The Student

by Darin Niemann

  After working a bit longer on the cure, Enelo left but returned shortly with two heaping plates of food, which we quickly scarfed down. Once again, it was delicious and soon I was fighting to stay awake. I lay down as Enelo worked while humming a tune unfamiliar to me, though I liked the sound of it. I slept well and dreamt of Erelith, Enelo, and platefuls of food.

  Chapter 3

  The road to Erelith was a fair-sized path cut through the monstrous Caern Forest. I learned from Enelo that a king had long ago commissioned it to allow trade through the dense forest surrounding Erelith. The road allowed the city to prosper, as before its existence most trade would have had to come through the north. It was a long, risky path most traders wanted little part of.

  It seemed as if we had been walking on the road for days, yet it was only a few hours. The sun was out in full, though, and my stomach was telling me it was empty and needed filling. We had left Relvan at first light as Enelo had packed all our supplies the night before. I, of course, had nothing to pack. This meant that Enelo-now my master-carried all of our food.

  As the thought crossed my mind, my stomach let out an impressive growl, which made Enelo laugh.

  “Well then, it seems we should eat,” he said.

  I followed him off the roadside where he sat down on the grass and rummaged in his pack for the food.

  “We will eat light now, some dried meat, but tonight we will cook.”

  As we rested, I watched a group of travelers pass by. I assumed they had come from Erelith. Munching on the jerky, I kept my eyes on them as they made their way past us towards Relvan. I had been wary of other travelers at first, but Enelo had told me earlier that the king’s men patrolled this road to ensure safe travel, as it was a main source of trade for Erelith. Otherwise, we would have had a guard detail assigned to us.

  Enelo stood, patting himself and rearranging his pack. I followed his lead as I rose to my feet and sighed as we once again made our way to the long, winding road. A few minutes passed in silence as we walked. Enelo cleared his throat, and spoke,

  “It is time for your first lesson, Kayne.”

  He looked around at the nearby forest.

  “There,” he pointed, “by that short tree. Do you see that red flower?” I looked in the direction he gestured. The flower was cradled in the surface roots of the tree.

  “I see it,” I replied.

  “Go and get it for me, would you?”

  I shrugged and went to get it. When I pulled it out, I made sure to grasp it by the very bottom, as close to the ground as I could get, to get all of the roots as well as the flower.

  “Good, good,” he said, “Most do not realize that occasionally it is the root, not the flower, that is needed. Now what do you think this particular plant is used for?”

  I looked closely at the flower. It wasn’t anything like the Icou plant, but that was the only assumption I could make, as my knowledge was limited.

  “I do not know.”

  Enelo grinned, “In most cases it is used for courting.”

  I looked at him in puzzlement.

  “What I mean is that this flower has no medicinal use. It is called a Red Lady, and is uncommon enough to be a fine token of affection.”

  He started walking once again. Glancing at me, he asked, “What lesson can you learn from this?”

  Pondering the question, I gazed at the sky. I could think of nothing at all.

  “I don’t know.” I admitted once again.

  “Exactly that. You didn’t know.” he continued. “As a healer, knowledge is key. Without knowledge you cannot help anyone. That is why as soon as we reach Erelith and the king is cured, you will learn to read and write. Then I will attempt to store as much knowledge as I can into that head of yours.”

  He was right, I knew next to nothing beyond scrounging and begging for food. I didn’t know what I should do or not do. Could I ever be more than a mere beggar? Enelo must have seen my thoughts in my expressions as he voiced reassurance.

  “Do not worry, I will guide you to be able to fend for yourself and you will learn to be a healer. It will take time, but someday you will know as much as I do, perhaps more.”

  I considered the healer walking beside me. He was the only person in the world who had treated me as an actual human. I liked him. I had never cared much for other people, they were simply there. It was an uncomfortably strange feeling, knowing someone thought of me as useful.

  The rest of the day passed by peacefully with brief ‘lessons’ where Enelo would point out certain herbs, plants, and flowers and explain what they could be used for. I soaked it all in and memorized it all. At night, as we ate, he quizzed me on what we had seen, little as it was. He was again surprised at how accurate my memory was. Savoring the meal we had just eaten, I stared into the fire that Enelo had made earlier, when he spoke.

  “With all that happened, I forgot to ask how old you are.”

  I continued to gaze at the fire as I thought about the question.

  “I’m not sure. Not long ago, I heard one of the other boys say that he was nine. He was as tall as I am.”

  “Nine seems about right to me,” Enelo said cautiously as he studied me in the firelight.

  “Once the king has his cure, we will drop by a tailor. As a healer, you must appear clean and well dressed. Those rags simply won’t do for an apprentice of mine.”

  The garb I wore was, truthfully, little more than scraps of cloth. It had never troubled me before, but the thought of having new clothes was appealing. My new master, getting ready for sleep, turned to me once more.

  “Oh, and one more thing. Never be afraid to ask me anything. It is a good thing, to question. If you never ask, how will you ever know?”

  I nodded and we both retired for the night.

  ~

  The next few days flew by as we drew near to the city. As we travelled, Enelo told me stories of the city, and how he used to work publicly as a healer but now mostly served the royal family.

