Apprentice

by Nicholas Hale

  "I am known as Astorr," said the Zalearr.

  "Azrael..." he replied, not bothering with the family name. He held out his hand to shake Astorr's, but the Zalearr did not put out his hand. Instead he intently looked at Azrael's. After a short examination, the Zalearr grasped it with his own. Azrael felt a shiver running through his body. Cold. Not the cold of death, not devoid of warmth, but the shivering cold of an icy wind. It was as if the tundra walked with this Zalearr.

  "Your hands. They bear the calluses of a sword." The Zalearr lifted his head and now appeared to keenly look over Azrael.

  "There is much that marks you as a warrior. A good one for a human at that. Your eyes, too, tell an interesting tale. We shall speak again at the banquet. You should go see your governor now. He does not appear to be a man who likes to be kept waiting."

  Astorr turned around and walked away in the direction the rest of his party, leaving Azrael at the doorway. Interesting tale? What was that all about?

  "Quickly, Overseer. The Zalearr was right about that part. The governor hates being kept."

  Azrael smiled politely at the guard and proceeded into the chamber.

  *

  Rennar was sitting behind a large desk with a few chairs scattered on the other side. There were empty goblets on the table and a large flagon of wine.

  "What a day!" exclaimed Rennar. "Overseer Llothran, or may I call you Azrael? I shall call you Azrael. Have a seat and tell me- how was the journey from Aegis?"

  Azrael sat in one of the chairs and relaxed. This wasn't so bad.

  "It went well, my lord. Uneventful as a journey goes."

  "Uneventful, eh? Good. With all the damned pirates around these days, that's the best you can hope for."

  Pirates. Right. Azrael tried to hide a smirk. There was a considerable amount of pirate activity a small way off from the isles, but Azrael knew there were no real pirates near the Aegean Isles. Most of what 'seemed' to be pirate activity was the warring of noble houses outside of the bounds of Aegean law. Hired mercenaries and thugs sent by one house to plunder ships carrying the wares of a rival house.

  Azrael traveled on a ship bearing the Aegean naval banner. No house would be stupid enough to attack it, even through hired swords. The military turned a blind eye to the nobles' feuds but any attack on a naval ship would lead to the swiftest retribution. The only real pirates were in the western seas, preying on the ships of the Eoran kingdoms. Azrael knew for fact that several of them were financed by the Aegean Empire, but there was no proof and their activities were very discreet.

  "Yes, my lord," said Azrael in agreement.

  "Sorry to have kept you waiting. The emissaries arrived much faster than I had expected. Did you see the fat one? With the large mustache?"

  Azrael nodded, recalling the better dressed of the men. Both men were fat, but Azrael had an idea whom Rennar was referring to.

  "Count Baras. You've heard his name before? No? One of the richest nobles in Eora. Not the largest buyer of iron. That honor goes to Bancroft. But he still purchases a substantial amount."

  Azrael nodded.

  "Brilliant, isn't it? We mine the iron. The Eoran merchants buy it and make weapons. The paladins of Myria buy the weapons from the merchants with the donations that the commoners make at the Temple. They go to the tundra, fight a fool's war and die. The priests say to the people that their army is dying because the people do not have enough faith. The witless fools give more money to Myria. I tell you, there's nothing like a war to fill the coffers. Especially if you're not fighting it."

  A brutal way to look at it, but the governor did have a point.

  "So they wanted more iron? Is that why the emissaries are here?"

  Rennar's expression changed to one of disbelief. He was staring at Azrael as if he was stupid. After a moment of silence, he spoke.

  "No. Eora doesn't send high-ranking nobles like Baras to buy iron. And why would they discuss iron with me? They're emissaries of the Eoran Emperor Galemir. They're here on behalf of the Army of Light."

  "They seek our aid against Namoth?" asked Azrael.

  Rennar smiled.

  "You had me scared for a second there, I thought I was getting a fool for an overseer. Yes. They seek to enlist the aid of Aegis."

