Chapter 5 - Tavares

Xavier was quite weak after his ordeal, the effects of the healing potion slight.
They had passed through a town, selling what they didn’t need, including the tamest of the horses they had used. Rayne counted the money in her purse.

“20 gold coins, 16 silver, 12 copper, 5 loaves of bread, 4 water skins and 4 wine skins. Not bad at all,” she reported to Xavier as they passed out of swampland.

Xavier was grumbling again, and mumbled something about never wanting to go near a swamp-toad again. Rayne grinned at this. The owls had departed long ago, and had not returned.

“The last leg of the journey,” Rayne said, and Xavier breathed a sigh of relief.

The area was mountainous, the tall peaks rocketing out of the earth at steep angles.
After trying to lead the horses up the first peak, they found that both they and the horses slipped back down to the base.
Xavier went back to grumbling, inspecting the ground around the peak.
Rayne however, was thinking rapidly.

“If I can change my shape, why can’t I change that of an object?” she said to herself, her mind racing with the possibility.

Glancing at Xavier, she sat down, cross-legged, and meditated, going deeper into her magic than she had never dared enter before. She imagined the stubborn peak, smoothing the surfaces down flatting them with her mind, doing the same actions with her hands to the air.
The ground about her shook violently, stone crumbling around her. She opened her eyes after the tremors had stopped.
Before her stood, or rather sat, a disgruntled Xavier, his arms resting on a flat peak.
Rayne grinned with satisfaction and mounted her horse, pulling Xavier up beside her.

“Hold Prince’s reins. VERY tightly I might add,” she told him.

He gripped the reins as she kicked Moon into a gallop.

As the passed over one flattened peak, they stopped so Rayne could flatten the next few.

After hours of journeying, they pitched the soldier tent and unrolled their pallet beds.
Taking out some bread, Xavier toasted it while Rayne searched for honey.
They ate in silence.

“This is the last time we’ll have our freedom,” Xavier sighed, looking miserable.

“Don’t you want to go back to your Mage life?” Rayne asked.

“I suppose I do, but being out here, my life looks like a whole, drab waste.”

They looked at each other, imagining what the other was thinking.
Their eyes met, and just for that one moment, Rayne’s eyes were soft, loving.
Xavier stood and sat down next to her.

They looked at each other, seeing their longing for the first time.
They entered their separate tents.

* * *
In the morning, both were slightly uncomfortable. They started out with dragging feet, the horses worn to their last reserve of strength.

“Tell me about Tavares,” Rayne said suddenly.

“It’s a large capital, with large, bright houses, huge markets and stores, the most exquisite temple and of course the Castle. Adjoining the Castle is the mage quarters, training yards, stables, kitchens, aviary, page, squire and knight dormitories and the college.”

“A college? What for?”

“Well, the boys go there to learn magic and weaponry, and the girls go there to learn to be a lady…and lady type stuff.”

Rayne snorted in disbelief. “Why so different from the boys? Girls can fight as well as boys, maybe even better!”

Xavier nodded, smiling. “I suppose they never met you then.”

Rayne hid her blush inside her hood.

“I suppose you won’t be getting dressed up in a dress to meet the king?” he asked cheekily.

Rayne scolded at him. “I’m coming just as I was as you first saw me. A limping female with owls… Oh dear, they haven’t come back yet!” she cried.

“Shh, be still. They have probably gone on to Tavares, sick of us slowing them down. We will find them when we get there.”

“How long will that be?” she asked anxiously.

“We shall be nearly there by sunset, and we will arrive by sunrise if we hurry through the night.”


They trudged on through the rest of the rock lands, and by midnight, had covered a vast area of forest. By sunrise, they had reached their destination, Tavares.

* * *

They had entered a large village, more of a town. The roads were cobbled, and carts and horses bustled through every lane and pathway they could find.
The markets were filled with women and children, hurrying to get what they needed before the merchants and traders blacked every throughway.
Xavier was smiling broadly.
Rayne stared around her at the busy town. Xavier had described it just as she saw it.
Red, white, blue, brown, yellow and cream houses lined the street that the now traveled down.
The castle loomed in front of them, a great, royal looking building.
Xavier had talked her into wearing a dress, which they had custom made at a shop in the streets. She now wore a white blouse and long silver skirt, which she had been forced into by Xavier. Her staff had been wiped down, the blade sharpened, and the owls, who they had found waiting for them at the gates, much to Rayne’s relief, were now perched on her shoulders.
Xavier, who had taken his rings off long ago, and didn’t put them back on. He wore a clean, emerald robe, and another white cloak.
They entered the castle slowly, their horses led off to the stables.
Rayne had pulled on her hood, just to make sure they didn’t get any trouble.
Xavier walked boldly through the gates, waving an impatient hand at the guards who had stooped to bow.

“Open the door,” he commanded a burly looking man who did so, though quite roughly.

They started off again, walking, or rather limping in Rayne’s case, through the walls, laden with tapestries and portraits of the Royal Family.
They came to a pair of large, gold doors, which creaked open. The herald rushed to announce Xavier.

“Your majesty, Xavier. Imperial Mage of Mages.”

Xavier bowed low to a man sitting in an elaborate throne at the end of the room. Rayne peeped from behind the doors. As she had first seen Xavier, the King looked rather impressive. Tall, dressed in robes of gold, scarlet and violet and his delicate fingers crammed with rubies, emerald, sapphires and diamonds on thick gold bands. His short chestnut hair was neatly combed and his green eyes twinkled with glee.

