Chapter 17

Talia blinked her eyes in an attempt to clear the haze as she came to. Once her vision cleared, she searched around the room she was in and recognized the stone and marble floor. As Talia rose, her blanket fell to her lap and she realized the only thing defending her modesty was a series of bandages that were wrapped around her torso, legs and arms. But they were wrapped sparingly, allowing for a show to any who might catch her out of bed. Quickly Talia reached for the blanket and securely covered her body then swung her bare legs out of the bed. She shivered as her bare feet touched the cold marble floor.

“Why am I at the Grand Cathedral?” She questioned as she walked the familiar lonely and barren hallway. There was no one in sight, but she could hear the sounds of merriment coming from the main hall. Still at a loss for finding clothes, Talia decided to save herself the embarrassment and continued down the hall towards the kitchen. As Talia walked, the strong aroma of food caused her stomach to go queasy with furious delight.

As she neared the kitchen, she passed several staff members who turned their noses up to her and sped on by as she attempted to gain their assistance. Finally, she managed to stop one of the servers, a tall, brown haired woman with green eyes and a tattoo on her left cheek.

“Please excuse me miss but if it is not too much…,” The woman turned on Talia with the intensity of a caged lion, the now fully revealed talon tattoo not helping with the level of intimidation.

“Now I have had about enough of you and our kind. You filthy noble hunting wenches, traipsing about here, sleeping with any nobleman who will so much as touch you in the hopes of being laden with his child. Have you no shame? You and your kind are…,” The woman stopped as she noticed Talia’s frightened expression and bandages from her forehead to her ankles. The woman quickly embraced Talia with her hand that was not encumbered by a tray of food. “Oh my, please forgive me young miss. I didn’t realize...how can I help you?” Talia clenched her blanket tightly and looked at her partially exposed body. Without asking, the woman pulled her further down the hall.

“Straight down this hall are a set of doors. These doors open into the bathhouse area and on the other side is a small storage shed. In there is where they are keeping the extra supplies for right now. Let me take care of this,” she lifted the tray of food, “and afterwards I will go and fetch the key from the commander and meet you down there to help you find some clothes.” Talia smiled and nodded as the woman smiled back. “Alright dear, I will be right there.” She turned and sped down the hallway.

Talia turned in the opposite direction and walked towards the bathhouse. Once Talia opened the doors and walked into the courtyard, she could hear a congregation of merriment between men and women within the baths. Talia ignored them as she headed straight towards the shed. As she reached the door, she saw that it was indeed securely locked from the outside.

“What are you doing over here?” Talia jumped from the scare and began to turn.

“I was just…” Talia stopped in mid-sentence as she turned and found that the mountain of a man addressing her had been from the bathhouse and had not picked up his clothes on his way out. Talia quickly spun and covering her eyes, placed her forehead to the shed door.

“Sir, if you could please just…,” Talia stuttered and stammered as the redness in her face had begun to spread out to the rest of her body.

“Oh, I understand. You’re just shy.” The man walked up and embraced Talia, causing her to tremble terribly as panic and fear crippled her vocal cords. “Don’t worry. I think that you are beautiful.” The man reached under Talia’s blanket as he spoke and squeezed her bottom. Talia jerked upright with a shock as instinct took over and she spun and punched the man in the face. As the unconscious mountain crumbled, he fell to the ground still grasping her blanket, which also fell from her body. As Talia moved to grab her blanket, which was now beneath the colossus, she saw that a large collaboration of nude men had appeared. Talia dove behind the only cover in sight, a nearby potted plant.

“Please do not come over here. I do not wish for you to see me.” Talia was so shaken from embarrassment that she curled up behind the pot and began to rock.

“Talia, are you out here?” Talia could hear Zelus’ voice and shouted back.

“Sir Zelus, I am over here but please stay away.”

“Talia are you alright?”

“No, I am most certainly not. I am cold, scared, confused, surrounded by naked men and I cannot find my clothes!”

“Alright Talia, I am going to throw you something to cover up with, alright? Just hold on.”

“Thank you Sir Zelus.” Zelus came back a moment later and threw a blanket, which landed next to Talia. Talia quickly covered her body and called back to Zelus.

“Is everyone else gone?”

“Yes, I told them that you were Eliza’s friend. Just give me a minute and I will go and fetch the key to the storage shed.” Talia smiled and ran from behind the plants. She wiped her tears and placed her head and entire body against Zelus as if embracing him in an armless hug.

“Umm...Talia,” he paused for an awkward moment. “I was also visiting the bathhouse and that was my towel.” Talia’s eyes flashed open wide and, realizing that Zelus was also nude, save his bandaged arm, ran away from him screaming.

Several minutes later, Zelus returned fully dressed with the key ring in hand.

“Talia are you there?” He asked as he came near the edge of the bathhouse but did not dare to go around the corner.

