Changes: Flight of the Maita, #17

By C. D. Moulton

This book is mostly fantasy. The son of Net, book five, decides to become a sorcerer. He is a decent person and this is the story of the time he was a young man until his old age.This book was nominated for two awards.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C. D. Moulton
• Release date: Jul 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201659950

Book preview

Changes

Part One

one

Things were moving much too fast for Net. It was bad enough those crazy magicians had come through here to make a mockery of everything that had been before.

No! – not bad. That was good. They had made changes that were undeniably for the better. Net had actually liked the wizard and his two strange demon companions. The demon they called Extrx had really made a big hit with Ward and Ward was now head of the guard. The court system was doing quite well. It was a new idea, but anything was better than the old countess and her torture chambers. Now everyone had the chance to have their say and to stop those who were doing them harm.

It didn't have to be physical harm, either. It could be other things.

Those courts were one thing that would make not only Teeme but all of Tlorg a far better place.

It was the demon, Maybe, who had established the courts. Net was sure of it. The golems had been for show. Maybe had been the smart one of that whole bunch. It was just smart enough not to let everyone know that fact. A little analysis of those events from someone who was on the good side of the demons – and Net was proud to call each of them a personal friend! – would show Maybe to be the one with all the brains.

The teacher, Tern, still came into the restaurant often. His student, the girl Verona who had done so much for the thing Tern called science that one could hardly believe it came to argue for hours with Tern as well as with anyone who would listen to her about such things as the moons one couldn't see except with her lens, the other world with the rings around it and two more she said were worlds because they moved around the sun, as did Tlorg.

So much new. So much that could be used for good or bad. The demons may have done many things that would eventually see the bulk of these changes were used for good.

Tern had used his numbers to prove Verona was right – or so he often said. The numbers were far beyond what an innkeeper would know or could understand. Tern seemed to actually think in numbers. Everyone in Teeme knew he could take any problems having to do with anything even peripherally (That was the kind of word Tern liked!) concerned with arithmetic or even the more advanced mathematics to him for a quick solution. All of Verona's findings could be expressed (Another word Tern liked) through mathematics.

The demon/wizard, Boss, had said she was a genius. He should know. He started her along the paths she was opening for all. He had seen she would do these things. He claimed no foresight more than normal, but had been right an amazing percent of the time.

So much was new. So many changes. Demons and soldiers wrestling, making jokes and playing together in the public fountain! That was unheard of before Boss and the demons and the golems came to forever change the way things were done and even the way people thought about things. Even the way demons themselves were thought of. They were not evil beings from a dark place as the old sorcerers claimed. Demons were simply people from other worlds – or from Tlorg in another place. Net didn't understand it – at all! How could there be Tlorg in two places at once?

Boss had said it is in many places at once. It was too complicated an idea for even Tern's numbers to figure. Boss predicted that in the far future Tlorgians would understand. It would take study built upon earlier study that was derived from earlier study and Tlorg hadn't yet begun the study upon which those studies were to grow –  except Verona.

Now Kene, his own son, was going to study magic.

Magic! What would Martin say?

Martin had been the greatest wizard who would ever live – yet Martin had been a good force and the demon-wizard had done many things that were good, explaining that magic could be used for good or bad. It was the use of the thing – not the thing itself – that determined such things as good or bad. The demon, Maybe, had shown that. Martin hadn't interfered in any way with the wizard or his demon friends while they were in Teeme. Martin was in the town at the time and had spoken with Tern, saying Boss was right about many things and that Tern should educate the young with the sense of wonder Boss had engendered (Another Ternism) in the children.

King Lear said plainly that Boss, Extrx and Maybe had come to his own palace in Loosta and had solved a puzzle Martin had made, then had left. That puzzle proved undeniably and for all time that Boss and his demons could be trusted. Martin had a hidden trap in the puzzle that would certainly have destroyed anyone not of purest motives. Wald declared that as soon as Boss opened the puzzle.

They had done so much for all Teeme! So much for Net and his family directly! That large well and this large space for the home and inn were as much as gifts of the demon wizard. When the old Countess Toot seized the place and threw Net and his wife, Fane, into the dungeon Boss had come to rescue them and to promise they would be repaid tenfold for the indignities suffered at her hands. The wizard was as good as his word. Better! – But magic? Net remembered Tee, who Boss had destroyed before Kene was born. Magic corrupted – or it could corrupt. Here again it was a matter of how the thing was used. Maybe said often enough that a thing or a talent was not in itself good NOR evil. The user of those things could be either.