  Azrael had guessed as much but he knew there was more to it. Iron had been involved in this meeting. All trade of iron was strictly controlled by the treasurer back at Aegis. It was the duty of the overseer to report back to the treasurer to ensure nothing was being skimmed off the top.

  Neither the overseer nor the governor could negotiate any contract involving iron with an outsider. He heard rumors back in Aegis that of the three cities of southern Ryga, Bren was the most corrupt. He had specifically been warned by his father to turn a blind eye to everything Rennar did. The emperor knew everything. It was a fact in Aegis. If he was fine with what Rennar did, then why should Azrael have a problem with it, reasoned the elder Lord Llothran. Skimming some iron off the top was one thing. Negotiating a trade with the Eorans was another thing entirely

  "What was the meeting about?" asked Azrael. He felt beads of sweat on his hands. He was cursing himself as he spoke. There was no need to get into this. He did not know why he was getting himself into this situation. Yet he felt something inside pushing him. He felt bile rising into his throat.

  Rennar appeared stone faced.

  "It was just an informal welcome. We are yet to receive word from our ambassador in Eora as to their credentials. Just a formality. But in the meantime, I have been asked to accord every courtesy to our guests."

  The bile settled down. Azrael relaxed.

  "Pardon me, my lord. I was merely curious. We have a peculiar guest," said Azrael, changing the topic.

  Rennar brightened. "Ah. You refer, of course, to the Zalearr."

  Azrael smiled back at Rennar, nodding.

  "Very curious creature, that," said Rennar. "He didn't say a single word all the time he was here. He didn't take a seat or accept a glass of wine. Didn't shake my hand and didn't even give me his name."

  Surprising. He seemed a little more chatty in the short time Azrael had met him. Azrael suddenly remembered something. The banquet.

  "I heard talk of a banquet," said Azrael.

  "Ah yes. You are of course invited. It is in honor of our Eoran guests. Nothing much to eat here, so I had to have everything brought from Ithaca. My cooks are hard at work in the kitchens as we speak. Nothing fancy, mind you. Not like our food back at the isles. But getting it here did cost me a good bit of gold."

  "Gold well spent, my lord."

  "Yes indeed. It would be the perfect opportunity for you to get to know our guests and the local nobility."

  "The old nobles of Bren?" asked Azrael. "We deal with them much?"

  "Not really. Just nobles in name only. They keep pestering me to lower the taxes on mining. We can't get everything shipped in from Aegis so we trade with them a good bit. And some other...local issues."

  The last words came out almost grudgingly. Azrael wondered how much power the nobles still had remaining. Their existence probably stopped an all-out rebellion from the people of Bren and surrounding areas. But there was something Rennar wasn't telling him.

  "Anyway, it has been a most interesting morning. The castellan shall take you to your room—"

  "My room?"

  "Yes, I have had one of the most comfortable guest rooms in Norvind prepared for your arrival—"

  "Oh. I'm sorry, my lord, but I was told that I would be taking up residence at Fortress Marduk."

  "Yes, yes. Marduk. But it will take time to set up things there for you. And for now I have had your belongings moved to the room at Norvind. Far more comfortable than the one that awaits you at Marduk."

  Azrael appeared uncomfortable. He had suspected Rennar had plenty to hide, but he was going to openly keep him away from Fortress Marduk and the mines. He was about to protest before Rennar spoke. Irritably this time.

  "Th
is is the summer. I can have the foremen bring their weekly reports to you personally. Norvind is the most amicable place you will find in this barren desert land Marduk isn't a place for a high-born like you."

  The bile began to rise again. Azrael almost wished for a second that it would stop, but it didn't.

  "I have served two long years at the Deckan plains, Governor. I am well aware of Ryga's climate."

  "Be that as it may, I have also heard you asked for a discharge from the Deckan campaign, so I am sure this place does not agree with you."

