The Lone Apprentice

by I K Spencer

  Garrick did not wait for the toast, not wishing to be there when the man in black came out. He also wanted to be at Anthen’s side when Cidrl was alone with Urvena once more. He retraced his path across the street, over the wall, and back to the tavern. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found Anthen still in the dark room, staring through his glass. The younger man stood rigid, as though carved from stone, his immense inner turmoil readily apparent.

  "Anthen we must talk; there may be little time."

  "I can hear you," Anthen replied, though kept staring at the front of the bungalow. No longer feeling guilty over the beating he had dispatched, he watched as the man in black left. His unblinking gaze then moved to the front of the dwelling, though it was too dark inside now to see anything.

  "It appears as though they are satisfied with your readiness for the final step," Garrick continued. "You leave the day after tomorrow and the traitor expects you to be one of his minions by the time you reach Dolonarian soil."

  Anthen did not reply or move.

  "It sounds as though the Dolonary pigs are mobilizing for something. That is what we must learn."

  "And what of Urvena?" the young man asked, with a glimmer of hope that she was somehow just a pawn as well.

  "Anthen ..." Garrick paused, struggling for how to phrase the terrible news. "Anthen she expects to be his queen."

  The young guardsman remained immobile, except for a slight shudder.

  "Anthen, we have a choice to make. Now that we have proof, we could pull you out and work from the outside alone. We could try to follow Cidrl into Dolonar and see what treachery he is involved with. Otherwise, if you remain, you must attempt to fool Cidrl into believing you are one of his minions when the time comes. Anthen are you listening to me?"

  "Yes," Anthen whispered but did not take his gaze from the glass held rigidly to his eye.

  "Well?"

  "There is but one choice here," Anthen finally answered softly. "We have a much better chance of learning and thwarting Cidrl's plans with me at his side. And there are better odds that at least one of us will make it back to warn the king if we are not together."

  "Aye," replied the older guardsman heavily, not pointing out that his odds were vastly better than the apprentice's. "I know. I just wanted to hear you say it. Son, are you sure you can do this?"

  Anthen did not answer immediately. As a result of his cool demeanor, as well as years of training, he offered little indication of the agony he was going through. Garrick, however, had seen enough of life to know that a tremendous silent battle raged inside the apprentice, no doubt fighting every instinct to rush across the street for a violent confrontation. After several moments, Anthen slowly lowered the glass and turned away from the window, passing his first test in Garrick’s eyes

  "Yes I can," came the nearly inaudible reply.

  "Then we are agreed. Now we have to quickly discuss plans. Anthen, something is going to happen during the journey and you must be ready. Somehow, the final step or test will occur and you must be ready for it. Cidrl said he would send you to Gates tomorrow to settle your affairs and ... say goodbye. We must make plans now, though, in case he does not allow you to return tomorrow for some reason. I will keep watch on his estate all day in case the two of you leave early.

  "Very well," Anthen acknowledged, keeping watch for Cidrl in case he needed to make a hasty retreat.

  "First is the matter of the amulets."

  Garrick rummaged around in the dark, uttering soft curses to himself until he located the object of his search. He carried a small wooden box over to the window and opened it in front of the younger man. Inside were two necklaces, each with a rather plain-looking small green stone attached. Garrick took one of the necklaces and pulled it over his large head.

  "Put on the other," he instructed.

  Anthen gave him a quizzical look but slipped the nondescript amulet over his head. Soon, a faint glow emitted from each stone.

  "The elven amulets were once a single stone," Garrick explained as the dim light gradually strengthened. "They tap into our life force and the closer the two halves are, the more brightly they burn."

  "So you can use this magic to aid you in following us into Dolonar," Anthen offered.

  "Aye. And you can see if I am nearby." The amulet also had another purpose but Garrick chose not to speak of it to the younger man.

  The stones quickly grew so bright they filled the room with a soothing green light. The strange green light could surely be seen through the window so both men dropped the necklaces inside their tunics and the room was illuminated by only the moon once again.

