The Elemental Jewels (Book 1) (34 page)

"We are to present to the court," the wizard told the guards. "It's the apprentice wizards," he helpfully offered.

"Yes sir, straight down the hall to see the Master of Protocol," the guard replied as she held the door open.

The quartet of wizards slipped down the hall until they reached a man sitting at a high desk.

"These elegant young things are your protégés, Brieed?" the man asked as he looked down at the wizard.

"Indeed, Belte, they’re the next generation of protectors and servants of the realm," Brieed replied with a twinkle in his eye.

"They'll be the first wizards to protect and serve the realm then," the man jousted with a smile.   "As it happens, we've given them the third introduction, so the king and prince should be on their thrones by then, and still paying attention."

"Very kind, Belte," Brieed thanked him.

"Go stand by the green rope.  When I call you, walk to the silver star in the floor, and bow.  Then answer any questions - but don't expect any.  Accept your accolades and back away, then return here, or go debauch yourselves in the palace, if Brieed will allow,” Belte advised Grace and Grange directly.

"No, that won't be necessary," Brieed asserted.   "They have lessons yet this morning," he said.

"Still the wet blanket at the bonfire, I see," Belte said.  "Well, off with you now, others are coming," he looked down the hall as more participants arrived to be introduced at court.

"Will I be introduced at court, master?" Eli asked Brieed as the group entered the audience hall.  The crowd was sizable, perhaps as large as the number of dancers Grange had seen the night before, but the hall was so large it appeared half empty.  

"I'm sure your day will come Eli," Brieed assured him.  "Either you'll do something heroic like these young things, or you'll demonstrate your mastery of your arts with such service to the crown that you'll be entered into some order."

They arrived at the green rope and edged along it to nearly the center aisle of the room.  From that spot they were only twenty paces from the three high, but empty thrones that sat atop a dais.

"So now we wait," Brieed said.  "The royals are notoriously late-arrivals."

"Will we need to say anything?" Grange asked.

"Typically not," Brieed replied, "but you did save the prince from some unpleasantness, so you may have a chance to tell what an honor it was."

"Grange gave me energy that night without any incantations or wand or amulet; is he a sorcerer?" Grace suddenly asked.

Eli made a strangling sound at the revelation.  At that moment an official struck a large gong, whose noise reverberated around the hall as all came to attention.

"Today's session of the royal court of Palmland is called to order with a prayer to the benevolent god Huem.  Let his chief priest offer the benediction," A court official announced.

A man in a light blue robe stepped to a prominent spot not far from where the quartet of wizards stood.

"We ask that all the actions and words this court witnesses this day will reflect your wisdom, and will be pleasing in your eyes, great and rational Huem," the man intoned.

Grange waited for the pause to end, but the silence stretched out, and after several seconds he opened his eyes to see that the priest had finished and was walking away, while the Master of Protocol was returning to the center of the room.  It was the shortest prayer he had ever heard delivered.

"The proceedings of the royal court may now commence," the man pronounced.  "The Count and Countess of the Granite Mountain are recognized," his voice boomed out across the hall.   "Let them approach," he covertly looked over his shoulder, where the chairs remained vacant, "the throne."

A pair of portly, middle-aged people emerged from the front of the crowd and crossed through the opening in the green rope, to stand simpering before the official.

"For your long and prosperous thirty years serving your king as the count, you are recognized," There was a rustling sound of cloth as a set of curtains was pushed aside, and three people walked out onto the dais.

The newcomers headed to the thrones and settled into the seats with practiced familiarity.  Grange recognized Prince Grael from the fracas at the festival, but could only guess that the older man in the center throne was the king, and the woman in the third seat was unknown to him.

"You are recognized," the speaker continued without missing a beat, "by their royal Majesties, who are here to personally acknowledge your leadership." He turned and waved his arm to draw attention to the royal family, who all dutifully waved acknowledgment of the minor nobles.

The pair bowed deeply, then returned to the crowd.

The Master of Protocol stepped forward again.   "We call forth Ambassador Bartar, who returns from his successful negotiations with the Kingdom of Kilau.  Step forth and be recognized, Ambassador."

A tall, dark man, one who appeared to be the model of what a leader should look like, stepped forward.   He wore clothes that Grange had never seen before, a white toga over his shoulder with a sleeveless blue garment beneath.

