A World Apart (The Jake Thomas Trilogy - Book 1)

by Tolle, Steven A.

  When he gave it to Madalin after dinner that night, it turned out that Hailyn was right. When Madalin opened the box and took out the bottle, Jake could see the surprise and delight in her eyes.

  "It's such a fine gift, Jake." Madalin said, turning the bottle over in her hands. "Thank you, but I'm not sure what I have done to deserve this."

  "Are you kidding me?!" Jake exclaimed. "You, along with Norlan and Cherise, have given me, a complete stranger, a place to stay, fed and clothed me and made me part of your family. Barrels of that perfume couldn't begin to repay you for all of the kindness you have shown me."

  Madalin did not say anything, but Jake could see that she had tears in her eyes. She simply came over to Jake and pulled him into a strong embrace. Glancing over her shoulder, Jake could see Norlan looking at him; he gave Jake a smile and nod of his head as if to say "That was just the right thing to say."

  ...

  "Jake."

  Jake was so focused on his work project that he missed Norlan calling his name. He was at the smithy, pounding away at the heated metal of what he hoped would eventually be a passable shovel head. He really wanted to show Norlan that he had retained the lessons from the last several weeks. He was trying to finish a section before he had to set it aside for lunch, while keeping even and steady strokes of his hammer, as Helman had instructed him.

  "BOY!" Dominic's voice boomed out, startling Jake so much that he almost lost his grip on the hammer.

  Jake spun to see Dominic standing next to Norlan at the entrance to the yard, watching him. Jake also noticed that all of the normal sounds of the smithy had faded away. He could see that Almos and Dern had stopped working and were staring at awe at Dominic. That was, of course, until Helman noticed and got them working again.

  Norlan waved at Jake, telling him to finish and come over; Dominic just stood there with his arms crossed. Jake quickly set aside his project and put away his tools, then went over to where they were standing.

  "Change of plans today, boy." Dominic said without preamble. "Go get on your gear. We will eat at the Temple. Jonas wants to talk to you."

  Jake quickly changed out of his work equipment and put on his armor and sword. He came back over to where the men were waiting. He was a bit surprised to see Norlan go over to Helman and give him some coins for lunch and join Jake as he followed Dominic out of the gate. Jake gave him a questioning look.

  "Apparently, Brother Jonas has asked that I come as well." Norlan said, shrugging.

  When they reached the Temple, an apprentice met them and led them to Jonas' quarters. Jonas had some food set out on the table when they arrived.

  "It is good to see you, Norlan." Jonas said, shaking his hand in greeting while nodding at Jake. "I apologize for taking you away from the smithy. Please have something to eat."

  After they all had eaten, an apprentice took away the dishes and they sat down at the table to talk.

  "There are two things we need to speak about. First, I wanted to let you know that I have heard back from Tomaris." Jonas said, showing them a piece of parchment. Jake perked up, hope shining in his eyes. "He is intrigued by your story, but says that he does not know how you could have been brought here, Jake, or how to return you to your home."

  He noticed Jake's crestfallen look and reached over to grasp his arm. "I'm sorry, Jake. We all wished for better news, but don't lose hope. Tomaris says that he would continue to research it. As I mentioned before, he has the most extensive library I know of. We will not rest until we get you home."

  "I know that you are doing what you can, Jonas." Jake said sadly. Jonas had been so confident in this Tomaris that Jake assumed that any answer would be positive. His voice quivered slightly. "I'm grateful to you all, but I don't think I will ever get home..."

  "Stop that moping, boy." Dominic said sharply, his deep voice cutting Jake off. "I understand your disappointment, but life is not fair nor does it always go as we plan. You simply have to take things as they are, not how you want them. The sooner you learn that, the more content you will be." His voice softened slightly. "Remember, you are not in this alone. You have friends here; we will help you as we can."

  Jake, stung a bit by Dominic's tone, glared at him. Dominic simply cocked an eyebrow and met Jake's gaze, waiting. The seconds stretched out, as Jonas and Norlan sat silent, not wanting to interfere, before Jake took a deep breath and looked away. As much as he hated to admit it, Dominic was right.

