Ashura did little more than watch and wait as his court gathered in the Great Hall and his ministers attempted to create order out of chaos. Splendidly attired lords and ladies milled about, surrounded by their servants. Trunks and belongings lay jumbled in sprawling disorder across the marble floors. Naturally, the gentry could not do without their possessions and their own servants, not even for one or two weeks. Most were bringing entire retinues. At least no animals need come along. Translocation magic meant that no horses, carts, livestock, or provisions of food and drink would be required. Animals for recreation were also not necessary: the winter season made activities like hunting, racing, and hawking difficult. Should the weather clear enough for sport, Taishakuten would provide horses, dogs, hawks, and equipment.
Ashura had, in fact, encouraged the excess of his courtiers. In a show of royal power and consequence, he was taking almost his entire court to Castle Vasara, and had ordered everyone to travel in typical court attire. He intended to make an indelible impression by arriving in state. Over two hundred courtiers and court officials were going, and near a thousand servants. Only those officials, servants, and guards necessary for the maintenance and defense of Luval Castle were to remain. The officials would take care of any unexpected business, and the servants had instructions to give the castle a thorough cleaning during their betters' absence.
The chief of the Council of Nobles, Lord Vainamoinen, had taken charge of the bedlam. Bellowing at the top of his lungs, he called out orders to get a party of servants to gather luggage and stand close together. When the group was in proper position, three hired wizards gestured. Spell runes glowed, bright light flashed. The servants and luggage disappeared.
No matter how it was conducted, whether by magical or mundane means, a royal progress was always disruptive. Both to the court, and to everyone and everything in its path. Ashura hoped that Syed and Taishakuten had things well in hand on their end, but he imagined that the situation in Vasara was probably just as chaotic as it was presently in Luval.
As soon as the party was gone, Vainamoinen started rounding up another collection of people and baggage to transport. The chief councilor was doing an admirable job of ordering everyone about. Without the slightest qualm of guilt, Ashura had dropped everything in Vainamoinen's capable hands and moved off to the side to wait. He knew better than to get involved. It would only confuse matters if he also started issuing orders, and despite Vainamoinen's scowls and shouted demands, the chief counselor was clearly enjoying exercising his authority.
Another flash of light, and the next party also disappeared. The wizards would be exhausted by the time they finished transporting the court. As Ashura preferred not to wear out his own wizards before his arrival at Taishakuten's stronghold, he had opted to employ extra mages to bear the brunt of the labor. A number of wizards and high-level magicians capable of translocating multiple people and objects had been enlisted to distribute the load. Even so, there weren't many present with the necessary power to teleport more than two or three people on their own. They worked in groups and set up a rotation, so that some could rest while others performed the spells.
Such strong wizards didn't come cheaply, even for royalty. The payment for their services was extravagant. While this kind of royal progress was speedier than ordinary, mundane ground travel, it was also quite expensive and drained the magicians involved. But they would recover with rest and have a new, impressive credential to brag about. Their remuneration helped the regional economy. Ashura could display his power and wealth in one of the most ostentatious ways possible in Seresu, as well as travel comfortably and quickly, all while keeping his court wizards in reserve. As his goals were to journey in safety and convenience, and to impress his subjects in the south, Ashura considered it money well spent.
Besides, he'd get it back in taxes.
While he stood idly, watching everyone else work, Kendappa and Fai came to join him. Both were dressed even more magnificently than the rest of the court, as befitted their stations. Fai carried his staff, as well. He was still quite proud of his new title and self-proclaimed responsibilities, and took his place at Ashura's right hand with the air of the most experienced and trusted liegeman.
Kendappa's eyes flicked down to Fai's blond head, and her lips twitched. She and Ashura shared an amused glance. However, she didn't say a word about Fai's pretensions. Instead, she remarked, "Vainamoinen seems to be enjoying himself."
Ashura nodded. "He has always enjoyed ordering people about. His position as the council head suits him admirably."
"It will be entertaining to watch him interact with Ilmarinen."
Ashura gave her a sour look. Entertaining for her, perhaps. For him, it had the potential to be an annoyance and a complication, if Vainamoninen and Ilmarinen couldn't manage to behave themselves and be civil to one another.
