Chapter 10: Dorian
From one of the dusty innumerable storage closets around the castle, Pixel produced a large pad of paper and paints. Humming quietly, he began working in the far corner of the common room.
He still wasn't sure how he felt about Score teaching Crow magic. What did he - or any of them for that matter - know about raising a child? Especially Score. It had been tempting not to throw in the matter of Score's precarious youth in his face during their spat.
Yet somehow it was comforting to Pixel to know that this child of incredible power was in their hands. Who knew what evil personage would have found the girl if they hadn't first? At least, having her here, she was somewhat more predictable and under control.
Pixel set up a water-repelling spell around the area. The paints were water-based, so he figured it ought to do the trick. Crow's rapport with the tree and shrub in the garden were not quite like anything he'd seen before. He knew there was far more to magic then he could ever fathom, but it was curious. Not even in the trio's dealings with Balga, the harpy queen of Chandar in the previous year, had yielded anyone - or anything - with power of that kind or magnitude.
Assembling the large easel he'd found was slightly more difficult than he'd imagined, and his thoughts were temporarily interrupted as he wrestled with the oak beast. When he finally got it to stand still, he mounted the paper upon it and looked about him for the paints he'd mislaid. The most peculiar thing, he finally decided, was Crow's apparent lack of knowledge of magic, but her relative ease with talking shrubbery.
There. He was done. All he needed now was to find Crow. He turned around and nearly tripped over the enigmatic child, who was at his side as effectively as if he'd summoned her there. "P-p-pidgel?" She mangled his name with a furrowed brow, as though it took some effort to get the words out.
"Pixel" he corrected with a smile. He wondered what life would be like if he had a younger sister. For all he knew, he did have a little sister now. It was five years since he'd left Calomir, and his parents weren't all that old. Pixel made a face and refused to think about his parents doing THAT. Nasty.
"Pithel" she repeated carefully. He grinned. "Wazzat?" She asked, her attention momentarily distracted by the easel. Pixel let his mouth twist upwards again.
"It's something for you." He said. "Do you like to paint?" Crow looked at him blankly. He unscrewed a little paint from a container and splashed it on the paper with the singular brush he'd found. "You know, draw pictures?" He sketched out a tree. It wasn't very good, and he had the misfortune of picking black. There were a variety of different colored trees on Dondar, but none of them were black. His tree looked like an odd chocolate rooster wearing pantyhose on its head. Or at least that was the image that popped into his mind. What...?
*Sorry, Pix, couldn't resist* Score. Oh. *But that's really what it looks like!*
*Thank you Score.* Pixel said with a huff. *I will let you know when I'm looking for an art critic* He returned his attention to Crow. "Do you see what I mean?" He asked. She nodded, and he handed her the brush. "Go ahead then, feel free. I'll be around if you need anything." The look on Crow's face, a cross of indescribable happiness and confusion was enough to put Pixel on a happy buzz for the rest of the day.
Cloudy, but on the whole, rather pleasant, was how Helaine found Ordin. She recognized the spot the Portal had dumped her almost immediately. She was less than a mile from her castle home. The river that divided her father's kingdom from the lands of Lord Peverel was somewhere close on her right. Helaine smiled as she thought of her near-miss at becoming Mrs. Dathan Peverel. She strode purposefully in the direction of the castle, wondering what it would have been like, to be married. Probably boring, she mused.
Helaine encountered no other travelers as she made her way towards the keep. It was near twilight on her home world, and the clouds in the east were illuminated a soft shade of pink. Funny. She'd never noticed the sunsets on Ordin before. It seemed like hardly any time at all before she reached the castle. Then she stopped.
She hadn't actually thought of a plan for getting in before. In fact, she hadn't really thought of anything except seeing her family. Helaine cursed softly. Now what? There were always guards posted at the entrances, that much she knew. She cogitated on the matter for another twenty seconds and gave up. "Ah, hell." She muttered as she emerged from the forest and approached the giant gate. "What's the worst that can happen?"
"I'm telling you, I just have to see his Lordship." Helaine was becoming frustrated. Obviously the talent pool of guards had dried up immensely since she had left. These fellows were certified morons.
"And I'm telling you," the young man argued back ostensibly, "that you can't. Lord Votrin doesn't just invite vagrant gypsy women into his chambers. Go stay in the village for the night, and maybe he'll see you in the morning. Maybe. Now get out." He threatened her menacingly with his pike. Helaine's anger swelled up inside her. She'd forgotten how positively primitive men were. She considered teaching him a lesson with her sword, but figured it was not the most diplomatic thing for a returning daughter to do on her first visit home. She opened her mouth to ask yet again to be let in when another voice cut her off.
"Helaine?" She peered around the guard's shoulder to see who was talking. Her eyes expanded in joyous recognition and she bolted past the men clad in her father's colors, vaguely hearing their shouts for her to halt.
"Borigen!" She cried happily, stopping just short of the well-grayed old man.
"I thought that was you. Can't mistake that tone of voice of yours when you're peeved." He paused, worn eyes dancing. Suddenly he threw open his arms. "Come 'ere, girl." Helaine was squeezed in his fierce grasp and she kissed him on his bristly cheeks. Finally he let go of her, and Helaine turned to see the pure mystification written on the guards' faces. "Where have you been these long years, my Renald?" he asked, using her pseudo male name. Helaine smiled.
"Oh, you have no idea, Borigen. Traveling. Everything. But it's good to be back." She beamed as he led her down a stone corridor.
"Your father will be quite pleased to see you, Helaine. You haven't any idea how much he mourned your leave. He was certain those raiding Border Lords had made off with you, though he never received a ransom note." The loyal old soldier paused. "Why did you run away?"
Helaine leveled her gaze. "Two words: Dathan Peverel." She shuddered involuntarily. Borigen laughed.
"You'll be pleased to know then, my lady, that young Peverel has married Lady Amana of the House of Wrane. He is no longer on the market." Borigen reached out and touched the hilt of her sword as they walked. "Do you still practice?" he inquired softly. She'd been his best student, she knew.
"Nearly every morning." She replied, as Borigen knocked on the large wooden door that led to her father's main hall and then opened it.
Helaine walked in with her head held high. She saw a few of her father's councilmen mulling about from the corner of her eye, but her real interest was the person seated on the throne. He was still tall, but some of the muscle had receded into his body, and his hair was a mottled mixture of gray and black. His eyes were as dark as ever. He stared, speechless, as Helaine gracefully bowed the appropriate distance away from him.
"Father." She said quietly, looking him directly in the haunted ebony expanse of his eyes.
"Helaine, is that you?" The man eased off his royal seat. He took a step of the dais and peered at the figure before him. "My daughter?"
"Yes." There was no need to say anything more.
"Helaine." And in an instant the royal vestige was discarded as he wrapped his arms around the young woman and laughed.
*****
Erm.... what's to say? Keep reading...
--Aroo
Chapter 1. Morning
Chapter 2. Changes
Chapter 3. Last Night
Chapter 4. White Monkey
Chapter 5. Searching
Chapter 6. Child
Chapter 7. One Candle
Chapter 8. Crow
Chapter 9. Dorian
Chapter 10. Ordin
Chapter 11. Votrins
Chapter 12. Gone
Chapter 13. Mother
Chapter 14. Mardren
Chapter 15. Scars
Chapter 16. Tears
Chapter 17. Mend
Chapter 18. Summons
Chapter 19. Council
