Offensive Maneuvers

Muld is brought before the Queen of the Lossasidhe

40.

Offensive Maneuvers

 

 

“Where were you last night?”   Her mother’s voice brought Syndi out of her sleep with a sense of dread.

“What?” She asked, mostly to give her time to prepare her defense.

“You heard me, young lady!    You had us all worried to death!”

“Really?   You didn’t seem to be awake when I came in, so you didn’t seem to be that worried.”

Syndi braced herself just in time for the expected slap and took it stoically, glaring definitely at her mother.

“How dare you speak to me like that!”  The Queen snapped at her, “I don’t know what has got into you, Syndi!    Since we’ve arrived here you have been nothing but defiant.”

“Well, what am I supposed to do?    Do you expect me to sit and knit in the tower, while everyone else goes on living around me?”

“You could have stayed with your father and me and learned how to behave like a proper lady!”

“And how does a proper lady act, mother?”

“You know perfectly well how a lady acts!”

“But I have no choice in the matter, do I!”   Syndi flipped the bedcovers back and jumped to her feet, her eyes blazing, “You expect me to be your doppelganger, mother!    All because Eioldth disappointed you with the choices she made!”

Queen Synthaeia raised her hand to slap her again, but as she swung, Syndi caught her mother’s hand by the wrist and jerked it down.

“Stop, mother, I’m almost a grown woman and I’m tired of you slapping me every time you don’t like what I have to say!   If we can’t yell and argue without you slapping me, I’ll just slip out and leave you to gripe and boss the servants!   If you expect me to act mature, then start treating me that way!”

The Queen’s eyes burned, and though she restrained herself, there was a dangerous edge mixed in with the controlled calmness of her voice, “Alright, then, Syndi.   Let me tell you what I already know about what you did yesterday.     You were with a low-born Elven magician apprentice who took you all over the town showing you various enchanted magic items until late in the evening.”

“Oh, don’t look so surprised!    Surely you knew I could find you!    I admit that you slipped from us for a while, but there were several guards shadowing you from the time the sun set until you crept back into the Ducal Keep.”

“How in the world do you think you ever got inside at that late hour?   I had to embarrass myself to request that the night watch would allow you to come in.   How embarrassing for both of us, Syndi!    Do you not have any shame, child?    Being led around by a lowly magician’s apprentice!   Thank goodness he didn’t take advantage of you!”

“He isn’t like that, mother!    And he’s not a ‘lowly magician apprentice’ either!   He’s a Practical Magic Engineer!”

The Queen laughed, “Oh really!    Well, that sounds quite impressive!   Don’t you know that those so-called Practical Magicians are merely those too stupid or unskilled to advance as Wizards?”

Syndi frowned, her hands crossed against her chest, “That’s not true at all mother!   You don’t even know what Practical Magic really is!”

Synthaeia smirked, “Enchanting outhouses and making glow sticks; such a waste of arcane power.”

“Oh, why is that, mother?    Should all magic users be off looking for dragons to fight?    Maybe that is why Westmark is much more modern then our home.”

“They’re gimmicks, Syndi.   Simply that.   If Duke and Duchess Dullerm want that for their city, it is their business, but it shows an immaturity toward magic.”

“Well, your attitude toward it shows a fear of the practicality of using magic for mundane purposes.    You’re a slave to the past, mother.”

“Things were far more stable then, child.    Magic was respected and everyone knew their place in the world.   Daughters would not act hateful to their mothers, as well.”

“How am I acting hateful to you?   You were the one who came in here with your accusations.   Apparently you knew what I was doing, anyway, so even asking me what I was doing was just another of your little head games with me.”

“You are a foolish girl, who has no idea of the wisdom that I am trying to impart upon you.    Hopefully you won’t be killed or harmed before you learn the truth.”

“Oh please, mother!    You just want to have me under your thumb at all times.    You don’t even know that you are doing it!”

“You will behave like a Princess, or you will stay locked in this room until you learn some manners!”   Queen Synthaeia yelled at her, “I have things to attend to, and I am not going to debate this any further.   Don’t have any ideas of sneaking out of this keep, either, because I have asked the guards to make certain you don’t slip away.”

“Am I your prisoner, mother?    I thought this Keep belonged to the Duke and Duchess of Dullerm.”  

The Queen only hissed slightly at her youngest daughter, spun on her heels and stormed out of the room, slamming the door so hard that the table by the bed rattled.

“She’s impossible!” Syndi fumed, grabbing a pillow and tossing it across the room at the door.    It didn’t help ease her anger at all and with a frustrated sigh, the young Elven princess decided to get dressed.

