Once at the tower, there were several stories of curving stone stairs spiraling up and up, as far as he could see. The north tower was especially tall, so when Tvrdik at last arrived at the trap-door which would allow him access to the roof, he was out of breath, and it was approaching the sixteenth hour. He lingered there a moment at the top of the stairs to calm himself, collect his thoughts, and straighten his clothing, then pushed the trap open and climbed through…and almost bumped straight into the enormous nose of a green dragon, who was regarding him with intense curiosity. Tvrdik’s heart skipped a beat as he clambered out of the stairwell, let the trap door shut, and fell immediately to one knee. He had never in his life been this close to a real dragon, but there wasn’t time to hesitate now. He began his composed address:
“Mighty Tashroth, esteemed Lord of Green Dragons, I am honored that you have consented to hear my cause. I come at your summons…how may I serve you?”
The dragon’s voice was so deep it made the young wizard’s bones vibrate like harp strings, and yet, it was musical at the same time, “The Lady Rey is unavoidably detained, but it is fit that we should meet and talk, mage, for so you style yourself.”
Tvrdik’s entire body was shaking, but he pushed ahead with his speech, “My Master, Xaarus, sends you warm greetings, long overdue, and commends himself to you.”
“If, in truth, you come from him, then those greetings are received with joy and heartily returned. Xaarus was ever a true friend to dragons, and a great wizard.”
“I beg you, then, not to speak of him in the past tense, for Xaarus is alive and well, and it is at his urging and on his business that I come here to you.”
“So you have said, and such has been related to me. But your story is, shall we say…unusual? Even fanciful. The truth of it I mean to determine here and now. You may have heard that we dragons have ways of penetrating the heart to know the quality of a man. Do I have your permission to proceed?”
Tvrdik had been expecting this, though the prospect, now that he was face to face with Tashroth, terrified him. He mustered his courage and raised his eyes to meet the dragon’s gaze, “Search me, great Dragon Lord, for I swear to you on my life that I have presented to Lady Jorelial Rey nothing but the truth as I know it.”
Tashroth grinned and stared back at him, “Truly it IS your life that may be forfeit if you have dissembled and mean to do harm. Very well. Stand and submit.”
Tvrdik rose and opened his arms wide and low, closed his eyes, and lifted his chin, exposing himself to any probing the dragon might decide to employ. He was still trembling, but he was confident that nothing but honesty and openness would be found in him. Even with his eyes shut, he could still see the great luminous eyes of the dragon boring into his soul. They began to glow, more and more brightly. For what seemed an eternity, the breath was crushed from his lungs. A searing, flame-like pain passed through every fiber of his being, lingering in his heart, and then his head. He had no air to cry out, and though his legs felt as if they had dissolved, he was held upright in the dragon’s gaze. There was no past or future, but only this one eternal moment of raw nerves and pressure. Oh, gods, make it stop! he heard himself think, as if from a great distance, but the awful pain seemed to go on and on…. And then, with an abrupt and ungentle release, it was over. Gasping in long, desperate breaths, he fell to his hands and knees, head spinning. One by one he recovered his senses, the rhythm of his breathing, his strength. Tashroth was silent as the young man straightened stiffly, rested on his haunches, hands on his thighs to steady himself. Tvrdik reached up to straighten his glasses, and raised his head to meet the dragon’s eye. The deep, lilting voice spoke again, and it seemed to echo through all of his being. “I find no falsehood in you. Your heart is unusually open, but extremely wounded. Those with broken hearts can often be turned to darkness. Tell me your tale.”
Tvrdik had no power to withhold anything from that relentless gaze. His voice felt disembodied and unnatural when he responded. “I…I was young and impressionable when my fellow students ventured into forbidden sorceries that claimed their lives. Soon after, Xaarus disappeared without explanation. They were the only real family I had ever known, and I felt abandoned and alone, grieving and lost. I fell into despair and nearly took my own life. Instead, I hid in the ancient forest and shunned company for the last twelve years. Look deeper, and you will see that the burden I carry is sadness, and not malice or rage. It has been a difficult wound to heal, though I am fixed on doing so…” Tears were slipping down his cheeks behind his spectacles.
“And what did you learn in your exile?” Tvrdik had not really thought about it, but it seemed a reasonable question.
“I learned…I learned that solitude and self-reliance can be wonderful teachers.” He paused to reflect. “That nature is a powerful teacher as well, and that hard work and simplicity are an elixir to the spirit.”
“And what have you learned since?” Another surprising question. He considered.
“It has only been a short time, but I think - I think I am beginning to learn that the best teacher of all is relationship. Eventually, we must all learn who we are through our interactions with those whose lives intersect with our own.” Tashroth’s eyes seemed to soften a bit.
“Are you a good wizard?”
“I have studied hard. I have some skill. I know I can help. I can always be better.” Things were just coming out of his mouth now, and he had no idea if they were the right things, or utterly wrong. It was the interview of his life, and his mouth just seemed to have a mind of its own. He had no idea if it was propelling him toward acceptance or death.
