The Mage's Familiar

17. Helpless

The following days passed in a flurry of frantic activity. Olwen was granted a week of rest before her duties began though she had been officially recognized as a knight of the Emperor. She was given her uniform which consisted of a silver breastplate, beautiful deep blue tunic, and a matching cape. It was comfortable and relatively light. Though she had greaves, a shield and a helmet given to her for ceremonial wear she was not required to be in full uniform for her daily tasks. The ceremonial sword she received was to be worn at all times though she would likely never use it. But as she had now been officially knighted she did begin training in earnest, practicing swordsmanship daily with the other knights. Only a few were truly accomplished in the sport and they aided the teacher in demonstrations and assisting their fellow knights. But Olwen received barely any attention at all, despite needing guidance more than her peers. The other knights were cordial towards her, especially Fenn, the air mage she had socialized with at the ceremony. But none would speak to her casually. They were formal and curt and some avoided her altogether. Though she tried to remain indifferent, Olwen began to feel the effects of their isolation of her as the week drew to a close. The shock of meeting the Emperor had begun to fade and now she was confronted with the responsibility she had to inform him of the source of his ailment.

She could not deny the prospect was intimidating. If the Emperor did not believe her she could be severely punished for suspecting a fellow knight of treason. Even if Ena was not responsible for infecting the Emperor, why hadn't she informed anyone that he was suffering from the effects of shadow magic? Shadow mages were becoming increasingly rare on the continent, especially in the empire, and they were often labeled as a threat due to the nature of their abilities so some of the small population kept their magic a secret. It was likely that the Emperor did not have other shadow mages at his disposal. Could this explain why no physician had been able to diagnose him? What if there was a larger plot she couldn't see and he was being manipulated? Olwen could feel the weight of her questions pressing on her as she completed her seventh day of training and returned to her room with Anya beside her. As the two removed their armor and settled into their own rooms, Nas assumed his human form and pulled Olwen to the bed with a whine.

"I require your attention, Master," he groaned. "I am so stifled here and you leave so often."

He pulled her onto his chest and she pressed her ear to it to listen to the steady beating of his heart.

"I am a knight, Nas," Olwen replied, letting her full weight rest on him. "I have no choice. And the Emperor is in danger. I have no patience for your whining."

Nas rolled out from under her and sat up. He sighed in exasperation and leaned over her, his long, silvery hair brushing over her face as she peered up at him. His narrow eyes scanned her face carefully as she raised her eyebrows incredulously. She could never have predicted a familiar would be so demanding.

"I understand, Master, but I am weakened when we are apart for so long. My abilities are lessened by your absence. It is unpleasant."

"Oh, so you need me for your own gain. You don't just miss my presence then?" she laughed. But when she looked up at him again his face was surprisingly serious.

"I do miss you."

Silence stretched out between them for a moment as their eyes locked but he pulled away as the tension between them began to build. When he sat back she could see his ears were red. She flushed at the sight, rolling quickly onto her stomach to hide her face.

"Should we go for a walk then?" she asked quietly.

"Yes, Master," Nas replied.

Olwen rose and pulled a cloak over her shoulders from her wardrobe. She informed Anya she would be going to the garden and Nas, who had returned to his cat form, accompanied her out of the chambers and into the evening air.

It was beginning to chill slightly and Olwen was grateful for her cloak as they walked down the winding paths on either side of the main walkway, avoiding the central fountain. Nas was quiet, not whispering anything into her head as they admired the beauty of the flowers that bloomed only as the sun was setting. The gentle noises of insects and frogs reached their ears as they approached a small pond dug into the Western corner of the garden. Lily pads obscured its depths and their flowers filled the air with a sweet fragrance. It was serene and idyllic and Olwen could feel a small bit of her anxiety lessening as they approached the fountain on their way back to their quarters. But as she passed through the pavilion she was met with a familiar face. The Emperor sat at the fountain's edge as he often had before. Even from afar Nas could sense the severity of his condition.

"He is in danger, Master," he muttered. "I can hardly see him through the darkness. He is almost completely obscured."

Olwen stepped forward with a nod despite her trepidation but the Emperor did not notice her until she spoke.

"I humbly greet Your Majesty," she said with a deep bow.

He flinched at her words, surprised by what he perceived to be her sudden arrival. He felt so heavy, so blurry and confused, that as he gazed up at her he saw her as nothing more than a golden light. But her voice was familiar.

"Olwen," he whispered, unable to say anything more. He couldn't even remember how he had made his way to the garden. He had fallen asleep at his desk while filing paperwork, hadn't he?

Olwen took his hand clumsily and pushed as much mana into him as possible, less delicately than she had before. She could see for herself the severity of his condition. His face was pale and drawn and his skin was so hot to the touch that it was uncomfortable for her to hold his hand. She was amazed that he could speak at all and wondered if he would have needed assistance to even make his way to the garden. His illness was so severe that she wasn't sure if her limited healing would even be effective. But to her relief his color began to return immediately. He took in a sharp breath of relief as his vision and mind began to clear and he watched the golden tendrils of her magic recede back into her hands. He meant to thank her as he tried to find her face in the growing darkness. However before he could say a word his exhaustion overwhelmed him and he slumped forward into her arms, asleep. Olwen caught him and held him upright, checking him carefully for worsening symptoms. But she soon realized it was only fatigue. He was still ill but he was breathing more easily and his skin was cooler.

"You have done enough. Leave him here," Nas grumbled with some irritation as he watched Olwen assess Cefrin carefully.

Olwen's eyes widened.

"You tell me to leave the Emperor unconscious in the garden with no guard to speak of?" she said scornfully. "He knows I was here. I would be punished."

"Will you take him to the main palace then?" Nas demanded. "They will ask for an explanation, Master. And you cannot carry him yourself."

"Change forms and assist me then. We will take him to my chambers until he awakens. And then I will send him back."

When she turned to face him Nas was human again.

"Take him to your chambers?" he said incredulously. "It is improper, Master. He is a man. He cannot be trusted."

"You are a man, Nas. And you sleep beside me each night. I am His Majesty's knight. There will be no objections that he is with me."

Nas was displeased and visibly uncomfortable. But he was resigned to pick the Emperor up and follow Olwen stealthily through the garden and into the knight's quarters where he deposited Cefrin roughly onto the sofa in her chambers. Olwen protested and insisted he be moved to the bed but Nas was adamant that he remain where he was. Olwen conceded and draped his sleeping body with a blanket before locking her door and sitting on her bed with Nas beside her back in his feline shape.

She pulled a book from her shelf and read as the candle at her bedside burned lower and lower. Dawn approached, but still the Emperor did not wake. Nas fell asleep beside her as if he had forgotten his complaints from just hours before. And before long Olwen could resist it no longer and laid back against the pillows. Though she resisted she soon felt sleep engulf her and she fell into a dream.