Walking Mage

The Boar's Tusk Ch2

When Lynn woke her magic was still not at full strength but getting stronger. A tray of food sat next to the bed.  Water, fruit, and crackers overflowed the tray. She had not had this much fruit the whole four cycles with the mages.

The moment her feet touched the floor the quiet servant girl flew into the room. She still looked terrified but she had a job to do.

"Does the lady Mage have need of anything?"

"Directions to your water shed, it has been three days since I gave water after all." Lynn said it with humor but the girl took it like a whip to the backside.

"Forgive, please forgive. I should have had a chamber pot ready for you!" Then she fled the room with her dress flying.

Bemused, Lynn was about to follow when the talking women came quickly into the room with the quiet girl in tow. She carried one the fanciest chamber pots that Lynn had ever seen.

"Lady Mage, forgive Selina, she is new to the city and still unsure of her place. I will assist you in your morning ritual."

Blinking at them at first, Lynn then let out a burst of laughter that nearly made her wet herself. No one had ever offered her help in giving water.  The burst of laughter made the young Selina jump but the older women relaxed some.

Realizing that the Mage was not angry with them she went to Lynn to help her release water.  It took a bit for Lynn to figure out how to let the two help her and not fall over. She was still tired from days of using magic.

Somehow the younger servant touched one of the pendants on Lynn's belt. Before Lynn could stop it a ball of pure white light appeared in the room. This was another fail safe in case she was in danger or passed out. The light would burn anyone that tried to harm or steal from her.

"Don't harm!" Lynn said calmly to the light ball. If she had not it might attack the two women who were very much looking like they were doing something to its master.

"It is harmless now. Just don't attack me and you'll have nothing to worry about." It was in jest but the girl began to nod quickly in fear.

It took longer for them to help her with her routine then it would have to just do it herself but in the end Lynn had to admit having servants to help felt kind of nice.

"Where do I wash now?" Lynn asked the talking women.

"Oh, I had thought Mages just used fire to clean their hands, my Lady Mage." She replied with a relaxed grin, then to the girl she added, "Go retrieve fresh rose water and a cut of lye for the Lady Mage."

Lye soap and rose water, Lynn felt like a royal. She feared that she would miss this when she was on the long road. It also hit her that the head women had cracked a joke.

"I like you." Lynn said in a hushed voice to the older women.
The ball of light was still floating nearby which was making the younger women very uncomfortable. Lynn did not have the heart to tell her that it was just mostly for show, unless she was truly threatened.  A simple spell to frighten the commoner who might try to pick a Mages pocket.

"Is the Lady Mage going to be wanting anything else?" The women asked when the bowl of rose water was brought in. "I have others to attend to and duties to catch up on, begging your pardon."

Giving the women a wave Lynn walked to the shelf where the bowl was and began to wash her hands. A clean wash cloth had been provided as well so she also washed her face and arms.  The girl stood nearby but not too close. The ball of light went out with a pop and the girl nearly ran.

"Wish I could take a bath." Lynn said to her. The girl staring at her made her to uncomfortable to do a full washing right there.

"I can arrange a bath if the Lady Mage wishes it." The girl said in a cracking-weak voice.

Now Lynn did not want to leave. "A bath would be heavenly, please arrange it!"

In a flash the girl left. Lynn breathed a sigh of release. It was not widely known but some Mages could sense the presence of others. Lynn was one such Mage. Called a Life Mage but only among Mages, for Commoners did not understand the distinctions among the Mages.

The girl with all her fear and emotions around Lynn was causing the Mage to get a dull headache and feel edgy.

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Into the bath rooms Lynn was led.  One room was a large heated pool and another was filled with steaming tubs.  Lynn was led into the tub area and inside was mostly  empty, except for a Lady who was soaking in a center tub.  The maid with Lynn called out a quiet good morn to the beautiful women, whom she called the Lady Flower.

As for the Lady Flower, she watched the Mage undress and lower herself into the heated brass tub. She had seen a naked Mage before, even a female one so she was not overly impressed by Lynn.  Overly curvy and hippy, like the farm girl that she probably was, thought Flower

If Flower did not know better the female looked tired and worn out. Then again she had healed the Master Awl for three days straight. Mixed emotions crossed her mind before shoving them into the bottle that she stored all emotions.

Lady Flower had worked hard to set up the incident that led to the Masters near demise. Pay offs and late night scurrying like a mouse were not easy.  Of course she had never intended the man to die either but only to be out of the way.

For Lady Flower believed that she could run this House with much more flair and bring three times the coin. If only she were in charge.  Not to mention that those whom she answered to would be pleased with her for taking the Tusk to heel.

"Does the Lady need more hot water?" A serving girl asked demurely to Lady Flower.

Lady Flower hissed, "Did I ask for more of anything from you, child?"  The mumbled apologies of the girl echoed as she left the chamber.

Flower felt the Mages eyes on her but chose to ignore the other female.  "I suppose that a reward is due since you saved the old man." Lady Flower said in her most sweetest voice. It was the voice she used on her best paying 'friends', as she called them.

Lynn went under the water right at that moment and seemed to not hear the Lady Flower. Of course this enraged the number one women of the House.  Which had been Lynn's intent.  She disliked the Lady on site, and the way she acted proved to Lynn her dislike.  When Lynn came up after a long time under Flower repeated herself but in a less nice tone.

"Oh I heard you the first time but a Mages reward is in the lives of others. His good long life is all I need and I will be on my way."

Even her voice is plain thought Flower to herself. How farm folk manage to breed she could not figure.  "How noble." Lady Flower said as she lowered herself deeper into the copper tub. Her intent was to end the conversation but the Mage said something that made her heart skip a beat.

"Odd that a man so used to working around those heavy barrels could have gotten himself in a place to be crushed so, don't you think?" Then she sat up to looked directly at Lady Flower.

Calming herself the Lady Flower went under the water herself. She hated to wet her thick hair before seeing a 'friend' but she needed the moment to think.

"Maybe the Master is getting to old to be doing such labor, that an underling could do just as well." She said trying to sound light and playful when she came back up.

The two women locked eyes and for the first time in her life Flower could not look into the eyes of another. Power and strength emanated from the Mage that she had never felt from a Mage from Farth before.

Looking away but pretending that something in the tub caught her attention the Lady Flower felt small for a moment. She hated to feel small. That very second a plan was forming to rid the world of one female Mage.

The two ignored each other for the rest of the time that Lady Flower stayed in her tub. When she did leave it was in a quick but controlled fashion. No sense in letting the Mage see her nervous. Besides, her plan for ridding the world of one Mage would be fairly easy she thought and that made her smile.

So I took a moment to rewrite this chapter.  was some mistakes and continuity problems.  Thanks a bunch if your reading this, I am having a blast writing it.