The Elementalist : Next of Kin: The Kothian Chronicles (27 page)

The lady carrying the tray of tea and cups, placed it gently down on the table before them, and was about to place the cups when Joren told her he would do so. Anden watched the lady bow her head a little before heading back through the door. "We will have to find you a few more house staff," he told them, "I have given you three of mine, but with so much to do in the palace and Mother still not being well, I cannot really afford to let you have more." Joren placed the cups around and poured a little tea into each, before answering, "I will send my people to fetch more tomorrow Sire. We will need to bring Commander Denny Porter and his men back as well," he added as an afterthought.

Chapter 33.

As the last of the Bosarians had been removed from Kothian Lands, the Icenians tasked with escorting them started returning to Berxsley. The man they served, although technically no longer their leader thanked each one personally, before seeing them returned to the ships anchored off the northern coast. It was only after the last ship had departed did the finality of it all eventually sink in. Joren would unlikely ever see Icenia or his brother again, deciding instead to start afresh with the son he had always thought dead. Since first meeting the young man, he had felt almost immediately, the love a father had for his child. He was unsure as to whether the love between a mother and child was any different, but he had known from that first day there was no way he could let his son go. 

After living with his brother and family, he had always felt like the odd one out, now he was here in Berxsley with his own family. Although Zack had a mother and father living far to the west, Joren felt almost a father figure to him all the same. As for Connor, the young Bosarian orphan who had attached himself to Maxim, he had fitted in to their life as if it was always meant to be.

The people of Berxsley had hailed their new young king on his return, and even those who previously had not been supporters of the monarchy were now in favour of his leadership. Although still a boy in truth, here was a young man that had liberated their city and the lands beyond. A ruler, who in just a few weeks had already made his mark upon the lives of the people of Kothia, and to whom they would be forever grateful.

Joren's seemingly endless supply of crates containing foodstuffs, added to the supplies collated by the Bosarians would ensure nobody went hungry any time soon. The people of the city showed just how resilient they were, as they quickly returned to their lives as if nothing had happened. The old government building was still undergoing refurbishment work, as Joren, Maxim and Zack sat awaiting their first applicants.

They all knew that at first they would likely have only a handful of students, especially as magic was until recently, a somewhat taboo subject. However, now the people had witnessed firsthand just what could be achieved, as shown by the Icenians who had liberated them, their opinions had quickly changed. A slow trickle of youngsters had been escorted in to them, most being escorted by a parent wanting their child to enlist, but also one or two orphans from the street; something very close to Maxim's heart.

Joren had spent some time explaining to both his son and Zack on how they could use their powers to detect the essence of magic. Surprisingly Zack had managed to work it out quicker than Maxim had, but after a little encouragement, they had both managed the gist of it. As each prospective candidate walked in, Joren allowed them both to use their skills first, before double-checking they were reading the signs right.

Some they had to turn away, although they did so as politely as possible, due to the child in question showing no signs of any magical power, despite the parents claim to the contrary. To date, they had just seven names on their list, and today were hoping for a couple more to add to it. Like Pitford, Joren had requested the academy students to all be given robes to wear as an indication to their identity. Maxim had worn his red robe several times before; Zack however was still coming to terms to wearing his. Even though he felt completely ridiculous wearing the garment, the young royal bought in to the idea wholeheartedly.

After turning away the first two candidates, due to the fact neither of them actually had any magical ability, the next inline was an orphan child. A young girl who thought she was eleven, stepped up to the table at which they were sat. Maxim secretly crossed his fingers, hoping he would not have to turn this poor child away, as he listened to his father ask her some questions. He closed his eyes slightly, not for any purpose other than it helped him use the skills shown to him in detecting magic. He was not sure, but he thought he could sense something, and quickly opened them again as his father asked them both to check. Despite him already doing so, Maxim repeated the process once more, just to make certain, and was relieved to see the same result, more so when Zack nodded the same. Joren once more checked, and agreed with their findings, "Welcome to the academy young lady," Joren said with a smile, "If you have nowhere else to go in the meantime, you are welcome to sit back in the hallway," he told her. Those accepted would normally have to go back to their homes to pack a few personal things, although in this particular instance, as she was an orphan, Joren was unclear if she needed to, so made the offer.

With five more names added to the list, bringing the total of students up to a dozen, Joren thought they had enough to make a start. Some of the government offices had, and others were still being, changed into living accommodation for the students. The large meeting hall with its elegant doors had already been transformed into a dining hall, with the rooms off it being made into the kitchens. They all knew it would take several more weeks of hard work before everything was up and running, but for now at least they had managed a start.

With so much going on, extra help was obviously required, meaning more jobs for the people of the city. Aside from the all the extra building work, they also needed to hire staff to cater for the students, as well cleaners and maintenance workers. To soften the burden upon the crown's treasury, Joren had funded much of the work, and the first year's upkeep for the academy from his own fortune.

There was obvious excitement in the air, as the tailors in the city, hired to make the first batch of robes, delivered them on time as promised. Students would all wear dark blue, and those teaching would wear red, which just happened to be those worn by the Icenians, of which Joren appeared to have an endless supply. It was hoped in time, that anybody seen wearing a robe around the city would be looked upon with respect, although they knew that day was still some time off just yet.

