025 - New Patterns And Old Ones

As they moved through the palace, the escort guards fell off until there was just one guardswoman left holding her leash, as they walked. The woman in green led the way from the throne room in to the heart of the complex. As they walked, Roxanne noticed the back of her green dress was cut to the waist as the front was. The guards and other passers-by all paid deference to the woman as she went. Roxanne just did the best she could to look dignified, as she followed wearing only a slave collar, with a comparatively large female guard holding her leash. To her relief, most of the people were too involved in their own activities to gawk.

They ascended several levels up a well with stairs around the perimeter. Columns of several sizes stood at regular intervals, demarking squares of area. They passed into a guarded area and up to a large set of closed doors on the right side of a hall, between columns. The door guards opened the right hand door and the woman in the green dress stepped in, leaving the door open for Roxanne and her escort to follow.

This hall was taller than the one they left, having windows above the ceiling line of the previous hallway letting in sunlight. Roxanne thought how the house Steven and she lived in would fit in this space with room to spare. The columns and squares motif and design continued here. The woman in green was already heading down this hall. More double doors lined the hall on either side between columns at regular intervals. Torch and candleholders were interspersed among the banners hung against the walls. With the light coming in the high windows the torches were not lit.

The woman pointed at the first set of doors on the left as they came in. “These rooms on the left are yours, for now. The ones on the right are mine. You don’t go in there without an invitation. You will find a wash room beyond the bedchamber. Keep them clean. We will furnish them later.”

The woman moved swiftly to the end of the hall. The stone floor in this hall was cold to stand on, but tolerable. Rox realized that the floors she had been walking on to this point had been comfortably warm. However it was her lack of modest attire that most bothered Rox, but she was in no position to say anything. They came to the end of the hall, and the woman opened a pair of double doors. After grabbing the single lit torch in the hall she went in the room. The guard and Roxanne followed.

 “Just wait by the door. The room needs to warm up. And I don’t want you to bump into anything.”

Rox was not sure if this was said to the guard, or her.

The woman made her way around a round room lighting torches in wall sconces, muttering to herself all the way along and opening curtains exposing glass windows. It was just before lunchtime here, the light radiating in, rather than shining directly. The room had an arched ceiling. Roxanne could not quite see more while her eyes adjusted to the light. As the woman came around, she spoke again, to the guard.

“Undo the bindings, and take them away. Then return to your duties.” She put the torch in an empty sconce, and started to poke around the shelves on one side of the room. She then left the room, still muttering.

The guard-woman spoke only as needful as she unlocked and removed the collar. The guard-woman then took the collar and leash and left, closing the doors to the suite as she went through them. Roxanne looked around at the room while waiting, both out of curiosity, and to find something to cover up with.

The room was round, in eight sections, with tables and shelves arrayed around the walls, regularly interspersed with seven large windows, their curtains now secured open. The door filled the place for the eighth window. The floor had several patterns and depressions cut in it, leaving the middle open, about 15 feet across. The tables had all sorts of bottles and jars scattered on them, as did most of the shelves. There was one table and shelf that looked to have direct light on it all day, which was covered with an orderly collection of books and papers. Roxanne began absently poking around the bottles on the closest of the tables when the woman came back in, her arms full of jars.

 “Get out of those. Disturb them wrong, and it could be dangerous.” The woman watched as Rox stopped and turned around.

“Good. The spell I cast to help you comprehend my language is working. From now on until I give leave otherwise, as my ‘slave’ and ‘apprentice’, you will not do anything without my permission. Now, stand here and be silent, unless spoken to.”

Rox moved to where she was bidden slightly upset at being a slave. But she also recognized that she had no power here. She was not forbidden to watch, so she did this with interest.

“You will address me as My Lady, and speak of me as The Sorceress.” The Sorceress said this as she put her armload of stuff on a small table to one side, and arranged it. Then she turned, and gave Rox an appraising look.

“Temperature variations have never meant very much to you, have they?”

Rox was not sure what this had to do with anything, but she had not achieved a second-degree black belt by being unwilling to accept a master. “No, my lady. I could wear a light jacket over my everyday clothes in the dead of winter and be comfortable.”

“Were you told to do anything with your newborn daughter? Words to say? Patterns to trace?”

“My lady, my mother and grandmother both told me the take the newborn; place it in a pentagram with the child’s head between the top two points, and to the north. Then to recite this phrase.” As Rox spoke the phrase, she sensed the power it invoked build in the air around her for a moment.

The Sorceress only nodded, pursing her lips. She considered something for a moment, than spoke again. “Your mother’s and grandmother’s hair silvered early?”

“Yes, my lady. I expect mine will come in in-force before my children are married.”

“I think much sooner than that.”

The Sorceress picked up a large masonry jug of something, and walked to a pattern carved in the stone floor. Then held the jug under one arm. “Come here. Lay on your back in the center of this circle, with your head here, and your body that way.” She pointed where and which direction on the carved floor. “Tell me your full name, then don’t say or do anything to break my concentration.”

The Sorceress then stood and waited as Rox moved onto the image, and lay down.

“Roxanne Clarice Winslow Michaelsdotor.”

The Sorceress then took and started to pour a thin stream of powder from the jug into the shallow circle, most of the way around, muttering as she went. Rox sensed power being organized as she was circled. The sorceress then placed several items at geometric points, and crossed into the circle. She then closed it and Rox felt the power organize, then expand no farther than the circles inner edge. The sorceress placed seven stones on Roxanne’s body, at positions corresponding to points her sensei had called chakra points. The Sorceress then took a flask of salt water, and splashed it on Rox’s belly. The sudden cool of it caused her to flinch slightly. The Sorceress then stepped back, and stood at Rox’s feet, and started a brief chant, which she repeated three times with slight variations. Rox felt more power organize, center on the seven stones and other items in the circle, and form a pattern. Also the water on her became uncomfortably warm. The Sorceress came to a crescendo as the power completely organized, and the water felt as if it were going to consume her whole body with fire, her head and ears especially. The whole time, the stones stayed cool with power swirling around them. Then the stones flared, the water ceased to burn, and the power peaked, and dissipated. When this was all done The Sorceress looked at Rox, with a satisfied look.

