“Wake up!” and a sharp pain make Adora jump out of bed before she was fully aware of her surroundings. Her eyes were still blurry from the night before, but she knew exactly who was in her room. Adora fell to her knees and gazed at his feet. She saw the moonlight streaming across her floor.
“Were you successful?” His words were crisp and he stood in relaxed anticipation.
“Yes Father,” Adora replied. “We got the cape and we found some magical boots that might be part of the set, but you would know that better than me.”
“Indeed, I would. And I’m glad you could finally follow my orders for a change.”
Adora clenched her jaw, but kept her mouth shut. Her head began to pound.
“Nothing has changed, my dear. You will go with them when they meet Lord Bande. You will tell them nothing nor hint at anything. Am I clear?”
“Perfectly, Father.” She wanted to say more, but couldn’t form the words, no matter how hard she tried. {Father, do you have to take them? Do you…} he grabbed her throat and lifted her up and just off the floor. Adora grabbed onto his arm and was forced to look into his eyes.
“Are you questioning me?” His eyes blazed as they bore into hers as his grip tightened.
She couldn’t form the word, so she only shook her head. He dropped her and she fell to the floor with a thud. She groaned and returned to her knees. He vanished.
Adora sighed and started to stand when there was a knock at her door.
“Adora, are you ok?” Darcy sounded honestly concerned. Adora stumbled her way to the door. She was finally feeling the after affects of the alcohol. She groaned and opened the door.
Darcy asked, “The alcohol hitting you pretty hard, eh?”
Adora groaned again and sat on her bed, leaving the door open. Darcy took the invitation and came in, sitting at the small table in her room. “I heard a loud thump,” he said. His blond hair looked white in the moonlight.
Adora chuckled, “Yeah, I fell out of bed. Nightmares.”
“Yeah. Those Muddy Rivers will do that.”
She curled back up under her covers, “I’m never doing that again. It’s not worth it.”
Darcy chuckled as he left the room, softly shutting the door. Adora was already asleep.
# # #
Just a few short hours later, Adora was awakened again by someone knocking on her door. “Adora! Wake up! We have to be leaving!”
Adora groaned, and fell out of bed again. “I’m up, Inanna! Give me a minute. I’ll be down.”
Adora sat up on the edge of her bed, possibly feeling worse than when Darcy visited her. She ran her fingers through her hair and stood up. Twisting the ring on her left hand three times, a tingling sensation crawled over her body and the dirt from the day before fell to the floor, then her clothes shook themselves as if in a strong breeze and all the wrinkles disappeared. Brushing her hair and braiding it, she finally gathered her stuff and headed downstairs.
# # #
The others were, of course, already ready and waiting for her at the door. Adora’s head pounded with every step as she walked toward them. The cleric sighed and approached Adora, “Here.” He handed her a pill, “This’ll help.” Adora swallowed it, and immediately her head shrank to its normal size and felt lighter and her eyes cleared. Adora smiled.
They walked out and got on their horses, heading towards the next town.
“Just a few more miles and we get paid,” Darcy said. “What are you going to do with your share, cleric?”
The woman shrugged. “Probably give most of it back to my church. What about you, elf?”
Again, another shrug, “I really don’t need much, but a new set of magical swords would be nice.”
“What about you, Darcy?” Adora asked. Darcy smiled, “Oh, I’ll probably spend it on some woman,” he said and smiled, his eyes already picturing a woman to share his wealth with. “What about you, Adora?”
Adora shrugged, “I really hadn’t thought about it. We’ll see when I get it.”
“You sound like we won’t get it?”
Her father’s warning rang in her ears and she quickly shook her head, “Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll probably spend it on some new, hopefully magical, thieves tools.” She hoped they believed her. Darcy smiled. Good, he bought it.
They rode the rest of the way with Adora listening to their banal conversations. Finally, they made it to Lord Bande’s home. After the groomsman took their horses, they knocked on the front door. They were shown to the library and their presence was announced to Lord Bande.
While they waited, Darcy took advantage of the scotch set out on the table and Adora pursued the books on the shelves. Her stomach knotted as she read the titles, The Holy Book of the Dominator; How to enslave Elves; The superstitions of Human, Halflings and other Humanoids. {Nice book collection, Father.} She heard him chuckling in her mind.
Adora sat down in a chair, a frown on her face. Darcy saw and opened his mouth, but just then the library doors opened and Lord Bande entered. They all stood and it was all Adora could do to not kneel. Behind him entered a servant carrying a tray with several small bags on it. “Now then, before I hand out the much deserved gold, may I see the item I asked for?”
