dawn of ancient fire

chapter 6

Cadoc watched as Marlowe relaxed and drifted off. She laid on the white cobblestone floor of the entryway of the little house they had spontaneously turned into a medical suite. Her red hair spread around her, cadoc couldn't help but akin it to spilled blood. His stomach dropped,

" Is she supposed to pass out like that?" he barked at the medwitch who shot him a glare that could melt faces. He showed his palms in surrender and she continued to stitch, her assistant ran up with a small blue vial. He watched as the assistant tilted Marlow's chin up, parted her lips and poured the liquid into her mouth. He waited for something to happen, a flash of light or a yelp, but nothing, not even a twitch.

"Why isn't she waking?" again that flesh melting glare. Hed thought he made it to her fast enough, thought he'd hit the guy in time, hed kept one eye on her the whole time until he'd been ambushed by three men at once, hed dealt with them as quickly as humanly possible, by the time he turned to find her, he watched as she slammed to her knees and tilted. He raced toward her in time to stop the soldier in black from lobbing her head off. The only thing he could think about was getting her out of the fray before the prince released his fire. He could smell smoke and ash wafting in from under the door, and could still hear screams of the injured outside.

" She needs to rest, the antidote is working but she needs time to recover. My magic put her to sleep so her body can focus on repairing itself.' he watched the woman stand and brush her hands off on her apron and walk to another injured person. He turned to whoever was nearest and barked an order

" watch her. The second she wakes I want to know about it." he knew he looked crazed, the soldier took pity on him and nodded. Cadoc stood and stared outside. Scanning the carnage, it wasn't nearly as bad as he had thought it would be, given that the majority of the inner city was stone, vines and foliage that had once trailed up houses and walls was left crumbling to ashes, the rivers still steamed and bubbled from the heat trapped in the stones, trees and shrubs were skeletal specters lining the walkways and gardens of the homes and shops around them, in the center of it all stood Ryuu talking with Primos and Silas, he marched up to the prince. Ryuu waved off his two companions, turning to greet him with hands behind his back.

" Well, if it isn't the assassin king, your help during the attack was much appreciated." The prince's mask covered most of his face save for his mouth and chin, he gave Cadoc a tilted smile and clasped him on the shoulder. Someone had found the prince an ornate robe to cover himself.

" Ryuu, I've been told you need of me."

" Straight to the point, very well," he turned to leave, gesturing for Cadoc to follow him down the street to the main wall, " you've heard correctly, I need your skills, however the king sees you as an inconvenience that needs to be erased." he chuckled.

" Cut to it, I'm not here to banter with you." Ryuu paused in his walk, and turned to cadoc. He looked the man up and down, raising an eyebrow and pursing his lips.

" Help Marlowe find out who attacked the inner city. Not my original intent for your help but it'll have to do, no one here has ever seen the armor those men wore, find out where they're from and what the mage was doing with them, bring the mage to me if possible."

" done." cadoc turned to walk back to the cottage where Marlowe lay.

" Cadoc,' the prince called," one more thing."

He turned back to the prince. " In order to keep you alive long enough to complete this task, you'll need to swear fealty to my crown." Ryuu gave him a wry smile. He suspected that the conversation was headed that way, so he stormed back to the prince.

" I have my own conditions if i do this" the prince nodded for him to go one, " First, i want my team. They'll be protected as I am and they'll be able to leave once the job is done, no questions asked."

" seems fair enough, although im surprised to learn you have such trustworthy companions,"

" not the point, i want morana." he folded his arms and leveled a stare at the prince.

" you want morana, what for?"

" Marlowe trusts her, and she can be helpful in our search, so, i want morana" the prince matched his stare, taking a moment to contemplate.

" Fine, stay with Marlowe for now, the minute she's awake I trust you'll inform her of your new task," he turned to walk away, " I'll see you in the throne room shortly, what's left of it anyway" he called over his shoulder with a chuckle.

Cadoc returned to the cottage, the smell of herbs and smoke wafted toward him out the door, med mages and witches busied themselves around the small space, hands glowing with magic, apprentices making poultices, salves, and tonics. Cots had been brought in and several people lay strewn about on them, he scanned the area for Marlowe only to find her missing. He grabbed an apprentice as they rushed past.

"Where's Marlowe." he ground out, the apprentice looked at him in fear, eyes wide, he was young and obviously new by the color of his robes, he stammered " wh, who?"

" red hair, right hand of the prince, where. Is . Marlowe?"

" The girl is in the back, we thought it best she be kept away from the others while she slept." the woman from earlier, the medwitch approached them, she had an air of regality about her, like a queen walking through a battlefield. She placed a steady hand on the boy's shoulder, giving him a nod of dismissal. " Please, don't frighten my apprentices, you raging through here will not help those around you, or your friend." her voice was low and soft, with an edge of warning to it. This woman was not to be trifled with, she gestured for him to follow her through the hall, he nodded and let her escort him back to his dove.

The room was warm and comfortable, the family who owned this house was better off than most outside the inner city walls, the room must have been used to receive guests, it was small but well decorated, if not overly frilly, but at least the walls were not covered in shrubs. plush furniture was pushed to the edges of the room to make way for the cot in the center of the room, Marlowe laid unmoving, wrapped in a thick crocheted blanket. One of the apprentices was sitting on a pillow topped stool beside her, wetting a cloth in a small bowl and whipping at the blood and dirt on her face. He went to move to her side but was stopped by a hand on his chest. He looked at the medwitch beside him.

" Remember what i said, her energy is just as important as the magic I've used to heal her and the tonic in her belly, she needs a calm environment. I won't hesitate to throw you out." he gave her a mischievous smile, bowing slightly and moving to take a seat on the rolled armchair by the window. He watched the apprentice that dutifully cared for her patient. She drew symbols on Marlowe's face in the damp cloth, a faint glow trailed behind and evaporated with the liquid. Content with the care she was receiving, cadoc stretched out in the chair, arms behind his head, content to wait and stare out the window, and wait for Marlowe to awaken.