The Illyrian Series: The Oracle Of Rosedale

"Finally, you're back," Violet says as Malin walks up to us with a brown, woven basket. He hands it to her and she begins to sort through it's contents. "Why isn't there any cheese here?"

"Because the market day is over. You're lucky I was able to get all this." He gets started on his tent. "If you want, you can go back there tomorrow and buy out all the stalls."

I shoot him a smile but he doesn't return it.

"No need, we need to keep traveling. I don't want to stay in Mayborn too long," Violet says.

"Why not? The town looks nice and peaceful. Everyone who visits instantly falls in love," I say.

"Not mages. We don't get along well with the Citadel."

"You don't like sorcerers? I always assumed you all got along."

"We both have magic, the similarities stop there. As a mage, I've been taught to hate them and I imagine they've been taught the same about me." She begins unloading the basket. "All I want is to pass by their town quietly."

Centuries ago, this town was taken over by a high sorcerer named Mayborn, hence the name. He made the town the official home of sorcerers and built a mighty fortress in the heart. Over the years, the people grew to love the sorcerers as they brought good luck and prestige to their once stark town.

Violet and Malin get started on dinner while I look through the map. "It seems like we'll need to ride for a day before we reach Keller Lake. How are we going to get past that?"

"The ride to Keller Lake is two days." Violet corrects. "As for getting over it, we'll ask one of the fishermen to take us on his boat." She lights the fire.

I catch Malin out of the corner of my eye, his face is hard. I drop the map in my tent and come back out to join him and Violet. "Do you need any help?"

He leaves to finish setting up his stuff.

Once he's out of earshot, I turn to Violet. "Does Malin seem different to you?"

She doesn't even look at him. "He seems normal to me." She then hands me a bowl of tomatoes and a knife. "And don't mash them this time."

I take the knife and get to work on them. When I'm done, I saunter up to Malin. "Hi." He raises his head, barely acknowledging my presence. "You seem quiet, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." His tone is curt.

"Are you sure, your legs are shaking." I laugh. "You do that when you're stressed. Like that time when you had to..."

He cuts me off. "Don't, Adria. Just don't."

"Don't what?" I ask. "What is it?" He still doesn't reply so I place my hand on his shoulder.

He glares at me. "Don't act like things are fine between us. It's infuriating."

My hands drop to my sides and I shake my head. "I...I thought we were okay."

"Well, we're not." He says this loudly, causing Violet to look up at us. He lowers his voice. "I was just being nice in the forest, I didn't want you to hurt yourself. Besides, I was losing a lot of blood, I don't even remember everything I said. What I do remember is how you made me feel these past few years. And I'm not quite ready to forgive you."

I briefly close my eyes. Of course he hasn't forgiven me. How could I have been so stupid? "Okay," I whisper.

I take deep breaths to calm myself and join Violet by the fire. "Told you he needed time." She says.

"Not now." I warn and continue chopping vegetables.

After dinner, I enter my tent and choke back a sob. No more crying. I promised myself that I wouldn't cry so easily anymore. It's easier said than done.

I spend the next hour thinking about so many things at once. My mother, Malin, this Oracle, Illyria. How am I supposed to do all this? Even if I do find the Oracle, what can she do to help me beat King Evander's forces and take back the kingdom?

It's these depressing thoughts that lull me to sleep.

I wake up around midnight to the sound of someone calling my name. It's Violet. And she's in my tent. "Someone's coming, wake up," she whispers.

"What?" She shushes me. "Be quiet." I drag myself up and search for my bow and arrow in the dark. I don't find it and instead settle for a dagger.

Violet and I crawl out of the tent and see Malin with his double swords. I yawn and they both shoot me a murderous look.

A second later, a twig snaps. I no longer feel sleepy.

We all hold our breaths as the noise draws closer. Soon, a ten-year old child emerges from the trees and into our clearing. He raises his hands in surrender and laughs.

"Greetings." His voice is light and chirpy. "Sorry to bother you so late but my masters wanted to make sure you got this in person. They don't want you leaving before they had a chance to talk."

"Who do you work for?" Malin's weapons are still raised.

"He works for the Citadel." Violet looks disgusted. "Go back and tell them we're in a hurry. We don't have time for a visit."

That makes him laugh. "You're not invited. The offer is only available for the Princess Adria and Liege Hames." How does he know who we are? His smile morphs into a sneer. "You know very well that Mage scum aren't allowed at our esteemed Citadel."

Violet looks ready to fight him, I intervene. "You are not striking a child, Violet." I turn to the boy. "I'm sorry but we don't have time to stop. We should be getting on our way."

His smile returns. "I'm afraid the offer isn't voluntary. If you do not visit them first thing in the morning, they will inform the King of Caledonia that you have escaped."

My knees quiver in fear. "How did you know we were here?"

He looks at me like I'm silly. "The citadel knows a lot of things." He then walks up to me and hands me a thin envelope. He does the same to Malin and bows in our direction. "I believe you'll have no trouble finding our estate. Goodnight." He turns back and leaves the same way he came.

Violet rushes to her tent. "We need to leave as soon as possible. Don't just stand there, get to work."

"Violet," Malin says softly. "Don't you think it's best if we see what they have to say?"

Violet scowls at him. "They're sorcerers, you can't trust them."

"They might be able to help us. Maybe the information we get will save our lives." He reasons.

"Or it might be the thing that takes it." She sighs. "Adria, tell him." I don't respond and they both stare at me. "Well, Princess."

I clutch the hilt of my dagger and try to calm my racing heart. Why do they want me to decide? If I agree to go to the citadel, Violet will hate me. If I say no, Malin will be angry.

