Page 17 of These Violent Delights

“We should attack, nip this in the bud,” an older, cranky craftsman said.“That upstart has run wild long enough.Now that the castle has a lady again...”

“Lady Zelda's castle makes for a defensible position but it's not portable for war,” Uncle Tank said, squelching that idea.“Without it, we go back to the same problem you had before.In her fortress, she's stronger than you are.”

“He's right,” a chieftain said.“Our strength lies on the plains.It would be better to draw her out, set a trap.”

“Who would lead the army?That's a question for another day, if you chose to go to war,” Zelda interjected.She didn't want to get bogged down with war talk, because that would drag on.They had more immediate issues.

“Meanwhile, we need supplies.The town won't thrive without them and the tribe's food sources have been devastated.The caravan's security is top priority.It needs guards and high-caliber magic users if possible.”

The town's mayor stood up.“Save for yourself, we don't have any powerful magic users.I'm afraid that the former owners of the castle tended to purge them.They didn't like competition, you understand.”

That explained the lack of high caliber mages.Zelda scowled.“That was short-sighted of them.”

The mayor wisely kept his opinions to himself."Be that as it may, we have a couple of young people with potentially useful magic.It might take creativity to unlock their potential, however."

A nervous young man was brought forth.In his late teens, he didn't look as if he was there willingly.His eyes darted around, taking in the strange faces and unfamiliar surroundings.

Zelda smiled to reassure him.“I'm not my father,” she said firmly.“I'm not going to kill you.In fact, I'm going to pay you if your magic proves useful.”There was a surprised murmur at that.“What can you do?”

The young man, whose name was Olly, shuffled his feet.“I fly kites, my lady.Just kites, but they can carry a good amount of weight.They can fly me, for instance.”

She perked up.“Interesting!That could be useful.How many kites can you fly at a time?”

He blinked, his brow furrowing.No doubt he thought flying himself was impressive enough.“I've never tried more than one.”

“What is the maximum amount of weight that you have carried on a kite with you?Are you able to take another person with you?”

The young man, who tried to keep his ability under wraps because he didn't want to die, didn't have an easy answer.“I've never tried to carry more than myself and a light pack,” he said, bewildered.

Zelda looked at her uncle for tactical inspiration.The older man, known for his strategic brilliance, nodded slightly, signaling her to press further.“How big of a kite can you fly?Could you attach a basket to it?Could you fly multiple large kites, each with a passenger?”

“Uh...”

“Right,” Zelda said firmly.“We need a team to come up with questions and then you need to answer them.Are you willing to experiment?”

Recognizing his big moment, the young man gulped.“Yes, my lady!”

“Excellent!I'll expect a report from you tomorrow afternoon, detailing your progress.We'll decide then if you're best deployed on the caravan or here for home defense.”She raised a brow.“Assuming you're willing?Yes?Excellent!Who's next?”

As Olly stepped back, relieved but anxious, another young magic-user was brought forward.The little girl, Tia, looked up at her mother, who gave a tentative nod.Encouraged, she stepped forward and stretched out her hands.Dark, smoky tendrils wove together to form a shadow beast rabbit.The creature materialized with very long legs and ears, and sharp buck teeth, which made fast work of gnawing through a log.

“Interesting.How many can you summon at a time?I imagine these things could be very useful against a briar wolf.”Zelda remarked, watching the creature with interest.

The little girl grinned widely, revealing a gap where her front tooth was missing.“Three, but Mommy says I’m not allowed to.It makes me tired and it’s chaos.”

Zelda’s lips curled into a knowing smile.“Chaos can be good, if directed properly.”She shifted her gaze to the girl’s mother, who was hovering protectively.“We will talk and see if we can come up with a plan.She’s a bit young to be going with the caravan, but the need is great.If nothing else, she could be part of the town’s defense.”

The mother looked relieved yet concerned.“It’s just...she’s so little.And the magic drains her.I worry.”

Zelda nodded understandingly.“Of course.Perhaps she can focus on smaller tasks for now, like guarding the herd.Every bit helps, and it will give her practice.”

“We would welcome her help,” Ozzy’s mother said, smiling kindly at the woman.“Please, come talk with me when the meeting is over, and we’ll see how we can help.”

Zelda raised a brow.Ozzy’s mom was smooth.She slid right in there and poached good talent before anyone else had a chance, oozing protective charm.Zelda would have to watch her.

“Alright,” the mother said, seemingly relieved to work with the kind older lady.“If it’s for the greater good, we’ll find a way.”

The little girl beamed, her excitement palpable.She dismissed the shadow rabbit, which dissipated into smoky wisps, and she hurried back to her mother’s side, holding her hand tightly.

---