“I have just performed a general dispelling of magic on you, then reset the language spell. If you had given me your married name, rather than your birth name with a patronymic end, it would have gone quicker. You may set the stones aside, and go wash. As you do, take a good look at yourself in the looking glass. You will see your true features. Also you will find that your body temperature will raise some, and that you can sense more things than before. When you were an infant, you had a spell placed on you that hid your true features and a few other things about your body. It is the same spell that you placed on your own daughter. I have just removed that spell from you.” The Sorceress then set about cleaning up the things she had put on the floor.

Rox set the stones together, and left the room.

026 - Explanations, Realizations, And Adjustments

Roxanne entered the doors that had been previously pointed out; these opened to a bedroom with a high ceiling and clerestory windows letting in light. The columns and squares continued here. This room was two squares wide extending to her right, and one deep from where she stood. A chandelier hung over the square she stood in. A large fireplace was in the wall opposite the entrance, and just to the right of the center column. A four-post canopy bed sat to her right against the wall. Assorted tables lined the walls, as did a few wall hangings. A set of curtains covered doors opposite the entrance, leading to a dressing room with an attached washing room, each a single square in size. These rooms had a lower ceiling and stained glass windows of no particular design or pattern from nearly the floor to the ceiling. A dressing screen, blocked off the currently empty closet on the left. A dressing table sat to the right with a stool next to it. The inside of the dressing screen had full length mirrors for looking at gowns. Rox looked at herself and did a double take.

She had not changed size at all. Rather there was now a subtle shade of light blue to Rox’s previously pale skin, brighter than when under stadium lights. All her hair was shock white, even her eyebrows. She looked over herself, and at the mirror several times turning this way and that. She also saw that her amber eyes were slightly more almond shaped with a bit of point to the outsides. The front edges of her ears were pointed slightly forward, like a Vulcan, instead of the round she had seen all her life. She also noticed that all the colors seamed to be more saturated, and the room brighter than she expected. Then she saw the slight shimmer around her body.

Somewhat shocked, Rox proceeded into the bath chamber, and puzzled out how to fill the tub. It was the size of an eight-occupant hot tub, a bit larger than the bed in the adjoining room. Try as she might, she could not figure out how to get hot water. But she was grateful for any water at all to wash off the residue. She found some towels and soap, and sat in the tub and washed, taking more time now, than she had earlier this morning. The rain drizzled to a stop on the motley windows as she washed. The Sorceress came in halfway through and sat on the edge of the tub.

Instinctively Rox moved to protect her modesty as they began to converse. The Sorceress explained how to get hot water; by starting a fire in her fireplace before bathing, to heat the water in the tank above the apartment. The Sorceress also explained what to do about the laundry, the privy, and several other domestic chores and activities. Then they got to the subject of magic, and Rox’s change in coloring.

“Well, to put it simply, one of your progenitors was an elf, most likely from this planet. The elf blood has passed true down to you. From what you say, it was at least your grandmother, if not farther back. This is your true form and looks, hidden by magic since just after you were born. Also you can expect your hair to grow a bit different in pattern. Most elves of the stock you show have a large stripe from their forehead, around and part way down their backs, with the sides growing down, usually braided.”

“Nice. Just what I need. A mohawk.” Rox felt her hair, and thought. “What do you mean ‘of the stock I show’?”

The Sorceress folded her arms as she sat. “Well, you are taller than most everybody around here, and thinner. Your skin color has a slight blue-tint. Also you have a lighter build. Before I removed your disguise spell, your hair and features were of human cast. The mix of those just set you apart as a half-elf. Then with the spell gone your full features are exposed. From my own experience, there is only one group of elves that have the mix of features you show.”

“Where do they live?” Now Roxanne was curious.

“A ways away, to the south east. It is expected that your mate is coming to get you. We can worry about this then.”

Roxanne nodded. “You mentioned a spell for language. I think I am speaking my native one, and am hearing you in the same. Is that so?”

The Sorceress waved her hand, back and forth. “No. I am not speaking your native language. I do not even know what it is. There are two methods of dealing with language in magic. One is transferring knowledge; the other, which I have used on you, may be called a translation convention. The transfer is more permanent, and ultimately more useful, and we can do that later. Translation is an active spell that bypasses the noises and provides an almost mind-to-mind connection to transmit meaning. However that spell consumes the energy of the person it is cast upon and is best for short term only.”

Rox understood this, and then thought of another question. “What does ‘schwaer’ mean?”

“Where did you hear that?” She responded with a bit of weariness toward the subject.

“One of the other slaves that I was with used it, in apparent application toward me.” Rox was curious, wondering if she had encountered the local racism.

“That is a derogatory word used by ignorant people, toward mixed-breeds.” She spoke as if she had this argument on a regular, tiring basis.

Rox had grown up in a place where she had been color-blind socially, but had encountered those who weren’t, and felt that she could grasp the rest of the problem. She let it go and moved to her last concern.

“How about clothing? I can’t just run around in a towel, and won’t go around naked, even as a slave.”

“We can take care of that.” She brightened to be off the previous subject.

The Sorceress showed Rox what she had selected for her to wear as her apprentice. Roxanne wasn’t flattered by it.

First, she was given a loincloth. Next was a skirt consisting of several strips of cloth that hung from the belt. Then a “Y” cut drape of light blue material. The neck opened all the way to her belt, front and back. The sides were open all the way up with no sleeves. The blue cloth was translucent, with gold and silver thread piping the edges. All of it too short fot Rox’s height.

Then she was given a set of gold chains and bands showing that she was a slave. These started at a choker with four chains going down, one on each arm, and one to each leg. Her armbands were just above her elbow, and her wrist, with loops that the chain attached to. The other two went through a jeweled belt and to leg bands similar to her armbands, just above her knee and ankle. These, she was later told as the chains were lengthened to proper fit, were ensorcelled to prevent her from speaking or moving inappropriately while in court. As she looked them over, and grudgingly put the costume on, she remembered seeing others in this same costume in the halls as she had been brought to The Sorceress’s suite.

