A moment back then.
*The unpainted planks of the roof were bent and had cracks between them. Their color had faded and now only dull grey was the dominating color in the this little room. A small shelve and little table with a chair were the only furniture this room had. At the foot of the bed there was a small trunk. Small slice of moonlight illuminated the room, shining through the little dusty window.
Caius lay in the bed, his hands folded behind his head gazing at the roof. He wasn´t sleepy, despite being tired. At this hour the inn had died down, only distant voices could be heard. A steady breathing from Caius side was the only sign of the woman laying there, covered with a blanket. She was one of the slave´s brought to Alam to entertain the troops. A free marcher, at least that is what Caius had picked of her speech.
Sleeping with her had brought some comfort to him. Her body had been warm and willing. Caius had closed his eyes and let his mind wander away. For a passing moment he had someone close to him. And for a moment that cold hollow place in his chest was filled, even for a such a short time. The girl had spoken of her dreams and hopes, yet it all had passed Caius attention. She could not touch him, Caius had noticed her attempt to appeal to his better nature. Maybe this man would help her. But his heart was cold and dead, there was only ashes left.
Caius reached to touch a simple necklace around his neck. For a moment he closed his eyes falling back to the memories, "I made this for you", she said. A necklace made of sea shells and crystal stones, threaded on a brown string on her delicate hand. Sorrow filled him with a cold darkness, flooding through him with the strength of a tidal wave, but there were no tears. He could not cry. Not after what had passed.
He had noticed how little things mattered to him anymore. After the turmoil in his head had slowly settled everything had become clearer, and simpler. After this time in Seheron the crying and begging of people were just noise, noise that he would extinguish with a gesture. He had no mercy inside him anymore.
And that had lead to another conclusion. She had died and Caius had died with her. The empty husk left behind pretended to be Caius, but was him only by name.
He killed her and Caius could do nothing about it, and that was related to what had happened to himself. Something horrible and painful was done to him in the process. "Father.. ", Caius whispered to the silent room. He raised his hand and started drawing a complex pentagram in the air while silently speaking the ancient tevene. With each finger movement a slightly glowing line or a dot appeared in the air forming a visible pattern in the air. A circular object with tiny runes and markings. Lucius gleamed in the spell with tiny letters. "Father, I will kill you. You will beg for mercy in the end", Caius whispered gazing at the spell. Then the wiped his hand across the pattern destroying it.
He already knew blood magic, but he had to become better. He needed power, so much more power. He needed to become invincible. "I will be a Master of Blood Magic. Like the Magisters of old", Caius whispered his dark eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "I will break your hold on me, and then you will know what really means to be a Magister".
He remembered how he had met his wife, during his last visit back home. She was such a beauty, long raven black hair braided elaborately around her head flowing down her back covering her bare back which the low cut evening gown exposed. Her slim waist and athlete body covered in the finest Imperial silk spoke of high born status. She had sharp steel blue eyes. Yet Caius felt nothing while looking at her, she was not her, and he didn´t like the look in her eyes. She raised her beautifully shaped chin looking at Caius as he entered the grand hall.
"Is this he?", she asked without taking her eyes of him. "Yes, this is my son. Caius Aquillius Vaellanius, the scion of house Vaellanius", his father Lucius said with pride. "A powerful mage and a decorated war veteran among other things. A Magister to be". Lucius stood by Magister Manius Florus, her father. Caius father was half way in his fifties, gray lines in his temples spoke of his age. He was a powerful mage and a Magister. He wore dark simple robes, even for this occasion. A older version of Caius, their resemblance was obvious.
Caius walked towards his future wife, stopping before her. He performed a perfect court bow, "a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my lady", and took her arm brushing his lips shortly at the back of her hand. "You look as beautiful as I have been told, even though all those stories pale in comparison with the real thing".
"Caius, this is lady Mucia Florus, your wife to be", Lucius said gazing at his reaction. Caius could still remember how the words just slipped out of his mouth, like he had no control over them. "I´m looking forward to a life with you my lady". "I will look forward to it too my lord", Mucia said with a cold voice dropping a curtsey.
Caius looked at the ceiling, then slowly stood up. He would not sleep tonight. He pulled his robes on and took his staff. At the door he turned to look at the marcher woman. Caius picked a 50 copper coin from his purse, then with a slight hesitation, he picked two gold coins too and placed them in her dresses pocket.
Outside in the chill night wind greeted Caius and he stopped at the corner of the building. He lighted his smoke with a snap of his fingers and gazed at the moon leaning against the building.*
Had to correct some typos.
Retour en haut
) the arc is just starting and I am kinda going for a Illuminati cult antagonist that's gunning for all three houses. But I like the tone you were going for. 
