Imagine That, part 15 - Doing good and doing right are two edges of the same sword

This is a fan-fiction set on Terahnar the world created by L.E. Modesitt for his Imager series. I have no rights to any of it and don’t claim to. I just wanted to see what a story about a MTF transgender person set in the time just after Rex Regis consolidated Lydar into Solidar would be like.

(15)

Doing good and doing right are two edges of the same sword

I started on pigs, then goats, then horses. I would study a bone, like a leg bone or rib. Healer Weylt would take it out of the room, break it and bring it back on a tray and have me image it back together. When I mastered rebuilding the bones after I examined them, she started bringing broken bones that I had not seen before they were broken. I had to imagine how the bone should look and its size so that when it came back together it was the same size as before it was broken.

Then we started cutting into the bodies of animals before they were butchered for their meat. I had to pay attention to more that just the meat – or rather muscle. I had to recognize the blood vessels, tendons, cartilage and on and on.

The first time I watched a human body being cut up I almost passed out. I had to focus on what I was supposed to be seeing and then try to image the things Weylt wanted. I would image major veins closed then reopen them, which I was told would be very useful if surgery had to be performed. I also realized that I didn’t have to image a knife into someone to kill him, I just had to block the blood vessels in his neck, or close off his wind pipe. Even when trying to learn how to help healers, I had come up with a way to kill without a trace.

We took over 6 months cutting up bodies, cadavers I learned was the correct word, to cover all the various parts of a male body. Then we spent another two months doing the same to female cadavers so that I would know the differences between male and female anatomy. After doing this, I was glad that I was smart enough to stop my internal modifications with just a vagina because the complete female organs were extremely complex.

We also covered various medications for pain and fever and also poisons and their characteristics. I also learned that several types of liquids, such as alcohol, would minimize the likelihood that wounds would fester and lead to decayed flesh.

All in all it was almost a year before I saw my first live, injured patient.

A sailor had fallen while working on repairs to the rigging while the ship was docked. The fall hadn’t killed him, but had badly broken his legs an arm and several ribs.

“Joli, I want you to image a block in his spine about 3 digits below his neck. Then start with his ribs and work down to his feet,” Healer Weylt directed me.

I put a pressure block in his spine and he stopped groaning but continued to breath. Then I set about working, one bone at a time until I was done. I then removed the block and he gasped as feeling returned to his limbs.

I sat down because I was so exhausted. I drank some tea and ate some cheese and that lessened the pain in my head.

Weylt followed the man to his bed in the ward and I went into her office to wait.

“That was truly amazing. I have never seen anything like it,” she said to me as she walked into her office.

“I hope I did everything correctly,” I said and massaged my temples.

“I think he’ll be just fine. In fact, except for the soreness from the bruising he’s fine. We will let him rest and watch him tonight, but he should be able to leave here tomorrow.”

It felt so good to be able to help someone. I was a healer, not just a killer.

* * * * *

“Joli, this evening I will name you as an imager secondus at the weekly announcements. This will mean that you will receive 5 silvers a week. It also means that except for special training, you have completed your basic instruction,” said Major Volytr at our weekly session.

“I also have a special assignment for you that shouldn’t take more than a month. Lady Vaelora is coming to Llantiago to meet with the High Holders and factors councils to explain their obligations and expectations from our Rex, who happens to be her brother. She is also the wife of the Maitre of the Collegium at Image Isle in Excellesis. He was the Imager Commander who won the battle against Bovaria and he was the one who buried the Autoarch in his Castle.”

I want you to provide protection and support services for Lady Vaelora while she is here. Because you are female, having you as an assistant close to her all the time, shouldn’t be a problem or raise any questions. She will arrive in two weeks so you will need to work with Mistress Holyswryth to get together a suitable wardrobe. I don’t want you to stand out as an imager, but I do want you to follow the imager dress regulations. Mistress Holyswrth and I have discussed what needs to be done. I suspect it will mean another trip to the seamstress in Llantiago. I hope this time you don’t have to deal with drunken sailors.”

* * * * *

That evening when Jynen and I got together after the evening meal, I said, “When I meet with Mjor Volytr, he told me that I have a special assignment starting in two weeks in Llantiago. I’m going to be a special assistant to Lady Vaelora while she meets with groups of High Holders and Factors. I’ve been assigned to be her assistant and body guard. I’m supposed to put together a wardrobe of clothes suitable for my duties but don’t look like imager uniforms but still comply with the imager clothing requirements. This means another shopping trip to Llantiago. I’ll ask Mistress Holyswrth if you can come with us to help me like you did before.”

