They only spent four days more in Adil's company. The entire left side of the library was now protected, along with a few important books from other parts of the library. Alarick had amassed a small pile of copied books to take with him and there was nothing else for them to do.
"You're welcome to stay," Adil offered as they prepared for departure.
"I can't thank you enough for the hospitality and the loan of your warm air, but it's time to move on," Alarick said. "Other libraries need my wife's services."
Wife. The word still sounded strange to Alarick's ears, and likely would for years. The wonder of it never failed to make him smile, however.
As their time with Adil wound down, Alarick wrote to several of his friends, all of whom expressed an interest in having the Book Mesmer fortify their libraries.
"Where would you like to go next?" he asked Elissa over dinner on their last night in Marrakesh. "We've had offers from Ireland, Bavaria, Spain, Austria, Naples, Rome, Denmark, and Luxembourg among others."
"Rome sounds interesting," Elissa said. "Who do you know there?"
"The Pope."
"The Pope is not a wizard. Is he?" she asked.
"He is, difficult as that might be to believe. I'm still not entirely sure how Benedict managed to rise to the Papacy, but there he is. Very few people know."
"Does the Ministry?"
Alarick shrugged. "I have no idea. But even if they think he's simply a glorified priest, they still would love nothing more than to destroy the Vatican library. It's one of the largest libraries in the world and much of it is material with which the Ministry of the One Truth does not agree."
"Both on religious and magical grounds?"
"Exactly. The Vatican's collection of religious dogma alone is enough for the Ministry to seek its destruction, but when you add in the historical works amassed from all over the world, some of which contain references to magic and magical cultures, it presents an even greater target.
"Only the presence of a large military force has kept it safe this long. That and I think the Ministry harbors some fear of rebellion if they were to destroy something of such significance to so many people. Eventually they'll get cocky enough to destroy it, as they do everything else, backlash be damned.
"So the question is, do we go to Rome, or would you like to go somewhere smaller, more remote? It's your choice."
Elissa thought for a moment. "I would like to go to Rome, but I think we should set a limit on how long we stay. The Vatican's library is likely large enough to keep us busy for years, but if we spend that much time there, we'll lose other resources from smaller villages or universities. I'd hate to favor one over the other. The problem is, everything is important these days. All of it is worth saving. We have to make difficult choices."
"That we do, and I think your suggestion is imminently sensible. I'll write to Benedict and tell him we'll spend, what, two weeks, do you think?"
"That should do it. Tell him to prioritize the items he wants protected and have them ready for us. That way we won't need to waste time sorting through the choices," she said.
Alarick wrote to his friend and Benedict replied to say that while he was disappointed they wouldn't stay longer, he understood and welcomed any effort on his behalf.
The next morning, they met Adil in the courtyard after breakfast. Their things were packed and stacked by their feet. Alarick shook Adil's hand and Elissa hugged him.
"Thank you so much," she said. "For everything. I'll always treasure my time here for many reasons, not the least of which is my marriage. In which, if I understand correctly, you were a direct conspirator. I'm forever grateful to you, Adil. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call on us."
She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. Adil leaned forward and kissed her on both cheeks and then winked at Alarick.
"Your husband is glaring at me for stealing those kisses," he said.
Elissa nudged Alarick. "Stop it," she said, but everyone was laughing.
"Goodbye," they said together and Alarick peregrinated them back to the Keep where they planned to drop off the new books and spend a day or two relaxing before heading to Rome.
When they arrived in the library, they found Margaret and John Lucas entwined on the sofa, engaged in their own romantic moment. Things hadn't progressed past kissing, but appeared to be well on the way.
"We've intruded on something," Alarick said to Elissa, since she couldn't see the scene. "Something personal between John and Margaret."
John jumped at the voices, overbalanced and fell off the sofa, landing on the floor with a dull thud.
"Good grief," Margaret said, pulling her skirts down and patting her hair back into place. "Are you trying to give an old woman a heart attack?"
"No, but if your heart is so weak, is it wise to engage in such activities?" Alarick asked dryly as he walked over and extended a hand to help John up from the floor.
Margaret laughed. "Welcome home. We were just shelving books," she said.
"Is that what it's called now?" Alarick asked.
"Well, there are books," she said, waving her hand at a small pile on the desk. "John found them in Cullfield."
"Which has been destroyed," John added. "But we did bring two survivors back with us. They're teenagers. Siblings. A boy and a girl who managed to hide in a tiny cave by the river."
