The Archon's Apprentice

by Neil Breault

  “All right, the first thing we need to do is to leave Valefort. With Voletain’s orders still in place it will be hard to leave.”

  “I am a prince, no one will stop me.”

  “You think the king is going to let his last remaining living prince leave the castle and partake in a dangerous quest into enemy territory?”

  Mikol opened his mouth as the conversation he had had with his father popped into his head. He closed his mouth with a grunt.

  “That’s what I thought. So, the first thing we need to do is leave Valefort. We should be able to leave without being found out if we only take minimal supplies. Once we are far enough away from Valefort we’ll buy our supplies from one of the villages on the way.”

  Mikol nodded and looked around his room.

  “Thank you, Bayle. I probably would’ve been questioned before I left my room.”

  “I’m surprised you haven’t already been questioned, with all of this useless stuff.”

  “There are some advantages to being a prince.”

  “Hmm, maybe we should keep the pot. You could hop in and I’ll just wheel you away.” Bayle laughed at his own joke as Mikol scoffed. “We’ll leave tonight. Pack a small bag. Only take enough to get you through a couple of days.”

  ***

  Mikol went through the items he had gathered. He shook his head at all of the items he had thought he needed. Only a few would come in handy. He stuffed the clothing and supplies in a backpack and threw his cloak over it. Bayle met him after midnight, outfitted similarly. Bayle led them swiftly and quietly down several empty corridors. Mikol noticed these hallways held fewer sconces than any other hallways in the castle. Bayle had brought them to the edge of a small courtyard. Mikol remembered this courtyard and how much he disliked it. Whoever had designed this courtyard had tried make it artistic with strange angles and wavy walls. During certain times of the day he would get vertigo just staring at the walls. Mikol could not be certain how much noise they were making, as every sound seemed to echo and boom.

  They stopped moving as Bayle motioned for them to halt. Mikol shifted uncomfortably as he waited but froze as he heard footsteps. Across the courtyard the sconces lit up as the patrol moved. Mikol felt his muscles clench. He feared the slightest movement would light the sconces, leading the patrol to them. He breathed a deep sigh of relief as the patrol veered down a hall that led away from them. Mikol felt himself relax only when the sconces no longer detected anyone and flicked off. They moved slowly again and kept as close to the walls as they could. Mikol knew it would not stop the sconces from lighting up, but it made him feel better.

  Mikol did not know how long it took for them to make it to the edge of the castle, but it seemed like it took hours. Luckily, they did not see any more patrols before they reached one of the smaller side gates. They crouched down in a shadowy corner far enough away from the gate and any guard posts. They could not see any guards near the post, nor did they see anyone around the gate. Mikol wanted to go but Bayle held him back. They waited. And waited.

  “Where are the guards?” said Mikol.

  “I don’t know.” Bayle held his crossbow in his hands. Mikol had not seen him retrieve it, but they had been hunting before and he knew Bayle could be quiet. “If you really want to go, this seems like the perfect opportunity to leave the city.”

  They crept along the wall in the shadows until they were directly across from the gate. They still did not see any guards. Bayle took the first step into the moonlight and walked slowly toward the gate. Mikol waited a moment and followed. Mikol looked around as he moved. He hoped to catch some sign of the guards that should be posted but made it to the gate without being seen. They had been at the gate long enough they should have seen someone return to their post, or new guards come to relieve someone. Mikol had never seen any of the gates completely unguarded before. The gate was large enough that a carriage could pass through but also had a smaller door built in to allow entry without opening the larger doors. Mikol placed his hand on the door handle, looked at Bayle, and took a deep breath. To his surprise the door was unlocked and opened easily, without a sound. They walked through, shutting the door quietly behind them.

  “That was too easy. Where are all the guards?” said Mikol.

  “I don’t know. I would like to know how we got through so easily, but I don’t think we should be asking any questions. We need to keep moving or risk getting caught.”

