War mage crystals of mem.., p.4
War Mage (Crystals of Memory Book 4), page 4
Instead, the man relaxed, suddenly.
“Oh? Who would you send to the high meal then?”
Ducking again, Anders bobbed in place, just a bit.
“Princess Jasmin should attend, as should Sulana Meegan. I think... Depak Sona as well? We can lend you him for the event, but we should rather protect the others, if we can? I understand if the situation demands others, but...” He readied himself, to act humble, or even be struck, in case it was deemed to be a poor idea. Not that Prince Robarts had ever been anything except supportive of his efforts.
The man nodded then and looked concerned.
“We could have a small meal in the second hall? Is that appropriate? We should have someone in with them, to show that we aren’t stinting them. Who would you recommend for that?”
Again, he stared directly into Anders face, so that no one would mistake who was being asked the question.
It took a moment of thought, really.
“Prince Erold, his wife Princess Sweyn, and perhaps Princess Mathia, if any of them are available?” They were all younger individuals, but important, while not being so highly placed that it would seem out of place, them sharing a meal with the foreign Princesses.
That was a lot to ask for, and might seem out of place, since Sweyn was of the Modroc. Anders had a bit of a plan there, but didn’t know if anyone else would think it a good idea. Still, Prince Robarts simply nodded at him.
“I can ask after that? Regardless, we’ll have each of you in to meet with the King, in the coming days, if that won’t press you? He’s most interested in meeting you all. Anders... If we could meet after the event you have planned, this evening? Perhaps just before the meal for your event, if that works?”
That would give him a few hours to ready himself, so he nodded.
“That sound more than fine. Thank you, Prince Robarts.” He bowed then. Receiving one in return that didn’t seem ironic at all.
Chapter three
Anders had to scramble a bit to ready himself in time for his small magical spectacle. It was just a showing of the journey to the south, as well as a showing of the people from that far off land, in a friendly and light fashion. He did leave in a version of the large show that had been held for the common people in Lo’usa Tet, to show what was meant by doing a show for the people.
It wasn’t a complete story, truly, so he tried to make it more impressive, adding the music that he’d heard at several points, and showing dancing women in scanty costumes, which seemed to fill the room they were in and who moved around the individuals there.
That portion, who had come to see his little show, had shocked Anders at first. He’d expected to be performing for Prince Robarts alone, to be totally honest. Simply to illustrate what he was planning. Instead, the show room, a place that he’d never been invited to before in his entire time living in the castle, even if he knew it well, from having hidden behind its heavy curtains, many times, was filled with bodies. That meant at least a hundred people, all nobles and dignitaries were there to stare at his little travel tale.
Which meant he dressed things up, adding in blasts of warm air in time with the beat of the dragon’s wings, and, for the very first time ever in a show, added in scents at various points. He only had words to produced six such things, and needed only three of them. The scent of the ocean, tidied to not insult the noses of fine people, the scent of wood smoke burning and a particularly aromatic flower from the south. That one was put forward, made to seem like it grew over the whole room, between the people, just so he could share what it smelled like.
In short, for half a candle mark, Anders danced, waving his hands, muttering softly and working in a trance, visualizing images as carefully as possible. Especially when he showed the Sula and his wives, since giving insult there could give way to a war. That meant the man was a bit taller and slightly more attractive, without it being too much. Each of his wives was shown as realistically as possible, so that no one would accuse him of maligning them. Given Sulana Meegan was there, in her own person, watching the event, he understood that the whole thing would be reported, when she returned back to her homeland.
In the end, panting, standing to the side, he caused the room to go dark, then let the lamp light return to the room. Sweat dripped from him, so he covertly used a bit of magic to take that away from his skin, leaving him dry and more comfortable. The trick was using a small clay pot, about twenty feet away, to collect that up. Hopefully it wasn’t a thing anyone would need, in short order.
The size and shape of the space they were in altered, the back wall returning, showing the heavy red curtains with their golden ropes of silk and narrow stage, which went only about twenty feet back, to a heavy stone wall.
When Anders had done something similar in the palace of Sula Darian there had been a silence when he’d finished. This time was different. The nobles in the room, nearly as one, stood up, and started to pound their hands and feet, while calling out.
“Huzah!” A good dozen people were saying it, which he supposed was nice to hear. Better than the eerie silence of that other event.
Then, even if it had never really happened to him before, he was suddenly attacked by people from the audience, who, instead of giving him a well-deserved beating, simply hugged him, or pounded him on the shoulders. One of those, the first man there, was Baron Kilroy, in fact.
“Anders! That was... I’m left without words! Simply amazing! I feel as if I was the one on that journey, now!” The fellow smiled, and was pushed, a bit less than gently, out of the way. By Princess Peri, who smiled as she did it, leaning in to hold Anders.
“That... I agree Baron. A marvelous production.” She was supplanted, more gently, by a dozen others, all pressing in, rather uncomfortably.
Finally, after five minutes of this or so, he was confronted by Duma Sett, and her apprentice, Eltha Tenet. The older woman, who was far from old at all, smirked at him.
