Visions of Power

by Jeffrey Quyle

  “When you looked at me as you left the tavern, I felt compelled to follow you,” she said. “I wanted to see where you went, or where you lived. I didn’t expect to talk to you, but I wanted to talk to you. You live with a pregnant woman, you dally with the pretty ingenaire girls, and you lead me on even though you know I’m married, ruining my reputation. And yet you seem to be such a good person. I have to understand what kind of man you are Alec, for the sake of my own peace of mind. So I found myself following you. After you came into the shop, I heard those yells and came in to see what was happening….and saw….what did I see Alec?”

  “This morning for the first time I reached my ingenaire’s power,” he told her. “Tonight started innocently Inga, when the other ingenaire apprentices took me out to celebrate my first time as an ingenaire,” he said, wanting to explain the whole evening’s story, but not able to find the tone that conveyed the wild swings. “I wanted to go with them. I never have time to meet people just for fun, so I thought I’d go out this one time. I’ve never been asked to go out with the Guards,” he added.

  “But the evening was over for me when the tavern scene developed, so I came home to get away from everything, and found Ellen’s old boyfriend here attacking her and everyone. Then before I knew it, I used my ingenaire powers to defend them and myself.

  “I’m a warrior ingenaire. That’s the first time I’ve ever put the ability to a test,” he finished.

  “I’ve heard of warrior ingenairii, but never seen one. I’ve heard of lacertii, but never seen one of those either,” Inga said with obvious confusion. “Now that I’ve seen the one, I expect I’ll see the other as well someday.”

  “Yes, I suspect you will,” Leah commented, coming up the stairs with the last bucket of water.

  “Inga, would you go get some of the Guards and have them haul away the bodies downstairs?” Alec asked. “I can’t do much more tonight. The ingenaire power has drained me.”

  “Sure Alec, I’ll get the lads and we’ll get them out of here,” she replied slowly. “I’ll tell them to come follow me back to your home. Take care of your friend and we’ll take care of the rest,” and she turned resignedly and went down the stairs.

  “Inga, wait,” Alec called. “I didn’t mean to cause you any trouble. I just enjoyed your friendship.”

  She paused halfway down the stairs as he spoke, and then continued to descend without reply.

  “I heard what you said, that you used your ingenaire powers to become like that Alec,” Leah told him, putting a hand on his arm. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m completely drained from doing it. I can barely do anything else now. But we do need to do some things for Ellen. Would you go fix a broth with sorrel, umbelliferae, fishbone, willow bark, blue root, using Natha’s water? We can start dripping that down her throat so she gets something to start healing her internally,” he said.

  Leah left to start the broth, and Alec realized it was only the early evening still. Barely an hour and a half had passed since he had first entered the tavern with the other ingenairii.

  He sat on the floor by the tub, his back against the wall, resting. He heard sounds downstairs, and then Inga was back up to see him. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked with genuine sympathy in her voice. “You look pretty worn out.”

  “I need to rest. You probably shouldn’t count on seeing me at fencing practice for the next couple of days while I rest and take care of Ellen,” he told her.

  “After what I saw here, I’m not sure I ever want to face you again in fencing practice,” she said with a wan smile. “When you crossed that room and were in my face before I even knew what was going on, I just about wet my pants.”

  “What I came up to tell you is that there are only four bodies downstairs. One of them managed to drag himself out, judging by the smear of blood on the walk outside your shop. The other four are on their way to the river.”

  “You just stay here and take care of your people,” Inga told him with a momentary hand on his shoulder. “I’ll let the ingenairii know you won’t be there for a couple of days either.”

  “Alec, take care of yourself,” she hesitated as if about to say something else, but her voice only trailed off as she stared at him for long moments. With that she left the room, and Alec nodded off to sleep.

