THE DARK QUEEN
The Magician - Book Three
by Jennifer Lyon (Jenni10647@AOL.com) and
Suzanne Bickerstaffe (Ecksphile@AOL.com)
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See the Prologue for detailed Disclaimer and Author's note. The X- Files
belongs to Chris Carter, the Realm, all of the other characters, and the
remainder of this story are solely our own invention, copyright 1996.
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Chapter Seven
They rode in companionable silence. Dressed in her warrior
green, Scully was a constant, earthy presence by his side. Mulder
didn't need to reach out physically or even psychically to feel her,
she was with him, of him, by him, always entwined with his own
sense of self. Shannon followed a bare horse's length behind them,
sitting tall and straight on her horse, her bright amber eyes wide
with excitement. Mulder turned his head to smile at her, enjoying
the girl's simple pleasure in exploring new places, seeing in her an
echo of himself.
Shannon grinned at her blue-cloaked guardian, then let her
eyes wander again to the heavy walls of foliage lining the hardened
earth of the road. The Realm had not discovered the joys of tar-
based pavement; instead constant use aided by careful application of
magic served to create common pathways between settlements. This
one was broad enough to allow two wagons to pass side-by-side,
though in hot midday sun, it was presently empty except for the
three travelers and their packhorse.
The four animals' hooves beat a steady rhythm on the
brown earth as they followed the road through a dense forest, the
trees stretching high above them to form a green arch above their
heads. The center of that arch was open sky, the burning solar orb
centered in a cloudless blue sea. Here and there a sound would filter
out of the dense growth, color flashing at the edges of their vision,
creatures darting from tree-limb to tree-limb, or leaping across the
road to vanish into the heavy underbrush on the other side.
The air itself was filled with exotic scents, some faintly
familiar, reminiscent of lilac and rose, others tempting in their
strangeness. Mulder was struck again by the sense of skewed
recognition, for there he could see what he would have sworn was an
oak, yet at a second glance he saw purplish, gourd-shaped fruit
hanging in small clusters surrounded by the classic-shaped oak
leaves. He shook his head, smiling to himself, then turned his
attention back to his companions.
"Anyone for a round of 'A Hundred Bottles of Beer on the
Wall'?"
"NO!" Both women shouted in unison, then broke out into
warm-hearted laughter when Mulder's mobile features settled into a
boyish pout.
But the day wore on long, and even a quick stop in the
village of Waterush for food and other necessities didn't lessen the
boredom of spending long hours astride a horse. A short game of
"identify the creature" helped for a while, as did a few of Mulder's
not-too-exaggerated X-File stories. Shannon was fascinated by their
work, but while the Realm had made a serious dent in her disbelief,
she still carried a skeptical streak that made Scully proud. Each time
the girl challenged Mulder's conclusions, Scully would amusedly
arch her eyebrow at her partner. He would gravely shake his head,
then spin out yet another tale.
Finally, by the time Shannon thought that if she had to
spend another instant on the horse, her legs would be permanently
bent outwards, they arrived in the small fishing village of
Coldshores. The lake shimmered in the falling dusk, the setting sun
blazing orange-red flame in the western sky. The pungent smell of
fresh fish dominated the air. Hurrying to process the day's catch
from the lake, the villagers gave little notice to the three weary
travelers.
"There," Scully pointed out the sign of the inn with open
relief. Shaped like a fish on a pole, the loose wooden flap wavered in
the breeze, the New Realm symbol for hospitality forming its eye.
"Clever," Mulder commented wryly as they dismounted
from their horses, all emitting soft-throated groans of pain as sore
muscles set to complaining vigorously. It took a moment for the
innkeeper to realize he had guests, but once he did, they were
whisked inside, their horses turned over to a pair of grubby youths.
Hoisting their saddle packs over their shoulders, Mulder,
Scully, and Shannon followed the energetic, human innkeeper
inside. Like most Realm institutions of this sort, it was dark and
crowded, tables and chairs scattered apparently at random in the
large room, a thick bar-style counter lining one wall. A couple of
windows threw some light on the scene, the rest of the dull glare
provided by thin Mage-lights spaced erratically along the walls and
the broad fireplace.
"Geera, Geera, hurry woman!" the innkeeper shouted. "We
have guests." The stumpy man turned, his narrow eyes taking a
closer look at the newcomers, and his mouth widened into a big "o."
//I think the dollar signs just went off,\\ Mulder mind-spoke
to Scully. She agreed silently, then dropped her pack onto a nearby
stool and came to stand at Mulder's side, leaving her hands free. A
quick glance at Shannon urged the girl to do the same, so that when
a portly, gray-haired woman, who had to be Geera, came bustling
out of the kitchen accompanied by the stomach-wrenching stench of
frying fish, the three travelers were spaced shoulder-to-shoulder.
Coming up beside her fidgety husband, Geera took in their
appearance. Her eyes quickly dismissed the two female soldiers for
the tall, handsome Mage-cloaked man in the middle, and she
abruptly swept into an exaggerated bow. Shannon had to strangle a
giggle as it appeared for a moment that the woman had bent over so
far that she would topple to the floor at Mulder's feet, but somehow
she righted herself, breaking into effusive welcome.
"Welcome to our humble establishment, oh mighty Mage,"
she gushed. Turning to her husband, she issued a rapid-fire set of
instructions, then yelled a few more into the backroom. "See that
their horses are well-cared for, Hyrtan. You know how lazy those
two sons of yours can be. Go on now! And tell Golla on your way
out to start preparing hot water for our guests. I'm sure his Mageness
will want to take a bath."
Now Mulder and Scully were both having a hard time
holding back their own laughter, but they knew a hard bargaining
session was upcoming, and they needed to retain dignity for at least
long enough not to get swindled. In response to more shouting from
the excited Geera, a pair of younger copies of her came running out
from the kitchen, sweat pouring down their round faces.
"There you are, girls. See to the rooms upstairs at once.
You are lucky today, honorable Mage, for our best room is vacant.
And there is even another empty room connected to it for your
guards to use."
//Mulder....\\ Scully briskly forestalled any humorous
comment from her bondmate, though she could see the bright
twinkle of amusement in his hazel eyes. She stared firmly at Geera
as the two maidens scurried up the small staircase, throwing back
glances and giggles in Mulder's direction.
"How much for the night, with supper and breakfast
included?" Scully asked.
Geera paused for a second, her brown eyes focusing on
Mulder's finely woven blue cape and the jeweled hilts of the swords
all three carried. A quick note of the brilliant sapphire framed in
gold on Mulder's right ring-finger, and she drew herself upright.
//Here it comes...\\ Mulder told Scully.
"Eight silvers and six irons." Geera gazed firmly up at
Scully, who made a show of shaking her head.
"Four silvers and three irons," Scully said slowly, her eyes
making a casual circuit of the dusty room.
Geera stepped back, as though horrified at the offer. "How
can you insult us so? This is the finest inn in this part of the Realm.
Why my special fish stew is worth that much alone." She gazed
appealingly up at Mulder. "Surely, you understand our worth, oh
powerful one."
Mulder almost choked, trying to hold back the laughter.
Letting Scully feel the strength of his amusement, he forced his face
into a stern expression, glowering down impassively at the
expansive innkeeper.
Beside him, Scully folded her arms together, waiting with
impatience. Geera looked from one to the other, then sighed
dramatically. "Ahhh, for such special guests, we can perhaps make
an arrangement. Say, seven silvers and five irons."
Scully rapidly shot back, "Five silvers and three irons.
Baths included."
"Ahh, how can you expect us to support ourselves at such
rates? Why, I have three daughters who must be married. Nay, we
cannot take less than six silvers..."
"And three irons," Scully broke in.
Geera tossed her hands up in the air, as though appealing
to the Gods for assistance, but Scully forestalled any more
bargaining, by proffering the coins. Geera took one look, reached
out a grimy hand and swept them up into her voluminous apron
pocket. Once the payment had exchanged hands, she was all
business, her pockmarked face grinning with pleasure. Scully could
have argued her further down, with ease, which left the innkeeper
feeling as though she had won a battle.
Moments later, the three weary travelers found themselves
settled into a suite of rooms. Spare of furnishings and decoration,
the rooms were surprisingly clean. The floor and walls were made of
paneled wood, holding the fresh sheen of recent cleansing. The
furniture was simple and made of mismatched tones of wood. A
large bed, the mattress draped with gray-toned, carefully mended
linen, dominated the larger space, while the smaller one held two
spare cots. An upright wardrobe, a square table and hard-backed
chair took up the rest of the bigger chamber, one tiny glass-paned
window set high in the wall above the headboard of the bed. With
darkness falling outside, the only light was provided by a series of
candles set in iron-cast holders in the corners of each room. Mulder
quickly accented the light, tossing up a glowing blue ball of Mage-
light to float a few inches below the ceiling.
The sight of that luminous globe startled one of the serving
girls as she carried in a handful of towels and a pitcher of water.
Gasping, she nearly spilled the water, bobbing her head gratefully
when Shannon retrieved the droplet-stained porcelain pitcher from
her hands. Backing out the door, she then turned and fled down the
stairs, leaving Mulder chuckling as he sprawled out on the bed.
//Show-off!\\ Scully scolded him lightly, as she unpacked
the few belongings she had carried upstairs with them. Shannon
wandered into the second room, dumped her pack, then came back
and plopped herself beside Mulder on the huge mattress.
"I suppose I have to sleep in the other room," she
complained, rubbing at the sore muscles of her thighs.
"Yes, you've got it all to yourself," Scully told her firmly,
though with a gentle smile. Shannon groaned, but didn't argue.
Instead, she sat up and watched the petite woman move efficiently
around the room.
"I don't suppose you've got anything for cramped muscles,
do you?"
Scully smiled openly this time. "Yes, but it'll be more
effective after your bath. Actually, soaking in the tub is the best cure
anyway." Shannon couldn't help agreeing, still massaging the
painful muscles as she watched the rest of their belongings being
ported in by the same pair of boys who had taken charge of their
horses. They were quickly followed by yet a third teenage girl, a
slender, female version of her brothers, who shyly announced the
bath was ready, even as her wide brown eyes soaked up every
element of the newcomers' appearance.
"I'm first!" Shannon announced, practically grabbing the
girl by the arm and pushing her out into the hallway. Mulder and
Scully exchanged smiles as they heard the echo of girlish
conversation flowing away down the hall.
- - - - -
All three felt remarkably better after a bath and change of
clothing, and they relocated down to the public bar in search of the
promised dinner. This time they found the main room bustling with
activity. Most of the tables were taken up by a large party of green-
skinned trolls garbed in bright colors, an eye-catching, stomach-
churning mix of reds, greens, blues and yellows. A few humans
were scattered amongst the trolls, clustered together at the corner of
the bar or seated in twos or threes at small tables. The trolls filled
the room with a strident chatter, punctuated by the gulps and burps
that signified their level of satisfaction with the fare. Trolls
considered good food one of the greatest joys of life, and the more
pleased they were, the more noise they made when they ate. By the
level of the din this particular evening, it appeared that Geera's
claims for her stew might not be so exaggerated.
As they passed a food-preoccupied cluster of trolls, Scully's
eyes widened. //They've got even worse clothes sense than you,\\ she
teased Mulder.
