The senior of the two stepped forward, voice gruff. "State your name."
Now this is interesting. They were not speaking Chahirese, but Hainish—and I still understood them. Then I felt like smacking myself in the forehead when the obvious answer came to me. Jaunten blood. Well, at least I didn't have to learn the language here; that was another nice bonus. Obediently I reined my spent steed in, and answered. "Rhebengarthen."
"State your business."
"I'm delivering an urgent message to King Guin."
That certainly captured their full attention. Both of them scrutinized me carefully. I couldn't help but smile ruefully when they exchanged doubtful glances. My bath last night had been wasted, considering the dusty conditions of the road. I had ridden hard and fast and my appearance reflected that. I was covered in dirt and sweat, and I probably smelled like horse. "I do have proof, if you care to see it?"
They nodded in unison, for all the world like they were humoring a madman. I carefully slid Elis's sword free and showed it to them. After one glance, they both snapped to attention, and saluted. "Sir! Sorry for the suspicion. Go right through."
"Quite all right." When Elis had suggested bringing his sword along, he'd apparently been inspired. This thing was really useful for cutting through the red tape, no pun intended. Being Jaunten apparently had its advantages.
I rode through at a brisk trot, which was thankfully easier now than it had been this morning. I wasn't bouncing all over the saddle any longer. This late in the evening, the streets were rather deserted, for which I was thankful. I was relaxing a little, being behind city walls, but didn't drop my guard as yet. I wasn't going to feel easy until that scroll was out of my hands, and Elis's sword handed over, and I was at least pointed in the direction of a Mage school.
Even at a trot it took nearly a half hour to get to the Palace gates. I did something of a reenactment with the Palace guards that I had done with the city guards, nearly word for word. I was then permitted to pass through the sentry post, with great deference. A stable boy ran up to take Morgan, and I think both horse and I were thankful when the reins were handed over. "Take good care of him, eh? He's carried me quite a distance."
"Aye, Lon."
Lon? Even as I thought it, the explanation came through. It was the Hainian form of "my lord." That was going to take some getting used to. With a nod, I untied my pack from behind the saddle, gathered up Elis's sword and moved off at a rather stiff walk. Owww. I was going to feel very sore tomorrow if the aching in my muscles now were anything to go by. Maybe I could find a hot bath later, and soak some of this soreness away. It would have to be a very large, very hot bath.
Someone must have sent word ahead, because I received no further challenge as I made my way through the Palace corridors. Even though I knew the layout of the building, I didn't know where the King was and stopped the first Page I saw. "Where would King Guin be?"
"He's probably in his personal study, Lon."
The boy was polite, but obviously in the process of doing something mischievous because he was in a hurry. I decided to help him stay out of trouble and smiled at him. "Why don't you show me the way?" Never mind that I knew the way.
He was a hair's breadth away from scowling at me, but obediently turned and led the way deeper inside the Palace. I took the time to glance around as I walked. The Palace was magnificent; rather different than what I had expected. My feet traveled along smooth wood floors that fairly glowed with polish. The walls were a soft blue with cream white molding here and there around alcoves and doors. The craftsmanship of my surroundings spoke of understated wealth, elegance, and power.
We were literally in the heart of the building when my page stopped and knocked politely on an intricately engraved door.
There was a muffled "Enter!" in a deep voice from the other side.
The page did stay long enough to open the door and bow me in. As I passed him I muttered, "Just don't get caught."
He blinked up at me, startled, and then looked very guilty. I managed to give him a pointed look, suppressing the need to grin. Tormenting the younger generation was just too much fun.
All humor faded as I turned toward the King and gave him a long, low bow. He looked very tired to my eyes. His state robes were wrinkled as if they had seen a hard day's work. His peppered hair was mussed as though someone had run their hands through it periodically. There was nothing soft or tired about his eyes, however, and I felt pinned in place as he looked at me.
"Who are you?"
"Rhebengarthen, Your Majesty."
