“You can pick out the girl you think he would be best with,” Grace said.
“You don’t have that kind of influence,” Poppy said.
“I know that noble mages hate me,” Grace replied. “I admit that I am a bit jealous of you all. That is the reason I have strived to become better at everything else that I could. It is not happenstance that I am in perfect shape and knowledgeable on many different subjects, I could be a healer if I wanted to for example. The mountain girl has the Duchess Golad to help her out but none of the others are sponsored by some landed noble. They respect me, at least they respect my family, money and influence. If I wanted any of the girls here to lean a certain way, then they would. I am like the Big Tobin of the normal girls here.”
“What do you mean by normal?” Poppy said.
“You say mundane and we say normal,” Grace replied. “Do not get caught up in the words. You could be my second while I am here.”
“You want me to be in your shadow?” Poppy said sarcastically.
“You have parents that do not have the gifts you do,” Grace replied. “Am I really a friend you can turn down? Just look at yourself, how are things going for you so far?”
“Good point,” Poppy replied. “Now close your eyes.”
“This is wonderful,” Grace said as the power washed over her. “I have already studied mage craft, at least the basics. I think this should stay between us right now, the mountain girl won’t say anything.”
“You don’t run me,” Wendy said.
“Of course I do, you just don’t realize it yet,” Grace replied. “Pick out your top five of the boys here and I will deliver one of them to you.”
“I don’t think I have ever seen anyone this full of themselves outside of Xalen himself,” Jonathan said.
“Hey Jon,” Poppy warned. “Careful now, I can’t have you bad talking my babe.”
“It is true commoner,” Grace replied. “I can have you anytime I want you. There are just too many others here above your level that I do not wish to put off. You have raised your profile since I have been here but not beyond that of a few. I only came over for a bit of fun with you while I am exploring my options. I didn’t expect the mountain girl to be here but I refused to be cowed by another woman.”
“I see,” Jonathan said as he stood up. “You all obviously have things you need to talk about so I will leave you to it.”
“I heard about Tobin,” Grace said. “And the fight you had between you two.”
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” Jonathan replied.
“The bloody robe in my room says otherwise,” Grace replied. “I have money and people want to do things for me.”
“Bloody robe?” Poppy asked.
“Tobin broke his nose,” Grace replied.
“You lost to Tobin?” Poppy said surprised.
“Not quite,” Grace replied. “Tobin was beaten down to the point he decided to leave the Queen’s Champion alone. The fight with Charles Fitzwilliam was supposed to be Tobin’s revenge.”
“By fighting the first year initiate that Jon embarrassed?” Poppy asked.
“They have become closer,” Grace replied. “He gets secretly gets extra training. I assume since Tobin was beaten that their bond has strengthened.”
Jonathan left the women talking and went to his office, whatever their machinations were did not concern him. They were right when they said Charles had come around, his initiate had become popular amongst the nobles. Charles had began asking him about other ways of fighting. Jonathan thought once Charles has seen Davin beaten that Charles’s head would swell. Jonathan had to admit he was a bit happy Davin lost, Davin had not used any of Jonathan’s advice and he would point that out to the class. But who went into his room and stole the robe?
CHAPTER 11
Two Months Later
Jonathan looked over the papers that the Tower Mage had given him and frowned. The Donalians were a tougher foe than Jonathan had thought. They were heavily armored and prepared for basic mage attacks. Spells like mage bolt wouldn’t do much. Mages had to rely on fire and other spells that would ignore heavy armor, even then the big shields the enemy carried would deflect a lot of it. A dedicated force of mundane troops would be needed to turn them around if they decided to fight. The barbarians were a different matter entirely.
