Chapter 3. Part 6.

Just before sunset, Gwen returned from the guard's central station with several papers and a smug smile. “I dont think the police will be a problem.” she said “I had a nice chat with the lord commander of the city watch. Nice fellow. I explained to him that we were the only ones able to import exotic goods of these kinds. There is simply no way Mr Vrok could have gotten them, unless he stolen them from us. Naturally the commander was skeptical of this claim, until I told him that reaching our suppler required special magic and was a matter the Princess had a personal interest in. All very truthful, you notice.” Gwen tossed the papers onto the table and waved to the serving woman. “Some dinner, please.”

Lewen nodded and smiled, “That should work. But I suspect Vrok will not give up. There is too much profit to be made. He will let some time pass, then try a new tactic.”

Mark considered the entire mess. Setting up this side hustle to make some easy income, was more work than he had expected. Maybe that was another life lesson? Things are usually tougher than you expect. “For now, good work everyone. Lets enjoy some food.” he said trying to sound confident.

The old Crane House

“By the way, did you know you own a house here in the capital?” Gwen asked casually as they ate.

Mark did not even try to hid his surprise “What? no. That's news to me.”

“The guard commander asked if you were staying at the old Crane house.” Gwen explained, “I told him that we had not been round to see the house yet. And ask for directions. It is over in the rich district.”

“Well then, I guess that is what we will be doing tomorrow.” Mark decided.

The house looked remarkably like the one grandpa had back on Earth. A classic brownstone design, 3 levels tall, long and narrow. Mark could not help wondering if there were hidden rooms inside it. The place looked to be in good shape. Not like it had been abandoned for 30 years.

Gwen whispered, “Look at it with mage sight.”

When Mark did, he saw the place was protected by a bubble, rather like the cabin. Meaning it was a veritable fortress. “I guess that prevented any trespassers.” he speculated. Then walked right up to the front door. As expected the force field let him pass through. He turned and waved to Gwen and Timmy.

“Come on, I invite you in.” he said, just in case the barrier needed a verbal cue to accept guests.

Getting onto the porch was easy, opening the door was another matter. It was locked.

“I guess you dont have a key? Gwen questioned.

“There are lots of keys back at the cabin. I did not think to bring any.” he replies.

“Maybe we should knock?” Squire Timmy suggested, wanting to be helpful.

Mark knocked and the door opened, seemingly by itself. “Hello in there.” he called.

From the shadows a tall man dressed in typical butler's clothing stepped, “Master Crane, is that you? Its been so long. Magra come see who it is.” He said pleasantly. “You have gotten younger, and found yourself a new wife. Pleased to meet you, my lady.”

“Hang on a minute.” Mark found it hard to interrupt the man, he was just so smooth and charming. But this misunderstanding had to be cleared up right away. “You worked for my grandfather, the legendary hero, right? Sadly he passed away. Im his heir. This is my sister. The boy is my squire.”

The butler gave a deep nod, “I understand master. Forgive any embarrassment I have caused.”

Gwen could not stop looking into the butler's deep red eyes, they were so captivating. “Id forgive you almost anything. She said without thinking. Then gave herself a mental slap. “I am lady Gwen, the lightning mage.” she formally introduced herself.

“I am Alistair, chief servant of this house.” The butler said then waved his arm to the woman walking towards them from the kitchen, “That is Magra, my mate, the finest cook in the kingdom.”

The cook was every bit as elegant and beautiful as the butler.

Alistair in an exaggerated gesture pointed out “This is not master Crane, it is his grand son.”

Magra licked her lips and said “I hope he has a healthy appetite.”

Timmy stood behind his master, not fooled for a second by the so called household staff. He was frightened but determined to do his duty and take action, if he had to. He hoped lord Mark had seen through their illusion. He hoped that playing along was part of some plan.

“We kept everything in order just as you left it.” Alistair was saying as he escorted Mark to the study, first door on the left. To the right was the sitting room, with a large and very decorative fire place.

“All letters and reports have been placed in boxes, dated by year. The boys have kept up their work.”

“The boys? Mark asked

“I suppose hey are all men, now. But we still think of them as boys.” The butler offered an explanation that did not really answer the question.

“Care to refresh my memory?” Mark found himself slipping into the role that Alistair had put him in.

“You remember them, from the orphanage you set up, about 60 years ago. You tasked them with keeping an eye on the city and reporting any odd activities. Reports have been a bit thin of late, but they still do their duty. And occasionally come round for tea.”

Meanwhile, Magra had left Gwen and Timmy in the sitting room, so she could fetch some tea.

The squire said as quietly as he could, “They are monsters, you know? Using some kind of illusion.”

Gwen did not know. But she did trust Timmy and his ability. Unlike so many shows where the boy's warning is ignored, she chose to take it seriously. “Thanks for the warning.” she replied.

Unfortunately she did not have any spells that were good against illusions or mind tricks.

She did cast a resistance to poison spell, just in case the tea was toxic.

 

“Iv just got a few more question, for now.” Mark said as he shuffled through some of the papers. “What is the most important order lord Crane gave you, before he last left this house?”

Without hesitation the butler answered, in a good imitation of grandpa's voice “Protect this place, offer shelter to our allies, and dont kill anyone, unless necessary.”

“When did you start working for, me?” Mark asked next.

“77 years ago, almost to the very day. Alistair answered, not looking a day over 30.
Mark decided to go with a wild guess on the last question. “Are you a vampire?”

The tall hansom butler smiled, showing his teeth. “I am your vampire sir.”

“That is good to know.” Mark said, trying to stay calm. He had been sensing something strange about the pair of servants, but the vampire guess had just been a stab in the dark. “It does not bother you to be working during the day?” he asked in a more conversational tone.

“Not at all, sir.” the butler replied.

“Well then lets get the others and finish the tour of my house.”

“As you say, sir.”

Thus Mark rejoined Gwen and Timmy, who were pretending to enjoy tea in the sitting room.

“Ready for a walk around the rest of the place?” he asked casually.

“Yes, but first there is something I want to tell you, in privet.” Gwen said with a meaningful look towards the ever so hansom butler.
“I will be in the hall.” Alistair said and closed the sliding pocket doors behind himself.

“Your staff are monsters.” She said in a whisper. Timmy nodded vigorously.

“He is a vampire, Im not sure what she is, maybe the same.” Mark replied trying not to sound like a know it all. But also very happy that he had not been surprised by the news. “I used detect hostility on them both and got nothing. So Id say we are safe for now.”

“All the same, I dont want to spend the night.” Gwen said seriously.

The house was mostly as one would expect, Living room, Dinning room, Study, and kitchen on the main level. Bedrooms on the second level. Servants quarters on the third. With some storage in the attic. The basement is where things got a bit strange. A storage area under the kitchen. A workshop next to that. Two prison cells and an interrogation room. No torture devices but it did have a one way viewing window. A volt for treasure, that still held a fair amount of it. A room for spell casting, with a circle of power carved into the floor. And last of all, a heavy door that opened to a stairwell down to the sewer tunnels.

“Id say things are in good order.” Mark declared after the tour was complete.

“Will you be staying the night?” Alistair asked, while looking directly at Gwen.

“No. We have other things that need doing.” Mark said quickly. “But before we return to the village, I want to introduce you to Mr Lewen and his worlfgirl body guard. They are my new partners in a merchant company. If they ever need help, you will offer them a guest room.”

“Very good, sir.” the butler said without emotion.

