~*~*~
Gregory finished stripping just as the inner bathing room door opened. The staff funneled out, saying goodbye to the people still in the bath.
“Good evening,” Gregory greeted them, feeling a touch of melancholy as he did so.
They all looked at Gregory upon hearing his tone, then bowed to him. It was Zenim that spoke first, “Greg, we will miss having you here. You and Yuki were the ones who started us on this path.”
“We’ll always be grateful,” Quilet said.
“Very grateful,” Steva added.
“We’ll never be able to repay the debt we feel we owe,” Ravol said. “Moreso because we have family here now.”
“My wife is excited to be here,” Quilet smiled.
“I’m glad,” Gregory said, blinking back some tears. “You’ll have more people even with us gone, I bet.”
“Bishop is already thinking so,” Ravol nodded. “We need to get going. Dinner is going to be big.”
“A welcoming and goodbye feast,” Gregory said thickly. “Who is on breakfast tomorrow?”
“Velma,” Steva answered. “We all wanted to, so we had to settle it with a quick game of sword, blanket, boulder. She won.”
Gregory swallowed hard, then stepped over to shake each of their hands. “Thank you. You’ve made my two years here happy.”
Steva wiped at his eyes. “I thought your wives did that.”
That got the others to slap Steva on the back, and Gregory laughed. “They always will. But you four— five, with Velma— made the first few days something to look forward to, and have kept doing so since then.”
Now, the staff all looked ready to spill tears, and a few sniffles escaped them. They clasped hands with him one more time as they started to grab their clothing. Gregory scrubbed his face free of tears, took a deep breath, and entered the bath.
He paused before closing the door. The tub held Lightshield, Hemet, Gin, Samuel, and William. What was unexpected were the four younger magi currently washing up, one of which was the apprentice, James Tocks.
“James,” Gregory greeted him. “Welcome to the clan.”
James washed the soap out of his hair, then gave Gregory a nod. “I’m glad I was accepted. I was worried when I heard there was a condition to be allowed in. Believing Aether will come back, though? That was easy.”
“Yes,” the novice with the large orange teeth said.
“I’m still grateful,” the novice next to him said. He gave Gregory a nod, allowing his squared-pupil, yellow eyes to be seen.
“Didn’t think I would be allowed in with my weak magic, but I’m very happy,” the last of the newcomers said.
“Work hard and believe,” Gregory said as he went to get a bucket of water to rinse off. “Your classmates will help guide you. If you doubt what they say or do, just consider that their dedication to what they do and their belief in Aether has led them to the levels of growth they currently have.”
“Yes, sir,” the novices said, bowing their heads to him.
“Greg,” Gregory said softly. “I’m just a boy from the fringe, not a sir.”
“Not yet, but you will be,” Gin said as he stood up. “Gregory, you will be someone that gets addressed with honorifics, especially with your men. Familiarity is fine, but you also need to be their leader.”
“Yes, sir,” Gregory said.
“I’ll see you at dinner,” Gin said as he picked up a towel and dried off.
“Yes, I do need to get moving earlier,” Lightshield sighed.
“I should, too,” Hemet nodded.
“We have been in here a while,” Samuel agreed.
“Well, then, let the younger magi have the bath,” William nodded.
Lightshield was helped with drying off and led out. Gregory didn’t look, but he knew it had to hurt the elder to be unable to do even that for himself anymore.
When the door closed behind the older magi, James leaned forward a little to look at Gregory. “Is he okay?”
“He’s dying,” Gregory said softly. “He thinks he has maybe a couple of years left.”
The novices looked worried, but didn’t speak up. James asked, “What’s that going to mean for the clan?”
“He’s already set up his successor,” Gregory replied. “I don’t know who it is yet, but possibly Bishop.”
“Will the clan be okay? The Eternal Flame might gut us if there’s no elder to blunt them.”
Gregory hesitated, not wanting James to think he was being dismissive. After nearly a minute, he finally answered, “I have faith.” The words were soft, but projected all the faith Gregory had that the clan would be fine.
Two of the novices nodded a second later, agreeing with him. James also looked relieved, but the third novice, the one with the large orange teeth, fidgeted.
Gregory started scrubbing up. “It will be fine. We’re Aether’s Guard. If the clan was going to vanish before his return, it would have done so by now.”
The last novice settled down with a slow nod. “I can see that.”
“Time for the bath,” James said as he rinsed off. “How long do we have to soak, Greg?”
“A bit, but Dia will chide us if we take too long,” Gregory replied.
“Glad the baths are segregated,” the novice with goat eyes said. “I saw the others heading into the female side. We’d be outnumbered… by a lot.”
“You’ll have better odds than he did,” James laughed as he slid into the tub. “Only male training magi in the clan.”
