Centaur Love Ch. 08

Master Sexitorius and Maddie bowed to them, "When this little war is over, and you folks come to sell your crops, give Maddie or me a heritage call beforehand and we can arrange to spend an afternoon and dinner together."

Mathew saw Felicia nod, yes and they bowed together, "We would be more than honored."

Master Sexitorius smiled and pointed at the high table, "I do believe our hostess is waiting on you two."

Mathew led Felicia to the high table and both stopped to bow to the Eldar wearing smiles. Throughout dinner ReLanna kept a light conversation going between Sir Fellis, and Mathew who sat on her right.

"By the way Mathew, You and Felicia look the part of Magnus tonight."

Mathew grinned, "Thank you for the gifts Eldar, I feel we should have no problems convincing the Midvale council that we are mages now. Or at least we look the part."

Felicia looked up with a worried look that Mathew missed since he was still looking the Eldar's way, but she caught. ReLanna smiled at Felicia, "Just magically pick up a rock and throw it at the first person who doubts you, dear. Then pick up another and point at it. Centaurs cannot sense those who carry magic. And may need a small rock to the head to remind them that size doesn't matter when it comes to magic."

Felicia laughed, then nodded yes with a big smile.

"Now Mathew I assume you have spoken with your father-in-law about our arrangements this afternoon?"

"Yes, Eldar we have."

"Wonderful, my Great Nephew Zane was chosen to be our ambassador. I don't know when he will be ready, but I am hoping to send him to your farm as soon as he is. But I would like to ask a favor of both of you."

Both Felicia and Mathew nodded yes.

"The reason I argued for someone younger is our people often trade with the Centaurs and are most familiar with most of theirs, yours, customs. But most of the older people who could fill this role would have a hard time adapting to living on the road and the challenges of staying in Midvale while negotiating. But Zane is young enough to be adaptable like that, but he will need some instructions in Centaur edict and customs while he is staying at Midvale, I would like to ask you two to host Zane at your home and give him as much instruction in centaur customs and edict that you have time for?"

Mathew turned to Felicia, since this request would rely on her, more than him. She nodded yes, "We can give him a basic understanding of a Centaur household life. The best would be throwing him into my father's house since he and mother live like any other centaur family. But I doubt he could take the time that Mathew and I could instructing him in the subtle nuances of Centaur life. Plus I can help him with the required knowledge he would need to negotiate with Midvale herd Masters or what everyone else calls the centaur council."

ReLanna frowned, "Do they prefer to be called Herd Masters?"

"Actually, yes. Only humans and elves call it the Midvale council. But when they announce it to the herds they always call for the herd Masters to gather."

ReLanna nodded, "I see I made a wise choice asking you two to mentor my Great Nephew. If you don't mind a house guest for a day or two, I will hurry his preparations and have him teleported directly to your farm."

Mathew nodded at Felicia, then turned to ReLanna. "He will also need a riding mount, since Sir Fellis plans on moving half of his herd to Midvale for the duration of the war. It will be a two-day trot from our farm. As an offshoot of his herd, we are expected to help guard the herd as it moves."

"Do you expect trouble?"

"No, but this is a good example of herd mentality."

"Felicia jumped in saying, "Since father acknowledged Mathew as my Mate, he basically said his herd, that Mathew is stallion or Herd Master of his own herd. A sub herd of my father's herd."

ReLanna laughed. Sir Fellis cleared his throat, "Since Mathew is a Mage, and if the Herd Masters of Midvale acknowledge it, then technically they would see it as my herd being a sub herd of Mathew's. Since mages are thought higher in skill than farmers. Also, being a former Marshal in the Kings army might muddy the waters on that issue. But in either case, the Herd Masters should treat him as an equal since he is mated to a centaur and a powerful mage."

But, I think my daughter is right, your nephew should stay at Mathews until we leave for Midvale, then my son's, and I will help get him ready for Midvale as we travel. Plus Mathew's house is set up for human type visitors. Even my poor son-in-law has a hard time staying at my house."

"I don't mind at all sir."

"I know you don't son, and I am proud of that, still having a human guest with no knowledge of a centaur house will make it difficult for him to quickly adjust. This way you and your mate can break him in slowly."

