Master Mage

by D. W. Jackson

  “I think I might just do that, sir.”

  After leaving the general’s office, Thad went back to the barracks and retired the bag of steel rings. As he had been instructed, he found the building marked Quartermaster and gave the officer inside the bag and explained what they were and how they worked.

  After leaving the quartermaster, Thad walked around the camp and started inspecting the walls. At present, the walls only surrounded a third of the compound, and the highest point was only seven feet tall. It was far from being finished, but it was much more than Thad had expected to find. The soldiers had to not only cut the timber and transport it but also place it and pack it with mud. It looked as if General Bache ran a very productive group of men.

  With little to do to keep his mind occupied, Thad found a large group of soldiers who were working on hauling logs and started helping. Thad’s first thought was to use his magic to move the large timber, but remembering the pathetic spectacle he had given early that morning, he decided to do it by the strength of his back.

  When the sun reached its apex, the men stopped working and started heading to a large building standing in the center of the compound. Thad no knowing of what was happening but, intrigued, followed them, glad for any break from the grueling work.

  Inside the building, Thad found a large selection of food placed on a long table in the middle of the room. While the selection was large, the food looked bland and tasteless. Despite the look of the food, Thad’s stomach was grumbling and protesting, so he quickly filled his plate.

  Looking around for a place to sit, Thad noticed that none of the officers seemed to be in the building. Shrugging his shoulders, Thad found an open seat near some of the workers he had spent most of the day with.

  Thad watched as the soldiers devoured the food on their plates. He saw one soldier place everything solid between two pieces of bread and eat what looked like a sandwich.

  Just as it looked, the food was bland and tasteless. What appeared to be chicken tasted the same as what he thought was beef. He tried to eat the food with the same enthusiasm as the soldiers, but before half his plate was cleared, most of the room had already been cleared. The only soldiers remaining were those who had been late to the dining hall.

  After his meal, Thad rejoined the workers outside, though he was already feeling the effects of his heavy meal. As the day moved on, he became more sluggish and ended up spending more time watching the work being done than participating in it.

  When the sun was near setting, a large bell sounded to signal the evening meal. Everyone immediately ceased working and began putting away their tools for the day. Thad, in no mood for another repeat of the midday feast, wandered back toward the general’s cabin.

  As soon as he was inside, the smell of freshly cooked food assaulted his nose. Thad followed the tantalizing scent into a room in the far corner of the building to find the general along with the other officers enjoying a banquet far more appetizing than he had found in the dining hall.

  “Ah, Master Torin, I am glad to see you join us. I had sent some men out to invite you to the midday meal, but they reported you had already made your way to the mess hall,” the general said, offering him a seat. “You will find the food here is a bit grander than the standard soldier’s fare.”

  “I can see that,” Thad replied, conflicted. The officers were in charge, and he could see them earning their elevated status over the years. It just didn’t seem right that the backbone of the force was eating tasteless lumps of meat while the officers dined like nobles.

  “I have seen that look before,” the general said, shaking his head. “It’s the fate of life, boy. It would be impossible to cook and prepare enough food of this quality for the entire force. It just wouldn’t be practical, but for a small number, it’s easily accomplished. I know it doesn’t seem fair, lad, but few things in life are.”

  Thad took a seat and accepted the food, though he felt a little guilty about it. The officers talked about a great many things while they ate. Everything from troop morale to increases in the nightly watch skipped across the table as they ate. Though the discussions at the table were enlightening, they were also incredibly boring, so Thad snuck out at the first chance he saw.

  Outside, Thad found the compound teeming with different groups of gathered soldiers. Thad started to head back toward the barracks, his body sore and tired from the strain of the day’s work, when he spotted a familiar face out of the corner of his eye. Thad quickly turned and headed through the crowd of soldiers, trying his best not too lose sight of his target.

  Exiting a large crowd, Thad noticed the man enter a small cabin on the edge of the compound. Thad picked up his pace and was soon knocking lightly on the door to the building.

  “Thad, what in the abyss are you doing here?” Monique asked, her face clearly showing her surprise. “Come in,” she added awkwardly.

  Inside, the cabin reminded Thad of the cottage Monique and Jayden had back in Sanctuary. Nothing extravagant, but the detail of the woodwork was exquisite.

  Jayden came out of one of the side rooms wearing thick work boots and the chain mail of a soldier. “I heard that one of the higher-ups from the capital had come down to inspect, but I never expected it to be you.” The older man laughed as he vigorously shook Thad’s hand.

  “What are you guys doing here?” Thad asked, his face clearly showing his confusion. Shortly after they had arrived back in Farlan, Thad had rushed to the capital, while the other mages had moved slowly with the caravan. When the caravan finally made it to the capital, Thad had learned that Monique and Jayden had disappeared. He had wanted to look for them, but there were too many other pressing issues at the time.

  “I never really got along with the other mages,” Jayden said, shrugging his shoulders. “If it hadn’t been for Monique, I would have never even come to live in Sanctuary, so when the chance presented itself, we left the caravan. Not long ago, we heard they were looking for soldiers and workers to help at the new fort, so me and Monique decided we could lend a helping hand,” Jayden said, running his hand through his scruffy beard. “They were a little put off with my age at first, but once I threw a few of their boys around like rag dolls, they seemed to think better of making a point out of it.”

