Magic and Metal

[CJWrites]

Morgan felt the wind rush through her as she raced through the fields.


Except... now she wasn't going by Morgan. And the wind through her hair is not accompanied by the adrenaline of battle or question. No, she was trudging along the unruly countryside and going by Reignette, a young merchant whose fortunes had turned. Morgan, while not an uncommon name, combined with her appearance and magic, might allow for someone to connect the dots. It's not well known that the Queen was a well-versed sorceress; she'd made her name as a swordsman. Still, enough knew that she shouldn't make it too obvious. She'd left her favourite warhorse behind and instead taken a strong mare with her. Her knapsack contained nothing more than a sack of gold, her spellbook and a notebook to record her findings.


She had brought her dagger but it was a far less effective than her trusted sword Caliburn. It had been a long time she'd been without a guard or her weapon. Well, she supposed that her magic was her weapon. But she was nervous. Going forward, she'd been warned that hostility against magic would be increasing and she would be persecuted and shunned, if not outright arrested and burned at the stake. She was sure she could escape but fugitives tended not to be privy to the inner workings of the Terran war machine. Rumours that the Terran army possessed magic cancelling restraints nagged at the back of her mind but she quickly dismissed them. Most mages captured in Terra and were not combat mages. Besides, she was sure such bindings were rare and could not be taken away from the war effort. 


Her horse, Llamrai, slowed to a trot and stopped. She'd arrived, and while it was light as well. 


She worked her way through the dank, musty tavern, the mostly male patronage turning to stare at her. Her feet scraped against the grimy floor of the tavern. She sniffed in disgust. Her castle was kept impeccably clean. Still, it was getting harder and harder to maintain. Her new advisor suggested she lower taxes in order to alleviate the burden of the shortage on the populace, but it was getting harder and harder. She was spending more than she was taking in and had to lower the wages of her servants. She sat down at the bar. The dim light illuminating her face slightly "Barkeep. Some ale and bread as well as a room for tonight." She slid a gold coin over to him. 


She disliked the bitter taste of ale and much preferred some wine. But wine would not sate her hunger. 


"What's a pretty young lass like you doin' in lands like these" He asks as he hands her food and drink. 


"Prydain's fallen on hard times." She took a swig "I've come to find my fortune elsewhere."

 

[StoneWolf18]

Very few people outside of Terra knew of her.


Only that her mother had stepped down.


That being said, she was free to use her own name. No, or at the very least, limited amounts of suspicion.


Vera rode on her steed, Malik, at a deliberately fast pace knowing that she didn't have much time nor were the Vahraan stones she brought going to be enough for an extended journey.


Aside from a traveling cloak, a coin purse, and a few other bare essentials, she was unarmed. And for good reason. Should she be caught, Prydain wouldn't be gaining any of Terra's precious metals. Should anyone ask, she was going to the kingdom to seak medical aid. It was a truth. But not the complete one. But hopefully enough to quiet any barkeep or curious traveler. Yet her foe's Mages could easily scan her mind and root out her thought, making the whole ordeal pointless as is.


So her goal was not only to get help, but be careful as well.


Hopefully she could do both.


The young woman arrived at the tavern feeling rather ill. Dismounting and reaching into her saddle bags, she gripped one of the stones tightly for a moment, it dispelling the nausea, pounding in her skull, ragged breath and other such symptoms. Slightly unsteady on her feet, she tied her horse up next to another before entering the lively establishment, it reminding her very much of a similar place in Terran. Approaching the counter, it took her a moment to gather herself before speaking whilst gently lying down a few coins. "A room please and a bowl of whatever's on the fire." The man nodded and took the currency, passing her a bowl of beef stew before asking "Are you sure you're alright? Seem to look a bit pale to me." Vera sat one over from the other woman, nodding and not bothering with a response.

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan watched the other girl walk in. She nodded back as she took her barmate in and took a swig of her ale. 


She looked terrible. Her face was deathly pale and even a little green. Her skin seemed to barely cling to her bones. She seemed so sick, it looked like she might pass out any minute. Then again, perhaps this is some elven trait or some other Terran nonsense that might justify such features. If she were sick though, her mana is probably dangerously low or out of balance. She might need to see a healer and fast. 


