The Apprentice Page 18

  “I think that you two will be able to share a much more interesting conversation than this one,” Baird said, looking pointedly at Rowan.

  With that, both Rowan and Eliza were forcibly exiled. Left alone, they stood in silence. There was an awkward air between them after their conversation earlier, and it was several minutes before either spoke.

  “Baird wants me to apologize to you,” Eliza said. Rowan looked at her, his silence indicating that he was waiting for more.

  “I apologize for my earlier actions. I was rude to you and to Baird, and both my actions and my words were rash and unbecoming of a royal princess.” Her words were stiff and forced, but she had offered an apology and Rowan was obliged to acknowledge it.

  “Thank you. I accept your apology. Perhaps we can try to put the past behind us.”

  The princess did not say anything more for a while, and when she did speak she caught Rowan off guard.

  “Why did Baird choose you?”

  Rowan was not sure whether she was addressing him or speaking to herself until she looked at him and repeated the question. “What did he see in you that was special enough for him to ignore custom and choose you as his apprentice?”

  Rowan did not know how to respond to her question. He did not know why Baird had asked him to come to Estoria. He did not know why he had been chosen to be Baird’s apprentice.

  Princess Eliza stared at him, waiting for an answer.

  “I don’t know.”

  Rowan did not know why he said it. Perhaps because it was the truth, or perhaps because he did not feel that he deserved what he had. But his words seemed to reach the princess, and they were met with silence.

  Before more could be said, a trumpet sounded in the dining hall to signal that the feast was about to begin.

  * * *

  The meal took place in the great dining hall, where there were a number of long tables stretching across the room, all aligned parallel to a raised table at the end of the hall. The tables were each laid out with foods and drinks and eating utensils. More servants stood along the walls, these wearing aprons and ready to serve or assist as needed.

  Eliza escorted Rowan to the dining hall, where she left him to take her place with her father. Rowan found a seat beside his master. The king made a toast to Baird and Rowan before everyone ate, prompting polite applause from all in attendance. Once the applause died, the time for eating began.

  The meal went by quickly for Rowan, who occupied himself with the food on his plate. He tried not to appear gluttonous, though it was quite difficult with so many different dishes to choose from, most of them new to Rowan.

  The food was filling and plentiful, and the drinks were warm and sweet. Everything was fresh and warm, something that surprised Rowan because it seemed wasteful to cook so much new food if it would not all be eaten. And not all of the food that had been cooked would eaten this night. Of that, Rowan was sure.

  While eating, Rowan struggled and tried his hardest not to appear ignorant. He knew not to eat using his hands, for he was not uncivilized, and he also knew that the cloth laid out by his plate was for wiping his hands and cleaning himself. But his place had been laid out with many different instruments for eating. Some utensils Rowan recognized, such as the knife, the spoon, and the fork, though he had been given duplicates of some utensils that were of different sizes. Other utensils were foreign to him, and he had to ask Baird what they were for.

  “What am I supposed to do with this?” Rowan asked, holding a thin rod with a knob at the end.

  “You are to do nothing with that. It is an ice breaker, something used only in the coldest of the winter months, and even then only rarely. It was placed for show and tradition rather than use, and only because King Alden is treating this as a very formal occasion.”

  “But what is it for?” Rowan asked, curious as to the function of the ice-breaker. He could see no need for such a thing. He knew that the South grew cold during the winter months, but surely the inside of the castle was kept warm and the food was thawed. Even if wasn’t, the ice-breaker was light and would do little when struck against something.

  “In the coldest of the winter months, there is a tradition of freezing drinks before they are served. I will not pretend to know how it is done, but the drinks are prepared so that only the very top is frozen. Then when they are served, the ice-breaker is used to break the thin top layer of ice, which then keeps the drink cold.”

  “Why would anyone want a cold drink during the winter?”

  “It is a tradition, so it does not have to be sensible. However, this particular tradition does have a history. During the winter months deep in the South, down near the Southern Wall, it can grow colder than you would believe possible. It can grow so cold that a cup of water will freeze as you drink it. Down in the South, the ice-breaker is a common utensil. At some point in time, a king honored the soldiers of Fort Brigg by adopting the custom of freezing his drinks during the winter. Of course, he also drank warm cider and wine to warm himself, but the gesture was what mattered.”

  “I still think it is foolish. No Southerner is likely to care about a frozen drink.”

  “Not true. Some of these very lords and ladies are from the South, and they recognize the meaning of the ice-breaker. It is a subtle way that King Alden honors them. He is currying their favor.”

  “I see,” Rowan said as he thought over Baird’s explanation. It made sense, but Rowan was not likely to change his mind about drinking a frozen drink during the cold months. And he doubted that any Southerner come north would desire a frozen drink over a warm cider.

  Rowan returned to his meal for a time, though he quickly grew full and pushed his plate aside. After eating, Rowan occupied himself by conversing with Baird and the others who were sitting around him. He caught Princess Eliza’s eye a couple of times, but neither one addressed the other. Instead, Rowan was engaged by Lord Evans, who sat nearby and was very interested in finding out more about Rowan and his time with Baird.