ReLanna stood, "Then it is settled." Then nodded to the crowd, "I, we need to socialize before I address the Elven people on the latest developments. Then you four need to pack for the morning. Things are in motion and I need you four to help secure our allies if we are going to win this war."

Sir Fellis stood and offered his arm to the Eldar. Mathew waited for them to pass and offered his to Felicia. "Is your clothier here tonight Mathew?"

"I think so," he said looking over the crowd.

"Introduce me so I can thank her."

They mingled through the crowd, talking to various people until the announcement that the Eldar would be addressing the Nation. Mathew and Felicia followed Sir Fellis and Tarn to the council building where Eldar ReLanna took the podium. After a brief description of the meeting, she encouraged all the people to start stockpiling food and medical supplies since they were once again at war. Then called on any who would be willing to take up arms for the Nation to come to Woodsheart for training. Then she asked everyone to once again take up the bow and practice his or her skills for home defenses.

She stepped down and bowed to the assembled people, who bowed back. Then turned to go home. She came up and nodded to Sir Fellis and Tarn, "Sir Fellis, Tarn Fellis, I thank you for helping the Elven Nation and wish you both good luck convincing the Centaur Herd Masters of our plight. Know this, you both will ever have this Nation's gratitude, no matter the outcome. We never forget who our friends and family are." Then looked over at Mathew and Felicia smiling. "Sir Fellis, if all else fails with your people, please return to us, your skills and knowledge would be most useful here in the coming struggles."

Sir Fellis bowed, "Eldar ReLanna, fret not Milady, for I know the herds of Midvale, know, we have a common enemy. I will not fail in my task in securing your allies. See to your people's defenses, while I secure a second army to assure our victory."

ReLanna smiled and turned to Mathew and Felicia, "Thank you both for your gift of Draconis Powder, in our hour of need. You brought both hope and relief to our Nation. I hope our gifts to you will somehow repay both. But I feel that they don't compare. As I told your Father-in-law, we as a Nation do not forget our friends and family even in times like this. If either of you have a need, do not hesitate to ask. I wish you all good luck on your journeys ahead." Then formally bowed to them.

Mathew took Felicia's hand and returned the bow. All four walked back in silence until they came to the guest longhouses. Sir Fellis looked down at both, "I will go and retrieve our pack horses and your mare before sunrise, and load them along with Felicia's old armor. Then you can tie your stuff on and we can teleport before sunrise."

Mathew nodded yes and went inside to light some lamps. The next morning both were ready when Sir Fellis cantered up. Tying the last of Mathews and new clothes on the mare he drew a chalk circle around everyone he recalculated for the new items and teleported them back home.

Once there he blipped inside to open the house, as Felicia untied their belongings. Mathew renewed the Clairvoyance spell for the last time just before the sun rose. They both waved goodbye to Johnathon and Tarn with a promise to come by for dinner tomorrow evening. They both started to reopen the house and bring things inside. Mathew showed Felicia how to redirect the water to the cistern and bathing room water trough.

Mathew opened the magic room and checked the book, but he knew nothing new was written. He wrote a quick note to his uncle and one to the Magic emporium for one of its famous shipping crates that could hold Felicia's old plate armor. They were little six-inch, by six-inch, by three-inch wooden boxes that allowed a mage to cast a reduction spell on most non-magical items and put them inside the storage box. The box had a permanent stasis spell that held the reduction spell in stasis. Then they could store Felicia's plate armor inside where it would not rust. He stepped out after getting word back that it could be shipped today, and set the beacon stone in the magic circle next to the barn.

Once the house was situated they went up to the plateau to check on the grove. Mathew

let Felicia set the pace from a canter to a full out gallop to get used to her new armor as they rode a circuit around the whole grove visually checking the cairns before he cast the clairvoyance over the farm. As they were on the last leg heading back to the stairway down both heard the faint crack of thunder as they neared the stairs.

"What got delivered, Mathew?"

Mathew explained the concept of the shipping crate to Felicia. "Oh! I wonder if they travel packs like that for our cart pony."

"I don't know, I guess we could go look or write and ask."

Imagine showing up with everything we would need packed into tiny boxes on the back of our pony. No extra bulky bags, or overstuffed saddlebags."

