Peridot- War and Peace Read online

  I lay on my side, my wrists bound behind me, and gazed with amazement as the bright light slowly faded and a woman stood before me. She was striking in her stature and presence. Her skin had a golden sheen to it, and her hair fell in rich, brown cascades down her back and shoulders. Her eyes were silver and round, her pupils strangely shaped, like diamonds. She was dressed simply, in a dark green dress that covered her from neck to feet and reached to her wrists, but she wore it like it was a gown fit for royalty.

  I knew who she was at that instant but knew I had to be hallucinating it -- why would the Mother visit me? The child my father trained to become a tool -- a weapon of mass destruction. One that was set on a course to destroy that which the Mother had created.

  She approached me, and I cringed away, my eyes never leaving her. Surely she was here to kill me. She wouldn’t want me to destroy the Life she had created. Fear wrapped around me just as firmly as her warmth. I shook with it, feeling my bones rattle as they knocked together. She stopped and frowned, but it wasn’t an angry frown, the type I was used to. No, it was a sympathetic frown.

  “Don’t be afraid, my child,” she whispered. Her voice sounded like the water that churned in the babbling brook near our house. It was light, gentle, but with a strong undercurrent that you had to be aware of.

  “Lazur,” she said my name, and I gaped. She knelt in front of me, all grace and light, and touched me with one soft hand. The fear vanished like it had never been, and I felt something so strange and foreign, something that confused me -- I only now knew it as feeling safe and protected, and loved. At that age I had never felt that way before, so I had no way of knowing if my feelings were good or bad. She was affectionate toward me, and I didn’t even know that was possible.

  She stroked my face, and the pain in my wrists, from the bonds cutting into my skin, faded. Also, the whippings I had endured days ago, which still stung me, now seemed to fade. My hunger vanished, as did my thirst. I felt -- for the first time ever -- comfortable.

  “Do not despair,” she whispered. Her eyes stared into mine, and I could not look away. “You have the strength to end your pain. Your sorrow. The magick is inside you, Lazur. Find it, call it to you. Only you can.”

  I listened to her voice, clinging to it like a lifeline.

  Her smell surrounded me -- fresh air laced with scents of flowers, grass, and the bark of old trees. It made me think of a forest, which I’d been to once at that time, and I’d been fascinated and enraptured by the freedom and primal instinct that I’d felt there. She reminded me of that -- of strength and determination. Of freedom. I desperately craved what she offered.

  “Listen to yourself,” she spoke again, her voice lowering in intensity. “Listen to your magick. It will guide you, my dear boy.”

  She paused and leaned over, her scent becoming stronger, and pressed her soft lips -- full and red like a rose -- to my cheek. I took a deep breath and felt my eyes burn.

  But I didn’t cry -- my father punished tears. Her gentleness was almost a punishment because I knew I would never receive such affection and tenderness again. In the morning, I would be thrown back into my miserable reality, but now I would have this tormenting memory to reflect on. It was almost too much to bear.

  “Tomorrow night, should you decide to seek freedom, I will bless your endeavor.”

  My heart beat like a drum in my ears, and I was frozen with shock. Did she mean... I wouldn’t have to return to my torturous reality? I watched her stand and fade away before my eyes. I stared into the darkness long after she had left and wondered if I’d gone insane. The shock of her appearance and her words choked me. Had I just been visited by the Mother? Had she just kissed me? Encouraged me?

  I did not sleep that entire night. The pain from my empty stomach, bound wrists, and whip wounds didn’t come back until after I’d escaped the next night.

  ***

  “Morgorth?” Aishe whispered. I jerked and came back to myself in time to see the bard step off the table. I looked out of the window and saw the sky darkening.

  “We should leave,” I said and stood. “I don’t want my disguise to wear off in this crowd.”

  Aishe chuckled, and we made our way out of the pub. It looked like the rest of the patrons would stay there until the early hours of the morning. I couldn’t blame them; it was much warmer in there than in any of their homes.

  Aishe and I stepped out in the cold, and I tugged on my coat, shivering. My teeth began to chatter as we walked out of Happy Valley.

