Waiting patiently at the door, Gregory saw nothing of interest in the room. “Have you found something, my lord?”
“Only more questions. I must return to the mage’s rooms. I have overlooked something and if it’s to be found, it will be there.”
The arms-master stood aside to let the king pass and followed along with the guard as they proceeded back to Mage Ryecliff’s rooms. Once there, he waited outside with the others as Romar entered alone.
The King stood in the center of the common room and prepared to search again. Perhaps he had made a mistake by casting a spell to find any magical item. What if the item he wanted was not magical at all? He cast a spell to reveal anything hidden, and several spots in the room began to glow with reddish light.
The first several items, a bottle of wine and an old ring, held no interest, but a small book on the bottom shelf turned out to hold a wealth of information. Jordan’s personal journal outlined concerns over his health and noted that he had requested an apprentice mage be sent to assist him. Unfortunately, the old mage did not know the exact location of the door leading from the castle into the Citadel, but hoped that a spell he had just discovered would uncover it.
King Romar pondered this information as he seated himself in one of the overstuffed chairs and opened the bottle of wine. He slipped the ring on his finger and admired the fine workmanship and unusual design. Someone had captured the image of a black dragon inside a clear crystal, surrounded by links of chain. Dismissing the ring as unimportant, he focused on what he had learned.
If he had been Mage Ryecliff and had the Tome of Magic in his possession, he would have given it to this apprentice, along with the spell to discover the doorway between the castle and the Citadel. He would also have charged the apprentice with the safety of the Princess.
Since he had ordered his demons to subdue the Mage and the Princess simultaneously, it must have been the apprentice who destroyed the three krindar sent after the Princess. That was a testament to the apprentice’s power, but King Romar knew first hand that knowledge and experience invariably triumphed over strength. Motioning his arms-master and guards into the room, he passed them the bottle of wine. “It appears we have another adversary, Gregory, and a strong one. Come, let us find out if this young man has a name.”
* * *
Aldan stood with Odessa’s arms still wrapped tightly around his waist, and could only shrug when the bewildered guardsman turned to stare at him. He had no explanation for the lost time, or the fact that what they had believed to be an illusion turned out to be a real family. He was simply grateful they had actually helped someone by their actions and not just satisfied some test.
With all the seriousness they could muster, the children stood by four chairs and motioned the companions to take their places at the table. The oldest daughter attempted a curtsy as she held out a chair for the Princess, who graciously accepted. The children tried to keep their eyes lowered as they performed this duty, except for the youngest, who kept peeking at Jon through her bangs.
The mood was shattered when Jon bowed deeply to the little one, then shot out a hand and commenced to tickle her, causing an eruption of delighted giggles and laughter. Her older brother gave her such a look of long suffering; it sent the spirit of tension winging for the rafters. The adults visibly relaxed, and the men took their seats as soon as the women had settled in theirs.
After a simple, yet hardy meal of thick vegetable soup with slices of freshly baked bread slathered with butter, Aldan eyed his bowl, then the goodwife, and finally the children. His thoughts returned to the image inside the citadel, and he worried over their ability to feed everyone. Would it be improper to ask for seconds?
The goodwife, having interpreted his glances assured him, “The children have already eaten, and if they are good, will receive a slice of pie later.” After a squeal of delight from the youngest, she continued. “There is plenty, and it would please me if you had more.”
While the companions were busy enjoying their second helping, Goodwife Monica steepled her fingers and scrutinized the four of them again. “Let me guess your story and see if my powers of observation and deduction are still as sharp as they used to be.”
Mouth agape, Aldan sat and listened to an amazingly accurate account of their situation. Who was this woman? How could she know or deduce so much? She missed on a couple of points, but he felt uncomfortable talking about what happened while inside the Citadel and didn’t believe it was something he should share.
“May I be so bold as to ask how it is that you are so well informed, living out here in the forest?”
The woodcutter leaned back and proudly announced, “The reason for that, young mage, is because you are in the presence of the rightful Queen of Ravenswold. She ended up being too smart for her own good and we were both banished to the farthest reaches of the kingdom by her brother.”
“Nonsense, Braun,” she retorted. “If I hadn’t been so full of myself I would have seen how Rodger was turning the court against me. Makes no difference now. What’s done is done and I’m happier now than I would have been as queen.”
The men moved to stand as she rose from her seat, but stopped after she waved a hand. “Sit, sit.” She pulled two berry pies down from a top shelf where they had been cooling and served up slices to everyone, including the children. After she and the children cleared the table, she appeared to come to a decision. “Braun, I think it would be best if the Princess shared a bed with me tonight, while you and the men sleep in the barn. I need to explain to her what kind of a man my brother is, and you should tell the men what they will face at the end of the valley.”
“So it’s the barn, is it? I know when I’m not wanted,” he grumbled in mock indignation, then ducked as she pretended to throw one of the dishes at his head. “Come on men. I just happen to have a Castle board. You do know how to play the game of Castles, don’t you?”