  “I am glad to know that not all the people from Sanctuary have to be coerced into fighting for Farlan,” Thad said, remembering his last meeting with the elders.

  “I don’t even have to ask what you mean,” Jayden replied, laughing. “Those useless fools never want to do what they should. If they did, there wouldn’t be anything for them to argue about.”

  “Maybe you’re right, but they are not making it easy on anyone. A lot of people are going to see the war as their fault, and if they refuse to help … ,” Thad said, leaving the statement unfinished.

  “I am sure enough of them will see it your way,” Monique said, setting down warm mugs of tea in front of him and Jayden.

  “I hope so,” Thad said, looking at Monique in a new light. Her face was much rosier than it had been, and she looked as if she had put on weight recently. “You look good. Military light agreeing with you?” Thad asked as his mind tried to puzzle through the clues.

  “I didn’t join the military,” she said, her face glowing. “I’m pregnant,” Monique said happily, a few tears running down her cheeks.

  “Congratulations,” Thad replied, unsure of himself. “If you’re not in the military, then what are you doing?” Thad asked, trying to change the subject.

  “Thad, I am a merchant, and any good merchant will seize any opportunity they can. Right now, that opportunity is making home-cooked meals for the men … at a price,” she added with a brazen smile. “My cooking skills may not be the best, but they far outstrip what passes as food around here.”

  “You’re not giving yourself enough credit, dear. Your food is divine,” Jayden said, giving Thad a sly wink.

  Monique gave him a wry smile and laughed before punching the s
tout man in the arm. “I saw that, mister. You better behave. Otherwise, you can eat in the mess hall in the foreseeable future,” Monique threatened.

  The three friends talked long into the night. Monique offered to make up a pallet for Thad, but he was sure the married couple would much prefer their limited time alone. As he headed back to the barracks, he thought about Monique and the fact that she was pregnant.

  Thad himself had never thought about kids much before. Brianna had said he would have made a good father, but he was not so sure. He always tended to get himself in more trouble than was common. Since he had turned fifteen, he had been an escaped slave, been prisoner three different times, fought in numerous battles, and seen more people than he cared to burned on the pyre.

  Before you even entertain the thought of children, you might want to do something about the Brotherhood first. As long as they are around, all they would have to look forward to is assassins.

  Thuraman was right. The Brotherhood should be at the forefront of his thoughts. As long as they were around to threaten mages, any children he might or might not have would be in danger. The first step to ensuring that never happened was protecting Farlan at the moment.

  His resolve strengthened, Thad walked briskly back to the barracks, ready to get a good night’s sleep so that he could head out at first light. There was still plenty to do before the snows melted in early spring, and he couldn’t do them from here.

  While he was ready for sleep, Thad found the barracks a bit livelier than he had expected. Given the morning and evening exercise routines and the hard day’s labor, Thad had expected the soldiers to want nothing more than to crawl into bed. Instead, they were up playing cards, rolling dice, and generally having a good time.

  As soon as he entered the building, he was immediately drawn into a dice game. As the night rolled on, Thad’s purse continued to grow lighter until he finally begged off for sleep. Even in his bedroll, Thad had a hard time shutting out the noise, but before long, he was fast asleep.

  CHAPTER V

  The ride back to the capital was as lonely as the ride out, but Thad didn’t let it bother him. Lady was a good horse, and he pushed her to her limits in a rush to return home. Plans swirled in his head, and without the forethought to bring some parchment and a quill, he feared they would disappear before he could put them to pen.

  The night before Thad expected to arrive back at the palace, he found himself pacing around the campfire anxiously. Every day, the pressure had mounted, and now instead of just an unwanted burden, he felt a great responsibility as well. Before, he had just seen it as another duty, but over the past few days, his views had changed. He was no longer running through his tasks out of a sense of revenge or duty to the queendom. There was no longer the thought that others should or could perform the duties. Now he knew that not only his future but the future of every child born with magical powers rested on the upcoming war. Most would find that knowledge unbearable, but for Thad, it was a boon to his spirit that strengthened his resolve to see it through to its end.

  “Thad, what have you gotten me into?” Tuck’s voice said, ringing in his ears.

  “Did something happen?” Thad asked worriedly.

  “That’s hard to say,” Tuck replied, his voice slipping between humor and confusion. “I was able to get in to see the queen with little trouble once I mentioned your name, but it was hard to tell if she was happy or mad to hear you were alive. Shortly after I told her of what was going on, she politely asked me to wait outside.”

  “What happened after that?” Thad asked, Tuck holding his full attention.

  “I don’t know. I have been waiting outside for near a half hour. There is a great deal of commotion going on behind the door. Honestly, it sounds as if she’s doing her best to destroy the room single-handedly. What did you do to her to make her so … wait a moment. The door’s opening back up.”

  Thad continued his pacing, hoping Tuck was all right. Eloen was a strong-minded woman and was not above using violence if she thought someone deserved it, but Thad doubted she would harm a messenger. As the minutes dragged on, Thad’s worry mounted, and he found himself chewing nervously on his nails.