As they walked away from the house, Mark said to Gwen. “We need to dig up any info we can on vampires. Without letting anyone know we have a pair of them the house.”

 Chapter 3. Part 5.

The next Morning.

Mark had only gotten a few hours of sleep when a knock at his door woke him.

“Sorry sir.” said the Innkeeper, “Some very official men are here and they insist on seeing you.”

“Give me time to get dressed and cook up some breakfast.” he muttered in answer.

Could it be the city guard? He wondered. Not likely they would be so fast.

As he got ready to face whatever came his way, Mark tried to put paranoia aside. Was he felling guilt for reclaiming his own goods. That would be silly. Maybe it was worry that the thief Fenra subdued had actually died of a broken skull. He splashed some water on his face. It was likely the officials had nothing to do with last night, but were a response to the letter he had sent to the Princess.

Downstairs in the common room was the catgirl maid, he had met on his first visit, and a royal guard, who never smiled. They were polite in their morning greetings, calling him Lord Crane, and showing the proper amount of respect. Which embarrassed Mark a huge amount.

Gwen and squire Timmy came down stairs a few minutes later. She had almost the same reaction Mark did the first time he saw the catgirl maid. But she was a lot better at hiding it. Timmy didnt know what to do at first. Should he stand in the background or sit and eat with his master, as he usually did. The matter was decided for him when Gwen said “You better eat before it gets cold.”

After breakfast everyone climbs into the royal carriage that was waiting out front. The ride to the palace is every bit as bumpy as Mark remembered it. Although the carriage was elegant and stylish, it had no suspension. Every bump in the cobble stones was felt, despite the well padded seats. “I see why you wanted our wagon built that way.” Gwen whispered to Mark after a particularly jarring bump.

Gwen was excited to see the palace, although she regretted very much not bringing along a camera, she understood the rule Mark had insisted on. Photos would be a problem sooner or later. Timmy was just baffled by it all. A year ago he had been a stable boy, with no future prospects. Today he was going to see the king. Well maybe not. But it was likely his master would talk with the Princess.

The carriage eventually stopped at the side entry of the palace. The group was met by the Princess's Guard Captain - Pellen Gallant, and a small flock of servants. “Even an informal meeting must be some sort of show.” Captain Gallant said as he greeted the guests.

Mark introduced Gwen as his sister, and Timmy as his squire.
Gallant, bowed to the lady and said “What beautiful mages robes. Are they functional or decorative?”

Gwen smiled and answered “I am the rising mistress of storms. Every bit as good a mage as my brother.”

Although he was not involved with the kingdom's spy network, Gallant did read many of the reports. So he was not surprised to learn that Lord Crane had a sister or that she was a spell caster.

Princess Finalla von Flameglave greeted her guests in one of the many sitting rooms.

The catgirl made, presented lord Crane and his sister, lady Crane. While Captain Gallant stood by the door. Not knowing what he should do, squire Timmy stood by the big knight. So he could lean against the wall.

“A pleasure to see you again, and a pleasure to meet you” The Princess said before smoothly adding, “I did not know lord Mark had a sister.”

“I guess Im full of surprises.” he replied

“As it happens, so am I.” Princess Finalla said, showing off her new engagement ring.

Gwen reacted instantly with the usual, “ohhh ahhh that is lovely”

Mark was a bit slower on the uptake, “Congratulations, I hope your happy.” he said.

Honestly he could not tell one ring from another. But it seemed the tradition about rings was the same here as it was on Earth. Funny how many things were similar. He pondered that for a few moments as the girls happily chattered away.

“My soon to be husband is Allen van Bellett. Second son of the royal master of arms. He is leader of the Cutting Cross adventuring company. And a very good dancer.” The Princess explained.

“I regret missing my chance to have you.” Mark said half jokingly “But I do wish you well and I have a few gifts that you may find interesting.”

The idea of having a princess as a girl friend was silly. But the thought had crossed his mind a few times after first meeting Finalla. However the thought of marriage was quite frankly frightening. “This is for the best.” he told himself, but felt a bit sad at the closing of that avenue of opportunity.

Keeping a smile on his face, Mark pulled from his back of holding a bunch of the goods he brought with him as gifts. As he showed them off, he explained his business idea. Ending with a request that the Princess put her seal of approval on his company charter. A much better thing to have than just a generic stamp from the Merchant's Guild.

Finalla, being delighted with the items, was not blind to an opportunity. So She took the document, gave it a quick read then asked for a pen. The catgirl maid, appeared as if from thin air, handed her one. But instead of just signing the paper, she wrote several more lines on the charter, then signed it. 'Now we are in business together.” she said with a grin.

Mark forced a return smile. But he felt like something underhanded had just been done to him.

Gwen giggled and asked “May I read it?”

The Princess handed her the document. The new text read, “The royal house here by supports this venture for a 1% tribute. All courtesy must be shown to lord Crane. We reserve the right to call on his service, for special duties.”

“Well brother, it seems you gave yourself away as an engagement gift too.” Gwen laughed.

Mark looked worried. What exactly did that last line mean?

Finalla, with a look of innocence then said “Would you rather I tear it up, or have it made official, with a copy sent to the merchant guild.” She was offering him a way out. But it would be an insult to her royal generosity. Having her name on the charter and explicit support, was well worth 1% in tribute. It was the last sentence that worried Mark.

Life is a game, so best to play it bold or stay at home. Some one had said. “This is fine.” He said. “But I may be hard to reach, when you need to call on me. Sorry about that, in advance.”

“Excellent. Now onto other matters.” the Princess said pleasantly. “Lets have some tea and talk about what interesting adventures you have been up to this past year.”

Gwen talked at length about her project to open a school in the village. At first Finalla was confused about why such a thing would be done, as it seemed Gwen had no specific purpose for the education. “Old Master Crane had opened a combined orphanage and school, here in the capital. But that had been with the clear intent of providing agents for his spy network.” The Princess said. Dropping a bombshell fact like it was no big deal. “Being next to the Frightful Forest, I would have expected your school to train adventurers or monster hunters.”

Gwen took the comment as a suggestion and replies “Perhaps we can offer that sort of thing to the older kids, on a purely voluntary basis.”

Mark however was still stuck on the matter of his grandpa having a spy school. “Excuse me. What is up with that place now?” he cut in.

“The kingdom more or less took over running the place. Merress was actually one of the top students there.” Finalla said casually with a small nod to the catgirl maid.

They talked about other things like the quests the pair had undertaken. Mark even told the story of his diplomacy with lord Asat. But he said nothing about squire Timmy and his special power. Eventually a servant entered to say “Princess your lunch guests have arrived.” So that was the end of the visit.

Proper Paperwork is Power.

When they returned to the Inn, they found a couple of city guards waiting for them. “Are you lord Crane, and is the merchant Lewen an acquaintance of yours?” the guard captain asked.

“Yes and yes.” Mark answered.

“There is a situation out back, Im hopping you can resolve.” said the captain.

Mark and Gwen followed the guards around to the stables, behind the Inn. There they found about 20 guards surrounding the shed that contained Lewen's wagon. In front of the door stood Fenra. Several of the guards looked injured and their shields ripped in half, lay disguarded on the ground.

“We came to investigate a report of stolen goods. But the wolf-bitch wont let us get near the shed.” one of the guards snarled. “That Lewen fellow said they was working for you, Mr Crane.”
The guard captain gave the man a sharp look but said nothing.

