For a moment, they just stared at each other their gazes smoldering. Veena was acutely aware of his eyes raking over her, she would have literally given anything to be able to discern his thoughts. He stood there calm and detached in his immaculate High Officer uniform embroidered with the Elton insignia. Veena straightened her stance and asked in a clear sharp voice "Sir Elton, please why am I being held here?".
He raised an eyebrow at her question and answered indifferently "Don't pretend to misunderstand the reason you are here".
Veena was slightly taken aback, Have they found out who she is?
No, they couldn't possibly have. She bit back her panic and begrudgingly whispered "Please do tell me why I am here exactly".
He scowled "You used fire in full view of everyone at the Vhalka market ".
He said every word in a tone that is meant to portray the direness of her situation, but Veena couldn't help but notice the accusation was about using her power in public not the power in particular. He continued "The Supreme and Heads of the ruling houses are curious as to how your powers has gone unnoticed all this while".
Ah! The Supreme, Torren's father. Veena's top enemy, He was the one that lead the assassination of her parents and He was raised in power slightly above the rest of the Heads. While they make decisions, they still have to run it by him rather than inflict his ire.
Technically, he is an unofficial king. Feared by both the nobles and commons because of his power of neutralisation, Jamie Elton is one of the handful of mages that can literally obliterate the power of other mages. The only catch is that whoever that is under his influence has to be in his presence for it to work though he has been known to exercise exceptional control by tampering with mages from a far distance.
Having lost his wife during childbirth a few years before Veena was born, Jamie was said to have become more ruthless and brutal. After the take over, He had moved in to the Tarwen Castle.
The Tarwen Castle built on a hill that overlooks all of Vhalka and surrounded by a barren area that enables the defense mages to notice any attack before hand and the big towering gate that has been infused with different spells, charms and magic to make it impenetrable, is the safest place to be in Vhalka (No that it helped her parents anyway).
But the real reason the Eltons moved in is because of the opulence of the castle. After the points of defense, There is a courtyard that is the most wonderful of sights in the North. Built by some Earth Mages, the lush area is decorated beautifully and is obviously used to show the wealth of Vhalka. According to Sir Jerry, the Queen and her ladies-in-waiting had favoured that area.
After the courtyard, the magnificent stone castle lay in all its spectacular brilliance. White and Green Elton banners spread across the grounds instead of the red Tarwen colours. With its large double doors that have a deep red royal colour giving the entrance an eerie beauty, it has open halls with 20 foot ceilings and numerous wings for servants, guards, guests and the Throne Room.
But the most important is the Royal wing, It housed Veena and her family before the coup. From the glimpses of memories Sir Jerry let her see, it was once a paradise decorated to the tastes of the King and Queen. All in all, there are many redeeming qualities that make Tarwen Castle the best in the North.
Back to the matter at hand, Veena gave Torren the planned answer "I didn't even know that I could do what I did". She sighed at his look of disbelief and continued "Truly, all my life was spent being normal. To think that I was once envious of the mages."
She gave a derisive laugh. "When I saw those icicles coming towards me, I was terrified. I felt the strong grip of fear capture my heart and it was unlike anything I have ever felt before. I just reached something deep within me I didn't know I possessed and it triggered whatever happened which I still cannot totally piece together". Conveying such emotions in her voice wasn't a problem because the situation she's in is not safe and her identity being revealed will prove quite challenging.
Veena sat on the bed in a tired manner and looked at him earnestly as if awaiting an explanation from him. He put aside his questions for a moment and answered "What you did was simply defying the rules that govern our land. It is common knowledge that the Commons cannot wield magic in the normal sense, but you displayed not only magic but a rare form of it thought to be lost. To put it in words, you saved yourself by using fire to melt those icicles into water and using such a strong burst of magic probably knocked you out".
He continued with a matter of fact tone "What we would like to know is how you came about this power?"
"I swear I have never thought myself to be special in anyway, a simple life has been all I've lived and I never wanted above my station. The only plan I had was to work in the castle to get money for my ailing aunt and maybe make a friend or two". Veena kept rambling on in an attempt to further discomfit him, "I had heard I would be safe here from the Shadows and the Aggros". The Aggros are a band of rogue criminals working together to kidnap young Common girls and sell them off to buyers. The rebellion foils their plans once in a while but can't fully eradicate them because their high profile clients will want to know exactly what happened, the little spats they have can be explained as inter group rivalry but the disappearance of all Aggros will warrant unwanted attention.
