Chapter XV: The Ways of the Mages

Something dark is creeping into the world, and it is time to gather the Spirits - special individuals burdened with the duty of bringing a tilting world back into balance.

Chapter XV

The Ways of the Mages

The gentle breeze pulled at the bits of hair that had escaped from Luna’s wimple as she gazed out the window.  She had taken her hair down because of a headache but had been careful to cover it for decency sake. Azara had assured her not to worry (her hair was never covered when it was down), but she just couldn’t shake the White Mage doctrine.

She had been able to let some slide�" allowing the common Black Mage greeting of touching hands and saying salve instead of only bowing, being tapped on the shoulder or the back when someone wanted her attention, and of course the loud and unrestrained laughter she had been taught to control as a young child.  She was also learning some more of their words �" Rubedo had been teaching her some simple vocabulary and phrases.  She started running through the words she had learned in her head to entertain herself.

Rubedo was standing on a stool while his sister pinned and fussed with a dark green tunic she was fitting him with.  It was cinched at his waist with a wide leather belt that was burnt with designs.  Corresponding leather bands cinched the fabric at his wrists and Azara had sewn similar designs in the collar.

“You just had to grow, that you did.”  She said with feigned annoyance, “How dare you �" growing so I have to make you a completely new costume.”

He laughed, “I know �" I’m awful, I am.”

“You just wanted to cause problems.”

“Yes, dear sister.  That was the reason I grew, just to annoy you.  I planned the whole thing, I did.”

Luna smiled and turned her attention back out the window, watching the people milling around the normally empty field.  Thousands of foreign Black Mages had poured into Drajan for the Exordium Fabula and most of them were camping out in the field behind the Patronus home.  Luna let out a sigh as she watched them.

Azara laughed and tossed her hair, “Don’t worry, Luna I’m almost done.”  She tugged at the fabric and took a few steps back, furrowing her brow.  “You can have him back in a few minutes.”

Rubedo rubbed the back of his neck, but his arm was jerked down as Azara scolded him for moving.  He glared as he turned his attention back to Luna, “Forgive us for being so busy lately, Princess �" it’s just with the festival coming up and all-”

Luna smiled and waved him away, “Oh no, it’s fine.  I understand.”

Azara yanked the fabric a little harder than necessary.  “If you hadn’t waited until the day of the festival to tell me you needed a new costume, then we wouldn’t be so backed up, we wouldn’t.”

Rubedo grinned and nodded towards three sets of boots by the door, “I was busy getting those ready, they were a lot of work to make.”

Luna followed his eyes �" he had worked hard on them.  They were all old working boots, but two have been altered for the purposes of the festival.  He had called the first pair caliga tintinnabulum �" caligatintin for short.  They had bells attached to them, and jingled with every motion.  The other pair caliga tonitrum - caligatoni, had been fitted with a hard metal sole which clanked as he walked.

Azara tutted and shook her head, finally motioning for Rubedo to go change.  He let out a whoop of delight and took off towards his room.  Azara sighed and shook her head, muttering about her brother’s childishness before tossing her hair and shouting, “Get our onyx fragment while you’re celebrating!”

A shiny black shard was thrown from the hallway into the kitchen, where it skittered across the table before falling to the floor. Azara muttered something in the Black Mage tongue and rolled her eyes.

“This is a Black Mage festival, so you’ll not be hearing the universal tongue.”  Azara said, “And Rubedo and I were talking… it may not be the best plan to let it out who you are to the other villages.  Not everyone is as easy to accept you as we are.”

She cupped the stone in her hands and whispered, “Omnimodus” before handing it to Luna.  It buzzed with warm energy.

Azara laughed and spoke, this time in the Black Mage tongue.  Luna heard the unfamiliar tongue, but it changed as it reached her ears and she heard it in her own language.  She shook her head �" was this how the spell Yami had used to translate her ceremony made everyone feel?  It was such a strange sensation!

Azara leaned forward and wagged her finger playfully, “It won’t last forever thought �" you’ve got about two days before it runs out.  It’ll need to rest after that, so don’t get too attached.”

Luna nodded and pocketed the shard, hoping she wouldn’t lose it.

“There’s one last thing.”  Azara said, “And you won’t like it.”

“Oh, dear.”

“You can’t wear that, Luna.  You know that.”

Luna clutched the wimple under her hood.

“I know, I know.  But Black Mages don’t cover their hair.  Come, you can borrow one of my old dresses.  I was endowed so early it’ll be big on you and shapeless, just like you like.”

