Orientation

In Flux, Eioldth, Sirya and Aranthi learn about their new home from Deborah, a Watcher.

13.

Orientation

 

 

As she waited for the class to begin, Eioldth could not help but wonder what was happening back in Northmarch.   She was fortunate enough to have access to Sophia’s scrying computer, so she knew that Redburr’s forces were now attacking Westmark.   The frustrating part for the former Queen was her inability to help them.

 

Sophia had been very sympathetic, but assured her that their help was limited to what Yesh would allow.   Before she was to assume Sophia’s job, Yesh had ordered her to attend an orientation class that all newcomers to Flux were required to attend.

 

Sophia had told her that there were fewer and fewer people from Synomenia brought to Flux each year, and the class that she and Aurei’s two daughters now were sitting in, was the first class offered here in a year and a half (by Flux time).

 

So she sat there talking with Sirya and Aranthi as they awaited their instructor.   It was supposed to be another Watcher, a Colonel Ferebee, though Eioldth didn’t know just what military organization this colonel was involved with, here in peaceful Flux.

 

But she didn’t have long to wonder, for a few moments later the door to the meeting room opened and a pretty  lady  who looked to be Elven, came hurriedly inside.  She set down something that Eioldth now knew to be a laptop computer on the desk, which she then quickly opened up while addressing them.

 

“Good morning, ladies, I am very sorry to keep you waiting, but I had to wait on the runway before I could taxi into the hanger.   I shouldn’t have cut it so close.   My name is Deborah Ferebee; one of the Watchers of Yesh.   My jurisdiction is the Southern Empire and their subject states.”   She looked up and scrutinized the three women seated along the conference table.  

When she saw Eioldth, her blue eyes widened in recognition, “My goodness!   You’re Queen Eioldth of Northmarch, aren’t you?!”

Eioldth nodded, “Well, formerly the Queen, now simply the wife of the mayor of Flux.”

“I hadn’t heard of your arrival!   I knew there was talk of bringing you here in several months so Sophia could train you before her maternity leave begins, but I didn’t know they had moved that plan forward.”

“Well, they didn’t, actually, you see, I…died.”

“Died?  How did this happen?”

 

She told the Watcher the tale and Colonel Ferebee shook her head, “I guess I should have checked my messages, I’m sure Sophia probably texted me, but I’ve been very wrapped up with the mess in the south and all I saw was the message that I needed to teach an introduction to Flux class.   I’m so sorry about the trouble in Northmarch.”

“I don’t follow the happenings there as closely as I should, unless they affect the Southern Empire.”   The lady turned to the two Drow girls, “From Eioldth’s story, I would surmise that you are both daughters of the Duke and Duchess of Dullerm and Westmark?”

 

“I’m Sirya and this is Aranthi.   Yes, we are their daughters.   Sophia said you are a Colonel; is there an army in Flux?”   Sirya asked as the Colonel sat down.

“There’s no need for an army here, or actually much of a police force.   I was a Colonel in the Air Force in another world before the Great Gathering.   My world was a variant of the Prime World, which you have probably heard about, but peopled by Elven races instead of humans.   In my former world, there was a terrible world-wide war and I was the commander of a squadron of aircraft called ‘fighter jets’.    Yesh selected me as a Watcher due to my quick adaptability to new surroundings and fascination with history.”

“And you watch over the Southern Empire?”   Aranthi asked her.

“Yes, as well as compiling records of the happenings of the empire.   I’m also on the council on Technology here in Flux where we decide what sort of technological items will be allowed and how they will be powered.   Thankfully they allowed me to have some jet aircraft which I fly often for enjoyment.   In fact, as part of this class, I will be taking up all of you in a small private jet to show you the whole of Flux.   But that will not be until the end of the class.”

“Were your aircraft brought here by Yesh, Colonel Ferebee?”  Eioldth wondered.

“Please, ladies, just call me Deborah.   Actually Eioldth, they were Archmage Drake’s; you see, before the Great Gathering he collected items from the various universes and parallel dimensions he visited, and kept them here in Flux.   At the time, Flux was his own private ‘sub-world’.”

