Quincunx Ch. 23

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Moving on.
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Part 23 of the 30 part series

Updated 10/08/2022
Created 01/31/2013
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Eight

Moving on

The door opened and a young maidservant entered. "The master will see you now, if you will follow me, he's in his vault."

Rash led the way and we followed dutifully down into the basement where I sent my scrying eye last night.

"Come," he shouted through the door as the girl knocked.

She opened the door and let us through. He was sat at a desk against the wall, I saw that there were no other chairs there and marked that against him.

"I've come for my money," Rash said flatly.

"Your chest is there," he said pointing vaguely at the one nearest us. "I have taken my commission so it's ready to go. Now young lady, would you consider selling some of your jewellery? I'll offer a fair price for this necklace and earrings set."

"It's not for sale," she replied bluntly. "Return it to the chest so we may be off."

"I'm prepared to be generous...."

"I'm not of a mind to sell anything, so if you please." She held out her hand.

His eyes turned hard as he looked at her then he turned back and gathered the corners of the cloth and bundled the jewels up. Rash took them and turned to the chest and packed them away. She motioned the two acolytes over and they strapped the chest up and lifted it by the handles.

"I bid you good day sir, and a goodbye as well, for I doubt we shall meet again." She said with a deliberate hardness in her voice as if she were dealing with a servant

Rash led the way out, the acolytes with the chest next, then Jay and I. The door man rushed to open the door as we emerged from the basement, holding it wide as we tramped through and down the steps. Jay trotted ahead to join Rash while I walked alongside the chest.

The journey through town was punctuated by rest stops for our acolytes, taking the last one once we made it through the doors. She made them struggle with it all the way into her bedroom before releasing them. As Miri showed them out we sat down, while Jay went and stationed herself by the door.

"After we've rested do you want to walk to the market with me, I fancy omelette and cofftea at that Shie stall," I asked her.

"Yes, if you want, though I'm not hungry, I'll just have cofftea," she replied relaxing back into the chair and displaying her legs as she propped them on the low table.

"What are you doing this afternoon?" she asked.

"I've got another session with Swapswisle, not that there's much point but it'll keep them happy," I replied.

"I want to go around and buy a few things, pay one or two creditors and get things started on the house. I was hoping that you could come with us, we could check on how they're coming along with the clothes I ordered," she said.

"Sorry, he'll be expecting me and the council want a progress report,"

"Oh well, will I see you later?"

"They're having a going away party for Xen tonight, her brother's coming for her tomorrow, with that and my meditation practice I'm pretty much booked up for the evening as well, I should be free from lunch time onwards tomorrow if that's any help."

"You can come and help in the house if you want, I want to move it there as soon as I get things set up." She turned to Miri's door. "Miri!"

"Yes, I'm coming," Miri shouted back.

When she appeared Rash asked. "How are things going with hiring servants?"

"I have four juniors but we lack a cook and a housekeeper still," Miri replied, stepping further into the room.

"Aha, well we're going to need them in a couple of days. I want you to come with me this afternoon, I have the money for the furniture now and you can help me pick."

"As you wish mistress, will that be all?"

"Yes, I'm off with Dav to the market in a minute so your free till after lunch."

She turned back to me. "I'm ready for that cofftea if you are."

I stood up. "Yes okay."

Rash got up and Jay opened the door and peered out into the passage way before stepping out in the lead.

"I'm only going to do the sitting room and the bedrooms for the moment, I can sort out the reception and ballroom when were settled in," she said as we walked to the stairs.

The walk to the market was filled with her ideas of how she wanted the house and garden to look, I kept a wary eye open even as I listened and peppered the pauses with yes's and no's and the occasional nod.

While Rash stuck with only a drink I ordered Jay an omelette and cofftea along with mine, we sat at the bench table out front. Jay was sat sideways across the bench to keep a better eye on things while I sat the other side of Rash.

As well as keeping an eye behind Jay I was looking at the folk leaving the market, dodging and weaving in the contraflow as they lugged their purchases home. It was the ideal place to be noticed with the bright sunlight sparkling on Jay's armour alongside Rash's elegant dress.

