Holtsclaw, page 14
part #3 of The Master Mage Chronicles Series
“Ah yes, exactly right. Now, a formal welcome to Holtsclaw, Melania Vonn of Suerca. I see you have met Princess Moriah of Tumano and Mage Marcus Aurelius, someday to become the Lord High-mage of Iber. You don’t mind if I use your titles, do you? Formal introductions, and all that?”
Moriah answered. “No, Mage Arnold, we don’t.” She turned to Melania. “But here in Holtsclaw, titles and wealth mean little. We are all interns and treat each other as equals.”
Mage Arnold gave a little grunt. “True. But as you will see, Melania, some consider themselves a bit more equal than others. These two don’t however. You are in good company with them as your mentors.” He turned to Moriah. “You know where to take her for orientation? I believe the head house-mistress has her room assignment, linens and all that.”
“Yes, I know what to do and where to go. Come, Melania. Marcus? See you for mid-day?”
“Yes, I’ll be waiting for you in the dining hall.”
Marcus watched them walk away, wondering just how this was all going to be resolved. There were scarce few accounts of compelled pairing. Compelled tripling was beyond imagining.
Marcus was sitting alone when Melania and Moriah returned. Mid-day meal was being served. Moriah led, followed by Melania, then Marcus. They made their selections and found a vacant table.
Marcus: What have you told her so far?
Moriah: Not much. I thought we should tell her together.
Melania: Tell me, yes, tell me. I am so confused. Does all this happen to everyone who comes to Holtsclaw?
Moriah and Marcus both laughed, out loud. Moriah mind-spoke. May the fata bless us, let’s hope not! What a mess that would be. Marcus, you are better explaining these things than I am. You take it from here!
Marcus: We will use mind-speak. What I am about to tell you is not something we would share with anyone else. Not that they would believe it if we did. He paused, collecting his thoughts. Let’s see, where to begin… I guess at the beginning. You have probably been taught that everyone with mage potential has a unique endowment. And that no two people have exactly the same gift. Although that is generally true, it isn’t precisely true. Your gift is unique to the time and place you were born. We, the three of us, were born at the same time, turn, turning, seven-day, day and time. There was a lunar passing at the time you were born?
Melania: Yes! It was always a running joke, being born in the dark rather the light. My father thought it a bad omen; My mother thought, if anything, it was a good sign.
Marcus: We, too, were born at that instant. Hence, we carry identical gift. And here is the issue. Persons are attracted to each other if they are both powerful and similar in gift. With us, having identical gift, we are not merely attracted to each other, but compelled to meet. The gift attraction is such that the stronger of the two actually pulls power from the other. And it continues until the very life-force has been withdrawn from the weaker. Death is the result.
Melania: And that was what happened to me? You were actually killing me?
Moriah: Not quite the way you imply. He did the same to me. It wasn’t anything he chose or had any control over. Our identical gifts sought each out as if they had a mind of their own. He and I were powerless to prevent it.
Melania: But you didn’t die, obviously. What did you do to keep her from dying? How did you prevent…”
Marcus: …your death? There was only one thing we could d. Or in our case, did do. Have you ever heard of the term pairing?
Melania: No. What is that?
Moriah: Here goes. Good luck, Marcus.
Marcus: It sometimes goes by the name of mage marriage. There is a power, a power of binding, called pairing. Two people, they have to be both strong in gift and highly compatible, can choose a deeper binding. It is much like marriage but based on gift, not on a civil contract. It is a life-binding and can never be undone. It is said that when one of the two dies, his or her gift pulls the life-force of the other with it to the grave. This binding of life-force, of gift, creates one consciousness of the two. Moriah and I are paired We maintain our separate identities, but we are constantly aware of each other’s feelings. And sometimes even our thoughts. We retain our own endowments, but our gift powers are combined and amplified. So together we are stronger than we were as individuals before we were paired. That’s what saved us, you see. When we paired, my gift ceased drawing hers. It actually reversed in an attempt to equalize the combined power we held.
