Chapter 1.
This series is a direct continuation of my previous series "The Apprentice" The sexual themes in this series are somewhat different, so if you were put off by the sexual themes in the previous series, I guess it is possible to start the story from this chapter, although you will miss out on world-building and character development.
"Back where it all began..." Magnus said, entering the inn. The King's Pride Inn looked almost exactly the same as five years ago when Magnus had first set foot in it. As his eyes crossed the large common room, Magnus felt a flood of memories rushing into his mind. He glanced at the table where he had first sat down with Fiona, long ago. That night had changed his life.
"I wonder what she is up to now..."
Magnus thought with a pang of nostalgia, his thoughts going to his former Mistress.
"She found somebody to pamper her, no doubt. She can't live without it,"
Magnus thought, feeling his mouth stretch into a big smile. It had been only a couple of months since he had left her, yet he missed her already, more than he was ready to admit even to himself. He crossed the common room and sat at his special table, delighted that it was unoccupied. Soon after, a waitress approached the table, smiling politely. Magnus watched her approach, recognizing her as Bree, the waitress who had worked in the inn five years ago.
"I wonder if she will recognize the poor farm boy from five years ago. It is unlikely, considering she must be meeting twenty new people every day..."
Magnus thought, watching her approach. She swayed her shapely ass as she was crossing the room, evidently enjoying the stares that her nice body attracted. Magnus saw she was still quite pretty. Two lovely, inquisitive eyes settled on Magnus, waiting for him to order.
"I'll have wine and some roast and potatoes," Magnus said simply.
"Good choice, sir. Coming right away," she said with a practiced smile. Magnus chuckled inwardly, seeing no recognition in her eyes.
"I am not so memorable after all," he thought, watching her walk away. Her ass was really a small wonder.
The roast and wine were quite good, a testament that King's Pride was still a reputable inn. The best in Fairfield, as its owner used to say. Magnus waved at the waitress.
"I would like to pay for the meal. I assume I need to talk to the innkeeper about a room?"
"It is best if you talk to him, yes. The meal is twenty coppers," she said, giving him her best smile. She knew a good smile could mean the difference between getting no tip, getting a few coppers, or maybe even getting a dozen coppers as a tip, although those kinds of tips were mostly given by drunk men who would expect something more from her. She would always refuse those kinds of tips. Magnus was obviously polite and sober, so she put her hopes on five coppers. He was well-dressed and handsome, but sometimes the richest customers were also the stingiest.
"Here you go," Magnus said, putting ten silver coins on the table (1 gold coin = 100 silver coins, 1 silver coin = 100 copper coins - author's note). Bree watched with surprise, her eyes darting from the silver coins to Magnus' face. Her initial surprise and delight turned into suspicion.
"The meal is twenty coppers, sir. This is ten silver..." she asked carefully.
"I know. The rest is your tip," Magnus said, smiling at her.
"Why would you give me so much? I did nothing special serving you..." she said, eyeing him warily.
"You served me fine, but the tip isn't for today's service. Let's just say you were the bringer of good fortune for me, years ago..."
"I am not sure I remember..." she said after taking a moment to think.
"Well, I was just a farm boy then, searching for somebody to teach me magic," Magnus said, chuckling.
"Oh gods..." Bree said, her eyes going wide. "You are the farm boy who wanted to be an apprentice to wizard Brennus!"
"Yes, I was quite the attraction that night... Yet you were the one who brought me the message from sorceress Fiona, after everything that happened. It was the beginning of my good fortune and the beginning of my apprenticeship," Magnus said.
"So you are a wizard now?" she asked with excitement.
"Well, a mage is the right term. We are all mages until we become renowned enough to earn the title of wizard or sorceress. I am not there yet," he said, shrugging.
"But you can do magic?"
"Yes."
"Show me some!" Bree said, clapping her hands. She took the silver, realizing Magnus didn't have any bad intentions.
"Sorry," he said, getting up from the chair. He leaned in towards Bree.
"I don't perform magic in public..." he whispered and then went to the innkeeper, winking mischievously at Bree. She watched him walk away, biting her lip.
***
"One... two, three!" Magnus said, his words following his moves. He had been practicing swordplay for the better part of an hour in the spacious room on the first floor of King's Pride. It was the same room from five years ago and he was glad when the innkeeper told him the room was unoccupied. He wondered if he was maybe overdoing the whole nostalgia thing. He was about to go into one more sword dance when a faint rapping on his door stopped him.
"Come in!" Magnus said, sheathing the sword and running hands through his hair. The exercise was demanding, yet he never allowed himself to miss it. He had taken every chance to practice swordplay with worthy opponents during his time with Fiona. 'You never know!' was the usual reply he was giving Fiona when she would chide him for practicing with the sword so often when he wielded so much power as a mage.
"It sure was handy when we were fighting Felcarn... I shudder to think how that would have ended if I didn't know how to use the sword..."