by Frank David
Thomasine approached Charity. “I am curious, if your powers have been bound and you have never used them, how can you have such control? It takes most Magisters years to reach the level of control you showed. When I first learned my powers, I would have burned the whole place, or set the Empress on fire. I am impressed with your level of control.”
“I do not know, to be honest. Last night in the dream, I believed it was just that a dream. Today, I saw the Duke running toward Stela, and I just knew she needed some type of protection. The wall appeared. The Master Scientia seemed to underestimate my powers.” Charity was shaken by the wall she created, still not quite sure of the powers she possessed. Her powers had already led to the death of a friend. She regretted everything. “Are there other powers that exist beyond controlling fire?”
“There are many powers, Highness. There are those that can control water, air, and the earth. Some can control beasts and others the minds of men. Why do you ask?” Thomasine was curious about Charity. She had not sensed her powers. Charity was different from the others Thomasine knew.
“How is one born with these powers?”
“Often, they are hereditary, though powers are known to skip generations, sometimes many generations. If a parent is known to have powers, there is a chance their child will have power as well. The power may not be the same. My father was a Magister Aeris, he controlled air. His great grandfather was a Magister Spiritus. He controlled the spirits of the living and the dead.” Thomasine’s family had been Magisters as far back as she knew.
The crowd followed as Calvin was led to the gallows just outside the palace walls. They had come for a sentencing and execution, and they were about to get it. The crowd seemed to be appeased by Calvin’s confession. He was glad to make the sacrifice for Charity and Stela. He kept his dignity as he was led up the stairs. The guard covered his head with the coarse hood as he was placed into position. His pulse quickened as he felt the noose was placed around his neck. The fabric of the hood allowed him to make out the figures standing around, watching. He stared into the crowd, not wishing to see a friendly face. He preferred to focus on those gathered who hated him and anxiously awaited his death.
“Calvin Dorn, you have been found guilty of the murder of Samuel Roberts. Do you have any last words before your punishment is carried out?” Jordan asked as he positioned himself at the handle that would open the door below Calvin’s feet.
“I want the people of Hulsteria to know, while you may hate Rupert and me for who we are, we are entitled to the same level of respect and compassion as any of you. I know I am viewed as a beast for many reasons, but you all saw Samuel as a victim and his actions justified. I know the truth. He was not an honorable man. You may feel I am not an honorable man, but I loved honestly. That love was taken from me. I challenge any of you to behave differently in the same situation. I am sorry for Samuel’s death, but I am not sorry he paid for his crime. He was a man of little moral value. I have done Hulsteria a great service putting an end to his hate. I only hope Hulsteria will come to truly understand love in all its facets. Captain, I am ready. Thank you for allowing me to speak one last time.” Calvin felt the noose being tightened around his neck. He knew the door would be opened. He had heard that the snap of the neck brought a quick and painless death.
“You are admirable Calvin. You will see Rupert again.” The voice rang in his head. It was but a whisper though no one was near. “I am proud of your sacrifice here today.”
“Who’s there?” he called out. “Who was that?”
Jordan pulled the lever and the platform opened. Calvin’s body fell, the snap was not subtle. The crowd watched as his body twitched, swaying back and forth.
Once Calvin was gone, and she had composed herself trying to conceal the tears for her friend, Charity approached Stela. “Stela, I must return to Suffort. We will return for the Naming Ceremony and spend time with you during the festivities.”
“Safe journey home. Are you sure you are okay to travel? Much has happened today and I worry you are overwhelmed,” Stela called out as Charity rushed off.
Thirteen
Malcolm and Luke arrived at Nottingham Manor. The ride was rough. The earth quaked almost the entire trip. Malcolm found it quite unusual. The Duke's butler answered the door and showed the two to the library. He left them to go get the duke.
When he returned with the Duke, the old man was in a wheelchair. He seemed frail and barely strong enough to hold his own head up. The Duke stared at the two men.
“Duke Suffolk, how nice to see you again. It has been too many years,” Malcolm greeted him as he entered the room.
“Malcolm, what do you want? Have you come to kill me as you did your father?” the old man laughed.
“Duke, I did not come to fight with you. You and my father were friends for many years. I have come to talk to you about your plans for an heir.” Malcolm hated that the old man never let him forget about the rumors of his involvement in his father’s death.
“I have named an heir. My cousin from Moorland, Lady Jane Smythe. I think she will make a fine duchess.” The duke’s voice was shaky. His head moved as he spoke.
“I was hoping you would consider my fiancés’ brother. She was recently named Imperial Archduchess of Red Hill. We are seeking a title for him and thought you might be interested.” Malcolm presented Luke to the Duke. “This is Luke Gallagher. He is from Norland.”
The duke raised his head to get a better look at the boy. “Come here boy, let me get a look at you.”
“Hello, your grace,” Luke stepped forward.
“He is a fine looking young man. I may be willing to reconsider my assignment. Boy, are you willing to stay here at Nottingham with me? I will teach you what it means to be a Duke, how to rule the duchy properly.” The Duke eyed the boy with a reserved desire.
