The Dragon's Champion (6 page)

Erik couldn’t
hear the conversation, but it seemed to be going as well as one could hope. The
men looked like they were in shock, but they behaved politely and were nodding
periodically. Erik couldn’t even imagine what the people might be feeling. He
tried to imagine what it might be like if this had happened in his town, or
Kuldiga Academy, but the notion was so far beyond him that he couldn’t adequately
evoke the emotions that the villagers likely felt.

He finished
collecting the ash, put a stopper in the vial and started to go back to
Dimwater. As he walked he looked to his left and saw the man he had fought just
minutes before. A young lady was bandaging his wounds as he sat with his back
against a wooden fence. The expression on his face was distant and glazed. Erik
wasn’t sure why, but he felt the need to talk with the man.

“Are you
alright?” Erik asked. The man looked up at him, and then looked back to the
pile of ashes.

“He will mend,”
the young woman said. Erik could hear the anger in her words. “You didn’t have
to slice him up so,” she scolded.

“Actually, I
did,” Erik replied with a shrug. “He meant to kill me, I couldn’t just stand
there.”

The young woman
huffed and concentrated on her work. Her face was flush and her shoulders rose
and fell angrily with each breath. “My father meant well, he didn’t know about
Baltezer. None of us did. You ought not to have treated him like that.”

“Be thankful that
young Erik showed mercy, girl,” Dimwater chided as she strode up behind Erik.
“I would not have been so kind.”

The young woman
seethed with anger. Her hands shook and she had to stop bandaging her father.
Her father finally broke from his trance and placed a hand over his daughter’s
hands.

“We owe them our
thanks,” he whispered. “I acted foolishly.”

“Well, Erik, it
is your choice whether we arrest this man for treason against the crown,”
Dimwater said.

Erik looked to
Lady Dimwater questioningly. He didn’t know what to say, or what to do. The man
had attacked Erik, but Erik could understand his motives. Furthermore, Erik
remembered Master Lepkin’s words about killing another and the effect it would
have on others. Treason was a crime punishable by death. “I think this village
has suffered enough. I don’t want to arrest him.”

“So be it,”
Dimwater replied. “We must go.” The sorceress turned and left. Erik turned to
follow but the man reached out and grabbed his arm.

“I won’t forget
your mercy, Sir Erik,” he said with a bow of his head.

“Thank you,” the
young woman added. The anger was gone from her face.

Erik nodded and
then caught up with Lady Dimwater. “Did I disappoint you?” Erik asked.

“No, why would
you ask that?” Dimwater replied.

“I wasn’t sure
if you approved of my decision,” Erik said.

“I think it was
wise,” Dimwater said. “He will remember your mercy long after the sting of his
wounds has faded.” Lady Dimwater snapped her fingers and the magic mirror
appeared before them. “I was impressed with your swordsmanship,” she added. “It
is a rare thing for an apprentice of your age to defeat a full-grown man. You
also showed wisdom in disarming him. Things would have gone far differently if
you had killed him.”

Erik smiled and
was about to thank her when she grabbed his arm and pulled him through the
magic portal.

“I really don’t
like that,” Erik said as he hunched over, clutching his stomach.

“It takes some
practice to get used to it,” Lady Dimwater replied knowingly. “If it means
anything, you handle it quite well for a first-timer.” She bent down, reached
an arm under Erik’s left arm and pulled him up straight. “Come, the castle is
just up this hill.”

“Why didn’t the
portal take us all the way to the castle?” Erik asked. “It took us right where
we needed to be the first time.”

“It is forbidden
to teleport directly into the castle of a lord,” Dimwater replied. “Times being
as troubled as they are now, no one much likes the idea of wizards popping into
their homes uninvited.”

“I never
realized we lived in so much danger,” Erik commented.

“Children should
not have to know war,” Dimwater said soberly. “But, for good or for ill, you
will learn of it soon enough.”

Erik grew silent
then as his thoughts drifted off. He did his best to follow Lady Dimwater as he
imagined archers lurking in the lush pine forest on his right, or orcs spying
on him from the field of boulders to his left. Like the events at Spiekery, it
was hard for Erik to fully comprehend war and all of its woes. All he knew of
war came from history books and the songs of bards. Soon his mind wandered and
thought of other things as he followed Dimwater on the road.

As the two of
them began hiking upward, Erik stopped and took a good look around. The road
switched back and forth as it climbed up toward the castle. The front wall of
the castle was crude, made of stone with a wooden drawbridge, two towers in the
gatehouse and two more at the corners of the wall. Erik could also make out the
sharp points of a wooden pike fence around the outside of the stone wall. He
couldn’t imagine a place like this needing such fortifications. He turned
around and surveyed the forest and field below him. Everything looked peaceful
and still.