Net smiled to himself. He realized his thought patterns, where he considered both sides of a question, were a bit unusual. Maybe Kene had inherited that trait. It would serve him well.

Kene had two of the strange coins of pure gold Extrx had given to Fane for her spicy stew. They should hold magical powers, but Tern said they didn't. Even Extrx had said that they were simple gold coins. No more. Boss and his demon friends didn't leave dangerous power objects around for others such as Tee to misuse!

Boss often explained magic was merely asking questions. If you had a result and couldn't explain it, it was magic until the time it was explained. Magic explained is science.

A strange philosophy, that. The question is important while the answer is not – or the answer is often less important than the question. Tern was still struggling with the concept, but agreed enough to teach it to his students.

Kene said he wanted to be a magician if only to prove that Martin was right where he and Boss agreed. Magic was science there was no reason known for. There was a reason and the magic was gone when the reason was discovered. Boss had then done things he said were true magic and couldn't be done according to science – which he said only meant there were still many questions to be asked yet. Boss was the first to admit he wanted questions and puzzles to always be. They give life meaning.

Net found himself in front of the old castle. He walked around the fountain, then decided to go inside to see what was happening in the court. He personally had the great honor of being on a jury for ten days and was proud that his own wife, Fane, had also been selected to be on the jury for ten days. They may again be asked to sit jury! It was a duty, but it was even more a great honor. People who were known to have closed minds or who were known to lie or to be prejudiced in any way against others were not permitted to sit jury.

Net sat on a bench in the room to watch the proceedings. He was a seat row behind Tern and six students. Tern spent a great deal of time in the court with those students who were interested in the way the court worked, had given advice and had even been asked to settle some of the things only his numbers would resolve properly.

It seemed to be a case where the water coming from the mountains crossed the land belonging to a farmer named Leept. Leept had built a dam and wanted to charge for water to be allowed past his property line. His claim was that he could put a dam or anything else in the stream where it was on his land and that no one had a right to object.

It should prove interesting. A person's land was his own and he could do as he pleased on it. On the other shoulder the water was declared public property long ago. The argument of Leept was then that he had every right to move his own land around a bit and if the stream happened to be where he wanted to move it that was just too bad. It was a personal inconvenience to him that he couldn't simply fill in the stream to make himself a bit more land. He had the right to do that if he so chose, considering he owned both sides of the stream.

The judge asked Clept, a student of the law under Tern – who had once traveled to Loosta to observe their system – to give the court's opinion according to King Lear.

He stood, searched his mind for a moment, then cleared his throat. "Leept may, in truth, move his land as he pleases, but only onto his own land. He may not, for an instance, place it on Carpin's land next door unless he first gains permission from Leh Carpin as owner of record. That is established both in the courts of the nation and in this court. It is precedent which cannot be changed at a whim of this or any court – only by decree of King Lear. The stream remains the property of all the people of Teeme and does not lie on Leept's land. The public has not given Leept permission to place his property onto their property: therefore, the dam is not legal. It then becomes, in fact, the illegal placing of Leept's land onto the public land without that necessary permission. This is also precedent established in Loosta and in various other places. It is the law of the nation. The placing of the dam has denied the public the rightful use of their property. That is a criminal act. King Lear, I'm sure, would send troops to remove the dam and would deny Leept right to use any of the public's water as he has committed a crime against that public.

Such is my understanding of precedent in the matter before the court. I swear my testimony to be truth to the best of my knowledge and to the records I have kept.

Clept sat. Judge Strak wrote for a moment on his book, then looked up to say to the jury, "It is for you to decide. You have heard the arguments and Leept has insisted it be heard by jury. Go now into the jury room, make your decision, then return to read it into the record.

"You may find Leept innocent and with right to construct the dam. You may find the dam to be improperly placed and may insist that he remove it. You may find Leept to be guilty as Clept has suggested of criminal acts, thus may demand penalties.

Go now and make your rulings.

Leept jumped up and cried, I've decided not to go on with this! I'll remove the dam!

You may not stop these court actions simply because you change your mind, Strak replied. "Sit down and wait for the jury's decision. This is your own doing and you will abide by their decision!"

Net smiled. He was very glad Maybe set the courts up in a way that these types couldn't use little twists and turns of logic to lord it over the people. Leept was a large landowner who wanted to set himself up as something like the Countess Toot had been, telling everyone what they could or couldn't do.

Not anymore! He was about to discover the Courts of Tlorg knew no division of people who had things and those who had nothing. Leept would not be able to give orders to the court. Leept would, in fact, learn he could be given a few orders by the court!

