[FY/PR] Duality Ch. 1-6 Up (UPDATE! 10-20-07)

[Leavaros]

Chapter 2: Big City Life with Master

VelArian
~~~~~

And so, a few days later, we left Treehaven and went to the largest nearby city, called New Cuiet. When I asked where Old Cuiet was, Nova laughed, like it was a grand joke, and said, "Right beneath New Cuiet", and muttered something like "And questions" under his breath and chuckled. I didn't understand then, but later, I would learn that that was what Cuiet meant, that is "and questions", loosely translated.

I took to the big city with the awe of a young boy. There were always parties going on, and interesting people, and things like salted fish from the Southern Sea, to Mountain Cat pelts from the far north. And the people were as diverse as their goods, tribal folk with tattooed faces and tall, pale folk from the northern forests, and even a few western Swordsman wearing topknots and long, skinny blades.

Master, as I came to call Nova, didn't care for it much. He said not to make eye contact with people and to watch my steps and, no, you can't have a honey bun--and, oh, very well, but only one.

But he always smiled a little, like it was all a game. And maybe, for him, the fact that I could smile, and eat honey buns so soon after my parents' death did him good. But I think he always liked children, and liked seeing kids smile at him and ask for sweets. He always was too soft for his own good.

That first night there, we stayed in one of the quieter inns, much to my dismay, and Master managed to flirt with the pretty redhead who brought us our dinner and refilled our drinks--warm wine for him and goat's milk for me--while also teaching me my first lesson in lettering.

He wasn't a patient teacher, and swore when my letters came out squiggly. He switched me from good paper to something coarse and off-white, probably refined bark from some tree, and even then, I had my suspicions that I was his first student. What I didn't have was the tact to keep that to myself, and he looked at me, shocked, before finally telling me to work on the word "magic", and to work on the curve of the third letter, and getting up to talk to the waitress.

I think that was the first time I had ever hurt Master's feelings. I felt terrible, and worked harder than I would have on that third letter, because afterwards, he laughed at me, because my that third letter was much better than any of my others, and he looked at me as if he had never seen me before, like an new stick that had some promising characteristics. He held my gaze for a moment, before deciding something, like whether to make me a staff or a wand or a broom.

Then he sighed, and I laughed, and we went up stairs and fell asleep on the hard, wide cot, exhausted from our travels and warm wine, and warmer milk.
~~~~~

Love and Vale,
-LD  

[Leavaros]