  Mikol looked at the door for a moment before shaking his head and walking away from the castle. It left him feeling uneasy, but he knew this quest would save his father and help to get his brothers back. The farther they traveled, the less Mikol found himself worrying about his family. Instead, a growing excitement blossomed inside. They traveled as far as they could while the moon slowly slipped out of the sky. When the moonlight finally abated they found a copse of trees and hastily made camp.

  ***

  Mikol woke up to the sound of birdsong. After blinking away his vividly absurd dream, he remembered where he was and sat up abruptly. Bayle looked over at him. He sat with his back against a tree, chewing on some jerky.

  “About time you got up,” said Bayle with a grin.

  “How long did I sleep?”

  “A few hours.”

  “How long did you sleep?”

  “A few hours.”

  Mikol had not wanted to sleep much past sunrise but could not argue with exhaustion. Mikol looked back at Bayle, who only shrugged and threw a piece of jerky to Mikol. Standing up proved to be a battle. Every muscle seemed to cry out and tense as he stretched out. He grunted loudly, to Bayle’s amusement. When he rolled up his blankets he saw the rocks that were literally the pain in his back. He shook his head and made a mental note to scour the ground before laying out his bedroll.

  “How far did we get?” said Mikol.

  “Not sure. Far enough that no one found us. If they were looking.... But we should stay off the roads for a couple of days.”

  Mikol nodded at Bayle and ate the jerky. He had not expected it to taste as good as it did. Thinking back, he could not remember eating the previous day. All he had done was pace around and wait for night to come. He sighed at how daft he had been. He was lucky to have such a good friend in Bayle. Mikol took out the pendant to check their direction. They grabbed their packs and headed east. While the snow had already melted and the grasses were still low enough not to impede their travel, Mikol clasped his cape tighter as a chill breeze came upon them. In the afternoon they topped a rise and could just make out Crystal Lake to the north. Mikol smiled as he remembered going to the lake as a child. He had been amazed at the clear water that gave the lake its name. He remembered thinking if he had fallen in he would not have been able to get back out.

  As the spring sun set the air became cooler, and they decided to hazard a farmhouse they came across. They knocked on the door and were greeted by a middle-aged woman. They asked if they could spend the night in the barn, but she insisted they sleep in the house. The fireplace kept the house well heated, and only after they were settled in did it occur to Mikol how unprepared they were for the trip. He would have been completely lost without Bayle’s help and would have already given up. The woman was happy to have someone in the house. They learned that the woman’s husband had been called away when Perim took the army east. They talked as long as the tea was warm before they all went to sleep. They slept soundly during the night. Mikol began to doubt whether he wanted to continue this trip to find a mysterious cache of weapons he knew nothing about.

  The next morning their host woke early to prepare them a generous breakfast. They tried to refuse, but she insisted they be well-nourished before leaving. Mikol offered her money for the night and the food but she would not hear it. Instead, she gave them thicker blankets and winter cloaks. She told them no one would be needing them. She had lost her sons the year before and had had no word from her husband. She was just happy to provide for someone again. They accepted and th
anked her profusely.

  When they traveled far enough down the road away from the house not to be seen, Mikol sent Bayle back to leave several gold coins for the woman. Mikol recited and practiced runic forms while he waited for Bayle. An hour passed before Bayle returned. He had made sure she had found the money before he left the farm again. The next few nights they did not come across any other houses or buildings that would provide a comfortable rest. The extra blankets provided them with enough protection that they were able to tolerate the cold spring nights. On the fifth night they felt confident enough to build a small fire. While they weren’t sure whether anyone was looking for them, they did not want to make themselves easy to be found. Finding fuel for the fire proved to be a difficult task in the flowing plains surrounding Valefort. They eventually found enough dry wood to heat up some provisions, but the fire died out before they went to sleep.

  After traveling for a week they started traveling along the road. Spring had finally gained a foothold and the weather improved. The road proved to be a good idea, as they were able to procure hospitality in homes near the road. The last home before they came to the end of the immediate protectorate of Valefort housed several families. Similarly to the previous families who had offered them shelter, the husbands and elder sons had joined the army months ago. It seemed to bring comfort to the women to have guests in the house. Mikol knew they were not truly happy but was glad he could provide temporary relief to the pain of these families. Thinking of his own loss, he knew they thought their sons, husbands, and brothers would be coming home. Every one in the house understood the lie behind these thoughts, but it went unsaid.

