The Magelands Box Set

by Christopher Mitchell

  Flora was lying on her bed.

  Keira grinned.

  ‘That was the best weed I’ve had in fucking ages,’ she said, staggering into the room. She crashed down into the only chair as Flora opened her eyes and sat up.

  ‘You been greetin’?’ Keira said.

  ‘Where the fuck have you been, Keira?’ Flora yelled. ‘I thought you’d died or something.’

  ‘Already done that, hen, and I’m still here.’

  ‘You’ve been gone for four days!’

  ‘That long, eh?’ Keira chuckled. ‘It was some session right enough.’

  ‘You don’t give a shit about anyone but yourself.’

  ‘Now hang on, hen,’ Keira snarled. ‘Yer not my ma, ye dinnae control me. All I did was go out for a bit, for fucksake.’

  Flora shook her head.

  ‘Ye should have seen the stash of weed these folk had, but,’ Keira said. ‘Fucking mental. Dream, dull, keen, you fucking name it, they had it. They were just in from the Sanang borderlands, part of some team working up there.’

  ‘Bandits, you mean.’

  ‘Maybe,’ Keira shrugged. ‘It wasn’t my business to ask them where they got it from, all I wanted to do was smoke it. Met them over at Dermot’s Bar, had a few drinks with them, and they invited me up to their room when they discovered who I was.’

  ‘And you’ve been there for four days?’

  ‘If you say so, I cannae remember much, to be honest.’

  ‘Me and Kendrie searched the whole town for you, we even looked over the cliff to see if you’d fallen down, drunk.’

  ‘That’s funny as fuck,’ Keira sniggered. ‘And all the time I was out of my nut.’

  Flora wrinkled her nose. ‘You stink.’

  ‘Aye, well so would you if ye’d spent four days lying about in some dingy wee room with a bunch of hairy-arsed bandits.’

  Flora stood. ‘I should go.’

  ‘What were ye doing in my room anyway?’ Keira said, narrowing her eyes.

  ‘Nothing.’

  Keira watched Flora walk to the door.

  ‘Wait a wee minute,’ she called out. ‘If I was gone for four days, what’s Kelpie been doing with me not around?’

  ‘Cursing your name, mostly. Trying to persuade customers not to leave because you haven’t shown up. It was lucky that Laodoc came back from the lowlands. He’s been covering for you.’

  ‘They’re back are they? About fucking time.’

  ‘Get cleaned up, and come to the tavern,’ Flora said. ‘There’s something you might want to see.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Come, and you’ll see,’ she said, leaving and closing the door.

  ‘Awkward wee cow,’ she muttered, getting up and jumping onto the bed. She lay down with her head on the pillow. Just a quick nap. She felt something under her cheek, and moved up to look. There was a damp patch on the pillow, from where Flora’s face had been when Keira had entered the room. The wee cow had been crying on her bed.

  Keira sat up and shook her head. A twinge of guilt crept up her but she brushed it aside. It wasn’t her fault if wee Flora fancied her. She had never done anything to lead her on, and she had always been completely open about preferring guys. She hoped Flora wasn’t going to be a pain in the arse about it, that was the last thing she needed.

  She got up, and staggered over to her wash bowl.

  An hour later, clean and in fresh clothes, Keira strode through to the tavern.

  ‘Alright, Kendrie?’ she cried at the barman.

  He looked up and did a double take.

  ‘Yer back?’

  ‘Yer getting brighter every day, I swear it,’ Keira cackled. ‘Now, how about an ale?’

  ‘And how are ye going to pay for it?’

  ‘Pay?’ Keira curled her lip. ‘What the fuck are ye talking about?’

  ‘I think Kelpie might be having second thoughts about yer arrangement,’ Kendrie said, folding his arms. ‘After all, ye’ve stood us up for four shifts in a row, without a word about where ye were, or if ye were coming back…’

  ‘Yawn, yawn, Kendrie,’ Keira muttered. ‘I’m fucking back now, am I not? And correct me if I’m wrong, but I never used my room, ate any of yer food, or drank any of yer booze while I was away, right? So give me a fucking drink for today’s shift, and stop being a cantankerous wee prick.’

  Kendrie frowned.

  ‘See?’ Keira laughed. ‘I knew my logic would bamboozle the fuck out of ye. So, an ale?’

  Kendrie looked over her shoulder. ‘I think yer friends are wanting ye.’

