Brothers to the Bone
Taken from the journal of Par Salain:
The Foundling entrée twenty- six
I do not know why I continue to reefer to these entrée's as the Foundling since Rosemarta is no longer here and my experiment is complete but too late to change it now I suppose. Rosemarta celebrated the New Year in Palanthas and then moved on, parting ways with Morgen before he reached Wayreth. She has since been wandering rather aimlessly. Taking side roads to where ever they may lead. By this time she should be nearing Portsmith on her way to Northern Ergoth, if I'm not mistaken which I do not believe I am.
Portsmith, oddly enough I have never heard the boy's reefer to their home since their arrival here. Their principal concern is their studies and that is all well and good but for two boys, still so young, to not mention nor show any sign at all of missing the family and home they left behind strikes me as strange.
Portsmith, another port town, smaller then Balifor and Sanction, more fishermen, more ship builders, the smell of salt on the air, it was all familiar terrain to Rosemarta, who sat at the bar of the small seaside Inn where she had found logging. The only thing different about every other place she had been over this past year was that this time there was no friend at her side, no Jay, no Dandelion, just she and her self. Friends she had found were an unnecessary burden upon her heart and so she did her best to avoid them, when possible.
On the up side of things there were no enemy's at her back either. There were no mage killers, no assassins, and no malevolent forces of any kind. This was due to the fact that over the course of this past year she had grown eyes on the back of her head. Nothing escaped her so any assassins blade, or robbers hand, that came near could be stopped instantly. The name of her former master used at the right moment had also kept her safe a few times so she did not doubt its usefulness anymore.
The days since leaving Morgen at the crossroads had been long, hard and cold. It was mid January now and this Inn, though small, and with food and drink of slightly lesser quality then what she had had before elsewhere, was a god sent. The weather out on the road had been hell and she now understood why Morgen stayed at the Tower more once the cold months arrived. She could not begin to count how many times she had woken up wet and covered in snow, or how many times her tea had frozen solid in the pot, or how many times she had found herself walking blind in the blowing snow.
She shivered just thinking about it and accidentally sloshed tea onto the bar. She muttered an apology to the Innkeeper who nodded his acceptance as he began clearing up the spill. Rosemarta drank the last of her tea and turned her attention back to the half eaten bowl of chicken soup in front of her. In the morning she would take a boat to Ergoth, hopefully the weather would not be as harsh there.
Her spoon froze half way from the bowl to her mouth, someone was watching her. It was someone who had just entered for the other patrons had not given her a second glance in the hour and a half since she had taken her seat. As footsteps neared her she could not hear the sound of a sword or dagger being drawn nor could she hear the words of a paralysis spell, the likes of which a mage killer would have used, being spoken. But it paid to be cautious so she lowered her spoon slowly and moved her wrist so that the dagger up her sleeve would drop into her hand. The footsteps stopped scant inches from her and a hand reached for her shoulder. She spun about, dagger poised for her assailants throat, stopping when her eyes a lighted upon the face of a boy about fourteen years of age with fair hair and blue eyes.
He had backed up a few paces, saving him self from the blade that would have surly found him had he not done otherwise. He looked at her evenly, surprised and scared but mastering both emotions well. Rosemarta lowered her blade but did not put it away.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"My names Tomas, Mistress and I need your help"
"My help?"
"Yes please mistress" Rosemarta had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.
"Tomas what color are my robes?"
"Black, mistress"
"Exactly so what in the name of the Abyss makes you think that I will help you?"
"But you have to mistress please. Its my brothers their missing and my mothers very worried" Rosemarta sighed with exasperation.
"Then go look for them then instead of bothering me" she placed her dagger back in her sleeve and turned her back to the boy. Tomas bowed his head.
"I would look for them mistress if I thought I had a chance of finding them. But they've been gone a long time now and truth is I think I know where but I can't be sure"
"And where do you think they are? May I ask?" while saying this Rosemarta retook her seat. Tomas's eyes bored into the back of her head.
"The Tower of Wayreth" now he had her attention. Rosemarta turned slowly to face him.
"What were your brothers names Tomas?"
"Tarrin and Roent"
* * *
Laddona, head of the black robes of Wayreth, sat in her chambers, chin resting in the palm of her right hand, thinking of a great many things. Her rekindled relationship with Sarilban had ended the day before last, as she knew it had been bound to but in truth it did not bother her that much for she knew that one day when his loneliness got the better of him again, he would come to her, or she would go to him.
