Techromancy Scrolls: Adept (19 page)

By the time First Day came around, everything was organized for the peace mission. The representatives from Far Reach continued north to speak with Perth Hollow up at Lake Odette.

As we checked our saddles while Bex double checked the supply wagon, and the enclosed coach the Duke and Duchess would ride in, Celeste turned to me and checked my new armor that had been delivered by messenger late the prior night. It was mostly leather armor with a light breastplate and bracers made of what tasted like titanium to me. It had the crest of Wexbury in the center, and the crest of the house of Celeste to the left of it. She drew my sword and snorted at it. I slapped her shoulder. “Not funny woman.”

She winked at me. “Yes, it is.” Then Celeste said, “I forgot to ask yesterday, I saw that Hank kid talking to you at the feast. What did he want?”

Kid? He was my age. She seemed overly curious. Was she jealous? I teased, “He wanted my hand in marriage before I left today.”

Her eyes narrowed and I saw a shadow pass over them and said in a dangerous voice, “He didn't.”

I shoved her shoulder playfully and chuckled out, “No, he didn't. You already know I'll be betrothed to no man.” I stopped myself from adding that besides, I loved someone I could never have. I smirked at her and she smirked back and rolled her eyes at me as she sheathed my sword in my scabbard. I wondered if I looked as ridiculous in the armor as I felt. Like a little kid pretending to be a knight.

She prompted me to speak with the look in her eyes. I caved. “He was just asking what we fed the chickens. They aren't laying as large of eggs nor the same quality as when we raised them. I shared what we fed them and he verified he hasn't changed a thing.”

She just nodded and said absently as she checked our bedrolls. “Because your mother isn't there.”

I paused and looked at her. “My mother?”

She looked up at my question. “Oh, you really don't know? Haven't you heard the stories of the Shining Lady?”

I shrugged. “Just a few.”

She squinted at me. “You know your mother is a nature elemental right? You've seen the lavender power in her eyes?”

An elemental? Mother? How many more secrets did she hide from me? I shook my head slowly. She nodded sadly. “She's probably just so used to hiding it from you when she raised you.” Then she smiled. “It was said that the small gardens in the castle were more bountiful when Lady Margret was around, and the milking cows Cook keeps in the livery gave a sweeter cream.”

Then she shook her head. “Nobody ever put it together that the incredible eggs brought in by the herder children may have benefited from the Shining Lady. All thought her dead.”

I smiled. “Mother is an elemental?” I froze, dear Lord, that meant not only had mother hidden from her children she was a Lady, but also that she was a Techromancer! I saw the satisfied smirk Celeste gave when she saw me adding two and two.

She said as she scrunched her nose, “And we have a winner.”

I rolled my eyes at her and pushed past her, yanking her cinch strap out of its buckle as I moved past her horse. “Your saddle is loose, evil woman.” I grinned at the explosive laughter behind me.

I grabbed my tool bag off the bench against the stone wall, and slung it over my shoulder then adjusted it so it didn't interfere with drawing my sword. She called over from where she was adjusting her saddle again, “Why do you insist on carrying that stuff? You could check out a proper took kit from the castle stores.”

I looked at her and said with firmness, “Because, like Goliath, it is mine.” I know it was stupid, the keep provided me with anything I needed, but I had pride in ownership of my horse and my father's tools. They were something extraordinary from my prior life in the keep. She softened at that and simply nodded.

Then we both turned and looked at the expeditionary force. In addition to the knights and archers, we were three Squires, two porters, and one coachman strong. The only two missing were... the castle trumpets sounded the arrival of the Duke and Duchess in the courtyard.

I took a deep breath of the crisp, chill, morning air. The first frosts would arrive in the next few days with winter on their heels.

I looked at the spectators who were there to see us off, both inside and outside the courtyard archway. Plenty of nobles and commoners lined Lord's Way, and Mother, Jace, Donovan, Emily, and Cook; as well as Tiberius and a few knights of the home defense battalion.

While the coachman assisted the nobles into the coach, I walked over and gave Mother a hug. “If all goes well we should be back in a month, before the heavy freezes.” She nodded and kissed my cheek. Then I looked at her accusingly. “An elemental?”

She squinted an eye in mock pain and said in a question, “Yes?”

I chuckled at her shaking my head. “Secrets upon secrets...”

She said with a sly smile, “Says the pot to the kettle.” I had to grin at that.

Then I said, “Love you, see you soon.”

She released the hug and I bent to hug Jace. He almost squished my neck and then he stood tall. “My sister the Squire.”

I grinned at him. “Take care of Mother for me. You're the man of the house.” He nodded far too seriously for a young boy and I said, “Love you.”

He smiled hugely then asked, “Bring me something from your adventure?”

I nodded and went to return to Celeste's side, and when I passed Donovan, he said softly, “Remember, battles are won with this...” He touched his head. “... and this...” He touched his chest over his heart. “Not with a blade.”

I smiled at the man. “It is only a boring escort duty. We'll be back before you know it.” He grinned then I stepped up to Celeste.

I had to smile when I heard Emily saying to the Prime Techromancer, “Now come on and get back inside. It is chilly out here and you're not dressed properly you fool.”

Celeste winked at her father when he said in a resigned tone, “Yes Emily.”

Then everyone gathered chuckled when she started shooing him inside while grumbling, “Queen of the Scrolls indeed.”

We knights and squires all mounted, well the knights and all but one squire mounted. I know I heard some snickering coming from two female knights who so enjoyed teasing me when I got up onto Goliath on my second try.

We slid into formation. Four knights and three squires in front of the supply wagon followed by the archers, then the coach flanked by two knights with one trailing. This would be our standard formation. The archers protected at our center with virtually a three hundred and sixty degree line of fire. The squires were to float from front to back of the caravan on occasion, to look everything over and to keep anyone observing us guessing as to the fighting strength of any given point at any random time.

