| His Sworn Duty |
| Evil Wizard Keenan Series - Five |
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| It was a beautiful summer day � warm and sunny, with a light breeze blowing. The conditions were perfect for gathering the wild herbs that grew in the large field beyond the forest that surrounded the Dark Castle. At least that was how Keenan had felt when he�d left the castle that morning. One of Keenan�s many skills was potion making. In order to make potions he needed to get out and collect the ingredients for them. The fresher the ingredients, the more effective the potion. On this particular day, he had found a large cluster of fireweed and some mushrooms that were in excellent condition. He�d gather as much as his basket could hold before he was satisfied that he had enough to last a while. Straightening the young wizard turned around to head back to the Castle. Before he had even reached the edge of the woods, the wind began to pick up. Keenan glanced up at the clouds and frowned. He hadn�t noticed the thunderhead gathering overhead while he�d been working. Sighing deeply, Keenan decided that if he moved quickly, he might beat the storm but it would be close. The young wizard paused briefly at the forest�s edge as the trees parted to let him pass. Although this section of the forest was technically a wild wood, all members of the council wore a special ring that protected them from the trees there � even causing them to form a path that led directly to the castle gates. As soon as the way was clear, Keenan took off at a run toward the castle, not looking back as the path closed behind him and not looking up at the ever-darkening sky. ** Elayne looked up from the roaring fire and frowned. �It�s raining,� she said unnecessarily. �Mm-hmm,� Rusty replied, sipping his wine. Elayne glared at the conjurer. �Has Keenan returned yet?� she asked irritably. �He�s out in this?� Ellery asked, understanding why his sister was concerned. Elayne sighed. �I don�t know,� she grumbled. �I asked him to make a potion that would make a an invisibility cloak and he left to gather some ingredients he needed. Has anyone seen him return?� �No,� Oriole said softly. �How was he dressed?� Hollis asked softly. �In his Loyalian mage robes,� Elayne replied. Unlike what most wizards wore, Loyalian wizards didn�t actually wear long flowing robes � although they were still called robes. They opted for a more modern look instead, wearing high-collared shirts and straight-legged pants, with soft boots and a flowing cape. What made them mage robes was the fact that they protected the wearer from magic missiles and a few other enchantments. In exchange for this protection, the wizard was also linked to the garment. That meant, if the robe became damaged in any way, then the wizard could become ill. If Keenan were out in the storm in them, the very act of becoming wet would make him ill. At that moment, the doors to the room banged open, startling all gathered there. �Hello, Elayne,� a soft voice greeted. �Keenan,� Elayne breathed. She rushed over and looked sharply at him. �Are you alright?� she asked, taking the basket from his limp hands. �Um�no,� Keenan replied in a hoarse voice. The young wizard sighed deeply, then sneezed and wiped his nose against his sleeve. �I�m all wet,� he stated. Elayne nodded and quickly did a spell to dry off her consort�s clothing. �Is that better?� she asked, setting her hands against his shoulders and guiding him toward a chair near the fire. Keenan sighed again and shook his head. �My aura is really sensitive,� he admitted softly. �If I�d known we were supposed to have thunderstorms today, I�d have worn a weathering cloak.� �You�re already sick?� Elayne asked in concern. He nodded. �Yeah�it�ll be alright though,� he said. �I just need to rest a while.� �Are you sure?� Hollis asked. When Keenan nodded, the warlock helped him to his feet and said, �I�ll get you up to your room then.� �Feel better, sweeting,� Elayne called, as Hollis assisted the small man out of the room. Her frown deepened when Keenan didn�t reply to the call. ** Elayne returned to the suite she shared with Keenan early in the evening. Her plan had been to see if he wanted to come down for supper or if he�d rather have something sent up. As she entered the suite, she frowned. �Keenan?� she called, trying not to be worried. When she got no reply, she peered into the bedroom. Lying flat on his back, with his head surrounded by thick pillows and the blankets drawn up to his chin, Keenan looked very much like a young child. His face was very pale and his hair was damp with perspiration. Elayne crossed the room in two steps and laid her hand over his forehead. Hissing between her teeth, she said, �Oh, Keenan, you�re burning up!� �Hmm?� the sickly wizard replied. He forced his eyes open and gazed at her blearily. �Hi, �Laine,� he mumbled. �Hello, sweeting,� she said softly. �I�ll be right back, I want to get Jason.� �M�fine,� Keenan argued, shaking his head weakly. �It�ll pass, s�jus� a fever.� Elayne shook her head and peered into the hallway. �Oriole,� she called, getting the witch�s attention. �Run and fetch Jason. Keenan has a high fever and he�s very weak.� Oriole nodded and quickly followed her lady�s orders. She returned a short while later with the healer Elayne had hired to care for Keenan if he were hurt or sick � since he was too afraid of trees to allow them to tend him. �Wait here,� Jason said firmly, disappearing into the bedroom. He re-emerged a short while later, shaking his head. �Well,� Elayne asked. Jason sighed. �I fear that part of his aura has become infected,� he explained. �It�s not something I can treat since I can�t see the layer of his aura that has the infection.� �Isn�t there anything you can do?� Oriole asked softly. Jason shrugged and locked eyes with Elayne. �Stay with him and try to keep him quiet. I�ll call a friend of mine and see if he�s willing to help.� Elayne nodded and quietly slipped into the bedroom to sit by her consort�s side. Jason shook his head at Oriole and added, �If Phillip isn�t willing to help, I don�t think Keenan will make it through the night.