The Duke of Tremont II - Bloodspell

Chapter 36
 

*************************************************

 

Brian awoke and tried to open his eyes. He felt as though his entire body was made of lead. He tried to shift his body and panicked when he realized his hands were tied behind his back, and his legs bound as well. He eyes popped open and he struggled harder because he realized he was in an unfamiliar tent. What the hell had happened last night, and why didn't he remember any of it? The last thing he remembered was making love to Justin and falling asleep on his lover's chest.

He began to thrash again, and his efforts to escape caused him to fall off the cot he had been lying on and kick over a chair. The ruckus alerted another occupant of the tent and she lifted the flap that led into her prisoner's room. Brian looked up and immediately stopped moving. "Daphne?"

Daphne smiled sheepishly at the trussed up Duke. "Good morning, My Lord."

He noticed she did not seem too concerned about his current state. "Daphne!" Brian barked. "Untie me at once! Where is Justin?"

"You are tied up because I'm following my king's orders, My Lord," Daphne answered serenely. "Of course if you have any questions you'll need to speak with Justin."

He stared at the young woman in shock as he immediately called out to his lover using mind speech. Sunshine!

Brian, You're awake, Justin replied promptly, with a little bit of hesitancy in his voice.

Justin, what in the hell is going on? Why am I being held prisoner by your little friend? An idea dawned on him as he looked to the walls of the tent and saw the daylight shining through the canvas. It was well past dawn. Oh, you hypocritical little bastard! I cannot believe you've done this to me. Where is Jon? I want to see my brother!

He is a bit busy at the moment, love. But really, who do you think helped me carry you to the healer's tent? Justin replied in an aggravated tone. You are too stubborn for your own good, Brian, and in no shape for battle. Jon and the others all agree with me. You would be run through in an instant. You are staying right where you are until this is over. Daphne has orders to release you when the battle is over or if things go badly we are forced to run.

I can't believe you're...

Hush, Justin cut him off. It's starting soon. Justin showed Brian everything he was seeing on the battlefield. On both sides the horsemen, archers, foot soldiers, and mages stood tense and ready for the signals of their leaders. Of the meldlings there was no sign, yet.

Justin, I want you to be safe. Please be careful.

Jon has the mages well protected, Brian, don't worry. I'll keep my link open so we can be together and you can see it all.

Fine, Brian pouted. But you are in big trouble when I see you again.

I can live with that, Justin replied. But I couldn't live if something happened to you. Justin grew silent and then spoke quickly. Jon is going to give the signal. I need to concentrate. Stay with me, love.

Always, Brian replied, and then suddenly he heard a great roar that erupted from both sides as the battle for Maynor began. Brian opened his eyes as Daphne hurried to lift the tent flap again to check on him. They shared a worried look before Brian closed his eyes again to concentrate on Justin.

 

*************************************************
 

Dawn was just breaking when Justin rode onto the plain that would soon see battle. He, Blake, Kipton and the other mages followed Joshua and his band of elite warriors, who were to act as their protection during the fighting. They were to try and remain out of the main battle so they would be free to deal with any meldlings or magic the opposing mages threw at them.

Justin let his mind wander to this morning when he and Jon had decided to exclude Brian from the battle. Justin had simply enhanced his lover's exhausted slumber with a sleeping spell so he would not awaken as they secured him with Daphne in the healer's tent. Justin was wracked with guilt, but there was no way Brian was in any shape to fight today. His reflexes were too slow and he was still weak from his ordeal with the meldling.

"We'll put you here on this rise so you can see, but will be protected." Joshua stopped near a large mound of grass and addressed the mages. "This will afford you a good view of the enemy, and we will defend you from down here." The men and women nodded and dismounted their horses, scrambling to the top of the hill and positioning themselves so the could lie undetected, but still see.

"What do you think we can expect besides the meldlings?" Justin asked Blake, who was lying on his stomach next to Justin.

"I don't know," Blake replied. He glanced to Kipton who had moved off to a spot away from the others in order to minimize everyone's discomfort with his presence. "If James has hired an outland adept as we suspect, it's hard to know what he'll throw at us."