She thought too of Rosemarta and how she had been gone for a full year. Laddona her self was actually quite happy for her, knowing how much of her life at the Tower had not been particularly pleasant. No one save Morgen, Jenna, and the Minotaurs in Palanthas had heard or seen anything of her since the Festival of the Eye. But if she had survived out on the road this long with out coming back to the Tower the mistress of the black robes supposed that she had no reason to worry.
Her principal train of thought fell upon Tarrin and Roent, The Chosen of Suilari. Laddona sneered, Chosen of Suilari indeed, those boys had more potential to become black robes then Par Salain cared to admit. They were both eleven years old now and showed signs of being extremely skilled. There had not been this much buzz in the Tower since Rosemarta had become a student but not all of it was good. There had been no incidences of violence since the tripping of Rosemarta due to the talk that Laddona had over heard Par Salain give the boys but most with sense were still wary of them. The boys were obedient and bound to repeat anything they heard that seemed odd to Par Salain and bound to carry out any order he gave them regarding it. Fear lurked in the Tower, not so much of the boys but of their master.
Laddona sighed as she recalled what she had said to Sarilban when he has asked her what she planned to do about the situation.
"Keep my mouth shut and my ear to the wall" at the time it had sounded like a logical statement, but now she was not so sure. She regretted bringing them here but what she regretted even more was not knowing much about them her self. She had found them in Portsmith, by following rumors and the word of a colleague of hers, performing tricks at the local market, with out their school masters knowledge of course. She had thought them well-dressed and rather well fed for orphans and had wondered how they had put forward the funds for regular schooling but had not thought to question them and it was too late to do that now…or was it? It was too late to send them back to Portsmith if the information told that they were not in fact orphans but it was not too late to find out just what their true colors were.
This in mind Laddona rose from her seat by the fire, walked out of her room, and began walking up the stairs to Par Salains room, where the boys were sure to be.
* * *
An unexpected knock interrupted Par Salains quiet contemplation of the boys as they worked.
"Who is it?"
"Laddona" Par Salains eyebrows rose, this was unexpected. Laddona hardly ever asked for permission to enter any of the rooms in the Tower, least of all his, normally she just "showed up". The head white robe rose to his feet and he motioned for the boys to do the same.
"Come in" the door opened and the mistress of the black robes walked in. "This is an unexpected surprise Laddona. What can I do for you?"
"I would like to have a private word with the boys, by your leave of course"
"Of course" Par Salain nodded and fell quiet while he contemplated the request. He shrugged. "I can see no harm in it, very well. I shall wait in the next room and you may talk freely for I am not in he habit of listening at key holes" with this Par Salain turned and left the room leaving Laddona alone with the twins.
"What is it you wish to talk to us about Mistress Laddona?" asked Tarrin, the leader of the two.
"Just some questions that I forgot to ask when we first met, please have a seat" the two did as they were asked and Laddona her self took the armchair near by on the opposite side of Par Salains desk.
"Now boys back in Portsmith you attended regular schooling and it was your head master who realized you had a talent for magic, correct?" the two nodded. "Tell me then what happened once he found out?"
"He said that since there were no proper schools for magic near by that we should go to Wayreth but that it would take a while for word to get to you about us. So he told us to bide our time and keep with our study's" again this came from Tarrin, Roent being content to merely sit and listen.
"You say that you are orphans?"
"We do not only say it mistress it is the truth"
"But then how did you get the money to put your self's through school?"
"Street performing can be a very good business if you are good at it"
"Having light fingers doesn't hurt either with the stingier audience members" added Roent, his brother glared at him. Laddona ignored the last remark.
"I asked only because most street children are not as well off as you were"
"Most street children are either talent less or brainless, my brother and I are neither" Laddona nodded.
"That's true, and I suppose it is also true that the money you earned paid for your cloths and your meals?"
"That's right"
"Did it pay for lodgings also?"
"No we lived in the woodshed behind the bakers shop"
"Is that so?"
"The money we earned could not buy everything"
"So it would seem" Laddona regarded both boys closely. Tarrin did most of the talking and was confident in his answers. Roent on the other hand seemed nervous. He did not show it in his manner or in his voice when he had spoken that one time but it was in his eyes, they way they could not remain focused upon the head black robe that gave him away. Laddona leaned forward in her chair.