Mark took a deep breath then said. “Yes they are. And Id say Fenra the wolf-warrior is doing a find job protecting my property. You should tell your men to stand down before any more of them get hurt.”

The snarly guard looked like he was ready to blow his top. “Listen here...” he began.

“Listen here, your lordship.” Gwen chimed in, to remind the fellow of who he was talking to.

“Yes your lordship,” the captain said before his lieutenant could escalate things, “Could you please tell your guard-dog to let us in the shed so we can do out duty?”

“No I dont think I will.” Mark said then made a counter offer, “How about you tell me all about this report of stolen goods?”

The captain was obviously annoyed, but he had experience dealing with nobles, so we kept his cool. “This morning master merchant Vrok, reported that Mr Lewen and several others broke into one of his warehouses and stole a shipment of exotic goods. He provided us a list of the goods, and that is what we are here to check on.”

“Haa well now I see.” Mark said in a friendly tone. “Vrok is lying to you. He stole our wagon last night, we simply tracked it down and recovered all of my exotic goods.”

The guard captain kept his expression neutral. He absolutely hated situations like this. “Perhaps if we can have a look at the wagon and the goods, we can sort this out?” he persisted in his task.

“Perhaps you should look at this first.” Gwen said then reached into Marks pouch for the recently signed company charter. “The important part is at the bottom.”
The captain skimmed over the text, merchant company blah blah, then he got to the last part, written in a different hand, “The royal house here by supports this venture for a 1% tribute. All courtesy must be shown to lord Crane. We reserve the right to call on his service, for special duties.” signed Princess Finalla von Flameglave.

The captain handed the document back to Mark. “Sorry for the trouble. Lord Crane.” he said formally. Then he called to his men. “We are done here. The matter is resolved. Get ready to move out, back to the station.”

Snarly guard looked like he did not want to accept the order, but he proved himself a disciplined man. Marching away with the rest of the troop.

Mark could not help thinking how medieval paper work was odd and often unfair. The nobles sure did live by a different set of rules than the common folk. But this time it worked in his favour, so it was ok.

When Lewen emerged from the shed, Gwen asked “Who is Vrok? And why does he want to frame you?”

“He is a big fish. One of the top merchants in the kingdom. Lewen explained. “Im not surprised he would want to get his hands on the goods. As for why he accused me. Id guess it was simple convenience.”

Fenra looked rather blood thirsty when she asked “Do you want his head?”

Lewen sounded surprisingly calm as he answered “No, no. Please dont do that.”

Mark just looked tired. It was only mid afternoon, but he wanted a nap. “What should we do next?” he asked. Expecting Gwen or Lewen to have some idea that did not involve murder.

'How about I go get a copy of the guard's report. So we know exactly what has officially been said.” Gwen offered to hunt down the paper work.

“How about Fenra and I deliver the goods to Mr. Farthing?” the merchant suggested. “I will be sure to get a itemized recite of delivery.”

“Great team work. I will be in the Inn.” Mark said with relief.

Later when Lewen returned, with business successfully complete, he told Mark the more detailed story of Master Merchant Vrok. “He started out as a shady dealer in black market goods. But somehow reformed himself and bought a journeyman rank in the merchants guild. He got to the top by being tough and playing dirty. Although no one has been able to pin a crime on him. There have been several accusations. He is certainly still connected to the thieves guild, somehow. People dont deal with him because they trust him. They go to him because he can get things done. Richer than half the lords, he should not be taken lightly. He tried to buy his way into nobility a few times, with marriages. But each time the deal fell through. Most of the nobles dont like him, but many of them value his services.”'

 Chapter 3. Part 4.

Action at the Capital.

At noon the group arrives and finds an Inn. They park the wagon in a small shed next to the stables. Lewen makes sure it is secure, while the others rent rooms and order some lunch. Gwen is rather excited to see the grandeur of this city. While Midvill was much like she imagined a medieval town would be, the capital was more like what a fantasy city should be.

When they are done lunch Mark asks Gwen to drop off a letter at the royal palace. “Dont wait for a response, just tell the guard all he needs to know is written on the envelope.”

She agrees to make the delivery, while she is out touring the town. Naturally she will take the squire with her. Meanwhile Mark and Lewen will go see the merchant. Fenra will tag along with them of course. They will all meet back at the Inn for dinner.

The Merchant Mark had made contact with in the capital was, JC Farthing - expert in adventure equipment. A fat man, who claimed to have been a travelling merchant in his youth. He liked to brag and tell stories, which always made him look good. He was a friendly fellow, but there was something fake in his smile. Indeed, his loud persona hid a very cunning intellect. If he ever did anything underhanded, he did it with great skill. There was never a crack in his friendly facade.

Farthing, was happy to see the adventurer with the exotic goods again. After their first meeting he had suspected that a few more items might be forthcoming, but he had not seriously hopped for a sizable shipment. Now here was the young man wanting to propose a business venture.

“Lets talk in my office.” Farthing suggests.
Mark made no mention of his title, just as he had done in Midvill. He preferred to be known as an adventurer rather than a lord. Lewen of course played along.

A few minutes later the three men are sitting comfortably in the fancy office, talking casually. Fenra takes a seat near the door and promptly pretends to fall asleep. Farthing is in no hurry to get down to business, as he hopes to gain as much info as he can before any serious matter is put on the table. Lewen stays mostly quiet but does pay close attention to all that is said.

When Mark makes the actual business proposal, Farthing is surprisingly receptive. Unlike Mr Gambol of Midvill who had seen the new deal as less profitable than the original 50/50 split, Mr Farthing is all smiles and quick to agree. “Only a fool would pass up a chance to get access to the sort of goods you are providing.” he says with open honesty.

The merchant calls for one of his assistants, orders him to bring some wine, and passes him a note.
“Before we have a drink and sign the document, I was wondering if the next shipment of goods would include all the same items as before?” Farthings asks opening a lively little conversation about what sort of things Mark might have access to.

They talk and drink, the paperwork is signed, then a tray of delicious sweet bread is brought in. Farthing launches into one of his stories about the old days when he was a travelling merchant.

 

Missing Goods.

By the time they walked out of his office, the sun is starting to set. So its back to the Inn for dinner.
However, when they got there, they learned the bad news. “The wagon is gone.” Gwen said bluntly.

Timmy then explained, “I went out back to check on the horses, they were fine. But I noticed the shed door was open a bit. The lock was broken. The wagon was gone.”

Mark was stunned. He really had no idea what to say.

Lewen on the other hand was calm and orderly. “Lets go have a look.” he suggested.

As the group stood around and looked at the empty shed, he speculated “They must of had their own horses or been freakishly strong. Which means this was not a random crime of the moment. It was likely well planned.”

“How about we see if a location spell will work?” Gwen offered. They had been riding in the wagon for several days, so they knew it rather well. They also knew it was full of goods not native to this world. Thoes facts should make it possible for the spell to seek out the wagon in question.

Mark was not sure of success, this being the first real test of the spell. But he gave it a go.

The result was a vague feeling that the wagon was 'that way'.

“Follow me, it seems to be working.” he said and then set off at a brisk walk.

A few minutes later the group found the wagon. Abandoned a few streets away, in an alley. It was empty. The thieves had made off with the valuable cargo. Mark tried the locate spell again, this time focusing on the cargo. But got no sense of it at all. “Maybe there was some kind of magic interfering with the locate spell.” he speculated.

