The Eye of Elicion: The Kinowenn Chronicles Vol 1 (14 page)

After Monday’s potions class, Lucy returned to her room and read the entire book. Then she talked to Nicodemus. She explained her reasoning. He seemed to understand, though he looked somewhat disheartened that a student found little use for his beloved subject. However, the class was only an intro class and mandatory at that, so they worked out a deal. Lucy would take a written test that everyone had to take as a final, and if she passed that and a practical exam he set for her, she would be free to take up something else. They set the test for Saturday morning, giving her time to prepare.

Lucy enjoyed Tuesday. It was a physical day, but it sometimes felt really good to be physically tired. Orin sent them through the obstacle course again. There were no stipulations other than to finish as quickly as you could.

“Shall we make a race of it then?” challenged Darren.

“Any stipulation?” asked Lucy, more than ready for a challenge.

“Anything you can do is fair game.”

They started to run. They were neck and neck the whole way, and Lucy did not use magic once. Then, they came to the gauntlet. Lucy thought back to what she had been practicing on Darren and decided to try it. Darren had already entered and was beginning to dodge this way and that. Lucy began to move through the swinging logs with ease. She did not dodge the swinging logs. Instead she somehow she made her body fit through the spaces they left and made them not feel her passing, for she figured, if they could not feel her passing, perhaps she would not feel them hit her. She reached the end slightly before Darren and raced as quickly as she could for the finish. She beat Darren by a few footsteps, and they both laughed as they stopped to catch their breath and stretch out.

“You used that thing you were practicing, didn’t you?” asked Darren.

“You said I could do anything,” said Lucy defensively.

“I know; I’m not accusing you of cheating or anything like that. It’s more a curiosity thing really. I want to know how long my physical attributes can keep up with your growing magical prowess.”

Lucy laughed.

“Besides,” he added, “Even without magic, you are the one closest to my own ability and therefore the one to beat.

“I like that though. I like to be challenged.”

“Me too.”

By that time, everyone else had made it out. Even Philip appeared to have done better than before, and he was not soaking wet. Lucy was sure he had practiced all weekend, trying to get better. He was still last, but not by as great a margin, and he seemed less exhausted than the first time.

Orin and Tannin moved the class on to swords. They handed each person swords of the same length. They told the class they would decide on a length that suited them best another day and concentrated on some basics today. The sword Lucy was given was slightly longer than the one she had used when practicing with Gavin, but she was confident she could use it. Orin and Tannin ran them through a series of drills. They were different than the ones that she had done with Gavin, but there were similar ideas and moves, so Lucy enjoyed them and tried to concentrate on form.

“Now,” began Orin, “There is still some class time left. I think it is time to try some simple sparring. It is time for you to see how it feels to hit someone and what it feels like to get hit. Obviously, it is to your advantage to learn to be so good and fast that you are never hit by an opponent. However, eventually you will run into the one person better than you, and then you will get hit. It is important not to fear it, for fear makes you weak. It is also important to know what it is like to get hit and find a way to be able to get up and keep fighting after you are hit. For this reason, everyday we will do some sparring from now on. That’s what an infirmary is for. You may pair up with whoever you like.”

“Shall we?” Lucy asked Darren, “Or would you prefer to spar with another guy?”

“I think I had better take advantage of this opportunity,” replied Darren. “This might be one of the few times I can beat you before you get too good magically.”

Lucy shrugged, “Even if I get good magically, I still need to know how to defend myself without using magic. Using magic has consequences.”

Darren nodded, and they chose a corner of the practice field.

They faced each other and began to spar. Darren was not as good as Gavin, but Gavin had also been totally in control of his movements. Darren was not, and Lucy worked hard at avoiding his swings. At the same time, she kept trying to find a way through his defense to hit him. She thought about trying to slow down his movements. They had practiced in controlled circumstances, but she did not even know if she could do it while trying to avoid getting hit. Lucy decided against it. That would be cheating in a way. She wanted to learn how to fight without magic. Also, Darren wasn’t the one she wanted to try that specific skill on; it was Gavin. Darren and Lucy continued to swing back and forth, each one managing to get a few hits in on the other.

