Natalya: Wizards of White Haven

by Frances Howitt

  ‘Made good my escape. You could no longer attack me, nor could you see where I went. I’d also just turned you into the target for your own men to finish off.’

  ‘Mm, unusual strategy but one that would probably work,’ Vako conceded, impressed. ‘So, how would you defend a less able ally? Say an animus from wizard attack?’

  ‘I’m not sure, I only did it once.’

  ‘Come now, there’s no room for doubts or modesty here. I heard you knocked Jim’s lion to the floor, stopping his charge dead.’ Vako eyed her, aware the others were shocked by this possibility. Most thought Jim was an exceedingly powerful wizard. It was good for them to know others could be stronger, that he wasn’t all-powerful. ‘Come and volunteer Jason. Let’s see if she’ll defend you like you were trying to do for her earlier.’

  Natalya stared at Jason in dismay, seeing him immediately go rigid with pain. She acted without thinking. She made a chopping motion with her hand dropping a barrier between Vako and Jason. Vako’s spell abruptly rebounded back on him but not squarely. Those students standing on Vako’s left got blasted with some of the spell too. Vako winced and jumped aside, obviously trying to avoid the rebound as well as get around her shield. Students scattered in panicked chaos, all trying to avoid the constantly altering stream of fallout.

  Abruptly Vako clapped his hands, calling a halt to the spell and gesturing everyone back to their seats.

  ‘If anyone was wondering why she joined this class, that ought to answer it,’ Vako said to the class at large. ‘What she has demonstrated for us today is the reason she is called a warrior wizard. Aside from her unusual strength, a warrior wizard instinctively knows how to react defensively, unlike a regular wizard who has to learn it. Obviously with tuition she will gain experience and real skill. But the core quick reactions and defensive ability are already there.’

  ‘How did my sister react to that test?’

  ‘I was never able to test her that precise way, but I do know she reacts very differently to you.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘She is an animus warrior wizard. She reacts just as quickly and defensively as you. However, she does not instinctively reach for her magic to counter a threat. Her first response is to become whatever animal she thinks would best cope with the situation. If I was attacking you for real Jason, how would you counter me?’

  ‘My first thought was to leap across and rip out your throat.’

  ‘Yes, a typical animus response. Yet you didn’t change form and you didn’t even move. I thought I’d see some reaction to a surprise attack. Or was it too much of a surprise?’

  ‘Not at all. I knew Natalya would stop you. You had just told us that she stopped Jim in lion form. With all due respect, he is a more powerful wizard. Besides, you did warn me that it was to test her not me,’ Jason reminded him. Natalya gently squeezed his shoulder for a moment as she returned to her seat. But that briefest of touches took away the pounding headache he was suffering as a result of Vako’s attack. It was the nicest thanks he could think of.

  ‘So you were happy to rely on the protection of a complete novice and hide behind a pretty girl?’ Vako suggested, watching Jason staring at her.

  ‘She is not just a girl,’ Jason contradicted sharply. ‘She is probably the strongest wizard student at this school. It would be stupid of me to get between two fighting wizards,’ he added scornfully.

  ‘Ah. Actually you do have a valid point that everyone should remember, especially those of you who are animus. Only interfere if your wizard wishes it.’ He then moved on to explaining some of the other variations wizards had come up with to counter attack. He didn’t call on Natalya or Jason for the remainder of the lesson, aware he’d perhaps singled them out a little too much. Jim had specifically told him not to do so, worried that she might lose control and accidentally injure someone. Vako however felt justified, having proved her level of control was far greater than Jim gave her credit for. Vako had reasoned it would have to be so for her to have achieved what she already had done with her spell casting. Even small spells required control and she’d demonstrated them in his presence.

  After the lesson ended Jim entered his classroom waiting until the students had departed with their customary alacrity.

