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Instead of meeting in Prince Robarts’ office, as Anders had suspected would happen, that being the normal pattern, Anders had to find King Mathias’ meeting hall, which was off the high hall, toward the back. A place that Anders had been before, once. There had been an attack at the time. By Ganges, after a fashion, since he’d made that kind of thing for Master Franken, who, while he’d had magic of his own, hadn’t bothered to become very facile or well skilled with it. Not that he’d bothered to show the world, at all.
That, where the magics used by the man had come from, was a huge problem. A thing that Anders was putting off mentioning, himself. It was a known thing, however, so he didn’t doubt he was about to be scolded, possibly cast out or killed, for bringing Ganges the Great and Terrible to the castle. He had reasons for it, but Master Franken had killed an important and beloved woman there.
That couldn’t be easily forgiven.
Ganges had been the one to create the magic powered by Estella Ford’s death. Her very heart ripped from her chest in a horrible fashion. Merely so that Master Franken could run away, at great speed. A powerful trick, but one that the man could have learned to do with mere meditation, if he’d had the learning and discipline to do so. If he would have only bothered.
Instead, he’d stooped to blood magic and taken innocent life, to run away. A thing that, in the end, was wasted. Franken could have stayed at the castle, not fleeing at all, and not been treated any more harshly than he ended up being. Truly, even with some attempts on the life of the King and Heir, there probably would have only been an execution over it.
Instead, Anders had his arms and legs broken first, and had considered skinning him alive, to remove the magical tattoos on his skin.
Still, he expected to find the room empty, perhaps with some military advisors there, along with the King and Prince Robarts. Instead, it was an interestingly mixed collection of people. Those military advisors, certainly, but also Depak Sona, Princess Aisla and Prince Alpert, as well. They were near the front, next to the King, himself. Anders was saved a seat, halfway down the table, by Master Tolan. The old man smiled at him.
“Here, Master Brolly.” That was all he said, no one speaking, until the King did, after taking five minutes to read something from many sheets of paper. The color of that was different, being like that found in Barquea, being a deep amber color.
Looking up, the man nodded, seeming rather stern.
“Princess Aisla, could you explain this to us?”
She nodded then.
“Certainly, Your Highness.” She didn’t stand, but did look down the table.
“This is the latest ranking for my people, as to who is in line for the throne and their place in that line. In Barquea, in part, their heir is chosen based on their favor with the Sula, which is based on what they do, over the course of the year. Truly, the new listings only come every five years or so, since things don’t change that quickly, most of the time. We’ve had some impressive movement, this time. My brother Naveed is still the heir, so is number one on the listing. I’ve been at the nineth place for several postings, and moved to number four, since having a child here binds us rather closely.” She grinned then. “That’s considered important there. If you make the top twenty or so, you’re considered favored by the Sula. If you make the top ten, you’re in actual contention for the throne. I won’t be put in that way, living here, of course. It’s too hard to really do what is needed at such a remove.”
Several of the people there nodded, and Prince Robarts smiled and bowed in her direction.
“Still, that’s impressive! Should we hold a party in your honor?”
Aisla let her eyes twinkle a bit then.
“Of course! Don’t forget the others, however.” She looked down the table at Anders then. “Jasmin took my place at number nine, which was a vast leap upward for her. Not just for marrying well, either. She recently became a master of the magician’s arts, as well as others, including Anders’ communications skills. She’s here to be the main communication between our peoples. Also, marrying into your family didn’t hurt, King Mathias.”
The man looked at her then and let his chin drop a bit.
“We’re honored. Having two daughters of the Sula’s house here with us, is meaningful. There was more, I noticed.”
She nodded.
“Yes, Lissa is listed in fifteenth place, Salina in nineteenth and Javina in seventeenth. All for their works in magic. Lissa was considered unteachable, and is now showing skills that no one ever has at her age.” She smiled up the table then. “The important people here are the ones you want me to get to? Daren Willet is listed as a Prince of Barquea.”
