The Young Magician tlt-1

by Michael Foster

  Samuel tucked the coins into his pocket and felt much better after hearing Mr Joshua’s words. ‘Thank you, Mr Joshua.’

  ‘But I think it’s best if I keep your savings here from now on, Samuel, given that you’ve already lost everything once. Any time you need some money, you can and come see me. How does that sound?’

  ‘Oh, I can’t thank you enough, Mr Joshua!’ Samuel responded. ‘You’ve helped me so much.’

  ‘My pleasure, my boy! Now be off with you and don’t worry about your uncle. One day, you won’t need him or his inn. But come back tomorrow! I will have some errands for you, I’m sure.’

  ‘Of course!’ Samuel said, beaming with glee. ‘See you tomorrow!’ And he scampered out the door, skipping like a youthful buck once again.

  Samuel continued working at the inn and helping Mr Joshua whenever he could. He learned to take his uncle’s ravings and beatings with barely a whimper, although these episodes became more frequent as Samuel vanished for longer and longer periods into the city before coming back to the inn. He learned he could get up early and do most of the feeding and cleaning before even catching sight of his uncle and aunt, and then be out until well after nightfall, when he could carry water and finish the other chores. In this way, his days became far more bearable, and he could run errands for Mr Joshua and build on his savings.

  The months and seasons passed by steadily, but little else changed in the town. However, with each new set of clothes he outgrew, Samuel also grew a little fleeter of foot and a little stronger in the arm and his day-to-day life became that much easier. He could now heave the saddlery around with ease and his uncle had no need at all to step out into the stables to help him-which was exactly how both of them liked it. He could finish his chores at the Three Toads Inn with little fuss and spend the majority of his time helping Mr Joshua.

  Mostly, Samuel would run messages across town to other businessmen, or take them parcels. Sometimes, he would be stopped by the town guards and they would ask him many questions and sometimes search him, but Samuel always had a ready excuse and the guards knew he worked at the Three Toads Inn, so it was a perfect pretext for running all over the town. When he did have a parcel from Mr Joshua, Samuel knew all the ways to go about the city where the guards would not find him. He was spry and as nimble as a cat and could scurry through holes and leap over fences in a flash. Samuel knew the other errand boys of Stable Canthem and they would often sit on the rooftops, throwing stones into the alleys and talking about various happenings throughout the town. They traded the secrets of Stable Canthem and all the ways to get from north to south and east to west. They passed many hours playing their own games of kick-ball in the streets and squares and markets, and Samuel also had his fair share of scuffles with friends and adversaries alike, often resulting in numerous bruises, black eyes and blood noses.

  Samuel had never dared open any of Mr Joshua’s packages, but the other boys told him they were just letters, documents and sometimes items or precious things-probably stolen, so the street boys would say, but Samuel was not so sure.

  Samuel told Mr Joshua everything he learned from the other boys, for he considered Mr Joshua his friend, and Mr Joshua would laugh at most of the comments he heard.

  ‘Don’t think poorly of me, Samuel,’ he would say. ‘Some of these stories have been exaggerated to the status of fantasy, but I must admit some are true. I’m not a thief, but neither are the men of this town saints-especially those in command. They’re all Imperials and they have little regard for those of us born of the land of Marlen. Natives like me who try to do business have a very difficult time. We have to work in secrecy, beneath the eyes of the Imperials. If our governors had their way, they would send everything of value here back to Turia. I take nothing from the poor or the needy-only the rich and pompous Imperials that no one here in Stable Canthem has any liking for.’

  Samuel would nod at this. He did not really care what it was Mr Joshua did. He helped Samuel and gave him plenty of money, and Samuel liked to evade the town guards and race around with the other street boys. It gave him some excitement and was far more interesting than staying at the Three Toads Inn. More importantly, Samuel regarded his work for Mr Joshua as a means to escape his uncle and aunt. When he had enough money, he could be free of them or even start some business of his own.