� �It�s that dire,� Oriole asked sadly. Jason nodded. �His aura tried to leave him while I was tending him. I gave him some tea and that should help a bit, but he�s just so weak,� he replied softly. No healer liked the thought of losing a patient, but he and Keenan had grown to be friends since the young wizard had first asked him to heal his wrists all those months ago. With a heavy heart, Jason went into the room that housed the teleson. Phillip would know the second the call came through on his end where he was calling from, but he had no choice. �Phillip,� he said softly, activating the device. �Bloody hell!� came the reply, as the central panel cleared to show a rather frustrated warlock staring back at him. �Did I call you at a bad time?� Jason asked. Phillip sighed. �Is it an emergency?� he asked sharply. Obviously the warlock had been having a busy day and had probably received many unimportant calls over what was meant to be an emergency line. Jason nodded. �I have a wizard with a sensitive aura which has become infected. He got caught in a sudden storm and was soaked through,� he said, explaining the situation. �It�s not on a layer I can see, so I can�t do anything to help him.� Phillip sighed. �Which one?� he asked irritably. �Keenan Meadows.� Phillip shook his head. �He�s the consort to the Lord of the Evil Mages, Jason!� the warlock grumbled. �What are you doing there? Why don�t they just let a tree care for him like they usually do?� Jason shook his head sadly. �Keenan is�� he paused, uncertain if he should continue. Keenan�s weakness was not one he had a right to share with others. After a moment, he decided that Phillip needed to know what he was dealing with. �He�s dendrophobic, Phillip,� he said at last. �Trying to get a tree to heal him would likely only make the situation worse.� Phillip sighed again. �I made an oath when I became a healer,� he said after a moment. �That if there was someone in need and it was within my ability to help them, I would. I�ll be there soon.� �Thank you, Master Phillip,� Jason said earnestly. He closed the line and hurried back to his patient. �He�ll be here shortly,� he announced to Elayne. The wizardess nodded and looked sadly at Keenan. �He looks so weak and helpless,� she said quietly, softly caressing his cheek. Jason glanced a Keenan and nodded. The young wizard�s eyes were closed and his face seemed completely relaxed. He looked more like a sleeping child that one of the most powerful evil wizards to appear in centuries. Whatever else could be said about Elayne and Keenan, it was clear that the pair genuinely cared for each other. At that moment, Phillip appeared in the bedroom. He eyed the wizardess warily and then looked at the man sleeping on the bed. �Oh dear,� he breathed. Glancing at Jason, he asked, �Why didn�t you call me sooner?� Jason shook his head. �Keenan went to his room to rest,� he explained. �Elayne found him like this and called me. When I realized how bad he was, I called you.� Phillip nodded and walked over to his patient�s bedside. �Master Keenan,� he said softly, touching the younger man�s cheek. Keenan�s eyes fluttered open and looked into Phillip�s bright blue eyes. �No� mas�er,� he said weakly. Phillip frowned slightly. If Keenan wasn�t truly a master, then he technically couldn�t be said to be evil either. The news jolted Phillip out of his pre-conceived notions. Clearly Keenan wasn�t an innocent either, but he might not have as much control over his powers as he would have as a master. It explained why the young wizard sometimes lost control of spells � especially those directed out of fear or anger. �It�s alright, lad,� Phillip said gently. �I�m going to make you some tea and I want you to drink it, alright?� �Mm-hmm,� Keenan replied softly. Phillip sat back and opened his herb pouch. He removed a small ceramic cup and a metal cauldron and set them down. Then he poured water into the cauldron and finally, he began adding herbs. Although it appeared random and haphazard, Phillip knew exactly what he was doing. When he was finished with the brew, he hit the side of the cauldron with his spoon, causing it to ring with a clear, bell-like tone. Nodding to himself, he poured some of the contents of the cauldron into the cup and held it to Keenan�s lips. The young wizard sipped the tea and then coughed weakly. When Phillip tried to help him drink some more, he refused. The warlock frowned slightly and then nodded. He added a few more herbs to both the cup and the cauldron and tried again. This time, Keenan drank the mixture with very little coaxing. �I forgot about his familiar,� Phillip admitted softly. Turning to Jason, he said, �I�ll wait here until his fever breaks; then I�ll return home.� �I don�t think so,� Elayne purred. �Once Keenan�s well, I have just the place for you.� Phillip scowled and stepped away from the bed. �Elayne,� he growled. �I didn�t have to come here.� Elayne started to say something, but was interrupted by Keenan. �No,� he said weakly. �You didn�t � you could have brought me to you and then locked me up.� The young wizard glanced up at Elayne and sighed, �Let him be, Elayne. Otherwise, he may not come next time.� The wizardess sighed deeply and nodded. �I nearly lost you, sweeting,� she breathed, tears filling her eyes. �I�m fine,� Keenan argued. Glancing at the two healers, he added, �Or I will be, at least.� Turning back to Elayne, he said, �Grant him safe passage back to his home after I�m well, darling. If not for the sake of your honor�do it for me?� Elayne nodded. �Very well,� she relented. �I could never deny you.� Leaning close, she kissed his hot cheek and said, �Rest, darling, and get well.� �Yes, dear-heart,� Keenan replied, closing his eyes and falling asleep. After Elayne had left, Phillip glanced at Keenan and said, �They really do love each other.� Jason nodded, grinning happily. The warlock shook his head and sat back down beside Keenan. �He isn�t truly evil, you know,� he said after a moment. �I know,� Jason said softly. �But I don�t think Keenan�s realized it yet.� �When he does,� Phillip predicted. �There�ll be trouble.� Jason nodded and then sat down in a chair opposite Phillip. The two healers waited quietly for the tea to take effect and Keenan�s fever to begin to break. End |
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