Raymond Feist - Magician

Kulgan looked at two books he held, like a mother regarding her young. ‘But I must take them along to further the boy’s education.’

‘Pah! So you’ll have something to mull over around the campfires and aboard ship, more likely. Spare me excuses. You will be riding hard to clear the South Pass before it is snowed in. And who can read in a ship crossing the Bitter Sea in winter? The boy will only be away from his studies a month or two. He’ll have over eight years more study after that. Give him a rest.’

Pug was perplexed by the conversation and tried to ask a question, but was ignored by the two old companions as they bickered. After several more remonstrations from Tully, Kulgan surrendered. ‘I suppose you’re right,’ he said, tossing the books onto his pallet. He saw Pug waiting by the door and said, ‘What? Still here?’

Pug said, ‘You haven’t told me why you sent for me yet, Kulgan.’

‘Oh?’ Kulgan said, eyes blinking wide like those of a barn owl caught in a bright light. ‘I haven’t?’ Pug nodded. ‘Well, then. The Duke orders us ready to ride at first light. The dwarves have not answered, but he will not wait. The North Pass is almost certain to be closed, and he fears snow in the South Pass.’ Kulgan said as an aside, ‘Which he should. My weather nose tells me snow is nearly here. We are in for an early and hard winter.’

Tully shook his head as he stood up. ‘This from the man who predicted drought seven years ago, when we had the worst flooding in memory. Magicians! Charlatans, all of you.’ He walked slowly to the door, then stopped to look at Kulgan, his mock irritation replaced by genuine concern. ‘Though you are right this time, Kulgan. My bones ache deeply. Winter is upon us.’

Tully left and Pug asked, ‘We’re leaving?’

With exasperation, Kulgan said, ‘Yes! I just said so, didn’t I? Get your things together and quickly. Dawn’s less than an hour away.’

Pug turned to leave, when Kulgan said, ‘Oh, a moment, Pug.’

The magician crossed to the door and glanced through it, ensuring Tully was down the stairs and out of earshot. Kulgan turned to Pug and said, ‘I have no fault to find with your behavior . . . but should you in the future find yourself with another late-night caller, I suggest you not subject yourself to further . . . testing. I’m not so sure you would do as well a second time.’

Pug blanched. ‘You heard?’

Kulgan pointed to a spot where the floor and wall met. ‘That fire-pot thing of yours exits the wall a foot below there, and it seems a marvelous conduit for sound.’ Absently he said, ‘I’ll have to look to see how it conducts sound so well when we return.’ Returning to the boy, he said, ‘In any event, I was working late and didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I heard every word.’ Pug flushed. Kulgan said, ‘I don’t mean to embarrass you, Pug. You acted rightly and showed surprising wisdom.’ Putting his hand upon Pug’s shoulder, he said, ‘I’m not one to advise you in such matters, I fear, as I’ve had scant experience with women, of any age, let alone such young and headstrong ones.’ Looking Pug in the eyes, he said, ‘But this much I do know, it is almost impossible in the heat of the moment to understand long-term consequences. I am proud you were able to do this.’

Pug smiled self-consciously. ‘It was easy enough, Kulgan, I just kept my mind focused on something.’

‘What?’

‘Capital punishment.’

Kulgan laughed, a sharp barking sound, then said, ‘Very well, but the potential for disaster would be as high for the Princess, too, Pug. A citybred noblewoman of the eastern court may indulge herself in as many lovers of any rank that she can enjoy while maintaining discretion, but the only daughter of a frontier duke who is so closely related to the king has no such luxury. She must be above suspicion in all things. Even suspicion could harm Carline. One who cares for her would take that into consideration. Do you understand?’

Pug nodded, fully relieved now that he had resisted temptation the night before.

‘Good, I know you’ll be careful in the future.’ Kulgan smiled. ‘And don’t mind old Tully. He’s just cross because the Duke ordered him to stay behind. He still thinks he’s as young as his acolytes. Now run along and get ready. Dawn’s less than an hour away.’

Pug nodded and hurried off, leaving Kulgan to regard the piles of books before him. With regret he picked the nearest one up and placed it on a nearby shelf. After a moment he grabbed another and stuffed it into a sack. ‘Just one won’t cause any harm,’ he said to the invisible specter of Tully shaking his head in disapproval. He put the rest of the books back on the shelf, save the last volume, which he shoved into the sack. ‘All right, then,’ he said defiantly, ‘two!’

A LIGHT WET SNOW WAS FALLING.

Pug shivered under his greatcloak, sitting astride his horse. He had been in the saddle for the last ten minutes, waiting as the rest of the Duke’s company made ready.

The courtyard filled with hurrying, shouting men, lashing supplies onto the balky mules of the baggage train. Dawn was just commencing, giving the courtyard a little color instead of the blacks and grey that had greeted Pug when he came from the tower. Porters had already carried his baggage down and were securing it among the other items being brought along.

A panicked ‘Whoa!’ erupted behind Pug, and he turned to see Tomas pulling frantically at the reins of a spirited bay, his head tossing high. Like Pug’s own sleek, light war-horse, he was a far cry from the old draft animal they had ridden to the site of the shipwreck. ‘Don’t pull so hard,’ Pug shouted. ‘You’ll saw at his mouth and make him mad. Pull back gently and release a couple of times.’

Tomas did, and the horse quieted down, moving alongside Pug’s own. Tomas sat as if the saddle had nails sticking through it. His face was a study in concentration as he tried to guess what the horse would do next.

‘If you hadn’t been walking post yesterday, you could have gone riding, getting in some practice. Now I’ll have to teach you as we go.’

Tomas looked thankful for the promise of aid. Pug smiled. ‘By the time we reach Bordon, you’ll be riding like the King’s Lancers.’

‘And walking like a ruptured spinster.’ Tomas shifted in the saddle. ‘Already I feel like I’ve been sitting on a stone block for hours. After just a little way from the saddling post.’

Pug jumped down from his horse and looked over Tomas’s saddle, making Tomas move his leg so he could examine under the saddle flap, then asked, ‘Who saddled this horse for you?’

‘Rulf. Why?’

‘I thought so. He’s paying you back for threatening him about that sword, or because we’re friends. He doesn’t dare threaten me anymore, now that I’m a Squire, but he thinks nothing of knotting your stirrup leathers. A couple of hours riding like this, and you’d be standing at meals for a month, if you didn’t get pitched on your head and killed. Here, get down and I’ll show you.’

Tomas dismounted, halfway between a leap and a fall. Pug showed him the knots. ‘They would have rubbed the inside of your thighs raw by the end of the day. And they’re not long enough.’ Pug took out the knots and adjusted the leathers to the proper length. ‘It’s going to feel very strange for a while, but you’ve got to keep your heels down. I’ll remind you until you’re sick of hearing it, but it’ll keep you out of trouble when you do it without thought. And don’t try to grip with your knees; that’s wrong, and it’ll make your legs so sore, you’ll hardly be able to walk by tomorrow.’ He went on with a few basic instructions and inspected the cinch, which was loose. He tried tightening it, and the horse sucked air. Pug struck the gelding a blow in the side, and the animal exhaled sharply. Pug quickly pulled the cinch strap and said, ‘Sometime today, you most likely would have found yourself listing to one side, a most discomforting position.’