Oh, true God help me, I’m an Empress. Empress-Consort. Something like that.
It’s just now hitting me, the magnitude of what we’ve taken on. The title is all we have—no capital city (should we capture Colosse if we can’t afford to hold it?), no allegiance of the Kings and consuls of the Castaviran Empire or of the Balaenic Lords Governor, no income to support ourselves, let alone build the kingdom. We have nothing but two-thirds of an army, a double handful of mages, and determination, and determination can only win a war if it’s backed up by military force. I don’t even know what we have to do first to make this a reality. But Cederic does, and like the rest of us, I follow where he leads.
We talked again briefly before he went off to discuss logistics with Mattiak and his generals and the quartermasters. “Your policy of not making plans for the future when the present is uncertain is proving sensible,” he said. “I, on the other hand, will have to suffer the disappointment of giving up the thanest I dreamed of founding.”
“And I suppose we will have to have children,” I said, with a grin so he wouldn’t think I was resentful, because I wasn’t. “Which I think is something else you were planning on.”
He smiled. “It was,” he admitted, “despite what you said. Not that I would have forced you into a decision to suit me.”
“I know,” I said. “But it will have to wait until you are seated firmly on the throne at Colosse. I still think the proposal you were going to make to the King was a good one. Move the capital to Colosse, set up a council drawn from both countries.”
“Marry a Balaenic woman,” he said, pushing back my hair from my face.
“You’re so foresighted. It’s as if, deep down, you knew it was going to come to this,” I teased him.
He shook his head and sighed. “I have just remembered what you looked like the day you arrived at the Darssan,” he said. “I could not have guessed then what you would mean to me, let alone that you would be my Empress-Consort one day.”
“Is that what it’s called?” I said. “How did I look that day?”
“Fierce,” he said, smiling, and kissed me. “Fierce and beautiful, with those extraordinary eyes daring us to capture you.”
“And you did,” I said, which made him kiss me again.
He still hasn’t come to bed. I foresee a lot of late nights in his future. Strange, I feel better now than I thought I would, writing about all of that. I was afraid it would make me feel more agitated, but instead I feel almost peaceful. There’s still a lot to worry about—Terrael, and Jeddan and the mages, and finding a place we can wait out the winter so we don’t run out of supplies, and learning what the God-Empress has planned—and I’m almost out of pages except the ones I’m keeping my pouvra notes in, but I feel now as if we can handle it, whatever “it” turns out to be.
Empress-Consort. True God help me.
Things to study
1. Why can I flit farther when I’m concealed than otherwise? Also, what happens if I’m concealed AND insubstantial and then flit? I’m a little afraid to try.
2. Still haven’t given up on the enhanced hearing pouvra.
3. Or the memory pouvra.
Later—Cederic made a memory kathana. Might be a good starting point.
4. A locator pouvra. Something not dependent on the landscape. I don’t even know what that means, so it might not matter to the pouvra.
5. Norsselen was obnoxious, but he did manage to learn two more pouvrin spontaneously. So how did he manage that? And is it something only “new” mages can do? Wish I had more “old” mages for comparison.
6. This binding pouvra has to be good for something. Or maybe not. Terrael said once there are a lot of th’an combinations that don’t do anything. But I’m not giving up on it either.
