Lady of My Heart Ch. 04

“What of the ones that do both?”

“The ability to work with one or the other, both, or nothing at all, is something you are born with. Those of us that can learn to use both are rare and, as you can guess, much sought after for armies because we can both fight and heal.”

“That I can understand. What of mind magic? I have a little of that and Ames taught me some about shielding my thoughts so that I wasn't leaking everywhere.”

“There isn't just mind magic, Dragon. If you have those abilities you are simply an untrained mage. You could learn to be a healer if you wish.”

I have to stop to ponder that for a moment. I had always mistrusted mages, and now I’m being told I am one myself.

“Now, tell me what is it that Ames has done and how can I help her? I warn you if anyone tries to harm her I will ....”

“Oh, do not worry about them harming her, they cannot, because if they harm her they will also harm you. What she did is called bonding because when two mages love each other they can interweave their very souls and bind them together. It is not done very often because of the consequences of it and when it is done it must be done with a ceremony. During this ceremony other mages assist with the weaving of the souls and incorporate wards so that if one is harmed, the other will not feel it as dearly as without the warding.”

“So that is the consequence? If I fight in a battle and get injured, Ames will feel the wound too and is that why when we make love it is so intense?”

“Part of the consequences is just that. If one of you feels pain, pleasure or any strong emotion the other will feel it just as if it is happening to them. The other part, the part you would not have at all if the wards had been placed, is that when one of you dies and your soul leaves your body it will draw the other along with it. What Ames did was wrong because she did not ask you first and she did not do it with the warding which means you will live and die as one and it cannot be undone.”

Just as I am about to question Jax further, the door to the study bursts open and in scurries a pale, thin, wisp of a man. I recognize him immediately as the very reason I have mistrust for mages, and my dislike for this individual is just as strong today as it was over twenty years ago when he nearly got me killed in battle. Upon seeing me he darts behind Jaxarina with a feminine sounding squeal.

“Mother! It is HER! Do not let her hurt me please!”

“Calm down now, Cordial. I am afraid the two of you are going to have to learn to get along. Your sister is now her bondmate. Dragon, this is our youngest son, Cordial, whom you obviously know from his failed military career. He is now the head librarian for the kingdom, and very useful to the King as well as very dear to my heart, so please do not kill him just yet.”

“As long as he is not assigned to ward my back in battle again, I can tolerate him. Now, please tell me what punishment Ames faces and what I can do to lessen it. If she asked me today to do what she did I would agree to it and if she dies I would not want to live without her. I do worry that my pain or death could cause hers because I would do anything to keep her from harm but if it must go both ways and cannot be undone, I guess I will just have to live very carefully from this point forward.”

“Punishment? Mother, what has my sister done?”

“Cordial she bonded with Dragon. She neither asked permission nor explained the consequences. There was no ceremony so no wards were placed. Your father took her to the King and we are about to go now to try and see what we can do to help her.”

“I can answer the question of punishment, and perhaps help my sister in this with Dragon’s cooperation. Dragon, the punishment for a mage that does this in malice is to be stripped of their mage abilities and spend the rest of their life in confinement so that their death cannot cause the death of the innocent victim. However, there have been cases like yours in the past, where the victim is actually willing to live with it, because they are in love. In those cases the ceremony is performed immediately. The ceremony does not provide the wards, but it gives the impression to the Kingdom that everything is being done properly to begin with. Being joined at the soul without warding puts you both in greater danger if anyone finds out about it, so the utmost secrecy is required.”

“Then it seems as though we are going to have a bonding ceremony and as soon as possible. Is there anything special I need to do to start this other, than talk with the King?”

-----

My father's silence as we walk the corridors on the way to the King’s chambers speaks louder than words. His disappointment in me almost drips from the very air around us. I think, maybe, hopefully, they will understand once I explain, but in explaining I will reveal more about Dragon than she wishes anyone to know, so it bothers me that I will have to do it.

