“I can’t say I disagree with that assessment,” Grae admitted. “That idea’s crossed my mind more than once. In our teachings, there’s certain barriers that we learn to never try and cross. Anything large and manmade—like the Grey Bridges—deserts, oceans, and large lakes. I think we all assumed that it was because we were cut off from the connection of the earth, and because of that, the path wasn’t moored to the ground directly. It lost direction and power, hence why it failed.”
Fascinating. Also, from what Sevana had been taught in the past twenty-four hours, entirely logical. “But you tried it anyway?”
“Rune and I developed a new pattern,” Grae explained patiently. “We call it the Wave pattern. It is a series of five lines, all interconnected. My Coral pattern is similar to it, and because the stepping stones are all intertwined, it has the power to handle very large caravans. I thought, based upon that principle, the Wave pattern would work the same over water. At least for short hops. We literally were only trying to cross the lake itself, no further.”
Sarsen gave a hum, clearly thinking hard. “In theory, I can’t fault your idea. It’s sound in principal.”
“My main question,” Master posed to the group, “is this: why connect here? Grae, what happens when a path fails, normally?”
“It just fails. We end up partway along the distance, or we don’t move at all. We were all braced for landing in the water, really, even joked about it. This is far outside our expectations.”
“Then it makes even less sense for you to end up here.”
A crazy, not altogether sane, idea popped into Sevana’s head. “I know this might sound…well, crazy…but hear me out. As it happens, I’m in the middle of developing another portal system.”
All three men instantly turned to her, all ears.
She spoke slowly, as if putting the words together one at a time like paving stones in a path leading forward. “I want a new system, something different from the clock portals. They take a great deal of magical stamina to run, and I’m constantly having to turn them on and off, so I thought if I could attach a water wheel to the side of them, use natural springs to power them, it would take the burden off of me. And, of course, that room has one of the few skylights that Big allows, as the room is so vast that no matter of lighting charms can keep it well-lit in there.”
“Water, sunlight, stone, and portal magic,” Grae breathed in stunned realization.
“So it is Sev’s fault,” Sarsen announced as if he’d expected that answer all along.
If he’d been closer at hand, Sevana would have hit him. “Excuse you! We create portals all of the time, how was I supposed to know that I’d summon aliens doing it?”
“Only you, Sev,” Sarsen mock-sighed, although he sounded infinitely pleased, which meant he planned to rub this in for years. Possibly decades.
Sticking her tongue out at him, she huffed. “Really, like this is my fault. Grae, how plausible does this all sound to you?”
“Very,” Grae admitted frankly, spreading his hands in a shrug, although he still had a stunned expression on his face, as if someone had taken a pole and hit him directly on the forehead with it. “We’ve never understood why pathmaking worked. We knew the rules, that if you do this it’ll work, but if you do that it won’t, but why it created open paths? What magic made it operate, why certain people could do it, but others couldn’t? That part has never made sense to anyone. It just worked that way.”
“The spiritual plane is all interconnected,” Sarsen observed, more thinking aloud, “we know that for a fact. And the dreaming land that the dragons inhabit in their sleep is also all interconnected. Can we assume from this instance that all portal space is also interconnected? That even being on a separate world doesn’t matter to that dimension?”
“I think we have to assume that,” Master agreed, although he kept rubbing at his forehead, as if the very idea pained him. “This situation doesn’t make sense otherwise. Great good magic, but this is going to keep me up thinking for the rest of the year.”
“The year just started,” Sarsen pointed out in amusement.
“I know.”
Sevana snickered. Although, she secretly felt the same way. “Alright, moving on. I think we’re making some assumptions, but they all sound logical to me, and I certainly can’t think of any other reason why our guests would land here. Can we all agree this is the most plausible scenario?”
Firm nods from all three men.
“Good. Then on that basis, how do we build a pathway back home for our guests?”
