Walking Mage

Connections: CH10

After several conversations and some convincing on both Captain Winters and the two senior Mages, Lynn was allowed to leave and resume her mission.  They all said goodbye and Lynn began to walk.

Captain Winters took up his place following close but not too close. Jile walked right behind Lynn, which kind of annoyed her for some reason.

Roar kept turning around and giving the Guard a low growl of displeasure. Lynn liked that Roar seemed to read her emotions and was giving Jile a piece of her mind.

After a dozen or so food and wares stalls Lynn began to notice that people had begun watching the odd couple.  Just done with the looks she stopped and motioned Jile up to her.

"If you keep following me like that we're going to get Patrol attention." Lynn said. "Just walk next to me, least till we get to Homes I'm looking for."

Now happy with the arrangement Roar hopped from her shoulder to Jiles to show its appreciation. Lynn smiled and felt happy as well. She had a interesting pet and a handsome man at her side.

Trying to not think about a plot to kill her was hard but she pushed it to the partitioned part of her mind that thought of such things. It was a trained trick of the Mages and Lynn took to it easy. She could talk and still ponder problems.

"My I ask a question, Lady Mage Lynn?" Jile asked with hesitation out of the blue.

"Ask, Guardsmen Jile. If I am able, or allowed to, I will answer."

"Are Mages allowed to court, outside of other Mages that is?"

The random question threw her. Lynn had expected anything but that.
Not sure how to answer she instead asked her own question, "Do you know that a Mage does not marry unless it's allowed by the Elder Mage council?"

Jile shrugged slightly. He was a good Guard but all the politics of Farth and the world were beyond him. Simple but not stupid he would learn in time but only if taught.

"A Mage life is much like the Guards life, Jile." Lynn spoke in a distant voice. "We go where and when we are told. Right now I'm on the Long Walk, and I never wanted to go. I thought that I wasn't ready. After that, I study at a school or find a job somewhere and serve the people."

"I think your doing a fine job!" Jile said quickly. That was when it occurred to her that he may like her and was asking permission to court her. She felt flattered and flustered all at once.

They had spoken before now but never in great length. Lynn believed that he was the one guarding her door at night.

That he liked her confused and excited her, but she didn't have time for it either.

"Thank you, Jile. Yet I feel like a blind fish on the beach. Flopping from one cook fire to another with no clear idea how or why I'm still alive. I know that as long as I'm on the Long Walk I can't get entangled in any affaires of the heart."

Lynn was trying to be serious but Roar was now playing a game where it would hop on a shoulder and then nip a ear, then jump away before it was caught. Jile nodded then changed the subject.

"Your pet dragite is the liveliest one I've seen in a long time." Jile remarked, letting the serious conversation die. He understood enough that she was not saying no outright, but instead saying; wait till I'm ready and able.

It was the easy way that they talked to each other from the first day. Going from one conversation to the next. Usually not getting too serious or hung up on any one subject or idealism. This is what drew them together.

"Roar is odd, I must say." Lynn took hold of the dragite before it could jump back to nip her. "I bought it for unknown reasons, but it felt right. Did you know it tore up one of them and finished the other?"