Chapitre 515: Uh Oh
Over the next hours, the two women exchanged tales. Dania told her story, beginning with her time with her assistant, Gela. When she got to the part of the bear-man being carted away from the University in the night by Taran and some of his allies, tears formed in the corner of her eyes.
"I wasn't sure who to tell or what to do. So I continued on with my research in hopes of finding a better way. Then you came, Princess Mairwen. I was both nervous and excited to have you with me. I wanted to tell you so many times, but it was so shameful. My courage always left me.
Then when Taran first returned to the University, he told me everything was fine. That Gela was fine. And I thought the worst was over. I thought it was a mishap that could be forgotten as long as it was not repeated.
But then Taran wanted more of the water that turned Gela into an abomination. Horrified, I told him that I destroyed all of it and got rid of the snow bear's blood. Taran did not like that. He told me to make more, and I refused. I think that is when our relationship changed.
He became more clingy, more...persuasive. He insisted that we needed to get married. That he loved me and that for better or worse, we were in this together.
Something about the finality of his words filled me with fear. I didn't want to marry him, and yet he was the reason that the University had accepted me. I felt stuck.
It was like a cage was closing in around me. I wanted out. So I told Taran that he could continue the research without me. That I could move on to other studies. That he could have it all, my research, my notes, every bit of everything if he would just let me find another avenue to pursue.
This sent him into a rage. He blamed you, Mairwen, for my change of heart. Taran told me you would never understand, that we would be criminally punished. I was confused. Why would we be punished for a mishap that ended just fine? That was when he gave me the bad news. He told me that Gela was still a monster.
My world caved in around me as Taran told me about the wild and erratic behavior of my former assistant. Gela, my sweet Gela, was now capable of unspeakable horrors. I had seen it myself, but I thought Gela was just having a moment of panic. I was wrong.
As my superior, Taran ordered me to get rid of you, Mairwen. He told me to urge you to move on. He claimed you were getting too close to the truth, but I think he was jealous of how close we had become in his absence. Sir Taran is used to having his own way.
If it kept me at the University and kept him from pushing the marriage issue, it was a sacrifice that I felt I had to make. Being friends with a royal never seemed like more than a dream for me anyway. I had no idea it would be so painful to tell you to move on. For that, I am truly sorry." Dania paused to take a breath.
Her mind was overwhelmed with all the details she wanted to share, but the apology for her error seemed far more important.
"Of course I forgive you! I cannot imagine the stress you were under. I wish you had told me. I would have done what I could to free you from Taran's grip." Mairwen patted the woman's hand.
The princess could not honestly say what she would have done in the situation. She had never been a commoner to know how powerless Dania must have felt.
"I know that now, but I really just wanted the problem to go away. Not that you were the problem! Taran was. And I was going to bide my time as long as I could. I thought things could go back to normal if only I could find a cure for Gela. After that, I would be free of the shame and be able to move on to new things. Or so I foolishly thought.
For no sooner had I cut off the connection with the only person who could help me than Taran sprang a 'surprise' on me. He had a ring! I was aghast. I said no. But that only made him try to be more charming.
Taran told me that we needed to run away together...to continue our research. He claimed he loved me and wanted to marry me in order to protect me and my family. I said I did not want his protection. I would take the consequences of my actions.
He told me to consider my words carefully. Whether or not I liked it, my family was in very grave danger. I tried to tell him how much I appreciated him. I could see that he was angry. I wanted to convince him that secrecy was not the way to handle this. We had not done anything wrong. It was all an accident.
But Taran's way is the only way, and I had crossed a line. With his arms around my waist, he kissed my cheek and brought his lips to my ears. I can still hear his words. 'You should be more than just grateful, my sweet Dania. You should be begging to marry me or my protection around your family will cease. Who knows what could happen to them without your loving guidance to sway me?'
I ripped myself from his arms with a scream and ran as fast as I could. I was done. I would leave it all behind. I would gather my family and run if I had to, but I could not continue as things were."
Mairwen knew the last part of the story. While eavesdropping the hall, she had overheard the conversation except for the final part where Taran had threatened her. Her outcry made much more sense with the missing puzzle piece.
"I fled to my room and packed my bags, but Taran had already guessed my movements. I had barely gotten my meager belongings stuffed into my bag when there was a knock at my door.
My room at the boarding house is on the second floor. No one visits on accident, especially not that late in the evening. I went to the window to see if I could jump, but there were already men outside waiting for me. There was nowhere to run.
Taran told me we were going to leave that evening. Right then.
Trying to think quickly, I told him to at least let me leave a letter, if only to make sure no one would follow us. Unfortunately, Taran watched me write the letter very carefully, so my wording had to be vague.
I gave as many clues as I could. But it was all so rushed.
Somehow, I just knew you would pick up on the trail I left behind…" Dania squeezed Mairwen's hand.
"Mairwen knew right away something was wrong. She was your champion the entire time. The rest of us were just too slow to come around, myself included." From the back of the boat, Renat dipped his furry head and placed his hand on his chest. "Forgive me."
"No forgiveness needed," Dania said easily. "The whole thing is far too fantastic even for me to believe, and I lived it!"
They sat in silence for a moment, the setting sun lengthening their shadows as they glided along the glassy lake. Soon enough, the glowing orb would fall behind the horizon and plunge them into a starry darkness. For now, they enjoyed its glow.
Although Alaron did not know it, Polymedes's dock moved occasionally as there was need. It was only by happenstance that he was not situated further down the shore in their time of crisis.
But the spot of their departure meant that they were unusually far from the ice barrier's gate. And rowing was tedious work. After hours of monotonous movement, the boat slid to a stop.
"Switch with me, you smelly creature," Polymedes snapped at Renat. After the initial sudden push to get away, the satyr's arms had grown tired quickly. It was a miracle he had lasted as long as he had.
"Don't talk about the prince that way!" Eira jumped to Renat's defense. The brown wolf may have smelled like death itself, but no one needed to comment on it!
Renat sniffed under his arms. He was rather repugnant even by abomination standards. And the blood coating him and seeping from his wounds were not exactly helping his cause. No wonder no one was sitting next to him!
"It's fine. And I will take over rowing in a moment, but first.." Ignoring the protestations of his body, Renat held out his hand to the Guardian. "Soap!"
Alaron was relieved to reach into his cloak and hand over the soapy bar to his brother-in-law.
"There are no mermaids or selkies around?" The brown wolf asked Polymedes.
"The lake is completely empty of magical folk...except me I guess." The satyr jerked his head, encouraging the wolf to act.
"Well then, there is no time like the present…" Renat reluctantly pushed himself over the side of the boat.
It was time for a bath.
It wasn't until the wolf was halfway to the water that the Guardian thought twice about the action.
Renat was an abomination and the water was magical.
'Uh oh…'
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone