Mark of the Princess (31 page)

Evyette was taken aback for a moment by the acknowledgement that this stranger knew who she was. “Oh, you must have seen me when Brennus brought me in. Yes, I am better. You know, you may join us if you wish.” She bent her head lower trying to get a glimpse of the faerie’s face.

“How do you know that?” Evyette stepped closer and looked around to be sure that there was no one else listening to their conversation.

“I know a great many things.” The older faerie stood without lifting her head. She wore a cloak with a large hood. It reminded Evyette of the hoods that the Magister’s apprentices wore. It was large but it wouldn’t be enough to cover her eyes if she were to look at someone. Her hair though fell out through the hood and covered much of her face.

“Who are you old woman?”

“I am someone who knows you, but you know me not.” The old woman tilted her head slightly, but still not enough for Evyette to see her face.

“It was an accident when I was younger.” She began to explain until she felt her skin begin to burn where the old woman held her hand and wrist and yanked it away.

“What are you doing?” she looked down at the skin just below her wrist opposite her scars and saw a new mark.

“What is this!” she looked up angry expecting an answer but the woman was gone. Evyette looked at the mark and did not recognize it. She looked all around her and even searched the nearby area and did not find the woman. She ran back to the party where she saw that everyone was having a good time except for a select group which was gathered in a corner, their faces flooded with worry as they searched the immediate area.

“There was an old woman over by the tree. I went over to invite her to the gathering but she hid. When I confronted her she said she knew me but that I did not know her.”

“That is just it. She didn’t say anything. She grabbed my hand and turned it over to look at my scars. As I was telling her that it was an accident, the area where her hand was began to burn. I yanked my hand back as fast as I could but when I did-“ She hesitated for a moment. Her hand covering her new unknown mark. “This was already there.” She moved her hand exposing the mark. “I looked back up to question her but she was gone. I don’t even know what this means!” She thrusted her arm toward her friends.

Brennus grabbed her arm and looked at it solemnly. “She must know you Evyette. Powers can only be bestowed by the family or one that the family has entrusted to do so. This mark. It is the mark of darkness and shadow manipulation.” Evyette looked at him frightened as did all the others.

“What does that mean Brennus?”

“You now have the ability to manipulate darkness and shadows. It can be both a gift and a curse. You see, to manipulate the darkness, you have to mentally call upon dark energy and forces usually from other dimensions. You may now find it a bit easier to fight the Venator-Animus when they attack you for the simple fact that now you will see them coming. But if you are not careful. You can be tempted by dark powers.”

Brennus covered his mouth for a moment and rubbed his chin as all the others looked at each other in confusion. They tried to remind Evyette about what she had told them and although she was able to remember the events she could not recall the woman. Not what she wore, the color of her hair. Nothing.

“Memory manipulation.” He blurted, as they all looked to him with bewildered faces.

“What?” Alannah who had taken a seat next to Evyette looked up at Brennus.

“Whoever this was, or is, has the power of memory manipulation. It’s a very old power. It has not been around for quite some time. Very few faeries are born with that now. She made sure that Evyette would not remember her so that if she saw her again she would not point her out as the provider of this mark.”

“Well we should still look for her then.” Alannah stood, pushing her way past Brennus as he reached his arm out to stop her.

“Alannah, how would we do that? Evyette cannot remember any part of her. Also, If this person knew enough to draw Evy away from the festivities, and use memory manipulation to make her forget her, Then it is probable that she was smart enough to flee and cover her tracks.” He looked back at Evyette.

“What’s done is done. Now it is truly up to the Magisters to help her.”

After the leaving the festivities early, they had all gone to see the Magister Torin who almost word for word provided the same revelations and information that Brennus had. He assured Evyette that as long as she trained with them they would help her to control and even shut her mind to the lure of the dark powers.

Being re-assured, they all realized that there was no sense in worrying about it now. Acquisition of dark powers or not, for now, her only hope lied in what she could learn here.

~
Chapter
27~

They had only been walking a short while when Brennus realized that Alannah was falling slightly behind. He stopped and sat on a large rock while Alannah caught up.

“I forget that you cannot run as fast as I.”

Alannah looked at him and raised an eyebrow as she curled her lip in a sarcastic gesture.

“I didn’t mean that arrogantly.” He raised his hand and began to rub his chin. “Although, I could have. I am quite fast.” He stood again, glancing at Alannah, waiting for a retort but receiving none.

She walked past him bumping into him with her shoulder as she walked by. She did not for a moment think that it would hurt as it was more playful than anything else, but it did. She tried hard not to rub at it to avoid any further commentary from Brennus.

