Wizards talk shop

[Jim Roberts]

[Feb 7 -- Ft. Resolute]

> Tramma played along, looking speculatively at the Lord of the whole
> area, acting blissfully unaware she was in the very seat of his power
> as she unabashedly gave him a long, admiring look. “That I would LOVE
> to see,” she smirked, her eyes dancing with mischief and the hint of
> some sort of shared joke with the powerful holy knight. “Business
> before pleasure, alas. Though yet again we are dragging the shining
> knight off on a vital diplomatic mission. People are starting to talk,
> Lord Erik, mostly saying ‘just who does that Tramp think she is
> bothering Lord Erik all the time?’”
>
> “You're not a bother at all,” Erik assured the bard with a grin. “I
> find you very helpful.”

Once the planning discussion was complete, the wizard couple excused
themselves. Mithi had “wizarding” business with her fellow member of
“The Minds”, the trio of wizarding settlers in business together, both
before and after the Wagon Train emigration. Or rather, Seaweth and
Anadrieniel had been in business together, with Mithi acting as
Seaweth’s eager young apprentice. An apprenticeship she’d since
transferred first to a troubled “teenaged” elven Boom Mistress, and then
to the elven captain now by her side. But the younger members of “The
Minds” had always been good pals, and now Mithi wanted to catch up with
“Annie”, as the Fort Resolute “court wizard” could be called by her
closest friends… when her disapproving parents were not around.

Soon afterwards, they were in a different part of “The Manor”, the stone
building holding the beating heart of the Fort Resolute construction
site. By definition, they were not too far from the conference center
where Lord Erik and his Command Staff worked out a few additional
details with Abbot Kenobi and his two aides; the building simply was not
that large. But Anadrieniel was a sufficiently important member of the
Fort Resolute staff to have a room of her own, into which she squeezed
both her office and her laboratory into the same space. Which led for
tight quarters, but that was true for everyone living in the stone
blockhouse.

And just as on their last visit, an alluring coloured charcoal sketch of
a dryad awaited them on Anadrieniel’s closed door. As before, the dryad
was turned away slightly, looking back towards where a visitor would be
standing, an inviting grin on her face.

“That IS still quite impressive,” Finfin mused, openly admiring the
artwork. His mage sight confirmed that the magic surrounding the sketch
was still very much still present. And quite possibly, even a hint
stronger than on their last visit.

“Ain’t it, now?” Mithi asked, admiring the artwork every bit as avidly
as her mentor. “One of Aunt Thori’s best.” She grinned, and added,
“Well, Fin? D’ya want ta do the ‘onours?”

The elf nodded, and together, the two wizards approached. However,
before Finfin could recite the inscription that would cause the sketch
to animate and announce when The Wizard Anadrieniel would be in, the
dryad began to move and speak of its own accord.

“Mithi!” the figure exclaimed. “You’re welcome ANY time! C’mon in,
carefully of course. No telling if the Wizard is inside, busy, or what,
but no matter what, YOU are welcome.” The figure winked, and added, “And
if that hot elf is with you, DOUBLY welcome.”

Mithi chuckled. “That’s new!” Following an example she’d learned from
observing a number of Keerytes, the apprentice wizard gave a fine
approximation of a curtsey, and added, “Thank you, Chronotellia!”

She did not, as it turned out, have to open the door; an instant later,
The Wizard Anadrieniel herself flung it open. “Mithi!” the court wizard
exclaimed, pulling her old pal first into the room, and then into a hug.
Only after some moments did Anadrieniel notice that they were not alone,
and she blushed as she backed up from the embrace and gave a rather more
polished curtsey to Finfin. “Captain,” she intoned gravely.

“Oh, ya can give ‘im a ‘ug too, if ya likes,” Mithi chuckled. “‘E
wound’t moind, and Oi sure won’t.”

However, rather than follow her friend’s advice, Anadrieniel merely
blushed seven shades of red at the thought. Hoping to spare the
flustered lady before him any further embarrassment, Finfin gave her a
courtly bow. “Wizard Anadrieniel,” he formally greeted the blushing mage.

Finally, Anadrieniel got control of her stammered attempts at a reply,
and waved the two visitors further inside, closing the door behind them.
“Do please come on in. You are just in time.”

In time for what became readily apparent as she walked the two visitors
over to a lab bench with any number of bits of arcane apparatus,
including glass tubes, beakers, and jars, some of which were arranged
together with connecting pipework. In the midst of the glassware, a
large flask with some bubbling clear fluid was perched on a stand over a
small spirit flame. Helping herself to a padded glove, their hostess
picked up the flask and poured the fluid into a series of three small
beakers, carefully aligning the pour over a strainer filled with a
brown, loose packed mass.

“Some of Seaweth’s best AWAKE tea,” their hostess explained. “After
lunch, I have to make it fairly mild like this, but I can make it
stronger, if you’d like.”