Ilmarinen, the Lord of Pohjola, was Vainamoinen's older brother. As both were opinionated, stubborn, authoritative, and worst of all, competitive with one another, prolonged contact between the two often resulted in a certain amount of discord in their province. This was all aggravated by the fact that both were competent at governing, and both wanted to govern. In frustration, Ilmarinen had finally sent his sibling to Luval as Pohjola's official representative. Always pragmatic, Ashura's grandfather had accepted the young man into the court, and made him a council member to satisfy his inborn appetite for authority.
Years later, Ashura's father ascended the throne and appointed Vainamoinen the council chief. Like Ashura, those prior kings had appreciated Vainamoinen's excellent administrative capabilities and competence. They had also appreciated the simple yet instrumental fact that keeping Vainamoinen in Luval also kept the peace in Pohjola. The brothers and the kings all found this an acceptable solution, and none had ever sought to alter the status quo.
As a consequence of that ridiculous family squabbling, Vainamoinen had become one of the richest and most powerful men in the kingdom, perhaps even more powerful than Ilmarinen. As the king's most important councilor, his authority certainly carried wider coverage than Ilmarinen's. He not only looked out for Pohjola's interests, but influenced policy and law for all of Seresu. Ashura sometimes wondered if that power ever grated on the Lord of Pohjola. If so, he had never complained, nor even mentioned it in passing. Ashura hoped that Ilmarinen was content to be the uncontested power in Pohjola, and therefore happy that Vainamonen remained in Luval.
Not that there was anything Ilmarinen could do about it at this point. Perhaps the Lord of Pohjola was just being realistic.
At present, Ilmarinen was in residence in Taishakuten's court, along with a number of other border lords, all awaiting the king's arrival. Probably they would all be too busy complaining about Taishakuten and the Arimaspi to cause other trouble.
Kendappa knew all this. In retaliation to her needling, Ashura said, "It is always interesting. Ilmarinen will be bringing his family to the midwinter celebrations later this year, so we will be afforded the opportunity to witness yet more intriguing family misbehavior between him and Vainamoinen. Perhaps you and Sybilla can work together as peacemakers and keep them at bay. It will be a nice change for you two to have a common goal." Kendappa and Sybilla's relationship was about as peaceful as Vainamoininen and Illmarinen's, for similarly competitive reasons.
Kendappa tossed her hair and made an unladylike noise.
Fai looked up. "The wizards are sending the courtiers to Vasara, now." He pointed to where Vainamoinen had gathered a group of lesser aristocrats.
Bless the child for his straightforward manner—and his timely distraction. Ashura smiled. "Yes, it looks like Vainamoinen has made great progress. This is going more smoothly than I had anticipated."
"I wish I could help out."
"Oh?"
"I want to help transport everyone," Fai said. He puffed up. "I bet I could take everyone all at once."
"That would be quite an impressive feat." Ashura reflected that Fai was not merely indulging in childish boasting and pretention. Fai's power was extraordinary, and he could certainly carry a large group over a significant distance. Perhaps even the entire court, as he had claimed. Ashura remembered his prophetic dream about how Fai would one day carry many Seresians to another world. Even now, as a child, his power ensured that he could translocate a group of people from Luval to Vasara.
"We could all be in Vasara already," Fai insisted. "It's boring waiting around like this."
"Well, Fai, you must understand..." Ashura began, and hesitated when Fai gazed at him expectantly.
It was beneath Fai's dignity to act as a common workhorse, especially during a royal progress. But how to explain that to an eager child? Particularly one who had not been treated with much dignity during his earliest years, despite his royal birth? And then, after the horror and abuse that had come later... It was a miracle that Fai had recovered so well from his terrible past. A few tantrums here and there, some despondent moodiness and gloom, a bit of brattish behavior, but those things were to be expected. Really, Fai had turned out to be such a sweet and charming child. Who could deny him anything? Ashura hated to disappoint Fai, and as always felt himself weakening.
In the face of his softening attitude, the blue gaze directed at him grew even more earnest. What an effective weapon that child had honed. As Ashura gave in, he admitted that Fai had trained him well. It wouldn't hurt anything to let Fai help out. Besides, it would be good experience for the youngster to work in concert with other magicians on a task. Or so Ashura told himself. "I suppose you could help transport the next group..."
Fai brightened.
There was almost a smile on that round, childish face, Ashura thought. Someday... Perhaps someday soon. Perhaps...
At that moment Vainamoinen came over and bowed. "We are ready for the royal party now, Your Majesty."
"Everyone else is away?" Ashura asked, surprised. That has been fast. He looked around and saw that the Great Hall was almost empty. All that remained were the Council and court wizards, the family members accompanying them, their closest retainers, and a handful of liveried royal guards to lend consequence to the king's party.