  “Where was it that you were living before you came here?”

  “I lived with my father and my brother in the Corrinthian valley.”

  “I do not think that I have ever been there,” Evans mused. “Where is it?”

  “Corrinth is in the Vale, in the North, near Attica,” Baird interrupted.

  “But what brought you there, Baird? I would have thought that you would take the more direct route back to Estoria that passes between Varda and Shai’Naan. Were you as far north and west as Malchior?”

  “I lost my way,” Baird said tersely. “I got caught in a bad storm.”

  “The storm must have been truly bad to drive you that far off course,” Evans said. “But then again, there would not be any other reason for you to be in that area, and it is not as though you would have any reason to lie or hide the truth. It must have been a truly impressive storm.”

  Rowan could see that Baird was tense from the way his hand formed a fist beneath the table, but Evans laughed and the conversation moved on.

  The tension gone, Rowan soon became disinterested in the conversation. His gaze found Gannon, who was staring so intently at Baird that he did not even notice Rowan watching him. Rowan looked at the man with a sense of mistrust that he could not explain. As he watched the watcher, someone approached and whispered something to Gannon, who quickly excused himself. But when Rowan called it to Baird’s attention, his master told him that it was not unusual for Gannon to be called away. Baird freely admitted to having left many feasts to attend to other matters, some important and some not.

  When Rowan thought about it, it did make sense. There were more important matters than feasts, and Gannon would have to deal with such issues. Perhaps he was simply allowing his mistrust for Gannon to make him overly suspicious.

  When the feast was at its end, Rowan followed Baird as he bid farewell to the remaining guests. They bowed to the king and princess and then left.

  Rowan followed as his master led him
out of the castle and across the grounds to his quarters. Night had fallen and the sky was black, making it very hard to see. The moon was shadowed by clouds and the stars were not shining. The only light that helped to guide their path came from the flickering flames of the lanterns spread across the grounds.

  As they walked, Rowan’s mind was plagued by his earlier conversation with Eliza.

  “Master, why did you choose me to be your apprentice?”

  “What brought this up?” Baird asked.

  Rowan’s talk with Eliza echoed in the back of his head.

  “I don’t know,” Rowan said. Baird opened the door to the building and Rowan stepped inside, grateful for the warmth.

  “Then why ask the question, unless something is on your mind.”

  “I just wanted to know why you chose me. Was I just lucky enough to be the first person who was available? I don’t understand your decision.”

  “You’ve proven yourself to be a worthy apprentice,” Baird said. “You’ve shown that you are willing to learn and you’ve grown a lot since we first met. So why do you doubt yourself now?”

  “I don’t know,” Rowan said, trying to hide his true emotions. He wanted an easy answer so badly, but there didn’t seem to be one. “I just don’t know why you chose me. When you offered to take me with you, you had no idea that things would turn out this way.”

  The pair finally reached Baird’s quarters. A temporary mattress had been set up alongside the far wall and his travelling clothes had been laid out, along with a sleeping robe.

  “Does it matter why I chose you, Rowan? What is important is that you were chosen, and I do not regret my decision. You have done very well to prove yourself.”

  “I just wanted there to be something special that made you choose me over anyone else,” Rowan whispered to himself. “I want to know I am not your apprentice because I forced myself upon you.”

  Rowan’s words had been too quiet to be heard, but Baird spoke again as though he had heard them.

  “Rowan, the choice I made relied on faith. No matter who I chose or how well qualified they were, there could never have been a guarantee that they would have made a good apprentice. I made a judgment and decided to take you with me. What matters is that you have had the spirit and the strength to learn and grow as much as you have. There should be no reason to doubt yourself.”

  Chapter 15

  Over the next few days, Rowan began to learn the layout of the castle. He quickly discovered where to find the kitchens and visited frequently. Food was cooked fresh every day and Rowan found that he had a great appetite for breakfast.

  Each morning he rose before the sun was up and he took his food from the kitchen, preferring that to being served in his room. After eating, he would train with Baird, using wooden practice blades in place of the sticks they had made do with while travelling. They trained each morning and again at night. During the day, Rowan followed Baird as he went about his tasks, meeting with various people and attending to things that Rowan did not understand. They met with the king once more, though only briefly and not with the princess present. Occasionally there would be a task that Baird was required to perform on his own, and Rowan would be sent away on some task meant solely to keep him occupied. Those were the times when Rowan would grow frustrated.

  On the dawn of his second week in Estoria, Rowan awoke early, the air cold despite the sun. He awoke to find his master already dressed and awake.

  It was common for Baird to rise earlier than Rowan, but over the past week Rowan had only awoken to find Baird still waiting for him once, on his second day in the capitol. After that, Rowan awoke each day to find Baird gone, though his master had always returned by the time Rowan had found food.

  As though prompted by the thought of food, Rowan’s stomach rumbled. He rose and quickly dressed himself, donning clothing over his underclothes and wondering what Baird had planned for the day. His master sat with his blade across his lap, waiting patiently.

