Chapter Three
The Magicians' Guild
Murtagh, neatly dressed and wearing his own close-trimmed beard and mustache, stands on the covered porch of a house in a quiet, rather shabby-genteel street in Ileria. He knocks and waits, looking around. A young girl opens the door part-way and peers out cautiously.
Murtagh: Good morning, miss. May I speak with Mistress Elandia please?
Girl: It's very early sir. We're not opening for another two hours yet.
M: (pleasantly) Yes. I was hoping to see her early, before business claims her attention. We are old friends, you see. I do think she will want to speak with me. It needn't take long.
G: What name shall I say, sir?
M: Just tell her, a friend of Tornac's would like a word, please.
G: Right. Wait here, sir. (Door closes. After a moment it flies open and a Elandia appears. She is a florid, energetic middle-aged woman dressed in a loose but colorful morning robe and red slippers, her hair mostly wrapped in a bright scarf. She stops short when she sees Murtagh.
M: (bowing) Good morning, Mistress Elandia. It is good of you to see me so early.
E: Stars and garters, it IS you! We all thought you were dead! Then we heard you joined the Varden, then there were rumors you were back, and now - let me look at you.
Handsome as ever, I see. All grown up and dashing, with a beard now and. . . What's this I hear? Actually going to marry that new Varden queen? Well, I don't know much about her, but I know she is some lucky lady to get hold of you!
M: (laughing quietly) And you are just as full of chaff as ever, and even more beautiful than I remember.
E: Now that's the kind of talk I like to hear before breakfast. You'd better join me and we'll have a good long chat. I'll have them bring it out here. Don't worry, the gardener's deaf as a post, so we can let our hair down and have a good gossip. (She knocks on the window and gestures to the young girl inside. She takes Murtagh's arm and walks with him to the wide rounded corner of the porch where there is a table with chairs. He pulls out a chair for her and sits across from her where he can see the door and the garden.)
E: (insinuating) Now tell me what brings you here, away from all your vitally important palace duties? It's not just to come down for a gossip with an old friend, hmmm?
Young girl: (enters with tray of hot tea and pastries and serves them.) Will there be anything else, ma'am?
Elandia: (looks at Murtagh, who shakes his head. She waves the girl away, but calls her back. ) See that the drawing room windows stay closed for now. We will air the rooms later.
YG: Yes'm. ( She curtsies and goes back into the house.)
E: (pours the tea) Now, and where were we?
M: Gossiping like old friends?
E: What would you like to hear? I know you are always full of questions, so out with them.
M: What has the city been like lately? How is business? Are you still seeing your old clients, or is it a new set since the war? How about the girls? New faces? Anyone I know still around?
E: Oh my dear, not many of those, I'm afraid. Why is it that after a war, they all want to get married? Pouf, off they go! Daisy and Rosie, who used to like you so much - gone off as soon as asked! Ah well, they were good girls anyway. Fellows are lucky to get them.
The new lot are not so cheerful, either. War widows, mostly. Orphans looking after the mother and sisters and babies at home. I try to tell them to smile, that the men who come here have troubles too and are wanting to forget. They do try, but most of them have not been brought up to expect this kind of life for themselves. My heart does go out to them.
And the clients, oh my dear. So many with great pieces of themselves missing, halting on sticks, barely able to get about. Many more who don't talk, don't seem to hear what anyone says to them, don't seem to really see or hear the girls at all; just in and out, you know. Some just sit and drink, some hardly order a thing. It's a different business, that's for sure. Not near as much money coming in, and not so much fun either.
M: Do you ever think about retiring? Or going into a different line of work?
E: Oh well, I can't just lol about. It would give me the fidgets. And what other trade can I take up? I've always hated sewing, I'm a hopeless cook, and standing at a bar for hours on end would do my back in inside of a week. Anyone rich enough to pay a housekeeper is far too elevated, my dear, to take me on at any price. So it looks like I may as well carry on here.
M. There are a few things I've been asked to take on, that I could use some help with. I think you might be the one who could help me.
E: What, work for the Palace? Me?
M: I remember a few times when you came to the Castle in the old days.
E: (laughs loudly) "The Old Days", he says, says he! I seem to remember bringing Daisy and Rosie up there for your sixteenth birthday. I'll never forget how they two rolled about in fits of giggles when you asked them to show you how to please a woman. That was a question they never thought to hear from a man.
M: That was when you took over and showed me.
E: (shivers) Mmmm, and you learned fast, too, at all of sixteen years old. What age are you now, nineteen?
M: Twenty-two in October.
E: Oh Ancient One! I do apologize for my levity.
M: No apologies, please. Your visits were among the very few bright spots I remember from those days. Somehow I never minded when you laughed at me. Still don't, in fact.
E: Aye, you were growing into a right charmer even then. If I'd any idea there was a queen in the offing, I'd have bet my money on you as the one who would claim her. There you go blushing again! Even with that beard, it is really quite fetching. Well, I suppose I may as well face the fact that I'm going to agree to do whatever it is you are about to ask. I always have. So what is it? Information of course. Who is my victim then?
M: It's really not so dire this time. I just need to find a few capable magic users who may be approachable about forming a guild. You don't need to talk to them about that, in fact I prefer you didn't. Just chat with them, find out a little about what they can do, and pass along the names of some who you think may be amenable. You can leave out the ones who are too close-mouthed or suspicious. They're not the ones we need in the beginning.
(Takes her hand in both of his) Could you do that for me? The Palace would show their appreciation of course, and I would be most grateful.
E: It seems simple enough. Not that we get a great many magicians here, but . . . I do know a few, and could find a few more, I'm sure.
M: (leans back with a relieved sigh) Thank you, Elandia. I was sure I could rely on you.
E: You know that I owe you a great deal, my friend. We won't go into all that now. He cared for you as if you were his own son. I am sure he died easier having your promise in mind about the children.
M: I wish I'd never... well, no, I don't wish that. He was determined to come with me that night. I just wish I hadn't made such a mess of things. . . . He was much, much more than a father to me. I went nearly mad with grief for losing him. I still miss him terribly.
E: I miss him too. No one could ask for a more caring brother. You should meet the children. One is so very like him. . .
M: Perhaps when they are... Oh, of course I will. Let me know when, and I will make the time.
E: Good man. Now I really must get to work. It was good to see you. Don't stay away!
M: No, I will be in touch. I promise.
(They embrace quickly and she goes in. He looks up at the house for a moment, then turns and leaves. )