by J. D. Wright
The last woman told Rowan about the spot in the marketplace where she had met Dagan. Then asked Rowan if he could give Dagan a message from her. Before Rowan could refuse, as he wouldn’t be speaking with Dagan once he found him, the woman drew back her hand and slapped Rowan hard across the face, then walked away. He rubbed his sore jaw and stared after the crazy woman.
Sure enough, though, when Rowan showed up to the same spot in the marketplace the next day, he spotted Dagan leaving an apothecary, with his cloak drawn up to hide his face. Rowan knew it was him, however, because Dagan’s shoulder length hair was as white as snow, a color that was incredibly rare for anyone to have, let alone a younger man. According to Elric, Dagan was only one year older than Rowan.
He followed Dagan through the town and into the forest until he stopped near a large tree with a star carved into the side. Rowan watched as the wizard made a simple waving motion over the trunk of the tree. Suddenly the tree trunk expanded into a doorway, large enough to walk through. Dagan stepped through the tree and disappeared, just as the doorway closed and the tree became whole again, leaving no trace of the wizard.
Elric did say that Dagan preferred to live where he could have privacy, Rowan thought as he walked around the tree, amazed at what he had just witnessed. I guess that’s one way to do it...
~*~
It had been nine days since Rowan left to search for Dagan, and Bree was starting to grow anxious, pacing back and forth in the hall.
“Have you heard any news?” she asked Sir Nicholas, as he entered the hall.
Nick bowed to the queen, then answered, “Yes, Your Majesty, my son has just returned this morning and has located the wizard.”
“Marvelous!” Bree nearly shouted, trying to control her excitement. It wasn’t the wizard that Bree was actually interested in. She had been anxious for Rowan to return to Junacave. Sending him to find Dagan had seemed like a good idea at the time. But when Bree woke the next morning and realized that she would go an entire day without even the slightest chance of seeing Rowan again, she actually felt disappointed. And so the disappointment had grown with each passing day since.
“Please send for Rowan, Sir Nicholas, so he can share his news.”
“I’m terribly sorry, Your Majesty, but Rowan has already left the castle,” Nick replied.
“What? What do you mean? You said he just returned this morning?” Bree’s irritation was beginning to spread across her face.
“Well, yes. He did arrive this morning, then told Elric of the wizard’s location, and immediately left after. I could send word, to find him, if you wish to speak to him,” Nick offered, raising an eyebrow in suspicion.
“No, no. It’s quite alright. I am just disappointed that I won’t get to hear the details of his journey is all,” Bree lied, trying to sound convincing. “I was sure that following a trail of angry women must have been quite an adventure.”
Nick was amused at the sight of his queen getting flustered over Rowan. He had hoped the two of them would reconnect eventually. And while he had respected the king’s wishes when it came to Rowan, he was happy that his son could finally return to the castle. It was even better to see that Bree was still interested in Rowan, even after all of this time, for he knew his son still pined for her. That much was obvious by the way they looked at each other during the council meeting. And seeing Bree moping around the castle for the past few days was also a good sign that there was hope for the two of them, after all.
“As you wish, Your Highness,” Nick said, then turned to speak to another guard who was posted in the hall. “However,” he stopped and turned back to Bree, “Rowan has decided to accompany us on our ride to visit the wizard, tomorrow. I am sure you can ask him all about his journey then, Your Majesty.”
Bree cleared her throat, “Thank you, Sir Nicholas. I may do just that.” Then she turned and walked to her throne, smiling.
~*~
The ride to Elmber had not gone according to Bree’s plan. She had hoped to speak to Rowan before the trip began, but when she entered the courtyard that morning, he was busy sparring with his father, paying her no attention. And though she had invited Rowan to ride in the carriage with her, he insisted on taking his own horse. He rode on the side of the carriage with Sir Nicholas with two guards in the front and back.