  Suddenly, Aishe put his arm around my shoulders.

  “There you are, back to yourself.”

  I looked down at myself and realized I no longer felt the heat or tingle of the potion. I was numb most places anyway. We crunched through the snow and slowly climbed the hill.

  “Was it worth it?” I asked as we stood on the hill and gazed out at Vorgoroth. Geheimnis could barely be seen against the blackening sky. The sun was off to our right, and it was currently blinding me.

  “I enjoyed myself,” Aishe said, kissing me gently. “I think you did too.”

  I shrugged my shoulders. I wouldn’t have without him.

  “It was all right. That song was a nice surprise.”

  Aishe took my hand, and we had just taken a step toward home when two dark figures stepped out of Vorgoroth, one taller than the other.

  I immediately stepped in front of Aishe and moved my arms slightly away from my sides, my hands burning. I knew what they were; I just didn’t know who. Who would come so bluntly into my territory?

  Hoods were drawn back, and two mages, one female, one male, stared back at me.

  “Morgorth,” said the female in wary tones. “We need to talk.”

  Chapter Three

  I knew the mages, but that didn’t make me lower my arms. It actually made me more on edge. The female had steel gray hair with narrow hazel eyes. Her nose was like a beak, and her stature was slight and frail looking. But I knew her to be stern, formidable, and devoted to following the Council’s orders. The male was tall and lean with muscle. His brown hair framed his face like a mane, and he had a short, thick beard that covered the lower half of his face. His eyebrows were bushy on his heavy brow, and his eyes were a dark blue that I knew would turn black when he was pissed and using his magick.

  They were Nanna and Dyrc, two of the Council’s attack dogs. Enforcers. They wore the lavender robes that proclaimed their honorable position. Honorable to some, anyway. Their robes had gold trim and covered their entire body. The emblem of the Council -- seven golden circles stacked on each other in a pyramid fashion -- glared blatantly from their chests.

  Their robes were covered, however, with thick gold coats -- that also carried the Council’s emblem -- to combat the harsh winter. Even their sturdy boots were lavender.

  “Nanna.” I nodded to the female. “Dyrc.” I didn’t nod but glared at him. He had a lot of nerve showing up considering what happened during our last meeting.

  “Morgorth,” Nanna gave me a polite, if stiff, nod. “We would have words with you. Alone.”

  I felt Aishe tense behind me, and while I didn’t like the idea of Aishe getting in the middle of mage business, I didn’t feel like complying with Nanna’s wishes.

  “He’s my mate.” I raised my chin. “We talk now, with him, or not at all.”

  “This is mage business,” Dyrc spat, his face showing a look of distaste. “He has no reason to be here.” I ignored him.

  “What do you want, Nanna?” I asked while my insides were churning painfully, like snakes slithering and attacking each other. “Night is falling, and a storm is coming. Make it quick.”

  “We would have been in more comfortable surroundings,” Nanna said impatiently. “If you had answered our summons.”

  I felt Aishe jerk behind me, but I ignored it. I fixed Nanna with a stare. “I’m not one to be summoned.”

  They were silent for a moment, and I noticed that Nanna had to lay a hand on Dyrc’s arm even
as he clenched his hands into fists. He bared his teeth at me, and his face was red.“Be that as it may,” she said sternly. “Since you would not answer my letters, I saw fit to come here myself. You put us in this position, Morgorth. It is your doing, not ours.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. “Since I only received the last letter earlier today, you gave me no chance to decide whether to answer you or not.”

  “It was obvious you were declining the summons of the Council after the first letter went unanswered.” Nanna narrowed her eyes. “The next two were courtesy--”

  “As well as a test.” I smiled humorlessly. “A threat. I know how the Council works, Nanna. Don’t try to trick me.”

  “If you understand the Council, why did you ignore the summons?” Nanna demanded.

  “Like I said, I’m not one to be summoned. I have no business with the Council, and they would do well to leave me alone.”

  “Is that a threat?” Dyrc fumed.

  I glanced at him briefly. “Take it that way if you want to.

