The Mageborn Cynic: Part 2 Chapter 10

'Ladies, pause a moment if you will.' Magistrata Li interjected. 'I feel I must insist you stay at the school, we are far better defended...'

'NO!' Both girls said at once.

'But why? Surely you must see...'

'Forgive me Magistrata but my answer will always be no, I thank you for your kind offer but so long as the Brethren control the dormitories I will not spend one night under your roof.' Daria stated firmly.

'But how could you... ah, I see... Lady Joanna yes?'

'Yes Magistrata.' Jane answered this time. 'The first time that chief Brother attempted to have ME whipped for some little infraction would be his last day on this Earth and I wouldn't care if I get excommunicated!'

'I must concur with my friend.' Daria added. 'Though not in such strenuous terms. I would rather risk our daily travel... at least with our enemies we can fight back with impunity, many in the Church feel they have cause to hate me and the Brethren are their instruments, have you not seen how they have dogged my every footstep since our first meeting?'

'I understand but you must understand how I am charged with your security and this latest attack... Though I must confess I am impressed how you three alone held the line here while we drove off the attack on your house.. poor Philip, alas!' She paused in thought for a moment, then obviously made up her mind. 'Philip will be replaced by at least two others who will travel with you everywhere and live openly in your house if Jakob is willing.'

'He will be.. though I don't know what the loss of his brother will mean to him, they never got along but still, a brother... he will have to take charge of the Ducal estates and the house in the Capitol... might an archmage be appointed to accompany him also? I have gold enough to pay and...'

'That will not be necessary, the Council has deemed your family to be of the utmost priority and you will each be given a guardian if I have any say.'

Daria bowed her head. 'I thank you Magistrata. What of this attack? Have you any thoughts? I'm almost certain there was an archmage among them, though I did not recognize her. There were some darkmages of the archmage level also, I can now identify when a splinted staff is used but that woman, whoever she is, had a complete staff and she was puissant, fortunately the wards we set kept her from getting too close.'

'Lady Daria is correct, there was an archmage among our foes though I cannot distinguish one mage from another based on their magics alone.' Anthony added.

'That is troubling indeed, how could such a one evade the Inquisition? We are all tested annually... hmm... I must think on this. Come, we will return to Lady Daria's home, she is anxious to reunite with her family, I deem.' Daria rose and curtseyed in acknowledgement.

At the Morgendorffer Manor Daria and Jane immediately went to Quinn's room to comfort her while the magisters went into a conference with Jakob in the dining room. All three girls came back down to join them after an hour or so though Quinn looked very pale and shaken. They were still at their deliberations at noon when they were interrupted by the arrival of a company of hussars escorting an ornate coach bearing the royal insignia. Helena leaped from the carriage with unladylike haste the very moment it came to a halt and ran into the house to embrace her family. Three archmages, the High Priest and a tall lady in an elegant hooded cloak alighted at a more sedate pace and entered the house without fuss or ceremony.

In the dining room everyone stood and bowed or curtseyed deeply to the Empress as she pulled back her hood and removed her gloves. Jakob himself stepped forward to take her cloak as the servants all seemed to be stunned into insensibility by the sudden appearance of such an august personage.

'Please everyone, let us not stand on ceremony, there is much to be discussed and little time. Lady Helena, would you be so kind as to conduct the introductions?'

Helena did so. Many of them were already familiar with Archmage Mandranus but this was their first encounter with Archmage Cleovis, head of the Mage Council and his Lady, Archmage Elizabeth. The High Priest asked them all to address him simply by his name, Marcus. At this point Jesse, somewhat overwhelmed, excused himself and left. Trent remained as he felt he had to look after his sister's interests.

Jakob had obviously been suffering greatly but with his wife's hand clutched in his own he seemed to be recovering some of his composure. Lady Dorothea took her seat at the head of the table and asked them all to sit and feel free to contribute. Firstly she asked Chancellor Li to give a complete report on the night's events.

A little while later she said. 'Very well then, we know what has occurred, would anyone care to hazard any guesses as to why?'

Marcus stood up. 'Are we secure here? By that I mean can we be overheard?'

This was Helena's area of expertise. 'No your Worship, we cannot be spied upon here at this time, we may all speak freely.'

'Very well then.' The priest continued. 'Lady Daria, exactly how many attacks have you suffered directly?' When Daria had told him he asked. 'But this is the first time other members of your family have been specifically targeted, am I correct? I thought so. Can you tell me what if anything in this past week has changed?'

'Well... I started to study with the Magisters here in Lawndale, I have befriended Lady Jane and Lady Joanna... I... oh...'

'Please tell us, it might be important.'

'I... forgive me Father, Maman, I opened a door to understanding in Quinn's mind, it has greatly enhanced her abilities as she has proven.'

There was some exclamations and discussion but the priest called for silence again. 'You made her stronger, can you do such a thing, is it possible?'

