Well Armed Brides: A Novel of the Highmage's Plight (Highmage’s Plight Series Book 5)
Page 7
“Um. Really?”
She kissed him, “Really, loverboy…”
#
Clawd found himself hustled down to the Seventh Tier and he was not alone. “Uh, hi, Ebb.”
“Okay, what’s going on?”
“How would I know?” Clawd said with a chuckle.
“One moment I was following a merchant Terhun suspects could be up to no good, and the next I find myself surrounded by Cathartans… Now, here you are, dressed like that. What’s up?”
“Don’t look at me,” he replied with a shrug.
The door opened. They turned and saw Ruke, “This is my doing… I’ve made a deal, but it’s going to require your help.”
“Huh?” the two Rats muttered.
Ruke called out and behind him were some rather lovely Cathartans. “This is Za’an, she’s agreed to help.”
“Help with what?” Ebb asked.
“Their Mother Shaman’s had a vision… I’m being put to stud.”
“What?” Clawd rasped.
#
Za’an had to interrupt. “That’s not how it’s going to be.”
With a glare, Ruke said, “Perhaps, not from your perspective, but I’ve seen stallions being used for stud and that’s exactly what you and your Mother Shaman intend to make me… but I’ve conditions… which is where you two come in.”
“Oh, I can’t wait to hear this one,” Ebb said.
“I’ve promised Master Terhun I will report regularly.”
“Yeah,” Ebb said, eyes narrowed.
“You two are going to be my go betweens.”
“Go betweens…” they chorused.
“The Cathartans will grant you access to see me — alone.”
Za’an frowned, “And what precisely are you reporting to Master Terhun?”
“Actually, they will be reporting to me.”
“Huh?” Za’an muttered.
Clawd smiled, “They don’t know, do they?”
“Know what?” Za’an replied as Ruke nodded.
“That I’m in charge of the Pack in Gallen’s absence.”
Ebb explained, “Think of him as the king of the street urchins.”
Ruke frowned, “Um.”
Clawd nodded, “Ruke, the hunt rolled a lot of the other groups. They’ve, um, sworn themselves to the Pack.”
“Meaning, Ruke’s king of the urchins,” Ebb added.
Za’an didn’t say what she wanted to. The Mother Shaman had made it clear that Ruke should never be called a spy — he ultimately worked for Lord Je’orj, after all. “I thought this Gallen person was the leader of your pack.”
“Gallen isn’t. He’s a mage now,” Ruke said, though, he saw Clawd’s hand sign. “In his stead, I’m in charge, which means I’ve obligations.”
“Like what?” Za’an said, hands on hips.
“Like making sure the Prince of Thieves gets his cut.”
Ebb swallowed, “Oh, no.”
“That’s where you come in, Ebb… I’m appointing you our representative to the Thieves Guild.”
“But…”
“No, buts, my friend,” Ruke said. “The Prince gets his cut and we’re agreed. We target only those who aren’t loyal to the Empress.”
Clawd grinned, “Which seems to be a lot of people.”
Ruke nodded. “So, Za’an, I’ll… romance Mahr, the love of my life, and you’ll make sure that these two have access to me, in private.”
She bowed. “Yes, Milord.”
“Good, now leave us alone. I need them both away from here well before dawn. Oh, and, Clawd, you look really good in that skirt.”
“Erk,” the boy said, wishing he could stare some more at Za’an, but was now too embarrassed by half.
Chapter 7 - Wedding Jitters
Carriages came downTier with a mounted Honor Guard of Imperial Legionnaires. People thronged the streets to watch as the invited guests hastened to prepare for the wedding, while every bard, musician with a decent sounding instrument, merchant, baker, tavern-keeper, like one Master Rolf ordering his new kegs to be watered down, in preparation for the festival to follow.
“Rolf!” his wife shouted. “This is the Sixth Tier, not some kind of… ale house in the Seventh.”
