Ok, I have the day off today, so I'm going to work on writing the next chapter!
Good news and bad news:
Good news: The chapter has lots of great stuff in it (drama, deals struck, that sort of thing)
Bad news: I have to make 2 new sets. Which takes time. But my fingers are crossed for a Wednesday posting!
How was she supposed to recruit people for the cause if she couldn’t keep from using the privy every half hour? This stomach bug was pretty tough to get rid of, no matter how much she rested, ate all the hot soups, and followed the doctor’s recommendations. She just couldn’t shake it. At least her limbs still felt fine, but this nausea was awful.
Krista rinsed her mouth and made sure that while she felt like a carriage ride inside, she still looked pristine on the outside. She had to win over some more people to the cause, or else she would never be queen. So much rode on this revolt going right.
She reentered the party, smiling and folding into the small gathering. There were only about eight people in attendance, and while a small gathering made it harder for her to single out people to get to join the cause, it was easier to to hear from everyone and feel if they would be sympathetic to the rebellion.
She had to play her cards close to her chest tonight, though. The guest of honor was the Duchess herself, with her sister in tow. The very heart of the monarchy.
She had already consumed several glasses of alcohol, so her lips were rather loose, and why wouldn’t they be? She was in the company of close friends and supporters, was she not?
She spoke rather loudly and with wide gestures. “-And we had the best news we’ve had in years!” she said with a twinkle in her eyes and a flush in her cheeks.
“Is the king able to remarry? Has the Church relented?” one of the ladies asked. “It would be about time, this is a feud they can’t dream of winning.”
Krista nodded in support. The Duchess continued. “Even better than that! We’ve heard word that the heir from the missing queen has been found and is being secured in the south of the kingdom! They’re quite certain it’s the one we’ve been looking for!” she cheered.
“Why, that is good news! The king must be so relieved that his line is secure.” one of the Lords congratulated. “And who is doing the securing? The south is a harrowing place crawling with Templars and other ilk; surely you sent a battalion.”
“We’ve sent our best man to handle the situation. My son, who you all know has been bravely seeking the heir on his assignment, is in pursuit. He’ll bring the heir back safely for sure.” she said with a wink.
Krista’s heart went cold, but she plastered a smile onto her face. The Duchess's son was alive? But he had been captured by the Templars. Surely he was dead, hung on trial, or he was in prison somewhere to be used as leverage at a later time, just like Gloria. IF he was still alive, and the King knew that his heir was on the Mainland, they were all in danger. The rebellion had been able to fly under the radar by not being known publicly, but if Blake went looking for them, he would find them. He was unrelenting when given a mission.
“Are you alright my dear?” Asked the Duchess’s sister, Briella. “You look like you’re lost in thought.”
“Quite alright.” Krista smiled. “I was just thinking about how to add pockets to a design I’ve been constructing. Nothing important.”
~*~
Snow dripped from the heavy sky as Blake pulled up his hood. It was getting colder, and he thought it best to hide his light hair. His ill deeds would catch up to him soon enough, and the more time he had to be unnoticed the better.
The market was quiet, not many people walking around in the chilly weather. He needed to find his next lead. He had headed south, towards where he had landed on the mainland, but he still had found nothing. Maybe he should have kept one of those templars alive to tell wring more information out of…
The way he saw it, the compound couldn’t be too close to a town or it would be wider known, but it also couldn’t be that far away from a town or they wouldn’t be able to gather supplies. Though, they could be self sufficient… Who was this woman, and why did so many people know about her? Was it an open secret?
He was going to need help, as much as he didn’t want to go looking for any. He was already nefarious on his own, anyone willing to help him was going to be bad news. But he was going from inn to inn, trying to gather information for a month now, and nothing had come up.
What he needed was a seerer.
Only in the South could a seer have a business being a seer and be public about it. Blake didn’t know why the Templars- the Church’s own holy army- hadn’t burned the place to the ground. Perhaps the seer had made them a deal of sorts.
When Blake had asked around for a seer, people had seemed a bit weary but also giggled. One even said “It’s not the first time a young man has asked to go and see the seer.” It all had been enough to build up his apprehension.
He shook his head. I am searching for my love, the heir of the kingdom. I am the son of the duchess who sits at the right hand of the strongest leader this world has ever known. If this hack of a seer won’t help me willingly, I’ll just have to convince them otherwise, won’t I?
He knocked on the door of the hut, and waited for an answer. There was smoke coming out of the chimney, so there had to be someone home.
He waited, but no one came to the door. He knocked again, but still there was no answer. How dare they not answer the door to a prince of the court?!
He shoved the door open and was instantly taken aback. The room was much more elaborate than the exterior of the hut had led him to expect. There were potions lining the ceiling, a large cauldron, and so many additions he could spend hours finding new things to marvel at.
But he had no question what he should be looking at. In the center of the room was an ornate chair, and in it sat a woman with knowing eyes, silver hair, and dark clothes.
Blake huffed, steeling himself. “Seer, I require your services.” he said in a strong tone.
She looked him over. “You’re shorter than I thought you’d be.” she said with long, drawn out words. She was clearly not as much of a hurry as he was.
He wouldn’t let her bother him. “As unnatural as your craft is, I need you to show me-”
“-where the heir to the throne is being kept.” she looked him straight in the eyes, no fear whatsoever in her features. “But are you sure you want to find the heir? Or perhaps you want to find your love?”
His eyebrows knit together. This woman spoke in riddles and half truths. “Are they not one in the same?” he asked her.
She shrugged. “But don’t you already know the answer to that question?” She stood from the chair and walked towards him slowly. “You needn’t tell me your quest, child, for I already know what you’re here for. But can you pay the cost?”
“I’m sure that whatever you ask for can be acquired,” he said hesitantly.
“From yourfather? Don’t think of me as one of your fools, child. I’d never be so careless with my life without proper protection.” she purred.
“Then what is your price?” he asked. “Haste is important.” He kept his tongue in check, as much as he wanted to intimidate this woman, he sensed that her power would be stronger than his physical strength.
She raised an eyebrow. “First, business is business. I require a lock of your hair.”
“What for?” he asked. To give a sorceress part of you was to hand over part of your power, he knew that much. Gloria had never asked him for anything of his, and he doubted that the priestesses had taught her any malicious or controlling spells.
“As I said, business is business.” she said, not backing down. “And if you want to find something, what better way to locate it than to draw it out from your head through your hair?”
He took a deep breath and with a scowl cut off a lock of his hair. He handed it to her, and she placed it in a jar, his name appearing on it.
“The hair of a royal, that is something I’ve desired for some time.” she marvelled. “You must have good breeding to have such light hair. It’s quite uncommon. Quite the collector’s item, you could say.”
“I supplied you with what you wanted, now tell me where to find the woman they all speak of. She’s the next step to finding Gloria.” he urged with a scowl.
“Why look for her when we can look for the heir directly?” she grinned, opening a book of spells. “Get comfortable, child. The night is young.”
~*~
It had been a few days since she had been relieved of the equipment that had 🐸🐸🐸🐸 her powers, and she finally felt ready to try to contact Midshore.
She knew how Midshore would worry about her, and how she could sense things that other Spellcasters wouldn’t dream of being able to perceive, and maybe, if she could reach out to Midshore, she could let her parents know she was alive and well. That they shouldn’t worry about her.
Gloria settled on her little stool and tried to not think. Just let the world fall away, become one with the whims of the world, and accept the things coming to her and project herself out to the winds of chance. Just… be… and let Midshore find her.
As she reached inner balance, she lifted off the stool, and a vision appeared in her mind, of a deep cave with light streaming in from the distant ceiling. As the vision became more clear, focusing like the clearing of fog, she saw Midshore before her, shimmering in dress unlike she had ever seen. Was this what Midshore saw when she went to see the spirits?
“Gloria-” she looked like she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Gloria- is that you?”
Gloria smiled. “Midshore!” she pulled her close, happy to see the face of a friend.
Seneca stood away from Gloria as she floated. He watched as her face went from stern to relaxed, then to smiling in relief. He felt warmth spread from his sternum, and a happy bubbling in his stomach. Gloria was happy, truly happy, and he was happy for her, that she could be this weightless, at least for a short time.
Then he smiled to himself at his own pun.
The plot thickens!
I was able to get a good room from the gallery for the party, so I didn't have to worry about decorating for that scene, which means that I was able to put this out sooner! I kinda wanted to write about Anwyn's trio, but the chapter was already on the 5th google page, and that's generally what I shoot for, so that'll have to be the next chapter.
Funny story: I had started writing chapter 53 earlier and had forgotten I had, so then I started writing chapter 54 until I realized that I had forgotten to write more than a half page of chapter 53! That's why the first bit of Blake's scene doesn't have any pictures, I didn't feel like making a town to take pictures in.
Hey, readers! Just wanted to give you a bit of an update.
I've been working like crazy at work, my family has been driving me crazy, and there are the extra pressures that the upcoming holiday season puts on everyone, myself included. Goodness, I'm trying to knit socks by Christmas, that's a big project!
So while I'm trying to muster up enough focus to work on Christmas, I have a hard time setting aside time to write, as much as I'd like to. It may be a few weeks before this comes back into swing, but know that I could never abandon it. I will be returning!
Happy Holidays to you. Yes, they can be quiet stressful so take the time you need and do what you need to to get through it. Good luck and can't wait for that next chapter, no matter how long it takes.
Gloria smiled as she came into the little house, dusting off her clothes. The sun was setting, and she had become chilly.
Seneca had let her be today. He had felt her peace and joy, and he didn’t want to be a dark pigment in that clear feeling.
He looked up at her as she walked in, knowing she would talk without him having to ask her anything if she wanted to say something.
He didn’t have to wait. “I wasn’t able to talk to her, but I could feel her. She was real, I just couldn’t hear her. I saw her mouth moving, but I’ve never been good at reading lips.” She plopped down on the bench.
Seneca put down his book, knowing she would keep talking until she ran out of things to say, so he may as well let her talk. “Who is ‘she’?”
“Midshore-”
Seneca snorted “That’s an odd name.”
“It’s her reborn name.” Gloria said, not missing a beat. “Midshore was my mentor in spellcasting, she’s the most powerful Spellcaster I’ve ever met. I was hoping she would be able to find me and talk to me, but at least she’ll be able to tell my family I’m alive and alright. I really don’t want them to worry…”
“You probably shouldn't have run away with their nemesis's son then.” Seneca rolled his eyes.
“I doubt they knew who Blake was. He hid his identity from me, surely they didn’t know either.” Gloria defended herself.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure they knew. You not knowing I can understand, but them? He looks just like the Duchess but with pale hair; there’s no way they didn’t know.”
Gloria crossed her arms. “If they knew, why would they not tell me who he was?”
“I don’t know them, ok? But based on how they didn’t tell you who you were or who they were, I’m guessing they wanted you to live your own life without the shadow of theirs. They didn’t tell you to protect you.” He explained.
“But they ended up hurting me. Putting me at a disadvantage. If I had known that my mother was a runaway queen, I would never have left the Islands!” Gloria said.
“Not even for the love of your life?” he asked as he sat back in his chair.
Gloria looked at her hands. “Blake was the love of my life, but I never told him.”
Seneca sat up in his chair. “You never told him you loved him?”
She shrugged, a dismissive movement but he could tell that she felt more than she was letting on. “No, I didn’t.”
“Wow,” he breathed. “I- I would have assumed you had. I mean, leaving home, defending him in conversation, defending his honor, and you never said ‘I love you’.”
Gloria looked towards the kitchen, finding Seneca’s questions to be digging. “He wanted me to. He told me all the time, but I couldn’t say it. I was- I think I was scared to tie myself to one person. To promise myself to them.”
Seneca felt himself soften. Gloria always was so honest while he hid everything so that no one could hurt him. Instead, she made him feel like honesty wasn’t a weakness, but an advantage to knowing yourself.
