The Seer

by Kirsten Jones

  Phantasm’s face split into a jubilant grin, ‘We would be honoured.’

  ‘Good.’ Mistral muttered, curling up against him again. ‘Because I dread to think what reprobate Fabian would ask.’

  ‘Does this mean you’re coming around to the idea of motherhood then?’

  ‘I don’t really think I have a choice do I?’ She sighed resignedly and plucked at the loose material covering her belly.

  ‘Now that’s the spirit.’ Phantasm smiled fondly.

  By the time Phantom returned Mistral was fast asleep on the sofa. Closing the door quietly behind him he walked softly over to where his brother was sat at the kitchen table. ‘How is she?’

  ‘Getting there. She almost said the word “pregnant” earlier.’

  ‘That is progress.’ Phantom murmured approvingly.

  ‘Oh, and she asked us to be godfathers.’

  ‘Really? That’s fantastic!’

  ‘Shh! Don’t wake her please! I’ve had enough tears for one night!’

  Phantom grimaced, ‘Oh dear, are we at the crying stage then?’

  ‘It would appear so … she even tried to tell me how much you and I mean to her.’

  ‘Ugh! When does she get to the angry stage?’

  ‘Knowing Mistral, that one will be no doubt be happening very soon and probably last for the rest of her pregnancy, but hopefully by then we’ll have managed to reunite her with Mage De Winter and it’ll be his problem.’

  They both turned and regarded Mistral’s sleeping form in silence for a few moments.

  ‘Why is she wearing my clothes?’ Phantom finally asked.

  ‘Sorry brother, first that came to hand. Apparently her own don’t fit so well anymore.’

  ‘Never did anyway.’ Phantom muttered disdainfully.

  ‘Hmm, I think we might need to draft in the help of someone more qualified in that area than us.’

  ‘Not Eudora!’

  ‘No, brother. Worse than Eudora.’

  ‘No! You can’t mean what I think you mean? You do don’t you?’ Phantom stared at his brother in horror. ‘Mistral will never forgive us!’

  ‘Well it’s either that or she’s going to be wearing Grendel’s clothes before too long.’ Phantasm pointed out practically. ‘Do you really want to see that?’

  Phantom pulled a face, ‘Not really! The turn-ups she’d have to put in the trousers would probably be big enough to carry the child in when it’s born!’

  ‘Quite,’ said Phantasm. ‘So, if you’re agreed, we should probably make a subtle suggestion to a certain someone that they need to come and visit.’

  ‘Oh, the things I do for that girl!’ Phantom exclaimed softly and turned to face his brother with a grim look. ‘I suppose it is time she saw our house anyway.’

  Mistral awoke to the sound of the twins arguing quietly over a game of knuckle bones.

  ‘Is there any chance of something to drink?’ She asked, sitting up and stretching.

  ‘Water? Of course.’ Phantasm said solicitously, rising to his feet and moving gracefully into the kitchen.

  ‘No.’ Mistral frowned. ‘I need a drink.’

  ‘You can have a small cup of wine, but only if you have something to eat as well.’ Phantasm said in a firm voice.

  ‘Forget it then. I’m not hungry.’ Mistral looked moodily out of the black, rain-spattered window. ‘What time is it anyway?’

  ‘Late –’

  They all jumped as someone banged loudly on the door.

  ‘She can’t have been that quick!’ Phantom hissed with a terrified glance at the closed door.

  ‘No brother, I think not,’ said Phantasm quietly and strode over to the door, opening it cautiously. ‘Mage De Winter,’ he murmured softly and opened the door wider to allow Fabian to enter.

  Fabian gazed at Mistral across the room, his face drawn into a tortured mask of agony.

  ‘I think we should go for a drink in The Cloak brother.’ Phantasm suggested pointedly.

  The twins slipped out of the door, closing it quietly behind them to leave Fabian and Mistral alone. A long silence fell while they stared at each other across the room. All of the inexplicable resentment and anger she had felt towards him evaporated under the searing heat of his black gaze, his name finally escaping her lips in sigh of longing.

  ‘Fabian –’

  He crossed the room in three strides to sweep her into his arms, holding her so tightly she could hear every beat of his heart and feel the long drawn out sigh leave his body. They did not speak or move for a long moment until Fabian slowly released his arms from around her to gaze down at her with eyes ringed with exhaustion.

