by Clark Bolton
“Yes … yes … master Berdtom.”
“Yes your lordship. I’m pleased to assist lord Autbek in representing the Runeholden family in this manner. We have but the greatest respect for the Councilor’s new office but we beg your lordship to consider Autbek’s obligations to his family and to any oaths and covenants that are applied to him by the Runeholden estates.”
“He holds an apprenticeship to some master already? Is that what I’m hearing?”
“No your lordship, not specifically so but Runeholden does claim first rights in this manner and since he is a lord within said family an apprenticeship is assumed or at the very least penned in virtuality.” Berdtom slowly approached the Earl as he spoke, showing no signs of being intimidated by the nobleman.
At this point one of several men who had remained in the room on their arrival stepped up to say. “Elegantly said master Berdtom but hardly etched in stone. This realm is in considerable need of adepts and your young lord here is the best of the candidates that have been identified so far if I’m not mistaken. It seems a poor use of resources not to draft him.”
Coming to Berdtom’s defense Valice commented. “Does not the right of a noble family such as the Runeholdens come before all else save that of the state, lord Cachner?”
“Indeed it does, which is precisely why your plea is trumped here before his lordship.” Cachner said as he strolled to stand next to the Earl. “If I may your lordship?”
Autbek was a bit lost now as it looked like this lord Cachner was asking now for permission to say more on the matter but the Earl interjected. “Suffice it to say that the state sees merit in compelling youth into service under the Mage-Councilor. This of course depends on his vigorous defense of his counsel.”
All were silent for a moment until a gasp escaped Autbek’s lips as out of the shadows behind the Earl’s desk emerged Tenric, the lord Councilor himself, as if on cue. He clearly had not been there a few moments ago. Berdtom and Valice showed their displeasure with his sudden appearance also.
“Your lordship shall have it then.” Tenric announced with a smile as he walked to the end of the table opposite the Earl. Nodding to the three men he continued. “Autbek is an extraordinary candidate. His training by the Runeholdens I believe to be superb as demonstrated by his mastery of certain cantrips. And I believe if I’m not mistaken he has mastered at least rudimentary spells which would qualify him as a master apprentice”. Pausing for a moment he then ended with question. “Correct Autbek?”
The question was most direct and most unwanted leaving Autbek to glance to his two companions for aid. He could not just answer he felt, not without his father’s permission at least. Family pride and secrecy were now involved.
Berdtom attempted to steer the conversation back away from Autbek’s training and talents. “If you please Lord Councilor, the Runeholdens hold this subject in the highest confidence and the boy can’t be expected to answer for fear of breaking sacred oaths.”
Cachner commented again. “Really your lordship, sacred oaths, this master Berdtom stretches family confidentiality too far.”
The Earl seemed bored now by the conversation and chose not to reply leaving the next move to be made by Tenric. “I repeat the question if I may your lordship.” All eyes went back to the Earl at that point.
After a long slow inhale the Earl replied. “The state has interest. You may press the question Lord Councilor.”
“Thank you my lord.” Focusing on Autbek, Tenric asked the question again. “Autbek, are you a spell caster, and by this I mean do you currently have the capacity and knowledge to cast above the level of cantrip and have you done so in the past?”
There was a long pause as eyes focused on Autbek who felt like his face was on fire. Blinking profusely he began to form an answer then stopped himself. Thinking perhaps if he threw himself on the Earl’s mercy, as he had seen done often enough in theatrical plays, maybe he could get him to reconsider. All that came out of his mouth was a squeaky “Lordship” before Valice attempted to aid him.
“Please sir, if he answers-”
The Earl motioned for him to be silent then brought his gaze to Berdtom to indicate he should do the same.
Lord Cachner repeated the question for the Councilor. “Well son, what is your answer?”
Autbek pleaded with Berdtom with his eyes for help but all he got was an urgent nod indicating he should answer the question. “Yes my lord.”
A number of people shuffled their feet and adjusted their stances at his answer after which Tenric pressed for more. “Yes what Autbek … be specific.”
Bringing his eyes up to meet the mage Autbek stated clearly “I have the capacity to cast spells and have done so.” A surge of confidence and pride filled him as he did so. It felt so good to get it out in the open he realized.
“I knew it” Cachner cried. “We have our own mages within our own lands and we didn’t even know it until Lord Tenric revealed it. You are to be commended Lord Councilor.”
Autbek waited a few seconds before replying. “Excuse me my lord, but I’m not a mage.”
“Eh? A technicality my boy, something that the Lord Councilor will correct in due time.”
Waiting for the others to quiet Berdtom interjected. “Nonetheless my lords, mage or not, there is no compelling state interest expressed here to force service.”
Cachner gave him a contemptuous look but did not take the bait. The Earl instead replied. “Well said master Berdtom … but I must point out that the state reserves the right to keep its secrets and chooses to do so here.”
Pleading by Berdtom and Valice went on for another few moments until the Earl would have no more of it. Signaling all to be silent lord Cachner reserved the floor for the Earl.
“You, Autbek, shall enter into Lord Tenric’s service within …” The Earl began then deferred to Tenric.
