The Quantum Wanderer

I pull out the Comm Gem to Edward. I pour the mana and wait. I do it again after a minute or two. On the third attempt, he picks up.

“Good evening, friend. How are you? Is everything ok?”

“Good evening Edward. Yes, so far everything is ok. How are you?”

“We are well. Professor Curie told me you have been absent… Did something happen?”

“Actually, yes. Do you remember Akiko? She was in our wedding.”

“Humm... I am not that good with these things… What about them?”

“As things turned out, her daughter Hikari became the baroness Meerwasser.”

“Hum… I have heard that name before… Meerwasser… Meerwasser… SHIT! SHORIA?!?”

“Yes, Shoria…”

He laughs on the other side. A lot.

“You have a talent, my friend!” He laughs some more.

When he is done laughing, I keep going.

“She just gave birth to her deceased husband’s son. We need some help navigating the protocols…”

“Oh! I am sorry to inform you, friend, but we don’t have jurisdiction… I mean –“

“Don’t worry. Cecilia was suggesting that Addrianna could help us navigate the situation. It is somewhat messy… Do you think she could help us?”

“Hum… If someone could, it is her. She hates the court, but that actually made her study the laws, both said and silent.” He laughs a little more. “Just a second!”

There is some noise on the background. After some moments, we hear from the Comm Gem.

“Honey?” Edward’s voice comes out.

“Yes, dear?” A short pause. “This early? The kids are still awake…”

“No-eh-“ He sighs.

We are stifling our laughs on this side of the Comm Gem.

“Do you remember a woman in Marcelo’s wedding? She was called Akiko?”

“Yes! How could you forget anything about the event? She had a very unusual name. She mentioned she had a daughter. Due to the whole mess, I ended up not writing her daughter’s name down.”

“Hikari.”

“Yes! Hikari. What about them?”

“Well, I have here a Comm Gem, our friend Marcelo is on the other side…”

“Hi Addrianna!” Cecilia shouts.

There is a moment of silence. Then, muffled voices.

“Next time, dear, start with that…”

“Ouchououch!”

Her voice then comes clear through the Comm Gem.

“Good evening, lady Cecilia! How are you?”

“I am well. I am sorry for this being the first contact in a while… You know how we keep busy with school and stuff…”

“Oh, please! You have been there when I needed! That is the most important! What can I do for you?”

Cecilia explains her the situation.

“Hum… The situation is a lot more complicated than it looks at first glance. I could have some pull if the Holy Kingdom wasn’t, you know, in a civil war… The bishops outside the Holy Kingdom are now local popes. They don’t answer to anyone.

“And dealing with those guys… If you don’t like dealing with nobles, it is just because you never dealt with church bishops or above.”

I am trying to imagine just how insufferable those guys can be. After a minute or so of silence, Addrianna continues.

“Let me try a couple of options tomorrow…”

After that, we say our goodbyes, and me and the day shift retire for the night.

Next morning, while we are having our picknick breakfast, Edward’s Comm Gem vibrates. I answer it.

“Good morning, friend!”

“Good morning, Edward. How are things there?”

“Oh, everything is well. Here, I am passing the Comm Gem to Addrianna.”

“Good morning!”

The dragonesses let out a cordial acknowledgement, they have their mouths full. Cecilia is the one to represent everyone.

“Good morning, lady Addrianna. Did you come up with a plan?”

“Hi, lady Cecilia. I have been thinking… The church of Wrax, among humans, is still too small, and too spread out. It doesn’t have a central organization. But according to some talks with Dávrin and Dyrgja, there is a group that started one among the dwarves. They have even started using Sidhu’s scriptures as their own.

“The advantage of using the dwarven church is that it’s size and importance cannot be argued. First, no one knows how big or small it is, how old or new. Second, no king on the land would risk displeasing the dwarves. They were important before, because of their metal work, but now that their merchants have the routes and elven wares for sale…

 “Now, I am thinking that I should go there visit. That would have a lot of weight. Is there any possibility of using that portal magic you use?”

“Sure. That is the easy part.” I say.

“I appreciate that.” Addrianna continues. “I am going to bring Caius and Sophia with me. Would there be room for us?”

“Of course, my lady. You are more than welcome. We appreciate.” Hikari says.

“With that said, sir Marcelo, I would like to use some people from your household, so as to not expose your secrets to mine.”

“Hum. That works. It looks like you have everything figured out. When do you want to come?”

