Dawn of Man (Thanos Book 1) (11 page)

Ahnon smiled as Michi looked at the general. “No, you can field ten thousand bodies. I will have sixty bhari warriors.”

An admiral, who had remained quiet except for laughing, finally spoke up. “I’m not trying to be rude, but can we please proceed?” Several other lords and advisors nodded in agreement.

“Very well, Admiral Gither; let’s talk about the world,” Vilarius said, and the meeting started. The meeting went on for hours until servants came in carrying food for lunch.

When Ahnon noticed Jedek was finished eating, he walked around the table to the far wall and opened the window. “It’s a beautiful day,” Ahnon said, turning around to see everyone looking at him. Not paying them any attention, he walked back to the table. Stopping beside Theobald, Ahnon looked across the table at Jedek. “You ready to play in some dirt?” he asked.

“Oh yeah!” Jedek yelled, throwing off his napkin. He jumped out of his chair and ran around the table, heading to the door.

Ahnon leaned closer to the Vilarius. “I think that’s where boys get worms from.”

Vilarius nodded. “Maybe. I played in enough when I was young.”

“I never got to, so I’m going to see what I was missing.” Turing around, he walked over to the window and saw Jedek at the door. “Only babies use a door on a beautiful day like today,” Ahnon told him. Jedek let out a yell, running for Ahnon. “One would think you’d know that, Jedek,” Ahnon said, picking him up.

Spinning Jedek to his back, Ahnon put his foot on the windowsill and grabbed the frame with his right hand. With his staff in his left, Ahnon turned around and looked at the Grand Mage. “I’m fixing to be a flamboyant mage. Want to try and stop me?” Ahnon challenged. The Grand Mage became visibly pale. “Come on; I only beat fifteen at once who were using magic. You might be able to take me.” Ahnon harassed as Michi snickered.

Ahnon looked at Michi. “What are you snickering at? You’re scared of him?” he said, motioning with his head toward the mage.

Michi looked down at Kenna as she looked up at him with pleading eyes. He stared at the beautiful blue and white dress, thinking about the dirt. “No, I’m not, Ahnon, but the dress,” Michi whined.

“I’ll make her another one,” Ahnon said casually. “Let’s go see what this dirt’s about.”

“I’ll buy the cloth,” Michi said, picking Kenna up and swinging her to his back as she started cheering. “Mage, I’m being flamboyant also. If you have something to say, follow me out the window,” Michi dared, walking around the table.

“Hold your breath,” Ahnon whispered to Jedek as the room watched him. Ahnon mumbled, rubbing something on his chest, which started glowing bright gold. Standing in the window, Ahnon stepped out and stood on the air outside the window. As Ahnon turned around to face the window, he whispered to Jedek.

Grinning, Jedek looked up when Ahnon finished whispering. Jedek looked at the Grand Mage and yelled, “Look, we’re being flam…flambo…” he leaned back to Ahnon. Looking back up, Jedek yelled, “We’re being a pain in the butt!” Ahnon laughed as they floated away from the window. Without warning, the two shot away, flying over the walls.

Michi wiped his chest, which started glowing as he looked over his shoulder at Kenna. “You are a princess. We don’t step out windows. We fly out,” he said, floating up. When they were even with the window, they moved so fast, they just blurred, blowing papers off the table.

Theobald leaned down to the king. “We haven’t played in the dirt in a long time, my friend,” he said.

Vilarius grinned, pulling out a folded packet of wax paper with components. “You’re right,” he said, going over the spell in his mind.

The Grand Mage stood up. “Your majesty, you can’t. Magic is not for enjoyment.”

“This is business, mage. I have to check on my son,” the king said. “Amu kima essuru,” Vilarius recited, rubbing the packet across his chest, leaving a wet mark that started glowing gold. “I’m first, Theobald!” he yelled, running at the window and diving out, disappearing from sight. The room became quiet. Vilarius’ head suddenly appeared at the window ledge. “You coming or what?” Many sighed with relief seeing the king wasn’t dead.

“The last time you tried that spell, you broke your leg jumping out a window. Trying to impress Eira if I’m not mistaken,” Theobald said, pulling out a packet, fighting not to grin.

“I was drunk. I’m lucky I found the window. Give me some credit,” Vilarius said, floating even with the window as Theobald recited the spell. Seeing his chest start to glow, he looked up at the king.

“I can still beat you, so don’t even say it,” Theobald warned.