"Do you want to know what I think boys? I think your lying. I think your both runaways. That your parents or who ever it was that you lived with did not approve of the idea of you learning magic so you hid. You preformed tricks in Portsmith and waited for the rumors to spread. Waiting for someone like me to come along and recognize your talent. What do you say to that?" The two glanced at one another then back at Laddona.
"I say that we think you should go now. This conversation is over. What do you say to that?"
"I say that you both should be mindful of who you are talking to. I shall tell you when this conversation is over and when I shall be leaving" a sneer twisted Tarrin's mouth and his brother mirrored it.
"We are perfectly aware of who we are talking to Mistress Laddona"
"The question is are you aware of who you are talking to?" this came from Roent.
"I am talking to two very insolent boys, that's who"
"You are also talking to two boys who have the ear of Par Salain. So I would expect you would think twice about crossing us" it was Laddona's turn to sneer.
"You would expect wrong" her eyes shifted to the door that Par Salain had exited by, "I have secrets in my possession that he cant afford to have slip out so it is you who should think twice about crossing me" she rose from her seat. "This conversation is over for now boys. As you have already begun your teaching I cannot appeal to Par Salain to have you sent back but I am determined to get the truth one way or another. And do not think of trying to threaten me again" the head of the black robes turned and departed Par Salains chamber. When the old white robe entered again his gaze remained upon the door for a long space of time before he turned to the boys.
"You two may retire to your chamber, dismissed" the two rose, bowed and departed swiftly, leaving their master to puzzle over Laddona's peculiar behavior.
* * *
As it turned out Tomas and his mother did not live in Portsmith, but in the near by mining town of Ironrock. The boy's failure to mention this little detail irritated Rosemarta for it put a draw back in her plans for departure. But it was far too late to turn back now.
Ironrock was small, its people, tough and hard working, walked the streets covered in the filth which was the bi product of their daily labor. The stench of the iron works blanketed the air making it almost unbreathable. The dirt of the mines had painted the streets and every building black, even the snow was tainted with it. The mine was the soul source of income for the entire town and Rosemarta found her self admiring these people for being able to live in such a place as this. Mining was a dangerous job, be it iron, coal, nickel, gold, silver, or gems so at the same time as admiring them she pitied them for having to live this way.
Tomas led her to a small, single floored, stone hut. The building was one of the oldest dwellings in Ironrock and one of the closest to the mines. Though just as filthy on the outside as all the other buildings around it on the inside it was rather clean. The result of the firm hand of a carrying wife, now a widow, and mother, determined to make a good home for her children.
Rosemarta followed Tomas to the kitchen where the sounds of dinner being prepared could be heard.
"That you Tom?" came a woman's voice over the sound of chopping.
"Yes mother and I've brought someone who can help us find Tarrin and Roent" while saying this Tomas entered the small kitchen and Rosemarta followed after him. Tomas's mother was a wiry woman in her late forties but she looked more like seventy. Her hair was steel gray and she was pitifully thin. Years of hard work in the mine had nearly bent her double and she walked on stiff legs but that did not stop her from performing her duties as a mother. Once she had placed the chopped meat and vegetables into the pot that hung on the fire she turned to face them. She looked to Rosemarta and smiled.
"Hello, I am Tessa Brander" the female black robe bowed.
"Rosemarta Dasrenvair, I am pleased to meet you"
"The same, would you care to join us for dinner? Its almost ready"
"Thank you that is very kind" Tessa nodded and used a hand to indicate one of the empty chairs, which Rosemarta took silently. Tomas sat opposite her and Tessa returned to her work.
On the way here Rosemarta had thought to ask Tomas why he had not told his mother of his idea regarding the whereabouts of his younger brothers but had decided against it for two reasons. The first reason being that the biting wind had threatened to tear the breath from her lungs and the second reason being that she could guess why he had not. Obviously she had had an objection to her boys becoming mages and so there was no point in telling her that they might be at the Tower of Wayreth with out knowing for sure.
Dinner was taken in silence for which Rosemarta was thankful. She took the time to gather her thoughts, in regards to every possible question that either of them might ask and making up a few questions of her own. Once all were finished Tessa took the bowls and placed them in a bucket of warm water along with the spoons and the butter knife. While his mother attended to the dishes Tomas put what remained of the bread back in the breadbox and the butter he placed in the cold storage. Tessa refilled Rosemarta's teacup before taking her seat.
