The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2) (2 page)

"But you are all safe so long as you remain here," Stephen countered. "And the whole world will know of her greatness soon enough, and I have planed a present for her in the form of a husband."

Fred noticed Pat paled at the mention of a husband, and Ned's forehead creased so that his bushy eyebrows nearly covered his eyes. Even the lady Martley snapped her head toward the king and her smile failed her for a moment. "One that follows the prophecy?" she asked him.

The king grinned and eagerly nodded his head like a smile child proud of an accomplishment. "Yes, exactly to the letter, but no more will be said. I won't have my surprise ruined."

Ned bowed. "I see I can't sway you with this party, but may I ask for the list of guests you hoped to attend? As her guardian I must ensure her safety."

Here Stephen burst out in a laugh that rang through the room, and he gave Ned such a pat on the back that the old man stumbled forward. "None of that seriousness just yet, old friend. Celebrate your victory over the lord and make merry, and know that your duty as her guardian is done!" He gestured to Captain Hawkins, who put his arm across his chest and bowed to them all. "My captain here will be the perfect guardian for her, I'm sure of it. As her second-in-command, I'm sure she will agree that he is the most trustworthy."

Pat stepped forward and Fred noticed her shoulders shook with contained rage. "Your Highness, I appreciate your offer but I must decline such a worthy knight." She gestured to Fred and Ned. "I have here two very good protectors, and choose them as my personal guardians. However, I would be honored if Captain Hawkins was by my side when battle comes, as we all know it will."

Stephen clapped and looked to them with a bright smile on his face. "Very well spoken, my dear, and I can see some of Edwin's stubbornness has rubbed off on you. Perhaps a good rest and some thought over this matter will change your mind." Pat wanted to argue to the contrary, but she pinched her lips shut and bowed to her king. "Now tell me of your journey, and retire to your rooms. My servants will take good care of you and see that you are cleaned."

CHAPTER 2

The tale was told in short order, and the three companions taken to their rooms by one of the chambermaids. Ned wasn't pleased to learn Pat's room was further down the hallway closer to the throne room, and Fred was placed as Ned's roommate because the other rooms were occupied by guests for the birthday party. There would be a bed in the room made for him later by a chambermaid. Ned and Fred followed Pat to her room and, with suspicious looks from their female guide, were left alone with Pat.

The girl balled her hands into fists and furiously paced the room. "What rude behavior! What senility!" She stopped, and her blazing eyes turned on Ned, who stood passively by. "How could you ever believe bringing me here was a good idea?"

Ned raised an eyebrow. "It was not I who decided this fate for you," he pointed out.

"So you deny taking me here knowing King Stephen was such a fool?" she shot back.

Ned's lips pursed together and he sighed. "I knew he was such a man, yes. He has been a fool all his life."

"And you deceived the Priests for what end?" Pat asked him.

Ned's bushy eyebrows turned down and his hand on his staff tightened its grip. "I made them aware of what sort of ruler King Stephen was, and they insisted on following the prophecy to the letter."

Pat was flabbergasted. "They would send me to this place knowing such a man would hold power over me?" Ned gave a nod. Pat wandered over and plopped down on the bed next to Fred. "What could they have been thinking?"

"That at all costs you were to follow the prophecy, and arrive shortly before your fifteenth birthday," Ned told her.

Pat sought to give some good credit to those who had brought her up. "And surely his army is the most superior in the world, so what other one would I be destined to lead?" she pointed out.

"What other one indeed," Ned muttered, but he was not comforted by her words.

"Is that why she needs to be here? Because of the army?" Fred asked them.

Pat shrugged and shook her head. "What other reason can there be? The Priests of Phaeton were instructed by the fortune teller to bring me here by my fifteenth birthday, and they assumed it was to lead the great army of the city of Galaron. The king himself was warned of the prophecy and evidently prepared my coming. For that, at least, I'm grateful."

Ned sighed and leaned heavily on his staff. "Prepared indeed. We shall see what other orders he gives to us."

"I for one am more worried about his companion," Pat replied. "I believe she holds an inordinate amount of influence over him."

