Vilarius stood and walked over to Ahnon. “I have the Grand Mage of Gratu using the wind to talk to the Grand Mage of Nazar. I need to tell them what happened here, but I can add this as well,” he said, looking at Michi.
Slowly standing, “My family are just rice farmers,” he said, fighting tears.
“Not anymore, Michi. They will be set up over a province and help rule the realm,” Ahnon said.
“Where is my sire so I may begin?” Michi asked.
Ahnon pointed at Kenna. “You sire is the betrothed to my sire. Her sho-ka was wounded today and will be out for some time. You will take her place until she can continue her task.”
“I swear on my life no harm will befall her while there is breath in my body,” Michi said, moving behind Kenna.
Ahnon nodded, turning around behind Jedek. “You heard of the attack then?” Ahnon asked Michi.
“Yes, my lord. A group of forty kytensa hit our false safe house in the city at the tolling of the noon bell,” Michi answered.
“It’s Ahnon now, Michi, not ‘my lord.’ You are part of the royal family; we are kin,” Ahnon reminded him. “Did they find the real house?”
“No, my—” Michi stopped. “No, Ahnon, but we did attack them. I know you didn’t give permission, but I take that kind of thing personally and accept full responsibility. I mean, you just can’t let total strangers attack your false safe house without confronting them. Others would think the bhari were getting soft.”
“You really shouldn’t have done that,” Ahnon said glumly. “How many did we lose?”
“Two, Ahnon, with three more wounded,” Michi replied.
“What?” Ahnon yelled.
“I’m sorry, Ahnon, but they were good,” Michi replied, sorry he upset Ahnon in his first hour of being in the royal family.
“Only two?” Ahnon yelled.
Michi just stared at him, not sure what to say. Finally getting the nerve, he said, “Yes, Ahnon, but did you want us to sacrifice more?”
“Michi, I’m surprised that as many of you survived a fight with them,” Ahnon said, filling Michi with relief.
“We fought hard, Ahnon, and I’m certain they were the kytensa we’ve heard rumors about.”
“Oh, they were, and I really thought they would be stronger than that. Over half of each twenty-man section can use magic. In the bhari, it’s barely a third, and the bhari rarely operate in groups.”
“Ahnon, all thirty of your bhari can use magic,” Michi said.
“I only picked you, Michi. You picked the others,” Ahnon reminded him.
Michi smiled. “Well, I like having the best, so I found them.”
“You didn’t have a problem dealing with them?” Ahnon asked.
“At first, we did not expect them to use our fighting tactics, but we spar with each other all the time, so that didn’t help them. I am sorry to tell you we sort of destroyed a large warehouse and part of another one along with a section of the dock. The city guards are going to be looking real hard for us,” Michi replied, remorseful. “We really tried to be quiet, but the spells they were casting were pretty demanding, so we had to use more direct spells. Several thousand people in that district of town took off running, yelling the world was ending with all the noise.”
King Vilarius slapped the table hard, almost scaring the life out of a few people in the hall, and started laughing. “Michi, don’t worry about the guards. You know the man who runs the place,” the king said, winking at him.
Theobald smiled at Michi. “Ahnon really can’t say much about noise because we heard Ahnon here, and he was in the garden.”
“That’s a long way away,” Michi said in awe.
“Yes, I know, it but I was a little pressed taking my fifteen while Karme took her five,” Ahnon complained.
“You took fifteen, and she took five by herself?” Michi asked, shocked.
“Yes, they saw me as the major threat.”
“Ahnon, I was at the academy with Karme, and granted, her sword play is top-notch, but her magic…”
Kyros slammed his fist on the table and jumped up. “You mean I have an incompetent sho-ka guarding my daughter!” he screamed.
Michi jumped back and was fixing to reply when Ahnon grabbed his arm. “You can’t say anything. That’s your sire’s father,” he said, and Michi nodded. Kyros grinned upon hearing that. “But I can say something,” Ahnon said, looking at Kyros, and the smile fell off. “If I hear you degrade one more sho-ka for doing their duty and performing superbly, I’m coming over there and putting my fist through your face,” Ahnon warned.
