The Making of a Mage King: Prince in Hiding

by Anna L. Walls

  “No, you don’t need the stone. Use me,” said Sean. “You did it before.”

  “Give me the stone,” barked Cisco, sounding like a drill sergeant in the movies.

  Sean looked across at Ferris who was frowning. He looked at Jenny who was now awake, but she looked too pale and very scared. He reached his hand toward her, but Cisco jumped between them.

  “No,” she snapped. “You don’t know how. You must give me the stone so I can heal her.”

  Sean caught up Cisco’s hands and pinned them in one of his. “You’re right, I don’t know what I’m doing – but you’re supposed to. You knew enough to do a C-section on a dead woman.” He took Jenny’s hand, and using Cisco’s skill, he healed her. He healed her – completely – and in doing so, he learned what Cisco had been doing – or not doing.

  When he was finished with Jenny, he propelled Cisco away from the others, her hands still cruelly pinned in his fist. She went pale; her eyes looked like they were about to pop out of her head, and looked much darker than normal. Ferris followed him, but he didn’t interfere. “I should kill you for what you’ve done,” snarled Sean.

  Ferris looked from his young charge to Cisco and back.

  Sean glanced at him. They live together. He grit his teeth. “Stay out of this, Ferris.” He gave Cisco a shake. “Tell me all of it,” he compelled.

  Cisco gasped and sagged, then words came out all in a tumble. “I was to kill the princess. I was to make it look like she had a bad delivery, but Lord Clayton whisked us away. I kept with the plan, though. But you didn’t die with your mother.” A tear slid down her cheek. “I couldn’t kill a helpless baby, I just couldn’t. I was thrilled when…when Analeace and Elias decided to keep you away from magic, if they could. Then when Clayton died and his stone was missing… But then you, of all people, had it. I knew to warn you about the seeing, but I didn’t; you made such a common mistake. I could have helped you when you were in so much pain, but I didn’t; still, you wouldn’t die. You kept on over-extending yourself, yet you continued to grow stronger. What was I to do? Without one or more of the stones, you would be weak enough…perhaps. I needed a reason for you to give me a stone, and Jenny’s fortuitous miscarriage provided me with one. If I kept Jenny weak enough, if I professed to be too weak to heal her, or you for that matter, you would give me a stone to save her. You weren’t supposed to know how to do what you just did. No one ever taught you.”

  Then it occurred to Sean, Cisco was the only one of them who didn’t have bruises on her face; she was just as evil as his uncle. He pushed her away with revulsion and she staggered back, tripping over a tree root and falling heavily. “Both you and Ferris taught me how to do that. You both borrowed magic from me to do what you weren’t strong enough to do. I almost died from those arrows. Why didn’t you let me die then?”

  A look of odd horrified wonder came over her tear-streaked face. “I was going to. I intended to borrow your magic to take the stones and then allow you to die; no one would know. But you healed yourself, and then you fainted again. I couldn’t take them on my own. You have them protected. Then there was no other opportunity – no other way. Ferris guarded you too close.”

  “You killed my real mother. You killed Analeace too. Only you could make her die the way she did. Did you kill Elias too?”

  “Yes, I killed Analeace. After…after Clayton died… You grew up so fine and strong. You were turning into…a leader…a king.” She started to sob. “Analeace and Elias tightened up your protection.” She was sobbing openly now. “I didn’t kill Elias, though; I swear.” She buried her face in her hands.

  Sean couldn’t take any more. He turned back to Jenny. She was crying softly in Larry’s arms and Mattie was patting her on the shoulder and watching the rest of them with big eyes. Manuel stood not too far from Clayton, watching it all in confusion. “Jenny, are you all right now?” asked Sean.

  She sniffed and nodded. “I had no idea she was doing that. I don’t understand,” she said in a small, confused voice.

  “I’m not sure I understand either,” said Sean. “First Gordon, now Cisco. Who’s next?”

  “What about Gordon?” asked Ferris, suddenly at his shoulder.

