The Warrior of Sapin

by Whiskey Flowers

  “I will sir” Jason replied.

  “Well now at birth every mage has a block on their magic” Gowin began. “As you age, if left alone, that barrier starts to weaken at the age of about sixteen until around the age of twenty where it disintegrates entirely. The more you use your magic the weaker this barrier becomes, that is the reason we try to mature our students before having them gain access to great power. More than one mage has turned rogue before, stopping them is a nuisance best avoided. Now to begin you must understand what magic is and what it is not. I know you have done some spell casting but that does not make you a mage. Magic comes from within, there are four things that will determine your overall ability. The first is your ability to concentrate or focus, since you are adequate with a sword from what I have been told I am going to assume you have the ability to learn. The second involves how fast your mind can react, magic involves taking in a lot of different circumstances at once then using that knowledge to your advantage. All of those can be taught to some extent however, the princess not only can focus but she is one of the best I have seen in taking in a situation and using the correct spell. The other two though cannot be trained or taught, you either have it or you do not. Magic comes from a well inside of you, think of it as your aerobic ability; the more you exercise the more exhausted you will become until you can barely move. The thing about magic is though that you can never improve this ability like you can with exercise. The final thing is your magical power, think of it like your physical strength without the opportunity to become stronger. Both of these is what Mellony along with many other mages are lacking, they are good for a couple of spells but one big spell would deplete them. Now let’s start on your focus.”

  Jason trained with the mage for the rest of the day, Grayland had to stay with Mellony well until after dark as Jason practiced what he had been told. Magic wasn’t anywhere near as hard as he thought, learning the spells would be difficult but focusing was easy, any hunter would be an expert at it if he was any good with a bow. The effort it took to properly sight a bow along with how far to draw back the string and where to aim keeping in mind the elevation and speed of your target and being mindful of the wind was much harder. Likewise the small games Gowin had Jason practice to test his reaction were also easy, Gowin had told him it was almost like he was born to be a mage. Jason called it a night and went to bed, he would be on shift for all day and night tomorrow until Grayland could find someone else which Jason hoped he did soon. Studying magic during the day combined with his exercises and watching the princess would become real tiring real quick.

  The next morning came by quickly, after Jason finished his morning exercises he was in study with Gowin and Mellony. Apparently they wanted it to be kept a secret he had any talent in magic as per the king, only Grayland and his father knew of the secret. Memorizing the spells turned out to be the toughest part, casting them was relatively easy. The words themselves had power but they only needed to be spoken out loud by those with little focus, just by thinking about them and concentrating on the magic inside of him was all that was needed to cast. Different spells used up different amounts of energy, most of the spells given to Jason he could not even practice since it would give the secret away with their destructiveness so he had no idea how powerful he was. He did know he had more in his well than Mellony did, as some of the spells he was able to cast she was unable to.

  CHAPTER 11

  “Bells is something wrong?” Gowin asked as he looked at Bells practice with his halberd. Bells was off shift and got special permission from Princess Mellony to use a room next to hers for his exercises until it was needed again. The room had been cleared out and gave Jason a new appreciation for fighting in close with his halberd, but lately things had been odd. Jason attributed it to him using magic.

  “I don’t know if I am okay or not High Mage” Jason replied. “I have been feeling weird since I started using magic.”

  “Weird how?” Gowin asked.

  “This routine I am using with my halberd” Jason replied. “I have always been extrememly light on my feet for someone my size but now my balance is way better than it should be. I think I may even be noticeably faster and stronger, I am really whipping this halberd around like it is a twig. All of me feels different, I feel tense and reckless, I don’t know how to say it any better.”

  “You have been spinning spells almost nonstop for two weeks now” Gowin replied. “It has been stripping away at the block you had on your magic. Normally mages would only be taught a very weak spell so they can't strip the barrier away as fast. Perhaps yours is all gone now and your body is trying to adjust. You are the only mage I have ever met who has been constantly pushed to use your magic so quickly.”

  “Then I should be dead tired, at least mentally” Jason replied. “I am tired, it just seems though that my mind and body are working hard even when I don’t want it to. Even my eyes can't help but glance all around at things I never would have noticed before, like the fly who entered the room with you and has been circling over there in the corner.”

  “Maybe you should take a break with practicing then” Gowin replied. “I thought I would find you still asleep during this early hour but Doroteo told me you were already up practicing.”

  “Maybe I will go relieve him” Jason replied. “He has only been here a week and is still adjusting, not that I have been here much longer.”

  “Maybe you should do that” Gowin replied. “I only wanted to tell you about the best warrior competition. The princess may have to go in place of her father.”

  “Best Warrior?” Jason asked.

  “It’s just like it sounds” Gowin asked. “The winner gets the honorary title of King’s Champion, anyone who finishes in the top five gets the title of King’s Elite. Normally the contestants are made up of a bunch of soldiers in the army and anyone who pays the fifty gold required.”

