Wizard of Jatte by Rowan Erlking (librera reader txt) 📕

“He is an assassin!” Captain Shmiter shouted.

Theissen shook his head. “Nope. He was just trying to get home. That little job was in passing.  I’m sure of it.”

“But what about those people he did murder? He wasn’t doing it in passing. He followed them, and he killed them with the stolen weapon,” another Angledon brought up as Captain Shmiter fumed not unlike a volcano about to erupt. Around him, his anger swelled.  

The elders looked to Theissen for his explanation.

So did the magician and the herbalist, and all the others watching him.

Nodding to the elders, Theissen said to the Angledons, “I was told that it was carnival that carried demon animals. Is that true?”

The Angledons stiffened.

One did nod, though he peeked at the Jatte elders. “It is.”

“That sounds dangerous and disreputable,” Theissen surmised.

The entire row of Angledons burst into loud epithets at Theissen.

However, the herbalist nodded to the magician. Both shared looks that agreed with Theissen.

“You have no right—” One Angledon barked angrily.

But Theissen cut him off with a glare. “I have no right to make that judgment? Believe it or not, I ran into one of those carnivals on my way to Shoredge Town last year.”

Everyone silenced.

Theissen nodded to the Angledons. “It only had two kinds of demons, at the carnival I encountered. But do you know what this unscrupulous group of people tried to do to me when they found out I was a wizard?”

All eyes focused on him. Ears piqued to hear.

Looking at each one, Theissen explained: “They ambushed me, and tied me up so I could be part of their sideshow.”

The room broke into murmurs.

“Then how come you aren’t in that carnival now?” an Angledon asked, reeking of skepticism.

Wanly gesturing to the ground, Theissen huffed. “You saw me come up through that floor a while ago, didn’t you?”

Several Jattens broke into snickers.

Nodding to the elders again, Theissen added, “And as for that weapon, it was property of the army of Brein Amon-- what we call Westhaven. Emrit was a former Westhaven soldier. He was not stealing, but reclaiming his nation’s property. I asked his friend Jonis in a letter just last week about their military and their use of pistols. When I saw it in Emrit’s hands, it had intrigued me. He said they don’t sell Westhaven weaponry outside their country. So really, what is an Angledon doing with a Westhaven pistol in the first place?”

The elders leaned near one another, whispering. It was an important thought. One to consider.

“The real question should not be whether Emrit goes into the pit or if he is sent back to Angledoli to die. The real question is, why are you holding an honest man in a Jatte cell when he did nothing but defend himself, his friends, and reclaim property?”

“That is not the issue!” Captain Shmiter shouted.

But the elders gestured to the bailiff.

The man came to the center of the room. The bailiff lifted his staff and banged it on the floor for order, a sound that echoed in Theissen’s ears. Memories of trials painfully flooded over him. It was like he was standing in his village once more hoping for the elders to be lenient this time around.

An elder stood up. “We will adjourn to decide the Westhavener’s fate. All of you may return this afternoon at four to hear our decision.”

The elder then gestured to the bailiff who walked directly to Theissen as if to apprehend him. Theissen almost stepped back.

“But we would also like a word with the wizard.”

Theissen exhaled, hanging his shoulders like a child. Despite the automatic feeling of dread, he walked up to the elder’s bench. The other bailiffs ushered the others out of the room. All of the Angledons shot Theissen dirty looks.

But the elders adjourned to their office, and the bailiff escorted Theissen along. He peered into the doorway, feeling small again. The elders beckoned him inside then motioned for him to sit in a nearby upholstered chair.

“So you’re the new registered wizard,” one of them said.

Theissen nodded, wishing his palms were not sweating.

“We’ve heard all sorts of rumors about you.” This graying man rested into an opposite seat, his arms papery and blue veined.

“Including that you keep a demon in the Ki Tai tower,” another said, descending into his chair with some effort.

Nodding again, Theissen said, “A birdman is living with us. My friend.”

They leaned back, apparently impressed. The idea of a human and demon cohabiting safely amused them, possibly.

“We heard about the gang fight on the Serjiev highway.”

“And that Rumi Landownerson’s fiancé used to be your fiancé.”

Theissen covered his face with his hands. “Yes, yes, yes. All that is true. But what is the question?”

“Do you keep a snake?” one of them asked.

It was hard not to feel lost in all these random questions. Theissen lifted his eyes to stare at the man. “I have one, and the eagle and the dog that came from one demon I split apart. Why are you—?”

“And hundreds of cats?”

Theissen moaned. “Look! I inherited all the living demonic mess from the old wizard when I ended up with his lot. So, yes, I have all his cats and squirrels now.”

“You really undid the curse on the tower, didn’t you?”

He spun around to look at this elder, a short curious fellow with tufty hair around his ears and a bald spot at the crown of his head. “I’m living there, for pity’s sake. What do you want from me?”

“Why do you defend that foreigner?”

Theissen drew in a breath, trying to calm himself. “Because, he helped me. And he doesn’t smell like a hateful man. As far as I can tell, Emrit is large and strong and obviously knowledgeable, but he doesn’t have murderous streak. But that Angledon captain stinks of hate.”

One of the elders nodded. He looked to the others as he grinned, revealing a decent set of teeth. Two were gold. “Did you know I could smell hate?”

Theissen slowly shook his head. “The flow swirls unusually around your face, but I don’t always interpret the flow I see.”

