For The King - 11. Chapter 11

Torchlight flickered over the walls of the Zyrel manor, welcoming its new master home. Adan guided the wagon up the drive to the manor, a small frown on his face.

“Lord Arien sent a bird ahead,” Lady Corin explained. “The lady chamberlain in waiting has been getting the estate in order for your arrival.”

As she spoke, Adan saw several people taking up position in front of the manor, bowing as the wagon neared. Marel stood before them, holding a bow as her prince brought the wagon to a halt before her.

Darkness had fallen only a few minutes ago, the sky still a dull blue as the sun continued beyond the curve of the horizon. The chirping of insects filled the air and Adan took a deep breath of the cool evening, a moment of calm before the storm he knew was about to descend.

“Your Highness, welcome home,” Marel said, straightening as the mage dropped from the wagon. “I was not aware you would have company, but I will find accommodations for the lady at once. We are at your service.”

“Thank you,” Adan nodded as Roku joined him. “I am taxed from the week’s journey and will take my leave to my room.”

“If you wish it, sir, the master suite has been arranged for you.”

Adan sucked in a breath. That was right, as lord of Zyrel, it was expected that he would take over Lord Dennet’s rooms.

“I will deal with the master suite tomorrow. For tonight, I will remain in my old room.”

“Very well sir.”

Adan moved to unharness the horses, Roku and one of the men hurrying to help him.

“Your Highness, I can put away the horses. You should not have to lower yourself to do that yourself,” the man said.

Adan frowned, but stepped back, motioning for Roku to do the same. Turning to his companion, the mage frowned slightly, thinking.

“Lady Corin, will you be alright-”

“I am perfectly capable of looking out for myself, Your Highness,” Lady Corin smiled.

“Of course.”

“Though, I would not be opposed to a little help learning my way around. Especially if I will be remaining here for some time.”

The woman smiled coyly at Adan, the mage blinking uncertainly. What was she playing at? He had wanted to spend some time with Roku. Alone.

“Of course,” he repeated, offering an arm to her.

The two entered the manor, Roku following at a discrete distance. Adan could feel the tiger’s eyes burning a hole in his back, but there wasn’t much he could do.

‘Meet me in my room in an hour. Until then, you should help with the horses,’ he sent telepathically.

Roku turned away and left them, not bothering to respond. His silence cut deep into the mage, Adan tensing as he watched the tiger leave.

Glancing around to ensure no one was within earshot, Adan stopped and turned to Lady Corin.

“Why?” he asked simply.

“Well, don’t you think we should act like a couple who enjoy each other’s presence?”

The mage shrugged.

“There are plenty of unions that are created for political reasons. I assumed that we would be one of them, since it is the truth for us.”

“Hmm, and here I thought you liked me for my body," Lady Corin said, almost teasingly.

“Not really,” Adan admitted.

“Well, we like what we like,” Lady Corin shrugged. “Perhaps you would see me to my room then?”

Adan nodded, and the two continued their walk.

His room had been entered, a sealed scroll sitting on his bed. At first Adan thought it was a final message from Dennet. But the seal on the parchment looked like the royal seal, a woman’s head in profile. His mother.

There was no way a message from his father would have beaten the mage here. Adan shivered slightly, looking closer at the seal. There were small wings, like those of a dragon, coming from the woman’s neck. This wasn’t the royal seal…

Breaking the seal, Adan unrolled the scroll.

‘Your reign will end before it begins. This is your last warning. Abdicate the throne.’

They knew where he was. The whole attempt to hide his location had failed, all the transformations and sneaking around pointless. But how? Unless…

Adan fled the room, moving toward the library. He found Roku standing in the doorway, staring at the books in something akin to lust. The tiger startled when he saw the mage.

“Adan-?”

“I need books on divination. Specifically scrying,” the man said, pushing past his familiar.

Roku moved immediately toward the magic section of the library, Adan racing him. They reached the small divination section at the same time, Roku reaching for a book.

“This has examples of different scrying spells,” he said.

Adan grabbed the tome from him, flipping through it quickly.

“Is there anything with protections against scrying?”

“Not that I have found, but I have not been able to read much yet,” Roku said. “You think someone is scrying on you?”

“I got another letter. It was sitting on my bed.”

“Then one of the servants must have gotten it from a messenger. Marel should know who, right?”

“Yes. Can you go ask her who delivered a message for me, and why she didn’t tell me when I got here?” Adan asked.

“Of course. Then I will be coming right back here. I do not like this, and I do not want to leave you alone.”

The tiger left the room, Adan pulling out another book. His knowledge of divination began and ended with telepathy. Another spell Dennet had insisted on. Now that Adan thought about it, Dennet had been in control of most of his education, and had ensured he was properly trained for managing a town. More and more, the mage realised that everything his master had done, he had done for the good of Meras. Adan hoped he could live up to Dennet’s sacrifices.

This wasn’t how the night was supposed to go. He wasn’t supposed to be up late, pouring through Dennet’s library, no, his library, searching for something to keep some mysterious person with designs on the throne from stealing glimpses at him whenever they felt like it. No, he should be curled up with Roku, sharing the warmth of a bed with his familiar.