Meanwhile Fenra had been sniffing around. “They sprayed something to mess with the smell. It would be impossible for a normal nose to track them.” She said with confidence. “Lucky for you, my nose is far above normal.”

Lewen smiled at her. “By normal nose she means an expert ranger.” he said with pride.

“Ok then, we shall follow you.” Mark said

Eventually they arrive at a warehouse, that looked the same an the half dozen warehouses next to it.

“You sure its in there?” Mark asked

The wolf-girl gave a nod.

“What do we do now?” Lewen asked.

Both Fenra and Gwen answer “We go get it.”

Mark almost busts out laughing. Then he says “Yes. We get it, as quietly as possible. That means no lightning spells,” he looks at Gwen “and try not to kill anyone.” he looks at Fenra.

No guards were posted outside. “That is normal enough.” said Lewen.

There was a regular door, it was locked and a large barn door, it was secured with a drop bar from inside. “Also very normal for a warehouse at night.” Lewen commented. “Front and back would likely be the same”

Mark and Gwen scanned the place for mana. They detected a small amount like a fog filling the interior. “Maybe its what prevents the location spell from working.” Mark made a wild guess.

“Lets hope it is not a trap.” Gwen said softly.

“How do we quietly brake the door down?” Mark wondered aloud.
Lewen knelt down next to the lock to have a better look. Then he got out a small set of tools from a pouch. “This should not take very long.” he whispered, then set to work picking the lock.

Mark put his hand on his squires shoulder, “You should learn how to do that.” he suggested.

Timmy gave a nod, “Yes sir.” but his mind was more focused on what would happen next.

Gwen leans close to Mark and tells him, “Iv got a darkness spell and a silence spell, Iv been working on. Problem is they are both area affect, and would hinder us just as much as the enemy.”
“Good to know.” Mark says as he ponders their possible use. “If an alarm bell starts going off, use the silence.” he advises her.

Lewen gets the door unlocked and opens it as quietly as he can.
Fenra goes in first. “She will slip into a good attack spot before we enter.” he tells the others.
Mark can feel the jitters of adrenaline. Just like the time with the Bent Blades, when they took out the bandits. The anticipation before the fight was more nerve wracking than the actual combat.

“Use sleep spells as much as you can.” he tells Gwen, then he says to Timmy “You stay close to us, watch our backs, dont let anybody sneak up on us.”

The warehouse was not a large building, in comparison with modern ones on Earth. There were no endless rows of boxes or shelves. There was the main loading area, with a wagon taking up much of that space. There were three cargo bays on each side, and a loft above these. Voices came from the loft. Likely a few guards, playing cards.

Mark wished he could cast an area effect sleep spell. But he knew that the odds of that working were very low, when you could not see the targets. Magic worked best the more you knew about your target. So he would have to sneak closer and get a better view.

Luckily the guards were not very attentive.

The assault was fast and efficient. You could not call it a fight.

Both Mark and Gwen cast sleep on the four guys at the table playing cards. They all folded.

Fenra pounced on the one guy who had been walking around on the main floor. She slammed his head hard enough into the cobblestone that he was unconscious, if not dead.

A quick check of the wagon reviled that it held their goods, along with some other stuff. “The cargo is mixed so it looks like its all part of one delivery.” Lewen pointed out.

“Any idea who the owner of this wagon is?” Mark asked as he helped tie up the sleeping men.

The merchant shrugged “I could find out who owns the warehouse. But off hand, I dont know.”

“Off load anything that is not ours.” Mark ordered “We are going to borrow the wagon then dump it, back in that same alley.” He looked over at the wolfgirl, who was clearly disappointed the fight was over so fast. “You are the strongest here. Think you can pull the wagon for us?”

“Of course I can. But Im no sled dog.” She answered.

“Lets consider it a challenge. If you can get the wagon back to the Inn, real fast, then I will buy you the best meat in town.” Mark tried this rather obvious bit of manipulation.

Fenra laughed and said “ok”

 Chapter 3. Part 3.

On the Road to Midvill.

They load up Lewen's wagon and they are off early the next morning.

Fenra who had hardly said two words yesterday is a lot more talkative once they are on the road. She asks about what battles Mark and Gwen had been in and what creatures they have killed. She seems a bit disappointed that the pair dont have any wild stories of outrageous battles. What they do tell her about, she is dismissive of as beginner stuff.

When asked about her own big battles she talks about crazy over the top fights against giants and dragons. The sort of things you hear in legends. Mark is rather skeptical. Gwen is too, but she keeps a polite and friendly flow to the conversation, as if she believes every word of it.

The truth of Fenra's fighting abilities come up later that day, as the group is making camp. They are attacked by a pack of monsters. She gleeful jumps right into the fight and rips apart the attackers. Without a weapon or any obvious magic, she fights with speed and brute strength. It is a rather frightening thing to watch.

Also that day, the pair discover Lewen's singing voice is amazing. Although he claims it is nothing. The quality of his voice is on par with any of the bards Mark has heard in this world. Including one who performed at Royal palace. Fenra says with pride “That is my man's true talent.”

The Merchant of Midvill.

They arrive at the city near noon and get rooms at the Inn next to the Adventurers Guild. Lewen makes sure the wagon is secure in a shed behind the Inn's stables. He has his own lock for this sort of thing.

Everyone eats lunch before going off to do their business of the day.

Mark and Lewen go to talk with the merchant. As always Fenra stays near her man.

Gwen and Timmy go looking for a teacher.

The Midvill Merchant in question is Mervy Gambol. A short middle aged man with an impressive moustache. He was gruff and even insulting at times, but always honest. He was quite happy to see Mark again. He invites him to sit down for some tea. Then asks if he has any more exotic goods. Gambol hardly pays any attention to Lewen.

Mark explains the business venture he is aiming to start and what part the Merchant of Midvill can play in it. The man is not thrilled with the terms, as the first transaction had been a 50/50 split, and this one would be less. But Mark bluntly says, I dont have time to deliver cargo myself, so I will need a capable, trustable partner, who needs to get a percent. That would be Mr Croff.

The short merchant counters with “While Im sure he is a competent worker, he really does not have much experience. Iv got a nephew who would be much better for the job.”
But Mark immediately shoots down the idea. “If you are not agreeable to my terms, I can find another shop owner who will be.”

Seeing that a deal was better than no deal, Gambol changed his tune and agreed.

As they left the office Lewen commented, “Im not surprised by his actions. Every merchant knows the saying, Risk as little as possible to gain as much as you can.”

A Tail of Two Murdocks.

Gwen needed to hire a teacher, but where to find one? There was no guild of teachers, was there?

Just like in every game, she decided to start by asking the Inn keeper. Who didnt know a thing about teachers, but did know there were a few shops the adventurers often visited to consult with sages.

A quick trip next door to the guild hall, got her the locations of said shops, on Headshog street.

“Stay near me at all times.” She told Timmy “The big city can be a difficult place. If we get separated, you return to the Inn. Dont worry about trying to find me.” The boy nodded. Although he would have preferred to have gone with lord Crane, he had no say in the matter. Anyhow lady Crane was always kind and her orders reasonable, if sometimes complicated.

The sage mentioned by the guild master was exactly as expected. An old man in fancy but faded robes, nose in a book. His shop was small and stuffed full of odds and ends. Much of it loot that adventurers had seen little value in, so they had sold to him for cheep. “Hello sir, Im looking for a teacher.” Gwen said after introducing herself.

