Amelie: Wizards of White Haven

by Frances Howitt

  Amelie put her hands lightly on Jim’s crossed forearm. ‘Come and sit down. I’m sure it isn’t Lord Dirk’s intention to anger a wizard. Perhaps he can speak to Prince Casper for us when he wakes later.’ She led Jim to a big soft sofa and sat beside him. As she’d hoped, she’d calmed the stand-off Jim and Lord Dirk had started to lock into. That would not have been helpful. ‘We never did manage to get all the supplies we wanted. Perhaps we should go into town after lunch and do that?’

  ‘Good thinking,’ he said with a smile of relief. At least she was thinking clearly. He noted the meaningful glance Lord Dirk gave Daniel but wasn’t annoyed. In fact Daniel would be quite useful to have along. He’d know where the things they needed would be located.

  9

  Meeting The Locals

  Lunch was slightly strained but Amelie had decided to fully take advantage of the free and good quality food. They could have gone into town immediately and found something along the way but this was infinitely preferable despite the odd silence. So she made a point of being chatty and pleasant.

  ‘Lord Dirk, we have a small problem that you may be able to help us with,’ Amelie said near the end of the meal.

  ‘What kind of problem?

  ‘A financial one. Prince Casper paid Jim for his work before the battle but it appears to be too big to spend. I was wondering if you could exchange a double-gold for some change.’

  ‘A double-gold?’ Lord Dirk queried in shocked surprise. Most people never earned as much as that in a year! Jim showed it to him once the server had left the room. ‘He was very generous. I see the problem. An embarrassment of riches,’ Lord Dirk snorted.

  ‘Exactly,’ Amelie said. ‘I can hardly hand that over to a cobbler and expect him to give me change. He’s likely to be rather annoyed.’

  ‘I’ll get my keys and we can go down to my vault,’ Lord Dirk said more cheerfully and disappeared as soon as he’d finished eating.

  ‘Glad you thought of this,’ Jim said to her once Lord Dirk had left the room.

  ‘I don’t like being hungry,’ Amelie said. ‘And whilst we can always hunt for meat, greens, fruit and grains are going to be harder to come by this late in the season.’

  ‘True,’ Jim agreed, his gaze on the swirling sleet outside. ‘I’d like to be able to stay in lodging houses too on occasion.’

  ‘Daniel,’ Amelie turned her attention to the silent man sharing their table. ‘You border Edmoston here. Is the local currency here also readily acceptable in Edmoston?’

  ‘We have trade agreements with Edmoston, so yes that would be fine. Further afield I’m not so sure. But then again gold is gold.’ He considered them. ‘I’d suggest you ask for some of the trade currency too, Lord Dirk will probably have some.’

  ‘Thank you Daniel,’ Amelie said warmly and thought he seemed a little less despondent.

  Lord Dirk returned accompanied by his treasury clerk. They trekked downstairs into a securely locked basement complex and were shown into a small bare windowless room. The room contained a desk and single chair only. There they waited. The clerk returned, staggering under the weight of a large metal strongbox. Once the box was placed on the lower section of the desk Lord Dirk unlocked it then stepped back allowing the clerk to take over.

  ‘How can we help?’ the clerk asked Jim politely.

  ‘Change for this please,’ Jim said and placed the gold coin on the desk. He noted the surprise and intent interest the man revealed as he took the coin and examined it eagerly. ‘We’re headed west into Edmoston, so do you perhaps have 3 of the half golds in the trade currency?’

  ‘Yes,’ he responded rummaging in the lower tray of the box.

  ‘Excellent. Forty-nine silvers and ten coppers too. Coppers can be in your local currency,’ Jim added. He noted the clerk seemed somewhat relieved and Jim wondered if he’d been advised to short change them if they weren’t specific in knowing what was truly due. ‘Is that now what that gold is actually worth?’

  ‘Oh yes, you’ve calculated it correctly,’ the clerk assured. He put the three stacks of coins on the desk along with a small leather drawstring purse before taking possession of the big gold coin. Jim checked the quantity of coins were correct before slipping them in the purse and stepping back from the desk. Lord Dirk came forward at that point and his clerk reluctantly placed the coin in the lower tray and closed the lid. Lord Dirk locked it up and only then did he seem less tense.

