County Wycliffe

Q’s 15 th name day came and went. As his training continued, he settled into a rhythm. His mornings would start with martial practice. He would then bathe, eat, and join his grandfather in his study to assist in running the County. He no longer just sat for instruction, now he was given tasks to complete and reports to compile. For each report, a summary or a suggestion on how to proceed was required from Q. At times, he was called on to defend his reasoning or explain in further detail. He had learned early on to be clear and concise in his writing, less he be forced to rewrite the entire report. His grandfather took the business of running the County, seriously, and expected Q to do likewise.

His afternoons consisted of additional study in military strategy or court etiquette and protocol. Unless Q traveled with his grandfather to various parts of the county to assist him in some way. His evenings were spent practicing his Gifts in either his magic chamber or in his grandmother’s private garden if he felt the need for a change of scenery.

Today would be a bit different. He currently stood outside, next to his grandmother, at her request. She hadn’t told him why she wanted him there, but she’d said she had a surprise for him. They waited in a comfortable silence. Q was accustomed to working quietly with her in her garden. It was there, where she’d taught him to combine his earth and water spells to help plants grow.

They had to wait for only a few minutes before an unfamiliar carriage pulled up to their gate. The guard stepped forward to speak with the driver. The next moment, he shifted to the side and opened the door, assisting the occupants as they climbed out.

A woman stepped down, taking the guard's gloved hand before gracefully exiting. She was of middling height, with long mahogany trusses that hung past her shoulders. She had that same timeless quality of someone who applied Healing magic to keep their youthful appearance. Behind her came a young man, around Q’s own age. He stood a head taller than the woman, likely his mother, putting him on par with Q’s own six feet. He was considerably thinner, leading Q to believe that like most nobles expecting to awaken a gift, he spent little to no time in a practice yard learning to fight. Long curly dark hair that reached below his ears, and a pale complexion that gave further evidence regarding the young man’s time spent outdoors, completed the picture.

Q’s grandmother stepped forward, lifting a hand in greeting, which was returned by the woman. The two made their way through the gate and approached Q and his grandmother. The Lady, and probable Lord, performed a courtly greeting to the Countess before offering a shallower version to Q as etiquette demanded. Q and his grandmother returned them in kind. Nadine closed the remaining distance and embraced the woman, an action that caught both Q and the young man by surprise.

“It is so good to see you, dear. And just look at your son. I haven’t seen him since he was a babe.”

The two young men stared in confusion as the women walked into the house. Trading looks, Q shrugged and stuck out his hand.

“Hello… I am Quinten, Earl of Ashford. Welcome to County Wycliffe.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Earl Ashford. I am Baron Cedric Vaelmara, and that was my mother, Baroness Elara Vaelmara.” Cedric said as they traded grasps.

“The pleasure is all mine, Baron. You may call me Q if you would like, and while I wasn’t told the reason for your visit, I have an odd feeling we will be seeing much of each other.”

Q and Cedric followed their relatives through the hallways and back outside into the private garden. Q’s grandfather was already there, seated with a pot of tea and a table arranged for guests.

He stood as the women reached him. The baroness presented her hand, to which the count kissed, before pulling out a seat for her. He did the same for his wife and sat back down himself, waving at the two young men to join them.

Once the tea was served, it was the baroness who spoke first. “When I first received your letter, I did not know what to think. You were decidedly vague in the details, and much has changed since the last time we saw each other… I was hesitant to accept your invitation. It took remembering the letter you sent after Calen’s death to convince me that though the laws may have changed, you had not.”

Before Q had begun his training for court, the intricacies of which she spoke would have been lost on him. Now though, he understood her hesitation.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Let me put at least one concern to rest,” Q’s grandfather said as he gestured to his wife. “She will be the only wife I ever take. I have said as much to the Mage Council and dared them to take me before the king, to which they have not. As you can see, their urgings have done naught but waste ink and parchment.”

Q could see some of the tightness leave the baroness’s shoulders. She may have come, but it was clear she’d still been concerned.

“What were your other worries, dear? I should have expected that, being one of them. You have my apologies. I was vague in my letter on purpose and you will soon learn why,” Nadine said, leaning over and squeezing the baroness’s hand.

Her eyes flickered over to her son, almost too quickly for Q to catch. Huh, thought Q, she’s already being pressured.

Q’s grandmother caught the movement as well. A small laugh escaped before she could cover her mouth. “Oh dear, Elara. You must accept my apologies. I should never have attempted to delve into spy craft writing that letter.”

She looked at her husband, who was staring at her in confusion, and said, “I wrote that I had someone I thought Cedric should meet.”

The Count guffawed and shook his head. “You are very brave, having accepted an invitation with a threat like that, Elara.”

The king’s Royal Edict, placed into law three years earlier, had a few unintended consequences. The largest being that male mages were now considered a critical kingdom resource. Their value was comparable to that of a king’s ransom, something a few were unfortunate enough to discover. There had been hushed reports of predatory political pressure, noble influences of greater rank, and even violence being used to force unwanted marriages on vulnerable young mages.

In an ideal situation, mathematically speaking, the new laws should have seen an overall increase in the number of women gaining the opportunity to marry a fellow mage, even if they had to share. All but ensuring their future children would be Gifted. Even with the loss of nearly fifty percent of the kingdom’s gifted men.

The reality was that a large portion of the remaining men were past their prime. Even with Healers on hand to keep them looking young, they were less than ideal candidates for the unwed or newly widowed populace, seeking to marry and have gifted children of their own.

Another consequence of the new laws was in relation to how this change affected commoners. The possibility of receiving a stipend, and support from the Crown for any common-born woman that could prove they were carrying a mage’s child, promised a better life than many of them could ever hope for. This— opportunity had resulted in more than one instance of impropriety. Creating its own form of chaos, as the involved parties were not always unwed when they chose to make the attempt.

The baroness’s shoulders stiffened once more. The action extending to her hand, tightening around her cup when she went to sip her tea. Seeing her reaction, Q’s grandmother explained. “The person I was referring to was my grandson, Quinten.” She said, indicating him with a wave of her hand.

Q, being just as confused as their two guests, raised an eyebrow in question. A habit inherited from his father, and one his etiquette teacher had tried, and failed, to break him of.

Nadine continued, “We had several reasons for inviting you to stay with us. I hoped to introduce our two boys, giving them the opportunity to become friends. It would be good for them to have someone they knew they could trust in the future.”

“I’m afraid I do not understand,” the baroness admitted. Her mouth falling into a slight frown as she tilted her head to the side.

Q’s grandparents traded a look and Nadine explained, “Q will be attending the Mages Academy the same year as Cedric. He is gifted Elara.”

The baroness’s eyes went wide as she stared at the boy in question. Q could see the thoughts running through her head, the connections being made. Her brows drew together and the slight downturn of her lips developed into a full-blown frown. She found herself unable to resist asking, “Was Julian not…?”

“No, he was Q’s father. There has never been any doubt, but I tested his blood against a sample provided by Marquess Ashford, Julian’s father, and it verified the results just to be sure.”

“A male, common-born mage?” Cedric blurted as he stared at Q. His outburst earning him a glare from his mother. The young man immediately ducked his head and mumbled an apology.

“That is but one of many reasons we have kept his gift a secret,” Q’s grandfather commented dryly.

Q could see the tips of Cedric’s ears turn red as his blush deepened. After a moment, Ed took mercy on the boy, and turned his attention back to the baroness.

“We have been teaching him the basics. As I’m sure you have for your own son. But there is one gift we could not fully instruct him in—Mental.”