The Sword of Ages: The Mage Breaker Book 1 (9 page)

              “I’m no soldier and I know how it is” Tanner said smiling. “Get the dumb country boy a pike and set him on the front lines why all they civilized folks are in the back. Well another poor tosser can take my place, I already have gold”.

              “You do?” Maude asked.

              “I hunt for a living” Tanner said proudly. “And I treat and sell all the hides”.

              “Well you won’t make much here” Maude replied. “You get ten coppers a week plus room and board. It is a lot nicer in here though, all the food you could want and access to the nicest clothing around. We get noble hand me downs here, and those ten coppers goes a long way when you don’t have to buy anything though”.

              Tanner thought about this, is this the damn small stipend the king talked about? Nah it couldn’t be, he also said a small cottage in the city. “Well I only plan on sticking around until all this war business is over but everyone around here makes me feel like a marked man”.

              “You are a marked man” the girl from the kitchen earlier said. “My friends have all died serving the princess and I was worried I was next. Those fancy bitches parading around as her ladies in waiting need to get off their spoiled asses and do something about it”.

              “Fancy?” Tanner asked confused.

              “They are the daughters of the Tavorians who settled here after the war” the girl explained. What’s in between their legs is no better than what’s in between mine yet they act like they are too good to even speak to us unless they want something. They treated poor Silvia like dirt until she was killed”.

              “Well if anyone tries anything on me I’ll give him a beating he won’t ever forget” Tanner said matter of factly. “No offense to your mate but I’m not a female all waiting to be killed, I come from the country and I know my way around a dust up”.

              “Look at him so brave Martha!” said another girl to Tanner’s right. Martha must be the name of the girl he had been talking to. This new girl was fat, she had on an apron stained with food droppings and Tanner figured her to be a cook or something.

              “So now that we know I’m not dying anytime soon” Tanner said with a smile. “How is this murderer getting in and walking about all calm like and killing people?”

              “I think I know” John replied. “I saw a glance at him; he was dressed in a uniform like us. I think he parades around like one of us and then strikes. I think he has help though, he appears and disappears too quick. I think it’s foolish they are going to go on with this ball with war looming an all. I heard Tavor were mustering their troops and will invade any day now”.

              Tanner spoke to the servants for about an hour until John showed him all around the palace. The palace was big but smartly laid out, he saw where the king and queen slept along with rooms for special guests. There was a dungeon, John had told him only one servant was allowed down there and he never spoke of what he saw. Before long Tanner had gotten the full tour and knew his duties which wasn’t that hard, the princess’s ladies in waiting did a lot of the little stuff, he was just the muscle going to get food, seeing if dresses were ready, going into town and things like that. Tanner walked back up to his room and with Herod’s permission collapsed on the bed.

~

              The next morning Tanner woke up and got dressed. He wanted to swing his sword around and would ask either Herod or Grodd where he could go. Both of the brothers had different schedules and they used to belong to the king. Since the note was found they now worked alongside Caroline’s own guards, but they were not all in the know. Only the King’s personal guards were there in Daum and only they were privied to what Tanner was. Everyone else thought he was a dumb country boy, who fancied himself a soldier. As Tanner was about to open the door Herod was on his way in.

              “Why do you have that sword out boy, put it away” Herod said in a hush. “It’s good you are already up though, their majesties are waiting for you. You can meet them in their quarters, now hurry before the other guard returns.

              Tanner walked out the door and towards the stairs. He was lucky he memorized the way and got there without any trouble. The guards stationed all around let him through without any problem and the king was waiting by the door. Tanner entered as the King shut the door and the Queen sat on a bench holding a small book.

              “This is a book wrote by Geddon’s own hands” the Queen began and misted up a little. “He was self-taught, everything he knew and how to do it he kept inside this book. Geddon was my protector and a good man; it makes me sad to this day I turned him away. I, his greatest asset turned him away along with his secret wife and child. And now I ask you to do the same thing he did for me, I can’t fix it, but I will make sure his child is taken care of. Here is a small drawing I made of him when I gave him this book so long ago”.

              Tanner took the book and the face he saw on it made him ill. Looking back at him was his own face perhaps a couple of years older, perfectly drawn in a silly grin Tanner never would have worn. Whoever this Geddon was definitely was related to him, Tanner thought. Poor bastard dies trying to flee a king. Tanner had hoped he never would find himself in the same prediction.

              “I have read this book more times than I count Tanner” the Queen said as she drew herself straight up. “I am not a wizard myself but what he describes is in parity with what the wizards describe when they are reaching for their base of power. I want you to imagine that you are drawing power into yourself from our environment”.

              Tanner closed his eyes and tried but felt foolish. He tried at it for about ten minutes when he felt a sharp pain on the back of his hand that made him want to get up. Tanner opened he eyes and could see he had been stabbed, and by the Queen no less.

              “Are you mad!?!” Tanner said as he attempted to get up but two strong sets of hands sat him down.

              “Sorry Tanner” the Queen said with a look that Tanner could tell she meant it. “Geddon had a hard time finding out exactly what he could do but discovered more about himself when he cut his finger. I want you to imagine and outside force pushing the blood back into your wound. At the same imagine your body trying to suck the blood back inside”.

              Tanner was pissed but did what she said, almost immediately the king started looking a little weak and he shook Tanner vigorously interrupting his thought.

              “It’s working boy” the King said breathlessly. “I could feel you drawing my magic out of me at a frightening rate!”

