A Gift

Yuji was excused from court without another word and spent the remainer of the following day and night battling a heavy fever. He had managed the pain all right during the event, but Till’s body had been bled to the very end of its strength in the process. When he woke the following day, swollen and uncomfortable, he found Mirk waiting on the chest watching him so intently it startled him.

“Look at me like that and those rusty eyes of yours are going to give me tetanus.”

“What is that?” Mirk small head tilted inquisitively.

Yuji thought about explaining and then gave up too tired to try. “Never mind it doesn’t matter.”

This was only the fourth day he had spent awake in this world, and he was already exhausted beyond anything he could recall from his own life. Carefully he arranged the pillows so he could sit against the hard wooden headboard without discomfort, his arms, back, and abs complaining in irksome little twitches the entire time. It was not until he was propped restfully on all the pillows the bed had to offer that it felt as if this hostile body would allow him a moment of conscious rest.

“Food has been brought for you. It has been waiting for some time, so it is likely cold.”

Yuji retrieved the bowl of gruel from the nightstand without hiding his ingratitude.

“Oh wonderful, another bowl of flavorless mush. I’m not a picky eater but I have always hated this stuff, and the side dish of over ripened strawberries doesn’t do much to improve it.”

“I believe they are attending to your injured state with the perception that rich foods will slow your healing.”

“Slow my healing? What do they even know about medical care in this world?”

“You are unhappy, and you express it openly. I advise you to curtail that behavior so as not to betray yourself when in the company of others. My master would never stoop to such uncivilized sniveling.”

“I’m sorry if I’ve offended you, this whole thing has been a bit of a trip. It’s not always easy to be a Little Miss Sunshine.”

“A who?”

Yuji ate the gruel, finding the over saturated texture difficult to swallow. “It is an idiom, and what I was meaning by the use of it was, it’s not always easy to put on a happy face and pretend all the time. But just as I did at court, I will put my mask on in front of others and pretend to your hearts content that I am Lord Till Bastion. Trust me when I say I really don’t want to die again, and I don’t want to fall into any weird sixteenth century garbage.”

“You are being disagreeable.”

Yuji made no excuse for himself and Mirk allowed him a quiet moment to force down the unsatisfying meal and regain his composure.

“I’m sorry,” he commented when he had finished and replaced his bowl on the nightstand, “I’m not usually this short-tempered.”

“You are coping with a great deal.” There was a benevolence in the way Mirk pronounced this. “I imagine it cannot be easy for such an ordinary human to be placed in such extraordinary circumstances.”

Yuji permitted the insult to bounce off. “You can say that again.”

“Is that another one of your turns of phrase?”

“Yeah.”

“I see.” Mirk shifted impatiently. “You said you had died before, care to explain the circumstances?”

Yuji recounted the events to Mirk in language he thought made the most sense. From the moment of the invitation, down to death by impalement. It all seemed rather far-off and detached now that he was looking back on it. It was almost as though it had happened a hundred years ago rather than, in the perspective of time, almost yesterday. Still, the spot on his back and chest from those distant wounds ached as if they somehow remembered it as the story was retold.

“I see. And what of your reaction to the Centauri Seren’s question, did you really know of the ornament?”

“Yeah, I had one exactly like it. Funny I brought it with me that day, I hadn’t worn it since it was given to me.”

“I wonder if it is possible those two ornaments are connected. Seeing that both you and my master fatally fell simultaneously, that could have met the standard or been the trigger required for activating the magic.”

“Is that possible?”

The mongoose gave an irritable flick of the ear. “Would I have suggested it if it were not? I suppose there are things only the elves would know now.”

“There are elves here?”

Mirk wrinkled his nose. “Yes, unfortunately they are. Though they are distasteful in every possible way. There is rumor they run the king’s court. All of their kind within Eventide reside within the capital of Nocturn. They are not to be trusted under any circumstance. They only care for what benefits them.”

“It seems it would be easier to tell me who I can trust here as opposed to those I can’t. By the way, who was that girl, the Centauri Seren?”

“She is Lady Menodora, the Maiden of the Moon. It is rare for her to make an appearance in court, or rather at all for that matter. Her coming as she did is unheard of. I wonder what it was that my master did that would encourage her appearance as he was never particularly warm to her.”

