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Author's infos Gender: Male Age: 53 Location: Las Vegas, Nv |
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| Introduction: Treachery Reveled, New Mothers, A Dragons passing, My new pets and an Appointment with the Mage Council | ||
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I looked at Elizabeth, “Something has been at the back of my mind. Your work gives you knowledge of how bodies work correct?” She had stopped smiling and was watching me. After my question she nodded, things were coming together in my head, “Tell me, the changes Antizel made in mage fertility. How many children could each woman have at one time and how often?” Elizabeth frowned, thinking. Looking up at me, “Two to four would be normal, as for how often…” She frowned and Cat interrupted, “When I was growing up we saw new Mair every 5 or 6 years.” Elizabeth nodded, “A little accelerated but that would be my guess as well. Why? What is bothering you?” I looked at her, “The girl’s that we found with your daughter’s. The numbers are wrong. There were 30 little one’s around 5. (I glanced at Cat) We did not check them to see who their mothers were.” Elizabeth looked at me, “You think you missed someone? More of my daughter’s?” I nodded and looked at Cat, “Could you send someone to Amanda, Theresa, Ginger and Beth. I want them to check all the little girls.” I was also thinking that if I had missed a room then I had missed something else. I looked at Elizabeth, “All I found below Pendar’s was a poorly made crafting room. Unlike your crafting room, there were no servants.” She looked at me as if she did not understand. I thought back to the grizzly workroom Antizel had left, “When I cleared the floors below your keep, I found a workroom Antizel had used for his necromancy. It wasn’t a pleasant sight.” Her eyes widened, “You didn’t find anything like it below Pendar’s?” I shook my head, “Did you know Pendar? Was he anything like Antizel?” She growled, “Yes, he was also around Antizel. He was always trying to copy him, but he was never as good as Antizel.” I looked at her, “And Antizel made sure he had a back door out of his keep.” Elizabeth frowned, “Two actually. His second was out of the grotto.” Sam came in with Cassy and I turned to her, “I need some runners. One for the Legate (I thought about Antizel’s work room), another for the mage council, ask for Artimas. Warn them it is about Pendar and that I may have missed something in his keep.” I looked at Elizabeth as she cleared her throat, “I would like to see the workroom Antizel left.” I sent Sam on her way and frowned at Elizabeth who held up her hands with a smile, “I won’t try to do any magic.” I nodded and I helped her stand, she did seem stronger. Elizabeth kept glancing at Cassy as she walked beside her quietly with her head bowed. “Your name is Cassy?” Cassy looked at her quickly before looking back at the ground, “Yes.” Elizabeth softly brushed her cheek and Cassy looked at her half afraid. Elizabeth smiled at her, “Antizel only let me be with my first daughters. I was never able to do any magic so I couldn’t even place a mage tag, but I know my own daughters. You were born with two sisters.” Startled, Cassy looked at her and Elizabeth slipped her hand into Cassy’s as they walked. A slow shy smile came to Cassy’s face and I saw something else in her eyes. Cat caught up to me as we reached the entrance into the keep. She had a strange expression, “Michael, only 11 of the girls were theirs, but something is strange. The rest are not related at all.” I looked at her and thought of how everyone had thought Elizabeth had been killed, “I had Sam send a runner to the mage council. I need another to find out if any mage women have gone missing in the last few years. Thinking about my short swords and Cat, “I need my old sword.” Cassy looked at me, “I’ll go get it for you.” She hurried inside while Cat went to find another runner. As we got closer to the stairwell and the workroom I started becoming tense. Cynthia came running up the stairs until she was walking at my side, “What is it you feel?” I had not thought about it and stopped at the hallway into the workroom. Slipping into a light meditation, I extended my senses and felt ‘magic.’ it was necromancy. It was coming from behind the door into the workroom and it was new. Cynthia could feel what I did and she growled. Tom and David came rushing down the stairs laughing. They were being chased by one of the kittens. I grabbed Tom, “go find John. I need men here with weapons quick and David, I need you to go call the guards.” I released him and gave him a gentle push, “Go, hurry.” I looked at Elizabeth, “Go back outside.” She looked at me startled, “But…” “No buts, Go!” I moved to the door and put my hand on it extending my senses and listening as hard as I could. I could hear movement all around the room and the room seemed to have magic emanating from it. Cassy came hurrying down the stairs and I took my sword before sending her outside to Elizabeth. I started opening the door when Cat and Sam showed up. I was going to take them into the room with me but something did not feel right about the room. “Stay here and guard the door. Do not come in unless I tell you.” When they started to argue I stopped them, “Something is wrong in the room. I want you to stay here.” I realized that I was afraid for them and why. I took a breath remembering my grandfather’s words to follow my heart. My grandfather was never one to give meaning to only one thing, “When this is over we will talk and I think plan. I am afraid that if you go into the room with me you will be hurt or worse so please stay here.” I saw something in their eyes as they looked at each other and then back at me before they nodded. I centered myself and extended my senses, “Cynthia, stay with them.” Cynthia hissed in protest, “You are my chosen!” I smiled and caressed her in my mind, “I need to know what is happening here as well as in there.” She sat with her tail whipping back and forth, “Be careful.” I put my hand on the door and started opening it, “You might want to send the kittens outside.” Stepping into the room, I knew I was not alone but saw no one. As I closed the door behind me, I closed my eyes. It was like my sparing with my old master and I turned and blocked a sword. Stepping into the flow, I moved through my hidden foes, not pausing to engage any single one of them but just moved through them. If I cut off an arm or leg, it would become visible. I knew those around me were undead. They moved with little or no skill, the smell in the room told me that they had died recently. It was a few minute later that the first sword got through my guard. I felt a slash slide along my left side before my back handed swing took the undead guards head. I tried to stay to the edge of what I felt as a crowd so they would not overwhelm me. It seemed that to kill these undead all I had to do was take their head. I had killed several more and was turning to another presence and thrusting when I took a stabbing thrust into the back of my right leg. I staggered and blocked the pain, continuing my dance. The next one I killed had not been one of the undead but a mage. I felt the knot of magic that went through the room and continued to make my way towards it, feeling for a loose end. I took another shallow stabbing wound in my right hip and ignored it as I took the head of the undead guard. I felt only a few undead left as well as another