Braun and the guardsmen headed for the door, discussing the various rules of the game. Aldan turned to follow, and once again came face to face with Odessa. The deep green pools of her eyes threatened to drown him until he closed his own and took a deep breath, searching for something to say.
“Princess, I have no answers for you. I can only let my actions speak for me.”
“Like your actions before supper?” she asked as a tired smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
Aldan felt the heat begin to move up his neck and started to stutter an apology, when Odessa laid a gentle finger across his lips.
“Don’t. Your actions did speak more to me than any words could have. You are a special person, Aldan Beaverson. Thank you.” With that, she left him standing there, thoughts and emotions completely scrambled.
Chapter Seven ~Band of Outlaws
Earlier that day when Aldan first entered the barn, his exhausted mind never acknowledged the underlying smells normally associated with a building that housed animals. Not that he had spent any time in a barn before, but he had been in some homes that smelled worse than this. The scent given off by the fresh hay was actually quite pleasant.
Braun and the guardsman set up and began the opening moves of the Castle game. Aldan settled back into his corner, planning to spend some time sorting through his emotions and pondering the events of the last twenty four hours, or however long it had been.
The Tome of Magic had other plans, however. The sound of someone clearing their throat resonated in the back of his mind. Sighing, Aldan dug into his pack and brought out the pocket sized book. Reciting the Words of Power, he watched in wonder as, once again, the book transformed into a full size tome. This was just another change in his life that he was trying to deal with.
“What a pleasure it is to find someone who can actually hear me,” a voice, long unused, grated inside Aldan’s head.
“I can hear you, but sometimes you are hard to understand.”
“You try speaking after being locked up in an old tome for hundreds of years, my young
apprentice,” the Tome retorted. “Now, since you are going into your first real fight tomorrow, we should work on several defensive spells.”
“How did you know that?” Aldan asked, not sure he wanted to know the answer.
“You and I are now one. I can sense the world through you, but your thoughts are still your own. We will talk more about it later if you wish, but we don’t have much time for you to learn these new spells. Now, if you would bring that old stick you call a staff over here to provide some light, we will get started.”
Maybe it was Aldan’s imagination, but he could have sworn he heard grumbling from the staff. Great! How was he to deal with a tome and a staff that didn’t like each other?
* * *
Morning came earlier than he was used to, as the sounds of the woodcutter moving around the barn woke him from a deep sleep again. Aldan spent the next few minutes picking hay out of his hair, and from places too embarrassing to speak of. Sleeping in a barn was certainly an interesting experience, but not something he cared to repeat unless absolutely necessary.
The lessons the previous night left no time for reflection on the state of his emotions or how to deal with the extra responsibilities thrust upon him. The thought of facing the Princess this morning filled him with a mingled sense of apprehension and joy. How was that possible? Would she allow another kiss?
Aldan shook his head in confusion and followed the others out to the water trough before heading to the house for breakfast. The children were already outside tending to their chores as he and the others wiped their boots before politely asking permission to come in. The smell of frying bacon could not hide the aroma of fresh bread right out of the oven.
The Princess was already seated at the table, and catching his eye, nodded to the chair beside her. Unsure whether to smile or not, he lowered his eyes, approached the chair, and after a quick glance at Goodwife Monica took his seat next to Odessa.
She smiled and reached over to pluck a piece of hay out of his hair. “I see you haven’t learned the proper way to sleep in a barn yet.”
“Well, it’s not something I plan on making a habit of. It will be nice to sleep in a real bed again.”
Monica slipped up behind him and whispered in his ear. “And I know who you would like to share that bed with.”
Aldan quickly bent down over his breakfast and hoped the Princess wouldn’t notice the heat radiating from his face. Were his feelings for her that obvious?
Braun shared a look with his wife, and was about to speak when she laid a finger on his lips and then kissed him. He shook his head and allowed her to steer him to his seat, accepting the fork she thrust into his hand.
Breakfast passed in relative quiet, the four companions considering the future from their own perspective. The one thing in the forefront of all their thoughts was the impending confrontation with the outlaws at the head of the valley.
* * *
Goodwife Monica hugged each one of the companions as they prepared to leave, much to the embarrassment of Aldan and Derek. She also admonished the men to take good care of their princess, or they would answer to her. Braun had said what was needed the night before. He gave each man a firm handshake and a stern look before taking Odessa’s hands in his own and bowing.
“Princess, may you achieve your goals and regain your kingdom. I have some small influence with the others in this valley, and if we can ever be of service, send word.”
“Thank you. You are assuming, of course, that we will defeat those holding this valley hostage and that I will be able to convince your wife’s brother to ally with me.”
“The riffraff at the end of the valley may be well armed, but they are poorly trained. I have every confidence you will defeat them.” Braun smiled at her and then winked at his wife. “As far as Rodger is concerned, I’ve never known him to say no to a pretty face.”
On that note, the companions took their leave and headed down to the cart path after one last look back to the woodcutter and his family. As before, Jon took the lead with Aldan and Odessa side by side and Derek bringing up the rear. According to Braun, they would not reach the end of the valley until late in the afternoon.
