Wild Sorceress

by Margaret L. Carter

  Aetria took a stool next to the engineer, looking into his eyes. He had something to tell her but she did not know what to say to give him the chance. “Recanlin wanted very much to work with you. He died saving our lives."

  "I heard about his death and am still grieving for the lad,” Aristes said, a slight catch in his voice. He reached out and took Aetria's right hand, his large hand engulfing hers.

  "Aristes, why does Corerilla hate me so much? What have I done to her?” The questions seemed to flow unbidden from Aetria.

  "You killed our son, Aetria. I know you did it to save the general,” the older man swallowed and said very softly while patting her hand gently, “but she does not accept it."

  "Pleates was your son!” Aetria said in shock, disbelief filling her eyes.

  The engineer nodded. “Corerilla and I met when her Novice group visited the mines. I wish I could say it was love that drove us together, but it wasn't. The overbearing, spiteful, vicious woman you know today was a beautiful free spirit back then. She had discovered the joys of mating and shared them with a young engineer who was all too willing to oblige. After a few months, Corerilla found a new interest. She had graduated by then and was hired to protect a far-off lord's domain.

  "When she returned to Inhestia for her Sorceress training several years later, she matter-of-factly told me of the birth of our son, and how she had him fostered off before he interfered with her career. Just as matter-of-factly she suggested we continue our mating as she was bored with the lord she had taken to bed and did not intend to return to him. Her total lack of interest in the life we had created appalled me and was reason enough not to want to accept her offer. The better reason was I had taken Delica as my lifemate by then. Corerilla dropped me from her life and has not made any further attempt to relate to me except as a member of the Council. She loves to give orders, that woman."

  He lowered his gray-haired head and laughed quietly before continuing his story in the same soft, deep voice.

  "When Pleates arrived for training at Inhestia, Corerilla became very interested in him, but not because he was her son. She saw a way to use him to further her power in the Council. She pushed him unmercifully. I tried to give him a father's support, something he had never had even in his foster home, but he wanted his relationship to me to remain secret. The boy was brilliant! He took in everything Corerilla taught him about spells, as well as all I could teach him about engineering. He advanced faster than any Novice I have known did.

  "When the war broke out, the two of them were ecstatic. Why the dying of so many should be a cause for joy is beyond me, but it fit their plan. In the end, it may have been him using Corerilla instead of the other way around. I don't know, Aetria, whether she hates you because you killed her son, or because you stopped her plans. Either way, the results are the same."

  "And you, Aristes, do you hate me?” Aetria asked quietly.

  Patting her hand, then wiping the tear from his jowl, Aristes sighed. “Not in the least, child. I saw Pleates grow into the male image of his mother and knew his heart was not with the people or the land—only for himself. I don't believe the charges against you are true and will do all I can to prove them false. This is just another plot of Corerilla's, and she must be stopped."

  "Thank you, Engineer. I really do need your help. If I can prove the weapons exploded on that hill like I said, that is one less lie that can be used against me. I am curious about the Novices’ weapons. Are they different in any way from the original designs?"

  "No, I don't think so.” He paused sudddenly. “Wait a moment! Pleates sent me the design and ordered eight of the weapons made at least two weeks before he came to Inhestia in person to pick them up. When he arrived, I had four of them completely ready to go, but had run short of shield material and was in the process of gathering more. I told him I would need another week before I could finish the last four. He was very unhappy with the delay. He said he couldn't wait that long. He told me to decrease the thickness of the shield material and to make at least three more by morning. I did so with the remaining material I had."

  Aetria was up and pacing. Coleni knew her sister was thinking hard and waited for her to speak her idea aloud.

  "Are Belanar's and Fernonia's weapons from the first four or the last three?” she said excitedly.

  "I don't know, Aetria, but I will find out. Why?"

  "You said yourself that you had duplicated Pleates’ design with his modifications of the shield material, and the weapons exploded. Did you use the full thickness of shield material or not?"

