“A Kingdom of my own.”
I ported back to the map room and removed shadow wraith. I searched through the maps. Nothing was shown on any map of what was on the other side of those mountains. We had caravan routes that went south and then west to the western plains. The only thing the maps showed were the western plains on the other side of the mountains.
“Good day, Sir Wizard,” the Queen said.
I turned and bowed. “Good day, Your Majesty.”
She walked over to the map table where all the maps were spread out. “What are we planning to do next?” she asked.
“Well, I found this old map; it turns out there used to be rivers and a large lake here.” I showed her the map. “I went to the mountains to find out why they no longer flowed. There were cave-ins that had blocked the rivers and changed their courses. I fixed them; Midway now has two large rivers and a reservoir.”
“You've been busy.”
“I have. I've been looking at our maps and facilities. Is this the fort for our army?” She looked where I had my finger and nodded.
“Yes, and I already know it needs repairs.”
“How big is our army?”
“One thousand standing, but we can call up our militia, numbering four thousand or more.”
I nodded, “We need to go look at the fort and talk to your generals.”
“I'll send word that we will visit.”
“No, let's just drop in and see what we really have. That way you'll see the truth and not what they want you to see.”
She nodded. “Very well, when do you want to go?”
“How about now?”
“They will not be happy,” she said, smiling.
“They'll get over it. I'd rather us surprise them than an enemy, such as South Landing.” I stopped and thought for a moment. “On second thought, let me go check some things before we visit them in the open.”
“You suspect something is amiss?”
“I don't think our Captain was operating alone. If I were South Landing, I would have someone from the army involved. The higher the rank the better.”
“I agree. That is exactly what I would do. You go and see what you can find out. I'll wait for your report.”
***
I ported to the secret passageway and dropped into the earth. I went to the fort, up into the walls, and viewed into the Commanding General’s quarters. He was there alone, doing some paperwork. I sealed the door to the room.
“Give me all the knowledge I want, and then forget I asked.” I now knew that at one time he had been a good general, but now he was tired and wanted to retire. The good thing is he was loyal to Midway, but he was now just a figurehead. His second in command was actually running the army.
I unsealed the door and viewed around until I found his second in command. He was in his office, viewing maps on the wall. I sealed his door.
“Give me all the knowledge I want, and then forget I asked.” I shook my head. Here was our traitor.
He had sold Midway out and had been promised the governorship for having our army out of the way. South Landing’s Army would then march in unopposed. All the officers in the fort were in on it, and the ones he could not subvert, he moved out. I pictured each one of the traitorous officers in my mind and searched through the fort until I found them.
One by one, I ported them. “Dungeon.” I moved back to the General's quarters.
“Cooperate fully.” I stepped out of the wall.
“Good evening, General, I am the Queen's Royal Wizard.”
He stood, bowing. “Good Evening, Sir Wizard.”
“As a reward for your faithful years of service, the Queen is allowing you to retire effective tomorrow morning. You will receive a full pension, and your house and land are gifted to you.”
“The Queen is most kind.”
“Who is your best fighting commander?”
“Major Lewis,” he answered.
“Good, send him a message and have him report to the Queen tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, Sir Wizard, at once.”
I ported to the castle dungeon. We'll need a bigger dungeon if this keeps up. One by one, I visited the cells of the officers that had been subverted.
“Give me all the knowledge I want.” It was all about money; they had all been bought off with gold, lands, or both.
“You do not trust South Landing or anyone who tries to get you to do anything for South Landing. You love Midway; you love being in the Midway Army. You will strive to become the best officer and leader of men in the Midway Army. Return to duty and forget being in the dungeon.”
I ported all but their leader back to their rooms at the fort. The Colonel remained our guest. I also made a note to recover the payoffs from the officers, to be replaced into the Royal Treasury.
I briefed the Queen on what I'd found at the fort. She was not happy and approved of all I’d done to fix the problem. The next morning, Major Lewis arrived in full dress uniform and was shown into the Throne Room. He did not halo red, so we knew he was loyal.
Major Lewis bowed to the Queen. “Your Majesty.”
“Major Lewis, we have need of your services.”
“I am at the Queens command,” he responded.
"The General has retired, and his second is in our dungeon awaiting my decision for treason. He conspired with South Landing for them to invade Midway unopposed.”
His eyes grew. “When will they be here?”
“We have forestalled them and are safe for the moment,” I said. He relaxed his posture. “You, Colonel Lewis, will assume command of our army and prepare us for war. Everyone thinks us weak and vulnerable; that ends now. You will have all the resources you need to make it happen. What we need you to tell us is what you need.”
He thought a moment. “The first thing we need to do is build a wall across the southern pass with a garrison. That will give us protection and warning when an invasion is coming.”
The Queen looked at me and nodded. I waved my hand at the floor, and view of the pass appeared.
“Where and what would you have built?” she asked.
