The Weapon Bearer (Book 1) (34 page)

Kilen nodded his head, “He said he was making me some Kapal steaks today for lunch. If you would like to join me, I have questions for you. I have read about the Kapal in all the books I had in school, but nothing to fully describe your culture or race.” Kilen spoke excitedly before he had a chance to filter the words. Gortus didn’t seem to mind or even hear most of what he had to say.

“Your friend can make Kapal dishes?” he asked, looking very excited himself. Kilen shook his head yes, afraid to sound a fool in front of him again.

“If your friend is any good at making them, I would take you on as my pupil just to get a decent meal around here.”

Jace stood straighter and sounded excited, “Shake on it!” Gortus smiled and held out his hand. Kilen accepted the open hand not understanding what had just happened. “We shall see you for lunch then Gortus. Come with me now, boy,” he said putting his arm around Kilen and whisking him towards the kitchen. A few steps away from Grotus, Kilen’s strength and magic returned, causing him to jump a small amount. Jace smiled and kept walking while helping to balance Kilen. “If Leroy can produce some Kapal dish that Gortus finds worthy, you might end up a better swordsman than me.”

“How do you think that will happen?” Kilen asked with uncertainty. Jace stopped and turned to Kilen then pointed at the man Gortus.

“The Kapal people guard their training secrets closely. Gortus has never trained anyone or even challenged me to a match. He fears others learning their fighting style and using it to destroy his people. Only people that face him in battle learn of his style and skill and they never live to tell about it. Gortus is very good. You couldn’t ask for a better tutor to learn the sword. We must get to your man to give him enough time to provide a traditional Kapal meal.” Kilen nodded and lead him into the kitchen. They found Master Harvel working over a couple of servants with his ladle.

“Master Harvel.” The wiry man turned around to see Kilen and Jace and promptly tucked the ladle under his arm.

“Yes, gentlemen,” he said while smoothing back what white greasy hair he had. “How can I help you, this fine day?”

“I’m looking for Leroy. Have to seen him since he came to bring me breakfast?” Kilen asked the man politely.

“I sent a guard to tell you Leroy went to the infirmary. Some of the boys in here stepped beyond their authority and punished him for accessing some of my more expensive herbs. I am dealing with them accordingly, as you can see.” Kilen and Jace looked at each other and then Jace waved Kilen off to the side.

“I’ll go and see to your friend and make sure he is healed enough to return. I think we may have left Twilix a little too soon in your training. She was talking to Mary and saw me leading you away. She looked a little bit perturbed. Go and see her now.” Jace turned and disappeared behind some kitchen shelves. Kilen made a quickened step out of the kitchen, back to the training fields. As soon as he looked out to where he had fought Mary he saw Twilix stomping her way back to the kitchen. Kilen thought it was a funny sight. The small girl drawing up as much authority as she could, was red cheeked and drawing up bits of dust as she stomped. Her arms worked furiously. Kilen then remembered that he had only begun to learn her secrets. She was still one of the most accomplished wizards in the realm and definitely the most powerful water wizard he knew. Kilen started to get nervous. He had just promised her that he would make sure to be where he was supposed to be and already left early.

Kilen knelt on the ground, bowing his head in submission. He hoped that It would show his respect for her, even if she wouldn’t accept another apology. When her short legs finally made it to stand in front of Kilen, her foot was tapping impatiently in blue slippers that poked out beneath the lace that hemmed blue dress she wore. Kilen lifted his head slightly and didn’t see any sign of Mary behind her. “Well, where did that man go? First he asks me to train you then steals you away right in the middle of my training.”

“He went to the infirmary, my lady,” Kilen kept his head bowed because of the tone in her voice.

“Oh did he now? Stand up Kilen. I know you were only going with him as told. Those two men frustrate me to no end. Why did he go to the infirmary?”

Kilen stood as ordered, now looking down at Twilix in the morning light. Her eyes shone a brilliant green. Her cheeks were still red with the anger she had at Jace. Kilen thought that she reminded him of his sister, whom he missed. He stroked his sister’s ribbon as he answered, “My friend Leroy was beaten by some of the other servants in the kitchen. They thought he was overstepping himself and stealing from Master Harvel’s private herb stores.”

“I seriously doubt that. I tasted some of his food yesterday. They were probably jealous of his skills with herbs and foods. There is a proper order to gaining rank and power in all aspects of the king’s service. It is probably why that guard sent you into a maze on your way to training last night.” Kilen hadn’t given much thought to the guard that sent him running about the castle to stumble into the king’s personal chambers, but it was now brought to the forefront of his mind. It was still a mystery that he would have to solve. Was it a spy or a prank against the new weapon bearer? “Never mind, I will deal with Jace later. He always seems to slink out of my way before I can confront him. I am too frazzled to finish your training now. Would you meet me in the king’s garden for dinner so we can discuss how you can do better against Mary?”

“I would love to,” he said and she smiled. “I like spending time with you. You remind me of my sister. You look to be about the same age.” Twilix’s face turned red all over again and she crossed her arms beneath her chest. She seemed to be more angered by what Kilen had said then at Jace for taking him away from her training. A stone of ice formed in front of Kilen’s feet and Twilix stepped up onto it to meet Kilen eye to eye. “I AM NOT A LITTLE GIRL! I am wizard Twilix. If you want me to keep stepping out of my way to help you, you will treat me with more respect. After all, I have been cleaning up your messes ever since you got here. Even now, Mary just agreed to check up on your sister because of the arrangement we made. Try to remember who you are talking to. Seven o’clock in the king’s gardens. I will not accept an excuse of misleadings from guards. DO NOT BE LATE!”