  "I have never heard of this magic," the apprentice commented.

  "Anthen, cadets are not taught many Guard secrets since all do not eventually become guardsmen. This will help but for a trip through the treacherous lands that lay between here and Dolonar, I need further help. I have a bag of seed corn for you to take to leave me a trail. No doubt Cidrl has found a safe way to make it through the poisonous marshes and the amulet will be little help if I cannot follow the same trail."

  "What if Cidrl has other accomplices following behind?"

  "Be discreet. As you have been trained at tracking so have I. Only use the seed if you think I won't be able to discern the path."

  "Understood," Anthen acknowledged.

  "Let me see ... What else? Oh yes. If you need to meet me, display the red standard I gave you before and I will come close to your camp that night. Find an excuse to leave the camp and I will find you."

  Anthen signaled his understanding with a slight nod.

  "Of course," the older guardsman continued in an uneasy voice. "The real problem is how to convince the traitor that you are under his spell when you are not. The best I can do is to recount my experience with the spellbound guardsman that started all this."

  There was a long pause as Garrick collected himself, killing a fellow guardsman was probably the most traumatic experience of his life, a life which included bloody actions in two separate wars. He then related the tale of the attack, concentrating on the would-be assassin's behavior. His voice was flat but Anthen could see the pain it caused his elder comrade to relive that terrible night.

  Garrick remained silent for a few moments before continuing, his voice thick with emotion. "I think about those few minutes most every day and see that young man's face. I have little choice in that but I have made some observations that may be of use to us. For a long time I never remembered the man's face before the attack came but I did catch glimpses and have been able to remember. I have three strange recollections of the man while he was enlisting my aid that I did not notice at the time."

  "The first thing is that I think he was motionless until I came near. He was not trying to free the rig, a fact I should have noted then but did not. The second is, though his voice was plaintive his eyes appeared vacant in those glimpses I remember, before he turned on me. The third odd thing was his voice. It had a stage quality, as though he had been taught exactly what to say, word for word. I believe that he had been trained somehow to recognize me, play the wagoneer part, and kill me. If he could not kill me, then he was not to be taken alive." Garrick shivered and Anthen could tell the old warrior was seeing the assassin's face once again.

  "I know that when the barrels failed to do the job, his eyes were no longer empty. I have never seen such single-minded rage. It was as if deep down he knew it was my life versus his. It was the fury of someone fighting for his life. Even after the poor creature had fulfilled his last order and lay dying, there was nothing but undirected rage, not even the briefest flicker of humanity."

  "So, you believe I should act like an angry deaf-mute, completely oblivious to those around me, unless following Cidrl's explicit instructions," Anthen summarized.

  "Well, that is the behavior I believe I witnessed, for whatever that is worth."

  "The rage will be no problem," the younger guardsman said quietly. "I now want to tear him limb fro
m limb.

  "Use the wrath Anthen, but do not let it consume you. Nothing would make me happier than for you to slay the traitorous murderer but I want him to die in utter defeat. Think of that."

  Any further discussion was cut short by the appearance of Cidrl at Urvena's door. Anthen allowed himself one more minute to gaze upon his new enemy, then slipped quietly out of the room. He mounted up and rode silently back through the dark streets of Gates. Once on the open prairie, the stricken guardsman pushed his loyal mount to a full run, feeling the sting of tears in his eyes. Rage was the emotion he savored, fury at both Cidrl and his beloved Urvena and even at Garrick. The tears, however, came from his broken heart, though he would never admit to it.

  Later that night, with the apprentice lying sleepless far above in the tower room, the master rode quietly into the stable. He slipped immediately from his mount and went to the stall where Rorc was stabled. After examining the chestnut stallion and tack, the large man grinned, noting that the animal had recently been ridden. The smile bore no resemblance to the captivating expression usually worn by the amiable man to charm anyone in his presence. It was a leer of pure malevolence and contorted his usually charismatic countenance into an inhuman mask that would have inspired terror in anyone unfortunate enough to witness it.