“I am here,” she answered meekly. Zelus selected the necessary key from the ring and held onto it as he dangled the rest of the keys from it and reached around the corner.

“Here you are, this is the key you need. Talon will be delayed. There was a minor incident in the main hall and there is a giant mess. She asked me to help you, which I had already intended. Is there anything else that you need?”

Talia gently grabbed the key from Zelus.

“Is it safe for me to come out?”

“Yes, I have my back to you now as well. Would you have me take my leave?”

Talia crept by and began to unlock the shed as she answered.

“Please stay, I wish to hear what happened.” She opened the door and walked inside. “I am inside. If you could, please tell me what happened?” Zelus walked to the shed and leaned against the outside wall.

“What do you want to know?”

“What happened after I blacked out? How did I get away from the manticore?” Talia began searching through the piles of enormous guard’s clothes.

“Well. First of all you killed the manticore.” Talia stopped for a moment.

“How?”

“Right before it slammed into you and roughed you up, you managed to stab it in the head with the Sidonis sword, which shot lightning through its body and killed it. It still slammed into you however and you suffered an unfortunate landing.” That certainly explained how sore she felt and why she was covered in bandages.

“And my clothes?”

“They were too badly damaged to salvage. Your armor had also been so badly broken that it had begun to cut into you.” Talia settled for a set of servants clothes and began dressing.

“What about the mission? Was it a success?”

“Yes, with exceptions. We rescued the prisoners and recovered the Sidonis sword. The Daemon knight however, detonated a piece of her armor and escaped in the confusion along with many other Forsaken.” Zelus stopped as Talia finished dressing.

“What is the matter Sir Zelus?” Talia asked, causing Zelus to snap out of his deep thought.

“How about we get you some food first and then I need to show you, well, introduce you to someone.” Talia nodded more curious than ever but her stomach demanded attention as it continued to churn loudly.

“Please forgive me.”

Zelus shook his head.

“It is to be expected. You have been unconscious for a couple of days and have yet to have a solid meal.”

“Two days?” Talia was shocked.

“Hey don’t be upset. It’s that sword. It use to wipe out Alec for a while as well.” Talia did not feel as bad once she realized he was right. “By the way, how did you manage to wield the sword? I thought that anyone who wasn’t chosen by it died?”

“I nearly did die. The entire time I fought with it I could feel myself fading away.”

Zelus shook his head.

“But Alec had the same reaction when he first used it. I mean, if Eliza and I were to unsheathe it, we would surely pass out. Do you think that the sword can have more than one wielder?” Talia shook her head.

“I do not know. All of the legends point to a single heir of Sidonis.”

“Perhaps because you are a divine, the sword affects you differently. Maybe you have enough spirit energy the sword doesn’t immediately affect you.” Talia considered the theory and nodded her head as her stomach began to churn yet again. Zelus smiled and placed his arm on her back.

“We can worry about the details later, for now, just go and find something to eat.” Talia, now fully dressed, marched off in the direction of the main hall.

As Talia set at a table towards the back of the room in the main hall, she began to fill her plate as she nervously eyed the men and flocks of women who trailed them in search of noble seed. She had been sure to sit in solitude away from the chaos but it was not long before she began to be crowded by the swell of insanity.

“Hey beautiful. What are you doing sitting here all alone when you could be sitting with a good looking man such as myself?” Talia had at this point withdrawn into herself as it had been the fourth such advance in the last few minutes. Talia could hear the chair beside her slide out as whomever the man was, sat down. She heard the clang of a plate and goblet on the table and then felt as someone leaned against the back of her chair.

“Come on Talia, it’s just Onyx and I.” Talia turned in her chair to see. Onyx sat beside her in boy form, eating as if he were still an animal and Anton leaning on the back of her chair.

“I am sorry Anton, Onyx. Please forgive my rudeness, it has been a harrowing day.”

“I heard. Walking around the cathedral naked again, are we? Body as young, fit and firm as yours walking about a holy site such as this. I can only imagine that there has been a significant increase in the day’s worship. You might even make me pick up the practice.” Talia began to blush so intensely that she could feel it singeing her ears. Anton laughed and moved to the chair on Talia’s right. “You seem rather unaccustomed to flattery. Was Alec not prone to give you praise?” He smiled at her as Talia gave him a scornful look.

“While Sir Alec may not have been known for his droll advances upon me, I knew him to be loving, kind and selflessly devoted to those he cared about. He was even willing to throw away his life to protect me. He may not have been flirtatious but he and Marec were my protectors and the most honorable men I have ever known.”

Anton’s smile broadened.

“I am glad to hear that. Never forget those words, I know that I won’t. Onyx and I are eager to meet your Alec.”

“Does that mean that you will be sticking around?”