I can't give him any more reasons to dislike me.

"We should go." I decide, and Violet groans. "We'll go first thing in the morning, I promise we won't be long."

Malin nods and marches back to his tent.

"Seriously?" Violet asks and I shrug. "You're letting your issues with Malin keep you from making rational decisions."

"It's a good decision, we can..." She holds her hand up to stop me before going back to her tent. I exhale and go back to mine.

***

Later that morning, Malin and I draw our hoods over our heads and walk to the center of the big city. The citadel is a big estate with a castle and three smaller buildings within their walls. The path leading up to the main grounds is lined with tall trees. As we get closer to the castle, we see children running around and attacking each other playfully with magic. Their different colored auras create a georgous rainbow like design.

We arrive at the big front door of the castle and it opens on its own accord. "Princess Adria, My liege." The young man standing in the foyer calls as we walk in. He has black hair, black eyes and is wearing a white shirt with a black leather vest and black trousers.

"We've been expecting you. Please follow me." He bypasses the large center table and goes deeper into the foyer. I stare at the interior as we go.

The floors are lined with thick, royal blue carpeting while the walls hold portraits of old sorcerers. The ceiling is the best part of the decor, it portrays different scenes from past sorcerers' lives. Great battles, great quests, great discoveries, each more fascinating than the last. I focus on one diagram and after a while, it begins to move.

The man we're following looks back and smiles. "The shifting ceilings, it's the most popular feature in the castle. All our guests just can't resist staring at them. They're incredible."

I chuckle. "Even without moving, the pictures are spectacular."

We walk down long and hollow hallways before stopping in front of a heavy door.

"Our leader will address you." The man bows before opening the door for us. We walk in and it shuts quietly behind us.

In the middle of the spacious room is a thick, circular, purple carpet and on it, an old man with a bald head and long beard. The room around him is bare except for a small table and chair in the corner. The atmosphere in the room is so calming and relaxing. I take a deep breath and sigh happily.

The man opens his eyes and grins when he sees us. "Guests." He exclaims loudly. "Please take a seat." He scoots back on the carpet, leaving enough space for Malin and me. I rush up and take the space in front of him while Malin hangs by the door.

I turn back and see him scowling. "The air, it smells different." He remarks.

"Ahh, yes." The man laughs. "It's 10% opium." My eyes widen and I begin to panic. The man notices this and frowns. "I guess this won't be that kind of meeting." He snaps his fingers and the only window in the room bursts open, a gust of wind comes from it, and soon the air is purged of all the gas. "Please, take a seat."

Malin begrudgingly walks up to us and takes a seat at the utmost edge of the round carpet. The sorcerer doesn't look offended by it, his smile returns and he clasps his hands together. "On to our meeting." He laughs and shakes his head. "Forgive me, still giddy from my dalliance with our little friend. Well, our little friend." He grins at Malin. "You didn't seem to know what you were inhaling."

Malin runs his hands across his face. "I'm sorry, but can you please tell us what you want. We have places to go and no time to waste."

The sorcerer stares at him with piercing grey eyes. "You carry a lot of hatred in your heart." I'm taken back and Malin looks angry. "Anger at yourself, your duties, your father. It's a wonder you haven't erupted yet."

"Excuse me?" Malin asks.

"You can't move on if you don't forgive yourself."

"Thank you so much for that piece of unsolicited advice. I need to stop being angry, I need to be more in touch with my inner self, I need to forgive myself. I know all that, what I don't know is why you brought me here." Malin stares the old man down.

Our host gazes at both Malin and me with an unreadable expression on his face. "Where are my manners?" He suddenly says. "I haven't served any tea or cakes. Old age makes you forget even the most basic things like courtesy." He goes to his table and scribbles a little note. He crumbles it into a ball and throws it up. It catches fire mid-air and is consumed in a second.

"And while we wait, why don't I introduce myself?" He extends his hands with a flourish and yells. "I am Arsenio the remarkable. Former Haston, leader of all sorcerers, and Master Magician." He smiles. "My friends call me Arse for short."

"What?" I ask.

His smile breaks into an ever wider one, then a laugh. "I'm joking, I kid. Everyone here refers to me as Suzerain. You may do so as well."

The door opens and two young boys walk in with trays of cups and cakes. The boy who delivered the message yesterday is among them, he offers me a tiny smile before leaving with his friend.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Suzerain." I serve myself tea. "You have such a beautiful castle. And the ceilings, I couldn't take my eyes off them."

"You flatter me, princess. It means a lot to me that you like my castle, I know you're used to magnificent buildings yourself." He takes his seat. "I visited the Illyrian castle about a century ago, beautiful piece of architecture."

Before I can respond, Malin jumps up and heads for the door. "This is ridiculous, we didn't come here to drink tea and discuss buildings. This is a waste of time."

The sorcerer's voice thickens and he has a threatening look on his face. "Don't walk out on me, young man. I have invited you to my home to aid your quest and I will not tolerate such disrespect." Malin freezes and turns around forcefully. Arsenio doesn't even move, he must be controlling him with his mind. Malin is lifted off the ground, he opens his mouth but nothing comes out, it's like he's been stripped off his voice. "I have been alive for centuries and hold power your mortal mind cannot begin to comprehend. Do not take my kindness and generosity for weakness."

"Suzerain," I plead. The old man picks up his cup and Malin drops to the ground. I rush to his side and he massages his throat, he's choking and trying to catch his breath.

Suzerain's simple demeanor has returned. He picks up a tiny knife and beckons us forward with a bright smile. "You have to try this cake, it's a special flavor. The head cook has been working on it for years and it gets even more perfect with each try."