The Ball was different. All the peacocks showed up, everyone was trying to outdo the others. Daughters were being introduced to a prospective husband. We enjoyed the dancing, and Reggie enjoyed being around the other ladies. I had very little in common with these snobbish men, but I was courteous to them.
There was the usual political talk, alliances being made between houses. This or that noble trying to curry favor. Some dropping hints, rather crudely, that they would be interested in receiving an estate. The only thing that saved the evening was dancing with Reggie. She moved so smoothly. She was a wonder to watch.
“Challenge!” The music stopped, and the crowd separated from one of the peacocks.
“What are you challenging?” I asked.
“In days of old, any Mage could challenge for the throne and the right to rule. Ensuring the strongest Mages ruled.”
“So, you are challenging my Queen for her throne, and as her champion, I will meet you. As you have challenged, I will choose the weapon. I choose magic and steel, to the death.”
He chuckled, “you don’t understand, it’s not to the death, it’s to total exhaustion.”
“No, you don’t understand. You have challenged my Queen, to get to her you will have to go through me, and I can assure you, it will be to the death.”
This he did not expect and stood open mouthed staring at me.
“Perhaps you and your supporters would like to withdraw your challenge and reconsider.”
He swallowed, “I cannot. I have challenged, to withdraw without trying would be cowardice.”
“It is not cowardice to realize that if you fight at this time you would lose, but to withdraw to fight another day is a tactical decision of a wise leader. I think you have the potential to become a wise leader.”
No one made a sound. He kept his eyes on me. “Then I have made a grave tactical error. You have both wisdom and strength on your side, and I had lost before I started. I withdraw the challenge.” He bowed.
“Well said my friend.” I bowed in return.
The Queen began to applaud, “Bravo, well said.” Everyone joined in to applaud him. He had gone from looking the fool, to being the envy of everyone there.
“Music,” the Queen shouted, and we danced the rest of the night away.
I WAS JUST WAKING UP, “what do you think of Briska for a boy’s name?” Reggie asked.
I realized immediately what she meant. “Uh-huh, and if they said I’m the father, I’m not.” She smacked me, palm flat right in the pocket of my back. “Ow,” I yelled. Armor jumped up on the bed growling and put the whole calf of my leg in his mouth.
“That’s right, get him boy chew daddy’s leg off.” He was growling and pulling me.
“Let go of me you traitor, and if you chew my leg off, who will run with Briska.”
“I can run with him, keep chewing boy.”
“I surrender, Briska is a wonderful name. Now call your traitorous dog off me.”
She was laughing, “come here boy, come to mama. That’s a good boy, you got that mean old daddy didn’t you.” she was hugging him.
I had never seen a 250-pound war dog act like a ten-pound toy poodle. I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time.
“So, who’s pregnant?”
“Get him, boy!”
I took off running with Armor, and Reggie right behind me.
“I WANT YOU TO ATTEND court today. I know you don’t like it, but your brother has sent an envoy. I think you should be there.”
“Any sign of what he might have to say?”
“None.”
“I’m sure it not good news whatever it is.”
Court opened with a few complaints to be heard, and some disagreements to be settled, finally the Crown Prince’s envoy was brought forward.
He stood there looking at us. He did not bow on offer respect. This was starting off bad. “I’m going to go out on a limb here and assume you can speak.”
“I can.”
“And, you have a message for us?”
“Your brother, Crown Prince Cain, commands you to send him ten thousand golds. You are now part of the united Northern Kingdoms.”
I nodded, “anything else?”
“Yes, he says if you don’t send it, he will bring his army down here and take it, and more,”
“Ok,”
“Good, you will load the gold on wagons and provide my escort.”
“I’m sorry, you misunderstood the answer. I meant, ok, we won’t send the gold. Ok, send your army to take it.”
“You fool.”
I dropped him through the floor to his chin.
“Wait!”
“You mean you are still alive? I thought I had taken you head off. I guess I’ll have to do it the hard way.” I got up and drew my sword walking toward him.
“No, wait, wait!”
“Do you think if I send my brother your head, he will get my message?” I acted like I was thinking. “Probably not, he’s not very smart, and neither are you.” I raised him up, so he stood before us, he still did not bow or show respect. I slashed my sword and took off the front half of his right foot. I put flame to it, cauterizing it. I returned to my throne and waited for him to stop screaming.
“For the rest of your life you will remember that disrespect and arrogance have a price. And if you leave the Queen’s presence without showing proper respect, I’ll risk my brother not understanding what your severed head means.”
He stood shakily, “Yes, Your Highness.” He said bowing.
“Tell your the Crown Prince that he will get nothing from us. We are our own Kingdom, if he brings his army south, we will destroy it to the last man. You may take your foot and go.”
He bowed, “Your Highness, Majesty.” He picked up the severed part of his foot and limped out.
“That could have gone better.” Reggie said.
“Too much you think?” I smiled.
She shook her head, “I can’t take you anywhere.” That was the end of court for the day. We rose and left the throne room.
“So, what do you think?” Reggie ask as we shared lunch.