Morgan frowned. What if she had the plague too? In that case, maybe she 


She looked closer. Hold on. She looked kind of familiar. Like she'd seen that. But she was too young. Intelligence did tell her that the King of Terran had kicked the bucket lately. He had met the queen once, at the peace conference over ten years ago. This young woman looked a lot like her and the king. It couldn't possibly be... At any rate, it was a risk she was willing to take.


"Hey. Please give this girl a piece of bread. On me." She said. 


"Its on the house." The bartender grunted. 


 "My name is Reignette." She tried to smile. "Are you alright? Where are you headed?"

 

[StoneWolf18]

As Vera was passed the bread, she gave a slight nod in thanks before looking to the older woman that had spoke to her. She didn't seem all that familiar although her accent clearly betrayed her kingdom of origin. While they all spoke common, there was a distinct different between the more pleasing tones in a Prydainite's unlike the more rough notes in one hailing from Terra. Other than that, she wasn't all that familiar although something was tickling the back of her mind. As if she should be aware of who this person was. Pushing the notion aside, the woman tried a faint smile of her own but it appeared more of a grimace. "Vera...Doing better than I normally would but that's the main reason I'm headed out of Terra. Damn country hates magic but healers are essential..." Her voice was a quiet rasp, it showing her discomfort extremely clearly although it was poorly concealed with a faint touch of humor. Once she finished speaking, food was next on her list. Slowly spooning small mouthfuls with limited amounts of anything solid that the stew held, not sure if she would be able to keep it down. "What about you?" Vera asked, genuinely curious but also wanting to keep the conversation off of herself.

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan thought quickly. "I'm a merchant. Our country's been thrown into a famine and plague. A kind of demonic possession as if the devil himself has taken over your body. Yet exorcists and healers alike have failed to cure the illness. I'm seeking new fortunes in Terran, but..."


Her voice trailed off. Magic was granted by God and therefore could perform miracles such as curing illnesses and healing wounds. Her worst fear was that this was punishment for her misdeeds. For not carrying the banner of peace her husband had built. 


"I'm a mage. Honestly, it's such an integral part of me I don't think I could give it up." A lie. She had barely used magic in the last decade, not since her husband died, and never on a large scale. "It's integral to my procurement of goods and services and Terrans are... fickle about my craft. I'm thinking of turning back. After all, that's where my connections are."


An idea sprang in her mind. "I have a healer friend close to the border. He treats many Terrans, who travel from far away desperate for a cure."

 

[StoneWolf18]

The woman nodded slowly as the other spoke, her conscious screaming at her to not trust Reignette. Yet she ignored it, the offer of a healer much too tempting. "I've heard...it must be devastating on the population and your trade. As for being a mage...don't have magic in public or risk execution. Lost a family member that way." The lie was simple, told effortlessly. But as the merchant mentioned the healer, Vera paused. She didn't want to risk anything, especially with it not feeling right. But she didn't have the time to dawdle either. "I...I couldn't be a burden..." She stammered, still trying to make up her mind.


Was there something wrong with this picture? Yes. An all to willing and friendly merchant happening to offer aid to a stranger. As Prydain's called them, Good Samaritan's did exist....but was this true or all to coincidental? 

 

[CJWrites]

"That's exactly why you need a companion," Morgan reassured her. "What happens if you fall ill, cannot make it? You have to have someone who can help you. And you're right, you won't be a burden. There's safety in numbers."


By now, she'd finished her ale and was wrapping her bread in cloth to take with her. "Rest." She proclaimed smiling, standing up and waving her ale tankard around "We shall ride for Prydain tomorrow."


She left the bar and headed for her room. Immediately her face hardened. She had to focus. 


Tearing off the last page in her notebook and flipping to the front where the cypher for encoding her message was, she began to write to her top General, inquiring about the new Terran Queen.

 

[StoneWolf18]

Vera would nods slowly as the woman spoke, no getting out of it now she supposed. Gah, she was just being paranoid. Maybe she was truly offering help upon good intentions. Remaining to finish her meal after the other retired to their room, the queen mulled over the possible scenarios in her mind, an unhealthy amount of "what-it's" plauging her conscious.


Thanking the innkeep she too soon retreated to the room she had rented for the night. It not taking much to convince her to collapse into the bed, sleep soon to follow.


