Centaur Love Ch. 15

For what they failed to realize that the land sat nearly over a natural ley line, this location had an extra bit of southern magic. The mountain and vineyard was located directly above a natural ley line and was ripe with wild magic. Something only a 'western' mage would figure out.

Robert had bought the old vineyards and mansion with profits from the potion factory for a low, low price. He put the vineyard in Mathew's name to avoid any council suspicion. Over the last ten years, Cyril and he had been refurbishing it in secret as their summer retreat. The old winery was a perfect hideaway for troubled times. High in the dwarf mounts, and far enough from any human settlements. It was considered 'wilderness', and inaccessible. The old access road had been long since left to return to nature. Many of the old bridges and roadways had literally fallen off the mountainside, making the old mansion nearly inaccessible to cart or horse.

Young oak trees now replace the grape trellises on the hilly terraces, forming neat rows with small cairns at the ends. The cairns mark the start, and stop, of the long line of oak trees. The size and girth of these young oak trees did not match the time they stood. For these oak trees were new trees. Being planted just five years ago, yet they appeared to be nearly twenty years old.

Deep in one of the many limestone tunnels that once housed hundreds of wine barrels, Robert turned to look at Delor, and was puzzled by what he had just said. He looked down at the paper in his left hand again. It was a list of sizes and expected yield from this springs harvest of Dragon Claw from the Lindrose farm, the western farm as he was now calling it. "No, I am sure Mathew knows how to manage DC root Delor."

"Are you sure? Some of these root diameters are telling me he cut mains, instead of secondary's Rob."

Robert shook his head, "No I am sure that isn't a main Delor..., I have seen some mains on western grove's Dragon claw."

Delor shook his head, "Then either these are a hybrid variety, or the grove's variant is mutating. I've been collecting wild DC for a hundred years, Rob. If what you're saying is true, then something's affecting the Dragon Claw groves. Look at this one. It is twice the size of a normal wild one. It is big as my thumb, and nearly half the harvest is this big." Dalor grinned at Robert, "the old rule of thumb says, 'take only a pinky, but always leave a thumb'."

Robert frowned, then looked down at the list of expected yields again, then up at the drying rods. They had just finished changing this tunnel into a drying room. Building two thick walls and a 'moon' roof. The slightly higher temp, and the tunnels ultra-low humidity did the trick of accelerating the drying. This was the first full crop of DC root to be dried here. With several trial runs having been conducted to find the right spot and conditions to 'improve' drying times and yield.

By the looks of the results, it was even better than the farms drying room. Just two degrees higher, and the dryer limestone tunnel dried the root quicker and yet preserving the magical properties in the under flesh. Robert grinned. It was time to activate the second spell on cairn stones, and start planting DC root. He now knew where he wanted to pull those cutting from.

Robert smiled at another thought. It was time to sell the potions business, he thought, and free his family from the rigid oversite of the mage college. As the only 'second' grower of the rare Dragon Claw powder and the only one 'loyal' to the council. With the infinite need of the precious powder. The council had no choice but to 'allow' him and his family to leave the ridged mage structure of the college.

It was time to become his own mage, 'man' again.

They were expecting over sixty-eight quart jars from this harvest. Robert shook his head. Had Caroline lying to him about the grove's production all this time, just to keep the price inflated? He always assumed, or was told, that the farm could only produce fifty to fifty-five quarts per harvest. Where was the extra DC powder going?

"If this is truly a secondary Rob," Delor said, interrupting his thoughts, "then your family has finally domesticated DC root."

Robert grinned at Delor, "Well, my family has been farming it for five generations now."

Delor nodded yes, looking at Robert, not seeing any trace of his elven heritage. "Five half human generations at that, Rob."

Robert grinned at Delor and winked. "Half elfin," he said, and laughed at their private joke. He folded the note, saying. "Used two different crews to process these cuttings, Delor, secretly pull nine jars. If anyone asks, tell them it is for Mathew's 'other' customers. Then pull nine from the next batch as well. Then delivery them to me, in private. I will take them back to the farm and have a friendly chat with Mathew about them."

Delor nodded yes. "I will have the crew start today. However, I would recommend that we cycle in the secret stores instead. That way, we can 'test' this batch as we go. You know, 'fresh is the best'."

