The Errant Apprentice Book 2 Chapter 9

The Reward

The Reward

Terry stood outside the manor house with Arthur and forced himself to not fidget with his sword hilt. He wished he had his duster so he could shove his hands in the pockets. Instead, he shoved his hands in his pants pockets and fumbled with some pocket change he’d forgotten. It just didn’t feel the same. After dropping off Forte the thief and asking the guards to head to the den, he and Arthur had brought the acorn back to the manor of House Melwedge.

The butler, or manservant, or whatever he was, was an aged balding man that fit the stereotype of a stuck-up butler like water fit in a bucket. When he’d opened the door, Terry wasn’t sure the man’s eyes were actually open. His long nose was perfect for staring down and his clothing was rich and fine, but it was the kind of finery the rich found beneath themselves. He was also one of the tallest humans Terry had ever seen. He must have been nearly seven feet with no sign of orc or giant in his features. He stared at Terry and Arthur as if they were vermin. Terry found he’d rather still be talking with the thief. He also found himself becoming angry.

“May I help you?” the man asked and seemed to hope for “NO” as an answer so he could slam the door on them.

Arthur opened his mouth to say something grandiose to impress this kind of person, but Terry beat him to the punch.

“I’m Terry Lingal and I have your master’s heirloom. We’d like to come in and talk about reward. Or I can chuck it down a well we passed. It’s up to you.” Terry pulled the box out and bounced it on his palm. This man’s casual disdain and the opulent manor house was setting Terry off. Especially after the squalor they’d walked through to get there.

The man’s eyes finally opened. Terry had never seen eyes that shade of gray before.

“Don’t do that, you fool! I’ll take you to Lady Deliverance. Just come inside,” the man said, and stepped aside to allow them in.

Arthur shot Terry a look as he entered and Terry didn’t care. He wanted to be done with this and be on his way. Terry followed the old man in. The butler, Terry decided the man must be a butler with that vibe, quickly strode ahead of them and began walking at a pace they could match.

“This way,” the man said, and turned to lead them.

“What was that?!” Arthur hissed at Terry. “I never would have pegged you for being rude to anyone.”

“I don’t like this place or these people already,” Terry said quietly. “You saw the way people live out there. This guy probably personally throws away more food in a day than the rest of the city sees in a week.”

Arthur shook his head. “May the Greenman save me from the idealists,” he said. “Listen. You’re not going to change the world in one night so get down from your pulpit. Do what I do. Take the money and run.”

Terry didn’t like it, but the man was probably right. He looked around as the butler lead them to a sitting room and Terry admitted to himself it was a nice house. Polished wood everywhere. It was cozy for being a giant, generational structure. The butler opened the sitting room door and motioned for them to enter.

“Please wait here. The Lady Deliverance will be with you shortly.” He closed the door, leaving the two of them alone.

Arthur simply walked to a a couch and sat, but Terry paced the room, looking at everything. Trophies, heirlooms, prizes, paintings, it was all very impressive. It told the story of a House with past glories and a long history with this Empire of theirs. Terry could see the cracks at the edges though.

When Terry looked, he noticed Arthur watching him.

“What?” Terry asked.

“What can you gather about the people we’re dealing with?” Arthur asked with a smile.

“Well,” Terry began, “their either an old family with a long history of defending this Empire, or they want people to think they have one. They haven’t been doing well, but I think their fortunes may have improved.”

“What leads you to your conclusions, Terrance?”

Terry ran a finger along the mantle of the fireplace and pulled up no dust. He held it up for Arthur to see. Then he ran the same finger in a nook by the wall and held it up again.

“A relatively quick and recent cleaning. Dust in the least noticeable spots. They tried,” Terry said. Arthur clapped his hands together and opened his mouth to say something when a feminine voice from the door interrupted him.

“You’re right, young man. We did try.”

Terry looked. The woman who stood there was healthy, with dark hair and she’d be considered beautiful by most. She was probably a firecracker, judging by her expression. Her face was still and calm but her eyes were a fuse burning, and Terry didn’t think it had anything to do with him.

Arthur stood and spun to face her.

“Lady Deliverance, I presume?” he said, bowing. Terry shrugged to himself and bowed as well. No need to be that rude. Yet.

“And you are?” she asked and Terry realized his first impression on arriving in the Everywhen was right. He was hearing people in his own language and in accents he knew. Arthur sounded like he was from Mississippi. This woman sounded like she’d just come from Georgia during the Civil War.

“My name, my Lady, is Arthur Carmichael. I am a Tutor, and at your service. This,” he said gesturing to Terry, “is Terrance Lingal. A young hero from the wide world.”

“Really?” she said, eyebrows rising.

“Is it really that rare?” Terry asked.

They seemed to ignore his question.

“Jiles says you have something of mine?” Lady Deliverance asked.

Terry sighed. He didn’t know what he’d expected. He was still a commoner to these people. He reached into his back pocket and removed the box and held it out to the woman.

Her eyes widened and she slowly walked to him, hand extended. Before she reached him, a thought struck him.

“Do you know what’s in it?” Terry asked.

She glared at him, frustration obvious.

