Bonded (PsionicCuttlefish and Chariot)

[Chariot]

Eight years is how long it took. Eight winters. The high mountains were unforgiving in their tutelage--but despite her current sickness she was finally a Magus. She was finally able to escape this hell, though it sickened her that no matter the relief she felt it was nothing to her new Bondite. His class mattered so little she didn't even know his name. It horrified her that some Magus of yore actually had to name their Bondite due to their status. She sighed, scrunching her eyes tighter as she loosely ran her hand in her Bondite's hair.

She knew that the current phenomena was called Aesite, nicknamed "The bond high." Yet that didn't matter to her just yet. Picking him wasn't something she planned to do, when she walked in eight years ago it was specifically to find a completely different person than the one lying next to her. Yet when her Master called her name, demanding she perform a Bond, it was his face that flashed into her mind, no one else.

The Temple of Scalla was a death mill for all who came inside. Be it sickness, starvation, murder, or the elements, both the masters and the mountains found ways to torment those inside. She was one of the youngest to ever enter the Temple willing at thirteen--though she was scarcely the youngest graduate. Her master, High Magus Aurelia--found her climbing the steep trail and took her in, giving her refuge from some of the worst masters of the school. Spoiled as she was she had only been there a few weeks when attempts on her life were made. As she ripened into womanhood other attempts were made as well--though none survived to tell of such carnal knowledge. She had only met her Bondite once before, during the long seventh winter of her stay.
The summer had not been productive and food was scarce all throughout the kingdom. However, her master had a certain amount of notoriety and an affection for her, so she never had to feel the pain of actual starvation. However her Bondite was not so lucky. The first time they met was at the rookery where the messenger birds were kept. She was collecting a Raven to send to the King when she saw him.

Cold and quiet, he had trekked from the guarded posts all the way to the upper areas of the Temple--just to get a bird. She watched him as he desperately grasped a larger Raven, snapping it's neck instantly, causing loud cawing and alarm from the birds. It was almost as if he couldn't be sated as three, four, the birds started to shriek and swirl, moving to attack him in defense.

"Stop!"

It was all she could do to keep him from getting killed, his eyes were wide in alarm at the sound of her voice, obviously not have noticing her before.
"They will kill you before you could take what you need. Not to mention someone will hear the commotion. Leave, now, while you still have a chance." She hissed, moving to take a handful of grain from a pouch at her side. She tossed it to the birds hoping to quell their excitement, or at least cover up the deed he had caused with new excitement.

As the birds cawed, pecking him, each other, and herself, she pushed him out of the room with his catch in hand. When she went to speak to him some more he was already running away, back to the Prisoners quarters.

But they where safe, at least for now. There was no telling who would demand their services or what new trials their life would bring. But she was certain, in that moment, the worst bit of their lives were behind them.

She quietly rose from the bed and slipped into a plain-rough spun tunic, trying to ignore her nausea and soreness. Her head throbbed painfully and her hands were shaking as she dressed quietly. Loose trousers covered the lower half of her body before she put on a doeskin belt and emerald linen cloak. Their room was furnished with the bed, a high oak table with two chairs, a large fireplace that held a cackling fire, and a window facing south--to their new destination. On the table there was a dish of fruit and a jug of water, and she moved to slice some fruit for herself and to feed her Bondite. She had scarcely started to cut into some southern citrus when a knock came at the door.

"Magus Helia. Please open up I have an urgent message."

Helia recognized the voice instantly as another apprentice of her former master and sighed. She rose stiffly from her chair and opened the door, allowing a girl to come in, bearing a message in her hand.

"Please Acolyte, let your master know that bothering me in this state is not appreciated," Helia joked in dry humor as she stumbled back to her chair.

"My apologies Madam, however, the High Magus says this message is of the utmost importance. She also told me to burn it after you read it."

Curious, Helia took the small paper from the girl , breaking the seal to read.

• • My dear student,
    Your recovery, I'm afraid is limited as you must immediately prepare to leave.
    The High Magus Dedarion Lorn's Bondite has been murdered. As of right now, I can assure you only you, myself, and Dedarion know of this.
    This means that the King is going to be looking for a Magus, and soon, likely with the intent to discover the responsible party.
    I have already worked to secure your passage on the Red Wind which leaves for the Crescent Isle in two days. Upon your arrival in the capital, you are to present yourself to the Kings Court.
    
    I know this is sudden, but this chance cannot be ignored. I can assure you that as I write this, eyes are already going to be watching all of us, especially those new to the order this year. Dedarion had seen something my dear. Something vital. And he cannot risk sending me word through conventional methods, though I fear someone or something is attacking our order.
    
    This is a great task I am throwing on your shoulders, especially right after your bonding, however you are the only one I trust to find out what is going on. If my suspicion is correct, the King will accept you into his services, but you must get ready post-haste. I will wait for your answer tomorrow night by the rookery. If you are worried about funds, I have already written you into my estate, so anything you may need you will have access to.
    
    I am sorry Helia. For truth. I beg of you to forgive me.
    Your friend,
    Aurelia.