We reach the King’s chambers and my father speaks to the guards at the door. We are ushered in, to find the king sitting at a desk, studying some maps. My father pushes me to my knees before him and the King looks up, surprised at his actions.

“Bedrian, I did not expect to see you again so soon. I've been looking over these maps. It seems my younger brother Morbern has decided to leave his drinking and whoring in town for a tour through the countryside. I can't fathom why he would do such a thing. Rise, Lady Ames, you know you do not need to kneel before me.”

“My King, I am afraid she does need to kneel, as she is now my prisoner. She has committed a grievous offense that only you can deal with.”

“Ames, what have you done? I cannot imagine you doing anything heinous, you barely misbehaved when you were but a child knee high.”

“Your Majesty, I bonded with Dragon, without ceremony, but I had a very good reason for doing it. I did not tell her because I did not want her to know why I had done it and I respectfully ask that my father and Vorlayin not be present when I explain this to you, for Dragon’s privacy.”

“Bedrian, am I to assume your wife and Dragon will be along shortly? If so, then you can all assemble in the council chamber. You were right to come to me before assembling the council, and I think we need not assemble them yet, but we can only fit so many into my study. Ames and I will be there, once she explains her actions to my satisfaction.”

-----

Eraat scrambles along the edge of the road just out of sight of the troops surrounding Master. There was no way he was going to be allowed to leave the city without escort and it makes things very difficult for Eraat.

Master knows that all kingdoms have their malcontents and the poorest, most rural areas are the ones most likely to have large numbers of them. The king seemed suspicious of this tour of the kingdom so Master will have to be careful of discovery by his escorts. It takes time to build a rebellion properly, but Master has the advantage of his unique abilities.

Eraat anticipates lots of fun on this tour, not the least of which will be what Master will do to this escort when they get far enough from the city to make discovery of his reconstruction of Morbern less likely.

-----

I look around the council chamber impatiently. One does not rush a King, but I wish that this one would hurry up and bring Ames to me. It does not matter what Ames has done to me. I would forgive her anything. I am nervous about this bonding ceremony that must take place. I would never have thought I was capable of committing to just one woman, but I know deep in my heart that Ames is the one I will always love.

As we sit waiting around the council table, Bedrian glares at me continually and I fear before the end of the night I may find myself on the bad end of a mage bolt or two. Just as I am about to say something to him, the doors fly open and the King enters with Ames in tow. We all rise and he waves to us to sit as he strides to the head of the table.

“Dragon, I assume you have been told exactly what has been done?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, and I am not against it. I would gladly do it today if it had not been done already.”

“Do not be too quick to say that. I have some explaining to do as well; you were intended to play a larger role than you know. Vorlayin hired you to guard the cave while he took the stone for a specific reason. The stone he took was taken from a demon that has plagued the kingdom for some time. Ames was sent along to help deal with the demon if he should cross over during the taking of the stone. The stone is one of three he uses to focus his power. There are still two that must be dealt with before he can be neutralized. He has since crossed over and may well attack the city before we can get to the other two stones. Now, Ames needs to explain why she bonded to you. I am aware of her exact reasons but I am the only one, other than the two of you, that knows the details and it will remain that way if you so wish.”

He sits down and Ames rises from her seat. Her nervousness floods me but she is trying to shield me from her true feelings.

“Dragon, when you slept at the waterfall after the battle with the guardians of the cave I pressed on into things I should have left alone. I was in love and very curious about you. I discovered the great trauma and pain you held within you from the time before you became a mercenary. I could tell there had been a lot of healing through the years but there remained a fracture in your soul itself. Because I love you I wanted to be able to speed that healing, because the fracture makes you more vulnerable to the demon's evil. I bonded to you to help you heal and to protect you from the demon.”

The significance of their words shocks me to my very core and I feel like I might pass out. She knows, they both know, what I have done. How can she still love me, knowing I am a murderer? Why has the King not ordered me sent to the dungeons for it? As this all sinks in, the King rises again.

