“Well, it’s about time that someone recognizes her for her worth! Honestly, I was totally aghast at the Baron’s conduct. Do you realize that until last week he didn’t even acknowledge her existence? Lord knows that I’ve tried. Sent him letters at least twice a year about her. Nothing until last week. Then, nothing even came of that.” She rattled on and asked pertinent questions about how she and her daughter would be accommodated, how well she would be treated, and so on. He did his best to satisfy Eva’s curiosity.
At last, Eva agreed, but they would need time to pack their few things and arrange for another cook to come finish up the stew for the evening crowd. Around noon, Zoran was finally able to teleport the two, along with his friends, back to Brn. Zoran found that Eva and Kamila were slightly better off than the Vavrin’s, at least their clothes were acceptable. As a cook, she’d earned just enough to keep them alive, not much more, though. However, Eva proved to be an excellent cook; their cook at the Tower greatly appreciated her help in the kitchen. The number of mouths to feed continued to grow.
Both Eva and Kamila joined the others on the first floor, since they needed to learn to read and write as well. That night, Zoran contacted Priestess Anezka once more. Via telepathy, he sent, Got three more for you to give the Ceremony of Ascension to, my half-brother and two half-sisters!
On Friday, Priestess Anezka performed all three ceremonies, which activated their special gland. Now they had their birthright, true Duskas. Lengthy education would now commence in earnest. Zoran took a sense of pride in what he had done. True, the two twins were a little young for the Ceremony of Ascension, but times dictated the need.
On Wednesday, Duke John Witherspoon and Dusana Matous arrived. He was a tall, thin lad, but quite handsome. Dusana looked much like her mother, with curly brown hair and charming eyes. While their dress was more suitable for a court than an Archmage tower, they merrily began to make friends and did not seem troubled by their relatively Spartan accommodations. Their first request was to meet and see the dragons. Next, they wanted a complete tour of the new construction site.
After lunch, both began to tackle his trading situation, outlining what planet offered the best deals on what commodity. Zoran took copious notes. All this was totally new to him. By Friday, they had worked out the best trade on such short notice. The following week, they began accompanying Zoran, as one by one, the other warlords began requesting that he come and setup their trading arrangements. Their work occupied them for all of July and into August.
During this time, Dusana and Chika became friends, and Dusana discovered that Chika was a whizz at math and a keen observer of the value of things. Thus one afternoon, Dusana approached Zoran, “You know that you need a shrewd business person here don’t you?” He nodded. “Well, unless you have other plans, I have the perfect candidate for you, Chika. She is a natural at it. True, she has tons to learn and all her magic training ahead of her, but seriously, Zoran, you ought to allow her to be your business advisor.” He agreed and Chika was very pleased with this. From that day on, Dusana and Duke John took her under their wing, teaching her all that they knew about business dealings and trades. In the middle of August, the two finally departed, having handled all ten warlord trades. They had Shadow Walked the goods and funds between worlds, with Chika accompanying them. No one would allow Zoran to do it — far too dangerous for him, what with all the assassins gunning for him.
By the time that Chika finished her magic training, reaching Mage level at twenty-two years old, she was the best business trader in the Federation of Planets. No one struck a better bargain than she. Always, she knew just when and how hard to press another. Zoran suspected it came from her Duska senses.
Also, in late July, Lida and Rayna both came for a short visit. They wanted to meet their younger brother and two sisters. After they had returned to their planets, both women sent their siblings an extensive wardrobe of court dresses and suits. Zuza, Jan, and Kamila were incredible pleased with this, naturally.
Additionally, Jan wanted to learn to fight as any young boy his age did. Hence, an hour each day was devoted to learning to handle a sword. General Janos was given the charge of training Jan. Additionally, Zoran insisted that Chika, Akira, Zuza, and Kamila also learn to defend themselves from attackers. Assassinations were common place and he wanted to give them the best chance of survival. He owed it to them, even if Kazimir did not.
