Davin smiled as he looked out on the inner bailey and saw Kesa and Michael gallop in from their daily ride. It was good to see Michael smiling--for the past quad, he had either been weary, worn or tense. They had repaired their relationship over the five days here visiting Avonna. Davin was not eager to mire Michael in his life. It would have been so much easier if he was just a lord instead of a Royal and Michael was a guard, or armsman, but they were as they were. He saw Michael walk into a patch of sunlight and smiled as he saw the light play over his hair, bringing out the coppery-red highlights. He'd do everything he could to keep him safe.
Avonna stepped into the small study and smiled at the expression on Davin's face. "So, how is Michael doing?" She chuckled as he gave a little start, "Davin, you reveal your heart all too easily."
"Are you saying that I shouldn't?" Davin joked lightly.
" Davin ... " Avonna began but cut herself short--she hadn't intended to discuss this, but Davin would pursue it to death now if she didn't tell him what was on her mind. She and Michael had spent a lot of time together and over their talks, something had become apparent to her and if Davin didn't know, it could cause them both discontent. "Davin, has Michael told you much about himself?"
"A small amount--his family was of Cimaera but have moved elsewhere and his mother has passed on."
"And nothing about himself--his past?"
"What is it, Vonna? You've not minced words before," Davin said with a concerned frown.
"Davin, Michael hasn't specifically told me, but I pick up that he has not had many instances of happiness in his life." At her words, Davin's mind drew back to that day under the tree and recalled Michael saying that he 'had many. . .mishaps with love and too many stray acquaintances of romance--my heart feels old at times' and he listened as she continued. "He is new to such happiness I think--you will have to go slowly with him and spend time reassuring him that he is loved and wanted."
"I could cheerfully kill the ones that caused him hurt," Davin said after Avonna sat down.
"Now, Davin, there's time after your Joining to be a despot," she joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"He did mention something about it, but I thought he had gotten over it," Davin said in a tone that said 'I love him--shouldn't that be enough?'
"Davin, he knows you love him, but he's afraid that even if you should win free of the Council, what you and he has will not be permanent."
"What can I do to convince him?" Davin asked exasperatedly. 'All those hard, lonely quads of longing for love and a love ... and when I find it, my love is too burdened by his past grief to believe in happiness--just wonderful,' Davin thought darkly and the sound of Michael's laughter as he entered the hall below cut at him rather than eased him--the laughter was genuine, but what cut at him was the fact that Michael had had too little of it.
"Nothing, Davin--he has to convince himself ... just touch him, hold him, and tell him how you feel about him."
"So, I am to just love him ... and wait."
Avonna shrugged helplessly as Kesa and Michael entered the study. Kesa walked over to a chair and sat, her divided riding skirt swirling about half-boots. Avonna hid a smirk at the change in her daughter's attitude on formal attire since she had met Lord Calton's son and gave a small nod to Michael. He returned the greeting and looked over to Davin and frowned--he was facing the window and had not turned.
"It has been so wonderful having the both of you here--it's a shame that you're leaving later today. You must visit more often, or else I'll ride out and storm your castle," Avonna said as she moved to intercept Michael before he reached Davin.
"Care to take a walk, Dav?" Michael asked lightly, while his face grew concerned with his own worry about what they both would face soon.
"Verily," Davin answered Michael and followed him out of the room.
They walked down to the circular garden off the sitting room, Michael moved as if he had a dire task that was to be swiftly carried out. Davin's lips quirked into a smile.
"Hey," he called out as he leaned against a vine-covered column.
"What?" Michael queried as he turned around and faced him.
"I love you," Davin said softly as a hand reached up to cup his cheek--his thumb caressing his skin.
"I love you too," Michael voiced as his throat tightened and he laid one hand over Davin's heart. Davin pulled him close and neither knew for just how long they stayed in Avonna's garden holding each other.