VelArian
~~~~~

It was three days later when I met Jarid.

We were out in the marketplace, and Master had just bought a honey bun for me, when he saw a store featuring magical items. We went in, and to a tray of oddly assorted jewelry. Master asked too casually, "Which one do you like best, boy?" I looked around and pointed to a necklace with a purple gem. In later years, I would have known that the deep color and smoothness of the gem spoke of its high quality, and that the silver it was laid in was fine, and complemented the stone well. But, in all honesty, I just thought it sparkled prettily and couldn't take my eyes off of it.

"He's got an eye for quality, he does," the shopkeeper cooed from behind. "Why, that's my best Diviner's pendant!"

I thought that Master gave me a judging look, and then it was gone, but his smile was just a tad bit warmer when he said, "Yes, yes he does, doesn't he?" He turned to face the man, and then swore. "Damn, Jarid! Is that really you? How's your old master doing?"

Jarid was not heavy like most shopkeepers, not at all. He moved with the fluid grace of a warrior, not the saunter of a mage. His reddish brown hair was tied back in a tail that oddly made him look more masculine, not less. His hunter green jerkin, dark brown pants, and softer brown doeskin boots made him seem more ranger than shopkeeper, but also made his already green eyes shine brighter. The air around him seemed to crackle with energy, even as his easiness of conversation made it invigorating rather than threatening. I quickly picked up the conversation. "...just doing his usual stuff, maintaining balance and all that buisness, trying to figure out why things are how they are, and tinkering with potions again. Uncle, I honestly don't know why he became a mage, if all he's going to do is meddle into the sciences."

Wait...uncle? I looked between them, and sure enough, the family resemblance was strong. Jarid had his Uncle's nose, and jawline, and perhaps in twenty or so years, he would have the same steel gray hair, though Master always kept his a little longer than shoulder length, and down. Even with age and a generation separating them, and even though Jarid's eyes were green and Master's were blue, the light in them was exactly the same, electrifying and intense, but not threatening like it might be in other men. Even clad in a light blue robe and a hunting outfit, it would be impossible to mistake those eyes.

"Well you know, the sciences and the sorceries are not so very different as you seem to believe, nephew." Master replied, then coninued heavily, as if against his will, "Though I've tried to get my brother to do more concerning his own field, and less in others."

"That you have, Uncle, that you have." He said with finality, and then turned those eyes onto me, but he smiled warmly and asked, "Who is this? Is he a new apprentice? He is, isn't he? Hm." He thought a moment. "Where did you find him? He seems very strong. How much did the parents pay you?"

"One at a time, Jarid." Master thought for a second, and seemed to come to a conclusion. "Yes, he is. I found him outside the Vale. His parents were...." He dropped off, so I finished for him--

"Dead."

"Oh." Jarid looked at Master in a mixture of pride, pity, and wistfulness. "You know, you can't keep a home for every orphan in the world, Nova. I see why you took this one, but you're really going to have to stop this soon--you're getting too old to be taking on new apprentices."

"Spare me this again, nephew of mine. I take on apprentices because I'm getting old. I can't waste even a moment, and a child like this doesn't come along too often. He's bright and thoughtful and quick to learn." I chose that moment to ask if I could have another honey bun, and Jarid laughed. "He's got an appetite, too, and I suspect his new wardrobe is going to put a hole in my budget. And he's about the most stubborn child I've ever met." But he said that with warmth, and I knew that I'd already wormed my way into his heart, and looked at him with wide eyes and a quivering look, and he finally let out a huge sigh and told me that yes, another, after lunch though, he didn't want to ruin my appetite.

"Just like his Master had been, I'm sure. Before you go, take this." Jarid had put the necklace I had chosen earlier around my neck. "That's better. Oh, look, his eyes have flecks of purple in them, isn't that unusual?" Master tried to deter him, and failed terribly. I had to admit, I was kind of glad--the necklace felt cool and light on my skin, like it was meant to be there. Jarid finally told his uncle that if he really wanted to repay him, to go to Jenny the Seamstress a few doors down and get this boy a new purple robe to match the necklace.

As we turned to leave, Jarid stopped him, and gave him a fierce bear hug. I swear I remember hearing the old man's back crack. "I've missed you, Uncle. Stop by again, won't you?" I couldn't tell if Master was smiling or wincing as he said he'd try, so long as he didn't try and break his back next time. Jarid gave me a final look, and I think I saw hidden joy for his uncle in me, and I thought he wouldn't say anything. Then: "What is your name, little one?"

Master looked as if he'd just been hit. Disbelief showed in his eyes, and then worry at my answer: "Mister Jarid, I don't remember."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room until we left.
~~~~~

Love and Vale,
-LD  

[Leavaros]

VelArian
~~~~~

Despite being here before, Master found someone with directions towards a good eating place, a portly man in red who happened to be selling charms, for wealth, luck, and attraction. I was getting the suspicion that Master was once again "multitasking" as he haggled and ultimately bought one of the latter, which was supposed to be rather potent, and asked the man where we could find a good meal that wouldn't rob a man blind or poison him. The merchant in turn pointed with one bejeweled finger outwards, and rattled on about Gina's Kitchen, which just had the best fruit dishes in all of Cuiet, and very affordable prices. I was beginning to wonder if Master's mind was starting to wander, or if he just liked talking to people.

When I asked him--with much more tact than last night, I didn't want to hurt his feelings again--he gave me an answer I didn't expect. "Well, boy, these cities are always changing--it's always good to know who's who and where everything is, and it can never hurt to make a new connection, or see where people's alliances lie. Besides, people like it when you take an interest in them, and you can catch up on a lot of gossip just by chatting. Important gossip." He said, like there was no paradox to his words, and when I asked him about the charm, he smirked, and I had my suspicions confirmed. "Well, I know a bargain when I see one, gossip or not. And if you become a usual customer at places, you can get a lot more than a discount--important things leak out of merchants, you know."

"And what did you learn this time, Master?" I questioned him with genuine curiousity.

"I learned where a nice sounding lady sells fruit dishes for lunch," He said with a smile, and stuck the pendant through his robe, the pinkish gem actually looking rather nice against the pale blue robe.

I sighed. My master and his multitasking.
~~~~~

Love and Vale,
~Leavaros Dapple  

[Leavaros]