“Xavier, how good to see you, my friend!” Rowan said, his voice ringing through the room as he embraced Xavier with a hug.

“I have brought you our guest, Rowan. May I introduce the Lady Rayne,” Rayne flinched slightly, “Or as her proper title, The Raven…And Shadow and Opal,” he added, remembering how sulky the owls could get if left out.

He beckoned Rayne forward, eventually taking her hand and leading, half dragging her towards Rowan, avoiding the swipe of her staff.
She made to do a bow, but realized she was in a skirt, and attempted to do a curtsy, but stumbled. Opal hooted and took off, closely followed by Shadow. Rowan caught her just before she fell, and she blushed so deeply, the crimson outshined her dark skin.
Rowan smiled, helping her regain her balance.
Rayne smiled back, awkward though it seemed. She gripped her staff tighter for balance and curtsied.

“It seems my judgment of a male mage was wrong, milady.” Rowan said.

“Yes your majesty, it seems so,” Rayne said quietly.

She glanced nervously at Xavier, silently asking what to do next.

“Shall I show her around the castle Rowan?” Xavier asked, breaking the awkward silence.

“I think I shall. I would like to know more about this young lady,” he said loudly, holding out is arm. Rayne took it slowly, unsure of what to do next.

“What would you like to see milady?”

“I…I am told that you….you have an aviary, majesty,” she said timidly.

“Ah yes, my aviary. I see that you like birds,” he chortled, watching the owls.

“Yes your majesty.”

“Please, call me Rowan. Majesty always makes me feel so old…”

They left the room, Rowan helping her along after handing her staff to Xavier.
He now ran his hands down the wood, and then swept on out of the room, making for the college, frowning slightly.

* * *
Rayne gazed around the aviary. It was larger and more spectacular than any other she had seen before.
She said this to Rowan.

“Thank you Rayne. I am quite fond of all the birds here.”

He had taken to saying her name without milady, much quicker than Xavier… Xavier.
‘I wonder what he’s doing now…’ She thought as Rowan helped her out of the aviary to show her the castle grounds.

* * *

Xavier was sitting in the college library, looking in all the ancient rune books he could find, looking up the runes he found on Rayne’s staff, then writing them down on paper.
So far, all he could find was ‘Shifter’, ‘The Raven’, ‘Owls’, and the colours silver and black. He also found a name, which made no sense to him, ‘Sahra’.

“It must say something about Rayne,” he said to himself, scratching his chin.

He scanned through the rest of the books, unable to find the rest of the runes.
He looked up at the person who was sitting opposite him. A man, as tall as Xavier, copper hair cropped at his ears, bright hazel eyes, dressed in a similar robe as Xavier, only they were indigo and silver.

“Hello Tristan,” he said dryly to the High Mage.

“Xavier! Back so soon? I expect you didn’t find The Raven? I told you he didn’t exist,” he said airily.

“Actually Tristan, I did find The Raven. She’s on a tour of the castle with Rowan right now,” Xavier replied tartly.

“He’s a she? Oh, I must go and meet her then!” and with that, Tristan disappeared in thin air.

“Show-off,” Xavier grumbled and went back to his reading.

* * *

Tristan had indeed been true to his word, and appeared in front of Rowan and Rayne.

“Milady, it is an honour to finally meet you,” he said as he kissed her hand.

“It is an honour to meet you too…my lord,” she said, blushing again.

“Yes, I don’t believe you have met Tristan have you? He is the High Mage,” he added.

“It is an honour to meet you, my lord,” she said again.

“May I take over Rowan? I’d like to show her my college.”

“Of course Tristan!” Rowan replied brightly as Rayne took Tristan’s arm.

They disappeared into the air, reappearing in the college.

“Stop doing that Tristan!” Xavier said grumpily, then seeing Rayne, said “Hello, again.”

Rayne didn’t know if Tristan had caught the sarcasm in his voice, and frowned at him.

“May I have my staff please?” she asked, moving to take it. As she bent to take it she whispered into Xavier’s ear, “Not my fault,” and stood up, ignoring Tristan’s arm.

“I think it would be safer without that,” Tristan said, and without a word, he vanished the blade with a small pop as they continued to walk down the hallway.

Rayne limped next to Tristan, taking in only half of what he said, uttering ‘Yes, I agree’ or ‘Of course not’ or ‘Really?’ and comments similar to those. She was too absorbed in how Xavier had looked at her that she didn’t even listen when he showed her the books on birds and animals.

“And I think that concludes the tour of the library. The learning classes are forbidden to those who do not teach or learn,” he said.

“Thank you for showing me around,” she said, smiling at him.

“Will you be joining Rowan, Xavier and I for dinner tonight?” he asked her.

“Yes, yes I think I will,” she said, nodding profusely.

“Then I shall escort you to your chambers,” and in a second, they were in a large chamber, filled with expensive luxuries like a feather bead, separate bathroom and a large powder room with an adjoining wardrobe.

“A maid shall be around shortly to help you dress,” he said, closing the door behind him.

Rayne was sure she heard the click of the door locking, and went to check. The handle didn’t turn. She had become a prisoner in her own chambers.

* * *

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