Magic's Pawn

Tylendel raised himself up on his elbow and looked down at the slumbering boy beside him. Rest had repaired the damages that several hours of soul-wrenching weeping had done to Vanyel's face; relaxed, and with all his barriers down, he looked as innocent as an unawakened child -

 - which he was, as Tylendel now knew quite intimately, not. Not in any way; except, perhaps, his vulnerability.

'Van,' he whispered, touching his shoulder, and feeling just a faint chill of apprehension despite his words to his mentor, 'can you wake up a little?'

Vanyel stirred, wrinkled his nose, and half-opened his eyes. And when he saw who was beside him, he smiled with heart-stopping sweetness. With all his masks gone, he was as charming as he was beautiful.

'Hmm?' he said, blinking, as Tylendel felt a surge of relief and gratitude that this was not going to be a repeat of the infamous Nevis affair.

'Want a roommate?'

'You - why?'

He grinned; he knew now that you had to show Van that something was a joke, or often he'd taken it seriously. 'Savil seems to want my room back - for guests, she says. Besides, I like your company.'

Vanyel's reply, though not verbal, was a definite and unmistakable affirmative.

'We have,' Savil said dryly, 'several problems, here.'

She'd had that Mindspeech conference with Tylendel as she'd gotten herself put together for the day. Nice thing, Mindspeech; let you cover more than one thing at once. And after giving it thorough consideration while she bathed, she decided to have her 'little talk' with Vanyel in his room. With any luck, he'd feel less threatened there.

She did usurp the most comfortable chair in the room, though. The privilege of age, she told herself, waiting for the two young men to settle themselves. Without seeming to consult about it, Tylendel sat on the edge of the bed, and Vanyel arranged himself cross-legged on the floor at his feet.

And the flexibility of youth. Would that I could still do that! The body language gave her spirits a lift, though; the way Vanyel had positioned himself was interesting. At Tylendel's feet, below both her head and his lover's. That could well show he'd given up that pose of arrogant superiority. Very interesting.

I wonder if having a steady lover at his side might well give 'Lendel something to think about besides his twin and that damned feud. On the other hand - this lad's been so affection-starved - this could be another sort of trouble.

'Yes, indeed, we have quite a few little problems here,' she repeated.

Tylendel nodded at her words; Vanyel looked puzzled, at first, then thoughtful.

'The first problem and the one that's going to tie in to all the others, Vanyel, is your father.' She paused, and Vanyel bit his lip. 'I'm sure that you realize that if he finds out about this, he is going to react badly.' 

 

Vanyel coughed, and bowed his head, hiding his face for a moment. When he looked back up, he was wearing a weary, ironic half-smile; a smile that had as much pain in it as humor. It was, by far and away, the most open expression Savil had ever seen him wear.

' 'Badly' is something of an understatement, Aunt,' he replied, rubbing his temple with one finger. 'He'll - gods, I can't predict what he'll do, but he'll be in a rage, that's for certain.'

'He'll pull you home, Van,' Tylendel said in a completely flat voice. 'And he can do it; you're not of age, you aren't Chosen, and you aren't in Bardic.'

'And I can't protect you,' Savil sighed, wishing that she could. 'I can stall him off for a while, seeing as he officially turned guardianship of you over to me, but it won't last more than a couple of months. Then - well, I'll give you my educated guess as to what Withen will do. I think he'll put you under house arrest long enough for everybody to forget about you, then find himself a compliant priest and ship you off to a temple. Probably one far away, with very strict rules about outside contact. There are, I'm sorry to say, several sects who hold that shay'a'chern are tainted. They'd be only to happy to 'purify' you for Withen and Withen's gold. And under the laws of this kingdom, none of us could save you from them.'

Vanyel nodded; by the startled agreement in his eyes, Savil reckoned that this was a speculation he'd entertained before this, although for different causes. 'So is there anything I can do?'' he asked quietly.

'Obviously,' she said, 'Or I wouldn't be talking to you now. But you aren't going to like the solution to your problem. It's pretty heartbreakingly simple. Outside of this room, Vanyel, nothing is to change. '

'But - ' He twisted his head around to see what Tylendel thought about this, only to find that his lover was nodding, in complete agreement with her.

'Savil's right, Van,' Tylendel said sadly.

'But - ' Vanyel protested, holding out one hand toward him in entreaty, then turning the same pleading eyes on Savil when Tylendel shook his head. 

'Mardic and Donni are discreet, and I'd trust Margret to keep what she knows behind her teeth even under torture, but if you want to stay here, Vanyel, you won't say or do anything to betray your relationship to 'Lendel. The moment people start to talk, it'll get back to your father.'