A brief note--At the end of this installment, I have Michael & Davin quoting sayings in their conversation and have used an asterisk(*) to denote the quotes used and have listed the people accredited. Also a sincere thank you to all that have been patient and have followed my ramblings
"I expected the Council to act quick, but I must admit I didn't expect the introductions to be this polite," Michael said as he raised an eyebrow. Blaine ignored the flippant tone, growing used to Michael's moods.
"Michael, Braen is. . .well, I. . ." Blaine stammered, not wanting to admit to his perfidy.
"Blaine employs me--I am in his service," Braen stated.
"Ah--I see--and Davin's?" Michael asked as a fierce light entered his eyes and he moved casually behind the small table to trip him up if needed.
Braen Partellis' eyes narrowed as he saw the move that placed at least three available items for weapons in Michael's easy reach. A small, tight smile formed as he turned to Blaine. "I will teach him."
"He can learn then?"
"'He' is in the room and what am I supposed to be taught, Blaine?"
"Why, merely to protect yourself, Michael," Blaine assured, yet not meeting his eyes.
"Any one of Davin's guards could do that easily Blaine--you're to teach me the tricks of the trade, right?" Michael asked as he looked to Braen. "And you haven't answered my earlier question," he added in a tone that implied that an answer had better be given.
"I am, yes. Blaine's loyalty is to Davin and Blaine is my employer."
"That is an evasion--a clever one, but still an evasion."
"Michael, Braen has been here for nearly two summers," Blaine assured.
"Two summers?" he queried, understanding coming to him. "You protect Davin."
"Yes, and now I am to train you to protect yourself against the Council." Braen explained.
"Blaine. . .they wouldn't just. . ." his voice died off as he saw the answer in Blaine's eyes. "So, teach--what's the plan?" he asked of Braen.
"I will instruct you twice daily on the field and once more--secretly at night--tonight we will meet in Blaine's rooms."
"Cloak and dagger stuff, huh?"
"What?" Both Blaine and Braen exclaimed simultaneously and uneasily looked from one to another--how did he know that these were the two basic tools of an assassin?
"Nothing--just an old saying," Michael stated as he noted the startled glances. "Davin and I will be there--what?" Michael asked as they schooled their faces to be perfectly blank when he brought up Davin's name. "Blaine?"
"Michael. . ." Blaine began, his tone unsure and trying to be calm.
"Davin shall not be instructed," Braen said stiffly.
"What do you mean--he already knows these things or. . ." he faltered at seeing Blaine's guilty look at the mention of what Davin may know. "He doesn't know you've been protecting him."
"He can't know, Michael."
"What--that he's been shadowed by an assassin for two summers or that I'm being trained by one?" Michael snapped.
"Both--you are the threat to the Council--Davin could be, or rather have been ousted from his rule by a vote of the Council," Blaine explained.
"Until I pulled a rabbit from my hat," Michael voiced in a flat tone. "I'll think about it."
"Michael. . ." Blaine began, exasperation tingeing his voice.
"No--you may not trust Davin, but I do."
"It's not a matter of trust--it's about him being safe, Michael."
"He'd be even safer if he learned a few new skills, Blaine."
"I forbid it."
"Really--since when did Davin abdicate to you?" Michael retorted and soon heated words were bandied about as emotions grew fierce. Braen looked from one to the other's angry face and wanted to laugh out loud. Davin's Heartsworn was fiercely determined, quick-witted and calculating--he definitely had the makings of an assassin. Braen couldn't hide a muffled chuckle and saw that both turned equally angry and affronted glares at him.
"You two are amazingly alike in your anger--are you certain you're not related?" Braen asked amusedly.
"I would have drowned him at birth had he been family of mine," Blaine fumed as he turned to look at him while Michael froze so still a statue would be envious--but a statue didn't ever have the glint in its eyes that Michael's did. At Braen's frown, Blaine turned back to Michael and saw that Michael was now laughing. Blaine joined in assuming that the laughter was at Braen's comment of their being related. Braen joined them in their laughter and an eager light touched his gray eyes--Michael's swift change of expression and manner boded well, he could have a very promising student.
"Where are you going?" Davin asked as Michael broke his embrace and reached over to put his shirt back on.