The royals seemed to sit up slightly at the appearance of the man.

"Ambassador Bartar has returned recently from Kilau with an agreement that the closed land will agree to trade negotiations with Palmland.   For his remarkable success where so many others have failed, we salute the Ambassador," the speaker pronounced.

The princess or queen or whoever the enthroned woman was, appeared delighted with the report, as she smiled and clapped momentarily.  Prince Grael held a plainly neutral face by contrast, and the king in his throne gently pounded his open palm on the arm of his seat to signal approval.

"The court looks forward to a more complete report at the appropriate time, my lord," the Master of Protocol spoke to the ambassador, who nodded his head in acquiescence, then backed away and out of the spotlight.

There was a smattering of applause from the assembled audience, but Grange ceased to pay attention, as he expected Grace and him to be introduced next.

"There are heroes in the court this morning," the Master of Protocol announced, shushing the crowd.   "To be presented today are a pair of apprentice wizards whose timely use of magic assisted Prince Grael recently.  We call forth the apprentices Grace and Grange of the Wizards Hall, to be recognized."

"Come on," Grace planted an elbow in his ribs as she walked rapidly past him.  Grange followed, and together they entered the open space beyond the green rope.

"Before us all stand these two loyal subjects of Palmland, recognized for displaying quick actions and faithful service to their deserving rulers," the Master said.  He didn’t describe the circumstances involved in the prince's nearly untimely attack, Grange noticed.

The crowd murmured, and Grange saw that the prince had risen from his seat to step forward.

He held something in his hand, which he handed to the Master, then spoke quietly for a moment before stepping back one pace.

"As a token of esteem, the royal family inducts each of you into the Loyal Order of the Blue Pendant, with all the privileges that are bestowed upon its members.  Step forward and receive your token," the Master spoke.

"Grange," he said first, as the audience seemed to murmur from some great distance.

"Step out," Grace whispered without moving her lips.  Grange obediently took a step forward as the Master raised his hands, then draped a ribbon around Grange's neck, so that a silver disc with blue jewels rested upon the black shirt on his chest.

"And now the fair Grace," the Master spoke.

Grace stepped forward and bowed her head.  As she did so, the prince stepped closer.  He touched the Master's arm, and took the pendant to personally place it upon Grace.

"Such extraordinary talent in such an attractive girl," the prince said in a tone that made Grange's skin crawl.

"This woman shall be my partner for the first dance at the Spring Blossom Ball," the prince announced, with a hand on Grace's shoulder.

The crowd released a wave of sounds of surprise, followed by a smattering of applause, as the prince looked pleased with himself, and Grace blushed with surprise.

The Prince stepped back, then turned and walked back to his throne. "You are dismissed," the Master told the pair of apprentices.

They backed up until they reached the green rope, and returned to the comforting anonymity of the crowd.  Grange saw the king nod his head easily towards them, while the prince smiled and waved, and the girl - Grange guessed she was a princess - looked at them with a studious indifference.

"Let’s get you celebrities back to our rooms and get back to work," Brieed looked up at them as they returned to where he and Eli stood.  People in the crowd murmured polite comments to them as they walked past on their exit from the vast audience hall, and it was a matter of minutes before they stepped through an ornate set of doors in the rear of the chamber and reached a corridor beyond.

"Would the young nobles like to learn about their privileges?" a servant ambushed them with the question as soon as they were out of the room.

"No, I'll explain everything to them," Brieed answered dismissively, and he led his brigade beyond the startled lady.

And so Grange began the next chapter of his life.  He was an acknowledged hero, a small, notable part of society in the land of Palmland.  Though he didn’t feel any more prepared than he had just the week before, he had crossed a threshold on his way towards becoming a power who had the potential to affect the future of many kingdoms.

Grange’s adventures will take twists and turns as he slowly moves towards the confrontation with the demons.  Read “Perilous Travels” to learn when fate sends him and how it treats him.  Enjoy the sample below…

"You demonstrate marvelous abilities with incantations," the wizard had told him after calling him into his office one morning.   "But there is a great deal more that you need to learn.   You still know next to nothing about how to create and use amulets, for instance, nor have you made any potions, powders, or inhalables.

"You should spend more time with your studies of wizardry and less time with your studies of pretty girls," the Master wizard had said with a twinkle in his eye.

