Shadows in the Smoke - 8 - A Meeting of Mages

"When people ask me what the greatest invention of the Republic is, I say the printing press. They protest, what about the factories that supply our great nation? The steam engines that allow one man to do the work of fifty? They tell me the printing press was not invented in the Republic. They are correct, but they lack vision. The printing press itself has been with us for over two hundred years. However, the Republic's great innovation has been its use. Where the Kingdom of Itria used it to entertain its nobleborn and amuse wealthy merchants, the Republic has brought it to its full potential. An education for every Citizen. Knowledge of the Republic and the world around it. Philosophy, science, mathematics, politics and, yes, even some amusement. Without this, the Republic would be nothing."

The Struggle for Freedom by Bjarne Midthun

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It was something of a relief to reach Atheta. The town didn't look like much after Vass Karan, but it was big enough that Ester had heard of it. It would even have proper beds and wouldn't rock at night.

It seemed to take an interminable amount of time for the boats to finish tying up at the town's wooden docks. She could barely resist tapping her foot as she stood on the deck with her arms crossed, watching the sailors scurrying to and fro. Then, when the gangplank was finally lowered, a swarm of servants practically ran past her, jostling to get ahead of each other.

"Why are they in such a hurry?" Ester frowned after them.

Velxe shrugged beside her. "We will be staying a couple of nights in the town while the wagons and supplies are assembled. It is a long journey overland for a group our size. Atheta only has so many inns so they will be securing them for their masters. Certainly that is why I sent Jorin." He glanced sideways at Ester. "Oh."

Ester couldn't help the sigh that escaped her. "I should have thought of that."

What was she going to do now? She ran her fingers through her hair. If she could not find a room she could hardly sleep on the street. Lord Nemsu had already made digs about her lack of a servant. If she couldn't even find a room at an inn it would be no surprise if half the delegation joined in.

Velxe shot her a weak smile. "I would not worry; no one will turn away a Mage. Or if it is a matter of money, then I would be happy to help you."

"I have plenty of money thank you very much!" She reined herself in, there was no need to snap at Velxe, he was just trying to help. "Sorry, I appreciate the offer to help, but I will manage. I had better get moving though, or else everything really will be gone. I will see you later, Lord Velxe."

"Of course, the offer still stands if you need it."

"Thank you."

Without another word Ester hurried back to her cabin. Velxe had made a good point. She was much less likely to be turned away if she was obviously a Mage.

A couple of minutes later she was striding down the gangplank, doing her best not to look like she wanted to run. She wore the same black dress, but now with the silver crossed lightning bolts of a Chartered Mage pinned to each side of her collar. Everyone on the boat might know who she was, but wearing those would mean that any subject of the Empire would too. No sane person would wear the lightning bolts if they hadn't earnt them.

People cast nervous glances at Ester and stepped aside, conversations stilling as she went by. She should really wear the lightning bolts more often. She didn't like the way they almost created a bubble around her, but she did appreciate the respect that they commanded.

Just as she was about to step from the wooden pier onto cobbled stone, a voice called out.

"Sister! Wait!"

Sister? She stopped dead in her tracks, looking around her with narrowed eyes. They landed on a red-faced, grey-bearded man hurrying towards her. His silk coat was so well tailored it almost hid the size of his waist, but he didn't look like he was accustomed to moving very fast.

Was this the other Mage on the delegation? Ester hadn't met the man before. She couldn't hang around and talk though, she needed to find herself a room before she found herself back in her cabin on the boat. Or worse, relying on Velxe's charity.

"Thank you, Sister!" His breathing was heavy and he was actually bent over slightly from the exertion. "I had been hoping to speak with you."

"Oh. Well of course ah…" Why did he want to speak to her?

"Yes, my apologies." He straightened up, his face a worryingly deep red. "Leixu Sure, delighted to meet you, Sister." He bowed low.

Definitely the other Mage, she'd heard the name even if she'd never met the man. "A pleasure to meet you too, Brother." Ester matched his bow, although she couldn't stop herself from glancing towards the town. She really needed to find a room. "What can I do for you?"

