Amelie: Wizards of White Haven

by Frances Howitt

  23

  Odd Changes

  ‘What’s the matter?’ Amelie asked early next morning noticing that Jim was struggling with his clothes.

  ‘Have these been to the laundry?’ Jim asked her. ‘I was sure these were the spares in my pack that I haven’t worn for a while.’

  Amelie looked at them in surprise; his shirt sleeves were too short, his trousers were tight about the waist and a length of ankle was showing below his trousers. ‘You’re right, you haven’t worn them here. I thought those fitted?’ Abruptly she realised she was looking up to meet his eyes more than usual. She frowned and passed him the clothes he’d been wearing the day before that had been put into the laundry pile. He pulled them on reluctantly and discovered they also fitted badly.

  ‘What’s going on? I’m not a child to be growing out of clothes.’

  ‘I don’t know either my love,’ Amelie said. ‘Were you cold yesterday or noticed anything to indicate this was already happening?’

  Jim frowned. ‘I suppose I did feel chilly but I’d have noticed this much of a problem. I look ridiculous.’

  ‘Put your socks and boots on and roll up your sleeves. There, now it doesn’t show so badly. Let’s see Mrs White after breakfast. She may be able to find some better fitting clothes.’

  Jim pulled on his leather waistcoat for warmth. ‘Come on, the breakfast bell is nearly due. I want to be in and sitting down before anyone notices.’

  Amelie put her arms about his neck and kissed him. She had to reach up more than usual but she rather liked his new height. ‘As long as you don’t grow much more love.’

  Jim abruptly grinned, aware of her regard and appreciation for his figure. ‘This isn’t something you’ve wished for and turned into a spell is it?’

  ‘No, I wouldn’t have done that even if I knew how. But something was different yesterday. You had so much more strength doing the building work than usual. And of course you often fall into bed exhausted when you’ve been doing that. But not last night,’ she added with a grin. She hadn’t known it was remotely possible to better their sexual relations but he’d taken them both to new heights last night.

  Jim kissed her brow and wrapped an arm around her before leading her from the room.

  ‘Mrs White,’ Jim called, once breakfast was over. ‘Do you happen to have a store room for clothes?’

  ‘Certainly. Who is it for?’

  ‘Me. I wasn’t able to bring much with me,’ Jim added.

  ‘This way, sir. Hopefully we’ve got something suitable to fit you.’

  Jim, with Amelie by his side, followed Mrs White into a small side room fronting a large door. Mrs White went inside and returned with a tape measure. She jotted down his measurements quickly and noticed the trousers he was wearing looked tight and were at least two inches too short. She returned with several pairs of trousers and gestured to a screen.

  Jim took the bundle and hastened out of sight.

  ‘Those are nice,’ Amelie commented eyeing the soft leather trousers he had on. ‘Are they comfy?’

  ‘Actually they are very comfy. You don’t think they look too tight?’ he ventured quietly.

  ‘Not at all, they fit but aren’t inappropriately tight. Besides there’s still a bit of room in the leg if you’ve not finished growing,’ she added for his ears alone.

  He chose a second pair in a sturdy but neat canvas but returned to the leather ones. ‘I could do with some shirts too,’ he advised Mrs White who nodded, taking the rejected trousers. She returned with a white shirt just as Drako arrived. Jim had shrugged out of the ill fitting shirt and noticed Drako was eyeing him too. Was something amiss? He hastily pulled the new shirt over his head then wondered what he’d been given.

  ‘Now you look like a pirate or something,’ Amelie laughed softly. She straightened the fixed shoulders and buttoned the cuffs. The rest was gathered and loose fitting with wide sleeves and an open neck. ‘Tuck it in,’ she suggested then bid him look in the mirror.

  Jim laughed, certain he’d never looked so extravagant or so silly. But Amelie thought he looked sexy. The way Mrs White was eyeing him he rather suspected that she thought so too. ‘Is there anything normal in there?’ he asked Mrs White a little plaintively. ‘I could also do with something warm.’

  ‘You don’t like that?’ she asked in surprise surveying him. ‘You have the figure for it,’ she added.

