by Clark Bolton
The Summer Festival had arrived and passed again and so Autbek missed it for a second time. What bothered him most was that he had been forced to stay in Astrum now for a year and in such time had not been allowed to travel to Runeholden. When he brought up the subject with Berdtom he found his friend sympathetic but also adamant about Autbek not going to Runeholden.
“The very fact that you would go there is something your family wants no one to know, O’t. They wish your origins forgotten by the court, and so when the time comes when you may take a few weeks absence you may go but it must be thought that you travel elsewhere.”
He understood and in fact agreed with his families sentiments and it allowed him to stay and focus on what he had come to love the most. His teachings were the most rewarding aspect of his young life so far, and though he longed to learn whatever Tenric had left to teach him he found teaching alone enough to sustain him for now. The magics he was exposed to here seemed more exotic than those of Runeholden, though he guessed that did not make his basic studies of the arts any different but did make it far more exciting.
The thought of being away from his two students also saddened him since both had come a long way and seemed capable of so much if he could just get instilled in them the basics. It made him think of the three girls, also marked by the Dieknotkow, and all they were missing. He had even asked his master on several occasions if he should start teaching them but Tenric had always brushed off the possibility of having three more apprentices at this time, particularly women.
The fact that he found one of them, Onaleen, often in his thoughts kept him persistent though and so he worked out a sort of plan with Berdtom. Tenric did not want the girl’s in the palace but just beyond the North Gate was a building filled with officials and their various offices where Berdtom had confirmed it would not be difficult to set up weekly instruction for the three blue-girls.
It was the memories of their bare blue breasts that finally gave him the courage to ask his master. So one afternoon, while working alone with Tenric in his laboratory, he brought up the subject carefully when he determined his master was in a good mood.
“Master, I have thought to arrange classes just outside the palace for those three women the Dieknotkow marked.” He had been running this first sentence over and over in his head, not sure if he should call them girls or women, fearing that calling them girls made them seem like children, but then calling them women made them seem incompatible with the other apprentices.
“Have you now, Autbek. Do I not keep you busy enough with tasks here?”
“You do, master … but I think of the time it takes to train a person to be of some use to you here. And a year has gone by now, master!”
“Has it? Well in any case there is no place for them here.”
“I know, master, but I can instruct them in arcane-script I think with classes once or twice a week. The place I have in mind is but a short walk and of no cost to you, master.”
Tenric looked up from the scroll he had been reading to glance at Autbek. The two of them were distilling agents for use in Tenric’s divination devices, several of which Autbek had made use of including the one that located the dye Tenric had devised.
“Official channels for such arrangements can be tedious, Autbek.”
Quick to answer, Autbek hoped to ease his master’s mind and take all aspects of it onto his shoulders in order to get approval. “No channels, master, I have found the space and know when it may be freely used. I think I need only to write a letter for you instructing the three students to attend. Nothing more than that!” He was particularly proud that he had managed to call the girls students as he thought it put them in the best light.
Tenric said no more as he went back to his work and soon he had Autbek doing many different tasks such as keeping heat sources burning at the right temperature and adding just the right amount of reagents at each of the critical steps. But Autbek had not given up, he bided his time until the exact moment when his master would leave him to clean up. When it happened he was ready with the final request.
“Fine work, Autbek.” Tenric announced as he held up the flask that now had its inner surface coated with a fine bluish paste that could then be dried into a powder. It was the end product of several days of labor.
“Thank you, master…may I write the letters then?” His heart stopped as he waited for the reply.
Tenric gazed at him intensely as he carefully set down the flask. “If there are no questions, no inquiries as to what you teach them and why … and most of all they must be sworn to secrecy. Then you may do so!”
“Thank you, master!” He bowed as he watched the slightly annoyed mage walk from the room. He then began making a mental list of the scrolls he would have to provide copies of in order for his new students to begin their studies.
“Welcome to the study of arcane-script ladies!” Autbek announced as he stood in front of the oversized room. The three blue-girls, Onaleen, Resbeka, and Pemmesa sat behind a couple of tables in an otherwise empty room. Behind them was a door slightly ajar through which family members of the three girls could be seen doing their best to overhear what was being said.
“Thank you, my lord!” They said in unison, though obviously they were clueless about what was being asked of them.
It had taken a little doing to get this far. Three letters had been written by him and signed by the Lord Mage-Councilor, and sent one each to the girl’s homes. Then he had to show a letter from Berdtom’s friend, Valice, with several other signatures on it to a couple of very bored clerks in an adjoining room to this one, who simply shrugged and allowed them to proceed with the class. He did finally get a smile from them when he plopped down a silver piece each for them, which was the precise amount Berdtom, had instructed him to give.
“Now, we are going to proceed today with the assumption that in our next class that door will be closed and you three will have been sworn to secrecy concerning the arts you will begin studying here today.” He could not help but think the secrecy stuff was a bit overblown since all apprentices got taught this stuff so how secret could it really be.
