Read Online Mordraud, Book One by Fabio Scalini - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Fabio Scalini
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“ The other night, in a dream, I heard a distant voice pronounce a name... It was windy and everything was grey... It had never happened to me before. I haven’t forgotten that name,” uttered Eglade.
“ And what was it?”
“ Mordraud...”
The child was immediately peaceful and began studying his father’s hands. Varno tried saying Edrin, but only stirred desperate screams.
“ Mordraud,” Dunwich said, and the baby started playing.
“ Father, my brother wants to be called Mordraud.”
Dunwich ’s tone was harsh. With one arm, he was attempting to shield his little brother from those names that seemed to cause him inexplicable pain.
“ And so it will be... Your name will be Mordraud.”
Varno took his son in his arms and gently squeezed his hand. The baby opened his mouth in a long peaceful and satisfied yawn.
Then his eyelids parted, just for an instant.
Varno came close to collapsing to the floor.
An inc redible piercing green, as deep as the sea.
‘ Aris...’ he thought icily.
‘ That accursed Aelian.’
***
As promised, Seneo returned to the village two years on from the first encounter. Dunwich had grown little, but the tutor accepted to take him to Cambria all the same. With a generosity that stunned both his parents, the man did not request money for his keep during his studies, not for the first years at least. “If he’s as gifted as I imagine, money won’t be an issue. The Arcane Academy itself will pay for his studies, and I shall have my fee,” he explained to reassure them.
Dunwich had immediately grown fond of Mordraud, and spent his whole day with him and his mother. Whenever she allowed him, he’d hold him in his arms and take him for a stroll through the wood. He spoke to the baby ceaselessly, telling him about all the species of trees and the names of the animals they came across. He still seemed noticeably too small for his age, but he could structure long complicated speeches on the make-up of the forest and its plants’ characteristics.
“ It’s nice here, but it’s too small for us,” he would say, pointing to a segment of sky pushing to spread between the intertwined tree crowns swaying in the wind. “You’ll be fully grown one day too and you’ll be able to become someone. You might come and study in Cambria like me, where I’ll be an eminent chanter, and I’ll be able to teach you! Just think, Mordraud... Wouldn’t it be wonderful?”
Dunwich had been waiting for that day since the first time he had seen Seneo, at the end of the path leading to the village. He was about to set off for legendary Cambria, where he’d be able to grow up in the heart of all things , as his mother would call the Khartian capital. He wanted to study something to test his intelligence. He couldn’t wait to leave, and he almost found sleeping at night difficult, from the excitement.
Ye t leaving Mordraud was harder than he’d anticipated.
“ I place you in charge of looking after mum, Mordraud,” pronounced Dunwich, ruffling the thick black hair like his and his father’s. He still looked little more than a newborn, but a year had gone by since his birth. His blood had determined these things, for him too. He would grow slowly. Just like his brother. Eglade had tears in her eyes. Dunwich kissed her to comfort her.
“ Show them what you’re made of in Cambria,” was uttered by Varno alone, and Dunwich embraced him with composed affection. Absurd, his father thought. His son’s eyes and his determination were those of the best of men.
Mordraud stretched out a hand in a goodbye as Dunwich climbed onto the horse behind Seneo. He trusted that tall gentleman with a wise and dignified gait. His cape was permeated with a pleasing scent. He turned to look at his brother and mother one last time, then they were separated by the bend in the path. On his skin was a vague memory plucked from time.
Eyes as deep as the sea.
IV
“ When’s daddy back?”
Eglade was
“ The other night, in a dream, I heard a distant voice pronounce a name... It was windy and everything was grey... It had never happened to me before. I haven’t forgotten that name,” uttered Eglade.
“ And what was it?”
“ Mordraud...”
The child was immediately peaceful and began studying his father’s hands. Varno tried saying Edrin, but only stirred desperate screams.
“ Mordraud,” Dunwich said, and the baby started playing.
“ Father, my brother wants to be called Mordraud.”
Dunwich ’s tone was harsh. With one arm, he was attempting to shield his little brother from those names that seemed to cause him inexplicable pain.
“ And so it will be... Your name will be Mordraud.”
Varno took his son in his arms and gently squeezed his hand. The baby opened his mouth in a long peaceful and satisfied yawn.
Then his eyelids parted, just for an instant.
Varno came close to collapsing to the floor.
An inc redible piercing green, as deep as the sea.
‘ Aris...’ he thought icily.
‘ That accursed Aelian.’
***
As promised, Seneo returned to the village two years on from the first encounter. Dunwich had grown little, but the tutor accepted to take him to Cambria all the same. With a generosity that stunned both his parents, the man did not request money for his keep during his studies, not for the first years at least. “If he’s as gifted as I imagine, money won’t be an issue. The Arcane Academy itself will pay for his studies, and I shall have my fee,” he explained to reassure them.
Dunwich had immediately grown fond of Mordraud, and spent his whole day with him and his mother. Whenever she allowed him, he’d hold him in his arms and take him for a stroll through the wood. He spoke to the baby ceaselessly, telling him about all the species of trees and the names of the animals they came across. He still seemed noticeably too small for his age, but he could structure long complicated speeches on the make-up of the forest and its plants’ characteristics.
“ It’s nice here, but it’s too small for us,” he would say, pointing to a segment of sky pushing to spread between the intertwined tree crowns swaying in the wind. “You’ll be fully grown one day too and you’ll be able to become someone. You might come and study in Cambria like me, where I’ll be an eminent chanter, and I’ll be able to teach you! Just think, Mordraud... Wouldn’t it be wonderful?”
Dunwich had been waiting for that day since the first time he had seen Seneo, at the end of the path leading to the village. He was about to set off for legendary Cambria, where he’d be able to grow up in the heart of all things , as his mother would call the Khartian capital. He wanted to study something to test his intelligence. He couldn’t wait to leave, and he almost found sleeping at night difficult, from the excitement.
Ye t leaving Mordraud was harder than he’d anticipated.
“ I place you in charge of looking after mum, Mordraud,” pronounced Dunwich, ruffling the thick black hair like his and his father’s. He still looked little more than a newborn, but a year had gone by since his birth. His blood had determined these things, for him too. He would grow slowly. Just like his brother. Eglade had tears in her eyes. Dunwich kissed her to comfort her.
“ Show them what you’re made of in Cambria,” was uttered by Varno alone, and Dunwich embraced him with composed affection. Absurd, his father thought. His son’s eyes and his determination were those of the best of men.
Mordraud stretched out a hand in a goodbye as Dunwich climbed onto the horse behind Seneo. He trusted that tall gentleman with a wise and dignified gait. His cape was permeated with a pleasing scent. He turned to look at his brother and mother one last time, then they were separated by the bend in the path. On his skin was a vague memory plucked from time.
Eyes as deep as the sea.
IV
“ When’s daddy back?”
Eglade was
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