 

***

 

“Is this him?”   Synthaeia asked the guard as they led a very bewildered Muld Mozzil into her presence, still clad in chains.

“Yes, Your Highness.”   The guard leaned in close to the Queen’s ear, “Your Majesty, I might humbly suggest to you to remove the chains from him.   If he was to mention it to the Duke of Dullerm, he might not be pleased to find that we arrested and confined a person without his authority.    The Autumn Maid is just now landing, Your Majesty, and King Eiolmoel is awaiting the Duke and Duchess to disembark at the landing platform.”

Queen Synthaeia nodded, “Alright, I see your point.   Remove the chains; I will keep this brief.”

The guard gestured to the other guard and they unshackled the chains from Muld.   He stood there rubbing his wrists, looking uncertain at the Queen as she stared banefully at him.

“Who are you?”  She finally asked, and her tone told the magician that he had better not try to lie or evade the question.

“I am Muld Mozzil, formerly of Aeropolis.”

“Do you know who I am?”

“The guard told me you are the Queen of the Losasidhe Elves.”

“I am, indeed.  Do you know why I have had you detained?”

“I have no idea, Your Majesty, for I do not think I was lawfully arrested.   This is not your Kingdom but Duke Dullerm’s.”

“How dare you question me!”   She growled, pointing a finger at him, “You are very lucky I did not have you killed, charlatan.”

“Charlatan?    I am a -“

“- A Practical Magician, yes so I have been informed.    This gives you license to prowl about at night and snoop around, I guess?”

“Snoop around?   I didn’t go anywhere illegal or do anything improper!   You have no right to detain me!”

“If your actions endanger what is mine, I have every right!”

“What are you talking about?    I didn’t do anything to bother anything that belongs to you!”

 

Suddenly the door to the ducal audience room opened up and in stepped Duke and Duchess Dullerm, accompanied by the others in their group, as well as King Eiolmoel, who was speaking to the Duke as they entered.

Looking up, the King gestured for Queen Synthaeia to come to him and after a warning look at Muld, she did, first putting on her most diplomatically friendly face.

“Duke Eleazar, may I present my wife, Queen Synthaeia.” 

The Half-Drow Duke bowed politely and Synthaeia curtseyed slightly.

“Queen Synthaeia, I am honored to meet you.   I apologize for our absence upon your arrival.”

“Duke Eleazar, that is certainly understandable!”  She purred, then turning to Aurei, “You must be Duchess Aurei!”

“Hello, Your Majesty,” Aurei said with a slight curtsey (as she held Aidan in her arms), “I am pleased to finally meet you.    I counted your daughter Eioldth as one of my dearest friends.”

Synthaeia’s face saddened, “I am sure she returned the affection, Duchess.    Who is this you are holding?”

Aurei introduced her youngest child and for a few moments the two ladies chatted about children.    Synthaeia was cautious not to mention her own daughter.

“We were just discussing the situation in the south.”   King Eiolmoel said finally, as he pulled the conversation back to more serious matters.

Eleazar nodded, “Yes, I was telling His Highness that we have several plans outlined which we intend to act upon, as soon as we work out several details.   Unfortunately, we will not be able to achieve one of them.”

“Oh?   What would that plan be?   Perhaps there is something we might give counsel on.”   Synthaeia replied politely; always skilled at courtly etiquette. 

“Well, it was a rather far flung scheme, actually.”   Eleazar told her, “We were hoping to block the Imperial Legions from entering through Southgate - and Redburr’s men from using it to escape if we defeat them- by blocking off Orc Pass.”

Queen Synthaeia smiled as if acknowledging both the validity of the strategy as well as the impossibility of the plan.

“It can be done!   I can do it!”   Muld, who had stood quietly next to the Elven guards now shouted excitedly across to them.

“Silence!”  One of the guards mumbled loud enough for all to hear, but Eleazar had heard the young magician’s claim and walked over to him.

“Who are you?” He asked Muld.  

The Elf bowed low, “I am Muld Mozzil, Your Grace, a refugee from Aeropolis.    I was the apprentice of Master Gregg Hofflis of the Guild of Practical Magic Engineers, sir.     My master studied the geologic formations of Orc Pass under commission of one of the earlier Emperors, who wanted information on fortifying it opposite of Southgate.”  

“Later on my Master also led some of his students - including me- to study Southgate’s defenses, as well as teaching us about fortification applications, by using Orc Pass as a test on how we would best defend it.”

Eleazar looked very interested, “So you have a great understanding of the mountainside of the pass?”

“Yes, your Grace, I understand the type of rock there and what is needed to make it fill the valley with a rockslide.”

Across the room, Queen Synthaeia snickered slightly.

