I finally own a copy of The Emperor Mage, and I stand by my characterization of Varice Kingsford. Daine disliked her for Varice's comments about the caged immortals, but I think that was only the last straw. Daine was starting to feel rather possessive of Numair, and she did not approve of confident blonde women with substantial curves moving in on her teacher. (Daine might have also remembered Onua's first-book comment that Numair prefers blondes.)

In an environment where Varice has a valid claim to Arram Draper, and the two of them have been involved for some time, Varice has no reason to be catty to Daine, and Daine has no reason to dislike Varice.

The next few chapters were written while on vacation. I only found an internet connection on our last night. I hope everybody had a great holiday.

Next chapter: Effort

The Emperor's Mage
Chapter Eighteen: Brood

Daine let herself into her teacher's chambers when a full minute passed without any response. Alanna had said that Lindhall was in his rooms, and a few birds had agreed that the pale bird-man had put out more seed, but there wasn't a bit of light inside the shadowy room beyond the last rays of light from the sunset. Lindhall was near the window, at least, but he was staring moodily at the half-emptied dish of birdseed. He didn't even seem to realize that she'd come in, and didn't react at all until the door clicked shut behind her.

"Daine, you shouldn't..."

Daine glared at him, so strongly that the often-repeated warning faded away. She knew that she should have somebody female near her at all times if she wanted to keep folk from flapping their mouths about who she bedded, but she didn't much care. "So I'll have no reputation in Carthak and Tortall both. I need to talk to you, and I don't need any kind of chaperone." She took a chair across from his, relaxing when he didn't try to stop her. "Besides, nobody saw me come in, and if they have listening-spells up and about then they won't hear anything bad. I'm not mad at you."

Lindhall ran a hand through his thinning hair. Daine should have realized sooner that he had no way of seeing godhood like Alanna and George did. Lindhall would have been just as surprised as she had been. "I should have realized sooner, Daine. All of the signs were there."

"Piffle. I've had the clues for three years, now, and I didn't think to put them together. I'm not upset with you. I was a bit put out that Alanna hadn't told me, but we're okay now." Daine called out with her magic, careful to not do anything too overwhelming, and smiled when a mixed flock of birds appeared. Ragi, of course, was the first to claim her lap.

Lindhall smiled to see the plover settling on her so familiarly. "Just how long have you spent about my student, hm?" He reached out gently, only moving his hand close when Ragi studied him curiously. "I think you might be sad to lose her." Ragi preened under the attention, letting Lindhall stroke the soft feathers of his neck, but said nothing.

Daine blushed. Most animals didn't understand when other two-leggers were speaking, but Ragi had been staying close to her for days. "A bit too much time, I think, but there's no use in asking him to stay away. I'm near to healing the emperor's birds, now, and Alanna warned me to not ask anything much if the emperor grants me a boon. I just might ask if Ragi can come back to Tortall with me."

Ragi ruffled his feathers, unsure if he liked the idea, but changed his mind even before Daine could apologize for presuming. It might be fun. Ask the gold-man, but I will decide later.

"That would be very well done, Daine. It's a very small boon, so far as the emperor is concerned, and a safe thing to request in exchange for what he has asked. There are dozens of plovers near any stretch of the river near the palace, and there will easily be enough stores on the ship to keep one bird well fed." Lindhall looked over the small wealth of birds that had come at Daine's call. He smiled, nodding toward a small tanager that seemed especially shy. "These fellows are quite rare beyond his majesty's menagerie. She would like the seed in the blue bowl, if you will."

Daine had a quick word with the bright little bird. "She'll come to you. I promised you wouldn't eat her, and it wasn't hard to convince her that you're safe. You have a nice reputation with the birds here."

Daine scooped a generous portion of seed into Lindhall's cupped hands, and the pretty little tanager quite happily perched on his extended finger. Daine sent out another quiet call, this one more focused, and just two minutes later Lindhall's hands and arms were covered in tanagers. Ragi held court in Daine's lap, unimpressed with the brighter specimens decorating her shoulders and hair.

