Free From the Wood, Yet Slave to the Heart

Tessalyn was worried. For the battle? Not particularly. She’d already Seen the outcome. Casualties were high, but it was a better outcome than many pictured. Of course, she’d Seen another outcome that wasn’t so favorable, because the savior of them all had been distracted by the dead.

“Colin,” Tessalyn murmured, pacing her rooms. She, Colin, King Reginald, and Goroan had been briefed on the situation by Colin’s Captain of the Guard, Ysid. Colin had rushed to finalize details, along with his father and Goroan. Tessalyn had known already and left to do some thinking on her own. Colin had a reckless gleam in his eye. He had to be careful. There was no help for it.

The King’s aunt sighed, agitated, as she sat heavily on her window seat, gazing across the plain to where the armies of the Sealed had stopped. They were actually setting up camp, ready for the long hall. Tessalyn had known this already, but she still felt strange seeing it with her own two eyes in the time of its occurrence. It was strange, really, even though she’d expected it.

It was rare that minotaurs worked together. At least it was, before the Witch Sealed them all in separate places.

It all had to do with Raya. Tessalyn had known, obviously, from the beginning. Raya was the most powerful descendent of the Witch to ever live. The powers had finally begun to surface when she had encountered Colin in the Royal Forest, and they had woken the Urdak from centuries of slumber. The Witch’s curse on the Urdak kept them from leaving the wood, and kept them asleep for a very, very long time. A carrier of the Witch’s blood entering the forest had broken the spell prematurely and sent them on a craze for her blood and hers alone. Even with the dark elf, Lilith, accompanying the girl, she was still in danger. Not so much so that Tessalyn had Seen her death, but she’d been injured several times already.

Tessalyn made sure not to let Colin know that.

“Lady Seer,” a voice jerked her out of her thoughts. “Ysid wishes to speak to you. He said he’ll be coming within ten minutes.”

Tessalyn looked to the young maid, and nodded serenely. “Yes. Thank you, child.”

A child she seemed, around thirteen. She could be no older. “You’re welcome, Ma’am,” the girl curtsied and turned to leave.

“Wait a moment,” Tessalyn said, standing and going to her bureau. Opening the top drawer, she took out a rare treat - especially for maids and other common folks. It was becoming more common, but Tessalyn would have bet the girl could count the number of times she’d had chocolate on one hand.

“Yes, Ma’am?” the girl asked, her large, doe-like eyes radiating innocence.

“Take this,” Tessalyn smiled at the maid, placing the chilled treat in the girl’s hand. “it is chocolate, with caramel inside.”

“They can put caramel in it?” she asked, her eyes widening in curiosity and joy. Tessalyn chuckled.

“Yes, child. Take it, go on. You’ve earned it.”

She hesitated, about to give it back to Tessalyn, but then curtsied quickly and said, “Thank you, Ma’am,” and left the room.

Tessalyn wasn’t sure what had caused her to give the girl a treat. Perhaps it was how similar to Raya the girl looked. The same hair, the shade of eyes. Perhaps it was the peculiar feeling that Tessalyn had that the girl was similar to Raya, a relative, maybe, that caused Tessalyn to give her the chocolate.

There was still several minutes before Ysid came to talk to her. Tessalyn pulled out a very special hand mirror, silver with special white-gold filigree. Looking into the mirror, she murmured a single sentence.

“Show me what I seek.”

Magic took hold and the Scrying began.