Authors: Lana Axe
Rushing to the man’s side, Kwil quickly filled the
cup and backed away, his head down. Making his way around the table, he
continued filling goblets until his pitcher was empty, then ran to retrieve
another.
Nera waited for his return, and then addressed her
mother. “Mother, I’d like to take a slave back to school with me when I go.
Since I’m in my second year, I’ll be far too busy to tend my own affairs.”
Lady Orva seemed unsure. “Surely the school can
provide for your needs,” she said. The cost of tuition was extremely high. In
her mind, the school should provide ample servants to wait upon the students.
Lord Orva was not deaf to the conversation. He
watched the exchange with interest, his goblet held close to his lips.
Nera tried again. “Mother, all the highborn ladies
bring slaves with them to tend their private chambers.” Turning to face her
father, she asked, “I
will
have private quarters, will I not?” At this
point, she knew she had her father’s attention. He refused to be outdone or
thought of as less powerful than any other lord. Out of pure ego, he would
grant his daughter’s request.
“You certainly shall,” he said, a smug expression
on his face. “You shall take a slave with you, and you shall have the finest
rooms the College has to offer.”
Many of the guests around the table nodded their
approval and lifted their glasses to the lord’s generosity. Kwil had worked his
way around the table, adding more wine to Nera’s goblet.
“This one will do,” she said, gesturing to Kwil.
Without argument, her father gave a single nod to
approve his daughter’s choice. Nera shot a knowing glance at Kwil, who sucked
in a quick breath and held it. The young woman certainly had a knack for
manipulating her father, and it had worked to Kwil’s advantage. He would soon
be off to the Wizard’s College, learning things he could only imagine.
L
ess than a week
after the dinner party, Nera made preparations to leave for school. All of her
clothing, except for the dresses, would need to be packed, as well as her lute,
extra strings, and as many music books as she could get her hands on. The
Wizard’s College considered music a waste of energy, and she would have few
opportunities to escape to the city to purchase such items. She dreaded her
upcoming workload as a second-year student, especially considering she had no
natural inclination toward magic. If the subject matter at least interested her
that would be something. Unfortunately, she had little to look forward to.
Kwil’s presence
would make things more fun, she decided. Over the past couple of weeks, she had
come to enjoy his presence. She no longer thought of him as a servant. He was a
trusted friend, one she could reveal her innermost thoughts to. Instead of
chiding her for not trying harder to please her parents, he encouraged her to
play music and perfect her art. He would even pause his reading just to listen
to her newest compositions. Nera had no friend at the College she considered
closer. In fact, she thought of the other students as mere acquaintances who
would likely turn on her in an instant if the opportunity arose.
A light knock at
her door alerted her to Kwil’s presence. “Come in,” she called, turning to
greet him. He carried no bags and wore the same shabby clothing he always did.
“Haven’t you packed?” she asked.
“I’ve nothing to
pack, Nera,” Kwil replied.
Frowning, she
asked, “You at least have a change of clothes for the journey, don’t you? And
it’s getting colder out. You’re going to need a cloak.”
Moving across the
room to tend the fire, Kwil replied, “I’ve never owned a cloak, and my other
shirt is far worse than this one.” With a shrug, he added, “Your parents will
likely give me a thicker one once winter truly arrives.”
With a sigh, Nera
said, “I guess they wouldn’t want you to freeze solid while you’re fetching
their bath water.” She patted a finger against her cheek as she thought about
what to do. “I’ll have the seamstress make you some new clothes. She’s always
so fast.” Before Kwil could reply, she bolted to the door and hurried down the
stairs to find the seamstress.
Since the pair were
due to depart the next day, Kwil doubted the seamstress could possibly craft
anything so quickly. He would be presented to the College as a slave, which
meant no one would care how he was dressed. In fact, with the majority of the
population ignoring him entirely, he could run around naked and no one would
notice. It was best not to argue with Nera, however, so he grabbed one of her
books and took a seat by the fire.
Only a few pages into
his studies, Nera returned. In her arms she carried several garments. A wide smile
graced her lips. “She was already working on new clothes for the serving
staff,” she announced. “Here, see what you think of these.” She lifted up the
shirt on top and held it up for size. “It might be a little big on you, but
it’ll do.”
Kwil brushed his
fingers across the soft fabric. “This isn’t for a servant,” he replied.
Pressing a finger
to her lips, Nera said, “Shhhh. Some of these are, but a few of them aren’t.”
