by Ian Rodgers
“You said you had something else to tell us?” King Tiberius queried, handing Petrus a tumbler of whiskey. The men were in a study, where the king was offering the mages a congratulatory glass for their efforts. A pair of butlers stood at the edge of view, as well as Sir Blaine, commander of the Dire Swords, the loyal personal guard for the Varian royal family.
“Yes, your majesty. It’s about the wards.” Petrus took a small sip to steady his nerves before continuing. “You see, everything I told you was the truth. Rain had eroded the wall, and the root did grow out to block off the barrier. But, the thing was the root could not have grown in such a way naturally. It was too straight. And I could sense extremely faint traces of a spell in the tree.”
“This was planned?”
“Why did you not inform us sooner?”
Two angry voices spoke out at the same time, overlapping. King Tiberius shot a look at Renos, and the pair quieted down.
“It seems that this was not an accident. Moving a single root using magic is something any mage, from Druid to Cleric to Paladin to Sorcerer, could perform with ease. And I felt that leaking information that this was a man-made situation would be a poor idea. We were in the open, servants and staff and your own children listening in. I maintain it was best that this knowledge be kept from more people, lest there be panic.”
Renos opened his mouth to scold his student, but Tiberius waved a hand to cut off the esteemed mage.
“He made the right choice. This information was too sensitive to be allowed in the open. This was a plot, we know that now. But the perpetrators think we do not. That is the way it should remain. If you could be discreet in this matter with the Academy as well, Master Renos, I would be grateful.”
“Understood. I will make sure this information does not circulate. And good job, Petrus. You did well today.”
“Thank you, mentor.”
“By the way, what did the two of you think of my daughter’s new pet?” the king inquired after a lull.
“More than just well trained, that little Ooze was disciplined. It should have made some sort of movement when I used my Analysis spell, but it didn’t even flinch! If I wasn’t a fool, I’d swear that slime was watching me as well,” Renos said, leaning back in the chair and taking a mouthful of fiery alcohol.
“I agree with Master Renos. That little Ooze was definitely an oddity. Also, I think you might want to stock up on healing potions soon,” Petrus mused.
“What do you mean?” Tiberius asked, a firm tone entering his voice.
“Only that Princess Liliana may want to start feeding them to uh, Jelly, was its name? I dropped one of my vials of a minor healing potion earlier, and it slurped it right up, and seemed to really enjoy it. I then may have mentioned that an Ooze that consumes large quantities of restoratives and light magic may mutate into a Healing Ooze,” the young mage assured his liege, noting the shift in atmosphere. Tiberius sighed in relief.
“Was that all? I’ll try to accommodate her to a degree. And I have to agree with your earlier assessments of the slime. It was definitely odd. Personally, I believe it may be due to Miraculous Mystery’s influence.”
“Ah, that explains it. Her magic may be altering the Ooze in subtle ways, maybe even allowing her to exert unconscious control upon it, managing its actions. It might explain why it was so calm,” Renos muttered.
Petrus, not completely in the know about the ancestral magic of the royal family, remained silent and enjoyed his drink. Vices such as alcohol were in limited supply at the Academy. The professors and staff preferred to have their students learn in a clean environment. He gratefully took the little pleasures he could get. It was also a very good vintage. Petrus quietly hoped he hadn’t been dragged into something dangerous. But knowing his luck, it probably would end up becoming such.
Chapter 6: The azure teacher
It had been three days since the mages had visited the castle and I had learned about my love of potions. Liliana had taken it upon herself to obtain as many as she reasonably could to satisfy me. I wasn’t complaining. They were delicious.
“Here you go, Jelly. Open wide!” Liliana said in a sing-song tone, holding out a healing potion vial an inch or so above me, making me jump for it. I liked the exercise, and she liked seeing me leap about like a bouncing ball. It worked well for us.
“Please refrain from doing these antics at the dining table, Liliana,” Queen Amdora tsked, wearily attempting to curtail her daughter. She knew it was likely futile, but she was a mother, and was thus obligated to at least try.
“Your mother is correct, my flower. You shouldn’t play with your pet at the table.” King Tiberius looked up for a moment from where he sat, backing up his wife. A barely perceptible nod passed between the couple. I smiled in my mind. They might not have had a lot of time together nowadays, but they were still deeply in love. Even I, a magical being with hardly any social skills, could see that!
At her father’s words, Liliana meekly complied, a hint of a blush dusting her cheeks. He was the only person who could effectively tell the royal children what to do with any degree of success. A talent many a servant envied.
“How have your studies been going?” the king asked after a moment, and the two youngsters winced.
“They go,” my owner stated evasively.
“Yeah, that!” Julius agreed. King Tiberius shook his head in mock despair.
“Such a response! What will ever become of this kingdom with such whimsical princes and princesses? Oh, woe to be!”
“Father, stop!” Julius complained, sticking his tongue out at the melodrama. Liliana pursed her lips in childish revulsion. King Tiberius just laughed, and the queen even gave a short chuckle. I stayed put, content to bask in the atmosphere. I felt at peace when I was around my owner’s family and they were all joking around like this.