“Cordial, Vorlayin, your sister is not to be punished. That is all you need to know at present. I am charging the two of you to plan quickly a bonding ceremony, to be held as soon as possible. Your sister is my goddaughter and Dragon is a war hero, so plan something elaborate and appropriate to their stations. I would suggest you take counsel from the Queen. I've more to say that I do not wish the two of you to hear. Go now. Inform the kitchen staff that we will require substantial refreshments in two hours. We will need to regain our strength after this.”

He turns to watch them go, making sure the door closes behind them, before he continues.

“Dragon, the kingdom is going to need your help in dealing with the demon. The damage to your soul makes you at risk when dealing with him. We have in this room the four strongest healers in the kingdom. Yes, I am a mage myself, though not many are aware of it. If you will allow it, we can perhaps heal you, but you must know that in doing so we will all become aware of exactly what happened to cause it. We will need to take you back to that time in your memory and go through it with you, all of it. I realize you probably harbor some shame from that time. I want you to know that you have nothing to be ashamed of. You did nothing wrong in my eyes or in Ames’ eyes, and I assure you Jaxarina and Bedrian will feel the same.”

“Your Majesty I...I am not sure I can do it. If I have to live through that again, will Ames not feel it as well through the bond? I would not want her to go through it.”

“Dragon, we will all be there together, all of us will go through it just as if we were you. It is something healers must do to heal and we are all willing to do this, especially Ames.”

Stunned, I look around the table to each of them and see only compassion and caring in their eyes. Even Bedrian now seems to be much less hostile. I realize I am more afraid now than I have ever been in my life, but if I must do this to defeat the demon and protect Ames, then I must do it.

“If you all are willing to experience such a thing in order to help me, then I would be a fool if I did not allow you to do it. What do you need me to do?”

“May I borrow your medal a moment? Thank you. Now, lay down here on this bench and watch the medal. Relax, yes, that's it, just relax and go back to your earliest memory.”

-----

Two hours later the King opens the door of the council chamber with weak and shaking hands. Outside, he finds servants bearing food and drink waiting along with the guards at the door.

“We are ready for the refreshments now. Bring them in quietly please, so as not to wake our patient.”

I look over to see Dragon still laid out on the bench, sleeping. She looks more peaceful and at rest than I have ever seen her. I am proud of her for having the courage to face it all again and I can tell that both my parents hold her in greater respect. The damage to her soul is but a mere fragment of what it used to be, and she will no longer suffer from so much of her former guilt and shame.

“Mother, Father, I hope you can forgive me now for what I did. I love her, I could not bear to see her suffering. I had to do anything I could to heal and protect her.”

“We understand, Daughter, I just wish you could have waited to have the ceremony. I apologize for my reaction earlier. Your mother and I are proud of you for what you have done. Come now, eat and replenish your strength. If you are to have a bonding with such a mighty warrior, you are doubtless going to need it.”

-----

Upon entering the royal apartments the first thing I hear is the queen screeching. That is all she seems to do these days. I often wonder if I did not make a mistake in choosing her as my wife. I understand that she is upset and frustrated that we have no heirs but taking it out on me and everyone else within range will not change that.

“Rotomalo! Why am I to be burdened with the planning of a bonding for a mercenary warrior and a minor mage? Am I nothing more to you than a glorified secretary?”

“Sabatarria my dear, I charged Vorlayin and Cordial to plan it. I only told them to seek your wise counsel, because I did not want two young men to make a huge mess of what will be the most important day in the lives of a war hero and my goddaughter. You do remember that she is my goddaughter, do you not? Why are they not here?”

“I sent them away. You are correct, two men do not need to be in charge of planning a bonding. And you, Sire, need to remember that she is not your daughter, and concentrate on making one of your own! Now, off with you to your study to do whatever it is you do in there for hours on end. I've a guest list to arrange and the tailor to commission and the menu to plan and....”

“The guest list can simply be the council members and their wives: we need not fete the whole kingdom, and this needs to be done as soon as possible. Dawn tomorrow would be a good time. I realize it will be difficult. Ames will not be fussy over what gown she wears or how much braid adorns Dragon’s leathers. We just need to get this done properly and quickly.”