So Bree was left alone in the carriage, for most of the ride, with little to entertain her. She was glad she’d decided to bring along a few storybooks and read for most of the daylight hours. She hoped reading would help distract her from the fact that the one person she wanted so desperately to see for nine days was now riding just outside of the carriage window. He was so close she could almost reach out and touch him. But any time she asked him questions about the trip, he just answered with one or two words and turned away. So she decided to give up on any conversation since he obviously didn’t want to talk her.
She was beginning to feel ridiculous for assuming he would want to see her or speak to her. She was now his queen. Things had changed in the seven years they had been apart. Even though he was there, it didn’t mean that the feelings between them were the same as before. Perhaps he had a lady friend now and was no longer interested in her though the thought of Rowan with another woman made her gag.
Bree had insisted the trip be quick, stopping only when necessary to water and feed the horses and short breaks to rest. When she had spoken to Elric the night before, he was certain that if Dagan had been in Elmber for this long already, he might not stay for much longer. Elric had also given Bree a vial containing some sort of potion to “use on the doorway” he had suggested. She was unsure of what he meant by that but kept the vial tucked away in a small satchel hidden under her skirts.
When they finally reached Elmber, Rowan suggested they stay outside of the town, so as not to tip Dagan off that visitors were coming. He led them around the town, and into the woods where he had seen Dagan disappear. Once he found the tree with a star marking, he stopped the carriage and Bree got out.
“Uh, not to sound ungrateful to our guide, but why are we in the middle of the forest?” Bree asked, stepping out and straightening her gown as she looked around. “There is nothing here.”
“Precisely,” Rowan replied, and gestured toward the tree.
“He means the tree, Your Majesty,” Nick said. “The tree is the doorway to Dagan’s hideaway. It’s how the wizard has been able to hide here for so long. He is using magic to obscure his home from view.”
“Well,” Bree said, stepping closer to the tree, “I guess that’s one way to do it.”
Rowan chuckled out loud, seeing as he had thought that exact same thing when he saw it himself. Bree glanced back at him and he looked away. He hadn’t meant for her to hear him.
“So,” Bree began again, turning back to examine the tree, “how does this work?” She tried pounding on it and nothing happened, so she kicked it. This earned a laugh from more than one person behind her.
“He waved his hand over it,” Rowan answered as he stepped toward her and the tree, “and a doorway just appeared. He didn’t say anything or touch it.”
“Doorway,” Bree thought aloud, “use on the doorway.”
Bree lifted the side of her skirt to grab her satchel hidden underneath, allowing Rowan to catch the sight of her gorgeous long legs and one of her thighs. The other men accompanying them had looked away but Rowan, having seen and felt those strong and beautiful legs wrapped around him, decided there was really no need for modesty between them now. Besides, he couldn’t look away if he wanted to.
Bree took out a small vial of liquid, sparkling blue. She held it up and gave it a few quick shakes.
“What is that?” Nick asked.
“It’s some kind of potion Elric gave me. He told me to use it on the doorway that it would… reveal things,” she replied, examining the liquid in the vial, which had now turned silver. “Though, how he knew I would need it…”
She
tried to pull the cork out, to no avail and was just about to use her teeth when Rowan stepped forward and reached out to take it from her.
“Here, let me get that for you… Your Majesty,” he offered. “Wouldn’t want you to spill it on your gown and… reveal things.” Bree narrowed her eyes but allowed him to take it.
Rowan pulled the cork out of the vial and with one quick motion, he tossed the liquid onto the tree. For a moment, nothing happened.
Then at once, the tree began to deform and open from the center as if it were being split with an axe. Rowan grabbed Bree around the waist and pulled her back as the tree widened almost twice its original size. The roots rose up from the ground, twisting and bending, revealing a giant doorway in the center of it.
