Date: Fri, 11 Jun 1999 11:57:53 EDT
From: Will961@aol.com
Subject: Romance Out of Time and Place--Part 4

*****
   Master Blaine checked the horses and made sure that provisions were 
ample--they couldn't afford to stop off at an inn when the Grand Council was 
waiting.  Davin was right--whatever the Council wanted, it wouldn't bode 
well.  Another thing that did not bode well was this new situation with 
Michael being the son of Alea the Reaper.  Blaine's brow furled with 
worry--if his power started developing. . .
   "Hello Blaine," Michael said as he walked out the double doors and saw him 
by the stables.
   "Good day, Michael," Blaine said uncomfortably--this was not going to be 
pleasant, "how are you?"
   "Confused, I must admit--I went to dress and only found these clothes laid 
out for me," he said, gesturing at the gray jerkin, black vest, pants and 
boots.  "I was told that my others had been packed for the trip."
   "Ah--yes.  The Council called Davin to appear before them."
   "And this effects me how?" Michael voiced sarcastically.
   "Michael, considering the matter of your heritage, it would be best that 
you . . . accompany us."
   "You mean that no one related to Al. . .her could be trusted to remain 
here," Michael stated, breaking off saying his mother's name seeing Blaine's 
eyes widen in fear and caution.
   "Michael," Blaine began and motioned with a hand, beckoning two guards 
forward, "I shall ask that you accompany us or I shall have to force you."
   Michael turned and faced Blaine, seeing the two guards flanking him.  His 
eyes grew cold and he drew himself up to his full height.  Blaine could feel 
the hatred pour from him in waves--the guards could as well for they shifted 
uneasily in their armor and glanced aside at each other.  Michael's 
expression was that of a cornered animal--a look that all too plainly stated 
that if he was going down, he'd make certain he dragged someone with him.  
Tension filled the air heavily and almost stifled Blaine when Michael barely 
nodded his acquiescence.
   "I shall accompany you--all I ask is that you keep your prince far away 
from me," he said as he turned on his heel and strode down the line of horses 
to the one he had ridden before.
   "Good day, Blaine, is all. . .what is he doing here?"  Davin's voice 
filled with venom as he saw Michael mount up.
   "He's coming with us," Blaine said lightly.
   "I can see that--why?"  Davin stressed, his voice saying that there had 
better be a very good answer forthcoming.
   "Davin. . ."
   "Do I need to remind you of my station?"  Davin's voice iced.
   "Your Highness, he must accompany us--he has grown moody and irate 
lately--I fear that he may grow blighted and take his life."  Blaine said, 
sweating lightly--he had never seen Davin so enraged.  "Surely you would not 
wish him ill."
   Davin looked at Michael's back as he rode near the back of the line and 
his eyes lost their cold edge and wavered.  "No, I do not," he answered as 
his shoulders slumped and relaxed slightly.
   And so they rode out, Michael and Davin--as far away from each other as 
the small caravan permitted--taking no notice of each other.  Michael saw 
beautiful fields happily dotted with wild flowers and prosperous farms.  
Davin spoke a few words with each farmer, joked with his guards and talked 
with Blaine.
   "Hello, Michael, how are you?"  Blaine asked as he rode up beside him.
   "I am well, Blaine, and yourself?"  Michael said coolly, nodding to him.  
His anger at Blaine forcing him along had lessened but not entirely abated.
   "Michael, I am well," Blaine said in spite of his creased brow and the 
shadows in his green eyes.
   "You are worried--why?"
   "It is highly unusual for the Grand Council to summon a Royal--and an 
Unsworn Royal at that," he added gravely.
   "Davin could be in danger?"  Michael asked as he heard Davin's laughter.  
He saw his strong back and his brown hair ruffled by the breeze.
   "Yes, they rarely interfere in rule."
   "What do they do?"
   "They are all Masters from each kingdom and they keep the peace amongst 
them by their power.  If it wasn't for them, wars would have destroyed us 
all."
   "But Davin spoke of a war, and you yourself said that he lost his love in 
a battle."
   "The Grand Council did not always exist and even though they have no other 
equal, they themselves are not equal to each other.  If one member is weaker 
than another, a 'scuffle' would ensue between their lands.  Trey died in such 
a scuffle set about when the Ardithian Master died."
   "What could they do to him?"
   "Anything they wanted," Blaine said tersely as he and Michael rode up to 
where the front line was resting.

