Indigo Prophecy

“-and so the last known written word about it was left behind when Fabre died…”

The light melodic voice didn’t exactly drone, but it didn’t exactly bother to hid the boredom laced behind the kind tone either. The speaker sighed, only the slightest hint of impatience showed on his smooth face. You would have never guessed his impending frustration unless you knew him well enough to glimpse the slight twitch of a dark brown brow.

“My Lord?” The speaker questioned, boredom gone but irritation filling its place as light chocolate brown eyes rested heavily on a young man sitting across the table from him. The speaker himself was young, but there was a definite tell-tale sign of a wizened look about him. The insignia on the pendent around his neck intoned a higher level mage status. His long, kept, dark brown hair was worn loose, falling down around his shoulders. “Lord Zack.” There was no questioning note in the timbre of his voice this time. The young man still didn’t respond, eyes glued to the book sitting on the table in front of him.

The mage tapped his finger against the table with another sigh. “Zachariah are you listening to me?”

There was a flicker of recognition in the nobleman’s eyes, despite the pressing of the elder man’s voice. Lord Zack despised being called by his real name. He was still a young man despite the old look in his dark eyes. His long, waist length black hair was pulled back into a neat braid. His clothes deftly proclaimed his acquired wealth, no matter how casual they were. The dark blue tunic was lined with embroidered silver leaves, the crisp, clean cream undershirt was untucked over black slacks and dark brown knee-high riding boots. But the young Lord could have been wearing a potato sack and have a shaved head, and anyone would know instantly that he was someone important with one look into his dark blue eyes. Eyes so blue that if the light hit them just right, they almost looked purple. Most people that knew the young lord just accredited it to a trick of the light. Purple eyes were for powerful magicians, and it was quite obvious that no matter how much you wished it, Lord Zack didn’t hold an ounce of magic in him.

Though now those deep blue eyes were resting on the book in front of him, his true gaze was somewhere far, far away. Somewhere other than the large airy library that he and his teacher were sitting in. His lean, muscular body was taut with something not quite apprehension. He was neither on his guard or relaxed, to far gone to even notice his teacher tapping on the table, the look in the mage’s eyes dissolving from irritation to worry. “Hello?… Zack?”

“Laurel, you should know that look better than anyone.”

The brown headed mage let out a deep breath, barely shifting his gaze to the door of the library, giving the large man standing there a wry glance. “I haven’t seen him this far gone since he was fifteen.” Laurel responded looking back to his younger student.

The large man snorted, leaning absently against a bookshelf despite the disapproving look the mage sent his way. The man was tall and intimidating, pure muscle rippling underneath loose clothing. He had wide shoulders that strained under the white shirt and leather vest he was wearing, which were matched with dark pants and a sword worn with practice. His brown hair was graying and pushed back from his face. The harden look in his dark eyes accompanied by the long jagged scar that was etched across his cheek to span the right side of his face told a story of the seasoned soldier he was. “Can you blame him? After everything he’s been through, now the old man’s dying.” the ex-soldier’s voice was deep and gruff.

“Which should be an incentive to work harder on his studies.” Laurel huffed, flicking a strand of hair over his shoulder.

The large soldier quirked one brow. “My how insensitive of you.” he replied. Laurel blushed deeply, muttering something under his breath as he looked away. The large man chuckled. “I mean, it’s no secret you don’t like the old man, but you and Zack are close, at least have some sympathy for the kid.”

“You know, as much as I love you two talking so affectionately about me, you could at least have the decency to wait till I’m not in the room. Really it’s endearing to know you care.” A new voice interjected dryly. Gray and chocolate eyes shifted to the subject of their speech. Zack’s dark blue gaze was back to the present. He was fidgeting with the pages of the book he had been starring so at so fiercely moments before, as he eyed his teacher and guardian with a quirked brow.

The ex-soldier grinned with a sarcastic salute. “Welcome back Lord Zack.”

The nobleman rolled his eyes. “Barrack, how many times do I have to tell you to just call me Zack when we’re alone?” he asked, finally shutting the book with a loud thump to echo his slight frustration with his guardian.

