The Fenimeldiyaan: Stolen Time - Chapter 3

Set examined his sleeping prisoners in their tower prison. Both Elsa and Elaine were under a sleeping spell, and they both looked completely peaceful, and far younger than they should have. Being able to bring people from the past was a handy trick, especially when he wanted to trap Andreas Cesario. Once he was out of the way, claiming Elaine’s children would be a simple matter.

“Set.”

Set turned and saw Jezebel standing just inside the door. She manipulated the shadows in the corner of the room, and they spat out two figures. Set smirked when he recognised that one of them had to be Gerald’s son. How he had managed to avoid being captured earlier, Set wasn’t sure. The other, a red-head girl who was far too tall and lanky, was unfamiliar. “Who is she?” he demanded.

Jezebel laughed. “Have you ever heard of Merlin Emrys? This girl is his adopted niece. He would do anything to save her. Perhaps even work with us.”

Pleased, Set sent the girl into the dungeons before prodding Fitz’s unconscious form with the toe of his boot. “Only a few days from now, you’ll join your father,” he said. “In the meantime, I need to keep you apart from your sister. So you’ll have to remain here.” He turned back to Jezebel. “Wait to bring Merlin Emrys here until he’s alone. I don’t want Cesario catching wind of the girl before I’m ready. And keep looking for those blasted Lightshield children!”

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Andreas materialised in front of Leanora, effectively blocking her way despite his small stature and skinny build.  “I know ye be anxious to find yer brother, but this ain’t the way”.  He smiled and patted her on the arm, sending out reassuring emanations at the same time.  “Tis never a good idea to go off alone on a dangerous mission.  If ye recall, afore Basil and Merlin arrived, I were saying that we should search for yer brother”.

Leanora gave the merest hint of a nod.  “But then you got distracted by all that talk of them being from the past.  You seemed more interested in them than in helping me find Fitz”.

“Not so, me dear”.  Andreas shook his head.  “I left them behind and came after ye.  Surely that tells ye something?”

“I don’t like riddles” she declared.  “I heard what that elf said about you setting him a riddle”.

“Tis no riddle, I assure ye”.  He held up his right hand and used his index finger to trace a circle in the air.  “Carpathian honour.  First the family, always the family.  The first circle, the last circle, the only circle.  In me capacity as a member of the Inner Circle Alliance of the Carpathian Way and Guardian of Grehelin Street, I vow to protect ye and help ye find yer brother”.

Leanora’s face screwed up in confusion.  “I’ve no idea what all that means”.

“Ye understand a promise, don’t ye?” he asked.  “I’ve made ye an unbreakable vow with a death clause attached.  I’ve already failed yer parents, so under Carpathian Law, they have every right to end me life.  However, they ain’t here at the moment, so I have another chance to redeem meself.  The vow I made to ye transfers the obligation.  If I don’t succeed in getting yer brother back and keeping ye both safe, me life be forfeit.  Twould be open to ye to kill me in whatever way ye choose.  Such vows ain’t made lightly”.

“So how can you help me find Fitz?” she demanded.  “You’ve admitted that you don’t know what’s been happening in Vordelle.  You had to rely on the hermit to tell you”.

“Aye, so I did” he admitted.  “But a lack of knowledge can be remedied.  I asked ye when and where ye’d last seen yer brother.  Also, if ye’d permit me to do a mind- merge with ye, I’d be able to get yer brother’s mind signature, which would give me a trail to follow”.

Again, Leanora’s face registered confusion.  “What’s a mind-merge?  And what do you mean by a trail to follow?”

“Some sorcerers have the ability to look inside other people’s minds and read their thoughts and memories” he explained.  “I could find yer memories of yer brother, including his mind signature.  Each person has a unique mind signature, a mental fingerprint if ye like.  Family groups have similarities in their mind signatures but I’d still be able to distinguish betwixt yers and yer brother’s.  As for the trail, we leave tiny amounts of our energy behind wherever we go.  Psychic breadcrumbs, ye might say.  But the longer we delay, the more the trail will decay, so to have the best chance of tracking Fitz, we need to move quickly.  Will ye allow me to look into yer mind?”