“Take you on as a student, no no, Im past all that now, much to busy for teaching.” He said casually. Then he took a good look at her and at the boy. “But you do have my attention, now.” The aura of their mana was quite odd, not something he had seen in many years.

Gwen tried again, “I was hoping you could recommend a teacher, we could take back to our village. Even if they are not as wise as you. Id much appreciate you pointing me in the right direction.”

“You might try Murdock, good lad, I trained him about 20 years ago. He still lives around here. He stopped in for tea just a few days ago, or was it a few weeks ago. Anyway he said his job was almost done teaching the Wernecker boy. The sage explained in his rambling way.

When she asked for directions to Murdock's place, she got a family history lesson on the Werneckers, including their address. But the old sage had no clue where his former student actually lived. Some place around here, was the best he could manage.

After departing the sage's shop, Gwen decides that the next step would be to pay the Werneckers a visit.

Their house was located in the wealthy district of town. On the way they noticed a small park, with a gathering of people. Children were sitting around an old man who was telling a story. Adults stood around, also captivated by the story teller. He spoke with drama, keeping the story flowing with style and the occasional pause to build tension. Naturally Timmy wanted to stop and listen. Gwen saw no reason to hurry, so she gave in to her own curiosity.

When the story was done, most people clapped in appreciation. A few parents passed coins to the kids, to give to the story teller. It was very similar to the street performances Gwen had seen many times in summer. As the crowd began to disperse, she walked up to the old man and said Hello.

He smiled and asked “Did you enjoy the show?”
Timmy answered right away “It was the best ever. Iv heard adventurers tell a lot of crazy stories, but none of them were as good as you.”

Naturally the old man liked to hear praise from an excited fan. Every entertainer liked honest excited appreciation. “Fine boy you have there.” he said to Gwen

“He's not mine.” she said by reflex. “He is my brother's squire.” she elaborated a moment later.

“Ah a real squire. Well it is an honor to meet you, young man. I am Alfe Temen Murdock, worlds greatest living library of legends.” the old man introduced himself.

Timmy said excitedly “You are who we came to fine.”

“Excellent good fortune for us all. What can I do for you?” Murdock asked.

Gwen explained how they needed a teacher for the village school.

The old man found the idea of a school for all children in a village to be strange and wonderful. “So you want me to come live there, you will provide a house and you will pay me to tell stories?” he said in amazement. “Id be a fool to say no. However I should point out one thing.” he paused for dramatic affect, “Many of my stories have valuable lessons, but Im not exactly a teacher. Could it be you are looking for the other Murdock? My brother the sage?”

“Is your brother working for the Wernecker family?” Gwen asked.

“Yes, or rather he recently was.” the old man confirmed.
“Well, lets go see him.” she said,

The old man looked ever so slightly depressed. “Yes of course. Im sure he will be interested by the opportunity.”

Timmy being rather perceptive, but not bothering to restrain himself said “We are still going to hire this Murdock, right? Everyone will love his stories.”

Gwen gave a simple nod. “Sure I think we can afford two Murdocks.”

The younger brother was indeed the sage. A serious man of learning, who had been inspired by the same stories as his brother. The difference between then being that Alfe simply loved the tails, while Brel wanted to learn all the truths behind them.

“Brother, Iv brought visitors!” The elder Murdock said as he opened the door to the apartment. The younger Murdock lived on the second floor of a nice building just outside the rich district of town. It was cluttered with books. More books than Timmy dreamed possible.

Once again Gwen explained how they needed a teacher for the village school.

Unlike his brother who had been simply delighted at the idea, Brel listened with a critical ear. He asked several questions about how the school would be run and what subjects would be taught, before turning to matters of his own housing and compensation. This time Gwen felt like she was actually having to pitch the notion of the school and the job.

Brel was interested but hesitant. It was a bold idea, to educate an entire population. It was also out in the far end of nowhere. A village next to the Frightful Forest. Unlike his brother, he was not quick to embrace the idea of leaving town. He was simply not an adventurous man by nature.

In the end Gwen used her trump card. “You may take you time to consider the offer, of course. But do keep in mind, my brother is Lord Crane, grandson of the legendary hero. Heir to his library. Im sure there are a few books we could lend you, that you would find worth reading.”

From the look on his face, she could tell she had him.

Later that evening.

Everyone meets at the Inn. Introductions are made and drinks are poured. Mark explains to the pair of Murdocks that the group as business at the capital. They will return to Midvill in a few days, so there is no rush to relocate. Alfe says he is happy to go anytime, as he has no real attachment to this town. Brel

is more cautious, wanting to visit the village and see the school before telling his land lord that he will be moving.

 

The next Day.

Seeing how the plan called for several days to find a teacher. They were well ahead of schedule. So the next day was considered vacation time. Mark took his squire on a tour of the city. Mostly he speculated about the town's defences and how it could be taken over. Timmy took this as a lesson in warfare, paying close attention. Lewen went to do some business, with Gwen tagging along. Mostly this turned into a shopping trip. As she visited several clothing shops, he ended up being the one tagging along. Fenra said she was going to guard the wagon, but spent most of her time sleeping in it.

The day after that, they were on the road again. A well maintained gravel road from Midvill to the capital city. Several farms and estates lay along the course of the road, as did a few villages. It was not densely populated, but it was clearly a civilized land. Unlike the area near Mark's village, which had dozens of miles of wilderness between settlements.

 Chapter 3. Part 2.

Merchant and Wolfgirl.

A travelling merchant named Lewen Croff, arrives at the village, along with his companion, a wolfgirl named Fenra. He is injured because of a recent monster attack. She is fine, having suffered no harm while fighting off the creatures. He had come to the village following the trail of some amazing items that he had run across in the Capital. While he recovers at the Inn, she ventures into the Frightful Forest in search of an old friend.

Lewen and Fenra had been travelling together for several years, having met shortly after he parted ways with his former master. Like most travelling merchants, he had served with one master as an apprentice, then gotten a job with another as a journeyman. He had been granted his own licence as a master just short of his 30^th birthday. While most craftsmen are not granted the title of master until they are 40 or 50, travelling merchants tend to die on the job a lot. So the guild adjusted the rules to reflect reality better.

Fenra was always something of a mystery, even now. Like most wolf-people, she embraced her desires and emotions. She did what she wanted and did not bother to explain things or ask permission. A trait that made it hard for them to get along in civil society. However she could be surprisingly calm when she wanted. A good thing, because her strength and fighting ability were beyond a doubt awesome. She was a fine travelling companion, who only occasionally got them into trouble.

For now, Lewen was curious about the village and its new Lord. He was by nature interested in everything, because info can be an advantage in doing business. His old master was the type to say “knowledge is power”. So while he recovered, he talked to people, questioning them about Lord Crane. The villagers were friendly and open with their answers, but really didn't know a lot. The important thing they did know, was that their Lord does supply strange goods to the local general store.

Unfortunately for Lewen, the Lord was seldom in the village. Although it seemed like he had built himself a nice house, with fancy glass windows. The locals told him it was not the Lord's house but rather a school. A strange thing for a small village to have. Maybe it was part of a big plan.

On the day that Mark and Gwen arrive, Lewen was relaxing by the fire place, in the common room of the Inn. A mug of hot apple cider half finished, on the table next to him. Fenra sleeping nearby, “They are coming.” she said without seeming to wake up. Her sharp senses always picked up on important things just before they happened.