“Why such a hurry? They are two women. Surely it isn't because one is expecting a child. I think there is more here than you are telling me.”

“The demon has crossed over and we will need both of them to protect the city and defend the kingdom. It needs to be done before the war begins. How long has it been since you spoke with Morbern? He has suddenly decided to up and take a tour of the kingdom. It's not like he would be any real help with the demon but I find it odd for him to leave the inn and the bar wenches alone to travel about.”

The queen quickly turns away busying herself with something to avoid the King’s eyes.

“Morbern? I...I haven't spoken to him for months. The last time I recall speaking to him was at that dinner for the envoy from the Oviz Islands. I cannot believe he drank to such excess as to make a total fool of himself in front of the entire council and the envoy.”

-----

I am awakened by a rapping on my chamber door. I sit up in bed, looking around, not remembering at first where I am.

“Enter.”

Cordial enters carrying several packages, and drops them on the bed. One is wrapped like a gift and he holds it out to me.

“Dragon, I just wanted to say that I am sorry about what happened before. I had no business on the battlefield to begin with. My...my stubborn father wanted me to be what I am not. Stephan and I, we are partners, and we made this especially for you and Ames as a bonding gift.”

I take the package and tear it open, surprised at what I find inside. It is a fine leather harness with what looks like a phallus attached. The phallus is flexible and springy.

“I've seen these before made of leather and bone but never like this one! What is it made of?”

“It is a new material I have been experimenting with. It comes from the sap of a tree found only in the Oviz Islands. I have plans to make all kinds of things from it, wagon wheels and waterproof coatings and... well, I am an inventor as well as a librarian. I have a lot of ideas for this new material. We recently signed a treaty with them to trade horses and iron ore, as their islands have neither, for this tree sap.”

“Well, Cordial, I can tell you the ones made of leather and bone are unyielding and uncomfortable for both parties, whereas this is flexible enough to make it comfortable. The next time the mercenary troops are in town talk with Sergeant Bell. I know of several of the troops that would pay a handsome price for one as fine as this. I thank you, and I am sure Ames will be appreciative as well.”

“Stephan sent the rest of these packages. They are your finery for the ceremony, which is in about an hour in the main ball room. We moved you here to sleep after your healing, because with Ames and the Queen screaming at each other over the planning details, no one in that entire wing of the castle had any sleep last night.”

“I thank you and him again, and do not be concerned about what is in the past. I learned yesterday that the past can eat you alive from the inside if you let it.”

-----

I stand nervously on the dais at the head of the ballroom in front of the King’s throne, flanked by Vorlayin and Cordial. We await Ames and her father. I am told it is traditional and fashionable for the Lady to be late. A hush falls over the assembled crowd as the doors swing wide and they enter. Her beauty takes my breath away, and I feel faint. I do not know how Stephan managed to produce such finery for the both of us in one night, but he could not have done a better job of it. I step over to take her hand as the King rises.

“My loyal subjects, we are assembled here this dawn to witness the bonding of Amynomene and Dragon. They wish to forever bind their souls together in love. Is there anyone who has a reason that this should not be done?”

He pauses to scan the assembled dignitaries and council members, and when no one speaks up he continues.

“Dragon do you willingly bind your soul to that of Amynomene, to feel her pleasure and pain, her joy and her sadness as if they were your own as long as you live?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Amynomene do you willingly bind your soul to that of Dragon, to feel her pleasure and pain, her joy and her sadness as if they were your own as long as you live?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Jaxarina and Bedrian move to either side of the King’s throne as Ames and I kneel before it. They place a hand on each of our heads and begin an incantation in a language I do not know. The assembled guests begin a chant in the background and I feel tingling warmth gently flow through my body that fades away as the incantation ends.

“Dragon, Amynomene you are now soul bound, let it be known to all in the kingdom that these two are bondmates from this day forward.”