Ebony Mist -Original

Part VI: Canvas Blood

Alaura followed that broad shouldered man, trembling from nervousness. What was it that this man was going to show her? Something that he hoped would change her mind about wanting to use her strange power which she did not understand? Then the realization came to her. She did not know her power. Muse it had been called, foretold by the Fae that had come to visit her, but she understood little about it.
The princess looked up at the druid's back, wondering if he knew what her own power was. If rumors were true, he held more knowledge than any other being in all the nine kingdoms.
Suddenly he came to a stop and opened a side door, and as he stepped inside several candelabras illuminated the room. Just like the rest of the manor, the room lacked color, only it was not so dark as the others, being filled with white flat objects. Canvases filled the room, of all shapes and sizes. Resting against each other, while some on easels of their own. In an open chest were crushes as jars of paint in every color.
"I have collected these over the years. And here they have waited for your arrival. Hundreds of empty canvases are here, waiting for you to fill them with their unbridled potential. To aide you in discovering and capturing the Muse within you," the Druid told her, watching her intently.
"I would love to paint upon these canvases, I can see how fine they are, and such quality is hard to come by, even for a king. But I can't use this power," she said softly.
"Why?" he demanded. "Why can't you?"
"It... Scares me. How can I use it when I don't know what it is? When I do not know what it's true nature is. Surely it's meant for harm if I bring fire to life from canvas so easily! No! I won't use it!"
Her voice had become shrill as she spoke, louder as she became more rooted in her mind of the danger this power caused. But this confidence lasted only a moment as a strong hand gripped her chin and pulled her face up. She found herself scarce inches away from his face, staring into sea green eyes.
"You do not want to use your power for fear of its purpose? Because you don't know what it is?" His voice was hard as he spoke. "If every man ceased from something because it was unknown, there would be nothing. Druids seek and meddle and experiment. Why? Because we do not fully understand the purpose of power, we know not our extent, for that is why it is called magic, and not science. Because it is mystery itself. But we must seek to understand. If this were not so, I would not have been able to remove the darkness from your father's Kingdom. If you want to understand your power, use it, experiment with it, expound your limits by testing your skill. This is why I chose you, and not another maiden. To see how far this power may take you. Understand?"
The words sunk in to her. Magic was mystery, and as such required discovery, to be sought out by her own answers. To be seen for what it truly was. Without thinking she reached up a hand towards his face, to the hair covering a good part of his face. She barely brushed a strand when his great hand came and wrapped around her slender fingers, stopping her as he had stopped the child long ago.
"It is not yet time for that mystery to reveal itself," he told her softly, before drawing away. "Now tell me, will you still defy my orders and refuse to paint?"
Alaura swallowed hard, and looked at the room of canvases. Empty and white, yet in her mind's eye she saw them fill with many beautiful images of animals and landscapes, and one of a familiar entry hall that once was dark but now filled with light. She turned to look back at the druid, his eyes like sapphires on his pale skin.
"If I may... If I do do this, and test my skill. Is it possible that I could use it upon this place?" she asked, receiving a frown.
"What is it that you mean?" He asked her.
"I mean, can I paint bright furniture for my room, or paint away the darkness of the entry hall. Put living flowers in the dead courtyard," Alaura answered, and his frown was replaced with half a smile.
"If you find that it is within your power to do these things with only paint and canvas, then you may do these things. But do not paint any memories to try to bring someone here, and do not try to paint yourself away," he told her, and watched her as she looked back at the empty canvases.
"Alright, then I shall do as you ask, and paint pictures to life."