Meira laid a hand on Elkan’s arm as they drew near Sansom and Rahel’s house. “Are you all right? I know you usually need to eat after a difficult healing. There was some food left; Josiah, maybe you could—”
“No, I’ll be fine. I just need to sleep. I’m sure our hosts will have a generous breakfast in the morning.” He patted her hand as he withdrew from her touch. “But thank you for your concern. Sleep well.” He steered Josiah in front of him into the house.
The next day passed quietly. Restday services were held outdoors in the drowsy midsummer heat. Norlan appeared at the midday meal, looking much revived, full of cheerful stories and lively wit. Afterwards, Elkan tried to prevail upon him to return to bed, but Norlan would have none of it, although he did consent to sit with the other adults in the cool shade of the house and pass the afternoon in relaxed conversation.
Early Firstday morning they packed and set out. Elkan kept looking back. Just before they rounded a bend which would hide the village from sight, he stiffened. “I don’t believe it.”
Josiah darted to his side. Back at Jarah’s house he could make out Norlan’s tall form, pack slung on his back, speaking with Jarah. The waulker waved to her and set off out the far side of the village.
Elkan ran his hand through his hair. “I told him three days.” Sar sidled up next to him, and Elkan twisted his fingers in the donkey’s mane. “I didn’t expect him to listen, but I thought he might at least rest for one. We ought to go—”
Sar turned a calm brown eye on him. Elkan deflated. “No, you’re right. It’s his choice. We can’t make him follow our advice.” He scowled, watching Master Norlan make his slow but purposeful way out of sight. “It’s just…”
He turned, beckoned curtly to Josiah and Meira, and strode off down the road.
Sixteen
Meira?” The woman squinted at Meira, and a smile broke across her wrinkled face. “My dear, welcome home! Quick, Ideh, run and tell Master Retana that Meira’s home.” The apprentice darted off.
Meira embraced the woman. “Master Avan, it’s wonderful to see you. It’s so good to be back.”
Avan cooed at the baby peering over Meira’s shoulder. “This must be little Ravid, then?” She sobered, laying a hand on Meira’s arm. “We were all so shocked when your message came last fall. Terrible, just terrible. I’m so sorry…”
Meira nodded, blinking. “Thank you.” There was an awkward moment of silence. “Master Avan, this is Wizard Elkan, who’s been kind enough to accompany me on the journey, and Sardonyx, and this is Josiah…”
The introductions went on for quite some time, for Meira seemed to know most of the people in Shalinthan, and more and more of them arrived as word spread of her return. Josiah was quickly lost in the torrent of Minerkins and Smiths. He resorted to smiling and nodding, wearing the pleasantly blank face he’d perfected for use on these occasions, resolving to sort out later any names he really needed to know.
Meira led them through town, looking anxiously ahead. “It’s not time for the evening meal yet. Mother and Giva should still be in the workshop, and Father won’t be in from the fields till near sunset this time of year.” Elkan and Sar followed her, Josiah trailing behind. People gave him a wide berth, eyeing the mountain cat at his side warily. Josiah kept a firm hand at the nape of Tobi’s neck, but he was confident now that she knew how to behave and would comply with his wishes.
Ahead of them, two women in soot-stained leather aprons rounded a corner and caught sight of them. The older one broke into a run. She threw her arms around Meira. “You’re home! Oh, Meira, I was so worried—” Her voice choked into a sob.
“I’m all right, Mother.” Meira sounded on the verge of tears herself. She turned and embraced her sister. “Giva, Mother, this is Ravid.” Her voice broke, and she busied herself freeing Ravid from her back and displaying him to his tearfully admiring relatives. Ravid stared warily for a moment, fingers in his mouth, then dissolved into wails.
Josiah shifted his feet. He was tired and hungry. They had risen early that morning and pushed hard through the day. Meira seemed to have forgotten the rest of them in the excitement of reuniting with her family. Shouldn’t the head of the town council have heard of the wizard’s arrival by now and come to offer them hospitality? He was glad Meira was safely home at last, and he’d miss her company, but Elkan’s responsibility for her was over. They should bid her farewell and see to their own business. It was early enough that Elkan might grant him an hour or two of free time to explore the town once they were settled.
