Darkthorn’s Blog

By candlelight Blackmain searched his clothes chest for things requiring mending. There wasn’t much, he mainly wore only three sets of clothes, one to wear, one to wash and one in reserve incase the job was messier than he had predicted. Julia had on a set of garments he had gotten from a rag dealer, he couldn’t afford people asking questions as to why he would require female garments. He didn’t ever require them for his work, his stocky frame and chiseled face did not lend themselves to impersonating even an ugly woman.

He kept digging, sure that there must be something else. His efforts were rewarded by a silky bundle in a corner. He had been tipping things out onto the floor, but now he paused. Julia was watching him and he couldn’t remember exactly what it was. It was probably just a cloak, that was all. He withdraw the material, it was a velvety blue colour, and indeed a cloak. Julia gasped audibly. Blackmain hurriedly started putting everything back into the trunk. The blue was only for the royals. No wonder Julia had gasped; it would bring back all sorts of memories for her, if what Ishton had told him was true.

Julia suddenly made a connection between the horses. Blackmain must have had an affair or some sort of bargain with one of her family… she cringed, but kept going. A bargain, for the horses. And the cloak, where had she seen one like that before? If only she could look at the patterns. Blackmain has thrown it back into the chest as if it was poisonous though, so maybe it had been something else. He looked like he killed people on a regular basis. The king. The king’s death. It wasn’t accident he was there. That was where she had seen him before, slipping through the shadows. Anger rose in her. It was his fault that she was here. She was stuck in this backwater shack, unable to go out, and it was his fault. No wonder they were so kind to her. The guilt they must feel. Well, she hoped it was guilt. Maybe they had other plans for her. Something, clicked. They did have plans. Ishton had said earlier about her being an ‘asset’. Oh she would show them. She stood up.

“I’m going for a walk.”

Blackmain was still too weak to physically stop her. “Don’t go outside. It’s dark and cold, it’s not safe for a young woman like you.”

“Young woman like me? You know exactly who I am don’t you? Is that why you have been keeping me here?” Julia screamed. “What the hell is wrong with you people? What are you going to use me for?”

Blackmain quietly signaled to Ishton. The best thing to do would be to knock her out for a couple hours, until they could decide what to do. Ishton reached out. It was difficult to judge how much power would be required, he was so tired, and Julia’s mind so resistant to touch. He sent a brute wave of force spiraling towards Julia’s mind and she crumpled to the floor. Ishton swayed in his place, he was more drained than he would like to admit.

Blackmain hurried over, almost tripping over his feet in his haste to reach them both. He checked on Julia first, and found her to be breathing shallowly. He rearranged her limbs so that she would be more comfortable, he didn’t feel strong enough to move her onto the couch. Ishton was still upright, just, and Blackmain helped him get to the bedroom so that he could lie down again. Blackmain resisted the urge to curl up around his friend. He needed to sleep across the door, prevent Julia from escaping. They couldn’t lose her now. Blackmain reassured himself that she would be satisfied with their answers when she woke up. She was sensible, she would understand why they hadn’t told her anything. He sat down, back against the door so that if it opened he would fall and wake. It was going to be a long night.