Power Awakens
Chapter 18

Her Sathi was helping Taegan to dress; Leah was also a confidant for Taegan and the daughter of one of her father’s Sergeants. Taegan was lucky that her father indulged her in letting her have her own Sathi, the right to a lady-in-waiting was usually reserved only for the Royal family. Leah was full of the stories circulating around the keep of the disastrous Naming day the day before yesterday and the clean up operation over the past 48 hours that had roped in half the town’s folk. The Demolt had caused an awful lot of damage to Bowltown; it would take months to build the damage to the Keep Library let alone the damage to the towns walls. Taegan herself had stayed locked in her rooms since she had left the Library and had turned away all callers including her father, claiming exhaustion, preferring to be alone with her thoughts.

But this was no longer possible as her father had turned up two hours earlier and demanded to see her. There was to be a dinner in the Keep to honour the life of Majee Fraykus who had been lost in the battle with the Demolt and to say goodbye to the four ‘extraordinary lads’ as her father called them, who were leaving for the city of Mank in the morning. To be fair part of her staying in her rooms had been to sulk at the fact that the boys were going to start their training and she was to stay here and follow on later. She had argued good and proper with her father over why she was not to be allowed to travel with the boys, when Majee Fraykus had been quite specific in his discourse that she should also be apprenticed to the Kings council.

It was so unfair, even in her greatest moment of being told she had two talents and she could be trained to be a ruler and a Sorceress, she was still being held back because she was female. ‘It was too dangerous to travel with the Nexii’ her father had told her and he would brook no further discussion. He told her she was to ‘stop sulking and get dressed for dinner, to take her place on the high table as was expected for the Archduke’s daughter.’

It was a good job he had left before she threw one of her favourite crystal bottles of perfume at the door behind him. It had made her sad to loose the bottle, which had belonged to her mother, but current circumstances made it all seem so insignificant. Those stupid boys were ruining her life. She should have been sent with all honours to Mank and then onto the capital Breem to meet the Kings council and have her apprenticeship agreed by the King. Now the boys were to take all the honours and she would be ‘allowed’ to follow later when it was safe.

Even worse she couldn’t get that boy’s face out of her head; he might as well have taken up residence there. She found herself daydreaming about him, wondering about his family, if he had a sweetheart, if he had been thinking about her. His father was a bit scary, she wouldn’t want to cross him, as he seemed the type that would stand no nonsense and say exactly what he thought. What sort of name was Jaac, she had found a little about him from her Sathi Leah and now knew that his father Petrek was part of a large old clan Vardis originally based in Dublain town. Leah interrupted her thoughts by pulling her sash tighter around her waist, “Careful, I need to breathe”

“You have been ignoring me for the past five minutes, what are you thinking about?” said Leah irritably, “How your father expects me to get you bathed and ready for a dinner in two hours I never know, and you need to fix your face before you go down, your frowning is putting lines on your forehead.”

“I am not frowning, but I do need to decide what jewels to wear and whether I need to put my mothers moonstones in my hair” Taegan considered herself in the mirror “If I am to catch his attention” she said more to herself.

“Who are you talking about” demanded Leah “How can you have finally found someone worthy of your attention and not told me about it? Who is he? Is he one of my father’s group of soldiers or in one of the other Legions?”

“I don’t know what your talking about, you are hearing things” Taegan felt flustered. She wasn’t ready to talk to anyone about the feelings she was having. “I just need to make it up to father so yes I will put the moonstones in my hair and I will wear the amber necklace and earring that were my mothers”

“That’s a lot of effort for your father” Leah retorted, “I think your keeping secrets”

“Just hurry or I am going to be late”

“It’s never bothered you before” Leah grumbled, but went to fetch the jewels from their cases.

Taegan went back to her contemplation in the full length stand mirror in her dressing room, her dress was of silk and such a deep chocolate colour, it was offset by a sash of green, bright green such as one saw on a bright sunny day in a forest under a veil of green leaves. Yes she did look good the cut of the dress left one shoulder bare and her hair was intricately plaited around her head so as to fall over one shoulder in long curls, her mothers moonstones would go wonderfully.

As she made her way down the central stairway into the Keeps large dining hall her eyes watched for any sign of the boys, wondering where her father would have sat them. She saw them and her heart skipped a beat, they were sat with Petrek and his brother Eddick and the rest of Petrek’s company along the far wall.

It pleased her that she would have a good view of them from her fathers left on the high table, she composed her face and glided the rest of the way down the stairs gracious in her acceptance of the curtseys and bows offered her on her way to the high table. Her father stood to greet her, the two Latents Willem and Gundor also stood one on her fathers right one to his left, it saddened her that Majee Fraykus would never be able to join them again as he had always had a quick wit and kind word for Taegan.

She curtseyed to her father and took her place taking time to arrange her skirts so as not to crease them, she intended to look her best later for the dancing. A quick glance confirmed that all four boys had eyes for her and Ainy openly grinned and winked. She looked away quickly, having wished she had not caught their eyes. Glancing back three of the boys were engrossed in their own conversation but Jaac was still looking at her, a look of confusion on his face, she smiled ever so slightly at him and was rewarded with a blush as he looked away.

