Hostages, page 10
That wasn’t how a hostage situation worked, from what he’d always been told. A person, often a child or woman of good birth, would be sent to an enemy, as a surety of good will from a person who was defeated or even seeking a peace treaty. That showed on his face, apparently, since Robarts cleared his throat.
“Count Rentice isn’t known for being a kind fellow. I’m sure the idea is to send you forth, then allow the Count to treat you as is his custom. Ending in his death.” The man shook his head, but smiled, gently. “Meaning that the good Baron has heard the tales about you, but not all of them. We know that Anders would probably win the Count over, being useful and charming, instead of striking out like a mad man. The Count is... Not pleasant, all the time, but he isn’t insane about it. He’ll have heard of you as well. Still, we can’t countermand the Sula’s requests of one of his Princess just for a baron. Even if he’s your grandfather.”
There had been papers signed to that end, of course. A thing that Anders had more or less ignored, as being anything more than a sign that he and Baron Brolly weren’t going to try and kill each other. Still, that meant something, even if he wasn’t fond of the man from their few meetings. He’d tried to murder him, as a baby, after all.
Yet, he was family, at the same time. A thing that Anders didn’t really know how to handle.
“Ah. I could send some coin, instead? To act as a surety, for the Baron’s good will?” That was also a thing, he’d heard of.
Prince Robarts sighed, but nodded.
“That should be an adequate substitution. Only, if you do that, you might as well simply give it as a gift to the Count. Though, truly, if you have the time, showing up there and putting up some buildings for him could do just as well, really. That would cost you less and would be both a show of power, and a gift.”
Anders winced.
“Which is what happened with Duke Caldas. They were more afraid of me than they needed to be, and acted poorly over it.” Trying to murder him. Apparently three times.
The King closed his eyes, but nodded at the same time.
“A real point. Truly, no one assumes that you owe a duty to Baron Brolly, in particular. Especially when you have another duty to see to for several kings. You mentioned planning to ride to Barony Kilroy to aid with some construction there? That’s along the southern coast, toward Yanse. Not too far that way, only a five-day ride on horseback from here.”
Biting his lower lip, and stopping himself, since it was a poor habit, and he was literally sitting with the King and his Heir, Anders nodded.
“I should see to the healing in Kingston first, then ride north to Forestal, since it’s only a day out of the way, before heading to Barony Kilroy’s lands. That will only take about twenty days, if all goes well, giving me enough time to ready for the sea voyage before we leave. I can leave you with some coin to see to our travel needs, Salina?”
The Princess laughed, lightly.
“Or not. I have treasure enough for such things and more. Though, we should have you collect some, from a distance, using your new tricks? After you teach me what to do that way, of course.”
That made some sense, actually. If it was even possible. It should be, but wasn’t going to be the easy way of doing it. He had chests, three of them, mainly filled with gold, silver and gems, sitting at the college, at that moment. In his room there. One that he’d barely slept in, having been sent all over the world, instead. At least to the southern continent.
Which was fine, he supposed, for a young man. At least as long as he continued to learn while he traveled.
They were released soon after that, and he found he had company, heading back to the college campus, after finding Kip. Princess Lissa had found Darren and Javina, as well as the newest apprentice, and pulled all of them along, to learn the new magic. Depak Sona and Princess Salina joined them, which made good enough sense.
Anders coughed a bit.
“We’ll need Alice Cook as well.” He tightened his jaw then. Since he wasn’t that fond of her, if he was going to be truthful about the matter.
Darren looked away, but nodded after a moment.
“That... I can’t avoid her forever. That didn’t go well, but I refuse to act shamed by it. I’m certain she won’t.”
The woman, a servant at the castle, had gotten with child by one of the men from Modroc. A fellow who hadn’t been allowed to marry her, due to orders, being on a political mission. Darren, enraged by his fiancée betraying him, and the man, Natan Shmidt, refusing to be honorable about it, after the fact, had poisoned the fellow, killing him. Nearly starting a war.
Anders had handled it, with the death of an innocent man. One who he personally hadn't thought much of, which had worked for him, perhaps, but Darren had actually been the dead man’s friend. At least Anders thought that might be the case. They hadn’t been enemies, at least.
It was a thing that they hadn’t really talked about, being a sensitive topic for everyone involved.
At the same time, Alice Cook was the one castle servant who had kept up with her magical training. Mainly with Princess Lissa, but the younger girl was good as a teacher. Indeed, in that moment, she stopped walking, thought for a moment, then started to speak, almost in a chant. It was the old-style message spell, with a few elements that Anders hadn’t taught her, which probably indicated who it was going to, specifically.
When she was done, the cute young lady smiled at him, letting her shoulders come up and hands fly out a bit, at the same time.
“I called for Alice, as well as Jasmin and... Sowen. Apprentice Lethwin, as well.” She looked down, as if that weren’t going to be allowed, for some reason.
Even if it was a really good idea, given he’d just gotten back.
“We’re waiting for them here?”
The girl shrugged.