“Don’t dawdle,”
Lady Dimwater called out.

Erik turned and
saw that she was quite far from him now. He jogged to catch up with her and
apologized. “I was trying to get a feel for the area,” he explained.

Lady Dimwater
said nothing; she just kept walking up the road until they reached the top and
stood outside of the wooden fence.

“Who goes
there?” a guard called out from one of the gatehouse towers.

“I am Lady
Dimwater, sent to speak with the Lord of Kuressar Castle.”

Erik looked up
at the tower. His heart skipped a beat when he saw that other guards were also
in the tower, and they were aiming crossbows at him and Dimwater.

“Lord Hischurn
is not seeing guests today,” the guard replied.

“He will see
me,” Dimwater insisted. “I am here as an agent of King Mathias.”

“I am sorry
ma’am, but my orders are to refuse everyone,” the guard said.

“You would do
well to remind Lord Hischurn that he does not have the right to refuse an
emissary from the king, whom he is bound to serve.”

“I will give him
your message, Lady Dimwater,” the guard promised.

“Let’s go,
Erik,” Dimwater said. She snapped her fingers to summon her magic portal, but
before she left she gave the guard a warning. “I am not known for my patience.
You tell Lord Hischurn that I will be back in one week. If he turns me away
again, it will be at his own peril. Pray that your master remembers where his
loyalties lie.”

“You had no
right to take Erik without my express permission,” Master Lepkin scolded. “He
could have been killed.”

“It is my right to
punish intruders as I see fit,” Lady Dimwater countered. “Besides, he was not
in any danger while he was with me, you know that.” Dimwater sighed and crossed
the room to sit at her desk. “Perhaps you shouldn’t keep him in the dark.” She
pulled a paper from the desk drawer and set it in front of her.

“My secrets
protect him. He isn’t strong enough yet.” Lepkin folded his arms and glared at
Dimwater, ignoring the paper.

“Your secrets
shelter him too much,” Dimwater replied. “He is stronger than you think.”

“What is that
supposed to mean?” Lepkin demanded. His tone becoming more animal-like as his
patience stretched thinner.

“Did Erik tell
you how I found him?”

“He said only
that you caught him after he tried to enter your room with a key that Janik
gave him.”

“He was too
strong for the Natu,” Janik said from a seat on the opposite side of the room.

“You let him
face Dimwater’s wolf?” Lepkin’s face turned red and his muscles tensed. “Erik
has no knowledge of such beings! You could have sent him to his death.”

“Easy, my
friend,” Janik replied apologetically. “I had no idea that he could get past
the Natu. The ghost normally stops even the best apprentice wizards.”

“You should have
followed him to ensure his safety,” Lepkin chided.

“I did,” Janik said.
He leaned down and patted his twisted left leg. “I must have made some noise.
I’m not as quiet as I used to be you know. Erik took off running after the hall
with the wizards’ portraits. I tried to keep up, but he was far too fast for
this old cripple.”

“I’ve already
spoken with Janik,” Dimwater put in.

“As Erik’s
master it is
my
decision what to do with Janik for contributing to
Erik’s delinquency,” Lepkin replied. “Why did you send Erik to the tower?”
Lepkin asked Janik.

“Because he asked about you and Lady Dimwater.
I thought it
would be best to send him here for answers. Tell me, Lepkin, should I have told
him the truth about you and Master Orres?”

Lepkin thought
for a moment before answering. He was angrier now than he had been in a very
long time, but there was nothing he could do to fix the situation now.

“Lepkin, Natu is
harmless,” Dimwater said. “The ghost prays on a person’s fear and uses its
powers to render would-be intruders unconscious. Janik couldn’t have known that
Erik would be too strong for the Natu.”

“Even so, you
ought not to have sent him here. He may have been strong enough to fend off the
Natu, but her wolf could have easily finished him.”

“No offense, but
I wasn’t going to spend the rest of my evening being interrogated about the two
of you. You know how stubborn and determined the boy can be at times. If you
want to protect the boy, then perhaps you should answer his questions before
his curiosity gets him into real trouble.” Janik rose to his feet and stretched
his creaky limbs.

Lepkin nodded
somberly. “I admit his incessant questions have driven me to imagine similar
solutions to shut him up, especially when he nags me about Gelleirt monastery.”

“I, too, have
some questions about the monastery,” Dimwater added.

“Not now, Dimwater,
please,” Lepkin said.

“Very well,”
Dimwater said with a nod. “You should look at this.” She slid the paper across
her desk.