She drew a heavy gray cloak from the bundle. “This will keep you warm.”
Taking the cloak,
Kwil marveled at its fine quality. A riding cloak suitable for Nera herself, it
was worth more than the price of a slave. “This is too fine a garment for me,
Nera.”
“Nonsense,” she
replied, plopping on her bed and grabbing her lute.
“If I’m seen wearing
this, someone might think I’ve stolen it,” Kwil said. No one would believe a
lord dressed his slaves so well.
“Then only wear it
when I’m around,” she replied. “No one would dare question me.”
Tears filled the
slave’s eyes as he looked at his friend. By allowing him to learn, she had
already done more for him than any other being ever had. Now she was giving him
even more. He felt as if he were her equal, at least for the time when they
were alone together. Realizing that she didn’t consider him her slave meant the
world to him.
“What’s the
matter?” she asked, seeing his tears. Leaping up from her bed, she stood before
him and wiped a tear from his cheek.
Not knowing what to
say, Kwil wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her as tight as he could. To
his delight, she reciprocated and laughed softly in his ear.
“I’m glad you like
the clothes,” she said, pulling away from him.
“I’m glad to have a
friend,” he replied. “I’ve never had one before.”
Placing her hands
on her hips, she stated, “I’ve never had a
real
friend before either. I
don’t fit in well among the nobles.”
Wiping his eyes,
Kwil smiled and attempted to lighten the mood. “I guess I have something to
pack now,” he said.
“Yes, you do,” she
replied. “Stuff them in this bag, and we’ll pretend it’s mine.”
After finishing
preparations for the journey, the two fell into their old routine. Nera fiddled
with her lute while Kwil read quietly in the corner. Instead of sitting on the
floor, he perched himself on one of Nera’s cushioned chairs. Though she’d invited
him to sit comfortably many times, he always insisted on staying on the ground,
until tonight. For the first time, he felt deserving of a proper chair.
It was well into
the night before the two parted company, Kwil returning to his tiny room in the
manor’s lowest level. The chill of early winter permeated the area, prompting
many of the servants to double up for warmth. Luckily, no one was waiting in
Kwil’s bed. Pulling his thin blanket up to his chin, he drifted off to sleep
knowing this would be the last cold night he would spend here. With Nera’s
help, he would someday become a wizard and leave his life as a slave behind
him.
By morning, a
well-rested Kwil made his way to the courtyard, where Nera’s bags had already
been loaded onto her carriage. The inner compartment stood empty, awaiting its
valuable passenger. The coachman simply pointed as Kwil approached, letting him
know he would be riding on the outside with the luggage. Unfazed, Kwil climbed
aboard.
Moments later, Nera
appeared in the doorway, her mother dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief.
Lord Orva stepped outside, wrapping an arm around his wife and waving goodbye
to his daughter. Without delay, Nera climbed inside the carriage and peered out
the back window toward Kwil. With a wink, she closed the curtain and waved to
her parents.
A few miles down
the road, Nera ordered the driver to stop and invited Kwil to sit inside with
her. The coachman started to protest, but a cutting glare from Nera forced him
to hold his tongue. It was no business of a servant what the lady wanted with
the slave. The journey resumed with the two friends riding in the warmth of the
carriage.
“Sit next to me and
share my blanket,” Nera said.
Kwil had taken the
seat across from her to allow her some space but was glad to move next to her.
Placing the blanket over his legs, he said, “Thank you. It was a bit cold out
there.”
“The coachman has a
heavy coat to keep him warm,” Nera said. “It isn’t right they expected you to
sit out in the wind in those thin clothes.”
Nera reached for
the small satchel she had brought inside the carriage. Pulling out a book of
music theory, she laid it across her lap and reached back into the bag. Inside,
she had the magic book Kwil had been studying. Handing it to him, she said,
“Did you finish all of the others?”
Kwil nodded. In
only two weeks’ time, he had completed all the lessons in the first three books,
and was more than halfway through the fourth. Even without fully understanding
the new language, he could memorize and pronounce the spells correctly.
“Amazing,” Nera
said. “It took me the better part of a year to get through two of those, and I
barely passed.” Sighing, she added, “This year will be much harder. I might
need your help.” She flashed a weak smile before turning her attention to her
own book.
The four-hour
carriage ride was uneventful, and soon they were looking at the stone buildings
that made up the Wizard’s College. Students moved here and there, rushing to
find the appropriate books and supplies before classes began the following day.
