Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2013 08:56:58 +0000 From: Magnus Seagreen <seagreenmagnus@outlook.com> Subject: Magnus the Mage 14 Chapter Fourteen: The Oriflamme of Hyrcanus There was some wet and windy weather on the way back and Callixtus almost began to regret refusing the mage's offer of clothes, but in the wind and rain squalls he kept below and in the cabin. The schooner was fast and seaworthy and expertly handled, but nevertheless it was uncomfortable for a few days. At least he did not suffer from the sea sickness which had assailed him on his first voyage. He reflected that the Cheskan boy Votya, who had been their guide for a while in Cheskia, had solemnly believed that regular impregnation by a mage would cure sea sickness, as well as protecting from many other accidents and ailments. So perhaps it was true that the regular injections of mage sperm he had been receiving had inoculated him against sea sickness. On the other hand, until he met the mage he had never even seen the sea before, let alone set foot on a ship, so perhaps it was just a question of gaining normal sea-legs. So it was that on a cool grey morning some days later they found themselves back in the glade by the Great Lodge on the Isle of Mages. They were sitting outside, on some beautifully carved wooden chairs festooned with climbing plants which were placed near the mossy pool. Even in winter, it was still mild enough to sit outside, and no discomfort for Callixtus, naked as he was. They were sitting with the Mage Joab, who as Warden of the Great Lodge rarely left the Isle of Mages. They were joined by Joab's partner Gravillax, who like Joab was also in his forties, though slimmer of build and still with all his hair. Magnus said, "Here's a riddle for you, Callixtus. When is a mage not a mage?" "I don't understand, master." "Gravillax here is a member of the Order of Mages, although I believe quite incapable of casting the simplest of cantrips. Strange, is it not?" Gravillax, who sat holding a large rolled parchment on his lap, ignored Magnus's remark, but Joab flushed a dull red. "As you well know, Magnus" he said, "Gravillax is one of the most skilled Master Alchemists in the world, and as such his expertise has been acknowledged by granting him honorary full membership of our Order, as a mark of his usefulness and skill." "I meant no offence, Joab, to you or Gravillax. I was simply being flippant. I fully acknowledge your skill at alchemy, Gravillax. Indeed, I have benefited from your efficacious potions on numerous occasions. Your abilities in that regard far outrank my own." Gravillax gave a gracious nod, and Joab's colour returned to normal. Gravillax unrolled the parchment he was holding onto a large tree stump which functioned as a table, and held it in place with small stones. Callixtus saw that it was a beautifully drawn and coloured map, although as he could neither read nor write he could not relate it to anything he knew. Joab indicated the map and said, "War is coming, Magnus, and there is not much time. The high mountain passes of the west are now blocked by snow, but come the spring, the fire giants and their allies will attack the western flank of the Empire. Three things are necessary for us to stop them, Magnus. Do you know what those three things are?" "The will to fight, and the soldiers to do it?" said Magnus. "Yes. Shalmaneser and his elf are even now forging the political will to resist where internecine squabbles have left it weakest. The Empire has legions, and once the sinews of the will are stiffened, there will be no shortage of additional volunteers" said Joab. "Excuse me, Master Joab" interjected Callixtus, "but you said three things were needful, and yet Master Magnus has only mentioned two of them." "Quite right, boy" said Joab with approval. "Magnus, your boy is not as naive as he appears. What is the third thing?" said Joab, addressing the boy. "Money?" "Yes, exactly. Armies cannot exist unless coin is found to buy their weapons and armour and keep them fed. I am not entirely surprised your master omitted this detail, as lack of coin is something he has never had to worry about." Magnus ignored this remark and said, "The Empire is rich, surely?" Joab replied, "The Empire's financial policies are set not by the Emperor but by the powerful nobles and magnates on his Council, who have ensured that taxes are kept low. Commerce therefore flourishes, and private wealth such as your own is indeed abundant, but the needs of the Empire are not met by taxation, and the government is heavily indebted. We need an influx of cash into the Imperial coffers. Which is where you come in, Magnus." Magnus said, "My dear Joab, you are surely misinformed about my circumstances if you think anything I can contribute would be more than the tiniest drop in the ocean of what is required." Joab said, "You are not very quick today, are you Magnus? Of course I am not suggesting you make a personal donation. Gravillax, show Magnus the Oriflamme." From within his robes Gravillax took out an object wrapped in yellow silk. He unwrapped it, and there on the palm of his hand was a goose-egg sized sphere apparently made of translucent yellow glass which gave off a faint luminescence. Magnus took the object in his hands and stared intently at it, then handed it carefully to Callixtus, who marvelled at its warmth and its heavy weight. "What is it, Master Joab?" said Callixtus. "The Oriflamme of Hyrcanus. It is a magical object of considerable power. A mage who possesses it and who is already capable of fire magic has the efficacy of such magic considerably enhanced. A fireball which might normally consume a single enemy soldier in flame would, if the Oriflamme was in the caster's possession, incinerate an entire regiment." Magnus said, "Yes, and the Oriflamme is one of the most significant items belonging to the Order of Mages, and one of the most valuable and precious magical items in existence. I assume you are not giving it to me on a permanent basis, Joab?" "Certainly not. And if you carry out your part, it will not remain the property of the Order for much longer." "Surely you don't mean to give it away?" said Magnus. Joab gave a superior smile, and this time his partner Gravillax answered. "Master Joab is a few steps ahead of you, as usual, Magnus. We do not have need of fire magic in a war with the fire giants, for they are resistant to flame, as you will surely know. But we do have need of coin, as Joab has mentioned. You are to take the Oriflamme and exchange it with the King of the Mountain for as much treasure as you can extract, and then return here. The Order of Mages will then turn the treasure over to the Empire as a