Shadows in the Smoke - 4 - Late!

"Backwards political systems hoard Talent rather than using it for the benefit of the People. Take the Empire. There, unsanctioned magic users are subject to arbitrary oppression by their rulers, the pejorative language used to refer to them illustrates their position in society better than any essay. Proper training is restricted to privileged classes and used as a method of control to ensure that they can never act against the oppression of the nobleborn and their immortal queen. Adepts are allowed a scant sip at the font of the Empire's magical knowledge and then forced into using what skill they have been allowed to obtain for the good of the nobleborn. As for Mages, to a man (for they count few women among their number) they are greedy nobleborn amassing magical skill and knowledge for their own purposes. The only surprise in this dysfunctional system is that Mages do not rule the Empire themselves."

The Struggle for Freedom by Bjarne Midthun

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The next day it came as no surprise when Ester was summoned to Commander Savate's office.

When she got there she couldn't help but be reminded of when she'd first arrived in Vass Karan. The plain room had barely changed, perhaps the drifts of paperwork on the Commander's desk had grown a bit, but nothing else. It felt very different though. Then she'd been nervous, almost terrified. After all, before coming to Vass Karan, she'd never left Trevayn in her life.

"So, Ester," he leant back in his chair. "Have you heard the news?"

"What news?" Ester did her best to look confused. Now, well the Commander still made her a bit nervous, but things were different. She'd established herself and shown her value to the city and to the Watch and she knew infinitely more about the world outside the walls of the Academy and Trevayn.

"Hmm." She didn't miss the amused look that flashed across the Commander's face. "I assume I don't need to tell you then."

Ester did her best to keep a poker face. It was difficult when she wanted to bounce up and down in her chair with excitement. That wouldn't be at all acceptable.

"Well, at least you seem pleased about it. Who told you? Sometimes I feel like I'm the last person to learn things in this bloody city." He sighed deeply, "which doesn't fill me with confidence about my job."

There didn't seem to be any point in pretending, although Ester decided to ignore his question. "If you need me to stay, Commander, then…"

"No, no. When the Throne calls we must answer, you know that as well as I do. I will be sorry to lose you for your time in the Republic, but I'll make do." He didn't actually seem to be all that upset. "I'm sure you'll have an excellent time out there. You always are too curious for your own good, so I suppose that putting that into play for the Empire can do no harm."

"You…" Ester just about stopped herself from asking why he wasn't annoyed at her departure. Given the man's tendencies, he'd either say something irritating or just tell her she wasn't all that useful after all.

"Here," the Commander held out an envelope to Ester, the Imperial Seal's eagle and sun holding it closed. "Orders from the Governor."

After a moment she broke it open and pulled out the letter, quickly taking it in. The language wasn't particularly flowery, it just bluntly ordered her temporary release from the Watch and assignment to the delegation to the Republic. Technically she'd still be in the service of the Watch, just on detached duty. There didn't seem to be much more to it.

Her eyes went back to the date at the bottom.

"They're leaving tomorrow morning?!" How was she going to have time to pack? She'd barely even had time to even digest the fact that she was going.

"They are? I had no idea." The Commander wasn't fooling her. He'd known. Why hadn't Sir Vitaly told her though? Was this some kind of joke? The man's sense of humour was beyond annoying and why was the Commander joining in?!

"I need to go!" Ester sprang to her feet, already heading for the door. There was no time to wait for a dismissal, she had so much to do!

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Ester's first stop had to be Master Tabasi's mansion. Velxe would be going anyway, so there was no need to see him, and she needed to pay her respects to the more senior Mage before she left. That was simple manners. Even if he avoided any official commitment, he was still something of a patron to her.

Regardless though, despite his stuffy attitudes, he'd been good to her. Obviously an order, or even a request, from the Throne trumped her relationship with the Master, but that didn't mean she could just disappear without saying anything.

After the last few months, she was a regular visitor there and his servants showed her straight to his office.

"Ah, Little Sister. You will be here to tell me about your upcoming visit to the Republic?" Ester's face heated. Of course he already knew. Had Sir Vitaly told him? Or was it just that she was always the last person to know what was going on? Either way it was annoying!

Instead of letting her annoyance show, she bowed low. "Yes, Older Brother. I am sorry you did not hear it from me, but I came directly to you as soon as Commander Savate told me. I know it is short notice and that I will be leaving you without warning, but I have my orders."

"Of course, of course, not your fault at all. It would hardly be my choice to send you somewhere like the Republic," he paused and Ester could tell he was thinking about whether to voice his thoughts on propriety. He must have been in a good mood though as he chose not to say anything disapproving. While he was careful never to explicitly tell her what to do, he rarely hesitated in giving her 'advice' about proper behaviour for a young lady. "However, I am sure it will be of great interest to you. I shall be sorry to see you go. You have worked hard for me and been an able student. I shall look forward to your return and the continuation of your lessons."

