by Guy Antibes
Ricky appreciated the encouragement. He didn’t know if he could believe Insippa’s judgment, but his words didn’t hurt.
~
Ricky and Mara arrived earlier than the arranged time with Jac to go over their notes. Mara looked particularly excited. Jac showed up at the right time.
Mara began explaining how mining was suppressed in Dimani. Her research showed the reluctance stemmed from the fact that Dimani was an island, and the culture that developed on Dimani looked down on digging holes in the ground.
“I can say the attitude still exists,” Jac said. “It’s as if they think the country will fall into the sea if they dig a deep enough hole. The last time I looked, Dimani wasn’t floating on the sea.” He laughed, and Mara did as well. Ricky only smiled.
“It seems that way, doesn’t it?” she said getting an admiring grin from Jac.
Jac didn’t contradict Ricky’s research as he went over the notes that took him to the present day. “The reluctance still holds, but more prospectors are claiming that the northern hills have valuable deposits. No one seems to be interested in pursuing them.”
Jac scoffed. “That’s not entirely true.” He looked around for any listeners. “My father says that he expects the king to announce some startling discoveries. Don’t write that down in your paper.”
“I can’t allude to a rumor,” Ricky said. “You haven’t given me any details.”
“I haven’t, have I?” Jac said, leaning back in his chair, looking a bit relieved. “Maybe you can visit Dimani sometime, and I can show you the mines,” he said to Mara. Jac looked at Ricky and coughed. “Both of you, of course.”
“Of course,” Ricky said.
~
Ricky trudged off the gymnasium floor. Insippa Baldico had just told them that practice would be outside the next day. Ricky didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing. The instructor still claimed that Ricky had made progress, although the proof of that would be when they played on grass.
Saganet pulled at his elbow as Ricky walked out the door.
“A moment of your time, young Valian,” his guardian said.
Ricky stopped and let Saganet pull him aside.
“I thought I’d let you know that Lady Taranta has made a fool of herself at the Applian court and is on the wrong side of Duke Noacci. It appears she has lost influence and the means to create much mischief.”
“If a person loses the means for mischief, does that mean her attitude will change?”
Saganet smiled. It looked like more of a smirk to Ricky. “No, but the chances of a group of noble lads attacking you because of something Lady Taranta suggested at a party have gone down dramatically. I thought you might want to know.”
“I appreciate the information, I do. If Duke Noacci lost the means for mischief, I’d sleep even better tonight.”
“Duke Bariani would be after you to claim your dukedom if that happened. He still mentions it. I wouldn’t worry about that unlikely event, though. Applia is falling under Duke Noacci’s rule rather quickly. The duke’s council is now a group of his supporters.”
“Like the former duke?”
Saganet nodded. “Much more quickly. Duke Noacci is smarter, though. He has curried favor with King Leon rather than spit in his royal face, as the former Duke of Applia did.”
“So I won’t sleep so well tonight,” Ricky said.
“You are still beneath his notice, I’m sure,” Saganet said, laughing. “Get on to your next class. Aren’t you mired in studying for your tests?”
Ricky nodded and rushed to world history. Professor Uddolfi would be announcing the project grades. If Ricky didn’t need to study for that examination, he just might have enough time to do a decent job in his other classes.
He spotted Mara and sat beside her. He could see her fidget with her hands.
“We should do okay. I think we did a great job on our project,” Ricky said.
“I hope so,” Mara said as Uddolfi swept into class with an armful of papers.
He called out the names and handed the papers back. Ricky walked down and took their paper and shuffled to the back, looking for a grade. He couldn’t find one. Ricky read out comments of praise throughout the paper, but all he could see was a note for them to see the professor at the end of the class.
They both walked down to the lecture well. Uddolfi talked to Loria Mansali, who complained about having to take the examination. She waved a paper that she must have written by herself at the professor before she stalked off, giving Ricky a dirty look. Ricky couldn’t fathom why.
“Ah. Your paper was insightful and a sublime mixture of politics and technology, or the lack thereof. I can’t give you a grade until you provide me with a bibliography.”
“Did the other students provide one?” Mara asked. “You didn’t mention requiring one when you gave us the assignment.”
Mara surprised him with her assertiveness.
“I’ve never run across a book with a perspective on Dimani from ancient times. Your more current descriptions are familiar enough for me. I’m sure Doubli doesn’t have a book in the library that talks about what you wrote about. You paper isn’t supposed to be a storybook fabricated out of fictions.”
Ricky and Mara looked at each other. They couldn’t reveal the existence of the ancient library to the professor. Ricky would have to lie.
“A friend of mine has a few really old books. He let me look through them for ideas to use as beginning points. The book I used mentioned Dimani mining. Jac Griama is from Dimani, and I thought he could verify what we wrote, so…”
“Just bring me the book. I want to make sure you didn’t make up anything.”
Ricky could feel his face burn. “I gave the book back,” he said.
“Get me the book, or you’ll both have to take the test. Your choice,” Uddolfi said. “You have until the day of the test. That’s two days from now.”