Azara was obviously trying to make a joke, but Luna’s hands dropped to the stole that hung down her front and back.  There was a look of desperation in her eyes.

“Remember, Black Mage men are used to this type of dress, they won’t look twice.  They could care less about an ankle.”  She put an arm around her reassuringly, “Why don’t you go ahead and put it on so you can get used to it?  I’ll put your hair up and you won’t even notice.”

“I can’t go out without a headcover.”  Luna pleaded, “I can’t.”

Azara sighed and thought.  Some Black Mage women did wear headscarves on chilly nights, and it was still chilled enough to warrant that for someone who was particular cold natured.

“Alright, a headscarf �" but one of mine, not yours.  I’ll show you how to tie it.  Now breathe and sit down, you have a lot of hair to be braided.”

It was midnight when they first noticed the glow of lanterns going down a nearby path.  With their staffs alight, the Patronus siblings led Luna towards the light, joining the crowd of Black Mages as they headed towards the shore.

The air around them was heavy and silent, only the sounds of treading feet echoing through the night.  Luna walked close to Rubedo, suddenly nervous.  Did she really belong with them now?  She felt as though she were floundering with her head barely above water, so ignorant of the deep meaning behind the pensive silence.  Luna hunched her shoulders, suddenly wanting to retreat back to the Patronus home to escape this feeling of isolation.

Rubedo glanced down at her stiffened form.  Still in silence the touched her hand and smiled reassuringly.  She glanced behind her as Azara’s hand patted the top of her head.  She winked and walked past them to join her own friends.

Luna tugged at the borrowed dress and forced a smile, the sharp blade of nervousness dulled in the slightest.

They approached the valley wall and gathered there.  As groups arrived and came to a stop, staffs and torches were extinguished, plunging them all into the night.

“In the beginning, there was darkness.”

Elder Gnarus stood upon one of the large stones scattered along the valley wall.  He rose his hands to the sky as smoke swirled from his sleeves into a thick cloud above them, obliterating the stars from view.

“In the darkness, there was only the Creator God.  He wandered his domain, gazing at the empty planet.  Feeling pity for this dark world, the Creator God sent two angels to the desolate world: one went in duty, one went in love.”

In the smoke-screened sky above them, fire burst, forming the shape of two winged beings.  Luna tore her eyes away to see a Black Mage she didn’t know standing on part of the valley slope, conducting the flaming artwork like a puppeteer.

As the angels sharpened in form each of their chests hollowed out until one was left with only a shape of a heart in the center of its chest, the other with a symbol of a sword.

“The two angels descended upon the frozen globe, bringing with them warmth, light, law, and love.”

The fiery angels burst, eating away at the smoke above them until the stars once again smiled down on them.

It took a silent tug at her hand by Rubedo for Luna to realize the group had started to move again. They followed the wall of the valley until they reached a steep slope that Luna realized they had traveled to enter Drajan.

“Man was created.”  This time the voice belonged to Madidus, who had rushed ahead to climb part of the slope.  “The Angel of Duty gave birth to law and order, healing and light.  The Angel of Love gave birth to chaos and feeling, imagination and darkness.”

He rose his hands, manipulating an ember of fire into the familiar silhouette of the two angels, commanding them both to sink to the ground as though asleep.  The fire faded and two people were revealed, one clothed in grey and the other in red.  The woman in red boasted a heart on her shirt, while the woman in grey brandished a sword on her own.

Slowly, as if awaking from sleep, the two women rose.  Their loose hair fell about their faces as they stood with their heads down.  The girls rose their heads and looked this way and that to scrutinize the world around them.  They looked at each other and nodded.  With a sweeping motion of their arms the girls rose up to their toes and began to dance.

It was unlike anything Luna had ever seen.  They danced in slow, fluid motions, perfectly in sync with one another.  However, as the  dance went on the girl in grey began to dance with stiffer and more controlled motions, like a soldier practicing a drill.  The girl in red’s own control dissolved, giving way to a fast and untamed twirl.

Just as they had begun the girls fell to the ground and were once again shielded by the fiery silhouette that Madidus conducted into the sky.

“The world was peaceful as the angels watched over their children.  As brothers and sisters they built up their world, creating places of beauty and harmony.  Satisfied that their children had grown to be strong, the angels departed to the heavens, joining again with the Creator God.”

With a flick of his wrist the fire marionettes shot into the air and disappeared into a shower of sparks.

Rubedo tapped Luna’s hand to get her attention and nodded towards Viktor.  He offered his arm and nodded towards the valley wall, where the crowd had started to walk up a steep path snaking upwards.  Rubedo smiled reassuringly and excused himself with a nod, bounding ahead through the slow-matching crowd.

