The Fuller's Apprentice (The Chronicles of Tevenar Book 1) (30 page)

Josiah saw Meira roll her eyes at Giva while their mother’s back was turned. Giva returned a wry grin. Meira rose and held out Ravid to Elkan. “Would you mind holding Ravid for me while I draw some water? I noticed the cistern’s getting low.”

“Of course.” Elkan reached for Ravid, but Retana swept up and took the baby from his hands.

“No, no, I’m finished, let me hold my grandbaby. Such a big boy you are, you come to Grammi, that’s right. Come help me put out the plates, why don’t you, that’s a good boy.”

Elkan blinked as she bustled away, Ravid on her hip. He turned to Meira. “I’ll help you with the water, then, if you don’t mind.”

He rose quickly, but not before Retana had noticed. “No, no, you sit down. Meira, you take care of it, there’s no reason to bother the wizard.”

“It’s no trouble,” Elkan assured her, grabbing a pail from beside the door and ducking outside. Meira followed suit. Josiah was glad to see another pail left. He seized it and made his escape out the door in Meira’s wake.

“Is she always like that?” Josiah asked as soon as the door shut behind them.

Meira looked back at the house. “Except when she’s worse. I swear, I feel about six years old whenever I walk through that door.”

Elkan shook his head in sympathy. “I see now why you chose to apprentice outside the family.”

Meira nodded. “I had to. I was sorry to disappoint Father. He loves that field. The Farmers’ Guild has trusted it to our family for generations. I could have been happy as a farmer, but I would’ve had to live at home. The miner apprentices live in a dormitory near the mine. I love my mother, I really do, but we get along much better when we only see each other on Restdays. Giva’s like Father, they just let it roll off their backs, but I never could. I thought that now I’m a mother myself it might be different, but I guess not. Did you hear her? I’ve been on my own with Ravid for more than half a year now, but it’s like she thinks I can’t care for my own child.”

Meira slammed her pail into the clear mountain stream with uncharacteristic force, her voice strained as she continued. “I don’t even want to imagine what it would have been like if I’d been here when he was born. I bet she’d have tried to take over completely. She’d just love it if I moved in with them so she could be in charge of me again, and Ravid, too. Well, it’s not going to happen. She had her chance; it’s my turn to be the mother now. She’ll just have to accept that. If it were an hour earlier I swear I’d go and sleep in my own house tonight, even though the dust is probably an inch thick.” She stopped and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I do know how to get along with my mother. I’d just forgotten how difficult it can be.”

Elkan and Josiah filled their buckets and followed as Meira strode back toward the house. Elkan caught up to her. “I understand. Families can be complicated. My own father—”

“Meira!” A large, burly man with a full beard hastened up the road towards them.

“Master Noadiah!” Meira set her pail down barely in time to avoid spilling it as he enveloped her in a bear hug.

Meira made the introductions. Noadiah beamed at Elkan. “So good to finally have a wizard in town again. There’ll be plenty to keep you busy for a week, at least. I suppose you’ll be wanting the Mother’s Hall, as usual?”

“Yes, if that’s no trouble.”

“Not at all.” The miner hesitated. “Now may not be the best time, but I need to speak with you. Shalinthan’s grown over the years. I know we’re not as big as Thedan or Korisan, but when you count all the little villages and holdings within a day’s journey, we’ve got plenty of folk who need a wizard’s care. Surely enough to warrant the Guild posting someone with us full time.”

Elkan nodded noncommittally. “I’ll be glad to carry your request to the Guildmaster, but please understand the Wizards’ Guild is already stretched very thin. Wizards must serve where they can do the most good for the most people.”

“Of course, of course. I’m sure the Guildmaster knows her craft. It’s just… mining’s risky, more than most crafts. All Tevenar enjoys the metals we produce, Elathir far from least, and it seems only fair we be given a certain amount of consideration for that.” Noadiah shifted his weight from foot to foot, but he met Elkan’s eyes. “Folks died after the cave-in last spring who would’ve lived if we’d had our own wizard. We had to wait four days for Monir to make it up from Thedan.”

Grave, Elkan inclined his head. “Perhaps before I leave you can draw up some documents showing the growth of your population and the frequency of incidents that would benefit from the Mother’s power. Such things would carry weight with the Guildmaster.”