"Now miss Dasrenvair what news do you have of my sons?" Rosemarta set her own teacup down.
"Why don't you tell me a little bit about them first? They were born here?" Tessa nodded.
"Yes, same day only a few minuets apart from one another"
"Their father was a miner?"
"Yes, he died when a tunnel collapsed down upon him. They were only three"
"What did you do?"
"I took morning and night shift down in the mine so I could spend the afternoons with my sons. I had dinner on the table every day before I went to work. Tomas was only six so I had one of my neighbors come over to care for the boys"
"Did they show an interest in magic?" Tessa nodded stiffly.
"Yes, we took them to a carnival in Portsmith and an illusionist was there. After that magic was all they talked about"
"And I take it you did not approve?"
"Of course I didn't approve. I could never understand why anyone would be so fascinated with something so dangerous as magic and would like to take on the life of a mage, knowing their shady history" Rosemarta felt her self bristle and she clenched her hands inside her sleeves to contain her self.
"Need I remind you Mrs. Brander that the history of the Knights of Solamnia is no more pristine the ours and the dishonesty of a mages life depends upon the individual it is not an encompassing quality. Yes it is dangerous but you and yours face more danger down in that mine everyday then we do in a week. I suppose you wanted your sons to follow in your husbands foot steps?"
"Yes"
"How long have they been missing?"
"Two years now, they ran away from home when they were nine. Almost old enough to start light work in the mine alongside Tomas who was twelve at the time" Rosemarta sat back in her chair to take in all the information that she had just been given. Twins, same blond hair and blue eyes, missing since they were nine, there could be no doubt that Tarrin and Roent were these exact same boys. She sat forward again.
"I know where your sons are" Tessa's old face lit up.
"You do?" Rosemarta nodded.
"The Tower of Wayreth" her smile fell.
"What?"
"They were taken there by Mistress Laddona a year ago today" Tomas hung his head.
"So I was right"
"You knew about this?" Tessa turned to regard her son with shock.
"Not exactly. See I knew they had run away to Portsmith but I could never find them even though everyone there seemed to know about their act. When I stopped hearing about them I figured they must have been taken to the Tower. I didn't want to tell you because I wasn't sure. That's why I brought Mistress Rosemarta here, so I could be sure. I'm sorry mother" Tessa turned back to Rosemarta.
"Is there anyway for you to get them home?" Rosemarta shook her head.
"No, they are students under the direct teaching of Par Salain now"
"But their my sons" Rosemarta sighed and rose from her seat.
"Not anymore Mrs. Brander. I'm sorry but it looks as if your sons are going to be mages whether you like it or not. If I were you I would be happy for them. They are being well cared for and they are living their lives the way they wish to live them. You still have one son Mrs. Brander and he loves you, be thankful for that and get him and yourself out of this town before it kills you if it has not already" Rosemarta bowed, shouldered her pack and made for the door. Tomas caught up with her just as she stepped out into the cold.
"Thank you Mistress Rosemarta"
"I do not believe I did the good you thought I would"
"You did enough. At least now my mother knows where they are and she can stop worrying about them just a little. I came to tell you that you can rent a horse near the edge of town and to ask one more favor of you if I may" Rosemarta nodded.
"Ask"
"If you see my brothers tell them that we were and will always be brothers to the bone"
"I'll tell them and thank you Tomas, farewell" Tomas nodded before returning inside the hut. Rosemarta turned her steps down the road toward the stables that were located, as Tomas had said, near the edge of town.
The stallion she was given for the price of a steel was a little past his prime but still strong. He would carry her swiftly to Portsmith where she would leave him with the stable masters partner.
As she rode swiftly through a light snowfall she could not keep her thought from wandering to the Tower and those two boys. Their drive to study magic despite their mother's disapproval was inspiring and commendable, if not enough to redeem them. Tarrin and Roent would become powerful mages of that their could be no doubt but it was the darkness with in them that made Rosemarta and others fearful.
She lay awake for long hours that night, in a bed at the same hotel she had been before Tomas had come to her, thinking of the boys. If they had gone as far as to run away from home and live on the streets in a strange port city for the sake of their magic, how much farther would they be willing to go?