“Tomorrow would work. We have to prepare for the trip. We can take our carriage, we are going to need four of your soldiers, a coach driver and another 4 maids. Two of them are going to stay with me, one with Sophia and one with Caius. Tomorrow after breakfast I will pick them up in front of you mansion. How does that sound?”

“It sounds great to me.”

“Ok. I am going to contact Dyrgja, she is good on helping organize those things on the side of the dwarves. I am guessing that they can just pop up on the day of the ceremony.”

“Thank you very much, your grace Addrianna.” Akiko says.

“Don’t mention it. You have even taken care of my children in the past. Sophia talked a lot about the story telling auntie.”

We all laugh. It has been already some months since the wedding, I wonder if Sophia really remembers that among everything else that happened that day. It was a painful page in her story.

We say our goodbyes, and we go our ways. After the breakfast, I bring the food cart back to our mansion. I call for Rudolph.

“Did you call, lord?”

“Hi Rudolph. Yes, I need a favor.”

He doesn’t answer, I continue.

“Tomorrow her grace Addrianna is going to travel. We are going to provide the people to assist her. She is going to need 4 guards, one person to drive the carriage, and 4 maids.”

“Of course, lord. May I ask why? That can help me select the people more efficiently.”

“They are going to travel by carriage until the outside of town. After some time on the road, I am going to open a portal. We don’t want to expose that to her people.”

“Of course, lord. That will be arranged.”

“Thank you.”

Rudolph bows. I portal back to Shoria, I go to my meditation. Akiko and Hikari’s spirits are really high. Akiko goes into the house, to get the rooms prepared for the noble visitors.  The girls switch shift. The day goes by without any further surprises.

The next day, after breakfast, Huginn raises her head.

“Papa, Addrianna is already far enough from the city. It is time to open the portal. Do you want me to take care of it?”

“I appreciate, thanks.”

Huginn opens a portal and is gone. Akiko and Hikari stand up. We all move to the living room, except for Akiko. She personally was inspecting the rooms to be used by Addrianna and the kids.

There was some electricity among the maids. Hosting a duchess apparently already raised Hikari’s position. At least among her own household. Some of them were still skeptic if that was really going to happen.

The girls are talking about having another woman to walk around with in Shoria. It is fun to see that the girls are evolving their girlie tastes, even if just a little.

After what seems like the best part of an hour, Hikari’s butler approach.

“Madam, guests have arrived. Her grace, duchess of Stormwatch is arriving.”

We all go to the front door to receive the family.

“Your grace!” Hikari and Akiko do a courtesy. Sophia on one side, Caius on the other. Sophia is wearing her armor. Rebirth, as always, on her shoulder.

I bow to Addrianna.

“Your grace!”

The guards, maids and the gardener that is driving the carriage bow their heads to us. We nod at them.

The girls and Addrianna’s group all move inside. The maids have already prepared some tea. A helper from Hikari’s estate lead them to the back, to store the carriage and allow the horses to rest. Between one sip of tea, I take a look at Sophia. She is with Caius, Muninn, Huginn and Rebirth.

“Are you guys facing some danger? Sophia is wearing her armor…”

Addrianna laughs.

“She enjoys wearing that more than anything else. Taking it away for washing is the problem. Her nanny says that her armor at this already has her mannerisms, and soon will be able to climb a tree by itself. As for me, I am happy she is wearing that. I mean, something happening to her is just that much harder.”

We all laugh.

After tea, they go to their room, to wash up. After that, the family go outside, to enjoy Shoria a little bit. Cecilia and Hikari go with them. It would also be a good exercise for Hikari. Even though she had given birth recently, healing magic really does play wonders.

I go back into my training. The night shift gets their rest as well.

The next few days go by without any surprises. I practice my superposition day after day. Akiko tells tales to a living room with other people. The kids’ eyes shine with stories of princesses, gods both good and bad, monsters and heros.

And she knows a lot of those stories.

The few days go by lazily, until the big day arrives. The mansion is electric, the maids are running up and down, doing the preparations. The gardens are being decorated. The guards are all polishing their armors and weapons. The kitchen is doing a preparation on the food so that they can receive the other nobles.

After breakfast, Dávrin’s Comm Gem vibrates. I answer it.

“Good morning, friend! How are you?”

“Good morning Dávrin. We are all well. How are you?”

“We are doing very well. Are you calmer now?”

“Calmer? What do you mean?”

“The whole Holy Kingdom thing.”

I laugh.

“I didn’t even have the chance to get angry. Muninn and Huginn are the ones that are taking care of that. I didn’t even lift a finger.”

