Leo ignored the comment, and just listened as the others started talking about it, although to be fair, most concentrated on the point of the question, and not his little misdemeanour. He watched as Master Ayleen started writing it down on the board, when he realised none of them had actually mentioned the most obvious answer of all, and duly raised his hand.
Ayleen turned back to face her class, and noticed his hand raised, “Yes Leo,” she said in her slightly deep voice. “To fight,” he said, simply leaving it at that, despite hearing Mia making a scoffing sound from across the other side of the room. It was quickly apparent by the look Ayleen had given him earlier, it had been one of pity, as he saw the resignation on her face, and he knew then, that she was only too aware of what awaited him. After a moments silence, she nodded, “Yes Leo, you are right. Primarily as sorcerers we are trained to fight, as we discussed at the start of the lesson,” she added. “Sorry Leo you missed that bit, you weren’t to know otherwise,” she added. Leo just nodded, and although he felt a little stupid, he did ask why she had not written it on the board.
He heard Mia scoff again, and this time speak loudly, “Because the question was what else can sorcerers be utilised for, besides fighting?” she said sardonically.
“Oh Mia please do us all a favour and shut up,” Mason shouted over, “Leo wasn’t to know was he,” he snapped jumping to his friend’s defence.
“Don’t you tell Mia to shut up,” Ewan shouted back, as if trying to act valiantly in from of her.
“Silence!” Ayleen shouted in a booming voice, that stopped all the bickering dead in its tracks. “I will not have you squabbling in my class. You are all supposed to be friends, now behave as such,” she added a little quieter but still in a tone that showed she was not messing around.
Leo looked at Ayleen’s face as it scowled about the room, and realised this had been the first time he had witnessed any of the Master’s get angry. “Mia you will apologise to Leo now,” Ayleen continued, “Moreover you will also do me one hundred lines by lessons tomorrow on why you should not be disruptive in class.” Leo looked over to Mia and actually felt quite sorry for the girl, as the Master glared her direction. To her credit Mia did not argue, nor make any sound other than a rather weak, “Yes Ma’am.”
“Well go on young lady, we are waiting!” Ayleen snapped once more, “Come on apologise to Leo, Now!” If truth be told, Leo did feel some pity for Mia, as the tearful young girl was made to stand at the front of the class and with a slight sob, “Sorry Leo,” she whimpered before being ordered back to her seat.
Leo had never seen one of the masters lose their cool in such a way before, and over what was really nothing more than a trivial incident. Perhaps he thought, with all that was going on, the war and fighting that none of the apprentices were yet aware of, was beginning to affect even them. Only when Mia returned to her seat did Ayleen speak again, although it was quite off topic, “Please, do not bicker amongst yourselves. Times are getting increasingly difficult, and you will need each other,” she said. Leo knew that there was a deeper message in those words, although whether any of his classmates would pick up on it, he was uncertain.
The remainder of the lesson was a little surreal, as the atmosphere in the room felt decidedly chilly at best, and as a result the talking was left to an absolute minimum. Mia never so much as spoke again for the rest of the lesson, and if she had anything to add on the subject they were supposed to be discussing, she kept it to herself.
As the class was dismissed, Leo stood to leave with the others, “Leo if I can have a word please,” Ayleen asked as he was about to head for the door. “I won’t keep you long,” she added, as Mason and Jake said they would wait outside in the corridor for him. Leo watched as his classmates all left, and Master Ayleen pushed the door closed, leaving them alone in the room.
He looked at her as she stood before him, and thought how sad she looked, “You poor boy,” she said softly using her hand to brush the hair from his eyes, showing a motherly touch Leo had not seen in her before. “You know?” he asked just checking he was not about to say something he had promised not to. “Yes I know. I was told just before the start of this lesson. How do you feel?” she asked. Leo shrugged, “I am not sure really,” he replied, “A little afraid I suppose,” he added trying to search his feelings. “I think you’re heading out in the morning,” Ayleen said, “Although I’m not entirely sure on that. I think Daron is coming to see you later to explain things further.”
There was an awkward silence as Leo was not sure what else to say, before Ayleen spoke again, “Just remember you are a very gifted boy, and you will have people with you to help…and Leo,” she said before pausing, “Please take care.” With those words she placed a hand on his shoulder before nodding for him to go. Just as he approached the door he heard her speak again, “Leo…make your peace with Mia before you go.”
As he stepped out in to the corridor, Mason and Jake were waiting for him as they had promised. They had barely walked a few steps when the latter asked, “Where did they take you after the hearing was cut short?”
“And what happened that was so important that they had to stop it half way through?” Mason added immediately after, not even giving Leo chance to answer the first question.
Leo sighed, and as much as he wanted to tell the two friends who had stood by him through everything, he knew he could not. “I’m sorry but I cannot say, but as long as you keep it to yourselves, I can say that I need to go away for a little while,” he said, not sure whether that constituted as telling them anything he should not have. Leo immediately held up a hand as he noticed Mason about to ask another question, “I can’t say any more…so please don’t ask.” The other boy looked him in the eye, and nodded “Okay, but when you get back from where it is you’re going we want the full story,” his friend said with a smile. Leo smiled back, “Of course, you two will be first to hear,” he replied, although deep down he thought he might never come back, at least not alive. Leo tried to keep his outward appearance calm and collective, even if inside he felt an entire new set of feelings, and none of them very pleasant.
