“Did I miss something?” Farley turned and asked his king.
“You and me both I think,” came the reply.
Leo was thankful that at least Alec had understood the huge significance in what had just been shown. Moreover, he was glad that his friend decided to put it upon himself to explain it to the others. “This is really big your highness,” he said turning to Kellan first, before repeating the words to King Edwin. “This could give us a huge advantage,” he added clearly already working out in his mind how best to utilise this new skill.
Leo though had not yet finished. “I want to show you one more thing, but I’ll need several volunteers that don’t mind getting thrown about.” Farley immediately ordered six of his guardsmen to join them and do as they were asked for the experiment. All the men appeared quite nervous as Chad and Henry listened carefully to what Leo proposed.
Leo explained to his rather confused looking group that Chad was playing the part of the enemy sorcerers and the guards were enemy soldiers. Chad quickly understood what Leo was going to try, and threw a larger than normal shield over all of the soldiers, as well as himself. He then proceeded in walking very slowly, making sure the men under the barrier did likewise. “This is how the Belarians attack,” Leo explained, “Now watch!” he added. He gave Henry a nod and the youngster stepped up to where Chad’s shield barred his progress.
They all watched on, Leo probably a little more nervously than the others, hoping he was not going to be made to look a fool. Henry once more played his part well, teleporting right through Chad’s shield before standing firm inside it. The young apprentice then concentrated once more creating his own glimmering barrier that expanded out a few paces in each direction, shoving both Chad and the guards to the ground.
Edwin was first to clap and show his appreciation, although in truth Leo doubted the man actually quite understood the point he was trying to make. Of all the important people stood watching, it was actually Alec’s approval Leo looked for. Chad dusted himself down, and after helping a couple of the guards to their feet, went over to pat Henry on the back. The young lad though was beginning to show signs he was tiring, and thought it something he should bring to Alec and Leo’s attention.
The idea that a sorcerer could merely by-pass a magical shield was apparently not without some problems. To be fair to Henry, he had managed to do it at least three times as well as manage other spells, but it was something they would need to keep in consideration. Alec though was clearly thrilled about what he had seen, so much so he briefly forgot his place, when he patted the young prince on the back in his over excitement. “Sorry Sire!” he immediately said, realising what he had just done. The prince just chuckled, and returned the gesture.
Edwin turned to his commander, “I assume we have just witnessed some great break through,” he whispered.
“I assume so Sire,” the man replied.
“Bravo!” Edwin then shouted out, trying to show his own appreciation towards his sorcerers. “Come on Farley, don’t stand there like a buffoon!” the man added nudging him with his elbow.
“Oh right, yes,” Farley uttered starting to clap, although he was clearly unsure as to why.
Leo was not overly bothered that neither the king nor Farley had been particularly enamoured by what he had shown them. The main person he wanted to show was Alec, and that had been achieved. He knew his friend, always the smart one, would somehow manage to explain it to the others anyway, and more importantly make use of it.
Reece, who was stood off to one side, waiting for Leo and Chad to finish their little demonstration, was spotted by Lars. The leader of the guild quickly walked over and enquired as to why he was there, and not in the building with the other beginners. Before Reece could answer though, both Leo and Chad stepped over to intervene. For whatever reason, it was clear that Reece was not only ostracized by his fellow trainees, but by the man in charge as well. Was it some kind of jealousy, that this boy would one day likely be the magician that stood at the king’s side?
Leo for one had seen enough, and decided there and then to put paid to any more ill treatment of the boy. “Come with me please Reece,” Leo asked, moving him away from Lars before the man could start ranting. He heard him mumbling something about overstepping the mark, and Leo stopped in his tracks, before turning to face him.
Chad quickly realised this was a situation they did not want getting out of hand, and that if Leo was to lose his temper, Lars could very likely end up turned into a pile of smouldering cinders. Leo clenched his fists together, “What is your problem Lars?” he shouted far louder than he had actually intended. The royal party who were all heading back to the front of the building all stopped and turned to see what was going on.
“Why do you treat this poor lad as if he has done something wrong? You know the others bully him? He is special and should be looked after, not treated like some pariah.”
Lars scoffed at the mark. “If the boy is being bullied then that is down to you giving him special treatment.”
Leo snarled through gritted teeth, and Chad could sense the situation getting out of hand. If Leo lost his temper now, all the hard work and trust between the Caldronians and Arandorians could be lost. Doubting he could hold against Leo for very long, he prepared to shield Lars just in case.
Fortunately for all concerned, the royals came to investigate. “Leo calm down,” Alec said rushing over and placing a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “Chad, can you take him for a walk somewhere please?” he added sensing something was about to erupt if the situation got any worse. Edwin was clearly livid, not at any one person, but the fact two of the most senior magicians, one from either side were so openly shouting at each other.
Chad did as was asked, almost having to man-handle Leo to make him turn away. Reece, not sure which way to turn or what to do, opted to follow the Caldronians, something immediately jumped on by Lars. “Get back here now!” the man shouted after him. Chad struggled to stop Leo from turning back, but could do nothing to stop him shouting for Reece to follow.
