Wizard

"Dottie I'm only leaving this pigsty of an inn. I'm moving to the old inn on the edge of town. The city has given it to me for my offices and workspace."

"Oh, My Lord, did they not tell you it is bewitched? Those who enter die an awful death."

Josh laughed and said, "That they did my girl but I took it anyway. It seems it will serve my purposes well and it is built exceedingly strong. I'll be fine there."

"Oh, you must truly be a great Wizard. God speed, My Lord."

On his way to his new home Josh stopped to check on the blacksmith. When he entered the smithy the man stopped working, grinned and rushed up to Josh. He actually hugged him and said, "Welcome Lord Wizard, welcome. It has been only two days and my hand is much improved. Your treatment and spells have done well. I don't have much but here is two coppers for your help." He handed Josh two small copper coins. Josh almost refused them but then remembered he now had to pay his own way and needed the money since he hadn't received any pay from the village yet.

"Thank you Smitty. Your generosity is greatly appreciated."

"Nonsense Sir. If you have need, just ask. If it is in my power I'll be happy to help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

Josh said, "I understand my friend. I, too have much to do today but before we both return to work, I need to check your hand to see how it's healing if I may."

After Josh inspected the wound and changed the dressing, they both turned to their tasks. Josh spent the remainder of the day making the kitchen and common room of his inn habitable (or at least somewhat cleaner). He did find skeletons in most of the bedrooms and decided to remove them and bury them as soon as he could.

The next morning Josh returned to the main part of town with his coppers to see about purchasing food. They didn't go far but he managed to get a loaf of bread and nice wheel of cheese for one copper.

While he was wandering around town he watched and learned. He paid attention to financial transactions to determine the relative value of money. He watched the people and businesses, slowly beginning to see why they thought the town was bewitched. There was absolutely NO concept of cleanliness and the cause of diseases. People went to the bathroom wherever the mood struck them in many cases. What few privies that existed were too close to wells. He knew from personal experience they didn't wash or boil dishes and utensils (at least at the inn) to sterilize them.

Josh decided his first task would be to clean up the town, perhaps make some soap and try to get people to use it. He'd tell them he had put a spell on it to help counteract the spell that made them ill if they used it correctly. He also needed to distill some alcohol and try to make some penicillin to combat diseases and infections.

Josh returned to his inn with his ideas and food. His first task was to cut some sticks and build a fish trap so he could have some cheap protein with his bread and cheese. While he was waiting for fish to (hopefully) get caught, he began digging a mass grave for the skeletons he had found.

Josh performed some "magic" during the next several days while he worked on his new home and projects to counteract the witch's spells. In each case, he was paid to "heal" infected injuries that the individual was convinced was the result of evil spirits. He cleaned and bandaged the cuts and set one broken bone to the best of his ability. Most of the payment was "in kind" (food, promises of future work etc) although a couple of the more well to do customers did pay in coin.

It took him a while to get ready to ferment his alcohol but that was one of his first projects along with putting out several fruits and some bread to try and grow the penicillin mould. He knew any penicillin he made from it would be much weaker than modern versions and that it would be excreted in urine rapidly but it would still be better than no antibiotics at all. He thought he could make some of the simpler antibiotics and improve life in his new home.

Over the days and weeks he worked in his laboratory, Josh made a startling discovery. He could do "magic"! All his life he KNEW magic was fake, a slight of hand. Even with the proof it existed because of his transport to wherever he was, he considered it a fluke or a fake until he began to achieve results from his work that he was convinced he shouldn't have achieved. He began to study his experiments and try to understand how he achieved his results. He finally conceded, he was doing magic when all his prior "knowledge" told him what he achieved should not have occurred.

To the best of his knowledge, Josh concluded if the resources he needed for a chemical formulae were present and he knew beyond the slightest doubt the proper formulae and structure of the compound, he could create that compound, limited only by the availability of its component parts. He soon had an ample supply of penicillin and many other useful drugs and reagents. He even managed to produce small amounts of commercial fertilizer for use on the poorly producing fields!

