Every three months, Darion wouldn't open. That workday would be spent managing supplies and cleaning the kitchens. This meant that I had a full workday to do whatever I wanted once cleaning was finished. I planned to spend the day reading. It had become something of a hobby. I perused every bookstore in the city, trying to find information on magic, only to come up empty-handed. The Magisterium, it seemed, was incredibly thorough in its efforts to keep magic under its control.
Some things did slip through; I read a book called The Magus and the Merchant a few weeks ago. It was a smutty romance novel filled with sex and violence. For the entirety of the book, his magic was described as fantastical as I had ever heard. Throwing fire, calling down lightning, flying, he could do everything it seemed. However, near the end of the book, when fighting to save his love who was kidnapped by the Evil King Gorlel, he used a magical trap described as a system of magical circles in the earth to bury the Evil King beneath stone.
In another book, which was written by the grandson of someone who fought in the Dalianis War, which was the war with Dryads. He described how one Magus wanted to create a circle around the entire forest and burn it in a single day, instead of fighting directly. He was laughed out of the command tent for the ridiculousness of the idea.
After reading eight more books, I stumbled upon a children's book called Tinker's Tales. A funny little anthology of stories about a traveling thinker who went from village to village solving problems with magic. It was stupid things like finding a missing goat or curing a young bride of pimples. However, one problem he had to solve was transporting a large amount of water to a village in the middle of a desert. He did it by drawing a magical circle on the bottom of a large cauldron, making it weigh nothing; it made transporting the water across the barren desert an easy task.
Three mentions of magical circles in three very different books. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but it felt like a pattern. I needed to test it, and today was the perfect opportunity. Cleaning the energy furnace was a task no one wanted, so the chef who was assigned it was more than willing to dump the task of cleaning the large wrought iron furnace in the hot sun on me, at my request.
I had on my rattiest dress, with no one else in the rear of the store to bother me. I stuck my torso inside, removed the metal grate where the wood sat on, and started scooping out the ash. I had to hold my breath inside since breathing in so much ash could cause illness.
Finally, after everything was cleared, I began to search. Then I found it. Inside the tubes near the base was a circle. It was as if someone etched a circle into the metal itself, the same way someone would carve wood. Surrounding the circle were strange symbols; the circle and the symbols made their way around the tube.
It didn't take me long to find a similar pattern inside the other tube. I couldn't actually fit inside the large metal flue. So, I slowly stretched my hand up, feeling for something. Then I found them. Many of them actually.
I counted twelve in total. Though there could be even more further along the tube. Hell, there could be at least 50, depending on whether the spacing remained the same to the top,
I focused on the one I could partially make out in the intake tube near the base. Running my finger along the patterns, I tried to visualize what it looked like. Not wanting to be caught ignoring my work, I stopped after a few minutes. I stepped back, practically covered from head to toe in ash and soot.
‘If I had to guess, the ones in the lower tubes create the suction and the ones in the flue power the kitchen.’
‘I have no clue what the circles or symbols mean, but it's something new. I'm guessing that inside the base of the teapot and the metal structure of the burners, I'd find circles and symbols like these. That would also explain why the base of the kettle was weirdly concave and the odd blue paint.’
‘Most likely, connecting the circle on the base of the kettle to the circle inside the flat cylindrical base activated the magic somehow. I'm not even sure what they're called, nor do I have anyone to ask. But progress is progress.’
~
The weeks blurred by without me taking much note of their passing. I had become, in a relatively short time, an exceptional maid-servant; two months of good eating had borne results. No longer did I look gaunt and half-starved. My hair had grown out even further. With daily brushing and regular trips to the salon, it took on a lovely sheen, making its inky blackness even more eye-catching. I stood in the same fitting room in the Kit and Stitch while Madam Lydia was fetching the dress I had ordered.
Compared to a month ago, my body was practically unrecognizable. In a few more weeks, I would likely reduce how much food I eat since almost none of the protruding bone that signified the lack of food remained. To my everlasting surprise, my breasts were growing.
It wasn't much, not even a handful, but as I looked at my side profile, they were certainly there. According to most women, they would keep growing for a few more years, which would pose a problem if I needed to pretend to be a boy again. Before Lydia returned with my order, I put on my white shift.
~
I wasn't idle; however, not all my research was about magic; I needed to understand the surrounding Baronies. There were four of any significance. Barony of Redstone, of course, where I was born, ruled by Elodin Redstone. The Baron had a wife and daughter. Though he remained estranged from them. Their marriage was loveless, and once the girl was born, so ended their intimacy.
His wife was a Baroness herself. Baroness Uriel Vinlan ruled the barony of the same name. It lay to the northeast of Redstone.
To our southeast was Baron Deven Farketh; he had had minor border conflicts with Redstone for a year, though it had yet to escalate to full-scale war. All three had decent reputations with only minor complaints. Farketh spent too much on the military. Uriel was too devoted to the temples. And Redstone was too generous to the merchants. Nothing too horrendous to speak of.