  Chapter 41 – The Healing Water

  The next morning Alec awoke to the sound of Ellen coughing. He realized he was still sleeping on the floor of the room where the tub was kept, and that Leah had fallen asleep lying against him. Beside her on the floor were a spoon and a nearly empty bowl of dark broth.

  Alec gently edged out from underneath Leah, and peered in at Ellen. She was still in the tub, although apparently Leah had drained much of the water out so that it was not deep enough to leave any possibility of drowning in her sleep. Ellen coughed again. Alec looked at her closely. It seemed to him that some of the angriest colors had already faded from her bruises and scraps.

  He could not call upon his health vision. He wondered what that meant, whether it was a sad trade-off of losing the health vision when becoming a warrior ingenaire, or whether draining himself of so much energy had drained him of the ability to use even his vision gift, in which case it would hopefully return.

  He bowed his head and prayed. He prayed for a long time. He began praying for Ellen, that she heal quickly and completely. Then he prayed for Hannah, that she not be too shocked by the evening before. His prayers wandered and gave themselves over to praying for Leah and Inga and then Natalie, finally for himself even.

  After ‘amen’ he raised his head and stood up. He walked to the doorway of his own room, where Hannah sat up at the sight of him. “Miss Leah didn’t come in last night,” she complained.

  “I know sweetie, but that’s alright. Why don’t we go get some breakfast?” he suggested.

  As they entered the kitchen Alec heard a pounding on the door. “We’ll have to go tell them we’re not open today, won’t we?” he asked the girl who was now contentedly riding on his back.

  “We’re not open,” he started to say as he opened the door.

  “I’m not here for healing,” Ellison said as he waited right at the threshold. “I heard. How is she?” he asked, looking at the girl riding behind Alec’s shoulders.

  “Come in, and close the door. I may be able to put you to use. Stay here for a moment and keep Miss Hannah happy,” Alec said as he unloaded his charge.

  He went upstairs and checked on Ellen. He intended to use Ellison to help move her to a bed, but looking at her he suddenly sensed that soaking in the fountain water remained the best thing for her. Instead he stooped and gently shook Leah awake.

  “It was a tough night, but I think we’re coming through it,” he told her. “Ellison is downstairs and wants to see Ellen. I’m going to cover her with a blanket and let him take a quick visit. You can go sleep in a bed if you’d like; I think it’d be a good idea.”

  Leah rolled to her feet and sleepily dragged herself into her bed, where she fell back to sleep. Alec got out a blanket and draped it over much of Ellen’s body. “Ellison, come up the stairs now, but leave the monkey downstairs,” he called.

  Ellison obediently came up the stairs. “She is healing I believe. Don’t be shocked by her appearance, and don’t worry that she’s in pain, because we’ve medicated her for that,” Alec warned.

  “You’re making me feel hopeful,” the guard said grimly.

  He let out an involuntary gasp when he saw her lying in the tub. “I understand you already killed the man who did this to her,” he said quietly. “I’m almost mad at you, because I’d like to have done it personally, and slowly.” He reached out tentatively, and gently rested his hand on her head, stroking her cheeks.

  “What’s her prognosis?” he asked as he took a last lingering look and turned to leave the room.

  “I think at least a week to see real improvement, but right now I can’t be sure,” Alec told him. “Wait two days t
o come back to see her.” Then he added, “but come again to see Hannah, she’ll probably need a friend to come play with her tomorrow.”

  “And one other thing, please. Go to the cathedral and ask for that priest we spoke to when we went there before, Brother James. Ask him if he will come today and pray over her.”

  Alec returned downstairs, saw Ellison out, and fixed some breakfast for Hannah and himself. As he sat at the table, he heard another knock at the door. He again stepped through the wreckage of the front room to the door, and opened it to find Merle.

  “Come in, Merle, please,” Alec said.

  “Who does your housekeeping?” Merle said with a glint in his eye as he surveyed the room.

  Alec was taken aback by the humor for a second too long, and couldn’t come up with a witty reply. Instead he responded simply. “Why don’t we go sit back at the kitchen table?”