  ‘Oh Fabian!’ Mistral whispered brokenly. ‘I’m so sorry! I’ve put you through hell haven’t I?’

  He smiled faintly, ‘Hell. Yes, I may have been there this week. But only because I thought I had driven you away. I never wanted to trap you Mistral, I’m sorry … I’m so sorry –’

  Unable to bear the anguish in his eyes any longer she reached up to wind her fingers through his dark, tangled hair, pulling him to her, kissing him with fierce need, ‘I love you, I love you so much! How could I have been so cruel to you?’ She whispered despairingly, her hands cradling the face of the man she adored, gazing at her now with eyes eloquent with emotion. ‘Oh please forgive me! I never wanted to hurt you. I was just so shocked – I never knew I could bear a child, I thought I was a barren half-breed! But, I know now Fabian. I know who and what I am.’

  Fabian led her silently to the sofa. Sitting down he pulled her onto his lap and held her close against him again before speaking. ‘Imperato told me.’

  Mistral held her breath and waited for his reaction.

  ‘You were always complete to me Mistral. I never cared what blood you had, only that you wanted to share your life with me.’

  She smiled and touched his face gently, slowly tracing the gaunt hollow of his cheek, ‘And I do, always. You are all I have ever wanted from life. And now we are complete … the three of us.’

  Fabian’s eyes softened at her words, glowing with a depth of love that made her marvel at her own blind stupidity. What had she been running from? Closing her eyes and revelling in the warmth of his embrace, Mistral reflected that she really was her own worst enemy. Fabian loved her, and she loved him; implicitly. What had she been afraid of? They remained wrapped in each other’s arms for a long time, speaking a language that needed no words, listening to the sound of each other’s breathing and the beat of three hearts in two bodies.

  ‘Oh!’ Mistral abruptly sat up with and looked at him guiltily. ‘I nearly forgot! I hope you don’t mind, but I asked the twins to be godfathers.’

  ‘They will be perfect.’ Fabian smiled and then looked apprehensive. ‘I was thinking of Samson just now, but perhaps he would be a bad influence.’

  ‘Oh no! I think balance is needed! I don’t want our son to grow up obsessed with being neat and tidy!’

  ‘Son?’

  Mistral made an apologetic face, ‘Sorry, would you rather it had been a surprise?’

  ‘But –’ Fabian frowned in confusion and laid a hand on the barely perceivable swell that was their son. ‘How do you know?’

  Mistral grinned at him and laid a hand over his, pressing it tighter against the curve of her abdomen, ‘I can hear his thoughts, or rather his wants … and they are definitely male … food and sleep, that’s all he thinks about.’

  Fabian’s face dropped in astonishment, ‘You can hear him?’

  She nodded indulgently, ‘I think that’s when I started to accept the truth ... that I had a living, thinking being inside me and not a prison sentence.’

  ‘Oh Mistral!’ Fabian exclaimed; his expression desperate again. ‘I swear I never desired to trap you! I only ever wanted you to be happy ... Mistral, please … please tell me this makes you happy!’

  ‘More than I can put into words.’ Mistral smiled with sudden realisation of the truth. ‘And I know I’m not trapped. In fact,
I think it could be the opposite. I’m free! Free of not knowing who or what I am, of the fear of my destiny. And it’s because of you; not in spite of you … because of how much I love you.’

  He gazed at her, his black eyes filled again with a yearning so acute it made her heart ache, ‘Are you ready to come home now?’ He asked softly.

  ‘I never left. Just … travelled for a short while –’

  He closed his eyes and held her tightly, ‘I thought I had lost you.’

  ‘But I thought you didn’t believe in luck,’ she laughed and reached up to kiss him again.

  They crept quietly from the twins’ house in the early hours of the morning and were already half-way across the meadows before the sun had broken over the Eastern Range. Mistral knew she was running away again; but this time she was running home with her Mage.