Melania: So what are we now? A three-some? How is that going to work? Is it like I’m going to have both a husband and a wife? Tied throughout my life to complete strangers I met for the first time just this morning?
Moriah: You have to understand, Melania. This has never happened before. Not in recorded history. Compelled pairing has only been mentioned a few times in all of history. Tripling? Never.
Their meal had ended. To anyone observing, the three had been eating in silence.
Moriah: We need to go to the village and purchase you boots and uniforms. Are you feeling strong enough to do it? If not, we can do it tomorrow.
Melania: No, I feel fine. Let’s go and get it behind us. I can rest tomorrow, right?
Moriah: Well, usually no. But that is our decision. So yes, you can rest all day.
----- o0o -----
Marcus could not sleep. He reached out to Moriah. Are you there?
Moriah: So, you can’t sleep, either.
Marcus: We can talk? What about Melania?
Moriah: Soundly sleeping. This has been quite a day for her. She has not been sleeping well for several seven-days. And growing weaker and more restless as she drew nearer to Holtsclaw. Nearer to us.
Marcus: Have you thought any more about this? I did a scan of her endowment. She is incredibly strong in mind-gift. It will be interesting to hear her history. Especially how she has come to arrive a turn late. By the way, have you heard anything yet about Wilhelm?
Moriah: No. Poor Corinne is beside herself. I told you his family was divided regarding his return?
Marcus: Yes. You said it was about coin. Let’s hope he gets it all sorted out.
The final day of registration was sixth day. Hopefuls were pooling around the entrance, watching and waiting for mid-day when registration technically came to an end. Corinne, Marcus, Moriah and Melania were sitting on the campus green, desperately hoping for Wilhelm’s arrival. Mid-day came and went and hopefuls began queuing for any last-moment vacant beds. Sadly, the four prepared to return to their quarters. Corinne took one last tearful look to the gates.
“Wait! There he is!”
The other three turned to where she was pointing. A horse stood, heavily lathered and heaving with exhaustion. Wilhelm was scrambling from its saddle. He ran up the path to where they stood. He, too, was panting heavily. “Am I too late? Can I still enroll?”
Corinne was crying, tears bursting from her eyes. “I think you are too late, Wilhelm. They are already processing the hopefuls.”
Marcus took Wilhelm by the shoulder. “There may still be a way. You have the tuition?”
Wilhelm patted the fat purse on his belt. “I do, but there’s a lot of small coin to count. At least I think there’s a full three crowns here.” Now he, too, began to weep. “Father refused to pay. My mother took most of her jewelry to the money changers…”
Marcus grabbed him by the hand and pulled him to the entrance, to the desk of Mage Arnold. He had just finished with one new intern and was poised to process another.
“Mage Arnold, Wilhelm is here and is prepared to pay his tuition.”
“Sorry Marcus. Sorry Wilhelm. You know the rules. He has lost his position for this turn.” He sadly looked at Wilhelm. “There’s always next turn.”
Marcus invoked tiemp, taking very careful note of where he was standing. He went to his attic room, to the hidden alcove in the linen closet, and retrieved four gold crowns. He returned to the same spot he had left a few moments before, at least by his reckoning. He appeared to make a small, sudden move, a jerk, as he released time.
Marcus laid three crowns on the desk before Mage Arnold. “Perhaps, you could make an exception for our friend?” He laid the fourth crown on the table. “He is, after all, but a few moments late.”
Mage Arnold looked at the fourth crown, looked at Marcus, and looked again at the crown. He turned to Wilhelm and stuck out his hand. “Welcome back. Enjoy your second turn.”
Marcus turned to Wilhelm. “Congratulations. Now we have to go back out, tell the girls you are admitted. And take care of a horse.”
----- o0o -----
Corinne and Wilhelm were walking before them, hand-in-hand.
Melania: I take it the two of them are, uh, a couple?
Moriah: Yes, and more committed than I realized. You can see how happy they are to see each other again. Marcus, it’s clear Wilhelm has finally found his growth. I wonder when it will stop. He told us he has a tall family. Both father and brothers.
