As we were walking toward the entrance to the keep, a rider, sweat flying from his mount, careened through the middle of the courtyard and almost halfway up the steps. The rider dismounted and yelled, “Hello the Keep!” at the top of his lungs. I ran in behind him and Pariset ran out from a side room.
The man, out of breath, panted that an Orc had been sighted about two miles east and was headed in the direction of farmhouses a few miles north of the road. I had an instant thought in my head of ‘a dozen armed men killed’ and I was off. I ran out the door, to the left and in moments I was at the stable. I grabbed a horse, told the groom I would return it and wheeled toward Valeview’s main gate. Pariset yelled something behind me. I looked back and yelled for no one to follow. I would return soon. I kicked the horse into motion and went out the gate and down the road to the east.
I followed the road awhile until I figured about two miles had passed and turned the horse off-road through the fields to the north. I rode about a mile before I saw the creature, identifiable by his hunched gait, a bit in front of me. At the speed he was going, he would easily reach the closest house before I could reach him. I pulled my wand, aimed and let an energy bolt fly. It struck in the middle of his back but had lost power with the distance. It was enough to get him to look behind him for the attack. He saw me and changed direction directly for me. The horse was now going berserk so I dismounted and waited for the Orc to close the gap. When he was about Fifty yards away, I fired two energy bolts quickly and watched as they struck him. After the second, I assumed he would fall, but he continued a staggering advance so I hit him once again. He dropped, twitched, and lay still. I approached cautiously and made sure the monster was dead. He was as dead as you can get. I started going over it for loot as I had done when I was a poor woodland mage, last week. Old habits of gamers died hard. I found a coin pouch, small sharp dagger and a pretty ring on a chain around its neck. I didn't bother to do much inventory because I knew I had to return to the castle quickly. The place would be in an uproar and Isa would be beside herself. As proof that I had done what I set out to do I cut off the Orcs ears and stuffed them in the coin pouch. I then located my horse, caught him and headed back to the castle.
It seemed like a very short ride and I could barely see the front of the castle for the people clogging the road. As I got close enough to be identified, a cheer went up. I wondered how much money was gambled on if they would ever see me again or not. As I approached the guardhouse through the parting crowds, Isabel stood there crying. I dismounted and led my horse. I walked up to her and took her hand, leading her back into the courtyard. Pariset was standing in the middle of the courtyard approached and asked if I had seen the beast. With out answering, I tossed him the coin pouch I had procured, coins and all. He opened it and removed one of the large Orcish ears. He held it above his head and a deafening cheer rose from inside the castle grounds. People pounded me on the back, asked how I had done it, and wondered what the story was. Beside me, my crying and very upset wife had all my attention. I held up a hand and just said ‘later’. I put an arm around Isabel and led her into the keep followed by Alba and Chloe.
In our room, the two girls and I calmed Isa enough for her to hear the story. I think that her ladies-in-waiting only stuck around because they wanted to know what had happened too. I admonished the two young princesses that what they were going to hear was to go no farther than this room, and that got their attention completely! Isabel relaxed noticeably when I started to recount the story and got to the part where I first used magic. I supposed that she had forgotten, in the stress of the incident, that I could do that. For the younger two it raised questions that had not been prepared to answer with them yet. I had intended to try teaching them magic after I had worked with Isa for a while, but the knowledge of the existence of magic was suddenly dropped on them. They tried asking questions during the recount but I put them off telling them that I would explain it all at another time. I explained that, for the moment, we were there to calm Isa.
My young bride finally composed herself and we left the room to go to the kitchen to eat. Neither one of us wanted to deal with the people that might be in the great hall. We had both had enough excitement for one day. After we finished I noticed that the sun was getting low. I wanted to get to the tailor shop and get my clothes. I led the way out of the kitchen and out the doors of the keep. As we got to the top of the stairs, a cheer rang out. The courtyard was still full of people talking about the Lord who had gone off chasing an Orc. We made it down the steps avoiding being pounded to death by enthusiastic citizens and to the tailors shop. The door was still open so we stepped inside. The tailor beamed as we walked in and stepped through a door behind her. She returned quickly with folded clothes and laid them on the counter for our inspection.
“These,” she said laying one set to the left, “are yours my Lord. And these,” she patted the remaining items, “are for you my Lady.”
“Thank you very much. I seem to have forgotten my money but if you’ll send the bill when you send our other clothes to our room in the morning I’ll see you are paid.”
She laughed, “Surely you jest, my Lord” and shaking her head turned back to her work.