  Aristes jumped up. Now he was excited. “I used his original measurements. If Fernonia's is one of the thinned out ones—"

  "Then the cause of the explosion is the shield thickness. Engineer, please find out for me. But don't ask Fernonia; she'll go right to Corerilla. Use Belanar. Experiment as you must, but I need you to be able to demonstrate what we believe is the cause of the explosions I know I saw."

  "I'll start tonight."

  "One last thing. Was the source Pleates used in his demonstrations a normal source or a red core one?"

  "A green one. We didn't know about his use for the red core at that time."

  Aetria looked around the workshop and saw the armor-plated wall Aristes used in his experiment. She hurried over to it and looked at the deep hole on the other side where the projector weapon would be put before spelling in a fireball. Tossing the student source in the pit, she waved Coleni over to the wall.

  "Engineer, what you are about to see must never be told to anyone. Do you promise?"

  "I promise, Aetria."

  "Use your bolt on it, Lieutenant Maetria,” Aetria said to Coleni.

  Coleni zapped the student source. The explosion was spectacular.

  The three of them coughed out the heavy dust, sucking in deep drafts of the cool night air outside the engineer's house. The dust was drifting away in the breeze, having billowed out in great volume from the workshop windows. The engineer's distant neighbors were used to loud noises coming from his quarters and did not venture out into the night to discover why he was once again disturbing their sleep.

  "I guess I won't start tonight, Sorceress. I'll have to repair my workshop first."

  "I apologize for that, Engineer. I had no idea it would be that powerful.” Aetria coughed again. The wall had protected them from the heat and fragments, but the wind of the explosion had knocked them both down.

  "What did she do that other Aggressors couldn't?” Aristes asked with a puzzled frown.

  "I don't think she did anything they couldn't. You said the projectors didn't work until you put in the thin green source piece Pleates inserted on his own. Then they exploded. My guess was that the green source material does something to the spell as it passes through. The red core increases the spell. Now we know that, unless the conditions are just right, the spell will go into an explosion. I begin to wonder if you sent a fireball into a source, would it explode? But why would it?

  "A normal source has no red core. A student source does. Pleates must have switched the source in the hole after the other Aggressors had tried. He substituted a student source for the normal source, then blew it up. He kept his secret intact. The Council was convinced only he could do it. This is our secret for now. Please figure out how the projectors exploded. Perhaps our little experiment tonight will help. Goodnight, Engineer."

  * * * *

  Three days later, the engineer was still experimenting, but had confirmed Fernonia's and his son's weapons were indeed the thin-walled projectors. Aetria scanned the hilltop once again, and her heart jumped. Three riders were cresting the hill and riding at a gallop for the camp. Aetria stood and brushed the grass off her bottom, then headed downhill as fast as she could without breaking her neck.

  Arriving at her tent, Aetria rushed inside, thinking to switch into her armor for a meeting with Sonja. She found Coleni pacing back and forth, wringing her hands and moaning to herself.

 
"Coleni, sister, what is wrong?” Aetria asked.

  "Oh, Aetria, I know who the mystery witness is,” Coleni sobbed, fear and unhappiness in her face.

  "You saw who it was? All I could see was a heavily cloaked rider."

  "No, no. But I sensed an aura at Mage level. I watched the rider dismount. Not armored, light weight. I looked at the boot print; it's a woman's. Power, Aetria, the witness is Chalinee, I'm sure."

  Putting her arm around her sister, Aetria walked her over to a chair and made her sit. “Calm yourself, Coleni. Did she see you?"

  Shaking her head, Coleni sat pressing her hands into her lap. “When I sensed her approach, I hid myself so I could see who it was and not be seen. Oh! Why did the general bring her here?"

  Aetria brought over a glass of wine and handed it to Coleni. “You know the answer to that. Chalinee told me she personally interviewed Pleates and can swear he was their spy. I'm shocked the general could even get her to leave Hermania for an ex-enemy. I just wonder what she will say when she recognizes me and remembers the half-truths I told her. This could turn on the general."

