent the rates are, particularly since I know of very few nobles who have even managed to get their hands on any of these artifacts at all, and believe you me, they are a valuable prize, for bragging rights if nothing else." He smiled. "That of course raises the question of how the Guild manages to find the
coin to buy these artifacts off of various adventurers if they have no buyers. Unless, of course, their clientele is of a foreign nature."
Alex nodded. "That is a question a lot of us are wondering about. The obvious concern being that no artifact discovered here in Erovering should be allowed to fall into the hands of our political enemies. Of course, there is no point in asking the Guild about that."
Alex’s expression turned grave, his intent gaze turning the flirtatious mood solemn as everyone focused on the importance of his words. “In any event, our good friends Jess and Malek are going on a little quest as a favor to the school. Since they are technically free agents at the moment, nothing is stopping them from helping us directly, without any third party getting in the way.”
Several of them flashed Alex uncertain looks, but Raphael nodded his head. “Makes perfect sense, really. Recruit Jess and Malek to find a certain artifact for the College’s benefit, before they are made to join the Guild, and access to a certain lost artifact is, for all practical purposes, placed beyond our reach once more.”
Alex nodded. “Precisely. I see you are understanding more than you let on, dear Raphael.”
Raphael smiled. “My dear Alex, any trader worth his salt has the contacts and resources to keep abreast of anything that might affect his fortunes, and considering the recent events at the school, I suspect I’m as well versed in current events, shall we say, as the dean himself. That being said, I do hope Master Rens is at least offering prime rates for any artifacts uncovered?”
Alex grinned, apparently unfazed by the true depth of his friend's knowledge. “One thousand gold crowns for the prize. And prime rate for anything else they find.”
This was met by more than a few whistles of appreciation.
Raphael gave a satisfied nod. “That’s no small prize. Our friends will be well set with that kind of coin, however grim the task they face.”
Jess took a hitched breath as she gazed into Raphael’s grave expression, suddenly wondering just how many people understood the grim nature of their mission, to say nothing of what she and Malek might have to do in order to accomplish it.
“It is good that you are both trained for this sort of thing," Raphael noted. "Though I mourn for what it will cost you, one way or another. The school is lucky to have you both at their service; Jess, Malek."
Jess felt her brow furrow, her lips pressed tightly together. “So you understand, then.” It was not even a question.
Josie looked away, suddenly uncomfortable, even as Raphael’s gaze met her own. He nodded once. “I do, my friend. I do.”
Alex nodded. “And I’m going with them.”
Jera blinked. “Then I’m going with you.”
Alex shook his head, gently holding Jera close. “It’s best if we don’t take the risk. Now don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll be fine, but it would be twice as hard if I was worrying about you the whole time as well.”
“That’s bullocks! We are both trained battlemages!” Jera huffed. “If the situation’s stable enough for you to be an asset and not a liability, then there is no reason why I shouldn’t be coming along as well. Otherwise, I am not having your risk your neck for no good reason, Alex! You know as well as I that battlemages are safest in groups.”
Jess blinked. “You’re coming with us?”
Alex nodded solemnly. "Yes. For several reasons. For one thing, you guys need someone to record your experiences. And I'm the closest thing we have to a scribe, since we are trying to keep this situation private, and we all know who the bards work for." Everyone nodded at that. "In any event, should you discover tomes or other works of an interesting nature, I could get a sense of their worth and relevance. So too, Master Rens thinks that there is merit to studying the area, seeing if our magics will allow us to map the divide between mundus and the Dreamrealms, as well as take an account of the happenings of the town from the council's eyes as well."
Jess’s smile turned cold. “That’s assuming the artifact is trapped in Regio and not, say, in the hands of some noble who will have to be… convinced in the most extreme terms to surrender it to us.”
Malek flashed a dark grin. “And I suspect all of you here know how that is going to go.”
Alex nodded, speaking with an intensity that surprised Jess. “No witnesses to the wand’s capture will see the light of day. No enemy alive to blacken your name or spread the tale. Our enemies, however, will know never to cross our school again.” He took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. “You all know my talents as a battlemage. If destruction is called for, our enemy’s fortress will be a pile of cinders by the time we race away from it.” Dark eyes locked intently upon Jessica’s own. “I know what’s at stake, Jess. No survivors.”
