Chapter 9: The First Lessons
Although some distance from the coastline, Surene nevertheless grew into the main city of commerce within Santeem's realm. If anything, the growing city became notoriously famous for the wide range of weapons available through the Santeem Merchant's Guild. It was said that as long as one had the right connections, one could find anything from wooden training staffs to magical blades in Surene. Where all of these weapons came from was a complete mystery, as most of the mining quarries in the Santeem Mid-Range were all but cleaned out of the useful minerals required to craft weapons of such quality. It was rumored the Kings of Santeem had hidden, foreign countries secretly supplying their country but no one could confirm it.
With so many fine weapons being sold along with ones of mediocre worth in many parts of the city, many different social classes were often forced to do business in close proximity. Peasants were shopping in stands right beside nobility and the aristocrats did not enjoy it. After many decades, the nobility finally appealed to the lord of Surene at the time, Lord Garan IV, about the conditions. After nearly five years of debate, Lord Garan IV finally decided to erect a barrier between the classes.
A giant, circular stone wall - later to be known as the Surene Wall - was constructed. The southern end of the wall fused into the massive Zenithian Temple of Surene, a playful irony devised by Lord Garan IV since class differences meant nothing in a place of spiritual enlightenment. On the outside, the smaller shops were forced to set up. Merchandise of lower quality would be sold in these stands, whether it was weaponry, clothing, or food.
Inside the Surene Wall lied the finer shops, where the quality of merchandise was far superior to the outside, such that only nobility could afford it. To keep peasants and other lowlife away from this side of the wall, the architects made it only accessible by going through a small gate to the left of the Zenithian Temple. Having no desire to waste guardsmen as gate watchers, Lord Garan IV had a Magic Door erected. These powerful doors not only used a standard lock but a magical one as well, a lock in which only a Magic Key could disenchant long enough to have the door opened. Since only powerful magic-users could manufacture the rare keys, the items were a pricey commodity, such that only the very rich could ever hope to afford them.
Whenever Alena would go on shopping exhibitions in Surene, she always made sure her father's Magic Key was in her possession. After all, the last thing she needed was to be associating with peasants in a crowded, noisy market. However, having left the castle unprepared, the princess could do nothing more than stare dumbfounded at the Magic Door in front of her.
"It's no use staring at it all day, Princess," Brey accused, becoming impatient with Alena's sulking. "You're just going to have to accept the fact you are going to have to shop at the peasant stands."
Alena sighed, slowly lowering her head. She turned to face Brey, who was leaning against a wall beside the tiny gate's entrance. He was not frowning at her but neither was he smiling. It was strange the way the old tutor had the ability to hide his emotions and sometimes it gave Alena shivers.
After a few seconds of silence, Alena sighed again and said, "Yes, you're right, as always."
"Good," the old tutor said, nodding once. "Now, if you'll follow me, I'll show you how to really have a fun time shopping!"
Alena followed Brey outside and the glare of the spring sun robbed her of her sight momentarily. She held her hand up to block the sun and gazed up at the clear sky. It really was amazing how fast the weather could clear up and cloud over in the fields. Being so close to the ocean side, the Santeem southern fields were used to such rapid changes of weather. Having remained inside a castle for most of her life, the princess was quite intrigued by such events.
She lowered her gaze and watched several people moving across the dizzying patterns of streets making up the city of Surene. While the Surene Wall was more or less centralized and packed tightly with merchant shops, the residential areas of the city were uncharacteristically spread out from the center. It seemed no one could stand living within fifty feet of another person, yet did not mind pushing and shoving each other in the city market.
"Coming?" Brey asked. Alena rubbed her eyes for a moment, then turned to face Brey before nodding.
She followed Brey past the front gates leading to the Zenithian Temple of Surene. The temple, raising high into the sky with several standard arches and V-arches criss-crossing the front entrance, was probably the second largest, single structure in all of Santeem, Santeem Castle being the largest. Even from far out in the farming fields surrounding the city, one could probably see the top spires making up the religious tower. Various statues, ranging from some of the more notable Zenithians mentioned in the Texts to gothic gargoyles, lined the many levels of the tower.
A few clerics were assembled on the massive staircase leading to the main hall of the Zenithian Temple and local townsfolk were rushing in and out of the enormous entrance as a giant statue of Master Dragon watched over them. Several clerics, priests, and even bishops could inhabit this temple for long periods of time. It was rumored pilgrimages would sometimes end here, although no one had ever seen several foreign Zenithists travel to this temple all at once in the last few centuries.
