Spirit of Magik (The Dothranan Chronicles Book 1)

by Richard Cluff

  Thorel returned with a bound and gagged man who was struggled uselessly with the guards that walked him in. The man had obviously suffered a bit of a beating but was energetic despite his injuries.

  “This one does not seem like a well broken slave,” Ari said dryly.

  Thorel looked seriously at her. “No Mistress. According to Mr. Barquin, he was a rapist sentenced to slavery by Crown Lady-”

  “Corina,” Ari finished for him.

  “Yes Mistress,” Thorel replied.

  “This one will not go free then. You two,” she pointed to the floor in front of him. “Hold him down, there on the floor.”

  One of the guards tripped the man, and they followed him to the black marble floor. They held him down as she commanded. Ari got up and walked around her desk to him. Thorel looked confused but resolute. He will understand soon enough. She thought as she drew her dagger.

  “I am your owner now, slave. You are a rapist, and I don't like rapists. But you have the spirit of a woman attached to you. You will give me this spirit, or I will castrate you right here,” Ari said icily. “Remove his gag so that he can reply.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Thorel had paled noticeably. He would need to get over his softness sometime. Now was as good a time as any.

  The guards removed his gag. “By the spirits woman, I am innocent!” He cried with a dry croak.

  Of course, he would say such a thing. She thought, and touched him with her Magik. And to her surprise, it rang true. Interesting. Crown lady Corina would be quite embarrassed if this were to come to light, she thought with relish.

  Ari stomped the man's stomach with her slippered foot. “Lying will not save you. Give me this spirit or your manhood will be fed to the dogs.”

  “I don't even know what you're talking about, woman!” He croaked painfully.

  Ari nodded to one of the guards that held him. The guard on his left twisted his arm. “You will address the Mistress with respect, slave.”

  He cried out and said, “Alright! Just don't maim me, Milady!”

  Ari gestured to the guards, and they pulled the man roughly to his feet. “Read him the agreement,” she ordered the steward as she sheathed her blade and returned to her seat. She saw Kira peeking over the desk on her knees: she promptly resumed her place on the cushion when she saw Ari looking her way.

  The steward walked to the man and introduced himself as Joshen before beginning to read the legal agreement to transfer the spirit he possessed. Ari repeated the name to herself in her mind.

  Thorel looked uncomfortable. Ari sat and took a drink of her wine. “What is wrong?” She asked him quietly.

  “Mistress... that seemed a bit… excessive in my opinion,” he said hesitantly.

  “How so? He is a criminal. I am not going to reward a criminal with freedom just for the spirit he has,” she said firmly.

  Thorel nodded, “I would not reward him either, but I would not threaten a man that way.”

  “I do not make threats. I tell a person what I will do, and then I will do it if they disobey. To do otherwise undermines oneself,” Ari said seriously.

  “You really would have, Mistress?” Thorel asked in shock.

  “Yes. He is a rapist, and my slave now. He does not need his manhood to labor for me,” she replied firmly.

  How am I going to make use of the information he unwittingly gave me though? I will have to discuss this with Siri, she thought.

  “Killing him would be kinder than castration, Mistress,” Thorel said quietly.

  “Which is why he will live for a long time, I assure you,” Ari replied.

  “Yes Mistress,” he said hesitantly.

  * * *

  Thorel sat at the table in the Mistress's dining room with Ari on his right, and Siri sitting opposite of him. It had been hours since they had finished with the slaves in Ari's Audience chamber.

  The treatment of the rapist still disturbed him. Yes, he was a criminal and a heinous one at that, but to threaten to castrate the man right there on the floor disturbed him a great deal. He did know that as a Great Lady, she would be responsible for setting the criminal punishments for her hold. And as such, she had to be very strict. It seemed to him she was personally offended by the man for some reason though.

  The theory was easier to digest than when it was happening two yards away from him though. Thorel knew now that he would never make a good Lord if that kind of stomach was what it took.

