Natalya: Wizards of White Haven

by Frances Howitt

  ‘An Inn; here?’ Drako asked.

  ‘There are many visitors to the school who would appreciate the option of staying overnight if there was somewhere locally available,’ she said. ‘Mum and Dad mentioned having to travel all the way to Briarton, which is twelve miles from here. If our inn looked independently run from the school, visitors would expect to pay for their bed and board,’ Cassy explained. ‘Of course, we have animus people turning up all the time too. It would take the pressure off everyone if there was somewhere where people knew they could go.’

  ‘Where are you planning to site it?’ Drako asked. ‘We don’t need lots of strangers wandering about our village at all hours.’

  Cassy turned to Jim, ‘I thought the best location would be outside the village beside the drive, where it will be clearly visible to visitors and equally be properly separate. The area opposite the village near the gates is unused. There would be space there for stables and perhaps a couple of guest paddocks behind.’

  ‘Draw something up Cassy. Perhaps Jasper would give you a hand if you ask him. An Inn is going to be something that will need to be carefully thought through to avoid problems with different guests in close proximity to each other.’

  ‘Yes sir,’ Cassy responded knowing he had a valid point about animus who had perhaps come seeking refuge, forced to share space with strange wizards.

  They heard a creaking rattle and turned to see Darius approaching, driving a wagon towed by a pair of strong horses.

  ‘Ah, excellent timing Darius,’ Jim remarked looking at the substantial load of gravel in the wagon. ‘Can you park the wagon over there out of the way? Well, ladies, we could get the footings in now and then we’ll all have a better feel for the size of the site.’

  Jim glanced at Natalya and bit his lip, then reached out to Amelie and Cassy alone.

  Natalya watched Jim as he linked to her sister and Cassy. His eyes closed and he breathed deeply. She suddenly felt power coiling around him. His eyes opened and they were gold; the lion. He took another deep breath for control and his eyes returned to blue. Then he gestured at the ground to the right of the portal and she felt his spell and that he was sending his augmented senses into the earth scanning for problems. Disturbing the earth around a powerful magical object required great caution.

  ‘I think we’d be better building the house above the forest floor,’ Jim remarked thoughtfully. He made a sweeping gesture and all the forest floor debris of leaves, twigs, small plants and rocks was swept aside, leaving a large clear rectangular shape. He watched absently as Amelie lifted and moved the insects left behind, depositing them well out of the building zone. ‘Cassy, can you and Natalya go and sort the timber, while I lay some of the gravel? We will need to interlock some strong lengths to make the base.’

  ‘Why is he not merging with me?’ Natalya asked Cassy quietly, having walked off to view the logs. ‘I know he wants to.’

  ‘You know his particular ability draws power and magical ability from others? His lion is a recent development and I believe it is a direct result of merging often enough with Amelie to take on her animus ability. She isn’t as strong in her magic as you are. Your magic is probably calling to him, tempting him. You must have seen how he was after merging with you for mere moments; he had to immediately expel it by rebuilding the hall at the castle.’

  ‘Surely if that is all it takes, then he could do this work alone far more quickly?’

  ‘His ability retains some of the power he takes on each time. Yours is simply more than someone who isn’t a natural warrior wizard can handle. Don’t tempt him; he’s strong enough as he is,’ Cassy urged seriously. ‘Come on, he’s ready for us. Let’s send over these ones,’ she added and merged them.

  Natalya learned a great deal as Cassy used their combined strength to guide the logs into position. She made notches in each log to lock them together, crossing them at right angles to form neat corners. In just a few minutes they had the cottage floor delineated. Jim and Amelie then added more gravel to the interior making a thick base that he magically compressed into a firm even layer that flooring could be laid on top of. She stood back while Cassy went to help Jim work out where the walls to the barn should go. Amelie was now occupied feeding Daisy.

  ‘Natalya, you could carry on building a couple more rows on the walls if you’d like,’ Jim remarked. ‘Grab some animus to spread the load,’ he added.

