The Right Care

Sophia watched as Kieran slowly undressed himself. First the top came off, then the bottom, until he stood completely naked in the room. There was no hint of embarrassment on Kieran’s face, his expression grew emotionless and his eyes distant. Sophia gazed over his body. Her eyes were fixed on the strange markings and magic formulae written across it.

“You’re a mage yourself, aren’t you?” she asked.

“No, I’m not…” Kieran denied.

“But you can use magic?”

“In a way…”

Sophia stepped closer to him.

“Because of these?” she asked and put the tip of her finger on the right side of his chest, where one of the markings were.

“Yes.” Kieran answered.

“Did you put them on yourself?”

“No.”

“Who did?”

“I can’t tell you.”

Sophia furrowed her brows and took one step back.

“I order you to,” she said and raised her hand, “Who put those on you?”

Her mark glowed again and Kieran’s responded in kind.

“I can’t tell you,” he repeated and looked her straight into the eyes.

“Why?” Sophia went on questioning and pointed at his mark over his heart, “Because of that?”

Kieran did not answer.

“Stand only on your left foot and begin jumping, “ Sophia ordered.

Kieran did as he was told. Sophia watched him

“Stop,” she ordered a while, “So, I can only order you to do things and not to answer questions?”

“No,” Kieran replied.

Sophia raised her eyebrows.

“Did my uncle really cut you while shaving you?” she asked.

“No,” Kieran replied, “I cut myself on the razor he was holding at my throat.”

“Did he say something to you before you cut yourself?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

Kieran recited every single word of the promise Aduin gave him, but only that.

“That does sound like him…” Sophia said and tapped her temple with her finger, “So it depends on the question, if you can answer me?”

“Yes,” Kieran replied.

“Interesting…”

Sophia stepped closer to Kieran again and traced over some of the magic circles on his upper body.

“They resemble the inscription used to strengthen materials…” she mumbled, “Can you tell me what they are for?”

“In general, they allow me to absorb magical energy and use it to strengthen my body and to use various abilities, akin to your magic, but much more limited.”

“Limited in what way?”

“You can freely manipulate magical energy into any spell with whatever effect you choose, learn and even create new ones. I can’t freely manipulate magic energy into any spells I want, only into the ones inscribed on my body. I can choose what abilities to use and how much power to put into it, but the effect is always the same and I can’t create new ones. Your magic is limitless in its possibilities on how you use it, while mine is only good for one thing.”

“That is?”

“To kill.”

Sophia traced a line of magical scripture down his body. Her hands were warm and her touch soft.

“Interesting…” she mumbled, “You’re covered in them, from neck to ankles…”

Kieran felt a tingling sensation coming from the tips of her fingers. She was probing him with a spell.

“They really behave similar material strengthening inscription by infusing magical energy into muscles and skin. I’ve read about experiments to do that, but they all ended in failure, because the body could not withstand the infusion and broke…” she muttered, “Did it hurt?”

“Very…” Kieran answered.

He felt the sensation coming from her fingertips change. It felt like it penetrated much deeper now. Sophia suddenly froze, and looked up at him.

“I am always told I have an unnatural capacity to store magic energy, but compared to you, it’s like a lake to an ocean…” she wondered, “how is this even possible?”

“I don’t know… I guess my body is kinda special…” Kieran responded.

“That’s an understatement if I ever heard one… Are there more like you?”

“I don’t know… I never met one…”

“Well, I hope not… If there are more like you out there, they would be nigh unstoppable… Even Grand Dame Inquisitor Leonore Lieblich would have a difficult time if she had to go up against multiple of you, I would guess…”

“You admire the Grand Dame, huh?”

“Who doesn’t? She’s the greatest hero of our time. She was the one that stopped the Great Magic War between the five kingdoms of old and united them under the Empire of List. Her decision was that it would be better for the crown and Magic to be separated, since the kings of old being the most powerful mages in their nations was what brought on the Great War. She stepped aside and created the Inquisition to uphold justice and advice the crown on matters concerning magic, but never to rule.”

“Quite the… grand Dame…”

“Oh yes! I sometimes wonder how the world would look like if she took the crown back then… maybe there would be less corruption…”

“Probably not…”

Sophia glared at Kieran who just shrugged.

“What would you know!” she hissed, “Well I know why you’re not a fan of her.”

“And why is that in your opinion?" he asked with a tired smile.

“Because she was the one that stopped your murder spree and put you in chains!”

“Oh yeah… that.”

Sophia gave him another glare for his remark.

“You’re just upset that she defeated you in battle. Bested by a woman… must have been quite the blow to the ego for such a strong man as yourself, huh?” she snarked.

“No… I never fought her, “ Kieran denied, “I surrendered without a fight.”

“Because you knew that you had no chance of winning?”

“Yes.”

Sophia saw him put on his tired smile again. Then her eyes moved over his body again. Kieran had the feeling that she was looking at something other than the magical scriptures this time. She stepped closer again and touched his body again. This time without probing him with a magic spell. Her hand traced first over his arm, then shoulder, and finally onto his chest.

“Your body is recovering very quickly. Compared to earlier today in prison… way less… emaciated,” Sophia muttered, “Quite… nice in fact.”

“Must be the stew you made, “ Kieran said softly.

Sophia let out short chuckle.

“You know how to talk to women, huh?” she whispered and her hand slowly sliding downwards, “and a strapping physique to boot…”

Kieran did not answer. He had a hunch of what was about to happen next. It was not the first time. Sophia’s hand suddenly stopped right over his navel.

“Well, whatever… you can put your clothes back on again,” she said and stepped back, “It’s getting late and we have to get up early tomorrow.”

Sophia noticed the confused look on Kieran’s face and began to grin.

“What? Thought something else will happen?” she teased, “Not sorry to disappoint you, but my interest in your body is purely academic. You’re just a tool for me to be used for this mission, nothing more than that. Don’t forget that!”

“Don’t worry… I’m used to that…” Kieran replied and put his pants back on.

“Good… and I hope you’re used to sleeping on the floor as well. As you can see there is only one bed in this house and I will not share it with you.”

Sophia did not wait for an answer, went to the bed and began to undress herself. Kieran turned around. He saw his new sword that he had propped up against the wall and the pouch with the maintenance kit beside it.

“Do you mind if I polish my sword before sleep?” he asked.

“As long as you mean the sword that I bought for you today and not something else… knock yourself out.”

Kieran chuckled and went to grab his sword. He then sat down against the wall, put the rusty sword on his lap, and grabbed a whetstone from the pouch.

“You think a bit of polishing will make a good sword out of that lump of rust?” Sophia asked.

She was already under her sheets, only her head peeking out.

“Some things only shine when given the right care.” Kieran replied and began to slide the sword over the stone.

Zing

“Well at least it was cheap, “ she said and let out a yawn, “Good night, Mage Murderer.”

“Good night, Inquisitor Baronet Sophia Schwerdtfeger von Oed.”

Zing

Sophia closed her eyes and the rhythmic sound of the steel grinding over the stone lulled her to sleep quickly.

Zing