VelArian
~~~~~
When we got there, both of us were hungry. We sat down at a little table and soon after, a kindly-looking woman in her mid-thirties came out to greet us. "Hello, I'm Gina. What would you like for lunch?"

"I'm Nova, and this is my young apprentice, who seems to have forgotten his name--though I can't blame him, really, for I'm sure any man would forget his name around such a pretty young lady."

Gina laughed, her eyes twinkling with merriment, and lines showed where she smiled, but strangely they made her seem younger, not older. "You are too kind to an old woman like me." She replied, but blushed a little, the pink in her cheeks complementing well her silver-streaked brown hair.

"Uh-uh. You are pretty, in a unique way." I said with the big grin of a child, and she laughed, and I didn't know why, so I just looked down.

"To think I'd be serving such a cute little boy and a dashing old man today! It's a pleasure, really." She said sincerely and ruffled my hair a bit. "I'll be right back."

"You're a born flirt, boy! That was absolutely wonderful!" Master praised me quietly.

"What?" I looked about, confused. "I was honest. She really was pretty, but not like a girl, she was pretty like...like Mother."

"I see." Master said quietly. "Listen, boy, I don't think you reailzed it, but you just made that sweet young lady's day. She'll be humming for a while about this, and it's because of you. You're a little ray of sunshine today, you know that?"

...Sunshine, my only sunshine,
You make me happy,
When skies are gray....

"I'm back, this is our most popular dish right now, melon and honeydew cubes with halved strawberries and blueberries and blackberries, with cream on top--" Miss Gina breathed in sharply. "Why are you crying, little one?"

My Master granted me a kindness and answered for me. "You remind him of his mother. She just passed away a week ago, back in the Vale fire, and I think the shock is starting to fade now, and I think I said something that triggered this and--wait, what are you doing?"

Miss Gina came around the table to hug me. At first I didn't know what to do, and then I grabbed a hold of her pink apron--and thank goodness she had an apron on, or she would have had a snotty dress--and I cried and cried for a long, long time, or so it seemed to me. When I had no tears left, I just sat there, sniffling. The sweet lady went away for a minute, and then came back with a third dish, and told one of the girls to take over if anyone else came in, and sat down and ate with us.

"I'm sorry, if this has been any trouble--" Nova began, but then Miss Gina interrupted, "No, not at all! I lost my mother when was young, too, and it's good to be there for somene else in a position like this, you know?" Master's eyes widened for a moment, and he nodded. "You'll come back soon, right?"

Master looked at me, and I nodded and hugged her, and she kissed me on the forehead and sent me on my way.

We dined there the next day, and for many days hence. We became regulars at lunch time, and Miss Gina and Master found out that they had a lot of things in common, and his interest in her really was unfeigned. Most of the time, she joined us for lunch there, and soon enough, Master had me doing my lettering lessons there, too, and everything was good.

Each day Miss Gina would tell me a new story, and each night, Master would teach me a new song about wizardry, and I loved it when he'd tell me stories of when he was young, and of his own Master. I loved it best, though, when the two of them would talk about the old days on those nights where her little cafe was empty and the fireplace was dim, and I could almost feel the things that they talked about.

I came to see that little cafe as my home, and when I told Miss Gina so one night, about two weeks after meeting her, tears shone in her eyes as she thanked me.

"I'm sorry, Miss Gina, don't cry, please! I'm sorry, okay?" I was frantic, but she shook her head.

"Some tears are shed in happiness, boy." Master said quietly, and then, after a moment said, "But I know what you mean--this,"--and here he showed a hand all around--"this does feel like home." And he looked right at Gina as he finished, and she hugged him tight to her.

And for a wonder, he hugged her back.

The next day, I made a decision. At Gina's I asked her to sit with us, and once she had, I told them that I had picked out a name.

"Well, and what is it, boy?" Master asked, and Gina laughed at his eagerness.

"Beryl. The luckiest boy mage in the whole world."

I was getting really good at making old people cry.
~~~~~

Love and Vale,
~Leavaros Dapple  

[Leavaros]