The temple was probably the main attraction of all of the Santeem country, a land known mainly only for farming fields and sheep and goat herders in the Santeem Mid-Range. Gazing at the imposing structure, Alena could only feel humbled to be near such a magnificent building. The pure, spiritual energy the temple radiated seemed to take a hold of the princess' soul and make her wish to bow down in reverence to the Zenithians and Master Dragon.
Brey, however, was indifferent to the massive structure. While he was very impressed by the architectural mastery of the building, the thought of so many people wasting their efforts on religious nonsense made his stomach churn. Hoping Alena would not become too subdued by the building's magnificence, the old tutor grabbed her arm and pulled her a little faster to the peasants' market.
Once past the massive Zenithian Temple, the Surene Wall continued to stretch out until it bent north, following parallel along the edge of a tiny, man-made stream.
The stream was nameless, and used mainly for sewage and other sanitary reasons. It was little wonder why Lord Garan IV had decided to set up the peasant market on this side of the wall, as the smell emanating from the stream was absolutely nauseating.
The other side of the small stream held several, rundown houses. It was clearly obvious the people who built these structures were not of high standing in Surene, therefore forced to build near the stinking stream with no help from professional architects. Alena did not focus too long on the scenery, though, as they had arrived at their destination.
The base of the eastern edge of the massive wall separating the classes of Surene held a large market. The sounds of merchants advertising their wares, mothers calling for their screaming children, live farm animals in cages screeching in fright of so many people, and several footsteps trotting on the ground made up the busy market.
"So, where do we go?" Alena asked evenly. Though she kept her voice calm, it was merely an act. The nauseous smell of the stream, the dizzying movements of the peasants, and the boisterous noise of the market were wrecking havoc on her senses.
"Just stay close to me," Brey replied without looking at her. The old tutor invaded the market, Alena rushing to keep close.
The couple passed by several people and shops, and the treatment the princess received from most people caught her by surprise. The peasants casually bumped, pushed, and shoved her as though she was nothing more than one of them. In any other case, these common people would stare and gawk at her presence, having never seen someone from nobility this close. Likewise, the merchants were shouting and screaming at her, attempting to draw her into their stands to sell whatever items they had. The merchants on the other side of the Surene Wall were always courteous to their customers, often keeping relatively quiet aside from presenting a price.
And all this was what Brey considered to be fun!
Eventually, after what seemed to be an eternity, Brey stopped and said, "Ah, here we are." They were standing just a few feet from what appeared to be a weapon store. Various clubs, swords, and whips hung on display off of rafters as a large man wearing the trademark green clothes of the Surene Merchant's Guild leaned against his table, waiting for a customer.
"Now," Brey said, turning to Alena, "you don't have to do anything much this time. Just follow my lead and watch what I do." Alena nodded, ready to observe. Brey nodded as well, straitened Alena's leather hat, and walked up to the merchant's table.
The merchant, upon seeing Brey approach his stand, quickly ran his hands down his shirt a few times to remove any wrinkles, then opened his arms wide, saying an enthusiastic, "Welcome! Welcome to Brian's Weapon Stop! How may I help you?"
"I'm looking for a fine weapon, my good man," Brey said. He pointed to Alena and added, "Something decent for my grandson here."
"Yes, yes, indeed!" Brian said, nodding. "Every young man should have a weapon to earn their manhood!"
The merchant turned to Alena and asked, "What sort of weapon do you prefer, my good man?" The constant referring to as a male was an uneasy feeling for Alena but at least the disguise was working.
However, Alena did not really know what kind of weapon she should use. Most of her combat training with Hun had been martial arts defensive and retaliation attacks. Never before had she used a weapon of any sort.
"I dunno," she said in the most masculine voice she could muster. "A sword?"
"Great choice!" the merchant said enthusiastically. "We have many fine copper swords here today!" Brian reached over and grabbed one of the many swords hanging from the display. He handed it over to Alena so she could give it a try.
Alena took the sword and held it in her right hand, trying to balance it for a strong yet comfortable grip. She took a few practice swings, imitating the slashes Cristo would sometimes show her. However, it was much more difficult than it looked. She found her swings extremely choppy and Brey found himself sometimes backing up a bit to avoid the wild strokes.
"Hhmm, I don't think the sword is really the weapon of choice for you," Brey said, stroking his white beard. He took the sword from the princess who graciously let him without any argument, and gave it back to Brian.
After studying the weapons the merchant had to offer, Brey finally said, "I think a club would be more your kind of weapon for now."
"The club?" Brian said, turning his attention to one of the many wooden weapons he had on display. The merchant's expression seemed to dishearten slightly but he was quick to recover. He took one of the clubs from the display and handed it over to Alena.