---


The young ruler had been in a deathly deep sleep, waking slow and reluctantly as she felt worse than she had the night before. Now she had all but forgotten her worries, her mid solely focused on the promise of some sort of medical aid. Managing to remove herself from the bed, Vera shuffled out the door to the room and towards the enterance to the building where Reignette was most likely waiting for her.


@CJWrites

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan was waiting for Vera. 


She'd spend all night thinking over questions she could ask to determine the identity of Vera, the potential queen as well as answering the questions herself and preparing answers in her head. Now that she had a consistent travelling partner, she couldn't afford any inconsistencies in her story. 


She saw her new companion and greeted her warmly. 


"How long has this affliction been present?" She asked, a bit curious. If this were the queen, it would do Morgan no good if she died, even if they weren't travelling together. 

 

[StoneWolf18]

As the woman saw that the other was indeed waiting and greeted her in an averagely friendly tone, her worries didn't resurface. "Hard


to say..." Vera began, considering her words. Voice still in the same condition as the night before. "Long  enough to have gotten this severe I suppose." Realistically, it had been present for at the point around six months but previously much more mild. Yet she wasn't in the mood for specifics. Hell, she wasn't in the mood for anything. But now being queen, there was little choice in the matter. "Shall we depart?" She asked, somewhat eager to get going for they didn't have time to stall. 

 

[CJWrites]

How vague. Morgan thought. Perhaps hiding her identity? 


If Vera, if that was even her name, were Queen of Terran, she would be everything she strived not to be. Weak, careless and unconventionally feminine. Yet... Morgan felt some sort of pity for her and Vera reminded Morgan of... herself. After all, she had also been subject to a magical illness. One day, when she was a child, the sorcerer in charge of enlargening her magical circuits had been distracted and short circuited them. For years she'd locked herself in her own room as she watched objects levitate in front of her before a kind mentor taught her to control them. 


Still, Morgan smiled, playing the part of the concerned Reignette "Let's. We should arrive at the Healer's place in two days. Let's make haste"

 

[StoneWolf18]

Thankfully they were going to set out, Vera followed the merchant outside to where their horses were tied up. Malik noticed her approach and neighed softly, clearly wanting to move. Climbing into the saddle, although it did take a few moments, she slipped a hand as discreetly as possible into one of her saddlebags, using the Vahraan stones she had to take the edge off the symptoms she was feeling despite it not totally preventing them. As soon as Reignette mounted up herself, the two started down the path at a decent pace towards the incognito queen's domain.

 

[CJWrites]

It wasn't very long, only a couple hours, before they ran into trouble.



They came by a river. 



"Perhaps we should take a break here?" Morgan asked. 



She pulled out two loaves of bread and gave one to Vera. The two proceeded to eat in silence as their horses drank by the river. 



A rustling of leaves hit Morgan's ears and she perked up before a group of 5 men approached them. 



One whipped out a sword. "Your money or your life!"



Morgan jumped to her feet and instinctively moved forward to protect the more fragile girl. She glared at the man, which made his sword quiver a bit but it held firm. 



"Stand back," She ordered.

 

[StoneWolf18]

As the merchant suggested they rest for a bit, Vera have a grateful


nod and clumsy dismounted. Stumbling forward slightly when her feet hit the ground. Accepting the bread, the two ate silently before the men revealed themselves. Her eyes went wide, regretting not bringing her sword with her. Yet there wasn't much she could do about it now as the bandits surrounded the two, a few brandishing their weapons while others examined the females in front of them eagerly. While Reignette stood to defend her, the Queen stood as well although keeping close to the other woman.


As she ordered them to stand back, their apparent leader scoffed. "And who do you think you are? That bloody Queen of Pyrain? I'll only repeat myself once more. You're money or your life!" One of his goons added to his statement. "And if ye resist, we'll take both."

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan smiled. He had no idea... She rested her hand on her dagger, but then took it off, 


"Perhaps you'd like to try?" She mocked.


Incensed, the lead robber charged. Morgan would have sidestepped, before realising that, for once, she had to protect someone else. She was much more used to being the one protected or fighting alone. 


Quickly she shot a blast of ice from her hand, spikes of ice growing out of the ground and threatening to impale the man. The ice grew into a semicircle with the river at the Women's backs, protecting them from their adversaries.