The meal was long as usual, there were eulogies to all the soldiers who had lost their lives defending the town and keep given by each captain and a special eulogy by her father himself for Majee Fraykus. Taegan’s gaze constantly moved back to one part of the room and to the four boys, who seemed to be having a good time eating and laughing even sharing a glass of beer given by Petrek. It was almost as if she was looking in on another world, and she felt jealous that she could not sit and be as easy with them as they were with each other. The bond they shared was strong and just for a moment she glimpsed a blinding light surrounding them and shaded her eyes.

“Your talents are manifesting themselves already it seems” Willem said from her side “I saw you shade your eyes after looking at the boys, what you glimpse is the boy Jaac’s aura it is extremely bright. As you develop, your talents seeing auras will become second nature, would it interest you to know that at present your own aura shines almost as brightly as his? Almost as if there were some connection” Willem finished, although the last was more to himself.

Taegan looked down at her own hands and body and Willem laughed at her “You can’t see your own silly, you have to rely on others to tell you how bright your own is.” Taegan glanced back at the boys but again they seemed perfectly normal, no rays of sunshine to be seen.

“Would you like to dance?” Willem asked, Taegan smiled, although Willem was eight years her senior he was a Praktise level Majee and would be a suitable partner for a first dance, then she could also get nearer to the boys who were at the other end of the dance space.

“Yes I would love to dance” Taegan said getting prettily to her feet and blushing slightly, she had noticed Jaac look up and scowl as Willem took her hand.

Dancing was one of the true pleasures in life for Taegan and her and Leah spent many hours in her apartments practicing the various formal dances. Her dress was cleverly sewn down one side so that as she moved it exposed some of her leg. Willem was a fair dancer and as she moved her heart raced and she completely immersed herself in the steps, the feeling of grace as she was twirled and twisted. She saw Leah sat on one side watching with envy, Leah two years her senior had always had a soft spot for Willem. Oh dear thought Taegan I will have to make up to her for having my first dance with Willem, sometimes she just didn’t think about consequences.

Then it was over and breathless she laughed and clapped her hands, Willem excused himself to go and replace refreshment for her. Leah, walked over, her face composed. “Taegan, you look so beautiful.”

“Forgive me, my friend, but please stay with me, then as soon as Willem comes back I can suggest he dances with you.” Leah’s face lit up and again Taegan was dazzled by her friend’s beauty, in Taegan’s eyes Leah was the more beautiful, and she couldn’t understand why everyone did not think so. Willem returned with drinks and was more than happy at the suggestion he dance with Leah next. As she watched Leah and Willem, she felt eyes on her back and turned, Jaac was staring at her, and when she turned he blushed again. As her mood was much improved through dancing, Taegan decided to be daring and approached the table. “Good evening gentlemen, I hope you are enjoying my father’s hospitality?”

“Yes, yes we are” rushed Ainy “Tem was watching you dance and saying he could do better than your current partner,” Tem’s face dropped and Ainy was laughing hard “Taegan please let him dance with you and then I can judge whether he is any better?” Tem did not look pleased but was trying not to be embarrassed, and Taegan could not tell if this was just some prank between them or whether they were teasing her, and blushed too.

“Leave the girl alone lads can’t you see your annoying her” Petrek bellowed as he appeared carrying more beer for him and his brother. That only made Taegan blush more and as she went to turn and walk away Jaac stood “I would be honoured to dance with you Taegan” he said, “Although I cannot promise to be as accomplished as your last partner.”

Taegan’s heart jumped and Petrek laughed out loud “Just don’t let him stand on your feet missy” and then he laughed some more. The look Jaac shot his father was ‘unreadable’. But even so he came and took her hand and led her to the floor. Taegan was pleasantly surprised at his clothes, he was wearing fitted trousers and a jacket, which matched but showed off his slim waist and muscled arms. As he moved her to his side to begin the dance she was again shocked by how strong he was, and yet he was gentle with her.

“Please forgive my friends Taegan” Jaac began “They mean you no disservice but are constantly trying to out do each other” His movement of her around the floor was sure but stiff; he obviously didn’t do this all that often. “It has been a strange couple of days and Ainy’s way of dealing with it is to make more jokes, usually at Tem’s expense. But I apologize if they made you uncomfortable, we will be away tomorrow.”

“Its fine” Taegan whispered, she couldn’t think, the proximity of him was intoxicating. “It is a shame we couldn’t all get to know each other better, before you leave tomorrow.”

“I am not safe to be around and I would not have you put in harms way, although I am sorry that your father has delayed your journey because of us.” The dance had nearly finished and Taegan wished it would continue as she had never felt as safe as she did in these arms. The dance ended and he pulled away “Goodbye Taegan, you look truly beautiful tonight” He bent and kissed her hand. Then he was gone, back to his friends and father who was clapping him on the back and laughing again. She felt like she had been dancing in a storm and could hardly catch her breath. Her hand tingled still where he had pressed his lips to it and she clutched it to her chest.

She looked up again to replace Tem standing in front of her “If Jaac can have a dance, then can I?” He asked.

“Yes of course” she replied courteously. He moved her into position and they started, Tem was a good dancer wiry and flexible and he had her laughing as they twisted this way and that. She danced twice more with Tem and twice with Ainy, but Jaac did not ask again, she was disappointed and heart sore especially when she saw him talking to some of the serving girls more familiarly, but he kept looking at her, wherever she was in the room she could feel his eyes following her. It was un-nerving but satisfying.

Then they were gone, Petrek had dragged them all off to ready themselves for their journey.