//Haha,\\ he retorted. //Very funny.\\ He eyed a particularly
offensive combination of yellow, purple and orange worn by a
massive male troll and winced. //My ties were never that bad!\\
Scully followed his eyes, then let her gaze roll away.
//Perhaps not quite THAT bad,\\ she admitted, as they settled into
their seats at an empty table set off in a corner.
"Cut it out!" Shannon told them with affected irritation.
"What?" Scully looked at her with confusion.
"The silent talking," Shannon said. Mulder leaned forward
across the table, fixing her with his keen hazel gaze.
"You can hear us?" he asked.
"No." Shannon shook her head, her recently washed hair
spilling down her back in an ebony waterfall. "But I recognize the
looks on your faces when you private-talk. It's like you're focused
inside yourselves rather than on what's around you."
"Is it that obvious?" Scully sighed.
"Not really," Shannon grinned. "I doubt anyone who didn't
know you both well would notice."
"Well, that's a relief," Scully replied, ruefully returning the
smile. "And I'm sorry, we'll try to do it less while you're with us."
"Actually, it's okay," Shannon said. "I was just teasing. But
it does get annoying sometimes to feel like I'm only getting half of
the conversation."
"We'll do our best to make sure you get it all," Mulder told
her seriously, though his eyes twinkled with green highlights.
"Well," he shot a quick look at Scully, "at least MOST of it!"
Scully didn't bother with a psychic comment, she silently
toed him under the table. Mulder shifted abruptly in his chair,
giving her a wounded look, and both women chuckled at him.
Further comment was forestalled by the arrival of one of the
harried waitresses with three foaming glasses of the Realm's version
of beer. Shannon lifted hers gingerly, eyeing it with distaste while
Mulder threw back a large gulp of his.
Scully grinned over the top of her at Shannon. "I don't like
it much either, but at least the alcohol kills off anything that could
make you sick in the local water. I have herbs I can use to make the
water safer, but we're better off drinking this stuff tonight and
saving those for tomorrow on the trip."
"Come on, Scully. This stuff is pretty good. Maybe not
quite as good as the old English ales I drank in Oxford, but it'll do in
a pinch." Mulder chugged down about half his glass and sat back
with a satisfied look on his face. Shannon threw him a disgusted
look and sipped lightly at the foam of hers, lips pursed in a moue of
distaste.
Scully took a moderate swallow of her own, then lifted an
amused eyebrow at her partner. "Better take it easy on that stuff,
Mulder. Don't forget what happened last time you drank it while we
were traveling."
Mulder grimaced at her. "That wasn't my fault. He hit me
while I was spell casting, and besides, I've got a lot more experience
now."
Shannon had been following this conversation closely, and
while another young servant bustled up to deposit a huge lump of
brown bread and a steaming pot of savory-smelling stew on the table
between them, she demanded an explanation. While Scully ladled
stew into their bowls, Mulder launched into the story of his first
abortive attempt at using magic to stop a brawl. By the time he had
finished, Shannon was laughing so hard tears streamed from her
eyes.
"Did he ever come down?"
Mulder nodded, swallowing a spoonful of the stew. Tearing
off a hunk of the bread, he answered with good humor. "Yeah, it
wore off slowly, luckily for him. When we came down in the
morning, he was lying flat on the floor passed out. He still glowed a
bit, but I'd assume that went away in a day or two."
Scully laughed between bites of bread. "Not that his
companions waited to find out. They got out of there at first sign of
dawn, all looking quite ill."
"Serves them right," Mulder commented firmly. His
expression darkened as he thought of the young elven maiden who
had been assaulted by the group of mercenaries. He had a fierce
protective streak when it came to young women, not that Scully
didn't share his hatred for anyone who hurt an innocent.
"Amen," she said, sending him a silent wave of love
through their bond. His entire body relaxed, the dark storm in his
eyes giving way to verdant good humor.
Shannon simply nodded, busily wolfing down the
surprisingly well-made stew. It had taken her a while to learn to like
the more simple Realm-style diet, and she still ached sometimes for
a Big Mac. However, there was nothing like an abundance of
exercise and sunshine to stimulate the appetite. Mulder and Scully
watched her with affection, then followed her sensible example.
When they were finished eating, they walked out of the
stifling, crowded inn and wandered down towards the lakeside. The
streets wound jaggedly between the closely-set dwellings, most
constructed of wood with straw-lined roofs. The pungent sap from a
Realm-common tree served as the plaster to keep moisture from
dripping through the roofs and between the side-planks, its odor
mixing with the ever-present smell of raw fish.
The lake itself was a dark sea beneath the moonlit sky, the
reflection of the bright orbs shimmering on faint waves of that sheer
surface. More than a dozen boats of various sizes and shapes floated
along the water's edge, moored to small docks and rocks with long
flaxen ropes. A small path wound along the docks, and the three
stepped along it carefully, enjoying the coolness of the night breeze
after the sultry heat of the day.
To light their way, Mulder resorted to one of his first-
learned spells. With a quick flick of his wrist, he tossed a small blue
globe of light up into the air to hover just above their heads. Scully
gave him a tender smile, leaning comfortably against the sinewy
strength of his arm. He closed his fingers over hers, clasping them
between his own and his forearm, pressing a soft kiss onto the top of
her coppery head.
Beside them, Shannon watched the luminous globe float
and roll above their heads, then turned to Mulder. "Do you think I
could learn how to do that?"
Mulder gazed fondly down at the girl, whose amber eyes
sparkled with intelligence and curiosity. "I think it's quite likely. If
we get time on the next leg of the trip, I'll start teaching you the
basics. It'll take a while before you're able to cast and control a spell,
though."
Shannon frowned with disappointment, then shrugged her
shoulders lightly, the clouds fleeing her expression as quickly as
they had come. Reaching up on tip-toe, she batted at the little blue
ball, laughing as it bounced around the edges of her outstretched
fingertips, bathing them in a pleasant warmth. Then she was off,
running ahead of Mulder and Scully, darting in and out across the
docks, happily absorbing her surroundings.
"Don't go too far," Mulder warned, getting a short wave of
acknowledgment in response. He sighed, then leaned his chin down
on Scully's head.
//She'll be all right,\\ Scully reassured him. //She's a lot
smarter and tougher than she looks. After all she's been through...\\
//Yeah,\\ Mulder replied thoughtfully. //I know. She's lost a
lot of that edge, though, in the past few months.\\
//You've done a wonderful job with her, you know...\\
Scully told him with affectionate sincerity.
His mind reacted with surprise, then a rush of both pleasure
and uncertainty. //I don't know. I'm hardly the best role model for
her.\\
//You're a better role model than you think. You're a lot
alike, Mulder, you and Shannon. You both had to grow up quickly.
And you both question everything, wonder about how the world
works, look past the surface to what lies beneath. She admires you
very much.\\
Mulder was vocally and mentally silent for a moment, his
quicksilver mind circling on itself. Finally, he opened to his
bondmate, letting her feel his mix of emotion, a sincere affection for
his young ward coming to the forefront. //She is special...she
reminds me so much of...\\
The name didn't need to be spoken between them, a single
image hovered simultaneously, instantly, in their minds - the solemn
face of a raven-haired little girl with bright hazel eyes.
//Yes,\\ Scully agreed, then added with typical
understanding of the man at her side, //Caring for Shannon doesn't
diminish your love for her, Mulder. We'll find her, someday. Maybe
we'll even get to bring her here.\\
//God, I hope so, Scully.\\ Mulder's reply was soft and
heartfelt, ringing between them with a lifetime's worth of devotion.
//I'll make it so.\\
- - - - -
Jhorgab found himself surrounded. The young troll stepped
back, then spun around to face yet another human youth whose face
was contorted with mocking rage. He had never seen such an
expression before, it was as though the laughter was twisted on
itself, skewed into something so devoid of humor that it became
colder than ice. A shiver shook his portly frame, and he turned
again, his long-fingered hands raised upwards in instinctive self-
defense.
Something struck hard in the middle of his back, and he
stumbled almost to his knees, then jerked up and around, only to get
hit again from another side. The boys' taunts surrounded him, and
each dash in one direction was aborted as another stepped into his
path, pushing him back again into the center of the square.
"Let me go!" he yelled, only to receive another blow, this
time striking the sensitive spot behind his large, knobby ear.
"AAAANNNNGHHH!" he screamed, finally collapsing to
the hard, packed earth of the village road. Curling inward on
himself, he shuddered as several leather-booted feet kicked out at
him in a relentless assault.
"STOP!!!!" That fierce demand went unheard, until the
source came running out of the shadows of the side-street
brandishing a long silver-handled sword. Her long raven-black hair
flowing behind her in silken waves, Shannon aimed the point of her
weapon with deadly accuracy at the backside of the nearest boy. He
screeched loudly as she punctured his skin, then withdrew, dancing
away before he could turn to see who had attacked.
She side-stepped in a quick, agile dance, holding the
sword-hilt in both hands, the blade held up before her. Her caramel-
colored eyes blazed like twin fires, shadowed by two heavy wings of
her hair. She snarled at the nearest boy, her long-limbed body held
poised for the attack. He took one look into her angry, determined
face, dropped his eyes to the shimmer of the sword, turned on his
heels and ran.
The others jeered at him as he disappeared, the tallest of
the remaining youths pumping up their courage with a flood of
insults. "Cowards! Frightened by a mere girl." Staring with open
lechery at Shannon, he walked brazenly towards her.
"Hey little girl. Why doncha put down the little sword and
come play with mine." Cupping his crotch, he boasted with a laugh,
"After all, it's bigger!"
His friends joined in his laughter, coming to face Shannon
in a small cluster, moving slowly towards her. She didn't back off an
inch, remained coldly balanced, rocking slightly from toe to heel.
They got closer, and she tilted her head to the side, an apparently
gentle smile curving her lips.
"You really wanna play?" she teased.
The lead youth laughed louder at her words, his own smile
broadening, though his gray eyes never wavered, never lightened.
Shannon drew the sword off to her side, and he instantly began to
pounce...only to find the point of that silvery blade pressed tightly
against his throat. Shannon flicked her wrist and he gasped, a small
trickle of blood forming beneath his chin. The other boys paused,
uncertain, waiting for some sign or signal of how to react.
Shannon gave it to them, her eyes, body, and sword
unmoving, she whispered with total confidence. "Try to touch me
again and I'll carve you into little pieces, starting with that 'sword'
you're so proud of. Got it?"
The tall youth swallowed hard, then froze as the motion
made the sword-point burrow deeper into his skin. But Shannon
easily read the answer in his eyes, and before he could react further,
she had spun away. His hand fled upwards to press into the tiny
wound, then he turned and pushed his stunned companions away.
They hardly needed encouragement, and in less than a few breaths,
they were long gone.
Shannon watched warily for a few moments, then she
sheathed her sword and hurried over to the troll huddled on the
ground. Just as she was reaching out to him, voices followed
footsteps, crying her name.
"Shannon!"
"Here!" she yelled. Mulder burst into the small crossroads,
his long blue cloak flapping around his ankles. His aura blazed
around him, disturbed by his anxiety, casting a luminous blue glare
over the entire scene, punctuated by the bobbing azure ball that
hovered a few inches above his head. He came to a quick stop beside
her, then turned to put out a hand towards Scully who came running
up behind him.