Azara said I might get to see him dance. She thought, Maybe he’s going to perform.

After the hike to the lip of the valley the Mages funneled into a narrow path leading into the forest.  Luna looked up at the thick canopy above them.  It completely blocked out the pinpricks of starlight that had previously guarded their nighttime walk.

The crowd came to a stumbling stop as an intense wind sliced through the crowd, extinguishing the torches and plunging them all into total darkness.

Viktor winced as his arm grew numb with Luna’s tightened grip.

“From these children of angels came the people of the world.”  This time it was a voice she didn’t recognize, “Law, order, and light bequeathed Mages that healed. Chaos, imagination, and feeling bequeathed Mages that manipulate. The healing mages grew into their own society, soon to be known as White Mages.  The Mages that manipulated soon split into those that swayed and those that changed.  Alchemists grew from those that changed the world around them.”  The voice fell into silence and another voice spoke.

“And we were born from those who swayed.”

When the fire first erupted into the night Luna grabbed Viktor’s arm and jerked him backwards, her mind’s eye invaded by the image of a feral dragon.

However, at the source of the blaze was neither snout nor tooth, but Rubedo.  Both hands were raised to control the inferno, and his grin stretched from ear to ear.  As he moved his hands the flames twisted around itself lazily, picking up speed and girth until it spiraled into a burning tornado.

The ground rumbled and Rubedo leaped back as his flames were extinguished by a surging plume of water that erupted at his feet.  Torches lit as another Mages stepped forward, maneuvering a perfect globe of water around Rubedo, who reacted by summoning another blaze.  It wasn’t as large but the heat was intense as it spun above his palms, boiling to a scalding heat that blew the water orb to steam.

Their duel was interrupted by a barrage of thorny vines that buried the water and fire, only to be destroyed again as both boys pushed their spells their limits.

The same wind that had snuffed their torches ripped through the spells, tearing them all apart for an instant before they reformed and rebelled.

Luna had seen plenty of scripted battles in her life �" they were popular entertainment.  But never had she seen one so furious and dazzling.  The four boys were in a planned free-for-all, each one destroying the other’s spells before being overtaken themselves and turning their attention to another fighter.

In perfect unison the boys shot a final spell upward, braiding together vines, fire, water, and wind until they were all neutralized and vanished.

Luna fought the urge to cheer and clap, only able to contain herself because of the silence surrounding her.  Viktor grinned at her and jerked his head as the crowd moved deeper into the forest.

Their next stop was much farther apart than the others had been, and Luna found herself wondering when they would stop.  The trees thinned to shrubs and they entered a clearing, where a fire had been set.

“Time passed and our world changed.”  Luna recognized the voice from somewhere in the village, but was unable to put a face or name to it.  He was only a shadow as he stood in front of the wavering fire.

“The races born of angels began to look at each other with distrust as their differences became known and they forgot that they were brothers.   Races of men rose and multiplied, and soon our people were forsaken and loathed, akin to those who destroyed and ravaged.  We fled from the worlds obsessed with order and conquest, with perfection and puritanicalness.  For centuries we wandered, traveling with fervor as we searched for a place to call our own.  While others built cities, we built herds.  While others grew farms, we gathered from the earth.  While others settled and thrived, we wandered and splintered.”

Luna jumped at the sudden crack that split the hushed night.  The fire lowered to reveal a short wooden stage, where eight boys stood in a line.  A string instrument was plucked from somewhere in the crowd.  It kept a steady tempo that the boys began to tap their metal-plated boots along with, issuing a mighty clang with each strike to the stage.

The tempo slowly gained momentum with the stomps until the boys were in a sort of fast-moving jig, but this was not the jig Luna had seen performed on the street.  It was an angry sort of sound, and Luna found herself frightened by the sudden change in mood.  Gone was the somber mood, replaced with one of indignation.  All eight boys sported cold expressions, glaring into the crowd with angry glints in their eyes.

Including Rubedo.

The flames that had died down began to rise as the dance grew more agitated and faster, until the fire grew to an inferno and the claps of their boots escalated to thunderclaps.

The thunder froze for an instant before being replaced with the same tempo that they had began, keeping their stomps and unison as the fire around them died and the stage darkened.  The stomps continued in the darkness, sending chills down Luna’s spine as she felt a lump rise in her throat.

And then there was silence.

