01 - The Price of Talent

by Peter Whittlesey

  Once we were outside, we ran over to where Devlin and Moira were standing. Meredith immediately knelt down next to the still seated Devlin and I could feel her channeling magical power.

  “Tyr, nice to see you again,” Said Moira with a smile. “I had hoped we could find you before spring. I was not looking forward to having to till fields by myself.”

  As she said this Devlin seemed to shake off whatever lingering effects the lightning had on him. I could feel Meredith stop channeling magic, apparently having done what she could for Devlin.

  “Nice to see you again kid,” Devlin said, while standing up and dusting himself off. “Though I had hoped for a more heroic entrance than getting zapped before the fighting even began.”

  “It was heroic enough, Devlin,” I said. “Without your and Moira’s arrival, Meredith and I would have been in quite a bad situation.”

  “I could see that,” he said. “Sorry it took so long for us to come to the rescue. But since you took your sweet time escaping and making your way here, our spies on this clearing had grown a little lax in their duty.”

  “Hey, we had to escape out of Caer Sud all by ourselves,” I said. “We had no idea if you would even be here.”

  “Speaking of ‘We’, who is this lovely lady you’ve brought with you?” Moira asked.

  “Oh, sorry, her name is Meredith. She and her father looked after me after the disaster that happened at my parents’ farm.”

  “Nice to meet both of you,” Meredith said, looking a little embarrassed about suddenly being the center of attention.

  “We’ll have proper introductions later,” said Devlin. “I can tell you both have quite a story to tell. Unfortunately, it will have to wait. I don’t know how long it will take for your Priestly friends to bring more troops here, but when they come, you know they’ll bring cavalry and crossbowmen. I think it would be best if we were well on our way by then.”

  “So, uh, where are we going?” I asked him.

  “Why, we’re all special guests of the Low King,” said Devlin with a smile. “He’s a close personal friend of mine, probably won’t mind taking in another couple of political refugees. What do you think Baynor? Do you think your Uncle will mind?”

  “Bah! You don’t even give me a proper introduction!” Said a dwarf who had come forward out of the group. “And whether the Low King lets your friends stay or not is his business. Saving them was mine, but it was a special dispensation to you. I’m not comfortable interfering in your foolish human squabbles. Nothing but trouble will come of this.”

  “Tyr, Meredith, this is Baynor, captain of the Low King’s elite guard, who you have the privilege of being rescued by.”

  “Nice to meet you I said,” holding out my hand to shake.

  “We haven’t got time for this chit chat!” Said Baynor, ignoring my hand. “Weren’t you just saying we need to leave before the cavalry arrives?”

  “Quite right,” said Devlin. “Tyr, Meredith, follow me. I have a whole new world to share with you. And Meredith, thanks for healing me. When we get settled, I bet you and Ross will have a lot to talk about…”

  And with that, we headed into the woods, in the direction of the foothills of the great eastern mountains.

  Stay tuned, dear reader, for Memoires of a Battle Mage Part II.

  Coming to you as quickly as I can write it. So… Eventually.

  Thanks for reading. Sincerely, Peter Whittlesey.