Maledictus Terra Book 3: Vetitum Nemus Part 88
Introduction
Welcome back to Maledicturs Terra. This is a Chain Story between myself and @lex-zaiya, meaning that we each write the parts alternatively.
If you have not read Maledictus Terra Book 1: Mortis Custos yet, it starts HERE at Part 1 and ends at Part 101 HERE. At the end of the Part 101 post you will find links to all 101 Parts!
Maledictus Terra Book 2: Sanguifex started HERE with Part 1 and ends at Part 111 HERE
The previous part by @lex-zaiya can be found here!
Part 88
Tiberos sat stunned. He had been allowed a small glimpse of Adiran's rooms but they now sat in one of the halls near that Mage's tower. There had been too many things in that location that were interesting and the more that Tiberos had enquired about the nature and origin of certain artefacts, the more irritable and defensive Adiran had become.
So they had moved their meeting place to this hall. Tiberos like felt that he was sweating over and under his skin. They had not spoken yet but there was something in the way the two other mages sat across from him that made him uneasy.
He felt as though they had done this on purpose and for a reason... a reason that his mind did not want to fully accept. He looked back and forth between the two men, one young and friendly, though possessing a quiet power. The other was grey bearded and mature, though not very old. He looked like he could still travel far on horseback. The power emanating from him was staggering even when held back.
Usually he would have been unnerved at the proximity of a non-human and especially by an Orc, but these new Orcs were very different from the unthinking savages that had plagued the lands for centuries. This Gorma seemed to him more like an exotic woman, which was a species that Tiberos neither understood nor had many dealings with in his life.
In all intents and purposes, Gorma faded into the background of his perception and he could only stare at these two men.
"Is there something that you would like to say or ask?" Adiran asked quietly. "You have been looking at us funny since we sat down." At this Prince Adrian had smiled quickly and then suppressed the smile.
"I... uh... no... I was just thinking." Tiberos said.
"This is probably the first time ever you would have seen the two of us, side by side and so close to you." Adiran said. "To be honest, it is something that I usually avoid doing. Because of the similarities. Don't you agree?"
"Right!" Tiberos said. He felt a cold flush. "You are definitely family... I mean... wow... you look more similar to each other than what King Johnathan had looked compared to his son."
Adiran paused, almost looking shocked, as though he had just realized something.
"I... I mean... it is nothing to do with me... politics and royal families sometimes have very deep secrets and it is not for the common folk to know about indiscretions and..."
Adiran had raised a hand quickly. "Let me stop you right there!" At this hasty move and the tone of his voice the Prince had started to laugh.
"I don't think that you were expecting that conclusion!" Prince Adrian said grinning. The Orc woman was laughing softly as well. Tiberos knew then that she knew more than he did and that annoyed him a bit. This outsider that had just arrived in their castle was party to things that nobody know.
Adiran sat straighter and leaned in closer to Adrian. "Yes, there is a lot of similarities between us. We are usually not close like this to hide this... but no... not for the reasons that you seemed to be leading to. Look closer. If you wanted to become a Mage unlike the rest of those that live in the castle and be useful to me, you need to have a more open mind so you may percieve truths and realities."
Tiberos frowned and looked between the two. It struck him then that their eyes were identical. He worked outward from there. Eyebrows were the same shape but Adiran's were grey and longer.
Their noses had a defined bridge and ended in a delicate tip that was a hallmark of the twins. Both Magna and Adrian had noses like this. Tiberos had seen the two of them together many times.
After that he looked at their lips, he could not see Adiran's cheeks or chin, but his wrinkled forehead was the same shape and the hairline was the same.
"It is almost as though you could have been a third twin." Tiberos said, half to himself.
Adiran smiled. "Now you are getting somewhere!"
Tiberos blinked and focussed on the Mage again. "Really? That is closer to the truth then? But! Um... that cannot be all... that is not the whole truth... like you are a third twin but not really. I mean... there is the age difference. You are the same... but not the father... not the brother..."
"And I am not his uncle!" Adiran said firmly.
Tiberos' mind was sliding away from the conclusion that it was trying to come up with. "Forgive me, my lord... I want to believe, but it almost seems too incredible to believe."
Adrian sighed in exasperation. "For heaven's sake Adiran! Let's just show him!" At that and without ceremony the prince lifted his thick shirt that he was wearing and revealed his chest and abdominal muscles and turned bright red at the appreciative whistle from the Orc woman. The prince quickly dropped the garment down.
Adiran frowned and sighed. He leaned forward and pulled at the neck of his robe downward, revealing only the upper part of his chest. Tiberos gasped as the realization struck. "You have the same scar! You..." He looked back and forth between the young and old mage. "You are... you!"
Adiran nodded slowly and sat back up. "We are the same. I am him... mostly..."
"Mostly?" Tiberos frowned.
Adrian chuckled. "Right... this is going to take a while. Should we get something to eat?"
Over to you Lex!
Thank you for reading!
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Vetitum Nemus
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@zakludick
That was really, really good!
😁 Thank you.