27th of Taka, 1000, sun set
Western Walls Fort Kitapüru.
Mické approached the captain. It wasn’t his usual spot on the walls but devoid of guards as it was it’s rose light tinted vista lent a unique perspective. The guarded carriage carrying the deathless blood mage, cast exaggerated shadows as it tracking across the open desert towards the Yochi mountains.
“There are fifty soldiers there. He’s surrounded by nguvu draining sigils and I’m still paranoid he’s getting out, Mickie.” Devereux spoke over his shoulder.
How the captain always knew who he was speaking to unnerved the young spy. It was supposed to be clandestine in all that he did. And yet the captain seemed to see through him. The captain’s next comment didn’t nothing to comfort him. Quite the reverse.
“So my daughter has taken quite a liking to you.” The captain stated. “In some regards I suppose I should thank you for that. She no longer has any desire to be the magenta mage. Something I suppose.”
It didn’t seem to be a question. Certainly not one that needed any response. So Mické gave none.
The captain continued almost to himself. “Of course her next wild idea is to be the very first spy mage. Mage spy. One of those two. She’s determined to become Miylan’s first clandestine Mage. Which is also your fault I suppose?”
Again Mické decided that discretion was the better part of valour remaining silent.
Continuing to gaze into he sunset the captain changed topic. “None of that is why your up here. Report.”
Gathering himself, Mické gave the first full and detailed report since the start of the deployment. No more need for subterfuge and passwords. “Lord Vilderbrandt…”
The captain grinned at the mention of his real name. “It’s been years since anyone has called me that. I’m not sure if my daughter even remembers it is hers too. Still I suppose it’s time that old lie was brought into the light. Continue.”
The captain was behaving strangely Mické thought. Still he resumed his report. “Yes sir. As you instructed we sought out the traitors within and exposed those available. We captured sufficient documentation going through the materials found in the twins rooms to point to one of them being the spy within the group sent.
He took a breath. “With reluctance we have to conclude that Fitzhugh is who we purports to be.”
The captain raised an eyebrow in question.
“He’s an arrogant, stuffed up, overprivileged, under performing, ass.” Mické spat.
The captain actually grinned at that. “He does play the role well. I think he’s great.”
“What?” Surprise momentarily overcame Mické’s usually controlled exterior demeanour.
The captains’ smile widened. “I thought you might miss a detail or two with that young man. You of course refer to his family the Fitzhugh’s.”
Mické just nodded.
“You might want to brush up on your spy craft.” The captain smirked. “Not understanding the motives of an enemy is unforgivable. You’re just lucky he’s a better player that you and on our side.”
“I don’t follow.” Mické managed to say through his bewilderment.
The captain actually laughed. “He’s adopted you know. We all call him by his adopted name. A name that he is so loyal too you can’t even begin to understand. He is so grateful to his adopted parents he would do anything they asked. Anything. Including joining the conclave to help a family friend in a pickle.”
Mické’s brow furrowed in confusion.
The captain continued. “This family friend in fact. I’ve known ‘little billy’ since his adoptive parents saved him from the slave pits. My wife held his hand as they pulled the overgrown slave bolts from his shoulders and wrists. I was there when they had his eyes healed and back straightened. My brother taught him to fence and he taught us how to smile in all things.”
The captain took a breath. “I asked for him to be sent, months ago. For one simple reason. I trust him more than I trust myself. He is my man here in desert. I’m telling you this because orders came in with the reinforcements. Yours, mine and his. This but the first skirmish in a war that will go for some time. But I am getting ahead of myself. Finish your report and I will give you your orders from there.”
Mické shook his confusion off. “At this time we can conclusively state that there are at least four further spies within the conclave. The already had access to some of the professors research. It seems that they focus on his sigil’s and didn’t understand the significance of the coven cast that he developed with Fitzhugh and Erica.”
He took a breath stealing himself. “On that front the professor’s journal, recovered five days ago having been lost during his accident on the second day of the siege, is a fake. At least in Mandy’s opinion. The professor has continued to use the new journal he created in the interim. He maintains that the old one is so wrong it’s of no value. I disagree.” He paused waiting for a response.
