Aurian, p.23
Aurian, page 23
part #1 of Aurian Series
That was too much, "I know that!" Anvar cried angrily. "But how would you feel if you were in my place? You don't know what it's like to have nothing - no freedom, no future, no hope! To always force yourself to be respectful, to watch each word lest you're punished for speaking out of turn, to always be at someone's beck and call. You and the Lady Aurian have a place in the world. You have respect; you have each other to love, and to love you. Can I ever hope for that? I'm a bondservant - I'm not free to love. Can you imagine how lonely that can be? For the rest of my life I'll have nothing to look forward to - nothing and no one of my own!"
"Oh, Anvar." Aurian's eyes brimmed with sympathy. Going to Anvar, she took his hands, "I wish there was something I could do," she said softly.
Anvar, already ashamed of his outburst, felt guiltier than ever. "Lady, I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to sound as if I were complaining about you. Why, you've been so kind to me..." He struggled to find the words. "I wouldn't have missed tonight for all the world."
"Nor would I," Aurian assured him, and he knew his apology had been accepted. She dug into a drawer and produced a small packet of herbs which she tucked into Anvar's pocket. "Make that into a tea in the morning," she said. "It's one of Meiriel's cure-alls - wonderful for aching heads. I'm sure I'll be in no state tomorrow to attempt any Healing! Sleep as late as you want, Anvar, and when you get round to it, bring enough breakfast for three."
Anvar assumed that Miathan must be breakfasting with Aurian and Forral, and suddenly the evening was ruined. With a sigh, he turned to go. But Forral detained him, putting an arm around his shoulders. "We understand, lad," he said softly. "Both of us do. I don't know if we can influence the Archmage, but maybe next year we can try to get you down to the Garrison. I know you said that Aurian has been teaching you a bit of swordplay. If you look like you can learn, and it suits you, maybe Miathan would let you join my troop. You're too good a man to waste your life drudging for bloody Mages - begging your pardon, love," he added quickly, glancing at Aurian and covering his mouth in embarrassment. "I didn't mean you, of course."
To Anvar's surprise Aurian, far from being angry, was delighted. "Forral, what a splendid idea!" She hugged the swordsman fiercely. Anvar felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from his heart. In an excess of gratitude he hugged Forral too, joining in the general embrace, his face cracking in a grin so wide it almost hurt.
Then Aurian was hugging him, and Forral suddenly said: "Here, you haven't given Anvar a Solstice kiss yet. Fancy forgetting that!"
"Goodness," Aurian said, "you're absolutely right!" She put her arms around Anvar's neck and he felt her lips brush his cheek, light as a butterfly's wing.
"That's pathetic, lass!" Forral roared. "Can't you do better than that? Go on, it's Solstice. Kiss him properly!" And she did. Not a kiss of passion, such as Forral had received, but a gentle, generous kiss nonetheless, and to Anvar, strangely precious. Once again, he felt his heart pound unsteadily, the touch of her soft lips on his making him tremble.
"That's more like it!" Forral said, and suddenly Anvar remembered his presence. "You've brought back his smile, love," the swordsman said to Aurian.
"Well, I should hope so!" The Mage replied. For an instant she looked deep into Anvar's eyes. "You should smile more often, Anvar - it suits you. Well, if things work out, maybe you'll have more reason to smile in the future."
"I'll drink to that," Forral said. "Oh, curse it - we can't!" So they said their good-nights instead. That night Anvar's bed seemed less hard and cold than it usually did, and his dreams were sweet.
Anvar paid for the previous night's celebrations on Solstice Morn. His head was pounding fit to fall off, and he wished it would - anything to be rid of the pain. But Aurian's remedy worked wonders, and soon he felt able to get her breakfast tray ready, though the smell of the food gave him some queasy moments.
As he carried the tray up the tower steps to Aurian's door, Anvar heard the sound of hurrying footsteps behind him and turned to see the Mage herself, cloaked and booted for a trip outdoors. She was out of breath and carried a large, flattish wooden box in her arms. He wondered where she had been so early, especially if she felt as delicate as he did. As she approached, Anvar saw that she looked rather tired and drawn, but the cold had brought a glow to her cheeks and a little of last night's sparkle back into her eyes. Snowflakes were melting into brilliant diamond drops in her wind-tangled hair and the spicy, musky perfume that she favored was overlaid with the fresh, invigorating scent of the snowy open air.
