Babel's Magic-Khadgar FanFic

Trust Effigies

Clamoring after the late supper to get the quiet sanctuary of the Keep's library to themselves, it was Lothar's temper to fizzle short when Fain hadn't been there waiting for them and she'd neglected to join them for dinner so the transition would be smoother. A huff and Lothar groaned as he took the candlestick and stood up on a chair to light the chandelier above them.

"She's not to be trusted Khadgar, that girl is just as shady as the other three who came along. Now we're supposed to trust her judgement over anything else?" Lothar berated his mage friend, noting even he was teetering nervously on both feet keeping a look out for Fain coming down either side of the hallway.

"She'll come, stop calling her a girl Lothar she's as old as I am I'm sure," Khadgar frowned, nothing but a cool evening breeze swept through the hallways.

"And you're a boy, listening to children, look at this mess we're in," rubbing his gruff hands over his face Lothar was swearing against his choice to not bring another mug of mead with him after dinner.

"I trust her," Taria piped in, busying herself with a little housekeeping and reorganizing of the books down from the shelve, "Her hearts pure, young yes, but her intentions are good."

Lothar scoffed and turned to the window of the closet sided library. Nearly giving him a heart attack the moment grand wings flapped against the glass of the window. Taria gave a startled noise and Lothar jumped back from the crazed bird.

"Fain!" Khadgar slammed the library door shut only to fly across the room to the door.

"What?" Lothar gave the mage a disconcerted look.

Swinging open the hinged windows, Khadgar stepped back. In a ball of dark feathers and a sudden thud the bird that had been striking at the window congealed into a blob and suddenly a figure rose just as quickly as the birds body had. Fain straightened up and padded down her tunic before looking up and seeing the mix reactions. Khadgar needless to say in perpetual enjoyable awe while Lothar gave more of a bitter reaction to her magic and Lady Taria certainly still found magic insightful and impressive.

"I-I'm sorry...I didn't mean to do that," Fain bit her bottom lip and cautiously looked away from Lothar primairly.

"Where were you? You could have just eaten a meal with us and we wouldn't have waited," the King reprimanded her in a belittling tone.

"Lothar-" Taria snapped at her brother, "Maybe she doesn't like trying to eat a meal listening to a drunkard king, huh?"

"No- No I'm sorry I did decline," Fain broke in, trying to defuse the siblings bickering, "I was afraid of causing a stir, or perhaps if Athrikus was watching. I figured it would be safest to stay away until it was dark."

"She's got a point Lothar, now leave the woman alone," Taria interjected herself in between the one sided bickering from her brother. Breaking them apart as she placed herself amid them both and refocussed Lothar to the table she'd been clearing off, "We have much to talk about, settle yourself down already I'm sure Fain is just as nervous as the rest of us."

The young woman nodded and followed in suit as Taria and Lothar took their seats, Khadgar lingering back behind Fain as she approached the table before both king and queen. Certainly unease overtook the woman but Fain took a slow and steady breath as she presented herself before them. Taria giving her encouraging attention but Lothar sitting back reserved. Khadgar remained behind her, Fain looking back at him only to receive a lop sided smile and a nod of assurance.

"King Lothar, I understand you don't believe me. As do you Queen Taria, but I'm begging you to listen and understand I have nothing to gain from tricking you," Fain's mouth felt parched and she knew standing before them that both of these individuals understood more about her than she was surely comfortable with but it lent her a hand persuading them, "Yes, I was the one to be preform the sort of spying spell Khadgar has been experiencing. But it wasn't malicious when I preformed it, I wasn't trying to cause him any harm. And I was able to keep Lord Fel'dan from doing anything when I promised him I'd keep the spell going. All those things you've seen, those monsters," Fain had turned half way to Khadgar now, he trusted her but Fain still yearned to make sure there wasn't anything for him to distrust her over. Explaining it over and over again she didn't quiet understand yet this desire to earn his trust yet alone the other two humans sitting across from her, "They are part of Gul'dan's legion. Lord Fel'dan is the one who supplies the horde with spell casters."