Anden had chipped in to help when he could, even to the point of rolling up his sleeves and helping with some of the alteration work. The young king was determined this very building and those taught here, would mould the future of Kothia, and as a result would do anything to make it a success. Safe in the knowledge that as long as he had two of the most powerful magicians living in the city, Anden thought the future for Kothia was assured for the time being at least. As for his enemy across the border, well as long as it kept to its side of the Great River, he did not care. To make sure any such incursion never happened again, he had sat down with his advisors to work out strategic positions for several garrisons to be built. In time, it was hoped that both normal soldiers and the magicians being taught in Pitford, and at the new academy in Berxsley, would man these important posts; ensuring Kothia's future.

As the sun set low in the sky, Joren stood out in the back garden of the home he had been given, alongside his now two sons. With an arm around Maxim and his hand held with Connors, they watched as the last light of day faded away into darkness. With Zack stood beside Maxim, the four turned to go inside, each of their lives changed for the better, and each looking forward to a happy fruitful life. Tomorrow would bring another day, and with it, the problems that everyday life bought; but whatever the future held for them, they would get through it together.

Epilogue.

In Bosaria, Gorius had taken his defeat badly, so much so he had lost his temper ordering hundreds of his own people killed. Any person who offended him of late could expect nothing but a slow painful death. Although tortured by his ill fortune and with his vision of an extended Bosaria appearing in ruins, that did not stop him planning further.

Kothia may have managed to ally itself with a force so great he knew attacking again would be futile, but he still held out hope that one day his dream would be fulfilled. After all, he still had a sizeable army at his disposal, as well as an increasing number of magicians in Waltham that were training to fight alongside them. There were also other countries for him to conquer, Kothia may have eluded him for now, but his other neighbours would surely not pose so much of a threat; although he knew he needed to be careful they did not ally against him. More careful planning was required, and he had plenty of time to do it.

Walking smugly down the corridor in the palace, he was heading to the room being used by one of his staunchest followers. Shonna had been one of the few positives taken from the war with Kothia, having been the one responsible for almost managing to break it, but not quite. Since then though, she had become somewhat a recluse, spending much of her time working on some half-baked idea she could understand the ancient artefacts he and Davan had accumulated.

As he entered the room, Shonna almost leapt on him such was her excitement. "I have finally deciphered the last of this," she told him pointing to the item that resembled some kind of doorframe. "Thanks in part to those parchments Davan acquired from the Kothian Palace, I think I can make this work." Gorius stood a little less impressed than she had anticipated, "What exactly will it do?" He asked scratching at his head looking slightly bemused as to her joviality.

Shonna calmed herself, "Where did Davan find this?" she asked. Gorius could not recall exactly, and with Davan out of the city recruiting, he was not there to ask. "I think he said it was buried, quite deep if I recall. Why what does that matter?"

"And with good cause, because I have worked out what it is," she told him once more.

Gorius held his hands out as if to say, 'go on then tell me'. "I believe this was buried so no one would ever find it, although they obviously did not count on Davan's somewhat unique ability to detect such items," She told him being all quizzical again.

Gorius sighed and was about to turn around to leave, "I believe this is not a teleport device as you thought, but a gateway," she said re-sparking his interest. "Really...? A gateway to where exactly?" He asked taking a closer look at the item in question. Shonna quickly shuffled through her mountain of papers and picked up a very old book. The pages were clearly very fragile, and Gorius waited impatiently, as he watched her turn them one by one, before stopping and turning the book for him to see. "I believe this is a gateway to some kind of hell," she said pointing to a small faded picture in the bottom corner of the page.

Gorius was quickly losing interest again, "I think I shall be going there anyway," he quipped, "I do not think I need a gateway to take me." He even afforded a chuckle thinking just how witty he was when he tried. Shonna was certain this item could help them in their cause, "I will get it working," she promised him. With a determination, she asked him to watch as she slowly ran her old bony fingers along the outer edge of the frame, uttering the words written upon it as she went.

Shonna stopped and stepped away from the device and waited. "Is something supposed to happen?" Gorius asked. Shonna shrugged, she was certain she had said the words correctly and in the right order, but alas it would appear that might not have been the case. "I am not certain why nothing has worked; perhaps it requires somebody with a certain type or amount of power for it to work." Gorius placed a hand on her shoulder, "Come on Shonna," he said trying not to sound condescending, after all she was at least trying to help him, "Perhaps you just need a little more time. I will have some of the other magicians come down in the morning. Perhaps you can make it work with them trying," he added with a smile.

As the pair left the room, Shonna shook her head, "I will get it to work Gorius, and when I do, I shall summon an army of unimaginable power for you to command." Gorius nodded, "Very good Shonna, be sure to close the door though, I hear there are many undesirable creatures living through there," he quipped again. As they walked away, the king sniggered to himself, thinking she had obviously been without sleep for too long.

In the room that they had just vacated a small light flickered, growing slightly within the frame, as a gust of warm air, burst forth, and blowing the pile of papers on the desk up into the air. As they slowly fell back down to the floor, the light petered out of existence and the room settled as if nothing had happened.

Unknown to them all, perhaps Shonna was closer than anybody realised in achieving her goal. Gorius however was not so sure she would ever make the the artefact work, as she had told him it would. After leaving her walking in the direction of the dining room, he decided to head for his own personal quarters. For now, he was weary and felt the need to release a little tension, and headed for his royal bedroom, where he knew a young woman would be waiting and willing to please him.