Scully clasped her hand over Mulder's forearm, then settled
gracefully to her knees next to Shannon, never losing her
momentum. Her fingers traced along the back of Mulder's hand
before reaching out to reassure the terrified young troll.
"It's all right," she soothed, following up her words with the
soft mental chime of a healing chant, one designed to offer comfort
and psychic ease. It took effect quickly, the bright youngster
recognizing that these three people meant him no harm. The dark-
haired fury had, after all, saved his life. Leaning into the support his
savior offered, he studied her two companions with wide-spaced
yellow eyes. The blue-cloaked man was standing above the flame-
haired woman, watching with intense concentration, his eyes
flickering from shadow to shadow, watching for any further sign of
trouble. Dark tendrils of hair fell against his flat human brow, his
thin human mouth pursed tight. While the troll could barely see the
aura that must blaze around him, that long deep azure cloak spoke
for it, declaring the unseen power borne within.
The woman at his feet was dressed in warrior green, but he
could already sense her healing talent. That combination startled
him, and he fastened his eyes on her face, a bushy green eyebrow
rising upwards beneath the heavy thrusting bone of his forehead.
The expression was so comical that Shannon giggled, then caught
herself, clamping her hand over her mouth and pretending to cough,
as Scully shot her a restraining look.
Jhorgab's attention, however, was fixated on the copper-
haired woman and her male companion. Surely, it couldn't be, and
yet - it had to be! He didn't understand, for the pair of legend had
left the Realm season-cycles ago, following the end of the Great
War, disappearing as mysteriously and suddenly as they had arrived.
But who else could they be? For here was the fiery-haired woman
with the double aura and the man of such power that even a troll's
insensitive eyes could see the blaze of his aura lighting the darkness
like a soft blue flame.
The young troll's mouth opened in a wide "O," baring
double rows of thick, broad teeth, his eyebrows sinking helplessly
beneath the prominent brow-ridge. The expression of mixed shock
and wonderment was read as panic by Scully and she reached out to
reassure him.
"It's all right. We mean you no harm. I'm a healer. With
your permission, I can see to your wounds."
Jhorgab simply stared at her speechless. He clamped his
mouth shut when he belatedly realized it was gaping open, then
worked his tongue over his teeth in a desperate attempt to form
sensible words. "I....I...you...." He gazed from one concerned face to
another, ending up eye to eye with an obviously amused Shannon.
She winked broadly at him, and the dam finally broke.
"Thank you kindly, Warrior-Healer, but I am not seriously
harmed. I am shamed to say that I was more frightened than hurt,
thanks indeed to this fine lady-warrior." He nodded gravely at
Shannon, though he never stopped babbling for a second. "It was
quite foolish of me to wander out on my own. Krolgar is always
scolding me for doing such things, it is just that I get so curious
about all I see. This is my first trip out of my home and I have seen
so many wondrous things. Though none as wondrous as you,
Travelers. I apologize for not greeting you properly at once, but I
had not known that you had returned to the Realm. We have been on
the road for so long that news is sometimes slow catching up with
us. Krolgar was supposed to bring a Mage with us, but they are few
among our people, compared to yours, and ours could not be spared
from the responsibilities at home. So we have had to do without,
which is a terrible shame, I must say..."
All three humans were staring at him with stunned
expressions on their faces, and he choked himself off in mid-
sentence, giving them a sheepish look.
//I'd forgotten how talkative trolls are,\\ Mulder told Scully,
his features relaxing into a smile as the young troll managed to turn
even greener with embarrassment.
"I'm sorry," Jhorgab said. "Even Krolgar says I talk too
much. But personally I think he talks far more than me..."
"That's okay," Shannon broke in. She grinned at him. "I'd
guess you're feeling better?"
Jhorgab shyly nodded his head, then tried to sit up.
Scully gently restrained him for a moment, closing her eyes
in concentration as she took a more thorough check of his injuries.
A few bruises, some of which might be sore the next day, but she
was able to speed the healing process along. It took only a few
minutes and a spare expenditure of psychic energy, and she was
satisfied. His own body's natural processes would do the rest quite
well on it's own, for he was young and healthy. Letting go, she got
to her feet beside Mulder. He reached out to support her, and when
she leaned happily against him, it was less from exhaustion than
from the simple pleasure of being close to him.
Shannon helped the young troll to his feet, then stood
looking down at him from her superior height. "I'm Shannon," she
said.
"Ahhh, my apologies dear lady," Jhorgab said expansively.
He bowed towards, groaning softly as he did so, but managing to
come upright again without too much trouble. "My name is Jhorgab
H'arlgrath K'hogrok, of the northern Yyrthwup - which you call The
Black Forest. I am here on a trading mission with my Uncle Krolgar
H'ourketh K'algrath."
"Nice to meet you...ummm. Jhorgab H'alg
ummm...Korgrak," Mulder spoke up before the young troll got
rolling again, stumbling quickly over the heavy-consonants. "My
name is Fox Mulder, and this is Dana Scully."
Jhorgab gave them each a sweeping bow, as best his thick
barrel-like frame could manage. Giving them a toothy smile, he
responded with excitement. "Ahh, yes. Mage Mulder. I have heard
much about you. The tales are told every year on the anniversary of
the great victory. I was only a wren-troll at the time, barely old
enough to comprehend, but many of my relatives fought in The
Battle. I have heard their stories many many times. I can recite them
all by memory," he boasted hopefully.
"Perhaps, another time," Scully said politely, "but now I
think it would be wise to return to the inn. It is your uncle's caravan
that is staying in the Shoreside Inn?"
"Why yes," Jhorgab bobbed his head at her. "And you are
staying there as well?" At their nods, he managed to widen his
already large grin. "Ahh, such is good fortune for us. I must
introduce you to my Uncle before we leave for the South tomorrow."
As the troll began to speak, Shannon gave him a nudge,
and all four began to walk back down towards the docks. Mulder fell
in step behind the other three, Scully and Shannon walking on
either side of the gesticulating young troll.
"South?" Shannon yelled out, as it seemed the only way to
get Jhorgab's attention. The troll responded easily, as though she
had done no more than talk softly in his broad, flat ear. "Why yes,
we are going to through Jinderling to Fairwood Glens to trade with
the elves in the Spring Market Fair, and then on to Yellowfork and
Dreegan." He gazed at Shannon with barely concealed delight.
"Could it be, My Lady, that you, too, are traveling along our path?"
At Shannon's look of horror, Scully couldn't help laughing,
a light musical chuckle that was echoed in her mind by Mulder's
silent amusement. "Yes, it does appear we are headed in the same
direction, at least as far as Dreegan."
//I know trolls can be annoying, but it might not be a bad
idea to try to hook up with the caravan. It will make us a lot less
conspicuous,\\ Mulder suggested to Scully while she spoke aloud.
Scully agreed, and continued without breaking stride, "...
since we are going the same way for quite a while, do you think your
uncle might be willing to let us travel with you?"
Jhorgab bounced with excitement. "I do not know...for
sure...but I think it is quite possible. Yes, yes, indeed. I will speak to
him this very night, if he is not too drunk, that is. He does so like
that human ale, so he drinks far too much of it whenever we stop for
a night. But I will speak to him most urgently, for I think it would
be a sign of great good fortune were the three of you to travel with
us. Ah yes, it would be most auspicious to have you with us. And I
do not see how Krolgar can object, since he has complained most
bitterly about the absence of our own Mage who could not travel
with us because a terrible storm had caused much damage that must
need be repaired. So Krolgar has been most annoyed with the lack of
a Mage to stand guard and to clear the road before us. He should be
quite pleased to have you accompany us, Mage Mulder, for you are
so much more powerful than any troll Mage I have ever seen."
Jhorgab finally stopped long enough to gasp for breath,
then he hurried on, bobbing his head at both women. "And he can
hardly complain of the addition of two such warriors." He gave
Shannon an awestruck look, "Why you, My Lady, are a sword-
fighter of such talent as I have never seen in my short life. And you,
Healer Scully, while we have our own healer, another is never
amiss. For one never can tell what might happen on such a long
journey. Ah yes, I will speak to Krolgar at once."
By the time Jhorgab had finished his speech, they had
arrived back at the inn. When they stepped inside, they were struck
by a loud din of off-key troll voices raised in song, accompanied by
the clatter of glasses against wooden table tops. The one or two
remaining humans were scurrying out the door, even as Mulder and
Scully entered, following Shannon and Jhorgab. The young troll
paused just inside the door, looked around, then shouted piercingly
over the horrendous noise into Shannon's ear.
"Well, perhaps the morning would be a better time."
End of Chapter Seven
THE DARK QUEEN
The Magician - Book Three
by Jennifer Lyon (Jenni10647@AOL.com) and
Suzanne Bickerstaffe (Ecksphile@AOL.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
See the Prologue for detailed Disclaimer and Author's note. The X- Files
belongs to Chris Carter, the Realm, all of the other characters, and the
remainder of this story are solely our own invention, copyright 1996.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Eight
The morning dawned bright and early. The hot sun
mercilessly burned away the fog rising from the lake, stirring the
townspeople into vigorous activity. The fisherman had left in the
pre-dawn, but there was much to do on the homefront. The previous
day's catch had to processed, dried and salted, or stored away in
magically-chilled boxes for shipment to other settlements. It had
been a late night for the three travelers, as the trolls had drunk and
sung raucously, late into the night. Mulder awoke to the jangling
sound of voices in the hall, feeling as though he had closed his eyes
only moments before.
Groaning, he rolled over, snuggling closer to Scully's
warm, soft body, burying his face in the perfume-scented tumble of
her auburn hair. Half-asleep, she muttered his name, turning to
wrap her arms around his waist. Her mouth caught the edge of his
jaw, then settled on the long arch of his neck. The promise of that
treat woke her even more than a jarring crash in the hallway outside
their door, and she began to lick and nibble at the taut skin.
Mulder moaned beneath her, the sound half a protest at
being woken from his sleep and half an encouragement. She ignored
his response, too busy devouring the sinewy expanse of muscle and
tendon that shifted beneath his satiny skin where his shoulder met
his neck. His arms tightened around her, and she felt his legs slide
across hers, bringing into the cradle of his thighs so that her belly
rested closely against his groin. The burgeoning hardness she felt
there made her own groin tingle with anticipation, and she began to
run her fingertips up the length of his spine.
//Good morning,\\ he whispered into her mind, the simple
concept flowing on a wave of love and appreciation.
//Mmmmm,\\ was all she sent back, sighing aloud as he
returned her caresses, sliding one hand between their bodies to tease
the rosy crest of her breast.
A sudden sharp banging on the door was a too-short
prelude to its flying open to admit a bouncing Jhorgab, his yellow
eyes flashing with exhilaration.
"Mage Mulder, Healer Scully, Lady Shannon!!" he shouted,
bouncing up and down in the open doorway, only to stop short when
he took in the appearance of the Mage and the healer. Wrapping the
sheets around her, Scully turned to face him, still clasped in her
lover's arms. Her sapphire eyes glared at him with surprise and
obvious irritation through a tangle of burnished red hair. The young
troll's eyes fled in embarrassment from her face, only to focus with
bemusement on the exceedingly long expanse of Mulder's legs,
stretched out bare on the mattress. He'd known humans had
unusually spindly limbs, but these seemed remarkably thin and far
too lengthy even for a human. How could the Mage possibly balance
on them? Yet the Mage had appeared to move with extreme grace
the night before.
