"Ok before we start camp chores I'm going to introduce Mordo to everyone. You already know me, Roma, Ava, Lucy, and Spencer. The boy with glasses is Leviticus, and the blonde next to him is Lorane they are Ava's sibling and the children of the King and Queen of Nakatae, and the two with blue hair are my siblings Marco and Kara. And Lucy is the Princess of Nimway. Now, Roma, can you hand out the camp chores," Vincent said.
"Let's see, Mordo and Spencer you two collect firewood. I've Learned from my mistake last night, Ava gets water, Loarne and Lucy herbs, and Leviticus goes with Ava to help carry things. Beauchamp's hunt," Roma said, "And I will set up the cooking and sleeping areas."
"Ok." the others say in unison and run off in different directions to go do their assigned chores. The only ones left at the campsite are Mordo, Spencer, and Roma. "Is there a problem?" Roma asked looking at Mordo's face. "You're pale as a ghost."
"Huh, oh I'm fine," his reply was barely above a whisper, "I was just taking a moment to rest my legs from all that riding,"
"We'll get going now. Sorry about the wait, I'm not exactly used to riding so long on the hills," Spencer apologized.
"Oh, no worries. I know the Beauchamps and I can ride for a while without getting tired. Just be sure to start soon so I can make dinner sooner rather than later," Roma advised.
"Right, we are going now," Mordo said as he turned and sprinted into the forest. The crunching of dead leaves was deafening as Spencer followed behind him; he was catching up. Something wrapped around Mordo's leg and he was thrown face-first on the forest floor. Rolling onto his back, Mordo saw a rope tightly wrapped a few inches above his ankle. Spencer stalked closer, holding the other end of the rope. Mordo's body froze in terror looking up at the boy who had raised him, who had protected him when the Sorcerer came for them; under the control of the very person Spencer had tried to protect his baby brother from.
"What's your major malfunction Mordo? You couldn't even grab one helpless little girl. 'Oh what is the Master going to think?'" Leon mocked in a sickly sweet voice not his own, squatting down as the rope coiled around Mordo's legs. Spencer's usually warm jade eyes were a cold crimson: the Master was in control now.
"I-I tried, but Ava's orb thingy was stronger than your collar Master Leon! I-it won't happen a-again, I pr-promise."
"You're right—it won't. It's time to punish you," Spencer said, his voice deep and distorted by the possession.
"W-wait, Master! Please! Don't do this. Don't make him hurt me. Spencer will never forgive himself if he found out!"
"Get up," Leon's reply was sharp, cold; his voice clear now. He was in full control of Spencer and there was nothing Mordo could do.
"N-no! If you're going to hurt me then do it here," Mordo said gathering his courage.
"Get. Up."
The cold reply dripped with venom. Mordo was in for it now, Leon hated to be disobeyed or challenged. Mordo slowly rose to his feet warily watching the boy in front of him. No sooner had stood than he had fallen back to the ground a searing pain shooting through his head. Blood dripped into his eyes from the cut above his left eyebrow. Mordo could feel his body being dragged across the forest floor for what felt like an eternity. When they finally stopped Mordo couldn't hear anything, almost as if the whole forest was barren; stripped of life. The rope continued to coil around his body when Leon spoke again.
"Ah, this body so young, so easy to move, I could get used to this. Maybe I should make this take over more … permanent," Leon mused aloud, twisting Spencer's mouth into his signature sneer, "But of course, that would be hard to do while I have to report to my idiot brother King Liyel."
Leon started laughing at the thought of taking over the poor boy who had gotten in his way five years ago. Mordo flinched as Leon's laughter echoed around him. "Come on there has to be a way out of this rope," Mordo whispered as he struggled with his bindings. No matter how he pulled at the rope it never loosened. The rope seemed to tighten as he struggled.
"It's useless to struggle against me and you know it Mordo."
He froze; he hadn't noticed that Leon had stopped laughing nor how close Leon had come. Mordo could feel his breath on the back of his neck. Leon grinned at the horror and apprehension building in the boy in front of him. With a flick of his hand, Mordo was now standing while Leon circled him like a hawk.
"What should I do with you Mordo? Always struggling and fighting me. Do you not love your older brother? I have complete control over him. Watch," Leon said drawing Spencer's dagger from its sheath. Leon looked at Mordo as he drew the blade across Spencer's unmarred bronze forearm.
"NO! Wait please don't hurt him I'll do anything!" Mordo pleaded as Leon smiled insincerely. A moment later the blade had been thrust into Mordo's abdomen up to the hilt. He gasped in agony, unable to move as Leon twisted the blade.