Chapter Four
Denny didn’t know what to make of these flying devices. The way her hosts spoke of them, so casually, inclined her to think it was as normal a method of travel on this world as a boat would be. It certainly looked boat-ish, with wings attached, although it had a glass canopy over the top of it. Likely to keep the weather out. She had never been the sort to be nervous about heights, and since a prince and princess used it, it had to be safe. Still, her nerves stretched taut enough to vibrate under her skin as she climbed carefully inside.
What stopped her in the entrance was Pyper and Pete, not sure what to do with them. They didn’t know this area and she didn’t think it was allowable to try and take them with her on a shopping trip. Finally, she ordered, “Go sit with Grae.”
Agreeable to this, the dogs dashed off to find the Pathmaker.
With that sorted, she fully entered the flying ship. This vessel was indeed meant to hold several people, as there were built-in benches along the sides large enough to hold perhaps a dozen. Sarsen moved immediately to the front, where a ship’s steering wheel stood, and the prince and princess went about the vessel escorting people to different seats and trying to relax any fears. Denny took the seat she was waved into with a timid smile, perching almost on the edge of it.
Leaning into Rune’s side, Denny mentioned quietly, “For all that they’re royalty, they’re very down-to-earth people, aren’t they?”
“Surprisingly so,” Rune agreed sotto voice. “I wasn’t sure what to imagine, but it wasn’t this.”
Sarsen turned in his chair, looked around and nodded in satisfaction to see everyone seated. “Bel, get the door. Alright, it’s a short enough ride, we’ll only be in the air about ten minutes. But it’ll give you a taste of what flying’s like.”
And likely who wouldn’t be comfortable with it. Denny kept that thought to herself.
The vessel hummed with glowing magic, much like a path would, although of different colors. Then it smoothly lifted up with only one small bump as it left the ground. It was such an easy transition that it put to rest the butterflies in her stomach. Or did until Denny turned and looked down at the ground becoming smaller and smaller in her vision. Oh my. That was…much higher up than she’d imagined.
A warm hand found hers, and she gripped Rune’s hand tightly, but she wasn’t really afraid. This was exhilarating, truly. The trees looked like toothpicks from this height, and she could see the vast stretch of a primeval forest behind Big as far as the eye could see. “It’s beautiful.”
“It is,” Sylvie agreed and then groaned. “Oh, if only we could capture this moment, we’d make so much money. Beirly. You have to figure out how we can make this flying vessel at home.”
Beirly was already rubbing his hands together, looking about the vessel with transparent avarice. “Oh trust me, I will. As soon as we get back.”
Chuckling, Sarsen promised over his shoulder, “I’ll dig up Sev’s blueprints for it. I’ve no idea how you’ll power it, as your magic differs from ours, but you’re welcome to try.”
There was not a single thing in this (well, their) world that Beirly couldn’t build once he put his mind to it. Denny’s money was on him.
She went back to watching the view out of the window, and the village quickly came into view with the half-frozen river winding around it. It wasn’t a large place, about the size of Stott, but it looked charming. Also strange, although s
he couldn’t explain why.
“Where’s your wall?” Tran asked, leaning close enough to almost smush his nose up against the glass.
“Yes! That’s what’s bothering me,” Siobhan exclaimed, also leaning around to stare closely at the village.
Sarsen didn’t seem to understand the question as he gave them a quick, confused glance. “Wall?”
“Your wall for protection,” Wolf clarified, although he sounded intrigued. “You don’t need one for this village?”
“We don’t fortify most of our cities.” Bel’s eyes darted around them, taking in all of their expressions, his own green eyes sharp as he considered them. “There’s no need. While there is some level of crime in my country, it never rises to the point of cities attacking each other. I don’t let it. I keep a national guard, army, and navy posted throughout Windamere at all times to help subdue trouble in its infant stages.”
Denny looked at him, the confidence in him, then down at the village again. A flash of envy tore through her. A world so peaceful it didn’t need fortifications? What must that be like, to live in a world like this?
“Am I the only one that’s jealous of that?” Sylvie asked rhetorically.