  ‘Thank you Lord Dirk,’ Jim said sincerely. ‘If you don’t need us, we’ll go into town now.’

  Lord Dirk noted Jim’s polite tone did not alter the feeling that they were going whether he agreed or not. ‘Of course,’ he acceded as though he didn’t mind in the slightest. ‘Shall I advise cook you will be dining with us tonight?’

  Jim exchanged a glance with Amelie. ‘Yes, thank you. I’m sure we’ll be finished by then.’ They headed back upstairs and spotted Daniel loitering in the lounge near the door where he could keep watch on the lobby. ‘Daniel, we’re going into town now, want to come?’

  ‘I hoped you’d ask,’ Daniel said gratefully. He knew Jim had seen Lord Dirk’s not too subtle order and having to follow two highly aware people uninvited would be very awkward.

  ‘At least the weather’s clearing,’ Amelie said as they left the house. Patches of sun dotted the shadowed courtyard, chasing the low clouds away. She pulled the heavy cloak closer and fastened it at the throat. She walked between the two men chatting about what few things they needed on the stroll into town and asking where they might be found.

  ‘I thought you said the cobbler was north of here?’ Amelie queried seeing Daniel turn aside from a street in that direction.

  ‘It is, but unless you want to be robbed, raped or killed, it’s better to avoid that area down there,’ Daniel explained.

  ‘Another reason to be glad you came along,’ Jim said lightly. Somewhere the wolf man feared to tread must be bad indeed.

  ‘Why are you getting cold weather clothes?’ Daniel asked her. ‘Surely it’d be easier to turn into something with a warm coat?’

  ‘You’re right, it would be. But since this country is at war all your people are suspicious and watchful. Lord Dirk thinks I can only take that horse form. If we’re seen I’d rather not have given away my ability to be something else. The big black warhorse they and of course all your enemies saw on the battlefield is far too recognisable from a distance. It’s also too big and thin skinned for mountain climbing. Can you take other wolf forms?’

  ‘No, I know my wolf. I wouldn’t begin to know how to alter him. How do you do it?’

  ‘Just by visualising it,’ she explained. She glanced round; the street they were in was busy but they were not being closely pressed. She went over to a shop window and saw her reflection and Daniel’s in the wavy glass. There were too many people about to change anything very obvious like her hair. Daniel she noticed had pale brown verging on yellow eyes like a wolf. She closed her eyes, concentrated then glanced in the window quickly. She turned and looked at him. ‘See? What do you think, does it suit me?’ She asked with a small smile; he was clearly lost for words.

  ‘Did you know that’s the one thing that marks the wolf in our clan?’ Daniel said nervously.

  ‘Change back,’ Jim advised quickly.

  ‘Sorry, I didn’t know that. I just thought it a good example,’ she said, her eyes blue once again.

  ‘It was. It’s just that if anyone saw you like that they might report you,’ Daniel explained.

  Amelie took Daniel’s arm and they continued to walk. ‘Explain,’ she invited, now she was sufficiently close that they could talk quietly enough for there to be little chance they’d be overheard.

  ‘I don’t know what it’s like for people like us where you come from, but here everyone has to be registered. We also tend to be tied to various noble households. It’s a historical thing, begun more than fifty years ago during the last war. Because we had unusual skills and were considered duplicitou
s in nature we had to choose either to join the fight or lose our place in society and be ostracised. That area we avoided earlier, it’s where many of the discarded, unwelcome or militant ones went.’

  ‘How many different skills still survive in there?’ Amelie asked.

  ‘No one knows. For obvious reasons they hide what they are. No one wants to be captured and used in one of the Houses just to continue a line. The nobles are very jealous of their possession of us. They consider they own us like a damn hunting dog. If you were a wolf, Lord Dirk would not allow you to leave. He was probably hoping that you and I would get together and you’d stay. I’ve never heard of a clan of horses, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any. The black horse is Lord Dirk’s House emblem. He’d like nothing more than to be able to add a new gifted line to his household tally.’

  ‘Good job he doesn’t know what she really is then isn’t it,’ Jim said.

  ‘So what does your sister do?’ Amelie asked.

  ‘Do? You’ve both met her,’ Daniel said and his glance slid appraisingly over Jim.