“I asked for everyone to just meet us there, not knowing what they’re doing right at the moment. I didn't check. We should probably just go?”
That worked, and Depak Sona, nodding, started in the right direction, at a good pace. It wasn’t a run, but Anders had to lengthen his step a little to make it happen. The others did as well, with Princess Lissa having to simply take more steps than the rest of them were doing. Still, the walk wasn’t too long of one, being only about a quarter of a mile, even if they went around to the far side of the school, near the back, since that part of it was where everyone actually lived so far. Near the kitchen. He thought that it was just him and Far, who came out, along with a floating green devica, who looked like a cloud hovering in the air.
A very faint one.
Anders waved to the man, and added in the cloud, even if he wasn’t certain who they were, exactly.
“Far! We’re having some people in. These and some others, to come for a lesson? As unlikely as that sounds.” He felt a little low for a moment, with Farad fueling that part of things. It was a school. A grand college that had buildings and looked nearly as grand as the castle of King Matheus, and so far, they’d given less than a handful of real lessons there at all.
The old man, who looked strong and unlined, but had pure white hair, and tan skin, clapped his hands several times.
“Wonderful! What lesson, if I’m allowed to know of it?”
Depak Sona grinned then.
“Anders worked out an improved method of acting at a distance. It seems easier?”
He nodded, explaining the idea a bit more clearly, since everyone there should be able to understand the basic concept.
“Using a spell to pull the magical force back into a single line or channel, like a water pipe, and wizard skills to guide it to the destination, less energy is lost in the distance. Some, still, of course. My guess is that what I did earlier was at about half power?”
Salina made a soft noise.
“That... Isn’t horrible at all. You caused men to die in Modroc, and it was at half power? That leaves a lot that could be done. Even a building might be put up, given that rate of loss...”
He hadn’t thought about doing work that way. Collecting things, killing people, since that had come up already, but not making a building, or a well. Some things, like a full-sized glass house, even if done slowly, would be beyond him, most of the time. At least being thousands of miles away. What he could do though would be working from a base within a given distance and putting things in place at need.
Not that he had anything against travel. That part made sense, most of the time, really.
People in Istlan needed to be able to put a friendly face to the magic being done. To see that the person doing the work wasn’t simply a force of darkness, but was an actual, living, breathing, human being.
Until the next war came. Then being able to set things up at a distance, such as buildings, or fortifications, or even removing fighters that way, might be required of them.
It took a lot longer to teach the new trick to everyone than most of the spell components did. That part was actually interesting. Mainly since, for nearly the first time, all of the men there, including Far and Darren, who were the weakest magically, did better at it than the women did. Mathia had come along, following Sowen and Lethwin, who had been visiting with her for some reason, as unlikely as that seemed. She was the first of the women to really make the new lessons work, having to only do it three times. Lissa had to try for five rounds of learning the new idea, and Salina took six, coming in last.
She frowned and seemed a little annoyed by that.
“I shouldn’t be the next Great One, should I? My accuracy and fine skills are too poor.”
Anders glanced at her and instead of rolling his eyes, shrugged.
“It took me six tries, too. Sure, you had me to help you with it, which is easier, but some things are always going to be harder for some people than others. With you it’s probably just that you’re so powerful that it’s hard to convince yourself that you really need special tricks to protect your strength that way. Which... Really, in the distance this will still help, but I know that I’ve spent more than one afternoon being jealous of your innate ability that way.”
Sowen, who wasn’t supposed to be her brother, or a prince, spoke then, snorting softly.
“I’ve felt that one myself, more than once.” No one glared at him, since everyone there, including Alice Cook, for some reason, seemed to understand who he actually was.
Anders made a face.
“That’s a bit out of turn, Sowen. Allowable for now, with an Apprentice Great One, perhaps, but she’s also a Princess of the land you’re from...” He didn’t sound ready to strike out at the man, but Depak looked at the former guard, and current regular apprentice.
“A point to keep in mind, when we aren’t working like this. Now, we need to use the new skill? I believe you were tasked to raise funds for the ocean voyage, Anders Sona?”
It was a strange thing to call him, even if it only meant Master Anders, as spoken in Scara. He grinned.
“Let me see what I can find? Something far enough away to be a good test. At the same time, the town of Farlow requested a new Chapel of Decanda. That would be a good challenge. Perhaps if all of you worked on that project? I can show you where that is, on a map.”
That meant drawing one, but several of them had actually been past the place before, so were able to find it with their minds, and then pull the others long with them to the right spot. It was actually brutally difficult for them, trying to work, to make a new, rather nice, building, without being able to see the location at all.
Technically Anders had been set the task himself. Really, he felt a bit poorly about it, not doing it himself.
On the good side, both Mathia and Depak were insisting that the religious house be special, which took longer, as well as heading back to the castle, to find books with pictures, so that they could make the statues and carvings in the walls correctly.
Sowen, Lethwin and Alice worked on furnishings for the place, including a small house behind it for whoever the priest or priests there were. Or priestess. It could be either, for that god. Some of the lesser gods were picky about who could serve them, but the big three were the gods for everyone.
