"... he has a good head on him. Still has much to learn but he is young"
"You don't give the boy enough credit Sergei. He is older than his years. I checked in on Sycamorea. Her wounds were superficial from what I could tell. Normally one that young would panic. Your training and guidance are written in his actions and reactions," the Elder was expounding vehemently. "I don't think the order has seen anyone like him in a very long time. Honestly, the funny thing is I would defy the court to follow him if he were the leader of your vaunted order."
"My order is no longer as vaunted as it once was. I have heard rumours from around the kingdoms saying that it has started to slip into despotism and pretentious attitudes. Of the last ninety journeymen, only about five had made it to the level of master." He was stroking his stubble. Since when did Sergei have stubble he would shave daily. "I fear for his life but the Grand Druid knows of him and is expecting him this year at the Feast of Servalin."
Eldrick approaching the table acknowledged all who sat there.
"Bogdán says dinner will be soon."
"Ah good, I am feeling hungry again. Now my boy, what had you lost in thought? I could see you standing in the kitchen for quite a while. The old dwarf left took care of something down the hall which took him a couple hours and you just stood there the entire time." Sergei's eyes buried into his own. like a ferret going down a rabbit hole.
"I know that look in you boy. It usually told me you were a scheming. Now spit it out before I have to drag it out of you."
Taking a deep breath he tried getting his thoughts in order. "I was just thinking about magic and the elements. It just came to me that there is an element for each type of magic. Or at least there is the same number of each."
"Hogwash, there are only four elements, and from what I can tell there are five forms of magic," incredulity filled Sergei's voice. "Has she been filling your head with nonsense?"
"No sir. There are five elements. I discovered all of them while I was studying with Sycamorea in the garden this morning. Corrigenda is rife with magical power. I think I know how to prove it if you are willing to indulge me sir." He paused and waited for his master to either acknowledge or decline the request. With a gesture, he signalled for Eldrick to continue.
"Well as you are aware the commonly known elements are earth, air, fire, and water, correct?"
"Of course, get on with it or are you just wasting an old man's time."
Elder Cuan sat there chuckling. " Oh, I do believe he is building to something. And if I am correct it is going to blow your mind at how you have missed it all these years even though it has been right in front of your face." Sergei scowled at him. "I am sorry Eldrick, please continue."
"As I was saying there are the four recognized elements. But there is a fifth." He turned his piercing gaze to his mentor, "What is it that powers our magic?"
"Boy, you know the answer to that question. It's your life...." his voice trailing off as he came to the same realization that Eldrick had.
Cuan burst into a gale of laughter, holding his stomach as he fell backwards.
"Ow, ha ha ha ha, you should see the look on your face. It is priceless." His howls of laughter rang through the hall.
"Petal want in on the joke. What is so funny Elder?" He said entering the hall.
"Look at Sergei's face, ha ha ha," his laughter was so pure and innocent it was infectious. Eldrick struggling to maintain his calm, broke. He couldn't hold it in any longer and started laughing.
Petal landing on the table looked from Sergei to Eldrick and back to Sergei.
"Why does Sergei look like he just bit into a lemon?"
This caused further gales of laughter from those at the table. Chase who had been visibly biting his tongue let out a bray of laughter. The sound was so disparate from what one would think caused everyone to burst into further gales of howling. Even Sergei couldn't contain himself any longer and broke into laughter.
"Okay, okay," Cuan was breathlessly trying to regain his composure. "I think we have had enough of this. Sergei now do you see what I was referring to with your young apprentice. Old beyond his years. This is something the Drus have known for centuries. Whenever we have tried to explain it to others they have had similar reactions of disbelief. Only they would never accept it as you just have. Then they also believe there are only four types of magic, not five."
"How could I have missed this my entire life? You were right Cuan, it was staring me right in the face the entire time." He sat there shaking his head as the elder picked himself up off the floor.
"I think he has mastered the skill Sycamorea was trying to teach him in record time. Now he is going to need to master the uses of the skill and that can only be done through experimentation and need. I fear he is going to need to be very resourceful in the future but then who knows." As he reseated himself at the table, Bogdán was entering the hall with a tray of food platters. Placing them on the table, he nodded and retreated.
Eating his dinner Eldrick couldn't help feeling guilt for the brief moment of joy he had enjoyed because Sycamorea's condition still weighed on his conscience. Was there something more he could have done? Was he getting cocky? Overconfident? Arrogant? He had to keep a check on himself. These were not the fundamentals of the druid order. Peace, harmony, and humility are the things he should be striving for. The food seemed to turn to sawdust in his mouth. How was he ever going to pass if he didn't have confidence? Why did it seem that confidence and humility were counter to each other. He needed to be confident in his decisions, but not arrogant. He needed to figure this out. His problem was there wasn't enough time to do that before the conclave.
