Jonathan Thunder, page 18
part #5 of Lightning Mage Series
“Her Majesty seems to think that you would be a good husband,” Roxana said.
“I believe that I would,” Jonathan replied. "Your daughter would be besieged constantly by others wishing to talk about my rules. People are angry about some of them. I'm not sure if it is the rules themselves or the person who created them."
CHAPTER 13
We need to write an angry missive to Prince Jeffrey about bandit attacks. I’ll spice it up a bit. I hate being in this predicament.If the Queen is Killed and our part in everything is known, I know they are coming for me. If the Queen survives then none of our family ever has to worry about anything.
-Leopold Hinter talking to his family
Jonathan was at breakfast with Earl Leopold Hinter, his wife, their children and their spouses. Everyone was in good spirits. Miriam had survived the night and the fever had broken sometime before sunrise. It made Jonathan smile that he knew that not even the Fever could beat him in a fight. Miriam was a bit pale but in good spirits. She kept stealing small glances at Jonathan as he and her Father talked. Jonathan knew the subject that he was on wasn't one the Earl wanted. It was a sensitive subject that made everyone around the table uncomfortable.
"I am an Earl," Earl Hinter said.
"Her Majesty isn't even safe," Jonathan said. "You need a contingency plan. Her Majesty believes that these conspirators have powerful backers that have titles even greater than yours."
"I saw you kill a room full of people Jon, let's stop talking in circles," Earl Hinter said. "We both know Prince Jeffrey is involved. Many nobles are involved in this. I am still an Earl, he can't just come for me without serious preparation."
"He would come for you and your oldest," Jonathan said. "That leaves your son Christopher to rule. They would want a Mage to rule this Earldom. We have to assume that at some point, Jeffrey and his allies will discover that they are not the hunters, but the hunted. Keep men that are loyal to you around here. Double or triple your card if you have to. Use the bandit attack as the reason you have so many. You have enough Mage children, they could help you interview everyone once every two weeks or even every week to ferret out those who may try to work on the inside. Better safe than sorry."
"I'll keep that in mind," Earl Hinter said as he bit into a roll. "Her Majesty needs to do the same. I am guessing that her plan if anything happens to her involves you and Walter Westcott visiting Prince Jeffrey?"
"A visit I am sure he would regret having," Jonathan said.
"Is it true that he sent assassins after you multiple times?" Leon asked.
"Before you answer that, I have information that you may not have Jon," Earl Hinter said. "It was good that you decided to see the Devine Barony before you came here. You were supposed to meet my Miriam and if I didn't think that a match could be made, you were supposed to be eliminated. It would be blamed on bandits."
"The group that I already took out?"
"I would have warned you beforehand," Earl Hinter said. "It was my backup plan to eliminate them all. You are not safe, Jon. I know your Grandfather lives close by. I haven't been able to call on him or even meet him. I do not want to make him a target. Some of that group you took down would have killed him as a way to cause you anguish."
"They are horrible," Leon said.
“I hope that the Queen makes it out of this,” Earl Hinter said. “I hate dealing with Kreacher and his son, I hate dealing with His Highness, I hate it all.”
“So do I,” Jonathan said. “It is tiring to always be alert. If the worst happens, I think that my role in everything will get out. I’ll be a wanted man and my Grandfather will be a dead one.”
“So which young ladies have you visited?” Earl Hinter asked. “I am trying to change the subject to something less dreadful.”
“Nora Summersong was one,” Jonathan said. “I don't know if you have heard of her.”
“Cyprian Summersong’s daughter?” Earl Hinter asked. “Yeah, I am sure that I know her. I can't imagine that you got on well with her or her mother Lydia.”
“It has been typical of my trip so far,” Jonathan said. “I think these young women and their families are more concerned with their prestige than they are with Jonathan Thunder.”
“We are Nobles, it is how things have always been done,” Earl Hinter said.