The elderly man nodded to himself. “Most people don’t realize that I am a wizard—unregistered of course. Problems with admitting I can sense magic from smell, I’m sure you are full aware of.”

Nodding again, Theissen did not venture a reply.

“Demons,” the elder’s tone took a darker turn, “reek like molding—”

“Rotting and stifled. I know.” Theissen completed his thought.

“How can you stand being near them? Have them as friend even?”

That was it. That was what bothered them.

Drawing in a breath with a sigh, Theissen just shrugged. “I didn’t like it at all at first. But one of those demons saved my life. Sometimes a person chooses to get used to an uncomfortable stink for the benefit of the feelings of an innocent man who wants nothing more than to live and be happy.”

“Your friend?” the elder asked. That amused smile returned to his lips.

Theissen nodded. “I only have a few of them.”

Theissen turned to go, feeling this interview was over. He bowed to them all.

“Please consider seriously what I said in there. Emrit—”

“We know he is not vicious,” the elder replied with a smile. “And you are right, he did not break Jatte law. But he is a foreigner, and he has disturbed the peace. He should be expelled from our country.”

Theissen frowned. “He was not the one disturbing the peace. The Angledons were. They picked the fight. He was just working on the docks.”

“You are going to vouch for him?” the elder asked, fixing his eye on Theissen’s tired expression.

Nodding once more, Theissen said, “I will. I’ll vouch for him.”

“And if he causes troubled again?”

“First make sure he is the one causing the trouble,” Theissen dryly replied. “Then if it is so, I’ll take the blame.”

They all rose.

“He’ll be freed then,” the chief of the elders said.

An enormous weight lifted from Theissen’s chest. Drawing in a breath, he sighed and nodded.

“We will announce it at four, so you ought to wait here for his release, undoubtedly to guard him on the way back to his lodging.” They grinned at him, gesturing for the bailiff to show him out.

The bailiff waved Theissen over with his staff. They both walked through the door. From there they went out of the hall, and then the bailiff showed him to the anteroom where he had to pass through to leave the building. But really, Theissen had to find Theobold.

In the anteroom, the Angledons sat as though waiting for him.

Theissen strode past without a word.

Captain Shmiter stood up, marching after him. “How dare you come and interrupt a matter that is entirely Angledoli business! It was none of yours, you presumptuous carpenter!”

Ignoring him, Theissen marched towards the hall, feeling out for Theobold’s demonic stench. He could smell it to the right so he turned that way.

“How dare you work to free bandits who—”

Theissen whipped around. “Emrit is not a bandit! I’ve met plenty of those. I didn’t interfere back on the docks because I didn’t know him then. But now I do, and I will interfere.”

He tromped around another bend in the hall where he spotted Theobold. The birdman was staring up at the ceiling, looking as bored as he possibly could get. The birdman turned his gaze when he heard boots stomping on the floor. He rose to meet him.

“You measly little peasant! You had no right to interfere in our business!” Captain Shmiter growled though clenched teeth. His spittle flew with each angry word. “If you ever enter Angledoli—”

“I would never go into Angledoli,” Theissen snapped back. “And I never liked you to begin with, so be quiet.”

“You?” The captain blustered. “Telling me to be quiet? Of all the insolent—”

“Insolent?” Theissen laughed sourly.

Theobold already had hopped to his side, looking curious but also nothing like himself so the captain had not even recognized him.

“You come to my country, insult me, and attack my friends and you think I am insolent. You have some nerve,” Theissen snapped.

Then he turned and patted Theobold’s head. The color changed back to his usual white. Then the wizard worked on the robe to do the same. Theobold fluffed out his feathers, grinning at the effect he had on the captain. The foreigner stared at him with recognition now. The man lurched backward.

“I had already disliked you the moment you said Lord Baron Kirsch was your friend.” Theissen turned to go away. “That man had no scruples. He believed he could boss the world around as if he owed everything in it.”

“So this is how the carpenter of Lumen feels?” Captain Shmiter snorted, that pompous air enhancing the reek of his hate. “That pitiful begging man who bent over backward to—”

“Everyone in Lumen hates Lord Baron Kirsch,” Theissen replied, rounding on him again. “And no one there will ever take a job from him again.”

“You small town hick.” The Angledon’s sneer curled nastily, his nostrils flaring.

“You overstuffed chair.” Theissen growled back. “If I could, I’d have you deported from Jatte.”

“Why don’t you just turn me into a frog?” Captain Shmiter bit back.

Blinking at him, Theissen almost choked. “Because, I don’t make demons—though you are worse than one.”

He whipped around, striding out of the government building. He pulled on Theobold’s arm for them to go.

The Angledons followed after them right out the steps.

“How dare you!” Captain Shmiter kept repeating, following on Theissen’s heels. “I’ll make you pay! If that man gets out, I’ll make you pay!”

Theobold halted. Turning around, the birdman said, “Are you stupid?”

The captain took a step back. His entire crew froze.

“You can’t threaten a wizard,” the birdman said. He then grabbed hold of Theissen’s wrists, launching into the air. “Come on, we’re flying home. You haven’t eaten lunch yet.”

“It’s probably already cold,” Theissen called up with a mutter, as Theobold yanked him from the ground.

“I’m sure Manda will have some warm for you.”

They did not pay any attention to the stir their exit caused.

*

Emrit’s departure from the Jatte foreigner’s prison came