Chapter Text
Sir Alexander of Tirragen was, at this instant, regretting his decision to make a council of advisors for page training.
Not because his former knight-master’s suggestion was a bad one, per se. But the practicalities of implementation were another matter.
“You are aware that fealty oaths include a promise not to use the royal gift on lords or their families without express consent, yes?” Lord Wyldon said, before Alex found the way he wanted to explain that very concern.
Duke Turumot of Wellam, the Lord Magistrate, added, “It would be a legal issue even without the fealty oaths and the likely identity of the mage; laws dating to the Mages Rebellion –”
“If the practical portion must be optional, then it must be optional,” Roger allowed. “I still think that leaving future knight’s future awareness of compulsion magics at ‘If an enemy shaman has something shiny in their hands, don’t look at it’ is, shall we say, insufficient?”
Alex looked at Sir Alanna. He knew the lady knight strongly disliked both Roger and Lord Wyldon. It wasn’t clear to him exactly what emotion his friend was trying to keep concealed, but the way she kept opening and then closing her mouth made him think she had something to say. “Champion?” he asked.
“Supervision. Even if you have someone else do it – and if this becomes a longer-term part of knight training, eventually someone else will have to – you don’t want to leave the pages alone with someone who you know not only can cast compulsion magic on them but who you know will be doing so.” She squinted at the Duke. “Someone needs to supervise that.”
Lord Gershom of Blythdin nodded. “That seems like a sensible precaution.”
Alexander asked the room at large, “Is anyone opposed to the principle, or only concerned about the practicalities?”
Silence greeted him.
“Then for any concerns you have which were not voiced in this discussion, please have them delivered to me by the end of the week. The next item on the agenda concerns the yearly exams…”