Chapter 3: The Colours of Magic

Chapter 3

The castle loomed ahead, someone stood waiting at the gates.  Seraphina urged her horse to go faster.  When they arrived Seraphina leapt off her horse and threw herself into Olivers arms.  Oliver gently stroked her long blond hair.  

“What happened?  Where is you escort?”  he asked worriedly.

“They’re dead, she killed them all!”  Seraphina sobbed.

“Shhh.  Start from the beginning love,” Oliver said soothingly.  

“We were riding through the forest when we hear the horn blow.  A troop of soldiers found her.  My escort and I followed the sound of the horn to her.  I asked her to surrender. I offered her a chance to live but she refused.  She killed them all with dark magic.  We fought, and, and I won,” Seraphina explained tearfully, “I just don’t understand.  What happened to the woman who braided my hair and taught me to sing?  The woman who was my mother for eight years.  Did she just disappear, or did she even exist?”

“The woman who was your mother wasn’t the woman who killed your father.  Her magic is proof of that,” Oliver comforted.

“You’re right,” Seraphina sniffed.

“What about the bloodstone?”  Oliver asked.  

“Gone.  She said it was gone,” Seraphina replied hopelessly.  

“Maybe we can find it?”  Olive suggested.

“Duana was the most powerful halfling I ever met.  If she says it’s gone forever, it’s gone forever.”  Seraphina said.  

“Then we’ll find another way.  The war has to end,” Oliver said confidently.  

“But why wouldn’t she want the war to end?”  Seraphina asked.

“I don’t know.  But the war will end.  We will find a way,” Oliver said determinedly.

“It was with halfling magic we were going to end the war.  Lets call all the halfling to the castle.  Perhaps with their help we can find a new way,” Seraphina said blandly.  

Oliver kissed Seraphina quickly.  “I’ll go do that now.  You get some rest,” he said.

Instead of resting, Seraphina lit a candle and said a silent prayer for Duanas soul, for the woman who had once been her mother, then blew out the little flame.