Centaur Love Ch. 08

Mathew grinned at him, "worked every time too!"

"Mathew!" Felicia called out, "Is it all setup?"

"Yes, dear."

Felicia called her Mother and father over and showed them how to use it. Johnathon was reluctant to give his banking chit information to the store, but Perth kept after him until he agreed. "Now Mother," he said in a stern voice. "Don't be spending the farm."

Perth glared at him, "Hush old man, it is just for foodstuff until the garden starts producing. And whatever I buy, you're going to be eating it."

Sir Fellis grinned, "In more ways than one."

(XXXXXXXX)

Robert teleported to the great circle instead of walking. Walking through the exit gate he noticed several of the council's chosen men watching who was coming and going. Lackeys, he thought as he walked down the stairs into the main receiving hall. Here students and faculty walked past him barely noticing another Master Elite mage standing in the hall. They all looked so young to him as they passed him on their way to or from their classes. Robert turned left and headed to the stairs to the lower levels. At the bottom of the stairs was a large iron-bound door. He touched the brass plate and canted a small spell known to Master class mages and above. The door swung out and he walked through.

He watched the door close just as silently then walked into the small reception hall. At the far end, another 'lackey' sat at a desk. Robert walked up to it, "Please inform the council that Master Elite Robert Lindrose is here per their summons."

The young man nodded yes, and turned and wrote on a global book. Robert did not even watch him, and slowly walked over to one of the padded chairs. He took out his copy of 'Provectus Potio Fabrica' and started reading. He knew they would keep him waiting for as long as they dared. He came prepared to wait out their game. Cyril and the kids had already left for the week to his private eastern estates near the dwarf mounts. A precaution he hoped that wasn't necessary. Along with most of the house savings in gold, he moved nearly all of the reserved potion stocks to his warehouse cave.

If the junior mage had any training he would have noticed Robert staring at the same page of his book for over an hour when the double doors behind him opened and another junior mage walked out. Looking around he spotted Robert sitting reading a book. He walked over and bowed, "Master Elite Lindrose, the Council is ready for you."

Robert nodded and stood pocketing his book to his inside pocket. He followed the junior mage into the council chambers. The council chamber was a large square chamber with four rows of padded stone seats all-around a twenty by twenty-foot center floor. The gray stone room had massive stone arches to support the floor above and was brightly lit with mage globes. Nearly one hundred and forty mages were sitting around the chamber, all watching him walk in. He was escorted to the center podium, no chair was provided, so he thought this is an inquisition. He put his hand into his outer pocket touching the teleport gem. Bowing to the three ornate seats on the southern wall. Grand Master Dorthan nodded in return. "Master Elite Lindrose," he called out, "The council of mages has called you here to answer some questions about the potion trade. Second seat Grand Master Morrison here has raised some concerns and we hope that you can answer."

Robert bowed, "I will answer all that I have knowledge about Grand Master Dorthan.

Dorthan turned, "Grand Master Morrison, you may ask your questions."

Grand Master Morrison looked down at Robert. The young mage stood there calmly with his hands in his pockets. His calm, relaxed demeanor irritated Morrison, and the thought that this mage embarrassed his son at this school still infuriated him. He took a deep breath to calm himself, no need to show the council that Dorthan's pet mage irked him. "Master Elite Lindrose, this council has received several complaints that you have raised your prices for potions this year. Would you please explain why you feel the need to gouge the High Kings subjects with these exorbitant prices?"

Robert smiled, "Grand Master Morrison, Council of Mages, I had to raise my prices simply due to the cost of doing business. The standard one, six heal was two gold, two silver per dose, or ten silver per dose. Since the start of the Hobgoblin invasion, they have burned four of the ten farms that produce Staggerwort leaf. Those southern farmers were charging a silver, five copper per pound, now they are asking two silver, three copper per pound. All of the Alyssum flower farmers on the western hills have had their farms burned down and are no longer producing. All Alyssum now has to come from the east. Since the flower cannot be teleported before processing, that has increased my costs almost a silver per pound. That has raised the cost from everything from low, mid, and super heals."

"And none of that increased costs has made its way into your coffers?"

"Grand Master Morrison, if you or anyone from this council wishes to look over the books, they will see Lindrose Potions still only makes point two percent per potion sold, after expenses, per council mandate. When I started making potions I signed an agreement with this council as does every other potion maker out there. We are all limited on how much we can charge over costs per potion. I welcome all inquiries to view my books and review the cost associated with making each potion."

"Very well Master Elite Lindrose, this council will accept your invitation to go over your books. Before this council assigns that task, I still have one inquiry. You did not mention anything about Dragon Claw root."

Robert looked down and smiled, palming the teleport jewel. "Grand Master Morrison, I fail to understand your inquiry. There are currently no problems with my supply of Dragon Claw root."

"So you are telling this council that your current supplier has pledged all of his crop to the high king and this council?"

Robert took a deep breath, "No Grand Master Morrison. But he did agree to sell us slightly more than our current need, at market value, which is currently three golds per ounce."

"Why didn't you secure his whole crop as per instructed by this Council?"

