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To Dream of Darkness

A story by DoggyStyle57

Chapter 23, Written January 2012

===

Chapter 23 - Secrets of the Orient

Sarina blinked as she looked out the window, and then ran to the door, knowing only one reaction could be expected of her. She threw open the door and charged at a full run at the gentleman outside, clasping him in a hug and squealing, "Daddy!" like a young schoolgirl.

Lord Edward Randall returned her hug, while tightly holding a small satchel in one hand. "Ah, Sarina, how I have missed you!" he said, with tears coming from his eyes.

Lord and Lady Pennington came out behind her at a more sedate walk, smiling at the reunion.

"Edward! Good Lord, man! I thought you had fallen off the far edge of the Earth! Where have you been these last few years?" Lord Pennington asked.

Lord Edward Randall detached himself from Sarina's grasp as he replied, "You are not far from it, Thomas. I have been in India, and in China. Mail service is dreadful there, and the war the last three years hasn't helped a bit. You know about our scuffle with the Chinese?" he asked.

"Something about them confiscating English goods, and our demanding restitution and free trade, wasn't it?" Lord Pennington replied. "Saw the recruiting posters, seeking young men to take up arms in the cause, and gentlemen to serve as officers."

"Yes, just that. I'm too old to take a commission again in the military, but I was still in the thick of it, trying to keep my investments afloat. I tell you, Thomas, there's great money to be made in trade between England, India and the Orient. Makes trade with most of Europe pale by comparison. I sunk my money in a trading venture based out of India, buying tea from China, for sale here. The Chinese would only take silver in payment, but we can get all the silver we need by buying opium in India and selling that to the Chinese, who can't get enough of it, even though their government disapproves of its use. But not long after I arrived in India, the Chinese impounded all the opium from the ships in their ports, and destroyed it! Could have bankrupted us all. With the Crown backing us, we've fought them these last three years for restitution, and to re-open trade with China on our terms. And we have won, Thomas! The Chinese even ceded an island off the coast to us, for use as a trading port. The British Flag now flies proudly over Hong Kong Island!" he said enthusiastically. "But that is the least part of why I am here. Have I made it in time, Sarina dear, for your birthday? You'll be twenty this very day, unless my mind has become completely befuddled by long travels, strange foods and the fumes of the opium dens."

"Today is my birthday, yes, father. And I am so pleased to see you! We are having a ball this evening, in celebration." Sarina replied. "Do say you will stay, and attend my party!"

"Come inside, Edward. You'll stay with us, of course? I'll have our servants take your things to a guest room," Lord Pennington said.

Lord Randall picked up one bag protectively, and said, "I'd not miss your party for the entire world, my child. And I thank you for the hospitality, Thomas, though I shall not stay long. I'll keep this one bag with me," as he followed them inside.

===

Once they were settled in the Solar, Lord Randall asked Sarina, "You've not yet married, have you? I did get a few letters from you or your uncle, which caught up with me here and there. I recall you were making quite a name for yourself as a mage. But no mention of a husband, as yet, or any promising suitor you hope to marry?"

"There is no gentleman of that sort in my life yet, father," Sarina replied. "I am in no hurry to marry."

"No? Well, all the better, for I have something more to add to your dowry," he said. He opened his small satchel and withdrew a silver box with intricate Chinese decorations. "The box itself and what's in the bottom of it is worth more than many a girl's entire dowry. But what is on top within it is far more precious. Open it, my dear, and happy birthday!"

Sarina took the box, which was rather heavy for its size, and opened the lid. Within the box, resting on a tightly packed layer of rectangular gold coins, and nestled in a scarlet silk cloth, was a carved figurine, done in an oriental style quite unfamiliar to Sarina. It was only an inch or so across, and was in the shape of a fox head, with wide open eyes that had a slant to them. It was made of ivory, darkened as if by much handling and use, and as she turned it over in her open hand, she saw it was pierced through from side to side, just behind the ears, and threaded on a red silk cord, with about a foot of cord on each side of the knot that secured the ivory head at the center of the cord, and a pretty tassel at the ends of the cord. An odd spiral figure with nine sinuous arms, each like a slender fox tail, was carved on the back of the object. "It is lovely, father! And magical too, is it not? I sense a great power from that little carving," Sarina said.