Chapter 18.
It was early morning, and Leo was stood waiting beside the guild main entrance, as had been requested of him. The sun was barely up, and despite the season it was actually a little chilly, and he was thankful for the warmth the black robe he wore gave him.
The previous evening, as he had been told, Daron had sought him out and explained the plan for today. Not only had the man spent over an hour talking to him, but he had also given him several new items, one of which was a new design of robe. Although still black in colour, this one was made from a different material which Leo felt was much lighter, yet seemed to keep his body at just the right temperature. The other point of note with the robe, was a much wider black belt, and more impressively to Leo at least, was the marking on the sleeve. Only one other man he knew had the same markings, and that was Daron, depicting him a King’s Sorcerer.
Leo had actually felt a lump in his throat when Daron had first given him the robe; a pity he had thought, that his friends could not be here to see him wearing it. The reasoning for a new belt was more a practical one more than anything else, as it gave room for him to carry a small sidearm. Daron explained that although it was not usual for sorcerers to carry swords or daggers, when he was a younger man, he had always done so, and as such would like Leo to do likewise. As a result, a long thin-bladed dagger, housed in a leather sheath now hung from the belt at his waist.
Probably the most important thing Daron had given him however, was a small book. No larger than the palm of his hand, it was clear the small tome was quite old, with a rather tired looking cover and several scribbles on the pages within, where previous owners had made notes. Daron had told him to read it thoroughly when the time allowed for him to do so, as the information within had been specifically written for people like him.
Leo looked up, as he heard his new comrades a
pproaching from the track that led behind the guild building. He was surprised to see them all on horseback, and realised he had just assumed they would be travelling by carriage or at worse some kind of wagon. It was then he spotted a spare horse, and the feel of dread once more came over him, as he figured that creature must be for him to ride. The problem being of course was that he had never really ridden before, aside from a few occasions when he was very young, when his father had held him up on his horse.
Puffing his cheeks out he stepped forward as a man he had seen before trotted up towards him. “Come on Leo,” the man said, “We have a horse for you,” he added waving a hand for someone behind to bring it up to the front. The man, Leo noticed was the same ranger that had attended the meeting in the king’s study the previous day, although he was confused as to why he was coming along.
Noticing Leo’s uncertainty, the ranger dropped down from his own horse, to help Leo up on to his, “We have picked a placid one for you,” he said handing Leo the reins, “Just take it slow and you should be fine.” Leo nodded, giving a wry smile, before glancing back to see the others all looking his direction.
The ranger nudged his own horse forward, and thankfully for Leo, the one he was riding decided to follow. He heard the clatter of hooves behind, indicating the others were also following, as the ranger led them all towards the guild gateway. “You know I am not supposed to be out in the city,” Leo said realising they needed to go that way. The ranger chuckled, “I think you’ll be fine, besides which, I doubt there will be many about this early in the morning.” Leo left it at that, as they crossed the boundary which indicated the guild from the city streets, before they turned east towards the gate.
Leo was surprised to see many more people out and about than he thought there would be. He could smell the aroma of fresh bread baking as the group passed by a large bakery, and already there were several market traders setting up their stalls along the route. “My name is Ruben,” the ranger said, “I’ll introduce you to the others when we stop for a break a bit later.” Leo listened as Ruben explained what they had planned and where they were going, although finding it hard to do so over the clattering of the horse’s hooves on the cobbles.
The ranger was in charge of the squad, and although Leo had expected all the members to come from guild apprentices, not all were. “They have tried to put at least a couple in each squad with a little more experience,” the man explained. Ruben told him that their healer was even older than him, although even she was barely thirty years old. The general soldiers with them were all on the young side, with the remainder coming from the guild. “We have two rangers including myself, two from the warriors, one healer and you my young friend are our only sorcerer.”
“No pressure then!” Leo replied trying to look over his shoulder at the various faces.
Ruben also told him, that they were just one of four squads being assembled, to go out and hunt down these so called raiding parties sent north by Belaria, although they were the first to set out. “We have a distinct lack of trained people, as you know, that’s why we are having to send out apprentices.” Leo just listened, and although he did not consider himself a trained sorcerer, he left the thought to himself.
As they passed through the arched eastern gate, the horses hooves echoed louder, before they passed out onto the open road. As they rode, Leo continued listening to Ruben, glancing over every now and then to see the ranger’s clothes blend into the changing background. Noticing the young sorcerer seemed more interested in his garb, than what he was saying, Ruben decided to change the subject. “You seem intrigued by the ranger clothes,” he said with a smile, “It’s always the first thing everybody new stares at,” he added with a chuckle.
“It’s so weird…One minute it looks one colour, then it seems to change depending on what is behind you. Does it have some kind of magic?” Leo asked hoping that did not sound a stupid question.
“Very good, but don’t ask me how…Magic is your department not mine,” Ruben replied.