Magic! Jhorgab seized on the answer with great self-
satisfaction. It had to be magic which allowed Mulder to balance on
such improperly-sized legs. The little troll grinned.
"What is it?" Scully demanded, seizing his attention away
from his thoughts.
Jhorgab's yellow eyes flew back to her face, and he bobbed
his head apologetically at her. "Ummm, so sorry to disturb you
Healer. Mage. But I was able to talk to Krolgar this morning and he
is willing to speak with you. The dawn is past, and there is much
trading to be done. So you must hurry and come now."
//That was surprisingly short,\\ Mulder commented dryly to
Scully. She threw him a sharp glance, then nodded formally at
Jhorgab, somehow managing to keep her dignity intact.
"Thank you, Jhorgab. Please tell your uncle that we will
join him shortly."
"Yes, Lady Healer. I will go tell him at once. He will await
you in the dining room...."
"That's good, Jhorgab. We'll see you soon." Mulder spoke
definitively, cutting the troll's speech short. One glance at the
Mage's set face and he decided a quick retreat was the better part of
valor. Nearly leaping backwards, Jhorgab yanked the door shut
behind him and scurried on down the hall.
Mulder leaned back against the pillows with a sigh of
frustration, rubbing at his eyes. //So much for our morning in bed.\\
His lower lip thrust outwards as he favored her with a look of
disappointment.
Scully chuckled at him, reaching down to stroke the dark
locks of hair resting across his brow. //Guess we'll just have to make
up for it later.\\ She gave him a dimpled smile which made her eyes
glitter like sapphires, then dropped the sheet and stretched out
languorously, yawning, extending both hands up towards the
ceiling. His eyes snapped to her, focusing hard, then he slowly sat
up to face her, reaching out to entwine his fingers with hers.
//Do that again and you can forget later...\\ he growled into
her mind, his thoughts awash with the liquid heat of his desire and
appreciation. Her mouth curving in a slower, closed smile, she
leaned in to him so that their mouths were almost touching,
tightening her fingers around his. The hardened tips of her breasts
rubbed against his chest, stirring the passion pouring between their
minds and bodies.
//Oh...yeah...\\ she murmured back, tasting the air from his
lungs on her tongue, her eyes pinning his, and she began to rub
against him.
//Mmmhhhhuhhh\\ He gave up trying to form words,
especially since they had never been that necessary between them.
His photographic memory had a catalogue of images that he was
more than ready to share, anxious to reproduce, augmented by the
vividness of his imagination.
Their lips touched, the rings on their fingers flashed blue
and green fire, and then...
"HEY, who was at the door..." Shannon stepped through
the connecting door, rubbing at her eyes, then lowered her hands
and stared. Her mouth fell open, and her hand flew up to cover it,
attempting hopelessly to mask her giggles, while Mulder and Scully
fell into a tangle amidst the sheets. Scully buried her face in
Mulder's chest, her skin burning with embarrassment while Mulder
swore vehemently into her mind.
//DAMN IT!!! Can't we get ANY privacy around here?\\
- - - - -
A quick half-candlemark later, the three humans went
downstairs to find the Inn's main room turned into trading center.
The trolls' wares were spread out on nearly every free surface,
glittering jewelry and painted wooden tools sharing space with
bundles of fine fabrics. Only the bar was free of merchandise, its
scarred surface burdened instead with nourishment for the troll
traders and their clients. Snagging a piece of fruit as she passed by,
Shannon followed Mulder's tall figure as he pushed his way through
the busy crowd, searching for Jhorgab's portly figure.
"MAGE MULDER!!!" A piercing shout rose above the
clatter, drawing Mulder's keen gaze towards the far corner. Jhorgab
must have been standing on a chair or a table, as his thick-skulled
head and broad torso appeared above the heads of his companions,
his large hands waving frantically in mid-air. When he realized he
had their attention, he grinned, urging them towards him with rapid
gestures.
Placing his hand on the small of Scully's back, Mulder
guided her before him, Shannon slipping through the crowds easily
in their wake. As they broke through to Jhorgab, the young troll
hopped down and hurried over to take Mulder's arm. "This way, this
way," he chattered at them.
Krolgar rose when his nephew approached him with the
three strangers, a slender, blue-cloaked human male towering over
the small troll. Two human women followed, one with hair the color
of the setting sun and warm-toned skin, the other dark-haired, olive-
skinned. Krolgar bowed politely to the tall man, studying him
intensely as he returned the greeting with easy grace. Despite the
blue cloak, there did not appear to be anything so remarkable about
this man. While Krolgar had fought in the great battle, he himself
had never had the opportunity to meet the Great Mage or his life-
bondmate. But he had seen the effects of Mage Mulder's power, as
had everyone else in the Last Battle, and he found it hard to square
that extraordinary display with the ordinary-looking man facing
him.
Jhorgab was excitedly urging the youthful-appearing Mage
and his female companions into chairs, and Krolgar continued to
study him. Despite a gangly appearance, with elongated arms and
legs, Mulder moved with agility and grace, settling into his seat
with a spare economy of motion. Krolgar knew human standards of
beauty well enough to know that this face with its high flat forehead
and arching cheekbones, the bones standing in strong relief beneath
the fair skin, would be considered attractive, if not beautiful. But it
was the eyes, which met Krolgar's intent yellow regard with calm
assurance, that won some opening measure of respect. Piercing
emerald glints within a sea of brown spoke of both intelligence and
humor, qualities the troll merchant was pleased to find.
"Thank you for seeing us this morning," Mulder said
gravely. "I know this is a busy time."
"Ahhh, I'm always glad to be of service," Krolgar replied
with equal politeness. "Please join us in some tea and refreshments."
He gestured to Jhorgab who rushed to serve the steaming beverage,
placing the white-glazed mugs before Mulder first, then Scully and
Shannon, before his Uncle and finally himself. Only when all five
had taken sips of the potent brew did conversation resume.
"Jhorgab tells us that you are going south to Fairwood
Glens to trade with the elves," Mulder said, grasping his cup with
one hand, while he rested the other negligently on the table top. "We
are also headed there ourselves, to speak with Prince Mavor about
certain personal business. Since we are both traveling to the same
place, at the same time, we thought it might be worthwhile to travel
together. We would be glad of the company, and I think we could,
perhaps, be of some service to you."
Krolgar gazed at him solemnly. "Perhaps so," he said
grudgingly. Actually, if this man was indeed a proper Mage,
whether he was the powerful one he claimed to be or not, they were
in great need of his services. The trip ahead was long, and fraught
with dangers, and the experienced merchant had been deeply uneasy
about proceeding without a magician's help. Even so, he was
suspicious of the man's claim to be whom he said he was. Certainly,
he wore the Blue with confidence, and the woman at his side had
some resemblance to the fabled Warrior-Healer, but it wasn't enough
to convince Krolgar that they were who they said they were.
Jhorgab drew in a deep breath, sensing his uncle's
reluctance. Krolgar was by nature highly conservative and
suspicious, and the youngster had had a difficult time getting his
Uncle to accept that these humans might be who Jhorgab was
convinced they were. "Uncle..." he began, but Krolgar shut him off
with a sharp glance. "I can certainly use an extra pair of guards," he
said doubtfully, looking from Scully to Shannon as though uncertain
that two small human females could be of much use, then he focused
his bright yellow eyes back on Mulder's face. "And a Mage would be
useful on the journey." He tapped his five-inch fingers together,
considering. "We would, of course, be expected to feed and shelter
you in return for your assistance."
Mulder agreed. "Yes, though we do have our own horses
and bedding, as well as some basic supplies, including our own
weapons."
"Good," Krolgar replied. He paused, then his eyes
narrowed, his tufty green eyebrows colliding above his flat nose. "I
would like some assurance as to your ability before making any
agreement, however."
Jhorgab gasped and Shannon sat up straight in her chair,
her entire body stiffening. But Mulder simply leaned back in his
chair and inclined his head at the cautious merchant. "Of course,"
he said, casually lifting his cup to take another sip of his tea. "How
would like to proceed?"
"Can't you just read his aura?" Shannon asked, her voice
edged with irritation at the slight to her beloved guardian.
Jhorgab leaped in to answer her, shaking his large head
vigorously. "No, no, dear Lady. I am afraid that we trolls have only
limited sensitivity to auras unlike the elves and some humans and
gargoyles. It is a shame, indeed, but we see only the faintest echo..."
"Yes, well," Krolgar interrupted his nephew with an air of
fond irritation. "I am sure the village Reader will be willing to
confirm your aura for us." He glanced sharply at Mulder, who again
nodded with calm assurance.
"Good, then as soon as we have that assurance, we can talk
further about the details of our arrangement. We plan to leave at
dawn on the morrow, if that is satisfactory for you?"
"Very," Mulder agreed.
"Good," Krolgar said again, getting ponderously to his feet.
He was massive, even for a troll, his barrel-shaped torso wider than
the trunk of an oak tree. "I will send the innkeeper for the village
Reader, in the meantime, you are welcome to stay and eat." Bowing
to them with solemn politeness, he lumbered across the room to
accost the harried innkeeper behind the bar counter, the crowd
splitting before him.
"I apologize deeply for my Uncle's doubts, Mage Mulder,"
Jhorgab said frantically as soon as Krolgar was out of earshot. He
gestured widely. "He does not know the tales as well as I do, and
though he fought in the Great Battle, he never was honored to see
you or Healer Scully at the time. He does not mean any deliberate
offense..."
"It's all right, Jhorgab," Scully spoke up for the first time,
having let Mulder do the talking, since most of the burden of the
arrangement with the troll merchant would fall upon his shoulders.
Her smile was genuine as she looked to the anxious young troll.
"He has every right to assure himself that we can deliver
what we promise. And the village Reader will have no trouble
seeing Mulder's aura. We had not realized that trolls had difficulty
in reading them."
Jhorgab bobbed his head sadly. "Ahhh, yes. It is so. Elves
have always been by far the best at seeing such things. I believe that
the ability varies widely among both the gargoyles and humans such
as yourself..." he paused to let them nod agreement with him, then
continued. "But among my people, the talent is quite rare. I have
some slight touch of it, which is why I can see just the faintest tinge
of your aura, Mage Mulder." He spread his hands wide, shaking his
head. "Such is as it must be. Once the Reader has confirmed you,
Mage, then my Uncle will be satisfied. He is simply cautious by
nature."
"Not a bad thing to be," Scully replied warmly. "Do you
think he will want to read Shannon and myself as well?"
Jhorgab shook his head. "No, I do not think there is need. It
is a Mage we need most desperately, and which must be verified."
"Then if you don't mind, I'm going to go out to the stables
and check on our horses. Mine seemed to be limping slightly when
we came in yesterday and I want to make sure it wasn't serious."
//Turning veterinarian?\\ Mulder teased fondly.
//Certainly, unless you like the idea of riding double the rest
of the way.\\
//I wouldn't mind,\\ he replied with an arched eyebrow. She
grinned and gave him the mental equivalent of kick in the shin. He
winced and she laughed. "Behave yourself, Mulder," she said aloud,
getting up from her seat.
"Don't worry," Shannon answered, winking at her. "I'll
keep an eye on him for you."
