by Kris Hiatt
“But I can’t even find The Calm, Archmagister,” Treace said, again trying to prove his point.
“True. You cannot,” he replied. “But there is nothing to lead me to believe that you won’t. Most brothers do not master Path of The Calm in less than twenty months. Some, like Brother Drevic here, do it a little more quickly. Others take the full two years. Many others, at least half, never master it at all. Yet you believe you are falling behind by not mastering it in only a few months?”
Treace probably was told the timeline for learning Path of The Calm, but he didn’t remember it. He was used to things being easy for him. He wasn’t used to having to work so hard to understand something.
“How long before you could make a sword as nice as the one you gave as a gift?” the Archmagister asked.
“Almost two years, sir.”
“And you believe you should be able to master Path of The Calm in a few months? A sword is made of steel and has no emotions or the ability to fight you. You are fighting your emotions and your own mind when you try to find and master The Calm.”
Treace let what the man said sink in. He found his words to be comforting, although he believed sword making and emotional mastery could be put on the same level; you forged the steel by practice and it fought you the entire way.
“Make no mistake, Brother Treace, you have a long way to go and much more to learn, but you are on the right path. Of that, I do not doubt. You must simply learn to have patience,” the Archmagister said.
Treace wasn’t sure how to respond, so he remained quiet. The Archmagister raised a brow at his silence and then nodded with a smile.
“From this moment forth, you are now Brother Drevic’s apprentice. He will be your teacher from now on. You are to accompany him on a task I have assigned him, to the both of you,” the Archmagister said.
He was stunned. His mind whirled at all that the Archmagister had said. He didn’t feel he was gifted, sure he might learn things a little faster than most, but did that make him gifted? He didn’t think so. What did it mean to be someone’s apprentice?
“You will leave in just a few days to begin this task. Brother Drevic will fill you in on the details when you begin your journey. For now though, say nothing to no one. I know you will perform this assignment as well as you have your others. I have no doubts.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Follow Drevic’s lead and his guidance. His instructions are to be followed as if they came from me. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” Treace said again.
Chapter 14
The two brothers walked out of the College together ten days later. They left several days after the initial plan due to a cold front that contained rain cold enough that Treace wondered how it hadn’t turned into snow. It moved in from the northeast and lasted several days. They didn’t want to catch a cold by the time they reached their destination, which Treace still did not know. He knew it was in Haven, but he didn’t know exactly where or why they were headed there. Drevic had remained quiet on the subject. He guessed it was the baron’s mansion, since Drevic had been the ambassador to the baron for the last two years.
The snow was gone, helped by the rain, but the cold in the air remained. While the worst of the system had passed, the weather this time of year never truly reached calm. Treace pulled his hood as far forward as it would go, hoping to block out some of the cold wind. They settled on taking a wagon, as the ship captains wouldn’t dare risk their ships, their livelihoods, or their lives on taking two brothers through the swirling winds and rain, the waves nearly as tall as their ship, to the city of Haven. Treace thought it was probably for the best, recounting the last ship ride in the relatively calm waters, not wanting to be the unfortunate boy, always hanging his head over the rail.
“Tell me of the plan,” he told Drevic over the wind.
“Not yet.”
“We are out of the College, it is behind us, still you don’t trust me?”
“It is not that I don’t trust you, it is only that I wish to tell my tale in full and not have to stop every time we meet another person in Kilindric that is silly enough to be walking around in this weather. I’ll tell the tale once we stop for the night.”
“What about while riding on the wagon?”
“Once we stop for the night.”
Treace decided not to press him on it, so he remained quiet, pulling his hood back on his head with his right hand after the wind had torn it back, and continued walking. Ahead of him, Drevic plodded along using a staff for a walking stick. He adjusted his half empty travel pack and was relieved he wouldn’t have to walk with it laden with supplies for the entire trip. He was glad they were on their way to get the wagon that Archmagister Nimbril secured from the stable in Kilindric.
They passed the Brownbriar Hall and Treace couldn’t help but think of his friends. Moff and Heral deserved to know what was going on, but Treace couldn’t tell them. They only knew that he was leaving with Drevic. He hoped they would have a glass of wine tonight in his honor.
#
“So I’m to find work in Haven as a smith and tell people that I left the College?” Treace asked, wanting to make sure he understood Drevic’s plan correctly.
“Yes.”
“Why did I leave?”
“I don’t know, why did you?”
“I don’t know either,” Treace said.
“It’s a good thing you have a few days to work on your story,” Drevic told him.
“But you didn’t leave?”
“No,” Drevic replied.
“I’m to spy on the people of Haven and keep a journal of what I find?”
“Not really spy,” Drevic corrected. “Just merely observe. I need you to mingle with the general populous and determine where they stand.”
“Except I have to lie, something I don’t like to do, to find out this information. I have to go to them as one of them, and not as a member of the Onneron Brotherhood.”
“Correct.”
“I would call it spying,” Treace said.
