The Lone Apprentice

by I K Spencer

  "Why you young turd. I'll teach you—"

  The sentence was never finished as the young warrior quickly recovered from his initial shock and easily immobilized the large but awkward man with two quick blows. The first strike sent the hammer skittering back into the hut and the second, directed to the windpipe, silenced the fool and buckled his knees. The man cradled his forearm, all the fight and impertinence out of him.

  Anthen moved his face very close to the whimpering blacksmith and spoke in a soft but menacing voice. "Sir, I have no quarrel with you. Now, for the last time, where can I find Cidrl?"

  The man feebly raised his uninjured arm and pointed over Anthen's left shoulder, his eyes wide with fear. The guardsman turned his head slightly to follow the blacksmith's hand. He sensed the blow coming even before he saw the glove but it was already too late. A lightning blast caught him flush on the jaw, twisting his head halfway around his neck and tumbling him backwards. He rolled with the force of the impact and came up fast with his sword drawn, though his head swam with dizziness. Unfortunately, the large newcomer was already on him and a second later another quick strike knocked his blade away. Before he could react, a blow to his solar plexus sent the stunned apprentice to the ground.

  Even before Anthen hit the ground he knew the assailant; only a highly skilled warrior could best him so easily. From the ground he tried to focus on the face of Cidrl and as his vision cleared he could see his new master was smiling broadly.

  "Welcome to the real world Apprentice Anthen!" a deep voice boomed cheerfully.

  Anthen nodded, still regaining his breath, and eyed the notorious guardsman. Cidrl was a large man and powerfully built, stocky but not as wide as Garrick. Anthen knew him to be about forty years old and his face did not contradict that fact but he also appeared in perfect shape, with no spare flesh apparent on his massive frame. He had dark, thick hair with streaks of gray above the temples and a full, black mustache. His face was wide and his eyes dark. The broad smile he wore gave him a warm, friendly, almost jovial appearance; a sharp contrast to the faces Anthen's nightmares gave to the suspected traitor and murderer.

  "Lesson number one. Never turn away from any adversary unless you are sure he cannot attack."

  A big hand reached down and helped Anthen to his feet. Cidrl was nearly a half-a-head taller than his new apprentice.

  "Do not feel badly. You have just been through a time-honored, guardsman tradition." Cidrl went on to explain that this was an ancient rite of passage experienced by all guardsman apprentices. The tradition's purpose was simple; it reminded the new apprentice that he did not leave learning behind upon leaving the academy. It also served to instill in the apprentice, the proper humility and respect toward his new master.

  "Often, those fresh from the academy suffer from a swelled head. It is to be expected since, back there, you had reached the pinnacle. Now, however, you are back at the bottom."

  Cidrl was smiling but Anthen knew he was serious.

  "I am impressed Anthen," Cidrl continued. "You showed excellent reaction skills and toughness. I have trained many apprentices over the years. Very few have risen from that initial blow and never before has anyone been quick enough to reach a weapon. Your reputation preceded you and I am glad to see it is well earned." Cidrl looked back at the smith and chuckled. "You certainly earned the poor blacksmith's respect."

  The pair walked to the center of the grounds and Cidrl showed Anthen where to stable his mount. As they walked, Cidrl talked proudly of his land and Anthen noted how soft and soothing the large man's voice was, adding to his jovial image. Cidrl, by all his mannerisms, appeared to be an open, friendly, easy-going man who most people would take an instant liking to, a very disconcerting image for Anthen, given the circumstances of the meeting.

  Cidrl stood by while Anthen removed Rorc's saddle and saw to the bay's water and feed, then they entered the small castle through the main entrance. The large foyer offered a tall ceiling and an open, marble stairway that led to the second floor. Windows above the entry and the stairs illuminated the long hallway. Several open doors on either side led to other rooms on the first floor.