Mulder tossed a cloth napkin at her, though he couldn't
help chuckling as he did so. Scully tousled his hair affectionately,
then turned and slipped away easily, her petite figure disappearing
quickly from view. When she was out of his sight, Mulder felt his
stomach turn over, his entire body tensing.
"Is something wrong?" Jhorgab asked as he saw the Mage's
verdant eyes turn black.
Mulder glanced up sharply, then forced himself to relax.
"No," he answered, frowning, "No, it's nothing." He managed a
slight smile, which appeased the troll, but did not satisfy Shannon.
She gazed intently at him, and he gave her a barely perceptible
shake of his head.
"I'm fine," he reassured her. She cocked her head at him,
not fully believing him, but already he was turning to watch Krolgar
pushing his way back towards their table.
- - - - -
Five pairs of eyes watched as the lovely, auburn haired
woman knelt beside the large dun-colored horse, her small, yet
capable hands massaging the animal's right foreleg. Her blue eyes
were shuttered in concentration, her body swaying slightly to an
internal rhythm as she worked. She did not respond as they moved
closer, shifting among the shadows of the old barn, signaling each
other with smirks and winks, carefully hiding their mocking
laughter behind dirty hands.
Their self-appointed ringleader eyed his intended prey with
gluttonous eyes, for he had been deprived of the previous evening's
fun by a dark-haired fury, the thought of which only fed the fire of
the rage boiling in his gut. Neither he nor any of his comrades
thought twice of what they were about to do. Like many of the
Realm's youth, their immature minds were easily turned to hatred
and self-satisfaction by the malaise that had spread like a cancer
throughout the land in the past few weeks.
The only thought that ran in circles through their heads
was the desire of the moment, to take what they saw in front of them
with no regard for law or consequences. And so they converged
upon their unknowing victim, her clever mind so focused on the task
at hand, that she saw nothing, heard nothing, until they were
already upon her.
- - - - -
Shannon was chatting happily with Jhorgab when Krolgar
returned, trailed by a plump, tiny matron, dressed in a elaborately-
embroidered yellow tunic and red leggings. The sharp points of
elven ears poked up amidst a mane of platinum curls, and her bright
green eyes were clear and steady. Jhorgab and Shannon's
conversation broke off quickly as they approached, both staring up
with open curiosity at the newcomer.
Krolgar offered her a seat with great politeness, then
pointed to Mulder with a beringed, elongated forefinger.
"This is the one, Reader Murtha." She nodded and gazed
openly at the blue-cloaked man who was relaxing in his chair, his
face coolly inexpressive. Without sitting up straight, Mulder
inclined his head towards her in acknowledgment, then abruptly,
like the sun breaking through the clouds, he smiled.
"What would you like me to do, Reader?" he asked, his
warm voice rich with barely restrained good humor. Murtha smiled
in return, pleased to find herself reading someone who did not seem
discomfited by the process. Most people, no matter how confident of
who they were, could not help being nervous when being Read by an
expert. But she could already sense that this man was not disturbed
by the process at all.
Glancing around her, she found a blank wall that while not
completely white, was at least a dull, unremarkable shade of gray.
Turning back to Mulder, she asked him politely to go stand against
it. The corners of his mouth uplifted with amusement, he did as she
requested. She followed him over, standing dwarfed in front of him,
the top of her head barely reaching his belly button. Closing her
eyes, she took a moment to still her mind and focus her senses, then
instructed him to relax his shields.
Mulder nodded, leaning his back against the wall and
letting his own eyes shut as he made a quick, well-practiced mental
shift. It took no more than a second for him to release the tight
barriers he had learned to hold around the power that ran through
his veins like electricity through a powerline, and he could feel it
surge outwards, swirling against his controls like a wild creature,
desperate for its freedom.
Murtha 'felt' that release, and the sense of power almost
overwhelmed her even before she opened her eyes. The moment she
did so, she cried out, throwing up an arm to shade her eyes. The
Blue glow that surrounded this man was so strong it dazzled her
eyes, burned its way into her mind, leaving a thousand sparks to
flutter across the insides of her clamped eyelids. Gasping, she
stumbled to her knees, sobbing out, "Shield, shield, you must
shield!"
But before Mulder could reign in the force that raged
around him, coating his figure with a glorious blue flame, a
wrenching scream shattered into every inch of his mind and soul.
//MULDER!\\
//SCULLY!\\ he cried, both verbally and psychically, his
entire body shaking with panic. He felt every measure of her
experience, the sudden break in concentration, a sharp stab of pain
and surprise, followed by a jolt of fear and anger. Then there was
silence, an emptiness where the vivid presence of her mind should
be, the other half of his soul turning cold with her abrupt absence.
"SCULLY!" he yelled again, and then he was running,
physically throwing people out of the way as he blindly flew towards
his last sense of his bondmate's presence.
"Mulder!" Shannon called after him, even as she broke into
a run, forcing her way into the space left by his passing, leaping
over people and objects that had fallen to the ground in his wake.
The trolls were slower to follow, Krolgar stopping to give the shaken
elf a hand up before dragging her after the rampaging Mage.
- - - - -
Mulder broke out into the yard, swung to his left, and ran
towards the stables, his mind awash with horror. Whatever had
happened to Scully had been too quick for him to catch more than a
glimpse of it, and the empty silence at the end of their life-bond
terrified him more than anything else could ever have done. She was
still alive, that much he knew, and he held to that precious
understanding like a drowning man clinging to a piece of driftwood.
Without her life itself would lose all meaning, and the pain
of that loss would be more than he could tolerate and remain sane.
Even the possibility of it made his stomach tie up in knots, the
cramp in his belly almost doubling him over in agony as he ran
towards the last image he had received from her mind before it had
been torn away in a sudden flash of pain. His breath burned his
lungs, his skin leached blue sparks, the air around him glittering as
though filled with a thousand tiny blue fireflies.
"Scully, Scully, Scully...." he moaned her name over and
over, as he dashed across the few small yards between the Inn and
its stable. At last, he broke through the wide, wooden doors which
led to the musty smelling stables, the air thick with the scent of
animal sweat and manure. His eyes darkened to pure ebony, the
storm in them echoed in the air, the daylight fleeing before a roiling
mass of clouds that burst upon the sky above, showering the yard
behind him with buckets of ice-cold rain.
He stood framed in the doorway, poised on the balls of his
feet, his form and features framed with azure brilliance, forcing all
who followed to hide their eyes. Lightning flashed, striking the
ground a spare inch behind his feet with a deafening roll of thunder,
and then he moved again, bolting swiftly into the shelter of the barn.
The crash of thunder forced the five youths to pause in their
assault upon their unconscious victim, all turning to face the
avenger who leaped upon them with hardly a second's notice.
Mulder's cry was torn from his lips, a sound barely human, the
intensity of his rage boiling the very blood in his veins. His hands
closed on the nearest boy with hands made powerful by emotion and
magic, tossing the hapless thug several feet in the air, before
reaching for the next. The remaining three scattered away from him,
but were halted in their tracks by a single command, their legs
frozen in a swirl of blue fire that wound first around their ankles,
then coursed up across their entire bodies, imprisoning them in a
cage of threaded flame.
Another sharp word sliced the air, accentuated by a violent
clap of thunder from the raging storm outside, and all five were
lifted up into the air and gathered together into a tight bundle of
terrified humanity. Cowering in abject terror they shielded their eyes
from the fury that faced them, Mulder's tall, slender form framed by
a shimmering column of white and blue light.
As he reached his hands towards the roof of the barn, his
velvet voice flowed outward in a hypnotic, driving rhythm. Behind
him, Shannon, the trolls, and the elven Reader stopped short in the
doorway, eyes shielded behind upraised arms, clothes and hair
soaked through from the torrential rain. "Mulder!" Shannon tried to
call out, but he was beyond hearing, beyond anything but wreaking
vengeance for the pain inflicted on his beloved one.
And so he chanted, the clatter of rain, the crash of thunder,
the rush of the air itself providing harmony to the demands of his
call. He weaved the very elements themselves into his spell,
wrapping himself in power so intense that the earth itself shook
beneath his feet. His voice rose, louder, rasping against the edge of
his physical limits, until with one last hoarse exclamation, he
gestured with hands coated in strands of pure energy, lightning bolts
lancing from his fingertips to strike the trapped five boys in rapid
succession.
Their voices clamored in shrieks of terror and agony, as the
light surrounding them intensified to the point that none of the
onlookers could do more than cover their eyes and turn away. The
sounds erupted into high-pitched screams, then with one last clap of
thunder, were silenced. Huddled in the doorway, shaking with cold,
Shannon, Murtha, Krolgar and Jhorgab waited for a seeming
eternity before daring to lift their heads.
Shannon was the first to open her dazed eyes, bolting to her
feet when she realized that the storm had abated as quickly as it had
arose, leaving clear daylight to filter down upon the sea of mud that
moments before been a neatly tended courtyard. Turning to stare
into the barn, she saw Mulder bent on his knees beside a still form
on the hay-covered floor, and with a sob, she raced to his side.
"Scully?" she gasped as she fell to her knees beside the
now-spent Mage.
"She's alive," Mulder breathed the words through a raw
throat and parched lips, his powerful hands now tender as they
stroked the red strands of hair away from his bondmate's face. He
lifted her up across his lap, cradling her head against his chest.
"She's alive..." he whispered again, tears streaking
unnoticed down his cheeks. His eyes fell on the rips in her clothing
and the bruises forming along her jaw and temple, and his
expression darkened yet again. The sky darkened in response, and
Shannon reached instantly, anxiously to soothe him down.
"We'd better get her inside and call a healer," she told him
breathlessly, praying he had calmed down enough to listen. She
didn't know what exactly had just happened, but she knew she did
not want it repeated.
But Mulder, as grief-stricken as he was, heard the calm
sense in her words, and nodded without turning to look at her.
Taking Scully up into his arms, he got to his feet and turned towards
the door. Bearing his precious burden, he walked unheeding past the
trolls, across the yard, and into the Inn. Not a soul dared stand in his
way, all scurrying out of his path.
Shannon followed quickly, leaving Murtha and the two
trolls to stare into the barn with shocked eyes. The horses were all
grouped into the far corner, neighing with terror, sweat dripping
from their hides, as they jockeyed for position as far away from the
center of the barn as possible. The three onlookers felt their own
sweat mingle with the water drenching their clothes as their dilated
eyes focused belatedly on the only other living inhabitants of the
barn.
In the space held only seconds before by five young men
were five large waterhogs, squealing in panic as they circled each
other, their round pink snouts nosing helplessly at the crumpled
remnants of clothing laying tattered beneath their hooves.
- - - - -
The town meeting room was crammed from wall
to wall with people, humans squeezed next to elves, mixed with a
strong contingent of the visiting trolls. Most sat uncomfortably on
the hard wooden stools, while others remained standing, pressed up
against the walls and crammed into the tight corners. The air was
hot and heavy with more than the press of bodies, tempers were
raised, voices shouting one over another until they were
indistinguishable from the general clamor. Here and there a word
would rise above the others, one following senselessly behind
another in a raging tumult.
Scully leaned against Mulder's shoulder, feeling his own
exhaustion as heavily as she felt her own. The troll healer had done
a fine job of easing her bruises and curing her headache, though she
knew she'd have a painful lump on the side of her head for at least a
couple days. Still, it was nothing she couldn't handle. The worst
hadn't been her own injuries, it had been Mulder's awakened horror
at nearly losing her.