The three pretty girls stared at him with wide eyes, which was precisely the impression he had hoped to instill in them. He was going to keep this strictly formal for now, especially since Onaleen’s father was in the next room staring intently at the proceedings. In time he hoped they could all become friends and eventually become apprentices of the Lord Mage-Councilor himself, though Autbek was very much thinking to surpass his current masters teachings by far. Though the three girls clearly didn’t know who was the most competent to give them the most solid of foundations in magecraft, Autbek was sure he did.
“Now, I’d like to introduce two of my assistants, who will be helping me evaluate you today. This is Haspeth, and over on this side is Castor. They both have great familiarity with arcane-script and so feel free to ask questions of them at the end of class.”
“Ladies!” Haspeth said with a bow and a grin.
Castor only bowed slightly and looked a bit uncomfortable with the older girls sitting before him. Autbek figured both of them would get a lot out of these classes as he had learned himself that you really did not know a subject until you could successfully teach it.
What followed was the usual headache inducing torture that was a potential apprentice’s introduction to arcane-script. The symbols would appear to dance about the page and the harder you stared at them the more they burned into your skull. That was of course for those who showed some talents, for others it was just fuzzy scribbles that would forever make no sense at all.
After a couple of hours showing the girls different scrolls and having them comment on what they did or did not see he and his two friends were fully convinced that all three of the girls had talent enough to proceed. He ended the first lesson with a very brief discussion of arcane theory and why it was thought so few individuals had the talent to apply it to a useful degree.
They allowed the girls to join their families after getting confirmation from them that they would be back again for the next scheduled class in three days. Though he wanted them to have something to study he thought it best to wait so as not to overload them yet.
Walking back to the North Gate of the palace with bundles of scrolls in their arms they congratulated themselves on achieving a good start with some very lovely ladies. Haspeth was the one most excited about that fact. “I think they should soon move in with us don’t you think, Autbek?”
“No, I don’t. Our master would be most upset at that … in fact don’t bring it up again.”
Castor smirked, “Best work on your charm spells first anyway, Haspeth.”
“I shall at that!” Haspeth replied with a grin as he thought about Pemmesa, who he figured liked him the most out of the three.
When they opened the warded door to the mages wing they found Dasring waiting for them patiently. He was wearing as usual his leather apron that he wore when caring for the Dieknotkow and looked not at all concerned about a thing.
“He asks.” Dasring said as he pointed to Autbek.
“Who, master Tenric?” Haspeth asked.
“The Dieknotkow!” Castor said with annoyance.
Autbek wasn’t sure now which of the two it was. “The Dieknotkow has asked for me?”
“Yes.” Dasring replied as he motioned with his hand for them to follow him.
“Are you sure, Dasring?” Autbek inquired as he quickly offloaded the scrolls he was carrying when they past his room. The creature had whispered his name several times in the past but not to others as far he knew.
When the four of them reached the top of the tower that housed Dieknotkow they found the man-bird as usual, pinned spread-eagle to the wooden rack. The desire came over Autbek once again to somehow make the creature more comfortable but had given up as all attempts by him and others had failed. The Dieknotkow would only remain calm and cooperative when bound to the rack as he was now.
The thing turned its head almost imperceptibly at his approach. He knew what Tenric surely knew that the thing was nearly blind as its eyes were filled with cataracts such that it could only see using its peripheral vision. He tentatively reached out a hand and scratched its neck like one would a puppy. It had taken him a long time to work up the courage to do it but the creature always seemed to like it.
“You have asked for me?” Autbek said softly to the Dieknotkow as he glanced at Dasring who only nodded and then proceeded to make himself at home in his usual corner.
“Autbek … click-click …moon…time.” The man-bird seemed to say in response.
“Yes, I’m here.”
“attt … same … ahhh … ackkk …onnnleeen.”
“Did he just say Onaleen?” Haspeth whispered in confusion. He and Castor had their heads next to Autbek now, trying their best to catch what was being said.
“That’s what I heard.” Castor said dryly.
“Hmm.” Autbek said as he furrowed his brow. “I need something I think from the library. A language scroll, you’ll find it easy enough as it’s in its own section.”
Haspeth and Castor glanced each other to see who was going to have to run down there. “I’ll get it.” Castor finally stated.
“If the librarians don’t see you that might be best.” Autbek remarked as he stared at the Dieknotkow.
“No problem.” Castor assured him as he walked out.
“Bloody sneak-thief.” Haspeth muttered after the kid left.
Autbek refrained from talking to the man-bird until Castor returned and made sure Haspeth didn’t either, which was not a simple thing to prevent as the man seemed to have a great aversion to empty silence. After a few minutes Castor returned and then promptly produced a scroll from deep within his tunic.