"How awful," Elissa said.
"They're settling in," Margaret said. "How was your trip?"
"Books," Alarick said, dropping the bag containing the new books on the desk next to the pile from Cullfield.
"Wife," he continued in the same dry tone as he draped an arm around Elissa and pulled her close.
It took a second for the news to register but when it did, Margaret and John exploded in cheers and good wishes. Margaret grabbed Elissa's left hand and examined the ring while John clapped Alarick on the back shouting, "Well done!"
"It's happy tidings all around, then," John said. "I wasn't debauching a random woman on your sofa. Margaret and I are married, as well. Just last week."
More congratulations and hugs went around the room.
"I told you he'd get his nerve up," Elissa said to Alarick. "Just as you did."
"He nearly collapsed when he proposed," Margaret said.
"So did Alarick," Elissa said, making both women laugh. The men looked at each other and shrugged.
"They don't realize how difficult it is," John said, "To ask such a terrifying question."
"Bah," Margaret said. "You're just scared of making fools of yourselves."
The four of them settled into chairs and spent the next hours swapping stories of proposals, weddings, and adventures.
"How long are you staying here?" John asked Alarick.
"Only a couple of days. Just long enough to rest, then we're off to Rome. From there, who knows?"
Word quickly spread around the Keep that Alarick and Elissa were married. Later that night, an impromptu party erupted in the dining hall. Both marriages were celebrated, many toasts were drunk, and everyone finally staggered to their rooms in the wee hours of the morning after reaching an agreement to take the morning off from chores and work. The epic hangovers would be remembered for years.
Alarick and Elissa retired to his rooms, having moved her few possessions in during the afternoon. Her old room was now available for a new resident of the Keep.
"Alone at last," Elissa said, as she dropped onto the bed.
"Finally," Alarick said, climbing in next to her and kissing her. "I've waited all day to touch you. I can't seem to stop wanting you."
"I know the feeling. And I feel so greedy because I know you have other things to do, but I just want you to myself."
"Well, we're here now," Alarick said, nuzzling her neck.
"So we are."
Maybe it was the drink, or maybe it was simply pure desire, but there was no gentle exploration this time. Tonight was all about animalistic need. Alarick tore her dress in his haste to remove it and she popped several buttons off his coat and shirt. Their mouths crushed together as though seeking some way to get even closer to each other. He bit her lip and she nipped his ear.
They handled each other roughly, unafraid to show how much they wanted, needed, each other. Alarick took her hard and fast and she gave as good as she got, matching him thrust for thrust. She raked his back with her nails and bit his shoulder to keep from screaming.
When it was over Alarick lay beside her, exhausted. And still he wanted to touch her. He settled for stroking her gently from shoulder to hip. She shuddered under his touch.
"That was something," she said.
Alarick chuckled. "It was, at that."
He turned serious. "I'm sorry, though."
"For what?" she asked, rolling to face him and draping her leg over his hip. His caressing fingers moved to her back, stroking her from the base of her neck to her buttocks and back again.
"The bruises," he said, touching the spots that were just beginning to bloom on her breasts, thighs, and arms.
"Oh. Well, it's not like I can see them," she said. "I probably wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't said anything. You're probably sporting a few of your own. Along with bite marks."
"Still. I shouldn't treat you that way. I'm—" she cut him off by laying a finger over his lips.
"Don't you dare apologize again. If I were in any way uncomfortable about what happened, I would have said something. You don't have to treat me like a breakable object. And never be sorry for your love for me, or how you express it. That's how life should be lived, full tilt with no holding back. Never lock yourself away from me, Alarick," she said.
He smoothed her hair away from her face and kissed her.
"I can only promise to try," he said eventually.
Two days later, Alarick and Elissa were on their way again. Alarick was satisfied that John was capably managing the Keep and there was no reason for him to linger. Elissa had cast quick protections on the books John retrieved from Cullfield and there was no other work for her in the Keep's library. Their work lay elsewhere.
Their time in Rome was spent much as it had been in Marrakesh, although it wasn't nearly as much fun. They were assigned a team of scholars to help them translate, summarize and copy the works. Elissa worked herself nearly ragged and struggled to get through even half of what Pope Benedict marked as "Essential." Alarick dragged her away each night and forced her to rest, but she kept pushing harder, unwilling to fail at the impossible task set before them.