“And what do you want from life? Your dreams, deepest desires. Power? Wealth? Fame, perhaps?”
“Oh, no! I have seen those things bring as much misfortune as joy on those they favor. I only want to live in peace, perhaps to do some good – leave the world a little better than I found it. I have always wanted to use whatever gifts I might have to help and to heal,” he paused and felt shame. “My colleagues often laughed at me. They saw me as weak and silly to harbor such small ambition. But I cannot change who I am.”
“What is your name?” strange that Tashroth should wait so long in the conversation to ask.
“I am Tvrdik.” There was a low, rumbling sound in the dragon’s throat that was impossible to interpret.
Then, “It is an interesting…an unusual name. It suits you well, young mage. What are those things of wire and glass on your face? I am not familiar with these ornaments, and am intrigued.”
Tvrdik laughed despite himself. “Oh, these are not ornaments. I’m afraid I was born with an inherent weakness of the eyes, made worse in my youth by countless hours of reading and studying old texts by candlelight. I’m afraid I need these spectacles to see clearly.”
“It is my opinion, young mage, that you already see more clearly than most. Come, sit beside me here. You will find stools there beside the battlements. I feel Jorelial near to us – she will join us soon.” Tvrdik blinked and hesitated, let out his breath, which he had not known he was holding. Apparently he had passed the test. He struggled to stand, unfolding his aching joints, which were objecting to kneeling so long on stone. He made a small bow to the dragon, whose eye still followed his every move, and crossed to where the promised stools stood. Gratefully, he pulled one out and sank onto its solid wooden support, feeling drained. But before another word could be spoken, the trap-door crashed open and Lady Jorelial Rey climbed out, already apologizing.
“Please forgive me. As usual, I was near drowned in a sea of petitioners, budget meetings, and decisions about every detail of the upcoming Grand Council and coronation. It was impossible to sneak away until just this moment. I trust you found your way here alright?”
Tvrdik rose and bowed, “Lady Rey.”
The petite young woman rolled her eyes and strode over, pulling out another stool to sit on, “This
is my sanctuary, here. Please don’t call me that. I can’t bear it another moment. My name is Jorelial.” She dropped down heavily on the stool. Tvrdik reached out a hand in playful mock greeting.
“Ah, yes, Jorelial Rey. Thank you. Good to make your acquaintance. Mine is Tvrdik.” Catching on to his light-hearted gesture, she grasped the proffered hand and shook it once.
“How do you do, Teh-vur-dik? Gods, I hope I got it right. How will I ever get used to that name?” She dropped his hand. Tvrdik shrugged, and sat.
“It is my name.” he mumbled. They regarded each other in silence. Tashroth broke into the awkward pause.
“The young wizard and I have been having a very interesting little chat…”
“More like an inquisition,” Tvrdik quipped, leaning in with a conspiratorial gesture, but Jorelial was just registering the dragon’s words.
“Young wizard? Uh-oh! That means…”
Tashroth nodded his great head, “All true. The young man is entirely trustworthy.”
Her head fell into her hands for a moment, “I thought as much – I felt as much.” She glanced toward Tvrdik, “I would have been disappointed to find you out a villain, but do you realize what this means?” She did not wait for a response, “It means we can expect everything to happen just the way you described, and we shall have to go forward with this impossible plan of yours!” She grabbed his hands, still stumbling over his name, “Tvrdik, tell me…the future is not written in stone. Is it not possible that things could work out a different way? That Drogue might think better of his decision, and refrain from challenging the election? That someone else might still be declared regent? That we could all go on in peace and some kind of order?”
Tashroth remarked, “There are many timelines and many possible futures, after all…”
Tvrdik squirmed at her touch, “I…I suppose anything is possible, but…”
She dropped his hands, jumped up, and began to pace back and forth across the circular roof, “You don’t sound at all convinced or convincing.”
“Look,” he countered, “from where Xaarus stands, figuring backward, we are already embarked on his timeline, the one that ends up so badly. Of course, he could be mistaken, or things could take a different turn, but the likeliest events are those that I have presented to you. Yes, it is all so frightening for those of us here on this side of history. But the circumstances also present us with an amazing opportunity to change things – for the better! We can make a real difference for ourselves, and for the future. If we put our heads together, we will surely succeed.”
Jorelial stopped and ran a hand through her dark hair, “I suppose you are right. There is no escaping it. How will we ever convince the council members that we are all in mortal danger, but that we are going to mount a defense without weapons? It is simply too much to expect them to go along with that. They will think I have gone mad, and will clap me in irons, or confine me in a madhouse, and then where will we be? We shall have to be very careful how we proceed.”
Tvrdik moved over to her side, “We will come up with a list of strategies that are powerful, and we will frame our arguments to be compelling. The name of Xaarus will carry some weight with them, and they will be pleased to have magic on their side once more…”
Tashroth’s deep voice completed the sentence, “…and in the end, little one, they will put their faith in you. You have never let them down yet. They will trust you.” Jorelial Rey stood still with a finger in her mouth, chewing at the nail, glancing about as if she were looking for some secret escape route off of the roof. Finally, her shoulders dropped, her breath rushed out in a gusty sigh, her hands fell to her side and she turned her face up to the great green dragon beside her.
