Page 27 of Enchanted Net
“I thought I might go lend a hand with Garin, if you wanted time. You could meet me back here?” Thessaly hadn’t really formed the thought until she spoke, but it was a fine and reasonable one.
“Forty-five minutes, then. And mind you don’t muss your dress.” She was about to object that she knew far more about managing her frocks than he did, when he offered that charming grin again. “Grand-mère will notice.”
“Of course. See you in a little, then.” Childeric nodded once, dropping her arm, and wheeled about, heading off on a beeline for - well - somewhere. One of the outbuildings, maybe. There was a whole cluster of them off that way.
Thessaly waited until he was a good thirty feet away. Then she picked up her skirts a little to make her way down the hill and into the hollow where the salle was. “Garin, do you want some help with that? I’ve a few minutes.”
Garin looked up at her, blinking as if he weren’t sure what to do with the offer. He was nine, and Thessaly couldn’t help thinking he was not suited to be a nine-year-old. He had a certain amount of inherent dignity that didn’t suit the age. Solitude - being alone among his cousins in age - had given him a self-possession or an interior focus that contrasted sharply with most of the other children she’d known. “Thank you, Mistress Thessaly.” He also had a formality to his manners, though admittedly she was both not yet a cousin by marriage, and she was an adult. He had to call her something other than her bare forename.
“The hoop? Or something else? I’m not dressed for duelling, but I could get you started on a few drills, if you liked?” A lot of the idea of future children was rather opaque in her mind, still. But she kept getting flashes of what it would be like to teach someone - Garin’s age or a little younger - the basics. She couldn’t tell if it was a boy or girl, and besides, children’s clothes for active play overlapped a bit. But she could see, she could even more clearly feel, the movements and the early charms for aiming and protecting.
“Oh, I’d like that. Sigbert said you’re very good.” He looked around, as if sure one of his cousins was going to drop out of the open air. “Even better than Childeric, he said.”
It made her laugh. “I have promised not to duel Childeric in public. You can work out the answer from there, I hope? Don’t tease Childeric about it, though. You know he wouldn’t like it.” Honesty made her add, “And I don’t think either of us would like being around when he feels like that.”
It made Garin tilt his head. “In that case, I definitely would appreciate you showing me a few things. In the salle?”
“That’s probably more sensible, isn’t it? It’s not a problem, I have permission to use it. And I’m not going to show you anything complicated today. I’m not dressed for it, and I need to be presentable for tea. Come along, then.” She took the steps over to the salle, pressing her hand to the door to open the warding. She did the same again inside on the panel to bring up the charm lights, feeding a little of her own magic. “Now, you’ve had a few lessons already, haven’t you? Can you show me what you know? I’m going to go find a target you can aim at.”
That would be both tidier on her end - she was perfectly capable of levitating it rather than wrestling it in place physically - and better practice. More to the point, it was something he could continue on his own with someone else supervising. She went off to the storage to find one of the simple targets, while he positioned himself. “Right handed, we’re going to want to talk about your feet in a second. Don’t you let me forget.”
As she turned away to rummage in the storage, she caught a glimpse of Garin smiling, then waiting patiently for her to come back. She considered, setting an alarm chime on her watch, clipped to a fold of her bodice, to remind her when it had been half an hour. That way, they’d have time to clean up and she could tidy her hair.
Chapter20
JUNE 18TH IN TRELLECH
Vitus had taken the afternoon to go look at plausible shops to let. There was nothing suitable near Niobe’s workshop in the crafting quarter, certainly nothing he could afford soon. The spaces he could afford had awful lighting, the ones that had the light he wanted were far out of his budget and would be for years yet. And there weren’t exactly many of either, just two with terrible light and worse floors, and three entirely out of his reach.
The problem with talisman work was needing space for the equipment on one hand, keeping in mind that grinding wheels did need appropriate flooring, for both weight and vibration reasons. But also, it needed a space that could be sufficiently secured. Especially given that the working tools were probably worth something to a burglar and the collection of stones in progress or waiting to be worked certainly was.
Niobe handled the latter with extensive warding, though she also took other precautions. At least half her stock waiting to be worked was in the bank vaults of the Scali, and they’d ensure secure delivery as requested. That also cost, though, and getting them to come across town outside of the Crafting quarter cost even more. It looked like he might have to, though.
