The Last Mage Guardian

by Sabrina Chase

  “Degree? You mean...an ars magica degree?”

  He gave her a grave look. “It is highly improper for a Mage Guardian—possibly the only Mage Guardian—to lack the correct credentials to practice magic. Perhaps you have noticed that we in Preusa are very fond of credentials. You should show respect for regulations and order, my dear. Now, this was merely the practical requirement. There will also be an investiture ceremony at the university tomorrow. We are fond of ceremonies, too,” he said, his face still grave but with a twinkle.

  “I would like to offer my congratulations, and also on behalf of the sofon of Baerlen,” said the little doctor, bowing deeply. “The sofon took the liberty of suggesting to the King that this would be a right and proper recognition of what you have done for all of us.”

  “Yes...indeed! I...thank you, very much,” Ardhuin said, feeling dizzy. Now she wouldn’t have to worry about breaking the law every time she set up a ward back home. She could do magic in public, with people watching if she wanted to!

  The little doctor glanced back at the table where the transformed woman lay, now covered more modestly with a sheet. “I will remain until the regular physicians arrive. From my observation, her injuries are not life-threatening.”

  “I will inform her husband,” Ardhuin said, and escaped the room before more surprises showed up.

  “Are you sure you should be up and about?” Dominic asked. “You must consider your own health is not robust at present, and I would not want you at risk of a relapse. How are you feeling now?”

  Henri sat up straighter in his chair. “Much better, sir, thank you. May I say it is a relief to be able to speak freely once again. When you were being held captive....” His hands trembled.

  “Do not distress yourself, Henri. Neither of us are captive any more,” Dominic said, trying to soothe him. One of things that still agitated Henri were the many lapses of good manners forced on him by the geas.

  “I heard her that once...it didn’t sound good,” Henri said worriedly. “Now I don’t hear anything at all, and that’s even worse.”

  “I’m sure they are doing everything they can,” Dominic said, trying to hide his own worry.

  The door opened. Ardhuin stood there, looking stunned, and Dominic felt his heart plummet.

  Henri stood up stiffly. “Is she...?”

  “The transformation is completely reversed,” she said, still looking dazed. “Your wife is still recovering, however. The doctors must now attend her.” Ardhuin shook herself, seeming to see Henri for the first time. “I...must prepare you a little. You understand that any damage that was done to the statue is reflected in her person?”

  Henri nodded, his eyes locked on her face.

  “Most of the scrapes will heal with time, although there may be some scarring. Unfortunately, there was also some breakage. Part of one ear, I’m afraid. She is missing the little finger of her right hand entirely, and the first two joints of the finger next to it. Even if we had been able to find the missing pieces, we would not have been able to restore them.”

  Henri clasped her hand, cheeks wet, and murmured in a broken voice, “Alive! Estelle is alive!” When he could speak again, he said, “Thank you, mademoiselle. If I may say so, I was quite relieved that you were one of the magicians. Not that I would wish to impugn the characters of the others, but it simply would not be proper without another lady present.”

  Ardhuin stared at him. “Why do you say I am a magician, Henri?”

  “I saw you fighting that evil man,” Henri said stoutly. “I woke up just enough for that, and it did me good. How many times I wished I could do the same! And no offense, sir, but you didn’t seem quite strange enough to be a mage, saving your reverence. I’ve been in service to magicians all my life, so you could say I’ve learned their ways, sir.”

  Ardhuin concealed a smile. As soon as his shock wore off, Dominic grinned, himself, feeling a little shaky. Evidently Henri did not have a problem with women magicians, at least not in situations like this. Dominic gripped Ardhuin’s shoulder.

  “Henri, you must understand Mademoiselle Andrews’ talent is...not to be mentioned to anyone. It would occasion comment, and with Denais still at large—and with a grudge against her—it would be dangerous if generally known.”

  “But of course, sir,” Henri said with dignity. “I would in any case refrain from discussing a young lady so freely, and when I owe Mademoiselle Andrews so much, it would be unpardonable!”

  “That’s all right, then,” Ardhuin said, smiling and patting Dominic’s hand. “Would you like to see your wife now?”

