Elenis (The Witch of Laverlock)

Chapter 22

Elenis was shown to Justin's quarters by a couple of guards. The door was made of heavy dark mohogany with intricate carvings. There was a large dragon etched into the wood, it's teeth bared, at its feet was a massive snake trying to devour the dragon.
As she entered she immediately spied a large mantel on one side of the wall with the same strange carving. Tapestries hung about the walls depicting various beasts devouring prey. Another large tapestry bore the same design as the door.
She stared at it for a moment trying to understand what the design was all about.
"There is a legend about Laverlock " Justin's voice rang from the side of the room near a window which cast the evening light into the room. "Once the lands were ruled by men who worshipped the dragons, they took care of these mighty beasts and hoped that they would be protected from the serpent that supposedly lived in a cave not far from here. It was said that the serpent never really bothered the people until one day it left its cave sand started to make a meal out of the townsfolk. The Druids had summoned the dragon to protect them from the vile creature but it wasn't that easy, the dragon wanted a boon."
Elenis listened smiling slightly at the tale .
"You find it ridiculous?" He asked humorously.
"Every land has its myth" she said agreeably.
"I agree" he started to chuckle
"What it is the dragon asked for in return for destroying the serpent?" She asked.
"The dragon wanted the overlord's virgin daughter. The overlord agreed to its request."
"Trust the father to sacrifice his daughter" Elenis said derisively
"But wait, the dragon did slay the serpent but when it came time for him to claim the overlord's daughter he was faced with an army of two hundred Knights all ready to destroy it. The dragon was angered by the betrayal, he battled the Knights raizing every single one of them but he kept the overlord alive to watch as it destroyed the villages and towns until only the castle remained. The Druids had gone into the castle to protect the young virgin daughter of the overlord but when they realized the dragon would not stop they took her with them and escaped the castle through the tunnels down below. It was said the dragon used the castle as his new abode keeping the overlord alive to forever be plagued by his betrayal. The carvings and the tapestries you see have depicted this myth."
"Well at least the father tried to spare his daughter" she said finally.
"That is one way of looking at it" Justin said amicably as he led her to a table. "Join me for a meal, Tis almost evening tide and you must be famished."
With all that had happened Elenis had forgotten her hunger but when she saw the rich succulent venison and bread laid out on the table, her stomach started to grumble in earnest. He pulled out a seat for her and started to cut the version when a wet slimy tongue licked at Elenis's hand. Elenis smiled at Bella who had come out of nowhere and planted herself beside Elenis chair.
"Welcome Bella, are you hungry too?" She looked at the dog whose eyes met her own and what she saw in them made her look at Justin in surprise "She carries pups in her belly"
"Why am I not surprised" Justin raised a brow of admonishment at Bella "the bitch cannot keep her tail tucked between her legs." He put the meat on Elenis plate and sat on his side of the table summoning the nearby servant to do the rest of the serving.
Elenis cut a potion of the meat and started to chew it when she heard a deep whine beside her.
"I wouldn't feed her if I were you, she knows not to beg for food when the master eats."
"Which is why she sits beside me instead of you" Elenis replied perfunctorily before throwing a portion of meat Bella's way.
"When did you start reading the thoughts of animals?" He asked suddenly as he sipped his wine, waiting for the servant to finish serving him.
"I never really sensed their thoughts until today by the stream. I saw a rabbit and it spoke to me."she replied, cutting a hunk of bread and nibbling it.
Justin sat back and eyed her thoughtfully "it has started then, your energy is quickening."
She picked up her goblet and drank some wine "what else is supposed to happen?" She asked coolly feeling the hunger suddenly dissipate.
"Your familiar should reveal itself." He said.
She started to laugh "I thought only witches had them. Are you trying to tell me that I happen to be one?"
"Familiars are attracted to your energy, they can shape shift into the animal spirit most associated with you"
"Then lady Sarah is your familiar? I would have never thought to associate you with a crow."she started to giggle as the wine relaxed her.
"She is one amongst many" he smiled.
"Caedmon has not shape shifted."
"Then he is not the one."
Leaning forward she looked into Justin's face "Perhaps my familiar is not of the earthly world but purely of the spirit realm."
Frowning he asked "Why would you say that?"
"Tell me more about you. If you say I am exactly like you then what are you?"she asked point blank.