  ‘Oh aye?’ she said, turning.

  In the centre of the tavern floor a large pile of boxes, trunks and baggage had been piled. Agang stood close to it, frowning and rubbing his chin, while Laodoc and Flora sat at a nearby table. Flora waved her over.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Keira said to Laodoc as she sauntered over to the table. ‘Flora told me that you’d got back a few days ago. Too lazy to unpack, eh?’

  Laodoc smiled. ‘My dear Mage Keira, please sit. I’d like to talk with you.’

  Keira noticed a large jug of ale on the table, and sat. She poured herself a mug, and took a drink.

  ‘Ahh,’ she sighed, putting her feet up onto a stool. ‘Fucking magic.’

  ‘Mage Keira,’ Laodoc said, ‘if I may, please. I would like to inform you that Agang and I have decided to leave.’

  Keira shrugged, and looked out of the window at the rain.

  ‘It was a difficult decision,’ Laodoc went on. ‘On the one hand, here we can enjoy peace and the freedom to live our lives in the manner we wish, while on the other hand the world is in peril, and if we sit here and do nothing then, sooner or later, that peril will come to Domm, and consume us.’

  Laodoc glanced over at Agang.

  ‘We feel there is no other option,’ the Sanang man said, walking over. ‘The hardest choice I ever made was to believe that Kalayne was speaking the truth. So when he said that only you could save the world, I believe it. I, we, also believe that Shella must be found…’

  Keira turned her head to glare at them. ‘I thought ye said ye were leaving? Ye seem to be doing a lot of fucking talking instead.’ She pointed. ‘There’s the door.’

  Laodoc smiled. ‘Our desire to leave matches your wish to see us gone. Unfortunately, we have to wait for our lift to arrive. But do not fear, we will be gone as soon as that happens.’

  ‘I hope not,’ said Kelpie, walking over. ‘I have a leaving party planned for you. Just a wee chance to say our goodbyes, ye know?’

  ‘Madam Kelpie,’ Laodoc said, ‘my most earnest thanks, but please don’t put yourself out on our account.’

  ‘It’s no bother,’ she said. She turned to Keira, her face calm.

  ‘Yer working tonight, don’t forget.’

  Kelpie marched away, without waiting for Keira to respond.

  Keira smirked.

  Agang sat, and poured himself a water.

  ‘Come with us, Keira,’ he said. ‘Please.’

  ‘Not a fucking chance, eight-thirds.

  ‘You’re wasting your time, my friend,’ Laodoc said. ‘Mage Keira would rather remain here and wallow in her sense of self-pity and failure.’

  ‘Failure?’ Keira snarled. ‘Fuck you, ya scaly wee bastard. I’ve packed more winning into a few short years than you arseholes have managed in yer entire fucking lives. Do ye have any fucking idea of how many fuckers I’ve killed?’

  ‘I have a vague notion,’ Laodoc said, ‘but whatever the exact number, it’s proved enough of a burden to send you to the very end of the world.’

  ‘And ye want me to go out and kill more?’ Keira cried, her rage building. She could feel her cheeks burning as the others gazed at her. ‘Have I not fucking given enough? Have I not killed enough for ye? Ye want more?’

  Flora swallowed, and looked away.

  Keira bared her teeth, her knuckles clenched.

  ‘I apologise, Mage Keira,’ Laodoc said into
the nervous silence. ‘We have no desire to force you to use your powers again if you do not wish to do so. However, the Emperor is coming, and you are one of the only mages strong enough to give the inhabitants of this world any hope.’

  ‘I’m sick of being everyone’s hope,’ she cried. ‘Life is short, cruel and doesn’t give a fuck, and most people are either stupid or selfish or both. Fuck them all. Fuck it. Fuck this world, I hope the bastard Emperor fucking wins.’

  She got to her feet, kicking the chair over, and stormed from the tavern. She slammed the door shut behind her and paused as the rain poured down, drenching her. She raised her face, letting the drops fall onto her cheeks, mixing with the tears so that nobody would know.

  ‘You should really come and say goodbye, you know,’ Flora said, sitting on the chair in her room as Keira lounged on the bed, a bottle of whisky in her hand.

  ‘I knew ye were going to say that,’ she said, not bothering to look up, ‘and if that’s all ye came for, ye can fuck off.’

  ‘They’re your friends. Well, Agang is.’