Edwin stood in front of his sorcerer. This was the man he had entrusted to run his guild of magicians, and yet here he was having an argument with a young man who was supposed to be on the same side. Prince Kellan walked over to Leo, and despite his tender years, demanded an explanation. Leo took a deep breath and forced an apology to the young royal, but felt the need to explain why he was so angry. Surprisingly Kellan nodded, agreeing with his reasons, although did tell him in no uncertain terms he needed to calm down.
Edwin was similarly demanding an explanation from his own sorcerer, asking Farley to line his troops up to act as a barrier. Lars had to stand and listen to a verbal tirade from his king, before being told to go back indoors. A solution needed to be found to this problem; one that had gotten drastically out of hand.
Farley stepped up beside his king, “What a mess!” he said watching the sorcerer trudge off towards the main building. “I don’t want Lars doing something we’ll all regret and injuring the Caldronians,” Edwin replied turning his head just slightly towards his commander. “I think you misunderstand Sire,” the man replied. “Leo is a king’s sorcerer. Lars would be no match.”
Edwin scoffed, “I think the lad is over rated. The other one…what’s his name Chad seems to be more proficient with spells.”
Farley thought it best to educate his king on why a sorcerer like Leo was considered special, as the man had clearly forgotten the small demonstration of his power whilst they had been taking the palace. He explained that he had only heard stories of what this person was capable of, but what he had heard was truth. During the first attack on Surmont, Leo had obliterated almost the entire Belarian army before succumbing to exhaustion. “If Leo wished to do so Sire, he could wipe you, me, lars and half the population of Dornby away, with but a wave of his hand, and there would be little any of us could do to stop him.”
“Pfft, I hear a lot of talk. Lars has just proven how valuable he
is. Why even the Caldronians are excited about the skills he possesses.”
Farley sighed extremely loudly, causing his king to give him a somewhat annoyed look. “Fine! Then I shall ask to see this great power,” Edwin finally replied walking over to where Prince Kellan was stood. After asking that very same question, the young royal clearly had reservations about asking Leo to demonstrate his power. However, it was clear that the king was not going to give up so easily, and so Kellan was left with little choice but to put the suggestion to Leo.
Chad stood beside Leo, suggesting he take some deep breaths, when the Prince walked over towards them. “Leo!” the young royal said softly. Leo did not wait for any further words, thinking he was about to get told off, he apologised for his behaviour. Kellan smiled up at him, his young face looked so troubled. “Leo, I was not going to reprimand you. For what it is worth I think you are right to stand up to any bully, and protect those that cannot do so for themselves,” Kellan added sounding very mature for one so young.
Leo listened to what Kellan had to say, and looked over to where the King of Arandor and his small group were stood. He then turned his attention to were Lars was standing, looking rather smug by the doorway; a look Leo would be only too keen to wipe from his face. “What do you want me to show you, your majesty?” Leo said in a somewhat mocking tone as he approached the King.
“Well, we have seen Lars and his group in action. I have seen your friend Chad achieve great things. Yet you, I have seen do very little of note Leo,” Edwin replied in a condescending tone. Despite a further warning from Farley not to antagonise the Caldronian, Edwin seemed intent on doing just that.
Leo took several deep breaths as Edwin pointed to a few trees some hundred or more paces off. “If you are so powerful, perhaps you might be able to hit one of those from here. Maybe you might even be able to damage the bark on one,” Edwin added loudly, trying to get a laugh from his soldiers stood around him. None was forthcoming, and the king just waved a nonchalant hand as if they were not intelligent enough to get his comment.
Leo, felt surprisingly calm considering everybody seemed intent on winding him up. With a simple flick of his hand, he produced and fired the smallest blast of energy he could muster towards the group of tree lining the wall at the bottom of the garden. The blast missed all the trunks and merely fizzled out against the stonework behind them. Edwin naturally found the entire thing hilarious, “See I told you…Pathetic,” he said turning to Farley with a look of ‘I told you so.’ His commander though kept his own eyes firmly fixed on Leo, who he was sure was just playing with the king.
Wanting to put an end to this farce, Leo decided to show these Arandorians just what it was to be named a King’s Sorcerer. Gritting his teeth, Leo turned back to face the trees lining the wall, thrusting both his hands out as hard as he could. He felt the rush of energy flowing through his limbs as a solid beam shot forth. He moved his hands just ever so slightly to the right as the tree trunks cracked and fell, cut down as if they were no more that twigs. The stone wall behind also took the brunt of the blast, as large chunks of it exploded into the air, causing some of those watching on to dive for cover.
Leo felt in control and stopped the blast within a few seconds. With at least half a dozen or so trees smashed in half, still smouldering from the intense heat, and a gaping hole in the wall behind, Leo felt he had shown his doubters enough. Surprisingly it was Kellan who started clapping, “Well done Leo,” he said looking rather proud of his most senior sorcerer.