Finally, late one night in the middle of July, Zoran was awakened by his inner senses. His Circle notified him that someone was attempting to Shadow Walk, arriving outside the Tower. Again, he found himself automatically in the Shadows observing who was coming. No mistake, Baron Kazimir himself was probing his defenses! However, the Baron was being cautious. The instant that he detected Zoran’s presence, he fled, returning to his Circle in Castle Dorumova. Unknown to Zoran, Kazimir was now more than ever convinced that there was some Shadow Assassin lying in wait in the Shadows looking for him!
Chapter 26 Fall High Council
As the 1st of September drew close, Zoran and friends began their preparations to journey to Terra, an agrarian world, home of Baron Tom Witherspoon and Baroness Abigail, close allies of Zoran. This time, the chances of assassination were drastically lessened. Once more, the men would need their finest suits, while the ladies, their finest ball gowns and highest heels. As before, Karel would act as his advisor, with Bernard and Jarka behind him. General Janos decided that he ought to remain and safeguard the construction and Tower. Instead, Emil and Renata went in his place as their security personnel.
Zdenka and Jarka were wiser this time. Knowing that they would need to be wearing the most fashionable very high heels, they began practicing walking in them the week before, taking tips from Chika and Akira, who had to wear them so that they could walk. Their ankles and calves still would not allow their feet to rest flat on the floor, but they could walk effectively now in their heels. By now, the teens were very adept in their heels and gave Zdenka and Jarka some excellent tips. Both women vowed to look as graceful and elegant as the other baronesses and women at the council.
At last, the evening before the meeting and with bags packed and shrunk, Zoran Shadow Walked his group to Terra. Specifically, he zoomed in on their egg shaped continent. Although barely dusk there, as the land grew closer to them, neatly tilled fields dotted the horizon. Soon the capital city of Heddingham dwarfed their view, eight perfectly straight roads ran out of the city — a perfect compass rose. The city was huge by Adapazan standards, at least three times the size of Dorum. Located in the very center where the eight roads met lay Waterton Palace, the home of Baron Tom Witherspoon.
The sprawling castle complex, built from brown stone, occupied several acres, including a grass pasture land for their many horses. Zoran estimated the enclosed space behind the outer walls, complete with parapets, to be ten times the size of his new fortifications. Impressive. The eight roads arrived at eight double barbicans, heavily guarded entrances to the grounds. Instead of one castle inside the walls, Tom had three very large ones, connected with each other by second and third story stone bridges, the lower ones some fifteen feet above the ground below them. An enormous stone platform with miniature parapets lining three outer sides was their landing location. Great entrance gates allowed access into the center of the three castles. Here Zoran finally ended his Shadow Walk, landing the seven gracefully upon the stone.
Baron Tom, aware of Zoran’s arrival, was there at the great gates to greet him. Baroness Abigail, Duke John, with Dusana Matous holding his arm, waved as the seven landed. “Welcome to Terra at long last, Baron Archmage Zoran, Baroness Archmage Zdenka, Archmage Karel, Mage Jarka, Mage Bernard, Archmage Emil, and Archmage Renata,” Baron Tom called out formally.
As each took turns shaking hands, Zdenka and Jarka couldn’t help notice the dresses worn by the Baroness Abigail and Dusana. Abigail’s bright yellow dress, with many colored flowers, flared out at least eight feet in front of her body. Giant hoops draped
the yards of material into a perfect shape. In stark contrast, their waists seemed impossibly tiny; their bosoms, large. Baroness Abigail had her hair up in what could only be described as a bee hive, complete with many embedded flowers. Dusana wore hers curly and long, though it was fluffed out, making her head seem much larger, proportionally.
In contrast, the dresses of Zdenka and Jarka, wearing the fashions of the spring council meeting, only flared out some five feet. “Oh, dears, you must try the newest fashions! Don’t we look fabulous?” the Baroness chatted with Zdenka and Jarka. “These ball gowns are now the latest fashion, though I admit these corsets are terribly tight. Doesn’t Dusana here cut a magnificent figure in her pink satin gown?” The young woman broke into a broad smile.
“They are a bit much to handle, but Duke John cannot seem to let go of me,” Dusana whispered coyly to Zdenka and Jarka. “Oh you two simply must get one of these new gowns with all of the accessories for the big dance tomorrow night!”