Mithi chuckled. “A might bit stronger would be fine, Annie,” the
apprentice replied. “Me an’ Fin ‘ave some plans ta be up fer a while
tonight.”

“Do you?” Anadrieniel asked happily, clearly fascinated by the
observation. “Does that mean what I hope it does?”

“Oi certainly ‘opes it does!” Mithi replied cheekily.

Once again, their hostess began to blush, but it would have taken an
observer with better instincts than Finfin to have determined that the
wizard was far, far from embarrassed OR offended. “I… wish you all the
best with that endeavor,” the wizard returned.

Mithi winked. “And, if ya’d like, Oi can give ya stories afterwards.”

Once again, their hostess’ cheeks blushed an even deeper shade. But
rather than protest, Anadrieniel replied softly, “I would really like
that.” She shook her head, and continued in a brighter voice, “But
first, I simply must hear how you’ve been! How has the life of an
adventurer been going?”

All three settled into a small nook off to the side of the office turned
laboratory, the wizard couple side by side on a small couch, Anadrieniel
on a comfortable chair, all three with their beakers of tea, Mithi’s and
Finfin’s allowed to steep a bit longer with Seaweth’s patented and
potent brew. There, Mithi gave a fair account of their recent
activities. And all throughout his apprentice’s telling, Finfin noted
that Mithi’s version, while entirely accurate, was not in any way
overplaying Mithi’s own role. In fact, Finfin was gaining the impression
that his lover was underselling her role. Not out of any embarrassment,
he thought (and hoped), but more that Mithi was simply used to being the
junior member of The Minds, and was unconsciously crafting her story
from that point of view.

In fact, it was Anadrieniel herself who had to finally get Mithi to
acknowledge the apprentice’s recent progress with all matters Arcane.
“You’ve made Fifth List!” their hostess gasped when the truth came out.
Far from being annoyed at no longer being the most advanced member of
The Minds, Anadrieniel was positively delighted, and did her best to
pull her old pal into a new hug… as best as she could while they were
still seated. And as it was, Finfin had to quickly rescue Mithi’s tea
beaker.

“Now that means there’s someone I can really talk to!” Anadrieniel
continued happily. “There’s a bit of a puzzle I’ve run into on my
current project, and I’d just love to have someone to talk it over with!
Dear Nerwen is willing, but is SO busy, and the last few times she just
laughed that soft, dulcet laugh of hers and said that I was too far
beyond her to really be able to help. But I bet YOU might be able to…”

And for quite a while, the two wizards chatted contentedly about an
Arcane conundrum that had been pestering their hostess. And Finfin, too,
was invited to provide his own insight. But once again he saw that his
apprentice’s grasp of Spellcraft, while not quite as advanced as his
own, was no longer far off. Soon, there would be no daylight at all
between their respective abilities, and it was the elf’s fond hope and
expectation that before long, the apprentice would outpace her mentor.
As she already had in matters of purely esoteric Arcana. Finfin always
prided himself on being a “magical engineer”, well able to craft
something together, if someone else would construct the “constituent
relations”. And Mithi was taking her place in the collection of
theoreticians in the local wizarding community.

But he did find that he was well able to pull his weight in the
conversation, and the three wizards spent an enjoyable while “talking shop”.

The puzzle resolved, at least as far as all thought was possible until
their hostess tried the new found suggestions out in the lab,
Anadrieniel helped both herself and her guests to another round of tea.
“Thank you both SO much for the nerdly talk! It’s the same as I bemoaned
last time; there are just so few people here who can talk shop. Please
keep coming back any time.”

Both members of the wizarding couple agreed that they would, as often as
they could.

“Now,” their hostess continued brightly, “with apologies to the good
captain here for being boring, but now, Mithi and I need to talk business.”

“By all means,” Finfin readily agreed.

Mithi grinned. “And in fact, we’ve got some new business fer ya, if
you’ve got room in your schedule.” Quickly, the apprentice passed along
Galdis Laurelin’s new commission, as well as the pile of gold in prepayment.

“Dexterity gloves,” Anadrieniel mused, jotting down a few entries in her
calendar. “And as good as I can make them. I’m always happy to take on
those orders. And thanks to you both, a stream of masterwork gloves are
starting to slowly make their way to me from Fort Lucas, along with a
number of discussions about potential purchases from the Good Sisters up
on the Mountain. But High Priestess Laurelin’s is one of the first
orders coming in backed up with cash, so that gets her prompt service.
And she’ll be over before long for the actual Transference?”

“She intends to,” Finfin agreed.

Their hostess then added to her calendar the other couple of more minor
items the High Priestess was commissioning and paying for in advance,
and showed the result to her two guests. “The simpler items should be
ready in a few days, but the gloves not until closer to the end of the
month.”

“We’ll pass that along,” Mithi promised.

“Now, Captain, how are YOUR gloves working out?” Anadrieniel asked.

