by D. H. Aire
“You cooked it?”
“Oatmeal is a specialty of mine, but I’ve prepared eggs as well…”
The old household retainer was peering out from the kitchen, “I’m getting too old for this.”
Chapter 17 - Highmage’s Hand
Casber frowned. There were rather large horses staring in the front windows of the room in the late Highmage’s house, which was set up as a rather atypical stable. Uncertain, he shook his head and mucked the floor.
Lonny put her hand on the unicorn’s mane, What have you done?
Me? What are you doing here?
What I was told to by Her vision.
I thought you dead, the unicorn thought back.
That was the point.
Which is why we suddenly have fawning steeds paying me homage? the unicorn shared, shaking her maned head.
There aren’t many mares… and the one I wanted to see gelded fled.
Oh, that one… he's no longer in the Empire.
Smarter as a horse by half, apparently, Lonny shared as Casber refilled a bucket of water and refilled a bucket of oats.
Lonny saw the bucket, went over and dunked her head and lapped a drink as Casber stared wide-eyed.
#
The carriage found its way blocked, forcing Terhun, Carwina, Balfour, Me’oh and their escort to walk the rest of the way. The steeds reacted to their presence by making way for them.
“I didn’t realize there were quite this many steeds in the city,” Carwina said.
Me’oh held Rachiel close and muttered, “Funny, isn’t it?”
Balfour frowned. They entered without knocking and Carwina stared. Her servant saw her and cried, “Oh, Lady Carwina, you’re back!”
Those nearest the dining room entrance peered into the foyer.
Me’oh gaped at one of those faces.
“Momma?”
“Nessa!” Mother and daughter rushed to each other.
The girl stared at the baby. “This is your sister.”
“Oh, Momma. She’s beautiful.”
Terhun frowned, “Me’oh’s missing daughter?”
The door to the side room slid opened without physical aid. Terhun glanced in that direction, then gaped. A unicorn strode out with Lonny and a boy beside them.
The boy gasped.“Oh…”
“Casber?” the elfblood healer said. “What are you doing here?”
“Um, hi, Uncle Bal.”
“Casber!” he muttered angrily.
“Erk, it’s funny really…” Casber said. “You see, um, I, uh, well, sort of ran away.”
“And he got trapped in a war zone,” Lawson said.
Balfour frowned, “It can’t be… you’re Assistant… Engin—eer Lawson?”
Lawson gave a little bow. “Casber has told us a bit about you, too, Sir.”
Me’oh stared at the much taller troll, “Je’orj didn’t make up that story about where he got his dagger.”
Greth smiled. There was a collective gasp.
“Apparently not,” Balfour said, strode forward offering his hand.
“If he told you I gifted him his dagger,” Greth said, shaking his hand. “That’s not true. He stole it.”
“Greth!” Lawson cried as Balfour stared, wide-eyed, worried about that huge hand crushing his.
“Only kidding… elfbloods have no sense of humor,” Greth chuckled.
“Any, uh, blood brother of Je’orj’s,” Balfour said, “is a blood brother of mine.”
“You heal quickly?” Greth said.
Lawson glared, “Greth…”
The troll’s laugh could shake bark off a tree, which brought the Cathartans running in from the dining room. The girls were laughing.
Nessa said, “Greth saved us with that laugh once.”
“I can believe it,” Bal said.
Me’oh wiped tears from her eyes, introducing Nessa to her baby sister.
Casber tried to duck back out. “Oh, not so fast, boy,” his uncle said. “You’ve a lot of explaining to do.”
#
Ani’ya grinned. “Aunt Re’ut, I didn’t know if we’d ever see you again.”
“You’ve grown, Sprout!”
“What happened to—” Le’ann said as Yel’ane shook her head.
“We… got separated after Mistress Ky’los and… well, got killed, and we had to hide,” Nessa said, sitting with Me’oh. “Yel’ane and I took charge of them. Try as we might, we tried to reach the Southern Crescent, but didn’t know where we were supposed to gather.”