Kyros’ sho-ka moved next to his sire, and Ahnon shook his head. “Honorable. Stupid, but honorable,” Ahnon said, looking at the sho-ka. The sho-ka glared at Ahnon. “Don’t do it,” Ahnon warned, and the sho-ka moved his hand. “I mean it; don’t do it.”
The sho-ka reached for spell components as Ahnon punched out in the air with his right arm, palm open. “Pupugi!” Ahnon yelled. The sho-ka was ten paces away from Ahnon, but the amplified force of the punch transferred to the sho-ka, hitting him in the chest. The man flew through the air, landing twenty feet away, unconscious.
Narrowing his eyes, Ahnon looked at Kyros. “You have really irritated me today,” Ahnon said, pointing his palm at him. Ahnon turned his palm to the ceiling and lifted his hand above his head. Kyros let out a scream as he shot out of his chair, rising toward the ceiling. Just before Kyros hit the ceiling fifty feet up, Ahnon closed his hand, and Kyros stopped rising. “I’m pretty sure you can see I’m not in a good mood today!” Ahnon yelled so Kyros could hear him. “I hear someone complain when others do their duty, and that person can’t even defend themself. Then to top it off, I learned girls have bugs and boys have worms!” Ahnon yelled. Jedek and Kenna dropped their heads to the table.
“You can imagine my surprise about that. I mean, I’m a boy, and I didn’t know I had worms,” Ahnon said, looking up at Kyros. “When I bring you down, if you complain about anything at all, I’ll put you back up there for a year.”
“I promise! Please get me down!” Kyros screeched. Ahnon lowered his hand, lowering Kyros back to his chair.
“Say anything to the sho-kas guarding your house, and l will offer a reward for your head equal in the weight of gold to all bhari,” Ahnon told him. “Your sho-ka won’t be able to stop them all, and Nazar only has to supply one. Lose that one, and you’re on your own,” Ahnon reminded him. Kyros just nodded his head really fast, making all three of his chins jiggle.
Ahnon looked around the room, seeing everyone staring at him. “I’m not talking to any of you! Do you know how rude that is listening to a private conversation?” Ahnon yelled, and everyone started eating.
Vilarius stood. “Ahnon, can you please calm down?” he asked.
“I don’t want to.”
Vilarius shook his head, looking at Ahnon. Then he looked at Jedek. “Jedek, take your sho-ka upstairs, and you two take a nap.”
“I don’t want to take a nap, and I don’t have to,” Ahnon said.
“Fine. Watch Jedek take a nap,” Vilarius said in shock.
Ahnon pulled his sire’s chair back. “Come on, Jedek. We can let our worms out and crawl on the floor and play together,” Ahnon said as Jedek stood up, trying not to laugh.
As Jedek walked past Ahnon, he turned and followed. “What is it with you about bugs and worms today?” Vilarius yelled.
Ahnon spun around. “Oh no! It took me almost three hundred years to find out what I learned from two ten-year-olds today. I’m not telling you,” Ahnon said in a sassy tone and turned around, following Jedek out of the hall.
Vilarius looked at Kenna, who had her head on the table with her arms covering it, trying to hide. “Theobald, do you know what in the abyss he is talking about?” Vilarius asked.
Theobald was trying not to laugh as he leaned to the king’s ear. “Sire, I believe you once told me girls were full of troll buggers, and Eira said boys are nothing but hobgoblin spi
t,” he whispered.
The king came close to hitting the floor laughing but stopped. “I’m going to my state room. Please enjoy the rest of the meal,” he forced out in a voice several octaves too high and took off running up the winding staircase. Theobald took off after him but didn’t make it out the door at the top of the stairs before he started laughing.
They both collapsed laughing on the floor when they reached the state room. When they would stop, one would yell, “Bugs!” and it would start over again. Neither knew how long they stayed on the floor before climbing into chairs.
Vilarius looked over at Theobald. “You do realize Ahnon wasn’t using components with Kyros, don’t you?” he asked.
“Yes, sire, I know. I’ve seen him do that several times,” Theobald admitted.