'No your Worship, I merely allowed her to access her potential, the strength was always hers, it is innate in her but it will only grow to full flower if she works at it and studies, she will be an archmage in time, I do not doubt it, one of the best of us, but as I said I did not make her.'

'Can you do that for anyone else?'

'Up to a point, I did do something like that for Jodie, Lady Joanna I mean but before you ask only a handful of students at the college have that potential.'

'What about me?' Jane asked, a little miffed.

'You did not need it, you can already "see" as well as most archmages, I told you that when I saw your paintings, they are not abstract foolishness as some have said, you paint the world as it truly is, as I see it constantly.'

Marcus was looking a little annoyed. 'Could you explain that to me please.'

'Perhaps, I will certainly try. You are not mageborn so you see the world which you inhabit, the mundane world of material things, of flesh and wood and stone. Yet you acknowledge the existence of beings which are not of this mundane world, correct? Now mages such as I can influence the mundane world by accessing the aethereal realm, in a sense we partially inhabit that realm, though we are mortal. That realm is not a separate place over yonder hill or up a ladder, it is all around us and is as bound to this world as you and I are. Everything in this world is partially of the aether. In mankind you would refer to that as our soul. I see this is not new to you, your Worship so I will get to the point. I, and certain others of the mageborn, can see into the aethereal realm. Actually Jane may I summon one of your paintings, that one of the garden? Thank you.'

A moment later a large oil painting appeared on the table. At first glance it was a landscape but everything in it seemed to glow and be outlined with an halation, rather like a tree with the sun behind it.

'Now your Worship, d'you see? This is an excellent representation of what we mageborn call the True world. People, mageborn especially, shine much more brightly than mere trees and flowers.' She omitted to tell him that the strength of a mage was reflected in the size of their True form, she didn't want to frighten the man.

Marcus sat and seemed to ponder this for a while, Jakob took the opportunity to summon a servant and order luncheon.

Marcus stood up to speak again. 'Let me see if I've got this right. A week ago you were strong but alone. In a few short days you have acquired companions who are formidable, at least in their potential and between you, your Father and your sister you have dispatched in excess of some fifty of the enemy, am I right in my count?'

Jane looked at Daria. 'I thought you said you slew twenty odd, what...?'

Anthony answered for her. 'What Lady Daria, in her modesty, has not said is that she destroyed some twenty of the enemy directly with the power of her staff but she killed the same number if not many more by dropping trees on them. This also forced them into the open where they were easier targets, I could not claim a quarter of her tally.'

Daria kept her head down but the others all looked at her with respect and, in some cases, not a little fear.

'Your Imperial Highness, I believe you may have your answer. I would not choose Lady Daria as a foe, I believe it is safe to say now that HE fears her and with good cause.'

Li then spoke up. 'Thank you, your Worship... Marcus... While we are having such a frank discussion might I ask... We on the mage Council were speculating that the Enemy might be in possession of some sort of prophecy or a portent or I do not know, perhaps a horoscope warning him of his doom. His attempts on Lady Daria's life stretch back for years and he seems to be redoubling his efforts at this time. Is the Church aware of such a thing?'

Silence prevailed for some time, eventually Lady Dorothea spoke. 'Marcus, for the Gods' sake give us answer! The fate not just of the Empire but of mankind may be at stake!'

'Forgive me 'Thea', he answered, preoccupied with some inner turmoil. 'I am not being deliberately difficult. The short answer is "no", I do not know of such a thing but... having said that there is something I remember from my novitiate... Would you allow me time to return to the Citadel and research this question? I swear on my vows to give you news within... let us say two weeks, three at the most.' He gave the Empress a meaningful look as he said this and she answered it with an almost imperceptible nod.

'Very well.' She said. 'We will await your report. Now for something less pleasant. Based on Chancellor Li's report I must ask the Inquisition to examine all of your archmages again to see if we can discover this traitor. I am sorry Cleovis, I cannot think of any other way.'

'I was about to suggest it myself, Highness. We are at least as concerned as you about the possibility of a traitor in our midst.'

'If I may?'

'Yes, Mandranus.'

'Have the Inquisition specifically ask if the mage was involved in the attack on the Morgendorffers rather than just the usual questions about loyalty to the Empire, the Church and opposition to the Other. It is possible this person believes they are acting for the greater good and so would pass the usual test without falsehood.'

'Very good, Mandranus.' The Empress murmured. 'Especially if they were being given orders from someone they had no reason to distrust... Oh, Gods grant us understanding and PATIENCE! Let us have that luncheon now Sir Jakob or I beg your pardon, Your Grace, Duke Jakob of House Morgendorffer. I will not offer congratulations under the circumstances but I know the coronet will be most becoming on you and you will serve Weighland with honor.'

Jakob was both distressed and embarrassed but nevertheless he bowed to the ArchDuchess and then rang the bell to have the food served.