Later that evening, at the same time that the language spell was being cast, Rox’s hair was also ensorcelled with a quick-growth spell, to fill out her mane properly.

*          *          *

Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 6

Four moons - must play havoc on the tides.

As they ate breakfast, Steven brought up the three moons and the sky. How they really are on a different world.

Caspian corrected Steven. “Actually there are four moons. But one stays in opposing alignment to the smallest of the other three. You will probably see it later today.”

Caspian then started scratching in the dirt. He drew the spiral of a galaxy seen from above. Then at a certain point on one arm he tapped his staff.

“That is where your world is.”

Caspian moved to a point about 60 degrees counter clockwise.

“We are on a world about here.”

Steven stood looking down at the crude scratching, absently crushing some scrub. He put it on the fire, and sat down.

“There really is life on other worlds.”

Caspian just watched the fire. He stood and leaned on his staff, moving into what Steven already recognized as his ‘teaching mode.’ “Yeah. The Great Atoner is not just the God or creator of one world.”

Neither Steven nor Roxanne had ever been religiously active. He recognized the language, but had not often put it together in that way. He cast quizzical glances at Caspian.

“Yeah, sure.”

Caspian shrugged Steven’s response off, and continued.

“Tywacomb is a world that compares technologically to the time between the late medieval period and the late renaissance of your native world. This planet is a bit larger than yours, and spins at a different rate. The days are about twenty five of your hours, rather than twenty four. I understand that this planet’s orbit averages between one half and two planetary diameters closer to its system primary. Our months are in groups of twelve, with none longer than twenty eight days. The year is shorter than yours. Those are all round figures; I could not tell you the official accurate ones. Right now in this hemisphere we are in spring, just after the equinox.

“By your measure, gravity is about eleven meters per second squared of acceleration. The air pressure is also a bit higher, with a higher oxygen count. It is warmer across the board, more tropical over all, and there is lots of vegetation. In this area it tends to drizzle often, as I understand.

“One of the first things you need to get is a native weapon. To do that, we need to get to a more densely populated area. Currently we are within the claimed boarders of a good king, though his claim is neither disputed nor enforced due to the remoteness of the area. Mostly this is pasture for some local herds. There are few worries about bandits. These high mountains are just too far away from anywhere to be useful to any besides wizards, or herds. Once we get to those mountains to the west, I can find the right materials to make the trackers for your family. Then we can go about finding your wife.”

“She does have a name, Caspian.” Steven responded.

“Yes. Her name is Roxanne.” Caspian finished.

Shortly after midday, they crossed onto a local road, and Caspian turned to follow it south east across the valley. After some miles Steven was ready for a change of pace. He did notice that Caspian seamed to be pushing himself, though whether this was to compete, or out of urgency of the task, Steven could only guess. About this point, a village came into view on the top of the next hill. As they walked in, Steven took a moment to look the natives over, with consideration to fitting himself in. Old skills and training were resurfacing.

Steven realized as he watched, that the clothes he was wearing were not suitable for nondescript travel. Mostly, they were too well made. As well his clothes, specifically his coat and backpack were visibly unique. His booney hat seemed to be the least noticeable, partly as he had already begun to stick some of the local foliage into it, partly to shade against the brighter than expected colors and light.

The next thing Steven noticed was that he was much bigger than the locals, at six foot six inches, with broad shoulders and chest, and with no real belly to speak of. Many of the men were as thickly built, but the tallest came up just barely above his shoulders in height. On mentioning this to Caspian, he gots told that if he was taller, or thinner, he might be regularly mistaken for an elf. As it was, he was too large for that. For his part Caspian was on the tall end of the locals, being just up to Steven’s chin.

To Caspian’s pleasure they found a small market. But none of the clothes had any chance to fit Steven. As they went they sorted the things Steven had, deciding what to keep and what not to keep. His pack and the small gear they kept. The smith was interested in his entrenching tool but Steven refused to sell it. They also kept most of the jewelry and other valuables. About half of the fabric things they sell or trade as they can, these being the few bits he had brought thinking to use for his family. As they looked as the few textiles, Steven ended up purchasing only a poncho, made from a blanket which they slit in the middle. They might have gotten him some new clothes that wouldn’t fit well, but decided not to. They also sold some bits of the camp gear that had proven to be useless.

A few of the local children found Steven to be an oddity, and watched as he and Caspian walked out of town.

027 - Etiquette, Objectives, Back In The Tracking Business

At The Sorceress’s instruction, Roxanne had stayed in her chambers, getting fresh bedding and other things accomplished for her to take residence. In doing this she had gotten to know some of the pages and how things worked here in the Palace complex. A second assignment she had been given was to get a costume cut to her frame and figure. So a tailor had been sent for. Roxanne ended up with three costumes of less than translucent fabric, but of the same cut, sized for her slim, tall frame. In the mean time, The Sorceress had gone to attend to her own duties.

When The Sorceress returned for the evening, she brought with her an entourage of stewards. She opened the door to Rox’s suite, and called out.

“Student, come with me. Your first lesson begins now.”

Roxanne turned from the bedding, and walked swiftly to the door. She fell into step behind and to the left of The Sorceress, and followed to the second set of doors on the right of the main hallway. Here the stewards set out a formal diner on the table. Roxanne watched as one seated The Sorceress in a chair on the side, and was then bidden herself to the seat immediately to her left.

The Sorceress spoke. “Student attend; your course of study for this evening and until these stewards are satisfied is local etiquette at a formal table. Watch and learn.”

Rox kept her hands in her lap, then noticed that The Sorceress kept hers flat on the table, and quickly Rox did likewise. A small porcelain plate of vegetables was placed before each of them. Rox first watched as The Sorceress daintily ate these finger-food nibbles. Roxanne ate two vegetables before speaking.