Luna felt the familiar touch of Azara’s hands on her shoulders as she steadied her.  I’m back the touch said as Luna’s shoulders were squeezed.  Even in the darkness, Azara could see the fearful tears in Luna’s eyes.

Azara shooed Viktor away and took Luna into her arms as they began the hike again.  It wasn’t everyday someone outside their community would see the fury that the Black Mages sometimes felt towards others.

It was difficult to love people who treated your own like dogs.

This was by far the longest stretch of the journey.  As Luna looked around, she quickly realized why.  She hadn’t been the only one affected by the last performance.  Some Black Mages were in tears, some seemed to be shaking with nerves or fury.

Everyone needed time to recuperate.

Luna smelled the salt-laced lilies before she heard the crash of the waves.   No sooner than she tasted the salt on her lips that she knew their final destination.

Azara squeezed Luna’s shoulders a final time as she slipped back into the crowd.

It was now Viktor who spoke, standing facing them all with his back to the surf.  “Fog hung low over the rocky shore when we arrived in this place.   This world of stone and sand was harsh and unwanted, left alone by others.  But as our people gazed at this world we felt the soil beneath the sand and the rivers under the rocks.

‘This is our world!’  The eldest proclaimed, ‘And none shall steal it from us �" let us build!’”

The familiar tempo of the jig was rekindled, but this time it rang out with the sound of the caligatintin.   The faces of the boys were different too, expressions of hope and joy evident in their eyes and mouths as they danced.  They were all boys who had participated in someway or another, but they had each donned new tunics of red, green, blue, and white.  All at once the boys kneeled and clapped a beat as eight girls twirled behind them.  The bells on their wrists kept the joyful sound ringing through the air.

As they twirled the girls’ skirts flared out, revealing beautifully colored ruffles.  Luna smiled as she realized the meaning behind each color.   The skirts layered with orange, black, and red, symbolizing fire and smoke; underskirts that were an array of whites, blues, and silvers stood for rushing water; the combination of green and brown were dedicated to earth, and the skirts of white and silver were meant to mimic the breezy air.

Luna recognized some of  the red-clad mages �" Rubedo, Madidus, and Comitis.  She recognized the other girl but wasn’t sure of her name.  She remembered Rubedo telling her that most village had an affinity with a certain element, so she assumed that the blue, white, and green-clad mages were representatives from other villages.

In perfect unison the mages stopped and held their hands up.  Columns of fire, water, air, and vines rocketed into the air.  Applause erupted and the dancers kneeled on the ground as Elder Gnarus rose again, holding his hands up.

“And so we settled and spread, created and loved.  We are the Black Mages, conductors of the elements and cousins of the crafters!”

“Eia!”  The Black Mages shouted.

“We shall live!”

“Eia!”

“We shall laugh!”

“Eia!”

“We shall drink!”

“Eia!”

“We shall love!”

“Eia!”

“Glory to the Creator God and the Angels, for we are free!”

Although there were still shouts if “Eia!”  most of the shouts had been drowned out by shouts of approval and applause.

She turned towards the sound of Rubedo’s laughter as he bowed to her and grinned, “Welcome to a Black Mage celebration!”  Without warning he reached for her and swung her into a dance.

Luna’s squeal of surprise trickled into laughter as he led her around, “Rubedo!”

He chuckled, “What can I say?”  She realized he was still speaking the Black Mage tongue, “I’ve been drinking a bit, I have.”

“A bit?”  Luna said with a grin, lightly tapping his flushed cheeks.

Rubedo spun her around with a loud laugh, “I told you �" welcome to a Black Mage celebration!”

No longer somber and quiet (in fact, very few were even sober), the Black Mages headed back to Drajan and piled into the village square, which had been opened up for the celebration feast since there were too many people to fit into the council hall.

The streets were a chaotic scene of eating, dancing, drinking, and laughing.  There were no designated sections for anything and people just went about their business as they pleased.

Rubedo had forgotten himself and was goofing off with his friends, but Azara stayed protectively glued to Luna’s nervous side.  She seemed to be enjoying herself despite her discomfort and silence.  Azara smiled, knowing the quiet grew from fear of being discovered.  The shard translated to her, but wouldn’t translate her words to others.  Luckily with all the noise and drinking, nobody was likely to notice or care.

“Oy, oy, oy!”  Came a shout from one of the boys, “Patronus! To me!”

Luna glanced at the group of boy as they shouted at each other, grinning and laughing.  People had gathered to watch the boys, and Luna looked to Azara for an explanation.

