The Unwilling Apprentice (Book 2) (4 page)

Fred glanced over his shoulder, worried about his poor beast, but his face fell when he beheld the creature snuggling up against Canto. "Traitor..." he grumbled.

They left the large barn-like stable and were mindful to stay away from the scene of Fluffy's crime. They passed the time wandering through the city streets until they came to one of the larger, older squares. A fountain stood in the center, and atop the pedestal in the middle stood a larger-than-life statue of a man in military regalia. The man stood atop a strange, winged creature who flailed beneath his boots.

Fred saw there was a plate at the base of the fountain walls, and went over to it. Words were written on it, but he still couldn't read. Ned came up behind him, glanced between the boy and the plate, and read the words. "His Royal Highness, King Stephen George Frederick Carrot Albert Galaron the Fourth, who protected the city from foes inward and outward. Commission by his son, King Stephen George Frederick Carrot Albert Galaron the Fifth." Ned wrinkled his brow. "Built nearly fifteen years ago..." he muttered.

Fred furrowed his brow. "Inward and outward? What's that mean?"

Ned pulled at his beard and solemnly looked over the words. "Spies perhaps, or others who caught his suspicion. The Galaron family is very careful to keep their enemies at a great distance, if they recognize them."

Fred guessed Ned meant the strange woman. "Do you think that lady's an enemy?" he asked Ned.

The old man frowned and shook his head. "I can't be sure without more careful study, which alas means we must return to the castle. There is also the unanswered question of our protecting Pat."

CHAPTER 4

The pair made their way back to the castle and were in time to meet Martley and Pat at the bottom of the stairs. Fred looked the girl over, and both admired and detested the changes. Her hair was well-combed, and her hands and face scrubbed raw. She had on an ornate dress with a high collar that she constantly pulled at, and she tripped every few feet in a pair of heels. She was prettier, but he liked it better when she was herself and not this doll.

Ned smiled at Pat. "Very pretty," he warmly complimented, though Fred detected a hint of regret. Ned, too, liked her the old way.

Pat blushed and lowered her head from both shame and embarrassment. "Thank you," she mumbled.

Martley wrapped a gentle arm around the girl and smiled at the group. "She's a very well-behaved young lady, and all the dresses looked splendid on her." Pat shot her a glare that she fortunately didn't take as an insult. "But now that such fun is done, and you two have returned, I'm to inform you that the king wishes to see you."

"That's very good timing, as I wish to see him," Ned replied.

Martley smiled and gestured to the doors behind the girls. "Then if you're at leisure, the king is ready."

The group made their way to the doors, but Martley put a gentle hand on Fred's shoulder. "I'm afraid the king requested only your friends. You must stay out here."

Fred looked pleadingly at his friends, but Ned pursed his lips together and shook his head. "Best stay here, my boy. This will only bore you." Pat looked enviously at him as the doors opened at their knocking. Ned noticed Martley stayed with Fred. "Will you not be present, my lady?"

Martley shook her head. "If you will excuse me, I have one or two chores to attend to." She smiled and nodded at them, and went upstairs.

Fred stood forlornly near the doors as they closed on him, separating him from his friends. Pat managed a smile and a weak wave before the doors shut behind her. He kicked at the ground and glared at the entrance, but there was nothing he could do but wait for them to come back out. Fred didn't feel like waiting in the entrance hall, so he went upstairs to his shared room.

Fred had the door closed before he noticed he wasn't alone. His hand flew to the broken stick ever at his waist before he realized it was just an old woman in a far corner. Her broad, hunched back was turned toward him and she muttered to herself. The boy feared she was senile, so he stepped cautiously over to her. "Um, excuse me?"

The old woman turned to him and Fred could see her face was a mask of wrinkles. "Good day to you, my child," the woman replied in a scratchy, hoarse voice. Each word sounded like a cackle. "I'm just finishing up here, my child, and then it'll be ready."