“Speaking of lessons, I have a dance tutor coming over for the two of you in the coming week,” Queen Amdora mentioned in an offhand manner, abruptly shifting the mood.
“The two of you need to work on your dancing skills for the ceremonial ball this autumn. You haven’t had much of a need to practice dance and footwork before as you’ve yet to attend many high profile events. But this year’s Adventurer’s Advent is not something we can have you miss, or do poorly in,” their mother explained in a kind but firm manner. Liliana and Julius perked up at the mention of the party, but I remained in the dark. What was this Advent they were talking about?
“Ah, yes, speaking of which, I need the two of you to promise me not to bother some of the guests too much this year. I know you were both excited to meet the adventurers, but you clung to them like adorable puppies. Especially you, Julius. You are ten years old now. You need to start conducting yourself as an heir should. I understand it is a heavy burden to put on your shoulders this early, but I know I can trust you on this. Both of you, in fact,” King Tiberius said, and his children bowed their heads in acceptance.
From my owner I felt a rush of pride that her father had such high expectations for her. Yet this was mixed with the natural tingle of fear at the thought of failing her parents.
I nuzzled her gently to reassure her, and she squeezed me tight in response.
“This is the one thousand year anniversary of the founding of the Adventurer’s Guild, right father?” Julius inquired, and I finally started to connect the dots as the king nodded.
“Indeed it is. And even though it’s a few months away, we need the preparations to go well. Both in personnel matters and those of decorations.” He gave weary sigh at the thoughts of all the extra work he’d have to do. “I’ll also have your history tutor focus a bit more on the background of the Guild for a bit. A reward for all your hard work so far.”
“Do you think the World Paladin will show up?” Julius asked eagerly, to which his father merely shrugged.
“He’s an X-Rank, son. He probably has a lot of problems to take care of.”
“Aww.” Julius pouted but quickl
y turned his frown upside-down as he began to talk with Liliana about a variety of people and places and events I had no idea about. I just listened quietly, soaking up what I could about the subject that so fascinated my owner and her brother.
“Who did you hire to perform as their dance instructor, my lovely queen?” King Tiberius asked over his children and their conversation.
“Bluemont, dear. She’ll be here a week from tomorrow.”
To my ever-lasting surprise, King Tiberius’ face went pale, as did the ones from several of the nearby servants. They were all older staff, who had been working in the castle for many a long year. If this person was able to elicit such a response, what kind of tutor was this ‘Bluemont’ woman?
“She’s still alive?” He croaked, pleading eyes begging his wife that it was not so. “It’s one of her daughters or granddaughters, right? Not her?”
“Don’t be such a baby, Tiberius,” Queen Amdora smirked, giving her husband a wicked smile. “You know full well that a lady of her caliber will live forever as long as there are children to teach. No force on Erafore could convince her to retire and die.”
King Tiberius sat back in his chair and slumped a little, eyes staring into nothing.
“This is revenge for not having gone to bed yesterday, isn’t it?” He whimpered earning a laugh from his queen.
“Don’t be silly, Tiberius! I asked for her the day before yesterday! This is revenge for using the last of the pear-scented soap last week.”
I was royally perplexed at this point. This Bluemont person must be some sort of incredibly strict task-mistress to make a king fearful like this! I hoped my owner could endure her lessons!
True to their father’s orders, the tutors switched their lessons about somewhat, teaching the two all about the history of the Adventurer’s Guild. It was relevant for the royalty of Varia to know this, which was a surprise when I learned about that.
“Can you tell me what year the Adventurer’s Guild was founded, princess?” The history teacher inquired. He was a portly man who wore a comical-looking flat board hat over a bald patch, along with a mixture of black robes and white tunic. He was enthusiastic about his subject, and Liliana was also eager to dispense her gained knowledge for him.
“The guild was founded in 2309 AC, which was also the year of its founder, King Gregor Roan’s, coronation.”
“Indeed! And what exactly makes King Gregor’s ascension to the throne so unique?”
“King Gregor was the first king in over six hundred years who did not come from any pre-established noble family. He was a commoner who gained fame for being an amazing warrior. He slew hundreds of Goblins during one of their periodic invasions, including their warlord. Not only that, Gregor saved the lives of the Dwarven royal family, earning their respect. and he killed a dragon solo!” Liliana’s eyes gleamed with awe and respect. I too was impressed. This man sounded like a true hero, definitely the stuff stories were made of.
“Indeed. Your ancestor’s deeds were so outstanding he was elevated to the nobility several times in the course of ten years by no less than six different countries. The family name of ‘Roan’ was given to him by the king of Brune when he was first knighted. His actions so impressed Queen Liliana the Youthful of Varia that she married him. An act that completely surprised most of the world. In this way, the last living descendant of the Ar-Varia family accepted an incredible man as her husband and establishing your current lineage. He becomes known as the Hero-King thereafter. But can you tell me why he founded the Adventurer’s Guild?”
