Chapter 36

  Crisp sunshine and a pleasant breeze made it the perfect day for having tea in the gardens. An elegant gazebo by a pond, surrounded by the lush vibrant greens of late spring made for a picturesque setting.

  In the tranquility of birdsong and pristine landscaping, Sabina hosted the Croft ladies. The absent Samuel Croft was attending a separate meeting with the Duke.

  “That is impressive, Miss Croft,” Sabina praised upon discussing Gwen’s achievements at wizardry. “Proficiency in advanced spells so early is no small accomplishment.”

  Wizards were most commonly evaluated on two scales. The first was spell proficiency.

  Spells were categorized depending upon their complexity and base aether requirements. They went along the ascending ranks of novice, apprentice, adept and expert. Further along came the ranks of scholar and pioneer, but these tended more towards specialist and academic pursuits.

  The same ranks applied to wizards in terms of their spellcraft. A novice wizard would start his training with novice spells, while an apprentice wizard would be capable of performing apprentice spells. Each ascending rank came after achieving a level of mastery in the previous rank and with the ability to perform multiple spells of higher difficulty of said rank.

  The second evaluation of a wizard was the size of their aether wells. This flatly represented how much aether a wizard could cultivate towards spells.

  Tiers came to represent such a measurement. A tier one wizard could perform ten novice spells before running out of aether. A tier two wizard could perform ten intermediate spells and so on.

  While widely accepted, both the rank and tier of wizards proved to be an outdated and crude assessment of their capabilities. For instance, certain novice spells were more complex than intermediate spells, but took less aether to activate and vice versa. Wizards were also more inclined towards certain mediums and thus performed better with spells more attuned to their aether wells.

  With neither of the values being absolute estimates, the ranks and tiers assigned were more akin to academic accolades than anything else.

  And while a universal measurement for aether had long been a goal for many a researcher and scholar, so far none had agreed on a metric that replaced the medieval custom of ranks and tiers for wizards.

  “Talent is wasted without dedication and hard work,” Sabina complimented Gwen before turning to Eleanor. “You must be very proud of your daughter.”

  Eleanor had to try her hardest not to seem too eager for Sabina’s praise. “Thank you, Your Grace. Gwen is our pride and joy.”

  Sabina gave them a smile of melancholy. “You remind of my eldest.”

  The smiles cracked on both of the Croft ladies.

  “Please, do not take offence,” Sabina urged kindly. “I see you, Eleanor, and it is like looking into a mirror.”

  Eleanor and Gwen remained wary with the topic of conversation.

  “You remind me of myself when Reginald was a child,” Sabina elaborated. “A new mother, with your first born awakening to be a wizard. Similar, wouldn’t you agree?”

  Eleanor exhaled in relief and smiled. “You are too kind,” she deflected.

  “Not at all, Eleanor,” Sabina insisted. “Motherhood is a challenge unto itself. Being a parent to a wizard only adds to its trials. Especially for those without relatives amongst the aether blessed to share their experience and wisdom. I commend you and Mister Croft all the more for it. It is no small feat being good parents to raising a thriving daughter of a wizard.”

  Eleanor was blushing like a teenager caught fooling with her beau. “Thank you, Your Grace,” she said with her most heartfelt appreciation.

  “You should be proud, Eleanor,” Sabina reiterated. She glanced to Gwen and seem to take her measure. “You, however, child, have fallen folly to what plagues all wizards.”

  Gwen and Eleanor were both jolted by Sabina’s abrupt judgement.

  “I do not say so as a criticism, merely an observation. And do not be so alarmed,” Sabina mollified. “I merely refer to the immaturity of wizards.”

  Gwen did not take kindly to the reprimand and looked to her mother for support. Only to find that rather than a staunch advocate for her defense, Eleanor had become guarded and was giving her a look that clearly meant ‘what have you done this time?’.

  “It is not a fault in the person, but the method,” Sabina explained, ignoring the Crofts’ byplay. “Wizards experience the most explosive growth by the age of thirty before plateauing. And thus, we compel all children to single mindedly focus on wizardry when they awaken as wizards. Everything else goes by the wayside.

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  “And it is justified,” Sabina insisted. “What are a few years of adolescence sacrificed in the pursuit of power and knowledge? For prolonging the lives of our children with the promise of prosperity?

  “It is what any parent would do,” Sabina shared with Eleanor in sympathy.

  “Unfortunately, we treat them like children, and so they remain children. So focused and driven are our young wizards in learning spells and cultivating their wells that they do not grow as people. Not only do they age slower, they mature slower for it.”

  Sabina paused for a confectionary bite and a sip of tea, giving her guests the time to reflect and take the sting out of her words.

  “Knowledge is no substitute for experience and wisdom. Roses grown in greenhouses never have the vitality of wild roses.

  “It was the same with Reginald. Even at thirty, my son was woefully lacking in worldliness compared to others his age. He was closer to a teenager when men his actual age had been earning a living for more than a decade and going on to become family men.

  “It is why aether blessed are advised to marry much later than the norm. In their forties at the earliest. History shows that conventional relationships do not last the test of time for the long-lived.

  “You only have to look at myself to see the truth of it,” Sabina motioned a hand at herself. “Do you agree?” she asked Eleanor abruptly. “I would like to know your thoughts.”

