by M. Gregg Roe
After they walked over, Audrey addressed Rosalind. “Tell it that it’s welcome to stay here.”
Rosalind scowled at her. “She can understand you.”
“Sorry,” Audrey said. She turned to the creature. “You’ll be staying with Rosalind.”
After a brief and blinding reply, Rosalind said, “She says thank you. And she’s chosen a name. Names don’t really translate, but her parents named her after some kind of flowering vine, from what I can tell. I described some different flowers, and she picked one.” Rosalind smiled and gestured. “Allow me to present Daffodil.”
The startled look on Audrey’s face was priceless.
The decay had begun. Grains of sand fell like gentle rain from the narrow walls of the nearby tower. As the blocks continued to lose cohesion, fingertip-sized pieces came loose and fell to the ground. On the wider wall sections, the deterioration resembled a reddish-brown waterfall. The noise level was also rising steadily. At the rate the process was accelerating, it wouldn’t be long at all before Audrey’s castle was nothing but a broad mound of sand.
The level of magic that had accompanied the departure of the metal structure inside had amazed Aliva. She strongly suspected that the magic had gradually accrued during the construction process, somehow stored within the sandstone blocks. That would explain why the blocks were now disintegrating. Their work was done.
“That’s it,” Audrey said, speaking loudly to be heard over the cacophony. Her expression was glum as she spun around and headed toward where Rosalind and Daffodil were waiting.
After a brief hesitation, Aliva hurried to catch up to her friend. “You have to admit it was interesting.”
“And stressful,” Audrey added, still looking glum. “I was prepared for combat, not three days of herding weird visitors.”
There was also the huge amount of time and effort the woman had put into building the structure. Audrey had been distraught when told that it wouldn’t last. She had been planning to alter the empty structure into something that resembled an actual castle, but wouldn’t say for what purpose.
A loud noise from behind signaled some kind of large-scale collapse, but neither of them bothered to look back. It really was depressing. The castle had looked odd, but it had been impressive in its own way.
“I told Gabriel that he could tell Marryn whatever was necessary,” Audrey said. “I trust her.”
Aliva detoured around a heap of weathered rocks that might have once been part of a wall or chimney. “I never really cared for Mardan,” she admitted, “but I feel sorry for Gabriel and Marryn.”
Audrey didn’t respond, and they soon reached the other two. “It’s going fast,” Rosalind said to them as she stared at the disintegrating structure.
It was going fast. Aliva turned around and watched as a sizable chunk of wall collapsed inward, revealing that much of the roof had already fallen. A tower, already showing many ragged gaps, shattered and fell into oddly shaped pieces. The castle was dying. Order was giving way to chaos. It just felt wrong.
“My castle,” Audrey said mournfully. “All that work.”
Unable to look away, the four of them continued watching the gradual demolition. It wasn’t long before there was nothing recognizable. There were still some good-sized pieces, but they too were continuing to shed sand as they shrank.
“I’ll take them first,” Audrey said, then walked away before Aliva could respond. Audrey positioned herself between Rosalind and Daffodil, and all three disappeared.
Aliva kept watching as she waited. Clouds of fine dust were now blowing eastward from the mass of sand. How long would it be until there was no trace of where the castle had stood? A year? Rain would also help to carry away the sand, and eventually plants would grow up through it. In the end, nature would triumph.
Footsteps announced that Audrey had returned, and Aliva turned to face her. “How do you think I did?” Audrey asked, her eyes and posture showing her fatigue.
It took a moment for Aliva to figure out what her friend was asking. “I think you handled everything well in your role as Guardian. The castle was a potential threat, and we were prepared for that.”
Audrey sighed softly as she looked toward the mound of sand. “Zyrahi reminded me that she suggested the possibility of friendly visitors at one point. But no one took her seriously.”
“That’s probably because she was a visitor,” Aliva told her. “Besides, we had to prepare for the worst.”
“I know, it’s just…” Audrey closed her eyes briefly. “This wasn’t what I expected for my first test.”
“You did fine,” Aliva insisted. “They didn’t invade Andoran’s Realm, and the ones that died knew the danger.”
Audrey’s expression hardened. “I don’t trust Daffodil. She’s just too strange.”
Aliva laughed. “Says the woman whose mother looks like a big glass spider. I think Daffodil is similar—an artificial body but inhabited by a living spirit.”
“I’m still not convinced,” Audrey said, but she looked more relaxed. “Are you ready to go home?”
“Am I ever.”
Seconds later, Aliva was alone in the master bedroom. She removed her backpack, dropped it on the floor, and began shedding clothes. “Bathtub,” she announced, as she headed for the nearby door, “here I come.”
[ 43 ]
Researcher Coda
When he reached the keep’s ground floor, Ferikellan found Daffodil in her usual place, off to the side and resting on the floor with her disks stacked directly on top of each other. It was her version of sleep. Lights flitted about on the edge of the middle disk as he headed toward the large door that led outside, so he stopped and said, “Good morning,” even bowing slightly.
The response was both slow and tentative. Daffodil’s native language had a written form that was completely phonetic. She was struggling with the local written language, which was only partially phonetic. However, under Rosalind’s tutelage, she was making steady progress.
