Part 36 (1/2)
The three rode slowly back to Synfal, trailed by Fhurgen and Rickel, and a squad of armsmen.
Bielttro, the thin-faced ostler, was waiting outside the stable when they reined up inside the keep. ”How was he, lady?”
”He was fine. I should have ridden farther, but that will come.”
”He seems disappointed when you do not ride.”
”He's been disappointed a lot lately.” Anna laughed gently.
”You may take care of our mounts, Jimbob,” Jecks said quietly to the red-haired boy.
”Yes, ser.”
Anna dismounted and led the gelding to his stall. There she handed the lutar to Jecks, who set it aside.
The muscles across her upper chest and shoulder definitely twinged as she reached for the saddle.
”My lady... you are not that recovered.” Jecks stepped past her and lifted the saddle, moving gracefully and quickly to rack it.
Farinelli turned his head, but did not protest. Anna did give her mount a quick brus.h.i.+ng before leaving the stable and heading for the armory and the adjoining practice yard. Jecks carried the lutar, and Anna didn't protest.
Hanfor was waiting in the shade of the eaves before the armory door, an unsheathed blade in hand.
Anna took it, and almost dropped it, so much heavier was it than it looked. ”Is this a good blade?” She looked to Hanfor.
”It is a good blade for the average armsman.” Anna felt the weapon for a time, studied it, and finally returned it. Then she reclaimed the lutar and began to tune it.
”It would be good if we could obtain blades,” said Hanfor. ”Yet I know of no sorcerer who has created blades.”
”There are many things she has created not seen before in Liedwahr.” Jecks smiled ironically.
Hanfor laughed.
”I'm ready. Can you lean the blade against the wall there?”
The arms commander carefully propped the blade against a niche in the bricks and stepped back.
Anna strummed the lutar, since she hadn't been able to create a spell that went with the songs that the players already knew.
”With iron, carbon, and heat be met, metal heat and steel be set, forge this steel into a blade, as good as the finest ever made...”
Even before she finished the spell, a gray haze appeared beside the first blade, a haze that solidified into a second blade, one appearing nearly identical to the one Anna had modeled it from, except that the hilt was metal, rather than leather wrapped over a tang.
Hanfor lifted the new blade, hefted it. He frowned. ”It doesn't feel quite right. I cannot say why that might be.” The arms commander turned to Jecks. ”Perhaps we could spar-just the blades against each other.”
”That might be best.” Jecks lifted the original blade, leaving his own in his scabbard at his waist.
Anna watched. While she couldn't tell the moves, she could listen, and Jecks' big blade rang almost in its own true key, while the one she had spellforged sounded somehow flat.
Abruptly, the new blade shattered, and chunks of metal rained across the practice yard, and Hanfor staggered back, a line of red across his cheek.
Jecks lowered his blade, brow furrowed, and stepped forward.
”Hanfor!” Anna ran toward him.
”It's just a scratch.” The gray-bearded arms commander held up the hilt with a smile. ”I fear, Lady Anna, that your other spells are more effective.”
”It looks that way.”
Theoretically, there was no reason why her spells, couldn't forge a blade. Maybe she didn't know enough about sword construction or smithing to visualize the blade correctly. Or metallurgy...or any one of a thousand things.
But why could she build bridges? Because stone was more forgiving? Or because she'd seen enough bridges? Or because of her design cla.s.ses?
Again. . . background knowledge seemed to play an important role in the effectiveness of visualizatoon...
and spells. And, again, she really didn't know enough, not by a long shot.
41.
Jecks stepped into the room, followed by Hanfor.
”Lady Anna, Herstat has arrived. He will be here in a few moments.'' Jecks bowed, his eyes twinkling; as though to ask if she felt ready to continue her internal revolution in Defalk, the revolution that would be fueled by her efforts to grant young Jimbob greater wealth and power than his predecessors.
Great. . . you're undertaking internal revolution while you've got to put down an obvious revolt and threats of invasion. And you still don't really know what you're doing-except it's already taking a lot of sorcery, and you've barely started. It seemed so strange. She was trying to give a ruler more power when she came from a place where dictators and absolute rulers were considered evil. Except feudal chaos is worse than a strong ruler.
She offered a pleasant smile. ”Would you have Jimbob join us?”
”I would be most pleased.” Jecks bowed slightly and left.
Anna wondered, if she used Synfal as a headquarters for much longer, whether she should consider refurbis.h.i.+ng the old throne room. She shook her head.
Jimbob, Jecks, and Herstat arrived almost all together. Herstat, an older, grayer, and stooped male version of his daughter Dythya, bowed. ”Lady Anna.”
”Herstat, it's good to see you again.” The regent offered a smile. ”I apologize for hijacking you from Lord Jecks and upsetting your life.”
”Both Lord Jecks and my daughter your counselor have persuaded me that such minor upsets are to be far preferred over the alternatives.” Herstat offered a rueful smile.
”That may be,” Anna admitted. ”I'll be honest,” she continued. ”I have two jobs for you here. One is long term. One is much shorter. The long term job is to ensure that Synfal is well-run and that Lord Jimbob understands every aspect of how it is run. I will ensure he spends time here with you. At times, you may have to come to Falcor. If you feel you have trouble with him, then I expect you to let me know. If you cannot reach me, let Lord Jecks know.”
”Might I ask a question, Lady Anna?” asked Herstat.
”Please do.”
”Much of this could be accomplished at Elheld.” Herstat waited.