The Road to Blackwall pt 2

Muse began to snore softly, making Harlan chuckle. "She seems…so real, not like a part of you, but her own person. It's a little disconcerting."

Harmony smiled at Muse, who was currently fast asleep; she must have worn herself out running and acting as a horse. "She really does. And, I still don't really know why! My memories were nearly completely erased when I arrived here, you know…I came to Grebefal originally with the hope of regaining them, or finding some answers. I seem to be recalling them a little at a time, which is good; but I still have not recovered the memories about when Muse was created, although I know it had something to do with a botched portal spell."

She shook her head. "On Joie, magic can be both incredibly helpful, and incredibly damaging. I'm very, very lucky I suffered a minor soul splitting, instead of permanent injuries or something even worse–soul death, for instance."

Harlan looked curious and puzzled; his chesnut-brown hair flopped over his brow, and he brushed it aside. "Isn't soul death, just…death?"

Harmony shook her head. "Remember the dark mages you described? They were able to reanimate bodies without souls. That was due to soul death. Soul death doesn't necessarily harm the body; the soul dies, is destroyed, but the body simply remains, like an empty shell, unharmed. And the person once inside is gone. A dark mage such as you described, can place a portion of their own soul inside, essentially recreating life–one that can be controlled and used however the owner of its soul sees fit."

Harlan shuddered. "Ugh. Yes, I've read of such things… I hadn't thought of it that way. I suppose I had assumed the soul and the body always stayed together. I'm not sure which is worse–a whole person, body and soul, being controlled, or a person's soulless body being used, without their consent."

It was Harmony's turn to shudder. "The first, is slavery… the other…I don't even know. It's slavery with no hope of recovery, perhaps–but also, without affecting their soul." She sighed. "I….don't know how I came to be with child, when I arrived here. I never had a husband, that I knew of…and I was not with child, in the memories I have from before arriving here. I have to wonder if someone…used me, my body, that way. But as much as I hate that thought, I love my son."

Harlan looked startled and pained; it seems he hadn't expected her to say so much. "Miss Harmony, you…you don't need to explain that, to me. I can tell that you and your son are very close. I do wish I could be more helpful in recovering your memories. Perhaps you met someone and cared about them deeply, during the time you lost."

Harmony looked carefully at Harlan; he was definitely uncomfortable, but there was something more. Had he guessed that her son wasn't intentional on her part? Did he understand what that would mean? Perhaps; she hoped that didn't make him feel differently about her. How did he feel about her, anyway? How did she want him to feel?

She paused for a moment before responding. "Harlan…You are a Lord, a Duke, and I am just a mage lost in a new world. We have only known each other for a very short time. I don't mean to make you uncomfortable, and I apologize if I have done so. However, I feel that being honest is at the core of any friendship. And I'd like to think we could be friends, in spite of our differences. So I will begin by being honest with you, about myself..and my son, as much as I am able."

Harlan nodded eagerly. "I would like that as well, Lady Harmony. I think that we could be friends indeed, and I for one would relish the opportunity." He blushed, and rubbed his face awkwardly. "I am…not accustomed to being open and honest about myself. But I am glad to try. And I can listen to anything you are willing to share. I can promise you will receive no judgment on my part."

Harmony nodded, smiling softly to herself. "Thank you, Harlan. I will do the same."

He was so sweet to her; she truly wondered if his intentions were simply knowledge and assistance, at times. Her heart still wasn't ready to admit it, if he was seeking more from her.

She sat silently, questions swirling around in her head, trying to think of what to say next. As she sat, tongue-tied, Harlan's head began to nod; then he also fell asleep.

She gazed out the window- screen, still wondering, trying to sort through her memories. She knew her pregnancy had not been intended on her own part; but who committed the crime which caused it–or even when–was just a blur. All she had was the faint memory of her life before here–up until about a year before her 33rd birthday; and the dream that she had had before giving birth on the mountainside, which felt so, so long ago now. She had had other dreams, but mostly normal ones; dreams of herself, of Muse, of Kyir growing, or gardening, or sometimes, the dream of the grey land again; but she had never felt the terror or seen the star-eyed creature again. The silvery grey star-lit land would lay barren; she would stand on it, and look out into the blackness, and then wake up again.

What does the dream mean, she wondered; and why do I keep having it, when the monster is gone? Why is it gone now? It came back before.

Eventually the monotonous sound of thick grass swishing on the wheels, and the clink-clinking of the horse's harnesses, lulled her to sleep as well.

*******

Harlan woke to the strangest sensation; he felt…light, strong. He noticed the carriage was stopped; carefully he scanned the area with his aura and noted several people setting up camp, preparing to overnight. A fireplace, with good smells coming from it; several tents; and Captain Neil and Vern overseeing most of the activity. Sren was cooking and Kade was attending to the horses with several others. Harmony was napping in front of him in the carriage; Harlan had the oddest sensation of familiarity, as if she were his own family, due to how close they had been in the carriage; he also felt extremely awkward suddenly, because he desperately needed to relieve himself and didn't know how to go about doing so. Muse was awake, and slid close, too close for comfort, pressing up against him.

"My Lord, would you like to try using my eyes now? I daresay you could use the assistance."

Harlan felt a little irritated at her touch, but had to admit he did need the help. "Yes…I suppose I do. I would like to try."

Muse's form swirled, vanished; a tiny spot of violet aura rested on his hair. Dragonfly, she thought. Small, and has good eyesight. 

