Firebrand

In the Maelstrom

His only lesson happening late, Martel had time to work a bell for Jerome on Manday. Working the tannery was tedious, laborious, and smelly, but one silver coin richer, Martel did not care as he soaked in the baths afterwards. While he would not be able to work most days, he felt more comfortable about his debt to Eleanor.

In fact, he would have some coin to spare that he might spend on other matters. While the Lyceum provided everything he needed as such, it was good to have silver in his pocket if venturing into the city. And since he had the afternoon free, as his astronomy class took place at night time for once, he decided to do just that.

~

He knocked several times on the door to the workshop before he dared to enter Master Farhad's domain. This time, the watchmaker turned to look at him as he stepped inside.

"Knock once. I'm not deaf," he muttered brusquely in his strongly accented Asterian.

"Yes, master," Martel replied.

Farhad narrowed his eyes. "You are mage."

"Well, yes, studying to be."

"You found my nail because it was warm."

Martel frowned before he remembered. "Oh, yes, I did."

"And I hear palace has frozen room in basement, always kept cold, to store ice and food. Kept cold by magic."

"Uh, that could be."

Farhad scrutinised the boy. "You can do this? You can remove heat with magic? Keep it always same cold?"

"Well, no, I'm still learning."

"Not, you, boy. You! You mages. All of you. You can do this?"

"Oh, like that. Well, sure, I imagine someone can." Martel thought back on the heated stones in the baths. "That can't be too difficult."

The watchmaker stroked his beard. "Interesting. Yes, very. I can use this for clock."

"Dad, stop interrogating my friend, you'll scare him away." Shadi came down the stairs.

"Boy frightens easily if old man scares him with words."

"Don't pay him any heed," Shadi told Martel. "Dad, I'll be out," she added while dragging her friend out of the door.

"Back before dark!"

~

"Your timing is good, magic boy," Shadi told him once out on the street. "I was going out anyway."

"Where to?"

"The temple."

"Oh, right, you'll be gone a long while. Or we will, now."

She giggled. "Not the temple of the Sun. I'm Khivan, not Asterian. We got our own."

That made sense, now that he thought about it. The Tyrians certainly did not worship the Sun either. "What is it dedicated to?"

"The eternal flame," Shadi explained. "It's not something I spend a lot of time on," she added, glancing at him as they walked down the street. "But today it's been seventeen years since my mum died, so I need to make a small offering. Customs and all."

"I see. What about your dad?"

"He doesn't want to do it. Guess the memory's painful and all," Shadi considered. "I never knew her, so for me, it's more that I feel – wistful, I guess. Anyway, even if I didn't know her, she still gave birth to me. So the least I can do is remember her on this day."

They crossed a small square, and Martel noticed the only structure made from stone. It had a small belltower, but otherwise looked plain. As they approached, he saw a man in black robes cleaning away something painted on the temple wall. He could not guess the meaning of the symbols, but the paint smelled strange, reminding him of when his family butchered chickens.

"It's alright, you can come inside," Shadi told him. They passed through the doors into a large room without windows. In the centre upon a pedestal burned a fire inside a great bowl. The flames cast long shadows, flickering. "Wait here," she whispered.

As he kept to a corner, he watched her approach the flame and pull something out of her pocket. It appeared to be some kind of cloth, though the darkness made it hard to tell. She carefully folded it together and placed it in the bowl, where it began to burn. After a deep bow, Shadi retreated without turning her back to the flames until she reached Martel. "Let's go," she spoke quietly, and they left.

Outside, Martel glanced at the priest cleaning the wall. "Is that from a ritual?"

She shot him a look. "No, that's defacement. Someone painted the wall with chicken blood."

That explained the smell. "Why?"

"I guess they thought chicken blood would be more sacrilegious. Or that's all they could get hold of." Shadi shrugged.

"But, why do it?"

"Oh, things like that have been going on for months now. Lots of thugs in the district these days. More and more people are moving away. Returning to Khiva or crossing the sea to Sindhu, I hear."

"Do people dislike Khivans that much?" Looking at the slender girl by his side, Martel could not understand it.

"Some definitely do. There's been shades of it for years, but it's really stepped up lately. I guess people are tired of the war and blame us." Shadi explained it in a casual manner, but Martel thought he noticed an edge in her voice.

"Hey, today's your birthday!" Martel finally drew the conclusion of Shadi's mother dying in childbirth and today being the anniversary of her death.