An evil grin crept up on Vilarius’ face, “The first one to Jedek gets to fire the general,” he challenged. A sudden
whoosh
filled the room as the king disappeared from sight, sucking papers out the window.

“You are still a little boy to me,” Theobald said and blurred out the window, sending all the papers in the room back into the air.

The admiral looked at the Grand Mage. “Jump out the window like they did,” he challenged.

“I will not show off like that,” he said, standing and heading toward the door.

“Yeah, I thought you couldn’t,” Admiral Gither said. “The wizards you assign to my ships better be able to do that!” he yelled as the mage walked out the door. The admiral smiled, turning to the general. “Kind of wish you would’ve stayed in bed today, huh?” he asked.

“The king will not fire me. I’m too valuable,” the general told him.

The admiral smirked. “Your wife is a member of the royal family—granted distant—but still a member. Hope you know how to farm or fish,” he said and stood. “Wish I could just jump out a window and fly off,” he said, gathering his papers.

One of the advisers stood up. “You would do that?” he asked.

“I’ve dreamed about flying since I was a boy. The answer is yes; if I could, I would,” the admiral said, leaving.

The others gathered their stuff and left, following him out. Theobald got to fire the general the next day.

Chapter 7

“Kenna, quit moving!” Ahnon mumbled loudly at her with pins in his mouth.

She looked over her shoulder. “Ahnon, I’ve been here forever.”

Slowly, Ahnon looked up at her with all of her hair pulled up on top of her head. It made her head look three times too big for her body. “You’ve been standing there for twenty minutes. Another ten and I’ll be done,” he mumbled, trying not to swallow pins. She huffed at him, turning back around.

“Ahnon, I don’t like this book,” Jedek said. Ahnon closed his eyes and started counting. “I know how to count, Ahnon,” Jedek said. Ahnon kept counting.

Feeling under control, Ahnon turned to Jedek, who sat at a table by the window with a book in front of him. “Jedek, if you don’t like it, get another one. I’m a little occupied now,” Ahnon said slowly.

“You already made her two,” he complained, pointing at two dresses laid out on the couch.

“Jedek, they’re only sized and pieced together. I have to finish them,” Ahnon mumbled, feeling a needle get his tongue. Grabbing the pins from his mouth, he shoved them in the pin cushion on his forearm. “You know something? You two could be a little more helpful here,” Ahnon snapped at them as he pinned the darts of the dress. “If I remember correctly, several weeks ago, we played in the dirt for three days straight. Kenna, you ruined two dresses. I think Michi wanted to cry the first day we played. Jedek, we won’t even talk about the day you got in bed before you bathed,” Ahnon growled.

“Ahnon, that was like forever ago,” Jedek whined. “You made
me
,” he emphasized, “clean the sheets, blankets, and mattress,” Jedek reminded him.

“I wasn’t going to do it,” Ahnon said.

“We have butlers and maids for that.”

Ahnon rolled his head, looking at Jedek. “Say something like that again, and I’ll have you scrubbing every hallway in the castle.”

Jedek gasped, “You wouldn’t.”

“Oh, yes I would. You don’t expect anyone to clean up after you. If they do, be thankful, and don’t abuse it,” Ahnon said, finishing the last dart. “Kenna, hands up.”

She lifted her arms as he slowly pulled the dress off and walked over to the couch. “Ahnon, that’s what they are here for,” Jedek said. Kenna ran over to the couch in her slip and put another dress on then sat down on the floor. Hearing the tone in Ahnon’s voice, she wasn’t getting involved with this one. She looked at Jedek with pleading eyes, wanting him to shut up.

“You don’t abuse good people,” Ahnon said, sitting down, sewing before his bottom hit the couch.

“We pay them, Ahnon,” Jedek complained in an arrogant tone as Kenna shook her head and mouthed,
“No.”

Ahnon dropped the dress to his lap and looked up at Jedek. “So you pay them to clean up when you purposefully got in bed after I told you to bathe. Making extra work for them because you were lazy?” he asked in a dark tone.

Cringing from the tone and look, Jedek replied in a small, meek voice, “It’s their job.”

“My job is to protect you. You going to run around outside till you find some assassins so they can kill me as I try to protect you?” Ahnon asked harshly.

Tears welled up in Jedek’s eyes. “No, I would never do that. I would die first,” he replied, brokenhearted.

