Bound to Survive (The Magic Within Book 1) (3 page)

‘Maybe they meet as we do, to organise a way to get rid of the soldiers. Who knows what plans they may have thought up. Maybe we should speak to them,’ James said.

Christopher was unsure. He didn’t want his uncle to know of their plans. ‘Well, let’s think on it and maybe we’ll come up with some ideas before Sunday,’ he said.

‘What’s happening on Sunday?’ Peter thought he’d missed something in their conversation.

‘The doors on Jimmy’s barn are to be hung,’ Christopher said.

No one seemed to know this had been organised, so they planned to meet there. Peter, James and Christopher said goodbye and headed back towards the village. At the Gala house Christopher left the two brothers and headed home.

As Christopher walked along the road, he felt the peace and serenity that surrounded him. The moon was full and there was a chill in the air so he pulled his cloak around himself to ward off the cold.

Christopher sauntered up the path towards the house. In the window by the back door, Rose had left a candle lit. The light welcomed him as he approached and he smiled to himself. He loved his aunt and uncle. He entered the house and carried the candle to his room. As Christopher lay awake he thought about that night.
What were the men of the village up to?
Well one thing he knew for sure, he’d have to wait until Sunday to find out.

Many years ago when Gerard Antrobus was a young boy, he’d often sit and wonder what life had in store for him. His father, Lord Devon Antrobus, ruled the lands of Reist. The population was large but the land wasn’t as vast as the kingdom across the ocean. Still, their land was rich in produce and abundant in production. Farmers in Reist had no trouble when they grew crops, and they produced quality livestock. The seasons were kind and the rainfall was plentiful. The people lived in peace and harmony throughout the towns, villages and countryside. Trade was encouraged between all, even across the oceans in the lands of Solencia.

Solencia was much like Reist, only larger. They too were productive in all areas, from the cloth they wove to the production of cheese; the talents of its people were endless.

The people of both kingdoms were happy and content and each only retained a small garrison of soldiers, more for show than anything else, and they displayed their talents at Galas and special events. Large expanses of land and a Wizard’s Keep were the two things Solencia had that Reist didn’t.

The Keep was situated in the mountains of Canistar. Their peaks rose and fell abruptly as if they impaled the sky. The Dragon’s Jaw, the locals in the village fondly called them. Mount Bulog was the largest of the mountains in the formation. On a plateau nestled into the side of the mountain stood the Keep. It’d been carved from the mountain and no one could say for sure where it ended. The Keep was where the Wizards taught, lived and studied.

To be at one with nature was divine and should be held in the
highest regard
. This was their philosophy. To heal within nature’s realm was a special gift. Life couldn’t be extended or death taken away, but the gifts of the Wizards could help heal the sick or reduce one’s pain. The Wizards welcomed students who needed help to learn their craft. One Wizard’s gift may not be the same as another as all were individual and were treated accordingly.

Their talents ranged from prophecy, spells and incantations to visions and the ability to heal, and some were blessed with more than one gift.

Devon Antrobus had noticed something strange within his son. By the age of ten it was plain to see that the boy had some sort of gift. This appealed to Devon because he wanted to provide his people with a valuable resource for the future and if his son could nurture his gift, the kingdom would benefit from his rule. Devon spoke with his wife and she also agreed that for Gerard to retain his gift, he’d need to study at the Keep. Gerard was pleased with his father’s plan and he looked forward to the day he’d leave and travel to Solencia. So plans were made, Devon and his son would set sail and arrive at the Keep in Canistar, just after Gerard’s eleventh birthday.

The day arrived and the whole family was excited. Gerard packed his possessions and they travelled down to the docks, to board the
Merryweather
. The
Merryweather
was a fine ship and regularly sailed for trade and passengers. It would take two days until they anchored in dock again. Devon and Gerard boarded the ship and headed on to their quarters. Money allowed them to travel in the comfort of a cabin, while other passengers of less financial means settled for a place on the deck or down in the bow of the ship. As Gerard stood on the deck he searched the crowd below for his mother. He saw her waving goodbye and he smiled and waved back enthusiastically as the ropes were hauled in from the dock and the ship began her voyage.

Two days later the
Merryweather
approached the docks. Their journey across the ocean had been peaceful as the weather had favoured them, and it was afternoon when they disembarked the ship at the port of Fledgel.

