A Notional Treason

By Trismegistus Shandy

When Prince Tarinachem's father died, several of his brothers engaged
in a civil war to determine who would succeed him as king. By the
time it was over, not only the defeated rivals, but all their less
ambitious brothers had been transformed into princesses by the king's
wizards, to ensure that no one would challenge the victor's right
to the throne.

Princess Tarinissa has long since reconciled herself to her new state
and made a new life for herself. Now a powerful foreign witch offers
her the chance to become a man again -- something everyone thought was
impossible. If she accepts, she will become the target of her brother's
wrath -- but even if she refuses, the knowledge that this spell exists
will put her and her sisters in danger.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trismegistus Shandy
• Release date: Jan 24, 2014

Trismegistus Shandy

Trismegistus Shandy lives in the northern hemisphere. They've been writing since childhood and posting stories online since 2007.

Book preview

A Notional Treason

by Trismegistus Shandy

© 2014 by Trismegistus Shandy

Smashwords edition

License

This novel is copyright 2014 Trismegistus Shandy, and is released under under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/us/

The cover image is from the public-domain painting Gone, but Not Forgotten (oil on canvas, 12 1/2 x 10 in.) by John William Waterhouse (1849-1917).

http://www.johnwilliamwaterhouse.com/pictures/gone-but-not-forgotten-1873/

Author’s Note

This novel takes place in the same world as my earlier novels Wine Can’t be Pressed Into Grapes and When Wasps Make Honey. However, it’s set thousands of miles away and a generation later, and has no characters in common; it should stand alone pretty well. You needn’t have read the others to enjoy this one, though you might enjoy it a bit more if you have.

A Notional Treason

Tarinissa first heard of the new hedge-witch during a council meeting. Sheriff Liqeshua mentioned her after all the more urgent business was concluded.

Then there’s this foreign hedge-witch that’s come to town, he said. She’s lodging with the widow Piakyan; she’s healed a few children of the croup, and put an enchantment on the innkeeper’s cellar to keep the vermin out. I don’t expect any trouble from her, but I’m keeping my eye on her just in case.

Is the town large enough to support three hedge-witches? Tarinissa wondered. Perhaps you should suggest that she move on.

We’re bigger than we were in my father’s day, my lady, said Nyadichem, her steward. I say we wait and see if she causes trouble. She’s not likely to take a lot of business away from Techa and Myarissa, her being a foreigner and all, and if she can’t get enough business she’ll probably move on without our doing anything.

Perhaps. Keep me informed.

The following afternoon, she heard further news of the foreign hedge-witch from her friend Qapyan. Saquchem and I went to dine with Piakyan, she said. We were hoping to meet the new hedge-witch, but she was away — Piakyan didn’t know where.

What did Piakyan tell you about her?

Her name is Sanempalasha, and she’s from the north — from a country I’d never heard of, I’ve forgotten its name. And she’s been asking a lot of questions about our customs and our history. She doesn’t spend much time in her room at Piakyan’s house — she’s out most of the day talking to people in town, or sometimes out in the countryside. And — oh. She paid her first month’s rent by healing Piakyan of a backache that neither Techa nor Myarissa could make go away, though they had made it hurt less.

That’s interesting. It’s good that her back is no longer hurting her, and yet... If this new hedge-witch is more skilled or more powerful than Techa or Myarissa, I’d hate for them to lose their livelihood. And we don’t know that she will remain here long — perhaps just long enough to make people dissatisfied with our local witches. Tarinissa felt a strong loyalty to the local hedge-witches, to Techa who had attended her in the birth of her children, and to Myarissa who had suffered in much the same way as Tarinissa herself, though not for the same reason.

That would be bad, Qapyan agreed, but shouldn’t we find out more before doing anything? Why not invite Techa and Myarissa over and see what they think, and then talk to the new hedge-witch and see what she has to say for herself?

I should do that, Tarinissa said. Yes, we shall have Techa and Myarissa here for dinner tomorrow, if they can spare us the time on such short notice.

Techa and Myarissa, it turned out, had no complaints to make about the foreigner. She’s promised she won’t take any jobs we can do ourselves, Techa said. Mostly she’s just healing people I’ve referred to her as being beyond my skill. And we’ve started trading spells. She can do a lot of things we can’t. Yet she’s interested enough in our magic that she’s promised to teach us several of her spells in exchange for us teaching her some of ours.

After that, Tarinissa planned to invite the foreign hedge-witch to dinner or supper and see her for herself. But a delegation of diplomats from the capital arrived that evening, on their way to the neighboring country of Sramnar, and stayed for several days. They brought a letter from Tarinissa’s son Tinguchem, who was serving in the army of his uncle, King Nyechua. He and his regiment, in which Qapyan’s sons were also serving, had just been reassigned to the southern border, the frontier with Barenduash. Tarinissa was kept busy hosting the diplomats, then was distracted by other urgent matters; she did not meet Sanempalasha until she desperately needed her help.

* * *

The better part of a month passed. Qapyan and Nyadichem reported that Sanempalasha was keeping her word, taking only those jobs which Techa or Myarissa referred to her as beyond their powers — one every six or eight days. She reportedly spent much time visiting with the other witches, and with various townsfolk, asking questions. She also disappeared sometimes for a day or two, but discreet inquiries showed she had not been seen in the neighboring villages during those absences.

Then disaster struck Tarinissa’s own household. Qapyan tripped coming down the stairs, fell, and was badly injured. Tarinissa ordered that she not be moved, though it gave her a pang to see her sprawling so painfully at the foot of the stairs; she sent in haste for both Techa and Myarissa. They looked at Tarinissa’s dearest friend, whose breaths were growing more and more ragged, and shook their heads.