  Well, now that you’re here we can settle this once and for all. Spit out why you’ve come.”

  “You know why!” Dyrc just couldn’t seem to control himself. His eyes flashed, and I let my magick rise gently like a slowly filling basin of water. My hands burned hotter. “The ruby, Morgorth,” Dyrc said, his fists clenched.

  “Where is Rambujek?”

  I looked at both of them in turn before answering. “Safe.

  Locked up. Now go home.”

  “Morgorth,” Nanna said, holding up a hand in a gesture of peace. “We must discuss this. That is a major stone of power. It shouldn’t be in the hands of just anyone--”

  “It’s not,” I interrupted her. “It’s in my hands.”

  “Which is worse,” Dyrc muttered.

  I glared at him. “Considering our old mentor, Master Ulezander, trusts me, I’m surprised anyone still objects to me breathing free air.”

  Dyrc puffed out his chest and lifted his chin arrogantly.

  “Master Ulezander is a great mage who deserves fear and respect. But even the best of us can make mistakes.”

  Ouch. Dyrc had been Master Ulezander’s student many years before that great mage had found me. I had a feeling that Dyrc was jealous that his mentor had taken me under his wing -- and the fact that I had been far better magickally talented than he had been at my age. In fact, I probably matched both of them in sheer power, but it was in skill and experience that they outstripped me.

  Thinking of my mentor made me wonder. He was a member of the Council. Wouldn’t he know about this?

  About their coming? Why didn’t he warn me? Or did the Council leave him out of this decision? The thought was fire in my blood, and my magick rose hotter inside me.

  If they left Master Ulezander out, which was a big no-no as I was his former student, therefore his responsibility, then there was more to the Council’s plan then just getting Rambujek out of my hands.

  “I wonder what he would say if he could hear you say that,” I said, charmingly despite my disturbing thoughts.

  Dyrc glowered. I turned to Nanna. “Finders keepers Nanna, you know the rules. I defeated Kayl which means I have the right to claim the ruby.”

  “Yes, but this situation is delicate.”

  “I don’t think it is,” I said confidently. “If you wanted it, why didn’t you stop him? Where were you when he was destroying villages and towns and massacring a tribe?”

  I felt Aishe’s hand on my back, and I wished I could speed these two mages on their way. I didn’t want Aishe exposed to them any longer than necessary.

  “We were fighting our own battles,” Nanna said, her hand now gripping Dyrc’s arm tightly. He looked like he might forget magick and punch me in the face.

  “Kayl sent revenais after all of us and--”

  “And what?” I said. “You let demons beat your ass?

  Aishe and I took care of ours within a day, didn’t we Aishe?”

  “Indeed, we did.” Aishe said with cold dignity. I grinned at Dyrc and Nanna, who looked like they were struggling against surprise.

  “If you wanted the stone,” I said, turning serious. “You should have killed Kayl. But you didn’t. Kayl attacked me and what is mine. As far as I’m concerned, I acted in self-defense, and Rambujek is mine. This matter is over. Get out of my territory.”

  “It isn’t that simple, and you know it!” Nanna said, taking a step forward. My magick flared up, and blue flame burst forth, consuming my hands. Nanna stopped dead and stared at me with fear that she couldn’t hide.

  I knew what they thought of me. I knew what they thought I would become. Hell, part of me still believed I would become the monster my predecessors had turned into.

  “What’s not simple about it?” I asked softly, my voice like granite.

  “Morgorth,” Nanna said gently, though I could hear the strain in her voice. “The Council has voted. The stone does not belong to you. You are too young and--”

  “You’re the seventh son of a seventh son!” Dyrc burst out and shook Nanna’s hand off of him. “We shouldn’t waste common courtesy on the likes of him. He’s a perversion of nature who should have been destroyed before his magick came upon him.”

  My jaw clenched, and my magick flared painfully but nothing Dyrc said was anything I hadn’t heard before.

  But there was still a knife digging into my heart. My own people. They hated me.

  “Didn’t you know?” I said softly, coldly. “My magick didn’t come upon me like yours did. I called mine to me. I was seven years old. My magick came when I called it.”

