Athelings and Apprentices

After leaving The River Pearl, Martel first had to return with Flora to remove his armour and change into his own clothes before he could walk back to the Lyceum. When he arrived home, he went straight to sleep. But the trip on the dark streets of Morcaster gave him the opportunity to consider the information from Dawn. The jewellery on her finger was more than it seemed. In fact, it was a signet ring, belonging to a scion of a minor house.

Martel remembered when Maximilian had lost his, and the lengths the viscount was willing to go to that he might recover it. The novice did not imagine Jasper had stolen this particular signet ring, as that was not his style; it seemed more likely he had obtained it from the owner by the same means that he took Martel's silver. And although every important member of that particular house would have such a ring, Martel had a good guess as to whom Jasper had extorted; the only student at the Lyceum who had a hawk for a crest. But such would wait until tomorrow; satisfied with the outing, Martel slept soundly.

***

The next day, Martel considered how to make his approach. He had himself felt rather embarrassed about Jasper extorting him, and he imagined the acolyte's other victims shared the sentiment. He spent a long time planning the conversation, how to broach the subject and how much he was willing to reveal about his own predicament. In the end, his contemplations became an excuse to delay what could be a most unpleasant moment, especially if the conversation took a bad turn. Steeling himself, Martel went to the third floor of his dormitory tower, knocking on the door.

Alain opened, looking at him with surprise. "What is it?"

"Can we speak in private?"

The mageknight gave a frown but opened the door fully and stepped aside to allow Martel entry. "What is amiss?"

"I'm having some trouble with Jasper. You know, the earth acolyte." He watched Alain's reaction and noted that an expression ran across the young nobleman's face, indicating displeasure, annoyance, or something to that effect. "I think you may have the same issue with him as I do."

Alain crossed his arms. "What makes you say that?"

"I've been following Jasper. He has a girl in town, and I saw your signet ring on her finger."

The mageknight grabbed one hand with the other, though Martel noticed both of them were bereft of jewellery. "He gave my ring to some – strumpet?"

Martel nodded. "He has a good amount of my silver as well. And I suspect there are others."

Even though alone in the room with a closed door, Alain whispered his next question. "What does he know about you?"

"I think we both prefer to keep our secrets," Martel pointed out.

"Oh, of course. Forgive my impertinence."

"To that end, we must deal with him. Can I count on your support?"

The mageknight seemed hesitant, weighing the decision. "What should we do?"

"I have an idea."

***

One part in play, Martel crossed the castle to find another. Although it had taken him a while, everything had fallen into place after his conversation with Dawn. Jasper reading his messages and following him around could explain some of the information the acolyte had gained about Martel, but not everything. For instance, the exact sums he was paid for his work with the Night Knives would only be known to himself, the mercenaries, and the people at The River Pearl.

The conversation had also illuminated matters left unspoken, which Martel now saw in a different light. He ran through this in his mind as he approached the apothecary. He had been convinced of Nora's guilt, that she had been complicit in Jasper's extortion, perhaps because the acolyte's threat to expose his secrets had made Martel inclined to view everyone in the worst light. Also, he had assumed he was Jasper's only victim, and so when the acolyte protected Nora's trade with apothecary remedies, Martel's next assumption had been that Nora somehow benefited from this; he had not considered that she could be a victim too.

Stepping into the small workshop, where the smell of drying herbs greeted him as always, Martel prepared himself for the second difficult conversation of the day. He cleared his throat until Nora noticed him. "What are you doing here?"

"You've probably noticed my mood hasn't been the best lately," Martel began. He felt guilty about how he had treated Nora with almost contemptuous silence, but apologies would have to wait until afterwards. "I have had some troubles. With Jasper, the earth acolyte. I think you're familiar with him?"

"What sort of trouble?"

"The kind where he forces me to do as he demands. And I think he does the same to you." Martel stared at her with his blue eyes.

Her voice grew soft. "How did you know?"

"The mageknights buy their remedies from you. When I offered to make some for them, Jasper threatened me to stop. Because I think he benefits from you selling to them," Martel suggested, searching her face for any clue that he was right.

"I only meant to do it once or twice." Her voice grew thick. "My father can't find work. I already make it for the apothecary, so there could be no harm in me selling a few, right?"

"And Jasper found out?"

She nodded. "He threatened to tell Mistress Rana unless I kept doing it, giving him most of the money. I don't want to do it, I don't want to risk my apprenticeship, but what else could I do?" She shivered and looked to be on the verge of tears.

"You are not alone in this," Martel reassured her. "You know how some of the acolytes gather each Pelday evening, in the Chamber of Earth?"

"Yes, but I'm not a fighter. I never go." Nora looked at him with wide eyes.

"This coming Pelday, you should."