Kulgan bolted upright from his seat. What did you say?
I said, how would the boy have fared if no one had chosen to teach him?
Kulgans eyes seemed to lose focus as he stared into space. He began puffing furiously upon his pipe. After watching for a moment, Tully said, What is it, Kulgan?
Kulgan said, Im not sure, Tully, but you may have given me an idea.
What sort of idea?
Kulgan waved off the question. Im not entirely sure. Give me time to ponder. But consider your question, and ask yourself this: how did the first magicians learn to use their power?
Tully sat back down, and both men began to consider the question in silence. Through the window they could hear the sound of boys at play, filling the courtyard of the keep.
Every Sixthday, the boys and girls who worked in the castle were allowed to spend the afternoon as they saw fit. The boys, apprentice age and younger, were a loud and boisterous lot. The girls worked in the service of the ladies of the castle, cleaning and sewing, as well as helping in the kitchen. They all gave a full weeks work, dawn to dusk and more, each day, but on the sixth day of the week they gathered in the courtyard of the castle, near the Princesss garden. Most of the boys played a rough game of tag, involving the capture of a ball of leather, stuffed hard with rags, by one side, amid shoves and shouts, kicks and occasional fistfights. All wore their oldest clothes, for rips, bloodstains, and mudstains were common.
The girls would sit along the low wall by the Princesss garden, occupying themselves with gossip about the ladies of the Dukes court. They nearly always put on their best skirts and blouses, and their hair shone from washing and brushing. Both groups made a great display of ignoring each other, and both were equally unconvincing.
Pug ran to where the game was in progress. As was usual, Tomas was in the thick of the fray, sandy hair flying like a banner, shouting and laughing above the noise. Amid elbows and kicks he sounded savagely joyous, as if the incidental pain made the contest all the more worthwhile. He ran through the pack, kicking the ball high in the air, trying to avoid the feet of those who sought to trip him. No one was quite sure how the game had come into existence, or exactly what the rules were, but the boys played with battlefield intensity, as their fathers had years before.
Pug ran onto the field and placed a foot before Rulf just as he was about to hit Tomas from behind. Rulf went down in a tangle of bodies, and Tomas broke free. He ran toward the goal and, dropping the ball in front of himself, kicked it into a large overturned barrel, scoring for his side. While other boys yelled in celebration, Rulf leaped to his feet and pushed aside another boy to place himself directly in front of Pug. Glaring out from under thick brows, he spat at Pug, Try that again and Ill break your legs, sand squint! The sand squint was a bird of notoriously foul habits not the least of which was leaving eggs in other birds nests so that its offspring were raised by other birds. Pug was not about to let any insult of Rulfs pass unchallenged. With the frustrations of the last few months only a little below the surface, Pug was feeling particularly thin-skinned this day.
With a leap he flew at Rulfs head, throwing his left arm around the stockier boys neck. He drove his right fist into Rulfs face and could feel Rulfs nose squash under the first blow. Quickly both boys were rolling on the ground. Rulfs greater weight began to tell, and soon he sat astride Pugs chest, driving his fat fists into the smaller boys face.
Tomas stood by helpless, for as much as he wanted to aid his friend, the boys code of honor was as strict and inviolate as any nobles. Should he intervene on his friends behalf, Pug would never live down the shame. Tomas jumped up and down, urging Pug on, grimacing each time Pug was struck, as if he felt the blows himself.
Pug tried to squirm out from under the larger boy, causing many of his blows to slip by, striking dirt instead of Pugs face. Enough of them were hitting the mark, however, so that Pug soon began to feel a queer detachment from the whole procedure. He thought it strange that everybody sounded so far away, and that Rulfs blows seemed not to hurt. His vision was beginning to fill with red and yellow colors, when he felt the weight lifted from his chest.
After a brief moment things came into focus, and Pug saw Prince Arutha standing over him, his hand firmly grasping Rulfs collar. While not as powerful a figure as his brother or father, the Prince was still able to hold Rulf high enough so that the stableboys toes barely touched the ground. The Prince smiled, but without humor. I think the boy has had enough, he said quietly, eyes glaring. Dont you agree? His cold tone made it clear he wasnt asking for an opinion. Blood still ran down Rulfs face from Pugs initial blow as he choked out a sound the Prince took to mean agreement. Arutha let go of Rulfs collar, and the stableboy fell backward, to the laughter of the onlookers. The Prince reached down and helped Pug to his feet.