  "I understand that, Dominic." He said quietly. "I do appreciate your help." He looked over at Jonas. "You said we had two things to discuss?"

  Jonas cleared his throat. "The other thing is more pleasant, but does present some problems." He glanced at Dominic, who nodded. "I received a message from the palace today, requesting your presence for a visit with the princess."

  Jake sat up at that, his mood improving as he recalled Keria's beauty. "When am I supposed to go?" He paused, as a thought came to him. "Why would that be a problem?" Jake asked.

  "You are requested to appear tomorrow morning. That would mean that Norlan will need to release you from your duties with him." Jonas said, looking over at Norlan.

  "That's not a problem, Jonas." Norlan said as he smiled. "Madalin is already on me to give Jake more time off."

  Jonas nodded, then continued, turning back to Jake. "Jake, I said it presents some problems for a couple of reasons. First, you are not familiar with palace protocol or, honestly, the palace intrigue. An innocent remark could be seen as a promise or a threat, depending on who you are speaking to. You will need to be extra cautious on what you say."

  "Secondly, while it is likely that the princess simply wants to talk to you about your tale, the fact remains that she is less free than any other to select her friends or direct her own life." Jonas said, somewhat sadly. "My concern is that she may be using you as part of some small rebellion against those restrictions. Just be careful when you are with her, Jake."

  Jake nodded. "I think I understand your concerns, Jonas. I'll keep them in the back of my mind."

  "Then we are agreed?" Jonas asked the others. Norlan and Dominic nodded.

  "I'll come by Norlan's in the morning to take you over, boy." Dominic said. "Just listen to what Jonas is telling you. He knows the court politics better than most."

  "I'll take Jake back to the house." Norlan said, standing, gesturing for Jake to do the same. "Madalin will make my life miserable if she does not get a chance to make sure he has the proper clothing if he's going to the palace."

  ...

  After parting ways with Helman and Dern, Almos was enjoying the late afternoon weather as he headed back to his aunt and uncle's house. His relatives had been hosting him while he did his apprenticeship. He was excited to tell his cousins about Dominic's visit today. He still could not believe that Jake, who Almos now considered a friend, was the legendary warrior's apprentice.

  "Excuse me, lad." A voice called out to him, interrupting his thoughts. Almos stopped, looked around and found himself facing a thin, white-haired older man, dressed in fine clothes, with several pouches hanging from his belt. A large fat man loomed behind him, a cudgel resting on his shoulder.

  "Can I help you?" Almos asked politely.

  "It is possible." The man said, a smile on his face. "Are you the apprentice who also trains with Dominic?"

  "No, I'm not him." Almos said, laughing. "You want Jake. Can I ask what you need; maybe I can help?"

  "You are a kind lad, but no." The man said, patting Almos on the shoulder. "I have something for Dominic, so I need the other boy. Can I come by the smithy tomorrow afternoon to speak with him?"

  "He only works there in the mornings." Almos replied quickly. "He and Dominic practice at the training grounds in the afternoon."

  "Mornings are a tough time for me, since I do most of my business then. I won't be able to get on the training grounds." The man mused, rubbing his chin. "Do you know where the boy stays, maybe I could stop by there to speak with him?"

>   "He is staying with Master Norlan's family." Almos said hesitantly, slightly confused by the point of the man's questions. "They live up the street from the smithy."

  "Thank you, lad." The man reached into a pouch and pulled out a gold coin. "For your help. I just ask that you keep this conversation to yourself." He dropped it into Almos' hand.

  "If you wish." Almos replied happily, staring at the gold and thinking about what he could buy. This was turning into a great day. He was still a bit confused, though. "Why can't I tell anyone about you?"

  "I want it to be a surprise." The older man said, smiling deeply.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jake, standing near Norlan's chair in the front room, unconsciously ran his hands down the front of his silk doublet, a rich cobalt blue, making sure the buttons were properly connected for the fifth or sixth time. He had been standing there watching out of the window for Dominic for the last twenty minutes, observing the morning traffic as it went by the house on a partly cloudy day.