presence. I turned and killed another as I took yet another stab wound. This one in my back, in the left shoulder. I finally reached the knot and found the loose end I was looking for. There was only one undead guard and that other presence left as I pulled on it. I blocking a wild swing from the undead only to have his sword bounce and slide along my left arm, leaving a four inch gash. Taking his arm and then his head, I turned to the last one and found myself facing Pendar himself. He threw a ball of something at me and I pushed out my chi like a shield as I dove to the side. I didn’t make it, the magic exploded and tossed me back like a rag doll. I went with it, rolling to a kneeling position and pulling the Sparrow. Taking quick aim, I shot him twice in the chest. I stood carefully and crossed to him. Even as I approached I saw the wounds in his chest closing so I shot him point blank in the head. Even that started to regenerate. Holstering my pistol, I grabbed his hair and started cutting off his head. Cynthia called out, “some mages are here! We are coming in.” They came in the door as I finished removing Pendar’s head. I stood and swayed as the pain from my wounds hit me. John and several men including Gentle and Paul with two other guards followed the mages in. Cynthia rushed to me and rubbed on my leg, “you let some get through! I knew I should have been here.” I looked down, “You try fighting with your eyes closed against a crowd of invisible zombies.” I looked up as Artimas and another mage approached. I looked at the head and tossed it to the side, “You don’t have to worry about Pendar anymore.” Cat and Sam moved through the crowed and gasped when they saw the blood. They tried to see all my wounds, but I stopped them. I faced Artimas, “Tell me he is not going to come back from that.” He and the other mage looked at Pendar’s body and head and then looked around the room. I glanced around the room as well. It looked like a slaughter room with bodies and body parts spread around. Artimas shook his head, “He won’t come back. You came in here alone?” He looked at the other mage who was watching me strangely, “How did they get in?” I looked at him for a minute before looking at Artimas and raising my eyebrow. Artimas went pink, “Sorry Michael, I forgot my manners. This is William Starfinder. He is the head of the mage council.” I looked at William, “I have no idea, Yet. This room was searched, but I think we missed something.” James stepped out of the crowd as he crossed to me, “Mages fear other mages. Perhaps it is like the entrance to the other hidden place and has no magic.” William started to say something hotly but I held up my hand, “I would have felt the opening mechanism…” I was thinking hard, any opening here was leading out, not leading in, “Unless there wasn’t one on this side.” As everyone started talking I leaned on Sam, “Quiet!” Everyone stopped and looked at me in surprise, “I need it quiet and don’t move.” With Sam helping to support me, I moved to the door and started moving slowly along the wall. I was looking for any fresh signs, dirt that had been moved, scuff’s anything. On the far side of the room I found what I was searching for. There were tiny pieces of stone along the base of the wall that had been moved away. I called them over and showed them. Artimas and William were looking at the wall in a way that told me they were using mage sight. When they stopped and frowned, I sighed muttering, “always the hard way.” Closing my eyes I stepped next to the wall and put my hand on it. I relaxed and started the technique I used to meditate. When I was almost there I reached out and pushed as I slowly moved along the wall until felt something deep in the rock. Concentrating, I felt the edge of the door and moved my senses in deeper. I found the locking latch attached to the door, it wasn’t the opening switch but maybe it would do. I pushed until it slipped free of the door. I opened my eyes to see everybody watching me, “John? Would you and a couple of other men mind pushing right here?” John looked at me with his eyebrow raised, but moved to the wall and two others joined him. As they put their weight against the wall it moved slightly. They were surprised and John stepped back and looked at the wall for just a second before gesturing for the men to move closer to him. I leaned against Sam and felt Cat applying pressure against the wound along my side and hip. As the tunnel slowly became visible, I looked a Gentle and Paul, “How far is it to Pendar’s from the Keep above?” Gentle and Paul looked at each other before Paul looked back, “Just over half a mile I think.” I was already very tired, the adrenaline had worn off and the shock of the fight was setting in. Not to mention the pain from my wounds. I sighed and stepped towards the tunnel, Sam and Cat both hissed at me and I felt a resigned sigh from Cynthia as well, “Michael, you could at least wait for us to get you a healer.” I looked down at Cynthia, everyone had heard her, “I suppose I could, but somehow I don’t think Pendar was acting alone.” William moved up until he was walking beside us, “You think there are other mages?” “You saw the other one in the workroom and somehow I don’t think Pendar could have animated all of those that were here that quickly.” He looked at me, “How do you know they weren’t in his Keep and you missed them?” I glanced at him, keeping my senses extended before us, “Because I destroyed the anchor he used in his Keep. It was a large crystal in his crafting room. Besides I could tell by the smell that they hadn’t been dead for very long.” When we were about halfway there, I heard a shout from behind us and stopped. I had kept Artimas and William from creating mage lights and we had no torches. We stopped to wait and I could see several mage lights bobbing along with them. As they got closer I saw Legate Abrams in the led with four mages and about thirty men. As he got closer he called out, “I got your messages and came over to talk to….” He cleared the crowd around me and saw me, he faltered, “Damm, what happened to you?” I smiled tiredly, “I almost bit off more then I could chew.” He stopped next to me, “Almost?” In the crowd of mages, I saw Janis and Nathen both and nodded to them. I looked at Artimas, “You asked for more mages?” Artimas turned red and I could feel his anger as William cleared his throat, “We did not get any messages from you. We were on our way to see you on council business.” I looked at the other mages and saw Nathen and Janis were mad as well. I shook my head, “It doesn’t matter. Is there any women mages missing or presumed dead within the last five to ten years?” Janis nodded, “There is five.” William looked at him and then at me, “Why did you want to know?” I looked at him, “Because, I have reason to believe they are here.” I looked at the lights, “Put the lights out but be ready to bring them back.” I started down the tunnel again as they whispered to each other and the lights went out. I knew when we got close because I could smell them. I called for light as the undead rushed out of the darkness. Stepping away from Sam and Cat, I pushed a shield from my chi forward at an angle. There were only about a dozen undead and before I could move towards them the mages cast a spell that set them on fire. It was hotter then it should have been and they crumpled within seconds. The first door was only a hundred feet further down the tunnel which had narrowed into a hallway. Listening I could hear someone inside