by Guy Antibes
“Can you duplicate this?” Vana asked, looking at Ricky intently.
“I probably can. Do you want me to give it a try? I will probably break one of the wires.”
Vana found an empty workstation and picked up a piece of scrap hardwood along the way.
“Show me,” Vana said. It sounded more like a command than a request.
Ricky sat down and watched a sorcerer on the next station work with the wood. He exercised a bit of will to make the wire vibrate. As he applied more will, he cast a version of the spell that sped things up and applied a touch of it to the wire.
The wire barely appeared to be moving, but Ricky could feel the energy coming from the wire. He put the wood on the work platform and moved the wood slowly through the wire twisting it one way and another, mimicking what he saw the other sorcerers do.
He stopped the spell and held out the two pieces to Vana. The sorcerers close to him had stopped to watch Ricky work.
She looked surprised. Ricky could see the perfectly smooth cuts, which were unlike what the other sorcerers produced. Vana dropped the wood in a scrap bin and left the work hall. Ricky looked back at a few of the sorcerers who had retrieved the pieces to look at Ricky’s work. They smiled and bowed in appreciation, as they ran their hands along the cut sides.
Vana briskly walked into another work hall where all kinds of furniture were being assembled and finished. The quality was exceptional to Ricky’s unschooled eyes, but she did not stop until she ducked out a side door to the outside.
“I have another gift for you,” Vana said, leading them on a walk back into the village. “You’ve shown me that you have above-average talent and I would like you to have something to remember me and my father when you become the Duke of Naparra. I have another sorcerer for you to meet. He’s the craftsman I mentioned.
She entered a shop. There were intricately carved curios in the window. Ricky could see the work of a better sorcerer than what he had seen in the furniture factory.
“Geordo,” Vana called out.
A short, gray man, better dressed than any of the other working sorcerers, stepped into the shop from the back. He bowed. “Lady Vana, what brings you to my humble shop?”
“This boy needs a wand, the best you have.”
The sorcerer noticed Ricky’s sword. “A lord from Vorria?”
“The heir to Naparra.”
“May I look at your sword, Lord?”
Ricky drew his sword and let the sorcerer examine it. “Vorrian-made, but to Naparran specifications. An ancient pattern, finely wrought.” He returned the sword. “This is an heirloom, I am sure, but whose family, I wonder?” Geordo shrugged. “Someone did a fine job caring for the weapon. You do the same.”
“You are a sorcerer?” he said to Ricky and looked at Vana. “The boy is young.” He set the sword on the counter.
“Young enough to defeat a great boar with his magic.”
The sorcerer looked at Ricky. “This is true?”
Ricky just nodded.
“I witnessed the remains,” Tobia said.
The sorcerer nodded, but Vana glared at Tobia for speaking.
“I just finished an export item,” Geordo said. “But I can make another in time to send to Vorria. All my work goes there.”
“What about the works in your shop?” Ricky asked.
Geordo sighed and said with a tinge of sadness, “Local people are forbidden to buy my work. They couldn’t afford it anyway.” The man disappeared.
The little fellow made wooden trinkets rather than perform. By the way he acted around Vana, Ricky had the impression that he had sold out for money. The little man returned with a long, thin, hard leather case with a wand inside.
“Our precious wood makes the best wands in the world,” he said, his eyes shining with pride. “ I sink a steel pin in the top that attaches to an ornate cap.” He withdrew the wand and gave it to Ricky.
The cap was burnished to a mirror-like polish. The dark wood had taken a greenish stain that intensified the darker grain. It, too, was polished to a high gloss.
“This is too precious as a gift.” Ricky pulled out his purse. “At least let me tip you with a few gold pieces. I know it’s only a token of its true worth.”
Geordo bowed to Ricky and took the coins. “You are a true gentleman, a true noble, and a true sorcerer.” The man put the wand in the case and presented it to Ricky.
“Why don’t you prepare the horses, while I settle up with Geordo?” Vana said.
Ricky and Tobia had walked a few paces away from the shop when Ricky realized he had left the sword on the counter. He looked into the shop just as Vana viciously grabbed Ricky’s two gold coins from the sorcerer’s outstretched palm.
Ricky walked in, and then Vana blushed. Normally, Ricky would have found it enchanting, but today, in this situation, it made her look cheap and venal.
“Oh, your sword is over there,” Vana said, clutching Ricky’s coins behind her back.
Ricky used his speed spell to find four gold coins in his purse and put them beneath the counter where Vana wouldn’t see them. He returned to where he had invoked the spell and tried to assume the same pose. Time sped up, and Ricky retrieved his sword and winked at the sorcerer on his way out.
“Shall we get something to eat?” Ricky said.
Vana looked at Tobia. “Your servant brought enough food for us to eat. I know of a pleasant glade not far from here.”
~
Ricky looked up at the clouds dotting the sky.
“You don’t understand our ways,” Vana said.
Ricky didn’t understand this girl. She treated them both like dirt, yet she had given him an obvious treasure in the wand.
She looked at Tobia cleaning up after their meal. Tobia, of course, had to eat out of Vana’s sight. Ricky didn’t understand the reason to treat a human like a possession, like a non-human. He didn’t like Vana’s attitude towards the people in the village and taking the two gold pieces that Ricky offered as a tip. Why did Vana object to the man receiving a tip for something so special?
The airs Vana put on made Ricky think that her father was more than a mayor. Why was that?
Tobia finished packing and stood by his horse.
“We should get back,” Ricky said.
“That we should.” She looked at Ricky. “Did you get a good feel for the south?”
“Enough.” He patted the wand attached to his belt on the opposite side of his sword. “I even had the provenance of my sword given me.”
“I’m glad,” Her reply didn’t match the way she said it. She sighed as if her work was done and walked to her horse. She took off before Ricky and Tobia had mounted.
“Is this a race?” Tobia said.
Ricky shook his head. “We just head north until we reach some spot that you recognize.” He led the horse at a leisurely walk out of the meadow and onto the dirt road. It was easy to follow the tracks Vana’s horse made at full gallop.
The sun was losing its heat when they reached the manor. Ricky rode with Tobia to the stables.
Vana’s horse was being groomed when Ricky dismounted.
“The little vixen’s done it again,” the servant said as Tobia began to unsaddle the horses.
“Is the horse blown?” Tobia said.
“Just about.”
Tobia made a shooing gesture at Ricky. He walked out of the stable having learned too much that day. He was ready for a bath before dinner. He didn’t know if he could wash off the taint of the mistreatment he witnessed of both animal and human.
“You warmed your own water?” Tobia said, entering the apartment as Ricky stood in the living room wearing a robe and toweling off his washed hair.
“Something a sorcerer can do,” Ricky said. “Is it this bad all through Dimani?”
“The contract workers?”
Ricky nodded.
“No, not at all. You did well to keep your composure, Ricky.”
“I nearly didn’t when
I saw her confiscate the coins I gave the sorcerer. Her outside appearance took me, but I am appalled by what she must be like inside.” Ricky stopped his toweling. “It looks like Vana’s father owns the south, not Lord Griama.”
“I agree with you,” Tobia said. “It is disturbing that Lady Amira and young Jac are in the dark about that.”
“Maybe they know, but they are told to act blind to it by decree,” Ricky said. “Lord Griama is hiding something.”
~~~
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
~
R ICKY STILL HADN’T DECIDED HOW TO TELL JAC BEFORE LUNCH the next day when the manor received three familiar faces. Sippa had finally made it south from the capital with Baron Mansali, accompanied by Loria.
As everyone filled the dining room, Ricky wondered if some servants would have to do double-duty serving the diners. He looked at a very unhappy Loria sitting next to her father across the table from him. Jac sat at the opposite end with Vana and Sippa at either side.