“You’re not wrong.” The captain spoke.
Mické waited for a further comment. Nothing happened, so he was forced to continue. “We’re still not certain which or both of the twins was the spy. Both of them were hit during the lightning storm. We believe one of them is dead, but with the lizards running through the fort, we suspect, whichever one died to have been eaten, as we cannot find a body.”
The captain snorted. “Mickie, I love your positivity. I’m old an cynical. The twins are missing. There are no bodies. Assume that they are both alive. They’re not here. We should assume that they both are traitors until they prove to be dead or faithful. On that front what about Erica?”
“Missing.” Mické was succinct in his answer. “Presumed mad.”
“Really?” The captain was having none of that.
“Well, Fitzhugh, Mandy and Claudia all say the same thing. Running the shield spell for as long as she did greatly accelerated her decent into madness. They say that when the storm hit she was initially able to mitigate some of the effects but eventually the storm was too strong.”
He wasn’t sure he was able to believe the next part himself but he believed what Mandy had told him. “They say that in a last desperate attempt to protect the mage tower she subverted the three biggest casts of the siege.” He paused.
The captain nodded for Mické to continue.
“She somehow used the shield to subvert the control of the storm doing so forced the coven cast to twist…” Mické shrugged indicating he didn’t understand how a collection of powders glued to a floor that didn’t move could twist.
He continued after receiving another nod. “Ahh… twist. This mean that all three casts were subject to her whim. The blood taint from the storm cast seems to have carried the pain of the torture suffered to force the storm cast in the first place. In her rage the storm struck. She was bereft of ability to distinguish friend from foe. She struck at whomever took her fancy, friend, foe, it did not matter.”
The captain flinched. “I really liked her. She will have to be gentled now. The conclave won’t allow her out ever again.”
Mické had also liked the young water mage. Not that he trusted her. He didn’t trust mages full stop. Water ones more so. Mandy wasn’t an exception, she just wasn’t a mage. “It’s worse than that.”
“It always is.” The captain grinned ruefully.
“I don’t understand the maths and bonus stuff. You will need to talk to Fitzhugh or Mandy for that. But as I understand it. The coven cast should only have been able to draw nine nguvu at maximum. At that stage of the fight closer to five. The blood mage asserted that there was only about six or so in the storm.” Mické paused obviously expecting some kind of response.
“So.” The captain prompted.
“Well, the professor says that lightning strikes are air magic. Usually they are like any other cast, one per nguvu. A storm is a continuous cast and generates lightning as a by product. They are a water cast and so most avoid them as they lead to madness as we saw with Erica.”
He breathed. “Assuming you can cast one the excepted expectation is that the storm will generate a lightning bolt every fifteen to thirty seconds once the first one falls until the nguvu exhausts.” He paused.
“Mickie, don’t make me drag it out of you. I am not a castor. Tell me why I should care.” The captain turned away from his view of the sunset to glare at Mické.
“Sorry captain. The professor believes that the lightening lasts for about five minutes per nguvu held in the storm at the time it commences. Given its performance when the blood mage was in control that is a reasonable assumption. Mandy says when Erica took over there was about five nguvu left in the storm.”
He was obviously reluctant to get to the bad news. “Sir you know that only the castors on the roof survived the storm.” He received a nod. “Well the maths is that the most that the storm could do was last for another forty-five to fifty minutes facilitating one hundred lightning strikes at most.”
The captain glanced sharply at the young spy. “A lot more than that fell.”
“Yes sir. You will need to talk to your daughter.” He sighed here it came. “She, Claudia and Cindy all jumped a half grade in water affinity. It seems that Erica jumped a full grade and anyone who had a low affinity was sucked dry just like the blood mage was doing. The water affinity seems to have merged with the storm and so the battlefield saw more than three hundred strikes during the seventy minutes the storm lasted. There are reports that the lightning wasn’t just single bolts either. That it jumped from target to target on some occasions. On others it seemed to splash out.”
