The way of courage, p.18
The Way of Courage, page 18
Bess simply nodded. Stone searched her face for a moment before sighing and setting off. A wooden fence set the boundary of the pastures, and Stone had brought them directly to a small gate set in the solid timber structure. Once through, he led them slowly toward a large farm complex that Bess could see almost a thousand paces away. Healthy looking cows were scattered over the pasture, and she could see a creek running along one side and several dams.
As they approached the complex, Bess could see a rush of activity as people moved back and forth between the buildings before everything went still. Two people, an older woman and a tall, well-built man in his twenties, walked to the edge of the complex to meet Stone and Bess. Both their faces were blank as Stone and Bess brought their horses to a stop. Even a cursory glance was enough for Bess to see what the issue was, but she said nothing.
Stone said, “Lessa, this is my current partner, Bess. Bess, this is Lessa; she owns this farm. Beside her is her son, Ryker. Lessa, Bess is trusted.”
Bess dismounted and said, “Lessa, Ryker, it’s a pleasure to meet you both. I’ll not break Stone’s confidence or trust. Lessa, your farm is beautiful, and Ryker, you look just like your father but without the scars.”
Lessa stepped closer and said, “Welcome, Bess. I apologise for the cold welcome, but Stone has never brought someone here before.”
Nodding, Stone stepped forward and gave Lessa a brief hug before saying, “I’ve never trusted anyone enough before. We can’t be long, but I’d like someone to come with us and bring the horses back here.”
Lessa took a deep breath, then said, “Another mission?”
“Yes. After this one, I’m coming home to stay.”
“If you come home.”
“I always come home.”
“Can you tell me anything?”
“No. We can stay for lunch, then we need to get moving.”
Ryker had motioned to the farmhouse, and eight children and teens, along with five adults younger than Ryker, appeared. Stone introduced them to Bess; three of the adults were his children, one was the husband of Stone’s oldest daughter, and the other was Ryker’s wife. The four oldest children belonged to Stone, and the other four were his grandchildren.
While Lessa prepared lunch, Stone and Ryker wandered around the farm so Ryker could show his father all that was happening and discuss their plans for the various animals and crops. Bess was left by herself, and she stood watching as the smaller children played and the teens returned to their chores. After almost half an hour, Ryker’s wife, Breen, came and said, “Stone must not only trust you, but he must also like you a lot. He’s been very careful to keep the family a secret from everyone in the empire. It isn’t against the rules for him to have a family, but it is frowned upon and probably would have affected his position. Lessa said I can’t ask you any questions, even about Stone. We know he works for the emperor, but only Lessa and Ryker have any idea what it is he does.”
Bess smiled and said, “Well, I also like Stone. He’s gruff but usually fair. You have lovely children.”
“Thank you. They’re a handful at times, but the whole family pitches in and helps. Lessa has stories of when she had Ryker and his sister here all by herself and Stone was away for months at a time. She’s determined we don’t have to go through that.”
“Do you think she’d mind if I asked to help?”
“You are helping. One of the teens is in the barn instead of helping to watch the children. Every now and then, Lessa peeks out to make sure you’re watching them, then gets on with her own work.”
“Well, if watching the children is my job, I’d best be more involved.”
Bess moved closer and began interacting with the children and joining in their games. She was chasing one of the smaller children around a tree when Lessa called out, “Lunch is ready in five minutes. Everyone wash your hands and head inside.”
Quickly catching the three-year-old, Bess carried her toward the house, tickling her as they walked. She put the child down several steps from the house and then straightened her tunic before looking up to see Lessa watching her. Lessa said, “It’s strange. I never imagined any of those Stone worked with would not only be so young but also be comfortable around children. I thought he was one of a kind.”
“I’m not in the same department as Stone, so I can’t comment on the others who work with him. Having a family out here is the last thing I would have expected. He usually acts like a grumpy, opinionated old man, stuck in his ways and dissatisfied with everything and everybody. As for being comfortable around children, I’m just missing my own.”
“You have children?”
“Two, a boy and a girl. Stone would be horrified I’ve told you, but I figure if he trusts me, then I can reciprocate.”
“I’m a little confused. I imagined he was like your mentor, but if you are from a different department, then why are you working together?”
“That, I’m afraid, is something I can’t share. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. Stone hardly ever shares anything and only then in the vaguest of ways. I’d expected he would loosen up eventually, but he’s just as focused on secrecy now as he was when we met. I’m surprised he brought you here just to get help with the horses.”
Bess looked around then said, “Then that isn’t his reason. There is something else that he either needs to do or wants me to. I suspect he’ll expect me to have worked it out before we leave, so I’d best get thinking. I’d hate to disappoint him after the trust he’s shown.”
Lessa also looked around, “You’re probably right. He never does something out in the open. Sneaky and secretive are his go-to options. I’ll let you think about it while I get the food on the table.”
After lunch, Bess was saddling Shadowfall when Stone approached. He said, “Lessa said you worked out I had another motive. What do you think it is?”
“I’ve no idea. Well, that isn’t strictly true. I’ve four options, and I don’t know which ones you know of. Well, that’s not quite true either. I know one of them isn’t the reason, but you probably would benefit from knowing. The other three are serious enough that I wish you’d trusted me less. One was obvious even as we approached the farm.”
