Brian Kittrell - The Consuls of the Vicariate

“I wish you luck, but I hope you will stay for a while yet.”

“Stay?” Laedron shrugged. “We have nothing left to do here. You haven’t started any more trouble, have you?”

“No, nothing like that. The consulship and I merely wish to thank you for everything you have done for us.”

“You’re welcome.”

“It’s not quite that simple, my young friend. The consulship has instructed me to summon you for an assembly two days hence.”

“Two days? I’d much rather get underway sooner than that.”

Marac came alongside and swatted Laedron. “Oh, come on, Lae. I know you’re not one for praise, but take a little recognition when you deserve it, won’t you?”

“The sooner we can find out what’s wrong with me, the better.”

“I’m sure you’ll be all right.” Marac turned to Jurgen. “Go ahead and make the arrangements, my good man. We’ll be there.”

Jurgen left, and Laedron gave Marac a scornful glare. “We have little time for ceremonies. I must know what’s happening to me.”

“We can’t go without a plan,” Marac replied. “At the least, they’ll probably pay us something for our trouble. We can’t go without supplies, either, Lae.”

“Very well.” Laedron took a seat at the head of the table. “Let us discuss our next step, then.”

“If we’re to go to Lasoron, we must decide where.” Valyrie retrieved a map from a nearby bookcase and spread it across the table. “In the south, there is but one major city-Nessadene. It lies on the coast of the Sea of Pillars. Aldrissa is a small logging village just west of the city, but it’s unlikely that a writer as skilled as Harridan would be there.”

Laedron smiled, remembering his little fishing town of Reven’s Landing and the fact that he, his mother, and his sister-all gifted mages-lived there. “Of course, no one of any importance could be in a place like that.”

Valyrie glanced at him, seeming to notice the insult she’d cast. “Forgive me-”

“No, think nothing of it,” Laedron said. “You’re probably right. After all, nothing world changing ever happened to my family while we were there. I would doubt something as mystical as The Bloodmyr Tome, or an Uxidin, for that matter, would be in a logging village. Even Ismerelda hid herself in a sizable city.”

“How will we travel?” Marac asked.

“The same way we got to Azura. Along the roads.”

Valyrie crossed her arms and leaned back in her seat. “There is another way.”

“If you mean by magic, it’s dangerous.” Laedron shook his head. “No, it must be by land.”

“Going by land presents several problems,” Marac said.

“What sorts of problems?” Laedron asked.

“Well, for one, highwaymen. Battles tend to draw unseemly sorts from all over to profit on the dead and travelers.”

“And the war,” Brice said.

Laedron rolled his eyes. “The Sorbians aren’t going to attack again. Why would they?”

“Not the Sorbians. The Falacorans. Jurgen is sending a ship, but the message has much further to travel.”

“He’s right,” Marac said, nodding. “Armies could still be moving along the roads, and word might not have reached them yet. We could be mistaken for enemy scouts.”

Laedron threw up his hands. “Then how?”

“By sea,” Valyrie said. “We could acquire passage on a ship.”

“A ship would take us away from the direction we’re going, and I thought only the Arcanists could sail the Sea of Pillars. You did say Nessadene lay on its coast, right?” Laedron leaned forward over the map, then struck the marker with his finger. “The northeastern end of the Sea of Pillars, right there.”

“Yes, but that’s what I’m suggesting.” She traced the map with her fingertip. “We could convince the Arcanists to ferry us across the Sea of Pillars. We’d save days-maybe even a week-compared to the other options.”

Laedron nodded. “The sooner, the better, and since Marac’s volunteered us for this ceremony, we need every bit of time we can muster.”

“You’ll hold that against me?” Marac asked.

“No, no. I don’t look forward to being paraded up and down the streets, but I’ll let it go this time. The potential rewards would do much to further our task.”

“All right.” Valyrie rested her arms on the table. “We’ll speak to Jurgen about getting passage then?”

“Yes.” Laedron glanced at each of them. “What supplies do you think we’ll need?”

“If we go by ship, we’ll have little need for food,” Brice said. “Some, but not much. That pretty much goes for any other supplies, too; if we’re not to be in the wilderness, I don’t see us needing much.”

“Right, but I don’t want to go empty-handed.” Marac took a sip from his cup. “We’ll need some basic things to tide us over until we learn the city, and travelers without supplies make easy targets for greedy merchants.”

Laedron smiled. “Agreed. Let us get our things together and take care of any other business we have so that we’re ready to leave as soon as possible.”

“All right,” Brice said, standing. “I’ll return later.”

Laedron said, “Wait. What have you to do?”

“I have to see someone one last time before I go. I’ll be back. Trust me.” Brice left without another word.

Laedron raised an eyebrow, then gazed at Marac. “Have you any idea what he has in mind?”

“No. I just hope he doesn’t get himself in trouble-” He stopped when Laedron glared at him. “Sorry. I won’t pick on him anymore.”

“Have you anything to do, Val?” Laedron asked.

She stood. “I’d like to see my teachers one last time, to tell them farewell. And a few friends.” She stood and went out the main door.

“Looks like it’s just us, old friend,” Laedron said.

Marac grinned. “A terrible proposition.”

Laedron chuckled. “Perhaps, but it gives us a little time to talk, a luxury we haven’t had lately. Things have gotten so complicated.”

“Complicated? I’m no master of language, but I’d bet there’s a word far stronger than complicated to describe our lives recently.” Marac paused. “Tell me about this girl of yours.”

“Nothing to tell.”

“Nothing to tell? Come on, Lae.”

“I think I’m in love, Marac.”

Marac laughed. “Sorry, my friend. I’m only surprised to hear those words cross your lips at long last. She’s quite a catch, isn’t she?”

“Quite. We haven’t known each other for long, but I feel something when I’m around her. Is that strange? To feel in love after so short a time?”

“You’re asking me?” Marac asked. “Well, I guess you are, aren’t you? No, not in my mind. A week or two is plenty of time to get the feeling, but now, you have to own it.”

“Own it?”

“Yeah, you have to own it. Take the heart out of it and see if you line up with her.” Marac scooted closer. “You have to look at it from the outside. Can you see yourself living with her for the rest of your life? Getting into fights and making it out with your skin?”

“Oh, we won’t fight. I could never fight with-”

“You will. Take it from me. You’ll fight, and you’ll be bitter. There’ll be times that you can’t stand to be around her, but you have to decide beforehand if you think you can make it. No, you have to know that you can repair the breaches as they come.”

“I just never see us fighting. Not ever.”

“You’d better at least think about it. I don’t mean to spoil things or get you down, but these things happen. Everybody fights sometimes. Laren and I have argued. My parents fight and bicker, but they make amends. That’s what it is to be together.”