“But at the time of the Great Gathering, Yesh allowed him to keep Flux as a base of operations for the Watchers.   When he met me and learned I had been a pilot in my former world, he very generously gave me his collection.   I’ll show you three ladies all of them when we go up for that flight around Flux.   But first you’ll have to sit through the class.”

 

The Colonel picked up several bound stacks of paper and passed them to the three of them.

“I’m handing out the textbook for this class, ‘A History of Flux’ by yours truly.   We won’t go over all of this, of course, but this should get you up to speed on your new home.   Now if you’ll turn with me to page 17, we’ll get started…”

 

Eioldth sat back in her chair and tried not to think about her friends back in Westmark, with very little success.

 

***

 

The city of Westmark was buzzing with activity, but thankfully for the weary defenders, Redburr’s generals had ordered his troops back to their camps about a mile east of town.   It was only late morning, so they were unsure if Redburr’s forces would simply regroup for a time and then resume the attack in the afternoon, or if that was all for the day.

 

But as the sentries kept close watch for a renewed attack, Aedric was standing near the bedside of King Travin, while Matron Zeatt and some of her underling clerics chanted healing spells upon him.

“Why aren’t they more effective in healing him?”   Mattleos asked as he stood anxiously beside his cousin.

“We experienced a similar problem right after Redburr’s wizard cast that Fireball spell that killed the Queen.   It was as if the magic was resistant to healing magic.”

“I will bet it has something to do with those amulets some of those soldiers wore.   Perhaps they have found something - a spell or relic- to neutralize our magic.”

“Yet it seemed that most of their army didn’t have these amulets.   Perhaps they were targeting King Travin.”

 

Just then the door opened and the Duke and Duchess of Dullerm hurried in, followed not only by Snoe, but also by Sir Gamel and Lady Amala.

 

Aedric and Mattleos bowed respectfully to them as they came over to speak with them.

“How is King Travin?”   Duchess Aurei asked Aedric.

“He is strong, Your Grace, but it seems as if his wounds are somewhat resistant to healing, much like the effects of the deadly fireball in King’s Reach.”

 

Immediately Aedric hated his choice of words, for the Duchess had lost two daughters and several dear friends in that attack.    But she didn’t seem too affected by his words and only nodded.

“If you hadn’t come to his aid, he probably would have perished.”

“I regret that I could not have reached him sooner nor done more, Your Grace.   I’m also terribly sorry that you were put under stress worrying about Lady Snoe.   I must tell you that she was instrumental in the destruction of the Dwarven Bridge, as well as saving my life after we fell with it.   She is an extraordinary swordswoman and well loved by King Travin’s people.”

 

The Duchess smiled at his words, turning to her white skinned daughter, who was looking at her feet as usual.   She somewhat meekly came forward and stood beside him as Aurei spoke briefly to Lord Mattleos.

 

While she was still talking to him, Aedric turned to Gamel and Amala, “I am also very sorry that both of you had to go through such trouble trying to find Lady Snoe and me.   I am very glad you both are well.”

“As we are that you and our headstrong sister are safe and well, Prince Aedric.”   Amala replied, but now her use of the title seemed less sarcastic and more genuine.

“How is your grandfather, Aedric?”   Gamel asked, “Did he see you before he lost consciousness?”

“Briefly, yes.   I didn’t get a chance to speak to him much.   However Queen Mathlyn spent a lot of time with Snoe and I.”

“How did you survive the collapse of the Gorge Bridge?”   He asked, and Aedric gave him a brief account, with Snoe adding bits of information, while Mattleos and Amala listened in growing amazement.

 

Finally, Duke Eleazar, who had been quietly speaking to Zeatt about the condition of King Travin, came over to speak to him.

“Aedric, I have spoken to Reverend Mother Zeatt about King Travin and she feels that his condition is stable, but that it may take several days or perhaps weeks of healing spells before he is whole again.”

“Your Grace, what can I do to help?”  He asked, “As you know, my mission to the Faesidhe failed and I fear that may have helped Redburr’s plans.”

 

Eleazar was surprised by this, “Young man, you may have not contacted the Faesidhe, but your sabotage of the Gorge Bridge and rallying of the Sylvan forces upon your arrival here more than made up for that!”