  A call at Aetria's tent door announced Lieutenant Valetti. Aetria gave him permission to enter.

  "Good, you're both here. The general wants to see you."

  "Is..is the witness who rode in with you there?” Coleni asked.

  "Wasn't when I left, but I can't say about now."

  "Who is it?” Aetria asked.

  "The general did not give me permission to say, Captain."

  "Let me change and I'll be right there.” Aetria said.

  "The general said come as you are. Lieutenant Maetria, of course, needs to come as her normal self."

  The sisters were ushered into the general's presence. She was alone except for Magess Trelana. The two were seated side-by-side, talking quietly, their heads nearly touching. Sonja pointed to several chairs across from their own, and the sisters sat down.

  "—therefore I'm changing the way we present witnesses. I want our two mystery witnesses to hear everything said during Aetria's defense,” the general said.

  "That would mean admitting the first two charges, Sonja.” Trelana said, reaching for her glass of wine on the low table between them.

  The general nodded. She looked at the sisters. “We are discussing tomorrow. I am changing the way the hearing is going to be done. I will proceed as I would if this were an army hearing by taking an active role in the questioning. I can do this if I choose to ignore the first two charges. It is not my intention to concede your guilt, Aetria, but I will concentrate on the treason charge. I believe clearing you of the treason charge will put you into better circumstances to justify your breaking the rules of your Order."

  "I understand. If I may, who are the mystery witnesses you were speaking of?” Aetria asked.

  Sonja looked at Coleni and smiled. “Coleni and Chalinee. Poetic, isn't it?"

  * * * *

  Looking around the cavernous Council chambers, Aetria sensed the subtle change that had come over the proceedings. Corerilla sat in her normal place at the Council table, a grim smile on her lips. Aetria had been surprised the Counselor had not put up more of a fuss when the general had announced her proposed changes. It was just her way to be annoying at every turn. There was a definite air of expectation from the Council members. Perhaps the row of tables set up on the eastern wall had something to do with that. When the Council members had entered from their northern door, their eyes immediately locked onto the tables and their guards.

  Sonja had been true to her words about respecting the “sorcerer only” rule. She had impressed two Novices into service as guards over the two tables. Aetria recognized Welendor and Jalista from her novice company. The spears in their hands looked very out of place, but the grim looks on their faces showed their determination to do their jobs.

  Both tables were covered with black cloths, the contents underneath causing little hills and valleys all over the surfaces of the table. The two tables had been pushed together end-to-end, a guard at each opposing end. The general was not in her seat beneath Meldoran, but was now standing over in front of the tables. She had made her announcement of the proceeding changes from there. Council Leader Meldoran had had his normally rigidly followed procedures so overturned in the last week that he only nodded his approval, apparently weary of any confrontation. Sonja had told him beforehand of her two mystery witnesses who were now receiving as many stares as the contents of the tables.

  Aetria glanced behind her at the two black-robed figures, with cowls and face veils covering their heads, seated in chairs where the first rows of benches had been, now removed to make way for the tables and their seats. Coleni was pressed as far away in her seat as she could separate herself from the tall, silent Chalinee sitting next to her. Chalinee did not know who was next to her, or if she did, she had given no sign of recognition. When Trelana had gathered their official party in the general's tent before proceeding in total silence to the Council chambers, Chalinee had said only one word to her.

  "Sorceress."

  Sonja was dressed in her gold armor, looking very impressive. She turned to Meldoran. “I call Mage Kelristo to give testimony before this hearing."

  The Healer moved down from his place at the Council table and took the chair next to Aetria. He gave her a warm smile and a pat on her shoulder. Sonja pulled off the black cloth from the first table, revealing a skeleton lying on the table, a student's robe folded beside it.

  "Mage Kelristo, I asked you to examine this skeleton and give me an evaluation of how the person died. Would you please repeat your findings to the Council?"