  “He told me that Ludwyn compelled him to get him out of his tower prison. I’m guessing he must have compelled her too. It sure sounds like it.”

  “She’s guilty of treason,” said Ferris.

  Sean looked at him. He had lived with her for seventeen years, and now he was ready to sentence her for treason? Why now? Were the last seventeen years something else?’ “How about you, Ferris? What did Ludwyn compel you to do?” Sean forced his stomach to remain steady.

  Ferris bared his teeth, but he stood for what Sean was doing. “Ludwyn did not cast any spells on me.”

  “Are you telling me the truth? You must tell me the truth.” Sean’s spell exacted its toll.

  Ferris ground his teeth and Sean could see his eyes dilate. “I must tell you the truth. Yes, I am telling you the truth. Ludwyn cast no spells on me.”

  Sean let him go and he sagged, but remained standing.

  “Satisfied?” he asked, as he took a shaky breath.

  “Yes. So, what’s the scoop? I always thought you and her were married. Then again, as I look back, knowing what I know now, why weren’t we all living in the same apartment? I know there were places that would have been big enough for all of us.”

  “Elias and I couldn’t afford to trust either of them. We could only be sure of the three of us, so we decided to divide them. We hoped it would be easier to watch them that way, and for a time, it was.”

  “But I spent a lot of time with Gordon,” said Sean.

  “Gordon swore an oath on the stones in front of us all. He wanted to. You can’t break an oath sworn on the stones. I should have known Cisco would be trouble when she didn’t offer to do the same.”

  Sean nodded. “I’m about half sick. Let’s just get to where we can stop.”

  Ferris nodded and took charge. He hustled Cisco onto a horse and tied her hands to the saddle, and once Jenny was mounted, they started to move again.

  After another hour’s travel, they reached a farming compound. Clayton had the others turn their horses over to a man at the barn while Manuel and Sean took care of their own horses.

  Out in the center of the compound again, Sean saw Ferris speaking with what could only be a guard. At a farm, only a guard would wear armor, no matter how light. As he got closer, he saw that Cisco’s face was all blotchy now; too pale in some places and too red in others, with a cornered, feral look in her eyes.

  The guard was saying, “…suppose we could keep her in the root cellar; we can have Darrel…”

  “Ferris,” interrupted Sean. “I need to ask her a question first.” Sean turned to her and saw fear join the rest of her expressions. “I always liked the saying, ‘Keep your friends close but keep your enemies closer’. I’m not so sure that applies to mages. Ludwyn is your master, isn’t he?” As he spoke, he watched even the blotchy places blanch, and saw a tiny nod that might have been missed if he hadn’t been watching so closely. He reached out and grabbed a handful of her short hair. It was too short for a good hold, but long enough for this. “You will forget. You will forget absolutely everything that happened after Analeace died. All of that will no longer have happened for you.” He watched as her eyes flew wider and took on an oddly detached expression. Then he made her bindings vanish and sent her to his uncle. Let him try to figure out how she got back. Let him think himself lucky that she’d at least had partial success, and if he thinks that she lost the opportunity to bring back the stones, let him deal with that too.

  After she was gone, Sean turned away from the others and tried not to heave up his empty stomach. After a few deep breaths and some serious swallows, he turned back to see that Clayton had joined them.

  “You sent her to Ludwyn, didn’t you?” said Ferris, in a tight voice. “Why would you do that? Are you trying to antago
nize him?”

  “As a matter of fact, I am. You see, I learned something in all of those tournaments I competed in. When you’re fighting someone – if you can manage to make them angry or afraid – or even complacent and overconfident – they become so much more reckless, and recklessness can be predictable. I tried it on Dad a time or two when we played Dungeons and Dragons. It’s never failed me.”

  “This is not a tournament in New York City, and it’s certainly not a game. That man is a very powerful and dangerous man,” said Ferris.

  “Which brings me to my next thought,” said Sean. “You compelled me the other day, and Clayton tried again today. I need to learn how to do that.”

  Ferris looked confused.