He winced, knowing he was supposed to be a respectable man these days. “Forget what I just said. Bring them there, where we can tap them. I want a board laid so we can serve in front of the tavern! And none of you go be offering a room upstairs, them’s for respectable people who can pay to sleep it off with whomever they want. Understood?”
“Yes, Master Rolf!” each said, meeting his glare.
“Good, see, dear?”
His wife shook her head. “Now that sounds right and proper.”
He turned back, “No, you ninny! That goes over there!”
#
Raven flew out the attic window, took in the scene of the raised Imperial banners and that of the Highmage as a dozen warders positioned themselves along the walls of the First and Second Tiers.
Raven noted the carriages heading for the Fourth Tier and squawked, arrowing back to the estate to announce how close the carriages were.
Tett and Spiro saw Raven racing back and ordered everyone alerted. It was time to finish preparing.
The bard dwarf muttered, “I better go over the touching issue, one more time.”
“Before Revit or Terus realize they just have to be clever enough to surprise Ander you mean?”
“Oh, hadn’t considered that… Hope they haven’t.”
“Warn their warder just in case.”
Spiro actually ran up the stairs as fast as his legs could take him.
#
“Get out, Aaprin!” Gallen shouted as he brought in a platter of rolls, cheese, and a pitcher of milk. “We’re about to get dressed. Its bad luck to see the gown before we’re gathered for the processional.”
“Uh, I, uh, brought you this… I’ll just get my robe and boots and get myself more for breakfast.”
“Wear sandals! Which you won’t be wearing down the aisle.”
“Fine, Gallen… Ander, uh, what’s Juels doing here?”
“I’m walking down the aisle with Ander.”
“What? I’m not marrying you, too!”
“Of course, not,” Juels replied, trusting to her luck. “I’m just a kid. We’re just getting engaged.”
“What?” he muttered as Juels shook her head.
“You really should listen closely to Spiro, Aaprin,” Gallen said.
“It’s not like I want this, either, Aaprin,” Juels said, meaning it.
That said, shaking his head, he retrieved his sandals and his robe, then hesitated.
“Revit and Terus’s room,” Gallen added. “Change there and make sure they… dress properly, too.”
Aaprin winced and left.
The three of them glanced at their boxes. “Uh, we really can’t take those off.”
“No,” Gallen said. “It’s said they will sort of disintegrate after a full day, which means they will exist for another twelve hours or so.”
Juels looked at her. “That’s not precisely true.”
Gallen swallowed. “Yours will last another twelve hours or so.”
“What about yours?” Ander asked.
“I overheard Spiro explain that to Lord Je’orj,” Juels said. “He seemed awfully quiet after Spiro said something about it being a chemical reaction.”
“Huh?” Ander muttered.
Nodding, Gallen said, “Um, yes, elves don’t explain it quite that way, but it’s definitely a chemical reaction.”
“Oh,” Ander said in a low voice as Juels shrugged.
#
“Revit! Terus! What are you two up to?” Aaprin said.
“What?” they chorused, standing there in robes, holding a pair of boots in front of them.
“Well, your warder is outside, having a chat with Spiro and told me you were getting ready… and, knowing you two, that meant trouble.”
>
“Now, Aaprin, we’re not scheming,” Revit replied.
“Oh, not on a day like this,” Terus assured him, “when we’re going to have so much fun.”
“You can’t wear boots. You can wear sandals, at least until we walk the processional aisle.”
“Oh, no boots,” Revit said.
“Not a problem,” Terus added, standing there looking a bit uncomfortable. “Uh, if that’s it, we’ll see you at breakfast.”
Aaprin shook his head, “You’re all, well, undressed, under those robes, are you?”
“Of course, we are.”
“Well, it’ll be like old times them, I was told you wouldn’t mind my undressing here with you two miscreants magelings.”
“Um, that’s completely unnecessary, we’re all ready,” Terus replied a bit hurriedly.
Aaprin frowned. “It’s not like I’ve never seen you without clothes on, boys. I practically raised you.”
Shrugging, Revit said, “Uh, we were really just kids then.”