Autbek nodded to the boy with a smile and then walked over to a torch to better read the scroll. Studying for a minute he conclude it was the one he wanted and was confident there were other copies of it in the library. He then cast the spell upon himself which left the scroll in ashes that floated slowly to the floor.
“This should help I think my understanding of what he saying.” Autbek announced as he approached the Dieknotkow. “What do want to tell me my friend.” He asked.
Soft hissing noises and sharp clicks emanated from its mouth as it seemed to reply but nothing made any sense as far as words.
Stroking the head now, he tried to think of something to ask it, something not difficult and something that might soothe it. “Is there something you want, sir? Something I can get for you?”
The man-bird clicked and hissed and moved its thick tongue in and out of its mouth. As it began rolling its head as it seemed to say the words “soaring” and “sight” just loud enough for Autbek to hear.
Try as he may he got nothing more out of it that night though he thought it repeated the words several times but it was so very difficult to be sure, and it never repeated Onaleen’s name, much to their disappointment. Finally Autbek said goodnight to the creature after it calmed and then waving at Dasring, who had been watching with little interest, the three of them descended the stairs.
It was not until mid-afternoon the next day that he got the opportunity to mention his conversation with the Dieknotkow to his master. “I think the Dieknotkow said something to me last night master, something about ‘soaring’ and ‘sight’. Anyway it was most talkative and restless for a few minutes.”
Tenric looked up from the workbench he was standing at to ask, “Talking to you is it, I suppose that is to be expected. It’s been inactive for centuries Autbek; I suppose the tasks I’ve given it have awakened it further. Did it not say more?”
Autbek was assisting Tenric with the preparation of some reagents again, something they both new played well to his Runeholden strengths. It was mundane work as always but it was tolerable when it provide the opportunity to converse and get some practically knowledge from his master. Something that was too rare both felt, but Tenric had duties to the Earl and these continued to mount as the months passed.
“No, not that I could understand master.” He was a bit nervous now as he thought about the language spell he had cast without first consulting his master. The spell was cast upon himself so he figured no one could claim harm to the man-bird from it.
“The bird has not flown in some time, now that the festival has come and gone again.” Tenric reflected as he stopped what he was doing for the moment. “Perhaps if I allowed it to fly it would calm itself, worth the effort perhaps”
“If it has no targets will it not get frustrated?”
Tenric wiped his hands with a towel after setting down a small container of powdered granite, an ingredient for a number of reagents they were mixing. “Hmm … Clean up and let’s have a look in the tower!”
Autbek waited a moment for his master to leave the workbench then moved in to gather up the reagents and place them in their proper places on the shelves. He had been taught that a well ordered workplace was essential to the “craft” and that certainly also applied here in Tenric’s service. His organization skills and attention to detail were things that seemed to please Tenric, and that he hoped was helping get more of his master’s time.
They climbed the stairs to the tower after Tenric had him inform the rest of the staff and to retrieve one of the transformation scrolls. Autbek could hardly hide his excitement as it had been months since the last flight. Tenric very rarely let the Dieknotkow fly now that the Summer festival had past, and since finding Castor the man-bird had failed to strike another target with the dye. Always it returned with the pouch, and so Tenric was never much inclined to do more flights.
The two servants, Dasring and Plis, were caught by surprise at their approach as Autbek had not yet notified them of their master’s plan. Quickly they moved though when it was clear to them what Tenric wanted. While they dragged the massive frame toward the window their master and Autbek worked off in a corner where some of his divi
nation instruments were stored.
Attending his master at a high table they proceeded to pour purified water into the ornate scrying bowl and then added a mixture of colored powders to the mix. Autbek understood much now of what Tenric was doing, almost enough to do the scrying himself but knew Tenric would insist upon doing it himself.
“Now let us see if we risk things by flying now!” Tenric stated as he gazed at the bowl for a moment then carefully added a single drop from a vial to the mixture in the bowl. An impressive blue light emanated from the bowl as Tenric closed his eyes and concentrated.
Autbek knew the color was favorable, meaning something like luck was on their side, or that nothing adverse was in the immediate future. The future covered by the divination was short he knew. He had yet to learn how far out Tenric could go with this type of divination but knew it could not be far as Eifled had been adamant in his assessment of Tenric’s reach in that the future was not something Tenric was apt at divining. For a moment it made him wonder again about the rumors of an impending calamity that so seemed to have the Earl and his cronies worked up.
Relaxing now his master muttered, “Good,” and then he picked up the scroll he had brought and moved to the casting stand near the window. By then the other three apprentices had gathered in the chamber and were assuming their positions.
Again the Dieknotkow was transformed into an eagle and sent forth with a pouch of dye in its talons. The difference this time was the time of day, much later than ever before, and as far as anyone knew there was not even the smallest of crowds anywhere in the city of Astrum.
The sun was low on the horizon and in two or three hours it would be dark which made Autbek a bit apprehensive that the man-bird might get lost in the dark. But remembering now the favorable divination he reassured himself that his master knew what he was doing.