Seventeen Stones (27 page)

Ella
had been charming at the ball.  Lady Anne had chosen young men who came from
families who held a more tolerant view of new blood.  In this, she had been kinder
to Ella than Mia:  Mia’s partners were the worst snobs in their age group.  Her
breeding made her an acceptable partner for even the highest stickler, and
their breeding made it a matter of courtesy to dance with any wealthy heiress
with ties to ancient wanded families.  Ella had gotten to spend her time with
charming young men who were attracted to her beauty and sweet smile.  When they
danced with Ella, it was because they
wanted
to dance with her. 

Nobody
made much of an effort to do anything the next day.  Professor Fain came up to
the house for tea, but there wasn’t any question of a lesson.  “But you
lazybones will be working doubly hard tomorrow” he warned them with a laugh. 
He turned to Mia and asked “Did you have a nice conversation with the
Headmistress while she was here?”  Mia put her tea cup carefully back on the
plate before answering.  Lady Anne was out of the room so they could speak
freely.  “Lord and Lady Powers are more than a little odd.” 

He
nodded.  “It tends to happen if wand wielders make it past a certain age.  I didn’t
get a chance to speak with them.  I was following them to try to get a word,
and they sort of…faded away.  One minute they were there, the next they
weren’t.”  He stood up and walked to the window.  “Headmistress Villanova was
nearly as bad.  She was on a hand mirror most of the time she was here…I could
have sworn that I heard Professor Tate’s voice, but that makes no sense at
all.  What would a History Professor need that urgently during Mid-Winter
break?”  Mia grinned.  It was so like the headmistress to be working during the
middle of a party.    

Mr.
Dempsey came in later and sat on a sofa languidly.  Harvest was over and there
wasn’t much for him to do except sigh and wish that he was already married. 
Lady Anne took pity on him and suggested that he ride over to the village for
more beeswax candles.  After he was out of the room, she giggled like a
schoolgirl.  “My goodness, I couldn’t have made him disappear quicker if I’d
used my wand.  We have enough candles, but if he’s there flirting with his
fiancée he won’t be here, sulking.”  The others laughingly defended Mr.
Dempsey’s sulk: Professor Fain was perhaps his most vocal defender.  Mia smiled
to herself, pleased that the two men had become friends.   

Mia
happily aided the wedding plans as she could, though Mrs. Stubbs had planned
everything so beautifully there was very little for her to do.  All six girls
were present when Frederick Dempsey and Adeline Stubbs were married.  The bride
wore a white silk gown with rose and gold embroidery.  The elder Mr. Stubbs
beamed down at her as he walked her down the aisle.  Simple vows were
exchanged.  They were declared man and wife in a shower of rose petals thrown
by their friends and family. 

The
girls cried a bit and laughed as the happy couple left.  Mr. and Mrs. Smith had
given them use of their beach house near Lambton.  Mia’s wedding gift was both
useful and symbolic: She planted a cherry tree in their front yard.  Professor
Fain built a protective circle around the tree, and Mia spent three days aiding
the tree’s growth.  The new Mrs. Dempsey would be able to harvest cherries off
the tree in three years.

The
final stroke to cement this holiday in Mia’s mind as the best ever arrived
after the ball:  Emma stepped out of the carriage the day after Frederick
Dempsey married young Miss Stubbs.  The older woman had to tip her head up to
look at Mia when she gave her the usual spine cracking hug.  Mia immediately
showed her guardian to her room, and sent up food and tea.  Emma insisted that
she would be fine if she had a short nap, an Mia was so happy that she didn’t
question the older woman’s word until she failed to show up for dinner.  The
housekeeper, Mrs. Wallace, was sent to the room and quickly returned with a
slight smile on her face.  “She’s still asleep.  Tending an entire village full
of sick people could take the starch out of anyone.  She’ll be fine by
morning.” 

Mrs.
Wallace proved correct the next morning.  Emma joined the family party at the breakfast
table, much to Mia’s relief.  Emma tutted away their fears for her health,
insisting that she simply hadn’t slept well on the carriage ride.  She adroitly
steered the conversation to the ball while she cut her sausages and piled
marmalade on her toast.  She flattered the cook, exclaimed over Lady Anne’s
management of the party, and even pried a few confidences out of the retiring
Ella. 

The
ladies spent the morning in the sitting room beside a roaring fire.  After
lunch Mia took her guardian on what was ostensibly a tour of the house, but was
in reality a chance to speak with her alone about the incident with the ice. 
Emma’s face showed concern for a split second after receiving the news, but she
schooled her features so quickly that Mia might have imagined it. 