  "Gladly, General. This is a most interesting case. I would have preferred to examine the body where it was found. You lose a lot of information moving the body from its resting position. But, from this evidence, I have determined the body is that of a woman between the age of seventeen and twenty-five years who had enjoyed a reasonably healthy and injury-free life until just before her death.

  "From the condition of the bones, I would say she has been dead for five to ten years. Within a few months of her death she had broken her left arm, was healed by a Healer, but was still mending. The bones had been disturbed by nature, some broken, some gnawed, but that was done after death. From the amount of blood on her robe, at least I assumed she was wearing the robe presented with the bone, I believe the cause of death was her throat being cut. By the way, the robe is one of our student robes. She could have been a student at Inhestia, but then again she could have gotten the robe in any manner of ways. These are matters for the law officers to determine."

  "Thank you, Mage Kelristo."

  While the old man returned to his seat, Sonja covered the morbid evidence with the black cloth. She turned and spoke to the Council members. “I will explain where this unfortunate woman's body was found shortly. I recall Sorceress Brusilla to give testimony before this hearing."

  As the old Sorceress made her way back to the witness seat, she stopped a moment to look at the mystery witnesses. Kelristo had made his appearance for assistance again, and she asked him who they were. He said he didn't know and tried to move her on to her seat. She said she wanted to meet them first and held out her hand in greeting. Each shook her hand silently.

  Brusilla looked at Kelristo and said, “Polite young women, but they don't say much."

  The two witnesses looked at each other.

  "Sorceress Brusilla, how long have you been the Healer of Torrelon?” Sonja asked.

  "Thirty-five years, General, dear."

  "I would like you to call me Sonja, Brusilla. Please think back thirty years ago and tell me what happened on Summer Fest day."

  The question shocked Aetria. Was Sonja trying to make fun of the old Healer by showing her failing memory? Was she trying to discredit Brusilla? Aetria gave Sonja an angry glance.

  "Thirty years? Let's see, I was—” Brusilla stopped speaking aloud for a moment. “No need for you to know that—my business, my age
. What happened thirty years ago on Summer Fest? Oh! Yes, he came to visit me."

  "He?” Sonja asked.

  "Let me finish, young woman. General or not, a little respect for age."

  "Yes, Ma'am."

  "He is Grelnes Menhala."

  Aetria twitched at her foster father's Delmathian name. She heard Chalinee stir behind her.

  "Why would he come to visit you, Brusilla?"

  "It's the law. All Tierian caravans must seek out the Healer of the village they intend to do business with. That way, we will be prepared to counter the confusion they cause amongst our villagers with their charms and potions and other nonsense. Grelnes, as leader of the caravan, came to see me."

  "What usually happens when Tierians visit a village?"

  "Oh, they try to trick people into buying worthless trinkets, spin a lot of strange stories to entertain the young, chase the women and have their way with them, and get into fights with the men as a result. Then they leave after a few weeks or when our gold runs out."

  "Did Grelnes do as you thought?"

  "Do what?"

  "Chase women?"

  "Yes, he did. He's a charmer."

  "He charmed you, didn't he, Brusilla?"

  "Yes."

  "And, after having his way with you, he left."

  "Yes! No,” Brusilla said in a whisper.

  "He left you, Brusilla, but not the village. His caravan left, but he stayed behind. Why?"

  "He fell in love with her.” The old woman wiped a tear from her eye with her robe hem.

  "The ‘her’ you say is Valeria, Aetria's foster mother?” Sonja asked.

  The Healer nodded, looking down at her lap.

  The general approached the Council table, looking at each Mage as she told a story.

  "He stayed and opened a business in Torrelon. Tieri do not settle down. They are wanderers. He forsook his people for the love of a Delmathian woman. He was not accepted into the village as a husband of a village daughter usually is. He was sometimes ignored at best, often abused, and never welcomed. But he stayed for thirty years. They were childless until a night five years later when a child appeared in their home—Aetria. He is still there with his wife and his family.