I say I want to stop this! Now! Leept snapped angrily. "I own that land and I'll do as I please! I have twenty good men working for me and we say we'll put up a dam anywhere we decide we want one!"

Strak looked at Leept and waved for Ward to go to him.

Captain Ward, take Leept into custody. He will spend ten days in the dungeon for defying this court under penalties described at the inception of the court system by the golems Yes and No. This is the charge Yes described and called 'Contempt of court' and will be treated as such.

Strak turned back to Leept. "Before you make anymore threats, Leept, I'm going to seize your property and divide it among those who were displaced when the rockslide covered Klure Pass Branch and dammed the main river if you do! Is that clear?

Now sit there until the jury returns! There was the court charge explained by our mentors called 'contempt of court.' You are showing contempt for this court by your words and by your actions. That most definitely will not be tolerated!

The jury came back in quickly as Net knew they would. One of them handed a paper to Strak, who read it and nodded. The one who handed him the paper remained standing and announced, "We, the jury, demand and order that any and all dams constructed by Leept or anyone else be removed from the public waterways and that at no time is there to be any other such blockage constructed by Leept or by anyone other than through order of the town council.

"We further demand and order that this court order the guards to see this is done without delay.

"We further order this court to imprison Leept in the dungeons one day for each day or part of a day since he first started the dam until the last day or part of a day that any part of that dam remains in place.

"We further demand that this court seize all land for a distance of five meters on either side of the public waterway and pronounce it public property. Land of equal value will be given to those who now use such land from Teeme public property except in the case of Leept, who has used the land for criminal purposes and is therefore found not deserving of compensation.

"We further demand this court order the guards to patrol that land at least once every fifty days to ascertain it is never again misused by anyone. Should misuse be discovered this jury demands that charges be filed and prosecuted.

"We the jury have given you your orders. This shall then be called precedent. The court is instructed to diligently carry out the will of the people.

Praise be to King Lear and to Teeme.

Net was sure this wasn't quite the way Maybe intended for the court to work, but work it did. Leept would make other threats now and would be imprisoned more for it. He would try to order his workers to attack the townspeople, then the court and the guard would imprison them all and the court would seize Leept's land. Leept would be a pauper when he got out of the dungeons – or he would go home, brood awhile and learn to live with the system. It was to his own intelligence or lack of same.

The next case was bad goods sold by a woman to another. The court ordered restitution of either funds or products of the quality promised. The woman tried to claim that the buyer should have checked more carefully before she bought the stuff. Strak told her she could do as the court had ordered or she could wash the streets with a hand brush with a guard standing over her until she did make that restitution or until she dropped dead, whichever came first. He then gave a stern lecture Net suspected was written by Tern about shoddy goods and how and why they would not be allowed in Teeme. Neither would any such misrepresentation of goods.

Net wondered what would happen if Kene were to do something foolish with his magic and ended up in this court. The court was very fair, making the punishment fit the crime. Still, Net was afraid. If the demons had only stayed. They were needed and, though they always insisted it was for the people of Teeme to make laws and determinations and to find their own code of conduct both by and in the courts, their advice was sorely needed at times.

That wasn't being fair to them. They knew the people of Tlorg must learn to take  responsibility and they were simply trying to ensure that they did. If the courts must be constantly propped up by outsiders they would fail. Net, the wizard, his demons, King Lear and the people wanted very much for the courts to be successful – still, Net missed the demons. He missed the sense of fun when they were around and the deep and real compassion they held for the oppressed.

Why did they have to leave? Everyone had liked them – loved them, really. Only a very few days before their time here demons had been hated and feared, then those showed that demons were no different than anyone else.

Tern's science and Kene's magic, yet Tern had been very good friends with the demons, too. He sat right in the restaurant and argued with them for hours! It was the demon/wizard Boss who had discovered and helped to develop Verona's genius. Martin also helped, according to Tern.

Martin was the greatest wizard who ever lived, not one of what Tern called a scientist.

It was all so confusing. Net went back to the restaurant where he enjoyed some of the stew his wife was so famous for. Fane sat with him as it was slow time. Kene came in to sit with them and they discussed the court. Kene said the court wasn't hard enough on people like Leept, who wanted to be some kind of little kings and what he called petty tyrants while Fane said it was very harsh to not give him exchange land for what was seized.

The wizard had shown what the type was by his treatment of the count and countess.

For the sake of  pity, Mom! Kene cried. If he cut off the water where would this restaurant be? What would happen to the Inn?

We have our private well here, Net pointed out. It would've done terrible damage to other citizens, though. Intolerable damage.

"It would do terrible things to our neighbors and that would do terrible things to us. What would your demons have done? Have you considered