Battle Mage: Winter's Edge (28 page)

Just because she was near did not mean that they could spend all night dancing together, however. They still had to put on the pretense of just being friends and no more. Given their professions, it was probably wise to be as they appeared, but the two were in love and there was little that could be done to remedy that even if they wanted to change. For the time being, it became like a shell game between them and the other dancers.

Dressed in Ashleen’s beautiful and alluring Kardorian robes, the two girls were in the highest demand. Sebastian didn’t even beg the first dance of either girl as they were whisked away so quickly by other waiting men. Soldiers, mages, wizards and even some of the nobility came to the gathering hall of Windmeer to socialize, especially during the long winters of North Continent. Sebastian lost track quickly of who actually danced with the girls first, but he thought at least one of the men were from one of the lesser houses of nobles residing in the castle.

Rilena dressed in her basic falcon uniform received several offers as well, but the beautiful girl wasn’t always comfortable with strangers and grabbed first Wendle and then Sebastian as she worked up the nerve to dance with someone from Windmeer. It was on the second song that the two were caught in a slow dance and, after quickly questioning if the other would be comfortable, settled into the movements nearly touching torsos.

“So what were you called into the ravens’ office about today anyway?” the girl asked looking up slightly to see his face better.

“Well, the same reason as you for the most part,” he responded easily having nothing to hide from his companion on that particular path. “You know. They mainly asked about the adventure in the mountain for the most part, though they did seem to be as intent on having me join the Winter’s Edge tournament as well.”

“The Winter’s Edge tournament? Bas, that will be amazing to see you take on those wizards, that is if I can find a way to be in Hala when you compete!” she said excitedly and seemed to be playing scenarios in her head to try and figure out the way already.

“Well, that’s if I decide to join it.”

“What?! You have to do it. You’re the best candidate to take on those wizards from the mages. I can’t wait to see their faces when you show up dressed in a falcon’s uniform and beat a few wizards at their own game,” the brunette implored with her dark eyes. “You just have to do it, Bas.”

Once more he felt that sickly feeling he often had these days from all the mages demanding more and more from him despite his real wish to be left to himself. “I don’t know, Rilena, it just seems so stupid to join a tournament like this. I’ve never been that interested in competing like that. Training and learning how to become the best I can is one thing because it will save my life, and others can depend on me to be that way. Fighting just to fight seems like a waste of time to me.”

Sighing, Rilena paused their dance and took hold of both of his arms, “Well, then think of it as sparring with wizards. If training and sparring are fine in your mind, then that’s the way you should view it. I mean, I doubt that the tournament is set up in a way that will be any less safe than a sparring match. We take precautions in training, but sometimes accidents do happen, right?”

Her words made more sense than Sebastian would have originally believed. If the sparring meant becoming a better mage from the training such methods allowed, then perhaps Rilena was right. A chance to duel with some of the best wizards in the country and a chance to learn from those men might not be the useless exercise he had originally thought. “That’s an interesting point,” he confessed. “I hadn’t thought of it that way and I guess if I do well that can better the name of the corps also.

“The ravens said that I could pick a team to support me as well. Maybe I should have you come along so you can pick up what’s left of me if I fight the wrong wizard?” he added with a self deprecating laugh.

A stern frown was his first answer from the girl as she reprimanded him, “Don’t think like that. You’re the mizard and you’re good at thinking of answers to big problems. Set your mind on figuring out how to win the tournament. You’re not allowed just to settle and let them bully you right out of there, Bas.

“As to joining you,” a look of emotional pain crossed her face when she confessed, “I don’t think I can. They want to send Markun and I back with a larger force to meet up with a second group coming from Falcon’s Keep to deal with that fortress.”

He was disappointed by her words. Sebastian had hoped to find a few good friends to join him and Rilena had become one the best over the past several months at Falcon’s Keep. “I could ask Ravens Stallis and Liom to change that maybe. Depending on how important they view my training for the tournament that might change where they send you.”

With another sigh that led to a quick hug, Rilena replied, “I’m sorry, but I can’t ask you to do that. You know that fortress needs to be dealt with more than I need to see you fight in Hala, though I really, really want to see you there. Markun doesn’t know the fortress entry at all, so other than you, I’m the only battle mage with first hand knowledge of the place.” She winced a bit thinking of just what learning she had received first hand including her torture.

“The wizards will send Druick and maybe even Nerieth, so they can always lead the task force instead. In fact, even if you do go, Druick is likely to lead based on experience alone.”

Another frown from Rilena brought a complaint as she retorted, “Because he’s older than me or because he’s a man?”

Sebastian often forgot that women could be considered inferior to men, since that thinking was pushed down working as battle mages. They were all equals, except where age and skill brought promotion. Being male or female was rarely an issue, or so he thought, but he was a man and perhaps Rilena’s experience had been different. Even so, Sebastian had to argue, “I don’t know what being a man has to do with it. Being a wizard, who is almost twice your age, will more likely determine that and, of course, Markun will out rank you at least from the falcons.

“That’s why I doubt that it will be as crucial to have you there, so I’m sure I could convince them to let me take you with to Hala. You’re the one trying to talk me into this. I should make you come along just because of that.”

The woman rolled her eyes at him before replying, “I don’t need you getting me out of this mission, Sebastian. Whether I am in charge of it or not, I still want to go. You don’t need to protect me and I want to go back if only to get some payback on those monsters!”

