Bookworld Online: Marsh Man

The next morning, I had History and Geography and I wanted to talk to the teacher again. Mage Victoria Ridge had been quite willing to be interviewed by me the first time, after she hugged me tightly and expressed her deep sorrow about Helena and my son. She even gave my cheek a lingering kiss, which would have upset her husband if he had been there.

Her husband had disappeared when I had arrived back at the capital and she claimed that she didn't know where he went. I was sure that she was half-lying, as if that was a thing. I didn't doubt my vigilance technique, though. When I asked her about it, she laughed softly and said it was actually a half-truth. She didn't know for sure where he was and only suspected. She wouldn't say where, however.

When I arrived at the academy, I gave the guard at the gate a gold coin and he closed the gate behind the carriage. When we stopped near the large group of students waiting to enter the academy's main classroom building, the driver spoke.

“Remember, sir. Go right to the administration building when lunch begins.” The driver said as I stepped out and reached a hand back for Gella to step out of the carriage.

“Gella, remind me to do that.” I said and she nodded. “I suppose I won't need you until tomorrow afternoon.”

“Yessir. See you then.” The driver said and quickly left.

“My lord.” Gella whispered. “You seem to be drawing a lot of attention to yourself this morning.”

I glanced around and saw what she meant. More than half of the young women around us were giving me quite pointed stares. I noticed Vanessa's old friends that I had hosted last night. Three of them nodded while the light brown haired girl lightly touched the spot over her heart. She briefly kissed the tops of her fingers and then blew a kiss at me as she blushed.

“I think that was a significant gesture.” Gella whispered and I nodded as the bell rang and we all shuffled into the building. I went to the alternate classroom where Mage Ridge was and I stepped into the doorway to see that she was sitting primly on the chair behind her desk.

“David!” Victoria gasped and then blushed as the girls behind me made sounds of disapproval.

I stopped walking and they all bunched up to try and not walk into me, since I was now blocking the doorway. I turned around and looked at them all. “What right do you have to criticize my friend for calling me by name when every single one of you refused to help me yesterday when I asked for it?”

They all looked embarrassed and wouldn't look at me.

“Exactly. You don't have any right at all.” I said and they blushed. “You should keep your opinions to yourselves. No one of importance is going to want to hear them.”

Lorna looked angry, and yet, she didn't say anything or looked at me.

I turned back to the classroom and entered it with Gella beside me. I walked over to the teacher and she looked embarrassed and proud. “Victoria, thank you for cooperating as much as you did during your interview.”

Victoria shook her head. “You are under royal command to find the mage traitors that are fighting against the crown. Without you here to clean out the enemies within our midst, I was afraid that the kingdom would soon fall.”

“It still could.” I warned her and the girls in the classroom gasped. “There are army and navy elements that are too deep in with the mages to not rebel when given the chance.”

Victoria sighed at the implications. “What are you going to do about it?”

“Me? Nothing.” I said and that made the girls gasp again. I turned to look at them. “Excuse me? What is it? Do you want me to do something about the state of your country when you all clearly hate me.”

The girls all looked embarrassed again.

“So it's all right to make my lord fight for you all and save you from the evil mages and the Eastern Empire; but, he asks for a little help from you to study for exams that he was unprepared for, BECAUSE HE WAS CAPTURED AND MADE A SLAVE!” Gella yelled. “You all refused his simple request. Was that fair to him?”

The girls didn't respond, not even Vanessa.

“No, because you don't care at all about what he's been through, do you?” Gella asked, accusingly. “I'll use Mage Mark's words here. He lost his fortune, his lands, his wife and his son, and NONE OF YOU CARE.” She spat. “You only care that he came back here and killed the mages responsible for it all.”

After a moment of silence, Mage Ridge spoke. “Please sit and I can begin class.”

