Battle Mage: Dragon Mage (Tales of Alus) (27 page)

Orlerin pretended to care and held his chin, as if contemplating the man’s words. Surprising the ambassador’s and their wives, the mage said with a shrug, “I guess that you are right, though if Ambassador Brelleth’s office is anywhere near the size of this one, perhaps we could simply roll out our sleeping rolls there? We have been sleeping in tents on the prairie in the snow for most of the week, so I am sure a warm office would be fine.”

Looking a bit alarmed at the idea, the assistant ambassador leaned closer to Lord Lothran and said, “Perhaps we could use our influence with the inn keeper at the Two Circles Inn. They aren’t that expensive and if they haven’t sold out they do owe us for sending them business.”

“And we would be more business,” Evantus mumbled for the closest to hear.

The two ambassadors missed the comment, but seeing the younger man looking uncomfortable with the mage’s idea, he nodded and said to Orlerin, “Perhaps Two Circles will have an available room or can bump a reservation that hasn’t arrived. They may not be able to house you through the whole tournament, but we can at least try for the night.”

The youngest woman, Brelleth’s wife, was a pretty blond with intelligent looking eyes and she noted Tilana as the men spoke and heard them capitulate under the pressure exerted by the mage. “Maybe this wizard could enter the tournament to help support Staron? We have too few of our wizards attending, a mere handful, and she appears like a strong one. If she’s on the portal squad, that usually means they are quite skilled since not just any wizard can work in small groups against what they might find. An inn would almost have to take a wizard in the tournament even if it is the last moment.”

Brelleth glanced between the ambassador and his pretty trophy wife, and looked ready to reprimand the younger woman, but Lady Rotras brightened at the idea. “Yes, she should join the tournament. I am sure that she can fight well. As long as she uses magic that isn’t banned from the contests, she could participate.”

Caught off guard, the wizard started to protest, “But I haven’t practiced for a wizard’s duel in years.”

“You can duel and know combat magic, correct?” Lord Lothran asked seeming to assume that the answer had to be yes. “You will join and that will give you the leverage to find a pair of rooms I am sure.”

The man quickly moved to his desk and heated some wax while he jotted a message on a sheet of parchment. After rolling it up, he used the wax and his ring to seal the document. “There, that will help with the inn. Come back in the morning so we can get you registered, wizard...”

“Tilana,” the woman responded looking a little pale at the idea of having to join the tournament as a participant.

“Then it is settled. Your little group had better get moving before it is too late. I can’t guarantee the inn will help you out, but they do owe us,” the plump lord said in satisfaction as the fingers of his right hand twirled his mustache.

Before they could be shooed away, Colbie moved closer to the younger ambassador’s wife. “Could you recommend a place where we could buy some women’s clothing? You obviously have excellent taste and my cousin here,” she gestured to Cheleya, “would like to add to her wardrobe. She has money enough for something nice.”

After having the compliment make the attractive blond smile, her blue eyes warmed to the red headed mage. “If you have the money, then Heleneva’s might be what your friend would want. They have
everything and can make almost anything that they don’t have already. If you tell them Caraly Antoinear sent you, they should be very helpful. They also alter clothing, though your friend has some of the best fitting clothing I have ever seen.”

Colbie smiled and said, “Cheleya is a wizard capable of using spells that you won’t see very often.” She gestured to the dragoness, who quickly gathered that she was to demonstrate for the lady.

Running her finger along the seam of her loose fitting, yellow sleeve, the dragoness split the material like a sharp knife for six inches. Then the girl closed her fingers over the material knitting the sleeve back together as if nothing had ever happened.

Caraly’s eyes widened along with the others watching the spectacle. “Amazing, if you are as talented in other magic, then maybe you should be in the tournament as well. Though I admit knitting clothing is hardly a combat skill, your skill with this kind of magic is unusual as the battle mage said.”