  As they sat Alec poured two glasses of the now diminishing supply of barreled spring water for Merle and himself to drink, and then sat down to tell the story he knew the court ingenaire had come to hear.

  “How do you like that water?” he asked. “It’s from the fountain I created along the new river road.”

  Merle sat and took a second sip of the water. He closed his eyes and sat silently for a moment. “There is something I cannot describe about it. It is good. You use it as a health remedy, I recollect?”

  Alec nodded.

  “Is there always tension between the Guards and the ingenairii? Was that squabble in the tavern bound to happen?” Alec asked, wondering whether Inga’s prediction that as an ingenaire he would be trusted by no one was now his sealed fate.

  “It doesn’t seem like such a foolish confrontation was necessary between folks who all have the same good interests at heart,” Merle said with a note of asperity in his voice. “However, for reasons that are part of our human tragedy, all of us tend to see and emphasize our differences instead of the things we have in common. And being an ingenaire establishes a very big difference between us and everyone else. Anyone who is aware of your ingenaire powers is going to be suspicious of you, or fearful, or they’ll have great expectations. That’s an important lesson for you to remember. I suppose now’s as good a time to tell you as any. Some ingenairii don’t learn that until their relations with others are already established and irrevocably unhealthy.”

  Alec listened and pondered the message.

  “Now why don’t you tell me what you think happened,” Merle directed the conversation.

  Alec launched into his explanation. “I felt like I had no choice, although really I didn’t make a choice; I think it just happened,” he said halfway through. “Either I was going to try it, or I was probably going to die, and several others as well.”

  “You don’t have to be defensive. It happens that I think you’re right,” Merle responded. “Obeying rules in the face of common sense doesn’t make sense. So tell me how you’re feeling now.”

  Alec told him how weakened he felt, and added that he couldn’t call upon his health vision.

  “That vision of yours is part of the ingenaire powers you are already using,” Merle replied. “Apparently, because of the holy way you received that gift you don’t have to go through the usual ways to call upon that power. But when you’ve shut down your ability to touch the power you’ve lost it as well. Tell me, does it ever tire you out to use it?”

  Alec admitted that frequent uses of the health vision had exhausted him.

  “Well, it’s neither here nor there for now, but an interesting theory to consider,” Merle murmured, mostly to himself.

  “So you’ll stay here to heal yourself and others for a day or two, and then return to us?” he asked.

  “Yes, I expect so, if Ellen heals satisfactorily by then,” Alec replied.

  “You are already almost at the stage when I would have expected to send you to Oyster Bay for training, Alec,” Merle said in an advisory tone. “I think we can send you any time, but the sooner the better. What do you think you need to do before you can go?”

  Alec felt his heart leap for joy at the notion of going to Oyster Bay, especially now when life at Goldenfields seemed so confusing. “I want to do some training with the Guard medics,” he said, then asked, “How long do you think I’ll be gone? Leah’s baby will be due in just a few months, and I always expected to be with her for the delivery.”

  “Are you sure her baby’s not yours?” Merle asked the question so bluntly it startled Alec. “You’re getting a reputation you know. Seducing the wife of a Guard officer, flirting outrageously with the pretty ingenaire acolytes who cannot resist you, and having a pregnant mistress on the side, plus the merchant lady you’re chasing to Oyster Bay…”

  Alec felt a nervous drop in his stomach. “No one really believes any of those things are going on, do they? It’s not Inga they’re talking about is it? That’s so unfair to her and me and to Lewis.”

  “Alec, rumor is unstoppable and inexplicable. Just do what’s right and don’t go out of your way to add fuel to the fire,” Merle said, as he stood up. “Come back to see me at the Palace when you have things here taken are of. In answer to your question, I think that for anyone else several months would not be enough time for their training, but for you, less time may be possible.”

  “Take care,” he said and he left the shop.

