The Apprenticeship of Julian St. Albans

by Crook, Amy

  “I’ll get it,” said Jacques, getting up and opening the door while Alex retrieved his flute and did a tune to let him in through the wards.

  “Hello, my boys, how are you all today?” said the Father with a grin, setting his bag by the door and giving Jacques a kiss on the forehead, for which the tall man bent down obligingly.

  “Very tired, Father,” said Julian, still in his nest of blankets. “Would you like some tea?”

  “That would be quite nice, and I see your house-brownie has been baking again,” he said, stopping to give his blessing to James, Alex and even Julian before taking a seat and finding a fresh cup of tea and a cinnamon roll had appeared in front of it while he was greeting them. Julian purred at the warmth from the kiss, then sighed and snuggled up when Alex joined him in the chair again.

  “How are you, Father?” asked Alex.

  “As good as can be expected, with so many of my friends in danger,” said Stephen. He ate the cinnamon roll with his fingers, messy and grinning the same way they all had, clearly enjoying the treat. “I’ve brought everything for purification, you said you’ve a bathtub big enough?”

  “It should be,” said Julian. “We’ll help you get set up, Jones is in Alex’s work room with Dr. Chesterfield.”

  “I’ll have to get you through the wards, anyway, there’s extra ones on the bedroom,” said Alex, sounding a little sheepish.

  “That’s wise, to protect yourself where you’re most vulnerable,” said Stephen. “We’ll get everyone sorted, I’ve got the whole afternoon. I sent my driver away with orders not to return until I call, no matter who bothers him about me.”

  Julian smiled, feeling very grateful for the friends he’d made since his Courtship now. “Thank you,” he said.

  “I’d do the same for anyone in such need,” said Stephen, then he smiled, “but it’s good to be able to do it for friends.”

  “Alys is going to feed you lunch,” said Jacques, sitting and snagging a few more biscuits for himself and James. “She and I are going to spend the afternoon cooking, if you can stay for dinner, Father.”

  “That is quite an incentive,” said Stephen with a little grin. “I expect I can find some excuse.”

  Jones came out of the work room then, and there were greetings and a quick discussion with the priest and the doctor about how to go about their day’s work, and then it was Julian’s turn to be prodded while Alex took Father Stephen back to prepare their bathroom and bedroom.

  “So, how does this work?” asked Julian, closing the door behind him. Only Alex could open the work room door from the outside, but anyone inside could get out.

  “It’s non-fatal, I assure you,” said Dr. Chesterfield, smiling. “First a quick physical exam, then a few magical readings, and you’ll be all done. Are you hurt anywhere, physically?”

  “Nope, I got to be the damsel so there was no fisticuffs for me,” said Julian. He took off his dressing gown and laid it over his reading chair, shivering a little. “I’m getting cold even more easily than usual today, though, Dr. Tamlinson said I should tell you about the cold thing, he thought it might have to do with magic.”

  “It could, especially since you were a late bloomer, magically speaking,” said Dr. Chesterfield. He did the usual poking and prodding, looking into Julian’s eyes, ears, nose, and mouth; listening to his chest and back; taking his pulse, temperature, and blood pressure. He did a few strange things, too, checking Julian’s circulation in his fingers and toes; feeling along the lines of his body in a few places to check for tension and congestion; and finally having Julian check on the plants while he observed.

  “So you see magic?” asked Julian idly while he was checking on Alex’s thriving ingredient garden. One plant wanted some of the liquid fertiliser he kept in the kitchen, so instead he charged a bit of water with magic for it and promised he’d get to it later.

  “I do, that was interesting, you put your magic into the water for the plant, is that correct?” asked Dr. Chesterfield.

  “Yeah, it wants something I don’t have to hand,” said Julian. “So this’ll help it while it waits.”

  “I see, and it was purposeful, the times you sent your magic into the plant to diagnose them?” the doctor asked.

  “Yes, Geoff showed me how to look at them without it, but I always get a better reading when I add energy. I suppose I should conserve it, but I wanted you to see it both ways.”

  “It’s very little power, you’re fine,” said Dr. Chesterfield. “The normal expenditure will help my diagnostics, anyway, so that you’ve done some regular magic after yesterday’s big push.”