"I knew my girl would appreciate that one thing even more than the gold and chest," Lord Randall said with a smile. "You are quite right. The little Human fellow from China that sold that to me wanted quite a lot of silver for it, but I just had to have it for you. He claimed he gave me a good price, because I was a fox myself, but it was still very expensive. He told me it came from an island nation eastward even of China - a place that has been closed to foreigners for decades. Even the Chinese can't sail into that tiny island nation's ports. That carving came from a place called Japan, and that one bears a potent magical protective charm. It was once worn by a priestess from one of their most sacred shrines. He said that one protects the owner from many forms of magic, and that it should have other unique properties as well. He had a strange word for what the Japanese called it. What was it? Ah, yes, that's it. He said it was a Kitsune netsuke. A netsuke is a carving that is placed at the end of a cord attached to a small pouch or box, so it can be carried hung from their waist sash, since their robes have no pockets. A Kitsune is some sort of magical fox. So I just had to get it for my magical vixen daughter."

Sarina tied the cord in a loop, and placed it on her left wrist, like a bracelet. "I think it is lovely, father, and that your money was quite well spent. I can tell you one thing that it does already. While you had this on your person, I could not read your thoughts at all. But I can, now. You want me to return to this 'Hong Kong' island with you, don't you, father?"

"I would like you to consider it, yes," he replied. "The Orientals have a different magic from ours. I saw them using it in the war, and saw what our mages did as well. You could learn a great deal from them, I think, if you went there yourself. They have ways they never speak of to outsiders, but I'll wager you can still learn from them. I confess that I also would like to know there's a mage beside me who I can trust. We have them subdued, for now, but they may rise up again. And if what little I have heard of your skill is true, I could use you by my side."

Lord Randall had other gifts for them as well. He produced three splendid silk dresses for Lady Pennington, and four equally elegant dresses for Sarina, all in the English style, but made of splendid Chinese silk brocades, with intricate embroidered details. For Lord Pennington he brought two silk lounging jackets, and half a dozen small, intricate ivory carvings.

The ladies excused themselves to try on their new finery. Sarina had to use a little magic to make the dresses fit. Lady Pennington's dresses were only a bit small, as she had put on a little weight since her brother in law had last seen her, but Sarina's were considerably too small - suited more to the child she had been when her father had left England. But when they wore them to show to Lord Randall and Lord Pennington, they fit perfectly, and Lord Randal was none the wiser.

===

The ball was quite the social occasion, with over 100 guests in attendance. Sarina wore one of her new Chinese dresses, and introduced her father to the guests. She insisted on giving him the first dance, and then dancing with her uncle. No less than a dozen young men, of several species, asked Sarina to dance, congratulated her on the occasion of her birthday, and tried to gain her interest in a quiet conversation, or a private kiss. Two declared their undying love for her, and asked her permission to speak their hearts to her father and her aunt and uncle. She was cordial to them, but declined to do more than dance, or to accept any more personal attentions.

As the ball neared its conclusion, Sarina announced that she had come to a very important turning point in her life. She thanked those guests who had been kind to her, or who had been customers of her magical services. Then she thanked her aunt and uncle for their love and support for the last six years. Finally she announced that she intended to travel, in the company of her father, and see the Orient. She would be leaving in one month's time, once the necessary travel arrangements could be made.

===

After the ball, when Sarina's father had retired for the evening, Sarina had crept into her aunt and uncle's bedroom and placed a sleep spell on her aunt.

Her uncle spoke with her a while, before they mated. "I will miss you, my child," Lord Randall said. "You have been so much to me. My niece. My daughter, even my lover. But each child must find their own way in life. I will respect your decision. Before you go, I will return to you the dowry chest your father left, when first he asked that you live with us. Most of the funds he set aside for you are still in it, and you are enough of an adult to keep it safe yourself. Do not forget us, my dear Sarina. And if you should return before the march of years takes the capability from me, I would welcome any visit from you, in my home, and in my bed. You will be the only one, other than my wife, that I shall ever take as my lover."