She rolled her eyes, “Immaturity at its finest.”  She grinned, “They’re showing off for girls.”  Azara gestured towards the crowd and Luna realized that many girls stood in groups, watching the boys in interest.  “Remember, these village parties are where we meet marriage prospects.   These little duels are a way for the boys to show off how powerful they are.”  She left out the part that Black Mages had always connected virility with magikal prowess, which was one of the reasons these duels were of such high interest.

“Ours are just arranged.”  Luna said as she watched the crowd.  Rubedo and another boy were in the center, taunting each other playfully as they circled.

“We need an arbitrator over here!”  Azara shouted, winking at Luna.  “Watch yourself, lovie, I’m going to find someone so they’ll get on with it.”

Luna nodded and milled around the crowd, trying to find a way to the front so she could watch �" what would a Black Mage duel entail?

“The redhead’s definitely a Drajan boy.”  A nearby girl said as she nodded towards the boys.  “Look how confident he is.”

“I’ve always liked Drajan boys, I have.”  Said another, “Drajan makes some strong men.”

“Troublemakers.”  One scoffed, “The lot of them.  Always shouting and breaking things.”

“Cocky buggers.”

“But handsome.”  Another laughed, “And by the Creator God, do they have fire in their veins!”

“He’s a sweet one �" the Drajan boy.”  A tall girl said, “I’ve met him at a couple of different festivals.  He’s good with children too �" you may want to consider him, Midori.”

One of the girls, presumably Midori, watched Rubedo carefully, “What does he do?”

“Farms �" they have about a hundred head of sheep.  That’s one family that never grows hungry.”

“I’ll keep my eye on him.”

“Know anything about the Dellyn boy?”  Asked the girl who had scoffed Drajan, eager for a change of subject.

“They’re cockier than the Drajan boys.”  One laughed.

Luna moved away from the girls, trying to find a place she could see the duel.

Back in the middle of the circle Rubedo and the boy from Dellyn were still razzing each other, bantering back and forth as they waited for an arbitrator.

“Get on with it!”  Someone shouted.

“I’ll arbitrate!”  An older man stepped forward, “Oldik, from Enash.”

“I approve.”  Rubedo said with a nod, “He’s from neither Drajan nor Dellyn.”

“Agreed.”  Said the Dellyn man.

“Face your opponent and exchange pleasantries.”

Rubedo bowed, “I, Rubedo, hail from Drajan and challenge thee to a duel.  My affinity is that of flame and I will battle with honor and dignity.”

The man mimicked the bow, “I, Aled, hail from Dellyn and accept thy challenge of a duel.  My affinity is that of water and I will battle with honor and dignity.”

There was a murmur of interest.  Duels with such clashing elements were always interesting.  Water seemed the obvious winner, but most Black Mages knew how these duels could turn in a second.

The arbitrator nodded, “There is to be no outside interference and thou must cause neither permanent nor lethal damage to thine opponent.”  He looked at both the boys meaningfully, “I know you two �" keep your tempers and don’t get carried away.”

Luna smiled �" except for the last warning they had lapsed into a ceremonial speech pattern.

The boys bowed to each other and took a few steps back.  As they did the crowd surged backwards and Azara grabbed Luna’s arm and jerked her along with them.  The arbitrator was closer than the rest, but had still given the duelists a wide birth.

“With honor and dignity �" begin!”  At this he dove into the crowd, just in time to narrowly avoid a plume of surging fire that burst from Rubedo’s hands. Aled kneeled and placed his hands on the ground, calling forth a surge of water in hopes of dampening Rubedo’s spell.

The fire jumped away at Rubedo’s command, steam rising as the water nicked his spell.  He built the fire up and sped it towards the blot of water, where it erupted into steam.

Aled again drew water from the ground, this time swarming it around Rubedo.  Without room to build and whet his flame Rubedo wouldn’t be able to conjure anything strong enough to burn off Aled’s water.

Rubedo glowered at Aled for instant before grinning and kneeling down.  He closed his eyes and lowered his head as the air around him wavered with heat.  Aled jumped back as the air around Rubedo combusted with shuddering heat, reducing the water around him to vapor.

With a snarl of frustration, Aled thrust his hands in the air bringing a surge of water with them.  The blast lifted Rubedo off his feet and threw him across the way and into the crowd.

He was up in an instant, gritting his teeth with a growl of “b*****d!” before drawing a line of flame around the Dellyn Mage.

“Duel complete!”  The arbitrator shouted as Rubedo was knocked down by another surge of water and Aled’s boots caught flame.  “I said duel complete!”

Both boys were jerked upward into the air by their feet, held aloft by a tsking Elder Gnarus.

