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The Magic War (The Eastern Slave Series Book 5)

Page 13

by Victor Poole


  "You really won't like it," Ajalia told her.

  "I want to have things happen, like everyone else," Sun said determinedly. "I want to get married, too."

  "I thought you would say that," Ajalia said. "He's waiting downstairs, and I won't let you marry him."

  "But you asked me if I still wanted to get married!" Sun said, looking extremely upset. "It isn't fair!" the girl complained. "I was the one who thought of getting married first, and you want everyone to get married but me. I heard about that new girl, Fashel," Sun said mutinously. "She wasn't even one of us, and she's getting married now, too."

  "You can't get married yet," Ajalia told her. "We will see how things go."

  "So I can marry him later?" Sun asked urgently.

  "We will have to see how things go," Ajalia said again. "I told him I would come down in five minutes."

  CHAD AND ESTHER

  "Well, let's go," Sun said, standing up and patting at her hair and dress.

  "I want to warn you," Ajalia said again. "He's a crusty old drunk, and he's a rotten guy sometimes."

  "Is he one of your slaves?" Sun asked. "From the East? You said it wasn't legal," she explained, when Ajalia looked at her.

  "Did you ever meet Philas?" Ajalia asked. She could not remember which of the Slavithe servant girls had been sent over to the little white house, to help with the sewing of the silks. She could not have said whether Sun had been one of these.

  "No," Sun said cautiously. "Is he nice?"

  "He is dishonorable, and a liar, and he will trick you into thinking he's a nice man," Ajalia told Sun. "I will not let you marry him, but he is annoying me, and I need someone to distract him a little."

  "You want him to stop loving you," Sun said shrewdly.

  "He does not love me," Ajalia told her. She began to lead Sun down the stairs, back to where Philas was waiting. "He wants someone outside of himself to be his, somehow," Ajalia said, "and right now there is only me."

  "And you have Delmar," Sun said.

  "Yes," Ajalia said. "You will not be able to change him, but if you are able to distract him from me, I will find a way to reward you."

  "By letting me marry him," Sun said at once.

  "No," Ajalia said again. "I don't want you to marry him."

  "Then who will I be marrying?" Sun asked querulously.

  "I don't know," Ajalia admitted. "Probably not him. I didn't know Esther or Fashel until yesterday. People tend to pop up suddenly." Sun thought about this. They were moving very slowly down the stairs.

  "So I might have no one, ever," Sun said. Ajalia shrugged.

  "Don't let him kiss you," Ajalia warned, "and if he seems suddenly to change to a good man, it is a trick. If you do a good job, he'll get sober suddenly, and cheerful."

  "Is he handsome?" Sun asked.

  "He can appear so, when he likes," Ajalia said. "You cannot trust him." She saw that Sun was thinking about this. Ajalia stopped on the stairs, where she was sure Philas would not overhear them talking, and put a hand on the girl's arm. "Clare bought her way free with a secret," she told Sun. Sun's eyes were fixed on Ajalia's face, and her mouth was determined. "Isacar is a man I need, so his importance bought Fashel freedom."

  "What about Esther?" Sun asked. Ajalia studied the girl's blue eyes, which were ferocious and full of desire.

  "Esther is a good match for Chad," Ajalia said, "and she is older than you."

  "What will become of Ossa?" Sun asked quickly.

  "Ossa is not yet trustworthy," Ajalia told Sun. Sun processed this.

  "And I am trustworthy?" Sun asked, looking hopeful.

  "Do not ever let him kiss you," Ajalia warned again. "He will seem to change. He will tell you that you have given him hope. It will all be a lie. If you watch his eyes, he will go limp inside sometimes. That is his weakness for strong drink."

  "Why do you want me to do this?" Sun asked Ajalia. Ajalia thought about lying to the girl, and then she breathed in.

  "I have not yet seen you exhibit sense, or discretion," Ajalia told Sun. The girl's face darkened a little, but she did not protest. "Your lack of sense limits your usefulness to me. I need a woman who can lie a little, and be wise with her time and her words. Show me that you can do more than look beautiful," Ajalia said, looking over the girl's hair and dress, "and we will see what may become of you."

  Sun began to glow a little with pleasure at these words; she hid a smile, and smoothed back her hair.