“If I must stay, I will, but I would much rather return with Malcolm to my sister and family.”
“Your family will not prepare you for such a position. I need to expose you to the people of Wardry South. I need to introduce you to the marquises who rule the cities and the barons that oversee the towns. This is not something you can do from Red Hill.” The Duke was unwavering in his request. “If you wish to return to Red Hill, I fear I will not be able to name you my heir. My cousin is of royal blood and is well prepared to take my position upon my passing. You require training.”
Luke looked at Malcolm. He wanted to attack the man right there, bringing him here knowing he would not be returning. “Very well, I will stay with you. I will learn all I need to know to lead your duchy upon your death.”
“Carl, prepare a room for our guests. Luke will stay in the room next to mine,” the duke ordered the butler away. “Should we have some tea? Carl, have the maid bring us some tea, also.”
“Why do you desire a title, young man? Is it not enough for your family to have an Imperial Archduchess?” the old man wondered about his agenda. Most families would be satisfied having at least one member of their family with a title.
“My sister desires me to have the title. She wants to see that I am well taken care of. We are very proud of Daniella, but another title in the family cannot hurt.” Luke did not like the Duke being so invasive.
“Daniella, is she the witch everyone was going on about? The one that saved the Emperor Consort’s life during the hunt? Are you a witch too boy? I cannot have a witch as my heir,” the duke raised his head and stared at Luke.
The maid entered carrying the tea service. She placed it on the table in front of them. She served the Duke first, then his guests.
“I am no witch, and neither is my sister, your grace. She is a Magister. She was born with the power to heal. It is nothing to be ashamed of,” Luke took a sip of his tea, not taking his eyes off the old man.
“Whatever, do you have powers? Are you a Magister as well?”
“Not that I am aware of. I have never been able to heal anything,” Luke laughed, trying to lighten the
tension that was building between the two.
“You are from Norland, what city?”
“My family is from Rowan, your grace. A port city on the southeastern shores.”
“I am familiar with Rowan. Do you know Duke Southerby? He oversees the duchy of Sutherland. He would be the duke of your city, if I am not mistaken.” Thomas was old and knew many of the royals of the seven kingdoms.
“I have never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I am aware of who he is. Yes, Rowan is within his duchy. Do you know him?” Luke preferred the small talk to the questions.
“I know the man well. His family has ruled the duchy since the time of Declan Dorman. I believe his ancestor, his name escapes me, fought alongside Declan for the independence of Hulsteria. I believe that is how his family received their title. Titles are not merely given, they are earned, Gallagher. Since we share no blood, you will need to earn the title. You will do as I say while you are in Nottingham. If you are satisfactory, I will announce you as my heir. I will then present you to King Dorman as my heir, which will cement your position. Kieran is not an easy man. You will need to impress him and prove you are worthy of overseeing the duchy. I will give you the training you need to win the king’s favor.” The Duke's attitude toward Luke seemed to change suddenly. He appeared more open to the idea of the young man being his heir.
“How strong is your duchy? Do you have many soldiers?” Luke was curious about the ability the duchy had to protect itself from invaders. “I ask because there are rumors war may be coming, and I want to know that the duchy is well defended.”
“I have heard the rumors also. I also heard the Emperor Consort was lost at sea. I do not put much stock in rumors, boy. You cannot either if you want to run a duchy. You must deal in facts. The duchy has ample soldiers, enough to keep your pretty young face protected.” The Duke laughed.
“I am not worried about my face, your grace. I am worried about my body as a whole.” Luke found the comment a bit unnerving. He felt it an odd statement.
“You will be well protected. My armies are well trained at protecting their liege. I have never felt as if my life were in danger when traveling with my men.” The Duke found his concern over soldiers odd. It was not typically the first question asked.
“I would like to meet your men, when possible. I would like to inspect their barracks and review their skills.”
“You are not my heir yet, boy. You will visit my soldiers when I feel the time is right and not before.” The Duke looked at Malcolm. “I have to wonder what the boy is really after, Malcolm. He seems more concerned with armies than the duchy.”
“I am sure it is nothing, Thomas,” Malcolm tried to ease the old man’s mind. “He is a boy. Boys are always focused on battles and war. Try to remember what you were like at his age.”
“I was not focused on war. I was raised to be a duke. I was focused on making sure the people of my duchy were happy. My armies were the least of my concerns.” Thomas was not sure he was comfortable with this boy being his heir, but he would hold his decision until he spent more time with him.
Carl returned to the library. “Your grace, the two rooms have been prepared.”
“Have their trunks brought in from their carriage. Carl, have the stable boys tend to their horses. Have someone prepare a room in the stables for their coachman,” Thomas bellowed his orders.
“Right away, your grace,” Carl left the room.
The three men continued their conversation until dinner was served. Luke was still unsure of the old Duke. He believed the duke to be a good man, but there was something about him that caused him caution. Malcolm sat and maintained the peace between the two. He could sense their time together would not be smooth. Luke was too headstrong, testing the old man’s resolve. Luke challenged Thomas on every topic.