“And if I grew up that way, I suppose that I would agree,” Jonathan retorted. “However, I was not brought up that way. I have a goal in mind and I wouldn't allow anyone to change it. I throw in everyone’s face that it was a commoner who ran off the dragons while the proper folks stayed shaking in their boots. When we start to see each other as people without a need to look down on others, that is a day that I will celebrate. Many never want to see that day come to pass. Poor Miss Summersong would have been thrown into a no win situation and a loveless marriage filled with arguments instead of kisses. I don't see how any noble girl who allows me to marry her would be able to escape a similar fate.”
“Why is that?” Leon asked. “I know commoners think nobles are stuck up and lazy. I have ears. Nobles have the same problems as everyone else on top of being expected to lead. Expected to care for thousands of people, see about the welfare of the Kingdom and many other things.”
“My parents were killed in retaliation for marrying each other and for my Father accepting and killing someone who insulted his wife in a Mage duel. The Mage Commander sent him off to die and refused to send any backup. When he got down there, he refused to stay with just three mages and a company of men. He had practically the entire army out there. That will never happen under my watch. That is why I call the man a coward to his face, why his little brother is resting in the pit and why he avoids a confrontation with me. Anyone who wants to go back to that type of leadership, I see as being disrespectful to the memory of my parents. A noble wife would be under constant pressure. She would have to try and maneuver me to go back to the good ole days. I would see her as an enemy who cared nothing for my struggle. I also wouldn't budge. She would be stuck with a man who would want nothing more to do with her no matter if she changes her tune or not. The Nobles who miss the days of sending commoners out to die would also shun her because I wouldn't budge on my morals. I don't see how the young lady could win. I don't need anyone’s money or influence. I’m already wealthy and I reached Archmage with my own two hands.”
“Many people say that the Archmage didn’t try to kill your parents and you are overreacting,” Earl Hinter said. “Then again, this is the same man in collusion with Prince Jeffrey. I am willing to bet that if it were a few Noble Mages, that he would have sent help immediately.”
“I think that he would have as well,” Jonathan said.
“That seems like a lot to unpack,” Roxana said.
“It is an awful lot, Lady Hinter,” Jonathan replied. “If I were to marry a Noble girl, she would have to know exactly what she is getting herself into. I doubt that she would have a moment of peace. She would need to hire her own assistants just to survive.”
“And this commoner that you are high on, she wouldn't?” Roxana asked.
“For one, her Father was the other Mage killed alongside my parents,” Jonathan said. “Max Ward was sent off for having coin and marrying a pretty Mage girl. It was a scandal and the Archmage found out a way to get rid of him. It didn't matter that his wife had died years before during childbirth or something. Anyone asking her to pressure me in having commoner Mages throw away their lives is going to be disappointed. She also doesn't have any family that anyone could really pressure. She only has her Aunt and I only have my Grandfather.”
“You and her share a bond,” Earl Hinter said.
“We do,” Jonathan said. “Which is why the big swords were brought out for this one. I think everyone’s problem is that they started out too late. The time to get to me was while I was still in the Tower as an initiate. A pretty girl could have been tossed my way and that would have been that. Once I got a few years under me, it was impossible. Duchess Golad still tries, bless her soul.”
“Her Grace doesn't want you around her daughter or her niece,” Earl Hinter said. “She has raved about it to whoever would listen that Jonathan Thunder was trying to corrupt her family members.”
“Still didn't stop her from wanting me to go work for her or to find some girl to marry that is in her lands,” Jonathan said. “I even think that she would place her niece with me if she could right now. Of course the poor girl showed interest in me and was promptly married off. She is the third or fourth poor girl that happened to. I am thinking of charging for my services.”
“What services?” Leon asked.
