The Last Wizard of Eneri Clare (18 page)

So, when Ondine went on her way that afternoon with her charges, she was shepherding happy souls, who were absolutely besotted with the pale young wizard, and were promising to visit again soon, and to assist him in whatever he should need. Ondine had committed to staying with the little naiads awhile to teach them a few of her own ‘tricks’ from the land of the ancient forests, and to trade stories and ancestries. But she hung back a moment to tell Tvrdik that she had also been in conversation with the unicorns. Just an introduction so far – you had to go slow and easy with unicorns – but it was progress in the right direction. Then she winked at him and blew him a kiss, and was gone beneath the shining surface of the water.

Her sudden absence echoed in the warm spring air, leaving a void that made him feel lonelier than before she had arrived. But then, a voice beside him broke the heavy silence, “Well, sir,
that
was most extraordinary.” Stewart said.

“Indeed it was,” replied Tvrdik, with gratitude for the stalwart wolfhound’s company. He reached out and put a hand on Stewart’s shoulder, and after a brief pause in companionable silence, both staring off downriver, lost in their respective thoughts, they rose at the selfsame moment and went back to work.

Hours later, when the sun was edging toward the horizon, casting long shadows in the yard, and Tvrdik was considering at least one more night at the palace, while he swept out the sitting room of twelve years of dust and debris, the second surprise arrived. An even longer shadow seemed to fall across the world, nearly blotting out the sun, and a sudden whoosh of wind over the freshly thatched roof startled the dog and the mage, causing them to run to the doorway to see what the commotion was. It was the roar of a dragon’s wings whipping up the air – a great green dragon who circled low and skidded to a landing on the riverbank just behind the house. Tashroth and his rider had waited for this quiet time of day to approach from the side opposite the road to avoid rousing any suspicion at their presence. Since they were giving it out that the Lady Regent was contracting repairs on Xaarus’ old cottage anyway, it would be natural for her to drop in and monitor the project’s progress. But she was in no mood to field questions or requests from the curious or the needy tonight, and so some precautions seemed wise. No one was out and about walking the river road at this hour, so Jorelial Rey threw a cursory glance about, and judged it safe to dismount. Tvrdik and Stewart had raced around to the river side of The Cottage for the second time that day, and greeted their guests’ arrival with proper low bows.

“Jorelial Rey,” Tvrdik intoned, as she dropped down on the riverbank, “and my lord Tashroth. Be welcome here.” Tashroth gave an acknowledging nod as he rearranged himself into a more comfortable, and, he hoped, less conspicuous position on a strip of riverbank barely able to contain him. Jorelial Rey made a curt little bow in answer to their formal courtesies, and then strode over and grasped Tvrdik’s hand in both of hers in a warm greeting. He could feel, nevertheless, her agitation, just beneath the veneer of cultivated grace.

“Tvrdik, it is good to see you again. I hope you don’t mind this unheralded and unorthodox visit. We wanted to see how the house was coming, but didn’t want to attract any attention. I hope we haven’t startled you, or arrived at a bad time?”

“Not at all, my lady. You know you are always most welcome. Come, let me show you around. Things are still a bit rough, but coming along…”

“But who is this?” she stopped in her tracks, noticing Stewart.

Tvrdik backtracked, “Oh, pardon me – this is my good friend Stewart, who has been a great help to me over the past several days.”

Stewart took his cue, “My Lady Regent, ‘tis an honor to make yer acquaintance. Call on me if I may ever be of service.”

Jorelial lifted an eyebrow to hear the dog speak. Apparently, she had encountered few talking beasts besides dragons in her short years, but she continued without hesitation, “I thank you with all my heart, and am happy to meet you as well. I am always grateful for faithful friends I may count on.”

“Health and long life to the infant king; so say I,” Stewart averred with enthusiasm.

“Amen to that!” Rel countered, and then, almost under her breath, “Indeed, amen to that.”

Tvrdik ventured to put a hand on her shoulder, happy for the additional company, and excited about showing off what they had thus far accomplished, “Come along. I hope you will be pleased at our progress…” There was still light enough to take a turn around the exterior of the building, pointing out the new roofing, the brightly whitewashed walls, the uncovered windows with new panes installed, the orderly, weeded gardens and the neat flowerbeds up against the foundation, the repaired front gate, swept walk, and solid front door. Rel was impressed, if not amazed.

