Royal Crown Commision: New Toy

[Jim Roberts]

[Jan 30 PM – Fort Resolute]

> “I call her Chronotellia,” their hostess chuckled. “Did not seem right
> to put the ‘real’ dryad to work this way, so I made up a funny name.”

Once back in Anadrieniel’s office, Mithi seemed particularly fascinated
to explore the math behind the different numbers of combinations
possible in the magical working, and how the Arcane magics managed each
selection. The two long term friends and business partners chatted
happily together for some time, and Finfin looked on indulgently. But
not patronizingly. Item crafting was a skill beyond both himself and his
apprentice. But he was just as fascinated as Mithi at the Arcane
underpinnings, and asked a few salient questions of his own.

Finally, Anadrieniel giggled, and gave Mithi another hug. “I’d forgotten
just how GOOD it is to be able to talk shop! The people here are really
nice, but only Dame Nerwen knows the first thing about Arcane Magic, and
she’s always so busy. I’ve really missed you!”

“Me, too,” Mithi agreed.

“And you’ve clearly come a long ways since Seaweth’s shop back home,”
the court wizard mused happily. “Captain Finfinfin must be a good teacher.”

Mithi chuckled, and put an arm around the elf. “Oh, Fin ‘as certainly be
teaching me *plenty*.”

“Oh dear, now you’re going to get me all hot and bothered,” Anadrieniel
giggled. “I hope that cheeky smile means *exactly* what I think it does.”

“It does!” Mithi confirmed cheerfully..

“Oh, good!” the wizard giggled happily. Her giggle became a bit rueful,
and perhaps even a bit guilty as she observed, “The men here… well, I
think I scare them or something. Sir Tregarth is a dear, and some of the
other Riders are so polite. Most of them are always so busy, alas. The
Forest People are always wary around wizards, you know what a lot of
THEIRS are like.”

“Bat guano crazy boom mages?” Mithi asked sympathetically.

“Not all of them, luckily,” Anadrieniel smiled. “You should meet
Jarmila, she’s the Witch Doctor out with the Drowning Lord tribe. Simply
wonderful wizard, her daughter and apprentice is one of the Pussycats;
their bass player Val.” She pulled up short, and shook her head. “Ah,
but, of course. you know all this, and I am just going on. Sadly,
Jarmila’s village is the best part of a day away, but we do get to talk
magically sometimes.”

Anadrieniel’s visitors were not quite as up on some of these details as
the court wizard had suspected. After exchanging a glance with his
apprentice, Finfin confessed that while they knew that Val’s mother was
indeed a Witch Doctor with one of the local tribes, they hadn’t known
exactly which. “We do work with Val,” Finfin concluded, “but we are
still getting to know each other.”

“Oh, I could show you on the big maps,” Anadrieniel smiled. “I have
smaller copies, but all the detailed information is on the maps in the
planning office. Most of the men insist on calling it the ‘warroom’, of
course. But that is not why you are here. I seem to recall a pair of
gloves I was to make for the handsome Captain here.”

“They are ready?” Finfin asked, his voice not bothering to hide his
anticipation.

“Of course,” the wizard said proudly, and took a few steps to open a
drawer. A neat little box was inside.

“C’mon, Anni,” Mithi urged her friend. “You do one ‘and, Oi’ll do the
other.”

“Oh, if that is all right,” she stammered, looking a little shyly at
Finfin. “I would not presume to be so forward, but I suppose we must
make sure the fit is right. The magic SHOULD take care of that, but I
like to be sure.”

“‘Ee’s got *good* ‘ands,” Mithi promised. “And safe ones, too. You can
be sure of that.”

“You’re in good hands with Captain Finfin,” the wizard intoned solemnly.
“Do they have those signs for that insurance company in Seaholm, too?
They are EVERYWHERE in Spindrift.”

“Bet they’re everywhere,” Mithi speculated. “C’mon, Fin. Give.”

Wordlessly, Finfin extended both hands towards the ladies, and enjoyed
the sensation of each carefully pulling a well crafted glove onto each.
The two ladies stepped back, and the elf slowly closed first one hand,
and then the other.

“I can feel the effect already,” he mused, his voice tinged with awe.

“Oh, it’s just the *smallest* of reflex enhancers,” Anadrieniel replied
shyly. “There is far more potent that I could craft.”

“But it is the best that I can currently afford,” the elven officer
admitted. “But I will certainly be back if and when I can afford more.”
Once again he opened and closed each palm and added, ”But in the hands
of a trained swordsman, even a minor boost can be quite a help.”

“Giving just a *bit* of extra… edge?” Mithi chuckled.

“Just so,” Finfin agreed.

“Oh, I get your point,” Anadrieniel nodded somberly, but the amused
twinkle in her eyes gave her away.

“I cannot wait until the next chance I have to try some basic blade
parries,” the elf mused, partly to himself.