  The two spirits Ari had taken had joined her ghostly entourage. That made eleven the Mistress had attached to her; well, ten were attached, and the eleventh just followed her as his father did. The one with the whip just held his chain though. Why? What was different about that one, compared to the nine others? He looked back at his father, and the woman's spirit that was now there. She was joined to him by a gossamer thread, similar to Mistress Thenna's or Master Rema's. He wished he knew who this woman was. He'd had no chance to get an explanation from the rapist though.

  Siri and Ari chatted on and off during the meal. Ari seemed to be in a good mood. Thorel found it amazing that she could just sit at this table and talk of the day's events with Siri after what had happened this afternoon. But he also knew by having seen her flock of spirits grow, shrink and grow again that she must be used to such transactions. He had hated the idea of hurting someone that much, even if they had agreed to it. That was why he had picked the rapist to pull his spirit from. He thought it would be it easier if it was a heinous criminal like him.

  It wasn't.

  Pulling the spirit from the man had been a horrible experience. The spirit, it seemed, didn't want to be moved. It was as if it was desperate to stay with the man for some reason.

  Ari told him that he must have imagined it. “Spirits have no mind,” She'd said with conviction.

  That didn't change his feeling that it didn't want to leave the man, mind or not.

  Siri broke him from his thoughts: “What do you think, Mr. Tangarth?”

  “I'm sorry ma'am; I was lost in my thoughts,” he apologized.

  Siri raised her eyebrow and said, “You may wish to try listening to the conversation when you are invited to a meal. It is only proper.”

  “Yes ma'am, you are right. I meant no disrespect,” Thorel said seriously.

  “We were discussing the impact if High Lord Vallad does order a new Hold constructed in the west. He has been considering this for some time, due to the shortcomings of our food supplies. Even after ordering the Lords and Ladies of the Holds in his domain to increase their output, we still fall nearly three percent short of the cities need,” Ari said factually.

  “With House Quarrel's recent troubles, the shortcoming will only increase due to the damage that was done by our counter-attack; this has given the idea renewed vigor,” Siri added.

  “It sounds reasonable,” Thorel nodded. “I didn't know there was such a shortcoming though.”

  “Vallad has been having food imported from the Great City of Valkar since the city was completed two centuries ago. He feels it is time that Vallad was truly independent of the other Great Cities. I am sure it is a source of embarrassment when he sits in the High Nobles Council,” Ari said with a grin.

  “Mistress, I don't understand. Why is that amusing?” Thorel asked, confused.

  “His weakness in any matter can be potentially used to my advantage. Food prices here are nearly ten percent higher than any other Great city. Don't you see how I can use that?” Ari said, looking at him as if he was foolish.

  “No Mistress I don't,” Thorel replied, feeling completely lost in this conversation.

  “The Holds of High Lord Vallad will provide most of the laborers and materials needed to begin the construction of a new hold. By showing it would cause a greater hardship to the city, the move could be delayed for a time,” Siri said.

  “And the damage we did to Quarrel's hold will make it easy to demonstrate,” Ari said with excitement.

  “Why
would you want to delay it, Mistress? Wouldn't it benefit everyone if the food were cheaper?” Thorel asked, not understanding why she would want to do such a thing.

  “It will benefit everyone, yes. But if I have a plan that could do it even more effectively, I could either embarrass him or put him in my debt. I just need some time to put a few more pieces into place,” Ari said excitedly.

  “All the land to the west is heavily wooded. It will take two years at least before there is any food added to Vallad. And many more before enough can be cleared to make up the shortcoming,” Siri supplied.

  “Then why hasn't he started already?” Thorel asked aghast. “This is ridiculous!”

  Ari smiled. “My dead step-bitch and Jacon Quarrel did agree on one thing: don't let High Lord Vallad become any more popular with the people than he is already is. They have each found creative ways to delay this project for a decade now.”