The pounding in her head was worse as her mind flooded with questions, concerns, and fears. However, she kept her face as straight as she could and waved the acolyte away before stumbling to the fire to dispose of the letter. She didn't know who she felt more sorry for in that moment. Herself, or her bondite.

 

[PsionicCuttlefish]

Jacob's life had not been a pleasant one.

He had been born to a poor farming family outside of a city. The farming life had been hard work, there was never enough food to go around, the crops had poor harvests, the cattle died off, and city tax collectors took whatever was left. Then, around his eleventh year, the fire happened, which destroyed the homestead and Jacob's family. He became an urchin in the city, starving and desperate for survival. There was so much food to go around for the wealthy people of the city, and nothing for him. Surely no one would notice if he snuck out just a few bits of food for himself?

He hadn't expected the attentiveness of the city guard, having never dealt with them on the farm.

In accordance with the law, his hands were to be chopped off--but a strange robed man had interceded at the last minute, and took Jacob and several other convicts with him to a mountain hideaway. The training grounds of the Magi.

This had proved to not be any better of a life. For the next seven years, instead of simply being ignored as a worthless street urchin, he and the other prisoners in the hideaway were actively looked down on by the Magi and Apprentices, as if they were no better than animals. Jacob grew to hate all of the magic-users, who thought they were better than everyone else, and had strange and unnatural powers to back up their egos.

Except for one...

After having gone without food for several days one year, Jacob gave in and tried to steal a bird from the temple's stores, because he was so very hungry, and never really learned. He hadn't expected the other birds to object so violently to him taking one of their number, and as weak as he was, he couldn't even fend them off...but some girl, one of the Apprentices, managed to hold the birds off to let him escape. Jacop had turned and run after that, never looking back, sure that the Apprentice was going to exact some kind of horrible repayment for her 'kindness'.

In a way, he was almost right.

This year, the Cull had happened again, with Apprentices attempting to bind one of the prisoners to themselves, and become a full Magus. Jacop had expected to be passed over, like he always had been--but that girl had returned into his life. He hadn't seen her in two years, but he hadn't forgotten her. Neither had she forgotten him, it seemed. What followed was the single most painful, traumatic event Jacob had ever experienced as he was subjected to the Bonding ritual with the girl, having his very soul torn apart to merge with hers. But, they both survived. And now he was her Bondite.

The black-haired, tall, and underweight boy hadn't said a single word to her since that morning. He didn't even know what there was to say. They were both resting and recovering in the Magus girl's room, where Jacob was allowed to lie on a bed--a real bed!--while the girl ran her hand through his hair. It made him feel very uncomfortable, almost disgusted that she would dare touch him with such 'affection' after what she put him through, not to mention that she was a Magus, and therefore an inherantly mean person who thought herself better than everyone else. But Jacob didn't try to move away from her, he knew that disobedience from prisoners was punished severely. Not that there was a punishment worse than being Bonded, though.

But then some other magi called upon the girl from her doorway, and gave her a letter, one that seemed to trouble his new 'master'. The 'burn after reading' command was certainly ominous, but the machinations of the magi never mattered to him before. Let them burn and backstab each other for their troubles, serves them right. Jacob just continued to lie still on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering just how his life was planning to make itself even worse for him.

 

[Chariot]

"I will ask for a bath to be drawn if you would like," Helia finally spoke after a while. She was still cupping her head trying to stop the throbbing. "I would suggest that you take it easily today...though...our recovery is going to be cut short I am afraid." She shifted to continue cutting the fruit and half hobbled back to his side of the bed. "We were never properly introduced," she started, offering sweet soft slices of fruit from her hand for him. "My name is Helia T'warden." The conversation was painful. And stupid. There was no good reason for him to give a damn about her, and a sudden terror ell in the pit of her stomach as she spoke. He probably hated her. Hell she would hate herself after The Cull.

She pressed the slices, all of them, into his hand before moving to the chair again. At this point there was sweat collecting on her brow and her usual coppery skin was pale and clammy. She was walking around too much.

Helia may have passed for a courtesan or noble woman once upon a time. However Scalla had happened and her body had coped with the ugliness by becoming strong. Her arms, legs, and stomach were toned in a most unladylike way carving away most of the natural softness of a woman and replacing it with wiry strength. Her breasts were still round and soft, but she had grown accustomed to hiding them under bindings of silk giving her a flat appearance. But perhaps the real marks against her were the numerous scars all over her body and the slightly crooked nose on her face. There would be no way that she could make it in court as a lady. What on earth could Aurelia be thinking?

She shook her head slightly, and instantly regretted it.

"I'll call a few acolytes to bring us bread and soup. Would you like bread and soup? Something else?" She cursed herself for sounding so...condescending. The bond high was clouding her mind, feeling her with such protective emotions that she couldn't quite understand. She would be happy when it was over.