They had come closer than this to losing each other before,
but each time it happened, the agony of the possible loss seemed to
increase. As the bond between them strengthened, the possibility of
separation, injury or death became a more potent threat. Try as he
might, Mulder had been unable to hide from her the terror of those
moments when he had felt her cry for help, then had found her
laying senseless on the barn floor. She still didn't have full
comprehension for what he had done then, perhaps because it was
hardly clear in his own mind, but she knew it had been terrible for
him.
And the consequences were clear. The parents of the five
boys who had assaulted her were up in arms over the bespelling of
their precious sons into waterhogs, which had soon precipitated the
present chaotic situation. Scully sighed, wishing desperately that she
and Mulder could be curled up in their bed, any bed, asleep in each
other's arms, rather than seated on those hard, backless stools
listening to people scream insults at one another.
Mulder shifted on his stool, his arms tightening around her
shoulder. She nestled her head against his chest, reaching up to
twine her fingers with his. He nuzzled the top of her head, his
gratitude for her presence, warm and alive against him, bathed her
mind in a soft glow, and she responded with an unconditional flow
of love and reassurance.
//I'm all right,\\ she told him yet again, not begrudging him
the need to hear it. If it had been the other way around...no...she
shied away from that thought, unable to bear even the possibility of
it.
//I love you,\\ he told her, perhaps for the dozenth time
since she had woken in their bed that afternoon.
//I love you, too,\\ she replied, squeezing, then releasing his
fingers. The village council was desperately trying to regain control
of the meaning, and she turned her attention to the gray-haired elder
as he pounded on the table.
"SILENCE!!!" The elder's gravely voice demanded respect,
and finally won it. With a few last grumbling comments thrown out
from scattered corners of the room, a heavy quiet descended on the
room. When the last voice had stilled, leaving only the sounds of a
hundred lungs drawing air, the elder stood up straight and spoke
slowly and clearly.
"All who wish to speak may do so, but singly and without
disturbance. The next person to shout out of turn will be removed
from this assembly, is that clear?"
There were a few grumbles amidst a muttering swell of
approval, but the elder's steel gaze was unrelenting as he swept the
room. When he was satisfied he was understood by all present, he
nodded and waved his hand at an unkempt woman standing by the
edge of the dais. "All right Ubeena, you may speak now."
"About time," she muttered, before turning to shout out at
the group. "This is an outrage. My boy has been bespelled against
his will by a power-mad Mage. My Gort was an innocent youth,
barely in his teens, he would never hurt anyone. I DEMAND that he
be returned to himself and that the one responsible for this outrage
be punished!"
Nodding in satisfaction at her own words, she plopped back
down onto her stool, amidst a groundswell of murmurs. The Elder
stood again, his firm stance silencing the noise before it broke out
into shouts again, then he waved at a man standing in the center of
the room.
"Ubeena may be able to fool herself about her son's
character, but anyone with any sense knows full well that these
'boys' have been nothing but trouble to all decent citizens. Barely a
week before this, they assaulted my little girl while she was taking
medicine to her aunt. If her cousin had not been nearby, who knows
what they might have done to her? They have terrorized all of the
younger children, and caused trouble with many visitors to this
village. Now they have attacked a healer during her trance, a very
serious crime. They could have killed her, or worse, left her mind
trapped within the animal she was attempting to heal. It is time we
stopped making allowances for them. The Mage was well within his
rights to protect the life of his life-bondmate. No man would have
done differently. Personally, I find the chosen punishment both fair
and sensible. Since the boys act like animals, let them live like
animals."
"Liar!" Ubeena was on her feet, screaming at the top of her
very capable lungs. "You are jealous because my Gort is a strong
young man, and you can only father weaklings."
"That's enough!" the elder shouted, but another of the
parents was on his feet shouting out his rage. "How dare you insult
my Fehrek that way! He was a good boy! Make the evil Mage pay
for what has been done to him."
"Fehrek was a spoiled brat, who needed a good thrashing
instead of being doted on by a fool like you, Fergan," someone jeered
from the back of the room.
"SILENCE!!!" The elder shouted again, but this time no
one listened to him. The argument exploded, fists being raised in
anger, until a clear, bell-like voice rang out above it all.
"That is enough! Stop this at once." The crowd parted,
shouts dying off in mid-air to allow the tiny figure of Murtha to
walk through to the dais. Two men hurried forward to help her up to
the center of the platform, then stood back as she straightened her
tunic, then turned to face the waiting crowd.
"This kind of behavior is unacceptable. We are acting like
fools, ruled by whims rather than good sense. There is not a person
in this room, even you, Ubeena, who does not know, truly, that these
boys were great trouble for the village." Murtha silenced Ubeena
with a fiery emerald glance, forcing the woman to sit back down on
her stool, glowering helplessly as the little elf continued to speak.
"This is not the first time they have deliberately caused
injury to others, and they should have been held accountable long
before this. We should never have allowed it to reach the point that
they felt they could attack a healer with impunity. And we should be
gratefully that Healer Scully was no more hurt than she was.
Nonetheless, this is a serious crime, and should be dealt with
severely. It is a shame that Mage Mulder had to act as he did, but I
can find no fault with his choice of punishment. In fact, these boys
and their families should be grateful that he chose to let them live at
all, for it would have been well within his rights to take their lives in
payment for the injuries done to his life-bondmate. Few men, and
even fewer Mages would have shown such mercy. If I were you,
Ubeena, I would get down on your knees and thank the Goddess for
helping the Mage show such restraint."
The elf turned towards Mulder and Scully, listening
intently to her, Scully still nestled into Mulder's arms. "I apologize
Mage Mulder and Healer Scully for this shameful occurrence. I
assure you it will not happen again." Her emerald eyes traveled
firmly across the room, stopping to blaze at each parent, silencing
their protests without a word being spoken. With quiet dignity, she
hopped down from the platform and walked back to her seat.
There was silence for a moment, then Ubeena finally
whined, "But what about my boy?"
"Let him stay as he is for a while. Goddess knows it's an
improvement in his appearance, at least," another voice ridiculed
from the center of the crowd.
Laughter broke out widely, breaking the tension in the
room. The elder pounded for quiet again, though he, too, could not
help smiling at the quip. When most of the mirth had quieted off,
Mulder relaxed his hold on Scully and stood up, signaling the elder
that he wanted to speak.
The elder nodded at him.
"Thank you," Mulder told him politely, pausing to choose
his words with care. "It would be senseless to blame the entire
village for the actions of five boys, but if you knew they were a
danger, then you should have acted sooner to restrain them from
causing harm. For that I do hold you all responsible. Healer Scully
could have been killed or seriously injured if I had not been able to
get to her in time, and I will not apologize for my actions towards
these young men. They are old enough to know what they did was
wrong. The spell I put on them should wear off within in a moon-
cycle. However, if I ever hear that they have hurt another innocent
person again, I promise you, I will return, and this time the spell
will be permanent. I leave it to you to decide how to handle them
once the spell has run its course."
Bowing to the elder, Mulder sat back down on his stool.
Scully took his hand in hers, sending him a wave of support and
approval thought their bond. There were nods of approval
throughout the room, spotted here and there with frowns, mostly
from relatives of the five youths. The elder bent his gray head to
whisper with the other members of the council, then he stood up tall
on the dais.
"It is the decision of this council that the punishment meted
out by Mage Mulder for the assault upon Healer Scully is acceptable
and just. Gort, Fehrek, Lorgan, Kiplin, and Bavin will remain in
their transformed state until the spell wears off naturally. Hopefully,
by that time they will have learned their lesson. In the meantime, on
behalf of the entire village, we offer Healer Scully our apologies and
sincere well wishes."
"Thank you," Scully said softly, just glad that the entire
event seemed to coming to a close. Her head was beginning to ache
again, and all she wanted was the warmth of her bed. As if in
answer to her unspoken wishes, the elder pounded once more on the
table and declared the meeting closed.
Mulder gathered her up wrapping his arm around her, and
guided her through the rows of stools, pressed in on every side by
the mass of beings all attempting to leave at once. Just as they
stepped out gratefully into the fresh night air, a cold whisper
sounded in her ear, and then was gone.
"You'll pay for this..."
- - - - -
By the time Mulder, Scully and Shannon had returned from
the town meeting, Krolgar had most of the caravan packed and
ready to go. Mulder's display that morning had been more than
convincing, it had, indeed, been truly frightening. But the troll
merchant had a solid head on his massive shoulders, and it did not
take much thinking to recognize just how much use a Mage of such
power could be. If, Goddess forbid, they ran into bandits or other
dangers, Mulder's wild talent could be the difference between life
and death. So even though Krolgar's skin blanched a pale chartreuse
at the thought of suffering through another Mage storm such as the
one he had just witnessed, he was not willing to give up the
additional safety Mulder's presence would obviously provide.
Therefore, when Mulder and the two women returned to the
Inn, they found the troll merchant waiting for them, wringing his
hands in distress, yet overflowing with well-wishes.
"I am so glad that you are unhurt, Healer Scully, and also
that these foolish human villagers have come to their senses. To
allow younglings to behave in such a frightful manner, well, it is
most shocking. Most shocking."
"Thank you Krolgar," Scully said wearily. "Please tell
Gyruth that I very much appreciate his efforts to ease my wounds
today. He is a fine healer and I am quite grateful."
Krolgar smiled expansively. "Ahh, I will tell him so, and
he will be most delighted with praise from such a fine healer as
yourself. But then, you can also tell him yourself. For we will be
traveling together, will we not?"
Mulder gave him a surprised look. Although he had not
given it much thought, Mulder had simply assumed that after his
display of magical histrionics that morning, no sane person would
want him around for long. Excepting Scully and Shannon of course.
"Are you sure you want us with you?" he asked.
Krolgar bobbed his head. "Of course. There can be no doubt
of your ability, Mage Mulder." The troll's eyebrows climbed up
under his brow ridge as though accentuating the understatement. "I
see no reason for us not to proceed as planned. In fact, I had hoped
that, with your acceptance, we will leave here within the hour."
"Tonight? But why not wait until after we have a good
night's sleep?" Mulder eyed Scully with great concern, taking in the
paleness of her complexion and the heavy shadows beneath her
unusually dull eyes. More than anything else, he wanted to get her
into bed and hold her while she slept.
"Mulder," Scully spoke softly, unable to disguise her
weariness. "I'm afraid Krolgar may be right. I think we should leave
tonight."
"You're exhausted, Scully. You need rest," Mulder insisted.
"Mulder's right," Shannon seconded, looking at the older
woman with heartfelt concern. "You really need to get some sleep."
"She can sleep in one of our wagons," Krolgar offered. He
waved expansively. "You can all three do so, if you wish. We can
easily bring along your horses and supplies, so that you can ride
again once you have gotten some sleep. There is plenty of room, if
you do not mind resting upon bundles of cloth."
"Thank you, Krolgar," Scully told him. Seeing Mulder was
about to protest, she reached up to touch his lips gently. //Mulder, I
think it would be a good idea to leave here quickly. While most of
the villagers accept that you did the right thing this afternoon, there
are a few who are angry. Perhaps this is another symptom of the
general unease in the Realm, such as you saw in Fawnleaf, I don't
know. But I think we would be safer if we left here tonight.\\
//Are you sure?\\ Mulder questioned.