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Basil and Merlin stared at each other after Andreas’s sudden departure and Morgan following him. “I thought you said he’d be helpful,” Basil said mildly.

“It seems he has higher priorities,” Merlin confessed. “Not that I blame him. The Silvereyes, Gerald Hunt, Morgan Shadowbinder, Apollo Lightbringer, and this entire world, in fact, were supposed to be under the protection of the Inner Circle. Somehow, it’s been blocked off.”

Basil sat down, laying his harp on his knees. “I just can’t imagine it. Everyone I know and care for … dead. How could we have failed so badly? We fought for freedom and for a better life, and ended up destroying ourselves.”

“Don’t assume this future is set in stone,” Merlin warned. “Someone is meddling with it. Otherwise, Andreas and his compatriots would have been able to step in and stop it.” A strange expression passed over the sorcerer’s face. “It seems … I must go. Take care, Councilman.” Before Basil could say anything, the sorcerer had translocated away, leaving Basil alone.

The elf leaned back with a sigh, uncertain of what to do. If Morgan was telling the truth, then the entirety of Vordelle would want Basil dead. Wandering aimlessly would be asking for trouble. He decided to wait for Merlin’s return and crossed his legs, going into the standard meditation for elves. If he was going to wait, he may as well dedicate his time in searching for his wife and friends.

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Leanora shifted uncomfortably. Although Andreas was promising her the chance to save her brother, she didn’t like magic and she definitely didn’t like the idea of a stranger poking around in her head. But if it was the only way to find Fitz … “I last saw him at the tavern the hermit was in,” she said. “Then the shadows … swallowed him and he was gone.” She struggled to keep her voice level; Fitz was all she had left.

Then she breathed in slowly and raised her eyes to Andreas. “Alright,” she said. “Do the mind -merge.”

Andreas laid his hands on the sides of her head gently, and she closed her eyes. She could feel him gently sifting through her memories, searching for Fitz. What if he couldn’t find him? Did that mean he was … dead?

While they were busy with the mind-merge, Morgan came up and leaned against the side of the building, watching them. There was no expression on his face, but deep inside he reflected on how many times Andreas had done that to him. It felt like so long ago, but for Andreas, it had only been a few days.

Finally, Andreas drew away from Leanora and smiled. “I got him,” he said, sounding satisfied.

Before he could go on, Morgan stood up straight. “Soldiers,” he said.

Leanora turned, stepping back as the soldiers came charging around the corner. They were chasing a young girl, her curly brown hair flying out behind her. She hugged a book to her chest and looked exhausted. Her legs were cut and scratched, bruises flecked her arms, and she was filthy. Andreas inhaled sharply. “River?” he said.

Morgan shook his head. “That’s not River,” he said. “I think … it’s her daughter.”

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Lana rubbed her head, wondering why it ached so badly. Looking up, she found herself in a small, cramped cell that seemed to be threatening to collapse. Her hands were bound behind her and her ankles tied together. She blew her hair out of her eyes in a frustrated huff. What in the world had happened?

“Are you alright?” She gave a shrill cry and stumbled back, staring at the figure in the hall outside the cell. There was something … odd about the blond young man standing there. Then she realised it; he had a peculiar glow to him and looked see-through.

“Are you a ghost?” she asked.

The young man smiled mirthlessly. “A spirit. Cursed to roam the land until the one who cursed me is killed,” he said. “I am Apollo Lightbringer.”

“Lana-a-Dale,” she said. “Can you get me out of here?”

“I’m a spirit. I can’t do much of anything,” Apollo admitted. “I can’t even leave the castle. Set is trying to find me to drain me, but … well … I can simply disappear when I want to. Has he hurt you?”