VelArian
~~~~~

Master told me that we had almost been there a month, and we could only stay for a little over a week. My pleading to let us stay fell on deaf ears and a sharp tongue. He told me, afterwards, that he didn't want to leave either, but that it was something that we just had to do. When I asked why and where we were going he grumbled, "You and your questions, boy!" But then answered, "We'll be going to other cities, I've work to be done, but by Wintertime, we should be at the Campus." When I asked him what that was, he glared at me, and I thought he wouldn't answer, but then said, "The Campus is where all mages--Magisters and Apprentices alike--belong to." I didn't understand what he meant, but wisely decided not to prod him for more information.

With only a week left, we had many errands to run. We went twice more to the shop that Jarid had been running, and on our last time, an older man, Master's brother, was there. I didn't like him at first--he smelled and looked greasy and his fat face almost hid his tiny eyes. But beyond all this, he had an air of good cheer and excitement around him at all times, and it made me if all of Master's family would make me feel giddy.

We finally got around to Jenny's, who was at first upset that a complete stranger knew her nickname, and then pleased that Jarid had sent his uncle there for clothing, and my, what a cute little boy he had! I didn't actually mind Jenny that much, she didn't impress me either way, but as any parent knows, trying to get a seven year old boy to try on a number of different outfits is a chore all on its own, regardless of his adorable little face.

We came out with a dozen new robes apiece, and Master thanked her profusely for her kind words and bowed deeply with a flourish--an impressive gesture when holding a number of clothes in hand--and we were off to another shop, with a cauldron on the sign.

Master went in and gave a big hug to a woman who looked to have no right wearing a Witch's outfit, so young and pretty was she, and when Master told her so, she just smiled and laughed, and threw back her long white hair. I took it that these two had known one another for a long time, because Master isn't a very huggy person, and because he usually cushioned his flirtations in a conversation. They chattered on about how they were, and what a cute little boy, and what a shame, that fire, and how they would both miss those apples and pears, and yes, Jarid was okay and his father too, and how was Nana, and....

I must have started staring off into space, because I startled at "Beryl!"

"Yes, Master?" I asked courteously, and the womans laugh was like the tinkle of wind chimes on our family's orchard's trees when a Spring breeze came by and rustled them, and....

A moment later, "Beryl, aren't you going to say hello to this fine young woman?"

And suddenly, I knew. "I'm Beryl. You're voice is enchanting, you know?"

Silence. Then laughter from both adults. "You're as bad as your Master, Beryl!" She said, but there was warmth to her voice, and I smelled apples in the warm air, and....

"No, really. Your voice is addling my mind." I closed my eyes and saw her whitish form behind my eyelids. I pushed at it, and it went away.

Silence. "He's very good, Nova. You've got a keeper there."

"Yes, Nina, I do. You really shouldn't wear such things," He said, a little too harshly, and then added more softly, "You could call unwanted attention to yourself. Be careful."

"I will, Nova." She said shortly, when a voice from the back called, "Nova? Is that you, you old buzzard? Get back here and say hello to me!" Nova gave me a look, apologized to the white haired girl, and then ran off to the back, calling to someone named Nana.

Nina looked at me with cool blue eyes, and asked what I knew about potions. I told her nothing, honestly, but I'd be more than happy if she could teach me the basics, and that all joking aside, she really was pretty, and that she didn't need charms and perfumes to make her pretty. That added a note of warmth to her gaze, after she looked at me levelly and found the truth in my words.

She entertained me with a song about warts and toads and toadstools and mushrooms and I laughed. I liked her, too, after everything was said and done, she wasn't such a bad lady. I learned later that she wasn't really fond of children, and that even to sing such a little song was for her very unusual.

When Master called me to the back of the shop, I knew it was important. That's where I met Nana, a toadish old lady with disorderly white hair and deep brown eyes. Those eyes widened at the sight of me, and I thought I heard her murmur something about my strength to Master. She gave me a look that made me a little uncomfortable, but returned to steadily, which seemed to please her. She tipped my head up a bit and asked me if I thought she looked pretty.

I looked at the floor and shook my head. Then I met her eyes again. "No. You look wise to me." She gasped, and Master brought a hand to his lips and swore quietly. Nana took me into her arms and held me, and she felt like ages to me, and I could feel her eyes widen as she reached into me without touch.

Finally she released me and searched my eyes. "What are you, child, that you should say such a thing to me?"

I knew what I had to reply. "I am my Master's Apprentice." And I thought I heard him choke back a sob, but I can't be sure. What I do remember is that Nana smiled at me, and her eyes twinkled with sentience, and she told Master that I may have any wood I chose in the store, free of charge, but for a return visit once my training had completed.

I looked through their woods, and found that I liked the birch the best, in color and feeling and weight, it was the perfect wood for me. Master told me that once we got to the Campus, and started my training, he would carve me a staff from it.

And that was that. Master left me at Gina's or a few days, saying something about an errand no child should go on, and left. When he returned he stank and his robe was charred, but he was all in one piece. We left the next day, after having a final lunch with the woman who had shown so much kindness to us, promising to come back soon.
~~~~~