“This is my first real meal since being kidnapped, and I have not had lunch. I may eat a bit faster than is polite.” Rox munched into a crunchy vegetable slice with some relish.

“You will address me as ‘My Lady,’ as you have been previously instructed.” The Sorceress sniffed then softened slightly, maintaining the decorum of the table.

As the meal progressed, the mood lightened, The Sorceress let down her stuffy guard and showed that she was a kind, fun loving, and thoughtfully concerned woman. The stewards here all knew her and were comfortable enough that some private matters were mentioned and discussed. However Rox was allowed to steer the conversation, mostly to get her up to speed on happenings. As one course was replaced, Rox got to one nagging question.

“My Lady, what is your job here? You sit at The King’s left hand, you order guards about, and have a wing of the building all to yourself. Yet you do not wear the robes that the ministers wore. You do appear favored with some jewelry, yet no signet rings; and you practice magic with confidence and ease.” Rox finished her summary with a sip of the drink of the moment.

The Sorceress smiled as she considered how to answer. “I am…The King’s Head Mistress, and the Chief of his Harem; and I am his most trusted non-political advisor. I also happen to be a practicing sorceress, ranked among The School of the Orders.”

They ate for a moment, with the Steward correcting Rox on which knife to use. Then The Sorceress continued.

“I supervise The King’s schedule of sleeping companions when The Queen is out of the Palace. You needn’t be concerned. He won’t touch you knowing you are another man’s. That is a small part of why you are here, and not one floor down in the ladies quarters. However while you are here, you are in my charge, and that means I get to conduct your schedule. I also advise when The Queen is not available, and when I am asked to.”

Roxanne paused with a roll. “My Lady, what will my schedule be?”

“You will study with me for a brief time during and after the morning meal. You will clean this wing, and in doing learn its layout. You will do whatever other chores I appoint. You will study with me in the afternoon when I am not in court. Evenings will vary depending on what official functions are happening. In this studying, I will be teaching you all I can, and assessing what you already know and whom else you might profitably learn from.”

Rox had one more thing to ask. “The King said something about buying my freedom. My, Lady, what did he mean by that?”

The Sorceress smiled. “I was hoping you would ask about that. While you are here, you are not quite a slave in formal bonds, but neither are you free to go yet. You will be given a stipend for you to do with as you will. Since your necessities will be taken care of as a matter of course, you can simply have it saved. When it is enough, you may then use that money to buy your freedom, leave here and go wherever you will.”

Rox took this in. “How much it that? How fast will it accumulate?”

The Sorceress let Rox’s slip pass. “The usual value of a slave is between seven hundred and fifty to one thousand local coins. You will accumulate twenty a week. If and when your husband shows up, it is all yours to do with as you will. When you have enough, if you choose, you are then free to buy yourself free, and go where you will.”

The meal lasted longer than Rox was used to, but took this in stride, learning as much as she could. As they proceed through the meal, the two women conversed on other various topics besides etiquette, and scheduling. The main topic was Rox’s history, and where she came from. The Sorceress filled in some general answers to her elf heritage. Finally The Sorceress called the lesson to an end, and dismissed all but three stewards who leave with the formal table equipment and food. Lastly The Sorceress dismisses Rox to return to her room, and rest for the evening.

“By the way,” Rox asked, as the Sorceress left, “How did you know I have a daughter?”

“Half-elves only parent to their own sex. Your body shows it has born two. For you to have two is most unordinary.”

“My second is a son.”

The Sorceress looked her over for a long moment in fascination. Finally she whispered as she turned away. “Most extra ordinary.”

*          *          *

True to his word, after they left the village, Caspian became a clogged drain of information. Some things he answered circumspectly, as if there were some ideas that had to be broached carefully. He had already told Steven where they were, galacticly. Now he gave a bit more information. As they ate breakfast at their campfire, Caspian took a stick and scratched out a crude map on the ground.

“We are here, in these foothills.” He scratched some chevrons on the ground. “We are going here first; the town I think the locals called Tonif.” He scratched a circle next to the mountains. “That is about four days travel. There we resupply, and see about getting you some better native dress. Next are the rest of these highlands, some more mountains and the subsequent foothills; several towns, the Capitol city of that kingdom, a few more towns, and the coast city.” He scratched some more chevrons, circles, and a line for the sea coast.

“From here we catch a ship and sail down the coast. We do this a few more times to get to The Kingdom of Krogg. From there we have to travel to the Capitol, Skarg, and find just where they took your kids, presuming we are not yet ahead of them by that point.” Caspian scratches another sea coast, some smaller circles and a last circle with some mountains inland of it. “After that we go there and get them. Along the way, we figure out where to take them that they will be safe.”

Steven looked at the ground. He still did not quite believe he was doing this. He had also noticed over the last few days that his eyesight was becoming more acute and the colors more vivid. Also his other senses seemed to be increasingly acute, and distracting. A tingling seamed to be across his whole body, like the ringing in ones ears; this was increasingly distracting and frustrating.

“And what Roxanne? Where is she? When do we look for her? What assurance do I have that this is all real?” He started to pace around the fire and across Caspian’s sketch, gesturing as he went. “For all I know this is just some crazy dream. I will wake up at any moment, and be back home in bed. Except that you are here with me, and I have experienced too many real things. But I may even be dreaming that.” Steven knew that ranting was out of character for him, but he had picked up some habits from Leticia in getting up and talking out problems with the walls.

Caspian stood as Steven walked passed him again. Steven continued his monologue. He reached a quick hand at Steven’s head, and plucked a hair.

“What was that for?” He rubbed his head where the hair had been plucked.

“Watch.” Caspian just started to dig through his bag, until he produced a piece of cloth that he unrolled, which had several individual hairs. He rolled it back together, and set it aside.

 “Last night we finally got into this forest. This is where I have been trying to get to since realizing I left a tracker back on Terra.”

