Sword of Might, Chapter 1 (cont, 1)

 Marginally reassured, Jerrod threw back the bolt and opened the door. Framed by the lintel was a pair that would never be confused with members of the local peasantry. Two nearly identical armored individuals of medium height and build stood in the opening. They appeared to be about his own age or perhaps a bit older. Although at first glances the pair had seemed identical, upon closer examination Jerrod could see that there were differences. The one on the left was perhaps two or three fingers taller and slightly broader-shouldered. The one on the right had a patch over the left eye and was poised in mid-knock and, unless Jerrod's eyes were playing tricks on him, the one on the right was a woman.

The woman snapped, "Are you Jerrod, apprentice to Astall Demonsbane?" 

 Jerrod nodded slowly. 

 "Then let us in so we can escape from this infernal weather. We are Enki and Urki Siti, and we have been sent by Astall to enlist your services."

Jerrod looked at the two with slightly concealed disdain. They were obviously mere warriors. The master would never have anything to do with such barbaric members of society. Warriors had their uses of course. They were necessary to defend the marches from the wildmen and the hellspawn. They were useful in dealing with criminal riffraff. They were effective bodyguards for members of the nobility like his father. They even made good athletes and provided entertainment for the peasants at the games. They did not, however, make for intellectually stimulating companions to someone as brilliant as the master. So the question was what were they doing at the master's stoop making such outrageous claims? If they were bandits, why did they not simply force their way past him? Fear of Master Astall, no doubt. Besides, how would bandits know that the Master was gone and that he was the apprentice of Astall? And why would they bother going to such an elaborate ruse? Curious. Still they were mere warriors and as such were unlikely to have business at the home of Astall Demonsbane, Archmagus.

"I think that unlikely," Jerrod retorted and he began to shut the door. The warrior on the left, the man, began to laugh uproariously. The woman merely put her left palm out. When the door made contact with it, it felt to Jerrod like the boards had run into an iron bar. The abrupt halt to his efforts to close the door knocked Jerrod of balance and he nearly found himself on the seat of his breeches. He scrabbled for equilibrium. When Jerrod had regained his footing, he looked up and saw that the woman had stepped in and was shaking her head and looking at him with a slightly amused expression. He began to prepare a spell to defend the cottage from the two intruders, but before he could utter even a syllable the woman had drawn her sword and placed the tip of her blade in such a position that any motion from his Adam's apple would be rewarded with the flow of his own blood. Jerrod froze and looked with fear and horror at the invaders. Here he was, he and the master's goods were both at the mercy of two unknown sellswords. If this was part of Astall's test, he was surely going to fail.

The woman turned to her companion and said, "I hope he improves his manners on the trail." 

The man continued to laugh, but managed to choke out, "Swordpoints are good teachers of etiquette, better it would seem than our friend Astall." The man thoroughly amused by his own wit, began to howl once more.

The woman turned back to Jerrod and smiled. "I would suggest, magelet, that you not try to speak another spell. You see, I might take offense, and that oaf Urki over there might laugh himself to death. Besides I don't think Astall had your death in mind when he sent us here, and he might be a bit put out at having to train a new apprentice. Now if you will hold your water -- oh, I see it's too late for that," she smile slyly, "I will give you proof that we are who we say we are and that we are here at the request of your good teacher."

The woman -- "Enki must be her name," realized Jerrod -- withdrew her blade from its post as warden of Jerrod's throat and resheathed it. Watching Jerrod like a mongoose watches a snake, she reached with her left hand into her hip pouch. From it, she withdrew a piece of much-folded parchment and handed it to the apprentice. "This letter is from Astall. It introduces us to you, and outlines the beginning of our -- and your -- task."

Jerrod scanned the missive. It really was from Astall. It seemed unbelievable, but he was asking(!?) Jerrod to go with these two warriors to Pond Eddy and meet other undescribed companions. There, according to the message, the reasons for Jerrod's journey and for the unseasonable blast of frigid air(!?) would be explained more fully.

Jerrod could hardly believe his eyes. The master never asked him to do anything. He always ordered him to do whatever was necessary. And why would Master Astall -- perhaps the tone of this note indicated that Jerrod should begin thinking of him as Astall -- request that Jerrod accompany two simple warriors to the town of Pond Eddy to meet as yet indeterminate companions. And what had that to do with the descent of Winter during what was normally the end of the warm season. It boggled the mind. Yet there it was. And the scrawl of the handwriting was unquestionably that of the Master -- Astall, Jerrod corrected himself. These two must be bodyguards, Jerrod decided. Yet they did not act with proper respect that bodyguards should show. "I will speak to the...to Astall about their conduct when I see him at Pond Eddy," Jerrod said to himself.

He turned to the twins. "It appears that you were indeed sent by Astall. However, why he sent the likes of you I don't know. Wait here while I gather my belongings. In the morning, we must visit the peasants down the road and charge them with caring for the croft while I am away."

Without waiting for a reply, he turned to collect his possessions. The peremptory action which followed his haughty words caused him to miss the sardonic smile with which Enki rewarded him and the wink and the grin which Urki gave her. He had much to learn.