Kilen felt about two feet tall at the bombardment from Twilix. She stomped away through the training yard. It seemed to Kilen that so many things went the right way for the morning, yet so many things went wrong.

King Atmos, Calvin, Brent, Brandon, and Alex began each day pouring over reports and rumors made by the people under the Earth Realm’s control. Today was no different than the last. The king was looming over maps and asking questions for which there were no answers. “Tell me again what Gortus said about the wizards in the north forest.”

The gray, old wizard Calvin spoke, “My lord, they did not attack but only defended. When Gortus demanded they present themselves to the ruling king they denied, saying only, ‘we will not be ruled by a King that cannot follow wizard law.”

“Which law is it that I cannot follow?” The king had been told this many times and each time he had the same answer. Brent would answer every time the same way.

“Wizard law states that a king must submit any wizard of another element to their people for training. You, my lord, keep fire wizards locked away and wind wizards you push into northern realms to be forgotten about.”

Using a gust of wind to help him, Alexander jumped from his chair onto the middle of the Kings table. “You will not forget about me, even if you choose to push me into the northern forest. This council seat is where I belong and the fire wizard belongs there.” He pointed to Mary’s empty seat. “Yet, she is not there and we discuss wars and plots against her realm.” He stood atop the table with his arms crossed, waiting for a reply from the king.

“I have no time to respond to you, Alex. Move now from the table and mind your tongue. We have matters to discuss and unless you want me to have you removed from the realm right now, you will remain in your seat.” The middle-aged wizard with a full beard leaned down in a bow to meet the King face to face. Then he sprang into a back flip. A small whirlwind of air in his chair cushioned his landing as if he had eased himself in from standing. He sat with legs crossed and elbow on the arm of the chair, smiling mockingly at the king. “I have told you all time and time again, I will not send the Fire Realm any more wizards to strengthen their power. Besides, they don’t send their wizards to me. It’s been years since they have had a proper wizard on the council seat here.” None of the council spoke that the king hadn’t sent proper wizards of water and earth to the Fire Realm either. He knew what laws he violated but refused to answer for them when he was called to. This was the only realm standing strong in times of chaos bearing down. The king changed the subject before more broken wizard laws were pointed out. “The evidence of the Fire Realm inside the borders is starting to develop a pattern now that all the scouts and wizards have returned. We have found several pairs of scouts, each containing at least one wielder. Most of these had at least two to three people traveling light, avoiding cities, people, and major trade routes. Brandon and I have come to the conclusion that these parties are searching for supply routes so that they can place the city under siege. As of right now no siege engines or army of any consequence has been found that would be capable of setting siege to our capital. So either our guess is wrong or we have missed an army inside our borders. Any thoughts on those conclusions?”

Brandon stood. He looked exactly like Brent. He was Brent’s older brother, only slightly aged and thicker in body. He had short hair, and brown eyes. He almost always wore the green colors of the Earth Realm, where he stood as the earth wizard councilmen. Brandon was almost twenty years older than his little brother, being born of a different mother. He cleared his throat, “We still have not been able to track these Fire Realm men and have our best trackers on it. Either they are very good in terrain that they haven’t been able to train in, or they have all returned to the Fire Realm to report on our nation’s stability. Either way, spending additional efforts trying to find them will only be futile.”

Calvin spoke up, “We are very lucky that weapon bearer and archer were able to take care of one pair. The pair cannot report back their findings of the land.”

King Atmos nodded in agreement with his advisor, “How is the boy faring in his training, Water Wizard?”

Brent looked questioningly at the king, “I have no idea my lord. I haven’t spoken to him since you requested for Jace to take over his training. I was told that Twilix would be training the boy since he showed considerable skill with magic.”

“You take no interest in his training or well being, Brent?”

“Why should I, my lord? He served his purpose in getting the young fire wizard here. He is a king’s man now, and out of my responsibility. I only hope he serves you well, for his sister’s sake.” Atmos sat in his chair and leaned back into it resting onto one arm.

Calvin directed the conversation back to the Fire Realm, which is why the meeting had been called. “My lord, perhaps we should call back all patrols and move them to the Fire Realm border along the Maltchet Towers. We should also increase the amount of messengers that travel to and from, so that we hear of any approaching army immediately.”

“Make it so, advisor. I will sign that order. We should have enough recruits to hold Deuterium if an attack comes from inside the land. At least until we can send for reinforcements from the borders. Does everyone agree to this?”

The wizard council all nodded in agreement, even the crazy wind wizard, Alexander.

***

Kilen had decided to rest and wait outside the kitchen in the tent set up for soldiers’ meals. Crates and stools had been placed along wobbly tables for the large amounts of soldiers that would file through there, three times a day. The recruits had started to arrive at Deuterium the day after Kilen and his party arrived, and had very quickly became a large army of untrained men. He found a seat among the soldiers in the middle of the tent and sat down to write some notes in his book. He corrected sword forms that he needed to adjust, per Jace’s instructions. Max also provided notations for him to put in . Kilen moved on and started to write a chapter on water versus fire magic, types of magic attacks, and defenses and found that his descriptions demonstrated his lack of knowledge. He would have to ask Twilix for help for that section. Joahna suggested he could help with a section on fire vs every other type of magic. Kilen would have to write that later. He knew that if he was to face Mary again he would have to focus on the types of magic he could use to defend himself. He wondered how Kara was doing and where they were keeping her. He thought that maybe he would be able to find out from Twilix at dinner. Kilen looked up to see Jace and Leroy enter the tent and give Kilen a small wave. “How are you?”