“How many spells can you do without components?” the king asked.
“Just one: light,” he answered.
“Same here, but I’ve tried,” the king admitted. “You don’t think Ahnon will try to teach that to Jedek, do you?” he asked, a little worried.
“Only if Jedek is ready for it,” Theobald assured him.
The king looked over at Theobald. “By the Gods, did you feel his power? I thought my skin was on fire as Ahnon used his magic,” the king declared. Theobald nodded in agreement. “What do you think about what Ahnon said about the assassins going after Kenna?” Vilarius asked.
“I trust his judgment and not because he would raise me to the ceiling,” Theobald admitted.
Vilarius sprawled out in his chair. “It’s going to take Kyros a month to get home with Kenna. I think I’m going to ask him for her to stay here, and he can come back with his household for the wedding in two years. We can protect her here better than he can.”
“Kyros would sacrifice her in a heartbeat to save his skin,” Theobald said.
“Yes, I know, but we need those islands Kyros is giving us and the trade Fantshu is giving us with this wedding arrangement.”
“Then keep her here, sire,” Theobald said.
“Well, it will give Eira a small girl to dote on till we have our own,” the king said, standing. “You think I should have Ahnon ask if Kenna can stay?”
Theobald busted out laughing, sliding out of his chair on the floor. “Yes, and tell him Kyros let some of his worms out,” Theobald choked out. The king dropped down beside him, laughing.
Out in the hall, the two guards standing by the door could hear the laughter. They fought hard not to join in, but the giggles slowly started, and then the two were leaning on the wall.
Chapter 6
Walking across the courtyard from the housing wing to the state wing, Jedek looked behind him and saw the ever-present Ahnon. It was rare that Ahnon let him out of his sight, and even then, he was never too far away. Not to say Jedek didn’t complain about this, but Ahnon assured him in time he would give him more space. Jedek smiled weakly at Ahnon and turned back around, heading to the great hall. The king, his dad, wanted both of them in the state room above the great hall after breakfast. Looking at the east wall, Jedek noticed the second sun wasn’t even showing over it yet.
“An early start every once and a while won’t break your legs, sire,” Ahnon said.
Jedek sighed. “Easy for you to say. You didn’t have someone pour water on you to wake up.”
“Well, the butler asked you to get up; then your mother and I warned you twice, sire,” Ahnon said.
“Ahnon, it was a whole pitcher of water!” he cried.
“You’re awake,” Ahnon said as Jedek turned around and scowled at him. “A warrior must learn when to move and not be told.”
The scowl fell from his face. “That was acting like a baby, wasn’t it?” Jedek asked.
“Moderately so.”
Jedek turned around, looking at the ground as he walked. “I’m sorry, Ahnon,” he mumbled.
Ahnon grabbed Jedek’s shoulder, stopping him. “For what?” he asked, spinning Jedek around to look at him.
“For you having to pour water on me, showing me I was acting like a baby,” he mumbled.
Ahnon gave a soft chuckle. “Sire, don’t think you are the first or the last to have water thrown on them to wake them up.”
Surprise showed on Jedek’s face. “You mean you had water thrown on you?” he asked.
“Quite a few times, among other unpleasant things. You could say I was a hard learner,” Ahnon said. “Several times I just laid in the wet bed,” Ahnon admitted. “You came to the conclusion I didn’t the first time.”
“That can’t be right, Ahnon. You’re the best warrior there is. I’m just a small boy.”
“No, sire, you’re a young man. Two weeks ago, what did you do when we were attacked?” he asked.
“What you told me,” Jedek answered.
“Exactly. A small boy wouldn’t have. He would’ve tried to run and hide, getting everyone killed.” Jedek just stared at him as he realized the implications. He was so scared to tell Ahnon he wanted to run and hide.
Jedek took a deep breath. “Ahnon, I want to tell you something, but please don’t tell anyone,” Jedek pleaded.
Ahnon tilted his head to one side and smiled. “You were scared and wanted to run and hide,” he said.
Jedek gasped, jerking back from Ahnon. How could he know, he thought.