  Deeper color flooded Dyrc’s face. “Further evidence of your perverse nature.”

  My nails dug into my palms as my fists tightened.

  “Dyrc,” Nanna snapped. Dyrc glared at her. “The Council said--”

  “Forget what the Council said!” Dyrc was livid. “They aren’t here, are they? We are, and we’re tasked to take the stone away from this -- this villain. That’s our mission, and I’ll be damned if I fail.”

  I swallowed hard. “I know what you think of me.” I kept my voice quiet, cold. I wanted to scream. I wanted to curse. I wanted to blow them apart. “And believe it or not, I killed Kayl not to possess the stone but to keep him from destroying a planet I happen to like.”

  Dyrc snorted in disbelief. Nanna just stared at me, clearly unconvinced.

  “This is no time for your lies, Morgorth,” Dyrc said.

  “The Council knows why you killed Kayl, and why you isolate yourself up here in that fortress.” He pointed at Geheimnis. “And we’ve been satisfied with your lack of action in the rest of the world. We’ve been satisfied to leave you alone. But now you’ve gone too far. We will not allow you to bring destruction upon Karishian like your forefathers did!”

  A black silence fell upon our little group. Despite the bubbling anger I felt, I was also resigned. I wasn’t surprised by Dyrc’s venom against me, but it did infuriate me that he was insulting me in my own home. And in front of my mate. That, more than anything, made my anger flame with a fiery passion.

  “You think the Council is blind to your activities here?”

  Dyrc continued. “You think the Council doesn’t know what you’ve done since leaving Master Ulezander? We know all your dirty little secrets. Those you’ve killed, those you’ve tortured --”

  “You don’t know him,” Aishe said from behind me, his voice low and quavering.

  “Aishe--” I started. My skin had no warmth anymore, and I knew I had grown paler. But the fire in my gut burned and bubbled like magma.

  “You don’t know him!” Aishe said louder and stepped in front of me, staring down two mages who could turn him into a smear on the ground. “You have no idea what he’s been through. What he’s done for Karishian!” Aishe was now shouting at them. I grabbed his arm but he didn’t back down. His eyes were bright in his fury, and he stood with all the pride and dignity his tribe had instilled withi
n him.

  “While you sit on your asses in your palaces and cater to the whim of kings, he’s protecting and saving those who can’t save themselves! He’s protecting complete strangers with no regard for his own safety!”

  “Aishe, enough!” I shouted and pulled him back, out of reach of the two mages. I gripped his arms as he struggled to get lose.

  “Morgorth -”

  “Enough!” I snapped. He stared at me, his eyes furious.

  I turned back to the two mages who stared at us with unreadable expressions.

  “Well,” Dyrc said, raising an eyebrow. “Seems you have that dialen well-trained. What he’s told you are lies, dialen.

  You have no idea the monster you’ve bound yourself to.”

  Dyrc looked at Aishe in disgust. “Go home, pet, you have no business here.”

  Aishe froze, and even as I opened my mouth to give a scathing reply, Aishe spoke, “I am home.” His tone was such that the rest of us were silenced. Aishe stared at Dyrc, pure loathing in his eyes. His face was a cold mask, and the only color was a slight pink on his cheeks and nose from the cold. I’ve never seen him this way, not even when we first met. Then, his fury had just barely been contained -- it had been hot and bubbling just below the surface. But now, his fury was blistering cold like the farthest reaches of the universe. And it even scared me a little.

  I let go of Aishe and turned back to the mages. I stepped in front of him again, and though my heart was beating fast, I managed to keep my voice calm and low.

  “He’s right,” I said. “He is home. But you’re not. Believe what you want about me, but just know that I will never give up the ruby. You can tell the Council that I decline their offer for Rambujek. And you can also tell them to stay out of my business.”

  Nanna opened her mouth again but stopped when a bestial growl broke the silence of the forest. The moment the mages had arrived, I had called out to the creatures who lived in my forest. My magick had swept between the trees, whistled through the branches, disturbed the snow.