  “That is a lot of money” Jason replied.

  “Normally these folks are sponsored by someone” Gowin began. “The royal army though holds minor competitions through out the year just to decide who gets to go compete.”

  “So what does the King’s Champion do?” Jason asked.

  “You mean you haven’t met Tenkay yet?” Gowin replied.

  “Tenkay?” Jason asked.

  “A little man who happened to get lucky during the contest” Gowin replied. “He walks around with his chest all puffed up like everyone else is beneath him. If you haven’t met him yet, you will. His status as Champion sends him all over the kingdom to help out in minor matters. The job is mostly ceremonial, the Champion helps out with guarding the royal family from time to time. It is a big feather in the cap of soldiers, the Champion is exempt from war during their reign and last year’s Champion came from their ranks. He will be present during the contest along with his squires.”

  “Squires?” Jason asked.

  “There are ten contests in all” Gowin replied. “Most are against an opponent, the opponents are hand chosen by the Champion. Those people are called squires, Champion Tenkay happened to get lucky on the last event and went from tenth place to first place. I admit it was one of the most exciting finishes in years but the man is insufferable now.”

  “How many people are allowed to compete?” Jason asked.

  “Up to twenty” Gowin replied. “Ten from the army and ten others.”

  “Well this guy had to be decent if he was chosen to compete and won the whole thing” Jason replied.

  “He is an athlete, nothing more” Gowin replied. “He won both races, was mediocre or horrible in the other events and happened to get lucky on the chase. I think he cheated, but the rules as they were, were determined not to be broken.”

  “I have never heard of this best warrior but I can't wait to see the whole thing” Jason replied. “It sounds like fun.”

  “Do you know what happened the last time the princess went on a big trip?” Gowin asked.

  “I have heard but I can guar
antee you if anyone attacks again there will be casualties and a lot of them” Jason replied. “If this is going to happen, when are we supposed to leave?”

  “In two days” Gowin replied. “Grayland will no doubt tell you and Doroteo all about it. I know we have been keeping your training a secret but if a fight does happen while you are traveling use everything you have at your disposal.”

  “I will” Jason replied. “Where is this going to take place at?”

  “The city of Chival, near the border” Gowin replied.

  “Near the Untamed Lands?” Jason asked. “That is pretty gracious calling that place a city, why will it be held there?”

  “Because Chival needs the money” Gowin replied. “It is normally held at a small town or city just to bring in outside money. After the contest, a celebration is held pinning the new Champion and many people will be there. Merchants travel to be a part of the celebration, they of course have to pay a fee which is then split up between the people of the town so everyone gets paid. The best thing for the town though is that a lot of buildings and other structures have to be made, the Royal residence has to be created for the royal family to stay. Inns and taverns have to be made for everyone else, Chival has had a lot of builders come in there in the last three months, once everything is finished the buildings are given over to the town to do with as they see fit.”

  “I only been to Chival twice” Jason began. “On my way to the Untamed Lands and coming from the Untamed Lands. Unfriendly little place, filled with sour faced people.”

  “That could have been because of your situation at the time” Gowin replied.

  Jason nodded and went to his room after greeting Doroteo. Doroteo was a soldier in the royal army and a avid follower of the Light Bringer. He had a strong sense of character, he didn’t curse, drink or even look at any of the women in the palace. Doroteo was not the type of man that could be shaken from his duty, his character was the reason Grayland had picked him out. Doroteo may not have been the best fighter, he was shorter than average and Jason was not impressed with his swordsmanship. Doroteo was trustworthy though and unlikely to be a part of any plot against the Princess. Like Jason, Doroteo was also single, Jason thought this was probably the biggest reason he was chosen. Doroteo had no family to be leveraged against him, he would do his job to the best of his ability. Jason liked Doroteo and wondered who would be the two new people Grayland were bringing in, Jason was supposed to meet them today.

  Jason grabbed a new set of clothes and went to wash off in the bathing room. Jason wished the room had a bit more privacy though, it was supposed to be for the servants living in the princess’s wing of the palace but no care had been used to separate the sexes. Jason had almost walked in on two women bathing before and had been walked in on himself by Bridgette, one of Mellony’s personal servants who tried to strike up a conversation with him while he was in the water. She was apparently amused and offended, she claimed men never covered themselves whenever she saw one using the bath and most would invite her to join them. Jason of course asked her to wait her turn but other servants also walked in and out without knocking or any other warning which was the reason he preferred using the bath early in the morning. The water would be cold but if he wanted he could heat it using magic, Jason never did and liked the feeling of the cool water. It cooled him down after a workout and helped him stay awake. Jason quickly bathed and got dressed in the bathing room, as soon as he stepped outside into the hallway he could see Grayland coming to find him.

  “I can see everyone must be up already” Grayland replied. “I heard Gowin couldn’t hold water and went to find you.”

  “He told me about everything” Jason replied.

