Aether's Apprentices

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “That’s what he said,” Victoria replied.

  “Did it work?” Ling asked. “We didn’t see any major reactions.”

  “He didn’t blow up, so it’s hard to say,” Nessa sighed. “I’d thought we’d get a reaction of some kind, but he nodded and went back to reading.”

  “He was confused,” Daciana sighed. “He might back off or he might not.”

  “I’m still curious what the plan was,” Gregory said.

  Nessa and Daciana blushed slightly. “Well...” Nessa said slowly, “we told him that the two of us were together.”

  “Oh,” Gregory nodded. “Yeah, if she’s already in a relationship…” He trailed off, thinking about how he’d felt when Yukiko and Jenn had kissed before they’d married.

  “Yes, he might be thinking that he can be with both of them,” Yukiko said.

  “He knows at least one man who has done similar,” Jenn said, giving Gregory a knowing smile.

  “We’ll deal with it when we have to,” Daciana said.

  Clover and Ling looked a little uncomfortable, but didn’t say anything.

  “The carriage is waiting,” Gregory said to push past the embarrassment. “Let’s go.”

  Reaching the stables next to the main gate, they found the clan carriage being readied. “Magi, I’ll be just a moment,” the driver said, his voice low and slow. “You may get in now.” The squat man had two horns that jutted out of the sides of his head.

  “Thank you,” Yukiko replied.

  Gregory opened the door and stood by to help the women in. Once they were all in, he frowned and looked inside. There was no other space open— as it was, the women were a little crowded. “I’ll ride with the driver.”

  “Don’t you want to test an older theory on where I could sit if there wasn’t space?” Yukiko asked with glittering eyes and trembling lips.

  Gregory coughed and shook his head. “I’ll be with the driver.” He shut the door, hearing muted laughter coming from inside.

  “I’ll be riding with you, sir, if that’s okay?” Gregory asked the driver.

  “That’ll be fine, magi,” the driver replied. “We are good now.” He motioned Gregory to climb up.

  Getting onto the bench seat at the front, Gregory settled in. “You’ll be okay coming back for us?”

  “Magus Dia informed me as to what the schedule was, sir,” the driver replied. “I’ll be there to pick you all up.”

  “Thank you…?” Gregory trailed off leadingly.

  “Sorry, magi. I’m Rufous.”

  “Thank you, Rufous. You can call me Greg. While you drive, can you explain how this works?” he motioned to the reins. “I’ve been in a number of carriages, but I don’t know how it all works.”

  “It’s fairly straightforward,” Rufous said. “First, I release the brake…”

  ~*~*~

  “Thank you again, Rufous,” Gregory said as he got down and opened the carriage door to help the women out.

  “My pleasure, Greg,” Rufous smiled. “I’ll be back at the right time.”

  “Thank you for the smooth ride,” Yukiko said as Gregory helped her out.

  “A pleasure, magi,” Rufous replied, bowing his head to her.

  Once they were out of the carriage, Jenn headed for the door. “This way, everyone.” She knocked and waited with a wide smile.

  “Welcome to the Watashi residence, honored magi. Please, come in,” Elsa greeted them.

  Gregory gave Rufous one more wave before he followed the others inside. He was surprised to see Enzo, the oldest boy with the goat eurtik blood, in a butler outfit beside Elsa.

  “We will start as we should,” Yukiko told Elsa. “Gather the children for the Peaceful Fist, please.”

  “Yes, magi,” Elsa said, bobbing a curtsy.

  Enzo dipped a shallow bow as he turned on his heel and left with Elsa.

  “Starting him on replacing her,” Jenn smiled sadly. “She’s going.”

  “She’s going?” Victoria asked.

  “That’s a story. We’ll give you the brief version as we change,” Yukiko told her. “Greg, we’ll be a little behind you.”

  “I’ll have them waiting for you,” Gregory said and started down the hall to get his gi on.

  ~*~*~

  Gregory smiled when he stepped into the garden. The children were all lined up and waiting, even Elsa and Enzo. “They’ll be here shortly. Elsa, you told them?”

  “Yes,” Elsa said. “Enzo is learning from me and will be taking over when I leave.”

  Cosette, the smallest girl of the group and a partial-crocodilian eurtik, sniffled once, but clearly was doing her best to put on a brave face.

  “It’s okay to be upset. She’ll be here for a while yet,” Gregory said softly. “Learn while you can and think about what it might mean in the future. Every hardship is a chance to grow.”

  “We’ll do our best,” Enzo said. “If Elsa is given this chance, we might get chances of our own later if we can prove we deserve them.”

  “You’re correct,” Yukiko said as she led the others into the garden. “Maybe not with my family, but with the clan, or another growing family in the future.”

  Cosette swallowed hard and nodded. “I’ll do it.”

  “We have every faith in you,” Jenn said softly. “Are you all ready to train?”

  A chorus of agreement came from the children.