"I had word that one of my Jaunten was coming here." He was peering at me suspiciously.
"Both truth and falsehood," I admitted evenly. Very slowly, as to not alarm him, I drew Elis's sword out of its sheath and laid it on his desk. I could see that he instantly recognized it, and his face became pained and pinched. It was then that I understood—the King had known Elis personally, and was apparently a friend. This was plainly a great blow to him.
For a moment I stood at a loss. I hadn't expected this. When the silent grief was too much, I stirred and spoke hushed words of empty comfort. "I could do nothing to save him. He requested that I bring his sword back."
Whatever spell had held the King in place was now broken, and he looked up at me, grief drawing harsh lines around his eyes and mouth. "How did he die?"
"From grievous wounds, Your Majesty. There is a company of men that hunted him and are most surely responsible for his death. The leader's name is Manookin."
He nodded sharply, and I had no doubt that a warrant for Manookin's head would be drawn up this very night. That thought was rather cheery. I had developed an abiding hatred for the man, especially after the way he had hunted me over the past few days.
"Did he carry any messages?"
"Yes, Sire." I dropped my pack on the ground, fished out the scroll and handed it over without a word.
I could see that his fingers checked the seal before he broke it open, and he read the contents quickly. Whatever it said made his face harden. When he was done, he rolled it up again. "You have my thanks, Master Rhebengarthen. Will you sit, and relate to me the full tale?"
"As you wish." If the King wanted the full story, the full story he shall have. I wasn't in the habit of arguing with royalty. I sat down gratefully in the chair he indicated, with something akin to abject relief.
Guin moved slightly, pulling at a bell behind him. Within moments a page scampered inside. I was amused to see it was the same page as before. Poor boy was never going to pull his planned prank at this rate. "Bring me Val Haben," King Guin instructed brusquely. "And some food. Our guest looks to have ridden all day."
Observant man! Actually, the idea of food sounded really good to me. My stomach felt like it was gnawing on my backbone.
The page disappeared at high speed. I took the opportunity to remove my hat and relax completely into the chair. It felt so nice to sit on something that didn't move.
"When did Elis die?"
I made myself pay attention, instead of falling asleep. The chair was much too comfortable. "Three days ago, Your Majesty."
"Three days," he repeated to himself softly. "Where?"
"Approximately two leagues inside the north Hainian border, just south of Gajabhed Mountain." At least, I think so. I'd been a little preoccupied losing my pursuers, and hadn't taken proper notice of where I was.
"That is a very long distance to cover," he observed.
I was most painfully aware of that fact.
There was a swift knock on the door before another man entered. This one was very tall, even by Hainian standards, darkly colored with skin that looked almost like leather. I put him somewhere around forty years old, although he might have been even older. I'm not good at judging age. The crest he wore on the right panel of his jacket made me sit up and pay attention.
This man was Jaunten. Better yet, he was the Head of Jaunten. He was definitely someone I urgently needed to talk to.
<
br /> He took one step inside the room, spotted me, and stopped dead in his tracks. I froze under his sharp scrutiny, unable to look away from his piercing gaze. He seemed particularly taken by my hair. I couldn't decide if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
"Master Rhebengarthen, this is Val Haben, the Head of the Jaunten. Val, close the door. This boy brings us grave news."
"I think I suspected that," Haben answered in a gravelly voice. He closed the door sharply behind him before crossing to me. "Boy, what is your name?"
"Rhebengarthen."
His eyes narrowed slightly. "You are Chahiran."
It wasn't exactly a question, but I nodded anyway. My accent probably was a dead give away.
"Who made you?"
For a split second the question didn't make sense. Then it made entirely too much sense. Had he known what had been done to me because of my white hair? The King was watching us both with intense interest, but I could spare him little attention. "Elis made me a Jaunten."
Guin hissed sharply, staring at me in surprise. So, he hadn't known. But Val Haben had… "How did you know?"