Elkan, however, showed no signs of impatience. He waited, absently stroking Sar, until Meira broke off and turned to him. “Mother, Giva, this is Elkan Farmerkin Wizard…” Josiah suffered through another round of introductions, finding it harder to keep his smile plastered to his face. Maybe Meira’s mother would invite them to share supper, at least.
Elkan was at his most charming and professional, no hint of urgency in his calm demeanor, but he did eventually bring the conversation around to the matters that concerned Josiah. “If someone would be so kind as to send word to the head of the council that we’ve arrived, we can see about making arrangements for our stay.”
“Of course.” Meira’s mother looked around. “I’m sure someone was sent to take word to the mines as soon as you arrived. But it’s a fair distance from town, so it will be a while yet until Master Noadiah gets here.
“Oh yes,” she responded to Meira’s surprised exclamation. “I guess there’s no way you could have heard. Noadiah was chosen head last spring, when Zelman was injured in the cave-in and retired. Noadiah is Meira’s master and head of the gold mine, Master Elkan.”
“Just Wizard Elkan for now, Master Retana,” Elkan replied automatically, but Josiah could tell he was surprised. Meira hadn’t told them her master was such an important person.
“Of course. My apologies.” Retana looked at Elkan, Josiah and the animals as if seeing them for the first time. “What am I thinking? All of you must be exhausted from your journey. Come, you can wait at my home until Noadiah arrives. Meira, dear, you must stay with us, at least for a few days. Your house is still shuttered, of course. When you’re ready we can see about opening it up and airing it out, if you’re quite certain you want to. You know you always have a place with your father and me. I hate to think of you in that empty house all alone.”
“No.” Meira swallowed, but her voice was firm. “I’ll stay with you tonight, Mother, but I want to get settled in at home tomorrow. When Master Noadiah comes, I’ll talk to him about resuming my work at the mine. Ravid’s old enough now for me to start the standard half-day schedule, if someone can be found for me to partner with…” She trailed away.
“I’m sure the guilds will be able to work something out.” Retana led them through the streets as she spoke. “Several parents were widowed in the cave-in at the big iron mine last spring, it was terrible. I think Oren’s father is keeping his two little ones in the mornings, but he’s frail and the boy is just too wild for him to handle. And Amian’s girl is about Ravid’s age; she’ll be wanting to get back to the forge before long.” All the way across Shalinthan she kept chattering on about people Josiah didn’t know.
Retana’s home was at the edge of town, attached to her workshop. A small stream gurgled out of the mountains and passed close by the walls of the sprawling stone building. “Let me step inside for just a moment. We left so quickly when we heard you were here we didn’t even bank the fire properly. Giva, show them in, I’ll take care of putting your work away. Get them something to drink. Meira, you can stable Thistle with Mushroom. And the wizard’s animals—if that’s all right?” She eyed Sar and Tobi and shot a nervous glance toward her house.
“Yes, that will be fine. Josiah?” Elkan gave Sar a final pat and sent him off with Josiah.
Josiah sighed, but accepted his usual assignment with good grace. “Come on, Tobi. Here, Meira, let me take Thistle, too.”
Meira’s donkey rolled h
er eyes and shied when he led her near Tobi, but Sar snorted at her and she subsided. Retana pulled out a large key and let herself into the workshop. Through the door Josiah caught a glimpse of a large, orderly workspace, a glowing fire, and tables scattered with a variety of tools. The rays of the setting sun caught a myriad of shining gold surfaces, from ingots to half-finished pieces to bits and pieces of scrap metal. Even the dust on the floor glittered. Against the far wall a display case stood, filled with finished jewelry. Josiah saw necklaces, rings, bracelets, and brooches before the door swung closed.
The stable out back was spacious. One stall contained a donkey very similar to Sar and Thistle, but dark brown. He lifted his head and swiveled his ears forward to inspect the new arrivals.
Josiah decided he’d better not test the strange donkey’s tolerance for the mountain cat. He swept a hand out toward the wooded slope of the mountain. “Go hunt, girl.” Tobi sprang away, huge leaps taking her deep into the woods in moments.
