Chapter 11

Two days later, I had two deer in pieces inside my smoke room, and before dark I had managed to chop quite a lot of firewood, even though I knew that I’d still several days of work in front of me. But not this evening. I had washed myself outside and I had a distant feeling that I was being watched. Or a hint of a feeling. Or maybe even less. Or maybe I was just getting paranoid. Before leaving, Verya had named my cat Tariel, saying that without any doubt she was the real queen of my household. Right now, it was quite hard to deny that, since I had spent some time making sure that she got the heart of the deer I had just caught.

I was stirring the stew inside my home when the door opened. Once again, my warning system gave no warnings. I sighed but I didn’t turn.

“I was taught by my mother and father that it’s polite to knock and ask permission before entering.”

“I think it’s not polite to keep your guests waiting.”

I turned around and looked at the Elf woman who had come inside my home. In this evening light it quite impossible to say if she was any older than Verya, but everything around her shouted authority and experience - and power. Somehow, I was sure that she was a very capable Magician and that was one of the reasons she was here alone. She didn’t need any guards while with me because she was much more dangerous herself than any of the guards.

“Unfortunately I’m not that skillful that I could tell when someone with your abilities is outside my door. My name is Stian, son of Helle and Dagfinn. At your service, my lady.”

“You know Stian, I think that I could consider that as a promise.”

“Oh, I was just trying to be polite, my lady.”

“My lady my ass, please call me Bellcauniel - or just Bell. After all, you have just impregnated my daughter and probably also her two guards.”

That stare and those words, there was no question that she had planned to shock me in order get the upper hand. Unfortunately for her, I had had two days to think when there were no distractions. Walking outside and hunting affected me that way after seeing beautiful women, even Elves. Well, I was a young man. Like, that kind of thing happened very often to me. But anyhow, I had had time to think about what I had seen and heard.

“But wasn’t that the reason why you sent them to meet me - and spend three days here? By the way, do you want some of this stew - it should be ready any time now. Unfortunately, there is only water that I can serve with it.”

The smile she gave me showed that my reply didn’t bother her at all.

“But thank you, it would be a pleasure. After all, the girls complemented your ... cooking skills.”

She looked around my little house while I prepared the table and took out some plates for the stew. I noticed that she checked my bed - yes, I had clean sheets on it - and then she stopped by the shelf and started looking at the books I had. Damn, I was proud about my books and about the fact that I could read and write much better than most of the people I knew.

“Quite a collection of books you have here. Something that I wouldn’t expect from a hunter.”

I could hear the challenge in her voice and I smiled to her when I replied.

“In fact I’ve read most of those books several times. It’s only the last two ones that I brought with me when I came back, that I haven’t been able to fully enjoy. However, I already noticed that the one about cultivating and farming cannot be fully enjoyed here up North.”

“Wonderful, then there might even be a possibility that my granddaughter will be a smarter girl than her mother.”

“Why? I think that Verya was a smart and funny woman.”

Suddenly I noticed how her finger stopped as it had been passing through the books and her whole appearance changed. Carefully she used her finger to pick up one small book between the other books. I quickly put the pot I had been holding on the table and took a few steps towards her. Yes, it was the book. The book with certain pictures. Before I could do anything, she had already opened it.

““I’ve heard about this book but never seen a copy myself...””

I was quite sure that she didn’t say those words to me, so I didn’t react. It took her a moment to come out of the trance and I could see understanding hit her.

““So you know the Old Language.””

I shrugged.

““Yes - and no. I was able to read it and understand it somewhat, but I hadn’t ever spoken it. It still feels odd.””

““So that was the smile on my damned daughter’s face...””

Then she tapped the book with her finger.

““No wonder all the girls had such a dreamy looks on their faces when they came back.””

““Please be careful with that book, it’s old and about everything I have left from my mother.””

““Your mother! She must have been an extraordinary woman. Did she speak the Old Language?””

I was silent for a moment wondering how much I should tell this Elven woman. ‘Never trust the Elves’ was something my mother had always said. But the truth was that I needed to know more - and I trusted some human people even less.

““I never heard her speak the Old Language - but she made sure that I knew how to read and write it.””

““Then, how did you...””

““I listened to some of the stones you have placed here. Then I heard the girls speaking it. However, I have no idea how it came to me this quickly...””

She looked at me and the book and then back at me. When I reached the book with my hand she closed it and gave it to me smiling a bit.