“Well, the land of Orria was in terrible shape. In 2195 AC there was a series of volcanic eruptions in Suld that blanketed the southern lying regions in ash and destroyed the harvest for numerous countries, creating a long lasting famine. A demonic insurgence in the Starblind Mountains destroyed the Royal Varian Mages Academy in 2241, crippling the supply of magical artifacts, enchantments, and runes across the land. And later in 2288 the Second Elfish Domain attempted to invade several human nations on their border. This all meant that Orria was in extreme disarray.” The princess took a deep breath.
“Gregor felt the only way to establish a lasting peace was to create a group of mercenaries who focused entirely on taking care of monsters and magical issues. Too often conflicts between nations resulted in fewer soldiers able to defend towns and villages from wild beasts, curses, and vile creatures, who took the weakened lands as ripe targets. To this end, Gregor made contracts, deals, and treaties with untold dozens of nobles and merchant groups across the world. The Adventurer’s Guild was made to be a force dedicated to protecting the world from the inhuman and the impossible. But this also meant that the guild was forbidden from partaking in conflicts, feuds, or wars between countries or internal factions.”
If I had eyes, I would have been using them to stare at my owner. This was the first time I’d seen Liliana not only focused but speaking in almost a single breath. Her tutor didn’t seem surprised and just gave her a wide, approving smile.
“Very good and precise! Yes, you are completely correct. I think you could probably teach me a thing or two about this particular topic. So, how about you answer this final question, and I’ll let you go free early today?”
“Of course!” Liliana said excitedly.
“Alright then. So, final question; what was the gift that the King Upon the Buried Throne, lord of all the Dwarf Clan-holds, gave to Gregor for saving the life of his entire family from a cult? And how are our relations with that great nation in Par-Orria?”
“It was not just one item, but three! The dwarf Ancestor-King presented Gregor with three whole suits of Berserker Armor! Two of them are still kept in the castle armory, while the third set, his personal one, was lost. They say he sealed it, and a large portion of his wealth, in a hidden vault, which only a true hero can find.”
“And thanks to his actions, the dwarves had been close allies with Varia for many years. The majority of dwarves reside in the Towering Peaks in Par-Orria to the east but they have a strong presence as merchants, adventurers, and of course craftsmen in cities across Varia and our closest neighbors. With an alliance that has lasted a thousand years humans and dwarves have become close friends.”
“As usual, excellent answers. Well-spoken and with such enthusiasm! You’re free to go, Princess Liliana. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“Thank you!” Liliana shouted in joy, rushing over to my corner and scooping me up before dashing out the door. Her wild run quickly mellowed, slowing to a brisk walk. It was not dignified for a lady to run. If any of them more stern servants encountered her, they would undoubtedly scold her.
“You must think I’m pretty unladylike, huh, Jelly?”
Well that came right out of nowhere! I shifted in Liliana’s arms so I could give her the impression of staring up at her in confused shock. She seemed to notice my bewildered attention, and continued speaking.
“I mean, was it really OK for me to be this interested in heroes and adventurers? The stories and legends are something I’ve grown up on. How could I not love hearing about the good the Guild had done, knowing that it was thanks to my family that so many have been helped and even saved!” Her smile, at first radiate, quickly turned bitter.
“But some of the staff think I shouldn’t be so focused on them and this subject. ‘It isn’t ladylike,’ they say. And then I feel a bit embarrassed being so excited about adventurers like this. Is it wrong of me to be so happy when I talk about them? Is it wrong for me to want to know more about them?”
Liliana had stopped walking and leaned against the balustrade of the stairs leading up to her room. She looked down at me, and I could feel her sorrow and her conflicted emotions. One the one hand, this was her legacy. Her ancestor created an institution that even I, a monster, respected. But, there were the expectations for a lady of her class and social standing to not be overly dedicated to something that was seen as not the most glorious of professions. For every adventuring hero, there were
a dozen more who were just monster hunting mercenaries that saw their job as just that; a job.
No matter what though, I felt that it didn’t matter what others thought of my mistress. As long as she didn’t try and run off to become an adventurer herself, I doubted any of the staff would push too hard on her hobby.
I relayed my feelings to her my rubbing up on her arms. I gurgled happily at her, and she giggled at my antics.
“That tickles! Carefully, or I’ll drop you!” She said playfully. I didn’t stop and grew two tentacles to tickle her with, and her giggles grew louder.
“OK, Ok, Jelly! I get it! I’ll cheer up!” I finally settled down as I sensed her mood improve. She let out a contented sigh, and slid down onto the floor, holding me closer.
“Thanks, Jelly, for helping me. The others may say you’re just a monster, but you are so much more than that to me. Thank you.”
I just nuzzled closer, basking in her warmth. I doubted I had solved her issue, but at least I’d made it a light burden on her shoulders. She’s too kind and gentle to be sad. I think a lot of the people around her will agree with that.
She wiped her eyes off and stands, a determined stance to her steps.
“Let’s go, Jelly! I hear the kitchen is baking ring cakes!” I bounced in excitement. Now that sounded like a good way to end a day of hard work!
It was the day of reckoning; in just a few minutes the Baroness Bluemont would arrive and I’d be able to see what all the fuss was about. In a manner of speaking. Servants and staff were fretting around the place, getting things in order, and I was able to eavesdrop on some of their conversations about this mysterious tutor while I hung around in my owner’s arms.
