by Clark Bolton
He found himself getting aroused now by her sudden surrender combined with her beauty and her perfume, both of which were accented by the display of ample cleavage which he daringly peered down into. She is very beautiful, he realized, since now she had suddenly become a living young lady to him as opposed to the distance lady of the court she had been before.
“No my lady, I would not.” He assured her as he continued to watch the doors. “But do please remember who asked for the demonstration.”
“I do.” She admitted after a few moments.She then seemed to resign herself to waiting with him, which the both of them did for several minutes until Autbek finally let go of her.
“Sorry, Lady Sema!” He said after her as she walked quickly away back toward the crowd of people who were still gapping and mulling over Bek.
When someone called out to Autbek as to what they could do to help poor Lord Bek, Autbek found he could not help but reply, “Put him in a box … before he runs away like a rat!” He was then astonished when the crowd seemed to be taking him seriously.
“Do have a seat, Lord Vis Mage-Councilor.” Lord Bloew said as he motioned to a chair that was set back a ways from the table of lords. Autbek turned his attention from Tenric, who was being escorted out, to Lord Bloew and then nodded his understanding and so sat down. His master had not so much as glanced at him and seemed to be very upset and obviously distracted.
Looking around he could see all the lords were sitting on the far side of the table facing toward him, except for the Earl who was sitting at one end of the long table looking somehow apart from things. He tried to recall how this type of court meeting was structured and concluded that the Earl was not a direct participant but was of course allowed to attend.
“It is my duty to remind you of your oaths to his lordship.” Lord Bloew announced. “Do you stand by such oaths and affirm his sovereignty over you, Lord Vis Mage-Councilor?”
“I do my lord.” Autbek answered as he tried not to glance too often at the Comusa, both of whom were standing behind the Earl as if guarding him, which Autbek supposed they were.
“Anistig Nekail, an Inquisitor from Berack-At-Tol, will do the questioning for this court today, Lord Vis Mage-Councilor, and so shall you be obliged to answer truthfully and fully.” Lord Bloew said as he motioned for the man to come forward.
“Councilor…” Anistig Nekail began, to which Autbek nodded. “…you are a mage are you not?”
The question took Autbek completely by surprise as he fought the desire to stand as Nekail was practically lording over him with a very intense look on his face. After glancing at Bloew he could tell that he was expected to answer. “I don’t know sir.” Autbek decided to say.
“How is this?” Nekail practically growled as he said it.
Autbek did his best to ignore the man’s close proximity as he replied. “By my standards, no … by the standards of many of the lords here it would be yes.”
Nekail quickly showed his contempt for the answer. “You practice magecraft, you cast enchantments and fashion potions … elixirs and vials of strong toxins. How is it that your standards are so high … and deceptive?”
Autbek furrowed his brow as he realized this man intended to make him look bad at the very least, and that he could now guess why Tenric had left looking the way he had. “My standards are set by my master, sir, not by me.”
“Yes, well he has been dealt with appropriately as you will learn.” Nekail said as he walked around to the other side of Autbek’s chair. “I ask you again, are you a mage?”
Autbek followed Nekail with his eyes as the man paced around a bit and then two things distracted him. The first was a great whishing sensation in his mind that told him immediately that one of the Comusa had activated his searafact. Thinking quickly he whispered under his breath the syllables of arcane-script that Eifled’s scroll had contained, the simple spell was believed by the scroll’s authors to negate this seeking function of the searafact. Autbek had found them ill formed and so made some modifications to them and had insisted Haspeth memorize his version.
As the screaming noise in his head subsided he turned to face the captain of the Comusa with a smirk on his face. Gosom squinted his eyes and seemed to be trying to determine if Autbek had performed some feat of magic but in the end seemed unsure of himself.
Turning again to the place on the wall where he had seen something very much out of the ordinary, Autbek could feel the weight of the court on him but still for some inexplicable reason he found he had to focus on what lay on the wall that was directly behind the Inquisitor. The wall was at least seven or eight paces away but he was still sure he saw a set of moving eyes.
“Are you a mage?” Nekail said again with more force behind his voice.
It was Castor, Autbek suddenly realized. “Yes … I mean I … will defer to Lord Bloew’s judgment in this.” Autbek said as he tried to stall in order to gather his thoughts. The kid was blended into the wall to such an extent that nothing but his eyes stood out, and those just barely. As he dared to glance again at the wall he found one of them winking at him and then he was able to make out the bulge that was Castor. “Exquisite illusion!” Autbek said under his breath as the rest of the court turned to Bloew for an answer.
“For the sake of his lordship and for expediency I think we can safely declare Autbek a mage.” Bloew replied after a moment’s pause. “But let us first be reminded that he is a citizen and lord of the realm of Astrum and is under no suspicion of crimes, nor do I think it in our best interest to alienate him or deign him our confidence. We have only just stripped Tenric of his office and so shall find ourselves without guidance in magecraft should me cast out this … mage … as well!”
Autbek watched silently as the room filled with voices as lords spoke out in favor and against ending his Inquisition immediately. Though many of the lords spoke little and so kept secret from him their thoughts, others were clearly of a mind to throw him to the Comusa. This possible fate became even clearly when Anistig Nekail began conversing quietly with the Comusa captain.