He could, however, make do with an ordinary flat, if the floors would take the grinding wheels, unlike the alchemists. Sensible people didn’t want to live in a building with a commercial alchemy lab in it. Between the smells and the chance for entirely unwanted magical explosions and more subtle, but possibly more upsetting, effects. A home stillroom was one thing, but anything beyond that was tightly licensed and restricted to specific areas of town and buildings with additional protections. Talisman work, however, could be done in a second bedroom, if the other conditions suited.
He didn’t particularly want to move out of home - he enjoyed meals with his parents, and with Lucas when Lucas could get free. But he wasn’t entirely opposed to it, if it made sense. It simplified some of the security measures if he lived on the property. In that case, his presence could be anchored into reinforcing the warding and alerting him immediately if something was wrong.
The flat he’d just seen was fine, he supposed. But the light was only decent in one room. Ideally, he needed two with good light, one for a consulting room and office and one for a workroom. Plus, he supposed, a bedroom. The bathroom had been small and cramped. The kitchen was tiny, though there had been a landlady and housekeeper who saw to the building, including meals if he wanted that.
Maybe something better would turn up tomorrow, or next week. Well, likely not next week. Everyone more or less went on holiday for the Midsummer Faire, whether people had booths or exhibitions or not. He made his way along the street, past the various smaller shops, heading back to Trivium Way. He’d just turned down the street for Niobe’s workshop when he heard someone calling out his name. Down the street, just to the south, he saw Philip Landry, his mother, and his brother.
Landry waved once, and Vitus walked down that way, nodding, but first tipping his hat to Philip’s mother. “Magistra Landry, Magister Landry, Mister Landry.” The last one made Alexander Landry look amused, more than offended. It was the proper term, given he hadn’t yet even begun his formal apprenticeship. It was interesting seeing them together, and not in formal dress. Alexander was still growing into his adult height, Vitus thought, and possibly his shoulders would also fill out more.
Philip Landry offered a smile. “We were about to see to the last of the luggage for Alexander’s travels. You are just the person who might have proper advice.” He considered, and without glancing at his mother, added, “Please, do call me Philip, if you prefer.”
Magistra Landry inclined a head. “A pleasure to speak. Philip spoke highly of your intellect after your consultation.” From anyone else, Vitus would have been crowing with delight, but from her, he was sure he was missing about five layers of meaning, at least three of them dangerous.
Alexander stuck out his hand, glanced at his brother, got a brief nod in reply, and added. “And Alexander, if it’s easier.”
“I’m glad you thought so well of me. And please, do call me Vitus.” It was only polite to offer the same, especially to his elders. “The consultation was a tremendous help, actually. I’m just finishing the piece now, but it’s come together better than I’d hoped.” Vitus hesitated a moment. “Philip, perhaps we might find a time after Midsummer Faire for some further conversation? And I happened across a piece of turquoise. If you were minded for any talisman work in the future, I thought I would see if you had an interest first.” He stumbled a little over the offer. The three of them were looking at him intently, and with matched confident gazes.
Philip looked at his mother this time, just for an instant, but then he nodded. “Once Alexander is off on July first, shall we say? I expect we’ll be tending to various odds and ends until then.” There was a quick glance at his mother, before he added, “And the Fortiers have a call on my time for a project, as well.” It was a neutral enough comment, but Vitus got the sense it was not the way Philip would have chosen to spend his time at the moment. It made visible that both mother and son - sons, perhaps - had obligations there.
Magistra Landry nodded once, as if there were some undercurrent that made sense to her sons. “Just so. I hope you have some pleasant plans for the solstice and the Faire, Master Deschamps? Are we likely to see you in the Fortier tent at all?” From her, the formality and the courtesy title he hadn’t quite formally earned was a nod at treating him like an adult. He was fairly sure of that, anyway.
As to the tents, that was still something of a nebulous delight. Many of the landed families took tents at the Faire to show their particular local wares or highlight crafters and artisans. Others took tents to watch the pavo and bohort in comfort, rather than crowding into the stands and bleachers. The Fortiers did both, though Vitus didn’t think either Childeric or Sigbert would play any matches this year.
“The Fortiers offered me an afternoon at their tent, along the Winding Way. On the Wednesday.” It was not likely to be a particularly busy day. But Wednesday at least suited the work he did, and perhaps having fewer in the crowd would mean more chance to talk to people interested in his work. If they’d been favouring him, he’d have had time on the Saturday or on Sunday afternoon, or perhaps the last day of the Faire. “And I hope to attend, of course, several other days. There are quite a few lectures on the Monday and Thursday I’m interested in, particularly.” He hesitated, then added, “And my family is invited to the Council rites this year, and my mother is looking forward to that.”