He unloaded the donkeys, dumping Meira’s gear against the wall. He eyed Sar’s load ruefully, considering the likelihood that he’d have to pile it all back on Sar before the evening was over,. But he couldn’t just leave the donkey laden, so he heaved it into a pile near the door. When he finished tending the animals, he was pleased to smell savory odors wafting from the main building.
He entered to find Meira’s mother and sister preparing the meal. Chunks of meat and vegetables sizzled on skewers laid over the fire. Giva patted out thin rounds of bread dough and fried them on a hot griddle. Retana minced herbs and crushed spices in a mortar without ever stopping her flow of words. Her comments were mostly aimed at Meira, though every now and then Elkan or Giva received a share of attention.
“You haven’t let him have any solid food yet, of course? I swear, some of the young women these days practically compete to see whose baby can be eating solids first. Smush up bits of fruit or vegetables and shove it in the poor child’s mouth, if you can believe it. I’ve always said when they can pick it up and put it in their own mouth is when they’re ready, not a moment before. And if you can keep it from them until they have at least four teeth, all the better. Don’t you agree, Meira?”
“Yes, Mother.” Meira sat in a large, upholstered chair by the fire, her hands supporting Ravid as he stood in her lap, bouncing up and down. Josiah wondered at her meek response, for he knew he’d seen Meira offer bits of soft food for Ravid to mash with his still toothless gums.
“Don’t you think you ought to scoot your chair a bit farther back from the fire, dear? I know you would never let him fall, but accidents do happen, and I wouldn’t want to see my grandson burned, no I wouldn’t, would I, little sweetie?” Her final words changed to a high-pitched coo directed at Ravid.
“Of course, Mother.” Meira shoved her chair back from what had seemed to Josiah a perfectly safe distance from the flames.
“Giva, don’t let the meat get too well done on that side before you turn it. This is a new recipe Afraima taught me. The meat cooks so much quicker when it’s cut up like this, Giva and I can work that much longer before we need to stop and get the meal on. Your father does like to have a meal waiting for him when he comes in from the field. I keep telling him he should get the guild’s approval to sell that field, it’s practically in Folith, and buy something closer, but it’s just the same as it’s always been. He thinks since it was his father’s and grandmother’s he can never give it up, not even if it means he has to walk an hour morning and evening. Not that either of you two apprenticed as a farmer, so I don’t know why he thinks he’s holding on to it. That journeyman of his would be happy enough to buy it when he makes master, I’m sure. The last one would have too, but no, Jered wouldn’t hear of it, so now she’s set up with a field not a quarter hour’s walk from her home, and Jered still has to get up before sunrise and walk halfway down the mountain to get to his.”
Josiah saw Meira roll her eyes at Giva while their mother’s back was turned. Giva returned a wry grin. Meira rose and held out Ravid to Elkan. “Would you mind holding Ravid for me while I draw some water? I noticed the cistern’s getting low.”
“Of course.” Elkan reached for Ravid, but Retana swept up and took the baby from his hands.
“No, no, I’m finished, let me hold my grandbaby. Such a big boy you are, you come to Grammi, that’s right. Come help me put out the plates, why don’t you, that’s a good boy.”
Elkan blinked as she bustled away, Ravid on her hip. He turned to Meira. “I’ll help you with the water, then, if you don’t mind.”
He rose quickly, but not before Retana had noticed. “No, no, you sit down. Meira, you take care of it, there’s no reason to bother the wizard.”
“It’s no trouble,” Elkan assured her, grabbing a pail from beside the door and ducking outside. Meira followed suit. Josiah was glad to see another pail left. He seized it and made his escape out the door in Meira’s wake.
“Is she always like that?” Josiah asked as soon as the door shut behind them.
Meira looked back at the house. “Except when she’s worse. I swear, I feel about six years old whenever I walk through that door.”
Elkan shook his head in sympathy. “I see now why you chose to apprentice outside the family.”