  "I'm ready," Sun said, taking a deep breath, and Ajalia went before her down the stairs. Ajalia turned back one more time.

  "He will seem to change," Ajalia told Sun. "I am not thick, and he took me in. Do not trust anything he says or does." Sun met Ajalia's eyes, and then nodded. "And never let him kiss you," Ajalia added, going down the last of the stairs.

  Philas was standing in the back of the hall, his arms folded. He was gazing out impatiently at the hall, and at the deep red hangings that lay against two sections of the wall.

  "This is a nice house," Philas told Ajalia, when he saw her. "Master will like it."

  "Oh, you think so?" Ajalia said. She did not remind Philas that he had told her their master would stay in the house he had taken in Talbos. Ajalia looked at Philas, and Philas glared at the carvings on the wall.

  "You're Philas," Sun said, stepping forward, and thrusting out her hand. Philas's eyebrows drew down, and his nose wrinkled.

  "Who's this?" he asked Ajalia, glancing at Sun, whose chin barely came up to his shoulders.

  "I'm Ajalia's assistant," Sun said. "I help her with problematic people, like you." Sun looked coolly up at Philas, whose eyes began to dance a little.

  "Are you serious?" Philas asked, turning to Ajalia. "She helps you?"

  "Yes," Ajalia said. She turned to Sun. "See what you can get out of him about the two Saroyan papers, the ring, and the knife," she said to Sun. "And keep him out of the kitchen," she added, glancing at Philas, who scowled at her.

  "I came for the money from the sale of the horses," Philas growled. Sun put an efficient hand on Philas's arm, and pushed at him.

  "You can't get something for nothing," Sun told him reasonably. "Ajalia is in a bad mood from the big fight last night. Come and sit down with me, and I'll tell you about it."

  "No," Philas snapped, drawing his arm away from the girl. "I won't be managed. I want the money," Philas told Ajalia sharply.

  "I see what you mean about Philas," Sun told Ajalia, her mouth settling down into grim lines.

  "Mean what? What did she tell you about me?" Philas demanded, his eyes flashing, and his gaze turning at once to Sun. Sun smiled a little.

  "Come and sit down," Sun suggested. "We will make a trade. If you calm down sufficiently, I will broach the idea of money with my mistress. She will never give you any money right now. She hasn't settled with our new cook." Sun glanced swiftly at Ajalia, who lowered her head a tiny bit in an encouraging nod. Philas watched this exchange, and a brilliant smile of pleasure began to seep out of his face.

  "Are you training replacements for us?" Philas demanded. "Are you making a house for master, with servants and all?" His lips were twisting with delight. He regarded Sun now with something like speculation, as though she were a shiny toy that he wanted to prod and examine. "All right," Philas said, and Ajalia saw that already his eyes were less clouded. The darkness in his face had begun to lift. "All right," he said again, without waiting for Ajalia to answer his question. "I'll play along, for now," he added, shooting a glance at Ajalia. "Come, little servant girl, and manage my mood for your mistress." Philas grinned at Ajalia, who did not smile back at him. Sun took Philas again by the arm, and led him towards one of the rooms near the hall that Ajalia had fitted with chairs and tables. Sun's face was still and determined; Ajalia thought that the child looked quite brainy, just now.

  Ajalia turned, and went back into the hall, and to the kitchen.

  "Fashel," Ajalia said. She saw that she had interrupted another long argument; the kitch
en was nearly spotless now, and Fashel was busy examining the basket of food that Daniel had fetched. Fashel looked up at Ajalia's words, and Ajalia saw again how healthy and serene the young woman looked.

  Ajalia looked at the bread and vegetables that Daniel had brought. She had replenished the boy's money some time ago, but the house, she thought, was in need of upgraded supplies. She drew the pouch of money from her bag, and she saw Fashel's eyes go at once to the leather sides of the pouch.

  "Have you ever managed the food for a large house?" Ajalia asked. Fashel hesitated, and then shook her head in the negative.

  "No," the young woman said.

  "Fine," Ajalia said. "You have a few days, I hope, before any important visitors arrive. We'll be changing one of the rooms off the big hall," she told Daniel, "into a dining room. Choose the largest one, and take the furniture elsewhere to make room for a long table and chairs." Daniel, who had been detailing the edges of some large open cabinets, dropped his rag in the bucket, and went out of the room.

