Centaur Love Ch. 08

They appeared in the wide alley behind his uncle's warehouse inside one of the empty teleport circles. Several men looked up who were unloading a wagon. One of his uncle's Master Mages was tallying up what was unloaded. Mathew offered Felicia his arm and walked up the ramp to the open warehouse doors. He nodded to the Mage, who cleared his throat saying, "Master Elite Lindrose is upfront Milord, Milady."

Mathew grinned then walked into the warehouse, Felicia was looking around at all the different equipment used to grind or process the raw herbs. Mathew tried to listen to the Master Class mage, explain that he was some half-elven buyer for the elven, and Centaur Nations. Once they passed the processing room they came into the brewing room. Here there were hundreds of large copper kettles brewing potions. Mathew pointed to the little sign telling what they were brewing and the little chalkboard below stating what part of the brewing process they were at. Dozens of Master level and Master elite mages walked around checking on the kettles or directed the workmen who tended the fire below the kettle.

Both Mathew and Felicia received a few waves from the Mages working the kettles or stills. Felicia wrinkled her nose, "Does it always smell like this in here?"

Mathew sniffed, "You mean like fresh-cut grass?"

Felicia nodded yes.

"Yes and no, every day it smells different in here." Pointing to an open vat that simmered, "That is Couch-grass, they are simmering it down, then they will distill it into an essence...," He looked up, "It opens the liver for the cure disease potion, if I remember right." As they continued to walk down the aisle they came to the front where a line of offices ran the length of the building they turned walking past smaller labs and offices where several mages were working on potions.

Near the center he found his uncle's office, he was seated at his desk with a junior class mage standing in front wearing robes from the Mage Council. Mathew casually looked in knocking on the window to let his uncle know they were here. His uncle looked up and the young man turned. Mathew waved and stepped back to let them continue their business.

Mathew was pointing out production lines to Felicia when he heard his Uncles door open, the young mage was the first to exit. He turned to look at Mathew, but froze when he saw Felicia standing next to him. Robert stepped out seeing the young mage stare, "Junior Mage Simmons's, I would like to introduce Mathew Lindrose and his Mate, Felicia Lindrose from the west. Mathew, Felicia, This is Albert Simmons, a Junior mage in the human Mage Academy.

Mathew nodded and Felicia half knelt, as the young man fully bowed. Mr. Lindrose, Mrs. Lindrose, "It is a pleasure to meet you."

Felicia noticed the young man starring, "I know you're not used to seeing a human-size centaur, I am somewhat special."

The young man smiled, "That I have noticed. Please forgive me but I must return to my duties, Mr. Lindrose, Mrs. Lindrose, Master Elite Lindrose. Then he bowed, and quickly turned towards the exit.

Mathew waited for the young man to be out of range to hear, "Interesting introduction Uncle."

Robert grinned, "I have been summoned to the council, to answer about irregularities about your farm. It seems your new CV has been noticed by the council, and they are worried that the only source for Dragon Claw Root, had been taken over by the Elven potion makers."

Mathew smiled, "And what are you going to tell them, Uncle?

"The truth Mathew. That you will not cow to their demands, that you only sell your powder to the human potion makers, but that you will continue selling to both the Elves and humans."

"Do you think that will upset them, Uncle Robert," Felicia asked.

"Maybe, but there is nothing they can do about now. You have taken firm ownership of the farm, and with your latest spell, you have told the world that you are a Master Mage within the 'western' type magic or what my fellow mages call it, elven magic..., We can no longer hide either of you, so I have changed course and will happily flaunt you two under their noses. They might not realize it, but they need you more than you need them. Now tell me about this new CV spell and how you can talk over it."

Mathew and Felicia both explained the spell and how the elves have been using it for years to communicate over great distances. Mathew told his Uncle how Master Sexitorius taught him the spell." Mathew watched his Uncle's face go from amazed to shear ah, that he met him. "When you are ready come to the farm and we will connect you to our little Elven Heritage."

Robert laughed, "To be able to talk over thousands of miles will be a novelty. Now would you like to see your shipment or do you still have some shopping to do?"