“Well,” Anadrieniel mused, “I don’t let just *any* sword swinger draw
steel in my office, but a swordsman of YOUR reputation can hopefully not
carve up the place by mistake.”

“I shall most certainly endeavour not to,” Finfin promised. Stepping a
couple of paces away from anything breakable that most certainly
included the other two wizards, he drew his arming sword, and tried a
few experimental passes through the air. Taking the hilt in his usual
double grip, he moved the blade in a dizzying pattern. Unlike his usual
practise, this time he was omitting the footwork, carefully staying in
one spot to not impact anything with his flashing steel. But the etched
artwork on the blade twinkled in the steady light as it flashed through
the air, making it obvious how the sword had earned its name – Lizardtounge.

Bringing the exercise to an abrupt halt, he saluted the glove’s
enchanter before sheathing the blade. “I really *can* feel a small
benefit to my parries,” he commented. Bowing to Anadrieniel, he stated
formally, “I thank you indeed for the fine crafting, Wizard Anadrieniel.”

The two wizard pals continued to chat happily together. It really had
been some time since Mithralia and Anadrieniel – or Mithi and Anni, to
use their familiar names – had last been able to visit, and the two had
a lot of catching up to do. Annie was delighted to hear all that
Seaweth’s former apprentice had been getting up to – at least, as much
as could be discussed in a Church Knight’s manor, which Mithi thought
was leaving out some of the best bits. Annie was also quite happy to
hear about Mithi’s recent advertising of the Magic Shoppe’s wares up at
Symbala, and the prediction for lots of extra business that might soon
be coming their way.

Anni was leading them into the map room as the court wizard observed,
“It is probably just as well that a lot of the anticipated Symbala
product will be potions that Seaweth will be handling. I expect I may
well have my hands full with some large orders coming my way.” She
chuckled and added, “Not to mention orders for variations on
Chronotellia once everyone else here with an office door sees her.”

“Good advertising,” Mithi replied approvingly.

“Product placement,” Anni agreed happily. “I am planning something
similar to surprise Seaweth with for the shop, so let us not tell HER
just yet. I just have to decide what subject to commission from ‘Aunt’
Thori.”

“Ooo!” Mithi enthused. “That’s a *really* nice idea! Now, wot would go
over nice, like? ‘Er old ‘erb garden she ‘ad ta leave at ‘ome? Or
somefing more cheerful, like ‘er *current* ‘erb garden?”

“A nice setting,” Anadrieniel mused approvingly. “Throrfiwen I would
hazard can certainly do something with that, with all the art she did
for the Arboretum back in the old country. Now we just need a guardian.
A garden gnome? A pink flamingo? A faerie dragon, perhaps? You know our
partner better than I, what would bring a smile to her face?”

“Fairie dragons are supposed ta be *real* colourful, an’ all,” Mithi
mused. “Fing is, Oi ‘aven’t a clue where or if any wondrous nature
entity like *that* is around, let alone ‘ow to ask one ta sit fer a
posing session.”

“But there might be someone who usually is around here who might know,”
Finfin suggested.

Mithi nodded. “Pilinde. We’ll ask ‘er when next we see ‘er. Which might
be as soon as tomorrow morning, though only briefly.”

After pouring over some of the local maps in the “warroom”, along with
further conversations as the old friends and now business partners
caught up, it was time for Annie’s guests to move on.

“Please come back when you can,” the court wizard asked. “I worry I will
go stir crazy sitting around here on my own sometimes.”

“We will likely be through here several times a month,” Finfin promised.
Really, he was committed to making supply runs every three days, with
most of them coming from right here at Fort Resolute, but going forward
he anticipated that a portion of those supplies might be coming from one
of two Yelti cities instead. But he was confident that they would still
be frequent visitors to the remote construction site and staging ground
that was Fort Resolute.

Before her guests left, the Wizard Anadrieniel looked shyly at the
senior of her two wizarding guests. “Captain Finfinfin?” she asked
quietly. “May I ask a favour?”

“You most certainly may,” the elf agreed.

“Look after Mithi, please?” Annie asked softly. “I know what you’re
doing out there is important, but it *must* also be dangerous.”

The two adventuring wizards put an arm around each other as Finfin
replied gently, “We look after each other. But I will always do my
utmost to watch over her safety. And she, mine.”

“Thank you, Captain,” was Anadrieniel’s quiet answer, and with a last
round of hugs between the ladies, Mithi and Finfin made their way out of
the manor and down towards the “village” below. Neither noticed the
rather wistful expression on the court wizard’s face as she watched them go.

The wizards’ next order of business was down in Camp Kurva, that
collection of Majali Vardoes parked a discreet distance away from both
the construction site and the gathering of wigwams and temporary
buildings that was the emerging village below Fort Resolute. The wizards
had a load of coffee to sell before they could continue their
Dimensional Folding voyage to their final destination for the night.

