Gregory woke with a smile at the faint sound of the third bell chiming. Being as quiet as he could be, he got dressed, then sat on his bed, meditating as he replayed the day’s previous moves on the Empire’s Gambit board.
The three Buldoun commanders all converged on Klein. Before the city was taken, he devastated their armies with archers and terrible terrain. With the city about to fall, he opened terms for surrender. His surrender gave Buldoun the city and removed the deficit from having started the war, as it was all clearly going their way so far.
The other magi from the Shining Light and all three from the Iron Hand chose that moment to attack the Buldoun commanders near them. That left Nilum as the only Shining Light magi on the board, and Farin as the remaining Iron Hand magi. In return, the magi had pulled down four of the Buldoun commanders.
This all went on while Aether’s Guard stayed in place, doing nothing. The Buldoun commanders near them had gone south, giving the others people to attack. Gregory laughed when play had been suspended the day before, because he knew what was coming today. Both Yukiko and Jenn had been fielded by Ling and Clover, and Roshana started fielding archers during that time. It was clear to Gregory that those troops were going to be handed off to his wives.
While the game played the day before, Gregory told Claudia about his friends fighting in the novice tournament back at the academy. Claudia had asked about them, so Gregory obliged her. In return, she was going to be the one talking today.
Thoughts of his friends at the academy reminded him that today would be their final eight. He wondered if any of them had made it; there was no way for him to find out in the short-term, but he was sure they’d send letters.
Fourth bell chimed and Gregory stretched. He looked at Claudia, who’d rolled onto her back, the blanket pushed to her waist. Blond hair tousled from sleep, face unlined as she snored lightly, Gregory had to admit she was pretty. Shaking his head, he stood up— it was time to wake her.
Gregory kneeled down beside her bed and touched her shoulder lightly. “Claudia, time to wake up.”
Claudia murmured, then rolled to face him. “Not yet… he’s about to kiss me.”
Gregory chuckled. “I’m really not.”
Forehead scrunching, her eyes peeled open to stare at him. “Yes, you are… the priest said we can.”
“We aren’t married, Claudia. It’s fourth bell. Time to wake up.”
Understanding slowly grew in her eyes, and her face turned light pink. “Oh… I’m sorry. I was dreaming.”
“About our wedding, it seems.”
Claudia sat up, not meeting his gaze, but she smiled. “Yes. You woke me before the kiss.”
“You told me. That’s years away, yet.”
“Sadly,” Claudia sighed as she stood up. “I’ll dress.”
Gregory stood up, stepping aside so she could get to the divider area easier. “Food should be here shortly.”
“You do this every day?”
“I was awake an hour ago,” Gregory told her. “It’s why I turn in when I do. Early to bed, early to rise. It’s just how we train.”
“If you all do it, I will, too,” Claudia said, then yawned. “Be right back.”
As Claudia got dressed, there came a soft knock on the door. Gregory used foresight before he answered it. “Thank you, Griselda. Let me get the table set up.”
By the time the food had been set out, Claudia was fully dressed. “Thank you,” Claudia told the maid.
“It is my honor, mistress,” Griselda said softly. “I will have the tea ready when you get to the boxes. Have the decoys been what you wanted?”
“They work fine,” Gregory smiled. “I’m just glad they haven’t been needed.”
Griselda curtsied, then left the room.
“Are we going to do the same morning training as yesterday?” Claudia asked as they sat down to eat.
“Magi Squares, studying Resonant Mind, resonance meditation, and then up to watch the game.”
“While I talk about my personal life. I’d like to hear about yours, as well, Greg.”
“That’s fair, though my life wasn’t all that exciting out on the fringe.”
“Fringe? Wait, you came from one of the outskirt villages? You speak very well for someone who did.”
“Thanks?” Gregory chuckled.
“I could have phrased that better,” Claudia smiled.
“We all have those moments. All the talking comes after training, though, so let’s get to it. Food first.”
~*~*~
When they made it up to the boxes, Gregory described Alturis and his life there, as it wasn’t normally a long story, but he had to touch on his mother’s death.
“Oh, Aether… that must’ve been terrible,” Claudia said as she took his hand.
