Call of Ring(Compleled)

36 Identity Revealed

         The evening meal was much quieter with so few people in attendance. Blake sat with Natan. Sadie’s presence was visibly noted by both of them. Not much small talk was exchanged. Blake wondered if their conversation would resume back at the dorm house as he had wished earlier.

         After the meal, they left together back for the dorm house. To Blake’s pleasant surprise, Natan lingered in the common area and moved toward the firepit.

         “Sounds like this could be an opportunity for us to get to know one another a bit better,” Natan said while stoking the coals in the firepit.

         “I think that’s a great idea,” replied Blake.

         Blake guessed that they would boil some water over the now burning flames, and enjoy some coca leaf tea together, but he was further surprised when Natan left the fire abruptly without announcing what he was doing.

         Natan returned a moment later with a bottle in his hand, displaying a grin across his face.

         “Singani?” Natan asked?

         “But of course,” Blake replied.

         After the first shot of Singani, Blake realized that this was yet another version of the drink. One he had not tasted yet. He began pondering this fact, wondering who held the secrets to the various recipes that he had tasted in his short time within this mysterious world. There was the bar that he had frequented with Apollos; a Singani of bitter unrefined taste. Shamos’ recipe that seemed of good substance but required the patience that comes with proper aging and good oak barrels. The King’s was an exquisite taste but was so sweet that one could have only a little like a dessert. Sadie’s bottle that seemed to never empty (as they had drunk so much of it in the last few days), was the most refined of all of them. There was a hint of eucalyptus in it, presumably because it was produced in the mountains.

         And now, Natan had offered up an entirely different recipe. It wasn’t unpleasant. Blake could taste fruity overtones to this concoction. He decided that Shamos’ recipe had the most promise, but Sadie’s currently tasted the best. But he wondered if he wasn’t carrying an unfair bias with him knowing how fond he was of Sadie herself.

         “Am I conflating the flavor of a drink with my desire for the woman?”

         Blake’s thoughts were interrupted.

         “I want to confide in you Blake, but I’m hesitant to do so,” said Natan.

         “You can trust me Natan. What is on your mind?” replied Blake.

         “I am hesitant only because you appear to have a strong alliance with Sadie. What I want to share with you, I am not ready to share with her as of yet,” Natan said with a cautious tone.

         “It is true that we have grown close,” replied Blake. “But the truth is that we only met a few days ago, literally on our journey here. I do trust her, but I am always open to new alliances, and I promise that my word can be kept.”

         “Very well. My brother is the King of the Bron Empire. Many in my Kingdom supported my ascension to the throne when our father suddenly died. Those people supported me because I am the eldest brother. But my brother is more charismatic and outgoing. He is very loved by many of our people. I am more of a recluse as you might have noticed. I did not desire to fight him for the throne, so I decided to come to the Vex Empire discreetly to study their ways of Magic.”

         Blake was shocked by this revelation, but he tried not to display too much emotion outwardly.

         Natan concluded with a final plea.

         “I beg of you Blake to keep what I’ve shared with you in confidence. If it comes to light that I am a member of the royal family of the Bron Empire, my life will immediately be in danger. People will most certainly conclude that I have come only to spy on this Kingdom on behalf of my brother.”

         “I have already given you my word,” replied Blake solemnly. “Your secret is safe with me.”

         “But why not tell Sadie,” Blake inquired naively.

         “Because I suspect she too is studying here with an alias. She is far too professional, poised, and articulate to be a random first woman to ever be admitted entrance into the Calvin School of Magic. Again, please do not repeat my words. But she has to also be royalty of some kind. And if she were to discover who I truly am, it might make us enemies.”

         “I understand,” replied Blake.

         After a few more shots, Natan was the first to excuse himself for the night.

         Blake sat by the fire wondering how Sadie was doing on her security post. Knowing that he could not bring resolution to his thoughts about her, he decided to retire to his bed for the night. In the morning, she would presumably be joining them at first light in time to attend the first meal.

         The map appeared again in Blake’s mind. Try as he might though, the tiny words written around each major region still eluded his vision. He could only read the names of the regions and major land marks. Midori Empire in the center of the continent. The Olive Mountains to the North. Bron Empire to the southwest, and between the empires of Bron and Midori the Stella Woods were situated. White Mountain although within the borders of the Midori Empire was in the dead center of the entire Delphine Continent. Heading southeast was the Path of Senna leading through the Desert Blanche and the tip of the Plain of Aeryn before arriving in the Vex Empire.

         “What are the other words…” Blake’s vision was suddenly halted, his eyes opened, and he lay in bed staring at the thatched roof ceiling now wide awake. Blake pondered how his sleeping habit had been over his days in this foreign world and he did not recall a night where he hadn’t slept well.

         “Why am I wide awake on this night? Is it something to do with Sadie? Is she in danger?”

         The last question caused Blake to sit up in his bed. He fetched his brown gown from beside his bed and dressed. And although he questioned himself, he decided to venture out into the night looking for Sadie. As he entered the patio, he noticed that it was not as bright as the night before. Either cloud was obstructing the light of the moon, or it was simply less bright than the night before. Blake stared up into the sky, and noticed only a few patches of stars, concluding that clouds must have dulled the effects of an otherwise brilliant moon.

         Blake moved cautiously out into the middle of the patio where the flagpole stood. He could not detect any figures on the rooftop, much less discern if Sadie was there. A flash of light suddenly illuminated the rooftop, splintering some wooden joints. A small fire erupted in the thatched roof, but just as quickly as it had appeared, it disappeared. Blake was now thoroughly confused but moved cautiously closer. The silence was deafening. He could hear nothing.

         Suddenly the thought struck Blake to whistle in the same tone that Sadie had earlier that evening. He waited and hear nothing. Blake whistled again. But still nothing. He was now starting to worry. But before he could whistle a third time, the sound of two explosions went off. They were familiar to Blake, but he had trouble recalling the specifics of their familiarity. Dots finally connected a moment later when Blake remembered the explosions of ice sculptures from the Path of Senna not far from the water fountain.

         Again, there was an eerie silence that fell over the patio. But as Blake strained his eyes, he thought he could detect some sort of movement on the rooftop. Blake whistled a third time. A second later came to the echoing whistle of a reply. A warm rush of blood swept over Blake’s body serving to comfort his body and mind.

         “She’s alive,” he whispered out loud.

         Blake drew closer to the rooftop.

         A voice spoke softly from the darkness above him.

         “Blake, is that you?”

         “It is my dear Sadie. Are you unharmed?” inquired Blake.

         “I am alive and well. Unfortunately, the other night watch has perished. Would you please join me up here? I’ll explain to you in detail what happened.” asked Sadie in return.

         “Okay, but how do I get up there?” questioned Blake sincerely not knowing the way.

         “Close your eyes. Imagine yourself alone in the hot spring. You are free of limitations, uninhibited by both body and mind. Now come.”

         As Sadie spoke these words aloud, Blake closed his eyes and followed her voice. Suddenly, he was on the rooftop next to her. She embraced him and said,

         “There is much I must show you yet tonight.”