Alena took the heavy weapon and studied its craftsmanship before giving it a few practice swings. It had a good grip and was well balanced in her hands. She noticed the head of the weapon had several, small metal spikes jutting out, figuring she could tear off a man's face with a grazing blow. Swinging it a few times, Alena discovered much more success than with the copper sword.
"He looks like he could brain five kaskos hoppers all at once with that weapon," Brian said, smiling.
"Yes," Brey quietly muttered to himself, hiding his smile beneath his hand. After nodding to himself for a moment, the old tutor turned to Brian and said, "Yes, this will do. How much?"
Brian smiled for a moment, then replied, "That club is worth one hundred gold pieces!"
Alena stopped swinging, nearly dropping the club in shock. She never realized such a weapon could cost so much!
Brey, however, was undaunted, and evenly said, "I'm sorry, but I won't pay any more than five gold coins for this weapon."
"Five coins!" the merchant exclaimed. "A cypress stick isn't even worth that much!"
"Nor is a club worth a hundred," Brey countered, his voice still calm.
Brian's face seemed to contort for a moment but relaxed when he said, "Fine. You got me. I thought I might be able to pull a fast one on you but you're much too smart for that. The real price of that club is sixty."
"Five," Brey said again, his voice still even.
Brian's face contorted again, then calmed. He leaned forward, wrapping an arm around the old tutor's shoulder. "Tell you what," he said, giving a sly smile. "Since I was able to help you out, I'll give you the deal of the day. Fifty gold coins! Does that sound fair?"
"Five."
Brian seemed to nearly scream in frustration but was quick to keep his cool, knowing he could lose this customer if he lost it. Instead, he withdrew his arm from Brey's shoulder and firmly put both hands on his table. "Forty!" he said adamantly. "I cannot go any lower, or else I'll lose money."
"Tell you what," Brey said, unraveling his money sac from his belt. He reached into it and withdrew a handful of gold coins before scattering them across Brian's table. "I only have thirty gold coins on me. I'll let you have them all. Does that sound fair?"
Brian quickly counted the coins on his table before enthusiastically saying, "Sold!" He gathered up the money and tossed it into a small chest he had under the counter. Once finished, the merchant turned back to Brey and asked, "Will there be anything else?"
"No," Brey replied, tying his sac back to his belt, "I believe we have everything we need here for now."
"Great!" Brian said, smiling. "I'm glad I was able to help. Have a good day then!" Brey nodded and he and Alena left the stand to mingle back with the large market crowd.
Once they were a fair distance from the weapon shop, Alena turned to Brey and asked, "Why did you do that? You could have paid for this club at sixty."
"First thing you should realize, Princess, is merchants will always raise the price on a piece of merchandise if they can get away with it," Brey explained as they walked. "I'll bet this club doesn't even cost what I paid for it, and I probably could have gone lower. But I think I got the lesson across successfully enough."
He briefly paused, looking curiously at the princess. "Did you learn anything from that experience?" he asked. Alena nodded and was about to explain when Brey held up a knarled finger. "You don't have to tell me," he said, shaking his head. "I'll want you to show me what you've learned by doing it yourself sometime.
"But right now, we have a slight problem. My funds are running short and Cristo didn't really do all that good of a job in getting us much money for the feather hat I had him sell. Consequently, we only have a little bit of money left and we will be needing more to at least remain at the inn we are at."
"So what are we going to do?" Alena asked.
"We're going to get some money the old fashioned way, my dear Princess," he replied, giving her a devilish grin. "We're going to hunt for kaskos hoppers!"
Cristo watched Alena slowly creep forward. Her target was a small pack of kaskos hoppers gathered by a tiny pond. The princess stumbled a few times over outstretched roots and the club in her hands wavered as though she could not get a firm hold on it. With all the noise she was making, Cristo was amazed the giant, timid insects had not already fled, given their cowardly nature.
The bodyguard turned his attention toward the kaskos hoppers, just as intrigued with the large insects as he was with Alena's first hunting lesson. He had never seen the timid creatures in the wild before. Quite often, he would only see their wings on display at some hunter's home. The hoppers appeared to be a cross between deer and oversized locus, having all the features of their much smaller cousins except their mid-body curved upright instead of remaining horizontal. The only real threat kaskos hoppers represented to the country of Santeem was every few decades the population would suddenly explode and their reclusive behavior became less of a factor when traveling near human settlements looking for food in the fields of farmers. If anything, they were nothing more than a nuisance, much like their smaller relatives.
