Hand Made Mage

by James Haddock

  "Well, after I'm done at the border, I'm going to Black Stag. I will build barracks for five hundred men, and a training area. After that, I'm not sure. I may go see what the Southlands looks like. I hear there is plenty of land to be had there."

  "What if the King takes Black Stag?"

  "I can always sink everything back into the earth. Let the next guy pay to have it rebuilt."

  He laughed, "and I'd bet good gold that we have an earthquake in that area sometime soon."

  "We might, you can never tell."

  ✽✽✽

  The Prince left early the next morning becoming part of the army returning to the Capital.

  The companies were to stay in this position for another week. I found the Sergeant Major, "Tell me Sergeant Major, what would the ideal training area look like? I was thinking of barracks for five hundred men." We sat and talked, drawing pictures in the dirt of what he would like to have if he could have his wish.

  Once I had a clear idea of what they needed, I decided to leave for Black Stag, and build the training area, and barracks while the companies waited for the Hinterland Army to leave.

  I rode out on Harbinger heading west. Once out of sight, we went under and fast-traveled to my horse herd valley. I set up my pavilion, took off Harbinger's armor and released her to run free for a while. I went inside and took a hot bath. While I bathed, the pavilion cleaned my clothes. I ate a good hot meal and slept for several hours.

  It was dark when I fast-travelled to Black Stag Keep. I flew under the Keep and the Pass Fort to insure all was as it should be. All was well.

  I moved away from the Keep and got an idea of how much room I needed for the training area we wanted. First, I raised the training headquarters buildings, and barracks where the trainers would live. Then I raised barracks surrounding a large parade ground. Each barracks had its own well, Its own privy, and bathing rooms. Each barracks housed fifty men. A mess hall and kitchen joined each two barracks building. I raised enough buildings to house five hundred men.

  I raised warehouses to hold supplies for the army. I raised stables for three hundred horses. I raised another forty farms giving us fifty farms to help support Black Stag.

  I left written instructions, and a large purse of gold, for the quartermaster to buy livestock for the forty new farms. He was also to prepare for supplies to arrive to fill the new warehouses. I told him that the companies would return to Black Stag in six to eight weeks.

  Before I left, I paved all the roads with stone, and I raised a wide stone bridge over the river. I kept the other side of the river for our horses and cattle grazing land. The grass was thick and lush over there. I checked inside the Keep; it was well taken care of.

  I fast-travelled back to my pavilion and slept the rest of the night in the earth under the pavilion to restore my strength.

  I rose early the next morning and ate. I heard sounds from the stable and found Harbinger in her stall. I did not put armor on her, and I only wore my light armor. We went outside, and I closed the pavilion and put the book in my pouch.

  We went under and fast-travelled to Port West Gate's Castle and came up in the stables. I undressed and unsaddled her and brushed her. I heard a booming sound like thunder, but I knew it was not thunder. It was cannons firing. I moved up through the walls to the Royal garden and looked out to sea.

  There were ten Hinterland ships outside our harbor. I know little of ships but could see that there were four warships, one with a large pennant flying. Four were armed merchantmen, they probably held supplies for the fleet. The other two were either troop ships or slavers. One warship was firing at the great chain that blocked the mouth of the harbor.

  The Castle was not returning fire, because of the distance and angle of the ship from the cannon emplacements. I'd have to fix that. I put on the guise of calm, Middle-aged Mage, and flew down to the cannon emplacements. The Provost, and a mercenary officer was there.

  "Sir Mage," The Provost greeted me.

  "Provost, Prince Kade sent me to check on the wellbeing of Port West Gate. It appears we have visitors. How long have they been here?"

  "They arrived a week after the Prince left. I fear to think of what would have happened if the Prince had not had the Castle built to protect the harbor. So far, they have only tried to lower the great chain. They sent men in a longboat to take it. Our cannons put an end to that."

  "This is what they have been doing lately. They will move off at dusk and anchor for the night. Then in a few days one of the other ships will move in and fire at us for the day. I believe they are waiting on something."