The people of the Vatican were cordial, but not friendly. The Vatican was not a relaxed place. It was formal and rigid. Everything moved according to a fixed schedule and protocol dictated all personal interactions. There was very little laughter and camaraderie around the work, no curiosity or wonder at the words contained in the books. Work was work and at the end of the day, Alarick and Elissa went back to their room for meals. There was no community, no socializing, and no late-night storytelling.
The military presence added to the strain. Soldiers watched every move Elissa and Alarick made and searches were frequent. They were not permitted to leave the Vatican, so there was no possibility of seeing the Colosseum or the Pantheon, wonders which the Ministry had not yet destroyed. The security was understandable, but unsettling. Fascinating Rome might be. Friendly it was not.
Neither Alarick nor Elissa were sad to leave at the end of their two weeks. When Benedict begged them to stay longer, and they didn't even entertain the idea. Alarick peregrinated them away without a second thought. Still, they had successfully protected a few hundred books. Not as many as Benedict would have liked, but still an impressive number.
After Rome, they traveled to Walachia, then to Buda, and from there to Vienna. After that the libraries, villages, magical refuges, and personal book collections blurred together. In some places they found friends and welcome, in others only work. Still, there was tremendous reward in knowing that thousands of books were now protected throughout Europe. Alarick's respect for Elissa and her abilities only grew. She was rapidly becoming the legend he knew she would be.
Her fame became the unfortunate side effect of their diligence. As word of Elissa's ability spread and more and more villages and libraries clamored for her help, their renown grew. Soon people were actively seeking them out rather than waiting for Alarick to write. When they arrived in a location, there were often outsiders already there, petitioning for their village to be next on the list.
With word of their abilities and mission spreading, it wasn't long before the Ministry took notice. They offered a reward for information leading to the capture of Alarick and Elissa and posted wanted notices throughout Europe.
Alarick laughed at first. The posters labeled them as enemies of the Ministry, subversives attempting to, "Impart knowledge contrary to Ministry values." Whatever the hell that meant. Alarick assumed it meant common sense.
Elissa, in particular, was portrayed as dangerous and people were urged not to touch her lest, "The worms of her words infect your mind, leaving you with permanent, disturbing thoughts." Well, Alarick thought, if it kept people from touching her, then he was all for others thinking of her as some kind of brain-eating worm.
It stopped being funny, however, one summer's day in the tiny Bavarian village of Ammenberg. By that time, Alarick and Elissa had been traveling around Europe and northern Africa for more than a year and a half with only occasional trips back to the Keep for rest and to drop off books they'd been given or copied.
It was a wonder to Alarick how they'd survived for so long and that there were still magical villages to visit. He'd been certain that all traces of magic would have been obliterated by now. And yet… The magical population fought on. Or at least hid well.
Alarick and Elissa arrived in Ammenberg to discover three petitioners from other villages already there. That wasn't unusual. If anything, three was a low number. Alarick knew they were petitioners by the way they were isolated from the rest of the villagers. They huddled in a group opposite the residents, having likely been told to wait their turn.
Alarick and Elissa were greeted with enthusiasm. The village leader spoke to Alarick about accommodations while his wife took Elissa off to greet some of the other villagers who were gathered nearby. As the introductions wore on, the oldest of the petitioners approached Alarick.
"We heard you were coming and hoped you would consider Penrith for your next stop," said the man. "We have a small library in need of protection. It isn't much, but it would mean a great deal if our ancestors had access to our history."
"Wait your turn," the village leader said to the man. "They are here for us, now."
Alarick held up a hand. "It's fine. We have plenty of time. There's no need to be rude."
He gave the petitioner his usual speech. "Certainly we will add your village to our list. However, we are currently committed to visiting other places first. But we will not forget you."
It was diplomatic and polite, but dismissive all the same.
The older man nodded but before he could retreat, a younger man pushed him out of the way in an effort to get to Alarick, triggering a fight between the two petitioners. While the villagers and Alarick worked to break it up, the third petitioner stood off to the side, watching.
When most of the villagers were absorbed in the fight and Alarick and Elissa were separated across the village square, he whistled a series of five notes. No one appeared to take any notice, but then Ministry personnel surged down into the tiny valley where Ammenberg rested.
Alarick saw the danger too late. Elissa was on the other side of the square and the Ministry was closing in fast. There was no way he could reach her in time to peregrinate them both to safety.
