A letter came for Lynn from the Head man Jan. It was delivered by the same maid who had dressed Lynn for the meeting with High Mage Corla, who just gave Lynn a devious grin. Lynn had no idea why but figured the women must have thought the worst.

Runner was busy letting Roar fly in the courtyard. It was only mid-morning so some of the lesser Ladies were out watching the dragite train. Jile was there as well teaching the girl, but Lynn thought that Runner was doing just fine with Roar. Lynn would probably end up giving the dragite to Runner when she continued her walk.

Opening the letter carefully, for it was double sealed, Lynn was greeted with three small bamboo tubes inside the bigger one.

Each tube held stamp symbol that had become a code system that Lynn had created quickly the day after her spy network was formed. One each for Anna, Jile, and Jan.

Jan had joined up the next day after their return, after having a short conversation with Lynn and Jile.

What had struck Lynn was that the conversation had seemed as if it was going to go a different way. Like he had wanted to talk about other issues but was afraid to, in front of Jile.

The Head Chief Anna wrote in a form of writing for the kitchen called chicken scratch. It was a way around a commoner knowing reading and writing. Each food type and item was given a symbol mark, with some joined for precooked or smoked orders.

Lynn had a cheat book in her library that she kept. When her hand maiden Starla had asked why Lynn had a cooks book Lynn had a ready lie that she might need to cook when she continued her Walk and it would be good to know how.

The handmaiden was unusually inquisitive of late and it was slowly growing on Lynn's already stretched impatience. Runner avoided the young handmaiden outright and that was a problem as well. Starla acted at times as if she ran Lynn's suite, and Runner along with it.

The cooks report was more of the same. Some supported Awl, some stood for Flower, many wanting just to be invisible till it all ended.

Jile had more to say since some of the guardsmen were becoming concerned with Master Awl not coming out of his apartments. Guards needed a strong leadership.

It was Jan's note who took her breath away. He needed her to meet him in the hidden glass room immediately; and no one could know of the meeting.

He also said that Flower was planning a unscheduled trip to a country House just outside of Farth. Something about a sister Lady needing her help. She had no family that anyone knew of, or close female friends, that she would warrent her running off so.

Lynn burned the notes and even the tube it came in and headed straight for the meeting with Jan.

Within a short time Lynn was standing in front of Jan and looking down on the rooms below. The early drinkers were in their normal seats with maids deftly avoiding the random attempt at touching them.

"Thank you for quickly seeing me young Mage Lynn." Jan began with a thickness to his voice that she had never heard before. "What I'm about to do is a death sentence but I do what I must."

Lynn gathered magic as fast as she was able, which was faster in the Tusk's Viewing room she noted in the scientific part of her brain. Not knowing what the Head man was planning on dieing for made her afraid that Flower had gotten to him somehow.

"As a Head of a House your first responsibility is to the workings of the House." Jan went on. Having no clue that Lynn could fry his brain with the amount of magic she held. "Also to the Master of that House. I've been Head here longer then Master Awl, but he was the first that I ever thought of as a friend."

Seeing that he was having some sort of internal conflict Lynn relaxed on the spells of destroying and shifted to calming the room.

She understood the basics of such a spell but had never tried them before. It was likened to a minor healing spell but she had to let it linger out and fill the whole area and not just a body part.

"Now I see him hiding in his apartment, giving that wreched creature free reign in his House." Jan was still angry and trying to sort what he was doing, yet now he seemed more in control of his thoughts and emotions. The spell was working fine.

"Tell me what your wanting is from me, Head man?" Lynn asked to direct him.

"Your going to have to go to him and get his mind healed. I've no idea why but he's never been this weak before." Jan began to sway as if hearing a far away song.

Lynn knew this was from the spell. The theory was that such spells could work too well and make the effected slightly drunk acting.

Backing off the strength of the spell she continued talking, "Your concern for your long time friend is warranted, with a viper like her around. What do you want me to do?"

"Go to him, Lynn, and make him see reason where I could not." Jan begged- he was starting to sit. He has also dropped her honorific title, Lynn noted slightly shocked.

Lynn looked down into the rooms and everyone in the four rooms was also sitting and going very still. Alarmed Lynn fully cut the spell from the air. It would take time for the space to clear but it would not be that long.
At most someone might feel hung over afterward.

That her spell had worked in such a big way was both exciting and worrisome to her. Her magic here in this House was amplified somehow and she wanted to know why.

How she was going to confront Master Awl was a minor issue. She would bruise his ego some but in the end she would get him motivated to lead his House once more.

#####

Going straight to the Master's suite Lynn was surprised that no Guard was posted.  More proof of the lax mindset of Master Awl.

Knocking loudly the Mage was greeted by a very young maid.  The girl could have been between Runner and Starla in age.

"Can I be of service, Walking Mage?"  The girl said in a heavy lowlands accent.  It was full of heavy "r's" and "i's" rolling out.

"Yes, I'm here to see the Master and I will not take no for his answer."  Lynn said leaning in to emphasize her point.

Smiling, but looking very nervous  the maid allowed Lynn into the suite but held a hand up for Lynn to wait by the door.

