The Apprentice (22 page)

“I like
this,” Rowan commented. He held the blade out in front of him, enjoying the
feel of it. He felt as though he held something powerful. That was what a blade
was, after all. It was power.

“Good.
Then it’s decided. I will make you a long sword. I shall have to shape it so
that it is a more fitting size and length, but those are details I can deal
with myself. I have seen enough to know what you will need.”

Rowan
offered the sword back to Jared, who took the blade and returned it inside
along with the others.

“I have
all that I need from the two of you,” Jared said. “I have another sword to make
now, so I must return to my work.”

“Thank
you,” Rowan said, bowing to the smith.

“If it
had been anyone but your master, I would have refused them on the spot. As it
is, you should consider yourself lucky. I am a master and my services are in
constant demand. Baird was good to ask for this, to ask for me. You will have a
great blade.”

Jared
turned away from Rowan to address Baird.

“Just so
you know, I consider my debt to you more than paid.”

Baird
nodded and handed his friend a pouch filled with coins.

“As
payment for the work,” he said.

Jared
took the money and returned to the inside of the shop. “I will come and deliver
the sword personally when it is complete.”

*           *           *

The
days after visiting the forge were trying for Rowan because of the
anticipation. He expected Jared to forge his blade that day and present it to
him the next. That did not happen.

“Jared
is a master smith,” Baird told him. “He is called on often and he has much to
do. Jared always takes his time when forging a blade. He will work on it when
he is able to give it the attention that it requires. Be patient.”

The
words were easy to hear but hard to follow.

Rowan
understood that he was not the smith’s highest priority. In fact, it was likely
that the coin Baird had given the smith was far less than would have been asked
of anyone else. He knew that he should be patient and wait, and he did.

But it
was difficult.

During
the days, Rowan shadowed Baird as he worked. The evenings were often spent
practicing anything from archery to wrestling, though they often focused on
swordsmanship. Baird would lead Rowan through the sword dance, showing him
newer and more difficult forms that could be added to create a strengthening
exercise.

They
continued to hold sparring sessions every night, although Baird insisted that
they use dulled practice blades so that Rowan could get used to the full weight
of a sword. The blades were made of metal and felt every bit as heavy as the
real ones that Rowan had held at the forge.

They
were much heavier than what Rowan was used to and he struggled to practice with
them.

More
than once they were joined by Princess Elizabeth. It was those occasions which
Rowan found the hardest to deal with.

He felt
that after their encounter during the feast they had developed what he
considered a mutual understanding. They were able to tolerate each other’s
presence, but Rowan still felt awkward around her and preferred when she was
not around.

It was
not until the week’s end that they received word from Jared.

It was
well past midday and Rowan had just begun sparring with Baird. To his
annoyance, the princess had chosen to watch the two of them fight, and several
guards had joined her. The soldiers were quiet, making comments at the
appropriate times, but their presence was unnerving for Rowan. He disliked
being watched.

The
princess was not helping either. She would openly cheer for Baird during the
match, distracting him and making it difficult to focus.

“Sir
Baird!”

The
soldier’s call broke Baird’s concentration, almost allowing Rowan to land a
blow. But his master was quick and a very skilled swordsman. Rowan’s blow was
parried and Baird disengaged and retreated, calling a halt to the duel.

Rowan
straightened and pulled off his training helm. When using the blunted weapons,
Baird insisted on wearing protective armor. Rowan accepted. He wore a helm and
shoulder plates, wrist guards, and a light cuirass which he shrugged out of.

“What is
it?” Baird asked. He too had shrugged out of his cuirass.

“Sir.
You have a message from the blacksmith Jared. He waits for you at the front
gate.”

“Thank
you for the message,” Baird said. He turned to Rowan. “I think that’s enough
sparring for now. Shall we go and see what Jared has brought?”

“Yes,”
Rowan said, putting the practice blades away.

He was
anxious to see what the sword would look like, but he was also afraid that he
might not like it.

What
if it doesn’t fit me?

“I will
come with you,” Eliza chimed in, making it known that she would not take no for
an answer.

Rowan
could not think of any reason that the princess should not be allowed to come,
but he felt that this was a moment to be shared between him and his master.

“Eliza,
this is something that is meant to be between Rowan and myself. It is for him
to decide whether or not he is willing to share the moment with others.”

Eliza
pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. On anyone else, the expression would
have been silly, but the young princess had an edge about her.

Baird
looked to Rowan.

“Are you
alright with Princess Elizabeth’s presence, or would you prefer to remain
alone?”

Eliza
indicated her displeasure with Baird for using her full name, but he pretended
not to notice.

Rowan
could tell that Baird was expecting something from him. He didn’t want Eliza to
intrude on this moment, but he couldn’t find any reason to justify her
exclusion and he didn’t feel that was what Baird wanted him to say. He was
silent for a moment as he was caught up in his decision, and then he thought of
things in a different way.

This was
definitely supposed to be something shared between a master and his apprentice,
but he felt that custom dictated that he pay his respects to royalty. The
decision was his to make, but as Baird’s apprentice he was serving the royal
authority. As the princess, Eliza was an inescapable presence in his new life.
He would have to get used to her eventually.

Understanding
what was expected of him, Rowan nodded.

“Eliza
can accompany us if she chooses to,” Rowan said with reluctance.