“I almost had him!” Aled shouted as he twisted in the air, “A fire Mage holds no sway over water!”

Rubedo had been attempting to untie his boot, but found the spell was on his foot and not his shoe, “Nonsense!  No element is above the other, or have you forgotten the sacred balance?”

“I’ll drown you!”

“I’ll boil your water to mist!  I have the deepest magik well in Drajan!”

“I call the duel a draw.”  Oldik said with a tired smile, looking at Elder Gnarus, “I tried.”

“That you did.”  Gnarus agreed, glaring at Rubedo and nodding towards a gaping Luna.

The boy winced at his behavior and made a mental note to reel in his drinking for a few hours.  He sighed and held his hands up.  “Agreed, a draw.”

“You would agree to a draw-”

“Shut it, Aled!”  Someone in the crowd shouted.

Aled’s glare was interrupted as the boys were dropped, both landing with a breathless “oof!” as someone called for medics. The boys were checked over before being released back into the crowd.

Madidus grinned as he clapped Rubedo on the back and shouted, “The great Rubedo!”  Not even water holds sway over his flame!”

Rubedo threw his head back and laughed, waving to Luna before he was swept into a nearby building for a victory drink.

“And that, my dear.”  Azara said with a wink, “Is a Black Mage duel.”  She linked arms with her and started to pull her into the pub, “I’m sure our men view this as a victory for Drajan, they do.  Let’s go watch them be stupid.”

The scene inside the pub was chaos as the men bolstered through a drinking chant.  Madidus was in the center, downing a large mug as the people goaded him all.  Rubedo was chanting with the others, banging his own mug on the table and laughing at the antics around him.

“Men are so stupid.”  Azara commented through her smiled, taking Luna’s hand and leading her to a distant table.  “We’re at a safe distance here �" who knows when someone will throw something.”

“This is normal?”  Luna asked, “For a festival, I mean.”

Azara nodded, “Quite normal, this is.  No more out of control than other celebrations.”

Luna smiled, longing for the music and dancing of her own people.

Azara winked at her and excused herself with a promise of a fast return.  She went to the men and put an arm around her little brother, whispering to him.  He grinned and slapped Madidus on the chest, shouting something at him.

Madidus jumped onto a table and took a swig of his drink.  Rubedo waved his ocarina as a reminder and begin to play a bouncy tune as Madidus took a final drink before singing.

Oh, my darling, my dear.

My sweet little child.

I made you a doll

Of wood and of straw

You laughed and we played

As the bright day grew dark

Until the voice of your mum did call you away.

Well now you have grown,

No longer a girl.

I wrote you a poem

Of love and of lust.

You laughed and we sang

As the bright day grew dark

Until your father came forth to take you back home.

Now we are grown,

I don now my cape,

I gave you my seal,

My love and my heart.

You laughed and we wed

As the bright day grew dark

No longer your folks’, but finally mine!

Luna laughed and applauded with the group as Madidus took a bow.  His voice was gravely and not particularly in tune, but it lent itself to the song’s story like quality.  Madidus grinned and Rubedo and crouched on the table, saying something to him under the roar of the crowd.  Rubedo seemed hesitant but Madidus took the ocarina and pocketed it before gesturing towards another man with a similar instrument.

As I walked down this lonely path of life,

I stopped when I heard a lovely bird’s tune.

Off the path I did go, in search of the song,

And in search of the lips that formed such sweet notes.

My love, my dove, my sweet little bird,

Sing me a song, to lift up my heart,

My love, my dove, my sweet little bird,

Fly to my side, and stay for all time.

Quite unexpectedly, Rubedo was beside Luna, offering a hand and paying special attention to his alcohol-ailed balance.  “May I?”  Luna took his hand and he led her in an unfamiliar dance, quite different from the waltzes she was used to.  It was similar, but much faster than her own. Every so often he would lead her to spin until she felt dizzy.

Those notes they did fill my head up with wine,

And I was force to stop as the world did spin.

I looked around, oh God I was lost!

The only birds around, they cawed and they screeched.

This song was telling a story too.  As Rubedo spun her around the man continued to search for the bird, and many times thought he had found it, but in the end it was always the wrong bird.  After many trials, the man was finally able to find the bird he was looking for and turned into a bird himself so that he could fly away with her.

After the song ended Madidus clapped his hands in a rhythm above his head, urging the musicians to follow him.  It seemed to be a familiar rhythm and all the Black Mages shouted in agreement and shoved tables and chairs to the walls of the room.