"Your hair. Only those changed to Jaunten have white hair like yours."
Rats! I was afraid he would answer with something like that. I didn't fancy being a walking advertisement for Jaunten. Maybe I could dye my hair back…? "I see."
King and Jaunten exchanged glances, but it was King Guin who spoke next. "Are you…upset about this?"
"Not particularly, Your Majesty." And I wasn't, really. I was just a little unnerved by it. "It's just strange."
Their tension eased a little, fading out of their shoulders and eyes.
Without invitation or fanfare, Val Haben sat down in the chair next to mine. "Start at the beginning, please."
That would be a little tricky. Where was the beginning, precisely? "I stumbled across Elis three and a half days ago."
King Guin held up a hand, stopping me. "Why were you traveling through Hain?"
Apparently I hadn't backed up enough. "I am an untrained Mage, Your Majesty."
King Guin went white. "You're what!?" he demanded hoarsely.
"An untrained Mage," I repeated evenly. His reaction was not promising, and it caused tension to flood through my system. Was it bad that I was untrained, or that I was a Mage? Was there more than just the obvious reasons? "It’s the reason that I left Chahir. My powers are becoming very apparent, and rapidly moving beyond my current ability to control them. If I don't receive training soon, something bad is bound to happen."
Even Haben seemed a little shaken by this. "Have you had any Mage accidents?"
I almost uprooted a forest once. Does that count? "Yes."
"Did anyone suspect your abilities?" King Guin was really disturbed about this. I wish I knew why.
I shook my head. "If they had, Majesty, I would hardly be here speaking with you." In fact, I would have either been in jail awaiting trial (before being executed) or already dead. There was no leniency with magic in my country.
"So you came here to attend the Magic Academy?" Val Haben guessed.
It was the obvious conclusion. "Yes. I was traveling here when I found Elis. He was half-dead when I discovered him. I tried to help, but I'm not a doctor. His wounds were grave and he had lost too much blood."
"That's why he gave the sword and message over to you." Guin was staring at the sword still on his desk with sad eyes.
I hardly needed to confirm it, but nodded anyway. "He knew I was an untrained Mage, which is why he made me Jaunten. There is a party of six men that hunted him down. He knew, only too well, that they would hunt me after his death. He could see that without all of the added skills of a Jaunten, I would not survive to finish his mission."
"Elis was always quick to make decisions," Haben muttered to himself. "Did they hunt you?"
"Yes, Lon. I barely made it here."
"Can you give us their descriptions?"
"I can give you names and faces," I countered. "Give me several pieces of parchment, and I'll draw them up for you."
Haben nodded in approval. "Good man. Give me the names now. I'll have you draw tomorrow, after you've rested."
I inclined my head, accepting the order. A good night's sleep sounded like heaven to me at that moment. And I really wanted those six behind bars after what they had done to Elis and me.
There was another knock on the door, and my erstwhile page came back in with a tray of food. He looked rather put out; apparently the universe was conspiring against him this evening. He set the tray on the desk in front of me.
Before the boy could scamper back out, the King caught his attention. "Stay here. When Master Rhebengarthen is done, I want you to show him to a room in my wing, and make sure that he is comfortable."
"Yes, Majesty." The boy was just shy of sighing in resignation.
Poor kid was really having a rough night. I hid my grin behind my cup as I took a healthy swallow.
"As for you, Master Rhebengarthen, this situation is complicated. Never before have we had a Mage that was also Jaunten. I'm afraid the Trasdee Evondit Orra is going to have a hysterical fit when they hear this news."
The Trasdee Evondit Orra was sort of like a magic council. That I knew. What I didn't understand was why they wouldn't want a Mage to be Jaunten. "Might I enquire why, Your Majesty?"
"There has not been a Mage since the end of the Magic War two hundred years ago," Haben explained with a troubled frown. "We have many Witches and Wizards, but no Mages. Not only are you a Mage, but one from Chahir, which is a rare prize for them. However, as Jaunten, you belong strictly to the King. They cannot claim you."