  The sight of their small honey-coloured house instantly filled Mistral with joy. She slid from Cirrus’ back and led him to the stables, settling him in his stall next to Spirit she took Fabian’s hand and walked with him across the courtyard and up the stone steps to the door of their house. Waiting while he unlocked the door she gazed happily at the familiar view of dark wooded slopes nestling beneath the shadow of the Western Range; she was home. Fabian opened the door and Prospero immediately padded over and sat in front of the cold stove, looking expectant. Mistral laughed and ran across the room to fling open the narrow balcony doors, stepping out she leaned against the heavy wooden rail to admire the view, breathing in the scent of pine trees and cold air she gave a long sigh of contentment.

  ‘It’s good to be home.’

  Fabian walked quietly up behind her, his soft voice almost hesitant, ‘Even though you have a family now … another home?’ He placed his arms around her, gently laying his hands over her stomach.

  Mistral sighed and leaned back against him, ‘You are all the family I ever need or want. The twins, even my brothers; they’re closer to me than the tribe ever could be, and this house was home to me the first time I ever stepped foot over the threshold. Nothing can ever replace that.’

  ‘Not even having a mother?’

  Mistral made a dismissive sound, ‘Alyssa may have given birth to me, but she’s not my mother. I’ve lived my entire life free from the constraints of parents and I’m certainly not going to start letting some Melsina or Diannah type figure start trying to control me now!’

  Fabian smiled, ‘I think Alyssa would have her work cut out trying to control you Mistral.’

  ‘I know!’ Mistral exclaimed and turned in his arms to look up at him. ‘We’re complete opposites! Well, we look alike, apart from the obvious difference in the number of legs, but she and Imperato, they’re so calm and patient, and, I’m sorry to say this about the most revered race on the Isle, but they’re so dull!’

  Fabian burst out laughing, ‘Centaurs just have a different perspective on life.’

  ‘You’re telling me! I can see where I get my love of hunting from, but they’re almost fanatical about it! Talk about pedantic! Even I got bored with listening to them relive past hunts or planning the next one. And the endless debates! On and on and on about which moon was moving into which house and what it meant, I tell you Fabian, they could talk for hours about a problem and never come up with a solution! It’s like they have all the time in the world, there’s never a sense of urgency about anything they do! I was amazed that they even got up in the morning and didn’t just lie on their beds contemplating the philosophy of waking or something!’

  Fabian laughed again, his warm breath tickling the skin of her neck in a distracting way, ‘Centaurs are rich in the one commodity that money cannot buy, and that is time. They have already lived more lifetimes than we will ever see. They have so much time that what you say is true, there really is no need for urgency in their lives.’

  Mistral frowned at him, ‘But how can I be their child Fabian? I’m everything they’re not; impatient, reckless, bad-tempered –’

  ‘Wilful, stubborn, loyal, beautiful and mine.’ Fabian finished, stroking a finger gently down her cheek.

  She smiled and caught his hand, holding it to her lips to kiss the warm skin, ‘You know I’m always yours. Even when I’m running away from you it’s only so that I can come back.’

  A shadow crossed his face, ‘Please don’t remind me of last week. I was convinced I would find your dead body in the forests –’

  Mistral abruptly pressed her lips to his; silencing him, ‘Forget last week,’ she breathed, her eyes gazing deeply into his. ‘Let’s just enjoy this moment, here and now.’ Taking his hand in hers, she led him from the balcony back into their home.

  The heavy snow falls had taken a toll on their house so Fabian permitted her a week to hide from her brothers’ anger whilst he replaced tiles on the roof and repaired the fencing around the paddock. Filled with an unusual sense of contentment, Mistral was happy to spend her time at home, performing previously scorned domestic tasks with an enthusiasm that surprised her and astounded Fabian. Kitchen cupboards were emptied and scrubbed, floors swept daily and the stove polished until it gleamed. Appalled at how thin Fabian had become during her absence she made it her mission to produce three cooked meals a day, also providing her with the perfect opportunity to satiate her craving for roast boar. By the fourth day Fabian tentatively suggested that he would cook their next evening meal so she relented and baked a pie instead.

  Digging his fork into the thick crust Fabian inhaled the rich aroma of the meat and sighed, ‘Ah, boar again. Tell me Mistral, are there actually any left in the forests now or have we eaten them all this week?’

  Mistral pouted unrepentantly and stuck a forkful in her mouth.

