59 Centris Arcanum
1590 Words
They had a long conversation after that. They discussed matters of politics and the management of the cultures and the tendencies of other races. Whenever Haruna complimented his methods and ideas, Janus would skirt around and say how it was Yvaine's or Master Ringo's or Otis, the dog's idea that he merely adapted.
After a few more of these Haruna started laughing at him before saying "Yeah right".
Perhaps Janus had been looking at Haruna harshly. She was highly educated and well exposed to their long-held traditional values. She had been to a lot of countries at the behest of his Father and has never once seen a civilization similar to theirs. Slowly Janus eased up to her and got a little more comfortable in sharing his thoughts and ideas. Although his brow would still pool with sweat whenever she pried him with hard-hitting questions about labor theories and tax prices.
"You live in a house that looks worse than your workers. I didn't even think you were the prince the first time I saw you here. You looked like one of Roban's sons who was left alone for being too sick to travel." She laughed.
"Oh no, you're insulting my home and Master Robin? Might I remind you, you are still a guest in my village? I could have you deported at this very instant!" Janus said, trying to suppress his laughter.
She started to adapt a theatrical tone, no doubt influenced by the shows in their amphitheater.
"I'm sorry your highness, oh how I've wronged you. You are free to put me under exile and you and yours may wallow under the stink of your Necromantic bile."
"Oh yes that reminds me, our lunch is done now. What do you think about our situation, could you move the pool of stink, my venerable Lady?"
"Might I remind you, your highness. I'm an emissary and a nobility from the grand country of Gaddi. Daughter of the Earl himself, not some hapless servant you can order around to do your chores for you." She said.
"As you may have remarked just a few minutes ago my lady, there are no nobles in this village. Only hardworking men and women who lay claim to the land and work for their lives. Every able-bodied citizen is entitled to work for the improvement of life in the village." Janus paused.
"Wait... this is all in jest right?"
"Very well then your highness, if you must insist." Haruna started cleaning up their picnic area. "The men are waiting, we must cleanse this water from the stench of evil. Lest the whole village perish under the disdainful gaze of Brimstone."
She waved her staff and the lunch boxes flew and arranged themselves, while the blanket folded itself. All of these items magically fell into Janus' hands.
"If you please, your highness."
"It would be my pleasure. Your grace."
The boxes shoved into Janus' chest with a force that startled him.
"Don't call me that." Haruna said before stalking away to the pond.
"Right, yeah sorry."
After all this banter, Janus was still clueless after all.
#
At the side of the road, a wagon arrived carrying a water tank.
The men hauled it off towards the pond and gathered as Lady Haruna inspected the surrounding.
They all moved to watch at the safe distance.
Haruna took a deep breath and raised her staff above her head. A wave of water crawled up like a huge snake being pulled out of the pond. The water was green and rancid, the smell was a mix of sewage and rotten eggs.
The wave of waver fell and destabilized. She shivered.
"I hope you don't mind me doing this."
She waved her other hand and the wind moved towards Janus and the spectators. The smell got stronger, moving bile from his stomach and reminding him of his previous meal.
The water's consistency got stronger and its movement stabilized. Haruna guided the flow towards the tank. It took a few minutes, but the tank filled up and Haruna stopped.
A round of applause and cheers raged from the guards and the alchemists. Nikolai and his sons were loudest of them all.
"Apologies for that. I couldn't concentrate with the smell, and I needed to concentrate, lest I drench every single one of you in undead goop." She said.
She was given a round of thanks. Teeko inspected the pond, there were still a lot more gallons left but the water tank was now full to the brim. They may need to do it again in the next few days. Piles of refuse and waste matter still had to be cleaned up after that.
"That was amazing!" Janus said as he approached her. "The way you made the water flow. It looked flawless. It was like commanding the ocean to obey."
"That was nothing. Master-level mages would have done it with one wave of the hand and would have never been distracted by something as trivial as a bad stench. In fact, I've seen your brother do it way better."
