See Acting
Savant Deibra deliver a message to
the young wizard before breakfast is over. See the foundling wizard wave a hand
immediately, disappearing from her bedroom and reappearing in the stables,
brushed and bound, and staring at the sky. See two guards run from the tower,
and three horses appear in the stable yard, saddled and brushed. See the guards
and the wizard mount and ride to the front gate, where a herald awaits. See
them all gallop down the trail that leads to the portal that leads to the
palace in Tara.
Unfortunately, this sort of summons was so common,
even the horses were used to being magicked into place.
To her surprise, when the foundling wizard arrived
at Tara, she was directed away from the private audience chamber. Instead, the Herald led her into a Truth Chamber and thoroughly
interrogated her about the events of the day before. Since most of her attention
had been focused on herself and the strangeness of her first All Fools’ Day as
a wizard, she probably did not add much to the historical description. The
foundling did her best to keep her mental turmoil out of the discussion, but,
it being a Truth Chamber, the operating Herald
most likely understood the subtext.
After that, the young wizard was led to lunch,
where she discovered the other wizards had also been summoned to Tara. Being a
teenager, the youngest wizard had rarely reached out for assistance, thus the
faces in R’Majesty’s dining room were unfamiliar to her. For a breath, her
vision hazed, as if her power was trying to help by bringing back the mist of
the WorldView. She blinked hastily and turned her eyes to the table.
“The reluctant wizard,” said a familiar nasty
voice.
The young wizard scowled defiantly and looked up,
willing the fog to clear. The voice belonged to an attractive young man dressed
in boring gray and black. He had extremely black hair and thin black eyebrows,
which he used as points for the ends of his cutting remarks.
A tall woman with red hair and a dark blue dress nodded
her head in greeting; and the older woman sitting next to R’Majesty’s chair
said, in the sweetest voice, “My dear, how nice to see you in the flesh. How do
you feel after your first All Fools’ Day?”
The young wizard did not feel any different than
she had before All Fools’, except for a nagging guilt about the Skald. The marvelous complacency she had
felt in the WorldView was gone; and her anger and fear and dismay seemed not
one wit lessened by her chance to stand back and view the situation
dispassionately. In fact, she was rather resentful of being forced to step back
into her hectic life.
However, one did not rant to elderly wizards. So
she made some embarrassed mumble about the kindness of strangers and took the empty
seat.
R’Majesty entered and the assembly rose.
The Danu
nodded regally (how else?) and sat in her ornate chair. “I apologize, Cousins,
for pulling you from your day of rest, but there were some strange occurrences
yesterday and we need to investigate them sooner rather than later.”
The wizards mumbled, separately, that it was no
inconvenience at all.
“So, please tell me what happened yesterday.” R’Majesty
looked at the young wizard.
The youngest wizard was used to speaking to
R’Majesty about the mistakes she’d made; this was the least awkward part of the
day so far. She straightened her back
and said, “Skald Sunny a’Tara
disappeared, M’Majesty. I fear she was trapped back in time.”
Amazingly, R’Majesty smiled. “Good for you,” she
said softly. “But do not worry. Skald
Sunny is in fine health; you will see her soon.”
R’Majesty turned to the wizard with the nasty
voice. “Your view, NeachDare Denis?”
NeachDare
Denis d’Highland Corgi sat up straight and said, without a wiggle of an
eyebrow, “A large amount of malice was gathered and held ‘til the end of the
day. It either was transported or was used to transport. The object of the
spell is unknown. We, the Wizards’ Watch of 2514, followed the trail of malice
to Shadowed Rooster, most likely one year in the past. We were then shoved back
into the present by our past selves.”
R’Majesty nodded. “First, let us confirm the time was
indeed a year ago. Herald-Adept Aniche.”
A female in blue livery stepped next to
R’Majesty’s chair. “Meeting regarding All Fools’ Day of the thirteenth year of
Elizabeth the 25th. Summation of
pertinent discussion and Truth Chamber interviews.
