Dragon Heartstone > Chapter 19–A Safe Place

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Alric handed Larah another cup of water as she cleared her plate. Her appetite had greatly improved, and she appeared, on the surface anyway, to be much better than she had been just a day ago. Yet he sensed she still needed help. “Are you up for a ride?”

Larah nodded. “I think so. It would be nice to get some fresh air.”

“My thoughts exactly,” he said. Turning to Ulrich, he spoke. “Bring horses around for Larah and myself. We’re going for a ride.”

“As you wish,” Ulrich acknowledged before slipping away.

Leading the way, Alric made his way through the Inn to the front door. Ulrich rode up with a pair of extra horses.

“Where are we headed?” Larah asked after mounting up.

“There is a scenic spot not far away I’d like to show you,” Alric answered, tugging on the reins. Together with Ulrich trailing them at a distance, the pair rode out of town and then turned east toward a nearby tree-topped rise. They spent the next several hours tracing a path to the top. The sun was just past noon when they reached the crest. At the top of the hill, the trees thinned out into a clearing, the break in the trees revealing the Krador mountains, the tips of which were smothered in snow and surrounded by clouds.

Larah drew in a breath. “This is magnificent.”

“Yes, absolutely,” Alric said with a sigh. “I first came here with Aurea, Britta’s mother, some twenty years ago. This was her safe place.”

“Safe place?”

“Like Avalir is to you, this is where she felt safest. When she would meditate, this is always where I would find her.”

“That must be nice, but isn’t it dangerous, like the memory door you showed me?”

“There is always a risk, but you learn to pick the right memories and wall off the negative ones. Finding a place with good memories can be hard to do. However, if you choose wisely, you can leverage it for a real advantage.”

“How so?”

“Do you know why they call me the ‘Eagle Eye’?”

“Because of your wisdom and foresight,” Larah answered.

“Seeing the future—my foresight—is a gift, but wisdom is earned by accumulating knowledge and being able to use that knowledge to an end. In my case, I use my safe space to revisit my knowledge in detail.”

“How so?”

“It would be easier if I showed you.” Alric dismounted, and Larah did the same. He grabbed an extra saddle blanket from his mount, then passed off the reins to Ulrich, who retreated respectfully. Alric led Larah to a grassy spot in the clearing and laid down a horse blanket. “Sit cross-legged facing me, and I will do likewise.” They did so, and he leaned forward holding his hands out. “Take my hands and close your eyes.”

Larah swallowed hard. “I trust you, but can you tell me what we are doing?”

“I’m going to let you into my memory and show you one of my safe spaces.”

“Okay,” Larah responded, then closed her eyes.

“Listen only to the sound of my voice, and when I tell you, open your eyes.” He paused and took a deep breath. “A memoria tua. Aperi viam. [From my memory to yours. Open the way.]” He paused again. “Now open your eyes.”

* * *

Larah opened her eyes and gasped. The world around them had shifted to a room in a castle. Lamps flickered in sconces on the walls, and rows and rows of books and scrolls littered the shelves. “What is this place?”

“My private library in Wolfbern. Like you, I am a bookworm.” He stood up and motioned her to do the same. She did.

Leaning forward, she looked at the books on the shelf. Titles of local and regional histories and references to plants, zoology, and biology swam before her eyes. Some were in better shape than others. Scrolls lay about in piles, some haphazardly or with dust on them. Others are freshly stacked and organized.

Larah poked one of the mounds. “A bit of a mess, isn’t it?”

Alric chuckled. “Yes, well, the older you get, the more things accumulate, and the harder it gets to stay organized.” He reached onto a shelf and pulled a small tome, leather-bound and with a threaded binding. “The reason I’m sharing my safe space with you is two-fold. First, it can be a sanctuary from the stresses of the real world, but depending on where your safe space is, you can also use it to problem solve.” He handed her the book.

She perused the cover. The title read, “Dreams and their interpretations.” “I’ve seen this book before … in the library of Avalir.”

“Which is where I encountered it myself, nearly thirty years ago.”