Josh had just began his attempt to eliminate the ills of the small village caused by the witch (actually caused by a myriad of other causes such as poor hygiene, not washing dishes and not preserving foods properly) when he found Dottie huddling on his doorstep one cold morning. She was shaking from the chill night air and burning up with fever.

Josh picked her up and carried her into the old Inn. He made a pallet on the floor in front of the common room fireplace. She was filthy as was most of the items and people associated with the Inn in town although she was somewhat cleaner than most. She, at least, made an attempt after talking with him the couple of days he spent there.

Josh heated water and gave her a good bath using some soap he manufactured. While he was bathing her, he inspected her for obvious injuries. He found a few cuts on her hands and knees as well as some blisters on her feet, one of which was full of pus, that he treated. He next made her swallow some of his newly manufactured penicillin. He went into the kitchen where he began to put together a soup so he could feed her. During the entire procedure, the most he got out of her was a moan or two and some whimpers.

Josh spent the entire day and night caring for Dottie and doing what little work he could do near her. By the next morning, she was much improved and could talk. She was very weak (not that she had been all that strong and energetic before) and nothing but skin and bones.

After a small soup breakfast and yet more medicine, Dottie said, "Thank you for taking me in and treating me My Lord. You were my last hope. My life is now yours. How may I serve you?"

"You're welcome Dottie but you owe me nothing. You needed help and I gave it. How in the world did you get here?"

"When I became so sick and weak I could not work any longer the Master told me my services were no longer needed and he put me out. It took me most of the day and night to make my way here in hopes you would be willing to help. I think I crawled most of the way. I would crawl until I could go no farther then rest before crawling again. When I got here I had no strength to knock on the door or enter if it was unlocked."

"You're welcome here for as long as necessary Dottie. Now, you lay back and regain your health and strength. If you need anything let me know. I have work I need to do but I'll check on you occasionally."

It took Dottie over a week to regain enough strength to move about much. As soon as she could move at all, she began to try to help Josh. She insisted on taking over the cleaning and cooking. Josh was appalled by her lack of knowledge and spent hours teaching her how to safely prepare food and how to clean the kitchen and dishes correctly. He introduced her to soap and had to order her to wash her hands at the proper times (such as after using the privy or during food preparation) and bathe daily because she saw no real reason to do so. He finally resorted to telling her doing so helped protect her and him from bad spells and spirits, the things that could make them ill.

After she "understood" the reasons for cleanliness she was almost fanatic about it. The Inn became almost sparkling clean as did her person. Next, Josh began teaching her how to prepare foods he remembered from his home. He was especially fond of pizza and hamburgers so they were some of the first things he taught her to make. She fell in love with them as well.

From time to time, Josh hired locals to work around the Inn. One of the perks of working manual labor in this period was being fed by the person you worked for. Laborers began to fight for the privilege to work for Josh because of the quality and amount of food he provided as well as his slightly above average pay. Finally, some of the day laborers began coming to the Inn near the noon hour begging to work off the lunch meal or even to pay for it.

One evening Dottie (who had somehow managed to stay in residence) almost begged Josh to allow her to prepare more food than they would normally eat in order to sell meals to those who came asking. Josh said, "Dottie, I am much too busy to open a restaurant. I have people coming constantly wanting treatment for illness or injuries and I still have to act as Wizard for the fools on the city council. I just don't have time to run a restaurant."

"What is a restaurant Josh (he had finally convinced her to call him by name if no one else was present)?

"I'm sorry, Dottie. In my home, a restaurant is a place that sells meals like you want to do. Some of them even sell beer and wine as well. I suppose it's much like your old Master did at his Inn. He operated a restaurant and bar in his common room."

"Oh. I didn't know. I'm sorry. Could I run a restaurant for you then? It wouldn't take much more work to prepare meals for others when I prepare ours and we could make some money selling the food then. Might I even sell some of the alcohol you make? You said it was drinkable and would cause men to become crazy much more rapidly than that my old master sold. From the time or two I tasted it when you drank some I have to agree with you."