“Three days hence will suffice my lord.” Tenric replied.
“...Yes, three days hence else the state will find you in contempt and shall punish you accordingly. Is that clear?”
“Yes my lord.” Autbek replied meekly.
Before the audience could come to a close Berdtom forcefully interjected. “He should pledge to you, the state, my lord … not to the Councilor as the oath now stands.”
“Yes my lord, it must be said so for we have read a copy of the oath.” Valice quickly added. Each was risking the wrath of the Earl they knew at this point and letting it be known that they had indeed gotten a hold of a copy of the oath that Autbek was to swear was showing more of their hand then they wanted.
The Earl had been about to dismiss the three when he paused to consider their request. It clearly had caught him off guard. “Well … that would seem proper. Cachner what’s the standard here, or perhaps lord Tenric you can tell us.
It was obvious to Autbek that Tenric was displeased and for a moment he saw the look on the man’s face that he had seen when Tenric had focused a strong wind upon Roystance the servant, who had practically pissed himself yesterday in the Councilor’s office. Berdtom was about to get the same he guessed.
“Hmm, no standards are known I’m afraid my lord.” Cachner said as all waited for Tenric’s reply.
“Apprentices always pledge to their masters my lord. It has always been this way since time immemorial and I would think it unwise to veer from that course.” Tenric answered as he continued to stare at Berdtom.
For his credit Berdtom seemed un-phased. “The Runeholden insist your lordship … for the sake of the state.”
At this point every light in the room flared brightly even though none were currently lit as bright sunlight was illuminating the room. At the same time the doors slammed with a thunderous “BOOM.” The lights flared until everyone was forced to shade their eyes, that is all but Tenric who continued to stare at Berdtom.
“Enough Tenric!” the Earl barked. Immediately after which the candles and lanterns extinguished themselves and the doors slowly opened.
Autbek bit his lip to stop himself from letting out an exclamation of joy at the raw display of magic. Maybe, he decided, he did want to join Tenric’s service after all.
The Earl then proclaimed that Autbek would swear his oath to him and that they would be exercised through service to the Lord Mage-Councilor. Autbek and his two companions left with the feeling that they had done all they could.
Back in the waiting room of his own suite Autbek sat motionless as Berdtom and Valice discussed their next move in their efforts to get him out of the clutches of the Councilor as they put it. He did not really feel that way now, though he had great reservations about being a mage apprentice he was excited also. In fact he had not felt so excited about anything in some time, except perhaps this trip to the Summer Festival.
“O’t …” Berdtom said loudly to get the young man’s attention. He used the family’s familiar nickname for Autbek to try and calm the boy who was looking really depressed at the moment. “We have some things that we must do now, so we will leave you here for a time. Not long perhaps but then again you may not see us until tomorrow.”
Thinking for a moment he asked the men, “What shall I do if they come here and ask me to swear the oath?” The prospect scared the hell out of him.
“That is exactly why Valice and I must go now. We have an oath to write and we’ll do what we can to put it in your favor.”
Valice then asked of Berdtom. “We should delay things with the scribes,” referring to the court scribes that would be transcribing the oath. “Do you have funds about you?”
“I do.” Then pausing for a moment he asked Autbek. “Do you have those gold marks your father gave you?”
Autbek nodded and dug them out of a secure pocket within his tunic. “Yes, here are the three that I have for the festival.” Handing them to Berdtom he watched the shiny gold pieces disappear into Berdtom’s pocket.
“Three gold marks! A pity Autbek, some girls I think at the festival have missed out on riches.” Valice added with a smile as he and Berdtom prepared to leave. “Your father has a large purse!”
“That he does.” Added Berdtom. “And that is why there is still hope. Whatever happens now O’t, will take time to be turned to our favor. We can’t stop you taking the oath and you must take it with the utmost seriousness or not at all, though refusing it will land you in the palace dungeons.”
“Really?” Autbek asked. He found that surprising, feeling he would be punished somehow but not that. “The dungeons, but they can’t do that!”
“They can and they will, and trust me when I say you don’t want that experience. This I know.” Berdtom did not elaborate but Autbek knew the man had a colorful past though he had not heard tales of dungeons before from the man.
It was indeed tomorrow morning before he saw the two men again. He had gotten word from them through a messenger and shortly thereafter he was summoned to the Mage-Councilor’s offices. He was surprised and happy to see that they both were there waiting for him in the corridor that marked the entrance to the mages wing of the palace.
The place had changed a little for there was a small table and chair set up just outside the area where apparently a servant was now stationed. The great door leading into the domain of the mage Tenric was newly painted black with red trim and was now off limits to the regular palace staff and so now there was an attendant to ferry messages to and from the Councilor's staff. Here Berdtom and Valice waited.
Smiling sternly Berdtom pulled Autbek a few paces away from the servant who had stood at Autbek’s approach but who had now settled back into his chair. “Things went well, O’t, we have what we need now in the lines of the oath that you will swear here today.” He nodded toward the Councilor’s wing. “I’ve got a copy there on the table, so go and study it as time permits. They will come for you here in a bit and I won’t be accompanying you. However Valice will do his best to remain at your side. Understand?”