Rubedo laughed and pulled Luna away, leaning in and shouting over the ruckus, “They’re dancing games! They’re easier than they look, they are �" just follow my lead!”

Luna didn’t quite believe that the dances were easy, but with Rubedo to lead her through the motions it was doable.  Half the dancers had arched their hands while the others ran under them, moving quickly to avoid the group bringing their arms down and capturing the slower groups.  Luna quickly caught on that many of the dances were similar games or just following a series of commands given by whoever was leading at the time.

Rubedo laughed and pulled her into a corner as they called for a women’s jig.

“Black Mage clothing suits you, it does.”  He whispered as touched his forehead to hers, “You’re very beautiful in it.”

“Rubedo?”

He forcibly blinked and jerked away from her.  What in the world was he doing?

“I-I’m sorry.”  He said with a bow as he backed away, “I’ve had too much to drink, I have.  I need to leave.”  Before she could react he ducked into the crowd, cursing himself.  She wasn’t some Black Mage girl he could tuck himself into a corner with.  That sort of behavior was chuckled about and lightheartedly scolded among his own people, but he could only imagine the condemnation that such an act would incur in White Mage culture.

It made him feel sick to think what she was thinking right now.

As Rubedo shouldered his way through the crowd and out the door, Comitis was already on damage control.

“Come on, lovie.”  She said to Luna, “Let’s get you fixed with some drink.”

“Why did he-”

“You’ll have to forgive him, Lunamis.  He’s drunk, he is.  I think he forgot you weren’t a Black Mage for a few seconds.”

Luna shook her head, “No, why did he just leave like that?”

Comitis couldn’t help but laugh. It was obvious that Luna’s innocence hadn’t seen anything past the gentle touch to her forehead. “Like I said, he’s drunk.  Who knows what’s going on in his addled brain?  Here lovie, take a nip.”

Luna took the cup and twisted it in her hands.  She wondered where “lovie” came from.  She had never heard it but now she was being called it left and right.  Maybe it was something that didn’t quite translate into the universal tongue?

“Take a nip, Lunamis.”  Comitis repeated, this time a bit firmer.

When Luna looked up she noticed some of the nearby Black Mages were glancing in their direction with eyes narrowed in thought.  Luna tipped the glass up until she felt the burn of alcohol on her lips.  She hastily placed it back on the table and looked at Comitis in question.

Comitis moved so Luna had to turn her back on the group to see her.  She leaned on her hands and said with a smile and false laugh, “Just nod and pretend you’re talking �" you're quiet and soberness has been noted.”

The ruse didn’t last long.

“Comitis!”  One of the group shouted, getting up and leaning on their table, “I don’t recognize your lovely friend.”  He looked at Luna, “Where do you hail?”

“She’s from up north, near Viktor’s home village.”  Comitis interrupted, drinking from her cup, “Ashnal.”

“I was talking to your friend.”  He countered with a smile.  “Where are you from?”

“Ashnal.”  Luna said quietly, trying in desperation to mimic Comitis’ accent.

“And you are?”

How was it the Black Mages introduced themselves?  Their village and name �" did they use last names or not?  She struggled to recall, but even with that she didn’t know enough of the language to replicate it.

“Alice.”  Comitis supplied with a warning look.  Her real name would be as big of a betrayal as her accent.

“You’re not talking much.”

Comitis bristled, “She’s shy and you’re annoying �" leave us alone!”

One of the other men leaned in, “Are things very different in Ashnal?”

“Go away, Myriad!”

“I just want to know if things are different there �" she acts strangely and I’ve never heard of Ashnal.”  He smiled at her, “So, yes or no.  Is Ashnal terribly different?”

Finally!  A bit of the tongue Rubedo had taught her.

She nodded, “Sic.”

Somewhere in her imagination, Luna had expected a confirming smile and nod from Comitis.  But instead the girl winced and touched her forehead just above her widened eyes.  Her accent was completely wrong.

Myriad l slammed his hands on the table, shooting a glare towards Comitis.  “I knew it!  She’s no Black Mage!”

Heads had turned and the room quieted.  Comitis nodded towards the door and Viktor tore out of the bar in the direction Rubedo had disappeared.

Madidus shouldered himself between the table and Myraid, forcing a laugh, “You’re drunk, go sit back down.”

Myraid shoved him, “Back off!”

Madidus held his hands up, “Pull your reigns.  She’s just from Ashnal, they all talk like that.”  He gripped his shoulder and steered him away from the table, “Let me buy you something, get some food in your belly and clear your head.”