“No,” Lana said, still fascinated by him. “What does it feel like, being a spirit?”

“Eighteen years, and I still don’t know how to describe it,” he admitted. “I’ll try and get out of the castle and alert my friend to your predicament.”

  

“Could you find my uncle? Uncle Emrys. He’s here somewhere,” Lana said.

Apollo smiled. “I’ll try. I can’t make any promises. Until someone takes some of Set’s power from him, the dark aura around the castle won’t let me leave. But I will try.” Then his spirit faded from sight, leaving Lana alone.

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Joseph and Ilise were sleeping. Terra sat beside Lizzy, who was laying down, staring at the sky. Neither had spoken for about an hour, but finally, Lizzy said, “How do we get home?”

Terra shrugged. “I don’t know, Lizzy. But we’ve got to find Queen River first. She must be here somewhere, otherwise that spell wouldn’t have sent us here. Don’t worry. We’ll find a way home … somehow.”

Lizzy sat up a little, wrapping her cloak around herself. “I feel bad for them. They remind me a lot of us Drenlins. On the run, not knowing who to trust … I just … can’t imagine going back to that kind of life.”

Terra put his arm around her shoulders. “You won’t have to. I promise. Now come on, you should get some sleep. Tomorrow, we’ll see about finding Queen River.”

Lizzy nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder.

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Andreas conjured a protective shield around the girl, then turned his attentions to the approaching soldiers.  “Morgan, will ye work with me like we used to back in the old days?”

Morgan gave a grim nod, remembering the many previous missions when they had faced enemies together.  He sent a shockwave rippling through the air, knocking several of the soldiers off their feet.

From his position next to the ragged girl, Andreas did the same.  When all the soldiers were on their backs, he cast an immobilising spell on them.  “I’d best wipe their memories too.  Don’t want them reporting back to their commander that they’ve seen us”.

Morgan wiped sweat from his forehead.  “It took all my self-control not to blast them to oblivion”.

“But ye didn’t”.  Andreas grinned and slapped his old friend on the arm in a friendly manner.  “Anyways, we shouldn’t stay here, in case more soldiers get sent out”.

“So many soldiers chasing one little girl” Morgan remarked.  “Doesn’t seem fair”.

“Ye be right there, me friend” Andreas agreed.

He cancelled the shield around the girl and picked her up in his arms.  “Ye be safe now, me dear.  I won’t let them harm ye.  Ye be the daughter of Queen River Meer, right?”

The girl gave a weak nod in response.

Leanora tugged on Andreas’s sleeve.  “What about finding my brother?  You made an unbreakable oath to me, or have you changed your mind now that she’s here?”

“Would ye prefer if I’d stood by and let the soldiers catch her?” Andreas asked, his face set in harsh lines.  “For all ye know, the person in command of those soldiers might be the one who ordered yer brother to be captured.  Besides, I knew her mother and if River be anything to go by, this girl be a powerful sorceress and might even turn out to be helpful to us”.

Leanora looked at the ground in shame.  The peculiar little man was right, although she was loath to admit it. Instead, she changed the subject.  “You said you’d got something from my mind.  What did you find?”

Andreas’s expression changed to a cheery grin.  “Yer brother’s mind signature and also yer father’s.  There were something odd about yer father, like he were in an enchanted sleep.  Some kind of spell, anyways.  Like I already said, we need to hurry afore the trail fades”.

“And you’re bringing her with us?” Leanora asked.

“Aye” Andreas replied.  “We can’t just leave her here alone.  She’ll need time to recover and I might have to heal her wounds if she can’t do it herself.  Her mother were also under the protection of the Inner Circle Alliance, and by extension, I also be sworn to protect her.  Let’s go”.

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Leanora was absolutely lost. She didn’t understand how bringing the Corttannian girl along would help anything, but she was loath to admit the real reason she had protested against bringing her. Leanora blamed the Corttannians for her parents’ disappearance, since they had been visiting Corttann when they vanished.