  ‘So how did your lesson go?’ Jim asked Vako, whilst glancing around a liberally purple splattered classroom. Many of the students he’d passed in the corridor were also purple spotted. He’d noticed Natalya had purple on the soles of her shoes, but was otherwise completely clean. Jason too by her side was unscathed. In marked contrast, Vako’s shoes and socks were a vivid purple and even the hems of his trousers were liberally splashed.

  ‘Very well,’ Vako responded.

  ‘You know this whole end of the school was vibrating with power?’

  ‘I had Natalya demonstrate three of her shields,’ Vako admitted, knowing no one else could have created such a power signature.

  ‘You tested her then?’

  ‘Of course, but no more than I thought she could handle. I really don’t think you need worry over her level of control. Yes she’s powerful but she naturally only uses the minimum power needed to achieve each spell.’

  ‘She impressed you then?’

  ‘Yes; she’s very creative. Obviously she needs a great deal of tuition but she has a thirst for knowledge in its practical applications.’

  ‘Who made the mess then?’ Jim asked glancing pointedly at the lurid paint, thickly coating a whole side of the room.

  ‘I did, or rather I used the colour to reveal her shield to the class. Quite effective for everyone to be able to see what she was doing. It was also a good way to demonstrate how a seemingly harmless spell can be turned into a weapon. But she got out of it unaided.’

  ‘You bombarded a green warrior wizard with paint, knowing how strong she is and also that she has a temper?’

  ‘As far as I’ve heard or seen, she only appears to have directed anger at you,’ Vako said, watching Jim closely. He hadn’t been privy to whatever had sparked her ire. But he had certainly seen the coolly polite way she had kept her distance when forced into proximity with Jim in her early days. He hadn’t seen them together more recently however to know if they’d resolved their differences. He assumed they must have come to some understanding for her to join lessons and equally for Jim to spend so much of his own time giving her personal tuition.

  ‘The boys in her class are falling over themselves to be close to her, although I don’t think she’s even noticed them. Young Jason seems the only one who’s actually been noticed. He’s clearly taken it upon himself to be her friend. He’s smart too, that one,’ Vako said.

  ‘I hear from Bruno he volunteered to be her sparring partner,’ Jim said. ‘He then admitted he remembered every move I’d taught her and every move Freddie did today too. The fight he then engaged her with took her through every one of those moves without pause or repetition. I hope he’s not expecting that she’ll drop Freddie for him.’

  ‘I’d actually wondered if that friendship was something her boyfriend instigated, they’ve certainly been talking together,’ Vako suggested.

  ‘I hope so,’ Jim said and went on his way, relieved all appeared well. He fully intended to peer into Natalya’s memory tomorrow if he could, to see that paint fight. If Vako had won he’d have been crowing about it. The fact he wasn’t volunteering details probably meant he’d pushed her more than he thought Jim would have approved of. She had clearly impressed him but may have embarrassed him in front of the class, too.

  18. Returned

  ‘Finally, I’m on my way home,’ Amelie called to Jim.

  ‘Glad to hear it,’ he responded in relief. ‘When?’

  ‘In about half an hour. Can you get everyone off the lawn so we have a place to land?’

  ‘You plan to let Stripe land on the front lawn in broad daylight? I don’t think that’s a very good idea. We’ll have wide-scale panic and we certainly won’t be able to keep that news from spr
eading.’

  ‘I suppose you’re right. Where then?’

  ‘There ought to be space enough just outside the People Gate for him to land. That’s safely out of the student’s sight. Then no-one need be any the wiser of his presence or your friendship with a real dragon.’

  ‘Very well, I’ll tell him.’

  ‘I’ll meet you there.’

  Jim eagerly jogged along the narrow path worn into the grass from the school driveway over to the small People Gate. Whilst there was a nice wide-open stretch of meadow on this side of the gate, it was in clear view to anyone up at the training grounds, or indeed the school’s eastern windows. Stripe was simply too large to expect him to land unnoticed in an open field, especially when those at the training ground were mostly animus with keen eyes.

  From the gatehouse he watched the big dragon land in what now seemed a small space. Once on the ground however, Jim noticed Stripe’s dark green colouration and darker stripes meant the dragon blended amazingly well with the shadowed trees behind him. That was useful to know.