She’s kind of like the real life Chang'e in a way.

“She was realized within the borders of the margrave’s territory. Thus, he is obligated to see to her wellbeing up until she is delivered to the capital. My master, when not performing his duties as head of the vanguard sees to portions of her security detail, usually those who are externally involved on surveilling the side of the fortress that houses her.”

Yuji shifted under the covers, his hands casually on his lap. “What is the purpose of the Centauri Seren? What does it mean to be the ‘Maiden of the Moon?’”

“Unfortunately, that is only known to those educated in the ceremonies associated with her, which are governed and kept by the royal family and the elven envoys. It is quite possible that it is not known beyond them.”

“So, then no one here knows anything about who she is, what her purpose is, or why any of this is being done?”

“Not a soul.”

“Really, not even the Centauri Seren herself?”

“Not even Lady Menodora.”

A sudden knock at the door struck down the conversation. They waited and it came again, soft, barely penetrating the thick wood.

“Tell them to enter.” Mirk ordered, Yuji obeyed.

A young maid with dark hair and downcast eyes entered. She was dressed in a plain gray tunic gown, but the wool it was constructed of seemed to be made of a higher-than-average quality. She curtsied to Till and then to Mirk, keeping steady the tray she bore.

“My lord, the Centauri Seren sends her fondest greetings and offers her apologies. She would have sent for you, but due to circumstances she is unable to leave her chambers or receive guests.”

Mirk quickly explained that the Centauri Seren had been punished for giving Till such a dangerous item. However, the punishment was for appearance’s sake, and it seems that she had chosen to observe it of her own volition.

“She also sends her deepest apologies for your injuries, as it is likely much of what happened to you was due to her negligence. As an offering of apology, she requests you accept an elixir that will capably restore your body to good health.” She approached the bed and dutifully presented the tray with a respectful bow.

Feeling uncomfortable at her strange show of reverence, Yuji took it without hesitation. He was pleased to see that his action was enough to straighten the girl back out and send her across to where she had been standing, in the middle of the room, a moment prior.

“An elixir that restores the body is no small gift. Men have been known to risk their lives for such things. They say it can bring someone back from the brink of death.” Mirk put effort into restraining his pleasure. “You should accept it. This is an opportunity that cannot be lost.”

A surge of guilt. Yuji rolled the clear glass vile in his hand, the coolness emanating from it caressing the warmth from his palm and fingers. It seemed wrong to accept something so valuable when it was unlikely anything she had done contributed to this bodies current state of being. It was even possible her actions may have saved his life and maybe even Till’s as well.

“You can thank your mistress and assure her I have no ill will. But in saying that, I can’t accept this. It’s far too valuable.”

“You fool. It will take months for you to heal and then return to my master’s former condition in this state. My master has worked ages for the opportunity to be considered for the escort party and with these words you’re throwing that away.”

Yuji ignored Mirk’s protestations, extending the vial. But the maid didn’t move to retrieve it. Her eyes remained lowered.

“My lady was afraid you might protest and thus she has instructed me to insist that this elixir is now your property and by no means would she receive it back from you. You may use it if you wish, she will not force you to do so against your will, but she will not be denied.”

He lowered his tired arm lacking the energy to fight, accepting the strength of the greater force of the Centauri Seren’s insistence more natural and convenient.

“I see. Well then, it would be wrong for me to insist. Please thank her for me and tell her that I really don’t hold anything against her for what happened and to not let herself be burdened by it any longer.”

The maid curtsied so deep he was sure her knees were skimming the ground. “Of course, my lord.”

Reflexively, remembering something he had seen from a period movie, he gave her leave to go, which she did with the same practiced elegance she had entered with.

“You should take it at once.” Mirk stepped onto the bed not able to help himself.

“You think it’s safe? It’s not some kind of poison that will kill me and your master’s body, or something epically strong that will overpower his gift to resist it?”

“The reward far outweighs the danger.”

Hesitating for a moment, Yuji stared at the vessel then with a shrug and a sense of being confined to this reality he unstopped the vial downing its contents.