  “I don’t mean cast the spells, though I suppose I could use the practice; no, I mean take them. I need to learn how to take spells cast at me and throw them off, or block them, or…whatever it is I need to do. If I ever come up against Ludwyn…or others like him, they won’t be using a sword.”

  “You did all right against me today,” said Clayton. “You shook me off like so much dust.”

  “Yeah, but you might have had better luck if Ferris hadn’t done something similar a couple days ago,” said Sean.

  “We can discuss this later,” said Clayton. Mother would like to meet you – Ferris too.” He turned to the guard that Ferris had been talking to. “Mother says that the prisoner can be locked in a back room. Where is she?”

  “I sent her away,” said Sean. “She’s too dangerous to keep close. She proved that today.”

  “Ah, okay.” He looked dubious, but he continued. “Uh, Ferris, you and your other man will be staying with the guards in the guardhouse. Mom has Larry and Jenny staying in rooms upstairs in the house. Lord Seanad, you’ll be staying in the house too, I think.”

  “Please, just call me Sean,” he said, as they followed Clayton into the house.

  New Roots

  When Sean first walked in the door, all he could do was inhale. The place was warm and smelled of fresh bread, herbs and, something mouthwatering roasting in the oven. Swept away by the aroma, he hadn’t been aware that he had stopped until Ferris chuckled and gave him a little shove so he could come the rest of the way in and close the door.

  Jenny sat at the near end of an enormous plank table that had to sit close to twenty, and probably more if it had to. Nearly the entire main floor of the house was kitchen, and everything happened at the table. Jenny was doing something with a big bowl and Mattie stirred a steaming pot that looked big enough for her to take a bath in. In keeping with the size of the table and the pot, the stove was also huge, making Mattie look like a child. Another woman, whose black hair was generously streaked with gray and all tied up in a large bun, poured something hot into a big mug.

  She turned around and looked at the new arrivals with glittering dark eyes that were surrounded by many laugh lines. Several curls had escaped from her bun and framed her face. “Yes, I can see it. You could only be Deain’s son, but you have your mother’s hair.” She reached up and poked at Sean’s hair. “Oh my, it’ll be a bath and a haircut for you before supper. I don’t believe we’ll be getting a comb through that any time soon.” She pulled out a chair across from Jenny. “Sit down here now and drink this. Clayton tells me you’re not feeling well; this aught to help.” After he had sat and had the mug in his hand, she turned to Ferris. “Ferris,” she said, with a little crack in her voice. “I’m so glad to see you safe.” She gave him a lingering hug then pushed him into another seat. She didn’t ask after anyone else; their absence was enough explanation.

  Clayton dipped himself and Ferris large mugs of cold water from a huge pottery jar near the door, then sat down next to Ferris, passing him his cup along the way. “This is Lady Marinda Ruhin,” Clayton said for Sean’s benefit. “My mother.”

  “Clayton, there’s no call for such formalities here, not among family,” chided Marinda. “I’m sorry dear.” She rested her hands on Sean’s shoulders. “I should have introduced myself right at first.” She poked at his hair again and tsked.

  Sean looked across at Ferris and saw him smiling. He took a sip of the hot tea she had given him and had to make a face as it burned its way down to his stomach then rolled around for a bit before it settled.

  “Ooh,” said Marinda, when she saw. “Worse than I thought. You drink all of that now.” Then her hands were in his hair again. He was getting his haircut right now.

  With Ferris grinning like a Cheshire cat now, Sean got the feeling that he was in for some serious mothering.

  Larry came in through a back door with a large armload of firewood and was directed where to put it. Mattie took a few pieces and went to stoke a fire that was at the other end of the house behind a partial wall.

  Clayton got up and showed Larry where mugs were kept and dipped him some water.

  Everyone watched Sean get his haircut, but he didn’t care. The warm house, hot tea, Marinda’s gentle fingers combing through his hair and the steady tug of the shears she used, was lulling him to sleep. The only thing that kept him awake was the promise of a really good hot meal, hopefully very soon.

  Sean was not to have his meal so easily. With his hair properly shorter and his mug empty, Marinda shooed everyone else out of the house with orders to Clayton to find them sufficient water to wash with, then she propelled her nephew to the back of the room.