"You've met Marcus?"
"Of course, anyone worth their salt in the Magicians guild knows Marcus Backfield, one of the fastest rising mages amongst the ranks in the Centris Arcanum. I met him once in a tournament. No one could rival his talents."
"Yeah, too bad he's an arrogant prick."
"How about you? Have you ever had your magical ability tested before?" she asked.
"Well from what I can remember..."
Janus scoured the Old Prince's memories. He remembered a ritual involving candles and lights. A mage of the Centris was standing on top of him. He was scared and nervous, searing pain in his forehead. It all fell into black with a sudden wave of disappointment. He saw his Father and Marcus' faces. Disappointed. Indifferent.
"Your highness? Prince Janus?" Haruna asked.
"Nope. I did get tested as a kid. No abilities at all, and to nobody's surprise."
Haruna paused. That look that she used to give him appeared again. A curious and examining look.
"You know what. I doubt that. The thing you did with the magic balls I conjured this morning, it wasn't ordinary. In fact, that was the most volatile Arcanic Reaction I've ever seen."
"Wait, that wasn't you?"
"Of course not! That was all the result of your energy."
"That can't be right." Janus pondered.
"Perhaps you should do another test to find out. I know how to do the ritual. Just say the word and I'll do my preparations. Be quick though, I'm leaving by the end of the week."
"Thanks. I'll think about it."
#
Janus thought about it long and hard, to the point that he lost sleep.
That so-called Arcanic Reaction that he had created. The shock that he felt when his finger touched the ball. The resulting flash was a wondrous light show. Father Galvan and Sir Arthan had always commented about the lack of spellcasters in their village.
Having one like Haruna was a huge help. There were things that she could do that no one else could.
Plus, the villagers loved her. Janus' students would ask him when she would attend again. They would all follow her when they found her on the roads. They gave her flowers and fruits, Janus saw a kitten giving her a whole carrot, which she happily placed in the kitchen storeroom.
She helped with the pond the next day, draining another two tanks of putrid water from the rotting area. Already there was a sign that it was helping the soil recover. The weeds and grasses in Nikolai's plot had a brighter glow to them.
Not only did she help with the pond. She also carried water from the Lake and placed it on tanks to deliver to the areas hit by the miasma, so that they can have clean water to bathe in and do their laundry.
She stopped by Lakeside one day during lunch and went to Janus directly.
"Hardly anybody smells in this village. How did you do it? You're hiding magic again aren't you?"
"Its called bathing my Lady, everyone is entitled to it. As for the perfumes, well you'll have Mistress Issha to thank for that."
Elder Nanafell visited one night for dinner and for a trading session with Roban. She stopped by Lakeside with all the other Elders and council members gathered. It was a casual conversation over wine and food. They had discussions on how to manage populations and provisions. Haruna was in attendance and regaled everyone with her accolades in magic. She held herself gracefully amongst all the leaders and Janus could tell that they were all impressed by her.
A few more days and she would be gone. Janus couldn't hold back any longer.
After dinner ended, he took a large tome from the Library, the one he locked up in a chest and never showed to anyone. He knocked on her guestroom after sneaking away from his quarters.
Lady Haruna answered the door, wearing a dress. It was a gown of silver and lace that fell into her knees, a more comfortable garb than her usual traveling coat and robes. There was a radiant glow in her eyes and her bright red hair fell untied to her shoulders.
"Yes your highness, to what do I owe the honor of your visit?" she said.
Janus took a deep breath and mustered up the courage left in his bones.
He held the book towards her and bowed his head.
"Please, I need you to test my magical ability" he said.
She smiled. "I knew you couldn't resist it. Very well then, come in and lock the door behind you."
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Lock the door. The ritual is sacred and I need a lot of concentration."
"Wait but can't we just----"
"Come quickly or the deal is off."
He shut the door and locked up the hinge.
- Writer
