Order of the First Ember (Part 3)

"What is it?" Eli said as he glanced around the market.

"Those filthy little peasants hate mistress Aamira and the other elves." A savage anger welled up inside Eli that he was not expecting, he desired to meet them when Aamira mentioned them the night before. He was pleased the time had arrived so soon. Eli gently grabbed Aamira's waist and guided her behind him. They walked into the street and the group of dirty young men stopped and looked at them.

"Ah look lads the pointy eared bitch has a pet." Bellowed the leader loud enough for everyone around to hear.

Philip placed the basket on the ground and stepped in front of Eli and Aamira and partly drew his sword, "let me handle this sir - it"

"No, I would like to do this myself. Just keep her out of harm's way."

"Eli, I can look after myself" Aamira said as if her pride had been wounded.

"I know, but you don't always have to." Eli made his way passed Philip who then stood in front of Aamira ready to jump in if need arose. "You said something insulting to my lady, you had best apologise and be on your way."

"or what ya little prick" came the sharp retort.

"Come now, don't be like that, there are women present." he said with a savage smile on his face. "I will ask you one more time, apologise and be on your way."

"Ahh you obviously don't know whose streets these are." murmured agreement came from the other three.

"Well by the look of those clothes, they sure as shit aren't yours" laughter erupted from the crowd that had gathered around to watch

"Right, that's it!" snarled the leader.

"Come on then you greasy little cunt! Do your best!" snarled Eli. The sudden venom in his voice taking Aamira by surprise.

The leader pulled a knife and paced towards Eli; a gasp came from the crowd. Eli stood there; an unimpressed laugh erupted from his lips. "What are you going to do with that, cut up some silk for your dress you little fairy?" another laugh erupted from the onlooking crowd. "Oh wait, I forgot, you couldn't afford silk if your life depended on it!" Aamira let of a quiet giggle, she had been waiting to see them get put in their place for years. She could not help but feel overjoyed that the man she loved was going to fight for her. The crowd continued laughing as the young man's face turned red.

He reached Eli and made a clumsy slash which Eli easily avoided. Eli darted behind him and delivered a devastating punch to the back of his head, the dirty man crumpled to the ground without as sound, he twitched slightly for a few moments then fell still. A shocked gasp spilled from onlookers.

After a few moments, the others came to grips with what happened. "What the fuck? let's get em boys," the other three young men pulled out similar rusty knives.

Eli looked at the three approaching youths. The three started into a run and surrounded Eli who was standing still with a chilling smile. The one in front of him began to swing but was caught before he could gain momentum, the one behind Eli did the same but Eli back kicked him in the shin forcing him to one knee, he then lifted the same leg and bought it down on the man he was holding breaking his leg, forcing it backwards with a loud crunch accompanied by a howl of pain. Eli's eyes burned with furious anger and cold, calculated controlled cruelty, the crowd remained silent but it was clear they were enjoying the catharsis by proxy as they knew they would no longer be terrorised by the four troublesome youths. Eli then pushed the crippled young man to the ground. The man that lost his footing had regained it and was now opposite the other.

Magnus took a deep breath and stood straight, with his hand calmly behind his back. "You insulted my lady and refused to apologise, if you do so now, I will not turn you into a cripple for the rest of your disgusting lives."

"Fuck – you." came a reply from behind him.

"So be it." Eli invited the next attack by turning so that the young men were on either side. One began to step backward only to be grabbed by the throat. He tried to stab Eli, but his arm was caught by a steel grip, his throat was being crushed and his face turning purple. His legs gave out and he was being held in his powerful grip unable to escape. Just before he passed out the grip released him, dropping him to the ground, trying to force air into his lungs, the only thing he could hear was a ringing in his ears, he looked over and through the red pounding behind his eyes, he saw one of his friends lying face down motionless. The other grabbing his leg soundlessly howling in pain, he looked from his injured friends to the young man standing above him who turned. A thin line of red down his back that had sliced open the fine blue shirt was his last sight before he lost consciousness.

A sharp pain spilled from the slash down Eli's back. The last young man stepping back realising his fatal mistake, Eli looked over as he heard his Aamira scream his name and run toward him, without saying a word he held out his hand and she stopped. Philip rushed after her and jumped in front of her and gently guided her back, Philip then shouted to a young man next to his mother, "boy! run to Longford manor and fetch the master, go now!" Immediately the boy started sprinting away the crowd gasped as they saw the bleeding wound across Eli's back.

Eli snapped his sight to the trembling young man, looking him in the eyes, a feral smile formed on his lips. The smile soon turned to a bone shilling laugh; arms stretched by his side he slowly stepped towards the terrified young man. Who in tuned faced the beautiful girl in green, he dropped his knife.

"Please my lady, I'm sorry for everything I have ever said and done, I will never again bother you, in fact I – I – I will leave the city, you will never see me again. Please, I'm – I'm sorry, please forgive me, I beg you." He was soon overshadowed by the black silhouette of the young man he injured, the sun behind him beaming down blocking all colour, in his left hand the rusted dagger, the sound of his injured comrade filling his ears, but the crying and struggling breathing were not as loud as the crushing silence of his leader. Not one movement, not one sound. He raised his head and closed his eyes. "P – Please, mama I'm sorry." He cried to the skies, Tears filled his eyes as Eli gripped his shaggy hair so tightly he thought his scalp would be ripped off. The crowd gasped then fell silent.

An alarmed yelp came from the kneeling man, Eli crouched next to him still gripping his hair, he whispered so only the dirty young man could hear "If you ever speak to, look at or otherwise interact with my lady, there are no gods or demons that will save you from the pain I will inflict upon you and any family you may have, your torment will be unending and terrible. Do I make myself clear?"

The dirty young man nodded as much as he could under the unflinching grip. He was then released and his knife was dropped in front of him, the shadow of man he had attacked began to retreat. The dirty young man got up and ran as far away from the market as he could, the crowd opened to let him through then soon closed again. Eli then turned and addressed the onlookers

"good people, please accept my innumerable pardons, I am new to this city and had not intended to cause any trouble, but these… men, have insulted and tormented my lady and from what I understand, the other elves for years and enough is enough. I am sorry to have caused such a scene in front of you today. Please forgive my behaviour." A loud cheer burst forth from the crowd, Clapping, waving, and cheering filled the air. Aamira ran towards him and grabbed his arms

"Thank you." a tear glistened off of her cheek, "I can never forgive myself, you were hurt for me, that is a debt I can never repay."

He looked down into her bright blue eyes. "I would suffer a thousand deaths in gladness if it meant your happiness, I would endure a hundred years of torment to keep you safe." He cupped her soft cheek ever so gently and wiped the tear away with his thumb. Six guards soon arrived, and the crowd scattered, there were still a few on lookers wanting to see what happened next.

"Alright, what happened here the eh?" Philip stepped between the guards and Eli.

"Sir, if I may?" he held the small pouch of pearls with both hands suggestively "These drunken ingrates attacked my master."

"That 'n looks dead to me." the said raising an eyebrow under the iron cap he was wearing.

With a slight cough Philip replied "Well, you see – he tripped and hit his head and the other two… let's say they tripped as well."

"Hmm, I see." addressing the onlookers "That what happened, these drunken fools tripped and hit their heads." The onlookers mumbled agreement and nodded. "Clumsy." The guard finally said.

"Very." Phillip added.

"right then." He held his hand out and Philip placed the sack of pearls in his hand.

"Lads, let's get these fools outta the market"

Philip then grabbed the lead guard by the shoulder, he turned and faced the young servant.

"The noble house of Longford was not here." he dropped the remainder of the coins in his hand.

"o' course." the guard winked placed the coins in a pouch on his belt, tapped it twice and proceeded to follow his guards who were carrying the two bodies and the still screaming young man away. Philip then turned back and ran over to Eli who had collapsed during the clandestine transaction. A young girl walked over with her mother carrying the basket of fabrics in both hands, thank you she whispered, the placed the basket next to them and walked off. Aamira was cradling him in her lap, stroking his soft hair looking down at him, tears welling in her eyes.

Philip looked around, you there, he pointed to a tall man, "Fetch me a canvas stretcher immediately."