Shaking her head, Cheleya replied, “I am afraid that I would be classified as a mage and not a wizard. I know little of how they duel.”

The scent of Cheleya had reached the ambassadors and their wives. As they talked, they seemed to notice the girl more and warmed to the dragoness. Lord Lothran smiled as he informed the group, but looked at Cheleya specifically, “I hear that there will be a battle mage from Southwall joining the tournament, so it is not against the rules. Of course, if you can’t duel within their rules with the proper magic, then I guess it wouldn’t work either.” He looked slightly disappointed that the girl couldn’t join the tournament as well, Cheleya thought.

Gathering Cheleya by the arm as Colbie noticed the strange change among the ambassador’s, the battle mage said in parting, “So three blocks to the west then?”

The blond woman nodded adding, “Heleneva’s.”

Retreating from the mansion while it was still early enough to find the inn and hopefully book their rooms, the team was soon on the street in front of the building. Colbie said to Orlerin, “I am going to take Cheleya to this tailor or whatever the store might be, while you can check into the inn situation.”

Looking a bit confused, the man rebutted, “Yes, what was that about anyway?”

Crinkling her nose looking uncomfortable with the question, she confessed, “She needs proper sleep wear. I am not sleeping next to a naked girl tonight.”

Evan grinned, “I will!”

Punching him in the arm very hard, Colbie glared at the young mage who began rubbing his arm from the unusually brutal punch. He was used to the woman striking him when he annoyed her, since it was the friendly love they showed for each other; though if he thought about it the abuse usually was one sided. “You will not be corrupting the girl, idiot.

“So anyway, unless Tilana would like to join us, I am stealing Cheleya away to buy her some proper under clothes and sleep wear. I figured the ambassador’s trophy wife would know of a nice place to look, since she obviously knows how to dress. This one,” she pointed at the dragoness in her charge, “probably wouldn’t be satisfied with just anything so a place catering to higher end tastes should have what she’ll wear.”

The dragoness wasn’t sure if she should protest against the many things said, especially the last.

Separating from the men, the women left Orlerin and Evantus to carry all but Cheleya’s pack, which had the money in it and would carry the new clothes with the old. With Kel’lor’s added to Colbie’s, Evan looked like a pack mule trying to juggle three large packs following Orlerin. The girls ignored his discomfort and complaints and went in search of the clothing store before they closed up shop for the night.

“You know that Cheleya probably doesn’t need the best clothing. With her magic, she can probably make whatever she wants with ease for little cost,” Tilana stated as she followed Colbie and Cheleya.

The battle mage noted that the wizard had been quick to leave the men to go shopping. “If you thought that, then why did you come along?”

Blushing slightly in embarrassment, Tilana confessed, “When will I ever get the chance to shop in a foreign city again? We don’t usually get much choice in what we wear anyway, so I thought that it might be fun.”

“I really don’t need to go to the best place in the city,” Cheleya protested as the battle mage continued to lead her like some wayward child.

Hugging the smaller girl’s shoulders a moment in a friendly, reassuring way, Colbie reminded the others, “Just because we look doesn’t mean that you have to buy. Worse comes to worse, you can see what they have and make something with your magic.”

With a big sigh, Cheleya looked disgusted with the idea and revealed why, “Kel’lor said it was becoming worthless magic. Tailoring magic he once called it.”

Patting the black sword’s pommel in the scabbard, Colbie shook her head, “You made these as well. Instead of looking at it like tailoring magic, think of it as a way to practice your alteration skills. Just because you’ve made clothes doesn’t mean that it is frivolous magic.”

Tilana pointed to a shop with a blue plaque. The center picture had a needle and thread in silver. It also had the name ‘Heleneva’s’ written at the base. Simple and direct, the silver paint led to a more expensive feel to the building even before they went inside.