"Do not regret, Uncle. We have one more month that we will be together. Love me tonight, and we will make memories to last the rest of your life," Sarina said.

===

The time seemed to fly by, as Sarina said goodbye to the few friends that she had, such as the tavern girls, including Molly and Meridith; the innkeeper, Master Duncan; and the mage, Lady Portia. She concluded her business affairs, and closed her shop. When it came time to pack, she concealed almost all of her father's luggage and her own on her necklace, much to his amazement. When they departed, they boarded a ship bound for the Eastern Mediterranean, with only one small bag each, their coats, and their umbrellas.

They sailed the length of the Mediterranean, until they reached Cairo. While waiting for transportation out of Cairo, it occurred to Lord Randall to ask Sarina if her magic could get them there faster.

"Unfortunately, father, it is increasingly difficult with distance to open a portal or teleport to a place that I have never been. Once I have been to this island of Hong Kong, then yes, I could create a portal for us to travel rapidly back to my uncle's home in England. But if I were to attempt to make a portal to a place I have never seen, I could easily get the wrong island entirely, or some place on the Chinese Mainland, or even on that forbidden island of Japan! We are safer to travel without magic, until I can mark the destinations for later use." Sarina insisted.

While they waited in Cairo, she amused herself with searching for Egyptian magical texts and artifacts, and with reading the hieroglyphics on the ancient tombs and monuments. Her facility with languages and her ability to read the surface thoughts of others gave her an amazing advantage in the marketplaces and the stalls of the street merchants. Once they knew she could speak their language fluently, the merchants showed her wares that they seldom offered to foreigners, and were willing to introduce her to several of the local mages.

Someone did try to kidnap Sarina once, while she walked alone through the streets of Cairo. A muscular fellow of some mixed feline breed tossed a large cloth sack over her head, tossed her over his shoulder, and tried to carry her off. Sarina set the sack on fire, which could not harm her, but which burned his hands, clothes, fur and back. Then she set his clothes on fire. She left the fellow suspended in mid air, upside down, with much of his fur burned off, and wearing only his loin cloth, with his head about three feet above a basket full of live cobras, and then paid the owner of the cobras not to move the basket until nightfall. The snake charmer happily agreed, and the sight of the floating would-be kidnapper earned the snake charmer many coins that day. The cat remained in the air until sunrise, when the magic dispelled as the sunlight touched him, and dropped him on his head.

Once further arrangements were made, they travelled with a merchant caravan across the Middle East, and to the ports on the Indian Ocean. From there, they took a ship to Bombay, where they stayed briefly while Lord Randall met with his business contacts, and made arrangements for their arrival in Hong Kong. As she had done in Cairo, Sarina explored Bombay, and searched for magical lore and artifacts unique to India.

More than four months after leaving England, they steamed into the harbor at Victoria City, as the English had named the small town that was the capital of Hong Kong Island. There were less than three thousand people living on the island, more than half of those Chinese natives who had agreed to work for the English, but who lived in their own settlements on the island.

In the English held areas, Western-style homes had been built, and there was even a Cricket pitch and polo fields.

"All the comforts of home," Sarina observed, as she looked at the simple bed and lumpy mattress in her room. The first thing she did was to replace the bed with the elegant four-posted bed with its feather mattress and down comforter, which she had kept from the Pennington Manor. Her wardrobe and dresser soon followed.

"I should have asked you to pack some furniture for me," her father mused, as he watched Sarina unpacking. "I had no idea your magic could do such things for us."

"Allow me to rest, father, and I can probably make a portal from here back to England, and go back to fetch a comfy bed for you, as well. But for now, I need some sleep," Sarina said.

Lord Randall sighed and returned to his own room, where he spent a restless night on a lumpy, cloth-stuffed mattress on a rope frame bed, not realizing his daughter would have welcomed him to join her in her bed, if he had but shown the interest in doing so.