Her
mouth was set in a grim line when she was told that they were gathering
information on the Council.  “Be careful child.  Let others do the
questioning.  I’ll send my birds about the City to see what they can find out. 
You’d be surprised what gossips birds can be, and people never notice them. 
I’ll send word if they hear anything you should know.”  This was a tactic that
Mia hadn’t considered, not having the gift of animal speech.

Professor
Fain greeted Mia’s guardian warmly, and pretended he didn’t see the speculative
gleam in her eye.  She watched him closely, keeping her opinion to herself.  She
didn’t attend the Creation lessons.  If he noticed that the winter birds began
to keep an eye on him, he never mentioned it to Mia.

Mia
was enjoying her time with Emma, who was inspecting the gardens and
greenhouses, much to the chagrin of the gardener, Sebastian.  His helpers were
equally torn between his orders and Emma’s.  It was causing no end to
confusion.  On the other hand, Emma was correct in saying that the medicinal
herb garden had been sorely neglected in favor of decorative plants.  Mia
wanted an extensive herb garden, but Sebastian was concerned about having to
move a bed of daylilies.  She had no quarrel with flowers and ivy, but she
wanted to have fresh ingredients for her own potions when she truly became the
lady of the estate.  In the end Sebastian relented with no grace at all,
pouting for days, but he prepared the beds for the herbs as she’d asked.

Leaving
the estate to return to college wasn’t easy.  For one thing, their wardrobes
had grown so much that Mia decided to leave all but three of her new gowns at
the estate to save room.  It seemed right somehow, to put something in the
echoing closet.  She’d bring a trunk for them later.  Lady Anne and Sarah left
the party three days early, to enjoy a bit of family time before the term
began.  “But I want all of you to come over to tea as soon as you return to the
dorm!”  She insisted and the girls agreed. 

When everyone was packed, and everything in place, the
girls slid into the carriages (Lady Imogene was driving Lizzy and Beth to the City
herself) and they were off.  Two hours later Emma stood outside the dorm for
the second time in four months.  “Stay safe.  I’ll write as soon as I’m home to
let you know I arrived alright.”  Mia pulled her guardian into a tight hug
before she stepped up into the carriage.  John Coachman nodded to Mia and
whistled for the horses to move.  Mia watched them drive away until she
couldn’t see them anymore.  Then she levitated her luggage upstairs and
prepared to meet Lady Anne for tea.

Without
the pressure of planning a party or preparing for the mid-winter concert,
lessons took on a different feel.  Even with the extra lessons in Creation Mia
had less trouble keeping up.  Professor Patrick gave her a single lesson in Defense
and then fell ill with the hydra pox (which caused an afflicted person to break
out in a hundred different symptoms including purple spots on their tongue,
stomach cramps, fever, and pink toenails).  Still, things were progressing
nicely in Creation, even if Martin Ainsley was insufferable about taking the
second spot in the class.

Professor Stoats was
determined to give all his students the ‘experience’ of riding on a
pegasus…whether they wanted it or not. 

Mia
most assuredly did not relish the idea of riding an animal thirty feet off the
ground.   Ella couldn’t understand what Mia’s issue could be…

“Feet were meant to be
attached to something solid…not clinging to a bird-brained horse with wings
that might take it into his head to do any number of things while I’m sitting
on his back in the middle of thin air.”  Ella giggled and Mia glared at her.

“Oh Mia!  All we have to do
to pass is prove we can bridle, saddle, and ride the pegasus…no more than 20 or
30 feet in the air, and then you can come right back down and never do it again.” 
She tried to control her grin at her friend’s cowardly attitude, but the
corners of her mouth betrayed her.  

A
haughty mare was waiting when they arrived and Mia sighed and put her mind to
the task.  The trouble began as soon as Mia put the saddle on the beast’s
back.  She didn’t manage a single buckle before it was tossed to the ground. 
She glared at the winged animal and retrieved the saddle.   “Ok birdbrain. 
Let’s get this over with, and you’ll never have to deal with me again.”  
Apparently, either the pegasus didn’t consider that promise enough of an
inducement, or she was totally unaware that Mia was bargaining.  Because an
instant after the saddle was placed on her back, the mare reared up and the
saddle bounced off.

Mia’s
lips thinned as the animal threw a haughty glance at her and proceeded to amble
away, grazing.  Ella was tightening the final straps on her mount as he gazed
adoringly at her.  Mia rolled her eyes and turned back to her own mount.  The
look in the mare’s eye as she sensed Mia approaching was not adoration.   

