Zoran Chronicles Volume 1 A Dragon in Our Town (23 page)

            
“Yes, spectacular indeed, Zdenka, but they all pale compared to you.” He looked
into her eyes and finally got up the nerve to lean over and gently kiss her waiting lips.
She responded, squeezing him tighter.

            
“I thought that you would never get up the courage to kiss me,” she whispered a
bit later. “I’ve longed for this for so long, Zoran.”

            
“I’ve been — well, I didn’t know if you — well, liked me like I like you,” he
fumbled his way through totally unfamiliar territory. He’d never kissed a woman before,
much less dated one. If he had been back at Castle Dorumova, he would have asked his
sisters about how best to proceed.

            
“I love you, Zoran,” she whispered.

            
“I’m so madly in love with you that I can barely concentrate on learning new
spells when you are so close to me,” he admitted.

            
“I know. I’ve seen you watching me when you didn’t think I was paying any
attention to you,” she giggled. “We girls notice these things, you know.” He grinned.

            
“Seriously, Zoran, I haven’t said anything before now, because — I mean between
you and I — is it allowed?” she asked

            
“You — you would? Well, first I have to ask you, I think that’s how its done.
Zdenka, will you marry me?” he asked.

            
“That’s what I mean. Can we marry? Is it allowed? I mean, I’m not Duska. Don’t
you have to marry another Duska?” The worry in her tone pierced his heart.

            
“Absolutely not! Actually, marrying a Duska is not such a good thing; too much
inner marrying between cousins has already has produced many miscarriages and
worse. I am free to marry anyone I choose. I choose to marry for love, not for power or
station, as so many do. I want to marry you because I love you. It’s that simple, but you
haven’t given me your answer. You don’t have to, if you don’t want to. We can wait
longer and see. . .”

            
She put her fingers over his lips. “Of course I will marry you!” She kissed him
passionately.

            
“When should we do it?” she eventually asked. “What kind of wedding did you
have in mind?”

            
He sighed, the practicality of their situation interfered. “We best wait until we get
done with our magical training.”

            
“I agree, it could easily get in our way. It’s hard enough to concentrate when you
are close to me now. Think how it will be if we are actually married!”

            
He grinned and gave her a gentle squeeze. “A simple one,” he added. “How about
you?”

            
“What’s it like getting married in your castle? I mean, if you were marrying there
and all that?”

            
“Oh it’s more like a week-long celebration. Partying, expensive gifts, elegant
clothes and dresses, fancy ceremonies. I once went to a cousin’s wedding. I thought that
it would never end, but then I was only six at the time.” She giggled, imagining a small
boy amid a giant wedding.

            
“Won’t you miss it? I mean a fancy wedding as befitting a Duska?”

            
“Not in the slightest. I just wish my sisters could come. Someday, I hope you can
meet them. I know you will like them and they will certainly like you too.”

            
Since it was starting to get dark, they reluctantly rose and teleported back to the
tower and dinner. That night, Zoran made mental contact with Rayna.
How’s Radek
doing?
He asked first, unsure just how to tell her that he was getting married.

            
He has recovered as much as possible or so the physicians say. His face is
gruesome to look at, and he wears a patch over his right eye now. His sword arm can
barely hold a golden goblet, and he walks with a severe limp. Dad hardly gives him the
time of day anymore; honestly, he is really depressed. How’s everything with you?

            
He still had not figured out how to tell her, so he just blurted it out mentally.
I am
going to get married, Rayna.

            
What? Incredible! Way to go! Who is she? Do we know her? Who is this woman
who has stolen my little brother from me?
She was teasing, of course.

            
Er, I best not tell you her name right now. I can send you her image, if you want
to see what she looks like?
Rayna begged him to show her what she looked like. He
formed up an image of Zdenka’s face as they had lain beneath the colorful trees.

            
Oh she’s beautiful! Wait until I tell Lida. She will be ecstatic too. When are you
getting married? Oh, and just where? Lida and I most definitely want to come. You
cannot deprive us from attending your happiest day. Please, Zoran you can’t deny us
that day.

            
We are waiting a while, until — until a certain thing is finished. When we know
the date and time, I will see if it can be arranged. Honestly, I don’t want anything to
happen to you just because you discover where I am staying. I couldn’t live with myself
if something did. Trust me a little longer, please, Rayna.

            
Okay, gotta go. Mom’s calling. Lida and I will chat with you later tonight when
we are free and not being watched.

            
On the 2
^nd
of October, Brn received its first snowfall of the long winter season.
Zoran and Zdenka paused a minute to watch the large flakes fall. Then, it was back to
study once more. Both were now having considerable difficulty with the spells. Karel
continued to forcefully stick with it, hoping he might master the next spell. However,
over a dozen had passed by him without one sticking. In contrast the twins continued on
their seemingly random pattern of a spell here and a spell there.

            
The second week in October, Rayna made contact with him around noon.
Zoran,
sorry to bother you while you are likely studying, but I have to. Radek has just died.
He jumped off the top observation deck of the castle. Committed suicide. Mom’s taking
it hard. Dad just said good riddance. Zoran, he is pulling out all the stops trying to find
you. Do be careful!
He conversed with her a little longer before breaking contact.