  Occasionally, Samuel would sit down at the small town docks and watch the riverboats gliding by on the water. They carried goods and people downstream to distant towns and cities, and Samuel dreamed of one day slipping aboard with Jessicah and disappearing from Stable Canthem forever. He had heard tales of all the wondrous places in Amandia and of all the great lands out across the ocean. He hoped he could one day be away with her and they would travel together and have great adventures and find glorious treasures. He knew it was just a dream, but Samuel had little else to think about. He kept counting his savings in his head and looking out after the boats as they slid away, wishing he was aboard one even now.

  It was a cool and pleasant evening when Samuel was darting down an alley he used as a shortcut quite frequently. He turned a corner, aiming to come out in the middle of West Street, and he ran straight into a wall of flesh. He was knocked backwards and sprawled over, blinking with astonishment while he gathered his wits. Rough hands picked him up and, with sudden dread, Samuel realised he had run straight into some of the town guard. Three of them towered over him and a set of hands held him firmly.

  ‘So we’ve caught a street rat have we?’ the middle guard asked. Samuel knew these men well. They had chased him often and had caught and beaten many an errand boy.

  ‘I’m just on my way home, Sir,’ Samuel explained, bearing a smile.

  ‘Very well,’ the tallest guard replied. ‘We’ll just see what you have to give us first.’

  Samuel swallowed. He had an envelope tucked into his shirt that was bound for Merchant Bellows and he dreaded it being discovered. They must have read his mind because, as quick as a flash, the shortest guard had his rough hands rummaging about under Samuel’s clothes.

  ‘What’s this?’ he exclaimed and he had the envelope out and was tearing it open without a pause. ‘I think it’s for me!’

  ‘Wait!’ Samuel cried. ‘That’s for my uncle!’

  ‘We’ll see, lad,’ the central guard grunted, keeping a firm hold of Samuel’s arm, ‘but I’ll wager it’s no more for your uncle than I’m likely to wed your wretched aunt.

  The short guard was squinting as he peered over the envelope’s contents. ‘It’s a title to some land signed in the name of Merchant Bellows.’

  The men all laughed.

  ‘Well, not nearly as much of a treasure as I’d hoped,’ the short guard said, ‘but worth a coin or two, I’m sure.’

  ‘I’m sure the good Merchant Bellows will be happy to have it back for a price,’ the taller guard spoke.

  Samuel gulped again.

  ‘We’ll go see him tomorrow,’ the central guard said. ‘And now we have this brat, we’ll go get some coins from his uncle as well.’

  ‘Good idea,’ put in the taller guard. ‘It’s been a while since he paid us any dues.’

  They dragged Samuel back across town to the Three Toads with him kicking and swinging his arms at them all the way.

  ‘Don’t take me back!’ he cried out, and the three men laughed as one. Townspeople giggled and sniggered at the sight and parted way as the boy was towed to his fate.

  Samuel was thrown to the floor of the inn while the guards called out for his uncle. His feet barely touched the ground before he was up and running, pushing past his bewildered aunt who was coming to see who was making all the ruckus. He leapt out the kitchen door, eager to be away before his uncle learned what had happened. Jessicah was there, throwing some bread to the chickens.

  ‘Jessicah!’ he said, panting and heaving. ‘I’ve got to go! I’m in big trouble now. I think Uncle will kill me!’

  ‘Samuel, what is it?’ she asked him with obvi
ous concern.

  ‘No time to explain. I’m off. I’ll come back and see you soon!’ And with that Samuel darted out into the street, narrowly avoiding being trampled by a team of oxen that was being herded along by a long-sticked shepherd boy. As he scampered away, Samuel could already hear the howls of his aunt and uncle, cursing his name in every manner possible.

  Samuel ran as fast as he could to Mr Joshua’s and bounded up the stairs into the first room. As usual, the men were lounging around and they called casually for Mr Joshua on sight of the boy.

  ‘What have we here, Samuel? Why such a dramatic entry?’ Mr Joshua asked as he led Samuel into his office.

  ‘The guards caught me,’ Samuel explained. His eyes burned, but he refused to let any tears come, and he was furious and embarrassed by the urge to cry, which made him feel worse. ‘They took the letter for Merchant Bellows and told my uncle about it. My uncle will kill me if he catches me-I mean really kill me. The guards said he would have to pay them because they caught me.’

  Mr Joshua sat upon his desk and thought for a few moments, stroking his clean-shaven chin.

