went to your mentor.”
“That book on herblore was just to get you out,” said Sura, looking angry. “You didn’t forget. You’re not in trouble. Maybe.”
“Sura, I—I didn’t—”
She took his hands and gave him a grim smile. “It’s not you I’m angry with, Mik. It’s this—this whole situation. Why would she want to avail herself with—” She growled, but threw her arms around him. “I heard you call to me. I’m so glad you—”
Bailar pushed the door open. “Good. That’s over.” He fell onto the unoccupied settee. “Charn, Isa, thank you for your help. You may go. No, stay. Perhaps this will be instructive for you as well.”
Mik began to shiver. “What—why would she—”
“The blame falls to me,” said Bailar. “Do you remember, on the barge, when I spoke of pressures that the two of you would not feel this year? Indeed. I should have foreseen this and spoken further.”
“I’ve seen how some of the other apprentices look at me and the other girls,” Sura growled. “One or two of the sorcerers, too. And here I was, thinking Mik was the lucky one since he’s a boy. Mentor and father, what is wrong with this place?”
“Remember how few we were in the Great Hall?” Bailar looked solemn. “Centuries ago, Captain Chelinn wrote of a result of the Principle of Necessity: in this age, as folk grow in knowledge and invent new devices, magic becomes less necessary. The Treaty that Mik almost ran afoul of, was signed partly to protect what sorcerers remain, and partly because the cannon and other devices made combat magic redundant.
“Yet there are those among us who wish to turn back the tide. The children of sorcerers are more likely to have the Talent… and Mik, your beginnings suggest a great deal of Talent. If Aleya—a formidable Talent in her own right—were to get a child from you, that child could become a powerful sorcerer indeed. And she’s not the only one who thinks that way.”
“Ehhh!” Isa shuddered from the settee, as she and all the apprentices blushed. “Is that why the matron talked to us girls the first night here?”
“Indeed. The Conclave as a whole tries to protect its apprentices—especially the young ladies—from itself. For the established women in the sorcerous ranks, raising a child is a badge of honor. But for an apprentice? Motherhood is often too great a burden. Instead of two potential sorcerers making a third, we often end with only one.” He looked at Sura. “Indeed, the burden of a child can be too great for poor folk.”
“Mentor,” Mik asked, “did you ever try to find who left Sura—”
Sura nudged him. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “This is my father. He always has been.”
“And I am always proud of that,” said Bailar with a smile. “And that is all I have to say. You four are dismissed. Mik, Charn, you may walk your ladies to their quarters as is fitting and honorable, then return to your own quarters. But if you wish to speak more of these things among yourselves beforehand, I will ask Zharcon the White and Tonima the Brown to allow the four of you the privacy of a full and honest airing.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Charn, sketching a bow. Isa followed suit, silent for a change.
Bailar placed his hand over his heart, saluting an equal. “It is an honor and privilege for sorcerers to instruct apprentices at the Gathering. And not all lessons are of magic.”
Chapter 5 - Rogue Mage
“The term rogue mage describes two quite different characters,” said the instructor, an Eastern woman. “This is unfortunate, although they often come to the same end by different roads.”
Mik stifled a yawn and tried to pay attention. He was interested in what the instructor had to say, but he hadn’t slept well since the night he visited Aleya the Red. His dreams—cavorting with Sura, with Aleya, with the two together, even Isa—were bad enough, but moaning in his sleep drew the ire of senior apprentices more
“That book on herblore was just to get you out,” said Sura, looking angry. “You didn’t forget. You’re not in trouble. Maybe.”
“Sura, I—I didn’t—”
She took his hands and gave him a grim smile. “It’s not you I’m angry with, Mik. It’s this—this whole situation. Why would she want to avail herself with—” She growled, but threw her arms around him. “I heard you call to me. I’m so glad you—”
Bailar pushed the door open. “Good. That’s over.” He fell onto the unoccupied settee. “Charn, Isa, thank you for your help. You may go. No, stay. Perhaps this will be instructive for you as well.”
Mik began to shiver. “What—why would she—”
“The blame falls to me,” said Bailar. “Do you remember, on the barge, when I spoke of pressures that the two of you would not feel this year? Indeed. I should have foreseen this and spoken further.”
“I’ve seen how some of the other apprentices look at me and the other girls,” Sura growled. “One or two of the sorcerers, too. And here I was, thinking Mik was the lucky one since he’s a boy. Mentor and father, what is wrong with this place?”
“Remember how few we were in the Great Hall?” Bailar looked solemn. “Centuries ago, Captain Chelinn wrote of a result of the Principle of Necessity: in this age, as folk grow in knowledge and invent new devices, magic becomes less necessary. The Treaty that Mik almost ran afoul of, was signed partly to protect what sorcerers remain, and partly because the cannon and other devices made combat magic redundant.
“Yet there are those among us who wish to turn back the tide. The children of sorcerers are more likely to have the Talent… and Mik, your beginnings suggest a great deal of Talent. If Aleya—a formidable Talent in her own right—were to get a child from you, that child could become a powerful sorcerer indeed. And she’s not the only one who thinks that way.”
“Ehhh!” Isa shuddered from the settee, as she and all the apprentices blushed. “Is that why the matron talked to us girls the first night here?”
“Indeed. The Conclave as a whole tries to protect its apprentices—especially the young ladies—from itself. For the established women in the sorcerous ranks, raising a child is a badge of honor. But for an apprentice? Motherhood is often too great a burden. Instead of two potential sorcerers making a third, we often end with only one.” He looked at Sura. “Indeed, the burden of a child can be too great for poor folk.”
“Mentor,” Mik asked, “did you ever try to find who left Sura—”
Sura nudged him. “It doesn’t matter,” she said. “This is my father. He always has been.”
“And I am always proud of that,” said Bailar with a smile. “And that is all I have to say. You four are dismissed. Mik, Charn, you may walk your ladies to their quarters as is fitting and honorable, then return to your own quarters. But if you wish to speak more of these things among yourselves beforehand, I will ask Zharcon the White and Tonima the Brown to allow the four of you the privacy of a full and honest airing.”
“Thank you, sir,” said Charn, sketching a bow. Isa followed suit, silent for a change.
Bailar placed his hand over his heart, saluting an equal. “It is an honor and privilege for sorcerers to instruct apprentices at the Gathering. And not all lessons are of magic.”
Chapter 5 - Rogue Mage
“The term rogue mage describes two quite different characters,” said the instructor, an Eastern woman. “This is unfortunate, although they often come to the same end by different roads.”
Mik stifled a yawn and tried to pay attention. He was interested in what the instructor had to say, but he hadn’t slept well since the night he visited Aleya the Red. His dreams—cavorting with Sura, with Aleya, with the two together, even Isa—were bad enough, but moaning in his sleep drew the ire of senior apprentices more
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