Before they knew what hit them, Aaprin waved his hands up and down. Their robes fell to the floor. “Um, you’ve got to be kidding,” Aaprin gasped, staring, then chuckled.
“Well?” Revit said. “So we’re naked.”
“Where did you,” he laughed, “get the pattern,” more laughter as the pair glanced at each other, “for,” he tried to point, failed, “those.”
They looked down at themselves rather proudly. “What’s wrong with, uh, how we look?”
Aaprin couldn’t help himself; he laughed so hard that the warder burst into the room, then seemed to freeze in please, before falling down laughing.
Terus put his hands on his hips, “What’s so funny?”
“Snakes… snakes aren’t so long,” Aaprin choked out, tears in his eyes.
#
George stared, blushing, “Uh, isn’t it bad luck or something to see the brides in their wedding dresses?”
“You call this a dress?” Se’and said, standing there in her form-fitting Elvinsilk gown, which shone with the chemical fire of her body. It wrapped tight to her body, giving her form a statuesque look. Her blonde hair took on an almost electric luster.
“You are like a Venus.”
“Who?”
“There are statues in stone thousands of years old on Earth. Venus was a goddess.”
Behind him, Fri’il entered, her gown swirling but in all the wrong places. “You didn’t say that to me.”
:That’s because he was speechless: Staff mentally shared.
That’s when Cle’or finished using the basin and walked over to the box. “How exactly do you put that thing on?”
George swallowed hard, not certain which was worse, seeing Cle’or in the light of day naked, or Se’and and Fri’il gowned practically as goddesses with little left to the imagination.
“Um.”
Se’and chuckled, “Take it from the bottom, uh, hem, and slip in on. It, well, does the rest.”
Cle’or slipped it on and muttered, “Ah, it tingles.”
:Fascinating,: Staff said as the fabric constricted around Cle’or, looking like a second skin.
“What?”
:George, they’re all flowing in the same pattern, but not quite the same colors.:
“You’re beautiful,” he said. “You’re all so beautiful.”
“Je’orj, you’ve washed up nicely,” Se’and said, “but do get undressed and let us take a look at you.”
“Ugh,” he muttered and disrobed.
“Did he wash behind his ears?” Cle’or asked without a hint of humor as she slipped several thin throwing blades in her hair. “Se’and, you need?”
“I’ve got it handled.”
:Want me to scan all three of them?:
George frowned, not wanting to know.
Getting up, she checked his ears, “My, my, he did wash behind his ears.” She leaned closed and kissed his cheek, then whispered, “It was a wonderful party.”
Cle’or frowned, “What did you say to him, Fri’il?”
“Hmm, why?”
“I think it’ll help him walk down the aisle without embarrassing himself.”
“Oh, I think we can make sure he won’t,” Fri’il said, smiling.
He blushed.
“Je’orj,” Se’and said, pausing to give him a critical look, “you are not wearing that robe… where’s the one I had Spiro get you?”
“Uh, over there, I think,” he replied his voice cracking as his computer staff twinkled impishly.
#
Ruke woke and realized he wasn’t alone. “You’re awake,” Mahr whispered beside him; her friends slept on mats across the room, while Za’an stood watch.
“Uh, yes.”
“You’re wonderful,” she said, words that echoed from other lips teased from memory.
“You are, too, Mahr.”
She threw an arm around him, pulled him close, and kissed him, knowing that he would get her with child… and if the boy she hoped, she’d been a queen among those of the Shattered House.
Tears filled his eyes.
#
“Undo that illusion,” the warder ordered as Aaprin finally caught his breath.
“It’s not, well, an illusion,” Terus replied, realizing it was becoming really awkward to walk.
“By the Gate, what did you do?” Aaprin rasped.
“Well, there’s this apothecary shop being set up for the festival and we heard about this plant and…” Revit said.
“…well, it’s supposed to…” Terus said, staring down at himself.
“The apothecary said it’s very potent and would be something the Highmage himself might need.”
“He sold it to you?” their warder rasped. “You got away from me only the once!”
