Chapter 33
Reception
Devonshire Beth, Magister General of the Scioni Academy of Magic, formally welcomed the students of the Court of Atlantica to the academy. She was particularly pleased that, as Chair of Academic Outreach, Penny's crazy scheme of bringing the world of the Surface and the Underwater closer together had paid off. For all of the chest beating these primitives had done, it was a good thing to at least see some acknowledgment of mutual interest. Especially in the midst of the escalating tension with the gods that these people were direct servants of. She took it as a sign that maybe the gods themselves were really just posturing and there was hope it might, yet, blow over.
And, of course, she was especially pleased to see her son.
It had been a delicate thing to arrange. She wanted it to be perfect, and to be seen to be putting the surface's best foot forward. Apparently there was a Changing of the Tides ceremony soon in the Underwater at which certain of the more highly placed students simply must be present at. So, for there to be a visit of any length, it had to start very soon. If they waited until after their ceremony was over, the opportunity might have been lost.
A great feast had been prepared to welcome them. That was quite a headache too. Although they wanted to present many 'exotic' surface dishes, they also needed to have things familiar to their palette, so that their picky eaters would also be satiated. Fortunately Penny had previously made the study of modern food collection in preparation for a class assignment some weeks previously. That saved them some embarrassment.
As they had entered for her opening words of welcome her eyes had immediately gone to her son. He floated amongst them, as one of them. Their students were as badly adapted to walking on land as her students had been to floating in water. So they had prepared minor spells so that while they were here they could breathe the air as easily as water and “swim” through the air. It was so very odd to see him, older than she remembered, as always. But also his body language was a crazy mixture between what Elvish she had taught him, and their own. He looked intently to her and she could not work out his expression. The spotlight was on her so she just smiled to him specifically, then the rest, and began her address.
It was all fairly minor pleasantries. She refrained from making too much of a metaphor between this and the larger conflicts. Or from giving in to Elvish loquaciousness. She kept it simple, direct, and handed it over to Penny.
Penny had full license to be pedantic, go on at length, and bring up tangential, yet informative, asides. And she did quite well at it, not caring a whit how bored her audience was. As usual those most fascinated were those who weren't her students. Devonshire was drawn into some of her stories, but mostly tried to keep her mind free and ponder her son.
Winter was staring directly at her. Everyone else probably thought he was paying rapt attention to Penny, as Devonshire was seated just to one side of her. But she met his eyes directly. He was clearly trying to signal something to her. But she couldn't read it. She 'fidgeted' slightly in her chair, attempted to broadcast some of the elementary Elvish signals surreptitiously. He responded, but without clarity. She was pretty sure he understood that she was trying to reach out to him, but understood no more than she did.
She took a break from this to survey the other students. The ones from the Scioni Academy she knew well, and had lectured them herself occasionally. The ones from the Underwater were quite different. About half appeared to be from the same species. She assumed these were Tritons based on reports that they had developed a keen interest in the digs. The rest were almost all different. Just as when she visited Atlantica's court, it was hard to tell the difference between the courtiers, the servants, and the random fauna that swam in and out.
It was even harder to read their body language. They didn't sit or stand or shift their weight. They floated, with occasional station keeping like gestures. Or possible fanning and flexing of gills. Devonshire felt strangely like she had been struck deaf. She was used to being in and amongst humans and the like who fairly readily radiated their inner attitudes and thoughts through their bearing. It was very useful in negotiating the compromises often needed as Magister General. But she was at a loss here.
Penny eventually finished and let their own scholar, Charonia, speak. He was very humble and deferential. Clearly not used to public speaking. He kept it short and polite and looked at bit at a loss what to do when he finished.
Devonshire took control again, but only to thank everyone again, point out where the food was, who to talk to if they had questions, and to encourage all to mix, mingle and enjoy. There was a general hubbub as they did so. Many of the Academy students made a bee line for the buffet, and many of the Underwater collected into their cliques. Penny strode amongst them all, stirring things up, forcing people to mix. People were constantly introducing themselves or being introduced to Devonshire. Charonia had gravitated to her side, not really seeming to know what was required of him, but just made awkward small talk.
Winter came up to her, with the same intent expression. But there was no privacy here, so she could not ask him straight out what was the matter. They greeted each other with what might be expected in public. The words themselves were meaningless, since, under it all, they were both trying desperately to talk about something else. Amongst it all she seemed to catch a flash from him. Something going back a very long time ago to when he was very small. He was afraid.
A new urgency overtook her. Something was definitely up. But they were in a room with a diplomatic party in full swing. She thought of a few ways she might ditch the well-meaning Charonia and find somewhere private. But all had negative repercussions. If this just turned out to be some sort of adolescent angst, it was too much to risk. But was also too much to dismiss.
“Mother? Did I really see such a selection of food from the Underwater?” asked Winter, nodding towards the buffet.
Pretty good, thought Devonshire. Some of my tricks have sunk in. “Why yes,” she said. “Courtesy of Penelope's student’s studies.” She turned slightly. “Charonia, I would be most interested in your opinion of what we have produced. I do hope it is somewhat palatable! Please, be honest.” He mumbled something reassuring and self-deprecating as the three moved there.
Winter, very pointedly, offered her his arm. She took it, wondering quite what he was up to. As he did so, he clamped down on her very tightly. My, he had grown very strong. He was now taller than her. Aging entirely as a human, she thought sadly. Much quicker than she had expected. And she had seen so little of it. Damn that Atlantica! As her own annoyance rose he clamped down, again, with renewed pressure, and steered her towards a different end of the banquet table than she had been heading. She looked up at him and he looked desperately at her.
“If you wished to try a taste of the surface,” said Devonshire to Charonia, “I might recommend the bisque. The contents you are familiar with, but the method we use to prepare it with is different. Here, let me get you some.” She reached across to her right, incidentally right in front of Winter.