Stone looked at Bess, then said, “I apologise. I should have discussed it first. I’m sorry. Keep them to yourself, and I’ll discover what I need to know another way.”
Bess shook her head and said, “It doesn’t work like that. Knowledge brings responsibility, and all of these three things need dealing with.”
“Then I’m doubly sorry. What are they?”
“For you personally, I suspect that the most serious is that Lessa has a lump in her breast. I can’t tell if it is cancer or not, but there is only one that I can sense. It’s close to where her lymph nodes are and is large enough you may have felt it when you were here last. You know I have some healing ability, so you may have wanted me to do or recommend something. I could either try and heal it, destroy it, or I could cut it out.”
“Cut it out?”
“I’ve read of the procedure in some books I have on healing, but I’ve not heard of it being done by the mages or healers in Tar Eylia.”
“Destroy it?”
“Using heat, gravity, electricity, or even sound, I could destroy the cells within the lump. The body would then get rid of what was left, or I might remove them using magic.”
“I did not know she had a lump, or I would not have waited for so long before finding a solution. We may have to move faster than I like later tonight, but I would have her healed before we go if possible. I’ll need to talk through the options with her. What was the second thing?”
“Your daughter, Halo, has bruises on her arms and torso. From their shape, I think they are caused by someone grabbing her roughly and striking her. Her oldest has similar bruises on her back and shoulders.”
Stone stood straighter, and his voice was cold as ice. He said, “Again, I did not know this or even suspect it, or Martin would already be dead. What is third?”
“Your boy, Efren, is a potential mage. I’m surprised he wasn’t discovered whenever the last time a magic-seeker tested him; I noticed his aether even as we approached the farm. Still, his barrier is very thin, and he should have been discovered a few years ago.”
“Thank you. I wanted you to check the children. None of them is registered. It’s to keep the family from scrutiny, and none of them has seen a magic seeker. If I’d registered them, the family would have been found. It’s been on my mind ever since Ryker was young, but I’ve never trusted someone before to check.”
“Unfortunately, you’ve put me in a difficult situation. By law, a law I’m not prepared to break, I must take him as my apprentice and have him delivered to the Academy.”
“You can’t. They will find my family.”
“You have no option. He must be trained, or he could kill you and the family. You’ve also involved me, and I have the option of taking him as an apprentice or killing him. Which one do you want it to be?”
“You know which one.”
“Then we are in a bind. We have a ship to catch, but I’m supposed to have him delivered into the hands of an official from the Academy. If he isn’t registered in the imperial records, he may be killed anyway. The only exceptions are vagrants, but he’d never be able to pull that off with his health, speech and education.”
Stone looked across to his son, then, in a voice hard as steel, said, “His safety comes before Marina’s.”
“For you, but now it isn’t your decision anymore, is it? It is mine. The strictures are unwavering, and I’m bound to them both by duty and personal conviction. Fortunately, the strictures say nothing of keeping the other imperial laws, and I’ve played fairly free with them in the past. I will take him as my apprentice, and he’ll have to come with us. Stop glaring at me. I’ve no choice, and neither do you. Suppose we postpone the trip to get Marina so we can get him to safety. In that case, the emperor and the academy will investigate everything about him and why he wasn’t discovered on search. The safety of your entire family depends on this. Now, do you have someone you trust who can have your son’s records added to the imperial archives?”
“Yes.”
“Then write to them and have Ryker take the message. It will need to be able to stand up to scrutiny by a mage. You’ll probably have to apologise to Lessa as I suspect the father’s name will need to be left blank. I’d have all the children included just in case someone checks up on him, and if he’s my apprentice, they’ll check everything several times. When I registered my children, I made certain to do everything according to the law; the files were legitimate before I had them misfiled, but these will be forgeries. I’ll survive the questions, but you and the family might not, so make sure they do a good job.”
Stone nodded, then said, “I understand, and I know you’re right. I just hate the idea of taking Efren into Kishmeld.”
“So do I. If I wasn’t committed to Marina and knew we’d neither get away with this nor have another chance to get away to help Marina without people knowing, I’d postpone the trip. Go discuss this with Lessa while I talk with Efren.”
“What’s the fourth thing?”
“Breen’s pregnant with twins. She’ll need some extra care from whatever healers and midwives are in the area.”
Stone shook his head and said, “I’ll let Lessa know. She can tell Breen and Ryker in a few eightdays, so it isn’t overshadowed by the other news. I’ll send Efren over to talk with you.”
CHAPTER 2
Bess moved away from the farmhouses and sat under a tree. She’d been waiting for about five minutes when Efren walked tentatively toward her. He was fourteen and, during lunch, had been mostly quiet, although he had answered a few of her questions and called her Bess. Stone must have said something as he was even more reserved and said, “Your Grace, father said I need to talk with you.”
Bess came to her feet and said, “What did your father say?”
“He told me you were a duchess, and I should call you ‘Your Grace’ and not ‘Bess’. He also said you were a mage and needed to talk with me, and I was to answer all your questions as honestly as I could.”
