A Court of Love and Family

Chapter 22

Days passed and Luna heard nothing. No words came from her home, no developments, no news. She had tried to reach out, but found that everyone stayed quiet. Instead she put all of her focus on Tirian. And not just in working to free his mind, but also working to come closer to him.

After the dinner and kiss, they had started to eat dinner together alone. But more, they continued to share kisses, hugs. Two nights in a row Luna had slept in his bed, in his arms... She liked that. But now... She was standing in the training hall, dressed in her leathers. Tirian in front of her, Casnova behind him.

"Begin." Casnova told them and with that, they started. Luna attacked first, her curved sword clashed with Tirians and at the same time she started to attack his mind. She had done this plenty of times before, training with her father like this in the forests outside of Velaris. As Luna's powers worked on Tirians mind, Casnovas' spell clever powers worked. Luna rolled to the side to avoid one of Tirians attacks. She could see the flashes of his memories, training, hands that guided him. No words, no feelings, just the image. Then the darkness faded and Luna saw a dark room, only lit with torches along one wall.

Tirian laid on a table. No sound, only the burning touch of heated iron and ashwood that cut into his skin. He tried to scream, but all that came out was a silent cry. Paralized from pain, or something else.

Luna took a step back and let go of her powers, panting, sweating from the experience. Tirian collapsed onto the ground.

"What was that?" Casnova asked, but Luna ignored them, instead she ran up to Tirian.

"I'm so sorry..." Her words were just a whisper. "So, so sorry..." Tirian was shaking.

"What is happening!" Casnova demanded. "Tell me girl!"

"The last thing that happened before he came to us..." Luna said back, moving her magic over Tirians mind, hoping to calm him. "He was tortured... And that was the first thing that we found now..." I didn't think this though... Of course the newest memories would be closest to the surface... Tirian stopped shaking under her hands.

"So it worked?" Casnova asked back.

"Yes... But the consequences..." Luna started.

"Not important. We can continue doing this everyday..."

"No!" She raised her voice at the librarian. "I don't think that is good for Tirian." She helped him up, his face had gone pale and was covered in sweat. His eyes had a look to them Luna only could remember from seeing her parents after a bad night. The look of fear, emptiness and... Shame...

"They hurt me..." His voice had turned to a broken and harsh whisper.

"You are safe... You are safe here..." She winnowed them back to the guest building. Far from Casnova and their plans. "I am so sorry..." She repeated again.

She helped him undress and led him to the bathroom. The tub was filled with water waiting for them. Luna left him alone and started to take care of his clothes, her own hands shaking from the memory she had seen. Not once had it struck her what types of memories could be unleashed when they did this. Not once had she considered the consequences...

"Stupid... Stupid..." She told herself. "It is not worth it..."

"Luna?" Tirian said from the bathroom door. Luna turned, finding him with only pants on. She had seen him shirtless before, but now... The only thing she could focus on was the scars that travelled down his shoulders. How deep had the wound really been? If both Madja and Evalyn had been needed, and it still left scars?

"I am so sorry..." She said again. "I didn't realise what would happen if we broke through..."

"I know... I didn't think about that either..." Tirian sat down at her side. "But it worked... And if we continue on maybe we can find out who it is that took you and Gwyn... I could be helpful..." He took her hand in his.