Mia
carried the saddle with a determined air.  “Alright puppychow…let’s try this
again.”  She tossed the saddle on the pegasus’ back and leaned on it with magic
as she fumbled for the buckles on the saddle.   Unable to toss the saddle
aside, the animal’s eyes rolled in fear and frustration as she took a nervous
step back…right on Mia’s foot.

“Ouch!!!” 
Mia glared at the pegasus, but it didn’t do either of them any good.  The
cantankerous beast was saddled and ready to ride.  Mia grabbed the lead rope
and led the reluctant animal to Professor Stoats so he could inspect the
saddle, while dodging the mare’s teeth the entire way.

The
Professor had to tighten a few saddle girths, rearrange a few straps, and
generally make sure no one in the class would slide off of their mount while
still sitting in the saddle; and then it was suddenly time.

“Alright
class.  Let’s see what you can do!  Who wants to go first?”  

Ella didn’t often put herself
forward in class, but she grinned and volunteered, along with several of the
more adventurous lads.  “Miss Ward, please mount up.  I rather think you are
less likely to break your neck in a first attempt than most of my students.” 
Ella didn’t blanch, but Mia did.

With
a graceful movement, Ella leapt from stirrup to saddle and with a confident
motion, the pegasus took flight.  Mia watched with her heart in her mouth as
her friend took the beast up and cantered flawlessly around the enclosure. 
Ella was smiling, urging her mount to move quickly, and she looked like she was
in complete control.  Her red curls bounced as they landed, but otherwise it
looked as smooth as riding a horse at a canter…and much smoother than bouncing
around at a trot.  

“Excellent
Ella.  Who wants to go up next?”  A flurry of hands greeted his question so it
wasn’t hard for Mia to hide in the back of the crowd.  One by one the others
managed to get their mounts into the air with varying displays of skill and
execution.   The mare watched restlessly as the other pegasus flew around the
field, and dug a small hole in the turf with her front hoof.  Whenever Mia was
near the mare’s strong, sharp teeth she got a painful nip on whatever
unfortunate piece of flesh was within the animal’s reach.  

Eventually,
there was no one left to hide behind.   “Miss Rusticov, it is your turn.”   Mia
sighed and untied the mare.  Some of the others had used a mounting block
instead of the stirrup, and Mia led the mare to the block, feeling that she
could use all the help she could get.   Ella appeared and offered to hold the
lead rope while she mounted.  Mia stared at the horse’s back.  Even from the
block, it looked like a long way up. 

She
had just gathered her courage to lean toward the saddle when the animal
suddenly lashed out with a wing.  Mia fell in the dust on her rear, much to the
amusement of the class.  She glared up at the animal from the ground, as Ella
tried to calm the pegasus.  Professor Stoats drawled from his perch on the
fence.  “You waited too long.  You’re making her nervous.”   Mia grumbled. 
“I’m making
her
nervous?”  

She
climbed back on the block and quickly put her foot in the stirrup, and swung
herself into the saddle.  For a moment it wasn’t too bad.  Then Ella handed her
the reins.   The mare, sensing that this human on her back was not confident
and could be bullied, quickly took to the air without any guidance from Mia.  
She rapidly attained enough airspeed to guarantee flight, and the proceeded to
fly under the nearest bridge in a blatant attempt to knock Mia from the
saddle.   

Mia squealed as she clung to
the mare’s neck and dodged.   The mare snorted and flew higher as several other
riders took off to follow.  The mare tossed her head as if to say ‘What?  Do
you think you can catch me?’ and flew even higher.  Mia nearly fainted when she
accidentally looked down and saw the City, much too far below.

She reluctantly tried the
reins.  “C’mon puppychow.  Down!  Down.  I want to go down!”  

The
mare fought her, but did go somewhat closer to the ground…before she tucked her
wings, dove, and scattered the pursuing pegasus and their riders as she and Mia
plummeted toward the ground.   About the time that Mia was certain she was
going to die trying to ride this stupid animal, the mare’s wings snapped open
and she ran across the ground for a few steps as she gathered speed to fly
again.   Professor Stoats shot a spell at them, but the mare dodged and took to
the sky again.  

Mia
wished heartily that she had jumped off when she had the chance as once again
the City got further and further away.  She couldn’t see the pursuing riders
anymore.  She tried to reach for her wand, but every time she tried to release
her death grip on the mare, the animal swerved to sweep the unwanted passenger off
her back.

Mia
tried to weigh her down with natural magic, but the animal was a creature of
magic.  The extra weight didn’t even slow her down.  

Mia jerked the reigns. 
“Listen Puppychow.  I. AM. NOT Going to die trying to ride you.   Get me back
down to the ground and I will get off, just like you want me to.”