Casber came in with the unicorn, “Sometime after that we, uh, rescued them…”
En’sta grinned, “But Nessa saved you from the dragon.”
“Yeah,” he muttered at his uncle’s astonished look.
“Dragon?” Lonny rasped. “A black dragon?”
Greth nodded, “Black as night.”
Lonny’s glare at the unicorn standing beside her was not lost on Terhun, who had no doubt that the unicorn’s presence was the cause of the scrying problems and the sudden interest in the steed population of the city.
#
Juels was sound asleep. “Uh, you don’t think there’s anything wrong, do you?” Aaprin said.
Gallen said, “She’s been through a lot and sleeping under our bed can’t have been comfortable.”
“Well, I offered to let her sleep with us.”
“I know, but she seemed a bit concerned that she, well, accidently married you yesterday.”
“We’re engaged, but she’s doesn’t need to worry about that,” Aaprin replied. “As far as I’m concerned when she falls in love she can follow her heart like Ander is.”
“You also gave her carte blanche to love Ruke. Ander’s not particularly worried about you trying to play husband… Juels is still just a kid.”
“At best we’re accidently engaged. You know you’re the only one who has my heart,” Aaprin said.
“I know that, but, well, Juels is an urchin at heart.”
“So’s Ander.”
“Well, Ander’s Ander.”
Ander came out of the bathroom, “Juels still asleep?”
“Let her. She’s slept in worse places and she’s obviously exhausted.”
“We’ll have some food brought in.”
“Oh, look at the glass; it’s nearly time for the brunch!” Gallen exclaimed. “Aaprin, put on that tufted shirt and those pantaloons with the ruffles.”
“Gallen, please, not those inane pantaloons.”
“Put on those pantaloons, Ap. Oh, Ander, thankfully, you can be visibly armed today.”
Ander opened a drawer. “What do you think of this?”
“Oh, that’s lovely. What else is in there?”
Aaprin winced.
#
Juels slept, curled up under the bed.
A presence welled up through the floor and considered her. Little one, you have twisted events to the prophecy I know, but the others do not recognize. Who are you, child?
Her mental barriers which concealed so much were at their weakest and an image slipped. The capital in flames, Aaprin… a significantly older Aaprin… shouting that they were coming.
She tried to see, but Ri’ori whispered, “Do not look back… never look back.”
“But the Empire…”
“Gone with the Empress and Highmage, and most of the Inner Circle.”
Thomi raced ahead on his battle steed as Walsh swung his fist clearing their path of another black shadow.
The prelate waved his cane, riding Lonny, the Highmage’s mount, and another shadowy form was cast back. “We must get out of here.”
Ruke rode toward them leading shadowmen. His eyes bitter with a decade of loss from the service to Her Majesty, which forced him to watch as the twins fought to possess the woman he loves.
Juels’ eyes opened, unseeing, realizing she was not alone.
That is a world of might be.
Who? Oh… it’s you.
You know me?
/> Do Highmages ever rest?
No, we advise… and I was never Highmage.
Juels sighed. You were close enough, My Lord.
He paused considering her. You are one…. lucky young lady.
So I’ve been told.
I will not ask how that came to be… but, in my advisory capacity, I would suggest you find a way to tap the node. The city might benefit from a little luck as your strength returns more quickly.
Her eyes widened. “But how?”
Why, with a little luck, you might know a warder… or better yet, link to that husband of yours.
“What?”
He is linked to a warder.
“Um, but…”
You are blushing?
“No…”
#
“What are we supposed to do with you, Cas?” Balfour asked as Carwina stroked the unicorn’s flank.
“Um.”
“The question is, what are we to do, Bal?” Carwina asked as Me’oh and Nessa fussed over Rachiel.
“What do you mean?”
“That, uh, embassy is getting rather crowded, isn’t it? And I’ve quite a bit of room for the family here.”
