by Guy Antibes
Pira nodded.
“Then I will retire.”
“I’ll go with you,” Mirano said.
“So will I.” Pira found Nania not far away and had a few words with her before she returned.
The three of them went to Ricky’s bedroom.
“I’ll change my clothes quickly,” Ricky said to Pira, who was about to enter the room.
Her mouth frowned, but she stepped out of the room.
Ricky called her back in when he had put on a nightshirt. She walked in while Mirano rolled up his sleeves.
“Can we get a Lord Ricky story while I watch?” Pira said.
“Lord Ricky story?” Mirano asked.
“Well, if I have to put up with Princess Pira stories, Ricky should be able to provide a few Lord Ricky tales.”
~~~
Chapter Twenty-Nine
~
R achel must have told royal commanders about the preponderance of battle sorcerers in Samira. With few sorcerers at risk, Tossa and Applia were able to turn away the king’s forces. The attacks were delayed a day, so both Baron Mansali and Duke Noacci had their troops carry heavy metal shields to fend off the fireballs.
Ricky called a meeting to discuss the sorcery used in the battle. Hemo demonstrated his latest attempt at duplicating the anti-magic spell, but it met with little success. It obviously disrupted resonance, but not enough to incapacitate a sorcerer’s ability to use his power.
“We haven’t found the most effective sounds that disable a sorcerer’s power,” Ricky said. “Remember, the spell is an amplification of those sounds. Since our research hasn’t been successful, let’s set that spell aside for a bit and talk about creating a shield that will stop sounds from coming in.”
Ricky looked at the table of Vorrians plus Zaria. “Pillowy armor won’t stop a sorcerer’s circle, I have found first-hand. So we need to create a song of silence,” Ricky said. “That will be more productive at this point until we capture a sorcerer who can create the resonance-killing spell. The other experiment is linking for power.”
“Why don’t you describe the two instances during the battle?” Zaria asked.
“When a healer linked with me to repair the gash in my arm, I inadvertently sucked in some of her power. It restored my abilities, although not all my power. I was able to recover more quickly than I would have otherwise. I also borrowed one of Zaria’s sorcerers for a moment and did the same.”
“What use does that have on the battlefield?” Greda asked.
“If a sorcerer is stricken with the spell, they can retreat to sorcerers behind the lines and recover much more quickly. Think of it as power healing. We can’t test it against the spell, but we can have sorcerers overdo their power and then link with another sorcerer. It isn’t exactly a defense, but our sorcerers can re-enter a battle if they are stricken. We need someone who understands the physical aspects of power.” Ricky looked at Mirano.
“I am still training healers and working on injuries from the battle,” he said. “After that, I’ll be happy to help.”
“We should also find materials that will withstand fireballs. I would suggest lighter shields, since we don’t have enough sorcerers to protect everyone,” Ricky said.
“I’d like to work on that,” Wedo volunteered.
“Good,” Ricky said.
Mattia rapped his knuckles on the table for attention. “We need to bolster our defenses at Amarine and Firali.”
“I suppose we need sorcerers in both places?” Ricky asked.
“Not so much in Firali, but Zaria’s battle sorcerers did a fine job destroying the ships at Vittaci. We can control the port with a squad of battle sorcerers who can fly.”
“You can work with Zaria on that. Unfortunately, it is time to begin a larger strategy, isn’t it?” Ricky said. “Why don’t you and Zaria work on Amarine and Firali defenses and use that to think of a plan of attack on Sealio?”
Mirano shook his head. “I never thought I’d hear those words, but capturing Sealio is what the Botoyans have led us to.”
~
Ricky could see two carriages and a covered wagon on the lonely road that led into Firali. He spotted the bare head of Tobia driving one carriage and headed down to visit his friends.
He landed next to his former servant.
“Nice day, isn’t it?” Ricky said.
Tobia jumped but quickly recovered. “If you say so, Ricky. Did you run into any birds up there?” He looked up into the sky.
“Not today,” Ricky said. “How has your trip gone?”