"Yes, I'm sure," Scully said aloud, trying to include
Shannon in the conversation. She turned to smile at the young girl.
"I think it would be safer if we left here as soon as possible. I can
sleep as well in one of the wagons as I could in any bed tonight.
Right now I'm so tired, I think I could sleep upright in the saddle."
"That will not be necessary, healer," Krolgar said
approvingly. He already liked this flame-haired woman. Despite the
attack on her, she had not once complained. Obviously, she was as
stout of heart as any troll, and though far too thin, she was of the
right stature for him to meet her eyes without having to look up. If
she proved to half as capable a healer as her bondmate was a Mage,
then she would be a true gift to the caravan.
"Come, I will show you where to store your belongings, and
where you can sleep..." With typical efficiency, he urged the three
tired humans through the inn and out into the yard, now filled with
bustling activity. In less time than they could have imagined, they
were packed and on their way.
- - - - -
The slow pitch and sway of the wagon proved surprisingly
soothing. Curled up against his side, Scully was asleep within
minutes of leaving the village of Coldshores, and even Mulder the
insomniac was finding it difficult to keep his eyes open. Shannon
was stretched out on his other side, her breathing settling down into
peaceful slumber, and for the first time that day, Mulder felt a small
sense of contentment.
He still had a lot to think about, however, especially the
deep sense of unease he felt about his explosion that morning. He
didn't feel sorry for the results - those thugs deserved the
punishment he had meted out - but he couldn't escape a small
element of panic regarding his own loss of control. What if he had
simply blasted them out of existence, or worse yet, what if had
managed to destroy the entire town? When he was gripped in that
kind of rage, he could be blind to his surroundings, and nothing
stole away his control more than the possibility of losing Scully. She
was his life, his soulmate, his partner, his love, without her he was
less than whole. Without her he could not survive.
Sighing, he tightened his arms around her, sending a
simple prayer of thanksgiving to any and all Gods who might be
listening, that she was still alive and by his side where she belonged.
He still wasn't sure what he was going to do, what he could do,
about controlling this raging beast that was his Mage talent, but
somehow, as long as Scully was with him, it seemed less of an
obstacle. Kissing the crown of her fiery head, he closed his eyes and
let the steady motion of the wagon rock him to sleep.
End of Chapter Eight
THE DARK QUEEN
The Magician - Book Three
by Jennifer Lyon (Jenni10647@AOL.com) and
Suzanne Bickerstaffe (Ecksphile@AOL.com)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
See the Prologue for detailed Disclaimer and Author's note. The X- Files
belongs to Chris Carter, the Realm, all of the other characters, and the
remainder of this story are solely our own invention, copyright 1996.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Nine
When Mulder awoke, strands of golden light were filtering in
through the canopy, playing across his face and hands. Yawning and
stretching, he rubbed at his eyes, then sat up carefully. The wagon
swayed beneath him, then jerked against a rough spot, forcing him to
grab on to a nearby bundle of linen for support. Beside him, Scully
stirred in her sleep, then turned over towards him, nestling her head
against his side. Instinctively, he reached down to gently stroke the
gilded tangle of her hair, strands of sunlight weaving with the flame-
colored locks.
His hand reluctant to leave her, his sense of curiosity
nonetheless pulled him away. Kneeling on a large pile of embroidered
rugs, he undid the woven latch and opened the flap, blinking away
tears as his eyes strove to adjust to the bright morning sun.
"Good morning, Mage Mulder," a far too cheery voice rang
out. Mulder peeked his head all the way out, hanging onto a side-strut
holding up the pale leather covering. It had been bespelled to keep the
worst of the Realm's summer storms out, and his magic-sensitive
hands could sense the tingle of the spell within the material itself.
"Good morning," a more sedate voice echoed, though
Shannon's face was wreathed with a smile. Dressed in her now-
customary green tunic and black leggings, the girl sat poised and
confident on horse-back, towering over the little troll riding at her
side.
Mulder returned her grin wryly, his usually keen eyes still
fogged with sleep. "Good morning Shannon, Jhorgab." He looked
upward to check the position of the sun in the sky, and nearly groaned
aloud when he saw how close to mid-position it was.
Jhorgab followed the Mage's emerald eyes, chuckling with
amusement. "You and Healer Scully missed most of the morning, I
am afraid, as well as a quite fine breakfast. But we thought it would
be best to let you rest fully. Besides, we will be stopping for the
midday meal within a candlemark." He lifted his broad, flat nose up
into the air, sniffing appreciatively. "Already H'Gorpat is beginning to
prepare the meal. He is one of the finest cooks in all of the Realm, as
you shall soon find out."
Shannon laughed, then rubbed gingerly at her belly. "I'll have
to admit Jhorg is right about that. I'm still stuffed from breakfast."
Jhorgab looked appreciatively at her. "Indeed, dear lady. If
you continue to eat as you did this morning you will soon look much
more healthy. You are far too thin indeed. But with a few weeks of
proper eating, you will fill out nicely. I believe you might even
become attractive...even despite your legs which are far too elongated
for true beauty."
Mulder couldn't stifle his laughter at the look of dismay that
dawned on Shannon's face, even as she turned to glare at the round
little troll. He gazed innocently back at her, forcing Mulder into open
laughter.
They both turned to glare at him, and he tried, unsuccessfully
to stifle his laugher. Between chuckles, he observed to Jhorgab, "I
think human and troll standards of attractiveness are rather different."
Jhorgab's expression lightened and he chuckled in return.
"Ah yes, that is a wise observation, Mage Mulder. I have found it to
be quite so. Once, I remember an occasion in which a human trader
was visiting with my uncle. He had a daughter whose beauty he was
much proud of, but I have yet to see a more ugly person in my life.
Why she was thinner than a stick, except for her chest and hips, which
were quite ungainly. I could never figure out how she managed to
balance, for unlike you, Mage Mulder, she did not have the aid of
magic to keep her upright on such horrendously long legs...."
Mulder's mouth dropped open, even as he shot Shannon a
glare. The girl was trying so hard not to laugh that tears welled up in
the corners of her caramel-colored eyes.
"Yeah, well..." Mulder tried to cut Jhorgab's spiel off,
waving his hand. "To each his own," he muttered, moving on quickly
to change the topic. "Where are we now?"
"About one fourth the way between Coldshores and
Fairwood Glens," Jhorgab replied. We are nearing the southernmost
edge of Fairwood Forest, and should be in sight of the Uriin plains by
mid-afternoon. If all goes well, we will arrive in Jinderling by
nightfall."
Mulder had forgotten that they had to pass by the Uriin
plains, and his expression darkened. Even the name itself was enough
to stir his perfect memory. Images of horrors he could only wish to
forget swirled before his inner eye, and he silently cursed the "gift" of
his eidetic memory. Some things should be allowed to fade with time,
but he would never be given such surcease.
"Are you all right?" Shannon asked him anxiously. Forcing
the memories down, Mulder consciously tried to lighten his
expression. Damping down his shield, he forced away the clouds that
had begun to simmer in the formerly clear blue sky.
Shaking his head slightly, he tried to smile reassuringly at
her. "Yes. I just have some bad memories of the plains. It is where the
Battle was fought the last time I was in the Realm." He couldn't quite
hide his shudder.
Jhorgab clapped his hand over his mouth, his skin tone
darkening to a deeper emerald as he remembered. "Ah, I am sorry. I
should have known better than to mention that place to you. Please
accept my apologies, Mage Mulder. I was quite thoughtless and...."
"It's all right," Mulder interrupted, smiling more genuinely.
He ran a distracted hand through his thick dark hair, dislodging a
wave of it down over his forehead. "We have to pass by there to get
to Fairwood Glens, and there is no reason for you not to mention it.
Besides, there is no sense in blaming the place for what occurred
there."
Shannon nodded, though her eyes were somber. "Still, it
must be hard for you and Scully to go there again."
Mulder gazed warmly at her, appreciating her understanding.
"Yes, it is."
"Mulder?" Scully's voice rang out from within the wagon,
filled with worry and concern. He turned and ducked his head back
inside to find her gazing at him with wide, sleepy eyes. It was obvious
she had sensed his upset, and he reached out both physically and
mentally to reassure her.
//I'm all right. Just a couple of bad memories.\\ The sharing
of the substance of his previous conversation was nearly
instantaneous, and her heart-shaped face sombered with memories of
her own.
//It seems like it happened just yesterday,\\ she responded,
stretching her hands out to draw him close to her. He enclosed her in
his embrace, and she snuggled into his chest. He lightly kissed the
crown of her head, feeling all of the tension in his body leach away in
the comfort of her closeness.
//I know, but here it was seven years ago. And it is all over,
the...*they* are long gone from this world. We won the battle, love.\\
//I know,\\ she agreed, lifting up huge sapphire eyes to gaze
lovingly at his face. //I just wish the cost hadn't been so high.\\
- - - - -
Lunch was even better than promised, and far more
abundant. Trolls loved nothing more than good food, and even under
the relative hardship required by long travel, they saw to that primary
concern. H'Gorpat set out seeming mounds of fresh bread and hot
steaming tea, along with copious quantities of a thick stew. Even after
refreshing themselves and changing clothes, by the time the short
midday stop was over, both Mulder and Scully were feeling unusually
lethargic.
//I just slept for over twelve hours and I feel ready to take
another nap,\\ Scully confided ruefully to her bondmate as she pushed
herself up onto her horse.
His laughter echoed in her mind. //I know. I doubt I'll be able
to eat another bite for at least two days.\\
She laughed aloud. //Don't make promises you can't keep,\\
she chided warmly. //That metabolism of yours will burn it off in a
few hours. Now mine on the other hand...\\ She scowled at her belly,
which felt, if not appeared, bloated with all she had just consumed.
Sitting easily in his saddle, Mulder studied her petite, but
well-muscled form with an approving eye. //I don't think you have
anything to worry about,\\ he complimented, not bothering to hide his
pleasure at the sight of her.
She turned her head to smile at him, dimples forming in her
cheeks as the warmth in her eyes blazed between them. She did not
even bother forming words in her reply, the two of them slipping into
one of those precious moments of total communion in which the
entire world narrowed down to the two of them alone and
intertwined.
Mulder's horse bolted to the side, and he gasped, his link
with Scully breaking focus as he fought to keep his seat. Finally
soothing the upset beast, he glanced behind him to find Shannon
glaring at him with a mixture of amusement and irritation.
"You promised, remember!" she accused lightly.
Mulder glanced at Scully expecting her to share his
annoyance, but she merely smiled. Turning to Shannon she apologized
with good humor. "You're right. I'm sorry." Urging her horse
forward, she called back over her shoulder. "I'm going to go talk with
Gyruth. While Corvay did cover some troll medicine with me, there
was never time for me to learn more than the basics. If we run into
trouble on this trip, I'd like a better sense of what I'm doing."
Mulder's entire body tensed as she drew further ahead of
him, and it was all he could do to keep from stirring his horse after
her. He swallowed hard, just barely holding himself back. //Don't go
too far,\\ he told Scully through their link, despite the promise not to
mind-speak so often in Shannon's presence.
Understanding filtered back to him from Scully's bright mind,
and he suddenly *saw* the lifebond stretched between them, a long
filigree of blue and green and white light, woven strands that gleamed
like a gilded umbilical cord. He blinked and it was gone, at least to
visible sight, though he could still feel it between them like an
outstretched rubber band.