  "They are waiting for their army to arrive and attack from the east, then they can attack with more vigor from the seaside. What they don't know is that their army is not coming. They were defeated at Vigil Castle. The remains of their army is on the march home."

  "Thank God."

  "I'll go discuss their options with them tonight. This should all be over by morning."

  "The Prince is well?"

  "Last I saw him, he was, yes. However, Crown Prince Luke was killed in combat. Prince Mathew is the new Crown Prince. Prince Kade should be back in a few months."

  "Any news of Earl de Crypta?"

  "Not that I've heard. If you will excuse me Provost, I must go prepare for my night's work."

  "Of course, Sir Mage."

  I levitated back up into the Royal gardens and looked out over the enemy fleet. Their King had sent them before or at the same time he invaded from the Northwest.

  "I guess this little tid-bit escaped his memory. His loss, my gain. I always wanted trading ships. Prince Kade could have the warships. I wonder what or who is on the slave ships."

  I looked around the inside of the harbor. It appeared that Arthur Williamson had arrived and had set up shop. I needed to talk to him. But I needed to change my appearance first. Draugur is dead. I need another look, something new. I can't use Captain Drake, at the moment. I guess this Mage guise will do for now. I'll go see him after I take care of the enemy fleet problem.

  I opened my pavilion on the Royal terrace and went inside. I ate and roamed through the library, looking at one book then another. The library was quite large. The books were in several languages.

  Just as the Provost had said, at dusk the ship that had been firing on the harbor went further out to sea and anchored for the night. I dawned my armor and watched the ships for a while. Once it was fully dark, I levitated and flew out toward the ship with the large pennant. That would be the Commander of the fleet's ship.

  When I got to the ship, I entered through the side of the ship at the Captain's cabin but stayed inside the wall. Three officers sat at the table eating. They were discussing logistics. I moved down through the ship. Something was different about this ship. The crew ate separately from the tables of guards. The guards definitely had better food.

  I realized this was a ship of conscripts. Which was one step above a slave. The officers and guards were regular Navy everyone else was conscripts. None of the crew were talking, loud anyway.

  I moved on to the hold. There were roughly a hundred regular Army soldiers in this hold, along with supplies. These were not their best troops, they looked to be second rate at best. There were some prisoners in the brig. They had beaten all with whips. One of them appeared to be an officer.

  I flew underwater to the other ships; they were all the same. The armed merchantmen held the fleet supplies and crewed by conscripts. The first slave ship held replacement conscripts for the other ships. The second slave ship held two mercenary companies. They were being kept locked up. Apparently, some people have trust issues. I shrugged; I could understand that.

  I'd wait until people were asleep before I made my move.

  Chapter twenty-six

  I had time before I struck so I looked at the holds, and their supplies. Most were standard supplies to feed your Army, and Navy. The mercenary's equipment was on the ship with them. Each ship carried a small chest of gold,
and currencies. The Admirals Ship however carried several chests of gold, gems, and currencies.

  I waited for all the Admiral's guest to leave and for him to go to bed. I didn't want any interruptions if I could avoid it. Once he was in bed and about asleep, I struck.

  Water under the keel was twenty feet deep, I took him straight down into the earth and released him. As he shrugged against death, *teach me.* I received all of his knowledge. I now understood the nautical world of ships and how they handled, navigation and ocean charts. He was also a really nasty fellow. vindictive and sadistic.

  I now knew the fleet was made up of fourth rate ships-of-the-line. They were two decked, sixty gun, warships. The merchantmen were converted fourth rate war ships, with fifty guns. The slavers were unarmed Guineamen, being used as troopships. Each ship had a crew of three hundred to four hundred. That was more people than I had expected.

  He had handpicked the two officers that were with him at dinner and they were just as bad as he was. One was his First Officer and Supply Officer. The other was what they called a Service Control Officer. Basically, what he did was, if you didn't obey orders, he would make you wish you had. And if you survived his treatment, you'd never disobey again. I took them down next. After I finished with the officers, I found the guards and took them down one by one. I locked and sealed the holds where the soldiers were kept. I’d take care of them later. All ships were at anchor, so the only watch was a two-man fire watch, which was easily handled.