“Everyone has been telling us that civil war is coming. We had to dodge an army or two, but I think we are out of danger. We are close to Firali, right?”
Ricky nodded. “They are right about the civil war, and you will be on the rebel side.”
“I was in Duteria, so I don’t see the difference.”
“Isn’t it time to rest the horses?” Minnie said, sticking her head out the window. “Why are you talking to yourself?”
“No reason, no reason at all, my dear wife.” Tobia winked at Ricky.
Ricky smiled. While at Duteria, Tobia seemed to have faded a bit. Perhaps now that they were away from the Rings, he’d change more into the Tobia Ricky first met at the Griama estate.
“There is a wood up ahead. We can stop in the shade.”
“I’m all for that, and it would be nice to let Pirie run around.”
“Sounds like she’s a pet,” Ricky said quietly.
Tobia laughed. He quietly filled Ricky in on their flight from Duteria and the exciting ride on a ferry across the River Lironi. An acquaintance of Minnie’s, who barely had enough power to light a spark, had agreed to rent their house. Minnie had already prepared to shut down her business for a bit, and then just as they were about to leave, Healer Kokorak asked to go with them. The hospital was being ruined by healers who decided to knuckle under to Botoyan bullying.
Ricky jumped off the carriage and opened the door for Minnie.
“Can I help you out?” he said.
Minnie blinked and then grinned. “Of course. Are you a highwayman?”
“A friendly one, I hope,” Ricky said.
Healer Kokorak ran up and hugged him. “I wanted to surprise you,” the healer said.
Ricky made a face. “See? I’m surprised.”
They ate lunch underneath a lofty stand of trees. Birds flitted from branch to branch. All the scene lacked was a babbling brook flowing into a pond, Ricky thought. He enjoyed seeing Pirie chase butterflies in the dappled sunlight.
After much small talk, Tobia and Krankel Kokorak rose from the blanket spread on the ground. Krankel helped his wife, whose first name was Larna, to her feet. The driver of the wagon was the Kokorak’s twenty-two-year-old son, a reluctant sorcerer who had refused to learn at the Rings. Krankel had less power than Tobia, but he made clockworks. Ricky would have to get Wedo and him together.
Ricky had a hard time thinking of Healer Kokorak as Larna, but he would see her often enough at Samira, that he would have to force himself to change. Larna asked Ricky to sit with her in the carriage. The conveyance was filled with possessions. Ricky imagined Tobia’s carriage was too.
“So tell me what I can do for you?”
Ricky thought for a bit. He started with his goal of creating a sorcerer’s college in Samira and finished with her working with the other sorcerers to find the anti-magic spell and its counterspell.
She laughed when Ricky had finished. “You don’t ask for much. I’d be happy to work on a program to restore resonance. It fits with my talents.”
“I don’t suppose you want to help develop new spells for the battle sorcerers, do you?”
“I do not, but I won’t miss a chance to work with Mirano Bespa. A new hospital intrigues me, but I don’t see such a thing succeeding in Samira if it is as small as you describe. Perhaps the hospital could be established in Firali where the healers would have access to more patients? The Duterian hospital was
built outside the Rings to encourage the residents of Duteria to use it.”
“Firali and Samira are not that far apart if you fly,” Ricky said. “That might be a good idea. I didn’t know you had a son.”
Healer Kokorak laughed again. “Sometimes I wish I didn’t know I had a son either. Our boy hasn’t found himself yet. He toys at working for his father, but it bores him. You know youth.”
“I’m still one,” Ricky said.
Kokorak grinned. “So you are. Sometimes I forget.”
“So do I,” Ricky said.
He suddenly felt a loss. Ricky had never had the luxury of being bored. Events kept pushing him. His favorite time was that broomball season at Doubli Academy. He even met Pira at the tail end of that experience. From then on, he had had to scramble to be someplace or do something. Even his time at the Rings seemed somewhat surreal, almost a dream, now that he reflected on it. He sighed and looked at Larna gazing out the window. Her presence reminded him that he had grown past his youth sometime in Duteria.
