Key to Destiny

  “Pyro,” he explained. He glanced at the others. “Levitation, conjuration."

  Symbol got over her startle. “Delight! May I hold one?"

  Havoc handed her Flame, who was looking around as if seeking more mischief. “She'll want to nurse,” he warned her. Gale was already nursing the two she held, having somehow bared her breasts without setting either baby down.

  “Maybe I can do that,” Symbol said. “I have a bauble.” She brought out a little nursing amulet, which she had on a string, so that it dropped down between her ghostly breasts. They swelled. “Yes, it works.” She held the baby to one breast, and Flame nursed. The milk might be invisible, but it had the same substance as Gale's.

  Trust Symbol to be prepared! Possibly she had guessed the nature of Mneme's problem and sought out the amulet.

  “We did not require this of you,” Gale said.

  Symbol shrugged. “I serve the king and queen in any way I can.” She had the grace not to glance at Havoc as she spoke, but her mind carried the trace: she was eager to embrace him again.

  “This way is as good as any,” Gale agreed, flashing Havoc a mental picture of naked Symbol being hauled away from his bed by the scruff of her neck. It was all teasing; she would send him to Symbol if she wanted to be left alone. Of course her picture wasn't literal, because a truly naked Symbol was almost invisible and there was no scruff to grab.

  Havoc left them and walked around the cave-abode, considering how it might be adapted for small children. There was plenty of room, because offshoots of the cave extended in several directions. All they had to do was designate them and prepare them for use. Of course at first the babies would stay close to Gale, whose abrupt motherly capacity was a pleasant surprise. But as they grew—

  Havoc. It was Ennui again.

  You need Symbol back already? She's busy at the moment.

  Chief says we need you back. There's a crisis the mocks can't handle. The mocks were the mock king and queen emulating Havoc and Gale at the palace.

  That was bad news. This is not convenient at the moment. Is it urgent?

  Chief says, quote, “Tell him to get his barbarian ass here in a hurry."

  Havoc laughed. He didn't mean that to be quoted.

  True. But the need is urgent.

  Havoc signed. You said mocks. You need Gale too?

  Ennui sent a mischievous smile. Unless you care to come alone and night with Spanky.

  I'll ask Gale. But there's a complication.

  There always is. We'll handle it. She faded out, her limit expended.

  Havoc returned to the others. The babies had finished nursing for the moment, thanks to Symbol's help so that they could do all three at once, and were now entertaining them with demonstrations of spot magic. Symbol's charred blouse was on again, so that her figure was complete.

  “We need to practice control,” Gale said, seeing him. “So that they can't make mischief."

  “Agreement. But there is another problem."

  “We have more than enough already."

  “Chief wants us back in Triumph City."

  “We can't go now! The babies—"

  “Ennui said I could go alone and night with Spanky."

  Symbol tittered. “Sire, if you want young flesh, Bijou will make the sacrifice. No need to bother Spanky.” Bijou had been the first bath girl Havoc had encountered, and of course she loved him; they had had a considerable relationship. Terms like “sacrifice” and “bother” were sheer tease; the girls were more than eager and competent.

  Gale's smile was restrained. “Symbol, you have demonstrated your ability to help in a new way. But nursing is more than is expected of a third party. How can we repay you?"

  “Gale, I am Havoc's mistress, with your concurrence. I want to be yours too. Let me nurse your babies. The service is its own reward."

  Havoc kept his mouth shut. That was about as direct a statement as could be made.

  Gale nodded, unsurprised. “We shall have to return to the palace. You will become my personal maid, to help with the children, in addition to the chores with Havoc. We will not be able to conceal their abilities from the palace staff, but we do not want them known beyond. You will assist in that. This is apt to be an enduring commitment, because we shall want the children always in familiar hands."

  “I like these children,” Symbol said. “They have character."

  “As you know, we are now Glamors. This, too, we wish to conceal beyond the palace staff."

  “Commitment."