  Put on the spot, Eleanor took a chance to keep the Duchess waiting. She had to be careful here. Sabina was leading them towards something. She had an agenda.

  Eleanor’s intuition had her on the defensive and her first instinct was to limit the damage. She worked her mind to think of anything that might have led Sabina on this tangent, but was coming up blank on the spot.

  How she wished Gwen would use her telepathy spell to speak to her in her mind. But it would be the height of rudeness in front of the Duchess and they couldn’t take the chance for risk of discovery.

  “Your Grace, how could I not but agree,” Eleanor finagled the most disarming reply.

  Sabina gave her a nod of understanding before turning her attention to her daughter. “And you, Miss Croft? Is it unfair to include you in the folly of wizards?”

  “Yes,” Gwen answered promptly.

  Eleanor’s head snapped to her daughter. “Why Gwen?” she screamed internally. Her daughter had put her head in the noose.

  “Apologies. I meant no offense,” Sabina uttered.

  Hearing Sabina’s apology, Eleanor’s blood pressure spiked and she reached out to grab her daughter’s hand to salvage what she could. Before she could get a word in, her daughter tightened the noose around her own neck.

  Gwen nodded to the Duchess of Faymoren, accepting Sabina Ashworth’s apology. Eleanor looked to her daughter and wondered why her child had taken leave of her senses.

  Sabina’s words about the folly of wizards rang truer than ever. Eleanor looked to the Duchess to defuse the situation and apologize on her daughter’s behalf.

  Sabina didn’t give Eleanor the chance.

  “So, if it was not immaturity, then what was it that had you making advances towards one of ‘my’ subordinates, in ‘my’ house, as ‘my’ son stood by your side?”

  All the color left Eleanor’s face. “Surely she didn’t!” she prayed and looked to Gwen in hope. One look at her daughter’s face and the world knew that Gwen was guilty.

  An imperious Sabina looked on, an executioner facing the condemned. “Where is your boldness now, Miss Croft?’ she asked in a voice devoid of emotion.

  “Forgiveness, Your Grace,” Eleanor managed to plead, curtsying before Sabina. She dragged over Gwen to kneel by her side who had gone mute.

  “Children are to be forgiven,” Sabina spoke to Eleanor. “But your daughter claims not to be a child. Isn’t that so, Miss Croft?”

  Eleanor discarded decorum and hissed at her daughter, “Gwen, apologize!”

  Shivering in humiliation, Gwen bowed lower and whispered, “I ask your forgiveness, Your Grace.”

  “Has my son caused you any grief?” Sabina asked instead. “Has he been anything less than a gentleman to merit such discourtesy?”

  “No, Your Grace,” Eleanor quickly replied. “We are in the wrong,” she appeased.

  “Rise, both of you,” Sabina decreed. Both the Crofts noted that she hadn’t given them her forgiveness. “Sit,” Sabina ordered.

  The beautiful spring day in the gazebo had all but evaporated. The Crofts felt like they were standing in court on trial.

  “I had hoped that rumors of your promiscuous nature were exaggerated. I stand corrected,” spoke Sabina and stopped Eleanor from speaking. “Stop apologizing, Eleanor. You are not the only parent to overlook the faults of their child.

  “Your daughter, for all intents and purposes, is a driven and hardworking woman. It is not difficult for me to see that you have given her a little leeway and allowed her her one vice. It is more common than you might imagine,” Sabina confided. “Encouraged even for disillusioned wizards to have hobbies and indulgences to work off their fatigue.”

  Sabina looked to the two women across from her and found herself tired by their very presence.

  “The agreement is quite clear. Except for playing the part of Hektor’s fiancé, Miss Croft would not be beholden to either Hektor or myself.

  “And she fails spectacularly at the first hurdle when there wasn’t an obstacle to begin with. Not the most impressive showing of tact, common sense and decency, I should say,” condemned Sabina, each word a lashing to Gwen’s pride.

  “I am not amused. Though Hektor seems to care for it even less. He didn’t even bother telling me about it.

  “No. Miss Croft was blatant enough to have the castle staff report on her bad habits,” Sabina taunted.

  Gwen face and neck were flushed and almost as red as her hair.

  Sabina shook her head in resignation. “I tire of this,” she declared with a weariness. “Eleanor, Miss Croft, I cannot bring myself to care. You have given me no reason to trust you,” she said to Gwen. “Nor is it my concern how or if you discipline your daughter,” she spoke to Eleanor.

  “However, in upholding my duty I am of a mind to put this unpleasantness behind us.

  “Miss Croft remains a juvenile and I can overlook her mistakes due to her circumstances. For now,” Sabina stressed that her patience had its limits. “She will learn in due time and I am willing to give her a chance.

  “What I will not forgive, is the slight to my son. He is the only one innocent in this alliance and I will not have him mocked,” Sabina decreed. “Do what you want. But should your actions harm my son, you will answer to me. Is that understood?”

  Sabina’s calm and composed demeanor somehow made her all the more terrifying in that moment. The Croft ladies were utterly intimidated, convinced that Sabina would deliver on her threat.

  “Your will, Your Grace,” Eleanor said with a seated bow, about as much as she could say. Gwen mumbled the same after her.