Turning his attention back to Alena, who was now no more than twenty feet from her prey, Cristo absently cursed himself for not having learned some of the protection magic he had promised himself to learn; he had not expected Brey to take her hunting so soon. If he had learned the magic, he would have been able to cast it on Alena to make sure the kaskos hoppers did not cause any harm unto her if they decided to attack her instead of run.
Watching Alena stumble a few times, Cristo thought maybe it would be a good thing to cast such magic on her so she could not harm herself as well.
The bodyguard scanned the bushes to see if he could find Brey who was hiding undercover, watching and observing Alena with probably just as much fascination, although for different reasons.
Knowing the old tutor was somewhere in the bushes, lurking like a grizzled, old wolf, made Cristo's nerves stand on end. He did not know what it was but there was definitely something strange about Brey. If anything, it was because there was so little the bodyguard, the Princess, or anyone else truly knew about him. For as long as he had lived at Santeem Castle, no one had ever been able to delve too deeply into his past. With such an enigmatic personality, Cristo not only respected him but sometimes feared him as well.
Suddenly, a charging scream brought Cristo's attention back to Alena's hunt and he saw the princess charge at the kaskos hoppers, her club ready to smash the first giant insect she could catch. Like a herd of deer, the hoppers quickly took to a panicked flight. Some bolted into the forest, their long, spindle legs carrying them several feet in a few seconds. Some immediately took to the air, their long, delicate wings unfolding and rapidly beating to get them out of harm's way.
Two made the mistake of rushing towards Alena, unsure where the attack was coming from.
Alena did not expect the sudden charge of her enemy and swung her club in a wild panic just as the giant insects caught up to her. Amazingly, the club connected solidly with one of the hoppers' head. A loud, cracking sound echoed throughout the clearing as the heavy head of the club shattered the exo-skeleton of the giant insect. A green fluid splashed out and the hopper fell over lifelessly. However, the vibration sent riveting through Alena's body after she made the kill caused her to drop the heavy club.
The other kaskos hopper, upon seeing its companion drop lifelessly to the ground, halted its escape. Instead of fleeing for its life, the giant insect turned around to face the princess, an angry glare coming into its otherwise expressionless face.
The kaskos hopper started a charge towards Alena. Panicking, she lifted her club from the ground and tried to get it in front of her. However, she was much too slow and the kaskos hopper bowled her over, knocking her to the ground and sending her weapon flying from her hands.
"Princess!" Cristo cried out and leaped out from the bushes to her aid. However, the giant insect had its spindle legs already raised above Alena, preparing to impale her. Her bodyguard would not be able to reach her in time.
Before the hopper had a chance to finish its enemy off, however, a four-foot long spear of ice suddenly flew from the bushes. The deadly projectile impaled the hopper solidly in its lower torso, knocking it several feet from Alena. When it finally landed, the giant insect twitched for several seconds before moving no more.
Cristo stopped in his tracks as the spear of ice killed the kaskos hopper, shocked by the quickness Brey exhibited. However, his surprise only lasted for a few seconds and the bodyguard rushed forward again, reaching Alena just as she was starting to get up. "Princess!" he called to her, immediately helping her to her feet. "Are you all right? Are you hurt? Do you need healing?"
"I'm fine," she grumbled, giving Cristo a tiny shove. The bodyguard let go of her, allowing the princess get up on her own accord. She stood up, brushed some soil and leaves from her clothes, and wiped off the green fluid speckled across her face. Standing still for a moment, she let the experience of the battle set in.
She had actually done it! She had actually killed a kaskos hopper, something many hunters were proud of doing. Now, when she would talk with any of the royal hunters back home, she could boast just as much as they did.
The adrenaline from the battle had yet to subside and Alena was eager to start her boasting. She turned to Cristo and excitedly asked, "How did I do?"
Cristo stammered for a moment. "Great! Outstanding! Never before have I seen such mastery and skill displayed with-"
"You were sloppy!" Brey's chastising voice came as he emerged from the surrounding bush. Both Alena and Cristo turned towards him and shot the old tutor annoyed glares, each for different reasons.
"What do you mean?" Alena pouted, placing her hands on her hips. "I killed it, didn't I?"
"We should be giving her encouragement whenever we can, old man," Cristo said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Once Brey was with the other two, he looked over at Cristo and said, "If we give her too much praise, she won't improve at all."
"Will you please stop talking as if I'm not here!" Alena nearly screamed. "It is very annoying, treating me as if I'm nothing more than your study object."
"Sorry," Brey muttered without looking, making the apology somewhat empty.
