The Lone Apprentice

by I K Spencer

  "Unfortunately no," Cidrl replied in a serious tone, "I have no doubt heard some of the same tales as you, but nothing definitive. This is another reason your assignment is timely. It is a growing concern and we need some answers."

  Anthen nodded and rose. "Thank you for briefing me sir. I want to get started on the right foot." Anthen felt himself color as he remembered the gift and pulled it from his belt. "Ah. One more thing. I have a small token for you. Er. It is nothing really." Bearing gifts was new to the young guardsman and he struggled for the right words.

  Ever the charming host, Cidrl interrupted the apprentice, knowing precisely what to say. "Anthen. I am touched!" He gripped the younger man's shoulder in a friendly manner, then took the proffered bundle. "I know this is tradition but I am genuinely moved by the gesture. Thank you!"

  Cidrl unwrapped the cloth and Anthen was startled when the elder guardsman seemed stunned for just an instant at the sight of the jeweled dagger. It was brief but Anthen definitely saw a frown momentarily darken Cidrl's jovial visage.

  "I was told that it was elven-fashioned," Anthen hastily added, hoping to overcome Cidrl's apparent disappointment.

  "It looks to be so," Cidrl agreed, enthusiastic once again. "It is beautiful and well-crafted!"

  The gracious smile had returned but Anthen noted, with curiosity, that Cidrl did not touch the dagger with his bare hands. Instead he grasped the handle in the cloth as he pulled the blade part-way from the sheath. Also, Anthen noticed that the large man's hands were shaking slightly.

  "Thank you Anthen. I will treasure it!" Cidrl clasped Anthen's palm firmly between his own powerful hands. "Well, you must be tired after your trip," the master said, rising to his feet. "I will bid you goodnight. Let us plan to practice tomorrow morning after breakfast."

  Anthen bid his new master a good night and went back to his room in the tower. He lit a lamp briefly to wash up, then took up his post by the window. In the darkness he pondered Cidrl's strange reaction to the dagger. He had no doubts the gift was appropriate so it must be something in the elder guardsman's past; perhaps Cidrl had faced a foe with a similar weapon in some remembered battle.

  He had not been watching long when movement near the gate caught his attention. The magnified view through his scope revealed a rider leaving through the arch large enough to make the mount seem small. He felt certain it was Cidrl; few men possessed such stature.

  The weary apprentice was dozing a couple of hours later when the sound of approaching hooves jarred him back to consciousness. A single rider came into view, the same rider as before. This time he could see the man's face and, as he expected, Cidrl’s face appeared in his glass, though the grim countenance bore no trace of his earlier warmth. His new master rode hard all the way to the stables, then Anthen saw him head for the house.

  Anthen watched for a bit longer then, knowing he needed sufficient rest, went to the small bed and fell immediately into a deep, though far from restful, sleep. For the first time since beginning the quest, now the demon filling his nightmares had a face.

  Chapter 16

  Anthen awoke with a start. It took a moment to remember where he was—in the monster's lair. He was covered in sweat and he could still recall the disturbing images from a fresh nightmare. He had left the shutters open and no light could be seen in either window but he knew dawn could not be far off so he did not let himself drift back to sleep.

  He shivered and pulled up the damp bedclothes, the sweat now cold on his brow. Although the climate west of the mountains tended to be mild, it was still early enough in the year to need a morning fire. Smelling wood smoke—no doubt from the kitchen—he pictured Mazy pulling fresh, hot loaves of bread from the oven and that ended any notion of falling back asleep. He left the warm bed to light a lamp and build a fire after closing the shutters against the predawn chill. He set some water atop the fire to heat and proceeded through his morning exercises while the room and water both warmed. The small room heated quickly and he was sweating freely by the time he finished, even though he did not push himself especially hard, wanting to be fresh for his practice session with Cidrl.