Crossing past a collection of wigwams, the wizards were somewhat
startled when a familiar voice called their names. Standing in a deeper
collection of shadows was the long legged scout, Lomi.

“Hullo, Lomi!” Mithi greeted the scout enthusiastically. “Oi didn’t fink
you’d be up and about.”

Lomi gave the apprentice mage a sly smile. “Even buff lumberjacks need a
chance to recover,” she replied, her voice warm with contentment. “So
good old Yav is getting a well deserved nap, getting ready for tonight.”

“All well there?” Mithi asked solicitously.

“Oh, *very* well indeed,” Lomi mused happily. The long legged scout then
frowned slightly, and added, “Or rather, if anything WAS wrong, it’s
just the usual.”

Mithi nodded, understanding both what was being said, as well as what
was NOT said. “Family,” the young wizard stated, and Lomi nodded.

“I love my family dearly,” Lomi explained. “But Fadri *can* be a bit
tiring. She made a point of carefully measuring me for an updated
funeral shroud. She means well, but it’s still a downer. And even Mom
can be, well, a bit clingy.”

“Makes sense,” Mithi mused. “Figures one of ‘er daughters is out in
‘arms way, an’ all.”

“True enough,” Lomi agreed. “But there’s still sometimes only so much
family at one time I can take.” Mithi nodded her sympathetic agreement,
while Lomi chuckled ruefully, “*Particularly* when I’m here to have a
lovely and *long* session of lovemaking with Yav. So while he’s
recovering, I spent dinner hour with my nearest and closest.”

The tall scout sighed. “It *was* good to see them again,” she admitted.
“And I’d swear Little Nebs has grown just as much as her kitten since Yule.”

“She’ll be your size before long,” Mithi predicted.

“Maybe,” Lomi agreed. “But after a long dinner, I had to find some
space.” A bit awkwardly, she added, “I hope you don’t mind, but I used
the Captain here as an excuse for why I had to leave and meet someone.”

“I do not mind if it helps your situation,” the elf answered graciously.

“Thanks,” Lomi replied with a grateful nod. “And it isn’t all made up,
either.”

“No?” Finfin asked, one eyebrow raised.

“No,” Lomi confirmed. “Now, I bet whatever’s happening at Sibley is all
Hush Hush, and I get that. But do you know yet whether you’ll be needing
to stay an extra day?”

“Not unless something entirely unexpected comes up,” Finfin predicted.
“And in fact, if you would be willing, it might be best if you and Val
were ready to return in the morning.”

Far from being upset at the news, the long legged scout simply shrugged.
“Yeah,” Lomi agreed. “Makes sense. We’ve got friends out there in the
muck risking their lives while we’re here. And while I really AM
enjoying seeing folks here again – yeah, including my family – and most
*especially* enjoying seeing Yav again, I’d enjoy it a lot more if I
didn’t know there were pals of mine still back at the Waterworks stuck
in the mud and bugs, dodging traps and running for their lives.”

“That much is very likely true,” Finfin agreed sadly.

“So I’m ready to head back,” Lomi sighed. “I don’t want to sound like an
egomaniac, but I am one of the better scouts they’ve got. Not in
Bartras’ class, but maybe in Gilbert’s.”

“But you’d feel like a right ‘eel if someone got ‘urt or even killed out
there in the mud,” Mithi predicted, “if you wuz back ‘ere, finking that
it might not ‘ave ‘appened if you’d been back *there*.”

Lomi gave the apprentice mage a grateful if weak smile. “Bullseye,” the
tall scout confirmed. “So as much fun as I’m having here - and fully
INTEND to have tonight – Cap’n Fin, I’ll be ready to return in the morning.”

“I shall be Teleporting supplies from here to the Plains tomorrow
morning,” the elf noted. “That would be an ideal time for you to return.”

Lomi smiled weakly at the elf. “Thanks, Cap’n. And I’ll get word to Val
as well, so she won’t be, well… surprised in the morning.”

“Thank you,” the elf replied simply.

“No, thank *you*, Cap’n!” Lomi replied, some of her usual good cheer now
beginning to return. “From the rumor mill floating around backstage, I
think you two have Big Plans tonight. You’ll be glad to know I pointed
Josie in the right direction along the Waystation chain, not that she
really needed my help. So I’m sure she’s been at the Briarpatch for some
time.”

“Thank you,” the elf repeated sincerely, and Mithi nodded her agreement.

“Not a problem,” Lomi replied easily. “So you two – or however many
it’ll be – have *fun*. I know *I* sure plan to.”

“Us too!” Mithi happily confirmed. These promises made, the two wizards
continued their way through the impromptu village and beyond. The
vardoes of Camp Kurva was their next stop.