"Yes, Your Majesty. The wizards report that all is in readiness for your arrival in Vasara's Great Hall."
"Very well. You may continue."
Vainamoinen nodded at the granted permission, and gestured the hired wizards forward. He politely requested the last, and most important, courtiers to form up. His abrupt change in manner—from authoritative to conciliatory—was diverting. Such high nobles warranted courtesy, especially when the group included the king and royal family. Vainamoinen, in addition to his other virtues, was a skilled politician and knew better than to ruffle feathers unnecessarily.
Vainamoinen quietly instructed the hired wizards to take the king's party directly to Castle Vasara's Great Hall and how to orient them. There was always protocol to be observed in these matters. In this case, Ashura planned for him and his highest courtiers to materialize at the head of the hall, facing out toward Taishakuten's court. An excessive magical display would be used, with plenty of flashing lights. It should make for quite a splendid arrival, and had been coordinated with Vainamoinen, Syed, and Lord Taishakuten. No mention was made of Fai's participation, nor was any help solicited from the child.
Fai bounced in protest. "But it's the last group! King Ashura, you said I could help! Please, please, please?"
Ashura made a show of looking thoughtful. "Yes, I did say that."
Magic suddenly swirled about Fai, a flurry of spell-runes used to find objects and locations. "Look, I've already pinpointed the proper destination. See, I can do it."
Poor Fai. He wanted to help so badly. Ashura held up an imperious hand. "My Lord Vainamoinen, Lord Fai will assist with the translocation spells."
Vainamoinen and the other mundane courtiers gaped. Kendappa hid her face behind a voluminous sleeve, but Ashura could hear her snicker. The court wizards smiled among themselves, and their chief, Suhail D Bhagat, exchanged an amused glance with Ashura. None of the wizards were terribly worried, being familiar with Fai's capabilities. Ashura also knew they intended to include their own spells in this particular translocation. The royal family would never be entrusted to hired wizards alone. The court wizards would handle any deficiencies should Fai's immaturity in some way disturb the spellcasting.
Then Fai upset the apple cart of complacency by announcing, "I can take the whole group all by myself."
Someone gasped. Several court wizards' eyes widened. The general mood became uneasy.
Ashura knew Fai's statement was true. So did Suhail and Kendappa. Really, so did the rest of the court wizards, even if they had become a bit edgy. But the idea of allowing one precocious nine-year-old to transport a large party, no matter his strength and natural talent, was more than a little outrageous.
Mischievously, Ashura further disturbed everyone by saying, "Yes, Fai, I believe you can," and repressed a grin as even Suhail stiffened at that idea.
Then Fai chirruped, "Watch this! Watch this! You'll be so proud!" He waved his staff; the jewels in it glittered and the fluorite focus stone flared.
The room brightened with spell runes, blazing and numerous. The sigils slashed through the air and encircled the courtiers and their guards. A translocation spell, Ashura realized with alarm. A powerful one. The child was really going to attempt it alone! "Fai—" he began.
A flash of light nearly blinded him, and the sense of stomach-turning, physically impossible rotation told him they were traveling through the hidden dimensions that took one through space to other places, both near and far. Brilliant colors and shapes burst and faded, and jets of luminescence streamed forward, driving toward an ultimate destination at breathtaking and barely controlled speed.
Then everything stopped abruptly: The spinning sensations, the kaleidoscopic visions, the feeling of hurtling through the inner spaces. With a dizzying shock, the world rematerialized as the Great Hall of Castle Vasara. Golden light from beeswax candles in enormous brass chandeliers replaced the surreal hues of otherwhere. Tapestries of griffins hung from the walls—Taishakuten was called "The Griffin of the South," and the animal was his family's emblem—and to the side a fire roared in a wide hearth, its heat warming the open spaces and the gathered concourse of gentlefolk. Elaborate sideboards held pitchers of drink, plates of pastries, and bowls of dried and magically freshened fruits.
Crowds of well-dressed people milled in confusion on the sidelines. Ashura found himself facing the front of Vasara's Great Hall, looking up at the dais and ornate furniture set there.
Given that the plan had been for the king's party to appear at the head of the Hall, facing out towards the court, it was an unexpected sight. Fai had not oriented them properly in space. The child had been too eager to show off, and hadn't paid attention to Vainamoinen's instructions to the other magicians before he whisked everyone away.