“Why me? Can I not just live my life in peace?” he muttered tiredly, turning a page.

There, an amulet. He stared at the design, trying to determine the magic that ran through it. The writing beside it called it the Amulet of Korain, said to protect against all forms of magic. If it existed. And if it existed, it had been made by someone. Theoretically, Adan would be able to create it as well. He just had to figure out how.

Locating a sheet of paper, Adan began copying the design of the amulet, exact in his work. The lattice within the amulet suggested abjuration magic, but the material was said to be silver, a conductive material. The mage wondered why the design would use that metal. It would only serve to magnify any spell cast at it. He had used it himself when he was learning to cast his first evocation.

Still, there had to be a reason. But he was too tired to figure it out tonight. Magical theory when exhausted was not safe.

A hand touched his shoulder, Adan gasping. He spun around, his fist stopping an inch from Roku’s gut.

“Sorry, I thought you heard me come in,” the tiger said. “Marel did not hear anything about a messenger. She said she will ask around.”

“Good,” Adan yawned.

“Would you like me to get Lady Corin?”

“No, I can talk to her tomorrow. But we should go to bed. There is not much we can do tonight to solve this problem.”

“Well, it might not fix that problem, but I think I have an idea to take your mind off of the problem,” Roku said, taking the mage’s arm with a small smile.

Roku’s hands rubbed his back slowly, gently, Adan slipping between wakefulness and sleep. The familiar was right; being curled up in bed with Roku pressed against him and rubbing his back was a great way to drive Adan’s worries from his mind.

“Ah, the comfort of a close friend. It is a wonderful thing.”

A woman’s voice whispered in Adan’s ear, the mage turning his head tiredly. He was standing in a barren field, moonlight providing a soft glow to see by. Roku stood near him, but he could tell it wasn’t his Roku, his companion. No, this was just a mockery of his creation. And he was okay with that.

There was no fear in this place. It was a place of learning, of understanding, and he understood this implicitly. The woman in the green cloak, with golden hair and a fair face, was here to guide him, though he did not know why.

“You would do anything for him, and he for you. That is love. That is the true bond of those you refer to as familiars.”

He should have been wary of her, but he wasn’t. In fact, he felt drawn to this stranger, even as his feet moved to the not-Roku. It felt like his friend, and it embraced him like the tiger. Adan was content.

“You fear the physical, but you are well on your way to embracing it, as you should. For is not physical love still love? Is not the one who loves you deserving of such love? Love with such passion, such fervor, one might even say it is with the entire soul.”

The mage knew what this was. He was dreaming, his mind working through his troubles with Lady Corin and Roku. But Roku didn’t have a soul. That didn’t matter. Adan could share his with the tiger. They were already connected, their lives bound together as one life. Why not be connected through his soul, be soulmates?

“You can be free to be together. All it will take is courage…”

The world faded, Adan’s eyes fluttering slightly. He felt an arm wrapped over his body, heard the rumbling snores of Roku beside him. There was no space on the bed, and they were crammed together, the closeness starting to feel overwhelming to the mage.

He squirmed out from under Roku’s arm, yelping as he fell from the bed.

“Adan?!”

Roku sat up in bed, looking around blearily. The tiger frowned at the sight of Adan on the floor.

“I did not push you off the bed, did I?” he asked in concern.

“No, I am fine,” Adan replied, standing up.

He felt better than fine. It seemed like he hadn’t slept that long, but he was wide awake, ready for the day.

“I’ll go get started on breakfast,” the mage said, reaching for his clothing.

“The servants will do that, right?” Roku questioned.

“Oh… right…”

He was at a loss then. Normally he made breakfast for Dennet, Jacob, and himself before starting his morning exercises. But Dennet and Jacob were dead. And he really needed to move on.

“I would suggest holding you a bit longer, but I guess the bed is a little too small for that,” Roku chuckled quietly.

“No, the bed is not small. You are just a rather large cat,” Adan said, reaching to rub Roku’s arm. “Shall we go see what breakfast is then? Oh, and I need to talk to Lady Corin.”

Roku’s ears flattened at that, the tiger glancing down at the floor. Adan moved his hand to his familiar’s chin, raising Roku’s head until he was looking into the pure blue eyes of the cat.

“I thought we figured this out. There is nothing between Lady Corin and I. We are using each other to get what we want.”

“I know. I still do not like it,” Roku said quietly.

“Well, perhaps today you can help me search through the transmutation books. I have already been through most of them, but I might have missed one,” the mage suggested. “If you can find a spell that will give Lady Corin what she desires, then I can complete my part of the contract and she can complete hers.”

He leaned forward slowly, capturing Roku’s slightly fuzzy lips in his own. Roku’s arms wrapped around him, hands sliding down Adan’s back. The tiger rumbled into the mage’s mouth, shivering slightly. His fingers dug into Adan, the man moaning quietly.

Adan nipped at Roku’s lower lip slightly, pulling back to gaze at Roku again.

“How can you think that I would prefer Lady Corin over your company?” he asked.

Roku shook his head slowly.