  ‘Is he fuck. Do friends walk out on each other? Now that he’s best fucking friends with that scaly bastard he couldnae give a flying fuck about me, or you. He’d rather pretend to be some fucking hero, when he’s just trying to impress Grandpa Laodoc.’

  ‘But everyone’s in the tavern, they’re all wondering where you are.’

  Keira swigged the whisky.

  Flora sat back, frowning. ‘They’ll think you’re scared.’

  Keira snorted. ‘Of what?’

  ‘I don’t know, of facing them I suppose. Scared of breaking down and admitting that you’ll miss them.’

  ‘Agang and Laodoc? Miss them? Ha, yer just being fucking ridiculous now.’

  ‘Do you know that Dean’s going as well?’

  ‘Is he? So what. He’s a useless wee twat, we’re better off without him.’

  ‘He’s too inexperienced to be going on some crazy mission,’ Flora said. ‘I’ve tried to talk him out of it, but he seems set. If you could speak to him, Keira, he’ll listen to you.’

  ‘Why the fuck would I want to do that?’

  ‘Because he’s just a kid.’

  ‘If he’s old enough to be shagging Dora, he’s old enough to get himself killed in some pointless fight.’

  ‘That doesn’t make any sense.’

  ‘Stop fucking nagging me, Flora. Go back to the party and leave me be.’

  The Holdings woman stood.

  ‘Do you want me to open those shutters for you?’ she said. ‘The sun’s come out.’

  ‘I like it dark.’

  Flora nodded, then left her room, closing the door on the way out.

  Keira took a swig of whisky, then leaned over to the floor and picked up the cloak she had worn for four days over at Dermot’s place. She rifled through the pockets, then smiled as she found what she was looking for. She withdrew her hand, a tight bundle of stolen weedsticks grasped in her fingers.

  She pulled one free of the bundle, lit it off the bedside lamp, and inhaled.

  An hour later, fuelled by whisky and a potent blend of Sanang narcotics, Keira decided it was time to go to the party. She tucked a weedstick into her belt pouch, and tossed the empty bottle of whisky into the corner of the room to join the others.

  She heard the noise coming from the tavern as she went down the back stairs, a low roar of conversations, laughter and music. Bar boys and girls squeezed past her in the corridor, taking plates filled with lunch from the kitchens out to the customers, and her stomach growled. She entered the tavern, and swaggered through the crowds, passing a small group of guitar-strumming musicians playing by the hearth. The shutters were wide open, letting in the afternoon sunshine, and the blustery wind smelled of the ocean.

  The pile of luggage had gone from the floor, and Keira glanced around. She spotted Flora and the others sitting in the corner. Their tables were filled with plates, jugs and bottles, and everyone was eating and drinking. Keira frowned as she saw Bridget and Bedig sitting with them, along with the pale, blonde-haired lassie whose name she had forgotten.

  Those that noticed her approach fell silent. She reached the table and poured herself an ale from the jug.

  ‘Alright, ya stupid fucks,’ she said. ‘I thought I’d come and laugh at you, off on yer fucked up wee mission to find the frog-woman. Ye’ll be lucky if ye make it past Kell.’

  ‘And a good afternoon to you, Mage Keira,’ Laodoc said, before anyone else could react. ‘Many thanks for your words of encouragement, I will treasure them in my heart.’

  Keira frowned at him, and sat. She glared at Bridget.

  ‘I see all the fuck-ups are leaving,’ Keira smirked. ‘The old, the bairns, the useless.’

  ‘Go fuck yourself,’ said the pale, blonde woman.

  ‘Leave it, Dyam,’ said Bridget. ‘She’s just trying to get a rise out of us.’

  ‘Indeed,’ said Laodoc, ‘and using bravado to cover the fact that she’s too afraid to leave the security of Domm and venture back out into the world.’

  Keira’s rage boiled over. ‘Just because yer an old bastard, don’t think I won’t punch yer fucking teeth in.’ She gazed around the table at the angry faces. ‘I’ll kick all yer arses.’

  The table sat in silence, and Keira drank down her ale and poured another.

  ‘It’s not too late, Flora,’ Agang said.

  ‘You’re more than welcome to join us,’ said Bridget.

  The Holdings woman shook her head. ‘I’ve made my decision.’