  He led Julian over to one of Alex’s lab tables and began to take readings with the equipment there, which was a little weird but not intrusive. He wrote down all of Julian’s numbers on a little chart, and took some notes on the back, putting Julian’s name at the top. “There we are, that’s not so bad, is it?” said Dr. Chesterfield cheerfully. “I’ll have a nice set of data from the five of you today.”

  “Will you use it in your research?” asked Julian curiously, getting his dressing gown back on.

  “With your permission, yes,” said Dr. Chesterfield. “Even if I can’t use it officially, every interesting case furthers my understanding.”

  “You can use mine,” said Julian. “Just, you know, anonymously.”

  “Of course, of course,” he assured Julian. “Alex gave me permission ages ago, and I’ll get signatures from anyone willing before I go.”

  “Let’s get you a cup of tea and a Guardian to prod,” said Julian, picking up the doctor’s forgotten coffee cup.

  “Tea would be great, thanks,” said Chesterfield, with the same rueful look that Alex got when he realised he’d been quite thoroughly lost in his work.

  Julian went out, leaving the door ajar, and he sent James back in with tea and biscuits for the doctor. “Do you know what Dr. Chesterfield’s researching?” he asked Jones, sitting and getting more tea for himself, too.

  “Something about the balance of magical and physical systems in the body?” said Jones uncertainly. “He didn’t really explain it.”

  “We’ll ask at lunch,” said Jacques. “I bet he’ll talk enough to let the rest of us eat in peace.”

  “When is Lapointe coming?” asked Julian, already feeling like his day had held too many people.

  “After lunch,” said Jacques. “She didn’t want to distract you from the doctor.”

  “Good,” said Julian, getting himself all cuddled up in his nest. “If I can’t have a nap, then less crowding will be better.”

  “We can set up one of our pallets in the work room if you want to sleep,” said Jacques. “They’re going to use the bedroom for purifications, since it’s attached to the bath already.”

  “I hope everyone’s okay,” said Julian. “I suppose I ought to join in.”

  “We’ll let Father Stephen and Dr. Chesterfield decide that,” said Jacques. “Right now we know it’ll be Alex and Jones, and probably not me or James.”

  Julian sighed again and sipped his tea. “I’m going to be so glad when this is all over, even if I do like you guys.”

  “I like you, too, but I’ll be happier when you’re out of danger,” said Jacques.

  “I’ll be happier in my own bed,” said Jones with a chuckle. “Though I do like driving you around, you go more interesting places than Victor does.”

  “Plus there’s Jenny, who you’ll call later, I trust?” said Julian.

  Jones chuckled. “I’ll call after dinner, when she’ll be off work,” he said, “if I can manage a bit of privacy for it.”

  “We would never interfere,” said Julian innocently.

  “Riiiiight,” said Jones, shaking his head. “No privacy, no call.”

  “Spoilsport,” said Julian.

  The bedroom door opened, and Alex and Father Stephen came out. “Everything’s set up; we’re going to wait for the doctor before we get started,” said Alex.

  “Good,
you can come keep me warm,” said Julian, making room in his blanket-cocoon for Alex.

  “Poor thing, you haven’t had a proper hot shower yet today,” said Alex, getting tea and then snuggling up with Julian. “You’ll get one after your purification, anyway.”

  “How will that work?” said Julian dubiously. “The shower’s in the tub.”

  “We decided on sluicing, rather than immersion in the mineral bath,” said Father Stephen. “It’s not quite as thorough, but I’ve got my own magic to help it along.”

  “Yes, Father,” said Julian, shivering again. “I hope it’s quick.”

  “I’ll take good care of you, my boy,” said Father Stephen. “I’ll be interested to see what the doctor says about your chills, if you let me listen in.”

  “I don’t mind if everyone listens,” said Julian with a shrug. “It’ll save me from telling you all after.”

  “Probably easiest if we all hear all the diagnoses,” said Jones, “unless there’s Guardian secrets to be kept.”

  Jacques chuckled. “It’s not likely, but James and I will check with him before we all talk.”

  The door to Alex’s work room opened and Julian said, “Speaking of whom.”