  She would spend some time each evening reading the thoughts of the twins, Malachi and Leo to keep Fabian updated on events in the Valley. At first she was worried that only hearing second-hand the progress of Leo’s campaign would frustrate him and he would insist that they returned to the Valley at once, but he was unusually prosaic in his response.

  ‘Actually, your absence from the Valley is beneficial to Leo’s efforts. The Council Contract you heard in the twins’ thoughts is a made up Contract. There is no Committee for the Regulation of Theatrical Enterprises. Leo obviously wants them out of the way for a while. I think you three have become so unpopular since news leaked out about you fixing the Dragon Cull Contract that Leo feels it would be prudent to distance himself from you all for a while.’

  ‘Oh great, so now I’m the selfish Seer who uses her gift to cheat her brothers then runs away from her problems am I?’

  ‘Problems?’ Fabian enquired, arching an eyebrow sharply. ‘Is that how you are going to refer to our son? And why the plural? Are we having twins?’

  ‘No we are not!’ Mistral snapped, clutching her stomach with a horrified expression on her face. ‘Serenity said she could hear one extra heart beating inside me, not two!’ She suddenly groaned and sank down onto the sofa. ‘It’s going to be hell having her trying to smother me with helpful advice. Can’t I just hide here until the baby is born?’

  ‘No,’ he said firmly and sat down beside her, pulling her into his arms. ‘I want to show you off, my beautiful, pregnant wife. Besides, you have work to do.’

  Mistral sighed and leaned against his chest, ‘Bellicose or Malachi?’ She asked wearily.

  ‘Oh, let’s start close to home.’

  ‘Malachi then –‘

  Clash of the Titans

  ‘Care to join us all for a drink?’ Phantom and his brother paused outside the door to The Cloak and Dagger and turned to look at Mistral enquiringly.

  ‘Er, no thanks – I’ll skip it. I think I’ll head back to the stables and wait for Fabian.’

  Phantom made a disappointed face and tried to cajole her, ‘Oh, come on Mistral! We’ve only just got back from a pointless round-trip to the Council and it’s the first time you’ve shown your face in the Valley for ages, just come in for a bit!’

  ‘Huh! What’s t
he point? You won’t even let me have a drink!’ Mistral grumbled.

  ‘I’ll tell you what.’ Phantasm tilted his head and smiled angelically at her. ‘You can have a quart, how does that sound?’

  ‘Wow! Can I?’ Mistral muttered sarcastically and looked down at her dog, rubbing his head moodily.

  ‘Oh now don’t be like that. Come on, they’re not angry with you anymore, in fact everyone is dying to congratulate you.’

  Mistral immediately looked uncomfortable, ‘And there’s another good reason not to go in.’

  ‘Don’t be such a killjoy! Surely even you wouldn’t rob your brothers of the chance to celebrate such a happy event would you?’ Phantasm demanded, his beautiful face crumpling into a hurt look.

  ‘Oh, don’t do that!’ She scowled at his expression. ‘And please don’t make me do this. You know I can’t stand emotional scenes!’

  ‘Mistral, I hardly think they’re going to cry! They just want to share in some good news for a change. You know how rare that is in the Valley!’

  Mistral sighed and looked wistfully across the square towards the village, ‘Maybe when Fabian gets back.’

  ‘Where is he anyway?’ Phantom enquired, meeting his brother’s look and leaving his position by the door to glide silently over and take hold of her arm.

  ‘Gone to see his Agent for some work. He’s fretting about having a wife and a child to pay for.’ Mistral replied vaguely while she gazed across the square again, barely noticing Phantom’s gentle pressure on her arm moving her forwards.

  ‘I doubt very much that Mage De Winter ever does any “fretting” Mistral.’ Phantasm frowned. ‘Brooding, maybe, however, he is right to be taking this seriously. The responsibility of having a family is not one to be taken lightly.’

  ‘And your Mage has enjoyed possibly the longest bachelorhood ever.’ Phantom remarked acidly.

  ‘Are you calling Fabian old?’ Mistral snapped.

  ‘Of course he’s not Mistral.’ Phantasm said smoothly. ‘He is merely stating that Mage De Winter lived a certain lifestyle before you two met.’

  ‘Yes he did, but that was the past.’ Mistral retorted and then sighed deeply, looking over her shoulder again. ‘He said he wouldn’t be long ... his Agent doesn’t have many clients.’