Edwin, like most of the other Arandorians stood there, somewhat amazed at what they had just seen. “I told you Sire,” Farley said clearly not impressed by his king’s lack of respect for somebody who quite clearly was very powerful. “Perhaps we can now put this farcical affair behind us and try to rebuild on what was a good friendship,” the commander added, almost admonishing his own king. Edwin merely nodded, “Wow! Remind me never to upset him…and I apologise for doubting your advice Farley,” the king replied, feeling suitably humbled.
Chad also felt some element of pride as he had watched his mentor. He wished he could be as powerful, but knew that would never be the case. However, Leo was his friend, and no matter how different they were, he hoped that would always be the case.
Chapter 22.
Reece, for now at least stayed close to Leo and Chad, whether Lars liked it or not. After Leo’s little display of power, nobody was going to argue with him. Kellan, thought Leo had handled himself very well, and had given the Arandorian King something to think about. Up until now Edwin had just presumed his great army would merely walk in to Caldronia and ask for the country to be returned to its rightful owner. Now however, Edwin had been shown just how powerful some sorcerers could be, and if Caldronia had fallen with the likes of Leo fighting on its side, how powerful must the enemy be?
To try and make peace between the two, Edwin and Kellan had both suggested that Leo and Lars join them for lunch. The situation not only between them, but just as importantly with Reece, needed to be sorted. In the King’s private dining room, Kellan sat beside his sorcerer whilst Lars took the seat next to his king. Farley, who invited himself, took up a position at one end, just to oversee things.
The room was well lit thanks to the large windows running along one wall, and comfortably warm due to the large stone fireplace along another. The palace staff busied around placing down plates and glasses, before two platters of food were brought out and placed down in front of the diners. Normally, as King, Edwin would serve himself first, but to show some goodwill gestured for Leo to be first.
Leo was unsure he should break with protocol, and had to be coerced by Kellan to hurry up and take some food. Fortunately, as this was only lunch, the selection was quite small. Aside from a selection of neatly cut small triangular sandwiches, there was a few cheeses, grapes and some kind of chutney which he avoided. There was red wine to drink, and although Leo was never a fan of it, decided he would take a small amount just to fit in.
No sooner had they all started eating when Edwin decided he was going to get the conversation going. He firstly apologised to Leo, not only for doubting his abilities, but for not showing him the respect that he had earned during the Caldronian’s stay in Arandor. Not only had Leo help set up the new guild, he had also played a huge part in the selection of the apprentices. Not only that, but he had also been quite instrumental in helping create the rules and regulations stipulating what sorcerers could and could not do.
This had been something close to Leo’s heart, and when the suggestion had been made about him contributing, he had jumped at the chance. Alec, Farley and Lars as well as a few of the king’s own staff had all sat around a table for some time discussing these very important new laws that needed to be implemented. Leo hoped that drawing from his own experiences, especially with how Mia had been dealt with, the Arandorians might learn from the mistakes made by their Caldronian counterparts.
Whilst not everybody had agreed with his more lenient stand on punishment for sorcerers, he had managed to get some of his suggestions put in place. In Caldronia, if you were found to be magical and not tied to the guild, palace or army in some way, you could expect nothing more than a death penalty. Leo was not the only one to think this rule was draconian and needed to be changed. Instead, Caldronia would allow magic, so long as the person registered themselves at the guild as being able to do so. So long as that person did not use their powers for any wrong doing, then they would be free to live amongst the populace and treated as any other.
Leo waved a hand as if to say it was nothing, and suggested they all move on. Both Alec and Chad had lectured him on the way to the king’s chambers about how he should be mature and do his best to resolve these matters. Naturally, Leo always thought he was mature, and had pulled a face when his friends had suggested it to him. The problem with Lars was clearly one of mistrust, and one-upmanship. Edwin now knew that whether Lars liked it or not, Leo was the greater of the two and should treat him
accordingly.
After popping a grape into his mouth, the king looked over to his sorcerer sat beside him. “From now on Lars I want no more of this stubbornness. Leo is not your enemy. We are all here to fight for the same cause. Do I make myself clear?”
Lars looked almost embarrassed that he was being told off, as if some naughty child, but nodded his head and agreed without argument. Leo felt like casting him a look, but decided to remain grown up about it. However, if Leo thought he was going to get away without having a similar lambasting then he was very mistaken. His however was slightly more demeaning as it came from a child not quite ten years old. Being told off by a king was one thing, being done so by a young boy was quite humiliating.
The main problem to sort out however, was that of what to do with Reece. Edwin, now that he had seen what a king’s sorcerer could do was actually quite excited about the prospect of having one of his own. As a result of this new development, Edwin wanted Reece to be treated well, and ordered Lars to immediately investigate all these claims of bullying. This was something the king wanted stamped out, even if it meant severely punishing the perpetrators. Only after Lars accepted something would be done immediately, did Edwin move on to what to do with Reece.
The King's Sorcerer (The Caldronian Guild Book 3) Page 16