“I didn’t have to worry about who I loved before I was pledged to someone.” he admitted. “Krista was traded to me as my wife, for a higher standing with her father among the queen. I had no say in the matter. It seems we both have a thing for fair haired people.” he smiled with half of his mouth.
“I guess so.” She felt her heart jump as she saw him smile. Or was it the thought of Blake’s pale hair?
~*~
The seer poured over her book of spells and cauldron, hair dipping into her face as she went. She brushed it out of the way with long and elegant fingers, not skipping a beat. Blake eyed the shelves around the crown of the room with weariness. What sort of affect were they having on him without his consent?
“How much longer will this take?” he inquired. “I’m losing my patience and-”
“- and if anyone saw you conferring with a witch you’d be seen as a heretic and a hypocrite. Don’t worry, child, no one will see through the windows, and the door is firmly sealed. No mortal is getting through that door.” She smiled at him with a glint in her eye, and then went back to her work. “If you’re tired, you may sleep in my bed. It wouldn’t be the first royal to do so.” she smirked.
“I can stay awake as long as you do.” he said, not wanting to let his guard down. He had hardly moved from place since he had arrived.
“I highly doubt that, child.” she said as she stirred the pot. “After all, I can tell you haven't been enchanted the way that I have. You will tire, I won’t.”
“Just, do your work.” he said dismissively. He moved to sit down on the couch she had along the wall, watching her like a hawk. She seemed perfectly at ease and didn’t seem to mind how heavily armed he was. He could chop off her head in a swift movement, yet she didn’t shy from him. Perhaps she hadn’t heard all of the things he’d done.
“No, I have.” she answered. “But do you really think you’d get close enough to even try to kill me?” she clucked her tongue. “You don’t know much about spellcasters, do you?”
“If it were up to the king, you’d all be an extinct breed.” he growled. The fact that she could see his thoughts so easily and he didn’t even know she was doing it made him uneasy.
She scooped some of the liquid she had been mixing for the past three hours into a glass. She eyed him and raised her eyebrows and held out a single hair he had supplied her with. “Now, speak aloud the name of the one you seek.” she smiled with a purr.
“Gloria Reed.” he said clearly.
“Wonderfully done, child.'' She placed the hair on top of the liquid in the glass. It fizzed and dissolved, and she swirled the glass, then drank down the potion.
~*~
Midshore was beaming at dinner. Everstar and the two kids could see it clearly, and they smiled and sat at the table, curious why her mood had changed so much.
Midshore had hardly sat down before she spoke. “I saw Gloria! For the first time in two months, I saw her in a vision and I couldn’t hear her, but I could see her. She looked healthy and happy, she’s doing fine!” Midshore gushed.
Everstar took her hand. “That’s amazing! But I’m confused as to how she could be happy. Blake was taking her to the king, have they not reached him yet? They’ve been gone for two months, surely they would have reached the palace by now?”
“Maybe Anwyn and Liam reached her first and they’re all together. That’s why they’re happy.”
Everstar exhaled. “We can only hope.” She smiled and started to eat her meal.
After dinner, Midshore took her position outside on her stool to meditate. The sun was going down, and the sky was becoming dark. She liked to see if there was anything the spirits wanted to show her every night before bed, and while she had been meditating a lot lately to see if she could reach Gloria, she still wanted to see if there was anything new that needed to be seen.
The warm air left her skin, the sound of the tide and the bubbling lava disappeared, and she focused. Just, listen.
Most of the emotions she sensed were quiet. The loudest emotion she felt was the celebration of a new birth on a nearby island, a… girl. She smiled.
The past few nights she had felt some unrest from the direction of the mainland, but with a tyrannical king that wasn’t new. It was a dull unrest, with flickers of unified fear and anguish once in a while. She felt bad that she couldn’t help them, and that she couldn't only protect the people of the islands.
That’s when the feeling hit her like a bird flying into a window; sudden and full force. It made the hairs on her neck and arms stand up straight in a fight or flight response. Her stomach twisted in knots and she felt herself shudder.
She felt physical pain sitting in her stomach, akin to a contraction of childbirth. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. She had felt this once before, and only once. It had been decades since she had, but she knew what it was. A spellcaster had activated a tracking charm.
When a spellcaster activated a tracking charm, they pulled the power from it’s natural peace and stillness and bent it to do their bidding. It was a selfish way to use power, and painful to other spellcasters. The potency of the spell meant that the user was either incredibly powerful or paying a dire price. Who had cast such a spell?
A pair of bright, unnatural eyes flashed in her vision. Then a second pair flashed, green and unmistakable to her. A spellcaster had cast a tracking spell on Gloria.
~*~
“This, this is good news. He’s sending a ship next week to take us over, we’ll need to be ready.” Liam said as he scanned the letter.
“Hand it here, I haven’t read it yet!” Romeo took the paper from him. “It says that we’re supposed to pretend to be his family. Didn’t we get into trouble last time when I pretended to see my family? I mean, I met my wife, but they nearly killed me.”
“If I remember correctly, that plan worked. This could too. If this is what Montoya says, then it’s the only way we’re getting anywhere near the palace.”
Anwyn walked towards them, wiping her mouth. “I swear, I should go to the market myself and make my own food if they’re not going to wash and cook it properly. This is the fourth time I’ve been sick this week.”
Romeo looked a bit confused, “I’ve been eating everything you have, and I feel fine. We both feel fine, don’t we, Liam?”
Liam’s eyes were wide. “Anwyn, are you sure it was the food? Food poisoning usually affects you for a whole day, how’re your nausea levels?”
“I feel fine now.” she said, confused. Then her face cleared “You don’t think-” she cut herself off.
“I think it may be a possibility. When was your last cycle?” Liam asked.
Romeo looked between the two of them. “Hold on, you guys are acting like she’s pregnant. But you two wouldn’t have been so stupid as to do that while we’re trying to find Gloria, are you? Please tell me this is a joke…”
Anwyn couldn’t meet his eye. “Liam?” he asked.
“It was one time…” he said.
“One time! One time! You both know it only takes one lucky time! How could you risk the mission like this?!” Romeo stood up and banged on the table.
“Please, it’s not like we weren’t enjoying each other's company for years before this, and we only got pregnant three times in 18 years! I thought I was done having children!” Anwyn argued back.
“We can’t send you in to fight with us if you’re carrying a child. It’s not safe. None of this is safe, especially not for a child or a woman expecting one.” Romeo said.
“May I remind you the first time I was pregnant I travelled far north, died, and was restored. I think I can function a while yet.” Anwyn deflected. “And it isn’t even for sure yet. Nothing is ever for sure until you start growing, which I haven’t, and you feel the baby move. That happens at about the fourth month. Liam and I were together about two weeks ago.”
Romeo walked around, trying to work out some frustration. “Then we had better find Gloria and fast. Because If we have to worry about you too, I don’t think we can do this.”
He huffed and left the room.
Hey! It's a Christmas miracle! As I wrote a few days ago I've really been wanting to get back to this, It's been too long! I almost didn't believe it was November 18th the last time I posted a chapter!
As we can see, the plot thickens. Let your imaginations go crazy as to what's going to happen, and I'd always love to know what you guys think! Merry Christmas!
As it got colder and colder, Seneca watched each day as Gloria shivered as she came down the stairs to stand by the fire to thaw out. Whoever built this little cabin hadn’t thought to put fireplaces in each room and besides the little heat that lamps and candles put off, there was no heating in the rooms. The stove and the fireplace were the only sources of heat.
“This is ridiculous,” Gloria said as she opened the cabinet to get supplies to make breakfast. Her teeth chattered as she tried to talk. “I’m freezing every night, and I don’t even get to see snow on the ground. Surely someone is playing a terrible trick on me.”
“It’s a matter of days, I’d say. We’ll get snow soon enough.” Seneca came over to the kitchen and got some tea down from the cabinet and poured himself some, making a second mug for Gloria. “I thought you were going to check for the cracks in your room.”
“I did!” her fingers were slow as they tried to crack an egg. “I went looking, I even pulled out the bed and shelves to look for them, but I couldn’t find enough of them. The cold is still seeping in!”
She put the egg in the pan and it sizzled. “Why are you up so early, anyway?” she asked him.
“I got too cold. I guess you out lasted me. Figured I would make sure the fire was warm when you got down here.” He sat down at the table with mug in hand.
“That’s very kind of you. But I think you have some practice ahead of you on how to build a good stove fire.” she bent and sparked the fire, making it roar.
“Well, we aren’t all born with fire in our souls, are we?” He took a sip. “I think Henry should be back in a day or two. That’ll be nice for him to be around. Someone else to talk to.”
“And he’ll be able to tell us how things are going on the mainland! I’ve been very curious. If we’re in the clear, how far your mother has gotten in the campaign. If it’s safe to return.” she looked down at the pan. “News of Blake.”
“I’m not sure if there will be good news, overthrowing a government takes longer than a month. It would take longer than that just to get the troops to the capitol.” He looked up at her with hope in his face, for her to not have to suffer over news of Blake, and for his mother to have taken the throne with minimal bloodshed.
~*~
Anwyn packed up her few belongings as they prepared to make their way to the docks. Montoya had sent them a small boat to get across the channel, and they would be on the palace island by nightfall. Montoya would meet them himself, but Anwyn couldn’t sit still. She fidgeted, she paced, she packed, unpacked everything to check, then packed again.
How could they have been so dumb? So careless? With everyday that her cycle lapsed, she worried further. This was no place to have a child.
There was no timeline for further action. This was the plan. To wait for Gloria to make her way to the palace, slip her out before any harm came to her. Anwyn remembered what the king had originally planned, for her to have a daughter so the duchess’s son could marry her and they would lead together. On paper it seemed nearly poetic, a kingdom ruled by a husband and wife equally. But no woman would ever be equal to a man in the court. And no woman would ever be able to rule anything. Blake had fooled them all well, who knew what he was like when he wasn’t trying to win everyone’s favor and he was the one in charge?
And the thought of going back to the island where she would be in strolling distance of the king, she shuddered. What if he stopped by to see Montoya’s family? They would find the three of them, brought to the king’s doorstep like a wrapped present. The missing queen and two traitors, one of which was sleeping with the queen while she was deceiving the king. And her wedding ring… She and Liam wore rings since they were married. Even if she took it off, the sun had tanned her hand and there would be a mark where it was.
There was no timeline for if Gloria simply didn’t arrive. How long would they be able to stay on the island? The longer they waited, the more the possible child would grow and the harder it would be to act. When she had the twins, she could hardly stand up from a chair, much less hold a sword and break her daughter out of the grasp of a tyrant with a company of troops.
Oh Creator, what was she going to do? Where was her baby?
~*~
Blake looked at the seer as she stood there with her eyes closed, a smile evolving on her face. Blake counted to 10 in his head, then spoke. “I’m hoping that worked.” he said bluntly.
“I haven’t felt this in many years, love. The pull of power, the way it directs like a magnet. It’s the oddest, most tickling feeling. Like the wind pushing from behind you, but there’s no gush of air.” she revolved slowly, smiling with her eyes closed. “Oh, yes, this will do nicely.”
She returned to center and opened her eyes. “The charm lasts until we are within range of her, so we don’t have to worry about it wearing off. I know you were wondering.”
“I need you to stop doing that,” Blake said through gritted teeth. “My thoughts are mine and only my own.”
“Your mind is so open, I wonder how Gloria never knew who you were. You project it so clearly.” she moved to the partitioned off side of the cabin. Through sheer curtains Blake could see an ornate bed. It had been so long since he had been warm and comfortable at the same time, but he refused to let himself fall into the temptation.
“There’s room for two,” the woman remarked. “I’ll make room for you if you like,” she looked over her shoulder, “Or not. If you like.” she winked and began undressing behind the curtain.
Blake turned his head and averted his gaze, but not before he saw her vivid red tattoos. “Those look like they were painful. It’s not easy to get large markings like that. And I’ve not seen any natural inks that could produce that color.”
“What makes you think anything about me is natural, child?” she asked.