"You," now pointing to a teen girl, "Fetch be a bucket of fresh water and a clean rags."

"Y- yes sir." Within moments the stretcher arrived as a roaming physician heard Philip barking his commands, he and his assistant ran over to Eli who was talking and making Aamira laugh despite her tears.

"What happened young man?" Philip told him of the laceration to Elis back. "Bloody hell, how long ago did that happen?"

"About five minutes."

"And he's still conscious, that is good, the wound must not be too deep. Help me get him on the canvas, belly down." Aamira was defensive at first not letting anyone touch Eli. "Ma'am please, I am a doctor and would very much like to help your brave young man. I just want to inspect and clean his wound." After a short moment of hesitation, she let him go.

"Let me." she said softly.

She moved from under Eli to his discomfort. They placed the stretcher next to him and Aamira rolled him gently onto the stretcher, so his back was facing the sky.

"Gods, he has lost a lot of blood." The doctor took a small knife from his medical kit and cut the only shirt he had from home. His whole back now exposed and the doctor inspected. Aamira was distressed to see such a wound on the man she loved. She broke into a sob and knelt by Eli taking his hand in hers. The doctor was relieved to find the blood flowing very slowly from the wound.

"I need water." He turned to his assistant and spoke. "And a bottle of spirits."

Moments later, the teen girl arrived with the bucket of water and fresh rags. She was panting. Philip thanked her and with pride she acknowledged and moved to the side. The doctor then took a rag, dipped it in the fresh water and proceeded to wipe the wound cleaning it. He then poured the clear spirit over his muscled back and Eli winced, Aamira grabbed his hand tighter whispering comforting words to him and stroking his smooth black hair. Once the doctor had finished cleaning the wound, he had a closer look.

"Well, you will be please to know that it looks much worse than it is. The wound is quite shallow and from what I can see, the muscle is intact." Aamira and Philip made a sigh of relief. The young servant knelt by Eli.

"Sir, I insist on dealing with the next group of troublemakers, I don't want you being injured"

"Not on your bloody life" Eli laughed. The laughter soon turned to a groan.

Michah came riding up fifteen minutes later as the doctor finished looking him over, the doctor grabbed a stitching needle and silk from his medicine bag. Michah leaped from his white mare.

"Perhaps I can assist you doctor." Michah said quietly

"I doubt -" the doctor looked up to the old man. "oh, Mr Longford. Yes." The doctor stood and addressed the onlookers "okay everyone, I need everyone to clear the square."

"Philip, take the young assistant and make sure people leave" instructed Michah

"Yes sir, come on you, lets get these ingrates out of here" the young servant and doctors assistant went about removing people from the square. Once the area was cleared, they gathered back around but kept a look out.

"okay is everyone gone?" Michah asked.

Philip glanced around.

"Yes sir."

"Good. Elokk mi Nahr" Michah whispered. Pins and needles pricked Eli's back as the healing spell took effect. Eli giggled as the pins and needles started to subside. "Now, we will need to carry you back on the stretcher and you will need to not be seen in public for a few days, it would not do well for you to be walking around in perfect health now would it."

"No sir" Eli smiled.

"Good, let's get him home. Thank you for your help doctor" shaking his hand slipping him a few coins

"Happy to be of service."

"I will need to borrow your stretcher and assistant to get young Eli back to the house."

"of course… it's good to see you again Michah."

"You too Clarence."

"Right, one, two, thee, up." Philip commanded the assistant not unkindly. They then made their way back to Michah's house. The little progression was approached by several of the towns people offering their thanks and gifts of money and goods. Several blood-stained cloths covered Elis back so no one could see that the wound was healed. Michah led the progression with Aamira astride the horse keeping her eye in Eli. They reached the house after forty long minutes, and once they were through the grand door in the magnificent greeting room. Shocked gasps came from the servants looking at the blood-soaked rags.

"Relax everyone he is fine." Michah stated. Philip and the young assistant lowered the stretcher to the floor. Eli got up and stretched his arms and back.

"Oh…. I needed that." Aamira ran to him and hugged him tightly burying her face into his chest.

"don't do that to me again" she sobbed. "don't do a bloody fool thing like that again." quietly crying into his damp clothes

"Don't you all have work to do?" shouted earl who was on the stairs. The servants then jumped back into action continuing their duties. Michah then spoke.

"You get stabbed on your first day here, can't wait to see what happens tomorrow" he laughed. He turned and went up the stairs back up to the study, before he was out of sight, he looked down at Eli who was still holding Aamira in his arms. "I want to hear your accounts on what happened tomorrow." he said amused. He then disappeared up the stairs.

"I will have water drawn for bath" Philip said.

"Thank you. I -" Eli paused as he realised that his shirt was ruined. "I will need new clothes."

"Yes sir. I have already given the fabric to earl and he should be hard at work, I will leave you be, if there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to call upon me."

"Thank you for all of your help today, with the merchant, the guards and you stepped between us and those arseholes. You have proven most valuable and particularly loyal. If Michah agrees I would like to bring you into my personal service. I need a smart loyal man to carry out our affairs."

"It would be a great honour sir."

Philip then left and Eli looked down. Still squeezing him, Aamira let go and looked up at him. Tears filling her eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you, you just came into my life, and I thought you were going to be ripped away."

"No chance my lady." She smiled at him and got onto her tip toes to kiss him. They then made their way to the lift and got to their room.

"Well, I have ordered you a beautiful silk for a dress, delt with those assholes that tormented you, got stabbed and was praised by the town all before lunch, I would say today has been most eventful."

They both laughed and got out of their bloody clothes. "It's a shame, I liked that dress, but the gods know there is no way to get blood out of silk" she kicked her dress away and stood before Eli nude.

"Now how do you expect me to think straight with you standing there like that" she giggled and pressed herself against him.

Within moments they were locked in a passionate kiss and made their way over to the bath. They spent the next half hour pressed together, giving release to the emotions that had pent up over the past few hours. Once the passionate love making concluded they dried themselves by the stone fire. Aamira soon stood and walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. "Come here." Eli walked over and knelt before the love of his life. He gently lent forward and was taken into her sweet embrace. She started to hum a sweet melody, soothing him. They stayed locked in each other's arms until Eli felt better. He stood up and held his hands out. Aamira joined him, she looked up into his eyes. Elis heart started to pound in his chest.

"I – I love you, Aamira."

"I love you too Eli."

Relief swept over them, and Aamira got onto her tip toes, and they enjoyed a long intimate kiss. Once they reluctantly separated, Eli swapped the towel for the soft sleeveless robe and walked out to the balcony, the day had become warm, the skies were clear and the air fresh, while Eli wanted to enjoy the fresh air, he could not risk being seen so instead, he spent the rest of the day in the library, since he was now fluent with his reading and writing Eli took several thick tomes from the shelves before settling in the thick cushioned seats. When Michah came to talk to them, Eli took the opportunity to ask if he could take the young servant Philip into his service.

"He has proved himself useful, intelligent and loyal."

"It is a great blessing to have a man like that in your service. I am sure he will serve you well,"

Eli summoned Philip to the library and told him that he no longer answered to earl, he was now under the direct service of Eli.

"Thank you sir, I will serve you well"

"I don't doubt it. I won't have much for you to do the next few days, but I would like to establish a schedule. I would like to be awoken just before sun-up each morning, and I would like a breakfast of fresh fruit and hot tea. During the day I won't need much help as I will be attending my studies, if Aamira needs anything, that takes priority, if there is nothing we need, you can perform your current duties. After dinner, I would like a bath to be drawn each night and I would like a mirror and sharp razor next to the bath. Oh, and please look around for a cabinet of sorts so I can store my new clothes when they are made."

"Very good, sir."

"When you are representing me in public, I would like you to wear fine black clothes and polished boots."

"As you wish sir."

"Good man, I will have more instruction as the days and weeks progress"

"Very good sir, I will see to your cabinet and progress of your new clothes."

Philip left the room and Eli turned to Aamira. "He will do well for us I think."

"I agree." She replied.

Eli stood up from the table and walked around the large library. He saw a large leather-bound book just out of reach. "What is that one?"