“Call it what you want. The Archmagister said you were to do as I instructed. If your conscience tells you that you are doing something wrong, go back and tell him that. Otherwise, you are to come up with a story why you left the College, and make it believable because people will ask about it.”
“I still don’t like it,” Treace said, the idea of lying leaving a bad taste in his mouth.
“You are not doing it for personal gain, nor to hurt someone and take their coins. You are doing it to help ensure our order continues to thrive. Surely you see the difference. If you cannot, then feel free to quit and go home. Your choice.”
Treace thought about it for a short time. It still didn’t make complete sense, but what choice did he have? He couldn’t quit and go home. He would have to push on and hope he suceeded.
He thought more of the plan then and what was asked of the two brothers. Drevic was in town visiting his family and would have an extended stay with the baron and his people. He would find what he could from the noble families and try to determine Baron Liernin’s disposition toward the College and the people of Kadenton.
The trade routes between the two cities that had once thrived now crawled. Many ship captains in Kilindric said as much. Many cargo ships were being outfitted with fishing tackle so they could keep food on their tables. They were able to use the money they had accumulated during the busy years, but two years of little trade was making most of the captains very nervous. The College had been hit by the lack of trade, but not nearly as much as what they heard the larger cities were feeling. They were central and not considered part of either city, so many captains would still trade with them.
Drevic told Treace that the Archmagister thought about using the College as a trading hub, since trade goods usually made it to the College, but thought the two barons would put a stop to it quickly. That would also put a stop to the goods they were getting. They needed goods from both cities to k
eep the College running. Their biggest need was for paper and cloth, but they also needed fruits and vegetables. There was plenty of fish available in Kilindric and Treace doubted that part would change.
Magister Brental had taken a younger brother with him to complete the same task in Kadenton. Treace could see why this was important for the College and why the Archmagister needed the information.
“So after our information gathering, we find that the people of Haven, and the baron, would rather live without the trade goods then renegotiate with Baron Shamir, then what?” Treace asked.
“We hope that they don’t. We hope they’ll agree to meet at our College and use it as neutral ground to come to an agreement.”
“We offer a location of neutrality and help solve a situation that is becoming close to a crisis. And by doing so, the barons would look at us in a positive light and be sympathetic to our cause against being absorbed by the church,” Treace said.
“Exactly,” Drevic said.
“And if they refuse to negotiate?”
“That’s where the other part of our gathering becomes valuable, yours the most of all.”
“We try to remain a separate entity, not governed by either baron, but if we are forced, we want to go with the side whose general populous would be most understanding of what we do,” Treace said, confident he understood now.
“Yes, but Baron Liernin has the closest reach right now. Kilindric is his. That’s why we can’t fail. We would rather have Liernin than Shamir.”
“Why?”
“Liernin has a few guards in Kilindric, right?” Drevic asked.
“A few.”
“And if Shamir controlled the College, only a stone’s throw away, do you think he would put more troops in place to protect his interest in case Shamir wanted to try to take Kilindric?”
“That would start a war,” Treace protested. “Neither is that stupid. That’s the worst possible outcome.”
“True,” Drevic said. “But, look at it more as a show of force. Shamir would have troops stationed in the College as well, just in case Liernin wanted to overtake it. I don’t want to live with a bunch of sword swinging grunts.”
“They’re not that bad,” Treace said, thinking of Exodin. “At least not all of them.”
“Perhaps not, but you get my point.”
“I do,” Treace said. The idea of living your life with two opposing factions staring each other down wasn’t something that he looked forward to. If he thought finding The Calm was difficult now, he thought it might be impossible to walk the Path of The Calm with two different armies stationed right outside of the college. Their best bet was to try to ensure Liernin sided with them, not against them. Treace thought Drevic had a lot riding on his shoulders.
“If we were under Shamir’s control, do you think Liernin would allow us to use Kilindric to restock all of our supplies as we do now?” Drevic further asked.
Treace hadn’t thought of that. He knew he didn’t need to answer, they both knew the truth; either they remained independent or Liernin had to side with them, or else the College as they knew it would cease to exist. Even if Shamir built a city on the other side, leaving the College sandwiched between the two cities, it would take many months to erect a town and the disposition of the people around the area would not be good.
“We arrive the day after tomorrow, get your story memorized.”
“I left because I enjoyed smithing too much to give up. I’m too good at it and love to work with my hands. That book reading stuff is just too much!” Treace played.
“You said it in jest, but that is actually a good story. Where better to smith than in the greatest city in the land?”
“So once I am a smith again, I talk to as many people as I can and find out their feelings for the College. It can’t be that bad, they have no reason to dislike us,” Treace said.
“For the most part, I think that’s true,” Drevic told him.
“What do you mean for the most part?”
“Well, don’t people usually distrust things they do not know?”
“True,” Treace said
The pair rode the rest of the night in relative silence. Treace figured Drevic was thinking about the task before him, just as he was thinking of his own.