Devon had organised a carriage to take them further inland to Canistar. They’d stop along the way as the rest of the journey would take almost a week. Gerard waited as his father spoke with an older man who loaded their bags on top of a carriage.

It was a fine carriage, constructed of sturdy Barrobourgh pine. The wheels were thick and strong and had fine steel rims that would take them over the roads on their journey. The carriage had been carved with ornate motifs and was a credit to the craftsman who built it. The windows had thick curtains to keep out the cold. A strong steel rack was set upon the roof, and Gerard watched as the man secured their luggage with rope.

The driver, Gustov was his name, opened the door while Devon and Gerard stepped into the carriage and took their seats and then he climbed to his own, on the outside. He gathered the reins and gave them a flick. ‘Yarh, on with you!’ Gustov yelled and the team of four horses worked together to pull the carriage forward on to their first destination.

Devon looked around inside the carriage, the seats were made from fine, thick leather and the floor had been polished with beeswax until it glistened and shone. The curtains were pulled back from the windows and enabled the passengers to view the scenery as they travelled along.

‘Son, this truly is a magnificent carriage. They’ve some very talented people in this great land.’

‘Yes, father, it’s a fine carriage. One certainly fit for a king,’ Gerard said.

They settled down in comfort and watched the town disappear as they travelled north through the countryside. Out on the road they passed lush, green fields of corn and further along they watched as a farmer and his workers harvested wheat. Out in the sunshine they stacked the sheaths into mounds while others loaded bundles on to wagons, to be taken to the mill. The grain would be ground into flour and sold to the people in the village. The workers in the field looked happy and waved as the carriage passed by. As they travelled further, Devon was impressed with the multitude of animals he saw grazing in rich green pastures and thought this land was a wonderful place for his son to be.

As the day drifted on they became tired after their long passage on the
Merryweather
and both father and son nodded off to sleep.

Gustov hauled on the reins as they neared the inn his travellers were to stay at that night. As the horses pulled to a stop the passengers in the carriage woke. Devon and Gerard rubbed the sleep from their eyes, straightened their clothes and, as they peered out their window, they saw the small inn. Light from the windows shone to welcome them to its cosy interior.

Gustov opened the carriage door for Devon and Gerard. ‘Sir,’ Gustov said. ‘We’ll be stoppin’ here for the night. Y’all be able to get a good meal here, sir, and a warm bed.’

‘Thank you, Gustov.’

‘I’ll be puttin’ the horses away and sleepin’ out back in the barn for the night. I’ll be here waitin’ for ya, sir, after ya mornin’ sup,’ Gustov said and then he led his team away.

Gerard walked up to the front door of the inn and opened it for his father. When Devon entered, he looked around and saw it to be a warm and cosy place with a fire at the far end of the room. Over near the hearth, chairs were placed for patrons to rest and warm themselves. The rest of the space was crammed with tables and benches and a young waitress bustled around the room with trenchers of hot food and mugs of ale. As she went by she called out to them, ‘Grab yourselves a table, gentlemen, and I’ll be there in a minute.’

Devon and Gerard chose a table over by the window. To their left was a long bar where an older man served drinks and a woman darted in and out from the back room with trenchers of food and placed them on the bar. The young waitress bustled back and forth as she delivered the hot dishes to the tables where the patrons waited. As she came over to their table she said, ‘Now you look like you’ve had a long journey, lovies. What can I get you?’ She smiled at them. She was a young girl, quite plump, and she had piled her hair up on top of her head. A few unruly strands had escaped and they hung at the side of her face.

‘We’d like rooms for the night, a hot meal and something to quench our thirst. Thank you, miss…’

‘Wendy’s me name, Sir.’

‘Thank you, Wendy,’ Devon said.

Wendy then went over to the man behind the bar and nodded in their direction before she disappeared into the back room. She reappeared not long after with two trenchers and a basket precariously perched on one arm. She took care as she walked over and placed the hot food and the basket piled with slices of bread and butter on the table. ‘Thank you, Wendy,’ Gerard said as he stared at the meal before him. He hadn’t realised how hungry he’d been until he’d smelt the food as they entered the inn. The trenchers were piled high with slices of roast beef, golden crunchy potatoes, carrots, beans and dumplings and all were smothered in thick dark gravy. Devon handed the waitress some coins and she went to the bar and returned with two mugs of spiced wine.