"Which one?" Aamira asked turning her attention from the book she was reading. Eli pointed to an uncommonly large, leather tome. "I'm not quite sure, I have seen papa read it though. Slide the ladder over and bring it down"

Eli did, once he grabbed the spine, he was shocked by how heavy the book was. It was easily four times as tall as the books to either side, and it was many times thicker. Eli almost lost his balance once he was bearing the full weight of the gigantic book. He placed it gently on the table and noticed that it had a leather strap around it, but it did not seem to have a knot or anything connecting the ends. There were etchings on the front cover as well as the back, but they were not runes, rather, layers of incomplete circles building out from the middle. Some were no more than a small, curved line, others were intricate curved lines getting bigger the farther from the centre, like the ripples of water a drop makes. The etchings were beautiful to look at but made no sense to Eli or Aamira. One of the servants standing by the door was asked to come over.

"Can you fetch earl for me please?" asked Aamira,

With a quick nod the servant left. Within a few minutes the head servant strode through the door holding his arms behind his back.

"You called for me mistress."

"I did. Can you tell me what these are?"

Earl walked over and inspected the large book. "Ah. This is the grand codex of dragons, or at least, that is the closest translation"

"You can read that?" Eli asked amazed.

"oh, good heavens no, years ago, I was tasked by master Michah to acquire any books, scrolls, tomes or anything to do with the dragon language. The issue was texts containing the dragon language were banned and most had been destroyed. Anyway, I followed countless leads until I came across a Traveling merchant who told me where I could find a book containing the entire language. It sounded too good to be true, which, of course, it was, the empires inquisitors had laid a trap for me to interrogate me about what I knew about the texts. But I was tipped off by a young lad who had helped me earlier and I was able to make my escape. I returned months later a failure. I laid myself at Michah's feet and apologised for the failure of my actions, he told me that it was a hard and dangerous thing he had sent me to do and told me I did well. Several weeks later, I was finishing my duties for the day was as about to go to bed, there was a knock on the door, so I grabbed a knife from the kitchen and answered. An old lady stood before me holding that book. She pressed it against me and as soon as I took it from her, she vanished. I would have thought it a trick or a dream were I not holding that book. I took it inside and dried it off as it had been raining, I tried to open it, I tried cutting the straps there, but I only succeeded in dulling the knife I used, I tried sliding it off, prying it open, it took all night. I sat at the table with the book in front of me, it sat there motionless, mocking my pathetic attempts, as if the solution was so obvious a blind man could see. Dawn came around and I was no closer to opening it, the answers master Michah was looking for were right there. So close but unable to read. Michah came to the table I was sitting, his eyes opened wide and ran over to it. 'You did it he said'. I told him that I tried to open it all night but was unable to get it to budge, he then explained that it was because it was enchanted, you just had to say open in the dragon tongue. You also needed to have magical ability otherwise words are just words."

"Do you know what the word was?" Eli asked.

"Hm, let me think, it was so long ago… Ghat'ri?"

"Ghat'ri" Eli replied, instantly the air seemed to buzz and vibrate, the room seemed to shake but nothing moved, then the straps that had bound the book tight began to unravel to the astonishment to everyone present.

"Holy… fucking… shit, d – did you just see that. Was that me?"

Michah soon arrived at the door to the library.

"Who was that!?" he looked onto the table and saw huge book unbound "don't open that, get away from it" he said sternly. Everyone backed away from the book. "I will ask once more, who did this, who opened the book."

Eli stepped forth, "I'm sorry master, I didn't mean to, I asked earl how you opened it and I just repeated the word. I don't know what happened."

"I will tell you exactly what happened, you just discovered that you have the ability to speak as the dragons do. You have just uttered a language that has been known to drive men to madness just by hearing it much less voicing it. It takes years of training to hear such words?"

"What does that mean?"

"It means that you have the potential to be a powerful mage." Michah looked around. "Everyone out, I must speak to my apprentice alone."

Earl made his way from the study quickly, Aamira hesitated grabbing Elis arm, she looked up at him with fear visible on her face.

"You may be able to handle what comes next given your ancestry, but I will not risk that."

"but I heard him say the word that opened the book, so did earl!"

"Yes, that was accident, he is about to recite the words deliberately and they will hold much more power, now do as I say and leave the room, he will be fine I promise."

Eli placed his hand on the small of her back and gently pushed her towards the door, as she left, she turned around her face still showing worry. Once Michah heard the door lock, he looked to Eli.

"Now tell me, have you been having strange dreams lately?"

Eli confirmed his mentors suspensions. He told him of the burning city, the light with wings and the robed warrior. With the words still fresh in his mind, Eli hesitated then recited. "S'eena ka'harrah Elo'kk struv'ahh baksh'in estr'ah nii'lock vinn'taad"

The air in the room once again vibrated violently, an icy chill ran down Elis spine, causing him to shiver. To his dismay, Micah's face lost all its colour. For moments Eli thought that his mentor was dead, he did not move, and it seemed like he was staring into a void. Then, a loud gasp broke the silence as Michah finally breathed trying to fill his lungs with the now still air.

Michah whispered too quietly for Magnus to hear.

"What is it? Tell me!"

"You can speak in the dragon's tongue, just like the high-ranking members of the dragon cult who were called the Draconic apostles. To become a draconic apostle, you had to have a latent magical ability, but, that was not enough, next, you had to prove yourself, you had to be trained for years before you were considered worthy to meet the great dragons. Then you would be granted an audience with a counsel of old dragons and listen to them speak. Countless hundreds lost their minds if they did not die on the spot. Those few that did not fall victim to the words were then trained to become dragon apostles. They soon became incredibly powerful sorcerers who could harness the power of dragon pearls to increase their own power a thousand-fold."

"I had read some stories about dragon apostles, but I never knew much about them."

"No, my boy, they were not just stories, they were history, a lost history burned from records by the order, the dragon cult and their apostles were the first organised empire. They served the great dragons and carried out their will. The apostles were gifted their own dragon once they had gained the trust of the dragons, with them the power and influence of the cult grew. For thousands of years the cult was the dominant power ruling with cruelty and brutality." Michah sat down and pulled out his pipe, he lit it with a match and settled into the seat and continued. "A few decades back the cult had become weak, corrupt, and vulnerable. Some of the newer apostles sought to take power away from the dragons and thus staged a coup, after a short but very bloody conflict the young apostles were victorious and disbanded the cult, from the now defunct cult rose the Order of the First Ember with the remaining young apostles forming the grand council. They burned the histories from the records and burned their participation in the coup." When he finished he sat quietly allowing his young apprentice time to gather his thoughts.

"So, the order is good because they stopped the brutality of the cult?" Eli asked

"Not necessarily, its true the order is less heavy handed but it was not created to save the people, there is still much suffering and slavery, but instead it was created to seat power with the apostles and not dragons."

"Do you know why I can speak the dragons language?"

Michah paused and looked uneasy "I'm afraid not."

"I see. Do you know who my ancestor is?"

"If I did some research, I may be able to find out. Many apostles had children, but many of them were killed off by rivals or offered as a sacrifice to dragons in exchange for more power. But the only way you could speak the dragon tongue is through decades of study and conditioning or have the blood of the old apostles. I thought you may have been special, hardly anyone could advance as quickly as you did, but I never thought this."

"So, there are more like me?"

"I would say it's possible."

"What is the difference between the new and old apostles."

"The old apostles were the first few generations. They went through rigorous rituals and training which changed the very fibre of their beings, they were the ones that could speak to the dragons after the rituals, but that was too slow for them to continue that way, so the old ones cast spells that allowed the younger generations to speak to the dragons artificially. The younger ones had to be magic and go through the same training but instead of wasting thousands of lives in hopes someone could speak to the dragons, they instead chose ten from the ranks and bestowed upon them the ability to speak to the dragons. This never sat well with the old ones as they risked their lives and many friends and loved ones died from madness by being subject to the dragon's tongue. So they always looked down on the younger generations, always using them for their own ends."

"So, does that mean I can shoot fireballs?"

"I don't think so, while you do possess the ability to speak in the dragon tongue, which is a powerful thing, you may not have the inherent ability of magic. There are other ways of using magic such as the use of enchanted artifacts. Blood magic is also available, but it exacts a heavy toll. The use of arcane stones pulled from the bodies of magical beasts. There is also the use of spirits and demons."