“I am rich, the Queen’s Champion and the Archmage of Kirby. I think for the average Girl, that she could do a lot worse than being with me. If I show favor to anyone, rest assured that the powers that be would find her a suitable suitor. First they will try with some random noble and then they would bring out rich and powerful men to woo them. Farrah Golad ended up with a Baron. Cara Underwood ended up with the Warringtons. Gertie Walsh ended up with Duchess Golad’s nephew. Grace Story ended up with the Delrays.”
“You were dating a Story?” Leon asked disgustedly.
“Not really,” Jonathan said. “I was her backup to her backup plan. We were in Vashing and the Mages there weren't falling over her and some were rude to her and her folks. She put me on her arm and then things exploded. Good for her though, I have nothing bad to say about the Delrays. At least I don't have anything bad to say about Grace’s husband. I honestly think that His Highness forgot all about where Grace is or who she is. He probably just remembers that there are two Mage girls in the Delrays. Of course Grace thrust some of her family members my way. The Storys could care less about pressure no matter where it is coming from. Noble Mages have hated them for years. A well kept secret is that the Storys have a few Mages in the family. When they go through they do it under assumed names to avoid being stigmatized.”
“I'm not trying to enter your business Jon but that is something that I will have to write His Highness about,” Earl Hinter said. “I don't have any personal dealings with the Story family but I do not like the way they conduct business. This isn't me being some elitist Noble Mage either.”
“Go for it,” Jonathan said. “For the sake of keeping you in the good graces of His Highness, I think Miriam and I should be seen together a few times. You and your family could of course be there, I am a commoner after all and most don't have a sterling reputation.”
CHAPTER 14
MILDRED
“Just look at this!” Jeffrey said in barely concealed rage as he held up a piece of paper.
“Look at what Jeffrey?” Mildred said as she sat for tea with her sons.
“The Bandits!” Jeffrey said. “They have taken to killing people. They have taken to killing Nobles. None of these criminals have any shame. They are a bunch of Mundanes and I hear that they have a few Mages on their side.”
“What do you mean Father?” Xalen asked.
“Many people around our Kingdom are being killed,” Jeffrey said. “I have a missive from Earl Hinter saying that he wiped out a nest of bandits in his lands. They waited until he, he uh, he had guests over and was attacked.”
“You just said the Earl wiped them out, Father,” Jordan said.
“What would you know about Mage business, you are just a mundane,” Jeffrey said angrily.
“Get to your point, you are interrupting my tea time,” Mildred said.
“Don't snap at me!” Jeffrey said. “You need to treat me with respect.”
“Is that an order?” Mildred asked as she stood up.
“It is a husband having a conversation with his wife,” Jeffrey said quickly. “You run the Kingdom, not our family.”
“What do you want, Jeffrey?” Mildred asked. “I don't care about any bandits, from what I hear, it is being taken care of.”
“Your commoner should be out there hunting these men down,” Jeffrey said. “He already isn't doing anything about the Speckled Fever, he should at least be on this.”
“Didn't you send Jonathan away?” Jordan asked.
“No one is talking to you, be silent,” Jeffrey said angrily.
“You be silent,” Jordan said as he stood up. “You made a blunder, not me. Own it.”
“Who do you think you are talking to?” Jeffrey said as he stared down his son.
“I am talking to you,” Jordan shot back. “You don't scare me, not any more. You were hiding from Dragons and I pulled you out of the fire. You want to be tough when it is easy. Everyone acts tough until it is time to be tough. You weren't tough when the Dragons were in front of you. You weren't tough when the Archmage invited you to step into the Arena. You only act tough with me and I am tired of it. I may be a mundane, but at least I am not an idiot.”
“I wouldn't do that if I were you,” Mildred said in a serious tone as Jeffrey held his hands out towards his son.
“You heard the way he talked to me!” Jeffrey snarled.
“And I have heard the way you talk to him,” Mildred replied. “They are Princes by blood, you just married into greatness.”
“Mother, it is not Father’s fault that Jordan is a mundane,” Xalen said.
