Farengar suffered Olria’s silent treatment the next morning all the way until noon. By then, he was growing anxious. Word was that Ulfric Stormcloak’s forces were closing in on Whiterun. Imperial soldiers flooded the keep. Farengar watched them with distaste. Most of the soldiers left the court wizard alone, although some tried to snoop around and assert their authority. Farengar made sure they knew who was really boss in his workroom.
Stress made Farengar’s skull pound again. He planted both hands flat on his desk and bowed his head. “Olria?” he called. “I have the frost salts ready for you here. I need you to go to Arcadia’s Cauldron now. There is no more time to waste.”
The woman joined him by the desk. She hunched her shoulders. “My place is here. I’ll hide in the corner, if I have to. If those Stormcloaks are half as honourable as you claim, they’ll leave me be.”
No, they won’t. Not if they defeat Balgruuf. Farengar shook his head. “Do not argue with me. This is not the time.”
“I’m staying.”
Farengar whirled toward the woman. “You heard me!” he shouted. “You have never disobeyed me before, why start now?”
“Because… you shouldn’t have to be alone here.”
“I will not be alone.”
Olria folded her arms across her chest. She didn’t make eye contact, but neither did she budge.
“Look,” Farengar growled, “You have absolutely no talent for destruction magic, and your Steadfast Ward will not be able to hold back an army! Get that through your thick skull.”
“The entire army won’t be attacking me at once,” Olria said. “They aren’t after me.”
“You will not be able to defend yourself. You forget you are only a novice. Do I have to prove it to you?” Farengar snarled.
“Yes,” Olria replied softly. “You do.”
Farengar’s temper flared. He felt his skin flush. “Just try to defend yourself,” he whispered. It was the only warning he gave the woman. A moment later, he launched a ball of fire at his apprentice.
Olria gasped. She managed to summon a ward in front of her, absorbing the spell. The barrier flickered, barely charged to full strength.
But Farengar did not stop there. Again and again he struck, blast of fire after blast of fire. He continued to strike at her shield until there were tears running down her face. He continued to strike after she’d collapsed to her knees, her magicka almost burned away to nothing.
“Stop,” Olria cried. “Please!”
But Farengar did not let up. He almost couldn’t hear her. He had to show her what she would be up against. Tonight, the strikes of fire would be strikes of steel, but there was no difference in the end. His mind buzzed, his vision shrinking to a pinpoint.
There was a loud crash and a cry. Olria’s ward shattered.
It took Farengar a moment longer to stop the flames. His apprentice screamed.
The court wizard felt the blood drain from his face. He ran to Olria and dropped to the floor at her side. The glow of restoration magic was already leaking from his hand by the time he touched her shoulder. The light flowed through the woman’s body, rapidly drawing away the burns she’d suffered. Unfortunately, her clothes were ruined, charred and blackened.
“I-I’m sorry,” Farengar stuttered.
Olria shrugged away from his hand. She stood, leaving him kneeling on the floor. “It’s fine. I get it. I have no place here. I understand, truly.” She turned, walked to her room, and disappeared inside.
It only took her a minute to change. When she returned, Farengar still hadn’t moved. Olria ignored him. Her knapsack over one shoulder, she retrieved the frost salts from the alchemy stand. Without a word, she left.
Her receding footsteps rang loudly in the empty keep. The soldiers were all out preparing the defence of the walls. No one had witnessed Farengar’s abhorred behaviour.
Gods, he was such a fool. Farengar wanted to keep his apprentice safe, and to do that, he’d wounded her himself! He could only hope that she could forgive him later – if he was still alive tomorrow morning.
*** My sincerest apologies leaving you all hanging at this point! I will do my best to post part three tomorrow or Wednesday. There may be a small break after part three as I write and revise part four. Do not fear, I will not leave you with any cliffhangers!
“The Spring Wind That Blew Through Dragonsreach” F!OC/Farengar Secret-Fire, 2h/?
Farengar suffered Olria’s silent treatment the next morning all the way until noon. By then, he was growing anxious. Word was that Ulfric Stormcloak’s forces were closing in on Whiterun. Imperial soldiers flooded the keep. Farengar watched them with distaste. Most of the soldiers left the court wizard alone, although some tried to snoop around and assert their authority. Farengar made sure they knew who was really boss in his workroom.
Stress made Farengar’s skull pound again. He planted both hands flat on his desk and bowed his head. “Olria?” he called. “I have the frost salts ready for you here. I need you to go to Arcadia’s Cauldron now. There is no more time to waste.”
The woman joined him by the desk. She hunched her shoulders. “My place is here. I’ll hide in the corner, if I have to. If those Stormcloaks are half as honourable as you claim, they’ll leave me be.”
No, they won’t. Not if they defeat Balgruuf. Farengar shook his head. “Do not argue with me. This is not the time.”
“I’m staying.”
Farengar whirled toward the woman. “You heard me!” he shouted. “You have never disobeyed me before, why start now?”
“Because… you shouldn’t have to be alone here.”
“I will not be alone.”
Olria folded her arms across her chest. She didn’t make eye contact, but neither did she budge.
“Look,” Farengar growled, “You have absolutely no talent for destruction magic, and your Steadfast Ward will not be able to hold back an army! Get that through your thick skull.”
“The entire army won’t be attacking me at once,” Olria said. “They aren’t after me.”
“You will not be able to defend yourself. You forget you are only a novice. Do I have to prove it to you?” Farengar snarled.
“Yes,” Olria replied softly. “You do.”
Farengar’s temper flared. He felt his skin flush. “Just try to defend yourself,” he whispered. It was the only warning he gave the woman. A moment later, he launched a ball of fire at his apprentice.
Olria gasped. She managed to summon a ward in front of her, absorbing the spell. The barrier flickered, barely charged to full strength.
But Farengar did not stop there. Again and again he struck, blast of fire after blast of fire. He continued to strike at her shield until there were tears running down her face. He continued to strike after she’d collapsed to her knees, her magicka almost burned away to nothing.
“Stop,” Olria cried. “Please!”
But Farengar did not let up. He almost couldn’t hear her. He had to show her what she would be up against. Tonight, the strikes of fire would be strikes of steel, but there was no difference in the end. His mind buzzed, his vision shrinking to a pinpoint.
There was a loud crash and a cry. Olria’s ward shattered.
It took Farengar a moment longer to stop the flames. His apprentice screamed.
The court wizard felt the blood drain from his face. He ran to Olria and dropped to the floor at her side. The glow of restoration magic was already leaking from his hand by the time he touched her shoulder. The light flowed through the woman’s body, rapidly drawing away the burns she’d suffered. Unfortunately, her clothes were ruined, charred and blackened.
“I-I’m sorry,” Farengar stuttered.
Olria shrugged away from his hand. She stood, leaving him kneeling on the floor. “It’s fine. I get it. I have no place here. I understand, truly.” She turned, walked to her room, and disappeared inside.
It only took her a minute to change. When she returned, Farengar still hadn’t moved. Olria ignored him. Her knapsack over one shoulder, she retrieved the frost salts from the alchemy stand. Without a word, she left.
Her receding footsteps rang loudly in the empty keep. The soldiers were all out preparing the defence of the walls. No one had witnessed Farengar’s abhorred behaviour.
Gods, he was such a fool. Farengar wanted to keep his apprentice safe, and to do that, he’d wounded her himself! He could only hope that she could forgive him later – if he was still alive tomorrow morning.
***
My sincerest apologies leaving you all hanging at this point! I will do my best to post part three tomorrow or Wednesday. There may be a small break after part three as I write and revise part four. Do not fear, I will not leave you with any cliffhangers!