Holding the wobbly boy steady, Arutha said, I admire your courage, youngster, but we cant have the wits beaten out of the Duchys finest young magician, can we? His tone was only slightly mocking, and Pug was too numb to do more than stand and stare at the younger son of the Duke. The Prince gave him a slight smile and handed him over to Tomas, who had come up next to Pug, a wet cloth in hand.
Pug came out of his fog as Tomas scrubbed his face with the cloth, and felt even worse when he saw the Princess and Roland standing only a few feet away as Prince Arutha returned to their side. To take a beating before the girls of the keep was bad enough; to be punished by a lout like Rulf in front of the Princess was a catastrophe.
Emitting a groan that had little to do with his physical state, Pug tried to look as much like someone else as he could. Tomas grabbed him roughly. Try not to squirm around so much. Youre not all that bad off. Most of this blood is Rulfs anyway. By tomorrow his nose will look like an angry red cabbage.
So will my head.
Nothing so bad. A black eye, perhaps two, with a swollen cheek thrown in to the bargain. On the whole, you did rather well, but next time you want to tangle with Rulf, wait until youve put on a little more size, will you? Pug watched as the Prince led his sister away from the site of battle. Roland gave him a wide grin, and Pug wished himself dead.
Pug and Tomas walked out of the kitchen, dinner plates in hand. It was a warm night, and they preferred the cooling ocean breeze to the heat of the scullery. They sat on the porch, and Pug moved his jaw from side to side, feeling it pop in and out. He experimented with a bite of lamb and put his plate to one side.
Tomas watched him. Cant eat?
Pug nodded. Jaw hurts too much. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and chin on his fists. I should have kept my temper. Then I would have done better.
Tomas spoke from around a mouthful of food. Master Fannon says a soldier must keep a cool head at all times or hell lose it.
Pug sighed. Kulgan said something like that. I have some drills I can do that make me relax. I should have used them.
Tomas gulped a heroic portion of his meal. Practicing in your room is one thing. Putting that sort of business into use while someone is insulting you to your face is quite another. I would have done the same thing, I suppose.
But you would have won.
Probably. Which is why Rulf would never have come at me. His manner showed he wasnt being boastful, merely stating things as they were. Still, you did all right. Old cabbage nose will think twice before picking on you again, Im sure, and thats what the whole thing is about, anyway.
Pug said, What do you mean?
Tomas put down his plate and belched. With a satisfied look at the sound of it, he said, With bullies its always the same: whether or not you can best them doesnt matter. What is important is whether or not youll stand up to them. Rulf may be big, but hes a coward under all the bluster. Hell turn his attention to the younger boys now and push them around a bit. I dont think hell want any part of you again. He doesnt like the price. Tomas gave Pug a broad and warm smile. That first punch you gave him was a beaut. Right square on the beak.
Pug felt a little better. Tomas eyed Pugs untouched dinner. You going to eat that?
Pug looked at his plate. It was fully laden with hot lamb, greens, and potatoes. In spite of the rich smell, Pug felt no appetite. No, you can have it.
Tomas scooped up the platter and began shoving the food into his mouth. Pug smiled. Tomas had never been known to stint on food.
Pug returned his gaze to the castle wall. I felt like such a fool.
Tomas stopped eating, with a handful of meat halfway to his mouth. He studied Pug for a moment. You too?
Me too, what?
Tomas laughed. Youre embarrassed because the Princess saw Rulf give you a thrashing.
Pug bridled. It wasnt a thrashing. I gave as well as I got!
Tomas whooped. There! I knew it. Its the Princess.
Pug sat back in resignation. I suppose it is.
Tomas said nothing, and Pug looked over at him. He was busy finishing off Pugs dinner. Finally Pug said, And I suppose you dont like her?
Tomas shrugged. Between bites he said, Our Lady Carline is pretty enough, but I know my place. I have my eye on someone else, anyway.
Pug sat up. Who? he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Im not saying, Tomas said with a sly smile.
Pug laughed. Its Neala, right?
Tomass jaw dropped. How did you know?
Pug tried to look mysterious. We magicians have our ways.
Tomas snorted. Some magician. Youre no more a magician than I am a Knight-Captain of the Kings army. Tell me, how did you know?