The man growled and hacked at the circle. He obviously wasn't going to give up. She flicked her wrist and the spikes flew off their pedestals, impaling the leader who dropped dead on the ground. 


She looked towards the rest of the robbers who looked terrified as they scrambled out of the way. 

 

[StoneWolf18]

Vera caught the woman's smile that followed the man's comment about the queen, I again caused a spark in the back of her mind but it was soon suppressed by the threat to the bandits around them.


As Reginette surrounded them with ice before impaling the leader ever so swiftly, the remaining men jumped back, clearly weary and somewhat terrified but not giving up. With a few pillars of ice now missing, one was able to jump over the stumps that remained, nearing the merchant. Giving a slight cry of surprise, the queen took a step forward before an dizzying sensation accompanied the other symptoms she felt. Roots from unseen trees would erupt from the ground, wrapping themselves around their foe, he screaming in shock and pain before they quickly constricted like a snake. WIth his corpse intertwined with the plant, his comrades backed away even more or so, one even deciding to turn tail and run.


This display wasn't helping her situation at all. Staggering back, Vera forced herself to remain standing, surprise and faint hints of worry passing over her face. 

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan looked stunned at her companion.


"I thought magic was forbidden in Terran?" She demanded. She felt lied to, cheated, although she was doing the same thing. Spending her last decade as the highest authority had given a certain impression that others would not hide important information from her, lest they lose their favour. Still, now she was pretty sure that this girl was not the Queen of Terran. It would be like if Morgan herself were half-elf! 


Then she noticed the sickness pass over Vera's face. "Hold on. Take it easy there...."


Still, she felt like she should at least deliver this poor girl to the healer's before doubling back and trying again to look for information in Terran. 

 

[StoneWolf18]

As the remaining bandits had fled and the merchant demanded to know about her use of magic, the woman closed her eyes to try and keep the earth from spinning before attempting a response. "It is..." She mumbled, trying her best to defuse the situation. "That's the main reason why....I can't seek treatment in my kingdom...." Opening her eyes all Vera wasn't aware she let the last phrase slip before she saw the ground rushing up to meet her. Last thought before falling unconscious? 'This was the worst thing I could've done.' And in more ways than one, she was right.  Being on death's door with someone she barely knew that was unknowingly her life-long foe had to of been the worst possible outcome of this excursion. That with the second being death. Right?

 

[CJWrites]

"Vera!" Morgan shouted as she collapsed. Now she felt bad for yelling at the girl. It wasn't her fault. She'd been used to hiding her magic and it didn't seem like she had them on purpose. She acted quickly. If they rode at top speed, they could be at Cortino's in a matter of half an hour. She positioned Vera in front of her on the other Queen's horse. She mounted and gestured for her horse to follow. 


--


She burst into the house, just as another patient was leaving. The healer stood up. "Your Majesty!" 


Morgan glanced around the room quickly, hoping that nobody else had heard her. "My name is Reignette" she hissed. "I am a wealthy merchant. I have no idea who you're mistaking me for." 


Cortino soon got the hint. "Bring her in"


--


After nervously wringing her hands as Cortino worked his magic over his patient behind closed doors.


"You're lucky I didn't have many patients today," Cortino said. "I've stabilised her magical flow but she might've started convulsing if you had not brought her here too quickly." 


Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. Cortino had been her husband's squire, yet Matthew and Morgan often saw Cortino more as a younger brother rather than an apprentice. They'd both been disappointed when he decided to leave the court life behind to live quietly on the border. 


"It seems like she suffered from a short circuit when she was young, although whatever magic affected her is a lot more dangerous than the simple levitation spell. Combined with fact that she doesn't come from a long lineage of mages, her body's taking it a lot harder. Either she can come in every week for expensive treatment or master it; like you did."


Morgan frowned she moved in closer, this time whispering in hushed tones. 


"I may have reason to believe that she is the Queen of Terran. Any evidence to suggest that?"


Cortino shrugged "She's from wealth. Despite her malnutrition, I can tell she's well fed and probably has servants to take care of her hair by its texture. Her hands are smooth so no hard labour and she had to have money to be alive today. Can't exert herself too much without collapsing. I'd bet on being nobility at least." Suddenly a couple stumbled in. They looked on the older side, probably farmers. 