Lepkin picked up
the paper and watched the magical image unfold. He was stunned to see Erik
standing and throwing a punch at Dimwater’s wolf. “He attacked your wolf?”
Lepkin whispered incredulously.

“With his bare
fist,” Dimwater added. “You know as well as I that Silverfang has killed
several Shadowfiends who have made the mistake of invading my study. If the boy
is strong enough to break the wolf’s paralysis spell, then he is ready to learn
of his true calling.”

Lepkin folded
the paper and set it down on the desk. “He is stronger than I thought.”

“He is stronger
than any of us thought,” Janik said. “But, considering his bloodline, I suppose
his strength really shouldn’t surprise us.”

“Did you tell
him about that?” Lepkin asked Dimwater sharply.

“No, I did not,”
she replied.

“Good. He must
not learn of that until he is completely ready.”

“He’s your
apprentice,” Dimwater said reluctantly.

Lepkin knew her
well enough to know that she disagreed with his decision, but he also knew that
she would respect his wishes. “Janik, forgive my temper.”

“It’s alright,”
Janik replied. “I would have been a lot worse if someone had done the same thing
to one of my apprentices.”

“Yes, well you
and your brother always did have bad tempers,” Dimwater chuckled.

“Speaking of
Master Orres, he wants to see you about Spiekery and Lord Hischurn,” Lepkin
said dryly.

“You spoke with
him?” Dimwater asked.

“I ran into him
on my way to see you,” Lepkin replied.

Lady Dimwater
started to tap her fingernails and chew her bottom lip. “Did you tell him about
Erik?”

“No, I will
leave it up to you whether you tell him about that,” Lepkin replied.

“With the way Erik
beat up our nephew, I might avoid bringing it up,” Janik suggested.

“I have to
report about the wounded swordsman in Spiekery,” Dimwater noted. “Orres will be
furious if I don’t account for all uses of force.”

“He is quite
particular about writing his reports for the king,” Lepkin agreed. “Either way,
I wish you luck.”

“You’ll need
it,” Janik agreed.

*****

Erik lay on his
back in a pool of sweat. His arms ached, his legs were numb, and his stomach
burned. He tried to get up, but his body was depleted of energy. Even the late
night breeze from the window of his training room wasn’t enough to revive him.

The door creaked
open and then slammed shut, echoing off the walls of the room. Erik tried to
turn his head, but he was so exhausted that he was only able to move his eyes.
The soft slap of leather boots stepped closer to him.
Pit…pat…pit…pat.
Then the sound stopped. A large shadow loomed over Erik. He could see Master
Lepkin standing next to him.

“How many
pushups have you done?” Lepkin asked.

“All one
thousand,” Eric whispered breathlessly.

“Did you
complete the thousand squats as well?”

Erik nodded
slowly.

“What about your
sit-ups?” Lepkin inquired.

Again, Erik
nodded.

“I also assigned
one thousand pull-ups, did you complete those?”

“No,” Erik
whispered.

“How many did
you do?” Lepkin folded his arms and arched his left brow.

“Eight hundred
and forty seven,” Erik replied.

Lepkin bent down
and examined Erik’s hands. “The skin has torn in a couple places. I will
bandage your hands. You will be alright in a few days.”

“I’m sorry for
sneaking into the tower,” Erik offered.

Lepkin stood up
and walked over to a small cabinet to get dressing for Erik’s hands. “I was not
punishing you for that,” Lepkin said. “I was punishing you for not telling me
the whole truth when I asked you.”

“You know about
the key?” Erik guessed.

“I do,” Lepkin
replied. He walked back and started to clean Erik’s hands. “But I was more
upset that you didn’t tell me about the ghost and the wolf. A master must be
able to trust his apprentice. I can’t trust you if you keep things from me.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry too,”
Lepkin said. “I am partly to blame. I know I keep things from you too. Someday
I will tell you of Gelleirt monastery, but not until the appropriate time.
There are many things for you to learn first.”

“Will you tell
me about you and Lady Dimwater?” Erik asked.

“No, that is not
something you need to know. That is a private matter.” Lepkin sighed and began to
wrap Erik’s hands. “However, since Dimwater has told you about the state of our
kingdom, I will include you on some of my assignments, as long as Lord Lokton
is alright with that of course. Would you like that?”

“Very much,”
Erik replied. He smiled for a moment, but his joy was robbed by the stinging in
his hand as Lepkin tied off a bandage.

“If you
accompany me, you must follow my instructions instantly and exactly.”

“I will,” Erik
promised.

“And I must be
able to trust you at all times.”

“Yes, Master Lepkin,
I understand.”