“The other spellcasters I’ve met on the Western Islands had bright tattoos as well, signs of their deities. You serve one who uses red?”
“You’ve met other spellcasters? Oh, several.” she probed his mind, and he almost felt it this time. He tried diverting his thoughts to tax policies, the weather patterns of the north, anything too boring and not related to the three years he had spent on the islands.
“Darling, stop trying to confuse me, your walls are weaker than paper and clearer than crystal. You hadn’t told me that Gloria was a spellcaster when you asked for my help. I felt her when I activated the spell. Her power is… untapped. Warm. Golden. Like virgin snow, only disturbed by rabbits. If she knew her full potential, she would be a great threat indeed.”
She came out from behind the curtain, barely dressed. “Now, you’re tired. Why don’t you try and sleep?”
“I’ll sleep on the couch. It’s quite comfortable.” he started to back towards the couch, removing his boots as he sat down.
The seer smirked. “As long as you think it’s proper. Wouldn’t want your virtue to be in question, would we?”
~*~
Gloria looked up at the sky, pitch black and heavy. If there weren’t fairy lights outside, she would have wondered where the window started and where the night began. It was freezing, damp, and she started to feel miserable.
But it was the cold that bothered her the most.
“I’m not going to sleep in my room tonight, it’s too cold. I can’t stand it. The water in my glass is frozen ever night, and I can hardly keep warm under my blankets.” she huffed. “I’ll sleep down here.”
Seneca eyed her. “That may be a problem. I’ve been sleeping down here by the fire almost every night for the past week and there’s only one bench….” he trailed off. “But you can spark fire, why don’t you just make one in your room?”
“There’s no fireplace in my room! I can make fire, but I can’t control it once I do! I can’t tell it what to do, I can’t tell it not to consume the bedsheets. Without a fireplace, it would burn the house down.”
“And your lamps aren’t helping?” he asked.
“No. So I guess I’ll be sleeping on the floor down here, it’s better than freezing.” she said. “I’m going to go and get dressed for bed. I’ll be reprising my role as a yeti for tonight’s performance.” She chuckled and trudged up the stairs.
Seneca looked at the book in his hands. He was nearly done with all of the interesting books in the house, and he really didn’t want to learn about the migration habits of birds next. When was Henry going to get back? It had been over a week.
He stood up, stretched his arms and back, then followed Gloria upstairs to change in his own room. Heard her open her door and go back down the stairs.
He felt… nervous? Gloria seemed to keep getting closer and closer, spending more time with him than he was used to spending with anyone, and most of the time he didn’t mind, which surprised him. He… liked her. He liked the… enemy? Was Gloria the enemy? She was everything he was supposed to stay away from, being the king’s believed heir, Lucian Blake’s beloved, a spellcaster, and the one person who could make all of his mother’s plans fail. The one person who could tear his life to shreds if in the wrong hands, but he didn’t feel threatened.
Was this what Gloria felt when Blake came to her on the Islands? Completely disarmed? Not at all alarmed, completely at ease? Understood?
He picked up his shirt and shivered as the cold fabric touched his skin. Seneca had always been told that he was too introspective.
Coming down the stairs, he saw that Gloria had already laid a blanket down on the floor and was laying flat on her back. She’ll be sore in the morning, he thought.
“You’re sleeping on the floor? For real?” he asked.
“I’ve tried sleeping in chairs before, I can’t do it. I have to sprawl out, stretch my legs.” she answered without opening her eyes.
Seneca exhaled. “But- you’re making me feel bad. Can I at least give you a few cushions to sleep on? You’re going to be sore in the morning on the flat floor.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
He looked at the bench, her, and the bench again. He walked over to the bench and sat down. “Comeon, there’s enough room for both of us.” he said, hardly believing he said it himself.
“What?” she rolled over and looked at him.
“There’s enough room on the bench for both of us. We’ll be extra warm if we conserve our heat. And you’ll have a better chance of not waking up sore.”
She arched an eyebrow at him “That seems rather selfless.”
“Believe me, it’s completely selfish. For- reasons. It’s purely so that I can make my conscious feel better.” he teased.
“If you try any funny business, don’t forget who can light things on fire.” she remarked as she sat up and got on the bench.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” he said, laying down.
She awkwardly laid down in front of him, and the first problem came along. Where did he put his hands?
She laid her head down on his arm as if by accident, but she didn’t move away, so he put his one hand on her arm. The other hand he gently, cautiously placed on her waist. He felt her tense a bit, but she put her hand just below his resting her arm on his. It felt like he was in a knot with all of the touching in different places, but he wasn’t complaining. He just wondered if he could sleep with this many emotions. He wasn’t even sure that most of them were his own.
Two chapters in a week! Lots of thinking going on this week, huh? Things'll pick up in the next few chapters, fingers crossed. The pieces are almost in place.
In the mean time, I have two little bloopers for yah.
Goodness, you're talking to a girl, Sen! No need to get all flustered!
The boat was at the dock just like Montoya said it would be, and they boarded without problem. Only the captain was on with them, and they didn’t talk much. He was a middle aged looking man, gruff but without a beard.
It only took about an hour to get to the island, and Anwyn was both relieved to reach land but also terrified to go any closer.
I can’t let him control me like this, she thought. If it comes to it- if things take a turn and we all die anyway, he’s dying with me. I will kill the king.
Liam looked at Anwyn, worried that she would freeze up, but she stepped off the boat in regular motions. He was having a hard time too, but the time he had felt helpless at the hand of the king had been shorter than hers, but he had felt more physical pain. He didn’t know who had it worse at the hand of the king, but he also knew he didn’t have to equate their pain. Her pain was hers, his was his, and they didn’t have to be the same.
Only Romeo could possibly be at ease. Briella had burned him, sure, but he felt anger towards her, not fear. She hadn’t harmed him the way the king had hurt Liam and Anwyn.
Liam looked over at his face to see if he could assess how Romeo was feeling, expecting him to be the most relieved, but instead he was looking between Anwyn and Liam, checking on them. They were in this together so that they may never have to do this again.
Montoya was there, waiting for them in simple clothes. His hair was pulled back, something he rarely did.
“Anwyn, Liam, Romeo, it’s good to see you. There’s much to say, but we should go to the cabin first.” he said. Anwyn looked at him with surprise that he would use their names so close to the palace, afraid that the ship captain would know who they were.
The trio turned and looked him over. “I’ll never forgive the king for what he did to my daughter.” he said gruffly. “Safe journey’s, Lady Anwyn.” With that he bowed, and went back to his ship, disembarking from shore.
The group fell in step behind Montoya. “Your daughter hasn’t arrived yet, and we’ve not heard word yet that they’ve found her yet. We can hope this is good news.”
“You said they were looking in the south for her, what’s in the south?”
“I assume you’ve heard that the Church and King had a falling out? The Church has a stronger hold on the south where the King’s reach doesn’t hold as steady. There’s been noise of a rebellion group down there for years, but nothing has come of it.”
“A rebellion?” Liam chuckled. “Where were these people 17 years ago when we needed them?”
“There were no such rumors then. It seems your affront to the king was enough to spark things that had previously been quiet. THough how news even reached the south, I’m not sure.”
“Why did the king and the Church get into a war anyway?” Anwyn asked.
“The king wanted a new queen, but the Church wouldn’t allow it. They were losing the war in the North, and the king wouldn’t fund them further, and when both parties didn’t get what they wanted from the other they started fighting. It’s been rather tense for a while now.”
They came over a small hill and walked towards one of the little cabins of the island. They weren’t used much even when Liam had been stationed here, and with the decline of the favorability of the king, they were even less so now.
Montoya opened the door, found a match to light the lamps, and went about doing so.
The furniture was dusty, the windows were fogged, and the cobwebs were large. All fixable, but uncomfortable for now. Well, perhaps the windows could stay fogged for an extra bit of concealment.
They took their seats and set down their things, and Romeo started a fire in the fireplace.
Montoya exhaled and rubbed his face. “I guess I should catch you all up to speed on what’s happened since you left. When you left, the king followed you to the Islands. It took him a while to get a ship that could pursue, and once he reached the Islands you were already safe in their borders. The king was outraged. He had to return home empty handed, but he still had Liam, as you know. I’m sorry, my friend, for everything that happened. I can’t believe I had to wait for the maid to take action to help you, please forgive me.”
“You’re forgiven,” Liam said sincerely.
“Once you were gone, he gave up hope for a while. He was angry, and sad. He broke several things. But the Duchess told him to get a new wife. But the Church said no, and he went back to being angry and tyrannical. He knew that his queen had to be somewhere, so he sent out scouts to every region. He suspected that she would be on the Islands, but he wasn’t sure, so he sent Lucian Blake, the Duchess’s son, to go and look there. The mission was to last 3 years, then he was to come back and report what he had learned. He didn’t return, but the men escorting him and your daughter did. They said that Lucian had found the heir he sought, and that you had three other children. Congratulations, by the way, on your family. I’m sorry you’re not with them now.”
He took a breath, collecting his thoughts. “The group told the king that there had been an attempt on the heir’s life and that they had been captured by Templars, but there was a rumor that she was alive. Lucian slew all of the Templars that were guarding them, and then went in search of the heir. He’s going alone, and there hasn’t been any news in a month.”
“That’s good then!” Romeo said boisterously, trying to lighten the mood. “If there’s been no news, that’s good news!”
“There was an attempt on Gloria’s life?!” asked Anwyn.
“She was reportedly thrown into the river.” Montoya affirmed.
“But that’s a witch's death. The king doesn’t suspect she’s a spellcaster, does he?” Liam asked, concerned.
“I doubt it, or at least he hasn’t put that together in his head yet. And even if she were convicted of witchcraft, the king would simply believe it to be a lie to kill his heir.”
He moved to sit closer to them on the stool. “I should tell you about Lucian Blake. I’ve surmised that you’ve met him, but I doubt he’s shown you his true face. He’s a ruthless, cold young man who doesn’t care much for other people’s feelings or wellbeing. He will do what he has to to get what he or the king wants, and little will stand in his way. He wouldn’t blink an eye to kill the two of you-” he looked at Romeo and Liam, “And he would capture you if possible to bring back to the king,” he looked at Anwyn, making her shiver.
“Then we’re right where we need to be, aren’t we?” Romeo asked. “How often do patrols come this way?”
“Not often at all, perhaps once a week. We used to be better staffed, but people have a hard time staying around the king. The guards he does have he keeps near him. The two guards you knew when you were here have long moved on, and the present guards are very loyal to the king. They shouldn’t bother you this far away from the palace.”
“Good, because this place needs to be cleaned!” Romeo said, trying to boost the spirits of Anwyn and Liam. “We’re grateful for your help, Montoya. Let us know if anything develops.”
“Of course.”
~*~
Gloria tried to not move as she woke up, still lightly wrapped in Seneca’s grasp. His hand on her waist had relaxed, and his muscles had relaxed as he fell asleep. She gently, very carefully, tried to shift her hand from her waist to spark the flames. She couldn’t move her other hand, it could move his hand that rested on her arm. But raising her hand from her waist left a cold spot on his arm. She couldn’t get up, he’d get cold. They hadn’t thought to grab another blanket.
She couldn’t lay here, she would start to get stiff. She should get up and make breakfast. Best just to get it over with, she thought.
Fluidly, she sat up and sparked the fire, then walked to the bathroom. What time had she gotten to sleep last night? Not that time meant much anymore, there were no clocks on the island. How many hours had she lain there, feeling someone be so close as to touch her again? She had shared a hug with Seneca before, but that was brief. This- this was all night. She hadn’t been held like that since she had been with Blake back on the Islands, and even then he rarely held her. He didn’t like to cuddle.
Oh no- she thought. Did we- did we cuddle? I didn’t cuddle with Seneca, did I?
Finishing her business, she washed her hands, and went back to the main room. She stopped to rebraid her hair and saw Seneca standing in the kitchen, making breakfast. It was his turn after all.
“Good morning,” he said. He had a curve to his mouth this morning, as if a smile had been drafted there. “Did you sleep ok?”