Thinking of her kiss the previous night, Anvar felt himself blush. Would she regret what had happened under the influence of the wine? Would she turn away in embarrassment or scorn? But the smile she gave him was frank and friendly - and sympathetic.
"You, too?"
Her forehead. Anvar nodded. "Never mind," she said. "It was worth it. I enjoyed every minute of last night."
Anvar was startled. Did she know what he'd been thinking? Did her words carry some hidden meaning? Frowning, he followed the Mage into her rooms.
"Gods, what a mess!" Aurian grimaced at the litter of bottles and goblets, and went to open the curtains.
Anvar put down the tray and began to tidy the debris while she lit the fire - a task that never took her long. The sound of their bustle must have awakened Forral, for Anvar heard a groan from the bed in the adjacent room. Aurian ran to the swordsman, her face full of sympathy, and Anvar cursed his own stupidity. Hidden meanings, indeed! What a fool he was! Thoroughly ashamed of himself, he turned to go.
Aurian's face appeared round the bedroom door. "Don't go yet, Anvar!" She said.
Anvar waited reluctantly as she mixed some of Meiriel's medicine and took it in to Forral. The loving closeness of the pair emphasized the emptiness of his own life, and he felt left out and, in truth, a little jealous. Besides, he didn't want to risk meeting Miathan.
"When are you expecting the Archmage, Lady?" Anvar asked as Aurian came back into the room.
"Miathan? Is he corning? Has there been a message?"
Aurian frowned.
Anvar gestured at the table set for three. "No, but I thought..."
The Mage's face broke into a grin. "Gracious, no," she said. "Miathan won't eat with me while Forral is here. I thought you might like to join us this morning, since it's Solstice Day. Go on, sit down. Forral's coming."
When the swordsman appeared, his haggard face turned green at the sight of the food. "Do I have to eat that stuff?" He asked plaintively.
"Go on, try it," Aurian urged. "It's just what you need."
"Bossy!" Forral grumbled, but sure enough, the food and Aurian's medicine soon began to work, and by the time the last plate was cleared, everyone was feeling much better.
Aurian turned to Anvar. "Forral and I exchanged gifts last night," she said, "and it occurred to me that I hadn't given you anything, so..." She leaned across and lifted the box that had been propped in the corner. "This is for you."
Anvar held the box on his lap, not knowing what to say. It was almost too much. Forral, last night, had given him the cloak - and now this. Slowly he opened the lid. There, cradled by a thick padding of cloth, lay a beautiful guitar, its gleaming wood rich with intricate inlay - work of real quality. He stared at Aurian, not daring to believe.
"Is it all right?" She asked. "I should have let you choose for yourself, but I wanted to surprise you. I'm sure the maker would change it if you don't like it, even though he wasn't too pleased at being knocked out of bed this morning!"
Anvar lifted the instrument carefully out of the box and struck a chord. It needed tuning after its journey in the cold, but the tone was mellow and sweet. "Oh, Lady, thank you," he whispered. His throat felt tight, and his eyes filled with tears. No matter how much he feared and hated most of the Magefolk, he knew now that Aurian was a very special exception. If he had to be a bondservant, he could not have hoped for a kinder mistress.
In the snowy weeks that followed Solstice, Anvar's life was brightened by the Lady Aurian's gift. The Mage suggested that he keep it in her rooms, rather than leaving the precious instrument unattended in the servants' quarters, and since she was away from the chambers so much, he could practice there to his heart's content. At their suggestion, he began to accompany Aurian and Forral down to the Invisible Unicorn in the evenings to play for the troopers, and his talent was so well appreciated that he suddenly found himself gaining many new friends.
One night, Anvar was at the Unicorn with his Lady and her warrior friends, Maya and Parric. Forral was occupied at the Garrison with work for the next day's Council meeting. Since Forral and Aurian had become lovers, the swordsman had been clashing more and more with Miathan, and Anvar knew that Aurian was becoming increasingly concerned. She was quiet and distracted that night; her brow was clouded with a frown that not even Parric 's, most outrageous sallies had been able to lift. The arrival of Vannor, however, brought a new animation to the Mage's face.