“Sir, she’s a walking bomb. She killed or maimed nearly eleven hundred people, blew holes effortlessly through walls, struck down beasts great and small carved rock in the desert. She killed civilians, Sir. Babies. She’s a monster.” Mické couldn’t help himself. He had seen the mothers holding their dead children. He cried as he told his boss.
“I know. She did all of that and more. It wasn’t her fault.” The captain spoke gently.
“Yes it was. She did that.” Mické was disgusted.
“No, it really wasn’t. I warned the professor not to use her in that way. I told Silvia to be careful. Neither listened to me. Could lay the blame on them. But it’s not their fault. It’s mine. Just like I asked for Fitzhugh, I asked for her.” The captain paused sighing. “I wanted to give her a chance. Nobody ever has. Now nobody will trust a water mage again. This is my fault. The buck stops with me.”
Mické looked on incredulously. “What are you saying sir?”
The captain slowly stood. He turned saluting Mické formally. “I am saying that I have been relieved of duty here in Fort Kitapüru. I will report to His Majesty in person. I suspect I will receive his reprimand at that time.”
“What? How can they have commanded your return? The reports haven’t been turned in yet let alone reviewed.” Mické was angry. “We won here. We had four hundred troops two mages, one spy and nobody else. We defeated almost nineteen thousand. How can they say you failed?”
“You misunderstand Mickie. I dismissed myself. Max is unconscious and likely to remain so for the next month. The twins are gone, turned traitor. Erica has fled. Claudia is now a water mage never to be trusted again. Realising that I think she has also fled. Silvia is so maimed she may never walk again let alone cast. The professor’s he’d bump seems to have lost the last bit of his common sense. His notes are stolen along with our only chance at significant magical advantage. And my daughter is half way to being a water mage. Fitzhugh alone remains unaffected.” He sighed.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“Mickie. Miylan is blessed with fire mages. But not enough of them to ensure our survival. Here we decided to try and improve the balance. By this measure we started the siege with two mages, five loyal castors, a mage in training a sixth mage of questionable loyalty. At the end all that remains is a simple castor and a mage in training desperately trying to avoid becoming a water mage. The enemy can afford to loose five to one. They lost three. You talk as if we succeed at the army level. They can afford the losses they suffered. They did not loose territory, theirs was never at risk. We haven’t even attacked Minapüru and we don’t have the strength to try. By all measures, bar one, the enemy soundly defeated us. Our saving grace is that we still stand.” The captain gestured violently as he spoke.
The captain finally looked at Mické. “I keep telling you. Pay attention to the right things. Keep the correct perspective. So your orders are to build up, establish and improve the spy network in this desert region. You will report directly to Fitzhugh who will be taking over as commanding officer of the fort effective starting dawn tomorrow.”
“But sir,” Mické started to interrupt.
“Further to these orders you are to focus on three further directives. Progress is only to be communicated through the usual high secrecy channels bypassing all other ranks both local and positional. These tasks are for you to oversee. Not complete yourself but oversee. Find evidence pointing to the other four conclave spies. Find the professors journal. Execute the twins, Erica and Claudia if you find them.”
“But sir,” Mické repeated.
The captain pressed on regardless. “When Max awakens Fitzhugh will put him in charge of the tower mages. He will be the only one but I suspect the reinforcements undoubtably coming will change that. Silvia, Mandy and myself will all be setting of for Fort William and the King tonight. I know you like her but we have to see what can be done about her water. I can’t be done here. You know this.”
Despondently Mické saluted. “Yes sir.”
The captain smiled. “Don’t look so downcast. The war is young. Orders will change. You won’t be forgotten. Just remember a spy’s job is not the front line. It is behind the lines in surrounded by enemies on all sides. Only pluck an courage to get you through. Bear up help is on the way. Besides, I know my daughter. She will be back to plague you before you know it. Anyway off with you. Say goodby to Silvia and Mandy. I’ll be down shortly.”
