The Venson Mada by C.C. Hazel - HTML preview

Derash keep

This time Tier-rah and Mavrik found themselves in Tier-rah’s sleeping room. And well, history does so love to repeat itself. Mavrik was again scrambling to get his clothes on.

“The children will be wondering where I am. Please get up Tier-rah.”

Tier-rah did not even twitch.

“Calm down Mavrik. Minoe has them occupied. No one will come bursting in to find you in such a shameful situation.” Tier-rah said. His voice dripped of pain and hurt.

“No,’ falling to his knees before Tier-rah, ‘I am not ashamed. But they are children and it would not be right to…”

“Here I was thinking that you missed me.” Tier-rah cut him off pouting.

“You cannot imagine how I have missed you. How lonely it is, was, for me in Tamrip keep.” Explained the easily baited Mavrik.

“Then why are you in such a hurry to get away from me?”

Tier-rah was tracing his finger around Mavrik’s naval. Which made Mavrik tingle all over and played havoc on his concentration?

“I am not… I… It is hard to concentrate with you… touching me… I…”

“Oh! Oh dear I am sorry.” Tier-rah said in an apologetic voice and pulling hand away only to grab Mavrik’s…

“Tier-rah!’ It was meant to come out as a stern caution to stop but was more a high pitched squeal.

“Please Tier-rah, I need to keep a clear head right now. I need to take care of…”

What or who needed taking care off was never mentioned.

“Derash is a large keep. It will take all day to find them.” Lon said looking around vainly hoping to catch sight of Mavrik and the children.

“Do you know the names of your brothers friends or business associates here? They could help us narrow down the search.”

“That is a good idea. It’s Bloom no Blein it was Bilnem. Yes Bilnem,’ ‘Lon said, ‘Mavrik said he met him when he and father came to Derash keep on business some year spans ago.” Lon added unnecessarily. Cas-hé just nodded, ‘Where is the local grain merchant do you know?”

“Only smiths I fear. Still we do not even have to go to the smith.” Cas-hé said nodding his head in the direction of a group of young women.

Maybe if he could find the young man a bit of entertainment he would be distracted and would not hover protectively around his sister. Giving him a chance to know her more… intimately.

“Why do we not ask these young lovelies?,’ Cas-hé said, and bowed grandly to the girls when they were within earshot, ‘Good morn fair ladies.” At which the Girls twittered and giggled becomingly.

Cas-hé cut a fine figure in his military garb of the Ramily keep war colours of royal blue and gold. The expensive materials boasting of position and wealth. And despite his former brown peese wool tunic Lon was an undeniably handsome young man.

“Allow us to introduce ourselves ladies. I am Warlord Cas-hé of Ramily keep and my companion is Lon, from Tamrip keep. And we would be much obliged if you ladies could tell us, if you know where, we could find one Bilnem?”

“Oh Bilnem. Yes we know where he is. Friend of yours?” The auburn haired honey coloured girl answered, taking a couple of steps to stand closer to Lon.

“Where then?” Lon answered evenly. Hardly phased by the brazen proximity of the girl. She acted rather familiar for a girl who was obviously from a well-off family.

“I am Ambrosia,’ She said, ‘These are my sisters Carlené, Uhniit and Zorah.” She added rather unhelpfully as she did not point out who was who, seemingly unable to take her eyes off Lon. All four girls were honey coloured and one could see that they were obviously related, there was a marked resemblance between them. What united them more and at the same time set them apart was their red hair. It was in the various shades of red that hair could be found. Lon noted that all four were very easy on the eyes, very easy indeed. He had to admit she was a beauty. But she was not Mada and it was not what he had come into Derash keep to do. Any time before he would have gladly bedded the girl but everything had changed. Destiny awaited him in the south. He was sure of this. And when the time came and destiny called he wanted to be at the right place at the right time. The dream had been foggy but all he remembered was that he was in Mada’s arms and he was not going to let anyone or anything get in the way of that.

“It is very nice to meet you Ambrosia. But we are in a hurry and we really need to see Bilnem.”

“Very well. We will take you to Bilnem’s home. You are in luck because he lives very close to us.”

All six made their way through Derash keeps noisy and colourful bazaars to Bilnem’s home. Lon had never seen anything like this. Every conceivable article was on sale. From gold to tin, silk to sack cloth. Strange exotic scents wafted out of the food shops and from the stalls of spice merchants. Strange animals which he had never seen were also on sale. This made Tamrip keep all the more drab and he was determined not to return unless it was with this kind of splendour. Unfortunately Bilnem was not at home and he was not expected back until much later. They were received by a servant who informed them that Bilnem had gone out with a friend. Eager to get some inkling of where they had gone they asked who the friend was. Hoping that maybe it was someone the girls knew and they could find them. Unfortunately they had been told that it was a friend from another keep. Who else could it be but Mavrik?