chanting a spell. Shifting hands, I pulled the White Hawk and stepped to the side of the door. I looked in and saw only one mage chanting as he carved something into a body hanging from chains. Not hesitating, I aimed and shot him in the back. Stepping into the doorway, I took careful aim and shot him again, this time in the head. William started to push past me and step into the room, but I stopped him and pointed at the crystal in the center of the room. He looked surprised and chanted a word and gestured. The crystal shuttered with lightning bouncing off the walls. Most of it seemed to strike the body of the mage, turning it into a charred cinder. I half bowed and waved for him to enter. Slowly I walked around the room checking for any concealed doors. When I found nothing, I stepped back into the hallway. This time Cat was the one to help support me. The hallway seemed to end one hundred feet down with a door on the left and one on the right. The door on the right had a feeling of someone standing on a height or cliff top. The door on the left had the feeling of a large room. I could feel more webs of magic coming from it. Even as I stepped up to the door, I could feel the webs of magic woven through it. I felt Sam stop one of the mages from pushing forward to the door and Nathen saying something to him. I was trying to concentrate on the web but my own blood loss had made me a little light headed. Shaking my head to clear it, I focused again and saw the knot with an end sticking out, it was a very clumsy awkward thing and at first I though it was a trap until I looked at it close. I pulled the loose end of the spell and opened the door. The room was probably fifty feet on each side. There were five women chained inside as Elizabeth had been. I stopped William again as he tried to push past me. When he looked at me, I ignored him and continued to extend my senses. If this was like Antizel’s trap with Elizabeth then there would be undead guards. As hard as I tried, I felt nothing. I looked at William, “Stay here. The last time I went into a room with someone trapped like this, there were undead and mage traps.” I made a protesting Cat stay and stepped into the room. Carefully I made my way around the room, careful to avoid the five women and the pentagrams around them. When I finished, I knew why I could find no undead guards, Pendar had tied them to the power of his keep and when I destroyed it they had died. At the door I looked past Cat who had blocked William to keep him from entering, “Artimas? I need you to come look at these girls. We need to determine if they are held the same way as your daughter was.” He made his way to the front with the other mages trying to follow. Cat stopped them at the door and I heard them cry out names. I looked at them and Artimas whispered that two of the women were their daughters. I nodded and made my way to the first woman. Right away I could see that she was not being held the same way as Elizabeth. Some of the spells were similar, but they were not the same. As we walked around the diagram I pointed some of the spells out to Artimas. When we finished, we looked at each other and then I called for the rest of the mages to enter with the directions for them to not get too close to the pentagrams. I looked at Artimas, “To me it looks like the only thing we need, would be blood from Pendar?” Artimas nodded, “It was done very crudely.” I looked at the door where Legate Abrams was standing with Cat, “Legate, would you be so kind as to send a runner back for the head of Pendar?” The legate smiled at me as he was signaling for one of his men, “And which head would that be? There were quit a few heads littering the floor back there.” I smiled back at him, “It would be the fresh one that was still bleeding when I took it. It will have a large hole in it.” I held my arm out for Cat and she crossed the room to me and I leaned on her. The mages were walking around the diagrams. Two of them stayed at two different diagrams not checking the others. I called them to me and when they were close, I looked at them. They were not mages I knew, “Artimas told me that they are your daughters?” When they nodded, I looked at the girls, “I’ll get them out. You do know they will need help to get over what has been done to them?” I hesitated, “I know someone, she is helping Elizabeth, Artimas’s daughter. Her name is Julianna, she is an elf doctor.” They nodded and as if waking, shook their heads. They introduced themselves and one, Zachary said, “It is a good thing my wife is not here.” When I only looked at him, he smiled, “She would have blown this place up. There would have been a smoking crater a mile wide on this spot.” It was a few minutes later that the guard came running back with the head wrapped in the shirt of one of the dead that had littered the floor. Taking the head I moved to the first girl and handed it to Artimas. He placed it on a diagram on one point of the pentagram. The woman woke glaring but then stopped in confusion as she saw us. Cynthia had sat at the edge of the pentagram in front of the woman, I heard, “Be patient and be quiet, we will get you out.” I walked around her with the mages. Unlike the spells around Elizabeth, I could see the knot that held the spells and a loose end. More, the spells that ran through her were tied to the same knot. I stopped and looked at Artimas, “Was Pendar really this sloppy? Not that I mind, but I don’t see any traps and the spells are not even tied to her.” William was the one to answer, “Pendar was never considered the brightest of mages. More of a copier then anything.” I shook my head and reached out, I pulled on the end of the spell. We watched it unravel and the chains holding the woman fell away. She slumped to the floor as the spells that ran through her melted away. Nathen stepped forward and wrapped her in his cloak. Moving to each of the women we repeated the process until they were all free. As I made my way out of the room, I felt drained and weak. If both Sam and Cat had not been helping me I would have fallen more then once. In the hallway I faced the other door and then felt Artimas laying his hand on my shoulder. I felt a surge of energy pass into me and felt revived. He smiled, “It is only temporary, it should hold you for a little while. You need a healer.” I smiled at him and stepped up to the door. It had layer and layer of mage traps woven into it but the stupid thing was… they were all tied to the same place with a loose end seeming to wave in my face. I looked at Artimas and William as he joined us, both were shaking their heads. I unraveled the spell and pushed the door open. When we entered it was to stand on a balcony overlooking a room with the floor at least a hundred feet below. In the center of the room was a large pile of treasure, lying on and around part of the treasure was a dragon. The dragon was black, maybe twenty feet high at the shoulder and almost one hundred feet long. It was also looking right at us. I felt an almost physical push against my mind and instantly put a shield of my chi between us and the dragon. In my head I heard, “Human, I have been expecting you.” I knew it was directed at me, I also felt a kind of humor and something else, a kind of pain I did not recognize. The dragon turned its head as if looking at the web of spells that surrounded it. It looked back at me, “I would meet you at the bottom of the stairs, but I seem to be indisposed.” I looked at the others, who were looking back at