"And that will make them distinctly unhappy?" I hazarded. I didn't like the idea of being embroiled in politics, and here I was not only involved, but also the hub of it. Busted brass baskets, but can my life get any more complicated? I just wanted training! Well, I also wanted to live to see my next birthday, but now that I was in Hain I wasn't particularly worried about that. I still wanted training, though, and I didn't fancy having to jump through hoops to get it.
"Unhappy is an understatement," Haben sighed heavily. "Your circumstances are unusual, Garth. You have already done more than the average person would have done. This earns you a certain leniency, at the very least."
King Guin nodded slowly. "Yes. I think it only fair to give you the choice of who you will swear allegiance to."
I felt better about having a choice. The last few days I had not been given a choice about anything, and it rather rankled. I pondered this for a moment before hesitantly asking, "What do magicians usually do, once they are trained?"
"Whatever they want to do," Guin observed acidly.
Ah. I wisely didn't comment on that. "I think, Your Majesty, that I would like to think on this for a time. However, if you ever have need of me, then please ask. I will do my best to obey any orders you give."
A startled, pleased smile lit up his face. "Do you mean that?"
"Yes." This man was not one to abuse his people to entertain himself. Elis's knowledge of him told me that much. Just the fact that he was inquiring as to my preferences, rather than ordering my allegiance, also spoke volumes in his favor. I had no qualms about vowing this.
"Finish your dinner, Garth." Haben was smiling at me now, and I knew that my answer had pleased him. "I'll settle you in myself. Tomorrow we'll get up early to deal with those drawings, and then I'll introduce you to the Trasdee Evondit Orra. Be prepared for a real old fashioned, knock down, drag out, no holds barred brawl!"
Somehow, that wasn't reassuring.
Chapter Three: The Trasdee Evondit Orra
When I woke up the next morning, I found several things waiting for me. There was a set of clean clothing waiting in a chair next to my bed, with a note on top of it. Curious, I reached over and unfolded the parchment.
Rhebengarthen—
I have an early meeting which should let out at lunch. There are several pieces of parchment and a piece of char
coal on the desk. Please do the drawings that you promised last night, while you wait for me.
Also, I took the liberty of ordering clothes for you. These should be a close enough fit for the time being.
Val Haben
Didn't the man sleep? When did he have time to concern himself about me and my needs? I'd gotten to bed very late last night. I hated to imagine what time he'd managed to retire, if his bed had indeed seen him at all.
I had the feeling I'd overlooked something and read the note through again. It was only then that I realized it had been written in Hainish. Oh, right! I could read that language now. I'd almost forgotten that. I wonder what other languages I know? Maybe I should investigate that.
Crawling out of my nice warm bed was a trial, especially since the wood floor was cold. I grimaced but made myself get up. I had things to do; staying in bed wasn't an option, no matter how tempting it might be. In the process of standing, I could swear that my muscles creaked; sitting down would not be a comfortable position for several days to come. It would take something on the far side of dire to get me back on a horse again.
The clothes were a reasonable fit and obviously of Hainian fashion. I was used to very baggy pants and flowing shirts that belted at the waist. The snug shirt and formfitting pants felt somewhat restricting in comparison. Still, they were clean and my clothes weren't, so I wore them gratefully. Someone had polished my half boots during the night and set them just inside my door. They were still rather scuffed from the journey but looked infinitely better now. All in all, I felt rather presentable. I still did a double take when I looked in the mirror, however. Seeing my reflection with stark white hair was going to take some getting used to.
I rang the bell hanging on a fine woven cord near the door, and asked the attentive woman who answered for some breakfast. With a fine selection of edibles, I settled myself in for a morning of eating and sketching. By the time Val Haben showed up to collect me, I had five drawings done and was putting finishing touches on the sixth.
Jaunten (Advent Mage Cycle) Page 3