Before Justin could reply he dropped his head in his hands. "Damn!" he whispered out loud. "I thought I'd have more time."

"What is it?" Blake asked in a puzzled tone.

"Brian's awake."

"Uh, oh," Blake smiled sympathetically.

"Uh, oh is right," Justin replied.

Sunshine! Justin rolled his eyes and answered his agitated lover as Blake patted his shoulder and moved off a bit to confer with Master Cullen.

Actually, Brian had reacted better than Justin could ever imagine. It just showed how weak Brian really was, because at full physical and mental strength he could have probably escaped if he had wanted to. Justin felt his lover through their link as he observed the first line of soldiers clashing. Arrows flew through the air, but they glanced harmlessly off the shield spells the mages from both sides had erected.

As expected the meldlings were released from wherever they had been held and began their descent over the Pennington soldiers. The scene was chaotic as the giant creatures swooped and scooped up as many bodies as the could, flinging their hapless victims every which way. Kipton, Justin, and a few of the others went into action, systematically eradicating each creature and flinging its corpse back into the midst of the opposing army.

Meanwhile the other mages were mainly using their powers to shield from the intermittent magical attacks from the other side. As soon as a streak of power would light the sky, they moved to block it.

In the heat of battle, Kipton moved closer to where Justin stood. "There is one very powerful mage directing this attack. Can you feel him?"

Justin smirked a little. "Yes, and she's getting frustrated."

Kipton's eyes widened. "You can tell it's a she?"

"Over there!" Justin quickly killed a particularly ugly meldling, who had come a little too close to King Tristan, and then turned back to Kipton. "King Dryden of the fairies taught me how distinguish the sex signatures of magic. That's all I can tell, though, for she is well shielded."

"The fairies?" Kipton asked in awe.

"Yes, Brian and I spent time training with them."

"Impressive, indeed." They both hit another meldling with twin bolts of power and then continued their discussion. "If we could take her out we could win this quickly." Kipton looked at Justin. "Once the generals and main troops are free from the mind control, it will simply be a matter of taking out the hired soldiers. Maynor's army would side with us."

"How do we get to her?"

Kipton held up the palm of his hand and revealed the still healing cut on his palm. "You saw the power that was created when our blood mixed together. I think we could at least knock out the mind control from here."

Justin unconsciously backed up a step. "I don't know."

Kipton dropped his eyes. "I'm so sorry, Justin. I so regret hurting you, but I know this will work. Blake will be with you, and we'll have him make the cuts."

Justin remembered the surge he had felt when Kipton's blood has touched his and he knew it would work too. He looked out onto the plain, and from their spot he could see the dead and wounded piling up. Too many dead. He nodded. "Get Blake and let's do this."

Kipton turned to where Blake was concentrating on blocking another try for King Jonathan, and Justin took a moment to confer with Brian. Did you hear all of that?

Yes, and I can't say I like it.

I trust him, and I do believe this will work.

I know you trust him; I do too for that matter. But it's got to be hard to have to deal with him like this.

It's all right as long as I have you with me, My Lord.

Always, Brian replied, giving Justin a small mental caress.

Blake and Kipton approached and Justin held out his palm. "I'll follow her signature and blast her shields. You get in and try to knock out the mind control spell. Give me just a moment to relay our plan to the kings." He closed his eyes.

Blake nodded, waiting a few minutes for Justin to relay their plan. And after looking into Justin's eyes for confirmation, he cut Justin's palm, and did the same for Kipton. The two men made eye contact and quickly brought their hands together. The familiar red glow formed around them and they held fast to each other. Justin quickly caught onto the "scent" of the other mage and followed it. When he found her he blasted through her shields, creating a hole in her defenses. Kipton followed and quickly went in through the hole Justin had created. He quickly found the control spell in her mind and blasted it with power. Both men felt revulsion at the evilness they were encountering in the woman's foul mind.

Justin and Kipton both cringed as the woman screamed in fury at them and began to quickly repair her powerful shields. She tried to trap the two men where they were, and they both found themselves scrambling to get out.