"There is nothing you can do to stop me. You are the one who pleaded with me to spare his life! Made a deal with me to serve me until death at the age of twelve to save the stupid fifteen-year-old who thought he could keep you safe from me! I own you both until you die Mordo!" Leon's rant echoed in Mordo's ears and something inside him snapped. As Leon turned around to find something else to use to hurt him Mordo spoke.
"I will stop you," mordo hissed bitterly in reply.
"What. Was. That," Leon's pointed question sent shivers down Mordo's spine. Gathering his courage Mordo looked Leon in the eyes and spoke again.
"I will stop you! I don't care if it costs me my life! I won't let you use him to hurt or scare me into submission again! Spencer deserves to live his life freely and not be used like a puppet for selfish means! I will free him," Mordo could see the anger in Leon's eyes but this time he didn't flinch away like before, "I don't care what happens to me as long as he's free of you forever."
"Stop talking. This will be your only warning Mordo," Leon threatened the murderous intent clear in his eyes.
"Why should I? I'm going to end up dead either way," Mordo spat out watching Leon stalk closer, Spencer's chainmail jangling as the slow steps got faster until Spencer's face was just inches from Mordo's. He felt the dagger leave his body, the pain caused Mordo to fall to his knees. His warm sticky blood gushed from the wound and soaked his tunic, causing the garment to stick to him.
"Is that what you think? Sorry to disappoint, but I still have plans for you. Get up."
Leons's reply caused Mordo to fall into a shocked silence. He stood up slowly, hissing in pain as his tunic was pulled off the laceration and dragged across his torso. Before he managed to get up something collided with his face and he was flung back to the ground on his back. The front of his tunic was now soaked in blood from his broken nose and stomach wound. Leon grabbed the collar of Mordo's tunic and threw him against a tree. The rope tied itself around the tree locking Mordo in place. Leon walked over looking into Mordo's defiant eyes.
"You should have stopped talking," was all Leon said before thrusting his hand into the wound on Mordo's stomach. Leon summoned all the manna he could from Spencer's untrained body and sent an electrical current throughout Mordo's whole body. He smiled as the you man screamed and spasamed in pain pleading for someone to come save him.
"Haven't you realized yet! No one can hear you out here! I hid this place from prying ears and eyes. No one is coming to save you," he laughed out, gleefully watching Mordo struggle. And almost as soon as it had started the spell had ended. "Damned weakling. Oh well, he is untrained after all," Leon sighed looking at Mordo's bloody face. He smiled devilishly as Mordo'd body continued to convulse. "What should I do with you? Always fighting me. Always defying me.-" Leon forced Mordo's face up to his- "Why can't you just listen and behave? You always beg me not to hurt your brother, but you never follow orders."
Leon shoved Mordo's face to the side. The bark scraped the left side of his face when it collided with the tree. Leon waved his hand and the ropes disappeared. Mordo crumpled to the ground; bleeding and trembling in pain.
"Clean yourself up and pick up some wood. Then get back to camp." Leon stalked off as Mordo started to heal himself and collect wood.
"I hate this. If it weren't for Spencer being under his control, I wouldn't even be here. I wouldn't be hurting. If only I was stronger I could free him," Mordo talks to himself on the way back to camp having collected some firewood. When he gets back everyone is finishing up their chores.
"What do you mean it only cost you one bag of dried meat and a bag of cherries to get water?! It almost cost me my shirt," Lorane exclaimed as Ava laughed.
"Well, it is our understanding that you angered the Nymphs by acting like you were better than them. They could have just drowned you but they didn't," Levi told her. The rest of the group laughed while Lorane sulked. Mordo waited in the tree line for Spencer, watching the group interact.
"Hey, are we gonna go back or just sit here watching them," Spencer asked walking up to him. Mordo jumps caught off guard. Turning to his older brother he saw that Leon had left Spencer's body, a soft smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. Spencer's eyes were once again their normal jade color and filled with joy.
"I was just waiting for you Spencer," Mordo said relief seeping into his words.
"How many times must I ask you to call me Spence? Spencer is way too formal Cù."
"Only if you stop calling me 'Cù'. I don't want to be called dog anymore it's annoying," Mordo said exasperated.
"Alright Mordo I'll find a different nickname for you. I just think it suits you because you like to turn into dogs mostly," Spencer revealed.
"No, I don't! I like to transform into a wolf, they are much bigger than dogs," Mordo responded indignantly.
"Alright fine how about Madadh-allaidh, it's Gaelic for wolf?"