Anders had to stare then, and after a moment, clapped.
“That’s wonderful! Why though?”
The King shuffled papers then, and read the reason off to him.
“Daren Willet, healer and war mage from Istlan, did, in his own person, aid in support of the army of Barquea, in the war against the Modroc. He healed over three hundred men who would have died without his aid, took physical and mental hardship to help secure the eastern border, and worked tirelessly to show the bonds between the people of Istlan and Barquea.”
Anders clapped again. It was stunning to hear of, the man being his friend as he was.
Aisla grinned about it.
“True, he’s not actually in the running for control over the land there, but even being on the list is very important. He can, by right, go and live at the palace of the Sula, for instance. He can demand an allowance and if he chooses, he could work from his spot of two-hundred and fourteen, all the way to the top. This is no small thing.”
Prince Robarts actually teared up, smiling over it.
“So, a party for him as well? That’s... Incredible. He’s a magical healer now?”
Depak spoke then, his voice deep and calm.
“He is perhaps one of the top twenty or so healers in our two lands. Also, a fair hand in other magics. He, as well, has learned to use the new communications magics, for instance. In addition, he sought to learn the skills of the war mage, so that he might go to the front here and do battle with your enemies. He is not the most powerful user of magic, but I have rarely seen one be more skilled in such a short period of time. Not until recently, that is.” He snorted a bit and smiled at the King. “Anders is very adept at teaching people such things. He has grown in his own right, to the level of true master, already, but he is bringing more than merely his own skills back with him. Your castle guard Demo Gull, the former servant here, Prince Daren, and three spoiled Princesses of Barquea. Also, Princess Lissa.” He grinned at his own words, which had Aisla actually laughing.
“That is very true. They’re doing better of late, though, so we shouldn’t count them out yet.”
Robarts cleared his throat then.
“You mentioned such training for others, didn’t you, Anders? Princess Mathia and Prince Erold?”
He nodded then.
“Yes. I don’t want to take away from his duties, but I think that we should increase combat training for Prince Erold as well. I was planning on taking him, Gull and Daren off to the front shortly. Dora has powerful magics from Ganges the Great and Terrible. The flow of that has stopped now, but they have the objects and need only to power them with blood and death. We need to address Yanse, first, but they weren’t being backed with magics on that level.”
The King frowned then, and sighed.
“I had heard some of that. From other sources. There won’t be movement from Dora for some time, since it is still the cold season up there. Soon though. How did you find this information, Master Brolly?”
He nearly lied, then took a deep breath and fought for a very calm and even demeanor.
“Ganges told me. He’s come over to our side, but there are two versions of him. We have the original, but another of him, from a crystal of memory, resides in the head of a woman. We... Have information on that, but should deal with that in secret? There’s a plan in place. She, not the man, is the real problem. Still, he was on her side, so much of the work being done has been his.”
Almost everyone in the room was clearly baffled at what he was saying. The King understood his words though, as did Prince Robarts.
It was the younger man who queried him.
“How... Certain are you that this man is truly in our pocket now?”
Anders shrugged, and shook his head, rudely.
“Honestly? We have to suspect a trick in it. At the same time, I don’t think that we, the world, can stop him, if it is a trick. By playing along and being his friend, I hope to bring him to us, if he isn’t already. Recall, he’s lived for over fifteen hundred years. He is a master of every form of magic to have ever been invented, as far as we know. If we can bring him to the side of right, that might be our best, possibly only, chance to defeat him. Not through trickery, either. He can read minds, so we have to mean it. Still, he seems to be genuine so far, so we lose little by trusting in him. For now.”
After a moment, before any of the generals at the table could slam a fist down and demand battle, King Mathias tightened his face.
“We are supposed to simply eat the death of Estella?”
Anders cried then, a tear falling down his cheek.