“This is remarkable, for only a few days work. However did you get so much done?”

“Well, Stewart has been invaluable, but to tell the truth, I did cheat a bit.”

“Cheat?” She wrinkled her brow. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, “Magic.”

“Oh.” she raised her eyebrows in surprise, and then, without warning, he winked, which made her smile for the first time in days.

“It’s beautiful,” she told him sincerely, “Almost as I remember it.”

“I’m afraid the inside still has a way to go, but I’ve been concentrating on the kitchen and private apartments.” Jorelial nodded as they stepped inside. Just within the arched doorway, Tvrdik paused for just a moment of indecision, and then reached out toward the foyer wall and retrieved his magical staff. Rel stepped back, startled. Tvrdik set it between them, “What do you think? Xaarus had it put away all finished with my name on it. You can’t imagine how good it feels in my hand.”

“Does it work?”

For answer, Tvrdik gripped the staff, closed his eyes and concentrated. In a twinkling, big, cold snowflakes fell on Jorelial’s hair, nose, and eyelids; fell in quantity, fell from out of nowhere. She swatted at her clothes, at the air around her, dancing in place on the floor where white flakes were accumulating.

“OK, OK, make it stop! Make it stop,” she shouted. And as fast as it had begun, the snow disappeared at once, leaving them both breathless and giggling. “Impressive,” she remarked, between bursts of laughter, and, staff at his side, Tvrdik ushered her into the house.

“Weather is the easiest,” he confessed, “I’m still experimenting on lots of other things…”

Rel jumped back, smiling, “”Well, promise me you won’t do any more experimenting on me today, alright?”

“If you insist,” he pouted in mock disappointment, and she gave him a cuff across the shoulder in mock annoyance. Suddenly they both stopped midstep, and their eyes met, both realizing that they had been ‘playing’ – a thing neither of them had any experience in at all. Something unspoken passed between them, the silent sharing of how good it felt to let go of the burdens of past and future, and just enjoy the moment, to be young and lighthearted and feeling immortal. It was only a second’s connection, but unmistakably real. And then, the young mage turned away and muttered, “This way…” and it was over.

The sitting room they entered looked almost inviting – still in need of paint and decoration, and perhaps new chairs – but it was swept and clean, cobwebs long gone, the hearth already emptied and stacked with new wood and kindling. Tvrdik explained how he had closed off the teaching annex and left it for another time. It was such a large area, not essential for his current needs, and besides, it was, for him, so filled with memories. Rel nodded, understanding.

The kitchen was beginning to shape up. A small stock of new or refurbished pots of gleaming copper, along with a few utensils and basic provisions had been laid in against the mage’s eventual move into the place. “You can see how liberal I have been in spending your money,” Tvrdik ventured, with a sheepish grin.

The lady smiled, “I can see it is going to be a wise investment.”

As they continued on through doorways, Rel gasped with wonder at the amazing library, and the workshop/laboratory, which Tvrdik had cleaned and tidied, but left for the most part unchanged.

“I don’t remember ever being invited in here,” she remarked, her eyes travelling over the shelves and shelves of books and scrolls and equipment. “The breadth and depth of his knowledge was astounding.”

“
Is
astounding,” Tvrdik corrected. “I am still counting on seeing him back among these tomes and projects in the near future. Xaarus appeared to me and told me to help myself to anything here that might be useful, but I’m afraid these rooms will always feel like his personal property, which I am privileged to borrow. I daren’t move or reorganize anything he was working on for fear of spoiling some long-awaited and deeply significant result.”

Rel looked him square in the face, “I feel his presence here too, but soon you will be doing your own important work, and you will need to put aside your reverence and use everything at your disposal. In that way, you also honor him as teacher and master.”

Tvrdik peered at her over his glasses; how and where had that insight come from, as well as the surprising level of confidence in him? He dropped his gaze, whispering, “It is too soon.”

She touched his arm. “Time is a luxury we do not have.” There was a long silence. Tvrdik turned and ducked through the last door.

“…and this would be the master bedroom, no pun intended. I could stay here now if necessary, but it really needs a new mattress and a coat of paint, some repairs on these old floor tiles…”

“Of course, you should be comfortable. You have done so much in only a brief time, and I am in no hurry to shoo you from Theriole. Please do not hesitate to use our resources to get what you need: new furniture, a mattress, hangings, equipment…. I am serious. That is, at least, one thing I can provide. How you have improved this place already, all by yourself, is nothing short of miraculous. I want to help in whatever way I can.”