“Very nicely, thank you, ma’am,” the elven office replied gallantly. “In
fact, I can say that they were of considerable benefit in some rather…
close calls just within the past day or do. I am very much at your
service for crafting them.”

For some reason, that comment once again triggered a minor blush. “Oh,
well, as for THAT…” their hostess almost giggled, but then restrained
herself. “You do know that yours are only the most modest of what I can
craft. If you would ever like to commission a set of your own like the
High Priestess’, do please let me know.”

Finfin nodded. “I would very much like that. But alas, just at the
moment, my resources are needed elsewhere.”

“Any time,” their hostess replied easily. The two lady wizards then
turned their attention to the Magical Shoppe of which they were the core
members. Finfin listened intently; he was not yet a major investor in
this business concern, but because it was important to Mithi and her
family, it was important to Finfin, and he readily agreed when Mithi
suggested that she and her beau would be willing to bring in fresh
supplies and materials from their now frequent visits back to the “big
cities” of Yeltanar.

And once again, the blush reappeared on their hostess’ cheeks as
Anadrieniel moved on to the next item on her “wish list”. This let Mithi
spare her pal some additional embarrassment, and anticipate her friend’s
request. “Ya’d like some more steamy books?”

The blush, if anything, deepened. But rather than deny the request,
their hostess nodded abruptly. “For educational purposes, of course.”

“Of course,” Mithi agreed. “For you, and your dear sister.” Once again,
Anadrieniel nodded, and slid Mithi a folded sheet of notepaper, not
bothering to even attempt to explain just HOW she happened to have a
premade list all ready to go. Mithi opened the folded sheet and whistled
softly. “Cor, them’s some nice titles. And you’ve ‘elpfully written the
name ov a few shops where we moight find these fine works. Consider it
done.”

“Thank you,” Anadrieniel replied softly.

“And we’ll do it quietly like, too,” Mithi added. “No need ta let a
bunch of others know our bizness.”

“THANK you!” their hostess repeated, rather more emphatically this time.

Mithi looked consideringly at her old pal for a moment, and then glanced
over at her mentor. “Fin? D’ya fink we’ve got a few more minutes fer
Annie an’ me ta talk some more?”

Finfin pulled out an amulet from a vest pocket, peered at it for a
moment, and then nodded. “We ought to,” he mused. “And Dame Nerwen knows
where we can be found, and will send someone knocking when Lord Erik is
ready to continue on with us to the Briarpatch. Which may be a little
while, as it sounds like he will be away from his holding for a good
while, and I daresay he has a few matters to attend to before his
prolonged absence.”

Anadrieniel’s face fell somewhat at the prediction that the Lord of Fort
Resolute was about to be away, but then perked up at the thought that
she and her pal would be able to extend their visit.

“The fing is, Fin,” Mithi began her explanation to her mentor, “dear
Annie has always liked a good, steamy story.” Their hostess’ blush
managed an even deeper shade, but the court wizard made no attempt to
dispute the charge. “Either in a fine written book like these,” Mithi
added, nodding to the folded sheet now in her lap, “or narrated by, say…
one of the more adventurous lasses in our little Magic Business, ‘oo
could always be counted on ta be able ta tell a fun tale ov ‘er latest
tumble wif one ov the local lads. Wif all the details.”

Again, Anadrieniel simply nodded, not denying the statement at all.

“Well, Annie,” Mithi added cheerfully, “if yer innerested, Oi’ve got a
LOT ov new ‘ot stories ta tell. Don’t know if we’ve got time fer ALL of
‘em, but Oi can tries, as long as ya don’t mind me stickin’ ta a phrase
them ‘ot Majali on the Wagon Train always said about not tellin’ someone
ELSE’s story. Would ya like that?”

And again, their hostess replied with the usual deepening blush, and the
silent but fervent nod.

“Would you prefer that I make myself absent?” Finfin asked.

“No fear!” Mithi laughed. “You feature MOST prominently in ALL of these
stories. And Oi figgure Annie might like ta be able ta stare at the ‘ero
of these tales, ta better be able ta fill in the blanks between me own
words.” And again, Anadrieniel silently nodded her agreement with her
pal’s prediction.

“So ya see, Annie, it began like this…” Mithi began happily, a beaker of
tea in one hand. And Finfin listened, fascinated to hear a retelling of
tales that featured most prominently in his saved memories. And as
promised, Mithi’s recounting included all of the details. At least, as
far as she and her mentor were concerned. Any other participants were
unnamed… but their activities were most thoroughly described. And far
from being an eavesdropper on this set of stories, his own viewpoint and
opinion was frequently asked for, as he could give an additional
perspective on the hot encounters.

And all throughout, Anadrieniel sat silently, blushing deeply, but
clearly hanging on her pal Mithi’s every word. But as feared, there was
a quiet knocking at the door long before the litany of new experiences
had come to its conclusion.