Ned pulled at his beard, and his eyes took on a pensive stare. "Yes, she is a great mystery, even to me. Perhaps some research is in order regarding this Lady Martley, but first we must deal with another problem."

The youngsters blinked, and Fred hesitated to ask, but knew he had to. "Another problem?" he squeaked out.

The old man chuckled and his eyes fell on a window in front of him. "I believe we've all forgotten about our fourth companion."

Fred and Pat's eyes widened, and a faint cry floated to their ears. That was followed by another and another, and then a howl of amusement. They rushed over to the window and their shoulders collided as they both tried to fit between the stone walls. Their heads stuck out of the window and their mouths dropped open when they beheld Fluffy in the main courtyard of the palace. Their pet pranced behind a half dozen guards, some of whom ran with broken spears and others were missing pieces of their armor. They all were covered in drool.

Pat whipped her head over to Fred, and glared at him. "Get your monster off of them!" she ordered him.

Fred scowed at her. "Hey, it's not my fault these guys are terrible guards. They're part of your unstoppable army, remember?" he quipped.

"I never said anything about them being unstoppable, now stop jabbering and save them from your beast!" Pat shot back.

Fred wanted to argue more, but Fluffy was causing havoc at the door. The beast tried to claw and gnash it's way into the entrance hall and more guards were coming. He popped out of the window sill, and dashed out of the room to the hall. After a few wrong turns he found himself on one of the long balconies that looked over the hall and wound its way down the imperious stairs. Captain Hawkins stood near the entrance while his men pushed up against the log that held the doors shut. "Hold the line! Don't let that thing in!" he ordered the guards.

The wood above the mens' heads splintered, and a tongue lapped through the small crack. It swiped off many of their helmets, and Hawkins pulled his sword from its sheath. He stalked toward the tongue, and Fred realized he meant to cleave the tongue from its owner.

"Stop! Wait!" he cried out. Hawkins paused and watched the boy sprint down the stairs. Fred ran up to him and blocked the captain's path with his arms held out on either side of him. "Fluffy won't hurt anyone, I promise!"

"Then keep your promise and have your beast stand down," Hawkins demanded; he didn't sheath his sword.

Fred glanced over his shoulder at the entrance. The gate was barred and he didn't see much chance of convincing them to open it, but still he had to try. "You need to open the door so I can get to him," he told the captain.

"Open the gate and let that cantankus inside? The king would have my head for allowing such a beast in the hall of his ancestors," Captain Hawkins replied.

"But he's not here right now," a voice spoke up. The pair turned to see Mariana Martley walk down the grand staircase with a smile on her face. Martley's voice was a mix of seduction and cool confidence. The effect was to throw men off their guard and women on theirs; for Fred he was mesmerized by her beauty. "And I believe this boy has the ability to sooth the beast at the gate."

Captain Hawkins scowled as she came to stand before the men. "Then do I have your permission to open it, Lady Martley?"

"Yes, and be quick about it before this boy's fine steed is killed by your men outside," she commanded him.

"Men, pull the barrier aside," he ordered them. They obeyed him and removed the plank that held the door closed.

Fred rushed forward at the same time Fluffy barged into the hall. His happy bark rattled the windows and echoed off every old stone in the castle. Fred pressed his hands against Fluffy's chest and glared at the beast. "That's enough!" he scolded the cantankus. Fluffy immediately drooped and whimpered; he was subdued.

"A happy ending. My favorite," Martley cooed. She came up behind Fred and scratched Fluffy behind the ears. The cantankus leaned into her touch and his tongue lolled out in glee.

Hawkins stepped up to the pair, and though his sword was sheathed his hand lay on the hilt. "That beast must be taken from the city before it does more damage," he ordered the boy.

Martley wrapped her arm around Fred's shoulder and pulled him close to her side. Fred's face was squished up close to her cleavage; he thought he would die happy and suffocated. "Nonsense, my dear captain. Except for the humiliation of your men, the damage here isn't lasting," she pointed out.

