Ekleipsis (Fantasy Romance - LGBT, manXman)

8.4

Water Mage, Mistress of Illusions, Lady of the Sea, charmer of the fickle water realm was she with her every feature, her every flutter of eyelashes.

The aura of calm strength, of power unattainable for mere mortals was unmistakable about her. Alva would have paid in gold to know if it was the usual aura of a first-rank mage or Dame Tallian's own strength of character. He had never seen a Higher Mage before. They were more difficult to meet than kings.

He sat in his chair opposite to hers, not knowing how to begin. Dame Tallian leaned back and studied him with her aquamarine eyes, deep as the sea and quite as mysterious. There was nothing hostile in them, yet nothing warm and friendly either.

She broke silence first and spoke with her flowing contralto which seemed to resonate pleasantly within Alva's whole body. Her words were harsh, but her voice allayed that harshness.

"I want you to understand something, Chevalier Ahayrre. I am not going to nurse you, pat you on the back or hold your hand. I am not a healer, nor am I your friend or your lover. But you'll find that I understand you like no one else. My initiation happened at the age of thirteen, when my ship sank. All my family was killed, and I was afloat in the sea until some fishermen picked me up. Give me a detailed account of what had happened to you, Chevalier Ahayrre, and try to be as accurate as possible."

And Alva did. Her bluntness and businesslike approach made his task easier. Sometimes she asked questions, trying to ascertain the facts more accurately and in greater detail, but never out of idle curiosity. She didn't care how a Trianess gentleman of quality had found himself in Jinnjarat and who his companions were.

When he mentioned the amulet, she asked his permission to take a closer look.

"A weak magic, but quite efficient. Why do you still wear it here, thousands of leagues from Jinnjarat?"

"Habit," Alva lied.

"If you are going to lie to me, the conversation is finished," Tallian said imperturbably.

Taken aback, Alva blushed and swore under his breath. Alva Ahayrre caught in a lie and embarrassed with it − that was just unthinkable! He had obviously lost his court-cultivated skills.

"You don't want to answer, because one of your companions has been infected? As far as I know, everyone is allowed into Fanneshtou. Your friend is safe here. His special abilities are blocked, same as the use of most magic spells."

"I am too used to dissembling, lady Tallian," Alva said after a pause. "There had been too many people trying to kill me the last few years."

"You must have been keeping bad company, Chevalier Ahayrre," she said without a smile.

"It's not for you to judge me," he snapped.

"You love them very much, don't you? This trinket would have kept you safe. Most magical initiations happen when the life of a prospective mage is threatened directly. Magic rarely awakens in order to save someone close to you."

Sadness echoed in her voice, and Alva could easily guess her thoughts. Somewhere inside, behind the wall of overbearing manners, there was a woman who had loved and had suffered because of it. Dame Tallian was right, they understood one another like no one else.

"Forgive me. I am really out of habit of being sincere. And 'yes' for both your questions."

When Alva got to the burning branch, he rose to his feet and started nervously pacing.

"The fire just... blazed up, that's all. I didn't feel anything overworldly, miraculous. I simply found myself holding a burning branch, my shirt burning too, then terrible pain and nothing else. Maybe my memory played a trick on me? Maybe I had a flint on me, or I had taken an ember from the camp fire and forgotten about it?"