“I’ll do that.” Noadiah seemed relieved to put the uncomfortable subject behind him. “There’s one other request I have for you, but it can wait. Meira, I want to hear all about your journey.”

“I’m eager to tell you. I’ve got my records all ready to turn in.” Meira chatted with her master as they went into the house. Soon her father, Jered, arrived, and after further introductions that Josiah felt went on far too long, they finally settled down to the delicious meal.

Afterwards the company gathered around the fire. Josiah perched drowsily on a stool and half-listened to the conversation. Meira brought out the records of her travels the previous summer and showed them to Noadiah.

“You’ll see on the map that we left by the northern route. I thought we should take the south road, but Ravid thought it would be worth exploring the valley along the stream there.”

For a moment Josiah was confused. Then he realized Meira was talking about the other Ravid, her dead husband.

“I was right though. We didn’t find anything. I don’t know how he thought any good deposits could have gone unnoticed, so close. But I’m glad we went that way now, because we stopped and spent a few days with his parents. So at least they got to see him, before—” Her voice failed her and she ducked her head, fussing with baby Ravid. Everyone was quiet until she regained her composure. “How are Kiva and Osaze doing? Have you heard from them lately? I’ll have to make a trip out there as soon as we’re settled, so they can meet little Ravid.” Her voice was falsely bright.

Retana answered. “We haven’t heard from them recently. It was a terrible shock to them when the news arrived. Jered carried the message himself. I’m sure they’d love to see you.

“I’ll plan to do that, then.” After a pause, Meira went on to relate the rest of her and her husband’s travels, spending a long time describing each potential mine site in loving detail. Eventually she reached the bandit attack and the elder Ravid’s death, which she told in the same stark fashion she’d recounted it to Elkan.

There was a long silence. Josiah propped his head in his hand and watched the crackling fire. Meira eased the sleeping Ravid off her breast and rearranged her clothes. Retana reached for the baby, but Meira shook her head and settled him on her shoulder.

Noadiah asked, calmly but with an undertone of anger, “What do you know about these bandits?”

“Only that the name of their leader is Ozor. Apparently he was a trader until about three years ago”

Retana sat up straighter at the name. “Not Master Ozor Sailorkin Trader? It can’t be. Although I guess it has been about three years since he was last here.”

Elkan leaned forward. “You know him?”

She shrugged. “He came through each year on his way into the mountains, and again on his way back to Thedan and Elathir. He tried to persuade me to place some of my work with him on commission. Promised exorbitant prices. But I’ve always been pleased with the Smiths’ Guild’s service. My pieces arrive in Elathir in good order and sell very well. Ozor wanted to set up a private exclusive arrangement with a few wealthy clients, but I wasn’t interested. I did buy a lovely soft shawl from him once, though. Ridiculously expensive, but it was so fine I couldn’t resist.”

Jered frowned at her. “I think I remember him. Wasn’t he the one whose journeyman reported him to the town council? Something about the treatment of his mules?”

“Him?” Noadiah started. “I’d forgotten the name, but that was a nasty case. Normally I’d disapprove of a journeyman turning against his master like that, but those mules were in bad shape. And the journeyman was Herderkin, if I recall. I was with the group that investigated the claims. Overloaded, underfed, wounds left to fester. Most of them bore whip marks. We fined him and forced him to remain in town until the mules recovered. Ronit of the Herders’ Guild wanted to confiscate the beasts, but the man made such a fuss about being unable to practice his craft that in the end we let him keep them, with a stern warning. We sent word to the Herder Guildmaster in Elathir to keep an eye on him.” Noadiah shook his head. “He’s never shown his face in Shalinthan since.”

Josiah turned eagerly to Elkan. “It’s got to be the same one, don’t you think? I wonder why he quit trading and started stealing?”

“Don’t rush to judgment.” But Elkan looked troubled. “I wish we’d learned of this sooner. Three years is far beyond the reach of a window. Now all we have to go on is people’s memories. And anyone who’s heard testimony and then looked through a window to confirm it knows how unreliable those can be.”

