The Mage's Familiar

16. Deceit

"I know what he is suffering from, Master."

Olwen flinched slightly at his words as she took her seat and he hopped quickly into her lap, ducking his head below the tablecloth to avoid the searching eyes of nearby guests.

"What is it?" Olwen asked.

"It is shadow magic, Master," he said softly into her thoughts.

"Shadow magic?"

"The Emperor is covered in darkness."

Olwen's eyes flitted quickly to Cefrin who still sat on his throne with his attention fixed on her. Their eyes met and she could see him smiling before she turned away.

"Is that why I cannot heal him?" Olwen's words filled Nas's head.

"Your healing should have some lasting effect. The only explanation for his worsening illness is that he is being cursed on a regular basis."

Olwen nodded almost imperceptibly as those around her began to introduce themselves. She was seated with several other knights, including two fire mages, an earth mage, and an air mage. All of the knights were exceptionally beautiful and most were young women, dressed in gowns of blue and gold. The air mage was a mature woman, elegant and lovely, dressed in a pale blue suit. She quickly captured Olwen's attention and the two discussed their abilities as waiters began to file into the great hall with golden platters of sumptuous food. Though she was able to relax slightly after a few minutes of eating and socializing, Olwen could still feel a cold sense of foreboding deep in her stomach. Nas's words rang in her head. Cefrin was being cursed regularly? How could the Emperor be vulnerable to such frequent attacks? And how had no one been able to identify the source of his illness?

Mages could not generally recognize the aura of other elements. While Olwen might be able to sense the traces of healing magic performed by another water mage, she was blind to the lingering effects of any other element. In this vast hall, surrounded by an assembly of knights, there was only one among them that was capable of recognizing what his majesty was enduring. Olwen's eyes sought her out among the splendor of the feast. She sat at a table across the hall, in a gown of blue so deep it was almost black. There was an intricate collar of lace around her pale throat that was studded with black jewels and her dark hair was swept into a demure bun at her nape. The hairstyle did not suit her, causing her angular features to appear severe and unwelcoming. Olwen had seen her before. It was Ena. Nas had mentioned her once before, after he had witnessed her acting suspiciously in the garden. If the Emperor's dark knight had not informed His Majesty or the royal physicians that he was being infected with dark magic then she was either complicit or the culprit. A shock of fear ran through Olwen as she fixed eyes on Ena but she was able to mask her discomfort.

It was nearing the end of the meal when Cefrin finally rose from his throne and descended the steps of the dias to approach her. The other knights did not rise but bowed their heads as he came to their table and extended a hand to Olwen. She turned and scowled up at him but could not refuse him. Nas hopped down from her lap and settled beneath the table as she rose and took Cefrin's hand.

"Your Majesty?"

"Would you join me on the balcony, my lady?" he asked politely.

"As you wish, Your Majesty."

The night air was cool and refreshing after the heat and cacophony of the feast. Despite her uneasiness in Cefrin's presence Olwen felt relief wash over her as the soft thrumming of insects reached her ears from the landscaped garden below them. Moonlight bathed every surface as fireflies flashed from the outstretched branches of every tree. She took a deep breath, releasing the Emperor's hand to approach the railing and admire the scene.

"I suppose you are awaiting an explanation," Cefrin said softly, shrugging off the ceremonial mantle that had been draped over his shoulders.

"I am at your leisure, Your Majesty," she replied curtly.

"I should not have deceived you, Olwen. But I thought you might avoid me if I revealed my identity."

"How could I avoid the ruler of the empire? I am here at your command."

Her voice was sharp and unyielding. Cefrin appeared to be disturbed at this answer but Olwen pretended not to notice. His guilt was not her responsibility. If she had known who he was she would not have interacted with him so easily. She held a deep resentment for being taken from her home. The fear she had initially felt had begun to fade, replaced with a tentative acceptance of her new life. But she could not ignore the frustration that remained. Many of the rumors she had heard about the Emperor and his personal guard had been proven false, but the bitterness she felt at being forced into the knighthood was still present.

"I wanted to thank you again for your assistance," the Emperor continued. "Your abilities have been my only reprieve from misery."

"I am glad to be of service, Your Majesty."

Cefrin flinched at her coldness but approached her quickly, closing the distance between them. His eyes were full of regret and a sense of desperation as they searched her face. But she would not meet his gaze.

"Can we not be acquainted as we once were?" he asked quietly.

"You are a stranger to me," she responded simply. "I can not be so familiar with you now. You are the ruler of this empire. I am your knight, Your Majesty. I am one of your swords."

"You are a knight of my personal guard," he countered. "You are not simply one of my subjects."

"Until today I was one of your subjects, Your Majesty."

Silence stretched between them for so long it grew stifling, even with the cool evening breeze sighing across the landscape. Cefrin was resigned to her change in attitude. Despite the closeness they had experienced in the garden Olwen was unmoved and unrelenting. He sighed into the darkness before speaking again.

"I hope we might regain our friendship, Olwen. I have come to rely on you."

Olwen nodded and turned back towards the glowing golden light of the great hall streaming onto the cool marble of the balcony.

"I will return to the celebration first, Your Majesty."

She left his side and found her seat. Another hour passed before the feast finally ended and Olwen was able to escape the constant attention of the Emperor, who had returned to his place on the dias and fixed his eyes on her. Even the other knights had noticed how closely he watched her and looked on with curiosity and jealousy as she carefully avoided his eyes. Anya, who had been seated by her, noticed her shift in mood and observed the Emperor closely. She desperately wished to ask Olwen what had occurred between them, but music soon began to swell from a small orchestra that had assembled in the hall. Many knights rose from their seats to dance and Olwen felt trapped. If she rose from her seat she might be invited to participate or give Cefrin the chance to approach her. But she desperately wished to escape the hall and return to her room. Though the celebration was being held in her honor she could only think of the quiet solitude of her chambers. When a small group of knights approached the dias to pay respects to the Emperor, she saw her chance. She called to Anya and gathered up Nas in her arms before fleeing, slipping from the room before she could be noticed.

"Are you alright, Master?" Anya asked, taking her arm. Olwen nodded and the pair returned to their chambers in the knight's wing. Both were exhausted, but before Olwen could begin the process of removing her ornaments and gown, Anya cornered her.

"What happened between you and the Emperor, Master?"

"Nothing of consequence. We met once in the garden and I did not recognize him. That is all."

Olwen felt uneasy revealing the full truth but thought this small explanation was harmless enough. Anya squinted up at her, clearly unconvinced. Nas scoffed in her head but Olwen took a breath and turned away to pull the pins from her hair in the mirror. Anya helped dutifully but her mind was filled with fantasies about Olwen's meeting with the Emperor in the garden. It had to be more than just a chance meeting...right?