  “Why Mistress? Isn't this necessary?” Thorel was shocked. If he had been the High Lord, he wouldn't have accepted any excuses on such an urgent matter.

  “Because, both of our Houses stand in line to become High Noble if Vallad can be removed. That is why,” Ari said simply.

  Thorel was at a loss for words. That was by far the most selfish thing he had ever heard in his life.

  “It is the only real weakness High Lord Vallad has. It must remain for the time being if the Mistress is to have any immediate hope of advancing beyond her current station,” Siri said simply.

  “Why does it matter if you advance, Mistress?” Thorel asked seriously.

  “What?” Ari looked as if he had just said the strangest thing in the world.

  “Why does it matter, Mistress? You are already a Great lady. What more could you possibly need? The room you gave me is almost as big as the house I grew up in! Five people lived there, and we were happy,” Thorel said trying to understand why she would care to move beyond her present position.

  “The High Nobility is where most of the real power in this realm lays. With that, there are many things I could do. There are laws that need to be changed. As it stands now, I can only make proposals to the High Lord and hope he agrees with them. I can put pressure on him if there are many Lords and Ladies in his domain that agree with me. But if not, it is up to him entirely whether he will present them to the Council of High Nobility,” Ari said seriously.

  Thorel nodded, understanding more but doubting he comprehended completely. “Thank you for explaining, Mistress.”

  “You are welcome,” she said with a pretty smile.

  “I look forward to the day I can address you as High Lady, Mistress,” Siri said sincerely.

  “As do I,” Ari said with a smile. “While I'm sure it would come as no surprise to the High Lord that we are plotting against him, do not tell anyone, Thorel.” Ari touched Thorel with her Magik: he was sure it was to test the truth of his words. He had seen it enough now to recognize it.

  “I certainly won't, Mistress,” Thorel said more seriously than he had said anything before in his life.

  “Good,” Ari nodded, with a satisfied smile.

  “Well Mistress, it has been a pleasure as always. Do you need anything before I retire for the evening?” Siri asked pushing her plate forward.

  “No Siri. Thank you,” Ari said.

  Siri stood, “Very well, I will excuse myself then. Goodnight Mistress, Mr. Tangarth,” She nodded to him.

  “Goodnight ma'am,” Thorel said sincerely.

  Siri left, and a maid came in to take the used dishes. When she left, Ari spoke.

  “I am very curious about what might have caused the visible effects you displayed in the market today. I confirmed the girl's account with the Corporal in charge of your escort,” She said taking a sip of her wine.

  “I don't know,” Thorel said honestly. “Oddly, I recall the bear was at my side when it happened. It felt like she was as angry as I was. Or maybe she was angry because I was. I just don't know.”

  Ari pulled a board with papers clipped to it and sorted them. She began writing quickly.

  “What are you writing, Mi... Ari?” He remembered that he was to address her by name while they were alone. He wasn't used to that yet. It still seemed disrespectful to him.

  Ari scribbled quickly and answered without looking up. “Notes on your abilities. I am recording everything we learn about them. Even if it seems insignificant. How did you get a bear following you?” She asked, curious.

  “Well, I would go into the woods around the farm looking for mushrooms in the spring, or to 'hunt for treasure' when I was young,” Thorel said with a smile. “I was eleven the first time I saw her, a huge brown bear. She came right at me! I was so scared; I ran right up the nearest tree. I'm glad the tree was stout because she charged it. She went away after a few hours. I was so tired of just hanging there. Korin said that the bear must have been starving because I would have been barely a snack to it,” He said with a laugh at the memory.

  “He went out to look for it several times but didn't find it. It wasn't until next spring that I saw it again,” He recalled.

  “I thought bears could climb trees,” Ari said, looking at him intently.

  “Black bears can. They're fast too. Brown bears can until they get too big. She was too big, lucky for me,” Thorel chuckled.

  “What were you doing?” Ari asked.