*****
   They came upon the city of Sarden which housed the Grand Council as the 
moon rose.  The city was a warren of trader's stalls and rich shops.  All 
manner of goods were to be found Michael saw by flickering torch light as 
townspeople and traders bickered and bargained even at this late hour.  They 
rode to the center of town and crossed a bridge to the massive oak gates.  A 
few words with a guardsman and a showing of the Council's missive raised the 
gates and they rode into the courtyard and dismounted by the stables as 
groomsmen hurried out to care for the horses.  Michael placed his hands on 
his hips and stretched his back, not being used to riding so long. 
   A man in green and gold livery hurried down the steps to greet Davin and 
Blaine.  He was tall and lean with tired eyes and tousled hair Michael saw as 
he walked closer but stopped before actually joining Davin and Blaine.  The 
guardsmen had already moved off to the garrison before he could think to do 
likewise.
   ". . .so if you will attend me, I shall take you to your rooms and--wait, 
there are three of you?"  The man asked, spotting Michael.
   "Yes, he had to join us due to a small situation--will it be well with 
you?"
   "Verily, Master Blaine, but we only had two rooms set up to receive you. . 
.mayhap the two Royals could share a room?"
   "Verily so, you may be assured--thank you," Master Blaine said, not 
noticing the equal glares from both Davin and Michael.  He moved off after 
the man and was slowly followed by the reluctant steps of Davin and Michael.
   'Bad enough to be called here and now I'm forced to share my room with 
someone who hates me,' Davin thought to himself as he continued to glare 
daggers at Blaine's back.  'I know your game, old friend, but some games just 
can't be won.'
   'Forced here because suddenly it appears that I am not to be trusted due 
to the fact that Alea was my mother--strange considering that Blaine said 
that I am the one entrusted to save their land.  Trusted. . .but yet not,' 
Michael groused to himself as he scowled at Blaine's shoulders, imagining a 
dagger in between them.
  Blaine moved his shoulders about as if he had an itch and was all too glad 
to be shown to his room first.  Michael was so intractable and Davin so drawn 
to Michael yet believing that he couldn't love again--it was enough to flay 
his nerves and unhinge him.  'Maybe I am wrong about their being together,' 
Blaine thought as he shut his door and breathed a sigh of relief as the peace 
of the room 
   "Here you are, Your Highnesses," the liveried man bowed after opening the 
door and stepping aside, "I hope that you find it suitable."
   "Verily, thank you," Davin said and closed the door.  He turned and saw 
that the room was spacious.  There was a fire in the fireplace that took up 
one wall, a balcony that ran the length of the room, a huge, four-poster bed 
carved of cherry wood and curtained with forest-green silk, a doorway into a 
bathing chamber, a small bookcase full of books in the corner, tables, chairs 
and footstools surrounding the fireplace.  Davin's eyes finally rested where 
he really didn't want them to--on Michael.  The laces of his shirt had come 
partially undone about his throat and chest and the light from the fire made 
his hair ruddy and reflected in his dark, dreamy eyes--or was there something 
more showing in his eyes?
   Michael sighed as he walked into the room first.  He hoped that they 
wouldn't be here for long.  It was so draining for him to hold his feelings 
in, but Davin only wanted him because he and Blaine thought that Michael was 
Davin's Heartsworn--a magical connection of love and power uniting Royal and 
land--and a Royal could not claim their inheritance without one.  He saw the 
room, but didn't take any of it in due to his wearied mind.  His eyes stopped 
as he saw Davin--or rather the look in his blue, sparkling eyes which always 
radiated intelligence and warmth, but now radiated something far more than 
that.
   'Damn--I wish he wouldn't look at me like that. . .I can't think of 
anything when he does that except to run into his arms and have him hold me,' 
he thought as he shuddered slightly and swallowed as he turned away to the 
bed.  He pulled off the top cover and a pillow and carried them in front of 
the fireplace and arranged a sleeping area for himself on the floor.  'Well, 
all right, I can think of a few other things,' he admitted to himself as he 
took off his shirt and boots before wrapping the bedding about himself.
   Davin's heart froze as he saw Michael approach the bed and his breathing 
grew quicker.  He was about to step forward when he saw that he was only 
removing a few items of bedding and watched forlornly as Michael made up a 
spot on the floor to lay.  Davin strode to the bed and removed his clothes 
sulkily and angrily.  The jumble of 'I want you' looks and the 'I don't want 
you' attitude was getting to be too much for him to take as he climbed into 
bed.
   Michael tossed and turned for what felt like the hundredth time and 
finally he untangled himself from the bedding and got up as he expelled an 
exasperated sigh.  He made his way to the balcony.  A gentle breeze was 
blowing as he looked up at the stars--even though they were not the stars he 
knew, they gave him comfort and a small, secret smile played on his lips.
   'Damn--he is beautiful and he doesn't even realize it!' Davin thought as 
he turned over to face the balcony and saw Michael leaning against the open 
door.  'If only he wanted me.'  