““I’m sure that some of the girls would find the book very useful. Even if quite a lot has changed since that book was written ... Then ... about the Old Language - I’m not really sure. Your pronunciation is a bit odd, but I can almost hear it changing as you speak.””

I winced when I got the book and she let out a giggle. Suddenly I was quite alarmed, but not because of the idea that the Elven girls or women were getting inspirations from that book - as she probably thought. No, I winced since I could feel magic coming from that book. Magic from my mother and addressed to me. I carefully put that book back to the shelf.

““I think those girls are doing just fine, even without that book ... But the stew is ready, if you please, my beautiful lady.””

““Oh my, I could almost start thinking that you are trying to seduce me.””

““My lady, Bellcauniel - somehow, I’m sure that you wouldn’t need that book if you wanted to seduce me. Most probably I wouldn’t even know what happened.””

Her laughter only confirmed my suspicions. Now I was sure that human women had written that little book because they wanted to prevent their men straying with the Elves.

During the dinner she asked me about my profession and my life in general. The funny thing about our discussion was that she asked her questions in Anglon, while I did my best to answer her in the Old Language. A few times we both had problems in finding the correct words but in those cases, we were able to help each other out. She was curious, yes - but in her questions there was nothing that I considered dangerous. Once we were finished I put the dishes aside and started preparing some tea - I had found out that at least the younger women had liked my tea.

““So, how did you learn magic, Stian?””

Now she was using the Old Language again. There was something in her voice that made me feel that I wanted to answer, I wanted to give an answer that would please her. I wondered if there was any reason to resist that urge. Was there something I wanted to hide? Would I be able to do it even if I wanted to?

“By accident - and by copying what I saw. Not always with a great success, as you can see outside.”

I could see that she was a bit disappointed with my answer, but then I realized that I had answered her in Anglon, not in the Old Language.

““Could your mother do magic?””

This time the pressure to answer her was so great that my head almost hurt when I didn’t answer her immediately. I closed my eyes and shook my head while trying to clear it.

“Please, my lady, don’t do that! I’ll promise to answer you if you promise not to force me.”

She looked almost shocked, and I took a sip of tea in order to clear my head a bit more.

““Bellcauniel, I promise to answer your questions if you promise to help me.””

““What kind of help do you need?””

““I need to know more. I’m in the dark and I don’t know anything.””

I took a deep breath before I continued.

““Yes, she could do some magic. But I didn’t understand it until a year ago.””

““What happened a year ago?””

““The Guardians happened.””

I could see that my answer startled her a bit. I made my decision. This decision would most likely change my life, but I needed to know more. I wanted to know more.

““My lady Bellcauniel, you could probably make me tell you everything I know, everything I have experienced and more. However, I promise to tell you everything of my own free will and help your people with your problems if you in turn promise to teach me the things I need to know. Can you promise me that?””

I put all my skill and sincerity in that last question since I wanted an honest answer. Now it was her turn to shake her head.

““Stian, just how old are you?””

““Seventeen summers, born during the spring equinox. Why?””

Suddenly she looked really shocked and leaned back in her chair.

““Mother of the Earth and the Aether! Seventeen summers! Maybe this world is just so different ... But seventeen...””

She moved forward and put her cool hands on top of mine and her eyes drilled into mine. When I looked into those eyes I could easily see the resemblance between her and Verya since the dark blue color was exactly the same. But the color was where the similarity also ended. The blue in Verya’s eyes had reminded me of the deepness of the sky before the sunrise, but there was always the promise of the rising sun. With Bellcauniel there was no such promise, and the color didn’t remind me of the sky but of the sea. The color of the sea could be an equally beautiful, deep blue but there was a false promise there. The sea was deep, usually cold and always merciless. You could go sailing there and if the sea was merciful and you were lucky you could get back unhurt. Maybe the sea could be different elsewhere but that was what it was here. That was what I saw in those eyes and I couldn’t help shivering a bit.

““Yes, Stian, you should be careful with your wishes since sometimes ignorance can be much easier, even bliss. But yes, I promise to teach you some things you need to know, even if I’m sure that you’d eventually find them out all by yourself. You know, a part of me even thinks that I should leave and escape while I still can, since I’m certain that there will be a day when I have all the reasons to fear you ... But yes, I promise to teach you and tell you some things you need to know. Mother of the Earth being my witness! Is that enough for you?””

““Yes.””

My throat was dry and my voice thick since I was sure that my life now would not be the same.