“Not exactly, you see he was quite rude about it…” Terus said.
“You stole it?” Aaprin said.
“Well, he was rude,” Revit said.
“How much did you take?” Aaprin asked with a sinking feeling.
“We figured it needed to last a few hours…” Terus admitted.
“So we used it all,” Revit said.
Aaprin ran from the room, shouting, “Balfour!”
#
Raven bounded from the attic accessway to the ground, when she glimpsed through the open door... She turned her wolfish head around and around, staring.
That drew more attention than the now embarrassed twins could handle. “Keep them out!”
The warder raised a hand and the doorway became opaque, cocking his head quizzically.
George came out of his room, one hand holding his robe tight, the other with his staff in hand as Balfour finished cinching his robe tight, “What’s wrong?”
“Oh, they’ve done it this time!”
“What?”
Raven shook her head and sent an image.
“Oh, no,” George choked.
:Well, that’s different.:
He and Bal passed through the darkened doorway as Aaprin blocked it as the robed Cathartans, Gallen, Ander, and Juels rushed to the hallway. Raven rolled over twice. “What did they do this time, Aaprin?”
“The most stupid,” he struggled to say, “idiotic…”
“Snakes?” Fri’il said, catching Raven’s thought.
“What’s this about snakes?” Ander said as Juels frowned, wondering what her luck had made happen this time.
George soon returned through the warded doorway. “The boys will miss the ceremony. They apparently can’t walk… Balfour’s ordering bed rest. Their warder has promised to make sure they don’t get into any more trouble.” The warder had been rather vehement about it, actually.
:As if that was possible.: Staff shared, as George privately agreed, struggling not to laugh.
Ander muttered. “Oh, um, that’s terrible.”
Juels sighed, thinking, sometimes my luck could be incredibly good.
George glanced at Raven, who remembered what she wanted to tel
l them. “The carriages to take us to the wedding will be here soon… Now is everyone gowned, underdressed, or, knowing the ladies of this Household too well, secretly armed to the teeth?”
Gallen didn’t glance at Ander, who carefully didn’t, either.
:Do you want me to scan them?:
George shook his head. Right, what was I thinking? Forget I even suggested it.
Chapter 8 - Preparing for the Ceremony
The carriages drew up with the escort of mounted Legionnaires. Tett glanced out the door and shouted, “They’re here!”
There was a cry of, “But my hair’s not done!”
“That couldn’t have been Lady Cle’or…” Spiro muttered.
Gallen ran down the hall past the stairs, Ander, and Juels right on her heels.
“No, you’re right, it couldn’t be,” Tett said smiling, then turned and shouted, “Five minutes!”
“TELL THE COACHMAN WE’LL BE AT LEAST,” Lady Se’and shouted, “ANOTHER… HALF HOUR!”
“This is going to be fun,” Tett said.
#
George paused at the front door as Se’and, Fri’il, holding their daughter, walked out ahead of him. Cle’or gestured and he went before her to the first carriage. Aaprin and Gallen’s warder crossed the courtyard and joined them as Ander and Juels bordered the second. Raven bounded out in beast-form, then leapt into the air, shimmered and changed, taking wing.
Balfour, holding Rachiel, came out with Me’oh. “Tett,” Balfour called as their nominal dwarven majordomo and “man Friday” as Lord Je’orj was given to calling him, hurried over. Balfour bent and whispered something to him.
Tett’s eyes went wide, “That’s what all the excitement was about…” He glanced to the second floor, nodded and called over a number of dwarves. Spiro followed Balfour and Me’oh and climbed the step to the remaining carriage.
Juels glanced back at the upstairs window and saw the outline of Revit and Terus’s warder looking back. She swallowed, sat back properly as Aaprin tried to explain that the pair had been a “tad too self-conscious.”
“But…” Gallen said.
“I know, living under Mage Academy rules isn’t the same as… a High Elvin wedding,” Aaprin.
“No, it’s not,” Gallen muttered, “but of all the fool ideas.”
“It may not have been their own,” their warder said.