“Afraid not priestess. I do not feel as though the noose would fit me all too comfortably. Besides, I need to return home briefly for some information. Too many coincidences and unanswered questions for Onyx’s and my liking. We will return briefly but will remain unseen.” Anton paused for a minute as he looked up and away towards the back of the room. “Well, here is my cue. Take great care of yourself and our champion. I hope you are prepared for what is coming.” As Anton turned to walk away, Talia’s attention was captured as Zelus called to her. As Talia turned to look towards Zelus, she noticed Onyx’s empty plate and cup but saw no sign of the fox boy.

What she did see however was a young woman accompanying Zelus who was about Tear’s age. Initially Talia believed her to be Tear but then noticed the wavy light brown hair and bright green eyes, reminding her more of Alec. Talia stared in confusion and wonderment as the two approached her.

“Talia, there is someone that I want to introduce you to.” Zelus gestured toward the young woman who stepped forward.

“Hello Talia Degracia. I am one of the captives that you helped rescue. I thank you for that. I had been a prisoner for many years and I am most grateful to be free. I hear that you know my brother well. My name is Rayne Marina of Highmooria, Alec Dante is my brother.” Talia was so shocked she nearly choked on her own tongue. Rayne smiled sweetly as she allowed Talia a moment. Zelus cleared his throat and broke the silence.

“Rayne has shown Dominic and I the locations of several other camps she has been to. Dominic will make the announcement to his men tonight and they will ride out tomorrow to head the assault. Rayne however, has agreed to return with us to Valascaa in order to report in and help secure a place for the rescued captives. Do you still intend to return? You may face punishment?” Though Zelus offered Talia a choice, she would never consider such an option if it meant leaving Alec behind.

“I thank you for your offer Sir Zelus, though I feel that I must return for reasons other than myself.”

Zelus nodded his head.

“We leave tomorrow morning. You rest easy tonight and we will leave after a hot meal tomorrow.” Talia nodded her head and, as Zelus walked away, Rayne took up a seat beside Talia. Rayne looked at Talia with Alec’s same eyes and asked.

“How is my brother?” A mixture of feelings rushed through Talia both happy and sad as she searched for the right words.

“Well, he is still recovering from a major injury he suffered in battle but he is recovering well and shall be back with us soon.” Rayne smiled and Talia realized just how relieved she must be.

“How was my brother hurt?” Talia began to relay the events of now just over seven months ago to Rayne who remained silent the whole while. After Talia had finished recounting her story, Rayne continued to sit silently for a moment.

“I had never imagined that my brother was off having such adventures.”

“Your brother is a great man. He became a knight in order to prevent what happened to you from happening to anyone else. Then he became a paladin in the hope that he could rebuild a home for the people of Highmooria.”

“You must deeply care for him.” Talia smiled and nodded her head.

“Yes, Sir Alec is most important to me. I only hope that he recovers soon and we may see him up and about.” The two talked for some time, staying up late into the evening.

“Perhaps it would be best of us to rest. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.” Talia suggested to which Rayne agreed. They both rose from the table and walked towards their living quarters. After saying goodnight to one another, Talia went back into the room, which she had awoken in and fell asleep. She tossed and turned violently for some time until she awoke in a fright after her nightmare of Marec returned.

“You have changed nothing,” he warned just before she woke. Talia, afraid to go back to sleep, instead rose from her bed and looked out the window. She saw that Dominic and his men had already assembled and were departing. Talia walked to the door and left the room in search of relief, refreshment and a hot meal. After the first objective had been completed, Talia made her way towards the kitchen and met with Talon once more.

“Hello dear,” Talon spoke sweetly as she filled Talia’s plate and handed it back to her. “I am sorry for that terrible mix up yesterday.”

“Please, please, think nothing of it. I would much rather not dwell on yesterday morning’s incident.”

“For a young woman in your position, I can only imagine.”

Talia looked at the woman, confused.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I meant that you must not be used to that sort of thing. I once frequented this place often. I remember that you were one of the priestesses here. I also own the tavern in Ternia that you and your guardian stayed at when he roughed up that young Highmoorian boy everyone is talking about.”

“You know Alec?”

“I have met him but I cannot say as though I knew him. I only to know from experience what drives him.” Talia thought for a minute.

“Are you Highmoorian?” Talon nodded then pointed to Talia’s plate.

“We can talk at another time. You should eat up quickly before it gets cold. Also, if you act fast, you should be able to get into the bathhouse before anyone else wakes.” Talia thanked Talon and grabbing her plate and cup, quickly moved to the nearest table to eat. After she had finished she approached Talon once more.

“I am sorry ma’am but might you be willing to help me with my bandages? I can manage to remove them by myself but I am afraid that I will not be able to put them on myself.”

“That will not be a problem at all, my lady.” Talon said and so Talia moved toward the bathhouse in order to wash before her journey home.