Leo did wonder how the sorcerers managed to imbue the ranger’s clothes, just another thing he would have learned at the guild he presumed, although that was clearly not going to happen now. “Do you think we will be doing much fighting?” he then asked out of the blue. There was a short silence before Ruben answered, “Honest answer my friend, is I do not know. If we encounter any enemy we have orders to engage and destroy, if plausible for us to do so.”
“What does that mean?” Leo enquired.
“Well if the force opposing outnumbers us to the extreme, then we would slowly and quietly retreat, reporting in what and where we spotted them,” Ruben answered.
“And if they don’t greatly outnumber us?” he asked, although he was already pretty sure of the answer.
“Well, then it is your time to shine my young friend,” Ruben replied with a grin.
They continued along what Leo presumed to be the main route, although the further they got from Surmont, the narrower and less well maintained it appeared to become. He reckoned that the entire group numbered sixteen in total, and he noted there were also two horses carrying only bundles, which he hoped were the groups supplies. The surrounding scenery changed as they rode, with the cultivated farmlands around the capital now being replaced by pastures and woodland, and here and there small settlements dotted around.
Leo was not sure how long they had been riding when Ruben called a halt, gesturing for the group to pull over from the main track. “There is a good stream just here where we can let horses drink and rest a little while before we continue,” The ranger said, aiming his comment to the group in general rather than any one particular person. Leo’s horse seemed to follow Rubens, and as one creature stopped, so did the other.
Leo watched as the others in the group started dismounting, and he thought he should do likewise. He watched how a couple of them did it, and decided it looked simple enough. What he did not account for, was the fact his legs were so stiff, he struggled to move them, cursing slightly under his breath as he felt their pain for the first time. Fortunately, there was a large muscular pair of arms to help him down, and he turned to see one of the warrior apprentices looking back at him.
“I remember my first time riding,” the young man said in a deep voice that did not seem to fit his young face. Standing a good foot taller than Leo, and so stocky Leo thought the man could probably pull trees from the ground with his bare hands, Leo thanked him for the help. “I’m Leo,” he said as his painful legs tried to stand up straight. “Samuel,” came the reply with the offer of a handshake, “Come on meet the others, while we have a bite to eat and drink.” Leo thought he liked the sound of that, and despite each step he made feeling excruciatingly painful, he tried not to let it show.
One of the soldiers took Leo’s horse away, and led it off towards the stream, as those from the guild all sat down on the grass. “Should we not help them?” Leo asked although he doubted he personally was much use. “It’s okay, that is what they are here for,” said a soft voice that made Leo turn immediately to see where it had come from. He looked over straight into the eyes of another ranger, “You’re a girl,” he said.
“Well spotted. I can see why the guild picked you,” came the sarcastic sounding reply.
Leo stared, this time not at the clothing being worn by the ranger, but at the person wearing it. With long blonde hair, tied back in a bow, pale skin and eyes that were bluer than the sky, he sat their gaping, at least that was until the recipient of all his attention took offence. “Do you mind not gawping at me!” she said rather tartly, glaring back at him.
“Oh… Sorry…I did not mean to be rude,” Leo quickly replied trying to avert his eyes, looking about everywhere except towards her.
“Oh leave him be Sasha,” Ruben said intervening.
A rather red faced Leo was then introduced to all the others from the guild, “For those of you who don’t already know this is Leo,” Ruben said gesturing with his hand. “S
asha you’ve met,” he added pointing towards the blonde haired girl, probably only a little older than Leo himself. “Samuel and Kenton, our two warrior apprentices, and the lady in the white robe as you’ve probably guessed is our healer, Kindra.” Leo nodded to each in turn, although tried not to make eye contact with Sasha, just in case she complained again.
Samuel he had already met, but Kenton was in many ways different as regards to being a warrior. Whereas Samuel was tall and stocky, Kenton was much shorter, although still quite well muscled, with his hair neatly combed over to one side. Kindra, was, he could tell, much older than the others, albeit still probably no older than thirty, and was by far, the senior member of the group. As if sensing his question, Kindra spoke, “I work for one of the city’s hospitals,” she said. “I can give you some lotion for your legs later if you wish, it won’t ease all the pain, but it should make life a little easier.” Leo nodded and smiled,” Thank you that would be nice,” he replied.
“Perhaps Sasha will rub it in for you,” Kenton added to the conversation.
“Pfft! Like that is going to happen,” the young female ranger scoffed immediately. Leo thought it best not to add anything to the conversation, and instead thought sitting quietly would be for the best.
He was surprised that it was the general soldiers who prepared and served the food, and Leo wondered why they were expected to do all the work. Moreover, he found it a little disturbing, that the young men making up the numbers were almost thought of as beneath those of the guild, or at least that was the way he perceived it. Many of the soldiers appeared little older than he did, and Leo doubted any of them could have had much, if any, experience of battle. He realised then that perhaps the security of Caldronia was much worse than he had perhaps first thought. After all, if they were sending people like him to go and fight, surely they must be desperate.
The Apprentice Sorcerer: The Caldronian Guild Page 15