He did not miss as thing and hissed quietly in her ear as she bent over, “use your magic.”
She stood up again, pondering what he said, and then it occurred to her in a flash. Why trifle with reading body language, far corrupted on both sides. With a simple matter of concentrating she could connect directly to his mind, especially as he was in physical contact with her.
“What's eating you?” she asked when she set up the link.
A wave of emotion came across. Since she was in control of the magic, she had much better broadcasting fidelity than receiving, and she got everything that was on the surface of his mind. Fear, anxiousness, and worry surged over her for a moment, before he realized she was connected. Then, amongst the jumble, “They are trying to assassinate you.”
She froze her side of the link, and swallowed hard. She paused and asked something complicated of Charonia that should keep him occupied for some time. The fear and
wariness was still radiating from Winter. Clearly he felt very strongly about it, but he was young and Devonshire was not sure she completely trusted his judgment.
“Who is trying to assassinate me?” she asked him.
“Balanoptera,” he said, “and I think him, and him,” mentally gesturing at a few classmates.
Devonshire sighed inwardly, but kept that from going over the link. Winter had always had problems with Balanoptera, his foster brother. He did sound a brute and a tormenter, but not a political genius. “You've handled him pretty well so far. I think together...”
She was interrupted forcefully “He's been to see Waterbearer. She sent and equipped him.”
That stopped Devonshire. She pivoted to take something from the buffet so that Balanoptera was in her field of view. He was looking at her particularly intently. But, then, he hated Winter as much as Winter hated him, and she was the focus of a lot of that. She stretched her communication spell to cover him. Even at this range and not being in physical contact, the gloating, haughty and self-important malice came through quite clear radiating the anticipation he felt at dismembering her and worse. The courage of his convictions was also focused on something he was fidgeting with. Whatever The Waterbearer had given him, it didn't include mental shielding.
“Treacherous little bastard,” Devonshire radiated over the link and dropped all pretense of listening to Charonia. Her lip curled in disgust and she began summoning her power up. She had no idea what he had or how close he was to the trigger so it was no time for subtlety. She drew patterns in the air, charged them with the energy, and sent them flying though the room before the conversation had time to become completely stilted. A blue nimbus grew up over everyone from the Underwater delegation. It grew bright, became faceted, and then faded away, leaving them all covered in translucent blue crystal.
“Penny, take your students out of here. Now!” shouted Devonshire over the growing hubbub.
“Mother? What have you done!” said Winter, in horror.
“They're just frozen,” said Devonshire, waving the few senior mages at the reception to her.
“You need to unfreeze her, now!” cried Winter. He was pointing at one of the delegation, a blue statue like all the others.
“We can't risk it,” said Devonshire. “We'll probe them later and sort out the guilty and the innocent.”
“NO,” shouted Winter in a commanding voice Devonshire had never heard him use. Those who were not being forcibly pushed from the room stopped and stared. Waves of defiance and building anger seeped through the link. “Do you have any idea what she risked to save your life?”
Devonshire stared at him. She bit back the dismissive comment that had been on the tip of her tongue. She had not seen this forcefulness in him before. Ever. She realized that, and that the fire in his eyes, reminded her of his father. A pang of sadness struck her heart. This was not her child anymore. This was a man. She had deluded herself too long. She had missed his childhood decrying how fast it was passing. And now it was gone. Her heart yearned for him, but with battle crisis clarity she knew that she needed to forge a different relationship with him. Mother-son was not going to work. She needed to acknowledge his maturity if she was to retain his respect. She reached out her hand and made a gesture.
The blue crystal shattered into nothingness and the figure he indicated collapsed. Winter rushed to her side and supported her as she foundered about. A mage approached to renew the breathing and motion spell. Devonshire watched silently and felt his relief over the link. There was that and... love? Love for... this... pop-eyed, slimy, scaled, kelp haired, web fingered... Devonshire shook herself mentally. That's what she felt from Winter, unquestionably. He then looked up at her, once he was assured the creature was well. Then she felt a surging wave of love from him for her, his mother. He began to bring her towards Devonshire.
This was her, Devonshire realized. He had hinted there was someone who didn't revile him. Something must have happened. Something must have bloomed. She had wanted that so badly for him, but had been unprepared for the reality of it. Now, for the second time in several seconds, she needed to adjust her attitude. She needed to be a different sort of mother.
“Mother, this is Cindarina,” said Winter. The kelp woman was looking around her wide eyed, and especially at Devonshire.
“I owe you my life.” Devonshire bowed deeply. “Tell me who is not part of this and we will release them immediately.”
Winter beamed at his mother and Cindarina pointed at the other students, one at a time. Devonshire released them, and the other mages saw to their comfort. Cindarina reassured the newly released and started to escort them away.
“Sorry about that,” said Devonshire to Winter.
“About what?” asked Winter.
“I should not have hesitated. I won't do that again.” He looked at her funny, then smiled, and nodded.
She grinned wryly and punched him gently in the shoulder. “I'm quite fond of men of the sea myself. If nothing else, I'm glad you've inherited my taste!”
Winter gulped and stared at her, eyes wide. “Mother!” he protested.
“No time,” she said. “The attack is starting, isn't it?”
“Yes” he said, serious again. “Not here. This is just a distraction.”
“It will be Romitu then,” said Devonshire. “Do you want in on it?” she asked him. If she was going to start treating him as an adult, she might as well go the whole way.
He looked up, both hesitant and hopeful. Then to the doorway Cindarina had left through.
“Oh, she'll be alright,” said Devonshire. “I'll give specific orders promoting them to the top rank of protection.”
“Let's raise hell then,” said Winter.
“That's my boy!”
ARC 4