Torren materialized a chair out of thin air and put it in front of her. So that's his magic. His power is a rare but powerful one that even Veena has never come across despite the numerous mages Sir Jerry had made her encounter in other to mimic their power. Conjurer mages have only appeared a handful of times in Vhalka for the past centuries, and that made Torren a formidable foe.
You would think with the notoriety of his family, his abilities will be well known across the kingdom but the truth is Jamie Elton wields his secrets like a sword. He never allowed Torren's full abilities be known to the public except a few whispers here and there of his exceptional gift. Veena had foolishly believed it to be propaganda until now. But now Veena has come in contact with him, his power is sure to be added to her cache. If only she had enough time to master it.
The chair made a scraping sound against the floor as he sat on it opposite her and angled his frame towards her direction. Their eyes locked, his grey eyed stare suspicious and oddly curious.
In a deadpan tone he implied "The burst of magic you used is not something a novice should be able to summon, especially not an untrained one.". With his slight emphasis on untrained, he obviously still doesn't believe her farce, Veena let a look of exasperation appear on her face and with every ounce of conviction she could muster "I swear my Lord, I really had no inkling of this strange power. I know my word doesn't bear much merit so I am willing to subject my mind to the probing of a Truth Mage."
His grin was quick and sharp "Trisha whoever said anything about you having a choice. Believe me whatever it is you're hiding, whatever scheme you're concocting, We shall find out and the might of our Kingdom will come crashing down on you."
Despite herself, Veena felt a sliver of fear race down her arms but she kept her face blank and infused her voice with a little steel. "That's fine since I have nothing to hide. Do whatever you want and satisfy yourself but my words shall prove true".
A little gleam shone in his eyes as he saw a little bit of her fire, Veena inwardly smirked knowing she's captured his interest. He cleared his face of all emotions and coldly declared "In an hour's time, a servant will be here to bring you to the Truth Mage and the result of the investigation will decide your future here. Take your time before she's here but don't do anything stupid like try to run, even if you manage to escape, which I highly doubt, the Houses have eyes and ears everywhere and you won't get far before you're apprehended"
Veena simmered inwardly as he underestimated her but she swallowed her pride and nodded her understanding. Satisfied his point got through, Torren stood. As he got up, light from the arching window shone over his rugged features and Veena's breath caught. He was wreathed in light and he looked like a noble character from a folk tale brought to life, Veena shook her head to clear it of such delusions. No matter what the light may hide, it can never erase the fact that the male before her is the embodiment of her life's misery.
Torren slowly took in the room before he left and wryly obscured a scowl. "This room isn't a good representation of this Academy but then again, this isn't a normal situation and you aren't a guest". With that, he turned to leave.
Before this enigmatic stranger/for could leave the room and take answers she desperately need with him, Veena softly called out "When I was six on my aunt's farm, I was out near the barn feeding the chickens when a GigaEagle flew near them and perched on a nearby stub. It then flew overhead, towering over the poor cowering animals. I couldn't do much because my stubby little arms could only go so far, I watched as it swooped in and clutched one in it's talon. I never forgot the look on that face of the chicken as they flew away, pure unadulterated fear. The feeling of hopelessness knowing your life as you know it will never be the same and you are caught in the grip of a predator, that's how I feel now. I never wanted any of this but it's happened anyway, I will do whatever it takes to prove myself. I refuse to be a helpless prey."
The fierceness of her gaze must have gotten to him because his face softened and he just nodded. The story she had just told him was in fact true, except it wasn't in a farm it happened. It was a few miles from their hideout and Veena had just been on a routine patrol to Sir Jerry's consternation when she it had happened except she had used her magic to ensnare the GigaEagle, It was the first time she controlled an animal but not the last. GigaEagles are ferocious huge beasts that are a bigger form of normal eagles and more brutal.
No one really knows how they came about but a few rumors here and there mostly attribute it to a Mage performing experiments on them by imbuing them with nature magic thus resulting in this mutation, their spread was far and quick and every land was plagued by them. The particular one Veena caught was the first of Veena's pack of pets, She named it Nyma.
Torrens nimble hands run through his wild locks and with his hair slicked back, Veena felt a flush bloom in her cheeks. Curse that hereditary trait!. He smirked knowing the reaction she has to his attractiveness. Never one to hold her tongue, Veena quipped "I see you enjoy flustering young innocent young maidens with little to no experience with males".
Instead of being angry, a boisterous laughter bubbled out of him, "A maiden you may be but you look like a fiery siren some to life that drives men mad with wanton desire and invade their fitful dreams with scenes that will make the sturdiest of pirates blush."
