Embers at Galdrilene (37 page)

How was he able to see such detail at a distance of at least a hundred paces?

“You see in such detail because of our bond,”
Shryden sent.

Kellinar smiled.
“You’re awake again.”

“I was hungry.”

A soft laugh escaped his lips.
“When aren’t you?”

“When I’m sleeping.”

Kellinar shook his head and turned his attention back to the woman on the dock.

She wore a sleeveless, fitted, turquoise top and loose pants gathered at the ankle of the same color. Between her shirt and her pants, where her waist narrowed giving her an hourglass figure, he saw a hand width of rich coffee skin. Her arms and feet were bare and she moved with grace along the ever moving, floating dock. When she smiled, her brilliant white teeth made a startling contrast to the dark skin of her face. Who was she?

A woman carrying a bundle down the steps stopped and asked him, “Do you need help?”

He looked up at the plump woman with blonde hair standing next to him. “Who is that woman?”

The blonde’s eyes widened. “You must be newly come to Galdrilene. That’s Mage Councilor Dhovara Verkash of the Weather mages.”

He had a vague memory of seeing her at the far end of the table the evening before. Her title sounded important and in his experience, important titled people never lifted a finger to do anything. “Why is she down here?”

“Because it’s her turn,” the woman said as if it should be obvious.

“Her turn for what? I have only been here for a few days and I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“Oh, welcome to Galdrilene then. I’m Nia.” She smiled and sat down next to him. “I’ll be happy to explain. Each fleet of boats that goes out, either into the bay or beyond to the ocean, must be accompanied by a senior Weather mage. They can calm a storm enough to get the boats back to harbor safely or bring enough wind when there is none to get them home. They can also tell if the weather is going to get bad or the seas too high for safe sailing. The senior mage has command of the fleet. Every ship captain will defer to the Weather mage.” She pointed at the boats out in the bay. “My oldest brother is the senior mage on the fleet you see out on the water. They all take their turns; it’s considered one of their most honorable duties.”

She indicated the activity on the docks. “Today is Mage Councilor Dhovara’s turn. She is more than a senior mage. She sits on the Council of Mages and represents the Tower of Wind and Water.”

“The Tower of Wind and Water?” Emallya and Bardeck had mentioned mage towers.

Nia nodded. “Yes, there are six towers, one for each of the powers. There is the Tower of Earth, the Tower of Fire, the Tower of Light, the Tower of Healing, the Tower of Spirit, and the Tower of Wind and Water.”

“So this Dhovara runs the tower then?” Would she teach him how to use his magic? A rush of excitement flooded him as he suppressed the conditioned fear that threatened to rise.

“As Tarik, the mayor of Galdrilene is to the city, so is Dhovara to the Tower of Wind and Water.”

He studied the woman on the dock. “Why does she wear her hair in that fashion?”

“It’s the way all Weather mages wear their hair.”

Kellinar looked at Nia. “Even the men?” He tried to picture a man with hair like that.

“Oh yes, men and women both wear it in the braids with the beads. The white beads symbolize air and the blue symbolize water. The men wear theirs a bit different. Where the women’s swing freely, the men’s braids run against the head until they reach the back of the neck, then the braids hang down their backs.”

“Do they have to wear those braids?”

Nia smiled and shook her head. “No, some choose to wear their hair loose with only one or two braids to hold the beads. But most prefer the braids. It’s a symbol of the Tower of Wind and Water, like the three silver earrings in each ear is to the silversmiths.”

At that moment, Dhovara looked up at the two of them sitting there and called out, “Nia, I see you have brought me the young Weather Di’shan. Come down here so I can meet him properly.”

Nia looked at Kellinar with wide eyes before jumping up and calling back, “Actually, I found him sitting here. I will be happy to bring him down.” She looked back at Kellinar. “You should have said who you were, Di’shan. Dhovara has been hoping to meet you, but knew she had to complete her duties to the fleet first. You will have made her very happy by coming here.”

Kellinar followed Nia down onto the floating docks, doing his best to maintain his balance as the dock moved up and down in the water within the limits of its pilings.

“Di’shan Kellinar, welcome to Rose Harbor and to Galdrilene,” the dark woman said when they reached her. “I am Mage Councilor Dhovara Verkash, of the Tower of Wind and Water. I wanted to meet with you today, but my duties cannot be put aside for my wants. It is wonderful that you have found your way down to the harbor.”

“Why did you want to meet with me?” he asked.