  Drako chuckled outright.

  ‘Were you looking for me Drako?’ Jim asked.

  ‘Yes. You mentioned you wanted me to give you some combat training. I was wondering when you wanted to begin.’

  ‘I’ve been so busy I’d forgotten about that,’ Jim admitted. ‘I can’t say I’m eager to be pounded into mush again though.’

  ‘I don’t think that’s going to happen. I wouldn’t dare,’ Drako added. The image of Jim silencing that enemy archer with a word, incinerating the other dead man and most recently his displays of strength when house-building were unnerving to say the least. It didn’t look as though Jim’s strength was limited to mental ability either. He’d just seen hard musculature on Jim’s body. He would be formidable once trained.

  Mrs White handed Jim a cotton under-sweater and soft leather shirt that laced up the front. Jim pulled them on and felt warm and comfortable. He glanced at Drako and supposed they were now wearing similar clothes. He thanked her and collected the white shirt Amelie liked and the spare trousers.

  ‘No time like the present I suppose,’ Jim said. ‘The students are all in lessons here in the house, so the training ground should be free,’ he added.

  ‘You don’t want an audience then?’

  ‘Definitely not; I’m a complete beginner with a sword. I’m not a bad archer, but I never learned anything hand to hand,’ Jim told him seriously.

  ‘Why not?’ Drako asked following Jim along to another area of the house. Jim unlocked a door and Drako suddenly knew this was his and Amelie’s private quarters. Drako halted at the door despite his curiosity. Jim simply put the spare clothes on a chair and pulled on his heavy jacket.

  Amelie followed suit but also put on her heavy outdoor boots.

  ‘You’re coming too?’ Jim asked her.

  ‘Yes. I want to learn to use a sword properly. We both need tuition,’ she stated.

  ‘Do you mind, Drako?’ Jim asked him aware the offer had only covered him not the pair of them.

  ‘Of course I don’t mind,’ Drako said then grinned. ‘I was more concerned you would mind.’

  Jim frowned, wondering what he meant.

  ‘You appear to have a protective and jealous streak in you a mile wide where she is concerned,’ Drako explained still grinning.

  Amelie laughed when Jim tried to deny it. ‘You do my love, and very sweet it is too.’

  ‘I cannot bear to see you hurt, especially now,’ he said softly.

  ‘You worry too much. I’m not fragile. But I cannot yet defend myself properly in human form,’ she said. ‘You know I must start this now, before I lose the opportunity.’

  ‘I’m missing something here,’ Drako said his gaze going from one to the other.

  ‘I’m pregnant,’ she told Drako quietly. ‘It’s very early yet so please don’t tell anyone. But if you are going to train me I thought you should know.’

  ‘Congratulations,’ Drako managed to say. He now wasn’t at all sure he wanted to train her. Such training was hard physical work and inevitably there would be accidents. There was also the risk of serious injury. Knowing of her pregnancy he’d go easy on her. It was ingrained in him to protect women, especially if pregnant and particularly delicate. Now he understood Jim’s protectiveness only too well. He watched Amelie stride through the house and out the door ahead of them.

  Amelie waited until they were most of the way up the track and well clear of any eavesdroppers before rounding on the two silent men. ‘Let’s get something straight. I’m not remotely incapacitated. I certainly don’t need looking after yet. Nor do I nee
d you both looking at me with big soppy protective faces. How is that keeping my news quiet?’

  ‘He’s got an excuse, although what kind of child you two will make I’d have said was more a cause for worry,’ Drako teased. ‘I’m just trying to get my head round it and the fact you chose to trust me with this knowledge.’

  ‘I’d rather you knew up front so didn’t make me do anything dangerous to the baby,’ she said simply and went into the shed where the practice weapons were stored. They each selected a wooden sword and entered the arena. After the quick walk up from the house, they were quite warm. Drako had them do some upper body warm up exercises before starting.

