Merek's Ascendance by Andrew Lashway

Author:Andrew Lashway [Lashway, Andrew]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Elision Press
Published: 2014-06-29T23:00:00+00:00

Several hours later, after the Trainer was through punishing them all with sparring matches and exercises, Merek found himself staring at the forest without really knowing why. He was comfortable here in the castle, he was safe, he had met new people, and he wasn’t getting rained on constantly.

But he still missed his little cave in the wilderness. He didn’t have mixed feelings about the leaves, and he didn’t have to wonder if he looked decent for the rocks.

“You look… wistful.”

Merek didn’t need to look to see Thorald’s approach, and he didn’t turn as the prince stood next to him.

“I don’t know what that means,” Merek admitted honestly. He was too tired, both from training and… something else, he couldn’t quite name it, to really care.

“Something tells me you don’t read a lot,” Thorald said.

“I never learned how.”

“You never learned to read?”

“My... my mother was too busy to teach me. And I was needed to work the farm, so I never went to school.”

Thorald was quiet, though Merek could see the pity in his eyes. He despised it.

“Just something that happens,” Merek said, “nothing to worry about. Plenty of people can’t read.”

“This is true,” Thorald said, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t do anything about it. Come with me.”

“Was that a request?”

“No.”

Merek laughed, and then fell into step next to Thorald with a shrug.

“And where are we going?”

“You’ll see.”

They traveled up a staircase and down a hallway, and it didn’t take Merek long to realize he had walked this path before.

“The library, right?” Merek said as they walked.

“Mhm,” Thorald replied, “best place to learn things.”

“I don’t think I can learn to read from something that needs me to read in order to learn,” Merek said.

“Of course not,” Thorald laughed, “that’s why I’m going to teach you.”

“You… you’d be willing to teach me?”

“You saved my life,” was the reply, “and I pay my debts. Besides, and don’t tell anyone I said this, but I love teaching.”

“Why wouldn’t I tell someone that? That sounds very noble.”

“Could you imagine the chaos? Everyone would want to be taught by the Prince of Wentana.”

“Fair enough.”

The two entered the library just as an older woman came to the door. She wore a puffy black dress that buttoned up to her throat, and her graying hair was pulled into a tight bun. Wrinkles were forming on her brow, but she still had a nice smile on her face when she saw them approach.

“Prince Thorald, back again? It’s your third trip today. I’m afraid I’m locking up for the night,” she said in a somewhat high voice.

“Could we just have an hour?” Thorald asked in a higher voice than his usual one. “I’ll lock up once we leave. Just wanted to show my friend around.”

“Oh…” she looked stricken, torn between her duty and her familiarity with Thorald.

“You know we’ll be careful.”

“Well, I know you will,” she replied, “but I don’t know about this one,” she finished with a glance at Merek.

“If he misbehaves, I’ll give him a good thrashing.

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