  Norlan had been right about Madalin. When they arrived home yesterday to tell her the news, she immediately said that Jake needed better clothes if he was going to the palace and, without giving him time to object, led him to a store that had men's clothing. As Madalin and the store's owner, a friendly older woman named Jerica, brought out what seemed like a never-ending selection of clothing, Jake felt like an oversized doll as they had him to try on different garments as they discussed the best colors and styles. Finally, they settled on a dark set of pants, a fancy white shirt and the doublet. They both had gushed over how it brought out the blue in his eyes.

  He tried to endure it with patience and grace, just glad that Dominic was not there to see it. Jake was at least able to get Madalin to allow him to pay for these clothes. She suggested that he consider buying some shoes, but eventually agreed that his black boots would be fine, provided he clean and polish them.

  On the way back to the house, Madalin had insisted that they stop by a barbershop, so Jake could get a haircut and a proper shave. He did not mind the haircut since his hair was getting a bit long, but he was a bit concerned about getting the shave, especially since he did not have much of a beard. He tried to relax as the barber brought the straight razor to his neck, a chill running through him as the sharp blade touched his skin. In the end, the barber was good at his craft and Jake left without even a nick.

  "Stop playing with it, Jake." Madalin said, intruding on his thoughts, as she sat in her chair, reading a book. "Do please sit down. You are tiring me out just watching you stand there. Dominic will get here when he gets here."

  She looked over at him, her eyes twinkling, a pleased smile on her face. "You look very handsome."

  "Yeah, Jake, very handsome." Cherise added with a giggle, looking up as she lay on the floor, working on a drawing.

  "Thanks." Jake said, blushing slightly from the compliments as he sat down in Norlan's chair.

  Madalin returned to her book as Cherise continued to scratch away on her parchment. Jake sat there, feeling both excited and nervous about going to see Keria. He started to run possible conversations in his head, trying to work out his responses so he would not sound like an idiot, babbling on.

  Suddenly, he heard Maxis start barking and saw him run from the side of the house towards the front gate. Jake stood up and saw Dominic entering the yard. Maxis was running straight at him when Dominic simply stopped and looked at the dog, face calm and neutral. Maxis came to an abrupt stop, then slowly approached Dominic, head low. He crept up to Dominic's hand and stopped, waiting, tail tucked. Dominic just looked at the dog for a couple of moments, then surprised Jake by reaching out and scratching Maxis' head for a second or two. He then made a gesture and the dog happily took off back to the side yard.

  Jake went to the front door and opened it as Dominic reached the porch. Dominic gave Jake an appraising look, eyebrow cocking up, taking in the fine clothes and haircut.

  "Very pretty, boy." Dominic said, a light smile coming to his lips. "I'm sure that princess will find you presentable this time. You look like the other court dandies now."

  Jake flushed at the remark, but before he could retort, Madalin pushed by him to confront Dominic. She stepped right up to him and poked him in the breastplate with her finger, eyes angry.

  "I picked out his clothes, if you must know, Dominic." Madalin said with some heat. "You are right. I am sure the princess will find Jake the handsome young man that he is. Just because you can't recognize it, don't take it out on him."

  "No offense was meant for your taste, Madalin." Dominic replied, stepping back and giving her a slight bow. Madalin face took on a concentrated look, apparently trying to decide if that was meant to be mocking. "Those are fine clothes, fit for the palace."

  "However, he is still my apprentice, for lack of a better word." Dominic looked over at Jake. "Where is your sword?"

  "In my room." Jake replied, confused.

  "Go get it." Dominic said, gesturing towards Jake's room. Jake hurried over and retrieved his swordbelt. On a sudden impulse, he also grabbed his phone from the drawer. When he returned, he saw that Madalin, standing there with her arms crossed across her chest, continued to look unhappily at Dominic, who was simply ignoring it.

  "You will wear your sword." Dominic said. "You are representing me in a way, boy, so you need to project the proper image."

  "But, I'm going to see the princess." Jake said as he belted on his sword. "Won't the guards take my sword away?"