As they got closer, Mathew thought about it. Being able to pack for every occasion, and have room for extra food sounded like a worthy expense. He did need to order some more bottled oranges anyway. He liked them over everything else so far over his morning porridge. The more he thought about it, a trip to Kingsholm sounded like a good idea. He had to dismount to walk his mare down the wide stairs. He walked her over to the barn where he unsaddled her and gave her a good brushing. Once done he headed to the house to remove his armor.

Felicia had already set-up a second sleeping rail along one wall where she was starting to hang her armor. Mathew helped her with several flank straps. Then he dug into the closet, far in the back was his father's old armor stand. It was a little dusty, but a couple of quick wipes had the old wood looking as new.

Felicia looked at the stand, then the closet, "We should go through everything in there, you are going to need room to hang your new clothes, and I still need some room for mine as well." Mathew looked at the closet, he didn't want to throw any of his parent's things away. Felicia looked at him, she mirrored the same sad look, "I know honey, but we do need the room. Why don't we box up the things we can't use and put them into that crate with my armor and we can store it in the magic room until later?"

Mathew looked up and smiled, "Thank you for understanding."

They spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning out the closet. His father had several old swords and daggers stored in the back including one long greatsword that he struggled to hold up one-handed. He set those to the side along with several longbows. His mother had several boxes of old letters that they wrapped up for packing. All of her clothing was folded up and wrapped in the paper that Mathew's new clothes came in. Once the closet was clear of clothes and shoes they repacked it with their new stuff.

Mathew went and pulled the Transmorphation book and opened it for Felicia. They went over the spell several times. Then he handed her the chalk to draw the magic circle. Felicia chalked the circle, then reread the spell. Looking at Mathew she smiled, "I am ready."

"Ok love I want to reach out and feel the chalk on your hand." She frowned and looked at her hand, then nodded yes. "Now extend your thoughts to feel just the circle you drew." When she nodded yes again he said, "Now what the book says about feeling the plane, it is really trying to say, feel flatness where the chalk meets the ground, tilt yourself left or right, forward or backward until your mental thoughts say it is flat. Take your time, have fun feeling it, do it several times until it becomes instinctual."

Felicia did it a dozen times, grinning when she returned to the same spot. "Now love, find the flatness, and chant the spell!"

Felicia called the seventy-six mana and chanted the spell, she saw the mana encircle the objects and slowly condense them until they were about a sixteenth of the original size. She grinned, this was the largest spell she had thrown to date. When she bent down to pick up the armor she still had to use both hands. "It's still as heavy? I thought as it grew smaller it would be lighter Mathew."

Mathew smiled, "Try the bag of clothes, they will be lighter, because your armor is steel, it resists the reduction spell. Steel or iron base things can be reduced, but since iron grounds magic, the reduction spell can't magically reduce the iron's mass, so it concentrates instead, maintaining the same weight, but in smaller form." He helped her put it inside the box, then loaded the bags of clothes and his mother's correspondences into it. Mathew struggled to carry the small box into the magic room where he stored it under the table holding the Global book.

He took the time to write his Uncle letting him know that they were planning on visiting Kingsholm tomorrow in the morning. Mathew took the crystal tree that he brought in earlier and walked out to the front room. He knew the new spell to attach the clairvoyance spell to the farm's ley line; he didn't know if his spell range would cover the whole farm like his uncles. He sat down and thought about the spell, after breaking each cant down he understood how the elven spell used the ley lines power to reach out, or set the range of the spell, and where he could pull it back just to cover the farm.

He mentally reached out to the ley line where he lightly touched it, casting the spell clairvoyance on the crystal tree, then he tied the power draw to the ley line. He felt the spell take effect. Licking his finger he touched the old clairvoyance spell and dis-spelled it. He felt several spells fail when he took it down. His Uncle must have laid a few on top of his clairvoyance spell. He wished he knew that beforehand.

The new spell was still expanding but already expanded beyond the valley, encompassing Sir Fellis's farm and beyond. Mathew throttled it back and checked the radius, then throttled it back a little more. There was no need to feel Sir Fellis's place, so he kept shutting it down so it was just north of crossroads, yet covered the house and grove completely. He felt Felicia's thoughts enter the spell. He opened his eyes and she stood looking at him. He touched her thoughts opening himself to her.