The young man who walked in looked exactly as Lewen had expected. That is to say, very much like the villagers had described. Tall and lean, with high quality clothes and armor, a fancy sword and belt with a bunch of pouches. He was well groomed in a generic sort of way, not fitting any style Lewen knew. He was not hansom, nor was he ugly. He moved in a way that was not practised. Unlike most nobles, who aimed to take up as much space as possible or draw attention to themselves. This young lord moved with the simple confidence of one who is among friends.

The young woman who walked in next too him, on the other hand was amazing. Only slightly shorter, with long flowing hair, she moved with effortless grace and confidence. Which almost always meant a woman had put a huge amount of effort into learning to move that way. Her clothing was typical for a mage, long robes with patterns of runes. They looked high quality enough to be actual rather than decorative symbols of magic power. Lord Cane's sister was every bit as stunning as people said.

The Innkeeper, offering no special greetings or deference, waved the pair over to the bar, so they could talk quietly for a few moments. Lewen knew it would be rude to interrupt, so he delayed his introduction. Preferring to observe and try to gain some more insight. Fenra too observed, still pretending to be sleeping.

Eventually Mark looked over at the merchant. The Innkeeper had gathered a reasonable amount of info on him, but only knew enough about his wolfgirl companion to be worried. “Croff is a strait enough story. He is very interested in doing business with you. But Fenra is a mystery. She went into the forest for three days. Took no weapons or equipment with her. She came out like it was no big deal.”

The old adventurer was sure she could be dangerous, if she wanted to be.

“Im in need of a travelling merchant, and there one sits. I see no reason not to talk with him.” Mark said. Then walked over to introduce himself. It still struck him as funny, how easy it was for him to take the initiative here, in this other world. Normally he would be racked with hesitation at meeting new people and to make the first move would have been next to impossible.

Grandpa had written “Its not a game. But life is often easy when you take it as one.” A paradox of truth.

“Greetings. Im Cane, lord of these lands. Iv been told, you would like to talk with me.” Mark said causally to the merchant.

Lewen stood up immediately and bowed. He hadn't interacted very often with nobles, but he knew all the etiquette. People said this young lord was forgetful of his status. But better safe than sorry.

“Yes, my lord. Thank you. My name is Lewen Croff and Id very much appreciate some of your time.”

With that out of the way, Mark sat down. “What is on your mind?” he asked.

“When I was recently in the Capital, I happened to chat with Mr Farthing, an acquaintance who runs a general goods shop.” Lewen began his explanation, looking for a sign of recognition, to confirm his suspicion.

Mark made no attempt to hide the fact that he knew Farthing. “and what did you two talk about?”

“He told me of the wonderful wears he got from an adventurer. And his hopes that more would come his way some day.” Lewen continued. “Unfortunately he did not know where said adventurer hailed from or where the marvellous goods came from. Being curious I decided to look into the matter.”

“And that brought you here?” Mark asked. He had been deliberately vague when talking to the merchant at Midvill and at the capital.

“Actually it first sent me north to the port of Habersbay. The logical entry point into the kingdom for exotic goods. But as no clues were at hand there, I backtracked and considered other possibilities.”

“Well that explains how you found me, but brings me no closer to knowing why.” Mark wanted it to sound playful, However he realized that it could also sound like he was growing irritated at the man's slowness to get to the point. Conversation was tricky, when you thought too much.

“I want to enter into a business deal with you, my lord.” Lewen said quickly. “I expect you would have better things to do than concern yourself with the average affairs of trade. So I would very much like to assist you in that regard.”

Mark smiled and waved at the Innkeeper. “Some more cider over here, please.” he called, before addressing the merchant again. “Wonderful timing you have. As it goes, I am looking for a new partner in the venture I aim to establish.”

Lewen smiled in a way that was both genuine and exaggerated at the same time. “Glorious day indeed. Please tell me what you have in mind, and I will help anyway I can.”

“I aim to have vendors in several cities, one per city only, who will carry my rather unique items. Dont ask where I get them, Im not about to explain that. Iv already chosen JP Farthing as my man in the Capital and Mervy Gambol for Midvill.” Mark tried to keep his excitement out of his voice and speak slowly. It was just a simple matter with all the pieces falling effortlessly into place, no reason to start babbling. “What Id like from you is to handle the transport of said items. From this village to the vendors.”

Lewen keeps a look of pleasant neutrality on his face, as he considers the implication of the deal that is on the table. “Normally there are two ways of doing business with a travelling merchant. As you may know. In the first case the merchant would buy the entire cargo and then be free do do whatever he wants with it. In the second case the merchant acts only as transport, being paid a shipping fee. He delivers it to the best of his abilities.”

Make nods “It is in this second role that I need a reliable partner.”

“I notice you use the term partner.” Lewen offers the observation.

“Indeed, I do, because I want a reliable man. Committed to the business.” Mark says it with vigour. “Im not offering a transport fee, Im offering a percent of the profits, on top of an expense account.”

So it really would be something of a partnership. Lewen had been around long enough to have heard many stories about sweetheart deals offered by nobles that were nothing more than vicious traps. So he was naturally cautious, but something in the way this young lord talked, had him convinced.

“Ok then, shall we talk specifics?”

“I will drop off a load of goods, in this village once per season. It will be up to you when you pick them up, but you should do it once per season, also. A single wagon should be all you need for the transport. You may need some protection. So you can hire some adventurers here or make your own arrangements. Their pay will come of of the expense account I mentioned. Pleas keep a list of all your travel costs. Any reasonable things will be covered. Fancy food and drinks for the whole bar will not.” Mark paused considering something, then continued, “I will be confirming with Mr Gambol in Midvill and Mr Farthing in the capital, as they are my current choices as vendors. They will have an exclusive deal, along with this village's general store, for the next year. After that we may add another location.” He paused to take a drink of his cider. Then hit the final few details regarding profit division.

Lewen took a moment to consider the plan. It sounded sensible and low risk. Maybe too good to be true. “I trust you will have a contract written, to be signed by all involved, and properly documented with the Merchant's Guild?”

“Yes, yes, Iv been drilled in the importance of paper work. I will make sure it is all official.” Marke said with a glance over at Gwen. “However there is one more point I will stress to everyone involved. Mistakes are forgivable. Accidents do happen. Im rather easy going. You will find I dont pinch pennies. But if anyone betrays me, then they will enjoy a life without their limbs.” It was a practised line Marke had been working on. An idea he stole from some film. Be friendly, but make a very specific and horrible kind of threat.

Doorway to Another Wold. Chapter 3. Part 1.

Monday, at school, Mark and Gwen were feeling very odd. They had spent over 20 days in the other world and it seemed even longer. But for everyone else it had just been a normal weekend. Of course normal is a relative term. From her parent's point of view she had gone out Saturday and not come home till Sunday evening. Unusual behaviour for her.

But Gwen was a smart girl, and did what most teenagers fail to do. She told her parents she would be staying at a friend's place, before actually doing it. And she brought said friend into the conspiracy by talking to her before calling her parents. Building a web of lies was actually quite simple, so long as you followed the correct formula.

Having to keep the door to the other world secret, she told her friend Kathy the most truthful thing she could. “Im going to spend the week end with Mark, watching movies at his place.”

Kathy was super excited to be in on the plot. “You two have a great time, and give me all the details.”

“Calm down, nothing naughty is going on. He is a real gentleman.” she assured her friend.

When Gwen met Mark for lunch on Monday, the first thing she said was “We are now dating.”

He was confused and he looked it. Not unhappy about the sudden statement but very confused.