            
“What’s the matter?” Zdenka asked, sensing something was wrong. He explained
about his older brother.

            
“So the Baron is now looking high and low for you? Does that mean he wants to
make you his heir?” she asked.

            
“Who knows. But I will not let him bypass Rayna and Lida. It is their birthright.
They are second and third in line by all Duska conventions. If he tried to make me his
heir, he’d be robbing my sisters. No way will I let him do that! Not ever. Let’s finish
eating and get back to that darn spell. Honestly, these are so darn hard; it’s a wonder
that anyone can cast them.”

            
“It’s a good thing that they are. Honestly, you don’t want lots of Mages going
around wiping out people’s memories! Nasty spell indeed,” she replied.

            
As the days grew shorter, November came. Outside, the ground was buried under
six inches of snow, which Zdenka claimed would not melt until spring came at last. He
noted that there seemed to be more snow here at this time of year than back at the lower
elevation of Dorum.

            
Karel continued to effort his way through these very advanced spells, as if
somehow his fighting will would compensate for his lack of intellect. It didn’t, but he
doggedly continued hoping the next one would work for him. Zoran was now pleased
that he too could cause an object to vanish by having it appear just above the surface of
the sun. In this, he felt somehow equal to Archmage Oldrich, a tiny victory.

            
However, the spells which they now began researching and eventually attempting
to cast were the most powerful of all magical spells. All five of them eagerly dove into the
scrolls and tomes, trying to grasp the concepts and what was required of them to be able
to cast such spells. Intense concentration, ultimate conviction, these were among the
criteria they would have to muster.

            
One day, Zdenka had a sudden insight and then attempted to cast the spell she
had been working on for days now. Of course Archmage Nadia was with them constantly
as they attempted these most powerful of all spells. Zoran had not really paid much
attention to that, she’d just began appearing with them of late. Magical energies flashed,
a giant gloved hand appeared and began to crush into dust the sample rock that the
Archmage had given her for this spell. “I did it! There is a Crushing Glove! Wow! Super!”
she exclaimed, wild with excitement. Everyone patted her on the back and congratulated
her over and over, including Nadia herself. The old Archmage was overjoyed with
Zdenka and showed more emotion than Zoran had ever seen her display.

            
The next day both twins succeeded with their spell, but to cast it, they had to
stand on the tower’s roof. They had each conjured a swarm of meteors, fireballs blasting
onto the slope of the steep mountainside behind the tower. Once more their success was
celebrated by one and all.

            
The very next day, Zoran’s spell activated. Compared to the fireworks and visual
sights of the other three’s spells, Zoran’s seemed to do nothing at all, until they all
realized that all magical spells and items within the tower no longer functioned! He had
Interrupted Magical Effects! Of course, the magical items returned to being once again
magical after he canceled the spell. The Archmage had to recast her many protection
spells which she had always kept on her tower. Such was a minuscule price to pay for her
student having mastered this powerful spell!

            
Though there were still another half dozen spells to attempt to learn, the
Archmage called a temporary halt, here on the 10
^th
of November.

            
“May I have your attention,” she said formally. “Zdenka, Emil, Renata, Zoran: it
gives me the greatest of pleasures and honors to notify each of you that you have
officially reached the status of Archmage. Being able to cast one of these power spells
has put you into a unique category of magical skill use. You four are joining a very elite
club. There are but twenty-four of us, make that now twenty-eight of us, among all of the
Planets of the Federation! It is rare indeed for any Archmage to have trained another to
such a level. Yet, somehow, I have gotten all four of you there. Perhaps yet Karel will join
you, as there are still a few more spells to attempt.”

            
“However, at this time, I would like to gather everyone in my tower together and
announce your tremendous achievement to everyone. This is the greatest day ever for
Oldrich Tower!” While Zoran simply sat there stunned, along with Zdenka, who nearly
fainted from the news that she had become an actual Archmage, all of the other
apprentices, Adepts, and Janos and his guards, along with the Jiri and Anezka crowded
into the dining room. All were buzzing with chat about what this special announcement
might be.

            
Archmage Nadia Oldrich pulled the four up to the front of the room at her side. In
a loud voice, one that Zoran had never heard her use before, she said, “I have the most
important announcement to make that I have ever made in my life. It gives me
tremendous pride to announce to all of you what has been achieved by these four. I give
you Archmage Zdenka Lavos, Archmage Emil Vogler, Archmage Renata Vogler, and
Archmage Zoran Vladislov!”

            
The room literally exploded with shouting, cheering, clapping, and whistling!
Janos had tears flowing down his cheeks. His little Zdenka was now one of the most
powerful people in the entire Federation; only a Duska had more. However, the chills
going down Janos’ spine did not come from his daughter’s success, rather from Zoran’s.
He waited until he could get a chance to share a word with him. At the moment, the four
were shaking hands with dozens of others.

            
Eventually, he got his turn. “Congratulations, son. Yours is an incredible
achievement as are the others. However, yours is utterly singular and terribly critical.
Zoran, do you realize what you have achieved here?”