Natalya: Wizards of White Haven

by Frances Howitt

  She had been spacing her chores needing to rebuild her strength. But time sitting still was not idle. She needed quiet time to reflect and try to make sense of the memory fragments crowding her mind. The lessons Cassy was attempting to teach her required thought too.

  ‘Can you use a bow?’ Freddie asked.

  ‘Not yet. I was hoping you would teach me.’

  ‘How did you hunt before?’

  ‘My tiger is pretty useful.’

  ‘Yes, I suppose it would be. Trying to sell meat or hides with big teeth marks isn’t going to be easy though. Nobody wants to eat something that looks like it’s already been gnawed!’

  Natalya laughed at his dry tone, but understood what he was saying. She knew he was assessing her seriousness; what they did was dangerous. However, if that was really her wish, he wanted to be the one to teach her the skills of the hunt. Between him and the rest of the pack, she would learn from the best.

  ‘We’ve some time before the others arrive,’ Freddie said, coming to a decision. ‘Let me give you the basics and see your aim.’ He was definitely curious to see what she might be capable of. He picked up his spare bow and second quiver and led her outside and into the field. He showed her how to stand and watched to see if she could draw this bow. It was designed for him, not a woman, but she was tall and strong.

  ‘I think you’d do better with a less powerful bow. That one is too big for you really, but I suppose it’ll suffice until we can make you one. Ok, see that old rotten log? We’ll use that to target on. That’s it, hold it up and keep it steady. Draw it back level with your mouth so you can sight along the arrow. Release when you’re ready.’

  ‘Now I know why you’ve got such powerful muscles,’ she said eyeing his shoulders, arms and chest, appreciatively. She’d only pulled this bow a few times but already her shoulders ached. It was an unfamiliar exercise but she persevered until she could hit the log consistently. She glanced round feeling other presences; the pack was watching. Damn.

  ‘Does anyone have a smaller bow?’ Freddie asked them. ‘She’s using my spare and it’s too big really.’

  ‘I still have my old travelling bow,’ Dustin suggested. ‘That’s a small bow and now I’ve this one I don’t use it anymore. Just a minute,’ he added and hurried off.

  Natalya went to collect the arrows she’d fired while they waited for Dustin’s return. She knew she would then have to try out the new bow and was slightly uncomfortable with an audience of such experienced men. She was rather glad of the chance for a rest; her shoulders were stiff and aching. But by the time Dustin returned she had collected all the arrows.

  Freddie watched her, he couldn’t help it. He knew the others laughed at him for his preoccupation but they all wished they were in his shoes with such a girlfriend. He took the arrows from her, sliding them back into the quiver on her back. He then put his hands to her shoulders and gave her a quick massage before handing her Dustin’s bow.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said softly; he had eased her tense muscles surprisingly effectively. ‘Oh, this bow is a lot easier,’ she exclaimed and let fly. Her accuracy was far better with this bow too. ‘This is a nice bow Dustin, thank you for letting me borrow it,’ she told him examining the well tended wood. It showed many signs of hard use and age but felt sound. ‘What’s the verdict Freddie? Would you prefer me to stay here and practice with this? I don’t want to be a liability on a hunt.’

  ‘Obviously you need more practice but I doubt you’d be a liability. You’ve already learned to hunt as a tiger. Shooting at standing targets isn’t going to teach you to hunt for real. If you’d still like to come, then by all means, join us.’

  She planted a kiss on his cheek happily. ‘Just a minute then, I’ll fetch our lunch.’

  ‘You’ve changed,’ Freddie commented when she reappeared. He surveyed her rather worn and ripped trousers and shirt. They were the clothes she’d come in. He ruefully realised she had no others and he’d forgotten to show her where she could get replacements. At least they were now clean.

  ‘Well, a white dress and white hair aren’t very useful camouflage,’ she told him aware he was staring at her headscarf and general scruffiness in dismay. She stepped out onto the veranda and saw the others waiting by the steps.

  ‘Now you’ve all looked me up and down you can tell me if I’ve forgotten anything?’

  ‘Your bow,’ Dustin suggested mildly, his gaze switching between her and Freddie.

