Ascendant (14 page)

Forne sprung
to his feet, with uncharacteristic excitement.
“
You met Lord Salva
’
s servant? Pray tell, what
is he like?
”

“
An ignorant farm boy, why?
”
Kyre draped the tunic
over the back of a chair.

Forne sat back
down. He could see he had work to do.
“
Ignorant
farm boy he may be, but Koren Bladewell is the boy who rescued princess Ariana.
In the course of one morning, he scared away a giant bear, saved her from
plunging over a waterfall, and held off a troop of bandits by himself.
”

Kyre was not
impressed.
“
And
in the afternoon, did he slay a dragon and defeat Acedor
’
s army?
”
He remarked flippantly.
“
This just a silly rumor.
”

“
Sit down, Kyre.
”
Forne said in a flat
voice. There were times when Kyre was the heir of Burwyck province, and other
times he was a spoiled, arrogant boy. And times when the spoiled boy part of
him threatened his own inheritance. This was exactly the sort of situation Duke
Falco expected Forne to handle, to guide his son.
“
It is not just a rumor, I
have heard from good sources that what the
rumor
says is true. This boy
Koren saved the life of our crown princess, even if the entire story isn't
true. If you had been paying attention to me, or what is going on at court, you
would know that Lord Salva was impressed with this ignorant farm boy, as you
described him, and asked the Regent to appoint him as the wizard
’
s personal servant. You
would also know that princess Ariana considers Koren to be her  hero.
”
Forne paused.
“
Now that I think of it, I
don
’
t know why
Carlana didn
’
t
grant the boy a knighthood, at least. That is curious, very curious. I shall
have to make inquiries around the court. I have heard that, while Koren
recovered from his wounds in Duke Yarron
’
s
castle, he and Ariana spent much time together, and now they are quite
inseparable. He rode here from LeVanne in the royal coach.
”

Kyre sat down,
chastened. Like all eldest sons and daughters of the Dukes who ruled Tarador
’
s seven provinces, Kyre
had on his eleventh birthday been sent to spend four years living at the royal
palace. The custom was intended to ensure the future leaders were raised to be
responsible, experienced, and loyal to the crown. There was also a darker
purpose; while at the palace, they were hostages in case their parents had any
ideas of overthrowing the ruling king or queen. Kyre
’
s father had high hopes,
as did the other six Dukes, that his son would marry Ariana someday, and toward
that end, Kyre had been instructed to become close friends with the crown
princess. So far, Ariana had been civil and polite to Kyre, but no more.
“
I should make an effort, a
strong effort, to become friends with this Koren? If he thinks well of me, and
speaks of me to Ariana-
“

“
Exactly, young Sire.
”
Forne tactfully agreed
with the obvious.
“
And
something else, which can be worked to our advantage-
“

“
You mean
my
advantage, Forne.
”

Forne bowed
ever so slightly; barely enough to show the respect due to Kyre as heir to the
dukedom, not so much as to imply that Forne felt any more respect that he was
obliged to.
“
The
advantage of the Falco
’
s,
young Sire, I live to serve.
”

“
Go on.
”

“
Rumor has it, and my
source on this is always accurate, that Koren was abandoned by his parents.
”
Forne laid out the story
of the Bladewell
’
s
banishment from Crebb
’
s
Ford, and how his parents drove away in their wagon, never to return.
“
My source tells me Koren
blames himself for his parents abandoning him, that if he had not caused them
so much trouble, they wouldn
’
t
have been forced to leave him alone in the wilderness. In the long term, Sire,
it would be best if Koren were not here to be Ariana
’
s friend, so that she
would have to turn to someone else for friendship. If Koren could be convinced
that him  being a jinx is a danger to Ariana, or that Carlana will throw
him out on the street once she grows tired of the boy-
“

“
I understand, Forne.
”
Kyre said with a wicked
smile.
“
My
father was wise to send you here to serve me. Now there is only one problem you
need to help me with.
”

“
What is that, young Sire?
”

Kyre didn
’
t quite know how to say
it, couldn
’
t
believe he would ever in his life have to say such a thing.
“
How does one apologize to
a common-born servant?
”

There was a
pounding noise coming from the heavy wooden door at the base of the wizard
’
s tower, three floors
below where Koren had set down his satchel.
“
Hello?
”
Someone was shouting, although to Koren
’
s
ear, it sounded like
‘
Huhloo?
’

Koren walked
back to the stairway, and leaned out the narrow window to look down. There was
a boy, a little older than Koren, dressed in faded, well-worn clothes, and a
type of cloth cap that Koren had noticed many of the servants wore. Koren
couldn
’
t decide
if the boy
’
s
hair was a dark blonde, or a light brown, it was mostly tucked under his cap.
“
Hey down there.
”
Koren called out, since
he didn
’
t know
what else to say.

