I walked out of my living room and toward the stairs and saw Elizabeth and Emma coming up from the showers. I told that I was glad I caught them together because I wanted to talk to them. They led me to Elizabeth room and I said, “I know that you like to do everything as twins and remembering our first night together, that has been a good thing! I have rings that I’d like for you to wear, if you would, as a symbol of our love and relationship. I had to wait to give them to you because; I wouldn’t want one, and not the other to have one!”
They both accepted happily and kissed me with feeling. I began to wonder if I’d just committed myself to a happy day locked up in their room when the alarm bells started ringing.
I stepped out to my balcony and fired red sparks over the training field and watched as the girls working on skills and their instructors took to the air. As they flew over the wall I mentally checked the projectile and invisibility shield that were over both local castles and listened to Valeview’s squeaky portcullis. Our portcullis was lowered and the girls took positions on the walls. I smiled sadly watching us go into defensive mode so smoothly. A group of very powerful people that had dedicated themselves to helping others were now a trained defensive force.
The cause for the alarm soon showed itself as horsemen started down the road that led through the gap in the rock to our valley. They rode toward the castle and a hundred yards out started forming ranks. Isabel joined me and looked out.
She said, “David, why are they doing this to us? All we want to do is be left in peace!”
I sighed, “By the look of their livery they are your father’s men. I don’t think that he likes being told no. I stand by my statements and will not submit.”
Isa put a hand on my shoulder, “It would never cross my mind to ask. The girls are ours and he has no right to take them. When you go to meet them, I’d like to accompany you. Perhaps we could get the same result we got when the Lords were here.”
I nodded, “I don’t like having you on a battlefield but perhaps you’re right. I want you to make sure you’re shielded and I’ll put a shield around you also. If there is trouble, we fly. An arrow or twenty wouldn’t have a chance against our shields, if they could hit us. Is someone with James because it looks like the officers are getting ready to meet?”
She smiled and said, “Alice is with James, I knew you wouldn’t want her near any combat anyway.”
I grinned and said, “Have I told you that I love you?”
She cast her shield and fly spell, I wrapped us both in separate shields and we floated down to meet the officers crossing toward the castle.
We set down lightly ten yards ahead of the officers and I greeted them, “Good day, Captain. How may we be of service this morning?”
The officers, recognizing Princess Isabel, dismounted and bowed. They then stood and pointedly nodded in my direction. The Captain nodded at me and said, “We are here to collect the wizards that were with Sir Gildon and were known as the ‘wizards in black’. According to the kings records there should be eight of them here. We will wait until you collect them and hand them over.”
I smiled and said, “If that is the case Captain, I hope that you brought along a lot of rations. You’ll be sitting in this valley forever. As I explained to the king, I will not be turning over anyone under my care to anyone, for any reason.”
Isabel said, “Captain, you can inform my father that I agree with the Master Wizard. Those that have protection behind our walls will not be handed over.”
The Captain looked at Isabel and said, “My Lady, please see reason! We came with five hundred horsemen, archers and pike men. We have been giving orders to attack the castle and burn it to the ground if necessary to meet our demands!”
Isabel looked shocked, “You were given orders that defy the long standing laws concerning the royal family? I, my son, and two sisters, all of royal blood, are behind those walls! Captain, are you really willing to attack me?”
The Captain was almost in tears, “My Lady, as a soldier in your father’s army, I must. As a man, my heart breaks at the thought. Please submit to your father’s wishes, My Lady!”
Isa took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, “I will not submit. If your men threaten the safety of my son, they will all die. Lead your army from this field, Captain.”
A tear trickled down the hardened old soldiers face and he said, “Then you leave me no choice, My Princess.”
Isa nodded and he nodded in return, and an arm came around my chest from behind and a dirk was slammed into my shield with enough force to snap the blade. The man was immediately struck in the back by three stun spells from the girls that were in charge if of this area during talks.
I looked at the Captain and said, “When did talks of terms come to include the positioning of assassins? I don’t feel that you were responsible for that attack, but blame the king. When the man regains consciousness you can question him. Goodbye Captain, I hope we meet again under better conditions. I’ll buy you a drink.”
The captain nodded and Isa and I took to the air, landed on the near wall and watched the army assembled against us. I looked at my wife and said, “Isa, I want you to take James and Alice and go to Clodfey. The people there will hide you if things go badly here.”
Isa pulled me to her and kissed me, she held me tightly and whispered, “My heart, body and mind are yours and won’t be separated from you when you may need me. I love you and will always be by your side.”
I sighed and said, “I should have known that I wouldn’t get an obedient spouse when I married royalty.” I kissed her neck and turned back to the army as the first flight of arrows started our way.
I watched with a tired smirk as the arrow were deflected away by the domed shield I had covering us. I signaled to move all the girls that didn’t have other duties to the active side of the castle, and watched another volley fly and were again deflected away.
I signaled for Calla to come to me and when she arrived I asked, “Do you think that you can keep a few Flamestrike pillars alive at the same time and have them move to form a sort of wall?”
