Chapter 51

This chapter has been copied from the original and may contain typos and grammatical errors.

~*~

Liam stretched his arm out while laying in bed, feeling for Anwyn . He turned and noticed she wasn’t where he thought she should be, so he opened his eyes to see her silhouette sitting on the edge of the bed.

“What’s bothering you?” he asked. He thought of the countless nights he had sat up in bed reliving the agony he had been through at the mercy of the King, and she had helped calm him and call his mind to reason. She was always so strong for him, he was ready to return the favor if need be.

“We shouldn't have done that.” she whispered.

Liam drew his eyebrows together. “Done what?” he asked.

“That. It.” she empathised.

“Anwyn, we’ve been married for 18 years, I think we can talk candidly about our love life.” he chuckled a bit.

“We shouldn’t have done it. What if I get pregnant? We can’t have a baby now, while we’re on the road. And if I did bear a child, what would we do? We can’t spare the time to go all the way back to the coast to get on a boat, sail the week to get to the Islands, and then hope we’re not arrested and detained when we get there. It’s just not... We shouldn’t have done that.” she said.

Liam got up from the bed, exhaled, and walked over to her side of the bed. The floor squeaked with every shift of his weight as he walked, and the floor gave a particular shudder as he sat down on the bed. It was the cheapest two rooms they could rent until they heard from Montoya, so they didn’t expect anything less.

“Annie, I’m sorry. We should have thought of that before we got ahead of ourselves, but we hadn’t, and now we know that we won’t again. Not until we get home and are safe. And we don’t have to worry about our neighbors hearing our… activities.” he said it quietly, not wanting to possibly bother whoever shared the walls anymore than they already had, but it was said with a smirk.

Anwyn took his hands in hers and looked into his eyes. “But what if it’s already too late? There was one time- I got lucky once, in not bearing a child, but I don’t know if that luck will work this time.”

She had never breathed a word of her and Romeo’s affair to anyone before. She desperately didn’t want Liam to pull on that thread, to leave it alone and think of the looming possibility of pregnancy instead of her infidelity.

She felt his hands go still and heard his breathing go shallow. “Weh-” he started. “We’ll handle that if it happens. I promise.” in the dark, he squeezed her hands and kissed the top of her head. He picked up his feet and rolled to the other side of the bed, crawling back under the covers.

Anwyn breathed a sigh of relief, shaking from the chill and from her nerves. She nestled into the sheets as well, closing her eyes to the decrepit room.

“Annie,” Liam’s voice came very gently, and without anger. “When did you want to miss a pregnancy?”

She bit her chapped lip. “Before I knew you were alive. I never loved anyone else after that, it hurt too much.” she whispered.

“I love you.” he said, as he pulled her closer. “I will never not love you.”

“Through this life to the next,” she said, closing her eyes and worrying a bit less.

~*~

Seneca opened his eyes to the relentless sight of the greenhouse. He always woke up in the same spot. The air was a comfy warm with a noticeable humidity, but it felt like a breath of summer air, or stepping into a well watered greenhouse.

Swinging his legs out of the bed, he noticed he was wearing different clothes than he normally wore. Since he had started growing facial hair, he had always worn the same clothes, so a change was nice. The jacket was a fashionable grey with odd glittering fibers at the bottom. It reminded him of the dress that Gloria wore that was threaded through with glittering silver, and he wondered if she was here or if the equipment prohibited it.

Oddly, he was almost happy to be back here if only for the temperature. He liked the different seasons that his portion of the world had, but the settling cold was always a shock. The warmth here was… delightful.

It was quiet, as it always was. He started to walk around the area, seeing the unchanging rocks, trees, and flowers. If he picked one of the flowers now, it would be fully regrown and identical the next time he was here. He picked a flower just in case he saw Gloria.

Why? he thought to himself. Why do I want to give her a flower?

His pause of self reflection was interrupted by the playing of an instrument, and he felt a mix of emotions. On one hand, he had been looking forward to having the space all to himself, but he was also overwhelmingly happy that Gloria had found her box and could play more music. He hadn’t heard anything as beautiful as it in the three years since he had seen her last.

First she played the individual strings, seeing if they were in tune, then she started to produce more melodic notes. They were sad, played in long phrases, as if mourning something long lost.

He followed the sound and blushed. The bodice of her dress was practically sheer with only embroidery to cover her. He quickly turned his back.

She laughed, finished the song, ending on a bright note, and setting the instrument down.

“What is it now?” she pondered.

“Your dress, it’s most immodest.”

“And the last one wasn’t? I had a bare waist the last time and a much deeper neckline. At least this time I have sleeves so you won’t see my scandalous arms!” she teased. “Truly, though, I am fully clothed, you don’t need to worry about seeing something you shouldn’t.”

Seneca turned around, trying to keep his eyes up and not let them drift. He looked at the ground instead.

“What was that song you were playing? I haven’t heard anything like it.” he asked.

“It’s called ‘Hymn to the Sea’. I learned it back on the Islands; it’s a requiem for all the refugees who don’t make it to the Islands.” Gloria explained.

“It’s beautiful. I hope you get back there one day.” he said honestly. “You have no part in this, none of this is your fault. It’s a pity you have to bear the weight of a crime you haven’t committed. But one day, when we’re in control of the capitol, you’ll be able to go home.”

He looked her over. “You don’t have the bracelet and necklace here. Do you know if you can do magic?”

“I had noticed that too, but I haven’t tried.” she took a breath. “Do you want to see me light something on fire?” she asked.

“You can do that?” Seneca’s eyes grew wide.