  “After so long.... Thank you. Thank you for Estelle.”

  “You are welcome, Henri,” Ardhuin said softly.

  Henri went inside the room where his wife lay. Dominic gave Ardhuin a look before drawing her arm through his own. “You should be more careful, you know. He might forget his good intentions one day, telling someone about the miraculous recovery of his wife.”

  “Oh, I doubt it,” Ardhuin said, giving him a mischievous smile. “Henri is quite old-fashioned in that regard. Didn’t you hear him? He doesn’t discuss young ladies. Besides, he doesn’t know how much of a magician I am, and that’s the real danger.”

  Dominic raised an eyebrow, but refrained from arguing. “So...how soon can we leave?”

  Ardhuin sighed. “I think the Preusans are done with me for now. The university wants to give me an ars magica degree—that is, they’ve already done it but there is some kind of ceremony at the university tomorrow. After that, I believe we can leave whenever we like.”

  “Good.” Dominic glanced up and down the hall, making sure they were unobserved, and stole a kiss. “I’ll start packing immediately.”

  Ardhuin frowned. “Speaking of that, I have to go shopping for a new coat so I can return the one I’m borrowing from Gutrune. And a hat. I had no idea how hard being a Mage Guardian can be on one’s clothes.”

  “Is it safe to go out?” Dominic asked, feeling a stab of concern. “Can they be sure they found all of Denais’ people?”

  “Without Denais to give them orders they will do nothing. He used the geas extensively. In fact, von Koller caught three of them returning to the old mansion, even though it was destroyed and guards posted. He’d ordered them to go there, you see.”

  “And von Stangen?”

  Ardhuin gave a shudder. “Gutrune said the executions will be carried out in secret, to avoid alarming the population. I think the King was shocked at how many of the Kriegsa magicians were involved. Resentment had been building for some time at their lower status compared to the army, and von Stangen exploited that. Don’t worry,” she said, giving his arm a squeeze and grinning. “Gutrune will be with me.”

  “Then I withdraw my objections,” Dominic said immediately. “Unless you would like me to accompany you?”

  Ardhuin grimaced. “It will be quite tedious, I am afraid. I would not subject you to that when I can barely stand it myself.”

  Dominic saw her and Gutrune off on their expedition and went up to the workroom to begin packing. As he worked, it occurred to him he really ought to go out and visit some shops himself. He had been conscious of a stab of guilt when she mentioned her missing hat. She did not know that he was responsible for destroying it. No one had seen him, in the dust and confusion after the collapse of Denais’ mansion, as he carefully nudged it into the watery hole that was the remains of the entrance to the cellar.

  He should ask Henri if it was proper for a gentleman to buy a lady a hat.

  Dominic finished and Ardhuin had still not returned, so he decided to go out himself. Even without the issue of the hat, he wanted to find some little gift for her. They were back on their earlier friendly footing, and he wanted to improve it. He smiled to himself. They would be able to spend more time together when they left Baerlen, and—he drew in a breath, a sudden fear appearing in his mind. She would stay in Peran, wouldn’t she?

  He wandered past the shops on the main
fashionable boulevard, realizing he could not afford anything he wanted to buy. That was another problem. All the time they had been here he hadn’t written anything. He couldn’t expect Ardhuin to marry him if he could barely support himself, let alone a wife.

  After looking in a few more shops, he noticed a bookstore and his depression lifted. He could afford a book. He walked quickly towards the door, nearly running into a man who had his nose in a guidebook.

  The man looked up, startled, and Dominic gasped. “Phillipe? Is it you? What are you doing here?”

  “Looking for you and freezing to death,” Phillipe snapped. “After a week of searching, of course I find you outside a bookstore. I should have started here. Why, oh why Baerlen? You can’t find anything decent to eat and the girls look sturdy enough to pull a plow—not that you can see much of them under all the heavy wraps they have to wear in this weather. Are you mad?”

  Dominic urged his friend inside the store, smiling. “I’m delighted to see you too, Phillipe. But why do you need to see me so urgently? A letter would not suffice?”

