The Sampler Platter: A Little Bit of Everything

by Susan Skylark

2

  The Students were just putting away their practice swords when Jace entered the yard, eagerly studying his old friend from a distance; Hawk had not yet noticed his presence as he was quietly explaining something to one of the departing Students. He must have felt keen eyes upon him, for he looked up and nearly jumped in surprise but managed to restrain his reaction to a slight smile and the merest nod of his head. The last of the Students hastened off to lunch as Hawk drew his own sword, Jace automatically doing likewise as he approached the swordmaster.

  Hawk set himself in a defensive stance and said with a grin, “so you’ve returned at last.”

  Jace shrugged, setting himself as they launched into a sparring match, “to me it has only been a few days.” He shivered as he blocked Hawk’s blade and then struck out with his own, “a dreadful few days at that.”

  Hawk smiled grimly in remembrance, saying ruefully, “my own journey was far from pleasant, but the incident prior to my recruitment was far worse.”

  Jace nodded in understanding, thrusting at his faux foe, “I wondered how you recovered from such a trial?”

  Hawk shivered, “I thought it all a horrid dream, everything from killing Scamp to ending up inexplicably in the dungeons of Astoria an hour later when we had been somewhere in the far south of the world. I was too shocked and dazed to think it all through, but even the briefest recollection of what it was I had done was enough to drive me mad with guilt and despair, thankfully Scamp came to see me not long after you left. He tried to explain as best he could, which is difficult considering the secretive nature of the Shadow and my own overwrought sensibilities, but just knowing that he was alive worked wonders upon me. He left me then to my reading, to which I could attend at last with a somewhat sound mind. I was somewhere in the middle of the second volume when the Light came.” He smiled broadly in remembrance, “and after, nothing else mattered.”

  Jace lunged in suddenly with his sword, asking, “how is it you became swordmaster?” He grinned impishly, “how did my sister take the news that you had abandoned her as easily as Adan had?”

  Hawk’s smile grew dangerous as he parried Jace and countered with his own stroke, said he, “she was out on assignment at the time and we did not see each other again for over two years, by then she had lost all interest in men and was solely focused on her duty.” He grinned, “I suppose it helped immensely that I did not pay her court as intently as I once had done. No doubt she took it as an insult and decided she was not to be trifled with. That and I mysteriously vanished for some years shortly thereafter.” Jace laughed his agreement as Hawk continued, “as to this assignment, I understand it is traditionally held by one of us, though there were a few years where another held the position until I was counted old and experienced enough.”

  Jace frowned in thought, “why would the swordmaster need to be of the Shadow?”

  Hawk said in triumph, as he scored Jace’s shoulder with his blade, “who better to keep an eye on the up and coming Students? Jared sees all who enter the castle, as I see those intent on gaining skill with a blade.”

  Jace nodded, grunted in pain as Hawk struck, and then replied with his own counterstroke, “it makes sense. So you two ward the keep while the rest of us protect the world?”

  Hawk replied, easily blocking the blow, “actually we do a fairly good job of protecting the world without leaving the keep, for there is much that happens in Astoria that has worldwide repercussions.”

  Jace nodded, striking again, “now that I think about it, you are right. How many kings come here for counsel or send their children to learn? How many of your current students will one day be leaders, advisors, or warriors scattered all over the known world?” He smiled eagerly, “an influential position indeed!” He laughed merrily, “you have no need of the rest of us at all.”

  Hawk grunted as Jace’s blade nicked his arm, said he, “don’t be ridiculous, your missions are just as important as our own, though perhaps far less visible to the casual observer.”

  As one, they sheathed their blades and withdrew to a quiet bench alongside the wall, grinned Hawk, “not a bad match, you’re not a bit rusty.”

  Jace smiled proudly, “and you’ve come a long way with your own skills.”

  Hawk nodded, “just wait until I have been at it for a few more centuries.” He winked, “I might even rival you one day?”

  Jace asked soberly, “can you even comprehend the idea of centuries?”

  Hawk smiled wryly, “you’ve had, what? Twenty years of conscious life, at most?” Jace nodded as Hawk continued, “the years pass quickly and are not as overwhelming as they seem at the first.” He said gravely, “and you can Go at anytime, remember.”

  Jace shivered, “after all I’ve been through, I’d like to give it a try first.”

  Hawk smiled, “and I have no doubt you’ll choose to remain in this service for a very long time.”