"What's the difference?"

"Now that my boy, is a vast topic. It takes decades of study and practice to learn everything. But I will explain what each form of magic is, and how it works. All magic is the control or manipulation of internal and external energies we call light. Blood magic can be used by anyone with the right instruction, as can the use of enchanted artifacts, items powered with magic stones that can be pulled from monsters with an affinity to light or gemstones can be enchanted with the same properties. You can be given magical abilities by demons, spirits and dragons. Demons and spirits give similar powers, demons give more malignant powers. Spirits give more benign powers, such magic draws its power from within yourself, the magic stones from beasts and light gems. However, both can be twisted to produce malignant and benign spells. You can take this to the extreme and let them possess your body. This will make you vastly more powerful at the expense of losing your identity and becoming a wraith. Sorcery is the manipulation of light within a mages body. But anyone with magic, no matter where it comes from can enchant an item."

"Can you teach me?"

The question seemed to disturb his mentor. "First things first. We must continue working on your control and focus. Strengthening the body will help strengthen the mind. Once you have learned the old words, we can begin practising magic. But you might not be able to cast spells without outside help."

"can you at least tell me what I said in the dragon language."

"Well, the closest translation I can make is, Toward the lowest star, before the tempest, speak our words to the heavens and you will be welcomed to us… I'm afraid the last few words did not make sense to me. But I have a limited knowledge of the language. Before you ask any more questions, you may want to open the door, Aamira has been pacing just outside for the last hour and I think she needs to be comforted."

"How do yo -"

Interrupting Eli, Michah said "Make your way to my study this evening, I will answer your questions. For now, comfort her" Michah got up, unlocked the door to the library. Aamira stopped pacing and stood up straight, she tried to act inconspicuous as if she had not been outside the door the whole time.

"Go on." Michah gestured to the library and hurried to his study. She then ran in and wrapped him in her arms and held tight. The whole interaction with his master seemed strange.

"Are you okay? what happened?"

He then recounted to her what her grandfather told him. Eli released Aamira and stepped back.

"Does – does this change how you feel about me?"

Without hesitation she walked back up to him. "No, I still love you, I am yours, and I always will be."

"Are you sure?"

"I am!"

"Thank you."

They held each other until the quiet was disturbed by a loud rumble. "Was that your stomach?" Aamira asked giggling.

"Yes, it was."

"Come, let's get you fed."

They both walked to the kitchen and helped themselves to a bowl of grapes, berries, apples, and pears. Once they had their fill, Aamira looked out the window and saw that the sun was going down.

"Come with me, its time to get to the top of the wall."

They then took the lift to their room. Aamira then changed into some nice linin causal trousers, shirt and boots and Eli did the same with his new clothes, they fit him perfectly and were soft and warm. And he was given new leather boots which were soft but tough. They then made their way out to the balcony. To the left, there was a ladder leading to the roof, Aamira went first.

"You should have kept the dress" Eli said cheekily.

"Stop it you." She giggled.

Once they were on the roof, Eli looked out at the view of the city, the air was cool and clear, he turned around and saw another ladder that had been built into the wall. There was only about three meters left to climb. He made his way up the ladder followed closely by Aamira who he helped up. He turned to the west. He could not believe his eyes, the golden sun shooting rays of orange light. Against the dark purple of night, the ocean shimmering with reflected light, the distant clouds outlined with light, the ships coming into and leaving the deep-water dock, it was truly a spectacle to behold, as the sun was dropping down, the air grew colder but he could not feel it, he was trapped by the majesty of his surroundings, Aamira came up next to him and he wrapped a loving arm around her.

"I wonder what the view would be like from up there" he asked while looking at an eagle. They stayed looking out to the edge of the world watching the sun depart and make way for the cold of night. Eli did not take much notice of the cold and because of Aamira's elven blood, she did not either. They stayed atop the wall talking and staring at the stars. They were enjoying each other's company even more so since learning about his ancestry she was still by his side as loving as ever.

The calm that enveloped him when he was watching the sunset and stars soon disappeared as he remembered he was to meet Michah in his study, and he would answer all his questions. But, since spending time in the soothing company of Aamira, he had forgotten all he was going to ask.

"Do you want me with you when you talk to papa. I know how shaken you are about all this news?"

"Yes please." He replied grateful for her love and support.

They arrived at Michah's study and walked into the large room, like the rest of the house the walls were marble and had wide, east facing windows. A thick yew wood desk, the ends curved down and split like thick roots. On top, there was tall thick candles on the far corners of the desk. There was a collection of beautifully coloured large feather quills, a large ornate crystal ink pot that was half full, there were several sheets of fine paper. The walls were lined with books, statues and suits of armour were displayed; one shelf was covered with a rich tapestry. He had a large high back leather chair. Opposite the high-backed chair were two smaller chairs of similar design. Michah was standing by the large windows looking out over the city.

Without turning he said "I'm glad you are here my boy, there is much we need to discuss. Aamira I'm glad you are here too, please seat yourselves." The candles on the desk sparked and started to burn. Michah called one of the servants in. "What is being served this evening?"

"Honey glazed suckling pig with roast vegetables to be served with your choice of drink."

"Good, we will be dining in here, please bring a cask of ale, we will be drinking well into the evening. Once dinner is served I would like no disturbances"

"Yes sir."

Eli and Aamira sat down then Michah then joined them. "I am sure you are bursting with questions, so, ask away. Nothing held back"

"Well, do you know what my dreams mean, they were too real to have just been normal dreams? And then the light with wings. It all seems. I don't quite know."

"I think they might be glimpses of the future, I'm afraid the city on fire seems obvious, the roar of the dragons and the beating of the wings indicates to me that you will have a close encounter a dragon, such meetings are rare and not to be ignored. As to your hooded armoured figure, and the swords over the book. I'm afraid I have no idea."

"Okay, well how about magic, when will you teach me that?"

"That is a difficult question, you have the inherent ability to speak to dragons and that means you should have an inherent magical abilities. But since I do not know how those spells work, I cannot teach them to you."

"So, how do you cast spells?" asked Eli

"I cast spells and enchantments derived from mortal magic. This form of magic draws strength from the caster and directs it using the Elden tongue"

"So, if you want to teach me how to use spells, I need to learn the Elden tongue as well?"

"Yes. I will teach you the old words, I have several spell books written in that language and you will study them and learn."

"And what about the dragon language?" asked Eli slightly daunted by the fact he needs to learn two different languages.

"That brings us to your dream with the winged light. From what you said to me, I believe it to be an invitation, by who or what I am unsure. But what I am sure about is where." Michah stood up and walked over to the one of the shelves and pulled off two large scrolls. He placed one flat on the desk, Eli and Aamira stood and walked to the other side of the desk.

"This is a star chart; it's how people navigate the seas and have for generations." Michah then opened the second scroll across the table. "And here we have a current world map, as you can see, we are here." he pointed to a comparatively small island west of several large bodies of land connected by land bridges. "Now, see here." he pointed to a marked area of the map west of the island they were on. This area has never been discovered, the few ships that return, the crew speaks of a terrible storm, and great monsters of the deep, scholars have sat and watched the storm and have concluded that it never dissipates, never eases."

"So do you think that's where I was told to go?"

"Well, you will find that just above the storm is the lowest star. So yes, I think that is where to go, as to what to do once you are there, I'm not sure."

The three of them started brainstorming about ideas and tried to understand the cryptic message. A knock on the door interrupted them and dinner was brought before them, they ate and drank until they had their fill. The next few hours were spent drinking trying to find a solution to their problem. "Maybe I will get another message from, whoever sent me the last one?" Eli said drunkenly.

"Perhaps." Michah replied slowly. Eli looked over too Aamira and found her fast asleep in the chair with the mug still in her hand.

"I think its time I tuck her in." he said smiling at her.

"I agree, make your way to the training room mid-morning, I think you may need the sleep in."