“It’s been different,” Gregory said as he finished scrubbing up. “My advice? Listen to the women and do not, under any circumstances, upset them. If you upset one of them, they will all be mad. They’re basically family to each other.”
The novices nodded, but James looked thoughtful.
~*~*~
Gregory was glad they hadn’t taken overly long in the bath. The dining room was already fuller than he was used to seeing it. Three tables were set for people to use, and he nodded to new faces he hadn’t seen before. The newer staff all beamed at him, returning the nod.
Gregory took the seat he’d used since joining the clan, but noted how things had shifted. Gin, Inda, and Indara were at the third table, speaking with a couple of the newer staff members. Hemet and Leah were at the second table, and had called out to the new male students, inviting them to sit with them.
Lightshield gave Gregory a smile. “How was the bath?”
“Different,” Gregory replied. “Not used to so many people that we have to go in stages.”
“How did you find our new members?”
“Happy, but,” he hesitated, “they’re worried for the clan.”
“As they should be,” Lightshield replied. “I have made all the arrangements, though. The clan will have a strong leader, and the academy will have the strongest leader I could get.”
“Sir,” Gregory asked softly, “can I help?”
“Look around you. You already have, Gregory. All of these people are here because you agreed to my offer.”
Before Gregory could try to argue, the rest of the clan came into the room. Dia led them in with a broad smile on her lips. Yukiko and Jenn were right behind her, followed by his friends. Behind them, Roshana and Mindie were smiling just as broadly. A step behind them were Gabrielle Mavic, the apprentice who was in the Han clan tactics subgroup, and Frederica Ferentini, the novice who had lost to Nessa.
Gregory wasn’t surprised at Mavic, who’d expressed interest and played against Roshana for the chance to join his subgroup. The surprise was Frederica, the physical enhancement novice that Nessa had come close to crippling by forcing air into her lungs.
Dia directed everyone to open seats, leaving the normal group at the main table, but with Roshana and Mindie joining them. Dia led Mavic over to where Leah was sitting while Bishop— who’d been the last into the room— ushered Frederica to sit next to Gin.
With everyone seated, the cooks brought the food to the tab
les. The display of food was what they normally had for an important dinner— the basics of every meal were there, but a few more side dishes accompanied the meal.
Lightshield spoke up as the cooks finished serving and took their seats, “Tonight is a welcome and a farewell. Five of our apprentices will be leaving tomorrow. They have a tournament with Buldoun and will be traveling for weeks to reach the site. Say your farewells to them and wish them well in their fights. This is also a welcoming for new members into the clan. Eight new students have joined us, though some of you will also be leaving shortly. I have done all I can to prepare for the new apprentices and our new adept. As for our novices, we will support you in the upcoming tournament. I will be traveling with our other group to Buldoun, but Magus Bishop and Magus Dia will be here to help guide your growth.”
Lightshield had to pause and take a drink. His voice was not as strong as it had been a year before. That pause caused a few glances and murmurs.
“I won’t bore you more with this delicious food before us,” Lightshield went on after setting his glass down. “To our new members, I will be speaking with you after we eat, so please stay here. To our older members,” he looked at the group at the table with him, “enjoy this last night. You will see each other again, Aether willing, but farewells can be emotional.” He looked back at the room in general. “Let us eat and give thanks to the cooks who gave us this wonderful food.”
The meal was filled with muted conversations and the sounds of people enjoying themselves. The cooks thanked whoever complimented the food, proud of what they’d done. The new clan members were a little unsure, but as the meal went on, they felt the friendliness around them, and that eased them into enjoying things more.
Gregory talked with his friends, glad that Roshana and Mindie were being roped into the conversation like old friends. Roshana wasn’t a shock, considering they’d bathed with her, but the way his wives and friends engaged Mindie made him smile. Mindie caught him looking and blushed lightly, but gave him a smile back.
Chapter Fifty-two
When the meal ended, Gregory gave Mindie and Roshana a smile as he went to leave. Yukiko bent over to whisper to Mindie, and Jenn did the same to Roshana. He hesitated, but his wives quickly caught up to the rest of them.
As they climbed the stairs, Gregory asked them about the exchange. “Whispers?”
“Inviting them to join in the conversation tonight,” Yukiko said. “I didn’t want to invite all the newcomers.”
“We’ll be welcoming them tomorrow,” Nessa said. “But tonight is to see you all for the last time.” She said the words smoothly, but she was clearly sad.
“I know why Roshana,” Clover said, “but Mindie?”
Daciana giggled, giving Clover a wolf smile. “She’s interested in some of us.” She tapped her nose knowingly.
“Really?” Ling asked thoughtfully. “Hmm...”
“She’s friendly and comfortable,” Jenn said. “She just always feels right when she’s there to assist us.”
