Branded Mage

by D. W.

  As soon as the meal was finished, he excused himself from the table. Eloen excused herself as well and quickly followed behind him. She didn’t have to rush much to catch up to him. Without a word Eloen grabbed his arm and helped steady him as he made his way up the stairs. He didn’t want to admit it, but he was grateful for her aid.

  After Eloen got him to his room, she refused to allow him to change into his night clothes, so he kicked off his boots and crawled into the bed still clothed. As soon as his head touched the soft pillows, he fell fast asleep.

  The next morning, he awoke to the feel of something soft draped across his chest. Opening his eyes he rubbed his eyes until his vision cleared. Looking down he noticed a cream colored arm hanging over his chest. He lifted up the covers slightly, and he was relieved to find himself and Eloen still clothed.

  Trying not to wake her, he gently lifted up her arm and slipped out of the covers. His head no longer throbbed and the long night of sleep had removed the fatigue that had been weighing him down over the past few days.

  “Running away already lover?” Eloen said sleepily.

  “My stomach is begging for food, so I thought I would see if I could steal anything from the kitchen.” Thad replied softly.

  “Sounds good, bring me something while you’re at it.” Eloen said lying her head back down.

  Laughing, he shut the door quietly. Eloen was always the first up when they were on the road, but at home she barely moved before the sun was fully up. It didn’t take long for him to make his way to the kitchen and the cooks were more than happy to fill him a plate heaping with cold meat and fruits.

  It was a hard walk back to his room laden down with the large platter of food that was brimming over with food. It was an even greater challenge to open the door without spilling any of it on the expensive soft carpet.

  Inside the room, Eloen was sleeping soundly. Every so often she would let out an almost inaudible snore. Setting the plate down on the desk in the corner of the room, he walked over and gently shook her arm. Her eyes fluttered open, giving him an irritated look.

  “Food’s here.” He said, trying to hold back a laugh.

  “You were supposed to take longer, go back and try again.” She said wiping at her eyes with her hands.

  Thad found it oddly cute, how Eloen stumbled toward the desk. She grabbed one of the padded chairs, dragging it behind her before taking a seat at the edge of the desk. Eloen brushed her disheveled hair from her face lazily as she picked up a piece of melon.

  “What do you plan to do today?” Eloen asked him, giving him a concerned look.

  “Not much. I still have some enchanting to finish, but I promise I won’t push myself as I much as I did yesterday.”

  “You better not, or I’ll have you tied to a pole while Ballard takes after you with a stick.” Eloen said her voice stern and far from joking.

  As soon as Eloen left the room, he pulled the magical pack from beneath his bed and took stock of where he was at. He had finished nine of the fifteen sections the night before, so he should be able to get the others done today without stressing himself. After situating himself into a comfortable sitting position on his bed, he began to work.

  He finished the last section to the pack shortly before the sun reached its apex. Staring out his window he stretched his stiff muscles and let the warmth of the sun wash over him. He still had many battle harnesses and a few weapons to do, but the day was slightly warm and calling to him.

  Outside, he found a dirt path leading to the west and decided it was as good a direction as any. The path went up and down a few hill, but the strain on his muscles felt good after two days of sitting idly working on his magic. His only regret was not thinking to grab something to eat when he noticed the sun had already moved past its midday point.

  All thoughts fled from his mind as the path came to an end at the top of a high cliff overlooking the largest body of water he had ever seen. It was simply breathtaking, as if the sky had met the ground. Looking over to his left he saw a small path leading down from the cliff to the beach below.

  Unable to control himself, he rushed down the path in more of a run than walk, almost tripping a few times. Reaching the beach, he quickly stripped off his clothes and dived into the churning water.

  He quickly stood up out of the water with his eyes burning, spitting up the salty water that had rushed into his mouth. He had wished that someone had told him of the amount of pure salt that was in the water, but the relaxing motion of the water felt good against his skin. The cold water met his warm skin, causing him to shiver uncontrollably.

  He knew it wasn’t the brightest idea to swim in ice cold water, but he didn’t know when he would get the chance to do so again. So he threw caution to the wind and dived back into the water.

  He had to force his eyes open until the stinging sensation abated. He could see a multitude of exotically colored fish swimming underneath the water. Popping back up to the surface, he found that he had gone much farther from the shore than he had intended and his muscles, unused to the stain, were growing tried. Not wanting to tempt fate too much, he dove once again swimming as hard as he could back toward the direction of the sandy beach.

  It took him much longer to reach the shore than he figured. For a while every time he made any distance, the ocean seemed to try and pull him back toward its depths. Once again on dry ground, he laid on his back catching his breath, smiling to himself. The cold air was making him shiver, but that mattered little to him. He could never remember having so much fun before.

  The sun was two thirds of the way down before he could see the Manor again. He was tired and his muscles were screaming as he made his way wearily up the stairs to his room. Before he could make it to the top of the stairs, he was met with a very unhappy Eloen.

  “Just where the hell have you been? I was about to send everyone out to look for you.” She said her voice wavering between anger and relief.

