Walking Mage

Interrupted: CH 20

Authors note:  Would like to apologize for the length of time between this chapter and other's.  I'm in another state for specialized school for my job and is tearing me up.  Very high stress but the end pay will be worth it but taking a huge hit to my writing.  So please forgive and stay patient (I know this is not a Wattpadder way!  Lol), I want to give you all my best!

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Lynn sat at her writing desk and cursed the writers block that had plagued her for all this time.  She loved to write but the ideas were fleeing her mind like birds before a running child.

She felt terrible for the ones who had to read her reports.  It was those poor souls that had to try and figure out her ramblings.  She would not have written at all but she had too to keep the spy network going.

Jile was meeting her whenever they could sneak away.  Since most knew now that they had become an item, it was much easier, as long as they stayed within the Tusk. 

Lady Flower was still to be avoided but she seemed to be quiet since the announcement of Master Awls marriage.  It dramatically shifted the politics of House Tusk and even within Farth.  That such a high Elder Mage had made the announcement was all Awl needed for all of the city to shut their mouths on the subject for good.

It was the politics that disgusted Lynn.  She was still grasping the ways of being a better Mage.  Mage Corla was healing but it would be a long time before she could walk normally.  So every free moment was spent training Lynn to be a better Mage.

Runner would join Lynn in the training times.  She would stay quiet mostly and just absorb all that she could.  Lynn was beginning to wonder about Runner.  The girl seemed to be able to understand magic, which Lynn had not thought possible.

The young girl showed great talent for Mage abilities and language.  Lynn had discussed all this with Corla but the High Mage was to busy trying to heal, and fighting the Shadow that now cursed her body, to think about a child's attention to them when they trained.

On top of everything else Starla had come up missing.  Jan had replaced the handmaiden with another, simply saying that young girls sometimes fled the city for a boy.

The new girl was more serious and grounded than Starla ever was.  Lynn felt like Vicha was more a servent than a confident, as she treated Starla more often then not.

Runner and Roar seemed much more relaxed around Handmaid Vicha, which Lynn had noticed right away was a vast improvement over the former handmaiden.  Vicha even had taken a real interest into Roar that made life a tad easier on Runner.

For Runner the time away from Roar 0gave her a chance to be with Lynn, Jan, and even Jile more.  In those times she absorbed all that she could of life in Farth and at the Tusk.  Jan had even hinted that the child would make a good Head one day.

The Lady Flower had withered some in light of the Master's arrangement to be wed.  The vile women still acted like she ran the Tusk but now she did it from her apartments.

The Boar's Tusk was buzzing with the plans and arrangements for the fast approaching Bind Day.  It would be only the second large Binding that had been performed in the Boar's Tusk, in far too many cycles.

Runner had begun classes to read and write from Mage Alton, who had taken a strong interest in the child after the events of the attack.  When asked, he would simply tell Lynn that he felt that Runner was important and would need a strong education.

This was all fine and well with Lynn for she had wanted to educate Runner herself, but there was just not enough time on a sand glass.

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Then the day came that rocked everyone's life.  A decree from the High Lord came down that caused so much chaos that Lynn had to wonder if the decree had come right off the desk of Lady Flower.

In simple language the decree said that Farth was going to expand its territory further across the River Valley.  That all able bodied males and females would have to join a militia to aid in a smooth transition.

The decree went on to add that from the age of fourteen cycles and up could be drafted into this newly formed militia.  Called the Expansions Force for easy language.

Jan and Jile had much to say on the decree and none of it good.  By it's very language it was a threat to small villages that a army was coming to enforce taxes and a life they neither want or understand.

Corla's words made the most sense to Lynn, when she said, "There are too many souls putting too much strain on the City.  This will actually force the young back into the villages and keep them busy.  We will have to be sure to keep Mages in the mix to maintain control of it all.  For surly the enemy will."

Further note:  Keeping this short.  Passing my tests, but have two more to go.  Have to get a 100% on next one. 
Good bless and take care of you.