donation to the furthering of the war effort." Magnus mused for a moment, and then said, "Well, it certainly makes sense. The King of the Mountain has a realm rich in gems and treasure, and is a powerful mage - though not a member of our Order - with many enemies. As his kingdom is to the east, it is unlikely he will be involved in the coming conflict. We need treasure more than we need fire magic." "He usually gets there in the end" said Joab to Gravillax, and permitted himself a camp simper. But Magnus did not appear disconcerted. "I've always admired your incisive mind, Joab, and I don't mind admitting it. I am too much the dilettante to think up your deep schemes" Though I still think you're a pompous old queen, he added mentally to himself. Joab said, "A Sassid schooner is already waiting for you in the harbour. Remember you must meet the unicorn in the Theocracy of Angiskor on the twenty fifth of March. Today is the fourth of February. You need to be quick about it. You will leave immediately - Gravillax will show you to horse. And be careful - both of you. The Mountain Kingdom is a dangerous place to get to - and a dangerous place to be." Magnus rose immediately, Callixtus too, and they exchanged bows with Joab. Gravillax showed them to a bay horse in the small stable nearby - a large sturdy gelding. Magnus - although like all mages he rarely rode nowadays - had an intimate knowledge of the equestrian art, as befitted the son of an Imperial aristocrat. He swung up easily onto the horse then grasped Callixtus by the arm and helped him to get up behind him. Callixtus had never ridden a horse before - although his duties had included caring for the trap pony in Lady Domitia's stable. He found it an alarming experience, as Magnus rode fast, and the boy had to grip the mage tightly as they flew down the sloping four mile road from the Lodge to the harbour. Within a very short time they were at the quayside, and the mage threw the reins to one of the harbour officials as he leaped down and helped Callixtus off. "Did you enjoy your first ride, Callixtus? Your first ride on a horse, I should say?" "Not very much, master." "Oh? you could have fooled me. I felt your enjoyment pronging me through my cloak for the whole journey." It was true - whether through fear, or adrenaline, or the feel of his arms around his master, or the way the leather saddle chafed his bare thighs, Callixtus had sprung an erection which he had no choice but to press tightly against his master or risk being thrown from the horse. "Actually I didn't mind at all the feel of your splendid cock pressing against my back. As long as it doesn't give you any ideas; I'm not like Joab, who receives more than he gives, or so rumour has it." They were standing on the stone quayside of the main harbour, right by the sleek lines of a Sassid schooner. The captain, a dark skinned man in a white turban and flowing cotton robes, called down - "Magnus! welcome aboard!" Magnus climbed on board the schooner and gave the Captain a warm embrace. "I did not realise you would be the captain, Tammuz. This pleases me greatly." "You should have realised that few Sassid captains have better relations with the Order of Mages than I do. Joab warned me off months ago that he would need me for a mission most likely involving you." Magnus was surprised - it was further evidence of Joab's foresight. Perhaps he should be nicer to the old bald poof, he thought. Captain Tammuz was of medium height, dark skinned and dark haired, about thirty five years old, and of a slim build. His white teeth and handsome features would have been nearly perfect were it not for a long, livid scar whichh stretched from above his left eye and down across his cheek. He had clearly been lucky to keep the eye, but it had caused a permanent droop of the eyelid and it looked very alarming and piratical. "Who is your charming friend, Magnus?" said the Sassid captain. His speech was only slightly accented. "My sla- I mean, my companion, Callixtus. Of Samnium." "Welcome, honoured guest" said the captain, bowing, with his hands on his hips - revealing a jewel-hilted scimitar in a long curved scabbard. "I hope you enjoy your time on my ship. Although by the looks of you, your enjoyment is already only too clear." The Sassid captain was of course referring to Callixtus's engorged cock, still rock hard from his equestrian ride, which the boy was vainly trying to hide by holding his hands crossed over it - a gesture which only drew attention to it all the more. "Never mind", said Tammuz. "You have been staring at my scar as much as I am staring at your member, but your erection will go away, whereas my scar, alas, will not." "Master Magnus could remove your scar" said the boy. Magnus laughed. "Your confidence is touching, my boy, but I've already tried, and failed." The Sassid captain said, " He certainly did not fail. You should have seen the wound before he healed it. My whole face was ripped open, and the eye was lost. Thanks to Magnus, I have been healed far better than I thought possible, and my lost eye has been restored." Tammuz continued - "Magnus, please take your friend below. I will show you to your cabin. Then we will leave immediately. By the way, some items which you ordered were delivered on board earlier. I have had them put in your cabin." "Thank you Tammuz" said Magnus. "Those will be the clothes I ordered , both for myself and for my companion. From now on, he will be wearing clothes when we are in places where it is customary to do so - and that includes your ship, captain. If Callixtus puts some clothes on, it will help to dampen the lustful ardour of your no doubt lusty crew, as well as concealing his own improvident erections. Although this particular erection is so splendidly rampant that I think it needs some special attention from me to help it deflate, or it will be simply impossible to fit any clothes over it." With that, Magnus grabbed hold of Callixtus's rigid cock, and gently moved his hand up and down the boy's shaft. Tammuz burst out laughing. "I don't know which is funnier, the sight of you leading the boy to your cabin by tugging on his cock, or the expression on your face, which reminds me of a wolf I once speared in the Sassid mountains." "Call us for dinner, but not for at least an hour!" said Magnus, as with one hand clamped on the boy's cock, he propelled him into the cabin with the other hand pushing against his arse. The Sassid captain chuckled to himself as he returned on deck. He preferred women to boys himself, but was amused by Magnus's tastes, and pleased to find that they had not changed. You can always trust a man like that with your wives, he thought to himself with satisfaction.