The table jumped as Myraid grabbed Madidus and shoved him against it.  “Why are you protecting her?  She hasn’t spoken, hasn’t drank, and she hasn’t stopped looking confused!”  He swung his head towards Luna, “You don’t have a clue what’s going on, just who are you?”

Madidus jerked him back by his collar.  “Leave the girl alone, you’re making an a*s out of yourself-”  A punch to his gut dropped him to the floor before we could finish.

“Madidus!”  Luna kneeled beside him and looked back at Myraid, “Have you lost your mind?”  She shouted in her own tongue, not even bothering to translate it, “He’s done you no harm!”

Luna yipped as Myraid grabbed her by the arm and pulled her up.  Chairs scuffed the wooden floor as people stood to see what was happening.

“Ashnal, eh?  Never heard of a White Mage living among us.”  He grinned at Comitis, “Does Ashnal even exist, or did you lie about that too?”  He pulled Luna upward so her toes barely scuffed the floor, “See what company Drajan keeps?  White Mages!”

“Don’t you touch her!”

Glasses shattered as Rubedo leaped onto their table and tackled Myraid.  A fireball swirled in one hand while the other held him down against the floor.

“Son of a b***h, you keep your hands of our girls, you hear me!”

“Your girls!”  Myraid cackled, “I’m no fool �" she’s an outsider!  And not just any outsider at that, she’s a White Mage!”

“White Mage or not, you don’t touch her!”

Alad stood not, cocking his head to the side.  “So it’s true.  Rumors have been going around that there was an outsider here.”  He shook his head, “My hope was that it was a foreign Mage or perhaps a Human, but not this.”

Madidus stumbled up, “Shove off.  She’s not like the others.”

For the second time that night, Rubedo was jerked into the air.  He didn’t bothering trying to get down, but instead glared in the direction of Gnarus as he entered the bar.

“Stop it.”  His head moved from one side of the bar to another, “All of you, sit down.”

Everyone sat down.

“And you all whine and lament how they treat us.”  He said, “Look at you all.  A White Mage so much as walks into one of our festivals and you all lose your heads.  She has not so much as spoken to any of you, much less caused any problems.  This whole night she has done nothing but fret and hold her tongue in fear she would be discovered �" and this is precisely why.”

“They started this whole mess.”  One muttered, “They’ve hated us for centuries because of a group of zealots.”  He glared at Luna, “Not one even asked us if we had anything to do with it.”

Luna lowered her head and twisted her sleeves.  She missed her protective wimple and hood.

“Perhaps.”  Elder Gnarus agreed, “But tell me, what have you done to show them otherwise?”  When no answer came Gnarus gestured towards the group, “How many of you have really tried to change their thoughts on us?  Or have you all been too busy causing them torment.  ‘Oh, nothing harmful’ you might say, ‘merely annoying.  Dousing their campfires, catching their feet with vines so they fall, blowing away their skirts or combusting the cooking meals when I stumble onto a campsite.’  You all are a disgrace.”

Luna looked at Rubedo, who seemed determined not to look at her.  He glared at his boots with his jaw set.

“Yes, they have treated us wrongly, and yes we have suffered.  But have we not delivered that treatment back tenfold?  This child has done none of this.  She was delivered to us on bended knee with the plea to keep her safe.  One of our own has been designated to keep her in his care.  The White Mages have made a difficult and painful move by allowing this �" and you answer it by attacking the very one we were asked to keep safe.”

He smiled, “Perhaps this is a good thing.  It is a sign that wounds may be healing.  The death of a princess was the beginning of this hatred �" and now the life of a princess has been placed in our hands.”

The silence was only broken by a quiet, “Damn.”  from the back and a resounding whoop from Madidus.

“And forgot that they were brothers!”  He shouted, “The very sentence is in our scriptures �" so let us welcome our sister among us!  Hear me well!”

The cheers were slow coming, but with a few more supportive interjections shook the bar.  Rubedo grinned at Luna and leaned in towards her, “What can I say �" we’re easy to stir up.”

Madidus pulled him away, laughing as he whispered, “Although, my friend, I don’t think you should think of her as a sister.”  He winked, “The way you were huddled in a corner, I fear you’ll commit a dastardly deed.”

Rubedo shoved him away with a grin, “You’re drunk.”

“We shall live!”  He responded, “We shall laugh, we shall love, and by the Creator God, we shall drink!”  And he downed the cup in his hand.

Author's Note

I'm interested in anything that you think will improve this writing. From grammar and spelling errors, to funny dialogue and plot holes that I've missed, to things that just don't sound right.