  Jace’s brow furrowed, “how long can we serve the Shadow?”

  Hawk said quietly, “until the end of Time, if that is your wish.”

  A sudden intensity glowed in Jace’s eyes as he whispered, “I could watch all of history unfold?” Hawk nodded and Jace grinned eagerly. Changing the subject, he asked excitedly, “Baye mentioned a few new skills I now possess but need to practice, do you have time to help me?”

  Hawk grinned, “I would love to but the midday meal is almost over and I have a class.” He winked, “besides, a kid of your talents should be able to figure most of it out on your own.”

  Jace frowned, “kid?”

  Hawk smiled but could say no more as a flurry of excited Students descended upon the practice yard and ended all conversation. Jace shook his head, smiled a farewell, and withdrew to the keep.

  “You look lost,” said a familiar voice.

  Jace looked up with a smile and said to Jared, “lost in thought perhaps, I have much to think about.”

  Jared smiled in understanding, “it is overwhelming at first, but you’ll acclimate quickly. A little down time is just what you need.” He shivered, “you’ve been through a lot of late, at least in your own reckoning. Why not go for a ride and sort out your thoughts?”

  Jace nodded his thanks and asked as he turned to go, “how have you handled it, these centuries of service? I am finding the thought a little intimidating.”

  Jared laughed, “one day at a time lad, one day at a time, and before you know it, it will have been a thousand years or more! Off with you, and don’t get all gloomy and overwhelmed, there is no need for such in our Master’s service.” Jace smiled slightly at this and vanished in the direction of the stable. His unicorn was already waiting, eager to be off, wanting to spend some time alone with his long sundered master. Jace poured out his heart to the beast, his questions and concern, hopes and aspirations, and received some sound advice and no little encouragement in return. They stopped in the late afternoon, Jace little heeding whither their path had led until an unwelcome sight loomed before him.

  He frowned at his companion and the unicorn whickered in amusement, as always, his sensible advice overriding his master’s annoyance. Jace needed to practice a few necessary skills and this was the ideal place to do so, as they were unlikely to be disturbed and he needed somewhere with walls. He entered the crumbling ruin that had once been his home, giving his unicorn a rueful but grateful look, at which the stallion whinnied his approbation. His first few attempts to walk through a wall were disastrous, at least to his pride, but certainly amused the unicorn. At last he mastered the technique and moved on to the rather simple skill of vanishing from casual sight, but when he turned to see the unicorn’s reaction, the beast too had vanished. He grinned and shifted, allowing himself to again become visible, at which the unicorn also reappeared and they shared a good laugh.

  The final skill he wished to practice was something altogether different. He had seen Baye exhibit it on one occasion, had conjured a couple books for the Lady, and ev
en managed to move Hawk and himself halfway across the continent, but it had been done through him, not of his own volition. If he could master this skill, he was overawed at what it might mean, for this was the Master’s own power: the ability to manipulate matter, space, and time.

  Just then a little bird lit on an overhead branch and drew the boy’s full attention, chirruped He, “there is a reason this particular skill is not granted to mortal men. Only one who has traversed from death into true life can be trusted with it, for you can no longer act outside My will. I may choose to use it on occasion with those not so bound, but it is at My discretion, not theirs. Learn well child and use it in My service.” With a flash of white wings, He was gone.

  Jace rose from his knees, a thoughtful look on his face. No matter how wondrous, it was not this particular skill that consumed his thoughts at the moment; it was the concept that he was beyond mortality, beyond human failings, beyond petty sins, and he knew with all his heart that he could not, did not want to, act outside his Master’s will. He bowed his head in silent thanks and reverence. He stood then, intending to get on with what they had come for, but Baye stood before him in the growing gloom of evening, a knowing smile on his face.

  Said he, “that last skill will take a bit of work to master lad, I’ll be happy to show you a few tricks, but right now we had best get back to the keep, like sensible folk who go indoors after dark.”

  Jace grinned, having already forgotten what it was to be unable to see in the dark. Said he, “very well, I shall try and be sensible for once in my life. Lead on! But I make no promises that I shall ever be so again.” They returned to the keep just in time for the evening meal and sat down in a forgotten corner for some long overdue and much needed conversation.

  As the night wore on, Baye said with a slight smile, “you should probably go to bed lad.”

