The Missing Mage (3 page)

Avera’s scowl broke into a smile of her own. “Scoundrel, you know would miss me too much. Besides, I know all the kings secrets. He cannot afford to let you sell me off.” Avera paused, looking around the room before her eyes fell on Nathan. “Now give me a proper introduction to my nephew before I really do have you hung.” Lady Avera missed her brother dearly and, despite the playful banter, it was plain to all that she missed him.

Verin released himself from her clutches, cleared his throat and gave her a low formal bow. “Lady Avera Albet of Balta, may I present to you Nathan Stoneblood, late of Elderwood, hero of Balta.”

Nathan did not know what to do, should he hug his aunt or bow to her? How does one address family when they are part of the royal family? Growing up in a small village had some disadvantages when it came to formal etiquette. Nathan decide best to go with formal so not to offend anyone. He rose from his chair and stood straight before lowering into a bow like Verin had previously done. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Avera.”

“Ignore your uncle. He is being a pain in the ass. You don’t need to bow to me, and it’s Aunt Avera or simply Avera. Now get over here and give me a hug, while your uncle explains this hero business. If he has already placed you in danger I am going to lose my mind.” Avera spoke as she went to hug Nathan.

Verin and the king laughed at this exchange. Teasing Avera was a favorite pastime of the brothers. “No sister, I did not put the boy in danger, but he did save my life and many others today.” Verin explained to Avera and the king how Nathan had shot the fire mage from the watchtower, causing the mage to blow himself up, as well as most of the archers around him. Verin went on, filling the king in on the rest of the conflict’s details.

Avera gave Nathan another hug and glared at her brother. “You may be a hero to the rest of Balta, but I know the truth about you two scoundrels. While you two have been playing hero I have been chatting with this young man’s friends. I know all about you, Nathan Stoneblood.”

Nathan felt a little sheepish. ”I am no hero. I got lucky today. Verin is crazy for thinking I could make that shot. Besides, even having a magic bow, all I did was miss two shots and barely hit the mage on the third. It really was luck. And I’m afraid to ask what you talked about.”

The king interrupted. With a smile on his face, he explained the magnitude of Nathan’s effort. “Nathan I have over a hundred bowmen in my army. Not one could hit the mage from the city wall. You fired from farther away and still hit the target. Verin has told me about your magic blood and while that helps explain how you fired a shot such a long distance, it doesn’t lessen the significance of what you did today. Many lives were saved by your actions, and I thank you. Now, would someone please tell me about these girls? “

Between Avera and Verin, Nathan’s story came out once more. (Besides a few key points where Nathan would interject to down play the events.) Once the story was finished, Avera announced her intentions to have the girls come live with her.

“Those young women have been through so much, and Nathan here is the only family they have left, even if it’s not by blood. They shall stay with me for as long as they like. Nathan you are welcome to stay with me as well, but you do have choices. There are rooms in the castle for you but my estate has plenty of rooms and my door will always be open to you.”

Nathan was glad Avera would be looking after the girls, it was good that his family was embracing him and his friends so wholeheartedly. “Thank you lad….Aunt Avera, I’m grateful that the girls will live with you. I think I might like to as well, but if it’s okay I would like to discuss it with Verin first.”

“Of course dear, whatever you decide is fine. Despite my brother’s horrendous battle tactics, I do trust his judgment. Once you two have talked, you can let me know what your plans are. Now, when we have dinner tonight I don’t want any of your men talking about this duke, or anything that has happened to the girls in the last few months. They are going to have a difficult time with the trauma of been held captive and are going to need a lot of support. Especially from you Nathan, you are the link between our world and them. They need to know you are there for them. Especially Rose and Sharon, they will feel more like outsiders than Ava will.”

Nathan was not exactly sure what his aunt meant by this but he would do his best to make the girls at home in Balta. “Whatever I can do to help them, I will do it.”

“I know you will dear, as will the rest of us.” Avera looked at her brothers for confirmation as she spoke. Both of them nodded a silent agreement. The Albet family had grown by four bodies today.

After Avera excused herself to go check on the girls, Verin took Nathan to find his room. As they walked through the maze of corridors, Verin asked Nathan what his first thoughts on Balta were.