  Chapter 20

  Anthen spent the rest of the sleepless night preparing for the morning, when he would have to meet Cidrl face-to-face and behave as though nothing had changed. In an instant, the man had transformed from a mentor he was growing more fond of to a murderous traitor he could kill without hesitation. Fooling a man as well-trained and perceptive as Cidrl would not be easy.

  He rose before dawn and went through his morning ritual. He pushed himself to his physical limits, the exercises an outlet for his pent-up rage. He thought the physical pain might be a distraction from his emotional torment but the anguish did not abate. After the rigorous regimen he scrubbed himself raw with nearly scalding water.

  He was surprised to find Cidrl, usually not up so early, already at the dining room table with a cup of tea when he entered the room. He nodded and looked away quickly, not trusting his reaction.

  "Good morning," the seated man called cheerily and welcomed Anthen with a broad, warm grin.

  "Good morning. You are down early this morning." Anthen kept moving, planning to escape to the kitchen for a moment to get his morning coffee.

  "Yes. I am always excited before a trip and seem to have a considerable appetite for some reason. Speaking of appetite, tell Mazy to make sure there is plenty to eat for breakfast."

  Anthen paused, pretending surprise. "I take it the trip is imminent?"

  "We leave tomorrow at dawn!" Cidrl replied in an excited voice, as though expecting the news to make the eager apprentice happy.

  "Wonderful!" Anthen exclaimed, trying to provide his master with the ecstatic response likely anticipated. At first the apprentice's grin was more a grimace, but then he imagined the traitor on his knees begging for mercy and the smile became genuine.

  He went into the kitchen for his coffee, finding the frazzled woman busy preparing several dishes at once. He repeated Cidrl's request and she laughed and said that he always ate like a bear before one of his trips. He rejoined Cidrl at the table and Mazy soon followed, both stout arms filled with platters of food. The dishes were heaped with beefsteaks, bacon, fried eggs, boiled potatoes, and thick slices of fresh bread. She returned with corn mush, fruit, and milk and throughout the meal she continued to bring more food.

  True to his word, the large man consumed a considerable quantity of food. He speared a large, blood-rare slab of beef that barely fit on his plate and covered it with several eggs and potatoes. The apprentice had to avert his eyes, fearing the sight of so much food would make him retch in his present frame of mind. Though he had little appetite, he forced himself to eat a decent breakfast. In between mouthfuls, Cidrl cheerfully orchestrated the conversation as usual. Anthen had trouble keeping up his end of the banter but he did not expect the other man to become suspicious since he had been sullen of late anyway.

  After the huge meal, the pair went directly outside to train. The early-summer sun felt hot and both men stripped to the waist for the activities. Anthen had to exercise more control on the practice field. It felt far too gratifying to have a weapon in his hand as he faced the traitor. During hand-to-hand combat, the blows he landed on Cidrl felt wonderful, and he had to restrain himself from using more force than was acceptable for training. He cherished the look of surprise on the master guardsman's face when he successfully completed some maneuver that felled the large man. He couldn't help but hope that someday soon he would see that look change from pleasant surprise to fearful shock.

  After the training session, both men went to their respective rooms to bathe and change before reconvening in the study. Unsolicited, Mazy brought in pastries and fresh tea and coffee. After the woman left, Cidrl described the journey they would be making. He began by covering the dangerous land they must pass through to reach Dolonar. Anthen knew about the wasteland separating the two countries but was happy to let Cidrl talk.

  "There are two regions. Both are very hot and offer no drinkable water. The first part is desert-like with very little vegetation save the stunted, foul-smelling deadwood trees. We then descend into the swamps. Plenty of water there but undrinkable by man and beast," Cidrl added with a chuckle. "At the center it is most treacherous. There the land is actually floating on top of the poisonous water. The problem is that one does not know with each step whether the ground is thick enough to support us and our mounts or will send us plummeting into the deadly water. At this stage you must follow my path exactly for I have memorized a safe trail through the marshes."

