Chapter 17

PART 3

Talia may have wished to walk, but Alilia had no such patience. Without even a hummed note, she Translocated them all to Yazadril’s clearing of contemplation, where they appeared on the grass about two meters in front of Markee.

Who yelled and fell backward off the log as his hands slapped onto his face.

“Markee! What’s wrong?” Yazadril asked in confusion as he and Hilsith rushed to the boy’s side.

“You startled the life out of me! And that light! It’s blinding! It’s like looking into the sun!” Markee complained.

He sat up with a hand across his eyes, and looked at Yazadril through a slit between two fingers. “I’ll be okay as soon as the spots are gone from in front of my eyes. As long as I don’t look over there.” he said as he pointed to the rest of the group.

“Does it hurt? Did the light cause your eyes to feel physical pain?” Hilsith asked.

“No, it’s just too bright to look at!” Markee reported. “What is it?”

“Ah. I imagine that Alilia is the source of much of the light.” Yazadril told him. “You see my power as a glow, but over half of my people have more raw power than I, while Nemia, Talia and Theramin are our strongest wizards. And as I told you, Alilia is exceptional in that regard.”

“Alilia, is it possible to hold less power, or to limit its… its leakage, for want of a better term?” Hilsith asked as she rejoined the group.

“No, and no.” Alilia said, and snorted. “Leakage. That term would be very humorous, in any other circumstance. But perhaps there is something I can do. There. Does that help you, young man?”

“No, sorry.”

“Ah. And now?”

“Yes, that worked, though the rest of you are almost painfully bright as well.” Markee told her as he cautiously removed his hand from his eyes and looked toward the group. And gaped.

“I’m curious as to what you did just now.” Yazadril said to Alilia.

“You are always curious.” Alilia stated, and actually showed a small smile. “First I cast Battle Shield, a blocking spell. It forms a sphere about me that protects me from magical attack. When that didn’t work, I reversed its effect, preventing my leakage, as you put it, from escaping beyond it.”

“Brilliant!” Yazadril smiled.

“Perhaps not. It seems to be having a mesmerizing effect on your young human.” Alilia pointed out.

“What?” Yazadril said as he turned back to Markee, who was staring at the group with his mouth open. “Markee? Are you all right?”

“What? Oh, yes, I’m fine.” Markee stated, as he continued staring.

“It is not Alilia’s inverted shield that is mesmerizing him.” Hilsith giggled.

“No.” Markee said as he tore his eyes away from the group. “It’s… Ah, how can I say this courteously? I mean… Are all the ladies of your people this beautiful? For if they are, I’ll never be able to concentrate on learning anything!”

Even with all the other emotions that Alilia, Nemia and Hilsith were feeling, Markee’s obviously unfeigned and deeply affected admiration for their beauty touched their feminine hearts. All three could not help but smile a little, even Alilia, and Nemia and Hilsith actually blushed a bit!

“Are they all so beautiful?” Theramin mused as he suppressed a grin. “Yes, my boy, they truly are.”

“Thank you Markee, you are truly kind.” Nemia said as her smile grew a bit. “As are you, Theramin.”

Talia had been hiding behind her mother and Dilimon; unable to face the man she now felt to be her master. She chose this moment to shyly step into view, her arms by her sides, her head bowed. After a long moment she found the courage to meet his gaze.

Markee’s jaw had dropped in amazement. His eyes were wide, and shining a bit with moisture, as if whatever he was feeling was so powerful it had almost moved him to tears.

Yazadril looked to Talia, who was staring back at Markee with an indescribable expression. There was a gentle breeze blowing, and it was having the designed effect on her garment.

“I knew it.” Talia murmured. “The poor boy finds me repulsive.”

“What? No!” Markee protested. “I mean… You’re… I never thought I would ever see anything so beautiful in my life! You are so pretty and… enticing… I…”

He suddenly became aware that he was staring, and dropped his eyes. “Please… Please forgive my rudeness. I was… caught by surprise, that’s all.” he stammered as he rose from the ground and sat back down on the log. He squinted as he looked at the group. “You know, the rest of you are still painfully bright, especially with you all standing in a bunch like that. Could I ask you to all move away from each other a bit?”

They complied with his request.

“Thanks. Yazadril, I really wish you’d given me a chance to get cleaned up before you brought me visitors.”

“I’m sorry about that, Markee, but… there have been… developments.” Yazadril hesitantly told him as he moved around the log to stand between the young man and the group, and to one side. He had to swallow hard before he could continue. “They are difficult to speak of. It will be easier, and more informative for you, if I simply show you what has happened.

“But first, introductions. Markee, this is…”

“Excuse me Yazadril.” The young man said as he stood.

His full stature was so imposing that Hilsith and Nemia both stepped back a bit. The young man sadly shook his head at this, then continued, looking to the ancient elf as he did.

“I’ve thought a lot about what you said, about taking responsibility as an adult now. My name’s really not Markee. I was named after my father, and since we have the same name, everyone called me Markee. It’s a child’s nickname, and I guess it’s time I stopped being a child.”

He turned to the waiting group. “I am Markhan Reginus Longstrider, of Shinosa Valley, an invested Ranger of the Northern Forests, and a loyal subject of King Wittan of Finitra.” And with that he executed as courtly a bow as Yazadril had ever seen performed in the palaces of the great empires, sinking gracefully to his left knee as his right arm swept out and across to finish with his head bowed and his right palm over his heart. He held the pose for a short moment, then smoothly rose as he stated: “I am entirely at your service.”

He allowed himself a tiny, smug smile at their surprise at this performance.

“I have made a horrible mistake.” Alilia stated calmly. Though she maintained control of her expression, tears gathered at the corners of her eyes.

“Yes. Ah, be that as it may…” Yazadril stammered, and shook his head a bit while he regained his mental balance. “So, would you prefer we call you Markhan, or Master Longstrider?”

“Master…” Talia murmured, and shuddered as she stared.

The confused young man glanced back and forth between Alilia and Talia, both of whom were looking at him with peculiar intensity. “There’s something very strange going on here, isn’t there?” he asked as he turned back to Yazadril, his brows knitting a bit.

“Yes there is, but we’ll get to that in a moment.” Yazadril nodded. “So, in answer to my question? Shall we call you Markhan?”

“No, that will always be my father’s name, not mine. I think I’d like you to call me Mark. That’s what they call my grandfather, I’m told, and he has the same name.”

“Ah. Mark.” Yazadril nodded. “So you are actually Markhan Reginus Longstrider the Third?”

“The Fifth, actually, if you choose to word it that way.” Mark said. “My grandfather’s grandfather was the first of that name, and now it’s a family tradition for every firstborn son.”

“Ah. Well, you have already met Theramin, senior horticultural wizard of the High People, and Dilimon, Second Captain of our Sentry Corps. This is Hilsith, a Healer of great renown who comes to us from the northern elves of The Warm People.”

“Pleased to meet you.” Mark said as he gave her a polite bow.

“And I you.” Hilsith replied with a small smile as she returned the bow.

“This is the Princess Alilia of the People of Life, of whom I’ve spoken.” Yazadril continued.