Opening it, she flipped through the pages. The text, for the most part, was what she remembered. However, some of the script was faded, and a few pages were missing. “This does not look complete.”

“Ah yes, one of the perils of age. Unless you refresh the knowledge, it can be hard to keep it intact. This is one of the reasons I spend much of my time in my library when I’m in Wolfbern.”

“Interesting,” she noted. She pulled a fairly dusty scroll off the shelf while handing him back the book. “What are these?”

“Notes to myself, individual memories, and whatnot. Sometimes things that defy organization.”

Unrolling the scroll, she saw stick figures scrawled across it. In a crudely drawn manner, using charcoal, a picture emerged. A princess chased a dragon with an oversized sword, which in turn chased men fleeing in obvious terror. “What’s this?”

Alric craned his neck to look, even as he pulled another book off the shelf. “Oh, that. Britta drew that as a child. Even as a youngster, she looked for out-of-this-world challenges, not flowers or scenery like her contemporaries.”

“How cute,” Larah said, rolling up the scroll and placing it back on the shelf. Scanning the shelf, she found another scroll, fairly recent, but carefully folded and tucked between two books. Pulling it out, she unfolded part of it.

“My darling. Time runs short, so this will be concise. The Brin Shar came looking for you, but because you were out, I met with him instead. Rumor has it Faline has escaped the Mordwahl, and he wanted you to confirm it. I offered to go instead. We should be gone for two weeks. Love, Aurea.” Brin Shar? That would be Gall. Aurea is Britta’s mother, Queen of Cazidor. “Gall knew Aurea?” she muttered aloud.

Alric sighed. “Yes.” He reached over and took the scroll from Larah. “Some memories can never be forgotten.” With that, he slid it back onto the shelf.

“What happened at the Mordwahl?”

Alric’s face tightened. “They both got more than they bargained for, and everyone paid the price.”

Larah studied his face for a moment, not fully comprehending his meaning. But before she could pursue the subject, Alric spoke again. “What do you think?”

“This safe space is only in your mind?” Alric nodded. “We are still physically in the meadow?”

“That’s right.”

“How practical is this? Doesn’t having to meditate make you vulnerable in the real world?”

“True, there is a danger inherent in meditating when the environment around you is unsafe, but also understand that while you are in a safe space, time passes very slowly. What seems like hours takes only minutes to the outside observer. You can take a deep dive into your knowledge and experiences in a way that is quick and efficient. To leave at any time, simply say, ‘Siste memoriam et redi ad mundum’ [Stop the memory and return to the world] and snap your fingers.” He did so, and suddenly the world around them shifted back to the meadow.

* * *

Larah blinked. “Amazing. But why are you showing me this now?”

Alric studied her. “My foresight visited me last night, and I saw you entering your safe space. I wanted to give you some sense of what that is like while we have the time to do so.”

“So, I will need it in the future?” Alric nodded. “Can you help me find my own safe space?”

“I can. Do you have any place in mind?”

“Yes, the library of Avalir.”

“I suspected you might say that. You have nothing but good memories there?”

“Yes.”

“Then that is probably a good choice.”

“How do I enter that space?”

“Close your eyes, put the image in your mind, and say the words “Suscipe me in sanctuarium memoriae meae [Take me to the sanctuary of my memory.]”

Larah pursed her lips and stared at him. “What if I can’t leave the safe space?”

“I don’t think that is possible. It is far harder to stay in a safe place than it is to get stuck there. But, if you are concerned, I can break your connection and bring you back.”

“I want to try, but I’m scared.”

He laid a hand on hers. “That’s understandable. Maybe now is not the time to explore this.”

She sat silent for a few moments. “Can you accompany me?”

“I’m flattered that you trust me that much, but yes, I can. But be forewarned: Whatever memories you have will be readily available to anyone who accompanies you.”

“Understood, but I have nothing I wish to hide.”

Alric chuckled. “Well, you say that now, but we all do, my dear.”

“Perhaps, but I can deal with it. Do I just repeat what you said to bring me into your safe space?”