The barbarians had poor weapons compared to the Donalians and even compared to the Kirbians. They were not united and were a bunch of loose tribes. They were no match for a force on force battle with anyone, unfortunately that was not how they fought. The barbarians lived in the grasslands and were excellent at hiding. Most of their attacks were considered cowardly, they only attacked when others were sleeping or caught unaware. They had lost a huge number of men but had also inflicted significant damage on the Donalians. Both parties had skirmishes with the Kirbians and Jonathan was sure the outcome wasn’t favorable to his side or he wouldn’t be reading about it.
Jonathan thought his class along with any other non-essential class should be eliminated for now. If called, the initiates would not be facing other mages in battle but tough men willing to fight and die. Jonathan didn’t think many of them were up to the task either, Tobin had proved that point by beating up mages using nothing but his hands. The Donalians would counter almost everything thrown at them and the barbarians would overwhelm his students. They would need instruction on fighting alongside of mundanes and how to stay out of trouble.
Jonathan folded his papers and stood up, looking at them made his eyes hurt. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about seeing Wilson or Morningstar anytime soon. They had only stayed two weeks the first and only time they were around and almost recruited Mage Tabitha, one of the instructors. Jonathan thought Wilson and Morningstar planned on being in Vashing for the midterms, this way at least they would not. Prince Xalen would probably be somewhere around, he was still betrothed to Poppy. Russell would also be there, his mother was sponsoring Wendy who had transformed into someone else entirely.
Grace Story was everything she said she would be. She had her own little clique that were on top of the mundane food chain. Grace and Poppy seemed to be pretty close, Jonathan had rarely seen them apart once they cliqued up. Poppy was feeding Grace her magic and introducing her to initiates and instructors in the Tower. In return, Grace had showed Poppy several things she would need to learn if she were going to be around powerful nobles. Poppy had learned how to dance, speak on a number of subjects and how a lady should behave herself. Jonathan thought the biggest reason Poppy hung around was that she was able to see Red and had secretly but not so secretly began fixing him up with Frisha Yetts, a shy brown haired girl from the northern part of the kingdom.
Jonathan thought Frisha was plain looking despite coming from significant money. She blushed almost any time she talked so someone of the opposite sex and was soft spoken. It was obvious that she found some of the mages attractive based on the way Jonathan had heard she talked when no boys were around. Poppy had told her all of Red’s favorite things that she remembered from their time together and even though Red knew a set up when he saw one, he was skewered. Frisha had personally made him a dish called a pot pie, basically soup wrapped up in pie crust that he loved. Red had began gravitating towards Frisha which made things interesting.
To Jonathan it was obvious that Poppy was a bit jealous despite having a Prince. Red talked to Poppy more but gone was the longing or admiring looks, they were replaced by the same eyes Red would give Jonathan or anyone else he considered a friend. Jonathan noticed Poppy had stopped talking to Frisha all that often which made things funny to him. Grace and Poppy had a rivalry going on with Cara which made things that much more complicated.
Cara had no shortage of suitors once it was well known that she was being courted by Jonathan. All kinds of gifts, flowers and other things had been delivered to Cara from a variety of people. Jonathan knew Cara had been on four dates, she didn’t bother to keep it a secret and tol
d him everything. To the outside world she was with Jonathan but was able to be wooed away. In reality she wasn’t with Jonathan and enjoyed the extra attention. The problem Cara had was that Grace and Poppy were both trying to place him with Wendy, at least that is what Jonathan thought.
Somedays Grace would push Wendy on him and coax the mountain girl to make a move. Jonathan had kissed her once and would be lying if he said he did not enjoy it. Other days Grace would secretly flirt with him and he had kissed her as well. Grace always acted like commoners were beneath her in front of everyone, but Jonathan knew she was interested. Cara hated the entire thing and demanded that he stop. Jonathan regretted telling her that he would only stop if she stopped having various dates. Cara didn’t agree to it, but Jonathan was sure she thought about it. Jonathan wasn’t sure what he would have done if she agreed. Jonathan got up out of his chair and was about to leave his office when Tobin walked in.