Shadi grinned. "Took you long enough."

"Congratulations! How should we celebrate? Or do you have to go home to your father?"

"Nah, I can do that later. I want to see more magic!"

Martel considered his options for a moment. He had made some progress with his water magic, but he could not show much of it; the town square was dry after a warmer than usual winter's day. "If you are up for a walk, I'll have something to show you."

~

With Shadi as company, Martel returned to the Lyceum. Lunch was served, meaning the students had gathered to eat, and the classrooms lay empty, including the Hall of Elements. Leading Shadi in a long, circular walk around the dining hall to avoid the others, they eventually reached their destination.

"Come, stand here in the middle," he told her. Shadi joined him in the middle, standing on the earthen floor. Martel let his magic extend to feel the water lying in its circle around them. From all directions, he pulled on it. It answered him reluctantly, most of the liquid remaining in its channel, but enough responded for his purpose. From the ground, droplets rose and streamed towards them before circling around, like a maelstrom centred around the pair.

More and more water joined the dance, flowing in the air faster and faster. Shadi laughed as some of it sprayed onto her face, twirling herself around to keep up with the swirling water.

~

Shadi was still laughing with drops on her cheeks when they left the Hall of Elements, and Martel felt a warm sense of pride that he had given her a birthday gift few could match. His elation lasted only briefly before being shattered by a familiar, yet unwelcome voice.

"Who let this Khivan dog inside? Obviously the half-blood." As the bell rang, students had begun to pour out of the nearby classrooms, including Cheval. Sensing trouble brewing, more and more stopped to watch it unfold.

Martel felt his cheeks burning with anger. "Shut up."

"Let's go, Martel." Shadi tugged on his sleeve. "He's not worth our time."

Cheval stepped forward. "Listen to your Khivan bitch, scarecrow."

Martel's fist made impact on the acolyte's chin, who staggered backwards. Everyone else stared in disbelief, none more so than Martel.

His mouth curled into a sneer and his fingers into a fist, Cheval raised his hand to strike back.

Another seized the young nobleman around the wrist, keeping him back. "You are a mageknight, learning empowered attacks," Maximilian spoke with a growl. "If you strike another student in a hallway brawl like this, you are open to accusations of using magic to hurt them." The tall acolyte, using his own empowered strength to hold back Cheval's, glanced at the increasing circle of witnesses. "You could be thrown out."

Cheval struggled to escape Maximilian's grasp to no avail. "Fine," he finally conceded, relaxing, and the other mageknight relinquished his hold. "But I will have satisfaction." He turned his menacing eyes on Martel. "A sparring match," he suggested with an ominous smile. "Staves only. We are encouraged to train our abilities, after all."

Several students in the crowds, including other mageknights, called out their approval.

"You will face me in the arena, scarecrow, or I shall haunt your every step," Cheval continued. "Either satisfaction on the sand or I will take it from you, pound by pound."

Martel meant to say he had no interest in fighting. But he felt trapped by the circle of students surrounding them, their excited shouts, and Shadi by his side. "I'll be there."

"Tonight."

"We have astronomy tonight," Maximilian interjected. "You should let the matter drop. This behaviour does not befit you."

"Tomorrow night, after last bell rings," Cheval said undeterred. "In the gymnasium. If you are not there, scarecrow, you will have the remaining year to regret it."

"I'll be there," Martel reiterated.

Satisfied for now, Cheval stalked away. With no further escalation, the other students dispersed as well, rapidly sharing the news.

~

"That was so tense!" Shadi exclaimed as she and Martel left as well. "And you just hit him!"

"Yeah," he mumbled. With the tension of the situation gone, the consequences of that action had started to sink in.

"I don't think anyone's ever hit someone for me before." She beamed as she continued her excited talk. "And now you'll be duelling him!"

Martel did not need the reminder; he was vividly aware of what awaited him.

"Can I watch? I really want to see."

"Uh, I don't think people outside the school are allowed in after last bell," Martel claimed. He had no idea if it were true, but he did not want Shadi to watch him get beaten. The thought that they might turn on her worried him as well.

"That's a pity. You'll come and tell me all about it afterwards?"

"Yeah," Martel promised, half-heartedly. He got the sense that Shadi did not really grasp what would happen; what Cheval could and would do to him. Frustration at the situation and her reaction began to rise in him.

They reached the gate. "I'll see you then," she said with a smile before she gave him a tight hug. Martel watched her disappear down the street, filled with conflicting emotions.