“Yeah, I did.” she answered, hiding her nerves. “What about you?”
He tried not to smile as he remembered the smell of her hair. “I did.”
Gloria went to start the tea. “I-” she felt like she had a lump in her throat. “I think we should do it again.”
She felt a bubbling in her stomach. “That sounds like a good idea.” Seneca brushed his hair back. “It’s only going to get colder.”
Gloria nodded, got her cup of tea, and went off to get dressed.
Would it be a proper Tuesday if I didn't post a chapter? I honestly wanted this to be a bit longer, but it was already at 4 pages on google docs, and I thought I had finished Blake's scene but Whoops! I didn't. So that'll happen next time. As always, if any thoughts at all popped into your head while reading this, feel obligated to comment .
Hazaah! I've written the new chapter, but I'm not sure when I'll be able to take screenies. But it's been written! And that's more than half the battle.
Blake opened his eyes to see the seer sitting at the table with a plate of food, reading a book and enjoying a sparkling beverage. She hadn’t yet dressed and was dressed as scandalously as she had been the night before.
He looked around the room, confused. “There’s no stove or oven, how did you make food?”
“Do I look like someone who toils just to eat? I summoned it off of someone else’s table. They can make another.” she regarded him with a smirk, then went back to eating. “There’s some here for you.”
Remembering what had happened last night, he touched his hair to see if anything was shorter than it should be. He had been unconscious, defenseless! How could he have been so careless?
“Relax, child, a gift stolen doesn’t work. If I took your hair without you giving it, it would have no power.” she didn’t even look at him as she spoke. “Now, come and eat. We have a ways to go today, if my assumptions are correct. The charm doesn’t tell me how far we have to go, it simply points me in the direction to find our target the fastest. So you can find your heir. No-” she corrected herself, “your love.”
“You speak in half truths and riddles; I don’t have time for it. As soon as we’re done eating, we can leave.” Blake grumbled.
She didn’t have anything to say to that, and they ate their breakfast in silence.
She finished eating first, and she walked to her chest of drawers and started to peel off her clothing. Blake turned around on the little stool, not appreciating the strip tease.
“I’m not sure why you shy away. The king certainly didn’t.” she teased.
“The king wouldn’t bed the likes of you,”
“Oh, he has. He liked a lot of unique girls back in his day, before his obsession with Queen Anywn. She was a surprise for sure, so plain.”
“I can’t speak to the queen’s beauty,” he muttered. “But the king would never sleep with a witch.”
“Child, life is long, and there are lots of things you don’t know or comprehend. The king isn’t a hero. He’s needed my services before, and I’ve… used his.” she giggled. “He’s had lots of practice.”
“I really don’t want to hear this.” he set his plate down on the table, his stomach now in knots from the conversation.
“You’re not married, but you’ve been with Gloria. That’s against the teachings of your Church, is it not? Once you’ve turned from their teachings, what’s another sin?” she turned her head to him.
“Gloria is my bride, she will be my one an only.”
Blake took the door handle in hand and opened the door, stepping out onto the small porch and inflating his lungs with chilly air. It had felt like an eternity since he had knocked on the door last night, but the sooner he found Gloria and rescued her, the sooner everything would be made right. He would marry her, take his seat at her side on the throne, and rule the kingdom with a firm grasp. The Church would crumble into submission and the people would be grateful to have a just king once again. To carry on what the king strove to do.
Moments later, the seer appeared soundlessly at his side. “Ready, dear?”
Blake flinched. “That really isn’t fair. You should make some noise or something. You’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“Oh, not now, darling. Not yet. Maybe later.” she winked, then started to walk down the dirt road that led to her cabin.
“Don’t you have to lock the door?” he asked, following.
“Do you think I’d leave my cabin unshielded? No one I’ve met in my long life would be able to get in if they tried for a year.” she didn’t turn her head, just kept walking.
Blake sped up to catch up to her. “Can’t witches teleport? The ones on the Islands could appear and disappear all the time.”
She glanced at him. “I specialize in the mind, not space. People come to me, I don’t go to people. If I had to get somewhere, I would go to Beatrice, but she was killed last decade. She had a pretty smooth ride towards the end too, it’s a pity.”
“So we’re walking?” he asked.
“We’re walking.”
~*~
Henry hadn’t had to answer that many questions in a long time, not since he was in school. The queen wasn’t at the compound- it had been abandoned with just a captain of the resistance to watch over the building. He had asked Henry every question under the sun: Is Seneca healthy? Has the spellcaster used any magic? How are they passing their time? Have they had any company on the island? Has anyone sailed close enough to see them? Do they need food? What was Henry on the mainland for?
He had written a letter to the queen himself, detailing how things had been going besides the fact that Gloria had the equipment taken off of her so she could use magic, or the fact that they were all getting along really well. He didn’t make the letter sound like any of them were enjoying themselves; the queen had never been one for merriment.
Once the captain was happy with the review, Henry was free to go into town and find the things that made life a bit more enjoyable. Gloria had taken to knitting, and if he didn’t want all of the spare clothing turned into stips to knit with, he should satiate her with some yarn. He needed spices that he had run out of that hadn’t been well stocked to begin with. A bit of oregano or cinnamon could make some dishes taste just that much better. And sugar was always a rare treat that he could hope to find at the market.
He had been there a few days already, but he could stay a few more. Gloria and Seneca would either find out they could be friends and get along or by the time he got back they would either be sitting at opposite ends of the house or Gloria could have killed Seneca with any one of her spells… Maybe he should get back sooner than he had planned.
~*~
“Look, I’m used to walking, but we’ve been at it all day without a break and the sun is setting. Where did you expect to rest for the night?”
The seer looked around the open field. “I guess here would do the job.”
Blake wrinkled his brow in confusion. “There’s no inn here. I have one tent, and it’s not really large enough for two people.”
“What you mean is that it isn’t big enough for the both of us. There’s a difference.” she winked. “Set up your tent.”
Blake looked at her with suspicion, then went to setting up the tent. The seer stood in front of the newly erected tent, hands starting to glow. With a flick of her wrist, sparks shimmered over the entrance of the tent, and she entered without asking to do so. “Follow me, child.”
The sides of the tent didn’t move the way he expected them to with someone entering a tent, touching the sides. He opened the tent flap and didn’t believe his eyes. The seer’s cabin was inside his tent.
“The cabin isn’t in your tent, your tent just leads to my cabin now. I linked the two entrances. I bet you never saw another spellcaster do that before.”
“Well, no.” he admitted as he entered.
“Ugh, I need a bath. Could you go to the brook and get some water? We’ll heat it up in the cauldron.” she asked.
“You can’t summon it?” he asked with snark.
“Water is tricky. It moves too much.” she swished her hand around summoning a tub to the middle of the room.
“Fine, I’ll get you your water.” he exited the door and went down to the brook as instructed.
Are we any closer to finding Gloria? She could be leading me to my death. With the overcast clouds, I’m not sure if we’re even headed south anymore, he thought as he filled the pail. I don’t even know her name.
When he entered the tent again, she had brought over a few different bubbling bottles full perfumes and soaps. “Gotta keep my youth somehow, right?” she laughed.
“How old are you?” he asked as she poured the water into the cauldron.
“Never ask a lady how old she is, child.” she smiled as she started to pour things into the tub. “But if I had to guess, I’m at least three of your normal lifespans old. I remember the king’s grandfather. He was a righteous man, but he still had a hunger, if you know what I mean.” she giggled. “All the kings did. Just like I know you do.”
“I’m not going to be king. With the birth of Gloria, the line of kings dies.” Blake looked around for where he could sit and not see her, but all the chairs in the room seemed to be pointed to the center of the room.
“But isn’t that why you’re marrying her? A wife cannot supersede her husband, thus making you the ruler of the kingdom, does it not?”
“I will rule the kingdom at the side of Gloria, and she at mine. We will rule, just as generations of rulers have. With the support of their spouse.” The sheer curtain would act as a bit of a film between the two of them; he could sit on the bed while she bathed.
“It’s too bad that you’ve always strived for the title of king, and yet that title belongs to someone else.” she stepped into the tub, letting out an exhalation as the water washed away the grime of the journey.
Blake bit his lip in thought. While anything he thought would be detected by her, there was no use in denying the fact that he had been raised to rule and govern the people, Gloria hadn’t. She had been raised on a backwater Island where people voted for anyone they wanted, whether they prepared for governing or not. Gloria thought about herself, her own hobbies, her own pursuits, her own life, and not the bigger picture. She didn’t know about government, or laws, or court life. She didn’t know how to dress, how to behave. And if she was a witch, what would that mean for other witches in the kingdom? Would she persecute them the way they were now or would she overrule the law that kept them from tearing the kingdom to the ground?
“Those are deep thoughts,” the seer remarked.
“Can I have a thought to myself for once?” Blake asked, not turning to her.
“I’ve been alone with my own thoughts for so long, it’s refreshing to see other’s. And someone with such a tidy mind, so black and white. But Gloria is a smudge of color. She doesn’t get sorted very easily, does she?”
“Do you know where we’re going? While we’re walking?” Blake asked, changing the subject.
The seer smiled. “I’m not sure. I’m trying to go in the right direction, but the charm is confused. It won’t tell me how close we are to the target, only which way to go, so we could be hours or weeks away from our target.”
Blake rolled his eyes and huffed, frustrated. “Is there any way to tell how far away from her we are?” he asked.
The seer stirred the water so it lapped at the edges of the tub. The cabin was silent other than the noise of the water and the crackling of the fire. “There is one way. We need the charm to be stronger.”
“Then do it! Why didn’t you do that to begin with?” he asked.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “I did, child. You refused me.”
“No…” he started. “No, your advances were purely for personal benefit.”
“You’ve been with Gloria, she carries a shard of you. If you want me to be able to hone in to her better, the connection couldn't be better.”
Blake stood up from the bed, disgusted he was even sitting on it. “No, we’ll follow the charm as it is now. I’ll not dirty myself with you.”
“But I’m all clean now…” she called after him as he stormed out of the cabin, a smirk on her face.
Woo! Another chapter down. Today on how to block out the modern sims world:
1. I don't use the Forgotten Hollow very often (which is where the seer's cabin is located), so I wasn't ready for where the traffic would be, or the other buildings in the circle, so right past the edges of the shot are other buildings.
2. The picture with the seer walking down the path away from Blake, she's hiding a bridge with her body.
3. The picture of Blake against a tree, a townie is standing literally right behind him so I had to shift the camera so he wasn't in the shot.
4. The picture of Henry on the coast, his head is hiding a public bathroom.
5. The picture of Blake and the seer at dusk, her arm is hiding a rotting pile of leaves, and you can just barely see a roof on the very left of the picture. Her body is hiding another building in the neighborhood I didn't feel like deleting.
Blake is going to get wrinkles if his face doesn't relax soon .
I suspect the next chapter will be a bit longer than the others. I usually strive for 5 google docs pages, this one looks to be a bit longer. I haven't finished it yet, but just a heads up!
(I hope I'm writing well. I have the ideas, I just hope the words work. It's hard to get them both right sometimes.)
Hi, Irish! I'm mostly a lurker, but I wanted to pop in and say I'm having a lot of fun reading your story Are your chapters exclusively on the forums, or do you also have a blog somewhere?
Hosting D&D sessions on the side. Interested in playing through some fantasy-themed shenanigans? Send me a message 😘
Hi, Irish! I'm mostly a lurker, but I wanted to pop in and say I'm having a lot of fun reading your story Are your chapters exclusively on the forums, or do you also have a blog somewhere?
My chapters are only on the forums unfortunately. I've tried wordpress or one of those types of sites, but I didn't have the patience to sit down and learn how they work. Perhaps in the future for stories I'll put them on a blog, but as this story is in it's final story arc I don't think I'll move it over.
Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying it! Let me know any thoughts and feelings you have about it, it makes me want to write more.
Comments
Oh, you know those Templars. Kill one, two more show up. They're far from extinct.