“Close to dawn, a flare of malice directed
the WorldView to the Shadowed Rooster Tower breaths before a time portal
opened, emanating a strangely familiar power. Instinctively, the Wizards’ Watch blocked the probing mind or minds, and forced
the portal to close or otherwise return to its point of origin.” Herald-Adept Aniche a’Tara stepped back from the table.
“That does sound like the same portal,” R’Majesty
remarked. “Do we know, now, whether it was closed or twisted back?”
“Closed, M’Majesty,” said the wizard in blue. “We
did not return so much as we were cut off.”
R’Majesty nodded. “Thank you, NeachDare Gwenlyedyr. And were we able to tell, from this side, the
purpose of the portal back in time?”
“No, M’Majesty. We can only confirm that it did
not originate in the WorldView.”
The older wizard next to R’Majesty said, “The
spell came from Shadowed Rooster. Why else would we be drawn there?”
R’Majesty gazed around the table but no one else
had anything to offer. “Herald-Adept Aniche, please continue with the
summation.”
The Herald-Adept
stepped forward again. “Approximately three quarters through the quiet period, NeachDare Destin d’Shadowed Rooster left
the WorldView for his break, and was not seen nor heard from again. Investigation
by various clan officials, selected by lot, showed there had been no
discernable breach in the tower’s defenses, and the NeachDare himself was not found, alive or dead. The NeachDare’s clothes were draped
carefully over the viewing stool.
“Shadowed Rooster was questioned, town and tower. The
only likely suspect to emerge was Te Marla
d’Devenney a’Morrigu, then secretary of Shadowed Rooster. Te Marla became heir to Devenney very suddenly, through a
misfortune involving both her older sisters and five other cousins. Te Marla left early in the morning of
All Fools’ Day, 2513, assisted by Tara, as her immediate presence was required
at Devenney. Her actions were investigated by two separate groups of officials
-- one selected by lot, one appointed by Matrigh
Ronette Lorcain. In the deaths of her sisters, and in the disappearance of NeachDare Destin d’Shadowed Rooster, Te Marla d’Devenney a’Morrigu was deemed
inculpable.
“The other possible suspect, the current Acting NeachDare d’Shadowed Rooster, was also investigated and cleared
through Tara.”
R’Majesty nodded her thanks and turned to the
wizard beside her. “Given that Destin of Memory was in the WorldView and his
tower sealed; given that Marla, now Mathan
d’Devenney a’Morrigu, was cleared through Tara, and given that the current Acting NeachDare d’Shadowed Rooster was powerless at the time and, again,
cleared through Tara, is there anyone specific you would accuse, NeachDare Marchah?”
The older woman shrugged. “A trainee, M’Majesty. Or
a child.”
“Destin of Memory did not have any children. This
has been confirmed through the WorldView. Neither did Destin of Memory have any
trainees, a fact you should all consider.” The Danu stared at the wizards, and they stared blankly back. “The
power will pass, as we can see.” Still seeing incomprehension, her voice rose. “The
power of Shadowed Rooster did not go to other wizards or fade back into the
land; it passed to someone who had not even thought about apprenticing to a
wizard. Surely, I requested you all consider this, last year?”
The wizards mumbled and hung their heads.
R’Majesty, obviously trying to drive home a point,
looked at Herald-Adept Aniche who said, “Meeting regarding All Fools’ Day of the
thirteenth year of Elizabeth the 25th. Direct quote. ‘We have another problem,
Cousins. Shadowed Rooster’s power passed to an unprepared and untrained thirteen-year-old.
Does anyone know why it passed to her and not to another wizard? To an adult? To
me? I also need you to consider, Cousins, if this could happen to your tower at
your death. We obviously need to ensure better forms of succession.’ End
quote.”
R’Majesty let the silence hang for a breath. Then
she said, ever so softly, “I will ask this question, then, Cousins. Have you
figured out how this time portal was possible?”