“Good morning,” finally appeared, bright blue and looking exactly like Rosalind’s flowery handwriting. “Going for walk?” was soon added just underneath.
“Yes,” he replied. “I am going for a walk.” Summer’s arrival had made going out early a necessity, in his opinion.
The words faded away and there was no other activity, so he exited the keep. Outside, he paused briefly to stretch and then look around. There were a few ogres already out and about, and he returned their waves of greeting. He had even learned some of their names.
He set out on his usual route, first heading north toward the Gray Forest. After greeting an older ogress also out for a morning stroll, he headed east, following the perimeter of the village. Tritown truly felt like home now. Who would ever have thought he could be so comfortable living amongst ogres?
By mutual agreement, he and Rosalind had postponed any further research into Gray Potions. He still intended to investigate blood and blood types more thoroughly, but there was no urgency.
Turning southward, he soon passed behind Birchbark and Fern’s home. The two humans were friends now, ones he enjoyed dining and conversing with. He and Rosalind would be going to their house tonight for another discussion about alchemy.
For the moment, he and Rosalind were concentrating their efforts on studying and aiding Daffodil. Within Andoran’s Realm, she could only maintain her active form for a few hours a day. The goal was to provide her with a new body, one that required less magical energy to function. Ideally, it would sufficiently resemble a humanoid for Daffodil to travel without arousing undue interest or animosity. It was proving to be quite a challenge.
Breakfast was nearly ready when he returned to the keep, and he ate heartily even though he had been gaining a bit of weight as of late. Perhaps longer walks were in order. Or more rapid ones.
Walking up the spiral staircase afterward, he could tell that Rosalind had something on her mind. She was walking even slower than normal, forcing him to slo
w his own pace. When they reached the top, she went to the nearby window, and he joined her. “There,” she said, pointing downward and to the right. “That spot is perfect.”
Framed by two tall maples, it was a grassy area where the ogres sometimes grazed goats. “And what is it perfect for?” he inquired.
“Our house,” she replied. “I am not raising children in this keep.”
“And will we be raising children soon?” he asked, concerned by her sly expression.
Rosalind patted him on the cheek. “Stop looking so worried. I’m not pregnant.” She grinned before adding, “Yet.”
He was in no joking mood. “We could move elsewhere,” he stated, staring into her lovely blue eyes.
She looked at him dourly. “We could, but I like it here. After all those years of living in what became Wineton, I like smaller places. The Witch’s City seems crowded and noisy now. And you can forget Zardis.”
It wasn’t the reaction he had expected, but it made sense. Even now, she continued to surprise him.
“I’ve been working on a list,” she said, back to gazing out the window. “Tritown is deficient as far as some occupations are concerned. Ogres aren’t good at delicate work, and there are things that just don’t interest them. When it’s complete, I’m going to present the list to Audrey.”
Persuading people to move to Tritown would not be easy. It was both remote and teeming with ogres. On the other hand, Audrey had access to tremendous wealth. Money was a powerful incentive for many.
“Does your list include an alchemist?” he asked, also staring outward.
“It’s the first thing on it,” she replied proudly. “It would probably be one fresh out of an apprenticeship.”
They would still be a valuable asset. Rosalind’s healing powers were impressive, but there were some ailments bettered treated with alchemical formulations.
“There’s more,” she said as a cloud dimmed the sun. “I plan to lobby Novox to run a trade route here from Millton. The half-elf that runs Novox is Draymund’s best friend.”
She really did have grandiose plans. The new residents would likely be a mix of humans and half-elves, but elves and dwarves might be represented. Even goblins were a possibility. Tritown might end up being rather cosmopolitan. But there was an issue.
“Will the new residents be told who and what Audrey is?” he asked, watching her face closely.
“No, they won’t.” She turned to face him. “Before we invite people to move here, Audrey has to change her ways. She can either visit here as herself, arriving in some normal fashion, or she can show up as Andora, the Guardian of Andoran’s Realm. It’s going to take time for the ogres to adjust, but I think it’s doable.”
Audrey had visited recently to show off her Andora disguise, and he had been impressed. From a distance, the woman was unrecognizable. When in character, she had spoken in a deeper voice as she tried to project an aura of arrogance. Her acting needed work, but it was an excellent start.
“Well?” Rosalind asked, arching a delicate eyebrow. “Is that spot acceptable for our house? I’ve already spoken to Agvak about it.”
“Is it already designed?” he asked dryly. “How many bedrooms?”
She held up three fingers. “One large and two small, but I only have some rough sketches. Harbik and Vurk will still live here. Once the first baby arrives, Harbik might move in for a while to help out. He told me he used to take care of young gworn.”
It was time to surrender. “That spot is fine,” he told her sincerely. It was conveniently close to the keep. In fact, if the bedrooms on the top floor of the keep were no longer needed, then the laboratory could be expanded. Or perhaps one could be converted into a library.
“What about a flesh golem?” Rosalind asked, putting a finger to her chin. “Could Daffodil inhabit one of those?”