Felicia walked into the front room and felt Mathew casting the clairvoyance spell on the little crystal tree. She felt the spell go off and felt him fiddle with the spell to get the right reach. She canted the same Clairvoyance spell like she did over Woodsheart. Like she was instructed in Woodshome, she lightly touched the ley line to power the spell and connect her spell to the crystal tree's spell. She felt the mental connection, then she could feel the farm through the spell and one other person. Mentally touching Mathew's thoughts, she could feel his love for her. She opened her mind to him.

Both were lost in each other's thoughts and emotions flowing over their little elven heritage. Mathew felt someone write in the book.

Felicia looked at him, <What's that?>

<Someone is writing in the book>, Mathew shot back.

Felicia laughed and walked into the magic room, looking down she saw it was Uncle Roberts's page. "Mathew," She shouted, "It is your Uncle writing."

Mathew placed a hand on Felicia's dock and scratched his way up her back, as he sidestepped in the little room, then over her shoulder and down her front to lightly brush her nipple. Felicia shivered from the touch. Looking down he saw his uncle's frantic writing.

Uncle Robert: Mathew Is everything ok? I felt your CV spell go down. New spell went up. Can't penetrate spell! Too powerful. Write ASAP!

Mathew: Everything is fine, changed to a ley line powered spell. Can teach you a new spell and how to talk through it tomorrow.

Uncle Robert: You had me worried, will love to hear about it. TP to my loading dock, do not use the Mage pad at school. I Will explain, will also explain the extra spells I set. Your shipment is ready.

Mathew: Will see you at nine.

Felicia backed herself out, so Mathew could stick the little tree in one of the glass cabinets. Stepping out, Felicia smiled at him saying, "Pond?"

Mathew nodded yes and went to get their towels. "Do you want the hair stuff, love?"

"Yes please!"

Mathew stepped out of the bathing room and Felicia waited for him with a curious set of sandals and cloth bag for the bar of soap and shampoo bottle. Mathew looked curiously at the sandals in her hand. "I was talking with Maddie about our life here and told her about our walking to our pond. She told me about these sandals they use to walk to the bathhouse. So we walked over and I bought you a set, so you don't have to walk in your boots!"

Mathew grinned, "Thank you, love!" They were made from soft leather on top that wrapped over his toes and the back had a strap to go behind the heel of his foot. The bottoms were a thick hard leather, with little cuts across them.

"Maddie told me, most of the younger people wear them all the time, being they are more comfortable than boots."

"I can see why," Mathew said as he slipped them on. They were a little loose and he was about to tighten them up when Felicia said.

"They are meant to be worn loose, love. Try walking in them, and tighten them only if you can walk out of them. Some of the younger people have taken to removing the back part so they flip up slapping the bottom of your foot with each step, just to annoy the older people, who are now calling them flip flops."

Mathew laughed as he picked up the bag and pointed towards the door. The late afternoon was warm as they strolled to the pond. He decided that these 'flip flops' would need to be tightened since he felt he could step out of them, but they were a whole lot better than walking in boots without socks.

The pond was flowing a little faster and the water a little cooler, but it felt refreshing when he jumped in from the path that crossed the pond. He swam around the pond looking at all the new grass and bushes have sprouted around it. It would years before some of the trees would be tall enough to shade it again. Several had to cut, magically into firewood, when he and his mother widen the pond. He swam between the walkway to watch Felicia scrub her hair. He swam up next to her and slipped a leg across her lower back, knowing the deeper water would support some of his weight.

He started washing Felicia's long blonde hair for her. Using his legs, he moved himself closer to her upper back. "Mathew, something is poking me back there!" Felicia reached back and grabbed his hard-on. "What is it with you and water that makes you so horny," she asked, stroking his hard-on.

Mathew leaned in and ran his soapy hands across her full breast, stopping to twiddle her nipples. "Maybe it is because the first time I got to see you naked, we were in water?" Rubbing her breasts some more he whispered into her ear. "I didn't have to go through, the taking you out for after-dinner walks with your father watching, before I could take you behind the barn to see if you would allow me to loosen your chest wrap. I got the full thing the first time, in the lower pond, including," Mathew pinched her nipples as he said, "watching you rub out an orgasm, imagining some little boy doing it, then calling out his name." Mathew laughed, "You nearly made me drown in surprise when you called out my name!"