Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2013 19:48:09 +0000
From: Magnus Seagreen <seagreenmagnus@outlook.com>
Subject: Magnus the Mage 19

Chapter Nineteen: Rhenoussia

Two months had passed since Magnus, Callixtus, and their new companion Kari
had left the Mountain Kingdom.  They had returned to the Isle of Mages,
where Joab took charge of the treasure they had received for the sale of
the Oriflamme.  This was augmented by funds from the Order of Mages and
sent to the Empire on the Veskan warship. Joab questioned Kari carefully
about the mountain kingdom while his companion Gravillax made notes.
Afterwards, he told the boy he could stay on the island at the expense of
the Order of Mages; but Kari asked if he could stay with Magnus and
Callixtus, and so it was agreed.

So the three companions found themselves once more on the fast Sassid
schooner owned by Captain Tammuz, and on the agreed date of the twenty
fifth of March - the first day of spring according to the Imperial calendar
- they had a happy rendezvous with the unicorn Shalmaneser and his elf
companion Lendulio.

Shalmaneser had succeeded in wielding together all the petty principalities
of the southern shore into an allied army which he was now leading
westwards in an invasion of Rhenoussia, a country of arid steppe and
semi-desert now allied with the fire giants.  In early spring the steppe
was at its finest, as for a short time the grass was green and fresh and
sprinkled everywhere with a profusion of wild flowers.

The army had halted, and under a large silk awning, Shalmaneser was
reviewing the military situation with the War Council.  This consisted of
himself, Magnus, and the commanders of three of the most important allied
contingents: Voloubos of Angiskor, Makris of Volantia, and Skanderos of
Megaros.

"The invasion of Rhenoussia would be a lot easier", mused the unicorn, his
golden tail swishing behind him, "If the Rhenoussians had proper towns and
cities like other men.  Defeating nomads is not so easy."
 He was standing over a table and peering at a map, and managing to look
full of power and authority and
 dignity, despite the fact that he was entirely naked, with his huge
pendulous member hanging down for all to see.

Magnus said, "But do we really need to defeat them? I thought our mission
was mainly diversionary - to threaten the enemy flank and rear and cause
them to fall back from their invasion of the Empire.  The main struggle
will take place when the Fire Giants and their allies erupt through the
mountain passes and are met by the Imperial Legions, several hundred miles
to the north-west of here."

Shalmaneser said, "You are right of course, Magnus.  If we can prevent the
Rhenoussians from attacking, that is good.  If we can defeat them, that is
even better, for then we might take the Fire Giants from behind, and catch
them between ourselves and the main Imperial Army.  That is the plan that
Joab has entrusted to us."

Baron Makris of Volantia, a thickset, barrel-chested man of sixty, said
"The Rhenoussians will hardly let us march past and take the Fire Giants in
the rear.  At some point, they will try to block our advance, and that is
where the decisive battle on this front will be fought.  This seems a
likely spot - " and here he jabbed a gauntlet at the map - "this is the
shortest route through to the north west, and the only practicable course
for our baggage wagons." He squinted at the map, and with difficulty read
out the place name - "Nazzal Shireem".

"That is the Rhenoussian for Field of Tulips" said the soft, camp voice of
Voloubos of Angiskor.  " At this time of year, I imagine it will be a
carpet of wild tulips - a most beautiful sight." The speaker was a short,
fat, greasy-looking man, his beard dripping with fragrant oils, wearing the
long black-and- white chequered clothing of a cleric of Angiskor.

"Thank you, Archimandrite Voloubos.  Your knowledge of Rhenoussian is, as
always, most valuable" said Shalmaneser.  The cleric gave an unctuous
simper.

"Have there been any more reports of the enemy, Lord Skanderos?" asked
Shalmaneser, turning to the third allied commander.  He was a youth of
twenty three - the son and heir to the Sovereign Prince of Megaros - tall
and strapping and handsome, with a magnificent head of curly blond hair,
not wearing armour but a cornflower blue cloak over a white tunic, and a
sword at his hip.