Tobin had become passable at reading, he had been practicing magic unofficially with the rest of the initiates who were no longer scared of him. Julian had studied hard to learn how to read and took every lesson Red gave him about magic seriously. The other commoner initiates also tried but not to the level of Julian. Griffin had come into his own as a natural leader, where Julian didn’t want to start trouble with Tobin, Griffin didn’t care. As soon as he learned an offensive spell he blasted Tobin with it. Tobin hated the afterhours class Red held and tried to take control of it, Red had put him down and rather than go along with everyone Tobin decided not to join in. Griffin was happy that he didn’t and gathered the others to form an unofficial gang. They had blasted Tobin and stuck together, Jonathan knew despite his bravado that Tobin didn’t want to try them even after he learned magic from his regular magic instructor.
“Take a seat,” Jonathan said as he sat back down. Jonathan had not had any problems with Tobin after Charles had put him down.
“This thing coming up in Vashing,” Tobin began.
“Same thing the nobles took on their first day,” Jonathan replied. “Nothing too spectacular.”
“Little Red told me to get with you about it,” Tobin replied.
“Your attitude will get you hurt there,” Jonathan began. “People like Russell Golad will be there, he would beat the bollocks off you with magic and hand to hand. With the royal family around your attitude will get you challenged to a duel to the death.”
“I heard you have been in one,” Tobin said.
“You would die Tobin,” Jonathan said. “They would not let up on you and I doubt at this point that anyone is dumb enough to get close to you.”
“I don’t feel pain like normal people,” Tobin said. “I never have.”
“Doesn’t matter if you are dead,” Jonathan replied.
“I am the reason none of the nobles have attacked anyone in those night fights,” Tobin said. “You and your little gang think you have me beat.”
“Me and what gang?” Jonathan said surprised.
“I know all about you,” Tobin said. “You are not different from me. I know you have kissed a few of those rich birds next door and you are doing more than that to that Cara girl. You using this place to set you up fat. You got little Red and he is getting those farm boys in line. He has one group and you have your little henchman Charlie running around putting everyone else down. He is scared to face me like a real man, I caught him alone once.”
“You did?” Jonathan said surprised.
“He ran like a little girl,” Tobin replied. “I gave him two to the stomach since he was scared of getting his pretty face hit. He blasted me with that mage bolt shit and ran when I was down. Your boy ain’t too brave if I catch him in the hallway or someplace else. I caught him in the outhouse, he knows he cannot take me.”
“What is this about Tobin?” Jonathan asked. “I thought you wanted help with Vashing.”
“I know I can’t take you,” Tobin replied. “Not without killing you. Killing you would get me killed. My best shot you can take and you would get back up if you let me hit you at all. I do want you at Vashing, when I fought Davin I could tell he was a bit stronger than the rest and his little girlfriend Rebecca is stronger. With all of your power though I hit you somewhere you can’t get back from.”
“Do I even want to know what the pit you are talking about?” Jonathan asked.
“I had a go with your little girlfriend,” Tobin said as he smiled brightly. “Didn’t even have to force her.”
“I have heard enough of your lies,” Jonathan said.
“Oh, I am not stupid enough to stick it in,” Tobin smiled. “I know it would be over for me if I did. But I have gotten to see what it looks like under that robe, I have even tasted all of it too. Something you up tight lads are too stuffy to try.”
“You did what?” Jonathan said unsure if he heard correctly.
“You heard me,” Tobin said and smiled even broader.
“And you are proud of yourself,” Jonathan said shaking his head.
“You don’t believe me?” Tobin asked.
“Does it matter?” Jonathan asked. “Have you been bragging?”
“Why would I keep it a secret?” Tobin asked. “Women want a rough lad like me, not a prissy thing like you?”
“Prissy?” Jonathan asked.
“Maybe not you but the rest of them,” Tobin said. “I have their women creamin on themselves thinking about me. Your woman creamed on herself and no matter what she says I bet she will come running back to me.”
