A tale of magicians, magick and a lost boy. This started off just as a one off story, but as I was writing ideas kept popping up and by the end of this first part I could see quite a long saga ahead. It is my very first time venturing into a realm of fantasy, a much loved genre, and I fear not doing justice to some of the wonderful writers who's works grace my bookcases. By saying this is a fantasy I don't really need to stress that it is a work of fiction. Set in a nameless land, maybe even a nameless world, our rules and conventions do not apply here.
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The news of Sir Samuel Alver's apparent suicide spread like wildfire through the city, Jacob seeing chance to do a little mischief making went into the city with Tancred and walked the streets until he saw a group of urchins in an alleyway. Standing at the head of the alley he spelled his voice so it would carry to them, but not those passing him by. He spoke of Sir Samuel being on the point of arrest by the authorities for sodomising children, and he also being suspected of involvement, with others, in the murder of children that had disappeared over the last years. Threatening Tancred with a severe beating if he let this terrible news pass to any other the apprentice, working off the same script, fearfully promised his absolute silence in the terrible matter. To one ragged child hearing the tale Jacob was seen as a tall dark haired lord, to another a stout bald headed shopkeeper, others saw a fair skinned man yet another as a dusky visitor from a strange land. Not a one of those children crouched in the alley that day saw the elderly stooped merchant that stood in the street. This sordid story was around the city before the truth ever knew it had a race to run. Jacob again hearing the news whispered to him by Sarah on the second day following her return from the visit to her daughter. She having been told it by a stallholder in the market.
The sons of Sir Samuel resided in a land that was a ten day voyage from the city, it would take three weeks at best for them to arrive, so the city authorities took responsibility for the interment of the remains. Upon hearing of the flying rumours it was decided to forgo the large public funeral commonly held for a knight of the city, few of the great men wished to be seen walking solemnly behind the open carriage carrying him on his final journey. He was quietly put to rest one evening with little fanfare, few mourners stood at the graveside. The great and the good failed to anticipate that those actions would be further fuel for the rumours and be seen as supporting evidence of his alleged evil. Within a few days mothers would be heard threatening a naughty child with sending it to Samuel if it did not behave. Every time those words were spoken a little mortar trickled from the wall of fear that held the citizens captive.
As the winter approached, and the weather turned, driving rain or strong gales kept them inside the house more often. Jacob, having decided to keep a lower profile over the next months, took Jamil and his sister Donae away from the household tasks for a time each day and set to teaching them their letters and numbers. Most people of the city could neither read nor write, a poorly educated people being easier to keep under control. A touch of magick during those lessons saw them leaping forward at a terrific pace. And Jamil could often be spotted with a book from the house library clutched in his hand as he headed for his little room at the top of the house. He provided Sarah with extra coin to go out in the city and procure heavy winter clothing for the young pair, and also insisted she buy for her and her husband. Zachary was busy during these weeks purchasing a smaller and plainer carriage they could move around in without the adornment of the house insignia on it's doors. Jacob wished it to appear much like the many carriages available for hire on the streets for a single trip.
Every opportunity was taken by Tancred and Jamil to sneak away to the privacy of Tancred's bedchamber, a touch of Jacob's magick being used to ensure they were not searched for or disturbed as the boys shared their secret love. Jamil would sometimes sneak down the stairs from his little room when everyone had retired to the bedchambers, and together the young lovers spent many wonderful hours under Tancred's bedcovers before parting with the warmth of kisses still on their lips, and the smell of their love to lull each to sleep. On one inclement morning Tancred came into the library where Jacob was sat quietly reading. Having been schooled by Jacob from his early years to address whatever question was in his mind, he raised the subject of the fears for his own future.
"How can I still be king when the thought of taking a queen and bearing an heir still plagues me" He asked Jacob
Putting down the book Jacob turned to look out onto the grounds of the house, pointing towards a tree said "See that young sapling out there, it's being blown by the wind one way, then another. Which way will it face when it has grown mature?"
Of course Tancred had no answer to give his tutor. Continuing Jacob asked "And if you stood at this window many years in the future and looked out on that tree standing sturdy and mature could you command it to turn from the way it has set and face the way you desire?"