“Efren, what do you know of mages or magic?”
“Not much. Father has described what mages can do, but he doesn’t trust them very much.”
“Have you heard of magic-seekers?”
“Yes. Mother explained we weren’t registered so people wouldn’t know about father and that we wouldn’t be tested.”
“OK. Sit down, and let me tell you a little about magic and why we have magic-seekers.”
Once he’d taken a seat, Bess gave a simple explanation of magic and why it could be dangerous if not controlled. Finally, she said, “So, according to the law, and to keep your family and the others in this area safe, I’m required to either take you as an apprentice until I can deliver you to the Academy of Magic, or I must kill you. Your father asked me not to kill you, and he will arrange for your records to be added to the empire’s. The only other option left is for you to become my apprentice. This means I will be your master in every aspect of your life. I can tell you how and when to eat, drink, even breathe, and you are expected to obey me. My words are to be obeyed above those of your parents and anyone else in authority. Even the emperor can only give you directions through me.
“I don’t want another apprentice at the moment, and you will be both a burden and a distraction at a time when I need to be absolutely focused on a mission for the emperor. As my apprentice, you will need to come with me on the mission, and it will be dangerous. Your presence could ruin it and get us all killed. Still, I also don’t want to kill you, and your father has asked me not to. Even with the risks, I’m hopeful your father and I have the skills to keep you and us alive and complete the mission. So, you need to decide what you will do with this information.
“First, you can choose not to be my apprentice and not to be a mage. If that is what you want, I will kill you now to keep the strictures, save your family, and protect the empire. Your other choice is to agree to be my apprentice. You will need to commit yourself and your every waking moment to doing exactly as I ask, when I ask and how I ask. You must understand I will be taking you into one of the most dangerous places for a young potential like yourself. If you are caught, they will either kill you or torture and abuse you until you most likely become a mage who works for them and not Tarlonin. Choose.”
Efren sat and stared at Bess. Since she’d begun talking, he’d said nothing, and she’d seen the range of emotions he’d gone through displayed on his face. Finally, he said, “I don’t want to die, and I don’t want to become someone who might hurt my family. If it looks like I’ll be captured, will you kill me?”
“I can’t promise that. If you’re likely to be captured, I’ll probably already be dead or captured myself.”
“The only honourable way then seems to be to ask you to kill me.”
“I disagree. It is the safest way, but your honour is your own. If you are captured, you can still choose who you will be, even if everything is against you. It will be hard and dangerous, but if you decide how you want to live your life, I’ll teach you the skills to help make that choice become a reality. You’ll probably be killed, but you’ll have chosen that over being something you don’t want to be.”
Efren looked at her, looked down, then looked up and said, “I agree to be your apprentice and will do as you say.”
Bess nodded and said, “It is decided then. I take you, Efren, as my apprentice and will be your master. Go say goodbye to your family and pack a bag. Ask your father what you should include. You are expected to give a small bow to acknowledge the order and then say something like, ‘I shall do as instructed, Master’.”
Efren bowed his head and repeated the words, then headed back to the houses. Bess sighed and headed to the farm herself. They were in a hurry, and she still needed to heal Lessa.
It was another two hours before they left the farm. Bess had used aether to increase the entropy in the centre of the lump in Lessa’s breast. As the heat destroyed the surrounding tissue within the lump, she made minor changes to her weave until all the cells within the cystic or cancerous mass were destroyed. After checking the various texts she’d read, Bess applied pressure to the nerve leading to the breast, numbing it slightly. She then used aether to form an almost microscopic channel, followed by a weave that drew the now-dead cells through the channel and out of the body.
Once that was done, and she was satisfied the lump was gone, Stone and Lessa had a talk with their daughter Halo. She told them of Martin’s desire to leave the farm and do something more exciting in the city and how he took out his frustration on her and her daughter. After showing Lessa and Stone the bruises and those on her daughter, Stone took Martin for a walk and returned alone. It took longer for Stone to discuss the issue of Efren with Lessa, but she finally understood the choices and helped Efren pack the things Stone had said he needed to take with him.
Stone and Ryker led the way, with Bess and Efren riding behind. Stone knew the trail well and, where possible, increased the pace; there were times when the four of them were galloping along the path. Just before eleven that night, Stone brought them to a halt just below the rise of the last hill which led down to Smuggler’s Point. He dismounted and was followed by the rest. After some last-minute instructions to Ryker, he said goodbye and let Ryker say goodbye to his younger brother.
As Ryker rode away with the horses, Bess lifted her large duffle onto her back as Stone did the same. Efren had a smaller pack which mostly had clothes. Bess said, “Stay a step behind me and only put your feet where I have put mine. From now until we are on the ship, I expect you to be silent.”
Efren nodded and stepped back to where he’d been told to stand. Stone looked at Bess, then nodded before moving carefully over the rise and down toward the small town that had been used in the past by those smuggling goods into Tarlonin. Bess said nothing but kept a weave on Efren so he was hidden from sight. Stopping before what was really a large village, Stone said, “Can you do what you are doing for Efren for all of us? We’re running late, and I don’t want to miss our ride.”