“No,” Alex grumbled to her. “And I was trying to create that very thing. Well, I thought I was.”
Fei seemed to share their opinions but he only said, “At least we know that ideal is obtainable. Perhaps we can further learn how this was achieved while here, and spread that information among the leaders of our main guilds.”
Trust Fei to look at it from a different angle. He seemed to have a talent for that.
Bel, intrigued by this, offered, “I’ll certainly be willing to share our strategy for it. Perhaps after dinner tonight, we can go over the basics.”
Inclining his head in a bow, an eager smile slid across Fei’s face. “I look forward to it, Bel-zhi.”
“We’re about to land,” Sarsen announced.
The view outside the window was certainly becoming bolder and larger as they approached the ground once more. It looked pristine white out here, the snow untouched by animal or people, although not for long. The patch that Sarsen chose to set down in wasn’t far off the beaten path, and the road leading in looked to be nothing more than dirty slush from all of the traffic. The buildings looked very unique to her eyes, made not from stone, but thatch and brightly colored beams. It was so much brighter than the typical grey stone buildings she knew that it made her smile unconsciously. “It seems a cheery place.”
“Oh, it is that,” Hana agreed as she followed Bel out the door. Pausing, she admitted to her, “I grew up here, actually. I was the librarian here until I married Bel.”
Denny blinked at her. Wait, the princess was a librarian? Weren’t princesses supposed to be born royalty? Or did that work differently on this world?
Of course, Markl, standing behind her, focused entirely on a different part of that statement. “There’s a library here?”
“I’ll show you,” Hana promised him, then stepped clear to let everyone else out.
“What about a medicine shop?” Conli inquired as he followed after her.
“Oh, we’ve several of those, although they mostly deal in potions,” Bel assured him. “We’ll stop in and let you browse as we go.”
Denny wrapped her jacket tighter about her as she stepped into the clear air, her breath a white mist. Sevana fortunately had a treasure trove of random gear that she’d been able to share and size for them via different magical spells. Well, really, Sarsen had raided her storerooms and then belatedly told her he was doing so, which his friend obviously didn’t care about, as she’d just grunted and waved him on before diving back into questioning Grae. It was good to have the warm clothes in this bitter cold. Denny had never experienced a wind with this kind of biting chill to it before.
Sarsen stayed behind to chat with the other two, but Bel had them well in hand, divvying people up. Hana offered to take Markl to the library first, which he vetoed, as he wanted to see the trade here in action. Although everyone in the guild knew that eventually, Markl would enter that library, and then they’d have the devil of a time getting him back out again.
Even on a cold winter day like this, the market was in full swing. There were hot wares available at different kiosks, coffee or something called hot chocolate—Denny didn’t know you could drink the stuff—breads, legs of some sort of baked fowl, and that was just the food. Every imaginable type of clothing, accessory, tool, and several beautiful pieces of artwork lined up for display in shop windows or hung from lines outside trader wagons. It was as fully stocked as any market Denny had walked through and yet was entirely different, as they had magical wares out for sale as well.
“Morgan!” Bel lifted a hand and waved it overhead, pausing at a semi-busy street corner.
“Ah, there you are. Good timing, I was about to dive into the madness and try in vain to find you.” Morgan strolled up looking as cheery as ever, a red scarf wrapped around his throat and tucked into a long black jacket. It made him very dashing, more than usual. “Good morning, all.”
“A top of the morning to you, Morgan,” Siobhan greeted. “Thank you for coming to meet us here, I’m sure we’re interrupting business.”
“I’ll actually be doing business as we shop,” Morgan denied pleasantly. “I’m checking in with the various vendors to see if they’re running short on inventory. They likely are. Sev’s heating charms go fast in this kind of weather. Shall we sell some more of your coins first? I found two other places that are itching to buy some, and with Bel’s and Hana’s word for their foreign authenticity, we’ll get a mint from them.”
“Yes, please,” Siobhan encouraged.