Love Bloopers. Great Work as always. Keep it up.
Good news and bad news:
Good news: The chapter has lots of great stuff in it (drama, deals struck, that sort of thing)
Bad news: I have to make 2 new sets. Which takes time. But my fingers are crossed for a Wednesday posting!
Chapter 53
How was she supposed to recruit people for the cause if she couldn’t keep from using the privy every half hour? This stomach bug was pretty tough to get rid of, no matter how much she rested, ate all the hot soups, and followed the doctor’s recommendations. She just couldn’t shake it. At least her limbs still felt fine, but this nausea was awful.
Krista rinsed her mouth and made sure that while she felt like a carriage ride inside, she still looked pristine on the outside. She had to win over some more people to the cause, or else she would never be queen. So much rode on this revolt going right.
She reentered the party, smiling and folding into the small gathering. There were only about eight people in attendance, and while a small gathering made it harder for her to single out people to get to join the cause, it was easier to to hear from everyone and feel if they would be sympathetic to the rebellion.
She had to play her cards close to her chest tonight, though. The guest of honor was the Duchess herself, with her sister in tow. The very heart of the monarchy.
She had already consumed several glasses of alcohol, so her lips were rather loose, and why wouldn’t they be? She was in the company of close friends and supporters, was she not?
She spoke rather loudly and with wide gestures. “-And we had the best news we’ve had in years!” she said with a twinkle in her eyes and a flush in her cheeks.
“Is the king able to remarry? Has the Church relented?” one of the ladies asked. “It would be about time, this is a feud they can’t dream of winning.”
Krista nodded in support. The Duchess continued. “Even better than that! We’ve heard word that the heir from the missing queen has been found and is being secured in the south of the kingdom! They’re quite certain it’s the one we’ve been looking for!” she cheered.
“Why, that is good news! The king must be so relieved that his line is secure.” one of the Lords congratulated. “And who is doing the securing? The south is a harrowing place crawling with Templars and other ilk; surely you sent a battalion.”
“We’ve sent our best man to handle the situation. My son, who you all know has been bravely seeking the heir on his assignment, is in pursuit. He’ll bring the heir back safely for sure.” she said with a wink.
Krista’s heart went cold, but she plastered a smile onto her face. The Duchess's son was alive? But he had been captured by the Templars. Surely he was dead, hung on trial, or he was in prison somewhere to be used as leverage at a later time, just like Gloria. IF he was still alive, and the King knew that his heir was on the Mainland, they were all in danger. The rebellion had been able to fly under the radar by not being known publicly, but if Blake went looking for them, he would find them. He was unrelenting when given a mission.
“Are you alright my dear?” Asked the Duchess’s sister, Briella. “You look like you’re lost in thought.”
“Quite alright.” Krista smiled. “I was just thinking about how to add pockets to a design I’ve been constructing. Nothing important.”
~*~
Snow dripped from the heavy sky as Blake pulled up his hood. It was getting colder, and he thought it best to hide his light hair. His ill deeds would catch up to him soon enough, and the more time he had to be unnoticed the better.
The market was quiet, not many people walking around in the chilly weather. He needed to find his next lead. He had headed south, towards where he had landed on the mainland, but he still had found nothing. Maybe he should have kept one of those templars alive to tell wring more information out of…
The way he saw it, the compound couldn’t be too close to a town or it would be wider known, but it also couldn’t be that far away from a town or they wouldn’t be able to gather supplies. Though, they could be self sufficient… Who was this woman, and why did so many people know about her? Was it an open secret?
He was going to need help, as much as he didn’t want to go looking for any. He was already nefarious on his own, anyone willing to help him was going to be bad news. But he was going from inn to inn, trying to gather information for a month now, and nothing had come up.
What he needed was a seerer.
Only in the South could a seer have a business being a seer and be public about it. Blake didn’t know why the Templars- the Church’s own holy army- hadn’t burned the place to the ground. Perhaps the seer had made them a deal of sorts.
When Blake had asked around for a seer, people had seemed a bit weary but also giggled. One even said “It’s not the first time a young man has asked to go and see the seer.” It all had been enough to build up his apprehension.
He shook his head. I am searching for my love, the heir of the kingdom. I am the son of the duchess who sits at the right hand of the strongest leader this world has ever known. If this hack of a seer won’t help me willingly, I’ll just have to convince them otherwise, won’t I?
He knocked on the door of the hut, and waited for an answer. There was smoke coming out of the chimney, so there had to be someone home.
He waited, but no one came to the door. He knocked again, but still there was no answer. How dare they not answer the door to a prince of the court?!
He shoved the door open and was instantly taken aback. The room was much more elaborate than the exterior of the hut had led him to expect. There were potions lining the ceiling, a large cauldron, and so many additions he could spend hours finding new things to marvel at.
But he had no question what he should be looking at. In the center of the room was an ornate chair, and in it sat a woman with knowing eyes, silver hair, and dark clothes.
Blake huffed, steeling himself. “Seer, I require your services.” he said in a strong tone.
She looked him over. “You’re shorter than I thought you’d be.” she said with long, drawn out words. She was clearly not as much of a hurry as he was.
He wouldn’t let her bother him. “As unnatural as your craft is, I need you to show me-”
“-where the heir to the throne is being kept.” she looked him straight in the eyes, no fear whatsoever in her features. “But are you sure you want to find the heir? Or perhaps you want to find your love?”
His eyebrows knit together. This woman spoke in riddles and half truths. “Are they not one in the same?” he asked her.
She shrugged. “But don’t you already know the answer to that question?” She stood from the chair and walked towards him slowly. “You needn’t tell me your quest, child, for I already know what you’re here for. But can you pay the cost?”
“I’m sure that whatever you ask for can be acquired,” he said hesitantly.
“From yourfather? Don’t think of me as one of your fools, child. I’d never be so careless with my life without proper protection.” she purred.
“Then what is your price?” he asked. “Haste is important.” He kept his tongue in check, as much as he wanted to intimidate this woman, he sensed that her power would be stronger than his physical strength.
She raised an eyebrow. “First, business is business. I require a lock of your hair.”
“What for?” he asked. To give a sorceress part of you was to hand over part of your power, he knew that much. Gloria had never asked him for anything of his, and he doubted that the priestesses had taught her any malicious or controlling spells.
“As I said, business is business.” she said, not backing down. “And if you want to find something, what better way to locate it than to draw it out from your head through your hair?”
He took a deep breath and with a scowl cut off a lock of his hair. He handed it to her, and she placed it in a jar, his name appearing on it.
“The hair of a royal, that is something I’ve desired for some time.” she marvelled. “You must have good breeding to have such light hair. It’s quite uncommon. Quite the collector’s item, you could say.”
“I supplied you with what you wanted, now tell me where to find the woman they all speak of. She’s the next step to finding Gloria.” he urged with a scowl.
“Why look for her when we can look for the heir directly?” she grinned, opening a book of spells. “Get comfortable, child. The night is young.”
~*~
It had been a few days since she had been relieved of the equipment that had 🐸🐸🐸🐸 her powers, and she finally felt ready to try to contact Midshore.
She knew how Midshore would worry about her, and how she could sense things that other Spellcasters wouldn’t dream of being able to perceive, and maybe, if she could reach out to Midshore, she could let her parents know she was alive and well. That they shouldn’t worry about her.
Gloria settled on her little stool and tried to not think. Just let the world fall away, become one with the whims of the world, and accept the things coming to her and project herself out to the winds of chance. Just… be… and let Midshore find her.
As she reached inner balance, she lifted off the stool, and a vision appeared in her mind, of a deep cave with light streaming in from the distant ceiling. As the vision became more clear, focusing like the clearing of fog, she saw Midshore before her, shimmering in dress unlike she had ever seen. Was this what Midshore saw when she went to see the spirits?
“Gloria-” she looked like she couldn’t believe her eyes. “Gloria- is that you?”
Gloria smiled. “Midshore!” she pulled her close, happy to see the face of a friend.
Seneca stood away from Gloria as she floated. He watched as her face went from stern to relaxed, then to smiling in relief. He felt warmth spread from his sternum, and a happy bubbling in his stomach. Gloria was happy, truly happy, and he was happy for her, that she could be this weightless, at least for a short time.
Then he smiled to himself at his own pun.
The plot thickens!
I was able to get a good room from the gallery for the party, so I didn't have to worry about decorating for that scene, which means that I was able to put this out sooner! I kinda wanted to write about Anwyn's trio, but the chapter was already on the 5th google page, and that's generally what I shoot for, so that'll have to be the next chapter.
Funny story: I had started writing chapter 53 earlier and had forgotten I had, so then I started writing chapter 54 until I realized that I had forgotten to write more than a half page of chapter 53! That's why the first bit of Blake's scene doesn't have any pictures, I didn't feel like making a town to take pictures in.
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
I've been working like crazy at work, my family has been driving me crazy, and there are the extra pressures that the upcoming holiday season puts on everyone, myself included. Goodness, I'm trying to knit socks by Christmas, that's a big project!
So while I'm trying to muster up enough focus to work on Christmas, I have a hard time setting aside time to write, as much as I'd like to. It may be a few weeks before this comes back into swing, but know that I could never abandon it. I will be returning!
Chapter 54
Gloria smiled as she came into the little house, dusting off her clothes. The sun was setting, and she had become chilly.
Seneca had let her be today. He had felt her peace and joy, and he didn’t want to be a dark pigment in that clear feeling.
He looked up at her as she walked in, knowing she would talk without him having to ask her anything if she wanted to say something.
He didn’t have to wait. “I wasn’t able to talk to her, but I could feel her. She was real, I just couldn’t hear her. I saw her mouth moving, but I’ve never been good at reading lips.” She plopped down on the bench.
Seneca put down his book, knowing she would keep talking until she ran out of things to say, so he may as well let her talk. “Who is ‘she’?”
“Midshore-”
Seneca snorted “That’s an odd name.”
“It’s her reborn name.” Gloria said, not missing a beat. “Midshore was my mentor in spellcasting, she’s the most powerful Spellcaster I’ve ever met. I was hoping she would be able to find me and talk to me, but at least she’ll be able to tell my family I’m alive and alright. I really don’t want them to worry…”
“You probably shouldn't have run away with their nemesis's son then.” Seneca rolled his eyes.
“I doubt they knew who Blake was. He hid his identity from me, surely they didn’t know either.” Gloria defended herself.
“Oh, I’m pretty sure they knew. You not knowing I can understand, but them? He looks just like the Duchess but with pale hair; there’s no way they didn’t know.”
Gloria crossed her arms. “If they knew, why would they not tell me who he was?”
“I don’t know them, ok? But based on how they didn’t tell you who you were or who they were, I’m guessing they wanted you to live your own life without the shadow of theirs. They didn’t tell you to protect you.” He explained.
“But they ended up hurting me. Putting me at a disadvantage. If I had known that my mother was a runaway queen, I would never have left the Islands!” Gloria said.
“Not even for the love of your life?” he asked as he sat back in his chair.
Gloria looked at her hands. “Blake was the love of my life, but I never told him.”
Seneca sat up in his chair. “You never told him you loved him?”
She shrugged, a dismissive movement but he could tell that she felt more than she was letting on. “No, I didn’t.”
“Wow,” he breathed. “I- I would have assumed you had. I mean, leaving home, defending him in conversation, defending his honor, and you never said ‘I love you’.”
Gloria looked towards the kitchen, finding Seneca’s questions to be digging. “He wanted me to. He told me all the time, but I couldn’t say it. I was- I think I was scared to tie myself to one person. To promise myself to them.”
Seneca felt himself soften. Gloria always was so honest while he hid everything so that no one could hurt him. Instead, she made him feel like honesty wasn’t a weakness, but an advantage to knowing yourself.
“I didn’t have to worry about who I loved before I was pledged to someone.” he admitted. “Krista was traded to me as my wife, for a higher standing with her father among the queen. I had no say in the matter. It seems we both have a thing for fair haired people.” he smiled with half of his mouth.
