Tainted Soul
Part Two - A Haven in Eastham
by Xepha

Reprinted with permission.
Added 07/18/2002.

Venger strode into the market square at Eastham. The Favour Day decorations adorned the stalls in the square and the shops around the outer perimeter, the scent of flowers mingling with the smell of freshly baked bread. He noted the garish garb of the armourer and the adjacent tailor, wondering whether they would ever stop competing. People moved aside as they saw the mage pass through the square, his robes giving the impression that he was gliding rather than walking. He was irked that people openly stared, he was accustomed to the common folk averting their gaze at his presence. He took comfort in the sign of the ward being made with clenched fist over the heart to protect from evil. He looked to his left at the reason for the people's behaviour. His hooded figure was a stark contrast to the broad young man that strode purposefully at his side, adorned in a stunning white mattekar hide hoodless robe and sporting a broad smile that made the farm girls blush and their fathers reach for pitchforks. Venger shot an annoyed look to his young companion. "It is not I they are looking at master Venger, it is the beauty I hold in my arms," he said, his deep voice resonating as he looked at the face smiling up at him from the crook of his elbow as he cradled the bundle of blankets.

"Lau Tu, my young friend, I care not what it is. I suspect the locals will be making puns about the old mage, wizard prince and the girl child before we cross the square and for moons to come."

The young man laughed and was about to retort that any joke, even one at their expense, made the world a better place when he noticed the intense look on Venger's slim age lined face. He turned his head to follow the stare. At the fountain in the square's centre sat a fool. Lau Tu took in the man's dishevelled appearance and could see the glazed look in the man's eyes. Above the din of the Favour Day crowd he could not decipher the rantings of the man, if they were intelligible at all, but he could see the rapid movement of the lips as he babbled. Lau Tu saw Venger begin to raise a hand and restrained the old mage's elbow. "He may just be an innocent fool, we can't all be as lucky as..."

Venger rounded on his companion cutting of his words, anger bubbling beneath the surface as the eyes seemed to bore into his soul. Lau stepped back, he had never seen such an emotion in the old man. "Are you a fool? You know as well as I that the weak of mind can be used as a conduit for those of the keep. They spy and they pry, would you risk the life of the infant on the innocence of him?" Venger pointed toward the fountain.

"You're right. I know not why this bundle of noise you have entrusted to me is so important but you have never been one to overreact or to call on me unnecessarily. If you say it must be so then I can but agree." Lau sighed. "I may judge you wrong later when I see the purpose in my becoming a baby sitter," Lau Tu added with a grin, the aristocratic boyishness once again forming the charming grin.

Before Venger could intone the young mage nobleman raised his hand and spoke quietly. The fool was suffused by a faint glow then subsided into sleep. Nobody noticed the brief casting, for few of the townspeople ever noticed the fool anymore and the magic was too subtle to draw attention, masked as it was by the young man's talent.

The two men walked on in silence following the road through the town and down a leaf carpeted lane toward the sea. Nestled in a bay stood a wooden palisade housing a large two story house and several smaller dwellings. Two wooden doors stood open and common folk came to and fro on town and household business. As the two men approached the gate a young warrior who had been standing in the shadows to one side leaned away from the wall and stepped in front of the two mages. With a beam he greeted them, the puzzle box in his hand momentarily forgotten. "Master Venger, master Lau Tu, welcome once again." He smiled at the baby who let out a burbling noise, but did not pass comment. When you lived under the roof of Varacon, clan chief of Eastham, you became used to sights out of the ordinary.

Venger indicated the box and fine tools the young man held. "Still tinkering I see Arranorn."

The warrior turned the intricate box like mechanism around in his hand while toying idly with small intricate tools. "Aye master Venger. Lord Varacon berates me often enough, he feels my time would be better served working with sword and shield."

A wry smile crossed the mage's lips and he leaned toward Arranorn conspiratorially. "And next time he feels you are wasting his time remind him he has fifty swords but only one lockpick."

Arranorn nodded, "Aye but on our last hunt at high mountain valley I sorely wished I had spent more time on sword work and less time..." To illustrate his point the young man held up the magic box, with a click a compartment slid open.

Lau Tu laughed and patted the warrior on the shoulder as he strode past and into the fort. "Stick with the toys my friend, they may not save your life but they may keep you sane while you have a life to live."

The warrior leaned once more onto the wall immersing himself in noon day shadow and twisted a small tool into an opening on the side of the box.