  The fact that Azrael had come back to Aegis had been noted by many prominent people. As a tournament winner, and a fresh captain from the academy, he held a lot of promise and people expected much from him. They were surprised to see Azrael back. There were rumors of what really happened but many had bought the lie that Azrael had left because he had been injured in a heroic battle to save the life of his general. The lie was much easier to believe than the fact that one of their own considered the war dishonorable. But the rumors never really went away and it seemed Rennar had tried to learn everything he could about him.

  "I did not ask for a discharge," said Azrael calmly. "I was injured while saving the life of General Albinus."

  "You think I believe that?" asked Rennar, making no attempt to hide the malice in his voice. "I have my sources; I know all about what really happened in the campaign. And why you really left..."

  "Why don't you want me to go to Marduk?" asked Azrael. Rennar would hear the question for what it really was. Azrael was asking him what he had to hide at Marduk.

  *

  "You expect me to believe that?" asked Uriel.

  Both Azrael and his brother were standing on the balcony of their estate. The celebration for Azrael's appointment to the overseer at Marduk was underway. They had moved away from the rest of the crowd for a few moments of privacy.

  "What do you mean?" asked Azrael. He had just given his brother his reasons for getting himself discharged from the Deckan campaign.

  "You found it 'dishonorable'?" asked Uriel in a mocking tone.

  "Uriel, they weren't even armed. Some of them—"

  "Yes, yes. I know the war is 'dishonorable' as you call it. I'm not disputing that. I'm asking if you expect me to believe that that's the reason you wanted a discharge."

  "Of course!" said Azrael with indignation only to hear Uriel laugh.

  "Little brother, you can lie to yourself, but you can't lie to me," he said, laughing, and continued sipping his wine.

  Azrael's face was flushed with anger at being patronized by his brother.

  "Well, perhaps you'd care to enlighten me then—"

  "I've known you since the day you were born. You, my dear little brother, have always had a problem following orders. You don't give two shits about 'honor' or 'slavery'. It's why you couldn't function in the Deckan campaign, it's why you used to steal away to Ezrea's arms in the middle of the night at the academy, it's why you never got along with Father, it's—"

  "I get along fine with Father!"

  Uriel ignored him and continued, "It's also why you'll find yourself at odds with Rennar as soon as you get to Bren."

  *

  Rennar exploded. As Azrael had intended.

  "Marduk is a shithole! Your predecessor was murdered in his sleep and his body is yet to be found! I will not have your blood on my hands. That is an order."

  He stopped short of banging his fist on the table. Azrael was glad to hear the door open and his companion for the last two hours, the sentry guarding the chamber, rushed in. Seeing another face made the bile recede and his stomach settled down. His shoulders relaxed. What the hell was he doing? This was exactly what his father told him not to do!

  "What do you want? Haven't I told you never to interrupt me while in a meeting?"

  Rennar seemed to have taken out his frustration on the guard. The guard was shivering but he found his tongue nonetheless.

  "Apologies, milord, but..."

  "Speak, imbecile!"

  "A disturbance in the market square, my lord."

  "A disturbance? What sort of disturbance?"

  "T-two of the g-guards are—"

  Azrael wished the guard would speak quickly. For his sake. Rennar appeared to compose himself.

  "Two of the guards are what?" he asked calmly.

  "Dead," said the guard in a single gasp.

  "What happened? Slaves attacked them? You come to me with this? Where is your officer?"

  "He has already left for the market square, milord," he said. The words were coming out more easily now.

  Rennar raised his hand and rubbed his eyebrows. Azrael realized that his lack of cooperation and the guard's interruption were both causing Rennar to snap.

  "I will have you flayed alive," said Rennar through gritted teeth. "If your officer has already gone there, then why have you come to me?"

  The guard didn't speak for a few seconds. Just when it looked like Rennar was about to unleash his fury on the guard, he spoke.

  "The arch-mage Gawain..."

  A stunned silence. Azrael saw Rennar's expression change from rage to terror. Immediately, with a speed Azrael thought impossible, Rennar sailed past the table and was already at the door. He pushed the guard aside violently and disappeared.

  Azrael got up and made to follow him.