  Drako started by showing Jim how to hold the sword correctly. He then moved through the basic moves, watching as they both copied him. He could tell Amelie had done this before so he concentrated mainly on Jim. But once Jim had actually performed a move he seemed able to instantly remember it. With this startling fact in mind, Drako made sure Jim didn’t do any move in full until he’d mastered each separate motion. They didn’t need him learning to do it incorrectly and then struggling to relearn the move. Then when the separate parts were in place, Drako showed him how to link them up and that amazing memory took over.

  ‘Ok, now face me and parry my sword,’ Drako told him.

  Facing Drako felt entirely different from copying his motions. Drako patted the sword in Jim’s hand and he remembered that motion. Jim responded tentatively to start with then increasingly fast. They were very evenly matched physically.

  ‘Now try this move,’ Drako said moving on to a series of more complicated moves. Once Jim had grasped them, Drako told him to take a break and he turned to Amelie. In contrast she skipped through the beginner exercises quickly. She’d learned many as a child and Bruno had reminded her of some and shown her a few others. In half the time Amelie had caught up with the exercises Jim had been doing. Drako bid them practice further moves on each other. Drako could then watch them both. He was fascinated to see just how in tune they were with each other. They went through a variety of moves with the neatness and precision of a choreographed display.

  ‘Ok, now do the sequence faster,’ Drako said. Again they moved or rather flowed together. Faster still and they began to falter. Amelie was faster and more skilled but was tiring quickly. She couldn’t match Jim’s brute strength or reach. He also kept faltering in his attacks, obviously worried he might inadvertently be hurting her and pausing to check.

  ‘Break is in five minutes,’ Jim said to Drako even whilst completing a complicated manoeuvre.

  ‘We’ll stop now then,’ Drako said. ‘I think you’ve both achieved a great deal in just this one session. Well done. But I think separate sessions would be better. You two know each other too well and seem to know what the other is going to do before it happens. It won’t be so easy or straightforward with a real opponent.’

  ‘Thank you Drako. You’re an excellent teacher,’ Jim told him sincerely as they walked back to the house.

  ‘I was drilled enough in my youth,’ Drako said. ‘My father made sure we all had maximum training from the time we were old enough to hold a sword. The moves become instinctive, something you don’t have to think about in battle when there are so many more important things you need to be considering instead.’

  ‘I’d still rather be outside of the thick of things,’ Jim admitted.

  ‘For you that’s a viable option,’ Drako conceded. ‘But haven’t you ever just wanted, or rather needed, to thump someone?’

  ‘I don’t know; maybe,’ Jim said uncertainly.

  ‘You fought when Amelie was shot. It was only when I offered to take over that you stopped and used magic.’

  ‘I suppose I did. Using my fists felt good,’ Jim admitted, only just realising that. ‘Whatever happened to that archer? I never saw him again.’

  ‘We dealt with him. It was us he was seeking and mistook Amelie for. You had more important things to handle,’ Drako said in a flat tone.

  Jim nodded but wondered about his aggressive streak which seemed to be showing itself more often. Now whenever he got angry, or even annoyed, people looked at him strangely and backed off nervously. They’d never done that before. He shrugged out of his heavy coat dropping it on the back of a spare chair, then helped Amelie off with her coat. He sat her down solicitously before getting them drinks. He also brought back a handful of biscuits. He was hungry and knew Amelie would be too.

  ‘Are you hungry Drako?’ Jim asked seeing him at the biscuits too.

  ‘Yes. You two are hard work,’ Drako admitted.

  ‘I thought we’d be easy students,’ Jim commented.

  Drako laughed, his bass tones turning heads and triggering smiles. ‘You're hardly easy. You both have more power than you know what to do with. It tends to erupt with frustration and I had to be careful of triggering any crossfire.’

  ‘The big bad bear is scared of you,’ Jim said to Amelie with a teasing grin at Drako.

  ‘Of course he’s not scared of me,’ Amelie contradicted softly. ‘Now stop teasing him. You’re only jealous you’re not a bear,’ she added glancing sidelong at Drako. ‘You’d be cute with a fluffy coat,’ she added to Jim very quietly.

  Drako heard however and sniggered, particularly at Jim’s expression. There was never a dull moment with this pair. He caught the scent of his hunters then and looked round; they were wrapping chilled hands around hot mugs. They realised they’d been noticed and approached.