me. Cynthia patted my leg, “It is being held prisoner and suffers.” “I know that. Unless I am mistaken it is also the dragon that I fought before.” “Wrong, human. What you fought was my chained and controlled spirit.” I looked at the dragon and made up my mind. Starting down the steps I told everyone to wait there. Cynthia ignored me of course and trotted down the stairs with me. At the bottom of the stairs I stopped to check the pattern of magic. Carefully I made my way to the dragon. I stopped a few paces away from his head. Cynthia sat beside my feet and the dragon glanced down, “well met little sister.” The dragon looked back at me, “If you had faced me the day you freed my spirit, I would not have hesitated in killing you. Now I lay here with my spirit taken and only feel the pain of its loss.” Looking into his eyes I could see the truth of what he said. “I am sorry Dragon. I do not enjoy making others suffer.” It looked at me for what seemed a long time, “Then you owe me a debt. Free me, not from these spells, they mean nothing. Finish what you started, (lifting his head and turning it so that the neck was exposed) cut the vein. It will be relatively painless.” I sighed somehow knowing he was right, “I do not take a life easily. But I can at least offer a painless death.” The dragon turned his head back, “How can death be painless?” I knew the dragon was not talking about the manner of dying. I smiled, “I wish I had met you earlier dragon. Your questions are like my masters. Always making you look for more then one answer.” I slowly drew my sword, “I am more sorry then you know.” I stepped up beside his head and heard, “Human, the mage you killed was part of something called the dark council. They will come for you. Burn an offering for me from their bones.” Quietly he lowered his head to the floor. I placed the tip of my sword at the based of his skull and reached with my mind. Holding pressure against the artery going to his brain, he was unconscious in seconds. Blocking the nerves around my entry point I slid the sword into the back of the brain where all his body functions were controlled. Making a slice I pulled the sword away in one motion. Still keeping pressure on his artery I stepped away to avoid the convulsions of his body. As his convulsions slowed, I released his artery and turned to see that the others had made their way to the bottom of the stairs. Sam and Cat both saw the tears in my eyes as I gestured for them to stop. The web of magic that had crossed the floor was mostly gone except for ones coming from the treasure. Moving slowly to the wall I slowly started around the room. Like before, I found that most of the spells went to where an undead guard had been, there was one exception. There was an alcove with what looked like two small dragons that leapt at me only to be stopped by a screen of magic. They were small, no more the 30 pounds and behaved like a dog would. I remembered a lesson my master had shown me and I was sick of killing. I stepped in front of the alcove and they came at me again. I used what my master called a command voice, “DOWN!” The small dragons froze not sure what to do. Again I gave the command this time gesturing with my hand, “DOWN!” This time they both dropped to the ground almost whimpering, Cynthia moved to the edge of the alcove, “They are not dragons. They are drakes and very young and afraid.” I looked at Cynthia and broke the spell blocking the alcove. I walked slowly to the young drakes and squatted down with a grimace of pain from my wounds. I petted them on the heads and scratched under their chins which they really liked. Standing I looked at them, “Come.” I started along the wall but they didn’t follow. I stepped back so they could see me, “Come!” I gestured to my side and they came out of the alcove and moved to me slowly. When they got to me, I gave them each a scratch behind the ear. I started along the wall again telling them, “come.” This time they walked along behind me, happy as could be. I found the hidden passage out at the next corner. I tripped the switch and saw several undead guards crumpled into dust. When I reached the bottom of the stairs several of the guards had their swords out. They were looking at the drakes. The drakes were making a hissing, growling sound and moved in front of me as if to protect me. Smiling I knelt and laid my hands on them, “Quiet, it’s ok.” I patted them and they quieted down until Cat and Sam started forward. Both drakes faced them hissing. (Man were they quick) I put my hands on them, “No.” They both dropped to the floor whining. I crouched downed, wincing and placed my hand on their heads. (Whatever Artimas had done was wearing off) Looking at the girls, “One at a time, come forward slowly.” Sam slowly made her way to me and knelt. Reaching out slowly as they watched her hand she started petting one. I showed her where to scratch and the drake was hers, acting as if it was in heaven. Cat moved up to me on the other side and started petting and scratching the other drake. When William took a step they turned quickly and hissed at him. The girls just reassured them and they quieted as the rest of the party made its way past. I stood and almost fell from dizziness. Shaking my head to clear it, “Legate, there is an exit tunnel in the corner. The undead inside the opening looked to have died with the spell the other day. I think I will call it a day before I fall on my face.” He shook his head and he gestured at the drakes who hissed back at him quietly, “I don’t know how you made it this far with all that blood leaking out of you. What are you going to do with these things?” I smiled and looked down at the drakes, “Give them a home, I guess.” The Legate shook his head and gestured for me to go, “You are a softy, did you know that? I’ll send your share of this treasure once we have done an accounting.” John and the men he had gathered were waiting at the top of the stairs. Cat and Sam were on each side of me with a drake on each side of them. John waited for me, after sending the men on, “Ann is going to kill me for letting you bring home more mouths to feed.” I smiled at him, “They are as deserving as any other.” I heard Artimas and William climbing the stairs behind us as we made our way out of the room. John shook his head, “How big do they get?” I looked at the drakes and then at Cynthia, “Do you know Cynthia?” With my slow pace she was walking along at my feet, “If I remember what my old chosen said, they get about the size of a donkey.” I eased down to the end of the hallway and pulled a lever sticking out from the wall. As the end of the Hallway split and slid back I saw that we were on the bottom floor of Pendar’s keep by the craftroom. I turned the other way, “Time to go home.” William and Artimas fell into step (as slow as that was) with us. William looked over, “Now that we are done with that, we can get back to our business.” I glanced at him and went back to watching where I was walking, “And what business is that?” I could tell Artimas was angry but I keep moving, it was that or fall down. William continued to look at me to get my reaction, “The mage council has reached an accord. The mage born creatures called Mair are and will continue to be servants, less then bond servant in stature. They can not be freed of their bonds and they are not to carry a weapon of any kind on pain of death.” I looked at him but continued on, feeling Cat tense, “Really and is there someone that I could appeal to, to get this