“We are not alone.” Barrack interjected with a raised brow.

Zack snorted waving the reply off with a flick of his hand. “Laurel hardly counts.”

It was the mage’s turn to quirk one fine brow. “Gee thanks.”

Zack gave a sheepish yet apologetic look towards his mentor. “I meant that you’ve been around since I was a baby-”

“I was only six years old!” Laurel interrupted pointedly, brushing a strand of hair behind his ear.

Again the young nobleman rolled his eyes. “Point is you’re both like parents to me-”

“Older brother.” the mage cried indignantly.

“-so there is no need to be so formal.” Zack continued, narrowing his eyes at his long time mentor.

The brown-headed mage sat straighter, waving his hand in a dismissive gesture. “Very well Zack are you finished attempting to concentrate?”

The nobleman stiffened, but ducked his head sheepishly. He knew he had been caught not listening to Laurel’s lecture. He halfway hopped that Laurel would dismiss the fact, but Zack knew that he should have known his mentor better than that. “Yeah.” he muttered, pushing the book away from him whole shooting a timidly worried glance at Laurel from the corner of his eyes.

Laurel sighed and crossed his hands in his lap, the knee-length, pristine, white and silver tunic he wore bunched under his hands, pulling against the silver belt that held it tight against his waist. “Fine go.” he stated adverting his eyes, and cursing the soft spot he held for the nineteen year old. He tried resisting tapping one boot clad foot that was laced of over his fitting black breeches.

Zack grinned at his teacher, standing and stretching his arms above his head, shooting a longing look out the window. “You’d think that being qualified to be the General of his army during the war at only seventeen years old, I wouldn’t have to bother with all of this studying.” he stated absently, letting his hands drop to his sides, and turning to walk towards the door.

“You have no choice in being the heir Zack, these lands will fall apart if you don’t.” Laurel replied with a flush. He despised pressuring his student and long time friend, but it was necessary now, for the time being anyway. He glanced over his shoulder to his student, who had paused next to his guardian. Zack’s proud shoulders had dropped slightly. Laurel didn’t need to see the nobleman’s face to know the sadness held in the deep eyes. Again he mentally berated himself for causing it.

“I know, just until Chloe gets old enough to help, and Nian comes back.” Zack answered quietly. His words were said with the utmost confidence of the nobleman he was, but the way Zack kept his head bowed and eyes adverted betrayed him. He paused for only a moment before continuing out the door.

The ex-soldier inhaled deeply as if his longs had been starved despite the air he had been holding in, while Laurel kept worried eyes leveled towards the door. “He still believes that Nian is alive.”

“He refuses to accept his brother’s death, even when Chloe is ready to give in.” Barrack responded shortly. He only took a moment to take in the surprise that graced the mage’s smooth features. “I take it he hasn’t said anything to you.”

Laurel shook, his head, glancing down at his tightly clasped hands. “No, he hasn’t said a word about Nian since he… disappeared.” he replied, struggling to keep his face apathetic.

Barrack’s scarred face fell slightly. “In neigh two years he hasn’t one word?” Laurel shook his head again and Barrack sighed. “I figured out of everyone aside from Chloe and Axis, he would talk to you.” the ex-soldier continued with a studious glare towards the mage.

Laurel flushed slightly, but sat up straighter in his chair. “He hasn’t said anything. But he also knows my stand on the whole ordeal. Maybe he saw it as pointless.”

Barrack’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t phase me Laurel Harlow. Everyone knows how close you and Nian were.”

Laurel’s face softened slightly as his gaze shifted to the sky outside the window. “I desperately want to believe my closest friend is still alive, but there hasn’t been any sign.”

Barrack furrowed his brow in confusion. “Any sign?”

Laurel closed his eyes. “When we were growing up we set up this communication system with our magic. Nian’s invention. It works all the time, despite the distance between us. If he was still around, he would have let me know, no question.”

Barrack eyed the younger man silently for a few moments before taking a deep breath. “Don’t sell the young Lord short Laurel. We have no idea what happened.”

Laurel sighed. “I know.”

“Besides Zack needs us right now.”