“Worst case they’ll be back in four months with an army, six at the outside.”
“You have a plan for us to avoid the worst case?”
“I will give him other things to think about instead of us. He’ll be too busy to send anyone down here; he may need them elsewhere.”
“Good, I don’t want to have to send our people to war because of a spoiled brat,” She said. I laughed.
I WENT UNDERGROUND and fast travelled to the northernmost place I had been. I flew underground the rest of the way to Midwick. I flew under the city looking it over. It seemed depressed. I went to the castle; it needed repairs. I checked the treasury, and as I suspected it was almost empty. I bet our father was behind that.
The first thing I did was dry up the wells inside the castle and castle walls. Then undermined the corner of the wall away from everyone and collapsed it. When it fell it took out a nice chunk of the two joining walls with it. That should keep his mind off us for a few minutes.
I went deep underground and opened a cavern. I opened my pavilion; she greeted me as I entered. “Welcome home Captain.”
“Thank you.” I walked to the table. “Hot tea please and open the map table.” my hot tea appeared as did a map of the city. Expand the map to show the kingdom to the north, Klemstovel. I looked at the map as I drank my tea. “Is that the closes kingdom to us?”
“No, Norsewick, your father’s kingdom, is closer by twenty miles.” Interesting that she knew it was my father’s kingdom. “Show me all fortifications between here and Klemstovel.” The map showed two, one of theirs at the border, and one of Midwick’s ten miles closer to us. I bathed and went to bed I needed to rest for a while.
I WENT AROUND THE CITY to the inns, and bars listening to talk among the people. I sat underground listening, these were not a happy people. Taxes had been raised, and new taxes invent
ed. Food was short, and Cain paid for nothing he took. He felt he was entitled to whatever he wanted.
I might as well stir the pot a little. There were a few men drinking off to the side. I cast my beguiling spell. “The Crown Prince is emptying the treasury and sending it all to his father.”
“Is that true?” one asked.
“I heard the same thing,” another said.
“My cousin works in the castle, he says it's true. That’s why he’s always raising taxes he’s bleeding us dry.”
“Well, I for one have paid enough. I’ll not pay anymore.” They all nodded.
I repeated this at every Inn and bar in the city. Then I went to the troop’s barracks. I cast the spell. “I hear they don’t have money to pay us, and it they don’t I’m not risking my life for free. I’m out of here.”
I found the wash women and cast the spell. “I hear that the Crown Prince has gotten some ladies with child and will not recognize them, or that he is the father. He an evil man that one.” That was enough for one day let’s see what happens now. I went back to my pavilion had a meal, a hot bath, and a good night’s sleep.
It took a few days, but all the merchants were now demanding payment at the time of purchase. They accepted no notes. The barracks rumor mill was running rampant. Things were going missing, and discipline was suffering.
It also seems the Crown Prince was lacking companionship. None of the nobles wanted their daughters around him. A statue in the graveyard gave me an idea. I went out to the cattle herd and found the drovers, beguiled them, and sent them home. I made horses and riders out of dirt, wood and stone. I cast an enchantment on these “trojan” horses and had them herd the cattle north to Klemstovel. If they were chased, they were to ride into the river and go back to earth. If they made it to Klemstovel, leave them at the first fort they come to. Once that was complete go into the forest and go back to earth.
Of course, the drovers reported the cattle stolen by a large group of Raiders. They had tracked them to the border but went no further.
I went to the money changers and beguiled them. “The Crown Prince is going to confiscate your money.” They were gone the next morning. I let the pot simmer for a few days. I spent the time reading in my library and rethinking all my plans. I had a lot of irons in the fire.
I went to the north fort and beguiled them. “The fort is on fire, a large force is coming, take everyone and ride to the main castle and warn them.” The fort was empty in less than 30 minutes. I raised horse and riders and had them ride around the fort then over the border to Klemstovel. Leaving tracks of an invading force, I set fire to the fort and burned it to ruins.
The Crown Prince called up the army, but no one wanted to come. They had heard they would not be paid. Beatings were given proving to the men they had been right, there was no money to pay them. Cain started cross-border raids to get his cattle back, and to push back patrols coming across his border.
In less than a month I had given him more problems than he could deal with in a year. Then the envoy he had sent to me returned to give his report. I sat in on that. Cain sat silent listening to the report and my answer. He was gritting his teeth the whole time. He finally snapped, “Get out,” and started throwing fire balls at everything. My work here was done... for now.
I closed my pavilion and cavern and went home.
Chapter 20
I now had to operate under the assumption, that it was not “if” someone was going to attack us but when. I guess it was the fact that we were young, in body, that made them think we would not fight. Someone would try us sooner or later. When they did, it would be with more than threats like Cain had done.
We needed better communications. I introduced semaphore to the military and set-up semaphore stations to each fort. I also put in an emergency bell in case the fort was about to fall. If they hang the bell at the fort, a bell would ring in the castle and I would know it. I could then teleport there to assess the situation and solve the problem.
“Do you know of any way to increase farm production?”
“I might, what’s the problem?”