“Oh indeed you must! Dusana and I have picked out dresses for each of you, my small gift to welcome you to Terra, Zdenka and Jarka. You don’t mind if we don’t address each so formally, do you? Just call me Abigail. Now then, Dusana picked out the colors. She got them to match your sky blue one, Zdenka. Yours is cherry red, Jarka. I do hope that you like them, though it takes two of us to get into them, and it takes ever so long to get dressed. But you will see. After you get settled in, we’ll come by. I’m terribly sorry that we did not know that you were coming, Renata. We’ll get you a dress tomorrow, if that is acceptable to you.” Abigail chatted on and on.
Renata, unused to such formal court dialog, interrupted the Baroness. “Excuse me, Abigail, but I am happy with my dress. Thank you for the kind offer. A dragon is far more interested in that lovely green emerald on your neck. It is absolutely beautiful!”
“Oh, why thank you, Renata. Yes, it is quite large. Tom got it for me on our twentieth wedding anniversary. You know, Tom now has twenty golden dragons flying about Terra, protecting us from attacks. I am so glad that your kind is so willing to help us.”
Renata grinned, “Oh we do almost anything for gems such as yours. I’m sure that the dragons will be very happy here if there are more such gems to be found. Say, I wonder, do you have a gem store in this city where I could exchange my smaller gems for treasures such as yours?” she asked, her gem lust exceeding her court knowledge.
“Well, I’m sure that we do, Renata. Say, I will ask Tom about it and let you know tonight when I come by for the ladies. If so, why, I will personally see that you can get to that store. Oh, I see the men are waiting on us. Shall we show you all to your rooms?”
While the ladies were chatting, Tom took Zoran and Karel aside. “Say, Barons Milan, Viktor, Aldo, and Etienne want a word with you two before the morning’s meeting. Since my wife wants to abscond with your women after we get you settled in, what say that we all get together? We can relay the news and have a sample of our excellent ales. Here on Terra, we make some of the finest stouts and dark ales in the Federation, though others may dispute it.” Zoran agreed and they waited on the ladies.
As the men escorted the women inside, Zdenka noted that both Dusana and Abigail walked even slower than she and Jarka. Why, she didn’t know. That thought left her as she began taking in the marvels of this splendid castle. The walls of the halls were covered in elegant, historical tapestries, each one telling a story in the long history of Terra. Magical lighting illuminated these works of art. Zdenka and Jarka had never seen anything like this before.
Bernard and Karel were more fascinated by the standing suits of plate armor, artistically arranged at various nooks along their passage. “This is the housing castle. Next door is the meeting castle, where spacious rooms hold our meetings and where we will be dining. Oh, yes, the giant ballroom is in that one as well, Baron Tom pointed out as they slowly walked down the halls, the clicks of the women’s heels on the stone floor providing the only other sounds.
They had a suite of rooms, all quite large. Indeed, everything about Tom’s castle was large. He explained that Waterton Castle had been designed around holding High Council meetings. Thus, no expense had been spared in its construction. Their suite consisted of a huge living room, two baths, and five bedrooms, far more than they needed. Zoran noted that it was luxury all the way. Everything about Waterton Castle spoke of extravagance. Evidently, Terra was a wealthy planet indeed. Chika later explained to Zoran that Terra and Cosma, the agrarian planets, provided much of the various grains that the other planets needed for survival. Over the centuries, they had become rather wealthy indeed.
A half hour later, Abigail and Dusana, arm in arm, returned to their suite to pick up Zdenka and Jarka. Abigail whispered to Renata, “It’s all arranged. Tomorrow evening, Tom will arrange a special gemstone showing solely for you and Emil at the finest gem stone store in Heddingham!” This greatly pleased Renata, who took Emil aside and told him of her arrangement. He was likewise very eager to go.
“Zoran, Renata and I need to make a quick trip back to the Tower. We’ll be back in about a half hour.” The glow in their eyes told all. Only the thought of fine gems produced that glow, that and of course powerful magic. Both left the room after the ladies left.
“If you will take my arm, please,” Abigail asked Zdenka. “The only problem with these new dresses and heels is that we always needing a balancing arm. Honestly, I have to admit that Dusana and I are having a challenging time with these outfits. Still, the effect upon our men is more than worth it.” Jarka took Dusana’s arm and the pairs slowly walked down the long hall.