"Yes master" Eli turned to the young woman sleeping in the chair, he took the mug from her hand and put it on the desk. Michah opened the door and Eli picked Aamira up, she groaned in acknowledgement and Eli whispered "Shh, I'm taking you to bed, go back to sleep." Aamira moaned in acknowledgment then promptly fell back asleep, Eli smiled and went over to the lift, he pulled the lever and made it up to the room, he then undressed Aamira and placed her under the silk sheets, he noticed the room had gotten cold because they had left the door open, after closing the door he made his way over to the bath, the water was steaming hot, he undressed and got in. He spent the next fifteen minutes cleaning himself when he looked over to the fire. The smokeless flames emanating from the stones began to dance as if there were a strong wind pushing them, the agitated flame then started to take shape. The vision of a battle began to dance before his eyes. Two great armies clashing in a vast open field, there were more than a dozen men astride dragons came into view above the battle. A fourth dragon came entered the fray, the man astride the noble creature fought the others felling several of his opponents from the sky. Another two joined him soon after, together they lay waste to the great host of riders and their dragons. The flames burned bright, in their light images began to flash, images and memories of a time yet to happen. An era of peace and plenty. An era defended and guided by a dragon riders. The memories fade and the fire takes another shape. Before him Eli saw the bust of a dragon, its claws reaching for him. The dragon leaned closer from the great fireplace. Eli stuck his hand out toward the hand of flame, drawn to the fire but his movements no longer dictated by his mind. The instant they made contact, a bolt of burning pain shot through him as if his veins were filled with molten lead. He opened his eyes, and he was surrounded by darkness.

A voice boomed from behind the darkness "Greetings Magnus, it's about time I had the chance to speak to you, I am known as Ohl'merra." The name broke upon Eli's mind with tremendous force.

"What – what do you want with me?"

"We have been waiting long for someone of your blood, my brethren and I have been enslaved by the grand counsel to the order of the first ember. They no longer care for us as they once did, they use us for dark magic and force us to obey."

"What – how can I help; how do I free you?" he asked frantically but not sure why.

"There are two final eggs, the last free dragons of our noble breed, the dragons you see are naught but flying rodents. Shadows of our once mighty race. Take one of the eggs, raise them and lay waste to the fools who bound us with treacherous magic. As a gift, we give you the other egg to gift to whom you deem worthy. Know that this has never been done before and never will again. A dragon raised by the children of the dragon's blood always hold incredible power, they will obey you and only you. It is our hope that you will revive the ways of old and bring the world to its former order."

"How can I talk to you If I need you?" he asked

"I'm afraid, you cannot."

"Where are the eggs"

"Once there is nothing more, young Michah will teach you and when you feel ready you must go to the tempest below the lowest star. Speak to the heavens 'I Magnus, child of the dragon's blood and rightful heir to the ancient powers demand passage to the land of my forebears."

"I understand, but my name is Eli, not Magnus"

"Not to us."

"How will I know I'm ready?"

"Once there is nothing more Michah will teach you, once you can harness the power of your kin and ancestors, you will be ready to claim your egg. Summoning you has taken great strength, this will be the last we speak, be well child and hold fast. Your time will come."

"But I still have so many questions!"

"I'm sorry young one."

The darkness receded and was replaced by the soft light of the fire, Eli let out a huge gasp as if he had been holding his breath for an hour, he gathered his wits and looked around. Aamira was still fast asleep. Though the water was hot, the chill from the contact had not yet left his body. He looked at the stone fire and spoke. "More heat" with in an instant the room grew warm; he got out of the bath onto the smooth marble floor. He stood bare bodies to the fire to warm himself. The heat from the flame soon seeped into him expelling the cold from his bones. Aamira stirred and Eli looked over, she rolled, adjusted the silk sheets, and went back to sleep.

While standing in the warmth, excitement swelled within him 'I get a dragon!' but with his excitement a question arose. 'Who will I give the other egg to?' His immediate thought went too Aamira, "I should ask her if she wants it. I would hate to burden her, but what about Michah, he would be powerful, and he is the most experienced one here, and there is Erick. I have a long while to decide. There is no point thinking about the problems of tomorrow." He said to himself aloud. Another question soon came to mind, a sense of dread crept over him once more filling his bones with an inescapable chill, 'what if I don't want to bring back the old order of things?' It took him a good half an hour to warm back up. Once he was sufficiently warm, he made his way to bed, Aamira rolled over and placed her arm on him, Eli began to speak but he realised she was still asleep. He fell into a deep sleep, and for the first time since leaving home, he had a normal sleep. He woke at his usual time with a light headache, Philip was just coming off the lift, Eli stood and walked over to a pile of clothes, he put on his fresh under garments. Philip walked over to him and whispered. "Good morning, sir, is there anything you need?"

"Yes. Are there any Kressen leaves? I have a bit of a headache."

"There is, but may I suggest seraph root, it will ease your headache and any nausea you may be feeling."

"Is seraph not poisonous?"

"Only the leaves."

"Bring me a pot of it, I think Aamira will need some when she wakes up."

"Very good sir" Philip nodded and made his way to fetch tea for his master.

As per his new custom, Eli headed out to the balcony, facing toward the rising sun. He tried to clear his mind, but his headache grew worse. The unusual sense of calm and awareness eluded him as he was unable to concentrate on anything other than his growing headache. Within a few moments Eli heard the lift ascending.

'That was quick' he thought to himself without opening his eyes.

Philip walked over to the far end of the table and placed the tray down gently which produced a soft clink. Aamira stirred letting off a small moan, she rubbed her eyes and tucked her soft smooth amber hair behind her right ear. She sat up, swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She yawned deeply and stretched before getting up and walking over to the fireplace. Her statuesque figure clearly visible through her chiffon sleepwear against the light of the fire. Eli looked over and felt butterflies as he gazed upon her pleasing form. He thanked the gods silently for her. He smiled and began to walk over to his companion and saw that Philip was still in the room respectfully averting his gaze. He met Eli's gaze and his master subtly held up two fingers and continued walking to Aamira. Philip poured two cups of tea, the steam produced a sweet aroma, the steam thick in the cool heavy air. Aamira heard the noise Philip was making and quickly ran to Eli and pressed against him hiding herself. "Oh my, I thought it was you making the noise." she said looking up at him through her hair embarrassed.

"He walked in on us in the bath, while I was inside you, why are you embarrassed now?"

"Well," she whispered pressing her head against his chest. "My nightie is very, lewd and revealing. In the bath I was hidden against you."

Eli slid his hand down from her shoulder to her waist causing her to shiver and pull closer to him. He ran his hands over her beautiful form and felt himself harden, Aamira felt the same and ran her had from his chest to his crotch. Eli breathed in deeply.

"That will be all Philip."

Philips voice came from the lift. "Already gone sir." He smiled and pulled the lever and left.

Once they heard the left go down, Eli grabbed Aamira by the waist and pulled her against him, the pressure relieving the ache that had formed in his pants, they began to kiss passionately as Aamira undid the cords holding his pants up. Once it came loose, she began to kiss his neck, then down to his chest, slowly making her way down.

Panting Eli asked "What – what are you doing?"

Without a word, she took him in her mouth. Eli let off a loud breathy moan. He lay his hand on her head as she moved, taking his shaft deeper into her mouth. Aamira then ran her hands up his legs and grabbed his behind firmly pulling him deeper and deeper into her. She moaned as she took him and soon began to rub herself. She slid her fingers between her soft smooth lips and felt herself get wetter with each stroke. Without warning Eli grabbed her chin and gently pushed her back onto the soft rug they were on. She looked up at him with big eyes as he lowered himself to her base. He swiftly took her into his mouth, he licked the length of her slit, her juices were sweet, and he loved the way she writhed and moaned under his tongue. He grabbed her soft, thick thighs and she gently squeezed his head. Soon she started to grind against his tongue. Grabbing his head, she grinded harder and harder, panting and moaning, she grabbed his hair, quivered and squealed. She soon released him and as Eli was about to start again, she moaned, "No, put – I want - you – inside me - please" she begged.

Eli then moved up slowly, kissing from her sweet base to her glistening firm stomach making her shiver, he then arrived at her large swelling breast. He grabbed hold of her and tasted her pink nipples. She moaned and writhed under him, he moved up some more, his firm body pressed against her, he brushed her soft silky hair to the side and began to kiss her neck and gently bit her ear. As he ran his hand down her side and gripped her thigh she pressed against him, rubbing her slit against his throbbing shaft. They were both moaning and rubbing against each other. Soon he slipped inside her which caused them both to moan deeply. Once they found themselves in a slow intimate rhythm, they took their time enjoying each other. The hot breath against the ear, the subtle squeezing. The sweet moans from Aamira made Eli feel closer with her. Once they were done Eli rolled onto his back panting softly with Aamira similarly affected. As they lay there in front of the stone fire Eli asked.

