We met in the courtyard in front of the keep, joined hands and recalled to Clodfey. I landed us just outside the city gates so we could walk in and no have to worry about anything behind us. Alba volunteered to scout up to the bridge and back so I agreed. She was back in no time and said that she’d seen nothing so we started our careful walk. I took point and we formed into a circle. Chloe was in the center of this circle since she was a vital part of any mission. If given the choice between a modern doctor from my world or Chloe, she would win every time.
We neither saw nor heard anything all the way to the mine and since it was quite dark in there I cast ‘lux’ or my light spell and lit up my wand like a flashlight. The girls lit up as they entered behind me. I wished that I had asked the smith how long this tunnel was but I figured that we would find out when we got to the end. We started walking along at a strolling pace across a cleanly swept floor. I supposed they kept it clear to aid in the rolling out of ore carts. We walked for three miles into the black belly of the mountain without hearing a sound. If the Orcs were planning an attack it either wasn’t today or hadn’t made it to the tunnel yet. I was concerned for the well-being of all those towns’ people. The city population had to be over a thousand and, according to the smith, they had taken them all! I’m not sure I wanted to know what they had taken them for. At best they would be slaves and at worst… a snack!
Finally, after what seemed forever, we saw a light at the end of the tunnel and extinguished our wands. We didn’t want someone or something looking down the tunnel and seeing our lights. Since we had the black tunnel behind us, it made it easier for us to see than for us to be seen. We crept closer and closer to the opening when Alba said that this was nonsense and went invisible then we heard the pop of her teleporting out to take a look. She was gone five minutes that felt like five years. I hate it when my girls, even as powerful as they are, might be in danger. When she popped back in and dropped her invis she looked pale. She told me that there were people out there in a huge corral but the mine opened up right in the middle of a huge Orc city. I asked how well guarded the corral was and Alba said that it looked like very few Orcs were actually on guard detail. She seemed to think that the Orcs knew that the people wouldn’t run because there wasn’t anywhere that they could run to. I remembered Melodie saying that she could invis people on contact and asked how many she thought she could do. She said that she had only tried it on the other wizard girls and thought she could do ten without a problem. I suggested that Melodie and Alba should team up and Alba could teleport her to the corral, they could grab a few and teleport back here. I knew that there would be no way that we could get the whole population out of there that way but it would be a start. We might get a better idea of the layout and when the fighting started we wouldn’t be completely blind. Melodie took Alba’s hand, and without a sound they faded out. There was then the tiny pop of Alba’s teleport spell and I was back to being worried with nothing to do but wait.
I jumped when I heard the pop right in front of me. Alba dropped Melodies’ hand and invis at the same time. She also revealed that she had four women and two children in tow. When they had gone to the pen the men that she had contacted had insisted that the women and kids be taken out first. I asked the women how many Orcs were guarding them. They said that they had eight with two on each tower on each corner of the corral. I asked how many soldiers they had in town that we would have to worry about to get everyone out of the corral. She said that she’d only seen about twenty because, after the raid, hundreds and hundreds had scattered in all directions. She was under the impression that they had be going out to bring in even more for a major assault on the kingdom.
I told Alba and Melodie to stay with the civilians and the rest of us would team up. We would use invisible to get close to each of the towers and then, at the same time, take out the Orcs on them. We would then get the people to go due south to the mountain and follow it to the mine. Once we got everyone headed through the twins could blast the heck out of the shaft and Alice could compress the rock, making it nearly impossible to dig out.