changed?” The mage stiffened, “The council has made its decision. Only a mage can appeal before the council and we have already denied one.” Looking down at Cynthia, I was thinking furiously, “You should have told me when you were in session. I would have appealed with whoever was against it.” William stopped, “I told you. Only a mage can go before the council.” I kept going, “If I am not a mage then why do I have a familiar?” William quickened his pace to catch up, “It doesn’t matter, the decision has already been made.” I looked at him, “Without notifying someone it would affect the most? I think not. I want a hearing on this.” William grumbled something under his breath before glaring at me, “Fine, you have until the moon sets to appear before the council.” He took off walking very fast, both the drakes hissing at him. He was barely out of sight when Artimas exploded, “That ass! They were worried about having to give up my grandchildren they hold as slaves.” He quieted as we walked and Cat looked at me, “You said you wanted to talk to us when this is over. Why?” I thought about how to answer, “When I came here to this world, I was alone. First there was Sam trying to pick my pockets and then she stayed with me and helped me. When I saw you, I could not let that merchant send you someplace where you would be forced to have sex. I tried to free you but you would not leave. You and Sam both have taught me not just about sex, but how to love another. You were right when you spoke to Elizabeth and it takes someone else to say it for me to see it. I do love both of you and I don’t want to be without you.” I had turned a little red as I said this. We were almost back to the workroom when I heard Sam chuckle as she leaned forward to look at Cat, “I told you he would see. We just weren’t hitting him over the head hard enough.” I saw Cat’s small smile and felt her give me a light squeeze, “What do you want Michael? From us?” I looked from her to Sam, “I hate to say it, but I want children.” Sam broke into laughter and I felt Cat grin slightly, “As if we didn’t have enough children running around underfoot.” I hugged them and almost fell as we came into the workroom. Several men were there removing bodies and John stopped to help them. Artimas told them to stop and leave the room and he would take care of it. I heard a gasp come from a room as we were making our way down the hallway. Jeremy came out of the room at a run, “Bring him in here! There’s an empty bed.” As they were helping me onto the bed I felt something tear in my hip wound. Jeremy sent Victoria (one of the older “Mair” children) out for Sarah and Jen. Jeremy was fretting about me, “No one said you had been hurt.” The two drakes had been quiet and unnoticed until they followed us into the room and saw the water. Jeremy and the other two patients became aware of them when they heard the loud splash from the bathing pool. I didn’t even think about it as it slipped out, “We’re never going to get the girls out of their bath now.” Jeremy and the patients were staring wide eyed at the drakes but both Cat and Sam broke into laughter. The clatter in the hall from running children seemed to come to a screeching halt outside the door. After a moment of whispering a small head looked through the doorway. I saw that it was the same little girl I had talked to about stealing bread, Virginia. When she saw me in bed and all bloody, her eyes got big with fright. I wiggled my finger for her to come to me. She hesitated and then walked slowly to my bed. When she was beside it, I pointed to the drakes, “Did you girls see the drakes?” She looked over the bed at them splashing around in the bathing pool and seemed to be mesmerized. After a moment she looked back at me, “Can we play with them?” I smiled, “I don’t know how friendly they will be. They followed me home and I was thinking of keeping them. You could try feeding them, they might make friends with you then.” She looked at me with pleading eyes, “What do they eat?” I looked back at the drakes. (That was a good question) I saw that Cynthia had left, probably to find her kittens, “Cynthia? What do the drakes eat?” I got a picture of her giving one of the kittens a bath, “More then likely, meat.” I looked at Virginia, “Cynthia said she thinks meat and I think she may be right. Ask Ann for some raw meat for two orphan drakes.” She nodded eagerly and turned to go, but stopped before taking more than a step. She turned back to me looking at me with worried eyes, “Are you going to be okay daddy?” The daddy did it as I nodded and sent her on the way, Cat leaned over and whispered in my ear, “How many children?” Unfortunately I had started feeling more light headed and it seemed to get a little colder. I also felt something wet along my right hip. “Sam? Is my hip bleeding again?” As a feeling of lethargy came on, I heard Sam curse. Cat shook me several times, “Stay with us Michael!” I could hear them but it was like from a distance. Sam shook me, “Michael! How many children?” I knew that what I was feeling was blood loss. I concentrated on their words, “Children? We already have 40 or 50. Another dozen or two?” Cat was shaking me again, “You want us to have a dozen children?” I opened my eyes and saw a worried Cat at my shoulder, “Not all at once.” I heard Sam teasing, “How am I going to keep up with Cat?” I smiled, closing my eyes again, “If her cycles are every five years, how long will her pregnancy be?” Cat was shaking me again, “Come on Michael stay with us and I am not staying pregnant for five years.” I heard Artimas from the doorway, “Of course not. What is going… Both of you step back!” I felt a tingling and it only seemed an instant later that I felt someone else near and then Jen was hugging me and crying, “Jen? It’s ok, just relax.” She was still crying though and I knew I had to get her to concentrate, “Jen, where is Elvan?” She wiped her eyes and looked at me, “I sent him to help teach some of the girls.” I smiled and weakly opened my eyes, “Is he treating you like you will break?” She nodded and I chuckled, “My daughter, it is because he sees you pregnant. Men are funny that way. Now are you better?” Jen smiled and nodded as I closed my eyes, “Take a breath and just do what Samuel has taught you.” It was only a moment later that I felt the healing spread through my body. I opened my eyes and looked up at Jen, “You did that very well.” She smiled as Cat and Sam started hugging me with tears in their eyes, “You called me your daughter.” I smiled and held out my arm, “You don’t need a lover Jen. I do love you, like I would a daughter and I am very proud of you.” She came into my arms, hugging me and crying softly. I knew this time it was because she was happy. I looked around and saw several people in the doorway. John and Ann were there as well as most, if not all of my adopted Mair girls. Ann was holding a large platter of raw meat absently as if forgotten. I looked up at Cat, “Perhaps you could introduce the drakes to the children and feed them while Sam gets me some clean clothes?” Sam shook me, “You don’t need clean clothes. You are not going anywhere but this bed.” I smiled at her and caressed her face, “I’m sorry sweetheart but I can’t do that. You heard William. I have a council to plan for and attend.” Artimas cleared his throat, he had been standing by the head of the bed, “What are you planning?” I watched Cat cross to Ann and gently take the platter from her, she called to several of the girls to come into the room. She stopped