Her face flushed red with annoyance and Alena promptly walked over to the kaskos hopper she had killed, giving it a swift kick. "See, Brey," she said, turning her head to face her tutor. "I killed it. Does it really matter how it happened?"
Brey flashed her an irked glance and said, "Yes, it does. In case you don't remember, you were nearly killed by that one's mate."
Upon hearing this, Alena's eyes widened slightly. It had never occurred to her that kaskos hoppers would have mates, making the second one's savage attack more sensible. A pang of guilt started to creep into Alena's being and it showed in her face.
"Don't go feeling guilty about it," Brey immediately said upon seeing the change of expression. "Such things occur every day; if not by us humans, then by troglodytes, orcs, or other, more primitive races. Just forget about it."
Noticing her guilt remained, he walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me," he gently said, "do you ever feel guilty about swatting a mosquito that is drinking your blood?"
"No...," Alena hesitantly replied.
"And would you feel guilty that you are doing the farmers of your country a favor by eliminating a pest such as these giant insects," Brey asked further, "because that is what these things mainly are; a pest that eat crops like locusts, gophers, and crows."
Alena looked at Brey for a moment, raising an eyebrow. "Are you saying that these giant bugs are like mosquitoes, only they drink the lifeblood of the country instead of the individual?" she asked.
Brey smiled and replied, "I'm glad to see you remembered our lessons on metaphors and similes." He gave a low chuckle and Alena could not help but let a tiny smile creep onto her lips.
"Okay," she said, nodding. "I get the point. I feel better about it now."
"Great!" Brey said, taking his hand off of her shoulder. "Then let's get down to the business at hand: de-winging these hoppers."
"De-winging?" Alena said, confused.
"Sure," Brey replied as he hobbled towards Cristo. "Merchants who pay the bounties on these things only want the wings to make into ornaments. There isn't much of a market for kaskos steak." He paused for a moment, then said, "Why? Does it bother you?"
"No," Alena was quick to reply, "not at all." Just seems like a waste, she absently added with her thoughts.
The old tutor turned to Cristo, who was silent for the past few minutes. "We'll be needing your sword, Cristo," Brey said, extending his arm forward.
"Sure," the bodyguard slowly said, unsheathing the copper sword from its scabbard and giving it to the old tutor.
Once Brey had the sword, he motioned to Alena to follow him and the princess did so. The old tutor walked over to the kaskos hopper he had killed with his 'Icebolt' spell and knelt down in front of it, examining the carcass. The icicle was somewhat melted, leaving a gap between the ice and the giant insect's flesh. The melting water was quickly mixing with the hopper's green fluids, soaking into the soil it rested on.
After taking the time to examine the body, Brey nodded approvingly, certain the wings hiding beneath the hopper's shell were not damaged. He turned around, making sure Alena was above him. "Now, pay attention, Princess," he said to her. "There's a certain way you have to de-wing a kaskos hopper."
Brey proceeded with the task, explaining each step as he did so. First, he pried the insect's shell open with the sword, letting the delicate wings fall out on their own accord. Next, he lifted the closest wing, extending it to its fullest length. Brey then proceeded to find where the wing's joint met with the body. Once he found the joint, Brey took Cristo's sword and, in one stroke, severed the wing from the body. He gently placed the wing on the ground, careful to not damage its delicate frame, and proceeded to sever the second wing.
Once Brey was finished de-winging the giant insect, he turned to Alena and said, "Not really much to it. Right?" Alena nodded in agreement. Brey smiled and said, "Great! Now you do it." And he handed the sword to her.
Alena took a startled step back, her eyes wide with shock. "Me?" she asked, pointing a finger at her chest.
"Sure," Brey smiled. "You have a dead kaskos hopper right over there. Go for it." He jutted the hilt of the sword further towards the princess.
Alena looked at Cristo, hoping he would be able to help her out of this situation. However her bodyguard merely shrugged, offering no assistance as Brey had made it clear he was not to interfere during these lessons unless it was essential. She turned back to her tutor and threw her arms up, whining. "Can't you do it?"
"It was your kill," Brey said, still pointing the hilt towards her, "therefore you have to de-wing it yourself. That's the rule."
"I don't like it," Alena cried, shaking her head. "Why are you making me do this?"
"It's all a part of the learning process," Brey explained. He slowly lowered the sword and sarcastically added, "If you don't want to do this, we can always go back to the castle..."
At that, Alena's brow furrowed and she snatched the sword from Brey's hands. The princess gave the old tutor and annoyed glare before turning on her heels and promptly marching towards the corpse of the hopper she had killed.