| It's Supposed To Be A Punishment |
| Evil Wizard Keenan Series - Eleven |
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| Keenan sighed deeply and sat up. It was still early in the morning, but Elayne was already out of bed. Frowning slightly, the young wizard pulled on his dressing gown and padded over to the door of the sitting room. Peering in, he spotted his lady sitting on the window ledge and staring down at the garden below.
�Elayne?� he called, coming in to stand just behind her. �Is everything alright?� The wizardess turned and looked up at him curiously. �I�m fine, darling,� she replied tiredly. �You look exhausted,� Keenan argued, taking her hands gently. �Why�d you get up so early? Are� are you still angry with me?� Elayne frowned and then locked eyes with Keenan. �How long have you been my consort?� she asked gently. Keenan blushed and looked down at her hands. �Nearly six years,� he whispered, his thoughts going to their three-year-old daughter asleep in the next room. Elayne sighed and caught his chin in her hand. Tipping it up so that he was looking her in the eyes, she said, �I�ve been up half the night thinking, Keenan.� �About what?� �Us,� she replied. Sighing deeply, she explained, �I received some�troubling news yesterday and I�ve been trying to figure out what to do about it.� �What kind of news?� Keenan asked gently, sitting down beside her. Elayne almost smiled as she gently caressed Keenan�s cheek with one hand, while she held both his with her other. �Someone has been using a communication�s crystal to speak with Master Shadow from somewhere in the castle. Until yesterday, I didn�t know who it was.� Keenan blinked in surprise and swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. �That�s why you�ve been thinking about us?� he asked nervously. �I realized after we caught you spying last time that you�d become a good mage,� Elayne explained. �It never even occurred to me that you would continue to spy for the good mages even after your punishment.� �Elayne?� Keenan started, but Elayne quickly stood and moved a few steps away from him. �It left me with a difficult decision, my pet,� she stated softly. Keenan nodded and got to his feet. �I � I do love you, Elayne,� he whispered. �I know that,� she replied, turning to face him. �And I love you as well.� �You � you do?� Keenan breathed tears of joy coming to his eyes. The whole time they�d been together, Elayne had never said those words. Despite the circumstances, Keenan felt his heart soar. Elayne really did love him! �Of course, I do, sweeting,� she replied. �That�s why I�ve made the only decision I could, given the circumstances.� �And that is?� Keenan prompted softly, almost dreading the answer. Considering that he�d already been caught once, he knew the council would want him dead. What he�d done could almost be seen as treason. �Well, for one, you can no longer be on the council,� Elayne stated softly. �I�ll need a new wizard.� When Keenan nodded, she went on. �I�ve decided that the only way to save you from further punishment is to marry you.� �M-marry me?� Keenan said excitedly. �As in�husband and wife?!� Elayne smiled slightly and nodded. �You�ll have to take a vow to obey me, so that the council can�t argue that you can�t be trusted,� she added. �But we�d be married,� Keenan said happily. �By � by a priest?� Elayne sighed deeply and shook her head. �This is supposed to be a punishment, Keenan,� she scolded gently. Keenan shook his head. �I�m sorry, Elayne,� he said, still beaming at her. �But I�ve dreamed of this since that first night and now�now it�ll be real!� Elayne kissed him on his cheek and said, �This is why I couldn�t kill you, Keenan Meadows. You�re just too sweet and lovable.� Turning to head back into the bedroom, she called, �Make sure you wear your proper robes to the council today and try not to look too pleased with the arrangement.� �Yes, my lady,� Keenan replied, stifling a chuckle. Turning to Bartholomew, he said, �We�re getting married!� �I heard,� the rabbit said softly. His ears went back and he asked, �Are you sure this is what you want, Keenan? This will be a very dangerous place for you when the others know what you are.� Keenan smiled. �That�s the beautiful thing about being married to their leader, Bartholomew. Elayne would kill them if they even tried to harm me.� �Well, yes,� Bartholomew admitted. �There is that.