“So, High Master of Illusion, what do you have planned next?” The words were mirth filled, and not actually sour, even if they could have been taken that way.
He just grinned back and snorted a bit.
“High Master now? I fear I can’t meet that mark, even as a jest. I’m not even an apprentice in such things. Still, you think it was a worthy effort for a novice?” That portion of things was always hard for him. He got that he was making things happen and that they seemed to be functional enough, but he honestly couldn’t tell if he were doing things in a way that pleased others. Not really.
Eltha laughed then and shook her head, no one else moving in, finally.
“Truly, that was a very good presentation. The quality of the illusion could be improved, of course, but you also added other effects, which I can’t do, myself. Even at that, at times I felt as if I was watching the scene unfold for real, even looking for all your flaws and areas that need to be improved.” She shook her head then, giving him a sly look, from the side of her eye.
As if he were going to whine about her critique of his efforts.
Instead, he simply nodded.
“We can speak of that? Where I need to improve? Then I can, at least possibly, learn to do better, in the future.”
The words, honestly meant, got a laugh from the Duma.
“See, Eltha? This is what we must strive for, in our own work. You seek to tease him in his greatness, and he turns that into a way to become even more than he is. I agree though, let us scour this performance like fiends and curry favor by offering small corrections that most here wouldn’t notice anyway. We can meet for that, soon?”
He nodded, thinking about what his schedule might be like, in the coming days.
“That would... Perhaps tomorrow, when I come to clean the rooms in the morning? I’ll have Daren Willet in as well, so that he can clean your rooms with magic, while I stand back and call out suggestions he doesn’t need from me?”
Both women smiled, but looked puzzled.
“Daren will use magic?”
Anders waved that away. It was odd, after all.
“Yes. He’s also learning illusion, now. He started today, so we’ll want to push him for a bit. He’s planning to go to the front soon, to act as a healer and war mage there. I’m going with him, so we can’t rest too much in improving our skills. You can demand tests of us, to push us to greater things, perhaps?”
There was a clapping, from behind the women, who both turned to see a very well-dressed Depak, standing near Hoatha, who was in fine silks, but not in a robe, being dressed in very Istlan fashion, instead.
The Great One of Barquea smiled, a big enough thing that his mustache moved.
“That would be a very good idea. Especially in the area of illusion. You should both also seek to learn skills in magic from Anders? He’s the best teacher of such things I have ever encountered. Daren, the room servant?” He spoke as if he’d missed what the conversation had been about, before walking up, which was likely.
Duma Sett nodded then.
“He’s learned much of such things, I hear? We shall test him, then. If he’s learned much, we should seek to take him home, after the ending of his trials here?” There was a smile with the words, but Hoatha bowed in her direction, using the Barquean style for such things.
“If you can draw him there, that would be to the benefit of your land. As would taking lessons, as recommended. Even I have been sitting in on those. I have to agree, I have never seen a better teacher than Anders here, for such things. He has several students, each a power in their own right, after mere months of learning.”
That had a gentle nod, coming from Eltha, who smiled at the young-looking man. After all, Ganges was attractive enough and held a look which wasn’t too different from the people of her own homeland. Then, in the fashion of that place she cleared her throat and spoke in a way that could have easily started a fight, if she were speaking to a man of Istlan.
“Who are you then? Some expert in the mystical arts, I suppose?” There was a playful derision to the words, which, Anders finally understood, was actually her flirting, not being mean to the fellow. Allowing him a chance to prove himself, or at least explain, while coming to her attention.
He chuckled a bit, and bowed, slightly. It was a very informal thing.
Depak hid a grin, covering it with his left hand.
“Ah! Yes. This is my father, Hoatha Eta. Once a Sula of Barquea and the man who created the magic that we use there now, in the first place.”
Anders nodded at the words.
“He’s also working with Daren? I know, Eltha, you should work with Hoatha and make certain we’re all ready to go off to war. We need to find something to keep him busy, that isn’t really work... You two can meet, say mid-day tomorrow?”
Duma Sett went still for a moment, then snorted.
“You seek to heal the rift between Modroc and Barquea through a marriage of great persons? I don’t know if Eltha will count for that, truly. She’s mighty in illusion, so prized for that, but youthful still. Also, she’s of no particular level of birth, in our land.”
Anders waved that away.
“You know, I don’t think that really matters. We can make up titles for her, to repair such things. I’ll ask King Mathias about that idea, if we meet. The common man and woman care only that the wars won’t come again, too soon. At least to their own homes. If we tell them that some woman they’ve never heard of is being sacrificed to ensure that, they will prize her well enough, I think.”
He was trying to do his own teasing, but wasn’t certain it was coming across well at all. Instead of letting Hoatha speak, his son, looking at least two and a half decades his elder, smiled richly.
“Very good, Anders. We should investigate that. Later though. Make a note of it, so it isn’t forgotten? Now, I believe I was to be sent off to the high table of the King? That’s perhaps a bit off, being that I am only here as a private individual. Still, it’s good to know that I am being considered a friend. We should speak later, Clarise?”