“I... yes. He did not order the death, or so he claims. Franken acted on his own, out of fear. The spell was made by him, though. Imprinted into the skin of the traitor, with his own hands, working for the woman with Ganges mind inside of her. My understanding is that she, most likely, also didn’t order such a thing. Still, we need to know more and the truth is, even in our rage, we can’t beat these people. Not using force of arms. Probably not using magic, either. That leaves only words and guile.”
Truly, there were other things they might try. None of them were good things, however.
The King closed his eyes.
“Very well, Anders. You’ll be in charge of this for us. We’ll speak on this, in a more private setting, tomorrow. Now, I believe there was one more person on this list, Princess? Not that the clear personage of importance isn’t Prince Daren, of course. We should probably inform him of this, don’t you think?”
Anders nodded.
“We should, Sire. Tomorrow after we finish cleaning the rooms of our guests and those in the Ambassadors wing?”
Depak had to smother another smile, but nodded at the idea.
“That seems fitting. Prince or not, there is no excuse for him to stint on his practices. Especially if those of similar status here are being put into such tutelage? Not that he can’t be put to work, directly, if needed. Anders as well, if such is required, of course.”
That had Anders nodding, since it was fitting for a man of thirteen, not an adult there in Istlan, to be put to simple tasks or learning a trade.
The King simply nodded.
“Very well. Magic and fighting you said, for Erold? You’ll attend that as well, as your main focus, for the time being, Anders. Now, what would it cost for Master Tolan to sit in on these lessons?”
The old man actually blushed and seemed strained.
Anders smiled.
“Nothing. The current plan is to provide free teaching for anyone who is willing to risk showing they have the magical skill. I don’t have time for it, before battle, but we could use the aid in wizardry skills as well. I have much to learn in that area, so you being there would be most welcome, Master Tolan. We’ll begin after the morning meal?”
That got a nod, from the King, who actually laughed.
“Very good! I will inspect the new magical troops, as soon as you feel they are ready, Master Anders. Master Tolan. Now, perhaps we should stop teasing the boy, Princess Aisla?”
She sighed.
“Anders Brolly also made the list. In the tenth position. The reasoning there...” She shook her head, and glared a bit at Depak, for some reason.
The man gave Anders a direct look.
“I rather advised the Sula not to advance you too highly, at such a young age. You were slated to move to the second position. It was the recommendation of several people that it happen. Prince Naveed offered to step aside, without contest, so that you could be the heir. Prince Nedros, who is currently in the third place, suggested the same. Even Princess Sendra allowed that it might be the most advantageous thing to do for our people. You met her, at the front? General Sendra?”
Anders nodded. The intense woman had made an impact, after all. She hadn’t been nice, but he had to admit, she wasn’t mean either, just efficient in a way that had left him feeling inadequate.
“I recall her. I hadn’t understood that she was a Princess.” He turned to the others then. “She’s good at being a general, is all. Not pampered or soft. Then Nedros, Prince Nedros, isn’t either. I thought he rather hated me, though. I ended up annoying him most of the time, I think.”
That got waved away, by Depak.
“He mentioned that to me as well, several times. Also, that you were clearly the right one to lead. I think it was when you spent your own funds, earned with your own effort, to buy food for those of Barquea, without ever mentioning it that sent him over the edge. That or how you didn’t complain when you were stabbed with a sword through the chest, or when you drove yourself to death, to protect your people here.”
Anders ignored the leading portions, and spread his hand.
“I’m not a man of that place. Prince Naveed is the right person for that task. He knows his people and is of good heart. Nedros is as well... even if he doesn’t love me, personally.”
He didn’t want to stint Princess Sendra, but the truth was he didn’t know her as well as the others. Princess Aisla winked in his direction.
“Still, creating the Great Eastern River was impressive enough that your name is being spoken of as important back home. Not as impressive as what Prince Daren managed, of course. After all, you were going to be placed on the list anyway, even if you’d been a rude little brat. That you showed more than that impressed many. Even the servants found you to be passable. Daren, however, earned a place on a list that almost no one ever does, without being born to it. Even you, Depak Sona, had a line in that way, through your father. True, you climbed the list on your own, but being who you were born had to help a bit.”
