Arden (Mages of the Flame #1) FIRST DRAFT

Part 7: Fire

With the burden of Beth's faith in her abilities weighing her down, and burning with anger, Bronwyn left the widow after half an hour. She jumped on her horse and galloped the mile to the next farmhouse which bordered the field in dispute.

"This was why people needed Mages, Shanks," she told the horse. "Whether they like it or not we have to interfere. Left to govern themselves things like this happen, and widows risk being made homeless. And they have the nerve to think I make their lives worse!"

She jumped off the horse, not bothering to hitch her this time, and banged on the farmhouse door.

"Hoyle! Open up. I need to talk to you about Beth and the field. Open the door!"

A voice called back, "You can find him in the east field."

Bronwyn lifted the latch and shoved open the door.

"I don't have time for this. You find him and bring him here."

"Who are you?"

The fireplace spat red sparks onto the hearth.

"I am Bronwyn of the Flame and Guardian of the Peace, and you will fetch Hoyle for me NOW."

The terrified farmhand scrambled out of the room and raced down the lane, leaving Bronwyn time to make herself Magisterial.

Hoyle returned within the quarter hour, red-faced from hard work and flushed with irritation at being summoned on his own farm.

"Bronwyn, what is this about that you summon me like this?"

"Don't you know, Hoyle?"

"It's the field, isn't it? What has he said?"

"He? I've been speaking to Beth. Who have you been speaking to?"

"No-one. Go on."

Bronwyn mentally filed that comment away for later.

"Beth said you have reinstated your claim on the field, but this time you are claiming ownership of the land Is this right."

"It is. It's owed to me."

"Your original claim was for one quarter of the yield each year for three years. You agreed before witnesses that you had remembered the wager wrong, yes? And you settled on the claim of one eighth of the yield for two years."

"I did at that."

"So why is Beth telling me that now you are claiming the whole field?"

Hoyle pulled out a chair and sat down, a shocking breach of protocol for one being questioned by a Mage. He rested his forearms on the table and leaned forward. "Because some of us have been talking, and we realised that you go easy on Beth because she likes you. And no-one else does, Mage. Maybe I remembered the wager wrong first time, and maybe I remember it right now. And maybe I have witnesses who were not around before - witnesses you have to listen to."

Bronwyn held his eye without flinching. "I listened to the witnesses. The case was settled. You can't bring new witnesses now."

"Everyone has a right to be heard, isn't that right?"

"It is," she said cautiously.

"So a Guardian of the Peace would not deny a man's right to be heard, especially if he needed to provide a witness statement in a property dispute."

"Are you telling me there is a new witness?"

"You're supposed to investigate things properly, Mage. Don't you know?"

"And who is this witness," she said through gritted teeth.

"You'll have to speak to Hendrick about that. It's in his hands now."