With that brazen admission, Torren Elton left her room just as briskly as he had come in and her mouth was still agape when the door banged shut with an echo that couldn't penetrate through the haze of shock he left behind.
A few minutes after he left, and after a valiant effort to restrain herself from chasing after the insufferable lout and hurling her magic at him and burning him to cinders, Veena finally calmed down. A siren! Ha!, She'll show him just how dangerous she can be when she thrusts her favorite dirk dagger into his heart and silence his supple and soft mouth (she thinks) forever.
The thought of eviscerating the idiot calmed her further and she looked around the room. Even in the darkened light of sunset, it still looked opulent and Torren had looked at it like it's lesser than it should be.
Anger arose in her veins bright and burning, all this money the nobles wasted could be so useful to the Commons. Just a few weeks ago, a family living on the outskirts of Vhalka had starved to death. The only reason the resistance had not been able to save them is because their house is close to one of the bases of the Commander where he trains his men, that and they didn't know it was that bad for the family.
So many tragedies have befallen the people because of neglect, it may be naive to expect the nobles to show compassion but still that little bud of hope is still there. Admittedly, there are a few among them who are not as indulgent as their peers and more compassionate but they're still not enough. A change needs to come in like a tide and wash away their affluent norms before they destroy what's left of their kingdom.
With her indignation stoked, Veena decided to make the little time she has before the summons worthwhile. Seeing as she had no belongings to offload, Veena decided to check on Logan. She tied her raucous hair into a messy bun atop her head, patted her body for the object hidden in her dress.
She let out a victorious sound when she found it in the stitched in pocket on her gown where she hid it. Assuming she was searched which she probably was, whoever searched her would never understand what it is, the bump will probably seem ornamental.
Deciding to test out her latest power thanks to Torren, Veena closed her eyes and concentrated. Her magic is normally effortless to summon but when performing with a newly acquired power, she had to put in a decent amount of concentration. Veena felt her magic surge to life, it curled within her and it was slowly pooling waiting for her command. Each power she uses has a distinct taste, Fire has a pungent taste like garlic, Nature has a bitter and sharp taste like dark leafy greens etc. With each new distinct power comes a new feeling, it's part of what thrills Veena about acquiring new powers.
But as she summoned Torren's power, she nearly staggered at the heady rush it gave her. This is not a taste, it's more like a euphoric feeling that beckons and seduces. This type of addictive rush can entrance a lesser mage into relishing it and eventually losing himself. Such magnitude of adherence is rare with magic, not unheard of but very rare. No wonder he had a scowl on his face mostly, Having to deal with such power takes a lot of mental capacity.
Despite herself, Veena felt a twinge of something unnamed deep in her heart at the thought of what Torren has to contend with. She quickly shut down that line of thought and left that unwanted feeling unnamed, instead focusing on the issue at hand. Not wanting more to do with her odd new power, Veena decided to drop it and get back to it at a later time when she had more information on it.
She just suctioned the brooch stitched into her cloth through all the layers, It's less gracefully than conjuring it but it still works just fine. Anyone looking at it will just see a classic flawless pearl brooch, but it's been spelled to work as a two way communication device. Just speaking the code word will activate it and it was send a buzz to the person on the receiving end letting the intent of conversation known.
It's really fancy and it's an advanced magic even Veena hasn't gotten a hand of, the last time she tried, she ended up animating a pendant that has a tendency to strangle it's wearer.
Veena clenched the brooch in her hand and whispered "Sparrow".
The code word triggered the magic and Veena felt it pulse, knowing Logan will answer her soon. The codeword was his choice because it's his nickname for her, they were seven when he came across her in camp chirping to a sparrow and despite making fun of her at first, he ended up giving her the nickname. It was at that moment Veena fell in love with him, She Veena Tarwen heir to the Throne of Vhalka and Princess of Fire fell in love with Logan Rhen, major of the rebellion and son of Jerry Rhen, Commander of the rebellion and advisor to the Princess.
The rebellion has a simply hierarchy, The Commander is the leader of the army (made mostly of Commons who were loyal to the King and are fighters, their numbers did increase significantly yearly due to the harsh treatment of the nobles. It's a wonder they haven't been discovered) and he oversees their combat training and mission strategies (This are mostly raids on nobles to acquire food, magical objects, money etc), There are also five majors who each have a squad of men.
They refine the training of the men under them, be it combat or tricks or etiquette (They may be Common but that doesn't mean honor isn't taught in their ranks). Each squad can be made of as many men as they want but each soldier is divided into different squads. These squads also rotate patrols and scouting.
