The Seer (116 page)

Fabian murmured his thanks but made no move to break the seal on the
scroll to read the contents. 

Having kept a respectful distance from the group whilst Mistral greeted
her parents, Leo now stepped into their group, waving Floris forward with a
tray of drinks in his hands.

‘Mage Grapple, may I offer you some refreshment after your
journey?’ 

‘Yes, however, I was looking forward to enjoying the surroundings of
The Cloak and Dagger once again.’  Mage Grapple replied.  Nodding politely
to Imperato and Fabian, he began to stride towards the noisy tavern.

‘Not what Leo expected!’  Mistral muttered to Fabian, watching Leo
look taken aback for the briefest of moments then walk quickly after him. 

‘No.’ Fabian smiled and gave a half-shrug.  ‘But then Eximius has
never been predictable.’

‘Can we talk now?’  Mistral whispered while the centaurs accepted
goblets of wine from Floris.

Fabian gave her a quizzical smile, ‘I don’t think it is me that you
need to talk to.’

Mistral frowned, ‘No, it definitely is.’ 

Still smiling, Fabian took his son from her and passed him back to
Alyssa. 

‘I will wait for you here,’ he promised softly.

While you talk with Imperato …

Mistral’s lips formed a silent ‘oh’ of understanding.  Turning to
meet the profound gaze of her father, she realised that once again, Fabian had
seen far more than her, and she was the one with Sight.

‘Can I talk with you?’  she asked quietly.

‘Of course my daughter.’  Imperato responded calmly. 

With Prospero trotting at her heels, she began to walk beside Imperato
along the path leading to the North Gate, instinctively heading towards the
open spaces of the meadows.  Imperato did not speak but walked silently by
her side, waiting patiently for her to begin.  They reached the meadows
and paused on the brow of the rise, looking out over the sweep of sunlit
grassland.  Mistral sighed and stroked Prospero’s head absently, unsure of
how to begin the conversation.  After a few moments she eventually glanced
at Imperato out of the corner of her eye to see him regarding her with his
fathomless gaze.

‘Seek your answers my daughter.  I will not hide anything from
you.’

‘Oh, well, actually, I think that it’s a bit more complicated than that
–’

‘Complications are in the eye of the beholder.  Ask.’

Mistral suppressed the urge to roll her eyes and suddenly regretted
agreeing to another stroll into the mystical with her father, ‘Right,’ she said
adopting a brisk tone, determined not to let Imperato get all other-worldly on
her.  ‘Yarthkins are blood-bound to protect us; centaurs that is … aren’t
they?’

‘Centaurs, yes.’  Imperato confirmed in his deep voice.

‘Well, is that just for a lifetime or,’ Mistral paused and drew in a
deep breath before taking the plunge, ‘does it extend beyond that?’

‘We are not served by the dead my daughter.’  Imperato replied,
frowning slightly.  ‘Only the living carry our food and guard our young.’

‘I know that.’  Mistral sighed.  ‘I was talking about me and
… Saul.’

‘The one of yarthkin descent who died at the Festival of the Arcane?’

‘Yes … him.’

‘You have Seen him again?’

Mistral nodded, not really wanting to go into the whole story of her
mistaking labour pains for a couple of hard kicks and wandering off into the
forests in the middle of the night to nearly give birth alone.

Imperato gazed meditatively at the sky, ‘I think that he was bound by
something stronger than blood, and there is only one bond capable of
transcending death.’

Gritting her teeth and resisting the urge to demand that Imperato spoke
plainly for once in his considerable life, Mistral drew in a breath and forced
herself to speak in a controlled voice, ‘Please explain it to me Imperato,
because I heard him and I saw him, but in only my mind … was it Sight? 
Or, or is he really here, somewhere –’

‘He is dead my daughter, no-one can return from that final state. 
What you saw was the echo of his soul.  It lives within you because you
drew it into yourself through your gift when he died.’

‘I did ...
what?
’

Imperato nodded solemnly, ‘Love is receptive of love.  He gave his
life for yours.  It is the ultimate sacrifice, and your heart could not
deny that.  Perhaps he knew that by dying it was the only way he could
ever remain close to you.  Certainly Mage De Winter could not be expected
to tolerate his continued affections for you, and they could never be realised
… but now he will always be a part of your life.’

‘Always?  So, will … can I see him again?’  Mistral asked,
wiping away the tears that suddenly fell.

