Border wars book nine of.., p.26
Border Wars: Book Nine of Crystals of Memory, page 26
Then he simply told the truth.
“I hadn’t been thinking that. It... We should do that. He’s the only one here to directly stand for Yanse. Other than me, which might be missed, given everything with my other positions. I... We should ask Regent Alpert if that’s his will in this?” That suggestion was possibly going to be upsetting to the King, so he held his breath, waiting to be growled at, or even possibly scolded with gentle words.
Instead the King spoke almost instantly, his voice mild.
“That sounds correct. He knows the boy, personally, after all. Alpert speaks highly of him, as well. You can see to that for us, Anders?”
“I will, Sire. As soon as we’re finished here.” Hopefully it wouldn’t be too late for his father. Then, if it was, the King had given him an order, so it would still have to be followed through.
They spoke for another quarter of an hour, interestingly enough. Not about anything that Anders had suspected would be addressed, however. No, instead of wars, and attacks from Dora in the north and the Natech danger, the King cleared his throat.
“We have word out of Yanse? That a bride from there has been chosen for you. I don’t have the name here... you met her as a knight on the battlefield? The one with the mud pit, I believe.”
Prince Robarts spoke up, for the first time, after a rustling of papers showing he was reading something.
“I have the name here, Father. Ellana Smith. She’s nobility over there in Yanse. Daughter of a Baron, it says.”
Anders blinked.
“Ah, I have met her then! A good sort, truly. She offered herself to me to secure safe passage for her comrades taken in battle. Even as the others looked on at her, in scorn, as if she were begging for her own life. She didn’t, if I recall correctly. Only theirs.”
The King, oddly, sounded suddenly pleased.
“So you’ve already had her in bed? You like her for the position of wife?”
He nearly froze, then cleared his throat.
“I’ve not had the pleasure, being that I was operating on your words of caution about ladies at the time. We did send her family sword back to her, I believe?”
Robarts grunted.
“I don’t have that here, but I recall that. At least now, with the names in front of me. She’s twenty-two, so a bit older, but not too much so. Is she a great beauty?” The words were interested.
Anders tilted his head then, not wanting to disparage the woman at all.
Still, he wasn’t lying to the King of his homeland or his Heir.
“Not when I met her. Then, that was dressed in armor under-clothing, and not made up for court. After a battle, as well. She does seem a good sort, as I mentioned.” More than once, now that he thought about of it.
The King went on then.
“Good. I’ll send a missive telling her that her proposal has been accepted. We explained the idea of five wives already, so that’s a known quantity in this. If she is of unfortunate looks, well, then I imagine that won’t be a real issue for you.”
Anders nodded, not being all that shallow. At least he liked to think that of himself. Then Robarts spoke, showing a different possible meaning of the words.
“Ah! Yes, you can alter her looks, perhaps?”
Clearing his throat, and rolling his eyes, for Depak to see, he smiled.
“You know, I don’t think that would be needed? Unless for her own honor or pride of place concerns. That, this whole idea of marrying like this, is...”
The King laughed. It wasn’t real at all. A slow and dark sounding matter, in fact.
“Oh, I can see that, Prince Anders. Still, we who rule often do not have a real say in such matters. Also, here in Istlan we have offers for you from Baroness’s Williams and Murry. You’ve met them both?”
He shook his head, even if the people in the distance couldn’t see him doing that.
“Only in passing a few times, for each. Mother tried to set up greater meetings, but I was always too busy. A matter that was truly real, not me avoiding them.” Even if the idea had occurred to him at the time. Part of him.
The old historian portion.
Robarts moved, in that far off distance.
“I see. So, did either of them catch your eye, in passing? The thought is to have you married when you come back here. At least to the Istlan ladies, and perhaps Ellana of Yanse...”
Depak finally spoke up, his voice calm.
“Ah? Well, we need to make certain that Princess Lissa and perhaps the Modroc choice are allowed to marry him first. There is a structure to such matters, and he does know young Lissa best, having traveled with her for several years now.”
Anders rolled his eyes again, then sighed.
“That isn’t incorrect. This is moving very quickly.” Only, it also wasn’t. He was very nearly fifteen, which young to marry, but not the thirteen he was when the idea had first been mentioned.
The King made a soft noise in the back of his throat.
“Very well. You can marry those two there, in Barquea, or, no, you should go to the other Princess, after the first wedding. Check that with the Sulat, of course. I don’t know if the expected order of marriage will be allowed, since the man might wish that first spot for his own daughter?”
It made good sense to at least ask after such a thing. That, the Modroc sister of Sweyn was another individual who he’d never met. She was said to be pretty. At least by Eltha and her own sister. Not that it truly mattered. Insisting that another person look a specific way seemed wrong to him, suddenly. Selfish. It was enough if these ladies were simply good people.
Finally, the men let him and Depak go, so he did his own magical muttering, recalling the memory of each part of the speaking spell, not realizing that he should have checked on the man before contacting him. Still, there was the noise of a room, with writing taking place, and after a moment, speaking coming from Princess Aisla.