“It shouldn’t be difficult to swap with someone so that I have a free day later this week,” said Jynen.

The shopping trip wasn’t nearly as exciting as the first one. I have grown taller and curvier and bustier so it was time for a new collection of clothes, and shoes, and accessories. Scarves - I love scarves I can use them to bring some color to the severe gray outfits that I wear day-in day-out at the Collegium. On this shoping trip I got skirts, blouses, coats, dresses, pants, shoes and a collection of lingerie that will provide the foundation for my lovely new wardrobe.

At least from a clothing perspective, I felt ready to meet Lady Vaelora and not embarrass her by looking like a back-hills hayseed.

* * * * *

The carriage rolled to a stop inside the walls of a large courtyard. As I climbed out a group of soldiers walked toward me.

“Imager Joli? I’m Squad Leader Tymos. Let us help you move your things to your quarters.”

“Thank you,” was all I had time to say before Tymos and three others were carrying my chest, boxes and bags into the building that was easily bigger than several of the barracks and other buildings at Westisle Collegium put together.

The Chateau was laid out in the shape of an X with the courtyard I had entered being in one of the spaces in one quadrant of the X. We entered through a door half way along the wing and turned left down the hall toward the junction of the wings. We went up two sets of stairs to the third floor and down a hall, which according to the Squad Leader had apartments for visiting imagers. I was led to the third one on the right side and before I could look around, my luggage was inside a room that was a small parlor and the squad leader handed me a leather folder.

“In here are diagrams of the rooms in the chateau, meal times and the offices and officers who can answer just about any question you may have or provide you with anything that you might need. Lady Vaelora will be staying in the master suite, just above you, on the forth floor. We expect her to arrive tomorrow afternoon.”

“Thank you very much squad leader. I really appreciate your assistance.”

He seemed to blush, looked down then at his men and said, “I think I can find something more useful for you men to do than stand around with silly grins on your faces.”

With that, the squad leader herded the squad out of the parlor and closed the door as he left.

I spent the next glass unpacking and putting my clothes up afterwards I sat at the desk and read through the papers in the folder. There was a map of each floor with the rooms numbered and an index of the names and functions that went on in the room or those who used the room as their office. There was also a schedule labeled “Tentative” of what was supposed to happen starting tomorrow and going for a week.

I spent the remainder of the afternoon exploring the Chateau so that I could get to the apartments, meeting rooms, offices and other important places and ended up at the officers/Imagers mess a little before the start of the evening meal.

A soldier at the door asked, “can I help you miss?”

“I’m Imager Joli and I think this is the Officers/Imagers mess.”

“Sorry imager, I didn’t expect a new imager today,” he said, covering up his surprise. “The imagers usually sit at the table at the left as you go in.”

I took a seat at the end of the table and told a server that I wanted tea to drink.

Shortly a couple of men in uniform sat across from me and introduced themselves.

“Good afternoon, I’m Lynkness, the battalion Chorister,” the man across from me said.

“I’m Major Urqst,” said the man who sat next to the Chorister. “Welcome to our humble home.”

I smiled at the idea that the Chateau was ever humble and a home.

“Are you the imager assistant to Lady Vaelora we’ve been expecting?” asked the Major.

“Yes, I’m here on temporary assignment.”

“I didn’t know that there were any female imagers,” said Lynkness.

“Well, from what I’ve learned, imagers can happen in any family or gender,” I said.

I talked about the activities at the Collegium and answered their questions as the servers brought platters and bowls of food to our end of the table.

“It sounds like you have been getting a good general education at Westisle,” said the Chorister.

As he stood up to leave the table the major said, “If you have any difficulties or there is something you need for your duties, please let me know.”

I walked around the halls looking at the portraits and statues and came upon the library, which was open with a soldier sitting at a desk just inside the door.

“May I help you imager?” he said as I entered.

“No thank you, I just getting familiar with this big place.”

I spent almost a glass looking at the titles of the books and trying to figure out how they were organized.

I didn’t have any trouble getting to sleep that night and awoke refreshed when I heard the first morning bell. I dressed in my exercise clothes and went down to the area marked “exercise yard” on the map and took a place at the back of the group. The calisthenics were familiar to me and I ran about a mille, again at the rear of the group so I could drop out when I wanted.