“I guess so.” She felt her heart jump as she saw him smile. Or was it the thought of Blake’s pale hair?
~*~
The seer poured over her book of spells and cauldron, hair dipping into her face as she went. She brushed it out of the way with long and elegant fingers, not skipping a beat. Blake eyed the shelves around the crown of the room with weariness. What sort of affect were they having on him without his consent?
“How much longer will this take?” he inquired. “I’m losing my patience and-”
“- and if anyone saw you conferring with a witch you’d be seen as a heretic and a hypocrite. Don’t worry, child, no one will see through the windows, and the door is firmly sealed. No mortal is getting through that door.” She smiled at him with a glint in her eye, and then went back to her work. “If you’re tired, you may sleep in my bed. It wouldn’t be the first royal to do so.” she smirked.
“I can stay awake as long as you do.” he said, not wanting to let his guard down. He had hardly moved from place since he had arrived.
“I highly doubt that, child.” she said as she stirred the pot. “After all, I can tell you haven't been enchanted the way that I have. You will tire, I won’t.”
“Just, do your work.” he said dismissively. He moved to sit down on the couch she had along the wall, watching her like a hawk. She seemed perfectly at ease and didn’t seem to mind how heavily armed he was. He could chop off her head in a swift movement, yet she didn’t shy from him. Perhaps she hadn’t heard all of the things he’d done.
“No, I have.” she answered. “But do you really think you’d get close enough to even try to kill me?” she clucked her tongue. “You don’t know much about spellcasters, do you?”
“If it were up to the king, you’d all be an extinct breed.” he growled. The fact that she could see his thoughts so easily and he didn’t even know she was doing it made him uneasy.
She scooped some of the liquid she had been mixing for the past three hours into a glass. She eyed him and raised her eyebrows and held out a single hair he had supplied her with. “Now, speak aloud the name of the one you seek.” she smiled with a purr.
“Gloria Reed.” he said clearly.
“Wonderfully done, child.'' She placed the hair on top of the liquid in the glass. It fizzed and dissolved, and she swirled the glass, then drank down the potion.
~*~
Midshore was beaming at dinner. Everstar and the two kids could see it clearly, and they smiled and sat at the table, curious why her mood had changed so much.
Midshore had hardly sat down before she spoke. “I saw Gloria! For the first time in two months, I saw her in a vision and I couldn’t hear her, but I could see her. She looked healthy and happy, she’s doing fine!” Midshore gushed.
Everstar took her hand. “That’s amazing! But I’m confused as to how she could be happy. Blake was taking her to the king, have they not reached him yet? They’ve been gone for two months, surely they would have reached the palace by now?”
“Maybe Anwyn and Liam reached her first and they’re all together. That’s why they’re happy.”
Everstar exhaled. “We can only hope.” She smiled and started to eat her meal.
After dinner, Midshore took her position outside on her stool to meditate. The sun was going down, and the sky was becoming dark. She liked to see if there was anything the spirits wanted to show her every night before bed, and while she had been meditating a lot lately to see if she could reach Gloria, she still wanted to see if there was anything new that needed to be seen.
The warm air left her skin, the sound of the tide and the bubbling lava disappeared, and she focused. Just, listen.
Most of the emotions she sensed were quiet. The loudest emotion she felt was the celebration of a new birth on a nearby island, a… girl. She smiled.
The past few nights she had felt some unrest from the direction of the mainland, but with a tyrannical king that wasn’t new. It was a dull unrest, with flickers of unified fear and anguish once in a while. She felt bad that she couldn’t help them, and that she couldn't only protect the people of the islands.
That’s when the feeling hit her like a bird flying into a window; sudden and full force. It made the hairs on her neck and arms stand up straight in a fight or flight response. Her stomach twisted in knots and she felt herself shudder.
She felt physical pain sitting in her stomach, akin to a contraction of childbirth. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. She had felt this once before, and only once. It had been decades since she had, but she knew what it was. A spellcaster had activated a tracking charm.
When a spellcaster activated a tracking charm, they pulled the power from it’s natural peace and stillness and bent it to do their bidding. It was a selfish way to use power, and painful to other spellcasters. The potency of the spell meant that the user was either incredibly powerful or paying a dire price. Who had cast such a spell?
A pair of bright, unnatural eyes flashed in her vision. Then a second pair flashed, green and unmistakable to her. A spellcaster had cast a tracking spell on Gloria.
~*~
“This, this is good news. He’s sending a ship next week to take us over, we’ll need to be ready.” Liam said as he scanned the letter.
“Hand it here, I haven’t read it yet!” Romeo took the paper from him. “It says that we’re supposed to pretend to be his family. Didn’t we get into trouble last time when I pretended to see my family? I mean, I met my wife, but they nearly killed me.”
“If I remember correctly, that plan worked. This could too. If this is what Montoya says, then it’s the only way we’re getting anywhere near the palace.”
Anwyn walked towards them, wiping her mouth. “I swear, I should go to the market myself and make my own food if they’re not going to wash and cook it properly. This is the fourth time I’ve been sick this week.”
Romeo looked a bit confused, “I’ve been eating everything you have, and I feel fine. We both feel fine, don’t we, Liam?”
Liam’s eyes were wide. “Anwyn, are you sure it was the food? Food poisoning usually affects you for a whole day, how’re your nausea levels?”
“I feel fine now.” she said, confused. Then her face cleared “You don’t think-” she cut herself off.
“I think it may be a possibility. When was your last cycle?” Liam asked.
Romeo looked between the two of them. “Hold on, you guys are acting like she’s pregnant. But you two wouldn’t have been so stupid as to do that while we’re trying to find Gloria, are you? Please tell me this is a joke…”
Anwyn couldn’t meet his eye. “Liam?” he asked.
“It was one time…” he said.
“One time! One time! You both know it only takes one lucky time! How could you risk the mission like this?!” Romeo stood up and banged on the table.
“Please, it’s not like we weren’t enjoying each other's company for years before this, and we only got pregnant three times in 18 years! I thought I was done having children!” Anwyn argued back.
“We can’t send you in to fight with us if you’re carrying a child. It’s not safe. None of this is safe, especially not for a child or a woman expecting one.” Romeo said.
“May I remind you the first time I was pregnant I travelled far north, died, and was restored. I think I can function a while yet.” Anwyn deflected. “And it isn’t even for sure yet. Nothing is ever for sure until you start growing, which I haven’t, and you feel the baby move. That happens at about the fourth month. Liam and I were together about two weeks ago.”
Romeo walked around, trying to work out some frustration. “Then we had better find Gloria and fast. Because If we have to worry about you too, I don’t think we can do this.”
He huffed and left the room.
Hey! It's a Christmas miracle! As I wrote a few days ago I've really been wanting to get back to this, It's been too long! I almost didn't believe it was November 18th the last time I posted a chapter!
As we can see, the plot thickens. Let your imaginations go crazy as to what's going to happen, and I'd always love to know what you guys think! Merry Christmas!
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
And Anwyn pregnant! Oh my. A Christmas miracle indeed
Body is 4 characters too short.
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
That's one of the fun things about writing, I can make anything. Want a super disruptive spell? Boom! Something simple sounding is secretly sinister!
Chapter 55
As it got colder and colder, Seneca watched each day as Gloria shivered as she came down the stairs to stand by the fire to thaw out. Whoever built this little cabin hadn’t thought to put fireplaces in each room and besides the little heat that lamps and candles put off, there was no heating in the rooms. The stove and the fireplace were the only sources of heat.
“This is ridiculous,” Gloria said as she opened the cabinet to get supplies to make breakfast. Her teeth chattered as she tried to talk. “I’m freezing every night, and I don’t even get to see snow on the ground. Surely someone is playing a terrible trick on me.”
“It’s a matter of days, I’d say. We’ll get snow soon enough.” Seneca came over to the kitchen and got some tea down from the cabinet and poured himself some, making a second mug for Gloria. “I thought you were going to check for the cracks in your room.”
“I did!” her fingers were slow as they tried to crack an egg. “I went looking, I even pulled out the bed and shelves to look for them, but I couldn’t find enough of them. The cold is still seeping in!”
She put the egg in the pan and it sizzled. “Why are you up so early, anyway?” she asked him.
“I got too cold. I guess you out lasted me. Figured I would make sure the fire was warm when you got down here.” He sat down at the table with mug in hand.
“That’s very kind of you. But I think you have some practice ahead of you on how to build a good stove fire.” she bent and sparked the fire, making it roar.
“Well, we aren’t all born with fire in our souls, are we?” He took a sip. “I think Henry should be back in a day or two. That’ll be nice for him to be around. Someone else to talk to.”
“And he’ll be able to tell us how things are going on the mainland! I’ve been very curious. If we’re in the clear, how far your mother has gotten in the campaign. If it’s safe to return.” she looked down at the pan. “News of Blake.”
“I’m not sure if there will be good news, overthrowing a government takes longer than a month. It would take longer than that just to get the troops to the capitol.” He looked up at her with hope in his face, for her to not have to suffer over news of Blake, and for his mother to have taken the throne with minimal bloodshed.
~*~
Anwyn packed up her few belongings as they prepared to make their way to the docks. Montoya had sent them a small boat to get across the channel, and they would be on the palace island by nightfall. Montoya would meet them himself, but Anwyn couldn’t sit still. She fidgeted, she paced, she packed, unpacked everything to check, then packed again.
How could they have been so dumb? So careless? With everyday that her cycle lapsed, she worried further. This was no place to have a child.
There was no timeline for further action. This was the plan. To wait for Gloria to make her way to the palace, slip her out before any harm came to her. Anwyn remembered what the king had originally planned, for her to have a daughter so the duchess’s son could marry her and they would lead together. On paper it seemed nearly poetic, a kingdom ruled by a husband and wife equally. But no woman would ever be equal to a man in the court. And no woman would ever be able to rule anything. Blake had fooled them all well, who knew what he was like when he wasn’t trying to win everyone’s favor and he was the one in charge?
And the thought of going back to the island where she would be in strolling distance of the king, she shuddered. What if he stopped by to see Montoya’s family? They would find the three of them, brought to the king’s doorstep like a wrapped present. The missing queen and two traitors, one of which was sleeping with the queen while she was deceiving the king. And her wedding ring… She and Liam wore rings since they were married. Even if she took it off, the sun had tanned her hand and there would be a mark where it was.
There was no timeline for if Gloria simply didn’t arrive. How long would they be able to stay on the island? The longer they waited, the more the possible child would grow and the harder it would be to act. When she had the twins, she could hardly stand up from a chair, much less hold a sword and break her daughter out of the grasp of a tyrant with a company of troops.
Oh Creator, what was she going to do? Where was her baby?
~*~
Blake looked at the seer as she stood there with her eyes closed, a smile evolving on her face. Blake counted to 10 in his head, then spoke. “I’m hoping that worked.” he said bluntly.
“I haven’t felt this in many years, love. The pull of power, the way it directs like a magnet. It’s the oddest, most tickling feeling. Like the wind pushing from behind you, but there’s no gush of air.” she revolved slowly, smiling with her eyes closed. “Oh, yes, this will do nicely.”
She returned to center and opened her eyes. “The charm lasts until we are within range of her, so we don’t have to worry about it wearing off. I know you were wondering.”
“I need you to stop doing that,” Blake said through gritted teeth. “My thoughts are mine and only my own.”
“Your mind is so open, I wonder how Gloria never knew who you were. You project it so clearly.” she moved to the partitioned off side of the cabin. Through sheer curtains Blake could see an ornate bed. It had been so long since he had been warm and comfortable at the same time, but he refused to let himself fall into the temptation.
“There’s room for two,” the woman remarked. “I’ll make room for you if you like,” she looked over her shoulder, “Or not. If you like.” she winked and began undressing behind the curtain.
Blake turned his head and averted his gaze, but not before he saw her vivid red tattoos. “Those look like they were painful. It’s not easy to get large markings like that. And I’ve not seen any natural inks that could produce that color.”