  He debated brewing some coffee but decided to wait to see what Cidrl's kitchen had to offer. He used some of the hot water to bathe before dressing. He straightened up his room and headed downstairs. The first floor was still dark, though a faint light could be seen through the windows. His nose followed the wonderful kitchen smells to their origin. He saw light in the kitchen and tentatively walked through the door, instantly feeling the penetrating warmth from the large cook-stove across from him. He breathed in a variety of pleasant scents—wood smoke from the cook-stove, baking bread, bacon, and fresh coffee. The room was crammed with counters and cupboards along the other walls and a large wooden table filled the center of the room.

  Mazy looked up from her mixing bowl and beamed at him, "Good morning young master! My y'are an early one! Up and bathed already."

  "Good morning Mazy. It smells wonderful in here."

  Mazy smiled, pleased with Anthen's obvious appreciation of her cooking.

  "Breakfast is still cooking Master Anthen but 'ow 'bout a nice cup of sweet tea?"

  "Please call me Anthen, Mazy. Is that coffee I smell?"

  "Freshly brewed. Would you like a cup? Everyone else in the household drinks tea but I favor coffee."

  Anthen nodded and she poured him a cup. He took a sip and smiled; Mazy's brew was excellent.

  "This coffee is very good Mazy. Thank you."

  He saw a stool and seated himself across the table from her. He wanted to get to know her and probe her real feelings toward her master.

  "Does the Master rise early?" He asked between sips of the strong, black coffee.

  "Oh my heavens no," she laughed, "The Master usually doesn't come down 'til after breakfast is on the table. He likes breakfast served as soon as the sun's up, though it may be some time before he comes down."

  "Ah. Breakfast ready by dawn suits me well," he agreed. "Have you known the Master a long time?"

  "Aye. Hailly and I have been 'ere since she was a little thing. Oh I'd say about ten years. Yes that's it. Agus passed on when she was but five."

  She didn't continue so he prodded her. "Agus was your husband?"

  "Aye. He worked for the Master and was kicked by a horse."

  "Oh, I am sorry. You didn't work here at that time?"

  "Oh no. The three of us kept a little place of our own, but Lord Cidrl, he was kind enough to take us in after my Agus passed. Oh my heavens I don't know what would've become of us. The Master has been wonderful, like a father to my Hailly."

  Anthen could see that her deep devotion to Cidrl was genuine and knew he would hear nothing but praise from her for her master. Could this alleged corrupter of guardsman minds be the same man who took in Mazy and helped raise Hailly?

  "And how long do you expect to be with us Anthen?" The question was innocent enough but Mazy's face was somber.

  "I am not sure. I would guess about a year."

  "Sir may I ask you a favor?"

  He could see she was nervous and thought he might be on the verge of learning something important.

  "Of course," the apprentice said softly and leaned toward the fidgety woman.

  "Well you see ... Well you being such a handsome young man ..." she struggled, obviously embarrassed, "My Hailly has quite a shine for you and all ... She's of that age where she—"

  "I understand," he interrupted after hearing enough to know the woman was merely out to protect her daughter, "I look upon young Hailly as like my own sister and I will watch over her whenever I am able."

  A look of utter relief filled the woman's round face and he guessed it was in good part just from being rescued from the awkward situation.

  "Thank you," she said and patted his hand.

  "Besides," he winked, "You keep feeding me this delicious coffee every morning and you're the one who will need protection."

  That brought a huge
smile and a fit of laughter from the plump cook. She refilled his cup and chased him from the kitchen so she could finish breakfast. He could hear her chortling for some time as he sipped his coffee in the dining room.

  Anthen decided he should wait for Cidrl for breakfast and went outside to visit Rorc and see to the bay's needs. He checked the morning weather as he made his way to the stable; thick clouds, tinged red from the rising sun, threatened rain. The stallion whinnied a greeting as its master stepped into the darkened stables. He spent a few moments visiting with the big horse and brushing its chestnut coat, then cleaned the stall and replenished the water and feed supplies.