  She glanced around her feeling the magic emanating from the animus around her; yes there was strength here she could use. She smiled warmly as Freddie and Dustin immediately stepped forward to volunteer. She’d learned much since she had first tried to use their magic; she now knew what to do to merge their strength to augment hers.

  ‘Thank you. Let’s get to work,’ she added and turned to draw new slim logs into position. Freddie had seen log cabins and she drew on his memories of how they should look, layering the corners in alternate bias to aid stability. After two more courses which brought the walls up to waist height, she was glad to stop, for Dustin in particular was reeling from the strain. She looked across at how Jim’s team were doing to find they’d laid out the barn floor. The portal remained freestanding with a couple of feet of free space behind it since they’d all noticed the whoosh coming out of the back of the portal each time it was activated.

  ‘Well done,’ Jim remarked, coming over to see what she’d managed to do with her animus helpers. ‘The next rows will be more awkward because there will need to be gaps left for windows, so the timber cannot be anchored in the same way at the corners. This is the image of what you’ll need to do later. Right now, you all need to get back. Classes will be starting in ten minutes. Here’s a bit of cheese. It’ll help replenish your energy for class,’ Jim told her. He sighed watching her immediately break it in half and give some to Dustin.

  ‘Don’t look at me like that,’ she growled at Jim. ‘I’ve taken too much of his strength. We’ve had a big cooked lunch; Dustin hasn’t had any lunch, yet volunteered his strength after standing in the rain keeping guard. He needs this more than I.’

  Dustin looked from one to the other, but on the basis she nodded to him and his hands were starting to shake, he knew he was in no shape to refuse. He ate the small but rich morsel and while it was not enough to replenish his strength, it did stop the shakes and he now knew he could get home to some proper food. She ate the remainder under Jim’s gaze and then she and Cassy hastened to return to the school and their next class. With all students due back in class imminently it was now safer for everyone else to head home for lunch. The portal was still draped in the tarpaulin but now it simply looked like part of the new building construction.

  Natalya slid into her seat moments before the bell rang signalling the start of class. She breathed a sigh of relief that she wasn’t actually late as Vako turned to eye the class and glare at the tardy just rushing in.

  ‘What have you been up to?’ Jason whispered when Vako turned away again.

  ‘What do you mean? I’ve been out with Freddie.’

  ‘Mm, your boots are wet and your clothes are covered in leaves and tree sap.’

  ‘I’ve been in the woods. What’s strange about that?’ she asked aware others were listening.

  Jason noticed her glance around and realised others were watching and listening with great interest. He winced inwardly that he’d demanded answers that were truly none of his business; she was not his. His nose had already informed him she had not been off having sex despite the inference Freddie had given them. Was she trying to pretend they’d been on a romantic stroll through the woods on a chilly wet day? Not likely.

  ‘Sorry, none of my business,’ he murmured.

  ‘I’ve been working on Clan business, Jason,’ she sent to him mentally. ‘Virtually the whole village is involved. We’re going back to carry on working after school’s finished.’

  Jason’s curiosity came alive, but she said nothing more and since she’d chosen to speak mentally, he surmised
there was some secrecy or security aspects involved with whatever she’d been doing, so he shouldn’t ask out loud. Because he was watching out for it, he also noticed she seemed tired, which was highly unusual. What had she been asked to do? Fortunately class passed uneventfully; Vako did not single out either of them so her weariness and reduced strength, went unremarked.

  She gave him a small smile when he helped field and divert questions at break and he knew she recognised and appreciated what he was doing. Freddie’s appearance and chat at lunch had sparked much eager curiosity. Their classmates also wondered if Freddie would accept Jason’s invitation to come and spar with them. His sparring with Marko had proved just how much they all had to learn and what they might have to face on the battlefield against an experienced swordsman.