  “Well it is going to be four of us supplemented by some of the royal guard” Grayland replied. “I have some surprises ready though and want to have this conversation with the Princess and Doroteo as well.”

  “So when do I get to meet our two new partners?” Jason asked.

  “Very soon” Grayland replied. “They are going to be settled in today, both of them will share your workout room so you are going to need a different place to handle your business at. Now that it is five of us instead of just me and you, you can go outside where the rest of the guards practice at.”

  “That would be nice” Jason admitted.

  “I have been meaning to ask you, why the halberd?” Grayland asked. “I could see if you were fending off cavalry, but you would be in close quarters. Is it for your magic?”

  “With the halberd I can keep people at a distance” Jason replied. “I can skewer anyone not paying attention to my reach. The chopping blade can slice and hack and the hook on the other side of it can do a lot of things like take people off of their horse. The iron ball at the other end is great for catching people running in and like you said, I can do magic with this thing.”

  “How does the magic work?” Grayland asked. “Using a halberd instead of a staff I mean.”

  “The end with the metal ball is almost exactly like casting with a staff” Jason replied. “Magic travels from my hands and into the wood whichever way I push it towards. The metal helps amplify the effect a little. There is a finite amount of help a staff can do, a huge twenty foot staff won't be better than a five foot one. Same thing with the metal, the High Mage said four feet is the maximum anyone needs, in fact the difference between three and a half feet and four feet is so small most people just have a shorter staff. Same thing for the metal, although some people have silver or even gold atop their staves, as long as it is metal and at least three pounds is all that counts. It doesn’t even have to be ball shaped, most people pick a ball because it is easier to care for and cuts down on the profile of the staff. My halberd is way taller and heavier than what a mage staff needs to be, but it has alternate uses.”

  “Thanks for enlighteneing me” Grayland replied. “We have a busy couple of days ahead of us, a lot of planning is going to be needed and I need to make sure everyone knows the plan.”

  Jason walked with Grayland and relieved Doroteo who stayed put as Grayland pulled out a sheet of paper and began talking about items they would need to have before they left. Jason was amazed at all the things that needed to be done before a royal could leave the palace. If Jason wanted to go somewhere he just hopped on a horse and left, for the princess to go, a full sized tent would need to travel with her along with men skilled enough to put it up. What made the whole thing so crazy to Jason was that the tent may not even be needed, that was just in case no suitable lodging could be found. That meant an entire wardrobe, bed and other furniture had to be taken for her and her staff of female servants. Jason thought his brain was going to explode by the time Princess Mellony woke up and asked them to come inside.

  “I had to make myself somewhat presentable” Mellony said looking over at her guards. “I could hear you all whispering and so could Bridgette, she wanted to wait until we had a chance to bathe but I am much too curious about what is so important.”

  “The Best Warrior” Grayland replied. “His Majesty doesn’t think he is going to make it and is sending you in his stead Your Highness. We are discussing everything that needs to be handled before the trip.”

  “Isnt that your father’s job Grayland?” Mellony asked.

  “Normally it is but he has been tasked with other things” Grayland replied. “I don’t trust Virgil or the Queen’s assistant to do a proper job.”

  “Grayland you know what happened the last time I left” Mellony said hesitantly.

  “I have a plan for that as well” Grayland replied. “Your two newest guards are going to be female, they will pose as simple servants but their main job will be to watch your back. They are a bit rough in manners, both women come from the country but they are fair blades and decent with a bow. On top of that I found someone that I want to pass off as you, just in case everything goes horribly I think that would be the best back up plan.”

  “You have me a body double?” Mellony ask
ed excitedly. “I want to meet her, does she really look like me?”

  “She looks a lot like you, especially if someone hasn’t seen you before except in paintings” Grayland replied. “As for you Your Highness, I am going to disguise you a bit so you will have to ride in different accomodations for part of the trip. I have looked at the map and there are three areas that a trap could be sprung and help would be too far away. During this time I am going to have your double take over for you and have you travel as a commoner with Bridgette and Bells. You will be about a mile behind any ambush, that should be enough time to prepare yourselves for any attacks or take off back the way you came. We have others traveling with us that I don’t entirely trust, if things get hot we will fight our way out of it and retreat. If any attack comes I am going to be more than ready, just don’t be too hard on your staff that are traveling with us. They haven’t been briefed on the particulars, I had to use a bit of trickery with them. All they know is that they are supposed to be posing as servants with a chance to become royal guardsmen if they are successful. They know they are not to tell anyone of their mission, even other royal guards and they answer directly to me. I need for you Your Higness to act as snobby as possible, the only one who has the particular’s on your travel is your father.”

  “Snobby?” Mellony asked.

  “Yes snobby” Grayland replied. “I have a list of things I need you to demand before you leave. It will make our party grow a lot larger and give me cover as to why we have all the extra servants. I am going to need you to be a lot more vocal, maybe push around Bells and Doroteo out in public.”