Caspian then took a small bowl from Steven’s mess kit and walked over to one of the pine trees. He muttered something and using his knife he pealed some bark back. He held the bowl under the bark and filled it part way with thin, gooey sap. He then smoothed the bark, muttering again. He sat back down at the fire, and set the bowl on a rock. Next Caspian rummaged through his robe and pouches, until he had a small pile of ingredients. Among them was the hairs of Roxanne’s, and each of the kids, which he had picked up. What he did not need was put back away, including the kid’s hair, as he did not have enough ingredients to use for four, yet.

He combined the proper ingredients in the bowl and let it melt. Once the mix was thin enough he put Steven’s and Roxanne’s hair into individual pans and poured half the mixture over each one, muttering under his breath. He then set the two pans aside, and turned to cleaning the first one.

“As soon as those cool, I can invest them with the proper energies. That done I can determine your location and general status. As well as your wife. Combine them and ask them properly, and they can tell about your kids collectively.”

He scrubbed the pan with some dirt, and then had Cyrril belch a little fire on it. He scrubbed it a bit more, and then dunked it into the small pot of boiling water.

When the camp was packed up, they turned back to the two pans. The lumps had cooled to the touch, and came free from the pans easily. Caspian then produced some gold dust and sprinkled the flat sides of the lumps, chanting as he did. Then he carved a small rune into the back of each one. When he finished, Steven had gone off into the woods. Cyrril had curled up and was napping on a warm rock. Caspian held up the two lumps, and concentrated.

“Steven is a little ways away and still frustrated.”

Steven came back and they set out. Steven did not wait very long to ask more questions.

“So, what do you have?”

“I have two disks that I can use to track you and your wife, and use in concert to track your children. Ideally, this should be done with amber. But fresh pine sap will do.” He held his right hand out, and said a word in another strange language. He then waved the amulet back and forth. The side that was closest to Steven lit up brighter than the other side. He could also see the color shift through the spectrum and stabilize. Caspian looked from it to him and smiled.

“Good. It says you are healthy and very close.”

He held out the other one and spoke the same word. Steven recognized that it was conjugated differently.

The disk did not glow as strong, and shifted quicker, then settled to a slightly different color. “Your wife is a good distance that way and in general good health.”

Caspian then put the two disks together, gold sides touching, and spoke the same word conjugated a third way. The two halves flickered in concert, and then settled.

“Your children are close together, and in generally good health. They are a long distance that way.” He pointed south, compared to the path of the sun. “We will be going that way by boat. They are probably going by caravan, as they are more south then west. We might even get to Krogg in time to catch the caravan before it gets to Skarg. By then we will have figured out what to do.”

Steven seemed to visibly relax, if only slightly, now that he had some theoretical information that he could work with.

As they walked, Caspian asked the next question. “By the way, have you noticed that you are no longer speaking English?”

029 - What Do You Know, And When Did You Learn It

As the days passed, The Sorceress taught Roxanne some simple magic, and began teaching the foundational rules of casting. With the spell that had been placed on her as a infant by Margot dispelled, Rox noticed her body was changing from human to elfin, as it returned to what it should be and was when she was born.

The spell that Margot had put on her, and that she had put on both of her children, had two main properties: first it affected a cosmetic change in features; taking the pointed elfin features and rounding them to human; setting the hair color and pattern to generally human. Second it restrained her physical structure to perceived human norms, at least as Margot’s grandmother had thought. For her predecessors this was fine, and part of why grandma liked the butt naked pictures. But Roxanne pushed to the physical limit in lifting weights, and was restricted by it.

The cosmetic result of it being lifted was that Roxanne began to show increasing definition on her physical structure; her fat thinning and smoothing more, her muscles bulking more and her features becoming a bit more angular and hard-edged in definition. At home, she had reached a ceiling in her weight lifting and body tone. With the spell gone, she was able to see sudden progression in her physical abilities and a noticeable increase in muscle mass and stamina. She did not balloon up, but was suddenly progressing again, like she has not in years. She was able to put together a lifting/exercising regime, and also martial arts practice. Her speed began to pick up.

Just as Caspian was seeing Steven struggling with mana, and adapting to Tywacomb’s environment, so The Sorceress saw the same with Roxanne. But with Rox’s hybrid origin, it hit her slower at first, but had the risk of ramping up exponentially, and seriously damaging Rox in many ways. The Sorceress, once aware of this, acted swiftly to head it off.

Roxanne had told the Sorceress about sensing magic organize during their lessons. But this time was not a lesson. Four days after taking Roxanne in, The Sorceress and Roxanne were back in the workroom. The Sorceress led the way in. It was just before lunch time, and the rest of the afternoon was scheduled for magic and other lessons.

“All right, strip and stand in the center of that circle.” Sorceress then busied herself putting together some components for another spell.

Roxanne obediently stood to the center of the circle, and started undoing her belt to take the rest of her clothes off.

Sorceress noticed, slightly annoyed at not being specifically followed. “No, stop. Come out of the circle, remove everything, and then enter the circle.”

Roxanne gathered her belt and skirt from the floor, without saying a word. She had quickly learned not to argue, especially when The Sorceress was dealing with magic. Once The Sorceress was ready, she was willing to explain. Roxanne already knew that things had to be done in a certain order. She just did not yet understand why. So she asked as she unbuckled the straps for her chains at her arms and legs.

“The circle is a neutral power base. Each spell involving it directs that power in a certain way. But until enough is understood to force outcomes all at once certain orders of actions must be followed to set the pattern for the desired outcome. I need you to enter the circle without anything on so as to deal with what spells are on you, and not on anything you are wearing. Entering the circle with even the slightest thing on could spoil that.

“I need to work a spell on you to fully unlock and adapt your potential. You will still need to learn and practice, but your full potential that has otherwise sat dormant will awake.”

Roxanne put off her loin cloth, and stood to center as clothed as a new born, which suited The Sorceress’s purpose. She was about to give Roxanne a new birth, to the innate magic that was her birthright.

“Now, lie down and tell the world: what do you see yourself as? Who and what are you?”