Everyone liked the idea, except Alba because of the guard duty and not action, so we started to move. We all went invisible and walked into the glaring sunlight. I thought to myself that the sun being so bright might just be what is keeping the Orcs inside. Little puffs of dust on the corners that I could see from my position let me know that everyone was in position. I pointed my wand at an Orc in my assigned tower and let my energy bolts fly. I hit the first three times just for good measure and the second one toppled from the tower after two shots. The girls luck was as good as mine. With the tower guards down and no alarm raised yet I ran to the corral gate. I dropped my invis so they could see what was going on, flung open the gate and motioned for everyone to proceed quietly. I pointed north as the girls dropped their invis to guide the throng. We placed ourselves between the people and the city in case there was a counter attack but the plan was working perfectly. There were less than twenty people outside of the mine shaft when the alarm sounded. All the wizards were bunched up outside the mine waiting until everyone was in. A half dozen Orcs came charging around the corner into an extremely powerful chain lightning spell that dropped them all in their tracks. I looked at Isabel and she looked just as surprised as I did! That spell was at least three times more powerful than when we had been working on it before James was born. I told her, ‘being pregnant must have softened you. You sure seem to be over that now!’
We backed into the tunnel a hundred yards and I signaled for the twins and Alice to go to work. Booms rang down the length of the tunnel and the electric air feeling of Alice’s telekinetic power tingled our skin. While Alice was working I walked up behind her and said, ‘the things that I do for indoor plumbing.’ She laughed and told me to go away because she was working. I swatted her and told her to do a good job. She just nodded, busy concentrating.
I caught up with the tail end of the rescued townspeople and followed everyone out. As they came out they were all being led into a large meeting hall. I looked around as everyone settled in to find out who the speaker was going to be. After a couple minutes I realized that everyone was looking at me and expecting me to speak. I went up to the front and climbed up on the dais. I walked to the podium and everyone started clapping. I motioned for all the wizards to join me. I told the crowd that we had all had an equal part in the rescue and we still had three wizards out making sure the tunnel was blocked well enough to prevent another attack. I asked if there was anyone missing and was informed that they had brought a smith back over to the town to make swords. I let them know that we had found him and that he was at our keep. That brought on another round of applause. Someone yelled from the back if we were taking on anymore novices. I looked at Isabel and she discreetly held up two fingers. I told the questioner that we would be willing to take two. I let them know that things were in a bit of an uproar because we had just had a baby boy last night. Cheers and someone yelled up asking how the mother was doing. Isabel stepped forward and took a bow… to silence. I said that Isabel was the mother and was also on the rescue mission. They asked how it was possible and I said that Chloe, indicating her with a wave, is the greatest healer of all time. There were reverent whispers of ‘the White Wand Wizard’ that I had to grin at. Everyone started cheering for the baby’s mother and for Chloe. Someone wanted to know when we would pick the two novices and I deferred to Isa. They were doing most of the training these days after all. Isa told them that if they would get their prospects together we would do the testing as soon as they were ready. But, she wanted them to be aware; we would take the first two that passed the test and stop there. She didn’t want any hurt feelings but there was a limit to the space we had available in Wizards Keep. Everyone nodded and scattered for their reclaimed homes. I was pretty sure that if someone stumbled on a stray Orc they would raise the alarm.
Alice and the twins showed up and said that it would take a very long time if th
e Orcs decided to try to dig that section back out. Alice had compressed the rock to an almost impenetrable hardness. I was glad to hear it because coming back here on another rescue mission might not go as well as this one had. The three that had just joined us wondered what the line of young men and women was forming for. I told them that we were going to take on two novices, the first two that passed, and get back to my baby. I was as bad as any of the girls when it came to being away from James. The twins asked if they could be the ones to test and that suited me just fine. It was fun when I started but now it was just monotonous. I saw a door behind the dais and opened it. There was a small office that no one was using. I said that they could use that room and that we should get started because it was getting late.
The first one up was a young boy and his parents and I let them into the hall. I sent the boy to the end and then told the parents not to be too disappointed if he didn’t pass. We had tested dozens of boys and, so far, none had passed. I wasn’t surprised when he came out and shook his head at his folks and they walked out. We went though five shaking heads and disappointed families before one came out with a big smile. She came back over to her family and I had them sit at a table out of the way. After that we got fifteen shaking heads and I was about to call it quits when a smile came out. Of course it was another girl and it made me wonder about James. Would my son have magical abilities? That question was going to weigh heavily on me until I had the answer.