Her determination was set, and he could tell. Southwallers seemed a breed determined to face danger and more importantly a battle mage hated to lose. Sebastian felt some of the frustration she must be feeling after the loss and punishment taken at the fortress. The enemy had gotten the better of them from a trap that he felt partially responsible for letting catch them unaware. Rilena had that and the humiliation of being used as a tool to try and coerce Druick. A battle mage hated being helpless and Garosh had made her little more than a helpless girl in his dungeon.

“Well, I’m not going to stand in your way of getting some revenge, but just be careful,” Sebastian said to his friend with a disappointed smile. “Though I still say I should make them send you with me just to get even with you for making me go.”

Rilena’s hands came up between them as she shook her head. “I haven’t made you do anything, sir,” refuted the falcon playfully as the two stopped their dance momentarily. “You said the ravens wanted you to go and I just said that I would love to see you put a few wizards in their place. That doesn’t mean I’ve made you do anything at all.”

Finished with her response, the girl moved back into the frame of the dance letting them continue in a song that was only half complete. Sebastian let the music move him and his partner moved fluidly along as Rilena was a very good dancer. Her attempts at teaching Wendle how to dance aside, the two mages were a good match on the dance floor.

“You may not be making me go, but I think you may be right. I can see having the chance to test myself against some new wizards would be good training and a chance to learn a few new things perhaps. I still wish you would go with me, since I need to decide on some form of team to help me train. That’s another issue I have.

“What kind of training I need really depends on what the tournament rules are. I know how duels with weapons are done. The local tournaments held at White Hall between the soldiers and nobles were easy enough to understand, but how do wizards duel without destroying an arena or wherever they plan to hold it?”

Looking unsure herself, Rilena replied, “Well, when you tell the ravens that you will do it, I would hazard to ask them that. As for me, I have no idea, so maybe it’s a good thing I have the mission back to the fortress where I know what I have to do. What good will I be to the great mizard anyway? You’re the one that knows all the magic and can always seem to figure out how to use it in new ways, not me.” She finished with a smug smile that said the mage was truly glad that she didn’t have to be the one to figure it all out.

It was several songs later as Sebastian sat with Wendle and a couple other falcons that Yara managed to free herself of her admirers. Walking up to their table, he could feel all the men standing just a little straighter at her approach. Hands brushed at hair or straightened clothes, but the girl barely glanced at them as she went straight up to Sebastian.

“Save me?” she asked with a smile as her eyes flicked quickly to the other men and back to him again in hope.

“It’s been that bad? Have you become too popular in those pretty clothes of Ashleen’s?” Sebastian queried with a small laugh. He hadn’t paid close attention to just how many men had asked Yara to dance since the music had begun, but he was pretty sure that the pretty blond hadn’t been off the dance floor for at least twenty songs.

Rolling her eyes and adding a little snort of disgust, Yara nodded as she replied, “My feet are so sore and not from being on the floor for so many dances. If one more man apologizes for crushing my foot before I get a break, I may have to change my career and kill him.”

Standing smoothly from the bench, Sebastian caught the blonde’s hand and deftly spun her back towards the floor.

Glancing around even as she smiled at the playful dance move, Yara asked, “Do you think we have a prayer of sneaking away? I wasn’t kidding. I think someone may have actually broken my foot with his heavy boots. Ashleen convinced me to wear these lightweight slippers because they would be more comfortable and look nice with the dress, but, with these clumsy men and their boots kicking and stomping on my feet, they may have been a mistake.”

Speaking of the wizard, Sebastian caught a glimpse of the pretty wilder in her blue dress with yet another male waltzing her around the floor. Her eyes looked a little pained even as she struggled to maintain a smile. He had to guess that Ashleen was having similar problems. They had only danced one time before a noble had cut in for the next dance.

“Well, I am sure that I can sneak away, but you, on the other hand, might not ever get out of here,” chuckled her dance partner. They slid into the crowd smoothly. Both knew how to dance and the two had spent a number of nights together in the crowds together dancing until late. Even in her apprentice robes, Yara had been whisked away by admiring fans. Young wizards were her chief dance partners since they tended to want to be with their own kind and perhaps even felt that they were guarding her from lesser men.

Sebastian led the girl through the moves as the song played and continued towards the far side of the crowd. While the dancers were distracted by some of the most animated portions of the dance, the young man snuck the girl through the double doors into the hallway outside.

Yara’s eyes widened slightly as she nodded in appreciation, “That was very smooth, Falcon Trillon. Did you also use some of your mizard magic to spell us away from prying eyes?”

With a little laugh, Sebastian led her away from the dance hall and soon stepped into one of several side chambers. It was someone’s study by the look of it; perhaps it was used as an office. There were so many people in Windmeer and rooms were appropriated for all sorts of functions. This one served their purpose for two reasons: one it was quiet and two there were padded seats to let Yara rest in as Sebastian kneeled to look at her feet. She hadn’t been completely exaggerating as the girl had half limped down the hall from all the damage her feet had taken. While Southwall men loved to dance, too many of them were terrible at it, even if enthusiastic.

“Heal,” he ordered his spell as the mage took gentle hold of her bared lower leg and removed first one slipper and then the other. Letting his magic, originally taught to him by this girl, seep into her body, Sebastian marveled at the way the spell made him feel a part of her.

Luckily, Yara had been exaggerating about having anything broken, but he could feel her pain before letting his magic move into her extremities to sooth the pain and heal the damage done.

“Mmmm,” the moan was followed by her left hand first touching his shoulder as he worked from that side and then the girl played with his hair while she added, “That feels so good, Sebastian. Can we stay here the rest of the night and you just keep doing that for me?”

His hands moved to massage her feet gently as the magic let him know just how much pressure to place on each to maximize the enjoyment for the girl. “While I wouldn’t mind, I have a feeling that we would be missed.”