Grange had understood, accepted, and even mostly agreed with the advice.   He did have more time available,  since Brielle no longer existed as his hard-driving instructor in weapons and combat,  he did have unstructured time every afternoon that he could devote a portion of to studies.  But he had only begun such arrangements for a few days when he had received a note written on heavy, sealed parchment, asking him to meet with Princess Aubrey and sundry others.

When he’d gone the next day to the small, simple sitting room, he'd found the princess, along with Lord Bartar and Brieed, all sitting and awaiting him.

"Thank you for attending us, friend Grange," the princess had greeted him as he had awkwardly bowed.  “I owe you my personal thanks for your heroism at the Ball.   You saved not only the Kingdom, but you saved my life and the life of my fiancé as well.

"We have a favor to ask of you," she flattered him by saying.  She and Brieed could order him to do their bidding, he knew.   He also knew that he might not choose to follow their commands; he felt no overwhelming loyalty to the crown of Palmland, though his months of living in the city had been extraordinary.

What do you wish, my lady?" he asked.   He looked from Aubrey to Brieed for an explanation.

"Actually, I'm the one asking the favor," Bartar spoke up.

"I'm going to embark soon on a return visit to the island nation of Kilau, to negotiate a treaty with their queen, to open up trade between our nations.  I'd like for you to sail with me to visit their court for this trip," Bartar said.

"I don't know anything about Kilau, or trading, or treaties," Grange stammered.  "I wouldn't do any good on a trip like that."

"On the contrary, I think you would be a great asset," Bartar asserted.   "There are no wizards at the queen's court.  A demonstration of your abilities would be very impressive, and would help the negotiations."

"I think you would benefit from the experience in another court." Brieed spoke for the first time.  "From what I know of your future, the more you see and know about the wide world, the better you will be served."

Grange looked from one of the great leaders to another.  He saw only kindness and interest in their faces. 

At the time, Grange had been honored and intimidated by the request from the mighty leaders, and he had agreed to the request.

"I should have said 'no'," he told himself days later, on the day the horizon was filled with dark clouds and the waves grew in size while they sprayed their foam upon the deck of the ship.

He watched as the members of the crew climbed the masts and adjusted the sails while the officers bawled orders.

"You ought to go down to the cabins," an officer spared a moment to advise Grange.

"Soon," Grange agreed.  He wanted to stay out of the shared cabin as long as possible, while Astel, Bartar's page, suffered from a new bout of seasickness brought on by the looming storm's turbulence.

Lightning began to arrive, and the day seemed as dark as nightfall.  The ship's motions grew more severe, warm waves of sea water drenched him in moisture, and at last he concluded he needed to go below the deck.

He turned and lurched from the railing to the closest ladder to climb down, when the sound of a tremendous explosion filled his ears and a blinding flash of light enveloped him.  He felt his body collapse as his muscles all were overcome by the effects of the bolt of lightning that had struck the ship.

There was a plucking pain in his arm, then his head struck the deck, and he lost consciousness just before a large wave swept across the surface of the deck and carried him to sea.

………

………

Grange awoke as he coughed out a copious amount of sea water.  His face was planted in a bed of sand as he lay on his stomach. There was a weight sitting on his buttocks, then a sudden wave of pressure on his back, and he felt a new gush of water spew from his throat.

The pressure on his back was repeated without further watery effects.  Grange pressed his hands against the sandy beach he lay on, and forced himself to roll over, displacing the weight on his back.  He heard a shout, then he was blinking rapidly as he found himself looking up into a blindingly bright sun in a cloudless blue sky.

"Hey!  Give a warning!" a voice spoke next to him.

He sat up, then groaned from the pain in his ribcage.  To his side there was a dark shape, and after he rubbed his eyes and shaded them he could see that the shape was a girl seated next to him.

"I was swimming in the lagoon and I saw you floating in the sea outside the reef," she said.  "I pulled you to shore and tried pumping the water from your lungs, and look at this, you're alive!" she seemed quite pleased with the success of her rescue efforts.  Her teeth gleamed white against her dark skin, darker than Grange had ever seen before.

"Don't laugh at me, because I know it sounds impossible, but I would have sworn that there was a great black fish carrying you towards the reef.  It disappeared just as I reached you," she told him.

Grange barely heard her story though, as he looked at her.