"Shopping," Felica said, "We were going to look at some reduction spelled panniers for our pack pony, and maybe a writing book for my mother and father so they can get fresh supplies sent to their farm."

"I can save you some gold on that account, we have several global books here we don't use anymore. What else?

I was going to stop by Mr. Dempsey's store and grab some preserved oranges and some half centaur, slash human dinners since we will be having an elven guest for a day or two. Then I need to pull some gold for our trip to Midvale."

"Good do you think you two could be back for lunch? Cyril would be upset if you missed it and if you didn't stop by for hugs."

Felicia smiled saying yes to both.

"Run! Both of you. You don't have much time, I will get everything here ready to ship."

Mathew pulled Felicia down the aisle and out a side door. The bank was the quickest stop. The general store took longer because they signed up Sir Fellis for a remote account and had to wait for several blank pages to be keyed to their account. A blank bank chit authorization form was added to Sir Fellis stack so they could fill in the information for Mr. Dempsey.

The magic emporium was the slowest since they had several varieties to look at and features to go over. They ended up going with a simpler design and features, since they were only planning on clothes and a few magic books. They had quickly stepped back to Uncle Roberts place just before the city's noon bell tolled. Mathew let Felicia go first through the door, when he shut the door behind him, he felt relieved, as the city dropped away from his senses.

Cyril baked two pans of lasagna, one for Felicia and the other for them. It was nice to sit for an hour and listen all about what the extended family was doing. Mathew smiled, this was his second home. Robert and Cyril were going on about Cousin Ronnie's first days at the mage academy until they both noticed his dreamy smile.

"Are we boring you nephew?"

"Nope, just thinking how much I have missed sitting here like this, listening to you two talk about family."

Cyril got up and hugged him, "We miss you too Mathew."

Just then the city bell tolled the first hour past noon. Everyone started passing out hugs. Robert escorted them to the loading dock where two Elite mages were waiting with five large boxes of potions. Where they teleported Mathew and Felicia home. They helped them move the potions to the drying room pointing out one box saying, "Your drying clips are in a sealed box inside that case. Glove up when you open it."

They used Mathew stone circle to return to Kingsholm. Felicia started opening the boxes looking for the global book. As she found it and pulled it out to the side, she noticed there were several smaller shipping crates in the bottom. She pulled out a small note attached to one, after reading it she handed it to Mathew.

Mathew:

In these crates, you will find some of the oldest grimoires known to elf and man. Some of the information has been forgotten and should remain that way. Grand Master Dorthan and I have been collecting it over the years, to remove it from human hands. We have been storing it at your farm. Five feet to the right of your secret potion storage rack you will find a black stone keyed the same way. Ignore what is stored, and store these crates.

Robert

Several pages were attached, each one listing a crate number and what was inside. One crate held necromantic grimoires and tools. Another held a large hoard of mana stones used by cantrip mages. Another held books on Demons and demon summoning. The last held elemental summoning books. Mathew knew a long time ago mages could summon prime elementals from other planes. They were so dangerous if they got loose from the mage, that they were soon outlawed. It was an instant death sentence for any mage to even attempt it now. The last time one was summoned, it took over a hundred Grand Master class mages to put it down and send it home.

Mathew walked to the back wall and stepped over five or so feet. The little black rock blended with the natural stone. Placing his finger on it he drew out a single point of mana. The rock face parted and a long-hidden drawer slid out. The back half of the rack was full of the little shipping crates stacked several feet high. Mathew and Felicia place the six in a new row. Felicia picked up the binder with sheets of the stuff stored here. She was going through it, "No way! They were real?"

Mathew handed her the new pages and she pointed to one listing, twelve unicorn horns. Mathew shook his head. These might be the last twelve horns left in the world. The healing capability of one of those twelve horns could outperform the healing capabilities of a thousand farms like his. But the cost was the horn. Each one was a one-time use. Just below the horn was a little note. Save for a future pandemics that no potion can cure. He didn't recognize the name who wrote the note. Felicia added the six pages and closed the book. Putting it back she closed the drawer. "Someday we need to read that book to know what we are hiding and what we are preserving for future generations."