She looked at each of them, one at a time, and
they all mumbled, “No, M’Majesty,” like truant children.
“Did I not tell you to investigate that portion of
the matter and to find a way to prevent it?”
“Yes, M’Majesty, you did tell us.” NeachDare Gwenlyedyr d’Lioness Rampant
stood tall and faced Danu Elizabeth
directly. “And we fervently agreed, and we went forth and researched and
experimented for approximately one halfmoon, and then it became less important
and other things more.” The wizard’s voice and manner made it clear she was not
offering an excuse, just a reason. “A moon later, the question, even the event,
was forgotten.”
R’Majesty looked again at the wizards, and then
nodded. “I need you to put it on the top of your list. Daily. Once your work is
done, your study and experimentation should revolve around time spells.”
An
eager chorus of assent swept the room.
The Danu
sat back in her chair and looked at the Herald-Adept.
“How did we reach the conclusion that it was a time portal?”
Herald-Adept Aniche closed her eyes, shifted
from foot to foot, and opened her eyes. “Meeting of Helens, regarding All
Fools’ Day, 2513, conclusion. The wave patterns that circled the almost
familiar power were analyzed. After much study and deliberation, it is concluded
the element of time has been distorted. It has yet to be determined if said
time was related to the future, the past, or indeed to any particular when.”
“Thank you.” R’Majesty turned back to her wizards.
“From the point of view of this side of the event, were you able to determine
whether the malice opened the time portal, or was sent through it?”
“We will need to study it, M’Majesty,” said the NeachDare d’Lioness Rampant. “But if the
Helens were
able to determine a time distortion, we should be able to compare spells here
to spells then and see what is left over.”
“Excellent. The next question - though there was
no indication of a magical, for lack of a more general word, force around
Destin’s disappearance - could this portal somehow have contained or
transmitted a spell that could have been the cause?”
“May I, M’Majesty?” asked NeachDare-Adept
Lamaunt d’Cavorting
Wombat, a wizard with green hair and orange robes. R’Majesty nodded and the
wizard rose and strode to the side. The Herald-Adept joined him for discussion before a
scrying fountain appeared in the middle of the otherwise empty floor. On the
fountain was displayed a picture of Shadowed Rooster at sunrise.
His movements exaggerated so everyone could see he
was doing nothing else to adjust the view, NeachDare-Adept Lamaunt spread a specific area
until it showed a warped swirl of lights and color. Underneath was a bar graph.
“These are the components of the spell, just before the attention of the Watch
was drawn to it. Yes, there is a small spell seeming to ride the wave of the
portal. And according to this, while there is enough power in the spell to
transport something to somewhere, the transported item would have to be the
size of a field mouse.” The picture lurched forward, touch by touch, showing
the slow jerky movements of the spell. It solidified and crawled its way to the
tower.
“It could have transferred all the tea,” said the Skald. “Marla swears there was enough
tea for five batches, because she expected her assistant to drop two cups in
fright.”
“We will reexamine the picture,” said the Herald-Adept, back by R’Majesty’s side. “But we saw nothing and no-one
enter or leave the castle except for Te
Marla.”
The wizards looked at R’Majesty. She looked back
at them. “We will reconsider all the evidence. I will put fresh eyes upon it. You
will analyze all the spells and powers involved and give me information. You
will also see if you can duplicate what happened yesterday, without the malice.
Are there any questions?”
There was a general head shaking.
“Very well. NeachDare-Adept Lamaunt, thank you for the visual.
Herald-Adept Aniche, please call for lunch. Cousins. Did anything else
interesting happen yesterday?”
As lunch was served and eaten, the wizards
discussed the effects of their interference the day before. R’Majesty made
occasional comments but kept herself to mild facial expressions. The young
wizard applied herself to her plate and waited for the meal to be over.