Robert laughed, "Alright, do that instead."

"I will pull those extra from stores and have them on your desk later today." Robert nodded to him. But all Delor was thinking of was how to negotiate a few more quarts for the elven nation from Mathew.

(XXXX)

Negotiations with all elementals are conducted in Margary the mage language. Project thoughts, hear thoughts, spells are a prerequisite. The Elemental's size and composition is controlled by the mages summoning spells. Nanuet, Minor, Major, Natural, and Prime, sizes are controlled by simply by changing the key word, as changing the nature of the summoned type of elemental, fire, ice, water, lightning, and Earth, in the summoning spell. Each summon level is ten units of Klatha above the last. The first being a Nanuet at twenty-five points of Klatha, due to the abundant nature of Nanuet's, on the elemental plane. Changing the spell to the elements' physical nature, the summoner wishes.

A note of warning: do not summon different sizes of Elementals, nor opposite affinities. Elementals are cannibalistic in nature. They will attempt to absorb smaller elementals for their power.

Tasks are ranked in menial, minor, major and complex. Each task is five units of klatha per heart beat above the last except a 'Nanuet' which is one klatha per heartbeat due to its size and limited capabilities. The contract consists of tying the elemental to the summoners reserves, the mage must monitor the feed and maintain an even flow. After the elemental completes the assigned task, the mage must open a return gate of the same power and size as a summoning gate. Failure to open a return gate is considered a breach of contract, and only done at the peril of the summoners life.

Task complexities are as defined, menial; a simple, one line, or word type of task, as stay here, do this...,

Mathew stopped reading and frowned. If the mage didn't have enough Klatha to feed the elemental, couldn't he send the elemental home early? Not completing the assigned task? Then yet again, how did the mage know what level his Klatha reserves were if he didn't have a fellow mage check before attempting the summoning spell? Not many were versed in the ley line and well type of magic.

But if the mage used the ley line to power the spell and feed the elemental, where did he attach the ley line power feed to the contract spell? Could he draw in ley line power directly to his well? Mathew thought about it, when he touched a ley line unfiltered the last time it, shocked him. Too much, too fast? But what if he constructed a metering spell, like he did on the gem feeding his and Sir Fellis's global books? The spell did not need to be attached to anything if it was only temporary?

XXXXXXXX

Master Sexitorius watched as Maddie, his great granddaughter, cast the powerful anti-magic shell spell. He watched her carefully draw power from the ley line to form an anti-magic shell, being cautious of the amount of mana she used. He felt the ley line hiccup as Maddie's shell collapsed. Someone just cast a large tapping spell on the ley line upstream. As he drifted upstream, he discovered Mathew's thoughts on the tap near Lindrose farms.

A little probing found it attached to a summon elemental spell, an elementalist type of tap. Master Sexitorius shook his head. For such a young mage raised and taught in the eastern method of 'well' spell casting, he sure has taken to the western style. He didn't know Mathew was interested in summoning elementals. He thought it was best he went to talk with him tomorrow. Messing with the elemental plane was one thing, the demon plane not so much.

But touching the few 'other' planes he could reach, he could accidentally open one to the Draco plane. Master Sexitorius shivered, that one. That plane 'must' remain closed for all time..., Luckily only, a western type of mage had access to the required power to 'open' a doorway onto 'that' plane. And dear ole Mathew just found the key!

Looking up, he smiled at his granddaughter. "Very good Maddie, but you must expect slight hiccups in the ley line flow and be prepared to compensate with your own well. Let's try it again."

XXXXXXXX

Mathew leaned back and closed his eyes. The sudden rush of ley line mana gave him a slight headache. Feeding your own well with ley line mana wasn't a good idea. Then it hit him. If he attach it to the contract part of the spell, the spell should 'filter' the incoming mana, supporting the spell, and not attempt to fill his well. He simply altered his mental touch to go through the spell. It worked without overloading his mage senses. Mathew probed the spell and tap, making sure it was stable..., what the? He thought he felt someone touch the spell. Shaking his head, he continued testing the spell and link.

He released the spell and tap, allowing him to summon an elemental using his well's size and ley line power. He had enough power in his well to send it back home in case of any issues.