He glanced around her and saw a bundle of blankets on the ground. "What'll be ready?"

The old woman twittered. "Why, your bed, my child. I was told to make one up for ye, and here I am doing it."

"Oh, right." Fred had forgotten about that problem. He wandered over to Ned's bed and sat himself down. He still had the other problem of getting Pat out of the castle to see the sights and the fireworks. Fred hoped that perhaps Ned would bring it up to the king and receive his permission to view them, but he didn't expect a miracle. He glared at the ground wishing that king didn't have such a powerful hold over Pat. She wasn't his vassal, she was a leader of a great army. He sighed; the only problem was that army was King Stephen's, so prophecy or no prophecy he would control her.

"What an unhappy expression on such a handsome face," the old woman spoke up. Fred jerked up his head and found his face was only a few inches from the hag's. He yelped and flung himself back over the bed. The old woman tilted back her head and cackled. "What a sight ye are, my child, with your wide, scared eyes."

Fred scowled at the old woman and settled himself on the bed. "I'm not scared, you just-"

"-scared you?" she finished, and smirked at him. "Don't lie to an old mother, my child. Your mind was far enough away a herd of cantankus could have passed by you."

"I was just thinking about stuff," Fred defended himself. He scooted back to the side of the bed.

"Stuff?" the old woman repeated. Her old owl eyes gave him a careful look over. "Men your age don't think of stuff. They have a mind for adventuring and-" she leaned in closer to him and he leaned back, "-young ladies." Fred blushed, and she cackled again. "Yes! Yes! I see I have it now! Ye think of a young woman, but one of ye is unhappy." Fred cringed away from the old hag, but she climbed up onto the bed after him. "Perchance old mother can help. Maybe she has something to soothe your troubles?"

"I hope not..." he muttered. Her eyes narrowed and he slapped a grin on his face. "I mean, what trouble do you think we have and how can you help?"

The old woman pulled back and opened one side of her shawl. Fred whipped his head away and closed his eyes to avert any view of her horrible, wrinkled skin. When nothing happened he creaked open an eye and saw she dangled a thick piece of metal from her gnarled hand.

"Ye wish to show your lady friend a treat, eh? Perhaps some pretty fireworks?" the old hag mused. Fred hesitantly nodded his head. She grabbed one of his hands, opened his fingers and slapped the metal into his palm. "That'll do ye well then."

Fred jerked his hand from her thin, clawed fingers and looked at the metal. "Um, thanks?" he replied.

She grinned at him and showed off a nice assortment of rotten teeth. Fred frowned; he thought he saw something else, a tinge of stretchiness to her face that was familiar, and very unnatural. It was as though she wore a mask. "That'll help ye to get open the trap door in the kitchen beside the stove," she explained to him.

Fred blinked and sat up. He clutched the piece of metal with more importance and interest. "Trap door? Where does that lead?"

"To a tunnel beneath the castle. It'll get ye and yer lady friend out of the grounds and to an old cistern at the far wall along the castle." She rubbed her hands together and twittered. "Yes, and from there ye can go to the fireworks and give yer lady friend one last glimpse of freedom before she is imprisoned to her destiny." The old woman turned away and shuffled off to the door.

Fred hung his legs over the end of the bed and furrowed his brow. He opened his mouth, shut it, then tried again. "Old mother?" he called out. She paused at the door and glanced over her shoulder. "Who are you really?"

Her shoulders shook with her laugh and her eyes sparkled. "Very astute of ye, my child, very astute. Just think of me as as an old friend." She shuffled out of the room and shut the door behind her, leaving Fred holding the metal stick and many questions.

He still had those questions an hour later when Ned returned from the meeting. The old man slipped into the room and noticed Fred on the bed. Ned's expression was dour and his lips were pursed together as he stepped over and sat beside the young man. He sighed, and Fred knew there was a problem. "It seems the king is set against you, my lad," Ned informed him.

Fred frowned. "Set against me? What did I do?"

