The Mullinix Book 1: Ascension

by Rodney Mountain

  Chapter 18 - Medoferro

  Marina sipped some tea herself, though this was the high caffeine content brew that Mariana made for those who were working. She finished a bit of the cleaning up in Copeland’s new room and opened all the windows to get rid of a bit of the shut in stuffiness. She then started to dust and get it the rest of the way clean.

  Insegniferro walked into the room and saw Marina working quietly. He looked down at the young man and smiled. He was like Massy had been in some ways, but in a lot of ways he was different. Probably more akin to the young Insegniferro than anyone else.

  "How’s he holding up, Marina?" Iggy asked her, "I’m amazed you got him to sleep so quickly."

  "It was sleep tea," Marina explained, pushing her hair back, "He looked like he needed some good sleep."

  "He did," Iggy said, "I talked to Suvorov a few minutes ago. The young man and his friend Simon drank more than their share last night."

  "Do we have to wake him so soon?" Marina said, looking at him as well, "He’s only been asleep about an hour."

  "No," Iggy said, shaking his head, "Massy will be up here soon, but the rites can wait a bit longer. We want him rested before we go through that."

  "How bad is it?" Marina asked, "I wasn’t born for the last one."

  "Not bad at all," Iggy said, "Basically it is a public ceremony, held within hours of the ascension. We’ll do it just before dusk, that way when the public files past Tali’s body they won’t be able to tell just how ravaging the wasting sickness was on him."

  "When does he get a name?" Marina asked, "I’m assuming that will happen soon."

  "Massimaferro and I will figure that out soon," Iggy said, "I can’t believe the terror that boy has of this, even while asleep. Look at the way he’s trembling."

  "He has a strength to him though," Marina said, "You can tell that just by talking to him. I think he’ll be good once he starts to learn."

  "Anyone who can ask a question like he did to a reigning Mullinix does have some form of strength," Iggy admitted, "I just am glad that I will no longer be the reigning Mullinix."

  "Is there that much difference?" Marina asked him, "I mean you and Massy have been doing similar things for so long…"

  "That’s because I ascended so young," Iggy explained, "Tali and I had Massy ready for ruling within five years, so he’s been assuming duties as much as possible. Especially as Tali got older and less able to do it."

  "So what will change?" Marina asked him.

  "Massy will handle the main sessions," Iggy said, "Most of my time will be training the apprentice. He’ll also handle the coming negotiations in Siraq."

  "Diplomacy with him?" Marina said, surprised, "I love Massy as much as you do, but he is not a diplomatic soul."

  "He’ll be fine," Iggy said, "He’ll have Paulus with him when he travels, possibly Copeland too if we can train enough of the protocol basics in time."

  "Ok," Marina nodded, "I can see that. So you don’t travel anymore?"

  "Thankfully no," Iggy said, "Though Tali often did when I was young in the job. He did the traveling so I could learn on easier terms. I don’t have to do that here, so I won’t be going anywhere."

  "In other words," Marina said, "You hate traveling."

  "Exactly," Iggy grinned.

  Insegniferro took a seat across from Copeland and waited for Massimaferro to show up, which he did after a few minutes. He walked into the suite and looked around, as he’d never been in this one before. He sat down in an unoccupied chair and looked at Iggy and Copeland as well.

  "The guards did well with that one," Massy said, "Most of the brigands that did the raid on Cirrus City are dead and the Mavelan soldiers pushing them fled back across the border."

  "It won’t last," Iggy sighed, "This is one mess that is going to get worse."

  "Good thing Paulus lost that toss," Massy told him, "Saves me from having to send him in spite of it. I need some eyes and ears there. Roland needs more time at home before we send him out again."

  "It’s your call," Iggy smiled, glad to see that Massy was taking the job, "You’re the Mullinix now."

  "Not for a few hours," Massy reminded him, "I’m just being nice. So how’s the kid?"

  "He’s been sleeping." Marina said, "I put him out with some of the rest tea."

  "Good move," Massy nodded, "I may take some of that as well."

  "We have too much to do," Iggy reminded him, "Marina, can you snag him some of Marianna’s tea?"

  "Here," Marina said, passing Massy the remains of her cup, "That should be enough to get you started."

  "Thanks," Massy nodded appreciatively and drank a little, "So what do we do now? Wait for the embalmers to finish with Tali so we can do the ascension ceremony?"

  "We need to name him," Iggy reminded him, "Actually, you do. It will be your first official act as Mullinix."

  "Lovely," Massy frowned, "So you’re the one who named me, eh?"

  "Right," Iggy grinned, "Just as Crian did for me and Tali did for Crian."

  "My name means Maximum Iron," Massy remembered from his first year, "I guess that’s from my size. What is yours?"

  "Teaching Iron," Insegniferro said, "Crian said that even then I looked like a teacher."

  "Tali?" Massy asked, curious.

  "Such Iron," Iggy reminded him, "He was actually the third Mullinix to have that name. You are actually Massimaferro IV."

  "So we need to pick a similar name for Copeland here," Massy said, "I don’t know what to call him."

  "He’s still so cold," Marina said, "Look at the way he’s shaking."

  "That’s not cold," Iggy said, "It’s fear. It is really setting in on him."

  "Was I that scared?" Massy asked.

  "Not to this extent," Iggy said, "But with that fortune hanging over his head and it coming true…"

  "I guess I’d be scared too," Massy nodded, "This life isn’t so bad, is it?"

  "Not in the long run," Iggy agreed, "Though the job sucks."

  "What is the prefix for fear?" Massy asked, "Just out of curiosity."

  "Medo," Iggy said after a beat, "Iron Fear would be Medoferro."

  "I think that’s a good name," Massy smiled, "Medo would be an easy shortening of it too."

  "Medoferro it is," Iggy said, "Easy enough. What do you think, Marina?"

  "I like it," Marina smiled, "It fits him."

  "What is it that is different in here?" Massy said, "This doesn’t feel like my room or yours. This is the first time I can remember being in here…"

  "It was Crianferro’s room last," Iggy told him, "I’m not sure what is different though, but something is."

  "Fresh air," Marina told them, "Iggy’s room smells like a musty old library and Massy’s is like old clothes. Neither of you let us open the windows for any real length of time."

  "That explains it," Iggy said, "But I like my personal library, thank you very much.

  "Well," Massy said, "Shall we get some dinner before we go through this process?"

  "Probably a good idea," Iggy agreed, "You coming, Marina?"

  "I’ll stick with Medoferro," Marina told him, "Can you have Sascha bring up some food for us. I’ll wake him up in a half hour or so."

  "Sure," Massy nodded, "Take care of the boy."

  "I will," Marina promised, "I think I have an idea on how to make him more comfortable with this."

  "Do what you think is best," Iggy told her.

  Iggy and Massy walked out and left Marina with Medoferro. They walked together as they often did and paused outside of Taliaferro’s room, a room that they expected to leave vacant for the duration. They looked at each other and just shook their heads.

  "Marina is hovering over him like a mother hen," Massy said, "I wouldn’t have thought that for her."

  "She’s been wanting someone closer to her own age to talk to," Iggy reminded him, "I think she may be just what he needs to get used to this."

  "Let’
s hope so," Massy agreed, "Something has to help. If not, he’ll crack."

  "Wouldn’t be the first time," Iggy reminded him, "Let’s just hope it doesn’t happen again."

  They took one more look at Taliaferro’s old room and then headed downstairs to get some food for themselves. It had been a long day and it wasn’t over yet. For all of them there were changes afoot, ones that meant that their lives would never be the same. Whether that was for better or worse they still didn’t know.