  I moved through the rest of the Fleet doing the same to each ship. Now that the heads were taken off, I'd work on the body. Maybe I wouldn't have to kill everybody. I posted a black stone knight at the ship's wheel as a guard when I took control of a ship.

  I went to the slave ship with the mercenaries on it. I posted a black stone knight at the ship's wheel, then I raised up two more to escort me down into the hold. I didn't expect any trouble; they were all locked up anyway. The stone knights were just to keep them focused.

  The crew was locked in their sleeping area, so I could concentrate on the mercenaries first. I opened the door to the hold and my escorts entered; I followed with a lantern.

  I stepped to the cell door, "who is your Captain?"

  "That would be me, Captain Black."

  "You and your men, this whole fleet actually, has been captured. You are now my prisoners." His men were a well-disciplined group, they let their Captain handle matters.

  "You were under contract with the Hinterlanders?"

  "We are... were."

  "As your contract with them is no longer in effect, can you buy yourselves free?"

  "If the price can be negotiated, yes."

  "Would you be open to another possibility?"

  "Such as?"

  "You need a contract, I need men, we have just captured this fleet. I need you to move the regular Army soldiers from the other ships to this one. Then keep these ships secured. Once in port it will be a mix of guard duties. At least to start with."

  "And if we would rather just buy our freedom?"

  "You can do that too, but you are a long way from home. Finding passage to anywhere might be difficult."

  He nodded, "terms?"

  "Half the standard pay for garrison duty, twelve-month contract. At the end of the twelve months we'll renegotiate, you keep all your equipment as part of the deal."

  He nodded, "done, your name?"

  "I am the Mage Orcus."

  "We accept your offer Orcus."

  I concentrated on the lock of the cell, it unlocked, and the door swung opened. "Gather your equipment and get ready, I'll call you when I'm ready for you. Until then stay below decks."

  "Yes Sir. We'll be ready."

  My escorts and I went to the crew berthing. I took out my staff, my escorts opened the door and stepped in. I followed, the stone in my staff glowed, lighting the area.

  "My name is Orcus. I have captured this fleet, you now serve me, or you are my prisoners. The choice is yours. I will tell you this, I pay those who serve me loyally, and I'm just as harsh on disloyalty. I don't have conscripts. If you serve me go to your stations and stand by for orders. If you are prisoners, remain here until you are sent for." I turned and walked out. They all went to their stations.

  I went under and returned to the Admiral's ship. I raised two black stone knights as escorts. I went to the brig. My staff's stone lit the room. "My name is Orcus. I have captured this fleet. You are now my prisoners. I am curious, why are you, an officer, beaten and in the brig?"

  "I refused to beat men for no reason, so they beat me in their stead."

  "Your rank?"

  "Third Officer, Hicks."

  "You are now First Officer Hicks, see to your fellows there. Then take them above decks." He said nothing but nodded.

  I went to the crew berthing and gave them the same ultimatum speech. They all decided they wanted to work for me. I repeated the same offer on all the ships, with the same results. The regular Army soldiers in the holds were a different matter. They were second-rate troops at best and were also probably conscripts.

  I decided to leave them in their holds and move the mercenaries to each ship as guards over them. I would make them a different offer. They could join our Army and be trained by Sergeant Major Miller or go to the slave pens. Troublemakers would go there regardless. I'm guessing we'll have a Black Stag Army shortly.

  I flew under back to the slave ship the mercenaries were on and found their Captain. "I need a detachment of guards to go to the ship with the pennant. I will make the soldiers an offer of employment. If they take it, I will have them moved over here. If they don't, they'll remain under guard on the ships they are on. Prepare a few detachments to be ready to move to other ships."

  "Yes, Sir Mage, they'll be on boats heading that way shortly."

