The Ambassador's Mission

The rest of the crowd might simply want to see Sonea’s reaction if she failed to prevent her son going to Sachaka. Hearing that one of the Guild’s black magicians was in conflict with the former High Lord’s son must have generated plenty of gossip. Dannyl almost regretted slipping out of the habit of attending the Guild’s social evenings in the Night Room. He’d have already known what attracted the crowd today, and what they hoped and feared to witness.

As Dannyl neared the Guildhall doors, another magician emerged from a side entrance.

Black Magician Kallen. I wonder … is the crowd worried that Sonea will lose her temper and use black magic if she fails to stop Lorkin going to Sachaka?

If they truly believed she might, they ought to have made themselves scarce. Dannyl knew that he would never want to be close by if a black magician lost his or her temper. But they probably assumed Kallen could stop her, and the confrontation would be more entertaining than dangerous.

Moving into the Guildhall, Dannyl saw most of the Higher Magicians were in their places. Lorkin was already waiting to one side. He walked over to the young man, who greeted him with a wary smile.

“Nervous?”

Lorkin smiled wryly. “A little.”

“How did dinner with your mother go last night?”

“Not good.” Lorkin’s smile faded and he sighed. “I hate fighting with her. But I also hate always having to fight to do what I want to do.”

“Always?” Dannyl repeated.

Grimacing, Lorkin looked away. “Well, I suppose not always. Not often, really. Just now, when it matters. When I finally find something important to take part in.”

“Going to Sachaka really matters that much to you?” Dannyl asked, not hiding his surprise.

“Of course.” Lorkin looked up and searched Dannyl’s gaze. “Why do you think I want to go? Surely not just to defy my mother?”

“No.” Dannyl shrugged. “I thought you wanted to have an adventure. Get away from a boring, restrictive Guild.” He smiled. “I had no idea you truly thought the work was important.”

“I do,” Lorkin assured him. “Both maintaining good terms with Sachaka and researching magical history. Though with the latter I’m more interested in what we can do with what we find.”

Dannyl regarded Lorkin thoughtfully. He’d hoped the young magician would be useful at the least, and a good companion at best. Now he found himself both pleased to find he might have such a willing assistant in his research as well as in his ambassadorial duties, and a little worried that he might not easily leave the lesser of those duties to Lorkin when he wanted a little time to pursue his own interests.

A low murmur filled the hall and Dannyl looked around to see what had caused it. Sonea had entered the room, but had paused to talk to – of all people – Lord Regin. She looked puzzled, but nodded and turned away. Instead of climbing the stairs at the front of the hall to her usual place, she remained standing at the other side of the front to Dannyl and Lorkin, while Regin left.

She looked calm, even a little amused. The remaining Higher Magicians had arrived now. No doubt she had timed her arrival so that she would be one of the last, to avoid subjecting her son to the awkwardness of her presence as an adversary. Osen began his slow pace across the front of the hall that indicated he was ready to begin, and soon the magicians quietened.

“Unless there is a reason not to, I will begin the Hearing now,” Osen said. He paused, then nodded as no voice rose to stall him. “First I will outline our reasons for meeting today,” he began. “Lord Lorkin has volunteered for the position of assistant to the Guild Ambassador to Sachaka, recently granted to Lord Dannyl. Black Magician Sonea has lodged a protest against our acceptance of Lord Lorkin in this role.” He turned to Sonea. “For what reason do you protest?”

“That for Lorkin, as the son of the former High Lord Akkarin and myself, there will be the danger that the family of Kariko and Dakova, the latter of whom I killed during the Ichani Invasion and the former whom Akkarin killed many years earlier, will seek revenge for their deaths. Or the families of the other Ichani killed in the invasion will do so. Even if their families do not seek revenge, sending him there may be perceived as an insult. Either way his presence may hamper efforts at peace between our two countries.”

Osen turned to Lorkin and Dannyl. “And what do you, Lord Lorkin, say in reply to this?”

“I leave the judgement as to whether the risk is as great as M—Black Magician Sonea believes to the Higher Magicians, and will accept whatever decision they make,” Lorkin replied.

A faint smile of approval crossed Osen’s face. His gaze shifted to Lord Dannyl.