with half a dozen and moved towards the bathing pool. When they got close to the bathing pool she stopped the girls and told them to be still. She called the drakes out of the water and they came at her call. As they approached her they didn’t seem to mind the young girls, it was more like they were curious about them. They stopped in front of Cat but stuck their heads forward towards the girls to smell them. Not surprisingly the little girl Virginia was in the group and didn’t hesitate to reach out and pet the head of the drake closest to her. The drake immediately stepped closer to her and started rubbing its head on her. Virginia was startled at first and then her small hands came up and she hugged the drake who started crooning. The other drake had stepped forward and started doing the same thing. It seems they liked the smell of the little girls, not to mention the attention they got. Cat slowly lowered the platter of meat and the drakes turned to it and started gulping down the meat. Before Cat could stop her, Virginia was scolding the drakes and handing the meat to them one at a time. Telling them to chew the meat and they were doing it and Cynthia remarked, “She has a magic ability with animals.” I looked at the foot of the bed where Cynthia had jumped to. She was looking at me, “Michael, that was a close call. If the mage had not been there, you would have died.” Sam was looking at her as well so I knew she had heard. Cynthia looked back at the drakes as Virginia looked up at Cat, “What are their names?” Cat smiled as she absently petted one of the drakes, “We haven’t given them a name yet. Maybe you girls could name them?” I looked up at Sam, “My clothes? And you might as well bring down the two rifles so I can clean them. While you are there you might want to wash and change yourself. You are covered in blood.” Sam gave me a look, “It’s your blood I am covered in and I am still not sure about letting you out of that bed.” Artimas cleared his throat, “I promise to watch him and make sure he doesn’t do anything physical.” Sam looked at him for a minute and then nodded, “Don’t let him get up until I get back.” She turned and left, Cat was gesturing to another group of girls so I tried to sit up. Artimas and Jen both reached out and stopped me, “You can send runners for what you need.” I lay back and looked at him as Cynthia chose that minute to walk up my body and lie down on my chest, “Since all of you are ganging up on me, I don’t have any other choice.” I looked at Ann, “I’m fine, break this up and send everyone back to work. I’m going to need some things. First where did that sergeant go with my court records for tomorrow?” Ann blinked as John started shoeing people back to work, “In the kitchen, waiting for you.” I nodded, “I’m going to need runners.” “We can do it for you.” I glanced over the side of the bed at a group of teenage Mair. I smiled, “One of you go to Elizabeth and ask her if I might share her room and speak with her.” “I need someone to find the one called Elvan and ask him to come see me.” One of the teenagers had already left running for the door, while another was just turning to go, “Two of you go through the tunnel we found and at the end on the right side is a large room. Legate Abrams should be there, ask him to come see me at his convenience. If he is not there one of the guards should be and you can give the message to him.” I heard a splash and looked at the bath just in time to see a sputtering Cat come to the surface with the drakes in the water with her. As everyone laughed including the two patients in the room, I smiled and turned back to the Mair, “I need one of you to go to your council and ask if they would meet with me again.” With one left standing there I thought hard, “I need you to find the one called James and ask him to meet me.” I looked at a soaked Cat as she came up to the bed. The drakes had been coaxed out of the water by Virginia and I smiled to see it, “Virginia sweetie, would you mind taking them outside and keeping eye on them? Maybe you could introduce them around to everyone so they know who they are?” As they were headed out the door, I looked at Cat, “Go change sweetheart.” Cat bent and kissed me and whispered, “Tonight we work on our children.” After she left Sarah came rushing in, “What happened? I went to get more herbs and they told me you were hurt. Where did all this blood come from?” I smiled at her and squeezed Jen’s hand. “It was a minor injury, Jen healed it fine.” Sarah frowned, “This isn’t from a minor injury. You lost a lot of blood.” I nodded, “Sarah, I can’t even joke with you. Yes it was a lot of blood, but the wounds are sealed now. The only thing to worry about is the weakness. I’m afraid that with everything else that has happened we will have to put off your operation until at least the afternoon.” Sarah made a brushing motion and I caught her hand, “No, don’t pretend it doesn’t matter. I will operate and you will have your life back. I have been hurt and we will have to back up the time but it will happen, I promise. Ann, could you ask the sergeant to join me and maybe I could have supper with Elizabeth?” She smiled and left and I looked around, “Jeremy where did you sneak off to?” His head poked into the doorway, “yes?” “Have you had a chance to go up and look around inside the Keep upstairs?” He nodded, “Briefly, why?” I looked at him, “You need classrooms. Tomorrow take some of your students up there and make a list of the things you will need.” He was looking up at the ceiling as if he could see the Keep from where he was. He nodded and disappeared. I looked back at Sarah, “Tomorrow morning you will have to do the sick call. Anything you can’t handle, call Samuel.” Sam came in with her hair still wet and her arms full of clothing and my rifles. I sent Sarah off to eat and looked at Artimas, “Why don’t you see if dinner is ready? You can bring Elizabeth her dinner.” I looked a Cynthia on my chest, “If you will let me up so I can bathe?” She stood and stretched, “Sam can help you.” As she hopped off the bed and started for the door I had a picture of her kittens. I sat up and the room spun around. Sam stopped me and started undressing me. I stepped out of my pants as I leaned on her to get to the bath. In the bath the water turned momentarily red as the blood washed off. My runners started coming back, Elizabeth said of course I could share her room. Elvan and James were on their way. I still had not heard from Legate Abrams. When I was finished and made my way back to the bed I felt weak as a kitten. The sergeant poked his head in as I was getting dressed. I left all my weapons off, asking Sam if she could carry them, “Sergeant if it wouldn’t be too much trouble. Could you help me to the mage Stormcaller’s room?” He stepped in and was juggling his papers when Cat rushed back in. I held my arms out for Sam and Cat to help me. Sam handed some of my gear to Jen and with the sergeant in tow we started what felt like a long journey to Elizabeth’s room. I looked at the sergeant, “Sergeant what do you know about the laws governing bonds and bonding?” He cleared his throat, “Well quit a bit, most of the cases that come before the court have something to do with it.” As we made our way he gave me a brief on the laws and how they were applied. When we got to Elizabeth’s room another narrow bed had been placed across from her. Cassy was still with her as were her other daughters. What surprised me was that Serene, Krystal, Melody, Rose and