A Touch of Magic Read Online Free PDF Page B

Miller, it usually takes two years or so to properly train a person to wield the sword and stand watch. But during that time, he’ll be working as a junior guard. Setting camp, loading and unloading boxes, and the like. Those duties earn wages, and under apprenticeship, those wages rightfully belong to you until Randall is declared his own man and can earn his own wages.”
    John Miller nodded his head. He was familiar with the traditional arrangement. During very busy seasons, he’d hired boys before, and even taken on an apprentice once, before his own boys were big enough to help with the workload. The money paid to an apprentice was less than a regular hired laborer would earn, but in return the apprentice was clothed, fed, housed, and taught a craft that he could use to earn his own keep when he finished his apprenticeship. Everyone benefitted. The boy learned a valuable trade to take him into manhood, his family earned a few ringets on the side, and the apprentice’s master got the benefit of cheap labor.
    “Mr. Miller, it’s obvious the boy has prospects,” Earl’s tone turned matter-of-fact. “I want you to know that I’m serious about this boy’s training, and I think he’s got too much potential to be wasted making biscuits. I’m willing to pay his entire training wage up front, if it’ll help seal the deal. That way, you won’t have to worry about the wages being lost to bandits, or perhaps falling off during the slow trading seasons. And after paying up front, you’ll know I’ll train him right, to get my money’s worth out of him…” Earl trailed off, muttering and counting on his fingers before speaking again. “Most boys go on fifteen or sixteen caravan trips before their training is complete, so by my reckoning, that comes out to….hmm…two talens.”
    Talens?! Randall had never seen the golden coin before. There was no gold to speak of in the one mountain range on Tallia’s northwest coast. There had been a smallish deposit there once, but it had been mined away generations ago. Any gold in Tallia, either coins or jewelry, came from the larger continent of Salianca, and almost never made it to the smaller towns and villages on the island. Randall stared, fascinated as Earl extracted two of the largish yellow coins from his pouch and laid them on the table with a heavy-sounding clink. Randall’s father was mesmerized by them as well. He gingerly picked one up and unconsciously brought it to his teeth to bite it as he stared at the other. His eyes widened as the soft metal gave slightly under the pressure. It was gold.
     “Now, I understand there’ll be a bit of a fuss from all of the other merchants and craftsmen if I snatch your boy up today before they’ve all had a fair bid on him. I imagine that baker chap will be especially steamed. But I’m aiming to leave tonight if I’m to make my run on time, and it’d be a shame if I left without such a fine young lad.” Earl said. “For your trouble, I think I can throw in an extra four florn”. Earl stacked the silver coins on the table next to the remaining talen. Randall’s father still had the one talen between his teeth, looking dumbfounded. “All told, that should just about cover all of the boy’s wages during training, plus a little extra to smooth over any ruffled feathers,” Earl finished.
    Randall’s father let the gold coin drop from his mouth into his hand, never taking his eyes off the small fortune sitting on his table. If Randall had apprenticed as a baker or woodworker, the elder Miller could have expected to get a ringet or two in apprentice wages every couple of months. A single talen was worth more than his father could earn in profit over several years, and there were two of them sitting in front of him, in addition to a small stack of silver. It was enough money for Randall’s father to effect a modest retirement, if he so chose. He didn’t hesitate an instant.
    “Done. Randall, go to your room and pack