The
mare flicked an ear at her rider, skimmed back toward the ground, and tried
another brush with a tree.   Mia kept her head even with the mare’s and clung
to the saddle.   The mare studied her with one eye as she flew low and seemed
to decide something.  They landed near the college entrance and took a few
bouncing steps before she stopped.   Mia immediately scrambled off her back,
clutching the reins as the irritated animal bucked furiously and tried to get
back to the sky.    The other riders landed softly and their more obedient
mounts waited as Professor Stoats administered a calming mist to the mare.

Her
eyes glazed and one back leg went slack as the mist overcame her desire to
fly.   The Professor turned to Mia.  “Are you still alive?”   Mia nodded.  
“Just some scrapes.  She wasn’t interested in hurting me exactly; she just
didn’t want me on her back.”

The
professor ran a hand through his hair.  “I’ve never seen a pegasus act like that
before.”  He sighed and tugged on the animal’s lead reins.  “Well, let’s get
back to class.”  He grinned at Mia.  “Would you care to ride?” 

Mia nearly choked.  “No…go on
without me.  I’ll pick up my things when I get there.”  Ella (who had of course
followed on her own mount) smiled down at Mia.  “I’ll bring them to the dorms,
if you can make it that far?”    Mia nodded again, and held her hand up over
her eyes as they took off toward the pasture.   Then she sunk down on the
ground, silently promising it that she would never, ever leave it again.  

Mia
was still catching her breath, sitting on the ground, when a harsh voice came
from behind the hedge.   “Have Chilton take care of it then.”

Another voice, not as harsh,
but unpleasantly nasal replied.  “You didn’t see her face.  I was afraid she
was going to murder me right there in her office.”  The first voice was
amused.  “You never were much for the dueling ground.”

The second voice had real
fear in it.  “I’m not jesting.  Do you know how much pressure I’m under?  
Whatever projects that are necessary must wait.  If another student comes back
to this college with only half his wits the Headmistress is going directly to
the Magus, and I don’t need to tell you what will happen then.”  

The
first, colder voice chuckled.   “If you are thinking of betraying me to save
your own hide, think again.  You are in this too deep to back out now.”  He let
the threat hang in the air for a moment and then continued in an amused tone. 
“Go commission another new waistcoat with your tailor.  I’ll deal with the
headmistress, and with the Magus if need be.” 

Mia heard the men moving
away.  Her earlier weariness faded away.  She rushed toward the headmistress’
office, dreading what she knew to be true:  when she arrived, she would learn
which of her school mates were dead or lying on a cot, totally unresponsive,
with little hope of ever waking.

***

The
headmistress was in an uproar when Mia arrived at her study.   Greatlord
Chilton was on the mirror.  “Accidents happen Greatlady, sometimes even minor
tasks end in tragedy.”   The headmistress took a deep breath.  “And if it were
sometimes Greatlord, perhaps once every five to ten years, then I would agree
with you.   This is the fifth accident this year.  The council member in
question dumped the unconscious students at the infirmary like so much
baggage.  I don’t even know which council member did it, and Avery was worse
than useless when I called him in to explain.  These children are under our
care.  The City has entrusted us, you and I, to protect its most valuable
resource, the next generation of wand wielders.  How can I protect them when I
don’t even know where they are or what they are assigned to do?” 

Chilton
sighed.  “You know as well as I do that secrecy is sometime required for City
security.”

She
glared at the mirror.  “With all due respect, I doubt the children involved feel
all that secure Greatlord.  We have no less the twelve young wand wielders on
special projects at the moment.  I want them all back.   The council is not treating
them with nearly enough care.  I want to recall all of them until we have some
sort of system of accountability.” 

“Now, now Greatlady.   Being
a Council Member requires a certain amount of dignity.   You will be impugning
the gentlemen’s honor if you make them sign out the students like library
books!”

The
headmistress growled.   “At least when you check out a library book, you have
some inducement to bring it back undamaged!” 

“Headmistress!  Control
yourself.  This absence of decorum is not like you at all.”

She slammed the mirror down
on her desk.  Mia was shocked it didn’t crack from the force of it.  “I wish I
could say that this lack of sense and reason wasn’t at all like you.  Good
day.” 

The
headmistress looked up at Mia.   “Hiding your talents was the right decision.” 
She looked worn and old, despite her raven hair and unlined face. 

“I thought I should report
something I heard to you…”

After
Mia explained what she’d overheard, the Headmistress looked wary and sighed.  
“It’s good to know that I can at least frighten Avery if nothing else.  Not
that there’s much that doesn’t frighten him, the blasted dandy.”   She stood
and walked over to the portrait of the Magus.   “But which of the council
members truly thinks they can take on the Magus and survive?”