of my absence, you will aid whoever I assign as my steward as you would myself. Is there a problem with that?”
“Aren’t you afraid that I will act in a manner that will be in the best interest of the tower?” Elyse asked, earning a surprised cough from Bren.
“I must admit, the idea had crossed my mind more than a little, but no matter who I chose the outcome would be the same. Still, I must make the best of what I have available so I will listen to your advice, but that doesn’t mean that I will abide by it, and should I find that you are working against the best interest of my people, I will relieve you of your post and have you replaced.”
“Good, I am glad to have that out in the open,” Elyse said, her contempt still thick in her voice. “I don’t like the idea of moving around in the dark. I prefer being straight forward in my actions, so I will tell you this. My job is to make sure that you are not planning anything that would be harmful to the tower. If I find that you are, I am supposed to dissuade you in any manner I can. If that is not possible, then I am to report it to the tower. Other than that, I have been ordered to keep all else private as the masters are worried that if you think I am a spy, you will release me of my duty and refuse to take on another advisor. I have taken an oath on this and I will carry it through to the best of my ability.”
Unable to control himself, Bren started laughing. He tried to stop, but he couldn’t until tears started rolling from his eyes. “Do you find something funny?” Elyse said angrily.
“I just never expected you to be so open about it. I just found it funny that I chose the perfect candidate. I am sure that none of the other five would have told me what they were planning to do.”
“I could be lying,” Elyse said, blushing slightly.
“People who have the fire element might be a lot of things, but liars are not one of them. No, when you make a pledge you mean it. Now, if you don’t mind, could you look over those papers and give me your opinion on my plans for the first planting.”
The rest of the night went along quietly with Elyse reading through different documents and giving her advice. She was not very knowledgeable on farming, but she had a keen knowledge of numbers and was good at picking out patterns that escaped Bren’s notice.
That night as Bren settled into bed, he smiled brightly, knowing that he while he might not have made the best choice, he could be confident in the one he had. It was a rare thing when things worked out in a favorable manner when someone was working for an unknown position, but at least this once it had gone well.
*****************************
He is his mother’s son,” Humanius said, laughing as he watched Bren talk to the young mage who had become his official advisor. “At least he doesn’t let everyone walk all over him.”
“I didn’t let everyone walk all over me,” Thad said defensively.
“You could have fooled me,” Humanius said with a smirk. “You forget, I took a good interest in you during your younger days. It always surprised me how you let the women in your life lead you around like a pet.”
Thad turned his attention back to his son and tried to ignore the god’s comments. After spending a lifetime with Thuraman, Thad knew when he was getting baited and refused to fall into the god’s trap. It was true that he had not always exerted himself when he had to deal with the women in his life, but that by no means meant he was nothing but their well-trained pet. Though a part of him was glad that his son seemed to have a much stronger will when dealing with people of the opposite sex. As soon as those thoughts crossed his mind he heard a smug laugh come from Humanius and for a brief moment was sure that the god was listening to his thoughts.
CHAPTER VII
The rest of the winter moved along without much of an event, and before Bren knew it, the snows had begun to melt. The
“Aren’t you afraid that I will act in a manner that will be in the best interest of the tower?” Elyse asked, earning a surprised cough from Bren.
“I must admit, the idea had crossed my mind more than a little, but no matter who I chose the outcome would be the same. Still, I must make the best of what I have available so I will listen to your advice, but that doesn’t mean that I will abide by it, and should I find that you are working against the best interest of my people, I will relieve you of your post and have you replaced.”
“Good, I am glad to have that out in the open,” Elyse said, her contempt still thick in her voice. “I don’t like the idea of moving around in the dark. I prefer being straight forward in my actions, so I will tell you this. My job is to make sure that you are not planning anything that would be harmful to the tower. If I find that you are, I am supposed to dissuade you in any manner I can. If that is not possible, then I am to report it to the tower. Other than that, I have been ordered to keep all else private as the masters are worried that if you think I am a spy, you will release me of my duty and refuse to take on another advisor. I have taken an oath on this and I will carry it through to the best of my ability.”
Unable to control himself, Bren started laughing. He tried to stop, but he couldn’t until tears started rolling from his eyes. “Do you find something funny?” Elyse said angrily.
“I just never expected you to be so open about it. I just found it funny that I chose the perfect candidate. I am sure that none of the other five would have told me what they were planning to do.”
“I could be lying,” Elyse said, blushing slightly.
“People who have the fire element might be a lot of things, but liars are not one of them. No, when you make a pledge you mean it. Now, if you don’t mind, could you look over those papers and give me your opinion on my plans for the first planting.”
The rest of the night went along quietly with Elyse reading through different documents and giving her advice. She was not very knowledgeable on farming, but she had a keen knowledge of numbers and was good at picking out patterns that escaped Bren’s notice.
That night as Bren settled into bed, he smiled brightly, knowing that he while he might not have made the best choice, he could be confident in the one he had. It was a rare thing when things worked out in a favorable manner when someone was working for an unknown position, but at least this once it had gone well.
*****************************
He is his mother’s son,” Humanius said, laughing as he watched Bren talk to the young mage who had become his official advisor. “At least he doesn’t let everyone walk all over him.”
“I didn’t let everyone walk all over me,” Thad said defensively.
“You could have fooled me,” Humanius said with a smirk. “You forget, I took a good interest in you during your younger days. It always surprised me how you let the women in your life lead you around like a pet.”
Thad turned his attention back to his son and tried to ignore the god’s comments. After spending a lifetime with Thuraman, Thad knew when he was getting baited and refused to fall into the god’s trap. It was true that he had not always exerted himself when he had to deal with the women in his life, but that by no means meant he was nothing but their well-trained pet. Though a part of him was glad that his son seemed to have a much stronger will when dealing with people of the opposite sex. As soon as those thoughts crossed his mind he heard a smug laugh come from Humanius and for a brief moment was sure that the god was listening to his thoughts.
CHAPTER VII
The rest of the winter moved along without much of an event, and before Bren knew it, the snows had begun to melt. The
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