“Good to know, good to know… Anyway, we are ready on our side. We are in the main square.”

“Who is coming?”

“Well, Dyrgja is saying that since lady Addrianna is there, she is going to join her. She is bringing Dalvina as well.”

“Are you guys on foot? If I need to open a portal, it may not be at the city gates.”

“Don’t worry, everyone is mounted.”

I feel a movement close to me. It is Huginn. I nod at her. She opens a portal and jumps through it. After some minutes, she is back.

I don’t really have anything to do, I go into my training. I can sense now all the fuss around me, all the energy and excitement. There is a pride that did not exist before. The household is excited.

Even the streets outside the mansion, and all around are buzzing with a lot of people. People have a smile on their faces, it feels like a festival.

Then I feel the people starting to open way on the main streets towards the mansion. There is an air of majesty, people open the way and just stay there, frozen.

Sudenly it reaches my current probability horizon, it comes into “view”. Something huge. It is not pulled by horses or some monster akin to horses, but by two giant moles. They are actually squeezing to fit the main road. Their nose tentacles touching everything in front of them.

They are carrying this huge, shiny carriage. No, carriage is not the term to describe it. If we compare carriages to cars, this would be a full blown bus. That is very short of describing it, though. It is an armored construction on wheels. But everything about this is a work of art.

On the top, in the four corners, there are four balistas that are shaped as dragon mouths. Manning them are four dwarves watching everything around. They have shiny armors, and they are carrying huge axes on their backs. They don’t have malice in their expression, just a serious expression that they are not to be messed with.

There is this dragon motif on the whole carriage. Each corner would be a dragon. And several corners and indents created by the work of art are set with traps and attack contraptions. Most of them impossible to see.

Dragon spikes that seem ornamental, but can be shot. More than one floor, I can sense several warriors inside, as well as a group of people that I have been close before.

The whole thing will not fit through Hikari’s gate. It stops on the street, just outside the house. A loud trumpet sounds, and a side of the carriage creates this very inclined ramp. Dwarves from a second floor jump on it, instead of sliding down. They bounce once, and land on the ground. Axes on their back, spears on their hands. The make two lines of 10 dwarves each, to the side of the ramp.

The ramp goes lower, reaching a first floor.  The guards should be coming over to the mansion to announce the group, but they are frozen in place. They are flabbergasted with the demonstration. Once the ramp goes all the way down, it reveals a chamber in the first floor. Out comes Dávrin, Dyrgja and Dalvina. After them are Brokkr and Ildra. And after them there is a dwarf that I don’t know. He is carrying a staff with a gem on top.

There is now a crowd gathered on the street. They are trying to see what is going on, but they are kept away by the dwarven security.

The distinguished guests leave the ramp, already inside Hikari’s estate. Everyone bows. Hikari is the first one to speak.

“Good morning, your highness! It is an honor having you as my guest.”

“Good morning, your ladyship! It is an honor to atest to your child’s birth.”

“Why don’t we go inside, and out of this sun?”

“Thank you, we truly appreciate it.”

The group is guided by the woman inside. The soldiers follow Dávrin, but they stay outside. The ramp on the side of the vehicle starts closing. The end result is seamless, there is no saying where the ramp was.

The group reaches the house and go to the ballroom.

“Master Marcelo! I see you are finally well dressed!” Brokkr shouts when he sees me. The girls and I ended up opting to use the armors. We ended up succumbing to Ruby’s pleas.

“Your majesties. Master Brokkr, Ildra! Welcome.”

Brokkr comes straight to me as I am getting on the bottom floor, and we shake hands.

“How are you?”

“Oh, everything is going well. The new economy we are having is slowly but surely spoiling us.”

I look behind Brokkr, the dwarf with the staff is standing behind him.

“By the breaker of chains! Breaker of chains!”

He is about to throw himself on the floor, when I hold his shoulder. He looks at me with an inquisitive face. I whisper to him.

“For this people I am just an adventurer, and I prefer it that way.”

He stares at me, not really knowing what to answer. Brokkr and I go over to Dávrin and his family. They are talking to Addrianna and the girls, about their mobile fortress. That’s the name of the vehicle that Dávrin came in. I join the circle.

“… impressive.” Addrianna finishes a sentence.

“I am sorry, what?”

“Oh, his highness was telling me that since it is made only of mithril and adamantite, it doesn’t rust at all.”

I smile.

“Do you ever plan using that on the surface?” I ask Dávrin.

“Mostly for ceremonies, like this, or some cheaper models for merchants. You know, fighting bandits.”