Hawkins's face lit up with red fury, but he bowed at the waist. "Very well, Lady Martley." His eyes glanced down at Fred. "But I expect your cantankus to remain outside the castle halls." Fred eagerly nodded, and the captain went off to repair the damage to the castle courtyard and his men's reputation.

"It seems your cantankus is in need of a great deal of training. Let me give you a piece of advice," Martley playfully told the boy. She leaned down and Fred's eyes zoomed in on her ample cleavage. They knocked together like two swinging pendulums. "If you ever get the chance visit a craftsman in the city by the name of Canto. He resides in the blacksmith district, and will craft you a collar that will help with your friend here." Fred dumbly nodded, and the woman laughed. She straightened up and broke the spell. "Or you could perhaps get your friends to help you." Her eyes flickered above them and Fred followed her gaze to see Ned and Pat stood on the balcony. Martley curtsied to them. "Greetings again, honored guests." Ned bowed his head, but Pat stood stiff and her hands tightly grasped the railing.

Fred's two companions moved down into the entrance hall. Pat looked at the damage to the door, and scowled at Fred and his pet. She angrily waved her hand at the destruction. "See what you did there? We've been here only an hour and already you've caused this much trouble."

Fred wrapped his arms around Fluffy's neck and sullenly remained silent. Ned stepped between the two and smiled at them both. "Perhaps the atmosphere of this castle is less refreshing than we need. Would anyone care to join me in a brisk walk about the city?"

"I'm afraid for Lady Elsa that's not possible," Martley spoke up. "King Stephen has a great deal planned for her birthday tomorrow and has assigned me to guide her through the particulars."

"Particulars?" Pat repeated.

Martley nodded. "You're to be fitted with a new dress, and even now the dressmakers wait in the tailoring room to measure you. Then there are the protocols you must memorize, the many names of the illustrious guests, and all of this must be done before tomorrow evening's dinner."

Fred noticed Pat paled. He agreed with her visible reaction; it sounded like a great deal of work in such a short time. Still, she steadied herself and nodded. "Very well then, lead the way." Pat turned to the men and bowed her head. "If you will excuse me."

Ned nodded back, but Fred felt a tearing inside of him. Pat looked so young and scared as she was led away by Martley to her duties. All the sullen anger he had for her vanished and was replaced with pity. He turned to Ned. "Is this what she has to do all the time now?" he asked the old man.

Ned, too, watched them leave with heavy eyes. "I'm afraid so, my boy. She has prepared all her life for this servitude to duty, and tomorrow the chains will be strapped onto her for the rest of her life." Fluffy whimpered, and Ned sighed. "Indeed, Fluffy, I greatly concur, but you have your worries, too, my beastly-scented friend." Ned turned his attention on the cantankus and pulled at his beard. "What shall we do with you?"

"Can't we train him? You said people used them as steeds," Fred pointed out.

Ned shook his head. "Though Fluffy here is very bright, I fear we wouldn't work fast enough to placate our dear captain."

Fred thought for a moment and his face lit up. "Martley told me about a craftsman in the city! She said he could help us with Fluffy."

The old man's bushy eyebrows shot up. "Canto is still alive? That is very fortunate for us."

"Then you know about him, too?" Fred asked him.

Ned nodded. "He's an old acquaintance, the best cantankus craftsman in all the lands. If anyone was to make you a saddle, I would trust him to do it. Did the woman tell you where he might reside?"

Fred scrunched up his face. "I think she said in the blacksmith district."

Ned smiled, wrapped an arm around the boy's shoulders and turned them toward the door. "Then let us see what he can do for our wild friend."

CHAPTER 3

Ned led Fred and Fluffy out into the courtyard and past the ugly looks of all the guards. The old man smiled and nodded his head at each of them, and a few returned the compliment with rude gestures. Fred was glad to leave them and the castle behind, but the staring didn't stop at the castle gates. Citizens did double-takes and stuck their heads out windows to see the cantankus. They murmured to one another, and Fred eased closer to Ned. "Shouldn't we put a blanket or something over Fluffy?" he whispered to him.