Perhaps Sanempalasha can help, Techa said. But do not hope for too much.

Sanempalasha was accordingly sent for; fortunately she was easily found, and came at once. The witch was dressed simply in the local fashion, and she did not look foreign — her skin and hair were the same colors as those of most Fyengan people, and her facial features were ordinary enough. But when she spoke, her accent gave her away; she was not only not from Fyengan, but not from any of the nearby countries. Tarinissa could not place her accent in spite of her extensive travels in her youth.

Amazingly, she was able to heal Qapyan with no great apparent effort; the swelling on her head went down and the bleeding stopped, her ribs popped into place, the holes in her skin where they’d protruded sealed themselves, and she sat up, looking dazed. Tarinissa knelt and embraced her, and the tears she had been holding back finally broke free.

Thank you, oh thank you, Tarinissa said to Sanempalasha. How can I repay you...? Qapyan, are you all right?

I feel well enough, Qapyan said, and started to get up. Tarinissa supported her, though she didn’t seem to need the help.

You’d better rest, Tarinissa said anxiously. Come, let’s get you to bed.

I don’t feel tired, Qapyan protested. And I don’t hurt anymore either... Thank you, Sanempalasha.

Hadn’t she better rest after that, even with your magic? Tarinissa asked anxiously.

Actually... Sanempalasha looked thoughtful. Perhaps she should. Tarinissa thought she saw the hint of a smile.

The hedge-witches followed them upstairs to Qapyan’s bedroom, where Tarinissa tucked her friend into bed. Should you work another spell, perhaps, to make sure she’s healing correctly? she asked Techa.

She seems perfectly healthy, Techa said, after a few moments. Sanempalasha, however did you do it?

I will teach you, I hope, after you have mastered a couple of other spells.

Come, join me for dinner, Tarinissa said. She would pay the foreign hedge-witch generously, but after such a near escape, she wanted to pay her in honor as well as in coin; and a private dinner with a royal princess, the regent of the barony, was the highest honor she could bestow on short notice. And it would give her a chance to learn more about her.

With pleasure, my lady.

Tarinissa had formed a more favorable opinion of the foreign hedge-witch. She was more powerful than the local hedge-witches, certainly, but not imperious and arrogant like the wizards Tarinissa had known in her youth in the capital, who lorded it even over the royal family, deferring only to the king, and that (some said) only when other people were around. During dinner she answered some of Tarinissa’s questions about her travels, and her home country (far to the north, and colder during much of the year than the mountaintops in the east of Fyengan).

I have traveled far, and for the most part I have lived very simply — working a few spells to earn a little money to pay for my food and lodging, and traveling on foot more often than not. My goal was to meet with foreign wizards, witches, sorcerers and so forth, and learn their magics, teaching them what I know of my country’s magic in exchange.

Techa and Myarissa tell me you and they have been trading spells. I am afraid we have no wizards in this small town — even in the baronial household. In fact Tarinissa would not have a wizard in her house if she could help it; at the height of their prosperity, her late husband had proposed sending for a wizard to put protective enchantments on the newly-built wing of the house, but she had talked him out of it.

Yes, I have enjoyed profitable conversation with both Techa and Myarissa, my lady. However, in the larger town I recently visited, I was rudely rebuffed by the local wizard — I am not sure why. I decided that I did not know enough about your country’s laws and customs to further my goals. I have chosen to reside here, my lady, until I learn more.

And I am gladder than I can say that you did so, Tarinissa said. Though I must confess I felt uneasy at first, as to whether this town could support so many hedge-witches.

I think it can. My wants are few, as I said; I am here to learn from Techa and Myarissa, not to take away their livelihood.

I should warn you that the wizards will not trade spells with you as Techa and Myarissa have done. Their guild is closed, and they do not share their teachings with those who fail certain tests; and they do not even allow women to take these tests.

That may not be so great an obstacle as you suppose... But it is curious. In my country we have no such distinction between wizards and hedge-witches. Most of us specialize in magic for one purpose, while others, like me, know a few spells of many kinds; but we do not consider some kinds of magic the province of men, and others of women.

There are male hedge-witches, though they are fewer than the women; it is only the wizards who will not admit any women to their guild, Tarinissa explained.

And the wizards of this country have been unkind to me and my family, but the hedge-witches have welcomed me as a sister. Perhaps that is reason enough to call myself a ‘hedge-witch’ in your language.

...Your family?

Yes. I have another reason for traveling in far countries. I am tracing my grandmother’s steps, and hoping to find someone who knew her when she traveled here. Such persons would be very old, of course; it was a little more than fifty years ago.

I see, Tarinissa said. I am afraid I cannot help you there myself, for I was not yet born fifty years ago, and I did not live in this town thirty years ago. But you may question the oldest servants of my household if you wish. I feel I owe you more than mere money for your healing of Qapyan.

Thank you... Until recently I had no sure reason to think that my grandmother had ever been in your country. I knew that he had traveled far to the south, but exactly where, I did not know. But — in speaking with the townsfolk about your history and customs, I learned something that makes me think my grandmother must have not only traveled here, but suffered one of the most important experiences of his travels.

How so? At first Tarinissa thought nothing of the inconsistent pronouns, attributing them to a foreigner’s imperfect knowledge of the language.

He was a man when he arrived in this country. He asked too many questions, and incurred the wrath of one of your country’s wizards, who changed him into a woman.

...Oh. I’m sorry.

Sanempalasha laughed. You needn’t be. It was an unpleasant experience for her at the time, but good things came of it — without it my mother and aunt and uncle would never have been born, nor would I. And I think you know firsthand that such a transformation is not the end of the world.

Of course everyone in town knew