I showered changed into a fresh imager uniform, but with a skirt and a sea blue scarf and went down to first meal.

When I entered the mess hall Major Urqst motioned for me to join him so I sat across from him.

“This is Captian Hydrn and Captian Cuyprt. They keep me on my toes. Gentlemen, this is Imager Joli, the temporary assistant to Lady Vaelora for her visit with us.”

They both welcomed me to the Chateau and then Captain Hydrn asked, “was that you I saw out exercising this morning? I didn’t recall that we had any young women soldiers.”

“Yes, I was part of the group. Major Volytr believes that imagers need to be physically fit because imaging can be strenuous work.”

“Well, I’ll tell you that you surprised more than a few men this morning. Not only did you do every exercise, you ran a mill and looked like you could have gone on for several more.”

“It took me a while to build up my endurance, but I try to exercise two or three times a week at the Collegium.”

“Some of the stories that the soldiers who were with the army that defeated the Autarch would agree with that statement.”

Captain Cuyprt asked, “If you are going up to the Lady’s office, I’d be happy to walk with you.”

“Yes, that’s where I thought I’d go to see what I can do before she arrives.”

Her office and suite were on the fourth floor and occupied half the wing on the right side. The Captain explained that I had an office with doors that lead to the Lady’s office and the waiting room. My office wasn’t very big, just a small desk, a chair and another small table. Her office was impressive. In addition to a smaller table and padded chair next to the windows, there was a table as big as the conference table back in the Collegium, and another area with padded chairs and short tables, much like the parlor in the women’s residence hall. There were paintings and a large map of Antiago on the walls between shelves with small statues and porcelain plates and vases.

I spent the morning going over the schedule of meetings and the names of those who would be attending them. I asked the soldier at the desk in the waiting area if he knew of any information on the high holders and factors who would be attending the meetings and he directed me to the governor’s offices, which were on the wing opposite this one on the same floor.

When I crossed to the opposite wing I entered a waiting room, much like the one assigned to the Lady and a squad leader asked if he cold help me. I told him of my assignment and that I was trying to gather information for Lady Vaelora about the people she would be meeting.

“Let me ask Princeps Wollhyr if he can help you. Come, I’ll show you to his office.” He said and went across the hall to the office opposite the governor’s.

“Wait here if you will,” he said as he rapped on the door, enterend and closed it behind him. In just moments he came out and said, “Princeps Wollhyr can see you now,” and held the door open for me.

Princeps Wollhyr was a man with streaks of gray in his reddish-brown hair, with a neat beard and mustache, and blue eyes that seemed to light up when he saw me.

“Ah, you must be Joli D’Image. It is nice to meet you. Wollhyr tells me you are already at work gathering intelligence for the Lady.”

“Yes Sir, I thought to put together information on each person Lady Vaelora will be meeting. Can you tell me where I can find this information?”

“What we have will be in the files of the revenues and fees that are in the records room. If you will wait here just a moment, I’ll have a trooper take you to there.”

In just a moment I was following a soldier down to the records room where I found another soldier who showed me to the boxes of records. I spent the rest of the morning until first bell of the afternoon collecting information on the factors and High Holders that I had on my list.

I had just returned to my office and put my papers in folders in a box when I heard a rap on my door. “Enter,” I said.

“Mistress Imager, Lady Vaelora’s coach should be arriving in the front court yard with in half a glass,” said a trooper who opened the door.

There was a mirror on the back of my office door and I checked how I looked and fluffed my hair, adjusted the scarf around my neck, made sure my blouse was smoothly tucked into my skirt.

Satisfied, I went down to the front courtyard to wait with several others.

Lady Vaelora’s coach, pulled by a team of four horses, was not alone. It looked like a company of cavalry accompanied the coach, and when they entered, the courtyard was filled to overflowing. In a few moments, when the dust had blown away, Govenor Alazyn walked to the coach to welcome Lady Vaelora as she came down steps placed beside the coach. After a brief exchange of greetings, the Governor and the Lady went into the Chateau and up to her office and apartment with the rest of us trailing along behind.

I went back to my office and continued to organize the information I had collected until Adayms, the trouper who sat at the desk in the waiting room, opened my door and said, “Lady Vaelora wants all of her staff to meet her in her office in half a glass.”