#
“Where did you get that thing, anyway?” Treace asked, indicating the staff that Drevic was using as a walking stick.
Treace was driving the wagon, giving Drevic a break. He said he wanted to stretch his legs a little and walk for a while.
“A merchant,” Drevic said. He scrunched his face up and started looking all around. He laughed and started shaking his head.
“What is it?” Treace asked.
“The merchant that gave it to me was very close to where we are now. I hadn’t thought about it until you said something.”
“Gave it to you, or you bought it?”
“Oh, he gave it to me,” Drevic said, then continued when Treace only looked at him. “His wagon was broken down and I helped him fix it. I wouldn’t accept coin, so he gave me this staff.”
“Nice gesture, I suppose,” Treace said. He wondered what Drevic knew about fixing wagons, but decided not to ask. The brother seemed to keep his life before the College to himself.
“What if none of the smiths will allow me to use their forge?” Treace said, thinking of yesterday’s conversation.
“Once they see your work, they will.”
“Do you think just because I say my work is good they will let me use their forge?” Treace asked, wanting Drevic to hear how silly it sounded.
“Well, if we have to, we’ll pay for the use of the forge. That will compensate them for their time and it will allow them to see your work,” Drevic said after a moment.
“That should work, except I don’t have much coin to spare and I know they are going to charge a lot for that time,” Treace told him. He had already used a good portion of his money to buy the robes and quills. He only had a few pieces left.
Drevic pulled his coin purse from his belt and started looking through it.
“No, I couldn’t take your money,” Treace told him.
“You won’t,” Drevic told him, holding out his hand waiting for Treace to take it. “It’s the College’s money. We are on College business and the College should pay for it.”
Treace looked at him trying to judge if what he was saying was true.
“The Archmagister gave me money just for our trip. He doesn’t expect us to do College work and live on our own,” Drevic told him.
“Fine,” Treace said, taking the money.
“A kaden!” Treace exclaimed.
“It is at least a quarter of what I have remaining,” Drevic told him. “It will have to do.”
Treace didn’t know what to say. He had never held a kaden in his hand before. The gold was beautiful. It was made of the same gold that a jin was, but somehow it just looked better. Drevic seemed to think Treace was complaining about how little the money was.
“My friend, I do not need more than this. I was caught off guard. This is more money than I have ever held in my hand at once. I am not sure if I have ever held this much money in my hand collectively through my whole life,” Treace told him.
“Oh, I misunderstood,” Drevic said, flushing.
Treace figured that gave him a little insight in Drevic’s upbringing. If he thought a kaden was so little, then he must come from a wealthy family. Treace had come to understand that there were very few lower class students at the College. Almost all of them came from very wealthy families. He guessed it was because only the wealthy families had money to prepare their kids for the exams by paying for tutors and buying many books. Treace thought he was very lucky his mother worked out a deal to borrow as many books as she did.
“Move over, I’ll take it from here,” Drevic told him. “You go in the back and work on finding The Calm.”
Treace did as he was instructed.
He tried to find
The Calm for several hours, but eventually gave up, irritated.
#
Treace was woken by someone nudging him in his side. He opened his eyes to see Drevic next to him with a finger in front of his lips indicating for him to keep quiet. It was tought to see in the dark but there was just enough light given their close proximity to each other. Treace heard something then; a sound outside the wagon.
They had been sleeping in the back of the wagon each night. It was still cold at night and it was better than placing their bedrolls on the cold wet ground. They placed their bedrolls next to each other and were sleeping side by side using their body heat to stay warm under their thick blankets.
“We know yer in there. Come out quietly or we’ll come in and git ya,” a voice called from outside. “All we want is yer coin.”
Treace had no idea what to do. He had never been robbed before. He’d been beaten up a lot as a child, but never robbed. Drevic nudged Treace again. When he looked over he saw Drevic holding onto his staff. Drevic nodded at Treace.
Treace wasn’t sure what was about to happen. He thought Drevic wanted to go out and fight off the men, but Treace had no idea how many there were. He thought about losing their money and realized that their plan would fall to pieces without Drevic having money to play as a noble, and Treace would need that money to use the forge and buy clothes. He decided it was risky, but if the assailants found that they were attacking members of the College, maybe they would back off, scared of what unknown magics could be thrown their way. That gave Treace an idea and he nodded at Drevic.
Drevic jumped up and flew out the back of the wagon, barely pausing long enough for him to push the flap aside.
Treace jumped out right behind him and put his back to Drevic, mumbling unrecognizable words and wagging his fingers, hoping to scare off any attacker with fake magic. He was facing one opponent that stood several feet away, but it was too dark to see more than an outline. He wished he had his swords.
From behind him, he heard the whooshing of what he assumed was Drevic’s staff and then a sound like something soft being smacked by a wooden object; like flesh being hit with a staff. He heard someone moan in pain and he could hear Drevic’s joints crack as he wound up for another strike.