Michael watched intently as servants laid down the elaborately worked runner down from the Great Hall to the double doors of the Main Hall. The gold thread gleamed like liquid fire and showed more life than either of the two standing on it at the broad landing at the top of the stairs. Davin was like a grim statue he was so tense and Michael was as still and silent as Death itself. Blaine was in his robes behind and to the right. Braen was with a group of honor guards along the length of the runner. Standards of Davin's heritage and House hung from the upper galleries. Michael nervously tugged at the stiff, gold embroidered collar of his green overvest. His cream-colored shirt had gold thread worked onto the cuffs. Davin grasped his hand and squeezed, sending an unspoken message of reassurance and strength. Michael's eye's lit as he cast a quick glance at his love before their attention was captured by the horns of the heralds marking Council Master Braxton's arrival.
Council Master Braxton walked through the double doors as the pair of guards flanking the entryway saluted. He was dressed in simple traveling clothes of a grey-brown color that hid the dust of the road. He was a Council Master -- he had nothing to prove here and his power and position gave him rank, respect and a small twinge of fear from the populace. He paused slightly after crossing the threshold--not to impart his own importance, but to judge Michael. He sucked in a breath slightly as he felt the control and cool power emanate from Davin's mate. 'He has mastered himself far better than I ever expected ... will have to rethink my plan somewhat,' Braxton assessed silently as he felt Michael strengthen his shields--which covered and protected Davin as well. Braxton moved forward as Davin, Michael and his old student bowed as one before him.
"Welcome and joy be upon you, Council Master Braxton, as you do honor to our House," Davin said as he straightened from his bow, the stiff golden embroidery on his blue overvest forcing him to make short and practiced movements.
"Peace and longevity to your House, Your Highness," Braxton supplied, his eyes on Michael as he spoke.
As Davin's honor guard moved in behind Braxton, Michael gave him a small nod and fell in step alongside Blaine as Davin and Council Master Braxton strode forward. They relaxed at the High table with wine, fruit and cheeses.
Michael heard a buzz of conversation, but not the words; the wine in his cup trembled slightly and he ate sparingly from the food before him. Had the look Braxton shot him with as he had spoken been an assurance of goodwill or a warning that Davin was the only one that had his goodwill? A hand on his arm drew him back to the here and now.
"Michael is verily a fair hand at Royals and Armsmen, Braxton -- I'm sure he'd enjoy a match," Blaine said as he drew his hand back.
"I'd be honored, Council Master," Michael responded with a smile. 'And just what other games do you have in mind?' He thought to himself as he sipped his wine.
"I must warn you, Michael, Braxton plays not just to win but to decimate," Blaine joked.
"That's good to know, Blaine," Michael commented lightly, as his eyes moved down to his cup as he set it down. If he looked at Braxton, the naked challenge would flare in his eyes. 'Work with the shadows and let them cover your moves,' Braen had told him, explaining that an enemy had to work within some framework to destroy another. If they worked politically, or economically, then that left themselves open to the same downfall if a person was crafty enough. If the Council---Braxton---moved against him with magic or murder, he'd return the favor equally. As Braxton, Blaine and Davin talked on he thought on Avonna's words that there was always choices--it was a nice thought, but he honestly didn't see any other avenues besides living or dying. As he looked over at Davin, seeing the candlelight wash over his hair and the spark in his blue eyes, Michael knew that dying wasn't an option--not now. Yet, the Council was so entrenched--politically, economically, religiously, magically--that there wasn't anything he could muster into a killing stroke. Although there were hundreds of possible weaknesses to exploit, they would be an irritant only--like bothersome flies easily flicked aside by a horse's tail.
As he thought on all this, Michael kept drinking from his cup. He felt oddly detached from events at the table. He glanced over at Braxton and saw some sort of faint, blue haze around him. He blinked and looked again--unsure if he had really seen it--but it wasn't there. It had almost looked like the color of magical shields that he had seen around Blaine. 'Maybe shieldings are all the same in color ... or else I've drunk more of this wine than I should,' Michael thought as he set his cup down--the wine was the second best that Davin possessed, the finest was for the Joining.
"Davin, how is preparations for the Festival of Hearts?" Braxton asked as he set his cup on the table. Michael leaned over to Blaine and raised a brow.
Blaine whispered, "Festival is where we all honor lovers, Heartsworns and the godess Kelsa, Holder of the Heart and Peace. Traders will come in and set up market and all Royals and Heartsworns will be in attendance."