Samantha were there as well. I smiled as Cat and Sam helped me to the bed. Elizabeth smiled, “So you saved us from being over run.” I lay back resting for a minute and then looked at her, “It feels like I was the one that got run over.” While they laughed, I looked around at the girls, “What’s going on?” Elizabeth sighed, “I was coming to grips with myself. When Antizal first forced me… I’ll be honest he raped me. I resented what was happening, I was humiliated and angry. At first I resented and hated my own children. If I had been able, I would have killed them but something happened as they began to grow in my womb. I realized they were blameless for the things Antizal had done to me. He made sure I knew that their fate would be the same as my own. Because of this, I came to think of all my children as mine and not his. Even though I would have killed him each time he came and raped me, I became grateful each time I became pregnant.” She looked around the room, “From my oldest daughters to the youngest, (She smiled at the young girls) they were the most difficult. I had never had five at once before and I thought I would die.” She looked at Jen, “Jen is it? Cassy has told me about you. I think something must have happened for him to put her in stasis. She was born six years before you and your sister.” Cassy had looked down when she mentioned being put in stasis. I held Cat’s hand and squeezed lightly, “Cassy?” Cassy looked up at me as I held my hand out. She smiled shyly and crossed to me while Elizabeth watched her, “Cassy, everyone of you girls has stories like your mother’s. Sometimes it helps to tell those stories, your sisters more then anyone else will understand.” She looked at me, searching inside herself for an answer. She looked down before she looked at her mother, “When he tried to rape me, I fought him and I used magic. He beat me, he beat me even worst then Jen. I almost died and he promised I would pay for it. He gave me to the drow. They used me and used me until I thought I would die. She held her hand on her tummy, these children are not his, they are from a drow.” Elizabeth had tears in her eyes and held her arms out for Cassy who stumbled to her and fell into her arms crying. I looked at her older daughters and saw shadows of similar things in their eyes. I thought about what had happened to Cassy and cleared my throat, “Cassy? Do you want to have these babies?” She turned from her mother, “Do I have I choice?” I nodded, “It is your choice. But think carefully, it is not one you can take back.” She looked into her mother’s eyes, “We are your daughter’s and not his?” Elizabeth smiled and nodded, “Yes, you are my daughter.” Cassy looked back at me, “I will keep my babies.” I smiled and nodded before shaking my head, “Time to get down to business, you little ones go ask Ann for some dinner. Jen, you and Cassy need to eat something too.” They were going out, when Artimas came in at the head of a party girls with trays of food. Theresa got up, “I need to go make sure all the girls eat and get ready for bed.” James and Elvan showed up with Legate Abrams and the Mair council. As I was going over the court papers for Sergeant James, I outlined what I had in mind for the council meeting. James agreed to send a runner to Lord Henrys and my partner Garret, while Elvan went to the Elvin council. When John came in with Ann to take the trays, I explain what I was going to do. He sighed, “If you succeed they will have to turn all the women they hold free. What then?” I looked at him, “We offer them shelter and assistance, just like we do with anyone else. I don’t think it will be as hard as you think it will be.” When Ann and John left, Sam and Cat were whispering together and stood up. As they moved to my bed, Sam looked around the room, “We are not going to the council meeting until after midnight and Michael and Elizabeth need rest. You can have everyone meet us at the mage council.” Even as I protested they helped me out of bed and slowly out of the room. Cassy and Jen smiled as I passed and whispered, “We’ll stay with mother tonight.” As we made our way across the grounds to the passageway into the Keep it was dark. I made Cat and Sam stop on the fourth floor to say good night to the girls. I was right, the two drakes were splashing around in the bath with half the girls. When they saw me they all stopped as if caught. I heard Theresa sigh and looked around to find her brushing Virginia’s hair. I opened my arms and slowly knelt, “No kisses good night?” There was a rush of little girls that almost knocked me over, until Cat steadied me. The drakes even got out of the water and came to me. I glanced at Virginia who smiled, “They have to kiss their daddy too.” Another little girl pulled on my hand and when I looked at her, she stammered that they had named the drakes. She pointed to each as she named them, “This is Princess and that is Duchess.” I gave her a caress and scratched the drakes under their chin before standing, “Good night girls, try not to spend all night in the bath.” They laughed and screamed as they made their way back to the bath. I looked at Theresa, “Good night Theresa, if you have trouble getting them out, tell them they won’t be allowed to play with Princess and Duchess.” My stops on my floor were brief, the girls were older and were more reserved. They treated me more gently when they kissed me good night. My other girls (Elizabeth’s daughters) were upset with me because the other girls had the drakes to sleep with them. I laughed, “If you feel that way then move downstairs with the other girls.” After they finished chattering that they would, I smiled, “wait until morning to move so that extra beds could be built for you.” Once we got to our room things were quieter as my weapons were put away and the girls looked at me. Sam cleared her throat, “Michael, are you serious about us getting pregnant?” I held my arms out to them and as they came into my arms I hugged them gently, “Yes, I was serious. I do want you two to have my children, but I don’t want it to be only my choice. I love you and this is something we should decide together as a family.” Cat and Sam were both smiling at me, Sam rubbed my chest. “We were getting a little jealous of all your daughters. We think it is time to have our own.” I looked a Cat, “Cat? I will not force this on you. Do you want children?” Cat smiled and caressed my face before she started undressing me, “As I was growing up I was told over and over that it was my fate to have babies. As I got older, I understood that this was not something I would get to decide for myself because I had no choice. My master had plans to make me pregnant. Since I have met you, my fate has become my own to decide. I love you very much and Sam is the sister of my heart and my lover. Yes I want to have your children.” I woke at midnight to Cynthia on my chest kneading me with her claws barely unsheathed. “Michael, time to get up.” I smiled at her and turned my head to a sleeping Cat beside me, “Cat? Time to get up.” She opened her eyes slowly and smiled as she reached for me. I laughed, feeling a happiness I couldn’t describe, “Come on my sweet, we don’t have time for that.” As I felt another set of hands seeking me, I looked the other way to see Sam smiling at me, “We can hurry and still be on time.” I groaned as I heard Cynthia laugh and start walking down me, “I’ll call you when John has the wagon ready.” We were almost late as Sam and Cat helped me into the wagon alongside Elizabeth