"I believe it's what you haven't done that bothers him so much. He has yet to see you in battle, nor can a knight vouch for your bravery," Ned replied.

That still didn't make any sense to the boy. "What's that supposed to mean? Why am I supposed to prove something to him?"

Ned sighed again. "The king has refused Pat's request to have you as her protector."

Fred's jaw dropped open. "What? Why? I saved her at the bridge!" he reminded Ned.

The old man held up a hand. "I know that, but he hardly believes such a tale. In fact, I even find him very unwilling to believe Canavar is as great a threat as I know him to be."

Fred was confused and devastated. He'd come this far with them only to be turned away by a king of a jerk. "So what am I supposed to do now?"

Ned pulled at his beard and a twinkle came to his eyes. "Well, the king did offer you a place in the kitchen as a server boy," he informed him.

Fred's face fell and his eyes narrowed. "You're kidding, right?" Ned's eyes flitted away from Fred and he raised his eyebrows. "You're not kidding, are you?" Ned shook his head, and the boy leaned forward with his arms draped over his legs. He scowled at the floor. "This isn't fair. Why does he get to choose who protects her?"

"The king has chosen himself as her guardian and lord, and so long as we remain here we must abide by his rules," Ned scolded the boy.

Fred's eyes flitted over to Ned; that sounded too obedient for the old coot. "You've got something planned, don't you?"

Ned pulled back and a fake shocked expression slipped onto his face. "What manner of accusation is this? Do you not believe my intentions are full of heart?"

"They're full of something..." Fred muttered.

Ned sniffed the air and stood up. "I was merely going to remind you that your skills as a castor are still untrained, and you would do well to find yourself a master as soon as possible," Ned reminded him.

Fred raised an eyebrow. "And where am I going to find somebody like that?" he half-teased.

Ned waved his hand around the room. "Oh, I'm sure this great city has one or two residing castor's who would take you on as an apprentice. Of course, you would be obliged to follow them wherever they would go, regardless of the orders of king or country." Ned gave a side-glance at the boy, who didn't miss the hint. The old man was inviting him to become his apprentice and remain in their group.

Fred wasn't so sure about that much commitment. "I'll have to look into it..." he mumbled. He glanced out the window and saw that evening was coming on. The fireworks would start in an hour or two, and he had the piece of metal in his pocket. "But right now I need to do some stuff."

Ned raised an eyebrow. "Stuff? Has any of this stuff to do with the fireworks display this evening?"

Fred grinned nervously and slid past Ned to the door. "Um, maybe?" he squeaked.

The old man followed the boy. "I see. Well, who am I to stop a young man from his fun? Be mindful that whatever you do you don't attract the attention of the king."

Fred opened the door and slipped out all but his head. "I promise to try," he replied, and slipped away. He made his way to Pat's room and knocked on the door. He heard a scuffling of feet and some loud honking noises. "Come in," Pat called out to him. Her voice sounded nasally, and he found out why when he opened the door. Her face was red and her eyes puffy from crying, but she smiled at him. He thought even that looked sad. "I didn't expect you to come here. Is Ned with you?" She glanced behind him and answered her own question.

Fred shook his head and shut the door behind himself. "No, it's just me."

"Did you...did you see him?" she asked the boy. Fred nodded. "Then he told you-"

"-that I can't guard you? Yeah, he told me." Fred walked over and sat down beside her.

Pat hung her head. "I couldn't convince the king otherwise. He thought it best that experienced knights should guard me." She cast a side-glance at the boy. "Have you ever thought of becoming a knight?"

He turned to her with a look of disbelief. "I don't want any of that knight stuff, especially around this bunch. Remember how impressive they looked with Fluffy chasing after them?" he pointed out.

Pat frowned. "To be fair, Fluffy isn't as cuddly as his name," she countered.

Fred shrugged. "I still wouldn't want to join them."

"Then you'll go through with your idea to apprentice yourself to a blacksmith or tanner?" Pat guessed.