The Last Wizard of Eneri Clare (65 page)

From Jorelial Rey and Tashroth, there was a floor-length, dark, heavy woolen cloak; hooded and embroidered in silver thread with sun, moon and stars – a wizard’s symbols. It was beautiful, the workmanship fine, and would be useful for the cold months, for which he owned no suitable garments. Tvrdik was moved at the thoughtful choice. As he opened his last gifts, Stewart was rolling around upside-down on the grass, enjoying a thorough back-scratching, Ondine was leaping in and out of the water, ecstatically splashing anyone who came near, Lynette was running in circles, fully intent on a small pinwheel he had given her to play with, and a contingent of his guests were forcibly settling Mrs. Praeger in a chair, insisting on serving
her
, after her continuous ministrations all day. They assured her that they would take charge of bringing in the birthday cake. The sun was hanging low on the horizon, marking the approach of evening, and it seemed a perfect time to acknowledge the odd twists of fortune which had brought his life to this place in only a few months. Here he was, surrounded by friends who were generous, loving, creative and playful, even in the face of imminent danger, who seemed to genuinely enjoy his company. He had work and purpose. He had hope of helping to accomplish their shared goals. He cast an eye again on the mountain of gifts before him, and back out again on the busy assortment of companions scattered about on the lawn, and smiled, realizing that this day had truly been as much about lifting their spirits as it had been about him. Delphine and Stewart had been right; for this one day, at least, dark thoughts were pushed aside, as everyone threw themselves with whole hearts into celebration.

As the oversized birthday cake, decorated in fresh raspberries, was wheeled in by Brendelle and Sallia, Mark, Delphine, and Nyree presented their birthday gift – a ballad Mark had written to immortalize the turning back of Drogue’s navy from Theriole. It was quite a robust and catchy piece, Mark having quite the gift for tune-crafting, and after a number of detailed, poetically- rendered, and suitably embellished verses, everyone present was joining in the chorus:

He held the vision in his
mind

That what they sought, they would not
find.

They wandered aimless, as if b
lind,

And left their hopes and pride be
hind.

All Hail, Tvrdik the vi
ctor!

The wizard who carried the
day
–

He sent them in tatters
away.

With each verse the company grew louder, more confident, and more raucous in their performance, the sweet voices of Nyree and Delphine and Mark rising like rays of golden sunshine above the merry noise of the crowd. Only Tvrdik was silent, eyes closed, torn between tremendous pride, and a feeling of horror, to be so singled out in song. Truly, it seemed as though they were singing about someone else – a mythical hero in some dim and distant past. When the last chorus had finished, all eyes turned toward the young mage for his reaction. Embarrassed, Tvrdik stuttered, “It’s…it’s really quite a wonderful song…very beautiful, indeed, but…but, don’t you think that some of the tale might be just a bit, well…somewhat…exaggerated?”

Even the staid Nyree burst into laughter at that, along with everyone else. Delphine exclaimed, “Silly, it’s
supposed
to be a little…um…
enhanced
for the sake of the ballad. It’s called, ‘poetic license.’ Anyway, I don’t think Mark changed much…we were there, don’t forget.”

“So, how does it feel to be immortalized in song?” needled Bargarelle.

Tvrdik frowned, “Like you are all talking about somebody else.” There was more laughter, and then someone shouted, “Speech! Speech. Let the birthday boy make a speech.” And the chant was taken up by everyone present until Tvrdik held up his hands for silence.

“My dear friends,” he began, “and I do not pronounce those words lightly – up until this time in my life I do not think I ever really knew what friendship was. Anyway, I am glad to have provided an occasion for such delight, such fun and festivity in each other’s company. All of us have been burdened of late with heavy responsibilities and the threat of imminent danger. It warms my heart, in the midst of all that, to share a day like today, and see smiles all around. Stewart and Delphine, you were so right to remind me how healing a celebration like this could be, and I feel sure its glow will lighten the days ahead, as we recommit ourselves to our work.