7. Cederic’s shield kathana as a pouvra.
8. Turning kathanas into pouvrin, just in general.
9. Turning pouvrin into kathanas. There are some pouvrin the Castaviran mages can’t do. Focus on flitting?
10. I wonder if there’s a way to counter the walk-through-walls pouvra. Maybe I should get Nessan working on it.
Glossary and Pronunciation Guide
General note: in Sesskia’s language (Balaenic), long A and long O are usually written “ae” and “oe,” and she writes Castaviran words as they would be spelled in Balaenic (i.e. Coell (Coll) River)
Balaen (bah-LAIN) – Sesskia’s home country
Barrekel (BEAR-uh-kell) – city in southeastern Balaen; inhabitants have a distinctive accent
Calassmir (cah-LAHS-meer) – southwesternmost city in Balaen
Castavir (CAS-tah-veer) – Empire formerly ruled by the God-Empress Renatha Torenz; also the central country of that empire
collenna (coh-LEN-nah) – engine, either self-propelling or attached to a loenerel
Colosse (col-LOSS) – capital of the Castaviran Empire
Endellavir (en-DELL-uh-veer) – country annexed a century ago by the Castaviran Empire
Hasskian (HASS-kee-ann) – Balaenic city on the Royal Road, south of Venetry
Helviran (HEL-veer-an) – country in the Castaviran Empire
kathana (ka-THAWN-ah) – ritual or spell composed of th’an
Kilios (KEY-lee-ohs) – “highest master”; a mage who has mastered all known th’an and all kathanas that can be performed by a single person
Lirilla (lih-RILL-ah) – southern port city in Balaen
loenerel (LOH-neh-rel) – a train-like vehicle that runs on any surface, not on rails
pouvra, plural pouvrin (POW-vrah, pow-VRIN) – a form of magic requiring no words, gestures, or th’an, that is instead manifested through the mage’s will
praenoma, (plural) praenomi (pray-NO-ma, pray-NO-mee)—Balaenic first name; reserved for the use of close friends and family
Sai (sigh) – “great master”; a mage with advanced knowledge of magic
th’an (TH-AWN, with a glottal stop at the apostrophe) – magical pictogram or rune; may refer to a single rune or a simple combination of three or four
thanest (THAWN-est) – in Castavir, a place where magic is available to the public, usually for a price but sometimes for free
Venetry (VEN-eh-tree) – capital of Balaen
Viravon (VEER-ah-von) – country in the Castaviran Empire, annexed over a century ago, in rebellion against the God-Empress’s rule
THE BALAENIC CALENDAR
Winter:
Hantar (30 days)
Jennitar (31 days)
Teretar (30 days)
Spring:
Shelet (30 days)
Dorinet (31 days)
Auret (30 days)
Summer:
Evray (30 days)
Senessay (31 days)
Lennitay (30/31 days)
Autumn:
Coloine (30 days)
Nevrine (31 days)
Seresstine (31 days)
THE BALAENICS:
(NOTE: the surnames of the noble houses all end in –ssar; these are the people who are allowed to serve as Chamber Lords and as Lords Governor of the major cities of Balaen)
Sesskia (SESS-key-ah) – mage of ten years’ standing, married to Cederic Aleynten
Jeddan (JED-un) – “old” mage, Sesskia’s friend and traveling companion
Baltan, Gismara, and Nanissa – “new” mages in a village in southern Balaen
Falak Endolessar (FAH-luk en-DOH-les-ar) – Lord Governor of Hasskian; “new” mage
Messkala (mes-KAH-luh) – Endolessar’s major-domo
Garran Clendessar (GAR-un CLEN-des-ar) – King of Balaen
Caelan Crossar (CAY-lun CROSS-ar) – Chamber Lord of Defense
Merdel Lenssar (MUR-del LEN-sar) – Chamber Lord of Commerce
Jarlak Batekessar (JAR-lack BAH-teh-keh-sar) – Chamber Lord of Agriculture
Debarra Jakssar (deh-BAR-uh JACK-sar) – Chamber Lord of Transportation
Mattiak Tarallan (MAT-tee-ack tar-ALL-un) – Commander General of the Balaenic
Army
Nessan (NESS-un) – leader of an elite special military force and trainer of Sesskia’s spies
Hesskel Drussik (HES-kul DREW-sick) – Balaenic general, cranky and conservative
Wyoth Kalanik (WYE-oth KAL-uh-nick) – Balaenic general, Mattiak’s friend
Taelon Bronnok (TAY-lon BRON-ock) – Balaenic general
Melekst and Kyrran (muh-LEKst, KEE-ran) – majors in the Balaenic army
General Shansselen (SHAN-sel-un) – leader of the Balaenic defenders of Venetry
THE BALAENIC MAGES (57 in all):