"I thought all these preparations were for the Joining," Michael voiced tightly, not liking the idea of a crowded fair going on. It was all too easy for an assassin to slip into a crowd.
"In part, but it is fortuitous that your Joining follows the Festival," Blaine assured. Michael wanted to ask 'Yes, but for whom?' but left it alone. He wondered if the idea for tying the Joining to a public festival was Blaine's idea or Braen's. It would limit what the Council could plan, but that meant that they'd probably be more likely to use a sole assassin rather than a small group. Michael noticed that Blaine was sweating heavily.
"Are you well?" Michael whispered, a frown of concern and reproach on his face.
"Just nervous about Braxton being here, I guess," Blaine whispered back, running a hand over his face lightly.
"Well, Council Master Braxton, you must be tired from your journey, allow me to escort you to your rooms," Davin said as he rose from the table.
"I am more weary from the visit to my family rather than my ride here, I believe," Braxton said with a small laugh as he rose and nodded to Blaine and Michael.
"Family can be trying," Blaine agreed as he nodded to his teacher.
Davin walked into his room and closed the door behind him. Almost at once he was set from behind and felt the knife against his ribs. Years of training moved to the fore and he kicked against one leg of his attacker while one hand gripped the wrist with the dagger. Davin felt a solid blow to his stomach, but did not let go of the wrist and twisted just enough to force the attacker to drop the knife. Davin felt something cold at his throat and froze.
"Three--I scored on you thrice," Michael said as he kissed Davin and pulled back, retrieving his dagger.
"I scored twice," Davin responded, "I'm getting better. What was that you pulled on me?"
Michael held his hand out, showing Davin the needle-thin sliver of tapered steel that was roughly five inches. "A tool of the trade used for either an eye or a windpipe. The head is flattened out and a design worked on it so it can be worked into a collar or cuff and seem to be just decoration. Yours are over on the table."
Davin walked over and saw that the heads of his set of four were gilded in gold and crafted like Celtic knot-work. He turned back to Michael. "Treading on dark ground, are we?" Davin said with a mild frown, thinking that to fight ... kill ... to protect himself and Michael by regular weapons and honorable combat was seemly, but hidden darts of steel smacked of deeds done in the darkest of shadows.
Michael walked up to him. "A last resort if one of us is ... disarmed," he said, not telling him that they could be used against one another if the Great Council captured either one. "We need to practice more."
"Verily," Davin said, a glint in his blue eyes as he embraced Michael, kissed him deeply and moved to the bed.
"This wasn't what I meant," Michael said laughingly as Davin's kisses moved down his neck.
"But in this, I am much better," Davin breathed against his skin and nipped lightly at the nape of his neck. Michael chuckled as he was drawn down onto the bed and moved his hands up Davin's back as they passionately kissed.
"So very much better," Michael murmured, "and more fun than training."
Michael awoke several hours later and moved about quietly as he dressed and shut the door behind him, nodding at the two guardsmen flanking the door. He walked down the corridor whose walls and ceiling was a small curtain wall that ran along both sides of the roofed Great Hall. Some ancestor of Davin's had built them to connect the Royal apartments and Chirurgeon to the Main Hall and Garrison, but they also afforded a secondary means of defense. He walked down to the second floor and wandered along the gallery, staring at each painting briefly, but stopped when he got to the picture of his mother.
"Queen Valeria and Consort Alea," he breathed softly. 'Did you find this place as strange and unsettling as I do, Mom, or were you happy here until your loss? Did you secretly suffer from a sense of something missing from your life in our world, or was it only then that you were happy? Or did this world thrill you with the magic, the possibilities?' Michael reached up a hand and rested it for a moment on the canvas as if he could receive some latent message from those painted eyes.
"I once prided myself on having your strength of will, Mom. Not sure I can see this through, even though I love him." Michael drew away from the painting and turned away, dropping his hand to his side as the torchlight winked brightly on the blue topaz ring that was the very ring shown on her hand.
"Late for a stroll isn't it, Michael?"
"Councilor Braxton, I didn't expect you to be up at this time of night."
"The wages of old age, I believe, where the coin of sleep is but a pittance. I am glad that I came upon you, Michael. We need to talk."