She grinned and said, “I have been doing that out of boredom for a week now! You just tell me when, David. And I’ll scare them to death!”
“Scare them to death,” I chuckled, “that is the key word. Don’t roast any if you can help it.”
She smiled sweetly and said, “But of course, David! I’m just a sweet innocent young lady!”
I sighed, shaking my head. We were way too powerful to be fighting human beings when I had to tell my sixteen year old instructor not to kill, accidentally! I instructed all the girls that were charged with firing stun spells to open fire on the lead men the moment they charged. If they got past Calla’s obstacle then they were to go to lethal attacks.
Another volley, then another and officers realized that arrows were ineffective, regardless of how many were shot our way. They signaled to advance and then charge. Stun is a lower level spell and all my girls were Adept or above and could silently cast it as fast as they could think it. Scores of men dropped, stunned, before their onslaught. Twenty yards from the wall and the road that led to our gate columns of fire began to flash into life. Calla directed their movement like a maestro directing music. I fired stun to try to keep the men from dying but they were getting close.
Just before the men reached the columns that marked the line between life and death, I made a decision. My wife didn’t care for my master magic but she cared less for soldiers dying under her father’s orders. I focused on an invisible wall between the castle and the men. I pushed the men backwards and wrapped the end of my wall around to encircle them. I then blinked to the fishbowl of struggling men.
“Is this enough yet?” I yelled. “Do you have to die to leave us in peace? Please see reason!”
The officer to whom we’d been talking before made his way along the wall to where I stood. “We can’t My Lord. The king has ordered us to bring the wizards to him.” He said,
looking downcast.
I looked him in the eye and said, “What would the king say to you if you were back in Rosenwood now, when you were supposed to be at least five days away?”
He shrugged, “He would know that wizard magic had sent his army back and” he started to smile, “he should rethink his attack!”
I let the feelings build inside me, I let the anger I felt at the attack and the fear I held for my son and everyone in the castle. I focused that feeling and wrapped it around the entire army, conscious, unconscious, and even horses. I focused on the clear area near the stables in Rosenwood and with a mental thrust, shoved them all there. And I collapsed.
I woke and heard a sweet voice say, “Good morning, David. I knew you were going to overdo it when I saw what you were doing. But I knew you’d be ok and wake up about now.”
With my eyes still closed I said, “Good morning, Pixie. I really wish you would tell me how you know so much about my magic. I know there are things that you know that I don’t. Perhaps you would be willing to take me as an apprentice?”
Della giggled and said, “My father wouldn’t even take me as an apprentice so I don’t think I have the right to take you! You’re still my instructor until I reach master.”
I opened my eyes and shook my head, “My sweet little Pixie. Sometimes you give me a headache. It’s a good thing that I love you so much.”
She grinned and said, “Yes it is a good thing that you love me so much, considering tomorrow is my birthday! I don’t want a big party or a feast. All I want is the nod from you and your wife.”
I sighed knowing the determination that she had and that she hadn’t changed her mind in all these months. Perhaps if she were made a consort she would explain how she knew so much about ‘master magic’.
She said, “I better let Roger know you’re awake. He has orders to let everyone know when you came to.” She opened the door, whispered for a moment and came back. With a very serious look she gazed into my eyes “David, when you learn how to get home, will you go?”
I looked at her in shock! “What do you mean, Pixie?”
“David, you’ll soon learn how to get back to your world. The world you came from with cars, airplanes, pavement and factories. Will you go?” she asked earnestly.
“Della, after my first week in this world I fell in love with it. The answer is no, I won’t go back. But how do you know that I’ll learn that?” I asked.
Della grinned and giggled, “that makes me really happy, David and don’t worry about that ’how do I know’ stuff. It isn’t important”
Isabel opened the door and said, “David! What am I going to do with you?”
I said, “Love me, cherish me, and pick me up when I pass out?”
Isa laughed, “You’re not making it easy for me to be angry with you. You scared me again and if you don’t stop, Alice is digging a dungeon for you.”
I said, “I’m sorry my love but I didn’t want to kill those men. The majority of them didn’t want to be here and were just under orders. You saw the face of the Captain that we talked to. It broke his heart to follow orders. I’m hoping that dad won’t send him back again. If he does we might have a problem because I don’t think I’ll send five hundred men and horses anywhere again.”
Isa sighed, “Well, at least you learned from you’re mistake. Do you need to rest or are you getting up?”
I smiled, “I’m getting up, but would like to inform you of some information that I received this morning. Della is turning twelve tomorrow and will be coming to see you. I thought since she was here now you could give a decision.”
Isa looked at Della and said, “Do know what being a consort is about. Do you know what duties you would have and what would be expected?”
Della smiled and said, “I would be expected to be there for you when you needed child care or to talk as friend or a confidante. I would be expected to love and take care of David and attend to any of his physical desires. Is there anything I’ve missed, My Lady?”