“Well good on you,” Jonathan said shaking his head. “You know that we are not really together don’t you?”
“Oh yes you are,” Tobin laughed.
“I was tired of all these nobles getting into my business,” Jonathan said. “Cara was tired of people in her business as well so we came to an arrangement.”
“You are full of it,” Tobin said. “I saw her coming from your room.”
“Good luck to you,” Jonathan replied. “In Vashing I knew I was going to be on everyone’s mind. Now that you have been bragging, it is going to get out and they are going to be looking for you.”
“Y-you’re not mad,” Tobin said and furrowed his brow.
“Have you been listening to me idiot?” Jonathan asked. “The girl does not belong to me. Why do you think she takes dates out in Magus Mazuli? Do you think I am stupid and don’t know about it or do you think I am so much in love I try to look past it? Either way, good luck with your girl. Enough nobles have written me hate letters telling me to leave her alone. Others were just happy I found a noble girl and want to talk about opportunities but that is because of who I am. You are going to head on down to Vashing and get the pit beat out of you because you don’t know when to shut up.”
“Liar!” Tobin said and smiled. “You had me going for a bit.”
“Mage Jonathan,” Jonathan heard Charles say as he peeked into Jonathan’s office.
“Come on in,” Jonathan said as he saw Charles was uneasy around Tobin.
“Here is your little henchman now,” Tobin said with a broad smile. “Relax little Charlie, I am not beating up your master.”
“If you want to go outside and have a session,” Jonathan said and let the sentence hang.
“Why, so you can run away instead of finishing things like little Charlie?” Tobin asked.
“I don’t run,” Jonathan replied. “I am sure you know that. Dogs should not act tough when faced with a wolf.”
“I’ll pass,” Tobin said and stood up. “Maybe I will go ask Cara to keep me warm. I know you have it for that big blonde girl as well. Maybe I will see her afterwards.”
Jonathan watched Tobin shoulder Charles as he walked out the door. The smaller mage crashed into the door and looked like he wanted to do something but declined. Jonathan at that moment wished he could have been Charles, even with the little magic Tobin now had, Jonathan would wipe the floor with him. Charles composed himself and walked into Jonathan’s office and took a seat.
&nbs
p; “Mage Jonathan,” Charles began. “I am guessing you know about Tobin and Cara.”
“He came in here to brag about it,” Jonathan replied.
“Do you believe him?” Charles asked.
“People like Tobin see no reason to lie,” Jonathan replied. “I may not know the whole story, but I know some of what he said is true.”
“You are taking this well,” Charles replied. “It is all over the Tower.”
“Let it be,” Jonathan said. “I have nothing to prove to anyone. How are you doing with Davin?”
“He is not taking our fight well,” Charles said. “I cancelled his magic and ran up on him to give him my strongest spell.”
“I was there for the fight,” Jonathan said. “Rebecca has been telling him things and I think she has her eye on him.”
“She does,” Charles replied. “She flirts a little with me, but I think that is because the mundane girls you introduced me to seem to like me. All except for one that is.”
“Ignore Grace Story,” Jonathan replied. “You ready to go spar again?”
“Not right now,” Charles said. “I know we have been going at it every night but I think I have reached my potential. If the commoners hadn’t come in, I would still be in the bottom three in my class.”
“Doesn’t matter,” Jonathan replied. “You have a unique gift that would be put to good use as a mage fighter. You can sense when someone is tapping into their energy and shut them down before they could cast one spell. I am the fastest mage I know of, maybe the Golads could give me a run for my money but I think you would stop them as well.”
“I cannot hold anyone for long,” Charles said.
“Which is why you need to learn the mundane way of fighting,” Jonathan said. “If you had a sword or dagger it would take out a mage in a robe if that mage had no magic they could access. Are your parents going to be there?”
“Yes,” Charles said dejectedly. “And they will be disappointed.”
The Archmage Page 12