"To go see Blaine," Michael answered lightly, hoping that he wouldn't have to resort to lies.
"Why--and at this time of night?" Davin muttered, propping himself up on his elbows and glare up at his love.
"He wants to test my strengths and weaknesses basically," Michael replied.
'Good--explaining without really explaining,' he thought.
"Ah, yes, I wondered when he'd want to start your teaching--I'm glad of it."
"You are?" Relief and fear warred on his face.
"Of course--if you didn't have your power we wouldn't be together like this," Davin said as he pulled Michael down to him for a long, passionate kiss as his arms wrapped about him and pulled him closer. Michael braced his hands on Davin's chest and reluctantly pulled away.
"Stay."
"Blaine is waiting for me--besides, it's not my fault you've been busy dining with every lord in your holding since we came back."
"You could have joined us--they want to see you as well."
"No, Davin--they are curious about me, it's not the same thing at all."
"That's not a fair statement to make."
"But it is a true one. Davin, please--they're strangers come to gawk at the foreigner and curry favor with you--they're vainglorious contemptuous, addle-pated opportunists who care only about my intrinsic value to the increase of their fortunes."
"Maybe it's a good thing that you stay away--I do not think that they'd be as enamored of your free tongue," Davin chuckled.
"Would your rather that my tongue be trapped?" Michael joked before Davin's eyes lit and he soon found his tongue trapped in a deep kiss. "En- trapment might just have its uses," Michael chuckled and pulled away before Davin could trap him further.
"Why don't I come with you?"
"What?" Michael stilled, sitting on the bed as he thought of how to dissuade him.
"Well, Blaine will undoubtedly have some exercises for you to do or something like and Blaine & I could have a game or two in-between. Then later. . ." Davin said as his hands moved up to undo more of the lacings of his love's shirt.
"Davin!" Michael uttered as he backed off the bed and away again. 'Third times the charm,' he thought then spoke. "No, Blaine will be too rapt in my results and I wouldn't be able to concentrate properly with you in the room."
'Still the truth--in part,' he thought as he swiftly kissed Davin and moved to the door. "I'll make it up to you when I get back."
Davin's blue eyes glowed. "I'll hold you to your word."
"Again," Braen said wearily, watching as Michael retrieved yet again the knife he had been attempting to throw at the target.
"Couldn't I start with something more basic?"
"This is the most basic thing I will be teaching you--to master the others you needs master yourself."
"Might as well be asking me to give birth," Michael muttered as he failed to land the knife in the painted circle of the target and heard it clatter to the floor uselessly. "Hand-to-eye coordination--I got the idea, it's just not as easy as you say it is," he added as he picked up the knife.
"Feel the balance of the blade--it wants the target."
"Look, David Carradine, enough with the euphemistic bs--it's one thing to understand it and another to do it," Michael snarled in frustration. "It's harder than saying, 'Turn, feel, see and throw,'" he said as he mirrored those instructions, "and expect for me to be able to. . ." he drifted off as he heard the hollow thunk as the knife hit the target. He looked back and saw that the knife was precariously hanging off the outer edge of the target.
"Very good--now throw harder. Do not think, just do," Braen soothed as he watched his student. The first few times the knife clattered to the floor again, but then it struck the target more often. "Now try to aim for the center," he instructed and was pleased when the knife crept closer with each try. "Enough for tonight," he said as the knife scored the painted circle and held out his hand. Michael gave back the knife and was surprised with how his whole body ached and how drained he felt. He pushed back his sweat-dampened hair and just wanted to sink into his bed for rest.
"Now for my lessons," Blaine said as he nodded for Michael to sit in a chair and ignored Michael's forlorn groan. "Michael, I am going to cast a spell and I want you to try to absorb it just like you did before the Council," Blaine instructed before gathering himself and casting a spell. Michael saw a hazy blue light seep about him and tried to pull it to him, but couldn't until the light deepened and moved outward--his nerves vibrated fiercely as the power swam through him. "Good--now I want you to direct it at the door," Blaine eased as he watched intently. Michael tried to gather the power but it just swirled inside of him, eager for completeness. He recalled how he had felt while Demel's magic raged inside of him and a small bubble of fear rose at the thought of that happening again. He stilled his fear slowly, raised his hand, pointed at the door and saw the blue light flare out over it and disappear. "Very good, Michael--how are you?"