Ashura suspected he should be grateful that they hadn't ended up on the roof.
He swallowed hard to keep down nausea. Fai had used far too much power, even to transport such a large group. Probably he had made that mistake in part because he had been so excited, and in part to ensure that he succeeded in teleporting everyone.
Well, that was now in the past. Ashura put a hand on Fai's shoulder, knowing he should have a talk with the boy about his impetuosity, but unwilling to do so. Really, it was his own fault for encouraging Fai and teasing his courtiers...
Around him, he heard confused murmurs and exclamations. His courtiers shifted about, disoriented. A few complained of vertigo, not surprising given the rocky transitions and headlong hurtle through the hidden spaces. Even Kendappa looked a little out of sorts.
Ashura took some deep breaths, still attempting to master his own queasiness. He wasn't given to travel sickness, and assumed his own reaction was due to a combination of the mad journey and the backlash he often felt when Fai used too much power in a spell. He didn't dwell on it. The sensations were passing, as they always did. He hoped Fai didn't normally teleport himself in such a wild fashion, but he suspected his hope was misplaced. Fai didn't look perturbed at all, his matter-of-fact mien hinting that he must be experienced at such disjointed transits. The child clearly had a stomach of cast iron.
"That could have gone better," Kendappa murmured quietly into Ashura's ear.
Sudden, inappropriate giddiness rushed through Ashura, replacing the nausea. He snorted and grinned. "That's my boy," he whispered back, his heart swelling with pride for Fai's achievement. The full impact hit him with the force of a blizzard. What strength Fai had! Never mind that their arrival had been disorganized and mismanaged; no other wizard could have taken such a large group by himself. And Fai appeared unaffected, not drained at all. Truly, no one else could compare, not in the whole world.
It was all he could do to stop himself from grabbing Fai up, hugging him, and gloating to everyone about what an amazing child he had.
Taishakuten's people were also in disarray. The courtiers and servants lined the walls, having left the center of the Great Hall open to await their king's arrival, and the king had not arrived in the fashion expected. Confusion reigned as the many gentlefolk gabbled and peered about, located their monarch, and hastily reoriented themselves to offer curtseys and bows.
In the disorder, a lone official had the presence of mind to announce, "His Majesty, the King!" at almost the same time that Taishakuten bellowed, "What in the name of the Thunderer just happened?"
Ashura saw Master Ateas and Lord Syed both hurriedly speak to the Lord of the Southlands, but the poorly synchronized blaring of trumpets drowned out what was said. The trumpeters finished their ragged salute, looking somewhat bewildered by the irregular proceedings. The musicians had been too close—or rather, the king's party had materialized too close to them. Ashura refrained from either grimacing or reaming out his ears.
Lord Suhail was not so restrained. "I'm too old for this," that worthy wizard grumbled, poking his pinky into his left ear.
Taishakuten gaped at the two wizards with him. "What did you say happened?" he said with incredulity. Ateas cringed, but Syed grinned from ear to ear.
Ashura resisted the urge to grin back at him. Fai was such a little prodigy, and one could only accept and embrace all the joy and chaos that fact entailed, or go crazy. "Nothing happened," Ashura said, raising his voice enough to be heard over the background noise. "We all arrived safely." He looked down at Fai, who was clutching his staff nervously. "I'm very proud of you, Fai. That was an amazing feat of magic." Fai straightened and looked pleased, and Ashura decided they could discuss Fai's impetuosity much, much, much later.
At the king's words, conversations all through the Hall stopped dead. Taishakuten jerked, then came forward, put his hand on his chest, and bowed. "Your Majesty, forgive me for speaking out of turn," he said, straightening up again.
"It was an understandable breach of protocol," Ashura told him.
"I bid you welcome to Castle Vasara, Majesty, and to all your company. My people, and myself, are all at your disposal. I trust your stay here will be everything you expect and desire."
Taishakuten then bowed his head to Fai. "My lord wizard, I had heard of your elevation. I offer my congratulations to you. Your D title is well deserved."
"Thank you," Fai said.
Ashura felt smug. Today Fai had again demonstrated, in a most public and flamboyant way, his suitability for the D title, and also Ashura's sense in bestowing it. Many of the greatest magnates in the south had now witnessed for themselves Fai's unmatchable strength.
As he often had before, he wished the gossip and whispers were true, that Fai were truly his by blood. He could not love Fai more, but oh, how he wished that things were different, that life could be normal, and that Fai could follow him on the throne.