� ** A few hours later, Keenan stepped into the Council Chamber and glanced around at the assembled mages. Thankfully, the other council members were the only ones there presently. Although Elayne wasn�t there yet, Emory and Elise were and Keenan was confident that they would keep the others in check. Feeling a little more confident, Keenan walked toward the table in the center of the room. He glanced toward Emory for guidance and noticed that the young fire wizard had nodded toward Rusty. Keenan nodded once and took a seat beside the large conjurer. He remembered that, back when he was officially made Elayne�s consort, Rusty had been assigned as his guardian and companion. Smiling slightly, Keenan gave the older mage a sidelong glance. �Good morning,� he said softly. �Hello, Keenan,� Rusty replied tensely. He ruffled his bright red hair with a large hand and then said, �Elayne said to keep you safe, now I see why. When did you turn good?� �Actually,� Keenan replied, playing with the cuff of his shirt. �I�m just on the good side of neutral, which means that I�m not opposed to breaking the rules under certain circumstances.� �How reassuring,� Rusty mumbled, rolling his eyes. �Since when?� Keenan sighed deeply and eyed the larger mage. �You don�t really want to know that, Rusty,� he told the other. Rusty turned to look directly at the wizard and frowned. �That long?� he squeaked. When Keenan grinned and nodded slightly, he shook his head. �No, you�re right. I�ll be happier not knowing.� �Ignorance is bliss,� Keenan whispered. A moment later, Elayne entered the chamber and everyone got to their feet. Keenan suddenly felt very nervous. This wasn�t going to be like a typical wedding ceremony, he�d be effectively bound to her � under her control from this point on. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Keenan glanced up at Elayne. She was as beautiful as she always was, but there was no mistaking that she was here for business. She wore her formal wizard robes of midnight blue and dark green. A dark green weathering cloak was wrapped around her shoulders and it�s hood was drawn up over her head. Keenan found himself fighting the urge to shrink back against Rusty. This, of course, was just the effect Elayne was going for when she chose her ensemble. Even knowing this, however, did little to calm the suddenly nervous wizard she was about to marry. �Assembled mages,� Elayne said in her usual soft voice. �We have three important matters of business to deal with. The first,� she said, �is the removal of Master Keenan Meadows from the Council of Evil Mages.� �Have we cause for his removal?� Jacob asked shyly. As the lowest member of the council, it was his place to ask the obvious question. �His bent is shifted,� Elayne stated, nodding at Keenan�s violet and crimson robes. �He is no longer evil.� Addressing the whole group, Elayne asked, �Is this decision unanimous?� �Yea,� the others replied. �Yea,� Keenan echoed softly. Elayne turned to face him directly and Keenan locked eyes with her. Until that moment � when their eyes connected � the young wizard had been fighting to keep from trembling. Now though, a feeling of peace washed through him. Elayne was performing an old ceremony and being frightening was just one more part of the formula. She didn�t mean him any harm, he could see that in her eyes. �Master Keenan,� Elayne said softly, beckoning with one hand. Her consort nodded and glided across the room to where she stood. He looked up at her and, in a voice he knew none of the others would hear, asked, �Is this going to hurt?� He saw Elayne struggle to keep her composure and regretted the question. He knew this wasn�t easy on her and hated the thought of making it any more difficult. �A little,� Elayne whispered. �But I�ll make it as easy for you as possible.� Keenan nodded and looked down at the tile floor. He felt Elayne place her hands on his shoulders and then he felt a sharp pain rip through his entire body. The pain was gone before he had time to cry out, but he had collapsed to the floor. Still reeling, Keenan was only dimly aware that someone was pulling him to his feet and half-carrying him over to a chair in one corner of the room. His vision cleared a moment later and he looked up to see a very concerned Rusty staring intently at him. �I�ve seen people removed from the council,� he said. �None of them collapsed and Elayne went easy on you.� �I�m little,� Keenan rasped. �The more compact your aura is, the more sensitive it is to that sort of spell.� Rusty nodded. �Stay here,� he advised. �We have to install the new wizard and then decide�� he broke off and blinked at the young mage. �I already know what Elayne plans to do to me,� Keenan whispered. Rusty nodded. �You�re alright with it?� he asked. �I love her, Rusty,� Keenan breathed. �I want to marry her, any way she�ll have me.� �Okay,� Rusty said uncertainly. �I think you�re both mad, but it�s not my decision.� Still shaking his head, Rusty headed back over to the council table. While they�d been speaking, a young wizard had entered the hall. He was of medium height with a light build and dark brown curls. His dark blue eyes were exactly the same color as his robe, which was banded with black. About his shoulders, the wizard wore a black silk weathering cloak. Keenan frowned slightly. Weathering cloaks were usually made of cotton or wool, since they were designed to keep a mage warm and dry in foul weather, yet silk was far too light a fabric to serve this purpose. �What is your name?