Harlan reached towards her spot of aura; she guided him in. His mind was suddenly assaulted with a massive array of color, light, shape. He gasped and pulled back, shuddering. C..can we…try something a bit more 'animal'? he thought. This creature sees too well! I can't even grasp the amount it sees. Muse gave a mental nod, and Harlan felt the slight movement in his hair grow just a little heavier. Harlan put a hand up and felt a finger-sized creature, with dry, rough skin and a prehensile tail which coiled into his hair to anchor it.

You won't know this creature, Muse thought. It's a common pet in our home world, but I've never seen one here. It's called a Chameleon. It can hide itself by changing color; I am currently the same color as your hair.

Harlan reached out, and connected; the creature's eyesight was good, but not overwhelming, and the sharpness and amount of color around him was astounding. He could see the green of the leaves, even in the dim light; the reds and oranges and whites of the campfire light; the blue and grey and black of the people, and shadows of people, as they moved around the camp.

This is excellent, Harlan thought back politely. Your abilities truly amaze me. Could…could you assist me in finding a place to relieve myself? Muse must have noticed how embarrassed he felt; she said nothing untoward or rude, but simply directed her eyes–and his sight–to a small tent set up on the edge of camp, with a pot of water and a towel resting on a small camp stool nearby. Over there. Harlan felt intensely ashamed; his first experience with sight, outside of Granny in Grebefal–and he was using this newfound vision to find himself a toilet. He wanted to scream, but the nature and intensity of the need spurred him on; he steeled himself and opened the carriage door. Captain Neil was by the door almost instantly; but Harlan refused to be handed out, and swung himself carefully out and down on his own, holding the carriage for a moment while he got his balance. He spread his senses, as he did at home, but was immediately confused by the massive amount of life and mixed flashes of mana around him; so he pulled back, and relied mainly on Muse's eyes, where she lay hidden in his hair. He walked carefully over to the small tent and waved Neil away, entered the tent, and then stood for a moment, embarrassed, but desperately trying to figure out how to do this without revealing himself. Muse butted into his thoughts, and her tone was gentle, for once. Remember, I'm on top of your head, Muse thought to him. All I can see of you is your hair. The rest of you is hidden to me. And I am not actually a child; nor can Lady Harmony currently see or hear you. There is no need to be afraid or ashamed.  

Harlan felt his face grow hot, but realized with a sense of resignation that he didn't have to worry so much. Balancing carefully, he relieved himself and rearranged his clothes, then exited the tent and washed his hands. Then he walked towards the campfire, wondering at the sight. So this was what fire looked like! He had never seen it before, only felt its heat. He wanted to pick it up and study it, but he knew it was too hot to touch; so he sat on a log nearby and stared at it through Muse's eyes, wondering at this miraculous substance. It was a form of pure light; yet it was not alive. It consumed wood. It rose and fell, and the crackling sounds were made when bits of the wood fell off, as the fire consumed it. Smoke poured from the top, making the smell he remembered from the castle, but much more strongly, here. After a while, he felt Muse growing bored with his singular focus; she moved her eyes to look at other things, taking him with her. Some of the soldiers were talking, and a few were staring at him; he raised a hand in greeting and smiled, he hoped, in a nice way. One waved back and smiled too. It was a tall, strong-looking young person who sat beside Captain Neil. Harlan couldn't tell if they were male or female; they were incredibly muscular, tall, and had long hair tied up in a large, smooth bun at the nape of their neck. A massive, heavy-looking sword was strapped to their muscular back, but they moved comfortably, as if it wasn't even there. Harlan felt a little awkward, to even be in the presence of such a powerful-looking person; he wondered if he should speak.

Captain Neil came a little closer, and addressed Harlan, awkwardly. "My Lord …this is my girlfriend, Teleth. They're an apprentice of the Grebefal Forgemaster."

Harlan nodded politely. "I see. We are grateful for your assistance, to be sure. It is good to meet you, my Lady Teleth."

The massive, muscular person smiled, showing very white teeth in a very brown face. Their shoulders shook as a laugh rumbled out from their chest. "LADY! Ye hear that Neil? I'm a LADY!"

They shook their head. "My Lord o' Grebefal, I'm not lady. Call me ma'am if ye must, but ne'er a lady I be." They continued chortling, and lifted a huge mug of something foamy to their lips, and drank it down in a single draught. Neil looked a little embarrassed, but also proud. "Ah, Well enough. Anyhow…My Teleth here offered to come along, to help fix our gear and keep us in decent weaponry, see'n how they kin set up their own forge just about anywhere–see'n as they's a master-level blacksmith."

Teleth shook their head at him and wiped their arm across their mouth. "Naw…not a master yet. An' not jist anywhere. Gotta be the right conditions. But I did bring me anvil an' hammer, an' me bellows, an' I kin heat & repair any blade what ain't broke yet."

Harlan marveled that he could see and talk with Neil and Teleth so freely. He gazed at Neil for a few moments, taking him Neil's coal-black hair, tanned skin and sharp blue eyes; he noted Teleth's dark brown skin and thick black hair, like thick wires wrapped around their head; their sparkling golden eyes and white teeth which gleamed like gemstones in their muscular face. They made a striking couple; he caught himself wondering if they would marry. They definitely seemed to enjoy each other's company, from the glances and food they were sharing. Harlan, for his part, was just loving that he could see so many things now, even if he didn't understand it all.

Muse stirred in his hair, just a little; the eyes were directed upward, then. Harlan saw Harmony was stepping out of the carriage, down into the pool of fire-light; her sun-browned skin shone like smooth copper, and her long, braided hair gleamed. She stretched and looked around; caught sight of Harlan, and walked over. Harlan carefully stood and stretched out a hand to her, offering her a seat on the log, as if he could see her. "Lady Harmony, you're awake. Welcome to our humble camp. I'm afraid it isn't very comfortable, but it is free."