Here! Brian called to them. They were able to use the extra strength he was able to send as an anchor to escape.

The two mages opened their eyes and released each other's hands, the red glow around them bursting into a colorful shower around them. Kipton sagged. Thank you, he sent to Brian. My God, her mind is a cesspool. Did you feel it?

I think you two got the brunt of it, and I'm glad I could help get you out. You okay, Jus?

Justin hadn't spoken yet, and was bent over with his hands on his thighs, breathing hard. Fine, Justin replied. Just trying to get those images out of my head. She's got to be stopped, he told both men seriously. We cannot let her away from here alive.

I agree, Brian answered. You two are obviously the masterminds of this operation so I believe I’ll let you come up with a plan. Brian’s voice faded out causing Justin more than a little concern. Brian was not one to just sit back and let others plan such important strategies. Before he could give it too much thought his attention was drawn elsewhere and he simply rationalized that Brian must have become overly tired helping to rescue them and had fallen back to sleep.

Blake hurried over to them. "Are you all right?"

Before either man could answer they heard someone yell. "Look! Look at the Maynorans."

The three men looked down the hillside where the fighting had stopped and it seemed that confusion reigned. Most of the Maynoran army had dropped their weapons and were looking around them in confusion. The mind control of the enemy adept had been broken and none of them really knew where they were or why. The mercenary soldiers were still at it, but their numbers were few comparatively and Pennington's men were routing them easily.

Having been alerted by Justin earlier, Jonathan was ready. He gave a signal and young King Tristan began to ride through the confusion with his guard to protect him. They carried the flags bearing his personal coat of arms.

The confused soldiers of Maynor caught sight of him and began to cheer in earnest! "Hail King Tristan!! King Tristan is alive!!"

The generals who had been fighting him only moments ago quickly rode to Tristan's side and humbled themselves before him, begging his forgiveness for their behavior.

While all of this was going on King Jonathan and his men were handily cleaning up the rest of the mercenary soldiers, many of whom were intelligent enough to see a lost cause and surrender to fight another day.

Blake smiled at Kipton and Justin. "I think we did it! We won!"

The two adepts shared a wary look, knowing they hadn't won yet. Duke James' mages had yet to be subdued, more specifically, his adept had not been captured. Nor had the duke for that matter.

Before they could relay their concerns to Blake there was a deafening blast from below and a blinding flash of light. Smoke filled the air and men flew backward, clearing a large path through both armies.

The mages on the hill stared down at the scene in awe as several figures on horseback made their way through the smoke and into the spot that had been cleared. Blake and Kipton sucked in a breath as they recognized Duke James amongst them. To the duke's right rode an exotically beautiful woman with midnight black hair and dark skin, dressed in a gown and veil of a shimmering gauzy material all in jewel tones. Kipton and Justin recognized her right away as the adept mage whom they had attacked. The duke and the woman were flanked on either side by twenty or so of their supporters, most likely mages.

To their credit Jonathan and Tristan quickly formed a united front with their generals and advisors and rode to greet the party. "Your army is in shambles, Duke James," Jonathan spoke loudly. "Do you come to us to surrender?"

The duke snorted and shared a look with his female companion. "I think not, Highness," the woman spoke aloud for the first time. "We seek an audience with two of your adept mages. I believe I dealt with them earlier."

"And why do you request that, madam?" Jonathan asked. "Surely, you know you have lost this battle?"

The woman smiled and signaled to someone behind her. Another horse approached and Justin sucked in a breath, for upon the enormous steed sat an equally enormous man, and in front of the man rode the subdued and still tied form of Duke Brian of Tremont, with a large knife at his throat.

Jonathan and the others gasped in horror as the woman smiled brighter. "I need to speak to your adepts because I believe I have something that belongs to one of them."

Kipton and Blake both reached out to steady Justin, whose knees buckled a bit when he saw his helpless lover, realizing all too late the true reason he could no longer feel Brian in their link.

 

Return to The Duke of Tremont II