  Freddie took the bow from the table and showed her how to detach and then restring it properly. She was then shown how to carry the bow safely in its special carry sleeve. She copied the way the men carried their quivers on their backs and tucked her own dagger in its sheath at her belt. She handed Freddie the small belt pouch with his travel rations. He couldn’t help his smug grin at his fellows that she was so obviously taking care of him. Then they were off jogging across the meadow to the small people gate on the far side that led into the forest.

  ‘There’s some kind of spell on this gate,’ Natalya observed, as Freddie opened the gate.

  ‘Yes, Jim mentioned triggers so he knows when anyone passes through our defences,’ Freddie told her. ‘Wonder if he’s awake yet,’ he added for although they were leaving a little later than usual it was still very early.

  ‘You wake him at dawn every morning?’ Natalya asked in glee.

  Freddie grinned back at her. ‘Wait for it,’ he smiled in anticipation as the five of them passed through the gate.

  Natalya took his hand, ‘can I listen?’ she asked and he nodded. ‘Here he comes,’ she warned feeling a searching presence target Freddie.

  ‘Is that you Freddie?’ Jim’s voice was definitely sleepy. ‘Who’s with you?’ he asked, his tone sharpening. ‘Five of you have passed through the gate.’

  ‘Good morning Jim,’ Natalya sent back on the link he’d made with Freddie. ‘It’s too beautiful a morning to lie in bed,’ she told him, now having seen the green dappled trees ahead and feeling the urge to run free in the forest. She felt Jim grab her image, wistfulness to join them apparent.

  ‘Much as I understand the impulse to run with your lover Natalya, are you sure it’s wise? Whilst we haven’t heard anything more from your pursuers, they probably haven’t forgotten about you.’

  ‘Did you sense me?’

  ‘No, you must be shielding again?’

  ‘Yes, but only lightly. You did say a strong shield was what drew you before. The main thing I needed to know was whether you could sense me. If you can’t, then wizards are unlikely to be able to either. In that case I’m in no more danger than anyone else out here.’

  ‘Very well,’ Jim acceded heavily. ‘Freddie I’m relying on you to keep alert for anything that doesn’t smell right. The inquisitors are conspicuous by their absence. I want to be sure you are all on the lookout for traps designed for an animus. Good hunting,’ he added and vanished.

  Freddie passed on Jim’s warning to the others. Only when Jim felt there might be real cause for concern did he actually say anything. The hunters had been the ones to find and flag many threats. Since they’d settled here permanently they were now a non moving target for their enemies to discover. It was only a matter of time.

  ‘Let’s go north into the old forest,’ Freddie said. ‘We haven’t been that way in a while and it should be safer. Rupert you take point,’ he added. They strung their bows and with Natalya in their middle began jogging swiftly into the trees following Rupert.

  Natalya ran beside Freddie or followed him depending on the terrain. Despite their swift pace they made very little noise. When they came across a small stream Freddie called a halt. Natalya glanced at the men realising it was only for her benefit they’d stopped. None of them said a word as she caught her breath. ‘Do you catch fish as well?’ she asked seeing some small ones here.

  ‘Not usually. It takes too long sitting in one place. We prefer to grab something as big as possible and get home,’ Dustin told her, coming to loo
k at the fish she’d spotted.

  ‘Is there a lake in the grounds?’

  ‘We thought about creating a small one in the second village but mainly settled on a cistern for water. Why?’

  ‘It’d be a useful food source to catch and stock a lake to ward against hard times,’ she suggested.

  ‘Those aren’t worth eating,’ Dustin pointed out.

  ‘True, but there were bigger ones in the moat. Does anyone breed captive animals? Or must you hunt from the wild everything you need to eat?’

  ‘Jim asked us to keep chickens and so the school bought some. He likes eggs for breakfast I believe,’ Freddie said. ‘The bakers need eggs too and they’re useful creatures. The school has a few cows for milk, but that’s about as far as we’ve got. None of us have the coin to buy domestic animals. What had you in mind?’

  ‘If we could capture deer or boar for instance, they could roam the grounds, breed and we’d always have their young to eat and something to trade.’