  He also taught me a bit more about plants, herbs, and medicines as we happened across such things. One of the plants we found, known as a bloodrose, was interesting. If you mashed the stem of the plant into a paste, it could be applied directly to a wound to help stop bleeding. Enelo advised caution though, as the flower’s petals were deadly if ingested or entered directly into the bloodstream. It was a small amount of knowledge, but I absorbed all that he offered.

  In the short time I had accompanied him, being alongside Enelo was beginning to feel normal, perhaps even comfortable. After everything he had done for me, there wasn’t a single reason for me to doubt him.

  “There it is, Kayne, the grand city of Erelith,” Enelo exclaimed as the city appeared over the hilltop.

  “It is a much larger place than what you are accustomed to in Relvan, so stay close. We don’t want you getting lost now do we?”

  The closer we came, the more it grew. Never in my life, short as it was, had I seen something so grand. The entire town of Relvan could fit within Erelith many times over. The wall of stone stood tall, engulfing the large city. The height of the wall made it hard to see into the city itself. To my inexperienced eyes, it seemed to stretch on forever in the distance.

  Outside the wall of the city was farmland as far as I could see, with only a short gap between the farms and the wall. We passed a few farms as we walked and waved to a few of the farmers. Even Relvan had a wooden wall and some farms, but the scale of them here was amazing.

  As we approached the gates, we were saluted by the guards once they noticed us.

  I glanced at Enelo in puzzlement, “Why are they doing that?”

  He nodded to a guard as we passed.

  “I told you before that I am the personal physician for the king and his family. Occasionally, I assist the king’s guards when there is a serious injury or sickness. These men respect me and are thankful for the lives that I save.” They were the complete opposite of the guards in Relvan, who had laughed and spit
on me as I passed. It was hard to believe that someday I might be as well regarded as Enelo.

  When we finally entered the city proper, I was taken aback by the endless amount of people. Everywhere I looked, there were merchants hawking their wares, customers arguing prices, ordinary folk discussing daily happenings. There had been a few carts and travelers outside the gates, but it was nothing like the city itself. It was overwhelming, compared to the small goings-on of Relvan. I unconsciously shifted closer to Enelo.

  “The marketplace.” Enelo gestured at the crowd of people before us. “Here, you will find most anything you will ever need and everything you don’t. It is the busiest part of Erelith. Though, once we leave the main road there will be far less commotion.”

  We traversed the crowds as best as possible, with me sticking close to Enelo. I was mostly ignored, as I clearly had nothing to my name save the rags I wore. Enelo, on the other hand, was made many an offer that he-according to the seller-could not refuse. He politely declined and continued onward, leading us deeper into the city.

  True to his word, the crowds gradually lessened into groups, and then further into lone individuals. I relaxed a bit and let out a small sigh.

  Enelo laughed, “I agree. It is quite an exhausting place. Early morning, I have found, is the most opportune time to visit the market as most people are still in bed.” He pointed down an intersecting street. “Down that road is where I live. It will be your home as well, but first we go to meet the king.”

  With all the bustle of the city, I had forgotten the nature of our errand. How does one act in front of a king? What do I say, or should I even speak at all?

  “Do not fret, Kayne, for Marius is a good man as well as a good king. Speaking of, we have arrived.”

  Up close, the castle appeared to be a mass of solid stone which seemed impenetrable. The giant structure was clearly built for function rather than grandeur. If the walls had looked intimidating, this was even more so. It was built as a last line of defense for the king and his domain. The towers of the castle rose high above the city walls, allowing guards to see for miles beyond. The gate into the castle spanned wide enough to admit a pair of wagons to enter side by side.

  There were two guards positioned near the main gate and a few others patrolling nearby. The ones stationed here seemed more alert in their duty than their counterparts at the city gates. I could tell the difference in their gazes. Usually I was overlooked by guards as a mere kid, whereas these marked my presence. It was somewhat unnerving to be scrutinized so openly. The feeling made me miss the invisibility that the streets provided.

  As we drew closer, the guard on the right spoke confidently, “Well met Master Enelo! It is good to see you. I hope, for the king’s sake, you have returned with a cure.”

  The guard glanced at me curiously, but did not pry.

  “My thanks, Sergeant Radek. It is good to be back and I do indeed have the medicine.” Enelo paused with a smile and glanced meaningfully at me. “Though, I did have a great deal of help in finding the remedy.”

  The sergeant’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Not doubting the healer’s word, though, he straightened and saluted me directly.

  “On behalf of the royal guards, we thank you for your aid.”

  As he spoke, the other guard’s near enough to hear saluted me before carrying on with their patrols. An unfamiliar feeling surfaced in my mind as they acknowledged me. Pride. I felt pride in their acceptance of me.

  “I shall keep you no longer, Master Enelo. The king is in the gardens.”

  As Enelo nodded and proceeded into the castle, I followed.

  Chapter 4

  As soon as we entered the courtyard, a tall, hooked nosed man in a clean and elegant servant's uniform immediately confronted us.

  “Greetings, Master Enelo. The king has informed me to bring you to him as soon as you arrived.”

