Silver Mage (Book 2)

by D. W. Jackson

  Though Faye had went about it in an odd way, she had been right. He had to keep his cool today, and the best way to do that was to remind himself that he wasn’t only representing himself, but all the people in Torin, and that included the mages.

  As soon as he entered through the large doors of the tower, Bren walked up to one of the large oaken desks. “I need a meeting with the council,” Bren declaimed confidently.

  “The young mage who was working the desk looked up at him and gave him a withering glare. “I will notify the masters,” she said dismissively, as if he were no more than a peasant who had wandered in off the streets.

  “See that you do,” Bren said, walking past the desk toward the stairs leading up to the upper parts of the tower.

  “Sir, Guards are not allowed into the tower main,” One of the tower guards said, eyeing Cass and the others suspiciously. Bren could see the hate in the man’s eyes as he looked at them, but chose to ignore it. He was sure that it was one look that he had earned, after he had executed a number of their fellow guards.

  “Cass, you will accompany me the rest of your men will stay behind,” Bren ordered and started to move past the guard when the man stepped in his path.

  “I am sorry, but none of you will be allowed to go armed into the tower. We have our charges to worry about,” the guard said in a heated voice.

  “You are welcome to try and disarm me, but I am sure that you will find it difficult without your head attached to your body,” Cass said through gritted teeth. “We are here for a meeting with the council, and if you refuse to step aside, we will simply move over you dead body…It is your choice.”

  “If you cause any trouble, king or not, I will have you in chains in the dungeon,” the guard replied, as he stepped aside and let the two pass.

  “I thought it was my job to get mad and you’re to keep me under control?” Bren asked as they passed the first level of the tower.

  “That only applies to when you are dealing with the council,” Cass said lightly. “When dealing with people who jeopardize your security, I am allowed to do whatever I deem necessary to insure your safety.”

  “Is that so?” Bren asked. “I still think that there was better ways of handling that situation. No reason to make more enemies than we already have.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Cass said, dismissing Bren’s words. “There is nothing that you could have said to that man to ease his hate toward you. If you don’t remember, he was one of the guards who you had hogtied and ready for death.”

  “Really, how do you remember his face?” Bren asked. “That was so long ago and there were more than a few people there at the time.”

  “It is my job to remember anyone who might be a threat to you later on, and that includes anyone you had ready for the headsman’s block. They don’t tend to forget having a blade pointed at their neck.”

  “You might have a point,” Bren admitted.

  “Let’s just keep it where you worry about the political ramifications, and I worry about keeping you alive to worry,” Cass said with a smirk.

  “Deal,” Bren said, grabbing Cass’s hand and joining him in a nice long laugh.

  Bren and Cass continued up the stairs until they reached the top floor. It didn’t take long for them to find the door they were looking for, as there were only ten on the top level, all of them belonging to the members of the council, and the one at the end belonging to the head master Sae-Thae.

  Bren knocked lightly on the door and waited for an answer, hoping that the master was in his quarters. “What do you need?” A loud gruff voice said as the door swung open to show a young Vathari mage with dark piercing eyes staring back at him. “You haven’t come to start more trouble with the tower have you?” Phena asked, giving Bren a scathing glare.

  “Why does everyone assume that I came just to start trouble?” Bren asked in a defeated voice.

  “Maybe because trouble seems to follow you around young man,” An older voice said from inside the room.

  Phena stepped aside, letting the two enter, but she kept her eyes on them and if it wasn’t his imagination it looked as if she was looking at Cass more intently than usual. “What can I do for you Lord Farlane?” Sae-Thae asked with a flourished bow, his ash grey skin making it hard to make out if he was smiling or not in the dimly lit room.

  “Its Lord Torin now,” Bren said embarrassedly. “Secondly, don’t lord me Uncle. I am here on private matter at the moment. I will deal with the state affairs once I can get all of you in one room,” Bren added with a sly smile.

  “Trouble it is then,” Sae-Thae groaned. “Well, before I find out how many fires I will have to put out tonight, why don’t you tell me why you have graced my study.”

  “I was hoping that you might have found out more about the location of the veil?” Bren asked eagerly. “My own research has halted because of everything else that has been going on as of late.”

  A deep set frown spread across the head masters face. “I hate to admit it, but all I have right now is theories. We know that the veil is to the north, but that still leaves a large area to inspect. I had thought that it might be in the Twilight Valley, but have since learned that it can’t be there. To tell the truth, I am baffled about its location. As soon as I think I have found it, something else rears its head to prove me wrong.”

  “So you have run into dead ends as well,” Bren said disappointedly. “I thought I had found it shortly after I took the throne, but it turns out I was wrong about its location. It’s almost as if something is moving things around just so we can’t locate it.”

  “I will admit that my god was not at all pleased when I asked him about the veil,” Sae-Thae said, his face furrowed in thought. “But, I doubt that even the gods have to power to move the veil around, though it would be easy for them to lead us astray about its location. We need to tread carefully young man, it seems as if many people would prefer that the veil remain hidden.”

  “I thought that the Vathari were all about rushing in head first?” Bren asked with a thin smile on his face.