The last of the sun’s red rays disappeared behind the Yochi Mountains. The captain waited for the last for a few moments. Hidden behind the parapet for all but himself he pulled out a shuttered lamp. Lighting it he waited for a signal far out in the desert.
Eventually it came. “Dust man ready.”
It was a moment to commence the response. “Easy lies the crown this night. The secret offshoot away, safe but never to return. The price was great but she is safe. Red dawn returning with the one worthy of love and the spirit of the wood. The greatest of the Latins to wield the circle here at the foot of the slave’s son. Gemini lost to the desert stones. All is well.”
There was a pause then the correct response. “Always when the night sky is red.”
He packed the lamp away in its spot. Standing he headed for the stairwell. Raising his voice he spoke authoritatively. “Watchmen, return to your posits.” He ducked his head entering the stairwell.
Halfway down there was a door opening onto a small bridge leading to the guardhouse built right next to the wall. He paused before reaching it. He looked quickly both directions up and down the stairwell. Nobody was there. Raising his hand he reached into a shadow. There was a click and the side fo the stairwell swung inwards revealing a hidden path. He stepped inside. The concealed door swung shut leaving no sign of it’s existence.
A short walk through a twisting narrow poorly lit walkway finally brought him to a small room. A figure sat crouched in the semi darkness. The weight and size of the fort’s walls around it made this one of the safest rooms in fort. With a smile he spoke. “Lady Miriam, so lovely to see you again.”
A delightful smile broke out on the face of the young spy. “Likewise lord Vilderbrandt. Though here you had better stick to Helen. I have to confess it was quite a surprise to see you playing captain. Also to realise that you were holding Miché’s leash.” She looked haunted, vulnerable for a moment. “Have you heard anything from home. I mean the last time I heard, mum didn’t recognise anyone. Not Hugh, not dad, nobody.”
The captain, though he supposed that he no longer needed that title, also saddened for a moment. “The Lady Wettin seems to have reverted to a childlike mentality. She loves it when that nice old man comes to visit but can’t remember why she likes him so much.”
Helen’s face dropped further. “It hurt when she no longer recognised me. She once argued with dad until he let me join them to watch the Pirate play. She I swore of who I am than I understand and then she didn’t know me. But dad, it must be killing him.”
Vilderbrandt looked at her. “Yes and no. Most of the court ladies are quite jealous of your mother. He treats her with so much tenderness and love. I don’t know if he’s happy but he doesn’t seem the slightest bit perturbed by the situation.”
“And Hugh?” She loved her adopted family and she hadn’t seen any of them for almost three years. Deep cover was like that. She didn’t know if that cover was about to end or extend. She had to find out.
Vilderbrandt laughed. “Happy Hugh. What can we say about that scoundrel. You may have wanted to be a pirate. But I expect he would have been a better one. Still creating drama at court. Nothing serious, malicious or scandalous you understand. Just mischief wherever he goes.”
Helen laughed. “That’s Hugh in a nutshell. Still, I don’t imagine you arrange this little meeting just for me to talk about home.”
Vilderbrandt’s serious face returned. “No I did not. I was a little surprised that Mandy didn’t recognise you. Are you happy to be Helen for a little longer?”
“I’m not sure how fooled she was. I got the impression out in the desert that perhaps she recognised me. Will I have to continue to hide who I am from her?” The young lady asked looking at him, sadness returning to her face.
For a moment Vilderbrandt remembered the treatment the young lady his best friend had rescued for saving his son all those years ago. Miylan was less stratified than other cultures but rescuing someone off the street and adopting her into a branch of the royal family was never going to go well.
His mind went back to the way Helen had looked after his own daughter. Though separated by more than a decade for a few years Mandy had followed Miriam like a lost puppy. In return Miram, Helen for the moment, had relished a friend.
He smiled at her. “Not the way you think. And only for a short period of time.”
That earned him a raised eyebrow. A twinkle appeared in his eyes. “I have a job for you. It’s going to be quite a thing. It will test everything you are. You will be working against your mentors and teachers and if we catch you I we will have to execute you as a traitor. If you succeed the king himself will thank you. Personally. None of that brocaded letter rubbish.”