“For the fighting bandits, there is one thing that might work. You could place some flat mirrors by the ballistae. On the surface, on a clear day, you could temporarily blind an enemy… And then there is something that you could do to the wheels… I don’t know how comfortable it is, but some plants bleed a sap that, if you mix with sulfur, will provide you a soft material. That would increase on the comfort side.”

 “Do you know which tree?” Ildra asks.

“I don’t, but your business partners might… You know, plant related…”

Ildra is looking up to the left. I think I saw the glimpse of gold coins in her eyes, but after a moment they are gone.

“My, my, I am going to tell my husband on you, we are also going to want ideas…”

Cecilia shakes her head.

“Don’t let the teachers in the academy know. He already drove three of them mad.”

We all laugh. Cecilia keeps herself kind of serious.

“Hey, Ambrose literally tried to kill the kid that erased the purmice board.” And then she laughs.

The maids are walking the floor, providing drinks for everyone. They serve us.

“Why was that?” Ildra asks.

“Well, our friend here had written some math on the thing, while he explained some stuff to this professor, called Ambrose. The professor left the room to get colleagues to look at the formulas, and by the time he was back, the board was erased… Rumor is he went berserk and needed several knights holding him.

“Rumor has it that now Ambrose has to hire his own earth mage to erase the pumice boards.”

I shrug.

Everyone laughs. Loud.

The maids circulate some finger food. Just like everything in this land, the event is slow, it is supposed to take almost the whole day. Sophia and Caius come down to the living room. Caius is wearing some fancy clothing, while Sophia is wearing her armor, Rebirth on her shoulder.

Meanwhile, some dwarves are carrying stuff inside the door, in the background. Some slabs of stone, they start assembling an altar inside the ballroom.

Brokkr sees Sophia approaching the group.

“Hello, brave one. How are you?”

“We are both doing well, uncle.”

“Oh, I was talking about you.”

“Uncle, you said brave one. That applies to Rebirth as well, right?”

Ildra laughs, slapping Brokkr’s shoulder.

“I really like this kid!”

Brokkr circles around Sophia, while he fixes his beard with his hand. Without loosing focus, he says to Dalvina.

“Niece, she is outgrowing your armor.”

I can’t help but have some fun with the situation.

“Sophia, do you know who this uncle is?”

She looks at me and shakes her head. I continue.

“He is the one that made that armor… Right?”

I look at Dalvina, she nods, her beard shaking with her head.

I am amazed on how kids can understand some hints. I keep on smiling. With some malice, I whisper in her ear.

“And that one there is his wife… Do you know how your father does what your mother asks…?”

Her eyes sparkle with the idea. She pulls out a puppy face, with round shiny eyes, staring at Ildra. She approaches Ildra like a predator with puppy eyes.

Dávrin starts laughing and slaps me on the shoulder.

“That was evil!”

He keeps on laughing. Addrianna is embarrassed. I feel like she is looking for a rock to hide under it. Caius approaches Ildra, he does a risky maneuver.

“Aunty with the pretty beard, could we get one for me too?”

Addrianna is pinching her two kids, but they endure. Their eyes water from the pain, and that just adds to the puppy face.

The whole room is looking at Dávrin, that is now laughing at full lungs. Ildra looks at Brokkr. After a short moment, he grunts.

“FINE! I WILL THINK ABOUT IT!” He grabs his bag of holding, and hands a striped rope to Ildra. “Here, go take the girl’s measurements since you want this so much.”

He turns to Caius.

“You, boy, with me.” He turns to Hikary. “Do you have a room I could use to take his measurements?”

“Sure, just a minute.” She answers. She gestures to a maid that approaches. “Take them to a guest room each.”

The group of four go up the stairs, after the maid. It takes some time for Dávrin, Dyrgja and Dalvina to stop laughing.

The priest, that was overseeing the altar preparation, approaches us. He wants to say something, Hikari gestures him to approach.

“Milady, I assume you’re the mother, right?”

“Yes.”

“Who are the godparents?”

“Godparents? What is that?”

“Oh! You see, our most wise god protects the orphans. The godparents are preferably a couple, that will take on the task of raising the kid in your absence.”

“I never heard about that practice…” Hikari mentions. She looks at Akiko. Both of them look at me, with puppy eyes. I raise my hands.

“I don’t mind, but you have to convince my wives…” When I look around, while saying the word wives, I notice the girls are staring at me, star in their eyes.

“Ok… Fine… I am honored.”