Anders took some time to find a lost treasure, and was shocked when he found one under the ground, to the north. It was a thing that, as far as he could tell, no one living knew about. A vast vault of stone, buried, about five hundred miles away. Filled with bits of gold, silver, copper and jewelry. Gems as well. Uncut things, mainly, if he had the feel of them right.
It took a good bit of skill, and power, to uncover it from the depths, then to work the sturdy lid open enough to remove things inside of it. As the others worked, Anders set the spell in motion, and then waited for a while. The effect, when the coins started to rain down, without his having to gasp or suffer at all, was different this time. Normally the coins came slowly, a few at a time, from no more than ten miles away. Over the course of hours he could pull in a nice pile of riches that way, but only a tidy sum, not a heap or fortune. It took work to make that happen.
This time, even if he’d worked for hours, the coins rained down suddenly. Clanking and making enough of a din that Depak cleared his throat, a chastisement for annoying the other people who were trying to work that day.
They were working outside, in the evening light, near the kitchen door. Far had gone inside, to make food for them, but popped his head out, to see what all the clanking was about. After a moment, assessing the situation calmly, he grinned.
“Ah? Is this for Prince Darren’s groom’s gift?”
Anders didn’t recognize the name of the custom, but he shrugged.
“Part of it? I was testing my ability to move things at a distance, while everyone else gets to do the fun part of things. Part of this is for food and to hire the ship for the wedding trip. Are you coming with us on that? We don’t have any students in, and I should learn more about the devica, if nothing else. Plus...” He let his voice drop then. “We should see to Alice Cook, as well. I haven’t been doing a good job that way, myself. She’s learning even given my personal failure there. It’s...”
He didn't explain.
Apparently, he didn't need to. Far gave him a nod, as if to say he understood the reasoning.
“That sounds fun. Will everyone be well with our friends coming and going, do you think?”
He tilted his head.
“You know, for the ones working with us, they really will be. I don’t know about the sailors or officers on the ship. If we explain it well enough, they should be fine? Honestly, I should check on the Sea Leopard, regardless.”
That got a nod, even if it was a sudden shifting in topic.
The old man waved at the clattering pile of gold and silver that was rising in a heap, still. It was enough to be rather impressive, even if it hadn’t been made of ancient coins. They did look to be old, of course. He didn't recognize the marks on them, at least.
“We’ll need to split this up. Part for the school here, and travel funds for everyone. That gift for Darren and one for Baron Belford and his wife, down in Barquea.” He made a face then and sighed. “I need to look at his lands as well, if I have a chance. He was gifted some, by the King, on his promotion, but working and living on another continent means that he hasn’t been able to review them at all. There might be people there who could use some new buildings or a glass house or two.”
Sowen and Lethwin wouldn’t be returning with them, even if the former servant could have, if he’d wanted. He’d left under a bit of a cloud, the other palace servants not liking the fact that he enjoyed men in bed, but that hadn’t had him banished from the land. Sowen was supposed to be dead. Prince Beret was, at least. So him going back wasn’t a brilliant plan.
Which meant that they needed to find a place for him, before leaving. He was an able magician, if a new one, truly. Master Tolan had even taken him on as a student in wizard skills, Anders had heard. Lethwin as well. Then, it was possible that the Master was interested in Lethwin, being they both enjoyed men in the same way.
Given that the Castle Wizard had learned to reverse time as far as aging went, the man didn’t seem too old for that even. Lethwin seemed to be about twenty, and Master Toland looked no more than thirty now. It could have been something different than that of course, including mere consideration for the hardship that the men were going through, being so far from home.
“I need some boxes.” That meant moving to the woods near the school, and harvesting some deadfall.
In the dark. That was made easier by the large golden light he summoned, using a spell for it, so that it would hover over his head, leaving his hands free. It didn't take long to find the downed trees he wanted, and to strip them into long fibers. Then, carefully, he merged those into some decently plain chests, with wooden hinges that would allow the lids to slide off, or pivot in place. They couldn’t be locked, of course. Then, he figured everyone he knew could seal the wood together at the top.
To open it that way using magic, as well.
When he got back, not counting, he simply started to fill the various chests, while the rain of coins kept hitting the now rather large pile. It was nearly to the height of his shoulders as he worked, avoiding where the metal was hitting, since it would probably sting if it landed on him. A fact that he found out for certain, not too long after thinking that, leaning in with one of the smaller chests, and catching a small coin to the back of his head.
It nearly knocked him out. Hissing a bit, he forced a smile and pulled back. Salina, who was one of the people working on the building itself, walked over, sizing up the riches. Nodding, after a moment.
“I see. You’re giving me a chest of coins to spend for amusement?” She grinned, as if it wasn’t going to be a part of his plan.
“A small one? Help me fill these. Everyone traveling with us will get one. Sowen and Lethwin, as well. The larger one is for Darren and Javina, to get a start in life. From all of us, of course.”