  ‘But we’d be out of a job.’

  ‘Nonsense, there will always be a need for other meats and supplies. But it might take the pressure off you. Well, once we manage to catch enough to start a big enough herd.’

  ‘I like it,’ Freddie admitted. ‘I for one would love to be able to spend more time at home when I need to. We also run the risk of not only being caught every time we go out, but also leading our enemies to our door. So, my dear how are we going to capture and get an undamaged wild creature back home with us? They aren’t likely to want to co-operate, you know.’

  ‘I’ll have to think about it,’ she admitted. ‘Just find some animals I can practice on.’

  ‘All that sounds like a challenge,’ Dustin commented. ‘But well worth pursuing I suspect. The last time we had to stay home because of wizards too close for comfort we ran our stores very low. They didn’t stop us hunting for many days either. I like the thought of live animals in the park to fall back on or for when it suits us. Are you working on a spell to catch something?’

  ‘Yes.’ She glanced up feeling a small heartbeat; a pheasant sat concealed high up in the branches of a tree. ‘Sleep,’ she commanded pointing at the presence.

  The men felt the small spike of magic and heard a thud. Rupert brought the pheasant over to show them, but it was dead.

  ‘Was the spell too strong?’ Dustin asked.

  ‘No,’ Freddie said, handling the still warm bird. ‘Look, it snapped its neck falling out of the tree.’

  ‘Never mind, this’ll be nice for dinner tonight,’ Natalya suggested and tied the feet of the bird together so she could drape it over her shoulder.

  Freddie brightened considerably at that prospect and they jogged on.

  Eventually they did find a herd of deer. They were only fallow deer rather than the larger red deer but they were big enough to be worthwhile.

  Natalya came to the fore quietly. She could clearly see the watchful stag so concentrated on him. Using a subtle mental push she urged him to become sleepy. She watched the stag shake his head irritably at first, but then he slowly sat down and went to sleep. This was far less stressful for him and calmed the herd. Seeing her spell was working she widened the area it covered to those closest. Unfortunately only two does were close enough to capture, the others were more spread out. One further doe came to nudge her stag uncertainly and fell under the spell’s influence.

  Freddie crept forward seeing four were down; the rest of the herd promptly ran off. They lay sleeping apparently peacefully. But a large number of small birds, reptiles and insects littered the ground around the deer. The men picked up a number of small birds gingerly, took them a few paces away and watched as they revived and flew away.

  ‘I’m starting to feel sleepy Natalya,’ Freddie told her in alarm having been close beside the deer assessing them whilst the men took care of the other creatures.

  ‘Ooops, sorry. Stand clear and let me figure out how to change this spell without them all waking up and escaping.’

  ‘How are we going to get them back?’ Dustin asked Freddie quietly. ‘We can’t each carry an adult deer all the way back. It’s a hell of a distance so laden, especially if they start to wake up.’

  ‘I don’t see much alternative,’ Freddie said chewing his lip. ‘I was thinking of going back for a horse and cart. I’m not sure a cart could get here though. There isn’t a trail wide enough. Having said that, maybe all we need to do is get them out of the rough forest to somewhere a cart can take over.’

  Natalya heard them and considered the problem. She was floundering, not sure what was or wasn’t possible. The thought of each man having to carry a whole deer through a forest for miles was daunting to say the least. It would be easier if she could get them to walk. She moved over to the stag and rested her hand on the warm coat. It was very strange to reach for an animal’s mind, it was so different to a human’s yet there were enough similarities for recognition.

  Under her prompting the stag got to his feet blinking blearily. Keeping contact she was able to urge the animal to walk.

  ‘That’s amazing,’ Dustin said excitedly. ‘Can you get these others to walk as well?’

  ‘Dustin, give her a chance,’ Freddie reproved him. ‘That might not be possible. It will certainly take a lot of magical strength,’ he added in concern. ‘We might all have to pull together to carry this off.’

  ‘How do you mean?’ Natalya asked in confusion. ‘I’m the only wizard, kind of anyway.’

  ‘I’ve helped Cassy power spells when she needed more strength. Drako has too. We can’t initiate them but we can help if you’ll let us.’

