The Duke of Tremont II - Bloodspell

Chapter 14

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When they heard Daphne's exclamation the others hurried over to where Brian and Justin had just exited the fairy circle. All of them were struck speechless as they stared at the two men.

"You are all still here!" Justin exclaimed.

"Still?" asked Michael. "We only just arrived this afternoon, just as Brian told us."

"Daphne?" Justin questioned his friend, who was circling him and Brian, examining the fairy-made clothing they wore. She reached up to finger Justin's hair, which now hung a bit over his eyes and almost touched his shoulders. "Your hair," she whispered. "It's so long." She looked up at the golden ball of light that still hovered above them. "Is that your magic?" she asked.

Justin nodded and she reached up to pull him into a fierce hug. It is good to see you, Daphne, he spoke directly into her mind, and she jumped in surprise.

You are in my thoughts? she asked, reveling in the feeling of Justin's warm presence in her mind.

Yes, I can talk with anyone mind to mind now, but I promise I will not ever invade your private thoughts.

I know you would not, she replied warmly. She grabbed his hands and smiled. Think of all the tricks we will be able to play now!

Justin laughed out loud and hugged her again.

"Has it really only been one night since we have been gone?" Brian asked, fingering his own hair, which he just now realized was a bit longer, like Justin's.

"Yes, Uncle," Tim said as he stepped forward. "You only stepped into the ring last night, and the others arrived here from our previous camp a few candle marks ago."

Blake stepped forward. "Just how long were you with the fairies?" he asked, as fascinated as the others with how much the two men had changed. There was an aura of power about them that was so much stronger than when they left. Justin especially seemed more mature and tempered, and as Blake used his sight to look at his aura, it positively shimmered with power.

Brian and Justin looked at one another for a moment, trying to answer Blake's question, but they could not think of a definite answer. "I do not know," Brian finally answered truthfully. "It feels like months since we have seen you all. We have learned much." He grabbed Justin's hand again and began to lead him to the campfire. "And now there is much to do. Come," he called to them decisively. "We must make our plans."

The others trailed behind them, still feeling a bit shocked by it all.

 

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The next morning found the party splitting into two groups. They had decided that Tim's men would escort Daphne, Prince Tristan, Sir Andrew, Emmett and Theodore back to Sylvania. There, Daphne could continue to use the healing spells that Blake had taught her on Tristan and King Jonathan.

Meanwhile, Blake would lead Brian and Justin back to Maynor and Mage Kipton to try and destroy the catalyst of the spell, and expose Duke James for the traitor that he was. Ben and Michael insisted on going along to provide extra muscle in case they would need physical back up.

Brian and Prince Timothy were currently some yards away from the others, debating whether Tim would go back with the others or come with Brian.

"No, Tim, it is too dangerous!" Brian exclaimed.

"I am going with you, Uncle Brian. I will follow behind if I must, but I am coming."

Brian grabbed his arm. "You will not disobey me, Timothy. I will not have you endangered like this. You are too young and inexperienced."

"You act as if you have a choice, Brian," Timothy bit back, purposefully not using Brian's respectful title of 'uncle'. "I am a man. I have seen battle and have even killed. You cannot let the fact that I am your nephew cloud your judgment."

"Young Brian and your mother will need you with them." Brian tried a different tack, not ready to give up.

Tim snorted. "Charles is with them and Hunter will be there shortly. Plus, Emmett will provide a much needed distraction for mother. I am not needed there. You act as if this is your family you are protecting, Brian. Well, it is my family too. It is my father who is dying, and if we cannot stop this mage it will be me and my brothers, and my niece and nephews whose lives will be in danger. And your life too, Uncle, and even that of your son if it goes that far. How can I not do everything in my power to stop that from occurring? I could not live with myself if I ran home to hide!"

Brian raised his hands to rest on Tim's shoulders. He leaned down and touched his forehead to Tim's. "You are right, Tim. You are a man." He released his shoulders.
"Come, Justin and the others will be waiting for us."

Tristan and Blake stood by Tristan's horse as they said their own good-byes. "I don't want to stay with these strangers without you, Uncle."

"Andrew will be with you, Tris. I need you to be brave for me, all right?"

"Yes, I'll be brave. Uncle Blake, if you do not succeed and I die before you can make it home…"

Blake shushed him. "I know, Tris, I love you too. But I do not plan on failing, nor do Brian and Justin." He pulled the boy into a hug. "I will see you soon. "

When he let go, Tristan turned and mounted his horse, leading the steed to where Drew was waiting on his own horse.

Justin and Daphne parted from a tearful hug of their own. "I wish I could go with you." Daphne wiped her eyes.

"I have a feeling that it really will not be much fun," Justin replied.

"I'm scared to go to the king," Daphne whispered. "What if I can't help him? I don't want to be responsible for his death. I would never be able to face Brian again."

"Daphne, if Jon dies, it will not be because of anything you have done. It will be the fault of Duke James and Mage Kipton. Brian knows this; he will not blame you. Blake has told all of us that these spells are just temporary. Please do not worry, just do your best, as we will do ours."

"I'm scared for you as well," she answered quietly.

I'm scared too, Justin replied in her mind. But I have been well trained, and I will do all I can to come back to you.

See that you do, she thought back to him.

"Justin, it is time to go," Brian called as he moved toward them.

"Coming," Justin replied.

Daphne surprised both of them by running and throwing herself into Brian's arms. "You'll take care?"

"You know I will." He stroked her curly black hair.

"And you'll take care of Justin? If anything were to happen to him..."

"I know, sweetling." Brian pushed her gently away and cupped her face. "I will keep him safe or die trying."