  ‘Have we?’ Jim queried. ‘You’re the only animus I’ve sensed.’

  ‘Drew doesn’t have the Wolf,’ Daniel said with quiet sadness.

  Jim faltered and eyed Daniel anxiously. How did the wolf man view the casual dalliance he’d been having, not only with his sister, but also Amelie’s maid. ‘Sorry Daniel, I didn’t know she was your sister.’

  ‘I know. She told me not to tell you for fear you’d avoid her. As it is she has high hopes you’ve given her a gifted child to reinvigorate our line. If so then we’ll all be happy.’

  ‘You’re not annoyed with me then?’

  ‘No. You warned her you’d be leaving at the outset. You’ve treated her fairly and not made any ploys to falsely lead her to believe there was any future in the relationship. It was clear to her your heart lay elsewhere.’

  ‘You seem remarkably well informed,’ Jim commented uncomfortably. Amelie was staring at him and Daniel was too. Perhaps both were expecting some kind of admission. But admitting that his heart belonged to Amelie was probably unwise. Especially to someone who had already used him as emotional leverage against her. His relationship with Amelie had not progressed into a physical one, much as he wished it had. It was better Daniel suspect the truth rather than have it confirmed, particularly since Amelie didn’t even know.

  ‘My sister tells me everything. Often in far more detail than I really wish to know,’ he added, grinning at Jim’s sudden discomfiture.

  ‘Who is that woman across the street watching us?’ Jim suddenly asked Daniel.

  ‘Don’t know. I think I’ve seen her before though. Why?’ Daniel asked.

  ‘She’s like you,’ Jim said succinctly.

  ‘Just like me?’ Daniel asked with sudden intent seriousness.

  ‘I can’t tell what form she uses, but she’s animus and her ability is very similar in strength to yours,’ Jim added.

  Daniel went across the street towards her immediately.

  ‘Should we join him?’ Amelie asked.

  ‘Not unless he wants us to. Let them talk,’ Jim said seriously and they kept a surreptitious watch on them.

  ‘It’s getting cold standing here,’ Amelie said a few minutes later.

  ‘Yes, they’ve had long enough,’ Jim said and they went over to where Daniel and the stranger seemed engrossed in some discussion. ‘We’ll see you later,’ Jim said to Daniel.

  ‘Ah, I shouldn’t really leave you,’ Daniel said, suddenly torn. ‘This is Julie.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you Julie,’ Jim acknowledged.

  ‘It’s time I was getting back to father,’ Julie said immediately. She began walking in the direction Daniel had been travelling. ‘He’ll be getting worried if I’m not back soon.’

  ‘You seem to be going the same way as us. Can we walk you back?’ Daniel asked quickly and glanced at Jim and Amelie for their understanding.

  Amelie noticed Julie glanced speculatively at Jim. Amelie’s hackles rose and she linked her arm through his, feeling not only possessive but also protective of him. Daniel was the free one.

  ‘You live in the outcast zone?’ Daniel asked suddenly.

  ‘We prefer to call it the old town, but yes,’ Julie said. ‘Do you have a problem with that?’

  Daniel was sure he saw a hint of fang; this was clearly a sensitive subject and she was not an herbivore. ‘I was attacked there as a boy and barely escaped with my life. It tarnished my view of the place, perhaps unjustly.’

  ‘Were you a boy or wolf when you were attacked?’ Julie asked.

  ‘Boy. Why do you ask that?’

  ‘Did you change?’

  ‘I had to, to escape,’ Daniel said.

  ‘Did they let you alone once you’d turned into your wolf?’

  ‘I suppose they did,’ Daniel considered that. ‘You think they provoked me to force me to reveal myself?’

  ‘I’m sure of it,’ Julie said and glanced at the two strangers following. They were in earshot but Daniel didn’t seem worried. Instead he seemed more concerned that the narrow alley they traversed led directly into the old town. ‘They know what you are then?’

  ‘Yes. Jim’s a wizard. He could tell what you were from across the street.’

  ‘Ah, that’s why you came over then?’

  ‘Well yes. My mother and sister are all that’s left of our clan. How about you, do you still have a big family?’

  ‘No, we are few in number too.’

  ‘Who have you brought us Julie?’ A voice enquired.