Corrmek Norsselen (COR-mick NOR-sel-un) – leader of the “new” mages
Relania Phellek (rel-AY-nee-ah FEL-eck) – “old” mage, familiar with Sesskia’s research, a pacifist
Daerdra (DAYR-dra), Davik (DAV-ick), Paddrek (PAD-reck), Neomae (nee-OH-may) – primarily capable of the fire pouvra
Saemon (SAY-mun), Hasseka (HAS-uh-kuh), Aeddek (AY-deck) – primarily capable of the mind-moving pouvra
Rutika (RUE-tee-kah), Alessabeka (ah-less-ah-BECK-ah), Tobiak (toh-BYE-ack) – primarily capable of the walk-through-walls pouvra; pacifists
THE CASTAVIRANS:
Cederic Aleynten (SED-er-ic ah-LEN-ten) – Kilios and former head of the Darssan, Sesskia’s husband
Terrael Peressten (ter-RAIL per-ESS-ten) – mage who can no longer work magic, married to Audryn; Cederic’s aide and inventor of kathanas
Audryn Engilles (AW-drin en-GIL-is) – mage and friend of Sesskia; married to Terrael and his partner in invention
Sovrin Ustanz (SAW-vrin uss-TANCE) – mage who can no longer work magic; head of the translator corps and Sesskia’s friend
Renatha Torenz (ren-AH-tha tor-ENCE) – deposed God-Empress of the Castaviran Empire
Wilfron Kasselen (WILL-fron KASS-uh-len) – Elder of Castaviran village in Viravon
Carlen Lisskestis (CAR-len lis-KESS-tis) – leader of captured Castaviran village near Hasskian; studied with Cederic
General Arnisen (AR-nih-sen) – commander of the Castaviran Army stationed in Viravon
Gael Regates (GAIL reh-GAH-tis) – commanding general of the main Castaviran Army; Aselfos’s co-conspirator in ousting the God-Empress
Perce Aselfos (PERSS ah-SEL-fus) – former spymaster to the God-Empress and would-be Emperor
Dugan Lerongis (DOO-gan leh-RON-gis) – King of Helviran in the Castaviran Empire and candidate for Emperor
Lelaena Osther (leh-LAY-nuh OSS-ther) – Queen of Endellavir in the Castaviran Empire and candidate for Empress
Moerton Taissatus (MOR-ton TIE-sah-tus) – Consul of Colosse; chief of the consuls of the Castaviran Empire and candidate for Emperor
Veneta Amaleten (ven-EE-tah ah-MAH-leh-tun) – chief Sai of the Firtha thanest in Colosse; Cederic’s former teacher and most high priestess, candidate for Empress
Bonus Scenes
Cederic’s Diary
When I started writing The Wandering Mage, one of my original ideas was to write it as Cederic’s diary, as a balance to Sesskia’s diary in The Summoned Mage, and then maybe to write the third book alternating between the two. So what follows is the original beginning. I got as far as these entries before realizing that Cederic’s story was a lot of boring administrative detail, and Sesskia was more interesting. So some of the details are different from the final version.
(15 Coloine)
Sesskia is missing. And it is entirely my fault.
I should never have taken so many shortcuts. Yes, the palace was coming down around us, and time was running out, but to have omitted such a crucial part of the kathana—how could I have been so stupid? I wish I could blame it on the mages who scribed the foundations of the kathana, but they did so under my instruction. And now she is gone.
I should not indulge in self-pity when there is so much still to do. The palace lies in ruins before us; it is a miracle we all escaped alive, though our fallen dead remain within, buried under the rubble. Denril is there, somewhere, and I find it difficult to mourn him, though we were friends for more than ten years, became Sais together, shared joy and sorrow—but now I wonder how much resentment he hid beneath the façade of friendship. That he could attempt to have me executed for treason…I still don’t understand it, but it does not matter now.
We have found a refuge in the coliseum that lies across Eddon’s Road from the palace. It survived the merging more or less intact, and people have been gathering all morning. The palace was not the only edifice leveled by the destruction. Colosse is in turmoil, looting and violence are rampant, and the God-Empress’s army, which should enforce some level of order on the confusion, is engaged in fighting itself. It seems Aselfos’s coup was not aborted by the merging.