  “I took a walk and found myself at the beach. I couldn’t help myself, so I took a little swim.” Thad said embarrassed, looking down at the ground as if his mother was scolding him.

  Eloen looked him over. After noticing his slightly blue colored skin and matted hair, she started to laugh. “At this time of year, are you out of your mind? Go get in the main baths, I’ll go with you and make sure you’re not disturbed.” She looked at him still laughing, until she noticed he wasn’t moving. “Now, we need to get you warmed up before you catch a chill.”

  Following behind him, Eloen giggled the whole way. Once they reached the door to the large baths, Eloen stuck her head inside and waved him inside. He was happy she stayed outside the room while he bathed.

  The water was warm and felt good against his skin. His fingers and toes had tuned a slight red and burned slightly as the water washed over them. The soaps that lined the huge bath all smelled like flowers or spices. He chose the one that smelled faintly of lilacs and began scrubbing himself, trying to remove the dried salt from his body.

  After he finished, he pulled himself from the water and found some towels on a small wooden shelf that was filled with more scents and perfumes. It was then that he learned of his problem. He hadn’t brought a fresh set of clothes.

  Poking his head out the door he found Eloen standing outside the door waiting patiently. “Can you get me some clothes?”

  “Just grab one of the robes in the armoire in the corner.” She said as she tried to peek around the door, making Thad blush deeply.

  It didn’t take long for him to find the armoire Eloen had mentioned. Inside he found an assortment of robes in all sizes. The only problem was, they were all pink and decorated with purple flowers. Sighing deeply he grabbed one and draped it around his shoulders making sure it was secured thoroughly before he stepped out of the bathing room.

  He quickly made his way to his room, trying to dodge Eloen as she tried to grab the thick piece of cloth that held his robe around his waist. When he arrived at his door, he al
most jumped in the door, closing it before Eloen could follow.

  “You’re no fun. Better hurry up, auntie will be expecting you at dinner soon.” Eloen said through the door, her words laced with laughter.

  “Could you please make an excuse for me and ask that it be sent to my room. I’m exhausted and would like to hit the sack early tonight.” Thad replied, still breathing hard.

  “Ok, but don’t be surprised if she sends me back up here to drag you down there by your ear.”

  Thad fell onto the bed wanting nothing but sleep, but knew he had to get a little more work done before succumbing to the call of his comfortable bed. Pulling one of the swords from its place against the wall he began. The work had become almost second nature to him.

  CHAPTER IX

  Thad, escorted by Eloen met with the rest of their group outside of the manor. Aside from their normal traveling group of ten guards including Eloen, another two hundred had been added. He knew the duchess had only been able to gather a small portion of her forces, but he had expected a few more.

  “With the current trouble within the Queendom, auntie can’t afford to send a large portion of her troops. It’s the same with the rest as well. That is why your presence is so needed. In the past, thousands had marched from each of the ten duchies to aid in the defense of Southpass. Now only a small fraction of that can be spared.” Eloen whispered in his ear, her warm breath tickling his ear sending a shiver down his spine.

  The duchess and little Sophie showed up to see them off. Alysia gave Thad a warm hug, then Sophie waved him down and latched her arms around his neck refusing to let go. She laughed as he spun her around a few times before Eloen helped detach her. She wasn’t very happy about being forced to let go, but perked up when Thad promised to bring her a gift next time he visited.

  As they rode past, the farm people lined the street waving goodbye and shouting encouraging remarks. The whole thing had a very warm feeling. The kids who had met them when they arrived showed up, waving fiercely among the crowd trying to get noticed. Thad didn’t try to hide the smile that spread across his face. He had never seen such a show of love and support before, even if very little of it was meant for him.

  The first day back on the road was slow. Only a few of the new troops had horses and those seemed to be the captains. He wasn’t sure why Eloen’s small band had horses, but he was sure it was not the norm.

  Many of the soldiers made their way to where he rode and talked to him. He wasn’t sure if he was a novelty, or if they were so bored they were just trying to find anything to get their mind off the endless march forward. They told him of their homes and families. A few even asked him about his use of magic, though none of them asked him to display any and for that he was truly grateful. The last few days of overworking himself had taken its toll.

  Unlike the previous days on the road, they marched well past sunset before making camp. The only reason he could think of for this was because of the extra troops, they weren’t as weary of attack and wanted to make up time for the slowed pace.

  As soon as they stopped for the night, the army went into action. They methodically set up camp, placing him right in the middle near a large fire. Sentries and watch groups were selected before the first bedroll touched the ground.

  After brushing down Apple, he set up his sleeping area using a small lean-to one of the soldiers had given him to help keep off the worst of the weather. With everything ready for the night, he set off to find Eloen and her group.

  It didn’t take long to find them, as Eloen was sitting at a small fire cooking a score of small rabbits on a split. He called over to Alden who causally walked over to him to see what he wanted.

  “I got the pack finished as well as everyone’s swords. I wasn’t able to get even a quarter of the battle harnesses done, but I will continue to work on them.” Thad said barely above a whisper.

  “Great, do you have them with you?” Alden asked looking around conspiringly.