"Well?" Aurian demanded, as the merchant settled down with his ale. "Did you find Dulsina? Did you ask her to come back?"
Vannor gave her a mock-fierce scowl. "Did I have much choice, after that tongue-lashing I got from you and Maya? Yes, I found her - she was staying with a cousin who has a lodging house near the Garrison. Yes, she consented to come back - after she'd made me grovel, that is!"
"Serves you right for dismissing her in the first place!" Maya snorted. "We have no sympathy, do we, Aurian?"
"Not a bit!" The Mage chuckled. "You must admit, Vannor, it wasn't a very clever move, considering that Dulsina is the only one who knows where your children are! You said she had sent them to stay with her sister, didn't you?"
"That's right," the merchant said, with a heartiness that Anvar, looking on, found oddly false. "But there's no mystery," Vannor went on. "Dulsina's sister lives up the coast somewhere near Wyvernesse. Dulsina didn't want to tell me at first - I think she expected me to go charging up there causing trouble." He signed. "I miss them, you know - especially Zanna - but Dulsina's sister will take good care of them. It'll do them good to get out of the city for a while, and I must admit that it's restful not to have Sara and Zanna squabbling all the time. On reflection, Dulsina was right to do what she did - I should have known that she was-acting in the best interests of everyone."
"I'll wager that Sara's glad to have Dulsina back!" Aurian's eyes glinted wickedly, and Anvar pricked up his ears.
"I'll say!" Vannor snorted. "In truth, we're all glad to have her back - the household was falling apart around our ears without her. Even Sara said -"
At this point, Anvar went to fetch a new jug of ale. Listening to Vannor talking of Sara as his wife was just too painful. He was returning to the others at their favorite table by the fireside when a pale, faltering figure appeared in the tavern doorway. Anvar caught his breath in astonishment. D'arvan! What was he doing here?
"Aurian - thank the Gods you're here!" The young Mage staggered to the table, flinging himself on Aurian, who had leapt to her feet. "Miathan threw me out! And Davorshan - he -"
"D'arvan!" Aurian had automatically put her arms around the distraught Mage's shoulders. Anvar saw her recoil as though she had been stung, and her hands, when she took them away, were covered with blood. The Mage recovered herself quickly. "Hurry," she hissed at Anvar. "Help me get him out of here, before anyone notices!"
"Do you want me to help?" Vannor asked.
Aurian shook her head. "No, Vannor - just divert attention, if you would. I don't want the word to get out that a Mage was attacked!"
"We'll follow in a moment," Maya whispered, looking alarmed. Anvar helped the Mage catch D'arvan as he collapsed, and she made her hasty good-nights to Parric and Maya. They headed for the door, supporting his limp body between them.
"Honestly," Maya was saying to Vannor in a loud voice as they left, for the benefit of anyone who might be curious. "She's told him time and again about drinking so much!"
Aurian was relieved when they finally reached the door to Forral's quarters. D'arvan's breathing was becoming more and more labored, although, since he had managed to get from the Academy to the Unicorn, she didn't think the wound was too serious. She had acted decisively in the tavern, getting him away before the other customers had time to become curious, but now the shock was taking its toll, and she was weary from half dragging D' arvan through streets filled with slippery slush, taking a circuitous route through the back lanes to avoid the stares of passers-by.
"Aurian! What the bloody blazes has happened?" A tired-looking Forral opened the door, his mouth slack with astonishment. Without answering, Aurian helped Anvar to lay D'arvan on the couch. Forral put his arms around her, and she relaxed for a moment, leaning against his shoulder. "Are you all right, love?" He asked her, and she pulled herself upright and kissed him, glad that he was there.
"I am, but D'arvan isn't," she said. "He's been hurt. Forral will you light another lamp and get us all some wine while I see to him? Anvar will tell you what happened."
Sitting on the edge of the couch, Aurian pulled away the torn remains of D'arvan's robes to expose his back, feeling a mixture of relief and consternation. The wound was a long slice, bloody but shallow - and it had obviously been done with a knife. It wasn't serious, thank the Gods - but who in the world had tried to stab the Mage? Aurian was well aware that most of the Magefolk were unpopular with the city's inhabitants, but this was unthinkable!