"If my uncle knew about this, then my Mother and Father did too. I guess we are the new conservators for this stuff." Mathew looked at the wall, he wondered if the left side had a hidden drawer as well, he walked to the left looking for anything. About five feet to the left was an off-colored white stone. He touched it and called for a point of Mana. The drawer was just like the other two, but this one was nearly full of healing potions. From super heals down to everyday one-six heals. Strength boosts to cure major diseases. In the back were two dozen newer jars full of Dragon Claw powder.

"Mathew, did you know about this?"

"No, I had no idea we had so many heals." Both started looking at the boxes and what they contained. Mathew came across a box written in Elvish, 'Membrum Regrowth'.

"What does 'membrum' mean?"

"Limb regrowth," he said. "I never knew there was a potion that could do it. I remember reading that some ancient Clerics in the past have been said to do miracles like that, but nothing recently. And to find out a potion could do the same?"

Felicia kept looking in the boxes, opening another, "What are these Mathew?

Mathew looked in, "'Lapis autem carnes', Stone to flesh potions." Felicia looked at him funny, "what would you ever need something like that for?"

"In modern times? I can't think of a reason, but in the olden days when people went out hunting Basilisk's, they would need them in case they got bit or envenomed by them. But they were wiped out a thousand years ago as far as I knew."

Felicia nodded over at the other drawer, "When was the last time a real unicorn has been seen?"

"True." He said.

Near the back, Felicia opened a box that had several books inside. Knowing not to touch them, she called Mathew over to look. With his hankie, he whipped the spines of the books and read the titles. 'Incallidus Potio Fabrica', and 'Provectus Potio Fabrica'. "That is an odd way to title them, one roughly translates to 'Unskilled Potion Making', and the other is, 'Advanced Potion Making'. But, 'Provectus' means aged or skilled in Elven." Mathew pulled one and studied the outside, I don't sense any latent power nor see any warnings."

"Maybe you shouldn't open it, Mathew."

"It should be ok, all magic books have a warning, and any latent spell you can use a simple detect magic spell to feel for latent power. Which I don't feel." He opened the book to a random page. The handwritten script was written in old elven. Mathew read 'restituere animam', it is a restore life potion."

"What?"

"It describes how to make a potion that is applied to the body if the person was killed by unnatural means."

"What is unnatural means?"

Mathew was reading, trying to translate it, "It says everything from being poisoned to being decapitated." As long as the potion is applied within four hours of death, it can restore a body to one hundred percent health!"

"Is that even possible?"

"Apparently it is." He folded the thin cloth bookmark attached to the book onto the page and closed it. "I want to read these books." And set it back into the box. He pulled the box and set it to the side. "Help me shift these potions around."

Mathew opened the middle safe and pulled out the long drawer. He stacked the newer jars of Dragon Powder in it. All of them were sealed either by his Mother or Father. It worried him, while he worked at shifting things around. Were they deliberately hiding Dragon Claw Powder to keep the prices high? Manipulating the market? He needed to read the farm journal. But he needed to read the old elven potion-making texts as well. Someone took the time to hide those books, and he wanted to know why.

Mathew started re-packing his drawer tighter, he could squeeze in almost half of the potions they brought home today. Felicia worked on the other drawer doing a better job and took the rest with some room to spare. She opened the box marked Centaur potions. The ceramic bottle was about the size of her open hand. "Will we have enough?"

Mathew looked down at the bottle, with just one hundred and twenty centaur heal potions he didn't know. Looking at his hidden store of Dragon Claw Powder and what other ingredients he had on hand, "With all that Dragon Claw powder we have, and the rest of the stuff we need..., I think we might have enough."

Felicia put it back into its slot inside the box and folded it up. They closed the safe. Without knowing what to look for, you would never have guessed they were there. They closed up the drying room and slid the concealing panel closed so it looked like the rest of the back wall of the barn. Mathew whickered for the mare who came trotting over. He put the halter on her and led her over to a hitching post. Felicia did the same with the pack pony. As Mathew groomed and saddled the mare, Felicia groomed, then strapped on the pack frame to the pony. They both strapped the box containing the Global book on to it.

