When
Noin reached her keep, it was nightfall. Moon circled cautiously in the sky and
she entered. She sensed everything was normal for now, and she fell into her
favorite chair in her den. Moon landed on the perch and promptly went to sleep.
Noin went to the cavern underneath her keep. When her mentor had died centuries
ago, he had left this keep to her. It had been the only permanent home she knew,
other than the years spent at Victoria Mage Academy. And she could hardly count
those years as being at home.
She went down the stairs of the torch
lighted passageway and she came to the hot springs. She needed a hot soak more
than anything. The warm water was exactly what she needed to rejuvenate her
aching spirit. Noin legs hurt more than the fiery pits of hell. She stripped all
of her clothes and she slipped into the steaming waters. However, as her body
began to relax, nothing could stop the feeling of danger that lurked closely on
the edge of her
mind.
***************************************
Zechs fully took in
his surroundings. The Twilight Castle of Treize, king of the Fey, transcended
magnificence in both beauty and architecture. Zechs marveled at the richness of
the ivory columns and the splendor of the setting itself. The Twilight Castle,
however, could never match the beauty of the Fey themselves. Zechs could almost
willing lose himself in the charms of the lovely women of the Fey. God knows he
had gotten more than enough offers. And, it had been quite a while since he had
enjoyed the pleasures the opposite sex had to offer. Even more, there were many
favorable rumors about the Fey's pleasurable activities. This fascinated Zechs,
who was always a willing advocate of creativity and neo
possiblilities.
Zechs was disturbed from his musings when Treize came to
stand beside him.
" Are you enjoying yourself, Marquise? A many lovely
lady would have been very disappointed if the great mage Zechs didn't attend my
social." Treize drawled .
" Yes, I'm sure Treize. As much as I love the
attention, You know why I came."
"Curiosity, boredom, and your taste for
the finer sex." Treize said with an innocent look of pure wickness.
Zechs
replied with an all to common sly half smile, " Indeed....Among other things
Treize. But you contacted me in a dream Treize. I'm sure you didn't interrupt my
wonderful dream about a gorgeous woman, just to inform me about my many
admirers."
" Your modesty is something to admire." Treize replied drily.
"However, your perception gets sharper each day."
" What is it you needed
to talk about Treize?" Zechs could barely sense the faint underlying urgency in
their friendly tête-à-tête. However, it was there.
" Come with me
Julian." Treize said, emphasizing his true name.
A strong being could
often control others by the use of their true name. Zechs, being a very strong
mage had many names. However, in his centuries of living only three people had
ever known his true title, much less called it. One of those three were dead by
his own hand. Treize was the second, because he was his strongest ally. Noin was
the third, because she was his strongest rival.
`.....Noin.......'
"Zechs" , Treize said realizing that his friend had
gone into another dimension of thought.
" I'm here", he replied. " Now,
what's the problem?"
" Have you ever met Lady Une of Fire Cove,
Julian.?"
"I heard about her in a mage war once. She killed Ranith the
black at the age of seven, but you saved her life when she had almost been soul
stripped.
"Correct. In other words, you know that she is a powerful mage.
I claimed her as mine even though she would not accept it. Did you know this as
well?"
" You what?! Treize, when was this.?" Zech asked in total
disbelief.
It was not everyday that the king of all Fey showed such
possessiveness towards anyone, much less a woman. Treize was the archetype of
dalliance. His love for women was only transcended by his love of beauty. For
Treize to have shown such want as to claim Une as his own....it was unheard of.
Furthermore, rumors of Une's temperamental personality were nothing less than
remarkable.
" Okay despite my disbelief of what you just said, what does
this have to do with anything?"
" A week ago, I went to Fire Cove and I
paid a visit to Une. Although we are not the best of friends, we do have an
uneasy alliance. When I arrived at Fire Cove, it was just that. Someone had
almost killed Une."
Zechs could see the signs of Treize's anger. His
teeth were clenched and his knuckles were almost white. He wondered who or what
would be stupid or strong enough to trifle with the anger of the King of Fey.
Zechs had never seen Une fight, but he hsd witnessed Treize. One of the reason
the king had been thrown out of the Academy was because of Treize's
uncontrollable power. It had yet to be understood.
" After I found her
cowering in the ashes of her former keep, I could feel that she was fighting a
very powerful and painful spell. Agony spells had been put on her to keep her
from any communication. Being Fey, I took as much of the pain as I could. It was
horrible, Julian. Creator help whoever did that to her, I swear I will send a
million souls to hell if I find who was responsible."
"Is she okay now
Treize?"
"Yes. The reason why I called you so urgently was because of
what Une kept saying. All throughout the course of her healing, any one word she
said would cause torturous pain, Julian. She risked her body and soul just to
whisper one word."
" What was that, Treize?"
"Noin."
That
name hung in the air like a sweet yet terrible catastrophe. Noin.
" Did
Une say she was in danger? Did she tell you anything about who was after
her?"
"Calm down....Julian. You know good and well what an agony spell
can do to damn person. Une went through hell just to utter Noin's name and
nothing else. I knew that you were the first and only person I should tell much
less trust."
" I'm sorry. Thank you old friend. I have to contact Noin
somehow. Noin is always traveling. Who know what shit she has gotten herself
into. I have to warn her."
" Your welcome. Une is recovering slowly, but
she is strong. I am keeping her here now. If she tells me anything else, I'll
contact you somehow."
"Thanks, Treize. Are you sure Une will approve of
that when she fully recovers?
"She doesn't have a choice. This is twice
I've saved her. My claim is only stronger.
"Understood."
" Be
careful Julian. The pain I encountered with Une was horrible. A mage has to
willing endure and know his magic in order to use it. Anyone who has that type
of focused vice centered around enough power to overtake Une, is someone to be
wary of."
" I'll be careful. But if anyone even thinks of harming her,
I'll....."
" I thought she was your rival," Treize said knowing all too
well the situation.
"She is."
Zechs turned and left. Everyone
moved out of the way of the mage. Everyone in that room knew that none of them
could withstand his wrath.
-
______________________________________________________________________ So how'd
you guys like this part? Keep it or dump it?
Anyway I like it so it's
not getting dumped regardless.
Is Zechs about to wreck shop.......? Hell
yeah! I'm getting crunk just thinking about it! Whoa!
Who is this deadly
evil? Will Zechs get to Noin in time? What is going to happen? The
SUSPENSE!!!!!!
Okay, just kidding. This chapter is probably my longest
chapter. Therefore, I need replies very, very, much. By the way, I still need a
title. But I like this fic a lot.