  From one of those doors a servant girl approached and Anthen watched her behavior closely to see how she reacted to this supposed monster at his side. As they discussed some domestic matter, the servant girl acted shyly but Anthen realized quickly that it was because of his presence, not Cidrl’s. The plump, full-faced girl, pretty in a homespun way, sought eye contact freely with her lord and Anthen sensed she truly liked the man in a fatherly way. The glances she stole at the new apprentice, on the other hand, did not suggest anything so innocent.

  "Hailly, this is Anthen. He is another student from the west come to study my cattle business."

  Anthen noted that Cidrl obviously had a regular cover for his apprentices to assume.

  "Anthen, may I present Hailly. Hailly and her mother, Mazy, take excellent care of this house and me! Mazy's cooking will put a few pounds on you and Hailly is a wizard with the laundry."

  Anthen bowed and the girl, coloring at the praise, smiled shyly at him, then quickly looked back to Cidrl, whom she obviously felt very comfortable around. Anthen noticed that he was also felt less nervous. As Cidrl and the girl chatted in an open, friendly manner not usually evident between master and servant, the apprentice observed that Cidrl's deep, rich voice did have a comforting, almost hypnotic affect. Was the man's warmth genuine or a guardsman's skill?

  Hailly left them and Cidrl gave Anthen a quick tour of the castle. There were two floors throughout the building along with two towers, which also held a third and fourth floor. The first floor contained the kitchen, the foyer, a study, a small dining room, and a larger banquet room. The second floor held a suite of rooms that made up Cidrl's private chambers, guest chambers, and the servant's rooms. The tops of the towers were used for storage and an aide named Duncan, presently away taking care of some business for Cidrl, occupied the third floor of the larger tower. That left the third floor of the smaller tower for Anthen.

  Anthen watched Cidrl closely during the tour but the man's manner suggested nothing of the evil malevolence he supposedly possessed. He chatted warmly and seemed completely at ease. Anthen could not escape feeling comfortable and secure in the other man's presence and felt his guard dropping. This bothered him not only because he knew he must stay alert but also because Cidrl's charm and social graces played upon Anthen's biggest weakness. Cadets were not expected to have diplomatic assignments early in their career so social skills received little attention at the academy. Anthen, however, more introspective than typical, struggled even more with social discourse than most cadets. In reality, this weakness made Anthen extremely vulnerable to the alleged traitor.

  Cidrl concluded the tour in Anthen's quarters, used for storage between apprentices. A steep narrow staircase wound up from the second floor through Anthen's room up to the fourth floor. The tower was circular and about ten feet in diameter, with two windows without glass as windowpanes were difficult to acquire in the border region. Instead there were shutters and translucent curtains to keep bugs and birds out. Someone had opened the shutters to air out the room and from the stale smell, Anthen guessed the room hadn’t been used recently.

  Cidrl soon excused himself, suggesting that Anthen might like to freshen up and rest before dinner. On the way out the door he promised they would talk more after dinner. When Anthen heard the large man descending the stairs, he relaxed for the first time since reaching his new master's land.

  The room seemed sparse, unusual for such a small space. A narrow bed with its head against the wall cut the room in half. The only other items were a small table supporting a wash basin and pitcher, thankfully full, and a chest for Anthen's gear.

  He took off his traveling garb, wrinkling his nose at how ripe he smelled. The beating from his new master fresh in his mind, he took the opportunity to do some strength exercises before bathing. After the short workout, he scrubbe
d the road dirt from every inch of his body with the warm water and rough soap that had been left for him. Afterwards, it felt good to put on his regular, albeit wrinkled clothing, instead of the rugged-but-heavy traveling attire.

  After dressing, he unloaded his packs. His few clothes were placed in the chest atop his travel gear and his cloak ended up on a hook by the bed. It bothered him that he would have to leave it, and the hidden weapon inside, behind when he went down to dinner, but he could find no excuse to bring the cloak with him. There were more hooks for his other arms.