The mage tucked a strand of long brown hair behind an ear. “He doesn’t belong in this type of life.” Laurel stated finally looking back over towards the larger man. Barrack hummed his consent. “Nian and Chloe are suited for it, they have the personalities of strong nobles. But Zack had a free spirit.” the mage paused then rolled his eyes. “He doesn’t even want it, but he’s far to kind to say anything.”

Barrack snorted. “Kind or stubborn?”

Laurel shrugged in response. “A bit of both maybe.”

“The kid may have a big heart but he certainly can be stuck up with quite a temper” Barrack retorted with a snide grin.

Laurel laughed and nodded. “Yes of course, we’ve all been at the receiving end of that.”

There was a long comfortable silence after that. The mage watching the sky outside the window again, and the ex soldier watching the mage. “You’re going to the banquet tonight right?” Barrack asked after a while.

Laurel shrugged one shoulder before giving Barrack a wry smile. “Yes of course. There’s no way I could get away with not showing up.” He gazed longingly at the two short stack of books before him on the table. They were new books to their humble library, but ancient in age, as the yellowing pages explained. Axis had shown up out of the blue that morning with them and Laurel hadn’t quite had a chance to look them over. Unfortunately for Laurel though, he wouldn’t get much of a chance until the next day. As one of the only mages in the castle, even with the Royal Party that arrived that morning, his services would be needed to keep things running smoothly. Besides, other than Axis, whose magic was significantly limited, Zack and his sister, no one knew the ancient Kell castle better than Laurel.

The ex-guard grinned at the wayward scholar’s rather defeated look. “Don’t pine too much, it will affect your work. Besides it’s not like they’re going to cheat on you.” Laurel rolled his eyes, giving the older man a mock laugh. “Well I’ll see you tonight.”

“Don’t let Zack be late to his own birthday party.” Laurel instructed, picking up a pair of glasses sitting near by and pushing them firmly onto his face.

“Likewise my dear mage.” Barrack replied turning to stroll calmly from the room.


======


Zack Kell rested on the window sill belonging to the large window of his room. The window looked out over the cove next to the castle, but it also opened to a long drop to the cliffs below. The young Lord was gazing at the endless horizon beyond the coast as the sun started it’s slow descent behind the sea. He was also pointedly ignoring his guardian as Barrack paced across the wide expanse of wooden flooring in front of the large four post bed. Zack knew the ex-soldier was agitated, he could tell by the way Barrack’s steps were heavy and loud compared to the surprisingly light and stealthy steps he was accustomed to hearing from the large warrior. “You want to what?” Barrack asked for what seemed like the millionth time since Zack told his guardian his plans.

The young Lord shrugged and didn’t even bother looking at the pacing man. “Go into town tomorrow.”

“Your father will never allow that.” Barrack responded. The pacing stopped. Zack knew somehow that the ex-soldier was standing stubbornly, his feet planted apart and his hands on his hips. It was the stance the man often took when he knew he’d have to fight with his young and equally stubborn charge.

“Father hardly knows what his name is, what else he doesn’t know wont hurt him.” Zack responded, tilting his head as a dark shape appeared at the corner of the cove. The cliff cast odd shadows over it, making it impossible for Zack to know exactly what it was, even though he had a faint suspicion. “Besides, I haven’t really left the castle since father took ill a year and a half ago.” he continued finally glancing at his guardian. “And it’s my birthday.”

Barrack hesitated under Zack’s intense stare, looking away from the young man with an unreadable expression. As the youngest son of the Kell family, Zack hadn’t had as much freedom as one would expect, especially after his mother died shortly after he was born. He had been sick a lot until he reached his teenage years and grew almost dramatically healthy. In addition, Zack looked almost exactly like his mother, which resulted in his father growing extremely overprotective, even after the man remarried.

He had never been allowed beyond the castle grounds at all before the age of twelve besides carefully planned visits to the palace to be shown off, or visit his cousins. Once Zack was declared healthy enough, Axis began to sneak his friend out of the castle for brief adventures to the town when the Lord of the Land was otherwise occupied, which gradually frequented as both boys got older. Everyone was surprised when his father named Zack the General of his army shortly after his eldest son Nian disappeared during the war.

