Quincunx 29
Chapter 14
I should like to thank my Editor, Kira, For the excellent job she's done.
After bobbing and rolling for about an hour, I disembarked on the quay side. There, there were a few youths who were offering up a carted luggage service and I enquired of them where I might find a respectable Inn.
Following their recommendation, I found a fine looking Inn on a quiet street. After booking in, I used my room to conjure up a bath to give myself a quick wash down before redressing in my Sunday best.
An enquiry at the hotel desk found me a stable where I could hire out a little cart. Once out of the town, the house was a fair way up a well-maintained country track. As I climbed higher, the view out over the ocean was magnificent.
As I got to the open gates, I stopped for a moment to fortify myself. I wanted to make a good impression, convince them I would be an asset to the family as a son-in-law. Things would be much smoother if her parents approved of their daughter's choice.
There was a small open carriage pulled up outside the door, a coachman waiting patiently. I pulled in behind it and hitched my horse to the rail. Ducking under the rail, I started for the door only to stop abruptly when Xen opened the door and exited with a robed wizard.
"Davor!" she exclaimed on seeing me.
She flew to my arms. "Rogue wizards have overthrown the rulers of the Far Isles."
"What!" I exclaimed, pushing us open to look into her face. "I knew of the troubles but this is the first I've heard of wizards being involved."
"Yes, apparently they've managed to reassemble a device from the olden days," she explained, looking earnestly into my face.
"Come on, we have to be off," the wizard behind her said gruffly.
"Braseric," she scolded him, "this is Davor, I met him in the university. He may be able to help as well."
"Fine, fine. Bring him along. The more heads, even young ones, the better," he replied, waving his arms to usher Xen toward the coach.
"Will my cart be alright there?" I asked Xen as we walked to the coach.
"Yes," she replied. "Braseric will give us a ride back."
He opened the half door and helped Xen in then climbed in himself, leaving me to follow and sit opposite them.
"Is anything else known?" I asked as Braseric studied me.
"No, very few escaped; they were the lucky few who were with ones who could control the void. All we know is that they have a magical weapon that can counter any spells cast against it," he replied.
"And them as well no doubt," I mused.
"Yes," he agreed brusquely. "That would be my guess."
"How was your journey?" Xen asked.
"Okay, I'm a bit travel sore yesterday but the bed and bath at the Grandee Inn had wonderful restorative powers," I replied for Braseric's benefit.
"A good choice," Braseric commented. "And what brings you here?"
"My love of Xen, I wish to marry her," I declared, catching Xen's cheeks colouring from the corner of my eye.
"Hmm!" he exclaimed, a little surprised.
"I was calling to ask her father for her hand when I ran into you," I continued.
"You're not from these parts," he stated.
"No, I'm from Skire, but I'm here to settle down with Xen and make this my home."
"Hmm," he acknowledged, settling back into his seat.
I glanced back at Xen, covertly flipping her eyebrows at me, as she, too, sank back into the cushioned seat.
I turned my mind to the rebellious wizards. There was a lot more I needed to know before I could equitably judge, but the use of a weapon struck me as either wild adventurism or desperation. Did they do it because they could? Or because they felt they had to.
Though the Far Isles were two, two and a half weeks sailing away, I could understand people getting nervous about the news of a magical weapon. Especially one dating from the dark days.
I was a little annoyed with it happening now, though I had no firm plan before I was now hostage to circumstance.
We arrived at a fairly imposing building and even had the carriage door opened as we stopped at the foot of the stairs. Braseric led us inside and up the imposing staircase, then to a room near the back.
The room held half a dozen older people around one end a long table. Though they were both ordinarily dressed, two stood out to me as their auras gave their magical nature away, with one looking quite powerful.
"Gentlemen," Braseric called as he entered.
"Ah, good," someone said as people came to order.
We joined at the bottom of the table.
"Braseric, aren't you going to introduce our visitor?" asked the man at the head of the table.
"He's with me," Xen piped up. "I know him from the university."
"I'm Davor of Pikes Manor. If I can help," I said looking around the attentive faces.
"You have a speciality?" asked one of the 'magical' men.
"Exorcism, I can remove redundant spells," I replied.
He looked slightly bemused.
"Never mind that," the guy at the head of the table said.
"That's Jertfut," Xen said quietly to me. "He's head of our council."
"Who's the one that questioned me?" I whispered back.
"Lixwerg," she answered softly.
"Xentha, perhaps next time you will ask first," Jertfut remarked dryly.
