Hidden Fire - section 8

Misty felt a brief sharp chill as she passed through the pillars. In its wake, she felt vividly alert and alive again. As she was again lowered to the floor, she sat up. Raising her hand to her hair, she reflexively checked that her ears were still hidden, only to notice that clenched in her fist was a red satin ribbon--the last gift Kris had given her. Tears welled in her eyes and she hunched over, sobbing.

A gentle hand touched her shoulder. The calm young woman that had saved her basket earlier gazed down at her. Her two young boys clung to her skirts. She caressed their heads, then gestured and an elderly woman hobbled over and led them away. She turned back to Misty.

"I apologize for intruding on your sorrow, but I recognized you as the Archmage's apprentice. We are safe for the moment, but we have all lost loved ones today, and if we are not to lose more, we must ask the mages for their aid. So much rests in their hands. I ask that you accompany me to appear before their Council as his representative, much as I am my husband's."

"Lady Halleigh!" Shocked out of her misery, Misty sprang to her feet and bowed low as she recognized the Baron's lovely young wife. "I'll do anything you ask, Milady, although I do not know what help I shall be."

"You are the only person present who was close to him in any way. It would lend weight to my speech to have you there. Don't worry, child, I will speak, and all I ask is that you support my words in his name."

"Of course, Milady."

An angry voice rang out over the din. "Who let this rabble through a portal!"

Misty turned to see several men framed in the one true doorway. No, they were not men. The one who had shouted stepped into the room. His silver eyes took up most of his face, glowing eerily, and his ears rose to tall, sharp points on either side of his face. A golden lion's mane of hair framed his face. He would have been exotically beautiful, if not for the expression on his face--sour, disgusted, and angry. Seeing him, she was suddenly struck by how human Kai looked in comparison.

"Time for us to do our duty, Mistral. And it looks like we have not made a good first impression." Lady Halleigh drew herself up taller and paced forward. The crowd parted before them as she approached the mage. Misty followed on her heels.

"Sir, I am Lady Halleigh of the Keep of Tiassa, and my companion is Mistral Innsdottir, apprentice to the Archmage Kaimana. We were sent by him to request an audience with your leaders on a matter of some urgency. We must ask for your aid."

"I am the leader of the mages while that fool Kaimana is off chasing dream shadows. You may address me as Lord Aroostook, human woman." He sniffed disdainfully. "And I see no reason to grant you an audience. In fact, I demand that you remove yourself and these other creatures immediately from these premises. He paused and his eyes flickered over the chamber. "We mages do not dance to human whims, unless of course, you pay in gold. And I do not see any gold here."

Lady Halleigh's face froze into a cold mask. She waved her hand, and two women came forward bearing a large coffer between them. She opened the lid, and the mage leaned forward eagerly, peering in at the glittering piles of gold and gems.

"Ahh, yes," he smiled blindingly as he sifted through the gold. "I do believe I may have misjudged you, Milady. I will call an emergency council meeting to deal with your urgent matter. Meanwhile, let us get your people settled in. All shall be provided, tents, food supplies, medicines..."

"Tents?" Misty burst out.

Lord Aroostook frowned. "Such rudeness! Has no one taught this little animal not to interrupt her betters? But what can one expect from you lot. Surely you did not think we would let you sully the grounds of the Keep. Never, not even for twice the sum you have here! We will make you a comfortable camp outside the walls until your situation is dealt with, and you can be returned to your sty. Tomorrow, after noon meal, we will convene to discuss this matter further. Some servants will be along shortly to help your people relocate. As a sign of my goodwill, Milady, you and your rude companion may spend the night here. I hope you appreciate the privilege I am granting you." He spun on his heel and swept from the room.

"Pompous windbag!" Misty heard a voice murmur nearby. She turned her head to look, and caught Jess' eye. Grinning from ear to ear, he waved at her.

Soon after Lord Aroostook's exit, an army of servants poured into the room. They parted around Misty and Lady Halleigh and started ushering the refugees out of the door. The servants were an odd lot, some looked nearly as inhuman as Lord Aroostook, but most showed a wildly varied mix of human and mage features.

A young halfblood woman approached them and bowed. "If you would follow me, I will escort you to your rooms for the night."

"A moment, if you please, while I speak with my children." Lady Halleigh walked over to exchange words with the nurse and comfort her boys.


The servant girl looked Misty up and down, puzzled at her disheveled appearance. "Are you her servant?"

"I am Archmage Kaimana's servant, not Lady Halleigh's." Her hands tugged self-consciously at her ragged blood and mud stained clothes. "He purchased me at the apprentice auction in Tiassa."

"The Archmage! He is well then? Oh, I hope he will he be returning soon! But why would he purchase a human servant?"

Lady Halleigh rejoined them before Misty could reply.

"Follow me." Although Misty could tell that she was longing to ask more question, the girl bowed politely to Lady Halleigh and led them out the door and down a long glittering hallway. Misty marvelled at the rich tapestries hanging on every wall, and the display tables containing gold and gem incrusted items of all kinds. She had never seen so many riches in her life. Although she'd give all the gold in this hall for just one nice hot bath!

The servant paused before one of the tapestries, and pulled it aside, revealing a dark stairwell nestled inside the wall. She stopped and held out her hand and a small crackling light appeared. It flickered, sending crazed shadows through the stairwell. They climbed the twisting stair until it ended in a narrow hall lined with many doors.