  Unpacking did not take long and next he spent some time surveying the parts of the compound he could see from the two windows. The west window offered a view of that side of the meadow, including the arched gateway he had entered and the blacksmith's shed where he had first met Cidrl. He shivered at the thought of how easily the elder guardsman had defeated him and tried not to think about what would happen if his true purpose were found out. He hoped some of his early instruction from Cidrl included the man’s secrets in hand-to-hand combat.

  Before moving away from the west window, the apprentice reminded himself that he should try to keep watch on the gate whenever possible, to observe arrivals and departures. The other window gave him a view to most of the eastern end of the compound. The outer wall formed an unbroken line for his entire field of view but Anthen suspected there probably was another gate to the east, since the one he came through was too small to handle any sizable cattle herd. He saw more outbuildings and a few men who looked to be common laborers; no doubt there were many peasants engaged in working the large estate and cattle business.

  Anthen decided to look around downstairs and check on Rorc before dinner. He thought about wearing his cloak but decided against it, not wanting to appear on guard in Cidrl's home. He did, however, remember to slip his cloth-wrapped gift for the man into his belt.

  On the stairs he met Hailly. With downcast eyes and colored cheeks the maiden shyly inquired about his laundry. He told her he would take care of it but she insisted, adding that "Lord Cidrl" had explicitly asked her to see to it. Anthen directed her where to find his traveling clothes, then tried to draw her out in conversation but she seemed too flustered by his presence. He guessed her to be about fifteen and certainly of marrying age in such a provincial district as the border region. That made him a potential husband, as was any male from fifteen to thirty, so he could forgive her reticence. He let her escape and continued down to the first floor.

  On his way to the stable he noticed the study door open and peeked inside. It appeared empty so he went in to look around, his gaze quickly drawn to a small bookshelf on the far wall. About two dozen hand-bound volumes sat on top, an enormous collection for a private home. Books were precious and rare even back in Carael so Anthen guessed that few manuscripts must exist in the border region. He picked up the first volume gingerly and opened it; the book appeared to be some sort of medical text. He quickly but cautiously picked up each book in the line. The next several appeared to be related to sorcery and the last few were written in some foreign tongue unfamiliar to the young guardsman.

  He replaced the last volume and glanced at the doorway, his pulse quickening with the knowledge that he had just made an important discovery. It was suspicious for a guardsman to possess what must be a priceless book collection to begin with but also intriguing that some of the manuscripts were in a script he had never seen before. Not wishing to be discovered, he hurried out of the study and went to check on Rorc.

  They ate dinner a short time later in the small dining room and, to Anthen’s surprise, were joined by Mazy and Hailly. As a guardsman he did not belong to a class but he knew that servants did not normally dine with their masters. From the women’s behavior the practice seemed typical here though. Again, Cidrl emanated warmth and orchestrated the conversation, which was mostly directed toward his new apprentice. The dinner was friendly and again Anthen felt his defenses soften to the family atmosphere set by the other three. Mazy spoke up during the meal but Hailly sat quietly, glancing over at the young warrior from time to time. Mazy looked more like Hailly's sister than her mother, shorter and more rounded than her daughter but possessing the same open face and bright eyes. Anthen guessed the older woman couldn’t have been long past thirty.

  After dinner the two men retired to the study, taking seats in comfortable chairs in front of a cozy fire. Cidrl poured them each a healthy dose of brandy while chatting about dinner. Anthen was on guard; ready for anything but nothing happened. Cidrl's pleasant manner never changed and he moved effortlessly to matters of business.

  "Anthen, I have had the privilege of training many apprentices and have developed a common approach over the years."

  The younger guardsman could not help wishing he knew Cidrl's real approach.

  "Your first assignment will be to learn your way around Gates. One of the detriments to being in one region for so long is that you become known so cannot learn what a stranger might. I have become an eminent citizen so people are careful what they say and do in my presence. You, therefore, can be my eyes and ears. Make contact with locals and ascertain what the local underground and criminal element is up to. Also, keep an eye out for any Dolonarians that show up in Gates and then learn their business. I know surveillance is not an area of great focus at the academy so I will work closely with you. We will meet before you leave for town each time and meet again when you return."