So she explained the talk she had with Kathy and the lie she had to tell her parents. “So its best if we just tell people we are dating.”

Part of him was disappointed that it was fake dating. Another part was relieved, because he really had no clue about what he should be doing in a real relationship. “OK then, I promise to be the best fake boyfriend you will ever have.” he said seriously.

Over lunch they also talked about the village education plan. Gwen did most of the talking because she had spent more time thinking about it. “We need to build a school and find a teacher. A simple one room school house should do. Of course we will need to provide a house for the teacher.”

Mark pointed out “Grandpa left a lot of money, but the supply is not endless.” He had actually been thinking about the merchant business of selling Earth items in the other world. “So I will take a few more steps to get the business up and running.”

Adventuring isnt very stable in its money making ability. Sure there is the occasional amazing find that can sell for many gold pieces. But usually once the expenses are covered, a quest only gets you a few coins more than you started with. Being a merchant is a much better job. Although they are subject to bandit and monster attacks too.

By the end of lunch hour they had a plan for the next week's worth of visits to the other world. They could do a few things around the village, like getting the buildings put up. But finding a teacher would require a trip to Midvill, and that would have to wait till the week end. Not a long time, from their point of view. But for the people in the other world it would be nearly 6 months away.

Moving the Plan Forward

Monday visit.

Getting the school and teacher's house built were easy enough, although not as strait forward as Mark had expected. The first problem was where to put them. Although no one questioned his authority, Miss Brown did point out that all the land within the village wall was in use. She carefully did not use the word owned, because of how the law worked. While he could, as lord, simply take any land for his own use, doing so without notification or compensation was of poor character for a noble. Thus the matter was left for Miss Brown to negotiate a suitable site near one of the gates. So that construction could begin when next lord Crane came to visit.

The second problem was getting the master carpenter to understand the sketch of what Gwen wanted. Eventually Mark explained it like this “We want a hall, 40ft long by 20ft wide, with a fire place at each end. Doors to be placed near the end of each long side. Also there should be lots of windows.”

Of course glass for the windows was not even considered by the locals. None of the village buildings had glass windows. But Gwen insisted the school should. “Natural light is necessary for good learning.” she said.

Mark committed to visiting a building supply store back on Earth. So long as the windows were small enough to be carried through the magic door, that should work.

Next was the question of furnishings for the school. Desks and benches were easy enough to make. Chalk boards were not. However Gwen knew special paint was sold at some handy-craft stores that would turn any smooth board into what they needed.

As for the teacher's house a regular cottage, large enough for a family, was ordered to be built near the school hall. With small barn next to it. A well would stand between the house and school for common use. This gave more pause than all the other building projects. As digging a well was considered a troublesome thing at the best of times and never done by arbitrarily selecting a spot.

In addition to all this Mark spent some time with Timmy, his squire in training. The boy was hesitant at first, worried that the young lord will not be satisfied with his training. For his part Mark didnt have the first clue about how to treat the boy. So the conversation was exceedingly awkward.

“How are things going?”

“Very well, sir”

“Do you enjoy your training?”

“Yes sir.”

“Its not to difficult for you?””

“No sir.”

And so it went for a while until Mark had enough and made up an excuse to walk away.

In the evening Miss Brown asked very quietly and formally, “Not to be rude, my lord, but it would help in my duty as your steward, if you could clear up a matter Im uncertain about.”

Mark was a bit surprised. She usually kept everything very brief and to the point. “Go on.” he said.

“What relation is lady Gwen to you?” the old woman asked.

He almost said, my fake girlfriend. Then thought, no I cant say anything like that. So instead he said, “By special arrangement she is my sister. We are bound by fate rather than blood.”

This seemed to satisfy the old woman. “Then it is correct if I refer to her as the lord's sister?”

Mark nods.

Tuesday visit

With the site selected and some lumber cut, construction could begin, as soon as lord Crane gave the official word. The master carpenter estimated that it would be complete in 20 days. Many of the villagers were still unclear as to what this project was all about, so Gwen decided to make a speech. When the people gathered for the ground braking ceremony. She told them of how important an education was and how it would be provided, free of charge, to every child in the village.

The villagers listened quietly then cheered at the end, as was expected of them. But many mothers had concerned looks and they murmured among themselves after the ceremony was done. Most wondered how much time would be required of their children, as they were needed to perform daily chores at home. This point was brought up to lady Gwen by Miss Brown later in the day.

“I know not how education is done in your homeland, my lady.” the old woman began “But here it is only the children of nobles and the wealthy who receive it.”

Gwen nodded, knowing this much, but not knowing where Miss Brown was going. “,,and so..?”

“The women are wondering, how much time each day their children will be required to attend this school?”

Gwen had assumed it would be similar to Earth education. “A few hours in the morning and a few in the afternoon.” She answered.

“So it would not interfere with their household chores?” the old woman prompted.

Gwen considered the situation, then said “How about I let you work out the details with the teacher, once we find one.”

“As you wish, my lady.” Miss Brown ended the conversation.

This time Mark tried to keep things more focused with Timmy. He was the only one not affected by the mass sleep spell. His mana was somehow different than any Mark had seen before. He was a mystery that needed to be looked into.

From his point of view, Timmy found his master quite the mystery. He did not live in a castle, or in the village. They said he had a tower deep in the Frightful Forest. They also said his homeland was very far away. What seemed clear, was that he was much kinder than lord Asat.

“I want you to start learning magic.” Mark said

Timmy looked as stunned as he felt. “Me sir? How?”

'Im going to explain the theory of magic to you and give you a simple exercise to practice.” said Mark.

The boy nodded. Not for a second thinking it would work. Him a spell caster, not likely.

“Magic is all about controlling mana, using your imagination to make it do what you want.” Mark began the explanation. He kept it simple, knowing that too much information would confuse rather than help. He followed the same steps he had used to help Gwen find her mana. “Once you feel it, then you can start to focus it.” Lastly he explained how to cause a small flame to appear at the tip of a finger. Then for safety, he added, “Only try this when you have a mug of water nearby, just in case you have trouble putting the flame out.”

The boy nodded a lot. Trying to remember all that he was told. He would do the exerciser, but he did not expect to succeed. Magic could not be as easy as that.

Wednesday visit

Lord Mark arrived with the windows. Twelve of them, each 2ft wide and 4ft tall. Set in plastic frames so they could slide up to be open. He briefly explained to the carpenter how to install them. “A wooden frame must be made around the window, so it fits tight. But do not drive any nails into the plastic.”

The carpenter marvelled at the glass and assured the lord that he would take the utmost care when installing them.

Lady Gwen informed Miss Brown that the school building could also be used as a community hall. “In the evening or on special occasions, the village is welcome to use it.”

Seeing as the digging of a well had not been undertaken, Mark decided to do it himself. First he used a locate spell to find a good spot to dig, near the school. Then he used a new spell to drill a shaft down to the water level, plus a few extra feet. Next he hardened the walls of the shaft with a earth to stone spell. So in about an hour, he had a well. The villagers could put up a frame with bucket and rope later. For now he told the carpenter to cover the hole will a few planks. “I dont want Timmy falling in the well.”

Squire Timmy regretfully informed his lord that he could not produce even a flicker of flame. But instead of an angry reaction the boy got a very dismissive “OK then, I have another idea. Im going to take you to see my magic teacher, Bob.”

The boy was happy with this, until he found out that Bob lived in the Frightful Forest.

