Centaur Love Ch. 03

Looking at the pile of scroll tubes and letters he shuffled through them and pulled open a scroll tube. After reading the scroll, he took out a quill and wrote a modest reply. Rolling it back into the scroll tube, he set it in the outgoing box. Looking over his right shoulder. Two old, but comfortable looking chairs faced a cold fireplace. One chair back was still in the sunlight coming from the window. You couldn't tell if someone were sitting in that chair, and reading a book taken from his library. Taking a letter, he opened the envelope and started reading it.

Crumbling it up, he said, "No."

"Another invite to a summer ball Grand Master?" came a voice from someone sitting in the chairs.

The old man snorted, "In ninety-seven years of life, I never attended one, damn well won't start now!" He opened another letter and began to read. Pulling his quill, he scratched a reply and put that in the outgoing box. Opening another he asked, "How did your trip out west go?"

"Fine Grand Master, all four stops went as predicted. And how did the council of Moron's go? Oh I mean mages go?"

The Grand Master laughed, then said, "Shitty! Just as predicted. Mortenson and the conservative party still hold sway over the rest of the Council." Grand Master Dorthan snorted as he scribbled a reply. "I thought the 'progressive' party might have enough votes this time. Damn! I hate it when I, we, can't do a thing to help."

"So I take it the council is unwilling to step in and organize his Majesties Southern armies to defend the central plains? The loss of life and property don't matter to them?"

"It is not mages lives that are in danger. Until it threatens those lives or the college, the policy of non-interference will be maintained."

"It will matter to them when food costs start to rise next year."

"No it won't, they will just vote an increase in tuition to cover the costs..., so tell me about your nephew."

"Obviously, he survived the raid, but we knew that. He is stronger in magic than we thought, even with my late sisters spells draining his klatha. And yes, I removed them as you instructed. I also informed him to lose the iron buckles and belt buckle as well. We will see if he finds Caroline's Iron wire mess in his belt."

The Grand Magnus grunted, then nodded yes in approval, "Well..., in about four to six months, every mage on this side of the mountain is going to know someone in the West is a full unfettered Grand Magnus."

"He used three spells today, a clairvoyance spell, a Flesh to heat destruction spell on a horse carcass. He pulled eight klatha out on a two klatha spell. And performed a perfect disintegrate spell on a crock of flour that I broke for him."

"Any bypass or plane miscalculation?"

"None."

"A sixth year spell with only a two years' worth of schooling. Impressive. And Sir Fellis?"

"Still mad at his Majesty for making him retire from his service. But he agreed to plead our case, and lead the Centaur nation if the council of horse heads will not act."

Dorthan laughed, "The old fool, he would have worked himself into an early grave if his Majesty hadn't insisted he retire. And what, he has a nice family now, and a comfortable life? That man was too dedicated to his majesty. Too bad his Majesty handled that situation so poorly, but his misjudgment handed us a competent general in the west, and with your nephew just about to come into his full powers, he will have a powerful unfretted Grand Magnus at his side...," Dorthan laughed, "Council of horse heads, his words?"

"His."

"The elves?"

"Organizing, but they don't have the numbers to take on the hoard. I so informed Sir Fellis. Hopefully, he will take a hand and unite the centaurs and the elves." Robert stood as the last of the sunlight faded from the window. He slipped the eighth level spell book back on the shelf. And walked over to the desk. Dorthan looked up at Robert, "Why don't you go, and get retested. You can get your own set of eighth level spell books."

"What and give up my job as a potion maker?"

Dorthan laughed, "A very lucrative job as the sole potion maker supplying the Kings army I might add."

Robert shrugged his shoulders. "I wouldn't know about that, my wife manages the money and company. As a dedicated mage to the college, I just make potions, and pay taxes to both institutions, the college, and crown."

Dorthan nodded and handed Robert a letter from the Kings Registry of Births, Marriages, and deaths. "The letter you're going to need to transfer your late sister's accounts to your nephew." Then he reached down pulling a brown wrapped package from his desk drawers."

Robert felt three books in the plain brown paper bag.

"Sexitorius's seventh and eighth level books, before he formalized them for Mage College, and the last one..., the late, but honorable Grand Master Tiberius's very own book on Destructive spells before he had changed them for college. Lances, balls, walls, and storms. All four destructive elements, with the addition of water, thrown in for fun."

Robert lifted an eyebrow.

"Your nephew might need to know a thing or two than those in the conservative group can't counter."