Duma Sett nodded then, smiling.
“Yes! I have missed our... Talks. I feared we might never meet again. Yet here you are, back to see me, after only mere months? The war is over, even. I received a missive to that effect, only weeks ago, in fact. Something about a river coming into being in an inconvenient place? I’d love to hear how that happened.” She looked at Depak, as if she already knew what had taken place there.
The man himself merely chuckled a bit.
“Oh? Well, for that story, you should perhaps ask Daren Willet. I wasn’t there to see what happened, only hearing of it later.” Then, being enigmatic, possibly on purpose, the man walked off, smiling just enough to seem pleasant about it.
As they’d spoken the room had emptied, since it was time to sit for the late meal. He figured that he could sneak into the low hall, and eat there, easily enough. He’d been gone for a time, but the folk there were used to seeing him. It wasn’t until he got out into the gray stone hallway that Prince Erold grabbed him. That was into a hug, with much slapping on the back.
“There you are! That show was... Hmm... I don’t know... you can do better than that, don’t you think?” There was a smile being fought from his lips, as Sweyn moved in, the tall, dark skinned girl holding him closely enough that it was probably improper. He did it back though.
After all, if he was going to be thrashed by Erold for it, he might as well at least try to enjoy it. More to the point, it was clear that the Princess was feeling a bit lonely, even on meeting her for mere seconds.
“Don’t worry, Anders. When we go to visit my home, we’ll take you with us and there you will be appreciated. Those with magic are, as they deserve.” She looked at her husband, a bit grumpily, though he grinned at her and patted her on the arm.
“That’s probably just the truth, isn’t it? That was... I have no words. I cried. I won’t even hide that, Anders. That you managed a thing of such beauty... Truly incredible.” Those words just got a nod in return.
“Truly. Still, there are things to improve, if I ever have the time. Oh, you can clear your schedules for a time? We’re putting you in magical lessons, and increased fighting practice, Erold. Sweyn... I have a project that I’d like to beg your aid in, as well. It will mean working with Princess Salina, which... Well...” He ducked his head then, and looked around. “She’s doing well enough lately, but can be a bit bratty and entitled. Not that you heard it from me. The other Princesses are all better than that, but Salina is the one who agreed to help work up plans for a palace for Duke Lister. I understand if you want to work with the other ladies, instead, but please give Salina a chance? She honestly is doing better.”
He waited, not truly thinking that he was cleverly tricking the short haired girl at all. He was hit, on the arm, for trying.
“You want me to work with a recent enemy?”
Sighing a bit, he nodded.
“That too, of course. Working together to support Duke Lister will be a powerful sign that old grudges can be placed behind us. Doing that soon is better than waiting. Clearly though, work with Princess Salina, but become friends with her other sisters. Princess Jasmin is to marry the Duke, and is a kind woman, for a princess. Her younger sisters are just as kind. At least the ones we brought with us. So, befriend them, if possible? If nothing else, it will give you a way to gain information about a former enemy. The other way around, of course, so be careful there?” She was a Princess of Istlan as well, after all. That meant he had to take her side in things, regardless of anything else.
There was another hug, which was quicker this time.
“I think I understand. How do I meet these ladies?”
She looked up, as someone closed with Anders, from behind. He turned, ready to fight, his right hand prepared to make whoever was there explode, his left readying a shield. It was just Prince Robarts though, who smiled.
“We have that ready, in the small hall? A meeting for you two, Princess Mathia, and the Princesses of Barquea. Anders will guide you through that. We... I didn’t know who they might want there, so prepared a separate meal for their people. Is that welcome, do you think? We can alter things, if we hurry.”
Anders snorted a bit, but grinned, half expecting to be glared at for the rude noise. Robarts just looked hopeful.
“That’s nearly perfect. I was just telling Prince Erold that we were putting him in magical lessons in the morning, so his schedule will need to be cleared. Can that be arranged? We need Princess Mathia if she has the magical skill. You as well, of course, Princess Sweyn? Eltha Tenet... I think the plan is to marry her off to Hoatha Eta, Depak Sona’s father. At least I was teasing her about that, earlier and we should try to carry that forward enough for it to age.”
Princess Sweyn tittered, hiding her smile by turning away.
“That’s a kindness. Still, perhaps someone closer to her own age? The father of Ambassador Depak must be, what, at least seventy?”
The men there looked at him, as if interested in the idea, for real.
So, he nodded.
“Older than that. A High Magician and skilled in all other kinds of magic, however. All of them. If she can capture his heart and take him home with her, she will have increased the power of her land greatly. He had to fight against your people in this war, so that might cause strain, but if she can look past that, it would be a great thing.”
It really would, of course. Perhaps not being the best thing for Barquea, in the long run. Modroc was weak in personal magic, and relied heavily on spirits and powerful beings that possessed people, instead. Part of that seemed to be that they lacked the basic magical skill in the same levels as most other peoples, for some reason. They had some though, and if they were clever, getting Ganges the Great and Terrible to train them could lead them to being most powerful, eventually.