She tilted her head on the side with a slight frown. “I’m not sure I follow.”
“I can only say so much and then you must choose either to accept the mission or not. If you refuse you can go home. You will have a good career as a spy, recognition and rewards following. Just not for me and not for the people I work for.” He took a breath. “Choose to do the job and you may not get home for years. When you do nobody will know what you have done and your career will continue in that way. But the people who matter will trust you with their lives.”
“Sounds intriguing. What can you tell me?” She asked cautiously.
“I need you to smuggle some people out of the country. I love my country. The people I work for love this country. We just don’t love all the things our country does.” He took a breath. “These people are fugitives for no other reason than the gifts they were born with. But the council of lords has deemed these types of people enemies of the crown. I have been commanded to get my best to track them down and execute them and anyone with them. That’s all I can say.”
“And I have to make a decision based on that?” She asked.
“Yes.” He answered.
“No further information available?” She pressed. He shook his head. She tried a different tack. “Who am I up against?”
“Well, if you take the job, most of he spies of Miylan. I imagine by the time the details reach us here there will be many people appointed by the various fractious portions of our agency. Whoever catches the target will be rewarded publicly. I am sure the agency’s various spy masters will be sending out spies to improve their reputation having mentored the successful catcher. I will be expected to do the same and so I will be appointing someone as soon as I have sorted out some personal matters.”
She snorted. She understood what he was saying. Personal matters being finding someone to play the fox. Then he would duck and cover for a little while before he chose the hound. “You don’t consider yourself a spy master?” She played for time.
“No.” He bluntly replied. “I'm master spy, very definitely not the same thing. I’m not interested in the jostling for position they do just so that they can command others. I am interested it the job alone.”
Taking a breath she only really wanted one thing and it would decide her one way or the other. “If I wanted to work for you Uncle Vildy, which one do I choose.”
Vilderbrandt smiled. She hadn’t called him that since she was little and couldn’t pronounced his full name. He smirked. “Both of course.” Before relenting. “As I said choose one path and your career will be made within the agency. I imagine you will have many looking to mentor and guide you in that instance. The other path? You will be forgotten by the agency machinery. You may go years without an official order. You will always be busy doing things for me and a select circle.”
She took a breath. It was one of those moments where your life hung in the balance. “I’ll choose the second option. I choose to work for Uncle Vildy and his friends.”
Vilderbrandt let out a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. It had been a gamble sharing so much with Miriam but he was usually a good judge of character. Today his instincts had been vindicated. Now it came.
“Our king enjoyed his youth. He loved and was loved in return. Just not someone his parents approved off. So he married the queen at their demands. She bore him daughters and we have the current problem with the line of succession.”
He took a breath “A number years ago the queen discovered there was a daughter from the king’s youth. One with a better claim to the throne than hers. One with a high water affinity. Mobilising the Lords she helped shepherd through the laws that require water mages to be confined. So whilst many believe that water mages may not need to be confined. By law they must be, a process that certainly exaggerates the symptoms of water madness.”
He smiled “So the king has charged me with ensuring his daughter is not locked up by his wife. The council of Lord is not happy that she is at large. They will be looking for her amongst all those with the water affinity. Mandy will be safe in the short term because I am a Lord and she is know as my daughter. Others will not be fortunate.”
Miriam, Helen, gasped. “Can’t the king control the situation himself directly?”
“It would be much easier if he could.” Vilderbrandt smiled. “But the government has been undermining his authority for years. Some of that is his fault and some the manipulations of a queen who is not as loyal as a husband would desire.”
He grinned. “Welcome to a very select club. The agency is run by the government. We work for the king directly. We are the spies within the spies.”
“Why me?” She asked.
“Because I trust few and I know how far each of them are willing to go. Mické is your immediate boss and a very loyal individual. Loyal to the country he is not personally loyal to me I could not ask him to do this. He will be chasing you from tomorrow. I will be taking Mandy to the capital for a week or two but she may choose to help Mické in chasing you.”