An underlying tension filled the air, but Sippa did his best to diffuse the situation by asking that everyone introduce themselves. He joked as he commented on their roles, and finally when he was about to run out of comments, lunch was served.
Baron Mansali asked if they could talk privately, so Ricky invited him to his apartment. The baron looked around.
“This is a nice place to spend your summer,” he said.
“It is. I’ve had an interesting time so far.” Ricky told him about the great boar. “What brings you to the Griama domain?”
“I’m afraid I’m on a fool’s errand. Lord Griama won’t receive me at Falcon Castle. King Courer seems to know nothing about the lumber trade to Vorria. I decided to travel down myself. It is a pleasant enough trip.”
Ricky nodded. “I’m probably the only person who knows what is going on who will talk to you. Vana Rasso’s father is the mayor of the port city, but I think he is much more than that. She acts as if she were a princess in the south. I think that the Vorrians have a lock on all trade in the south through Vana’s father.”
“Do you have any proof?” Baron Mansali said.
“Nothing in writing, if that is what you mean. I do know that her father makes expansive use of contract labor.”
Mansali nodded his head. “That is little better than slavery.”
“I know,” Ricky said. “They use sorcery to fabricate furniture. Wait a moment.” Ricky ran upstairs and retrieved his wand and the scarf. “This is a wand intended to go to a Vorrian sorcerer.”
Mansali’s eyes lit up. “Exquisite, I’ve haven’t seen many wands that rival this in Duteria.”
“It was destined for Vorria, but Vana, I think, wanted to impress me.”
“And the furniture?”
Ricky shook his head. “I don’t have a sense of what is good or bad. The southern forests have this wood,” Ricky pointed to the wand. “It’s very hard, and that’s why they use sorcerers to cut it by making wires vibrate. I tried to cut a piece myself, so I know their technique works. The Vorrians have put in modern mills in the South. Vana pointed that out to me.”
“No one knew of these things in the capital.”
“Do you know why Ticco Griama is next in line to the king? How did that happen? I suspect Lord Griama sold off the southern part of his domain to the Vorrians in order to buy his son’s designation of Crown Prince when King Courer can’t be more than ten years older. His wife and Jac are forbidden to go south.”
“That’s pure conjecture,” Baron Mansali said. “Boys see plots and adventure everywhere.”
Ricky handed the red scarf to the Baron. “Have you ever seen such fine wool?”
“Not too often. This wool is very high grade. It came from the south, too?”
“Vana said her father has bred a line of sheep that produces the wool used in that.”
Baron ran his hands through the cloth. “I could sell this anywhere.” He looked at Ricky. “If I can’t go south, I’ll go to Vorria. I don’t have a link there, but I’d be happy reselling this. Would you mind keeping an eye out for Loria if I left her here for a few weeks? I may end up on a ship in a few days.”
“The question is would Loria want to stay here?” Ricky said.
“It would do her good. Facing off against former rivals and all that,” Baron Mansali said. “Just look out for my daughter. As a favor to me?”
“If you put it that way, I will,” Ricky said, surprised that the Baron placed such trust in him.
“Also, between your adventures, do some more thinking about going to Duteria sooner than later. I know you are an heir to your father’s duchy, but you have so much to learn before Duke Noacci is ready to give up Naparra.”
“I’ll think about it, Baron.”
Mansali rose and walked to the door. “I will see you again, young Valian.”
Ricky looked at the closed door after the Baron left and couldn’t see a reason not to do as the Baron suggested. He had two or three years left at Doubli Academy and fully intended to spend all his time there.
~
Loria looked forlorn. Sippa had paid some attention to her for a few days after her father left, but even he deserted Loria to return to the capital. Ricky thought she dragged down everyone as she sat with a morose look on her face.
He asked for an audience with Lady Griama, who readily agreed. Ricky had more than Loria Mansali on his mind.
“You wanted to speak with me?” Lady Griama said.
Ricky nodded. “When was the last time you went to your port city in the south?”
Lady Griama maintained a smile. “It’s been five or six years.”
