Sitting up slowly in his bed, Aedon reached up and rubbed his head. At first his hands reached out to encompass an area more than twice the size of what was real. Then slowly, carefully his fingers closed in and rubbed his temples gently.
“I am not as young as I once was.” He said to himself. “It would seem to be getting a bit harder for me to resist a mages magic.”
Looking to the side table he saw a bowl with what seemed to be the residue of some powder around it. Thinking back, he recalled that as he left the Knights Rest, Aila called him over and pressed a small bag into his hand. She had told him to steep it in water and then use a rag to apply it to his head. The rag had fallen from his forehead and landed on the covers as he sat up. Taking it in his hand, he held it to his head and groaned a bit louder and lay back onto the bed pillow.
“Well Aedon, you perhaps need to reconsider the idea of wearing armor within the Glade. This is no longer about your life, but about the safety of the ladies.”
It had become clear that Penrose’s claim to no longer hold any interest in the book was not quite true. But as he had seen, and in much the way Aedon treated the truth there was a bit of wiggle room to be had. Perhaps Penrose no longer sought it for himself, but it was clear that there may now be others in play to whom the book or the perceived knowledge within might be of value.
He had gone to Dramora’s house to tell her that he had seen Penrose follow Leela home, and had asked James to carefully watch what transpired between them. Penrose had discovered that Leela was indeed the sister of Dramora. He did nothing at this time, but Aedon felt that the life of the woman may now be in great danger. As they headed back to the Rest they saw the seer Aila standing with another that Aedon recognized as the mage Minalin. Standing near or perhaps with them was Penrose.
At first seeing Minalin within Aegis Aedon thought that perhaps Judas had sent him to meet with him and Dramora. He had planned to speak to the mage once they were inside and he had a good cup of tea in his hands. But when Dramora came into the Rest she had asked for some words in private, so they headed to the top floor, and Aedon’s room.
Dramora told him what Aila had whispered to her outside about the item she held and the danger it brought to her. They knew they would have to make other plans for the book, perhaps send it into the deep catacombs in an effort to hide it away. As they headed back downstairs, Penrose was waiting for them. He demanded Dramora give it to him. At first, Dram pretended to not understand asking him calmly what he wanted to be given. This served to do little more that anger the man all the more. As he became a bit more menacing before them, and Aedon feared Penrose would strike out, he reached into his pack, and pulling out a book tossed it on the floor.
“Take it, for all the good it will do you.” He shouted.
Reaching down slowly, his eyes ever on them Penrose picked up the book, and headed out the door.
Dramora then turned to Aedon her anger clear to be seen.
“What did you give him?” She shouted.
“Oh just a little something I wrote last night. I thought it might come in handy.” Aedon replied grinning.
Dramora sighed a bit, seeing some folly perhaps in Aedon’s actions. “He will find out it is a fake you know.”
“True, but it may buy us a bit of time to speak to others.”
Dramora said her farewells and headed home to check on Leela and her household. Aedon went back into the Knights Rest. As he went behind the bar he saw Penrose approach Minalin and tell him;
“This is the item I told you about.”
The Red Mage looked the book over and replied to Penrose. “we will study it back in the tower.”
With doubt now in his mind that Minalin would be of any help to them, Aedon said aloud.
“Do not waste your time, the book is a fake.”
Perhaps not the wisest thing to say at the time, but with his knowledge of the many hours of research that might be wasted on an item he had himself written, he could not allow the lie to leave the room untold. Penrose had reacted as he assumed he would. His anger boiled over, and he released the force of his frustration at again being foiled straight at Aedon. The result of Penroses’s ire being Aedon’s throbbing headache, and the information that that his night of reckless research had brought.
After Penrose left the Rest, Aedon slowly rose up and poured another cup of tea. And taking it, went to sit back at his table. After a couple of sips he turned his attention to Minalin. They spoke a bit about Penrose, and as he had heard from others, the mage said that Penrose did not used to be this way. That some event in his life had stripped him of all he loved and really himself. Aedon then told Minalin that Judas had suggested that he and Dramora meet with him and asked if this would still be possible. The mage agreed, and once Aedon spoke to Dramora they could set a meeting up. Then, as he rose to leave, Aila called to him.
Aedon lay still staring at the ceiling. The light from the fireplace cast shadows which danced and played about, giving some rise to vivid imaginings within his mind. It was clear that they were playing a dangerous game with a dangerous man. But Aedon could not help but recall the words so many had spoken. Penrose did not used to be this way. And he had to wonder if there were still some way to help this man, or at the very least find some way to ease his pain without bring ruin on others.