Ferikellan smiled at the future mother of his children. Now she was speaking his language.
“I have a book about golems,” he told her. “Shall we peruse it?”
“By all means,” she replied formally, then surprised him with a playful kiss.
By the end of the day they concluded that the idea had merit, but that they lacked the requisite skills to put it to the test. It was another opportunity to expand their knowledge, to work together toward a common goal alongside the woman he loved. What more could an aging researcher ask for?
[ 44 ]
Guardian Coda
Cradling Benson in her arms, Audrey could feel how little the cat weighed. No matter what she offered, he barely ate. Livia’s prediction was coming true. Nothing, not even alchemy or healing magic, could stop the cat’s gradual decline. He was purring, but even that sounded weak to her. Still holding the cat gently, she lowered herself onto her bed. That was where he spent most of his time now.
Conrad had just returned from what should be his final visit to Zardis, at least in his role as supervisor. In just a few days, Audrey would teach her last class at the Witch’s City branch of Xlee’s Martial Arts Academy. She would begin by spending about half of each month in Zardis, traveling there the normal way. In a year or two, she would probably be living there full-time.
Even though she feared that Benson might reach his end while she was away, she couldn’t possibly take him with her to Zardis. But he wouldn’t be alone. Ilona had volunteered to stay at the cottage and look after him. And Audrey would teleport in from time to time to check on him.
Following a mewl of complaint, she released Benson. He walked a circuit of the bed before curling up next to her left thigh. She never would have imagined that a cat could mean so much to her, but the thought of his impending demise never failed to bring on tears.
Audrey was resigned to eventually losing Conrad, to both of them moving on. They had already taken a first step. By mutual agreement, they were now free to date other people. With luck, that would lead to a gradual dissolution, not the abrupt break-up that she feared.
She was still smarting from another loss. The Collector had been unable to restore the lost constructs, and it was incapable of crafting new ones. Speaking in its emotionless voice, it had asked her to permanently deactivate it. When she had refused, it told her that its own magic was decaying, that it would probably last only another year. And when she acquiesced, it had thanked her. That had made speaking the words that ended its “life” even more stressful.
One loss that no longer bothered her was the castle. From the standpoint of her job as Guardian, it was just as well that the structure was no more. Otherwise less-friendly visitors might make use of it to invade Andoran’s Realm. Aliva had been the one to point out that possibility.
The sound of the front door opening was soon followed by Ilona’s appearance in the doorway. “I need to talk,” she said, trying to straighten her windblown hair. Outside, it was darker at mid-morning than it had been earlier.
Audrey nodded to her right. “Take a seat. What’s this about, Ilona?” From her cousin’s demeanor, it was something serious.
Ilona didn’t move. “I don’t want to be a priestess,” she confessed, looking down at her feet and fidgeting. “It’s too…” She looked up as she furrowed her brow. “Constraining—that’s the word. They’ve got all these rules, all these duties.”
It was tempting to lecture her cousin about how spoiled she was, but also pointless. “You were trying to compete with your sister,” Audrey said sternly. “You were jealous.” She had suspected that from the very beginning.
Ilona seemed to wilt as she seated herself on the corner of the bed. “I know I made a mistake. A huge mistake.”
“Let me guess. You want me to go with you to the temple.”
“Will you please,” Ilona begged with a sad look. “I need moral support.”
It was almost certain that the people at the temple already knew. Novice clerics often changed their minds or just weren’t up to the task. Ilona had been unhappy from the very start, constantly complaining about how much work was involved.
Mindful of Benson, Audrey rose to her feet. “We are going there now, and you will tell the High Priest yourself. You will apologize for wasting their time.”
Instead of answering, Ilona led the way out of the bedroom. She grabbed her rain cloak from beside the front door, and Audrey did the same. Carrying their cloaks for the moment, they exited and walked side by side along the flagstone paths. In contrast to the somber skies, the grounds were lovely and the air fragrant.
“This will give me more time to look after Benson,” Ilona said as they neared the iron gate.
Audrey wasn’t falling for that. “You need to resume your studies with Daragrim. You’re still a spell-caster in training.”
“I will,” Ilona promised as thunder sounded in the distance. “I also want to start studying Shorinken. I’m old enough now.”
Was it flattery or something the girl had a genuine interest in? It was easiest to just indulge her. The beginner classes were designed to weed out those who lacked skill or resolve. Or those seeking to learn the skills for the wrong reason. They didn’t train people to become bullies or worse. That was one of the school’s tenets.
“I’ll make the arrangements,” Audrey told her cousin as they headed east. “Summer session is already underway, so you’ll start in Autumn.”
Ilona bobbed her head. “Thank you. I’ll tell Draymund and Almera.”
Taking the shortest route, which involved many twists and turns, they reached the temple before the rain arrived. Once inside, Ilona spoke to the priest currently on duty and waved before disappearing through a door behind the statue of Arwon. After donating a few coins, Audrey loitered in the large public area, watching the people. By the time that Ilona returned, nearly half an hour later, it was raining steadily.
“It’s done,” Ilona announced, smiling in relief. She looked at her cloak. “I don’t suppose you could take us back the easy way?”