He looked at the map. “A wall from here to here—thirty feet high and thirty feet thick, a garrison in the center extending out to here, a center tunnel one hundred feet long with portcullis every twenty feet. That way we can control caravans passing through and hold the pass at the same time.”
I created the illusion of what he asked for. “Like that?”
He looked at it. “Make a garrison training yard here that extends to here. Make the barracks for five hundred men and stables for one hundred horses.” I made the changes and additions. He looked them over and nodded.
“You asked for stables for one hundred horses. Does our army have enough horses to fight a war?”
“No, Sir Wizard, we do not.”
“We will need a list of all our army's needs,” the Queen said.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he answered.
“I will make the walls fifty feet tall; that will stop everyone to start with.” He nodded.
“View.” There was no one within ten miles of the pass.
“How long will it take you to man the pass garrison?”
He thought a moment. “If I have your support and supplies?” We nodded. “We can march at dawn in two days.”
“We will be there when you arrive,” the Queen said. “After you have manned the pass garrison, we'll address Midway Fort. Be thinking on that.”
He snorted. “Tear it down and build a new one.”
“Okay,” I said. “Have your specifications in mind, and we'll do that.”
“Then I'd best get to work.”
“Yes, you had,” the Queen said. He bowed and left on his mission.
Chapter 18
The Queen and I ported to the pass the next morning, and I took the rock needed for our walls from the nearby mountains. I set the foundations down thirty feet, and then started to build. I built everything Colonel Le
wis had asked for and added a deep well. I pulled all the metal we needed from the mountains as well. As an afterthought, I put wards against magic users in the wall and made the walls fifty feet thick. I then added thickness into siege storage for supplies and ported supplies into the storage rooms from our warehouses.
I was finished with the garrison. “Why do we only have a one thousand man standing army?” I asked.
"Money. The Nobles thought it was a waste of money. No one had attacked us in over a hundred years, and we had spies to tell us if it was going to happen. Before Father came to power, it was only five hundred."
“I think we should raise it to at least two thousand,” I said.
“I think that would be wise, but we'll build the fort to support four thousand,” she said. I nodded.
“I think we should build stone roadways, too, that would make travel faster and easier,” I added.
She nodded, “Do you realize you and I have done more to improve Midway than anyone else ever did in their lifetime?”
I nodded. “And we are just getting started.”
It took Colonel Lewis four days to arrive and occupy the garrison. “Your Majesty,” he said, bowing.
“Well met, Colonel. Sir Wizard added a few things for you. Inside these thick walls are fully supplied siege storage rooms. Once you are satisfied with manning the garrison, return to the castle; we have more we need to do.”
Bowing, he said, “Yes, Your Majesty."
We ported back to the castle.
***
°Hue?° I woke up out of a sound sleep.
°Pam? Are you all right?°
°Yes, can I come up?°
°Sure. Are you ready now?°
°Yes.° I ported her to the main room by the fireplace, got dressed, and went in to greet her.
“Would you like something to eat or drink?” I asked.
“Something to drink would be nice, maybe some hot spiced wine.” Cups appeared on the side tables beside the chairs, and we sat down and enjoyed our spiced wine. “I hope you don't mind me visiting; it's just so lonely down there. I have no one to talk to, at least no one who isn't scared they will say something wrong.”
“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” I asked, sipping my wine.
“No, I'm the last of my family,” she said, as tears ran down her cheek.
I really didn't know what to say. I had been alone all my life except for my wards. That struck a thought in me. “Would you like to meet my family?”
She sat up. “You have a family?”
“Kinda, it's an adopted family. They are the throwaway kids in the part of the city I grew up in. They started staying in my alley where I could protect them. My wards became my family."
“I would love to meet them.”
“I'll put an illusion on you, so you can just be Lady Pam.”
I stood up, and she took my arm, and we ported into my hide. I viewed the area. All was well. We stepped out into the alley. My wards were dancing with their staffs. We waited, watching, until they were finished. One of the little ones saw me, came running, and hugged my legs.
“Hello, little one,” I said.
“Hello, Masser Wizderd.”
Everyone had stopped and was now looking at us. “Everyone,” I said, “this is Lady Pam, my good friend.”
Everyone bowed and greeted her: “Lady Pam.”
Lady Pam bowed in return. The little one pulled my pant leg. “She has the same name as Queen Pamala, but I think she's prettier than the Queen.”
“I do too,” I said, smiling. I looked at Lady Pam; she was smiling.
I looked at the oldest. “All is well?” I asked.
He bowed, “It is Master Wizard.”
I nodded, “Good, carry on; we are just here to make sure all is well.”
“Lady Pam, would you like to see my room?” the little one asked.
“You have a room?” Pam responded.
“Well, I have to share it with my sisters, but it's a nice room, so I'm never lonely.”
“I would love to see your room.” The little one took Lady Pam's hand and off they went.
After Lady Pam's tour, we sat around the fire, talking and eating. This was a special treat for Lady Pam and my wards. Five young ones approached us and stopped in front of me.