 "My cavalry scouts have reported more sightings of the enemy's scouts"
said the Megaran noble.
 "There is no doubt we are being closely watched and followed.  Of the main
enemy host there is no
 sign.  I agree with the Baron of Volantia that they are most likely
intending to block our advance
 at the Field of Tulips."

"In that case" said Shalmaneser, "We will advance and meet them there.  I
expect the decisive battle to occur in about three days' time."

While the military council were at their deliberations, Lendulio and
Callixtus were practising their archery - firing arrows into a straw butt -
while Kari sat watching them, sharpening a machete which he had taken to
wearing strapped on his shoulder.  A group of archers sauntered past ,
their yellow surcoats over white tunics indicating they were part of the
army of the County of Podolia.

"Can we share your butt? Your archery butt I mean!"  one of them said to
Lendulio.  "Or does he!"  said another, to shouts of laughter from the
others.

 Lendulio sighed and ignored them, but Kari said - "He only takes unicorn
cock - so if any of you can show you can match that, pull it out and give
us a look - otherwise fuck off!"

The Podolians did not seem at all upset by that, but burst out with renewed
laughter and went on their way.  In the last few weeks many of the soldiers
had got to know Kari, and they liked his
 lack of respect for authority and his coarse banter.  Quite a number of
them were also glad to see his thin wiry frame bent over his outspread legs
while he sharpened his machete, his long thin cock hanging free and smooth
between his narrow hips.  They were much more careful about approaching
Callixtus:
 it was obvious that he and the mage were together, and besides, Callixtus
was much shyer and less confident than Kari.  He had after all spent most
of his life in seclusion in the villa of the Lady Domitia, whereas Kari had
lived a communal life amongst hundreds of others in the Halls of the
Mountain King.

The sort of banter the boys got from the Podolian archers was something
they were getting used to, largely on account of their total or partial
nudity.  The Archimandrite Voloubos had - unsuccessfully
 - tried to persuade them to adopt at least some clothing whilst on
campaign.

"The followers of Giskor disapprove of public nudity" he had told Magnus.
"We have a saying, "Only a dog reveals his testicles" - please may I
implore you, as the only one of Lord Shalmaneser's companions who covers
himself properly, to ask your friends to do the same."

 Magnus told him it was absolutely out of the question.  Clothes were an
abomination to the elf, and to the unicorn; Kari absolutely refused to wear
anything other than his orange headband and mountain-leopard leggings, and
as for Callixtus....well, had he not adopted the sheepskin jerkin and
loincloth since he left the Isle of Mages?

"The loincloth exposes more than it reveals" said the oleaginous cleric,
running his little pink tongue over his fat squishy lips, "And for those of
less pure heart than ourselves, it is a worse inducement to lustful thought
than total nudity, by drawing attention to what it so imperfectly
conceals."  Magnus did not respond directly to that, as he could hardly
disagree.

"Look here, Archimandrite" he said, "We are not in the territory of
Angiskor, so we cannot be bound by the customs of your land. The Knights of
Angiskor don't cover the sexual organs of their stallions, so why should
Lord Shalmaneser cover his?  He is at least as much equine as human.  As
for the elf, for a forest elf to wear clothes would be as bizarre as seeing
clothes on a dolphin or a leopard. And Callixtus and Kari are hardly the
only ones to run around naked, or virtually so.  The Megarans normally wear
clothes, I grant you, but nevertheless Lord Skanderos and his Noble
Companions often strip naked and indulge in wrestling bouts and other
martial training in front of the rest of the army....and what about the
Volantians?  The Baron's heavy infantry are all clad in leather armour, it
is true, but they also have a large contingent of slingers - fine looking
youths between the ages of sixteen and twenty, all chosen for their agility
and speed - and they normally wear only a piece of linen across their
shoulder, leaving their lower body bare, and indeed they fight and exercise
completely nude."

The Archimandrite wrinkled his nose in distaste, but did not argue.  He
knew when he was beaten.

Kari had nothing but contempt for the "followers of Giskor" - as the
Angiskoris called themselves - but then he seemed to have little regard for
anything.  The casual way he spoke to almost everybody - except perhaps for
Shalmaneser himself - was a continual source of wonder to Callixtus.  They
had both been brought up in servitude, but somehow it hadn't seemed to
enter so deeply into Kari.  Or maybe it had, and this was how he reacted to
it.