But it wasn’t what Zack expected. He was more of an iconic leader rather than an actual one. He never even got a chance to fight, much less leave their camp. It was a shame too, it was no secret that Zack knew how to fight. Anyone who was trained by Barrack Talton knew how to handle themselves in any combat, and they were good, no mere foot soldiers.

“Barrack.”

The ex-soldier hesitated, before looking down into deep blue eyes. Zack smirked slightly then looked back out the window with a small sigh. There was a moments pause before something lit in the young Lord’s face as something caught his acute curiosity. Zack’s arms were crossed over his knees as he leaned forward, out of the open window. Only his extreme sense of balance kept the young man from tumbling out of the window to the water and rocks of the steep cove below. Barrack quirked a brow. “What is it?” he asked at long last.

The young nobleman’s arm shot out, pointing at something near the end of the cove. “What do you suppose that is? I cant tell.”

Barrack sighed loudly and walked over to the window, peering out of it. A quick inspection and he could definitely see the dark shape that didn’t belong on the water near the cliffs. He reached a hand into a pocket, pulling out a small scope, opening it and putting it to his eye. The ex-soldier squinted, started and then stared, much to the younger man’s amusement. “It’s a ship.”

Zack furrowed his brow. “A ship? What’s a ship doing out there, why don’t they go to the port?” he asked staring at the dark shape. It was slowly starting to get harder to make out with the dying light as the sun slowly slipped further down beyond the horizon. A ship this far around the coast was unusual to see, the city and port was on the other side of those cliffs, quite a ways away. On his occasional run always with his best friend Axis, he’d grab a small boat and make his way along the coast, skimming the cliffs and down the twelve or so miles to town, but for a ship that bit to be this far off, it was unheard of, much less actually seen.

“Maybe they don’t want to.”

“Still what would they be doing there? Isn’t that dangerous?”

Barrack frowned slightly, but slipped the scope back into his pocket. “It can be if you don’t know what you’re doing.” He replied glancing down at the young nobleman whose eyes hadn’t left the black mass since the conversation began. Sometimes the ex-soldier forgot about Zack’s immense curiosity. If it caught the young man’s attention, Zack hardly ever let it rest without finding everything he could about the subject. It was often the tactic Laurel used to get his young student to study.

Zack hummed in thought slightly before dropping of his legs off the sill with a stretch. The sun was in danger of disappearing all together. Barrack seemed to read his mind as the ex-soldier lit the lamp next to Zack’s four poster bed. “You need to get ready for the party.” Barrack stated, hands planted on his hips.

The dark headed man frowned, tucking a stray strand of hair behind his ear before crossing his arms. “Do I have to go?” he all but whined. Big formal events were never really Zack’s strong suit, especially when they were held in his family’s honor, or even his as the case may be.

Barrack grinned triumphantly, even if it was a small victory, any break in his young charge’s stubborn façade was a great accomplishment. “The party is for you. Of course you have to go.” he instructed, on hand on a hip, the other resting on the hilt of his sword. “Besides your cousin just got here.”

Zack blinked, and quirked one fine brow. “Jon’s here?” He asked standing, feet planted apart, unsure whether to be excited or angry.

The ex-soldier furrowed his brows in slight confusion. “Yes.” he stated hesitantly.

Zack hummed in thought, briefly shifting his gaze outside, back towards the ship before clasping his hands behind his head. “Alright… well go get ready and I will meet you there.”

At that Barrack narrowed his eyes, his suspicious nature getting the better of him. “You promise?”

The young lord blinked, resisting snickering at how childish his guardian suddenly sounded. “I promise.” he stated, hiding a smirk behind one hand.

Barrack hesitated before making his way out of the door. “Be good. No tricks. And you better show or I will send Laurel after your hide.”

Zack gave a mock scandalized look. “I would never try anything of the sort!”

The ex-soldier snorted, not even giving a backward glance as he opened the door. “So says the kid who hid during his seventh birthday.” he stated before letting the door close behind him.