  “All good things, I hope,” said James, trading places with Jacques on the couch.

  “Just wondering if you’d get to hear your medical opinions with the rest of us, or if you and Jacques need privacy for your mysterious Guardian secrets,” said Jones teasingly. “What do you think?”

  “It should be fine,” said James. “Nothing seemed to touch on any of our special Guardian magic, and it’s not as if Alex hasn’t figured a lot of it out already.”

  “I’ll never tell,” said Alex, saluting James with his teacup.

  “That’s why we let you,” said James, saluting right back.

  “At least you don’t try to recruit him,” said Julian. “I’d be very annoyed if you tried to make my boyfriend choose a life of celibacy.”

  Alex snickered and kissed him. “I don’t think I’m suited to devotion to anything but you, love,” he said.

  “And now you see why he puts up with Alex’s grumpiness,” said James with a chuckle.

  Julian kissed him again. “Alex is worth a little grumpiness.”

  “It’s good someone thinks so,” said Jones. “He’s much less grumpy with you around, anyway.”

  “Love is good for the soul,” said Father Stephen, looking very amused by them. “Is this the sort of thing you boys always talk about?”

  James smirked. “Pretty much.”

  Julian chuckled. “It’s this or incomprehensible magic stuff, or Jacques and Alys talking about food while the rest of us stuff our faces.”

  “Or books sometimes,” added Alex. “Julian’s convinced them to start reading some of the mysteries he and I like.”

  “But we get behind, what with all the actual Guarding we have to do,” said James wryly. “So they have to be careful not to spoil the plots when they’ve read ahead.”

  “Oh, that reminds me,” said Julian, getting up. “I found a new series, Alex has just finished the first one, too.” He went over to the little bookshelf that they’d put in the living room, which was stuffed to overflowing with books, having proved inadequate to the task of keeping even a small collection for the two voracious readers. He extricated the mystery his sister had sent him because of the cover, which had charmed him with its theme and impressed him with its quality of writing. “Here we go, apparently the series is all themed around herbs both magical and edible, but we’ve only read this one.”

  James took the book and looked it over while Julian sat back down. “For us to borrow?” he asked hopefully.

  “Of course,” said Alex. “You always take good care of our books.”

  “Well, except that one you dropped in the bath,” said Julian.

  “I replaced it!” said James, grinning. “It’s not my fault that one was too good to stop reading.”

  “You just wanted to keep that copy for yourself,” said Alex teasingly.

  Father Stephen chuckled. “I hardly remember what it was like to have time for leisure reading, I think this is the longest break I’ve had in weeks. Though I tended to read biographies even when I did read for pleasure.”

  “Oh, I’ll have to get you that new one that’s so popular for Midwinter,” said Julian. “Who was it, Alex?”

  “Father Jeremiah,” said Alex. “It might even count as work, as you’ll undoubtedly be asked what you think repeatedly.”

  “It might, at that,” said Father Stephen, relaxing back in his seat. “I can see why you all got along so well the first time, Alex isn’t like some of your other Charges.”

  “Even if he is largely self-rescuing,” said James wryly. “Julian seems to be learning that from him, too, not that we really mind.”

  “We do follow instructions when told to hide,” Julian pointed out. “I even let Jacques carry me.”

  “You were practically asleep the second time,” said Jacques as he and Dr. Chesterfield came out of Alex’s work room. They were carrying Chesterfield’s instrument cases, which they stashed by the door before taking the remaining seats.

  “So, does anyone object to the present company hearing their diagnoses?” asked Dr. Chesterfield. When they all shook their heads, he got out his notes. “Well, the Guardians are both very healthy, and I’m given to understand the robustness of certain stats is to be expected. Neither of them carried any shadow of the unwanted magic, though they’re both quite mixed up in one another’s magics.”

  “Good,” said Julian firmly, when Jacques started to look a bit guilty. “If anyone needs to stay free of influence, it’s the people Guarding us.”

  “Very true,” agreed Father Stephen.

  Jacques looked sheepish. “We’re recovering okay from last night’s exhaustion?”