He closed the elemental book. Later, he would master the different variations of summoning spells. He needed to lie down and rest. His head was pounding from that accidental tap of the ley line again. Looking up, Becca and Felicia were both deep into their spell books, reading by lamplight. As he walked by, both looked up. Mathew smiled, "Sorry just going to lie down for a bit," touching his head, "got a bit of a mage headache."

Both his mates smiled. Felicia looked at Mathew, "Are you ok?"

"Yes, just a small headache from trying to figure out a spell."

Felicia nodded yes, sporting a brief grin, holding up her spell book. Mathew crawled into his bed and shut his eyes. As his thoughts stilled, he felt himself mentally drifting towards the grove in his sleep. As he was drifting off to sleep, he realized that he always seemed to drift to, or wanted to, be in the grove when he hurt. There was something about the grove, which made him feel better.

xxxxX(Translated from Safian)Xxxxx

"Where are you hiding the mugs?"

"I threw them away, so you won't raid my beer, you young fraud!"

"Ah ha! You missed one old man!"

The older elf turned in his chair looking into the kitchen. "The cheap stuff. Stay out of the dark..., stuff!"

"Too late. Found it too." Master Sexitorius laughed as he walked into the front room. His father gave him a dark look. "Now what was so important that you had to gate over..., or was this just an excuse to mooch beer off of me again, son?"

Master Sexitorius took a deep draft of his beer, smacking his lips, Well pop's, I think I am combining both. Mooching an excellent beer and delivering some bad news."

"No more beer for you. I might need it to drown my sorrows..., what's the bed news?"

Master Sexitorius grinned at his dad, "Young Master Lindrosa is an elementalist, and he just figured out the key to open large plane doorways."

"Damn it! Who told him that secret?"

"No one, he figured it out all by himself"

"But where did he learn the summon elemental spell itself?"

"Most likely his secret library and his damned intuition. I know I purged every elemental book kingdom wide. Either we had a hold out back then, or someone rewrote a grimoire after the purge."

"Damn it, son. That boy is just as inquisitive as his uncle. He has too much Sidhe blood in his veins." With a slight chuckle he said, "Well the cat's out of the bag now..., he is going to need a mentor..., Is my great, great granddaughter ready for that duty? Is she ready for her Master's exams?"

"Truthfully dad..., no. She's got the knowledge, its just her application of the spells. Plus, she is still touch shy about coming into her majority."

"Well, son, that leaves us just one person, one that boy would accept. And you know who I am talking about."

"Are you kidding, dad? I already have a new apprentice, a junior, plus finishing getting Maddie ready for her Masters exam."

"Come on Sexitus, mentoring the boy will only be temporary. Maddie can take over after she takes her Masters, and joins his little herd. She has already told you, she's wants to teach at his new school."

Master Sexitorius looked at his father over the rim of his mug, with a knowing grin. "I think there are other reasons as well, pops."

"Oh?' Master Dorian Goldenroot looked over at his son. "Really son? What other reason is there?"

Sexitus grinned, "You have already guessed or suspected it dad, don't play dumb."

Master Dorian Goldenroot grinned and laughed, "Suspected son. I have never seen her around him before and only got a hint or two talking with her."

Sexitus grinned and took a big drink of the fine beer. "Well I had to suffer her fawning over the boy a few times. Damn girl is practically throwing herself at him and yet he only has eyes for girls with big boobs and a horse's ass."

Dorian laughed, "Well the little mental show he and his first wife put on has me dreaming of a horse's ass son."

"Dad! Really...,"

Dorian laughed, "Well I..., never mind. I do believe when she takes up residence at his little school that she will convince the boy a little elven tail might be worth chasing."

Sexitus chuckled, "I am sure he will notice her ass in time, dad."

Dorian grinned, "Good..., then maybe we will recover his bloodline."

Sextius nodded looking into his empty beer mug, thinking, of recover another mug of dark beer. He nodded as he went to do that. To recover the missing leg of the elvin hexakaidecagon has been a long-term project of his father. Just maybe Mathew and Madilynn could be the ones to reestablish the Lindrosa line.

xxxxXXxxxx

Mathew felt the light change around him. Sitting up in bed he couldn't see the first hints of the sunrise out of his westward facing bedroom window. Yet, somehow, he knew the sun was just rising. How? A warm shower washed away the dream and the last of yesterday's memory of a mage headache. He started a pot of water and the tea pot heating. With just his flip-flops on, he headed over to the barn to open it up for the day. When he was done, he found Felicia making a breakfast of egg toast and five grains. She had a towel wrapped around her head. Becca was singing in the shower, still enjoying the warm water.