Minnie seemed to be surprised when he asked her to run Samira castle.
“Can I have activities on the side?” she asked. “Maybe your friend Jac can sell me dark dimani and the wool Rasso raised. I could import that to Paranty and Hessilia.
“You can. It will only be until the conflict is over, then you can return to Duteria.”
She put a napping Pirie in a large basket that served as a bed for the little girl. “I’m not so sure I want to return. Some important customers became rather nasty as the Botoyans took over. It left me wondering if I had spent enough time in Duteria. I will help you, but put Tobia in some other position. Perhaps he can help train the soldiers. He needs to find activities other than making Pirie and me comfortable.”
That brought a smile to Ricky’s face. “I can do that. I’m sure Tobia would like it, as well. No more house painting?”
“Right!”
Ricky left them after another hour talking to each in turn. He ended with Healer Kokorak’s son, Tarka. The young man could draw in resonance by singing, but his will seemed to be lacking. Ricky suspected that hanging out with battle sorcerers might do the Kokorak son some good.
~
After linking with Bocca in Duke Noacci’s presence and Baron Mansali, it appeared that the royal forces had withdrawn to lick their wounds. Mattia was still having the locals bring in small groups of royal soldiers who had fled during the battle. Princess Pira talked to them all, and most of them agreed to fight against the Botoyan sorcerers, even if it meant fighting against their king. Mattia put the rest in a prisoner’s camp half-a-day away from Samira, guarded by locals.
Sealio was becoming a madhouse, with King Leon making some very unpopular decisions. The Council of Notables was disbanded, replaced by a Council of the Elites, made up primarily of University professors and sorcerers.
From what Ricky could tell, Sealio was turning into a city-state, with the rest of Paranty united to keep the country intact. In a way, King Leon had become the rebel with regional say being curtailed. The three centers, the North, East and South, were united under Duke Noacci, Baron Mansali, and Ricky. With King Leon’s withdrawals, it became an uneasy peace.
Minnie and Tobia finally arrived in Samira. Ricky invited the five new arrivals to dinner with Hemo, Mirano, and Pira.
“We can put you up in the castle or in one of the cottages,” Ricky said. “Assuming any are still empty.”
Pira smiled at them. “There are five left unoccupied. They have been cleaned and are ready for occupancy.”
“After our current crisis, we can build more suitable housing, but for now…” Ricky said.
“Tobia and I need a housekeeper,” Minnie said. “If I’m to run the castle, I’ll need to stay here.”
“Eddo moved out of the steward’s rooms,” Pira said, “when Rachael arrived. They will suit you three. I’m looking forward to seeing Pirie grow.”
“So are we all,” Ricky said.
“A cottage,” Healer Kokorak’s son, said. “I don’t want to live here.” The young man didn’t offer any reason, but Larna and Krankel nodded to each other.
“That is settled. Now, what you can do. I talked to Larna about helping with the power transference through linking. That is Hemo’s project. Tobia has agreed to work with the trainees. Minnie will take over Rachael Bennetto’s castle administration duties, and Krankel, I’ll introduce you to Wedo Sinkel, our wand-master. You might not have enough power to make wands, but perhaps you can help him find out what materials would work best for fireball protection. Shields that won’t burn up, but won’t weight so much.”
“What about me?” Tarka asked.
Ricky didn’t like the surly tone in his voice, but he just smiled. “I will introduce you to Zaria Laccia, the leader of our battle sorcerers. That might be a good place to contribute.”
Tarka’s eyes brightened. “A battle sorcerer, me? I might like that.”
“Lots of learning, Tarka. If you can channel your will under stress, you are welcome to join them.”
“I can fly like you did?” he said.
Ricky smiled to hear the excitement in his voice for the first time. “With the proper resonance and will, yes.”
Larna raised her eyebrows. “I’m not opposed. Are you, Krankel?”
The father shook his head. “Tarka is old enough to make that decision on his own. Right, Tark?”
The son nodded and grinned. “Battle sorcerer,” he half-said to himself.
The rest of the dinner was a happy exchange of travel stories.
