An Affinity with Magic Ii: The Naming of a Mage

By Kate Darby

Sarra leaves for Mage College with expectations of being trained as a Mage, but a war with another nation alters those plans. Sarra and her new friends learn many things, though not necessarily what she expects. Will she and those new friends be able to prevent the destruction of the Kingdom, as they know it? Is Sarra still destined to become a Mage?

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jun 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781665599320

Book preview

© 2022 Kate Darby. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse  06/17/2022

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9933-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9934-4 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6655-9932-0 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in

this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views

expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the

views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

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17

This book is dedicated to my sister Mandy, who always

asks: ‘So what happens next?’ – I need the next book!

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Sarra had arrived at Mage College. She found that she was acutely aware of her childhood being behind her, but still had no idea as to what lay ahead.

Mage Ichor, you just called me ‘Affine Sarra’. But surely, I am not an Affine yet?

No, my dear, nor ever likely to be, but as you will be joining some of the training Affines for training exercises, and as we afford them the title of Affine, you will go by that title for now too.

Sarra had received mixed messages from Mage Ichor’s response. She would be training with Affines, she would be using that title, but she was not likely to become one. Was that good or bad? No, she was not going to become an Affine she was going to be a Mage, but she would be training with Affines, perhaps Mage Ichor wasn’t sure of her abilities. She would just have to try and do the best she could!

They walked to the head of a long, curved staircase.

The dining hall is on the floor below. he informed her, beginning to descend the staircase. Sarra followed.

They were watched from below by a lovely woman with red-gold hair set in narrow braids with silver beads to weight them at the bottom, which clicked together as she moved. She wore a dark blue dress of a type of material Sarra had never seen before, it was finer and closer woven than linen, but was definitely woven and not felted, but was smoother and shinier than anything Aunt Kera had ever made.

Mage Ichor went straight to her and greeted her.

Ah Indigo, I’d like you to meet Sarra, who I went to test.

To test?

Ichor, you have been much longer away than we had expected. Did you encounter any problems?

She looked Sarra over, as if looking for any obvious problems.

Not at all, but there was the opportunity to visit the Mage Tower that Fern and Sten spoke to us of, and I had to take the time to visit that.

And? Mage Indigo seemed eager to have answers.

The map was not broken; it was still perfect. There were other discoveries there too. We will talk of it later.

The look on Mage Indigo’s face told of her displeasure at being made to wait. Mage Ichor continued:

I also had to put the arrangements in place that are normally achieved over an extended exchange of letters in order to bring Sarra back with me.

Mage Indigo looked Sarra over again.

Do you not have any indoor slippers, child?

Yes, Mage Indigo, but they are in my back bag, which was taken elsewhere. Sarra wasn’t certain enough to state where it had been taken.

Yes, of course, you have just arrived and are not settled yet. Mage Indigo said, and then to Mage Ichor:

Have you asked anyone to look after her, yet?

Mage Ichor’s reply was rather dismissive. I have instructed that she is to be given her own room. Nothing else.

My dear, let me introduce you to someone of your own age, who you will be working with. Mage Indigo’s tone was placatory. She beckoned to a girl whose style of dress was like Sarra’s and who also wore her hair in a simple plait, though hers was dark and her eyes were a startling blue.

Tarrah, I wonder if you would be so good as to show Sarra where to get her meal and to introduce her to some people. When you go back to your lodgings, could you show her the way and introduce her to Dulce, too? Then to Sarra. Dulce looks after the lodgings where you will be staying, and the laundry and any needs you have of a personal nature. I, of course, will take care of your training, along with Mage Ichor and Mage Mendez. Mage Mendez has been away for quite a few days, so I have had to manage alone for a while.

And don’t we all know it! said Tarrah, as soon as Mage Indigo was far enough away as not to hear.

She has been a real grouse while she’s been managing on her own. Mage Mandez was called away to ‘attend the King’s pleasure’, I don’t know where Mage Ichor has been, but it must have been something important. They struggle to manage this place between three of them, as it is. My father says that there were twelve staff Mages when he was here. That was before the Mage Wars, though. They don’t need quite as many as they don’t have the work of training Mages anymore, of course, only Affines, to attempt to do the work of Mages. There hasn’t been a new Mage in over seven years.

Oh, I’d heard it was three years? Sarra was so surprised she couldn’t hold back her response.

There was a wild Mage brought here for training three years ago, but he burnt out in training, had a brainstorm, and died. No-one is supposed to know that, though. How did you find out? Tarrah looked at Sarra expectantly.