  “Looking for mushrooms. Korin hadn't let me stray far from the house since I had seen her, but he had been looking for it ever since the summer before, and we thought it must have moved on.” He took a drink of wine.

  “I had just turned twelve. I was just looking for mushrooms, walked around a tree, and there she was. I think she was as surprised as I was! We just stood there and stared at each other for a long moment. She took a step toward me, and I bolted, quick as I could. I dropped my mushrooms too! I found the nearest tree and went straight up. She was at the bottom of that tree for hours, just waiting for me. It wasn't until it got dark that she went away. I got lost trying to get home. Luckily Korin had come out to look for me,” Thorel shook his head, remembering how terrified he'd been.

  “That would be frightening,” Ari said, not stopping her writing.

  “Yes, no doubt of that, m... Ari,” He said taking another drink.

  She smiled at his near error. “Is that all?”

  “No. Korin decided that he would go out with me the next day and trail behind. He told me to go find my mushroom bag. So I went out... I was scared, but I knew he wasn't far. We walked back out to where I'd dropped it... it was still there. He told me to find more mushrooms,” Thorel took a breath remembering what happened next.

  “I looked for mushrooms for a while, and there she was, big as life right in front of me. Korin yelled for me to run, but I was too scared to move. Then she ran past me, right for him. He took her down with one arrow,” Thorel took a drink of his wine.

  “It sounds like a good thing. It is strange though that it ran by you,” Ari said, not looking up from her writing.

  “Yes. When she died, I felt like she had never meant me harm, that she just thought I was an ugly cub that needed her,” He laughed halfheartedly. “I saw her spirit leave her body and walk right to me,” he shivered at the memory.

  “Is that all?” Ari asked writing quickly.

  “Mostly... I helped Korin drag her back... he tanned my bottom when I wouldn't help him skin her though. I went mostly hungry for the next week. We had bear with every meal. I just couldn't eat her though. I... wish I knew what she had been thinking; what she had wanted,” Thorel said looking into his cup.

  “I agree with your Guardian. I'm sure you would have been a tasty snack for the beast,” Ari said finishing her notes.

  “Then why didn't she strike me when I was right there? She ran past me, to Korin. I think she meant to kill him,” Thorel said seriously.

  “That is an interesting point. While they are valuable, feelings are not evidence. They are an excellent tool to help you find ev
idence though,” Ari replied.

  “Well... how do we get evidence?” Thorel asked.

  “I suppose we could find a place with bears and see how they react to you... but, unfortunately, we only have one of you to use as bait,” Ari said dryly.

  Thorel just blinked and looked at her. Ari sat quietly, a model of calm composure.

  “Well... where should we go?” Thorel asked.

  “To the woodlands of the west, outside the vale. I am sure there are many bears there,” Ari said coolly.

  “Well, when do we go?” Thorel asked.

  “As soon as we have a well-made cage to keep you safe. We can place pulleys in a tree to lift you out of danger if the bear decides it is more hungry than friendly,” She nodded seriously.

  “How long do you think that will take?” He inquired, not liking this idea much at all.

  “A few days at most,” Ari nodded, taking a drink of her wine. Then her face split into the broadest grin he had ever seen on her, and she burst out laughing.

  “By the spirits, you are so gullible!” She roared.

  Thorel was nonplussed. Her humor was completely alien to anything he had ever known. Earlier today, he would not have thought it was possible to say that she was going to castrate someone on the floor seriously either. He managed a weak laugh. Then he realized that taking such a trip to test this would be absurd with their schedules.

  Ari wiped tears from her face with a napkin. “Oh, my. Well, have you finished your meal?” She giggled.

  “Yes I have,” Thorel chided himself for being a bit too serious. He just didn't want something to happen because he didn't take something seriously that he should have.

  “Good. Let's go to my study. I have a few things to teach you tonight,” She smiled and got up.

  “Of course,” He got up and followed Ari to her study.

  Monday May 13th 1624th year of the First Great City

  Love and Madness