"Please help! My husband he... he's not himself." The woman trailed off. "He's... "


"Clara?" The man slurred his words, yet he was obviously not intoxicated. "What.... When did we buy this wonderful house?"


"Well, take care of her. I'll check in with you later." Cortino nodded. 


Morgan knew those symptoms very well. It was the Devil's disease, although an early version of it. She pushed the door to the room where Vera was resting and sat down at her bedside.  

 

[StoneWolf18]

Vera hadn't been all that responsive during the rest of the trip. Occasionally opening her and seeing the trodden path beneath them or heading the hypnotic pounding of hooves beating the earth, yet none of the information was retained as she slipped unconscious once more.


After Cortino had looked her over and stabilized her condition, the voices that sounded nearby floating into the room she laid in, the woman actually able to make some sense of it. It mostly was about her and what had happened, yet once they lowered their voices she wasn't able to make much else out until another two entered the mix. Now she could tell that someone sat nearby, remaining silent. Blinking her eyes open with a subtle groan, the Terran queen felt only slightly better than she had before. Most of her discomfort originating from the protesting of sore limbs and joints in the form of aches and pains. Seeing Reignette she slowly asked a question, fatigue more than clear in her barely audible voice. "We...arrived...?"

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan noticed Vera wake up. 


"Yeah we arrived. You passed out after... that display. Tino treated you, my friend, that is. He says its Chronic Mana Depletion as a result of a magic short circuit."


"Use smaller words will you?" Cortino re-entered the room "And I told you to stop calling me that. I'm not a kid anymore."


"Let me guess, you were exposed to magic as a child? Someone cast a spell or curse on you or used a magical object? It causes the internal pathways of magic which every living being has to go haywire if they're not developed. Rei also suffered from the same thing, albeit a lot less severe."


Morgan's mouth stood agape. The nerve of this man...


Cortino winked at her. He'd mostly used that nickname because he'd forgotten her actual alias. 


"Anyways... you can leave... but you either need to learn to or have a healer or magician stabilise your magic on a regular basis. I'd recommend therapy but with the devil's affliction going around.... I doubt you will find a healer with enough time. It's not cheap as it's time-consuming and toxic and a healer cannot treat someone for a while afterwards."

 

[StoneWolf18]

As the merchant tried to explain what had happened in technical terms, Vera was lost not only due to her fatigued and muddled state, but generally having no idea what she was talking about as well. Yet once the healer came in and restated everything in a more coherent manner, it made sense. Yeah she had already figured it was from her father's experimentation with her as a child but having another person's take on it was much more helpful. Until treatment was suggested. The queen's eyes widened slightly before a subtle groan escaped her lips, knowing that either option was more or less a death sentence. Learning how would raise suspicion in not only her court, but her kingdom and there were no healers in Terra that could supply something as such and remaining in Pyrain was risky...


Was death really the only option?


Her face would've paled as she considered this, however remaining silent. Clearly unsure of the situation.

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan looked nervously at . Her answer might just give Morgan more insight on whether milking the other girl for information was worth the time.


Still, as the news was delivered, the other girl's face paled. Morgan placed a hand on her shoulder. 


"Hey, are you alright? What's... what's your next move?"

 

[StoneWolf18]

Vera frowned deeply. "I'm...not sure..." She muttered, conflicted as to what to do next. "Either really...really isn't an option for me." The woman chose her words carefully now that she was coherent enough to understand what she herself was saying. "If I were to learn, I wouldn't be able to live in Terra any longer which could prove...problematic. If I try to seek treatment, there's no one in the kingdom I come from to do something as such. Staying here isn't an option either..." It was clear she was hesitant, unsure. Her words heavily processed before speaking as she tried not to reveal anything that might lead to her identity. Yet unbeknownst to her, they were already suspicious.  

 

[CJWrites]

Morgan looked puzzled, but also hopeful. Maybe this wasn't a dead end after all. 


"Why can't you stay here?" She questioned. "Hey, like I said, my teacher taught me how to control my powers. Perhaps I can take you to him? He does live within the capitol though..."


Cortino looked at her quizzically but didn't say anything. He knew Morgan's mentor died a couple of years ago.