“Let us close our eyes. Imagine yourself back in Avalir, but in the library. Then speak the words.” He closed his eyes, and she did the same.

After a few seconds, she said, “A memoria tua. Aperi viam. [From my memory to yours. Open the way.]”

* * *

Larah opened her eyes. Around her was the library of Avalir. She glanced over to find Alric standing next to her, looking around and nodding. He said, “I remember this well. Perhaps not so vividly, but again, this is your memory, not mine.”

Stepping into the book aisles, Larah scanned the titles, all of which she had some recollection of. “Do you mind if we spend some time here?” she asked, pulling a book off the shelf.

“Not at all,” Alric stated, examining the shelves. “Do you mind if I explore?”

Waving the tome in her hand, Larah laughed, “I am an open book.” He smiled and turned away while she opened the book titled “History of the High-King.”

She perused the pages for several minutes, recalling much of the content, though she’d forgotten some of it. Perhaps this would be useful, as Alric suggested. She heard some rustling, and Alric appeared, looking a bit flustered.

“Are you okay?”

“Does Avalir have a restricted section in its library?”

“Yes,” Larah answered. “But I’ve never been in it.”

Alric tilted his head. Doubt appeared in his features. “Really?”

“I’m not lying. Why are you asking?”

“Follow me,” Alric stated waving at her to follow. They navigated through the shelves until reaching a section of dusty tomes. “Do you recognize any of these?” he asked waving at the volumes.

“No, I’ve never seen these before.” She leaned forward to read the titles, but the script made no sense to her. “I’m not even sure what these books are about.” The hair on her arms started to rise. A few more steps and the feeling intensified. The air grew colder. She extended a hand, and could feel the dull buzz of magic energy, but not typical druid magic. What is this? Turning slowly, she scanned the shelves. Somewhere to her left, the sensation grew, her skin tingling as if something with sharp claws was kneading her skin.

Deep in the section was a red leather-bound book with a black strap around it. The intensity of the sensations she felt centered on it. She started to reach for it, but Alric intervened.

“No, that’s a Grimoire. Those contain the darkest of magic. It is best left alone.”

Larah pulled back. “But why is it here? I’ve never read one before.”

“Few have. Most were thought to have been lost once ancestral blood magic died out.” He scratched his chin. “You came to Avalir as a child?”

“An infant.”

Alric pursed his lips. “Gall is your father.” He paused. “The man is many things, but he is not a dark mage.” He studied her a bit. “Who is your mother?”

“I don’t know. Gall didn’t tell me, and I didn’t see fit to ask.”

The King rubbed his chin. “In the few months I spent in Avalir nearly thirty years ago, I never saw anything like these tomes in the library. If you haven’t read them, then I have no idea how they reside in your memory.”

“The restricted library area is only accessible to Melinda and some of her assistants. I’ve walked past but never been in it.” She turned to Alric. “You do believe me, don’t you?”

“I do,” he answered. “I just don’t understand what we are seeing. I will have to look into this when I return to Wolfbern. For now, let’s leave this space.”

Larah nodded. “Siste memoriam et redi ad mundum [Stop the memory and return to the world.]” She snapped her fingers.

The setting flashed back to the meadow. Alric flashed her a weak smile. “Well, that was interesting. I’m not sure I helped you find a safe space after all.” He glanced at the sun overhead. “We should talk more over lunch. Let’s return to the Inn.” He climbed to his feet and gathered his saddle blanket.

Larah nodded and did the same. What she had seen made no sense. How did a Grimoire get into her memories? The thought certainly raised more questions than provided answers.

* * *

As Alric mounted his horse, he gave Larah the side-eye. What sort of knowledge did Larah possess? Did she know how to use dark magic? From what he knew, dark mages were made, not born. That implied she had some training in the dark arts. Yet she emphatically denied knowing anything of the sort. He sensed she was telling the truth. Still, it was all very confusing.

* * *

Lunch involved another meal at the Inn, during which Larah and Alric agreed that she should avoid the safe space in the Avalir library. As an alternative, she would use Melinda’s quarters. Alric would look into what they had seen the next evening after they returned to his castle.