The others fell silent as they went to the suite, clearly considering what Jenn had said. It didn’t take them long to reach the room. Yukiko left the door cracked open so the others could find them easily. They settled at the table, but a pall of gloominess was over the group.
Clover tried to lighten the mood. “You going to win this tournament, Vicky?”
Victoria blinked as she looked at Clover. “Oh, yes. I plan to beat them both black and blue.”
“No. I’ll win this time,” Daciana said with a sniff. “I have tricks.”
“And yet you still lost to me once already,” Nessa said, a small smile touching her lips. “Maybe a repeat? Even Greg didn’t manage that.”
“He didn’t,” Jenn agreed. “I had to pummel him into submission, though.”
“Yeah, that looked brutal,” Daciana said. “I worried you two would have problems after that.”
“And then he married her,” Victoria giggled. “Maybe we need to beat him up.”
“I’d rather you all help me protect him,” Yukiko giggled. “Greg knows your strengths.”
“I’d rather not get beaten like that again, anyway,” Gregory admitted. “Besides,” he said slowly, “I’m not going to say no to any of you.”
“Us, or Roshana?” Ling asked.
“And perhaps Mindie,” Yukiko added. “You will all have to show me your dedication and find your resonance. That way, you know that you are absolutely sure that he’s your heart, like he is ours.”
“He’s already mine,” Victoria said softly. “I knew he was when I cared for him at the inn. His aether touched my hand and I knew.”
“My first scent of him told me,” Daciana said, looking away from Gregory in embarrassment.
“We’ll do as you say, Yuki,” Nessa said, looking at her lovers. “We understand that you’re his first wife and that we have to prove ourselves.”
“Yes,” Victoria and Daciana said together.
“As do we,” Ling said, Clover nodding along.
Yukiko’s head turned and she motioned to the others. “In here!” she called out.
A moment later, Roshana peered inside, then opened the door for her and Mindie. “Is this okay?”
“We invited you,” Jenn said. “Of course, it’s okay.”
Mindie followed Roshana inside, but she felt the eyes watching her and her cheeks began to burn. Everyone shifted so the pair could sit, putting Roshana next to Jenn and Mindie next to Yukiko.
“Thank you for inviting me to your room,” Mindie said.
“You’re a friend, as everyone here is,” Yukiko replied gently. “Very much like everyone here. Sadly, you’re a bit behind the others in some regards.”
“Oh?” Mindie asked.
“We had a birthday party not long ago,” Jenn said, “where we all got to know each other better. Roshana was there with us.”
“Oh,” Mindie said, clearly feeling like an outsider.
“Have you told them?” Daciana asked Mindie without preamble.
Mindie gave her a puzzled look. “Told them?”
Daciana gave her a smile, then looked at Yukiko.
Yukiko shook her head at Daciana’s brashness, but cleared her throat. “Mindie, everyone here has felt a connection to Greg. You were once shocked that we both loved and married him.”
Mindie nodded slowly, then looked at Daciana with widening eyes. “Wait... all of you?”
“We have interest in doing so,” Ling said, clearly unsure about saying what she was.
“We’ve agreed that they can have a chance,” Jenn said. “There are steps for them to complete before we say yes or no. It’s been hinted that you might harbor such feelings.”
Mindie was already looking at Daciana when she blushed. “I…! That is… uh…”
“She is,” Daciana said. “I can smell it.”
Mindie’s face went crimson and she covered her hands. “Wait! But, I... no, that isn’t…”
Yukiko touched her arm softly. “Mindie, we aren’t here to ridicule you or tell you it’s wrong. There’s nothing wrong with being interested in our heart. If you’re earnest and true, then you might have a piece of his love, as well.”
“I hope to, myself,” Roshana said softly. “You’ve known them longer than I have, but even I hope for that.”
“We’re leaving tomorrow,” Jenn said. “It’ll be years before some of, if not all, of you will be given that chance, but we need to know who is interested. All of them have admitted their feelings for Greg to us.”
Mindie’s face was bright red. She looked through her fingers at the others who were nodding. “And you’re all okay with this? Greg?”
Gregory started to blush as he cleared his throat, “Uh… do you know about resonance, Mindie?”
Mindie lowered her hands, her cheeks cooling little by little. “I’ve been trying to find it for months. How do you know about it?”
“We’ve found ours,” Yukiko said. She pulled her medallio
n out, showing their tier and rank to her.
Mindie stared at it with wide eyes, then fished out her own medallion, which was only on the seventh rank of the initiate tier. “How?”
“We train more than one path at a time,” Jenn replied. “We’ll teach… oh... we might not have the time to.”
Mindie shook her head. “I’m going with you to the tournament. Elder Lightshield told me that’s what I’ll do to finish my adept year. After that, I’ll be assisting the clan with matters outside the academy. I think it means I’ll be helping you three with your initiate year.”
Aether's Apprentices Page 42