“What was that?” Me’oh said.
“We’re closer to the Healer’s Hall than the manse in the Seventh is,” Carwina said. “And, well, this place could use the company.”
The unicorn shoved her a bit.
“Fine, your home, and welcome.”
Bal frowned.
“You don’t speak unicorn?”
“Afraid not,” he chuckled.
“Greth and Lawson can stay here, too…” Carwina said, receiving a long hard stare from the unicorn. “And Casber, of course.”
The boy swallowed.
“Me’oh?”
“Uh, I don’t know what the others will think. But…”
“Fine… new living arrangements for the newlyweds and, uh, the relatives.”
Casber let out a sigh of relief.
“Oh, you are not off the hook, boy. You’ve a lot more explaining to do,” Balfour said. “Now, explain that… thing around your arm?”
“Uh, this… it’s nothing really.”
The unicorn turned to glare at him now.
The boy shrugged, “It’s, well, a dragon scale.”
#
“But…” Vi’ya cried.
Lawson frowned, “Little one, we’ve fulfilled our promise. You are reunited with your people. Go.”
“But what will you do without us?” another seven-year-old asked.
“Who will teach us about… mathematics?” En’sta said.
“Or talking with the stars?” another grinned.
“Lettering?”
Le’ann blinked, “He taught you?”
“Talking with the stars?” Re’ut said, shaking her head.
Lawson gave the no longer grinning girl a look.
“He told us many a fanciful tale to keep our spirits up, Aunt Re’ut,” Yel’ane said.
“But who will look out for them without your and Nessa’s arrows?” Vi’ya said.
“Greth, Casber, and I did well before we met you and will again… and, if your family approves, perhaps we can visit?”
Re’ut looked past him at Greth as he hugged the girls goodbye. The sight was disconcerting, he was so tall and his visage leathery.
“Of course,” Le’ann said. “We’ll… arrange something.”
The girls hurried to hug and kiss Lawson’s cheek as he knelt. However, another thought was racing through her mind, one that touched on Cathartan honor.
“Lawson, Greth,” Balfour said from the other room, “we need to head to the palace now. Too bad you missed the wedding, I have a feeling a few more people would have been less likely to want to kill Je’orj.”
“Oh, George has that way about him… Back home, there are quite a few trolls who would like to serve him up for dinner.”
Lonny frowned, “So only his leaving has stopped them?”
“No, our, well, god did,” Lawson replied, “which is actually why we’ve come to see him.”
#
There was quite a crowd outside Carwina’s home. The steeds reorganized, forming two lines from the front door of the house, up the street, and the residents, dwarves, human, and elfblood alike looked on in wonder.
The unicorn strode forth and Casber mounted. Terhun was by the carriage, speaking with the Legionnaires. The elfblood healer, Balfour, Carwina, and Me’oh left the house and climbed into the carriage.
A young elfblood in the crowd watched, the way ahead blocked by bareback rather large horses. The number of steeds in the city was disturbing. They had spent years seeing the herds dwindle in battle after battle in the Northlands and here were healthy, powerful looking mounts, heeding the unicorn.
Out trooped the two trolls and the elfblood grimaced as the crowds cheered.
His eyes momentarily sparkled as another’s sight looked out from them, defeating the enhanced wards ability that defeated scrying. The elfblood frowned, staggered, then fell as those around him gasped.
There were cries, and Balfour and Carwina left their carriage with an escort, who pushed back the crowd. Balfour turned the young elfblood over and Carwina gasped, seeing his eyes were gone.
Balfour sighed, “Well, he’s dead and I have a good suspicion why.”
#
Kolter in distant Hayden paced, waving his hands and cursing. Tea cups and saucers shattered all around him. “The unicorn is back? And a boy? What else is happening in the capital?”
Chapter 18 - Lady Haydenan
“Where’s my mother, Kolter?” she said, bursting through the door to her father’s study, noting it was littered with shards of her mother’s finest china.
