Read Online The Wizard's Apprentice (The Apprentice) by Janice Ayre - Free Book Online
Authors: Janice Ayre
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to sleep soundly that night. There was something comforting in the close proximity of the grand old tree, a feeling of protection and of being one with nature. He had placed his sleeping mat on a bed of leaves to give greater softness and comfort to his bed. The place didn't seem so bad in the morning light, and especially after he was refreshed by sleep. The horses were grazing peacefully amongst the brown, dried grass. Zebulon had put a spell around an area from where they were camping so that the horses could run free and feed, but not run away.
Zebulon had risen at the first light of dawn and walked over the area where miners of yesteryear had dreamed their dreams and held hope of finding valuable opals. He could almost feel the distant expectation, the dismay, the excitement, of the lone miner who laboured with his pick and shovel to discover the opal dirt which gave promise to rich rewards. They would follow the seam, and if fortune smiled on them it would take on the qualities of gem opa l. T heir care and patience would be rewarded if they were able to delicately extract any opal.
The wizard cared little for any other opal that may have been left, he cared only for three precious opals, long ago extracted with that same fine precision and care. He had already checked with his devices and felt sure that he would find the first opal relatively quickly. It would still require hard work but he was impatient to begin. The sooner he was out of this wretched place the better. It would work out well with he and Brock working together with one picking while the other shoveled the dirt out of the way.
A week passed and Zebulon found he had been mistaken in his judgement. The sort after gems were elusive. He concluded that it was time to have a rest from digging because their supplies were running low. Before making the journey, he had determined that there was a village about half a day's ride from the mine.
"Tomorrow we will ride into Kotonia and purchase more supplies. According to this map it will take about half a day to get there so we could make it back here by nightfall. But we will rest the night at the inn and be refreshed for the return trip," he said.
"I like that idea." Brock had been very despondent since they arrived. He was lonely. He was not sorry to have put distance between himself and Clinton and his friends but he missed Amelia even more as the days went past. He even missed the maidens who had cooked their meals, and even the rough workmen. Zebulon, whom he had hoped would share more conversation now that they had a longer, better relationship, was distant. It was as if Brock had imagined their greater friendship, because the wizard was still reluctant to share much of value with him.
As they approached Kotonia, they were surprised and delighted to find it like a green oasis in the middle of barren land. The village was small and neat. An even bigger surprise awaited them at the Four Star Inn where they planned to spend the night. The inn keeper was an old friend of Zebulon's, an elf called Uri.
Uri was married to a human woman to whom Brock took an instant liking. He saw her as an older Amelia but that was probably because, not having much familiarity with the humans, Amelia became an example of what a good human girl or woman should be. In the village there were both elf and humans, living in harmony, and for the most part a friendly and contented people. Brock's mood lifted as he walked about the township, meeting with the people and looking in all the shops. Zebulon spent the afternoon talking with Uri about familiar subjects.
It was gratifying to bathe and then dress in dust free clothes, to sit on a chair at a table and enjoy a good meal with friendly people. Their pleasure was greater because as yet their old miner cottage was still in a primitive state. They had cleared out some of the cottage so they would have shelter from the elements and although they now slept in the cottage, they found
Zebulon had risen at the first light of dawn and walked over the area where miners of yesteryear had dreamed their dreams and held hope of finding valuable opals. He could almost feel the distant expectation, the dismay, the excitement, of the lone miner who laboured with his pick and shovel to discover the opal dirt which gave promise to rich rewards. They would follow the seam, and if fortune smiled on them it would take on the qualities of gem opa l. T heir care and patience would be rewarded if they were able to delicately extract any opal.
The wizard cared little for any other opal that may have been left, he cared only for three precious opals, long ago extracted with that same fine precision and care. He had already checked with his devices and felt sure that he would find the first opal relatively quickly. It would still require hard work but he was impatient to begin. The sooner he was out of this wretched place the better. It would work out well with he and Brock working together with one picking while the other shoveled the dirt out of the way.
A week passed and Zebulon found he had been mistaken in his judgement. The sort after gems were elusive. He concluded that it was time to have a rest from digging because their supplies were running low. Before making the journey, he had determined that there was a village about half a day's ride from the mine.
"Tomorrow we will ride into Kotonia and purchase more supplies. According to this map it will take about half a day to get there so we could make it back here by nightfall. But we will rest the night at the inn and be refreshed for the return trip," he said.
"I like that idea." Brock had been very despondent since they arrived. He was lonely. He was not sorry to have put distance between himself and Clinton and his friends but he missed Amelia even more as the days went past. He even missed the maidens who had cooked their meals, and even the rough workmen. Zebulon, whom he had hoped would share more conversation now that they had a longer, better relationship, was distant. It was as if Brock had imagined their greater friendship, because the wizard was still reluctant to share much of value with him.
As they approached Kotonia, they were surprised and delighted to find it like a green oasis in the middle of barren land. The village was small and neat. An even bigger surprise awaited them at the Four Star Inn where they planned to spend the night. The inn keeper was an old friend of Zebulon's, an elf called Uri.
Uri was married to a human woman to whom Brock took an instant liking. He saw her as an older Amelia but that was probably because, not having much familiarity with the humans, Amelia became an example of what a good human girl or woman should be. In the village there were both elf and humans, living in harmony, and for the most part a friendly and contented people. Brock's mood lifted as he walked about the township, meeting with the people and looking in all the shops. Zebulon spent the afternoon talking with Uri about familiar subjects.
It was gratifying to bathe and then dress in dust free clothes, to sit on a chair at a table and enjoy a good meal with friendly people. Their pleasure was greater because as yet their old miner cottage was still in a primitive state. They had cleared out some of the cottage so they would have shelter from the elements and although they now slept in the cottage, they found
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