  “They are precious,” Clover beamed.

  “Before we start,” Gregory said, “children, these are our friends and clanmates, Clover and Ling. They’re apprentices like we are.”

  The children bowed formally as they’d been taught, their left hand cupping their right fist.

  “We are honored to be here,” Ling said, bowing back.

  “Vicky, you lead today,” Yukiko said.

  “Gladly,” Victoria smiled. “Spread out so we may begin.”

  ~*~*~

  With meditation over, the groups broke apart to rinse off. Since they hadn’t done much, Gregory opted to just use a basin and cloth for him and the boys while the women used the baths.

  “Greg, will she be okay?” Enzo asked.

  “Yuki’s mom is going to have her trained as her personal maid,” Gregory said. “Her parents are kind people. They raised Yuki to be who she is. It’ll be hard work, but we know Elsa can learn quickly.”

  “We have to wait,” Reno, the boy with rabbit ears, said.

  “A couple of years until you’re as old as Enzo,” Gregory said. “By then, maybe you can start to train with him.”

  “More years for me,” Casper sniffled. He was the youngest of the boys, and his pig eurtik blood made his sniffling pronounced.

  “That just means you get to learn more as you grow, making it easier for you later,” Gregory said.

  Casper blinked his beady little eyes and sniffled again, then nodded. “I’ll do my best.”

  “We know,” Enzo said, “and I’ll do my best to help you. I’m not as skilled as Elsa, but I’ll be doing my best for all of us, like she does.”

  “Just be true to yourself,” Gregory said. “You aren’t replacing her. You’ll have your own way of doing things and that’s fine. As long as you do your best, it’ll be enough. That goes for all of you. Everyone is different... look at me compared to the others. Each of us has our own strengths and we use them to help each other.”

  The boys nodded as they finished getting dressed.

  “We’re going to go celebrate Yuki’s birthday. Is everything ready?”

  “Baylyss said it would all be ready,” Enzo said. “She was finishing the cake when we went to train.”

  “Let’s go surprise her, though I’m sure it won’t be one to her,” Gregory chuckled. “Yuki’s hard to surprise.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gregory gave Yukiko a smile as she came into the dining room with the others. Elsa guided Yukiko to the head of the table, sitting her so that Gregory was to her right and Jenn was to her left.

 
Once everyone but Elsa and Enzo were seated, Elsa spoke, “We didn’t plan a meal for you, as we were told you would be having a feast when you return to the academy, but we have made a cake for you. I prepared most of it, and Baylyss finished it while we trained. All of us wanted to wish you a happy birthday.”

  A chorus of “happy birthday” came from the children as they smiled at Yukiko.

  “Thank you. I’m very happy to be here to celebrate with all of you.”

  “And I have the cake,” Baylyss said, backing into the room with a cart. “It’s similar to the cake we had for Gregory’s birthday. Magi, I have some fruit for you to have with it. Dia had them delivered yesterday eve. Elsa, why don’t you take over from here?”

  “Thank you,” Elsa said. “Enzo, sit, please.”

  “Yes, Elsa.” Enzo took one of the few remaining seats.

  Elsa brought the cake to Yukiko. “It is a citrus cake with vanilla cream. I hope you like it.” She pulled out the same long thin spatula that’d been used before along with a collection of plates. “If you’ll slice, I’ll deliver the pieces to each person.”

  As Yukiko started slicing, Elsa placed the small bowl of aether-infused citrus fruit where the magi could reach it easily, then started delivering slices as Yukiko directed her. Once the cake had been served, Elsa pushed the cart aside and took her piece down to her seat.

  The children were already happily eating theirs as the magi each took some fruit to augment their dessert. Elsa watched Yukiko with a slightly worried, but hopeful, expression.

  Taking a small bite of cake, Yukiko smiled as she ate it. “It’s very good, Elsa. It might even be better than the cake we had for Gregory’s birthday.”

  Elsa smiled, her cheeks flushing as she picked up her own fork. “I’m glad you like it.”

  The others chimed in their enjoyment, as well, deepening the blush Elsa had and widening her smile.

  The cake was soon gone, much to the disappointment of the children.

  Baylyss took the dishes off the table, then returned with a small chest that she set in front of Yukiko. “From the children,” Baylyss said as she stepped back.

  Yukiko looked at the children before she lifted the lid. With a soft smile, she pulled out a wood carving. It depicted Yukiko, Gregory, and Jenn sitting on a bench. Gregory was sitting between the women, and all three of them were holding hands. The golden oak carving stood three inches high and six inches wide, and had been polished and stained to protect it.

  “It’s lovely, thank you... How did you manage to get our likenesses so well for the crafter?”

  Enzo blushed as all the children looked at him. “I… drew you for him.”

  “Can we see the art?” Jenn asked.

  “It’s not that good…” Enzo said slowly, clearly embarrassed.

