The Duke of Tremont II - Bloodspell

Chapter 7

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Brian took the bedroll Michael handed him, tossed it down next to a fallen tree and practically fell onto it. He leaned forward and adjusted a blanket so he had some padding behind his back where it rested against the trunk and then closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“You need to rest,” Michael admonished.

Brian smiled at his friend’s concern. “Right now I need answers more.”

Michael frowned, but dipped his head in surrender.

Justin approached, carrying two steaming mugs. He handed one to Brian. “Here, Daphne made it. It’ll help your head.”

“Wonderful, another noxious concoction.”

“Stop it,” Justin scolded. “It’s just willow bark with a bit of mint.” He lowered himself down next to Brian and winced a bit when his back touched the log.”

“Sore?” Brian asked.

“Uh-huh.” Justin took a sip of his own tea.

Brian set down his mug and fiddled with the blanket behind them so Justin had a bit more padding. Justin smiled gratefully and Michael intervened before the two got too lost in their own world. “You both should sleep awhile.”

“Stop mothering, Michael, just because your own mother is not here to do it.” Brian looked up as Tim, Blake, Andrew and the others started to gather in the small clearing that was to be their camp for at least tonight. “Tim, where are your men?”

“I asked them to keep watch for us.”

“Good man,” Brian smiled and Tim puffed a bit with the compliment. Brian waited another few moments for everyone to settle and then he addressed Blake. “How is Prince Tristan?”

“He is napping, my lord.”

“All right,” Brian replied. He took another swallow of his tea and began to speak again. “Now before we get to the reason you are here, I must know. What in the hell was that thing that tried to eat Justin today, and are there more of them out there?”

“It was a meldling,” Blake replied.

At the very same moment Theodore answered the question as well. “It was a meldling.” Blake and Theodore smiled at each other as if really seeing each other for the first time. Their gazes held until Brian spoke again.

“What do you know of it, Theodore? Have you seen one of these things before?” Brian grew more agitated, thinking of how close he came to losing Justin that day. “Why have you never told me of these things before?” He was almost yelling by now.

Justin laid a gentling hand on Brian’s thigh. “Brian, stop it. We are fine, now. Let Theodore speak please.”

Brian managed to look authoritative and sheepish at the same time. “Please explain, Theodore.”

“Um…no, I have never seen a meldling before, my lord,” Theodore answered. “But I believe the reason for bringing me along on this trip was that I was brought up close to the border of Maynor. Growing up we heard stories that creatures that were the result of two animals mixed together existed. In fact my mother used to tell us stories of how the meldlings would eat small children who were not dutiful and well behaved.”

“That explains so much to me about you, Theodore,” Brian replied, rolling his lips into his mouth with a small grin.

Justin slapped him lightly. “Behave, my lord! Please continue, Ted.”

Theodore shot a grateful look at Justin. “Well, there’s not much more to tell. Until today, I thought that it was an old wives’ tale.”

Brian pinned Blake with a glare. “I trust you have more to add to this story.”

“My lord,” Blake began. “You know that in Maynor that we use magic?”

“Yes, I have heard that.”

“It is shunned in Pennington, is it not?”

Brian shifted in his seat and shared an uncomfortable glance with Daphne and sighed. “It was before my brother began his reign. Long ago the church and some ancient king decided that all magic was evil so the use of it was banned in Pennington. My father most definitely upheld and believed in these laws.” Brian shifted again, hating to talk about his much reviled father, King Jack. “Of course, we are who we are, so there are witches and people like me who have been blessed by the fairies, but such things have been kept quiet and hidden for fear of repercussion. My brother has seen the error of our ancestors though, and he is working to change these attitudes, but it is slow going, for people are slow to change and shed themselves of old superstitions and fears.”

“Which is exactly the reason we have been hesitant to build relations with your country, your highness,” Blake responded. “Magic is commonplace and accepted in Maynor. We never knew how you would receive us as allies, and forgive me, but it sounds as though we were correct to be fearful, especially of your father. I know King Gabriel had heard some of what you were telling me of your brother and I think perhaps he was seriously pondering approaching King Jonathan to open some sort of alliance between us.”

“So the meldlings are magical creatures, then?” Justin asked.

“Yes,” Blake replied. “Unfortunately, there are mages among us who practice dark magic. They sometimes perform experiments on animals, or, God help them, even humans. Meldlings are the result of these experiments.”

“Why was it here? As far as I know there’s never been a sighting of anything like this in Pennington before,” commented Brian.

