01 - The Price of Talent (13 page)

“Yeah, I figured we would need some carpentry and metal work done,” responded Moira. “Once Jarvis, Bevan and Tiernan get back from the road I’ll get them on it.

“Oh, excellent. I don’t have that much experience with the carpentry and very little with metal working. My dad used to take care of the carpentry and we let the blacksmith take care of the farming equipment back home,” I said.

“Oh don’t you worry. Jarvis is a halfway decent carpenter, Bevan knows his way around a forge and Tiernan can do a passable job as a mason,” said Moira, “And with the weather turning cold, there is little point sending them out to the road to waylay merchants and tax men anyway. Few people travel the roads in the winter.”

“Besides, we don’t like letting those three sit around too long unoccupied,” said Sapphire coming out of the basement carrying a few pints of mead. “They would just sit here and drink all the grog. So we like to give them things to do.”

“That’s right!” said Devlin. “It’s my job to sit around and drink all the grog! And I don’t need competition from those three.”

“Isn’t it your job to teach the kid not to stick himself in the foot with a sword?” asked Moira.

“Well, yeah, there is that,” said Devlin. “Wouldn’t want him to do that. And, nothing like sword training to work up a thirst!”

“Better you work on sword training than my stores of beer and mead,” said Sapphire. “Maybe this year my stores will even last till the first harvest in spring.”

“That seems unlikely no matter how big a store you have,” said Moira. “Not at the rate they swill the stuff.”

“Huh, you have no appreciation for artistry, Moira,” said Devlin. “Drinking a pint properly is a thing of beauty. Letting it breathe, getting the head on it just right to develop the flavor… these are things to be savored. Especially when it’s too cold to do much else.”

“Oh, I can just hear the complaining now,” said Sapphire. “What do you mean there’s only water left Sapphire? You never make enough Sapphire. You sure you don’t have more hidden away somewhere Sapphire?”

“And then there’s the incessant pouting,” said Moira. “You would think water was a slow acting poison, and every drop pained their tongues and heads.”

“The only thing paining their heads is the hangovers they pretend not to have,” said Sapphire.

“And who do they go to when they need a headache remedy?” asked Ross. “I’m not naming names, but my supply of pain relieving powder gets rather slim before I can make some more in the spring after the thaw.”

              Dinner went on in this manner for some time. Between Ross complaining about people sneaking his meds, Moira about people eating all her food and Sapphire about people swilling all her drinks, there were plenty of laughs to go around.

              After dinner, and before bed, I headed back to my room to go over my candle lighting exercises that Ross recommended. So far, things had not gone well. The first night I tried the only light I was able to manage was from a pre-existing fire, and the only way I put it out was the old fashioned way. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to be doing, but staring at the candle flames had not accomplished anything so far.

              Still, I figured if it was enough for Ross to tell me to do it, I should at least try. After all, it being winter, it’s not like I had a lot of other things to do. So I settled down with an unlit candle in my room with the door shut and began staring at it, willing it to light.

              After about 10 minutes, I let my concentration lapse, mostly in frustration, and looked around the room. At least the familiar surroundings broke up the monotony of staring at that damn candle.

So I see your magic practice is going about as well as your sword and archery practice.

Hey, at least I can hit the target in archery. I’m working on the swordsmanship part too.

Oh, is that what you call that flailing with wooden staves. The only bit of real swordsmanship you have done was using me to cut that dummy in half. I note that this was the last time you used me in earnest.

If I can barely manage the wooden sword, do you really think it a good idea that I wave a real one around?

Please, with me as your guide, you will learn the proper use of a sword. I bet we could chop the replacement dummy in half right now!

Oh, yes, that’s a good idea. Let’s leave another flaming wreckage behind. That will endear ourselves with our hosts.

Bah, they love you. You do all the farm work, all the drudge work growing the food and harvesting it, and free them to have fun. They won’t toss you out on your ear now. You are their new field hand.

I am not just a field hand to them! I’m being trained to be part of the crew.

Oh yes, that’s what they’re doing. Certainly not just humoring the field hand by giving him wooden toys to play with after his chores are done. You really are gullible aren’t you? If you polish me up real good, maybe I’ll “train” you to be useful too.

I’m not just easy labor to them. Why train me in archery or the sword if all I’m good for is field work?

Because you are a child and a few toys keeps you playing happily and gets the chores done with few complaints.

I’m not a child. I’m being trained to be a bandit to help them. It’s just in the meantime they are using my existing skills to their best use.