“Sire, to be scared is normal. How you react to it defines who you are. You can run from what scares you, endangering yourself and others like a child, or hold your ground, facing it too see how to handle the threat, trying to survive. I’m not saying you should never run, but if you do, think it out first.”
Jedek thought about what he said and smiled. “You’ve never run, have you?”
“Of course I have,” Ahnon said, shocking Jedek. “If I can’t win, I’m not staying, and just for the record, I almost took you and left garden,” Ahnon confessed. “If Karme would’ve been a little better, I would have.”
Jedek was stunned to the core. “You would’ve run?” he mumbled.
“My life is protecting you, not killing the assassins sent after you. I should’ve taken you and left, but we both know what would’ve happened.”
“Yeah, Karme and Kenna would’ve died,” Jedek said, looking at the ground fighting a lump in his throat.
“I felt confident you were in no danger, but I still put you at risk, and for that, I apologize. I just couldn’t let your future wife get killed.”
Still just not liking the sound of that Jedek looked up at him. “You know, I kind of like her, but this wife stuff really stinks. I mean, she likes playing with our boats and my other toys. So why do I have to get married to her? Can’t we just, like, be friends?” he asked.
Ahnon’s face split into a grin. “Sire, you’re talking to the wrong person for this. I’ve never been married, and you’re the only friend I’ve ever had.”
“Thank you, Ahnon. When are you going to teach me how to fight instead of reading, writing, and math? When am I going to learn swords and magic?” he asked.
“Learn to use this,” Ahnon said, touching Jedek’s forehead. “Then, I will teach you to use this,” he said, touching Jedek’s right bicep. “The mind is what wins a battle. I’m not saying brute strength doesn’t contribute, but a smart person trained to fight will beat ten thugs any day. The mind controls the body, not the other way around.”
“Oh okay,” Jedek moaned.
“Head up, young sire. If you keep on the current path, I will introduce you to magic soon.”
Jedek jumped in the air. “Alright, that’s fairy hair!” he yelled. Ahnon wanted to ask about fairy hair but decided not to. Finished with his celebration, Jedek looked at Ahnon. “Karme isn’t that good of a sho-ka, is she?” he asked.
“She wasn’t ready, but she did fight five kytensa and win.”
Jedek moved over, standing almost on Ahnon’s toes. “You killed two of them,” he whispered.
“Thank you for not telling anyone,” Ahnon whispered back. “To answer your q
uestion, she wasn’t ready. She has the heart, and I hope she starts making up for her shortcomings.”
“Thank you for saving them. I really like having Kenna as a friend. You’re the best, but you don’t like playing in the dirt. Then when I play in the dirt, you scrub me down right after I quit. What’s the point in getting dirty if you’re just going to get me clean again?” he asked.
Smiling as he gave a slight bow of his head, “Sorry, sire. I have an aversion to dirt.”
Tilting his head as he furrowed his forehead, Jedek asked, “Aversion?”
“A dislike,” Ahnon explained. “I don’t mind getting dirty, but I don’t like staying that way, sire,” he said.
“Well, play in the dirt with me, then both of us can get clean later. I’m telling you, Ahnon, you don’t know what you’re missing,” Jedek informed him with a serious face.
Ahnon reached out and hugged Jedek, taking him by surprise. “Sire, you may be right. After we find out what the king wants, let’s go and find some dirt,” Ahnon said, grinning.
“You mean it?” Jedek said with his face shoved in Ahnon’s chest.
“Yes, sire, I mean it.”
Jedek looked up at him. “Can Kenna come with us?”
“What about the bugs?” Ahnon asked with a straight face.
Jedek looked down. “I don’t think she has any,” he admitted. “That’s what all the other boys told me. That’s one reason I don’t play with them anymore.”
“There’s more than one reason?” Ahnon asked.
“They’re kind of mean,” Jedek said. “They made Kenna cry the other day. I thought Michi was going to start chopping little boys up.”
“I wondered what that was about,” Ahnon muttered.
“They treat us different, Ahnon, and a lot of what they are telling me isn’t true.”
“Bugs?” Ahnon asked.
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