Jake's Women (Wizards)

by Booth, John

  I thanked him and put the remaining coins in my pocket. So far, the information gathering was going well. Better than I expected, if I told the truth. After all, we were five minutes into a conversation and not one of these men had tried to kill me. That was an improvement over what I’d managed at the Conference.

  “Can I trust you to help me eat these cakes? There are far too many for me.”

  The men laughed again and eager hands stripped the plate of half its contents. I noted that they left me at least one of every kind of cake. That indicated a generosity of spirit I’d never seen before on this world.

  “You mentioned a chance to see the Goddess?” I asked.

  “They have kept her locked up for many weeks since her return. It is said they searched other worlds to find her,” the bearded man said.

  “It is said that the God Jake, cursed be his name, subjected her to much cruelty in his realm,” another put in.

  “But she has now fully recovered,” my first friend said, “And will be presented to the people in a few hours from now.”

  “Where?”

  “Why here,” my friend said laughing. “That is what the stage outside is set up for and why the square is so crowded for a Quarter Day, what with the market yet two days away.”

  According to what I’d gleaned from the language, Barren ran a five day week, with four working quarter days and one market day. There were special days at the end of every four weeks, but I couldn’t be bothered to figure them out.

  Nobody had asked me my name yet, or given me theirs. I would have to think of one, because telling them my name was Jake didn’t sound like a sensible idea.

  “Is she going to make a special announcement?” I asked. Several of the men frowned.

  “The Goddess is more than a mere woman. Be respectful when you mention her name.”

  I needed to think fast before the fight I’d been expecting materialized.

  “No disrespect was intended. Surely the Goddess considers herself a woman, albeit a special one?”

  “Best be respectful to the Goddess around here,” my friend advised. “Not everybody will wait for a philosophical debate before they attack you for blasphemy.”

  Having said his piece he smiled at me.

  “To answer your question: We have been told the Goddess wishes us to see her today and bask in her glory. What she may say to us is not known.”

  I sat back and let the others talk. The man who had called me over was called Wolf in the local language and the bearded guy was Bran. I told them my name was Cardin, which they accepted without a murmur. I had no idea where the name came from. I just made it up,

  I escaped the shop when the crowd became larger, telling the men I wanted to find a good spot to see the Goddess. I hopped to a roof that seemed to be empty of people. It turned out there were a lot of people up there, many of them looking in my direction as I appeared. But their reaction was one of curiosity rather than hostility.

  “Are you a member of the Cult?” the closest woman asked.

  That must be it. Wizards were no longer despised here, or even seen as a threat.

  “Yes, I’m here to check that there are no threats to the Goddess.”

  “Who would try to hurt the Goddess?” a man asked. “The Goddess is loved by all.”

  “It cannot be certain that all here are of her people,” I said quickly. You start with a little lie and it soon begins to get out of hand.

  “We will help you find these traitors,” another man said, and before I knew it I had a small angry mob on my hands, looking for an infidel to kill.

  I exerted mind control over all of them. It was one of the the easiest thing a wizard could do, as well as the most sickening.

  “It is nothing more than a rumor. I can see everybody here loves the Goddess. I will stay here to protect her and you until the Goddess has left.”

  They nodded agreement like the sheep I’d turned them into. We lined up against the low wall on the roof facing the stage, though they gave me lots of room on either side.

  The procession started at the cathedral. White robes had been discarded for brighter fair and the procession looked more like a gay rights march than a religious event. The Cult wore robes with hoods, naturally. I was beginning to think they would fit right in, in a typical Welsh mall.

  At the front of the procession were three Cult members holding banners on long poles. The banners showed scenes from my fight with Bronwyn and the one in the middle showed Bronwyn raising the ocean from the depths of the planet.

  Behind the banner carriers were another three cloaked and hooded cultists. They looked shorter than the others and the one in the center wore a robe made of gold thread. My guess was that that one must be Bronwyn. I had a sickly feeling I might know who the other two were as well, though it made no sense.

  Behind them were about a hundred acolytes in gaily colored robes. If they were all wizards they constituted an overwhelming force. But then Tydan has always been strangely rich in wizards.

  The procession made its way onto the stage, with the crowd cheering then on every step of the way. Once there, the banner holders went to the front of the stage going down on one knee. The three main participants stood in a vee, with Bronwyn front and center. The rest of the procession lined up behind them, filling the stage. The audience cheering stopped to be replaced with an awed silence

  Bronwyn threw back her hood in a dramatic gesture and the crowd went wild. She raised her arms in a sort of double Nazi salute and rainbows shot from her hands and high into the air where they solidified into a transparent rainbow dome. This applause set new records.

  She waited for the five minutes or more it took them to quiet down.

  Bronwyn spoke and she didn’t sound like a little girl, she sounded like a true leader. Her voice was magically transmitted so each of us heard her as if she was talking intimately just to us. I resolved to learn that trick, as it was cool.

  “My followers: I promise to lead you into prosperity, protect you from harm and allow your children to make their future in a land that will nurture them.”

  The crowd went mad again.

