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Pepper and Lace: Chapter 3 Seven League Boots

Started by MerchantDeryni, October 02, 2018, 10:49:18 PM

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MerchantDeryni

Chapter 3: Seven League Boots

   The next morning Dhyrucc rode again to the Longwynn estate. A stableboy took his horse and directed him to the rear of the manor house. On a morning terrace Terrel was having a tisane with a woman.  Terrel rose and held swept his arm out in introduction. His grin belied the proper form of the greeting. He was clearly enjoying the meeting with the woman.
"Dhyrucc, may I introduce you to Victoria Abranel. She has agreed to be your trainer in the finer points of using the Network. Victoria, may I present to Dhyrucc Imbrael. He is going to work on the network for us."

Victoria gave him an appraising glance, and extended her hand. "Pleased to meet you."

   Dhyrucc bowed over her hand. "Honoured to make your acquaintance ma'am."

She laughed."Oh Lord Terrel, you brought me a country gentleman. Whatever am I meant to do with this? I'm unused to manners. Forgive me any social lapses Dhyrucc. I have spent the last year travelling among barbarians and it's had an effect."

   Victoria was dressed a little oddly. Her dress was of the latest fashion, and of good fabric but over it was a coat with large workmanlike pockets on the sides and front. It was of foreign cut and stitching, that was obvious, but Dhyrucc was unsure of where it was from. Her brown hair was tied back in a braid and a silk scarf was wrapped around her neck.

   Of course ma'am. Where were you travelling?"

   "I was settling the network east across the steppes of the barbarian horsemen. Setting up portals and trading deals to allow tea and silk to travel across their lands to us."

Terrel spoke up; "Victoria is an Adept at Portal construction and the workings of the balances. I had the chance to have her train you and brought her in. She produces walkers of exceptional ability"

"Walkers? What are they?" asked Dhyrucc.

" Walkers of the World. World walkers to wax poetic. When you gain access to the network you gain seven league boots. The urge to explore, to see the wonders that are told in tales. You travel a week's ride in an instant. In a week you can be thousands of miles away and seeing things you have only read about.
   My scarf is from the other side of the world. The coat half way to that, although I had it made from linen and not yak leather. The tea is from fabled Chan. Terrel's coffee from a land far to the south. The world along the network is a wondrous, overwhelming shop of curiosities and treasures." She drained her tea in an unladylike rush, "And you will never see it if I do not teach you to get there, and back safely. So let us be off and you will start your education, mingpie?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Victoria twitched, "Never mind. My language is corrupted and full of slang. I swear in Cantonese and Mongolian most of the time. It's better than Yiddish. More swear words."

"Why would you want to swear in Yiddish?"
Victoria looked at him blankly. "Because I'm Jewish, of course."

Terrel broke in. "Victoria, train Dhyrucc in the basics please and have him survive to make his fortune. Dhyrucc, pay attention to the fair Victoria and try not to pick up her bad habits, of any sort." Terrel sent a sharp glance to Victoria. "Once she says you can safely make the serious jumps we can have you make serious money. Until then we'll have you on day rate. Once she clears you, and that could be today, you and I will talk about your place within the organization and I will offer you a princely salary for your services." Terrel settled into his seat and took up his cup of coffee.

"We've been sent off/ Come along Dhyrucc. I'll take you to my kwoon."

She led him through the patio doors and through the rooms and hallways to the basement stairs and the portal below. "You have the signature?" He nodded. "Excellent. First test. Relax shields and," She paused, and quick footed out of the portal. He watched her hurry to one of the tables. She grabbed two bottles of wine from the table and turned to hurry back to him. She slid the bottles into the oversized thigh pockets. "almost forgot my wine. So. Relax shields and let me take you through."

Dhyrucc relaxed and felt her mind brush against his. His control was a little sloppy and he flushed with embarrassment. Victoria said nothing, just took control and moved them. There was still the sensation of twisting and falling, or rising, or both at the same time. There was a difference though. Victoria had balanced the energies so smoothly that the brief sensation of 'not-ness'  was not as disorienting as it had been the day before. In that one moment she showed how much of an Adept she was. Dhyrucc remembered his father's words and made a note to learn from this odd, emphatic woman.