“Do you think that Anders and the others are at the front there, yet? I heard from Lissa a few days ago that they had to detour, to see Uncle Josa, since he lives along the path they were taking. They might still be there, I suppose.”
Anders spoke up then, answering her.
“We’re leaving for the front in the morning, in fact. Right now we’re about two or three miles from that, in a rear encampment that we made.”
That was heard only by Alpert, so he tied them both, then, bothering to check this time to find Leopold was in the room, as well. He needed to make a personal magical name for the child first, but that only took a minute.
About the same amount of time it took for the others to speak about what he’d just said. Not seeming too shocked at all.
“There! Hello Princess Aisla, Prince Leopold. This is Anders, your brother? I’m using magic to speak to you. Right now I’m down south, across the ocean.”
“Anders! You can talk in my head?”
The words surprised him, being decently clear, if still coming from a small child. He wasn’t any older than three yet, he didn’t think.
“Exactly. In your ear, specifically. The right one. Have you been taking lessons as of yet?”
There was a soft noise, the old people being ignored, since they’d gone silent.
“A little. I’m learning, um, Yansian and some letters.”
That seemed right, for a little boy.
“Good! When I get past there next, we’ll start learning some magic. How to memorize spells and simple things like lights and sounds. Colors, too. Now, we have news, since we’re traveling to the Natech lands in the morning. It was suggested that Great One Walden go with us, to stand for Yanse? Not that he has that place yet, but I can’t do it, already standing for two lands.”
Prince Alpert spoke then.
“Is it safe for him, do you imagine?”
“Oh, no. Not at all. He’s ready for it, but safe? I can’t presume that in any fashion. Cousin Collin is going in his own person, so... There is real danger.” Honestly he didn’t think that sounded correct, even if he understood the plan that way. Which he mentioned. “Prince Roald set that up. To promote Collin with the Sula. I believe. Really, I think that’s the plan for Walden as well, only with you up there. As the future Great One there?”
Not that he wouldn’t have to try for the position, with others battling for that spot. They had six or so very good magic users, after all.
Possibly more than that.
“Truly, you should open a call for that. Illian Darca the Illusionist should be asked after for that, no doubt.”
Alpert spoke a single word. The sound of a pen scratching paper coming before the words did.
“Baruda.”
That was what Anders had called the man. He was an amazing illusionist. That single word simply meant illusion in Yansian.
“That’s the one. He probably won’t get the spot, not being a war mage, but he should be invited to try for it. Also, you should see about hiring him on at court there, to perform, if he’s willing. Truly, we should get him in for that regardless. Maybe in Istlan and down here, as well?” He owed the man a rather large debt, after all.
One that he didn’t think he could ever repay. The man had challenged an entire army to save women and children he didn’t even know from rape and beatings. Using only harmless illusion as his shield and weapon. The commander of the soldiers had nearly had him put to death over it but had released the woman and children instead.
Anders, using all the magic he’d been able to at the time, being very far away had asked him to do it. Begged, truly, if in the voice of others. It had nearly killed him to attempt the message, at the time.
“Illian, soth.”
Little Leo spoke up, responding to the words.
“Illian, aid? I don’t know that name... The man you just spoke of?” He sounded sad about that. Also like a tiny child, which he was. Clearly one who was intelligent, however.
Anders explained.
“I’ll tell you the whole story when you’re older. I was just thinking that I owe Illian Darca a debt that I can’t ever truly repay.”
Aisla cleared her throat, speaking clearly and a bit firmly.
“We’ll invite him and put him on the list of candidates for Great One. Walden as well. Though, if he chooses to go to the front of a war like that it has to give him a real edge over anyone else trying for the spot, at the moment.”
Alpert snorted.
“That it would. Who else do you like for that, Anders?”
He thought for a moment, then closed one eye, tilting his head.
“Prince Daren, Master Jeld, your court wizard, um...” Nothing came in response to the man’s name, even if they’d met ten times or so.
He could bring up the face clearly, but not the name.
Alpert scratched the words down, it sounded like.
“Master Burrows? He’s learned much of many magics over the last years.”
That was the name, though he sighed, since it was rare that his memory failed him that way. It happened however. At times. Anders didn’t love it, however.
“That’s the right man. I’ll look out for others who might wish to try for such a position? Are you accepting people from any land for that, do you think?” He was on a different continent, after all. He could meet someone right for such a position.
The prince, his father, chuckled.
“Indeed! Though, you like Walden for that for now? I... Suppose we can’t stand in his way. Only if he chooses the risk, however. Otherwise...”
Anders could understand the words and even agreed with them.
“Then we’ll put him with the others at the forward base to work there, for some days. They can travel back and forth each day, now that we have horses for everyone. Oh, do you both recall Juniper, the pony?”
Leo clapped.
“Pony!”
It was very lively seeming. Happy, as well.
Alpert spoke then, instantly.
“I do. Is she well?”
He cleared his throat.