Marcus: Yes, glad to see it. He will have a much easier time with blades, now that he is taller and stronger. You know he is a merchant mage, strong in math-gift?
Moriah: Yes, and she in scholar. It makes for an interesting couple.
Melania: Then perhaps someday he will be able to buy her all the books she wants!
Moriah: Yes, but not any time soon. You heard his story, right?
Marcus: Only parts. I should like to hear it all.
Melania: As would I. I was up in my room and missed everything except the very beginning, when he flew off the horse and the two of you took off running.
Moriah: Well, the only family member wanting him to return, that is, besides Wilhelm himself, was his mother. There was a huge row between his parents. Wilhelm was grieved over the conflict and decided not to return. But his mother, now there’s a woman I would like to meet, collected all of the household budget under her control. Then took much of her personal jewelry, her portion of the bride-price, to the money changers. She gave Wilhelm the coin and got him out of the house unseen. He took their best horse and rode it nearly to its death.
Melania: My tuition was also a stretch for my father. But nothing that severe. The King stepped in to pay the balance.
Marcus: And we want to hear all about it. Your family is now our family.
Moriah: It was a great thing you did for him, Marcus. Without the extra crown he would surely have been sent home. He gave you the three crowns he carried?
Marcus: Yes, but I gave it back with instructions to return it to his mother.
Melania: How would it be to have an extra four crowns just lying about! This did not create a hardship for you? Four crowns?
Marcus: No, no hardship. There are many more crowns where those came from. My tuition for this turn and the next two? I paid in advance. If either of you encounter the same problem as Wilhelm, I have sufficient for you both. He looked at Moriah. And the way your father looks on things, that might become necessary!
----- o0o -----
Training began in earnest the next first-day. Marcus and Moriah ran with their troop of three-hand six new interns. They ran slowly. Melania, now at full strength gift-wise, was healthy and well. But she was in poor physical condition, as were most all of the first-turns. Running was followed by calisthenics followed by more running. The interns were advised to expect the same for the next seven-day.
Interns tended to take meals with their class mates. Melania, of course, sat with the foursome friends, ignoring the odd looks cast her way by both first- and second-turns.
Corinne spoke, directing her words to Melania: “How is it you have come a turn later than the rest of us? There has to be an interesting story there!”
Melania thought for a moment. “Well, yes, I suppose there is. As you know, my grandfather is the Lord High-mage to the King of Suerca. Everyone there knows I emerged as a mind-mage. It is, or at least could be, a dangerous endowment. So my father and grandfather were intent on sending me here to be ‘trained up´ properly. They even convinced the King to pay a part of my tuition. But, being the stubborn person I am, I didn’t see the need and refused to come. Then last turn, late in the third turning, I was suddenly pulled in this direction. The more I resisted, the stronger I was driven to come. So. Here I am!”
Marcus was thinking back to the turn before. And I know exactly when that happened. It was the day I passed through Castella and our gifts became mutually aware. From then on, her gift began searching for mine.
Corinne smiled. “Great story. And we are so glad you are here!” She spoke to the rest. “We have to change our group name. Now we’re the friendly five-some.”
After a day of unaccustomed exercise, Melania fell asleep both early and soundly.
Marcus reached out to Moriah. How are you doing tonight? Want to talk?
Moriah: Talk with you? Always! What did you think about Melania’s story. Of coming here a turn late?
Marcus: It’s a true account. When I passed through Castella, my gift detected hers. That’s all it took to pull her here. To us.
Moriah: This compelled attraction is a frightening thing. Actually, just having this much gift, and now the certainty of having more, is even more frightening. By the way, you still owe me an account of your third-turn activities. After you abandoned me in Cardston.
Marcus: I fulfilled a promise I made to a group of peddlers I met a turn ago. It was during my way here from Iber. They were plagued by many groups of thieves. I eliminated all the gangs on the direct route, from Atoile to Castella, and from Castella to here. But the southern routes, especially those along the coast, had become nearly impassable. It wasn’t just affecting the peddler. It was so bad the villages were not getting produce to market. And travelers avoided those routes entirely.