"Well here we are. Welcome to my humble abode. Literally. This is my parent's house. You are 200 miles south of where you had been a moment ago."

She clapped her hands. "So. Let's get started."

Jerusha

From ghoulies and ghosties and long-leggity beasties and things that go bump in the night...good Lord deliver us!

 -- Old English Litany

Evie

I like the "seven league boots" analogy for Transfer Portals.  :)
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

MerchantDeryni

I forget which book but someone went to a church and asked to use the Transfer portal to get to the city a week away. His argument was the portal saved him a week of riding, he knew the portal was there, so could he borrow it.
Off the top of my head I think Quest for St. Camber? maybe?


revanne

Quote from: MerchantDeryni on October 03, 2018, 10:28:17 AM
I forget which book but someone went to a church and asked to use the Transfer portal to get to the city a week away. His argument was the portal saved him a week of riding, he knew the portal was there, so could he borrow it.
Off the top of my head I think Quest for St. Camber? maybe?
It's in QfSC and is Duncan asking Denis to take him through to Dhassa by portal so he can then ride to Coroth to tell Alaric that Kelson and Dhugal are dead.
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
(Psalm 46 v1)

Laurna

#5
Duncan actually had to ask Denis if he could make that jump? I will have to reread that part. That was a horrible moment in the story line. (Duncan and Alaric thinking Kelson and Dhugal had drowned in that river.)

Good chapter MD. When I think  of seven leagues I think of Seven leagues under the sea. and captain Nemo.  Tell Victoria to take it easy with Dhyrucc during his first training days.  No portal accidents allowed.
May your horses have wings and fly!

MerchantDeryni

The thing that struck me as funny in the Quest for St Camber and the training in Portal use was the speed of it.
Tiercel and Conall in Quest for St Camber,

"This is a portal. Feel it? Good. Drop shields"
*Jump*

"This is another portal, feel it? Good. Ok, Go back on your own. Good Luck."

Which is the point I guess. Dhyrucc has had the basic training from his family, and been exposed to Portals in the past. The training he gets from Victoria is more a test to see if he is going to go up in aether carrying a fortune in spices.   The review he gets reassures the network handlers that a new employee is not going to fail to get through. Each person they recruit can make them a fortune every few days. A review of the basics should be expected.

Evie

Quote from: Laurna on October 03, 2018, 09:23:10 PM
Duncan actually had to ask Denise if he could make that jump? I will have to reread that part. That was a horrible moment in the story line.

IIRC, Duncan knew or at least suspected that Denis had a Portal in Dhassa, but since he'd never been there (to that Portal, that is, since he'd certainly been to Dhassa!), he wouldn't know the Portal signature, hence he'd need Denis to take him through. Secondly, IIRC that Portal was in the Denis' personal rooms in the bishop's palace, not in a public space, so it would be rude to just literally pop into Denis's home uninvited and unannounced even if he'd known how to get to that Portal. Had it been Alaric's home, that might be different, but Duncan and Denis aren't that close!
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

MerchantDeryni

I found the section I had recalled. Duncan asks Arilan to take him to Dhassa, or another portal that might be closer to Coroth.

"Fine. Then you won't be missed if you spend a little additional time to take me to Dhassa-unless there's a
Portal closer to Coroth, that is."
Arilan scowled as he watched Duncan pull on leather breeches and a shirt of soft black suede.
"I don't recall having told you there was a Portal there."
"You didn't; but if there wasn't one before, I can't imagine that you and some of your Council brethren
wouldn't have put one in, once you became Bishop of Dhassa."
"It was already there," Arilan said sourly. "But you're asking a great deal."
"I'm asking you to save me at least a week's riding, between here and Coroth," Duncan replied. He
plopped on a stool to begin tugging on stout leather boots that came well over the knee. "Even from
Dhassa, I'll still have a solid day's ride each way. And I'll need a horse to get out of Dhassa, if you can
manage it. I'd rather not steal one."

This is another advantage of portal access. Fast movement to key points and then ride to your destination. Even aside from wanting to make money off of things.