Closing his eyes, Ahnon said, “I’m sorry, Jedek. That was mean.” He set the dress down then stood up and clapped his hands, holding out his arms. Jedek bolted from the chair and jumped in his arms. Pulling him close, Ahnon hugged him tight. “Jedek, you can’t abuse people just because they are doing their job. It speaks poorly of you, sire, and I can’t stand the thought of someone thinking bad about you. You are a good, strong young man, so don’t treat others badly like that.”

“I’m sorry, Ahnon. I didn’t mean to disappoint you,” Jedek said, sniffling.

“It’s all right,” Ahnon said. “I’m sorry I disappointed you.”

“I won’t do it ever again,” Jedek promised.

Ahnon pulled him back, looked into his eyes, and ruffled his dark brown hair. “How about we both promise to ‘try’ not to disappoint each other again. We have a long time together, sire,” Ahnon said, smiling.

“A really long time together?” Jedek asked, smiling and wiping his face.

Ahnon grinned. “I figure a few hundred years.”

“Wow, that’s forever,” Jedek said with his eyes getting big.

Ahnon put him down. “This coming from the young man who said the night before the Day of Divine Tribute lasts a whole year.”

“It does, Ahnon. I have to wait till sunrise to open presents, and the suns refuse to come up.”

Picking up the dress, Ahnon’s hands flew, sewing it together. “I showed you an hourglass still pours the same, and the clock in the great hall still moves at the same pace.” Kenna got up off the floor and walked over, watching Ahnon’s hand move in a blur.

“Are you using magic?” she asked in awe when he paused.

“No,” Ahnon said, rethreading a needle. Jedek moved over, also mesmerized. Ahnon dove back down, sewing the dress. The kids stood shoulder to shoulder, watching him run the needle in and out and tie the thread with one hand and cut the thread with a small blade on the index finger on his other hand. Suddenly, Ahnon held the dress up. “Done with one,” he said then grabbed another one and started sewing.

“You did that in like two minutes,” Jedek said, watching Ahnon’s hands fly on the next dress.

“Twenty-three,” Ahnon told him.

“Twenty-three what?” Jedek asked.

“Minutes.”

“There’s only one clock in the whole castle. How could you know that?” he asked, never taking his eyes off Ahnon’s hand.

“Teach yourself how to keep time,” Ahnon answered as he reloaded his needle.

“How?” Kenna asked.

“With an hourglass,” Ahnon answered. In what seemed like a few minutes to the kids, Ahnon put the second dress down. “One more,” he said, picking up the third dress.

“You make dresses faster than I make a glass of tea,” Jedek said.

Ahnon chuckled. “Well, if you didn’t put a pound of sugar in a glass, it might not take so long.”

“I have to make it taste good.”

“You could save yourself some time and drink syrup.”

“You tell me I put too much of that on my pancakes,” Jedek said.

“Sire, your pancakes float on your plate,” Ahnon said, spinning the dress around.

Jedek shrugged. “Well, they taste good,” he said.

“That’s all that matters, sire,” Ahnon said, chuckling.

“How did you learn this?” Kenna asked.

“Studied and became an apprentice.”

“You’re a warrior. Why would you learn to sew?” she asked.

“Stuff tears.”

“You know how to make dresses,” she said. “Better than anyone.”

Looking up at her for a second, Ahnon said, “Thank you,” and went back to work.

“Ahnon, are you going to tell us?” Jedek asked.

“I learned,” he said, and Jedek huffed. Ahnon paused, looking up at the two. “You really want to know?” he asked, and they both nodded. “I studied with several seamstresses for several years,” he said and went back to work.

“Why?” Jedek asked.

Ahnon sighed, but his hands didn’t stop. “I knew one day you would be married, and seamstresses would be around your wife and you. I know how they act and the language they use, so I can spot an imposter. On the plus side, I can make your wife a dress, like I’m doing now,” he said, grinning as he added the last part.

Kenna put her hands on her hips. “We aren’t married yet.”

“That’s right,” Jedek said.

Ahnon chuckled at both of them. “So I’m getting practice for later.”

“What else can you do?” Kenna asked. “Besides fight and use magic.”

“Farm, build a house, build a bridge, forge a sword, raise livestock, sail a ship, build a ship, work as a shopkeeper and an accountant, train horses, and many other things.”

“How long did you train?” Kenna asked.

“Counting the academy, two hundred and seventy-three years,” he told her, pausing for a second in his sewing. Pushing the thoughts out of his mind, Ahnon continued.

“Karme didn’t study that long,” Kenna said.

“I know. She was cheated,” Ahnon said and held up the last dress. “Number three,” he said, smiling.

