deliver it a long distance.” A ringet was Tallia’s cheapest monetary unit, a copper coin about a half-inch in diameter. Randall had quoted the man two ringets more than the cheapest price his father would agree to. “Always let them talk you down,” his father said.
“Seven ringets! I knew that bastard was cheating…” the baker cried before getting a hold of himself. “Lad, the miller in my town’s been charging me nearly twice that. If you don’t mind piping in next time we’re negotiating price, I think you’ve got yourself a place in my shop. Give me a day or two to see the sights and sell my bread before I square everything with your folks and head home.”
“Yes sir,” Randall said, heart sinking. A day or two would be too late.
After that, Bobby got tired of running to every craftsperson in town. “You’ve already got a job in the bag! And on first day of job fair! I don’t understand why you want to keep looking for another one.” he said. “I want to go watch the militia do some more maneuvers and visit the peddlers before they pack up for the day! They always have such interesting things from the big continent!”
“You go on ahead, Bobby”. Randall said. “I’m gonna talk to a couple more people and then I’ll try to catch up with you.”
Bobby just shook his head, and took off in the direction of a vendor selling meat pies from a wooden pushcart. Undeterred, Randall kept on alone, and spoke to nearly every craftsperson that would see him. It soon became clear that most of the people in town were here to shop, socialize, and have a good time as much as look for hired help. Nobody was in a hurry to get their business concluded and be back on the road before the first day was even over.
Those he did manage to speak to about apprenticeship didn’t seem as interested in him as the baker or even the woodworker had been. It was late afternoon by the time he had seen most of the craftspeople that had set up shop. More would come over the next day or two, but by then, it would be too late.
Dejected, Randall started the long walk home. It was going to be early evening before he got there. An hour’s ride by horse was about three on foot, and knowing that Earl would be there waiting for him made Randall drag his feet even more.
About halfway home, a thought occurred to him: his parents would never let him apprentice with one of the devil touched! Randall wouldn’t be surprised if his mother didn’t chase Earl out of the house with a carving knife once the man mentioned that he was a magicker. And besides, he never even bothered to ask where Randall lived and he hadn’t told the man his name! By the time he reached the edge of the Miller property, he had convinced himself that Earl had been teasing him. After all, how would he even know where to find Randall?
The more he thought about it, the better Randall felt. And he’d already gotten a job as a baker! It certainly wasn’t a soldier’s life, but after he became a journeyman, he could cut a deal with his father for flour, and help turn a tidy profit for the both of them! He was practically whistling by the time he reached the front porch. Wait until his parents heard that he’d managed to get a good job, on the first day of job fair no less!
Randall’s heart sank like a stone when he opened the front door, and saw Pa and Earl smoking pipes and laughing in the front room like old friends.
Chapter 2
“Well, don’t just stand there like a bump on a log, Randall. Come on in,” his father said. Randall stepped into the house, and closed the door behind him. The living room was filled with sweet pipe smoke. Randall guessed that they had been smoking for quite a while, judging by how low it hung from the ceiling.
“Earl was just telling me how you made a fine impression on him this morning, son!” His father beamed proudly.
“He was?” Randall asked, stalling for time. Why is Pa acting this way? Randall feared the worst:
“Seven ringets! I knew that bastard was cheating…” the baker cried before getting a hold of himself. “Lad, the miller in my town’s been charging me nearly twice that. If you don’t mind piping in next time we’re negotiating price, I think you’ve got yourself a place in my shop. Give me a day or two to see the sights and sell my bread before I square everything with your folks and head home.”
“Yes sir,” Randall said, heart sinking. A day or two would be too late.
After that, Bobby got tired of running to every craftsperson in town. “You’ve already got a job in the bag! And on first day of job fair! I don’t understand why you want to keep looking for another one.” he said. “I want to go watch the militia do some more maneuvers and visit the peddlers before they pack up for the day! They always have such interesting things from the big continent!”
“You go on ahead, Bobby”. Randall said. “I’m gonna talk to a couple more people and then I’ll try to catch up with you.”
Bobby just shook his head, and took off in the direction of a vendor selling meat pies from a wooden pushcart. Undeterred, Randall kept on alone, and spoke to nearly every craftsperson that would see him. It soon became clear that most of the people in town were here to shop, socialize, and have a good time as much as look for hired help. Nobody was in a hurry to get their business concluded and be back on the road before the first day was even over.
Those he did manage to speak to about apprenticeship didn’t seem as interested in him as the baker or even the woodworker had been. It was late afternoon by the time he had seen most of the craftspeople that had set up shop. More would come over the next day or two, but by then, it would be too late.
Dejected, Randall started the long walk home. It was going to be early evening before he got there. An hour’s ride by horse was about three on foot, and knowing that Earl would be there waiting for him made Randall drag his feet even more.
About halfway home, a thought occurred to him: his parents would never let him apprentice with one of the devil touched! Randall wouldn’t be surprised if his mother didn’t chase Earl out of the house with a carving knife once the man mentioned that he was a magicker. And besides, he never even bothered to ask where Randall lived and he hadn’t told the man his name! By the time he reached the edge of the Miller property, he had convinced himself that Earl had been teasing him. After all, how would he even know where to find Randall?
The more he thought about it, the better Randall felt. And he’d already gotten a job as a baker! It certainly wasn’t a soldier’s life, but after he became a journeyman, he could cut a deal with his father for flour, and help turn a tidy profit for the both of them! He was practically whistling by the time he reached the front porch. Wait until his parents heard that he’d managed to get a good job, on the first day of job fair no less!
Randall’s heart sank like a stone when he opened the front door, and saw Pa and Earl smoking pipes and laughing in the front room like old friends.
Chapter 2
“Well, don’t just stand there like a bump on a log, Randall. Come on in,” his father said. Randall stepped into the house, and closed the door behind him. The living room was filled with sweet pipe smoke. Randall guessed that they had been smoking for quite a while, judging by how low it hung from the ceiling.
“Earl was just telling me how you made a fine impression on him this morning, son!” His father beamed proudly.
“He was?” Randall asked, stalling for time. Why is Pa acting this way? Randall feared the worst:
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