I didn’t know – you just told me. whispered Sarra.

Yes. Tarrah whispered back triumphantly. But you knew there was a trainee Mage three years ago. My father was an Administrator here at the time it happened but got himself transferred back to Kingsholm after that.

Sarra was stunned by Tarrah’s revelation and tried to think how to steer the conversation in a different direction. Is the work very hard? Sarra hoped that this was safer ground.

Some of it is easy, but when you work in a group to try to execute a Mage-size feat of magic, it’s exhausting.

Sarra recalled how she had nearly blacked out when she, Sten and Mage Ichor had ‘persuaded’ the rock to lose weight. I can imagine. she said.

Tarrah waved to a couple of boys across the room and who immediately headed in their direction.

I thought you were going to have dinner with us, Tarrah? said the first, a good-looking boy with soft blond curls. His tone was light and teasing rather than serious.

Sarra is newly arrived and needs to be shown where things are. I suppose we could all eat together.

Since Tarrah hasn’t yet introduced us, I am Sammil and this is Ifford. the boy indicated his friend, taller and slimmer with straight dark hair tied back at the nape.

Are you here to save your father a dowry too? he asked playfully. Sammil’s accent indicated his coming from near the capital.

A dowry? Sarra questioned. What do you mean?

Tarrah thinks that if she is trained as an Affine, her father won’t have to provide a dowry to catch her a wealthy husband, as he will see the potential coin she will make with commissions, or maybe she won’t even need a husband at all! Sammil’s tone was light, but Tarrah wasn’t laughing.

Not at all! said Tarrah, blushing. I think it’s time for dinner, are you two coming with us or not?

Your wish is our command. said Ifford bowing to Tarrah. He offered his arm to Sarra and led her away to a hall with long tables and stools beside them. Servants were milling about with platters of food. Ifford led her to some empty stools, and they sat. Ifford nodded to one of the serving girls, who brought four empty wooden platters, and placed them on the table, where Sammil and Tarrah had joined them. A serving boy brought them a platter of steaming roots, and behind him, another boy brought a dish of stewed meat, the first girl returned with a platter of vegetables, a basket of bread and spoons. They helped themselves to the food, which was both tasty and plentiful. Eventually they stopped eating and began talking again.

Ifford began. You’ll be two weeks behind everyone else on the intake – that’s a serious amount of work – I’m a fire Affine and we’ve gone beyond lighting candles and fires, onto lanterns and yesterday, four of us together had to bring a large kiln up to heat, to bake roof tiles, though, apparently, we’ll be expected to do it alone by the time we leave.

We’ve been dousing maps of one of the King’s estates for water, trying to sense where it is, to tell him where to sink wells, but it takes rather longer for us to know if the results are good! added Sammil.

And I’ve been turning windmills when they’re becalmed and sailing boats and quelling storms cut in Tarrah.

Yes, my father is a wind affine as well as being a fisherman. It’s the sort of thing he gets commissions for. agreed Sarra.

I had thought of getting a boat and trading. said Tarrah. But not fishing, the work is too manual.

And too smelly. added Sammil, which did not endear him to Sarra!

So, we could fill you in, in those areas and try to help you with anything you’ve missed said Tarrah. What do you have an affinity for?

I’m not sure what kind of training they have in mind for me. The Mage didn’t say. That was as non-committal as Sarra felt she could be, without deliberately lying.

Fortunately, they were distracted by Tarrah grabbing a passing serving girl carrying a bowl of fruit.

Well, better keep your strength up, anyway. Using magic always makes you hungry.

Sarra managed a peach and a few grapes, but the other three demolished the rest of the fruit between them.

It’s the sweetness you crave, particularly after a tiring day. explained Ifford.

It is getting late; we can talk more tomorrow. Tarrah said to the boys, then turning to Sarra: We had better get you to Dulce. We don’t want her complaining to Mage Indigo.

Tarrah led the way through a maze of corridors and across a courtyard to enter a single-story building with bars at the windows.

We have to either see Dulce or sign in and out. explained Tarrah, gesturing to a ledger in the entrance hall.

Don’t they trust us? Sarra was annoyed.

It’s not a case of not trusting us, no-one stops us coming or going, as and when we want. There were Lady Affines who were kidnapped during the Mage Wars.

That was a sobering thought.

Dulce had obviously been expecting Sarra for some time.

If they’d said they’d given charge of you to Tarrah, I wouldn’t have expected you before now. she muttered under her breath. Well, you’re here now, so let’s get you settled.