Varacon sat lazily on the steps of his home. Idly he swirled a mug of cold ale and watched the men approach. Several villagers made their presence scarce at the sight of the mage. Where Venger trod important events unfolded, and superstitious folk preferred to have little to do with the manoeuvring of great men. The Lord stood slowly as the two men closed, unconsciously placing the mug on the wooden deck. Coming to a halt Lau gave a bow from the waist in deference to the rank and title of Varacon. Venger stood tall and proud.

Nodding to Lau Tu, Varacon looked at the old mage. "Venger, old friend, even in my own home you do not grant me respect." The words were delivered in a sigh, as though for the thousandth time.

"I bow to no man Varacon. I have seen clans rise to greatness beyond your ken and fall to dust beneath the feet of peasants, you are but a man as am I. You are a great man Varacon but I judge you by your deeds, not by the titles others place on you. You are but a shepherd and judging by your flock a fine shepherd, but beneath it all you are but a man. For thrice your years I have travelled these lands and those beyond and if I live for thrice your life time again I will never bend knee nor allow others to do so to me."

Varacon's leathern skin wrinkled as he smiled, the lines falling naturally onto the tanned face of middle years. The features were quick to laugh and as quick to anger. He was a man of stark contrast and absolutes, yet there was a kindness in him. It was this kindness that drew people to him even more than the tales of his deeds. In better days he would be king, Venger thought to himself.

Varacon noticed for the first time the bundle in Lau Tu's arm and a guttural laugh exploded from deep within his barrel chest. "Ahh Lau I see that one of your maids has caught up with you at last. I have warned you of you filanderings."

Lau looked embarrassed but quickly hid it behind bravado. "Aye Var I wish it were so but sadly the gods have not yet seen fit to grant me an heir." He leaned in toward the lord and whispered, "Although it is not for stinting on practice."

Varacon laughed uproariously. "So what brings you here here noble mages. I bet my finest bull that Lau is here to deplete my wine cellar. My only surprise is that he left it so long between visits."

Lau Tu feigned indignation. "Why lord Varacon the reason I have been away for so long is to allow ample time for that piss you call wine to mature into something drinkable."

"Aye and the reason I give you piss to drink is because I'll not waste good vintage on a gut that will be pierced by a crofter pitchfork because of the deflowering of his daughter. The thought of my stock pouring out of your belly and onto the soil is too much for me to consider."

The pair laughed uproariously until Venger raised a hand to silence them. "As much as I enjoy your prattling I come here on business, Varacon, and the quicker I depart and the fewer that see me the better for all."

The lord sobered and stepped aside raising his arm toward the double oak doors leading into his home. "We'd best talk inside."

The enclosed common room was cool and dark after the brightness of the noon day sun. The long benches running the length of the hall were clean and restocked with fruit and jugs of ale ready for the afternoon meal. At the far end a group of men tossed dice, raucously exclaiming at the rise and fall of their luck. Varacon gestured the mages to a bench and called out to the group.

"Loro, Aeglyn, Gemi. Please leave us and see that we are not disturbed."

Standing, the group gathered the accoutrements of their game and headed towards the door, mild banter still skipping between them. One stopped and turned to his lord. "Var the crofters and farmers will be returning for their meal, they will be hungry."

Varacon bit back an angry retort. "I am aware of the routine of my people, some things are more important than the rumblings of a ploughman’s belly. Have some wine and bread sent on your way out and a woman to come fetch the babe and see it fed. I am sure we can find a better nursemaid than master Lau." He turned away dismissing the captain of his guard and seated himself alongside Lau facing the old mage.

As the door closed the old mage raised his hands to his head and drew back the hood of his robe. Varacon and Lau were both taken aback, the shock of black hair now was dominated by grey and the ageless features, old yet with vigour, now appeared drawn and strained.

The clan leader leaned forward placing his elbows on the table and steepling his fingers. "What brings you here old friend? Why the baby? I can see it is a matter of great import. It weighs heavily on you."

The old man leaned against the back rest of his seat and appeared to age even further as his shoulders dropped and he uncoiled, tension leaving him like a spring from one of Arranorn's toys released and unwound. "The last few days have been hard. The baby that travels with me is being sought by those of the keep." Varacon and Lau both began to interject but the old mage raised a hand to silence them. "The Lady wishes the child. Either to possess her or to destroy her. As we speak she marshals her forces and sends spies throughout Dereth in search of the babe."

Varacon's hand moved instinctively toward his sword and Lau Tu made the ward over his heart. "I have expended a great deal of my power masking the child's whereabouts. My abilities are almost drained and I must seek peace and solitude to recover and regenerate. That is why I bring the child to you and also why Lau Tu travels with me. My friends I do not ask this of you lightly, were there another way I would use it, but you must guard this child."