“Yes.” she smiled. “Those weren’t empty threats when I said I would burn you all to the ground, I can start fires. It’s rather easy for me, actually.”

“Then yes!” he was a bit more giddy than he should have been at the thought of spontaneous fire, but he wasn’t worried about what emotions he was showing now.

Gloria held out her hand and rolled her wrist. Sparks fizzed and a few yards away a fire blazed to life.

“That’s amazing! I’ve heard some witches can light candles with concentration, but a blazing fire, that’s real skill!” he marveled.

“I can teleport, clean messes, and a handful of other things. I have a few spells that can sway the moods of people too.” she looked at him from the corner of her eye.

Seneca held his stomach. He wasn’t always sick when he dreamt, but every so often shooting pains would emanate from his stomach.

Gloria flinched as he did. “What’s wrong with you?” she asked, concerned.

“It’s nothing, it’ll pass in a moment.” he waved her off, breathing as some color drained from his face. Another wave of pain came and Gloria recoiled as well.

“Let me help you,” she offered. She held up her hand to charm him, and after a few motions he felt a warm fuzz come over him and he felt better.

“What did you do?” he asked her, incredulous that she had helped him.

“I gave you a healing charm. It’ll aid in fixing what ails you, though I don’t know what’s wrong.” her brows knit together.

“I remember once, years ago, you did the same thing. But no matter what you do now, you still don’t want to see me in the morning.” he said

“Why, are you a monster? Do you grow huge wings and a beak and screech like a monkey?” she asked.

Seneca laid down on the ground, looking up at the swirling sky. “No,” he exhaled. “I’m ill every morning after I dream of this place. I become nauseous, fevered, I can’t hold any food down, and it hurts to move. It lasts most of the day, and no one thought that I was telling the truth for years. Now I know that you’re real, and somehow that makes me feel like my illness is real too.”

Gloria looked down at him for a moment, then joined him. “I feel like Henry would believe you.” she said.

“Henry would believe anything. He once believed me that I had tamed a goose for his birthday because I told him I had.” he chuckled.

“You lied to him? That’s not very nice. He was probably hurt.” Gloria said, sympathising.

“Yeah, but you should have seen his face.” he grinned. Gloria looked over at him with a disapproving look. “But yeah- that was probably a mean thing to do.”

“So you’ve really gotten to know Henry, haven’t you?” he continued.

“We get along ok. He reads very well, and his choice in books is good, but he doesn't talk much. He doesn’t ask many questions-”

“Unlike you-” Seneca cut in.

She rolled her eyes. “He’s nice company, and that’s nice to have when there aren’t many people around, but I can’t say he’s the most intriguing person I’ve ever met.”

They gazed up at the sky for a few breaths, relaxed.

“Who would you say is the most intriguing person you’ve met?” he asked passively.

She thought for a minute, and he could hear her shoulder brush against the ground as she shrugged. “That’s a tough question.” she said. “I’ve met so many interesting people, very few of them are dull. Everyone on the Islands has a story, a life, a culture. I suppose Midshore is one of the most intriguing people I’ve met, but I’ve known her since I was small. I think she was there when I was born.’ she added. “There are so many different types of people at the islands, but when Blake came, I felt he was different. He was smart, kind, desperate to change who he had been.”

She rolled her head over to face him. “But I’ve got to say, the most intriguing person I’ve met is you. The mystery boy.”

Seneca felt like he was starting to wake up and the world started to fade away as he lifted his hand to reach for hers. He woke up to the cold room of the cabin, letting out a whimper of agony. He had almost been there. Almost been close enough to feel wanted.

~*~

Gloria paced outside on the landing, trying to make up her mind. She couldn’t help Seneca if she had the equipment on, but the queen had been clear that she was to never take it off. But then, who was to know if she did?

She heard a groan from inside the room and that made up her mind. She walked down the stairs and saw Henry sleeping on the bench. Swiftly walking over to him, she nudged his shoulder. “Henry, Henry, I need your help.”

He opened his eyes groggily. “Gloria, what time is it?” he asked.

“Shortly after dawn. Henry, I need you to take the equipment off of me.” she said directly.

He eyed her suspiciously. “The queen specifically said not to do that. Why all of the sudden do you want it off?”

“I can help Seneca. But I can’t do it with this on.” she gestured to the bracelet. “I need it to come off.”

He narrowed his eyes further. “You can help Seneca? No one can help Seneca. He’s always like this.”

“I can.” she said through gritted teeth. “Now please, help me take it off. I promise not to burn the house to the ground.”

He took her hand in his and gently took off the bracelet and attached rings, and then untied the complicated knot on the back of her neck where the necklace was secured. She rolled her head, enjoying the feeling of not having the leather and metal on her neck, and then walked up the stairs. She knocked on the door, then turned the knob.

The mass in the bed that shifted slightly. “I don’t need anything, Henry. Please, Leave me alone.” he choked on the last word.

Gloria walked around to him without hesitation, muttering to herself as she did, conjuring sparks. “Silly boy, I’m a bit more refreshing than a glass of water in this matter.”

She swirled her hands, forming light, and casting the light over him.

His short, shuddering breaths were traded for deep, relaxed ones. He smiled for a moment, then sat up in the bed.

“Why did you do that?” he asked. “You didn’t have to.”

“I don’t like seeing people in pain.” she said. “We’ll have breakfast soon.”

She turned her head as she left the room, afraid that if she said anymore she would say something else. She felt his relief, his reserved gratitude. His admiration.

Ah! Another chapter! The day before Halloween, was there enough magic for you? No? Me either, I want more!

There will be much more.