Mirror (part 19 of 28)
Back to Part 18"Any news?" Lina Inverse asked as she pulled some
meat from the roast with her teeth, the little redhead
chewing hungrily. Her cloat and some of her gear were
hung over a nearby chair, leaving her in just her
comfortable tunic and keggings.
"Some," Phil admitted, the black haired bear of a man
scratching thoughtfully at his bushy beard, "there's
some powerful defensive spells shielding where ever
Naga is but we have pinned down the general region."
"Gods am I tired," Naga sighed wearily as she entered
the dining hall after Phil, the tall, black haired
swordswoman leaning on her little sister for support.
She looked like she was utterly exhausted, her hair
hanging limp and eyes half lidded.
Seeing this Lina leapt to her feet, meal temporarily
abandoned as she demanded of Naga, "Are you all
right?"
"I'm fine," Naga reassured her as she sat beside
Lina, "it's just that being in the middle of a spell
like that draws your strength out, somewhat."
Amelia nodded, the slightly smaller woman smiling
reassuringly, "It's all right, Lina. I checked over
Lady Naga myself."
"Here," Lina passed over a big chunk of the roast as
she said gently, "you'll feel better after you eat
something."
"Thank you," Naga smiled at her greatfully and Lina
blushed a bit.
"I see it but I don't believe it," Zelgadiss
murmured, the greenish skinned warrior looking on from
where he had followed Amelia in, "Lina never shares
food."
Quietly Amelia said to him, "Naga has a remarkable
power over our Lina."
Keeping a concerned eye on Naga Lina asked Phil, "So
where do you think the other version of Naga is,
then?"
Having taken a seat at the head of the table Phil
grabbed some fish as he said, "In the Cimerian region,
I believe."
"Theres at least three kingdoms there," Zel noted as
he mentally envisioned a map of the continent, "small
but fierce."
"I've met a few warriors from there," Lina mused as
she guzzled some wine, "big dumb types seem their
specialty."
"Only partially," Naga pointed with a chicken leg she
was eating, "their fighters and swordsmen all leave
home to seek out mercenary work, while the mages,
sorcerers and others tend to stay at home."
"That fits with what the court mages said," Amelia
noted, "it's a powerful mystic or group of mystics
shielding Naga."
Shortly after they had defeated the rampaging demon
the mages of the Court had taken Naga aside and tried
to use her again to find her mirror twin. The
enchantments that originally found traces of her
passage seemed not to work, and they quickly realized
powerful magical defences had been raised against
their search.
"I'm sorry that we can't seem to narrow it down any
more," Phil scowled. He drank half his wine in one
long gulp, "So what do you want to do now?"
"We go there," Lina said flatly, "if someone's
captured Naga it'll worry them, maybe even make them
tip their hand."
Zel looked at her with more than a bit of surprise as
he asked, "You're offering to go help someone for no
reward?"
Lina smirked back, "If we're dealing with a sorcerer
they'll have plenty of magial artifacts and treasures
for us to loot."
"Should have guessed," Amelia sighed. She looked up
to meet Lina's eyes, "Of course you know I'll be going
along."
"And I, too," Zel said calmly.
"But..." Naga started.
"Both you and your mirror'd self are blood
relations," Amelia said, "honor, not to mention our
growing friendship, demands that I assist."
"Zel?" Lina looked curious.
Zel shrugged slightly as he smiled fondly at Amelia,
"Where she goes, I go."
"I can provide some supplies and horses," Phil
offered eagerly, "maybe some soldiers for escort
too..."
"I'll take the supplies but no soldiers or horses,"
Lina said firmly.
"Hmm?" Phil raised a bushy eyebrow, his mouth full of
food.
"If we're really in a hurry the soldiers couldn't
keep up with us anyway," Naga explained gently as she
slurped some hot soup, "and regular horses are too
likely to spook if we get into a fight and need to use
our sorcery."
"Besides," Zel flashed a smile, "the poor things
whimper in pain almost as soon as they see me, much
less my riding one."
"True enough," Phil agreed.
"How quickly can you get the suplies together? I
suspect Lina wants to leave soon," Naga said with a
smile.
"I'll start things moving now," Phil waved a servant
over and whispered instructions, "but it won't be
until sometime tomorrow, certainly."
"Good enough. I hate leaving all these good meals
behind," Lina said a bit regretfully, "but we should
get going soon. If Naga is a captive they have to know
we've been magically searching, and I don't want to
give them too much time to prepare."
"Considering they already sent the demon Arberath
after us as a distraction, I hate to imagine what they
could do next," Amelia said as she ate.
"Demon's lie like we breathe," Naga reminded them all
that what Arberath had said might not be that
reliable.
"True," Zel agreed, "but a bound demon will often do
whatever it can to undermine whoever sent it. If so,
he might have been truthful with his hints."
"So we can guess someone is holding Naga captive and
has some powerful resources behind them," Phil
speculated.
"And it might be a woman," Lina added.
"Huh?" everyone looked at her.
"Arberath called whoever summoned him ''the Witch,' "
Lina reminded them, "if he meant it as a insult it's
female and male witches are usually called warlocks."
"The witch could be just a employee," Amelia
countered, "but it's possible."
"So what does this mystery woman want with my
daughter?" Phil growled out.
Zel covertly looked at Naga, "Maybe she's fascinated
by large breasts?"
"Zel!" Amelia scolded while Naga blushed.
"Drop it," Lina gave Zel a dangerous look and he made
no other comments. Getting back to business Lina said,
"It could be a old enemy of Naga's, mine or both."
"Or someone Naga crossed after you knew her," Naga
said. She blinked "Or even a foe that my Lina and I
made, who was unaware I have a double."
"Which expands the list of suspects even wider," Phil
groaned.
"Trying to narrow it down would be guesswork," Lina
decided to cut them off, "we'll save that till we know
more."
Naga stretched, yawning slightly. "If no one minds I
think I'll retire for the night," she said, "we may
have a early start tomorrow."
Surprisingly Lina abandoned foraging the last of the
food trays. "She's right, we should go to bed early,"
Lina said as she followed Naga out of the room. Once
they were sure they were out of everyone's sight Lina
reached out and took Naga's hand.
Amelia smiled from where she was peeking, turning
back to return to the dining room with a smile. "Did
you see what you thought you'd see?" Zel asked her
curiously.
"Yes, I think so," Amelia said, bending forward to
whisper it into his ear.
"Oh ho," Zel smiled.
"I understand from the servants that Lina's room
hasn't been slept in," Phil looked more amused than
anything else, "is she spending her time at Naga's?"
"It appears so, father," Amelia admitted, carefully
looking to see his reaction.
"I'm glad," Phil reassured her with a smile, "I think
they are well suited to each other."
"But what happens when the first Naga returns?" Zel
asked.
"We'll have to see what happens," Phil sighed.
Onwards to Part 20
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