When the last plate was scraped, and the talk had
died away, Heralds appeared by each
chair. R’Majesty nodded regally and everyone stood, bowed or curtsied, and
followed a Herald away from the
table. The young wizard stood also, and curtsied, but the Herald by her side did not move. She looked back at R’Majesty in
confusion.
“Please, be seated again. We have more to talk
about.”
Reluctantly, the foundling wizard settled in to
her seat. She’d hoped to escape this more familiar discussion.
“My Skald
says you gave away your power yesterday,” said R’Majesty.
The young wizard consulted some inner muscles just
to make sure. “No, M’Majesty. It’s still right here with me.”
The Danu
smiled. “You gave permission for others to have your power.”
The young wizard tried to recall the hectic events
of the day before, but, like the feeling of peace, specific breaths eluded her.
“It’s highly possible, M’Majesty. I do not want this power.”
“Yes. I had been told that also.” The Danu sighed and closed her eyes. “Cousin, I understand it is a very difficult
thing to control, especially as you had no desire to be a wizard. But I need
that power to be with you. In you. Of you. Right now, there is no one else to
whom we can give it. The balance is very carefully maintained, and it must
remain so.”
R’Majesty opened
her eyes and gazed at the young wizard thoughtfully. “I do not wish to alarm
you any more than you already are, but all of the evidence points to an attack
on Shadowed Rooster. Possibly on you, now that you have the power. I would
advise you to take more precautions with your shields, both personally and on
your property. Examine those things you love, and guard them close but
stealthily. If the enemy does not know your weak spots, putting a big shield
around them will be like lighting fireworks.”
“Yes, M’Majesty,” the foundling muttered. The
biggest weak spot she knew of in her tower was herself.
“I also recommend finding a trainee or two, if you
can find two you are willing to spend some considerable amount of time and
power with. This way you are not alone in attempting to control the power.”
And someone would be in place should something happen.
R’Majesty smiled wryly, as if she had heard the
thought, and continued. “It’s been a year, now, and you’ve learned all you can
from Skald Sunny, but I am going to
ask you to keep her at Shadowed Rooster.
She is bright and witty, as most poets are, and you will need an advisor, even
if that advice is to come to me with your question. My power is mystical,
instead of magical, but I know much about wielding it.
“And now that a year has passed, the leash will
loosen slightly. I won’t be summoning you every halfmoon to question your judgment.
But you are the first untrained wizard we’ve had in the known history of the
Family, and I don’t want anything to happen to you. If you ever need a change
of scene, feel free to drop by. You are my ward, in case they did not tell you,
and I will be as available as possible to you.
“Please, continue learning what you can; start a
search for trainees; and you should, I think, make special securities for your
tower. Somehow, someway, the tower was magically affected on All Fools’ 2513,
and we do not want that to happen again.”
The young wizard bowed her head and mumbled again.
R’Majesty smiled. “I shall leave you to it. You get the rest of today off and most of tomorrow. By rights, you should not have had to do anything today, but a dearth of answers regarding time spells made me impatient – I had hoped for more information, of any kind. Though I suppose that is what I received after a fashion.”
R’Majesty stood and the young wizard stood; the wizard curtsied, and the Danu swept out of the room. The young wizard sighed and turned to the Skald…
…and realized, for the first time, that it was the Skald. Her Skald. Skald Sunny.
Luckily, at fourteen, one is forgiven many things, including enthusiastic hugs forced upon a mere acquaintance whom one didn’t really like that much. Or hadn’t really liked that much. Until, well, until she had.
The hug was returned, and the Skald smiled. “I’m hard to get rid of, Honored,” she said cheekily.
The young relieved wizard grinned back at her.
“But,” said the Skald, “Let’s not talk about this yet. Let me show you around my side of town. R’Majesty has loosened the leash; and for this one day, no one expects anything of you. You shouldn’t be able to use power for more than putting candles out, anyway. So, come with me.”
The young wizard had not noticed a depletion of power, but she was quite content to delay returning to the tower. Almost happily, she followed Skald Sunny out of the palace.
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