  Chapter 11

  First that shithead of an overseer and now this. Rennar was on his horse and heading to the market square. Azrael would be a problem. He did not seem as stupid as Egrik. Either Azrael wished to do his job sincerely, or he wanted something and was making a stand against Rennar. In any case, it was a problem he would have to solve soon. A small amount of corruption was there in all the three southern cities, but Rennar had no illusions about how much he was hiding from the treasurer.

  But first and foremost of his problems was Gawain. He did not know what to expect once he reached the market square, but he knew it would not be good. Emperor Thyurin's warning about not getting involved with Gawain was final. Thyurin never made threats, but Rennar knew the emperor well enough to know that if he forbade something, it remained forbidden. Excuses were never accepted. Reasons never mattered. That was how Thyurin worked. Rennar was fine with Gawain coming and going as he pleased. In fact, Rennar had seen him only four or five times in all the years he had been governor at Norvind. And now this. If the guards had provoked Gawain... Rennar shuddered to think of the consequences. Some of the guards appeared to be following him. Rennar cast a look behind him. Azrael. He was among the people trailing behind him. Rennar calmed himself down. He had to appear in control.

  In a few minutes, he reached the market square. Whatever Rennar had expected it wasn't this.

  There were not two dead bodies but six.

  The dead soldiers did not bother him. No. What bothered him more, were the ones still alive. There were about five of them, and they had their swords and shields drawn and had surrounded Gawain.

  The fools! The scene was as still as a painting. Gawain was standing at the center and next to him was a very large glowing egg. The shell of the egg seemed to be shimmering. There were a few people carefully watching from a distance. When a mage starts casting, people run for cover. Rennar knew little about magic, but he knew what magic could do. Rennar got down from his horse and moved past the soldiers to stand inside the circle.

  "What is the meaning of this?" he shouted. It was clearly directed at the guards.

  The guards still held their weapons. The shell appeared to glow more strongly. Gawain appeared to be chanting with his eyes closed. It was time to take the situation into hand.

  "Put down your weapons!"

  "Calm yourself, Governor," came an old voice. Gawain was holding his staff in his hands and the 'egg' next to him disappeared, leaving in its place another body. A much younger one. Not one of his soldiers.

  "I enlisted their help when things got out of hand. They were merely doing what I asked them to. Their circle
was essential for my shield," he said and then turned to the guards. "You can lower your weapons now. Gather your dead and wounded. He is no longer a threat to you."

  Hesitantly the soldiers lowered their weapons and now turned to Rennar. Rennar nodded.

  "But, my lord." Rennar couldn't think of any other way to address Gawain. He had not uttered those words in ages. Hailing from the richest of the noble families, he had no need to address anyone with a title except the emperor. "What happened here?"

  Rennar looked around to see that there were four dead soldiers. He could hear groans coming from at least two other bodies lying on the ground wounded.

  "I would like to apologize for this situation, Governor," said Gawain.

  "This is my new apprentice. Lorian. He is from...elsewhere. And he is unused to the customs of Bren. He took offense at the way your soldiers were treating some of the slaves. And he reacted. Without thinking. It appears he does have a temper."

  Gawain was staring at the body at his feet now. Rennar saw that the body was breathing. This apprentice seemed to be alive. A crowd was beginning to gather around them. Rennar spoke to one of the guards behind him.

  "Clear the street! I want this crowd gone now!"

  "He unleashed some spells on two of your soldiers. The fault is mine alone. Had I been quicker to react, I could have stopped this. There was nothing I could do for the first two. I tried protecting the other soldiers from his spells, but I fear I was only partially successful. You have four dead soldiers and I am solely responsible. I shall make amends."

  "No, my lord," said Rennar, clearing his throat. "None are needed. These things happen."

  Gawain gave him a blank stare.

  "No, Governor. These things do not just…happen. You shall give me the names of the dead soldiers and their families. I will see to it that they are compensated in gold and their welfare taken care of. You can have the wounded soldiers brought to the mage tower as well. We shall do everything in our power to heal them."