Shannon came up beside him, a sudden look of concern
darkening her fine features.
He shook his head, then turned to bestow a gentle smile on
his young halla. "Perhaps you would like to start those magic lessons
now?"
Her entire face glowed with a sudden burst of excitement.
"Oh yes, please, Taabsut Mulder. I'd like that very much. What should
I do?"
"Hmmm." He looked around thoughtfully as they
automatically eased their horses between two wagons, letting the
horses almost guide themselves within the caravan. The forest was
giving way to rolling countryside as they got closer to the plains. The
mountains were visible in the distance, their sheer cliffs and jagged
snow-capped peaks looming against the clear sky.
"I don't know how this will work while riding, perhaps we
should see if we can use a wagon." Mulder spurred his horse forward,
and Shannon followed close behind, her impatience making her eyes
sparkle and her heart beat faster. To her mind it took forever, but at
long last, with Krolgar's indulgent permission, she and Mulder settled
into the same wagon they had slept in the night before.
"Take it easy," Mulder told her, though he couldn't help
being amused by her excitement. That had been his greatest problem
with these very same lessons, and it had taken quite a while before his
exuberance had stopped getting in the way of his control. She would
obviously have to learn the same lesson.
"Okay," she grinned at him, folding her hands in her lap and
attempting, rather unsuccessfully, to appear calm and proper.
Mulder shook his head, allowing himself a small smile before
his face settled into total calm.
"Lesson number one...how to ground..."
"How to what?"
He sighed. "This is rather hard to explain, but it is absolutely
necessary." He thought for a moment. "Think of it in terms of
electricity. Magic seems to follow some of the same principles. You
know what happens if you touch an electrical outlet without being
grounded?"
She nodded. "Yes, you get shocked."
"Exactly. So, in order to use magical energy without getting
the shock of your life, you have to ground yourself. Only unlike
electrical grounding, magical grounding is a mental exercise. But if it
helps, you can think of it as reaching down into the earth. Try that
now. Close your eyes and concentrate. Think of reaching first within
yourself, then down towards the earth. Imagine yourself connected to
the earth itself."
Shannon frowned, closing her eyes, and trying to do what he
was describing. She thought and thought, but nothing seemed to be
changing. She didn't feel any different that she had before. Finally, she
opened her eyes in frustration.
"I don't feel *anything*!"
Mulder sighed. "I know. I guess I could feel it quicker
because I had so much more power to work with. OK, let's try
something else. Maybe you need to feel the power itself first before
you can ground it." He paused, then spoke thoughtfully. "Try this
instead. Close your eyes and relax."
She looked doubtfully at him, but did as he instructed.
"Good, now imagine yourself sitting in a darkened room. There is
nothing around you but blackness. Can you imagine that?"
"Yes."
"All right, now lift up your hand and imagine all of your
energy pouring down your arm and into the palm of your hand.
Imagine that you can see it and feel it. A blue light that tingles as it
moves. Feel it, see it, guide it down into the palm of your hand. Can
you see it there?"
"No," Shannon shook her head, eyes still screwed shut. Her
outstretched hand trembled, then abruptly, her entire arm shook. Her
expression lightened, a look of sheer amazement replacing the frown.
Her fingers uncurled, and her hand began to glow with a pale bluish
sheen.
"Wait, I can....I can feel it!" she exclaimed. "It feels kind of
like I've got goosebumps, or a bad case of static. It tingles!!"
"Yes, good," Mulder replied, leaning forward. "Now..."
Before he could finish, her hand blazed up in sudden glory,
tendrils of azure fire pouring out of her fingers and sparking into the
air. Shannon cried out, her eyes opening to stare in shock as her arm
appeared to burst into open flame.
She shrieked, moving to flail her arm against the linens they
were seated upon in an attempt to extinguish the fire. Her mind
thought that it ought to be burning her, so she felt the pain, though in
fact her skin remained whole and unbroken. However, her panic was
stirring the power to rage beyond control and a flash of thunder came
as a warning from the previously cloudless sky.
Mulder grabbed for her arm, restraining her, letting her
power race up his arm and swirl into his own aura which blazed up to
bathe them both in a soft blue glow. "Easy...easy..." he murmured,
concentrating hard as he drew his shield tightly around them both.
Shannon gasped as the flames swamping her arm flickered, then
settled into a quiescent gleam. Closing her other hand over her
forearm next to Mulder's grip on her wrist, she marveled at the
undamaged skin.
"I was so sure I was burning," she whispered. "I felt it..."
"Because you *thought* it should hurt. And it could have, if
I hadn't shielded us both. Which is why you must learn to ground,
center and shield before attempting to do anything more with the
power." He gazed firmly into her eyes. "Do you understand?"
She swallowed hard, then nodded. "Yes, yes, I understand."
Mulder studied her for a moment, then leaned back, satisfied.
Releasing her hand, he gave her a reassuring smile.
"Good. Now that you can sense the power, let's try
grounding again..."
- - - - -
By the time they left the wagon, Shannon felt as though she
had just been through one of Aldara's intensive training sessions, only
the muscles that ached weren't physical ones, they were mental. She
had a headache the size of a basketball, and she was convinced that
someone was beating on her skull with a large hammer.
Mulder gazed sympathetically at her, as he helped her get
down from the wagon. Holding her horse steady, he guided her up
into the saddle, unobtrusively using his magic to assist her. When she
was fully seated, gripping desperately to the saddle for balance, he
leapt up onto his horse and edged up to her side.
"Go find Scully and get something for that headache," he
said kindly.
She looked at him with faint surprise, too exhausted to
speak.
He smiled ruefully at her. "You should have seen me after
my first sessions with Reinald. I practically couldn't stand up. Now go
on, before I have to carry you."
"Thanks," she managed to get out, before letting the horse
carry her ahead. Scully was only two wagons up, and after one quick
glance at the girl swaying in her saddle, the healer swept her up and
into yet another wagon. A cup of tea and a dose of herbal medication
later, and Shannon felt the pain easing. Taking one more sip, she put
down the earthen mug and smiled her thanks.
"A rough lesson?" Scully said, watching her with
understanding eyes.
"Yeah. Somehow I thought that learning something non-
physical would be easier, but it was actually harder. At least when I'm
training with weapons, I can grasp onto things. This is like trying to
hold water in my hands, it keeps slipping between my fingers."
"I know what you mean," Scully replied. "Healing can be like
that too. Especially the psychic aspects. Corvay would tell me to
*feel* for something and half the time, I couldn't figure out what for
the life of me. But you get there, it will just take time and practice."
"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of," Shannon groaned.
Scully laughed. "No more for today, though. Why don't you
lie down and get some rest? We should get to Jinderling in a few
candlemarks." She patted Shannon on the shoulder, then made her
way to the back of the wagon. Shannon took one more sip of the tea,
then set the mug down carefully to the side, wedging it between
bundles.
"Thanks," she called out after Scully, before leaning her head
down and closing her eyes. By the time Scully had turned to say
"You're welcome," she was fast asleep.
- - - - -
Scully easily found her way to her bondmate's side. She
could have done so in utter darkness, so strongly did his presence call
out to her. The lifebond pulled her towards him with a pressure that
eased upon her as she came closer to him. The sense of relief she felt
when she finally rode up next to him, expertly guiding her horse
alongside his so that their knees were almost touching was nearly
palpable. The very blood in her veins sang with his nearness, and her
fingers ached to reach out and touch the heat of his skin.
He turned to look at her, and smiled. The breeze teased the
dark strands of his hair, the afternoon sunlight burnishing the soft
ebony with reddish highlights. His eyes sparkled like diamonds,
emerald highlights glittering in a sea of brown. The play of light
across his features emphasized the strength of the jaw and the high
arch of the cheekbone, creating deep shadows below the sharp curve
of bone. He was beautiful to her, and she did not need to speak aloud
to offer him that admiration.
Mulder, in turn, was unable to restrain himself from reaching
out physically to her as she rode up to join him in the front of the
caravan. His fingertips brushed her arm, then flowed downward to
close upon her small hand. Her fingers twined with his, and she gave
him a smile that warmed him as no sunshine or hearthfire could ever
hope to match. Their eyes spoke volumes, without a word being
formed.
"How is she?" he asked.
"Tired, but she'll recover quickly. You gave her quite a
workout."
He smiled and shook his head. "She gave *me* quite a
workout. I don't know how it happened, but she does appear to have
developed a good streak of Mage-talent."
They rode in silence for a moment, watching the sun begin to
set against the long distance of the plains, the seemingly empty land
holding the appearance of a golden sea, yellow grain wavering in the
breeze, dotted here and there by the faint shape of a dwelling or
crossed by the dark stripe of a road. The mountains were closer now,
rising high above their heads, the peaks reaching almost to the sun
itself as the brilliant orb began its slow trip downward.
"There could be a number of reasons," Scully said softly,
picking up the conversation as though it had never stopped. "Perhaps
she is drawing from you somehow, or maybe the talent was always
there, but has only developed now. I suppose it could be an aftereffect
of coming through the vortex, or maybe of the onset of puberty. She's
certainly been undergoing a growth spurt." That last was said
wistfully, as Scully looked down at her own short legs, dangling at the
sides of the large horse she was riding. Unlike Mulder, who was able
to easily wrap his legs down around the animal to help guide it with
the pressure of his feet, she always felt like she was perched on an
elephant, ready to slide off at a moment's notice. Actually, she was a
fine horsewoman, and she knew it, but nonetheless....
Mulder squeezed her fingers, letting her know with his touch
and the warmth of his gaze that he liked her just the size she was. She
gave him a return squeeze, then turned to look outward across the
plains.
"It looks so peaceful now," she commented. "As though
nothing had ever happened."
Mulder was silent for a moment, then he replied somberly.
"Mostly, perhaps, but there are areas where you can still see signs of
the damage done. And we are far from the center of the battle.
Jhorgab says that there is still a huge burnt spot in which nothing will
grow. The land remains barren and empty for nearly a mile in
diameter. That's much closer to the mountains than we'll go today."
Scully shivered. While her memories were less distinct than
his, that day had burnt itself into her brain, and there were moments
she would never, could never forget, for as long as she lived. And his
own, perfectly detailed, eidetically stored memories were nearly as
accessible to her as her own, the sharing of their minds so complete at
times that she could not always tell where he left off and she began.
Her hand convulsed in his, and he angled his head sharply to
look at her. //Are you all right?\\
//Yes.\\ She took a deep breath, then smiled to reassure them
both. "Just bad memories..."
He nodded. "I know." It was his turn to shiver as he stared
out towards the distant mountains. His always expressive eyes
darkened to the black of pure coal. "Some things are not meant to be
forgotten, even if it would be easier to forget."
They rode onwards in silence, clinging tightly to each other's
hand.
- - - - -
The arrival in Jinderling was quiet and uneventful. The trolls
hurried to secure the wagons and tend the animals with a surprising
lack of conversation. Even the ever-chattering Jhorgab seemed too
tired to put much effort into speech, contenting himself with a few
short spurts that died quickly when he realized his audience was
simply too exhausted to care.
Mulder and Scully saw that their horses were rubbed down,
watered and fed, then they helped a sleepy Shannon from the wagon
and hustled her off to be