A Dash of Poison

Chapter Four: This really isn't a dream

A knock sounded on her door at sundown. "Come in." Everything was packed away. The things that she was allowed to keep all fit into her rucksack. The headband and the ribbons he gave her in the library were in a similar hairstyle of the one he had created with magic. He walked in, and for the first time, she paid attention to how he was. His form commanded attention, unlike the tall, lanky kid she had known. He was still tall, having grown at least a foot in the last ten years. She was no longer happy, or sad. She was furious. He had let her believe he was dead for ten years.  

"You're mad. I can feel it. No doubt you're glaring at me, your eye twitching ever so slightly. I doubt that much has changed." He tried to sit on the bed next to her, but she pushed him away. 

"Mad is an understatement." She growled. His mask was back on, making it harder to read him. She stood up, shaking. "I grieved for ten long years. I held you're grieving mother as we held a memorial for you. Calmed your sister as she had nightmares of you being dragged away. Mad is the understatement of the decade, nay century."  He put both hands on her shoulders, grabbing her firmly. 

"They would have Killed you, or worse. That guard had already-" he paused, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "hurt you. I wasn't going to let that happen again. I know your angry and hurt. I'm angry at what happened, and knowing your hurt makes me angry. I protected you, I protected my family." He let go and backed away, giving her space. "I wasn't even supposed to tell you now, but how can I spend years with you and not. We did everything together, were attached at the hip. That bond isn't easily broken, and if we are going to pull off this plot together then we need to trust each other. There is no room for secrets." She smiled at him. He was right. No matter how she felt, he did what he had too. Her anger would remain for a while, but he was right. She could put it aside for now. 

"I need to know three things." He nodded for her to continue. "What do I call you, were you ever going to tell us you were alive, and how do you move so well if you can't see?" he laughed softly.

"Wolf unless we are by ourselves. Once the King was gone I was going to come him. That last one is complicated. I guess as my sight deteriorated my magic evolved into a way for me to see, to sense what's around me. I know where everything in this room is, for the most part. Mostly because everything in here is touched with magic. When there's no magical items or people it's hard. For example the headband on your head. It was summoned with magic, your locket has a trace of magic in it. It's not perfect, you saw through it." 

"I guess it makes some sense." She picked up her rucksack. "Shouldn't we be going?" 

"Uhh yeah. Have you ate." She nodded. Silence ensued. He stood there waiting for a response. He arched his eyebrow at her, tapping his foot.

"Ohh. I'm sorry. I ate about an hour ago. I forgot about-" he held his hand up to silence her. She let out puff of air. It was starting to annoy her. 

"It's fine. Last time you saw me, I still had a little bit of sight. As bad as my vision was I could have still seen you." He grabbed her hand and pulled her out her door.  "Let's go" He seemed too excited about this. He let go of her hand once they were down the corridor. An uncomfortable silence settled between them. 

"Are the rumors true," She asked. It took a second for him to respond. She sneaked a glance at him. He looked very uncomfortable with her question. "I'm sorry. You don't-"

"Which ones?"

"Like how you've killed over a thousand men or slept with many women. ooh, I know how about the one that you used your magic to burn someone alive." She was curious. She wasn't expecting him to confirm the rumors.

"I've done what I have had to survive, umm I've slept with a few women; and Yes, again I do have I have to to survive. The human sacrifices never happened though. I don't use blood magic."

"What would your mother say if she found out you've been sleeping around." She teased. Then her tone changed. "When I knew you, you would never have hurt a fly. Not unil-"

"They deserved it," He growled. "They hurt you. I saw what they did." She could feel the anger rolling off of him. She looked at the ground and put her hands into her sleeves. 

"Where are we going anyway," She asked. "How long of a journey is this going to be."

"To the King's city, about a three month trip by foot if we add up your training. We can't travel by horse until after the Sehel woods. That puts us at about two months. It lines up perfectly for the New years, and we will be guests at the ball." She nodded, forgetting once again he can't see her. "You said your forte was summoning and potions right?"

"And healing. Are yours still incantations?" He nodded. "As you know I'm not good at them. Ive set myself on fire trying cast a simple spell."

"Then once we get to the woods we will begin your training." She smiled slightly. At least this trip wouldn't be completely unbearable.