““There is however, one more thing...””

The way she smiled gave me a hint, and I’d like to think that I wasn’t too stupid to understand. After all, I considered myself quite an experienced young man.

There turned out to be several more things in which I got a lesson in humility. Or make it a few lessons since Bellcauniel played me like an expert player plays their instrument, sometimes carefully, sometimes forcefully and sometimes getting almost unbelievable sounds out of it. The only difference was that after playing, the instrument probably does not feel flabby and used as I felt. Oh, I had gotten her off multiple times but all the time she had been in control, setting the pace and making sure that I didn’t come until she wanted me to come - and oh, did I come. Three times. In a row.

Now when she was laying there I gathered my strength and started planting kisses over her small body moving slowly down towards her honey pot.

““Yes, Stian, clean me up with your tongue. Make me come once more.””

That was not a wish, but it was an order. I probably could have resisted that order if I had wanted to, but right now I didn’t want to - so I saved my energy for other things. When I started licking I could taste myself, but I ignored that. Twice I brought her close to release just to pull back a bit. I almost guessed that there wouldn’t be a third possibility to pull back, so I prepared myself. Once I sensed that she was coming close again I was prepared. After one last lick I pushed my tongue out and concentrated on my magic and pleasure and touched her pleasure nubbin with my tongue releasing the magic.

She didn’t disappoint me. She wailed and moved uncontrollably before becoming totally limp. As I was half hard again I decided to be a full bastard and I moved between her legs. Once she opened those deep eyes of hers I slowly entered her. Maybe I had already lost the war, but I wanted to win at least this last battle. I was so exhausted that I fell asleep almost immediately afterwards, being too tired to enjoy that minor victory.

When I woke up I could feel a warm body next to me and from her breathing I could tell that Bellcauniel was awake. It was dark and raining outside and the only a dim glow came out from the embers in the fireplace.

““I’m almost thirty times older than you, Stian. Think about it. Almost thirty times older. I was a young mother when I was forced into this world...””

““The Magicians, I guess?””

““Yes.””

I could feel the anger and hatred in her voice. It seemed that the years had not taken all of it away.

““During those first years, errors were made and some of those mistakes still haunt us after all these years. I won’t say anything more about it now, but I hope that you remember this moment if you even learn more about those days, about things that better be forgotten. You should also know that you’re the first male in this ... this dimension, who has been able to make me feel like this. Even if there was only that, I’d be in debt to you already.””

““Some of the Magicians are doing it again. Playing with the dimensions.””

““How do you know that?””

I then told her the basics of my mission with the Guardians. The trip, the Creature and what I had heard from the Guardians. I also mentioned the short encounter with the Trolls. Then I told about the betrayal of my fellow people, about Saga and finding a new place to live. While telling my story I mentioned my feeble trials to create and use magic.

““I was certain that your people - your kind of people - already knew about me and the fact that I could at least see magic. I guess that’s what led you here.””

““Yes - and no. My fellow sisters were terrified since someone was moving with the Guardians and they were afraid that the Magicians had somehow learned to see our magic. With the way they use magic they shouldn’t be able to see the strings. But then you didn’t go with the rest of them - and you read the stones.””

““How am I able to do that - and the others are not?””

““I’m not really an expert in that but it’s something to do with the fact that your skills are natural, you have inherited them - while they use all kinds of artificial help in order to store and release magic. That’s what they do, store and release magic, sometimes huge amounts and without any real control. It’s just about as controllable as lightning.”“

I could tell that there was more but she didn’t really want to speak about it. However, she continued after a short break.

““Those stupid Magicians don’t understand that every time when they open a connection between dimensions they create a scar in the realm. If there is a scar, a new connection can never be easily reopened to that world.””

““So you can never go back.””

““No, never.””

Without any warning, I had a weeping woman next to me and all I could do was to pull her closer and hold her close - and wait.

““I guess you had a family there?””

““Yes, a wonderful husband who could understand me and make me his when I needed it - and with him there was the younger sister of Veryamedliel.””

I could hardly understand what she had been through. She had a family somewhere there, but she would never be able to go back to them. All that because some Magicians wanted to test their powers. I hugged her gently.

““You know, that foreign Creature, the beast I killed ... Just before dying he opened himself to me. He showed me his home world. He could have easily killed me with his magic but he sensed that I had been forced to leave my home and my loved one behind just to chase him - and he was called a beast.””

““You probably shouldn’t let people know that you can do magic.””