We left the shop carrying our bundles and went back toward our room. On the way, I suggested that maybe Pariset wouldn't be so upset about letting us go out of the castle now that he knew an Orc was not going to eat me. I was informed that my comment was not even funny but she agreed that he might not be overly protective. Back in our room, I stepped into a changing room and tried on my new clothes. I had to give the tailor credit because the fit was exactly what I was looking for and the stretchy fabric clung enough to be perfect for woodland travel. I came out of the changing room to show Isabel and get her opinion. The clothing style is not exactly what she had grown up with and was used to but she said it looked very nice. As it was getting close to bedtime and we didn't plan to leave the room again, I suggested that she try hers on. With much begging and cajoling, she agreed. She grabbed the clothes from the bed and wandered off to her changing room closest to Alba’s room. After a few minutes, her head came around the corner and she looked at me. She informed me that they fit and that she was going to dress for bed now. I had to beg again for her to come out and at least show me what they looked like on her. She walked out blushing. Her tunic was a perfect fit and the stretchy material defiantly stretched in the right places. I had her turn for me and she blushed even redder. The pants clung much more nicely than mine did and I discovered she had assets that I didn't know she had! To make her embarrassment complete Alba and Chloe showed up to see if she was ready for bed. They gasped seeing the way she was dressed and after the initial shock, wanted to know where they could get clothes like that. I fell over on the bed laughing and the girls went off to dress for bed.
Chapter Thirteen
The next morning as Isa and I sat talking about what we should do today, there was a knock on the bedroom door. Isabel answered it and the tailor was there bringing up our other clothes. She asked if we had a chance to try them on and I stood up to show her that I was wearing mine. She turned to Isabel who, blushingly, admitted to trying hers on but doesn't know if she would ever be talked into wearing them in public. That reminded me of her sisters’ request and I asked the tailor if she would be able to measure here and now for clothes like that for her sisters. She nodded and I was sure I heard her mumble something about losing her head for this. I grinned at her and while Isa summoned the girls, I went to my closet and got a gold coin from the dowry chest that was located there. I came out and dropped the coin into the tailors’ hand saying that I hoped this would ease her mind. Her eyes went wide and she curtsied and thanked me. I asked her if she would mind making me a few sets of other clothes. Clothing that would fit in better in the castle when she was done with these, and she agreed. She quickly took the measure of the girls, told me that one set each should be done by noon, and backed out of our room. The girls start
ed back to their rooms but I called to them and said that I would want them to join Isa and me on a walk this afternoon. They agreed and left.
Isa and I lounged around our room and talked about the politics of kingdoms and provinces, which I know nothing about, and magic, which she knew very little about. She was much more interested in the latter so I told her that I had not used many spells and that I knew many more than I had used so far. I told her that the ones I had not used we could learn together. That seemed to make her very happy, knowing that she wouldn't always have to be in the role of a student.
I remembered my incident yesterday and got up, went to my closet, opened a drawer and took out the ring, chain, small dagger and sheath. I took the items back to the couch where we were sitting and started with the dagger. I handed it over to her still in the sheath and asked if she would wear it on our walk. She took it, and said she would, but I was sure it was just to humor me. I handed her the chain and let her examine it. It was a very nice gold chain made by, what must have been, a master jeweler. The links were small and perfect. I told her it was hers if she wanted it and she beamed, fastened it around her neck and sat back fondling it. Lastly, I pulled out the ring. I told her that I don't know the custom of the land but where I was from; a married woman wore one on her left hand to denote status. I said that I sure didn't have a chance to get one for her on our wedding day, at which she giggled. I offered her this one to wear if she wanted it. She looked at the gold circlet with the large single ruby and said she loved it. It was a bit to large for the ring finger of her left hand. I suggested she keep it on the chain until we could get it sized. She leaned toward me, kissed me and told me ‘thank you very much.’
Since we were going to go for a walk today and I was worried that this walk may be our most dangerous yet, I decided to teach one more spell. It was a safe one that could be taught indoors and without the wands, if she chose. I asked her if she would like to learn another spell. She sat up and leaned forward so quickly that she almost fell off the couch. I told her that she might not like everything about the way I planned to teach it but she should just bear with me. She informed me that she trusted me completely. I explained to her that the spell that I was going to try to teach was a healing spell. The word for the spell was ‘consano’. I watched her repeat the word several times under her breath. I told her that all she would need to do was focus on the desired effect and then say the spell word. She nodded in understanding. I asked to borrow the dagger I had given her and that was when alarm showed in her face. I calmed her saying that there wouldn't be any danger and that she could do this. She handed it to me and I made a shallow slash in my left hand. It stung a bit but nothing that I couldn’t handle. She gasped at the sight of the blood and barely held her composure. I put my right hand on her knee and told her to relax and give it a shot. She looked at me with tears in her eyes, took a deep breath to relax herself, pointed her wand at my hand and softly said ‘consano!’ The small wound closed instantly even reabsorbing the blood from around it.
She looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, “That spell is amazing but I don’t think I want to learn any more that require you to hurt yourself!”
“Well, my love, now you know that you can do it if the need should ever arise.” I explained. “I didn’t want to frighten you but this was the best way I could think of to show you the effects of the spell.”
She nodded, sighed and put her wand away. As it disappeared into her sash, I saw a small spot of shiny white on the handle. Some day I was going to have to delve into the secret of the color changing wands. However, for now it seemed that my wife needed comforting.
Noon rolled around quickly and the tailor showed up with a set of clothes for each of the younger girls. She also brought four capes with clasps at the neck and close to the belt. She said that with the capes we could cover our clothes if we didn't want to feel to, ahem… exposed. She told me to stop by her shop in a few days to pick up the other set of the girls clothes and my, ahem… more appropriate attire. I smiled, thanked her profusely and sent her on her way.