When the tree stopped moving, Bree looked down at her waist just as Rowan realized he still had his arms around her. Quickly, he let go and moved away, running a hand through his hair and trying to hide the awkwardness. Bree just stood there, gaping at him. Unsure what to do at this point, Rowan held a hand out and gestured toward the doorway. A guard walked through, followed by Bree, then the other guard. When Nick walked by, he looked at Rowan and smiled, shaking his head, then he disappeared through the tree.
Rowan glanced back at Dragon, munching on some tall grass nearby and signaled for him to stay put. Then he followed.
Chapter Five
Dagan had just finished his meal, venison stew with a few slices of honey oat bread when he sensed someone coming through the portal.
Seriously? How could anyone get past my shield? It requires my blood to open and there is only one other person who has my blood—wait a moment…
Peeking out of the window behind him, he expected to see his grandfather walking through the doorway. However, it wasn’t his grandfather at all. It was a woman, a noble of some sort by the look of her, with several men, most of them clad in armor. Though he didn’t know who they were, he did recognize the emblem on their shields. Junacave, the kingdom his grandfather served. Dagan knew exactly what they wanted. Now he just had to figure out a way to get rid of them.
~*~
Bree couldn’t believe what her eyes were showing her, almost pinching herself to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. The place beyond the tree was a perfect scene, almost like a painting she could have sworn she had once seen. They were in a small clearing in the woods, though these woods were different from the one they just left, and the setting could not have been more serene. There was a stream gently running from one side of the clearing to the other, with a short wooden bridge to cross it, near the center. Then a stone path led from the bridge, downhill slightly, to a cozy little cottage on the far end. There were wildflowers growing all over, a few with butterflies sitting on their petals and fluttering around. The crystal clear stream water, running across the tiny colorful pebbles in the bed, was the only sound, adding another layer to the amazing tranquility.
After hearing gasps from a few of the others, Bree knew she wasn’t the only one who was surprised by their surroundings. Honestly, when Elric had described Dagan to be a loner, Bree had expected to find him living in a cave, not in the middle of a wooded utopia. Bree heard the door to the cottage open and saw a man emerge.
Seeing the wizard approaching, Nick and Rowan both instinctively moved in front of Bree, Nick unsheathing his sword and Rowan pulling out a dagger from his belt. Knowing what Bree did about wizards, having lived in the same castle as one her entire life, she knew that if Dagan had wanted to harm them, he could have done it long before Nick or Rowan would have had a chance to attack.
She had imagined Dagan to look like a hermit, hairy and unkempt, which was absolutely nothing like the man who was walking toward them. He was tall and slim, with a chest that could have been chiseled by the gods. This was evident by the fact that he wasn’t wearing a shirt, only gray trousers and a black sash around his waist. Dagan was much younger than Bree had predicted, as well, perhaps only a year or two older than Rowan. His hair, however, was white, as light as the clouds, with a few noticeable streaks of silver throughout, and his face was incredibly handsome with strong cheekbones and eyes as bright blue as sapphires. Bree couldn’t help but admire him, as she suspected any woman would, however, when she gave a small groan under her breath, she could see Rowan stiffen up in front of her.
The wizard did wear a scowl, which is one thing she had been expecting.
Dagan stopped on the other side of the stream, surveying the group before him. The woman is actually a royal, he mused. A princess, perhaps.
Bree cleared her throat then began, “I am Breestlin, Queen of Junacave. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Mage Dagan. I—“
“No,” he interrupted. “The answer is no, to whatever ridiculous request my grandfather has sent you here for. I’m not interested. Now leave.”
“Mind your tongue, wizard,” Nick warned. “You are speaking to the Queen of Junacave, your grandfather’s queen.”
“She is not my queen,” Dagan replied firmly.
“Dagan, if I may?” Bree said, calmly. “I have a message from your grandfather if you’ll be so kind as to hear it, before sending us away?”
Dagan thought for a moment, sure that nothing his grandfather could offer would change his mind, but nodded for her to continue anyway. Perhaps this would speed things along.