  Enelo once more inclined his head, motioning for the servant to lead on. While we walked, I looked around the courtyard. A few buildings littered the area; the only one I recognized at a glance being the stables. I questioned what the long building opposite the stables was until a group of soldiers, the same in number as the ones outside, headed in the direction we had come from. Clearly, it was where the soldiers rested. The other buildings were small shacks, not meant to fit many people. I thought of asking Enelo, but he seemed focused on his own musings.

  I turned my attention towards our destination: the castle doors. The massive doors were open wide, though not unattended. Yet another pair of guards watched the gate, but neither flinched as we approached, silent and steadfast in their duty. Our guide continued straight into the castle without a single pause in his stride.

  Inside I could finally start to see more of the riches and wealth that one would expect of a king. Torches were lit on either side of the hall for light, as there were only small holes in the wall to provide utmost protection. Rays of light danced around the hallway, as the ornate decorations of swords, axes, shields and all other kinds of weaponry gleamed with a polished shine. The tabards and standards of old battles won or lost hung high above us, swaying only slightly from a slight breeze. We continued upon this route for a time before I was jolted from my staring by a hand on my shoulder.

  I looked up to see a grin on Enelo’s face. “Quite a sight isn’t it?” he asked me. The guide waited patiently as Enelo paused to look around at the elegance of the hall.

  He sighed, “It is easy to take such niceties for granted once you have been around them for long.”

  I would think it impossible to forget such riches, as no doubt any of the countless items decorating the walls would feed me for months.

  Enelo shook his head slightly and waved to the guide to continue. We then entered into side passage that was much less grand than the main one. Only a few moments later and we left the hall into a truly beautiful place. The King’s Garden.

  The garden covered a wide open space filled with colorful flowers, modest fountains, and carved stone benches nestled beneath a handful of shade trees. Across the way sat a regally dressed man. The king, I assumed.

  Fixated on a butterfly resting on a nearby fountain’s edge, he took no notice of our approach. My first impression upon seeing him was that he looked weak. His skin was pale, and his shoulders were slack. The sickness had taken its toll on him.

  Hearing us, he turned around. Clear and sharp, his bright blue eyes took us in with an intelligence completely at odds with his haggard appearance. Enelo knelt before the king, and I mirrored him.

  “Come now, old friend, there is no need for such formalities between us,” the king said softly.

  Rising, Enelo nodded to me, “Ah, my good king, it is necessary, if only for the impression on a young mind.”

  The king’s gaze centered on me, “Who have we here?”

  Enelo explained, “This is Kayne; he is the reason for my swift return. Without his help, I would still be in Relvan searching blindly for this.”

  As he spoke, he produced the vial of medicine-the one he prepared at the inn-and offered it to the king.

  Marius straightened and his eyes lit up as he took it, “You have found it!”

  “It was not I that found it, but Kayne.”

  Enelo told him of how I had located the plant, mercifully leaving out the humiliating near-death experience.

  The king listened, curious as to how I, a mere orphan, could have played such a critical role in Enelo’s search.

  “Well,” the king said after hearing the recounting of events, “Surely there is more to that tale. Though, for now, I give you both my thanks. If ever you need my aid, you shall have it.”

  I was stunned. In the last week, my life went from begging for food and nearly being beaten to death to becoming apprenticed and personally thanked by the king of Erelith. Not only that, the king had said he was indebted to me. If this was a dream, I never wanted to wake up.

  “You are welcome, my friend. Now drink up, and soon yo
u will be free of this sickness,” Enelo spoke. “We shall take our leave now, as there is much to do before we begin lessons.”

  Marius nodded, “You have done well, as always, Enelo.” His gaze then slid over to me and he smiled, “And you, Kayne. You have freely given aid where none was required. Remember, if ever the need arises, you have my support.”

  With those last words etched into my mind, we left the king’s garden.

  ~

  It had been a long journey but we were nearly at its end, with only a visit to the tailor remaining. I secretly wished I could sleep in a bed as cozy as the one at the inn.

  Bypassing the hectic market altogether, we took a side street that was not nearly as crowded. The sight of so many people living in one place continued to amaze me.

  It did not take long, and soon we were entering the tailor’s shop.

  “Welcome! How may I serve you today, good sirs?”

  The voice greeting us belonged to a well dressed, middle-aged man. He had been cutting a piece of vibrant red cloth but stopped when we walked in.

  “Well met,” Enelo said. “We are in dire need of clothing for this here boy.”

  The tailor looked at me and grimaced.

  “Indeed, I see the need is most certainly dire. Come now, we will fix this,” he said, vaguely gesturing in my direction.

  What followed was an abundance of extravagant outfits, tunics, suits, and more. Enelo had to tell him that simple sturdy clothing would suffice before the man regretfully put away the more expensive finery.

  In the end, I received two sets of clothing that were a close enough fit and I was measured for a few more to be made and picked up later. The man, quite proud of his work, thanked us for our business as we departed. He promised to have the rest finished within a week’s time.

  I walked by Enelo in thoughtful silence as we headed to his home. The new clothes I carried were nicer than any that I had ever owned. In Relvan, I had dug through trash to find old worn clothing when I needed to replace my rags.