She disappeared deeper into the apartment suite.  Lynn had thought her suite was huge.  The Master's place could house a party and still have room for dancing.

The girl came out and told Lynn to follow her.  They went to an office that could fit Runner's whole house in it.

"Good day Walking Mage Lynn.  How exactly can I be of service to you today?"

The man before her looked different then he had.  Not sickly but very tired.  Worry creased his face and his hands were fidgety.

"Good morning to you, Master of House Boar's Tusk.  I am your healer and I plan on healing you fully!"

"Go away, girl!"  He shouted out.  "I've enough problems with not having to worry that your life will end too!"

That was it.  He had lost a love and was worried about losing more.  The girl was probably his favorite so he kept her close.  He liked Lynn and now wanted to send her away.

"One problem, Master Johan Awl, is that I never leave a job half finished."  She said and grabbed his head in her hands before he could react.

They had already been bound in the healing from before so she was able to bind with him easily now.

His mind was chaos and his soul was in pain.  This was not physical but a mental wound that had grown massive tears in him.  This would take more than a single healing session.  He would throw her out before allowing a second.

Not sure what else to do she put him into a deep sleep.  Lynn knew that she was going to need more help if she was going to help Master Awl.  Telling the young maid what she had done and was planning, she left to gather everyone together.

#####

Waking to a room full of people caused Master Awl to panic and try to escape.  To his dismay he was bound to his bed by magic.

"What's going on here?"  He demanded from Jan, who was standing right next to the bed.

Lynn answered instead, "Your acting like a child who has lost his favorite toy.  That's what's going on."

"Mage Lynn brought us here to help heal you and to show you that we support you."  Lady Dragonfly said.  Which caused the Master to swing his head to the other side of his bed.  A merchant stood next to her that Awl thought he knew but could not remember the name.

"She can talk now!"  The merchant said to Master Awl.  "I'm so happy for her!"

"Lator, Vance my love.  Now we have a Master to wake up."

"I'm plenty awake!"  Awl said looking at them all. 

"See, that's the thing Master, your not!"  Jan spoke for the first time.  "You have unwittingly given Flower what she wants!  She is coming and going and seeing people that have never been in this House before."

"She's going to kill me, or all that I care for!"  Johan burst out.

"No!"  Jan laid his hand on the Master's chest.  "She can't kill you because you'll only be replaced.  She needs you alive, but out of the way."

"The only one in danger here is me, Master Awl, and I have no plans of dieing by that evil beasts hands."  Lynn said also touching the Master.

It was all to plan.  Each one was to lay a hand on him.  Touch could heal where no magic could.  Even the young maid come forward and took his hand.  Vance hung back at first but at a glance from Dragonfly he shrugged and touched her back.

"We all need you to be you."  Lynn spoke in a whisper, from his feet, "Your importance is larger than you can ever know."

All that could be heard was breathing for the longest time.  Lynn nodded for everyone to begin pulling away.  Jan and the maid were the last to let go of him.

"I..I don't...know what to say."  Master Awl began.  Fighting tears he continued,  "I was so worried about everything that I locked up.  I thought that if I stayed out of the way maybe Flower would be leave everyone alone."

"She'll never be happy."  The Head said between clinched teeth.  Jan wanted to kill Flower long ago but was ordered not to by the Master.

High Mage Corla strode into the room at that moment and said aloud, "This situation is bigger than Flower, Master Awl.  It would seem that you have gained the attention of Mages from near and far."

"Madame Kore, why are you here?"  Dragonfly said in surprise. 

"I see your able to talk, Lady Dragonfly.  This more your doing, Lynn?"  Corla asked with rueful grin.  "I was looking for my young Mage Lynn.  No matter, we all will need to talk this night.  This includes lover boy there, Trader Vance if my memory serves."

#####

Awl was released and his maid went for hot and cold drinks for all.  Not sure if she could be fully trusted they filled each other in with all that they knew while she was gone.  Vance had to be sworn in, but most believed his desire to be true to Dragonfly.

Vance asked the one question that seemed to make them all realize just how big of a problem that they were facing.

"This Mage Line, was he a fat and weasel looking man with an arrogant attitude?"  He asked slowly.

"Was that the Mage who blocked your deal in North Haven?"  Dragonfly asked.

"Yes, but he was called Antior by the Master of that House."

Lynn sat up and asked Corla, "isn't that a spell form?"

"Yes, Lynn.  It's a spell of growth."
Corla drummed her fingers to her knee.  To Vance  "No merchant, Line was thin and mean.  It would seem that we have at least two Mages involved in all this.  He also called himself by an ancient spell form, the spell for death."

"Thinking this might all have to do with the Lay Lines."  Lynn said after a moment of silence.  "Runner, go to our suite and retrieve my tube, the one hidden under my bed.  Also, bring Roar."

"Just what HAVE you been up too, my young Lynn?"  Corla asked with an open smile.

Here we are again.  Another chapter in the life of Mage Lynn.
Hope your having as much fun as I am. 
Take care and God bless you, where ever you live physically or imaginatively!