“Does your husband forbid you to go?”
“Forbid is a strong word, Ricky.” She looked uncomfortable.
“Has your husband sold your southern lands? Is Vana Rasso the daughter of the real lord of that area?”
“How did you know? Did Vana tell you? I wouldn’t have expected it of her.”
Ricky didn’t need to go into much detail. His suspicions were quickly confirmed.
“Naming Ticco as Dimani’s Crown Prince wasn’t cheap,” Lady Griama said. “Lord Rasso approached my husband with a very generous offer.” She shrugged. Lady Griama didn’t have to elaborate.
“At least I got a scarf and a nice wand that would have gone to Vorria,” Ricky said with a smile. He pitied Lady Griama. She and Jac involuntarily sacrificed a significant portion of the family’s wealth to promote Ticco, who Ricky felt was utterly unsuited to be anything, much less King of Dimani. “Jac knows this?”
“Of course he does. Vana visits the manor often and becomes more insufferable with every stay. Please don’t bring it up unless Jac wants to talk about it. We are both mortified by my husband’s actions.”
“What does Ticco think about it?” Ricky asked.
“Once he is king, he says he will remove the Vorrians, but it isn’t as simple as that.”
“He wants a closer relationship with Paranty, so he can use them to remove the Vorrians?”
Lady Griama clutched her handkerchief. “I am afraid my husband and eldest son can’t see a larger picture. King Courer is not as strong a king as Dimani deserves.” She shuddered. “Ticco is my son, but Dimani under his rule?” She shook her head.
Ricky could see the larger picture. King Leon had an army ready to invade Dimani, invited in by the Crown Prince so that he could push the Vorrians out of the south. Lord Griama played a risky game with his eldest son. The Parantian king’s price for doing that would be the newly-discovered gold mines, and Ricky could see that working as an enticement. The Princess Pira story Effie had told about King Leon and the Fisttians showed King Leon’s greed.
It was time to change the subject. “We’ve already spoken too much about that,” Ricky said. “I’m not much for diplomacy.”
“You grasped our situation well enough,” Lady Griama said drily.
“I am concerned about Loria Mansali. Could you spend more time with her? Sh
e is unhappy here, especially since her father just dropped her into your lap.”
Lady Griama managed a smile. “I can do that. I have free rein over the girl?”
“That’s not for me to say. Baron Mansali asked me to keep an eye out for her. Loria and I had a short relationship a year ago—”
“Supplanted by my Jac?”
“That’s right. It was all for the better.”
“You still like her?”
Ricky shook his head. “If anything, I feel mostly pity. She has some issues, and I’m not experienced enough to know exactly how to deal with her.”
“You are doing fine. I’ll watch over Loria while she is here. Have the summer you had intended to have,” Lady Griama said.
She stood. Ricky guessed the audience was over. He had confirmed more than he expected.
~
“I guess Sippa’s gone for good,” Ubbo said at breakfast.
Jac brightened with a thought. “We’ve been stuck at the estate for long enough. Why don’t we go into the capital? I can get us an audience with King Courer. Wouldn’t you like to meet our king?”
“You can do that?” Benno said.
Jac grinned. “I can.”
Vana declined to accompany them, but Loria took Vana’s place. Ricky was glad to get out of the estate. He brought Tobia with him as his servant. The man deserved to see his wife. They stayed at the same inn as when they had first arrived in Dimani.
Ricky shared his room with Tobia, which surprised his friends, but he didn’t care.
“Could you do a favor for me?” Ricky asked.
“What would that be?” Tobia replied.
“Find out what Lord Ducri Wamia is doing? See if you can find a person in his household to reveal all his secrets.”
“I think I can fulfill your request,” Ricky’s servant said. “Can I pursue your commands right now?”
Ricky nodded. He hoped Tobia would have a good time reuniting with his wife.
“How about attending a sorcery performance?” Jac said as he walked into Ricky’s room just after Tobia left. “Where is your servant going?”