The ice columns continued to build, and as the spell progressed, they joined at the top, forming an arch.
“It’s ready,” announced Natalia.
“Me first!” yelled Oswyn, running through the opening.
Agar raced towards the arch. “I should go after her before she gets lost in the ruins.” The Orc youngling stepped through.
“Shall I follow?” asked Skora.
“Go whenever you like,” replied Natalia. “Don’t worry. There are plenty of people on the other side, so there’s no danger.”
The old woman approached the arch, peering through. “It’s quite remarkable. The landscape is completely different there.”
“Beorwic is hundreds of miles away, on the southern border of Carlingen.”
“I’m aware of that, but to see it up close is disorienting.”
“You’ll get used to it.”
“I thought we were going to Carlingen?”
“Eventually,” said Natalia, “but the magic circle there is new, so I haven’t committed it to memory yet.”
“Another circle? Is there no limit to how many you can memorize?”
“It varies with each individual, but according to the instructors at the Volstrum, it’s not unreasonable for a mage to learn ten or more. They don’t usually teach this to students; it’s more of an advanced spell.”
“Then how did you find out about it?”
“We were taught about a Fire Magic spell called ring of fire, but it amounts to the same thing. In both cases, you can only travel to a known location.”
“Wait a moment,” said Athgar. “Didn’t you tell me you created a frozen arch to escape the Palace grounds in Andover?”
“I did, but I made that up on the spot.”
“As you did in Beorwic?”
“Exactly. Since leaving the Volstrum, I understand magic with greater clarity, and I have you to thank for that.”
“Me?”
“You opened my eyes to another way of envisioning magic, one allowing me to reach past the limitations of my training.”
“You should thank the Orcs for that, not me.”
She smiled. “No. You taught me to find my inner spark—not that it’s a spark, in my case, more like a comforting pool of water.”
“I’m happy to have been of help.”
“Pardon me for interrupting,” said Skora, “but shouldn’t we be stepping through this arch before it begins to melt? It is made of ice, you know.”
“Yes, of course,” said Athgar. “You may proceed.”
Skora stepped through, and then Athgar held out his hand for Natalia. She, in turn, moved up to stand before the opening, grasping his hand firmly.
They stepped through together, the air now more humid, not to mention warmer, for Kragen-Tor was up in the mountains, whereas Beorwic stood astride a river.
Their first visit to the ancient Therengian city had been nearly nine months ago when the Ostrovan army threatened an invasion of Carlingen, but relations had cooled considerably in the interim. King Eugene, the ruler there, claimed he’d been unaware of the plot and, in compensation, ceded the eastern portion of his kingdom to Therengia to avoid a war, allowing Carlingen to finally have an ally on their border. Athgar spurred on the region’s development, for with new villages came roads and an abundance of volunteers willing to settle the area.
The sound of hammering greeted their ears, for the once-deserted streets of Beorwic were coming back to life. A nearby guard watched them emerge from the gateway but didn’t challenge them as Natalia dismissed the spell. They stood at the base of the ancient stone gateway built under the supervision of some long-forgotten mage, but she preferred the term standing stones.
Oswyn ran towards them, pulling a familiar girl by the hand. “Look who I found!”
“Good to see you, Greta,” said Natalia. “How do you like your new home?”
“I much prefer it to the court of Andover.”
“Is Katrin nearby?”
“Yes. She’s overseeing the construction of the great hall.”
“Not a keep?”
“No,” replied Greta. “Considering most here are Therengian, we thought it best to emulate their ways.”
“We? Are you one of her advisors now?”
The girl straightened. “Of course. Come. I’ll take you to her.”
She proceeded down a now-cleared roadway. Cobblestones had been laid here in the past, but centuries of abandonment resulted in it being covered by a forest intent on reclaiming its terrain. However, with the reintroduction of people, they’d removed some obstructions, starting with this particular road.
Athgar marvelled at the progress made in such a short period. The Stone Crushers lent some of their masters of earth to reshape the stone walls abandoned long ago, and the influx of Therengians from Carlingen had led to the building of many sturdy wooden houses. More people would continue coming over time, but it already felt like a city, albeit sparsely populated.
They encountered Katrin by the riverbank, watching a group of men rolling barrels off a boat onto a newly rebuilt dock.
“I hope we’re not interrupting?” asked Natalia.
Katrin turned, and they hugged. “I wasn’t expecting you for another week. How did it go in Kragen-Tor?”
“Splendidly, thanks to Belgast, but there are still a few details to settle. We’re headed to Carlingen. I believe you have access to their magic circle?”
“I do,” replied Katrin. “When did you wish to travel?”
“There’s no hurry. This is purely a personal visit. We wanted to look around Beorwic, if that’s all right with you?”
