King Edward, Part VI                                            Anonymous                                                                                                                                                          )	 <      J	  ^          o    "  $  x'  +  .  U3  Z6  9  <      King Edward, Part VI       Chap 6: Training     The day Edward was to leave the Archmagister summoned him, presented him with  a mithril staff and bade him farewell.   Back in his small cell Edward removed his novitiate robe and donned the  grey shirt, black pants and red sash he'd worn to the Tower. He fingered  the sash lovingly. His mother had purchased the shirt and pants, saying  they looked sturdy and maybe wouldn't show the dirt from the journey.  Moraelyn had given him the silk sash with its embroidery of twined leaves  and flowers, birds and butterflies in mithril, dwarven and elven metallic  threads. But he'd waited until they were across the channel. Aliera had  said it cost too dear; she'd suggested cutting down one of Moraelyn's old  ones to fit, but the elf had adamantly refused to let her have any of  them. Edward smiled, remembering, and wrapped the sash twice round his  waist then knotted the ends carefully. He took the staff and ran down to  meet his parents.   He'd meant to fling himself at them, but Moraelyn was alone and Edward  stopped still. "Where's my mother? Is she--?"   "She wanted to stay and choose a horse for you. Didn't trust it to Beech."   "A horse? For me! Really?"   "Of course. You can't walk all the way to Morrowwind."   "I thought I'd have to ride behind--someone. Look, the Archmagister gave me  my staff! Isn't it beautiful?"   The elf took it and hefted it, trying a few swings and feints. "Good  balance and weight for thee, I think. Light for me. Show me how you use  it. Suppose I attack you." He used his bare hands and Edward fell into a  defensive position, blocked him, then thrust the staff toward Moraelyn's  ribs. He danced easily aside, but praised the boy.   "A mage should have a dagger, too. I thought you might like to have Tooth  here." Edward's eye popped. Tooth had an ebony blade and a hilt made from  a real dragon's tooth. The elf slid it from its sheath and handed it to  Edward who took it carefully. The blade had a wicked point and the edge  was sharp enough to shave with. Mats borrowed it sometimes. He'd carved  the hilt, too.   "Are you sure Mats doesn't mind?"   "Quite sure." Moraelyn unbuckled his belt and slid the sheath off it.  There was a new belt for Edward of snakeskin, soft and pliable and a  buckle with the black rose of Morrowwind on it, just like Moraelyn's.  "It's from the Companions." He knelt to fit the belt and dagger and the  sash over it properly, and Edward threw his arms about his neck. "It's  wonderful. I do thank thee and them, too! And oh, I've missed all of thee  so much."   "We missed you, too, son. Let's go or we'll miss our tide."   "I wouldn't want to worry mother," he said, trying to sound casual about  having a mother that would worry about him.   "No fear; I told her not to look for us until tomorrow night....just in  case. But we'll surprise her."   "Good thinking."   They made good speed and reached the inlet before the tide was full.   "Shall I show you how to use Tooth, or would you rather rest?"   "Tooth! I can rest in the boat while you work."   Moraelyn shielded himself and Edward too, saying that Tooth's bite was no  joke. "I could have shielded myself," Edward said proudly. "I'm good at  that. But my Heals go all wrong."   "It'll come. Give it time."   Evidently Tooth wanted time too. Try as he might, he couldn't get near the  elf with the blade, even though Moraelyn kept his feet planted and simply  swerved his body, ducking and weaving...and laughing. Frustrated, Edward  sheathed Tooth and picked up the staff and whacked at him, swinging it  with both hands. It wasn't doing any harm, but it made satisfying sounds  as it thwacked against the spell shield. Moraelyn let him hit, but stopped  the staff easily when the spell had been used up. Edward threw it on the  ground and turned away; the elf reached for him in consolation. Edward  snatched Tooth from the sheath and thrust it straight at the elf's heart.  The blade was knocked spinning from his hand. Edward had braced to stop  the thrust and hold it and he felt the shock even through his shield. Then  Moraelyn was kneeling before him, nursing his left hand across his right  knee, his face grey with shock and disbelief. Blood was gushing from his  wrist like a fountain. "Give me thy sash!"   "I--I didn't--" Edward's teeth were rattling in his head. He felt sick and  dizzy. Bile washed up in his mouth. "D-d-didn't--m-m-mean." So much blood.   "Boy, don't faint now. I need thy aid. The sash. Now, Edward! Pack it into  the wound. Gods, what a mess!" The hand was half severed at the wrist.  Edward sat down abruptly, shaking all over, but his hands packed the sash  into the open  wound, then he wrapped the rest round the hand and wrist.   "Take my sash and make a sling." Moraelyn eased the injured limb into the  sling and then released his other hand. He took the water bottle from his  belt and drank it down. "I need more water. Where's thy staff? There's a  well two miles back. Where's Tooth? Go find it and don't cut yourself on it."   "I don't want it."   "Not many blades have bathed in Moraelyn's blood. 'Twill bring you luck.  Do as I say."   "The tide's in."   "Aye and Firsthold could be on Jone for all the good it does us. I can't  row one handed."   "I could--"   "No, you cannot. You haven't the strength. The current's swift here. I  prefer to die on land. Edward, we cannot stay here. The blood smell will  draw beasts. If I faint, get well away and climb a tree. And pray." He  climbed to his feet and leaned on the staff, breathing hard. "Stay close,  but don't grab at me, no matter what happens." He took a small step, then another.   "I'm sorry."   "Doubtless. You picked a poor time and place to turn assassin. A good  assassin always has an escape planned."   "Yessir." Edward sniffed back his tears. "Sir, I cannot Heal you, but I  can restore some vigor."   "Can you? 'T'would be of great help." The spell Edward cast shook the elf;  he gasped, but stood straighter and firmer after the shock wore off. "I  can do it again," Edward offere d eagerly.   "Nay. You have plenty of power but want finesse. But 'tis much better, now."   Moraelyn was walking better; he sounded better too. Edward tried to blot  the picture of the injury out of his mind. They moved slowly, Moraelyn  leaning against a tree from time to time to rest. Nothing molested them.  After an interminable time of silent travelling they reached the old well.  Moraelyn drained the first bottle and Edward refilled it, drank himself,  then filled it yet again.   "We'll spend the night in there." 'There' was a large ramshackle building,  apparently deserted. The elf kicked the locked door open. Inside it was  pitch dark. "Light?" Edward offered.   "Nay. I can see. Save your power and stay by me." There was a skittering  noise. Rats! Edward shielded them both without thinking, pulled Tooth out,  and placed his back to the elf's. A rat leaped and drove itself onto the  blade. Moraelyn swung the staff and laid out two more. Others scurried off.   "Well done, lad!" They found a small windowless room and shut the door  behind them. There seemed to be some wood about; probably it had been some  sort of storage room off the kitchen. Moraelyn sat down against the wall.   "So. You can use a knife. Was all that pretense? To put me off my guard?"   Edward was appalled. He burst into tears, protesting that he'd never harm  Moraelyn willingly. "I meant it for jest; I thought it'd make you  laugh...I was angry, at first, but at myself, my clumsiness, not you...it  was a sudden thought....I love you dear!"   The elf reached out with his good arm and pulled Edward down to him.  "That's worth a hand, then, any day."   Edward sobbed against his shoulder while Moraelyn soothed him with pats.  "You are my real father."   "Edward, I am not..."   "Nay, thou art. Thee puts my well-being ahead of thine and loves me when I  least deserve it. Thee's been kind and generous and never asked anything  of me save to my own profit. Thee'd give thy very life for mine. That's  what real fathers do. And I've given thee naught but pain. He who sired me  despises me and my mother because we are unlike him. We are not like you  either, and yet you love us well. I will do better by you, dear Father."   "I gave thee cause enough for offense. I took thy mother from thee."   "You risked losing her because you would not part me from my father. You  did not know me and my father was your bitter enemy. And yet you took  thought for us. You could not know how unnatural he is. It  isn't in you."   "Granted. And yet the offense and your anger at it remain."   "I love you!" Edward protested. But he heard an angry edge in his voice.   "And hate me." Moraelyn's voice was so calm and quiet that they might have  been discussing the weather.   "I can't do both....can I?"   "Can you?"   "I didn't mean to hurt you."   "I believe you."   "Am I -- am I, evil? I _was_ sorry; I'd give anything if it hadn't  happened, but--I--".   "Took some measure of satisfaction in it."   Edward's throat was choked with sobs; he couldn't speak, but nodded into  Moraelyn's shoulder. The elf's hand stroked him gently.   "Did I'ric tell you of the Daedra?"   "The demons? No. Is it a demon makes me do such things? I am evil, then."   "No, you are not. But the daedra feed on actions such as that.  They--encourage them. And your anger draws them. But they can't make you  do anything. And they or it's not inside you. But it is connected to you."   "I don't want it. I want it to go away. How can I make it go away?"   "Why don't you want it? You draw power from it. That's what let you shield  us both with the rats attacked."   "Mana? That doesn't come from demons."   "No, but the ability to use it can. Look, some of your deeds feed the  daedra. But you draw power from it at the same time. Then the power's  yours, to use as you choose."   "Do you have a daedra?"   "I do and it's a big one, too, but I think everyone has one or more. Some  are stronger than others, that's all. But don't go around asking after  them. It's not polite."   "I want mine to go away!" Edward wailed.   "So you say. But pretending it isn't there will not accomplish that.  Having a daedra is a bit like riding a horse. You must keep control. The  daedra do not care for you. It would as lief feed off your pain or injury  or death as any other, and find a new host. They do not think or plan as  we can and I do not think they experience time as we do. So acts that feed  the daedra take place in the moment and while you are caught up in them,  past and future cease to exist for you too. It is an intensely pleasurable  experience, but it can also be very dangerous. And very addictive, so that  you begin to think only of feeding your daedra. You cease to think of the  gods and those you love and even yourself. When you have walked too far  along that path, you lose the will to choose another."   "How terrible! What must I do then?"   "It is terrible, the worst that can befall a person. Remember this night.  How you felt. Learn to recognize the daedra's hunger for what it is, and  think about what you do. You are young and this is heavy for you, but you  are at risk. Ah!" The elf's body stiffened and he caught his breath.  Edward guessed that the wound was paining him.    Moraelyn said that he must sleep a bit, and could Edward keep watch and  wake him in an hour's time. Then he could set a lock on the door and they  could both rest.   "Aye, sir...and I might do somewhat more. I cannot set a lock, but..." The  door would not latch, nor would it stay open, but would swing nearly shut.  Edward felt about near the wall behind it and found a wedge. He shut the  door and drove the wedge home with a chunk of wood. "I thought so. 'Tis  awkward to pass such a door with both arms full of wood. We have such at  ho--in Gerald's palace. Now anything trying to come in will rouse you; you  can use your power to cast heal instead of lock."   "Why, well thought of, indeed." He freed his blade and laid it on the  floor beside him. "We may as well both sleep then."   They slept fitfully. There were often scrabblings at the door and in the  walls, but nothing entered their small closet. Moraelyn cast Heal several  time during the night. By morning he pronounced himself as fit "as a  one-handed man can be." He unwrapped the sash-bandage and inspected the  wound. The bleeding was stopped; the hand was still warm to the touch; it  no longer hurt him nor was it swollen or discolored. But the wound was  still open and the hand useless. Nerves and muscles had been severed and  some of the small bones broken. Such repair was beyond his skill. Edward,  feeling the daedra feed on the sight, turned quickly away.   Moraelyn grinned. "You may as well let it feed; it's a harmless sort of  feeding. The damage is done."   "I mean to starve it," Edward said firmly.   "You can try to do that or you can learn to control it instead, and still  walk with the gods. I think we'd best go back to the Tower."   "Aye, they'll be able to heal you there, will they not?"   "I know not. At the least they'll be able to attach it more firmly than it  is at present. Ah, do not look so downcast. The skill to mend it is  somewhere, if not in the Tower. Ssa'ass is good with battle injuries and  there are Temples which know more of the healing arts than the Tower  mages. Besides, it's only my left hand." He held up the wadded sash, stiff  with his dried blood. "The color's more practical t han thy mother thought.  Let's see if we can wash it out a bit. Never have I come so ill-equipped  on a journey. I might have been strolling down the main street in  Ebonheart. Thy mother will kill me."   "Right after she kills me," Edward sighed. "At least returning to the  Tower will delay that." They came out into the bright courtyard. The  morning sun was already high in the western sky.   "Not so. Edward, the Companions are coming now! I hear them. Mara, let me  think of a real good lie!"    Mith trotted into the courtyard. "Here they are!" he called back to the  others. By Torgo, you ARE injured. Let me see that. We thought to row  across to meet you; we saw the blood on the shore and tracked you here.  What attacked you?"   "A demon."   "A demon! What!? In the open like that in daylight? Gods, what was it  carrying, an ebony dai-katana?" Mith whistled as he inspected the injury.  Aliera and the others ran up. She hugged Edward, "Are you all right,  darling? I was worried." then paled as she saw her husband's hand.   "You must be slowing down. How'd you let a demon do that to you?" Mith  demanded.    "It was the boy...he grabbed at my arm in fright and my shield spell  failed. It wasn't his fault; it was an accident. Ali, don't look at it.  Edward, why don't you take thy mother to see the rat you killed?"   "I want to watch Ssa'ass," Edward objected, then remembered that it would  feed his daedra. But he might learn something about healing if he watched,  which would be a good thing. This was going to be more complicated than  he'd thought.   "Oh, Edward," Aliera said. "You must keep clear in a fight."   "He killed a rat in the old inn there, after. Did right well. Kept his  head, put his back to mine, shielded us both. Anyone's apt to panic in his  first fight. Especially if he isn't expecting it."   Ssa'ass came up last, as usual, elbowed the others aside and inspected the  injury, hissing. "I cann fixxxx thissss. It'ss cleann." He looked it over  carefully, bending the hand back to open the wound. Then he brought the  hand forward, so that the edges of the tissue met. He was very particular  about getting it aligned just so. Then he had Mats hold it in place while  he cast spells over it. All outer traces of the injury vanished, leaving  not even a scar. Moraelyn swung it with satisfaction, twitching his  fingers. "Thanks, Ssa'ass. It's stiff, but..."   "Tomorrow, I ffinissshhh."   "My poor baby," Aliera fussed over Edward. "You must have been so  frightened. And you spent the whole night in that awful house?"   "I'm not a baby. I wasn't afraid; my father was there." 