Ch 6: The Chaos In The Hall

Astasha was shaken to the core, her thoughts running wild, and her energy sporadic and messy. None of it made sense, not what she had felt or seen. Could it have been her emotions for Calder warping her perception, making her feel and see things that weren’t actually there? No, she knew better than that. Something was wrong. And to make matters worse, she had allowed herself to fall into a compromising position, one she had sworn she would avoid at all costs. But there was just something about him… he truly could make her lose all thought of reason.

As she slipped back into the party, she knew it was imperative that she returned to her room as quickly as possible, where she would be shielded behind closed doors to properly process what had happened. There was no knowing what emotions could be felt coming from her if she didn’t collect herself before speaking to Errant.

Rushing through the crowd, she quickly made her way back into the castle. Desperate to reach the Magic Wing, she hastily rounded a corner, running head first into someone coming from the opposite direction.

Had she been focused, it never would have happened. Had her thoughts not been back in the forest, she would have sensed the person before even reaching them. But with her mind such a mess, she hadn't felt the Water Witch just around the bend.

"Astasha!" Cordelia was standing there, her face a clear sign that she was reading everything coming off of her. The Fire Witch tried to calm her thoughts and emotions, but the slight blush of her fellow sorceress’s cheeks meant she must have felt some of the passionate energy that still lingered from her prior experience in the woods.

"Cordelia, I'm so sorry--"

"What is going on?" Errant's voice hit Astasha's ears like a tidal wave. "I haven't felt this much chaos since the Battle of Three Seasons."

What hope she had had of time and privacy before having to face the Grand Sorcerer was gone. She would have to tell him something, and she prayed to the Goddess that he wouldn’t pick up on anything that might make him wonder about her tactics.

"I'm sorry, Grand Sorcerer, I was just… shaken by something."

She could see Cordelia’s eyebrows raise suspiciously.

Errant crossed his arms. "And what, exactly, could have shaken you so much that it caused you to become this unstable?"

"The task you appointed me… I found something.”

Errant’s entire demeanor changed instantly. "If there is this much cause to be concerned about the Prince, you should have come to me immediately!”

“I apologize, sir, I just, I wanted to collect myself before coming to speak with you, calm my energy so I could be more direct.”

There was a light scoff from the Water Witch as she mumbled under her breath. “I’m sure you did.”

Astasha gritted her teeth. For some reason, Cordelia had always been cold towards her, but whatever it was she didn’t like about the Fire Witch, she was clearly piecing together an idea of what may have happened, and Astasha silently swore to curse her should she say anything more, or her little quip raise questions with Errant.

If it did though, the Grand Sorcerer didn’t voice them at the moment. “Well, speak child, what happened?”

She took a deep breath and tried to work out the best way to word what it was she needed to tell him, without giving away any details that might hint towards her less than appropriate encounter. Why did Cordelia still have to be standing there? No matter what way she turned it, it only served to give her more ammunition. 

"I did as you requested, to try to figure out what had happened during the ritual. But, when I broke through the Prince's defenses, there was something about his essence, almost like, there was something else there, something cold and malicious. And then…” She paused, not sure if she should tell him, but knowing it was too important not to. “I saw something, something in his eyes. I don't know what it was, but it was like there was someone else looking at me, not him. And then it was gone."

Errant’s face was like stone. "This is a very serious thing, Astasha."

She nodded. "I know Grand Sorcerer. I would be lying if I said it didn't frighten me." Calder was different. The Prince in the woods was not the man who left five years ago, but there was no way she could tell Errant that without opening up a list of things she couldn’t explain without incriminating herself.

He studied her for a moment before letting out a deep sigh. "I am calling a meeting of the Magic Advisory to meet with the King at dawn. I will need his permission to do so, and your consent, of course, but, in order to determine what could potentially be happening, it might be necessary for us to see and feel exactly what you did. Perhaps there is another way, one less complicated, but there is a Fire Sorceress I know and trust who could step in if it does indeed come to that."

Astasha’s stomach dropped. He couldn’t mean what she thought he did… She had read about Authentication Rituals being performed on members of the Advisory before, having an outside mage brought in to fill their position for it, but it was only ever done in extreme cases, such as treason or… infidelity. 

A small smirk appeared on Cordelia’s lips, and it took everything for Astasha not to light her pretty blonde hair on fire. Instead, she focused her attention on Errant. There was no need to raise suspicion. "If that is how we must determine what is happening with the Prince, then you have my cooperation."

"Very good.” He said before turning to the Water Witch. “Sorceress Cordelia, please inform the others of our meeting in the morning.” He looked back to Astasha. “You should retire for the evening and clear your energy. We’ll all need to be focused tomorrow.” She nodded in understanding. “Now, I must return to the garden. I have been away from the celebration too long and there is no knowing what other trouble could have arisen in my absence." And with that he turned and strode off down the hall.

Cordelia's smirk widened as she brushed past Astasha. "Best get your rest, you seem utterly worn out from your… encounter. Who knew fear could get someone so excited?"

The blonde laughed softly as she strode off down the hall and Astasha's stomach turned. There was no way she could know, but it was clear the Water Sorceress had her own ideas of what had happened, which could be even more dangerous if she wasn’t careful.

Wasting no further time, she rushed to her room, collapsing against the door as soon as it was closed behind her. This was a mess. If only she had kept her distance from him in the woods, but even then…  if they did indeed decide to perform the ritual on her, there was no hiding what had happened between them out there, which was enough in itself to warrant her being stripped of her magic and banished. It was the punishment for any witch who fornicated with royalty. But refusing her consent would be just as risky. She was between a particularly horrible rock and a hard place.

Everything had fallen apart so quickly and spectacularly, all because she couldn't fight what she had felt, not five years ago, not now. Downtrodden, she slunk over to the fireplace. Coaxing flames to life inside it, she sat on the floor and let their power flow into her, her thoughts wondering. Her hands drifted to her lips, remembering the feeling of Calder's against her own, his taste, and then the taste of blood. She touched where he had bitten her. The Prince she had fallen in love with was tender and sweet. He would never have drawn blood like that. Would he?

During the five years he had been gone, he had faced things she couldn't have imagined. But he had seemed unchanged from what she had seen and felt. Until now. Until... She tried to remember exactly what was happening when she noticed the shift during the ritual. He had been in the Land of the Dead, facing his final test at the Stone of Balance. That was when it happened. Whatever it was that changed, it was there, in that moment.

A knock drew her from her thoughts. The fire had begun to die, and the moon was creeping higher. How long had she been sitting there? She stood and went to the door, opening it to see a servant standing outside. The hall was quiet and she could sense that the party had calmed. "My lady, his majesty has requested a reading."

Could King Josnen not have requested anyone else? Then again, it was possible she was the only one not preoccupied with other duties. Astasha sighed. "Please tell the King I shall meet him in the Moon Tower shortly." It was the highest point in the castle, and opened to the sky, allowing light to spill over a small enclosure where most readings of the runes took place.

But before she could close the door, the servant shook her head. "Not the King, my lady, the Prince. And he has requested you join him at his private chambers."