"Dizzy a bit and nauseous, but okay."
"Get some rest, Michael," Blaine soothed, knowing now how powerful Michael was--the spell he had cast was his own magical shields. If he could absorb and direct such personalized magic, then he was safe from the Council--unless they worked as one.
Michael groaned as he was awakened by a knock on the door and threw a pillow at the door angrily. Fortunately, this was before the door opened and a servant walked in and set the tray of food on a table before leaving. Michael fell back on the bed wearily and wished for a couple more hours of sleep. 'If only. . .too late,' he finished that thought as Davin's arm pulled him closer and he felt his lips on the back of his neck and felt the whispered 'good morn' on his ear followed by an eager tongue and wanted to hit him--instead Michael cursed not too silently into his pillow. No one should be this bright-eyed and cheerful, especially with only a few hours of sleep.
"Sorry you were woken up--I know Blaine drove you too hard last night--anything I can do to make the morning easier?" Davin breathed, his voice heavy with sexy innuendo.
"Yes, tell me all about it when I wake up later," Michael grumbled, right now wanting sleep more than Davin's morning games.
"Are you sure?" Davin asked as his hands moved along his sides and his leg draped over him.
"You're impossible," Michael muttered as he turned and kissed Davin.
"Thank you," Davin mumbled around the kiss.
A few hours later, Michael cursed as he raced from Davin's room to the practice field. Davin had kept him overlong and he hadn't time to eat. He shook his hair back from his eyes as he ran down the stairs and jogged over to the field.
"Michael! Good to see you--I thought you might not show," Anton grinned as he took in the loose ties of the shirt and rumpled hair.
"Hey, Anton--I was. . .occupied."
"Well, tell your occupation that I expect to see him in training later on today," Anton laughed as he tossed Michael a staff. "Shall we?"
"You're on," Michael said as he got ready to spar. They ran through a series of stances and then practiced them--each movement led into the next one then they'd take turns attacking or defending. Anton scored on Michael a few times as he'd do a new move after each set and then take him through it. He moved on to train with someone else when Michael could hold his own for three sets. He ran a hand through his hair and saw Braen approach him.
"Feel like a little swordplay?"
"Do I even have a choice?"
"Verily, you could walk up to the Council and just ask them to kill you now," Braen offered.
"Give me a few weeks of this and I may just do so," Michael retorted.
"But we haven't even gotten to the fun parts yet."
"Fun? Your sadistic."
"Goes with the job, Michael." Braen said as he offered a swordhilt to him. Michael took it and they faced off. Metal rang against metal as Braen put Michael through similar moves that Anton had used. They practiced until Braen had scored on him twice. Michael handed back the sword and turned as a guard ran up to him and bowed. Michael nodded to the man and he was told that Prince Davin wished to speak with him.
"Gods above, can't he even let me be for an hour?"
"Would you wish him not to be so enamored?" Braen asked.
"No, I suppose not, but I am now understanding why all fairy tales end with the line '. . .and they lived happily ever after'--it'd take too much effort to pen the overabundance of happiness."
Braen laughed, "Love makes a man that happily forgets all but love."
"What are you trying to say, Braen? Your words always have a doubled blade," Michael added as he paused in mid-step of following the guard.
"Michael, I think it would be a good idea for you to get to know some of the lords. If you are going to live atop a viper's nest, best to know from which direction the fangs will strike."
"Why didn't Davin--or Blaine--tell me of its import?"
"Davin did not because he likely knows how you dislike such pomp," he surmised, knowing that Michael oft times ate with the guards after his lessons. "Blaine has been busy getting the castle ready to receive Council Master Braxton," he added.
"He is arriving so soon? But the Joining isn't to be for wee--um, some time yet," Michael amended.
"Verily, but he wished to visit family nearby and will come here afterwards."
"Thank you, Braen--I did not know of this," Michael added as he followed the guard to the stables and saw the two horses. The guard waited until he mounted before turning his horse to the gates. A small shiver of doubt skittered down his spine as he thought how easy it would be for an assassin to walk in disguised as a guard and lead him away to his death or capture, but it didn't even have to be a guard--he did not know all in Davin's household. He shook that dark thought off of him, but he did stay a length behind the guard and did not move alongside until he saw Davin's black charger hitched to a tree branch and Davin reclining at the tree's base.