  Fashel's hands were tight and strong over the vegetables; Ajalia was sure that the young woman was nervous.

  "I hope you are brave," Ajalia told the young woman. Fashel's eyes, which had been full of trepidation, became confused.

  "Why?" Fashel asked.

  "Because you are going to get into a lot of trouble, I think, and I might threaten to fire you a few times," Ajalia said. Fashel's expression began to emit some horror.

  "Oh," she said.

  "Can you cook at all?" Ajalia asked again. She had asked Fashel this the night before, and again, the girl nodded. "Choose two or three things that you make very well," Ajalia said, "and start making only that. Do not become adventurous," Ajalia warned. "Do not do things you have seen others do."

  "Why not?" Fashel asked.

  "Because fixing food for forty people is not the same as preparing a meal for two or three," Ajalia said. "I expect you to ruin everything for about a week. If, by then, you have not sorted things out, I will find a new cook, and you will do something else for me." All the color drained out of Fashel's face.

  "I know I can feed the boys," Fashel said weakly.

  "You are working in a great house now," Ajalia told the young woman. "Things will be very different for you here. If you need to, ask Isacar to explain the ways of the house."

  "But he has only been here one day longer than me," Fashel protested, her eyes flashing. "I don't see why he is so much better than me. And I have cooked before," she added. "And I worked in a very large house," Fashel added, as if for good measure.

  "You worked, as far as I can see," Ajalia said, "as a personal maid. Now you are a cook. And your house before was a private one. Now you are part of a government."

  "Yes," Fashel said cautiously. Ajalia took a sum of money from her purse, and handed it to the young woman.

  "This is for three days," Ajalia told her. "If you manage badly, all of my boys will hate you, and Denai will grumble. I will not give you extra, if you mismanage this." Fashel took the money with wide and solemn eyes. The young woman could not have been more serious if she had been given some terrible sword to wield in battle. "Delmar will be back, possibly tomorrow, or the next day," Ajalia said. "When you are used to cooking by yourself, I will give you helpers, and more money for extra tools. You have enough money there to buy a knife, and any supplies you need. Ask Daniel for help if you need it."

  Ajalia looked at Fashel, who now looked as though she were going to faint. Ajalia smiled at the girl, but Fashel seemed entirely incapable of smiling back.

  "Do you understand, a little, now, why it is fair for you to live in my house?" Ajalia asked. Fashel nodded vigorously, and Ajalia patted her arm. "It will be late soon," Ajalia said. "Go out and get what you can for the evening, and for breakfast." Fashel looked out of the open windows, and a gasp of terror left her mouth.

  "Sorry, I have to go now," Fashel cried softly, and dashed out of the kitchen and towards the front of the hall. Ajalia watched her go, and then stacked the vegetables back into the basket, and took up the bread in her arms. She went up the stairs, and found the boys, Ossa, Esther, Coren, and Chad all gathered around Leed, who was telling them soberly about the finer points of flying.

  Ajalia passed the bread around to the boys, who tore it up and handed it to each other. She had chosen only sensible children out of her group of servants; there were boys who stole, and who teased each other mercilessly in the cleaning crews that Chad managed, but Ajalia found discord irksome, and her houseboys enjoyed their privileged existence quite enough to compensate for any rudeness they might otherwise have indulged in. Ajalia hoped that, given enough time, their manners would become naturally good, and not only put on to please her.

  She sat in the back of the group, beside a pair of twins that were part of her household boys, and listened to Leed. Leed looked very like a small professor; he waved his hands to illustrate his points, and sometimes he brought up small scraps of magic from the earth, to form into pictures. Chad, Ajalia saw, was standing easily beside Esther, his arms folded, and one eye turned steadily on the witch. Ajalia saw Chad glance over and see her; he put a hand on Esther's arm, and led her quietly towards the door of the room. Ajalia stood up, and followed the pair of them.

  "Esther's all right," Chad told Ajalia, as soon as they had gained the hall. He went with the witch to the stairs, and sat down on the top step. Esther, who seemed quite docile now, sat down below Chad, and he kept his eyes on her. "She's tried a few things, since last night," Chad said, "but now that Leed's told us how to see things, I've caught her every time."