The man rolled his eyes, and everyone else looked a bit strange.
Anders nodded, having felt that one himself.
“Right. Something like fifty years ago, Depak Sona used to be the Sula of Barquea. He gave that up and moved to the countryside, returning control of power back to Aisla’s family line. Some thirty years before that, his father had served in that position. Long, full terms, as well. Leaving on good terms, for both of them, I believe?”
Aisla nodded.
“That’s my understanding of it. Still, Daren Willet managed that, starting as a servant, from another land. There are only a dozen or so others who have managed that in written history. Not a single one was from the north, either.”
Everyone went silent then, and eyed Depak.
Meaning Anders had an idea.
“So, a small party for him? I’m certain his parents will want to learn of this. They might need to move with him to Barquea, once the wars are over here. We can’t prevent him from climbing the ranks with good works, after all.”
There was a pause to all speech in the room, until the King cleared his throat.
“Very well. Robarts, will you assign someone to put something together for Prince Daren? Who should do that?”
Thinking for a second, Anders waved slightly, which had the man nod in his direction, allowing him to speak. Not that he hadn’t just interrupted before.
“How about Lady Martya? Lady Lyse, as well. They have the needed skills and should have knowledge of the correct people for this. Plus, Daren, Prince Daren, traveled with us, so Lady Lyse knows him. It could be daunting for him to suddenly have to work with people he wasn’t familiar with. Not that he’ll truly have a choice there.”
General Nesmith tapped the table, finally speaking.
“He’s good though? In magic? Also, you’re planning to head that way, Master War Mage?” The words were oddly pointed and hopeful at the same time. Using a title like that meant the man was considering him in that capacity, not the new matter with him being a Prince.
A thing that he hadn’t considered, but which wasn’t new to him, really. For months he’d been called that in Barquea. It simply hadn’t occurred to him that it would follow him back home. Like a stray puppy, instead of a title.
“Yes. Soon as well, if that’s allowed? We also have aid from Barquea planned. Building and firming up roads, so they won’t turn to slop, in the rains to come in the fall. The Princesses will see to that? Perhaps Princess Mathia, if she’s up to the task, in time? Not that building roads with magic is women’s work. I just don’t want them too near the battles. Except...” He shook his head then and sighed.
Depak nodded.
“Yes. They are beings of power, now. Treating them as too fragile will damage them, over time. Still, the labor of such work is both honorable and will truly help the effort of a war, greatly. When will we be setting forth, do you think?”
That, it turned out, wasn’t up to him. It was General Nesmith who took over then.
“For working on roads? As soon as possible. They can do this and travel with the next caravan going out?”
Anders let his head move side to side.
“Yes. I’ll make sure they can do that. How many days do we get for that?”
“Two weeks. We can’t really travel yet. Now, how do we pay these mages to do this for us?”
Depak chuckled.
“Pay them? They’re the students. Anders is setting them a task. They will do it. The biggest question isn’t if these ladies are up to the task, but rather if we should allow Anders to risk himself in battle, instead of being set to training others.”
Farad thought for a moment, and then had to agree. Anders, the boy inside saw it as a prize being stolen from him. Then, hardship seemed an adventure to him. Death, that of others, seemed a game. The old historian wanted to avoid that kind of thing, if he could. Which wasn’t his place there. He needed to back the boy, if at all possible.
“Have those willing to learn come to me, and I’ll start their training and do that on the road, as we travel. It will be hard, but we don’t want the weak in the first few batches of students. That’s why I’m demanding Prince Erold and Princess Mathia. Both of them are strong, inside. Not tempered, perhaps, but it would be a mistake to think they weren’t up to this challenge.”
The words had everyone staring at him, as if he were wrong, or mentally slow. He had actual reasons to think what he was, however. Things he didn’t mention, at the moment.
General Nesmith tapped the table again.