“Yes… still painful, too,” Gregory cleared his throat.
Claudia squeezed his hand gently. “I didn’t know you had that kind of trauma in your past.”
“Yeah. Let’s talk about your past,” Gregory said, wanting to distance himself from the old pain.
“Of course. I was supposed to do that all of today,” Claudia said, not letting his hand go. “I told you about my family and how the archmage came to notice me at the academy. I guess my life was very different from yours. I’ve lived a life of pampered luxury, for the most part.”
Gregory didn’t try to move his hand— he let her hold it. It felt right to him, and he was learning to trust those feelings.
“A luxurious cage is what it was,” Claudia sighed as she looked out at the game. “Everything was calculated by my mother. I would have certain friends, wear specific clothing, and was forced to learn specific arts, all while smiling… forever smiling.”
“Sounds like Clover,” Gregory said. “She’s the person she is because being silly and funny lessened the attacks because of her heritage.”
“I’m sure she had it worse than me. After all, I had a gilded cage. If I wasn’t smiling, then I was letting my family down. A noble must be composed at all times. We must mask what we think and feel. No matter how much we hate something, we must smile. There is no freedom. I envy you that from your childhood, or even your friends’ childhoods. You all had more freedom than I did.”
Gregory shifted his hand, giving hers a squeeze.
“Thank you,” Claudia smiled. “Everything was arranged, and I had only to play the part required. Even when I hated something, I had to do it, like visiting the Yulin family. They’re a powerful merchant family and, if there’s one thing noble families will do, it’s marrying merchants into our lines. It’s best to bring more money in. Easy to do. Just give your daughters over.”
“You mentioned knowing them before?”
“My family had been considering them for me,” Claudia snorted. “Luckily, Yuki’s family beat mine to the table for arranging the marriage. Mother never thought it would succeed, so instead of finding another for me, we kept visiting them. Gods, I hate that pig… No, I shouldn’t say that. There’s no need to insult pigs, after all.”
“Dan Yulin?”
“Yes. You heard Yuki speak about him. I visited their family every year to keep me in their minds. That thing of a ‘son’ was repulsive. It didn’t matter, though… Mother would see us wed. She just needed an opening. Did you know that my birthday is in five days?”
“No, I didn’t. Happy early birthday, in case I’m not here when it comes,” Gregory said. “That does make you the third person I know with a birthday before the month ends. Both Nessa and Daciana also have birthdays around now.”
“I like having things in common with them,” Claudia smiled. “The point is that the Yulin family got word of Yuki being a magi a day before my birthday. Mother wasted no time— we were heading for their estate that evening.”
“That’s terrible,” Gregory said.
“Yes, but not for me,” Claudia smiled. “They put off talking until the next morning, when I reached adulthood. When they went to meet and arrange the marriage, I went with Mother. Dan was there, eyeing me like I was already naked and waiting for him to consummate our marriage. Before they could even broach the topic, I stood up. It broke decorum. Mother was furious, but with a smile on her face, she asked if something was wrong.”
“Oh… I can sense the shift,” Gregory murmured, squeezing her hand gently.
“I declared that I would attend the mage college. That brought everyone to a halt. Anyone can declare for the mage college and be tested, street urchin or noble. If we test as a mage, we are accepted. Nothing, not even the king, can stop it if someone declares they want to test.”
“Your mother took that badly, no doubt?”
“Not as badly as Dan. Oh, how he raged. He threw his teacup across the room, damning all of us ‘Aether-loving sluts’ for stopping him from marrying. His mother was mortified, as was mine. Neither acted like it, but I could see it in their eyes. He snarled that he hoped I tested null. If I did, he’d marry me to teach me my place.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
“Not as much as I was,” Claudia exhaled. She looked at him, squeezing his hand back. “Or as happy as I am right now.”
Gregory flushed just a tiny bit, then smiled back at her. “How did they take his words?”
“They agreed,” Claudia sighed. “Worked out a whole contract right there. I was taken to the college a week later. My relief when aether sparked in me was tremendous. I was finally free… or so I thought at the time.”