Ester let out a relieved breath at that. She'd been worried he might take the opportunity to end their relationship. While he'd never made anything official, he'd done more for her than any sense of duty required.

"Thank you, Older Brother. I am beyond grateful." She bowed again, lower than before. He actually seemed to mean it when he said he was sorry she was leaving.

"Yes, indeed." Master Tabasi made a vague gesture. "I expect I shall find myself with rather more time in your absence, although I may have to spend some of it doing your work on the Schemas. Such is life." He sighed loudly and looked up at the ceiling for a few seconds as if deep in thought. "The Republic could well be a dangerous place and you do have a talent for getting into trouble. I suppose it would be a pity if something were to happen to you. Let me see, perhaps I have something…"

He pulled open a desk drawer and rummaged in it for a few seconds before pulling out a golden necklace. The finely wrought chain trailed across his fingers as he looked it over with a slight tightness around his eyes.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"Perhaps a loan to you. Yes, you can return it to me when you come back." He held out the necklace. "Put it on."

Tentatively Ester reached out and let him deposit the thin gold chain in her hands. It was surprisingly heavy for such thin links, with a simple pendant in the form of a golden teardrop hanging from it.

"Thank you, Older Brother." She looked it over more closely, surely it must be a Schema of some kind. "But may I ask why?"

There was no sign of runes on it, nothing other than smooth gold. It was hard to see where the runes would even go. The links were tiny and the teardrop pendant was smooth. Maybe inside the pendant? Although she couldn't see how that could have been done. If it was a Schema it was likely worth more than anything else she owned, maybe including her home, but that meant little to someone of Master Tabasi's status.

"Just a thought." He shrugged nonchalantly and pursed his lips. "Knowing your unfortunate habits, when I saw you I remembered I had this lying around and believed it might be of some use to you. Cast an activation spell on it, or crush the pendant if you ever truly need help. It will assist you."

Despite his casual tone, Master Tabasi was staring so intently that Ester had to look down. "Thank you, Older Brother, but how…"

"Enough questions." He cut her off, his voice suddenly gruff. "You can at least help me with my Schemas one last time before you go gallivanting off."

"But…" Ester trailed off. She didn't really have time, not if she didn't want to be left behind. "Of course, Older Brother, I would be delighted to."

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Ester half-walked, half-ran up to the doors to her house. At least it wasn't too far from Master Tabasi's mansion. It had been four whole hours before he'd let her go! The Sun was already down and she hadn't even started packing.

Pupli swung the door open just before she could put her hand on it. She'd tried to find wards or something that he might have set up, but there was nothing. The man didn't have an ounce of Talent anyway. Surely he didn't just sit there watching for her return?

"My lady." Ester nodded in response to Pupli's bow. He didn't comment on her flustered state as she hurried past him, but she could practically feel his disapproval. "Sethra has drawn your bath upstairs."

Ester shook her head. "I do not have time for a bath. I need to pack." She thought for a second. "I will need a horse. And saddlebags. Great Spirits, do I even have saddlebags?"

"A horse, my lady?" Pupli sounded as calm as ever, but even he couldn't fully conceal the hint of confusion in his voice. "It is rather late to go for a ride…"

At least someone hadn't heard about her trip before her! "I have been reassigned. The Governor wishes me to join the delegation traveling to the Republic. Tomorrow morning."

"The Republic, my lady?" He blinked owlishly. "Surely not, there must be some mistake. The Republic is no place for a good subject of Her Eternal Majesty."

"There is no mistake." Ester was only half paying attention to him. Perhaps if she sent a message to the Commander he could assign her one of the Watch's horses? He'd probably already gone home though. Or Velxe? Velxe could probably get her a nicer one, but she wasn't sure she wanted to ask him. He'd be too smug. "Commander Savate gave me the orders and they were under the Imperial Seal."

"Well." Pupli gathered himself. "This will not do at all. You are clearly not ready, my lady."

Ester yanked her attention back to him. Who was he to say whether she was ready or not? "I most certainly…"

For the first time since he'd started working for Ester, Pupli ignored her. "I will need to find you a horse, your wardrobe is barely adequate as it is, let alone for a long journey and diplomatic functions at the end of it. This is most perturbing. When the Throne calls we obey, but some more notice would have been nice." He looked up from his muttering. "Go and make yourself comfortable my lady. I shall deal with this. You will be ready tomorrow."

Ester stared for a second. Go and make herself comfortable? She needed to get ready, she couldn't just leave it in Pupli's hands.

"Absolutely not. You can find me a horse and saddlebags, but I am not going to go and sit around, there is no time."