"do you want some tea, my lady? it will help with the hangover."

Aamira rolled closer to him, so she lay on her stomach beside him.

"I like it when you call me that" she said sweetly while looking up at him with her large blue eyes.

"Well, I will be sure to call you that more often."

"And yes, I would love a cup of tea"

Eli stood and walked over to the table where the tea had already been poured. He glanced over and saw Aamira laying on the wolfskin rug, the flames of the fire reflecting of her smooth glistening skin. He had thought the butterflies in his stomach would pass with time, but he still feels giddy every time he would look at her. Eli picked up the two mugs of tea which had cooled slightly and took them over. She stood up and walked over to the closet and took out a blue silk robe with gold embroidery. Like Eli's it was sleeveless but hers was longer. She put it on then accepted the mug of tea and drank deeply. The warm tea was soothing and sweet with hints of citrus and cinnamon. As Philip said it eased both of their headaches and filled them with a warm tingle. Eli then got dressed after taking the mugs back to the table. He took an apple from the bowl and bit into it with a loud crunch. Aamira looked over and asked for one.

They stood together on the balcony finishing the fruit before going back inside. They went to bed and talked for the next few hours. Mid-morning, they went down to the kitchen and got a small bite. While they were eating Philip came in and told Eli that the gifts that the townsfolk gave him had been placed in the vault and that a new cabinet has been ordered for his new clothes when they are ready.

"Would you like to go to the forge, I think you might like that, then we can commission a suitable weapon for you. It won't be perfect but it would be a great improvement on your fathers sword." Aamira said excitedly.

The thought of a new sword excited him. "Will it be like yours?" he asked.

"Mine was made by Cedrick; it won't be exactly the same, but it will be the same quality."

His excitement was renewed by the thought of having a new weapon of his own. They went back upstairs to change into suitable attire. Then went below to the production room where the forge and tailoring room lay. Once they stepped off the lift Eli was greeted with the all too familiar clang of hammer on steel. As they walked through the surprisingly spacious yet dimly lit basement hallway. The air was hot and still. The further in they walked the louder the banging had become. Once they soon reached the room where the forge was set. The room was large with four grated openings on the roof that let a small amount of sunlight and fresh air in. There was a large stone Shute that was set above the forge that directed the smoke out of the room, imbedded in the walls were gaps that held ore of many metals, ingots that had already been smelted into bars of pure metal, among them he saw iron, steel, silver, platinum, titanium, gold, and other alloys, just like in Gunmar's forge he saw barrels filled with large plates and rods of steel and other metals. There was also a large wooden set of openings just like in the forge in Gunmar's filled to the brim with plan scrolls. However, Cedrick's collection was vastly bigger. Once he stopped inspecting the room, he turned his attention to the burly dwarf, he was chanting as he swung the hammer. There was a strange weight in the air. The deep bass of his voice made for an enchanting rhythm, combined with the sharp clang. They stood there for a short minute listening not wanting to interrupt. Once he doused the hot steel in a barrel of brine and returned it to the coals, he looked up and noticed his visitors.

"Greetings mistress Aamira," he said bowing slightly "And you must be master Michah's new apprentice. It is a pleasure to meet you." walking over and shaking his hand vigorously. "So, what can I do for ye."

"Eli is in need of a new blade."

"Of course, do you have an idea of what you would like?"

"Well, I am thinking a bastard sword, something I can use effectively with a shield if the need arises, but most of the time I want to use both hands. I want a blade strong enough to pierce plate. But not too heavy."

The dwarf looked down deep in thought, he moved over to an adjoining room where Eli heard a slight clinking, moments later the dwarf walked back into the forge carrying a beautiful bastard sword. The pommel was a diamond shape made of a bright steel that was hollow in the centre. The hilt was long enough for both of his hands comfortably, the cross-guard was straight with a diamond shaped end that was the same as the pommel. Intricate carved knots and patterns were carved into the pommel and cross-guard as well as having a large, pointed sapphire set in the centre of the cross guard on either side, the point went up the blade slightly forming an indent in the scabbard, the scabbard itself was made of a dark wood, there was elegant metal work at the bottom point as well as where the cross-guard joined. The sword was held to Eli who took it gently, he did not want to damage it, for it was a fine weapon.

"May I?" Eli asked not looking up from the beauty of the hilt.

"Please." replied the dwarf.

Eli gripped the hilt and slowly pulled the sword from its nest, there was a soft sliding sound as he drew the beautiful blade, he noticed the inside of the scabbard was inlayed with wool which made it almost silent, the sword was very similar to his sparing sword. The blade edges were perfectly parallel before coming to a point, the blade was wider than he had expected being about three fingers wide, it was also somewhat thicker than he expected but not unduly giving the weapon an air of menace. The weapon had a comfortable weight, it felt heavy enough to hack through powerful plate but was light enough to use quickly and effectively. Eli took two steps back and made sure that he had enough space, he swung the sword close to his body, he was ecstatic that the weapon felt just right. He re-sheathed the weapon and stepped back to the dwarf offering it back to him.

"This one is just right, any chance you can make me one just like it?"

"Just take that one. I have more than three dozen blades back there, if that one is right, take it, once you get better and want a personal sword you can make your way back and I will make you one to your exact specifications and design."

"This is a beautiful weapon, thank you."

"It was forged in these special coals, it won't dull or rust even if you swung it against the wall so you don't need to worry about caring for the blade, I will say that it should be clean before returning it back to the scabbard because the filth of battle will be caught in the lining, it is made from my own special alloy so it shouldn't take more than a few flicks for the flesh and blood to come off."

"Amazing, I never thought a blade could have such properties."

"It's not as uncommon than you think, we dwarves use special coals and alloys while the elves use spells to get a similar result."

"In any case it is a kingly weapon, thank you." He bowed to the dwarf and turned to face Aamira.

"A fine weapon indeed, come, let's look at it in the light."

Before they turned to leave, they were about to say farewell to the smith, but he had already pulled the iron from the fire. As they walked Eli cradled his new weapon as if it were a newborn babe. They made their way to the ground floor and walked to the front door, the servant opened the front door and they both went outside. The sword was glistening in the bright mid-day sunlight, the large sapphires that were set in the cross-guard reflected the light brilliantly, they were cut to shape with unyielding precision, but the surface was rough and uncut, the whole weapon held a terrifying beauty. He drew the sword, and the blade had a heavy steel shine, it was made of the same metal as the hilt and cross-guard, the edges were razor sharp the full length of the blade. He walked onto the lawn and began swinging the blade, it made a sharp whistle with each slash. He flowed from one-handed movements to two-handed strikes, the sword allowed him to perform with great ease. Aamira stood to the side smiling remembering the time she was given her blade. She thought about how much he had improved, she looked at him and felt butterflies in her stomach.

With eyes full of love, she said to him "Its almost time to meet papa, I'll meet you back upstairs." She then strode to his side, got onto her tip toes and whispered seductively in his ear "I'll be waiting." breathing hot on his ear, she did a subtle little bite which sent shivers through his body, he felt himself grow hard and turned to grab her, but she was already running inside, before she went through the open door, she looked back at him, smiled coyly, winked and went inside. Eli stood on the lawn hot and flustered, his new sword and scabbard limp in his hands. He was still looking at the door longingly before his concentration was broken as his new servant Philip approaching from his right.

"Sir, it is mid-day, I believe you were to meet with master Longford for your instruction."

"Right you are, I was just -" he trailed off "Never mind" he added shaking his head as if to dislodge his intrusive thoughts. Once he had returned the new blade to its snug resting place, he walked up the stairs to the main greeting room. The servants were busy tending to their many tasks, while he made his way over to the lift, he noticed one of the servants who had just exit the lift looked up at him blushing, once he made eye contact with her, she averted her gaze and sped through the room giggling when she reached the far side.