Roxanne thought for a moment. “I am Roxanne Caplan, a Mother, Wife, martial artist, instructor, housewife, daughter, auto mechanic, and many other things.”

The Sorceress stood at the foot of the circle, and cast first an anti-magic shell over Rox. Then she pulled all the mana out of Rox, watching as the nine swirls of energy about her body dimmed; this was similar to what Caspian had allowed to happen over an afternoon to Steven. The Sorceress then ran a trickle back in, paying attention to how the nine swirls of energy about Rox’s body reacted. She started with the swirl closest to her, below Rox’s feet. She fed mana into this, and watched as it fed mana into the next at the root of her spine, and so forth, running up Roxanne’s body, and then out to the secondary ones in her limbs. The seven swirls each fed the next one up. Finally the one at Roxanne’s crown fed to the one about as far above her head as the first one was below her feet. When this one was ‘full,’ its spill over wrapped around and fed into the first one below the feet, forming a spheroid around the body with a helical spiral through the middle, feeding the swirls in the body.

As this happened, Rox first felt herself getting tired and, as with Steven, the color seemed to drain from the world. Then slowly she felt energy return, flowing up her body, warming and energizing. As it built she realized some subtle new senses about her body. The one that would last was a sense, almost visual, of all living things about her emanating energy.

As she finished The Sorceress relaxed, and collapsed. This took more energy than she had expected. Rox moved quickly and scooped up the fallen woman, and carried her out of the work room, down the hall and into The Sorceress’s own bedroom.

When she took Roxanne as apprentice/slave The Sorceress deliberately shielded Rox from the harem. After all, she is already married, and The King has other outlets. However this did not mean that they were in rough quarters. Rox put the unconscious Sorceress on her bed, and then turned and pulled the Page bell. Then she quickly ran to the workroom and collected her clothes, and gold chains. She was half clothed when the page, one of the girls, showed up.

Within a short while, The Sorceress was awake, and eating a vegetable soup to rejuvenate her energy. By mid-afternoon, she was on her feet and able to begin teaching Rox a better way to have helped, through magic. A few days of instruction followed.

After spending a morning listening to bureaucrats, and their petty squabbling, The Sorceress carried a mildly irritated mood with her as she strode into the workroom to find Rox was practicing with the mop handle as a quarter staff, after spending the morning cleaning the room. The mop head was by the empty bucket in a corner. She watched as Rox swung at the jars on the table, passing just over top of them. The Sorceress winced as one wobbled a bit. Rox then batted at an empty one, sending fragments into the far corner of the room.

The Sorceress sensed magic about this jar, and watched as the pieces flew back across the room and knitted back together on the base. Rox came around a second time, and the jar flew in another direction, this time it shattered against the wall, and reformed on the floor.

Rox stopped, breathing a bit faster than normal, and stood with the mop handle upright in her hand, all but at attention, upon noticing the Sorceress.

“Very good. Have you ever had to fight for your life?” She folded her arms and shifted her weight to lean against the door frame.

“My Lady, not per-se. But I have been in, um… four fights that were real.”

“Did you win?”

“Two of them, My Lady.”

“The other two?”

“Mom treated my bloody nose. And I got brought to this world, My Lady.”

The Sorceress nodded, and moved to a shelf full of assorted things. She pulled a short staff from among the things there. It looked a little longer than a cane, and was carved along its whole length.

“Bring the jar.” She turned and went into the main hallway.

Rox picked up the jar from the corner, and followed into the hall.

About five steps down the hall, The Sorceress suddenly turned, holding the shaft in one hand, and swung at Rox’s head. She dropped the jar, and ducked the swing, as she swung the mop handle into play. They danced back and forth, banging at each other. The Sorceress magically shoved Rox across the hall, and took the staff in a classic grip. A field of magic sprang to life around it and beyond its ends, making it very long. Rox was not sure what she had, so she moved to knock staves a bit.

The sorceress kept her distance, and swung the staff, the magic ends coming at Rox. Its impact on her mop handle startled her. Shortly she was getting all she could handle with the staff.

“So,” Rox started between hits. “What’s,” “the,” “point?” Each word punctuated by a hit.

“To win,” the Sorceress blurted.

Rox was good at staves, but had always preferred shorter weapons. So she deflected a few hits, to get the Sorceress to do a side sweep. Rox let this come between her hands, and swung into it hard enough to break her mop handle in two.

Rox went a few hits this way, with underhanded grips before backing out enough to switch holds to overhand. Rox felt a magic spell blow around and past her, making her very cold; she responded with one of the few she had learned.

“Lights bright,” she yelled.

All the torches and candles in the hall flared for a moment, brighter than outside at noon day.

Rox moved in on the flash-blinded Sorceress with her two sticks and was quickly inside her range, and ready to start with body blows, when the Sorceress shifted her grip again. The magic extending off the ends evaporated and on the staff the field changed. Suddenly the Sorceress was holding two sticks, each being half of the staff.

The Sorceress was good at this. But Rox was better. Without realizing how hard she was hitting, she ran through a pattern of strikes that sent one stick flying away; she broke the Sorceress’s other arm, causing her to drop the second stick. Rox's last swing stopped under The Sorceress’s chin, just before hitting her throat. They both took a few deep breaths, then Rox backed off.

The Sorceress cradled her broken arm. “OW!” She yelled, and broke into a chuckle.

“You’re very good, Roxanne. But there are still things you need to learn. You did not stop any of my spells.”

Roxanne stepped back, put her hands and broken mop handles to her sides, and bowed. “Thank you for the compliment, My Lady. Sorry about the broken arm. I only remember two spells: one shoving me back and one getting me very cold.”

The Sorceress picked up the one end of the staff with her good arm. They both limped slightly back to the work room, the Sorceress picking up the second half of the staff as she passed it.

“There were two more: one attacking footing, but yours is good enough you did not notice; the other was supposed to shatter your mop handle, but I missed. Let me show you how to deal with broken bones. Get the door, please.”

They walked into the workroom and put the sticks down on a table. The Sorceress then got a small bowl out and talked Rox through brewing a quick potion.