“Yes, Professor Uddolfi,” they both said, nearly simultaneously.
“What are we going to do?” Mara said once they exited the lecture hall.
“Where is the book?”
“At the library,” Mara said.
“Can you get it? I’ll see if we can meet with Dean Doubli tonight.”
Ricky hadn’t quite prepared for a world history examination, but he felt he could pass one if he had to. What he did worry about was what the book revealed. There was a reason it was in the ancient library, and that meant the Parantian content would have offended King Leon’s ancestors. Professor Uddolfi would quickly see that.
He drifted through the rest of the day after he left a message for the Dean. Effie was especially cruel to him since he acted distracted.
Mara stood outside the door to his last class. “The Dean will see us now.”
“Do you have the book?”
She lifted a satchel. “In here.”
Ricky and Mara trudged to the Administration Building. Merry welcomed them into her office and sat them by her fire.
“Now, what is this all about?”
Mara looked at Ricky and pulled out the old book. “We used this as a reference in our world history class. We are partners, like my note said.”
Merry looked puzzled. “And?”
“The book is from the ancient library. Professor Uddolfi wants to see the book to verify that we didn’t make up our work.”
“Oh. And the old descriptions can’t be verified?”
Ricky leaned forward from his plush chair. “The book was in the ancient library…”
Merry nodded. “So it probably contains some forbidden knowledge?”
Ricky sighed. “See? Professor Uddolfi looks at the age of this book and is going to wonder.”
“We are facing a risk of exposing our secret?” Merry said.
“That’s my fear,” Ricky said.
“Me, too,” Mara added.
“Let me look at it.”
Mara handed the book over to the Dean who began to scan the pages. Ric
ky flinched when he saw Mistress Merry wince. Their fate was sealed when she sighed and closed the book.
“I know the professor well enough that he won’t let the book go,” Merry said. “I’m afraid you will have to take the examination.” She looked at both of them. “I’m sorry.”
Mara looked at Ricky with tears in her eyes. “We did such a good job.”
“I’ll tell the professor that I won’t be able to get access to the source until after Spring Break, if then.”
Mistress Merry shook her head. “I applaud your resourcefulness, but sometimes we have to sacrifice to keep secrets.”
Ricky handed Merry their paper. “We did get some good comments,” he said.
After flipping through the report, Merry nodded and gave them a sad smile. “For Uddolfi, you received high praise indeed.”
The next day, Ricky and Mara gave the professor the bad news.
“That is unfortunate, Young Valian. If the source is genuine, and it could very well be, I should commend you, but my hands are tied. Be prepared for the examination tomorrow.”
Ricky doubted if the professor’s hands were tied, but he had to accept Professor Uddolfi’s decision. Ricky was certain there was a lesson in the episode, but at present, he couldn’t figure one out.
At broomball practice, Insippa had them run to the broomball field.
Jac appeared at Ricky’s side as they hustled to the new class site.
“How did your paper go?” Jac asked.
“Professor Uddolfi wanted our source for the ancient mining practices. Mara and I couldn’t get it back in time, so we take the examination tomorrow.”
“That’s a shame. I liked the concept. Can you copy a version for me? I’d like to send it to my father. He likes that kind of thing.”
“Sure,” Ricky said. “At least that makes our work less futile.”
“Not futile at all,” Jac said.
They reached the field and had to wait for their instructor to show up, pushing a cart filled with equipment.
“Young men, I want you to run to the other end of the field and back and then we will do exactly what we did yesterday.”
Ricky did as Insippa said and grabbed his broomball stick. He found the little group that he had practiced with on the previous day, and they began to pass the broomball back and forth. As they worked, the ball didn’t roll true as it did on the smooth floor of the gymnasium; rather, it often hit a tuft of grass and changed direction.
Since Ricky had been trying to apply anticipation to his stick work, he ended up missing fewer passes than the other boys. His relative success made him grin. He wasn’t any worse than the others.
Insippa walked behind him. “Notice any differences?”
Ricky stepped back from the practice formation. “Anticipation has suddenly become more important. It’s not that my teammates don’t anticipate, but I seem to do it a bit better.”
Insippa nodded. “You still have a long way to become truly proficient, but so do they.” He pointed with his chin at other boys struggling to get used to playing on the turf again.
Ricky’s unexpected success mitigated the disappointment of having to take the World History test. He carried that positive feeling through the rest of the day and into the night, while he crammed for the test he had thought he wouldn’t need to take.
~~~
CHAPTER TEN
~
S PRING BREAK FINALLY CAME, and Ricky had done well enough on his exams, even world history. He was relieved to find out that Mara had earned a higher grade than he had. Saganet asked Ricky to spend his vacation at the cottage. Ricky brought most of his things back to his bedroom.
“I missed this room,” Ricky said, as he put the last of his things away with Saganet looking on, leaning against the doorframe.
“I missed having you around, although Effie kept me from crying myself to sleep every night.”
“Did she move in while I was gone?”
Saganet smiled. “That’s none of your business.” He paused a bit. “Well, perhaps it is. She didn’t, but that might happen before the end of Summer Break.”