‘There you are, sir. Ol Ned will organise some rooms for you both. Just sing out if you be needing anything else.’

‘Thank you again, Wendy,’ Devon said and he gave her a coin for her help.

‘Much obliged,’ she said as she took the coin and bustled off again.

The food tasted good and as they ate they talked about their journey. The inn was noisy, people talked and clattered their mugs on tables. It was warm inside the inn and candles lit in sconces on the walls provided an intimate setting as the fire merrily flickered away in the hearth.

When they’d finished their meal they went and sat by the fire to warm their feet and rest for a while. The noise in the inn died down as the patrons left for home and Wendy was busy as she moved around the room and collected mugs and trenchers left on the tables. She bustled around and sang out goodnights here and there as she cleared away the evening’s mess.

Ol Ned came over by the fire. ‘Evening, Sirs,’ he said as he handed Devon two keys. ‘I’m Ned. So you’re just here for the night?’

‘Yes, we’re on our way to Canistar. My son Gerard here is to study at the Keep.’

‘Argh, a Wizard in training then you’ll be,’ he said and smiled at Gerard.

‘Yes, Sir. I’m looking forward to it.’

‘Good place Canistar, good people up there.’ Ned said. ‘Take care of all they do. My brother’s boy will head up there in a few years to study. Good people up there,’ he said again. ‘Well I wish you a good journey. Through that door over there,’ Ned said as he pointed to the door on the right side of the room, ‘be your rooms, the last two on the right. Sleep well, breakfast is at seven in the morning.’ He bid them a goodnight and sauntered back to the bar to finish his chores for the evening.

‘Father, I’m tired. I think I’ll go to bed. I’ll see you in the morning. Goodnight,’ Gerard said and he rose from his chair and yawned.

‘I’ll be off as well,’ Devon said and they both walked over to the door which led to their rooms.

‘Sir, you’ll need a candle. There are others in the room but take this one with you,’ Wendy said as she took a candle from a table nearby and handed it to Gerard.

‘Thank you, Wendy, and goodnight.’

Devon turned the key in the lock and they entered Gerard’s room. It was sparsely furnished but clean. The bed looked comfortable and next to it stood a chest, and a small dresser had been placed in the corner by the window. A pitcher and bowl sat on the dresser for washing and on the far side of the room was a door to the privy. Devon took a candle from the bedside and lit it for Gerard. He bid his son goodnight and took the candle that Wendy had given them and went to his room. Devon found his room was similar to Gerard’s, only set out in reverse so that the privies were next door to each other. Devon placed the candle on the bedside chest and then he turned the covers down on the bed. After he’d undressed, he climbed in and pulled up the covers. Devon blew out the candle, and as he lay in the darkness he thought of all they’d seen that day before he drifted off to sleep.

A rooster crowed and woke him early, so Gerard climbed out of bed. It was a cool morning and he wriggled his toes as they touched the floor. He walked over to the dresser and poured water from the pitcher into the bowl and had a quick wash as the water was cold. Gerard pulled on his trousers and he heard his father moving about in the room next door. He dressed and left his room to knock on his father’s door.

‘Yes?’

‘Father, I want to take a walk before breakfast. I’ll see you downstairs in a while.’

‘All right, Gerard, but don’t be gone too long. We’ll leave soon.’

When Gerard entered the main room of the inn he saw Ned and an older lady preparing the tables for breakfast. He bid them a good morning and went outside. The morning air was fresh and as he breathed the cool crisp air, his nose tingled. The road outside the inn was lined with trees and sheep grazed in the paddocks behind. Gerard was disappointed and he walked around the back of the inn. He saw the barn and thought he’d take a look inside. The door creaked on its hinges as he pulled on the latch. The horses were still in their stalls and they ate their morning fare as Gustov sorted through the harness and prepared to hitch them to the carriage.

‘Morning, Gustov,’ Gerard said as he walked inside.

‘Mornin’, Sir. What are you doin’ out here?’ Gustov said as he placed the harness down.

‘Oh I just thought I’d take a morning walk, but there’s really not much to see around here is there.’

Gustov rubbed the reins with a soft cloth to remove any grime from the previous day’s travel.

‘No not much to see here unless you like sheep, but as we travel another hour up the road you’ll see somethin’, lad.’