"Nothing specific, Sister, I just wanted to meet you. We are the only Mages on this trip after all." He ran his sleeve across his damp forehead. "I was most put out when I found we had been assigned to different boats, although in the end it seems that it was fortuitous that you were on the Karan Queen. I would love to hear about that by the way. I do enjoy the Battle Mages' stories. Not that that kind of life is for me of course." He rubbed his hands together and shivered. "Lightning was it not? I think by the time I had worked out how to do that, those thieves would have been back in their beds and fast asleep."

Ester couldn't help but stand up a little straighter at that, but she still needed to find an inn. "You are too kind, Brother. I would be delighted to tell you all about it. However, right now I need to find myself a room for the coming nights and I am told there will be a shortage."

Leixu frowned. "You need to find yourself a room? Did you not send a servant to do it?"

Ester felt her face heat. Was everyone going to bring this up?! "No, I came by myself. I find I do not need one." She forced her hands to relax.

"Ha! Brilliant, of course you do not. Coming out here and showing all these soft men the way things should be done. Quite right too, Sister. However," he leant in closer and lowered his voice, "I think you have been speaking to the nobleborn a little bit too much. You forget that you are a Mage. Barons and Counts might not be all that impressed, and more fool them, but regardless there are not many of them on this trip with us. It is mostly lesser nobleborn or sons relying on their father's title. You are wearing the lightning bolts, you will have no difficulty."

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

Was he making fun of her? Ester shifted slightly, not quite sure how to deal with his enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Brother, although I am not sure I share your confidence."

"Nonsense. I am keen to hear more from you over dinner so let us make sure you have time for it. Make the attempt and if they turn you away I shall personally fund an appropriate bribe. Come, Sister, I shall accompany you."

"I…" Ester trailed off in the face of his enthusiasm. Was he really suggesting she bribe an innkeeper? "Very well." She retreated to polite dignity for want of anything else to say. "Let us proceed."

She quickly found herself being urged by Leixu towards the closest inn. A larger, grander one that she'd originally intended.

The inn's common room was heaving. It was much nicer than some of the ones Ester had stayed in on the way to Vass Karan, that much was obvious. She suppressed a shudder at the memory of one particular inn. The clientele were well dressed, in a variety of styles. Well off merchants in simpler, but well made coats, combining plain colours with a brighter trim. Nobleborn in blacks and greys, with colourful slashes and lace. Military officers with swords at their hips and regimental sashes. She even spotted a strangely dressed group, two men and a woman, all wearing grey surcoats with a red trim and a purple sash across them.

Her attention was yanked away by a serving girl bustling up to her.

"We're full, goodwo…" The woman's eyes widened and she dropped into a curtsy. "I'll fetch the innkeeper, milady."

Ester couldn't help glancing behind her, to see Leixu's amused smile. She quickly looked away again, this didn't prove anything. The serving girl had said they were full.

It only took a few seconds for a tall man in an apron to bustle up, barely even looking at her as he sketched a vague bow. "Can I help you, milady?"

"I am looking for a room, master innkeeper. For the next two nights."

"Watch what you're doing Millie, that's the best wine we have don't you dare spill it!" He shouted across the room before glancing back at Ester.

"I apologise, but we are completely full. I do not even have a shared bed in the attic." Ester could tell the moment he saw the lightning bolts on his collar. He took a step back, his eyes widening just like the serving girl's. "Ah, by which I mean… I'm sure that I would be able to find you something, milady. Begging your pardon, milady, it's been a right busy day here and my mind must be slipping, please have a seat and I'll sort something out for you right away."

Ester suppressed a small grimace at his sudden obsequiousness. "Thank you, master innkeeper." She allowed him to usher her to a seat, despite his size he almost seemed to flit around her with nervous movements.

Leixu hadn't moved from the doorway, but as she sat he winked at her and then a, moment later, golden letters appeared in the air in front of him. "7th bell, The Queen's Hunt."

That would be dinner then. Ester gave him a nod.

She could hardly turn him down, it would just be churlish and he had helped her. Actually, he seemed nice and other than Master Tabasi she just hadn't spoken to many Mages in Vass Karan. It would probably be good to make friends with someone who was actually friendly and understood magic.

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That evening, after a long bath, in one of the inn's private chambers, Ester made her way over to the Queen's Hunt. The fawning innkeeper had been very happy to direct her to it, even if he had said he was sorry she wasn't choosing to eat at his establishment.

The Queen's Hunt was just as nice as her inn and she was quickly ushered to a private room, off the main common room. Inside, Leixu was sat on one side of a small table.