We have thrown up defensive shields around the coliseum and organized the refugees into groups, but soon we will need to feed everyone, and although what little food was brought here has been put into a common pool, it is not enough. We will have to expand our territory—though I think from what the refugees say, we could not help but do that, not and still call ourselves human. We mages represent one of the few forces of order with any power in this beleaguered city, even though the destruction has overwhelmed many of us to the point that they are unable to participate in the shield kathana. We all need time to regain our composure, and time is something we do not have.
I understand now why Sesskia found such comfort in her book. It gives me a measure of peace to lay everything out on paper, even as it tears at my heart to be reminded of her in this small way. There has been no time to establish whether she is even alive, though I refuse to believe otherwise. In pain from the kathana, yes (how I wish I could have spared her that!), but she definitely succeeded at her task, and there is no reason to believe it killed her. Oh, my love, forgive my mistake!
We will attempt to push our shield out further. Soon all our mages will recover, and we will begin to reclaim Colosse.
(16 Coloine)
I knew the world would change when its parts were reunited. I simply did not anticipate this change, and I once again berate myself for my stupidity. In this case, though, my stupidity did not cause the problem, simply prevented me from anticipating it.
I thought that it was overwork and emotional distress that prevented some of us from being able to work the shield kathana. I was wrong. The mages who worked the original kathana intended to create a world in which anyone, with time and perseverance, might learn to do magic. And they succeeded—for as long as the worlds stayed apart. Now that they are joined again, the original conditions surrounding magic have been restored, to all our sorrow, for it seems most of our mages are no longer able to work magic.
We have always known that those with the peculiar green-gray eyes are drawn to magic. It seems that in this restored world, they are the only ones capable of working magic. It is a tremendous blow. We have lost some two-thirds of our mages, including, to everyone’s dismay, Master Peresten. To say that he is devastated would be a cruel understatement. I am grateful to Master Engilles, whose presence has been as much a comfort to him as is possible under these circumstances, but I worry that her continued ability to work magic may be a strain on their marriage in the future.
For now, I am faced with the challenge of protecting the men and women within our shields with a much diminished cohort of mages. Despite their loss, all of them are facing this new challenge with determination and resolve. I have never been prouder of my fellow mages than I am this day. They look to me as their leader, and I refuse to let them down.
Brave words. I cannot show any of my uncertainty, for fear it will demoralize them just as they need to feel most strong. They do not know how inadequate I feel to this task. People have been pouring into our sanctum, which now extends three streets north and two west of the coliseum, and the flood shows no signs of abating. These refugees bring tales of horror, of uncontrolled troops looting and raping their way through Colosse, and I wish we could bring the entire city under our protection even as my soul quails
from the terrible challenge that would be.
I need Sesskia so badly now, but I cannot indulge in thinking of what might or should be; I have a task ahead of me, and no time for idle fantasy. The one good thing about all of this turmoil and horror is that it leaves me little time to worry about my wife and what she might be facing now.
In half an hour we will push further north, which will allow us to encompass the Firtha th’anest, and with luck we will find more mages to bolster our numbers. I pray they have not already been overwhelmed.
(16 Coloine, later)
The Firtha th’anest was well-defended, and we nearly had a bloody conflict before we were able to convince them we were not the God-Empress’s battle mages. It seems they had to fight off a troop of soldiers several hours ago, but it sounds as if the army’s losses with regard to their mages is at least as great as ours has been, for that troop had only two mages where they ought to have had seven. I believe the army’s numbers may even be more reduced than ours, since the green-eyed mages have historically been drawn toward academia and the priesthood rather than the military. If I am right, this could be an unlooked-for boon; the fewer battle mages we are forced to fight, the better.
Seventeen of the sixty mages in the Firtha th’anest retain their ability to work magic. The chief Sai is not among them, but she is a talented administrator and I have been grateful to turn the logistics of running what is fast becoming a refugee camp over to her. She has organized them by neighborhoods and established leaders to take responsibility for each group, leaders who then report to one of the mages, who report to her. Even so, I find I spend an increasing amount of time handling small crises, and while I try to direct most of those petitioners elsewhere, it is clear that many of them simply want the reassurance only the Kilios can provide. Turning them away might prove demoralizing, and if my status can do anything to alleviate the strain those under our protection are suffering, then I am happy to turn it to that purpose.
The Wandering Mage (Convergence Book 2) Page 35