  Gale nodded. “Take her back, and prepare the way,” she said to Havoc. “Then fetch me. I don't want to try carrying three together."

  Symbol glanced at the babies. “I can carry Flame, if—"

  “Feasible. Havoc will take you and Flame. You will explain to the staff while Havoc finds out what requires our presence. Tell Berm and Spanky to make way for us."

  Havoc put his arms around Symbol and Flame, and transported them to the Ennui's room in the palace.

  Ennui was there, expecting an arrival. She was nevertheless surprised. “A baby!” she exclaimed.

  “I told you there was a complication,” Havoc said sourly.

  “What are you doing baby-sitting? Whose is it?"

  “Mine. Gale adopted three."

  “Three!"

  “We underestimated that girl,” Symbol said with a smile. “This is Flame. Gale will bring Warp and Weft once we clear the way."

  Ennui glanced at Havoc. “Who needs to know about the babies?"

  “You, Aspect, Chief, Throe—” Havoc began.

  “The bath girls,” Symbol said. “Soon the whole palace staff will know, but we'll try to hold the line there, until the formal announcement is made.” The baby had finished nursing, and Symbol handed her to Havoc and covered her breast. Some of the powder had been rubbed off by the baby, so that only intermittent portions of the breast showed anyway.

  Havoc didn't argue. Symbol knew protocol better than he did. He held Flame, liking the way she cuddled; she had gotten to know him. “However, there's another complication,” he said.

  Ennui faced him. “This time I had better listen."

  “They have magic powers. Here in nonChroma. This one is a pyro. She sets fires with her mind."

  “Oh, my.” Ennui took a moment to work it out. “That's why you took her? Because it will take a Glamor to handle her?"

  “And the others,” Symbol said. “They levitate and conjure. So far."

  “So we need to move the mocks out, oblivious,” Ennui said. “And enlist competent help, so you and Gale can get some sleep."

  “That's best,” Symbol agreed. “I will be doing what I can, but this promises to be a challenge."

  “Understatement.” Ennui reoriented. “Moving out the mocks will take an hour."

  “An hour!” Havoc said.

  “If we rush them, they'll catch on that something's up,” Ennui explained patiently. “They have been alerted to be ready to move out at an hour's notice, so that's proper."

  She was right, of course. Havoc sat on Ennui's bed, holding the baby. “Go get it done."

  Ennui and Symbol nodded and left the room. Havoc would not leave it until the way was clear for him to resume his role as king. Actually he was finding Flame to be good company.

  Until she looked at the bed, and the bedspread started to smolder. “Don't do that!” he said, alarmed.

  Flame scowled. An open flame appeared on the bed.

  Havoc hastily conjured a splash of water. It doused the fire and sank into the bed, soaking it. Ennui wouldn't like that!

  However, the water distracted the baby. Flame cooed, touching the wet bedding.

  But what would he do when the baby got bored again? Havoc lacked experience with babies. This promised to be a long hour.

  There was a knock on the door. Bijou, the thought came.

  “Get in here!” Obviously Ennui had sent her.

  Bijou entered and quickly closed the door behind her. She was s
eventeen, with brown curly hair, and as comely a figure as was to be found. In fact she strongly resembled Gale, except that she wasn't a changeling. Havoc knew her quite well, having traveled no fault with her after she was done emulating Gale. Naturally she knew all about his accession to Glamor status. He was very glad to see her now.

  “Oh, nice!” she exclaimed, stepping up to take Flame from him. “But she wet on Ennui's bed."

  “I wet on it,” he said. “That is—” He sent a mental image of the fire and dousing, to stifle her smile.

  “I'll fix it, Sire.” She returned the baby to him and rummaged in a closet for sheets. “Or could you project heat to dry it?"

  He hadn't thought of that. “I'm still learning my powers. Maybe I can.” He concentrated, thinking hot.

  The whole bed burst into fire. Hastily he conjured more water and doused it again.

  Flame chortled. Bijou smiled. “Maybe better to leave it to me, until you get better control.” She got to work, stripping the bed and turning over the mattress.