  By the time he finished and returned to the house, Cidrl was seated at the dining room table, his plate filled with a variety of breakfast entrees. The elder guardsman greeted the apprentice warmly and Anthen filled a plate and joined his new master. Though hungry he ate lightly, remembering the practice session that would follow their morning meal.

  After breakfast he followed Cidrl outside to an area behind the stable, an unused field with a few targets set up at one end. The pair spent a couple of hours under overcast skies sparring hand-to-hand and with swords and daggers. Again the older guardsman easily bested the apprentice at hand-to-hand combat and with daggers.

  At the academy, Anthen had developed his quickness to such a degree he could handle much larger cadets because superior quickness could overcome their size advantage. He could now see he needed significant improvement, though, because here was Cidrl, a much larger and older man but with quickness to match his own. Despite dominating, Cidrl complimented Anthen's abilities often and also showed him some moves he had never seen before. Anthen held his own with swords, where his slight skill advantage offset Cidrl’s greater strength.

  After a break, they moved onto target practice with daggers and crossbow. Anthen had little experience with knife throwing and provided little competition for Cidrl. However, a surprise to neither, the apprentice was the better marksman with a bow. He gave Cidrl a few tips but generally the elder guardsman just needed more practice. He sensed bow skills were not a priority for Cidrl, though the older man did take a keen interest in his custom bow with its revolving loader.

  After practice, Anthen bathed again and then joined Cidrl and the two servant women for lunch. As it had been the evening before, the meal was friendly and family-like and he did not discern any signs of turmoil in their relationships.

  The two guardsmen met briefly after lunch. Cidrl decided he should find lodging in Gates that afternoon and begin to get established. The master guardsman also mentioned a few establishments, mostly taverns, Anthen should frequent to catch up on the current gossip in Gates. The apprentice would spend the night and return in the morning.

  It was still overcast when Anthen rode Rorc from Cidrl's stable after being dismissed, pausing only to grab his pack and some other items from his room. He rode slowly until he exited the wooded compound to the open moors, then urged the big bay to a gallop, wanting to see how quickly he could make the journey to Gates if in a hurry. He rested the powerful horse for a brief period once during the trip, then slowed as he neared the edge of town, not wanting to attract attention. He guessed the trip had taken about three-quarters of an hour, making a note to remember it for future reference.

  Once in town, he set out immediately to find lodging. He first rode up and down all the streets, wishing to get more familiar with the town's layout before deciding on a location. A fine rain started to fall and the guardsman took the opportunity to pull his cloak over his head and slouch in his saddle; he felt overly conspicuous, passing through all the streets and looking from side to side like a sightseer. He took note of all the available lodging as he moved through the town.

  At one point, he slowed and stopped in front of a small bungalow. It was the location Urvena had told him she would be lodging. He looked closely at the cottage, memorizing its features. It appeared empty now but he guessed the maiden should arrive within a week. The single-story dwelling was modest but in a fine neighborhood and easily large enough for the woman and a servant or two. He had an urge to get a room at the nearest available boarding house but knew that would not be a good idea.

  After finishing his tour, he selected a room in a seedier part of town, near the southwest perimeter. Though dilapidated, the three-story rooming house was attractive for his purposes, having three exits on three different sides, one to a dark alley. He deposited Rorc at a nearby stable and followed the scruffy-looking proprietor up the narrow stairs and into the dark, second-floor room. Even more barren than his tower room, it contained a lone chair, some spindly shelves, and a narrow frame covered with a heavy fabric pulled taut over the rough timber to serve as a bed. A cracked wash basin and pitcher sat on the set of shelves, which Anthen guessed might fall over at the gentlest touch. The plain wooden chair faced a crumbling fireplace. He opened the shutters to let in some light as well as some much-needed fresh air, noting that there had been real glass panes in the window sometime in the distant past. The ceiling was high and, at one time, white. The wooden floor was scarred and very dirty but he could see, in the corners where it was less worn, that the planking was well made and had once been beautifully finished. He guessed the rooming house might have once been the home of a well-to-do family.