Felicia smiled, "So what are the plans for today?"

Mathew looked up from the tea cup Felicia handed him. "More studying, I am afraid. I want to get you girls up as fast as I can into the combat spells."

Felicia must have read my frown as disapproval, as I said, 'combat', "What is it love, you don't want us in battle or something?"

"No, no, not that. I am more worried about Becca's safety."

"Why?" Felicia asked, looking at shower closets direction, where her sister wife was, in concert, then me. "You told us yesterday that you ordered her armor."

Mathew nodded yes, "That is not what I am worried about, Love. It is her defensive skills when she runs out of power. She has no sword skills."

Felicia nodded yes, agreeing with him. "We already talked about that love, and thought of maybe finding some blade catcher main gauche style daggers like mine."

I nodded yes, liking that idea. I grinned at Felicia. My mares were so smart and resourceful it sometimes caught me off guard. "She also says she is competent with her bow, my stallion." Felicia went on saying, seeing my grin, "good enough to hunt pheasants with it."

Now that was a surprise. I didn't know if she was that good. I looked at Felicia in amazement.

Felicia nodded yes, "Still, we, you and I, need to practice sometime today with wands." Then grinned, "and with live steel, I need time to get used to my new blade." She grinned at me. "After I whoop your tiny human ass a few times, we could introduce Becca to wands and see how she does with our short dagger wands."

I nodded yes. I loved fencing with Felicia. She surprised me the first few times we ever crossed blades with the amount of skill she picked up from her father and watching others fence. But she learned much faster after we started using wooden wands in private, together, and the cleaning up afterwards..., well that was the best part.

"I thought we could let Becca try her hand with them as well," Felicia said, breaking my thoughts. "She is a sort of apprehensive about using a sword, but maybe after seeing us practice she might want to try it."

I grinned at Felicia, still thinking about the cleaning up part afterwards.

Felicia grinned, reading my mind and that facial expression right, "And yes, especially the best part, the cleanup part." Felicia smiled at me and rubbed her breasts. "I don't know about my sister wife, but," Felicia wiggled her rump again with a frown, "All you're going to get from me is lips and tits."

I frowned, trying to hold off a depressed look on my face, but a slow smile creeped in on the corners of my mouth as I tried 'not' to stare at her large breasts. Felicia laughed and leaned in, kissing me.

"Good gods, you two, get a fucking stall!"

We both looked up. Becca just came out of the shower with a fresh towel wrapped around her head, and nothing else. Her large double 'D' breasts stood out nice and proud, just begging to be licked, too. Her narrow waist stood in contrast to her large breast making them seem too larger on her slightly narrow frame. Just looking at her made me hard. To me, she was the apex of woman hood. No girl I met at school and in the city could match my mates in body shape and proportion.

Felicia carried the same looks. Firm 'D' breasts, narrow waist, with extra wide hips, times two. Thick legs down to their graceful ankles and a big firm bubble butt that just begged me to want to lick it every time I saw it.

I grew up seeing the woman I fantasized about walking around half naked all my life. Those little tail flashes of their intimate parts. Just about every girl I grew up with would give me those quick flashes. I didn't know, or realize it back then, but I did now, that they were inviting me to look, and maybe a little more.

"Look at who is calling who a Hussy!" Felicia shot back, "And who was telling me she was thinking of attacking one's Master earlier!"

"Was not!"

"Was too, you damn hussy!"

I grinned at Becca and winked, "Don't be a jealous hussy and get over here and get your mornings kiss."

Becca grinned and skipped, stepped over into my open arms. I rubbed the sides of her breasts as I snaked my arms around her, pulling her in for a kiss. I didn't have to be a genius to know what she was thinking, her little rear end sashay and tail brushes told me. Becca's lips conformed to mine, and the lingering kiss said it all. I enjoyed the brief kiss, but opened my arm to pull Felicia into our group hug. I hugged both and got kisses in return from both.

Becca laughed and reached down, lightly brushing my hard on, "You are insatiable."