After a couple of minutes Gosom walked slowly over to stand in front of Autbek. “Do not attempt to hide things from us!” Gosom said in a low firm tone, and as he did so he pulled the hilt of his sword up above its scabbard a bit as he had done the very first they had met.
With no noticeable effects of the searafact to distract or terrify him, Autbek simply began to methodically memorize the arcane runes inscribed on the sword’s blade that was barely the length of a man’s foot away from his face. “You do magic before the court.” He declared as he perused the runes again to see if he had missed something. “Is this allowed?”
For the most part others in the room seemed not to hear his comment and question, and so Bloew called the court to order again when an apparent signal was given by the Earl. “I wish to end this here and now my lords!” Bloew declared loudly. “And so with a voice vote let those signal their acceptance of the court’s desire to retain the Vis Mage-Councilor in office.”
The number of lords who then called out “Favor!” loudly was enough such that Bloew did not even bother to ask for those opposed to vote. Autbek was more than a little suspicious that the Earl’s body language had influenced the other lords. He was also quite sure Anistig Nekail was furious.
“What of Tenric’s library, my lords?” Anistig Nekail yelled out. “Shall it be given to this mage?” He gave Autbek a distasteful glance as he said it.
“Silence please, Inquisitor.” Bloew said firmly. “His lordship will address the court now.”
Autbek could see that Nekail was struggling with silence, but stern glares from some of the lords finally settled him down. It left Autbek with a strong desire himself to ask them all what they knew of the library.
“Tenric’s library is no more, for it is now the library of Astrum.” The Earl announced to the court. “And so shall all else be that Tenric has gathered here in the palace. Nothing shall he take when he leav
es but what he can carry on his own back, save those men that came to Astrum with him. Any property of Astrum taken from this palace will be considered a theft against the realm.”
Autbek paid little attention to the rest of the Earl’s comments and to the resulting questions from the court as he came to realize what he was honor bound to do. While Tenric had been his master, and a friend of sorts, he was sure Berdtom, and indeed his family, would accept no alternative then for him to obey his oath to the Earl. He also felt an obligation to prevent Tenric from committing a theft against the realm, which he knew was punishable by death.
“I shall accompany the Comusa, my lord, to ensure what is ours remains in the mages wing.” Cachner announced as he stood up when the rest of the lords did as the Earl himself stood.
“The Comusa…yes…” The Earl replied to Cachner. “But I think it best Anistig Nekail and Lord Bloew attend to it. I don’t want any more mishaps.”
Finding himself standing and wondering at the reason for the Earl’s sudden rebuke of Cachner, Autbek though for a moment to interrupt the Earl but then thought it best if he approached Bloew instead. The man seemed to be on his side as best as Autbek could tell and he looked about to head off, possibly to the mages wing.
“Excuse me, my lord.” Autbek said just as Bloew was heading into a side chamber, which just happened to be where Castor was standing. Reminded suddenly of the peril he might be putting Castor in he backed up a step and then motioned for Bloew to first step out of the room.
“Yes, Lord Councilor?” Bloew asked with some impatience.
“I need some time.” Autbek announced as he thought about how best to stall Tenric without attracting attention to his master as he very much wished to see Tenric be allowed to leave in peace. “An hour our two my lord.”
“Oh, what for?”
Rushing down the corridors of the palace, Autbek had the foresight to stop by his personal suite first, where sure enough he found Haspeth quietly sitting in a corner of his bedroom. “Let’s hope Castor knows where to go and quick!” He said as the two of them hurried toward the mages wing.
He saw no sign of either Valice or Berdtom when he had emerged from the court chambers and had decided he had no time to hunt them down or even find someone to leave a message with. When they got to the mages wing he stopped to look around for a moment.
“What’s the bloody rush?” Haspeth asked when it was apparent no one else was around.
“Was there anyone inside?” Autbek asked as he motioned toward the black-door which was presently closed.
“No, that’s why I didn’t stick around.” Haspeth said as if the answer should have been obvious.
“Good, then there is likely no one there now!” Autbek said as he whispered the phrase that unlocked the door.
“Like who?” Haspeth said with concern.
“Like the Comusa! Now I’m going to the library, and you need to get the stuff together that we planned. After you do then find me!”
“What?” Haspeth said as he stopped at their bedroom door. “You don’t mean we are going to the cellar do you?” He whined as Autbek continued on toward the library.
“Yes!” Autbek hissed back over his shoulder.
After finding the scroll he sought Autbek found Castor waiting for him as he emerged from the library. “Gods, you made it!” He exclaimed with genuine relief.
“Yes, well I did hear your conversation with Bloew.” Castor replied dryly as he tried to peek at the scroll Autbek had in his hand.
“Figured you would!” Autbek said through clinched teeth as he fought back the desire to strongly rebuke Castor for his insane use of illusion magic. Moving quickly now toward Tenric’s office, he stopped suddenly when he got near forcing Castor to do the same.
Autbek then cast several spells from memory as he slowly approached the door of Tenric’s office. He could see now a myriad of arcane-symbols glowing all over the door and some on the wall next to it. He shook his head at the carelessness of some of it.