“I only have one more thing to say.” Gella said and her magic flared out. “My lord liberated hundreds of slaves and destroyed most of the Eastern Empire's shipping routes. He even came back here to clean up your country's mess and all you can see is the single deaths of criminals in your families and the families of your friends. You are all so short-sighted that I want to pluck all your eyes out and force you to look farther than your own pitiful little lives!”

I put a hand on Gella's shoulder and our magic swirled together. A strong wind blew out from us and it ruffled everyone's papers. A couple of the girls let out surprised sounds and looked afraid. Lorna still looked angry and I didn't care why.

“I don't think yelling at them or berating them will make them see the error of their ways after all this time.” I said and Gella nodded as she pulled her magic back and reined in her emotions. I removed my hand from her shoulder and she sighed slightly when my magic retreated from her.

“I apologize for the disruption.” I said to Victoria and sat down near the front of the class. Gella sat beside me and Victoria started the review. Thanks to Vanessa's notes, I easily followed along with the review and marked the relevant sections to study.

“That went faster than I thought it would.” Victoria said when she finished and there was still an hour left before lunch. “Class is dismissed.”

I quickly packed up and gave my things to Gella to put in her slim backpack before I went to the teacher's desk. “Victoria, can I have a word?”

Victoria opened her mouth to respond and then she sighed. “I can't tell you, David. I'm sorry.”

“Contract vow?” I asked and she nodded. “Then I won't worry you further. I'm sorry you're caught up in this.”

“As am I.” Victoria said and watched several girls walk by before she spoke again. “Alex and Donna have been asking about you.”

“I won't be contacting them until I fix myself.” I said and showed my hands with missing fingers. “That won't be until after the exams and I prove I deserve to grade with the others.”

Victoria looked surprised at my statement. “But, David... you... we all know that...”

“It won't mean the same if it's my friends that tell people I'm a better mage than the Grand Mage.” I said and ignored the scoffs from the girls walking by. “They'll see for themselves during the practicals.”

“I doubt that.” Lorna said and quickly walked by to leave the room.

“You should go and see the director before lunch starts.” Victoria said.

“You know as well?” I asked and she nodded. “Then I better go. See you next week.”

“How do you know I'll be here?” Victoria asked.

“You want to see me get the highest scores on the exams as much as Gella does.” I said and Victoria laughed softly with a nod. I walked out of the classroom with Gella beside me and I heard my name be called. I ignored it, because I recognized the voice as Lorna's.

“David!” Lorna said loudly. “DAVID!” She yelled, then she sighed harshly. “Lord Drake!”

Gella and I stopped walking immediately and I turned to look at her. She was there with her betrothed and he looked like he was fighting to not show anger. Gella stepped back and to the side to get out of the way. Lorna started to smile and stopped herself.

“You think you're the only one that's lost someone?” Lorna asked.

“No. I'm just the one doing something about it.” I responded. “If your loss was because I killed them, then I am not sorry. I only killed confessed criminals when it came to the mages.”

“Oh? And who was there to confirm their confessions?”

“I was.” I said and she looked surprised. “I can tell when someone lies, just like the more powerful mages... and the ones not lying to themselves.”

“That's not how it's supposed to work.” Her betrothed said. “You're supposed to have an independent witness and...”

“...the mages never did that.” I finished for him and he shut up. “They can't have witnesses to their crimes, after all.”

“So, you admit that you've committed crimes!” Lorna exclaimed, as if she just achieved a great victory.

“Of course.” I said and stepped close to her. “Murder, theft, murder, theft, and a lot of murders and a lot more theft.” I said and smiled at her like the Hag smiled. “I was a pirate on the open seas. I've killed hundreds of people personally, thousands of people with my weapons, and I've beheaded dozens.”

Lorna's face paled at my words.

“I've never denied I've done these things. Why do you think me admitting what I've already admitted would mean anything?”

“Because she brought me here.” A man's voice said as he ended an enchantment and came into view.

“You are her father, I presume.” I said and he nodded. “You've saved me some time hunting you down for an interrogation.”