  I flew back under to the pennant ship and waited for the mercenaries to arrive. While I waited, I talked to First Officer Hicks. "What where you orders?"

  "The Admiral didn't tell his underlings much. All I heard was we were to harass Port West Gate harbor, await the Army arriving overland. Then we would link up with them and hold the Port."

  "Is it common practice in the Hinterland Navy to use conscripts?"

  "Half of the Navy is conscripts. They keep them in line with brutality. The smallest infractions are met with the whip, sometimes to death. That is why a slaver follows the fleet, for replacements. The conscripts hate the regular Navy."

  "And the Army?"

  "Much the same, unless you are a first line Army company. Which is only about a third of our army. Everyone else is a conscript."

  "If I made them the same offer?"

  "They would probably take it. They hate the regular Army like these men hate the regular Navy."

  "Do they have officers among them?"

  "No, at the most a Top-Sergeant per one hundred, or per century as we call them."

  I nodded, "good to know. As of now you are their Captain. Everyone eats the same food. See to your men, and your ship, Captain Hicks."

  "Yes, Sir Mage."

  Captain Black arrived with the detachment. I told him what I wanted, and he deployed his men. When we were ready, I opened the hold hatch. I levitated down into the hold, my staff stone shinning.

  "My name is Orcus; I have captured the fleet. You are all now my prisoners."

  A big man stepped forward, "What if we don't want to be your prisoners, what will you do then?"

  A spike of timber shot up from the floor impaling him, killing him instantly.

  "Any other questions?"

  "Not very smart," someone said from the shadows.

  "Who is your Top-Sergeant?" Everyone pointed to the dead man. I shrugged my shoulders.

  I pointed to the man who spoke from the shadows. "What's your name?"

  "Cooper, Sir Mage."

  "Rank, Cooper?"

  "Sergeant, Sir Mage."

  "Are you the next ranking man?"

  "One of four Sergeants,
Sir Mage."

  "Congratulations you are now acting Top-Sergeant Cooper."

  "Yes, Sir Mage."

  "As I was saying, you are my prisoners. I don't keep conscripts. You are either working for me as soldiers, or you are prisoners, destined for the slave pens. I pay my soldiers. But as you have witnessed, I punish harshly. If you are going to be one my soldiers fall into formation under Top-Sergeant Cooper. If you'd rather go to the slave pens, take a seat in the rear."

  They only hesitated a second, "fall-in you lot!" Top-Sergeant Cooper shouted. They all jumped, to get into formation. They left no one sitting in the rear.

  Once the men were in formation, "Top-Sergeant Cooper, when was the last time the men have been out for fresh air and sunshine?"

  "Two weeks, Sir Mage."

  I shook my head, "Captain Black."

  "Yes, Sir Mage?"

  "The Century will come on deck under Top-Sergeant Cooper's Command."

  "Yes, Sir Mage."

  "Top-Sergeant take the men up top."

  "Yes, Sir Mage."

  I went up on deck and let the new Top-Sergeant handle his Century.

  Captain Black, his detachment and I made the rounds to the other three war ships. I made those Centuries the same offer as I had the first Century. They all accepted my terms, and I didn't have to kill anyone else.

  On all the ships, I changed the pennants from Hinterland to my sigil of a Rampant Black Dragon on a blue background; I did the same on the mainsails.

  When I got back to the Fleet Flagship, "Captain Hicks, signal the fleet to prepare for getting underway. We'll be moving into the harbor."

  "Yes, Sir Mage."

  "I'll return in a while, stand by for further orders."

  "Yes, Sir Mage."

  He turned and started carrying out my orders.

  I levitated and flew to the Harbor Fort. The Provost was just arriving, "Good afternoon, Sir Mage. It seems you have solved our problem."

  "I have, I have taken their ships. We'll be moving into the harbor shortly. I wanted to make sure everyone was clear these were now my ships. You may lower the Great Chain. I will have them dock against the Harbor Crags, and a guard set to maintain discipline. You may continue to set your city watch as you deem fit."