"Certainly, this way?" Michael gestured lightly with one hand towards the study and moved forward, striving to be calm and not to panic. Braxton followed him and sat down behind the desk. Michael moved to a chair and sat, one hand clasped in front of the other to mask the fact that he was wearing the ring from the painting. 'How long had he been there, and how much had he heard?' He turned the ring inwards with his thumb so only a gold band would be seen.
"We have a situation of heavy import to discuss, Michael."
"Wh--what may that be, Councilor?" He asked, voice quavering at first, certain that Braxton has seen the ring and the representation of it in the painting.
"I want to tell you about Heartsworns," he said, leaning forward slightly, seeing that he had his attention. "Blaine has, undoubtedly, told you of the importance of Heartsworns, but I need to tell you of the past. Savage wars were fought by marauding bands and tribes for resources were scant. Magic was solely used to grow and nurture crops, but then it began to be used to attack one another as bands grouped behind mages. Valuable land was made barren, people were enslaved or killed. A group of Masters saw the direness and acted. The seven challenged each mage, one on one, and defeated them. The losers were bound to the Master by magic and swore fealty and was given a House to rule. To ensure peace and prosperity, the Great Council had to abide separately yet also rule and keep watch on the Houses. So, it was proclaimed that a Royal had to have a Heartsworn to honor the goddess of peace and prosperity, Kelsa--who chose seven avatars to defeat the seven demons and protected the people when she could have simply eradicated us all.
These Heartsworns, students in our school, were chosen by the 'goddess' by a rite and sent to the appropriate House to spy on their activities and make sure they provided well for their people. All Heartsworns have used magic and have been taught to channel it as well."
"So, all this elaborate tapestry was woven to keep the Houses in fear and thereby in control?" Michael asked, once he had gotten over his shock. Lies, deceptions, and an assassin's dagger were expected, but to receive the truth so readily was the last thing he had planned on getting. It was the truth, he knew as he looked in Braxton's eyes when he told it, for what purpose would it serve for him to admit to lies?
"Yes, over time House Lords became Royals, Kelsa evolved into a goddess of love and we degraded from avatars to Council Masters and set up schools so that we would always have a supply of 'Heartsworn' for them. All the abundance and growth you see around you is due to our influence. "
"That does explain Sarden and the trade levy, but why reveal this to me?"
"We want you to know the truth so that you will see what we have tried to do and hope that you will help maintain the fiction."
"By what you have told me, I see that it was for the betterment of the land and people." Michael said evenly.
"Thank you, Michael."
"I am going for a walk and then to bed, I think, will you excuse me, Councilor?"
"Verily so, and I will look forward to gaming with you," Braxton said with a small, delighted smile.
"Good rest to you," Michael said as he nodded and exited the room.
The cool breeze shifted through the nighttime sounds of insects as Michael walked the garden path. Leaves rustled in counterpoint as he thought on the Council. 'Fighting an enemy on their own ground means one less weapon in their attack,' Braen had told him. He didn't believe all the 'sweet syrupy goodness' that Braxton tried to make him swallow. Why would Blaine hire an assassin? Avonna, Davin, Blaine and Braen knew the Council was against him--how could they all be wrong? They couldn't. Fine ... all of the Council were Masters of magic, but they were a governing body as well--that fact alone discarded numerous possible attacks. They were bound by law to protect and enrich all provinces, or kingdoms, and that held them back. But how could he stir up a political battle when they were, essentially, the playing field? 'Yeah, like I'm playing Royals and Armsmen and there are two equal bodies opposing each other,' he thought silently as he stopped in thought as a whole new idea sprang to mind.
"Ridiculous," he said out loud, while the idea blossomed. Two, powerful, equal governing bodies--one acting as a check for the other. Could he actually use the power the Council gave Heartsworns to create a Council of Heartsworns? They did already rule alongside their mates, but there would have to be a leader ... someone powerful enough to hold them together and bind them into a force equal to the Council. Could he do that ... was this what Avonna meant when she had said that there were always choices? Would it ensure peace, or would it incite one war after another amongst the kingdoms? How could he navigate the tides of the political arena without drowning? He couldn't ... but Avonna could.