4. The Monster
Alchemy lessons with Lord Margen had become more and more tedious. It didn't help hat Lorlen wasn't interested in what was being taught, or the fact Margen had a lumpy mole on his eyelid. Every time he blinked it would be uncovered, only to have it wrinkle back around it. Akkarin had found it hilarious and frequently made fun of it all even after a light scolding from Lorlen. And now sat in his lesson, all he could think about was this mole.
"Poor little thing is suffocating." Akkarin had once exclaimed. Lorlen sniggered at the memory – only to have Margen, and his appearing mole, frown at him. He caught Akkarin grinning at him an Lorlen flushed in embarrassment. Trying to block out both the mole and Akkarin, Lorlen looked down at his desk and again tried to focus on the lesson.
"That man is a monster, isn't he?" Akkarin's voice said from behind him.
"How did you come to that conclusion?"
"Well first of all he makes us do all the little tests – which no other teacher does – and then he is all too serious. If he keeps up with all the frowning, his face will become like his mole!"
"Have you been sneaking wine into your rooms again?" Lorlen frowned at him.
"What do you mean again? Last time it was in your rooms!" Akkarin grinned at him.
"How can I forget that?" He replied dryly, "especially as your drunken antics got me into trouble!"
"There there my friend, it could have been worse. You could have had the monster on your trail." Lorlen just sighed at Akkarin. My friend is an idiot!
"Where are you going?" Akkarin said appearing beside Lorlen. Jumping in surprise, Lorlen wondered where he had been hiding this time. It had become a game to see how many times he could make Lorlen jump each day. Lorlen had managed to get him back a few times, but Akkarin seemed to know everything.
"I am going to class as you should be." Lorlen frowned at him.
"With the monster? I don't think so!" Akkarin grabbed Lorlen's arm and pulled him away from the University.
"We need to go to our lesson." Lorlen protested. However Akkarin's grip was strong and eventually Lorlen gave up. "Where are we going?"
"To the spring!" Akkarin grinned.
"But what if we get caught?"
"Stop worrying. I have a good cure for that."
"Not more wine!" Lorlen exclaimed.
"I actually was going to say I have taken a game up there – but now that you mention it, we do need wine up there!" Lorlen followed quickly as Akkarin formulated his little plans out loud.
"Look what I just found!" Akkarin exclaimed as he burst into Lorlen's rooms. Why does he keep doing that? Can he not leave me alone for five minutes!
"What is that?" Lorlen said from behind his book.
"Wine!"
"Wine? No! Not again!"
"Well I am going to share it with you this time." Akkarin said pulling two glasses from his robes.
"I don't want wine! I am trying to study."
"There is plenty of time for studying, and now isn't the time!" Akkarin said grinning mischievously. "Come on!" He grabbed Lorlen and pushed him out of the door.
"Where are we going now?"
"Well you would you rather us drink in your rooms?"
"No!" Lorlen replied hastily. "Not in my rooms."
"Then we are going somewhere people rarely go!"
"What have you found now?"
"You'll see." Akkarin said slyly.
After a long traipse through the University they appeared on the University roof. "Here we are!" Akkarin said proudly."
"I didn't even know you could go on the roof!" Lorlen said amazed, walking to the railing. Below them, magicians were wandering around either to the Baths, the Night Room or to their rooms. "We can't stay out here long.." Lorlen said worriedly, "there won't be any way of sneaking back in quietly."
"You worry too much my friend!" Akkarin said making the wine reappear. "Now time for wine!" He poured two generous glasses of wine and handed one to Lorlen, who had returned from the railings. "I got a good one this time," Akkarin said taking a gulp, "this is much better than the last bottle I found. That should be classed as poison not wine." Lorlen looked at his glass and the dark red contents. "You are supposed to drink it, not look at it." Came a comment from Akkarin. He apprehensively took a sip and was surprised at the sweetness. He took a bigger sip and found that he liked the taste, sweet with a slight tangy aroma. Before he knew it his glass was being refilled – although more of it seemed to be being poured onto him.
"Mind wha' you are doin'" He slurred annoyed at Akkarin.
"Stop moving the glass!" Akkarin exclaimed at him. "Now it's all empty." He said sadly, looking inside the bottle.
"Nooooo!" Lorlen cried snatching the bottle from him and tipping it up, "where did it all go?"
"You drank it all!"
"Bu' we can get more, can' we?"
Akkarin sat back and thought for a moment. "We could get some from the stores.."
"Of course!" Lorlen said amazed. "The stores!" He stood up, wobbling as his head spun round. "We should go now!"
Akkarin laughed at him tottering about towards the door. He jumped up, scooped up the empty bottle and glasses then joined his friend entering the University.
A little while later they were hiding around the back of the stores. "Is anyone coming?" Lorlen whispered loudly.
"Shush!" Akkarin laughed at him. He peered back around the corner and found it empty. "Quickly!" He said pulling Lorlen with him. Slipping in the door, Akkarin quickly lit a globe light and ducked behind a cabinet. "There should be loads of it round here somewhere." Akkarin said searching around.
"Over here!" Lorlen called from behind another cabinet. "There is lots of it here!" He grabbed a few bottles and stuck them in his robes, he grabbed a few more and eagerly passed them to Akkarin. "Let's go before anyone sees!" Lorlen giggled rushing off to the door.
"Careful!" Akkarin hissed at him, as he nearly knocked off various items from the shelves. Lorlen looked back at him innocently and grinned. "This time we are going to your rooms!" He said sneakily running off.
The next morning Lorlen didn't want to wake up. His head throbbed and his stomach eagerly wanted to expel its contents. Sending some healing energy to soothe himself, Lorlen tentatively opened his eyes.
"Good morning sleepy head." Akkarin chuckled, "did you have enough wine last night?"
Lorlen half groaned a reply, "I blame you!"
"It was your idea to pull out another five bottles from the stores, I would have only taken one."
"I still blame you." Lorlen said buring his face in the pillow he had on the floor.
"So you wouldn't like a glass of wine then?" Akkarin joked.
"No thank you!" Lorlen said firmly, glaring at him. As he went to put his head down, a small book caught his attention. He grabbed it and opened the worn cover carefully. As he read the first few lines, a grin appeared on his face. "You keep a diary?" He laughed. Akkarin jumped from the bed and swiped the book out of his hands.
"Nor for your eyes." He said slipping it into his robe pocket. Lorlen just smiled back mischievously.