Morgan toed one of the soldiers’ immobilised bodies. “It’s strange,” he commented. “Now that I look carefully, a lot of these men are the ones who served under Daren and Elaine.”

  

“Could be mind-controlled,” Andreas commented, shifting the little girl into a more comfortable position. “But we ain’t got time for them now.  Ye ready to follow the trail to yer brother and yer father?”

Leanora wasn’t entirely sure about her father, but she nodded. Suddenly, the girl in Andreas’s arms tugged on his sleeve, shaking her head and pointing to her eyes. They looked at her blankly, but Morgan knelt down and picked something up off the ground. “Are these yours?” he asked, holding up a pair of spectacles.

The girl nodded, and Morgan fixed the broken lens before handing them to her. Her hands trembled and tears still made moats in the dirt on her cheeks, but she slipped them over her eyes. “How did ye know?” Andreas asked curiously.

“Her father wore spectacles,” Morgan said. “He and Queen River came to visit me after … well … you know … Apollo.”

“Can we go now?” Leanora asked in a fever of impatience.

By that point, Morgan was rather tired of her constant complaints and insinuations that Andreas was going to forget his oath to her. Angry though he still rather was at Andreas for allowing this to happen, he knew the little man wouldn’t go back on his word now that he was here. He opened his mouth to rebuke her, but Andreas spoke over him. “Aye. Translocation be quickest. We don’t want to lose the trail,” he said. “Morgan, will ye be coming?”

After a moment, Morgan nodded. “I promised Leanora I would help her get her brother back,” he said. “And I will.”

Andreas nodded. “Let’s go.” He took Leanora’s arm in one hand, and Morgan laid his hand on Andreas’s arm. The mage looked vaguely uncomfortable, but he said nothing as they translocated after Fitz and Gerald.

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When they reached their destination, Leanora was stunned to find them outside of the castle. She and Fitz had avoided the place like the plague. Seeing it there — destroyed, dark, eerie — made Leanora cringe. Why would Fitz be there?

The girl in Andreas’s arms was fidgeting uncomfortably, looking scared out of her wits. Morgan seemed fascinated by the place, his brows knit together thoughtfully. “It looks so … barren,” he said quietly. It occurred to Leanora that Morgan was probably blaming himself for the destruction. As much as she wanted to say something, she knew words wouldn’t comfort him.

Leanora took a step forward, examining one of the two statues standing where the moat used to be. The large broadsword in his hands reminded Leanora of Fitz’s. “Why would there be statues here?” she asked, desperately hoping Fitz hadn’t been turned into one.

Morgan stretched his hand forward, laying it on the arm of the statue. He closed his eyes briefly before turning to Andreas. “This isn’t a statue of Gerald. This is actually Gerald.”

Leanora stared up at the statue’s face. “That’s … Father?” she said softly.

Andreas rested his hand on Gerald’s shoulder. But Morgan spoke again, disbelief in his voice. “He looks too young,” he protested. “Before he went missing, he shaved every day. Elsa always complained about kissing his cheek when it was covered in his pointy hair, and he eventually started shaving after Fitz was born. This can’t be him.”

“Unless it’s him from the past,” Leanora said softly. “Like the Colnian, and Andreas.”

“Can you fix it?” Morgan asked Andreas.

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Fitz had spent the last hour attempting to free himself from his bindings to no avail. His whole right arm was now completely made out of stone, and it was starting to move across his chest. He swore and struggled, but it was all in vain. He couldn’t leave Leanora alone like this!

“Having trouble?” Jezebel said blithely, from where she’d been watching him from the shadows. He hadn’t even seen her there.

“Oh, shove off,” Fitz snapped.

Jezebel stepped up smoothly and ran her finger along his chin. “You really do look like your father,” she commented. “I had the pleasure of disguising myself as him once. Very interesting experience, darling.”