‘That depends on whether you want to or not.’  Imperato replied,
gazing at her sadly. 

‘Am I making him stay then?  Should he be somewhere else?  Am
I being selfish by wanting to see him?’  Mistral sobbed, giving up on
trying to stem her tears and letting them flow freely down her cheeks.

‘You already know the answers to those questions my daughter.’

Mistral nodded and let out a long breath, ‘I suppose I do.’

‘Then you must let him go.’

‘But … how?’

‘Forgive him.’

Mistral frowned, ‘I don’t understand!  Forgive him for what? 
It wasn’t his fault he thought he loved me!  He was a yarthkin and I’ve
got centaur blood!’

‘For dying in your place.’  Imperato said quietly.  ‘It was
his choice, yet you have blamed yourself for his actions.’

‘Because he didn’t have a choice!  He was blood-bound –’

‘Listen to me my daughter.’  Imperato cut across her in a hard
voice.  ‘You are not a centaur, you are a Seer.  The yarthkin –’

‘Saul!  His name was Saul!’

‘Saul.’  Imperato continued in a softer voice.  ‘He was not
blood-bound to protect you; he was bound to you by something far, far
stronger.’

‘What?’  Mistral demanded angrily.

‘Love.’

‘Oh, damn it!’  Mistral cried and sunk her head into her
hands.  ‘Now I feel even worse!’

Imperato reached out and rested a hand lightly on the arm, ‘Love him back
for what he gave you, and let him go.’

‘You mean my life don’t you?’  Mistral said, lifting her
tear-filled gaze to meet his. 

Imperato nodded slowly, ‘And the life of your son.  Without you,
he would not be here.’

Wiping away the last of her tears Mistral lifted her head and gazed at
the meadows stretching away to meet the forests, a sunlit haze of russets and
browns.  She had wanted to see Saul happy, and she was determined that she
would, every single day of her life.    

‘I know what to do now.’

Imperato smiled, ‘You always did.’

‘Yes, probably.’  Mistral admitted.  ‘But for some reason I
seem to like to make it a real struggle for myself.’

Imperato laughed gently, ‘You are stubborn, like your mother.’

They walked back down the path from the North Gate quietly discussing
Imperato’s acceptance of the position in the Magnate.  Mistral listened to
him justify his acceptance, explaining how he would balance tribal life with
two days a week spent in the Valley, knowing that he was only talking about such
mundane matters to distract her and allow all trace of her tears to vanish
before they finally reached the village square.

The arrival of Mage Grapple and the Divinus had re-installed a degree
of propriety to the occasion, or at least forced her brothers to tone down
their behaviour a bit.  People were streaming out from The Cloak and
Dagger to form a large circle around the canopy that had been erected in the
middle of the square.  Unlike their wedding where they had stood at the
front, this time the ceremony would be conducted in the centre of the guests to
signify the circle of life becoming complete. 

Taking her son from Alyssa once more, Mistral left the centaurs and
began to walk quickly towards Fabian, waiting for her at the edge of the
guests.  He lifted an eyebrow as she approached, the smallest smile
lifting one corner of his mouth.

‘Fabian, we really must talk now.’  Mistral whispered urgently.

Fabian’s smile deepened, ‘We have days, months, years … a lifetime to
talk, but now we must name our son.’

‘But that’s what I want to talk to you about!’  Mistral persisted,
a slight edge of panic creeping into her voice. 

‘I said that we would name him as you saw fit.  When have I ever
gone back on my word?’

‘Well, never … but –’

Fabian suddenly kissed her, stopping her from speaking and earning them
a smattering of light-hearted applause from the nearby guests, ‘It is time to
name our son now Mistral.’  Smiling at her slightly dazed expression,
Fabian took her by the hand and led her towards the circle of guests.  The
crowd instantly parted to allow them to walk to the centre where Leo was
waiting for them beneath the shade of the canopy. 

The day was completely still, not a breath of air rippled the white
silken awning or disturbed the jasmine and honeysuckle Marietta and Liliana had
carefully wound around each of the canopy’s supports.  Mistral stood
beside Fabian, breathing in the sweet scent of the flowers and holding her
unnamed son in her arms, wishing they could have spoken about what they were
about to do.  He hadn’t let her finish her sentence, or he might not have
been so keen to hurry her into the service ...