  Jace looked up in surprise, “but I thought we no longer needed sleep.”

  Baye grinned, “physically, no, but that does not mean we cannot benefit from it, especially when we have been through so much in so short a time. Your mind will thank me in the morning, now off with you. That and people might begin to notice if we avoid eating and sleeping on a regular basis.”

  The boy smiled tiredly and began to wander off, but then stopped and looked concernedly over his shoulder, “but I have not been assigned a room.”

  Baye shook his head, “you can bunk with me, now get you gone!” Feeling an apprentice once more, the boy hied himself off as bidden, but he was rather grateful to Baye in the morning. While not physically requiring a night’s rest, it was just the thing to settle and refresh his overwrought mind.

  He awoke to find Baye just rising from the other bed, said Jace with a grin, “it is good to see that you take your own advice.”

  Baye nodded with a slight smile, “I, like you, try to be sensible on occasion.” They shared a laugh and then made ready for the day.

  As they traipsed down to breakfast, Jace asked, “how long do you expect to remain in Astoria?”

  Baye said with a smile, “not long, the longest I have ever lingered was that time I picked up a rather unruly apprentice.”

  Jace laughed, “come now, Adan was not half so bad.”

  “As his predecessor, no!” said Baye with a chuckle. Continued he in a more sober mien, “I’ll likely be gone in a day or two, but you may be here for awhile, until you’ve adjusted to your new life and recovered from your journey. Why don’t we practice a certain new skill while the morning lasts, then I have another rendezvous.”

  Jace perked up at this last, as Baye’s voice became rather reluctant when mentioning his other project and almost embarrassed, said the irrepressible youth, “what is this mysterious duty? Is it the same that parted us yesterday?”

  Baye said grudgingly, “yes and never you mind what it is. It is something the Lady suggested and I could hardly refuse her.”

  Jace decided he might take a page from Briane’s modus operandi and try to covertly discover what it was that Baye was so desperately trying to hide. So he readily agreed to Baye’s proposal and immediately dropped all apparent interest in his other project, which immediately aroused Baye’s suspicions, but not wanting to draw any more attention to the matter, he led the way into the dining hall. After breakfast, they rode out to that crumbling fortress and began in earnest.

  “Now,” said Baye, as he stood beside a fallen piece of stonework, “if you can imagine it, you can probably accomplish it with this particular skill, assuming it is within our Master’s will, which it will be if you can dream it up.”

  Jace asked, “does this mean I no longer have a will of my own?”

  Baye laughed, “do not be ridiculous, you are as much yourself as you have ever been, actually more so, as you are what the Master designed you to be, but as you have now passed forever beyond the confines of time and death, your sinful nature is forever lost, thus our thoughts and desires naturally coincide with the Master’s.”

  Jace nodded, a thoughtful frown on his face, “you are saying I can no longer unwittingly defy our Master? It must be consciously done and I assume has grave consequences?”

  Baye nodded, “that is precisely what I am saying, you can of course cast all this aside and go your own way, but the moment you willingly withdraw from the Master’s keeping, you throw yourself willingly into the Abyss.”

  Jace shivered, “just like Jay, save he found redemption whereas I would be utterly condemned.” He grinned, “certainly not worth it!”

  Baye smiled slightly, “what did you expect after all you have endured, that you would remain faithful through all of that and then abandon it all on a whim? That is why there are so many checks, trials, and tests in joining the Shadow, that none may make it this far without being completely confident in their decision and our Master. Now back to the lesson.”

  They spent the balance of the morning moving that particular piece of stonework about the ruin, banishing it utterly and then recalling it, changing its shape or color, and any other strange and wonderful exercise Baye could contrive to introduce his former apprentice to this new skill.

  As they finished and Baye had to leave for his mysterious rendezvous, Jace thanked him for his efforts and impishly wished him well in his future endeavor. Baye gave him a patient look but as the lad seemed content to remain and practice a bit longer, did not give it a second thought as he mounted and rode away. The moment they were out of sight, Jace summoned his own mount and followed swiftly after, both cloaked in invisibility. As a precaution, Jace asked Baye’s mount not to reveal their presence. The beast replied that he could not overtly lie to his master, but if Baye did not ask, he did not necessarily have to tell him. There was a vast deal of amusement in the reply, which made both Jace and his unicorn grin.