  Anthen nodded when the older guardsman looked to see if he was following along.

  "Oh and there are the mosquitoes."

  "Mosquitoes?" There was nothing in the young guardsman's memory about mosquitoes.

  "Yes. They infest the marshes. Their bite, while not fatal, can make you quite ill. By the way, they are the size of bumblebees," the older guardsman added without concern. "That makes the bites also hurt a good deal, but at least the insects are more easily seen."

  Cidrl continued his narrative, roughly describing the path they would travel once inside Dolonar and what they hoped to see. Anthen doubted whether this part was truthful and sensed the other man was just making it up off the top of his head, as though what he told the apprentice now would matter little, later. They ate lunch in the study while talking and again, Cidrl devoured a huge amount of food. After the meal their business was concluded.

  "Well, I guess that will do for now. You had better go into town this afternoon to settle your affairs. Bring all your gear back as you might not return for a long time, at least a month."

  "Yes sir." Anthen turned to leave.

  "Be sure to take care of any debts," Cidrl called out to the departing figure with a chuckle. "You don't want to gain a bad reputation in town."

  Anthen nodded and smiled a genuine smile. During the excursion across the border he hoped to take care of his most important debt of all.

  As he made the trip to Gates, perhaps for the last time, he prepared himself for his next performance. This one would be the hardest by far. With Cidrl it was easier for there were no conflicting emotions; he hated the murderous traitor. His feelings for the maiden were not that clear. During the long, sleepless night he had come to realize that Urvena might, like himself, be Cidrl's victim. She might be under his spell and might really care for Anthen. However, he also recalled the night he supposedly forced himself upon her. Had she drugged him? She had also been present a short time before he had lost control and attacked the man in black. The troubled young guardsman made a vow; before this was all over he would find out her part and judge her then.

  The grim-faced apprentice could not appreciate the delightfully sunny day as he rode through the border town. He arrived at her doorstep, read
ied himself, then knocked. The maiden rushed into his arms as soon as she opened the door. Anthen hugged her to him so she could not see the anguish in his face. He forced a smile to his lips and released her.

  "Anthen I'm so glad to see you!" she exclaimed.

  Urvena apparently still hadn't dressed for the day even though it was early afternoon. She wore a thin robe over a short shift and her hair was down. The robe was open and her comely form had the obvious affect on the healthy, young man. He forced such thoughts from his mind and looked at her face. Her eyes were red and puffy as though she had been recently crying. This, however, did little to mar her remarkable beauty.

  "Urvena you have been crying. What is wrong?"

  "I have lost you!" she blurted out, then buried her face in her hands and wept.

  "What do you mean?" he said.

  "I know you are a guardsman," she sobbed.

  "Who told you such a thing?" he asked gently, though instantly on guard.

  She wiped her eyes and took a minute to compose herself.

  "It is apparently well known in Gates that the man called Cidrl is a guardsman. They know as well that the young men who regularly come to work for him are guardsmen in training. Yesterday I found out that you are the latest apprentice. I know ... I know that guardsmen do not marry."

  She started sobbing again. Anthen said nothing for a while as he considered his next move. He hugged her to him and patted her trembling shoulders. Shaking his head in defeat, the tormented young man knew he had little choice; he would give her a chance to be true to him. It might all be an act but he would play along for now. He took both her hands in his and gazed down at her, feeling the sting of tears in his own eyes.

  "Urvena I care about you more than anything else in the world. I think I do not want to be a guardsman if it means losing you." She smiled through her tears as he continued. "I have to go away for a while. I—"

  "You are leaving?" she interrupted, a look of concern replacing the smile.

  "Yes Urvena but I will be back," he promised. "I have one more duty to perform."