Moriah: So what did you do? The same as Mage Willis?
Marcus: Mage Willis?
Moriah: You’ve forgotten everything you learned from Mage Charlotte? He was in the book, remember?
Marcus. Oh now I remember! ‘From Tumano but worked in all the kingdoms.’ You almost missed a last-meal on her question.
Moriah: Yes, but lucky for me, you jumped to my rescue! Now, about the third turning past.
Marcus: I gave a couple of fast-moving peddlers a summoning stone. With directions to call me when they encountered bandits. When I was needed, I ported, suspended time, and disarmed them. I made them swear an oath to leave their thieving ways. Actually, I gave them a choice. Swear the oath or be banished to a distant land. All I would have had to do is open a portal to, say, Atoile, and push them through. Fortunately, nearly all of them took the option to make an oath.
Moriah: That doesn’t sound so severe. Why did you say you made a mistake? I believe your words were ‘I might have erred in what I did, or at least, in the manner in which I did it’.
Marcus: I told the peddlers they could not make mention of the summoning stones. That secret is safe. But tales will spread. Quickly and widely. Of a rogue mage with the power to port and exercise earth-gift. And of course, he rides a horse followed by a mule and a hound. And lest I forget. He attends Holtsclaw when he isn’t cleansing the highways of thieves. I need to tell you, there were more than a few murderers who met king’s justice. I slew them and buried them there on the spot. It was a great deterrent to the others. He paused, then added sadly. But it will only cause the stories to spread the faster.
Moriah: And become more and more exaggerated. It won’t be long until it reaches the king of Suerca. It’s likely he will demand an investigation. I’m sure everyone is pleased to have the roads and highways cleared. But the King might take exception to your actions in his name.
Marcus: You see it the same way I do. Good-night. Sleep well. I’ll see you in the morning at first-meal.
----- o0o -----
The agony of first-seven-day conditioning was over. Marcus and Moriah ate an early first-meal each morning and practiced tai kai To their surprise, many of the second-turns and even some who were older, began exercising with them. The first day of actual classes began with mandatory running and calisthenics. This was followed by, and introduction to, tai kai. But without blades. Marcus and Moriah then separated the class into trained and untrained, just as Master Aaronson had done the turn before. They asked the two groups to sit facing other, leaving five paces of space between. Moriah had withdrawn four steel long-blades from the Armory for the purpose of ‘a little demonstration’. Word spread quickly, and soon a crowd formed behind the first-turns. Kensey himself was the first to arrive.
Marcus: “Most of you are wondering why we just introduced you to what we called tai kai.”
Moriah. “It’s because each tai kai move – there are four-hand two of them -- is an important move with long-blades. Either in offense or defense.”
Marcus again: “When well practiced, it is also a form of entertainment called blade-dancing. Moriah has consented to blade-dance with me. By doing so, we hope you can get a glimpse of what is possible with dedication to your blade-training. You see we are using real steel. What we will do is not to be attempted by any of you.” Marcus moved a hand across his throat. “It’s dangerous!” They chuckled. The class did not.
Moriah: “And for you, no real blades. At least not for a few turns, anyway! Marcus, are you ready?”
They touched blades and began a slow recitation of the tai kai moves. “We hope you recognize a few of these moves from this morning’s practice. Now we are going to repeat them. But a bit faster.”
They danced, faster and faster, the flash of blades and clash of steel-on-steel was truly mesmerizing. With Moriah’s battle-mage endowment and Marcus’ judicious use of tiemp, they achieved a blinding, nigh inhuman speed of dance. They finally brought it to a close. They politely touched blades a final time and bowed to each other in respect.
One of the second-terns began to applaud. She was soon followed by all who had gathered to watch. Kensey, the arms-master, raised his voice above the noise. “Now I guess yuh see why they’s the instructors.”