  They insisted on paying for the hospitality and were even able to purchase horses. After they placed their packs on the horses Mikol felt like a new man. While they had not ridden horses often, they had enough training to get the horses to cooperate after some while. Luckily, the direction of the pendant kept them on the road. They were making better time on horseback than they had on foot. Even without knowing their final destination, Mikol pressed on with haste. They spent several more nights camped along the road. Despite the cool nights and the dry and distasteful travel food, Mikol enjoyed the trip.

  The road they traveled on was not the main highway out of Ternia. The town they soon arrived in was unknown to Mikol. He admonished himself for being a terrible planner, chastising himself for not having read more of the maps on the area. He had thought the pendant would lead him to his destination. Why should he have to know anything about where he was going? They rode in as the sun was setting. Only a few of the locals were out. No one paid them any attention. They found the general store still open and they purchased additional supplies. When they had arrived they stabled their horses. They brought the newly purchased supplies back to the stable and packed their bags. Bayle paid the young stable boy to keep an eye on their stuff. The boy was all too eager to please them after making sure the silver coin was real. Mikol could only smile, seeing the grin on the boy’s face. It seemed like it had been years since he had been that happy.

  There was only one tavern in town, and they made their way there. It also appeared to be the only inn as well. They exchanged glances when they saw the sign above the door. It depicted a crudely drawn woman holding two overflowing glasses. The wood was warped and the paint was peeling off around the edges. Perhaps the woman had been beautiful once, but Mikol just shuddered at the sign now. When they entered the tavern, an acrid odor assaulted them. The inside of the tavern was dimly lit and sparsely populated. Only two of the tables were occupied. Smoke hung over the tables and after a moment Mikol smelled the odor of what the Wardens called Savage Blossom. He had heard stories of those that had become addicted. Mikol and Bayle did not have time to smell the bloom and hallucinate, not that Mikol even wanted to try.

  Bayle led the way to the opposite side of the tavern. They picked a table that allowed them to have their backs to the wall. Bayle kept his eye on the other table. Three men sat playing a card game. It seemed only one of them was enjoying the game. Before long, a large man entered the room from behind the bar. His apron looked like it should have belonged to a smith. With a jovial smile he brought out two mugs and placed them in front of Mikol and Bayle.

  “Welcome to the Feisty Wench. My name is Hugo. What’re you wanting?”

  “What do you have to eat?” said Bayle.

  “Made some lamb stew earlier.”

  “As long as it’s warm, we’ll take two bowls.”

  Hugo nodded and walked back to the kitchen. Mikol raised his mug to toast but hesitated. He looked in to the mug and blew away the foamy head to see it was only half full. Bayle smiled at Mikol, shrugged, and downed his mug in one go.

  “Ah. May not have been much, but it’s better than what we’ve been drinking. Granted, it’s not as good as at the castle.”

  Hugo came back carrying a platter with two bowls of stew and chunk of bread for each of them.

  “Haven’t seen you boys around here.”

  “We’re passing through to see some family,” said Mikol.

  “They live near here?

  “No, we still have a long trip ahead of us. We saw this inn and figured it was better than sleeping on the ground again.”

  “Ha! We still got a room left. Don’t normally rent it out much, since it’s the best we got.”

  “A bed is a bed. Should be fine for us. How much for the night?” said Mikol.

  “It’ll be, uh, four gold crowns for the room and, five silver crowns for the meal.”

  Mikol nodded and placed the coins on the platter. He placed an extra five silver next to the pile.

  “Can we get a bath drawn in the room for after our meal?”

  There was a momentary pause before Hugo nodded. It was only a slight hesitation and he recovered fast enough that Mikol was not sure he had seen anything

  “Yes, we can get a bath.” Hugo picked up the platter quickly. He deposited money from the platter in a pocket as he headed back to the kitchen.