He rose and started leading Miriam through another passage. “In a moment you will see a small group of people. They all need to flee the coming persecution of the water mages. Whatever you believe happened during the storm, the truth isn’t what everyone thinks. You have to get them out. All of them. These ones and the ones to come after. Neither the king or I can stomach the torture the water gifted will be put to.”
She looked at him for a moment. “And take them where?”
The twinkle in his eyes returned. “I don’t have the ability to tell the future but I imagine there is only one country that will welcome the water mages. A place that has always hated slavery in all it’s forms.”
“Really? You want me to take them to V’nasenda.” She looked horrified and ecstatic in equal measures. “Their magical gate hasn’t let anyone from Miylan past in more than twenty years assuming you don’t get eaten by something nasty in the great northern forest. That place is nasty.”
“I suspect you only need to get them as far as the Fork Inn.” He smiled at her.
“So I’m escorting a princess.” She changed tack.
The twinkle intensified in his eyes. “Perhaps, perhaps there’s another person doing the same thing. Perhaps you will escort her in a different trip. I think it best if she never knows who her father is. Best if nobody else does either. But it is perhaps worth knowing that V’nasenda was built by the king’s relatives. For all that the Lords hate that city state it is always a home for the king’s family. Any way we’re dawdling.”
Round a few more corners up and down different sets of stairs and they emerged into another small room secreted within the fort’s walls. Four pairs of eyes looked up in fear at the sudden arrival of two new people.
Then as recognition dawned the most timid of the group, Claudia, spoke softly. “You’ve come captain. I was starting to worry.”
“Have no fear here Claudia. Fear is for tomorrow as you must run. Run as fast as you can. Flee this place for Miylan is no longer your friend.” Vilderbrandt replied.
“So you’ve said before.” Cindy said.
“But why?” Clara asked.
He looked at the twins. “You’re both outlawed now. They’re not sure which, but they think one of you is the traitor of the HMCC. They will hunt you on sight. They think that you fought and that one killed the other. Of course they’re not sure which so if either of you are seen you will be attacked. Still it was a great move breaking the pookkalam it saved us all.”
“But why am I here?” Claudia asked. "I didn’t do anything.”
“You’re here because of what you are. Not who, what.” He answered emphatically. “The first person to have a nguvu source that is not of the sky. You have water affinity which means they will lock you up like they did Erica. But you also have dust. They will harvest you for that. It can be used to create the most powerful of magic. You will be treated worse than any others. Flee. Don’t look back.”
He paused looking at Claudia intently. “Thank you for teaching Mandy so much. Perhaps she will be able to hide her water crafting thanks to your efforts. I don’t think she realises it yet but Miylan is no place for those with water affinities at all. Not after word gets out about Erica’s storm.” He glanced briefly at the young water mage before continuing. “So you never know she may be heading after you quicker than you think.”
Turning to the water mage he spoke. “Erica you need to learn to control what you are. I would find you teachers if I could but the queen’s friends want all water mages gentled or dead. Your storm saved us but ruined your chance to be free. You too must flee.”
He gestured behind himself. “I have brought a friend. This is Helen. She will take you north to the only place that has no need of Claudia’s dust. Has better water mages than Erica. A place willing to take in those who can’t cast but have water in their affinities such as you twins. She will take you north to the Fork Inn. All who seek the sanctuary of V’nasenda start there.”
“Helen knows the way.” Erica stood walking close to examine the young spy.
“No I don’t.” Miriam was fine answering for herself. “But I know a way through the desert from here to the river north of the Yochi mountains. A path of hidden water holes and secret tunnels. I know how to avoid the populous centres of Miylan without straying into the path of the wars here in the south with Fujiama or the west with the duchy of Sarness.”
She smiled. “The hard part is not getting to Fork. The hard part is going the length of Miylan without a slave collar. You want me not because I know how to get into V’nasenda but because I know how to get out of Miylan.”
This seemed to convince the others. A short time later, a small door hidden in a cave well away from the fort opened. Five girls squeezed out and then with little conversation set off across the desert. Nothing but the moon to and stars to guid them.