We stayed for twenty minutes, maybe half an hour with Rash still focused on the house, she was bemoaning the fact that she'd love to have some of the wall hangings that adorned the palace. She sooner rather than later wanted to make a journey to Skelmasdale, she could buy a few choice ones directly from the trading ships there.

It was rather close to where Xen would be, she would be an hour's ferry ride away over on the main Isle, The Big One in local parlance, though it was officially Skanwen in the local language. That was something that would have to be put on hold while the matter of her father's agent was dealt with.

We walked back, Rash telling me that she had decided that it was fine Jay wearing her armour when they were out but she should wear normal clothes when she was indoors. I gave her a gentle reminder of the need for loose skirts to give her freedom of movement.

Though she was reluctant we parted at the path to the dorms, with an eighth left to the dinner bell it was too long a time to spend alone with Rash. I walked slowly almost to the door of the dorm as I thought about creating a tunnel when it struck me that even though they'd lock the door her money was still open to theft.

I turned and backtracked, hurrying to catch them up, I could use the excuse of getting Xen or Cal to cast a spell on the keys in order to hide my abilities. I intended to borrow the keys till dinner then drop them back when the bell went, casting the spell as I exited to be sure of it.

My haste proved futile and I stood and knocked the door. Jay opened it as expected, what was unexpected was how she was now dressed. Gone was the armour and her lithe athletic body was on full show, she was dressed as she had been in that dim candlelit room, now freshly revealed in full daylight.

She was just a bit shorter than Rash but with broader shoulders and bigger breasts, the leather top hugged them and ended an inch under leaving the expanse of her midriff bare, she had the short skirt she'd worn under the mail skirt and jarringly, incongruously blunt toed soldiers boots laced to mid-calf.

She let me in without question, Miri was there but Rash was conspicuous by her absence.

"She's in her room, resting before dinner."

"How many keys are there to this room?" I asked.

"Just the one."

"Do you have it?"

"No, Rash has it in her pocket, what do you want it for?"

"I was going to get one of the girls to put a spell on it. You could have it back for dinner."

"You'd better ask Rash."

I was already in amongst the chairs with Miri standing from hers, and carried on walking past towards Rash's door. I knocked and with a slight pause opened it and walked in, she was lay on her side but twisted up to prop herself up on an elbow to face me.

"Dav, what are you doing here?"

"Can you lend me your key. With your money back here I will get a spell cast on it to make the room safer."

"Huh?" she asked, a puzzled look crossing her face.

"People have seen a heavy chest moved back and fore here, first by bankers men and the by acolytes, I think I should make your door more secure."

"Oh yes." She said, lying back as I sat on the side of the bed.

She was undressed to her undies but still had more flesh covered than Jay, excepting that her thin cotton vest revealed her nipples as she adopted a provocative pose.

"So where's the key then?" I asked standing.

"It's on the drawers next to the door," she said, turning to watch me as I walked over to pick it up.

"I'll have it back to you by dinnertime," I promised as I exited.

"See you later," I said to Miri as I passed her again and onto a nod to Jay as she opened the door to let me out.

As the door closed behind me I put the key carefully into the lock and magically bound them together so no lockpick or other key could open it and then just as gently removed it. I tucked it safely into my purse and set off home.

I got back to an empty dorm and on impulse favoured my room. I laid myself back and thought about creating a tunnel, first I created an eye and sent it across into Cal's room and then I fashioned the runes to manipulate the void into creating a tunnel from the middle of the room.

It worked, opening up to about a foot diameter, as it solidified I manoeuvred it to the roof. Beside the vision of the eye was another vision surrounded by a black edge, this one looked out among the rafters. I could move it spatially but not change its visual orientation.

As soon as I was sure of my creation by putting my hand though to touch the wood I dismissed them and tucked my hands behind my head. I was all prepared, tomorrow night Rash would find herself richer by two hundred and fifty of his wheels.

With nothing better to do I cast my boots of and settled for a snooze till the dinner bell myself. The bell woke me and I was soon up and off to join the queue, Grepp and Kevnal were there first and I threaded my way through to join them.