Logan's squad is the most efficient, He and Veena trained directly under the tutelage of Sir Jerry and that gave them a great edge over everyone else in the rebellion. Though Logan quickly took to fighting, it wasn't as easy for Veena. It took time, training and numerous failures before Veena could become as adept as him.
She eventually surpassed his skills but she never did beat him in swordplay though she's the best at pulling off dirty tricks, It's saved her life more times than she can count.
There is a woman who was the head cook of the castle during the King's lifetime, She's now the one who takes care of the camp as assigns chores to be done while also overseeing the feeding of everyone. Her name is Akeela and she's a total darling. Another important member of the rebellion is Thomas, the Conjurer Mage who is the reason Veena is still alive. He thought Veena the discipline and tactics she needed to master her acquired powers, they might not have been his specialty but he always found a way to connect her to the powers in her. Veena eventually learned enough to do it by herself but He was still there to help her refine her magic. Whenever the amulet of Ra'az is used to empower their magical mini army, He was their instructor and he was quite good at teaching the various ways to combine magic.
There are many more but these are the important one's that make up the close circle of the Princess.
Then there's her, Veena the Savior they sometimes call her though she never felt like one. She's always felt the weight of people's expectations on her all her life, from everyone close to her even Sir Jerry who is like a father to her.
It used to bother her at first and led to her having these little rebellions by being reckless, going where she isn't supposed to, flirting relentlessly with boys and venturing further from camp than she should.
But it all came to an end the day she witnessed a noble flay a merchant to death. It was in Vhalka Market (For some perverted reason, Mages enjoying showing their power over Commons in full view of the public), the mage was a Telekinetic Mage from the House of Vale which was obvious by his cerulean robes.
He was screaming obscenities at the poor cowering merchant who was on his knees with tears streaming down his face and his bright tunic soiled with streaks of dirt. The Mage accused him of selling fake leather to his Page and he went on and on about how that damaged the quality of his fineries. The mage obviously wasn't as rich as his fellow house nobles if not he would be shopping in the more upscale vendors.
At this stage, most people had stopped what they were doing and watched the spectacle with varying degree of emotions most being empathy. A shrill scream burst from the merchant as pieces of his flesh were ruthlessly wrenched from his face, fellow nobles cheered at the sound.
At that time, Veena who had been frozen in shock was about to rush forward and intervene, no matter the consequence when she was quickly shoved back and held in the strong grip of Sir Jerry. They had been coming back from a noble luncheon thrown at a nearby manor, the only reason they dared to go (in disguise of course) was because a telepathic Mage was in attendance.
There are only two left in Vhalka, They are highly coveted. Jamie Elton, being the tyrant that he is made sure the two were deeply entrenched in his pocket. They rarely leave the palace, so when Sir Jerry got wind of the appearance, he leapt at the opportunity. They had completed their mission successfully and were returning to camp when the commotion began.
Sir Jerry held her firmly but she still struggled, when she saw he wouldn't let go no matter what she did, she stopped struggling refusing to use her power on him.
In a soft yet weary voice he said "I know how you feel Veena, I feel the same way but it will be foolhardy to intervene. We're vastly outnumbered. You are only Fourteen and they're over a dozen mages here with guards besides this will definitely prematurely reveal your existence. The only thing we can do is let this fill us with conviction and make them pay when the time is right".
Knowing he was right, Veena's body lost the fight and she reluctantly stood by and watched the man get flayed to death. She never closed her eyes as each magical blow hit across his face like a slap and tore of flesh from his face, it was gruesome and despicable. But she never once closed her eyes even as his scream increased in crescendo until it sounded no more.
The Mage stood over the bloodied body with a vicious smile on his face, the whole Market was silent as everybody processed what just happened but before long, things slowly moved on as everything went back as it was and the body was roughly carted away by two disgruntled guards.
Veena never looked away until the body was out of sight then with intent and murder in her eyes, she went after the Mage. Sir Jerry let her go knowing she could take care of herself against him and she needed it.
To escape notice, she summoned everyone of her magic into maintaining a transparent illusion so no one will see her. When she eventually caught up with him in a sparsely populated area, she let the magic go and felt the power simmer. With her illusion dropped, the mage heard her footsteps and turned back towards her.
At first he looked surprised then snarled but before he could open his rotten mouth and utter venomous words, Veena sent a sliver of magic sharp as a dagger with intent towards his throat.
