Mercedes Lackey: Intrigues

Mags was shocked, and his jaw dropped. “Move away from Dallen?” he asked, aghast.

Caelen gave a chuckle. “I can see, if you put it like that, that it would be a wrench. But it would stop you from standing out as . . .” he gave a wry smile, “the Trainee that we stuck off in the stable.”

“How’s that bad?” Mags asked, adding as an afterthought, “Sir? Not like it bothers me.”

“You’ll recall that bit of an altercation over you being there in the first place,” Caellen said with a grimace. “You know already that there are many of the adults who would be certain any boy out in a room alone far from adult supervision is certainly up to no good, Trainee or not.”

Well of all the things he’d heard here, that took the prize for making no sense. “But I got ’dult supervision!” Mags protested. “Companions! Bunches on ’em! If I was t’ get t’ jiggerypokery, ye know they’d be callin’ in t’ their Chosen!” He could just imagine it, too. Say, purloining a couple of bottles of wine to try out what being drunk was like. He’d not get two cups into the first bottle before half the Collegium, including all the teachers, would be at his door. And he didn’t even want to think about what would happen if he was up to anything worse than that. And what Dallen would say to him—he’d rather be whipped.

Caelen shrugged. “You have a very good point about the supervision. Well, if that is how you really feel, I won’t make you move. I thought a boy your age would be a little worried about how the others might think of him. It might be thought a little odd to be down there all alone. People are very likely to wonder why you are there, if there is something, that makes you antisocial, or if—oh, say for example, your Mindspeech is less than controlled, and we are keeping you apart from the others to prevent problems from it. Or as if you are some sort of pariah, and we want to keep you away from the others to keep you from contaminating them.”

Mags shook his head. “If’n I can stay, I want to,” he stated firmly. “It ain’t like I’m in the way. It’s the warm end o’ the stables, ’n I think the Companions like me being there. If somethin’ was t’ happen, I’d be right there, ’fore even someun’s Chosen could or one’a the grooms, ’cause the Chosen ’d haveta run down from Collegium an’ Dallen’d wake me afore a groom knew there was aught wrong. I dun mind bein’ alone; I’d druther, actually. It’s quiet. Easy t’ study. Easy t’ sleep, ain’t no one larkin’ about an’ makin’ noise. I never had no privacy afore, an’... an’ I like bein’ where no one kin bother me. An’ I definit’ly like being next t’ Dallen.”

“Well. I suppose if you feel that strongly about it.” Caelen sighed. “I suppose it can’t hurt to have someone in the stable as we come toward foaling season anyway. The Companions usually keep everyone aware of when foaling is likely, but once in a while it’s a surprise.” He cocked his head and looked Mags over. “I reckon you’ll be able to keep a level head in an emergency—and of course, the Companions will help. Even though Dallen is a jokester, he’s solid in a crisis, I understand.”

Mags grinned with relief—and a little at hearing Dallen described as a “jokester.” Evidently his “tweaking of Rolan’s tail” had gotten around. “Aye, sir. That I reckon ’e is.”

Caelan blinked. “You know—you are a little young for this, but something just occurred to me. I’ve something I’d like you to consider adding to your lessons. It’s a good thought, actually, and something that will... get you working with some of the other Trainees a good bit more.”

:He means he thinks you need to be socialized,: Dallen said wryly. :He thinks you ought to be running about with a herd. That’s all right, he means well. And perhaps whatever it is he just thought of will be fun. You have been sorely missing out on fun.:

Caelan carried on, oblivious to Dallen’s comments; well, after all, he couldn’t hear them. Companions rarely Mindspoke to anyone but their Chosen. It was unusual that Rolan had let Mags hear his sarcastic remarks to Dallen. “You and Dallen have an exceptionally close bond—I’m told your Mindspeech is remarkably strong. According to your records you and Dallen are also two of the leaders in the riding lessons. Those two things would make you a pair of ideal candidates for what I have in mind.” The older Herald grinned like a young boy. “Think you’d be up to being part of a Kirball team?”

Mags frowned. “Kirball?” He’d heard the term bandied about, mostly during meals, but hadn’t really gotten any notion of what it meant besides that it was some sort of game. A brand new game, one that several of the Heralds themselves were devising for the Trainees—but Mags had no idea what was involved. Well, other than the fact that, judging by the exuberant hand-gestures and pantomime, it was probably going to be very exciting for those who were in it.

“It’s a new game that the Heralds are trying on the students this year. They are rebuilding the obstacle course out in the field and running it over that. It’s part goal scoring, part capture-the-flag and part team building.” Caelen was oblivious to the fact that none of this meant anything to Mags; fortunately, Dallen quickly provided his Chosen with images of what Caelen meant. “We think it will be a good learning exercise for the Trainees. I believe it originally got its name since Herald Kiri came up with it. She’s always one for inventing crazy ways to test the trainees, but this one has definitely become popular. The name seems to have stuck. It doesn’t hurt that one could say it was meant to honor King Kiril as well.”

Something nagged at the back of Mag’s mind, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, and the thought ran away as Dallen rang in loud and clear.

:Oh, I would like that! Just think, you’ll get to compete on the fastest Companion in the city!: came an eager comment, showing Mags that Dallen was still listening in. :We’ll be fantastic at this!:

The Herald continued, leaning forward and becoming animated as he did so, “Here’s the basic idea. Now, we’ve done a lot of games on Companion-back in the past, but what is new about this is that the students form teams from all three Collegia. Some will be on Companions, of course, but some will be on horses, and then some afoot. It’s a twelve-person team, and the way we have planned to run it is that competition can be two teams against each other, a three-way, three goal arrangement or even four teams all in. Though for now, while we work play and rules out, it will just be two teams against each other.”

:It’ll be chaos on the field, and if I understand Kiri’s Companion correctly, that’s sort of the idea. It’s supposed to show how well you deal with a fight, and get you used to something like a battle without actually being in one. It’s wargames by any other name,: noted Dallen. :That said, it should also be a lot of fun.:

Mags frowned. “Wargames?” he repeated aloud.

Caelen winced visibly. “Well, that’s part of it. I can’t pretend it isn’t, but it’s a combination of riding skill, teamwork, communication and how well you use your Gifts in a pinch. There will be people on each team that don’t have Gifts, don’t have Mindspeech, don’t have Companions—which is just like a battlefield. This will test and train your abilities to put together an effective small force of all sorts of folk, setting things up so that each uses his strengths. That said, I think it’s going to be fun, and it’s going to be something for all the students to get involved in.”

Mags’ thoughtful frown deepened. “Gifts are allowed?” he asked, pondering how that would work.