 

Aedric just shrugged, looking awkwardly at his feet much as Snoe often did, “It seemed so little and as it is, it was too late to keep King Travin from being seriously injured.   Who will lead his archers now?   Did he have a trusted captain with him that is capable of strategy?   If not, then certainly Lord Mattleos can assume the role, Your Grace.   He is the best choice, I would say.”

“That decision would be up to you, Aedric.”  The Duke replied.

“Me?   I just made a suggestion, Your Grace.   You are in authority here, sir; the final decision would be yours.”

“Not when it concerns the Sylvan forces.   They are subjects of King Travin, and with him incapacitated, you are their leader.”

 

Aedric looked up in a panic, glancing back and forth from Eleazar to Mattleos for help, “Your Grace, I can’t lead the Sylvan archers!”

“I don’t see why not, Aedric.   You are their crown prince.”

“I’m not even fully Sylvan!   King Travin may not think of me as an heir!”

 

Mattleos shook his head, “Aedric, I can assure you that he does indeed think of you as his heir.   Though he had not met you before today, he spoke to me often of you and had strong hopes of one day meeting you.”

“That’s insane, Mattleos!   He wouldn’t pin his hopes on someone he had never met!   He had no idea who I was or what I was like!   You know the Sylvan people far better than I do.   You should lead the archers!”

“I will be glad to do so, Aedric, but only as your assigned general.”

“I’m not going to lord over you or any of the Sylvan people!   It’s not fair to them or to you.   I’m a half-breed outsider.”

“Aedric, that may be how your father’s people treated you, but the Sylvan people see you as the son of King Travin’s first born child, therefore, you are his heir and one of us.”

 

Aedric sighed in frustration, looking to Eleazar for help, but the Duke only smiled in complete agreement with Mattleos.

“Your Grace, I don’t know the first thing about leading men.   I lack any experience in that area.”

“Aedric, from what I saw when you brought King Travin to our position, you have already won the hearts of the Sylvan folk.”

“That’s impossible!   I haven’t done anything worthy of their respect.”

“You defended their King and got him to safety, personally defending him and leading his forces.   I had one of the archers tell me a while ago that you personally helped an injured archer make it to safety.”

“But that is nothing!   Any Paladin would do the same thing.   That does not make me worthy of that type of respect.”

“They think otherwise, Aedric.   Right now I need you to fulfill this role.   You have pledged your fidelity to me and my cause.   Therefore, I am asking you to lead the forces of King Travin when battle is rejoined.   Take charge and do your best and you will be assisting me in the best way.”

 

Aedric knew he couldn’t protest that, so he reluctantly agreed, but turned to Mattleos, “You are hereby named my chief lieutenant.   I am going to rely heavily upon you, Lord Mattleos.”

“I will gladly serve you, Your Highness.”   He replied, countering Aedric’s use of his title with one he knew would unsettle his cousin.  

 

Though he had - at first- grave reservations about Aedric, he now saw that his grandfather’s blind faith in the unsure young knight was correct.   Aedric was indeed the right one and the proper heir to the Sylvan throne.

“Well, the first thing we need to do is to determine just how many archers are fit enough to fight.”   He smiled at his cousin, “Matt, if you wouldn’t mind, take a count of them.   I will confer with Duke Eleazar where they might be of the best assistance.   I just hope everyone’s confidence in me won’t result in a disaster.”

“Don’t worry”, Snoe spoke up from where she stood next to her father, “We’ll help you look good.”

He was comforted in her jesting words.

 

 

Reviews

[Elina]

"But she didn’t have long to wonder, for a few moments later the door to the meeting room opened and a pretty lady who looked to be Elven, came hurriedly inside, sitting down something that Eioldth now knew to be a laptop computer on the desk, which she then quickly opened up while addressing them." This is a super long sentence; you may want to break it up into two. Also, where it says "...sitting down something..." it may sound better to use "setting."
"...Aedric was standing beside the bedside of King Travin..." This sounds a bit odd with "beside" and "bedside" being so similar. Perhaps if, instead, you had "...Aedric was standing at (or near) the bedside of King Travin..."
"...he would have probably perished." Maybe "...he probably would have perished."

[Eddie Davis]

Very good suggestions, Elina, which of course I will follow. Thank you for proofing my book.