“Dont worry, the walk is not very long, and I can almost grantee no monster will eat you.” Mark said.

The boy looked even more worried after that comment.

The trip was uneventful. Although the forest still had many monsters, they were avoiding the area near the cabin and the path from it to the village. The creatures knew Mark by smell or from his mana, they knew enough to avoid him when ever they could. Timmy of course did not know any of this, so with every step he expected some monster to rush out of the dark forest and attack.

When they reached the cabin, Mark said “My mentor lives here. He may not look it, but he is actually very old and wise.” Timmy nodded and promised to be on his best behaviour. When they entered they found Bob, looking quite real, sitting at the table with a book in front of him.

“So this is the one?” Bob asked.
“Morpheus thinks so.” Mark could not resist making a Matrix joke.

Both Timmy and Bob looked at him wondering who Morpheus was.

“Well then I shall have a look.” the old mage said after a moment.

He cast a spell to analyze the mana within the boy. Then he hummed and haaaaed, as he considered what he saw. “The unique flavor of his mana is something Iv only seen once before.” he said, knowing full well that explained nothing to anyone.

Mark had endured this kind of verbal banter from his mentor a great deal. So he just played along, “Could you please explain his uniqueness to us?” he asked.

“The man I knew had two abilities because of his mana. First was immunity from any magic used on him. Friend or foe, no spell would affect him. Second was the ability to nullify spells and magic items. Usually as a temporary affect, although he did once permanently brake an enchantment.” Bob kept a level tone, but he was clearly excited by the finding of such a rare person.

Timmy struggled to follow the explanation. “So Im like that guy who brakes spells?”

“Yes my boy, you are exactly like that.” Bob said with joy.

Thursday visit.

Mark comes alone, because Gwen has real world obligations.

He is mostly there just to check up on Timmy, who had been given a new exercise. The boy would focus on a glow-stone and try to dim its light, or extinguish it, if he could. A glow-stone was a common magical item, often used by adventurers in place of a torch. Bob said there were a dozen of them sitting around in the cabin, so even if the boy somehow permanently snuffed out its magic, it was no great loss.

Timmy had practised hard for the past 20 days. At first making no progress, until his adventurer teacher had suggested a simple trick. “Hold the stone in your hand, close your fingers around it and try to squeeze it so tight, no light shines out.”

“But that is not using magic to put out the light, its just a sort of trick.” the boy protested.

“Once you can shut off the light that way, just imagine that you have shut off the light entirely. Believe it. Then open your hand and see that the light no longer shines. That is how magic happens.” The adventurer explained.

Timmy tried it, and it worked. The light went out. It was only for a few seconds. But it had worked.

By the time lord Mark returned he could easily put the glow-stone's light out. And so long as he concentrated it would stay out. He was very excited by this success.

Mark was impressed. It was a good first step. He didn't know exactly what to do with the boy's ability, but according to Bob an anti-magic caster was a rare and fearsome thing. A weapon, best kept secret.

Putting the vague sachems of the future aside, he got the boy some pie. Good work should be rewarded.

As they sat at the Inn and ate, he pondered on his own upbringing. As a young child everyone had seemed so happy and proud of everything he did. “Your a quick learner. Your so good at this. Etc” They thought I was so bright and talented. But then somehow delight at my accomplishments turned to expectations and demands. Any time I did not do a thing perfectly, people got upset. Some were angry, others were disappointed. For a while I tried real hard to live up to their expectations. But I just could not do it and all the trying was making me sick. So one day I just stopped.

He looked at the bright smile on Timmy's face as he considered his own unhappy past. “How do you like all the work Iv been making you do?” he asked the boy.

Timmy shrugged, and ate another bite of pie. “Its hard some days, but way more exciting that just tending horses.” the boy said honestly.

Mark tried to sound wise and sure of his words when he said “A lot of things will happen to you in life, some wonderful others horrible. Just do the best you can. And dont forget to enjoy the good times.”

“Good times like pie.” the boy said with no concern for the future at all.

After snack time, Mark went to find Timmy's instructor to ask. “Can you give me a summary of what you've been teaching the boy and how is he doing.”

The adventurer explained the training regiment. “A lot of exercise and weapons practice, along with some general talks about how to survive like an adventurer does. No fancy stuff that a squire might need to know. For that you got yourself the wrong guy.” He said before adding, “The boy is doing ok, but it will be a wile before he is ready for a real fight.”

 Chapter 2. Part 6.

The tail of Timmy Begins

The stable boy had been the only person not affected by the sleep spell. So when they arrived, Mark took a few minutes to talk with him. The lad had no idea what was going on or why he did not collapse as everyone around him had. However Mark had a good guess about it when he detected the kid's mana level. So he had asked the boy, “Do you like working for lord Asat?”

The boy shrugged and gave the typical “Its ok.” answer.

“Working for me will be much better for you.” he said.

The boy gave a nod “As you say, my lord.”

Now that the meeting was over, Mark and Gwen stopped by the stables to pick up the lad.
“Time to come with us.” He said to Timmy. Who gave an obedient nod.

“Is your family in the village? Gwen asked. Timmy gave another nod.

“Well then we must stop and get your parents permission.” she said with formality.

The boy looked confused. Nobles getting permission from peasants? That was truly odd.

After a short talk, the parents of young Timmy agreed to let him go. They seemed to really like it when Gwen told them that Timmy would be free to visit them during festival times. The boy himself didnt seem very upset about the change in employment or in leaving home. The father did ask Mark about compensation, seeing how the boy would no longer be around to do chores. Lord Crane didnt have any idea about what amount was customary. So he tossed the man a gold coin and said “Another one for you, if I find his service impressive.” The father smiled at that.

“So you just bought yourself a child. What do you plan to do with him?” Gwen asked as they walked out of the village and back to the hill top camp.

“Dont say it like that.” Mark frowned, “He is not a slave. He is going to be an important member of our village, and we are going to teach him magic.” The part he did not say out loud was that he intended to do some experiments on Timmy to understand how his magic resistance worked.

On the way back to their village, Gwen asked the boy about his education. He seemed puzzled by the question. “Like most folks, I learned to do stuff round the house, and help with farm work, I guess I am good with horses.”

It was the same sort of answer most people gave. Only the wealthy got any sort of formal education. Most learned what they needed for their occupation and not much more. Reading and writing were skills that common folk simply did not need.

“We are going to set up a school.” she decided. “That will be our next project.”

 

But first they would have to do something with Timmy. Keeping in mind the time difference between worlds. For every hour they spent on Earth, a day would pass in the Other world. So it could easily be a month between visits.

So when they stopped at Miss Brown's to hand over a bag of coins they also introduced the boy to her.

“This is to pay the people who were pressed into service cutting wood.” Mark explained, then handed over a second bag. “This is to cover any official expenses until I return.” He then waved a hand towards Timmy. “This is my new squire. Id like you to take care of him for now. I will ask the guild master to oversee his basic training in arms.”

The boy's eyes were wide with surprise. No one had said anything about becoming a squire.

Miss Brown just accepted each thing as a fact of life. “As you say, my lord.” Although she did smile just a bit at the weight of the two bags of coins.

Next was a visit to the Inn, to talk with old Grogson. There Mark handed over the third bag of coins he had recently acquired. “I want to hire someone to train my new squire.” he said, as he presented the boy to the guild master. “It is easy work, but I want it done well. The coin here should cover a few months worth of training.”

The old man nodded, “Im sure I can find someone.”