  Natalya was very glad when the final bell of the school day sounded. She was both nervous and excited about the work and how it would turn out. She’d used her magic and heavy logs jumped to obey. She had never done anything like it before and was amazed what could be achieved in so short a time. She glanced at Jason, following on her heels into the soggy gloomy forest. She sometimes wondered about his motivation in befriending her in the first place, but she couldn’t deny she appreciated his friendship. Since the loss of his parents, his mother some years ago and his father recently, she knew he was alone. As an animus dog he needed company; a trait she shared. But earlier he had also acted with instinctive alpha behaviour; needing to know what she’d been doing that necessitated abandoning him, and then when she answered, becoming protective. She knew he needed to belong, be part of a pack, and realised he viewed her as being his pack. Even when the wolf pack had gathered around her, he had found a way to remain with them. Jim might have said she must come alone, but she wasn’t going to abandon Jason for a second time today, and besides, he was clan and already knew about the portal.

  ‘Looks like your people have been busy today,’ Natalya remarked to Jason as they stepped into the portal clearing and looked about. Jim nodded to her, but Cassy and Amelie hadn’t arrived yet.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Jason asked. ‘What’s being built?’

  ‘Camouflage for the portal. Bruce needs better fuel now there’s so much more demand on him, so it made sense to build a charcoal maker’s hut and wood barn to cover both needs.’

  ‘Ingenious,’ Jason said and walked over to the new avenue cut through the trees towards the village. He could just see the meadow dividing this woodland from the village. There were huge piles of cut branches, stacks of planks and complete logs edging the avenue. Yes, people had clearly been hard at work here today.

  ‘They must have carted the biggest logs to the sawmill,’ Natalya remarked noticing their absence. The cottage floor had now been neatly covered with flagstones. The clearing itself had been tidied of felled tree debris, so they could move around freely. Little else had changed since she was there at lunch; Jim had presumably left when she did.

  ‘You could get stuck in, whenever you’re ready,’ Jim told her. He spread out the plans on a handy tree stump, weighting it down with a few rocks, so she could work from it. ‘I recommend you start with the door and window frames. Once they’re securely in place it’ll be easier to wall around them.’

  ‘Ok. What are you going to be doing?’

  ‘Cassy and Amelie are on their way. We’ll concentrate on the barn and the portal room. Keep an eye on where we’re at because we’ll need to work together to link the house and barn rear wall.’

  ‘Will do.’

  ‘Make sure you have sufficient help.’

  ‘What help did he mean?’ Jason asked glancing around them. ‘He’s the only other wizard here.’

  ‘She used Freddie and Dustin earlier,’ a deep voice replied and they turned to see Darius sitting nearby aboard a wagonload of planks. ‘I guess you’re next in line.’

  ‘Are you offering to help us?’ Natalya asked.

  ‘I’ve got plenty to do here transporting materials,’ Darius responded aware the wagon needed to be unloaded and taken back to the village.

  ‘There are many hands who could take over,’ Natalya said looking up at the big man. His large powerful frame, thick black hair and dark eyes were very similar to Drako’s. He was a less open and welcoming character however and was clearly a little suspicious of her, simply because she was a wizard. He had a useful strength of talent however and they were doing this work with his benefit primarily in mind.

  ‘Perhaps,’ Darius conceded, suddenly feeling on the spot, pinned by her very direct and assessing gaze.

  ‘I think the big bad bear is scared,’ Natalya remarked to Jason. ‘I think he’s not game enough to try something new, even though he watched Freddie and Dustin doing it.’

  ‘What are you doing?’ Jason asked anxiously.

  ‘What do you think I’m doing? I’m baiting the bear,’ Natalya responded cheerfully, but didn’t take her eyes off the big man now climbing down off the wagon.

  ‘Don’t you know better than to bait a bear, little wolf?’ Darius asked her softly.

  ‘Nope, tigers have no reason to be scared of bears,’ she responded, standing her ground even though he now stood within touching distance and she had to look up. Even though he was purely animus, his raw presence was intimidating.

