Aether's Apprentices

by Daniel Schinhofen

  “Good morning, magi. Welcome to the Watashi residence. Please, come in,” Enzo said, stepping aside, but staying by the door.

  “Thank you,” Yukiko said, giving him her attention. “We’ll change and then head to the garden, if you can gather the others for us.”

  “We will make sure it is done,” Enzo said, shutting the door once Gregory had entered.

  “Go ahead, Enzo. I will guide them,” Elsa said.

  “Yes, ma’am,” Enzo said, striding off in a dignified manner.

  “It’s good to see you again, Elsa,” Gregory said.

  A real smile took the place of her professional one. “I’m glad you’re here, too. I assisted Baylyss in making sure everything is in place. The sparring rooms are waiting for you. I ask that you train with me before the other children so I can bathe and help with dinner.”

  “I was planning on it. I was going to have you assist me in teaching them,” Gregory said, “but that’s fine. I’ll have Enzo help me train them.”

  Elsa curtsied. “Thank you. If you’ll follow me, please.”

  ~*~*~

  Gregory was the first one changed and to the garden. Enzo was just in front of him, having changed into a gi after gathering the children.

  The children all bowed to him. “Good morning, Sensei.”

  “Good morning,” Gregory replied with a grin as he bowed back. “The others will be here shortly. We’ve been hearing how you’ve been doing, and we’re proud of you, even with the minor setbacks.” He looked at the two youngest boys, who looked down, embarrassed. “Being alive means you’ll make mistakes, but learning from those mistakes is what makes us better. Fighting with friends will happen at times, too, but making up with them and not fighting over the same thing is another lesson to learn.”

  “If you can do those two things, you will be better than you are now,” Yukiko added, leading the procession into the garden. “And now that we’re all here, we can hand out the small gift we brought for you.”

  Those words had all the children looking at her eagerly.

  “I don’t have your reward,” Yukiko smiled. “The one leading our exercise today has it.”

  Clover grinned as she went over to the kids. “Hands out,” she said.

  The kids held their hands out, nearly buzzing with excitement. Clover moved down the line, giving each of them the reward Gregory, Jenn, and Yukiko had arranged. Each child ended up holding a waxed paper item.

  When Clover stepped back, having given Elsa hers last, she grinned, holding up a single one for herself. “Sweets aren’t common, and this is a rare sweet that comes from Buldoun. It’s called butterscotch. It’s a hard candy, so don’t chew it. Just place it in your cheek and let it slowly dissolve.” She showed them by unwrapping hers and placing the yellow candy on her tongue.

  The kids all did the same. Their expressions went wide as the sweet began to dissolve slowly, giving them a jolt of sugar. They saw all the magi putting small pieces of waxed paper away, too.

  “Now, everyone, first stance,” Clover said as she moved to the middle of the garden.

  Once everyone was set, she led them through the Peaceful Fist.

  ~*~*~

  Gregory had Elsa and Enzo facing off to demonstrate what he’d been showing them. The children had had trouble with the Peaceful Fist, and they were still fidgety as they watched the demonstration.

  Note to self: give them the candy when we leave next time, Gregory thought as he watched Elsa reverse Enzo’s grapple, then flip him. “Break.”

  Elsa backed up, and bowed. Enzo grunted as he got to his feet, adjusted his gi, and bowed back.

  “Elsa, what happened?” Gregory asked.

  “I reacted, Sensei. Sorry,” Elsa said, her cheeks pink. “When his balance broke, I moved on reflex.”

  “Enzo?” Gregory asked.

  “I didn’t set before attempting the move, Sensei. She reversed and threw me before I was aware of it.”

  “Which would be fine, if not for the fact we are demonstrating a move for them. Elsa did the right thing if this had been a match or a real fight. Do you see why we drill the basics into you?” His question was directed at the children.

  “Yes, sir,” they replied.

  “Okay, let’s try it again. Enzo, you’re still the attacker.”

  After a few more rounds, Gregory stepped in. “Elsa, it’s time. Thank you for helping.” He bowed slightly to her.

  Elsa’s face lit up and she bowed back formally. “It is my pleasure, Sensei.”

  Once she was gone, Gregory looked at Enzo. “One at a time, you’ll be letting them practice those moves on you, except for our youngest three.” Gregory turned to the two youngest— one boys and one girl. “I’m going to have you work on what you’ve already been working on.” He saw their disappointment and he shook his head. “No, it’s not bad. I’m going to have you two lightly spar with each other, and I will adjudicate the matches.”

  The two younger kids beamed and got to their feet.

  “Far side of the room,” Gregory said. “Come on.”

  ~*~*~

  Gregory exhaled as he took a seat between Yukiko and Jenn. “How was training?”

  “Good. Clover and Ling are coming along,” Jenn said, giving the other apprentices a smile.