“Very well. Have those going ready in two weeks. It will be the hardship of the road, which you know well, Master Brolly. This time of year will alternate lightning storms and heavy rains, with fair weather. Plan on going alone, if it becomes needed.”
He simply agreed. If he went, Daren would, without a doubt. Even if he was a prince. Gull wasn’t weak at all, so he could be asked as well, with good certainty of success.
“It will be done, General.”
Anders was allowed to leave then, the tenor of the room even more subdued than when he’d gone inside. It was late, but not so much so that he couldn’t drag himself to his room. That, when he opened the door, was a bit musty seeming. It had been closed for nearly half a year, after all. Instead of making it smell like flowers, he just changed his clothing to sleepwear and climbed into his straw filled bed. It was comfortable enough for him, being used to such things, now.
He did open the shutters though, which made him cool all night long, and meant that he woke with the birds, who called out the coming dawn before it truly made the sky light. Getting up, he cleaned his room, and saw to his pack. When he made a light, using magic, muttering a complex spell, just for the practice of it, he saw that there were things in there with him. Boxes, which held gold and riches. All four of them, meaning he had the things that belonged to Daren and Demo as well. They were sealed, the wood formed at the seams, so that no one could open them. Not without a heavy hammer and a good bit of time to break them open.
Also, his clothing and his box of trinkets, that needed to be given to people. That was in a sealed case as well. A smaller thing that had started life as a crate for fruit. Now it looked tight, but plain on the outside, instead of polished and decorated. Like a block of smoothed wood.
Sitting at his little table, thinking for a moment, he planned out what was going to be needed for the day. In the moment nothing came to him. That was just sleep, fouling his mind. He focused and considered what he wanted to know for the coming trip. How to easily repair and harden roads, using a spell that would turn on and off with a simple hand gesture. Not a thing linked to the hand all the time though, just as an indicator, only active after speaking a spell a single time. It would be easier than saying the thing a hundred times a day or more.
The energy use needed to be better, as well. Daren had to be able to do things like that, without moving so slowly that his horse had to be annoyed by moving at half pace. Then they all needed to be able to build things, and create hygiene facilities. They needed more healing, as well. Also, improved combat magics.
True, he wasn’t taking all the girls to war, but that didn’t mean it might not find them, anyway. If it did happen, then he wanted the people working with him to survive and for anyone daring to harm them to never be able to do it again. That meant a heavy focus on certain things. It was a lot, for two weeks.
Not so much for Daren, who had all of it down. Mainly. He needed some work on road building. The Princesses of Barquea were up on things as well. Erold and Mathia were going to have to work almost constantly, to learn enough in time.
A thing that Anders was certain would make him most popular in certain circles.
Still, they could keep learning on the road, sitting in the back of a wagon, or walking, to toughen their resolve, even if they weren’t up to making roads, on their own, yet. That worked out, he stood, changed his clothing to a simply brown outfit that was proper for cleaning, seeming like rough canvas, if clean and tidy. Then, rather directly, he moved to the ambassadorial wing. He started at the door that used to house Depak Sona, not knowing who was there at all. That, it turned out, was a rather grumpy seeming man, who glared at him, and spoke in Scara.
“Do you know what time it is?”
He nodded and simply spoke as if he were the one in the right, waking the poor man up.
“It’s nearly daybreak. Time to clean the rooms. Are you the new Ambassador from Barquea?”
The man nodded, his breath showing that the last evening had involved a lot of heavy drinking.
“I am. Relid Spent. Ambassador, like you said. You speak Scara? Good. I’ve been fighting to get things done here, not speaking the Istlan tongue well enough. It’s early to clean the rooms though, isn’t it? The man who normally does that tends to arrive in mid-day. Only if I’m out, as well. I thought that was the way here.”
The older fellow glared again, but managed not to seem ready to hit him or anything.
“In, then. It’s so early these people will think I’m demanding, pushing you around like this. It’s not that clean here.”