“Because that’s when Aliminus started to groom you as his apprentice,” Gregory said. She’d told him about how the archmage had appeared during the academy acceptance ball— he hadn’t approached her right away, but she knew he’d been watching her the whole night.
“Yes. Does that help explain some of who I am to you?”
“A woman who won’t be put back into a cage,” Gregory said softly.
“No, but I will gladly bind my life to those I choose.”
A knock came on the door, and Gregory’s foresight told him that it was Griselda. “Come in,” Gregory called as he dropped foresight, removing his hand from Claudia’s.
Claudia gave him a questioning look.
“Foresight. Not a good thing to be seen,” Gregory whispered as the door opened. Claudia nodded in understanding. Griselda was Aliminus’ minion, and he would take it badly if he knew Claudia was already planning her future without him.
Griselda walked in with a tea service. “I have more tea for you. Did you want it in here, or in a different room?”
“Here’s fine. After tea, we’ll switch rooms,” Gregory said.
“Very well, sir.”
“As I was saying, though,” Claudia went on, “Yulin was married soon after I was admitted to the mage college. I do pity that poor woman. No doubt by now he has a half-score of mistresses, or even more.”
“Never heard anything good about him, that’s for sure. Just glad I never met him. I doubt we’d get along at all.”
“You two are polar opposites in every way,” Claudia smiled. “Yuki’s very lucky to be blessed by Aether. Then, I had the same luck when I was able to enter the mage’s college.”
“Your tea, miss,” Griselda said as she brought a cup to Gregory.
Gregory took the cup from her, triggered foresight, sipped from it, then handed it to Claudia.
“Thank you. Did you not wish to attend mage college?” Claudia asked.
“No, miss. I’m perfectly content being a maid.”
“Oh, the attendants are coming out to move the pieces,” Gregory said, drawing her attention back to the arena.
The announcer, Mikal, took the small stage near the empire’s waiting area from which all the attendants exited. “This round saw a lot of consolidation and movement, but no more combat. The two remaining magi in the center of their field have sacked the two Buldoun villages, then pulled back to begin building defenses.”
Boos echoed from the crowd.
“The Buldoun commanders to the south are busy gathering their men and calling for reinforcements. All three have currently taken the city as their outpost.”
The crowd cheered.
“That leaves the two northern commanders free to come crashing onto the two magi who are building defenses, while the southern three rebuild. The contingent of magi to the north, five of Aether’s Guard clan, have started to move. A shadow magi and physical enhancement magi moved to where their water magi was holding a town. They have taken command of the archers there. It seems likely that they’ll be moving south to try pinning the two northern Buldoun commanders between them and the defending magi.”
The pieces were moved by the attendants, who then filed back into the waiting room.
“The next few turns should see more battle,” Mikal boomed happily. “The oddsmakers in the stands will be adjusting for possible scenarios. Good luck!”
“I find that the oddest thing,” Gregory chuckled.
“Your tea, sir,” Griselda said, handing a cup to Gregory.
“Thank you.”
“The betting?” Claudia asked.
“Yeah. They’re betting on everything, even what each commander or magi will do. I can understand betting on a battle outcome, but not on if a mage will move to a town or push toward the magi.”
“It’s all about money,” Claudia said. “I wish I could bet, but we’re stuck here.”
Gregory frowned, then started to grin, his eyes landing on Griselda. “Griselda, would you like to make some easy money?”
Griselda glanced at the two of them, then shook her head. “I wish I could, sir, but I cannot do so.”
“How about a lesser amount to arrange for one of the guards to place the bet?” Claudia smiled broadly. “You just can’t say who it’s for, even if they know.”
Griselda considered it, then curtsied. “How may I assist you?”
Gregory exhaled. “I need to push a few hours into the future to see what happens. It’ll hurt my stored aether, but this will be a single chance to win big. Lots of small bets scattered over a few oddsmakers.”
“That’s for the best,” Claudia said as she pulled a large coin purse out from a storage ring. “One percent of the winnings for you, Griselda, and two for the guard. Three if he insists on more. A single percent for the captain on duty so he looks the other way.”
“Accepted, mistress.”
Gregory grinned. He thought about taking advantage of his aether in a way that even the natives would admit was well done.