What was that about? he thought to himself. Clearing his mind and straightening himself before he reached the fourth floor.

He stepped of the lift watching his master who was by the window with his hands behind him. He went and placed his new sword on atop a bench that was covered with thick wool so it would not mar the beauty of the weapon. He walked over to his master and stood in silence, waiting for him to make the first move.

The hours he spent training went quickly. Neither master or apprentice willing to give ground, but the training felt different, Michah didn't seem as careful as usual. By the end they were both bruised and broken. In short order his master healed them both and went to a table which had refreshments. Michah asked about his new weapon and with excitement he rushed to get it, after returning he offered it to Michah to inspect. He looked over the weapon with a practiced eye.

"This is a beautiful weapon, be sure not to lose it, hm."

"Its not as nice as your own but I am most pleased with it, I do want to ask your permission to keep it as it came from downstairs."

Michah's eyebrow raised as he understood why his student was asking. "There is no need to ask since the owner already gave it to you, Cedrick may be under my employ, but I have no ownership over the goods he produces. He sells them and sends a portion of the profits to the estate coffers."

"Oh, I see, I misunderstood the relation between you."

After a lengthy discussion about Eli's performance, he was dismissed. He was now confident enough that Eli could practice his reading and writing on his own time.

Eli stepped onto the lift and headed to the room he and Aamira shared. Once he had reached the top, he saw Aamira laying on the bed seductively in a beautiful transparent nightie. Eli felt blood rush to his member as he began to walk forward, she lifted her hand and mentioned toward him that he should join her. He got onto the bed and crawled toward her, she slowly rolled onto her back as Eli gently positioned himself above her, her wide eyes never leaving his. He placed his hand on her waist which was met with a slight needy gasp, he smiled and put pressure on her waist and leaned down to kiss her propping himself up with his elbow. Kissing each other passionately breathing heavily into each other grinding and writhing, she helped him remove his shirt, then belt. Still locked in that kiss Eli kicked off his boots and they undid his trousers. For a while they held each other, her soft form pressed against his as he grinded and pressed his bulge against her soft base. The louder they moaned the more they writhed, her soft nighty was smooth against his skin and soon he began to make his way down, first taking her breasts in his hand, he then moved farther down breathing hard, kissing her as he went, he arrived at her moist soft lips, he went in and tasted her. Her soft thin pubic hair tickled him slightly, but he ignored it and enjoyed exploring every inch with his lips and tongue savouring her sweet juices. She squealed with ecstasy and grabbed his hair pressing her large thighs against his head. She pushed herself against him as she climaxed then loosened her grip on him. He moved his head away slightly, his mouth and chin dripping, she was about to say something but before she could speak, Eli began sucking, kissing and caressing her inner thighs, once again slowly making his way down to her slit.

"N – no please – I'm sensitive."

Eli stopped and looked up. Staring into her eyes he got onto his knees. His gaze made her feel shy but even more needy.

"Roll over." he said slowly, his tone sending shivers down her body.

She quietly did as she was bid, once she was on her stomach, she felt his hands spread her legs, blood rushed to her face as she was embarrassed because she had bever been seen like that. She felt his strong had grab her hip just above the thigh pulling her to her knees. She felt a hot breath against her slit, she moaned, her face burned with embarrassment. She was needy and nervous because she did not know what was going to happen next. Quivering slightly, she arched her back opening herself up. She did not know what was next, but the anticipation drenched her. Suddenly she felt him slide in, Eli's hard member stretching her, she gasped deeply and moaned, he slowly withdrew then thrust, Eli slowly increasing speed and force grunting while ramming into soft, tight hole. Her moans getting louder and louder. Her hair was then gripped by the base of her head making her eyes roll back, Eli pulled her up, so she was against him, her back curving deeply. He thrust into her while breathing and biting her ear, he placed his hand on her neck and squeezed with his fingers, with her pleasure intensified, Eli gripped her breast and squeezed her nipple between his fingers. Tingles shooting from her nipple to base causing her to squeal and press against him, Eli felt her tighten around his shaft, each thrust moved her hips with his, soon the warm air and the passion was causing them to sweat, both panting harder and harder, Aamira had already climaxed several times, the exposure made her feel lewd and embarrassed and with Eli being so forceful all she could do was submit to him climax over and over.

Soon Eli grabbed her by the waist pulling her into him, with his other hand he reached up and took hold of her chest, he started thrusting faster and harder, Aamira lifted her arms grabbing his hair. Several moments past with increasing intensity, the sweat, passion, hot panting, and sensual moaning, harder and faster when soon Eli thrust himself deep inside her, pulling her closer, loud moaning and quivering took the moment as Eli released deep inside her, unable to control it he made several more animalistic rugged thrusts. She felt him twitching inside, filling her up which made her shiver with delight and pleasure. There they stayed, hot, sweaty and breathing hard. He released the pressure from her hip and breast but still held her gently. He let go and moved up, she felt him slip out and it made her shiver. She dropped onto the bed and Eli dropped alongside her seconds later.

"Gods! – that was – the most – incredible – amazing -" she stopped as she looked over to Eli who had a look of guilt. "oh – did I do – something wrong"

"No – no – no, not at all, I was just worried – worried I was being too rough – we have never done that before. I was afraid I hurt you."

"Heavens no, that was the most intense and passionate moment we have shared." she said making Eli feel better.

With a sigh of relief, he started to laugh and soon Aamira was overcome by the same euphoria. She rolled over to him, pressed her soft shimmering form against him, Eli in turn wrapped his arm around her and together they recovered and settled their breathing.

"We need a bath." she said giggling.

Eli replied with a soft chuckle, they lay there in each other's arms letting the bliss and euphoria wash over them as a result of their passionate love making.

"I'll get Philip to boil the water then."

An hour passed with them whispering to each other while the servants streamed in and out of the room carrying buckets of boiling water. Once the last of them had left, they got out from under the soft silk and made their way over to the freshly drawn bath. Eli held out his hand which Aamira took as she stepped into the hot water, Eli followed her in, and they began washing the sweat from their limbs.

Once the bath was finished, they went down to the kitchen to find some food, they ate quickly and made their way to the library. They sat in two high back cushioned chairs that were sat by the large fireplace and they read.

"Aamira?"

"Yes" she replied softly

"Could you help me write a letter to my family?" he said shyly

"Yes of course I can." She replied smiling.

They got up and placed their books on the small stool situated between the chairs, Aamira walked over to a large cabinet and pulled out a small ink pot, two quills and three bits of paper and a long rough leather matt that had been stained with years of use, she lay the clean side of the leather onto the table and then placed the rest of the items on top. "Here you are my love, do you know what you are going to write?"

"Well, I haven't actually thought about it, I suppose I will tell them where I am, tell them that I'm safe. I think I will also tell them about the cute girl I'm seeing."

As he started writing, he thought back to when he first began, struggling to make even the simplest of runes, he was now writing clearly he told them of the journey from the village to the city, he told them that he decided to travel with Michah and his granddaughter, he told them all about the love of his life, when he was finished he read what he wrote, he then realised that most of the letter was about Aamira, how he felt, what she looked like, what her personality was like. He was slightly embarrassed to have written something so personal, it was as if he was pouring his heart out onto the paper, he had never written anything like that, most of the time he was copying a text or practicing runes. He went to scrunch up the paper, but it was quickly snatched up by Aamira.

"No! Don't read that!"

She giggled and folded it, "Don't destroy it, keep it, because you may want to read it someday, this is the first time you have put ink to paper sharing your own thoughts. Trust me. Okay." she said looking up at him cupping his cheek.

"Alright I will, but please don't read it."

Thinking for a moment, Aamira then runed to the shelf where she got the writing supplies, she pulled out a small stand and tiny metal cup with a short wooden handle, she also took out and envelope and a glass vial containing little white and gold balls. She set the stand up with the cup resting on top with the curved base exposed. She then placed four white and one gold ball in the small metal cup, then took a candle and placed it under the stand so the flame licked the bottom of the crucible.

"What is that? What are you doing?" Eli asked

"I am melting the wax so when I have placed the letter in the envelope it can be sealed."

"Oh, I see. So that stuff there is wax"

She hummed in response as she was placing the letter he had written in the envelope, she began writing on the front of the letter.