  ‘It’s not that I don’t trust you to be able to help, you’ve already helped me more than you’ll ever know. I suppose Jim’s right; I need training before I’ll have any clue of what I’m doing, or how to use your strength. I’m at a loss.’

  ‘Ok explain to me what you’re doing,’ Freddie coaxed.

  ‘I went into the stag’s mind and asked him to walk and not be scared,’ Natalya explained.

  ‘Ok,’ Freddie said, ‘and these others? You must still be controlling them too because they haven’t woken and run off. Is it safe to approach them yet?’

  ‘Yes. I have targeted the does specifically so nothing else should be affected by the sleep command. It’s less tiring to narrow the field as it were.’

  ‘You are amazing,’ Freddie couldn’t help exclaiming. ‘Ok, so you’ve already reached and have command of the does and without touching them. Can you ask them to walk?’

  ‘Possibly, but I can’t guide them all,’ she added anxiously.

  ‘Will they follow us? We can take one each. We thought that’s what we’d have to be doing anyway. But if we don’t have to carry them I’m all for it,’ Freddie added, kissed her cheek and motioned for the men to take position beside each animal.

  The deer walked, the men at their shoulder leaning or tugging to direct their steps.

  Natalya directed the stag having finally thought to implant the suggestion in the does to follow him. That way they were less inclined to want to veer off in random directions. They still required assistance to avoid natural hazards and that fully occupied the men.

  Freddie went ahead checking the way was safe and finding the clearest route. But he was concerned at their slow pace and the inevitable drain on Natalya, having to hold a difficult spell for such a prolonged length of time.

  ‘Can they go any faster?’ Freddie asked once they’d come out of the old densely forested wood and the way was less congested.

  Natalya frowned in concentration and her stag began to trot. The others were more ragged in reacting to the change of pace. Some rushed forward overly fast, threatening to overtake the stag, whilst others lagged at the walk and only reluctantly increased their pace once prodded. There was mayhem with each reacting differently and too blind to know and avoid running in to each other.

  To Freddie it proved just how tired Natalya already was. He watched her scowl
at each beast in turn, forcing it to her will. ‘I think it might be wise to call for some assistance before you exhaust yourself completely,’ Freddie suggested now running by her side.

  ‘You mean call Jim?’

  ‘Yes. I know you’re not happy dealing with him but he can and would aid us,’ Freddie told her, deliberately reminding her she was not alone in what she was trying to do. ‘I’m also worried that wizard might be able to feel this spell and come for us if we linger.’

  Natalya knew he was right but she didn’t have to like it. ‘You expect me to keep all these beasts running, watch my own feet, as well as try and reach for Jim? I’ve never done that before you know. I’d rather be still and able to concentrate.’

  ‘I know, but try it. You saw what happened when you changed the spell last time. Take my strength,’ he offered.

  ‘I don’t even know how to do that. I’m completely useless.’

  ‘No you’re not,’ Freddie told her and came close enough to take her hand. ‘Can you feel my magic? Can you take some?’

  ‘I feel it but I can’t figure out something like that whilst doing all this. It’s too much.’

  ‘Call Jim then, right now,’ Freddie ordered. ‘If you won’t then I’ll shoot these deer. Your health and safety is far more important to me than theirs.’

  ‘Bully,’ she muttered. ‘If I’m to do this you’ll need to take over guiding us. I can’t do everything you know.’

  ‘Yes you can,’ he told her but came close enough to hold the deer and overlap her grip on it. ‘Ok, now call him.’

  ‘I tried but I don’t think I can do it,’ Natalya told him miserably. She stumbled then as a presence latched on to her mind.

  ‘Natalya, was that you whispering in my ear?’ Jim asked.

  ‘Yes. I didn’t think I’d managed to reach you,’ Natalya told him. ‘Freddie says we need some help.’

  ‘What the hell are you doing? You’re a shadow of your usual self.’ Jim absorbed the startling images she sent him and realised that even as they conversed she ran merged with a stag. ‘Let Freddie take over powering the spell on that stag. The others can do the same for their animals.’