  As they rode back to the city, Jace contemplated how useful this new skillset would be on his upcoming missions; he would make the perfect spy, secret agent, and detective. His unicorn snorted the obvious, it was for this that he had been recruited and thus equipped. He smiled wryly at his own oversight as they silently shadowed Baye. People jostled unknowingly against them in the midday crowds but didn’t seem to notice, as there were people and animals pressing in from all sides. Baye vanished into a seedy tavern rather than continuing on to the keep, which startled Jace no end, as the Brethren were not known for frequenting drinking establishments, save in rural areas where they served as the main communal gathering places. Avoiding the hustle and bustle of the doorway, Jace opted to practice ghosting through the wall.

  Baye had placed himself at a table near the back, an untouched mug of some tepid brew before him; he glanced expectantly at the door, as if waiting for someone. Said he to the air, “if you insist on being present for this interview, at least come in the front like a civilized person, and in a visible manner.” Jace gaped but hastily did as instructed, pulling up a stool across from his grinning friend.

  Said he in amazeme
nt, “how did you know? Can you somehow sense my presence?”

  Baye shook his head with a grin, “nay lad, but I know you well enough, and know you and your sister are enough alike, that I had no doubt you would follow when I refused to be more explicit, that and I asked my unicorn if we were being tailed. His vague reply confirmed my suspicions. I must say, you’ve mastered those particular skills at least.”

  Jace smiled ruefully, “so what exactly are you doing here and why wouldn’t you tell me outright?”

  Baye replied, “I am not exactly sure what it is I am doing here. The Lady asked that I meet with a certain mysterious personage who had many questions about Astoria and the Brethren. I came yesterday and met a cloaked individual, a very young man by his voice, who asked any number of questions and then vanished just as suddenly, agreeing to meet again today.” He glanced about at the nearly empty inn, continuing, “as you can see, this place isn’t exactly crowded, so it is an ideal place to meet if one does not wish to be seen. As to why I didn’t mention it, this person is rather secretive so I thought it rude to betray his secrets.” He shook his head, “not that you couldn’t ferret them out on your own.”

  He said no more as a furtive figure ducked into the inn, his hesitant movements certain to draw the attention he so wished to avoid; he glanced at the stranger and nearly fled, but some draw stronger than fear bade his feet approach the table. Baye greeted him calmly and said, “this is my former apprentice; he may be able to answer some of your many questions or give you a perspective closer to that of a man your own age on the matter, but I can certainly ask him to leave if you would prefer.”

  The cloaked figure flinched at having his apparent age and gender discovered but seemed to study Jace intently from within the depths of his hood. At last he nodded, seated himself, and said, “very well, I should be able to trust another of the Brethren with this. Yesterday I asked you much of life in Astoria and the Brethren in general. I have a decision to make, one that may have grave repercussions to more than just myself, and I would have your advice on how to proceed.”

  He paused to allow his words to sink in and then began gravely, “the reason for my secrecy is that there are those that would seize me in a moment were it known what it is I intend. For I am the crown prince of a certain nation, albeit the King is a mere figurehead at the mercy of his strongest and most ruthless lords, but nonetheless, I am due to inherit the crown, a day I am loath to see. These same lords already think me well and truly under their sway and any transition in the kingship a mere formality. The truth is, I can do nothing to resist them in my own turn as my father in his. I wish to escape it all and join up with the Brethren so that I might perhaps do some good in this world, rather than spend my life a mere puppet upon the throne. I am content with my decision on a personal level, but that is not the only consideration. What of my people, my country, my father? What will come of them if I do as I intend? Thus, is my desire wholly selfish and therefore wrong?”

  Baye asked thoughtfully, “have you any siblings who could then inherit the throne?”

  The boy shook his head, “I am the only child and if something happened to me, undoubtedly one of the sons of said lords would try to assume the throne and ignite a civil war, or perhaps they would just find some other puppet through whom to reign.” He sighed heavily, “though I cannot see that war would be much of a change for the worse, as conditions currently exist in my homeland.”

  Baye shook his head grimly, “you must bring your case to the Lady herself, I can give you no sound judgment, but can only counsel you to make no decision in fear or haste.”

  The boy nodded glumly but said hopefully, “would you obtain such an audience for me?”

  Baye smiled, “why don’t you come back to the castle with us and we shall discuss the matter with her at her earliest convenience.” The boy stood and followed them from the inn, hoping they looked far from conspicuous.