“Tash?”
“I see no other choice, little one.”
There was a pause, and then Jorelial Rey turned and stared Tvrdik right in the eye. “Alright, we’re in. If things fall out the way you described, and that’s a big ‘if’, Tashroth and I will be your champions, and, by the gods, we will make this happen.”
Tvrdik returned her gaze with unwavering intensity, “And you can count on me to be your champion, and we will triumph!” This time, she was the one to offer a hand, and he took it, both of them knowing that in that moment, they were forging a bargain that would change the very fabric of the world. Tashroth roared, adding his assent to the contract. They had chosen their course.
Jorelial Rey resumed her pacing, “A few more points I need to discuss with you. Right now, we can do nothing but wait. There is no enemy. Drogue has yet to tip his hand. Today is Friday. One week from this day is the Grand Council, where a full-time, permanent regent will be selected. There are several likely candidates, including myself and Lord Drogue. If anything is to happen, it will begin there, at that meeting. Tvrdik, I’m going to need you to be around at that meeting – to be an extra set of eyes and ears for me, observing and recording what you think is going on, and what Drogue is up to. Afterwards, we can compare notes and see if a clear picture emerges.”
“Willingly, my lady.”
“You’re the only one I can trust to do this, as Tash can’t fit in the chambers, and makes the council uncomfortable at any rate. But, I think it’s premature to introduce you to the council as Xaarus’ lost student, and maybe the last wizard. I’d rather save that for later. Is there some way you could be there without being detected?”
“I can make myself seem invisible, or arrive as an owl, a wren, or a mouse, so that you will know where I am should you need me.”
“We can decide later, but thank you. That will be a relief. There is one more thing…”
“Yes?”
“Well, I’ve been thinking about it a lot, and, you see, I had the idea…but you’ll have to tell me if it is insensitive of me to suggest…I wasn’t quite sure how you would feel about it…”
“Go on.”
“Well, I think having you wander around Theriole before we reveal your identity could arouse suspicions. Plus it confines your activities. I was thinking maybe you could move into Xaarus’ old cottage. No one has touched or tampered with it since he disappeared. Mind you, it’s been sitting untended for twelve years. I’m not sure how habitable it is just now, but we could remedy that. You’d have space, freedom to come and go, and access to Xaarus’ library and equipment. And it’s just far enough away that you wouldn’t have to be too cautious about what you were doing. I could even come to see you there, and not be distracted or discovered. Now, if it’s too emotional for you, I’ll understand…”
“Yes.”
“Excuse me?”
Ýes, it’s a wonderful idea. You are right on all counts. I’ll take it.” Tvrdik had been standing with his mouth open listening to the unexpected offer, and trying to determine how he did feel about it. But as she spoke, it came to him how perfectly ‘right’ it was. The library, the laboratory, the equipment – all could be invaluable. And he would have a place to practice in privacy, and be closer to Ondine. He leapt at the chance.
Tashroth swung his head around low to look the young wizard directly in the eye, and with uncharacteristic compassion, said, “Are you sure there are not too many ghosts there for you?”
Tvrdik was moved by his kindness, but very confident of his response. “No, no, it’s alright. The books, the labs…she’s right…I will need them. Fixing the place up will give me something to do until we know if we are correct, and it will be like coming home. To tell the truth, I am not much of a courtier sort anyway. I feel more than a little uncomfortable rattling around the palace with little to do. Thank you, Jorelial Rey. I am grateful that you would consider this.”
She was visibly pleased that he liked her suggestion, “Right, then. Tomorrow, I will send Warlowe with a purse and some letters of credit to local merchants we trust, so you can get yourself clothing, provisions and raw materials for the house. Will you need help to
put it back in shape?”
“I am no stranger to physical labor. No one should see some of the secrets of that house anyway. I will do the work myself.”
“By all means, ask for whatever you need. I will arrange for it personally. And feel free to stay at the palace as long as it takes to make that house livable.”
“You are most generous, my lady.”
“No one goes out that far much anymore, so I think we are safe for a few weeks. But if anyone notices the activity, I will just say I thought it was about time I leased the old place to a cottager.” The sun was beginning to sink low in the sky, and the air was cooling. Jorelial Rey looked around and continued, “Now that all of that is settled, I must get back downstairs. I want to make sure we both get something to eat, and then spend some time with the king before his bedtime. He will be forgetting what I even look like now, let alone that I am supposed to be his guardian.”
Tashroth reassured, “Your sister, Delphine, has been spending a good deal of time with him. He is well, and they play together…”
“Oh!” cried Tvrdik, remembering, “I met your sister today, and her intended.”
“My sister? I hope you did not tell her anything. You were supposed to keep a low profile.”
The Last Wizard of Eneri Clare Page 12