Halfway through his meal he pushed himself away from the table. "I need to check on Sycamorea." Leaving the table he entered the kitchen. "Bogdán, where can I find Sycamorea?"
"Youngen, she be in the room next to the training room."
Nodding, he picked up the jar of ointment and left. He wasn't sure which room beside the training room she was in so he knocked on the first door. Not getting any response he opened the door to see if there was anyone inside. Seeing no one in the room he closed the door. Passing the door to the training room he felt a wave of fear pass through him. Reaching the next door, he took a calming breath and knocked. Hearing the quiet response, he opened the door. Peering into the dimly lit room he saw the figure of Sycamorea stretched out on the bed. Quietly he entered and closed the door behind himself. He wondered why it was so dark. Sycamorea was a dryad, shouldn't she be getting some decent sunlight?
"Sycamorea, I need to check your burns. Do you want me to open the window so you can get some sunlight in here?"
"Ellie, the sun has set. Are you feeling okay?"
"Wait the sun has set?" his legs faltered and he froze. Why hadn't he thought about that? He had just finished dinner. He felt so lost in time. Well, the Faelands were legendary for having that effect. "My mind hasn't been very focused lately. I am trying to figure things out both for myself and what has happened recently."
"You are under a lot of pressure. I didn't help and I feel like I am not helping it again."
"Sycamorea, I could have retreated when you first showed concern during the session. I didn't and you were hurt because of it. I am responsible when leading a working, and I failed."
Approaching the bed with the ointment he noticed that she still was not covered by anything. Much to his chagrin he also saw a burn he had missed earlier in the day. It was one he really didn't feel comfortable attending to, but it was his responsibility and he wasn't about to shirk it. Reapplying the ointment to the burns on her belly and legs, he gathered a bit more to apply to the underside of her left breast. He was barely touching it with the ointment when she reached up. Grabbing his wrist she placed his ointment-covered hand firmly to her breast.
"I know this bothers you, but the way you were applying it wasn't going to do any good. I am going to release your wrist but would like you to please work the ointment in properly." Releasing his hand she let her arm drop back onto the bed.
He knew she was right even though the thought of 'fondling' her breast was not something he wanted to do. He thought of Jane and Caitlyn. Neither one of them would have a problem doing this. Then again every guy in the house of healing would relish this chance. Why was he so different? Was it jealousy? She had what he wanted but couldn't have. 'Look Eldrick you have a job to do, quit thinking and just do it. The sooner you do the task the sooner you can stop.' Taking that last thought he worked the ointment in properly and looked for something to wipe his hand with. He needed to do something so he would quit trying to use his left hand. The wrist was throbbing again. Gently he touched the bandages praying that his hand would remain dry. As his fingers came away dry, he gave a sigh of relief.
"You are in as much pain as I am. I can see it on your face. You wear your feelings openly on your face. I wish I hadn't caused you so much pain." Her hand reached out to be placed on his arm.
"You have so much ahead of you. Please, for the sake of Servalin, do not lose hope. Elder Cuan, came to visit me earlier just after Papi, moved me here. We discussed your training. He believes that after the incident today. There really isn't much more I can teach you. All I needed to teach you was how to access the energies of Corrigenda." She gave his arm a light squeeze.
"You did more than learn how to access the energies. You comingled them to save me. I have never been able to do that. I can also see your mind is working on something else at the moment. Besides your self-incrimination. You have a good heart. And, you can use your head for something other than a place to set a hat. You are not going to fail. I can feel it here." Taking her other hand and placing it over her heart, then moving to tap her temple, "and in here. I sense so many energies surrounding you, from the lives you have already touched. And those you have yet too."
Eldrick looked at her carefully. Gently extracting his arm from her grip he placed his good wrist to her forehead. She was hot to the touch. He knew that meant she was running a fever. Could she be having fever dreams which are causing her to babble. He couldn't risk it and he couldn't risk her. Opening himself up to check on her life energy levels and see if there were any blockages he hadn't seen before. There were a couple of places where he could sense a blockage. Areas where her energy was being choked off or blocked completely due to the internal burns. He knew the only way he would be able to fix that would be to use his magic.
Using the lessons from earlier in the day he sent down his 'roots' to find the energies he needed. With his senses he studied her body, trying to find the energies which seemed to match her pattern. He gathered earth, life and water to fix the blockages. He could strengthen the areas but he couldn't punch through to connect one side to the other. He pulled on fire to be a piercing tool, not unlike an awl. He wrapped the earth and life around the fire tightly squeezing it down to the size of a needle. The water he held back to cool the punctures as the fire went through drawing the earth and life energies through with it. He could feel the sweat building on his forehead. He needed to get this done, no matter how long it took. He was just finishing when he could feel his grip on the energies starting to wain. Releasing his control and letting the energy return to where he had gathered it from was the last thing he did before collapsing to the floor beside her.