Not waiting for an answer to his question Jacob went on "We can no more change what is inside us than that tree can make a choice about it's destiny. Neither can any man that walks in this world command another to be different from the way he or she is born. You being a boy that finds love for another of his own sex is not wrong, nor is it rare. There are many like you in the world, some also princes like yourself, but not all have the good fortune to have stood at the side one them one with power such as I. When the time comes for you to take a wife know that it will be a person you will like as a friend or as a sister, and she will know your true nature and be at ease with it. You will have a happy and content life with her, and still have the love of the man you have found filling your heart with joy. As to the matter of an heir, that will resolve with my help should it be necessary. For now put your worries away and think of nothing but the love you share with Jamil"
A stunned and red faced boy looked back at Jacob, mouth agape "Who did you think extinguished your lamp that first night you spent together? Who covered you so you would not wake chilled? My happiness at seeing you finding love for each other fills me with joy, Jamil is a wonderful young man, he is honest and true, if I had searched lands far and wide I could not have found better than he. You have no need for my blessing or my approval, but if you did it would be without limits. Now off with you, for I think you have a little news to break to him about your not quite secret secret"
Thomas Alver looked out from the deck of the schooner that had carried him from his home. His thoughts, as he studied the sprawling city before him, full of the black memories of things done to him and his brother Simon by his father had been brought back after lying buried for years. Feeling the touch of a hand on his shoulder he turned and saw a fellow traveller, they had made acquaintance during the voyage, playing games of chance to while away the hours. The man, a courier for one of the great trading houses spent his life travelling from one city to another carrying letters and contracts to be exchanged. He had made his dislike of the city clear to Thomas, and had voiced his relief at only needing to stay here for two days until the ship was re-provisioned and returned to it's home.
"So Thomas, have you made arrangements for a place to stay here" asked his new friend.
"I will follow your example and stay at the hostelry you recommended to me. I haven't announced my coming, and I have no plans to stay at my father's house" he replied.
"It is a fine place, the innkeeper is honest, the food and ale are good. The beds are clean, and so are the serving girls should you take one to your clean bed, They are more than ready to tumble with a generous patron" came the reply.
"There will be a carriage waiting for me, as soon as our bags are brought come ride along with me to the inn. But I warn you when you see Loretta you will see my favourite, it would please me if you bedded another lass"
And so Thomas Alver's whereabouts in the city were made known to Jacob and to the trading house, for the inn was quietly owned by the trading house, and thus by Tancred's father, the king. Once settled in his room at the inn he was disturbed by a knock from a serving girl announcing the arrival of a visitor downstairs. Awaiting him was the head of the trading house, upon introducing himself he motioned Thomas to a side room where they could speak in privacy. After offering Thomas his condolences for the death of his father he made comment that he had never met Sir Samuel, but that he knew him better than he would have wanted himself known widely. This statement left Thomas intrigued, but unsure whether it meant that his visitor was a kindred spirit with the same appetites as his father. Not wishing to have his own shame known he made no comment on hearing this.
Hearing neither encouragement nor discouragement for his words the Trading master went on "I would not have you think I share the same inclinations as he. I realise you may find this conversation distasteful, I venture into it knowing you have been estranged from your father for many years. We have mutual friends in the land where you now live, who I have known and trusted for many years. They assure me that you would prefer to never step foot into this city where he lived if that were at all possible. I have not the knowledge why you two brothers made that choice to break with your father, but I believe that your decision is tied to his vile practices and with the circumstances of the loss of your mother"
Upon hearing the compassion in the other's voice he could not help but be moved to tears as his thoughts turned to the beautiful and sweet woman he remembered from his childhood. Weaving truth with the story he and Jacob had spent considerable time creating the trading master continued.
"You have made it widely known that your return here will be to dispose of all assets inherited by you, and once done you will be gone from this wicked place. My house has been instructed to act for a lady who wishes to remain anonymous at this time. She is prepared to meet your price for the purchase of your former home. We have advised that a fair price would be in the region of that which you will see on this document"
Thomas opened the folder that had been pushed across the table towards him, his eyes widened as he read through the statement of intent and reached the figure written at the foot of the page.
