AR10 Ch12

Chapter Twelve

The walk down the road was pleasant… for the most part. Shock, surprise, and some hard looks from the Kroggians going into the city accounted for nearly every expression they saw. None of the family were upset about it. After all, seeing seven magi walking down the road was unusual in the extreme. Seven magi shortly after a war that had seen the empire lose was even odder. If not for Ragnar and Verka chatting with them while they strolled away from the city, it might’ve caused confrontations with some of the hotheads.

Midday saw them pause in a town to have a meal. The tavern Ragnar took them to was busy, but everything stopped when the customers realized that magi had entered the building. “Peace,” Ragnar said. “These are honorable magi who fought in the arena during the solstice.”

“And on their way to meet our family,” Verka added.

“What? Why?” someone asked in confusion.

Ragnar slapped Gregory’s back, staggering him a step. “Gregory Pettit is going to be marrying my sister. If he can hold to tradition, that is.”

Gregory rolled his shoulder, which stung from the slap. “I’ll hold to the traditions that Verka wants to have in the wedding.”

The tavern was abuzz with conversation at those declarations. The people who’d had the largest table made way for Ragnar, and another table was pulled over so the nine of them could all sit together. Due to the commotion, the proprietor came out to see what was happening. Seeing Ragnar and Verka, he greeted them— the siblings always paused at his place for a meal on the way to or from their home. He wasn’t expecting seven magi to be sitting with them, but promised his best for the table.

“Magi shouldn’t be involved in war,” a random voice cut through the conversations.

Clover looked in the direction of the speaker, but couldn’t pinpoint them. “I’ve never been in a fight that wasn’t a spar. Neither have Ling, Roshana, or Mindie. Not all magi want to be in battle.”

The room quieted, staring at her, shocked that the magi with clear squirrel eurtik heritage was the one who’d spoken up.

“I hope I never even have to draw my weapon to defend myself, much less to attack someone,” Clover went on. “I’d be hopeless in a pitched battle. Luckily, my clan understands this and does their best to keep those with unsuitable magic from those situations. Your sentiment reflects your history and beliefs, and I respect those, but can you respect ours, too?”

Verka reached over to touch Clover’s back to take the lead, “Our friends and soon-to-be family are from Aether’s Guard. Even when their magi end up in battle with our nation, they’ve chosen honorable duels when they can instead of full battle.”

“But we are part of the empire,” Yukiko said, aware of the extra eyes on them. “If we are ordered by the clan or the emperor to fight, it is our duty. We’ll do our best to see ourselves and our men through it as safely as possible. You wouldn’t ask your guards to stand aside when attacked, would you? Why would you ask us to if you come to attack us?”

“Peace,” Ragnar said, raising a hand to make sure the Kroggians didn’t start responding to her. “Even we believe that defense of self and others is allowed for aether users. The words of Krog are clear: he opposed those who deliberately went to war, not the blessed who defended home and hearth. These magi, my friends, have never attacked us. One day, they might be ordered to, and if they are, I will weep when I have to face them on the field. I fear we’ve let our hatred of magi at war cloud all our views on magi. Instead of condemning those who sit with me, you’d find your views opened to new ideas if you talked with them, instead. Open discussions of respect, not verbal spars to try proving them wrong.”

“We’d welcome that,” Mindie said. “I’m a healer, and all I care for is helping others. If anyone here needs some help, I will gladly do so. The calling of my soul has always been to heal those who need help.”

“So many of you have eurtik heritage… why stay in the empire?”

“Our homes are there, and our families and friends,” Roshana said. “Would you just leave your home because others ask you to?”

The conversation turned to talk of living in the empire and how it wasn’t that different from living in Krogga. Ling did agree with the few full eurtik who were quick to point out the slave laws. “Not all magi agree with them,” Ling said, knowing that her words would no doubt cause problems for the family and clan later. “Even if I personally disagree with those laws, what can I, one single magus, do? If enough magi eventually disagree, then we can look to see the laws changed, but that isn’t today or tomorrow. I personally hope that when Aether returns, he will see them quickly overturned. That’s one of the reasons I am in Aether’s Guard. We stand ready to be his shield when he returns to us, as not everyone will welcome him back.”

“I dislike the laws, too,” Clover said, quick to direct the conversation away from Aether being attacked. “Hate them, in fact. As my wife says, I wait for Aether.”

“Ivarson, is that the magi you fought for the final fight?” a woman’s voice asked before the conversation could continue.

“Gregory Pettit gave me one of my finest duels in years during the festival. He showed me a warrior’s heart and honor that Krog would embrace,” Ragnar said. “His wife, Jenn,” he pointed to her, “also showed me grit and honor. These magi are not your enemies… not today, and hopefully not ever.”