“We will never find them they could be anywhere.” Lon said dejectedly.

“We have no choice but to wait.” Cas-hé said already planning how this could work to his advantage. He had to find a way to spend that time with Mada.

“How unfortunate. You are welcome to come and while away the time at our house. And we could check every now and then for their return.” Carlené the red haired sister offered.

Cas-hé could have kissed her. This was his opportunity.

“You are very kind but we…” Lon began to decline.

“We would be honoured to while away the time in the company of such beautiful women.” Cas-hé cut him off.

“How can we stay when Mada is waiting for us? She will wonder…”

“She?” Ambrosia asked disappointedly.

“She i…”

“She is his sister,’ Cas-hé rushed to explain before Lon, Ambrosia looked visibly relieved, ‘and I will go and get her from where she is waiting.”

“Maybe I…”

“No Lon. I know this place. I can find my way back here without any trouble. And when Bilnem and your brother return you should be around to speak to your brother.”

It all sounded reasonable but Cas-hé could see that the young man was hesitant. Why would he pass up Ambrosia? Married? No. That was not likely. Probably “in love” with some girl back home. Well that was not going to get in the way of his getting Mada.

“You are right,’ Lon agreed reluctantly, ‘I will wait here.” He was loath to leave Mada alone with Cas-hé even for a minute span but the sooner they all got together the sooner they could leave Derash keep and Cas-hé behind.

“Then let’s go, we are eight houses down warlord Cas-hé.” Ambrosia said linking her arm through Lon’s.

“I will be back shortly.” With that he was off to be at long last alone with Mada.

Meanwhile Mavrik and Tier-rah had returned to his sitting room.

“I had missed you Mavrik, very much. I just wish you had come two day spans earlier. You could have met my mother…”

“Your mo…”

“She knows I am a nolander. If only you had arrived a day earlier you could have met her. She has gone to a celebration in Cemlyn keep.” Tier-rah said laughing at Mavrik’s astonished look.

“She knows? And she does not mind?”

“At first she was quite upset but she came to accept me as I am. Unless whoever it is is prepared to cut you out of their life for good they are forced to accept it.”

“You ar…” Minoe came into the room before Mavrik could finish.

“Excuse me Tier-rah but something has happen. It is the girl sir a-a-Alorya.”

“What!? What has happened to my sister?” Mavrik demanded jumping up.

“She is fine now. She is resting. But I took them out to the animals’ rooms and she was fine then suddenly she clutched her head and she began rolling around on the ground. Then suddenly she was better. She did get a nose bleed…”

“Where is she? Please take me to her.”

“Yes. Take us to her. You have called the physician?”

“Yes I have. Follow me.”

They followed Minoe down a wide sunny passage. On one side it was lined with carved doors made of Tier-rah’s signature titri wood. Only the doors were of a darker shade than the furniture. The other side had huge windows which let in the light. In between the windows were large pictures in ornate frames. The one thing Tier-rah detested were blue furnishings especially if they should be the same shade of blue as him. Unfortunately Mavrik was in no mood to admire the beauty of Tier-rah’s house. Mavrik guiltily looked at Tier-rah walking in front of him. His sister had been struck down by some illness and he had been rutting in Tier-rah’s bed. What if she had died? What if worse was still to come? How would he ever live with himself? They found a-a-Alorya sitting up in a huge four poster bed drowning in pillows and white bedding. She was insisting that she was okay. Another of Tier-rah’s household staff, Shara was attending to her. The other children were sitting on the bed on either side of her. When they entered the woman who had been attending her a-a-Alorya left signaling to Minoe and tier-rah to follow her. Mavrik ran to his sister’s side. Outside the room Shara told them that this was not the first case of its kind she had seen. Her uncle on her husband’s side had had such an attack. Later it was discovered that a mystic had been involved. She had witnessed a few other such cases over the year spans. When she saw the girl on the ground and the subsequent nose bleed she immediately knew what it was. Shara had said not to worry as her uncle was not affected in anyway by the ordeal and it had happened almost sixteen year spans ago. They were all baffled and frightened that a mystic was amongst them and using his or her power on children. Shara advised they keep it between themselves for the time being until there was a bit of an investigation. The last thing they wanted was people to panic. Panic over mysticism more often than not led to lynching. Tier-rah told Mavrik all that Shara had said to him. Mavrik did not believe him. He opted to wait for the physician’s diagnosis. The physician told them after a thorough examination and another, requested by Mavrik, just to be sure, that he could not find anything wrong with the girl. All he could recommend was a bit of rest and to call for him if any symptoms appeared.