I had the girls say goodbye to their families. I explained to the families that they should now consider Wizards Keep their home. Training would last at least a year and after that they could choose to remain at the keep as an instructor or come back to Clodfey to protect it. Or they could go to whatever town they chose. Everyone understood and there were no questions so I called all the girls together and we all joined hands. I told the new girls that they were going to partake of their first magic and it might feel strange. They weren’t to worry because we were taking care of them now. I asked Alba to take us to the roof.
As soon as we landed Isabel was gone! She moved so fast that I thought she must have learned a magical speed up spell that I didn’t know. There was more powerful magic than that at work, a new mother missing her child! I said that I would take the new girls down to Margery and get them logged in and rooms assigned. They fell in behind me and we walked down stairs.
We walked in to Margery’s office to find her with a strange grin on her face. She said that she had been sitting there holding the baby when a brown blur had come into the room. The mother had missed her baby a lot for the short amount of time we were gone. I reminded her that the baby had just been born last night so we had to cut her some slack. She shook her head and mumbled something about loving working with wizards. She then looked up, all business and asked what we needed. I told her we had two new novices. She congratulated them and asked for their names and ages. The first one stepped forward and said her name was Diana and she was fourteen. The second one said she was Jennifer and fifteen. Margery nodded then looked at me and said ‘what do I put for their accounts?’ I told her to give them their own space in the vaults and she could pay them a platinum coin a week out of my personal funds for miscellaneous expenses. Both the girls jaws dropped and they said, ‘Thank you My Lord!’ One whispered, not to quietly, ‘does he know that amount is ten times what my father makes?’ So I whispered back ‘yes, he does but he’s rich and doesn’t care what he pays his wizards!’ Both girls blushed and grinned.
I told Margery that I was going upstairs anyway and if she would tell me what rooms she had next in line I’d give the girls a quick tour. She told me which rooms and then I had to show off my pride and joy, or what was before James was born. I took the girls over to the showers. I told them they could use them whenever they weren’t occupied and they looked at me like I was confused. I told them that they were for bathing and I turned on the hot water. It ran for a few moments and then started steaming. I adjusted it down a bit with some cold and had them stick their hands in it. They were impressed enough with water coming out of a pipe when you turned the handle but the fact that it was hot and could be adjusted baffled them. They asked if it was heated with magic and I admitted that it wasn’t. I told them a pipe in the ground was deep enough to get hot and that’s where it came from. I then took them upstairs to the rooms Margery had said were prepared. The doors on these rooms were facing each other and they loved that. They were quite a ways from home and only knew each other here. Being this close together would go a long way in helping them relax. I opened Diana’s door and walked in. I watched as she walked in behind me. The huge king sized beds that I insisted on in every room always got a reaction from the young people that weren’t as well off as we are. She looked at it and then at me and I said, ‘yes, you are the only one who sleeps here.’ And she grinned. I showed her around and then turned to Jennifer. ‘Are you ready to see yours,’ I asked. She grinned and nodded and we walked right across the hall to the room there. I opened the door and she immediately looked at the bed. ‘I have one that big too!’ she exclaimed excitedly. I told them both that since they didn’t have anything to wear they should go with me to the tailors and we would get them their wizard uniforms. Diana said, ‘those clothes aren’t exactly modest are they?’ I explained that the most powerful wizards in the kingdom wore them so no one would ever dare bother them when they had those on. I said, ‘besides, I’m sure you both will look absolutely adorable in them.’ They both blushed a deep crimson and I told them if they needed anything, my room was upstairs or Margery could help them. Food was in the kitchen any time they got hungry. I then said goodnight and that I’d see them tomorrow for their fitting. They wished me goodnight and both walked off to Diana’s room.
I went into my room and found that my bed was full again. I asked Isabel if she needed all this care or if I was to be allowed to sleep in here again. She laughed and said that Chloe, Alba and Alice all wanted to be close to the baby. Besides, the twins had asked for a couple days of having you all to themselves, one on one. Isa said, ‘I’m not sure what you did but you definitely, um… made an impression with those girls. They better know I get you back!’ I told her that she would most definitely get me back as soon as there was room for me and not on the floor by the bed! I then crawled up on the bed and kissed Isa, Chloe, Alba and Alice goodnight.