Daphne just nodded and turned away. She hugged Justin one more time and took his hand, hanging on until he was just out of reach. When she drew close enough Tristan reached down and helped her into the saddle in front of him. They had decided that Justin would take her horse since he was currently without a mount, and he would undoubtedly have further to ride. Daphne looked stoically forward as Tim's guardsmen led them down the road toward Sylvania.

 

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"Having trouble?" Blake asked later that evening as he sat down next to Justin, who was scratching out a drawing on a piece of parchment. There were more discarded pieces laying around his feet.

Justin sighed. "Yes, I can't seem to get this drawing right." He leaned over and gathered the discarded papers, tossing them into campfire, careful to not get the paper near the two rabbits that were currently roasting on spits.

Blake examined the drawing still in Justin's hand. "Who is it?"

"I'm trying to draw King Dryden," Justin replied.

"Of the fairies?"

Justin nodded.

"Neither of you has really spoken of your time there. Uh, not that it is really any of my business," he hurriedly added.

"I am sure you are all curious," Justin smiled. "And I wouldn't mind sharing our experiences with you..." he trailed off for a moment as he stared down at his ruined sketch. "That is why I was trying to draw him, actually, so I could show you all. I thought that perhaps since my memories are a bit fuzzy, a picture might help."

"He must not want you to share him with us, then," Blake said with a small grin.
His smile grew larger when Justin actually blushed a little.

"Perhaps not," answered Justin.

Across the fire Michael watched Ben and Tim battle wits over a small, portable chess game Ben had pulled from his packs. He soon grew bored and moved over to sit by Brian, who sat mending a piece of Hugo's tack.

They sat in a friendly silence for a bit before Michael reached up and fingered Brian's hair. "You've never worn it this long before."

"I did not even notice that it had grown this much. I was actually going to ask you to cut it for me. I don't want it to get in my way."

"Of course, how about in the morning before we leave? I do have a pair of shears with me."

"That's my Michael. Always prepared." Brian smiled at his friend and turned his attention back to his mending. Another long silence passed and Brian smirked a little. "Go ahead and ask. I know you're dying to."

"What?"

"You want to know about the fairies, don't you?"

Michael blushed. "Well, of course I do. It's so amazing that you actually lived with them, though the time thing still confuses me."

"Me too," Brian smiled.

"And, well, Emmett was beside himself when we decided to split up and go our separate ways. He is dying to know all about it, too," Michael continued on. "I have strict instructions to give him all the details I could glean from the two of you."

Brian did not reply immediately. He stared pensively into the fire for a few moments and then glanced over to where Justin sat, talking quietly to Blake. He finally turned back to his friend. "I'm sorry, I simply don't have a lot of details to share. It all seems hazy somehow, as if we were in a dream. I mean, we have retained all the knowledge that King Dryden bestowed upon us, but the rest is, well, just in bits and pieces." He paused again, a sly grin appearing on his face. "I will tell you one thing, though, my friend," he leaned in to Michael.

"What?" Michael leaned in closer too.

"If a fairy ever offers to bed you, do not turn them down."

"Brian!" Michael exclaimed as he looked over to Justin and then back to Brian again.

Brian just raised an eyebrow at his friend and soon they were giggling like children, causing Ben and Justin to share a long suffering look across the fire, much to the amusement of Blake and Tim.

 

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Three days later found the men in a much more somber mood as they had crossed the border into Maynor. Brian's visions began in earnest, though they were not focused on anyone in particular, just snippets of horrifying scenes of torture and mayhem. They came upon the first evidence of these visions in the form of a still smoldering farmstead that had been burned to the ground. Upon further inspection they found the charred bodies of a woman and three young children.

"Damn!" Brian bit out as he crouched down near the bodies.

Tim and Michael came up. "There is no sign of any other bodies, Uncle," Tim said. "I wonder where her husband is."

"I wish we knew what happened," Ben added.

"We can find out," Brian replied looking up at Justin.

"Brian, no!" Justin replied. "It's too much!"

"We must know what we're dealing with," Brian retorted. "Otherwise, what is the point of having these gifts?"

Blake was curious. "How will you do it?"

"It will work a bit like Brian's visions," Justin explained. "Except that he will go back in time, and see what has already passed."

"You can read the memories of a dead person?" Blake sounded shocked.

"If I use Justin's power to boost my gift, I think it will work, unless she has been gone too long." He closed his eyes and gently touched the dead woman's head, while Justin moved in closer and laid a hand on Brian's shoulder, closing his eyes as well. After a few moments Brian pulled his hand back as if it had been burned. "God!" he exclaimed.

"What is it?" Ben asked.

"I'll show you," Justin said and sent the images directly to everyone's minds.

They all gasped as the scene of a small army of soldiers invading the family's home unfolded. They had wanted to recruit the husband, but he had refused, citing that he needed to be home for the harvest. The men threatened and still the husband refused. It was then that the men brutally raped the wife in front of the man, and when they were done, locked the woman and her children in their small cottage, and lit it on fire. Then they lit the barn as well. They tied the sobbing and hysterical man up and dragged him away with them.

"Oh, God!" Tim exclaimed, as he was actually forced to his knees by the horrors of the images.

Brian went to his nephew and laid a gentle hand on his shoulders. "You wanted to come, so you must bear the burden with the rest of us."

Tim nodded and rose. "I...I know."

"He is building an army," Blake spoke up.

"I think that is rather obvious," Brian replied. "And it will be an army of desperate and angry men, from the looks of it."

"We must stop them!" Blake replied. "They are tearing apart our kingdom, and soon they will start on yours!"

"Yes, we must," answered Brian calmly. He turned to Justin. "Why, why don't you use your gift to make a large grave so we can give this family a proper burial, and then we will get back on the road."

Justin nodded and closed his eyes to focus, while the others got another glimpse of the true magnitude of Justin's power.

 

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