  ‘Successful hunt Freddie?’ Drako asked.

  ‘Yes sir. A boar only, but we haven’t had that in a long time,’ Freddie added wistfully.

  Jim left them chatting and warming themselves by the fire, taking the opportunity of going upstairs. He went into the clan dormitory as it had become known and saw only seven beds remained. The last of the settlers had moved into their new homes earlier that morning, leaving only Drako, his four wolf hunters and two of the bachelors from the dog pack remaining. The enormous empty room was chilly and forlorn now. He planned to divide part of the space to create two new staff apartments. Some staff couples were sharing currently and now the bulk of the people had their own homes in the village, he could begin work on the apartments. He’d noted the plans, such as they were, and paced out the space from the back wall. Using the timber and stone already stacked waiting, he created the main solid partition wall dividing this from the dormitory. Then he cut a new doorway to access it from the existing corridor. He paced out the second apartment and again created the main partition wall and front door. Then he went back into the dormitory. The room had been halved in size now and felt far less oppressive.

  Jim strode back down to the dining hall and spotted Jasper having his tea. While he was thinking about it he advised Jasper he could now sit down with the two staff members and work out the interior design of the new apartments.

  ‘You’ve just built the walls?’ Jasper asked having felt several magical surges.

  ‘Yes. Seemed a good time to do it while everyone’s down here out of the way,’ Jim acknowledged and took another biscuit.

  ‘What have you been up to?’ Amelie asked Jim.

  ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve adjusted the walls in your dormitory,’ he told Drako. ‘We need some of the space for new staff quarters.’

  Drako eyed him, his brows raised; Jim hadn’t been gone much more than five minutes. He noticed his men were curious but still tired so he went to have a look.

  ‘You don’t believe in sitting still do you?’ Drako asked when he returned. There were now two large empty rooms opening off the main corridor. He’d gone exploring and been amazed that just the addition of walls made the top floor feel completely different and far more welcoming.

  ‘Not when people are in need,’ Jim said simply.

  24

  Grain Order

  ‘Excuse me sir, do you have a minute?’ the housekeeper asked peering round the open doorway.

  ‘Of course, Mrs White. Come in.’
Jim put down his quill and eyed the heavy, well-worn book she carried as she came in and shut the door. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘The school’s accounts.’

  ‘Ah. Is there a problem?’ She put it right before him so he curiously flicked through the pages, noting there were sections recording the payments made by parents, the main reserve, and lists detailing food, books, clothing, ink and all manner of school supplies bought, who they came from and their relevant cost. It was very neat and organised; he was impressed and daunted. He hoped figuring this stuff out wasn’t meant to be one of his responsibilities. He was drowning in paperwork as it was, and knew meticulous record keeping wasn’t his forte.

  ‘I just wanted to run by you the additional supplies we now need to tide us over the winter months.’

  ‘Ah. I’m sorry we’ve so many unexpected extra mouths to feed, and at a difficult time of year, too. Are we short of money to buy more supplies?’

  ‘We can manage at the moment. But you need to know money will soon become an issue. We’ll need to be careful how we use it.’

  ‘Understood. No wild spending sprees. Rest assured the current situation, where the clan is drawing on our resources, is short term. The plan is to help them become independent of us as quickly as possible. Believe me; they want that as much as we do. I envisage a separately run, self-sufficient, working village, mainly producing whatever the school needs, but not exclusively. With gold in short supply, it will be mutually beneficial to set them up with the means to take over the supply of a number of the items we regularly need. They can then barter their goods or labour. I’d like to make it possible for them to honourably work off the current loan quickly. We’ll have to draw something up so everyone knows what the goal is and what it’ll take to fulfil the debt. Of course, they are already unofficially working in this way, helping out with chores, chopping wood and the like. But more importantly, the hunters have been supplying us with meat daily since their arrival. It seems a small thing, but it is something expensive we’d otherwise have had to purchase. It all counts and helps spread the load. In the longer term, being able to utilise their services will make the school more self-sufficient and all of us should prosper.’