  ‘Well,’ he explained, ‘I’m afraid this marks the end of our business together, Samuel. I can’t use you any more to run errands. The guards will always be looking for you to make some money for themselves. In fact, you had better lay low for a time. I’m sure Merchant Bellows will want to get his hands on you, also-he knows you well. This will cost me dearly in business, Samuel, but it’s not something I didn’t expect to happen eventually and it’s happened many times before.’ Mr Joshua walked around the circumference of the room, rubbing his chin in thought. ‘You’ve been a good lad for me, so I’ll tell you what I’ll do. Luckily enough, another opportunity of work has arisen and I have been mulling the idea over in my head for a few days now. It seems this situation has helped settle the matter. I know a man who owns another inn of sorts here in town and I know that he is currently in need of a new stablehand of your talents. It will be much better than your uncle’s work and I am sure they will treat you well. You can sleep here on my floor for tonight and tomorrow we’ll go and see about that job. But for now, I must finish some business, so you can go wait in the town for a time,’ he handed Samuel a crown, ‘and come back after dark. Remember, it’s very important that no one sees you, so go hide up on one of those rooftops of yours.’

  Samuel couldn’t believe his luck. He rubbed his eyes, feeling foolish at himself for almost crying like a baby, and thanked Mr Joshua wholeheartedly.

  When evening finally arrived, Samuel returned to Mr Joshua’s office, walking past the card-playing men in the first room, and was overjoyed to see some thick rugs on the floor with blankets and a pillow.

  ‘Sleep well, lad,’ Mr Joshua said, opening the door to leave. ‘I still have a little work to do out here, so why don’t you get some shut-eye and I’ll be back in the morning.’

  With that, he closed the door. Samuel extinguished the lantern and then pushed his way into his bed of rugs, amazed by its softness and warmth. As he lay with his eyes closed, the voices beyond the door became a low buzz and he soon found himself asleep. A strange sense of calm had replaced all the horrible dread and fears of earlier in the day and he felt comforted by the reassuring words of Mr Joshua. The man was truly the first friend Samuel had found in a long time.

  Samuel was surprised to be woken by Mr Joshua well after dawn.

  ‘Sleep in?’ Mr Joshua asked, stepping around Samuel’s bed.

  ‘I don’t think I’ve ever slept so well, thank you, Mr Joshua.’

  ‘That’s good. We both have a busy day ahead so let’s go get some breakfast together and then we’ll see about your new job.’

  Samuel hopped up and folded his rugs while Mr Joshua arranged some papers on his desk. Samuel plucked up his bag and they both then went into the markets, where Mr Joshua bought them some fresh bread and fruit to breakfast upon. As they walked to the far side of town, where the buildings and houses began to thin, Mr Joshua started to explain a few things.

  ‘You see, Samuel, not only do I trade in goods and items but in information as well. I’m sure you realise the potential value of a good secret. Mr Frost, for example, is a close associate of mine, but he works for a group of men that don’t like me very much at all. I can’t meet Mr Frost directly, so whenever I knew he was in town, thanks to you, I could arrange to catch up with him in secret. He would usually give me some snippets of information that I could trade or sell or simply use to gain more business.’

  ‘I’m glad I could help, Mr Joshua, but what will you do now? How will you meet with him and do all your business?’

  ‘Don’t worry, Samuel,’ Mr Joshua said kindly. ‘You have done good work for me, but you are far from being the only one I have working for me. Now, we have the opportunity to do each other a favour, Samuel. I help you and you help me, Samuel-that’s the way it works. Do you understand?’

  Samuel nodded.

  ‘As I have already told you, there is another inn here in Stable Canthem where I can get you some work, but there are certain things you must do for me while you are there. You see, this new inn is a little unusual. It’s for men who belong to a rather peculiar organisation. And if I could find out what their organisation is doing, I’d be greatly appreciative and, of course, it would help my business. So, what I want you to do is find a way to get the names of the men who stay there-there will only ever be men-and tell them to me, as well as anything you hear them say about where they are going or what they’ve been doing.’

  Samuel nodded. ‘Are they Imperials, Mr Joshua?’