  “Never again will you worry about crops failing and where the next bucket of water can be found. Never again will the mentally sick among us demand we sacrifice our children to make the rains fall. Never again will the majority be punished for the sins of the few. This I promise you.”

  If the roof hadn’t been made of rainbows it would certainly have fallen down from the volume of the applause.

  “We unite as a people against evil. An evil that might yet destroy all we have gained. Its name is Jake Morrissey, and two of its former servants now stand united with us against him. We will prevail.”

  The two behind her threw back their hoods and as I suspected it was Anna and Urda. I magically scanned them for signs of silver bolts and compulsions, but they appeared to be operating of their own volition. They walked up to Bronwyn and each raised one of her arms so again she was again doing the double salute. The sky rained petals of flowers and the crowd became ecstatic.

  I must admit however, to feeling a little less than pleased. I was the good guy, wasn’t I?

  30. Truths

  I waited impatiently while the nobles arrived at the table. Esmeralda insisted that I wait to tell what I had learnt until the King arrived and not tell her first. The King arrived last and we all sat down after he had taken his seat.

  “Esmeralda tells me you have news of Urda and Anna. I assume this means you have been to Barren despite your own eloquent arguments as to why you should not.” The King sounded almost annoyed.

  “Circumstances have changed. My parents were kidnapped and taken to a cave on another world. They were close to death when I found them.”

  The King leaned over the table towards me. “You believe the Cult of Bronwyn was behind this?”

  “No, this was a group versed in magic theory, far beyond the books that Bronwyn stole.”

  Esmer
alda tapped her fingers on the table in annoyance.

  “The Royal collection is second to none and has books written by the Valhallans amongst others.”

  “This magic showed sophistication in advance of the Valhallans. The multiverse is probably full of such places.”

  The King sat back. “If it wasn’t an attack by the Cult, what urgency was there in going to Barren?”

  “If Urda wasn’t in Barren, then she and Anna might have been kidnapped by the other group. I needed to know.”

  “And you risked the security of Salice because of your need to know?” Esmeralda asked, only it wasn’t really a question.

  “The deed is done,” Captain Treva said. “What point is there in going over the reasons?”

  Esmeralda glowered at the Captain for a few moments. When he looked suitably cowed she turned back to me.

  “Tell us what you found,”

  So I set out the whole thing as best I remembered it.

  “You are sure they weren’t acting against their will?” Esmeralda asked.

  “Nothing obvious suggested they were. Urda is capable of blocking any attempt at mind control, though Anna doesn’t have the skills to resist.”

  “It is difficult to believe they would betray us,” the King added.

  “Perhaps they have not,” Esmeralda said quietly.

  Her thinking wasn’t clear to me. “It sure looked like betrayal to me.”

  Esmeralda gave a wan smile. “Oh yes. It would appear they have betrayed you, but not necessarily Salice.”

  I gave her my you’ve lost me there look.

  Instead of answering, Esmeralda asked me another question.

  “Are the people of Tydan content with their lot?”

  I shrugged. “Their whole world was dying for lack of water. Now they have a fresh water sea covering half the planet. They have enough food and water for the first time in who knows how many years. The Cult has set up a police force that seems to be fair and everyone is prospering. They seemed happy to me. But I remember the madmen who ruled them not so long ago, not to mention the Evil Bronwyn era.”

  “Madmen that Bronwyn killed,” Esmeralda reminded me.

  For a moment I was lost in a memory of crucified people screaming in agony. Of blackened corpses where she had men and women burnt at the stake; of people staring numbly at their own bowels, cut from them while they still lived.

  “None of them died quickly or painlessly.”

  “But die they did. In many ways Bronwyn has proved a good ruler; perhaps even an ideal goddess. She has brought peace, prosperity, and harmony to her people. It is no wonder they love her.”

  “No one could love Evil Bronwyn,” I said. “She was consumed by hatred and fear.”

  “But she is not that person now,” Esmeralda continued. “At least, we do not think she is.”

  “I don’t see what you are getting at?” I rarely understood Esmeralda when she was in full on statesman mode.

  “There was no threat to attack Salice or other worlds in her words. All their hatred is directed at you.”

  “I think our riflemen efforts should be focused on the Lord Wizard when he is in Salice,” Treva suggested to murmurs of approval.

  “Just what I need,” I replied.

  When the meeting was over, Esmeralda and I returned to out apartments. Morgana was crying and Esmeralda rushed to pick her up and cuddle her. Despite her best efforts Morgana stayed upset.

  “She misses Merlin,” Esmeralda informed me. “They do not like to be apart for long.”

  This seemed highly unlikely to me and I said so. Though, with Urda and Anna gone, they couldn’t have been seeing each other much.

  “Hold her and see for yourself. She has ways of making her desires known.”

  I took Morgana in my arms and she waved her arms about, catching me on the nose. There was no doubt she wanted something. At the magical level, the tendril connected to Merlin was pulsing energetically.

  Without any warning the crying stopped and she started gurgling happily.

  “See, she just wanted to be held by her Daddy.”