“I, and the senior mages of the tower, will be the ones to teach you how to use your magic. There is no one else who can. Although your powers will far exceed ours, you can still learn the how from us.”

Kellinar felt his excitement grow. Since arriving at Galdrilene, the desire to learn how to properly use his magic had blossomed. “You can teach me?”

“Oh yes and there is much to learn,” she said.

“When? How soon can I begin learning?”

Dhovara’s eyes sparkled as she smiled. “How are you on a boat?”

Kellinar hesitated. “I don’t know, I’ve never been on one. Even if I had, it would’ve been on one of the small boats that fish Trilene’s great lake. Those boats are nothing like these giant beauties.”

“No time like the present to find out. Why don’t you join me today and I will begin teaching you how to watch the weather, read the waves and move the air.”

Again he hesitated, feeling torn. He wanted desperately to go with this woman and begin learning, but what about Shryden? How would he feel being so far away from him? How would Shryden feel?

“I will be fine,” came Shryden’s sending. “Mernoth has things he wishes to teach me and the other draclets. We get to try killing our own food today. Only a rabbit, but it is a beginning. Mernoth says there are human things you need to learn just as there are dragon things I must learn, so it is necessary that we be apart some during the days.”

Kellinar smiled. “Learn your dragon things then while I learn my human things and we will see each other this evening.”

He nodded to Dhovara. “I would love to accompany you and begin learning.”

She smiled her brilliant white smile at him. “Leave your boots with Nia then, she will make sure they are here for you when you come back. You will be able to grip the deck of the ship better with bare feet.”

He did as she said and took off his boots handing them over to Nia. Before long, he found himself walking up the gangplank to the largest ship, its triple masts rising high above his head.

S
erena explored the city as the sun rose high overhead. She strolled down a wide stone road that followed the inside curve of the city wall. She passed lots of houses, each with a neatly thatched roof, a carefully fenced area with a neat garden of vegetables, a fruit tree or two, and often a small flock of chickens. Each house seemed to proclaim that its yard went far to support those who lived there.

Two small children played in one of the yards. An old woman sat watching them while she knitted. Serena felt a small pang. She might not ever have children. Never feel the weight of her own baby in her arms. Love and comfort from Miya washed over her, taking away the disappointment brought on by the possibly of no children. Miya was worth the sacrifice.

After some time she reached a tower. Gardens, fruit trees, chickens and goats ringed the base. The vast array of herbs growing around it drew her attention. Every herb she learned as an apprentice, and plenty she’d never seen before, grew in raised beds. Intrigued, she walked closer to the tower. Several yellow robed men and women, moved among the beds, tending the plants.

A tall, slim man with black hair, a neatly trimmed goatee and eyes that slanted sharply in his angular face stopped what he was doing and approached her. “Di’shan Serena, I am greatly pleased that you have found your way to the Tower of Healing. I am Mage Councilor Gideon Imaran of the Tower of Healing.”

Serena looked up at the tower and then at the yellow robed figures moving through the gardens. “There is a whole tower devoted to healing?”

Gideon smiled. “Each of the towers is devoted to a branch of magic. Here, we devote our time and training to healing. Would you like me to show you? I will be happy to answer any questions you have.”

Serena looked at the plethora of herbs. “Why herbs? You are mages, why do you need herbs?”

“That is the first question each new student asks. Yes, we can heal. Maybe not the complicated and great healing Bardeck is capable of,” he inclined his head toward her, “the kind you will one day be capable of as well, but we can heal a great many things. However, magic is not always necessary. For something as simple as a cold or a cut, or even an uncomplicated childbirth, herbs will do fine. There are also limitations to what magic can do. Sometimes, it needs some help.”

He beckoned to her as he started to walk away. “Walk with me. I will show you our tower and you can ask questions.”

Kirynn wandered through an open air market, looking at the wares and watching the people. Galdrilene reminded her of Arden, the capital city of Boromar, where she was raised. At one time she would have said Arden was her home, but it didn’t feel truthful anymore. In a few short days, Galdrilene already felt more like home than Arden ever had.

Arden wasn’t laid out as nicely as Galdrilene and its streets weren’t as wide nor were so many paved. But like Arden, there was no poor district in Galdrilene, at least not one that she could find and she had walked most of the city.

Wandering out of the market, she turned and followed the wider street that ran next to the wall. She paid little mind to where she went, only absently noticing a tower around which flowers that looked something like herbs were tended to by several yellow robed figures in a myriad of organized beds.