  “We’re doing our best,” Ling said. “The novices beat us repeatedly time and again.”

  “You both won your fair share,” Yukiko said. “They trained harder and longer than you have, but you’re coming along quickly. If we get another week of group fighting again, I’m thinking we might give you both crossbows to use. It’ll keep you farther back from the others. Maybe that will help.”

  “Anything we can do to help would be good,” Clover nodded.

  “What about the children?” Yukiko asked.

  Gregory gave them a synopsis of how the kids had done. By the time he’d finished, Baylyss and Elsa were coming into the room with a cart.

  “Dinner,” Baylyss announced. “Chicken and dumpling soup. I also have some bane fowl that I grilled on the side for you, magi. It’s not as much aether as you’re used to, but every little bit is good.”

  “We also have a loaf of fresh, buttered garlic bread,” Elsa added. “There’s enough for everyone to have a single slice.” She was looking at the other children when she said it.

  A few looked away from her, clearly having been chastised about taking more bread before.

  “We hope you enjoy,” Baylyss finished, ladling soup from the pot into bowls and passing them out.

  While Baylyss did that, Elsa served the magi the side dishes of bane fowl, then made sure everyone had a single thick slice of garlic bread. She took her seat once Baylyss had.

  The food was good— it was simple in design, but tasty and filling. Elsa beamed when they praised her work, and Baylyss wore a small smile as she watched Elsa. When the meal was over, Elsa got up and helped Baylyss with collecting the dishes.

  “That meal was entirely Elsa’s” Baylyss told the magi as she cleared the table. “I only assisted lightly. So, while I do thank you for the kind words earlier, they all belonged to Elsa.”

  Elsa’s face heated when they praised her work again. “Thank you,” she murmured.

  “And I will do the cleaning myself,” Baylyss told Elsa. “They are only here for another hour or two, so enjoy the time together.” Turning to the magi, she nodded toward the door. “The game room is ready for you.”

  “Thank you, Baylyss,” Yukiko said as she rose to her feet. “Come on, let’s go see what we’ll be playing tonight.”

  The children cheered and left the room with her.

  Gregory stayed behind so it was just him and Baylyss left in the room. “How’re they doing?”

  “Besides the single incident, they’ve been very good. They are still just as focused, and I found someone who can help sharpen Enzo’s talent. She just started coming over in the last month, but she tells me that he is gifted with his art. She thinks she’l
l only be able to help him refine his gift, as he is already far past her normal students.”

  “Good. Maybe he’ll find that’s his calling. Did he get the copies shipped off?”

  “I sent them out a while ago. I didn’t know you wanted to be informed about it. I apologize.”

  “No, it’s fine. I didn’t ask before, and I only just thought about it now. Does he still draw outside of his time being tutored?”

  “Yes, he does. He’s done one of each of the children, as they wanted one after you all asked for one,” Baylyss smiled.

  “Even Elsa?” Gregory asked.

  “Yes, but she asked for one where she was with you and your wives, serving you in a garden.”

  Gregory exhaled slowly. “Yeah. She does seem fixated on that goal.”

  “But that isn’t a bad thing,” Baylyss said, the dishes finally all collected. She turned to face Gregory. “She truly cares for all of you, and she’d be safe and cared for as a maid to your growing family. If she doesn’t end up as a magi, it gives her a second goal to aim for... Or did you three not wish her to be there with you?”

  Gregory frowned as he gave her words thought. “It’s not that. I just worry she’ll blind herself to better opt—”

  Baylyss snorted, cutting him off. “What could be better for her?”

  “I… don’t know. I just want her to keep her eyes wide open.”

  “Gregory, she is, but she’s seen the worst of life. Now, she’s seen what she thinks is the best of life. Unless you three force her away, I believe you’ll be stuck with her.”

  “Not stuck with,” Gregory said softly. “She’s a joy. Stuck with sounds like a chore.”

  Baylyss smiled. “Well, then, I’d say your roads will come back together when your service to the empire is done.”

  “Maybe. Time will tell.”

  “It always does,” Baylyss exhaled. “Listen to me prattling on while the children wait for you. Go on. Spend the time you have in joy.”

  “I will, but before I do...” Gregory stopped a few feet from her. “Our deepest thanks, Baylyss.” He bowed deeply to her. “For us and them, thank you.”

  “You are all welcome. I have found joy this year, and it gives me hope for many more years of exactly this kind of joy. Now, go.”

  Chapter Thirty-five

  “Good morning,” Jenn greeted Clover and Ling as they approached the stairs.

  “Good morning!” Clover beamed. “I had a lot of fun yesterday.”

  “The kids certainly enjoyed having you there,” Yukiko smiled.

  “Because she’s as innocent and active as they are,” Ling said with a straight face.

  Clover gave Ling a piercing look. “Was that a compliment?”

  “I think it was,” Gregory said. “There’s nothing bad with being innocent and energetic.”