“Many thanks to all of you for coming and making my birthday such a memorable occasion, especially to the members of the planning committee who managed to organize the whole thing in only a few days. And a special thank you should go to Mrs. Praeger for her tireless efforts at keeping us all well-fed and happy.” Here there was hearty applause. “But, more than all of this, I want to thank all of you more than I can express for taking me in, a penniless stranger, and making me a part of your family. I look down at this assortment of thoughtful, meaningful, and generous gifts, and I am overwhelmed. I don’t really know what I have done to deserve any of this, but I do know that I have never felt so loved or valued in my entire life. This is, indeed, the happiest birthday I have ever experienced, and that is due to all of you. So, from the depths of my heart, I can only say,
thank
you
.”

There was an awkward silence as the guests lowered their eyes and shuffled feet, moved by the mage’s words, but uncertain of an appropriate response, until some wise soul chanted, “Cake! Cake! Bring out the cake.” There was laughter all around, and one by one, the entire company began to take up the chant. Sallia and Brendelle cut and served cake to each guest, while some still restrained Mrs. Praeger from rushing to the task herself. She had outdone herself on this delicious creation. And there was more wine for the guests as well. After they had all had their fill, the little consort Nyree had brought along tuned up, and there was dancing for an hour on the lawn. But not the stuffy court dances popular at palace affairs. Rather, they played the earthy, traditional jigs and line dances favored by the ordinary folk in village and countryside. Even Tvrdik, isolated as he had been, remembered some of the steps from his youth, and with Delphine’s patient encouragement, did not embarrass himself any more than the rest. It was an atmosphere of non-judgment and abandon, folks circling and skipping and laughing until they were all breathless and exhausted. By that time, it was becoming difficult to see in the deepening shadows, and a number of the guests offered warm salutations and farewells, and headed off to the palace or their homes. Tvrdik thanked each departing friend with a warm, personal embrace. Ondine christened him one last time with an affectionate splash, and a wet kiss on the cheek, before sailing off downriver. Then, while Mark, Delphine, and Brendelle lingered to help the Praegers straighten up and put things away, he found himself sitting in the parlor, sharing a last glass of wine with Jorelial Rey.

They sat in companionable silence for awhile, aware they were both a little tipsy, and Tvrdik unable to keep from smiling – a sort of broad, silly smile that reflected his whole mood. At last, he broke the silence.

“Dear,
dear
Jorelial Rey, I want to thank you for the beautiful cloak. It is a most practical and generous gift.”

“You’re welcome. It occurred to me that you didn’t have a proper wrap for the winter. It can get awfully cold, here, you know, when the wind blows off the ocean…”

“Still, you are expressing a lot of optimism with that gift, are you not?”

She wrinkled her brow, “How do you mean?”

“You are assuming I shall be here to use it when the cold months arrive.”

“Here, there, anywhere you like…use it in good health.”

“No, I mean you are assuming I shall
survive
to use it.”

She was taken aback, “Now, why in heaven’s name would you say a fool thing like that at the end of a near-perfect day? Why would you even
think
something like that? It’s a fine time now for doubts about our likelihood of success…”

His eyes drifted to the floor, “I have no doubts about our success. I have only been thinking that we can’t expect to walk away without some losses…”

“Have you seen something, then? Do you know something about the future that you haven’t shared? Did Xaarus tell you something?”

“No, nothing like that. I was never very good at that particular component of the wizard’s art anyway, and I haven’t talked to Xaarus since we fended off Drogue’s ships. I don’t know. Maybe it’s the wine, or the strange dream I had this morning that seemed so full of obscure messages I couldn’t quite grasp. Maybe it’s instinct, or a natural inclination to melancholy, but I’ve been thinking a lot lately about how different my life is now – how blessed I am to have a purpose, and friendship, and a place in this community. I was sent here on a mission, and sometimes I think that when we have accomplished our goals, life will have no further use for me. If any of us perish in the battle, it should be me, as I will be content to have experienced more than I ever dreamed possible.”