“
I’ve changed my mind”

 …
words capable of instilling fear into the stoutest male
heart. 

Sighing quietly as Leo began to speak, Mistral reflected that if Fabian
wasn’t happy with her choice it was too late now.  She listened with half
an ear to Leo’s words while she gazed at her son; catching the odd phrase but
concentrating on the thoughts of the life in her arms.  Did he suit the
name she had chosen?  Only if Fabian completed it –

‘A new life has come into our midst reminding us all of a future worth
living for –’

Leo’s voice cut through her thoughts again.  She glanced at
Fabian; he was smiling at her, his expression full of calm assurance. 
Would he like the name she had chosen?  She listened to his thoughts,
smiling at the profound happiness she heard there until she was satisfied that
he probably wouldn’t mind if she named their son after Prospero.  Mistral
glanced affectionately down at her dog then tried to focus her attention on the
words Leo was speaking again.   

‘… truth of heart and purity of spirit –’

It was no good, she drifted off to be lost again in the thoughts of her
Mage and the more simplistic thoughts of her son, telling her that he was
getting hungry when she realised that Leo had asked them a question and Fabian
was looking to her for a response.

‘What name shall your son be known by?’  Leo repeated, looking at
her intently.

Mistral looked at Fabian while all around them the guests fell
completely still, waiting to hear the name she had chosen; the only secret she
had ever managed to keep. 

A heartbeat of silence that drew out into the longest moment of her
life passed before Mistral said her son’s name in a voice barely above a
whisper.

‘Cassius.’ 

A sigh of approval rippled through the gathered guests.

‘Ah yes.’  Phantasm smiled.  ‘Mage De Winter’s middle name, a
traditional choice.  Well done Mistral.’

‘I swore she was going to name him after me.’  Phantom
grumbled.   

‘Cassius?’ 
Brutus whispered with a frown.  ‘The empty one?  What is she
thinking?’

‘Damn
it!’  Xerxes muttered, scowling down at the tatty piece of parchment in
his hand.  ‘Did anyone get Cassius?’

‘And a second
name?’  Leo looked expectantly at Mistral while she held Fabian’s gaze.

‘Saul.’
 Fabian said softly, his velvet stare never leaving Mistral’s.

Leo nodded and
announced in a clear voice, ‘Cassius Saul De Winter.’

‘And now the
empty one is filled,’ said Cain quietly.

‘They’re
coming on.’

‘I’ll take
that as a compliment from my Training Captain.’  Mistral muttered while
she gazed critically at the first year apprentices drilling under Samson’s
watchful gaze.

‘You should.’
 Fabian smiled lazily at her and turned to lean back against the Arena
fence.  ‘You and Samson are probably the best Training Lieutenants the Ri
has ever known.’

‘No,’ she
corrected him with a smile.  ‘You were.’

Fabian
laughed, ‘I think you may have been a little biased.’

‘Still am,’
she murmured, giving him a lingering look.

‘Look
mother!  Uncle Xerxes has bought me a pony!’ 

‘Oh not
another one!  We’ll have a herd of damned ponies before long!’ 
Mistral groaned, turning to watch her son running towards them with a glossy
Emerald Forest pony trotting along beside him.  ‘He’s lovely
Cassius!’  Mistral said with a forced grin before fixing Xerxes with a
glare over the top of her son’s head.  ‘What’s he called?’

‘Goblin!’

Mistral
laughed at Xerxes’ shameless grin. 

‘He’s a fine
pony Cassius.’  Fabian smiled and ruffled his son’s hair affectionately.
 ‘We’ll go riding later if you want … maybe take Prospero and hunt some
rabbits.’

Cassius smiled
eagerly up at his father, ‘Can the twins come too?  And Samson, and my
uncles?’

Fabian
laughed, ‘Yes, we’ll all go out, just as soon as I get back,’ leaning over he
kissed Mistral lightly.  ‘I won’t be too long.’

‘Where are you
going again?’  Mistral asked with a distracted frown, looking over at the
apprentices once more. 

‘To see the
stonemason in the village, I think we need to have another room built onto our
mountain house for Cassius.’

‘Oh!’ 
Mistral turned and looked at him, smiling shyly.  ‘Make it two rooms.’

Fabian’s eyes
widened then a slow grin spread across his face, ‘Really?’

‘Really?’ 
Xerxes echoed, his hand reaching automatically for the top pocket of his
jerkin.