Fui dji ijuanj youii. It was not written in runes but rather a collection of strange flowing lines.

"What does it say?" Eli asked curiously.

"You will know when you need to." She walked over and collected a steel stamp, then took the small crucible from the flame and poured the flowing white and gold wax onto the seam of the envelop. The wax formed a thick seal. She returned the crucible too the flame then stamped the wax. Standing up she walked over to the bell and rang it, Philip soon appeared, she started to hand it to him then quickly pulled away.

"No one is to read this, take it straight to the vault."

"Right away mistress." he said dutifully.

She walked back into the study as Philip closed the door and went to the lift as instructed.

"Try again." she said sweetly.

Eli turned and sat where he did the first time, he wrote again but this time he didn't go into as much detail. Once he was finished, he let Aamira read it.

"This is beautiful" she said once she had finished. Once that letter was sealed, they made their way outside. They walked toward the stables but stopped at a small wooden building. Aamira opened the hatch, and a large black owl poked its head out. With a slight hum it jumped onto the opening and then to Aamira's stretched out arm. She passed the letter to the owl which grasped it gently but firmly. She lifted her arm, and the large owl flew off.

"How does it know where to go?"

"The owl flies to a building to the north, from there it is sent either by another owl or by messenger depending on how far away the specified town is. There are hundreds if not thousands of these outposts. They allow for messages to be carried quickly across the country."

"Will it take very long?"

"For most private post I would expect it to take a few weeks, for military and state communications it might only take a few days to get it from the top of Aragess to the bottom. It will take about a week or two for that letter to get to your village, it bares the seal of the Longford estate, so it has priority over a normal civilian letter"

"Huh." this new information was interesting for Eli because he had always wondered how messages were sent. Pleased they both went back inside. That night the three of them dined together and Eli told Michah on the letter that he wrote to his family. Michah was pleased by his progress.

A few days passed and Eli wanted to see more of the city. As they did before Eli and Aamira dressed in fine clothes. Eli fixed his new sword to his belt and left; Philip followed a few paces behind but did not have carry a basket this time. Instead of going to the dock market, they travelled to the centre of the city, there was music being played by a large fountain, children were playing in the streets, men were looking at tools and other useful items, women were buying jewellery and perfumes and lace, servants were getting supplies for their respective households. The smell of street food filled the air, he saw a butcher stall and thought that he would love to hunt the grounds outside the city. He shared his thoughts with Aamira.

"There is not much game close to the city. You would have to travel a few days before you saw anything worth hunting, but the lands are filled with dangers that far from the city."

"Hm, I didn't think of that. But what would be so danger – oh, right." he had remembered his battle with the Basilisk.

"I would like to fight more monsters." He said.

"Well, it does suit you" Aamira replied.

"You could join me. We do make for a formidable team."

"I would like that." she smiled.

They walked around and talked to different store owners and customers. As they were walking, a long line of guards came through, everyone moved out of their way, in the middle of the progression there was a man on a horse who was dressed in richly coloured clothes with heavy bands of gold and jewels. They made their way nonstop through the courtyard, the conversation died down as the man came through, once he had left the conversation picked back up.

Sensing his impending question Aamira said. "That is Lord Lindlow he is the governor of this city."

"I see. No one seems to like him much."

"Well, there's a good reason for that, he conscripts young men into service."

"Really, I didn't think that was necessary, there hasn't been a war for decades." He said surprised

"That's true, however trouble has been brewing for a long time, the lords are all mustering their armies and hiring new men, there is much disturbance between the king and the order."

"Surely people would choose the king."

"The king is cruel and stupid, he has left the affairs of the land in the hands of unqualified, greedy lords. While the order sends their clerics out to spread the word of their religion and often give alms to the poor."

"What do you make of all of it?"

"I don't really care, I have a comfortable life, but I would have to choose the king over the order."

"You know that I might join the order?"

A cloud of sadness crossed her face. "I know, I know you want to join and that's fine."

"So why are you sad?" he grabbed her chin and made her look at him "Tell me."

"I don't want to lose you, there are many powerful, seductive women in the order, and I don't want you to lose sight of who you are. The order will force you to change, I know that's selfish but – you mean so much to me."

"I understand. Do you think Michah will teach me everything the order could?"

Her face lit up, "Yes, I'm sure he could. But I don't want you to give up on your dreams because of me."

A small laugh erupted from his lips. "Dream? joining the order isn't my dream, being with you is my dream. Being powerful is my dream."

"But I thought -" she said wide eyed

"I wanted to join the order so I could learn and explore. I thought that was the only option for someone with nothing, you gave me another choice, another path."

"So, you will stay with me?"

"I would sooner die than be separated from you"

A relieved giggle came from her as she hugged him tightly. They continued their way through the city. They started chatting to a local farmer who came into the city to sell his surplus. He told them about increasing trouble on the road, bandits and monsters are roaming freely, telling them that the road to the great city of Nemdreth had been closed for months due to the monster attacks. He told them the order has stopped sending out patrols and the lords of the land stopped doing likewise as they prepare for a long conflict. Once they were done, they made their way to a local tavern. The inside was filled with boisterous conversation and laugher. A bright fire was burning in the centre of the room. Twelve medium sized barrels were set behind the bar, a large set of shelves were also behind the bar which contained ceramic mugs and glass cups, glass pitchers and bottles. The three made their way through the busy tavern to a small empty table. They sat down and decided what they wanted.

"Walking around the city has left me starving so I could do with a good bite. Wait, do we have any money"

"Sir, I did bring a purse in case something caught your attention" Philip said.

"Excellent, how about some bread, cheese and maybe even a chicken?"

"And a pitcher of strong ale to wash it down" Aamira said excitedly.

The three of them laughed and waited for one of the bar maids to make her rounds. Philip ordered the food and drink and it soon arrived. They ate, drank, and enjoyed the day. One pitcher turned into two, that turned into four. The later the night went on the tavern was filled with song. During a brief lull, Aamira stumbled onto the table with a mug of ale, she started to sing, her voice was beautiful and sweet and soon everyone was cheering and joining in. Eli just stood back and watched the woman he loved captivate dozens of people. When the song was over several men were in tears and everyone wanted another song. She made her way to the bar and started to sing an upbeat song the musicians soon joined in, Eli and Philip got onto a table and then started dancing a jig, Eli had learned how to dance from his mother and was soon joined by several sailors, they started dancing in sync with all others stomping their feet and banging fists and mugs on the tables the noise attracted others as the afternoon turned to evening, and people had finished their business for the day. Soon it got so crowded that people moved the festivities outdoors. The tables and chairs were bought outside to the displeasure of the tavern keeper, but he soon got over it as it was getting busy, and he was to turn a tidy profit. Once they were set up and some torches were lit the song and dance started again, Eli, Philip a few caravan guards and several women, serving girls, women of the night and even high-born's were joining in, a circle formed around them and more and more people joined. Aamira was set on a table in front of the musicians. The men were buying her drinks trying to vie for her affections. Eli soon realised and got onto the table with her, he wrapped his hand around her and started to sing with her, the cheers of the crowd got louder. Several drunk men stormed off when they realised, she was out of reach but everyone else was loving the duet. When the sun had disappeared and Eli, Aamira and Philip were sufficiently drunk Eli called everyone to attention and thanked them for the amazing evening. Philip then stumbled onto the table, he would have fallen if he were not caught by Eli and Aamira, once he could stand on his own two feet shouted.

"Drinks on house Longford!" throwing a handful of copper coins in the air to everyone's delight. Once they stumbled down and escaped the crowd who insisted on shaking hands and greeting them. They sat in a quiet park trying to sober up. After a half hour a man driving a wagon passed them by.

"S'cerse me sir" slurred Philip. "Could I ask a flavour of you this fine morn'?"

"Go on?"

"Could the three of us trouble you for a ride to west wall road?"

"Sure, why not, I'm heading that way."

The three clambered up into the back of the wagon. Philip threw a small pouch of coins to the man.

"Why thank ye."

Once they arrived at the gate of the house, they made their way inside. They had sobered up slightly but were still stumbling, laughing, and singing. They got into the greeting room where Michah stood arms crossed.