My anger had already dissipated, to be replaced by pity and empathy. “I know you’re hurt and embarrassed, which is understandable. I refuse, however, to lose a promising student over something so profoundly normal. After I remove the shield, you may return to your room, but you are not to leave. You may have tomorrow off, but I expect you back at your duties the day after that.”
“I can’t face anyone after this…” she moaned.
“Use your invisibility. No one need see you as you return. I will explain your sudden absence to the guards,” I told her sternly.
“But tomorrow…” she began.
“This was between us. It’s settled now and I for one see no need to shame you for what are perfectly human feelings. I will speak to no one regarding this conversation. Do you understand?”
She nodded mutely and after a moment she became invisible to normal sight. I took the shields down and faced the guards, who had been patiently waiting for many minutes now.
“Is everything alright, my lord?” asked one of the men.
“Where is Elaine?” the other inquired promptly.
“I sent her on a different errand,” I informed them brusquely.
“But…”
I held up my hand. “It does not concern you. Now, let us continue. I am anxious to see Sir Cyhan.”
Cyhan and the rest of the men were already settling into the main hall when I got there. Servants, sleepy eyed and occasionally yawning, were moving to and fro to bring the men bread and small beer. By their appearance, I could tell they had been pushed hard to reach the castle so quickly.
“My lord,” said Cyhan as I approached the table.
He had already half risen before I could gesture for him to stay seated. “Sit! Rest!” I admonished him, while looking around the room. The rest of the men were standing as well, so I motioned for them to relax, “You have traveled long roads at a fast pace, take your ease men.” Glancing back at Cyhan, I told him, “Eat and we will talk in the morning.”
The look that crossed his face spoke volumes. Cyhan would rather have gotten the exchange of news taken care of immediately. Opening his mouth, he hesitated for a second as he read my face, “Very well my liege,” he said at last.
After that I took the next few minutes to walk among the men and check on their general condition. Once I was sure they were well taken care of I retired, for I could still hear the call of my bed. As I walked back to my family suite, I thought again of my conversation with Elaine. Nothing good comes of waking up in the middle of the night, I said to myself.
Chapter 17
Morning arrived with a thump, as the wind was driven from my chest by a heavy blow to my abdomen. Since I had been dead asleep, the air rushed from my half open mouth with a ‘whoop’, followed by a choking gasp as I sought to fill my lungs again. The blow had been precisely aimed however, and my diaphragm was refusing to assist me in the effort. It had taken the day off in protest at the abuse I suppose.
“Daddy!” Conall yelled exuberantly from his perch atop me.
He had my full attention, as I struggled to breathe. One thing I had learned early on in fatherhood was the importance of calmness. I did my best not to alarm him with any excessive grimaces or gasps. Sitting up I tried to relax so I could draw a shallow breath, while at the same time, I gave my three year old son a feeble smile.
My small son gave me a serious stare. “You look funny, Daddy.”
“The joke’s on you, when you grow up to look like me then,” I managed to get out with a wheeze. As usual my fine sense of sarcasm was wasted upon him, and my senses quickly told me that Penny was no longer in the bed. Never anyone around to appreciate my fine sense of humor, I thought to myself. Reaching out I pulled Conall in for a hug and a cuddle while my diaphragm recovered. On general principle, I tickled the squirming monster as he tried to escape me.
“No, no, no!” Conall shouted, laughing all the while.
“You woke the dragon, you reap the consequences!” I told him.
“No! Mommy told me to do it! Go reap her!” he yelled back, as I finally let him slip free.
There was no point in replying to such a hilarious remark. I filed the thought away though, for future reference. Sowing and reaping is how I wound up with three of my four children, I thought with a smirk. Perhaps Penny will consider some reaping and pillaging later. Even as the thought occurred to me, I knew I had mixed my metaphors, but then, if you can’t butcher the language in your own head, where can you?
I rose from the bed with a growling roar that sent Conall shrieking out of the room in delight. Cold air made me regret throwing the covers back almost immediately. “You’d think I could figure out something as simple as how to keep a room at a comfortable temperature,” I mused aloud.
I had in fact made a few attempts in years past, but in every case, the enchantment gradually turned the room into an oven. It didn’t seem to matter how gentle or small it was the constant addition of heat, made all but the draftiest of rooms swelteringly hot. What I really needed was some method for the enchantment to recognize when the appropriate temperature had been reached, so it could stop… but I had yet to figure out how. It had to be possible, for the house I had inherited in Albamarl had something similar at work, along with many other, even more complex enchantments. I just hadn’t found it yet.
Penny had risen early to get started with the day’s preparations. Tomorrow would be the celebration marking the eighth anniversary of our triumphant defeat of the army of Gododdin, so she had a long list of things to accomplish. For my own part, I still wasn’t keen on the joyous remembrance of my act of mass murder, which was the way I recalled the event. Penny, Dorian, Marcus, Rose and pretty well everyone else close to me, had counseled me to keep my personal opinions to myself, and let the people enjoy a reason to celebrate. Never let it be said that I didn’t listen to advice… but I still didn’t like it.
I looked for Cyhan in the main hall while I had something to eat. I ate breakfast there, since Penny had started her day early. He was nowhere to be seen. I discovered him in the barracks with Dorian, going over the preparations for the Knights and soldiers.
“I agree,” the older warrior replied to something Dorian had just said. “I’ve told the others to limit themselves to no more than two drinks over the course of the day. They’re also to remain in their armor.”
“That seems excessive,” I commented as I walked in.
“Good morning,” Dorian answered, without any sign of hesitation. “Don’t worry about this end of things, Mordecai, Cyhan and I have it well in hand.”
“You’re planning to keep the Knights of Stone in full armor all day, and limit their drinking? We didn’t even expect to have Cyhan and his group. Why not let them split the day? There’s no need for them to all be miserable,” I said, offering my advice to an unreceptive audience.
Dorian gave me a glare that spoke volumes. “Why don’t you…,” he began, but Cyhan interrupted him.
“Sir Dorian,” he interjected, “please allow me to answer this one.” The two men shared a short knowing glance before Dorian nodded and Cyhan turned to address me. Years before I had wondered if the two of them could work together but my doubts had been unfounded. The two of them were almost always in complete agreement.
“My liege,” Cyhan continued, “I will take your suggestions under advisement. Sir Dorian and I will see if we can allow the men breaks in which to dress more casually and enjoy themselves tomorrow.”