“What makes you think anything about me is natural, child?” she asked.
“The other spellcasters I’ve met on the Western Islands had bright tattoos as well, signs of their deities. You serve one who uses red?”
“You’ve met other spellcasters? Oh, several.” she probed his mind, and he almost felt it this time. He tried diverting his thoughts to tax policies, the weather patterns of the north, anything too boring and not related to the three years he had spent on the islands.
“Darling, stop trying to confuse me, your walls are weaker than paper and clearer than crystal. You hadn’t told me that Gloria was a spellcaster when you asked for my help. I felt her when I activated the spell. Her power is… untapped. Warm. Golden. Like virgin snow, only disturbed by rabbits. If she knew her full potential, she would be a great threat indeed.”
She came out from behind the curtain, barely dressed. “Now, you’re tired. Why don’t you try and sleep?”
“I’ll sleep on the couch. It’s quite comfortable.” he started to back towards the couch, removing his boots as he sat down.
The seer smirked. “As long as you think it’s proper. Wouldn’t want your virtue to be in question, would we?”
~*~
Gloria looked up at the sky, pitch black and heavy. If there weren’t fairy lights outside, she would have wondered where the window started and where the night began. It was freezing, damp, and she started to feel miserable.
But it was the cold that bothered her the most.
“I’m not going to sleep in my room tonight, it’s too cold. I can’t stand it. The water in my glass is frozen ever night, and I can hardly keep warm under my blankets.” she huffed. “I’ll sleep down here.”
Seneca eyed her. “That may be a problem. I’ve been sleeping down here by the fire almost every night for the past week and there’s only one bench….” he trailed off. “But you can spark fire, why don’t you just make one in your room?”
“There’s no fireplace in my room! I can make fire, but I can’t control it once I do! I can’t tell it what to do, I can’t tell it not to consume the bedsheets. Without a fireplace, it would burn the house down.”
“And your lamps aren’t helping?” he asked.
“No. So I guess I’ll be sleeping on the floor down here, it’s better than freezing.” she said. “I’m going to go and get dressed for bed. I’ll be reprising my role as a yeti for tonight’s performance.” She chuckled and trudged up the stairs.
Seneca looked at the book in his hands. He was nearly done with all of the interesting books in the house, and he really didn’t want to learn about the migration habits of birds next. When was Henry going to get back? It had been over a week.
He stood up, stretched his arms and back, then followed Gloria upstairs to change in his own room. Heard her open her door and go back down the stairs.
He felt… nervous? Gloria seemed to keep getting closer and closer, spending more time with him than he was used to spending with anyone, and most of the time he didn’t mind, which surprised him. He… liked her. He liked the… enemy? Was Gloria the enemy? She was everything he was supposed to stay away from, being the king’s believed heir, Lucian Blake’s beloved, a spellcaster, and the one person who could make all of his mother’s plans fail. The one person who could tear his life to shreds if in the wrong hands, but he didn’t feel threatened.
Was this what Gloria felt when Blake came to her on the Islands? Completely disarmed? Not at all alarmed, completely at ease? Understood?
He picked up his shirt and shivered as the cold fabric touched his skin. Seneca had always been told that he was too introspective.
Coming down the stairs, he saw that Gloria had already laid a blanket down on the floor and was laying flat on her back. She’ll be sore in the morning, he thought.
“You’re sleeping on the floor? For real?” he asked.
“I’ve tried sleeping in chairs before, I can’t do it. I have to sprawl out, stretch my legs.” she answered without opening her eyes.
Seneca exhaled. “But- you’re making me feel bad. Can I at least give you a few cushions to sleep on? You’re going to be sore in the morning on the flat floor.”
“I’m fine. Don’t worry.”
He looked at the bench, her, and the bench again. He walked over to the bench and sat down. “Comeon, there’s enough room for both of us.” he said, hardly believing he said it himself.
“What?” she rolled over and looked at him.
“There’s enough room on the bench for both of us. We’ll be extra warm if we conserve our heat. And you’ll have a better chance of not waking up sore.”
She arched an eyebrow at him “That seems rather selfless.”
“Believe me, it’s completely selfish. For- reasons. It’s purely so that I can make my conscious feel better.” he teased.
“If you try any funny business, don’t forget who can light things on fire.” she remarked as she sat up and got on the bench.
“I wouldn’t dream of it.” he said, laying down.
She awkwardly laid down in front of him, and the first problem came along. Where did he put his hands?
She laid her head down on his arm as if by accident, but she didn’t move away, so he put his one hand on her arm. The other hand he gently, cautiously placed on her waist. He felt her tense a bit, but she put her hand just below his resting her arm on his. It felt like he was in a knot with all of the touching in different places, but he wasn’t complaining. He just wondered if he could sleep with this many emotions. He wasn’t even sure that most of them were his own.
Two chapters in a week! Lots of thinking going on this week, huh? Things'll pick up in the next few chapters, fingers crossed. The pieces are almost in place.
In the mean time, I have two little bloopers for yah.
Goodness, you're talking to a girl, Sen! No need to get all flustered!
Quick! Break the 4th wall!
And that shot of them on the bench was steamy! Quite scandalous for a betrothed man at the time!
Body is 4 characters too short.
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
Chapter 56
The boat was at the dock just like Montoya said it would be, and they boarded without problem. Only the captain was on with them, and they didn’t talk much. He was a middle aged looking man, gruff but without a beard.
It only took about an hour to get to the island, and Anwyn was both relieved to reach land but also terrified to go any closer.
I can’t let him control me like this, she thought. If it comes to it- if things take a turn and we all die anyway, he’s dying with me. I will kill the king.
Liam looked at Anwyn, worried that she would freeze up, but she stepped off the boat in regular motions. He was having a hard time too, but the time he had felt helpless at the hand of the king had been shorter than hers, but he had felt more physical pain. He didn’t know who had it worse at the hand of the king, but he also knew he didn’t have to equate their pain. Her pain was hers, his was his, and they didn’t have to be the same.
Only Romeo could possibly be at ease. Briella had burned him, sure, but he felt anger towards her, not fear. She hadn’t harmed him the way the king had hurt Liam and Anwyn.
Liam looked over at his face to see if he could assess how Romeo was feeling, expecting him to be the most relieved, but instead he was looking between Anwyn and Liam, checking on them. They were in this together so that they may never have to do this again.
Montoya was there, waiting for them in simple clothes. His hair was pulled back, something he rarely did.
“Anwyn, Liam, Romeo, it’s good to see you. There’s much to say, but we should go to the cabin first.” he said. Anwyn looked at him with surprise that he would use their names so close to the palace, afraid that the ship captain would know who they were.
“Don’t worry, he’s loyal.” Montoya assured solemnly.
The trio turned and looked him over. “I’ll never forgive the king for what he did to my daughter.” he said gruffly. “Safe journey’s, Lady Anwyn.” With that he bowed, and went back to his ship, disembarking from shore.
The group fell in step behind Montoya. “Your daughter hasn’t arrived yet, and we’ve not heard word yet that they’ve found her yet. We can hope this is good news.”
“You said they were looking in the south for her, what’s in the south?”
“I assume you’ve heard that the Church and King had a falling out? The Church has a stronger hold on the south where the King’s reach doesn’t hold as steady. There’s been noise of a rebellion group down there for years, but nothing has come of it.”
“A rebellion?” Liam chuckled. “Where were these people 17 years ago when we needed them?”
“There were no such rumors then. It seems your affront to the king was enough to spark things that had previously been quiet. THough how news even reached the south, I’m not sure.”
“Why did the king and the Church get into a war anyway?” Anwyn asked.
“The king wanted a new queen, but the Church wouldn’t allow it. They were losing the war in the North, and the king wouldn’t fund them further, and when both parties didn’t get what they wanted from the other they started fighting. It’s been rather tense for a while now.”
They came over a small hill and walked towards one of the little cabins of the island. They weren’t used much even when Liam had been stationed here, and with the decline of the favorability of the king, they were even less so now.
Montoya opened the door, found a match to light the lamps, and went about doing so.
The furniture was dusty, the windows were fogged, and the cobwebs were large. All fixable, but uncomfortable for now. Well, perhaps the windows could stay fogged for an extra bit of concealment.
They took their seats and set down their things, and Romeo started a fire in the fireplace.
Montoya exhaled and rubbed his face. “I guess I should catch you all up to speed on what’s happened since you left. When you left, the king followed you to the Islands. It took him a while to get a ship that could pursue, and once he reached the Islands you were already safe in their borders. The king was outraged. He had to return home empty handed, but he still had Liam, as you know. I’m sorry, my friend, for everything that happened. I can’t believe I had to wait for the maid to take action to help you, please forgive me.”
“You’re forgiven,” Liam said sincerely.
“Once you were gone, he gave up hope for a while. He was angry, and sad. He broke several things. But the Duchess told him to get a new wife. But the Church said no, and he went back to being angry and tyrannical. He knew that his queen had to be somewhere, so he sent out scouts to every region. He suspected that she would be on the Islands, but he wasn’t sure, so he sent Lucian Blake, the Duchess’s son, to go and look there. The mission was to last 3 years, then he was to come back and report what he had learned. He didn’t return, but the men escorting him and your daughter did. They said that Lucian had found the heir he sought, and that you had three other children. Congratulations, by the way, on your family. I’m sorry you’re not with them now.”
He took a breath, collecting his thoughts. “The group told the king that there had been an attempt on the heir’s life and that they had been captured by Templars, but there was a rumor that she was alive. Lucian slew all of the Templars that were guarding them, and then went in search of the heir. He’s going alone, and there hasn’t been any news in a month.”
“That’s good then!” Romeo said boisterously, trying to lighten the mood. “If there’s been no news, that’s good news!”
“There was an attempt on Gloria’s life?!” asked Anwyn.
“She was reportedly thrown into the river.” Montoya affirmed.
“But that’s a witch's death. The king doesn’t suspect she’s a spellcaster, does he?” Liam asked, concerned.
“I doubt it, or at least he hasn’t put that together in his head yet. And even if she were convicted of witchcraft, the king would simply believe it to be a lie to kill his heir.”
He moved to sit closer to them on the stool. “I should tell you about Lucian Blake. I’ve surmised that you’ve met him, but I doubt he’s shown you his true face. He’s a ruthless, cold young man who doesn’t care much for other people’s feelings or wellbeing. He will do what he has to to get what he or the king wants, and little will stand in his way. He wouldn’t blink an eye to kill the two of you-” he looked at Romeo and Liam, “And he would capture you if possible to bring back to the king,” he looked at Anwyn, making her shiver.
“Then we’re right where we need to be, aren’t we?” Romeo asked. “How often do patrols come this way?”
“Not often at all, perhaps once a week. We used to be better staffed, but people have a hard time staying around the king. The guards he does have he keeps near him. The two guards you knew when you were here have long moved on, and the present guards are very loyal to the king. They shouldn’t bother you this far away from the palace.”
“Good, because this place needs to be cleaned!” Romeo said, trying to boost the spirits of Anwyn and Liam. “We’re grateful for your help, Montoya. Let us know if anything develops.”
“Of course.”
~*~
Gloria tried to not move as she woke up, still lightly wrapped in Seneca’s grasp. His hand on her waist had relaxed, and his muscles had relaxed as he fell asleep. She gently, very carefully, tried to shift her hand from her waist to spark the flames. She couldn’t move her other hand, it could move his hand that rested on her arm. But raising her hand from her waist left a cold spot on his arm. She couldn’t get up, he’d get cold. They hadn’t thought to grab another blanket.
She couldn’t lay here, she would start to get stiff. She should get up and make breakfast. Best just to get it over with, she thought.
Fluidly, she sat up and sparked the fire, then walked to the bathroom. What time had she gotten to sleep last night? Not that time meant much anymore, there were no clocks on the island. How many hours had she lain there, feeling someone be so close as to touch her again? She had shared a hug with Seneca before, but that was brief. This- this was all night. She hadn’t been held like that since she had been with Blake back on the Islands, and even then he rarely held her. He didn’t like to cuddle.