  “Yes, you’re both a little depleted as we discussed, but another day or two without any more excitement should see you back to normal,” said Dr. Chesterfield. “Now, Alex, you, on the other hand, are a mess. You’ve got spikes and troughs all over the place, I can see why Dr. Tamlinson referred you.”

  “Of course I do,” said Alex with a sigh. “The troughs are from yesterday, though?”

  “And all the work you’ve been putting into protection amulets, I think,” said Dr. Chesterfield. “You don’t heal as fast as a Guardian, but the herbs they’ve been feeding you do help. I’ll also have the apothecary do up a potion as soon as you’re free to come donate ingredients.”

  “We won’t let him take any personal ingredients out of the flat right now,” said James firmly. “It’s too risky.”

  “Agreed,” said Alex. “What about the spikes?”

  “Well, those are very interesting, and I think they’re actually from Julian,” said Dr. Chesterfield. “You’ve got spikes in areas related to physical and mental health, empathy, and what we call magical potency. It’s the same range that Julian was enhancing in the plants he cared for, and it means you’ll probably recover faster than you would have otherwise.”

  “So I’ve been, what, magically fertilising Alex?” said Julian with a laugh.

  “A decent analogy,” said Dr. Chesterfield, sounding amused himself. “None of the spikes are really bad for you, but I can see why they’d cause concern. I’d be interested in exploring your talent more fully when you’re out of danger, Julian.”

  “Maybe,” said Julian, feeling a little dubious about being a lab rat. “I’d like to know more about my magic, but I’m learning every time I use it.”

  “It works on things, too,” said Alex. “Or at least I think it does. Your first amulet, and Horace, too, though he’s more complex than just a thing.”

  “Horace?” said Dr. Chesterfield curiously.

  “Horace!” said Julian, calling the bird. Horace flew out from where he’d been resting in the bedroom, perching on Julian’s outstretched hand and bending down to rub his head against Julian’s fingers before
hopping up his arm to his shoulder, where he started preening Julian’s hair. “Alex made him a long time ago, but he didn’t use him much until my Courtship, and now he’s more like a pet than a construct.”

  “He’s very complex,” said Alex, “and I wouldn’t be surprised if some of his current personality is because of Julian’s magic enhancing him.”

  “That’s fascinating,” said Dr. Chesterfield. “Julian, you don’t have any spikes, and in fact were depleted across the board, with a larger trough in empathy, healing, and protection magics. I think you’re going to need potions and continued attention to your output even after this crisis is over, I saw evidence of long-term depletion.”

  “Dr. Tamlinson says I’ve been putting magic into stuff without knowing it, but I can tell better now,” said Julian. “He thought maybe that’s why I get cold so easily.”

  “He’s probably right,” said Dr. Chesterfield. “Now, Paul, you’re really not that magical to start with.”

  “Which I knew, and it’s Jones, please,” he said with a chuckle.

  “Jones, yes, sorry,” said Chesterfield. “Your protections are basically gone, but you didn’t have much to start with, and I suspect it won’t take too long to rebuild, especially in this magic-rich environment.”

  “That matters?” asked Julian curiously.

  “It does, Alex’s wards and all the magical life inside help to create a very magic-rich space here; it’s like being in a room with extra oxygen, I suppose. Or a light rain that keeps the ground moist for certain plants, without creating mud.” The doctor shuffled his notes again. “Finally, the three of you,” he said, nodding to Alex, Julian and Jones, “are all tainted with someone else’s magic that’s burrowed into you like a parasitic infection, and I think if you weren’t in here with the wards it would be slowly draining away your remaining magics.”

  “That’s what we were afraid of,” said Alex with a sigh. “Do you think the purification will get it out?”

  “I hope so, though especially with Julian it’s burrowed quite deeply now,” said Dr. Chesterfield. He turned to Father Stephen. “You’re doing a magic-assisted salt purge, and what else?”

  “Warm water to wash it away as is traditional,” said Father Stephen, “then a short meditation, a massage, and potion, followed by a final shower. I brought several potion options, let me see if anything is suitable.” His bag floated itself over to him and he grinned, rifling through it, and pulled out several small boxes, each of which contained five vials of potion cradled in paper, cloth or cotton.