They greeted me warmly but continued to talk about the plans for their own graduation party in a few days' time. I ate with half an ear to the conversation, glancing at the queue from time to time in the hope of seeing Xen or Cal.

I finished my meal as they did and as there was no one else around I joined them on the walk back to the dorm and the inevitable coftea. While they sat down I walked over and surreptitiously brought the fire to life while setting the pot to boil.

While I stood waiting Bem and Curr came in.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Asked Kevnal.

"Yes we had something in the Pony, better than the food here, that's something I'm looking forward to, I'll be having slabsa and pounded stob, I can't wait." Bem replied.

"With a side dish of boiled casovary and sweet seed bread thrown in I bet," Curr said with a laugh.

"And tell me you won't be dinning on white fish stew," Was Bem's rejoinder.

"Do you want coftea?" I shouted over to interrupt them.

I got as 'Yes please' and a 'Yes thanks' as I set two extra cups out and hoped I had enough for all five of us. As it was I was left with half a cup and the hope of a top up from the next pot.

"Is everything ready for the party?" Bem asked.

"Well, we checked up on the beer delivery this morning and the singer and the guitarist are all set." Grepp replied.

"We'll set it up a barrel at a time on the table, we can move it over by the kitchen, we can bring the table from the other dorm for them to perform on," Bem added.

They seemed to have things well in hand even if they were last minute preparations, my thoughts began to drift to my meeting with Swapswisle later, I would be leaving the university as planned but instead of travelling home I would be moving in with Rash for a while.

I would have a talk with him about telling Heen'll that I was giving up trying to learn magic and after helping Rash settle in I would be off home. I hadn't spoken yet to anyone about the Wizard House but unless it was some sort of monument then I didn't foresee any major objections.

Xen showed up, as she came nearer I saw that her eyes were red and puffy and a definite down turn to her mouth.

"Is everything alright?" asked Bem standing.

"Yes, I'm fine, I was just reliving old memories." She turned to me. "Dav, can I talk to you a minute?"

"Yes of course," I said standing myself.

She turned to her door and I followed. Once inside she threw her arms around me and gave a little sob.

"Oh Dav, I don't want to go, I wish you could come with me," she said pressing herself against me.

"It's going to be okay," I said putting my arms around her. "This has been what you've been training for; you're going to be a great judge."

"It's not that, I don't want to leave my friends, I don't want to go back to my father's house and his old fashioned rules," she said, her arms still holding me tight.

"He'll have to respect the fact that you're a wizard."

She gave a strangled 'Ha' and pushed her head back to look up at me. "He spent years after I was tested denying my powers, they only let me be a councillor because they think they can guide my judgements."

I dropped my hand to her arm and lifted it, then letting my hand slide up to her wrist I lifted it further to kiss her hand.

"You're going to have to be strong and stand up to him."

"That's easy to say but you don't know him, he thinks girls are incapable of making their own decisions and I can't go back to living like that."

"I wish there was an easy way for me to help but with a possible assassin stalking Rash I have to stay by her side."

"An assassin?"

She released me and took a step back. "When did you find out about this?"

"Last night from some coachman."

"Why didn't you tell me then?"

"Because Jay and I can handle it."

"What does Rash say?"

"Er, I haven't told her either, Miri knows and I expect she will let the secret out but I don't want her to get worried about it."

"She's got a right to know. I would want to know if it was me."

"Well I'm planning a trap and I want her to act natural, I don't think there will be any real danger and I'll be there with my magic if things get out of control."

"But an assassin, I can get Grepp to help you...."

"Thanks but no," I cut in. "Seeing a real wizard might frighten him off, I'd rather he think that he has only a bodyguard to contend with. I doubt if he'll see me as a threat."

"Are you sure of your magic? It will weaken you if you use it."

"My power is different than yours, I created a void tunnel earlier and that had no effect. I'm supposed to be a Great Wizard who can manipulate the fabric of space with my mind."

"So you don't feel any effects?"

"No, at least not so far."

"That's fantastic; I wish it was like that for me. I have to go to bed if I use my powers to much."

She took my arm and led me to the bed where we sat down.

"How far did your tunnel go, did you send it to the bankers house?" she asked.