"Dottie if doing that would make you happy, go for it but don't expect me to help. If you need help you'll have to find another girl to help you. She'll have to agree to wash and keep the place clean as well."

Dottie squealed and have Josh a hard hug before she stepped back and said, "Oh, thank you Master, uh Josh. I'll make us a lot of money. I know it."

Josh really missed many of the foods from his home. He bought the occasional egg and ham whenever he could find them in the market but they weren't very prevalent. Most farmers only raised enough for themselves and sold what they had left over. Finally, in desperation, he purchased some chickens and a couple of hogs from an old man who could no longer care for them. He hired a young man from a huge farming family to become his herdsman and also to grow crops on his land (Josh had ended up with about ten to fifteen acres when he was given the Inn and its associated land). Up until he did that, most of the land had been unproductive.

While he waited for the natural increase of his flock and herd Josh taught the young man all he could remember of modern farming techniques and management. Josh allowed the young man to convert two of the stalls in the stable into, for the time and place, very comfortable living quarters.

Soon, Josh noticed a young woman living with Tim, his farm hand. Josh found Tim working in the field beside the stream one morning and asked, "Tim who is that young woman I've seen sneaking in and out of your rooms recently?"

Tim immediately got a scared look on his face and almost began shaking. He stuttered out an answer, "Lord Wizard, please, Sir don't hurt her. If it angers you, please punish me, not her."

"Tim, I never said I was angry and why should I punish anyone? I just wanted to know who she was and why she was sneaking out before dawn and, I assume, sneaking in after dark?"

"My Lord, I'm sorry. Her name is Prudence. I did not think to ask you about her. I've taken her as my wife. Please Sire, she costs you no more than would I. I take no extra food and she used none of your items."

"What? You mean the two of you are trying to live on what I provide you for your well being?"

"Yes, Sire."

"Well, we can't have that," Josh said.

Tim looked even more scared and said, "Please Sire. I won't do it any longer. Please don't harm her."

"No wonder the two of you look so thin. I was afraid you were ill or I was working you too hard. I'm not angry. Every man and woman should have a good mate and family. I do wish you had said something to me. We would have allowed her to eat with the rest of us. Dottie spoke to me about you no longer taking your meals with us. Now I know why.

"Where does Prudence go during the day?"

"Sire, she goes into the village and tries to find work so we can buy more food."

"Well, that won't do. You go find her if you wish and invite her back here so she can dine with us. I'm sure we can find her something do do around here to earn some pay. Perhaps she can help you with your work or work in the Restaurant with Dottie."

Tim was beginning to relax. When Josh stopped talking he was almost dancing with joy. He smiled and said, "Thank you Sire, thank you. Immediately."

Tim took off almost at a run and was back with a frightened appearing Prudence just before the noon meal. She was almost shaking when he introduced her to Josh. Josh watched both of them while they ate. He was worried they would get sick as much as they shoved into their mouth but he felt good about his mornings accomplishments.

Josh was working in his laboratory a few days after his conversation with Tim when Dottie knocked on his door. He turned to her and she said, "Lord Wizard you have a guest. The Wizard Jon requests to see you. Please, Sire, he has come a great distance just to see you. He is truly a great Wizard and shouldn't be kept waiting." She looked horrified at what she said and continued rapidly, "I'm sorry Sire, I meant nothing by that. You, also, are a great Wizard but we've heard about the Great Wizard Jon here and his demesnes is far on the other side of the Kingdom."

Josh saw a wizened old man just behind Dottie and an aged hand landed gently on her shoulder. The man said, "Hush, young lady. Thank you for your respect. Now, if you'll just leave us, your Master and I have much of great importance to discuss."