  Behind the half wall was a big copper tub of hot water. The fire Mattie had stoked was now little better than a few coals under a large bathtub. Sean had never seen the like before. What a cool idea. He tested the temperature of the water with his fingers. He had always wondered how someone would heat enough water for a bath without a hot water heater. The tub at the inn had been barely large enough for his feet and his butt, but he had been too tired to care about how they’d heated the water.

  “You get in there now and wash yourself. There’s a night shirt and a robe for you to put on when you’re finished.” She handed Sean a bar of brown soap and a soft, long-handled brush. “Don’t take too long. Supper’s almost ready and everyone will start coming in soon.” She turned back at the divider. “Don’t think you’re so big that I can’t dunk you in again if you miss something.”

  Sean had to laugh out loud. She was bigger than Jenny, but not by much. She disappeared with a smile.

  He peeled off his clothes. The shirt wasn’t the one he had worn when he had been shot, but everything else was. He fingered the holes in his mail and had to shift his shoulders at the uncomfortable memory. They still ached considerably, but Mattie said the bruising was starting to turn green and yellow.

  As soon as she heard him get into the water, Marinda came back to take his things. Sean had reached for one of his feet, so he was hunched over some. She had a clear view of his back. She saw the bruises, and perhaps the scars. “Oh my, whatever happened here? No wonder you look so peaked.”

  “It’s not that; I’ve discovered that doing black magic turns my stomach,” he said, as an explanation for his less-than-robust appearance.

  She came over and ran her hand over the sorest part of his back and he ducked involuntarily. If she wanted to see something, there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. “Whoever did this did a very sloppy job of it.”

  “I’m told I did it myself, but I don’t remember much,” said Sean.

  “Yourself? My word, even Ferris could have done a better job than this. Well, not tonight. You’re tired enough. I’ll see what I can do in the morning.” She gave his neck a squeeze. “Be sure to wash your neck, it’s quite black.” Then she was gone with his clothes.

  After his bath, Marinda sat Sean at the head of the table and introduced every new face that came through the door. The whole experience felt like one huge family, though he couldn’t possibly remember all the names of all the faces that paraded through the kitchen.

  It was impossible to count, but there must have been close to thirty men, some women, and a few children filin
g through the house to eat, and many of them brought something to contribute to the feast. Various women took their turns at washing the dishes when they were finished eating, and children played around and under the table until their elders decided it was time to go. Infants occupied a plush rug near the back of the room, or a knee if they managed to crawl that far.

  Conversation was about common things like calving, planting, and weather. Men talked about crops, grain, and hay. Women talked about babies, dyeing material, and skinned knees.

  Young boys wanted to ask the new guy about the sword belt that Marinda had hung by the door, and the battle that had won the bloodstain on it, but they weren’t quite brave enough. Sean could tell by the look in their eyes that they were all wondering where the wounds were.

  The young girls, even as young as three or four, batted their big eyes at the handsome strangers, then hid their faces with a shy smile whenever they were caught at it.

  As an only child doted on by three adults, Sean had always thought himself happy, and he was, but this one meal made him realize what he had missed by not being part of a larger family. He’d wondered why Elias and Analeace hadn’t had more children, but he knew the answer to that question now. They had devoted their lives to raising their king; neither of them would consider dividing their attention by bringing another child into their lives.

  Supper was such that Sean cursed the fact that his stomach wasn’t many times bigger. The food was delicious and abundant. Long before the end of the meal, Sean was feeling quite relaxed.

  Marinda didn’t sit down to eat until the table was nearly empty and the meal was almost over. “Now, Ferris,” she said, to the man she sat directly across from, “tell me what happened to my husband.”

  Ferris sighed and pushed his plate away.

  Sean pushed his away too. “I’m afraid that I’m probably the one who knows most about what happened to your husband,” he said. He looked at her serious face. He didn’t want to tell her a sad story so soon after meeting her for the first time. “I was just a kid and there’re things I may never understand, but…”