Seeing Roberts's reaction,

"If it comes to that."

Robert nodded, "There is one unexpected development that you should be made aware of Grand Master..., my nephew, has taken...mm... A mate."

"A mate? A strange way to say he found a girlfriend."

"No, I think the word mate best sums it up Grand Master. She is a lovely Centaur girl, Sir Fellis's daughter. A beautiful little thing, and I do mean little. She is the victim of the Human Gene Variance."

Dorthan raised an eye-brow "Is she abnormal in hips? Dysplasia?"

"Nope, perfectly normal Grand Master. With only a quick look, she doesn't appear to have any birth defects from the Human dominance in the gene mixing."

"Is she fertile? Will she be able to carry?"

"I could not tell Grand Master, I didn't get a chance to do a full scan. However, I will have time tomorrow during lunch."

"You are bringing her to Kingsholm tomorrow? Is that wise?"

"I see no reason to hide her from the conservative party, maybe they will only notice her and not bother with a second year drop out with us. Plus I need a few hours to run a full scan on her, so I included her in my invitation, just for that reason."

"Hummm, I would like to meet Sir Fellis's daughter, but I can't see any logical reason to impose myself on what is a private party."

"Have you finished laying those spells on Dragons Fang?"

"Yes I have, but I keep forgetting it." Robert laughed at the pun. "It's in my workshop at home. I will bring it tomorrow."

"Why don't you run it over to the house tomorrow a little past noon. Mathew was wearing Dragon's Bane. I think he figured out how to draw it. He most likely used it fighting the goblins."

"But why would I have had one of your family's heirlooms?"

Robert smiled, "Just tell him Caroline gave it to you...to renew the spells on it. That should get him interested in those blades and learn how to use them."

Dorthan laughed, "Brilliant idea!" Then turned serious, "Does he know the truth about his mother and father?"

"I haven't told him," holding up the letter from the King's registry, "and Sir Fellis didn't suspect anything either. He helped bury those two mage construct bodies we made. So I suspect Mathew doesn't have a clue either."

"Are you ever going to tell him?"

"I doubt it Grand Master. He hasn't explored his were side, so he isn't interested in transforming into a were-creature. He knows it gives him his magic ability, and that's it."

"Everybody knows that. Without were blood, humans can't touch nor effect Klatha."

"True. However, as I was saying it was my sister's and your son's decision to leave the south and start a new were a community on the northern continent. And like you said it would be easier for them to travel if they were unknown. And their past life died in the west. So both transformed their human faces to be unknown. By now, they should have located a nice place to start a new were village. If Mathew walked into them today, he most likely wouldn't know they were his parents."

"Someday Robert? I know he is your nephew, but he is also my only grandson."

"Well Grand Father, I will leave that task up to you. You can choose when to tell him. But you know as well as I do, changing into your were-creature messes with your mind. He would be lucky if Caroline or Gunther even recognized him as their son."

Dorthan nodded in thought.

"I know it was their decision, and I accept their reasons. Were blood needs to be spread. But damn it, why Caroline? She was my only..., family."

Dorthan looked at Robert. He took a deep breath and was about to say something...

"We have been over this before Grand Master, it's, just..."

"I understand Robert, and I feel your frustration. You not only lost a sister but a good friend. Just as I lost my only son and daughter in law. But I am more proud that they decided to do this, on their own, and it is a big help for the cause."

Robert looked up.

"Have you seen the latest school roles? Only one hundred and forty-nine students registered, for a school that once boasted nearly five hundred. The Ogre Magi didn't enflame that little uprising up north for fun. They know just as we do, humans with were blood can effect klatha, and can become mages. And the more they can kill off before they learn how to control it, the more they have to manipulate themselves. So your sister and my son are doing a brave thing starting a new were community. Especially in the north."

"I know Grand Master, I know. But it doesn't mean I have to like it" Stuffing the books and letter into a hidden pocket of his robes. "Make sure you make it by noon, I do remember Cyril mentioned something about 'shepherd's pie.'"

Dorthan smiled. Cyril's shepherd's pie was worth killing for. "I will bring Beth along. She might want to meet Mathew as well. We can call it, a social lunch date."

Robert nodded and bowed. "It will be a pleasure to host you and your wife for lunch Grand Master." Holding his hand out to feel the proper plane, he teleported home. Knowing the Grand Master would notice that he didn't need a chalk circle as all Magnus Elites did to teleport.