Josh felt a surge of anger when the alleged Wizard just dismissed Dottie and assumed he would talk to him. That anger morphed into surprise and wonder when the man closed and barred the door, turned to him and said, "I'm sorry to break in on you like this but my days are numbered. I fear I might not make it back home but I felt it important we talk. I know you haven't been here long and I've been here almost fifty years now. When did you come from?"

"What? What do you mean WHEN did I come from?"

"Look, I know from your work you're from the future, probably from my time line as well. I've heard about the great wizard that says magic is impossible and swears he isn't a wizard. I believed that also when I found myself laying in a yard after I crossed over. I suspect you're a chemist as was I from all the highly specialized drugs and biologicals I've heard you come up with."

"Fuck," Josh said. "I can't believe this. I didn't think I would ever meet anyone from home again. You're right, I was a Research Chemist for Pfizer before that alleged Witch snatched me from my parent's porch on a Halloween night. I came back here from 2020. What about you?"

"I was a Biochemist working on the cure for Covid 19. I was positive one of our attempts would work but, for some reason, my superiors refused to even test it so I gave myself the disease, stole some of the vaccine and went home to see if it worked. When I arrived home I found my wife and her lover. He beat me badly and I dreamed about a better place and, somehow, transported myself here but several years before our current time.

"I'm sure you have several questions. I'll answer those I can and I can, hopefully, make your integration into the current civilization easier. First off, I can assure you, magic DOES work in a limited way here. I don't know if it was that way earlier in our time line or not but it does work. I've introduced some more modern methods and inventions near my home here as I see you have. It's my hope that it wasn't technology that changed the magic in our time but we'll never know until or if that happens here."

The two Wizards talked the remainder of the afternoon and well into the night. Jon stayed for over two weeks teaching Josh all he could about magic and the "spells" he had discovered during his life. They also talked about being able to visualize their old time line and pull a few items back to their current home. Josh was extremely sad that Jon had never figured out how to return home but he admitted he really wasn't too interested in doing so at this late date either.

Finally, one day Jon said, "Josh, I think you've learned enough to be very successful here now, enough to make a large difference in the quality of life for your people. I need to get back home now. I'm afraid my days here are about over and I want to pass on in my home with my family nearby.

"Remember, I strongly advise you to do as I did and find those who have the ability to do magic and take them on as apprentices. I've found there are very few people in the world who have the inborn capability to do magic. Some of those only have a minor ability and aren't trainable for much more than simple parlor trick magic although some can do minor useful spells. Some you'll find, as did I, will refuse to learn to read, write and do numbers so they won't be able to learn the chemistry needed to make the drugs that make such a difference to these people. Many will only want to know the fighting and protection spells. I'd advise you to send those on their way as I did. This world doesn't need more bullies."

Josh watched as Jon began his long trip back home, happy to have met and known him, sad to see him go. He began to actively search for potential apprentices while he made his rounds dispensing his "magic" to those nearby. He also began to use some of the "spells" Jon taught him and he tried to learn some actual magic as well. Although he had introduced some simple and more modern items (mostly for farming and manufacturing) before Jon arrived, after he left Josh began designing and pushing acceptance of his "inventions". When the people saw how much easier and more efficient his machines made things they began to adopt them. Quality of life improved faster and faster as Josh's medicines and other introductions spread.

The long winter began and Josh was once again forced to remain near his home. One afternoon late it began to snow heavily. By nightfall there was already eight inches of accumulation. Josh had everyone bring in extra firewood and he invited all his people to stay in the inn where they could use less wood and, hopefully, stay warmer and safer than in their own homes.

That night late Josh woke to his door opening. He readied a spell to subdue a potential attacker when he saw Dottie move across the floor through a moonbeam. She took off her gown, raised the heavy blankets and crawled into bed beside Josh where she snuggled against him. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him without saying a word.

Just at dawn Josh woke again when Dottie began playing with his morning wood.. he reached for her hand to pull it away when she said, "Please Master. I've waited and waited for you to take me as is your right. I love you Sire. Please grant me this boon."