“You proposed to her?”
Saganet nodded. “I did. I never thought I’d find someone to replace Mina’s mother, but that is life.”
Ricky grinned. “I’m glad to hear it. Should we celebrate over Spring Break?”
Saganet’s face fell a bit. “Effie’s gone to Sealio to tell her relatives. She has a brother who takes care of her ailing father.”
“I forgot she might have a family. Why did she come to Tossa, then?”
“Effie wanted some separation from Princess Pira. The girl exhausted her.”
“I was hoping to hear another Princess Pira story.”
Saganet barked out a laugh. “You’ll get the opportunity. Those are confidential, you know.”
“I figured as much,” Ricky said. “What shall we do during the break?”
“I thought we’d start tomorrow. Want to visit Shantyboat Town? I can show you where Karian’s new shops are.”
Ricky paused. Did he want to revisit his past? He supposed he should. He hadn’t thought much about the place since returning from the Applia Juvenile Home.
“Sure, if the weather stays nice. Instructor Baldico is holding impromptu practices during the break. I’d like to go to those. I won’t make the first team if I don’t work hard.”
“There will be time for that,” Saganet said.
~
Ricky looked across the river at the boats floating in the spring sunshine. Saganet stood by his side.
“I doubt if Gobble Bangatelli has returned to his boat since Lord Taranta’s demise,” Saganet said.
Ricky shook his head. “I’ve only seen him once since I’ve been back.”
Saganet’s eyebrow rose. “When was that?”
“In the winter. I was returning from the warehouse, and I ran into him closer to the academy. He said he was surprised I was out so early and that he was leaving Tossa, but he didn’t know when.”
“He hasn’t left yet,” Saganet said. “I’ve seen him walking past my townhouse enough times this year. He’s a man better left forgotten.”
“I’ve just about done that,” Ricky said. “Shall we row across?”
“Is your boat still here?”
Ricky had to shake his head. “Someone has undoubtedly considered it abandoned since I haven’t used it since last summer. We can just borrow one if we’re not gone too long.”
They found a modest dinghy and headed out into the river. Ricky and Saganet went to Gobble’s houseboat and found a woman and two children sitting on the deck.
“Is this still Gobble’s?” Saganet asked.
“Nope,” the woman said after cuffing a misbehaving child. “It’s mine now. No one claimed it after that lord was murdered inside. That don’t bother me none.”
Ricky sighed.
They left Shantyboat Town soon after that. Ricky didn’t even look back. His memories were better than the reality.
A man stood at the dock. “You took my skiff,” he said without any malice.
“I did. I used to live over there and wanted a look at my old boat.”
The man squinted at Ricky. “Gobble’s grandson?”
Ricky nodded. “Someone else has the shantyboat. I guess I’m officially no longer a resident. Thank you for letting us use your skiff.”
“No problem.” The man even managed a smile as Ricky and Saganet exited the dinghy.
“Karian is next,” Saganet said as they walked through the market and into the city.
They passed Karian’s first shop. “He’s not there?”
“No. We have a bit of a walk, but it’s in the direction of the academy.”
Saganet took him through neighborhoods that Ricky had never visited. Finally, they entered an upscale commercial district. Most of the shops had new facades. Karian’s shop took up spaces for three shops.
“Each shop has its own specialty,” Sa
ganet said.
Ricky looked in the windows. One sold clothing; another offered household goods; and the last was more like the mishmash that Karian’s old shop carried. Saganet led Ricky inside.
He examined the merchandise. Every item was more expensive, but Ricky could see that the products were much better.
“You break, you buy,” Karian said from behind, causing Ricky to jump.
Ricky had to fumble a bit to keep from dropping the little lamp he held.
“A lamp? You can make your own light,” Karian said.
Ricky suddenly had an idea. “What if a sorcerer put a light inside this lamp? Wouldn’t it look better than a bright globe hanging in the air?”
Karian’s face brightened a bit. “People would love it.”
“But the king would hate it,” Saganet said.
“Can you put a light inside?” Karian asked.
“Just for you.” Ricky created a warm whitish light and lifted the top of the lamp. He directed the light inside. “There you go.”
Karian beamed. “Will you let me sell it?”
Saganet frowned. “Just tell the buyer that the sorcerer put the light in for free.”
“I can live with that,” Ricky said. “I don’t know how long the light will last. I’ve never timed one. It might last for a few minutes, or a day, or a week.” He shrugged.
“I’ll tell you how long it did. How about a tour and then some lunch?” Karian said.
“As long as Victor Taranta’s not around,” Ricky said.
“He isn’t,” Karian said.
Everything looked orderly. Ricky didn’t have a feel for the prices. Open doorways cut into the walls, connecting the three shops. They returned to the general merchandise store.
“I have something for you,” Karian said. “I’m told this is one of the best.” He pulled a broomball stick and a set of pads from behind one of the counters.
“But I already use the school’s sticks.”
“Not for games, you don’t,” Saganet said. “Players generally use their own sticks and pads in actual games.”