Isabel looked at Della stunned, “There is nothing that you’ve missed. With your knowledge of the duties that you will be charged with, I would like to invite you to be a consort, starting tomorrow, if my husband agrees.”
I looked at Della and told her that I’d love to have her for my consort and we could go stargazing from time to time. Some of the things that the other consorts and I do, I’d be worried about with her.
Della smiled and said, “David, if you allow me to only do what I can, things will be fine. I love you David but you worry too much!”
Isabel laughed so hard she had to hold on to the bed to keep her feet.
22.
I got out of bed and Roger, using a valet’s sixth sense walked in with clean clothes. I thanked him and he bowed slightly. He then took a position near the door and stood there looking as if he were a statue. I dressed and Isa told me that she was going to talk to the kitchen about a small party tomorrow for Della. She asked if we could all meet in our living room for lunch. I told her that I was looking forward to it but was going to run to Tesil. I wanted to take some gems and honestly, to get out of the castle for awhile.
I turned to Della and said, “I’ll see you at lunch, Pixie. I love you.” I dropped to a knee and kissed her.
She said, “Be safe David and avoid to much master magic for awhile. You are still draining yourself a bit with the shields you’re keeping up all the time.
I stood and bowed, “Yes, My Lady Wizard. I will take your advice and be cautious.” She smiled and curtsied and I turned and walked out of my room, with Roger on my heels. I went to Margery’s office and said that it was time to take gems to Tesil. She voiced some concern that I was going out with all that was going on but opened the vault anyway. I watched Roger’s eyes as we walked into the vault and wasn’t disappointed. They went wide and then wider still when I stepped up on a huge bag of gold to reach the gem box I wanted. I grabbed a handful of gems, counted twenty and dropped them in a small pouch. I started to put it in my pocket but Roger wouldn’t allow it. He explained that carrying things like that for me was his job. I let him do his job; after all, he’d been a valet longer than I’d been a Lord! I called down the tunnel to Margery that we would leave from here and waited for her acknowledgement. Roger nodded and we were beside the road going into Tesil.
As we walked through town I noticed that I was barely noticed by the townsfolk. That’s when I noticed that I wasn’t wearing my wizard’s cape. I asked Roger about it and he said that with the hostilities with the king, he’d thought that I wouldn’t want too many people knowing that I was wandering the countryside. I told him that was good thinking and said that he’d have his job cut out for him looking after me. Small things like that usually slipped my mind. He smiled and told me that was his job. To take care of the small things so I could focus on the large.
We walked into the jewelers the jeweler looked up and said, “Be with you in a moment.” and went back to what he was doing.
We sat on stools at the counter and waited. After a couple minutes the jeweler walked up and said, “Now what can I do for you today? Oh, David! I didn’t recognize you without your cape and with a male traveling companion! I didn’t think that we’d be seeing you for awhile considering the rumors of hostilities with the king.”
I smiled and said, “They aren’t really rumors to me. He sent quite the force out last time he came to visit. I managed to clear the field without any loss of life, and that is what I’d hoped for. This young man is my valet, Roger. He may do business for me from time to time. He isn’t a wizard so don’t try to get him to show you the transport spell.”
The jeweler grinned, “But that is my favorite part of your visits and you know it! Let me see what you have for me today.” We went through the normal routine and when the jeweler offered thirty-five, Roger wrinkled his brow.
The jeweler went back to get my payment and Roger said, “Thirty-five gold coins for those gems? Doesn’t that seem a bit low
to you?” I smiled and patted his knee, knowing he was just looking out for me.
The jeweler returned with a bag and said, “Thirty-five hundred in platinum, as usual.” I glanced at Roger whose eyes looked like dinner plates and smiled. I thanked the jeweler, took a handful of coins for my pocket and with a nod to the jeweler, sent the rest to the vault.
We walked out and Roger said, “Forgive me David, but did that man say thirty-five hundred platinum? You could build an enormous house with that much money. Forgive my lapse in protocol but I was caught off guard and a bit overwhelmed!”
I told him that he should have seen the faces of some of my girls when I slipped them platinum to take home. These girls had grown up with one room houses and dirt floors. They were really in shock. I told him that I’d show him what two thirds of that money would do and led the way to the courthouse and the area behind it. The homeless shelter was built and operational. The people around it looked happy and healthy. We went in the front of the building and were met by a man at a desk.
The man said, “Good morning friends are you in need of a place to stay? You may stay here, free of charge, as long as you need to get on your feet again. This service is offered to the people of Tesil and travelers in need of aid by the Master Wizard of Wizard’s Castle.”
At the end of the spiel Roger looked at me and smiled. I nodded to him and then to the man I asked, “Who are the finances of this establishment handled by?”
The man answered, “The funds are all handled by the Governor of this city. Bills and food are paid for from a fund set up by the Master Wizard for this purpose. If the Master Wizard comes around I’m supposed to let him know that all the homeless are now being well taken care of.
The Wizards of Eredwynn 02 - Another Typical Day, Too Page 17