“I wasn't involved with what happened to you.” The man said and it rang true.

“I believe you.” I said and he relaxed. “Now we have other questions for you.” I said and Gella's sword was at his throat and his enchanted necklace was in her hand.

“How dare you!” The man spat.

“If you're innocent, you have nothing to worry about.” I said and nodded at an empty classroom. “Your daughter is free to witness it, as is her betrothed.”

The man looked nervous now.

“Would you rather she not hear this?” I asked and he looked even more nervous.

“F-father?” Lorna asked, her voice shaky.

The man sighed. “I suppose it doesn't matter now. She won't stop asking until she finds out anyway.”

“Please, right this way.” Gella said and I opened the door for her and waved in Lorna and her betrothed. We all went in and what followed was a very interesting interview. Lorna had a much different look than anger on her face when her father was done talking.

“I'm glad you were honest.” I said and stood up from the seat I was on. “You're free to go.”

“Wh-what?” Lorna asked, surprised. “But... but, he just admitted...”

“That's not my goal.” I said and waved at Gella to leave. “I'm to root out the ones that contributed to what happened to me and were involved in the sedition to undermine the crown's authority.” I said and looked at Lorna's father. “He wasn't involved in either thing, either by choice or unknowingly.”

“But... but...”

“You're welcome.” I said and looked at her betrothed. “Do you understand now?”

The young man with dark hair sighed and nodded. “My brother...”

“He's gone and you no longer have to worry about him corrupting you or making you do things that you know are wrong.” I said and opened the door to the classroom. “Take the lesson to heart and become a mage that the kingdom can be proud of.”

He nodded again and we left the three of them there.

“We still have time before lunch, my lord.” Gella said. “If we jog.”

I smiled and we ran down the hallway, out through the doors of the main classroom building, and over to the administration building. When we entered, the newly appointed guard pointed down the director's hallway. I nodded to him and went down that way with Gella behind me.

“My lord. She is expecting you.” The secretary said as she held a hand out to me.

“Thank you.” I said and kissed her hand and gave her a touch of magic. She beamed a smile at me as Gella opened the director's door.

“Finally.” Pavinca said as I entered her office.

“I apologize for the delays.” I said and reached for her hand. She allowed it and I gave her a bit more magic than the secretary as I kissed the back of her hand.

Pavinca shivered with pleasure and smiled warmly at me. “You'll be happy to know I found a nice dorm room for you and your servants.”

“Is it only for the two weeks of exams and then I'll need another assignment?” I asked and she nodded. “Then I won't bother bringing more than just clothes to change into.”

“You only have creature biology first thing in the morning and civil construction in the afternoon.” Pavinca said.

“Did you get replacement teachers for them both?” I asked.

“Yes, and it was pretty difficult, considering they knew you would be taking the classes.”

“Have they been interviewed yet?” I asked and she nodded. “Then there's no problem.”

Pavinca sighed. “You're going to have trouble on the written exam for...”

“I have notes for the biology class and the civil construction class is a waste of my time. My potion eliminates almost all of the calculations, even the measurements.”

Pavinca sat back in her chair and gave me a peculiar look, then she smiled. “You really believe that.”

“Yes. I had a work crew build a grand staircase and they didn't have to cut a single piece of wood besides the basic plank size.” I said and her eyes widened. “It's a ruined mess right now.”

“Like the rest of your estate.” Pavinca said with a nod. “All right. You've convinced me to be there for your practical exams. I'll make sure that they mark you fairly, even if you blow the written part.”

“Thank you.” I said and stood.

“Perhaps another magic demonstration?” Pavinca asked with a light blush just before the bell rang.

“I need to get to lunch.” I said and she sighed softly as she offered me her hand. I repeated the greeting and the magic touch, then left the office with my dorm room assignment and an almost laughing Gella behind me. Apparently, the older woman almost begging me for a kiss was funny to her.