Rox felt her sinuses clear at the pungency of one the ingredients. It was soon absorbed in the rest. “What is this stuff?”

“The ‘stuff’ is mainly a focus point, and catalyst. Once smooth, it’s ready.”

Rox was stirring the stuff with what to her was a wooden tongue depressor. It quickly smoothed to the consistency of runny sour cream, the color of caramel. The Sorceress put her hand to the edge of the table and pulled her arm as flat as she could stand to make it. She winced a bit.

“Now, spread that around the break, using the stick to paint the area completely.”

As Rox put the stuff on, the Sorceress rolled her arm slightly to help get it all around. Rox had noticed a buildup of energy in the bowl and more so, a buildup on the Sorceress’s arm as she worked. She used the whole bowl, and wiped the stick clean on the Sorceress’s arm, the stuff rubbing in like a fine lotion.

The Sorceress began a sing song chant. Roxanne felt the energy build, and flare briefly across the arm, and then dissipate. The Sorceress finished her chant as she gripped the edge of the table, and pulled her arm hard, resetting the bone, then let go with a relieved sigh. She worked and flexed her hand and wrist, while her arm was an angry purple, though otherwise intact.

“The bone is set and mended, but still weak, the magic encouraging it back to original shape. As soon as the bruises are gone, I should be fine. This salve was something I learned from a nurse as a girl. It’s useful for bones, and deadening local pain. But not much else.”

They cleaned up, as The Sorceress drilled into Rox the ingredients and recipe.

Rox doubted she would have means or time to use it, but filed it away.

At some point, while Rox was not watching, the Sorceress had reassembled the staff, and put it away. The mop handle was beyond use. Rox realized that if the fight had gone on much longer, the pieces would have begun splintering and splitting.

036 – A Few Days Of Rest, Then Up The Next Mountains

Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 26

Abey is hurt and I could use a rest. This seems like as good a place as any.

The next morning, they had breakfast, and then mulled around. Caspian wanted to get going, but Abey was not yet ready to go. Steven decided that they needed a few days of rest, and that these people were kind enough. So they stayed. Caspian busied himself with the local magic users, for as far as they would talk to him. Abey took time to get fitted for a leather singlet, and equipping herself with some local goods. Steven just found a good shade spot, watching some children, and dozed for a bit.

He was aroused by hearing a class of youngsters being drilled in some oral tradition. Three old men and one old woman were taking turns teaching the children their lessons. Two were recitation drills. One was evidently math, and the last was some kind of test on previous material.

In the afternoon, Steven helped clean up some of the debris from the night before, and was invited to try his hand at some hunting and stalking. Steven was mildly surprised to see a co-ed party, as he half expected to see it as men-only. Abey later explained that the party was chosen by skill, and need, thought there was a patriarchal undercurrent to the society. While the men took the lead in providing, the women were not discouraged from their own talents and skills, whatever these are.

They outfitted him as one of them, in a singlet and poncho, instead of his shirt. It was as big as their largest man wore, and was still a bit short for Steven, though plenty in girth. They passed on changing out his boots and BDU trousers. He got a head band and some face and arm paint. He impressed them with his stealth, for being so large. He took his crossbow out with a hunting party, and used it to bring down a local deer-thing.

Steven realized that part of the reason that he did not like hunting anymore was it was too close to what he had done in the Marines, as a sniper. His dad had taught him and taken him hunting as a boy. But once in the Corps, his hunting days were through.

Now, he slaughtered his kill, not as clean as the natives, but well enough to impress them that he had a grasp of the subject. That night, Steven and Caspian ate with one of the families. Not a feast as the night before, but just as filling.

Journal of Steven Caplan: Day 28

Nice place to visit, nice people. But I don’t want to live here.

Abey showed up with her left arm still in a sling, but otherwise ready to hit the trail, after two days. She was dressed closer to the locals than she had been prior; wearing a leather singlet with her leather belt over a linen tank-top, and her trousers and boots. She wore a native choker of semi-precious stones intermixed with claws and teeth, with a matching arm band on her left bicep. A claw and a fang hung from a piercing each on each ear. Also there was now a dangle from each of the seven tiny braids on the left side of her head. She had a new roll of something added to her bedroll, tied to the top of her backpack. Her shoulder bag, full of food, hung at her left hip. Steven noticed a knife on the outboard side of her right boot.

As they walked, she detached and unrolled a new poncho, the new roll from her bag, and put it on. Steven realized this replaced the thinner fabric cloak her mother had sent. She also had her own sling and shot bag, now. Lastly she carried but did not put on a set of gauntlets. Steven had noticed several of the locals wore a fingerless gauntlet set when hunting, and presumed that this was a pair of the same.

Steven recognized Abey beginning to walk in an assured predator’s gate.

They talked some as they traveled about how to present themselves. The truth would do well enough, but might not be fully believable. The idea of passing her of as married to either man was briefly considered, then dismissed. None of them would be comfortable acting that part. Soon they settled on her being fostered to Steven. He was not sure he could fumble his way through acting as if she were his actual daughter; Abey likewise did not want to try too much artifice. But a fostering relationship in this area was one step removed from Master-Apprentice, and that was acceptable, as he decided to start helping her make a ghillie suit, and one for himself, just to see how much of that he could remember.

Traveling in the direction they were going, they had one more mountain range to climb, then ultimately down on to the coastal plains. Caspian was loath to admit that he had only traveled this way once, and had only vague memories of the specific layout. He did not even remember the names of the area. But he did remember the maps he had seen and the tracker held true. He just hoped he could find a good path over these mountains, and quietly hoped that Abey might be of help that way. Along the way, Abey realized that Caspian and Steven did not even know the names of The Kingdom, Dorston, or of the capitol city they were heading for, Veradale. The Jemed Highlands they had left as they climbed the Gulco Mountains was in the Duchy of Jemela.

Caspian had sheepishly admitted to not really being worried about names. “We are just passing through. We don’t need to worry about where we are, just where we are going.”