"As I explained in my report, this particular farm is outside of the geopolitical control of high Kings Lands. He is an independent living in the wildlands between Elven Nation, Centaur Nation, and Human lands. The farmer had informed me since he is an independent, and not under this council's jurisdiction nor protection, that he will continue doing business with all four nations."

Morrison opened and closed his mouth several times, "Isn't this independent farmer a relative of yours?

"Yes, Grand Master Morrison he is. My nephew, of my late sister."

"Are you telling this council that you can't convince a family member to commit all of this precious crop to the high King and this council?"

"Yes, Grand Master I am. But, he has stated that his family has done business with Elves, Dwarfs, centaurs, and humans for over four generations, and none have come demanding that they reserve their crop strictly for one group and to exclude selling to their other customers.

Morrison paused hearing the murmurs from the gathered Mages. He smiled, now was time to embarrass the progressive party's poster boy, "Master Elite Lindrose, is it possible that you failed to relay this council's demands to this 'independent' farmer because he was family?"

Robert closed his eyes and mentally smiled, "No Grand Master Morrison, I didn't. When he refused to commit his whole crop. I informed him that if this council deemed his crops a vital necessity to the war effort that they would move to confiscate it."

"And what did he say to that Master Elite Lindrose?"

"The young man and his mate came to see me this morning Grand Master Morrison. He informed me that since this council feels the need to threaten his farm that he has taken steps to protect his crops with genetic specific spell attached to this planets ley lines. He had informed me if activated it would destroy his current crop and orchard if anyone not genetically linked to the spell tries to wrestle control or enters the grove. He also informed me that he personally altered the clairvoyant spell that surrounds his farm as proof at what he said."

"Are you telling this council that your nephew is an unfretted mage and in control of a vital potion-making herb, who refuses to heed this council's wishes?"

"Worse Grand Master Morrison. Not only is he an unfretted mage, but possibly an unfretted Grand Master trained in both the human magic, but also trained in elven magic under Master Sexitorius himself."

The council hall erupted in shouts. Amit the shouts Robert looked up, His Honor Grand Master Dorthan had a hidden smile, whilelooked down at him, and winked. He let the shouting go on for another minute before he rapped the gavel several times. "ORDER! Order, calm yourselves."

Dorthan rapped the gavel until everyone settled down. Then he looked over at Morrison. "Grand Master Morrison, please sit, I think you made your point."

Once order was established, Dorthan looked at Robert, "Master Elite Lindrose, when did you first suspect your nephew of being a full unfretted mage?"

"A few days ago you're Honor, just after I delivered this councils declaration. I felt the spells around the farm being changed. First on the grove itself, the main spell that calms the environment around the grove and masks anyone who enters it was changed, then yesterday someone dispelled my clairvoyance spell and laid a different type of clairvoyance spell over the farm."

Grand Master Dorthan paused as in thought, "Could it have been someone else who laid these spells?

"I thought it could be a possibility you're Honor, but early this morning I received a Global book message from my nephew saying he would be in town. He and mate showed up this morning warning me that he altered the spells at the farm. He wished to inform me that the new spells on the grove are now a deleterious type of spell, keyed to him and his mate, and anyone attempting to wrestle control of the grove most likely will not survive the destruction of the grove."

"He what!"

"This is outrageous!"

"Who's this upstart think he is!"

Dorthan rapped his gavel, "Order! Master Elite Lindrose, did your nephew give you a reason why he has taken these steps?

"Yes your Honor, '' he said since the mage council has issued this 'draconian' mandate to appropriate an independent farmer's crops that he felt this was the best way to protect his crop and livelihood. He has assured me that he will still work with all the potion makers on potion row to fill their needs, but he stated he has other contracts to fill as well."

Grand Master Dorthan nodded. "Master Elite Lindrose, do you think this nephew of yours will be willing to negotiate?"

"I cannot speak for him you're Honor Grand Master Dorthan, but I do believe he is a reasonable young man."

"Then we will select a small committee to go and talk to this young man, and see if we can negotiate with him."

A voice called out, "He must submit to the oversight of this council!"

Another shouted, "He is an unfretted mage! Either he accepts oversight of his magic to this council or his powers must be blocked!"

Grand Master rapped his gavel, "Quiet! If you wish to speak, stand and be recognized. If this young man is already recognized as a Master Mage in the Elven community, then this council would have no jurisdiction to censor or have the right to block his powers. If we even attempt such an act it would tantamount as declaring war on all elven magic users."

Grand Master Dorthan let them think that over, then thought it is time to distract them, "One last question Master Elite Lindrose, you have referred to your nephew's girlfriend, or wife several times as 'mate', will you explain why you used such a term?"

Robert looked up, "Your honor, the term mate, is used in her culture. My nephew has taken a very unique centaur as his 'mate'."

"And what do mean by unique? Master Elite Lindrose."

"She is a small centaur, human height, a survivor of the Human Dominate Gene Malaise. That alone doesn't make her very unique, your honor, there have been numerous recorded survivors of HDGM. What does make her unique is she is not only his mate, but also his apprentice. She is capable of separating mana from her growing reserves and use it to cast spells as well."

No amount of gavel rapping could quiet the council hall as it erupted in calls of disbelief.