  “Yeah,” Clover grinned wider.

  “You did well with leading the Peaceful Fist, too,” Jenn said. “We got caught up in training, so I forgot to tell you yesterday.”

  “Thank you.”

  “How do you think Roshana did studying?” Ling asked as they descended to the next floor.

  “I’m uncertain, but it will tell us a lot,” Yukiko said. “I don’t expect her to have memorized anything, since she’s on the spirit path. With that said, though, I expect to see improvement if she did study.”

  “If who studied?” Daciana asked, waiting for them on the landing.

  “Roshana. She joined our tactics class after Farin joined his clan,” Gregory said. “She was the coordinator for us during the last game.”

  All three novices looked interested. “What did you think of her, Yuki?” Nessa asked.

  “She’s spirit path and has shown a keen mind,” Yukiko said. “She’ll also get along with us, I believe. Her grandmother came here from Limaz, despite her obvious eurtik blood. From what Roshana said, it was because they believed Aether would return and that he would be in the empire.”

  Gregory caught a few of them shooting glances at him and he started to worry. That worry came to an abrupt halt when a voice came from behind him. “Gathering on the stairs again?” Dia asked. “And who are you speaking of?”

  “Roshana Arnab, a clanless water magi,” Gregory told her. “She’s asked about the clan briefly, so she might approach you, Dia.”

  “Hmm... I will look into her while we wait to see what she will do. She joined your tactics class?”

  “When Farin went to his clan,” Jenn said.

  “I see. Very well. In the meantime, shall we go to breakfast and not clutter the hall and stairs?”

  “Yes, Dia,” they all said.

  ~*~*~

  “Good morning to you all,” Rafiq smiled, showing a lot of teeth when he did. “Did any of you require new books?”

  “I’d like to look into Limaz culture,” Nessa said.

  “Limaz history,” Victoria added.

  “The wars with Limaz,” Daciana said.

  “A sudden surge of interest in Limaz? Very well. I will have books brought to your table.”

  The novices didn’t look in the direction of the others, and Gregory wondered if their interest was because of Roshana.

  “I need to learn more about Buldoun,” Clover said. “Customs and culture, please?”

  “Hmm, I was going to ask for those, but I’ll study laws for now,” Ling said.

  “We can trade when we finish?” Clover offered.

  “That’ll work fine for me.”

  “I’d like to see anything more on holding aether on the body path,” Jenn said.

  “I’ll have to check on that,” Rafiq told her. “I’m sure we have something, though.”

  “I haven’t asked for shadow magic texts since we started using the second floor, so I’d like something on that, please,” Yukiko said.

  “Of course.”

  “Any journals from Lionel Lighthand?” Gregory asked.

  “I’ll have one brought to you,” Rafiq bowed his head.

  They all thanked him before striding away. Once they were out of earshot, Rafiq looked behind him and gave Sarinia a bow of his head.

  “Give them what they ask for,” Sarinia said. “Start with the least offensive journals for Gregory, and Yukiko can have an initiate scroll on her magic. Jenn is the tricky one, but give her the text describing the problems with holding aether. We’ll adjust from there.”

  “Those are all initiate texts, chief,” Rafiq said softly.

  “Did you not see their medallions?” Sarinia smiled toothily. “They’re almost there, on the tenth rank of the apprentice tier already. I believe my initial thoughts are correct. We can push a little, but make sure it stays with the staff.”

  “As you decree, Chief,” Rafiq said before he motioned another archivist to him.

  ~*~*~

  “They all took a sudden interest in Limaz,” Gregory said as they walked toward their class.

  “They should study other countries more,” Jenn said, “and it’s natural that they start with a country we’d mentioned.”

  “We’re studying Buldoun, as we don’t know if we’ll be in that country or ours,” Clover said.

  “Best to be prepared,” Ling agreed.

  “I was just wondering if it was because of Roshana,” Gregory said.

  “Part of it might’ve been,” Yukiko said, seeing no reason to lie to him, “but part of it is also because they know we studied those countries. They really are trying to emulate us as best they can.”

  “Okay. Roshana is just a classmate and potential friend, though, so they don’t need to worry about her.”

  “Greg!” Farin called out before anyone else could speak up.

  The group came to a stop by the doors to the tactics hall. The Iron Hand was coming toward them, with Dave at the front.

  “Good morning to you, Iron Hand,” Gregory greeted them.

  “I’ll catch up,” Farin told his clan members.

  “Of course. We’ll be waiting,” Dav
e said as he continued to lead the rest of the Iron Hand past them.

  “We were sad you left us,” Yukiko said, “but we’re glad that you’re with your clan.”

  Farin looked conflicted. “I’m sorry. Dave mentioned to Master Chen that I should be with them to increase our odds in the next tournament. When Chen asked me my thoughts, I said it might be best for the clan.”