She shook her head foggily, “Tvrdik, you’re talking nonsense. I have no intention of losing
anyone
in this conflict, let alone the one person who understands all of our offensive strategies. Don’t be in such a hurry to lay down your life for the cause; you’ll serve it a lot better alive and in one piece.”

He sighed, “You’re right, of course, but even so, I just want to tell you that if this birthday, my thirtieth, were to be my last…”

She put up a hand, “Tvrdik, stop.”

“No, just hear me out. If it
were
to be my last, I would go happy and content because of these last few months. I want you to know that coming to know you…and your sister, and all the wonderful people you have brought into my life, has enriched it beyond anything I could have imagined. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Now, you really will have to stop talking, or you will have me going down that road too, and
that
, my friend, is simply
not
a good idea.”

There was an extended pause while they both sipped at their wine, and then Tvrdik mumbled, half to himself, “I should have liked to have seen my waterfall one more time, though. I’d love to have taken you there and showed it to you. It is… so very beautiful.”

The tone of her response was impatient, tight, “Well, as far as I’m concerned, the sooner we get this whole business over with, the better. This waiting is agony. I would like to get the job done, defeat Drogue, and save the kingdom once and for all so you can go back to your little hut in the woods, and play with your waterfall to your heart’s content, and I can get back to some semblance of a normal life. Then, everything can go back to the way it was before you showed up and turned it all upside down.”

The moment the words came out of her mouth, she realized what she had said, and instantly hoped that perhaps she had only thought them. She looked up to the certain proof that she had indeed spoken them aloud, to her everlasting regret. Tvrdik’s silly smile seemed frozen eerily on his face while his eyes flashed pain from the wound she had just inflicted. Then, before her eyes, in seconds, she saw him shift – his relaxed, open, vulnerable manner retreated behind layers of cold, heavy armor. It was as if she saw the breath of winter move over him from waist to crown, and gradually freeze every part of him, until his eyes grew guarded and unreadable in his expressionless face. She leapt to repair the damage.

“Tvrdik….Tvrdik, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean anything by that. Of course you are very dear to me…none of this was your fault, anyway. It’s just the wine talking…and…and just that so much has changed since you came. Sometimes, I wish I could go back to a simpler time, when I wasn’t Lady Regent, and responsible for a zillion important things, wondering if there isn’t someone lurking around every corner trying to kill me.” This last tumbled out all in a rush.

His voice was cold, “I quite understand. I don’t blame you. I suppose it would seem that I have brought nothing but bad news and crisis into your life. I wish the circumstances could have been different…”

“Tvrdik, don’t let anything I said upset you. I should never have had so much wine.”

“Don’t worry, my lady. Very soon now, we will be confronting the challenge that has been set for us, and before you know it, godswilling, I will be able to return to the woods you have so kindly deeded to me, and you can resume the life you remember as normal.” He spoke softly, weighing each word, carefully delivering them in a cordial, formal tone, but his entire body was trembling with contained emotion. His guarded eyes revealed nothing. He rose from his chair without warning, and put his glass down. “If my lady will excuse me, it has been a very long day, and I fear I have also overindulged a bit. I find I am suddenly very tired. I trust you will not mind if I take my leave. You know the way home?”

“Tvrdik, don’t be like this…please listen to me. I was just being childish. Come on, don’t let it spoil the whole day.” She was on her feet, tugging on his sleeve in desperation. He turned back to her and softened a bit, but the expression she saw break through his reserve was just sad and weary.

“Please go, Jorelial Rey. I think I let myself wander into territory a bit too familiar, and you were just speaking your heart. There’s nothing else to discuss. I’m tired now and need to sleep. Tomorrow we’ll be fine.”

But she could see that they would
not
be fine at all. They would be cordial and efficient, and work together and get the job done, alright, but they would never be fine. “Please, Tvrdik, I beg of you, don’t go like this. Don’t go…”

At that moment, a deafening sound of rushing air drowned out anything else she might have said, as both of their heads snapped around to face the front door. A moment later they were standing in the doorway looking out at a new arrival on the front lawn. Candelinda had returned from her mission.