  “Thad, Thad … how in the nine hells does this thing work? Thad … if you can hear me, you better answer me this instant,” Eloen’s piercing voice demanded.

  “Eloen, it is nice to hear from you. I had heard rumors about a new queen in Abla. Who would have thought it would be you?” Thad said honestly, happy that his old friend had not perished in her search for him after he had been taken prisoner after the battle at Southpass.

  “You were supposed to be dead,” Eloen replied amusingly.

  “Sorry to disappoint,” Thad replied jokingly. “You should know it takes more than a mountain falling on my head to do me in.”

  “Don’t get smart with me. How dare you send a messenger to me to casually tell me you’re alive. Do you know what I went through when I thought you were dead, you backside of a mule?”

  Thad suddenly felt ashamed of himself but quickly pushed aside the feelings. “It’s not like I would simply stroll into Abla after the reception I got during my last visit. I only have one foot left, and I would like to keep it attached to my body for as long as possible.”

  “You have changed, and I am not sure I like it,” Eloen said, her voice losing its anger and becoming slightly amused. “I think I preferred the young boy who always seemed to wet himself whenever I yelled. OK, so you’re alive. What’s this about the Brotherhood and Rane? Your messenger tried to explain it, but he seems more afraid of me than you ever were.”

  “You can be a bit overbearing at times,” Thad replied, laughing. “The Brotherhood is an army that has hunted down mages as well as the magical races since before the Fae War. Some years ago, they settled in Rane. I might have made a bit of a nuisance of myself when I visited them. On my way back to Farlan, I picked up a large group of elves and a smattering of other mages. Now Rane has its eyes set on whipping us out and taking Farlan over in the process. I think that about sums it up.”

  “Seems like you have been busy over the past few years when you weren’t playing dead. I don’t know if you heard, but we just got over a pretty long war ourselves, and it’s not like we have the best relationship with Farlan.”

  “I have heard that, but Farlan needs help … I need help,” Thad said pleadingly. “I understand that troops might not be possible, but we need weapons. Our blacksmiths are churning out everything they can, but we are quickly running out of ore and time. Farlan can pay and pay well. We are not short on coin, just time and resources.”

  “I will see what I can do, Thad. Our people are still getting over the war, but if we were to get certain trade tariffs lifted, I am sure it would go a long way to increasing our cooperation.”

  “I will talk to the queen as soon as I return to the palace. I will leave Tuck and his ring in your care until then,” Thad said, laughing. “It was really nice to hear from you again.”

  “It was nice to hear from you as well,” Eloen replied, tears hanging heavily in her voice. “Once your business in Farlan is finished, you should come over to Abla for a visit. I promise to throw you a warm welcome. This time, no prison cell … unless you misbehave.”

  That night, as Thad lay under the stars, his mind ran through the events of the past few years. His left eye and right foot had been replaced with magical items. He had a myriad of scars running across his body, and yet here he was, against all the odds.

  Shortly before noon the next day, Thad reached the palace of Farlan. He had the urge to stop by his tower and see how Roger and Marcus were faring, but he quickly pushed the thought aside. It didn’t take long for him to locate his target. Maria was in the throne room, meeting with a few of her nobles that had been resisting the coming war.

  Thad waited outside, his ear pressed firmly against the solid oak double doors. The voices were muffled, but Thad could still hear most of what was being said. Countess E
lisee and Duchess Melanie were petitioning the queen to try and negotiate with the Kingdom of Rane. Being the two closest land bearers to Rane, they stood to take the brunt of the invading force, and it sounded like they were desperately trying to avoid that from happening.

  Sitting down on a long padded bench, Thad waited. If it had been Maria’s mother who had still been queen, he might have held some fear that she would cave in to the pressure of her nobles and the invading force. Maria, he knew, would hold firm. Not out of love for him or his people, but because she hated the Brotherhood as strongly as he did. They had taken over her home and made a prisoner out of her mother. When they were forced to abandon the palace, they stabbed Maria’s mother and left her to die in her daughter’s arms.

  When the two nobles left, their faces looked none too happy. The looks that were directed at him as they walked past were aggravated, to say the least. Not wanting to cause any further problems, Thad held back his laughter until he was sure they were well out of earshot.

  Entering the throne room, Thad found Maria sitting with her thumb and forefinger pressed against the bridge of her nose. Her red hair had been curled and bounced lightly on her shoulders.

  “I see you’re back,” Maria said, her brow furrowed slightly. “When I first heard you scampered off, I nearly had the guards ride out and drag you back. If it hadn’t been for the arrival of one of your friends, I would have done just that.”

  “Who saved my hide?” Thad asked, hoping it was news from either Reeve or Crusher.

  “Captain Kain came with a message from Reeve and the elves. Would you like to hear it?” Maria asked, her face taking on the stony façade her mother had done so well.

  “It would be great to know what was actually said, but I can tell it was good news. You still need to work on your mask. Your lips tend to twitch when you’re holding back a smile,” Thad said with an innocent smile.