“They have warded the door.” He warned Castor.
“Why?” Castor demanded to know.
Autbek glanced at his friend just as Castor began casting some detection spells of his own. “Because there is a teleportation circle in there, a big one.”
“They plan to let him walk out you know.” Castor informed him.
“Yes, but I don’t think he is planning to leave without a sizable piece of the library.”
Castor shook his head. “The Comusa aren’t going to allow that, O’t.”
“Maybe, but if he drags what he most wants into there they won’t get the chance.” Autbek said as he stepped closer to the door. “That’s why I’m going to open this.”
“Sounds dangerous.” Castor said softly as he glanced sideways at him.
“Yes … but they really didn’t know what they were doing.” Autbek explained as he reached out to perform an erase cantrip which immediately knocked out several of the runes on the door. “They should have asked me.”
“Hometown knowledge I assume.” Castor asked, knowing better than to say the name Runeholden in front of Autbek.
“Yessss.” Autbek acknowledged as he continued to slowly erase runes. “Half of these were not needed and the other half were done poorly. The crafters I worked with loved doing this stuff and took the task of warding their wares and secrets very seriously.”
Castor had heard a little from Berdtom of how the Runeholden crafters cursed their own leather creations. This was in order to protect the rightful owner from losing whatever they had placed within the saddlebag, or what other device they had purchased from the Runeholdens. Little more than that had been revealed to him over the past year or so despite close friendship with Autbek.
A few minutes later Autbek slowly pulled the door open to reveal the teleportation circle within. “Stay behind me.” Autbek announced as he unrolled the scroll. It was a more complex form of the erase spell he had been performing, and though he had never cast the spell before he had a pretty good idea of what it was going to do to the room.
“Whoosh!” The lines traced out to form the complex design of the teleportation circle seemed too erupt in flame for a moment and many of the items stacked to the side tumbled over. When the dust settled there was nothing left of the circle.
“Someone is going to be bloody pissed!” Haspeth announced from behind them.
“Yes, well that is why we are going to get the hell out of here!” Autbek announced. “First though we have to get him up there.” He said as he looked to the ceiling.
“Not the bloody Dieknotkow!” Haspeth exclaimed. “Tenric will hunt you down for sure, O’t!”
Autbek shook his head. “No choice … it’s what he wants.” He then headed for the stairs to the tower.
“Who wants?” Haspeth demanded to know as he found himself running after Autbek and Castor.
“What are you going to do with that?” Haspeth asked when Autbek produced another scroll. They had just removed the Dieknotkow from his rack and now had him lying on the floor. The man-bird seemed almost as agitated as they were and kept making loud clicking screeches.
“It’s the same spell Tenric uses to transform him into an eagle.” Autbek explained.
“Yea, but why now unless you’re bloody well going to let him fly away.”
“No…” Autbek said as he shook his head. Looking to Castor and Haspeth he then admitted his plan. “I’m going to transform him back into a man.”
“O’t!” Castor warned as he looked at the scroll. “He is not a man, or is he?”
Autbek shrugged and then prepared to cast. “I think he may have been at one time, and he has all but asked me to do this for him. Anyways he most certainly does not want to leave with Tenric.”
“Can it wait?” Haspeth demanded to know. “The Comusa … or Tenric will be here soon!”
“That’s why it can’t wait, Haspeth. If the Comusa find him they may harm him and if Tenric does he may still have the
means to take him by force.” Autbek then began casting.
Moments later a naked man lay on the floor in front of them. The man still wore the amulet of Ispeth that Autbek had placed on him months before but nothing else remained to remind them of his previous form, though they now noticed he wore a ring which they all agreed was unlikely to have been there before.
“Get him up, Haspeth.” Autbek said as he grabbed one of the man’s arms. “Castor, find a blanket or robe for him over there.” He said as he motioned over to the corner where Dasring normally resided. They still hadn’t learned of the Dasring’s fate or of the other servant that had arrived with Tenric.
The man could hardly walk they noticed as soon as they brought him to his feet, and he looked to be blind. They did find that he could shuffle along with help from them and so they soon began the slow painful process of descending the stairs. As they did so they planned out their escape route.
“Can we get word to Berdtom?” Autbek asked after they navigated the final step.
“No, I don’t think that would be good and we don’t have the time.” Castor argued as they proceeded toward the cellar door at what seemed to them to be a snail’s pace.
“Well who the hell is going to tell us when to come out of there?” Haspeth asked as he nodded toward the cellar door.
“If he doesn’t know he can better stand up to interrogation.” Castor explained as he ignored Haspeth’s question. “Anyways two or three days from now will see Tenric long gone.”
Autbek allowed them to pause and rest for a moment. “How is it that you know more about this than me?” He asked incredulously.
“I’m a better spy.” Castor said dryly.
“You mean sneak-thief!” Haspeth said as he yanked the cellar door open with an angry grunt.
Chapter 13
“How long do you think it will last.” Haspeth asked, though he already knew what Castor had told him before about the illusionary walls he had been creating. This one made the room appear practically none existent.