  Jim stepped out of the gatehouse and passed through the shadowed archway into their sight. He was well aware that Stripe was watching him closely, but his main attention was on Amelie sliding from the dragon’s back. A second person carefully passed down a well wrapped bundle; Daisy. He had time to register that the girl sliding down off the dragon had sapphire blue hair before Amelie was in his arms. He hugged his love and their daughter closely, assuring himself that they had taken no harm.

  ‘You look tired, love,’ he commented with a frown and noticed she glanced sideways in both explanation and resignation. ‘The blue haired one is Tania?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Why hasn’t she reverted?’ Jim asked, keeping their conversation private on their link.

  ‘I don’t know for sure, but she’s certainly enjoying thwarting her father. He couldn’t come down to the village to get us in dragon form of course and so while she remained there she was outside of his control. She’ll try this ploy again I’ve no doubt when she next feels like escaping him. She was having far too much fun to listen to me, as well. In some respects it was fortunate there was that storm and that it caused so much damage. She got exceedingly bored with sitting inside waiting for it to pass and then days of trudging through thick mud, sweeping debris and helping with the repairs by fetching and carrying. I know the villagers were glad for some extra hands, but we did not belong there.’

  ‘They must have questioned you about her. What did you say?’

  ‘No one there had any magic, fortunately. I told them she was animus and that her real mother died, leaving her running wild in the forest. I hoped that would explain her lack of manners and understanding of civilised ways in general. It was not easy trying to cover for her. She had no idea how peculiar they thought her.’

  ‘It all sounds like a completely frustrating time was had.’

  ‘Yes, and not just for me,’ she responded glancing at Stripe. He was watching her and she abruptly wondered if he could hear their conversation; he had the last time. ‘We really don’t need Tania’s brothers and sisters seeing her like this. Goodness knows how they’d react. Stripe has enough to cope with in raising them alone, as it is.’

  ‘Ok Tania, it’s time you reverted back to your real self,’ Jim said briskly realising Stripe was unable to leave until that happened.

  ‘I don’t want to.’

  ‘We all have to do things we don’t want to do. You’ve had your fun. Now it’s time to get back to normal.’

  ‘I am a queen. I don’t have to listen to you!’

  ‘Queen?’ Jim snorted at her. ‘You’re certainly not yet a queen. You are still a child and you are acting incredibly selfishly. Change back into your true form. Your father is waiting.’

  Tania merely shrugged, ignoring them all.

  ‘Now you are also being rude,’ Jim informed her. He raised his hand and Tania was suddenly lifted off the ground and pushed against a tree trunk. There she dangled many feet above the ground, wide-eyed in shock.

  ‘Careful, little lion,’ Stripe warned.

  ‘Look over the wall,’ Jim told her having lifted her sufficiently. He absently noticed that Stripe had lifted his head high, his gaze flicking between his daughter, Jim and the view on the other side. Jim was relieved; getting Stripe defensively angry was to be avoided at all costs. So far the dragon was making no attempt to interfere.

  ‘Do you see all the people inside this wall? There are some up here training, many in the main building and yet more down at the far end,’ he said pointing to each group. ‘I am in charge of and responsible for the safety of each and every one of them. Because you ran away and refused to return, your father had to come here and ask Amelie for help. Do you really think he wanted to have to do that? To admit he couldn’t control one rebellious child? Earlier that day I had to deal with some enemy wizards and then an attack on one of my people inside the grounds. Amelie’s sister was the target and she was forced to kill him.’

  ‘That was Natalya, my sister?’

  ‘Yes. We didn’t know who she was to you of course at the time,’ Jim reminded Amelie. He then returned his gaze to Tania. ‘Because of these threats I was forced to allow my mate to travel to an unknown village where she would be trespassing on other human’s lands, cope with an unknown and potentially dangerous human leader, all whilst caring for a young baby and a dragon child who refused to recognise the danger she was putting everyone in. Oh, and let’s not forget the impact on your brothers and sisters. While your escapade was wasting your father’s time, he could not be watching over and defending your brothers and sisters. If something had attacked them, their deaths would be squarely your fault. Do you understand?’