“I am not as young as I once was.” He said to himself. “It would seem to be getting a bit harder for me to resist a mages magic.”
Looking to the side table he saw a bowl with what seemed to be the residue of some powder around it. Thinking back, he recalled that as he left the Knights Rest, Aila called him over and pressed a small bag into his hand. She had told him to steep it in water and then use a rag to apply it to his head. The rag had fallen from his forehead and landed on the covers as he sat up. Taking it in his hand, he held it to his head and groaned a bit louder and lay back onto the bed pillow.
“Well Aedon, you perhaps need to reconsider the idea of wearing armor within the Glade. This is no longer about your life, but about the safety of the ladies.”
It had become clear that Penrose’s claim to no longer hold any interest in the book was not quite true. But as he had seen, and in much the way Aedon treated the truth there was a bit of wiggle room to be had. Perhaps Penrose no longer sought it for himself, but it was clear that there may now be others in play to whom the book or the perceived knowledge within might be of value.
He had gone to Dramora’s house to tell her that he had seen Penrose follow Leela home, and had asked James to carefully watch what transpired between them. Penrose had discovered that Leela was indeed the sister of Dramora. He did nothing at this time, but Aedon felt that the life of the woman may now be in great danger. As they headed back to the Rest they saw the seer Aila standing with another that Aedon recognized as the mage Minalin. Standing near or perhaps with them was Penrose.
At first seeing Minalin within Aegis Aedon thought that perhaps Judas had sent him to meet with him and Dramora. He had planned to speak to the mage once they were inside and he had a good cup of tea in his hands. But when Dramora came into the Rest she had asked for some words in private, so they headed to the top floor, and Aedon’s room.
Dramora told him what Aila had whispered to her outside about the item she held and the danger it brought to her. They knew they would have to make other plans for the book, perhaps send it into the deep catacombs in an effort to hide it away. As they headed back downstairs, Penrose was waiting for them. He demanded Dramora give it to him. At first, Dram pretended to not understand asking him calmly what he wanted to be given. This served to do little more that anger the man all the more. As he became a bit more menacing before them, and Aedon feared Penrose would strike out, he reached into his pack, and pulling out a book tossed it on the floor.
“Take it, for all the good it will do you.” He shouted.
Reaching down slowly, his eyes ever on them Penrose picked up the book, and headed out the door.
Dramora then turned to Aedon her anger clear to be seen.
“What did you give him?” She shouted.
“Oh just a little something I wrote last night. I thought it might come in handy.” Aedon replied grinning.
Dramora sighed a bit, seeing some folly perhaps in Aedon’s actions. “He will find out it is a fake you know.”
“True, but it may buy us a bit of time to speak to others.”
Dramora said her farewells and headed home to check on Leela and her household. Aedon went back into the Knights Rest. As he went behind the bar he saw Penrose approach Minalin and tell him;
“This is the item I told you about.”
The Red Mage looked the book over and replied to Penrose. “we will study it back in the tower.”
With doubt now in his mind that Minalin would be of any help to them, Aedon said aloud.
“Do not waste your time, the book is a fake.”
Perhaps not the wisest thing to say at the time, but with his knowledge of the many hours of research that might be wasted on an item he had himself written, he could not allow the lie to leave the room untold. Penrose had reacted as he assumed he would. His anger boiled over, and he released the force of his frustration at again being foiled straight at Aedon. The result of Penroses’s ire being Aedon’s throbbing headache, and the information that that his night of reckless research had brought.
After Penrose left the Rest, Aedon slowly rose up and poured another cup of tea. And taking it, went to sit back at his table. After a couple of sips he turned his attention to Minalin. They spoke a bit about Penrose, and as he had heard from others, the mage said that Penrose did not used to be this way. That some event in his life had stripped him of all he loved and really himself. Aedon then told Minalin that Judas had suggested that he and Dramora meet with him and asked if this would still be possible. The mage agreed, and once Aedon spoke to Dramora they could set a meeting up. Then, as he rose to leave, Aila called to him.
Aedon lay still staring at the ceiling. The light from the fireplace cast shadows which danced and played about, giving some rise to vivid imaginings within his mind. It was clear that they were playing a dangerous game with a dangerous man. But Aedon could not help but recall the words so many had spoken. Penrose did not used to be this way. And he had to wonder if there were still some way to help this man, or at the very least find some way to ease his pain without bring ruin on others.