 “Hectic, chaotic, overwhelming, beautiful, intriguing.” Nathan paused, sorting out his thoughts before continuing. “Everyone has been so nice and Avera seems wonderful. I am happy to be here.” Nathan spoke honestly. He had only been in Balta a short time, yet so much had happened already. Balta was so much different from Solotine. Mages being commonplace, no one blinking an eye at discussing magic; it was so different than back home. Nathan welcomed the fact he would not have to hide his talents for fear of discovery.

Verin smiled at his young nephew as they walked down the castle corridor, slapping the boy on the back with a laugh. “Bit of a whirlwind introduction to life in Balta that’s for sure. You will do fine here and you will always have family here that loves you. However, there are things you need to know. Balta is a complicated city. Politics and intrigue are a way of life. Not everyone you meet will have your best interests in mind. Some of the people with the biggest smiles are also the ones with knives behind their backs. Not all of our relatives are as friendly and loving as your Aunt Avera. Jealousy will be an issue. You coming to Balta introduces a new dynamic in the royal courts. I try to stay away from the politics as much as possible, being a ranger allows me to do so. You, on the other hand, are going to have to forge your own path in Balta. My recommendation is to trust few and question all. This is no sleepy village like Elderwood, everything you do and say is going to have consequences.”

Nathan listened carefully to Verin’s warnings. Nathan was not completely sure he understood the warning about other family members, or the politics of the royal courts, but he would keep his eyes open.

Verin stopped in front of a door. ”Here is your room, you should spend one night like a spoiled prince of Balta before we ship you off to live with your dreadfully bossy aunt,” said Verin with a wink.

“You think I should go live with her?” Nathan had liked the idea, but had wanted to check with Verin before committing to it.

“Yes, I think it is for the best. You could stay here in the castle, but if you did that you would be putting yourself right in the middle of a storm you are ill prepared for. Politics is not for the faint hearted, nor is it something you want to learn on the fly. Besides, after tonight’s dinner you are going to have very little access to my brother, the king.”

Nathan nodded, listening carefully to his uncles words.

Verin continued, “This is a special occasion and he can justify having a small family gathering to welcome you back, but after that it is going to be rare for him to have time for you. Being king is a very time-consuming business. Also, to be blunt, if the king spent too much time with you, it would be a disservice to you. You’ve made enough enemies for one lifetime, and being the darling of the courts would put a bull’s-eye on your back. Go live with Avera. Tomorrow, you and I will discuss how you will spend your time. I have some people for you to meet, but for tonight just enjoy the meal and get to know your uncle, the king, a little better while you can,” said Verin, before he walked away.

Nathan opened the door to his room, curious as to Verin’s comment about living like a spoiled Baltan prince. One look in the opulent room was all it took to understand this comment. Nathan’s first step into the room was onto the thick furs covering the floor. The entire floor was covered in a quilt work of bear, sheep, wolf, and a few other furs that Nathan did not recognize. The bed was beyond huge. With a laugh, Nathan jumped on the mammoth sleeping area and sprawled out. As tall and long as Nathan was, he came nowhere close to being able to touch the corners from the middle. The comfortable mattress, covered in luxurious maroon and gold satin sheets, was without doubt the most comfortable bed Nathan had ever encountered. Further inspecting the bed Nathan noted the four corner posts had curtains of thin black gold embroidered silk. Nathan looked around the room. Two oversized end tables bookended the bed. Each had several candles in gold holders. Nathan just laughed to himself, he could never live in a room this nice. He would be afraid to touch anything, spoiled prince indeed.

By Baltan standards, this dinner was a simple affair. To Ava it seemed like a feast beyond compare. Three courses, multiple main dishes, desserts… Rose was in heaven, trying a little bit of everything, especially the desserts, until her belly bloated like an over-filled canvas sack.

Besides Rose, Sharon, and Nathan were Lady Avera Albet, King Verbon Albet, Verin Albet, and Anya Brisson. Anya was Nathan’s aunt as well, but was married to Brisson Bayson who was not present; he was leading the royal fleet in its pursuit of the pirates who had attacked Balta, their son Quinton accompanied him.