  “Appreciation,” Havoc said weakly.

  “You know,” Bijou said as she worked, “I've hardly seen you since you matriculated.” That was her word for his accession to Glamor status. “I danced with the Black Glamor, but couldn't have sex with him. Is the same true of you now?"

  “I don't know. I haven't tried it with anyone but Gale."

  “Not even Symbol?"

  “We've been on our honeymoon without her."

  “Then let me be the first to find out.” She spread a sheet on the bed and lay down on it, spreading her legs under her skirt so that her inner thighs showed. The view was compelling, as she knew; she had seduced him many times.

  Havoc wasn't sure she was serious; she could be playful. “But I'm holding the baby."

  “So you are. So maybe I'll just kiss you.” She approached him and lifted her face to his—and stopped. “I can't get there."

  “It seems that regular folk can't do it knowingly with Glamors."

  “That means it's psychological."

  “Or magical,” he said. “Some magic works better when it is known. Maybe it's like mind reading: both minds become attuned."

  “Maybe,” she agreed crossly. “How will I ever get my fourth of you, if I can't embrace you?"

  He hadn't thought of that. He did owe her a fourth, when the time came; she had certainly earned it. “Maybe if you slept I could come to you."

  “Like an incubus,” she said, making a moue. “Aggravation! I want it hot and conscious.” She took the baby back.

  “We'll have to figure out a way.” Bijou wasn't the only girl he owed a fourth; there would have to be a way.

  Soon Symbol returned. “Things are in motion. I thought Flame might be getting hungry.” She took the baby from Bijou and opened her shirt. Flame started nursing. It seemed that babies did that often.

  “He's trying to renege on my fourth,” Bijou complained.

  Symbol smiled. “Negation. There's a way. Remember, I used it with the Green Glamor."

  “Fifty times,” Bijou said, remembering. “Envy."

  “It's a matter of partial distraction. You have to make believe he's someone else, and that you are someone else."

  “Like Minstrel and Girl?” For they had played those roles when traveling together.

  “Yes. Whatever works. If you can come to believe it enough, you can do it."

  “I'll believe it!"

  “I will be devising something similar myself, lest I slight my role,” Symbol said.

  Bijou laughed. “A mistress who couldn't get close to her lover!"

  “It would be embarrassing."

  Havoc hadn't thought of that problem before either. He had formally taken Symbol as his mistress before turning Glamor. Well, she would surely manage.

  Ennui returned. “Things are in motion. Chief has been notified, but we felt it better to wait until you and Gale are in place, so there's no possible confusion. Berm has been meeting with Chief regularly, nominally to give him directives, actually to be advised what the directives are.” She glanced around. “What happened to my bed?"

  “Havoc wet on it,” Bijou said with a momentary straight face.

  “I thought that barbarian was house broken.” The women loved teasing him.

  By the time Gale arrived, they had it straight. Ennui and Bijou were instantly charmed by Warp and Weft, but when Weft conjured Symbol's nursing amulet to her hand, it was clear that proper control had to be exerted.

  Soon the hour was done. Havoc and Gale moved into their own royal apartment, but had no occasion to get comfortable. It was time for Havoc to see Chief, who was the cause of their abrupt return to the palace.

  “Parting,” he said.

  “Put on your crown, oaf."

  Havoc sighed. The king's ornate crown was sitting on a table where the mock king had left it for him, beside the smaller queen's crown. He had gotten used to being without it. “Observation: you wouldn't dare call me oaf when I'm king.” He picked up the crown and set it on his head.

  The room spun crazily. Havoc heaved off the crown as he fell on the bed.

  “Alarm!” Gale cried as the crown rolled across the floor. Suddenly Symbol was balancing three babies while Gale hauled Havoc's head to her half bare bosom. “Comfort."

  “Recovery,” he said. Her embrace was indeed supremely comforting. “The crown attacked me."

  “Amazement,” Symbol said. “Berm would not substitute a magic bomb."