“Good. Your
father is waiting outside to take you home. On Monday morning I will pick you
up from Lokton manor. Instead of coming back to Kuldiga Academy, we will be
going to Livany. Now go and get some rest.” Lepkin hoisted Erik up and gently
pushed him toward the door.

Erik walked
through the hall as though he was under a spell. It seemed that his feet were
carrying him out to his adopted father without any conscious effort from his
brain. He didn’t look at the paintings or other decorations. He didn’t notice
that the clock in the entrance lobby chimed as it struck midnight. He didn’t
even greet the carriage’s driver before opening the door and climbing inside.

“I understand
today has been a long day for you,” Lord Lokton said.

Erik dropped
onto the other padded bench and lay down. He nodded his head in answer to his
adopted father’s question.

“Well,” Lord
Lokton said with a kind smile. “Let’s get you home so you can rest.” He reached
out and closed the carriage door, since Erik was too tired to remember to do it
himself. Then Lord Lokton removed his long, green overcoat and laid it across
Erik, who was already fast asleep.

“Are we ready,
sir?” the driver called out.

“Yes, Louis,
we’re ready,” Lord Lokton replied.

The carriage
jolted forward. The first few yards were quite bumpy. Lord Lokton put his hand
on Erik’s shoulder to keep the boy from being jostled around. Finally, the two
horses drawing the carriage fell in step with each other and the ride became
smooth.

“Sorry, milord,
I had to replace Strider because he threw a shoe earlier today. I had no choice
but to use Sable,” Louis said.

“It’s no
problem,” Lord Lokton replied. “Sable has to learn sometime. It may as well be
tonight.” Lord Lokton leaned out the left window and examined Sable in the
moonlight. She wasn’t as big as Clopper, the veteran draught horse next to her,
but like any Clydesdale, Sable was quick to take to the work. Lord Lokton
admired the young mare’s shiny, black coat for a moment and then untied the
curtain on the inside of the window. As he unrolled the thick, green cloth he
checked to make sure that the light of the full moon was blocked from Erik’s
face. For good measure, he untied the other curtain, the one next to Erik’s
bench, and pulled it down as well.

When he was sure
that Erik could rest without being disturbed by the bright, silvery light Lord
Lokton slid over to the right side of his bench and watched the trees roll by.
The great pine trees were offset by stark white, tall birch trees. Bushes,
hedges, and ferns clumped together around the trees in all shapes and sizes.
Lord Lokton always took pleasure in nature, especially during the night time.
Although things were more vibrant in the daylight, Lord Lokton preferred the
serenity of night. In the still of the night Lord Lokton felt more attuned with
nature, as though he were part of it. That was something he could not feel as
strongly during the day when the forest teemed with life and bustled with
activity.

For the duration
of the hour-long trip Lord Lokton watched the forest roll by, stealing
occasional glances at his son –for he loved Erik as though the boy were his own
flesh- to make sure he was comfortable. As the trees started to thin out, Lord
Lokton poked his head out of the carriage. He could make out several buildings
down the road. The faint odor of smoke caught his nostrils. He peered through
the air and saw thin, dark trails of vapor rising from several small cottages
on the edge of the forest.

“Almost home,”
Lord Lokton whispered. He leaned back in his seat and watched the forest give
way to the cottages, and then the cottages gave way to a vast field, enclosed
with a wooden horse fence that Lord Lokton had helped his grandfather replace
as a boy. A few minutes later the carriage pulled through the wrought iron gate
of the inner fence. The large, gray stone manor swung into view as Louis turned
the carriage to the left.

“We are here,
sir,” Louis announced as he drew the carriage to a stop.

“So we are,”
Lokton replied.

The carriage
door was opened by Braun, Lord Lokton’s man-at-arms. “How was your trip?” Braun
asked.

“Fine, thank
you, Braun,” Lord Lokton unclasped his sword belt and handed his weapon to
Braun. “I trust you received the message I sent,” Lord Lokton said.

“Yes sir, the
falcon arrived from Kuldiga Academy shortly after nine o’clock. Thank you for
the update.”

“Well, I didn’t
want you to call up all the guards and storm the forest to look for me when I
didn’t show up on time,” Lord Lokton chuckled.

Braun smiled and
then nodded to Erik, who was still asleep. “So, why were you late this time?
Was Erik still washing windows?”

“No,” Lord
Lokton replied, “not exactly.” Lord Lokton reached back and took his overcoat
off his son. “Take this as well, Braun,” Lokton instructed.

Braun took the
coat, and caught sight of Erik’s bandages. “What happened to his hands?” Braun
asked.

Lord Lokton
noted Braun’s tone became stern and he couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “Erik was
attacked by a pull-up bar. Shall we mount up and avenge him, brave Braun?” Lord
Lokton teased.