The Rossem Project

Haven - Part 2

     An hour later, the three of them were seated around the kitchen table, helping themselves to the egg and bacon pie that Lirenna had baked the day before.

     Being wizards, they were very important members of the community and could have hired a proper cook to prepare their meals for them, not to mention a complete household staff had they felt the need to order people around, but Lirenna loved cooking and insisted on preparing all their meals herself. She loved experimenting with new recipes and trying all kinds of variations on old ones, presenting the results to her husband and son for their evaluation and judgement. She insisted that it brought them closer together as a family, whereas having a paid staff running around in the house would have had precisely the opposite effect. They enjoyed being able to wander around the house in whatever state of sobriety or casual, unkempt clothing they happened to be in without having to worry about their reputations. If Derrin saw them dressed for comfort, or a little happy from too much wine, it didn't matter, although Thomas was careful never to let him see him too drunk. That would be bad for his upbringing. If a maid or servant saw them like that, though, it would be news all across the valley in no time. Besides which, all the household chores that the servants would have performed had they chosen to employ them were carried out much more efficiently and unobtrusively by magic spells.

     Even as they were eating, for instance, a broom was moving all by itself on the other side of the room, sweeping up a small pile of dust and crumbs, and as soon as they'd finished their meals the same spell would wash the dirty plates, dry them and put them back in the cupboard before going off to make the beds. At night, the house was illuminated by simple light spells that Thomas had cast years before on the globes of polished white marble that hung in every room, and a warmth spell kept it snug and comfortable inside the house even thought there might be a blizzard raging outside.

     None of these spells required the consumption of rare or expensive material components. Carved bits of wood, bits of string and the occasional handful of moss were all that was required, both available in unlimited quantities in even the most remote and isolated community, and all three spells were among the very simplest that a wizard could learn. The kind of spells he'd be expected to have mastered before completing his apprenticeship, although it was only with experience that they could be made to last long enough to do useful work. Simple, easy to cast spells, and yet it was simple spells like these that made all the difference to a household's lifestyle and that could make the life of a community wizard close to idyllic.

     Derrin wolfed down his slice of pie as if he hadn't been fed for a month, then slipped on his coat and shoes and picked up a small pile of books. "I'm off to school now," he called as he headed towards the door. "Bye."

     "Bye," called back his parents. "And remember, we’re not supposed to know about the party,” added Thomas. “Someone will probably offer to take you to wherever it’s being held. Make sure you act surprised.”

     The boy snickered his agreement, kissed them both and dashed off, pulling the door closed behind him with an absent minded slam. They heard the sound of his feet as he skipped off down the path.

     Thomas shook his head in wonder. "How many boys his age actually enjoy going to school?" he said.

     "He's inherited your curiosity," replied Lirenna with a smile. "Connie says he drives her crazy with all his questions. He soaks up everything like a dry sponge and never forgets. She says he passed the point where she can teach him some time ago. He's been learning on his own from books for quite a while now. He may actually be more qualified to teach the class than she is.”

     “We need more books for him,” agreed Thomas. “Textbooks on specialist subjects. I'll talk to Cortiss, give him a list of the kind of thing we need. See if he can get them in.” He frowned with worry. "I always thought his mind would grow slowly, like his body. If only mum and dad could have lived to see him."