  ‘Yes,’ Tania said in a small voice. She had tried to free herself but could not. She was pinned immobile by the lion man and her father was not intervening.

  ‘Good. Now apologise to your father. He has a hard enough life raising so many children at once without you making it even more difficult.’

  ‘Sorry papa,’ she said quietly and the lion man lowered her to the ground and released her.

  ‘Now, follow my lead,’ Jim said. His clothes unfastened and floated off his skin and he knelt. ‘It is always best to remember your posture when you alter form from two legs to four. You know your dragon, picture your form clearly in your mind and will the change.’

  Tania watched the man shimmer and a lion take his place in awe. ‘But there is so much to learn about your world. I want to stay here.’ She glanced at her father, hearing his growl, but there was little he could do to stop her. The lion shimmered and reverted to his human form once more. There was no mistaking his annoyance however. Unexpectedly, Amelie gasped and they realised she was looking Stripe’s way.

  Stripe shook his head uneasily and rose to balance on two feet instead of four. He had a human body! He’d never known this was possible. He had heard Amelie’s concern that Tania would do this again if he could not stop her and then listened to Jim’s instructions without realising he was also acting on them. He’d never thought it would be so easy to accomplish, even though Tania had managed it.

  ‘Papa, you did it!’ Tania exclaimed and ran to him. She looked him over closely then wrapped her human arms about warm soft skin. ‘Mama, look!’ she added, beckoning. ‘Doesn’t he look wonderful now?’

  ‘Yes,’ Amelie had to admit. Stripe was watching her closely. His eyes might be a vivid grass green but they sparkled with wary intelligence. ‘That’s quite a transformation.’

  ‘Am I human enough?’ Stripe asked forming words with his voice rather than using their usual mental communication. He stepped out from behind Tania so his queen had an uninterrupted view. He was inwardly amused and satisfied to note her gaze travelled over him fully and gave every indication of appreciation.

  ‘You’re big, I mean taller than anyone I’ve ever seen. You’ve got to be over seven feet tall.’ He was exceedingly heavily muscl
ed too. Clearly condensing his dragon mass was no easy matter. His skin was a beautiful burnished bronze, as was Tania’s. It was an unusually deep shade for this part of the world, but not unnatural. His hair was black rather than green, except for a paler streak at his left temple. ‘What happened here? Have you been injured?’ she asked tentatively stroking back the white strands. His hair was short and silky soft.

  ‘I have a mark?’ he asked in surprise. ‘Yes, I do have an old battle scar there,’ he admitted, more interested in savouring her touch.

  Amelie hastily removed her hands noticing his reaction. ‘Wow! Your teeth are not at all human,’ she told him, suddenly noticing he had a mouthful of fangs. ‘It looks like you have simply shrunk your dragon teeth to fit a smaller mouth.’

  ‘Anything else?’

  ‘Your eyes are an unusual colour,’ she told him refraining from admitting they were beautiful. She could hear Jim’s unease; he knew she found Stripe attractive. It was best Stripe didn’t know that as well however. ‘You’ll need to remember that humans don’t walk about naked. Whilst shifters are used to seeing each other, they do expect someone to cover up as soon as they can.’

  Stripe glanced over at her mate, the male he’d copied and found he’d now covered his bare skin. He knew he wouldn’t have found it so easy to change form without seeing exactly how a human male was put together. Amelie was female and very different. She was also wearing things that swamped her form and concealed specific details. Tania too was dressed and her immature body was little use as a guide. He realised he was looking down on her mate; she was right that he’d become a large male. Could he win her? For the first time, claiming the one female he’d ever wanted was a viable possibility now he could share her form. However, he suspected fighting her mate would not go down very well just now, or do him any favours in the long run. He still had dependents as did she; there was time. He turned, suddenly detecting others approaching.