  Thad pulled the pack from his back and opened it up. Alden took him to where they had staked their horses and helped him unload the gear from the magical pack. As soon as they were finished, they headed back to the rest of the group. Alden went around telling them what he had been able to do.

  Eloen was absorbed in her cooking and never noticed the group huddling together. The hard part of the task, as far as Thad was concerned was finish. Now they just had to figure out how to give the pack to her.

  After a long discussion, they decided it would be best if Thad handed her the gift with everyone around him. That way he could explain how it worked. He wasn’t so sure of the plan and he feared that if he handed it to her, she would think it was primarily from him and not the group as a whole. When the food was done and Eloen had removed it from the fire, they advanced. Noticing them moving as a group, she raised her left eyebrow at them questioningly.

  “What’s all this about?” Eloen said, her tone slightly amused.

  Thad pulled the pack out from behind his back and held it out to her as if he were holding a live snake. “It’s a gift from to you, from everyone.” He replied his voice shaky and unsure.

  “A new pack, it’s a little smaller than I normally carry but I’m sure I can find a use for it.”

  Thad opened one of the sections for her and stuck his arm inside down to the shoulder. “It’s magical. Each section can hold a large amount, and the weight disappears when it’s closed. It will also keep food fresher as time doesn’t pass the same way inside the bag.”

  “Oh!” Eloen said, taking the bag. She eagerly began filling it with things from around the camp. “Marvelous! I could carry my whole house in here, and it wouldn’t weigh more than a couple of clothes!” She looked around, her face beaming then went on to give everyone a friendly hug. “Thanks everyone.”

  Thad was happy to accept Eloen’s invitation to dinner, as the rest of the small army was eating some kind of murky grey stew with odd chunks of meat in it. Their usual fireside stories were replaced with displays of skills, as the warriors tried out their improved weapons.

  Darryl showed off a bit more than the rest, thoroughly enjoying his newly designed swords. During their conversations, Darryl had always complained that the weight of the swords tired him too quickly, but if they were made any lighter the steel would be too brittle. Thad had spent a little extra time trying out a new enchantment that would not really reduce the weight, but help momentum so less force was needed to swing the weapon. It had worked wonderfully, so he had added the same enchantment to his elongated sword. He had wanted to add it to the magic devouring sword, but to no avail, as any magical force applied to it was diverted and absorbed.

  As the soldiers went through different routines, pushing his enchantments to their limits by trying to see what all they could cut though, Eloen moved over to sit beside him. “You know every soldier here is going to want one of those swords and magically strengthened battle harnesses. I saw Ballard shoot an arrow at his with a crossbow and it barely marred the thing. It’s quite impressive, but I don’t think anyone will be happy if you work yourself to death before we reach Southpass.”

  “I know I push myself a little too far sometimes, but I’m getting better at telling when to stop.” Thad said looking thoroughly abashed. “I just want everyone to have the best chance to survive as possible.”

  Eloen placed a gentle hand on his back. “Don’t think me harsh for saying this, but we have thousands of soldiers at, or headed to Southpass, but only one mage. They are my best friends I have known them for years, but right now the best chance we all have at surviving is if you make it to Southpass to help hold off the Ablaian invasion.”

  He felt something soft and light brush against his cheek. “I do appreciate everything you have done. Just…… don’t overdue it.” Eloen said placing both her hands firmly on either side of his head pulling him into a deep kiss. His faced blushed deeply as he could hear the other soldiers whistling and shouting our remarks toward him and Elo
en.

  Pulling back to catch his breath, Eloen gave him an enticing smile and a seductive wink. “Can’t do that with your little princess, now can you?”

  “I………” Thad’s words stuck in his mouth, as if his jaw had been sewn shut. He had gotten so used to Eloen’s flirtatious nature and had completely forgotten their first meeting where she had stolen his first kiss.

  Ruffling his hair and leaving him there still stuttering, Eloen walked over to where Alden and Ballard sat chatting. Her hips swaying in a hypnotic fashion as she walked away.

  “Our little captain has taken quite the liking to you.”

  Thad jumped, startled by the unexpected voice. Turning around he found Darryl standing behind him with a large grin plastered on his face.

  “She’s just teasing me. I think she would flirt with a rock if it could blush.” Thad said defensively.

  Darryl let out a long deep laugh. “I don’t know if you’re that innocent, or that dense. Yea the captain likes to flirt, she loves the attention, but in the four years she’s been our captain, I haven’t seen her give anyone more than a peck on the cheek. Though, I don’t know why I’m telling you this. The rest of us have been taking bets as to how long it will take you to figure it out. As smart as you seemed I thought you would get it before we reached the duchess’s estate, but I guess brains don’t mean you understand everything.”

  Thad felt more than a little insulted at what Darryl was saying, but couldn’t come up with a suitable retort. They had all known Eloen far longer than he had, but he couldn’t tell if Darryl was trying to pull a fast one on him or not. He had seen the soldiers pull jokes on each other daily and had even found himself the target of a few.

  “I think she’s just having a bit of fun at my expense. She’s almost ten years older than me and I’m nothing special.”