Sorcerer's Treasure Ch. 05

Lady Gilly's face fell a bit. "Isn't there... some way?" Her pampering of her few surviving children was well-known. She'd suffered many miscarriages over the years, and while he could understand how this would lead a woman to treasure a surviving offspring, there was no excuse for raising spoiled children. He was tempted to tell her that her children were spoiled little shits. He took a slow breath before responding.

"I can assure you my lady, no such avenue exists. If it did, anyone would be able to master a field of study in no time. Nothing can replace hard work and dedication."

Before the lady could speak further, he continued, "If your son does not apply himself, then there is nothing I can do for him. I can only teach. I can not do his learning, or studying, for him." Not that I would want to, he added mentally.

Of course, he didn't mention to Lady Gilly the curse he'd placed on Garrick. Exasperated with the youth's reticence to spend time studying, several days ago he'd finally resorted to the drastic measure of laying a hex on the organ that Garrick treasured the most. Unable to become erect, the boy could no longer pleasure himself, much less chase after a servant girl or noblewoman. And frankly, Cedric thought that the women were better off.

Cedric had told his student, in no unclear terms, what had become of his manhood. Garrick of course had screamed and fumed over it, and threatened to tell his father. The teacher had merely reminded him that worse things would befall him - and his family - if Garrick tried to retaliate against him in any way. He then offered Garrick a way out. The curse would remain on him until the spring solstice. He could choose to study or not, but at the end of that time, if he'd shown no improvement in his studies, then Cedric would be done with him and find other students more willing to take what it needed to master their abilities.

It was not an easy choice for the youth. He would have to buckle down and study, or be known as an idiot. He then sent Garrick away after telling him to do a thorough study of Principles of Magic. It remained to be seen if chastity was a sufficient motivator for the young man, but either way, Cedric felt satisfied with himself.

"Now, I must be going, my lady. I have quite the itinerary, and the work of a loyal servant never ends." He gave Lady Gilly the barest of bows before he retreated down the hall.

o0o

The heat of his apartments welcomed him, pulling him into a warm embrace as he stepped through the door. Cedric took a deep breath before pulling off his thick and heavy cloak and hanging it before he did the same for his jacket. He stepped out of his boots, the snow slowly melting off the leather as he left them near the door. It'd been a very long day, and there promised to be more of them for a while.

It was like this every year, so it wasn't as if he didn't expect this, but still, he couldn't wait for the winter solstice celebrations to be over.

At least this time, I will have someone to celebrate it with, he mused happily. Every year, as part of his goals and resolutions for the year ahead, he had always vowed to himself that he would win Delia over. Ten times he'd made this promise, and now his efforts, after what seemed almost like forever, had finally come to fruition. There were occasional times where he almost didn't believe that he'd finally gotten the woman he had desired for so long, or that she had a little extra to her that made intimacy with her much more enjoyable.

"Delia?" he called out. He had come with several books that he was certain she would enjoy. He glanced at the clock to confirm the time, it was not too late, but late enough that she would have been done with her duties and had supper a while ago. He called out her name again, and was greeted with silence.

A thoughtful frown passed over his face as he entered his bedroom, nursing the hope that perhaps she was simply sleeping, but his bed was empty. There was no evidence she'd been here at all since this morning, either.

He could not help but be surprised at this blatant gesture of disobedience. She'd been so compliant as of late, her rebelliousness seemingly limited to her innermost thoughts with a rare flash of it here and there in small outward gestures or looks.

Perhaps he shouldn't be so surprised, after all. Given her feelings, he should have known that these feelings would come to a head in due time.

Well, there were things he wanted to try with her in eventuality, and this action of hers would he the prefect opportunity to try them. A slow grin spread across his face as he imagined the ways that he would discipline his treasure for her rebelliousness.

o0o

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