“Leave me alone!” Fitz yelled, and brought his heels down on her toes.

  

The dark wizard hissed in pain, and the shadows constricted around Fitz’s stomach. He cried out in pain and she loosened the bonds — but only a little. “That should teach you,” she snarled before shadows covered her and took her from sight.

Fitz slumped back, closing his eyes in an effort to imagine himself somewhere, anywhere else. “Stay safe, Lea,” he whispered.

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Set twirled a flame around his fingers when Merlin translocated in front of him. The sorcerer looked younger than Set had anticipated — only in his teens — but he knew disguises could be made. He extinguished the flame and reclined on his throne. “Welcome to Zor, Merlin Emrys,” he said lightly.

Merlin’s black eyes narrowed. “Don’t pretend I’m here for anything good. Where is she?”

Shadows nudged the once-again-unconscious form of Lana forward. Watching Merlin carefully, Set saw a quick grimace pass over the young sorcerer’s face before he regained control. “Why have you taken her?” was Merlin’s question.

“Because she could be useful,” Set said, prodding her with a shadow. The girl, in her deep subconscious, made a small noise in the back of her throat. “Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? You work for me, and the girl isn’t harmed. You fight me, and I will kill her, and you as well. Are we agreed?”

Merlin closed his eyes briefly before nodding. “Yes.” In another language, the sorcerer whispered to himself, “Forgive me, Alan. I must protect your child.”

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Ilise shook Joseph awake. “Soldiers!” she cried.

He grabbed her hand and she pulled him to his feet. “Terra! Lizzy!” Joseph yelled. “We need to go!”

The Corttannians scrambled to their feet, Terra snatching his lance. “Which way?”

“Split up,” Joseph said. “Terra, take Ilise. Lizzy, with me. Il, you know where to meet me!” Grabbing Lizzy’s arm, he pulled her off.

Ilise took Terra’s arm and the two of them ran. Between gasps for breath, Terra asked, “Where are we going? Why are they after you?”

Ilise swallowed. “Because … Set wants the power of the Lightshield.”

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Andreas kept his arm on the shoulder of Gerald’s statue and reached out with his enhanced senses.  It took longer than usual to make the connection due to the density of the stone.  “Ye both be right.  Tis the version of Gerald from me own time”.

“Will it affect your ability to break the spell on him?” Morgan enquired. 

“Tis more of a personal alchemy process than a specific spell” Andreas explained.  “Twill take a while, but I can reverse the process, no problem.  However, there be added complications”.

Morgan swiped his hand over his face.  “You mean because he’s from the past?”

“Aye, exactly”.  Andreas grimaced and twisted a strand of hair through his fingers.  “Last he knew, Elsa were in the early stages of pregnancy and the land of Vordelle were at peace with its neighbours.  There ain’t any gentle way of bringing him up to speed and I’ve no idea what the shock will do to him”.

“We’ll be here to support him” Morgan asserted.  “He’s been through some very tough times, like we all have.  Surely he’s strong enough to handle it.  We could use another friend at our side”.

Andreas gave a grim nod.  “So be it”.  He carefully laid the mute girl down and made sure she was reasonably comfortable before attempting the transformation.

He positioned his hands on the sides of Gerald’s head and closed his eyes, as if he were attempting a mind-merge.  At first it seemed to Morgan and Leanora that nothing was happening but after a while, the hair on the statue’s head changed from grey stone to black strands.  The statue’s face softened and its eyelids fluttered a little.

When the transformation had been completed, Gerald’s eyes snapped open and he took a gasping spluttering breath.  “What …?” was all he could manage to say.

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For a moment, all of them stood around, staring at Gerald as he pressed his palms into the ground, coughing and gagging. His sword had clattered to the ground, and his deep, shuddering breaths sounded pained. Leanora couldn’t help but stare at him; it had been years since she had seen her father, and it was astonishing seeing him young, looking like he was identical to Fitz. The mercenary dragged his palm over his face as his breathing regulated and he raised his eyes. “A-Andreas?” he stammered, looking confused.

