First: A New World
Previous: Myths
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The potion was sweeter than she remembered it, and for a moment, Kael worried that she’d made a mistake with an ingredient. Impossible. It might have been a thousand years, but to her mind, it had been barely more than a nap. She could no more have forgotten the ingredients than she could have forgotten her own name.
Her eyes cleared and she went for the note, glad she’d thought to put it away before the tourists showed up.
The letters shimmered and twisted until they were legible and understandable.
Lady Kaelingrade,
I do not know what potion you wrought, but you wrought it well indeed. The entire tower slept for quite some time.
Under the words, she seemed to read: I wish you’d warned us. There were people I would have liked to say goodbye to.
This note can only be read by you, but as a precaution, I wrote it in the script I first found a hundred-plus years ago, when I returned. You’ve shown signs of stirring, lately, and I think it might finally be time for you to awaken.
Finally. You were closer to the smoke, of course. That’s why you slept so much longer. But I could have used you, so many times, since we came to this strange place you delivered us unto.
I have set things up to give you a place to learn about the world before you decide what you must do. Do not mistake me: I and the others are still loyal to you. But a man can not stay in one place, these days, and pretend to be his own uncle, or simply never age and claim to be one of the Great Ones. Belief is too thin and people are too willing to mob someone, looking for secrets that are not mine to share.
I am still loyal. I am still loyal. I am still loyal.
I will return. I hope, if you have awakened and gone out into the world by then, that you leave me sign in the same method, or another similar method. Until then, beware others you meet who seem like you.
You’re not going to be strong enough, not yet. You need me. You’ve always needed me.
Kael blinked. She was reading – was reading three lines into each line: the letters, which she could not read herself, the meaning of the words, and the meaning behind the words. What had Joaon – no. Something in the potion had been a little bit off.
She was going to have to find a way to grow and collect her own ingredients again. She was going to have to find staff again. And Joaon, who had always been more than staff.
He’d been back a hundred years. Some part of her bristled. He could have woken her! He could have – he’d lived for 100 years? Without her?
Well, he’d always been more than staff, more than an apprentice. The potion for long life was not all that difficult a one, if you knew where to get the ingredients.
How did you take an apprentice, these days?
No, the matter at hand. She looked back down to the letter.
The set-up I’ve created for you will restrict you a bit, I’m afraid, but it provides you with cover while you get used to the world. These people are foreigners, or we would have called them that in our time.
You have no idea how hard it was for me to adjust, without that, how hard it was for all of us, and I hope you never do know. It is our job to make your life easier, after all. It has always been our job..
She blinked twice, and realized she was blinking away tears. “Joaon… oh, Joaon.”
I assume you understand how it is that I am still alive, a hundred years after coming to this place. I have always been very attentive. And you had already kept me alive long past my allotted time.
This is more than that. I had grandchildren, once. Now I may, somewhere, have descendants. Do I dare to try the potion that would tell me? And if my line has died out…
Do be careful: there are ingredients today with similar names to the reagents of our day that do something completely different. I have attempted to stock the stores with only those things that you will recognize, but sometimes those I put “in charge” of the tower have their own wishes.
How they can manage not to believe in proper potion work, while standing in your Tower, I will never know.
I hope I see you again soon.
I hope I see you again.
Your loyal servant,
I am still loyal. I am still loyal. I am still loyal.
Joaon of the Red Rushes
Awww.
😀 😀 😀
Ohh my. I haven’t been getting online as much recently, so I just caught up on about 4 chapters. It’s getting better and better
yay, I’m glad you’re enjoying!
Still loving this story. 🙂
*cheers*
… I don’t suppose you know where I’m going with it, do you?
Good to see the potion works, even if it tastes a bit off.
Now I want to meet Joaon in person. He comes across as conscientious, diligent, and loyal in that letter.