Chapter 14

Ryn's statement of this being but a skirmish brought a chill to me! It felt like icy fingers running up and down my spine.

"Ryn, my friend your statement worries me."

"As it should, my Lord! This attack is very serious, but there are still questions,"

"Ryn please stop talking in riddles, this is the twenty first century now. Just tell us plainly what you're thinking." said Adin as she sat down heavily as if exhausted.

We both turned toward Adin, me with a slightly shocked expression at her impatience and annoyance, but Ryn's was a smirk of satisfaction. Adin became agitated and not a little miffed.

She asked, "And what is that smirk for?"

The smirk left to be replaced with a broad smile.

"My apologies, my Lady. It is your aura. It is continually changing, getting stronger, and more like our Lord's."

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"It means the answer to a question that I have had for some time, now. When I first met my Lady, there were two auras swirling around her, one full of darkness and slavery, and the other one of light and power. However, at that time the dark aura was dominant. In short, she was a slave in mind and soul. Then ... in the hospital ... you, my Lord, poured great amounts of your magical energy into my Lady. That caused things to begin to change. The dark aura began to fade. Today, when you cast the cleansing spell, here, the remaining dark aura dissipated. It is gone, completely. My Lady's real aura is now evident. My Lord, my Lady is of the same line as yourself. If you wish it, my Lord, she is able to contain and wield magic ... just as you are."

I stood, open-mouthed, looking from Ryn to Adin and back. I looked again and again, trying to get my head around what I had just heard. At the same time Adin stood, transfixed. She too, was open-mouthed but for a different reason.

She said, "That can't be! I'm his slave, nothing more!"

That comment broke my stupor and filled me with anger!

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT THAT? HUH? YOU ARE MY WIFE! MY QUEEN! NOT JUST SOME SLAVE!" I yelled.

"But even today you said..."

"I did that because it seemed that you needed or wanted me to. From now on I never want to hear you demean your station again. You are my Queen, and you will train Carol to be first and Ruth will be second! You are my wife and my Queen from this moment on. Do you understand?" I spoke in a very firm serious voice this time for that seemed to affect Adin more than hollering.

Adin bowed her head and said softly, "Yes, Kade."

The woman was clearly distressed.

"Come here, Adin. Come and let me show you how much I love my wife and my Queen."

She came trembling into my arms and broke down into gales of tears. After five minutes, she sort of settled against me, and sighed. Then she just snuggled to me and squeezed me with all that she had. Eventually she spoke, but so softly that I had to strain to hear.

"Kade, I remember nothing else but being a brutalized slave until you rescued me. Almost from the start, I could feel your love. That love just seemed to get stronger and stronger. When I was in the hospital, I felt your power working in me, and changing me. However, my training would not let me admit that I could ever be more than a thing, a slave, a property ... owned by another. Today that feeling, that belief is totally washed away. I love you more than life itself. But you need to understand, my husband, that my servitude ... my slavery ... has just shifted. I will be a slave to my love for you, 'til the day that I die. That means you are my Lord and Master forever, Kade. Please bear with me on this."

"Okay, if it's what you want, my sweet wife. I do understand, for I'm enslaved by my love for you, too."

I felt her shudder with a few more silent sobs, and then she gave me another fierce hug and stepped back from me.

She said, "I must look a sight! I need to go wash."

Adin walked off, but a bit unsteadily, to my eye. I chalked it up to her emotions, and said nothing. I was about to ask Ryn more questions when Tony stumbled through the door, laden down with bags and parcels.

"I'm back, boss. I think that I got everything that we need. We do need to shower before we change clothes, so I bought towels and such, too."

Tony then proceeded to divide the bags and such into three piles.

"Which are Adin's?"

"Um ... These here," he said as he finished sorting.

I took her things to the bathroom door and knocked softly. The door opened, and I knew at once that something was not right. I gently scooped my wife into my arms, and carried out into the back yard. We went away from the house as far as possible. I set her down on the bench that was in a small shaded Zen garden that I'd had put in, for Carol to have an adult refuge from the children. It was a pretty little fenced off place of quietness, with a small fountain. I sat beside my wife and waited.

Adin just sat, looking miserable and saying nothing.

"What is it, my beloved? Why are you so miserable?"

She just shrugged and remained quiet. I was becoming more worried by the minute and decided to see what the matter was. I slipped into my wife's mind and was surprised to see big empty spaces! Her mind was like a warehouse that had just made a big shipment. Alarmed, I cast a sleep spell on her. Then I covered her with a comforter that I conjured.

"Ryn, where is Tony?" I asked telepathically.

A moment later Ryn joined me and stood looking down at my wife. I waited and in about three minutes Ryn looked up at me.

He asked, "What seems to be bothering you about your Queen, my Lord?"

"I went to give her the change of clothes and when I knocked on the door she came out and, Ryn, she was wretched. I asked what the matter was and she would not talk to me then she became more wretched. I was so concerned that I broke my own rule and entered her mind. I ... I ... I found great empty spaces. Just ... just ... blank emptiness!" I wailed.

After all that had happened I was afraid that I would loose her again.

"Yes, that is to be expected."

"DAMN IT, Ryn! I don't know the stuff that you do! I can't lose her! Please tell me what is going on?" I begged.

I was at the point of hysteria.

"My Lord! My Lord? Please calm yourself!" said Ryn as he shook me.

"But I don't know what to do! I can't cast a spell, if I don't know what is going on." I said as I dropped my head back into my hands.

"My Lord! Kade! Adin is fine! Please, my friend. Do not stress yourself, so!"

"What do you mean?"

"Kade, this is good news. It proves that the chemicals that were used to subdue and train her had a magical base. Those empty spaces were spells that were cloaked. They are now gone from her mind. The final vestiges of her slavery have dissipated with the cleansing spell you cast, here. She will feel very uncomfortable for a time. It is to be expected when so much is washed from one's mind. Trust me, Kade, Adin is fine!" he said. "You, on the other hand, are causing me grave concern! These hysterics are not right! Please set a ward over this place."

I tried, several times, but failed each time. I was weak and rattled!

Ryn grabbed me by the shoulders and said firmly as he looked into my eyes, "Wake Adin, right now!"

I looked over at my wife and smiled as I released the sleep spell. She came awake slowly, until Ryn shouted at her.

"ADIN! HUG KADE TIGHTLY! Feed him with your love! HE IS UNDER ATTACK!"

Instantly, Adin jumped up and hugged me so hard that I could barely breathe.

"FIGHT THEM, KADE! FIGHT FOR US!" she screamed over and over.