“You’ll have to forgive me, Dagan, for it has been several day’s journey to get here and I am reciting from memory. Elric asked me to tell you something like, ‘I will be going to the Isles soon, and I am sorry for…’ something or another, I cannot remember. Oh, and he said something about your mother’s amulet. I am sorry, I just can’t remember any more than that. Or maybe it was an island instead of isles…”
“It was the Isles,” Dagan murmured, looking at the ground. Whatever he was expecting his grandfather to say, this most certainly wasn’t it.
Bree noticed Dagan’s demeanor had changed after she gave him his grandfather’s message, or what she could remember of it, anyway. She wasn’t sure why since none of it made much sense to her. But the wizard now seemed to be contemplating something and Bree wasn’t sure if she should ask about the message, so she decided to stay silent. After a few moments, Dagan looked up at her.
“What is it that my grandfather has asked of me?” he said.
Bree told Dagan briefly of the message from King Silas, and about Elric’s condition and request for assistance. Nick filled in a bit of information in regards to the head of Sir Colbert. Rowan stayed silent, watching Dagan closely.
Though Dagan was still sure he wanted nothing to do with Junacave, despite his grandfather’s request for aid in protecting it, Dagan was intrigued by the mention of his mother’s amulet. His mother had been a human, with no magical abilities, though her own father had been a wizard. Occasionally, a wizard would have a child that did not inherit a bit of magic from their parents. Female children who inherited magic usually became healers or seers, telling fortunes and reading palms. Their magic was weaker because they were female. They could sense things, even sometimes move things with their magic, but even that was rare. Only a male child could inherit the full magical gifts. Since Dagan’s mother did not receive any of her father’s magic, he had made a special amulet for her, though Dagan wasn’t sure what the amulet actually did, if anything. He only knew that his mother had worn it every day, until the day they left Dagan’s father, Edmund, and moved away. He had thought about the amulet many times over the past several years, wondering where it had gone. The fact that his grandfather had the amulet all this time and never mentioned it was very interesting.
The one thing that Dagan was absolutely sure of, was that if his grandfather really was leaving to the Isles, this was his last chance to say goodbye to him and it would be his only opportunity to get the amulet back. Against his better judgment, Dagan decided to take his grandfather up on his offer.
“Alright, Queen,” Dagan said, in a tone that Bree gathere
d was not meant to be respectful. “I will return to Junacave with you. However, I will require some time to prepare my leave and get my affairs in order.”
By affairs, you mean your lady affairs, I assume, Bree thought but smiled politely.
“Unfortunately, we are a bit pressed for time as we have already been gone for four days and it will take us at least another four days to get back. I must insist that we leave today,” Bree said, firmly.
While Dagan was not accustomed to, nor did he care for ultimatums, he decided to humor the queen, for he wouldn’t have to deal with her much longer. Once he reached Junacave and obtained the amulet, he would sneak away and never look back. He had no intention of taking over after his grandfather passed, as being a slave to a ruler was a terrible way to live, in Dagan’s opinion.
“Fine,” he replied, then turned and walked back to his cottage.
Dagan finally emerged from the cottage once again, fully dressed this time, in black trousers and a light gray shirt. His long blue robe was open and tied around his waist with the same sash from before only now it held different sized pouches hanging off of his hips. He had a large satchel draped around his neck and shoulder and a dark cloak hanging over his arm. Other than what was on his body, he carried no other bags, not even a trunk for clothes. His shoulder length hair was pulled back and tied, though a few stray strands had fallen out around his face.
Unable to contain her curiosity any longer, Bree blurted out, “Your hair?”
Dagan looked at her for a moment then replied, “Yes? What about my hair?”
“Well, it is an unusual color, is all. Did you come by it naturally? If you don’t mind me asking.”
Having answered this question at least a dozen times before, he did mind. However, if he were going to be stuck traveling with her for the next four days, he probably shouldn’t start the trip off by insulting her.
“Yes, Queen. It is natural,” he said.