  "I told you I wouldn't try anything again," Esther told Chad. She sounded patient and forbearing.

  "Not good enough," Chad told her. "I saw what you tried to pull before. I won't believe you've changed until Ajalia gives me the okay. She's been pretty good, though," Chad told Ajalia again, as though Esther were not there. Ajalia thought that Chad was beginning to look quite rugged now. He had always, to her, seemed to have a slightly dopey expression in his eyes, but now he held his shoulders straight across, and his gaze, when he turned it briefly towards Ajalia, was level and strong.

  "Have you got your boys sorted out?" Ajalia asked. Chad, his eyes fixed again on Esther, nodded.

  "They'll be all right for a few days," Chad said. He looked up at Ajalia, who was standing against the wall of the staircase, and grinned. "Everything will have changed by then, anyway."

  "What do you mean?" Ajalia asked. Chad turned his eyes studiously back to the witch, and he was still smiling.

  "Well, it wasn't long ago that I was living on my parent's money in a tiny room in a nasty building," Chad said.

  "I like our tenement," Ajalia protested.

  "Yes," Chad said, "but you like strange things. And I think our landlady was gross. She's dead now," Chad added. "I didn't know if you'd heard." Ajalia nodded. She did not think Chad needed to know that their landlady had been a witch, or that Ajalia had killed her recently. "Anyway," Chad said, "I was living there, and then I came and worked for you, and now I get to guard a real witch." Chad did not sound silly; he sounded quite sensible now. Ajalia could see that he was determined to do a good job of watching Esther, and that he was beginning to take himself quite seriously.

  "Someone told me you were quite good at the magic," Ajalia told Chad. "Will you show me?" Chad grinned, and twisted his fingers. A vision of a snarling dragon, like the dragon that was carved over the front of the whole dragon temple, rose up in the air above the stairs. Chad kept his eyes fixed on Esther, and Ajalia saw licks of red and gold from the earth, and shining silver from the sky above, gleaming in the composition of the dragon. The dragon, which shone white where the magic blended together, raised up its head and gave a silent roar, and then spread out its wings, and flung up into the air. When it had risen some five feet, the dragon soared down in a tight loop, and flew straight into Esther's head. The magic of the dragon absorbed straight into the witch's colors, which Ajalia s
aw now ran seamlessly from Esther's chest into the very top of her head, and Esther let out a gasp.

  "That is really very rude, you know," Esther told Chad, who smiled at her.

  "She's getting healthier all the time, too," Chad told Ajalia, as if Esther had not spoken. Ether's lips pursed up a little, but Ajalia saw that the young woman was more annoyed than livid. Chad put out a hand, and prodded Esther gently in the arm.

  "Stop!" Esther protested, but she was smiling when she said it.

  "She used to flinch away, and scream, if I touched her," Chad said. He lowered his voice in a conspiratorial fashion, and Ajalia saw, for the very first time, that Chad did have a sense of humor, and could laugh at himself. "I think," Chad told Ajalia solemnly, his eyes fixed on the witch's face, "that we will have to keep her alive for a very long time."

  "It is disgusting to talk about killing me when I am sitting right here," Esther told him in deeply wounded tones.

  "She has been trying to get me to pity her this morning," Chad told Ajalia. "I like her. She tried to kiss me last night, but I wasn't having it." Esther's face was red as fire when Chad said this; Ajalia saw consternation and annoyance fill up the witch's face.

  "And don't call me a witch," Esther told Chad snippily.

  "I didn't call you a witch," Chad said. "You must be thinking of what you call yourself. I think you're a lovely young woman who was led astray, and tempted by nicer clothing. I won't let her go home," Chad told Ajalia, as though he had never spoken to the witch at all. "She's a servant," Chad added, looking over the young woman's short hair, "but I told her that she's a prisoner now."

  "Where are you a servant?" Ajalia asked Esther. She remembered that the dead Vinna had worked in a rich man's house, and had had a child, but Coren had never told her anything about Esther. Esther's face clammed up with an obstinate frown; Ajalia saw that the young woman had been almost enjoying herself before, but now she looked positively crabby. Chad watched her for a little while, and then smiled.

 

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