  “And Ennui would have known it if he did,” Gale agreed. “But there must have been a change."

  “Havoc changed. He turned Glamor."

  Havoc sat up as Gale released him. “The crown has ten magic stones, to protect the king from physical and magic threats. That concentrated magic must interfere with my Glamor powers, or vice versa."

  “Both,” Gale said. She went to pick up the fallen crown. “I feel its struggle.” She glanced at Symbol. “You try it?"

  Symbol set down the last baby and took the crown. “Nothing."

  “Put it on your head,” Havoc said.

  “By your leave, Sire.” She set the crown on her head. “It is marvelously light."

  “It was not made for a Glamor,” Gale said. “The currents of magic must conflict."

  “Perplexity: how can I be kingly without my crown?"

  “Conjure an emulation,” Symbol said, removing it. “Then I will hide this one until the mock king needs it again."

  Havoc nodded. He concentrated, conjuring metallic substance and shaping it into the semblance of the crown. This was a new exercise of magic, and he was clumsy, but Gale helped, and soon the new crown seemed indistinguishable from the original. Havoc donned it, satisfied.

  “Now I will call you oaf again,” Gale said. “Sire.” She affected a look of surprise. “That was supposed to be oaf!"

  “So the crown works,” Symbol said, sharing the joke. “Now you must make one for the queen, too."

  They verified that the queen's crown had a similar conflict, and made another emulation. Gale donned it. Havoc made as if to call her a name, but it came out “Lady.” They laughed.

  But there was business to handle. Havoc kissed Gale, donned his formal robe, and went to the private audience chamber, curious what emergency had come up. Chief would not have summoned him without excellent reason.

  * * * *

  Gale watched Havoc go. All three babies were sleeping for the moment, which gave her time to focus on other things. She had a foreboding that life was about to get more complicated, and they were already far enough in that direction. “How are we going to manage?” she asked Symbol. “I was foolishly impulsive, I confess it. I just couldn't let any of these babies be destroyed. But I fear we're in for a difficult twenty years."

  “I love you,” Symbol said. “You are everything I would have chosen to be. How could you be other than you are? Of course you saved those babies. We'll manage."

  “I am also with child."

 
Symbol paused. “With help, we'll manage. But I think we had better get professional counseling."

  “Question?"

  “These three babies have spot Glamor talents. You and Havoc surely have the means to handle them—if you know how. The folk of the Chroma routinely handle magic children. I remember my childhood in the Invisible Chroma. Unfortunately I don't remember how my parents controlled us as babies, and I have been long away from home. But I believe Ine is about to return home."

  “The sorceress,” Gale agreed. “She had more of a way with Havoc than I liked."

  “Throe had experience with all four sisters, Ina, Ini, Ine, and Ino. Ino is the fourth, a changeling, and she remains at home until she marries the Black Glamor. Their parents should have excellent advice."

  Gale nodded. “Affirmation. I surely could use that. But things are bound to be so hectic with our catching up on the palace routine that I don't see how we could summon them and keep their visit private."

  “Problem,” Symbol agreed.

  Gale set about rearranging the suite. The mock king and queen had left so suddenly that much of their private setup remained, and of course they had not had three babies to accommodate.

  Greeting.

  Gale nodded. “Greeting, Swale,” she said aloud so that Symbol would know. Swale was Berm's sister, rendered into a succubus by a cruel process; Gale had first defeated then befriended her. She could be a great help in some situations.

  “The succubus returns,” Symbol remarked. “Spanky get too dull for you?"

  Swale, now inside Gale, borrowed her mouth with her acquiescence. “I'm desperate for sex, but damned if I'll have it with my brother. Do you want company when you tackle Havoc?” Gale's voice sounded different when Swale used it.

  Symbol considered. “You know, he's hard to approach now that he's a Glamor. I know I can do it, but I wonder: would you be able to help me do it as myself?"

  “I'm eager to try! I've never tackled a Glamor."

  “You can try it with me,” Gale said, borrowing her mouth back.