Meira nodded. “I had to. I was sorry to disappoint Father. He loves that field. The Farmers’ Guild has trusted it to our family for generations. I could have been happy as a farmer, but I would’ve had to live at home. The miner apprentices live in a dormitory near the mine. I love my mother, I really do, but we get along much better when we only see each other on Restdays. Giva’s like Father, they just let it roll off their backs, but I never could. I thought that now I’m a mother myself it might be different, but I guess not. Did you hear her? I’ve been on my own with Ravid for more than half a year now, but it’s like she thinks I can’t care for my own child.”
Meira slammed her pail into the clear mountain stream with uncharacteristic force, her voice strained as she continued. “I don’t even want to imagine what it would have been like if I’d been here when he was born. I bet she’d have tried to take over completely. She’d just love it if I moved in with them so she could be in charge of me again, and Ravid, too. Well, it’s not going to happen. She had her chance; it’s my turn to be the mother now. She’ll just have to accept that. If it were an hour earlier I swear I’d go and sleep in my own house tonight, even though the dust is probably an inch thick.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I do know how to get along with my mother. I’d just forgotten how difficult it can be.”
Elkan and Josiah filled their buckets and followed as Meira strode back toward the house. Elkan caught up to her. “I understand. Families can be complicated. My own father—”
“Meira!” A large, burly man with a full beard hastened up the road towards them.
“Master Noadiah!” Meira set her pail down barely in time to avoid spilling it as he enveloped her in a bear hug.
Meira made the introductions. Noadiah beamed at Elkan. “So good to finally have a wizard in town again. There’ll be plenty to keep you busy for a week, at least. I suppose you’ll be wanting the Mother’s Hall, as usual?”
“Yes, if that’s no trouble.”
“Not at all.” The miner hesitated. “Now may not be the best time, but I need to speak with you. Shalinthan’s grown over the years. I know we’re not as big as Thedan or Korisan, but when you count all the little villages and holdings within a day’s journey, we’ve got plenty of folk who need a wizard’s care. Surely enough to warrant the Guild posting someone with us full time.”
Elkan nodded noncommittally. “I’ll be glad to carry your request to the Guildmaster, but please understand the Wizards’ Guild is already stretched very thin. Wizards must serve where they can do the most good for the most people.”
“Of course, of course. I’m sure the Guildmaster knows her craft. It’s just… mining’s risky, more than most crafts. All Tevenar enjo
ys the metals we produce, Elathir far from least, and it seems only fair we be given a certain amount of consideration for that.” Noadiah shifted his weight from foot to foot, but he met Elkan’s eyes. “Folks died after the cave-in last spring who would’ve lived if we’d had our own wizard. We had to wait four days for Monir to make it up from Thedan.”
Grave, Elkan inclined his head. “Perhaps before I leave you can draw up some documents showing the growth of your population and the frequency of incidents that would benefit from the Mother’s power. Such things would carry weight with the Guildmaster.”
“I’ll do that.” Noadiah seemed relieved to put the uncomfortable subject behind him. “There’s one other request I have for you, but it can wait. Meira, I want to hear all about your journey.”
“I’m eager to tell you. I’ve got my records all ready to turn in.” Meira chatted with her master as they went into the house. Soon her father, Jered, arrived, and after further introductions that Josiah felt went on far too long, they finally settled down to the delicious meal.
Afterwards the company gathered around the fire. Josiah perched drowsily on a stool and half-listened to the conversation. Meira brought out the records of her travels the previous summer and showed them to Noadiah.
“You’ll see on the map that we left by the northern route. I thought we should take the south road, but Ravid thought it would be worth exploring the valley along the stream there.”
For a moment Josiah was confused. Then he realized Meira was talking about the other Ravid, her dead husband.
“I was right though. We didn’t find anything. I don’t know how he thought any good deposits could have gone unnoticed, so close. But I’m glad we went that way now, because we stopped and spent a few days with his parents. So at least they got to see him, before—” Her voice failed her and she ducked her head, fussing with baby Ravid. Everyone was quiet until she regained her composure. “How are Kiva and Osaze doing? Have you heard from them lately? I’ll have to make a trip out there as soon as we’re settled, so they can meet little Ravid.” Her voice was falsely bright.
The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) Page 23