Lindhall's magic was not as powerful as anybody's, maybe, but the fog-colored Gift was more than up to the task of getting them ready for presentable company. She had been wearing a cotton over-robe on top of her finery, but Lindhall cleaned the last traces of birds from the sapphire blue gown underneath. He looked quite handsome himself, still dressed in the solid, unchanging fashion of the northern fiefs.

Daine shrugged into the grand silver-cloth shift that went over all of the rest. She'd left it near the door. She and Lindhall rarely fought, but their quiet reconciliations had almost always involved birds, and birds were all too often the ruin of delicately woven cloth. Lindhall and Daine didn't usually need to say sorry or to say thank you when they had the occasional disagreement. He appreciated all of her animal friends, maybe, but he would always love birds best.

Lindhall offered his arm, as courtly as any of the overdressed Carthaki nobles, and Daine took it gravely. If the peace talks kept going well, they'd be done with the bird-dung peace conferences some time before she turned seventeen.

Daine nearly turned around on the spot when the idea struck, but missing one of the state dinners was far too close to an insult. Perhaps she could beg off early. Varice would understand, and Daine was moderately sure that the other woman would cover for her. Emperor or not, Ozorne would never contest 'woman problems' as an excuse to vanish into her room.

"Lindhall, please remind me after dinner if I don't go straight to my books," Daine said quickly, just before they reached the formal banquet hall. "I need to look up something about bird dung."

Lindhall laughed quietly. "My dear, you have spent far too much time with me. I'll be sure to send a note if I get pulled into peace talks again."

Varice was just as accommodating. Daine had spent the entirety of the first two courses running through everything that she knew about the digestive systems of birds, and all that went into the product that came out of it. Daine came back to the conversation in time for the entree, just after absently answering 'bird dung' when Varice asked just what had been on her mind for so long.

Daine blushed, and the few nobles listening looked disapproving, but Varice chuckled. She sounded just as friendly as Lindhall had. "Dear me, it's no wonder that Arram's quite taken with you. You show up chock full of magic he's been studying for a good portion of his life, you gave him a chance to help you out, and you let your mind wander down paths that most silly people have never even considered."

Daine's face had lost nearly all of the pink when Varice finished, and even the snoopier nobles had lost interest. "Thanks," she said quietly.

Varice smiled. "It's a hazard of spending too much time with academics, Daine, that's all. Would you like to be left to your contemplations for a while longer?"

"I think I've puzzled through all that I can work out without consulting the right part of the library. I might ask Arram to help, if he's not busy tonight?"

Varice glanced toward the high table, contemplating. "Arram had a few things arranged, but I know he can easily be excused to help you out. I could tell from the moment you took a seat that you were close to having the entire affair with the aviary settled out. The birds have stopped dying since you came, but no one has been closer to stopping them from sickening."

"I hate to trouble you, but..." Daine continued when Varice nodded encouragingly. "Could you ask if Arram can meet me in the aviary after dinner is over? I can't get through all of those nobles without ruffling some very shiny feathers."

"I can do one better. If you even think that you're making progress toward a cure-" this time it was Daine that nodded- "then I can guarantee that he'll be there fifteen minutes after dessert is cleared away."

Daine wouldn't forget. The answer was just beyond her thoughts, and belaboring it now wouldn't help anything. She spent the rest of the dinner chatting with Varice. If the peace talks were over, Daine would be gone from Carthak, and relations weren't likely to be well enough for any kind of visits. Daine might never see the friendly blonde woman again.

She glanced toward the highest table, where Arram was talking with Alanna and Sir Gary. She would miss Arram even more than Varice, not just because he knew quite a bit about her magic. She'd have to be careful about what she wrote, but it wouldn't be unusual if she sent letters on about harmless things about her magic and daily life. George would look over the first few for her, to be sure that she wasn't wrong about what information was sensitive.

Ragi might be able to come home with her, but Ozorne wouldn't decide to let her bring his strongest mage along to Tortall. She'd have to settle for letters.