“Lady Haydenan, what a pleasure to see you,” he replied, looking up from the map showing their troop positions along the province border. “Your mother? I have not seen her recently. Perhaps she is in the city.”
“She is not… Milord.”
He came over to her, “You will ride with me tomorrow?”
“I… I am not feeling up to it, which is why I am seeking my mother’s… healing skills.”
“I am sorry to hear you are not feeling well. My dear lady, I will have one of the healers attend you, and tomorrow you will ride with me. We will visit our new troops in training. Soon we will demand from the Empress your father’s return.”
From the look in the archmage’s eyes, she could not help but think he would prefer her father’s body being returned for burial over his return to his rightful place. “Of course,” she said, realizing one other thing in that moment. There was a look of triumph in his eyes.
She quickly left with a final brief glance at the map and returned to her rooms, dreading the visit by one of Kolter’s sycophantic healers and knowing deep down that something had happened to mother, who, she feared, she would never see again.
#
Tristan was far from pleased. He had slipped out of the palace and paid the tavernkeeper a great deal of money to keep his mouth shut about him being here. It would not be long before Terhun would learn what he had done, though, if he got word back in the next few hours that the Highmage was dead he knew others would be blamed and he could safely return.
#
Rolf knew when to keep his mouth shut, which was often when he, as last night, was rather well paid. Elflords staying in one of his spare rooms were more than unusual. He took out some of the two-day old bread, which was too stale for his loftier clientele here in the Sixth Tier, and offered it to the first urchin he caught eyeing his garbage.
“You know Ebb?” he whispered, offering the quarter loaf.
The boy nodded.
“Tell him I asked about him and hope his friends are… enjoying all the festivities in the city.” Rolf handed him the bread, then went back inside, hoping the boy would understand the message.
#
The elfblood mage walked in illusion. He was to only fulfill the m
ission if his minions failed, which they had, not even reaching the palace.
The city wards created a maze he had to be careful to travel, which would otherwise reveal his presence. The way to the palace led… through the steeds. He feared they would never get out of his way, but now with the sun moving toward the noon hour, they were following the unicorn.
He saw the boy and the trolls and understood why his minions had left their mission. Killing the unicorn and the Highmage’s Hand was an opportunity not to be passed up. That they had died trying bespoke a skill from even such a young Hand as the boy represented. An atypical human Highmage and an atypical Hand should not be surprising. However, the mission was now his to complete, setting the stage for Kolter’s scheme to bring down the Empire once and for all.
He followed the cheering crowds, just another human come to enjoy the sights and festival. He smiled with all the rest, drawing ever closer to the First Tier of the city as he ascended tier by tier.
#
Le’ann and the others went to the old Temple of Unity, where the Mother Shaman had gone in search of something. When she heard the voices of the young girls, she came out of the library with Cle’od at her side. “En’sta,” De’ohr said, seeing Le’ann and the others smiling broadly. “Yel’ane, Vi’ya, all of you, welcome home.”
“Nessa’s with her mother, Me’oh.”
“The others didn’t…” Yel’ane stammered.
De’ohr opened her arms and a moment later was hugging the young teenager. “You did well to make it here.”
“They had help, Mother,” Re’ut said. “A boy on a unicorn, and two trolls.”
“Lawson and Greth came looking for their friend, Je’orj,” Yel’ane said.
De’ohr frowned. “Trolls, you said… looking for Lord Je’orj?”
“They survived the dragon, too,” Re’ut said, nodding.
“Dragon… a black dragon?” De’ohr gasped, vision welling, her nephew, Vyss Secondson, in far off Catha, would not be able to hide himself much longer. The prophecy demanded that none of the Shattered House could go back. Then she saw… She trembled.
“Mother Shaman!”
“I’m… fine. It will be all right. Get the girls settled. Send word they are here so they can be reunited with their mothers and aunts, then come back. I think you have something you wish to discuss with me.”