  “Then you have us wrong Bren,” Sae-Thae responded harshly. “We are about winning, and one doesn’t live long enough to win if they don’t look where they’re going. Now, let’s set aside this talk of the veil, and why don’t you tell me what trouble you have brought before the council this time?”

  “The council has requested more funds and this time I expect them to give something back in exchange for them,” Bren declared, his face set in determination.

  “And what would you ask in return?” Sae-Thae asked, his face unreadable.

  “That they send mages to help prepare the houses for the coming winter.”

  “It sounds reasonable, but you are sure to find a little resistance. Many of the masters are still not too keen about you having even the smallest amount of say where the tower in concerned. I suggest you tread lightly when you are in the council chambers this evening.”

  “I will take that under advisement,” Bren replied calmly.

  “I hope that you do,” Sae-Thae said, sighing heavily. “Now, while we wait for the other masters to get themselves around to answering your request for an audience, why don’t you tell me how things are going in the town below?”

  Bren spent the better part of an hour telling Sae-Thae of what had been going on since his last visit. Most of it was small things, but the elder mage still seemed interested.

  Bren was starting to run out of things to discuss when a young mage appeared at Sae-Thae’s door with a nicely folded letter, telling him that his audience with the council would be shortly and that he should head to the waiting room.

  After bidding farewell to his friend, Bren made his way down the stairs to wait to be called in by the council. He knew that it wasn’t going to be a short wait. The council of mages loved to see how long they could keep him waiting. Bren was sure that they were hoping that he would get mad and burst into the council room.

  To pass the
time while he waited, Bren had brought along a thin leather-bound book that had once belonged to the king of a small country. Unlike Torin, the country had not been created for the magical races and mages, but it still had some of the same problems that he faced. It was an enlightening read, but not very entertaining. The council called him to attendance shortly before he reached the half-way point in the small diary.

  Upon entering the council chamber, Bren noticed that while Sae-Thae was in the middle, Master Turneal sat to his immediate right. He knew that among all the masters, he was the main problem. Bren had done some research on the masters past and had learned that prior to coming to the tower, Turneal had been the leader of a large group of mages that had hidden in the wastes north of Abla.

  “King Torin, it is a pleasure to have you greet us this day,” Sae-Thae said, bowing his head slightly. “I do wish that you would give us more time to prepare for these little meetings in the future.”

  Bren took the comment at it was meant to be taken. Sae-Thae was his friend, but the Vathari took his post seriously and while he would welcome Bren anytime on personal matters, when it came to the tower, there were protocols that he should follow.

  “Masters of the tower, I graciously thank you for seeing me on such short notice,” Bren offered in the way of an apology more to Sae-Thae than to any of the other mages. “I received a letter a few days back with the request for more funds from my coffers, and while I do not mind helping the tower, I find myself in a dilemma. Many of my people’s homes are not prepared for the winter. As you know, while dwarves and elves have great skills in their own, right few of them have the skill of enchanting. I ask that in return for funds, that the council select mages to help prepare the less fortunate of my citizens for the coming winter.”

  “You mean the non-humans,” Master Turneal said in a slightly raised voice.

  “The bulk of those in need are of the magical races,” Bren admitted without hesitation.

  “Our mages have much more important things to attend to than repairing thatch on someone’s roof. Leave that job to the workmen,” Turneal added in a dismissive tone.

  “I understand that as well,” Bren replied, trying to make his voice slightly disappointed. “Then, I must deny your request for funds. As your mages have more important things to do than tend to roofs, my coin will have to pay for the workmen to take over that task. I am afraid, that it will leave my covers unbearably light for some time.”

  “See what he is doing…” Turneal nearly yelled. “Just as I said he would. Holding the gold over us as some kind of leash. The common people should be responsible for their own well-being.”

  “What do you suggest Master Turneal?” Bren asked, keeping his voice calm, even though he had the urge to grab the elder mage by his robes and throw him against the far wall. “Let whole families freeze over the long winter. If I did that, then the next year there would be even less taxes. I am hoping that giving to those of a less fortunate life will help show the people of this land the goodwill of my house. I came today to offer you the same chance, though I see that it has been in vain.”

  Turneal began to speak again, but was silenced by a cold stare from Sae-Thae. “We understand your request, but it will take time for us to reach a decision on this matter. If you would King Torin, allow us a few days. We shall respond to you as timely a manner as possible.”

  “Then I await your response with eager anticipation,” Bren said, bowing his head slightly. The rest would be up to Sae-Thae and Master Carnear. Bren hoped that the two masters could talk some sense into the others so they could see the wisdom in his request, but he held out no real hopes as the wounds between both sides were still raw.

  “That went better than I had expected,” Cass said, making Bren jump, having forgotten that his friend had been beside him the whole time.

  “In all honesty, it didn’t go as bad as it could have,” Bren admitted, his voice slightly disheartened.

  “It is a good idea and I am sure that the others will come around,” Cass offered with a thin smile.

  “I think it's past time that we made our way back home,” Bren said, trying to shake the dark thoughts that started running through his mind.