Of course they are. It has nothing to do with the fact that Devlin doesn’t enjoy work, Moira prefers hunting and Sapphire would rather brew spirits than get the real work done. You’re a sap and you are letting them take advantage of you.

I am not!

Even this magic thing is just to keep you occupied. Keep you happy. If you had any real power, do you think they would be training you to create fires inside?

I do too have magical powers! Ross says so.

Oh yes, take his word for it. After all, he pitches in so often with the field work and chores.

He’s busy making medicine, healing Devlin and helping Sapphire brew spirits.

Yeah, it has nothing to do with making you do all the real work and letting him pursue his hobbies all day.

              At this point I realized my head was throbbing again. My anger was interfering with my ability to concentrate and the sword’s taunting wasn’t helping.

Would you please stop bothering me. I have work to be doing here.

Oh yes, lets end the argument simply because you want to stare at a candle. By all means, waste your time.

IT IS NOT A WASTE OF TIME!

              And with that I started staring fiercely at the candle and ignoring the sword.

Oh so now it’s the silent treatment.

…

How lovely for you. But tell me, how do you ignore something that speaks directly to your brain? It’s not like putting your fingers in your ears will help.

…

Still ignoring me. We’ll see about that.

…

Ok, you asked for it.

…

How are your parents doing? Oh that’s right, they died and you blew up the farm. I see you have been grieving for them too. Replaced them immediately with the mayor and his pretty little daughter, and now with this group of highway bandits. Now that’s love. Replaced by thieves.

              And with that my head exploded with pain. Blistering, rippling, palpable pain.

BLOODY FUCKING HELL DON’T YOU EVER QUESTION MY LOVE FOR MY PARENTS AGAIN OR I WILL MELT YOU INTO…

              And just as I was mentally yelling at the sword, my eyes never leaving the candle, a great light exploded where the candle was. It knocked me onto my back and the sword and chair both fell over as well. Just as I was sitting up, Ross threw open the door to my room.

“What happened here!?” He demanded.

“Uh, I was trying to light the candle?” I said, with my headache receding.

“You call this lighting a candle?” He replied.

              With that he walked over and nudged the now very much melted brass candle holder with his foot and picked some molten wax off the wall behind it.

“Um… Attempting it anyway…” I stammered.

“And what part of blasting it into molten pieces was that attempt?” He asked.

“The part where I… um… lost control…” I replied.

“And why did you lose control?” He asked.

“Because I, uh, kind of lost my temper.” I said.

“And you lost your temper because?...” He asked.

“Because I was frustrated at not being able to light the candle…” I replied lamely.

“Uh huh…” he said with raised eyebrows. “See, this is why I asked you to do this outside first…”

              Just then Devlin looked in around Ross.

“What’s going on in here?” He asked.

“Tyr was having some issue lighting a candle,” said Ross.

“I can see that. Tyr, you will find candles light better when they aren’t smeared all over the wall,” said Devlin with a grin.

“Uh, yes sir.” I stammered starting to feel really embarrassed.

“Oh god! Tyr, did you destroy something else?” came Moira’s voice from the hallway.

“What, did someone trust him with another practice dummy?” Came Sapphire’s voice from further away.

              And with that, my humiliation felt fairly complete. I’m guessing my face was as red as a tomato.

I knew you could do it kid! Just needed a little push is all.

Oh, don’t you start again.

Not picking another fight, just congratulating you.

And why is that? You know this is your fault right?

I take no credit in blowing up that candle. That was all you kid. But I think we have found your trigger.

Trigger?

What lets you channel magical energies or what have you.

Oh?

Emotion. Specifically, anger. When you get hopping mad, you let it loose. I suspected ever since I taunted you into destroying that practice dummy.

YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE?!

Calm down kiddo. We don’t want anything, or anyone, else to blow up. But after watching you spend these past few nights staring at a candle and failing miserably, I figure you needed a push.

You call teasing me with my parent’s death a push?

Well, I did warn you.

Not enough apparently.

“Well, I think the show here is all over,” said Ross.

“I guess so. Tyr, before sword practice tomorrow, clean the wax off the walls will you?” said Devlin.

              And with that everyone wandered off. Everyone except Ross.

“Tyr, you are going to have to learn how to control your powers before you attempt to use them inside again. I apologize for setting you with this exercise first. Though I did say to work on ice outside first… Anyway, when I was in the monastery, the problem most of the talented had was channeling any of their power at all. Most could barely move a leaf. Your problem seems different. When you unleash, things explode.”