Isa, without a word from me, summoned the girls and had them put on the woods dress and cover it with a light travel dress, so we don't cause an uproar heading out of the castle. They hurried and dressed while Isa fixed her own clothing and I put on the cape. It was a very nice cape and it matched our clothing nicely. It even seemed to have some light golden threadwork along the edging. I decided not to wear my coat for a change and stuck my wand into my waistband on the left side. Isa saw me do this and said that she would do the same once we got to the woods, but her sash would work for now. She told me that she had the girls wear sashes also for the same reason. Cador had brought up the five wands I had ordered while we were out and had left them on the table. I had put them in what had become my junk drawer in my closet. I went in now and got out two. I brought them out and gave them to Isa. I told her that she could do the honors of presenting them to the girls who would have no clue what they were.
The girls came to our room and looked lovely. We are all wearing matching capes and that should draw some unwanted notice. I figured the notice from the capes would be nothing compared to us getting horses and a few guards. I had decided to let the guard ride with us to the point where we would go south to the river but that would be enough to fulfill my promise to Pariset. Isabel pulled out the two wands and handed one to each of the girls. They looked confused and whipped them around like riding crops. Isa explained that we would teach them how to use them later on today and for now to just keep them tucked into their sashes. I loved it when she said that ‘we’ would teach them. She was such a good big sister! Before we made it out the bedroom door, she admonished them to pay attention to everything that I told them and obey at once. She said that this is not like taking a walk in Brenhinoedd and there was no telling what we might find. They nodded solemnly and agreed to pay attention.
We headed out of the keep turning heads all the way. I thought that many of the citizens of Valeview had decided that I was a bit insane. We went to the stables and had four horses saddled for us. We mounted up and rode the circle to the gate. The tailor came to the door of her shop and waved, wishing us luck. As we rode up to the guardhouse the Captain on duty asked if I would like an escort. I told him that if a few men wanted to go down the road to the east with us a ways that would be fine. However, I wanted them to wait at the road until we returned from the river. To me, the man nodded and said ‘yes, my Lord’ but as he turned he shook his head and mumbled something unintelligible. He waved a hand and six horsemen appeared from nowhere. We turned to the east with the guard flanking us. We only rode about a thousand yards when I told them they had gone far enough and we’d be fine alone from here on out.
We turned off the road to the south and found my gap through the cliff to the river. I wanted to look in the woods to the west and that would avoid prying eyes as I taught magic. So far, I hadn’t heard anything about evil magic using witches being burned at the stake, but I didn't want to do anything to make myself fodder for the first of the stories! As we approached the woods, we were back behind Valeview. Just at the edge of the woods, the horses started to become unhappy so we dismounted. We tied them to the trees at the clearings edge and prepared to walk. As I unclasped my cloak, Alba was the first out of her dress and straightening her woods clothes. I guessed modesty in front of me was not a problem at all for her. I tapped the wand at my belt reminding her to get hers. She untangled it from her dress and stuck it in her waistband. Isa was a tad more modest and took her time but poor Chloe… I thought that Isabel was going to have to undress her to get her to wear her woods clothes. I was just to the point of giving in and letting her wear her dress when she relented, glowing red like an ember.
Finally ready, I led us into the woods. I knew that if someone was watching from the castle at this point, they had just died of fright. I was sure the people had reason to be frightened, but so far, I hadn’t discovered it. I led u
s back five hundred yards to a long clearing, with a knoll on our end and a large rocky formation at the other end. We sat on the knoll, me with Alba and Isa with Chloe. I explained that we were going to try teaching them how to do some magic. That raised the excitement level of both girls. I cast telekinesis on a rock and floated it around us. Not to be outdone Isabel did the same. Now big sister was truly an idol! They started to ask questions but I held up a hand. There would be time for questions later. We explained how to focus intent and then speak the word ’telekinesis’.
Alba quickly jumped up to try it. She stared at a rock on the ground ten feet away. It was easy to tell when she actually found her focus because her left hand moved to her chest. Pointing with her wand, I had them use the wand for everything to avoid painful accidents, she said the word ‘telekinesis’ softly but clearly. The rock floated smoothly from the ground up to about ten feet and slid like it was on a slow zip cord down to her waiting hand. She was all smiles when she turned back to the group.
Chloe was the next one up on center stage. She was nervous even though she had just seen her baby sister perform the feat without a hitch. She walked to the edge of the knoll, picked out a rock fairly close to the riverbank, took a deep breath and focused. Her left hand quickly flew to her chest but still she stood there breathing. Finally, when her nerve had built as much as her focus, she pointed her wand and quietly said ‘telekinesis’ to activate the spell. The rock, the size of a softball, flew up and didn't stop. We watched it fly until it was out of sight with no sign that it was slowing down. She turned to Isa and me with a confused look and we started giggling. We were not laughing at her but at the situation and her reaction. She realized this and joined in. She turned back to the river and repeated her spell. That time, now that she was relaxed, the spell worked exactly as she wanted, floating the rock to her then in circles around her just to see if she could.
Vol. 1 - Another Typical Day (The Wizards of Eredwynn) Page 7