She watched with delight and satisfaction as his blood splay out of his throat and he choked on it, she kept watching until he took his very last breath. That day was the last day Veena slacked in her work. Ever since, it was with devotion and conviction she slaved for justice.
Logan's voice drew her away from her thoughts. "Sparrow, It's such a relief to know you're okay. How was it? Tell me everything."
His baritone voice was the stark relief she didn't know she needed, she suddenly felt knots of tension ease from her shoulders. To soothe his worries, she quickly answered "Nothing more than expected, It's all going according to plan except that I was interrogated by Torren Elton instead of a representative of the Academy. I guess with a matter of such magnitude Jamie didn't want anybody screwing it up."
Veena felt his silence as tension spiked in the air thick and cloying, She knew he'd be worried that the only son of Jamie Elton was the one who attended to her.
Veena heard Logan sigh before he said "I could tell you to be careful and watch your back, but knowing you, I know I don't need to waste my breath. You seek danger like bees to honey ".
She laughed, he knew her so well. Veena could already imagine the look of frustration on his face as his brow furrowed and his face set in consternation. His luscious corn silk hair trimmed close to the scalp, his square chin that looks like it's been chiseled by the gods, and his rugged features. His muscle bound body concealed beneath layers of clothes that covered the....
Before her mind could get any dirtier, She was quickly jolted out of her thoughts by his silent yet earnest admission "I'm glad you're okay, I might not have wanted you to take this mission but I know you're the best equipped person to do it and I believe in you".
His words tore into her and ignited an inferno of blazing heat, She felt unshed tears cloud her vision at his devotion. Veena cleared her throat and in turn earnestly answered "Thank you so much Lo, that means a lot to me. More than you can ever imagine. How about you?, How's your part of the plan? ".
The moment over, he switched to business mode and in the voice of the steady and steadfast Major replied "All is well, I'm now in the rotation of guards protecting the Academy. I don't know exactly where you are but I am in a courtyard at the bottom of one of the towers near the gates to the Academy".
Veena could have used her magic to get his exact location but decided to leave that until later when she her fate was decided, She still had a Truth Mage to face and blocking the truth from him will require every bit of magic she can scrounge up in addition with the help of the Amulet of Ra'az.
Foiling truth magic is extremely hard and almost impossible but Veena is fairly certain she could handle it.
"That's great Lo, anyway don't worry about me though I know you will. I'll update you whenever I'm done with the Truth Mage, Keep your brooch close. " His brooch was different from has, His brooch has a sparkly metallic sheen to match the black Guard uniform commonly used in Vhalka.
He playfully teased "Got it Your Royal Highness, Think of me." His little comments like that always set her aflame, Veena was glad he couldn't see the reaction his words caused in her. Before the connection could cut off, She quickly spoke up "Oh also, warn all the sqauds to be more careful. I hear the Commander has a trap planned for them, whatever it is they have to see it coming."
He assured her he would do as she said. After a few words, they both said their goodbyes and ended the connection by uttering the code with intent to end it (That's why he can say her nickname without the connection cutting off).
Veena felt lighter after speaking to him and the air took a refreshing feel. Things always seemed brighter after talking with Logan, No sooner had Veena magically sealed the brooch back when she heard light footsteps walking towards the door.
Judging from the sound, It was a single person. It's a loud long echoing hallway and the door to her 'cell' is possibly at the end of it. The footsteps ended in front of the door and whoever it was presumably the maid who took a few seconds muttering and maybe encouraging herself before a soft knock sounded.
Veena called out for whoever it is to come in though it's not even her room so to speak. The door slanted open and a maid with long curls framing her delicate face poked her head in, fear obviously written all over her face.
Not wanting to scare her, Veena smiled and stood up. Unfortunately this had the opposite effect and made her quickly rush backward but somehow tangling herself with the door and making a mess of things.
Veena quickly rushed forward to help and with careful maneuvering, they were able to extract her from the doorway but in the process, Veena's hair somehow got tangled in the red ornamental beading of the maids sleeve and they both tried to yank at the same time.
This just lead to the both of them collapsing on a heap together with a soft thump. Due to the ridiculousness of their situations they just looked into each others eyes and suddenly burst into laughter.
The two of them, the mage who called forth fire and the maid who fears fire. But in that instant, they were just two girls sharing a laugh. It was in that moment than Veena knew at the bottom of her heart she has found a friend.
Author's note: It took me a while but I'm back and I plan on writing faster this time. I feel good with where I see this story going. Don't forget to Vote/Comment/Follow.