By now, Aurian was well advanced in the skills of Healing. As she concentrated her powers, the wound was suffused by a faint violet-blue glow, and she had the satisfaction of seeing the sundered tissues start to knit before her eyes as the bleeding stopped and the gash began to close. As D'arvan's pain ceased, she felt his body relax beneath her hands, and his eyes flickered open. She helped him to a sitting position, and Forral handed him a cup of wine.
Just then the Cavalrymaster entered with Maya, "Don't worry," Parric assured Aurian. "Whoever attacked him, they didn't follow you here."
"Is he all right?" Maya asked anxiously. "Has he told you how it happened?"
"Not yet." The Mage frowned. "I'm just about to ask him." D'arvan's fine-boned face was even paler than usual, but he was conscious, and seemed fairly alert. "You'll want to sleep," Aurian told him, "but drink your wine, before you rest." She sat down beside him, gratefully taking a goblet of wine from Forral, "You're safe now," she said, "We're in the Garrison. D' arvan - can you tell me what happened?"
D'arvan shuddered. "Miathan," he whispered, "He sent for me. He said that I was never going to be any use, and told me to get out of the Academy," His hands trembled so that wine slopped out of the cup. "He had the guards throw me out of the top gate. I - I didn't know what to do; so I was coming to find you. Then, as I was crossing the causeway, Davorshan - my own brother - leapt out from behind the wall and tried to stab me."
Aurian caught her breath. Davorshan? A Mage attacking another Mage? Brother against brother? One thing was certain, she thought grimly. Eliseth was behind this, somehow.
"I knew he was there," D'arvan went on. "We're so closely linked, it saved me. I saw my murder in his mind, and I dodged, but the knife caught me, then we struggled and I managed to get away. The guards at the lower gate heard the disturbance, and he had to stop to talk to them. Aurian - how could he do this?" He dropped the cup, burying his face in his hands.
Aurian put her arms around him, "You say you knew his mind," she prompted gently, when he became calmer. "Do you know why he did it?"
D'arvan nodded. "He - he's been working with Eliseth, and making some progress with Water-magic," he said, "He had decided that we must have only enough power for one Mage between us, and since Miathan had banished me, he could kill me so that all the power would be his."
"But that's ridiculous!"
"I don't think so," D'arvan said. "I've suspected as much myself. It's the only explanation. We've been tangling up this power between us, but since Davorshan discovered where his skills lay, he's been able to reach some of it. Maybe I could, if I had any talents, but I've tried everything -"
"Wait a minute!" Aurian sat up abruptly, "No you haven't! Gods take me for a fool, why didn't we think of it sooner? You haven't tried Earth-magic, for the simple reason that there's no one at the Academy who teaches it. D'arvan, we'll send you to my mother! No one will know where you are, so you'll be safe. Eilin can shield you, and she'll teach you. And it would be a great help for her. She won't admit it, but she desperately needs some company."
"But I'm not sure... "D' arvan began doubtfully" Oh, nonsense. You have to try, don't you see? At least you'll know for certain. And you can't let that brother of yours get away with this without a fight!"
"Well... I've always liked plants and things..."
"Of course you have," Aurian noticed that D'arvan's eyelids were drooping, "Look, get some rest now, I'll get a blanket and you can sleep on the couch. You'll be safe here, and in a day or so we'll see about smuggling you out of the city. At all costs, the other Magefolk mustn't find out where you are."
"I'll send Maya with him," Forral suggested. "She'll see that he gets there safely."
"Of course I'll go," Maya said. Stooping, she embraced the young Mage. "Don't you worry," she told him. "We'll take care of you."
When Maya and Parric had gone to their beds, Aurian and Forral stood with their arms around each other, looking down at the sleeping Mage. Now that D'arvan was asleep, Aurian could no longer contain her rage at the way he had been treated. "Forral, I don't like what's happening. Nothing's as it should be anymore at the Academy, and as for Miathan - well, after the way he treated Anvar, and - and now this..." Still she couldn't bring herself to tell Forral about the Archmage's attack on her. But her decision had crystallized. "Forral, I've had enough! I'm sick of the Academy - and the Magefolk, most of them. We have so many powers, but we never think of using them to help people! Think of the good we could have done, if my people had not been so arrogant and self-absorbed. I want to leave - to find my own way in the world. And I want to be with you - all the time, not just for these snatched moments!"