and her daughters. The building the mage council was in had high arched windows of colored glass. Everyone was waiting for me as I was helped out of the wagon. I thanked Lord Henrys for coming and he only shrugged saying it was the least he could do for the poor girls. Garret was there with Garth and another dwarf I didn’t know. He was the dwarf representative for the city council. James’s father was there with Elvan and the noble that had visited him. Legate Abrams and Sergeant James were both present. I looked at the Legate, “Am I the official Magistrate?” He nodded, “As of midnight.” I nodded and stepped away from a protesting Sam and Cat. Centering myself I walked to the door and knocked loudly. It was several moments before I was led into the council room through large double doors. All the mage councilors were standing and one remarked about all the people with me. I stepped in front of the council, “The people with me are here as witnesses. (I looked at William) You know why I am here.” William gestured and the mages sat down. He cleared his throat, “We have discussed your appeal and it is denied. The accord for the Mair will stand.” I nodded, “Okay. Can I see the document?” William smiled and a rolled document that had been in front of him floated to me. I took it and read through it before turning to hand it to Legate Abrams. The mage council watched as it went from hand to hand before returning to Legate Abrams. I looked at Legate Abrams, “Well?” The Legate nodded, “It’s as you thought.” I looked back at the mage council, “I have accepted your judgment of my appeal. Now as the Magistrate for the city, I accept your accord. I will give you and the rest of the mage community until noon to surrender to the courts for bonding.” The council erupted and I let it go for a minute, “Enough!” I looked at them, “Your accord specified those born of mages are to be bonded and can never be free of that bond. You are all born of mages so it applies to you.” A red faced mage leaned forward, “We spoke of the creatures created by magic. The ones called Mair!” I looked at him, “You and this council have no authority over the Mair people. Their creator freed them and they have their own council and laws.” I looked behind me, “Jacob?” As Jacob made his way forward beside Cynthia and another younger Mair, I turned back to the council, “This is Jacob and he sits on the Mair council. They were created before Antizel started his slave trade. They are the real Mair. The ones you say were created by magic were born as we all were. By a male and female, in this case the mage Stormcaller and the necromancer Antizel.” As they started yelling and arguing again, I felt one of them start a spell directed at me. Without thinking about it I gathered my chi and reached out. Grabbing him, I tossed him back into the wall behind him. He hit with a thud and his head bounced off the wall and then he slid to the floor unconscious. The room was instantly silent as I looked back at them, “The next one won’t be so lucky.” Another mage leaned forward angrily, “Who are you to decide what we do or don’t do?” I reached out again, this time shutting off his ability to do magic as I grabbed him by his throat and dragged him over the table. I stopped him a foot in front of me hanging a foot off the floor, “Who am I? I am the one that has faced the dark mages and their magic’s, which you and this council did nothing about. Who am I? I am Michael White Hawk and I am the one who now sits in judgment of you and this council!” I dropped him unconscious on the floor as I looked at the council, “You have a decision to make, one you should have made before greed got in your way. Do you still want this accord or not. If you want this accord to stand then this council is dissolved. If you wish to overturn the accord then I and these others have matters to attend to.” William leaned forward, “And if I were to challenge you to dual arcane?” I looked at William measuring him and walked forwards towards him. I reached out and blocked the centers in him that let him do magic, “Try a spell.” When he only looked at me, I gestured, “Create a mage light, anything.” He made a gesture but nothing happened. Frowning he muttered something and when nothing happen he looked at me with wide eyes. I looked around at the others “You want to challenge me to a dual arcane? Fine, it will end with me permanently blocking you from your magic and beating you silly. I am not here to create enemies. I came for justice, justice for a mage and her daughters and their daughters. I came here to put an end to the slavery and torture of mages descended from Elizabeth Stormcaller and Antizel the Necromancer.” I walked slowly back to where I had started and faced them again, “What is your decision?” One by one they voted to overturn the accord. I faced the Legate and he handed me the document. I faced the council again, “Once a young girl, one of Elizabeth’s daughters fought to keep from being raped. Because she used magic, she was beaten until she was almost dead. She was healed and given to the drow to be raped repeatedly. All because she used magic to defend herself.” I focused my chi on my hand as I held the document out, “Cassy my daughter, would you mind destroying this for me?” Her spell seemed to come from nowhere in a white hot ball of flame that encased the document, it disappeared a fast as it started. I still faced the council, “I have been told there is a dark council of mages. (I felt a start from one of the women mages.) That they will come for me because I have upset their plans. I have adopted all of the girls I have freed. They are as my own daughters. Let it be known that if the hair on any one of them is harmed then I will hunt this dark council. When I find them, it will not be to judge them, I will be their executioner.” I turned and gesture for everyone to go. I could feel another spell gathering when I was at the door. Turning I pushed my chi out in a shield across the door and the spell hit it a moment later in a rainbow of color. Not even thinking about it, I pulled the White Hawk and shot the female mage twice in the chest. There was a shocked silence, “I guess she was one of the dark council.” I turned and left and as soon as the outer doors closed I almost collapsed. John caught me and helped me into the cart. I looked around and thanked those that had supported me and asked my partner to come to see me in the afternoon so we could talk about the selling of some Admantium swords I had. John put his hand on my shoulder, “You were right. We can not stand by and let those girls down. I did not understand really until I heard what had happened to Cassy. I will send runners to every mage home to watch for the girls.” Legate Abrams put his hand on John’s shoulder, “I have already alerted the guard. They will send anyone turned out to you and Michael.” I nodded, thanking him and then leaned against the side as Elizabeth was helped into the cart. When her daughters climbed in Cassy sat beside me and leaned against me. “Thank you father.” I smiled, “The rest will be harder.” She smiled at me, “The rest?” “Making everyone else realize you are yourself and not something they can play with.” She put her head on my shoulder, “Cat said we can all learn your fighting and if anyone wants to try to make me play, I will start a fire someplace besides on paper.” I caressed her as Cat and Sam sat down on the back of the cart and we started home. |
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