Sebastian gathering up his dishes placed them back on the side table. "I am going to see Amarna about my shoulder dressing. She has patients I do not wish to pull her away from to come here and tend to me. She did leave instructions with Eldrick to deal with it however with him having his nose in his books I am unsure when he will be able to get to it and I would prefer not to disturb him at the moment."
Sergei just raised a hand and waved him on. Once Sebastian had left Sergei turned to Sigmund with a curious look upon his face. “Do you think they had a fight?” Turning his head to indicate the room where Eldrick remained.
"Well if they did, we won’t know until something happens to bring it to our attention. From the way they keep everything to themselves, we may never find out. I must say there is something that is bothering me about your apprentice. She seems overly anxious. I hope you know what you are doing because it could cost you everything. There is only so much that you can do to save yourself. If she is caught there is nothing that can save her."
Rising from his chair Sergei slowly made his way over to Eldrick’s room, opening the door just a crack and cautiously peering in. Seeing that Eldrick was sitting in trance with his nose in a book, Sergei closed the door slowly. Retracing his steps he returned to his chair, sitting down heavily upon it, quickly taking a sip from the bottle on the floor next to it.
“That boy can be a stubborn one when he puts...” trailing off mid-sentence. “Did you say she?” A note of panic raising his voice slightly. Looking around quickly he tried to see if there could be any place someone could lurk unnoticed gathering information. Remembering his ability to sense the living presence of others he turned to that sense to discern whether or not they were being spied upon. He could only sense three life forces which he immediately recognized as Eldrick’s in the other room, Sigmund’s and his own. A look of consternation crossing his face.
"Yes, I said she, why does that bother you so? Were you not aware that it was a girl-child you were training?" His voice penetrating Sergei’s thoughts.
“Sigmund, have you noticed there are only three sets of life energy in the vicinity, yours, Eldrick’s and my own?” His voice dripping with concern. “It bothers me because, yes, I am aware of his gender, his True gender. My daughter found him wandering in a field just outside the village. She brought the young waif to my attention on my last search for an apprentice. I realized that she was the only one capable of meeting my standards however he wasn’t a he so I did the unconscionable and used magic to change him. I know it was wrong but the spell has a limitation built into it. If and when he understands who he truly is on the inside and rejects the name he will gain back his original form and memories. He did consent to the spell but that was done before I cast it, so that memory too is suppressed.”
"Sergei! I hope you realize that it could backfire on you most severely if Veldar uncovers the deception. And now that you mention it, I hadn’t noticed. I think we may need to either bring this poor fool to Amarna or call her here. Or we could just ask Sebastian to bring her back with him. That way they don’t pass each other".
“You know you may be correct; besides it makes him feel a little more useful. I fear that shoulder of his can’t take much more abuse. Would you believe he brought down a moose by himself, injuring that shoulder in the process, then proceeded to drag the dang thing back to the farmhouse? Took him three days to get back." Sergei chuckled, "Then on our way here, we were attacked by brigands, he took a knife deep into the shoulder socket. He was told to avoid any heavy lifting while it healed. Then Amarna asks him to help carry the wounded to the house of healing, which he did like a hero, only to pull his stitches and cause more damage. What I am most afraid of is whether he will be able to fly, if he injures it again. I would hate to see him cripple himself trying to be helpful. I also worry about what Sebastian being crippled would do to Eldrick. Those two are nigh on inseparable.”
"Sebastian could you ask Amarna to come to our rooms please once she is done with what she needs to do there, thank you."
* * *