“Let’s take a ride.”
I think Reggie just wanted an excuse to go for a ride. I enjoyed it too, so we rode out to the farms to look at whatever she had in mind. As we rode past fields men were working the land. We rode out across the fields; men were turning the land by using shovels and crude wooden plows.
We stopped, and I got down to talk to the farmers, they all bowed. I could tell they were nervous. Why would Royalty be stopping? That usually meant trouble.
“Good Morning.” I called to them.
“Good morning, Sire.” They replied.
“We’ve come to check on the land, have we had enough rain?” If you want to get a farmer talking, ask him about the rainfall.
“Oh, aye M’lord, we’ve had a good bit so far. That’s why we’re out turning the land now.”
“And we rotate crops fields and pastures from year to year.”
“Right you are M’lord. Keeps the ground from being overworked.”
“I am told that in another land they mix animal manure and water, then spread that over a field to help replace what crops take out of the ground. Have you ever heard of this?” I had been in Europe and smelled the honey wagons, and I knew it would work.
They all looked at each other shaking their heads. I nodded. “He swears by it. I’d like to test it. I’ll pay you for the use of one field this year. We’ll fertilize it, as he calls it, and plant. No matter the crop production, I’ll pay as if it made the best crop. If it makes a good crop, we’ll know it works.”
They were all for making a guaranteed return on crops. We rode around a few other farms enjoying the day riding. After we returned to the castle, I visited the barrel maker and ordered two large tanker wagons. They already made them to haul water, so they know what I wanted. I paid for both in advance and told them I needed them as soon as possible.
My next stop was to the blacksmith's shop. “Master Smith, Good day to you.”
“And to you M’lord, how may we serve?”
I took out my notebook. I lay my hand on it, and it copied the info and specs for an iron plow. I laid it out for him to see. “I’d like you to build an iron plow. We’ll build one to test, when we are happy with how it works, we’ll build more.”
He looked at the drawings asking a few questions. He nodded, “We can do this easily enough M’lord.”
“Good,” I lay three golds on his table, “that is to get you started, I’ll need it as soon as you can get it done.”
He bowed, “Yes Sire.”
Everyone in the kingdom knew we paid for everything, and most in advance, everyone was eager to do business with the Crown.
My head was full of ideas today, I went to a glassmaker's shop. He showed me around his shop. “Very nice work Master.” I took a piece of raw glass in my hands and using magic formed a concave lens, I handed it to him, and picked up another piece and made a smaller convex lens. “can you make those?”
He looked at them nodding. “I think so sire, but I would need to experiment on a few to begin with.”
I handed him two golds. “Please do so. Send word when you are satisfied with your work.” I made two more lenses, for myself and took them with me. A few doors down was a tinker’s shop.
“Good Day, M’lord, how may I serve?”
I handed him the drawing of what I wanted. Which was basically a tube to mount my two lenses in, to make a telescope. “I want these two lenses mounted inside the tube.” I handed him the lenses.
He nodded, “Come back in a few days M’lord, and I’II have it ready.” I paid him and let him get to work. As I started to leave his shop, I spotted something I had not seen here yet. A metal nibbed ink pen with a wooden handle. I picked it up. And looked at it was nice work. “I’d like to buy this.”
“A gift give for the business you will bring me when others see you shopping here.” I rarely did that,
it smelled like a bribe.
“I actually have an idea, and we can both make money.”
“How so M’lord?”
I held the pen in my hand and concentrated. I formed a basic fountain pen, with a glass vial inside the wooden barrel. I put an enchantment on it to draw ink from an inkwell when it ran out. When I was done, I handed it back to him. I showed him all the parts and explained it to him; he was grinning from ear to ear. As an afterthought I placed another enchantment on the other end. When you touched the back end of the pen to the ink you had just written, it would remove the ink. But you had to make the correction before the ink dried. Once dry it was fixed to the paper. When he saw that, he could hardly contain himself.
“We will be rich.”
I nodded, “even Kings have to make a living.”
He busted out laughing, “You’d be the first I ever heard of that look at it that way.” We laughed. I left the fountain pen with him to copy. I gave him four golds to finance our venture.
I WAS STILL HARVESTING my gold and silver traps. And was placing more out further afield. I was still getting a good return, some more than others. Out of curiosity I flew under to the mountains on our western border. I wondered what mineral deposits I might find there. I flew under the mountain range, finding gold, silver, quartz, coal and sulfur. I set my traps for the gold and silver.
I looked more closely at the coal. I knew they had surface coal mines in some parts of the world that made the coal mining easier. I concentrated on the coal vain and moved it all up to just under the surface on our side of the mountains. I’d hire someone to mine it for us, or... “I wonder...”
It had been easy to move the coal vein from it is place around the mountain to one place. I wonder if I could move it closer to Port City. I concentrated. I didn’t force it to move; I asked it to follow me as I flew along. I started slowly, and it followed me. Slowly at first, but it was moving. It felt like I imagine it would feel like flying in a headwind. Halfway home I had to stop and rest.
Mage Throne Prophecy Page 19