  “That seemed weird,” said Bayle.

  “Kind of.” Mikol shrugged. “But I don’t know. I’ve never stayed at an inn before. Especially a feisty wench, which,” Mikol looked around the room quickly, “looks to be a poor name. I don’t see any women here.”

  “Or wenches, feisty or not. But that’s not why we’re on this trip.”

  The lamb stew lacked any flavor but made up for it in warmth. Hugo brought out two more mugs of ale while they ate. Mikol was happy to see the mugs were full this time. Mikol was soaking up the last bits of stew with his bread when he felt Bayle nudge him under the table. Bayle flicked his eyes to the other table. Whatever game the men had been playing had ceased, and they were now huddled over the table talking quietly. Mikol thought nothing of it until he saw one of them look over their shoulder at him. Mikol knew they were not in Valefort, but it was this moment that he fully realized he was not the prince here. Mikol took a mental inventory of what they had with them. Their clothing had been given to them along the way. Besides being comfortable, it lacked any quality that would make it expensive. Neither of them had any jewelry, though the pendant sat around his neck. He placed it under his shirt when they were not looking. He felt the weight of his sword and admonished himself again. The hilt and scabbard had plenty of gold inlays to show it was a quality weapon.

  They both finished their meals and stood up to leave. They flinched as the other group stood up at the same time. Mikol’s hand went to his sword and Bayle reached for what Mikol presumed were hidden daggers. The three men resumed their boisterous tones from before and pointedly moved toward the door. Mikol let out his breath when they left and let go of his sword. Mikol and Bayle exchanged a knowing look, and they headed upstairs to their room. Inside of the room stood a metal tub. It was secured to the floor. He raised an eyebrow but saw the steam rising from it.

  Mikol took the first bath and scrubbed away the dirt and grime he had accumulated along the road. Mikol thought abou
t washing his clothes too, but did not know how he would dry them. When he got out of the tub and put his clothes back on he thought about washing them again. He felt strange to be putting on dirty clothes after a bath. While it was not as large as he was used to, Mikol was surprised by the size of the room. It had two medium-sized beds and a table and chair. The table was not very large and held the only light in the room besides the moonlight coming through the window.

  “Something about this place doesn’t seem right. Help me get this window open. I’m going to grab my crossbow,” said Bayle.

  They opened the window, allowing Bayle to slip outside quietly. The roof of the next building came up to the perfect height and Mikol watched Bayle sneak on to it. The moon provided enough light that Mikol saw Bayle make it across to the far end and climb down. Mikol watched for a moment more before sitting on one of the beds. He examined the pendant. The arrow continued to point east, and this gave him more comfort than he would care to admit. He jumped when he felt something touch his shoulder. Bayle had returned and turned to close the window. Mikol did not know how long he had stared at the pendant and shook his head to clear it.

  “Good to know you’re being vigilant.” Bayle smirked and pulled the chair next to the window across from the door. “Get some sleep.”

  “You’re going to sleep in the chair?”

  “Maybe. It’s more comfortable than some of those rocks I slept on. Keep your sword close.”

  Mikol’s sword lay across his cloak next to the bed. He reached down and placed it next to him. Bayle crossed the room, unlocked and locked the door a few times, and then turned out the lantern. Mikol had not thought the lantern light was bright, but with only the moonlight coming in from the window the room became veiled in deep shadows. He only knew Bayle sat in the chair because it creaked softly as he moved.

  Mikol did not realize he had fallen asleep. He came to because he was being shaken awake. He started to mumble something but felt a hand over his mouth. Bayle whispered softly for him to listen. A moment later he heard the soft scratching noises coming from the door. Bayle pushed Raythrael into Mikol’s hand. He unsheathed it soundlessly and moved off the bed. Bayle stood in the moonlight and indicated Mikol should stand next to the door. When Mikol moved, Bayle stepped back against the wall, the shadows enveloping him. The moon had begun to set and its light was fortunately focused on the door to the room. Mikol tensed when he heard the click of the door being unlocked.