  “Shall we eat?” Baird asked as Rowan finished dressing.

  Rowan followed his master to the kitchens, where servants were hurrying about and the sounds of work and preparation for the day to come echoed through the halls. Even after a week, it still stunned Rowan that so much food was so readily available.

  As was usual, the kitchens were warm and noisy. Despite the early hour, the kitchen was filled with activity. Across the room, the head cook was shouting orders to the servants, giving the serving maids orders and special instructions while overseeing the food preparation.

  “We should eat quickly,” Baird said, grabbing some bread rolls, cheese, and several strips of bacon. “Estoria can be a busy city in the daytime and I would like to avoid the crowds.”

  “We are going out into the city?” Rowan asked, biting into a roll that he had cut open and filled with meat and cheese. He chewed and swallowed before continuing. “What business is there in the city?”

  The prospect of leaving the castle excited Rowan. He was in no way confined to the grounds, but he had not yet been out to explore the city. All that he had seen of Estoria had been when he arrived with Baird a week ago.

  “I wish to visit a friend of mine. I have a favor to ask of him and I would like you to come with me.”

  “Alright,” Rowan said, wondering who they were going to visit. Eager to leave and excited at the prospect of seeing the city, Rowan quickly finished his food.

  They left the grounds the same way they had entered—through the main gates at the base of the rise.

  Beyond the wall and outside of the gates, the nearest building was at least two stone throws away. No building was built too close to the wall, and the distance was made even greater because the gates opened into a large plaza where there was some cross-traffic as a number of people, all about on different tasks, were going about their morning duties. Some glanced at Rowan and Baird as they left, but none took a particular interest in the pair.

  Baird led Rowan along the main road, taking him through the plaza and turning west down one of many streets.

  They walked in silence, and as they walked, Rowan studied the people and the city around him. Estoria was unlike Attica or Barrinell, as it was smaller and less cramped. Near the main road and in the areas close to the castle, the streets were paved and solid, but as they journeyed on it became more common to find dirt streets.

  There were many different kinds of people, and all seemed to be going about their own business. There was much trading and selling going on, but the streets were not crowded with stands and stalls. Instead there were shops along the road while the stalls and carts were mainly confined to the plazas and open areas where there was space to accommodate them.

  “Estoria is smaller than Barrinell and Attica, but I think that I like it better. It is cleaner and less crowded.”

  “The capitol actually has more people than Attica,” Baird said. “But it does not feel cramped because Estoria is larger and has the space to accommodate many people. As it sits in the heart of our country, the capitol has no great wall surrounding it. There is little need for such protection and its absence allows for space and growth.”

  Children were playing in the streets and Rowan watched as a group of young boys kicked a ball and swung sticks at each other, pretending to swordfight. A dog barked at him as he passed.

  The pair moved farther and farther from the castle and into the heart of the Estoria.

  “Where are we going?” Rowan asked. The buildings had become more spaced out and they were approaching the edge of the city’s boundaries.

  “We are almost there. Jared prefers to live on the outskirts of the city, as far from the castle as possible. That way, anyone who wants to visit him must be willing to take the time to make the trip. It is his own way of ensuring that people do not waste his time.”

  “Who is he?” Rowan asked, stepping aside to avoid a cart pulled by an old donkey, slowly making its way down the street.

  “Jared is an old f
riend, one that I have known for many years. It has been long since I have seen him.”

  They walked down several more streets and Baird stopped outside of a building that Rowan recognized as a forge.

  Heat emanated from the workshop and a dark smoke trailed up into the sky. The air smelled.

  It was very loud, the sound of pounding hammers rang out in discordant notes. Steam hissed as things were cooled and voices shouted out, bellowing to be heard. There were a few blackened faces hurrying about their work, but no one took any notice of Baird and Rowan.

  “Jared!” Baird bellowed, making Rowan jump with surprise. His master’s voice was loud enough to be heard even over the noise of the forge.

  “He will not hear me otherwise,” Baird explained.

  He then proceeded to bellow again. This time there was movement in the back of the forge and a deep voice called out over the roar of the furnace.

  “Whoever it is, I will be with you in a moment.”

  Seemingly satisfied, Baird leaned back against a wall and waited. Rowan followed his example, but found the position uncomfortable. Part of the wall protruded and stuck into his back, so he straightened and stood while waiting.

  There was a wide alley on each side of the forge that separated it from the surrounding buildings. In the alley were barrels of water and a pile of wood for burning. As Rowan looked around, he noted that few of the buildings on this street were houses and there were no inns in sight, likely kept away by the noise and the smoke.

  Back inside the forge, the activity continued seemingly without pause. Rowan could not identify the man who had called out, though from where he stood he could not see the whole of the forge, only the outer area and a small portion inside the building that was visible through the open doorway.

  After many minutes, Rowan looked to Baird. His friend Jared had not emerged to meet them, nor had they been given any further attention. Rowan wondered if the man had forgotten about them, but Baird seemed content to wait.

  “Jared will see us when he is ready. He is a stubborn man and there is little use trying to stop him while he is working.”