I smiled at Bex. This is the first time I had seen the armor he had commissioned for himself. He looked like a clockwork man to me with all his gadgets, wires, and gizmo's fastened to hard points on the leather and steel. There were pinned brackets where he could attach various wonders he kept in his backpack and saddle bags. He looked even more awkward than usual, but I supposed I did as well... the little girl playing a knight.

I had to grin at Squire Brenda though. She looked just as beautiful and regal as Verna and Celeste in her armor and she rode next to Bex. Who, by the dreamy look on his face whenever he looked at her, is no virgin anymore. I'm sure she pretty much owned the poor young man now, and I was happy for him, as odd as their pairing looked on the surface. I'm thinking it had something to do with him besting her in the training battle.

Celeste had her business face on as she stared back at the coach awaiting the signal. Fredrick put a hand out a window and made a slight shooing motion with his hand, Celeste turned forward in her saddle and raised her arm to the sky, we all slid to attention in our saddles. I was late, we hadn't gone over any of this in training yet.

Then her hand swung down and she pointed forward and the huge bellows powered war horns of the keep sounded their deep rumble in one single long burst and we were in motion. It felt almost like a parade to me. As if it was some big show.

When we exited the castle grounds and out onto Lord's Way into the cheering of the spectators on the side of the lane, I realized that was exactly what it was. It was a show meant to inspire the people of the village. To demonstrate the strength and majesty of the ones that defended those people's lives and showed them that while that even though we were not the biggest realm, why Wexbury was among the greatest realms to live in.

I was looking around at first until I caught that all of the knights just watched the cobblestone road in front of them with single-minded purposefulness. And there I was, gawking like a fool. I forced my eyes forward and concentrated on not looking silly on my huge steed. I caught a slight tick of a smile on Celeste's face in my peripheral vision. Oh, good lord, I was amusing her.

I whispered, “Shut up.” She aborted a snort and I could see the strain on her face as she tried to stay composed. Now it was my turn to hold back a smile.

We took the long way around the roundabout at the cathedral and down the Crossbar. People were lined up the whole way. Had they sent criers out to inform them of the Duke's departure? I remember watching processions like this on many occasions and looking up at the Knights of the Realm and dreaming. This was so surreal. I was now up on one of those mounts in armor, at my Lady's side.

I rose my chin slightly, I would not embarrass her here. The guards at the portcullis and the ramparts above saluted us as we left the keep. We continued the slow trot as we passed by the orchards, farmland, and grazing herds between the keep and Wexbury Minor. Nobody spoke. I had so many questions that I would have to ask later.

The few people of Wexbury Minor, who were not out tending the crops and livestock, clapped as we trotted through the little town. It wasn't until we were over a mile south of the village that everyone seemed to relax and we picked up the pace. I looked over at Celeste with my brow furrowed.

She smiled and explained, “We owe it to those we protect to show a strong force that makes them feel safe. It gives them confidence, to see a well-oiled machine.” This made sense and I thought it admirable that they thought of things like that. Then she said much louder, “Good thing they don't know Verna.” This got a chuckle from the knights and some of the archers.

Verna was quick to respond jovially, “So sayeth Faceplant.” She said it like a title as Celeste and the other knights laughed.

I again looked at her in question. She just shook her head, refusing to explain. Verna came forward to my other side and she sat forward in her saddle to look around me at her friend. “Oh come now Celeste, don't tell me you didn't share the adventure our first patrol with our knights as squires.”

Celeste was blushing and intent on the road again. Verna sat back in her saddle, satisfied, then looked at me and said in a conspiratorial tone loud enough for it to carry to the back of the group, “Our venerable leader and her young stallion Canter there were on our very first patrol mission from the gates. We were heading east into the Whispering Forest.”

She grinned and looked behind her, making sure she had everyone's attention. “Young Squire Celeste here excelled in everything she put her mind to. There was nothing she could not do... well except for to choose a suitable mount it seems.”

She mocked reverence. “You should have seen her sitting tall and proud in the saddle as we followed our Knights, barreling down the trail and coming out at Beggar's Creek, where our Knights decided to do a sweep of The Grove before we continued east.”

She looked ready to burst as she continued, “Without slowing, Sir Edwin and Lady Anita rode into the stream, where the waters came above the chests of their chargers. We followed suit... well I followed suit. It seems ol' Canter there had a fear of water back then and came to a sliding halt in the mud on the shore.”

The pleased look on her face just made you smile as she finished. “The look on Celeste's face, as she went flying out of her saddle, over her mount and face planted in the stream, was priceless! Sir Edwin and I were laughing too hard to notice she didn't surface. Her armor weighted her down. A chuckling Lady Anita waded her charger back into the stream and reached down to pull Celeste to her feet by the scruff of her neck. She looked like a wet puppy.”

Everyone was chuckling now and my grin was splitting my face. It was good to know that my seemingly unflappable Lady was human too.

Celeste just put an imperious look on her face and patted her steed's neck as she rode. “You do just fine in the water now, don't you boy?” Then she shot a grin at me that I returned. I liked it when the Knights had fun like this. We sometimes forget that they are people too, we see them as an ideal, a symbol, but they are just like us under the armor. I looked down at my ridiculously small breastplate and mused that I would be like them one day too.

Since Verna was smugly riding beside me and seemed loquacious, I looked over at her and asked, “What really happened in the Great Raid of York?”

Her eyes showed a touch of sorrow and she said, “Until the day I die, I will swear upon the bravery of Sir Edwin.” Not answering my question. She gave a sad smile to me then drifted back to Sir Kristof and Bex again.