  He took the room and paid the man a month's rent. He might find something better later on but it would do. The location was good and the three exits plus a second floor window gave him plenty of options for coming and going without notice.

  He borrowed a bucket and a rag from the disinterested landlord and set about to clean the place. He scrubbed the walls and floor, having to change the water often as it quickly turned black from the years of built-up grime. In the end it was little improvement but at least smelled far better than before. After finishing, still sweating from the scrub work, he decided to exercise for the second time that day, the morning training session still fresh in his mind. He stripped to just his loincloth and began to exercise, first stretching before proceeded through a series of strength-building isometrics. He then practiced the moves Cidrl showed him over and over until they felt fluid and natural to him. By the time he finished, his lean, muscular body was slick and shiny with sweat. He bathed in cold water and dressed for dinner, and work.

  The rusty lock creaked as he turned the key to lock his room and he wondered how long it had been since anyone had used the chamber. He checked the door and found it secure, then sprinkled dust on top of the knob to determine if anyone tried to enter the room in his absence. He exited the building through the main entrance at dusk, feeling the persistent drizzle on his face.

  The other feeling he sensed from the moment he stepped to the muddy street was that he was being watched. He had planned to just go to the tavern across the way to eat but instead, wandered up and down a few streets, preparing to catch a glimpse at his pursuer. After a couple of blocks, he sped up before another corner and stopped suddenly at a vegetable cart, facing back towards the way he had just come. In moments a figure appeared around the corner, walking slowly and scanning the street. The man flinched upon seeing Anthen at the cart directly facing him but quickly regained his composure and walked on past. The stranger shadowing him appeared to be the same tall, slender man who had followed him to the bazaar when he first arrived in Gates two nights earlier. As before, the fair haired man was dressed in black, from boots to cloak.

  The man strode past Anthen purposefully and entered a tavern across the street. The young guardsman doubled back around the corner, hid in a dark doorway, and waited. Within two minutes the man flew by him, his expression sour. Anthen waited for the stranger to put some distance between them, then left the doorway to follow. The next few minutes would be tricky; until the man in black gave up trying to find Anthen, his movements could be quite erratic, making him especially difficult to trail. So when the man rounded the next street corner, the apprentice did not follow. Instead, he ducked into another doorway
and waited. As he expected, the man soon came back by him again, retracing his steps.

  For the next half-hour Anthen carefully trailed the man. During that time, the man doubled back on several occasions, forcing the guardsman to hurriedly duck out of sight. He noted that the man's frown was becoming more and more pronounced the longer his search proved fruitless.

  Next the man in black changed to search in a widening circle around the point he last saw the apprentice. Anthen recognized the pattern quickly and relaxed a bit, however, he was nearly caught off guard when the man suddenly abandoned the search and hurried back to Anthen's new lodging. The guardsman watched from a safe distance as the man in black entered the dwelling, emerged again moments later, and entered the tavern across the street, presumably to wait and watch for the apprentice to return.

  Anthen made himself comfortable on a nearby bench, preparing for what he guessed might be a considerable wait. His pursuer might spend the entire evening watching for his return. He hadn't eaten since lunch and he made a scant supper from dried meat strips kept in his cloak for just such occasions, while he kept watch on the tavern door.

  Two hours later the man in black stepped from the tavern door, his gait evidence that he hadn't passed up the opportunity to sample the alehouse's victuals. The figure looked in his direction but Anthen knew he was invisible in the darkness at that distance. The man crossed the street again and entered his building for a second time. When the man did not return immediately Anthen wondered if he had entered the room but it did not matter since there was nothing to find.

  Ten minutes later the man finally emerged again and turned away from Anthen. The streets were now less crowded and he followed carefully. He guessed the stranger had given up and the apprentice wanted to see where the man would go next but he remained on his guard; the man might just be killing time before turning back yet again toward Anthen's lodging. This concern proved to be unnecessary, however, as the man continued to lead him farther and farther away.