  CHAPTER IV

  It was four days before Bren heard back from the tower, and he was surprised to learn that they had agreed to his proposal.

  While he had waited for the reply of the mage’s council, Bren had thought about drafting a letter to Monique about the merchant guild, but he had decided against it. He loved his aunt dearly, but he knew better than to give her a whole season to think of how to get the best deal out of him. She was family, but in her mind, she would always be a merchant before anything.

  Thinking back to Monique’s visits when he was just a child, a small smile flashed across Bren’s face. She would always bring gifts, but they were never free. At first he would have to bargain kisses with her, as he grew older, it became work. The older he got, the fiercer Monique would get with her negotiations for the gifts. It had become a game that both of them loved, but when it came to what was best for his people, it was one he didn’t want to chance. He had to prepare himself for his meeting with the guild, and that meant that through most of the winter he would be stuck hunched over ledgers and books about the current market trends and taxes of the lands already in business with the guild. It wouldn’t make for a fun time, but it would offer him the best hope of getting as close to a fair deal as anyone could get out of Monique.

  “Still hard at work?” Lillian asked, setting her tray heavily down beside him.

  Jumping slightly from the unexpected noise, Bren looked over to the elven maiden. No matter how much time passed, Bren couldn’t get over how lovely she looked, though he didn’t find himself with any romantic feelings toward her. Most of that might have been due to growing up in a place where women lorded over the men, or to the fact that he knew that if he looked at the elf in that way, Faye would cut his throat in the middle of the night.

  “Is something wrong?” Bren asked the young elf. Having grown up in a house full of women, Bren could tell when something was bothering them. Though most of the time, why, seemed to slip past his grasp.

  “When was the last time you went into the town proper my lord?” She asked, her voice raising slightly.

  “I can’t remember,” Bren admitted. “Other than my morning and evening practices, I have been trying to catch up on this god forsaken paperwork.”

  “I would suggest that my lord walk around the people and hear what is being whispered among the people,” Lillian offered, her voice still raised in annoyance.

  “You could save me the trouble and tell me yourself,” Bren offered. That was one thing that annoyed him about Lillian, she never offered much in the way of an opinion. She simply tried to lead him in the direction for him to find the answer on his own. He understood that she did that in hopes that he would learn on his own, but with everything piling up around him, just this once, he wished that she would skip the roundabout lecture.

  “They are saying that Sae-Thae was behind the taxes and the unfair treatment in the non-human district,” She said, her voice dripping with venom. “The mages working on the houses are telling everyone how Sae-Thae was the reason for their unfair treatment over the past years, and many of them are believing the drivel.”

  “Why would they believe that?” Bren asked, more than a little surprised. “Sae-Thae is the only reason that it wasn’t worse than it was.”

  “You must understand that the vathari are what most the magical creatures used to scare their children at night. Had it not been for the Brotherhood wiping your history clean of everything dealing with the magical races, the humans would view them in much the same light. It is this fear of the vathari that has made it so easy for Sae-Thae to take the blame for the towers misdeeds.”

  “I will see what I can do about the rumors,” Bren told the elf, easing the anger in her voice, though it still clearly showed in her trembling e
yes.

  As soon as Lillian left, Bren sat back in his chair and thought about what the rumors meant. The council was trying to shift the blame to one man. It was a brilliant move by Turneal. Not only would it mean that it would help give the tower a fresh start in the eyes of the majority of the magical races, but now that they didn’t have full control they could use it to replace Sae-Thae as the head master of the tower. Bren didn’t mind them changing the views of the people into positive ones. In all honesty, it would solve a lot of problems, but losing Sae-Thae on the council would hurt him greatly in the future. He was one of the few mages that he could count on to act in the best interest of all involved. The real question was how to dispute the rumors without making the tower look worse for it.

  Bren sat back and rubbed the temple of his head. Why couldn’t politics ever be simple?

  Because humans desire power and they don’t care about how they come by it. I would suggest that you simply denounce the council and take control of the mages in truth, instead of trying to lead them around like a rabid dog. The longer you keep up this game, the larger chance that you will get bitten.

  “You seem to view the tower the same way you do women,” Bren said with a slight chuckle. “Though in this case, I think that you might have the truth of it. The council is like a rabid dog, but I can’t simply remove them. I have to find a way to work with them or around them.”

  Don’t come crying to me when they bite then.

  “I am sure, that should that ever happen, I won’t have to come to you since you will rush to me to tell me that you were right.”

  True

  Laughing, Bren went back to thinking about the rumors. Thuraman might get on his nerves, but sometimes the staff’s interruptions gave him a much needed break.

  After more than an hour of thinking, Bren still couldn’t find an answer to his problem. He could easily spread around the news that the mages were lying, but that would only compound the real problem. Right now, his only option was to allow the rumor to continue to spread, and hope that he could lessen some of the damage that it would do to his friend. He hated knowing that he was willing to let his friend take the fall, but in the end he knew that it was currently the best option he had available. His stomach clenched at the decision. Bren decided it was time that he got a bit of fresh air.