Sassy Saturday: First Name Friendship

This excerpt here picks up as Eric returns to Ataidar from his mission for Anuzat. He and Basilard take turns using concealment spells to hide from monsters in the Yacian Caverns. While resting, Eric has another meeting with Kasile.
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After half an hour, Basilard relieved him. He gave Eric a three-hour break and they switched back and forth until Anuzat called a stop. By then, Eric was mentally exhausted. He gratefully lay down and when he opened his eyes, he was in a dark void.

He rubbed his eyes, but the darkness remained. His first thought was that everyone's light stones had gone out so he pulled another from his pack and activated it. Princess Kasile lay next to him.

She was sleeping. Her hair was combed and her dress pristine. No jewel or hint of make-up was anywhere in sight. She lay peacefully asleep in the void.

Shrugging, he knelt by Kasile and gently shook her shoulder.

“Princess.” She moaned in her sleep and rolled over. “Princess, it's me, Eric Watley.”

Kasile slowly opened her eyes. When all she saw was darkness, she groaned. In a much brighter voice she said, “Is it morning already, Eric?”

“Uh . . . Your Highness, turn around.” Kasile did and blinked fine eyelashes. Then she hugged Eric with enough force to knock him on his back.

“Eric! It's so good to actually see you!” Eric mumbled “likewise,” too embarrassed to say anything else. Kasile's happiness dimmed and, still on top of Eric, she looked about. “Where are we?”

“I-I d-don't know.” Suddenly the girl realized she was lying on him. Her own cheeks turned bright red and she scampered off.

“I'm very, very sorry, Mr. Watley. I shouldn't have lounged like that. Forgive me.”

“Your Highness, I said it was okay to call me 'Eric'.”

She smiled. “Then you must call me “Kasile.' We know each other well enough by now.”

“But, Your Highness!”

“You told me about the time you went to a museum, were wrapped up in toilet paper, and put on display as a mummy! Would you tell that to any less than a friend?”

“But that was just to make you laugh!”

“Of course,” Kasile continued, undaunted. “Friends cheer each other up when they need it.”

“But . . . Your . . . Your Highness . . .” Eric protested helplessly.

Kasile smiled mischievously. “I order you to call me ‘Kasile.’”

With a smile of his own, Eric consented. “As you wish, Princess Kasile.” She gave him a royal whack on the arm. Rubbing said arm, he continued, “Well, I can't be dreaming. That hurt too much.”

“And you call yourself a mercenary. Shame on you!”

 “Hey, I'm a battle mage, not a fighter.”

 There was nothing but darkness beyond the range of Eric's light stone: pure blackness as far as the eye could see. What they stood on looked no different from the space above their heads.

Dengel, can you hear me?

“There is no need to think here.” For the first time, Eric saw him.

The dead mage was two heads taller than Eric and his golden-brown hair fell loose to his waist. His eyes were sharp, his nose slightly hooked, and, like all elves, his ears were pointed. However, they seemed longer than Quando's. He wore a cloak over a robe decorated with runes. He expected someone ancient, but Dengel didn't look a day over thirty.

“This is a Union Point of Telepathic Empathy or UPTE.” Eric blinked. Dengel sighed. “A 'mental meeting room': a metaphysical location created by the union of your and the princess's minds.”

“Eric, what are you looking at?”

If she can't hear Dengel, then of course she can't see him. “I'm talking with that friend I was telling you about. The one helping me plan your rescue.”

“I see. I look forward to meeting them in person.”

Eric turned away. “Uhh . . . He's more of an idea guy . . . So . . . he won't be doing any of the actual rescuing, and he's pretty far away from Ataidar . . .” In a matter of speaking . . .

“Eric . . .” Kasile sauntered to the battle mage and leaned in close. “I have a feeling you don't want me to meet this friend of yours.”

“T-that's n-not it, Your . . .” Kasile wagged her finger. “ . . . Kasileness.” Eric wanted to smack himself for saying something so lame, but Kasile giggled. “It's just . . . I promised I wouldn't tell.”

“Eric, since your budding relationship has created this space, we should put it to good use. Practice the theories I showed you earlier.”

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The next Sassy Saturday is: Friendly strong-arming into a job

The previous Sassy Saturday is Sand Stinger Duel.

A Mage's Power, and the rest of the Journey to Chaos series, are available for purchase at http://smile.amazon.com/A-Mages-Power-Journey-Chaos-ebook/dp/B00AVMAISG

To learn more about the heroines of A Mage's Power, visit Tvtropes at http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/AMagesPower.

Brian Wilkerson is a independent novelist, freelance book reviewer, and writing advice blogger. He studied at the University of Minnesota and came away with bachelor degrees in English Literature and History (Classical Mediterranean Period concentration).

His fantasy series, Journey to Chaos, is currently available on Amazon as an ebook or paperback