"But, my lady!"

Ester nearly gave in in the face of his outraged squawk, but no. He worked for her! She was the Mage not him.

"Go, Pupli."

For a moment Ester thought he'd keep on arguing with her, but then he bowed low and stalked away without another word, the very model of offended fussiness.

With a sigh of relief Ester headed upstairs, brushing straight past Sethra's deep curtsy. She needed to decide what to take. Pupli had had a point about needing something for diplomatic functions too. It was going to be an adventure, but she couldn't just look like she was a rogue Adept, she'd be representing the Empire.

She threw one of her wardrobes open with a frown. She still hadn't gotten used to the idea of having more than one of those. At the Academy she'd had a single, much smaller wardrobe and before that just a shared chest with her siblings.

Ester pulled out a dress and laid it on the bed before pausing. Dresses were easy, she needed to think about what else she'd be taking. The journey might be dangerous and the Republic even more so. She hurried over to the chest of drawers by her bed and closed her fingers around the handle of the middle one. The familiar feel of her magic immediately slipped over her and the tiny ward she'd put on it flared in acknowledgment of its creator's presence.

With that done, she pulled the drawer open and started to look through her most precious possessions.

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The next morning Ester was feeling less than delighted at the world. In the frenzy of packing and repacking, along with the excitement of her impending departure, she'd barely slept.

Despite that she was still running late by the time she'd performed her morning ablutions. Thankfully Sethra had already moved her saddlebags downstairs at some point and so Ester was able to stagger down with only a satchel containing some of her more valuable possessions.

She was greeted at the door by Pupli who somehow managed to look completely fresh and alert.

"Lady Ester, your horse is waiting outside. I regret, however, that I have not been able to procure you a servant of sufficient skill who is willing to accompany you on such short notice."

Ester blinked. "Why would I need a servant?" She ignored the flash of outrage on Pupli's face.

"Why, propriety, my lady."

"Propriety?" She didn't need a chaperone!

"Indeed. You are a Chartered Mage. It would be improper for you to have to do menial tasks and look after yourself like some itinerant Adept."

"Oh." That wasn't so bad, at least he hadn't been thinking he could tell her how to behave. "I would not worry about that, I am more than capable of looking after myself."

"I am sure you are, my lady." Pupli didn't sound at all sure. "However, it is also a matter of how other people will see you. If you are not acting like a person of importance then people will assume that you are indeed unimportant."

"I am a Mage though, my status speaks for itself."

"My lady, I am sure no one sensible would question your status, but not everyone is sensible." Ester frowned at that. He did have a point. The whole thing was more than irritating though. There were more important things to worry about. She needed to get moving, she was probably already late!

"Well if it's that important, you could come with me then? If you'd like to of course." She couldn't quite help herself, it was too tempting to verbally poke the man. Not that she actually wanted him to come.

Pupli grimaced, the most unguarded expression she'd seen on him since the first time they'd met. "I would most certainly be delighted to, my lady, but I fear that I would not be welcomed in the Republic." That wasn't what she'd expected.

"Not welcomed? Why? I doubt any of us are particularly welcome given the history between the Republic and the Empire."

"Yes my lady, of course. However… I would prefer not to discuss my youthful misadventures, if you would permit me the indulgence. I was not always a steward."

It was genuinely hard to imagine the prissily fastidious man as anything other than a steward, but his tone had suggested he had no intention of changing his mind. Ester was hardly going to order a man to put himself into danger just for her own comfort either way. What on earth had he done though? He'd always been very vague when she'd asked him about his past. Maybe he'd been a soldier of some kind and then gone into this kind of service as a form of retirement. She'd have to ask him more about it when she returned. He might have some quite interesting stories to tell!

Of course, Pupli, I would never expect you to do anything you did not wish to. However," she made a point of looking around, "given the lack of anyone else I shall have to manage by myself." She didn't even suggest Sethra. The woman's nervous obsequiousness would drive her up the wall within days if they had to travel together and Ester doubted she'd be willing to leave Vass Karan without a direct order.

Pupli must have agreed with the sentiment as he didn't try to suggest Sethra either. "I suppose you shall have to make do until you can hire someone else to look after you." His tone made it clear what he thought of anybody else's ability to do that. "You must try to do so as soon as possible though, my lady."

"Of course I will," Ester lied. She didn't need anyone trailing around after her. This wasn't going to be some nobleborn's luxurious jaunt. It was going to be an adventure! Anyway didn't the Republic frown on things like servants?

She was already heading out the door as she spoke, looking back over her shoulder. If she hadn't turned at the last second, she'd have run straight into a bored looking chestnut horse being held by an equally bored, disreputable looking man in grimy clothing.

"Oh. Is this my horse? What's its name?" She eyed the two of them up dubiously.

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