“Do YOU know what’s in it, MASTER Lingal?”

“Yeah. It’s an acorn.”

She lowered her hand and stared at him.

“You’ve opened it?” Terry nodded and her eyes went wide. “Can… can I see it?” she asked hesitantly. She stared at him in awe.

Arthur got a distant look in his eye as he searched his information and whatever he found surprised him. He watched Terry with interest and Terry had the feeling he was being recorded.

Terry had thought the acorn was a joke, or a trick for thieves, or maybe the box WAS the heirloom. Now he wasn’t so sure. He carefully opened the lid of the box and held it out to her.

Lady Deliverance reached out a trembling hand and plucked the acorn from it’s cushioned place inside and held it in both hands. From what Terry could tell, it was just an acorn. Maybe a large one, but an acorn nonetheless. The woman closed her hands around it, then closed her eyes. She was steadying herself, Terry realized.

“No offense, ma’am, but I’m confused.”

“At the founding of our House, a tree was planted,” she swallowed. “It was said that as the tree grew, so did our family and our fortunes. Two hundred years ago it was chopped down for an unobstructed view of the city.” Lady Deliverance looked disgusted.

Terry nodded. He thought he understood now. “And the acorn is from that tree?”

“It was the FIRST acorn of the tree,” she said.

Arthur took the tale up. “The acorn was kept by the family as an heirloom. Their prized possession. But also as a fallback. Something for if the worst should happen, such as lightning striking. Or fire.”

“Or hubris,” Lady Deliverance added.

“So why didn’t anyone use it?” Terry asked.

Lady Deliverance actually looked at him finally, and her nobility seemed to drop. She seemed much more human than she had when she’d entered the room.

“It was warded so that only the pure of heart could open it. A hero.” She looked at the painting of her ancestors that hung over the mantle. “We haven’t had anyone deserving of the name in centuries, Master Lingal.”

“Terry,” he said. “Just Terry.”

She looked at him confused. “Regardless, it would seem we have a hero in the world again. For this,” she said, holding her hands up with the acorn, “I thank you. Our fortunes have only improved through royal charity. I hope that this acorn can change that.”

Terry gave his head a slight shake. It made sense, to a degree. He was going to have to get used to a world that didn’t just have magic, but lived by it.

“Well, ma’am, I was happy to help,” he said. He thought he was, anyway.

“My father was chosen as Emperor last year. We’re well seen to here now, but the family has been cared for like a sick patient on their deathbed. Perhaps we can try to stand on our own now,” Lady Deliverance said. She gave him a meaningful look. “Is there any way we can repay you?”

Terry swallowed. “Well, there was mention of a reward on the notice,” he said, scratching the back of his head.

“And that’s all you’d ask for? The stated reward?” she asked, seeming legitimately stunned.

Arthur looked like his eyes were going to pop out.

“Yes, ma’am,” Terry said, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I’m on a quest and just need to be able to take care of my party until I find my Delores.”

At that, Lady Deliverance smiled. “It would be for a lady-love, wouldn’t it.” She shook her head. “I see. Well. I think we can come to some arrangement from the royal coffers . But if this quest you are on fails, or if you find yourself deciding to stay in the city, I’m sure I can find something very close by that would be a more suitable reward.”

They walked back to the inn, and Terry had a sizable money pouch tied to his belt under his cloak. Arthur was quiet and kept giving him looks.

“Just say it,” Terry said finally.

“You realize she’s a princess?” the old man asked.

“You didn’t seem to know that at the start.”

“Well, the Emperor dies so frequently that people have stopped paying attention, myself included. An Emperor is required on the throne, but as I said, it’s a curse. It was bound to fall to the Melwedge’s eventually. I suppose the more stable houses saw it as a way to be done with her father.”

“So what’s your point?” Terry asked, trying not to sigh, though he knew already.

“You know she was hinting at a betrothal? I know you’re alien to this world, but you can’t be that dim.”

“I already am,” Terry said. “Kinda. Basically.”

Arthur arched an eyebrow at him.

“Delores agreed to eventually,” Terry said. “And besides, I’ll never marry into royalty.”

Arthur shook his head. “I’ll never truly understand heroes. This Delores had better be something.”

“Of course she is. Have you ever been in love, Arthur?” Terry asked, suddenly curious.

There was a long silence after that and Terry thought he may have made a mistake, but finally Arthur answered.

“Yes, Terrance. I have. I fell for a young princess myself in my younger days. I fled the kingdom with her father’s guards on my tail. She died by my own actions. I have not attempted to return to the kingdom.”

Terry stopped and put a hand on Arthur’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can only imagine how you must have felt.”

Arthur wouldn’t meet his eyes. “It took a very long time to recover from that. I would spare you that if I could. Perhaps you should move on from this lady of yours.”

Terry pulled the man into a hug, and Arthur seemed to not know what to do with it.

“I’m trying to make sure it doesn’t happen. That’s why I have to find her,” Terry whispered. “If you could have, wouldn’t you have saved her?”

He stepped back from his hug and Arthur finally met his eyes.

“If I can help you avoid my fate, Terrance, I will.”

Terry clapped him on the shoulder and they continued their trip to the inn.