Finally, to the north was Baroness Rennah Harlock, of all the barons near the border of Helios, Rennah was supposedly the worst. To say her reputation was in the gutter would be an understatement. It was rumored that she killed her husband as soon as her son was born. Traveling merchants were more than willing to complain about her corruption, low morals, over-taxation of the citizenry, and the mysterious disappearances of anyone who questioned her.
What baffled me about her horrible reputation was that, of all her supposed crimes, which included murder, corruption, and countless other abuses of her position, none was more offensive to the general population than her promiscuity.
Apparently, the woman had an appetite that could put most men to shame. And her hedonistic parties were infamous. I would have believed that the merchant I was speaking to was simply an insane Anieran zealot, but many men and quite a few women shared his opinion. There had to be something wrong with humanity to make sleeping with four men at the same time a greater offence than murder.
For all her supposed crimes, however, she paid her imperial taxes, satisfied all her obligations to her liege lord, and didn't bother her neighbors. Which meant the other lords couldn't care less what she did to her citizens.
I didn't know if this information would ever become useful, but I figured it was best to expand my mind to more than just my immediate surroundings.
~
I marched through the street in a lovely blue dress, properly cut to match my figure. In the Middle to upper quarter, walking around in poor quality clothing would only draw the ire of the guards.
Progress on magical research, though, had hit a seemingly impassable wall. There wasn't any information either through word of mouth or books. I still kept up on my reading, though I abandoned any hope of finding the secrets I sought. It was frustrating, but the calm days, the pleasantness of the staff, and Darion and his wife made for a stress-free existence. Some days I didn't even think about magic or Farway.
Darion and Beth invited me to dinner to celebrate my time at the restaurant. He apparently cooked something special for me. It's something they did for everyone who worked for them.
I walked through the doors of Darion's dish to see both him and his wife by the bar, speaking and laughing. They smiled as I approached.
"Myr, good to see you and quite a lovely dress, it suits you," Darion said.
"Thank you." I curtsied. It was a decent dress, but compared to Darion's stunning red silk shirt, grey pants, and Beth, matching red silk dress, I was practically a pauper.
"You two look lovely,"
Darion dipped his feather hat, and Beth copied my curtsy. The woman was quite well-endowed, and the dress brought even more attention to her figure.
~
After sitting at one of the tables, a maid-servant went through the process of serving drinks even though we were the only ones in the restaurant.
Arbor West for me, of course.
We sat sipping wine, waiting for the chefs to finish the preparations.
"Tell me, Myr, what are your plans for the future?" Darion asked.
I shrugged, "I don't know really. I like working here. Food is good, people are nice. I have no complaints."
Beth smiled, "That's good to hear, dear. But everyone has to have a dream."
I chuckled without humor, "My dream was to run away from my village and find somewhere else to live. Beyond that, I have no plan." A lie, of course.
Beth looked me up and down with a smile, "Well, whatever you choose, I'm sure you will succeed. You have a very strong will. Not many women would risk what you did."
"Aye, she does have a will to chase her dreams, doesn't she?" Darion said to his wife, though there seemed to be some joke beneath his words that only he understood.
Beth, of course, picked up on it. "And what's so funny about that? The girl is exceptional."
Darion raised an eyebrow as if she were missing the obvious, "Do you know of anyone else who ran away from a marriage to chase her dreams?"
Beth bit her lips, and her cheeks reddened.
"It took you long enough to figure it out. That's why you were so open to her, dear." Darion said.
The two seemed lost in their own world, so I butt in, "What am I missing here?"
Beth rolled her eyes as Darion shot her a self-satisfied smile.
"You reminded me of myself," she finally said as if admitting defeat.
"How? Aren't you a noble?" I asked
"Barely, but I was, and no noble family would approve of a marriage between a peasant and their eldest daughter,"
I nodded in understanding, "So you defied your family to pursue the man you loved."
Darian nodded, "My charm knows no bounds, Myr. Even noble women swoon to my words."
Beth laughed as if it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard, "You had about as much charm as an ox, my love."
I was confused. "Then how did you two end up together?"
Darion shrugged and nodded to his wife, "He worked in my father's kitchens. Had about as much etiquette as an ox. But I was a spoiled and petty child. One day, I was particularly cruel to him, and he got a lashing from his father. So my dear husband plotted vengeance. One day, my father hosted the late baron and his family. Somehow, he made sure my dish was packed with spices. Making a scene in front of the baron would condemn our family as social outcasts for a generation at least. So, for the entire dinner, I had to force down the meal while pretending my mouth wasn't on fire."
Darion, the entire time, was sitting and smiling as if in complete bliss.
Beth continued, "I could have gone to my father, but that was admitting defeat. So I plotted my vengeance. And so our constant conflict went on for years. He would play a prank, and I would return the favor. I hated him so much. Then one day, he was conscripted to fight in a border skirmish with Farketh. Eventually, I found myself missing the idiot boy. It was ten years before I saw him again."
"How did you save the Baron's life?" I asked Darion.
