Cassany lowered her arm, “I just wanted to remind you.”
“Yes, my goddess?”
“Black Mage’s often change their appearance and as a result attract a lot of attention, they are ill equipped to handle. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I think so. If Thessa makes herself beautiful, men will take notice, and she probably has not thought about such a thing before. She will make herself beautiful for her own sake not to attract the opposite sex, so she will be surprised when they begin to flock around her. I have seen this happen before, my goddess.”
“Exactly!”
“Your point?” Tanyth asked.
“A simple one, remember always this is not a love story. It’s a tragedy.” Tanyth grinned and then turned once more toward the door. It opened for him and he exited.
Sarren sat watching as the goddess shifted her wings to fit the back of the throne.
“Now that you know of my plans, and you know Thessa a bit better, what do you think.” She asked.
Sarren tried to talk, and it came out as a meow.
Cassany waved her hand and Sarren was back to her human self. “Speak now.”
“I... I think she will have a hard time doing your bidding.” Sarren said.
“Hmm, do you know why I allowed Thessa to resurrect you and you not become a blood feeder as you should have become?”
“I wouldn’t presume to understand your ways, my goddess.”
“Because I was concerned being a blood feeder, a vampire, would impede your ability to train Thessa. From the moment I whispered into Thessa’s ear in the Cavern of the Winged Goddess, for her to resurrect you, I have had the intention of you training her. She might have believed the thought was her own, but it was not. So, now you know.” She raised her hand and transformed Sarren back into a cat. “It is your job to make her do my bidding. Should you fail, your fate will be much worse than becoming a blood feeder. Now go back to her and do keep in mind how your life, or unlife, may be if you are unable to convince her to be the best Black Mage she can possibly be, understood?”
Sarren let out a demure mew.
“Good!” Cassany flit her wrist and Sarren was instantly returned to the boat where she left Thessa and Fia. Sarren yowled out in surprise at the abrupt teleportation.
“Shut up, you stupid cat. It’s not like I have ever crashed a speeding boat. You are safe!” Fia said. Sarren settled down and returned to her spot beneath Thessa’s seat.
Before the boat reached the dock, Fia slowed the boat down and sang a peculiar song compelling fish to jump from the river into her waiting basket. She looked at the hungry Sarren, “I usually have men falling over themselves to clean my catch for me but seeing there are no men I will have to do it myself.” She chucked one of the smaller fish underneath the seat to Sarren and the cat bit into the succulent flesh ravenously. She dragged her prize further under the seat, complete with a covetous growl. Sarren continued to devour her fish.
Fia jumped out of the boat and pulled it to shore, dragging it up onto the bank. “We might as well have a meal together before you go into the city. It might be difficult for you to find lodging this late in the day and that means you will probably not have time to find something to eat.”
“Thank you. You have thought of everything.” Thessa said.
“I just realized we can’t fry the fish without something to fry it on.” Fia said. “Roast it on the end of a stick?” Thessa suggested.
“I thought of that, but the flesh will come apart when it cooks, dropping the meat into the fire.”
“Smoke it then?”
“Do you have an entire day to waste? The city is only about twenty minutes away.”
“I guess not.” Thessa answered.
“Wait, I have a small piece of armor, big enough to sit on the coals and fry some fish. Why didn’t I think of it before?” She went to her saddle bag in the boat and produced a small piece of plate mail. She returned to the fire and began heating it up. “If you will help me fillet the fish, we can eat faster and be on our way.”
Thessa nodded and produced her best dagger
Chapter 6: The City
Fia maneuvered the boat into the docks of Emlestra. She tied it off and prepared to disembark.
“Well, Thessa. I guess this is where we part for now.”
“I can’t think you enough for your help, Fia.” Thessa said.
“Will you be okay in the city by yourself?”
“I remembered after thinking about it that I may have passed through here a long time ago, but I don’t remember much. I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly back then. I will be fine. I have Sarren with me.” The cat jumped out of the boat.
“Oh yes, I forgot about her.” She smiled and Thessa got the feeling she really had not forgotten the cat.
“When will I see you again? Are you staying in the city long?”
Fia seemed anxious about answering. “I won’t be here long, no. Once I finish my business, I will be heading back to Maslah’s camp.”
Thessa was not sure what she meant, and Fia must have seen it in her face.
“Maslah is my father. His camp is home.”
“Oh, okay.”
Fia reached in to give Thessa a hug and she stiffened like a board while the White Mage embraced her. “Not used to hugs I see.”
Thessa snickered awkwardly, “No, sorry. I will have to work on that one some more. I think the only one who has ever hugged me is my mother, my true mother that is.”
“Well, you will like