Around noon, they came upon an opening in the dense forest where one of the giant trees had toppled and taken several smaller ones with it. The bright sunshine coming through the resulting break in the leafy canopy was too inviting after the gloom of the path.
Jon rummaged through his sack of supplies while the other three found places to sit on one of the fallen trees. Handing a chunk of bread and some cheese to each of them, he stopped in front of Aldan and studied him for a moment before speaking.
“Aldan, there are some men I must address as ‘my lord’ because they hold a higher position, and then there are those I choose to address that way because of the respect I have for them. You have already saved my life and led me through a dream where I was lost. I respectfully ask your permission to address you as ‘my lord’.”
The hunk of bread hovered halfway to his mouth as Aldan stared at the older man. How was he to respond?
Odessa leaned over and elbowed him in the side. “Say yes.”
Aldan glanced at the Princess, then stood and bowed to the guardsman. “If that’s the way you feel, Jon, then I would be honored. Now, explain to me again how we should approach those outlaws.”
Having made good time, they reached the end of the valley earlier than expected. A crude gate made from rough timber blocked the path with two men standing sentry behind it. Two others sat around a small fire off to one side. At a command from one of the sentries, the two jumped up and joined the others behind the gate, loaded crossbows at the ready.
Derek quickly joined his partner at the front of the group as they approached the gate.
Aldan cast a protective spell around his companions should the men decide to fire their crossbows, and readied another spell to render the weapons useless.
The apparent leader of the outlaws announced in a loud voice, “Everyone who passes this gate must pay a toll either in coin, food or weapons. What have you to offer?”
Never slowing, the companions drew close enough to see the uncertainty in the eyes of the ragged men behind the gate. They were used to bullying unarmed farmers, not trained guardsmen.
Jon and Derek never hesitated as they pulled their swords while Jon answered, “For what you have done to the gentle folks of this valley, we offer you the points of our swords.”
Before their leader could respond, the two bowmen raised their weapons and fired. One bolt flew wildly over Derek’s head, but the other was deflected by Jon’s protective shield and struck Aldan in the chest. The final words of the spell came out in a gasp as he fell to the ground, and the crossbows burst into flames.
The two men tossed their burning weapons to the ground, grabbed their swords, and rushed around the gate to attack.
The apparent leader, faced with the choice of fighting real guardsmen or a lone female, ran past them and attacked the Princess. To his surprise, not only did she easily evade the swing meant to disarm, but he barely had time to block her answering attack.
The image of Aldan’s prone form igniting her anger, Odessa rushed forward to engage the man. She was able to counter his attacks, but knew she would not last against his brute strength. Her sword arm already felt numb from the reverberations of blocking his heavier weapon. Jon and Derek appeared to be holding their own. One of the outlaws collapsed to the ground, but Jon’s right arm now hung, weakened by a gash just below the shoulder. Shifting his sword to his left hand, he continued to fight.
Odessa was about to attempt a risky move in desperation. She watched in amazement as the staff, still clutched in Aldan’s hand, lashed out and struck the leader in the back of the knee. Taking advantage of his momentary confusion, she pierced his exposed throat and spun ready to come to the aid of her guardsmen. However, silence now reigned except for the heavy breathing of the three companions.
Her two prote
ctors stumbled back, Jon dropping to his knees next to the fallen apprentice while Derek stopped to check on his Princess. “Are you hurt, Highness?”
“I’m fine, Derek, but I’m afraid for Aldan.”
Aldan slowly opened pain filled eyes and studied the face of the older man. “I may not be the man you think I am, Jon. I made a grave mistake and forgot to include myself when I cast that defensive spell. I’m sorry.” His eyes rolled back and he lay still.
Chapter Eight ~A Decision is Made
The cheerful sounds of the forest returned to fill in the silence left by the aftermath of their short fight. Odessa swayed where she stood with her eyes closed, drawing ragged breaths. The adrenalin ghosted away as quickly as it had arrived. Sorrow and helplessness filled the void left inside as she gazed down on the limp body of the man she had accused of being a traitor.
She collapsed to her knees next to Jon and tears welled up as she watched him carefully cut the cloth away from the bolt imbedded in Aldan’s chest. How had this young apprentice captured her heart so quickly and completely?
Jon sat back on his heels and sighed after Odessa implored him with her eyes. “It doesn’t look good, Your Highness. The head of the bolt is buried deep in his chest, and possibly has hit a lung. I am at a loss as to what to do.”
The blood running down Jon’s arm spurred Odessa into action. She pulled a wad of moss and a strip of cloth from the pouch at her belt and grabbed his arm. “You won’t be able to do anything if we don’t stop this bleeding. This will require stitches, but hopefully the moss will work for now. Now hold still.”
They both turned to stare as Derek staggered up, gasping, “Jon, there are four horses in a small clearing behind those trees and a cart path that leads back into the forest.”
Jon rose to his feet and helped the Princess to hers, all the while grumbling to himself over how stupid he’d been. “Of course the bandits would have a dwelling nearby and were too lazy to walk.”
The Princess and the Apprentice Page 4