Some of those running around appeared to be servants, likely running errands
for their masters to spare them the added stress.
“Should I retrieve
your supplies for you?” Kwil asked.
“No,” she replied.
“We’ll take our stuff to the dormitory first, and then we’ll go together. I
probably have about a dozen books to track down, and who knows what else they
want me to have?”
The carriage rolled
to a stop outside one of the manor houses. “Help us with the bags,” Nera told
the coachman. Grabbing her small satchel, she allowed Kwil to grab two of her
bags to keep up the appearance that he was her slave. The trio stepped inside,
the servants waiting back while Nera inquired of the staff about her room.
Returning to their side, she said, “Third floor, second door on the left.”
The mansion had the
highest ceilings of any building Kwil had ever seen. Even for an establishment
built by the wealthiest nobles, he found the furnishings to be over the top.
All of the chairs were decorated with scrolling golden embellishments, and the
walls were adorned with golden candelabrums. The price of the candles alone,
which were burning despite the brightness of day, had to have cost a fortune.
Trotting up the
stairs single file, the trio found the room that would be Nera and Kwil’s home
for the next several months. The coachman placed the bags near the door,
expecting Kwil to handle the unpacking.
“Thank you,” Nera
said. “You may go.” With a bow, the Gatan spun around and walked away.
Kwil was amazed at
the extravagance of Nera’s room. Not only did she have a private bath, she had
her own private library, stocked with various texts on magical subjects. A
small servant’s room attached to hers was at least three times the size of the
room Kwil had at the Orva manor. Stepping inside, he took notice immediately of
the feather bed, writing desk, and wardrobe.
“All of this is for
me?” he asked.
Nera replied, “Some
wealthy students bring Gatan servants. They typically get better sleeping areas
than humans.”
Kwil couldn’t remember
seeing any of the Gatan servants’ quarters at the Orva manor. Those rooms were
not on his list for cleaning, so he had no need to go there. Setting his bag
aside, he laid down on the mattress. “I’ve never slept anywhere so
comfortable,” he declared. In fact, he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to sleep.
His bones only had the experience of sleeping on a thin mat on top of a stone
floor. Too much comfort might not agree with them, but he was happy to give it
a try.
“Obviously there’s
no fireplace in there, so you can sleep in my room if you get cold this winter.
There’s plenty of cushions, so take your pick.”
Nera wasn’t
kidding. In addition to plush carpeting underfoot, every chair had at least
three pillows. Apparently students liked to be comfortable while they studied.
Kwil hadn’t expected such lavish dormitories. A wizard was expected to study
hard and stay clear of distractions, but after seeing the living area, it was
hard to believe they’d be willing to leave their rooms long enough to attend
classes.
“I need to pick up
my books from the library,” Nera said, tossing her bags to the side.
“I can put those
away for you,” Kwil offered.
“We’ll do it later.
Don’t you want to see the library?”
“More than
anything,” Kwil admitted.
“Then let’s go,”
Nera replied, patting him on the back. “Even though there aren’t any music
books in there, I have to admit the library is impressive.”
Together they
crossed the campus, Kwil taking in the sights and sounds. There were small
gardens everywhere, likely growing herbs and other ingredients necessary to
craft potions. A large pond sat at the center of the grounds, where dozens of
benches allowed students to sit and ponder in peace. Several white swans danced
upon the water’s surface, stretching their wings and turning their faces to the
sky. They were the prettiest birds Kwil had ever seen.
As they approached
the library, Kwil’s breath was stolen away. He paused, hoping to make the
moment last a while longer. Its construction appeared ancient but well kept.
The knowledge inside beckoned him, and he felt too overwhelmed to move.
“Come on,” Nera
said, nudging him forward. She grabbed the door handle and held it open for
Kwil to step inside, a crooked grin on her face.
Stepping inside,
Kwil’s eyes grew wide with wonder. The smell of old pages met his nostrils, and
he closed his eyes momentarily to enjoy it. When he opened his eyes again, he couldn’t
begin to count the vast number of tomes lining the walls. Hundreds upon
hundreds of shelves filled the center of the room, and four staircases led to
even greater wonders on the floors above. Paintings of famous Gatan wizards adorned
the walls, each of them staring down at the simple slave who had so boldly
entered their presence. Kwil, nearly euphoric, became dizzy as he attempted to look
everywhere at once.