Darcy rumaged in his backpack and pulled out the cape. It really was quite beautiful. It was pure white that shimmered in the light and was trimmed in soft fur. Must be nice to wear something that luxuriant. Adora watched as Darcy handed it over to Lord Bande who took it and smiled. “Excellent! Thank you all. You have certainly deserved this.” He waved and his servant passed out the bags of coin to each of them. “Please count them. I wouldn’t want anyone to leave with less than what was promised.” They quickly untied their bags and all gasped.
“My Lord,” Darcy said, “This is more than what was promised.”
Lord Bande dismissed this with a wave of his hand. “I figured you deserved it since you accomplished this so quickly. Am I wrong to do what I like with my own gold?”
“Of course not my Lord!” Darcy laughed, “Forgive my impertinent statement.”
Again, Lord Bande waved it away. “It is nothing. But I do insist you all stay for lunch. It is being given in your honor.”
Darcy bowed low, “Thank you again, my Lord. You are most generous. Of course we accept.” The others chimed in their thank yous and acceptance as well.
“Wonderful! Now Chide here will show you to your rooms where you can freshen up. He will return to bring you to lunch in an hour.”
They followed Chide down the hall and up the stairs to their individual rooms. Adora was shown her room last. She stepped into the room, not noticing the opulant decorations and laid down on the bed - waiting. {When will you strike, Father?}
{I already have.} She heard his chuckle in her mind.
Sure enough, Adora heard angry yells coming from the rooms and a couple of them banging on the doors. Adora sighed and, ignoring her gold she placed on the table when she entered, opened her door. It opened easily and Adora stepped out and saw Flagg standing there. She bowed, “Afternoon, Flagg.” He nodded his greeting then returned his attention to the rooms. A bright flash went off next to Adora and Lord Bande was standing next to her. Adora quickly knelt.
“Stand, Adora. I want you to see this.” Adora swallowed and stood. Lord Bande waved his hand and the doors to each room changed to cell bars. Immediately the group was at the doors and all talking at once. Then, as one, they saw Adora standing there and Lord Bande dropped his disguise and Lord Nicholas appeared and they all understood. Adora stood straighter, waiting for the scathing blame. They didn’t disappoint.
“Adora! You bitch!”
“How much is he paying you?”
“May you be cursed for all your days and for all eternity.”
Lord Nicholas laughed, causing everyone to fall silent. “Such hostilities. You will be around here for some time and you will see Adora often. I suggest you get to like her.”
“You can’t keep us like we’re pets,” Darcy said.
“You will not keep us! Release us immediately!” The elf warrior demanded.
Lord Nicholas turned to her and smiled, “No. You are mine now and after some time spent with Flagg, you will see the truth of it.”
“Flagg?” Darcy paled, “No.”
Adora turned to him and spoke after all this time, “You know him?”
Darcy nodded, “I know of him, but I never knew what he looked like.” Darcy looked at Flagg who approached him. Darcy continued, “My parents were escaped slaves and they never spoke of you out loud but they would talk in their sleep. From that and what I could gather later, I learned who you were.” Darcy looked back at Adora, “And of course, learning about him, I learned about you and…” He froze and paled. “Of course! That’s why your name seemed so familiar! You are Lord Nicholas’ daughter!” His hand shot from the bars to grab her but she moved too quickly.
Lord Nicholas snapped his fingers and there appeared eight guards in the hallway. Nicholas cast another spell and the group’s weapons and armor gathered in a pile in the hallway. Yells of protest instantly came from the rooms. Lord Nichoals then approached each cell and cast another spell. Soon each of them were bound hand and foot and hovering about a foot off the ground. Then he snapped again and the room doors opened.
The guards took the cleric, Darcy, and the elf warrior down the hall, opposite from the stairs they just climbed. Lord Nicholas stood in front of the mage’s room door. The mage returned his gaze without defiance or fear. He simply waited. Lord Nichoals smiled. “I will give you a choice, mage. Adora has told me quite a bit about you while she was with all of you.”
The mage looked puzzled, “How? Wait, psychic?”
Lord Nicholas shook his head and waited.
“A telepathy spell made permanent?”
Lord Nicholas smiled, “Very good. Now your choice is this - become my apprentice or a slave.”
The mage frowned, “Not much of a choice. Why would you want me? I mean you don’t seem the type to have the patience for an apprentice.”
“You are mentally quick and you are not bothered by moral rules that get in the way of true learning.”
“Ok. But what do you have to offer me?”
Lord Nicholas laughed and he magically opened the room door, releasing the mage from his bonds. “Come with me and I’ll show you.”
# # #
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