"My apologies, but I trust him implicitly," Xen replied.
"Now, there appears to be no more news so we are still in the dark about the weapon. Researchers think it might be the Cruciform of Jakes, it fits what the device does," Jertfut started, drawing all eyes to him.
"Whatever it is, it's resistant to eyes and void tunnels, and at this distance there is little else the wizards can do. They can view the surroundings and have rescued a couple more wizards but the castle is impenetrable."
He paused with a thoughtful look for a second.
"Whilst we don't know their intentions, we must consider whether they have larger ambitions. No doubt they will take a week or two to consolidate their power so there is time to study the situation," he continued.
"The University is organising watchers so we will have warning if the embark. Now have we any ideas?"
I sat back and wondered how my powers might match up against it. The next thing was finding out what the Cruciform of Jakes had been and what powers it controlled. I wondered what kind of library they had here while the rest talked on.
The name of the mystery wizard was Gulic; he was the Councils Advisor and our link to the University. As I expected, none of the ideas were original enough for him to pass on, though he thanked us never the less.
I would have liked to speak to him but Braseric was eager to return us home and Xen unfortunately agreed. I would also have liked the time and privacy to take my own eye-bourn view of the happenings.
The journey home saw me sitting opposite Braseric with Xen occupying the seat next to me. On the ride, I pondered again the cause of the rebellion. The more I learnt, the more nefarious it seemed.
I braced myself for the meeting with her parents as we dismounted the coach, and stood a few moments while Xen bid Braseric goodbye.
"I know this isn't how it was planned but it may be better this way," Xen said as we walked up to the door.
She opened the door and called, "I'm home," as she entered.
As we walked into the hallway a door opened on the left.
"So what's the news?" a young man asked as he walked out.
"Herisk, this is Davor," she told him, then turned to me. "One of my older brothers."
"Ah. Greetings," I said turning back to him.
"Greetings," he answered back.
"Is father with you?" Xen asked.
"No, just mother. Father's off with Gregor," he replied.
"Could you give us a couple of minutes with her?" Xen asked. "Go and tell the kitchen there'll be another for lunch."
"Oh intrigue and secrets," he exclaimed jovially.
"You'll know soon enough," Xen answered, giving me a nudge as she started across to the door.
I followed after her as Herisk set off the other way. It was a lounge, settees and armchairs around a low central table. There were ancestral paintings dotted around the high walls along with plants and statuettes around the skirting.
Seated in an armchair at the far end of the table was an ageing, but still attractive woman.
"Mother," Xen said as we approached. "I'd like you to meet my future husband. He came up to talk to father but the update meeting has messed things up."
"This is very sudden," her mother queried, while trying to mask her shock and concern.
"I know, I wasn't sure he'd come but now he's here, we want to get married."
"Who is he? I assume you met at that university," she questioned.
"Yes, we did. And he's Davor of Skire," Xen answered.
"From Skire, what do you know of him?" she demanded.
"That I love him," Xen protested.
"Davor," she said, turning her attention to me. "Tell me about yourself."
"I'm from a good family, I'm the second son of Lord Pike. My father holds the King's warrant to keep the peace in the Northern Reaches. We have a good lineage and baring accidents and illness, long lived," I replied.
"And where will you live?" she asked. "What monies do you have?"
"Enough for our needs. If necessary I can find employment. As to where we'll live, it depends on what's available."
"Hmm," she mused, turning back to Xen. "Are you sure?"
"Yes mother, I'm sure. I want you all to like him and be happy with us. He's my choice and I'm too old to forbid," Xen replied.
"I wondered if this might happen, for the past couple of days I thought we'd been lucky. Your father's not going to be overjoyed at the news but at least you are settling here."
"I have your support then?" Xen asked.
"Conditionally. I've no doubt he's a fine man in your eyes, but they're clouded with love..."
"He is polite, courteous," Xen cut in excitement colouring her voice.
"Alright, why don't you organise some cofftea for us all," she said to Xen, then to me. "Sit and tell me more about yourself."
I told her about myself, that I'd been destined to manage the estate until my unusual magical abilities had surfaced. By this time, Xen and Herisk had come back into the room and Xen sitting by my side as she served the cofftea.
"So Xentha, what is the news of the Far Isles?" her mother asked as she took her cup.
"No fresh news. The citadel is impermeable while life around goes on fairly normally. Jertfut posed the possibility that they might have further ambitions. He also said we have plenty of time to get organised if they do," Xen replied.