  ‘Hmm, many of them will be but some of them aren’t. Their group is certainly Imperial, so you should be careful what you say to them all the same. Now, here’s my friend, Mr Sparcock,’ Mr Joshua said as they met a man who stood idly by in the street. He was a lanky, untidy-looking character who seemed nervous of everything that caught his eye. He was holding a small bag loosely in one hand and Mr Joshua eyed the man’s appearance with some disdain. ‘Mr Sparcock will take you to the inn and help you to get the job. I cannot go, for I have other business to take care of-I’m still trying to undo some of the mess you have put me into. Mr Sparcock should do well in my place.’ He stressed that point, eyeing Mr Sparcock directly. ‘I want you to try very hard to get this job, Samuel. It’s important to me, and for you, too. Maybe it’s your only chance to get another job in this town. And I want you to call Mr Sparcock, “Uncle”. I think it will help you get the job. Can you remember that?’ Samuel nodded. ‘And can you, Mr Sparcock?’ The other man nodded back. ‘Good,’ Mr Joshua continued. ‘I wish you luck, Samuel. Oh, and please don’t come and visit me any more until I send for you, Samuel. Remember that. I don’t want the guards thinking you are still working for me.’

  Samuel nodded again and followed Mr Sparcock, weaving his way through the people in the street.

  ‘Here’s your bag, kid,’ Mr Sparcock said, pushing the small, black bag he was holding towards Samuel.

  Samuel opened the bag and peered inside. It contained a few items of clothing that Samuel could only assume were for him, judging from their size. He slung the bag over his shoulder and followed on after the lanky man.

  They soon came to a high wall on the outskirts of town and Mr Sparcock shook a small bell that hung at the gates. After several minutes and several rings, a long-nosed, balding man opened the gate and examined them.

  ‘Yes?’ he enquired.

  ‘I hear you’re in need of a new stablehand,’ Mr Sparcock said in his thin voice, coughing and clearing his throat, ‘and I’m leaving town. I thought my nephew could use the work.’

  The man peered at them both for a few moments, looking doubtful. ‘Come in,’ he finally said, sighing and shaking his head.

  They stepped inside and found themselves in a great walled garden, with immaculately trimmed lawns, shrubs and flowerbeds. They followed a cobbled path towards the greater central building, where their host led them inside th
rough a set of doors. They came into a study and, after offering them seats, their guide left them, disappearing back into the hall. Shortly, an older gentleman with a pleasant face and clear blue eyes came in. He was surrounded with a fine shimmering radiance, a healthy glow unlike any Samuel had seen. Some people are far healthier than others, Samuel noted, but no one in Stable Canthem had a shine as tidy as this man.

  ‘I am Peter Kelvin,’ the man began, sitting opposite them. His voice was slow and his words well pronounced and carefully spoken. ‘I am the caretaker of this establishment. I find it quite curious that you should know of my sudden need for a stablehand.’

  ‘Word gets around, Mr Kelvin,’ Sparcock explained, shifting nervously in his seat.

  ‘Yes. So it seems, indeed. Last night, my stableboy disappeared mysteriously and today a replacement comes knocking on my door. Very curious, indeed.’ He turned his attention to Samuel. Mr Kelvin looked as if to speak, but stopped with his mouth already half-open, as if caught by surprise. For some moments, he scrutinised Samuel with a raised eyebrow, almost seeming to stare straight through the boy. Then, he coughed and drew a handkerchief from his pocket to rub at his eyes, before continuing as before. ‘He does seem a little young. Do you have experience, young man?’

  ‘He does,’ Sparcock interjected. Mr Kelvin raised an eyebrow at the comment before returning his eyes towards the boy.

  ‘Yes, Sir,’ Samuel began. ‘I’ve worked at the Three Toads Inn for a long time now-ever since I first came to Stable Canthem.’

  Mr Kelvin accepted the statement with a nod. ‘Very good. What about your parents? Where are they?’ he asked.

  Samuel looked to the floor. ‘My family were all killed, so my uncle looks after me now.’

  ‘I’m sorry to hear that. Very well. You shall do for the time being or until my old stableboy turns up again. Kans may need to help you while you settle in. I will pay two Imperial crowns each week, board and lodging inclusive. Can you start at once?’