“It’s pretty,” Jedek admitted. “Why was Karme cheated?” he asked.

“She only trained a little over twenty years. The standard is fifty to a hundred.”

“Is that why she’s out with Michi?” Kenna asked.

Ahnon nodded. “He’s teaching her not to be afraid of magic.”

“Hey, you always tell me to be scared of magic,” Jedek objected.

“No, I tell you to respect it or it will kill you.”

“Same thing,” Jedek said. Ahnon closed his eyes, sighing. “What’s wrong?” Jedek asked.

“I answer one question, and you ask ten more then critique my answers.”

Jedek stomped his foot. “You tell me to always ask questions.”

Letting out a forced chuckle, Ahnon admitted, “Yes, I do, so I’m the one to blame.”

“You did promise to start magic soon,” Jedek reminded him hopefully.

Ahnon smiled. “Oh, we will start soon. You’re almost ready.”

“I’m almost eleven now.”

“That old? We need to find you a trade,” Ahnon said, reaching over and grabbing him. Pulling Jedek up in his lap, Ahnon looked at him. “Don’t rush it, sire. Always take your time.”

“I’m being patient. This is only the second time I reminded you.”

“Three,” Ahnon corrected.

“No. One was a note; that doesn’t count.”

Ahnon smiled. “It was a good note too,” he admitted. “Go and get the book, and I’ll read to both of you.” Jedek jumped off his lap, running for the table. When he jumped back in Ahnon’s lap, Kenna, still standing in front of Ahnon, leaned over to them.

“Karme’s teaching me to read and write,” she whispered, smiling.

“She’s supposed to,” Ahnon told her.

Kenna shook her head. “Daddy told her if she did, she would be in trouble.”

Ahnon patted his other thigh, and Kenna jumped up in his lap. Opening the book, he mentally filed away what Kenna said as he started reading. When Jedek was younger, he used to fall asleep when Ahnon read to him. Now, he had to pause for question and answer sessions, at times making him miss the days when Jedek was younger.

It was close to sunset when Michi and Karme walked in, finding the kids in Ahnon’s lap. They saw a coffee table full of food in front of the three and two books on the floor. The three looked up when the door opened and noticed Karme drenched in sweat, and Michi’s face was covered in ash. Looking down, Ahnon saw parts of Michi’s pants were burned.

Kenna pointed at his pants. “What happened to you?” she asked.

“Nothing, just showing Karme a few tricks,” he said, moving some cloth so he could sit down. He pointed at the table. “May I?” he asked, and all three nodded. He sat down in a chair across from them, and Karme dropped to the floor. “Karme, get up and eat,” Michi said. Karme put a hand to her head like she was thinking. “What are you doing?” Michi asked.

“Trying to remember if there is a spell to put the food in my stomach without using my mouth,” she told him in a dry, cracking voice.

Michi looked up at Ahnon with a questioning look. “I’ve never heard of one,” Ahnon admitted.

“Karme, eat,” Michi repeated, glad there wasn’t such a spell. Dragging her body off the floor, she dropped into a chair beside him. He handed her a plate. “Here.” She took it and set it in her lap. “Don’t make me feed you,” he warned, fixing his plate.

Karme let out a sigh and shoved some food in her mouth. Michi picked up a glass of water and handed it to her. She narrowed her eyes but took it, draining the glass. Ahnon poked Jedek and nodded toward Karme’s glass. Jedek jumped and ran over, filling it back up. “Thank you,” she said wearily and promptly drained it. Jedek looked at Ahnon, and he shook his head.

Looking around with her head wobbling on her shoulders, Karme noticed the three dresses. “You finished three silk dresses in one day?” she asked, dumbfounded.

“He was done in like fifteen minutes,” Kenna told her.

Ahnon smiled. “Not quite. It took be about three hours,” he told her as Michi set his plate down and walked over to them. Wiping his hands off, he picked one up, inspecting it.

“By the Gods, Ahnon,” he declared, putting it down and picking up another one. “They are beautiful.”

“No, that one I messed up. The left side dart is a little off.”

Michi looked at him. “How can you tell?” he asked, looking on the left side.

“I sewed it.” Michi lowered the dress, giving Ahnon a disapproving look. “Bring it here, and I’ll show you,” Ahnon offered. Michi brought the dress over, and Ahnon showed him how the dart was off.

“Ahnon, that’s less than the width of a blade,” Michi said, seeing what he was talking about.

“It’s still a mistake.”

“Well then how did you make it?”