  ‘You are a tiger too?’ Darius asked and watched her eyes turn orange and feline fangs fill her mouth as she smiled at him in both warning and challenge. ‘Impressive.’ He glanced at Jason as he fidgeted and knew he was conflicted; being male his instincts would be telling him to step forward and intervene, but he was not her mate and as a dog she outranked him in every way. He met her gaze again and breathed deeply of her scent; she was not afraid. ‘A beautiful woman like you only need ask,’ he said with a warm smile and held out his hand to her. If he was going to do this it had to be on his terms. He was nervous; she was a wizard and he’d had too many bad experiences with malicious wizards. However she was aiding them and his people were watching. Freddie and Dustin knew her better and evidently trusted her and clearly Jason did too. The wolves had good senses, being the clan’s guardians; he had no valid reason not to follow their lead. He was many things but a coward wasn’t one of them.

  ‘Thank you Darius,’ Natalya said as her hand was almost engulfed in his larger hand. ‘Have you eaten well today?’

  ‘I had lunch,’ Darius responded. ‘Why?’

  ‘Dustin didn’t tell me he hadn’t eaten before he volunteered his strength earlier. As I’m sure you’re aware, shifting makes you very hungry and if you don’t eat, you can feel weakened. That is because your magic needs food to replenish itself. This work will have the same tiring effect.’

  ‘Thank you for the warning,’ Darius said seriously. ‘So what do you need from us?’

  ‘This building work takes strength, either physical labour or magical, which is of course far quicker. To use your magical strength I need physical contact, so don’t let go without warning. I will be monitoring you both to be sure I don’t take too much from you, but if you feel it’s becoming difficult, say so. Is this ok with you Jason?’

  ‘Of course. Whatever you need,’ Jason replied, and knew Darius eyed him critically. He reached out and held on to her shoulder so she would still have a hand free.

  ‘Let’s get started. Oh, I should mention that I have no intention of riffling through either of your minds, but if you think about something while we’re merged I am likely to hear it.’

  ‘Understood,’ Darius said, relieved she was making these boundaries plain from the outset. Her honesty was refreshing and eased some of his fears. It was a very odd sensation to suddenly feel a presence blossom in his mind. ‘Don’t worry Darius, I’m not prying, you would feel that kind of intrusion. This is simply connecting the three of us together so we can combine our strength and work as one.’

  ‘I’m ok,’ he whispered, not wanting anyone to know she was reassuring him. He glanced around and realised Drako was watching, as was Jim and
many of the Clan. He hastily cleared his expression and as he felt a jolt, he returned his complete attention to what she was doing with their strength. He stared with rapt attention as planks lifted themselves out of the wagon and formed into an empty doorframe. A second doorframe built itself on the inner wall between cottage and barn. Pausing in their work, she let them have a couple of minute’s breather, while she looked at the plans again.

  ‘Ready?’ she asked and then resumed by creating window frames on either side of the front door, one in the rear wall and two in the side wall. Those jobs done, she assessed both men. Both were holding up well and she took a moment to tell them so to bolster their spirits. They could see for themselves what they’d achieved already. Next they built the front and both side walls of the cottage up to the top of the window frames.

  ‘How did you manage to get Darius involved?’ Cassy asked mentally.

  ‘He was nervous of volunteering, but I got around that quite easily actually. Like Drako, he has a good strong talent. So, how do we tackle that back wall?’

  Natalya released her merge with Darius and Jason, all of them breathing hard as though they’d been running and they sat in a row on a handy log. The walls of both cottage and barn had been completed up to head height. One of the clan women came round with a tray that Cassy had brought with her, feeding both teams cheese sandwiches.

  ‘I understand what you mean now by fatigue,’ Darius remarked. ‘You weren’t kidding that this would be hard work,’ he added appreciating for the first time just what it must have taken for the wizards to have built an entire village.

  ‘You’ll feel better once you’ve eaten,’ Natalya advised, watching over them both. ‘How do you think it looks?’

  Darius rose and the three of them went into the partially built cottage and then out the side door into the barn area. In contrast to the tiled floor in the cottage, the barn was floored with timber planks. The new floor was on a level with the portal plinth, so no step up was required, but the different floor made the plinth activation stone obvious.