Zack chuckled and stretched, starring around the room. Part of him wanted to jump out the window to save himself the torture of formal politeness, but he checked himself, most windows lead out to the cliff, and was an automatic drop fifty feet. Instead he sighed in resign and pulled off the dark blue tunic and replaced it with the crisp deep green formal shirt that one of the maids had left out for him. He stood for a moment contemplating his feet before rolling his eyes and sitting down to replace his comfortable riding boots for the pair of formal black boots required, lacing them over the tight black pants he didn’t bother changing out of.

The first time Zack’s father had decided to throw a big banquet in honor of Zack, it had been on the eve of Zack’s seventh birthday. Since he had been old enough to be carted to parties in the castle, his father had made sure he made an appearance, in an effort to carry out his late wife’s legacy. Naturally Zack had always clung to his older brother, and his older brother’s best friend. But Laurel hated social functions almost as much as Nian had enjoyed them. By the time Zack had reached the age of seven, he learned that he would much rather be outside playing with Axis rather than having to pretend to be polite. So when his father announced the party to celebrate his youngest son’s birthing day, Zack instantly made plans with Axis to do something else. Forget having to go the celebration, much less a celebration where all of the attention was centered on him (even if it did mean presents). They ended up spending a majority of the day and night in the stables with the horses, despite Axis’s older sisters warning.

Laurel and Nian had found them there three hours after the party was supposed to have started, after coercing the information from Axis’s oldest sister. Both boys managed to land themselves in deep trouble, with weeks worth of punishments, most of them to Laurel and Barrack’s amusement. Neither had been brave enough to attempt it again, not that either hadn’t thought about it.

Until now. Zack didn’t have Nian to hide behind, and he wasn’t a child anymore. Laurel and Barrack would be loyal, they wouldn’t stray far from his side if they could help it. But Laurel had a habit of being stony silent on formal occasions like this, giving only mumbled replies when Zack tried to talk to him. Barrack watched more than talked, keeping a close eye on everything around him like a good guardian should. Axis on the other hand would try to amuse him from the sidelines , where he directed the castle’s servants on his mother’s behalf.

A light knock on the door drew the nobleman out of his reverie. He frowned, pulling his hair out of the loose braid as he opened the door. The glare he had picked out for his apparent babysitter faded when he caught sight of who it was. His sister sent him an almost blindingly bright smile, which Zack knew meant to be mocking. The dark haired man rolled his eyes, turning to let her follow him into the room. “They sent you to watch me?”

Chloe giggled. “Of course not. Just to make sure you actually show up.” She offered, taking his arm and pulling him to the full length mirror in the forgotten corner of his bedroom.

Zack frowned, watching her behind him in the reflection of the mirror. “Will they ever let that go?”

The young teen shook her head, reaching up to comb her hands through Zack’s long black hair. “You caused quite a stir. I was only three and I still remember Mama worrying to death.” She replied as Zack knelt without provocation to allow her to pull it back in the customary formal ponytail.

Zack chose to let the subject drop, eyeing her through the mirror. It was easier than pursuing it, he knew from experience that it was easier to live and let live then chase and die. “You look very lovely tonight.”

A light red flush painted her cheeks as she worked, making Zack grin. It meant she was most likely dressed up particularly well to impress someone. Her curly light brown hair was pinned up, sending soft ringlets into her face. She was wearing a blood red and silver gown that brought out the vivid green of her eyes. All in all, Chloe was the spitting image of her mother, their father’s second wife, who was renowned for her beauty. “Some boy? Axis maybe? Or that dashing young friend of Jon’s… Erreck I think it was?” he inquired , shaking his head slightly as she finished, getting used to the tightness of the ponytail.

Her flush darkened as she stepped back. “N-no of course not! What makes you say that?” she stuttered, crossing her arms over her stomach.

“No reason little sister.” Zack replied, masking his grin by standing and making sure sword was clasped tightly to his belt. It was one of his most prized possessions, Nian had given the priceless sword to him on his eighteenth birthday, just a few short weeks before he disappeared. “Shall we get this over with?”

Chloe sighed, smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirts before taking her brother’s offered arm. “The sooner the better I suppose.”