The conversation turned to other things. It was late when the gathering broke up. Josiah could barely keep his eyes open, so he was glad Elkan took an equal part in reloading Sar with their gear. Sometime during the evening Tobi had returned; Josiah found her sprawled asleep in one of the empty stalls. He roused her, and she padded after them into the night, her eyes glowing gold discs in the moonlight.

Shalinthan was large enough to boast an inn. Master Noadiah led them there and made the arrangements. Noadiah and Elkan briefly argued, in exquisitely polite tones and terms, whether the town council or the Wizards’ Guild would have the privilege of paying for the accommodations. Eventually Elkan yielded, but when the innkeeper eyed Tobi with a mix of fascination and fear and demanded a higher price because of her presence, Elkan smoothly assured the man that the Wizards’ Guild would cover the surcharge.

Josiah’s delight in the unaccustomed luxury of a room to himself was tempered when Tobi leaped up and stretched to her full length on his bed. But once he shoved her aside to make room, he found her presence comforting, for the night was crisp, the late summer heat already giving way at this high altitude to the chill of autumn. He snuggled into her warmth. He was sure a great deal of hard work awaited them in the morning.

Seventeen

B
ut… surely there’s something you can do?” The woman’s voice had been low, directed only at Elkan, but now it rose, so Josiah could hear it clearly across the empty hall. He sat at his table near the door, finishing up the day’s records. It was their fourth day of healing in Shalinthan, and only now at midafternoon had the steady flow of patients dried up. The woman had waited patiently all day, sitting quietly in a corner knitting, deferring to others, until finally the room emptied and she could have privacy. Josiah felt guilty for his curiosity, but he shifted in his chair until he could see anyway.

Elkan sighed and stroked Sar. “I’m afraid not, Hansine. The scarring is extensive and long healed. If a wizard had seen you back when the infection occurred, something could have been done, but now… It was probably years ago, and you might not have had any symptoms at the time. It can happen that way, with no indication that anything is wrong until a couple tries to conceive.”

Hansine stared at him, biting her lip. “I thought surely, when the wizard came… You’re saying I can never have children?”

Elkan’s fingers tightened in Sar’s mane. “That’s right.”

For a moment more Hansine looked at him. Then she turned away, bending to gather up her bundle of knitting from the floor beside her. “Thank you for your time, Wizard. I’ll be going now.”

Elkan reached a hand toward her, then let it fall. “I’m very sorry…” The woman ignored him.

Elkan watched her go, but before she reached the door he jumped up and hurried to stop her. They were right in front of Josiah. He made himself as small and inconspicuous as possible. Across the room, Sar laid his ears back and snorted.

“Hansine, I know you’re not ready to hear this, you need time to grieve first, and in any case it should be your place to seek out counsel, not mine to impose it on you. But the time will come when you need to know this, and I won’t be here. So I’m going to say it now.” He took a deep breath. “Hansine, all creation is sacred to the Mother. Bearing children, raising them, is a way to honor her by carrying on her work, but it’s only one, and she values it no higher than any other. Your condition… it’s just an unfortunate chance. You might come to feel it’s some sort of judgment, but I assure you, it’s not. The Mother loves you, and values you, and though your path of service to her won’t include bearing children, it’s no less precious to her for that.”

Hansine just looked at him, her eyes cold. Elkan stepped back from the door, ran a hand through his hair, and gestured for her to exit. “Again, I’m very sorry. I know I can’t really understand what you’re going through—”

“No,” she cut him off. “You can’t.” She swept out, pushing the door so hard it swung wide, bounced on its hinges, and crashed shut in her wake.

Elkan blinked after her for a moment. Finally he turned, to see Josiah and Sar watching him. “That didn’t go very well.”

Sar came to his side, bumping his head under Elkan’s hand. Elkan rested both hands on Sar’s neck, grinned ruefully, and shook his head. “One of these years I’ll learn to listen to my master. She really does know what she’s talking about. Well, what’s done is done. Here, Josiah, let me see what you’ve got. I think you’ve more than earned the rest of the afternoon off while I finish up my notes.”

Josiah bounced to attention. Finally, a few hours to himself. All this time they’d been in Shalinthan, and he hadn’t been anywhere close to their famous mines. He’d learned which road led to the gold mine and the largest iron mine. Perhaps he could find a way to slip inside and watch the miners at their work. He hastened to show Elkan all he’d done that afternoon.