*          *          *

Roxanne had quickly realized that while the Pages were sent about on a first-come-first-served basis, there were some favorites played by both the staff and the pages. One girl had taken a particular liking to Rox and showed up more often than any of the others. In a free moment, she asked Rox to teach her how to fight. On asking, Rox learned that this girl was considered by the Guard instructors too young to teach, yet; also she had seen Rox practicing one morning. After being asked, when Rox had a free moment she would show the girl the basics of her style of martial arts. The Sorceress caught her doing this, and revealed that the girl was the daughter of a peasant, and therefore looked down on by some. She then scheduled a bit of time each day for Rox to practice herself, and teach this girl. The Sorceress even sat in to watch some.

In return the page-girl had begun to show Roxanne all around the Palace, and its adjoining buildings. From this Roxanne had realized this Palace Complex was on the first tier up the side of the mountains from the valley floor. Some of the towers and wings were tall enough to look across at the second and third tiers. Depending on the tower and viewpoint, she could see any horizon in any direction, save south. The north side of the palace crossed an outcrop that had nothing directly below it on the east or west, to the city below on the valley floor. She also learned the name of the city, Veradale, and the name of The Kingdom it was capitol of, Dorston.

Now Rox sat on a wall-seat she had been shown, watching The Queen’s return in a courtyard below. A guard stood nearby where Rox sat, pike in hand, observing everything.

Two closed carriages with a platoon of cavalry entered, followed by three open cargo carts. The cavalry moved off as the wagons turned in the yard and stopped by some stairs that Roxanne had learned led into the royal wing. Two women got out of the front one, the first stepping aside for the second. Rox guessed that the second was The Queen, by etiquette, as she could not judge their clothing from this angle. The second carriage pulled up to the official entrance and two men and two women got out and went into the wing where the throne room was.

Some porters attacked the cargo carts. Two chests were removed from one and taken into the royal wing. Another was taken into the office wing. The rest were left on the carts and they were taken out into the guard’s yard and out of Rox’s sight.

That evening, the Sorceress did not show up for the usual dinner practice. Rox asked the stewards what was happening.

“The Queen is returned, with the new Ambassador from The Kingdom to the south. There is a formal dinner tonight, and all the Ministers are required to be in attendance.”

Roxanne picked up and crunched into a vegetable slice. Then did what she would scold her own kids for, and while chewing said, “I guess it’s just as well I don’t rank that.”

The Sorceress returned late that evening, exhausted. She wore a green colored formal gown unlike any Roxanne had before seen, and several pounds of gold jewelry. A page came and helped Rox help The Sorceress out of her jewelry and formal gown. The Sorceress stood on a pedestal as she was undressed. Rox wanted to speak, but The Sorceress would not while the page was there. Once the main layers of the gown were removed, and the next loosened, The Sorceress dismissed the page. She still had an underskirt, girdle, flounce and whatever was under that. She had stepped out of her formal slippers as she mounted the pedestal.

“My assistant will be sufficient from here. You may report back to your superiors.”

The page bowed and left.

As soon as the door closed, The Sorceress seamed to sag under the weight of the foundation garment and petticoats. “I hate formal state dinners; so tedious.”

Rox started the conversation at the only place she could think of. “My Lady, is there something going on between the two kingdoms, or is this simply a changing of staff?” She continued to open the fasteners on the layered under skirt.

“There is a trade agreement being worked out. The Queen was there surveying their textiles and wool. We are offering both money and some minerals. They want what I think amounts to war material. As I understand, their neighbor to the south is getting belligerent.”

Rox got the last button opened, and The Sorceress held the under skirt up as Rox opened it and then slid it up and over The Sorceress’s head and put it carefully aside. “Peace through strength is good, so long as you have enough strength to show your neighbor it is not worth the effort of conflict, my lady.”

The Sorceress pulled at the strings for the girdle that laced up her back. “Yes. But in this case I think both sides are trying for peace through a first crushing blow. My concern is which side is really doing the provoking.”

Rox loosened the girdle up its length. The Sorceress relaxed visibly as it released. “My Lady, that is not anything I have any idea about, and I think not really my business.”

The Sorceress took a deep breath. “No, it is not.”

Rox pulled the girdle up and over The Sorceress’s head and arms. She still had a flounce and last petticoat, but other than that was down to a strapless shift. The flounce was quickly removed, and this bottom petticoat quickly followed.

Rox presented a dressing gown and the Sorceress tied its sash as she stepped down and over to a chair. Here she removed a pair of linen stockings, wiggling her toes as she did.

Rox felt a little apprehensive about what she really wanted to talk of. “My lady, what about what we have talked about, about The Queen and King? How does that go?”

The Sorceress wiped makeup off as she spoke. “I see The Queen tomorrow, and can start to talk about it then. So far all the girls are fine with it. The one with The King now is anxious to get out of the Palace and enter a religious order. I might be worried about that, except her family wanted her there from the start. The Trade Minister thinks an heir is fine. The Military staff all thinks it is high time for an heir to be appointed. The Lands Minister will be relieved, as he is wondering whether he might be carving up bits for new countesses. The City Minister has no complaint. The Church tells me they have already been bugging The King about this discretely, out of my earshot. It turns out they thought I was part of the problem. As far as my responsibilities, several of the women have left the harem over the years, and are married or have taken vows, or are in the diplomatic service. Others are almost useless downstairs, freeloading on the palace budget.”

Rox stood aside watching. “How is that, about the church, my lady?”

“Most of the church endorses marriage. The part that does not is celibate and usually in a monastic order of some kind. They tolerate harems, so long as there are no troubles about them. But they figured that I was continuing to supply new women to The King to keep him away from his wife, not at her request. I think I have begun to smooth that over, but will need to proceed carefully. I gather that they have also begun to press The Queen, but I am not certain. If they have not yet, we may be able to ally over this.”

Rox watched and guessed that there was more to what The Church had said to The Sorceress, from the way she talked about them as much as from what she was not saying. But again that was not Rox’s business.