  Dominic shook his head. "Guests of the royal family may bear arms in the palace, even to a private audience with the king." He fixed Jake with a hard look. "Just don't go waving it about, showing off."

  "You know that Jake won't do such a thing." Madalin interjected, her voice betraying her irritation. Giving Dominic one more glare, she stepped over to Jake, a smile appearing on her face. She reached up to take his face in her hands, warm and soft. "I am certain that the princess will enjoy your visit, Jake. Just be yourself." She gave him a quick hug, then released him.

  "Let's go. We shouldn't keep the princess waiting." Dominic said, turning and heading towards the gate. Jake gave Madalin a quick smile, then trotted to catch up with Dominic.

  "I applaud you, boy; you have definitely won over Madalin." Dominic said, as they walked towards the palace, an amused look on his face. "You would not know it now, but she used to be concerned about me, bringing food when I was in town, fussing over my injuries, always unfailingly nice and pleasant. However, since you started training with me, it is like I sprouted fangs or been accused of some horrible crime." He gave an amused shake of his head.

  As they made their way across the courtyard, passing through the crowds of people, the palace looming ahead, Jake was again struck by the uncomfortable feeling that someone was watching him, like the time before with Hailyn. He stopped, looking about, slowly turning in a circle, hand drifting unconsciously towards his sword. Other than the occasional glances directed at Dominic, he did not see anyone out of the ordinary.

  When Jake turned back, he saw Dominic also scanning the crowd, his body tense and seemingly coiled to strike, hand resting lightly on his swordhilt. He had noticed Jake's movement and saw him looking about. When Jake moved back next to him, he asked softly. "What is it?"

  "Probably nothing, Dominic." Jake replied, a little embarrassed to have caused Dominic to have this reaction. "I had a sudden feeling that someone was watching me." He tried to make light of it. "It was probably just someone staring at you, the famous guy."

  Dominic relaxed as much as he ever did, hand coming off his sword, even though he continued to watch the crowd. Jake expected some remark about jumping at shadows, but Dominic said instead. "Don't be too quick to discount these feelings. I have seen them give men just enough warning to save their lives." He looked at Jake and asked. "Is this the first time this has happened?"

  Jake shook his head. "I felt it once before." He proceeded to tell Dominic about the time with Hailyn
. He mentioned the older man he thought he saw looking at him, but that it was only a quick glance. When he finished, Dominic did not say anything at first; he simply continued to walk towards the palace.

  "Let me know if this happens again. I don't believe in coincident." Dominic said quietly. He turned his head to look at Jake, eyes serious. "It may not be anything, but I think that you need to stay on guard when you are away from the house or smithy, heading to or coming from our training sessions. I will start asking some questions around the city, to see if I can determine any threat."

  They continued on and reached the palace gates. Dominic went to the guards on duty and spoke quietly with them; the guards stepped aside and let them through. Dominic led Jake into the palace where they were met by a stooped old man, his wispy hair pure white, dressed in palace finery, carrying a polished cane.

  "Greetings, Lord Dominic." The old man said, voice gravelly, and gave Dominic a sight bow. "I am to take your charge to the princess."

  "Just Dominic, Lord Wendel." Dominic replied, returning the bow. "Here is the princess' guest; his name is Jake."

  Dominic turned to Jake. "This is Lord Wendel, the Royal Chamberlain. Don't be fooled by his grandfatherly appearance; he may be the most powerful man in the kingdom. Not only does he have continuous access to the king, he knows all of the royal secrets."

  "You give a humble servant too much credit, Dominic." Wendel said, chuckling. "I must say that we have missed you at court."

  "I cannot say that I have missed court life, Wendel, but you were always kind and helpful to a foolish young man." Dominic replied seriously. Jake could see that the Dominic's sentiment was honestly held.

  "You honor me, Dominic." Wendel said, giving Dominic another bow. "I should take young Jake to the princess now. Do not worry, Dominic, I will make sure he is cared for."

  "I just need a final word with my charge, then I will leave him in your capable hands, Wendel. If you will excuse us?" Dominic replied, indicating the need for some space. Wendel gave Dominic a smile and shuffled several paces away, leaning on his cane.