   Michael stayed by the door till he felt chilled and shut the door and 
turned.  He saw that Davin was asleep with one arm flung out across the bed.  
He recalled the look in his eyes earlier and the only time he had woken up in 
his arms.  'If only he really wanted me,' he sighed and returned to bed.

*****
    Davin, Master Blaine and Michael all were escorted to the Grand Council 
chamber a few hours after first light.  Tall, wooden doors opened and they 
walked along a red carpet to a pulpit in the middle of the room.  The pulpit 
was set at the center of a parquet of inlaid dark wood almost black while the 
rest of the floor was honey-colored.  A horseshoe-shaped juror box surrounded 
the central pulpit.  A golden domed ceiling capped a gallery on the second 
floor which was empty.
   Blaine was in a rich red robe with gold trim.  Michael was wearing a dark 
green shirt, brown pants and boots while Davin was wearing a shirt the exact 
shade of blue as his eyes and worked with gold thread along the edges in an 
elaborate knot pattern much like Celtic artwork.  He wore dark blue pants and 
black boots.  On his head was a circlet of gold and blue gems.  
   They reached the pulpit and a man in black livery came from a room off to 
the left and hit the floor with the butt end of a staff made out of the same 
dark wood as the circle.  At the third ring, people in rich, vibrant robes 
walked into the room and sat in the jury box as the man spoke, "Davin Averrel 
Scorcet, Prince and Regent of Ardith, Protector of Clarmont, you have been 
summoned to this Council to receive judgment to a petition that was brought 
before us concerning the Heir to Ardith," the man's voice boomed out and then 
he read the document.  Michael couldn't follow along but somewhat 
understanding it as he saw Blaine's face grow blank in shock and Davin's grow 
red in anger.  It seemed that the Heir's father wanted the child instated as 
Regent immediately.  Buzz and babble abounded as they speculated on this or 
that aspect.  Their talk was silenced and the room was like the calm eye of a 
hurricane.  Davin had slammed his fist on the pulpit.
   "Are you mad?  I am Regent, Prince and Protector--it is my right by blood 
and birth!"  He yelled, his shoulders shaking.
   "Prince Davin, please understand--this isn't personal," a member of the 
Great Council amended.
   "Hang your banal pleasantries," Davin began as he walked from the pulpit 
to them," it was your power dash that cost me my love!  And now you seek to 
take more from me due to a situation you have caused!"
   "Prince, you forget yourself," a Council member in red and black with 
blond hair said, his voice heavy with threat, "and you forget your duty--for 
close to two years you have been Unsworn."  The man finished smugly as he 
noticed Davin's shoulders slump in defeat.
   "Far better to be an Unsworn than to be a grasping, insipid, moronic 
buffoon with no more sense than a catatonic worm," Michael retorted as he 
moved up to stand beside Davin.  
   "What did you say?" the man asked after blinking his eyes in disbelief 
that anyone would dare cross him.
   "You heard me--or are you deaf as well as dumb?  Councilors, if I may 
address you, Prince Davin is a just, kind and worthy ruler--Ardith has grown 
and prospered under his guidance--why trade that for civil unrest and an 
uncertain future?"
  "The boy does have a point," an older man in his fifties wearing a robe of 
indigo spoke to his peers and saw a few of them nodding in agreement.
   "I knew you would be on their side on this, Braxton," the man with the 
blond hair spoke bitterly.
   "I heed my conscious, Demel," Braxton said, implying by his tone that his 
associate did not do so.
  "But that does not erase the fact that by being Unsworn he has left his 
land unprotected and unsafe for his people," Demel pressed and beamed when a 
few others murmured assent.
   "Oh?  And you can control the universe and say when a person is to love 
and be loved?  Even if you could do so, you yourself would never know of 
love."
   "Boy, I've had just about enough of you," Demel growled as he stood.
   "Trust me--the feeling is mutual," Michael asserted, his dark eyes 
flashing hotly.
   "That is it!  I shall end this!"  Demel said as he raised a hand and a 
pale green mist curled about it and grew brighter and more solid.  Demel 
gestured--despite cries of objection from his group--and the green light 
streaked towards Davin.
   "No!"  Michael cried out as he stepped before Davin.  The light was 
halfway to him when he raised up his arm and spread out his hand as if in a 
daze.  The gleaming green light just winked out of existence and a silence so 
deep as to be painful invaded the room.  Michael moved a bit away, his steps 
unsteady.  
   "Are you okay?"  Davin asked, placing a too warm hand on his shoulder.
   "Yes, I'm. . ." was all that he said before blackness loomed before him 
and swallowed him completely.