“We work hard to keep these things contained, and they are destroyed as soon as they are discovered.” Blake looked down at his hands for a moment and then brought his eyes back up to meet Brian’s. “I believe this particular creature was hunting for me.”

Justin and the others noted how Brian’s jaw tensed and they prepared for an imminent explosion, but it did not occur. Brian waited a few breaths and simply answered. “I see.” He ran a hand through his hair and reached over to lay a light hand on the back of Justin’s neck, and finally decided to just get to the point. “Magic master Blake, or whoever the hell you are, exactly why is it that you are here?”

“It is Mage-master Blake, my lord,” Blake answered mildly, "but please just call me Blake. And we are here because our king is dead.”

“I know,” Brian answered a bit impatiently. When Blake looked surprised, Brian explained. “Your acting regent, the Duke of Stockwell, sent word to my brother.”

Blake looked even more surprised, but continued his own explanation. “Our heir is dying as well.”

Now it was Brian’s turn to look surprised. “My brother mentioned that the message from your kingdom said he was ill, but his message said nothing of the prince dying.”

Before Blake could reply Tristan walked into the clearing sleepily rubbing his eyes. “Uncle?” he asked uncertainly. “I woke up and no one was there.”

Blake rose. “We are here, Tristan. We’re just getting to know each other a bit.” He took the boy’s arm and led him to sit down. “Feeling any better?” No one in the clearing could mistake how much Blake cared for his young nephew.

Tristan nodded. “A little. I’m kind of hungry.”

Brian smiled at the young man, having a soft spot for young boys, considering his much loved four nephews and his own son, Gus. “We shall eat soon, young Tristan,” he assured the boy.

“Thank you, sir,” Tristan answered politely.

Blake sat down next to his nephew and laid a gentle arm across his shoulders. “Tris, I was just telling Duke Brian and the others about your illness.”

“I am dying,” Tristan told them matter of factly. “My uncle tries to help with his potions, but soon they will stop working.”

“What are you dying from?” Brian asked, frowning at the boy’s frank assessment of his situation.

“The healers don’t know. It’s the same thing that killed my father.” He shrugged his shoulders. “Uncle Blake knows more about it.”

All eyes turned to the other man who took a deep breath and began. “It is my belief that the king died from a complicated magical spell placed upon him by a powerful mage-adept named Lord Kipton, who works for Duke James. The spell is slow and insidious, made to look like a mysterious wasting disease so that no one will suspect its true nature of magic. Once triggered, it will eventually systematically kill each person in the direct bloodline to the throne. I took Tristan and ran here, hoping that King Jonathan would help me protect him until I can figure out how to unravel and reverse the spell and stop the duke.”

“My God,” Justin gasped in horror as the others just stared at Blake in horror at what they just heard.

It was then that Tim finally snapped. It all sounded far too familiar and he let out a strangled cry as he threw himself to his knees in front of his uncle. “Oh, God! Father!” he gasped out. “Th…there’s been so much going on, uncle Brian…wi…with Justin and that creature, but I…I have to tell you! Father is ill! He…he may be dying…and it’s…it’s just like this man is saying.”

Brian clasped his now sobbing nephew and pulled him to his chest, resting a cheek on the boy's chestnut hair that was so similar to his own, and his brother’s. He was at a loss for words, because even though he had suspected as much about his brother from his visions, to hear that it was true was overwhelming.

Blake’s hand flew to his mouth when he heard Tim’s news. He quickly moved over to Brian and the young Prince. “Your highness,” he laid a hand on Tim’s arm. “You must tell me all you know of your father’s illness! It’s imperative that I have every detail!”

Tim pulled out of Brian’s embrace and looked up to his uncle questioningly.

Brian peered at Blake. “You think this is connected, somehow? That my brother has fallen victim to the same spell as your king?”

Blake nodded solemnly. “I think it is very possible.”

Brian lifted up Tim’s chin with one finger. “Tell us everything, son, and try not to leave out any detail.”

Tim nodded bravely and told of receiving the message from Maynor of the king’s death and how a few weeks later the king had collapsed after dinner one night. Blake’s heart sank as he heard how similar King Jonathan’s symptoms were to Gabriel and Tristan’s. “Tell me,” Blake asked when Tim was done speaking. “Was there anything in that message from Duke James besides a letter?”

Tim looked thoughtful. “Well, yes, there was. The Duke sent a most beautiful gift. It was…”

Tim did not need to finish because both Blake and Brian did it for him. “A ruby brooch,” they both said at once, and then stared at each other in shock and horror.

 

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