(MxM) Tales of a Shifter (P4)- The Blood

Chapter 17 - Her Duties

*How are you guys liking this Tale so far?? Any guesses for what terrible things are coming next?

Chapter 17

Nora and Jacob began to spend more and more time with him as time continued to pass.

They brought him books. Coached him in his reading and writing until he was able to speak easily and in lengthy conversation.

Nora often commented on Brandon's intelligence.....saying that he was far too smart for his own good. And even though she did this in a joking manner....Brandon could sense that she was perhaps disturbed by this truth....as was Jacob.

Both he and Nora seemed too feel disquiet when he finished off one extensive volume only to pick up another, even longer, and more complex novel and begin reading it.

Brandon felt an odd hunger to learn. And yet...may of the things that he learned seemed more like Deja-vu then first time knowledge gained....

Still because this was the only thing that Brandon was allowed to be besides going to the Procedures....he tried to derive joy from every moment that he spent in the library. Weather it was with Jacob or Nora.

Today Brandon was with Nora.

His small care taker was sitting in one of the large high backed chairs, sitting next to him. The tall bookshelf's packed with books stood like sentinels in the Library guarding silence and knowledge.

Brandon was sitting on the floor with a stack of books laid out all around him. HE was gazing at one particular picture in a nature book that made him fascinated....when an unfamiliar baritone cut through the silence making Brandon glance up from his books

"Acolyte...." The voice called form the glass door. When Brandon, looked he saw that there was a single male alchemist standing there in white robes with his hood up, covering most of his nameless face, except for his lips and chin...which were the color of wheat. "The Grand Master has requested you to appear before him tomorrow morning." The nameless man called.

Nora who was focusing on her work, glanced up at the Alchemists only for a second before she looked back down. "Message received." Nora softly replied before turning her face back to her papers and continuing to write in the books. "Tell the Grand Master that I will report as instructed."

The nameless Man in White robe nodded his head, before turning and disappearing back, possibly to report to his father....or do whatever the alchemists did in their spare time.

Once the man was gone the silent scratch of pen to paper filled the library, but a niggling question suddenly rose up in Brandon's mind. So Brandon stood up from the floor, walked to the table and tapped Nora's arm, sliding in beside her chairs so that he could stare at her face.

"Nora... what is an acolyte?" he softly asked her.

"Well, you see the men in the White robes are Alchemists...." Nora swiftly outlined, but her words were almost mumbled as she continued to write in her book, with intent. "Your father Hovel is the head of this Organization. Our Grand Master is the most learned in the ways of Alchemy and anyone that learns Alchemy earns the right to be called an Alchemist...I am still a student, therefore I am called Acolyte by those ranked above me."

Nora stopped and then started again. "Now Lil One, I'm very busy....please go back to your studies and let me work." Nora softly told him, even though her face remained turned towards the book the entire time that she spoke.