Nodding his head Autbek walked to the small table where the servant surrendered his chair. The servant proceeded a respectable distance down the hall to wait out of the way allowing Autbek to sit alone and read the scroll.
He found the oath long and verbose, but that was not surprising. It was the length of service to the state that was, for the scroll listed it at not less than eleven years.
Looking to Berdtom he exclaimed, “How can my service be for eleven years!”
“O’t, it is what it is.” Berdtom commented without looking at him. “You must have known it would be long and if you look closer there is a way to end it earlier. If you master your craft you can petition your master to recognize this and ask for permission to go out on your own.”
Valice tried to comfort him with words but Autbek seemed not to hear them as he mentally resigned himself to his fate. He did find some solace in hearing the fact that his family could petition the Earl at a later date to secure his release from further service.
Eventually they were interrupted by Sterncast who had come to collect him. The man opened the great door and said little as Berdtom quickly made his exit. Everyone was aware that he was not welcome beyond the door.
Standing now in the office of the Mage-Councilor, Autbek was offered time to read the oath before taking it. He declined and asked to proceed when everyone was ready. There was a single scribe present to record events and to handle the scrolls as apparently there was more than one copy. The others in the room included the apprentices Sterncast and Lusric, and master Valice who had steadfastly refused to leave whenever someone suggested it. The Mage-Councilor had not yet entered the office where they were assembled. When he did arrive he smiled kindly to Autbek, giving him a sense of ease and hope that they could get off on a new foot.
“Let those here now witness the oath of this man as he freely enters into our service …” Tenric began.
Chapter 4
After much bowing and handshaking following the oath, Autbek was given a second tour of the mage’s offices by Sterncast and Lusric, and was now treated by the staff as one of their own. Jokes were made about his quarters but no one challenged his right to keep his current quarters outside the Mage’s wing, though Autbek figured for the time being he would sleep here.
Besides the two apprentices the Mage-Councilor had on his staff five servants, two librarians, and eleven full time men-at-arms, though the later members apparently rotated in and out of service with the regular guards of the palace.
The two librarians had come with Tenric as had the two apprentices all of whom had been in his service prior to their arrival in Astrum. The two doubled as instructors Autbek was soon to learn, though they did not dabble directly in magic they taught arcane-script and a host of other languages and related skills. Both were older men who kept to themselves preferring the libraries of the Councilor to the company of men.
Two of the five servants were dressed differently and had also arrived with the mage. They often wore smocks of leather and had thick gloves stuffed in their belts. They were assigned a very specific task, Autbek learned, and so took no part in the daily mundane duties assigned to the other three. On the morning of his second day of service he learned exactly what that task was.
At dawn the three apprentices were summoned by the Mage-Councilor and called to assembly at the foot of the stairs to a tower that extended above the second floor of the mage wing. The door to the winding stairs was open and a slightly foul stench was wafting through the air. Looking to Sterncast for information Autbek got none, just a mischievous smile as they stood waiting for Tenric to arrive.
When the mage arrived he stopped at the stairs and turned to Autbek. “Congratulations Autbek, you are about to witness the reason for you being here and indeed the reason this realm will see tenfold the number of mages it has to date.” With that said the mage called up to Dasring, one of the two servants assigned to the tower. “Das’ are things prepared?”
A reply of “Yes master,” came from up the stairwell sending shivers up Autbek’
s spine. They then followed the mage up the enclosed staircase for some distance; passing several oddly constructed windows on the way that he figured were actually murder-holes. The top of the stairs had a door, which was currently open, and the group proceeded through into a large circular chamber. Though the sun was up now it was fairly dark in the room as all the windows were curtained off.
Tenric indicated with a finger that Autbek was to stand next to him as the mage appeared to study a huge wooden rack which sat in the middle of the room. It was taller than a man and had some ornate rugs or perhaps tapestries attached to it. At its center was the shape of a man spread-eagled on the vertical timbers that made up the rack.
At first he thought it was some arcane machinery of which he recalled seeing illustrations of in books he had been allowed to open within Tenric’s library and from other books that were in his family’s possession. As his eyes grew a little more accustomed to the dim light he realized that the spread eagle form was that of a feathered man.
“This, my boy, is my greatest find and possession, something you will find nowhere else in the known world.” As Tenric spoke the two servants began moving the apparatus toward one of the windows. The rack had no wheels so it screeched loudly as they pushed it across the room. When they were satisfied of its position Dasring unceremoniously pulled the curtain aside flooding the room with light.
The creature strapped to the rack appeared not to like the sunlight and began twisting its head from side to side while making odd sounding squawks. Autbek looked around at the others in the room to see if they found this seen as bizarre as he did but it was quite clear they had witnessed this before..
“Behold the only living Dieknotkow!” Tenric announced with pride as he strode up to the beast and began petting and stroking the feathers along its head and neck. Meanwhile the two servants had opened the glassed window and pulled up a tall reading stand next to it.