He read the challenge in her question "Very well, I am my mother's son, part gypsy, part Druid, part noble.  The son of a nobleman and his mistress. My mother knew I had the sense when I was little for I could make the weather change depending on my mood.  When I was happy the sun shone the brightest, when I was angry the clouds covered the sky and when I was hurt or sad the trees shared the burden of my grief." He paused watching her sit still, her face had become pale and her eyes hooded "when they killed my mother, I was very sad for days.  The rains wouldn't stop, they flooded the lands, the crops died, the people grew hungry. Such was the command of my moods on the elements that it frightened everyone.  They knew I was her son and they feared for the curse my mother had put into this land so they kept away from me. Morgana had feared for my life and took me away for a spell, I think I mentioned that earlier until my father could produce no more heirs. His wife had born him a dead child and soon she perished, his mistresses could not keep a child in their belies for long.  I was the only one that remained of his bloodline and he took me back. While I was with Morgana she taught me to heal the way my mother did, she gave me my mother's book where she wrote about her thoughts and what she did to heal.  In truth my mother was a peaceful woman. She was full of light and love but she had a temper just as you" he chuckled as he made the servant pour more wine.
"My father brought me here when I was nine" he sat back pausing within his thoughts.
Elenis had noticed the sudden change in his voice when he spoke of his father and wondered if the lord ever showed any signs of love toward Justin.
"He knew I was her son, he saw more of her in me and tried to drive that part of her away from me."
"How?" Elenis asked as a feeling of dread suddenly over took her.  She could feel his anguish and anger.
"He whipped me when he saw that it came. He wiped me until he thought he was whipping it out of me.  I was in excruciating pain, the energy had left me in those times when I needed it or it just simply hid from my father. I knew fear like I had not known it before."
Elenis thought of how Justin must have suffered and felt saddened by the cruelty of men.
"He trained me to be a warrior, that was a skill my father had and he wanted to pass it on to his only son. It was a good thing for me to do for it helped keep the energy occupied. It helped me keep my opponents at bay as I grew in strength. When the king sent an envoy to recruit men for the wars, I was happy to volunteer. I needed to leave this place, leave my father for if his illness did not kill him I knew in time surely I would have done it myself." He said bitterly.
"That is a ghastly thing to admit" she said surprised by the hatred he had felt for his father.
"Well I didn't, he succumbed to his illness while I was away therefore I became the lord of Laverloch. The title fit too. Everyone I knew called me that and that is how Laverloch belonged to me."
"While you were away, how did you keep the king and the other Knights from witnessing your energy?" She asked.
"The same way I kept it from my father. While I was away I was able to control minds, stop time, harness the elements to my advantage. In short I managed to control it by embracing it" he leaned forward "You see Elenis, all you have to do is embrace it, accept it as part of your nature and it shall do as you command. Why fight such a gift when all it will do is harm others."
"The difference between you and I is simple my lord, you always knew you had it because you had your mother's guidance and deep down, you wanted it. I don't want it." She stated bluntly.
"Suit yourself" he shrugged "But it is your nature Elenis, fighting it will only bring harm to the ones you love, in the end you will only suffer the consequences of denying its presence."
She thought about the waterfall and what happened to Caedmon when she was provoked. It was driving her mad.
"I cannot control it" she declared flatly.
"That's because you refuse to control it so it will try to control you. Such a gift should be tamed and nurtured not denied.  It's a battle you will stand to loose."he said with finality.
"How can I embrace this curse?!" She asked adamantly feeling the goblets rattle on the table. Bella who was beside her suddenly stood and ran away from her side.
"I do not see it as a curse, my lady" he smiled benevolently "I see it as a blessing. You have been given a gift use it to your advantage."
She stood up abruptly banging her fist on the table, suddenly the Windows flew open and the cold wind blasted into the room making the flames from the torch dance "You call this a blessing?! I will have you know it's killing me" her words were agonized as she finally revealed what she was truly feeling within her.
Justin sat back and watched the scene with interest, her eyes were blazing, the cold wind was blowing fiercely within the room. Looking toward the window he raised his hand waving it into a fist the windows shut suddenly "You claim it is killing you because you are at war with it. Your will is fighting it which means you have your own mind and that is a good thing. Now let your will conquer this energy and you shall no longer feel it destroy you from within. I can help you do this. Think about the child Elenis, do this for him"
She was stunned by his last words sitting back on the chair she looked at him in surprise "How......?"
"There isn't anything I do not know about you Elenis" he said matter of fact "The question is, have you told Wulfric?"
Shaking her head she remained speechless.
"Keep it that way." Justin advised.