"Elissa," he screamed, but she was so surrounded by terrified villagers he wasn't sure she heard him.
He turned to the village elder and grabbed him by the front of his shirt.
"Did you set this up?" he asked as he shook the man savagely.
"The Ministry pays well, sir," was all the man said.
Tossing the man aside, Alarick drew his wand and started firing off spells toward any target, not really caring whether those he hit were villagers or Ministry. Many villagers joined him in targeting the Ministry. Alarick knew, then, that the whole village hadn't been in on the ruse. They, too, had been led to the slaughter by their greedy leaders, all in an effort to collect the bounty offered for Elissa and himself. He tried to be more selective in choosing his targets.
The Ministry overran the village square, swords slashing furiously at the villagers. Their guns weren't accurate and required a long time to reload between shots, but they did their share of damage, as well.
Alarick was gratified to see the village leader take a direct stab to the gut. He gaped in disbelief at his attacker, as though he couldn't believe the double-crosser had been double-crossed. Alarick could have told him that the Ministry would never spare him, but it was too late. The man had made his deal with the devil and now the price was paid.
Alarick shot a killing spell at the elder's attacker. The soldier fell and landed atop the village leader, dead. That was poetic, at least, Alarick thought.
He could no longer see Elissa. She'd either been captured or swept along with the villagers who were fleeing in terror. The Ministry was setting up larger guns on the ridge above the village and Alarick aimed his spells in that direction, hoping to take them out before they could prime their weapons to fire. He and the others were too exposed down here in the bowl of the village to survive that kind of firepower.
The villagers fought bravely. Many of them had excellent fighting skills and some had mastered the killing spell. That was helpful. Alarick managed to work his way to a building and put his back against the wall, giving him some protection from the onslaught. As he continued to fire off spells and defend himself, a young man he recognized as one of the villagers joined him. They stood shoulder to shoulder, destroying as much of the Ministry as they could.
"Your wife is safe, sir," the young man panted between spells. "I can take you to her and you can both escape."
"Why should I trust you?" Alarick asked. "This whole visit was a setup, designed to lead us straight into the Ministry's hands."
"Not all of us knew, and the majority of us who did disagreed with the leaders."
"Did you know?" Alarick asked, sending a killing spell into a knot of brawling Ministry and villagers, hoping to hit more Ministry than villagers.
"I did. I didn't agree. I knew the Ministry would not let us live, even if we handed you to them. They never let anyone live."
"No, they don't. Shame your leaders didn't understand that. What's done is done. All that's left to do is save as many innocents as we can." Alarick said. "And get my wife back."
The young man picked off six Ministry soldiers who were running down the hill toward the fray.
"Don't worry about us. We're all dead anyway. Our leaders signed our death warrants. Let me show you to safety. You can save yourself and your wife and maybe that will absolve my soul of any role in this sorry mess," the man said.
Alarick, who knew a thing or two about absolution said, "Where do we go?"
"We were lucky that your wife was on that side of the square," the man said, pointing across to the group of houses where Alarick had last seen Elissa. "That's where the escape route lies. My friends were able to get her under cover quickly."
"And you're certain they haven't hurt her or given her to the Ministry?" Alarick asked.
"Very certain, sir. The people she is with are honorable. Every one of them was against the plan to turn you in."
He continued, "Use all your energy to cast a defensive spell around yourself. We're going to have to run across open ground and you need protection. Forget offense. The next two minutes are all about keeping you alive. Got it?"
Alarick nodded and cast the strongest defensive spell he could.
"See those woods beyond the last house on the main road?"
Alarick looked where the man pointed. "I see them."
"If we get separated, run there. There are helpers waiting for you in there in case I don't make it. They will take you where you need to go."
"Understood," Alarick said.
"Ready?" the man asked.
"Yes."
"Then run!" the man shouted.
They pushed away from the building as one and sprinted through the battlefield. Alarick felt bullets and swords bounce off his defenses. He desperately wanted to fight back, to take down some of these Ministry fools, but thoughts of Elissa spurred him on. He had to get her to safety.
His savior's defenses were not as strong as his own, and the young man's energy was flagging. Alarick tried to help him, to cast some of his own energy over the man, but the man screamed, "Go! Leave me."