The conversation around the table was pleasant. Lady Avera, or Avera as she continually insisted on being called, was very good at managing the flow of dinner topics. Anytime the conversation went towards the youth’s journey, and the trials they suffered, she would redirect it to current gossip. Nathan, Ava noted, spent a large percentage of the evening conversing with the king. It didn’t really surprise Ava, after all he had already spent a great deal more time with his uncle Verin and had just met King Verbon. Avera and Anya spent most of the evening chatting with the girls.

Ava found Verin and Nathan’s exploits after they’d left the docks fascinating: Nathan shooting a magic bow and hitting a fire mage, who in turn blew himself up, allowing Verin and his men to rescue the stranded villagers and workers caught outside the city walls. Magic bows, fire mages it all seemed so surreal. She really needed to sit Nathan down alone and have a good chat. It seemed that he has been holding out on her.

Ava’s musings were momentarily interrupted when Nathan addressed Avera. “So aunty, if the offer still stands, I would like to come live with you.”

“Of course the offer stands, you silly goose. I will be delighted to have you come live with us. What do you say girls do you think we can handle a stinky boy living in the house with us?” Avera replied in delight, her satisfaction evident by the large smile across her face.

Ava watched as Rose wrinkled her nose and retorted, “I suppose, but he better have baths, no stinky people allowed.”

Everyone at the table had a good laugh at this, even Nathan who cheekily replied, “For you my dear Rose, I shall bathe every day and wear the finest cologne so I smell like a warm summer breeze in a mountain meadow.”

Rose stuck her tongue out at Nathan. “Ewww, gross, please just don’t be stinky.” Again, the precocious child had the table in stitches.

Towards the end of the evening, Verin addressed Avera, “I know you have plans for the girls tomorrow, but I would like to steal Ava from you in the afternoon. I have someone I would like her and Nathan to meet.”

Ava was intrigued but didn’t comment on it, she simply nodded when Avera asked her if she was okay with Verin stealing her for a while.

After a while, Ava took Rose and headed off to their room, leaving Sharon to talk with the adults a while longer. It would be good for her friend to be able to chat without feeling like a tag along. As she tucked her little sister in for bed, Rose spoke. “I really like Avera, I think we are going to be happy here.”

Ava kissed her on the forehead. “You know what? I think you are correct, I really do.” As Rose drifted off to a blissful sleep, Ava drowsily contemplated the day’s events. It had been a very long day, but she was content. Life in Balta was off to a wonderful start.

The next morning Avera came and woke them up, bright and early. “Come along girls, get dressed, I won’t have you stay in this dusty old castle one minute longer than necessary.”

Ava looked around at the lavish room; she calls this dusty and old? Ava thought to herself.

Once the girls were all dressed Avera huddled them out the door. “Shall we have breakfast in the city? We have appointments to keep.”

Ava did not know what appointments they had to keep, but the smile on Avera’s face made it seem like today was going to be fun.

Once they walked out the front gates of the castle, Ava got her first real look at the city that was their new home. The first thing she noticed was how big it was and how many people were walking around the streets. She had never seen so many people in her life. It was fascinating to walk down the street and admire the diversity of clothing. Bright colors and fancy outfit everywhere. Even those wearing simple outfits were clean and well groomed. If nothing else, Balta must be a wealthy city. She commented on this to Avera as they strolled down the boulevard.

“Yes indeed, Balta is blessed with many riches, and is a unique kingdom in Mithbea, in that it has many landowners and merchants. It can be a difficult place to live, and is far from perfect, but wealth and good health are common here. It is a great city to live in.” Avera replied, then turned into a quaint little shop. “Here we are, ladies inside you go.”

When Ava and the girls walked in the door, a voice rang out in pleasant tone. “Ah Lady Avera, we’ve been expecting you. These three young ladies must be the ones you were telling me about. Ladies, my name is Elanor Deville and I will be assisting you today.”

Ava was amazed how quickly Avera had been able to organize things. They’d only met her yesterday afternoon, yet she’d already contacted shop owners about them. Avera was a model of efficiency.