“And who are you supposed to be?” Jordan asked Xalen. “I would rather be a mundane many times over than be labeled a coward. You even ruined Russell’s chance to marry who he wanted to boot.”
“You are just angry that you can't do any magic,” Xalen said and waved his brother away.
“I am enjoying my tea,” Mildred said. “Jeffrey, if you want something, make it quick. I am letting all of you know if even one insult is handed out to any of my family members, you will quickly find out that none of you are as important as you think. Now what do you want, Jeffrey?”
“Your commoner is letting good people die,” Jeffrey said as he kept eyeing Jordan.
“And whatever you are talking about, how is it his fault?” Queen Mildred asked. “Several groups have been tasked by the Archmage’s office to find these bandits.”
“Well he could, he could do something,” Jeffrey stuttered.
“Something like what?” Mildred asked.
“Mildred, good people are dying,” Jeffrey said. “Dannel Hewton is dead. Earl Hinter and his firstborn son were nearly killed. I have other messages saying that Everett Divine was killed.”
“And you want the Archmage on it,” Mildred asked. “Now how can he do that and be on whatever pathetic mission that you had your son send him on? You are so interested in getting Jonathan away from a girl that you have called a worthless whore that the deaths you are talking about are on you. Well it is on you if you believe Jonathan and only Jonathan can hunt these men down and kill them all. Why don't you and your friends go hunt these bandits down.”
“I can't go hunt down some bandits,” Jeffrey said appalled.
“Why not?” Mildred asked. “You don't do anything here except complain about Jonathan and your son. Grab your friends and make yourself useful.”
“You took all of my power away,” Jeffrey said.
“You took all your power away for being petty,” Mildred said. “You cost the Kingdom thousands of lives fighting the Blood Priests and you tried to kill Jonathan by sending assassins. You were even stupid enough to send dumb ones who got caught and blabbed to whoever they could find. I can't have you representing me acting that way.”
“You just care about that commoner more than you do me,” Jeffrey said.
“I care about Kirby more than I do you,” Mildred said. “You like to talk down to people, Jeffrey. You were nothing before I married you except some Mage who everyone thought was handsome. There were hundreds of you in the Kingdom. You just got lucky and married a girl who would be Queen. Somewhere during our time together, you believed that you were greater than Kirby. You are not.”
“Mother, why must you talk down on Father?” Xalen asked.
“And you,” Mildred said as she turned to Xalen. “Sometimes I wish Jordan was born first. You do idiotic things to follow your Father despite the harm it caused. You sent Jonathan to Lord Rearton for nothing. It took a month out of the Archmage’s time. I didn't tell you anything because I figured that you should be smarter than that. Let's pretend that your Father is the know all end all to everything. If he succeeded in killing Jonathan after Jonathan killed Quevin Wilson, who would have stopped the dragons? We can start with the two which was the cause of him being labeled the Champion.”
“Thunder ran off the one we were going to take down,” Xalen said.
“Jonathan killed the one that burned Kevin,” Jordan said. “If he was gone, who would have stopped those two. I know what Mother is getting at. The Big Four and the Superb Seven minus Jonathan had a crack at dragons later on. None of them killed any of them. Before Jonathan joined the battle, nine hundred twenty three men and women were killed by dragonfire. Forty seven of them were Mages.”
“You are making that number up,” Xalen said.
“No he isn't,” Mildred said. “Your brother had regular meetings with my military heads. Jordan, after Jonathan joined, what were the numbers?”
“One hundred fifty seven killed by dragon fire including nine Mages,” Jordan began. “Six dragons were killed by Jonathan alone and two others were brought down so our troops could kill them. The enemy stopped their dragon attacks after Jonathan took the field.”
“So, unless you are stupid, I want an answer,” Mildred began as she looked at Xalen and then at Jeffrey. “If Jonathan was dead, then who would have turned back the dragons? You have proof in front of you of how many died before he joined and how many died after.”
“Russell killed more people than he did and so did Farrah,” Jeffrey said.