Adayms and I were the only two local staff, Imager Captain Lhandor and a chamber maid, Myldryd had come with her from L’Excelsis. She had a real presence, even though she was my height. Her skin was a honey brown and her hair was dark brown as were her eyes. She looked me over from head to toe, then Adayms and asked each of us to introduce ourselves.

After Adams spoke, I said “Imager Secondus Joli from Westisle Collegium.”

She explained what she expected to accomplish during her stay and welcomed Adayms and me to her staff. She dismissed us, but asked me to accompany her to her apartment.

“Imager Joli, I’ve heard some interesting things about you from Major Volytr. I like the way your scarf gives your grays a bit of color, by the way.”

“Thank you my Lady,” I replied.

“I understand that among other skills, you can create rather powerful shields. Can you also create a shield that will hide you?”

“Yes, my Lady,” I said again. She was all business.

“Well we may have to make use of some of your imaging skills before I finish here. Tell me, what special training have you had?”

I told her about my work with Healer Weylt and other special training in running a household, dancing and deportment in social settings.

“That’s good to hear because we will be attending a ball tomorrow night to welcome me to LLantiago society. Do you have a suitable wardrobe to attend the ball?”

“Yes my Lady.”

“When we are working by ourselves, please call me Vaelora and in informal situations, ‘Lady Vaelora’ or ‘Lady’.”

“Yes Vaelora,” I said. “I’ve been looking over the meeting attendees and have ceated a page fo reach of them with the information that we have here in the Chateau. The information comes from the fees and tax files which is all I had to work with. I’ve only gotten through the first weeks meetings because that is all I have on your schedule.”

“That’s very good work,” she said as she begin removing her traveling outfit.

“Fetch your files and meet me in my bath and you can start telling me about the people I’ll be dealing with.”

I collected my box of files and knocked on her apartment door. Myldryd the chamber maid, opened the door and Vaelora said, “Please just come in without knocking unless I tell you otherwise. We will be working together closely and I can’t have you standing outside a door waiting to come in. Follow me and tell me the names, positions and background of the men I’ll be meeting tomorrow.”

With the aid of Myldryd, she had a tub bath, and yet didn’t stop listening and asking questions about what I was telling her. I knew that she had given birth twice, but that the first child died when she was injured in the battle for Antiago, but looking at her figure as she got out of the tub made me appreciate how hard she worked to keep herself in shape. From my healer studies, I knew how having babies can change the shape of a woman, and she didn’t look like she had had any babies, except for her breasts, which were starting to sag due to babies and age.

“This evening, we will be having supper with the Governor, his staff and Commander Paedn and Major Volytr so you should change and be ready for the supper at 7th bell this evening.”

* * * * *

The small banquet hall was on the first floor not too far from the kitchens so the food was served directly and didn’t have to be carted to upper floors.

I arrived a half glass before 7th bell so that I could ask about the seating arrangements and the courses of food and drinks. I arranged for my seat to be at the end of the table where I could see anyone coming into the room, and yet easily watch Vaelora for any indication that she need my help.

The first attendees to enter were Volytr and Lhandor and they were talking animatedly about the progress of imagers at the two collegium.

Volytr walked over to me an said, “Lahandor, you need to get to know Imager Secodus Joli. Threkhyl is very impressed with her imager skills and power.”

“If Threkhyl is impressed I better pay attention to you. He was always so demanding and always wanted you to continually push yourself. How are you and he getting along?”

“I haven’t worked with him in a while. I’ve spent most of my time recently learning from Healer Weylt.”

“One of our Pharsi imagers said she was a hot little pepper when she first came to us and she’s proved to be just that,” said Volytr.

About then the room started to fill with the rest of the party, except for the Governor and Lady Vaelora. Then a trooper came in and called out “Lady Vaelora and Governor Alazyn.”

They entered, came to the head of the table and we all waited until she was seated and we followed, but I noticed that the men on either side of me waited for me to sit.

I answered the questions from the men seated close to me about my education and training at the Collegium. They were surprised that I had spent so much time with the healer.

As the second course was being served and the dishes from the first were being taken away, I noticed a server enter from a side door, not the one closest to the kitchen and that he was holding a large covered platter in both hands and looking directly at lady Vaelora. Something felt wrong to me about him so I put an invisible shield between him and her. Before he got close to my shield he dropped the platter and I could see he had a small crossbow in his hands and was aiming it at the Lady. As the bolt hit my shield, I focused on the veins in his neck, squeezing them shut and he dropped like a sack of dirty clothes to the floor.