  Anthen did not like the sound of his initial assignment. He had trained long and hard and thought there would be more excitement and that he would be drawn immediately into Cidrl’s ongoing covert operations. He knew he hid his feelings well, though, so was a little disconcerted when Cidrl went on as though he had just read the apprentice's thoughts.

  "I know this does not sound too glamorous to you Anthen."

  Cidrl's smile was full of empathy and Anthen could not stop himself from returning the smile.

  "However," the master guardsman continued, "this is mostly what guardsmen do in times of peace. We watch for signs of treason and other threats against the realm and it is a very important duty. There is something to look forward to though. I will be making regular trips into Dolonar and after we have worked together awhile you will accompany me."

  Anthen couldn't help but wonder with uneasiness what milestone would signal his readiness for an expedition across the unfriendly border.

  "As you can imagine, the trips into Dolonar can be quite exciting, and dangerous, often involving entry into restricted locations and, on rare occasions, a destructive deed." Cidrl smiled as though he were promising candy to a child. "You will need to secure lodging in Gates as you will spend a great deal of time there. Do you have any other contacts in the region? Any relatives or friends?"

  "I met a young maiden in Verilia who asked me to call on her."

  "What is her name? Is she a resident of Gates?"

  "No," Anthen replied. "She is coming for an extended visit on a commission to paint portraits. Her name is Urvena."

  The elder guardsman paused for a moment, stroking his mustache as he considered the information. "She could be a useful cover. A man and woman together is always less suspicious than a man alone. Take care, however, not to become too entangled; women and guardsmen are generally a dangerous combination. See if you can find out who secured her services but avoid meeting her clientele; you need to maintain a low profile in Gates and only the richest of the gentry could afford such a luxury."

  Anthen nodded and Cidrl moved on to the next topic. "On days we are both here we will devote time to continue your skills training. I understand you are a prodigy with the crossbow and perhaps you can show me a thing or two." Cidrl smiled graciously to amplify the compliment. "I have a thing or two to show you as well."

  Anthen knew his morning welcome was intended to make that fact crystal clear.

  "Well Anthen, I guess that is everything I wanted to discuss at this time. Come, you must have questions." The big man smiled an
d opened his hands to encourage the apprentice's questions.

  "Thank you, sir." Anthen gestured to the surroundings, "Master Cidrl, your lifestyle is not as simple and inconspicuous as we were taught to expect at the academy. Why?"

  "Excellent question, and let us dispense with the formalities," returned the older guardsman quickly, smiling to lessen the formality between the two men. "The reason is that I do not have the typical guardsman assignment. Firstly, I have been here many years so a more permanent cover is more suitable. After so long, I would raise more suspicions as a drifter than as a landowner. Also, illegal border trade is often orchestrated by greedy noblemen and being an eminent citizen offers better access to such men. Finally, since most of my interest lies with our dangerous neighbor to the east, my cover is less important and this arrangement it more to my liking."

  The logic seemed sound to Anthen. He sensed that the last phrase was the key reason to Cidrl but did not pursue it, asking another question instead. "Is there anything happening in Gates that I should be aware of? Any events or persons you are currently looking into?"

  "I wish it were so, but I have little time to devote to Gates or anywhere else this side of the border. Thus, between apprentices, I have little news of Gates. It is a sizable task to monitor an entire dominion, especially one as dangerous as Dolonar, so Gates is really left uncovered. Though unfortunate, it is an opportunity for you since you gain the experience of starting fresh in the territory."

  "Sounds as though another guardsman should be stationed here," offered the apprentice, eager to see the other man's reaction.

  "That has been my suggestion for years but I understand our numbers have dwindled somewhat so it will likely not be a priority," Cidrl said with a shrug of his broad shoulders.

  "I guess not. One more question. While on my way here, I picked up a sense that there is a growing fear in this region. The common folk seem uneasy and tell tales of disappearances and other strange occurrences, even demons. Do you have an explanation or any details to add?"