Felicia led the pack pony out first with Mathew following. As they trotted he reached over and took the pony's leads and winked at Felicia. Without saying a word she was off running down the road. She turned into the lower field and circled it as he rode by. A few minutes later she passed him at a full gallop. The mare wanted to speed up to a trot, but he reined her in, not wanting to jiggle the delicate frame on the global book. Just as he passed the crossroad Felicia came flying down it and passed him again. He was lost in thought trying to figure out how he was going to connect the Fellis global book to the ley line.

He could hear her laughing as she galloped by enjoying the run. Mathew cut across the alfalfa field. It was getting tall enough for a first trimming. He needed to ask to buy a wagon load. His one small field wasn't enough to last through winter with two horses in the barn. They had to purchase a wagon load last year. He scanned the large field but couldn't see where they fought the Goblin scouting party two weeks ago. He guided the horses through the break in the little stone retaining wall then up to the main house.

Sir Fellis and Rullis were already waiting for him and took the reins of the pack pony. By the time he tied the mare to the hitching post they had the pony unloaded and the box inside the house. Inside Felicia had Tarn clearing out her old smaller stall along the southern wall and had a small, short table already set under the window waiting for Mathew to set up the book. The term small short table meant he had to stand on a wooden crate to be high enough to look down on it.

Everyone watched as Mathew unpacked the book and stand. His Uncle had thrown in the beacon stone attached to the book. He guessed it would be called the Fellis beacon stone now. He pulled out a flat quartz crystal that he found at the Magic emporium, when he explained what he needed one for. The crystal had a few flaws but was wide enough to have the beacon stone sit on top of it. The spell to charge the crystal orb above the book was one of the basic spells in his farm book. But he was planning on attaching it to the ley lines so neither he or Felicia would have to come down and add mana to stone.

Mathew had mentally altered the spell he was planning to use, as he rode over, he did a quick check with Master Sexitorius. He laughed over the elven heritage, <I never would have thought of using the link like that, it should work, let me know the results.>

Mathew thought he was ready to try it. If it worked he has a second stone to use at home, if it failed he would use it here and resign himself to charging it once a month. Closing his eyes he sought out the ley line. He could not reach it with his limited spell range. He climbed down off the box and wet his finger touching the stone floor sending his thoughts out again. After a long search, he found it east of the farm. With a gentle touch, he canted the spell, shielding the quartz crystal as he attached it to the ley line. With a tight hold on the spell, he slowly opened the flow just a mental hair width.

He could mentally feel the power trickle into the stone. Now came the hard part. He cast a reverse trickle feeder spell on the stone and set its power level to two, then connected the two spells making the reverse trickle spell control the power draw from the ley line. He loosened his hold over both spells as he powered up his shields. Once he let go of the spell he forced his shields to full power. Mathew watched as the trickle spell opened the flow of the ley line spell until it was filled with two mana then closed it off.

He then cast the standard Global book spell on the gapping stone then magically attached it to the quartz crystal. Once again, he mentally watched the reverse trickle spell throttle the ley line power draw spell. The last piece was the beacon stone. With everything connected to the quartz crystal he mentally went over to make sure the ley line power spell was closed and not overfeeding either of the devices or the quartz crystal. Mathew looked up with a grin, but no one was watching him. He kind of felt disappointed, he just created a self-powering Global book and no one was around to be awed.

Mathew picked up the shipping crate and lid. He was walking it out when Tarn asked, "You keeping that Halfling?"

"Not really ponyboy, you want it?"

Tarn walked over and grabbed it. "My girlfriend asked for some boxes." Then winks at him. "Hey pa, will be back, gotta run this over to the Peterson's!"

"Don't be lingering boy! You can go back after dinner and take Cherill out for a walk." He walked over to Mathew and Tarn, "Hadn't I taught you better? You walk with your girlfriend at night, so you can hide while you're stealing a kiss or two. Old Merrill's eyesight is still good enough to see during the daylight boy."

Tarn laughed as Johnathon looked down at Mathew, "I know you cheated boy, used your magic to hide and evade me."