He rose to his feet, a big grin painted across his face. "Sister, thank you for coming. Please, have a seat. Enjoy yourself. I am sure we will not be eating as well as tonight for quite some time. Spirits only know what kind of food the Republicans will serve us, but the food on the road will surely be poor.

"Thank you, Brother." Ester smiled tentatively as she took a seat of her own. She wasn't quite sure how to deal with this kind of enthusiasm from a Mage. Particularly when it was directed at her.

Almost the moment she'd taken her seat, a serving girl opened the door and curtsied. "Milord, milady, lightly smoked trout in a herb sauce with peppers."

Another girl immediately came in with two plates and set them down in front of the two Mages.

Ester hadn't realised how hungry she was until she smelt the food. It wasn't quite like anything she'd eaten before, but that didn't stop her from almost reaching for her cutlery. Then she remembered propriety and pulled her hand away. Leixu was definitely the older of the two of them.

If Leixu noticed her brush against bad manners he didn't say anything. With a toothy grin he met her eyes.

"I did my research before coming on this delegation. The Queen's Hunt has the best cook in all of Atheta. If you have the coin to pay for it anyway, but what is gold to a Mage?" He chuckled. "I can see the way you are eyeing up the fish. Please, eat. It does an old man good to see young appetites in action, but take care there will be four more courses after this."

Ester still couldn't quite tell whether he was making fun of her or not. However, she was hungry enough that she wasn't going to worry about it.

"Thank you, Brother." With a little more urgency than she'd have liked she cut a chunk off the fish and shoveled it into her mouth. The explosion of taste made her want to sigh with pleasure. Since she'd had her own cook, she'd thought she'd been eating well. She had been eating well. Better than she ever had in her life. But not like this. She quickly took another bite.

Across the table from Ester, Leixu was also eating with gusto. It didn't take long for them to clear their plates. As he put his cutlery down, he leaned back with a happy sigh.

She nearly copied him before she remembered that that wasn't considered appropriate behaviour for a lady. Then again, it wasn't really appropriate for a lord at a formal dinner either.

Ester glanced at the door to see if the serving girl would return and then back at Leixu as she rubbed at the back of her neck. Should she be making conversation? What did you even talk about with someone you didn't know?

"So, Brother, is there something you specialise in? I am afraid I do not know much of your activities." Magic seemed like a safe topic.

"Oh, generally Schemas. It is all rather dull I expect, not like what you have been up to. If it did not all sound so terrifying, I would be quite envious." He cleared his throat. "Ahem, anyway, yes I keep myself busy designing and producing Schemas."

"Really?" Ester leant forward. "What do you focus on, Brother? I have been trying to improve my own skills with Schemas."

"Well, nothing all that interesting in terms of effects I am afraid, they just keep me in the comfort that I enjoy." He gestured at their private room. "However, what I have been putting a lot of my time into is trying to find ways to reduce friction and tarnish in my Schemas."

"You have?" Ester's eyes widened. "How fascinating. What have you been trying? Have you thought about using auxillary runes to smooth the paths?"

"Oh! It seems your Talents are even wider than I had thought. I believe my response here should be to claim trade secrets and tell you nothing useful, unless you have something of your own to offer."

Ester's heart sank. "Oh, of course, Brother, I understand."

"Great Spirits! Do not look so miserable. I was teasing you, Sister. I suspect you do have something to offer and even if you do not, I am not doing this for my own sake. We Mages live in luxury because of what we can do for the Empire. I have no need of secrets from other Mages. If any of us could make it more viable to use inferior materials for Schemas then it could transform the lives of Her Eternal Majesty's subjects. So, of course I will share my thoughts, as paltry as they are."

Ester could feel her face heating, but she still looked at him with rapt attention. This was how it was meant to be! With privilege came duty to the Empire and it's people. "Thank you, Brother, I doubt I will have much to offer, but I would be fascinated to hear your thoughts."

Even from a purely selfish perspective, if she could find a way to make her own Schemas last longer on steel or other cheap metals, it would change so much for her.

"Well I shall be the judge of that. Now, let me first show you my last failure before the next course arrives. Perhaps you will have an idea of why it failed."

Leixu produced a sheet of paper from Spirits only knew where and started to draw runes on it with his finger, leaving blackened, smoking trails as he went.

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