 

[PsionicCuttlefish]

The suddenness of his 'master' speaking to him caused Jacob to blink in surprise, then sit up to look at her. He wasn't sure he heard her right. He watched her steadily as she walked towards the bed, telling him to rest while he had the chance, and then she started handing him slices of fruit once she was close enough. Jacob silently, almost blankly looked at the food in his hand. Real fruit! The last time he had real fruit was years ago, when he was still on the farm and his family was still alive...but Jacob was suspicious. Why was she acting nice? Magi were not this nice, especially not to worthless would-be Bondite prisoners like him. Helia then told him her name, before putting the rest of the fruit in his hand.

Jacob slowly brought the fruit up to his face with both hands to sniff at it, while he carefully kept his eyes on Helia as she walked around. The smell of the fruit was wonderful, he hadn't had something so sweet in years. He nibbled at a slice, almost paranoid there was something wrong with it, but as soon as he tasted the simple pleasure of the fruit, his hunger overwhelmed his caution and he started eating quickly, though not noisily, and he kept both hands in front of his mouth to guard the food, as if he was afraid it was going to vanish or Helia was going to take it from him. All the while, he kept his eyes on Helia, watching her every move. He noticed she actually didn't seem to be doing very well; she looked a little unsteady, was sweating, and her skin was pale.

This did elicit the tiniest measure of sympathy for her, and despite the awkwardness of it, Jacob figured he might as well play along if he was going to be stuck with Helia for the rest of his life. "...M'name's Jacob." He mumbled, after finishing all the fruit. He then began thinking about Helia's first offer, when she then offered to have some bread and soup brought up to him. She said it somewhat strangely, and bread and soup was mostly what prisoners were given to eat anyway, though it was usually more like moldy chunks and gruel. Still, any food was better than no food. And despite being suspicious of Helia for why the Magus was suddenly offering him nice things, he decided he didn't care. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a proper bath. In fact, he didn't think he ever did. Farm life, street life, and prisoner life did not lend such luxuries, after all. Prisoners in the temple were just sprayed with water every now and again to keep them from getting too rank.

But, Jacob finally answered, though he took his eyes off Helia as he did so. "Yeah, more food would be...alright." He replied, in about as awkward a manner as she had. "And I dunno what a bath is like...but I guess I can try that." He finished lamely. After a moment, he looked back at Helia, taking in her miserable-looking state. "...You okay?"

 

[Chariot]

Helia smiled, hearing his name, and moved to cut more fruit. Perhaps it would be best if she didn't eat...it would be hard to keep things down.
"If you can get out of bed, be gentle about it, you will find a cord on the left side of the bed, where I was. Keep pull it a few times and an Acolyte will be here shortly." Looking up at him as he spoke of the bath, she chuckled softly. "You aren't afraid of water are you? I can get someone to clean you with oil and herbs if you like. Point is, you are Magu Helia T'warden's bondite now Jacob. You no longer get to keep your flea companions. As my bondite you are part of me now--it isn't a free life but it is better than this place of death." She paused, unsure of what to say about the question of her well being.

"The Cull was...difficult for me. That's all," she admitted quietly. What was she to tell him? That she had forced as much of the price on to herself in order to make sure he lived? Would it even be a concept he would understand? She knew eventually it would have to be, for as they delved into the magical arts he would have to bear the price for as long as they lived. But for now, keeping him in ignorance was probably best. When they got to court, when she had carved out a name for herself, when he realized she was not to be feared, perhaps she would tell him of her kindness. To explain these issues to him now were pointless. Right now it was food, bath, perhaps a screening from a High Healer to see if there were any tonics or spells needed to cure him before travel.

She picked up a slice of fruit nibbling on it cautiously, "of course, we are not going to be fortunate enough to specialize before we are put to work so travel will be limited. Though in a few years we could perhaps see your family again--if that is something you would enjoy. I would not be adverse to writing them into my estate and providing them a portion of our earnings either." The food, surprisingly made her feel a little better and she ate a few more pieces before continuing. "I will answer any questions about the next few days you may have once we dismiss the acolyte to bring us something more substantial to eat."

 

[PsionicCuttlefish]

Jacob tilted his head at Helia as she explained to pull a cord to summon an Acolyte servant. It was such a...foreign convenience to Jacob, to have someone just come to you when you called. But he went along with it, and slowly rose from the bed to move around and find the pull-cord. He also frowned internally at the comment about fleas, but he was used to such things and was even expecting it. Of course a Magus would take every opportunity to remind him how she was better than him, how he was less than a person. He knew Helia couldn't be any different, no matter how she acted...

"Not afraid of water." He said simply after giving the cord a few tugs, before moving to sit back down on the bed. "Just...different." As was the mention of being washed with herbs and oils. Is that how rich people washed themselves? How...inconcievably extravagant! Just another reminder that the wealthy and powerful could afford to waste money on trivial, ridiculous things while people like him were left to starve.

He looked back up to her when she answered him that the Cull was 'difficult' for her. He knew there was something she wasn't telling him, but Jacob didn't care enough to pry further. He also didn't pay much attention to her when she started talking about travelling--until she mentioned his family. Jacob flinched and looked away from her at that, and after a moment, responded quietly. "...Family's dead. Before I came here." Another awkward silence descended into the room, until a knock on the door signified the arrival of the Acolyte.