By the end of class, everyone was rubbing places that would be bruised the next day. Orin dismissed them, and they all walked tiredly to lunch.

“You didn’t use any magic,” said Darren.

“I know. Somehow it didn’t seem fair. Also, like I said, I want to learn how to do this without magic,” replied Lucy.

“You said that, and that’s a worthy sentiment. I wasn’t sure if you would feel the same way in the heat of battle so to speak.”

“You wanted to test me.”

“Kind of. Also, at some point in time I want to find out what it feels like to spar with someone whose sense of fair play is not as pure as yours is. I was sure you would try to slow me down at some point. I wanted to see what it felt like outside the classroom, and I wanted to see if I could overcome it. Curiosity you know.”

“I understand. Someday we’ll spar like that then. You have a point that it would be useful to fight under those conditions. I wonder if Orin and Tannin plan to go over things like that.”

“I’m sure they will eventually,” said Darren, “but it doesn’t hurt to get a head start on some things. I’ll see you in Horsemanship.”

And so the week continued, with Lucy learning as much as she could. Maya helped her prepare for her potions exam. Darren left bruises from sparring. Justin healed them. Justin looked over her map of Kinowenn. Gavin taught her a series of strengthening stretches and exercises which she did while Maya quizzed her on the uses of potions ingredients.

Lucy had a ton of homework for over the weekend and was nervous about her potions exam, but she was glad when classes were done on Friday. The weekend would give her a chance to get caught up and relax a little, she hoped. She was on her way to the Dinning Hall for dinner when she stopped at the door to read a posted sign.

I, Althric the 10
^th
King of Tenorium, am in search of a bride and queen.

I will be arriving at the school on this Saturday night to speak with all interested parties.

Lucy thought that looked odd.

“What does that notice mean?” Lucy asked as she sat down at the table.

“Exactly what it says,” replied Justin.

“Some guy can just come here looking for a bride?”

“Yes,” said Justin simply.

“Explain please,” said Lucy feeling a little exasperated.

Justin took a deep breath, “Mages are valued in other worlds. Persons of power like to have mages as significant others. It shows more power. Any mage that chooses to do so is subject to the rules of the land they go to. Most are treated very well, accepted by the people, and allowed to help rule. Most countries have stipulations of what they require. In this case, Althric is looking for a queen. She will be required to use her magic in service to her new country. It will also be expected of her to conceive and bear a son to follow the father. I’m sure Althric hopes the son will show some magical potential.”

“So he wants breeding material?” asked Lucy, aghast.

“Essentially, but no one is ever forced to go.”

“Who would accept that?”

“You’d be surprised,” added Maya. “Some women have dreamed of being a queen since they were born. They jump at the chance to do something like this. For some it works out very well. For others, less so.”

“Sounds sexist to me,” said Lucy.

“It goes both ways,” said Gavin.

“How so?” asked Lucy.

Again, it was Justin who summed things up.

“Not all lands in other worlds are ruled by males you know. Females come here recruiting males as well. The Kilaens are a strongly matriarchal society. They come here often looking for bodyguards. They are less concerned with magical ability and more concerned with physical strength. The bodyguards are supposed to protect even though the females are more than capable of looking after themselves. Also, they are at the beck and call of the leader. They are supposed to provide the women with strong girls. Any magical tendencies are a bonus. So, the men live well, but are essentially breeding material.”

“The school allows this?” asked Lucy.

“The school allows them to come here and make their requests,” said Maya. “The school does not promise to provide them with what they are looking for. Some of the lands with reputations of treating mages horribly are no longer allowed to come. However, the school cannot always know everything about a current ruler. Tenorium is a beautiful place. Many have been happy there in the past, but rulers are people, and not all people are good. I do not know anything about this Althric.”