The whole group perforce tagged along as well, although fortunately it wasn’t far to the first place. It looked to be some sort of money exchange place, a small building with barely more than two counters and a few stools. Most of them stayed outside as there was no way to go in without making things unbearably cramped, although Sylvie and Markl both followed Siobhan in. Mostly due to professional curiosity, unless Denny missed the mark.
As they haggled inside, Denny stayed on the sidewalk, but she eyed a few pretty things across the street. That cloak especially, with that dark blue material and the cream-colored embroidery around the edges, that was stunning. Would she be able to afford it?
Someone bumped into her from the side and immediately turned, tugged at the brim of his hat and muttered an apology. Denny didn’t have the chance to get a single word out before he’d moved on. Bemused—she never got that reaction unless one of her guildmates was glaring—she let it go. Then it happened again, a harder shoulder check, and this woman actually stopped.
“Dear, you need to be careful,” the woman scolded, shooing her to stand closer to the building. “Wagons come barreling through here all the time.”
Never in her life had a complete stranger voiced concern for her well-being, or spoke to her without giving her a sympathetic look, as if they knew her life history just from the color of her skin. It left Denny tongue-tied as a result, as she had no idea how to react to this woman.
“Thank you,” Rune said, coming to the rescue. “We’ll stay closer to the sides.”
“You do that,” the woman encouraged, then pointed further down the narrow road. “And if you get too cold, you stop by my shop. I have hot mulled cider, best in town. I’ll throw in a cranberry muffin too as a service.” With a wink, she bustled on.
Denny, poleaxed, turned her head to watch her go. “Does this world…do they not care what you look like?”
“Not a bit,” Hana said encouragingly. “We do have other cultures in this world that are darker, or fairer, than the people you see here. But we don’t much care where you’re from.”
For the first time in her life, Denny stood on a sidewalk in a marketplace and no one had given her even a second glance. Pure pleasure raced through her, setting her face alive with a smile. “Rune. I’m going
to go over there and look at that cloak.”
Knowing very well her joy, Rune encouraged, “Go then.”
She promptly did, grinning the whole time.
“Wait, you still have to look out for pickpockets!” Hana called after her.
“Too late,” Rune said ruefully. “She’s gone. Just as well she has no money on her at the moment.”
Denny nearly giggled in abject delight. If picketpockets were her biggest concern here, then…well, they might have to drag her out of Milby kicking and screaming. She was going to enjoy this experience to the hilt.
There didn’t seem to be an immediate, working solution for how to get home again. Erik had to admit that if they had to be stranded in a different world, they’d landed in a very good place indeed. The people were kind here. Not just their hosts, but the people in general. Bellomi had explained on their first outing together that he didn’t tolerate crime in his kingdom, that they had harsh laws and a police force in order to keep things in check, and the results of his work clearly showed. Never before had Erik been able to shop in a market and not keep a sharp eye on both his purse and his companions. It had been strangely liberating to do so. Denny and Sylvie especially reveled in the atmosphere, beyond pleased that they could shop without being hassled.
Five days into their stay, even Erik had relaxed a hair. There was no real danger here, they were well cared for by their hosts, and what danger resided in Noppers Woods was well contained. Sarsen seemed quite content to fly them about to different areas and that was another experience altogether, one that Erik enjoyed thoroughly. He wistfully wished they could somehow take that knowledge back with them, how to create flying machines but it was clearly made with the magic of this world, which theirs did not share. Beirly seemed to have an idea of how to adapt it, though. He probably shouldn’t discount the idea just yet.
Late afternoon of the sixth day, Erik carted in a crate of fine alcoholic beverages, Bellomi and Sarsen right behind them. Someone had suggested letting their guests sample all of the different brews Windamere offered, and that sounded like a fine plan to Erik, so they’d gone into Milby and purchased at least one of everything. Big, seeing that his hands were full, kindly opened the door for him. Erik looked in a generally upwards manner with a smile. “My thanks, Big.”
Crossroads: An Artifactor x Deepwoods Short Story Page 4