“Very much so. It turns out that she’s a thinking being. Her entire people are. Natech war ponies. We collected several others a few days back, of her kind, you can speak to them using wizard skills. Which I failed to even try consciously until around two weeks ago. Oh, we’re also traveling with about a hundred or so Devica. They have a reason to travel in the same direction that we are, so we’re going over languages. Prince Naveed and Mage Niven are working with Mage Mary to see to that for us while the rest of us are gone. Roald and Sabine are guarding the Heir, for safety.” Not that the man wasn’t up to doing that for himself now.
Aisla chuckled.
“That all sounds unlikely, doesn’t it? They’re tiny children, after all.”
Anders could understand the thought.
“Yet, they volunteered for it and each knows hundreds of spell portions. Complete single word spells as well. They all, everyone with us, including the army men, managed to beat sixty spells in sixty minutes. All of them. Everyone with us here.”
Aisla gasped.
“No! That’s... Even Sabine and Roald?”
“Everyone with us. Which means the real training can begin.” He nodded to Depak as he spoke those words. “At least once we finish up here. That will take... An unknown amount of time, depending on what we find in the coming days.”
Armed with permission, he said his goodbyes, and promised to speak to Leopold soon, since the child asked, and to update the others when news came. Then he broke the connection between them, which came as a relief. Even if he liked them both well enough. They weren’t close, after all. Which was his fault, traveling all the time and living in a different land as he did, when he wasn’t off visiting and playing at war.
Which didn’t bring him closer to the man who was his father at all. He hadn’t even known who he was until he’d turned twelve. When he’d nearly died. Three years before. It felt like it had been less time than that, even if some of the events had seemed to drag on forever at the time. He’d been so busy that it had been hard to keep track of it all, at the same time.
With more still ahead of him to learn and do. That got him to smile, since being too busy was better than being bored. Most of the time at least.
Free of that burden, the one that family brought to him, he closed his eyes for a moment, then shook his head.
“Right, Walden first. I’ll go and ask his desire on that. He seems so young, but... He’s twelve, I think? Roald said thirteen, but...”
“Yes. That’s recent, but his age, is thirteen now. I need to speak to my apprentices about the coming trip. It’s the first time we’re purposefully taking them into such danger, after all. Training is important and useful, but...”
He understood, without the man even saying anything.
Both of them stood and left, with Anders finding Walden sitting with Niven in the great front space of the small palace, working on illusions. He stood back and waited for them to finish, since they were making a man. With Niven doing the bottom section and making the legs move, dance and walk, with Walden struggling to match him on the top portion. It wasn’t truly working, but as a game it seemed like it might be fun.
When the illusion fell apart, some moments later, when the legs started to spin in place, Anders clapped his hands.
“Well done! Now, Walden Sona, do you wish to go with us to the Natech lands? It won’t make you the Great One of Yanse, but I was just speaking to Regent Alpert and he did allow that you could take that place in the field here, if you wish. Or, you could do the sane thing and stay at the front line base working there. Both will probably be mainly building structures. One of them will simply take place with a lot more danger being involved.”
Then Anders waited, receiving an instant nod from the red headed boy.
“I was planning on going already. Someone will be needed to play servant and all that. Niven should probably be going as well... He’s very good.”
Anders nodded.
“I know. We’re holding him back with the others... to avenge us if we’re killed. You understand what that means, if you go?”
There was a somber nod.
“That I might die?”
“Yes. Also that you might need to become even better than you have been, in order to survive. Work on that. We leave at first light.”
Chapter eighteen
Anders flailed as someone attacked him in his bed. Only, when he opened his eyes, the room black, he honestly couldn’t see or hear anyone. Not at first. Then, softly, a voice came at him. As if speaking but very far away.
“Great One of Istlan, you are needed to do your duty.” Then he was shaken again. A lot harder this time.
Blinking, he sat up, the jostling ending suddenly. Thinking, being far too slow to save his life if he had been under attack, Anders spoke. Softly.
“Niotha, Fen.” That allowed him to both see and hear which of his Devica friends had come to meet with him.
Only, the giant red being, seeming almost to be made of pure, suddenly very real seeming fire, took up most of the room. For a moment he worried again, as if the being was there to end his days, except that he was still alive. Still taking in breath, even if it tried to come quickly.
The being was the largest and brightest such he’d ever witnessed.
“Hello! Do you have need of me?”
The voice, calm and low before, sounded like thunder in a music hall. It was loud, but not so much as to cause pain. Awe, certainly. Things tightened inside of Anders again, but he forced a smile.
“It worked? Excellent. Word has passed that you here, some of you, have learned to hear us, in these last days. My name is Decanda. I live up in Istlan, most of the time? I noticed that a small army of what seems like your kind of person is moving from Dora in the north, seeking to ravage the city of Norwid. They have a good castle near there, with magic users who can, I believe, defeat the threat, but they are to be ambushed in the night. I tried to warn them, but none of the men and women roused to my words, so I thought of you. Is that allowable, do you think?”
Anders had to blink. Scrambling to work out how to contact anyone in a city he’d never heard of.
“I need... I don’t think I know anyone there. They have mages?”