“How would this be done, young man?”  Eleazar quizzed.

Immediately, Muld launched into a detailed description of the density of the rock and the types of spells needed to bring it down.   For nearly five minutes he talked and everyone in the room - including the Losasidhe Queen, was impressed with his knowledge.

“- So, your Grace, if you had three wizards to cast two Mud to Rock spells, and another one to cast an Earthquake spell at the same time, I am confident that many tons of rock from the sides of the pass would fall into it, deeply filling it.”   Muld bowed slightly as he finished speaking.

“That is quite impressive, young man.   I knew of your master, as he sent several of his graduates here to do various practical magic projects for us.”

“Muld, tell me something.” Duchess Aurei asked, walking over to them, “Why exactly are you here right now anyway?”

From across the room, Queen Synthaeia looked up in panic.   Muld glanced at her for an instant, then turned to Aurei and smiled warmly, “Your Grace, it is actually the Queen’s doing.”

“Really?” Aurei asked, turning to Synthaeia, who was preparing to defend herself verbally.   But Muld spoke first.

“Yes, it seems that Her Majesty heard about me and had me brought here to ask me about my ideas on that very matter.   We had just begun to talk when you arrived, Your Grace.”   Muld looked over at the Queen with arched eyebrows.    Synthaeia looked slightly sick, but relieved and quickly put on her diplomatic smile.

“That’s right, Duchess - he has been noticed by many people here over the past few days and I thought I might suggest to him how he might be of service to all of us.”

Eleazar looked back and forth between the Queen and Muld, sensing some tension, but also seeing some sort of silent understanding being worked out between them.  

“Muld, if I was to ask you to block Orc Pass, and if I were to provide the assistance and the means to get there and do it, would you be willing?”

“I would be honored, Your Grace.”   Muld bowed low.

“What would your fee for this be?” Aurei asked the young man.

“Your Grace, I only ask this:   if I am successful in this endeavor, I would like to receive your permission to be allowed to practice Practical Magic here in Westmark and that I would be considered first by Your Graces when there would be any Practical Arcane Engineering done.”

Aurei and Eleazar looked at each other in surprise at the simple request.

“Young man, that seems to benefit us more than it would you.” Aurei said to him.

“Your Grace, I am currently homeless and have no place to practice my craft.   Many are somewhat suspicious or even hostile to Practical Magic Engineers.    To have a safe place to set up shop, with the blessing of the rulers, would be quite a reward to me.”

Eleazar grinned and extended his hand to the young Elf, “Well, then you have a deal, Master Muld.    I would like to get this project started by tomorrow morning.    I have an airship that can get you to Southgate quickly, though you might have to walk a distance to avoid
Redburr’s forces - or perhaps it is the Emperor’s forces by now- from seeing you, but I think we can put you down there safely and extract you quickly after it is done.”

“That sounds fine, Your Grace.”

“Good!    I will introduce you to General Luca - he will see that you will get what you need and will suggest wizards that you might interview to assist you.   Say, you wouldn’t happen to have any ideas on a mask to filter out the effects of smoke from a fire, would you?”

 

Muld grinned, “That’s quite simple, sir.    A simple purify cantrip cast upon a large piece of cloth, followed by a spell called ‘Repeat and Return’ which all Practical Magicians know.   It will repeat the first spell cast upon the cloth and return the cloth to that state, for a week after both spells are cast.    Then you cut up the cloth into as many pieces you need, and attach straps so they can be worn around the mouth and nose.”

“The spells will filter the air, and though the cloth will grow dirty, the Repeat and Return spell will restore the clean state about four times a day, for seven days.    At the end of that time the clothes will lose their magic.”

“Are the spells difficult to cast?”

“Not at all, sir.   Miners often have more permanent versions of this spell cast upon masks all the time.    As these types of spells are not permanent, they are easily cast.    How many do you need?”

Eleazar led him away, discussing details as they went down the stairs to find the General.   As he passed Queen Synthaeia, Muld smiled warmly and bowed slightly, which drew a glare from the Queen, but no other response.

 

Behind a door slightly cracked open, Syndi grinned at the triumph of the magician.    She had heard everything.   The Princess quietly closed the door, as the Duchess continued to talk to her parents.    Never had anyone got the best of her mother!    Muld was certainly a magician if he could work that sort of magic.   

Syndi had an idea for the young man’s next feat of magic- he was going to help her disappear.    She hurried back to her room, to plot out her plan, anxious to give it a try.  

Reviews

[Elina]

"...the sides of the pass would fall into it, filling it very deep." The last portion of this sentence doesn't sound quite right to me.

[Eddie Davis]

Thanks, Elina, I changed it to 'deeply filling it.'