  ‘Grand-dame,’ Julie said deferentially, and went to greet a bright eyed old woman sitting at the edge of the square. The men loitering nearby Julie knew to be her guards. ‘This is Daniel, a wolf.’

  ‘Ah yes, I remember you.’ She got up and moved about the tall man assessing him closely. ‘You’ve turned out well. He looks a good choice Julie, and these others?’

  ‘They are just passing through,’ Julie said quickly. The pair scared her although she wasn’t sure why.

  ‘Come now Julie, they both reek of top grade magic. What do you know?’ she demanded sternly.

  ‘He is a wizard. Prince Casper captured him just before the last battle. Then when he escaped Daniel was tasked to find him.’

  ‘And her?’

  ‘She is one of us, a horse. She had to carry Lord Dirk into battle. I believe she was injured in the battle. She later escaped with the wizard. They got all the way here undetected.’

  ‘When did they escape?’

  ‘During the latter part of the battle, I believe,’ Julie said. ‘I also heard that he diverted a river to divide the armies and thus saved the day,’ she added a little sceptically.

  ‘I heard Prince Casper had a pet wizard. They might be useful additions once they’ve been tested and proved they know where their loyalty should lie,’ she remarked. ‘Although he’s shown poor judgement in helping win the prince’s battles. Still, such strength would be useful to us.’

  ‘If this rude gossiping about us is intended to encourage us to stay, you’re sorely mistaken,’ Jim said coolly. He turned and walked off, Amelie at his side.

  ‘Where do you think you’re going?’ the old woman called after them.

  ‘Anywhere else,’ Amelie responded over her shoulder.

  ‘Stop. I’d rather not give the order to shoot your wizard in the back.’

  ‘What are you worried about grand-dame?’ Julie asked. ‘She’s only a horse.’

  ‘She is nothing of the sort,’ the grand-dame corrected absently. A wizard of such strength but not on their side was dangerous to leave loose. ‘Daniel, how did they escape you really?’ She glanced at her men and they grabbed Daniel threatening him with a knife. Then when he resisted, visibly drew blood.

  Daniel met Amelie’s cool but understanding eyes. She gave a small shrug indicating it didn’t matter if he spoke or not.

  ‘I did catch up with them. They were on foot. She’d been ba
dly injured and he worn out from all the magic conjured up at the battle and healing her from the worst of the battle injuries. It still took me a week to run them down.’ He paused considering whether he should reveal any more detail but the man pressed the knife to his throat again. ‘She turned into a human sized eagle and carried him away.’

  There were gasps and murmurs all around them. The grand-dame gestured and Daniel was released. He’d answered and was no longer of interest to her. Julie stood with him now obviously to protect him.

  ‘How many forms can you take?’ The grand-dame asked Amelie and her tone was markedly more respectful.

  ‘I don’t know. Do you just mean animal? I can do people too,’ Amelie smiled and became the grand-dame. There were squeals of consternation all around but the real old woman merely smiled.

  ‘What was the first animal form you took?’

  Amelie glanced at Jim; he was very much on guard. ‘A dragon,’ she admitted but didn’t change.

  ‘Ah. But why then turn into an eagle to get away?’

  ‘It’s a smaller and simpler form and I didn’t have much strength left. I also had to launch and land in the forest,’ Amelie said with a shrug.

  ‘Why don’t you show us one of these forms?’ she invited.

  ‘That’s not very sensible, out in the street in plain sight of so many witnesses.’ Amelie tried to laugh it off as a joke but she was sure the woman was serious. She noticed that two big men were inching towards Jim. She moved quickly back to his side. ‘Back off, both of you,’ she growled at the two men. They stopped advancing but did not retreat.

  ‘Why do you want her to display her nature?’ Jim asked. ‘You already believe.’

  ‘The others need to see she has been properly tested.’

  ‘For what possible purpose?’ Jim asked. ‘As Julie pointed out, we are simply passing though. We’re only staying long enough for Amelie to recover from the brutal treatment she has already endured. We have no wish to join your little group of outlaws.’

  ‘We could easily report her,’ the grand-dame threatened.

  ‘True. But then I could tell them I’ve identified 16 animus, one low rank mage and three borderline skill animus,’ Jim countered, glancing about him more openly at the people who’d gathered in the square to watch.