A bit later, Tom came for the men. Zoran, Karel, and Bernard followed him to a side meeting room, where overstuffed chairs, small work tables, and a huge bar occupied the elegant space. Plush rugs covered most of the floor. The other barons were already here, sipping a dark stout, some smoking their pipes.
“Ah, Zoran, well met once again,” Baron Viktor said, as they entered. “Come, try this dark ale. Superb. We have much to discuss.”
Zoran’s comment spoke volumes, after taking a sip of the ale. “Incredible! Best ale that I have ever tasted! I think I need to make a trade with you, Tom!” The men laughed; Bernard was in heaven, trying each of the ten different types of stouts and ales. Karel gave him a glare stare and contented himself to a mug of the ale that Zoran had. He needed to keep his wits about him.
“Okay, to business,” Milan finally said, putting the pleasantries aside. “We’ve gotten the preliminary schedule for the meeting. It is a bit strange. Baron Kazimir is holding an official wedding just before the opening statement of Tom’s. Apparently, he’s found a wife for his bastard son, Damek Kamil. Baron’s Eckhard’s eldest daughter, Brunhilda, will be marrying him. Why? Well, Kazimir is going to nullify his heir, Lida, just after the presentation and acceptance of Duke Leo as the newest baron. We expect that he will announce that Damek will be his heir. Of course, we will launch a formal protest, in that Damek is not Duska, but we all know that is just a formality. As long as Brunhilda is his baroness, she will be in charge of his Circle.”
Viktor added, “Zoran, it has happened three times in the past — a baron who is not a Duska, that is. Usually, it is the baroness who is not. Yet, in this case, it is going to be very strange indeed.”
“Why so?”
“Well what do you know of this Damek?” Etienne spoke up.
“Not much at all,” Zoran replied.
“No one does. That’s the point. Our spies tell us that he was a mere sergeant in the Baron’s army — just a mere platoon leader, now become a baron,” Milan continued. “As far as we know, he knows virtually nothing about being a baron, his duties, his responsibilities, or even magic!”
“The man is way out of his league, way out of the waters!” Etienne broke in.
“About the stupidest idea I’ve ever heard of,” put in Viktor.
“Doomed to fail utterly,” Aldo added. “I don’t see how he can possibly measure up
to the task of being a baron. Lord knows how much you didn’t know and you were a Duska and an Archmage when you became a baron. No offense intended son.”
Zoran grinned, “None taken, Aldo. “I am the first to admit how little I know about many things. I cannot thank you enough for the use of Duke John and Dusana. They have been utterly invaluable!”
Milan resumed control, “Hence, it is our guess that two things will occur. First, Brunhilda will likely take control of most things. Second, we suspect that Kazimir’s allies will be sending a large amount of, shall we say, advisors to Dorum. He will need Mages as well as business and financial advisors.”
Baron Viktor concluded, “And this will make Baron Damek a mere puppet of our enemies.”
“Which means, Zoran, that it will really be Baron Eckhard who is running Castle Dorumova,” Milan finished.
Karel looked at Zoran and then spoke up, “Is that good or bad?” He kept Zoran from having to ask this embarrassing question.
“Depends,” Milan answered. “Bogdan is a brute, similar to Kazimir. Eckhard is sly, cunning, devious, and underhanded. He’s probably the most powerful of our enemies, save perhaps Cheng. We’ve feared that Bogdan would simply bring in his army and try to smash his way to Brn by brute force. Eckhard is far more treacherous and devious.”
“A snake in the grass,” Etienne broke in, cursing the man.
Just then, the door opened and two couples entered, ending their meeting. “Ah there you are little brother. I see the barons are keeping you hostage,” Lida said coyly as she and Leo entered, followed by Rayna and Stefan. Zoran noted that she too wore this latest fashion ball gown that billowed out some eight feet in front of her body. She held tightly onto Leo’s arm. Her dress was a gorgeous blue, while Rayna’s similar dress was emerald green; both were satin. His sisters looked very elegant indeed. Zoran rushed over and gave them both a long hug.
Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town Page 38
