Sure am!
Chapter 7
July, 24, 1949, Merka customs and immigration office, border town of the Ignatumlands
“If I ever see another boat I will scream.” Lunarious announced primly as they waited for their credentials to be inspected by immigration, she had spent the majority of the voyage below deck seasick.
“You'll have to if you want to get home.” Lucuse dropped his and Lady Kayle's bags and lounged on them. The Lady herself was over arguing with the customs man about their diplomatic immunity.
“Do not remind me.” Retin pulled her bonnet over her eyes and leaned back in the rickety chair she had found in some dusty corner.
“I found the trip was most restful.” Edward was clearly in the minority with this opinion. The stares the woman gave him would have burnt toast. The man in charge of the import and export of magical goods had given Edward rather a lot of trouble over a ring, it fit to no known standards for such object, and Edward had refused to state its purpose.
“Good day, I'm Arther Spode, the ambassador sent to down to welcome you. Hope the delay in landing didn't course any problems?” The speaker was middle aged, with glasses, smart white shirt and pants with a tie and striped knit vest. “And this is our interpretor Senic. I can only speak a enough of their language to get everyone confused.” Senic nodded in greeting, five foot, dark skinned, black horns peeking out of his fluffy chocolate hair, and the bat wings that were the hallmark of his race.
“You're Grycite aren't you?”Lucuse propped himself up look with interest at the newcomers.
“Oh my, whatever gave me away?” The interpretor retorted sarcastically, he didn't take well to people pointing out the blooming obvious.
Spode snapped at Senic, “I didn't bring you here to pick a fight, go help the madam over there with the inspector.”
The Grycite made his way through the crowded room, followed by Spode. Lady Kayle didn't seem to take the offer of help kindly. Much waving of arms later Kayle took a reluctant step back allowing the power of paperwork to triumph over shouting.
Jarro turned back to hear Lucuse asking, “Can they actually use those tiny wings to fly?”
Edward replied, “No, they use them as a frame, and magic power is channelled into them. Please don't ask how, it is, from a science and magical point of view, impossible, however that doesn't stop them from doing it.” Edward looked annoyed, Jarro suspected that he had been one of the people who had failed to discover it.
Spode returned, rubbing a damp hand threw his hair,”All sorted, come on we'll get you set up in the embassy for tonight, tomorrow we'll start on our way to the capital. The taxies are outside” he turned and waved at the other end of the building where Beladine was standing with the honour guard, she half marched, half strutted over,
“Where will we be staying?” She demanded roughly.
“You and your troupes will be staying in the military barracks on the other side of town, my assistant will take you there.” A skittish girl with a clipboard bobbed her head in ascent.
“If you'll follow me Miss,”
“I am Captain Roise, I am not, nor will ever be, 'miss',” ice formed on her words.
“Sorry, Captain Roise.” her eyes fixed themselves to the ground, and her voice trembled. Beladine thawed slightly, “Oh don't be so upset by it, I'm just a little cranky from having to deal with so many idiots today,” she shot a nasty glace at the customs men.”Come on now, what is your name?”
“Linda baker.”
“Well Miss. Baker let us travel to the oases of calm, e.g. the barracks of your.”
“Oh it's not mine, it's the governments.” This was stated with absolute sincerity.
Lucuse snorted, Captain Roise ignored him. “In that case take me to the Governments barracks.” Linda gave Lucuse a puzzled glace, and started outside, Beladine behind her.
A few minutes later Jarro, Retin, Lucuse, Senic and Edward sat slowly cooking in the taxi. Lucuse and Senic glaring daggers at each other, they quickly tired of this however, and started to trade insults instead. Retin sat as far from them as she could, staring out the window. Jarro turned to Edward, carefully ignoring his secretary, and the rowdy pair opposite him.
“How many active mages are there at the moment?”
Edward raised an eyebrow, “In the whole world?”
“Yes.”
The mage leaned back the let his breath hiss between his teeth, “I honestly have no idea, most university these day teach magic these days, and a number never get any sort of formal training. I'd guess.... over the whole world...hundred thousand? Maybe more.”
“Oh..”
“Why do you ask?”
Might as well ask anyway he decided, maybe Edward would have heard of her anyway, “Met a mage in Perll, she was rather... odd, I just wondered if you had ever heard of her before but guess it is pretty unlikely, called herself Therry.”
“Therry?” this was clearly unexpected.
Jarro's head shot up, surprise fleeting across his face,”You know you she is?”
“She is my grandniece, one of the few in my family who can do magic. Never had any self restraint, parents spoiled her rotten, she fell in with the wrong people. But I thought she was still back in Brilsion.”
“Well she is not.”
“Oh dear. I shall have to see what the child is up to.” The mage rubbed his eyes.
“Child? How old is she?”
“Seventy four I believe.”
“That is what you call a kid?”
“When you are over two centenary old almost everyone seems young.”
“Oi, get out of the car, I don't earn any money staying still.” The driver more or less pushed them out of the car. A stone staircase rose to the front doors of the embassy where a porter stood smoking, where they entered.
Lucuse beelined for the bar room, Senic on his heels. Retin announced she was going to relax on a bed that didn't move.
Jarro was toying with the idea of going to the library when Edward returned down the stairs, he made for the door but once outside paused, glancing up and down the road. Jarro wavered uncertain as to what to do, he really wanted to see where Edward was going, but people tend to get cross when they find out you followed them.
What the heck, he decided, he would do his very best not to get caught, that's all.
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