She paused, and her eartips flushed slightly in embarrassment as she opened the door. The windowless room contained a tiny, hard cot, a small wardrobe, and a bedside table with a large candle on it. A cracked chamberpot stood in a corner next to a washstand and basin. The servant entered, frowned in concentration, and lit the candle with a tiny flick of lightning from her fingers.

"I am sorry, Milady. Aroostook thinks little of humans, even those of royal blood. I will at least draw you both hot baths, bring you some warm food, and extra blankets and pillows. If there is anything else you need, please let me know." The blush spread over her cheeks and she added hurriedly, "If Kai, I mean Archmage Kaimana, was here, Aroostook would never have dared to treat you so shabbily."

She beckoned to Misty. "Your room is directly across the hall." It was nearly identical to Lady Halleigh's except that Misty could see the setting sun through a large window that took up nearly the entire wall. Several of the mullioned glass panes were cracked and pieces were missing. Misty shivered as the cold autumn breeze whistled through the missing panes and swirled around her.

"Don't worry, I will bring you plenty of blankets. Our rooms do get cold for those without enough power to heat them ourselves. When Kai became Archmage, one of his first changes was to make it a rotating duty for the mages to provide heat to the entire Citadel, and not just to the fullblood's living areas. Aroostook put a stop to that nearly as soon as Kai set foot in the Between Ways." Her mouth twisted. "He claimed he was conserving their energy for a possible invasion."

She picked up Misty's candle stub. "Speaking of conserving energy, I'll be right back." She walked out and returned with a lit candle and flushed under Misty's quizzical gaze. "I had to light it from Lady Halleigh's candle. I really have very little power myself. Most of us halfies don't."

"I'll be back soon with your baths and food."

As her second wind faded, Misty sank down on the cot, wrapping herself in the worn blanket
from it. She looked around ruefully. "Well, it looks like I traded one attic garret for another," she sighed. She rose wearily and began to unpack her basket, only to smile in delight. Some kind soul must have recognized her and packed her belongings in the basket with her new clothes! She pulled out her mother's silver mirror and looked into it and cringed. No wonder Aroostook had called her an animal! In her reflection, huge, haunted blue eyes peered at her from a dirt smudged face. Blood and mud was encrusted in her hair.

She placed the silver brush and mirror on the nightstand, and placed the needle, thread, and buttons next to it. She hung her new dresses in the small wardrobe, and tossed her old buttonless gown on the bed. She stacked the Archmage's books in the wardrobe as well. Her fingers lingered over the Bestiary volume. "No time to try out your reading tonight, girl, there is work to be done." She reluctantly put it with the rest.

In the very bottom of the basket was a linen wrapped bundle. As she opened it, the yeasty smell of bread filled her nose. Inside was a chunk of cheese and two soft rolls. Nan must have found her while she was unconscious and gathered her things for her. And Nan did not know about Kris. She would have to find her tomorrow and tell her the news of the strange evil that had possessed her only daughter. She bowed her head in sorrow, tears flowing down her cheeks.

She jumped as her door opened and two male halfbloods entered, carrying a steaming tub of hot water, which they set in the middle of the room. The servant girl followed with a stack of blankets and pillows.

"I'll return later with some hot stew. I thought you would want to get cleaned up first before eating."

"Oh, yes!" Misty could hardly wait to get out of her filthy clothes and plunge into that hot water.

"Here is some some soap and cleaning cloths as well. If you need anything else, just ask for Lani."

"Thank you so much, Lani, for all your kindness!"

"Well, someone had to make up for Aroostook's rudeness! If only Kai had returned with you--things are bad for all of us when that snotty, inbred fullblood is busy playing Lord of the Citadel." She gestured toward the tub. "Now into the tub before it cools! I will be back with your stew."

Misty peeled of the blood and mud spattered gown, and tossed it aside. She sank into the warm water and ducked under, scrubbing fiercely at her dirt encrusted hair. When that was clean, she attacked her face and body, rubbing with the harsh soap until her skin was nearly raw. Once she was sure that no bloodstains remained, she rose from the tub, and dried herself. She wrapped herself in the blanket and settled on the bed. She picked up her old white gown and sewed the buttons back on the bodice quickly. She yanked it over her head and wiggled into it, just as a knock came on the door.

Lani poked her head in. "Are you decent? Oh, good!" She entered, carrying a tray. The two male servants entered behind her and silently hauled off the now cold tub.

Misty caught the scent of hot mutton stew and her stomach rumbled. "Here you go, Miss! Hot from the kitchen! Just mutton stew and some well water. It's not roasted goose, caviar, and fine wine like the Fulls get, but it will fill you up just the same." She sat the tray on the bed. "Just put it outside your door when you are done and one of us will collect it."

"Thanks again, and please, my name is Misty." Misty yawned until her jaw cracked.

"Sleep well, Misty. Good luck dealing with those old windbags in the council tomorrow." She quietly left the room.

Misty gulped down the stew. The hot liquid seared her tongue, but she was too hungry to care. She scooped up the final drippings with Nan's rolls. Stomach full to bursting, limbs heavy with exhaustion, she set the tray outside the door and tumbled into bed. She piled on the covers, but shivered as the cold air from the broken windows turned her wet hair icy.

Lani's words whispered though her mind. "those with the power warm thier rooms..." Almost unconsciously she touched the flames within her. A pocket of warmth formed around her as she drifted off to sleep.