“I think they will fit in,” Pira said after everyone left the dining/conference room in the lower-level ducal quarters.
“My only worry is the Kokorak father and son,” Ricky said.
Pira put her hand over his. “Their happiness is not your responsibility. When sanity returns to Duteria, they may return to their home. Although I’m afraid we are stuck with Minnie and Tobia.”
“Don’t forget Pirie,” Ricky said. “They are like family.”
“They are family.” Pira smiled and pecked his cheek.
~~~
Chapter Thirty
~
R icky felt a link engage. It wasn’t Bocca or Baron Mansali, but Ricky could sense familiarity.
Ricky? Kened Gostok initiated the communication.
I’m here and able to talk, Ricky said, standing on the battlement in the sun, watching the troops train in the distance.
We need help. I am in Gruntal.
Larna Kokorak told me you had left. That helped her decide to come to Samira. What has happened? Ricky asked.
Hubris, fanaticism, whatever you want to call it. The Sun faction has succeeded so well in Duteria that it has set its sights on Gruntal. Then if they take over Torak, they can strangle the rest of the Hessilian states and force them to knuckle under to them. I need you to train Gruntalian sorcerers to fight, Kened said.
I will talk to Zaria Laccia, who commands the battle sorcerers in Samira. How many do you need, besides me?
I was only counting on you. You have battle sorcerers who have been in battle? Kened asked.
About two hundred, but I can’t bring them all, Ricky replied.
As many as you can. Please come.
One thing, Ricky asked. Do the Duterians know the spell to remove resonance from a sorcerer?
Is there such a thing? Kened said. I know about sounds making it difficult to sing, but a spell? No.
Good. I’ll contact you later today after I’ve talked to my staff.
Ricky found Mattia and Zaria interviewing some new recruits.
“We have another opportunity to hone our flying skills,” Ricky said. “The Gruntalian city-state is about to be invaded by Duteria. I was asked by a Gruntalian Tower sorcerer to help. I wondered if we can split off some battle sorcerers who want experience using their spells and flying skills in actual battle.”
“Gruntalians? They are a military state. Why would they need o
ur help?”
Ricky smiled. “It’s all show. They have trained, but no one living has ever fought a foe. We can be there in three days, help them train other battle sorcerers, and return. Do you think King Leon will attack again in the next week?”
“Not for another month, at least,” Mattia said. “From what we’ve learned from Tossa and Applia, the royal troops are not prepared to attack. What do we get for helping them?”
“Perhaps help in attacking Sealio. The Gruntalians do not lack for courage, and they will owe us if we help. They could keep the Sealians from fleeing across the border into the Hessilian states, if nothing else.”
“Even that would be very useful. If you can keep your expedition to ten days, we should be able to hold things in check,” Mattia said.
Zaria stood. “I’ll come with you. Mattia can work with a few of my officers. We can bring as many as we want? I’ll want to bring eighty or ninety, but they will have to be able to fly, and they will be volunteers, since they will be at risk.”
“That will be fine with me. I’ll tell Pira.”
Ricky walked back to the castle and found Pira discussing castle affairs with Minnie.
“I’m heading to Gruntal,” Ricky said.
“A pleasure trip?” Pira said.
Ricky shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. The Suns have completed their takeover of Duteria and are now threatening Gruntal.”
“That is ridiculous. The Gruntalians will chew them up,” Minnie said.
“I’m not so sure. There are a lot of powerful sorcerers that aren’t Gruntalians, and Kened says they are all unproven in battle.”
Pira pressed her lips together. “One man against hundreds of sorcerers?”
“Zaria is going to come along with half his men. We will go to train, and if needed, fight. Battle sorcery as taught in the Rings does not contemplate flying. We can learn and try out new methods. Kened hasn’t seen anything like the resonance-killing spells the University sorcerers use. I don’t know if Sealio ever shared the information with the Rings.”
“Can I come along?” Pira said.
“Have you finished with Minnie?” Ricky said. “I’ll be gone only ten days, unless I visit Duke Noacci.”