By My Side | The Arcana: A mystic Romance

5:Asra

Later that morning, Haya was taken to the palace study, which proved to be just as grand as the rest of the palace.
It was protected by ten interconnected locks, each of which was unlocked with its own key. The door was made of a gigantic tree that reached beyond the heights of the palace, its deep set roots acting as an entrance to the study.

Haya watched in fascinating, intrigued as Portia unlocked each and every lock. For each one that clicked open, a root moved aside, creaking loudly as it lifted off the floor.

Soon it was wide open, revealing a beautiful sight. The stained glass window at the far back was very wide, allowing a generous amount of light to pool gently into the room. Before it stood a large desk with two chairs beside it. On top of it were a number of books and stacks of paper that were left behind from the last time the study was used. It was magnificent.

Soon she was left alone in the study, searching for anything that might be of use to her in studying the case. Portia had said that this was where Asra and Dr Devorak worked towards finding a cure for the plague that was raging through Vesuvia at the time. So far it was clear that they were successful since there was no longer a plague to speak of. She read throught journals that were on the table, most of which belonged to the doctor. None of his scribbles made much sense, she noted, but if she wanted to find anything she would have to study extensively for hidden clues. As a result, she spent the whole day there before heading out to the garden during the late afternoon after a draining experience. At some point she seemed to get lost in thought as she touched a certain book. Images flooded into her mind, and then they started moving. Then it felt like she was experiencing memories, but these were none of her own.

At the table a frustrated Dr Devorak as he scribbled furiously in his journal. It lasted only a few seconds before he grabbed his hair and pulled it angrily. He looked at a placid Asra who was laid down on a bed of pillows.
"You know, Asra, we'd actually make progress if you weren't always lying around.", the doctor reprimanded coolly. Asra nodded and replied quickly, "You've got this, doc, I believe in you."
It was a sarcastic remark, honestly, but the doctor didn't catch that. A light blush coloured his cheeks and he averted his gaze.

"Please, you flatter me.", he said bashfully. However, his frustration wasn't gone. "I just want to get this done, I don't think I can stand anymore of squeamish Lucio's squabbling.", he said again.

The two made eye contact before breaking out in laughter. They then proceeded to mimic the count's antics, which they seemed to be very familiar with.
"Wanna get out of here?", Asra asked finally, his tone rather suggestive. The doctor blushed furiously as he sputtered a response, "Oh well... Why yes, Asra."

Then, it was gone, leaving Haya a flustered mess. That last part was... Were Asra and the doctor an item once? It was amusing to think of, really, but for some reason she found it odd. Unable to get her thoughts straight, Haya decided to stop for a bit. It was then that she decided to visit the garden.

There was a large oak tree that caught her attention the moment she arrived. It was a really welcoming sight, and she sought refuge in its cool shade. She walked around the tree, fascinated by its great size and thick bark. It must have been growing there for years upon years.
On one side two names were scraped onto the rough surface and encircled with heart, a sign of budding love having sprouted in this place. She read the names in passing, only to be simply shocked into stillness. 'Asra + Haya', it read, which didn't make sense at all. Asra had worked at the palace long before she met him. She didn't have any memory of where she was then but she was certain of that. Yet he was the only one who could have written this here, she thought, but they didn't even know each other. It was impossible.

Deep in thought, Haya walked to a fountain that was nearby and sat at its side. She brought out the charm that countess Nadia had given her and stared at it for a few minutes. You see, when she was busy in the library earlier, she had briefly used her magic to search it for any hidden clues. In turn the charm responded with a glimmer of Aarsa's magic. If she tried, perhaps she could get a lead as to where he was by using it.

She dropped the charm into the fountain and watched it sink to the bottom. She dipped a hand in the water and released just a bit of magic, calling on the little bit of Asra's own. The charm shone brightly, and Asra's magic burst forth from it like a thin string. Haya allowed her magic to pour out into the string and the water began to bubble up as if it was boiling. The fountain was overtaken by a blurry image. It was quick to clear up, and a placid Asra appeared stargazing on the other side.

A sense of relief came over Haya, she didn't think it would really work. It wasn't quite what she had expected, but it was far better. It must have been her luck.
"Asra.", Haya said. The white haired magician blinked, searching wildly around him for the source of the voice. Sighing, he finally decided that it was his imagination. Amused, Haya couldn't help but chuckle before calling out again.

"Haya?", Asra asked, visbly confused by her sudden appearance in the lake. Haya bowed her head slightly in greeting while curiously scanning his background. It was night time on Asra's end, overhead was a star filled night sky. It made him look serene with its placid beauty. He was wet, she noted, most probably because he had just been swimming.

"How did you find me?", Asra asked, clearly intrigued by what was happening. Haya simply shrugged, she herself wasn't sure of what she had done. Asra thought nothing much of her response. Intsead of pressing further he looked around at Haya's background.

"Are you at the palace?", the man asked. Haya nodded in response, causing Asra to smile a proud smile. It seemed that her power was becoming more and more renowned.

"We need to talk.", Haya said meaningfully, earning herself a flustered look from Asra. His eyes shone with curiosity, and a blush crept along his cheeks. "Looks like I have some explaining to do.", Asra admitted with a hearty laugh. That laugh reminded Haya of just how much she had missed him. If it was possible then she would reach out and hug him.

"Let's try something. Step into the fountain, Haya.", Asra said, Haya could almost hear the thoughts running through his mind. She complied kneeling down in front of where Asra's image swayed with the water's movement. "Take my hand."

Haya felt as though she was leaving her body. She sank, falling right throught the fountain floor and into a pool of darkness. Cool, flowing water gently pushed her this way and that. She gasped, losing herself the feeling of tranquility that came over her. She was one with the water, willing it to follow her instructions. She released another fractal of magic, and in the next second she felt herself slowly rise up, until she broke the water's surface.
She floated in a body of water, her body a mass of cold, gushing water.

Before her was an intrigued Asra whose eyes shone with strong emotion. Her own gaze could not completely be carried through by her vessel, but it didn't matter. Asra lifted up his hand to test the vessel, its surface breaking out into ripples at the slightest touch. Asra quickly pulled his hand away, afraid that he would disrupt the flow of Haya's magic that kept the vessel in place. "I missed you while I was away. What have you been up to?", Asra said, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Breath hitched in the back of Haya's throat. There was something in his tone of voice and expression that had never been there before. She couldn't tell what it was, but it was there and it made her feel some sort of way.