“I think I am just jealous that she is getting your attention. I will try not to let it be so obvious,” the tiger replied.

“Can we do this for nine months?”

“I think it will take longer than that for her to have a child. I guess it depends on how soon we find a spell and how often the two of you try.”

“I will have to figure that out, but I want to be sure I can complete the spell first.”

“How is this different from changing your own body?”

Adan shrugged, pulling his shirt over his head.

“That is like asking how is the sun different from any other star in the sky,” he said. “The changes I affect upon myself are skin deep. What I need to do with Lady Corin will alter not just her outer self, but everything that is within her as well. Even when I turned you into that servant boy, I was just moving things around. This is more than that.”

“Why did you change me? I could have done it myself, right?”

Adan nodded.

“It would have been more difficult, and there’s a chance you would have messed up. I made you and I know you inside and out. It is safer for me to change your form, but you can do so if you are desperate.”

The mage finished dressing, handing Roku his cloak. The tiger wrapped the flowing fabric over his body, pulling the hood over his head.

“Why do you keep your hood up?” Adan asked curiously.

Roku shrugged.

“I do not know. I think I just like the feel of it on my head. Like a den of some sort. I feel safer with it on.”

“I like it,” the mage said. “It gives you a sense of mystery. And your nose looks so cute poking out of it.”

He kissed the tiger lightly on the nose, smiling at Roku’s look of pleasure.

“Are you ready for breakfast?”

Roku nodded eagerly, his hood slipping over his eyes.

“And if we have some free time, I’ll take you to the tailor to get some looser clothing.”

The mage stepped into the kitchen, the light of dawn filling the room from a small window. Everything was quiet, just the way Adan liked it early in the morning.

“There should be some flour in a bag in that closet; can you get that for me?” he asked, kneeling so he could light a fire under the oven.

Roku moved through the room, opening the door to the closet. He picked up a large bag, lifting it onto a table in the corner of the room. Adan set a bowl of transmuted water next to the tiger, mixing in a few pinches of salt and sugar.

“I think you will enjoy this,” he smiled at the tiger. “Take some of the flour and put it on the table, then pour the water over it, and start mixing it up.”

“With my hands?” the tiger asked uncertainly, looking at his fur.

“Oh… um, here…”

Adan placed a hand on Roku’s arm, his magic pouring through the tiger’s arms until Roku’s fur retreated into his skin. Roku looked at his hairless hands with a grimace. He dumped some flour on the table, shaking his hands off after. Adan poured the water over the flour and began mixing it all together, Roku joining him uncertainly. The tiger copied the mage’s motions, kneading the mixture gently.

“Massage it like you’re massaging my back,” Adan said, watching his familiar work.

“Do I get to lick it after?” Roku asked nonchalantly.

Adan paused in his kneading, staring at the tiger in surprise.

“Is… is that something you want?” he asked.

“I would not be opposed to it,” Roku replied. “My tongue might be a little rough though.”

“Is it? The pelt must have given you more tiger features than I expected.”

He stepped closer to the tiger, their shoulders touching as Roku continued his work.

“Maybe I should take a look. I might need to make sure your tongue will not hurt your mouth,” he said quietly.

Roku turned slightly, Adan capturing his lips in a gentle kiss. The mage’s tongue poked at his familiar’s mouth, seeking entrance, and after a second of confusion, Roku gave it to him.

Their tongues danced clumsily, neither really knowing what they were doing. Roku’s hands ran down Adan’s back, flour dusting the back of the mage’s clothing. Adan could feel the tiger’s breath rushing from his nose, Roku fighting to keep the kiss intact.

“Your Highness!”

The two broke apart, startled by the voice. Adan turned with a sinking in his gut, that voice of wrongness asserting itself. He was caught kissing his familiar and it was going to ruin everything…

A man stood in the doorway, Adan’s mind dimly placing him as the cook Marel said she had bought before coming out here. A slave. He would be easy to keep quiet.

The cook bowed low, not daring to look up as Adan approached him.

“I’m sorry sir! I didn’t know you would be awake at this hour!”

“I do not think anyone knew,” Adan said. “Where is Lady Corin?”

“She is in the practice room, sir.”

Nodding, Adan turned back to Roku.

“Will you get Lady Corin for me please? I will be in the library,” he said.

“Of course,” Roku replied, stepping briskly from the room.

“I am sorry for the mess. I trust nothing you saw will leave this room?”

“Of course sir!” the cook said anxiously.

Adan left the room, turning toward the library. He was uncomfortable with the knowledge that the cook had seen him and Roku, but he couldn’t really do much about it. Well, he could, but he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he did.

The mage frowned at a book laying open on the table. He had cleaned up before they left the library for Darinhal. Nearing the book, Adan paused. A book on scrying? Wait… he had been here last night… looking for an amulet to block divination.

He had forgotten. How had he forgotten something like this? It was important, something that could literally save his life, and Roku’s. Had someone tried to make him forget? The thought was unnerving.

Sitting at the table, Adan took a fresh piece of parchment, dipping a quill into an inkwell. He began writing a letter, addressed to his father. Something was going on here, and the mage began wondering if he wouldn’t have been safer in Darinhal.