  “You don’t have to,” Gregory said, “but considering how well the crafter did, they had to have had a good image to work with.”

  “Enzo, you did well with them,” Elsa said. “If you hadn’t been able to do what you did, we would’ve had to do a different gift.”

  “I’ll be right back,” Enzo said, slipping out of his chair and leaving the room.

  “Can we see it?” Victoria asked.

  “Of course,” Yukiko said, handing it down to her.

  The others agreed the crafter had done a good job. There were minor differences from the real magi, but overall, it captured the trio well.

  “Very nice work,” Clover nodded.

  Enzo came back into the room with a bundle of papers. Hesitating when everyone looked at him, he licked his lips, then advanced with firm steps toward Yukiko. He set the papers down in front of her, then backed up.

  Yukiko gave him a gentle smile and unrolled the first page from the others. It was of Gregory in profile, wearing a worried look on his face. It was just charcoal, but it was well done.

  “Yes, that’s him,” Jenn nodded.

  The second was Jenn in profile, her expression one of determination. After that was Yukiko. She had a soft smile on her lips, as if looking at a loved one. More followed those— each of the magi who’d visited before was there, along with a few that depicted multiple people engaged in fighting or relaxing. The last one was of Elsa in her maid outfit, her face containing a radiant smile as she looked back at the viewer.

  Enzo leapt forward. He snatched that page from Yukiko and quickly rolled it up, his face crimson. “That one wasn’t meant to be in with these!” he said quickly.

  Only Yukiko, Gregory, and Jenn had seen the image. Yukiko nodded. “Yes, it was different. There’s nothing to worry about. It’s special in its own way.”

  Enzo swallowed, not looking at anyone.

  “These are really good,” Ling said as she studied the one of Gregory and Jenn fighting. “Have you ever been trained?”

  “No,” Enzo said softly. “I just like to draw.”

  “You do wonderfully,” Nessa said, looking at her own profile. “Can you make me a copy of the one of me? I’d like to give it to my parents.”

  “Oh, and me, too,” Daciana said. “This one, where I’m poised to fight.”

  Enzo glanced up and, seeing their smiles, went over to them. “You can have them.”

  “I’ll pay for it,” Nessa told him. “I’d have to pay someone else to do it, so you should get that payment, instead.”

  Enzo froze and Baylyss cleared her throat. “She isn’t wrong, Enzo. There is nothing wrong with accepting payment for your work. And, if you want, we can see about finding someone who can help you refine your art even more.”

  “But…” Enzo hesitated.

  “We can work it around your learning to be the butler,” Baylyss said. “You don’t have to give that up.”

  “Please?” Enzo asked softly.

  “I’ll look into it,” Baylyss said. “Now, let’s gather up the other art, as there’s another present or two for Yukiko.”

  “Can I take this one?” Gregory asked as he looked at one of the drawings.

  Enzo moved around to see which he was looking at. It was the art he had made for the crafter with Gregory, Jenn, and Yukiko on the bench. “Can I make a copy of it for you, instead?” Enzo asked.

  “That’ll be fine,” Gregory said. Pulling out some vela, he handed it to Enzo. “This is what I think it’s worth.”

  Enzo looked down at the hundred vela in his hand and his jaw dropped. “But… but…!”

  “I’d pay more, but I figured this much would be hard for you to accept,” Gregory told him. “Baylyss, if I leave you the destination and the vela, can you have it shipped when Enzo finishes it?”

  “Of course,” Baylyss replied. “Where is it going?”

  “To my father,” Gregory said softly.

  “Oh, make one for me, too, please,” Jenn said.

  “And me, as well,” Yukiko added.

  Enzo blushed and ducked his head. “I will.”

  With him not looking at Jenn and Yukiko, the two women slipped Baylyss the money to cover the shipping and to pay Enzo. Baylyss understood their looks and nodded.

  It took a moment for the art to be gathered, but when it was removed, Victoria grinned as Baylyss set a wrapped package down in front of Yukiko.

  “This is from the three of us,” Nessa said.

  Yukiko smiled as she unwrapped the package. It was obviously a book, and she was curious about what it covered. When the wrapper slipped aside, Yukiko’s smile grew wider. “‘Krogga’s Advanced Tactics.’ Thank you.”

  “Gregory said you liked practical gifts,” Daciana said.

  “I do adore them,” Yukiko said as she slipped the book into her obi.

  “We didn’t have a lot of warning about your birthday,” Ling said, “but we did get you this.”

  Baylyss set another item in front of Yukiko. It was made of silk, decorated with the clan emblem, and had her name stitched to the back of it.

  “A bookmark? Very useful,” Yukiko smiled broadly. “How did they have it done so quickl
y?”

  Clover blushed a little when she said, “We had it being made from the day after you gave us the books. We wanted to thank you in turn.”

  Yukiko’s smile softened and she gave them a bow of her head. “Thank you, Clover, Ling. I will treasure this friendship gift.”