"Nothing as fanciful as the stories, he wasn't yet a baron. We were near the border doing routine scouting. Bandits ambushed us, looking for easy coin. The young Baron got an arrow in his leg and couldn't walk. By luck or by Anier's will, I managed to overcome the bandits. I carried the baron for two days until we reached safety. I was knighted by his father and given a lucrative commission as well as a promotion. The war stretched on for two more years. Then I spent another eight years as a border patrol. Like my dear wife, I found that I missed finding cheese in my pants or the laces for my shoes tied into complex knots."
"You eventually came back to Lakeshore?" I asked.
Darion nodded, "Aye, I grew tired of forests. I came back to the city to find my father dead. I went back to his house in the lower quarter to find a letter telling me to collect his belongings and final payments from her home. And so we ran into each other again. She was now a woman, newly minted magistrate, betrothed to a respected nobleman, and I was but a knight with little more than a handful of silver to his name."
"Is this the part where you charm her?" I asked.
Darion chuckled, "Something like that."
Beth smiled and spoke, "The boy I remember was now a man. I asked him to make me a dish, the same dish that started our entire war. To my everlasting glee, it was filled with spice. Father hired him as a cook. We became close over time. His passion for cooking was fascinating to me. I pretended to be unimpressed, and it drove him to create dishes to impress me."
Darion laughed, "She was cruel, but I was determined. And so I began to experiment. Hoping to create a dish so delicious that she would be forced to acknowledge me. As time passed, we grew closer and closer. She was a stunning woman after all, and at some point, I fell in love, but I had no coin, position, or influence, and her betrothed was quite the impressive fellow. "
Beth sniffed, "Fool thought he could win my heart through my stomach.”
Darion smiled smugly, "That I did. Can you guess what dish it was? "
"The Glazed Duck," I answered.
"Exactly, her, her father, even her betrothed, though it was one of the best dishes they had ever eaten."
Beth sighed, "I knew he was trying to win my heart with his creation. Damned if it didn't work. My betrothed was a fine man. But just by the taste, I knew that Darion loved me as I had grown to love him over the years."
Beth said. "I decided to reward him for finally creating something that pleased me."
"What did you get him? Coin? A Job?"
Beth laughed, and Darion blushed.
"No, went into his room stripped naked and waited for him on his bed."
I was shocked. Beth didn't seem the type to be so bold.
"Greatest day of my life," Darion mumbled.
Beth chuckled and continued, "After that, I knew I would only marry him, so I quit my role as magistrate and informed my father. He was irate, but I was set on my intentions. I was disowned, but I had what I had wanted for so long. "
"What's that?"I asked.
"Peace and happiness." She said and smiled lovingly at Darion, then continued, "We married, Darion and I used our savings to start a decently successful eatery, even had a child, it was a good ten years. Elodin, who took his role as baron after his late father died. Remembering the service Darion had done for him many years ago, set out to repay the debt. Almost everything here was arranged by the Baron.
"You had a child?" I asked, pretending like I didn't already know.
"Aye a girl, Felis. Passed a few years ago," Darion said, he couldn't hide the pain in his voice.
"I'm sorry," I said.
"It's alright, dear," he said.
The glazed duck was brought out, and after plating, we ate. It was heaven on a plate, it was, without a doubt, the best thing I had ever eaten.
"This is amazing," I said, between a mouthful of sweet and savory duck.
"Thank you, I'm quite proud of it," Darion said.
Our conversation became more casual. They were pleasant people. As we sat, I understood why Beth was willing to toss everything away for him. Love seemed to be quite a powerful force. Every moment the two seemed to spend together was filled with happiness. They laughed, teased, and joked with each other. Eventually, even I was brought into their sphere of happiness. As we sat, talked, ate, and laughed. My worries disappeared.
‘Is this what being in a loving family is like?’
Over the last weeks, the flames of anger and hate that burned within me were starved of fuel, reducing to little more than embers. A small part of my mind raged against the indignity of it.
"That reminds me, we're going to see a play by a rather famous traveling troupe tonight. Would you like to come along? " Beth asked, smiling as I polished off the rest of my duck.
‘You should stop here, don't fall too deeply into comfort and Contentment. You could lose sight of your goals.’
"What play?" I asked.
"The Magus and the Merchant," Beth said excitedly.
"From the book of the same name?" I asked.
‘Don't go, Myr. This is how it starts: you want to be a Magus, powerful enough to crush all your enemies. Not a maid-servant, not some replacement for their lost child. Don't get comfortable. Remember how you looked down on those for living meaningless and predictable lives. What is this but that same affliction? That is not what you want to become.’
Beth answered excitedly. "Aye, you're quite the reader, I see. You know, I have quite a few excellent books of my own. Would you like to see?"
‘No, no, no. Make up an excuse, walk away now, keep them at a distance. Goodwill is fine, but you can't afford to be too attached.’
I ignored the voice in my mind and smiled, genuinely interested in what kind of books she could have. "I'd love to."
‘Edith....don't...’
Darion laughed, "Alright, you girls have fun and don't take too long, we don't want to miss the play."
Beth took my arm and led me up the stairs to where she and her husband lived. Her warmth was lovely, like a mother I never had. As we walked arm in arm, I leaned my head against her shoulder. Beth didn't seem to mind. In fact, she hugged my arm even tighter.
‘.....’
Maybe I didn’t need to become a Magus.