“By all means. Would you like me to show you around, or do you prefer to wander?”
“I don’t want to drag you away from anything important, but when you’re able, I’d appreciate an update on your progress here.”
“What do you want to know?”
“Let’s start with all these people. Just how many are living here?”
“That depends entirely on what you mean by living? Close to five hundred consider this place their permanent home, while the rest seek work and, I expect, will move on as summer arrives. Most come via boat, but whenever Svetlana or I use magic to travel here, we bring a few more.”
“I assume you’ve had no shortage of volunteers.”
“You are correct,” said Katrin. “The bigger issue for us is finding people with the skills necessary to get this town started. Cutting timbers is relatively easy, and even building houses isn’t too difficult, but we require merchants and traders.”
Athgar scanned the area, noting the occasional mail-clad warrior, reminding him of Herulf, the Therengian he’d found in Reinwick. When they’d returned to Runewald last fall, Herulf elected to remain in Beorwic, in command of the local fyrd. He looked back at Katrin. “How is Herulf?”
He detected a slight blush on her cheeks. “He’s doing well.”
“She’s sweet on him,” offered Greta. “I keep telling her he feels the same, but she doesn’t believe me.”
“Give it time,” said Natalia. “Athgar and I didn’t quite see eye to eye when we first met.”
“That’s because you almost killed me,” he replied.
“Not on purpose.”
Athgar winked at Greta. “That’s just one of the stranger mating habits of Water Mages.”
The girl laughed. “While you’re here, I have a question.”
“Ask away.”
“If Herulf and Katrin had a child, would it have grey eyes?”
“It would,” said Athgar. “Only one parent with grey eyes is needed to ensure a child is similarly blessed.”
“So they’d be Therengian?”
“Look around you,” replied Natalia. “What do you see?”
“Therengians, Orcs, and even a few non-Therengians like you. Why?”
“You’re as much a Therengian as Athgar, regardless of your eye colour.”
“But I’ve never set foot in Therengia. I live in Carlingen with Katrin.”
“Yes, but that doesn’t matter.”
“She’s right,” added Athgar. “And I’m the High Thane, so I ought to know. You’re not about to argue with me, are you?”
Greta shook her head.
“Good. Then it’s all settled. Perhaps you’d care to familiarize Agar and Oswyn with the area?”
“I would be happy to. Where are they?”
Athgar pointed. “Over there by Skora, I imagine.”
She ran off.
“Ah, the passion of youth. I remember it well.”
Katrin laughed. “You’re not that old yourself.”
“It’s not age that wears on me; it’s responsibility. Perhaps I should give up the position of High Thane and become a simple hunter?”
“We both know you could never do that,” offered Natalia. “You’ve too much of a desire to see the land prosper.”
“Guilty as charged.”
“Come with me,” said Katrin. “There’s something I want to show you.” She led them upstream, away from the docks. “As you know, Carlingen’s tiny fleet was hardly ever used. However, as we explored the ruins, we discovered what appears to be an old shipbuilding facility. Maksim suggested it might prove useful to rebuild it. If Beorwic is half as successful as we hope, we’ll experience a vast increase in river traffic.”
“Has he given up all thought of a navy?” asked Athgar.
“He’s agreed to help fund the Temple Fleet, and they, in return, will keep our waters free of pirates and such. He considered building more like the Bergannon, but he’d prefer the merchant ships be in the hands of individuals.”
“Ah, yes,” said Athgar. “The Bergannon. If I recall, it was not the steadiest of ships.”
“True enough, but it got you to Ruzhina.”
“Does it still sail?”
“It does,” said Katrin. “It’s been wintering up in Carlingen, although I suppose by now, they’ve seen fit to return it to the water and outfit it for shipping. Svetlana can tell you more.”
She paused as they emerged into a small clearing. “We discovered stone beneath the river sediment, and after digging down, we found what’s left of a channel excavated centuries ago.” She moved inland. “About a hundred paces this way, you’ll see a shallow depression, which we believe was an artificial bay they floated their boats into.”
“Do we even know what kind of boats the Old Kingdom used?” asked Natalia.
Athgar shrugged his shoulders. “Don’t look at me. You know more about that than I do.”
“We can make some deductions,” said Katrin. “Many older boats in use on the Great Northern Sea are open-topped vessels, carrying a crew of only a couple. They struggle at sea but would serve us well on the rivers. Scholars suggest they’re based on old Therengian designs, and after looking through our discoveries here, I’m inclined to agree.”
Natalia wandered around the clearing. “I think you’re correct. This was definitely connected to the river in the past.”
“Now that you’re here, I wonder if I haven’t got this wrong. You don’t suppose it could be a temple dedicated to Akosia, do you?”