"And just what is this?" Michael asked, seeing the basket and jug.
"I believe that most people call it the nooning meal," Davin clarified.
"Ah--this village idiot thanks you," Michael retorted as he joined him at the tree.
"You are most welcome," Davin assured as he began to lay out the food.
"You have definitely been spending too much time with me."
"No, not nearly enough, but why do you say that?"
"You are starting to sound like me," Michael explained, his tone implying that it was anything but a compliment. Davin laughed as Michael sat down beside him. Once the food was set out they ate and talked.
"Lord Hamdell and Lord Amarith are feuding over a dividing line of property and Lord Caufield wants a matching for her daughter. That is all that was bandied about today. It was quite amusing show--you should have seen it. How did arms training go?"
"It went well--would have been better had not a certain handsome prince detained me," Michael grinned. "Oh, yes--Anton said that he wanted you to train later on."
"Yes, I expected he would--I have been lax, but there's just so much to do and not enough day to do it in," Davin groused lightly.
"Mayhap I should attend your meetings and dinners with the Lords," Michael barely managed to get out through gritted teeth.
"You would do so?" Davin asked in wonderment.
"Only for you," he intoned with mock seriousness as he moved over to Davin and leaned against him with his head on Davin's chest. "Besides, that means that you will owe me."
"My pleasure," Davin chuckled and kissed the top of his head before he brought out a book and from it read:
Some glory in their birth, some in their skill,
Some in their wealth, some in their bodies' force,
Some in their garments, though newfangled ill,
Some in their hawks and hounds, some in their horse;
And every humour hath his adjunct pleasure,
Wherein it finds a joy above the rest:
But these particulars are not my measure;
All these I better in one general best.
Thy love is better than high birth to me,
Richer than wealth, prouder than garments' cost,
Of more delight than hawks or horses be;
And having thee, of all men's pride I boast:
Wretched in this alone, that thou mayst take
All this away and me most wretched make
(Shakespeare's Sonnet # 91)
"Beautiful, a bit grandiose, but beautiful still," Michael stated.
"You take the romance out of romance--why?" Michael blinked his eyes as he took Davin's jesting words to heart and pondered on it.
"I guess it is because I do not believe in romance or love--I do believe you when you say you love me and I do love you, but it just doesn't seem. . .real to me as yet. I have had many. . .mishaps with love and too many stray acquaintances of romance--my heart feels old at times."
"A heart that loves is always young," Davin whispered lightly as he draped an arm around Michael and drew him closer.* Michael drew in his solid presence and comfort while he cursed himself roundly for destroying the light mood and moved down to rest in Davin's lap.
"We cease loving ourselves if no one loves us," he said with a cheshire smile as he looked up at Davin, eyes daring him to rise to the bait.**
Davin smiled as he saw what Michael was doing and replied, "The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved--loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves."***
"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket--safe, dark, motionless, airless--it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable," Michael parried.****
"You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving," Davin thrust.*****
"Love is like quicksilver in the hand--leave the fingers open and it stays--clutch it, and it darts away."******
"The way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost," Davin smirked at the absurdness of this duel of words.*******
"Love is a haunting melody that I have never mastered and I fear I never will."********
"There are no guarantees--from the viewpoint of fear, none are strong enough--from the viewpoint of love, none are necessary."?
"Never love with all your heart--it only ends in aching."?
"There is abundant testimony that if we choose love rather than self, we gain immeasurably."**********
"Everybody in love is blind," Michael commented.**********
"Love is a language which the blind can see and the deaf can hear," Davin sputtered before laughing out loud.***********
"Truce?"
"Truce," Davin agreed as they both settled back to enjoy the day and each other.
*A Greek Proverb **Mme de Staul ***Victor Hugo ****C.S. Lewis *****Amy Carmichael ******Dorothy Parker *******G. K. Chesterton ********William S. Burroughs
*?*Unknown *********Federico Fellini **********Propertius ***********Donald E. Wildman