As soon as he hit the floor I released my pressure on the veins in his neck and I realized that there were shouted commands and several troupers rushed into the room and bound him up like ham hock ready for the smoke house.

Just as quickly as the noise came it went and it was deathly quiet.

“I want to thank imagers Volytr and Lahandor for your quick work. I recall that a previous Governor of Antiago was killed in a similar attack, but this time you were close enough to prevent it’s success,” said Vaelora and gave me a wink.

Major Volyrt was quickest on the uptake and said, “our pleasure my Lady. I’d not want to face Maiter Quaeryt if anything had happened to you.”

There was a murmur of agreement and grim laughs that sounded more like barks.

The rest of the meal was uneventful and as the guests were leaving, Vaelora said, “Major Volyrt, Captain Lahondor, could I have a word with you,” and nodded at me which I took to mean that I was to stay as well.

When we were the only ones left in the room, she said, “Major, thank you for quickly understanding what I was doing. Now Joli, what alerted you to the danger and what did you do?”

“I noticed him because he came in through a door with a platter and the door didn’t come from the kitchen. I know a good deal about cooking and the kitchen staff at the Collegium and he just didn’t look like any server I know. His clothes and shoes were all wrong. When I saw how he was focusing on you, Lady and not watching for any of the other serving staff, I felt that something wasn’t right so I put a shield between you and him. Then when he shot the crossbow bolt at you I squeezed shut the veins in his neck to cause him to pass out, then released the pressure after he collapsed on the floor.”

“That was very astute of you,” said Volytr “it reinforces our decision to assign you to this task.”

“How did you know how to do that to his neck?” asked Lahondor.

“I’ve been working with Healers and that is a quick way to make someone lose consciousness. He may have a head ache but that should be all, when he wakes up.”

“We may be able to find out more about who hired or sent him,” said Volytr.

“No one even looked at Joli much less suspected that she stopped the assassin and I’d like to keep it that way,” said Vaelora. “She will have a greater ability to act and observe if she isn’t known to be a strong imager.”

“I’ve had as much excitement as I need for one day, so I’ll see you both tomorrow.’ She said. “Joli, walk with me back to my apartment.”

“I want to thank you personally for your attentiveness and skills. Our first Governor here was a very good friend and an assassin using the exact same methods used tonight killed him. When my husband conquered Antiago his actions did destroy the fortunes of many High Holders so it isn’t surprising that there was an attempt on my life to get revenge on him. That’s why there will be at least two imagers close to me whenever I’m outside of my apartment. I just hadn’t expected it to occur so soon.”

“Tomorrow, according to my schedule, I am to meet with the council of Llantiago in the morning and then a council of High Holders in the afternoon. Then tomorrow night we will attend a ‘Welcome to the New Land of Solidar’ ball. I know it’s called just a Welcoming Ball, but its purpose is along the lines of what I named it.”

I know these meeting can be deathly boring, but I need you there with me, being a second set of eyes and ears and letting me know anything you may pick up on. In fact because I will enter the meeting rooms last and leave first, I’d like you, when you leave just behind me, to bring up your invisibility shield and slip back into the room and listen to the conversation that is sure to start up after I’m out of the room.”

I was tired from my efforts researching the information and then the excitement at the meal. As I started to yawn suddenly saw a ball of fire hitting a ship just in front of where I was standing. It was so real, I stepped back to get out of the way.

“Joli, what’s happening?” asked Vaelora “You look like you’ve seen a bear face to face.”

“I just had a nightmare except I’m not asleep.”

“Did you recognize where you were?”

“Yes, I was on a ship, like the one I was on when I started my journey to Westisle.”

“We call such things far sight visions and usually, its best not to tell others about them, unless you see a clear danger and the person in danger needs to know what to watch for. The problem with telling others is that by trying to avoid the situation, often worse things happen.”

“I did have a dream about the sailors that attacked us in Llantiago, and then it happened just like in my dream.”

“Far sight is usually something limited to people with Pharsi lineage. Are your parents Pharsi?”

“My Maman is. See taught us how to speak Pharsi and told us the old stories.”

“That explains much. I feel safer already. See you in the morning.”