“Yay!”
Eliza squealed with joy, jumping up and down. Her actions were like that of a
child, though she was only a couple of years younger than Rowan.

“Let us
go. It would be rude to keep Jared waiting for us,” Baird said.

As they
walked off the field, leaving the soldiers behind, Baird spoke so that only
Rowan could hear his words. “That was a strong decision. Our choices tell us
who we are, and your choice reveals your maturity.”

“It felt
like the right thing to do,” Rowan said.

“You did
not have to let Eliza come with us. I would not have faulted you for denying
her. But I believe that you made the right decision. I am proud.”

Rowan
accepted Baird’s praise in silence.

“Do not
leave me behind,” Eliza called to Rowan and Baird as they walked. The princess
hurried to catch them, holding her skirts up so that she could walk quickly.

The
three of them made their way to the castle. Rowan and Baird allowed Eliza to
lead the way as she was wont to do. Even while wearing a dress, the princess
was able to move much quicker than Rowan would have expected.

Her
golden curls bounced as she walked, catching the light of sun. Princess Eliza
moved with a surety that was born into her, yet Rowan caught her glancing over
her shoulder to see that she was being followed.

They
reached the castle quickly and made their way through its halls.

“Who is
it we are going to see?” Eliza asked.

“My old
friend Jared has come to deliver something to Rowan. The two of us paid him a
visit earlier this week.”

“He is
the blacksmith? What is it that he is delivering?”

The
princess spared a glance at Rowan, though she did not speak to him.

Princess
Eliza continued to lead them through the castle halls, and Rowan followed
willingly. He could make his way about the castle, but not without help. He had
not yet spent enough time wandering the castle halls to know them all. Only the
ones that he frequented.

“You are
sure that you do not wish for any food or drink?”

“I am
well, Your Majesty. I thank you for the offer and am honored to pass the time
with you.”

“I will
not leave a guest to stand waiting, alone. Besides, I will enjoy seeing your
work when it is passed on.”

The
three of them entered the main hallway that would take them to the northern
grounds where the front gate was. As they walked into the hall, they found King
Alden speaking with Jared.

The
smith looked incredibly different now that his skin was not blackened by smoke
and covered in sweat. Both men stopped talking as Rowan and the others entered
the room. He wondered what the king was doing here.

“I’m
glad you two finally came,” Jared said, turning to face the trio. As he angled
his body, Rowan saw that he held a long box wrapped in some sort of fine cloth.
“And I see you brought the little princess along with you.”

“Father,
what are you doing here?” Eliza asked.

“I heard
that Jared had arrived, so I thought it would be polite to come and say hello,”
the king responded. “We began talking and then the three of you arrived.”

“Oh,”
Eliza responded, bored with her father’s response, but becoming excited as she
eyed the box the smith held. “What is that?”

“This is
what brought me to the castle, Princess. Unfortunately it is not for you. I came
to deliver this to Rowan,” Jared said, hoisting the box up into his arms. Rowan
watched with fascination as Jared pulled the cloth away and opened the case,
revealing a beautiful blade covered by an ornate sheath.

“It’s so
nice,” Eliza said.

“Yes, it
is,” Baird agreed.

“Take
it,” Jared said, holding the case out to Rowan.

Rowan
hesitantly lifted the sword from the box and took a moment to enjoy the feel of
it in his hands. In one hand he held the metal sheath and with the other he
gripped the hilt of the sword. He wrapped his fingers around the grip, almost
perfectly sized to his hand. Some sort of leather was wound about the hilt,
held in place by wire.

In a
single smooth motion, Rowan grasped the sheath and pulled the blade free,
gasping as he revealed a blade that was as black as night.

“How did
you—”

“I do
not know for sure why it turned out black, though I have an idea,” Jared said.
“I used the sky-fallen stone you once gave to me. It produced a surprising
amount of strong metal, which seemed as though it existed to be worked on. It
seemed fitting, as the blade is for your apprentice.”

Baird
nodded his assent. Rowan wondered what his master thought about the smith using
a gift to create the blade that he now held.

“I was
unsure of how the metal from your sky stone would work, but had it failed I
would have let it become the secondary forge, to be donated. Luckily, my
worries were not necessary and the work was suitable for a principal forge.”

“You
used a foreign metal to forge a blade? That is unlike you,” Baird said. “You
have always preferred to spend your time and effort to create a single,
superior product. If this had not worked, you would have had to forge a blade
anew.”

“I was
curious as to the outcome. This just happened to be an opportunity to work with
the metal you gave me.” Despite his words, the smith sounded as though he truly
had been invested in his work. It showed in the way he watched the blade in
Rowan’s hands.

“I did
not intend for it to appear as it does, but I think it came out beautifully and
there is nothing wrong with the metal. In fact, it seems to be stronger than
normal steel. It will not wear as easily as a normal blade, though I would urge
you to tend to it often. This blade is unique, forever marked as yours.”

Rowan
held the sword out, feeling its weight. It had the weight of a true sword, but
at the same time it felt light in his hands. Light enough that he could wield
it with a single hand if he wished.

“I made
the blade lighter than most, though it still has enough weight to give power to
its blows,” Jared said. “You have a very unique style of swordsmanship, so I
tailored the sword to it. The grip is a hand and a half and the blade itself is
just slightly shorter than others so that it can be used primarily with one
hand, but can be gripped with two if you need to.”