Pug laughed. Its no mystery. Every time you see her, you puff up in that tabard of yours and preen like a bantam rooster.
Tomas looked troubled. You dont think shes on to me, do you?
Pug smiled like a well-fed cat. Shes not on to you, Im sure. He paused. If shes blind, and all the other girls in the keep havent pointed it out to her a hundred times already.
A woebegone look crossed Tomass face. What must the girl think?
Pug said, Who knows what girls think? From everything I can tell, she probably likes it.
Tomas looked thoughtfully at his plate. Do you ever think about taking a wife?
Pug blinked like an owl caught in a bright light. I . . . I never thought about it. I dont know if magicians marry. I dont think they do.
Nor soldiers, mostly. But Master Fannon says a soldier who thinks about his family is not thinking about his job. Tomas was silent for a minute.
Pug said, It doesnt seem to hamper Sergeant Gardan or some of the other soldiers.
Tomas snorted, as if those exceptions merely proved his point. I sometimes try to imagine what it would be like to have a family.
You have a family, stupid. Im the orphan here.
I mean a wife, rock head. Tomas gave Pug his best youre too stupid to live look. And children someday, not a mother and father.
Pug shrugged. The conversation was turning to provinces that disturbed him. He never thought about these things, being less anxious to grow up than Tomas. He said, I expect well get married and have children if its what were supposed to do.
Tomas looked very seriously at Pug, so the younger boy didnt make light of the subject. Ive imagined a small room somewhere in the castle, and . . . I cant imagine who the girl would be. He chewed his food. Theres something wrong with it, I think.
Wrong?
As if theres something else Im not understanding . . . I dont know.
Pug said, Well, if you dont, how am I supposed to?
Tomas suddenly changed the topic of conversation. Were friends, arent we?
Pug was taken by surprise. Of course were friends. Youre like a brother. Your parents have treated me like their own son. Why would you ask something like that?
Tomas put down his plate, troubled. I dont know. Its just that sometimes I think this will all somehow change. Youre going to be a magician, maybe travel over the world, seeing other magicians in faraway lands. Im going to be a soldier, bound to follow my lords orders. Ill probably never see more than a little part of the Kingdom, and that only as an escort in the Dukes personal guard, if Im lucky.
Pug became alarmed. He had never seen Tomas so serious about anything. The older boy was always the first to laugh and seemed never to have a worry. I dont care what you think, Tomas, said Pug. Nothing will change. We will be friends no matter what.
Tomas smiled at that. I hope youre right. He sat back, and the two boys watched the stars over the sea and the lights from the town, framed like a picture by the castle gate.
Pug tried to wash his face the next morning, but found the task too arduous to complete. His left eye was swollen completely shut, his right only half-open. Great bluish lumps decorated his visage, and his jaw popped when he moved it from side to side. Fantus lay on Pugs pallet, red eyes gleaming as the morning sun poured in through the tower window.
The door to the boys room swung open, and Kulgan stepped through, his stout frame covered in a green robe. Pausing to regard the boy for a moment, he sat on the pallet and scratched the drake behind the eye ridges, bringing a pleased rumble from deep within Fantuss throat. I see you didnt spend yesterday sitting about idly, he said.
I had a bit of trouble, sir.
Well, fighting is the province of boys as well as grown men, but I trust that the other boy looks at least as bad. It would be a shame to have had none of the pleasure of giving as well as receiving.
Youre making sport of me.
Only a little, Pug. The truth is that in my own youth I had my share of scraps, but the time for boyish fighting is past. You must put your energies to better use.
I know, Kulgan, but I have been so frustrated lately that when that clod Rulf said what he did about my being an orphan, all the anger came boiling up out of me.
Well, knowing your own part in this is a good sign that youre becoming a man. Most boys would have tried to justify their actions, by shifting blame or by claiming some moral imperative to fight.
Pug pulled over the stool and sat down, facing the magician. Kulgan took out his pipe and started to fill it. Pug, I think in your case we may have been going about the matter of your education in the wrong way. Searching for a taper to light in the small fire that burned in a night pot and finding none, Kulgans face clouded as he concentrated for a minute; then a small flame erupted from the index finger of his right hand. Applying it to the pipe, he soon had the room half-filled with great clouds of white smoke. The flame disappeared with a wave of his hand. A handy skill, if you like the pipe.