Nine
More adventures and more Aravig
I had hours free until tea time, hours enough to consider using a tunnel to visit my parents. I would no doubt find dad in his study or mother in the parlour. I was heading back to the dorm and my room to give it a try, already half way home in my mind.
The dorm was empty as expected and I shut myself into my room. Perched on the edge of the bed I formed a picture of my bedroom and held it in my mind while I created the hole. The view stabilised and revealed the view from my door.
I stepped through and walked to my cupboards for fresh clothes before venturing down to check on my father in his study. I gave the door a quick knock and entered.
"Dad," I said as he looked up from the papers on his desk.
"Davor!" he exclaimed. "When did you get back?"
"I'm not," I said as my father stood. "You'd better sit down again you won't believe the tale I'm going to tell you."
My tale was expurgated and sketchy excepting I told him the truth about my magical powers. He had the patience to wait before bombarding me with questions, firstly about my magic and then about Rash, her flight and disappearance still unknown to him.
I took him back up to see the tunnel and he then asked if I still had his Jannaweed. I stepped through and removing the already opened package handed him the rest along with mother's herbs and condiments.
I stepped back through and took mothers goods back, leaving father to carry his pannier. Downstairs I waited while father took the Jannaweed to his study. From there we went to the parlour to find my mother.
She was a lot more effusive in her greeting, rushing over to hug me and scattering her game of cards as I appeared in the door following father.
"Oh Dav, Where've you been? We were so worried about you."
"I'm not back yet mam," I said as she released me. "I may be stuck at the university for a few weeks yet, they've turned me into a wizard. I've told dad about it all he can explain later, I have to go back later but in the mean time you can set another plate for tea."
That brought the smile back to her face and she hurried of to the kitchen with her parcels to arrange things.
"There are some further wrinkles you should know about," I said as I walked over and sat down.
"Oh?" he replied.
"Yes, I think the reason you haven't heard anything of Rasyondi is because her father's plotting to kidnap her back."
I went on to tell him of the stranger and the rumour I'd heard and that I felt obligated to help her. He listened and nodded, a smile breaking his lips about my magic as I assured him about our safety. He was onto bringing me up to date on farm business and the happenings in the neighbourhood when my mother came back.
We talked and enjoyed each other's company till tea was served when my brothers and sisters were delighted and surprised to see me, curiosity and puzzlement stared back at me when I told them that this was only a short visit and that I was going back right after tea was finished.
I stepped through the hole and turned to wave and say 'later' before I let it collapse and sat back down on the bed. Out in the lounge I could hear voices and laughter and wondered if the party was starting already.
I opened the door to see Grepp and Kenval setting up the first barrel, Kenval levitating it while Grepp was manoeuvring it into position. The laughter was coming from Bem as she stood and watched them.
"What funny," I asked shutting my door and walking over.
"Kenv here just squashed Grepp's fingers," she said, turning to face me. "I think they might roll the other barrels in."
"Where's Xen?" I asked.
"Hopefully still up in the market with Cal and Curr," she replied. "We want it all set up before she arrives."
With the table blocking the kitchen alcove I thought about coftea.
"Do you think the other dorm would mind if I had coftea there?" I asked as I came up to her.
"No," said Grepp straightening up from positioning the barrel. "But you'll need to take your cup with you as they haven't any spare."
"That's okay," I said. "I need a cup."
"Just woken up with all our noise?" Bem asked amused.
"Probably, it was your laughter that drew me," I said with a smile as reached behind to grab a cup.
I set off to the other dorm and the quiet I hoped to find there, the farm was doing well without me which had blunted the duty call of home and given me a more relaxed mind to sort out my problems here.
Their dorm was thankfully empty and I strolled over and started a brew going and started thinking around the problem of the man or men that Rash's father had dispatched, the news from my father that there was no news about Rash seemed to confirm my kidnap theory but it still seemed wise to plan for all contingencies.
By the time I sat with my coftea I was wondering if there was any way of finding where they or he was staying, even with all the magic I now had at my command there didn't seem an easy way of doing that.
I was wondering if Jay had any useful contacts who might loosen their tongues at the sight of gold, other than that we would have to wait for them to make the first move and hope that we could defeat it.
Xen, Cal and Curr came bustling in, Cal and Curr had their new robes for the graduation draped over their arms.
"Dav," Xen said surprised. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, nothing much. I was just thinking a few things through in peace and quiet. Are those your new robes?"
"Yes," answered Cal. "Fresh from the last alterations, Do you want to see?"
Without waiting for an answer she took it by the hood and held it up. Unlike the robes that I seen most wizards wearing hers was white and decorated in red, yellow and green. Curr held up hers as well, it was the same excepting that it had different patterns highlighting the red rather than the green of Cal's.
"Do the patterns mean anything or are they just meant to look nice?" I asked.
"No," answered Xen. "They represent your powers with the predominant colour being your chosen branch."
"The patterns are just a touch of individualism, more so we can recognise each other when we go to conclave," Cal added.
"Conclave?" I asked.
"I'm going back over," Xen said looking at me. "Are you coming?"
"Oh sit a minute Xen, "said Cal. "Dav can make us all a fresh brew of coftea."
"Yes if you want," I said standing.
"I need to get changed," Xen said. "My clothes smell of smell of the cooking in the Cockrel and I want to get freshened up for tonight."
She glanced in my direction as she said it.
"Come on," she urged me, then turning to Cal and Curr. "I'll see you later."
I took the step to her side and walked with her to the door.
"I want to brew up the aravig while we have time," she confessed to me as we walked the short distance to our dorm.
I almost told her but then opened the door for her and let her walk in on the surprise
"What?" she exclaimed as she walked the short passage.
The room was empty, the chairs arrayed around one side whilst the table was tucked into the kitchen alcove sporting the beer. Grepp opened his door as she stopped and turned to me.
"Xen," he greeted her. "Welcome to your party."
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. "You knew," she accused me.
"Yes but why spoil their fun," I said as Bem and Kenval came out to join us.
"Surprise," Kenval said.