The owner came bustling out with heaping plates for the table, interrupting the conversation. The crowd let the magi and the siblings eat in peace, but everyone was talking about what had been discussed.

~~~

When they left the tavern, a few wished them well, but most just watched them leave. The conversation as they left the town was light, none of them wanting to rehash what’d happened in the tavern. Yukiko was especially quiet as she made notes about how to help Ling and Clover later. Their public declarations about hating the slave laws were a hard stance to take for a magi— she was sure some of their enemies would use it to hurt their family and clan.

The sun was setting when they reached a farm. It wasn’t a massive place, but a small family farm that two or three people could keep up with. Ragnar laughed before his feet suddenly blazed blue and he rushed ahead of them.

Verka laughed as she watched him go. “He always rushes ahead to see them, but he’ll let them know we are here.”

“He just loves his family,” Roshana said.

“It’s sweet,” Clover added.

“It is,” Verka agreed.

“I’m glad we didn’t have any problems on the road,” Jenn said. “I was concerned at the tavern.”

“If not for Verka and Ragnar, it might’ve gone worse,” Yukiko said. “I doubt our arguments were as impactful as them sitting with us.”

“Agreed,” Ling said. “I shouldn’t have said what I did during the conversation. Will it cause problems, Yuki?”

“Some, but we’ll handle it. Mostly, it’ll be used to tarnish the family and clan. I’ll make sure Rudit knows so she can warn Dia and Bishop.”

“You weren’t wrong to say that,” Gregory said softly. “Our feelings will be known in time, regardless. We’ll deal with whatever the others want to throw at us.”

“How I wish you’d just stay in Krogga…” Verka sighed. “I know you won’t, but I still wish you would.”

Mindie took Verka’s hand. “And we wish you’d consider coming with us to the empire.”

“We have a few years to talk the topic over,” Yukiko said. “But for now, we have parents to meet.”

Ragnar came back out of the home with two others. Both of them were tall, broad, and muscular. Moha, Verka’s mother, looked to be a slightly older version of Verka. They both stood a half-foot over six feet tall and had their antlers thrusting farther into the air. The major difference was Moha’s hair was chestnut brown, not red like Verka’s. Ivar stood with his hand on Ragnar’s shoulder, speaking softly to his son as he looked at the group coming their way. Being the same height as his wife, he was shorter than his son. Ivar was also broad across the chest, but fell short of his imposing offspring. His red hair was tied back to stay out of his way, but he made it clear where the siblings got their hair color from. Ivar reminded Gregory of his old friend’s father, Gunthar, as the two men had remarkably similar physiques.

“Mother, Father, let me introduce the Pettits,” Verka smiled before going through the family one by one. “Pettits, my mother and father, Moha Breedottir and Ivar Hartoson.”

“We are honored to be allowed into your home,” Yukiko led the way for them. “Please accept these gifts from our family to yours.”

Clover stepped up with the jar of ointment in her hands. “For your horns.”

“And to always keep your home bright with love,” Ling said, coming forward with the enchanted light.

Moha stayed still for a moment before a wide smile split her face. “Wonderful gifts! Please, come inside. It’s nearly time for dinner.” She accepted both gifts before leading the way inside.

Gregory let his wife go first, as he’d seen the small motion from Ragnar to hold back. When it was just the three men on the porch, he saluted Ivar as a Kroggian. “An honor, sir.”

Ivar saluted Gregory back. “Never thought I’d see the day when a magi, much less seven of them, came to my door.”

“None of us ever thought we’d come to Krogga, much less to meet the family of a wife-to-be.”

“We have a little bit of time,” Rangar grinned. “How about a quick spar, Greg?”

Gregory’s eyebrows went up at the request. He hadn’t expected it right then, but it also made sense. Krogga respected strength, and the best way to show Ivar that his family was good for his daughter was by proving he was strong enough to protect her. “Very well. Will it be okay to use aether here? I don’t want to damage anything.”

“We’ll stay in the front. The crops out back should be fine,” Ragnar chuckled as his training axe came to hand.

“A spar?” Jenn asked. She’d stepped outside, as she’d noticed Gregory hadn’t followed them in. “Hang on.” She stepped back inside. “Mindie, Verka, they’re going to spar.”

“Of course, he asked right now.” Verka’s sigh was audible through the open door.

Everyone came back outside, including Moha, who wiped her hands on a cloth. “Ragnar, you’d better not make dinner late just to indulge your wish to fight.”

“I won’t,” Ragnar said, coughing as he looked away from his mother. “This is to show Gregory’s strength, not for me.”

Ivar laughed. “Not just for you, you mean?”

“He proved his strength during the solstice, Brother,” Verka sighed in exasperation. “Mindie and I will heal you both when it’s over.”

Gregory had his haori into his ring before he stepped out into the open yard. “I’ll need it.”

“We both might,” Ragnar said with a glance at his mother. “Sorry, Greg, but I have to make this quick.”

“Best luck with that,” Gregory chuckled as he opened foresight. “I wonder how much trouble you’ll be in if dinner is delayed…?”

Ragnar’s eye twitched. “You’re planning to draw this out, aren’t you?”

Gregory just got into his defensive stance. “Me? I didn’t issue the challenge, so don’t go blaming me.”