“Aye,” Andreas said, managing a smile. From the look, Leanora gathered that he was more concerned about her father than he was letting on.

  

Gerald’s gaze swung to the others, taking it in slowly. He took a deep, slow breath and spoke. “I be a bit afraid to ask … but what the devil is happening?”

Morgan cleared his throat awkwardly. There was a strange expression on his face; he hadn’t seen Gerald in more than ten years. “H-hello, Gerald.”

The mercenary fixed him with a considering gaze. “Ye look — different.”

Slowly, they told Gerald everything they knew. How they were in the past, his and Elsa’s fate, what had happened to Vordelle, Apollo’s death, and how Leanora was his daughter and his son was in the castle. Once they had told Gerald, he put his face in his hands, his expression drawn before he raised his eyes to Leanora. “Ye be me daughter?” he said.

Leanora nodded. “It would seem so … Father.”

  

He seemed to like that. His eyes crinkled in an almost-smile, and he pulled himself into a standing position. After a moment, Leanora stepped towards him and threw her arms around his waist. She buried her face in his chest and started to cry. “I … I never thought I’d see you again!” she cried.

Gerald seemed a little taken aback, but he returned the embrace and leaned his chin on her head. “I never should’ve left ye,” he whispered. “Me and yer mum promised we wouldn’t let ye grew up on the streets, and we broke that promise to ye. It never should’ve happened, and I be truly sorry.”

Leanora pulled away, her eyes red, her nose running. “That’s what Andreas said,” she admitted.

Gerald looked at him and shook his head. “Ye never should’ve had this on yer shoulders,” he told him. “Leanora and Fitz be me children, and Elsa me wife. If I didn’t take enough care of them, then the fault be on me shoulders alone, as yer father.”

Leanora sniffed again. “I’ve … I’ve waited years to hear you say that,” she confessed softly.

Gerald slid his arm over her shoulder and kissed her forehead. “I don’t suppose either of ye know where me wife be? Not me future wife, me present wife. Or past wife. Blimey, this be confusing,” he muttered.

“Aren’t you surprised by … any of this?” Morgan asked, spreading his arms with a frown.

“Surprised? Aye. Concerned? No. Now that I know what be coming, ye can bet yer life I’m going to keep the same thing from happening,” he replied. “I ain’t going to let me children live on the streets. I sure as the devil ain’t going to let Apollo die, or one of the dark wizards take over. Ye may think me weak since I don’t be a sorcerer or nothing, but I will not let me friends be hurt, nor me country.”

“Brave words for a man who didn’t live through what happened here,” Morgan said, a hint of asperity in his voice. “You’d find that you have little hope left in you.”

“No, I didn’t,” Gerald agreed. “And I don’t plan on living through this. I can trust ye, Andreas. I know ye won’t let this happen?”

Andreas nodded. “There be meddling here. Otherwise, none of this would’ve been allowed to happen by the Inner Circle.”

“See?” Gerald said to Morgan. “There ain’t nothing to worry about.”

But bitterness marred Morgan’s face. “I thought so too, Gerald. But now I know. Relying on someone … placing your faith in another … it only leads to disappointment.”

The mute girl moved to her feet, grimacing from her bruises and in pain. She walked the few steps to Andreas and tugged on his sleeve before handing him a piece of paper and a little crystal. “I found this,” the paper said. “I think it’s for you. I want to thank you for what you did for me. You don’t know me, but you saved me. No one else did that for me. My name is Olivia Drenlin. I’m from Corttann.”

Gerald, his arm still around Leanora’s shoulder, said, “What be the crystal, mate?”

Andreas gave a small smile. “It be from Merlin,” he said. “Me wife gave it to him years ago. He’s left me a message.”