Oh no- she thought. Did we- did we cuddle? I didn’t cuddle with Seneca, did I?
Finishing her business, she washed her hands, and went back to the main room. She stopped to rebraid her hair and saw Seneca standing in the kitchen, making breakfast. It was his turn after all.
“Good morning,” he said. He had a curve to his mouth this morning, as if a smile had been drafted there. “Did you sleep ok?”
“Yeah, I did.” she answered, hiding her nerves. “What about you?”
He tried not to smile as he remembered the smell of her hair. “I did.”
Gloria went to start the tea. “I-” she felt like she had a lump in her throat. “I think we should do it again.”
She felt a bubbling in her stomach. “That sounds like a good idea.” Seneca brushed his hair back. “It’s only going to get colder.”
Gloria nodded, got her cup of tea, and went off to get dressed.
Would it be a proper Tuesday if I didn't post a chapter? I honestly wanted this to be a bit longer, but it was already at 4 pages on google docs, and I thought I had finished Blake's scene but Whoops! I didn't. So that'll happen next time. As always, if any thoughts at all popped into your head while reading this, feel obligated to comment
Body is 4 characters too short.
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
Chapter 57
Blake opened his eyes to see the seer sitting at the table with a plate of food, reading a book and enjoying a sparkling beverage. She hadn’t yet dressed and was dressed as scandalously as she had been the night before.
He looked around the room, confused. “There’s no stove or oven, how did you make food?”
“Do I look like someone who toils just to eat? I summoned it off of someone else’s table. They can make another.” she regarded him with a smirk, then went back to eating. “There’s some here for you.”
Remembering what had happened last night, he touched his hair to see if anything was shorter than it should be. He had been unconscious, defenseless! How could he have been so careless?
“Relax, child, a gift stolen doesn’t work. If I took your hair without you giving it, it would have no power.” she didn’t even look at him as she spoke. “Now, come and eat. We have a ways to go today, if my assumptions are correct. The charm doesn’t tell me how far we have to go, it simply points me in the direction to find our target the fastest. So you can find your heir. No-” she corrected herself, “your love.”
“You speak in half truths and riddles; I don’t have time for it. As soon as we’re done eating, we can leave.” Blake grumbled.
She didn’t have anything to say to that, and they ate their breakfast in silence.
She finished eating first, and she walked to her chest of drawers and started to peel off her clothing. Blake turned around on the little stool, not appreciating the strip tease.
“I’m not sure why you shy away. The king certainly didn’t.” she teased.
“The king wouldn’t bed the likes of you,”
“Oh, he has. He liked a lot of unique girls back in his day, before his obsession with Queen Anywn. She was a surprise for sure, so plain.”
“I can’t speak to the queen’s beauty,” he muttered. “But the king would never sleep with a witch.”
“Child, life is long, and there are lots of things you don’t know or comprehend. The king isn’t a hero. He’s needed my services before, and I’ve… used his.” she giggled. “He’s had lots of practice.”
“I really don’t want to hear this.” he set his plate down on the table, his stomach now in knots from the conversation.
“You’re not married, but you’ve been with Gloria. That’s against the teachings of your Church, is it not? Once you’ve turned from their teachings, what’s another sin?” she turned her head to him.
“Gloria is my bride, she will be my one an only.”
Blake took the door handle in hand and opened the door, stepping out onto the small porch and inflating his lungs with chilly air. It had felt like an eternity since he had knocked on the door last night, but the sooner he found Gloria and rescued her, the sooner everything would be made right. He would marry her, take his seat at her side on the throne, and rule the kingdom with a firm grasp. The Church would crumble into submission and the people would be grateful to have a just king once again. To carry on what the king strove to do.
Moments later, the seer appeared soundlessly at his side. “Ready, dear?”
Blake flinched. “That really isn’t fair. You should make some noise or something. You’re going to give me a heart attack.”
“Oh, not now, darling. Not yet. Maybe later.” she winked, then started to walk down the dirt road that led to her cabin.
“Don’t you have to lock the door?” he asked, following.
“Do you think I’d leave my cabin unshielded? No one I’ve met in my long life would be able to get in if they tried for a year.” she didn’t turn her head, just kept walking.
Blake sped up to catch up to her. “Can’t witches teleport? The ones on the Islands could appear and disappear all the time.”
She glanced at him. “I specialize in the mind, not space. People come to me, I don’t go to people. If I had to get somewhere, I would go to Beatrice, but she was killed last decade. She had a pretty smooth ride towards the end too, it’s a pity.”
“So we’re walking?” he asked.
“We’re walking.”
~*~
Henry hadn’t had to answer that many questions in a long time, not since he was in school. The queen wasn’t at the compound- it had been abandoned with just a captain of the resistance to watch over the building. He had asked Henry every question under the sun: Is Seneca healthy? Has the spellcaster used any magic? How are they passing their time? Have they had any company on the island? Has anyone sailed close enough to see them? Do they need food? What was Henry on the mainland for?
He had written a letter to the queen himself, detailing how things had been going besides the fact that Gloria had the equipment taken off of her so she could use magic, or the fact that they were all getting along really well. He didn’t make the letter sound like any of them were enjoying themselves; the queen had never been one for merriment.
Once the captain was happy with the review, Henry was free to go into town and find the things that made life a bit more enjoyable. Gloria had taken to knitting, and if he didn’t want all of the spare clothing turned into stips to knit with, he should satiate her with some yarn. He needed spices that he had run out of that hadn’t been well stocked to begin with. A bit of oregano or cinnamon could make some dishes taste just that much better. And sugar was always a rare treat that he could hope to find at the market.
He had been there a few days already, but he could stay a few more. Gloria and Seneca would either find out they could be friends and get along or by the time he got back they would either be sitting at opposite ends of the house or Gloria could have killed Seneca with any one of her spells… Maybe he should get back sooner than he had planned.
~*~
“Look, I’m used to walking, but we’ve been at it all day without a break and the sun is setting. Where did you expect to rest for the night?”
The seer looked around the open field. “I guess here would do the job.”
Blake wrinkled his brow in confusion. “There’s no inn here. I have one tent, and it’s not really large enough for two people.”
“What you mean is that it isn’t big enough for the both of us. There’s a difference.” she winked. “Set up your tent.”
Blake looked at her with suspicion, then went to setting up the tent. The seer stood in front of the newly erected tent, hands starting to glow. With a flick of her wrist, sparks shimmered over the entrance of the tent, and she entered without asking to do so. “Follow me, child.”
The sides of the tent didn’t move the way he expected them to with someone entering a tent, touching the sides. He opened the tent flap and didn’t believe his eyes. The seer’s cabin was inside his tent.
“The cabin isn’t in your tent, your tent just leads to my cabin now. I linked the two entrances. I bet you never saw another spellcaster do that before.”
“Well, no.” he admitted as he entered.
“Ugh, I need a bath. Could you go to the brook and get some water? We’ll heat it up in the cauldron.” she asked.
“You can’t summon it?” he asked with snark.
“Water is tricky. It moves too much.” she swished her hand around summoning a tub to the middle of the room.
“Fine, I’ll get you your water.” he exited the door and went down to the brook as instructed.
Are we any closer to finding Gloria? She could be leading me to my death. With the overcast clouds, I’m not sure if we’re even headed south anymore, he thought as he filled the pail. I don’t even know her name.
When he entered the tent again, she had brought over a few different bubbling bottles full perfumes and soaps. “Gotta keep my youth somehow, right?” she laughed.
“How old are you?” he asked as she poured the water into the cauldron.
“Never ask a lady how old she is, child.” she smiled as she started to pour things into the tub. “But if I had to guess, I’m at least three of your normal lifespans old. I remember the king’s grandfather. He was a righteous man, but he still had a hunger, if you know what I mean.” she giggled. “All the kings did. Just like I know you do.”
“I’m not going to be king. With the birth of Gloria, the line of kings dies.” Blake looked around for where he could sit and not see her, but all the chairs in the room seemed to be pointed to the center of the room.
“But isn’t that why you’re marrying her? A wife cannot supersede her husband, thus making you the ruler of the kingdom, does it not?”
“I will rule the kingdom at the side of Gloria, and she at mine. We will rule, just as generations of rulers have. With the support of their spouse.” The sheer curtain would act as a bit of a film between the two of them; he could sit on the bed while she bathed.
“It’s too bad that you’ve always strived for the title of king, and yet that title belongs to someone else.” she stepped into the tub, letting out an exhalation as the water washed away the grime of the journey.
Blake bit his lip in thought. While anything he thought would be detected by her, there was no use in denying the fact that he had been raised to rule and govern the people, Gloria hadn’t. She had been raised on a backwater Island where people voted for anyone they wanted, whether they prepared for governing or not. Gloria thought about herself, her own hobbies, her own pursuits, her own life, and not the bigger picture. She didn’t know about government, or laws, or court life. She didn’t know how to dress, how to behave. And if she was a witch, what would that mean for other witches in the kingdom? Would she persecute them the way they were now or would she overrule the law that kept them from tearing the kingdom to the ground?
“Those are deep thoughts,” the seer remarked.
“Can I have a thought to myself for once?” Blake asked, not turning to her.
“I’ve been alone with my own thoughts for so long, it’s refreshing to see other’s. And someone with such a tidy mind, so black and white. But Gloria is a smudge of color. She doesn’t get sorted very easily, does she?”
“Do you know where we’re going? While we’re walking?” Blake asked, changing the subject.
The seer smiled. “I’m not sure. I’m trying to go in the right direction, but the charm is confused. It won’t tell me how close we are to the target, only which way to go, so we could be hours or weeks away from our target.”
Blake rolled his eyes and huffed, frustrated. “Is there any way to tell how far away from her we are?” he asked.
The seer stirred the water so it lapped at the edges of the tub. The cabin was silent other than the noise of the water and the crackling of the fire. “There is one way. We need the charm to be stronger.”
“Then do it! Why didn’t you do that to begin with?” he asked.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “I did, child. You refused me.”
“No…” he started. “No, your advances were purely for personal benefit.”
“You’ve been with Gloria, she carries a shard of you. If you want me to be able to hone in to her better, the connection couldn't be better.”
Blake stood up from the bed, disgusted he was even sitting on it. “No, we’ll follow the charm as it is now. I’ll not dirty myself with you.”
“But I’m all clean now…” she called after him as he stormed out of the cabin, a smirk on her face.
Woo! Another chapter down. Today on how to block out the modern sims world:
1. I don't use the Forgotten Hollow very often (which is where the seer's cabin is located), so I wasn't ready for where the traffic would be, or the other buildings in the circle, so right past the edges of the shot are other buildings.
2. The picture with the seer walking down the path away from Blake, she's hiding a bridge with her body.
3. The picture of Blake against a tree, a townie is standing literally right behind him so I had to shift the camera so he wasn't in the shot.
4. The picture of Henry on the coast, his head is hiding a public bathroom.
5. The picture of Blake and the seer at dusk, her arm is hiding a rotting pile of leaves, and you can just barely see a roof on the very left of the picture. Her body is hiding another building in the neighborhood I didn't feel like deleting.
Blake is going to get wrinkles if his face doesn't relax soon
I wonder if Blake will be enticed by the sorceress. And I think the sorceress senses a bit of genuine affection from Blake towards Gloria. Interesting
Body is 4 characters too short.
Race Against the Clock: Can your elder sim turn back the clock before their time runs out?
(I hope I'm writing well. I have the ideas, I just hope the words work. It's hard to get them both right sometimes.)
My chapters are only on the forums unfortunately. I've tried wordpress or one of those types of sites, but I didn't have the patience to sit down and learn how they work. Perhaps in the future for stories I'll put them on a blog, but as this story is in it's final story arc I don't think I'll move it over.
Thanks for reading! I hope you're enjoying it! Let me know any thoughts and feelings you have about it, it makes me want to write more.