As much as it pained him, Alarick did as instructed and left the young man behind. At the edge of the woods, he glanced back to see the man being dragged off by Ministry personnel. He gave Alarick a weak thumbs up, even though Alarick could see blood pouring from a wound in his chest. As a final act of mercy for his savior, Alarick let his defenses down just long enough to shoot a killing spell at him, giving him the absolution he'd desired. At least he wouldn't be taken alive and tortured, or left to die from a festering wound.
Defenses back up, Alarick raced into the woods with no idea where he was going. It seemed sensible to head for the deepest, darkest portion of the forest. If the young man had been lying, at least such an area would provide some cover against whoever was lying in wait.
The sounds of battle faded the deeper he went into the forest. Wand held ready, he tried to step lightly and quietly, although the dead leaves from the previous winter made that impossible. He'd just about given up hope of finding Elissa when a hedgehog ran across his foot and stopped about two feet in front of him, regarding him with humanlike curiosity. Two other hedgehogs joined the first.
"Do I follow you?" Alarick whispered.
They didn't answer but turned and ran deeper into the forest. With no other options, Alarick followed. He hoped that these critters were villagers who shared his ability to transform into animals. If they were not, then he was an idiot following hedgehogs that were probably leading him to a dinner of slugs.
The hedgehogs scampered over the leaves and twigs littering the forest floor. Alarick struggled to follow as they ducked under fallen trees while he had to climb over the trunks. It grew darker and more difficult to see, but still Alarick followed. Finally, they emerged into a small clearing. At the back of the clearing was a rock wall with a (barely) human-sized crack in its face. The hedgehogs slipped inside the crack and one peeked back out to make sure Alarick had seen.
He nodded and approached the wall, wand at the ready. Bending at the knees lest he crack his skull on the rock, he turned sideways and shoved himself through the fissure. He emerged into a small cave with a ceiling tall enough for him to stand up straight. There were no hedgehogs here. Instead, there were ten or twelve villagers, wands drawn, surrounding Elissa in a protective circle.
"Elissa," he said.
At the sound of his voice, she cried, "Alarick," and pushed past her protectors, hands outstretched, seeking her husband.
Alarick met her halfway and gathered her into his arms.
"Oh, thank heavens," he said. "Thank you," he said to the villagers over Elissa's shoulder. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," said a tiny woman who, even in human form, so strongly resembled a hedgehog that he knew she was the one who'd run over his foot. "We're glad we could help. What our leaders did was wrong. You shouldn't have to pay the price for their greed and stupidity."
"Was it all staged?" Elissa asked. "The petitioners? Were they real?"
"No," said one of the men. He was the oldest of the group, but far from elderly. His hair was not fully gray and still sported red highlights. His sideburns ran all the way to his jaw line.
"They live in the village," he continued. "Our elders talked them into portraying petitioners and causing a fight to distract you. The leader's wife was in on it, too. It was her job to separate you from your husband. We positioned ourselves on this side of the village intentionally, hoping she would lead you in our direction. We were lucky she did."
"What will you do now?" Alarick asked. "Go back and fight the Ministry?"
The man shook his head. "That is a battle we cannot win. We will stay here until things settle down and then make our way elsewhere. We have family in other villages who will take us in."
"You're welcome to come to the Keep," Alarick offered. "It's a refuge I operate for magical people in England. I could take you there. It would be safer than remaining in a small village with little protection. Especially since the Ministry will probably launch a rampage of retribution throughout the countryside after failing to grab us today."
The group gathered together and discussed it for a few moments. While they did so, Alarick cradled Elissa in his arms and tried not to think about how close he'd come to losing her.
Finally, the man said, "We thank you for the offer, but we decline. We are an outdoorsy people and would not do well in a castle, no matter how beautiful or how kind the people. Besides, we need to be with our families. You could not possibly take us all and we would never choose who should stay and who should go. But we do thank you."
"You have done us a great service this day. If you change your mind or ever need assistance, do not hesitate to send a letter and ask," Alarick said.
The man nodded. "Thank you. You should go now. I don't think the Ministry will find this place but if they do, we can pass as a family of hedgehogs living in a rock. You cannot."
Alarick reached over and shook each villager's hand. "I cannot thank you enough. And I cannot express how sorry I am for the losses you've suffered today. Some of your village was misguided, but I mourn for the innocents you lost. You should know that the young man who came for me fought bravely, as did many others."
"You are kinder than could be expected under the circumstances," the tiny woman said. "Now go."
Alarick, who hadn't yet let go of Elissa, peregrinated them both back to the Keep, the rest of their itinerary be damned.