“
Hey yourself. Is that you
up there, Koren?
”
The boy asked, although Koren at first didn
’
t realize what he
’
d said, for the boy
’
s accent was so strong
that what Koren heard was something like
‘
Ay
y
’
sell, izzat
you uh thur, ko-en?
’

“
Uh, yes?
”
Koren guessed, still not
sure what the boy had asked.

“
You going to let me in? I
ain
’
t got all
day, you know.
”

This time
Koren figured, more from the fact that the boy was standing at the door than
from his words, that he wanted to come into the tower. Koren hesitated. The
tower didn
’
t
belong to Koren, he didn
’
t
know who else was allowed inside.
“
I
’
ll be right down.
”

As he hurried
down the stairs, Koren could hear through the windows that the boy outside was
talking, either to Koren, or to himself. It sounded like
“
Be right down, he says,
like him
’
s
royalty and me sitting here cooling my heels, sure, why not, I can just stand
here until the sun goes down, nothing else to do with my time- hello!
”
The boy exclaimed as
Koren pulled the heavy door open.

“
It wasn
’
t locked.
”
Koren announced
defensively.

“
And I
’
ll not be going in where I
’
m not invited.
”
The boy said indignantly.
“
This here
’
s your tower to take care
of, got enough work, more than enough work, for myself. You can have this dusty
old tower, with the weird goings-on in here, strange lights, and explosions,
and smoke and mist coming out the windows all day and night, it
’
s like to give any honest
person the creeps, I say.
”

Koren gaped,
he
’
d never
heard anyone talk so much without pausing for breath.
“
Uh, hi? I
’
m Koren, Koren Bladewell
of the Crickdon Bladewells, Winterthur province.
”
Koren announced, assuming from his
conversation with Kyre Falco that family name and origins were the usual form
of greeting in the castle.

“
And Cully
’
s my name.
”
The boy snatched off his
cap and bowed mockingly.
“
Oh,
the
Crickdon
Bladewells," Cully said, "everyone knows how high
and mighty those Bladewells from Crickdon are, compared to the other no-account
dirt farming Bladewells everywhere else. Pleased to meet you, your lordship.
Cully Runnet, of the Runnets round here, least, round here the past few years.
Before that, round anyplace my Ma and Pa could find work.
”

Koren
’
s face was red.
“
I didn
’
t mean- I
’
m just Koren. Lord Salva
’
s new servant.
”

“
I knows who you are, I got
ears, I hear things. You can call me your official welcoming party of one.
”
Cully jerked his thumb
back over his shoulder, toward the palace.
“
I work in the hospital, mostly, sometimes in
the kitchens, if they need help. My Ma
’
s
a physician in the hospital.
”
He looked down at the bundle in his other hand, and gesture for Koren to move
aside.
“
You
gonna block the door all day?
”

“
Oh, I, uh, I don
’
t know if I
’
m supposed to let people
in.
”

“
Oh, bah!
”
Cully elbowed his way
past Koren, and headed up the stairs like he owned the place.
“
Been here enough times
myself, bringing firewood and whatnot to the master wizard, you think he
fetched his food and firewood and whatnot by hisself? The court wizard?
”
Cully shook his head at
Koren
’
s
ignorance.
“
Like
as not, he
’
d
cast a spell and turn a toad into a servant to fetch his things. Or you into a
toad, if you
’
re
not careful, and don
’
t
keep your nose clean and out of trouble, you hear me?
”

Koren
swallowed hard.
“
He
can do that?
”

“
Seen it myself, I have.
”
Cully declared, and Koren
didn
’
t know if
he was joking or not. When he reached the landing on the third floor, Cully
pushed open a door, went inside, and set down his bundle.
“
This be your room, I
expect.
”
The
room was small, although bigger than the room where Koren had slept in his
parent
’
s home
in Crebbs Ford, and there was a window, a wooden chest, and a bed frame with ropes
for a mattress, and a small fireplace.
“
This
here,
”
Cully
nudged the bundle with his foot,
“
is
clothes for you, and bedding,
”
he bent down to unwrap the bundle,
“
and
lunch for both of us.
”
The lunch was several loaves of good, crusty dark bread, and cheese, and a
smoked sausage, and two ripe apples.
“
It
’
s not much, but-
“

“
Not much?
”
Koren exclaimed.
“
It
’
s a feast!
”