After dinner, the three continued their discussion. They changed the scenery, taking a walk through the gardens of Nottingham. The night was cold, but the Duke enjoyed rolling through the gardens at dusk. Luke was impressed with the size of the manor. It was not as grand as his sister’s estate, but there appeared to be more in the way of gardens. As the sun set and the moon took its place, the three headed back to the manor to prepare for bed.
Carl carried the Duke up the stairs to his room while Luke and Malcolm followed. Once the Duke was placed in his bed, Carl showed the two to their rooms. Luke’s luggage had been unpacked and put away. There was a door separating his room from the Duke’s. He figured this was once part of the suite of the Duke which had been converted to a bedroom. He undressed and climbed into bed. He had difficulty falling asleep, still bothered that he was being required to stay with the old man.
****
Felicia put the book down. She looked over at Harris. He had fallen asleep in the chair. He must be uncomfortable, she thought. She walked over to the window hoping to see something other than water. In the distance, she could see the western shores of Jascaessau. In only a few hours she would be in the capital. Soon she would be before the Empress. Surely, she would be a guard in only a matter of days.
The boat shifted. The chair that held Harris tipped, throwing him to the floor. He woke with a start. Felicia looked down at him and laughed as he sat trying to get his bearings. He looked up at her ready to scold her for laughing. Instead he laughed with her. He was happy to hear her laugh. He took it as a sign that perhaps she was able to deal with what had happened.
“Felicia, it is not polite to laugh at someone who may be injured,” he said as he stood.
“I doubt you are injured.” She gave him a disapproving look, though she knew he was only joking.
“How close are we to Jascaessau?” He walked over to look out the window.
“I would say another few hours. The sea appears very calm, which slows the trip,” she turned to back away, not wanting to be so close to him.
“What is the plan when we arrive? Are we parting ways or will we continue to travel together?” He watched as she backed away.
“You have to teach me to fight, so you are not getting away from me so easily.” She returned to the book lying on the bed.
“Where will we stay? The tournaments do not start for a couple days. We cannot sleep in the streets.” He watched her still trying to gauge how she was handling the attack and the taking of the man’s life. He knew the demons you faced on your first kill.
“I will secure us a room. I want to stay in Helmsley, so we are close to everything when the tournaments begin. I do not want to stay in one of the port towns.” She did not take her eyes from the book as she spoke.
“Many will be coming to the city for the events. What if we are unable to find a room?” He knew the tournaments drew men from all corners of the kingdom.
“If we are unable to find a room, we will approach one of my relatives. I am not worried about finding a place to sleep. While I would rather no one knows that I am here, I do not want to sleep in the cold either,” she said as she turned and looked at him. “Jascaessau is harsh in the winter. I do not think either of us is suited to the cold, being used to the mild spring nights of Raamsfeld.”
“I did not realize you had relatives on Jascaessau.”
“I have relatives everywhere, though I fear most of them would not recognize me. I have avoided Imperial invitations for years. I refused to attend my schooling at the Imperial Palace. I had no time for formal education. I needed to focus on what mattered, fighting. My mother provided my education which did not please my father. He believes you need to be educated in the Empress’ court, a way of meeting those who will one day be your peers, your allies.” She put the book down realizing he was not going to allow her to read.
“I never had the benefit of an education. When your parents are peasants, education is a luxury you cannot afford. Perhaps you will teach me to read?” He did not like exposing himself as illiterate, but with her, he did not seem to mind her knowing.
“You do not know how to read? I guess I always took for
granted everyone knew how to read. Come, sit next to me, we can begin now.” She patted the spot next to her on the bed.
He joined her. She began by reading the book, her finger underlining each word as she spoke. She read each word slowly, explaining how the letters made different sounds based on their order. She read to him for hours, deliberately over pronouncing words to help him understand.
He watched her as she read. He noticed just how attractive she was. How he had not noticed it before now escaped him. He watched her hair move with the swaying of the ship. Her fingers were dirty. Not what he expected from someone of her station. Then again, she was not like the other royals he had experienced. “Why do you deny your birth? Why do you try so hard to go against what you are destined to become?” He was not sure how she would react to the question.
“My birth makes my life not my own. I am told what I must do and how I must live. I refuse to do as I am told. I would rather do what makes me happy. If it were up to me, I would leave the life my parents have planned for me. They want to see me married. I do not want marriage. Marriage for a woman removes her identity. She becomes the property of her husband, even an Imperial woman. The Empress is the only woman who maintains her identity and strength in marriage, and it appears that has not worked out well for her,” she looked at him. “I want to show women they are more than the men they marry. They can be whatever they desire. We are not weak, but we are raised to believe we need a man to protect us, feed us, impregnate us. Well, I guess men do serve one purpose, children. If women could have children without the interference of men, Saaveth would be a much better place. Women are nurturing. Well, most women. Even women of power are forced to answer to their husbands. I do not wish to live my life serving a man.”
“Cannot you be your father’s heir without being forced to obey your husband?”