Callixtus said, "Well, I think I've had enough archery for today.  I'd
better go and find our baggage wagon and start seeing about the evening
meal."

Magnus, Callixtus and Kari all shared the same tent, but there was no
comparison with the tiny tent they had shared on their way back from the
Mountain Kingdom a few months ago.  This tent was large and luxurious - it
was also put up and taken down for them by a squad of Angiskori soldiers
who had been specially detailed as their bodyguards.

As they lay there on the finely embroidered plush silk sheets and cushions
waiting for Magnus, Callixtus said - "Kari, have you ever...you know....had
feelings for someone? I mean, really strong feelings?"

Kari said - "Yes. I have the strongest possible feelings for myself, and my
own welfare."

Callixtus said, "You know that isn't what I meant."

Kari said, "I know what you meant.  You are in love with Magnus, and he is
in love with you.  Good luck to you.  I'm glad it doesn't stop either of
you fucking me.  You're cute, and although he's really too old and hairy
for me, I must admit there's nothing quite like what he does with that cock
of his when it's up my arse.... but I just don't feel the same way that you
do about anybody, and never have.  I think if you reveal too much of
yourself, you only end up getting hurt.  If I don't love anybody, nobody
can hurt me."

"But won't you be missing out?" said Callixtus.  "Maybe...you know...maybe
there is someone for everyone?"

Kari laughed.  "You know Callixtus, you are a bit of a soppy little poof.
I've no time for that nonsense."

"But what if things were different" persisted Callixtus " - what if -
imagine if - you were a really powerful mage and, you know, you could make
anything you wanted happen?"

Kari became serious all of a sudden.  "What I'd really like" he said
thoughtfully "is Lord Skanderos....I was watching him exercising yesterday
- and, by the ancestors, what a fabulous body! That mop of curly blond
hair, and those muscles! And totally smooth too....mind you his cock wasn't
that impressive, but you can't have everything I suppose....hmmm just
imagine...getting fucked by the heir to the Prince of Megaros...would that
make me a Princess, ha ha!  But just think...if someone had a body like
Skanderos and a cock like Magnus.....now there's something to think
about...."  and Kari started tugging musingly on his own growing hard-on at
the thought.

Just then the tent opened and Magnus entered.  "Hello boys!  Sorry to be so
late! I can see Kari is getting impatient, at any rate!"

He came in, disrobed, lay down between them, and gave each of them a
lengthy French kiss.  And now, he thought to himself, the most enjoyable
part of the day begins....but just then - as Magnus had his tongue in
Callixtus's mouth and his hand on Kari's cock, while Kari was tugging at
the mage's swelling organ - the tent flap opened unannounced and a robed
and turbanned figure glided in, like smoke filling a bottle.

"What is this!" said Magnus, annoyed at the unannounced intrusion.  "Who
are you, and who let you in?" The Angiskori guards should know better than
to allow unannounced visits, he thought - especially at a time like this.

"Sorry for the intrusion, Mage Magnus" said the intruder, with a thick
guttural accent, "but I have a gift for you - from Rhenoussia!" and as he
said that, he produced a vicious looking curved dagger from his robes,
dripping with a black viscous poison, and thrust it towards the naked mage.

Callixtus rolled away from Magnus, who lay frozen where he was - but as the
assassin lurched forward, he let out a sudden scream and was suddenly
contorted almost double - blue sparks danced all over his body, and there
was a perceptible smell of burning flesh and smouldering linen for a few
seconds, when suddenly he fell to his knees and then stretched out, blood
gushing from his mouth.

"He's dead" said Magnus, after a brief examination.

"How did you kill him, Magnus?" said Callixtus.

"Well," said Magnus slowly, "the interesting thing is....I didn't.  He did"
- and both he and Callixtus stared at Kari, who was sitting upright with a
look of shock on his face.

There was a pause, then Kari said - "Yes, I think I did.  I mean, I just
held out my hand and felt some kind of energy leaving me and hitting him.
But as to HOW I did it, I have no idea."

"Kari, my dear boy" said Magnus, "I think tomorrow you and I will have to
have a little talk."