The first one stepped up and bowed. “May I stay in your alley, Master Wizard?” I nodded and gave him an apple.
The next one stepped forward and asked, “May I stay in your alley, Master Wizard?” I nodded and gave her an apple. And so it went.
The last one approached and bowed; she was different. She had a strong blue aura about her. “I see you, Master Wizard.”
I nodded, “I see you, young miss.”
“I would like to stay in your alley until I am of age then; I would like to be trained.” She held out her hand and concentrated; an apple appeared in her hand, and she handed it to me.
I took the offered apple. “What is your name, young miss?”
“Izzy. Well, that's what everyone calls me; my name is Isabella.”
“Everyone starts the same here, Izzy. You study, learn, and are taught with your brothers and sisters. When you are ready, I will see that you are trained.”
She bowed, “Yes, Master Wizard.”
I looked at my five new wards. “Go with Eldest; he will make sure you are fed, clothed, and assigned a living space. Follow the rules, train, and bring yourself honor, thereby honoring me.” They all bowed, and I bowed in return.
When they were shown away, Lady Pam asked, “What happens to them?”
“They stay here, are trained, and attend school until they are ready. Then, they choose what they wish to do with their lives, and I pay for their apprenticeship.”
“You pay for a teacher?”
“Yes, we have a scribe. Scribe White is his name; I imagine he's off tonight. We teach the children to read, write, and do basic math. Further education is offered if they wish it and show the aptitude for it.”
“Who paid for all of this?”
“I did.”
“I should have known.” She smiled. “And Izzy?”
“She is a natural Blue Wizard. If she studies, she will become very powerful. I will keep a close eye on her.” She nodded.
One of the older ones approached. “Will you dance with us before you leave, Master Wizard?”
“Dance?” Lady Pam asked.
I smiled. “Not that kind of dancing,” I said. “Yes, form up.” Everyone grabbed their staffs and took their places.
I took my place at the front. We started slow and, as we progressed, some would bow out and sit to watch. Ten stayed a long time, and then it was two. I stopped and bowed to them.
“Well done, continue to train your brothers and sisters.” I touched their belts, turning them from brown to black. I then warded their staffs against magic and enchanted them for speed and power. “I have added an enchantment to your staffs. Learn their abilities before you go full on in practice.” They bowed.
Once we had rested a bit, I called for Eldest.
“Yes, Master Wizard?”
I pointed to a place behind a beam, and a gong grew from the wall. “If there is ever a need for me in an emergency, strike that gong, and I will come.”
“Yes, Master Wizard.” After our goodbyes, I ported us back to the castle.
“That was amazing,” Pam said. “How long have you been training?”
“I'm not sure, ten or fifteen years.”
“You were holding back while you were dancing.”
I nodded, “Beyond that I would have used magic.”
“Can you teach me to dance your dance?”
“Sure, if you want me to.”
“I do.”
“Then we shall start tomorrow night.”
She stepped to me and kissed me on my cheek: “Thank you for tonight.”
“I'm glad you enjoyed it.”
“Good night, my wizard.”
“S
leep well, my Queen,” I replied and ported her back to the Royal Apartments.
***
I was up with the dawn, dancing. °Hue?°
°Yes, Pam?°
°Would you like to have breakfast with me?°
°Your place or mine?° I could feel her smiling.
°Mine.°
°Let me get cleaned up. Would fifteen minutes be ok?°
°Yes, that would be fine.°
I washed, changed clothes, put on my illusion, and ported down to the dining room. I bowed, “Good morning, my Queen.”
“Good morning, Sir Wizard. Please take a seat, and let's enjoy our breakfast.”
We talked as we ate. “Colonel Lewis will be here mid-morning,” she said.
I nodded. “Good, we can move forward with some of our other plans.”
“Speaking of plans, what else do you see us doing?” she asked.
“Stone roads, a bigger castle, shipyards, a navy, and anything else you can think of my Queen.”
She had stopped eating and was looking at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Amazing. My father dreamed of those very things but never had the time, nor the wizard, to accomplish them.”
“I would have liked to meet him.”
“He would have liked you; mother would have too.” She looked sad for a moment.
“Tell me, would you like a bigger castle, a new castle, or even a palace?” I asked, smiling.
She considered, “I must think; now that I know you can build pretty much anything. I think we need a bigger castle and better defenses. I'm not sure about a palace. That would draw snobbish courtiers, and I so hate those two-faced people.”
I chuckled, “Sharks need to eat.”
She laughed, “So they do.”
“I agree we need a bigger and better castle,” I said. I waved my hand over a table, and a model of the city appeared. It showed the castle and harbor as it now was.
“I was thinking of raising the whole castle thirty feet.” We watched as the model changed. “Then, I would extend the castle grounds and walls to the sea cliffs here.” The model changed again. “I would push out the sea cliffs here and expand the foundations all along here, raising it another thirty feet. Then, I would build an upper palace for you, my Queen.” The model changed again. “All of it in white sandstone.”
Wizard's Alley Page 17