Chapter 60: You have other friends?

Irin had enjoyed the unknown wizard's jokes at Koth's expense, and she could clearly hear he wouldn't give in. She walked over to Koth, placed a hand on his shoulder, and leaned into the crystal sphere.

"Hello," she said and waved. The image in the ball in front of her was not what she had been expecting. Looking back at her with almost as much surprise as she felt was a high elf with silver-blond hair, ice-blue eyes and, with the exception of a twisted silver headband, he was naked—at least the part Irin could see. The picture was unfortunately cut off at his waist. She could see his pale white skin and lean muscles.

"Hello, you were not what I was expecting," he told her, eyeing her.

"Right back at you. I didn't even know Koth had other friends besides me," Irin said. Koth huffed and the wizard laughed.

"Oh, I like you. As my friend is too ill-mannered to do the honours, I am Galos Silverheart, wizard of the highest degree and second son of the house Celebhûn," he introduced himself with a bow worthy of a court introduction.

"Aren't you a fancy one? Nice to meet you. I'm Irin Eandrirn, cleric of Alesseja and first daughter of the house of Eandrirn," she said.

"A noble lady? How on earth did you end up as Koth's companion?" Galos asked.

"My goddess really likes me, so she sent him my way as I needed someone I could trust," Irin simply told him.

"Don't look at him," Koth grumbled. "Galos, put some fucking clothes on. There is a lady present," he then barked. Galos reached out his hand and found what looked like silk robes that he draped over himself.

"You think you know someone and then you find out he is travelling with a noble lady and she tells you she trusts him. I haven't been this surprised since my mother declared that she would stop wearing silk and satin and only wear wool. That lasted about a day, but still," Galos said.

"Now that you have seen her, and talked to her, can I tell you why I called?" Koth asked.

"I'm all ears." Irin relaxed as Koth explained about Melir. She stood up to go over to the bed, but found that Koth had wrapped an arm around her legs and was keeping her in place. She smiled and leaned into him.

"First you introduce me to a beauty of noble birth, then you present me with a possible apprentice that is intelligent, has natural magic and the curiosity to figure out how to use it? Koth, my friend, are you after my research laboratory or something? What do you want in return?" Galos asked.

"I want a promise that you will do your best for the lad. I'm not in a position where I can take on an apprentice, or I would have taken him on myself. He's a good kid." Galos nodded.

"Tell him and his father I will be there in a week. I will stay for four days and if we agree, I will bring the boy home with me."

"Sounds good. Thank you," Koth told him.

"Will you and Lady Irin be there when I arrive?" Galos asked and looked Irin up and down again.

"We won't be, and stop ogling her. She is not for you. You just go and call back the three women you had in your bed before I interrupted you," Koth told him.

"Not for me? It feels like a challenge. Maybe I should make sure I get to this town before you leave," Galos mused. "You can always try and protect her from me." Irin laughed.

"I think you are mistaken. Koth isn't protecting me from you. He is protecting you, his friend, from me. Don't forget that I am a cleric of Alesseja. She is the goddess of procreation after all. One prayer from me about a man who can't keep his hands to himself and that man might find he has performance issues," Irin told him with her sweetest smile. Galos's mouth fell open while Koth laughed.

"I think my first time schedule will work," Galos finally said.

"I think that is a good choice, my friend. Safe travels," Koth told him.

"And you, my friend. Irin, it was a pleasure to talk to you. We need to meet one day just so we can share a bottle of wine and gossip about our friend."

"I think that sounds lovely, Galos," she said and waved as Koth withdrew his magic and the crystal sphere became clear. Koth pulled her down on his lap and kissed her.

"That was hot," he told her and then kissed her again.

"How did you two end up as friends?" Irin asked. At first glance they were opposites. It had made her curious. Koth smiled.

"I will tell you, but not now. Now I need to get you naked and remind you that you are mine," he told her. Irin's heart skipped a beat as he said it. The possessiveness in his voice turned her on and she was out of his lap and naked in a heartbeat. She threw herself on the bed and reached out her arms for him.

"You need to get that arse moving, Koth. A woman can die of old age while waiting for you to make good on your promises," she called. Koth looked shocked. Then he grinned and stripped.

An hour later they were resting in bed. Irin was on her stomach, resting her head on her arms and Koth was on his side next to her, running his hand over her back.

"I met Galos not long after I left my father's house," Koth told her. "I had been training with a wizard since I was fifteen, but my first master was a close friend to my father and I had realised they were steering me in a direction I really didn't want to go. After confronting my father about it, I knew the only way to get out of the situation was to leave."

"So you had to leave both your family and your teacher?" Irin asked. Koth nodded and Irin's heart ached for him.

"It wasn't easy. I was being stubborn and insisting I could make a living in the way I saw fit. Looking back, I was too young and too inexperienced. Fortunately for me, I knew what it meant to live on nothing, sleeping outside and expecting people to turn their backs on me. I had made my way south-west, my goal being the capital. In a larger town I took shelter in an alley as a storm blew in. That is where Meghart found me. He was a wizard and had felt my magic as I started a fire to keep warm. After speaking to me, he more or less forced me to come with him. He and his apprentice, Galos, were staying at the inn and Meghart paid for a room for me as well. He made sure I got food and a bath and then the three of us talked all night. They were travelling across the country for Galos to get experience of the world as part of his training. Meghart decided I would become his apprentice as well and despite both me and Galos objecting wildly, I accompanied them two days later as they left the town. I said it was just temporary, but for three years we travelled together," Koth told her.

"What happened then?" Irin asked. She was transfixed by the rare glimpse into Koth's life.

"My master passed away. He was old and it wasn't unexpected," he said.

"It still hurts," she said and he nodded.

"After that, Galos and I went our separate ways. We had been ready to stand on our own for almost a year, but we were loyal to the old man. When he died we no longer felt the need to stay together. Galos returned to his homeland and so did I in a way. Karyon Tower was for sale and it suited me perfectly," Koth told her.

"Was Meghart an elf as Galos?" Irin asked. Koth chuckled.

"No, no. He was a dwarf. We made a comical trio. Galos had traced Meghart down as he was one of the most reputable wizards of his time. His parents weren't impressed by his choice. On the surface Galos and I are the opposite, but dig a little deeper and we have more in common than either of us likes to admit. There is a bond between us; I trust him, to a point."

"You have to if you asked for his help with Melir. Don't think I don't know that you like the boy," Irin told him. Koth smiled and kissed her.

"I do. And I like that he will have Galos as his mentor. In five or ten years, that boy will be a mighty wizard."

"And he will do good. The world will be a better place because of him," Irin said.