Where would you like Sarra to go? asked Tarrah.

She’s in a room just across from the one you sleep in. Her back bag is on the bed and her cloak hung up. Dulce led the way.

Just as they had almost reached the end of the corridor, two girls exited one door, giggling and pushing each other and ignoring their presence.

That’s the room I’m in. That was Idora and Christa, they can be good fun, but rather childish. Disapproval was in Tarrah’s voice, and she let them pass without an introduction.

Here we are. said Dulce, opening the door directly opposite the one the girls had come from. She stood back for Sarra and Tarrah to enter.

I’ll let you unpack, there’s a clothes rack in there for you. Let me know if there’s anything else you need. Dulce left, closing the door behind her.

Tarra had pushed past Sarra and was surveying the room.

It contained a single bed with her back bag sitting on it; a tall hanging clothes rack with her cloak on it, and an empty basket in the lower, shelved part; a table and chair, placed under the window; and a dresser with a large mirror, with water bowl and jug on top of it.

Tarrah, sat on the bed and gasped. You’ve got a room to yourself, and a bigger mirror than we’ve got for four or us! You’re not the King’s secret daughter, are you? It was a well-known fact that the King was a keen amateur sailor and fisherman. It’s fun sharing with the others sometimes, but there’s a lot of waiting for use of the mirror and just no privacy at all!

Sarra wasn’t sure what to say, she certainly didn’t want Tarrah resenting her having her own room. Perhaps it’s because I’m starting late and will have a lot of studying to do to catch up.

Yes, perhaps that’s it. said Tarrah, but she still sounded a little jealous. You can’t get near our mirror to do your hair in the mornings, or before dinner.

There was only one possible reply: You can always come and use this one, whenever you like, there’s room enough for two of us to see.

Thank you Sarra, that would make a lot of difference.

Sarra began to unpack her bag, hanging dresses on the stand; putting shoes and underthings on the lower shelves, and tucking a sleeping tunic under her pillow; she put pins, combs and her newly acquired jewellery on the washstand by the mirror; parchment, quills and ink on the table.

While she moved around doing this, Tarra bombarded her with information:

The basket is for laundry; it gets taken away when they make your bed.

We’re expected to wear a dress for three days before washing, and underthings, two, unless they are made dirty by a task we are undertaking.

We have to wear slippers for dinner or Mage Indigo gets cross.

Your jewellery and pins will be safe on that open dresser, there’s no thievery here.

I have only used one sheet of parchment yet.

We have each Tenthday off and can visit home if we live close enough.

We can send up to three letters each tenight. You just write the directions on your folded letter and put it on the table in the entrance hall.

There is usually a play, or dance or picnic arranged on the Tenthday

We’ll be woken by a gong; breakfast is served at two strikes of the gong, and we go to assignments at three strikes.

We take breakfast in the same place as we had dinner.

I’ll help you find your way about.

Sammil thinks he has too much status to be interested in me as a wife. I’ve known him since I was tiny.

"Ifford has quite low status, he’s the second son of a farmer, so will not inherit the farm. He’s very talented, but he’s fun too.’

Sarra began to tire of Tarrah’s chatter, and eventually decided to go to bed.

I find myself developing a headache, and am very tired from the journey, Tarrah. I think I had better go to bed. she said.

Tarrah took no offence at this: Yes, journeying is very tiring, and you will have a lot to take in tomorrow. We are supposed to head for bed when the gong sounds, anyway, and it won’t be far off. Though that’s not enforced. I’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Sarra.

Goodnight, Tarrah.

Tarrah let herself out, and as Sarra undressed for bed a gong sounded out in the courtyard. She went to sleep wondering what she had let herself in for.

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Sarra woke, swung her legs out of bed without opening her eyes, and was disorientated as her bare feet touched a wooden floor and not the cool tiles of her room.

She moved across the room and stared in bewilderment at her empty bowl and jug. One of, possibly many, important things that Tarrah had forgotten to tell her! She picked up the jug and went in search of water.

Initially the corridors seemed deserted, but as she walked down the corridor, she heard footsteps in the distance and caught glimpses of servants going about their tasks.

She reached the courtyard door, standing half open and peeked around it. In the centre of the courtyard was a well, with water being drawn by a tall youth. He was using the well bucket to fill the buckets of a line of young girls in white tunics. Sarra joined the queue.

Could I have a jug of water, please? said Sarra holding it out when she reached the front of the queue.

The boy looked at the jug, then looked her up and down.

You’re new here, aren’t you? he asked. "You’re supposed to get a bucket and