  Phillipe tapped his head. “Oh, that reminds me.” He went through his pockets, finally pulling out an envelope. “That’s for you. That post office fellow, can’t remember his name at the moment, gave it to me on the off chance I did find you. Recognized my name, if you can believe it.”

  “Post office?” Dominic was completely bewildered. “What post office?”

  “In Baranton,” Phillipe said. “I thought I’d surprise you with a visit to your rural fastness. The locals think you’ve been turned into a frog, by the way. How do you get yourself mixed up in things like this? And when I went to Peran, I ran into her. This trip was all her idea,” he added in bitter accents.

  “Who?” Dominic asked, even more confused.

  “Madame Andrews,” Phillipe said, shuddering.

  Dominic gaped at him, not comprehending, and then feeling like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over him. Ardhuin’s mother. Had she come to take Ardhuin away?

  “You look white as a ghost,” Phillipe commented. “You have met the lady, I take it.”

  “No, never,” Dominic stammered. Where could he talk to Phillipe undisturbed? The beer gardens were too noisy and public, and anywhere outside would be too cold. He pulled his friend into the section of the store where the dictionaries and other reference books were kept. Hardly anyone came over there. “Try to remember. What did you tell her about me?”

  Phillipe gave him an intrigued look. “Don’t tell me. She’s looking for her daughter. You found her, eh?”

  “Be serious for a moment,” Dominic said in an agitated whisper, feeling his face get hot. “Ard—Mademoiselle Andrews is here in Baerlen, too.”

  “Yes, we knew that. Visiting a school friend. Hence the formidable Madame Andrews. We discussed the coincidence of your trips at some length on the train. You aren’t actually staying, ah, together, are you?”

  “In a manner of speaking, yes,” admitted Dominic. “At the Imperial Palace, though, which is thick with guards and a rather awkward place for a tryst.” Phillipe’s eyes widened. “It’s a long story.”

  “You. Staying at the Imperial Palace. With Mademoiselle Andrews.” Phillipe took a moment to digest this. “No, it does not have the air of scandal, which I also doubt would be encouraged there. Depressingly moral, these people. Besides, I was at pains to convince Madame Andrews that you were the last man on earth to notice, much less seduce, any young lady.”

  “No doubt that reassured her greatly,” Dominic said dryly, trying not to remember that he had essentially done exactly that. “As a matter of fact, I wish very much to marry Mademoiselle Andrews,” he said with some difficulty. “It’s all a mess. I need your help, Phillipe.”

  “If you want to marry that woman’s daughter, you certainly do,” Phillipe agreed. “She talks for hours, and the only thing that will distract her from her goals is fashion. Only consider! You’ll go mad inside a month.”

  Dominic laughed. “Ardhuin is the exact opposite. I’m determined, Phillipe. Come, you said yourself I’m not the type to notice a pretty face, so can’t you see she must be something out of the ordinary?”

  Phillipe sighed. “Oh, very well. You know your mind; do you know the young lady’s? Is she agreeable to your plans for her?”

  “Well, I did ask, but...she thought I was not serious. That was some time ago, anyway, and...I think I can convince her, but not if her mother takes her off to Atlantea!”

  “Calm yourself,” Phillipe soothed. “You are very agitated; it’s not like you. Some time ago? How long have you been acquainted with Mademoiselle Andrews?”

  “I met her when I came to Baranton. Don’t you see? Her mother doesn’t know how long she’s been there, and mustn’t know. But if you’ve already told her—”

  “No, I just said you were renting the cottage from the owner of the house.” Phillipe rubbed his chin. “I can see we need to think this out.”

  Ardhuin looked up sharply as the door opened.

  “Found him!” announced Markus triumphantly. “Alive and unharmed.”

  Dominic followed through the door, going immediately to her. He did appear uninjured, but he had a worried expression. Her terror transformed to anger.

  “Where were you? I thought something horrible had happened. How could you do this?”

  “We were talking, and I didn’t realize what time it was.” He glanced at Markus and Gutrune. “I, ah, met up with a friend unexpectedly.”

  “That does not account for your looking like a hunted deer,” observed Markus. “Do you perhaps owe this friend money?”