Malek snorted. “Impressively bloodthirsty, considering how few of Eloquin’s lectures you actually attended, and only those pertaining to battlemage formations. Still, first things first. Before we commit ourselves to any irretrievable course of action, we do reconnaissance. Make sure there are no innocents before we initiate any hypothetical raid. Neither Jess nor I would countenance women or children paying for the crimes of these diabolists.”
Alex blinked. “But of course, Malek. I assumed that was a given.”
Jera, Jess noted, did not look happy. “I still don’t see why I can’t come.”
Alex sighed, looking down. "Jera, we have to remember what we are as well as who we are. If we are seen traveling together, two pairs of young men and women, we do risk rumors starting. Our families are known near these parts, so it would be as good as declaring ourselves betrothed to all the world, and we haven't set the wheels in motion with our families for that announcement quite yet, now have we? You know well as I do how delicate a dance we must perform for them." Gazing intently at his pouting lover, Alex strode over, firmly taking her hand, gazing into forest green eyes with equal parts exasperation and love.
“Jera. Please understand. It is not just our families we have to tread lightly around. Within a day or two we will be well away from anyone who knows either of our families, and we will have no allies in that area. It is then that our enemies, the true nature of which we still know close to nothing, will be most likely to strike. I couldn’t bear the thought of anything happening to you, light of my heart. I need to know that you, at least, will be safe.” Alex then wrapped Jera in his protective embrace. She stiffened for but a moment, before melting into his arms.
Jess couldn’t resist smiling even as her heart fluttered with an emotion that made her blink back tears, joining Josie in a heartfelt sigh. Yet she could tell from Jera’s expression that Alex would not win this battle, however poignant his emotions or logical his points.
At that point it was Jera locking hard eyes to Alex's own, until he was the one to look away, blushing. "I love you Alex. I don't care who knows, and I'm not ashamed to declare it." With that, she gently touched his chin, compelling him to meet her gaze once more. "I'm not afraid to take the next step, if you will take it with me."
“Oh Jera," Alex sighed, pulling her into his arms, kissing her passionately, leaving her breathless and blushing with a final kiss, and she sighed contentedly as he held her in his arms. "You're mine, you know. I claim you, just as you claimed my heart from the very first time I laid eyes upon you, discovering a magic as precious and beautiful as anything I've ever learned under master Rens. You don't ever need to worry about that." He looked down even as Jera smiled contentedly with his affirming words. "All right. I'll stop being a coward. I'll send a letter to my father and let him know how I feel. That it is time we made the announcement formally, before the Council of Lords. And then… and then we will let events take their course."
Jera’s eyes twinkled with happiness. “Oh Alex, I love you!” she cried, hugging him tightly, and Jess found herself blushing for her friend, seeing the tears of happiness in her eyes.
“I love you too," Alex said softly, holding her close. "Never doubt that. But this one adventure at least, I must undertake,
under my own auspices. It is not just run of the mill spies and enemy agents we need fear, my love, but actual diabolists. Counting among their number wizards with access to arts that are near impervious to the elementalist tradition." Alex allowed himself a tight little smile. "Or so they would like to think, at any rate."
Malek gazed curiously at their slender friend. Slight in stature; even Jera herself, who took pride in her growing competence with blade and buckler for all that she absolutely refused to spar with Jess, was of a huskier build then her lover, yet Alex possessed both a crackling intelligence and a gift with magecraft that only a fool would dare underestimate.
Alex gazed solemnly at his friends. “This stays between us, and no further. Your word?” His circle-mates' sincere nods were almost an afterthought, their trust always a given.
Alex nodded in turn. "Very well, then. As you may or may not know, among the many origin theories scholars, sages, and priests have regarding the very beginnings of our realm, one among them holds that our world is but one of an endless number, all of them both infinitely close yet unimaginably distant, barred from us even as they stretch away in odd dimensions we cannot hope to conceive of. Yet underlying the origins of all these worlds is the idea of names. The idea that all realms tied to life, death, rebirth, and renewal are linked to the sacred tree from which all life, indeed all existence, springs. And every element of nature, every discrete thing, whether it be the stone under our feet, the birds soaring in the sky, the breeze cooling us on a hot summer day, all of those things are associated with a true name. A word that resonates with the origins of a thing, a word that is tied to its very essence."
Shadow Knight Page 27