“So, how far is it to your Kingdom Brennus?”

“If we walk all day and camp at night it may take two to three days.”

Alannah had taken a seat on a nearby log and put her face in her hands. She rubbed for a moment and with a large sigh released her face again.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I suppose the events of the past couple of weeks have finally taken their toll on me.”

Brennus’s usual smug look was gone, sitting down next to her and saying nothing, he took her hand and rubbed it between his for a moment. “It has been a lot. Come,” he pulled her hand. “We will walk for a bit longer and then camp for the night.” He knew that getting her moving could possibly get her mind off of those things.

“Tell me of Anrad, Brennus.”

Brennus smiled slightly, “Anrad,” he began, “Anrad is a beautiful place. Filled, of course, with trees, but most of the trees there have flower vines crawling up them. Ironic since we are the warriors, that we would have such a soft landscape.”

“Perhaps it is a balance.”

He looked at her, still smiling, “Perhaps,” He paused, thinking of what she had said. “When you enter, you come in through the village market. Much like with the Magi Kingdom. Only the stores there are filled more with blacksmiths and weapons. There are a few for potions and books, but most of the warrior gifts are physical strength. We train from the moment we can hold a sword upright. There are many among us now that have been born with the gift of psychic weapons.“

“Psychic weapons?”

“Being able to fight with your mind as strongly as one would with their body. It can cause great mental harm to your opponent. Of course most warrior faeries are not satisfied with mastering simply the skills they were born with. As we grow we are taught to explore other traits, or gifts. Sorcery, mutation with or without spells as some of the Magi do, things like that. So you will find that most of us are quite marked.”

“What of the castle?”

“The Castle,” He stared off for a moment as if trying to remember. “It is as with many of the other Kingdoms, found in the very center, nestled in a large oak tree and lined in gold, silver and crystals. It is a thing of beauty, tapestries everywhere depicting battles, crests, family lineage. There are shields and various ancient weapons on the walls.”

“Ah. The Cascades. It is larger than the one at the Kingdom of the Magi. To get to the top takes a bit more effort but it is worth it. You see far over the stone homes and even over the castle a bit. I spent a lot of time there when I was a boy.”

“Will you show it to me?”

“Yes.”

They walked silently for a while longer before finding a place to rest beneath a large tree.

Alannah gathered wood for the fire as Brennus hunted for meat. She walked around the area making space for the fire and for them to rest. She took out some of the bread, wine and fruits that Lilian had packed for them and laid them on a small blanket.

By the time he returned there was a fire blazing , blankets spread and food ready. He prepared the hares to cook and sat down by Alannah and the foods. He looked at her small bag and all the things that she had pulled out of it. “Ah , extension spell.”

“Yes. I had always wanted to use it, but to be honest I have never had the opportunity.” She grabbed her bag, “I was amazed to see how deep it goes.” She reached her hand in up to her elbow as a child playing with a new toy.

Alannah looked to the fire watching the flesh of the animal cook. “I didn’t realize how much there was for me to know until I met Kaleb and Tristan and then you.” She turned her head looking at him now. “I was a bit angry and even embarrassed at first. But then when I saw my mother’s reaction at the table regarding me leaving for training, I realized that she and my father were merely trying to protect me. I cannot be angry with them for that.”

They sat for a while listening to the crackling of the fire, waiting for the meat to cook. For a brief moment she thought she caught him looking at her, but she quickly dismissed it.

She watched as Brennus pulled the animal off of the skewer and began slicing it with his knife.

He put the plate alongside the other foods and they began to eat. “I think tomorrow we should practice your sword handling before we continue forward.”

She swallowed a piece of bread “Are you afraid I might not know how to defend myself?”

“Mmmm, I know you can defend yourself magically, I’m simply not as sure of your sword skills. I think practice will do you some good.” He brought the goblet up toe his mouth and savored his wine before swallowing.

“Well, I suppose it couldn’t hurt.” She put a berry in her mouth and licked her finger of the juice it left behind. “Brennus-“ she began and then swallowed the remainder of the fruit. “Which of your marks is for sword mastery?”

“Sword Mastery?” Brennus repeated as he searched his arms only to realize that he could not see it without a mirror.

“Actually, that mark begins here-“ without hesitating he removed his shirt and turned to show her his shoulders and back. There, on his left shoulder blade was a symbol that she had seen before in her books and instantly recognized as the swordsmanship mark.

She marveled at the mark and without thinking, reached forward touching it’s center first and following it out to his back and over his shoulders. She caught herself before going any further and pulled her hand back quickly. “Sorry, I was just amazed at how much it extended. Did you train long to complete the mark?”