As they turned to leave the room, Tvrdik caught sight of his reflection in Xaarus’ big glass hanging on the far wall. He stopped short to see the pale, disheveled young man in dirty homespun, hair tangled and sticking out at odd angles, smudges of dirt and grease on his face. Horrified, he reached up a calloused, dirty hand to smooth his hair. “Gods, my apologies! We have been at work all day, and your visit took us by surprise. Why didn’t you tell me?”

She caught his arm and pulled it down, “There is no shame in honest labor, and, just as you say, we did not give you any warning that we were coming. Please…” She was coaxing him away from the mirror and met his eyes with great seriousness. “Tvrdik, there is another reason I am here just now…the Grand Council meets tomorrow.”

“His eyes grew wide, “I had forgotten.”

“Is there somewhere we can sit a few moments and talk?”

He led her back through doors and corridors into the sitting room, where there were two big chairs (a bit threadbare, perhaps, but not uncomfortable), and a small table by the hearth. “Come into my ‘Hall of Audience,’ he teased, smiling in recollection of their first meeting. “Can I offer you a seat?” He batted at one of the old chairs and a cloud of dust engulfed them.

Rel laughed. “That will do for now.” She waved away the flinders and sat. Tvrdik glanced in turn through several windows on opposite sides of the house. Stewart, sensing the import of this visit, had posted himself just outside the front door, guarding the entrance like a stone lion, and Tashroth was doing much the same on the riverbank in the rear. Both seemed to have their heads cocked and ears pricked to pick up any stray conversation that might float by. Now it was Tvrdik’s turn to laugh.

“Our guardians seem to have things well in hand out there. I think we can speak in safety.” The light was fading by now and a chill breeze picked up outside. The temperature in the stone house had dropped noticeably in the past half hour. Rel shivered where she sat. Tvrdik waved a hand at the hearth. “Fire,” he said, and without delay, the stacked wood burst into a cozy blaze. Another motion lit the lamps in the room. Then he pointed to the kitchen door and moved a finger. “Tea,” he spoke, and a bright copper kettle floated out to the hearth stone, while through the kitchen doorway they caught a glimpse of two mugs, spoons, a little earthen teapot, a teaball stuffed with dried leaves and a small pot of honey all assembling themselves on a tarnished silver tray. It started to float in their direction on its own, but Tvrdik pointed at it one more time and said, “biscuits,” and it moved back to the kitchen, re-emerging moments later piled with some sweet pastries he had purchased. As the tray floated out from the kitchen again, and set itself down on the little table, and the copper kettle hung itself from a hook over the cheerful fire, Rel laughed in delight and clapped her hands.

“Your hospitality is impeccable. I rather like hanging around with a wizard.”

Tvrdik made a little bow, “It has its advantages. This should take just a few minutes. I hope it will warm you up a bit. Honey?”

“Excuse me?”

“In your tea…” They giggled at the old joke, while he spooned some into her mug, and poured the hot water from the kettle into the little teapot to steep. Then he took a seat, more dust exploding around him, causing another rash of giggles. But the gravity of the conversation to come sobered them in an instant. Tvrdik leaned forward toward the Lady Regent. “Now, then, tomorrow…?”

She sighed, “Yes, tomorrow…” She took a small corner of biscuit, and chewed thoughtfully, swallowing before going on. “The day has finally come when we will see if things head down the road you have predicted. Delegates and regional lords have been arriving all week. The open fields around the palace are overrun with campsites, and the inns in the town are full. As temporary regent, I must preside. Tashroth, who often acts as my extra eyes and ears, and helps lead me to my best judgment, cannot be in the room because of his size, and the inhibiting effect he has on some people. Tvrdik, I repeat my request for you to be there. I need you to observe, to watch and listen, keep me honest in my memory of what happens there, and to pick up on anything I might miss. A word, a glance, body language, even a hunch – whatever information you gather will be useful, as I will be in the thick of things, and am likely to miss a great deal. You have no official right to attend, nor do I think it prudent yet to present you formally as Xaarus’ student and heir. You will have to be there in secret. Yet I think for you to be invisible would not do. For my own peace of mind, I want to know where you are.” Tvrdik rose and poured the tea.