“I still don’t understand why anyone would voluntarily do that,” said Lucy.

“Some people are tempted to be rulers. Others like the idea of being taken care of,” said Gavin. “A man who provides the ruler of the Kilaens with a strong, healthy girl is set for life.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve thought about doing it!” exclaimed Lucy.

“Thought about it, yes. Thought about actually doing it, no.”

“What about love?” wondered Lucy.

“Love can mean little to people in power. A queen is to provide an heir. A king looking for love may find it with her, or he may find it with a mistress. After a queen provides an heir, she is often allowed to take a lover as well,” said Justin. “Besides, listen to yourself. You already shudder at the though of accepting a chance at being queen like this. You seem to think wanting to be a queen when you grow up is a childish notion. Some would say love is a childish notion as well.”

“Perhaps, but I do not want a marriage of convenience.”

“All marriages are marriages of convenience,” replied Justin.

“That’s a fight coming that I don’t feel like listening to,” put in Maya. “The point of the matter is, no one is forced, and it helps keep relationships open between the school and other worlds. Even if you never want to, allow that some people might.”

“Ok,” said Lucy finally, even though she was still angry.

“I’m interested in meeting this Althric, even though I have no intention of accepting his proposal,” said Maya.

Lucy nodded her agreement at that. Some of their teachers were from other worlds, but this would be the first other world leader she had met, and that was definitely something interesting.

They finished dinner and went to a study room to give Lucy one last quiz about her potions test tomorrow. Lucy left the study room with Justin, feeling pretty confident. She had every intention of passing the test.

“What will you take instead of potions?” asked Justin as they walked to Lucy’s room.

“I’d like to take Transmutation if they would let me. I’m sure completing Intro to Magic is a prerequisite though.”

“Yes, it is. You could talk to Eric.”

“We’ll see. I’d also enjoy taking a class in tracking. Learning how to follow signs and hide your own trail with both magical and non magical skills,” said Lucy.

“That would be very useful. Gavin took that class and loved it. I plan to take it next.”

“Or, I would be behind, but I could jump into a language course. Learn one of the major languages of Kinowenn.”

“Also a good idea. We’d help you catch up if you need it,” said Justin.

“I’ll figure out something. I need to pass the potions test first.”

“You will. You have the knowledge and that’s the most important part.”

They reached Lucy’s door.

“Most of the time you are light and removed when we talk, interested, but not concerned,” Lucy observed.

“I don’t feel the need to be serious all the time,” Justin replied. “Besides, with everything else going on, do you really need serious?”

“No,” Lucy replied honestly, “but I want to know more about who you are.”

“There is plenty of time for that too. Not everything needs to be rushed.”

With that, Justin turned and walked away. Lucy felt confused. She somehow felt that that conversation had not gone the way she wanted it to go. What Lucy meant was that she wanted a friend, and Justin often seemed more of a companion. He was always around, but he never seemed to be there for her. She hoped he didn’t take it to mean she wanted a serious relationship because she did not want to deal with that right now on top of everything else. Lucy decided she was not going to worry about it though. Justin had said there was time, and that was certainly true. Besides, she had a potions test tomorrow that was more important.

The potions test was, of course, in two parts. First there was a written part. This asked all sorts of basic questions about potion making. Some of the questions could be answered in one word; some needed a paragraph or two. Some of the questions were what you might call trick questions though important to know. One questions asked what potion used balsic ash and turntripit hair. The answer of course was that no potion uses these ingredients. The reason for that was that the two were volatile when mixed, creating an explosion. Lucy felt she did well on this part. She was good at memorizing lots of information, and she had studied harder for this than she had for just about anything else she could remember. She had crammed a class’s worth of potions knowledge into a few days.

The second part of the test was what worried Lucy. It was the practical part where you actually had to brew potions. As she had only been doing this stuff for a couple of weeks and had showed no specific knack for it, she was nervous. Also, it was the harder part of the test to study for as there wasn’t a good place to practice throwing ingredients together in a pot.