  “Look to the window, My Lord Wizard.”

  I looked out of the window and Esmeralda joined me. From that vantage point we could see the large square of grass the cloisters surrounded. Since it had snowed recently the quadrangle was a perfect square of white; a square with a dragon at its center. I saw Jenny get down from Fluffy, carrying Merlin. Fluffy vanished leaving them standing alone.

  “They usually arrive there,” Esmeralda said smugly. “Morgana gives me warning.”

  Jenny looked up at us and waved. Though from that distance it was unlikely she could recognize us. Morgana waved back.

  “Is she old enough to do that?”

  “Our daughter is very advanced for her age.”

  There was no doubt my children were synchronized in their playing. Put them down on a mat together and they would wave their arms in unison. Prop them up close enough to touch each other and their hands would reach out for each other.

  “Do either of you find that a bit disturbing?” I asked my wives.

  “They love each other,” Jenny said with a smile on her face. “And I think they are learning twice as fast as normal babies. The health visitor said as much on Monday.”

  “They are royal babies,” Esmeralda said with pride.

  “Okay, just me then.” Still, they were my kids and I loved them. I just hoped the weirdness faded as they grew, otherwise getting babysitters back in Wales was going to be a problem.

  Getting away from both wives was more difficult than with one of them, as I could usually blame whichever one I wasn’t with for having to leave. It was early evening, both were eyeing me up to sleep with them and that gave me a lever. They would rather I slept alone than with the other woman.

  “I need to do something about that letter the Inspector gave me. Maybe show it Fluffy and get his opinion. I’ll probably sleep at the Bat Cave or my parents.”

  “Retnor is picking me up tomorrow morning. Don’t you dare make him late,” Jenny protested. But it was only half a protest as she eyed up Esmeralda. My wives got on best together when I wasn’t present and they could moan about me.

  “You will not return to either of us this night?”

  That was typical of Esmeralda, making sure I wouldn’t sneak back to Jenny’s bed.

  “Absolutely not.”

  “Then you may depart once you have kissed your wives and children goodbye.”

  I gave Esmeralda a quick peck on the cheek, which prevented any rivalry as I did the same to Jenny. I tickled my children’s tummy and they gurgled in appreciation. Then I hopped to Betty’s.

  I ended up knocking at the front door. Mr. Hardy answered.

  “Jake, what are you doing here at this time of night?”

  “I was er… just passing.” As far as I knew Mr. Hardy was not aware of Betty’s many liaisons, let alone that she was having a relationship with me and was a part time seer.

  Betty walked down the stairs to save me from further questioning.

  “Jake’s just here on a flying visit. He told me he was hoping to see me, but I forgot to tell you.”

  “Come about the probate on the treasure trove, I reckon.”

  “Yes, Dad. He could use the money.”

  Her father nodded sagely.

  “We all could. Money’s dropped right out of the dairy market. Reckon we’ll have to create our own cheese and sell it to toffs that know no better.”

  “Yes Dad,” Betty said a little wearily. “Come up to my room, Jake, and leave Dad to his grumbles.”

  She ran up the stairs, leaving me to shrug at her father and run after her. As soon as I entered the room, she slammed the door shut and jumped on me. We ended up sprawled on the bed with her hand firmly wrapped around my manhood.

  “I thought you were mad at me?” I asked as she started to squeeze.

  “I am, but sex first, anger can wait for afters.”

&
nbsp; “It’s lucky you’re good at one thing. Makes up for all the others.” Betty sat up and pulled her underwear up.

  I zipped up my jeans. Betty had not wanted to wait for such niceties as getting undressed.

  “Did you look at the letter I left?”

  “Such a sweet note from a lover.”

  “Can you read it?”

  Betty shook her head. “It’s not any kind of ancient language from Earth despite its similarity to runic. But I don’t expect the contents to be revealing. This is hate mail combined with arrogant smugness. It was written to get you blamed, not to identify the writer.”

  Betty was impressive. I had no doubts at all that what she was telling me was the truth.

  “Anything else?”

  Betty pondered. “It’s not connected with the other people who attacked you. There’s no higher motive. This man or woman wants you dead and it’s strictly personal. I think you’re connected to him or her in some way.”

  “Someone I know?”

  “I don’t know.”

  I sat back down on her bed. “I think your Dad is getting suspicious.”

  Her laughter was unexpected. “Dad knows that you’re a wizard, well a magic user, and he knows you teleported here. He’s not a fool, my Dad.”

  “And the sex?”

  Betty frowned before answering. “He probably knows. I take after Mum.”

  I knew nothing about Betty’s mother. For some reason I thought she was dead though I didn’t remember Betty saying anything about her.

  “I thought your mum was…?”

  “Not unless living in Rotherham is dead. She’s been in touch after all the publicity about the hoard. Wanting a slice. Dad told her to get stuffed.”

  “Is she…?”

  “Sex mad? Dad caught her screwing the farm hands. All three of them, two lined up and waiting their turn.”

  “I meant a Norn.” Talking to Betty was always difficult. She had an irreverence that made me look sober by comparison.