  ‘Good luck to you, young lady,’ Laodoc said. ‘It has been a privilege to get to know you during my stay here.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Flora said. ‘I’ll miss you all, especially you, Agang, we’ve been through so much together, and I don’t think I ever actually thanked you for saving my life. So, thank you.’

  Agang smiled.

  She turned to Dean, who was sitting next to Dora.

  ‘One last time,’ she said, ‘please stay, Dean.’

  The young man stared at the table. ‘Sorry, but I’m going.’

  Dora sobbed.

  Keira sniggered. ‘You should go with them Dora, at least then I wouldn’t have to put up with all yer snivelling.’

  ‘I want to,’ she said, ‘but my ma and da say I can’t.’

  ‘Fucksake,’ Keira laughed. ‘At your age I did what the fuck I wanted, not what I was told to do.’

  Two woman approached the table, longbows slung over their shoulders.

  ‘Boss,’ said one to Bridget, ‘both wagons are loaded up and ready to go.’

  ‘Thanks,’ Bridget said. ‘Everyone, this is Bonnie and Lola, they’re coming along with us. I figured we were a bit light on muscle for this trip, and these two have seen plenty of action. Brynt recommended them to me, they were part of his hunting squad back in the Severed City.’

  The two women nodded at the group.

  ‘Nice to meet you,’ Laodoc said. ‘That brings the number of our party up to eight.’

  ‘Hopefully small enough to travel unnoticed,’ Bridget said.

  ‘Ye’ll never make it past Kell,’ Keira muttered. ‘The lizard soldiers are too scared to go near large mobs of refugees heading south, but they’ll mince a wee group like you.’

  ‘What the fuck would you know?’ Dyam said.

  ‘A fuckload more than you, ya cow. I’ve been all round this fucking world.’

  ‘And all it seems to have taught ye is how to be a twisted bitch.’

  Keira clenched her fists.

  ‘Dyam, enough,’ Bridget said.

  Kelpie walked over.

  ‘I hope you all enjoyed your lunch?’

  ‘Very much, Madam Kelpie,’ Laodoc said. ‘Thank you for your generosity.’

  ‘Aye, thanks,’ Bridget said, standing.

  ‘No problem,’ Kelpie said. ‘It’s been a pleasure to host ye, Laodoc, and I’ll be sad to see ye go.’

  ‘Aye,’ Keira said, ‘sad that yer taki
ngs will be down.’

  Kelpie nodded. ‘That too.’

  ‘Goodbye Flora, Kelpie,’ said Bridget. ‘And to you, Keira.’

  ‘Whatever.’

  The others got to their feet. Bonnie, Lola and Dyam left the tavern, while Flora gave Agang a hug.

  ‘Take care,’ she said.

  ‘And you.’

  Laodoc paused in front of Keira. ‘We will see you again, mage, of that I have no doubt.’

  She ignored him.

  Dean pushed away Dora’s embrace, and ran from the tavern, his cheeks wet. Bridget frowned, and caught Laodoc’s eye.

  ‘Time to go,’ she said.

  The old man nodded, and they left the tavern.

  ‘Farewell Keira,’ Agang said, and followed them.

  Bedig approached, and got down on one knee. He leaned over to whisper in her ear.

  ‘Fucking sort yourself out, Keira, you’re a mess.’

  She said nothing, continuing to stare out of the window, and she heard him walk away.

  ‘There, there,’ Kelpie said, as Dora collapsed in tears.

  Keira turned. Flora was sitting shaking her head, while Dora and Kelpie sat opposite, the older woman comforting the younger.

  ‘You should have stayed in your room,’ said Flora.

  ‘Misbehaving, was she?’ Kelpie said.

  ‘Just the usual.’

  ‘That bad, eh?’

  ‘Shut it, the pair of ye,’ Keira snapped.

  ‘Don’t you speak to me like that,’ Kelpie said, ‘not after ye don’t show up for four days. Ye’ve lost me a lot of money.’

  ‘Well I’m back now.’

  ‘Aye,’ Kelpie said, standing, ‘and ye’d better start paying yer way now that Laodoc and Agang aren’t here.’

  She strode off towards the bar.

  Keira removed the weedstick from her pouch, and lit it. She put her feet back up onto the stool and inhaled.

  ‘Stop wailing,’ she said to Dora. ‘Yer ruining ma smoke.’

  She gazed at the red-faced lassie, tears rolling down her cheeks.