That was a simple truth, showing that whoever had been doing the job hadn’t been doing it that well. He started with the chamber pot, which had been well used, and opened the shutters, using magic for the task. Then he started in on things, calling out spells, one after the other. The man, seeming a bit unsteady, simply stood and watched him work. He was a bit bleary eyed, but nodded after a few spells were cast, instead of seeming amazed.
“Wo ere ot ere, fen.” As the water filled the basin on the wash stand, he started to cool the room, then left it. There was cold air blowing in already, after all.
Then he removed the dust from the bedding in the other room, and without asking, pulled the man’s clothing out, cleaning all of it, then removing all the dust and debris from the room and cleaned the fireplace out. That was a mess, but only took a few moments to see to. When he was finished, he turned to the man and bowed.
“Say, do you know a Corporal Larn Spent? Serving with the seventh army, under Captain Nedros?”
There was a blink then, from bloodshot eyes.
“My son. He’s made Corporal? More, you know of him? That’s unusual, being so far from there.”
Anders nodded.
“I rode with him a few months back, along the front between Modroc and Barquea. I was working as Depak Sona’s servant at the time. That and improving roads and some other work. Good man, Corporal Spent. A good soldier, as well.” That was actually true. He was also a wizard, if not that great of one.
That part didn’t get mentioned.
“Ah? Very good. May I ask your name, good sir?”
“Anders Brolly.”
The man just nodded then and waved him out.
“I get woken up at this unhealthy hour every day from now on?”
“For now. I’m leaving in two weeks. To the front here.”
“Really? That seems off. You’re a trace young to send off like that, aren’t you? Well, that isn’t my business. I’m just here for these fine people to get drunk and ply with presents. A job meant to get me out of the way, I think. Still, they don’t make it hard, so there’s that. Thank you, Anders Brolly. I...” The man made a face then. “Should I give you coin for this? We don’t do that at the palace back home, but I’ve only been there a few times. I haven’t been certain if that’s the way here. Maybe that’s why I haven’t been having my room cleaned in a proper fashion? Certainly not by magic. Even at home that wouldn’t be a thing.”
Anders grinned then.
“No, on the coin. I’ll talk to some people here and see if we can’t smooth that over. I’ll ask Daren Willet to come in the evening, to see if you need anything, for now. Um, he’s a Prince. Of Barquea? The last one on the list, added for his good works there in the war. Healing and some other things of use. He used to be a servant here and we haven’t told him about his new status yet. There should be a party for that, in a few days. You should attend that, being from that land, of course. I can get you invited, I think?”
There was another rather drunken, nod.
“Do that. I didn’t know we had a new Prince here. I heard that Princess Jasmin is coming? Princess Aisla is coming back as well. I’ve never met either of them. We should meet, of course. When I’m sober, though. I drink, but last night was... Well, Baron Tenvet had a few rather nice bottles and was willing to share. I think. He kept pouring my cup full. I probably agreed to marry his cow or something. I really can’t speak the language here well enough yet.”
Anders didn’t offer to teach him Istlan, even if he knew that he should see to that, at the very least. He was just so busy, suddenly. Plus, he needed to get to the next rooms. That meant leaving, bowing himself out, and then going door to door, waking people up. Half of them were, to be fair, already awake for the day. Duma Sett came to her door, fully clothed and with her face made up.
“Anders! You came to speak to me, as promised?”
He nodded.
“Yes. Also, to clean your room. The poor Ambassador from Barquea was living in filth. There’s going to be some yelling over that, I fear. From me. Now, quick, explain where I failed in my illusions last night, as I make certain you’re kept in at least some kind of comfort?” He worked quickly, and the state of the room was a little better than the one next to them had been. Not by much, but enough.
Some of the other rooms were better, the people inside of them having cared for things themselves, while he and Daren were gone.
It took several hours to set things right, even using magic. He ate his early meal in the low hall and decided that it was time for him, a boy who had lived there his entire life, to do what Master Belford would have, had he been there.
“I’m going to need a stick.”