“No,” replied Athgar. “On our last visit, Belgast discovered the Temple of Tauril, which is more like a theatre. This place is completely different, so your earlier deduction is more likely the case. Not that it matters. Whoever built this has long since moved on to the Afterlife.”
“If you really want to know,” said Natalia, “Shaluhk can visit and speak with the Ancestors.”
“It’s nothing that needs immediate attention,” replied Katrin. “Merely idle speculation on my part.”
“Anything else you’ve discovered?”
“Additional evidence that Orcs and Therengians lived side by side, but that’s hardly surprising. We also uncovered what remains of a city wall, or at least part of one. I can’t quite decide whether it was under construction when the city was attacked or destroyed by whoever defeated them.”
“Unfortunately, we don’t know who defeated them,” said Athgar. “All we know is that they were Human, but not which kingdom.”
“It wouldn’t matter much anyway,” said Natalia. “The Successor States rose and fell in a very short time; the vast majority of the Petty Kingdoms didn’t evolve until nearly a century after the fall of the Old Kingdom. There are exceptions, but they are mainly to the west.”
“What about Ruzhina? Were they considered a Successor State?”
“The instructors at the Volstrum always claimed it was founded before the Old Kingdom, but I have my doubts. What do you think, Katrin?”
“I tend to agree. The evidence indicates it was founded while the Old Kingdom was at its height rather than earlier. However, it wasn’t much of a power in the Continent until the Stormwinds founded the school. At least that’s the Volstrum’s belief.”
“Interesting,” said Athgar, “but don’t they have a line of kings stretching back centuries?”
“They do,” replied Katrin, “but records predating the Old Kingdom’s fall are rare. Scholars claim they can trace the king’s ancestry for over eight centuries, but the written records are much more recent. I believe most of that lineage was written well after the fact, likely invented to support the Crown’s assertion that it’s one of the oldest Royal lines on the Continent.”
“So they just made things up?”
“That’s a simpler way of saying it.”
“Perhaps I should invent a history of my own,” suggested Athgar.
“You wouldn’t be the first ruler.”
“I was only joking.”
“I wasn’t,” said Katrin. “I’d estimate at least half the ruling families of the Petty Kingdoms did exactly that, or someone in their ancestry did. Kings have done a great many questionable things to secure their Thrones.”
“I never took you for such a scholar.”
“I was always good when it came to history. Unfortunately, my magical abilities lagged behind. That’s how I became one of the Disgraced.”
“You know I don’t like that term,” said Natalia. “There is no disgrace in taking time to learn magic.”
“The family didn’t see it that way.”
“No, they didn’t, and that’s their loss. Now, let’s change the subject to more pleasant things. How has your casting progressed? Has Svetlana kept up with your instruction?”
“She has, though we meet less often than we used to.”
“You’ve learned the frozen arch spell, or else you wouldn’t be able to travel back and forth to Carlingen.”
“I have, although admittedly, it took a long time. It’s the most difficult spell I’ve ever attempted.”
“And now you’ve mastered it. We shall have to take you back to Therengia so you can commit the circle of stones to memory, and then you can visit us whenever you want.”
“I’d like that.”
“How has Greta been?”
“Aside from teasing me about Herulf, she’s wonderful.”
“Has she been making friends?”
“She has,” replied Katrin. “The Therengians who came from Carlingen brought their families, and the children often go into the woods to gather berries and mushrooms to supplement our food. An Orc hunter or two escorts them, but you’d be surprised at what they find.”
“And she enjoys that?”
“She does. In a manner of speaking, she’s become their unofficial leader, although I suppose that’s my fault for setting an example.”
“Well,” said Athgar, “you’re doing an excellent job of it here.”
Katrin beamed. “Thank you. Svetlana tells me Beorwic is the only place in Carlingen that’s prospering.”
“Not the other barons?”
“They’re doing reasonably well, but their efforts have met with only limited success so far.”
“Why do you suppose that is?”
“Those who come here are excited to begin a new life, while the same can’t be said of those heading to Adlinschlot or Raketsk. There’s also the matter of their work ethic.”
“I’m not sure I follow,” said Athgar.
“Therengians usually come from families who’ve worked the land for generations and are committed to working hard to build their homes. These others I speak of are mostly descendants of treasure seekers who came to Carlingen. As a result, they wish to make their coins with the least amount of effort possible. They’re not as interested in settling down as in making enough to return to what they perceive as a more civilized land. That doesn’t exactly provide the barons with the best choice of workers. The king should encourage more farmers to travel to Carlingen and settle the countryside.”
“I shall bring that to his attention the next time I see him.”
“Good luck with that.”
“That’s an odd thing to say.”
“I’ve raised the matter several times, but he’s too busy to do anything about it. What he really needs is some decent advisors.”