““Only the group that was with me knows - and they have their own good reasons not to tell.””

For a moment I wondered if I could trust my former friends, but even thinking about that would be useless since there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. No use worrying about that. But there was something else I wanted to know.

““My lady, is it the magic that is so special in me that you need me? Since I’m sure that there would be other men willing to help you to...””

Bellcauniel snorted.

““Yes, so you might think. True, all the human men start drooling once they see one of us partly exposed but hardly any can even start any action or finish it. What’s more - their seed just doesn’t do the deed. We have tried collecting it and pushing it inside - but nothing. Now with you it only seems to take one shot - and - bang.”“

““I thought that you aren’t supposed know it that quickly?””

Okay, I blushed, and she must have felt it, since Bellcauniel laughed.

““Oh, to be young and innocent again. But trust me, that is something the Elven magic is extremely good with - we do know. Some of us almost immediately. I’m sorry if I’m a bit emotional since now it seems possible that we won’t perish. At least there will be some more time to look for other answers.””

““Wait a moment, just what do you expect to happen?””

Okay, I had an idea about what they wanted but this started to sound quite a lot for one guy. The woman lying partly on top of me started laughing even more.

““I’m sure you know what we want to happen - but don’t worry, it’ll take a while because of the distance - unless you want to move to live with us? Oh, I think that I want one more sample before the rest of our party can have their turn.””

She had no problems in sucking me hard again - and getting that sample while I was getting a bit sore.

Eight days later I was sitting in my own home, alone, more than a bit sore - and empty. Maybe also a bit wiser when it came to magic - and to Elves - since Bellcauniel had lived up to her promise and taught me some more or less useful things. Maybe the most important of those had been the basics of healing - not only using magic but combining magic and other skills. As I had been quite aware about cleaning wounds and sewing open wounds together, this new skill would make healing faster and more probable - if I only learned to do it correctly.

While I was happy to get some rest, my cat Tariel was a bit disappointed since all the women had liked playing with her. On the other hand, she didn’t mind resting in my lap, either. Only gradually I started to get a grip on what had just happened. Most of the time, I had been busy either recuperating and making something to eat or putting on my best performance for the girls. Girls. None of them was really a girl even if they looked like a girl and even acted like girls instead of women, while all of them were much older than anybody else I knew. They hadn’t said it to me directly, but some of the younger women had slipped that they’d be among the first ones to have babies in their new home. Damn, there was still so much I didn’t know - and that Bellcauniel hadn’t had time - or didn’t want to tell.

After a while I lifted a slightly protesting Tariel off my lap and moved her to her own bed - yes, I had a small bed for my cat next to the fireplace. I raised the cloth piece and picked up the small book Bellcauniel had studied. I had noticed that she had been looking for that book once when I had been doing ... something else. She had probably sensed something in that book and been curious because of that. I had hoped that the nullifying effect the cats had would be enough to distract her. It seemed that I had been right. I put the book on the table and made some tea for myself before letting myself take a look at it. Okay, I can admit it to myself that I was scared. During the last two years I had sort of recovered from the deaths of my parents, but now I was about to open those wounds again. I tasted my tea and opened the book.

I wasn’t sure what I had expected since, when I first opened it, the book was blank: only the name of the book was written on the first page. The look on my face must have been something. But then I got the idea to wipe the page with my finger and that did the trick. My finger was almost shaking when I started on the top of the left page. I recognized my mother’s handwriting immediately.

““Dear Stian, if you are able to read this page you have learned to use your gift somewhat. I hope you aren’t too angry with me for not telling you about this while I was still alive but with magic you can never be sure. Never. If you can see this text and you are living happily with Saga then I hope that you continue living together and use this small book for the purpose it was originally written for, for a woman and a man living together, giving pleasure to each other. My only regret will be that neither I nor your father are able to see our grandchildren. Please do not let that prevent you living happily together as your father and I did - and if you decide to do that, then, for your security, keep your skills hidden.””

Old Language. If my mother could write Old Language like this why did she never speak it to me? As soon as that idea came to me I understood its stupidity. Because you could do magic with that language - and my mother didn’t want me to know about my ability unless I learned about it by myself. I reread the text trying to get everything I could out of it and on my second read I could sense the feeling behind the text. Protection. My mother wanted to protect me - and my family. The family I didn’t have. That second reading brought out another idea: If I ever learned to write like that, I’d need to be careful ... since if I was able to read feelings behind the writing, so would others.