I walked down the hall to Emma’s room and knocked on the door. It was quickly yanked open by Emma. She was dressed in her nightgown already and I asked if this was the room that I was supposed to be in. She grabbed me by my arm and said, ‘this is the place. You did great with the challenge that Beth and I gave you last night. Now let’s see if you can make it out tomorrow without calling Chloe!’ Somehow her threat didn’t scare me.
5.
Never Coercion
The next morning I woke, threw on my clothes and quietly walked out of Emma’s room. I turned around and standing at the top of the stairs were Diana and Jennifer. Just as I saw them Emma’s door was yanked open and she came running out. She said, ‘David, you forgot your cloak.’ She then saw the two new girls and realized that she was completely naked. She waved ‘hi’ and retreated back to her room. I said good morning to the girls and asked if I could help them with something. They said that they were wondering when they could go to the tailors. All they had with them was what they had worn because they were in a hurry to get a good spot in line. I said that we could go now if they wanted. I checked my pockets and had plenty of money and we always carried a large credit at the tailors shop just in case. I had them follow me up to the roof. I explained that I was going to cast a spell called levitation on them to make them light and then we would fly to the tailors. They were so giddy that they could barely stand still. I cast the spell and then fly on myself. I took each one by a hand and off we went. It was a short trip, up to the top of the Valeview keep and then down into the courtyard. From there it was just a few steps to the east.
We walked in and th
e grinning tailor asked if I was bringing in new recruits. I said that I was and these had brought nothing with them. I said that on top of their wizard uniforms with the one lightning bolt patches they would most likely like nightgowns. The tailor grinned again and asked if we wanted nightgowns or ‘wink’ nightgowns. I said that if I had my way there would be only one kind. The tailor then asked each girl to pick out her favorite color and showed them a large selection of colors in the form of bolts of cloth. Diana liked the light pink and Jennifer picked a turquoise green. They had no idea what they were picking the colors for but I liked the choices. Since they were both wearing dresses, and hadn’t been around long enough to get over the modesty thing, I stepped outside while they were being measured. When Diana was done she came outside to wait for Jennifer. She kept acting like she was going to say something and stopping. She was taking a big breath, holding it as if preparing to talk and then exhaling. I finally said, ‘just go ahead and say it already!’ She said, ‘forgive me for asking doesn’t your wife have brown hair?’ I smiled and knew where this was going. ‘Yes, my wife does have brown hair, quite dark brown hair at that!’ Diana said, ‘that naked girl that you were with this morning was a blonde, wasn’t she?’ I replied, ‘Yes, she is. Her name is Emma and is one of the twins.’ She stood there for awhile tapping her foot and getting this information into her head. She then said, ‘if your wife is in the room just down the hall doesn’t it worry you that she might have been the one to catch you with the naked girl?’ I laughed and said, ‘no, actually my wife sent me to Emma’s room last night. Her sisters and one of the other instructors stayed in my room with her so they could tend the baby.’ She said, ‘I see. Jennifer and I didn’t know about this part, maybe we should think about this before you have clothes made for us.’ I feigned innocence, ‘Didn’t know about what part?’ She scuffed her toe into the dirt, ‘the part about the wizards all sleeping with you.’ I grinned completely confusing the poor girl. ‘So, you are going to think about whether you want to be a wizard or not because you don’t want to sleep with me? Is that what you’re telling me? I’m not really that bad am I?’ She started stuttering, ‘That’s not what I mean at all! I’m sure that you’re are really nice man and all but I don’t know you and …’ I interrupted and told her that Emma was a consort of mine and my wife first talked to her and then to me about it. I’d never cheat on my wife and I love her very much. She just liked to see that I’m well… taken care of. Diana looked at me with her face still glowing red. She said, ‘well, it’s nice to know that I don’t have to sleep with you to be a wizard. Who knows, after I get to know you I might even want to.’
The Wizards of Eredwynn 02 - Another Typical Day, Too Page 3