"No only into the next dorm, I made an eye first then made the tunnel to follow it."

"Show me," she asked.

I ran the symbols through my mind and the little round vision popped out of thin air in front of us.

"Let's send it far away, send it south as fast as you can."

I pushed the eye up through the roof and sent it skimming over the rooftops and out over the fields, watching as the countryside sped past at an alarming rate. In five minutes we could see the coastline and I was out over the sea before I could stop it.

As I drew back she asked me to turn it to the left and follow the shoreline, I let it run more slowly as we past fishing ports and stretches of sandy beaches. Then the port city of Skelmasdale came into view.

"Stop," she ordered. "Turn it out to sea again and look for the islands."

I did so and found a green smudge in the sparkling blue sea.

"There!" she said, getting excited and grabbing my arm.

I took the eye out over the open water and was soon closing in on what looked like an expanse of checkered fields with small hamlets dotting the interior and three cities built around the natural coves on this side of the island.

Remembering something about a hill I steered towards them, finding the house that sat on the coiled flat topped mound. It looked man made compared to the hills behind that swept down to the western shore with the small chain of islands that stretched away from it. I slowed it down as we grew closer.

Still clutching my arm Xen leant forwards. "My father's house is over by the lake, that blue patch there."

There was excitement in her rising voice that made me turn to look at her. It was probably the first time she's seen it in a year and it showed in her face.

She turned to me. "My bedroom is around is around the back."

I looked back to the eye and directed it to the house on the hillock and around to the sunny side that faced back to the town.

"Up there, just next to the Jacca tree." I followed her pointing finger and passed straight through the wall.

Everything but the bed was covered in dustcloths, the bed was bare but in the middle was a pile of folded bed clothes neatly stacked alongside pillows and a bolster. Her tapestries would have had Rash jealous, they were finely detailed landscapes with an excellent one of the family and the frontage of the house.

"Can you make a tunnel here?"

I let the runes play through my mind but thought of a bigger hole, something much larger than the worm hole of my last try. The black circle grew and solidified showing the bottom of the bed and the back wall beyond it.

She was standing, pulling on my arm as she stretched out with the other to its invisible surface.

"Can I go through?"

"You think it's safe? If someone walks in." I cautioned her.

"Okay, perhaps not. You can close them now if you want."

I let the tunnel snap closed as I pulled the magic back in. "The eye as well?" I asked.

"Yes," she said sitting back down facing me. "The tunnel was amazing, that's the first time I've seen one. You could use that to go anywhere and not a bit strained, that's so amazing. I'll need no more convincing when you say you can do a thing."

I was waiting for her to state the obvious; I could visit her or let her come to me. I could split my work and my life, live with any girl I chose, anywhere I pleased. Even if she didn't think of it now it was only a matter of time for she surely would.

"Well, I need to see Swapswisle, he should be back at his books by now." I said rising.

I was playing my trump, I needed to think things through, the power of magic had suddenly become very interesting. She stood and followed me to the door.

"Well I'm going to have a coftea before anything else" she said. "That made me a little bit homesick."

"Ah ha, it's made me think of home as well," I said, opening the door. "I'll see you later, at tea, okay."

She left me happier than when she met me for what it was worth, I should offer to help back her up, there were no threats her father could offer me. He needed to see her as a wizard and independent of him, responsible for herself and mature enough to make her own decisions.

I strolled out into the sun and felt it warm me as I headed for the main door and the library beyond. Swapswisle was in the stacks and it took me a minute or so to find him

"Professor," I greeted him.

"Davor, just the man, I've just had a talk with Gyatso, he'd like to see you."

"Any idea what about?"

"Probably the poor reports I'm sending in about you, that's what he called me up to talk about. I'd run along up there now if I were you.

"Where's his office then?"

"Up the main staircase and sharp right, then up the staircase at the end."

"Thanks, but before I go I need to tell you that I'll be staying on to help Rash for a while. Maybe a couple of extra weeks, a month tops. I'll be moving to her house when it's ready."

"Well good luck with that but Gyatso may have a bearing on events."

"Ah. Well if I don't get to see you again thanks, I just wish it was all over and I was on my way home."

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