"How about just Mordo, Spence."
"Mac Tíre?"
"Why are you so set on giving me a nickname Spence? I like Mordo can you please just call me that?"
"Ok, if that's what you want I'll just call you Mordo," Spencer relented. They continued on in comfortable silence.
"Well, it took you long enough, boys," Roma giggled, "I almost sent Vincent in after the two of you. Come help me set up the fire Mordo."
Lorane had stopped sulking and was helping Ava, Lucy, and Kara cut up the wild herbs and vegetables they had picked for the stew. Roma was butchering and cooking the deer that Marco and Vincent had caught. Spencer was looking around amazed by how fast the group was able to complete camp and get a dinner started.
"Whoa, if they hadn't been introduced to me as royalty and nobility I would have thought that we all shared the same status," Spencer thought aloud.
"Well, we aren't your average royals or nobles. We all have some degree of mastery over magic and basic survival skills," Ava explained, "Our Father thought it would be important for us to be able to take care of ourselves if we ever happened to get separated from the group. Or if we got lost in the countryside by ourselves."
Spencer jumped, shocked that she had heard him. "Sorry if that was offensive I didn't mean to say it out loud," he said, blush creeping over his cheeks as he scratched the back of his head.
"Oh, it wasn't. I just wanted to tell you," Ava smiled and continued chopping some of the wild onions Lucy had picked. Roma collected all the chopped vegetables and herbs and added them to the pot along with some of the bones from the deer as the water boiled. Everyone sat around the fire and talked quietly while waiting for the soup to finish.
"So, Spencer how old are you," Roma asked fishing the bones out of the pot before serving. The question had caught him off guard.
"Huh? Oh, I just turned twenty on the fourteenth of last month. Mordo and I share a birthday but he is three years younger than me."
"Oh that means Mordo is about the same age as Lucy, my sisters, and I," Leviticus said.
"You are only seventeen?!"
"They are I'm not. Well at least not yet. My birthday is June twenty-third," Lucy explained.
"The rest of us are 18," Vincent added.
"And all of us were born in October. I was born on the thirty-first while the Beauchamps were born on the ninth," Roma finished Vincent's sentence. "Anyway the food is ready now."
Roma passed out bowls of soup while the group quieted down. They ate as quickly as they could. When everyone was finished Spencer took the pot and bowls down to the river to wash them.
"Hello there young man," the leader of the nymphs poked her head out of the water to talk to Spencer. "Is that the soup we were promised a couple of hours ago?" As she posed the question more Nymphs appeared, eagerly waiting for his answer.
"Yes, it is. Will this be enough to grant me permission to wash our dishes as well?" Spencer's question rang out across the quiet night. Apprehension built in his gut as the leader tilted her head and stared at him puzzled.
"What is your name, young man? Mine is Kildoana, but you may call me Doana," Doana stepped onto the shore and circled him.
"S-spencer Skye Lennox," he hadn't meant for his voice to crack like it did while answering Doana
"Is this your first time asking the Laadanashi to use the river," Doana's silky voice was riddled with curiosity.
"Yes. I wasn't allowed at the Guardhouse because I am unranked at the moment."
"Ah, I see now," Doana's silvery eyes shone with mirth as she walked back to the river. "There is no need to fear the one called Ava has already bartered for use of the river until noon tomorrow. Give us the pot and wash the bowls. The pot will be returned to you clean as well." Doana smiled at Spencer and the feeling of apprehension vanished as quickly as it manifested. Spencer knelt by the back and washed the bowls and utensils. True to her word ten minutes later Doana handed Spencer the freshly washed pot.
"The soup was lovely. Tell Roma we look forward to tomorrow's dinner," Doana thanked Spencer. Spencer bowed turning back toward camp.
"Wait just one minute young man," Doana called after him.
"Ma'am?"
"That feeling you have… you should talk to your brother and Princess Avangelina about it. That's all," Doana said donning a sad smile as a single tear slipped from her eyes before she could stop it.
"Wha- uh ok will do. Um, thanks Kildoana." Spencer turned and walked briskly back to camp. He bumped into Lorane on the way back.
"Hey, there you are Spencer! We were worried about you so I came to check on you. What took so long," she inquired.
"Oh nothing Kildoana just asked me a few questions and we had a short conversation after I was done washing the dishes. But we should probably get back and get some sleep for now," Spencer said trying to brush off the feeling that something was wrong with him. Lorane nodded and walked back towards the camp. Spencer helped Roma put the dishes back in her magic bag and then they all laid down and tried to get some rest.