Fancy and presumably expensive dresses lay on frames in the windows. Hat’s rested above, though no fake mannequin heads supported them. Simple rods rose from the frames above the dress necklines, while the hats finished the illusion of a woman wearing the pieces. Cheleya’s eyes went to the pretty dresses and looked at her yellow blouse with its loose, flowing sleeves and tight brown pants wondering if what she had made was considered even half as nice.

A bell rang above the door signaling their arrival for the shop workers. Catching sight of the three women entering the shop, a man of middle years and graying hair lost the smile that was being plastered on his face. His disappointment in seeing a battle mage and wizard was almost palpable. Recovering his fake smile, the man greeted them, “Good afternoon, ladies, welcome to Heleneva’s. Is there anything that I can help you find today or were you just looking?”

Colbie smiled back, and possibly did a better job of creating the look, as she replied, “My cousin is in dire need of underwear and things to wear to bed frankly. Her packing skills were woefully insufficient for the journey she has taken. I was thinking of buying some nice things made of silk so she can sleep in comfort.”

Turning his eyes to the dragoness who wanted to say that she hadn’t packed for a journey at all, the man nodded as he placed the forefinger of his right hand under his chin while resting his elbow on his other arm. “Well, I can see that she does dress in a unique style. I am not familiar with this look at all.”

“I used my magic to create them,” Cheleya stated debating on whether he had critiqued her clothes negatively. “I prefer dresses, but we rode horses to Hala.”

The man nodded understanding the need of something different in the middle of winter. Practicality often dictated what people wore, but fashion was an entirely different beast. “Well, I can see that you are petite and have little use for a bra apparently.”

Not even understanding what he was talking about, the girl looked to Colbie for help. The mage smiled, but managed not to laugh. “She is petite and young enough to probably just need a couple silk shirts to sleep in for her top. We just want her to be decent sharing a room during the stay.”

Leading them through a forest of dresses hanging from racks or on more of the dummies, the man presented several types of under clothing hanging or in neatly arranged rows on a couple tables. “It is amazing how often noble ladies come looking for new interesting under garments. One wonders what they get up to in their ebony keep. Unless you want to have her measured for custom tailored garments, perhaps these will do.”

He gestured towards a section of panties that were daintier than a group to his right that had a lot more material for larger women. Colbie looked at some of the huge pieces and wondered what manner of women wore such things. Some were fancier and made of lace and many looked a little risqué to a mage whose view on underwear leant towards more practical things. Cheleya, however, was already drawn to the silk bottoms and basic tops that would serve a dragoness well despite the cold temperature outside.

The man pulled out a tape measure and getting the girl’s permission, reached around to check her waist. Pointing to the pieces that would be closest to her fit, the salesman said, “These will fit well enough, though our custom pieces can be made more accurately, of course.”

Colbie smiled a little cooler and informed the man, “We’ll take what’s available. She has a remarkable ability to alter cloth to fit. If you’ll notice her pants and blouse, she took them from a much larger shirt and pants to make them.”

“I only had half the pants for these,” Cheleya said distractedly as she held up a piece to feel the material.

The man looked confused by their words, so Colbie finished, “Her magic can alter just about anything including making dresses and lightweight blouses from a male wizard’s old clothing. Making things fit won’t be a problem and we wouldn’t have the time for a normal order anyway.”

The salesman caught Tilana looking at a pretty blue dress. Hurrying over to try and make a sale after forgetting that she was a wizard and unlikely to have much money to spend, the man said, “Oh, that would look very nice on a beautiful woman like you. You know if you are going to join the tournament, they will be having dances and even a king’s ball. This would be a great dress to change things up from a wizard’s robes, especially that brown you are wearing now.”

The brunette’s blue eyes came to rest on the man regretfully as she admitted, “I doubt that I could afford such a nice dress. Thank you for your compliments even so.”

Hearing her words, Cheleya asked, “How much is it? Maybe I can buy it for you, if you want it? Colbie could find something nice too. I have been trying to get her to wear a dress since before our ride.”