� Elayne asked the young wizard. In a clear voice, the mage replied, �Evan Stormbringer.� �Do you accept the position of Lord Wizard on the Council of Evil Mages?� Emory asked. The young fire mage seemed like he wanted to get as quickly as possible to the last piece of business before the council. Keenan wasn�t sure if that was a good thing or not. �Yes,� the wizard replied evenly. �Fine,� Elayne said softly. �Take your seat, Lord Evan.� Evan nodded and sat down beside Rusty. Turning back to Elayne, he asked, �Are you going to be looking for a new consort, My Lady?� Elayne smiled. �That depends on what we decide to do with our little traitor,� she said softly. Turning to Keenan, she asked, �Are you well enough to approach us, my pet?� The young wizard half-smiled. The way she�d worded the question � even the fact that she had asked and not ordered � made it clear that she wouldn�t be looking for a new consort if she had her way. �Yes, my lady,� Keenan answered, getting to his feet. As Keenan moved to stand beside Elayne, Elise said, �The question is put forth, what shall we do with this traitor?� �We could kill him,� Jacob offered, knowing that no one on the council would agree to that if they wanted to live very long. Evan shrugged and said, �We could cast him out into the wild woods surrounding the Dark Castle.� Keenan tensed slightly. He knew that would be the same as a death sentence and he was terrified of the dangers that lay outside the castle. He glanced at Elayne and found that she was staring at Rusty. Suddenly, the conjurer sighed deeply. �If he were to be made Elayne�s bound spouse, he�d have to obey her,� he said softly. �That would both solve our problem and prevent him from continuing to spy.� �An excellent solution,� Kerry, the conjuress on the council, stated. �Are we in agreement?� Elayne asked softly. �Yea,� the others replied. Elayne turned to Keenan and he saw her trying to hide her smile. He grinned impishly at her and then looked down at the tile floor. �You shall become my bound spouse, Keenan Meadows,� Elayne said softly. �As you will, my lady,� Keenan replied happily. �It�s a punishment, right?� Evan asked sarcastically. �Of course,� Elayne replied. Turning toward the door, she called, �Send in the priest.� A moment later, an elderly man in priestly vestments entered the council chamber. �This is highly irregular, my lady,� he whispered. �I know,� Elayne sighed. The priest nodded and turned to Keenan. �Keenan Meadows, you will be this woman�s bound spouse. You will obey her will, honor her and love her. Do you agree to this?� �Yes,� Keenan replied softly. The priest nodded and turned to Elayne. �Elayne, this man will be bound to your will, but you will be his wife. You will protect him as you can, honor him and love him. Do you agree to this?� �Yes,� Elayne purred. The priest nodded and handed Elayne a long narrow strip of cloth. �Bind his hands and speak the spell,� he said softly. Elayne nodded and took the strip. Gently, she took Keenan�s hands in hers and began wrapping them with the cloth. �As I bind your wrists with this cloth, so your heart, soul and body are bound to me. You can no more break the bind that holds us than you can free yourself of this cloth.� As she finished the line, the cloth grew warm around Keenan�s hands and wrists and glowed briefly. �I � I understand,� Keenan stammered. �I pronounce you husband and wife,� the priest said quietly. �Husband bound to his wife�s will.� Elayne finally allowed herself a smile as she leaned forward to gently kiss her husband on his lips. Keenan leaned into the kiss and enjoyed it fully. As Elayne finally pulled away, he looked up into her warm dark eyes. �This is all well and good,� he started. �But, can you untie me now?� �Oh,� Elayne said softly. �Those will come loose on their own after�we share our wedding night,� she explained. �Ah,� Keenan replied. �Let�s get to it then.� Emory chuckled and shook his head. �Well, sister mine, you sure know how to pick them.� Elayne smiled and turned to her brother. �Yes, I�d love to stay and chat, Emory, but I have business to conduct with this wizard, in our chambers,� she said. �If you�ll excuse me.� �Of course,� Emory chuckled. As Elayne turned and led Keenan out of the room, Rusty heard the little wizard say, �Next time, Elayne, I tie you up.� Rusty shook his head and looked at Oriole. �This is supposed to be a punishment.� �Someone needs to remind Keenan of that fact,� the witch replied. End |
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