  “No, no.” He glanced at the other two again, and it seemed to Ardhuin he was wishing they would leave. “It was my friend Phillipe. I told you of him,” he said, giving Ardhuin an earnest look. “He went to Peran to visit me. He found your mother there.”

  Ardhuin jumped to her feet, a terrible tightness in her stomach. Now she understood why Dominic was disturbed. “Oh no...what does she...is she still there?” Dominic shook his head. “She’s here?”

  A small quiver quirked Gutrune’s lips. “She can easily be accommodated at the palace, you know.”

  “That’s not the issue,” Ardhuin said, distractedly ramming her fingers into her hair and starting to pace the room. “She doesn’t know about any of this. She thinks...she thought I was in school all this time.”

  “She will want to take you back with her, won’t she? To Atlantea,” Dominic said softly. Ardhuin bit her lip, nodding. She’d be in for a terrible scolding no matter what, but then—parties. Parties without Dominic. She turned to face him, trying not to cry. “I don’t want you to go,” he said, in a tight, jerky voice.

  She tried to speak, but couldn’t.

  “I am afraid we cannot permit you to go so far at present,” Gutrune said in her calm way. “Denais will undoubtedly attempt another return at some point, and you are still the only surviving Mage Guardian we have.”

  “I can’t possibly tell my mother I am responsible for the magical defense of all Aerope,” Ardhuin said, aghast.

  “That would be best,” Markus agreed, a wide grin on his face. “It’s not a thing we care to have generally known. Now, what are we going to do? I suppose it would not be very polite to hide from your family forever.”

  “It wouldn’t work anyway. From Phillipe’s account, Madame Andrews is a particularly determined woman,” Dominic added. “Ardhuin, I...I need to talk to you.”

  “Oh, don’t mind us,” Markus said, leaning back in his chair and adjusting his sling. “After all we’ve been through together, why the need for secrecy?”

  “I believe Herr Kermarec has a rather personal question to ask,” Gutrune said, the corners of her mouth turning up. Ardhuin was briefly distracted from being embarrassed by the realization that Gutrune was actually smiling.

  “Splendid idea!” Markus tried to gesture with his broken arm, and drew in his breath with a hiss. “That would solve all our
problems. Marrying her might even cure him of constantly glaring at me in that rude manner.”

  Gutrune held up a hand. “There is a reason these matters are usually discussed in private, Herr Asgaya. You have placed Fraülein Andrews in an awkward position.” She sounded annoyed.

  Ardhuin stared at Dominic, trying to sort out her tangled thoughts. Somehow she knew the answer to the one question that had troubled her before, that he did love her.

  “The difficulty will be in persuading my mother,” she managed to say, finally. “I’m not of age, and...and I don’t think she will approve.”

  “But you have no objection yourself?” asked Gutrune. Ardhuin shook her head, not trusting her voice.

  Dominic’s shoulders sagged in relief. “If it is a question of my ability to support you, Phillipe brought me this. It isn’t a fortune by any means, but if it does well, and I write more....” He handed her a letter. She scanned it quickly. ...idea an excellent one, no doubt of your ability to execute it...if terms acceptable, write at once...500 guilders in advance.

  “Your book! How wonderful!” Ardhuin beamed at Dominic. “I don’t think she will be as concerned with that as she will with the thought of...of not being as splendid a match as she had hoped. With a big wedding,” she said gloomily.

  “Your great-uncle did not explain much of the practical side of the Mage Guardians, did he?” Gutrune asked.

  “No, just the obligations. And some of the history,” Ardhuin said.

  Gutrune looked even more amused. “You need not concern yourself with the financial details, for—”

  A knock interrupted her, followed by the entrance of a palace servant with a crease of worry between his brows. He spoke rapidly to Gutrune in Preusan, but Ardhuin heard enough to understand. Even if she hadn’t, the stunned look on Dominic’s face would have told her. Visitors asking for her, by name.

  “How long ago did you leave this friend of yours?” Markus wanted to know.

  “Less than an hour! It can’t be her—can it?” Dominic protested.