"That figure would be for the building and grounds alone, she has no desire for the furniture or any other items within the house. Should agreement be reached between us we would be more than pleased to act on your behalf to empty the property, and either ship it to your home or, as I think you would prefer, have it all sold by auction. Clearly you will want to have a valuation carried out as you have not seen the house for many years, should that valuation show a value in excess of the figure shown here you can be assured our figure can be amended to please you"
Leaving the business which had brought him to the inn, for he could not expect Thomas to make a decision that day the trading head then turned the conversation to Thomas's homeland. He surprised the younger man by his knowledge of the land, and the influential people there, who it turned they both knew well. Before leaving he arranged for a carriage to be made available for Thomas during his time in the city, starting with a visit to Sir Samuel's mansion the following morning.
Following his inspection of his former home the next day Thomas requested the carriage to carry him to the trading house, where he again sat with the house head.
"I am of a mind to make agreement with you over the house" He said
"However I do have some concerns as to the eventual use of the house, I would see it pulled to the ground rather than have it used in the way I knew it to be through my childhood"
Jacob and the trading head had expected this concern and so put Thomas's mind to rest "Our client is a lady of substantial fortune. She was taken as an young orphan from this city and sold into prostitution many years before you were born. Eventually she managed to escape the life she was forced into and fled to another far away place. She made a new life for herself and with hard work she managed to start a business. In due course she married an older gentleman and they lived many happy years together, nursing him through severe illness during his last years, He died at a very old age a year or so back, leaving her his great fortune. It is her desire to set the course of her life towards founding a place for orphans here in the city of her birth. Children will be homed and educated, taught a trade and given every chance to make their way in the world away from here, where the most common fate of those unfortunates would be the slave block. She would take great delight at the discomfort of the lords of this city having the lowest of society living so close to them in a mansion, instead of a cage in the city goal. Her great friend and representative is currently living here with his nephew, do you wish to visit him, which we can do now?"
Knocking at the door of Jacob's house they were greeted by Jacob himself, who had been passing through the hallway on his way to the library at the time. The noise of two boisterous youths could be heard from the upper floor as Jacob called for them to come and meet the visitors. Tancred soon appeared thundering down the staircase, followed a few seconds later by the sight of Jamil's backside sliding down the polished banister. Tancred, arriving first, and then immediately bowled over by Jamil with both boys tumbling across the hallway in fits of laughter.
Jacob shrugged his shoulders and turned to his visitors "You see how high my hopes are of these becoming young gentlemen" From the kitchen Sarah could be heard singing loudly, but very much out of tune. Taking them all through to the kitchen he introduced Thomas and suggested she show him around the house and answer any questions he may have. On this tour Donae was, as always, never more than a few paces away from Sarah, who now loved hearing the girl call her mother. Upon reaching the top floors Donae proudly showed Thomas her sanctuary, and pointing towards Jamil's door told him "You don't want to go in there, it smells of boy!" The signs of a house full of love and laughter could never have been clearer to anyone seeing that group of people together. Upon returning to the ground floor of the house Sarah and Donae went off to make tea for the men as they went into the library, where the final negotiations took place. The final piece of the puzzle was Jacob suggesting that the mansion sale be carried out in Thomas's home city. They would after all need the signatures of both brothers together, and doing it away from this city would save Thomas having to turn over a large amount of tax that would be levied here. As far as it would appear the house would become owned by a concern in another land and not by either Jacob or the trading house. Contracts were exchanged giving permission for the goods and furniture to be removed and sold, and for workmen to start work converting the house straight away rather than waiting the completion of the legalities. All of this allowed Thomas to be gone from the city he despised on the final schooner to leave the docks before they closed for the winter. It was late in the day before Thomas and Jacob stood and shook hands to seal the deal.
.............................................................................
In no particular order some of the events of the parts ahead;
The Mountain returns.
The conversion of the mansion and the underlying reasons for buying it.
More shennanigans by Jacob and Tancred around the city.
Jamil's life takes an unexpected turn.
Zachary takes on a new role.