Secrets of the Trees

14 - A Visit With The Master

Kael's POV:

"Good evening, Master."

The Master turned around from staring at the enormous fireplace he was facing. He was burning something, it smelled bad, but whatever it was was not visible. His black apparation of his true form stared into my eyes with his yellow ones.

 "Please, sit," he said, with that devilish grin of his, motioning with his hand to the leather couch across from the fireplace. Exhausted, I sat happily into the worn cushions. This room used to be the king and queens many years ago.

"So tell me, Kael, what plans, what, events are they planning on me?"

"Nothing has been finalized yet, but there were suggestions."

"Were any possible ideas?"

"One, actually. Lily was certain that it had been the best of the night."

"And?"

"It was to strike in Wraithmarsh, Master."

"Ahh. How exactly were they supposedly going to strike?"

"By trying to kill off the women and children. So that the Eramthgin race would die off eventually."

"What an excellent idea!"

"It is indeed."

"Well, this means we have to, create a little, surprise for them yes?"

We laughed in unison at the ideas roaming in our heads.

"Now Kael, in all seriousness, we have to get a plan in order."

"Yes. They were thinking of making a large distraction, leaving time to get people to Wraithmarsh."

"Ahh. All we have to do is play along with them." The Master barked orders for one of his guards to evacuate the camps in Wraithmarsh. Most of them were underground, but there were caves in the Hataed Mountains. My guess is they would hide out there.

"Sorry, now where were we? Right, now we have to set up traps for the little fairies. Most will have trouble even getting to our city. The marshes will kill off all of the weak minded. I still need to send out some of our guards to scare them. They will have fun with that." He laughed, and began a fit of coughing in between laughs. Ever since the poisoning, his health has not been as keen as usual.

The fairies used their weak little roots to try and kill him, but he is stronger than that. They think it is simple to kill an Eramthgin, but it is not. You can sicken one, or weaken one, but they always heal. There is only one way to kill one.

"Thank you Kael, you may go now." I stood up, and bowed my head before leaving the extravaggant room. The entire palace was made of pure white marble, but the mere presence of an eramthgin has turned the place stone grey, even the sky around the palace. All furniture and curtains were replaced with daunting looking black pieces. Anything from the master's home in Wraithmarsh, to stolen things from Palladia.

As I walked down the never-ending grand staircase, I passed several antique paintings of former Palladian rulers, all with an appropriate moustache drawn on their pale faces. Every time I pass them it always amuses me. The master has quite a way of entertaining himself. When I reached the bottom, I came to the main hallway, nearing the dingy servant's wing.

None of the Kloftcesni ever knew I served the Master, I only came when they were all sleeping. But then, out of the corner of my eye, someone walked out from the dark doorway where the servants were. Jumping into position, I turned around and shoved the girl against the wall next to the door frame. There was a present fear in her eyes.

"You're not one of them." She whispered.

"And you will not remember this." I reached into her mind, and pulled out the last few seconds from her memory, and cast a sleeping spell on her. Slinging her over my shoulder, I took her back into the servant's wing. The doorless doorway led into a small washroom, with a few basins. There was only one door on the other end of the room so I figured it was where they slept.

Right I was. One out of many rooms was behind the door. All of the six bunks were taken up by dark figures. Only a sliver of light came in from the main hall across the way. Dropping her onto a beaten-up wooden chair, I got out of there as quickly as possible. If any servants knew I was working here, word would get out to the others not in Lilwen Palace. It would ruin my cover.

Once back out to the main hallway, I briskly walked outside.

***

My feet ached more than they had in a long time when I reached home. Rounding the corner of my house to go in, I was surprised to see Ren sitting around what was just embers in the firepit. He looked up at me with that annoying smile of his.

"I didn't want to leave her alone. I figured I would just wait until you were back to go home."

Putting on a convincing smile myself, I replied, "Well thank you. I appriciate it. You can go now."

It was only two steps before he spoke again, I resisted snarling at him, turning around with the most pleasant face I could muster. "So, just out of curiousity, what took you so long anyway?"

"Oh, I was just walking around trying to rid my headache when my feet hurt and you know, I took a break and sat against a mossy rock. Believe it or not, I pretty much passed out for a long time."

"Really? Well I'm glad I was here to watch over her while you were gone. Who knows what kind of dangers live around here. I'm going to go now, see you tomorrow night!" And he walked out of the moonlight.

I smirked, remembering his sentence, 'who knows what kind of dangers live around here.' She is living with a danger. With a shake of my head, I went inside. Once in my bedroom, I stopped to stare at Lily sleeping. Her curly hair was in a mess around  her head, her right hand laying across her forehead. It was so hard to not become attached to anyone, especially fairies, since I knew there time would end soon enough.

With the acception of Deliah, I had to pretend that I cared enough about them. Lucky for me, I was exellent at acting. No matter how many times the master told me to not care about these fairies, he said that feelings always get in the way of duties. Deliah never came off of my mind. I could not let the Master know about her. I have to keep her safe from the other's fates.

She may be three years my elder, but I have known her since I was young. After the deaths of her parents from being murdered by eramthgin guards, she moved in with me for a few years until she was old enough to have her own tuhrewolf. We have been friends since I was too young to remember. And there is something I have been wanting to ask her since the moment I looked into her crystal-blue eyes.

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HOLY SHABOOM. (;

So, I got access to a computer and whipped this sucker out. Lalalaaaaa, this story is getting good huh? I doubt any of you have expected this. I bet you thought i'd be predictable, and make Kael fall in love with Lily. MUAH, well you have been fooled! o; Vote or comment please! If you read my story, and haven't fanned me yet PLEASE do. It will make my day! And my birthday is July 15th, so vote for my birthday pwetty pwease? <3 xxx