Varacon was lost in thought for a moment then he addressed the old wizard. "My friend I would do what you ask but I cannot risk the lives of my people for one babe. I have hundreds under my protection here."

Lau Tu started angrily at the lord and once again Venger raised a hand. "If it were just about the child I would not be here Varacon. I see a picture wider than you can imagine. Were it to mean the life of every man woman and child in Eastham I would trade them in the blink of an eye for the potential this life holds even though I may one day have to snuff it out myself." With this the wizard's words trailed to silence and he seemed lost in thought.

The baby began to stir and the beginnings of a howl formed. Varacon turned toward the young man. "Lau take the baby and find Aeglyn, he will find a nursemaid for her. I would like some time alone with master Venger."

Lau Tu turned to the master and only stood and left once Venger nodded his assent. Varacon placed his palms on the knotted oak table top and pushed his large form up off the bench. He paced over to the hearth and rested his elbow on the granite mantle. "What ill do you bring to my household old friend. I must know more before I am willing to place my people in harm's way. The lady is powerful, not just the armies of undead controlled by her necromantic skill but the insidious incursion of her spies and subversives." The clansman rounded on the wizard. "Unless you tell me more the child leaves with you now."

The wizard stood smoothly, fluidly, his speed and grace belying his age. Anger contorted his features momentarily, then they softened back to the emotionless state from which they rarely deviated. He walked over to Varacon, face to face and of a height yet of total contrast. Varacon's huge chest and shoulders were a contrast to the willowy strength of the mage, yet Varacon appeared smaller, overshadowed by the weight of time and history and the sense of power the old man exuded. Venger placed a hand on the lord's shoulder. "My friend you are correct, you have a right to know. But what I tell you now is for your ears only. Lau Tu knows some and has guessed more, yet he could not guess the whole picture. Come sit and I will tell you all that I know."

The two men seated themselves once more, Varacon reaching idly for a jug of mead. "Where to begin," the mage sighed. "Xepha's mother was a fifty second level sword under the Shoushi Guard."

Varacon hissed a sharp intake of breath. "The assault on the keep last summer. A force of fourty men and women, but only seven escaped alive and they failed to even breach the undead village on Aerfelle Island."

Venger nodded. "Aye, seven survived. Xepha's mother was amongst them. During the ambush at the town of the undead the Lady possessed the soul of one of her fallen comrades. The man was a good man but relieved of the morals and conscience that drives us in life he was capable of heinous acts, a torturous rape took place. The child's mother was left for dead and dead she was, only not instantly. It took nine months of pain and suffering."

The lord butted in, "Tragic but these things happen in war."

Venger cut him off with a glance. "Did you not listen to what I said? The man was recently deceased and possessed by the Lady at the time of the act. His life giving fluid had not had time to wither and die and the soul commanding the body was that of the mistress of the keep. Such evil is joy to the Lady, when the soldier's fluid entered Xepha's mother, the soul that ignited the spark of life was that of the Lady."

"Then kill the child," Varacon stormed.

The old mage's calm cut through his friends anger. "Maybe, but not yet. I had considered such a course but the future is unclear. The child has potential to be a weapon against the keep."

"It is a dangerous game you play old man."

Venger nodded. "Aye but the stakes are high. You know yourself the power of the taint, yours is only in your blood and many generations removed. Xepha has the taint on her soul and the gift is strong within her. The creatures of the land are attuned to the taint. They will fear it and despise it, they will try to destroy it."

Varacon nodded. "Indeed they will, that is a curse I can understand. Being the focus of the beasts is a harsh path."

"Harsh indeed but it can lead to greatness. I ask you Varacon, would you be the man you are today without the taint driving you on harder and longer than other men. Would your deeds be as great and the songs sung in your honour a raucous?"

The lord nodded his agreement. "No my friend, no they would not. So to business. What do you plan for the girl?"

The mage stood and began to pace. "I would leave the girl in your care. I fear the Lady knows of my involvement and to keep the child near me would be to place her in mortal danger. Lau Tu has agreed to raise the child and teach her the ways of magic." Venger focused his dark piercing eyes on his friend. "There is great power in her, Lau will help nurture her gift until such time as she may travel with me. I ask that you keep her safe and well until my return."

"Since the departure of Nuriel my house has no cleric and Lau Tu’s services will be greatly appreciated, provided he can keep the hem of his robe below his knees. I will do what you ask old friend but be warned, while under my house the child is my charge and if I fear the darkness overwhelming her..." He placed a hand on the hilt of the bandit rapier that swung at his side. "I will dispatch her with my own steel. Now let's fetch Lau and see how many jugs we can see the bottom of."

Venger gave a brief smiled and nodded, reaching for a jug.