  Alec sat at the table, staring at nothing. He felt trapped by the things Merle had just told him. Most upsetting was the notion that Lewis would hear rumors that Alec and Inga were romantically involved. He hated to think that Lewis could be hurt by such rumors, and hoped that the Captain would dismiss them.

  Alec knew that the time he spent with Inga was his most enjoyable time in the city, without question. And he admitted to himself that Inga seemed like a safe woman to be with because he knew her husband and she never seemed likely to feel affectionate towards him when she had such an outstanding husband. They had shown a strong preference for each other as practice partners and bantered a great deal, he knew. He had saved her life, and she was attractive, and suddenly he saw how some folks might construe the wrong meaning to the close friendship the two enjoyed. But he was most disturbed that Inga herself had implied that he had led her on. Was she just repeating the rumors, or did she believe it? What did he not understand about women, he wondered, that he could innocently make such a major mistake?

  He thought about the daily time they spent together fencing, and the long period they had spent together in the infirmary. He belatedly understood that he had perhaps shown attention and affection above and beyond what was appropriate towards Inga in the frequent chats and moments they seemed to find each other in the palace.

  Maybe another reason he needed to go to Oyster Bay was to put some space between himself and Inga. He could train there, as an ingenaire and as a swordsman. He would see Ari there, which he longed and needed to do. And he would try to find Natalie in the city, the girl he wanted to protect. Where would that lead him, he wondered.

  Alec decided to let the matter rest while he tended for the moment to the needs of the house. He went upstairs with a fresh bucket of the spring water, which he added to Ellen’s tub, after first removing her wet blanket. He closed the shutters where Leah slept and pulled a light blanket over her. Then he went downstairs, and together with Hannah, began straightening up the front room. Hannah picked up pieces of broken items, while Alec moved furniture and began the grim task of wiping away blood marks on the walls in several places.

  A noise out front made him open the door. He faced a small crowd of people apparently waiting for service from the shop. He remembered the original plan he and Leah had to open a medical practice that would cater to the gentry and the well-to-do craftsmen. He had never yet established that; instead, Leah provided simple cures to the people, while he only occasionally served a few, and did so many other things instead of healing.

  He snapped out of his momentary introspection, to announce to the crowd that th
e clinic would stay closed that day. Several of them groaned, but they left.

  Alec gave Hannah a coin and asked her to go get some fresh bread and a cookie from Henree next door, while he sat in the kitchen and pondered further what to do. He decided to continue preparing kits for the medics of the Guard, and went to the storeroom to bring up supplies.

  Satisfied that the job was done, Alec gathered up Hannah from her playthings and took her upstairs. Finding Leah still asleep, he sent the girl back downstairs, so that he could visit her wounded mother without Hannah seeing the injuries.

  Ellen seemed to again have visibly healed further while in the water. Alec decided to go prepare more broth to feed her, and returned downstairs.

  As he heated the water and added the ingredients he wanted to use, he heard another knock on the door. It was Brother James, responding to Ellison’s urgent plea for prayer.

  “Thank you for coming brother,” Alec told him. “Our friend was badly beaten last night. She is healing slowly, and I hope that your prayers will ease her pain and help her to heal better and faster.”

  “Healer, we priests at the Cathedral seldom get urgently requested by name to come pray at a home for someone, so I would have come anyway, but when I realized it was for a patient of yours, I knew I must come immediately,” his visitor replied.

  Alec led him upstairs, and left James to pray over the unconscious woman, while he hurried back downstairs and finished preparing the next batch of medication. He carried it upstairs and joined James in the room, cautiously dripping it into her mouth while the priest continued to pray over her.

  Alec’s ministrations and James’s prayers ended almost simultaneously, and they left the room together, going downstairs and sitting at the kitchen table. Alec drew another cup of the barreled spring water, and served it to James, who sipped it as they talked.

  “How will she be, Alec?” James asked. “Will she heal fully?”