ACT II

              Tanner had been secretly practicing with the Royal couple for weeks and was now pretty good it. With concentration he discovered he could draw in his field considerably where he did not disrupt magic being performed next to him. The King had told him to always keep his power bottled up then, that way he wouldn’t accidentally give himself away. He also could direct his magic like an invisible whip and only strike out at particular targets. Something he learned but decided to keep to himself though is that when he focused his power on a particular magic user, he could feel his body growing stronger, more energetic. His physique now looked like he had been practicing at being a blacksmith or a profession soldier. When he had been asked he attributed it to eating better and doing some of the exercises Herod had showed him. His sword work was hard to practice though, he had to do it inside his small room so he really didn’t have the space he wanted to. The servants were right about the ladies in waiting though, what a bunch of bitches.

              They routinely had nothing nice to say about anyone or anything including Tanner. They were cute and knew it, but sour lemon tongued shrews was not Tanner’s cup of tea. Tanner ignored them and rarely spoke to either one of them or the princess for that matter if they were around. A bright spot was that he had written to Mary and she had just returned his letter with a lot more than he thought possible. His only said hi and that he was doing fine with a cushy job in the palace. Hers was a lot more detailed.

             
Tanner,

              I am happy you wrote to me, your actions gave me a shock right before you left. Golden wrote to me and told me all about your fight with some wizard, I am happy you made it out alive. We have not heard anything about the war, only that the Tavorians hadn’t invaded yet. Golden told me to tell you he is doing fine, he is so far ahead of everyone in the beginning class that they started giving him independent lessons with the hope of putting him with the second year students eventually. The mood here is a little tense, with less people to work the fields not many people have a need for blacksmithing although the men that are left have all asked father to make them swords. I have been trying to help him in the smithy but he only lets me do so much. You surprised me with your kiss, the only person I have confided in so far is mother and Gwen, so the whole town has taken to calling me Tanner. I have been infatuated with you since I was young, I did not think you felt the same. Father told me what you asked of him about running off all potential suitors and told me it could have been the words of a man scared to go to war. I want you to know I’ll wait for you, just let me know I’m wanted.

              Your Dearest Mary

Tanner would be lying if he said he wasn’t happy. Maybe he and Mary could make a life together, as is she was all he mentioned when he was asked if he was seeing anyone. If Tanner was being truthful though the only reason he hadn’t taken some of the serving girls up on their obvious flirting was that he wasn’t sure if they were in league with the assassin. As is he could tell someone had been in his room regularly although the guards all claim to have seen no one. Tanner tucked the letter into his shirt as he heard a little bell signaling the princess had wanted him.

“Yes your Highness” Tanner said as he entered her room.

“It is awfully boring and I hear you have a letter” the princess stated Tanner thought being somewhat nosy.

“I do have a letter Your Highness, it is from my hometown” Tanner replied.

“That stupid country look on your face means it must be from a girl” Meredith said one of Princess Caroline’s ladies in waiting.

Tanner stared at the girl and steeled himself. Her blond hair was always perfectly placed but her beaked nose ruined a somewhat pleasant face. She was his age he knew, and liked to talk down on people alike the rest of them did. This time Tanner had enough.

“It is from a girl your Highness” Tanner said as he pulled out the letter and gave it a little kiss just for show. “It is from my Mary, the fairest girl in all of Ket. She is just writing me to let me know how by best friend is doing over at the wizard academy and to tell me she misses me”.

“The fairest?” Meredith said with a look of disgust. “That is doubtful”.

“Well I have seen you Lady Meredith and I have seen my Mary and I stand by me words” Tanner replied.

“You have a friend in the wizard academy?” Princess Caroline asked.

“I sure do Your Highness, his name is Golden. We come from the same town and I am sure he will be the best in his class” Tanner replied.

“Well maybe you will get to see him” Princess Caroline said excitedly. “All of the students are to attend the Harvest Ball, I will give you some time to yourself to catch up”.

“That is nice of you Your Highness” Tanner said with a genuine smile. “Golden is my Mary’s older brother. I would think he would like to meet you if you don’t mind”.

“Great, another country boy” Meredith snarled.

“I’ll make sure to tell him you are not big on country folks” Tanner replied.

“Please do” Meredith said as she waved him away.

“Tanner could you bring us something to eat, see if they have any fruit in the kitchen” Princess Caroline said as Tanner took a bow and walked out the door.

Tanner could tell something in the hall was not right immediately; the guards that were usually placed outside of Caroline’s quarters were gone. Tanner felt his leg and could see the iron arrow was still there which put him somewhat at ease. Tanner opened Caroline’s door a little and focused, letting a small bit of his power latch on and leach a little of hers. They had practiced this, it was their secret code letting the princess know something was not right. Right now she should have been getting her staff ready and brining words of power to her lips, ready to let them go at any second. Tanner could hear hurried footsteps down the hall and turned to see Grodd walking towards him.

“Tanner they need you in the kitchen” Grodd said somewhat out of breath.

“I’ll be their right away” Tanner replied and made to leave when he noticed something was off. Why did Grodd use the servant stairs and he had called him Tanner instead of boy. Tanner stopped and turned around and looked at Grodd and let a little of his power latch on. His power didn’t affect regular people, only wizards and he had latched on to all of the guards and learned none were magical. When he tasted Grodd this time though he could feel a little spark of energy return.

“Assassin!” Tanner cried out and took out one of his throwing knives.

The assassin snarled and pulled open the princesses door then immediately was tossed back into the hall by her magic. Tanner could see the man pull out a wand and Tanner latched his power on the man and drained him as quickly as he could. He could see the assassin attempt a spell then go wide eyed as he pulled out a sword. Tanner let his throwing knife go as the assassin batted it away with his sword as Tanner then pulled out his arrow and plunged it into the man’s shoulder. He roared and flung Tanner off of him and got to his feet. Tanner recovered quickly and was right behind him with a long dagger in his hand.